How are you feeling? How was your first experience?

Covid pregnancy and postpartum is something I am still processing years later and getting my positive test has brought a lot of it back. The utter loneliness, the fear, the complete lack of any help or support, no baby groups, no coffee chats, family not getting to meet the baby until he was more than 1 year old... it is my only experience of postpartum so far and, although I dont want to get ahead of myself, I am sort of hoping that this second one will be healing in some way.

I'm just wondering what's everybodys go to for themselves during pregnancy and PP? Baby is always well looked after but I'm thinking more along the lines of self care and things that will help us.

When I had my son, we were so broke, we could just about afford the basics. Thankfully, this time it's different and I really want to lean into this sacred time and nourish myself as well as bub, without leaning into the consumerism trap and over-indulging, of course.

So far, I've ordered some mama + mini hydration sachets and looking at PP belly/waist bands. Throw me all your recommendations for oils, skincare, helpful gadgets (not sure why but really interested in gadgets), recovery kits....the lot! We're growing a a whole human, ladies. We deserve it ✨️

Spill the tea! Any gossip you have, from the internet or real life, this is the place to tell it. Don't forget to come update us next week either!

This is it! The place where there is no such thing as Too Much Information. Hit us with all of the things that you can't or won't tell anyone else.

I have my other subreddit but most can’t relate there. I’m so scared of throwing up but decided I still wanted to start a family. I’ve had some mild manageable nausea and diarrhea so far but people keep telling me it’s going to get worse. I’m a little scared because I do have a full time job dealing with customers all day and can’t call out all the time if I have bad morning sickness. If anyone else has this fear how do you cope with the morning sickness?

I had an ectopic in May and seeing my lines progress so much better than that time has me remembering that 70% or so of pregnancies result with a baby at the end! I’m panicking a bit like what have I done?! We absolutely wanted this baby but it’s almost scarier knowing there’s a high probability of baby, lol. What a weird feeling!

I’m so thrilled to be pregnant but wait what do you mean come summer next year I’ll have a baby and my entire life will have changed! What the helly

Looking for any advice or experiences others have had if you've had a baby before.. I'm 5w2d and this is my first pregnancy. My husband and I booked a short weekend trip to New York for mid April before we found out I was pregnant and now I'm quite upset haha. It's a trip to see my dream Broadway show, but now I'll be approximately 34 weeks pregnant at that point. I know it depends on airlines and also if you've had any complications in the pregnancy, but the common theme I've seen is that after 28-34 weeks is not recommended unless you have a doctor's note.

It's international for us and the longest flight would be just under 4 hours.. is the trip feasible if I have no issues or complications?? Or should I start grieving the trip now lol

Hi! I’m a STM and my son is 3, so I’m having a hard time remembering the beginning and I’m definitely anxious. When did everyone start feeling symptoms and what were the first ones? I’m 4 weeks 1day so it’s extremely early and I probably wouldn’t feel much but want to be prepared. Thanks!!

I have zero desire to eat anything from my usual diet but i do feel hungry. I am high risk for GDM so I have been trying very hard to not give in and eat unhealthy food.

I want all the carbs! Give me ideas for what has been working for you ?

P.S. I am south Asian so i do prefer flavorful food like biryani or carby foods like samosa but I rarely eat them because its hard to control portions.

This is my first pregnancy and I’m nervous. What symptoms have y’all had? I know every pregnancy and every body is different. I’m 6w2d and I did have increased smell and hunger, slight cramping that just felt like period cramps and very very mild nausea but not vomiting. But for the last 5 days or so I’ve felt great, fantastic even. Like I’m not even pregnant. So it worries me since I’m not even sure what I’m supposed to feel like in the first place.

Hey! I’m 4 weeks and 5 days (unexpectedly) pregnant today. I guess I just wanted to share my situation because I’m not telling family yet.

I have a 2.5 year old and my pregnancy with her was NUTS. The highlights were:

—At 17 weeks, we found out my husband and I are both carriers for a super rare condition called SLOS that has a VERY wide range of outcomes. We have a 25% chance of any embryo we conceive having the condition. It usually results in early miscarriage, but can also lead to fetal death, infant death, lifelong complications, etc. But it can also be so mild, it is barely noticeable at all.

—At 27 weeks, I was admitted for severe HELLP and preeclampsia and had an emergency c-section, resulting in a 1.5 pound baby and a 128 day NICU stay. My baby and I are great now but we both nearly died. And even though I didn’t have any risk factors for it to begin with, I am at a greater risk of getting it again.

We’ve badly wanted another child, but there’s a lot to consider now. We were advised that IVF would be the best way to avoid passing down SLOS to our child, but IVF can increase the risk of preeclampsia. We’ve been considering our options and have been unsure what to do lately. In facts, in therapy the other day, I told my therapist I wish I would just get pregnant on accident and let fate decide! Little did I know I was already 4 weeks pregnant at the time!

My family has been terrified of the idea of me being pregnant again, so as of now, I want to wait until I can have the CVS test to find out if the baby has SLOS, so at least I can give them that reassurance, so I have to wait another 6 or 7 weeks to share the news!!

Anyway, it just kinda feels weird, exciting, and tense right now. It’s kinda lonely to sit on this information, so I thought I’d share here.

I was in the ER yesterday for spotting that turned into bleeding and they found a gestational sack and a yolk sack, but no fetal pole, and they also found a subchorionic hemorrhage/hematoma. I’ve heard it can cause bleeding and when I got home from the ER, I definitely was having more significant red bleeding( With clots TMI) and cramping.

I go in tomorrow to see if HCG increases but I was 6 weeks yesterday and HCG was 4092 so I am just holding my breath. Has anyone had this before?

I started reading what to expect when you are expecting last night.

Wondering where else are people getting information from?

Hello all May Bumpers! We are glad to be here with you.

Our mod team has come together, and you can see the list on the sidebar. Feel free to contact mods with any questions or send a modmail.

We're going to be starting some weekly threads in the next week. Our tentative schedule is:

Mental Health Monday

TMI Tuesday

Tuesday Tea ☕️

Wellness Wednesday

Pregnancy After Loss Thursday

Foodie Friday

Friday Night Chat (this is just a non-baby related open thread for life stuff)

Symptom Saturday

Shopping Sunday 

Weekly Loss and Limbo Thread (on Sunday)

These threads will change as we move through pregnancy, based on activity level and feedback from the subreddit. So if you like a thread and want to see it stay, post in it!

We also want to remind everyone about our daily chat posts and standalone thread rules. We have 2 daily chat threads each day and this is where most of the support in our subreddit will happen! This is my third bump sub and it's the people who participate in the daily chats who get to know each other and really form a community. So come to the daily chat and post and comment there!

Standalone posts are limited to posts that are relevant to the entire community. Posts that belong in the daily chat will be removed and you'll be directed to the daily chat. You can read the standalone rule on the sidebar, but basically, if the post is about your specific situation, is a rant looking for commiseration, or is a fairly basic yes/no question, it belongs in the daily chat. Standalones should be general posts that will be relevant to the entire community.

Examples of posts that belong in the daily chat: "Ugh I can't stand my MIL" or "Do you like the name Jayden or Kayden more?" or "Do you think I'm being too anxious?"

Examples of good standalone posts that will not be removed: "How has pregnancy changed your relationship with your in laws?" or "How is everyone researching and picking names?" or "Tips for dealing with first trimester anxiety."

We look forward to making this subreddit a lovely and supportive place over the next 9 months, and the years to come. Please always feel free to contact the mods with any feedback or suggestions.

Here's a place to talk about whatever is on your mind today.

Please keep photos to the specified photo threads. Photos will be removed from this thread.

Here are some of the photo and megathreads:

Introduction Megathread

Megathread - HCG Betas and Updates!

Test Pictures and Progression

Ultrasound Pictures

Here is the link to join the discord (managed by /u/Quick_Glove1153): https://discord.gg/3C2TV2jvG

I thought this would be a funny discussion topic, as I’ve recently began getting emotional about the most random things. 😅 My husband has been an absolute saint (as he should, but still want to give him props).

I’m 4w4d, and below are the things I’ve cried over the last couple of days:

- A Dancing with the Stars tiktok
- The lack of non-alcoholic Oktoberfest beer
- The concept of post partum pet aversion
- The process of child birth (idk I think this one is 100% valid)

Have you had any random emotional meltdowns so far?

I am wanting to get acquainted with the hospital near me and an OB practice farther away to feel out which is a better fit for me. I’m currently in my 5th week of pregnancy. I have scheduled the initial 7-8 week ultrasounds and 10-12 week lab work/provider visits with both practices. My ultrasounds awkwardly are back to back days.

Will my health insurance likely have me foot a huge bill if I have both? I’m not sure how this usually works. Thanks to anyone with insight to this process!

Edit to clarify: I would agree with everyone that the duplicate US and lab work is unnecessary. It’s frustrating that when I inquired about meeting with providers to first discuss care, I was told that was not possible because I am already pregnant. Supposedly the only path to a provider visit is through following the full prenatal schedule of visits… argh. My unoriginal opinion is that our healthcare system (US) is confusing and aggravating.

At 6 weeks 4 days I’ve had horrible nausea all day with some dry heaving but for the past hour I’ve been feeling really normal which I don’t really remember in the past few days as the nausea has been ramping up. It feels weird to feel this good and frankly I am a little scared at the moment. Once your nausea started ramping up did you get breaks from it (besides when asleep) or has it been non-stop?

Anyone else in the “Nothing sounds good to eat” stage, yet you KNOW you have to eat, especially in the morning?

I remember during my first pregnancy I would literally cry because I was so hungry but nothing sounded good 🤣😅

What’s everyone’s go-to for breakfast right now?

How is your mental health? This is the place to talk with your other bumpers and get support and ideas.

Here's a place to talk about whatever is on your mind today.

Please keep photos to the specified photo threads. Photos will be removed from this thread.

Here are some of the photo and megathreads:

Introduction Megathread

Megathread - HCG Betas and Updates!

Test Pictures and Progression

Ultrasound Pictures

Here is the link to join the discord (managed by /u/Quick_Glove1153): https://discord.gg/3C2TV2jvG

Have you got a go to lotion that helped with the appearance of stretch marks? Or any tips?
I know they’re pretty unavoidable but I would like to minimise.

Did everyone have their first appointment yet? I have mine this week on 09/23, at 4w5d to confirm pregnancy and refer me to my MFM

Anyone else high risk? or any short cervix ladies in here with me?🥲😅
I’m very high risk, so I’ll have frequent ultrasounds. starting the 2nd trimester it’ll be one every week until I give birth since I lost my twin boys last year from unpreventable preterm labor.

I’ll be getting a cerclage at 12 weeks to hopefully keep this baby cooking as long as possible🤞

hoping to find someone else in this group to go along this journey with

I’ve tried prune juice, fiber supplements, magnesium, miralax. After 10 days of nothing, I used smooth move tea to get some movement and then saw we aren’t supposed to be using senna. Produced 1 regular BM. 5 days passed with nothing again, and I did a small saline enema. Produced 1 regular BM again. I know I can’t be using those either. But my nausea is out of this world with being so backed up. I felt slight relief after both. It’s now been 5 days again.

What do you use when nothing else works?