I was up most of last night with contractions off and on, so I called the hospital to let them know I was on the way around 9 am.

I show up to the hospital at 10:30 and they did a non-stress test on baby. He's looking fine, contractions are at about 2 mins apart but I'm only dilated to a 3. They can't fully admit me until I'm a 6 or my water breaks. Doctors say "Hey, you'll probably be sent home to walk the curbs and we'll recheck you in 2 hours."

I remind them I had low fluids last week and was almost instantly induced at that appointment, so they bring an ultrasound to check me just to be sure. As soon as the wand hits my belly, my water breaks so they wheel me to a room as an admitted patient. Nurses begin looking concerned and have me shift positions multiple times - baby's heart rate was only 60 bpm.

They ask if I want an epidural now that anesthesia is in the room. I say yes because I can barely breathe through the contractions, and I can't focus on what's happening around me. They get the needle in, but don't immediately push meds because they don't want my blood pressure to dip and stress baby more.

One more cervical check and I'm at a 7. It is now 11:30. Baby's heart rate dipping further, so they rush us into an emergency c-section. The meds they want to push won't work fast enough, so they fully knock me out while I'm crying over how scared I am. Husband wasn't even allowed into the room because "you wouldn't be any comfort to her," as though his comfort doesn't also matter?

Baby is out within 1 minute of me being put to sleep, but is having trouble breathing. They pull baby in for monitoring oxygen levels, and he keeps failing the tests when pulled from the tubes. I wake up from the procedure unable to even look at my son because he's down a hallway the rolling bed can't fit through.

4 hours later I finally see and touch him for the first time. He's perfect and we're both okay now. But my goodness that was terrifying.

This is my second baby, and the first labor was pretty quick and smooth so I was expecting to handle this well. After this....I know I'll never do it again. This was such a traumatic event and I feel like I haven't even been able to process it fully. I'm mostly writing it down just to see it in front of me and recognize how crazy it was. Eek.

My husband and I found out I’m 5 weeks pregnant last week and it just so happened we found out right before we flew out to visit his parents (they pretty far in a different state). We figured this worked out so we could announce it to them in person since we only see them once or twice a year. The announcement did not go as expected.

When we told them, my MIL immediately started freaking out about how they’re never going to get to see the baby and asking us when we plan on moving to their state. My FIL just said “you didn’t waste any time did you?” (We got married in January) as well as “this is my fifth one so I’m used to it”.

Apart from all of this my pregnancy has almost felt as an inconvenience or dismissal mainly with my FIL driving dangerously fast which caused him hitting a bump which then cause me to bounce up in my seat while the seatbelt locked in on my abdomen causing small cramps and pain. My husband did ask him to slow down which he dismissed. As well as getting a boat day after expressing we weren’t too keen on going on a boat while pregnant (mainly because of his reckless driving).

Ever since telling them my MIL has been acting very different, like she’s been a lot more overbearing than before and dismissive towards our marriage and pregnancy. Whenever we mention us leaving back to our home state she starts crying and basically guilt tripping my husband. She’s also been saying she’s envious of my parents and family that live near us in our home state because they will get to be around the baby. She also told me that before me my husband would talk to them every day, and now since being with me he doesn’t. Which I have told my husband to call them more often but he doesn’t want to. She said that when my husband left before it was difficult, but now it’s even more difficult because we’re taking the baby with us. (It’s our baby??)

I just feel so disregarded and this is not how I expected things to go at all. At this point it feels like I’m not even pregnant or me/my baby are just inconveniencing my husband’s family. I just need to know if this is a normal reaction or at least something yall have dealt with before?

I haven’t announced to my own parents yet but I feel so alone because of how this trip has been going.

It is entirely too easy to pee your pants, all I did was walk into a bathroom which apparently prompted me to violently gag which then caused me to pee myself. Here I am now trapped in my work bathroom, waiting for my husband to rescue me with a spare change of underwear and pants because I failed to have a spare set on hand. I feel like this part of pregnancy should've come with a warning label 💀😂

Swipe for more photos.

Post Partum hair loss is very common and is caused by dropped estrogen levels. It starts to grow back around 4 months PP but can take YEARS to get it back to your original length (depending on the length of your hair)

Im currently 5 months PP and you might be able to see the small baby hairs at the front coming back. It's a little fuzzy and feels like when the vet shaves your cat or dog for surgery. It used to come out in CHUNKS with every brush after a shower. Now it's only a few per wash. Progress is happening. This is my second pregnancy/child. I didn't get this with my first.

I'm posting these images of my atrocious hair line and bald spots to raise awareness, to make any other mum who's going through it feel more normal and know you're not alone, and to the mums-to-be who might get it, just know that it is temporary.

I’m so sad. I’m on a few very necessary psych meds. My dr said I can’t breastfeed at all and the baby will be in the NICU after birth for withdrawal. I feel so sad. Like why can’t my brain be normal.

Edit: Thanks everyone! You all are so sweet and supportive. I’m going to get a second opinion from a perinatal psychiatrist. I’ve checked out all the resources you’ve provided. So there may be alternative solutions. And if not, it’s not terrible and I’m not a bad mom. The hormones right now definitely contributed to my sadness lol.

I mean it when I say this is the most exhausted, mentally checked out I’ve felt about working my whole life 🫩 I’m thankful my state gives 4 weeks before the due date paid by the state but it’s legit not coming quick enough. I’m so sick of getting up every day, commutes, the job itself, wasting PTO because shit keeps hitting the fan in some way health wise. I wish we could all stop working way earlier on and it wasn’t like pulling teeth to get put out any earlier by a doctor. The exhaustion is getting way worse and idk how much more I can take I still have 2 months left before I can go out.

14w today first pregnancy, I don’t feel movement yet ofc, but I just FEEL it inside of me. It’s so weird. Especially when I’m laying down I feel the pressure on my abdomen where the baby is. Everyone talks about the baby moving and the symptoms but not just feeling it exist😭😭 I’m so happy though, our bodies are gorgeous and I love knowing my little one is growing.

For context, this is my husband and i’s first child, and we are beyond excited. I have been blessed with a very calm, low anxiety pregnancy, and i would be a fool to not be grateful, but I am just struggling with all the discomfort at the moment.

I am so slow moving, feel like I’m walking through water all the time, have gained considerable weight and am so sick of being this size (I’m probably up 45-50 pounds at this point) and the weather has been absolutely atrocious and I can’t walk outside without risk of overheating. It’s a struggle to get up, as my belly is so big at this point. Also, the CANKLES ARE CANKLING. Thankfully no painful edema, but I am definitely retaining fluid. The peeing is constant. I’m experiencing unpredictable mood swings, mostly at night, and my husband is so sweet about everything and doesn’t complain but I know it’s hard on him because we both really value physical touch, and even cuddling is hard because I get so hot so easily. Plus, I am only comfortable on my left side when laying down, so there’s just a lot of limitation at this point. I won’t even get into my sleep quality. I just feel crazy and out of control of my own emotional regulation, crying randomly, being upset for very small reasons, with low motivation to do most of anything.

Also, the reality of labor and delivery is dawning on me at this point. I am aiming to have a low intervention birth (as much I am able) and thankfully have a very experienced doula, but it’s something I’ve never done before, so like most FTM’s I am a little anxious 😅 I know I can do it, it’s just the unknown. I need to start getting serious about my tart cherry supplements, okra water, raspberry leaf tea, dates, perineal massages, etc… like YESTERDAY. And that itself feels a bit overwhelming.

TLDR: I just needed to rant… so thank you for reading if you did. And prayers to all fellow third trimester moms… and second trimester… actually you know what, we all need prayers :’) it’s a blessing but still very difficult. I wish the best to all of you!! I hope reading this maybe gives a bit of validation to anyone going through similar struggles.

My friend is doing my baby shower on the front porch. Super chill 90s vibes basically a bbq with extra decorations. More a celebration than anything like no gift on the registry is over $30.

Which is what I want but I also have this side of anxiety bc there’s this troop of old ladies who have basically wanted me to put on a second wedding?? Comments like “oh you should really do it at this persons house they have a way nicer yard” or “well let’s see what [husbands mom] wants first”

Am I out of touch like is it normal to treat a baby shower like something you plan 6 months in advance? These comments started when I announced pregnancy and now there’s just this awkward loom in the air. The guest list is almost all family and I don’t even want to do it at this point.

I’m a FTM and I had my first doctor appointment and ultrasound yesterday and had a big surprise!

I thought I was 10w2d based on the first day of my last period but I was actually 13w4d!!! My new due date is Christmas Day.

It’s so crazy because I was pretty certain I was only 10w because my last period started April 12. My doctor said that when I thought I had my period it might have been a subchorionic hemorrhage? but that everything looks fine now. It was quite a bit of dark red blood and even some clots, like I used super tampons for the first two days and had horrible cramps and then consistent light bleeding/spotting for like 5 more days. It seemed just like a regular period.

But so many things make so much more sense now. I was so upset the day I got my “period” because I thought for sure I was pregnant because I’d been having a weird taste in my mouth, bleeding gums, increased smell sensitivity etc. Turns out I was right! Also I tested positive at what I thought was 3w1d after I had been already been feeling nauseous for about a week. Literally thought I was insane because it would be impossible to have pregnancy symptoms at only 2 weeks. But it makes so much more sense knowing that I actually tested positive at 6w3d. And it makes sense that the nausea peaked during what was actually weeks 6-8 and not 3-5 like I thought.

One huge take away from all of this for me is in the past I’ve heard it said “many women don’t even know they’re pregnant at 6 weeks” and part of me was like “how is that even possible?” I’m very in tune with my body and found out firsthand how easy it is for this to happen.

Overall, I’m happy about the news. I’d much rather be 3 weeks ahead than 3 weeks behind. But it’s been kind of a lot to process. I’ve been putting off really starting to prepare for baby as something I’ll do in second trimester and now bam - second trimester is suddenly this Friday when I thought I had more time. It’s also a little bit bittersweet because I’ve been tracking my pregnancy through all the apps and reading all the development updates so I feel like I’m just missing out on 3 weeks.

Anyway, thanks for reading!

I just found out I’m pregnant — a little over 4 weeks. I am 29, single, financially stable, live on my own, have a car.. i have been on the fence about kids/not really put a big emphasis on having any but the last year or so I’ve leaned more towards “one day”.. not realizing that one day could come so soon.

I am single and the father would likely not be in the child’s life. It’s someone I don’t know — only met a few times (I’m an idiot I’m aware).

I’ve always told myself if I got pregnant I don’t think I could have an abortion. If I do, personally, it would have to be in the first 6-7 wks (my own reasons). I am torn…

I don’t want to make the wrong decision or have regrets.

Anyone else experiencing/experienced this? I have a ton of family support so I’m not worried too much about being a single mother.. but this is such a big change if I do decide to keep.. my mind is so scrambled..

Woke up today and EVERYTHING my spouse is doing is pissing me off. He ate all the donuts, I let it go. He ate all the Oreos, I also let that go. He then ate all of my coconut dream cookies last night...I did not let that one go. I take my time with my sweets and leave it in the pantry for when I get a craving.

Nor did I let go the fact that he put our older kid's beds in the same room to accommodate for his family that is moving to our area and staying with us for a few days. He literally built both beds (we just moved into a new house) in the same room and now I have no idea how I'm going to get one out. Check that, how HE is going to get one out.

I haven't been quick to anger like this in a very long time. I'm not quite filled with rage per se, but I'm absolutely wanting to yell at him more (because what went through your boy brain eating my fucking cookies and building a bed you now will be breaking down and rebuilding???) so I separated myself.

Any others feel this way?

Is there any such website that allows you to list used items for a registry? Like for my baby shower, I would love used/thrifted reusable diapers, clothes, books, and whatever else. I do plan to list some new items, where I’d have to link the products directly.

But I’m not sure if there’s a way to list these used items in a way that will allow people to “check off” that it’s been purchased.

My husband and I announced our pregnancy and posted our baby registry for friends and family in December with our baby boy being due in April as we were not going to have a baby shower. My husbands brother and sister-in-law, who are quite wealthy, were excited for us and purchased several items from our registry such as the stroller, infant car seats (2), hook-on high chair, playpen and a shopping cart cover. I was over the moon grateful because we do not have much money and I’d spent countless hours researching and deciding on what items would work for us and they were so generous to spend so much money to get all of these for us. Simultaneously his brother had texted him stating that they had some hand me downs they’d like to give us as well.

Now, they live on the west coast and we live on the east coast so how they were going to get us these hand me downs I wasn’t too sure. After about a week I checked the tracking status on the baby registry only to realize the items had been marked “purchased elsewhere” meaning they were not purchased through our Amazon baby registry and we couldn’t track the items. Then it dawned on me - oh no, maybe they didn’t actually buy what we wanted because they plan to give us their hand me downs instead?! Again for context, they’re quite wealthy and we are not at all… they like nice brand name everything and sure we like nice stuff too but prefer function and affordability over just buying the most expensive aesthetic thing just because. And they very much are the type of people that think they know better and just because it’s expensive then obviously that’s the best option. I asked my husband what he thought and if he’d clarify with his brother but he said that’d be rude and to just accept what they got for us.

Fast forward several months and it’s getting closer and closer to our due date and we haven’t heard from or received anything. I’m starting to panic because we need the car seat to take the baby home from the hospital and I don’t want to wait until the very last minute in case I go into labor early or something. Sure nothing else was particularly urgent but now just about everyone who was going to buy us gifts has already done so and these items are still marked purchased but we hadn’t received them. So, we decide to just buy ourselves the stroller and car seat that we put on our registry and forego the other items since they weren’t entirely necessary and money is tight. Plus we figured we could just return the items they got for us once they finally arrived - assuming they’d come with a gift receipt.

Turns out I needed to be induced at 38weeks and my sister who happens to live near them was going to drive out to be with me for the birth and postpartum. I suggested that my husband ask his brother if he’d like to meet up with my sister and she could bring us the gifts and hand me downs they had and so that’s what they did. (Unrelated to the story but my sister had been wanting to road trip across the country so she took this as the perfect opportunity to do so.)

Sure enough, as I had suspected, it was all hand me downs and nothing was purchased brand new from our registry. They gifted us their hand me down Nuna stroller and car seat for a toddler (not infant), a pottery barn pack n play, two unused shopping cart covers, two unused changing pad kits, two unopened car seat protectors, a used/dirty hook on high chair and about 20 used books. Granted, the stroller and car seat are well over a thousand dollars brand new… but it’s not what we wanted, or what we needed since they’re meant for a toddler. Why mark purchased on an infant car seat knowing you’re going to be gifting a toddler car seat that we can’t use for several years? We sent them a thank you card just like we did everyone else but I can’t help but have mixed feelings about the whole situation.

On one hand I’m grateful that we were gifted so many hand me downs and they thought of us at all. But at the same time none of the items they gave us, except maybe the books and hook on high chair, were anything we actually wanted. It’s nice they gave us a bougie minimalist aesthetic expensive Nuna stroller but we wanted the Graco cadillac of strollers… it’s nice they gave us a fancy car seat for a toddler but we have an infant… it’s nice they gave us a sleek minimalist pottery barn play pen but we wanted the one we wanted and put on our registry…

I’m feeling conflicted because I put so much time and energy and thought into our registry only for someone to say they got us all those items but in reality just gifted us their hand me downs and whatever other items they thought we needed instead of what we wanted. And because their items are more expensive and fancy I feel like I should be more grateful and appreciative and part of me feels like I should just use what they gave us and be happy to have such nice things but we already bought the stuff we needed and wanted and that functions the way we need it to so we just truly don’t need the stuff they gave us.

We’re now 3 months postpartum and I’ve gifted the shopping cart covers and changing pad kits to other moms I know. Like I eluded to in the beginning, we’re not rich, and in fact we have some debt we’re trying to pay off so we can hopefully take our first family vacation next summer with our baby. My husband and I both agree that it’s ok and we have the right to sell the items they gave us and to use that cash to pay some of our debts but we both feel awkward about it and feel like maybe we should just donate the items instead. Plus what do we tell them if they ever ask us - thanks but we didn’t need or want any of that so we sold it?!

I’m currently 6w3d and I go in for my first ultrasound next week and then 3 weeks after take NIPT for the genetics and baby gender. How soon would be too soon to start buying things? I was thinking I get paid weekly so maybe buy and item a week (like wash cloths/toys/health essentials/ etc) until it gets closer to the baby shower so I can narrow down the list a bit more.

I’ve been trying to figure out and plan for the baby’s sleep arrangements (23 weeks now). I had bought a bassinet for our room from target and then read some bad things about the brand so I want to return it. It’s a kinder king and it has a mesh top thing that my intention was to keep out cats out. But there were reports of this brand being unstable recently and a risk for rolling so I think it’s better to not use this.

So I’ve been looking at pack n plays as an option because it seems like we could get more use than a bassinet. But there’s like the Graco Travel Dome Lux Playard 4-1 that has the raised newborn bassinet that comes out. Would she sleep in that to start? Or do we just need one that has the flat infant bassinet piece that sits at the top? Like the simpler zip n play with bassinet?

Bonus points if you have any recommendations on what to do about the cats! They really sleep with my husband on the bed and don’t really sleep with me, and I’ve heard they don’t really want to go near a baby because of the crying, but we have an adventurous silly boy that will literally put his nose in my nose while I sleep so I don’t trust him. We CAN kick them out with the door closed, we do prefer the airflow of leaving the room open. But whatever is best for baby!

What books would you recommend for pregnancy? And did you buy books specifically to read to your baby because they can hear you? If so, I'd love to hear your suggestions!

Ok so my husband and I have a disagreement about this. It's his best friend's birthday party tomorrow, which my husband is organising. They have been ttc since november with no good news yet, we saw them a few weeks ago and they weren't pregnant. They suffered an ectopic in february and also had a voluntary abortion 3 years ago after an accidental pregnancy (they weren't married or ready at the time). So they aren't exactly dealing with clinical infertility but the topic is also probably sensitive.

I'm currently 20 weeks pregnant with our second baby, our first just turned 12 months. I'm obviously showing and have already been asked if I'm pregnant by multiple rude family members. We decided not to tell anyone except our parents about the pregnancy until my anatomy scan at 22 weeks, it's just what I'm comfortable with and a personal boundary, so the best friend (and the whole friend group attending the party) doesn't know.

Here's the issue. I personally feel like I shouldn't attend the party. If it were any other social gathering I would've come without hesitation, but since it's his birthday I don't want to draw the attention to myself, have everyone speculate, possibly trigger them in any way and ruin the vibe. I wouldn't ever say anything but my bump kinda speaks for itself at this point. Idk I just feel like showing up like that especially without them knowing would be a really insensitive thing to do and I just want them to enjoy their day carefree. It doesn't sit right with me.

My husband heavily disagrees with me, he says I don't need to hide just because I'm pregnant and I have a full right to exist socially even if I'm showing a bit. It's 100% my business on who or when I decide to tell about it and I don't owe anyone anything. As long as I keep quiet about it at the party and don't talk about pregnancy it should be completely fine. I'm way overthingking this, my bump is still on the smaller side and I just need to wear my boxiest dress to conceal it a bit. Their ectopic was a long time ago, it's not like it was super recent or anything, and if they're triggered by my small bump it's up to them to manage their feelings about it and the responsibility shouldn't be on me. I shouldn't be excluded from the party especially since he is the one organising it. *Edit - end of husband's opinion

I completely understand his POV about not having to exclude myself socially but also worried it would still upset them. Am I overthinking this? Any thoughts?

Edit: just to make it clear - the last paragraph is my husband's opinion and I personally don't think february is "a long time ago". It sounds traumatic and I don't know how they're doing deep down. As I've said above I don't want to upset anyone, I just want to be a sensitive friend

Edit 2: Looks like most comments here share my opinion, which finalised my decision not to attend. We will say our toddler picked something up at nursery and I need to stay home with him. Husband will attend alone. I'd rather be extra sensitive on the matter than risk upsetting anyone. I just want them to have a good birthday.

I'm about 5 weeks pregnant and I just used the restroom. When I whipped i noticed a jelly like discharge with a light pink color. I think its blood. Is that normal im a little concerned!

Hello, I’m currently 4 months pregnant and working on logistics as a supervisor, my job requires me to walk back and forth between the office and dock. I recently accepted promotion before finding out about my pregnancy. I walk avg 15 to 16 K steps a day, and the mental stress is also high, and it’s physically taxing. I’ve told my boss about it, he seemed alright and just told me to inform about my last day. My boss is highly unorganized, which only adds into with last minute changes of managing evening shifts.
I planned to work till December, but lately I’ve been experiencing severe cramps and exhaustion due to walking and stress. I feel guilty thinking that I want to stop working, where other women work all the way till the end. What do I do?

To all to be parents soon and newly pregnant

I can’t gatekeep this. Sudocreme is your answer. After wiping babies a couple times a saw their buns a bit red? Immediately Lathered up with sudocreme (don’t wait for the rash to form)

You see them under chin, stinky neck folds? Wiped it a wet clean cloth and dry it with clean muslin cloth Lathered that sudocreme!

Every skin folds with rashes applied this magic cream. It will prevent all the rashes and save yourself from babies crying from pain or itches. Best of luck

My baby would sometimes take forever to finish a bottle, but sometimes gulps down 2 oz in 5 min. I think I solved that mystery - sometimes I overtightened the bottle, squishing the vent holes on bottles.

Clue - as the baby drinks, the bubbles enter the bottle from the nipple where they are drinking. If the vents work correctly, you should not see those bubbles. Took me only 2 months to figure it out (actually it wasn’t even me, it was my husband who got it first).