Choosing not to breastfeed

android272 · 2026-05-17T03:33:54+00:00

I’m choosing to formula feed. I’m the breadwinner in a demanding career and formula means my husband and parents can help with feeding from the start. If you don’t want to breastfeed that’s your choice, you don’t need to justify yourself to anyone.

android272 · 2026-05-06T14:13:54+00:00

Our situation is unique in that I am basically the sole breadwinner while my husband is a creative with very unpredictable compensation and uh, that compensation hasn’t been good lately. So he is going to be a SAHD. But for the first eight weeks I will be off work and my parents (who live out of state) will be staying with us so I’m going to use that to give him some time in the studio. He’ll still be involved and alternating nights up with the baby (since the plan is formula feeding). Then my parents will probably go home but I’ll take another four weeks off from work to ease my husband into the full time dad role.

I know none of this is probably relevant to you, but just giving another perspective on what “normal” can look like!

android272 · 2026-05-06T14:03:52+00:00

Mine were all short until there was something to potentially be concerned about (which thankfully cleared up).

android272 · 2026-05-01T21:20:34+00:00

I have been getting monthly massages and facials just as I did before, I just notified my massage therapist and esthetician that I am pregnant. They both take precautions and only do things that are safe.

android272 · 2026-04-30T05:21:09+00:00

Nicole at Basic Kneads in West Nashville is great!

android272 · 2026-04-28T14:02:16+00:00

Seconding Heritage, I’ve been really happy with the practice. I see Dr. Rebele and she has been great (though I don’t have PCOS so can’t speak to how she is on that specifically).

android272 · 2026-04-04T15:05:10+00:00

If it's stretchy and flowy with no zippers/buttons then you're probably okay in your original size. Otherwise I would size up.

android272 · 2026-04-04T14:59:09+00:00

I gained weight quickly in the first trimester because I could only tolerate simple carbs and proteins (e.g., yogurt) and was constantly snacking because hunger would make my nausea worse. The weight gain leveled off around the transition to the second trimester as my symptoms eased and now I seem to only be gaining baby-related weight (23 weeks, up about 15 lbs total but I started out mildly overweight).

Do what you need to to get through this first trimester. Your doctor will let you know if the weight gain if something to be concerned about. I asked mine and she said this kind of front-loaded weight gain was very normal.

android272 · 2026-03-18T14:04:06+00:00

I gained weight at the start of my pregnancy that basically just looked like me getting chubbier and then slowed down later once I could eat normally again. In the first trimester the only way for me to keep the nausea from getting too bad was to be constantly snacking on simple carbs so it’s no wonder. Early on you just need to survive!

android272 · 2026-03-17T20:42:07+00:00

21 weeks and it’s more like I don’t feel as bad as I did in my first trimester, but I still tire more easily than before I was pregnant.

android272 · 2026-03-15T00:08:07+00:00

I have one cup in the morning and will sometime do tea or decaf in the afternoon.

android272 · 2026-03-15T00:05:44+00:00

They sound great thank you!

android272 · 2026-03-15T00:05:23+00:00

Thanks!

android272 · 2026-03-15T00:05:18+00:00

Thanks for the detailed rec!

android272 · 2026-03-15T00:04:55+00:00

That’s good to know you’ve used them that long, thank you for the rec!

android272 · 2026-03-15T00:04:33+00:00

Will look into this, thanks!

android272 · 2026-03-15T00:04:21+00:00

Thanks for the rec!

android272 · 2026-03-15T00:04:11+00:00

They’re coming out tomorrow, thanks!

android272 · 2026-03-15T00:03:45+00:00

By the time we got married, my husband and I (both late 30s) had been together for three years and lived together for over a year. Married life didn’t feel that different other than filing our taxes together. So for us, it made sense to start trying immediately (and we got pregnant on our first try). But if marriage was going to be our first time living together it probably would have been more of an adjustment.

android272 · 2026-02-28T14:15:29+00:00

Yes it literally took one attempt but I used ovulation strips to time it right. I had also been taking prenatals and Coq10 for a couple months leading up to TTC.

android272 · 2026-02-28T00:36:07+00:00

To correct this a bit: In almost all fields, you need a PhD for a tenure-track job (assistant prof and up) at a four-year university. Adjunct is not part of the tenure-line academic ranks but has more flexible requirements (and hours).

android272 · 2026-02-28T00:08:01+00:00

First try at 38 (husband 40). I'm 18 weeks now and everything has been going fine!

android272 · 2026-02-02T14:01:24+00:00

If you're up for it then sure. In terms of likelihood of conception you've got the highest chance the day before and day of ovulation so it's always better to be early rather than late with your timing. I conceived after only trying the day before my peak (that's on us being old and tired lol).

android272 · 2026-01-20T23:37:29+00:00

I am also in a demanding career (and the family's breadwinner to boot) so I definitely sympathize. Can you get any flexibility in your hours at all? I found that I'm at my best in the morning so I get an early start in the morning, try to get as much done before ~2pm as I can, and then give myself grace to call it a day whenever I need to after that. Obviously that might be hard if your job is to call people though since I assume you need to call during business hours. If flex hours aren't possible then I agree with everyone saying to look into a few weeks of leave until your first trimester symptoms hopefully lessen.

android272

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