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Revenant77 posted:Thank you for this. Every night between 5 and 9pm, Natalie just hates the world and I have seriously questioned every action I've taken. I've gone through everything I've eaten that day trying to figure out what could be causing this. More than once, I've plopped her on dads lap and left the room to regroup. It's so confusing because during the day, everything is great and she's a happy baby that smiles at me and makes me feel wonderful. I'm just glad to know that I'm not alone with this. Connor gets like this too, but I think in his case it's down to over-tiredness. What works for me is lying in bed in a dark room with him either nursing or if the boob makes him scream giving him his dummy and holding him close as though he was nursing. I did worry for a bit that he was screaming because he was hungry and there wasn't any milk but a quick squeeze always produced something.
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Apr 11, 2011 20:41
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Revenant77 posted:Thank you for this. Every night between 5 and 9pm, Natalie just hates the world and I have seriously questioned every action I've taken. I've gone through everything I've eaten that day trying to figure out what could be causing this. More than once, I've plopped her on dads lap and left the room to regroup. It's so confusing because during the day, everything is great and she's a happy baby that smiles at me and makes me feel wonderful. I'm just glad to know that I'm not alone with this. You are not alone. Our "freak out time" so far has been 11PM to 1AM. Absolutely nothing we do makes him calm down or stop, except maybe put him in the swing and let it fly.
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Apr 11, 2011 20:41
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You know, my kids are 4 and 2 and they STILL lose their freaking minds between 5 and 7 pm. I call it "The Demon Possession Hour".
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Apr 11, 2011 20:43
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anythingbutbloo posted:I will never understand why so many family members think that the best time for a visit is just after the birth of a baby, especially when they plan to stay at the home of the new parents. It boggles my mind. Because some families are very family oriented and it doesn't bother some folks? I had no problem with it - especially when my husband went back work 5 days later. I have an excellent relationship with all of my in-laws. I appreciated immensely when they cooked, helped clean, and helped repair little things around the house. You just have to establish your boundaries early on. I never once had an issue with someone trying to take the baby from me or not give her back if she was upset. Basically, discuss these things with family members before the baby is born and it'll help. bamzilla fucked around with this message at 21:18 on Apr 11, 2011 |
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Apr 11, 2011 21:14
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bamzilla posted:Because some families are very family oriented and it doesn't bother some folks? I had no problem with it - especially when my husband went back work 5 days later. I think it's very case by case. For us, in some cases it was a goddamned blessing. My mom stayed with us for two days, cleaned the entire house top to bottom while we were at the hospital, cooked us 11 dinners and froze them all, cooked a huge dinner for the day we came home so there would be leftovers for days, did our laundry and dishes for 2 days and let us be and decorated the house in "yay new baby stuff" to make us feel good. On the other hand, we have had the MIL for 2 days and have the FIL for 3 weeks and both have been nothing more than a detriment (in most cases). Saying "let me know if you want me to hold him for a while" is not helping, I'm sorry but it isn't. Go unload the dishwasher, go buy us food (you are after all here for 3 weeks eating and drinking our food), go clean up the dog poop you commented on us having so much of, go clean out the gardens you mentioned were a mess. Helping someone to nurse does not equal kneeling in from of mom saying "come on baby, you can do it, you can do it, take a drink" - that is not helping in the slightest. It's very much about who and what kind of relatives you have.
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Apr 11, 2011 21:21
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MarshallX posted:It's very much about who and what kind of relatives you have. Absolutely and that was the point I was trying to convey, really. I have some family members that I would have rather not have had around at first and they weren't. Ironically they also live here in town and it wasn't really an issue. The ones I would have rather seen more of were the ones that didn't stay as long as I would have liked. 
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Apr 11, 2011 21:26
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MarshallX posted:I think our plan right now is to stick to pumping until we can't anymore and then switch to formula, nursing with the nipple shield is just not going well for Mom, emotionally and physically (soreness, bleeding, frustration, baby not getting enough food, 1.5 hours for each feeding). We are past the point of it being a bonding experience for Mom and baby and are at the point where she is dreading feeding times, which isn't healthy. I seriously couldn have written this word for word. We made the switch to formula about a week ago and I haven't really looked back. We had been using the nipple shield and at first, it was great. Zoey was latching on with it and eating from me; I couldn't ask for any better. But as the weeks wore on, she became agitated, wouldn't sleep, started crying and screaming around the clock and was taking up to 90 minutes to eat every 2-3 hours. I was exhausted and started having panic attacks every time I had to feed her. She wouldn't latch on properly and no amount of pumping to pull out my flat nipples worked. I was barely able to get through each day; by the time my husband got home from work, I would have an absolute meltdown. I was not only physically exhausted but I was emotionally and mentally exhausted as well. I wasn't able to pump enough and my supply started to dwindle. On top of that, I couldn't nurse Zoey for 90 minutes, then pump for 20-25 minutes and then start the whole process over again within the hour. So, we bought bottles and formula and made the switch. We became a new family within a day. Zoey was finally full and stopped behaving like a raving lunatic. I stopped having panic attacks and learned to chill out a bit. I think she may have been picking up on my negative energy. I was tense which was making her tense which in turn was making me more tense and the cycle continued. I'm in no way advocating formula for everyone; if you're able to have a successful breastfeeding relationship with your child, kudos to you! And if I have future children, I was certainly try breastfeeding again. But in the meantime, I have (mostly) stopped feeling guilty about the decision to make the switch. So in short, MarshallX, just do what works best for your family regardless if it's breatfeeding or formula feeding. Don't let anyone make you or your wife feel guilty about the decision you make because at the end of the day, their opinion doesn't really matter. Just let your wife know she's not the only one who has experienced this problem.
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Apr 11, 2011 21:39
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A Serious Woman posted:
I just wanted to second this as well. With my Aki, I had latch issues and used a shield for 3 weeks until she completely refused to latch. I then turned to trying to pump for her and because I already had supply issues I ended up having to supplment with formula. For 6 weeks, I fed Aki from a bottle 10 times a day and pumped no less than 8 times a day. It was insanity and I was exhausted and miserable. We switched to formula around her 7th or 8th week and honestly, while I was not able to breastfeed her, which I had wanted, I was so much happier. As a result, she was happier too, because her mother was in a much better place to take care of her and actually have the energy to bond with her. Hang in there, you make whatever decisions are best for you and your family. Don't worry about what anyone else thinks!!
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Apr 11, 2011 22:54
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bamzilla posted:Absolutely and that was the point I was trying to convey, really. I have some family members that I would have rather not have had around at first and they weren't. Ironically they also live here in town and it wasn't really an issue. The ones I would have rather seen more of were the ones that didn't stay as long as I would have liked. This is the point that I was trying to convey as well, with an emphasis on pushy relatives that just assume they'll visit without discussion (as often these types of visitors like to hold the baby while the parents do the work). Sorry if my wording was unclear. If it works for you and you want people there, then there is no issue  I preferred short visits from family -- they stopped by with dinner and helped out briefly, and then disappeared. It was great and had no stress attached. Basically everyone just needs to talk openly and see what expectations/stresses exist and work accordingly. Some families are able to do this and some aren't; depending on the situation it can be awesome to have some real help around the house.
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Apr 11, 2011 23:06
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MoCookies posted:The stories from this thread have really cemented it for me that I don't want any family at my house for at least the first 2 weeks after I have my baby. (They all live 2000+ miles away, but our moms are dying to come 'help' for a few weeks.) It sounds so loving stressful; no amount of cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry is going to mitigate the fact that people are milling about in my house when I just need peace and quiet and a goddamn nap. I'm wondering if maybe I'll feel differently as the birth gets closer, or is it time to start perfecting the "no you can't come until December" conversation? At least they will help with chores instead of "being there for baby". Or that's what you think now. But if you're stressed out just by the idea of having them over, it can only get worse. I made the mistake to accept the MIL for my 1st born. 2nd one is not even baking and I am already perfecting my conversation for eventual number 2. It may be the fact that the MIL came "for the baby and for his son, not for catering the parents" (which translated in "trying to steal my husband and my baby and bitch about me not cleaning well enough), but it may also be the fact that I am a very independent person (thats's what my OB/GYN said when advising me next time no relatives, but I think I am just an antisocial bitch).
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Apr 12, 2011 10:39
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randomfuss posted:At least they will help with chores instead of "being there for baby". Or that's what you think now. But if you're stressed out just by the idea of having them over, it can only get worse. When an IL says "for the baby and for his son, not for catering the parents" it's time to tell them to take a hike.
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Apr 12, 2011 13:41
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peanut posted:Speaking of which, Ariza, what happened with your situation? Is your wife all right? Things are going alright. She's been back working (well like work, but we're paying for it) for a couple weeks or so. She's been able to pump enough to keep it exclusively breast milk but I think that'll end this week as our baby wants to eat more and more. She hasn't shown any signs of depression so that makes me super happy. Her school is much more expensive, difficult, and more important for our family than mine so I've been trying to let her sleep as much as she needs. That's beginning to take a toll on me because I average maybe 2-3 hours a day and it's always at random time. Our baby will fall asleep if someone is holding her, but as soon as I lay her down she wakes up and starts crying. I don't know if it's ok to let her cry herself to sleep or for how long I should let her cry before comforting her. I've tried reading up on it but everything has different ideas and I don't want to screw her up. As I type this, she's in my arms as she has been since about midnight. I've tried her swing and vibrating chair but she just starts crying as soon as I set her down.
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Apr 12, 2011 14:08
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Ariza posted:I've tried her swing and vibrating chair but she just starts crying as soon as I set her down. Do you have a carrier like a wrap or a pack carrier that you can put her in. I just to carry Aki in my moby wrap around the clock (except overnight) until she was 3 or 4 months old. She could sleep in it and I was able to sit in my rocking chair and at least relax completely while she slept. Hang in there, they really do have to learn to sleep on their own. Who knew sleeping was so difficult.
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Apr 12, 2011 15:25
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Ariza posted:I don't know if it's ok to let her cry herself to sleep or for how long I should let her cry before comforting her. I've tried reading up on it but everything has different ideas and I don't want to screw her up. As I type this, she's in my arms as she has been since about midnight. I've tried her swing and vibrating chair but she just starts crying as soon as I set her down. I went through this same thing when I was pregnant. I ended up looking at the worst possible damage each side said the other could cause. The no-cryers said that letting them cry could cause the child to be emotionally distant, depressed, and to have trouble expressing their needs in adulthood. The worst I could find from the CIO side was that it would be harder to teach him to sleep on his own the longer I waited, and that he would be "spoiled." I was left to cry in my crib as a baby and have difficulty forming meaningful emotional relationships, have struggled with depression since as long as I can remember, have trouble sleeping, and have trouble expressing my needs. I have dealt with spoiled brats before and know how to fix that, and it seemed a hell of a lot easier to fix spoiling and some sleep troubles than all the emotional crap I've had to deal with. So we went the no-cry route.
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Apr 12, 2011 16:18
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Liviana posted:Do you have a carrier like a wrap or a pack carrier that you can put her in. I just to carry Aki in my moby wrap around the clock (except overnight) until she was 3 or 4 months old. She could sleep in it and I was able to sit in my rocking chair and at least relax completely while she slept. Hang in there, they really do have to learn to sleep on their own. Who knew sleeping was so difficult. She was just under 6 lbs when born and only a bit past that now. We have a couple of different carriers and one sling and they all have a minimum of 8 lbs for usage. I think I'll try one and see if she seems comfy and able to breathe. chknflvrdramen posted:I went through this same thing when I was pregnant. I ended up looking at the worst possible damage each side said the other could cause. The no-cryers said that letting them cry could cause the child to be emotionally distant, depressed, and to have trouble expressing their needs in adulthood. The worst I could find from the CIO side was that it would be harder to teach him to sleep on his own the longer I waited, and that he would be "spoiled." I was left to cry in my crib as a baby and have difficulty forming meaningful emotional relationships, have struggled with depression since as long as I can remember, have trouble sleeping, and have trouble expressing my needs. I have dealt with spoiled brats before and know how to fix that, and it seemed a hell of a lot easier to fix spoiling and some sleep troubles than all the emotional crap I've had to deal with. So we went the no-cry route.  - I'm sorry, that's horrible. I'll go with keeping her with me then. I've never really slept much anyways and I'll probably get used to it. Thanks everyone for the help. All of my friends are drunks or busy so there's not much help for me in the real world.
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Apr 12, 2011 16:43
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Ariza posted:She was just under 6 lbs when born and only a bit past that now. We have a couple of different carriers and one sling and they all have a minimum of 8 lbs for usage. I think I'll try one and see if she seems comfy and able to breathe. Try a wrap-- I wore my tiny baby from 2 weeks old onward in a wrap. She was 6 lbs at birth and 5 lbs 10 oz when I took her home. By 2 weeks old she was just over 6 lbs. You want to wear the baby upright, with her legs froggied in, facing you. She'll rest her head on your chest, and it will be easy to ensure she's breathing fine. I am pretty staunchly against CIO, but even the most ardent supporters of it don't recommend going that way until 6 months old, so I wouldn't even consider it with a baby as little as yours.
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Apr 12, 2011 17:32
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I read a few places that the best thing to do is allow the baby to become drowsy in your arms, but not let them fall completely asleep there because they will become dependent on you for sleep. BUT I'm not a parent just yet, so I have no real world experience with this advice. Just wanted to say "Thanks" to everyone for reassuring me that I'm normal. I'm pretty drat sick of being pregnant and just want this kid out already. To go from an active student to someone who isn't even allowed to do the loving dishes is frustrating as hell. (I still do the dishes when he isn't home, but woe is me if I'm doing anything remotely physical when he is. I'M NOT A drat FLOWER!  ) C'mon, baby girl, hurry it up already.
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Apr 12, 2011 17:38
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Ariza posted:Our baby will fall asleep if someone is holding her, but as soon as I lay her down she wakes up and starts crying. I don't know if it's ok to let her cry herself to sleep or for how long I should let her cry before comforting her. I've tried reading up on it but everything has different ideas and I don't want to screw her up. As I type this, she's in my arms as she has been since about midnight. I've tried her swing and vibrating chair but she just starts crying as soon as I set her down. Do you swaddle her? If not, I highly recommend it. My kid tries to be Houdini but it helps when we put her down for bed. It helps with transitioning her from my arms to bed/swing because she gets jostled less.
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Apr 12, 2011 18:36
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Revenant77 posted:Do you swaddle her? If not, I highly recommend it. My kid tries to be Houdini but it helps when we put her down for bed. It helps with transitioning her from my arms to bed/swing because she gets jostled less. Definitely this, and if she fusses about being swaddled, do it right before you give her milk. That seems to be a magic cure-all for swaddle fuss. I highly recommend the SwaddleMe velcro swaddles.
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Apr 12, 2011 19:08
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Ariza, I also recommend trying swaddling. Not all babies take to it (my oldest didn't, but current one does), but when it works, it really works! Your baby is tiny and brand new--nothing you have read regarding ANY method of "sleep training" applies at this point. Her central nervous system is brand new and immature, and it can be hard for them to settle down, and stay settled down. (For the record, I too am pretty anti CIO, failing ALL other options first. I see CIO as letting them wail in their crib until they exhaust themselves to sleep, more like what chknflvrdramen was talking about. Not the same as letting an older baby have a little fuss or two before getting them to see if they can soothe themselves first.)Also, it's good that Mom is doing okay so far! Keep being as supportive as possible and be vigilant still for signs of emotional unwellness--it can still rear it's ugly head. Hopefully not though! foxatee has the right idea with the lay them down drowsy bit. It's part of the No Cry method--but I still wouldn't bother at this point with a newborn. I have an almost 6 week old and I'm only just now gently steering him towards more independent sleep. I turn on seahorse and rock/pat/shush until his eyes are droopy and start to roll around. Then I lay him down and see...if he wiggles and rouses a bit, I try patting him and rubbing his head. If he isn't soothed by that and gets fussy, then I just pick him back up and try again. It doesn't take them too long to get the hang of it (Midget was good to go after a couple weeks), and there's no need to let them cry--just pick them back up!
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Apr 12, 2011 19:56
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I too am anti-CIO, particularly those first few months when they really have no idea why you have abandoned them. I really believe that when they are that little there is no way they are manipulating you or playing you. If they are crying they need something, even if it is just comfort. I responded to Aki's every cry when she was tiny and now that Aki is almost 18 months we still have never let her go than 5 or so minutes of fussing before we go get her and we never let her get to full blown upset before we go to her. That being said, we did not try to do anything sleep "training" related until she was 4 months old. I did not feel that she was mature enough to try prior to that point. Once we did, we did what Foxatee said, we would lay her down drowsy, but not yet asleep. Around 6 months, it suddenly seemed to make sense to her and she now sleeps a solid 12 hours most nights. I also am a firm believer in an early bedtime once they are hold enough to start learning to go to sleep on their own. Aki is still in bed before 7 every night and often by 6:30. Yes, that means I get a wake up call around 7am every morning, but she is an incredibly pleasant, happy baby on that schedule and I really do think that her bedtime makes a huge difference. Good luck! With the hubby and I talking about getting pregnant again, I am both nervous and excited to live those early days again!
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Apr 12, 2011 21:08
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After a long rear end ride, meet Eleanor, 8 lbs. 8 oz. of cute delivered last night around a quarter after ten!
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Apr 12, 2011 23:57
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Liviana posted:I also am a firm believer in an early bedtime once they are hold enough to start learning to go to sleep on their own. Aki is still in bed before 7 every night and often by 6:30. Yes, that means I get a wake up call around 7am every morning, but she is an incredibly pleasant, happy baby on that schedule and I really do think that her bedtime makes a huge difference. This kind of thing, I have found, is generally true for many kids, but it's good for people to know that there are always exceptions to the rule. Cecilia's one of those kids who has always napped well but never slept more than 8 or 9 hours at night-- certainly not 12. But, even though she goes to bed at 9-10pm, she is happy and well-rested and I don't see a need to try to force her to sleep more, since she does well as is. So yes, try for an early bedtime when your baby is sleeping consistently, but if it doesn't work for your family for whatever reason, don't stress it either. Winson_Paine, congrats, she is gorgeous!
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Apr 13, 2011 00:07
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Fire In The Disco posted:This kind of thing, I have found, is generally true for many kids, but it's good for people to know that there are always exceptions to the rule. Cecilia's one of those kids who has always napped well but never slept more than 8 or 9 hours at night-- certainly not 12. But, even though she goes to bed at 9-10pm, she is happy and well-rested and I don't see a need to try to force her to sleep more, since she does well as is. So yes, try for an early bedtime when your baby is sleeping consistently, but if it doesn't work for your family for whatever reason, don't stress it either. I agree and should have mentioned that myself! No baby is 100% "average," "normal" or any of those other words that go out the window when you have a kid. I still laugh whenever I open my parenting or pregnancy books, because while there are good things that I can take away, I find that more than half of the stuff I just have to ignore, because it would never work for Aki. You always do have to just find what works best for your family on pretty much everything!
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Apr 13, 2011 03:05
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New goonling, Jack Archer was born a few days ago. Here's me and his older brother holding him.  BONUS ACTION PHOTO! Older brother seizes a moment to help out mom!  Edit: Congrats, Winson. How long until your baby exists as a GURPS character?
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Apr 13, 2011 03:15
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Does anyone know why pregnancy tests calculate their accuracy based on date of next typical period and not date from potential conception? Is it because most people who are actively trying to conceive are having sex on so many days that they can't pinpoint an accurate date of conception, or are there actual fluctuations in natural hormone levels that would affect the results? Husband and I have started trying for a kiddo, and wow it is hard being patient enough to wait until close enough to my next period to take a test and have it be accurate, and I got curious if there was a good reason for me to keep waiting.
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Apr 13, 2011 04:47
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All I know i that due dates are calculated on last menstral period, unless you are dead sure on the day you conceived. I am guessing that is why tests go based on your menstral cycle, since in theory it is the one known quantity in the getting pregnant equation. Pregnancy tests detect HCG and are only so sensitive. So you have to be far enough along to actually have a hcg level that will register. HCG goes up quuickly in early pregnancy, so a negative test one day could turn into a positive the next.
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Apr 13, 2011 05:44
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I think part of it at least is the high variation in when a test comes up positive for different women. I know of some women who have gotten positives as soon as 8-9 days past ovulation. Me, though, it took until I was 6 weeks pregnant (which is 4 weeks past conception) to get the positive. By the time the most women have missed a period, they're a good 2-3 or so weeks past conception, or 4-5 weeks pregnant, and for most women that is long enough for there to be enough growth hormone in their urine. I'm just the unlucky one who took longer.
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Apr 13, 2011 05:45
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Ariza posted:Our baby will fall asleep if someone is holding her, but as soon as I lay her down she wakes up and starts crying. I don't know if it's ok to let her cry herself to sleep or for how long I should let her cry before comforting her. I've tried reading up on it but everything has different ideas and I don't want to screw her up. As I type this, she's in my arms as she has been since about midnight. I've tried her swing and vibrating chair but she just starts crying as soon as I set her down. As other people in the thread have mentioned, swaddling (followed by a quick nurse if fussy, as FITD said) helped a lot. The other big thing was having a bedtime routine and doing the cluster feed/tanking up before bed. A few weeks ago, we had an instance where he was just screaming his head off and nothing would console him. My partner was out of town on business, and I was all by myself. I couldn't take it anymore, so I swaddled him and put him in his crib and walked away. In less than two minutes (timed on my phone, I'm not a CIO advocate, this was for my own sanity), he had fallen right asleep. He hadn't really napped well that day, and I realized that he was overtired. He just needed a lack of stimulation to settle down. Now when he gets like that, I just swaddle him, and sit with him in a dark nursery making shushing noises until he settles and then he goes to sleep quite quickly. White noise seems to help a lot. For him at least, the swings and and rocking him in my arms seems to be too much, and he responds better to just being snug.
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Apr 13, 2011 06:19
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At this point I've been staring at this message box for about 10 minutes trying to work out how to start writing this. It's nothing bad, more that myself and Mrs. Darcy are finally taking the first steps towards becoming parents. It's a big step you know! We've talked about it for a while, but there's always been a good reason to put things off a bit longer - I could do with a better paying job, a bigger flat or house would be nice etc. - but I think a combination of things, not in the least our age (I'm 32, she's 34) and one of her closest uni friends giving birth has finally tipped things over into her coming off the pill. We've booked a visit to our GP to cover off the basics and get an idea of how her body will react to coming off the pill after 10-12 years on it. Beyond that we are initially planning to take things calmly and not worry about cycles or fertile times or anything. Just settle back and do what comes naturally really I think, I'd guess if we are still in the same place in 9-12 months then we might start getting a bit more analytical with things. Being male a part of me hopes that we have a good few months of sex before she gets pregnant, but I don't think I'll complain if we have a kid sooner rather than later either.
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Apr 13, 2011 09:20
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/\/\/\ I was on the pill for a solid 10 years before stopping it for my first. The first month or two might be, um, less than fun for your wife. But at least for me, I evened out quickly and my cycles became normal. Your plan of just doing whatever and seeing what happens is the best to start out with, I think. Trust me, tracking ovulation cycles and going down the rabbit hole of fertility stuff is something you don't want to do unless you have to--nothing like a little stick telling you you HAVE to have sex to take all the fun out of it! But once your wife turns 35, her doctor will encourage her to consider an evaluation (at least here in the states...I'm not sure for you. England?) 35 is considered "advanced maternal age" but it's nothing to freak out about. (This is my area of profession--I do clinical genetics and could tell you all sorts of crap about odds for this and that vs. age, prenatal screening and diagnostic procedures and the like if you wanted.) You're never really ready for a kid, you just have to be ready for the changes to your life (financial, childcare/staying home, your kid is the center of you lives now.) It's a big step, but you'll be fine. And when you look back on it from the other side, you will never regret it for a second. My husband was unsure when we started trying to get pregnant, and still when we got pregnant the first time. But when Midget was born, he was smitten and all that uncertainty was a distant memory. Me too for that matter! It's amazing how much you love them. Good luck! PS Iron Squid, the breastpump picture is freakin' fantastic! Midget has never "helped" like that, but he has offered and knows what my "boob machine" is. Don't touch!! 
AlistairCookie fucked around with this message at 14:23 on Apr 13, 2011 |
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Apr 13, 2011 14:21
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Mr Darcy posted:At this point I've been staring at this message box for about 10 minutes trying to work out how to start writing this. It's nothing bad, more that myself and Mrs. Darcy are finally taking the first steps towards becoming parents. It's a big step you know! Good for you guys! We did the same thing; and the missus had been on the pill for about as long I think, and what you are doing is more or less what we did. We just went at it for about three months, then my DBA wife decided it would be best to track ovulation dates and things, but I don;t know if that helped or not besides wowing the midwives with an exact estimated birth date. You can scroll up a bit to see the results, it is a hell of a ride!
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Apr 13, 2011 16:23
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I was on birth control pills for about 12 years as well. It took around 7 months for me to get pregnant after getting off of them. If she does start to want to track anything fertility wise, get her a copy of "Taking Charge of Your Fertility." That book is amazing (although irony of ironies, I was already pregnant when I got it, I just didn't know it yet)!
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Apr 13, 2011 16:46
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Where do you guys find nice, inexpensive maternity clothes? I don't want anything fancy, just semi-fashionable and not $$$. I think others have mentioned Target, but mine sucks. A row of plain tees and a rack of capris does not a maternity section make!
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Apr 13, 2011 23:41
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Old Navy and oldnavy.com often have pretty good sales.
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Apr 13, 2011 23:53
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AlistairCookie posted:You're never really ready for a kid, you just have to be ready for the changes to your life (financial, childcare/staying home, your kid is the center of you lives now.) It's a big step, but you'll be fine. And when you look back on it from the other side, you will never regret it for a second. My husband was unsure when we started trying to get pregnant, and still when we got pregnant the first time. But when Midget was born, he was smitten and all that uncertainty was a distant memory. Me too for that matter! It's amazing how much you love them. This. A hundred times this. There is nothing that can prepare you for having a child. It is hard in ways I could never have imagined and it is by far the hardest thing I have ever done. It was a huge adjustment to all of a sudden realize that it isn't all about me anymore. I went from being a young professional with an active social life to a stay-at-home-mom (albeit temporary). Instead of being concerned about Friday night plans, I started worrying about how many wet/dirty diapers Zoey was producing per day, how long and often was she sleeping and how was I ever going to get those dishes done! All of that being said, I don't regret it for a second! Sure there are days where you'll want to pull your hair out. I jokingly tell her most Sunday nights that if she doesn't start behaving, I'll put her out with the recycables for her to be found by some homeless man rumaging through it. But when she flashes me one of her toothless, gummy smiles, coos at me, or discovers something for the first time (like learning to splash in the tub last night or her feet earlier today!!), it melts my heart every.single.time. Now that she's in my life, I could never imagine my life without her. Sure I still complain sometimes but it is truly amazing and wonderful. Here's a picture of my girl and me! This photo makes me so happy every time I see it that my heart hurts just a little bit from feeling so overwhelmed! 
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Apr 14, 2011 00:02
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Brennanite posted:Where do you guys find nice, inexpensive maternity clothes? I don't want anything fancy, just semi-fashionable and not $$$. I think others have mentioned Target, but mine sucks. A row of plain tees and a rack of capris does not a maternity section make! Seconding http://www.oldnavy.com as well as http://www.target.com if your physical store sucks and also http://www.jcpenny.com if you don't have a Penny's in your area. All the sites have good clearance/sale sections. Target and Old Navy have free shipping on orders over $50 (well, Target does for many items, but not all) and if you Google, you can always find some sort of coupon code for JC Penny's if they're not running a special. You also can't beat Penny's (physical store) for kids clothes. Creepers for $4, two piece outfits for $6 when they run their clearances. A Serious Woman 
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Apr 14, 2011 00:11
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AlistairCookie posted:You also can't beat Penny's (physical store) for kids clothes. Creepers for $4, two piece outfits for $6 when they run their clearances. God, this is true. There is one nearish me, and everything is so goddamn cheap. I love it.
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Apr 14, 2011 00:55
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Brennanite posted:Where do you guys find nice, inexpensive maternity clothes? I don't want anything fancy, just semi-fashionable and not $$$. I think others have mentioned Target, but mine sucks. A row of plain tees and a rack of capris does not a maternity section make! Do you have H&M near you? Their actual maternity clothes are pretty ugly, but they have lots of longish tops that work really well as maternity tops. I bought a few and they were good as nursing tops as well because they could be pulled down easily.
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Apr 14, 2011 08:13
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Panne posted:Do you have H&M near you? Their actual maternity clothes are pretty ugly, but they have lots of longish tops that work really well as maternity tops. I bought a few and they were good as nursing tops as well because they could be pulled down easily. Yeah, I got a few things from H&M myself that worked and weren't maternity. Pretty much anything with a high waist that's not totally fitted below will work as long as the boobie holders are big enough to contain you.
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Apr 14, 2011 08:43
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