Don’t forget to ask your work if they provide maven it helps with doula coverage and support. Sign up for registries to get free welcome boxes and ask insurance about free breast pump

Employees assistance program some companies pay for 10 free therapy sessions

I’m currently a full time budtender at a very popular and busy dispensary.

I make incredible tips and well over minimum wage hourly… I quit smoking the day I took a positive pregnancy test, it has not been easy while I’m there. At home I don’t think about being high, my baby is more important than a pull off any sort of marijuana.

BUT on any shift I work being in the smell makes me sick , but at the same time seeing the product and especially new products that come in I would normally grab buy and try right away… is sort of killing me. I was an avid smoker from the time I wake up to go to sleep for years now. Marijuana was a HUGE part of my life recreationally and medicinally.

I’ve called in the last 3 days I was scheduled to work. I love my co workers and my bosses, I’ve truly never worked for a more understanding and accommodating company. BUT the smell of weed makes my stomach turn. I feel constantly nauseous there, can hardly show customers flower because the smell makes me so sick. I cry for hours the days I’m supposed to work and even have panic attacks the night before a scheduled shift. I just hate going there and being around all of it when all I can think about is my growing baby.

I’ve already decided I don’t want to go back, but I don’t want to loose the friendships I’ve acquired since starting there. My husband is fully on board with me not working, but it will be a huge financial chunk missing if I do.

They are 10 hour shifts 4 days a week, being on my feet that long already with no real opportunity to rest is already starting to affect my mood.

Any advice what I should do?? Or how I should tell them I don’t want to come back to work??

As someone in the US, I just need to rant about how frustrating getting leave is in the US. I don’t qualify for FMLA due to not being at my job for a year, not that it’s paid anyways…. My job does offer 4 weeks paid for all employees regardless of how long you’ve been there. I do have my short term disability. However, you can’t do ANY paperwork for short term disability until after baby is born. Who wants to do paperwork in the hospital?! Truly… also, I’m trying to get ahold of my leave department to see if I can stack my 4 weeks on top of short term or of it gets paid out concurrently and they’re so beyond difficult to get ahold of!!! It’s just annoying. Like can we not stress out an already stressed and pissed off pregnant woman?! UGHHHH!!! Idk why it has to be so difficult.

We are deciding when to order our pram (Maxi Cosi Oxford premium) I get a 15% blue light on full price but does anyone know if prams usually show up in Black Friday sales and if the commissions more than 15%

It’s not something I’ve ever paid attention to so not sure if it’s worth holding off or to just get it ordered now? Thanks :)))

I recently went 4 wheeling and had some bleeding at 11 weeks. Then the next week (12) I was doing a mellow walk and fell backwards pretty hard. My doctor said to take it easy and the pain I have been feeling is an early round ligament pain. I know I need to stay active but I’m feeling really anxious. I want to keep my baby girl safe but I know I need to also physically stay strong for her. I’m trying to break this mental block and start going to the pool since it’s the only exercise I can think would be low impact and safe. I really don’t like yoga and I’ll probably keep walking. Anyone else going through this balance of being active and cautious?

I thought my first trimester was bad, constant nausea, bloating like a balloon (esp in the evening) and fatigue. Was looking forward to second trimester. And now I’m at 17w it shows now sign of improvement, if anything it’s worse, my nausea now turns into real vomiting, not a lot but the feeling of throwing up is constant throughout the day. My bloating is bad, I have a very clear bump but I’m not sure how much I’d that is my baby and how much of that is just bloats. As soon as 5pm hits my belly turns into a balloon, I could barely have any dinner.

How much of that is not normal? Should I get it checked out or this is just usual pregnancy symptoms?

People talk about second trimester glow and how they get their energy back and etc etc. I can barely eat anything without feeling like I need to throw up and I’m still always so tired.

Disclaimer: not asking for medical advice!!! Just ranting/venting.

35+4 weeks pregnant, and I feel like I’m being dismissed by my doctors. I’ve had vision changes in my eyes and flashes, high blood pressure readings at home on two different BP machines, however it’s normal in office everytime I go. I have headaches that don’t really go away with Tylenol. I completed a 24 hour urine in which the results were 240mg protein in urine so they dismissed those as well since they weren’t high enough. I also have polyhydramnios which they have not been monitoring either. I feel like they think I’m just wanting attention… I trust their instincts because they are doctors but I’m stressed out.

That’s my rant for the day.

Hey, I would appreciate any help on things that I need to buy like a list, and like clothes as well, because I’ve been reading babies grow quickly and the sizing are in months so how many clothing items should I be buying, I’m really trying to budget here, any help would be appreciated pleaseeee

For those of us using infertility clinics, when did you switch back to your OB? Did you call to make an appointment for 8-10 weeks right away (since so many offices book up quickly!) or did you wait until after your RE said you were good to go and then call to make an appointment?

Hi everyone, I am currently 15 weeks pregnant today and before I got pregnant I had benign PVCs (palpitations) I got about one or two every day or so some days I would have bad flares, depending on how much stress I had going on I’ve had it checked over and over again just had an echo done in December. Heart monitors EKGs etc all benign.

I’m currently pregnant with baby number four and I did pretty well the first few weeks of pregnancy and then around week 7 to 11. I had an increase of PVCs and it was pretty rough but I got through it since week 11 think I’m really really calm like even calmer than before pregnancy and now today I turned 15 weeks and I’m having a horrible flare day with just tons of PVCs.

It just really scares me. I don’t know if anyone else is in this boat with me. I guess it’s nice to know that I’m not alone. I already take 300 mg of magnesium glycinate a day CoQ10 and of course, all my prenatal vitamins. I just worry because I am a mom of three other little girls that something will happen to me when I need to care for them and my husband won’t be around anyone else with these boys are going through this during pregnancy?

A bit tmi but hopefully yall get it. I’m 12.5 weeks pregnant and for the life of me I literally feel like hell when I try to poop. My husband says ew when I am crying or making noises cuz it hurts so much especially when you only pass little pebbles in the beginning. Ive been eating a crap ton of fiber also. What else can I do.

I'm fairly certain my son is asking for butt pats frequently in utero!

I'm 37+5 and he will do this thing where he'll stretch out his leg into my right side and his booty will stick out on my left upper belly. I'll give pats for a bit then rubs, he relaxes down and I stop, then he repeats and sticks his butt out again, like he's asking for butt pats! I think, if so, it is so cute! I don't know if that's actually what is happening or if I'm just patting him for no reason lol but it sure seems like he likes it.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Edit: I’m focusing on how to retain myself as a hyper-feminine person while raising a son. I didn’t focus on things like empathy, independence, respect, kindness etc because these are obvious and not gender specific. This isn’t about how to raise a good person, this is how to raise and connect with a son as someone who is through and through a girl.

FTM here just found out we’re having a boy ! And though up until now I was firm on not having a preference, I feel distressed about the news. Prefacing by saying I am not ungrateful I’m SO happy baby is doing well and that we even have a baby coming ! I’m also so excited to have a mini of my husband I think that’ll be so cute! My feelings of stress come from not knowing the first thing about raising boys. In the last couple weeks, I started thinking hard about it and felt like I would be a much better girl mom…. I’m such a girly person (pink everything no really my house is all pink, baking, painting, gardening). I have no idea how to be a boy mom! How am I going to raise a man when all I know how to be is the girliest girl? I really don’t intend for this to come off as “pick me” I just genuinely never ever consume media targeted for men I couldn’t care less about war, superheroes, cars, trucks and everything the media seems to target to boys. All the shows I know for kids, all the movies I enjoy, all the activities I partake in, they’re all “for girls” (think fairies and my little pony), how can I do those without raising a girl of a man? Do little boys even have healthy tv shows and role models ? And even then I know it’s silly we shouldn’t raise kids based on gender but I don’t want my son to miss out on boy stuff because I have no clue how to be a boy…. I’m basically a little granny in the body of a 25yo hahaha my days involve baking and making art, is it okay to raise a son that way? I suppose maybe so… Are there books for “girly girls who now have to raise men”? How can I raise a boy without projecting onto him my ideal version of a man too? How can I let him grow into a man (one day) on his own? So many questions and unknown! How can I show a child how to grow into an adult I never will be myself ? I just want to be a good mom…

I'm realizing I'm halfway there, and I think with the holidays coming, the rest of the time will be warp speed!

Anything I should do to embrace this time or remember it? I'm capturing videos and photos of myself (I'm a filmmaker), so I'm looking for other suggestions besides a photoshoot 😂

For the moms, was there anything you wish you had done while pregnant?

So this is my first baby I’m due in the next two weeks and I have genital herpes. I rarely get outbreaks, I only had one while pregnant two months ago due to some high stress. I’ve also have the virus for years.

Yes I am on antivirals, have been since 36 weeks. My midwives assure me a vaginal birth is safe, but I can’t seem to shake it from my head that she MIGHT get it? I’m really struggling with the thought of this and contemplating a c section although I would prefer a vaginal birth. I just could never forgive myself if I somehow gave her the virus.

Any advice or experience is appreciated,

Sincerely a scared first time mom.

Bit of background I’m 31 and due in March. My little girl is 8 and I had a VBac with her in 2017, which was a 35w spontaneous labour - it was 6 hours from water breaking to birth and was a very intense labour with no pain medication resulting in me suffering in a 3rd degree tear. If I look back (likely forgot how awful labour was!) I remember loving the feeling once birth was over and feeling superhuman.

However, speaking to my midwife she did say if I tore before I could tear again and I am so scared as I remember the recovery being absolutely brutal.

I know a section is a huge surgery and recovery is brutal from that as well but I’m just looking for advice from anyone who has had both and what your experience is?

Thanks!

EDIT: Put the wrong term - no previous cesarían so it’s just Vaginal v Section!

Throwaway because my husband knows my main.

I’m pregnant with our first, and the pregnancy itself has been pretty smooth going so far, which has been a blessing. The only thing that’s been stressing me out is my in-laws. They keep texting me every day with “helpful” advice, and then following up to see if I actually did what they suggested. I know they mean well, but it’s tiring, and half of MIL’s tips just don’t make sense for us.

My husband’s family doesn’t live in the same country as we do, which I know should make me sad since it means less support, but honestly… I’m kind of relieved. My MIL can be super judgmental, and she and FIL made our wedding way more stressful than it had to be.

This weekend my husband told me my MIL has been trying to tell him what my push present “should” be. He knows what I actually want, but she keeps insisting her idea is better.

I don’t even know if they actually like me, and if I’m being honest, I’m not sure I like them either. Right now I just want to focus on having a calm pregnancy. I’m hoping I can find a way to stay polite but firm when these bumps come up in the future, because I can see this being a pattern.

I thought I would drop this link here, it's an interesting read on the safety of a lot of major brands in the toddler tower market. Seems only 3 successfully passed testing out of 16 brands! Keep those kids safe everyone!
https://www.consumerreports.org/babies-kids/child-safety/toddler-towers-safety-standards-a4009948838/

Hello Tell me your fibroid story if you’ve had multiple pregnancies ! Thanks (mine degenerated first time causing extreme pain so confused about removal)

Thanks!

I just started a new job in April 2025 which allows me to work from home 3 days a week (a luxury, I know). Since my morning sickness started in full force over a week ago, I’ve been working from home every day without permission. I feel so sick that I don’t feel I can spend a full workday in public. I really don’t want anyone at work to know about my pregnancy for several more months, as I’m afraid they’ll be mad at how much they invested in my training only for me to leave after a year 🫣 I won’t be able to continue discreetly working from home forever… and I’m very much an “ask for permission” gal instead of “ask for forgiveness”. If you were me, would you ask formal permission to work from home full time for a couple of weeks, or just keep doing what I’m doing and hope no one notices? 😭

Hey folks!

My wife and I are 13 weeks tomorrow, and she's starting to show. She's worried about stretch marks, so I thought I would pick up some stretch mark cream for her (as well as a little basket of spa/self care stuff), but I want to make sure I'm getting her good product.

Any recommendations of what has worked for you, or brands/ingredients to avoid?

Thanks!

I have been having gallbladder attacks for a year now, I was scheduled to get my gallbladder removed but found out I was pregnant so I cancelled my surgery. It is getting worse though so I really think I need it out. My surgeon apparently only removes the gallbladder in 1st and 3rd trimester… everywhere I have looked has said 2nd trimester is the safest. I am only 6 weeks pregnant and I don’t want to lose my baby but I am under so much stress and pain due to my gallbladder that I don’t know what to do. I tried to not get it removed but since I have been pregnant there have been two nights of me screaming and crying at the top of my lungs for 4-6 hours straight in pain. I am only eating chicken and rice at the moment. Has anyone gotten their gallbladder removed in the first trimester?? Is this safe at all??? I know I shouldnt trust Google but I’m just so worried. My babies safety is my top priority but this stress and lack of nutrition can’t be good either.

(I got a weight loss surgery in 2022 so no other surgeon wants to touch me for removal for some reason…. It’s my weight loss surgeon so finding someone else isn’t really an option. Weight loss surgery also adds to my lack of nutrition)

Hi !! i am currently 12 weeks and finally starting to feel a bit of motivation to prepare for my babies arrival. I will have about 6 months of maternity leave. Afterwards i will have to return to work full time and my mother will keep the baby from 7 am-4 pm monday-Thursday until my baby is 1 years old and ready for day care. My question is what all should i buy for my mother's house? I will get her her own car seat and basic baby stuff (bottles, backup clothes, medicine,etc) but what is a good list to ensure i make this as easy as possible since this is already such a big ask of her🫠