Same here. I would have been humiliated had he smashed cake in my face. Neither one of us did any cake smashing and we will soon celebrate 16 years of wedded bliss. 😉

I had a UTI that I didn't feel like cleared up with abx because I was still having the burning sensation. It turned out to be a yeast infection, thanks to the abx.

My advice for new moms wanting to breastfeed is that if they can stick it out for 6 weeks, things will get so much easier. Your supply adjusts, your nipples aren't so sore, baby develops some head control and figures out latching, and you begin to fall into some kind of pattern. But those first 6 weeks can be so hard for a new, tired mom and do require some grit and determination. And I think new moms ought to warned that it is hard, but that it does get easier.

I am skeptical that a one time purchase of a breast pump or supplies is as profitable as a year or more of formula. And at any time, a breastfeeding mother can decide (or need) to switch to formula, but the reverse is never true. You get one shot at breastfeeding, and if new moms don't find the support or resources they need to a establish a breastfeeding relationship, formula becomes the only option.

TBH, I am thinking of a lot of online conversations on parenting forums (that I don't frequent anymore) because my own personal experience has been very positive. My mom, sisters and SILs all breastfed, along with a lot of other people in my life. But I also knew/know a lot of people who used formula. I grew up knowing they were both acceptable options. My SIL successfully breastfed her kids (ages 12 - 20+) but she commented that growing up she literally did not know anyone who breastfed. And she was an army brat and lived in a lot of places. I think just being exposed to other moms breastfeeding does a lot to normalize it, so I applaud these women who fight for the right to breastfeed in public. (Somehow in my 8 years of bfing I have been lucky and never had anyone say anything to me besides light-hearted jabs by siblings for bfing to age 2. )

While scientists are no longer saying that formula is better than breast milk, we are still dealing with the consequences from the fallen breastfeeding rates that occurred because of it. There are a lot of women who literally don't know other people who have breastfed, or who are feeling pressure from their partner, parents or inlaws to bottle feed "so they can be involved." These women don't have examples to look to or support from people around them and that really affects a woman's ability to be successful. I feel like for some women they do kind of have to adopt a "Nazi" like stance (I hate that term) in order to be successful breastfeeding because they are on their own, surrounded by naysayers.

People comment about those sleepiness newborn nights like it's the worst. If my foggy, sleep-deprived brain remembers correctly, I could actually sleep then and it felt restful, even if it was just in small chunks. The "sleep" I am getting now is not at all restful.

I did run out and buy some unisom today. I have never taken a sleep aid, besides melatonin. Melatonin makes me feel weird so I don't take that either. But I am willing to try some unisom. Crossing my fingers for tonight.

So I bought some "Heartburn Relief" by Enzymedica that the lady at Sprouts said would do the same thing -- create a barrier. I have taken it at night before bed and it hasn't really helped. 😒 ETA: Okay, just looked that up and it's very different from what I am taking. maybe I will try that.

I have a bottle of generic prilosec that I tried for a few days. It takes my restless legs from restless to full on spasms. It was awful. I tried it again this pregnancy, having forgotten that side effect in my previous pregnancy. It's not worth it for me. I do have a wedge pillow that I have tried. My reflux gurgles up in the day time when I am standing up. The wedge pillow didn't do anything for me. I am taking a really good b complex vitamin right now (amongst other things). I don't know about my iron levels. My midwife mentioned that my platelet levels were really good. (Does that have anything to do with iron?) And I started taking a dessicated liver supplement a while back.

I think I have tried everything. Apple cider vinegar shots, baking soda and water, lemon water, etc. Nothing helps for more than an hour or two. *Sigh* I think I have permanent esophagus damage at this point.

Oh man, that sounds brutal. This pregnancy has been so hard and so exhausting that DH is finally making "that" appointment and keeping it, thus removing the possibility of having another baby. One of my grandmothers had 3 (of her 10) babies in her 40s, the last at 49. I just can not wrap my head around that at all. I think I would die.

For sure. I have several family members with sleep apnea that use those CPAP machines. So far, my snoring has always gone away immediately upon birth. So I am hoping for that again. I am just chronically congested enough that I can't breathe through my nose, especially at night. I tried the nose strips and they were annoying and didn't help.

I am on my 2nd bottle of papaya enzymes. I wake up in the night with stomach acid washing back up my throat. I take several chewable papaya enzymes and/or some other "natural" heartburn remedy and it gets me another hour or so of sleep. I bought a wedge pillow a couple months ago and didn't feel like it was all that helpful either. I think that flap that is supposed to hold acid down has just ceased working altogether.

I don't mean to scare anyone. But people I have talked to seem to think it's harder as we get older. My oldest sister (who was old enough to remember) said she remembers my mom being exhausted with her last pregnancy. She was also my age with #7. I have assumed this is mostly age related. I have 2 different magnesium supplements I take, plus a spray for my legs that I use at night. I added a potassium supplement a couple weeks ago, and I do think that has helped a lot.

So far my blood pressure has been fine at every visit.

I've tried to go swimming at the gym. My midwife thinks the exercise will help with the restless legs and at this point, walking hurts everything. I enjoy swimming and feel like it helps with the swelling. But mustering the energy and time to do that has been hard. I've only been swimming a few times. I know I should do it more. My gestational diabetes test at 28 weeks was great. My 2 (or 3?) hour number was like 86.

Thank you. I have tried a couple different OTC heartburn medications, but they put my restless legs into hyperdrive. Like AWFUL. And I am taking a dessicated liver supplement and b complex. I've never taken unisom, but will look into that.

I think this is normal. I keep telling myself this is normal and that giving birth will cure me. But sometimes I wonder if this is normal. I am 37 weeks along with number 7. I turn 39 in a couple months. And Oh. My. Gosh. I am so tired. I know it's because I am not sleeping well. I have restless legs and heartburn and chronic congestion which makes me snore like a bear so I am up all night. I takes a long time to fall asleep, and once I am asleep I am still up every hour or so. I have to lay down and nap several times a day, but my daytime naps are about as effective as my nighttime sleep, so I never fully feel rested. I have pretty much given up on homeschooling this week and I think maybe I will just call it good for the year. I barely have the energy for the other basic household and mothering tasks. Reassure me that this will get better. Tell me that birth will cure me. Tell me I am just too old. 😩 (FWIW, any blood work I have had done has not come back with anything concerning.)

I would have liked it better had I known going into it that they strayed so far from reality in the movie. I thought it was going to be more non-fiction than Broadway musical. Afterwards I was googling what was based on real-life and what wasn't. It bothered me a lot the way they portrayed Barnum's relationship with Jenny Lind. Apparently that almost-affair never happened, so why make it up? That bothered me the most.

A couple years ago DD's face collided with a cousin's head. Her nose was immediately very obviously broken. Once it started to swell it was harder to tell, but it was crooked. I took her to an after hours urgent care. They sent me to ER. The ER told us that standard care was to wait and fix it later if it was crooked. That seemed awful at the time. I've seen those movies where they pop broken noses back into place. That's what I was fully expecting them to do! But we left without them doing anything. I was annoyed the urgent Care sent us to the ER in the first place. But, DD's nose healed and it wasn't crooked at all. Not even a little bit. So she didn't need any follow up treatment.

I can't go barefoot at all. But I also hate putting shoes on. So I have several pairs of vionic flip flops that I wear religiously at home. I bought insoles for all my shoes or quit wearing the ones that didn't have support.

I am embarrassed to admit that I used to make these. DH introduced them to me when we first got married. I don't remember disliking them though. I haven't bought them in over a decade, but I'd like to think my culinary skills have improved and that our palates have been refined enough over the course of our marriage that this canned chow mein would no longer be edible. 😂 (Says the pregnant woman who craves a good bowl of 10 cent Ramen now and then. 😶)

Sadly, I have been running the a/c the last few days. It's been hot. I have several window fans and as long as the night temps get cool enough, I can cool the house down at night and close the windows in the morning. But we've already already had some days in the high 90s. And I pregnant so my comfort takes priority. 😅

Left to Tell The Hiding Place Movies-- 12 Years a Slave, Schindler's List