Dr Visit #2

Yesterday was our second appointment and was supposed to be the busiest appointment until the last month or so. I expected many tests and questions, but honestly, I don't feel like we did that much.
I was given an exam, a cell sample was taken and I had a breast exam. We listened to the heartbeat and discussed medicines I was taking and genetic disorders. Then before I knew it, I was peeing in a cup and it was over!
The exam part for me was kind of scary because I had actually never had a gynecological exam before. I guess I missed that part of young adulthood somehow. It didn't hurt and it wasn't really uncomfortable--my doctor had a pre-warmed speculum--but I still went home feeling a little...violated. I am trying to reconcile this feeling with the fact that it was a necessary procedure and part of the pregnancy, but I still feel a little off.
Luckily, Gavin is very sweet and has been so supportive. He has been with me at almost every doctor appointment so far and has plans to keep coming. :)
My next appointment is in about 4 weeks and it'll be right after the baby shower. We PROBABLY won't be able to tell if it's a male or female yet, but I'm not worried about it. I'm excited to see how much our baby has grown.

What to buy when you're expecting

This is the question that I have been pondering lately.

I'm sure the almighty Google could answer it for me, but I have a hard time trusting random sites on the internet, even the ones that are teeming with experienced moms. Often the older mothers will have an "it worked for me" attitude about outdated practices and products that are now considered dangerous to infants. I have been toeing the water of registries but I really have no idea what to put on them.

My mom has seemed to put it in the best way: "Babies don't need as much as we like to buy."

Well, I never planned on going all-out and buying every gadget intended to make my baby an infinitesimal amount more intelligent. I plan on buying the necessities (diapers, wipes, stroller, car seat, crib, etc.) and maybe a few extras--I don't want my kid to think I'm holding out on him or her--but it's completely overwhelming to think about what all of the basics entail. Are these expensive diapers really that much better than the store brand? Am I wasting money by not using cloth? Are these wipes going to cause a rash? Can I even lift this stroller? Which car seat is going to be the safest but also the easiest to use? IS THIS CRIB LEGAL!?!

Technology and safety regulations are constantly updating and recalls are being put out on all kinds of products meant for infant/child use. How does anyone know what is even safe to buy?

I keep hoping that the further along I am, the more instincts will kick in. But the fact of the matter is, there's no instinct that tells you which car seat is the best. You can do research and look up specs and ask your friends which worked best for them, but every family is different and until you know what your needs are going to be, you kind of have to wing it. 

This morning my MIL offered to buy us a travel system. Her hairdresser had told her that it was a godsend to be able to take the seat out of the car and snap it into the stroller. I recall my step-mom and dad having a similar system for my younger siblings. However, I have a friend on Facebook who is constantly posting about car seats and when I asked her advice, she suggested it would save money to buy a car seat that "grows" with your child and adjusts with each stage to fit up to 100 lbs. I didn't even know these existed! She also suggested ditching the idea of a stroller in general for a more hands-on approach: baby carrying.

That has been an idea that I've been pretty adamant about since my best friend had her baby. It seems comforting for my baby to be able to feel me at all times while we are out. But I'm aware that it won't always be me carrying my baby and not everyone who will be taking care of him or her throughout infancy will be so willing to strap a baby on their back (or front). So now it's pretty clear I'm going to be buying a stroller, but not one that comes with a car seat. 

At least, that's the tentative plan. This has only been a couple hours of thinking on the subject and there's so much more I can learn about it. 

Knowing that all of that is just about the stroller and car seat and that I have about a dozen other essentials I will need to get is causing some major anxiety in this mama. Advice is appreciated but I can't guarantee it will be ultimately followed.