As my second trimester recently closed, the 3rd trimester brings excitement for the final months of preparing for Pickle. What many don’t share is that it also bring some anxiety with it. Not anxiety about our impending labor, though that happens too, but anxiety about how much all this baby stuff is gonna cost.
It all began when we felt is was time to sign up for birthing classes. After researching, we settled on this charming baby store/learning center for our birthing classes. We also decided to sign up for the childcare 101 class. We really liked the atmosphere and how much of a community it is there. And, they have group mommy gatherings to meet other new moms in your area as well as meetings with lactation consultants for breast feeding help. Anyway, these 2 classes cost us $250 for the birthing classes and $100 for the childcare. We winced a little but when we broke everything down, it’s only $20 per hr… that doesn’t seem so bad. So we booked it.
Next, it was time to register. When we registered for our wedding, we had a great time! It felt like shopping without spending any money. It was awesome debating weather we wanted the Teflon pan set or the stainless steel. Now was our chance to go crazy over the cutest items retail has to offer right? Wrong. It was painstakingly long and strenuous. I was even well prepared with what I wanted thanks to The Girlfriends Guide to Baby Gear and a previous trip to BabiesRus to test the stroller and car seat we wanted. It still took forever to decide what fricken pacifiers to scan! There are so many types and brands of everything! In the end, we left there not feeling like we went on a shopping spree without spending money, but more like what’s the likelihood people are gonna get us crap we need and not just a cute outfit? I understand though.. It’s not very much fun buying your friend nipple cream and breast shields.
So what’s next? Ah yes… Daycare. This is by far our biggest worry. In LA, daycare runs about $1000 per month for an infant (give or take a little bit). Obviously, this not for the cute lady down the street who wants to love on a baby all day. This is for actual care either in home or facility. Once we realized what this costs, we had no other answer except that we don’t have an extra $1000 per month that we just blow around town. Yet, the money I make at work far outweighs staying home… so daycare it is. Somehow, we will make it happen. I sure am really jealous of the majority of people who have family nearby to help them. If this is you, make sure you tell them thank you often!
Are you feeling my anxiety a little? Me too.
The good thing is, we have tried to make some choices where we could to save money. We plan to cloth diaper, I plan to breastfeed as long as I possibly can, I’d like to try making my own baby food. Things like that. We have also been craigslisting all the furniture and what not that we don’t need to go toward the stuff we do need. And, there are people in harder situations out there that make it work. It will all be fine I’m sure. Thats what we tell ourselves
Though, I’m still not 100% sure what that hospital bill is going to be after the baby is born. I think I’ll be in for more sticker shock later.
Whooo… time for some serious catch up! I guess Ive been so busy nesting and what not that time has really started to run away from me! I cant believe I’m already 24 weeks! Anyway, here goes the updates..
First, if you haven’t heard, Pickle has a pickle . Thats right folks, it’s a BOY! If you would like to see the video of the ultrasound, click HERE. Its about 2.5 mins. We really enjoyed telling our family and friends. Our families live out of town so we called and skyped each of them individually and all of them were on the edge of their seats wanting to know! It was fun dragging it out. For our friends, we had a small gathering that night and I baked a cake that was food colored inside to the gender. I loved watching everyone’s reactions to the blue cake peeking through the first slice, and the roar of cheer afterwards. I must say how totally awesome it is to KNOW what we are having! Since we found out, I have really enjoyed shopping and thinking of names for our son (squeeeee ). BTW, the name will be a surprise so don’t even ask
I also had my Gestational Diabetes test about 2 weeks ago. I was able to ween off of the Metformin for about 5 days, despite the stomach ache, to have an accurate result. Surprisingly, it was only 97! Which is perfect! In fact, its super perfect! I was definitely pleased… but then confused too. What did this mean? Did I not have to be on the Metformin all this time? Was my PCOS gone? What about going forward? Those questions were going to have to wait for the Endocrinologist a few days later. He’s the specialist in all this. My OB pretty much said that obviously I don’t need the metformin. I protested a little and she said I could wait to decide until after my visit to the Endocrinologist.
So, fast forward a few days to the apt with him. When I asked my questions, he explained it like this…. in a nutshell. I need the metformin before pregnancy and I will need it after. My PCOS is not gone, just dormant. My ovaries are in hibernation cause I’m pregnant… which means they cant screw up my hormones and my body is more than capable of functioning normally ie: maintaining my blood sugar and insulin properly, and not storing food as fat. Amazing huh? Of course, I could help but feel some disdain for my ovaries, causing so much trouble, but of course they are my baby makers. Then I got to thinking… maybe I should just be pregnant all the time…
Lastly, we had our hospital tour at UCLA this past week. It was really cool! Here is just some of the info I got:
Surprisingly, they only have 5 L&D rooms. What? When you get there, first you go to Triage while they prepare a L&D room for you. Then you have your baby in L&D, then they move you to one of the 13 postpartum rooms. Ok, whatev. You cant have everything.
They give 1 hr of skin-to-skin immediately after the baby is born before they go totally clean him up and stuff, which is awesome!
The Dr from your group who is on call will deliver you. This was a bummer to hear. But the cool thing is that I can ask for the on call midwife instead if I want, even though I have been seeing the OB. They are all in the same office.
They have a breastfeeding group everyday at 4pm with the Lactation consultant that you attend the day after you give birth to help you!
Anything you, the mom, wants goes! There is room service for meals and you can call for someone to come clean your room if its dirty!
You can have as many and whomever you want in your labor room, except children.
They have birthing bars and you can bring a birthing ball for alternative delivery options.
All in all, I’m pleased. And the things I’m not so in love with are pretty standard for a hospital. Thats the route I chose and I’m comfortable with it. Im sure everything will be fine and in the end all I care about is delivering my baby boy safely and healthily.
~Piece BTW, poll results for “What am I having?” was 67% Girl and 33% Boy! AND there is another poll waiting!
Oh boy.. where to begin. This is exactly how I felt about buying baby gear. Sure, everyone picks up little outfits here and there, but its not really until your 2nd trimester that you feel comfortable to really consider the whole scope of all the baby shit you need. I was at the book store, browsing the baby section, and saw this book…
I knew right away that this was what I needed to (A) get my random shopping wants under control, and (B) inform me of whats important and how to decide. I have been reading this book over the past month and it has been a God send! There would have been so many mistakes I could see I was already going to make just because I didn’t know. Right away, The Girlfriends express that they are not here to be medical and safety experts, nor are they here to please every mom-to-be out there. They simply want to share what they have learned along the way of raising each of their own children.
Some of what they say about registering… do it just once at a large baby store outlet like Babies R Us. They have stores all over, and easy online shopping. Don’t worry about online only registries like Amazon. Savvy people are going to try and find some items from your registry on Amazon to try and save money anyway. Others like going to the store and tangibly touching the items they want to buy you… living vicariously through you. And most importantly, you should know EXACTLY what you want when you go to register. Do your research ahead of time!
So. I’m nearly 5 months pregnant, and the time to register is fast approaching. I suspect the baby showers will be in June, so I need to be registered by mid May. I have decided to research one important item at a time, based on the book. I will place my trust in The Girlfriends. I will still be researching and reading reviews, but all with their guidance. So… what do they say is the MOST important purchase for baby? THE CAR SEAT!
Immediately I think to myself “oh, well, don’t I just buy one of those all in one stroller/car seat combo things and call it a day?”. Hahaha! If only it was that easy! Girlfriends say, its important to get the best car seat first and foremost. If the best one is part of a travel system (stroller/car seat combo), and that’s the stroller you want, then score. BUT, that is not the focus of this particular purchase. Strollers are examined later… but for me… they go hand in hand. So I will be buying both around the same time and, therefore, need to research them both.
The Car Seat: There are 2 types of car seats for newborns. The first is infant-only seats. This is the kind we see all the time. They kind that snap into strollers and bases that are strapped in the car. Its rear facing only. They can accommodate up to 22 lbs and 27″ in length. The other type are convertible seat. This is a bigger, bulkier seat that is intended to stay put in the car. It can rear face for infants and young toddlers, and then front face when the baby is an older toddler. Girlfriends recommend using the infant only seat, and then moving on to a convertible. They say the infant only just fits young babies better. The brand they praise… Graco! Did you think anything else? They are the best at being up to date with safety requirements, are easy to install, and you can buy extra bases for extra cars! These, obviously, can come with travel systems and that was my intention… until I really realized the size of those strollers, and got to the stroller section of the book.
The Stroller: Now in this category, there are many more options. The, a fore mentioned Travel System, old fashioned prams, lightweight (umbrella), car seat frames, and jogging strollers! My goodness! I had no idea! They even listed 1 or 2 more that I’ve never seen or heard of before! So, originally I was thinking the travel system. The girlfriends say, when a stroller can do everything, its not good at anything. They wear out quickly and are bulk and heavy for new parents. They actually recommend the car east stroller frames! Its simple and light, easy to manage, and less expensive. They tote that you should get the frame, and spend the money on a good lightweight umbrella stroller that can hold infant and toddlers! Not the cheapy, going to Disneyland, umbrella stroller… but a good one. One that is still lightweight, maneuverable, but can hold younger than usual. The brand they recommend for the car seat frame is Baby Trend’s Snap-N-Go. As for the umbrella stroller, Maclaren is the best in their opinion.
Doesn’t that lady look happy to be pushing something so manageable? Now I feel knowledgeable and decisive about what I want.. though I think I may have passed on some anxiety to other moms-to-be reading this. Don’t stress! Get The Girlfriend’s Guide to Baby Gear! So, What did I choose?…
Lastly, I thought it was only fair to expose what I haven’t been able to resist so far! A few things were bought for me, and I didn’t include some things I’ve made. My shopping has slowed a little cause we are only 2 weeks from knowing the sex… and I think I wiped out the gender neutral department.
Click HERE for the video of Pickle! Baby is now the size of a lemon!
This was our… actually, I’m having a hard time remembering what apt number we are on. So, whatever. It was an apt. The first half of my apt was with my OB, Dr. Petite. It was great seeing her again. We listened for the baby’s heart beat on the doppler and we heard it for the first time! We have heard it on the ultra sounds but never on the doppler before. I was 13 weeks 5 days. It sounded like galloping horses! So fast and wonderful! I look forward to hearing that every time
After that business, I broke out my 3×5 card of questions I wrote down since my last apt. First, I asked about the Metformin. A few days before this apt, I had sen my nutritionist and PCOS specialist. She expressed that she felt it was important for me to stay on the class D medication for the whole term. Dr. Petite is certainly open to what I want and feels its really important for doctors and patients to make decisions like this together. She does think that if I can get off of it without issue, I should try. Its best to be free of all that I can be at this time. She did say to ask the maternal-fetal specialist doctor about it. I was seeing her during the ultrasound half of my apt downstairs. Dr. Petite assured me that she would know more and to value her opinion.
I went on to ask her about 2nd trimester weight gain. She said 1 lb per week is good. So far I’ve gained 7 lbs so not bad I think. In the 2nd trimester, over 10 weeks, I should gain 10 lbs. I think that’s reasonable but I cant help but cringe at the thought of pushing 200 lbs. I was about 182 when I got pregnant so its not like I was skinny to begin with. Just hoping I can keep it under control and work it off afterwards. I also wanted to know about the sex of the baby and when I would feel it. Dr. Petite said next apt we should be able to tell the sex and I should start feeling the baby move any week now! That will be exciting! We said goodbyes and I was headed down to the ultra sound.
Everything went great down there! Got another video of the baby! So much more developed in 4 weeks and it was exciting to see it moving around so much! Dr. Sweety, the maternal-fetal specialist, is awesome! This is the 2nd time I have seen her and I love her! We got right down to business measuring all the bits of the baby. She said the baby was measuring big! Almost a week bigger! She had to poke around to try and get the baby to curl up some because that test is supposed to be done between 11 and 14 weeks. The baby was measuring just over 14 weeks so the system wouldn’t accept the measurements! Ha! Other than that, she said everything looked good and complimented the baby’s nasal ridge. Craigery immediately equated that to the baby having his nose… which is a little large. Dont get me wrong, I think he is handsome of course… but I hope if its a girl she has my nose (for her sake).
Lastly, I asked Dr. Sweety about the Metformin. We talked for a minute and she said she thought it was best to get off it and see how its goes. The glucose tolerance test they give every preggo is at week 24. She said lets not be on the medication when that comes around. If my sugar doesn’t look so good, I can get back on the Metformin instead of taking the customary, and weight gain inducing, insulin. I had also heard Metformin helps bring in milk for women with PCOS. She said she agreed and that I can always get back on it right after the baby is born. I still have things to decide but for now I’m still on it.
My next apt is right after the Babymoon! (thats a different post a little later). I have 2 apts actually: April 7th and April 12th. The 7th is with Dr. Petite only and I’m not sure if she is gonna give me an ultra sound in the office. The 12th is with Dr. Sweety downstairs and its specifically an anatomy scan for the baby’s sex. So April 12th at the latest for the baby’s sex. We are going to do a gender reveal… have the doctor write down the sex and then announce it with friends and family at a small celebration a few days later. Sounds fun but we will see how anxious we are about wanting to know right then!
~Piece. PS. New poll! Ring in what sex you think we are having!!
As my first trimester comes to a close, a post summing it up seems all too obvious! When thinking about how I wanted to go about it, I realized the things I wanted to call out most began with ABC and D. How appropriate considering this blog is about pregnancy and impending motherhood. Here goes!
A~ Acne! I complained of it before. Never did I miss the pill as much as this symptom has made me! As soon as a face full of large, hurty, pimples was clearing, more were surfacing! I don’t wear much makeup but I was certainly exercising the right to. After a few weeks, I said to hell with it… and low and behold, it got better! I think the makeup was actually making it worse! It never did before so I didn’t think of it! Well hallelujah!
B~Bleeding from the nose! Pregnancy is know in general to be a little rough on the sinuses. Its a wonder we can do anything considering our air flow is not only restricted, but the minimal amount is going to our brains and heart, and maximum to the baby! (hence the “pregnancy brain” issue). So, I wake up in the morning to blow my nose or sneeze a few times… and I must be prepared because here comes a giant bloody bit of snot! And.. it keeps coming. Sometimes it takes 20 mins to stop it from bleeding. This also happens randomly throughout the day so the travel packs of tissue are popular with my purse.
C~Cravings.. and aversions! My biggest craving is for ramen! I don’t mean delicious and authentic Japanese ramen or even Korean ramen (though they probably would satisfy too) but the cheap college, 4 for $1 ramen. I can’t get enough of it! Its always a good choice and is so soothing in my belly. I never regret my choice to eat ramen. I cant really say that about anything else. Now, other college cheap food has started to look go to me… even hot pockets. Experts say that contrary to belief, this doesn’t mean I am missing something in my diet. I think it may be because I spent the past 6 years (since college) saying no to junk food and refined carbs, thanks to insulin resistance. Its frustrating to admit I’m not eating as well as I was before. I need to get back to some of the things I used to eat. Its all about balance. My biggest food aversions are eggs (which is a bummer cause I ate them a lot before) and anything with red sauce. I am happy to admit that I dont have a desire for sweets… they taste funny now.
D~ As in my cup size! I am now a 38D. Already. I was a well fit C cup before so I knew a D was in the cards… but not so soon. This will mean DD at least… I’m sure of it. E is what scares me. I swear I can feel them growing each day! Lately they have really been hurting! At night, I get little sharp pains like I’m 12 again. My nips are almost always erect, itchy, and the skin is dry. I can only imagine what breastfeeding will be like. No matter what, I’m gonna stick with it! I want to burn off weight! Oh… and I suppose its good for the baby too
The start of the 2nd trimester is so exciting! I’m past the scary bit and there is so much to look forward to! Most exciting things? Babymoon to Oahu is one! We leave March 30-April 5! This will be our 3rd time to Oahu but we plan to really relax it up! Also, I have a hiatus from The Simpsons for almost 2 months! I’m excited to use this time to prepare for the baby. I return to work April 11 and will be very busy… I’m supervising again. Really looking forward to that baby bump growing! Lastly, feeling the baby move! I cannot wait for this! I want Craigery and all our friends to feel! That will be fun!
The poll results for the 3D ultra sound is 60% say must have! I dunno… I’m still on the fence about it. Its so weird looking… but when its your baby I’m sure its different. BTW, picture is cause this week the baby is the size of a lime! next apt March 1st! And, new poll!
As my second trimester recently closed, the 3rd trimester brings excitement for the final months of preparing for Pickle. What many don’t share is that it also bring some anxiety with it. Not anxiety about our impending labor, though that happens too, but anxiety about how much all this baby stuff is gonna cost.
. Thats right folks, it’s a BOY! If you would like to see the video of the ultrasound, click 
). BTW, the name will be a surprise so don’t even ask 
