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Ladies question.... what's the best and most useful breast pump? I get a free one through insurance but there is a variety and they come with different things. Most are medela, but even those are all different. I will probably be breastfeeding at school too? HELP!!!

@raspberries: yeah it's so tough to know. My first two were 18 months apart and I never bought the second seat for our b ready. If you don't use a stroller much with your first and babywear, I would hold off and then maybe if you see a really good deal on a double, get it, but don't spend the money just to have it?

I got the ameda purely yours for both my kids and it was alright. A lot of people don't like them though. I mean it did the job and was small and easy to take around. I hear that the Medela is great!!

@Weswife: I think it's kind of a crapshoot for first time parents - do you know where you'll be pumping when you go back to work? (My work has a "mothers room" but it's basically a storage closet with a couple of chairs and a table in it.) Maybe check it out ahead of time, and see if there's a convenient outlet - if there is and you'll only be pumping at work, there's no need for a battery pack or a carrying case and all that because you can just leave the pump at work. (As a side note, I think the tricky thing is that no one knows how breastfeeding will go for you - you might end up exclusively pumping or not breastfeeding at all, so just make the best guess you can! You can always buy accessories or a whole new pump if your circumstances are much different than you anticipated.)

@MrsB2012: I think this is what I'm leaning toward too - I'm just freaking myself out in advance by wanting to prepare for every possibility, ha. We'll buy it if we need or if I see a fantastic deal, but otherwise, I'll probably just wait.

@anonysquire: Hahaha, same with my kid - I can't even imagine trying to go for a walk and him actually walking without stopping to inspect every crack in the sidewalk.

@anonysquire: I am going to get this one. Insurance only covers the medela one that basically has no parts this one has everything. My friend had it and loved it so since it's free! I am going to try that.

@raspberries: no pumping room. I was just going to lock my classroom door ha! But my plan is also to pump at night and in the morning before I leave so I will need to tote it around. This at least is the plan haha! We will see what actually happens!

On a side note had my appt. today. Heart rate 160 and belly measures 24cm! Doc said right on track!

@mrsmacSLP: congrats!

I'm doing my glucose test right now. The lab is so busy I have to stand, ugh haha. I've been here for an hour ( took 15 mins for them to give me the drink.) they've taken a bunch of blood and now I'm just standing, waiting for my hour to be up so they can take more. Plus when she was taking my blood, when she asked my birthday she was like uhh.. I think they had the wrong lab sheet.. hopefully they don't have to draw up even more blood after!

@Mrs. Pen: hahaha congrats! More boys to add to the list!

Has anyone used the kiinde bags and bottles? I used the bags to pump in for my first and loved them! I'm thinking I might try the bottles this time.

@anonysquire: I am interested in them! Target has them marked down today plus 15% off...would make it so much easier not to clean pump bottles, etc.

@anonysquire: Babies R us and Buy buy baby have Kiinde stuff 25% off today, plus you can stack coupons. So it looks like I will be making a trip after work. Target also has them on sale plus 15% off today. So glad you brought these up!

I forgot to update, I had an appt yesterday. Everything went well and my belly measured right on track. I didn't want to meet again before Christmas so I'll go back the beginning of janurary. Although I'm going to schedule another ultrasound in 2 weeks. Also the midwife who was there (not my main midwife) said if they baby is still small but has no obvious concerns or iugr or anything then they might have me sign some sort of contract so that I can deliver there "early" if they end up changing my due date. So basically I can give birth anytime in March and be ok to give birth there! If they change the due date that is. This feels like a stressful mess but I atleast feel not as hopeless about things.

@anonysquire: So glad everything seems to be fine now! Hopefully the US goes well too! I feel you on the BH, I've had them since about 11/12 weeks and they are only getting worse, doesn't help that baby is always transverse-painful.

@anonysquire: That's good that it looks like you can still deliver where you want. If your belly is measuring on track, but your baby small, I can't see them changing the due date? I don't know how that works, but I had a friend where the baby was measuring small, and they said it's normal that sometimes babies are just small. Hopefully it's all good at you can just deliver there!
I have constant BH! They can be painful at times too which is annoying. I didn't have this with either of my other pregnancies.

@raspberries: Yes, i can get that really bad sometimes. I go to the chiropractor and it makes a world of a difference.

Hello ladies!

I'm almost 24 weeks along now and just checking in. I've had some interesting things happen lately - my face is getting hairy, my underwear I have worn exclusively for YEARS have become uncomfortable so I've had to switch, and someone at work yesterday just told me that I'm huge. So far, it's been an eventful pregnancy

My current dilemma - we have a lot of people trying to give us things they no longer need from when they had babies. This is very nice, and I am very grateful, BUT, they're not necessarily things we need or want. What's the proper etiquette here? Just because someone digs a crib (for example) out of storage to give to us, when we've already bought one and do not need one, are we obligated to take it? I feel like we've become a dumping ground for everyone's old stuff!

Also, we had our follow up ultrasound yesterday. Baby is in the 67th percentile at 1 lb, 7 oz and my placenta has moved on up.

Hope you all are doing well!

@oskarsmommy: Yes, it's our first.

@Aspen: I'd just be honest and say, "oh thanks for the offer, but we already have one. Thanks for thinking of us." or something to that affect. Definitely don't feel obligated to take it, especially if you aren't going to use it.

@raspberries: The chiro helps me a ton. I probably only go once a month, but it makes a big difference.

SOmething just hit me- I'm 24 weeks as of Monday, which means this is my last month of the second trimester! at my next appt I'll be in the third trimester! That's so crazy. I can't believe we're this far along now.

Speaking of, I had my midwife appt yesterday. My BP has been running a bit high. I'm so nervous about it because I had pre-eclampsia with my first and desperately wish to avoid that. I need to be better about working out regularly and clean up my diet- especially sugar and sweets, as well as caffeine. When I was following the paleo diet, my BP was always awesome.
Sighs. I'm trying not to get worried but I can't help it.

@lilyann: last time my pre-e didn't start or we didn't find it until I was already 38 weeks! Bp's had been normal until then. I was put on bed rest and when my 24 hour urine test came back, the protein was so high I needed to go in for an emergency induction. It was really traumatic.
My midwife said if pre e happens again, it might happen earlier this time. We're going to do urine checks at every visit and another full panel of labs at my 28 week visit.
In the meantime, I'm going to write out a strict meal plan and work out plan. It's going to be so hard, though!

@anonysquire: I've gone to a few seminars that were hosted by our church and DHS. I think we would start out with respite care when our children are a bit older and can understand. Right now, we just have too much on our plate with my husband's travel with work, my working out of the house full time and a 3rd on the way. Love where your heart is though!

@anonysquire: Congrats! That's so exciting - it sounds like you're going to have some busy days ahead of you!

@Mrs. Pen: I was induced for pre-eclampsia last time as well, and I've been monitoring my blood pressure at home this time (I got a little BP machine from CVS that cost like, $35 - it's good for peace of mind.) Mine shot up at around 37 weeks last time, they put me on bed rest, and I ended up being induced at 38w1d - I had a few other complications so they were planning to induce at 38w4d, but when they saw my BP at my 38 week appointment, they sent me straight to the hospital for an immediate induction. Hoping to avoid that this time too!