Best products from r/CautiousBB

I put this bag on my registry and received it. It was pretty unwieldy. It's just so big. Most of the times we left the house, we only needed 1-2 diapers, a small pack of wipes, a change of clothes, and that's it. I honestly could've gotten away with something like this and thrown it and a paci in my purse.

I breastfed until 5 months, which cuts down a bit on what's needed. However, once we switched to formula, baby ate at more regular intervals so we could feed him and then go someplace or take a filled one of these, an 8oz bottle of water (my kid would eat room temp formula), and an empty baby bottle, but even adding these three things did not warrant the amount of space in that bag. I would overpack so much stuff and it was just completely unneeded. Toys? My kid's fav toy at 4 months was a paper napkin.

My kid had two in-public blowouts over the first 5 months of his life (his blowouts stopped once we switched to formula and added solid foods) so it was nice to have an extra change of clothes and some kind of sealable bag to put the soiled clothes in, but clothes at that age are tiny. Also, my kid was a summer baby in a warm climate so he didn't wear pants until he was about 4 months old, which means "extra clothes" was really just "extra onesie."

For Christmas this year, I got this bag and I love it. It's smaller than my diaper bag, but I can fit all kinds of stuff in it. I actually got it to use as a handbag, but when we take kiddo (he's 19 months now) some place, I can slide a diaper and a small pack of wipes in it and we're good to go. It'll also hold a small sippy cup and a couple of applesauce pouches along with all my stuff (it's cold now so my stuff is hat, gloves, plus my planner, wallet, phone, keys, etc).

We still use the diaper bag on road trips/vacations and it's great for that because it holds so much so we use it like toddler luggage. You really don't need much at all unless you're traveling, though. We keep a diaper and a pack of wipes in the car, just in case. I rarely ever have to change a diaper in public anymore though, unless we're traveling hundreds of miles.

Anyway, my advice is get yourself a nice bag that you would want to carry even without baby stuff and make sure it's comfortable for you, then find a way to make the baby stuff fit. You will not end up needing nearly as much as you think. This ad sums it up pretty perfectly, actually.

Even with only five weeks left I'm jealous of everyone due before me, haha. I think there are 2 or 3 other ladies due after Astro and before me, but I wouldn't complain if I was the next birth ;)

I know the third trimester sucks for a lot of women. I feel very grateful that I'm feeling as good as I am, and I love that I'm still able to be active.

I stretch everyday even if I can't get a workout in, I drink LOTS of water, I try to eat healthy while letting myself have cravings in moderation (or not- some days are bad diet wise and that's okay), I make sure I get plenty of sleep, and I try to listen to my body. I think being relatively active this entire pregnancy has helped, but I don't think that's absolutely necessary to have a pleasant third trimester experience. I wish I had tips that would help everyone else, but I know sometimes it just sucks. Pregnancy can be rough.

There is definitely hope, and I hope you're able to feel good throughout the rest of your pregnancy :)

They can go in jogging strollers, but you can't jog with them. I have a this Graco jogging stroller and my infant car seat clicks right into it.

I'm diabetic too but am just in my first trimester so I can't offer you much in the way of delivering a big baby. My high-risk OB did warn me that an early induction is possible in my case, and C-section is also a possibility depending on size. Many diabetics go on to deliver healthy happy babies, even if they are on the larger end! Do you have GD? If you have T2 or T1 there's a great book out there on the pregnancy experience called Balancing Pregnancy With Pre-Existing Diabetes

As for your numbers, your post meal numbers are good! I think you should be proud of those. My only suggestion would be if you're not already testing before meals I would try that out, since that might help you pin down where your blood sugars are running high. If you're trying to hunt down sneaky spikes I can tell you I always spike in early morning (well before I eat), and my BG spikes well after the usual 2 hours if I have a high fat meal (pizza is the biggest culprit). Hope that helps. And congrats! You're getting close. :)

Heck yeah you can ask! The crib we didn't get from amazon. We live in DFW and so have access to a Nebraska Furniture Mart. We ended up going with the Kalani brand from them because 1) it's cheap and 2) it came with the toddler rails already (we didn't get the full bed conversion kit, still undecided there). You can get it from Amazon, but it's more expensive and I'm not sure that the rails are included!

It's the same deal with the changer and dresser combo. We found it at NFM but you can still get it on Amazon

The bookshelf we had to get on Amazon. Everything in store was cheap quality or extremely expensive. Some were also way too tall and a kid could seriously hurt themselves on it. So, we ended up with this.

We also ended up getting the travel system on Amazon, too. We made sure to check it out in the store first but the price is the same and shipping was free so we figured, why not? I also really like this system because the stroller will fit the carseat BUT when she's too big for the carseat, I can still use it as a toddler stroller.

The mattress we ended up getting on Wayfair because it was cheaper and shipping was free. We seriously spent hours looking at mattresses and ended up just picking one. You can get a super cheapie at $20 or you can shell out over $300 for one. We ended up getting one that's decently priced (maybe even a bit cheap) but figured we'd rather start there and see how she tolerates it, rather than spend big bucks on a super expensive one. This also has really good reviews so definitely do your research and figure out what's best for you!

Let me know if there's anything else you need! I love shopping and we're doing a lot of it! :D

I'm 10 weeks and also a preexisting diabetic. Somewhere between a type 2 and a type 1...started as type 2, but at a very young age and have been insulin dependent for years. Had some relief in the year or so before getting pregnant due to surgery (long story).

All of that being said, my blood sugars also went crazy pretty much as soon as I found out I was pregnant and I'm back on my insulin pump. It definitely is getting better as I approach the end of the 1st trimester though. Try and hang in there.

And maybe you know this, but as long as you keep decent control, diabetes doesn't necessarily mean scary outcomes and interventions. In some ways, we're ahead of those ladies that get diagnosed with GD much later in the pregnancy because we know how to take care of ourselves, we know what to expect, and it's not this new scary thing to adjust to. We also know sooner and can be more proactive, where many women could be having blood sugar issues before the GD screening but not looking for them.

If you haven't seen it, I'm a big fan of the book "Balancing Pregnancy with Pre-Existing Diabetes" by Cheryl Akon (a Type 1 Diabetic mom herself). Empowering, not scary, and plenty of good info for either Type 1 or Type 2 moms.

http://www.amazon.com/Balancing-Pregnancy-Pre-existing-Diabetes-Cheryl/dp/1932603328

Good luck to you and your tiny LO.

I experience similar spotting the week before AF. I just got my BFP on Tuesday and my lines have been getting darker too but there was still spotting. I don't have insurance yet so I can't go for testing so I did some (a lot of!) research and talked to friends of friends with similar experiences and decided to use a progesterone oil. It's natural progesterone USP in a coconut carrier oil. It's called Progestelle and I bought it on Amazon. I feel like it started working almost immediately because in the 3 1/2 days I've been using it, the spotting has disappeared. From everything I've read, you really can't overdose on progesterone after you've ovulated so I felt there wasn't any harm in just giving it a shot even though I'm totally self-diagnosing here! Here are a couple links for you for information I compiled about progesterone and also a link to the product.

LINK

LINK

Progestelle



Good luck to you and us! I hope these are our sticky babies!!

For the sore throat I'd suggest taking Tylenol. Tylenol is pregnancy safe so no problems there. You can also try drinking some hot tea since sometimes that's helpful. I find chamomile to be especially soothing but if that isn't your thing just try whatever warm drink you like and see if it helps at all.

For the nasal congestion: saline nose sprays and neti pots are perfectly safe. They help break up and flush out some of the mucous in the nasal passage which reduces congestion. I have pregnancy rhinitis and I wake up every single morning to a severely congested nose and saline nose sprays have been so incredibly nice to have. I've gone through an entire bottle in the past month. No regrets. 10/10 would recommend.

Although, like others have said, a minor cold won't hurt baby. If you can still breath (read: you're not turning blue and passing out or something) then it isn't going to hurt baby. And the sore throat? As long as you're able to eat and drink you're golden. I know it's super uncomfortable and I hope you feel better soon! But no need to worry about baby. Baby will be fine. :)

I have had 4 miscarriages. The first 3 I got pregnant with 1 or 2 cycles immediately after the previous loss. I never learned the reason. The 4th was a D&c and did have a genetic issue.

From my personal experience, In retrospect, I wish I had spent some time to:

1. Properly heal from the loss both physically and mentally
   
2. Taken supplements and have a diet that supported optimum egg and uterine health before trying again. After reading "It starts with the egg" and "the woman code", I believe I could have done something to help my situation before trying again. It may not have made a difference, but what if it had?? It could have saved me much grief.
   
3. Did some accupunture treatment. I truly believe it helps with circulation to the uterus.
   
   I want to be clear, MOST MCs are caused by genetic abnormalities and it is Not your fault!
   
   I totally understand that you want to move forward by moving on to the next pregnancy. This is just one person's experience and you have to do what is right for you.
   
   Here are the books I mentioned if you want to read them:
   
   It Starts with the Egg: How the Science of Egg Quality Can Help You Get Pregnant Naturally, Prevent Miscarriage, and Improve Your Odds in IVF https://www.amazon.com/dp/0991126904/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_RlyjzbFS27J4J
   
   WomanCode: Perfect Your Cycle, Amplify Your Fertility, Supercharge Your Sex Drive, and Become a Power Source https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009NFNBO0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_rmyjzbM8V81D0

Don't even worry about it. But since you got rid of the pan that sucked, get this one instead: http://www.amazon.com/T-fal-Professional-Thermo-Spot-Indicator-Dishwasher/dp/B000GWG0T2/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1416599057&sr=1-1&keywords=t-fal+professional+non-stick Yes, totally recommended by America's Test Kitchen but also, totally recommended by my DH who makes me awesome eggs most mornings. How much does he love this pan? I am not sure the comments field is big enough, but it's $26 and it is so awesome, we have the 8" version for small stuff as well.... and we don't even like non-stick for anything else these days, we are pretty much All-Clad stainless snobs. (Except for my T-fal stock pot, because that is also the shitznit.) Seriously, be kind to yourself. Eggs are great for her, so make it easy on yourself.

OT, but FYI some traveling friends recommended the BabyBjorn travel crib, which apparently is super lightweight and portable — and, according to them, better than the pack and play. I've got on my list of must-gets — check it out if that pack and play is bumming you out.

We put the gate up to keep hair in one part of the house. Much easier to clean on that side with all linoleum. We are going to try and add just a couple inches to the top of the gate with cardboard and aluminum foil (shiny to freak out cats). That way they don't have anywhere to land on top to get over. I think this will work, because they can't just clear it out right. Here's the gate we bought. There are a bunch of versions that fit normal doorways too (this one is for a super wide entry). This gate is really badass. Easy to install, really sturdy. It was cheaper than the other brand of really tall gates and got better reviews than those as well. It's the only thing that has kept our great dane from crashing through, so hopefully it'll keep a baby in too!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000F1OQPO

1. Oh geez I want new undies, and moar leggings. And hell I want long shirts too. I basically really want a bunch of long shirt + legging combos so I can stop choosing between skirts and jeans (it's getting too chilly for maxi skirts now). I'm earnestly regretting not making the purchase when the sale was on :\ Could you link me to one or a few of the long shirts that you got? I'll keep it in mind next time ON has a sale :D
   
   
2. Oh no, I'm sorry about your back/ hip pain, that sucks!! >_< Now that we're in 2nd tri, do you think you might opt for the heat packs? I had a bad back day last week and it really helped! Oh and, go for the tummy wedge. I didn't think it would do much since my belly isn't huge yet, but its surprisingly comfy! Combined with the Snoogle, it makes me feel like I'm in a custom-fit cocoon :P
   
   
3. Um... 26? And it's not snowing yet? What's the sky doing, blowing ice at you?! I wimp out when its 42 out :X
   
   
4. Can you please make a dream prediction for me too? 38w would be perfect. Kthx XD Hope your friend is laboring well and the baby will come soon!
   
   
5. I KNOW!! I wanted to stay in bed all day and snuggle with my Snoogle. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow :P
   
   
   Anymore kicks, blips, or weird pains today? :)

Yay for your results! My son was born at 34 weeks, 4.5 pounds. It seems super small for people who aren't used to preemies, but as a NICU nurse, I can tell you those little ones are very feisty. Try not to worry too much about your cousin's baby :D

I'm not sure there's really any "cool" baby stuff, but here are some of my favorite random items:

• Nosefrida. Seriously, just buy this. You need it.
  
• Vick's rectal thermometer. Helpful for parents who aren't used to taking rectal temps. As you can see, you physically can't stick this in too far, so it seems less daunting. My only complaint is that it reads so quickly that occasionally it would read lower than I knew his temperature was. I would just repeat it and get the real result the second time around.
  
• Safety 1st nail clippers. Has a light and everything so you can see what you're doing. My friend would actually make me cut her daughter's nails with my clippers when she came to visit, lol.
  
  I also think everyone should have some sort of baby carrying device. If you get something with buckles (like an Ergo), make sure the seat of the carrier is wide enough to support your baby from knee to knee. Think an Ergo, not a Baby Bjorn.
  
  Hmm, that's all for now. I'll try to think of something cool ;)

Ehhh I've just been using common sense, and I really liked the book Expecting Better. She goes into they Whys and Statistics and Research of things we're told to avoid and then we can make our own judgement based on the Actual risk with percentages and numbers.

I've had non-heated lunchmeat multiple times so far - from the Amish market or busy supermarket deli, or from a super busy/known sub-shop. I will not have it from a hole-in-the-wall sub-shop and if I get it from the deli I won't eat it past like a day in the fridge. There's more risk of listeria from frozen veggies or produce than from lunchmeat but no one says anything about that.

I've avoided raw sushi because even the reputable places can carry parasites without knowing it, but I have no problem with the cooked kind (and would regularly get veggie sushi before even becoming pregnant - sweet potato rolls are amazing).

I'm not a caffeine/soda person Anyway, my body just doesn't like it and never has. I've had regular coffee maybe twice, but my doctor just said not to go over 200-250mg daily which I wouldn't think twice about if I actually drank it, heh.

As for alcohol.. my OB said no alcohol, just to be safe. I've had a few sips of wine or beer now and again because I personally don't believe it's an issue in small/sporadic amounts. I wouldn't have a mixed drink, but now that I'm in the 2nd trimester if I wanted a glass of wine I would have it. I was never a huge drinker so I'm completely satisfied with a few sips of other peoples. I Absolutely would not worry about wine/alcohol in cooking or in soy sauce.. it can't be a huge amount.

Basically, talk to your doctor and do your own thinking and use your common sense to figure out what you're comfortable with. The internet is full of fear-mongering and it gets a bit ridiculous :(

Congratulations, and good luck!

I stay under 200 mg per day but generally have a soda or coffee daily. When my oldest was in the NICU, she was given straight caffeine via ng tube to help regulate her nervous system, so I know that caffeine is not as dangerous to babies as some sources say. The book Expecting Better has a really good chapter with lots of research into caffeine.

I bought a support belt, which was very helpful and I highly recommend! I know that helped me tack some extra weeks on there. If I'd been more consistent with it I think I could've gone even longer, but I'm glad I kept it up at least a little bit.

I got a pregnancy book to just write down my thoughts.

The Belly Book: A Nine-Month Journal for You and Your Growing Belly (Potter Style) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307336182/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Db9Iub1STEDHN

I stayed on Pinterest looking up pregnancy pins. Then it turned into baby things once I got passed the scare zone.

I stayed on here talking to the ladies. I went to the chat room a lot. First trimester wasn't fun but thanks to this sub it was durable.

Good luck!!!

This was the most memorable one, in my opinion, as far as the mom books went. I'll probably end up doing what you're doing--finding a cute book and writing notes and thoughts to the baby.

I might get this for my daughter though. I think she'd have fun with it.

I bought The Belly Book from Amazon and am filling it out as I go. My only problem is that it doesn't really have space for my husband to contribute. A pregnancy journal was initially his idea so I feel bad about it. I should have researched it a bit more to make sure he could be included. :/

I'm not sure what we'll do once she's here. My husband has kept a box for my stepson with every little piece of paper the kid has scribbled on, so I imagine he'll do the same for our daughter. I like the idea of an email address and I may propose one to my husband.