Breasfeeding - at home - at work

So this is my third full week back to work and I am somewhat struggling with keeping my supply. I don't have a huge supply to begin with, we have been supplementing since day one. As she grows she obviously wants more, I am not making more but I want to at least keep giving her what I have since the beginning.

At nighttime she was exclusively breast-feeding until about a week ago, when she would get up at 3 (which was new) and was hungry. Well I just had fed her an hour or two before so I didn't have much more to give. And then a few nights later I realized I was not leaking at all, which during the night feedings I would leak from the other breast. So it seems like my supply is diminishing. I feel like I have not perfected the pumping and that may have something to do with it. Its slightly frustrating but I keep remembering what my pediatrician said, that any breast-milk is better than none. She has had my milk every day of her life.

Other than that, I am really getting into the swing of things and it feels good. I am working from home two days and drive to the office the remaining three. I am really grateful to have that flexibility because the nights I come home from the office she is already asleep so I do not get quality time. The days I am home we get to bond and play and smile. I am very thankful.

The hubs and I also started weight watchers (I have yet to wear non-maternity pants) last week, with success! I am down two and he is down 5! We are both heading in the right direction. Our weigh in day is Saturday and this week I had to go all by myself, well me and the baby. I had a full day packed for the two of us. It was different running errands with her. My mind gets a little full trying to remember my things and her things. We weighed in, went to the bank, went home to get the dog and then to the vet. I do not envy those with two children. By the time we got to the vet the baby was sleeping and our dog Stella was excited. By the end of her visit, I was sweating and ready to go home. I did come out of the morning feeling quite accomplished though. I like being a mom.

The vet also said Stella needed to lose 20 pounds so now its a whole family affair!

I also feel like I am having pediatrician withdrawal, I mean I saw the lady what 15 times in the first month. Its been three weeks or something since her last checkup. Weird. She had a little cold a week ago which has cleared up nicely. Poor thing had snot all over and I had baby boogers all over. I didn't mind. It was such a mom thing.

Developmentally its amazing to watch her learn, she loves to watch the ceiling fan and smiles when you sing or talk to her. I just want to eat her up! She also slept all night in her own room last night. She is getting a little big and squirmy to stay in our bed after I feed her so when she woke last night, I got up went to her room, scooped her up, fed her and put her back in her own crib. It was a milestone night.

This mom thing is pretty cool and very tiring. Very very tiring.

Post Partum Body

Of all the things you read about pregnancy, I don't know how much people talk about the after. Or at least I haven't been on the look out for it. The first few weeks after her birth I could not believe my body. I have been amazed by it the whole time, its simply amazing. It still is amazing its just so different. My stomach was deflated and my skin was red with stretchmarks and towards the end I got so big my skin started stretching left to right.

Two months later my stomach has gone down further, its very soft and the stretchmarks are softening but still quite noticeable. My whole life I haven't been the kindest to myself about body image and this makes it hard for me to think and feel good. I felt the most beautiful when I had the biggest belly circumference, and now I don't feel pretty at all. My hair has been so thick and it starting to fall out. I just noticed a few days ago more and more strands were coming out.

My hubs has been wonderful, not in any way making me not feel beautiful. I do it all myself. I just have a significantly different body than I ever have. Its not just weight gain or a slow progressive change at that. This is one day you have a rock hard belly that's really kind of cute to an over-deflated balloon tummy and skin that hangs.

 A girl friend of mine was saying that I just have to remember its still me and that I can look like I did before the whole 'trying to have a baby' game started. The hubs and I are starting weight watchers on Saturday and to be honest I am really excited. I can use some accountability and want to feel pretty again. I am still in maternity clothes, partially because I am afraid to try pants with a button just yet, but I am ready to be healthy and be the best me.

I also have to remember that I just had a baby two months ago and to not be so hard on myself. My body is amazing and I just made a baby. 

Two months - back on track

Wow so its been two months already. That went really quickly. I seriously did not wake up from a crazy haze for at least a month after she was born. That said its been another month already! We went to the doctor today for her two month check up and the dreaded shots! She took them great, it was sad for both of us. Right now she is sleeping it off, I asked the doctor about Tylenol and she said if needed. My poor baby girl was good for a few hours then all of a sudden gave me the saddest cry, I knew right away it was pain because the boobie juice wasn't even helping.

Last week was my first full week back at work and I am so exhausted. I am really trying, we have made dinner every night. Ok not a 4 course meal but a meal none-the-less. I am ready to get the weight off and work and be a great mom and wife. That's a lot of responsibilities. But I am a women right?! We are in a league of their own, I am a mom now, I just have to get it all done.

I am working really hard at maintaining a schedule, a know this little baby of mine needs some structure and I need to make it all work. Of course I had to come down with some sort of snotty, sneezing cold thing and I am not taking any medicine because I would surely love for this yucky snot to dry up I am really working hard at making more milk so I don't want to chance my milk supply. Suffering thru it. Let see how this week goes, my first paycheck back from maternity leave comes this week. WAHOO! I am a little excited about that. And tomorrows Valentines Day, I was not shy about requesting a box of chocolate. Good thing I am starting Weight Watchers this Saturday.

Well hoping to have an equally amazing week and getting more smiles!

2 month old smile

Back to Work

I head back to work on Wednesday, I have been trying to mentally prepare for the last week. So far so good. I have kept up on the laundry and house keeping. I am going to be working from home Tuesday and Thursdays so I have been practicing getting things done and working. I am ready to go back, I am just starting to have the mixed feelings that come with doing different things and leaving her. I know that this is just the next step we have to take and there is a part of me that really is ready. Its just so real that Wednesday we start our new routine. I am dropping off at daycare and hubs is picking up. Hubs will be alone with the baby for an hour to an hour and a half before I get home. This will be an adjustment for all.

My wrist is still killing me, I tried not to wear the brace for a day and that was so wrong. Some days are better than others but I still need the support. Its my carpel tunnel nerve and it hurts! I am still having issues with my left foot as well, some parts are numb and there is a ligament/tendon something that goes across my foot that must be out of whack. The more I talk to people about these left side ailments they mention that it may be epidural related. I am not sure and don't know how to really find out but that very well could be the case. There are reports of people having side effects lasting for months.

I go back to the OBgyn for Mirena in April, if it is still acting up then I have to go to a specialist. My incision is good, still red and has some indentations from the steri strips still but its healing. Some times it will get very itchy but thats the healing process.

Oh the crazy things being pregnant does to your body. At least now the stress and pressure of trying to conceive is gone. It has been such a strain for years and now we can just enjoy our baby and our little family.

6 Week Post-partum check up

I had my check up yesterday and am healing quite nicely. My incision is healed, it is still red but the doctor said that will go away with time. I have had a few issues that have popped up so I asked about them: my wrist, about two weeks before she was born my wrist started to bug me, nothing major, really dull ache. I know it was my carpel tunnel nerve and I heard it can act up during pregnancy. Well no one told me it would get much worse AFTER. Hmm. I am now wearing a brace on my left hand and its hard to pick up the baby with my left hand. Awesome.

I have also been experiencing some nerve issues with my foot. When I bend my left foot to the right I get a shooting pain starting from my third toe to my ankle. It is a very specific area and I noticed a few days ago that I have been itching the bottom of that toe often without really realizing.

The doctor said these types of things will get worse before they get better but that I will need to see my primary care dr. if they don't go away in another month.

I also have a completely new body and it took a little getting used to. I didn't really get a good look at all my new stretch marks until a week after birth. I cried. Yep. Being pregnant I was the most confident I have been in my body in years. From the start of our journey and with each miscarriage I gained, some hormonal and some emotional eating attributed to that and the depression cherry on top probably didn't help. So when I was really pregnant and stuck out like crazy I embraced it and showed it off. I wore tops that accentuated the positive, now I am left with a deflated balloon that was over-inflated. My skin sags, it hangs, my stretch marks are deep and dark and ALL over. I remember seeing the first one, and towards the end anything under my belly button was unseen so I didn't even know! My baby was almost ten pounds and my body stretched bad. I know I have to embrace it because its worth having her. Plus my husband is super supportive. I haven't even tried pre-maternity pants yet and I am just plain not ready. I still like that the panel hides the majority of my stretch marks and it holds the extra skin I have. The doctor said it will be a good six months of healing, its all part of the journey that I prayed and wished so hard for.

So for now, I will wear my muumuus (yes I own them and they are great), maternity pants and work on being the best mom I can be.

Our little babe, Addison. 

Breastfeeding woes

I have a feeling this week is going to be a good one, first off my little babe and I have finally come to an agreement on the breastfeeding front. My milk is in! It took FOREVER it seems like and we were supplementing with formula. I was behind the 8 ball already because of the c-section, pain meds and a stubborn baby. Needless to say the last few weeks were really trying, she has been in my arms constantly, my nipples were raw. I felt like a feeding machine.

The past few days have been much better, I have been able to put her down for more than ten minutes. I can also hear her gulping and she will have drops of milk on the corner of her mouth at times. I am glad I stuck with it. Its the one thing I have been determined to do, beyond the health benefits I wanted that bond with her.

Each day has been getting better since my milk has been satisfying her. She is more alert and playful, I can't believe its almost been a month!

Weight checks

Well its been a little more than a week since we got home. My mother left on Sunday and my husband is taking this week off from work. I would say it is a typical house with a newborn, I still have my PJs on and baby and daddy are still sleeping. The mornings are just an extension of the night so its typical to roll out of bed around 11. That leaves for a relatively short day to get other things accomplished but I really only have one job right now. Taking care of the baby.

We have been to the pediatricians four times since her birth because they were concerned with her weight gain. She was born at 9lb 14oz and was released from the hospital at 9lbs. That was 10% of her weight and they start getting "concerned" at 9%. Our second weight check she went down to 8lb 14oz, since being at the hospital we have been supplementing with formula because my milk did not come in right away so at that weight we bumped up the amount of formula we gave her. We had to return to the drs the next day and she went up to 9lb 4oz.

Now our pediatrician is super cool and the whole time was saying that she just wanted to keep an eye out and wasn't super worried and how 200 years ago they didn't weigh the babies that much so they didn't know if they lost of gained weight in the first week of life. For us the pediatrician is literally at the end of our street within walking distance so I didn't mind taking the walk down there.

As of yesterday she is 9lb 3 oz and we don't have to go back till January.

And I hear my call for more food so I have to wrap it up. As soon as I can I will post the birth story too.

Update - Home from the Hospital

I am going to keep this short and not get into the details just yet, firstly the sitting position isn't super comfortable after the c-section. I have about 10-15 staples, (I can't see them, therefore I can't count them) but I sure do FEEL them. They are very sensitive and tender today, I have been laying and reclining a lot more recently just to get the pressure off the area.

Our baby is AMAZING.

Addison Mary was born at 8:36 am December 8, 2011 weighing in at 9 pounds 14 oz and 22.5 inches long.

Wow what an experience, what a gift for such a hard road to have crossed. We were released from the hospital yesterday, I am very thankful to not be bothered every hour. My mother is here helping which is wonderful and I am trying to breast feed so my time is split between feeding, resting and just staring at her beautiful face.

It has been a whirlwind few days, just so amazing. My brain is not functioning as normal due to lack of sleep and my sentences are full of umms lately but I would not change it for anything.

The first night home was not bad, I have been up throughout the night even when she was still in my belly so now I just have someone to take care of. My milk has also not come in fully yet so I am trying to get her on the breast by herself to eat for ten minutes, then using the SNS system to feed. Its a feeding tube you tape to yourself that has formula on the other end but makes her think she is feeding from the breast still and I have been pumping afterwards to get it to come in as quickly as possible. Needless to say its a process. More on the breast feeding frontier to come.

Well my belly is telling me its time to release the pressure and take more meds. I will post as I can and there may be a picture or two :)

Today is my Babys Birthday!

I wanted to find time to post and 4:39am is as good of a time as any. I was woken up by feet under my rib cage and the overwhelming sense to go to the bathroom. Apparently two hours ago just wasn't enough.

My scheduled C-section is in 3 hours and 50 minutes and we are to be at the hospital in 1 hour 35 minutes. There is nothing that anyone can say that makes me grasp what is really happening. The Mr. and I spent most of yesterday just laughing and repeating WOW. This is a life changing day, a day like no other. Our wedding was exciting but not to this magnitude, graduating college was great but doesn't hold a candle to this feeling.

We have been talking and trying and seeing doctor after doctor, we have had our hearts ripped out of our chests and had the 'hopeless' feeling, for the last 18 months. To be where we are, 39 weeks and 4 days pregnant, knowing she is still kicking and healthy, its mind-blowing.

This day I become a mother to a child that I get to love and teach for the rest of my life, that will look like me and say the silly things I do, who I will comfort and play with. She is changing my life forever and I am so thrilled.

The alarm is set to go off in less than an hour now, I will get up and fix my hair, try to draw a straight line with my eye liner and throw on waterproof mascara because this 'saur is HAVING A BABY!

The next few days will be in the hospital and my mother will be staying with me for the week to help, I will be sure to post as soon as I can.

6 days until baby gets here... for real.

Well well, this is my 6th to last day pregnant. After all the speculation and doctors appointments and talking...


Yes, we have a scheduled c-section because our dear daughter is a chunker. She was estimated to be around 9 pounds 11 oz (give or take a pound) This means the doctors no longer recommend attempting a vaginal delivery. Thats when my heart breaks a little and yes there were tears.

Of course I have been reading about natural drug free births and really wanted to test myself, my stamina, and proudly wear the badge of honor as I delivered my baby but thats not our story this time around.


I am disappointed and its a hard feeling to swallow because I don't want to feel disappointed when it is such a momentous time in our lives. BUT there was a a part of me excited for the labor, the waiting, the pushing, the commotion of "She's coming" 


My more stable mind (which has been on hiatus for weeks now) knows the risks far out weigh the common sense and everyone wants to play it safe with our lives. So that is exactly what we are going to do. 


We got the news around noon yesterday and its my nightly 3-4 am wake up time and I am still in a bubble about it. 


She is really coming, and I have a date a time? What. My home that has been filled with baby stuff is actually going to be put to use... next week? It so unreal. 


I am trying to take it one day at a time because my brain just cannot comprehend whats coming. Tonight was supposed to be when we signed the contract with the sitter but our first pet cat is sick again and the Mr. is pretty bummed about it so I don't want to push him tonight to hurry up and deal with the cat thing so we can deal with the sitter thing. Its a rough week for him, all these crazy emotions flying around. 


We also waited until the absolute last minute to choose a pediatrician, I have an appointment with them Monday afternoon. They scheduled a prenatal visit for me, what that entails, I will soon find out. 


And Monday is pretty much where my brain stops. It has yet to go beyond that date so for now, yea I will leave it at that. 

Still cooking.

So baby is still in there, I am 38 weeks and last week was admitted to the hospital for dehydration. Never a dull moment. Baby is good, still cooking, she is measuring 41 weeks and we go for an ultrasound tomorrow and we will ultimately have to make the decision of what is best for both of us and getting her out.

I have cried a few tears about my natural birth that is turning into a medical procedure. But I can't control it, as long as she is healthy.

This weekend is turning into a "just us" weekend, this may be the last few days that our family will be two so I want to cherish this time.

For now I am trying to work while working thru contractions and this dizzy spell I have had all day.

Getting very anxious to meet our little girl.

Review: Tea-for-Two Pregnancy Tea and Healthy Mom, Happy Baby Yoga DVD!

At Pregosaur, we're big fans of natural products for TTC, pregnancy, and beyond - and one of our favorite companies, Fairhaven Health, generously sent Jerseysaur four of their amazing products to review.

We previously posted reviews of two products and the second two are below...and later this week, there just might be a giveaway!

Tea-for-Two Pregnancy Tea

This tea is a loose leaf tea blend especially designed for pregnant women, and I love that it's made with all-natural organic ingredients! These are:

• Strawberry leaf: nourishes and tones the uterus and provides key vitamins, minerals, and alkaloids that promote a healthful pregnancy
• Alfalfa: high in nutritive vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin K. which is critical to a healthy pregnancy 
• Dandelion leaf: helps to eliminate excess water from the system to ease fluid retention, excellent source of potassium, calcium and iron
• Oatstraw: calms the nervous system to alleviate stress and tension
• Ginger root: assuages nausea and eases morning sickness symptoms
• Lemon verbena: provides refreshing, zesty flavor.

You brew the tea by steeping one teaspoon of the blend in hot water for five minutes. It has a very light, mild flavor, and if you prefer a sweeter tea, you could add a little honey.


Healthy Mom, Happy Baby Yoga DVD

I loved this DVD! Yoga is highly recommended as a form of exercise for pregnant women, and the exercises were gentle and easy to follow. I also liked the ongoing references to the baby (since exercise involves both of you when you're pregnant!).

I felt so relaxed at the end of the session, and so connected with my body and my baby. I like knowing that my flexibility and strength are improving, and that helps me have the healthiest pregnancy I can!

Stay tuned for the giveaway!

1.5 cm dilated

I have been experiencing contractions that started on Saturday, those were painless contractions and I was so unsure of what they really were. I had my weekly doctors appointment yesterday and told her that they are getting worse, they are keeping me up at night and getting tighter. She did a cervix check and I am 1.5 cm dilated and 25% effaced, things are moving in the right direction. I have vomited everything I have eaten yesterday, I am starting to get hungry but then I get so nauseous and start burping like crazy. Things seem to be happening.

I can't believe it.

We found a sitter!

Wow, days are flying so fast I can't keep up. First good news, we have been interviewing sitters for the past few weeks and I think we found one!! What a journey that has been, I really feel like it was dating again, except for my unborn child. My husband and I were looking for a stay at home mom (SAHM) to care for her as we enjoy the home atmosphere, the more individualized attention and interaction with other age children. So we met with one woman last night and she met all of our needs, she is a registered daycare provider, she is eco-friendly, loves to give the kids new types of food and has tons of learning activities all around the house. She will work very closely with us and I felt safe with her. We just clicked. I got her name on a Mommies forum (check online to see if they have one near you) and she was everything we have been looking for.

In other news Thursday - my doctor day - went well, I have gained 10 pounds in the pregnancy thus far which is great. (Keep in mind I had two miscarriages and my weight fluctuated with each one, so I am not an emaciated looking preggo) Baby is good, she is still measuring 3 weeks ahead and this doctor seemed so unconcerned by her size she pushed back the ultra sound to December 1. At that point we will have a better understanding of whats going on with her, that is unless she decides to show up early.

We are working on getting her room finished and I am DETERMINED to pack our hospital bags this weekend. I keep saying it but not doing it.

Our due date is exactly one month from today!! HOLY COW!

C-Section talk - Wash your mouth out!

I can't believe its Friday again, its the wee hours of the morning and my bed and I are not getting along. We have consistently been getting home around 9pm all week, so my house is a disaster and I am just worn out but I can't bear to lay down. My legs are restless, my stomach is in the way and I cannot find a comfortable position.

The weekly checkup was yesterday morning, it was fine. I met with a doctor I normally don't. They recommend that in the event you get whoever is on call when you are about to deliver. It was a He. Really no biggie at this point, it seems like everyone has seen me pants off lately but he just didn't know me, asked questions all about my gestational diabetes and as he was walking out he says something about having a big baby and that it looks like we are heading towards a c-section.

Mmmm. Excuse me. What was that, I must have misheard you. Of course I smile and nod, holding back my tears and as soon as the door closes I lower my head and just start crying. My baby is growing quickly, I know she is big for her gestational age, but really is this what everyone is thinking and you were just the first to say it. Now I have really just surrendered myself to the fact that pregnancy is like nothing else you can expect. It doesn't happen on the first try, it doesn't seem to go to the way you think and you sure as hell can't plan anything to do with it. Knowing those things I have not put together a "birth plan" per say but I had an idea of how I would like the birth to be and a c-section was never really in that picture. I would like to labor at home for as long as I can, I would like to see how my body acts, if I want an epidural I will get one, if I feel like I can do it on my own I want to. Now you are telling me to skip steps 1 and 2 and go straight to 3.

I clearly didn't like that answer.

I will be talking to the next doctor next Thursday to hopefully get a different answer. I will go for an ultrasound in a week and a half-ish to check her size again and from there we will have a better understanding of what the next step is. The Mr. thinks they may take me then but at this point who knows.

Cooking a big baby

I am 33 weeks and 5 days, I am so thankful to have made it to this point with all the bumps along the way. I had my bi-weekly check up yesterday and the doctor measured me again. I am measuring at 36 cms which is a few weeks ahead of schedule. They noticed this about a month ago and sent us for the ultrasound then. The tech estimated her at 4.5 pounds, so I can only imagine she is larger than that now. The doctor suggested I start coming in once a week and we will keep an eye on her size. They also are concerned about the gestational diabetes playing a factor in her becoming a plump baby.

So pretty much at this point 1. Dr said if I go into labor they are not going to stop me and 2. depending on her size we may have to induce. Looking at a calendar if I am measuring 36 weeks now and ideally they would like me to get to 37 weeks according to my due date that brings us to November 20th. Thats about 4 weeks away. I can't even wrap my mind around it. The Mr. has been working late and we haven't even really had a chance to talk about it being I am asleep by the time he gets home and the mornings aren't time for serious conversation.

I feel like there is so much to do, I am excited and nervous and anxious at the same time. Her room is halfway there, we don't have a sitter lined up and if I have to be induced I most likely will also have an epidural. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I was just looking forward to at least trying to be as natural as possible.

My Gestational diabetes has been good, I submitted my weekly numbers to the counselor and she was pretty happy with them which is great. Thats another week I won't have to be on pills or shots.

I can definitely tell that she is running out of room, her movements are at some points sharp and I can feel every one of them.

But we are excited and its 9 pm which has pretty much been my bedtime and I am so sleepy. At least it is supposed to be a quiet weekend.

Gestational Diabetes Update & Ultrasound Picture

I will first update with the Gestational Diabetes as I went to the diabetes clinic on Friday. I met with a very friendly nurse who gave me my meter for testing and explained that we are going to try to combat this with diet first and see how that goes. Pretty much what is going on is my body is not creating enough insulin to fight off the sugar in my blood, that can be bad because baby will be receiving more sugar than needed and can lead to a larger birth weight baby.

 So I started pricking my finger and testing my blood Friday morning, I have to test four times a day. First thing when I wake up, and an hour after each meal. My pattern so far has been to have a higher number after breakfast than I do the rest of the day. I have also noticed that the more exercising I do (i.e. walking all around the Bills/ Eagles football game yesterday) the lower my numbers are. It is quite interesting to see how what you eat and what you do directly effect your body.

As for now they are having me control this by diet, no extra suggary stuff, careful with the carbs, under 30g a meal and try not to over-do it. All of which can be done, plus this will just make me get in the habit of what I am eating so after she is hear and Weight Watchers calls my name I will be pretty used to it. I have not been tracking my food in a journal just yet but have made notations next to my numbers if they have been high. I am supposed to have a blood sugar number of under 130 an hour after every meal, Saturday morning I had a bowl of Cheerios and an hour later it was at 132. So I know I have to limit my intake of milk early in the day. Bummer because cereal and milk have been my staple this whole pregnancy but I will do whatever it takes.

 My last appointment the doctor measured me and told me I was measuring about 3 weeks ahead and sent me for an ultrasound this morning to get a weight on the baby. Our little pumpkin measured at 33 weeks and 4 days (just about 3 weeks ahead) and 4.5 pounds. That is crazy. They do not change the due date as it helps to keep track of the lung development (learn something new everyday!) but they will keep an eye on us to make sure she doesn't get too big. This appointment and this news sent me into an anxiety frenzy. I feel not ready yet, work is getting crazy busy as the fourth quarter is our insane time. I work in a health insurance brokerage so our busiest time is right around my due date. She is head down already which is great and they measured my cervix, 5.25 cm which is also very wonderful. We confirmed she is a she and got to listen to her heartbeat again.

I have perma-grin on my face lately as we were able to see her little face in 3D and I am just reassured that everything is going okay. Below is our baby girl, aww! I know right!

Review: Pregnancy Plus Prenatal Vitamins and Dream Belly Stretch Cream!

At Pregosaur, we're big fans of natural products for TTC, pregnancy, and beyond - and one of our favorite companies, Fairhaven Health, generously gave us four of their amazing products to review. We'll post two reviews now and two later - and then there just might be a giveaway!

Here's what Jerseysaur had to say about the Pregnancy Plus Prenatal Vitamins and Dream Belly Stretch Mark Cream...

At first glance I was thrilled at the size of these nutrient packed vitamins - they are almost half the size of the other vitamins I have been taking so far. I compared the label to my current vitamins to see what is in this bottle that may be different. I was quite surprised with what I found - these vitamins have a few more ingredients and are quite consistent with the daily percent value. I have always wondered what going over the limit means to me, but these don't seem to over-do it while maintaining the 100% value across the board.

I also have been having little to no nausea with these pills on a full or empty stomach, which to anyone who has had morning sickness (or whole pregnancy sickness) that can be a real lifesaver!

I do have to say one thing I REALLY love about this brand is how natural all the products are. I am constantly thinking about what I put in that my baby gets to share with me and I am really pleased to know that these vitamins are nourishing us both naturally.

Look at the Dream Belly Stretch Mark Cream bottle, how pretty! I am a sucker for shelf appeal and package design, its nice to see some flair when I am dealing with stretch marks. As I have developed a much larger belly in the past few months, I have those mommy battle scars and as much as I would love to see them go they are with me forever now. I have been moisturizing since day one and will continue to constantly lather up as we get closer to the big day, but if I have my choice of creams on my night stand I have been turning to this one more frequently.

The best thing about this cream is the fruity smell - I peeked at the ingredients and saw grapefruit extract, which is so soothing. The list of ingredients is chock full of oils and butters which makes it feel so silky smooth. I recently have started learning more about the powers of natural oils and am so glad to see a few familiar names that are in this lotion to help repair my skin.

This product will take some time to see how it fairs in the last few weeks but so far so good. The non-chemically smell and thickness of the lotion really make it a great choice to have some bonding time with me and my baby belly.

Stay tuned for the next two reviews and the giveaway!

No Shots For Me!

Hello World, I have emerged from my rock. I finally have shaken this head cold thing. Thank goodness! Never did I know that a tiny little cold would rock my world like this one. It really is true that when your sick and pregnant its a whole lot worse.

I was asked at my last appointment if I wanted the flu vaccine, now I had this cold so they wouldn't give it to me anyway. At least thats what the paperwork said but I declined. I have not been faced with this decision before so I had about four minutes to think about it while I was changing from the waist down to have an internal exam. Even before pregnancies I have never received a shot so I thought to myself that I just would not start now and I really did not want it. I am sure others have been faced with this decision but its just one of those things where if I get the flu I will kick myself for not having the shot but if I don't I will be glad I declined.

This week has really been a wash for me, my house is a disaster and I have been in bed before nine most nights. I am determined to stay awake a little longer tonight as my dad and littlest sister are driving four hours to my house to drop off her old juvenile furniture then trekking to Vermont for a weekend in the mountains.

I am meeting with the diabetes center tomorrow morning to review a meal plan that they would like me on to combat the diabetes thing I have going on. I think I have been pretty good with my eating all week, I even tested it with a co-workers meter this morning. About two hours after I ate breakfast my blood sugar was at 84 which is perfect, so I just have to keep doing what I am doing I think. We will see, I will be sure to update you all after I talk with the nurse/nutritionist lady.

Fail, Pass, Fail..

I feel like I have fallen off the face of the earth. Sorry about that everyone. My body has been fighting off a cold and its kicking my butt. I am normally not a complainer and I will weather the storm but I went home early yesterday and slept for hours. That means I am sick sick. Bummer.

Well I can happily say that camping can be enjoyed 29 weeks pregnant. There were a few moments i.e. rolling of of the air mattress was difficult, traveling back and forth to the bathrooms a million times, and  the hills oh the hills. But for the most part the weather was nice and warm, it rained a little but not too bad. Everyone commented on what a trooper I was, I felt good about that but its one of the last times we will all be together before our little one arrived and I wanted that.

Last week I also went for my glucose screening and I got a call from the doctor yesterday. Bad news bears. I failed two of the three hours of my test. For those who don't know or have not experienced this super awesome test before, the take your blood, give you a drink that is really sugary and then test your blood every hour on the hour for three hours. I asked the doctor what my numbers were as 1. I am curious about my health 2. Although I may not be a doctor I feel I have a right to know. The doctor told me my fasting was at 91 which is perfect, before I got pregnant a while back I used a friends glucose screening kit because I wanted to know what it was and it was 97 so not much has changed on that end. She then went on to tell me that my one hour was 197, it was supposed to be under 180. FAIL. My second hour was 146, it is supposed to be below 155. Pass!!! And my third was 165, it is supposed to be under 140. FAIL.

So as I explained this to my husband and my mother this is whats going on in my body.

Pregnancy hormones can block insulin from doing its job. When this happens, glucose levels may increase in a pregnant woman's blood.

You are at greater risk for gestational diabetes if you:

• Are older than 25 when you are pregnant (I am 25)
• Have a family history of diabetes (Not that I know of)
• Gave birth to a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds or had a birth defect ( First pregnancy to term)
• Have sugar (glucose) in your urine when you see your doctor for a regular prenatal visit (did in the beginning, not since about 10 weeks)
• Have high blood pressure - (Have been in the normal range this whole pregnancy)
• Have too much amniotic fluid (Measured normal at my last Ultrasound)
• Have had an unexplained miscarriage or stillbirth (Have had two miscarriages in the first trimester)
• Were overweight before your pregnancy (My BMI classified me as overweight)
  
  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001898/
  
  
  The doctor told me that because my fasting level was normal and the results from this test she believes that I can manage this by my diet. I had the diabetes clinic call me this morning to schedule an appointment for next Friday. At this point in the pregnancy, I will have to watch what I am eating for 10 weeks, while probably gaining some great knowledge about food. Positive spin on it! 
  
  
  For now I am going to blow my nose, eat some more Zycam and poke around on Pintrest.com, my new obsession.