u/-Konstantine-

Pretty sure I’m about to be diagnosed with GD a second time (just waiting on the call). First time was hard, but now I’m a SAHP with a 2.5yo, my mom just had a severe stroke, my husband works nights, and when he is around he’s recovering from an injury. Oh, not to mention that I’m 30 weeks pregnant and exhausted.

I feel like I’m barely hanging on and barely caring for myself as it is. Eating already feels like a chore. And now we’re gonna throw GD into the mix. I honestly don’t know how I’m going to do this a second time. Like I had my way more together the first time and it was still such a huge mental load.

So please, all the easy meals. And I mean easy easy. Not you can theoretically cook this in 30 minutes easy, but like 10-5 minutes easy. Easy enough that I can do it in the 10 minutes it takes to make my toddler Mac and cheese, while I’m making the mac and cheese. Something I can eat cold without prepping, something I can toss in the microwave/toaster oven, your safe take out choices, whatever you eat on your laziest day that doesn’t require planning or brain power. Because that’s really all I can handle right now.

I would say I’m an ambitious beginner. I haven’t finished a full blanket yet, but started one of those Annie’s kit ones, so I’m pretty good at picking up new stitches. I’ve made a few other smaller projects. No experience with granny squares.

The problem is I’m pregnant and tired and can’t decide what to make. I start looking for patterns and yarns and my brain gets overwhelmed. I finally decided on colors/yarn, but the pattern is still feeling overwhelming. I’ve looked on ravelry/etsy/google and just get information overload. I really want to make a blanket for my son due in July though.

For yarn, I think I would like to use either:

Loops and Threads Heathered Bamboo in Avacado, Papaya, and Butter
https://www.michaels.com/product/10764347

Or Loops and Threads bulky twist cotton in Sherbert
https://www.michaels.com/product/10736613

So would love if it worked up nicely/easily with one of those. But open to other yarns with similar color patterns. Just trying to avoid acrylic since it’s for baby.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I’m looking for a nice spring/summer dress that will also make my bump look nice. Im around a size 24 and have an apron/B belly prior to pregnancy, so my bump isn’t super glorious. I’ll be 30 weeks by the time I need it.

I’m just not sure what cuts/styles are most flattering on plus size bodies. I don’t want a tight body con dress, but flowy dresses that I have make my pregnancy disappear? I do use a belly band, which helps shape things a little. Any guidance would be much appreciated!

I’m just feeling a lot more self conscious this pregnancy bc I have another family member attending the event who’s only like 4 weeks further than me, but has a very different body, and has looked 9 months pregnant since she was like 20 weeks. Meanwhile, I’m barely showing at 28 weeks. Comparisons have already been made, not by her (she’s lovely), but by other family members.

My FIL made a comment about what “normal people” do vs what our plan is. So now I’m just curious, what are other people planning on?

Interested to hear where you’re from as well, as I know maternity/paternity leave varies *greatly* based on where you live and your job.

This is our second kid (due in July), so we’ll have an almost 3yo in addition to a newborn (with no daycare for 2 months bc of summer), so bonus points on your plans with 2+ kids.

Also maybe the size of your village, like if you have parents who will be staying with you or not, and if that impacts your decisions.

I’m not sure what I hope to gain from posting this. I just feel so sad and lost and alone. She lives across the country and I went to see her right after it happened, but it’s going to be a very long recovery and I don’t know if I’ll ever get my mom back or not. We had plans for her to come visit and help us when I was late in pregnancy and then after baby came. But obviously that’s not happening, and I feel so selfish and worthless for even being upset about, considering everything. I don’t really have a village where I live, and the people I do have here I’m not like cry in front of or ask for real help close with. I’m a SAHP with our toddler so it’s like mom friends and my husband’s family. And my husband, who is wonderful and means well, seems to either be scared of making me cry (bc I had a breakdown the other day) or coming to me with a new problem that he needs help with. And I just have no patience or empathy for him. I just don’t know what to do. I feel like I’m either going through the motions and avoiding thinking about it (so I seem okay), or drowning in grief about all the futures that aren’t going to happen anymore. There’s no in-between. Just so lost and alone.