Maternity Monday: Jersey Wrap Dress

I’m doing a FET in about a week which will require progesterone. My clinic, one of the top few in the country, typically does PIO (progesterone by huge scary needle injected in the rear). My doctor will allow me to do suppositories instead, and told me before that outcomes are similar but they prefer PIO because they can monitor your blood levels and it’s what they do, so it’s what they have a track record with.

On the one hand, I would love love love to avoid the needles (I’m terrified and can’t believe I got through all the smaller stim cycle needles). On the other, if I compromise my chances of success (only if by, say 5%), and don’t do everything possible in my power to make this successful and it doesn’t work, will I ever be able to accept that and move on? I only have two embryos.

Anyone been here or have advice? Thanks! This feels so isolating.

Serious question time. Before getting pregnant, spouse and I were pretty solidly on the same page about only wanting one kid. We made the decision to have the kid, and to stop at one, after a lot of thought and planning (as is my MO, haha) and were mostly concerned about costs – of child care, to my career, etc. Now kid is here, still a newborn, and I keep randomly bursting into tears looking at him and thinking that this is the only baby I will have. I love him so much and even though he is a lot of work I would totally do it again – except that rationally, it makes no sense. Even emotionally, I don’t want two or more kids as an abstract idea (like I want this kid to have a sibling or something). It’s just this weird baby nostalgia-in-the-moment thing.

Did any of you have this? Did you get over it? I’m dealing with it now by (silently) reminding myself that I can’t have another kid for at least two years (job reasons) and so I can reconsider later. But I am truly surprised at how quickly I’ve gone from ambivalent to want.all.the.babies. This would be a really tough sell on my spouse.

I’d love to hear from others who are “one and done” or in a similar spot. Probably not helpful right now to hear about how much you love your second kid that you didn’t originally plan on, because that will just make me cry on my kid’s head more :)

Can you help? I was solidly in plus bottoms all the time prior to pregnancy, with most of my clothes coming from Talbots or Lands’ End. I am getting to the point where my pants are uncomfortable and it’s too cold where I live to wear dresses. Please recommend some stores that carry actual plus size maternity clothes that are presentable in a law firm setting – rayon pants and sailor blouses need not apply.

I’m closing in on 32 weeks, and we are unexpectedly moving the beginning of next month. I didn’t have much set up nursery-wise so not really losing any work on that front, and we planned to keep LO in our room for a while (now there will only be one bedroom, so sharing for a year unless it’s unworkable). Any advice for moving and getting everything set up during the last month-ish of pregnancy? I’m very excited about our new place (washer/dryer, doorman, elevator, dishwasher!!!) but also shocked/anxious about taking this on right now…

Ugh. Happy Monday. I got to work at 7:45, and promptly had to run to the bathroom and throw up. I’m 14.5 weeks, I’ve been sick over half of that time, I don’t feel good, I’m exhausted, and now I’ve killed a hemorrhoid and that is bleeding like crazy. My house looks like a tornado hit because we moved in October and I wasn’t finished getting set up when the exhaustion and sickness set in.

I am seriously sitting in my office crying because I feel so terrible. I just want to crawl into bed and stay there until this is all over.

Ladies, let’s talk about b-milk and formula feeding. I’m so impressed by the judgement-free nature of this community that I feel comfortable asking this question: is there anyone out there who b-fed 1 or a few kids and then went to formula for subsequent children? Did you have any guilt feelings in doing so?

About me: I have two kids with a (wholly unplanned) third on the way. For Kid 1, I pumped like a maniac, made a lot of “classic” bf’ing mistakes and after a pretty major illness — for me — when baby was 9 months old, we went to formula. My intent had been to make it a year, but no big deal (in retrospect — I did beat myself up about not making my goal while I was in the thick of it). We combo fed from months 6-9, too.

With Kid 2, I nursed him (and pumped while at work) for 12 months — but I knew a lot more then than I knew with the first. It was a ton of work and commitment, but I did it.

So here comes kid #3 — and in general, I am just not excited by this pregnancy or the prospect of a child like I was with the first two. I know that a lot of that stems from my general dislike of pregnancy, the fact that this was unplanned, the reality that I have two other kids (age 5 and 2) to chase around, and also because I’m about to start a kick@$$ new job. All I really want to do is have the space and time to focus on work — not think about baby stuff. That said, I love my first two kids A TON and have no doubt that #3 will eventually feel that same type of affection…it’s just different this time around.

And now I’m starting to think I might not nurse this third kid after maternity leave is over — or that I’d just pump for awhile, or combo feed, or whatever. I love the idea of getting my body/time back sooner than later but OH MAN THE GUILT. Which is silly, because we used formula with our first! But I somehow feel as though I’m not providing #3 with all of the resources I gave #1 and #2 — that I’m somehow less dedicated to this third child. Someone please tell me I’m being ridiculous.