TODAY IS MY DUE DATE!!
All is very exciting for me as this day has finally come but at the same time I am feeling very discouraged! I don't think my little girl is going to make her debut today but she could very well surprise me! I am so excited for her arrival and can't wait to see her little face.
20% OFF at Bed Bath & Beyond!
One of my favorite places to shop is Bed Bath & Beyond! If you subscribe to their newsletters at the following link, they'll email you a coupon that you can print out and it gives you 20% OFF any one item (there are some exclusions)! After that you may be sent more coupons. This is great because as an expecting mother to be, I can also redeem the coupon at Buy Buy Baby since they are the same company! I've gotten so many great deals from there so I definitely felt the need to share this coupon for those who don't know about it!
(subscribe link here)
8 Ways to Manage Labor Pain
Shared from Parents.com
(View full article here)
They don't call it labor for nothing. Having a baby is hard work, and part of that work is getting through the pain. But don't panic. There are more ways than ever to manage that pain, and you don't have to choose just one. "The trick is to have as many tools in your bag as possible," says Kim Hildebrand Cardoso, a certified nurse-midwife in Berkeley, California, and a mother of two. "You don't know what's going to work until you're in it, and what helps a woman at one point can change five minutes later." That's why it's important to keep an open mind and do your research. So take a deep breath (good practice for later) and prepare to enter the wide world of pain management.
Without Medication
Relaxation
"The most important thing you can relax during labor is your mind," says Stacey Rees, a certified nurse-midwife at Clementine Midwifery, in Brooklyn, New York. The idea is simple -- when you fear pain, you tense up, which makes the pain worse, which makes you tense up more. Cardoso had back labor for 21 hours with her first baby and says her saving grace was enjoying the time between contractions. "I tried to stay in the moment and not spend the precious pain-free minutes stressing about the pain I just had and what was to come. The result was ecstasy -- I felt like I was on really good mind-altering drugs."
Breathing
To stay relaxed, it's crucial to pay attention to your breathing, the same way you do when you're lifting weights. Whether you're hee-ing or haa-ing, panting or deep inhaling, as long as you're focusing on your breath and releasing it, you'll find some relief. "I tell women their breath is the path through the contraction," Rees says, "and to just keep following that path until the sensation starts to fade."
And don't feel inhibited about making strange loud noises. Rees recommends strong low-pitched moans rather than high-pitched horror-movie screams, which tend to make the throat tight and tense, but she admits it isn't always possible. "With my second baby, I was able to make those low guttural sounds, somewhere between a Gregorian chant and a large animal near death," Cardoso remembers. "But with my first baby, I just ended up screaming a lot."
(View full article here)
They don't call it labor for nothing. Having a baby is hard work, and part of that work is getting through the pain. But don't panic. There are more ways than ever to manage that pain, and you don't have to choose just one. "The trick is to have as many tools in your bag as possible," says Kim Hildebrand Cardoso, a certified nurse-midwife in Berkeley, California, and a mother of two. "You don't know what's going to work until you're in it, and what helps a woman at one point can change five minutes later." That's why it's important to keep an open mind and do your research. So take a deep breath (good practice for later) and prepare to enter the wide world of pain management.
Without Medication
Relaxation
"The most important thing you can relax during labor is your mind," says Stacey Rees, a certified nurse-midwife at Clementine Midwifery, in Brooklyn, New York. The idea is simple -- when you fear pain, you tense up, which makes the pain worse, which makes you tense up more. Cardoso had back labor for 21 hours with her first baby and says her saving grace was enjoying the time between contractions. "I tried to stay in the moment and not spend the precious pain-free minutes stressing about the pain I just had and what was to come. The result was ecstasy -- I felt like I was on really good mind-altering drugs."
Breathing
To stay relaxed, it's crucial to pay attention to your breathing, the same way you do when you're lifting weights. Whether you're hee-ing or haa-ing, panting or deep inhaling, as long as you're focusing on your breath and releasing it, you'll find some relief. "I tell women their breath is the path through the contraction," Rees says, "and to just keep following that path until the sensation starts to fade."
And don't feel inhibited about making strange loud noises. Rees recommends strong low-pitched moans rather than high-pitched horror-movie screams, which tend to make the throat tight and tense, but she admits it isn't always possible. "With my second baby, I was able to make those low guttural sounds, somewhere between a Gregorian chant and a large animal near death," Cardoso remembers. "But with my first baby, I just ended up screaming a lot."
My Baby Loves...
I came across these cd sets on Amazon awhile back and think they are just too sweet! I love the classic lullaby with a contemporary twist! I especially can't wait to play my baby the 80's and Christmas themed ones.
To have an epidural or not...?
I want to try to have this baby natural without any drugs for the pain. This is a decision I made long before I ever got pregnant. I know some will say, you wouldn't have a tooth pulled without novocaine would you? And you know what? That's true.
I don't exactly know why I am so adamant about having this baby natural but I am. Everyone woman in my family has done so and I just want to try. I am also aware that some women have had side effects due to the epidural. Regardless of that, I just hope that things are smooth and that I can be as alert and aware of everything as much as possible while giving birth. Now don't get me wrong... if for whatever reason while I am in labor I feel that the pain is too much to handle, I am absolutely open to getting an epidural. Hopefully things goes smooth and the labor process is quick. I wish! Ha!
I don't exactly know why I am so adamant about having this baby natural but I am. Everyone woman in my family has done so and I just want to try. I am also aware that some women have had side effects due to the epidural. Regardless of that, I just hope that things are smooth and that I can be as alert and aware of everything as much as possible while giving birth. Now don't get me wrong... if for whatever reason while I am in labor I feel that the pain is too much to handle, I am absolutely open to getting an epidural. Hopefully things goes smooth and the labor process is quick. I wish! Ha!
Predicting Baby's Eye Color
What color will baby's eyes be?
My husband has brown eyes and I have hazel. Most of us on my side have hazel eyes, mine being the "darkest". So I'm interested to see how this little one's turn out.
This is obviously something hard to predict but it's all in good fun!
If you're interested in trying this out, here is the link.
My husband has brown eyes and I have hazel. Most of us on my side have hazel eyes, mine being the "darkest". So I'm interested to see how this little one's turn out.
This is obviously something hard to predict but it's all in good fun!
If you're interested in trying this out, here is the link.
Annoyed with Cord Blood Registry & the Like
These people are beginning to get on my last nerve. As if that is hard to do at this stage of my pregnancy, but really.... Years ago I signed up for information on them. I had considered banking my baby's cord blood when I first heard about it. I have done some research over the years and now that I am actually pregnant, have decided on delayed clamping so that they will cut the cord after it has stopped pulsating. I want her to receive all nutrients from the cord and I am happy with my decision. But it seems that ever since I've signed up from CBR that it just doesn't end! Every "sponsor" from all my favorite baby websites send emails from them and I just can't escape! When I signed up I was living in Canada. I have never updated them with my new house address or phone number here in the US, but they have somehow gotten that. I receive pamphlets in the mail and phone calls repeatedly. I've told them I am no longer interested but they are adamant on getting me to bank my baby's cord blood.
Don't get me wrong, I think it is a wonderful idea for those who are choosing to do it, I have just made the decision not to and wish that these companies would respect that and leave me alone.
Don't get me wrong, I think it is a wonderful idea for those who are choosing to do it, I have just made the decision not to and wish that these companies would respect that and leave me alone.
Snail Mail Spam
I don't know if anyone else deals with this, but it seems that as soon as I pee'd on that pregnancy test and it came out positive that I've started getting all sorts of spam and junk in the mail regarding baby and what not. Why am I suddenly getting all these offers in the mail for things I don't need. I'm sorry that I don't want to become a member at your church just to have my child baptized... etc! Where do these people get our information from, it's so irritating!
Baby's First Postcard
Greetings from Florida!
I was just doing some thinking and realized this little one is one of the only ones in my family to be born in Florida! So I decided to just post up some random facts about the state of Florida, home to baby Emery and many more!
Florida was admitted to United States as a State on March 3, 1845 (27th State)
Governor - Charlie Crist
Capital - Tallahassee
Nickname - Sunshine State
State Flower - Orange Blossom
State Motto - "In God we trust."
State Song - "Swanee River"
Number of Counties in Florida - 67
State Sales Tax - 6%
Number of people who move to Florida each day - 1,000
Number of major commercial airports - 19
Number of international airports - 12
Number of deepwater ports - 14
Miles of sand beaches - 1,200
Miles of coastline - 1,800
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