Best products from r/Septemberbumpers2017

Ok...Here we go! This is a very relevant topic to me so get ready for a long reply ha!

I have cystic acne that only came up after going off of birth control a year ago. I've tried SO MANY things, but nothing worked! It wasn't until we started TTC when I was taking more vitamins that it finally got better, but it was still not great.

I found a routine that keeps it in check though and it involves Manuka Oil! My skin is in the best shape it has ever been! So here is what I found that works for me:

AM: I wash my face with Era Organics Natural Face Wash. About 3x per week I use their scrub. Then mix a little bit of Manuka Oil with CeraVe AM Moisturizer then apply Bare Minerals powder concealer.

PM: I remove my make up as soon as I get home from work with Micellar Cleansing Water and wash with the Era Organics face wash. Then I put a little bit of organic sweet almond oil along with the manuka oil on a cotton round and apply that to my face to moisturize. Sometimes I'll swap out the almond oil for CeraVe PM moisturizer, but the almond oil seems to help a little better.

Along with this routine, I take 30 mg of zinc and the recommended dose of vegan DHA every day, 5000 IU of vitamin D M-F, along with my prenatal. But I swear by the zinc. Here is a little information on why zinc helps with acne.

As for my chest and back (I get pimples there too but not cystic) I've been putting witch hazel and manuka oil on a cotton round every morning/evening and it has really helped clear it up! Granted I just started this routine a week ago so I hope it continues!!!

For someone who has struggled with this to the point of tears, I finally feel like I have it under control!!

I am also incredibly inflexible, specifically in my hamstrings! I started getting into yoga with a fertility practice in September and that's poured over into a prenatal practice. I can't recommend Shiva Rea's Prenatal Yoga enough. It's really gentle but still challenging for beginners like us.

It includes squats, kegels, core strengtheners - all the goodies moms to be need for a good and healthy birth. She has models for modifications for both the second and third trimesters which can be used in the first trimester if you are inflexible!

I also found some prenatal cardio workouts online but I haven't tried any yet.

I think the biggest piece of advice I've been seeing is that you can add activity, but nothing super strenuous where you're stressing your body out in ways it's not used to. I lift 30-50 pounds at work all the time, and walk about 20k steps on the days I'm there. My whole shift I average 90-100 BPM. My midwife says that's ok because I'm used to it. But if someone who averages 5k steps a day and doesn't lift anything got pregnant and started a fitness routine that upped their step count by 15k, had a bunch of lifting and elevated their heart rate for 6-8 hours the doctor would say absolutely not. It's a shock to the system.

Mostly I've seen that you should do walking, yoga, running if you ran before the pregnancy and light lifting - they have some recommendations for lifting in What to Expect When You're Expecting.

Hope that helps!

My husband was excited and wanted to tell his dad as soon as possible. I bought him this book The Expectant Father: The Ultimate Guide for Dads-to-Be and he is really enjoying it. He says that he likes that it explains what's happening for the mother, but also talks about the father-to-be's feelings. Im relieved because reading a few chapters has convinced him we should wait until after our doctors appointment to tell people, even family.

That said, he did spill the beans to my friend this weekend though by asking if I was drinking decaf coffee, which she told me later was a dead giveaway! Luckily she is my best friend and has two kids of her own, and I explained to her that we haven't even told our parents. So our secret will be safe with her until February.

I so, so promise your dogs can do better! I have 3 high energy dogs and I'll tell you what has worked for me.

1. Walks at least 5 days a week. But don't skip two days in a row. I was doing an hour walk with them before pregnancy but I switched to 30 min each because I'm still working on pulling issues with one of them. Try to keep it as consistent as possible. I walk mine around 6p every night. They know when it'll happen. As they learn to expect it, they will calm down.
   
   
2. Behavior correction spray. This will help with the jumping. First, tell your guests to totally ignore the dogs when they come in. They don't get attention until they are calm and all four feet are on the floor. If they jump anyway, tell them down sternly (but don't yell). If that doesn't work, then you spray. Never at them, but the sound and the smell catches their attention.
   
   
3. Dog backpacks. I use these with the walks. It gives them a job to do so they're mentally focused and by adding in some cans of soup, it wears them out a little faster.
   
   
4. Work on good walking behavior. It's easier to do one on one. They don't leave the house before you and they walk beside or behind you. As they calm down, where they walk doesn't matter as much but at the beginning, it's best they are next to you.
   
   
   Link for the spray: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083F9OTW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_.nmezb891MMK9
   
   Link for backpacks: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MNSKLXI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Rumezb7XN3S7B

I recommended it in another thread somewhere, but I absolutely love this dress: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009O8M6QA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm 5'8" (5'9" on a good-posture day), size 12 and 36DD pre-pregnancy. I ordered this dress in a Large (and loved it so much I got it in a second color). I've gained 18 pounds so far, my boobs have exploded to a 36F, and I have a prominent bump, but the dress still hugs me nicely with plenty of room to continue my inexorable expansion. There's a ton of elastic in the ruching at the sides that will accommodate boobs, butt, and/or bump. It's not a maxi dress, but even at my height it covers my lumpy knees.

I'm also shopping for more dresses, so I look forward to everyone else's recommendations!

I usually don't cover depending on what I'm wearing, but I like having the option to as well. I have one that is hand made but it's like this: Udder Covers Breast Feeding Nursing Cover https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BUBNZC8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_DuvYzb309KC53

It works great and you can still see baby through the top part which is really nice. Also gives them a bit more airflow that way.

I got these nursing tank tops in the mail yesterday and they're amazing! So comfortable and they fit really well, much better than the one I got at Target. I'm a DD and I was about 130 lbs before pregnancy, and a medium fits me great! Just letting everyone know just in case you still needed to buy something for nursing 👍

I fall asleep on my left side, but always end up sleeping in my back. My OB said I shouldn't sleep on my back after 20 weeks, but I've talked with others about it and they said that if it hurts or your legs get numb, you're likely going to wake yourself up and move yourself anyway. It hasn't been uncomfortable for me to sleep on my back though. However, I recently bought this wedge pillow to help me not sleep directly on my back, but also as a good belly support. So far, I use it mainly as a belly support and I feel like I sleep better with it. I think it's definitely worth the money and it doesn't take up the whole bed.

Honestly I bought a bunch on amazon one day when I was irritated as all get out and tossed my smaller chested friends the ones that didn't work out.

I really like [these] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MA39LSX/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495501343&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=sports+bra&dpPl=1&dpID=51B19hQEvcL&ref=plSrch) but the pads rolled up everytime I washed them so I took them out.

I also like [this] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0020814V4/ref=sxts_bia_sr_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495501460&sr=1&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=2973120562&pd_rd_wg=Xw7GY&pf_rd_r=N9RHXRCGE88DSCHGDRK0&pf_rd_s=mobile-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=9701&pd_rd_i=B0020814V4&pd_rd_w=VppHW&pf_rd_i=champion+plain+sports+bra&pd_rd_r=HV0TPYPYSRVYVZPEXN01&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65) one from Champion, its waay worn in and I love it, elastic has held up really well.

I'm a big fan of Expecting Better, as the author looks at the actual scientific evidence behind most common pregnancy do's and don'ts.

The summary of her section on fish says:

> Mercury is bad for your baby. Omega-3 fatty acids are good for your baby. Fish contain both. Your best option is to try to pick fish with a lot of omega-3s and not a lot of mercury.

> The worst thing you can take from the mercury advice is the idea that you should avoid fish. Fish are great! People who eat a lot of fish have smarter kids on average, even with the greater mercury exposure. Try to pick smart, and learn to love sardines!

With this chart on fish choices.

I have these thicker thigh highs: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012XYIM0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and these thinner ones:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DAFUULA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1

I have pretty big calves (most calf-length boots don't fit) but i'm good with a medium. Just make sure they also compress your feet, so the blood doesn't pool there :/

You can probably just do knee length compression socks (my knees are the vein problem area, which is why i have to do the thigh highs) to help a bit. Amazon has a decent selection, and same prices as the more specialty stores.

I ordered some of these off Amazon and I am in love. I don't know anyone who does the LuLaRoe, but my boss is having a house party with one of her friends in a few weeks I am looking forward to that.

It is common at this point, unfortunately, and they don't really worry about it unless your face starts swelling to my knowledge. My OB recommend these sexy thigh-high compression stockings. It takes a lot of effort to get them on and off but they do help with keeping the edema in check. She said to also watch salt intake and wear supportive shoes.

Your husband has good taste in books! I'm really enjoying Expecting Better right now.