We all strive to be yummy mummies right?  What mommy doesn’t want good lookin’ burp clothes instead of cloth diapers?  Check out the giveway for Swaddle Design’s Baby Burpee.  Even if you aren’t a mommy to be, wouldn’t these make a great gift?  For free too?

I remember long ago when my siblings were born (there was quite an age difference) and all the “stuff” my mom had (why couldn’t the battery powered swing had been invented yet??). When my first was born, I was amazed at how much more “stuff” there was. I found myself wandering the aisles of Baby’s R Us in a fog. Too many cute little outfits and fun toys. What kind of bottles did I need? What kind of car seat did I need? Did I really need the baby wipe warmer?

Becky Bloomwood finally nagged the guy of her dreams in Shopaholic Ties the Knot and is now Becky Brandon (of the famous Brandon Communications, at least it will be). Now, She finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. What does any shopaholic want? To be a yummy mummy of course! What does a yummy mummy need? Well, she needs the perfect pram for every possible situation, she needs designer baby clothes, a photo shoot for Vogue, and of course THE A-list OB-GYN.

After she pops into Bambino and overhears a conversation, Becky realizes she needs to get up to speed quick! Five prams, check. Baby clothes, check (she wishes she hadn’t been such a good wife and let Luke talk her into not finding out the babies gender). Now, the A-list OB-GYN. That was a little bit harder; however, Becky sure is good with words! A-list OB-GYN, check (now she will meet celebrities and have a holistic water birth with a Thai massage and lotus flowers!) Oh no, wait, she is Luke’s ex-girlfriend?! He never mentioned her! Shoot, they are now texting in Latin, and she told Becky she thinks she might be getting a varicose vein in her leg. What’s a girl to do? She talks to her sister and her best friend. They tell her to take back her territory. Didn’t Venetia notice the eye move? Now all of a sudden Luke is taking calls more privately and suddenly leaving. Are they having an affair? In classic Becky fashion, she follows Luke one day, and then hires a private investigator to tail him. Luke begins to think he is being followed. Shoot, shoot shoot!

She doesn’t have time for Venetia anymore; she must get ready for her Vogue photo shoot. What, now Fabia wants the blue shoes in order to use her house? Doesn’t she understand these green ones were flown in personally by a model upon request from Danny, her famous designer friend? I want a famous designer friend! Oh, wait, she is the one who discovered him….anyone? Anyone?? Now she is finally in the house and puts up some pictures of her and Luke, some monogrammed items, and a few sweet notes on the fridge. As she is putting the finishing touches, adding some of her shoes in the Shoe Room (don’t they always take shots in your closet?), the doorbell rings. Making mental notes of where everything is in the house, she answers the door. It isn’t the team from Vogue, its Luke and he wants to talk. All of a sudden she is in makeup and wardrobe, and Luke is charming the crowd acting like he owns the place (he is such a great guy and Becky can’t believe she is loosing him). Vogue has had horrible luck with this piece and Becky is their last yummy mummy available for it. What happens when the camera starts clicking? Becky begins having contractions! Call the ambulance! i guess Vogue will have to scrap their yummy mummy piece all together.

To find out how Becky seeks revenge on Venetia, and has the birth of her dreams (minus the lotus flowers and Thai massage), pick up Shopaholic & Baby by Sophie Kinsella. It is such a fun read as you find yourself rooting for Becky, laughing hysterically from her less-than-thought-out plans, and wanting to reach through the pages and give her a hug (or perhaps a belly rub).

*They have just finished filming Confessions of a Shopaholic movie! Starring Isla Fisher as Becky Bloomwood and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.*

Every year the CDC releases the National Vital Statistics Report the end of last year.  It is quite astonishing!  There was a 3% increase in births from 2005 to 2006, the highest growth since 1989.  There were 4,265,996 births in 2006 which is the highest number since 1961!  Teenage pregnancy started to rise in 2006 for the first time since 1991.  The total fertility rate was 2,101births per 1,000 women which is the highest rate since 1971.  The birth rate rose by 7% for unmarried women which equaled 50.6 births per 1,000 women.

WOW!  We are having babies!  The one that surprised me the most was the unmarried women.  Half of the women giving birth are unmarried.  i wonder how many account for women choosing to have children without a partner and how many were like my first (very unexpected blessings).

What are your thoughts on these numbers and what they mean?

When we are pregnant, we think about the birth, breastfeeding, and sleepless nights.  We don’t really think about infant CPR or choking.  i know, i know, it’s another thing to be worried about especially with an infant and all the checking we do when they are sleeping to make sure they are breathing.  If your older child gave the baby a small toy and it landed in the baby’s mouth, would you know what to do (i mean after you start to panic)?

For me, choking is personal.  When my oldest was a little guy, my brother was feeding him some food and he began to choke.  Talk about a scary situation!  my sister-in-law had to leave the kitchen because she was freaking out.  Thankfully i had training and was able to take charge.  i grabbed Chandlur out of my brother’s arms, put him over my arm and started hitting his back with the heel of my hand.  At first, there was nothing, that is when panic began to set in.  i hear my sister-in-law asking if we need to call 911.  i just kept on whacking him focused fully on his little body, praying God would intervene.  Finally the food shot out of his mouth and into the sink.  It was one of those sobering moments when you realize in an instant you could loose your child.  If i did not know what to do, i would have freaked out from the start, and the situation would have been much worse.

These are some great videos from The Pregnancy Show on infant CPR and choking.

Our family was home all day Saturday and we had the Olympics on.  Running seemed to be the theme for awhile.  It is the only sport my athletic loving 5 year old watched completely enthralled.  It makes this running lover mama super proud!  Anyways, my hubby and i were watching the Olympic Marathon that evening.  He kept asking, “How long is it again?”.  Tomescu from Romania, was spectacular!  The last leg was once around the track inside the Bird’s Nest.  The crowd was screaming and cheering.  While being astonished by how fast she was, i began to get the chills and a little teary eyed.  All i could say over and over again, “WOW!”.  Can you imagine that feeling?  You have been training and training for the pinnacle of your sport.  Your training pays off, you get the gold, and you get the cheering of thousands and thousands of people to get you through that last little bit.  WHEW!  How amazing!!

Many doctors equate giving birth to a marathon.  After 2 natural births (my third was a C-section because of a rare condition neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia), i get that.  In my opinion, giving birth is the pinnacle of womanhood.  Woman have been given the special gift of bearing children.  i know it’s a little old fashion and perhaps controversial.  Isn’t it organic though?  It’s what our bodies were created to do.  Don’t get me wrong, i do believe very much in birth control.  Without that, i would have a mass of children, a gynormous food bill, and have to dye my gray hair every month.  If this is going to be such an intense experience, wouldn’t we want a little training?  Instead of struggling at the end like Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain who wasn’t able to finish the 2004 Olympics, with training, you can be at the front of the race and have a more enjoyable experience.  Imagine as your partner is asking “How much longer?”, the nurses and doctors are cheering you on to get you through that last little bit.  i know how busy life can be (oh do i know).  Birthing Classes may be put on the hold until all of a sudden you find yourself in the hospital in labor.  Go to Birthright and sign up for the virtual childbirth classes.  Now you can be prepared to enjoy those whoops and hollers when you are on the home stretch and your baby is about to make his/her appearance.

Birthright offers four different options depending on your personality.  You can choose the 12 week, 7 week, or self-paced course.  If you prefer a paperback version, that is also available.  You will have unlimited access to Study Womb which has numerous tools to help you.  Also, there is a private forum to be able to ask your questions to a childbirth educator.  The creators of Birthright believe so much in their course, they provide a 100% money back gauruntee within 8 weeks.  You have no reason not to try this innovative new approach to childbirth classes.

Please send me your stories and experiences with these childbirth classes.  i want to feature them in a later post.

Here’s to a safe, smooth birth for you and baby!

Babyrazzi is a fun blog i subscribe to.  It’s all about celebrities and their babies.  They just posted an article i find somewhat disturbing (as seen by my comment on it).  i am just like the next guy (or gal) who wants my children to be unique.  Finding that place begins with the name our parents choose for us.   We have gotten away from the traditional names and now anything goes (check out 2007 popular names).  Actress Busy Philipps with husband Marc Silverstein just had a baby girl and named her Birdie.  Recently General Hospital Star, Ingo Rademacher had a baby boy and named him Peanut.  Really?  Don’t they realize these kids will have this name until they die (or at least go down to the courthouse and have it changed)?  Chris Martin (Gwyneth Paltrow’s hubby) said, ““There’s nothing weird about calling your baby Chewbacca if that’s what you want to call your baby,…”   This just seems a little selfish to me.  Isn’t parenthood about giving your child the best you are able to and being unselfish?  Would you want to walk around in life with the name Peanut?

Do you want to be the friend with a stand out present at the baby shower?  i have found the cutest newborn outfit that is sure to get a laugh and be used….newborn baby scrubs.  They are just as comfy as the grown up version.  The shirt pocket has the perfect place to write down the “specs”.  It would be really cute to have your hospital visitors write a word they want to speak into the new little one, and sign their name with the included permanent pen.  It is large enough to fit a newborn up to 10 pounds (if the baby is that big, my hat goes off to the mama!!!)  The scrubs come in surgical blue or baby pink and arrive in a gift envelope with a display window.