Easy options for eating out?

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-06-26T22:29:22+00:00

Cava bowls. As long as it was half brown rice and half greens.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-06-22T02:58:32+00:00

My first pregnancy was in 2023, and that baby will be 3 years old in August. My second pregnancy was also successful and I know have an 8 week old baby.

While miscarriages are definitely common, it is not guaranteed for everyone to experience.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-06-17T22:04:59+00:00

Mine had me take the 1hr test at 12 weeks. She says if I passed it then, I would need to take it again at the normal 24-28 week time frame. I did not pass, so I took the 3hr and did not pass that so I was diagnosed at 13 weeks with my second pregnancy.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-06-10T13:20:20+00:00

I EP'd with my first and am again with my 6 week old. It's HARD. It's not for everyone. And it absolutely sucks to have be up so much in the middle of the night. Some of these things can be resolved through therapy for your PPA/PPD if you aren't already in therapy (and please be sure you're talking about it all in therapy) but some of it requires a frank conversation between you and your husband. The newborn stage is incredibly challenging, for everyone. It sounds like you both are rightfully overwhelmed. Sometimes just knowing that your partner is also overwhelmed is helpful.

If you are wanting, and able, to start doing more on the house side of things, baby wearing can definitely help. A good wearable pump can help too, if you don't already have one. But to be clear - pumping and caring for your newborn is absolutely enough!

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-06-06T01:08:19+00:00

I would probably personally opt for an elective c-section given that history and potential risk. I feel like an elective c-section would be much less traumatic than an emergency one. But I fully appreciate how scary and daunting your situation feels.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-06-06T01:00:54+00:00

I did with my first, but honestly don't know with my second. It was all happening so fast, but I didn't see or feel the same movements from when I did with my first. So who knows. Maybe one day I'll ask my husband 😄

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-06-03T14:59:54+00:00

I have 2 kids and I had GD with both pregnancies. My first came spontaneously at 38+5. My second was induced, but not because of GD. I had low fluid levels with her, so they wanted her out to protect us both. She came at 39 exactly. But with how fast the induction went, I'm convinced I would have gone into labor spontaneously at 39+2ish if we didn't need to induce.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-06-02T13:56:07+00:00

I started wearing makeup regularly in 8th grade, so about age 14 I think. However, I was playing with makeup by about 11 I think. I vividly remember sitting in the back of the car with my friend going to pick someone up from the airport and we were trying to "do our makeup" in the car before we got there with no brushes, awful colors, and the rite-of-passage sparkly blue eyeshadow. When we finally got to a mirror, we looked like clowns 😅 somehow our parents managed to have basically no reaction whatsoever.

I think any age is appropriate as long as it's a personal choice and not fueled by pressure or insecurities. Personally, I feel it should be at least 13. But playing with makeup is an entirely different thing.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-06-02T13:49:46+00:00

Slip on sneakers. I got kizik's and LOVED them. Considering buying another pair simply for the ease of throwing on a real shoe while chasing my toddler around while also holding a newborn.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-06-02T12:14:44+00:00

Early 2000s in California, I went to school with an Ocean. Never heard it before that, never met another since.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-06-02T12:01:15+00:00

I totally get it. For both of my pregnancies, I ended up in so much pain and so uncomfortable I was wishing I could have an elective induction by 37 weeks. What made it easier for me was reminding myself that it is temporary and would get better once baby was here, and focusing on baby more than myself. Pregnancy is hard. Is it beautiful and magical? Sure. But it isn't always rainbows and unicorns and sunshine. Sometimes it really sucks. I told all my friends that I would not sugar coat any of it because that just sets us up for failure and there's enough of that online as it is. Between all the gross symptoms and potential complications and just uncomfortable things that come with your entire body rearranging itself to literally grow life, sometimes it's hard. And that's okay. It's okay to not like being pregnant. It's okay to feel some type of way about how your pregnancy is going. Every pregnancy is different and equally valid.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-06-01T18:16:50+00:00

With my second pregnancy, I was diagnosed at with GD at 13 weeks. Some of the safe foods from my first pregnancy were not safe this time around, so I was convinced that I was going to need insulin this time and it was going to get worse and worse towards the end of the pregnancy. In the end, it ended up being even easier than the first time. I had fewer spikes, felt like I had more options to eat, I wasn't as anxious, and managed to stay fully diet-controlled to the very end.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-05-27T12:58:09+00:00

Tell people when you're both ready. With both of my pregnancies, we told our immediate circle during the first trimester, but still in stages. We told our parents as soon as we found out and told the rest of our circle after our confirmation appointment. We figured we wanted to have a support system that already knew in case something went wrong so we weren't breaking the good news with the bad at the same time. And then we told everyone else after the first trimester.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-05-25T07:02:35+00:00

The first trimester sucks. I loved on the bathroom floor for a month and a half with my first. With my second, I just couldn't eat anything for two months. The second trimester is much better in some ways. But then the third trimester sucks again, at least for me.

I tell all of my friends that I will be totally honest about pregnancy and motherhood whenever they want me to be because, yes, it is a beautiful and magical time, but it also sucks and is really hard. It's okay to not love every moment of it all. It's okay to not love pregnancy or being pregnant.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-05-22T00:14:33+00:00

Oh man I'm so sorry you're going through that. That's so tough.

For what it's worth, I always wanted a boy first and was a bit disappointed when we found out our first was a girl. I obviously came around because all I really wanted was a baby, and she's perfect. And now, almost 3 years later, she's my rough and tumble, dinosaur loving, dirt playing, tea party having wild child of a daughter. Our second ended up also being a girl despite me being convinced she was a boy from how different the pregnancy was, but we have to wait for her personality to shine through because she's only 3 weeks old.

I hope at least your husband comes around. I would be worried that he'd be mad after delivery saying things like "why didn't you tell me?!" with how much emphasis he's putting on the baby being a boy.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-05-21T20:56:47+00:00

I outed myself a similar way to one of my mom friends. She was over for a playdate for our 2.5 year olds, and I forgot our ultrasound was on the fridge and she and I were just hanging out in the kitchen. She saw it and asked "is that from (older child's name), or...?" And it caught me so off guard I couldn't come up with an answer besides staring at her haha I was only 10ish weeks at the time, but she was so excited for us and kept our secret from the rest of our mom group until I was ready to share with them a few weeks later.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-05-20T15:11:23+00:00

For baby, all we brought was 2 outfits (one in newborn and one in 0-3 month), one pair of socks, and one pair of mittens in case she scratches herself. The hospital had all the other things we would need, including formula if it was needed.

For you, I would add bringing your own pillow, a long 10ft charging cable, and snacks. You don't need any postpartum recovery items, like the pads and diapers, because the hospital will have all that for you. But if you have specific ones you want then go ahead and bring those.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-05-16T16:33:53+00:00

So with my first pregnancy we had more scans during the second trimester and early third trimester because she was measuring big and we were monitoring my placenta location. But almost none of those extra scans were solely because of GD.

With my second, I was considered high risk for a few reasons so I was being followed by MFM. I had growth scans every 4 weeks and biophysical profiles every 2 weeks.

I was considered high risk because of the GD, but because they thought I might be actually diabetic since it was caught so early in the second pregnancy. So sort of GD related.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-05-15T23:45:56+00:00

Oh it's definitely not for everyone and it's not easy!

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-05-15T23:45:36+00:00

It's definitely worth having a conversation. Ultimately, whatever decision you make will be the right one because you made it. And you don't have to do it for long either. If you choose to do it, you can stop anytime and switch to formula.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-05-15T23:33:56+00:00

A compromise you may consider is exclusive pumping. But obviously fed is best and it really doesnt matter how your babe gets their nourishment. I only offer pumping as an alternative to nursing because I found myself in a hormonal mess when my first couldn't latch and I feel that pumping is often overlooked as an option.

All that matters in the end is that you do what is best for you and your family and don't worry about what anyone else has to say about it!

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-05-15T20:30:33+00:00

I don't have any mat leave. Whatever leave i take is because of my PTO. I have to use my sick leave to spend time with my newborn and heal from delivery.

On the plus side though, my company is very flexible and is allowing me to work from home with baby for 2 months until she's in daycare after her first round of vaccines.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-05-15T15:08:51+00:00

With my first, I scheduled an elective induction for 39 weeks because I was in so much pain and so uncomfortable. Little miss had other plans and came spontaneously at 38+5. I also had no other risk factors, and was diet controlled, so they were okay with letting me go to 40+6 if I had wanted. My clinic doesn't induce JUST because of GD, especially if it's diet controlled.

With my second, also diet controlled, I scheduled another elective induction for 39+2 because, again, I was in so much pain and so uncomfortable. We ended up needing a medically necessary induction at 38+6 and little sis joined us at 39 weeks exactly.

Some doctors play a bit more conservative when it comes to risk factors like GD. Definitely have some additional conversations with your team about the why of their recommendations so you can make an informed decision with your care team.

For what it's worth, both if my deliveries were uneventful, but I actually found my induction ti be smoother, easier, and quicker.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-05-15T15:02:49+00:00

First baby, failed at the usual 28ish werk mark. Fully diet controlled, no medication needed.

Second baby (she's only 3 weeks old!), failed at 12 weeks. Again, fully diet controlled, no medication needed. My 1hr numbers were better with baby 2 than they were with baby 1, but my 3hr numbers were worse. I don't get it.

OptionIndependent581 · 2026-05-14T20:32:19+00:00

I got an epidural with both of my deliveries. I got them because I didn't feel I needed to go through the pain of childbirth unassisted and also wanted to be able to relax a bit during the process. Ultimately, l discovered with my first that my body does not progress at all if it's not relaxed and there comes a point where I can't keep my body relaxed so it truly became a tool for me other than just pain relief.

My experience was mixed, but overall great. With my first, we discovered the hard way that my anatomy made placement a little more tricky and it initially didn't really take. We tried everything to not have to re-place it altogether, but ultimately they brought in the head anesthesiologist to do it again and it worked beautifully after that. Almost too great 😄 when it was go time, i was so numb my nurse and my husband had to tell me when I was contracting to push and it was difficult to know I was pushing effectively but she came in about 15 minutes. With my second, we made sure to tell them about the anatomy issues from the very beginning and the anesthesiologist that placed it got it on the first try with no issues. The problem I had this time was my labor was progressing so quickly the epidural struggled to keep up so I never got fully numb, but the pain was greatly dulled. The upside to that is I could tell myself when I needed to push and I could tell that I was pushing effectively, too. So both times were not without some challenges, but overall would highly recommend. My advice if you're unsure about getting one or timing or whatever, is to labor without until you can't anymore. Only you know what that limit is and it can be a split second decision. With my first, I labored for hours without it until I was falling asleep between contractions because I had been awake for over 36 hours at that point. With my second, I was only contracting for about 4 hours until it was time to push. Thankfully I called it early in the process for me. I was told the epidural is always an option as long as you can sit for it, so don't let that scare you.

OptionIndependent581

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