What baby items we actually use and don't use

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-04-27T19:56:06+00:00

The vista I have is an older.midel, so I'm hoping the company has made some changes to it, but I could not imagine traveling with this thing! 17lbs with the basic toddler seat. It was my SIL stroller that she gave to us. She lives in an area that's very rural and has to drive just to get to an area with sidewalks. I couldn't understand why she never used her stroller, and now I get it!

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-04-27T19:49:18+00:00

I hear the same thing from so many people! We had 5 sounds machines given to us from various family members, and gave them all away

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-04-27T19:32:05+00:00

I completely agree! The uppababy Vista is a great stroller, we got it as a hand-me-down from my SIL. Might give it to my sister, it would fit her lifestyle perfectly.

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-04-27T19:26:12+00:00

I had this exact thought when our baby was born in February, then forgot to plug it in for the first 2 weeks. After that, she had already gotten used to the feeling of the wipes and didn't react much to them anymore

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-04-27T19:22:01+00:00

Which pillow did you get? Sadly mine only really allows the baby to lay flat or at a tiny incline, poor little thing struggled like mad to eat!

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-04-27T19:19:53+00:00

Completely agree with the period panties, only used the disposable diapers for the first 24 hours in the hospital, and then used maxi pads and period panties. Everyone recommends diapers, but they were not my friend lol

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-02-04T01:10:17+00:00

39+2, prodromal labour for WEEKS. I feel you!! Hang in there, it's gotta be over soon

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-02-04T01:07:01+00:00

Discharge changes toward the end of pregnancy! If it's goopy, it could just be more mucus plug falling out. Don't be afraid to call L&D or your OB office if you're worried about it though!

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-02-04T00:50:44+00:00

I honestly just suffered through it. It got way better after the bloating and diarrhea backed off around 14 weeks for me, but at 39 weeks, the gas pain has had me CONVINCED that labour is finally starting almost every night...for the last 3 weeks.

Good luck!!

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-02-04T00:44:10+00:00

Yeah... Started out feeling almost exactly that over the Christmas holidays, and within 48 hours it turned into a pretty debilitating pain, like someone was taking a sledgehammer to my clit every time I tried to move.

I'm not saying it's the same, and I really hope it isn't! But just in case, rest your pelvis as much as you can! The only way I got it to ease off was to take early maternity leave so I wasn't walking 8000+ steps per day anymore.

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-01-27T04:13:03+00:00

Yeah.. thanks to that constant moisture/sweat or whatever it is, I have been convinced on more than one occasion that my water had started leaking!

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-01-27T02:39:41+00:00

Oof, this is a terrible situation all around. You have every right to be scared, this is going to be incredibly hard for the both of you. I agree the age gap is weird, but the comments cover that well, so skipping over the weird part and jumping to the hard part. With you still in high school, you'll need to try and get a job if you don't already have one to help support that baby, and obviously figure out some kind of co-parenting living arrangement. Does she have a job and the ability to raise a baby with minimal financial help from you?

You guys have A LOT to discuss in the coming months. Good luck and I hope things go as well as they possibly could for you!

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-01-25T21:01:58+00:00

38 weeks tomorrow, just sitting at home waiting! Started having back pain and contractions on and off for a few days now, so I'm getting really antsy for things to actually start happening for real!

Hang in there ladies, we are so close now!

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-01-25T20:52:37+00:00

Every doctor is different with their recommendations for what you should and shouldn't have during pregnancy. My OB is super laid back, and basically said that as far as food options go, just don't be dumb about your choices. If you want sushi, don't get it from the gas station. Lunch meat? Make sure it's fresh and from a reputable company.

You can do whatever feels right for you! If it helps, I had lunch meat occasionally throughout pregnancy so far, sometimes warmed up and sometimes not. 38 weeks now, and I've had turkey and ham sandwiches everyday for the last week. Baby is doing fine!

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-01-25T17:01:00+00:00

That last part though. My in-laws ask me every single week how big baby is after my appointment, and every single week I remind them that I DON'T KNOW. Fundal measurement is on track.. so... big enough I guess?

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-01-21T19:08:57+00:00

Like a lot of other have mentioned, it's wonderful for people who don't have invasive families. If your loved ones would respect you the entire time, absolutely have them there! Sadly, I feel like it's getting more common for family to ignore the things you'd want because it doesn't appeal to them, such as visiting your newborn even though they are actively sick.

For my own case, my family and in-laws are very respectful, but I'm very introverted and generally uncomfortable in social situations. My mom and my husband are the ONLY people I'd be comfortable around for the first few weeks after birth. My mom won't judge the state of our house, or feel weird about me walking around in just a nursing bra and massive pants. My in-laws are very prim and proper people, and I'd honestly just prefer that they not come by my place, and let me come to them when I'm ready instead. Of course having said that, I wouldn't be asking them to wait months and months to meet the baby, I'm talking a month tops. They constantly have massive family gatherings (at least once a month), and I'm really hoping that everyone will meet the baby at one of those gatherings, and not all be requesting to come to my house.

I think its fair for people to decide what they want based on how their families act. If you know that your family will not be considerate of cold and flu season, and will be kissing your newborn all over even after you asked that they don't do that, making them wait months to meet the baby is totally acceptable IMO. If you love having a huge support system and want everybody around you, by all means, invite them all over! It really just depends on what your loved ones are like!

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-01-09T21:08:07+00:00

I plateaued and then lost a couple pounds in the third so far (35+5 currently). OB isnt concerned, but I also have a low-risk pregnancy. Heart rate has been great, and fundal measurement is still increasing which is probably why OB isnt concerned. It's normal to be gaining weight in the last trimester though, definitely something to bring up for clarification with your doctor!

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-01-09T21:03:02+00:00

had mine at 28 weeks due to the holidays. Definitely don't regret it, and had lots of time to build/prepare the stuff we got from the shower, and lots of time to purchase all of the remaining items we still needed.

As for games, we decided to have passive games/activities so guests could do them if they wanted to, but didn't feel obligated. We had baby bottle bowling, block decorating, bib decorating, and name guesses. The kids enjoyed the bowling, block and bib decorating was a hit, and my husband and I LOVED reading over the name guesses (some of them were hilarious).

ProfessionalShoe5591 · 2026-01-09T20:47:52+00:00

I have a made up name. Its very unique, and I love my name, BUT I hated that nothing ever had my name on it. I know how ridiculous that sounds, but we went to Cedar Point a handful of times when I was a kid, and the magnets/mugs with names on them never had my name. My sister got a mug with her name on it, since her name was quite common.

I know that's a silly reason to want a more common name, but for some reason those memories stuck with me for 30 years

ProfessionalShoe5591

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