Friday marked my last birthday before I’ll officially be a mom. Crazy stuff. I can only imagine how different our lives will be this time next year. I said to Eric that I just wish it was time already because I want to meet her so much. I keep picturing her in my arms and I just can’t wait.
Eric is pretty fascinated with my growing bump and changing body. He rubs it all the time and he likes to play his guitar “for the baby” now and then. I sure love that guy. I like to joke around with the belly a lot. Sometimes I hide behind a wall and just stick out the bump until he looks up and notices it in the doorway. It’s pretty ridiculous. Generally speaking I’m feeling pretty great in my own skin, but I do have moments when I don’t feel the most body confident. It feels a bit like when I was a preteen and going through puberty with so many rapid changes only this time I have the years and experience behind me to trust the process and my body! This week some strangers commented on my pregnancy and I was SO happy and just beaming with pride. hah.
Maternity clothing:
My pregnancy wardrobe up until this point has been all about the stretchy black leggings/crops and fitted tees/tanks. I’ve been amazed by how comfortable my stretchy Lulu crops still are! I had to abandon my “groove pants” long ago though (the waistband just doesn’t have as much stretch to it). I haven’t had much luck shopping for maternity clothes yet. My main purchases so far have been some comfy maternity tees (v-neck and scoop neck) from Old Navy (I seriously bought about 6 of them in various bright colours!), a black Old Navy maternity t-shirt dress (below), and a cropped denim jacket from Garage (not maternity, also below) which I think looks pretty cute with a bright fitted tank/tee and black crops. I think the name of the game this summer will be all about the flowy summer dresses and comfy casual wear!
Latest appointment:
I had an appointment with my OB this week and the anatomy scan results came back normal – whew! I did find out that I have a low lying placenta (the placenta attached low and is partially blocking the cervix right now), but the doctor reassured me that it’s quite common and there’s a good chance it will move up and out of the way in time for my due date. One of my sisters had this with her first pregnancy and she said it moved up by 33/34 weeks. I’m hoping for the same so I have the option of a vaginal delivery. I have a follow-up ultrasound in about 6 weeks.
How I’m Doing:
Comfortable sleeping has been a challenge over the past few weeks. I’m now putting a small pillow between my legs when I’m on my side and this helps a lot. I’m also taking more bathroom breaks than I ever thought possible (and I have a small bladder to begin with). Other symptoms include lower back pain and some pelvic area pain on and off (which I hear is just normal stretching). I feel a bit moody or emotional at times, but I’ve actually been surprised by how level my emotions have been overall. Another thing I’ve noticed lately is that I can’t eat a lot of food at one time – my belly just feels too full and uncomfortable. Small meals are the way to go! On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being amazing), I would say I’m feeling a solid 8 across the board this month. Gotta love the 2nd trimester.
Shower planning begins:
It looks like I’ll be having my baby shower the 3rd weekend in July. I’m so excited that my mom and sister are going to fly out for it and we’ll get to spend some time together! I’m told that I need to get on the ball and create a registry. =) I’ve been working on a document with ideas and registry must-have lists from other bloggers, but that’s about all I’ve done so far. Any tips or suggestions on newborn essentials are greatly appreciated! What did you absolutely need and what did you think you needed that you really didn’t?
for you bellaband (to wear normal pants and jeans almost to the end), and nipple butter if you are going to breastfeed. ouch, my nipples were super sore first weeks.
for the baby: Frida the snot sucker (idea is kind of gross at first, but it works wonders and is better than anything else, gave my daughter so many night of sleep after cleaning her little nose when runny), ergo baby if you are going to wear your daughter, triple paste for diaper rash (amazing, cured my daughter’s awful diaper rash overnight many times, best diaper rash cream hands down), and nature’s gate baby wash and shampoo (vegan and all natural).
you look lovely! looking at your pictures i am kind of jealous, would like to be pregnant again (i have one daughter so far ;) ). hope I will be soon :)
ps. i had several maternity tops and bottoms from gap maternity, loved them all, good quality. also clothes from gap baby are awesome. more expensive than other brands, but from our experience, quality is amazing.
Love this update! Thank you for, as always, being so raw and honest about how you feel about your changing body-I’m sure most women feel that way but very few are as honest and open about as you are and I appreciate that.
Also love the anecdote about ‘the bump’ and Eric. :)
Thanks Laura :)
Oh my goodness, I don’t want to overwhelm you, but the Puj tub is seriously the greatest way to bathe a newborn. Folds flat and hangs for easy storage and drying, fits in a sink, is anti-microbial, and feels nice and soft for a baby.
Also, skip the breastfeeding pillow and treat yourself now to a Snoogle. I loved it when I was pregnant and now it lives on the bed folded into a U so I can recline on it for nursing.
Never swaddled, but we love sleep sacks. If I could do it again, I’d splurge on a nice stroller with a bassinet attachment. I was given a really wonderful book called The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, and I highly recommend it. Very encouraging and empowering.
And don’t forget the nipple cream and nursing pads! I saw some silicone ones that you just wash nightly, which would have been way better than my cloth ones.
We tried to keep it simple and still ended up with way too much stuff, a lot of it we never used. But everyone is so different and it really depends on individual preferences. You may end up even more confused about what you need after reading all these comments! I sort of despise the industry for making vulnerable moms-to-be think they need so much STUFF.
For me:
DID NOT NEED:
-changing table, changing pad and a bunch of cute covers! Never used it. Our nursery is upstairs though, so that’s probably why. At 19 months, I still change him on a towel on our bed downstairs.
-nursing pillows. I think they are a waste of money (but some women love them!). Regualr pillows are better since they can be shoved and squished where you need them.
-swaddles. Never used them. Though I know some babies NEED to be swaddled. I suggest only registering for the newborn size so you can see if you even use it before getting bigger sizes. Or, it’s nice if people include gift receipts so you can return things you’re not using.
DEFINITELY NEEDED:
-cool mist humidifier
-baby saline drops
-Nose Frida (suction for nose, way more effective than traditional bulb syringe. Can be found at Whole Foods in US, not sure about Canada). Babies get stuffed up and it can be hard for them to feed if they can’t breathe through their noses. These 3 items helped so much)
-size “newborn”. I thought I only needed 0-3 for some reason, and that was way too big at first
-coconut oil for moisturizing and so many other uses I’m sure you’ll read all about
-jammies with zippers, not snaps! Snaps will be yoru arch nemesis in the middle of the night!
-sound machine
-a good swing, like one that plugs in
-if you plan to nurse, I found The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding to be very helpful. Especially the reference section, for trouble shooting.
-also, if you plan to nurse, go to more than one lactation consultant if need be. You get different advise and points of view from each one, in my experience. The 2 in the hospital when I delivered were no help at all.
-4 oz Evenflo glass bottles, Dr. Brown’s premie nipples. This is best for a baby that you want to mostly nurse. The slow flow of the premie nipple helps the baby not to favor botttle over breast. No need for all the special breast shaped nipples.
-Old school style cloth diapers have been way better for us than the expensive Bum Genius ones we started with. Green Mountain Diapers is a wonderful resource
PS – I had a low lying placenta too and it resolved by 28 weeks. I read that it almost always resolves, so do not worry!
I developed a mantra of sorts that I repeated over and over in my head, daily. Like a self fullfilling prophecy. Yogis do this, I can’t remember what it’s called. Never speak it out loud. Hold it close to your heart. Mine was “I will deliver this baby naturally, at full term, healthy and without complications”. It came true :)
great list and tips- thank you so much!
The thing I did not have and needed: a swing. My son had rockin’ reflux and so we reclined it and strapped him in there to sleep (turned off). He slept in there until he was 3 months old and the reflux subsided. In general I was short on places to put him down while I made coffee/peed/scrounged in the fridge. I wore him a lot, but a do-over for me would be to have more safe places to stick the baby for two seconds while attending to life-giving matters like sustenance for me, the milk maker.
The thing I had and did not need: lots of newborn clothes. Next time I will get a week’s worth of sleepers to rotate through and call it a day.
The thing I get my friends: adult diapers (for reals), Medela boob pads.
Loving the baby bump, you look great! :)
Definitely get a good baby carrier (Ergo, Beco, Babyhawk, etc) or a sling/wrap. You can probably find some good deals on craigslist as they can be expensive buying brand new. It’s great to use when baby is fussy & doesn’t want to be put down. Keeps your hands free and you can nurse in them, too! :)
I used cloth diapers with my first son when he was 8 months and my 2nd son from the beginning. Cloth diapers are not like they used to be, so it might be worth looking into.
If you plan to nurse, buy some nursing pads (I leaked like crazy) and some comfortable nursing tops and bras. It would also be useful to read up on breastfeeding (such as The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding book, www.kellymom.com, La Leche League, etc) and find out if a lactation consultant will be at the hospital where you’re delivering.
Luckily, we never bought a crib (the one we borrowed was barely used) because both of my babies woke up way too often, so we ended up co-sleeping.
Buy some onsies (makes for easier diaper changes) and burp cloths
I’m a mom of two little angels…. but before these two little girls came into my life I was vaccine damaged at the age of 36 by a Hep B shot that rendered me unable to walk and talk for 4 months …. until I juice fasted and healed myself with organic veggies and fruit. The doctors (MD’s) said I wouldn’t run or have babies… I completed a triathlon and had two healthy girls naturally conceived….
The reason I’m saying this is PLEASE PLEASE be informed about vaccines before you give birth! A great book is The Vaccine Safety Manuel by Neil Miller. Know what the doctors don’t tell you… I wish you an easy beautiful birth… without your baby getting the Hep B shot on the first day of life. She will not be a drug user or having sex as a newborn… Absolutely no need for a Hep B shot!
Hi, it’s just so different with every baby. We borrowed loads of things from friends who had babies before us, and many of the items they had highly recommended ended up never being used, because our daughter didn’t like them. But the one thing I would recommend is getting a really good baby carrier. I use mine more often than the stroller, simply because it gives me more freedom. Just make sure you choose one that has the baby facing towards you and give good support to the legs and hips. Any carrier that lets the baby’s legs hang straight down is very unhealthy for the hips! I use a brand called emei baby. Takes a bit to adjust it properly but then it works perfectly! All the best for your pregnancy, and enjoy the time!
Whoa! Thank you all so much for your helpful comments! SO helpful. :)
You are the cutest everrrrrr!!!!!!
I love reading about your pregnancy Angela! You are honestly GLOWING! I have never had a baby so can’t help much in that department but LOVE whenever I see a mom or dad carrying their baby in the ‘scarf/fabric’ style baby carrier (haha, if you know what I mean by that!) :)
I loved wearing my “comfort” pants from various stores during my pregnancy vs maternity Totally recommend them ! When I have to try them on before returning to work – I’ll find out if they were stretched out :) you look fantastic !
Love! You look so fabulous! I just had a little boy this past January and I gobbled up so many of your recipes while pregnant. So looking forward to lots more recipes & maybe some awesome baby food/kid recipes in the future : )
Thanks Nicole :) Glad to hear you are enjoying the recipes so much!
Hi Angela!
We have a 8 month old son and though we did not make a registry during my shower, most of the guests got clothes and lots of gift cards. Both were super helpful. We did not find out the sex of the baby before, and got a lot of cute pink and blue clothes :D. The first 3 months were survived solely on the clothes gifted to us without us having to buy anything, which was a big relief. Among the stuff that I have purchased and really loved using: Ergo carrier with infant insert (the best money I spent!) and a good stroller. Apart from that, the crib was a hand me down from a friend and I am glad we didnt buy it because in the 8 months, the baby has slept a total of only 1 week in the crib (he still sleeps with us in our bed). The baby swing (also a hand me down) was not much of use. We did end up using a lot of baby-related stuff in the form of hand me downs from work colleagues and friends simply because baby items have such short use and they just end up cluttering the apartment (and may I add generating plastic waste).
Other essentials include a car seat (You would need that to get the baby home from the hospital!) and diapers!
Congratulations and wish you a happy and healthy pregnancy! btw, I purchased your book last month and we loved it! My husband who is not a big fan of salads and smoothies has been devouring them after I whipped up some from your book (and blog).
Thank you Neha! So happy you are enjoying the cookbook and thanks so much for your tips! That’s so great you had items handed down for you to use…even better!
You look awesome!! Here is my list (I’ve had 3 babes):
1) hypnobabies package – after an emergency c-section with my first I wanted to go natural and was able to deliver drug free using self hypnosis.
2) bravado nursing bras and undercover mama tank tops that attach to bras to make them nursing tanks. That way I could still wear all my shirts overtop of the tanks and breastfeed without wearing a tarp!
3) ergo carrier and moby wrap. Later I moved into various slings (Sakura blooms are gorgeous and comfy) and woven wraps.
4) I didn’t do a car seat “system”. I got a Graco car seat and just use that with my BOB stroller. The seat pops in easily and the stroller has a narrow profile and glides around like a dream. The Bob stroller rocks, even if you aren’t planning on using it for running.
5) any really soft oversized soft muslin swaddling blankets – Aden & Anais is by far most popular. I’ve always wanted their miracle blanket – I hear it’s amazing.
6) bouncy chair – somewhere for them to hang out and watch you or sleep when you’re not wearing them (I.e. Cooking in kitchen)
7) lansinoh lanolin for sore nipples. I’ve tried others such as Earth Mama Angel Baby, but nothing else worked as well. Also amazing for chapped lips.
Enjoy this time – I loved the second trimesters!!
I agree with Cindy above. I had a baby in December and I agree with all the items on her list, especially 2) the bra-less tank tops (http://www.thenakedtank.com/), especially if you don’t fit regular store size bras. The ERGO carrier, BOB stroller with baby seat and Aden Anais blankets are all amazing.
I used this blog’s gear guides to help me, and so far, she has not steered us wrong. She has them for newborn up to toddler. http://www.youaremylicorice.com/2011/08/newborn-must-haves-according-to-carys.html
You look so radiant, I wish you a healthy and happy pregnancy :)
I was scanning through the comments to see if anyone mentioned a BOB stroller. They are expensive, so it’s a great item to put on your baby registry. As Cindy mentions, you can use it with the Graco Carseat. I have two daughters, and bought each of them a single BOB for the first baby, then a double BOB when each had a second child. The little kids ages now are 6 and 3 for one daughter, 5 and 3 for the other daughter. Both of the girls still use have and use both the single and the double BOB. All the four little kids are riding strider bikes (tiny two wheel bikes without pedals) or two wheel bikes, and the BOB can be used for loading up a tired little bike rider, with the bike hanging from the stroller handle (the Mommy Hook works great for this), or laying on top. Great for walking on dirt or gravel, as well as paved, and great for Baby Boot Camp. Both girls have said many times that it’s the one thing that they could not live without! You look beautiful Angela! Can’t wait to see your baby girl!
Angela,
As a mother of boy/girl twins (now in elementary school), here are my lists:
Loved:
*Snap-bottom pants and overalls (guess that’s less of an issue for girls, such a timesaver with my son when changing)
*Diaper bag, of course
*Diaper caddy (if using disposable) – for containing the odor
*Changing table – I liked having a central location where I knew all ‘supplies’ were at hand, plus the baby is raised up enough that you can have wonderful interaction and eye contact
as you’re changing her – my son used to giggle like mad during diaper changes.
*Portable fold-up changing table (really, a cushion) – Sorry, but most public changing areas are, well, gross
*White noise machine (my two particularly liked the “gentle rainstorm”); we also had some classical music we’d listen to (low background volume) while changing for bed
*Wipe warmer – Though not a necessity by any means, I did like it for making particularly nighttime diaper changes less jarring
*Extractor – or as someone else referred to it, a “snot sucker” – I actually FINALLY got rid of my kids’ but they were hard to let go of, believe it or not!
*Frozen animal/fish-shaped “ice packs” – still use them to this day for every boo-boo, real or imagined, the kids head straight to the freezer for their goldfish and frog
*Friends and family with older kids – as I believe someone else mentioned, people *need* to get rid of clothes and baby furniture and they *love* to give these items to someone they know who needs them; often all you need to do is spread the word that you’re open to it. My kids actually love receiving clothes from older cousins to this day, it’s got “cachet” when it’s from the bigger kids. Of course, I couldn’t resist the occasional purchase of something cute, but for the most part resisted.
*Baby socks that look like shoes (I had cute Mary Jane ones for my daughter) or socks with moccasin bottoms – so comfy!
*One special teddy bear
*Baby monitor
*Crib that converts to a toddler bed (which I suppose most do now)
Could have done without:
*About 99% of the toys, DVDs, and stuffed animals
*Pacifiers (barely used them – and therefore the issue of getting them to stop using them never arose!)
*Small bassinet
*Baby shoes
P.S. I just “discovered” you a few months back and want to thank you so much for all the changes you’ve inspired me to make as far as eating habits (which translates into life changes)!
Hi Angela!
Congratulations! Your bump is adorable. You’re going to love motherhood; it’s a lot of work but it’s incredibly rewarding. In terms of your shower registry, you might want to check out Lucie’s List (American mommy blogger, but lists the definite essentials!) and Pregnant Chicken is a Canadian mommy blogger who is hilarious and also has some wonderful tips about registries, babies, and the like.
I’m new to Oh She Glows and loving it so far! I’m planning on buying the cookbook soon. I’ve had 4 attempts at vegetarianism and finished a 10 year bout with bulimia about 6 years ago. My last veggie attempt ended when I was pregnant and absolutely craved meat. My little guy is 15 months old now and Im finally getting back on the veggie train again. Your recipes are amazing. Thank you for this. I really appreciate all this hard work!!
Register for children’s books! Nobody ever registers for books, and I love buying them for new babies. Even newborns love to be read to!
I had a little girl at the end of Sept 2013, it’s such a nice time of year to have a baby! Congrats! :) Here’s my list of must-haves: a pump or a list of places you can rent one from on short notice (my daughter had an undiagnosed tongue-tie that prevented her from breastfeeding effectively, so I had to quickly use a pump to get my milk to come in) – Ameda products are great, list of lactation consultants (some cities have a breastfeeding buddy system that’s great for extra support since breastfeeding can be a difficult new skill to learn for Mommy and baby), a baby swing or bouncy chair (what a lifesaver our swing was! It was great for getting her to fall asleep and as a place to set her down so we could have a break for a bit…we found a really nice one at Once Upon a Child (excellent store)), a really good diaper bag and an insurance policy for it (Babies r us sells insurance and it’s worth it, the zippers break so easily), lots and lots of bibs and receiving blankets for all that baby spit up, a bulb syringe or something to help baby’s stuffed nose (apparently lots of newborns have nose issues, my daughter was no exception, and using the bulb helped her so much), breast pads and a comfy sleep bra to hold pads in place (motherhood maternity sells cute ones), and if you decide to use a pacifier Natursutten makes a good one with natural rubber.
Things I didn’t need: a rocking chair (the couch and lots of pillows was way more comfy), swaddling pouches (they outgrow them so fast and don’t get used much…Grobags are way better), nail clippers (a file is easier), toys (people are baby’s toys at first, lol), baby lotions/oils other than diaper cream (baby’s new skin isn’t dry), and lots of outfits (sleepers and onesies are much easier to change in the beginning and there’ll be lots of changes, lol!). Good luck and have fun shopping!
Two boobs and a blanket. That’s all you REALLY need! Technically you only need one boob (Shout out to an awesome momma friend who has nursed two kids now post-breast cancer). Take in all that great information/advice people give you, and then put it aside & go take a prenatal yoga class.
So much this! But I’d say a baby sling too.
I’ve had 4 babies and EVERY time I’ve bought cute things I thought if need. Even for number. 4 I bought swaddling blankets and change mats. Seriously, never got used. I’ve been pregnant or breastfeeding for eleven years ( oh my lord!) and it all comes down to- Boobs and a sling.
But that said, everyone is different and it’s all about love and trusting your instincts, just listen to yourself and your baby and you’ll be great <3