Hellobee Boards

@getjazzy: @torchwood: please share the good freezer meals you plan to make! I really want to do this but want to make sure to plan some good ones.

@Mrs.Scientist: I've recently gotten into photography, so I'm actually going to do them myself! I'll probably pull out the tripod or have my sister come help with a few family shots, too.

@lilteacherbee: Oooh that's fun! I bet they'll come out great

@torchwood: I'll probably wait til July to start making freezer meals, but keep giving us recipe ideas!

@Mrs.Scientist: I have booked a package that includes a maternity photo session and then a newborn session just after the birth. The photographer did the same package for a friend recently and it was just so lovely. It's also giving me something nice to look forward to at the beginning of my maternity leave in 5 weeks. I think I'm going with dark blue for me and a dark blue/striped shirt for my husband.

@aprild: Ha! The wedding on Sunday was outside. Right as the bridal party started to walk down the aisle, it started raining. By the time they got to the vows, it was pouring. We got soaked!! Pregnancy-wise, it was ok. At the reception, they had metal folding chairs that were pretty tough on my back. I was done and ready to go about the same time the bride and groom left, so it worked out.

@Mrs.Scientist: I want to get newborn photos, but I still need to contact my photographer! I'm planning to use the same person who did our wedding. She does mostly kids these days, and she's really good. She's shot a lot of the kids in my family - which is how we found her in the first place.

For those of you who had maternity photos taken, did you ask for specific shots or did you let the photographer do all the directing? Since my photographer has done lots of maternity photos, I figured she would know how to pose me in the most flattering ways, but I have a double chin in every picture! These are seriously the most unflattering pictures I've seen of myself. Also, unless you have skinny arms, avoid cap sleeves. I don't know what I was thinking, but my shirt made my upper arms look huge! Ugh, I am so disappointed with my maternity pics.

@Mrs. Microscope: That's a great tip! That's something I would have liked for the photographer to tell me. There really was no prep or direction during the shoot other than "stand over there and look this way" or "cradle your stomach and look down."

I didn't do maternity or newborn photos with my first. We were living in a small town in Wyoming and none of the photogs were very good. I live in a military town now and for whatever reason there are an abundance of photographers, but again, lots of them aren't very good, and I think their presence drives up the cost of the decent photogs. With baby coming in August, I don't really want to spend the money on newborn pics and our usual family pictures in the fall. So I'm trying to decide when to combine the shoots. We always use a family pic on our Christmas cards, and honestly I'm not sure im going to feel "photo ready" in August and sort of want to wait a few months. But...then I (again) miss those cute squish pictures.
TL:DR- I don't know what we are doing .
Oh! I've also found that when I expect a photographer to get my best angles they never do! I don't know if that means I'm chunkier thank I think, or I'm just more critical of myself:

BREAST PUMP ALERT!!!! This is just too good not to share with you ladies!

I have been reading tons of threads about which breast pump to get, etc. as its time to start thinking about it (70days out). My insurance's website was HORRIBLE and kept telling me I had to buy one through a durable medical supply company, but there are none in Colorado that sell breast pumps. I had read horror stories about not getting pumps on time, not getting reimbursed when buying at BRU/Target/BBB etc. BUT, on the Medela website I found Aeroflow, who claimed to take care of EVERYTHING from contacting the insurance and your doctor, and handling all paperwork. So I filled out their online request form (my name, address, insurance info, and doctor name and number) and I got an email and phone call 2 business days later! They had the comprehensive list of all the pumps I qualified for (ALL BRANDS, not just Medela) as well as extra pump stuff like more bottles and tubing that would be free to me, and prices for any pump upgrades I would want, all tailored to my insurance. I chose my pump and she confirmed my address and it ships in 2 days, FedEx! SO EASY!!!!! No credit card needed, NO COST TO ME.

If you need a breast pump, check out Aeroflow. LIFE SAVER!

@buttermilk: I just got the Medela PISA. The Freestyle would have been a $175 upgrade, but thats my insurance's cost. Yours could be different! Worth checking though, as its quite a bit of money!

@Mrs. Microscope: Ahhh, that's super helpful! Thanks for the info!

@Mrs. Microscope: this is awesome! My insurance told me that I'd have to wait to request the pump until after I've given birth... anyone else get told this?

I'd really love to not have to deal with ordering one after the baby comes as I may have to use it right away depending on how late he arrives. School starts back up September 14th...

@LauraBear: frustrating! mine said I could order it whenever, but they won't ship it until 2 weeks before my due date.

@MissLace: Glad you passed! And I agree. It's not tasty by any means, but far from as gross as I was led to expect. Maybe you have to like orange soda?

@MissLace: good to hear your passed! I just drank mine right then and I agree, it was pretty much like orange soda. The most unpleasant thing for me was that I can never drink fast and the cold was giving me a bit of brain freeze! Fingers crossed.

It seems like everyone is getting pumps ahead of time - is it because you need to pump to go back to work or is it more of a just in case thing? I was considering going without at first or maybe borrowing from the hospital but now I'm thinking there's something I missed and I should get one before baby arrives?

@MissLace: Yay for passing!!!

Crazy that we're already ordering pumps! Y'all are lucky. My insurance was grandfathered in and doesn't have to provide breast pumps Made me super mad because it's the state teacher insurance plan and obviously, a lot of women of child-bearing age don't have to be provided pumps according to them. I ended up buying a PISA myself out of pocket and I loved it!

@kitty: I bought mine a few days after my first LO was born because they had me pumping in the hospital. He had a hard time latching, so I'd pump and feed with a syringe in the very early days as well as nursing with a shield.

My sister has given birth twice in the same hospital that I will and has the same insurance company as me... apparently the hospital has pumps and gives one to you when you discharge. I'm glad I don't have to worry about that!

Ladies!!! How many days are left until your due date? I've got 68!

82 days to go! Although I will be shocked if he does not come early. (Of course, by saying that I have probably cursed myself to go overdue )