Expectant parent club! Where the pregnant people hang out.

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Oh and DH said I looked "puffy" in my face when I got home.

 

[Ms.FuzzyButts]

Quote:
And he is still breathing?????? Haha
I am the same way as you. Shy, quite and hate social settings.. But a chicken gathering??? I'm in!!

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Ms.FuzzyButts :

Quote:
And he is still breathing?????? Haha
I am the same way as you. Shy, quite and hate social settings.. But a chicken gathering??? I'm in!!

Barely!

He tried to quickly back peddle and changed the subject but I brought it up again later and he was like, "Yeah you're a little puffy."​

 

[rcentner]

I wish I could say I had been at a chicken show for 2 days! even 1 day!
I did much of nothing this weekend. My DH was very productive though, got some gardening done cause I told him that I will not be gardening for this year until after June.

I did get the rest of the baby stuff I need, except clothing. I even dreamt about baby clothes. It's just so hard to tell what I will need, the weather can be so unpredictable around here. Being a 1st timer, I don't even know what works. Like...will I be layering or do I want to keep it simple. If I buy a boat load of onesies and find out I hate them? Why does babycentner reccomend side snap shirts? Not to mention all the frivolous stuff that is around that isn't needed, I imagine it's like that in the clothing dept.
Found out that the thrift store is not cheaper, walmart has the same prices but for new stuff. anyhow, hi ho hi ho...off to work I go

 

[KellyHM]

Quote:
I found that I liked the onesies best, with pants over them if it's cold out. I don't like shirts at all b/c they just ride up and leave the baby's back and belly exposed. If you want to pay shipping I'll stuff a flat rate box full and send it to you. I even have some little jakcets/sweaters.

 

[algopurple]

I agree with Kelly about the onesies and pants being the best. Shirts drove me insane. I was always pulling them down.

Kelly if I was not over run with 0-3, and 3-6month, I would be trying to send you some shipping money! lol

 

[suzettex5]

The BEST item of clothing I EVER invested in was a sleeping gown/sack! I had tons of them by the 3rd kid since I found out how easy they make things. Most have an elastic ring around the bottom so they dont hang too open or some kind of draw string ( I think none of them have the drawstrings anymore though). Baby stays warm and cozy, can sleep and be awake in it, and its just so darn easy! Save the cute outfits for visiting and pictures, the gowns are perfect for quick trips with blankets over tham and just hanging around the house during the firat few weeks. Its SOOOO stinkin' hard to put shirts and pants on a baby all the time, the gowns are so much easier, and come in pink and blue and DONT look girlie on a boy (I know this cuz I have 4 boys and their daddy wouldnt put up with a 'dress' on his son!!

).

What makes them so great is you can put a onesie on your baby for warmth, then add socks for the toes to stay warm and then their bottom is always easily accessible for all the diaper changes! No more getting baby totally nakey or all undressed for a quick change! Just pull up the gown, unsnap the onsie and youre good to go (just kinda roll the gown up under them to get it out of the way or else it will get peed or pooped on when youre least expecting it!). Easy to wash too and if there is a blow-out, you only got a shirt and a gown to wash, not a whole new, used-to-be-clean outfit.

Side snap shirts are ok, but just not for me, I prefer the crotch snap onsies myself.

You'll want to have a couple pairs of newborn 'mittens' or baby will scratch that perfect face with its sharp little nails! (oh, and btw, when it comes to trimming babys' finger and toenails, either a very fine emery board to simply sand them down as baby sleeps, or just go cavewoman and bite them off yourself!!

, no worries that you might nip babys' skin with those methods).

I know shopping for newborn clothes is sooo much fun, but really,considering cost versus time used and re-sale value, you would do better to buy seasonally appropriate clothing ahead of time for when baby is bigger. Most things go on sale as seasons change and as baby gets older, clothes get much more expensive- better to buy ahead and save!

Also, more than likely you will get alot of newborn stuff from friends and family (new and used) and your baby may actually outgrow things before you even get to use them! Baby only needs about a week or two worth of clothing items. Buy a few packs of onsies, a few really cute outfits, and a few gowns/sleeping sacks. Baby socks are also a good thing to have on hand, but ,again, think ahead size wise, newborn socks are soooo tiny, and you will need bigger sizes pretty fast (like a matter of weeks, really).

And dont forget- buy diapers!! (cloth or disposable, I use huggies. I used to be a pampers mom, but switched to huggies after one too many blow-outs!) I always start buying diapers around my fifith month, and I try to buy newborn and size one's first then size 2's in smaller amounts. Baby outgrows newborn size diapies pretty fast, so size one's are good to stock up on if you can. Dont forget wipes (never have too many of those, and costco brand is very good despite not being a huge namebrand) If you plan to formula feed, start emailing the brand of your choice and they will often send you really good coupons for the formula of your choice. Dont forget bottles and nipples too.

Baby is expensive, but if you try to stretch it out over the course of your pregnancy, you can help ease the financial burden a bit. Its the diapers and wipes and stuff you have to buy often that can get pricey, and of course going overboard on newborn clothes can hurt too. I try to think and buy ahead, and I try to think in terms of re-sale or re-use (hand me downs). Just because walmart clothes are less expensive DOESNT mean they will stand the test of time, nor will the stains come out easily. I've had some walmart baby clothes simply start coming apart at the seams after on wash- that ISNT a bargain to me. I like thrift stores because most of those clothes have been washed and are already as shrunk as they are gonna get, and have withstood the test of time and wear. Also, I can bring in my nicer used stuff and get store credit or cash (I prefer store credit myself since most places give you more credit than they do cash, and often you have to wait till your item sells before you can collect whereas store credit is usually right away).

Whew!! I better stop now!!! There I go agin overwhelming everyone!! I just LOVE this mommy thing and LOVE to share some of the things I've learned so far on my journey!

 

[MrsKemmerlin]

Wow, thanks for all the good ideas! I thought about gathering things along the way during the pregnancy, but didn't know sizes to get, how fast they will be out of them, etc. So that helped! ...Of course, unless the baby takes after the daddy's side of the family and comes out moster-sized

I don't thinkg 9.5/10lb babies are a good size to break someone in with! haha!

 

[algopurple]

I forgot all about the sleeper sacks/gowns. Really loved those things and my son was born in August. Still not too hot for them. I saved several from then for my new baby. He will be here in 8 days and 19 hours btw! Will still be cool so I think I will put on the onesie under the gown this time.

I also spent most of my pregnancy stocking up on diapers, wipes, and bottle liners. I bought mostly size 3 since that is the size my first son stayed in the longest and figured I would get lots of 1s and 2s at the shower. I have a closet filled with diapers and wipes now lol. It is funny how diaper brands work better for one person than they do for another. I hated the store brands and Huggies were not as good (to me) as Pampers so that is all I buy now. Would be just my luck they for some reason don't work as well as be for on this baby! I never buy store brand cuz if you consider how much more they leak and the cost of washing all the messed up clothes, they are the same price as name brand. Name brand wipes verses store brand are the same pretty much for me though.

Am planning on breastfeeding but still bought some Similac just incase. I know I will need it at some point.

 

[rcentner]

well thanks guys, I have been spoiled by my grandpa who gave me money to get clothes and diapers. So I got all excited and was thinking I would get a bunch right away. I wondered about the sleeper thingy's and if I would use all the newborn size diapers that I got from the shower. I got a lot of newborns and size 1's. I will have to stock up on the bigger sizes too.

Today, I wonder how much longer....I want to take maternity leave now. Idk if it's my hormones or what but I am hating my job today. Not 1 thing in particular, justa bunch of little things that have piled up. ugh...I may find a new one after all this maternity leave and stuff is over. Or maybe maternity leave will make me appreciate work a little more. Too bad my DH doesn't make twice as much as he does, I would make a fine full time housewife.

Kelsey - I noticed that friday the 13th is the week I am due (which I think is the same week for you), so If we go early it could be mothers day, If later..it could be friday the 13th!