Posts by feralmoose32

Jerry Bailey47 said:I’m honestly reaching my breaking point with this one friend—she is constantly rubbing our stroller purchase in our faces just because we spent a premium on it. 🙄 No matter what we’re talking about—whether it's iPhones, dinner plans, or vacation spots—somehow the conversation pivots back to our stroller and its price tag. It’s bizarre. And if we even dare to mention that something else is expensive or that we have a bill to pay, her immediate response is always some variation of, "Well, you shouldn't complain, considering how much you dropped on those strollers." 😠 Between the sheer annoyance and my pregnancy hormones, I am hovering dangerously close to telling her to take a hike if she brings up those wheels one more time!!!! 🙂

What do you think will happen when I mention I'm planning to use a private hospital for delivery? 😬
It'll probably be just as pointless as the stroller thing—she'll likely say there are plenty of public hospitals available if I really wanted to, or that it’s just such an unnecessary expense... 🙄
I mean, why does it concern them so much?
I really can't stand it when people act like they're auditing my bank account while they're sitting there drowning in credit card debt from their own car payments, furniture, summer trips, and ski vacations. 🤮

In our family, we usually keep First Communion celebrations pretty low-key—just a small gathering with grandma, grandpa, and myself as the aunt... we’ll put together a nice, festive lunch, but we don't really do gifts.
I've actually never been invited to a First Communion celebration before 🤷

Confirmation is handled a bit more broadly within the family circle—so, grandma (even though she doesn't live with them), my dad's brother and sister with their families, plus the godparents, both the baptismal and the confirmation ones
This coming spring, my husband is going to be the godfather for our young nephew, and I am just so thrilled that he was the one chosen for the role... we're planning to just ask him what he'd like for a gift instead of guessing

Kate James said:Yesterday, my husband ran into an old childhood friend of his, who happened to be there with her kid. During our chat, he casually mentioned we’re expecting, and she immediately started grilling us about when the wedding is and what kind of ceremony we're planning. 🙄
We’ve decided to just tell everyone to check back with us in the year 2050 at the local nursing home; they'll be officially invited then. 😁

It isn't just you, either—other women in similar situations deal with this too—so I really don't see why everyone gets so worked up about it. 🤷
Ultimately, it's your call whether you want to tie the knot now, wait until after the baby arrives, or just skip the whole ceremony entirely.
The reality is that we still live in a pretty traditional society, and people are always going to have these kinds of questions...

David Thomas362 said:Oh, wow!!!😂😂😂😂
We're staying completely silent about the name because I still haven't made up my mind. My mother-in-law asked us YET AGAIN if we'd picked anything, adding that she thinks everyone knows except for her. 🙄
It really bugs me how she keeps poking at us; it feels like she just won't respect our choice to wait until we're absolutely certain before saying anything.

Don't even 😉

We finally told our folks once we actually made a decision, and they were perfectly lovely about it.
The other day they were visiting, and my dad was commenting on how everyone down in Florida is probably going to call him Frank, to which I just replied... well, if I have to correct them every single time, maybe they'll eventually get tired of calling my baby by the wrong name.

And my parents haven't even asked...

shadowfalcon43 said:It honestly drives me crazy that I can't get any actual help here and have to Google every single little thing... and then you just end up falling down these rabbit holes of total nonsense... either things are way too hyped up, or they're absolutely terrifying... or you read some horror story where someone basically drops dead just because they had a little ache on their left or right side.. 🙄I mean, I know I’m probably just making it my own problem... but it’s still so frustrating!

And it really bugs me how jealous I am of my husband... he seems to be doing just fine and nothing about his life has shifted, while I’m over here feeling like a total wreck... one day it’s physical, the next it’s mental... 😁

The only thing that actually gives me any comfort—if you can even call it that—is this constant gurgling, stretching, and twitching in my gut 😍😍

Once the baby arrives, your husband will be the one feeling jealous of you, so it'll be a perfect 1:1 match... 😉

ironjackal20

ironjackal20 said:She’ll adore him too, don't worry, I'm sure of it.
Hopefully things settle down for them so they can have a child of their own... I truly wish that for everyone out there fighting this battle.

Unfortunately, I think their chapter regarding having kids might be closing... she's over 40 now, and after everything they've been through, they seem to have given up.
🤷

hiddenscout362 said:Frank, I honestly think she’s just going to keep dodging you; that’s just the kind of woman she is.

So, who exactly is this guy Shiša?

It’s not like I’m going to be heartbroken or anything... 😬
I just really can't stand having people act all icy and distant around me... 🙂

ironjackal20 said:It's not that I don't love my friends' children with all my heart, but I have found myself in some really awkward situations. My close friends never asked anything, but their other friends would ask these subtle questions that were really bothering me. Usually, I made an effort to visit, just not at the same time as everyone else.

Also, a very dear friend of mine who is single asked her friends with little kids not to invite her to certain gatherings, and they respected that, so she always meets up with the group later.

As for the sister-in-law, look, it isn't easy for her either. Since this is just the internet, I feel silly giving advice, but you've been through everything too, so you know how hard it can be sometimes.

Personally, I don't want anyone asking me about the pregnancy except my husband and my immediate family, and even then, they just ask how I'm doing without getting into details. That works for me, because when everyone starts getting overly euphoric about it, I don't know how I'll manage.🙂

If I hadn't gone through everything myself, I wouldn't truly understand what she's feeling, which is why I don't even hold it against her...

But then again, she's got that four-year-old nephew who she absolutely adores...
And honestly, he's such a little handful too... 🤷

I really am curious to see how she'll act once I actually have the baby... 🍿

ironjackal20 said:Never say never. Try to see things from her perspective. We dealt with infertility for years, and even though we loved seeing other people's kids, there were certain things I just couldn't handle lately, like kids' birthday parties. They were a total nightmare for me. When everyone else has children, you constantly deal with that awkward "So, when is it your turn?" pressure. I handled it by telling everyone I wouldn't be coming anymore because it was just too hard. I'd always send a gift later, but being in a group of twenty couples where everyone has toddlers and then suddenly prying into my private life was too much.
My husband didn't have the guts to be upfront with his friends, so he just made up excuses for why we couldn't make it. I thought it was pointless, but it was his call and I respect that.
Maybe it's just harder for your friend than it is for you, which is why she can't even pick up the phone or send a text. Give her some grace.

In our social circle, the oldest kid is only three and a half, so that first pregnancy announcement happened right as my partner and I started living together seriously—and we already knew we were facing some hurdles...
But through all those five babies born in the meantime, I was genuinely the happiest person on earth! I’ve been hovering over them and showering them with love since day one, and we make sure to show up to every single birthday party with a smile on our faces.
I just processed everything differently in my head, and honestly, I truly enjoy being around those kids.

What touched me most was when a friend was at coffee announcing her latest pregnancy—she kept glancing at me like she was waiting for an apology or something, but I just gave her a huge hug, kissed her, and congratulated her from the bottom of my heart.
I suspect it was actually harder on her than it was on me...😬

By the way, my husband's brother and his wife decided to stop fertility treatments after a few attempts and chose not to have kids at all.
But during family dinners at their parents' place, I realized that my pregnancy isn't even mentioned, which feels... 🤮
Whenever someone asks how everything is going, they're all ears, but the moment we arrive... silence.
I told my husband he really needs to talk to his mom about this, because I shouldn't be the one feeling uncomfortable, and they should just act normal.
And then this past Saturday, after dinner, the questions start flying: "How far along are you now?", "When is your next checkup?", blah blah blah... meanwhile, my sister-in-law is sitting right next to us, buried in a magazine, acting like she can't hear a thing.😬
But I haven't let her get to me for a long time—that's just who she is...😉
The only thing I really care about is making sure the rest of the family doesn't start acting weird toward me just because of her.

feralmoose32 said:I’m pregnant too, and honestly, I’ve been losing my mind for about a week now...
The worst part is that I have a perfectly normal, soft bowel movement every single day—no issues during the actual process, not even an hour or two afterward—but then the burning starts and it drives me absolutely crazy...
At first, I was just using Hemopropin, but since Saturday, I've been using FactSet cream both inside and out, and even that hasn't done much to help...
It takes about five or six hours after using the restroom before things start to settle down, and by the next morning, you'd think nothing ever happened... at least until the next bowel movement comes around in the evening...
I'm just going out of my mind... 🙂

It looks like nobody else is chiming in, so maybe I can offer a little tip—specialized hemorrhoid wipes and some Proktal ointment were absolute lifesavers for me... 🙏

Olivia Sanchez70 said:I completely get where you’re coming from—I really do. I actually called my OB-GYN because I’ve been dealing with the exact same thing while pregnant... they suggested switching between warm and cold compresses and mentioned I could use pretty much any cream as long as it doesn't have corticosteroids in it. For me, lying on my side with a cold compress feels like a lifesaver, and I use some FactSet cream every now and then too. Every morning, I make sure to have about half a cup of yogurt with three teaspoons of ground flaxseeds—just to keep things moving along smoothly so the bathroom trips aren't such an absolute agony. A warm bath can bring some relief, but honestly, it's only helpful while you're actually in there... once you get out, it feels even worse, so maybe skip those. I think I mentioned a certain unusual—and let's face it, awkward—aid in my last post, but I find it helps a bit since it acts like a little internal cold compress and helps everything pass more easily. I truly believe this will clear up for you and you won't need surgery. Hang in there!

I'm also pregnant, and honestly, I've been losing my mind for a week now...
The worst part is that I have a perfectly normal, soft bowel movement every single day without any issues during the actual trip—not even for an hour or two afterward—but then the burning starts and it's just maddening
At first, I was using Hemopropin, but since Saturday, I've been using FactSet cream both internally and externally, and nothing seems to be doing the trick
It takes about five or six hours after leaving the restroom before things start to settle down, and by the next morning, it's like nothing even happened... right up until the next movement in the evening
I am just going crazy here 🙂

The highlights don't actually touch my scalp—though they do apply some kind of glaze afterward—but it doesn't last very long, and I assume it isn't too intense or harsh...
I wasn't exactly one for changing my look back in the fall either, but I'm heading in next week... honestly, even my usual hair ties aren't helping anymore 😬

David Johnson🙏

Unfortunately, the way "natural" and health-conscious pregnant women think—including those of us dealing with IVF or various complications—is worlds apart from their mindset. We are looking at two completely different planets here, so trying to compare us is just... well, it's a bit pointless, really...
They can't wrap their heads around our reality, and honestly, we can't quite grasp theirs either 😉

It’s only fair to generalize a little, much like the comments made above—because that woman who skipped the line? Well, she might have had a very good reason to do so
And for you, judging her... God forbid, but you might find yourself having a similar reason to break the rules down the road. You never truly know what pregnancy has in store for you—one day you feel like a superhero, and the next, you're someone who isn't even allowed out of bed except to use the restroom

Dealing with some pesky hemorrhoids at the moment 🙂
...

Joseph Richardson2 said:Hold on a second, it’s actually the women themselves who hold these views about having girls😲. If this were some old-school, patriarchal sexist guy that nobody could stand, you might almost understand why a little girl would listen to him, but for women to be saying this to other women... specifically about having daughters...😲.

I mean, if they have daughters themselves, what kind of mothers were they to those little girls?
The whole thing is just incredibly sad, truly depressing😢.

Anyway, your husband sounds great; I really dig his way of thinking🤣. And honestly, that advice about the two ears? Absolutely golden😁.

I remember when my sister had her second son, my incredibly dim-witted aunt looked at my five-year-old nephew and said, "Well, you got a brother! Now you'll both have to split the inheritance."

We all just stared at each other in total disbelief... we were completely speechless...

Mind you, this was back in a small rural town in the South, and it was an elderly woman saying it...
Back then, it was probably considered ideal to only have one son and a bunch of daughters, since the girls wouldn't be fighting over the estate—they'd just get a little something for a dowry or whatever... I think that's how things worked back in our grandparents' day...

It's a deal then 😘

I’m all for it!
Can we just make this one big dedicated thread specifically for expectant mothers—pretty please?

🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

Last 😍

Think about it—it’s actually pretty common for more people to end up with salmonella than you might realize...
I mean, the health inspectors aren't exactly going to be hunting down some local lady running a bake sale out of her kitchen just because she served some questionable pastries, right?

The point isn't that the certificate has to come from some big-name, high-end bakery—it can be from any food vendor or establishment, really—it just serves as proof that everything being sold meets all the necessary hygiene and safety standards...

I honestly think we’ve reached a point where no small-time bakery owner is going to take the risk of selling treats without having all their certifications perfectly in order...

Of course, you could always just pick up a few pounds from a commercial supplier and handle the rest through a home kitchen setup—if that's even allowed anymore—🤷

To be fair, I've never actually had anyone ask me to see my paperwork, but if they ever did—well, I'd have been totally covered...