What I've Been Up To
Nothing too exciting has happened over the past couple weeks. That's way ok though. I've had more time to take care of little chores. I went and got my thyroid bloodwork done. The lady who took my blood was a spunky older woman who made me laugh a lot. She had no reservations about pushing the neck of my t-shirt to the side so she could see the tattoos on my chest (I guess they were peeking out!). I would never dare to do that to someone. She just had this personality, though, that made it seem totally fine to me for some reason. I also had a prenatal appointment last week. It was an easy one; left a urine sample, had my weight and bloodpressure checked, listen to the baby's heartbeat, addressed any concerns, and that's it. My practitioner's office requires that the appointments and Dr's portion of the delivery (the part I am responsible for after insurance is charged) be paid for by the 7th month of pregnancy. So, I made a payment on that. The nurse let me know that, before my next appointment, I will have to come in early to do my sugar test. She said I will have to come in fasting (from midnight the night before), drink a sugar solution, and then sit with it a while. Then, I'll have blood taken. I think she wanted me to be there around 8 am for the test (so I won't be fasting SO long). I'm planning on calling her to double check the instructions she gave me the day before the test. I'm going to have to remember to pack a snack for after. My actual appointment isn't until around noon (they said they'd probably be able to get me in a bit earlier though). I was also busy getting things ready for taxes, which we did earlier this week. Besides that, I've been enjoying time with my husband when he's off and playing my video games here and there. It's been really nice lately because he's really been picking up on helping me around the house. Just little things, like taking the extra time to clean up after himself and having breakfast ready for us both when I get up in the morning, give me that much more time for myself.
How I Am Feeling Physically
My poor face has been suffering throughout this pregnancy it seems. My latest complaint is oiliness. I feel like a big grease-ball by the end of the night. I've also turned into a sweaty beast! :o)~ I get sweaty just sitting on my couch watching tv now. It's crazy. I'm not drenched or anything. My poor armpits seem wet just hours after I've gotten out of the shower though. I hate it. As far as food goes, I'm having both cravings and aversions. My main craving is just dairy. I want milk (I go through SO MUCH milk!), cheese and now ice cream (plain chocolate). I'm loving salads. My favorites right now are the Miso Salad from California Pizza Kitchen and cobb salads (I like the one from Red Robin and LOVE the one from Lucille's). I tried to just make a yummy Cobb salad myself, but it's not the same! I also really like taco salads or tacos (I make them with ground turkey meat yum)! Things I don't want: any veggies or meat (other than ground turkey or turkey burgers) not in a salad. I try and try to eat both in lots of different ways. It just seems like I'll take a bite of chicken (for example) and be instantly not hungry. Then I just get grouchy. So, I try to pick salads with a wide variety of veggies and with protein. I also add nice chunky salsas and lettuces to my taco toppings. My weight is doing well. I gained 2 lbs this past week instead of just 1. So, I'm a lb over instead of a lb under as far as the lb a week this trimester goal goes. My belly is definitely bigger. I feel huge. I'm also having lower back pain when I walk around; nothing major, just noticeable. Lastly, I've had sinuses from Hades lately. I actually wake myself up with the noises my nose starts making as I try to sleep. I even got my very first bloody nose ever yesterday. So, that's pretty yucky.
On My Mind
Right now I don't have too many worries. I'm still counting down to 24 weeks and a little scared of labor and delivery. I have lots to do to get the house ready. So, I keep a running list of all I need to do. Funnily enough, I actually feel less rushed/stressed as the weeks tick by. I've been missing work a little because I don't get that day to day contact with my friends. There's so much I want to talk about and sometimes the email responses just take too long to come back to me. I'm kind of down body-wise because I no longer fit into non-maternity clothes very well. The belly has taken over and sticks out. So, even though I love my belly and the precious baby inside, I feel out of control of the way my body looks. Speaking of baby, I bought one of those BebeSounds prenatal heart listeners after my last prenatal appointment. I wanted to be able to listen to the baby's heart whenever I want. I thought it would be really neat to listen to her kicks when I start feeling them during the night. It hasn't really worked so far. I'll keep you posted though.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Friday, February 1, 2008
Baby and BPA
When I started registering for baby bottles, a breastpump, pacifiers etc. I wanted to make sure to avoid products with Bisphenol-A. I was really excited to find Z Recommends. This blog not only has a listing of safe baby bottles, and pacifiers, but a listing and test-driven comparison of safe sippy cups as well. Under each company name there is a description of the company itself and a listing of which products made by that company do or do not contain Bisphenol-A.
~Jessy
~Jessy
Reasons To Cloth Diaper & My Fav. Cloth Diaper Sites!
Why Cloth Diaper
As of last night I have officially placed 2 cloth diaper orders in preparation for baby's arrival. That and online research are the extent of my experience with cloth diapers. Do my family and friends cloth diaper? No. So what are some of the reasons that I am choosing to go the CD route? 1. My husband and I are shocked sometimes at how much trash we have to put out on trash day. There are only two of us with two small dogs and yet we fill up a good sized garbage pale pretty quickly. Granted, we could definitely do better filling our recycling bins. Composting may be something we try in the future also. After reading some of the statistics regarding disposable diapers, however (like how many are thrown out every year and how long they take to decompose), I thought this might be one way to lessen our waste output. 2. Cost. Unless you go with only prefolds and covers, cloth diapers aren't the cheapest things on the planet. Disposable diapers aren't either though, and you go through a lot more disposables. These days, there are so many different options for cloth diapering, and many types of diapers that actually grow with your infant/toddler. There are even places like message boards and ebay where you can easily sell used diapers for many times half of what you paid for them (I don't think anyone would pay you half of what you paid for your used disposable diapers). Most cost estimates I've found online show the cost of cloth from infancy to potty training (including laundering) to be significantly lower than the cost of disposable diapers over the same amount of time. Also consider how much more this saves if the same cloth diapers are used for the next child (again something you can't do with disposables). To me those all the websites on the planet don't compare to the many testimonials of mom's who have made the switch and actually noticed the difference in savings. 3. I am a homemaker. I no longer work outside of the home. So, I do have the extra time to do the laundry cloth diapering requires. The care and changing of my child will be mainly my responsibility, so I think it should be my choice. 4. Chemicals. I used newborn disposable diapers for my little chihuahua for a while, when she'd go into heat. I'd just poke a hole big enough for her tail and strap one of those babies on. After a while though I noticed that lots of powdery stuff comes out of a newborn cloth diaper and it sure doesn't smell like baby powder. I know that placing a disposable diaper on a newborn baby doesn't usually include jabbing a hole in the diaper, but I started to wonder just what was inside these things and if I really want that stuff against my baby's skin 24/7. Many people fill their baby registries and baby food cupboards with organic pesticide/free everything and rush to trade plastic baby bottles for glass when there is a warning about the chemical in plastic bottles, but don't think twice about the chemicals sitting next to those tiny tushies day and night. Being the oldest of 4 children in a single parent family, I remember the smell of dirty diaper well. I guess some of that smell is actual from the chemical in the diapers themselves. Baby pee and poop (ok..any pee and poop) doesn't smell like roses by itself, so why add to it. 5. Cute options and support. Cloth diapers come in so so so MANY varieties! As an added bonus on top of everything else I can chose what colors and materials to use, whether to use snaps or velcro and, thanks to the Internet, have access to lots and lots of cloth diapering mamas for advice and support. I've found that, much like other mothering communities (like la leche league for breastfeeding for example) cloth diapering moms are very willing to give advice and recommendations and share their experiences (good and bad) with you. 6. If I hate it I can always switch. Your first cloth diapering order does not come with a contract stating that if you decide to switch to disposables you will be punished and fined. -So, those are the main reasons that I have personally decided to give cloth diapering a good try. I highly suggest anyone interested in CDing do their own research though. Type "why cloth diaper?" into your search engine or visit different online diapering/parenting message boards and communities. Better yet, see if there is a local retailer of cloth diapers in your area and speak to the owner. Decide what cloth diapering method you'd like to try (prefolds, fitteds, all-in-ones, pockets etc.) and figure out how much it'll cost you to get started (remember, many cloth diapering sites have package deals and "bulk" discounts along with bonuses like free or dicounted covers and free shipping). Research different laundering methods (there is more than one way to wash a cloth diaper! Message boards are a great resource for ideas on what real moms do to get their diapers fresh and clean while still extending the life of the diaper.) and what kinds of soap and accessories you'll need (diaper pail, pail liner, etc.).
Some Online Information Sources
Please also do your own research. I have a list here of some of the sites I have found helpful or that have been recommended on message boards. Look at a variety of sites. Just because one site recommends you buy so many of a certain type of diaper and wash them a certain way, doesn't mean that's the only way. Get ideas and figure out what might actually be do-able for you.
The Birth Source Catalog This site only sells 2 brands of diapers: Swaddlebees and Little Beetle. So, the info on their "how many" page is directed to using just those diapers. I think it gives you a decent idea of some of the accessories you may want to buy and how many diapers you'd need to buy depending on how often you want to do laundry.
Sunshine Diapers - Cloth Diapering University This site has a great description of some of the cloth diapering methods along with average prices for each type of diaper. I highly recommend the "Why Cloth" section and I love that they have a whole section just on diapering a newborn.
The Diaper Lady I like that she gives both pros and cons to different diapering systems.
Diaper Pin Awesome site. Lots of info. Reviews of different types of diapers AND retailers! They even have a dictionary of diapering terms.
Mothering.com
The Diaper Hyena
The Diaper Jungle
Where To Buy Online
This is by no means a comprehensive list of all the cloth diaper retailers available to you online. These are only the ones I have found on my own or that were recommended to me. Remember, many of these sites contain a wealth of information on cloth diapering and welcome questions. Many also offer baby registries or wishlists.
Baby Naturale Free shipping on orders over $100.
Cotton Babies Free shipping on orders of $74.95+ in the US.
Maine Cloth Diaper Company Free shipping on orders of $75+ in the US.
Green Mountain Diapers
CottonTail Baby Free shipping on orders over $80 in the US.
Soft Cloth Bunz Free shipping on orders over $150.
Integrity Diaper Company Chinese Prefolds and Flatfolds only.
Azure Wraps $10 flat rate shipping on Canadian orders only. Cannot ship to US.
Kidalog Free shipping on orders over $100 to Canada. For US only a $5 shipping fee is charged on orders over $100.
Jardine Diapers Discounted shipping rates on orders over $99.
The Cloth Diaper Market A Canadian company. Prices in Canadian dollars. Free shipping on orders over $225. They do accept $US and ship internationally.
Green Acre Designs Free Priority shipping on orders over $100 in the US. Their own house brand of diapers. Many unusual colors and designs. Embroidery available.
Simple Wonders Free and fast shipping on orders over $75 to the US.
Earthy Birthy Mama Free shipping on orders over $75.
For Baby With Love Prices in Canadian dollars. Free shipping on orders over $150 in Canada.
Diaper-Eze Canadian company. Prices in Canadian dollars. They ship everywhere.
Punkin-butt
Sweet Cheeks Diapers Prices in Canadian dollars. They ship worldwide.
Extraordinary Baby Shoppe Prices in Canadian dollars.
Tiny Birds Organics Ship only to US addresses.
Diaper Swappers
Hyena Cart
Mother-Ease Highly, highly, highly recommended on many message boards I've visited.
Wildflower Diapers
Jillian's Drawers I have ordered from this site. Excellent selection. They were the only site I could find that had ALL the items I wanted IN STOCK when I placed my first order. They offer 6 free cloth wipes with an order of 12 Kissaluvs. I placed my order around 9:30pm and it was already out and in UPS's system for tracking by the next morning.
Nicki's Diapers I just ordered from this site last night. They offer a free or discounted diaper cover (depending on which brand you choose) with an order of 6 Kissaluvs fitted diapers (also dicounted). Free shipping on orders over $75. Free shipping also on diaper covers and many other items.
I chose initially to go with 12 Kissaluvs fitteds (size 0) with 6 Prowrap covers (size newborn) and a selection of Pocket diapers (3 Happy Heiny's and 3 BumGenius - both in their "One Size" versions). I went ahead and added 12 more Kissaluvs last night (this time I ordered colored ones in Melon and Berry also in size 0) and took advantage of the discounted diaper covers offered by Nicki's to get 2 small sized covers. I chose Kissaluvs fitteds after reading rave reviews on their newborn fit on many sites. The Prowrap covers I chose because of the reviews I read on Diaper Pin. The pocket diapers I chose because they are both now available in the "One-Size" version and because of great reviews each brand got on both Diaper Pin and message boards I visit.
I'll keep you posted on how cloth diapering goes for me!
~Jessy
As of last night I have officially placed 2 cloth diaper orders in preparation for baby's arrival. That and online research are the extent of my experience with cloth diapers. Do my family and friends cloth diaper? No. So what are some of the reasons that I am choosing to go the CD route? 1. My husband and I are shocked sometimes at how much trash we have to put out on trash day. There are only two of us with two small dogs and yet we fill up a good sized garbage pale pretty quickly. Granted, we could definitely do better filling our recycling bins. Composting may be something we try in the future also. After reading some of the statistics regarding disposable diapers, however (like how many are thrown out every year and how long they take to decompose), I thought this might be one way to lessen our waste output. 2. Cost. Unless you go with only prefolds and covers, cloth diapers aren't the cheapest things on the planet. Disposable diapers aren't either though, and you go through a lot more disposables. These days, there are so many different options for cloth diapering, and many types of diapers that actually grow with your infant/toddler. There are even places like message boards and ebay where you can easily sell used diapers for many times half of what you paid for them (I don't think anyone would pay you half of what you paid for your used disposable diapers). Most cost estimates I've found online show the cost of cloth from infancy to potty training (including laundering) to be significantly lower than the cost of disposable diapers over the same amount of time. Also consider how much more this saves if the same cloth diapers are used for the next child (again something you can't do with disposables). To me those all the websites on the planet don't compare to the many testimonials of mom's who have made the switch and actually noticed the difference in savings. 3. I am a homemaker. I no longer work outside of the home. So, I do have the extra time to do the laundry cloth diapering requires. The care and changing of my child will be mainly my responsibility, so I think it should be my choice. 4. Chemicals. I used newborn disposable diapers for my little chihuahua for a while, when she'd go into heat. I'd just poke a hole big enough for her tail and strap one of those babies on. After a while though I noticed that lots of powdery stuff comes out of a newborn cloth diaper and it sure doesn't smell like baby powder. I know that placing a disposable diaper on a newborn baby doesn't usually include jabbing a hole in the diaper, but I started to wonder just what was inside these things and if I really want that stuff against my baby's skin 24/7. Many people fill their baby registries and baby food cupboards with organic pesticide/free everything and rush to trade plastic baby bottles for glass when there is a warning about the chemical in plastic bottles, but don't think twice about the chemicals sitting next to those tiny tushies day and night. Being the oldest of 4 children in a single parent family, I remember the smell of dirty diaper well. I guess some of that smell is actual from the chemical in the diapers themselves. Baby pee and poop (ok..any pee and poop) doesn't smell like roses by itself, so why add to it. 5. Cute options and support. Cloth diapers come in so so so MANY varieties! As an added bonus on top of everything else I can chose what colors and materials to use, whether to use snaps or velcro and, thanks to the Internet, have access to lots and lots of cloth diapering mamas for advice and support. I've found that, much like other mothering communities (like la leche league for breastfeeding for example) cloth diapering moms are very willing to give advice and recommendations and share their experiences (good and bad) with you. 6. If I hate it I can always switch. Your first cloth diapering order does not come with a contract stating that if you decide to switch to disposables you will be punished and fined. -So, those are the main reasons that I have personally decided to give cloth diapering a good try. I highly suggest anyone interested in CDing do their own research though. Type "why cloth diaper?" into your search engine or visit different online diapering/parenting message boards and communities. Better yet, see if there is a local retailer of cloth diapers in your area and speak to the owner. Decide what cloth diapering method you'd like to try (prefolds, fitteds, all-in-ones, pockets etc.) and figure out how much it'll cost you to get started (remember, many cloth diapering sites have package deals and "bulk" discounts along with bonuses like free or dicounted covers and free shipping). Research different laundering methods (there is more than one way to wash a cloth diaper! Message boards are a great resource for ideas on what real moms do to get their diapers fresh and clean while still extending the life of the diaper.) and what kinds of soap and accessories you'll need (diaper pail, pail liner, etc.).
Some Online Information Sources
Please also do your own research. I have a list here of some of the sites I have found helpful or that have been recommended on message boards. Look at a variety of sites. Just because one site recommends you buy so many of a certain type of diaper and wash them a certain way, doesn't mean that's the only way. Get ideas and figure out what might actually be do-able for you.
The Birth Source Catalog This site only sells 2 brands of diapers: Swaddlebees and Little Beetle. So, the info on their "how many" page is directed to using just those diapers. I think it gives you a decent idea of some of the accessories you may want to buy and how many diapers you'd need to buy depending on how often you want to do laundry.
Sunshine Diapers - Cloth Diapering University This site has a great description of some of the cloth diapering methods along with average prices for each type of diaper. I highly recommend the "Why Cloth" section and I love that they have a whole section just on diapering a newborn.
The Diaper Lady I like that she gives both pros and cons to different diapering systems.
Diaper Pin Awesome site. Lots of info. Reviews of different types of diapers AND retailers! They even have a dictionary of diapering terms.
Mothering.com
The Diaper Hyena
The Diaper Jungle
Where To Buy Online
This is by no means a comprehensive list of all the cloth diaper retailers available to you online. These are only the ones I have found on my own or that were recommended to me. Remember, many of these sites contain a wealth of information on cloth diapering and welcome questions. Many also offer baby registries or wishlists.
Baby Naturale Free shipping on orders over $100.
Cotton Babies Free shipping on orders of $74.95+ in the US.
Maine Cloth Diaper Company Free shipping on orders of $75+ in the US.
Green Mountain Diapers
CottonTail Baby Free shipping on orders over $80 in the US.
Soft Cloth Bunz Free shipping on orders over $150.
Integrity Diaper Company Chinese Prefolds and Flatfolds only.
Azure Wraps $10 flat rate shipping on Canadian orders only. Cannot ship to US.
Kidalog Free shipping on orders over $100 to Canada. For US only a $5 shipping fee is charged on orders over $100.
Jardine Diapers Discounted shipping rates on orders over $99.
The Cloth Diaper Market A Canadian company. Prices in Canadian dollars. Free shipping on orders over $225. They do accept $US and ship internationally.
Green Acre Designs Free Priority shipping on orders over $100 in the US. Their own house brand of diapers. Many unusual colors and designs. Embroidery available.
Simple Wonders Free and fast shipping on orders over $75 to the US.
Earthy Birthy Mama Free shipping on orders over $75.
For Baby With Love Prices in Canadian dollars. Free shipping on orders over $150 in Canada.
Diaper-Eze Canadian company. Prices in Canadian dollars. They ship everywhere.
Punkin-butt
Sweet Cheeks Diapers Prices in Canadian dollars. They ship worldwide.
Extraordinary Baby Shoppe Prices in Canadian dollars.
Tiny Birds Organics Ship only to US addresses.
Diaper Swappers
Hyena Cart
Mother-Ease Highly, highly, highly recommended on many message boards I've visited.
Wildflower Diapers
Jillian's Drawers I have ordered from this site. Excellent selection. They were the only site I could find that had ALL the items I wanted IN STOCK when I placed my first order. They offer 6 free cloth wipes with an order of 12 Kissaluvs. I placed my order around 9:30pm and it was already out and in UPS's system for tracking by the next morning.
Nicki's Diapers I just ordered from this site last night. They offer a free or discounted diaper cover (depending on which brand you choose) with an order of 6 Kissaluvs fitted diapers (also dicounted). Free shipping on orders over $75. Free shipping also on diaper covers and many other items.
I chose initially to go with 12 Kissaluvs fitteds (size 0) with 6 Prowrap covers (size newborn) and a selection of Pocket diapers (3 Happy Heiny's and 3 BumGenius - both in their "One Size" versions). I went ahead and added 12 more Kissaluvs last night (this time I ordered colored ones in Melon and Berry also in size 0) and took advantage of the discounted diaper covers offered by Nicki's to get 2 small sized covers. I chose Kissaluvs fitteds after reading rave reviews on their newborn fit on many sites. The Prowrap covers I chose because of the reviews I read on Diaper Pin. The pocket diapers I chose because they are both now available in the "One-Size" version and because of great reviews each brand got on both Diaper Pin and message boards I visit.
I'll keep you posted on how cloth diapering goes for me!
~Jessy
My Snoogle!
I love my Snoogle with a passion. This body pillow has been such a shut-eye savor for me since becoming pregnant. Like pretty much everything else you can buy for yourself while pregnant or for your baby, there are tons of reviews online from women who either had to have or have to warn you not to spend your money on the Snoogle. I really didn't want to spend the money on it to tell you the truth. I kept thinking about all the baby stuff I could spend that money on later. After hearing me complain about how hard it was for me to sleep on my left side for the zillionth time, however, my husband told me to just go get the dang pillow and see if it helped. I woke up after my first night sleeping with it feeling SO GOOD! Now it is my coveted Snoogle. My dogs and husband are not allowed to lay on it. I sleep with the pillow positioned behind me. So, the top portion elevates my head a little and the bottom portion comes up right between my knees while the back gives me all the support I need to stay on my side. So cozy. I'll also coil it up sometimes to prop me up comfortably while I write in my journal or surf the net before bed.
Some Snoogle cons:
The cover is a little tricky to get off and on for washings. Instead of snaps or a zipper it works like a regular pillow cover.
The cover that comes with the pillow isn't the softest. I'm wondering if it'll get softer the more I wash it. The texture has never kept me from getting a good night sleep on it though.
The pillow gets flat and needs to be fluffed back up like a regular pillow.
If you have a queen size bed (like us) or smaller, you might wake up with the back of the pillow hanging over the side of the bed. It's easy enough just to scoot back onto the bed again, but it's a little irritating to wake up on your back with your support pillow hanging off the side of the bed. I can't see how having a ton of regular pillows around you would be any better though.
Despite these minor issues, I really like my body pillow and wanted to recommend it.
~Jessy
Some Snoogle cons:
The cover is a little tricky to get off and on for washings. Instead of snaps or a zipper it works like a regular pillow cover.
The cover that comes with the pillow isn't the softest. I'm wondering if it'll get softer the more I wash it. The texture has never kept me from getting a good night sleep on it though.
The pillow gets flat and needs to be fluffed back up like a regular pillow.
If you have a queen size bed (like us) or smaller, you might wake up with the back of the pillow hanging over the side of the bed. It's easy enough just to scoot back onto the bed again, but it's a little irritating to wake up on your back with your support pillow hanging off the side of the bed. I can't see how having a ton of regular pillows around you would be any better though.
Despite these minor issues, I really like my body pillow and wanted to recommend it.
~Jessy
20 Weeks - Yay halfway there! Uh Oh, halfway there.
20 weeks down and +/- 20 weeks to go. Crazy that it's gone by this quickly. I had a close friend tell me it feels like I've been pregnant forever. I was actually thinking the opposite. Although I've (thankfully) put my spew-o-rama first trimester memories pretty much behind me, it still feels like we just found out we were pregnant. I definitely don't feel like I've been pregnant 5 months already. Part of me is saying Yay! The other part is starting to think Discovery Health and it's baby shows has become a lot less beautiful and a lot more scary.
What I am Up To
I've definitely started nesting. I think buying the crib really increased the anxiety that my home just isn't ready yet for our baby to live/grow in. Sure, my due date is about 5 months away, but look how fast the last 5 months have gone! Ah!
Buying the crib in itself was a little adventure. I had seen the MiGi Sweet bedding set for the crib at Target.com and fell in love with it. It came in a 6-piece set though and I didn't want all the pieces. So, I checked the Migi website for other retailers (hoping they might sell some of the pieces individually or in a smaller/cheaper set) so I could actually see the set in real life and maybe find some reviews online. On a whim, even though it wasn't a listed retailer, I was surprised to find it available at Baby's R Us where I registered. I could have sworn I looked at all the bedding sets at BRU and didn't love any of them. So, I called the actual store to see if they had the set in stock and they had 1 left. I put it on hold and rushed on over. I did a quick tally of all the gift cards we had gotten for Christmas and found that we would actually have enough to buy the set (which was only 4 pieces), the crib, the mattress and the changing pad. I was pretty excited. When I went in, however, they didn't have either my crib or mattress in stock. So, I ended up buying the bedding set, an extra sheet set, the matching mobile, the matching changing pad cover and the changing pad. In the meantime, the guy in the baby furniture department was trying to order the crib for me so I could pick it up in the store in 7-10 days (instead of ordering it myself by phone or online and having to pay $80! in shipping - my crib, by the way, ended up being less than a hundred dollars after a coupon I had). Their system, however, kept shutting down. So, this past weekend I called just to see if they had gotten any Jenny Lind-Golden Honey cribs in and they had. The guy on the phone remembered me and put it on hold for me to pick up. It all worked out pretty well because I was able to use a 15% off coupon on the bedding set and another one on the crib a week later. Nice!
The crib is now sitting in it's box in my living room waiting for me (well, my husband) to move some furniture and totes of crafting stuff out of the nursery and into the garage. My husband swears this will happen "on his next day off." Until then I have been cleaning dirt from places that haven't seen day since before the original owners were here I think. All the things that we've been saying we needed to do are now being done. By me. It's like all of a sudden the dust on our fan blades has become a horrid intruder in our home and must be vanquished this very instant. I let my parents borrow our carpet steamer around Thanksgiving and I now feel a sudden urgency in getting it back as soon as possible. I have more than once mentally tried to decide whether or not this machine would fit in the back of my VW Rabbit if I went over RIGHT NOW to get it. I'm am also actually excited to open/use the hard surface steam "Shark" my mom got us for Christmas. Just wait until the dank places under the stove, fridge, and washer and dryer get a load of that baby.
I received the order of cloth diapers I had put in to Jillian's Drawers on the 22nd after 8 days. So, 2 days ago. I was a little surprised to find them with no kind of wrapping in the shipping box. I guess it's better for the environment than having like 20 little plastic bags to deal with. I decided yesterday to go ahead and order 12 more of the fitted Kissaluvs to make sure I had enough. I ended up placing this order through Nicki's Diapersthough. They offered a free or discounted diaper cover and free shipping with each order of 6 Kissaluvs. So, I saved some money. I stayed with Prowrap diaper covers, but order these 2 in small instead of newborn. Just to have a little bigger size on hand as we transition from fitteds into pocket diapers.
I also got my car back finally. I picked it up Tuesday. I had to pay the deductible though because the lady responsible didn't have the Mercedes she was driving on her policy. So, even though I will be reimbursed, my insurance company has to straighten things out with her insurance company. My insurance company also sent me paperwork for reimbursement of my medical expenses in case my doctor charges me for the visit on the day of the accident. I guess her insurance will also have to pay me for my distress and inconvenience because I felt the need to go to the doctor. I didn't know that. So, in addition to my claims adjuster, I have been assigned an "injury" adjuster and a medical adjuster. Again, all extremely nice people. If you have access to USAA through your own, your spouse's or a parent's military service, I highly recommend both their car insurance and online banking. Phenomenal customer service on both fronts.
How I Am Feeling Physically/Physical Changes
I'm feeling pretty great these days. I still have lots of energy and a good apetite. I've stopped the Zofran and will provide updates on how that goes as times progresses (it's only been 2 days so far). I can now feel the baby move pretty regularly. On Sunday, the 27th, I was laying in bed and had this pressure sensation in my lower right abdominal region. So, I instinctively put my hand on the area and felt these little pound pound pounds on and off. It was amazing! I tried to wake my husband up so he could feel, he's such a bear though and it was a no go. So, I just enjoyed them by myself. Now I notice her movements much more often. I think I may have been feeling them before, but I just thought it was gas or digestion.
A couple of negatives, physically, that I've noticed are acne and my tight tummy. I'm not majorly breaking out or anything, but if I do get a new blemish it's usually red and deep and big. Annoyingly, I'll find these in inconvenient places; like on my neck. My poor belly feels really tight on and off. Not itchy or anything, just really tight and sore. It kind of feels like what's inside is trying to expand, but my skin isn't expanding fast enough. So, I have a weirdly "hard" belly on and off.
How I Am Feeling Mentally At This Point
Besides the brief bouts of insanity that accompany my nesting instinct, I am feeling content and excited, but also a little scared. I am content with both my weight gain and the baby's growth/development as of the last ultrasound. Both I and the baby seem to be right on track. This weeks prenatal visit was postponed until next week because of something going on at the Dr's office, but in-leu of the regular fetal doppler readings I look forward to every 4 weeks, I get to actually feel her moving everyday. So, that's exciting (and a constant comfort that she's ok). I've read that she should be able to hear me sometime between now and week 23. So, I think about that whenever I'm humming while doing chores or talking excitedly while playing with our little dogs.
The scariness for me comes from 2 places right now. I still worry that something will happen with my pregnancy. It's not a constant worry or anything. Sometimes I just think to myself how horrible it would be to not make it to at least 24 weeks, or to carry to term and not come home with a perfectly healthy baby girl. My husband and I were both premature (I was born 2 months early and he was a twin born 3 months early). So, even though it would be worrisome to both of us, I think we could handle her having to stay at the hospital if she came early; only because we turned out just fine and this was with hospital technology 30 years ago. Plus, our hospital in literally within walking distance from my house. So, I could be there everyday no problem. But to lose her would be devastating. I remember years ago when a lady in my church group, who was perfectly healthy during her pregnancy and who had already given birth to 3 perfectly healthy children, went into labor and ended up giving birth to a stillborn baby. Or, more recently, a close friend of our family gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, and ended up only coming home with the girl (who was actually about half the size of her little brother). The baby boy passed. So, although I don't dwell on the thought, it does scare me sometimes. My other concern is about labor and delivery. I know that this is a perfectly natural process. Whether it's in the hospital hooked up to monitors with an epidural in the back or in a home or birthing center with a midwife and breathing and positioning techniques or some other combination of these, all kinds of women go through labor and delivery everyday and make it through just fine. I see it on TV and read through the birth stories and blogs of women all the time now. So, I know that this event, whether brief or lengthy is totally do-able. It's just the fact that I'm going to be feeling sensations I've never felt before and pain worse than anything I've ever experienced for prolonged periods of time that scares me. The unknown. Like parenting, I know that I can/will educate myself the best that I can for this experience and not really be prepared for all that I'll have to endure. I'll just have to go with the flow the best that I can, remember that this will be over soon, and stay focused on the outcome: my beautiful baby in my arms. Right now, my plan is to stay home as long as possible since the hospital is so close. As far as pain management goes, I'll probably get the epidural. Everyone keeps telling me to just "get the epidural!" One friend even told me that the epidural is nice just for the dang nurse's coming in and checking you which was very painful for her (and many others I suspect, but I've never read that anywhere). She said once the epidural was in she was like "bring it on!" If I find another pain management technique that really works for me though, I'll definitely go with that. Maybe this is just me, but I think that if for every hour that I was in active labor without an epidural, I was guaranteed a thousand dollar shopping spree anywhere I wanted for my baby, I could totally endure a natural labor and delivery. Maybe not though. I'll have to check back with you on that one in +/- 5 more months.
~Jessy
What I am Up To
I've definitely started nesting. I think buying the crib really increased the anxiety that my home just isn't ready yet for our baby to live/grow in. Sure, my due date is about 5 months away, but look how fast the last 5 months have gone! Ah!
Buying the crib in itself was a little adventure. I had seen the MiGi Sweet bedding set for the crib at Target.com and fell in love with it. It came in a 6-piece set though and I didn't want all the pieces. So, I checked the Migi website for other retailers (hoping they might sell some of the pieces individually or in a smaller/cheaper set) so I could actually see the set in real life and maybe find some reviews online. On a whim, even though it wasn't a listed retailer, I was surprised to find it available at Baby's R Us where I registered. I could have sworn I looked at all the bedding sets at BRU and didn't love any of them. So, I called the actual store to see if they had the set in stock and they had 1 left. I put it on hold and rushed on over. I did a quick tally of all the gift cards we had gotten for Christmas and found that we would actually have enough to buy the set (which was only 4 pieces), the crib, the mattress and the changing pad. I was pretty excited. When I went in, however, they didn't have either my crib or mattress in stock. So, I ended up buying the bedding set, an extra sheet set, the matching mobile, the matching changing pad cover and the changing pad. In the meantime, the guy in the baby furniture department was trying to order the crib for me so I could pick it up in the store in 7-10 days (instead of ordering it myself by phone or online and having to pay $80! in shipping - my crib, by the way, ended up being less than a hundred dollars after a coupon I had). Their system, however, kept shutting down. So, this past weekend I called just to see if they had gotten any Jenny Lind-Golden Honey cribs in and they had. The guy on the phone remembered me and put it on hold for me to pick up. It all worked out pretty well because I was able to use a 15% off coupon on the bedding set and another one on the crib a week later. Nice!
The crib is now sitting in it's box in my living room waiting for me (well, my husband) to move some furniture and totes of crafting stuff out of the nursery and into the garage. My husband swears this will happen "on his next day off." Until then I have been cleaning dirt from places that haven't seen day since before the original owners were here I think. All the things that we've been saying we needed to do are now being done. By me. It's like all of a sudden the dust on our fan blades has become a horrid intruder in our home and must be vanquished this very instant. I let my parents borrow our carpet steamer around Thanksgiving and I now feel a sudden urgency in getting it back as soon as possible. I have more than once mentally tried to decide whether or not this machine would fit in the back of my VW Rabbit if I went over RIGHT NOW to get it. I'm am also actually excited to open/use the hard surface steam "Shark" my mom got us for Christmas. Just wait until the dank places under the stove, fridge, and washer and dryer get a load of that baby.
I received the order of cloth diapers I had put in to Jillian's Drawers on the 22nd after 8 days. So, 2 days ago. I was a little surprised to find them with no kind of wrapping in the shipping box. I guess it's better for the environment than having like 20 little plastic bags to deal with. I decided yesterday to go ahead and order 12 more of the fitted Kissaluvs to make sure I had enough. I ended up placing this order through Nicki's Diapersthough. They offered a free or discounted diaper cover and free shipping with each order of 6 Kissaluvs. So, I saved some money. I stayed with Prowrap diaper covers, but order these 2 in small instead of newborn. Just to have a little bigger size on hand as we transition from fitteds into pocket diapers.
I also got my car back finally. I picked it up Tuesday. I had to pay the deductible though because the lady responsible didn't have the Mercedes she was driving on her policy. So, even though I will be reimbursed, my insurance company has to straighten things out with her insurance company. My insurance company also sent me paperwork for reimbursement of my medical expenses in case my doctor charges me for the visit on the day of the accident. I guess her insurance will also have to pay me for my distress and inconvenience because I felt the need to go to the doctor. I didn't know that. So, in addition to my claims adjuster, I have been assigned an "injury" adjuster and a medical adjuster. Again, all extremely nice people. If you have access to USAA through your own, your spouse's or a parent's military service, I highly recommend both their car insurance and online banking. Phenomenal customer service on both fronts.
How I Am Feeling Physically/Physical Changes
I'm feeling pretty great these days. I still have lots of energy and a good apetite. I've stopped the Zofran and will provide updates on how that goes as times progresses (it's only been 2 days so far). I can now feel the baby move pretty regularly. On Sunday, the 27th, I was laying in bed and had this pressure sensation in my lower right abdominal region. So, I instinctively put my hand on the area and felt these little pound pound pounds on and off. It was amazing! I tried to wake my husband up so he could feel, he's such a bear though and it was a no go. So, I just enjoyed them by myself. Now I notice her movements much more often. I think I may have been feeling them before, but I just thought it was gas or digestion.
A couple of negatives, physically, that I've noticed are acne and my tight tummy. I'm not majorly breaking out or anything, but if I do get a new blemish it's usually red and deep and big. Annoyingly, I'll find these in inconvenient places; like on my neck. My poor belly feels really tight on and off. Not itchy or anything, just really tight and sore. It kind of feels like what's inside is trying to expand, but my skin isn't expanding fast enough. So, I have a weirdly "hard" belly on and off.
How I Am Feeling Mentally At This Point
Besides the brief bouts of insanity that accompany my nesting instinct, I am feeling content and excited, but also a little scared. I am content with both my weight gain and the baby's growth/development as of the last ultrasound. Both I and the baby seem to be right on track. This weeks prenatal visit was postponed until next week because of something going on at the Dr's office, but in-leu of the regular fetal doppler readings I look forward to every 4 weeks, I get to actually feel her moving everyday. So, that's exciting (and a constant comfort that she's ok). I've read that she should be able to hear me sometime between now and week 23. So, I think about that whenever I'm humming while doing chores or talking excitedly while playing with our little dogs.
The scariness for me comes from 2 places right now. I still worry that something will happen with my pregnancy. It's not a constant worry or anything. Sometimes I just think to myself how horrible it would be to not make it to at least 24 weeks, or to carry to term and not come home with a perfectly healthy baby girl. My husband and I were both premature (I was born 2 months early and he was a twin born 3 months early). So, even though it would be worrisome to both of us, I think we could handle her having to stay at the hospital if she came early; only because we turned out just fine and this was with hospital technology 30 years ago. Plus, our hospital in literally within walking distance from my house. So, I could be there everyday no problem. But to lose her would be devastating. I remember years ago when a lady in my church group, who was perfectly healthy during her pregnancy and who had already given birth to 3 perfectly healthy children, went into labor and ended up giving birth to a stillborn baby. Or, more recently, a close friend of our family gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, and ended up only coming home with the girl (who was actually about half the size of her little brother). The baby boy passed. So, although I don't dwell on the thought, it does scare me sometimes. My other concern is about labor and delivery. I know that this is a perfectly natural process. Whether it's in the hospital hooked up to monitors with an epidural in the back or in a home or birthing center with a midwife and breathing and positioning techniques or some other combination of these, all kinds of women go through labor and delivery everyday and make it through just fine. I see it on TV and read through the birth stories and blogs of women all the time now. So, I know that this event, whether brief or lengthy is totally do-able. It's just the fact that I'm going to be feeling sensations I've never felt before and pain worse than anything I've ever experienced for prolonged periods of time that scares me. The unknown. Like parenting, I know that I can/will educate myself the best that I can for this experience and not really be prepared for all that I'll have to endure. I'll just have to go with the flow the best that I can, remember that this will be over soon, and stay focused on the outcome: my beautiful baby in my arms. Right now, my plan is to stay home as long as possible since the hospital is so close. As far as pain management goes, I'll probably get the epidural. Everyone keeps telling me to just "get the epidural!" One friend even told me that the epidural is nice just for the dang nurse's coming in and checking you which was very painful for her (and many others I suspect, but I've never read that anywhere). She said once the epidural was in she was like "bring it on!" If I find another pain management technique that really works for me though, I'll definitely go with that. Maybe this is just me, but I think that if for every hour that I was in active labor without an epidural, I was guaranteed a thousand dollar shopping spree anywhere I wanted for my baby, I could totally endure a natural labor and delivery. Maybe not though. I'll have to check back with you on that one in +/- 5 more months.
~Jessy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)