Hi guys!
This is my first too. I'm so excited! A huge suprise but that's just fine. I'm 6w5d and that such a crazy thing to say!! My morning sickness has not been in the morning at all. It likes to strike me usually midafternoon. But it usually isn't too bad and goes away fairly quickly. But if I could just keep my eyes open, that would so be okay! I'm so tired all the time! It's nuts!
Hey first-timers!
We've been so quiet, I thought I'd send a post to see how everyone is doing.
I'm 16 weeks today. I still get twinges and stuff, but I don't think that I'm feeling the baby move yet. My mom keeps asking me if I'm feeling it. It is described as butterfly flutters and feelings of gas... I have lots of gas (haha!) but I'm pretty sure it's gas and not the baby. That said, my belly is definitely growing. I didn't expect it to be this size just yet with my first, but I have such a short torso that there's no where for the growth to go. There might be a bit of extra weight too -- not too much, I don't think, but some.
How is everyone else feeling? What are people thinking about / worrying about?
I'm thinking about diapers a lot. I definitely want to use cloth, and thought it would be easier to invest in our own, but everyone keeps telling me that a diaper service is the way to go. The one locally is very environmentally friendly. They use high heat and steam to clean, and no harsh chemicals for baby's bum. It's about $20 a week, but that's probably not any more money than buying and washing here at home. What are other people thinking about doing?
Hey, thanks for the bump (no pun!). I forgot about this thread.
I'm at 15 weeks and still dealing with pretty bad back and hip pains. I got my maternity pillow (a Snoogle Loop, highly recommend it!) and it made me more comfortable, but the pain is still keeping me up at night. My midwife recommended I see a chiropractor so I'm going for a consult on Wednesday.
We are hoping to do cloth diapering, too Dandy. We don't have the option of a diaper service; I live in Oklahoma so anything that could be considered progressive generally doesn't get much traction around here so we cloth diaperers are few and far between. Luckily I live in a bigger city where we have a great cloth diaper store. We went to a cloth diaper class there and the best advice I got was wait to buy ALL your diapers, at least to the extent that you can. There are so many different types and you don't know until the baby's here which type you'll like the best. She said to buy a few of each type and try them out. Or, she said if you do go ahead and buy them, don't take the tags off or wash them until you're certain you've got what you want so you can still take them back. I thought that was great advice. We know we'll get disposables as gifts no matter what we ask for, so we'll use those to supplement until we're sure what we want.
Other than that, my partner and I decided this weekend that we're not going to find out the baby's sex. I'm really surprised that he was on board for that. I had reserved myself to the idea that we'd find out because I thought HE'D want to. Turns out I was wrong! I feel like he's finally starting to participate more in the pregnancy. We're meeting with a potential doula this week and I'm really looking forward to that. And I've started listening to my Hypnobabies tracks and I'm loving them so far!
I think that's everything for an update. Hope the rest of you first timers are doing great and feeling better!
Hey, thanks for the bump (no pun!). I forgot about this thread.
I'm at 15 weeks and still dealing with pretty bad back and hip pains. I got my maternity pillow (a Snoogle Loop, highly recommend it!) and it made me more comfortable, but the pain is still keeping me up at night. My midwife recommended I see a chiropractor so I'm going for a consult on Wednesday.
We are hoping to do cloth diapering, too Dandy. We don't have the option of a diaper service; I live in Oklahoma so anything that could be considered progressive generally doesn't get much traction around here so we cloth diaperers are few and far between. Luckily I live in a bigger city where we have a great cloth diaper store. We went to a cloth diaper class there and the best advice I got was wait to buy ALL your diapers, at least to the extent that you can. There are so many different types and you don't know until the baby's here which type you'll like the best. She said to buy a few of each type and try them out. Or, she said if you do go ahead and buy them, don't take the tags off or wash them until you're certain you've got what you want so you can still take them back. I thought that was great advice. We know we'll get disposables as gifts no matter what we ask for, so we'll use those to supplement until we're sure what we want.
Other than that, my partner and I decided this weekend that we're not going to find out the baby's sex. I'm really surprised that he was on board for that. I had reserved myself to the idea that we'd find out because I thought HE'D want to. Turns out I was wrong! I feel like he's finally starting to participate more in the pregnancy. We're meeting with a potential doula this week and I'm really looking forward to that. And I've started listening to my Hypnobabies tracks and I'm loving them so far!
I think that's everything for an update. Hope the rest of you first timers are doing great and feeling better!
I hope the pain goes away, Femmeknitzi. That sounds like it's not fun! 
What a great idea to get various kinds and then be able to return them. My mom used cloth diapers, and my youngest sister came along as a surprise so there's 12 years between us, and so I helped mom out with her when she was a babe. Mom used old-fashioned flats and pins, and that just seems so straightforward. Easy to wash and quick to dry. And now they have non-pin fasteners, so no fear of poking the wee babe. I'm now thinking of a diaper service for the first 3-6 months and then switching to flats... When I think about $20 x 52 weeks x 2 years (min) of diaper service costs, I kind of cringe. That's the cost of a family vacation! And after 2 years, I bet we'll really need one!!! 
There's so much to think about. I'm glad you like hypnobabies. I was thinking about trying it, but haven't found anything in this area. You're using CDs? Can you post some info? Thanks!! 
Glad to hear you're doing well. Oh, I had an appt this morning - heartbeat good and strong at mid-150s. And then I got to visit with an adorable 11 month old. Yay!!
Hi hi!
Also a first timer here. I have actually had a pretty smooth first trimester. The bloating was constant but no ms. I also know my body pretty well and learned several years before pregnancy when I am hungry, even just a twinge, I need to eat. If I don't, eventually I will start dry heaving. So I really think that helped me curb any nausea. Just now after hitting 12 weeks I started to feel some dizziness. I am thinking it must be blood pressure related. The round ligament pain has started now. Just a few sharp pains here and there...
I am so thankful to be getting a bunch of maternity clothes from friends as well as their used baby items. I really want to shop but with both my husband and I without jobs it is just not sensible. We tried to conceive for 6 years and in that time frame money was pretty good but I wouldn't even let myself look at baby stuff, much less buy it.
The good news on that front is we found out that if we both do not find jobs we *might qualify for medicaid. We are right on the borderline of what we need to make and be approved so going in for an interview might help us.
we are also hoping to cloth diaper. We do have a friend that will be giving us some pass downs but I know we will need to buy more. That is one thing I really don't want to compromise. I have to say it was very hard to turn down my other friend's offer for 300 pf her extra regular diapers
femmeknitzi- I hope the pain gets better soon!
i am also going to be trying out the audio for hypnobirthing. A friend is letting me borrow hers. Very excited about that!
You know, I didn't realize quite what a strong support network I had until we lost our jobs. I have always been the person to buy a friend lunch, dinner, or help anyone of them out with gifts or loans. I am truly thankful for all of them.
Thanks Dandy and asteph! Unfortunately, I've been to the chiropractor twice and haven't had much relief. I'm just preparing myself to get used to this pain (it's only going to get worse) and planning to spend a LOT of time in the pool. :)
Dandy, that's so cool that you have experience using cloth! And yay for a healthy heartbeat!
Here's the link to the Hypnobabies self-study course I'm using. It's $165, but I was also lucky and received it as a hand-me-down. Still, most of the birthing classes, whether hypno, bradley or otherwise are upwards of $300 around here so it's a good deal. I've listened to the first two tracks (the CDs are rippable so you can listen to them on any device) and I really think it's going to help me relax during labor.
Our good news for the week is that we've found a doula and we both LOVE her. She's SO knowledgeable and has worked often with our midwife. She also told us some things about the hospital we chose that made me realize that I'm not going to have to fight very hard to get the birth I want. So I have more confidence than I ever imagined that we have the best birthing team we could ask for.
like all of you this is my first too :) its so weird to think sometimes that there is a little one inside of you growing and growing and soon later in the year will be in my arms. i am so excited i have bought a lot of stuff but holding back until i find out the sex of the baby.
This is my first, too. My husband and I are really excited, but we're also so incredibly aware of how precious this time is for us. After October, it's never going to be just the two of us again, so we're taking full advantage of this time and doing as much as we can to relish these last few months before the baby comes and our lives are forever changed. We think we're even going to book a vacation to Scotland in June — so excited!
I got the Hypnobabies course through Craigslist, and I really like the CDs. But I can't stand to read the book because she bolds and italicizes and underlines and USES CAPITAL LETTERS all the time. It's so stressful to read! It's like she's constantly yelling at you. Yikes. Is anyone else having this experience? At least the CDs can provide some useful tools.
We got to hear the heartbeat at our 14 week appointment with the midwife. It was the most exciting thing! Up to that point, I was really starting to wonder if I was even pregnant since I never went to the doctor for a blood test and we'd decided against ultrasounds. I thought maybe I was just eating a lot or something. But when we heard that fast little choo-choo sound coming from the doppler, I knew it was real.
Right now I think I'm mostly in awe of how much our lives are going to change in just a few months. I know a lot of what to expect because I spent three years as a full-time nanny for 2 families, but having your own vs. being paid to care for someone else's children is a whole different ballgame. Amazing and exciting and a little scary all rolled into one. So looking forward to meeting this child!
OMG, Boston yes! The Hypnobabies books are horrendously laid out, terribly organized and the writing is mediocre at best. It is very frustrating to read. I just get through them as best I can and focus on the CDs which are relaxing and lovely.
My husband and I are taking a weekend vacation, just the two of us so we can spend some quality time together before the baby gets here. We're both sort of in shock thinking about how much is going to change, too.
Gate-crashing! Dandy, with my son I was thinking of a diaper service but it was truly so much easier to do it myself, and cheaper, too.
hey Zubeldia, I'd love to hear more about your experience. What diapers did you use? What made it easier? I'd love advice from an experienced mama... 
Yeah, me, too, Zubeldia! Any place I can save time and money appeals to me. :)
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