There is something amazing you want to accomplish in your life. You know it will take work and sacrifice of some kind. Having a baby is hard work. It takes time, it is painful, and uncertainty is scary. Yet, we know on the other end is this amazing life we have waited so many months to meet. You know anything worth having will have moments of difficulty when we start to doubt if we can do it. This is where affirmations can get us through to the other side of significant accomplishment and the immense joy when you hear your baby’s first cry.
This is a great, short video on childbirth affirmations. Watch it, ponder it, then create and memorize your own. It may even help to have them on cue cards for your partner during labor. What affirmations have/do you use?
Having a new baby can be overwhelming! There is always some little thing I forget to purchase when I have a new one. When I had my first I had so many questions about what was happening to my body, what labor was going to be like, and did I really have to wear my maternity clothes home.
I came across this site and think it should be the go-to place for any mama on the journey to snuggling with a new little one. It is simply The Cradle. It is very well put together, user friendly, and full of helpful info.
As Dr. John Kennell, a pioneer in the field of perinatal health care said, “If a doula were a drug, it would be malpractice not to use it.” I have personally used one and that experience inspired me to become a birth and postpartum doula myself.
When I say the word doula to most people, all I get back is a blank stare. I then have to explain what exactly I do. Are you one of those? Here is a great explanation I have created.
BIRTH DOULA
The professional birth assistant is a woman who tends to the birthing family from early labor until a little after the baby is born. She is trained to deliver continuity of care from home to hospital, be there through changing hospital shifts and alternating physician schedules; serve as advocate, labor coach, and support partner, and above all, help manage the fears of both parents. If it is a home birth, she is trained to take over tasks so the partner can be 100% present. A doula’s presence does not make a birth partner’s presence unnecessary. To the contrary, her presence frees the partner from certain aspects of concern and allows the partner to interact more closely with the birthing woman. The goal is to give the parents-to-be the freedom to focus inward and increase the intimacy of the experience for both the mother and her partner as they meet the challenges and rewards of their unique birthing experience, thereby leaving her with a sense of empowerment and a beautiful and positive birth memory.
POSTPARTUM DOULA
A postpartum doula is a non-judgmental woman with a quiet presence in the home. Most postpartum doulas are mothers themselves who have their own children and enjoy motherhood. By giving emotional and breastfeeding support along with practical newborn care tips and taking care of necessary household tasks such as: grocery shopping; meal preparation; doing the dishes, laundry or tending to the older children, postpartum Doulas help ease the transition into motherhood.
Unlike a baby nurse who focuses her care solely on the newborn, a postpartum doula encourages and teaches parents how to care for their newborn, to interpret their baby’s cues, and to trust their instincts in responding to their baby’s needs, infusing the parents with the confidence and support they need to develop their own parenting style.
After the baby is born you feel sleep deprived, scatter brained, and very forgetful. I guess for some of us, this continues throughout their childhood. The joke in my house, “Is it a cheese in the freezer kind of day?”. I have been known to put food items in weird places. An old friend used to say, “a few more brain cells are lost after each child so you can handle all the kids” (she had 5 by the age of 27).
Breastfeeding is one of those things that can feel like taking the SAT test all over again. When was the last time the baby ate? Is that why the baby is crying? What side am I supposed to start on this time? At 2am it’s even worse! Imagine taking the SAT without any sleep the night before. If you are pregnant with your first, please don’t be too scared. Somehow you make it through. Then, you think about having another one.
I found this product that is a DOH! moment. It is so simple and yet so practical. It is a nursing bracelet. There is a detachable charm which you move to keep track of the time of feedings. Also, if you are like me and can’t ever remember which side to start on, you can switch wrists to remind you.
Click on any picture. It will take you to the different sites where you can purchase these smart beauties.
It is always important to be in touch with your body both mentally and physically. For now, we will just chat about the physically awareness. During pregnancy, I believe it is even more important to cue into the signs your body gives you. A happy body functions better right? Don’t get too busy and forget to take care of your body. Your baby needs you, he/she is depending on you. It’s good the baby takes from your body what he/she will need before your actual body gets to use the nutrients. On the downside, you can become depleted which can make you more susceptible to illness and possibly hospitalization. You know the saying, “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Also, after having the baby it is vital to take care of yourself so you have a full milk supply, patience to take care of a crying baby, and avoid postpartum depression.
Tired/Weary – During the beginning and near the end this can be a huge problem. If you feel your feet dragging, take a cat nap. During lunch time or early afternoon, allow yourself 20-30 minutes to rest. Set an alarm, and take a snooze. Also, in the evening if possible, go to bed an hour earlier than you usually do. For me, that makes a huge impact.
Nausea – This is trial and error. What may work for someone else or even a previous pregnancy, may not work now. You can leave a couple crackers by your bedside at night. When you wake up, take some nibbles and let it settle before getting out of bed. If after you eat, it feels your food may make a reappearance, take a rest. Put your head down on the table or your desk, or sit up on the couch with your head resting on the back. Then close your eyes and rest for 5 minutes. You can also try chewing a piece of mint gum or sucking on a mint. Also, eat smaller amounts and eat more often so you aren’t ever very hungry. Sometimes, you just have to let yourself vomit in the morning before putting anything in your stomach. That certainly is the case for me this time around. Puke, get it over with, then enjoy breakfast.
Swallowing the vitamins – I have always found, in the morning, they would cause breakfast to reappear. Eat a couple bites of something right before bed, then take your vitamin. Your body needs some food to be able to distribute the nutrients from the vitamins so make sure you eat a little something too.
Equilibrium – Your center of gravity is changing. Be cautious going down stairs or hills (especially the steep ones). This is really important if you continue to exercise, just be aware. Trust me, the stair climbers and ellipticals can be a doozy. Be conscious of your foot wear. I’m a heels kinda gal. There are times when I have no problem, then times like Monday where it seemed I had never walked in them before.
The baby – Always listen to your gut. If you feel something is “off”, don’t hesitate to call your doctor. Please promise me you will go to all your prenatal appointments?!
Breathing – Deep breathing is great for the mind and body. All the air you take in, goes to your baby too. If you feel stressed (the baby feels that too), take some deep breaths. Sometimes I find myself taking shallow breaths. When you feel this or stressed, take a few minutes to close your eyes, breath deeply, and focus only on your breaths.
Move through your world with a little more caution. Remember the belly does need a little extra space. What other tips do you have?
I am always fascinated by the pictures that are taken of a fetus. It never ceases to amaze me how far technology has come in a relatively short amount of time. I found by far the coolest gallery of fetus photos. It shows pictures from the very beginning of conception up until the baby is born. There are multiple pictures for each week. It really is amazing and a must see! Go to EHD and check it out.
As women, we all want to look our best. The foundation should always be our undergarments. When are near the end of pregnancy and moving into breastfeeding, we have to find some nursing bras. Can you please promise me you won’t guess and just buy one? It really is important to have a well fitting bra, especially for this unique time. If you don’t have good support, droopy boobs may be in your future after breastfeeding is finished, and I know all of us don’t have money to get that fixed. Also, you will be holding a baby quite a bit and won’t have the free hands to keep adjusting your bra. Shopping for new bras is much less painful than looking for a new bathing suit!
You will want to be fitting near the end of your pregnancy. You can go to any department store or lingerie shop.
Just like any other clothing item, not all brands are equal. What may fit well with one brand, may not with another brand. In some cases, you may need to shop around and try on many. If you have a favorite brand, start there and see if they have any nursing bras.
You may even want to bring along the nursing pads you will be using to make sure it’s a fluid fit.
There are different ways the bra opens, make sure you are comfortable with it. Also, try doing it one handed before committing. Many times you will have baby in one arm and only one hand free.
If you do choose to purchase them online, make sure you have been fitted (don’t feel obligated to buy from that place!). If the website doesn’t provide the measurements of their garments, don’t be afraid to ask.
Lastly, you can be like this thrifty mama. I find what I want, then go online and find it for cheaper (usually able to get a nicer brand and still save money).
A great site I have used for bra measurements is Her Room. If you have questions about breastfeeding, here are a couple great sites to check out-Babycenter, Breastfeeding.com, What to Expect, and perhaps the best known, Le Leche League. If you can’t find the answer, most hospitals have a breastfeeding clinic you can call.
*Don’t ever feel like a failure or get discouraged! The art of nursing takes time and practice. Don’t ever be afraid to reach out for help!*
