August 3, 2017

24 Week Pregnancy Update

by Anne Mauney, MPH, RD

91 comments

Hi friends! Time for another pregnancy update – our baby has been growing for 24 weeks now! Check out the previous posts first if you missed them:

24 week pregnancy update

24 Week Pregnancy Update

Baby Size: An ear of corn, or a half gallon of milk! She weighs nearly 1.5 pounds now.

Symptoms: According to my pregnancy app (I use sprout Pregnancy+), I’m in my 6th month of pregnancy now – wow! I’m still feeling pretty good, but getting a bit more tired, especially in the heat. The sun and I are not really friends right now… I can’t stand it beating down on me and have totally become that person that has an umbrella out when I have a long-ish walk to make in the sun. I was having lunch with a co-working space buddy earlier this week and I was like “omg it’s sooooo hot out I’m dying” and he was like “uh… it’s actually not that bad out today.” Lol! Apparently my perception of heat has changed as I progress in pregnancy! Also, my left hip in particular has started aching a bit, although that was mostly after sitting all day for 2 days for a workshop, and a swim the day after seemed to do the trick. A good reminder that movement makes a huge difference in how I feel, and is worth keeping it up! I’m also still getting nosebleeds a few times a week or so, which is annoying but otherwise not a big deal.

Currently Missing: The runner’s high. I love my boot camps, yoga, hiking, walking, and swimming, but nothing compares to the endorphins you get after a run (especially one spent chatting nonstop with friends). I really miss it, especially from a stress perspective, and I have a feeling this will get harder as the weather cools off and gets more running-friendly.

Sleep: I definitely need a lot of sleep right now! I’m aiming to be in bed for 9 hours each night if possible, especially since I’m usually waking up once per night for the bathroom and then it takes me a little while to fall back asleep. Lately it’s been more like 8, which is not enough right now!

Cravings and favorite foods: I’m loving really refreshing summery salads, like watermelon/feta/arugula/heirloom tomato creations. I’m also still into coconut water, smoothies, yogurt, cheese, eggs, and fruit. Besides the fruit/smoothies, I’ve mostly been on the savory train with my cravings – I currently have a hankering for nachos that needs to be acted on as soon as I have an opportunity!

Food aversions: I’m kind of over sandwiches, with the exception of breakfast egg sandwiches. I also have a bit of an aversion to leftovers, which is weird because usually I like leftovers (no work/the food is already ready – usually that’s awesome)!

Exercise: I’m still getting in some sort of movement pretty much every day of the week, and sticking with my routine of a few classes (usually 2 strength boot camps and 1 yoga class) plus lots of walking, a swim here and there, and hiking.

pregnancy fitness 24 weeks

This weekend I’m going to hit up my first official prenatal yoga class – it will be fun to not have to worry about modifying moves/spending half the class doing something different from everyone else! That’s getting a little old. 🙂 I’ve had to modify yoga way more than my boot camp classes (for those, I just modify jumping/high impact stuff to be lower impact). I went to a great strength class this morning with the girls – the focus was slower moves with heavier weights which feels way better for me right now than fast/cardio based circuit workouts. Yay!

IMG_2873

Mood: Ehhhhh… after a couple months of feeling really good and like normal, the past couple weeks have been a bit of an emotional roller coaster. I had a really negative and jarring encounter with someone a little over a week ago that kind of sent me off the emotional ledge and for the days following it I found that little things were upsetting me more than they normally would. Pregnancy is weird because I’ve found it harder to regulate emotions in general – you feel things more intensely, or at least I do – but it also seems once I’m upset about something it’s harder to get back to feeling normal after that.

Anyway – this was a pretty good week and I’m feeling much better about things now, but in general the past couple weeks have felt overwhelming. We have had a lot going on behind the scenes between long work hours, lots of misadventures and issues with the dogs, etc., and that on top of pregnancy hormones has not been super fun. I’m lucky to have a kind and supportive husband, family nearby, and lots of sweet friends to help me through when I’m feeling down, though!

Maternity clothes: I haven’t gotten any new maternity clothes since my thredUP shopping spree – so just wearing what I have between the stuff I’ve purchased and the stuff I’ve been handed down! And also rocking lots of stretchy non-maternity shirts. 🙂

24 weeks pregnant

Reading: I’m reading Bringing Up Bebe right now and loving it! Definitely sold on the French approach to parenting and am going to do my best to follow their lead. 

Buying: I haven’t purchased any baby stuff recently, but I did spend a lot of time the past couple weeks setting up our baby registry, so I’ve been doing tons of baby-product related research! My latest question for you guys is this: do you think it makes sense to have two strollers (aka a really light and easily foldable portable one that basically lives in the car for quick trips when I’m out on my own, plus a more durable/big jogging stroller for adventures), or should I just get one that’s more of an in-between? I’m not sure how much running I’ll do with the stroller, since I generally tend to like having running as my time to get out and about and catch up with friends, but I’m sure I’ll be doing lots of walking with the stroller, and I bet Matt and I might run together with the stroller on occasion (with him pushing it! heh). Thoughts? Not sure which way to go!

Excited for: Our baby shower! We’re going to have a co-ed baby shower that’s basically just a big party; I think it will be a blast and much more “us”. 🙂 Plus, this way Matt can be involved! It’s in September and is going to be outside (fingers crossed for good weather) and we’re renting a super cool wood-fired pizza truck (that also serves gelato – YES! – and has beer on tap) for the occasion. So excited!

I’m also really excited for Matt to hopefully feel the baby move soon! She’s gotten a lot more active lately – I think he should be able to feel her from the outside sometime in the next week!

Thank you for reading and sharing in this special time with us! My next update will be at 26 weeks. Until then!

—

Please note there are affiliate links in this post.

- anne

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91 comments
  • Congratulations on everything! I'm sorry about your emotions, but I can really understand this. Even with my normal hormonal shifts, I can really feel when they are at a peak, such that nothing will help until they subside. Best of luck with feeling better soon!
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    • Thank you Kori!
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  • We have one of each type of stroller (actually 2 joggers!). We had a pretty basic Graco for in the car, at the mall/zoo/etc and a BOB for running/walking. The BOB is def our favorite but it isn't as practical for some outings. And we ended up buying a double BOB when our son was born (kids are under 2 year apart). So depending on the outing/distance/location/etc. we bring either the double or single BOB, Graco or sometimes even the wagon! But I would def recommend 2 types of strollers!
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  • You are a runner so you should certainly get a stroller you can run with and a smaller one to keep in the car. Some jogging strollers are heavy so i keep ours in our garage for walks and runs. With you being so active in the DC area it would be really helpful to have something smaller you can bring on the metro or walk around town with.
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  • Would highly recommend two strollers! You'll need an umbrella/lightweight type stroller. If you travel a lot, look for one that allows for a car seat (both the infant one and then later the convertible) to snap right in (e.g. the Mountain Buggy Nano). Otherwise, we love our Zoe for our lightweight travel stroller if you're not flying a lot. And then definitely get a more durable stroller for walks in the neighborhood. So exciting!
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  • I definitely vote 2 strollers! I live in Philly and having 2 in the city has been great. We use a smaller, foldable one when we have to ride the subway or at crowded events in the city. I use the BOB running stroller for both running and day to day (it's a bit smoother of a ride and easier to push than the smaller, foldable one). Some stores that we go into are a bit small and crowded so having a smaller option for those days has been nice too. We're able to fold up the smaller one and store it on our coat rack (doesn't take up much storage space!).
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  • I agree with Katie D and would recommend 2 strollers. We have a Thule jogging stroller which we LOVE, but it just felt huge at times since you have a car seat attached to it so I bought a cheap snap n go stroller off Amazon. They're under $100 and perfect for times when you need to be more compact. The only downside to the snap n go is that it only lasts while the baby is in the car seat so we basically stopped using it around 6 months or so. After that we got an umbrella stroller for something smaller, but we use our Thule probably 90% of the time since the umbrella stroller is mainly just used for commuting on the metro when it's too hot outside to walk!
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  • You look so beautiful in your pictures :) I have a 16 month old and have really liked having both types of stroller. We use the smaller umbrella stroller when we fly anywhere, and I love having the heavier but easier to maneuver one for walking around the city!
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    • Thank you Caitlin :)
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  • Agree on the 2 strollers! We have a BOB which is awesome, but not easy/practical for storing in the car and popping out for doctors appnts/mall, etc... We have used the Britax B-Agile for two kids now (and I plan on using it for my third) and it's AWESOME! It's light-weight, easy to pop open and close, folds flat, and is not too bulky. It's also a little sturdier than the basic umbrella or snap and go strollers, and you can use it on pavement, etc... if you need to. We use the BOB for neighborhood walks, jogs, basically anything outdoors. We have a double BOB as well but the single still gets good use! I actually love the whole Britax system (and they own BOB now) so the carseats all snap in and out very easily. Also, sorry about the emotions. I can totally relate. I'm 17 weeks into my third pregnancy and the hormones/emotional responses are no better/ easier this time around. But be easy on yourself, and know that it's normal and it will pass.
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    • Thank you Noelle. :)
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  • I definitely recommend 2 strollers. I'd get the stroller caddy for the infant car seat which will be great for quick shopping trips and is easy to keep in the car without taking the baby out of the car seat (never worry about waking a sleeping baby). For the 2nd stroller, I can't say enough good things about my Bob Stroller. We use it all the time for running and city outings. It's just so easy to maneuver. We had an umbrella stroller and maybe used it twice.!
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    • Also, the price of a Bob can be alarming but you can get great deals on Craigslist especially around DC. There are also some great groups on Facebook for moms selling baby gear in Arlington. I can send you the group names if interested. I've found a ton of stuff on there for BabyBump #2. Also if you make a baby registry on Amazon or BabiesRUs, whatever isn't purchased at the end you get a 15%off coupon. Super helpful with expensive items.
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      • Great tips - thank you! Would love to hear the Facebook group names!
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        • Fairlington Mommies2mommies and Arlington VA Yardsale both have been great. Bellies to Babies in Del Ray has some steals too. If you think about getting a Bob, I reccomend getting one with a swivel front wheel. The fixed wheels are so hard to turn and get annoying very quickly!
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  • We have a BOB and a normal stroller. For long walks outside, I much prefer the BOB so would suggest is even if you're not running with it. It maneuvers so well over any type of terrain. And I LOVE running with Emma in the BOB, you might too! I still felt like it was me time even though she was with me. And the weight is an added workout!
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  • Congratulations!! Pregnancy is so weird! I would recommend a snap and go for the early days, it is nice to be able to put the car seat in and go on outings. I also love my Ergo and wraps. The best advice I got was to buy the stroller after the baby arrived and see what you are really doing. I think an Ergo for metro riding will probably be easier than any type of stroller. But for city life, if you go the big stroller route, get one with big sturdy wheels and one that turns well (BOB, City Mini- 3 wheels) etc. We have ended up with umbrella strollers for various trips and they are helpful. I guess my vote is a snap and go and Ergo for the early days and see how things are going after that.
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  • If you're looking to only get one stroller, I recommend the Phil & Teds Sport. It was actually reviewed as being the one to get if you didn't want two strollers. It has some storage, and it folds super easy to fit in to your car. And it lies down further than any other brand so you can start running with her as early as two months. I live in the 'burbs but work in the city and I absolutely love the mobility for both locations. I just posted a review on it, if you want to check out the blog post. :-) (Totally not plugging my blog, just thought you might want to see what it's all about without me rambling on in a comment. :-) )
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  • Definitely two strollers (we have three, one is a hand me down jogging stroller). I love our big every day stroller for it's smooth ride and extra comfort/space. It's a fancy brand that I found at a second hand store and had never been used. But we also have a nice umbrella stroller that we take when we travel or want something less bulky. We also leave it in the house for the grandparents to use when they watch the baby since the good stroller lives in our car. You won't be able to use the jogging stroller until the baby is a little bigger so you could always wait and see how things are going and better gauge what you might want.
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    • Yeah, not a bad idea to wait a little while!
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  • You look fantastic Anne- no kids here but most of my mama friends have a cheap light one and one really nice one. Also your shower sounds awesome- makes me wanna crash it if I was local
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  • I'm probably a bad influence because (at last count) I have 7 strollers, all serving different purposes. (In my defense, many were hand me downs so I didn't actually purchase all of them.) But my take is, initially all you need is a stroller that accepts the infant carseat so you can just pop it out of the car and pop it into the stroller and you're on the go. You're not going to jog with a tiny infant, so no need for a terrain-ready stroller that fits the infant carseat. Buuuuuuuuuuuuut, once she's big enough to sit up on her own, then you might benefit from a few varieties. 1) Jogging stroller. I love mine for power walking, jogging and going to the park. That said, I never take it in the car because it's too big. I leave it in the garage. Soooo, in the car I have my 2) Mid-size foldable stroller (such as a Britax B-ready or a CityMini). Folds up, fits in the trunk, has a nice storage basked underneat, ready for anything. Depending on the brand of your car seat, you can get one that is also a snap & go which is super handy. 3) Tiny umbrella stroller that I could throw away if needed. We bought a $25 umbrella stroller from Walmart that if we needed to toss it at a given moment, we could. It's perfect for fitting under the seats at the baseball stadium, carrying with one hand while you carry the kid with the other hand and other sorts of miscellaneous travel where you don't want to lug a big stroller around. That said, MAKE SURE THE STROLLER FITS IN YOUR TRUNK. That was one error I made. One of my first strollers, when folded, didn't actually fit in my trunk. HA! Buy Buy Baby will let you try it out to make sure. I'm sure babies R us will too. I highly recommend checking out Lucie's List! They've never swayed me wrong. https://www.lucieslist.com/gear-guides/
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    • Loved Lucie's List for gear advice when I was pregnant with my first!
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  • Agree with the two strollers. All of my friends, live in NYC/Hoboken, have two because out and about, restaurants, stores, etc the City Mini is great, lightweight and can fit. The BOB is good for jogging, wider sidewalks, big paths, etc. but not good for just strolling when it takes up so much space. I do recommend going to the baby stores and you both test driving them. Push them around, fold them up and lift, unfold them, really put them through the paces to find the ones that will work for you.
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    • That's a good idea to go to a store and try them in person! So hard to tell what would be good online...
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  • So I'm in the minority, but we only use one stroller. We have the City Mini GT, which is kind of a hybrid - not a true jogger, but has the rubber tires and the ability to fix the front wheel for off-road use. (Tip: Look on AlbeeBaby for great deals in closeout colors etc for car seats and strollers!) I've run with it on paved greenways and it has done great. It collapses fairly small (with one hand!) and is super portable and easy to use. We have the infant car seat adaptor for it - handy for the first few months - and switched to putting baby in the regular stroller seat at around 5 months. But we live out in the country, so city life might be different for stroller needs. And I wear my daughter often for errands and hikes etc, so we don't use the stroller daily. IMHO it's definitely one of those things you can "wait and see" on! Speaking of wearing baby - we had a Solly wrap when she was teeny, and now use a Boba 4G for more support (ie back carry) and a Connecta Solar for everyday use. Love all 3! The Boba comes with a small integrated infant insert that's worlds better than the Ergo and Tula inserts (both full-length and hot!). And the Connecta is fantastically lightweight, packable, and breathable for hot weather/water use!
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    • Great tips! Where did you find the Connecta Solar? I don't see any US retailers online that have it!
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      • I ordered it from Koala Slings. Took 2 weeks to arrive, but it was the cheapest retailer I found even with shipping costs, and they were super helpful!
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  • Snap n go is the best for running errands in the early days. Then definitely go with two strollers - lightweight/umbrella and something better for more rugged terrain. We've used both of ours a lot. Another thing you might want (down the road) is one of those hiking backpack carriers. We have a Deuter one and my son would much rather ride up there than in a stroller and my husband is comfortable doing decently challenging hikes with the little guy on his back that we wouldn't be able to do with a stroller. We didn't start using it until he turned 1 though, I'm not sure what the minimum weight requirement is.
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    • We put one of those hiking backpacks on our registry - seems like it would be awesome once she is older! And earlier on we can do a front carrier.
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      • If you would be open to buying a used hiking carrier, my sister and I are planning to sell her Kelty. She lives in MD so I could put you in touch with her.
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        • Oh wow I hadn't heard of the Kelty - those look really nice! Would you mind asking her to email me more details about it/what shape it's in? Thank you! [email protected]
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  • You look gorgeous! A friend gave me a copy of Bringing Up Bebe when I was pregnant with my first and I loved the approach.
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  • You need all the strollers! David told me to stop buying strollers. But seriously. Not anytime soon but close to 1.5-2 you need the $10-15 umbrella stroller. Best thing ever. But all the strollers.
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  • I'm not sure which car seat you're getting but if it's a chicco they make an umbrella stroller that your enfant seat can fit into. I found this helpful when our little girl (who just turned one) was a baby for running errands around town. We have a Bumbleride that I use for walking and running. It's a less-known brand but I would highly recommend checking it out. They are a company out of san diego and it's great for trails. We have the Indie but they've since come out with a stroller that's more for running. I also have heard great thinks about the Thule stroller for serious runners. We travel with ours because wherever we go I want something that's good for exercise.
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  • I'll be the voice of dissent here and say wait and see on the multiple strollers. You can't run with a baby until they are 6 months anyway, and I think it's better to wait and see what kind of baby you have and how your life with the baby evolves. Many newborns don't like the stroller- my 4 month contract old hates it, bc she can't see out. We almost only use the wrap or baby carrier and wish we didn't even get the newborn bassinet for the stroller. But all babies are different! Essentially, don't invest too much until after you have the baby and live with her a bit. Although I would recommend getting a sling or wrap or baby carrier- especially living in the city it's so much easier. Also I know what you mean about the intensity of emotions- I felt that way the first month postpartum, like I just felt everything, good and bad, so strongly! Hang in there. Xx
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    • Oh and we have the boba carrier which is great. Not sure why there is that random auto correct up there - all I was trying to type was four month old, nothing about a contract. :)
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      • Haha I figured! :)
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        • I'm selling my Boba carrier! I only used it a few times but I don't need two carriers ? Let me know if you want pics or more info! It's a gorgeous limited edition pattern (called Mission).
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    • Good advice. And thank you!
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  • I definitely recommend two strollers! I know it sounds weird but its really great. We have a BOB and a Maclaren. Actually we didn't get the fancy umbrella stroller until the baby was about 6 months or so and can sit better. One of those cheap strollers that your car seat can fit into is perfect for the first few months. Then invest in something you can use more long term. I know it seems crazy to buy a nice umbrella but for us its been worth it.
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  • 2 strollers for sure! Echoing the sentiment for the umbrella/foldable one. I run with my son with our jogger about 2x a week. I also use it for walks since I tend to use a brisker pace when it's just me and him and the added suspension for the jogger makes it easy for him to sleep :-) I know everyone loves the BOB but it's $$$. I LOVE our Chicco active3, it's awesome!
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  • I've gone through a LOT of strollers with 4 kids and my recommendation is similar to many above: Snap 'n go - the best baby invention ever!; a good jog stroller (we love our Bob, and we got the special bar so that we could put the infant seat in it for long walks early on); and a good-quality umbrella stroller (this is the new version of one we loved https://www.amazon.com/JOOVY-Groove-Ultralight-Umbrella-Stroller/dp/B01LZYZL9D/ref=sr_1_24_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1501783358&sr=1-24&keywords=umbrella%2Bstroller&th=1). We had a couple of the cheap ones and they push like cheap strollers. Since this is your first and you will be having a shower and getting gifts from lots of relatives, I think you should decide pretty soon what you want so that you can include them on your registry.
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  • We have a bigger stroller that came with the infant carseat (a Britax) and I wish we had a smaller one. But honestly, I haven't NEEDED it. My son is 17 months now and we do take strollers if we go downtown or something, but I typically wear him instead, and I don't even do that a ton. But it's so easy to just throw them on and wear a backpack diaper bag instead of pushing dang strollers through doors and over stone sidewalks. I definitely felt emotions way more intensely while pregnant. The littlest things were REALLY huge. I was so convinced we should not have gotten pregnant because my husband and I were going to end up divorced and then I'd be stuck being a mom when I didn't even want kids in the first place! Like, so convinced about that that I was googling adoption when I was like, 36 weeks pregnant (and googled abortion early on too because this was a pregnancy-long belief). But now my son is 17 months old and we're happily married and definitely NOT getting divorced, haha. Pregnancy was crazy like that though.
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    • Aw. I'm glad you're feeling better now! :)
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  • I have the Baby Jogger City Mini, which is amazing as a stroller. However, I wish I had done more research because you aren't actually supposed to run/jog with the stroller, despite the brand name. I would highly recommend it, though, as an everyday stroller. On the emotions front, I remember totally overreacting to little things (like not being invited to a party). It's so normal! Unfortunately, it continues through much of the early baby months (due to hormones going nuts and lack of sleep). It gets better after a few months!
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    • I realized that about the jogger stroller and was like... why is it called that?! Ha!
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  • I have the Graco click connect stroller that came with my car seat and it's an easy light weight stroller that's great for quick trips into the store, but I use my BoB every day! I heighly recommend it!!
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  • I would agree with two strollers, BUT I would recommend the Baby Jogger City Mini over any kind of umbrella stroller. I've used it pretty much every day since my 14-month-old was born (for LOTS of walks, but no runs) and it's still like new. I can easily fold it with one hand and pop it in the trunk. Our "easier" stroller--the Chico Liteway--is harder to deal with, actually!
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  • i would highly recommend 2 strollers like the other moms, since joggers tend to be too heavy to travel with easily. and this may have already been said but keep in mind that many super light umbrella-type strollers can't be used until the baby is around 6 months old. that isn't always the case, and there are plenty of higher-end lightweight strollers that can be used as a bassinet, but true umbrella strollers do not have car seats and have the baby facing forward without much support.
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  • Ah yes, the two stroller debate! Man that's a tough call. Two kids later / 6.5 years into the journey, we've always just had the one stroller (the big Bob jogger, which I love), but it's periodically occurred to me that having a second stroller could have been really convenient. I think it really depends how much you're going to be lifting a stroller in and out of the car. If you're doing that a lot, definitely get a City Mini or similar. We personally don't do as many car activities that then require a stroller - we do more walking around the neighborhood, which is why we stuck with just the Bob. It handles curbs, uneven sidewalks, grass, gravel, etc. like a champ (in addition to of course being a great running stroller...which ultimately we didn't do nearly as much as we thought we would do lol).
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    • Haha yeah, I know you're also on team "running is my time to escape"!
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  • I have a City Mini (with the carseat adapter) and a BOB, and I definitely think it's worth having two. I really like the City Mini for the one-handed fold. I live in DC also, and it's pretty much priceless to be able to hold the baby with one arm and fold/carry the stroller with the other, given how often Metro's escalators and elevators are out of service. The BOB is a dream to push, but it is so heavy, so big, and it's like a three-step process to fold it. As others have mentioned, you could easily hold off on the BOB until you see what your life is like post-baby. To start with, you really only need something you can clip your carseat into. For what it's worth, I've found a baby carrier or sling to be a lot more practical than a stroller for most day-to-day errands, particularly if there is a shopping cart involved.
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    • I'm wondering if maybe I'll do the baby carrier thing more often than not...
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  • Definitely two!!(!!) I try to be a minimalist, but two kids later (2.5 and 8 months), we use our two singles AND a double all the time. We live in a walkable area (Shadyside Pittsburgh!), so perhaps it might be different in a more suburban setting..?
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  • 2 Strollers all the way - the 'Umbrella stroller is lighter, easier (read smaller) in stores, and easier to fly/travel with. They are usually $100 or less so if it gets destroyed flying (our handle ripped off) it isn't the end of the world. I did get a jogging stroller, which our infant car seat connected into, and I really loved it. I didn't run much with it when he was that little, but we walk very frequently and it is much more comfortable from my perspective walking. We do run occasionally but pushing a 30lb toddler now is no joke. I usually only go when I have my husband with me to trade off. The jogger definitely is huge - not something you want in stores/trunk of car/etc.
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  • ​I'm sure you are drowning in recommendations, but I'd just like to add that because my baby was born in winter (and yours will be, too!), we didn't end up buying a car seat converter for our stroller---it was too cold to take him on walks when he was a newborn. We ended up getting a stroller that reclined almost all the way down (Citi Mini) so when we did take him on walks at about 4 months, he was able to just kind of chill there, but he was old enough to have sufficient head control not to need to be in the carseat while in the stroller. If that makes sense. And then when we ran errands we just kept him in the car seat or the Baby Bjorn. I was a runner before having my son and totally thought I would take him on runs, but umm that never happened. Ha. Jogging strollers are heavy! :) I prefer running solo so I just have the husband watch our son when I feel like going out. Anyway, I never bought a jogging stroller and I don't regret it because they aren't cheap and I never would have used it. We have the Citi Mini and it's a really nice in-between: not too heavy, collapsible with one hand, but still sturdy and great for going on long walks. My son is 19 months now and it's gotten a TON of use and held up great!
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    • I'm totally with you on preferring to run solo - or at least that's what I'm assuming I'll like to do now! I do think Matt and I would have fun running with the stroller together, though... so long as he pushes it, not me. ;) I know I'll LOVE doing lots of stroller walks, though, both solo and with others.
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  • I live in Chicago and have the City Mini Baby Jogger. It is SO GOOD on city streets! I can easily maneuver it into stores by myself one-handed! It's light enough that I can get it into the trunk of our Jeep pretty easily. That being said, I ended up buying a cheap umbrella stroller when we went on vacation. Now I keep that one in the trunk and use the City Mini at home. The City mini is way better, but I like keeping the umbrella stroller in the trunk and it doesn't take up much room! As far as jogging strollers, I've heard that jogging strollers are pretty easy to buy second-hand. And most of them are like new!
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  • The BOB is a fantastic stroller for walks and runs, like everyone has said. The stroller I love the most for sticking in the car and traveling is the City Mini. It is so easy to fold (you just pull a handle). We have an adapter for our infant seat. It has traveled all over Europe and the US with us. One piece of advice that you may not have thought about is to pick your car seat before you pick your stroller if you are set on a particular type. Not all strollers are compatible with all seats and not all have adapters. I'd also say, go to Babies R Us and look at all your options. Pick them up. Fold them. Try and put them into your car. Some of the more "exotic" brands can Be found at baby boutiques and Nordstrom. We have a Peg Perego seat for each of our children. I have been very impressed with how niceness they look with daily use.
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    • That is a good tip about the car seat!
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  • Mom of 2 here......definitely, without a doubt, get multiple strollers! After having been through many many stroller types this is my recommendation: A frame stroller for the early months where you keep the baby in the car seat carrier (snap-n-go). You don't need a big clunky stroller to carry around when you're just going to put the car seat in it. When they're older and want to sit up more rather than lay in the car seat use a lightweight stroller that has at least a little bit of recline for when they fall asleep. Again, I never found I needed the huge travel system stroller for this and ended up with a lightweight smaller stroller. For running my most favorite stroller EVER was my BOB Ironman stroller. It was my fourth jogging stroller and I seriously almost cried when I sold it (and made my husband promise he would buy me a new one if we ever have a 3rd baby). It was a smooth ride, handled corners and turns well, and practically felt self propelled. I could give it a little push and run 10-15 feet with my hands off it while it continued to coast at the same speed and pace we were moving. When it would start to slow down it only needed one hand to keep it moving. You never really had to "push" it. It was effortless. Unless you have really solid childcare plans, I think you should plan on running with baby in tow. I hate when my running plans revolve around someone watching the baby and found it easier to just tote them along than think about what time to drop off and pick them up.
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  • Look up the specs on the BOB. You won't be able to run with kiddo for quite some time, unfortunately. We started off with the chicco keyfit baby bucket. That + the skeleton style stroller was perfect for the first 6 months or so. The real bulky one (that can also click in) was too bulky for us once kiddo could sit without the bucket. Thankfully all that stuff was hand-me down so we tried them all. After kiddo was too big, we switched to umbrella stroller + BOB. The BOB pushes & steers like a dream and is great for neighborhood walks, flat hikes, jogs, etc... Umbrella stroller is good for malls & hard to maneuver crowded places. It's also easier to fold up quick and stash.
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  • I loved "Bringing Up Bebe" as well and have tried to implement the "un moment" philosophy since having my daughter five months ago. It's easier now than when she was a newborn! The book also made me feel less anxious about the prospect of an epidural... I hope you continue to feel good moving forward! I enjoy your pregnancy updates.
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    • Do you feel like trying to follow the philosophy has helped/made a difference?
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  • Mom of 3 here, love your blog and really enjoying following along with your pregnancy updates! Ditto to what others have said about 2 strollers. Nothing compares to a jogger walking/running outdoors, but a lightweight stroller is a must for navigating indoors and busy areas. And IMO, the BOB Stroller is worth every. single. penny. I had a different brand with my first and was fine with it, bc I didn't know any better. And then I borrowed a Bob, and my life was never the same!! ;)
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    • Thank you for reading! :)
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  • I would wait and see, we've never even thought about getting a second stroller. We have the BOB Revolution and use it for walks and runs, and use the Ergo 360 carrier for errands. I personally think a carrier is much easier (and more enjoyable for many older babies) for errands.
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  • Definitely need (at least) two strollers! As a mom of two, I have four: a click-and-go jogger we originally registered for, an easy-to-fold with a tray and basket we got when we realized the jogger wasn't pratical for shopping/vacations, an umbrella stroller when we purchased because we forgot the aforementioned easy-to-fold stroller on a trip, and the sit-and-stand double stroller version of our original. I recommend two because no matter how streamlined you think your jogger is, they just aren't easy to navigate indoors. Whatever you decide, I think the two best tips are to make sure it fits in your car (as everyone has mentioned) and that it has a tray. The tray becomes important when your little one becomes mobile because you can distract them with toys and snacks. Good luck and congratulations again!
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  • I recommend 2 strollers if you'll be using your car a good amount. It's nice to have one that always stays in the car and one in the house. We have the uppababy vista and Mesa car seat and love it! There's so many different options, no adapters, and it even converted to a double when we had our 2nd (their 18 months apart). The bed thing about the vista compared to other options like a snap n go or even city mini is the basket is huge underneath. It's so nice! Especially if your walking to do small grocery trips and other shopping/errands. I leave the vista in the car. We have the city mini in the house and it's good for walks and traveling.
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    • Typo-the best** thing about the vista
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  • I never saw the need for more than one stroller. We had a cheap umbrella one that someone got at our shower but we never used it. When she was tiny I usually just wore her or we didn't go for many walks (it was a hot summer!). The City Mini worked perfect for anything else we ever needed - through the airport, long walks, state fairs, etc. We usually traded off grocery shopping so usually one of us stayed home with her and one could fill up the cart.
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  • Definitely makes sense to have two strollers! For quick trips into stores etc, a light stroller is so handy! Plus strollers meant for running, hiking etc take up way more space in the car. Hope that helps! :) ( Just for credibility, I have an eight month old. haha)
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  • 2 strollers for sure! The BOB revolution is the one item I splurged on and it is SO worth it. I just started using it for short jogs with my daughter who is 7 months. The wheel locks so it can be used as an all purpose stroller and for running. I still enjoy running alone, but it doesn't always work for my family's schedule and plus she enjoys it! It is also convenient to have a smaller stroller as well, I was able to find one used and it is in excellent shape. Good luck!
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  • Get the BOB. I ran with it a ton but also used it as my everyday stroller. It's big, but not THAT ridiculous. Light enough I can fold it down and throw it in my trunk easy enough. I also had a super cheap really small stroller that I bought for when the BOB was too much... but I rarely used that one. It was either the BOB or babywearing. The BOB is pricey but 100% worth it. Start checking prices on Amazon and Buy Buy Baby and snag one when a sale comes a long. Keep it in decent condition and you can make a good chunk of money back by selling it. Oh and whatever you do for your jogging stroller, get one that has the option to have the front wheel lock or swivel!
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  • I wore my kiddo a lot up until he was about 1. I had a moby wrap, a sling wrap, a mei tai carrier, and an ergo. I hardly ever used the stroller before that. I had the graco car seat that snapped into the base in the car and on the stroller, but I was only able to use it for about three months before the kiddo was too heavy to cart around like that. I did buy a jogging stroller (a BOB), but used it strictly for walks around the neighborhood. It fit in the car, but not super well and it was easier just to keep in the garage for our daily walks and hikes. If I was out and about I wore the kid or used a cheap 20$ umbrella stroller. I was all about minimalism though. I just don't have the space in my house or car for a whole bunch of gear.
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  • We ended up buying a nice Bugaboo stroller and a Chariot stroller (with a bicycle attachment). When he was younger, he actually hated the stroller and I wore him instead. He wanted constant snuggles. I never thought I'd get into babywearing but the woven wraps are very supportive. They have a steep learning curve but I met up with a local group and it was much easier than I thought. All kids will be different. Now that he's older, we use the Chariot for the bicycle daily to bring him to daycare and he's ok. :)
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  • Thanks for sharing developments and feelings with such candor and openness, Anne! Good to see it all goes well, despite periodic ups and downs...
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  • Going against the norm here but I lived in Arlington when my daughter was born and storage space is at a premium so we went with one stroller, Uppa baby cruz, its not too bulky so it fits through narrow openings in our area and got the mesa carseat that can click in the frame. I couldnt imagine running the hilly trails/streets with a jogging stroller but think its pretty bad ass when I see others do it haha! My daughter also stopped using a stroller around 2 and just wanted to walk all the time. Somebody in the comments was talking about winters with baby and I had a friend recommend the Jolly Jumper Sneak a Peak Infant car seat cover and it was the best. It goes on the carseat like a shower cap and keeps baby nice and toasty. plus they look so cute peaking out of it :)
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    • Oh sweet! That's a good tip - thank you!
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