Thanks for the link CoBabyMaker. I will be checking that one out!
Cute dresses! I made more when DD was younger....but not since. I think this one is a boy so he might get some cute onies with appliques and cute blankets and such. Hoping DD (who is 6) will want to help out. I think she will. She will be ecstatic when we tell her.
Hi Mamas!
Wanted to jump in on this thread. I CD'd 100% w/dd (never even 1 disposable), but I don't feel quite so confident this time around... Last time I was at home until she was 2.5 (and well out of diapers), but this time I'll be going back to work after ~12 wks. So I'm just not sure about all that extra work, with all the pumping I'll need to be doing and having an older kiddo with homework and all that, plus, not sure if DH will be on board (we haven't had the discussion yet). SO, we shall see. What green alternatives are out there that don't involve chemical goo disposables or full time washing CDs? Curious as to other options. I imagine we may do some sort of hybrid approach.
I need to get on the search for a midwife. I've moved since my last birth, so need to find someone new. Last time I knew who I was using even before I was pg, it was someone I knew and there was no question she was the right match. So I've never done the interview/choosing process, but I do feel like I'll know her when I meet her. Does everyone here already have a mw or ob?
Hope everyone is feeling well! I love that every now and then I think to myself "I'm Pregnant!" and get all warm and happy. 
-Sheryl
Sheryl, there are a lot of options now. We have gotten a bunch of gro-via diapers, which have biodegradable inserts you can use with some really cute shells. We used these when traveling, which felt a little better than using sposies. The good thing is you don't have to deal with the pee/poop mess, and just have to wash the shells. I imagine if you are not using cloth inserts, you could probably just wash the shells with the regular laundry, and that would be fine (since special washing is only needed to preserve absorbancy of inserts). I think G-diapers are a similar concept, but have never used them. I have heard that even though they say you can flush those inserts, it's not really a great idea for your sewer system!
There are also a bunch of nonchemical (chlorine free) sposies too, like Nature Baby Care diapers.
Can anyone recommend any good pregnancy books? You know ones that are informative but won't scare the bejeesus out of a first timer? Now, to give you a frame of reference, it took me a good long time to get up the courage to google 'bloody show' and I was pretty upset to learn that you can get a 6 week period after delivery so on a scale of huge wuss to rockstar mama I think that firmly places me in the huge wuss category.
Thanks Porcelina! I will check out those ideas.
AmandaLynn, I am a huge fan of The Pregnancy Book by Dr Sears, its not a freak you our kind of book, informative, but gentle.
-Sheryl
Can anyone recommend any good pregnancy books? You know ones that are informative but won't scare the bejeesus out of a first timer? Now, to give you a frame of reference, it took me a good long time to get up the courage to google 'bloody show' and I was pretty upset to learn that you can get a 6 week period after delivery so on a scale of huge wuss to rockstar mama I think that firmly places me in the huge wuss category.
As a real introductory type book - I liked the "Your Pregnancy Week by Week". It doesn't give that much information but I liked reading the "week" with DH.
We listened to Dr. Oz's "You - having a baby" on CD while driving into work. It had some interesting information.
I HIGHLY recommend "Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering" for when the time comes to start thinking about your birth plan and the like. It was really informative (like gave great detail on even the hormones that the body releases at different stages of labour and how they impact mother and baby) and I liked that the author, Dr. Sarah Buckley, shared her own birth stories in the book as well. It was easy to read despite the technical information it gave.
I can't even remember what else I read anymore!
From what I have heard Don't get "What to expect when you are expecting" if you don't want to get freaked out. I've heard it is a bit over the top in terms of fear factor. But, I haven't read it myself so keep that in mind too!
It really is that awful. 
It really is that awful.
I've read parts of that one. Not only is it over the top, but it's VERY mainstream with not much in the way of natural family living represented.
In addition to some of the others mentioned above, I also liked...
I am about some things...like not picking up a penny unless it's heads up. I think that's the main one, but I won't pretend to be a fan of the "666" number. lol. DH did ask for a new locker from the university one year when he was assigned 666.
So how is everyone doing with fall around the corner? We are having BEAUTIFUL weather, which is so great since our summers are so short. Nice to feel like it's extending into September. It's supposed to be 27C (almost 90F) here on Saturday, and that is pretty hot for us in the summer. I imagine others on here are just thankful the weather is cooling down? (Ya, real exciting topic to try to jump start the convo, I know. But when in doubt, bring up the weather! TwilightJoy's topic is more interesting! lol)
We are having cool mornings and evening but warm days. I finally pulled out my fall decor yesterday and embraced that it is not going to be summer forever. I need to get the yard and garden (I use the term garden lightly, i think I'll be growing kale and that's it.) ready for fall but I am starting to get tired and we have been so busy.
We will be having our first small group meeting with people from church this weekend so I am excited about that! It should be fun to see everybody. I have been craving enchiladas so I am going to make those, rice,beans, salad and I think some coconut milk ice cream. I am just scared that I will wake up Saturday and have the morning sickness hit. That would be awful but I know I could call people and they would take care of it.
I needed that, thank you!!!
I am planning on ECing with this baby. I started with DS2, completely by accident,and I can't imagine going back. We did use cloth diapers for pee, though, which seemed to be the perfect balance between meeting his needs, but not having to be there constantly to deal with the pee all the time. He potty trained at about 22 months (though still has pee misses from time to time). Honestly, part-time EC is the best! You don't have to deal with poop hardly at all because it goes straight into the sink and later the toilet. We only started because DS2 had a horrible diaper rash and we were doing naked time, cleaning his bum when it would leak out, and he started going in the sink as I was running the water for it to get warm for cleaning. We completely taught each other how to EC by accident!
We did EC with DS as well, and also started doing it "by mistake". I had hear dof EC and then was kind of bored one week, and decided to give it a shot since it was so obvious to me when DS needed to poop! I can't imagine NOT ECing. It just seems so natural to me now. DS was in trainers (which were really easy to make) by 7 months, and was a grad at just shy of 19 months. I can count on one hand the number of poopy diapers I changed after about 7 months or so. EC is sweet!
Before starting EC (and while ECing until we started using the trainers) we used prefolds. They worked really well for our purpose. I ordered a bunch of newborn size ones (I can't remember which site I ordered them from though) and used those as soon as the meconium was done. However, we were sort of lazy and used disposables at night once DS was sleeping for longer stretches. I'll probably do something similar again, unless night time EC works this time around (which it did not with DS).
Hi AmandaLynn, welcome and congrats! Were you tracking or charting before this cycle? When do you usually O? My LMP was July 26, and my EDD is May 2 but I have a pretty regular cycle. So, you really could be anywhere from the beginning to the end of May if it's possible that you didn't O until day 35 of your cycle, but a 49 or so day cycle is not really "typical" but not impossible. It's also hard to use your symptoms to say how far along you are. Some people get symptoms by week 3 or 4, and for others there are no symptoms until week 6 or so, or even later! I'm sure your MW will help you figure it all out. 
That's how we came to EC too. I didn't know what it was until after I started doing it. We used cloth until around 11 months and now just use disposables but DD goes on the potty around 3-5 times a day now. She tells me when she has to go to, which is really nice. We started ECing around 8-9 months and she is 19 months now. I don't think we would potty learn any other way. There is no way I would wait until my child is 3 to potty train. NO THANK YOU! haha.
It really is that awful.
I agree! Horrible book! And I think the website is NOT helpful at all.
Sorry, I should've read all the way through the posts and done the multi thing.
Nstewart, DD went through a phase of holding her pee until we put a diaper on her this summer. We did a lot of diaper free time outside and she would be dry for hours and I would put a diaper on her when we went to go inside and she would be wet right away.
As far as weather, we are in MN. We have had a hot summer, too, but luckily have been pretty much the only spot in the state, let alone the country, that did not have a drought. The last few mornings it has been in the 40's or low 50's when we get up. I have been so hot in the mornings that I go stand outside immediately until I can cool down enough to eat breakfast. I've been doing chores in a tshirt and putting sweaters and warm apnts and sometimes hats on DD.
What is everyone craving? I am craving nothing. Nothing sounds good or tastes good. I think it is because my heartburn is getting to me. Anything remotely sweet gives me heartburn and sours my stomach and anything remotely greasy or heavy leaves a terrible taste in my mouth. I've been doing well with plain baked potatoes and maybe some fruit and tea. Not exactly high calorie or high protein food, though.
What is everyone craving? I am craving nothing. Nothing sounds good or tastes good. I think it is because my heartburn is getting to me. Anything remotely sweet gives me heartburn and sours my stomach and anything remotely greasy or heavy leaves a terrible taste in my mouth. I've been doing well with plain baked potatoes and maybe some fruit and tea. Not exactly high calorie or high protein food, though.
I haven't had "cravings" yet, but definetly want to eat carbs. Probably because they settle my stomach and are easy to digest. Rasin bran, in particular, is very appealing. lol. Protein on the other hand is not at all appealing and eggs in particular seem rather disgusting to me. I guess it's good that I'm taking my prenatal vits and some supplements to try to make up for my rather one-sided diet these days!
I'm another in the "nothing sounds good to eat" phase. DH keeps on me to eat lots of protein, but the only thing remotely appealing to me right now is cornflakes, something I haven't eaten in many years. At least I haven't reached the "can't bear to cook or be near any kind of meat" point, as that is where DH has to take over cooking dinner, and I always feel bad when he has been at work all day then comes homes and has to start on dinner. He is a good sport about it, but I always feel guilty.
As for the weather, we don't get fall down here in South Florida, but we are still in afternoon thunderstorm season. Once the rain stops around the end of October or sometime in November the weather is actually really pleasant here for several months. I'm looking forward to a break in the heat & humidity, and maybe getting outside to stroller walk with the boys more.
I'm slowly moving out of the eat nothing phase but really only in theory. In practice when I feel sick I don't want to eat or drink anything so I have to force myself to eat a few crackers or a little cereal and that usually helps but it still generally doesn't inspire me to eat like a normal person. My morning sickness tends to ease up by about noon unless it's one of those days when it decides we're just having too much fun to leave so at least I feel more normal after lunch. Carbs and I are getting along very well at the moment. DH made me a whole box of pasta with roasted garlic (I freaking love garlic...that may qualify as a craving since my love for it has intensified to epic levels), a little butter, and a little parmesan for me to take for lunches. I've been slowly working my way through it all week. Last night I started craving meat and had 3 sausages with my dessert in bed, lol.
I could eat the hell out of a ancho chile burrito from Qdoba right now. I won't though. I'm enjoying this brief period of weight loss at the moment.
What's weird for me is that sugar or sweet anything is giving me heartburn but spicy food settles my stomach. ?? I went through a can't-stand-to-cook phase with my first pregnancy. I could either eat supper or cook supper but I couldn't cook something and then eat it. Also, my ms is actually in the evening. I have been having a nighty puke session around 9 for the last few nights. Bleh!
Not saying I'm eating like a saint here or anything, I have my chocolate on my desk too,. just trying to be mostly healthful!
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