Two Busy Moms

Two busy moms and one computer crash means we will be taking a break from the blog... We will be back on Tuesday, March 1st with Trusting Tuesday ~ have a wonderful week! Love, Brittani & Ashley

Fashion Friday: Baby Love Necklace

I often find myself browsing Etsy for pregnant/midwife related items.

I love the miracle of pregnant women, their growing bodies, babies, and the miracle that is pregnancy.

For this short period of time there are 2 hearts inside of one body. How amazing is that?

And they both work perfectly. So together, but so individual.

Really. It is a miracle. I am so very amazed by our wonderful bodies.

Okay, back to Etsy. I found this adorable necklace that would be PERFECT for that expecting mom or for yourself to celebrate your pregnancy. Even for that labor and delivery nurse, OBGYN, or midwife :)

Check out her site at

labelledame

on etsy.

Thankful Thursday: Car Seats

Car seats are wonderful- right? There are so many to choose from and who knows the best one to buy?

This is NOT that post. Today the post is to share with you a wonderful and helpful website link that I found.

http://www.iihs.org/laws/childrestraint.aspx

What are the laws for your baby? Your toddler? Your preschooler?

How does your state do on safety? I am kind of nervous for me and my girls in Arizona.

The bottom line is... buckle up your children. This should be your highest priority when you go driving with them. That and NO TEXTING. and WEAR YOUR OWN SEATBELT.

Pregnant women need to wear seatbelts as well. 100% of the time. I don't care if it is uncomfortable. This is something I am passionate about. Do it.

Wild Wednesday: CNN reporter delivers own son at home

I found this article and just loved it (except for the shoelace tying part... you know you don't have to ever cut an umbilical cord- right?! A post for another day!).

This article shows us that the best laid plans for labor can (and often do!) change.

However, this sweet mom sounded like she wanted an unmedicated birth and a healthy baby... sounds like she got those plans :)

CNN's Josh Levs delivered his son at home in an emergency situation. He shares his story with Dr. Sanjay Gupta on "SGMD," 7:30 a.m. ET Saturday-Sunday

(CNN) -- As I knelt on the bedroom floor, on the phone with 911, I didn't understand what was happening at first. I thought something had gone wrong -- or at least that the paramedics would have plenty of time to arrive.

When your wife is pregnant, no one tells you, "By the way, she might skip labor, suddenly fall to the floor, and give birth. Oh, and the umbilical cord might be tangled around the baby's neck five times."

But that's what happened at our house.

Minutes earlier, things had been fine. My wife thought that perhaps contractions were beginning, and it was possible -- she was about three weeks from her due date. We have a son who's 3 years older. For his birth, she labored at home for about 16 hours before we went to the hospital, and still waited eight hours for the baby.

This time, she suddenly doubled over, saying she was having intense contractions and needed me to do what I had done three years earlier -- push down on her hips to help relieve the pain. But it wasn't enough. She quickly got down on all fours, moaning, and managed to get out the words, "Call an ambulance."

I thought that meant she'd need a stretcher to get to the hospital. Turns out, she knew that our kid had decided to come crashing into the world without all the usual fanfare. But she was hurting too much to speak. All the agony of childbirth had hit her in a single wave.

I told the 911 operator about the "glop of blood" coming out, and followed her instructions to set up towels and help my wife lie on her back -- though actually she lay on her side. Then: "Oh my God it's the head. It's the head. What do I do? I'm holding my baby's head!"

Most people who hear I delivered my son imagine a sitcom. If this were one, the camera would zoom over to the list of delivery plans that my wife had created with our doula. In a hospital room, she would use "yoga techniques," massage, a "birth ball," and music as pain management techniques.

Best laid plans.

"OK listen, I want you to support the shoulders and hold the hips and legs firmly. And remember the baby will be slippery so don't drop it OK?" the 911 operator said.

I reached in, palms facing up, put my pointer fingers into the baby's armpits, and helped guide the baby out. That's when my heart started pounding even faster, and my adrenaline went from overdrive to supersonic.

The umbilical cord was snaked around the baby's neck, tightly. Think a turtleneck with five circles. The baby's eyes were shut and I saw no sign of breathing. As far as I knew, no sign of life.

So as the operator went on reading the standard directions: "Wrap the baby in a clean cloth or towel... tie a shoelace tightly around the umbilical cord..." I stopped following her. I focused on the neck. Didn't even look down to see what gender the baby was.

"Oh my God, the baby's not breathing," I said. "Breathe baby, breathe."

My mind operates with briefcases of information. I opened up one filled with everything I had ever heard about real life births, including a child I know who was born not breathing for a couple of minutes. He turned out perfectly fine -- he had been getting oxygen through the umbilical cord. So I didn't want to tie it off just yet.

I carefully unraveled the cord from his neck, trying not to jostle him, and placed him down on the towel.

"Let me give you CPR instructions," the operator offered.

But then, when I stroked him gently a couple of times, the baby opened his eyes, began to move, and began to breathe -- about a minute after he was out.

I used a shoelace to tie off the cord just as the paramedics arrived. I picked up our 3-year-old, who was on the other side of the room for all of this, and whom I had been reassuring throughout the whole process. "It's OK buddy, don't worry, everything's fine, this just happens," I kept telling him. Together we ran downstairs to let the paramedics in.

We all ran back up to the bedroom. That's when my wife looked at me and spoke her first words since collapsing 14 minutes earlier: "It's a boy."

For weeks after, that first image of my beautiful son as he emerged -- eyes closed, still, so pure in his newness -- was emblazoned on the inside of my eyelids. I saw it every time I blinked. To this day, I can still see and feel just about everything about that moment.

I wouldn't recommend this, and it's not something we'd choose to do. If anything had gone wrong, the minutes it could take to get to the hospital could be the difference between life and death.

But for my family, it turned out to be an incredible thing. It will always have been an experience of a lifetime, one the four of us shared -- just us. Our older child already likes to tell the story of how Daddy caught his brother, who was "covered in red paint."

It gives me a unique connection to my son, one I'll feel throughout our lives. Knowing that the first thing he heard upon emerging from the womb was me making sure he could breathe, that the first thing he felt was me holding him and unwrapping the cord, changes my relationship to him a little. It reinforces, in a powerful way, what just about all dads want our kids to have -- the feeling, the knowledge, that we will take care of them, protect them, provide for them.

And don't think I won't hold this over his head when we go through his rebellious teen phase.

It's given me a new appreciation for doctors who successfully deliver thousands of babies, and most of all for the heroics of women -- especially my wife -- in that moment, suffering through all they suffer through for the sake of bringing life into the world. I am in awe. And grateful beyond description.

It's also heightened my own awareness of the gift of life. When it's up to you to help your kid take his first breaths, you appreciate not only his but your own in a new way. The whole adventure of life -- growing, exploring, contributing, loving, all of it -- feels more exciting and more precious.

It's easy to get caught up in the rat race, the excitement of work, and the inner drive to chase all the great things the world has to offer. We all sometimes fall into traps that make us forget to seek balance -- to try to carve out enough time for family and for just enjoying life. But in the moment I delivered my son, what matters most -- my real values and priorities -- became crystal clear. Nothing else even existed.

Every time I look at him, I'm reminded of that feeling. By being born into my arms, my son gave me the ultimate reality check.

Here is the link to the article

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/02/18/delivering.baby.levs/index.html?eref=rss_health&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+rss/cnn_health+(RSS:+

Trusting Tuesday: Weight Gain

Every time you step on the scale at your provider's office you have some sort of thought.

Have I gained enough weight? Did I gain too much weight? Why did I eat that extra _____? Have I been drinking enough water? Do my shoes really weigh 3lbs? I think my shoes weigh at least 3lbs. WHAT HAPPENED?

Then we go to our appointment and our provider looks at us and tells us we are doing great on our weight gain, or that we need to change some habits in order to gain more/less weight for our next visit.

Is there ever a time where this doesn't happen? Not usually. We often find that we are comforted that our body is doing the right thing if we gain the recommended amount of pounds. When we stay in our recommended weight range we feel better and we learn that we can trust our bodies. Some of us never feel comforted by weight gain, but please, please know that there are reasons you are gaining weight- trust that your body will gain the weight it needs to support a beautiful and healthy baby.

If we are comforted and we trust our body when we gain the right amount of weight- then do we believe our body isn't doing the right thing if we gain an amount of weight that isn't recommended? I am not sure- what do you think?

Sometimes when women loose a lot of weight in the beginning of pregnancy they become very fearful and anxious that something is wrong with their body. There can be concerns when someone doesn't gain very much weight in a pregnancy, but if you start out overweight you may not need to gain as much weight as someone who is underweight when they get pregnant. Also, if you gain more weight than recommended there are fears associated with that as well.

Then why should we trust our bodies and our weight gain if everyone gains different amounts of weight?

Here is a breakdown of the approximate amount of weight that is typical for a normal, healthy pregnant woman.

Baby: 8 lbs

Placenta: 2-3 lbs

Amniotic Fluid: 2-3 lbs

Breast Tisue: 2-3 lbs

Blood Supply: 4 lbs

Fat stores for delivery and breastfeeding: 5-9lbs

Uterus increase: 2-5 lbs

Total: 25-35 lbs

Basically there are reasons we are supposed to gain weight in our pregnancy. Our changing bodies and the growth of a baby require it!

Now on to a quick tidbit- my first baby I gained 35 lbs. On the dot. I worked hard and watched what I ate in order to only gain the recommended amount. My baby was born and she was 7lbs 5 oz. My second pregnancy I watched what I ate but then I ate some more. I didn't cut out the candy and sugar like I should have. I gained 55 lbs! That is 20 lbs more than the first pregnancy. My sweet second daughter was born and she was 7lbs 8 oz. That is 3 ounces more- for 20lbs! Needless to say that 20lbs didn't go to my daughter and I had to work out a LOT in order to get that baby weight off.

Bottom line- trust your body and trust the weight gain.

Mommy Monday: Weaning my Baby/Toddler

I always knew I wanted to breastfeed my baby… I was worried that it was going to be too hard or I wouldn’t have enough milk, etc. For me, it ended up being easy and a very positive experience (of course the first few weeks were a bit overwhelming as we were both learning).

Now comes the hard part that I never thought much about… how to wean my 19 month old… She is nursing several times a day. She pulls at my shirt when she wants to nurse and cries/fusses when I say no. Most people ask why I have nursed so long ~ some think she is not ready to stop.

My decision boils down to the basic principle of motherhood. You do what you think is best for your family, your children, and yourself. I have heard tons of opinions from others, all of which I appreciate ~ but I am starting to research on my own. After searching many websites and blogs for weaning suggestions, I found this article to be the most helpful…

http://www.minti.com/parenting-advice/4249/10-Tried-and-True-Tips-on-Weaning-Toddlers/#

I am hoping to use all these tips. I really liked tip #9 “Whenever possible, take your time” … I don’t want to feel rushed or rush her… My goal is two months not two days. I am going to follow the advice of tip #3 and attempt for now to cut back to morning and before bedtime feedings. I also think it will be key to follow the advice of tip #4 and give my daughter lots of non-nursing related comfort through this process. Send me all of your positive thoughts and I will give you an update next week.

My baby girl 19 months ago...

Special Guest Sunday: Kelly Mom

Have you ever checked this website out? www.kellymom.com is quite the amazing website. It is an evidence based website with information for pregnant, nursing mothers and parents. I know just last week on our Special guest post I spoke of the Leaky B@@B, but that is a mom to mom website. Kelly Mom is not opinions- it is a lot of information from the American Academy of Pediatrics. There is some information that the owner of the blog site posts and if it is her own personal research- and not peer reviewed information- then she has a disclaimer at the bottom of the page.

It is stuffed full of research and peer reviewed journal articles. It has helpful answers to questions about attachment parenting, your child's self esteem, spoiling children, schedules, separation anxiety, and more.

I love it! So go check it out.

Fashion Friday: Belly Stickers

Have you seen these?

This solves the problem with the weird looking belly pictures that are taken every week.

Now you slap one of these stickers from Etsy- The Purple Possom- right on your belly. Then you can take your mirror shot, or your self timer pictures, or drag your husband/6 year old/ neighbor over to take your cute belly shot.

These stickers are monthly, in weeks, making it a perfect gift for your just announced pregnant friend. Or the perfect gift for you to get yourself so you can announce your pregnancy a cute way.

Save the baby shower gift for a Laborlooks gown

:)

Thankful Thursday: Breast Pump Tax Deductions

I found this article from the Washington Post last week...

I am so thankful that there are advocates out there for mothers. Advocates for wonderful change.

Did you use a breast pump if you went back to work? Or even if you stayed home but didn't feed your baby straight from your breast?

I used a breast pump at least 5 days a week for over a year to make sure my daughter was mostly fed my breast milk.

I just wish I would have been able to get a tax deduction for this $100+ purchase!

IRS says breast pumps tax deductible expense

By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER

The Associated Press
Thursday, February 10, 2011; 1:45 PM

WASHINGTON -- The cost of breast pumps will now be considered tax-deductible medical expenses under a ruling issued by the Internal Revenue Service Thursday.

The ruling, long sought by advocates, means that women will be able to use money set aside in pretax spending accounts to buy the pumps and related equipment, which can cost several hundred dollars. For women without flexible spending accounts, the cost of pumps will be tax deductible if their total medical costs exceed 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income.

Previously, the IRS considered breast pumps to be feeding equipment, not medical devices. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics argued that breastfeeding has many medical benefits for both mother and baby. Advocates hope that making breast pumps more affordable will enable more women to breastfeed longer.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that women breastfeed their babies for at least a year.

Unfortunately, due to financial restraints and work demands, not all women are afforded the opportunity to nurse their children, despite the proven health benefits," the academy said in a 2009 letter to IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman that was also signed by nine other medical groups. "In order to continue to breastfeed successfully, millions of mothers working outside the house require a breast pump."

Last year, 45 members of Congress wrote the IRS to protest its classification of breast pumps. On Thursday, several issued a statement praising the new ruling. They were Rep. Sander Levin, D-Mich., Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa.

"Today's decision is a huge victory for nursing mothers everywhere. Modern medicine has documented numerous health benefits linked to breastfeeding, including a reduced risk of illness in infants and a reduced risk of cancer in mothers," the lawmakers said in a statement. "And because breastfeeding is so effective in preventing disease, it also happens to save billions in health care costs."

Wild Wednesday: Superstitions

I found this list of superstitions from http://themomblog.ocregister.com/2008/12/14/wacky-superstitions/7482/

Here are a range of superstitions and traditions I’ve heard:

• If you want to conceive a boy, your husband should eat peanuts every day.
• Do not look at monkeys (real or stuffed) or else your child will be ugly and wild when she’s born.
• Do not bend forward from the hip while pregnant or your baby will choke on the thumb she’s sucking.
• Wear socks or slippers on uncarpeted floors, even in the summertime, to keep your body constantly warm and to protect your female parts.
• Women carrying baby girls tend to be happier than women who are carrying boys.
• Do not wear high heels during pregnancy or your baby will “fall out.”
• Sleeping next to a fan will suffocate you and your baby.
• You must eat pots of seaweed soup, which aids in postpartum recovery.
• Swaddle the baby in layers of clothes and blankets, even in the summer, to prevent them from getting sick.
• Massage and stretch your baby’s chubby legs to encourage growth.
• Pinch your baby’s nose to give it a defined bridge.
• Eat lots of fruit if you want a pretty baby.

I have also heard of a few more.... a fast heart rate is a girl and a slower heart rate is a boy..... you have acne with a girl because they "suck" all the beauty out of you.... you can't lift your arms over your head or the baby will get strangled with it's umbilical cord....

What about you? What have you heard?

Trusting Tuesday: Listening

Do you trust who you listen to when you are pregnant?

Do you think about those things you hear?

Almost daily I have a patient come to my office to have me dispel some myth that someone told them. These can range from caffeine is killing my baby by turning into formaldehyde inside my body... to... if I raise my hands about my head my umbillical cord will strangle my baby... to... I can't eat meat in pregnancy.

Reading them on a blog might make you laugh. How could anyone believe anything like this? What if it is someone you trust who told you this? Do you still laugh? Some of you might, but during pregnancy we need to learn to not believe and trust everything that people tell us. We need to listen with our ears and minds wide open, then filter through that information and find out what is true. Do the research, ask your provider, ask the source of the information where they heard that from.

There are wonderful people out there with great experience and knowledge, but listen closely and don't trust blindly. Don't believe everything you hear. If it doesn't make sense when you hear it the first time- it probably isn't.

Here is a little exercise. See how well you can trust your gut instincts:

True or false- Raw meat, like sushi, is safe in pregnancy.

True or false- You have to take your prenatal vitamins every day or your baby will be stupid.

True or false- You have a healthier pregnancy if you are really sick in the beginning of pregnancy.

True or false- If you have a miscarriage once you will mostly like miscarry every time you get pregnant.

True or false- If you eat lots of peanut butter in pregnancy your baby will become allergic to peanuts.

True or false- It doesn't matter what you eat in pregnancy, as long as your weight stays within the normal range for your body type.

True or false- If you spend time in a hot tub or a hot bath you might cook your baby.

If you haven't figured it out yet--- all the answers are false and I have heard these all come from patient's mouths. Not that they aren't smart, it is just that they are too trusting of the people around them who tell them things. Listen when people talk to you and think it through. If it sounds ridiculous, then it probably is.

If you aren't sure- ask your provider.

Mommy Monday: Competition

Parenting is never a competition... unless your child is winning.

Did I seriously just say that?

Yup, yes, you did read that right.

What is this supposed to mean?

As new moms we know, or we are supposed to know, that all babies and toddlers and children develop at different paces. We know that babies don't usually smile socially until 6 weeks or so. Occasionally we will get that smile at 3 weeks and think our kid is the greatest. But if our baby doesn't smile socially until 7 weeks then we just figure they are taking their time to develop but it is still normal.

Or when our toddler doesn't walk until they are 14 months- but the baby down the street was walking at 10 months. We know we aren't supposed to think of it as a contest so we just smile and shrug and remind the other parents that this isn't a race. But when your baby has all of their teeth and molars before their first birthday- Hallelujah! Your baby is faster than most babies.

We continually put ourselves through this emotional roller coaster. For what? To tell ourselves that we are good parents based on our newborns teething habits? Or if our baby is in the 95% for height- we did something right?? Or to tell ourselves that we haven't taught our child well enough when they can't say their "S" sounds at 18 months? Why do we do this to ourselves?

It sees very that everyone is in this "parenting competition". Healthy? Probably not... but it hard to stop from this "parenting competition." I guess looking at the positives isn't that unhealthy, but what about the negatives? How well do we keep out the negative? I used to think that comparing my only child to someone else's only child was hard to not do... but just wait until you start comparing siblings.

I look at my little girls. The oldest didn't talk until she was 2 1/2. The baby talks in sentences at 20 months. The oldest entertains herself, the youngest needs someone to entertain her. The older one doesn't talk back, the little one does. The oldest had her teeth early, the younger one is potty trained sooner, etc, etc, etc. But guess what? I still love them both.

This comparison, this competition, it is all around us. All we can do is try a little more each day to love your child/ren as individuals. To love them, teach them, and soak up their own little identities.

Have you told your little one that you love them today?

Happy Valentine's Day

Special Guest Sunday: The Leaky B@@B

This Special Guest Sunday is an often controversial Facebook group. The Leaky B@@B is a group that was started from a woman who had a blog. She was reaching out to hundreds, possibly thousands of women on her blog, but she then realized she could help so many more by starting a Facebook page.

This Facebook page has over 15,000 people who like it. It also has been removed by Facebook- but with enough protesters and information to the people of Facebook it has been brought back and I haven't seen it removed since!

The benefits of this facebook page are far reaching.

There is a constant flood of breastfeeding women/mothers/ pregnant women posting on the wall. Their posts cover everything from teething, nursing in public, diaper rash help, potty training, problems with breastfeeding, and so much more.

http://www.facebook.com/TheLeakyBoob

If you have a question, post on the wall and one or ten or fifty women will post back with help, advise, sympathy, support, congratulations, or condolences. They will show you that you are not alone.

I am not nursing but I still frequent the page, I like the status updates, and answer the questions throughout the day when I have the time.

If anyone deserves a special guest post- it is the Leaky B@@B. What an important and beneficial way to help women through social media.

ps- don't be worried about creepers lurking about and posting- the host of the site catches these pervs quickly and blocks them from ever coming back to the site.

Fashion Friday: Modest Middles

Modest Middles Nursing Tank Tops will be on my wish list when I am pregnant/nursing again.

Obviously after I get my "Addie" Laborlooks gown of course.

Check it out at http://www.modestmiddles.com

This is a functional fashion statement.

Thankful Thursday: La Leche League

Today I am thankful for La Leche League International. This is a true international organization that is there to help support breastfeeding women around the world.

Browse through their website. Find a local chapter, check out a chapter meeting. If you have, are planning on, or are currently breastfeeding they want to meet you. Not only can you join a local chapter, but you can participate in their online forum where you can have questions answered and talk with other women who are just like you. Trying to be the best mom for their baby.

These forums also include women who choose to not or can not breastfeed. The include information about feeding your baby solid foods and when/how to introduce them.

I could seriously spend all day on that website. It just amazes me how they are able to connect so many women in one place.

Wild Wednesday: Largest Baby Alert

SUPERSIZE DELIVERY! WOMAN GIVES BIRTH TO 19.2-POUND BABY

Friday, September 25, 2009

AP/Andi Anshari

A three-day-old baby boy weighing 19.2-pounds lies next to an average size newborn baby at a hospital in Kisaran, North Sumatra, on Thursday.

A three-day-old baby boy weighing 19.2-pounds lies next to an average size newborn baby at a hospital in Kisaran, North Sumatra, on Thursday.

• 
• 

Indonesia's heaviest-ever newborn drew curious crowds Friday to a hospital where the boy named Akbar — or the Great in Arabic — came into the world at a record 19.2 pounds.

Akbar Risuddin was born to a diabetic mother in a 40-minute Cesarean delivery that was complicated because of his unusual weight and size, Dr. Binsar Sitanggang said.

"I'm very happy that my baby and his mother are in good health," father Muhammad Hasanuddin said Friday. "I hope I can afford to feed the baby enough, because he needs more milk than other babies."

PHOTOS: WORLD'S BIGGEST BABIES

Crowds pushed to get a peek of the extraordinary boy, who measured nearly 24 inches when he was born Monday, at the Abdul Manan hospital in the northern town of Kisaran on the island of Sumatra.

"This is fantastic," Dewi Miranti, a mother from a nearby village, said as she peered through a window with about a hundred other people. "He looks very well and is cute."

The baby's extreme weight was the result of excessive glucose from his mother during pregnancy, Dr. Sitanggang said.

The boy was the third child of Hasanuddin, 50, and mother Ani, 41, who like many Indonesians goes by a single name. His two "little" brothers weighed 11.6 pounds and 9.9 pounds at birth."He is greedy and has a strong appetite, nursing almost nonstop," the doctor said.

The former Indonesian record holder was a 14.7-pound baby boy born on the outskirts of the capital, Jakarta, in 2007.

Guinness World Records cites the heaviest baby as being born in the U.S. in 1879, weighing 23.75 pounds. However, it died 11 hours after birth. The book also cites 22.5-pound babiesborn in Italy in 1955 and in South Africa in 1982.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,554809,00.html#ixzz1BQELezuo

Trusting Tuesday: Choosing your Care Provider

How did you choose who to take care of you during your pregnancy?

~Was it the doctor who did you first pap smear? And every pap smear since?

~Your mother's doctor?

~The nurse practitioner at the office closest to your house?

~Or was the office recommended by a friend or neighbor?

~Did your insurance company tell you where you could go?

~Did you call the local hospital for a list of names?

~Look in the yellow pages?

~Google it?

~They delivered your sister's baby?

~They delivered you?

~They delivered your past baby?

~Did you care if your provider was a male or female?

~Was it a small group, single practitioner, or large practice?

There are thousands of questions that go into picking who you will spend these important months of your life with. Do you trust this person? Will you trust this person?

My recommendation, no matter how you picked who would take care of your during your pregnancy, would be to trust that person. Feel comfortable with them. Don't ever leave the office feeling like a question was unanswered. Don't leave feeling ignored, or like just another name on their list of pregnant moms. Don't leave feeling like you weren't listened to, as if you don't matter, or that you were stupid for asking questions.

You know what... I take it back... if you do leave the office feeling this way... then LEAVE. Find a new practitioner and never go back. Request your records and find someone you can trust, and who will trust you in return.

Mommy Monday

For our first "Mommy Monday" I want to talk about one of the things that I never knew about when I first became a mom.

Basically it boils down to this:

"You think pregnancy is hard? Postpartum is harder."

FYI- postpartum is the period after the baby is born.

Now this may not be true for everyone. I know a local Phoenix mom who suffers from Hyperemesis Gravidarum , (severe nausea and vomiting in pregnancy) but for the majority of women, this is in some way, shape or form, is the truth.

When you go to your OB/GYN for your pregnancy there isn't a lot of talk about AFTER the baby is born. In fact, other than, CONGRATS see you in 6 weeks, the only postpartum topic that may be brought up is birth control. ACOG says your doctor should talk about postpartum depression. Well, this is covered when they ask at your initial visit if you "ever had postpartum depression with a previous child?" It is also covered in, "let us know if you experience any postpartum depression after the baby is born." In routine OBGYN visits there isn't a lot of time to prep you for what may really happen during the postpartum period.

I also feel like this is a topic that a lot of new moms don't talk about. They feel comfortable talking about the lack of sleep, but they don't mention any of the things that make them seem crazy. I am going to list just a couple for you.

1. After the baby is born, you may fight with your significant other more than you ever have in your life. Not because you don't love them, but because you are exhausted. You are more tired than you have ever been in your entire life and the one person you always depend on has no clue how to help or read your mind. Blame it on the hormones, the sleep, the breastfeeding, the crying, the soreness, the recovery, anything, and everything. It doesn't matter. Most people will fight during this time. Stupid things too... like why wasn't the trash taken out 2 hours ago instead of now? And why would someone grab the wipes before they grabbed diaper? As if it really matters... but after that baby comes this fight could last for an hour. Usually stopped when you, your partner, or the baby falls asleep. Hopefully you were so exhausted that you don't remember the fight when you wake up.

2. No one knows how to take care of your baby like you do. Just accept it. No one will ever do it good enough, but that doesn't mean your baby won't survive if they do it instead of you. The underlined point is what I am trying to make. Moms have this weird idea that if their baby is crying and someone else is holding him, the person holding the baby is doing something wrong. Your baby probably would be crying at that moment too if they were in your arms too.

3. Weigh yourself after 2 weeks, then have a celebration. Then don't weigh yourself ever again. Okay, maybe another time. The most rapid weight loss is at 2 weeks. The first few days after the baby is born you have retained fluid, breast engorgement, and if you step off that scale you might be disappointed. At 2 weeks your swelling should be gone and you will see your amazing weight loss. After 2 weeks though, the weight takes slower to go down. You won't continue to loose 20 lbs every 2 weeks.

4. Your hair falls out. It has something to do with the estrogen and progesterone shifts after having a baby- but I promise it will not all fall out. You will not go bald from having a baby. You might have a clogged shower drain, but you will not be bald.

The list goes on and on, so I will close with this ending thought. Post partum is hard but your sweet baby, some sleep, and a little bit of time will make it the best part of your life to date. I wouldn't trade this time in my life for anything else and I am sure you won't either. Learning every little thing about your new baby and smelling their sweet baby breath and kissing them all over is the best anyone could ask for. The cuddles, the snuggles, and that first smile make every ounce of post partum stress worth it.

It is so worth it... and just know you aren't the only one who is going through the emotions that you are going through. Been there, done that.

Special Guest Sunday

Eventually our Special Guest Sunday will have a featured blogger or someone related to the maternity/parenting/labor and delivery world... but since we are just starting out we are featuring our own Special Guest.

One of my favorite online store/ website is http://www.zoolikins.com/. Zoolikins is actually local to Phoenix, Arizona but I haven't made it out to the store yet.

This I do know. The store owner is very committed to helping families with natural parenting. In a stylish way of course! I have gotten some cloth diapers from them and they ship all of their products quickly.

I also love the fact that they offer classes. Cloth diapering classes and baby wearing classes. You may be thinking... "Wow, a little too hippie for me..." but is that such a bad thing? Taking care of the environment and saving our planet for these little ones to grow up in? I don't think so.

The baby wearing is actually very practical and cute as well. Who doesn't own a moby wrap yet? I can't think of many moms who don't swear by their moby wrap- moms who you would never associate with ANYTHING "hippie-ish". Wraps and carriers are life-savers. You get your baby to sleep, have your hands free, and get to snuggle with your little one all day long.

If you are interested in being a "special guest" for our special guest sunday feature please send us an email at info@laborlooks.com

Fashion Friday

Did you know Forever 21 makes maternity clothes?

Wow.

I didn't.

From my experience they don't make clothes that will last a lifetime. They are cute, chic, and CHEAP! This cute skirt is on sale for $10.99

I think this is perfect for maternity clothes. You don't need it to last for a lifetime... just a pregnancy!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for my Boon Potty Bench

I am potty training right now and it is not so fun. It does make it nice to have this easy potty around... since she is scared of the big toilet.

Wild Wednesday

Need a coupon code to afford you laborlooks gown?

From now until Valentines Day you can type in FEB2011 and you will get a 15% discount.

LOOK WHAT I FOUND!?!?

courtesy of http://thestir.cafemom.com/pregnancy/106361/hey_pregnant_lady_you_can

You can stop pretending the black hairs growing on the back of your calves don't bother you this summer when you pull on those summer maternity shorts.

A new product promises to make the impossible happen: The Razor Reach lets pregnant women shave their own legs.

An extension arm that looks like it requires substantially more coordination than my fumbling pregnant fingers had, it also promises "maximum control when shaving" when connected to your non-electric standard razor. There's a 12-inch extension for $14.99 or an 18-inch one for $18.99 (razor not included).

Personally, I gave up on trying to balance in the shower after realizing I hadn't done that much complicated maneuvering since the days of sex in the shower in college.

I used the "sit on the side of the tub" trick when I was pregnant. I kept a cup to pour over my legs to keep them wet and just coated them in soap (these days I use conditioner or Coochy Cream).

You can ask your partner, but a bit of a warning: Remember how many nicks you got the first time you shaved your legs as a teenager? This is his first time shaving a leg. Be prepared for cut-up knees.

Better yet, tell him thanks but NO thanks.

When all else fails, you can simply hide in the house. Unless you're tied to rocking the sweat-covered miserable look?

Will you try the Razor Reach?

an amazing picture.