Pregnancy Journal 31

[melissathespud]

Been eventful since I last posted. Still having contractions at my NSTs. Still not *really* feeling them, although I think I may have figured out what they sometimes feel like, maybe. Still not sure. Today, though, was very unpleasant. Last night for a few hours I was having cramps and lower back pain, then woke up ok, but only for about half

Comments

[tbonecats]

Wow. That's crazy with the travel system and swing issues. I'm sorry you had to deal with that. Was it graco brand or something else?

We ended up getting a travel system and swing used. I know you aren't supposed to get used car seats, so I have a nicer convertible one on the registry as the main car seat, but since that doesn't work with the stroller I figured it'd be ok to get the whole travel system used, especially since the car seat shouldn't be in a crash when used in a stroller. Plus my nephew is 6 months and already too big for the infant car seat (and 4 other couples we know have the same issue) so I figure the convertible is more useful anyway. I'm glad we didn't have to struggle with putting it all together - that sounds rough. We do have to put our dresser together though. Not looking forward to that.

[melissathespud]

No, graco is what we ended up buying to replace it actually. I don't remember the brand, but they guy at the store recommended it over the graco for a few reasons (about the same quality, but a few little things, including the tabs which no longer exist. Go figure).

We bought a lot of things used, just not that (and the swing was actually about the same price as I had seen them used on craigslist because they were clearancing out that particular model).

[mayoblob]

I'm a little confused about travel systems. It looks in the pictures online that they are just a stroller and car seat that have matching prints and such. What I want is a car seat that can be put on a stroller frame so that the baby doesn't have to wake up before/after a car ride to change to/from the car seat. Is that what they actually are and they are just showing a picture with and without the stroller thingy attached?

[pk2317]

A "travel system" is three parts. The stroller, the infant carrier, and the auto base. The base gets "installed" in your vehicle, and then you can move the infant carrier between the stroller and the base. Once the kid outgrows the carrier, they can still use the stroller by itself.

[tbonecats]

Since I thought you might see it here more than on mine...
We have the option of taking the main birthing class in November or January (they're held every other month and March is cutting it too close with my due date.) Due to snow issues, Chris was leaning towards November, but that's still several months away from the actual birth (really it's the 20 wk point mid-Nov) so I thought it might be too soon (I'm afraid I'll forget everything.) I'd certainly be more comfortable in Nov, since I'm not really showing yet and won't be too much by next month. I guess depending on various issues, I could theoretically be on bed rest come Jan, though that's unlikely. Having gone through the classes, what would your suggestion be as to the Nov/Jan decision?

[melissathespud]

Well, you would prolly feel a little weird if you take it in Nov if it is anything like mine. I took mine from something like 23-30 weeks, maybe a couple weeks later than that, I forget, and I was the "youngest" by far. The next due close to me was oct. 14, and the other 3 were due in sept (one 6 days after the class ended). So I always felt a little weird, since they were always talking about 3rd trimester symptoms and such which I had not experineced until the end of it. But i can understand the snow hesitancy.

[tbonecats]

The "feeling a little weird" aspect is my main hesitancy (that and my thought that I won't remember it several months later). But with as bad as first trimester was, and with the potential for 3rd trimester to be rough as well, it almost makes more sense to take it during the "feel good" 2nd trimester. I would hate for it to become a drudgery simply b/c I didn't have the energy to put into it (ours is in the late evenings - actually means going to bed later.) Oh, and I guess it's really almost 2 months worth of classes, by the time you take all 3. So today I'm leaning towards taking it on the early side. I'm sure I'll be the "youngest" but I feel like having more energy supercedes fitting in. (I should go register now before I change my mind again.) Otherwise I'd be taking some of the classes at about the time you are now, and I'm sure you're glad you aren't taking the classes right now, with baby giving you more of a hard time lately.