Imposing on the Baby's Birth

My sister informed me today that she would be visiting twice a week until the baby is born. She lives an hour away and I certainly did not make this suggestion. Although this sounds like a supportive family member, I have a feeling that she wants to be at the hospital when the baby is born. I have specifically said that I do not want any one there except my husband and doula. Oh well, we will see how things goes.

List for Prenatal Visits

I'm at the point now that I write down all my questions before I go to the doctor's office. Instead of trying to remember 4 different problems, such as a rash, fetal movement, abdominal pain, or anything else, I just list them one by one, suggest a reason, and ask for medicine if I need it. This system has made my appointments very simple. I strongly suggest to all pregnant women that if you are having multiple problems a list with symptoms is much easier to deal with than a long drawn out conversation where you are trying to figure out if you remember every thing.

Example List
1. Rash Under Breast
-Itchy
2. Craving Ice and Dirt
-Check for Iron Deficiency
3. Late Term Nausea and Vomiting
-Help!!!

I'm being a bit playful, but this should give you an idea of what I mean. Try it during your next doctor's appointment and see if it makes things easier for you.

Newborn Care Class

Last night my husband and I went to a newborn care class. It was important to me because my husband has no nieces and nephews. As we talked with the nurse and doctor, I began to feel as if I was the only one there who had ever been around small children. I have a large family and many friends with children. It never occurred to me that many people are so focused on their personal lives that they don't interact with others much more. But I digress. The basics of the class covered, feeding, umbilical care, washing, clothing, medical care and crying. I was very proud of how well my husband interacted with the doll but he was extremely slow. I reminded him that sometimes he will need to take on the responsibility alone and hopefully he catches a little speed as he becomes more experienced. An interesting topic that I enjoyed was why and how we swaddle babies. It's mainly for calming the child down, but should only be done the first couple of weeks. Below are some simple directions for swaddling your fussy newborn.

How to Swaddle
1. Fold one corner of your blanket down.
2. Place your baby in the middle of the fold.
3. Pull the left side across the baby's chest, then lift your baby's left arm and tuck the blanket under the body.
4. Bring the bottom of the blanket up and tuck it into the first swathe.
6. Pull the last corner of the blanket across the baby's chest, securing the left arm near the body.
7. Tuck the blanket under your baby's back as far as it will go.

If you are having trouble, go the this link and follow the pictures.

Gas Relief

I have been severely uncomfortable for over a week now but thought it was due to the baby being too large. Yesterday I vomited, urinated on myself, and had diarrhea. I was convinced that during my next appointment I was going to request an induction due to the effect this was having on me mentally. It occurred to me that my digestive system had not produced much waste lately besides the diarrhea. I purchased a case of fiber (and iron) laced nutrition drinks and ate a fiber bar. Without being gross, I must say that I feel very well today. All the pressure has been released, I'm not as thirsty as I have been and I'm able to move around the house comfortably (at least for now). This is not the first time I have had severe constipation during my pregnancy, but it was months ago and it slipped my mind. I am 36 weeks today (38 wks from my records) and I feel that I'm going to make it to the birthing process without extra medical intervention. Tonight we go to our newborn care class and I couldn't be happier.

Water Baby

I've been drinking like a horse for the past month. There is no point during the day where I do not have a cup by my side. It has to be cold and filled with ice. I prefer to drink slushies all day, but I don't have the energy to make them every hour. I get up at night to release the pressure on my bladder, yet with each bathroom trip I have to tackle another gulp of water. Recently I've also noticed that I want to drop to the ground and eat dirt. Back where I am originally from, I could ask an old lady to supply me with edible chalk, but as I'm a city girl now there aren't many people here who are even aware of what I am talking about. I have a suspicion that an iron deficiency is lurking about, so I will have the doctor check my hemoglobin this week. I really don't want to take an iron supplement (even within a multivitamin) but I know I have to do what is necessary to maintain a healthy body for me and my baby.

Late Pregnancy Fatigue

Today I am extremely tired and out of breath. Every one told me that late pregnancy would be uncomfortable, but this is a bit much for my body. It took me 2 hours just to shower and put on clothes. Now that I have done that I still have to take care of my teeth and brush my hair; but all I want to do is lie down in the bed again. (20 minute Pause). Ok now I'm back from brushing my teeth and I'm sitting her with the hair brush in front me until I get another surge of energy. I'm very blessed because I work from home. It truly amazes me that there isn't a standard maternity leave policy (that offers monetary benefits) in the US for working women. However American attitudes may contribute to the lack of care. Someone made a silly comment to me a few weeks ago because they did not want me to park in the handicap space. "You're not disabled, you're just pregnant." Pardon moi, but I don't know of any illness where you vomit for 40 weeks, pee on yourself, experience shortness of breath, back pain, trouble sleeping, abdominal discomfort, heartburn, swelling, depression, and extreme fatigue that would not qualify a person for some form of short term disability. I have a few additional problems that came with the "onset" of pregnancy but luckily the handicap decal enables me to make a short walk with my cane to at least get inside the store and sit down before I get a buggy for shopping. When you have time, read following article: U.S. stands apart from other nations on maternity leave. Right now, I'm feeling very sleepy so I think I will put the hair brush to the side until my nap is over.

Baby Hair Care

I recently saw a hair question on a mom's board about the hair care of a child. The baby is biracial and has African American hair. The mom is Caucasian and is having difficulty maintaining the hair. Here are some tips for maintaining hair of African origin.

*Consult with a licensed hair professional that has experience with your child's hair type.

1. Do not wash the hair daily. Weekly is acceptable.
2. Use a moisturizing shampoo and apply a leave in conditioner after washing the hair.
3. Section the hair and comb from end to root (bottom to top)
4. Moisturize the hair daily with a natural oil but don't be afraid to try different products to find out what suits your child best.
(Most people avoid petroleum based products but they can be very useful under particular circumstances.)
5. Cover the hair at night with a satin cap to hold in moisture.

These are just a few basic tips for taking care of your little one's hair. If you are at a complete loss, as always let the professionals handle it.

Kinki Kreations: A Parent's Guide to Natural Black Hair Care for Kids

Happy Thanksgiving

All I can say is gobble gobble. I hope the baby isn't suffering from a diabetic coma.

Prenatal Vitamins Made Me Sick So...

Before my pregnancy and up to 12 weeks after my pregnancy I took standard prenatal vitamins. I was terribly sick, so my doctor told me to stop taking them and make sure I eat healthy. About 2 weeks ago he requested that I start taking them again and wrote a prescription. I had flashbacks and a all panic attack at the thought of being bed ridden again. I decided that there must be an alternative. A church member told me that she had taken flintstone vitamins during her pregnancy and it worked well for her. I made a beeline for the local walmart pharmacy to find a tasty vitamin that would not cause me to lose my happiness. It was amazing to see the variety of candy flavored supplements available. As soon as I saw the gummi bears, I knew that this was the answer to my problem. Every day I take 2 (per the directions for adults) and it is just like taking candy. The main thing missing is Iron. That is great for me because that is what caused my constipation early on. I eat a very healthy and varied diet so I'm not concerned about malnutrition, but I at least wanted to be cooperative with the health care I am currently receiving. Of course this may not be right for you, but check with your OBGYN any way if you aren't taking anything.

Baby Showers are Big Business

I decided to catch up with a with a friend last night and to my surprise they begin to discuss my baby shower without any provocation from me. I must say that I should have been prepared for their viewpoint on the possibility of the occasion being a disaster, but I tried to dismiss their pessimism for their normal personality. Despite having every thing I need for my little bundle of joy and only looking at this as a family get together, I decided to inform my sisters of this person's comments. Even before the silence ensued, I could sense the person on the end of the phone line turning red with rage. Needless to say, my little one may end up with more than the nursery can hold as well as a reputation of having the most glamorous baby shower in all of history. I have been to many of these events and never realized that they are just as competitive as bridal showers. I'm a new mom to be and I'm slowly learning about the "rules of engagement" in these matters. Dear Lord just help me through it all.

Does the baby weigh more than a ham?

Earlier today the baby was growling for a bite to eat, so my neighbor fixed turkey sandwiches for everyone. After talking to her for while about the pros and cons of inducing labor before the Christmas holiday, we go out to do some Thanksgiving grocery shopping. I wobble my pregnant belly over to the cashier, pay for my items and realize that my bill was a little high. After perusing the receipt, I discover that the ham my neighbor thought was eight dollars turned out to be $15!!. I laugh and we are directed to customer service. I smiled and told the representative that they should not charge such high prices for a piece of meat and that I would like a refund. He promptly does some tricky math gives me back a little over $8 and tells us to keep the ham. I don't know if it was her good looks or "the customer is always right" attitude; but I said thank you and goodbye before he changed his mind.

Free Clothes

I received a $10 Kohl's gift card in the mail and decided to use it before it expired. So my husband and I go to the store and I find a sesame street pajama set priced at $9.60. I get to the register and the clothes are completely free (no tax). So later in the evening, I'm happily wearing my pajamas, snug as a bug in the bed and what happens. I begin having braxton hicks contractions. I talked to the baby for a while and told him/her to please wait because I have so many things scheduled up until the first week in December. Things calmed down a bit after that, but I've noticed a lot of lower vaginal squirming today. I sure hope the baby relaxes a bit because although I am physically ready to get this over with, my schedule seems to be booked for a little while. LOL.

Saturday Morning

So I wake up this morning and ask my husband for a glass of water and a slice of toast with grape jelly. Fifteen minutes pass and he comes back with a glass of water and 2 cold pieces of toast slathered with grape jam. He rushes down stairs to watch cartoons while I take a bite of his half hearted attempt at granting my request. Finally I get out of bed, take a bath, start some laundry, then wobble downstairs to fix a bowl of honeycombs. I soon realize that the pain I've been feeling in my left pelvic region is still present. I sit at the dining table thinking about all the smiling images of mothers to be in magazines and on t.v.

Doesn't she look radiant and happy to be pregnant. I gather she is smiling because she knows that its only a pillow and excited about the modeling fee after the shoot is over. Her doctor has not informed her the source of her pelvic pain is the baby "dropping down" and that pelvic pressure is normal. I know the difference between pain and pressure and this is definitely a pain that I can pin point with my index finger. Oh well, the cane seems to help a lot when I use it. Let's hope that I didn't pull any thing by accident.

Bare Minimum Checklist for Newborn Baby

Car Seat
Stroller
Crib (mattress, sheets)
Diapers (Cloth or Disposable)
Wipes (Cloth or Disposable)
Baby Powder
Hypoallergenic Soap
Lotion and/or Oil
Diaper Rash Ointment
Receiving Blankets
Suitable Clothes (for the season)
Socks
Hats
Bibs
Bottles and Nipples (if not breastfeeding)
Thermometer
Nasal Aspirator
Newborn or Stage 1 diapers

Getting Closer

According to the doctor I'm 34 weeks, however my calculations show that I am really 36 weeks. Any who, I took my dollar tree cane and handicap tag then drove myself to Walmart to pick up some much needed groceries. I do not trust my husband to buy anything because he only goes for name brand items. With the baby coming, I am saving all I can just in case there is a problem with my breast milk or any other unexpected occurrences. Doesn't it just make you jealous to see your good neighbor getting all that stuff on the WIC program? If you make too much, you aren't eligible for anything, but if you don't make squat you are barely getting by. Oh well that is my rant for today.