Parenting Archives - Page 14 of 16

Everything Will Be Okay: Adjusting to Life With A New Baby {Guest Post}

November 30, 2012 by Larisha Campbell 2 Comments

First of all thank you so much We’re Parents!? for letting me come over and take over this space for a few minutes of time! It is indeed a pleasure and a privilege to share with you here. I blog over at You Brew My Tea and would love for you to stop by and check out my page!

I was so excited to have this opportunity because I remember all too well how hectic those first few days, weeks and even months were when I had my two sons. But I wanted everyone (especially Larisha) to know that you will survive adjusting to life with a new baby. Nine years down the road, I look back and I realize how many things I wish someone had told me ahead of time to prep me but mostly to reassure me. Even with my second child I still second guessed myself all the time. I wish I had more confidence and reassurance that if I didn’t “do” everything suggested he would still be just fine. So, I thought I would share a few thoughts with you all today that I think are important to remember when facing your first, second or even seventh child’s birth.

(1) No, your boobs will truly NEVER be the same. BUT – there are great plastic surgeons who can lift them and perk them up later in life. For now, relish the fact that your body was created to perfectly nourish that sweet baby in it’s early months of life. Oh, and of course – remember that [nipple cream] is your friend!

(2) Those women who pop babies out, go home the same day, bake muffins, have family over for an 8 course dinner and look like they just stepped out of a magazine shoot are liars! Be realistic with yourself. Understand that if you stay in your jammies and don’t cook AT ALL for the first month it’s not unreasonable nor does it make you less than a woman/mother. If you don’t slip back into your size 2 jeans in two weeks, it’s okay. It takes time and there are tons of adjustments to make. Concentrate on the important things – your own healing and your babies health and adjustments. You see that picture ^^ Yep. two days after giving birth, no makeup and yes, I was ticked off that my Dad insisted on taking my picture. This look is perfectly normal for the first several weeks and months of your child’s life.

(3) Although I am and always will be an advocate for cloth diapering, breastfeeding and baby wearing to name a few – it does not make you less of a mother if those things do not work out well for you. Do what is best for YOU and your overall family health. Sometimes, cloth diapers just aren’t going to be doable. Sometimes a baby just doesn’t latch well, a mommy doesn’t produce enough milk or work schedules make mastitis a miserable fact of life you choose not to experience. And that is okay.

As a mother of two beautiful healthy sons I know that I made a lot of mistakes in those early days. I have made even more in the last 9 years as they have grown into wonderful young men who make me proud. Breast feeding wasn’t even a thought when I had my first son – it never crossed my mind. By the time my second son rolled around I wanted desperately to breast feed but the relationship I was in prevented that from happening. I mourn the loss of those moments of nourishment my body could have provided, but I still have two sons who are healthy and happy and well adjusted. I don’t beat myself up over it. Although many people co-sleep and would never think of doing anything different, I was glad to have my own space back in my own bed. Both of my boys were in a bassinet by my bed for the first 3 months and then off to their crib in another room at that point. Baby monitors were my friend.

In the end, we can plan and pack and prepare ourselves to do everything as healthy and best for our child and our own bodies as possible and sometimes we find it just doesn’t work out that way. What is most important – more so than whether the child is breast fed or formula fed – is how much you love them and nurture their spirit. And to do that, you must take care of your own body and spirit. When your child is 5, 10, 15, or 50 years old – whether you used a cloth diaper, breast fed, co-slept or cleaned the house with only green products is unlikely to matter or make a mark in their memory. That you loved them, nurtured them and made sure their spirits were encouraged and that they felt worthy will be far more important.

Disclaimer: This is a guest post and not written by We’re Parents!? Thoughts and opinions do not necessarily reflect our own.

What’s in a Birth Plan?

October 30, 2012 by Larisha Campbell 4 Comments

Photo Credit: Adapted from MorgueFile

If you have been following the blog or our Facebook page for any time at all, you will have noticed that as we prepare for the upcoming birth of our first baby, we are planning on having a natural birth. When planning a natural birth, unless you are also planning a home birth, it is important that you write a birth plan. This does not have to be an extravagantly long document, and in all honesty should be kept as simple as possible.

But…. What’s in a Birth Plan?

While many birth plans you find on-line are amazing about helping you with wording or giving you ideas of things you may forget to include, lets be honest…no doctor or nurse in the hospital wants to read a 5-6 page document detailing everything that may or may not happen. To help us prepare ours, we used the one found here for guidance.

My advice is to create a one page document that includes information about both procedures for you (during labor and delivery) and baby (immediately following). Ideally the Top 5 things for each you and baby will keep everyone happy.

For ours, we included:
1.Our names and a picture of us so if the birth plan is taken out of our room with our chart, doctors and nurses remember who we are.

2. A blanket comment that simply states “Please ask for our consent before any routine procedures”.

3. A bullet list for Labor & Delivery that includes our Top 5 wishes. For me this includes, minimal vaginal exams during labor, unlimited movement during labor, not asking about pain medications or inductions , delayed cord clamping, and a statement about what I would like should a c-section become necessary.

4. A bullet list for our baby that includes are wishes. For us this includes statements regarding, the hospital allowing myself or Andrew to go with the baby at all times if there are any complications, delaying routine procedures to allow for immediate skin-to-skin contact, our wishes towards vaccinations and eye drops, bathing the baby in our own products that we will bring, and a statement about the baby being exclusively breastfed.

Did you make a birth plan? What were some things you included?

Hospital Bassinet Sign for Breastfed Baby

October 17, 2012 by Larisha Campbell 7 Comments

I have been *slowly* packing our bags for the hospital. I saw this idea somewhere on the internet early in my pregnancy, but then couldn’t find it again, so I decided last night to make our own.

While I do not plan for my baby to ever leave my room while we are at the hospital, let’s face it…not everything always goes as expected and if there are complications with either the baby or myself, there may be a period of time when the baby is away. Because of that, I wanted a sign to go on our babies bassinet that clearly stated our desires that our baby will be exclusively breastfed.

Hospital Bassinet Sign for a Breastfeeding Baby

Did anyone else make or have a sign like this? Leave a comment below and let me know!

If you would like a copy of this please e-mail wereparentsnj1@gmail.com and I would be happy to share!

34 week Pregnancy Update

October 7, 2012 by Larisha Campbell 10 Comments

34 Week Pregnancy Update

I can’t believe only 6 weeks left. It’s seem so crazy to think it’s going so fast! Throughout the pregnancy I’ve only updated once or twice a month, but I am going to try to do every week from here on out!

This past Thursday, I had my 34 week appointment and everything so far is going perfect. Our little girl’s heartbeat is very strong. I had only gained 1lb since my last visit 2 weeks ago. This makes me happy because if you remember from my last post, I had gained 1lb more than I wanted, so I’m right back to my goal! Total right now is 29lbs! Since the baby is gaining approximately 1/2 a pound a week now, I should be gaining about a pound a week!

I took this pic this morning and when I saw it I was like WOW! I always feel smaller than what I look like in pictures! I have been having some Braxton Hicks contractions for about a week and a half now. They aren’t painful at all yet and some only last 10 seconds, while others have been up to 2 minutes. On Friday, I freaked because I was having a bunch, but I drank a bunch of water, laid down, and they would go away. Every time I got back up, they would start again, so I rested a lot that day. If I walk a lot, I have them more, so I have tried to not go to the store for very long or do anything else that will bring them on more often. I need a few more weeks to prepare!!

Other symptoms I’m having: I have been nauseous a few times in the past week and also having some cramping later at night too. All completely normal and my body just getting ready. I have also been nesting a lot more. All of our cloth diapers are prepped and cloths are washed up.

I’m working on some more projects, that I will keep you updated on soon 🙂

Thanks again for reading and following our journey through our first pregnancy 🙂

Prepping Cloth Diapers for a Newborn

October 4, 2012 by Larisha Campbell 10 Comments

I have just about 6 weeks left in my pregnancy and until yesterday I had no motivation to prep anything. The only thing that we had done was put the furniture together, travel system, and washed her bedding. That’s where it ended. Then I woke up yesterday and had a sudden urge to clean. The start of my “nesting instincts” I suppose. I started by cleaning the house and doing laundry. Put together the baby bath tub. Then I stood there, looking. I had this heaping pile of cloth diapers that needed to be prepped to be used. I have been avoiding this since I starting buying cloth diapers. It terrified me to prep though I’ve asked tons of questions about how to do it and even read it on my own numerous times throughout my pregnancy.

So finally, with a little motivation from some local moms, I worked up the courage and pulled out all my diapers. Removed the inserts from the ones that had them inside already. All of my diapers I have right now are pocket diapers and prefolds with covers. I was ready to start our prepping cloth diapers.

So how do you prep your cloth diapers? I’m no expert by any means (this is just my first time doing this) but I’ve put together a little list of helpful tips solely based on the types of cloth diapers that I am using. This is only when prepping diapers for the first time.

Prefolds

You should wash them a minimum of 5-6 times in hot water. This will move the natural oils that the prefolds are made from. You should dry prefolds between each washing. It will take up to 10 washes before prefolds reach their maximum absorbency; however, leaks shouldn’t occur if properly prepped 5-6 times.

Pockets (also the same process for AIO or AI2-though I don’t have those)

Many pockets just need to be washed one time
You should dry them once in the dryer to seal the PUL and after that sun drying or air drying is fine
You should read the washing instructions on individual brands in case they make alternative suggestions for their diaper

Always make sure you are using a cloth diaper safe detergent and follow the suggested amount of detergent on the package. Using too much detergent can cause a build up and affect absorbency.

I am not an expert in cloth diapering. All content in this post are my opinion. We’re Parents!? is not responsible for any defects or issues caused by these instructions. Water types and washing machines vary and any issues you may have should be taken up with the manufacturer of your diapers.

Top 5 Best Cloth Diaper Accessories for a Newbie

October 2, 2012 by Larisha Campbell 4 Comments

*Disclosure: Affiliate links contained in this post. You purchase like you would normally, but we receive a small commission.

One of the first decisions I made once I found out I was pregnant was to cloth diaper. Among many reasons, I knew that it was going to be a better investment for us. What I didn’t know was that there were many “accessories” that I also needed to consider investing in for my cloth diapering journey as well.

Below is my list of the top 5 best cloth diaper accessories that new parents will need:

#1: Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm. Most commercial “butt creams” are not compatible with cloth diapers and because of this you will need a cloth diaper approved one. I love Earth Mama products so I highly recommend buying this brand, but other cloth diaper friendly butt cream will work as well.

#2: Hanging Wet Bags. Some people opt for diaper pails. But I have 2 hanging wet bags. You need two do you still have an extra when one is in the laundry. A smaller sized one is also good to keep in the diaper bag. You use these for putting your dirty diapers in until laundry day, then the bag and all can go right into the washing machine.

#3: Cloth Diaper Friendly Laundry Detergent. Many “regular” detergents have additives that over time will cause build up on cloth diapers and not rinse out completely. Eventually this will cause your diapers to leak over. It’s best to protect your investment and just use an approved cloth diaper friendly detergent.

#4: Cloth Wipes. It only makes sense if you are going to use cloth diapers that you use cloth wipes as well. It’s much easier to just use the wipes and throw in your wet bag with the dirty diaper rather than having to remember to put one thing in the wet bag and the wipe in the trash if you are using disposable wipes!

#5: Wool Dryer Balls. Just like with the laundry detergent, softeners and dryer sheets can ruin your cloth diapers. The alternative is to use wool dryer balls. The more you use, the faster dryer time. The great thing is this isn’t JUST a cloth diaper essential, but if used all the time can drastically cut down on drying time, saving you costs on energy and electric. Read our review of LooHoo Wool Dryer Balls.

This is just my Top 5 List of must have cloth diaper accessories that I have found that I will need so far.

If you already cloth, what is your top 5 items??

Glucose Tolerance Test Alternatives

September 5, 2012 by Larisha Campbell 4 Comments

I will preface this post that I didn’t do enough research up front and found out too late my Glucose Tolerance test Alternatives. Like many first time moms, I am somewhat overwhelmed with all the choices there are to make that I never knew before getting pregnant. I already know that *if* I am lucky enough to have another child, there will be many more questions asked up front of my doctors and many other changes that I will consider doing differently.

One of the things I know I will do differently, is my reaction to the Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT). For those of you who don’t know this is the common way to test for gestational diabetes during pregnancy and usually occurs between 24-28 weeks. You are required to drink a highly sugared beverage, wait an hour, get bloodwork done and pray you pass. If you fail, you must then repeat the procedure during a 3 hour testing phase.

This picture came from here.

So why do I say I’ll do things differently? Let me start by saying that gestational diabetes is something to be taken very seriously and can have harmful side effects to mom and baby if not properly treated. With that being said, let me also share what my researching has found and possible help more women know their options.

There are several risks factors that put you at a higher probably of having gestational diabetes. They include:

-Family history of diabetes
-Being overweight prior to pregnancy
-Being a member of a high risk ethnic group (Black, Native American, Hispanic, or Asian)
-Being over 25 years old (especially over 35)
-Given birth to a 9+ lb baby previously
-Have high blood pressure

While there are other factors, these are the majority. For me, I didn’t fall into any of them except that I’m 26. Slightly over the age category. However, I didn’t know that there were alternatives until a few weeks before my test had already been scheduled and the office that I’m currently at will not accept alternative to the sugared beverage.

Why wouldn’t I want to just drink it? The drink is loaded with chemicals, a ridiculous amount of sugar, and is simply unrealistic to the normal sugars that the human body consumes which unnecessarily causes many women to have false positives during the one hour test, have to go back for the 3 hour test, only to pass that one after having to consume even more of the chemical-laden drink (Luckily, I did pass my 1hour test).

What are the side effects? For some women, extreme nausea occurs, including vomiting. You are not allowed to eat or drink anything during this hour (including water) and if you vomit, you will have to re-drink. Additionally, some babies do not respond well to the fast increase in sugars and premature contractions can occur forcing the mother (and baby) to undergo more testing.

What are the alternatives? Midwives and/or smaller practices are much more reasonable in allowing alternatives from what I’ve read. Alternatives include:
-eating a high carb breakfast (usually pancakes or waffles with syrup and orange juice).
-tracking blood sugar at home over the period of usually one week
-eating candy that consists of the same number of grams as the Glucola (typically 50g and usually jelly beans are recommended)

The main point is that we, as women, have choices about everything in our pregnancy and it’s up to us to ask all the questions. I also really don’t like that all women are tested, when there is little to no research that says all women need to be tested.

Disclaimer: These are simply my opinions. I am not a medical professional and all choices made during your pregnancy should be discussed with your medical professional.

L’ovedbaby Nursing Cover Review & Giveaway

August 28, 2012 by Larisha Campbell 12 Comments

*Disclaimer: I received this product from the company in order to review. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and I was in no way compensated for this review. Affiliates links contained within this post. We receive a small commission if you make a purchase.

When it comes to nursing covers, people seem to either love them or hate them. Waiting on my first loved one to arrive, I’m not sure which side I’m on yet, but I know that my expectation is that I will use them all the time.

I recently had the opportunity to review L’ovedbaby’s 4-in-1 Nursing Shawl and I can tell you I immediately fell head over heals as soon as I opened the package that they sent to me. It comes in the most adorable drawstring pouch that can actually be used itself for storing one diaper (cloth or disposable) and to-go wipes when your out and don’t want to carry the entire diaper bag.

I wanted the option to nurse in public “privately” but everything I find seems so similar to aprons, until now. Since there’s still a great neckline, I will still be able to have eye contact with my baby. Unlike many other covers, this one has a front and back (hence the “shawl”) so it’s stylish and completely blends in with any outfit you would wear. It can be used as a pregnancy poncho, canopy for stroller or carseat, and/or a lightweight blankie, in addition to being a nursing cover.

Photo Credit: L’ovedbaby

I decided to wear this out with a pair of leggings one day and loved how you couldn’t even tell it was supposed to be a nursing cover and the lightweight feel it had when I tried to see if I would get hot under it while holding my loved one.

Final thoughts: I can’t rave about this nursing shawl enough. The material is so super soft that it makes me want to use it as a blanket myself. I love that unlike a different nursing cover I received from my baby shower, this one completely covers me and since there are no clasps or hooks, I don’t have to worry about my baby pulling it down and exposing myself. It’s also machine washable and dryer friendly. Did I mention how soft it was??

The only con I can come up with (which in my opinion, after receiving, I threw out the window) was that priced at $32.95 it was more expensive than I’ve seen other ones go for retail. However, after seeing the versatility of the shawl and the quality, I would pay this price over and over again and plan on it to buy it in other colors. It’s the ultimate gift for any new or expectant mom.

In addition to these amazing 4-in-1 nursing shawls, L’ovedbaby also has burp clothes, swaddlers, baby clothes, and gift baskets.

BUY IT: You can purchase the shawl in one of seven colors on Amazon.com.

WIN IT:

ONE Lucky winner will receive their own 4-in-1 Nursing Shawl in the Grand Sand color. Complete the Rafflecopter form below to be entered to win!!

This giveaway is over.

*Disclaimer: I received this product from the company in order to review. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and I was in no way compensated for this review.

Eye Ointment for Newborns

August 24, 2012 by Larisha Campbell 5 Comments

We’ve realized with our first pregnancy that there are so many decisions. More than we ever realized we were going to have to make. We are trying our best to make informed, educated decisions and share that with our readers in hopes that it educates someone else as well. I have learned to question EVERYTHING and not just accept the norm. **Disclaimer: With that being said, the below is my own opinion. I am not a medical professional and all decisions you make about care of your newborn should be researched and discussed with your medical personnel.

So what exactly is the eye ointment for newborns? Before being pregnant the first time, I would always see pictures of this eye goop in people’s newborn baby’s eyes. But I had no idea what is was or why this eye ointment for newborns was being used.

In most places it is required that the hospital give it to your newborn, however you can sign a waiver declining. I have heard horror stories where the baby still gets it and has a reaction, so make sure everyone is on board and knows your desires.

What is it? An antibiotic. Usually erythromycin or tetracycline is used; however, there are still places where silver nitrate is used.

Why it’s used? In order to protect a newborn’s eyes from syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia. If one of these diseases comes in contact with your babies eyes, they can develop pink eye.

Why decline? What the drops protect from are all diseases you should have been tested for during your pregnancy. The antibiotic makes the baby’s eyes sore, swollen, and red and can also cause blurry vision. It can cause bonding issues in the beginning, which can in turn affect breastfeeding. According to the CDC, the eye drops are also one of the four causes of pink eye in newborns.

Summing it up. Essentially a newborn receives the drops to protect against STDs a mother may have (but has already been tested for), so the baby does not develop pink eye at birth from coming in contact with the STDs. However, the drops themselves can cause pink eye.

So why are we giving babies drops to prevent an infection that itself can cause the infection? Andrew and I have opted to decline this procedure at birth.

Thoughts? Concerns? Did you decline the drops?

Surprise Baby Shower!

August 22, 2012 by Larisha Campbell Leave a Comment

I’m the type of person that LOVES surprises, but HATES knowing that there’s a secret being kept from me. Andrew gets so frustrated because if I know he’s trying to surprise me, I ask a ba-zillion and one questions! On Sunday, he told me I needed to wear a nice dress because we were going out. I immediately knew something was up because when I went to get dressed he was putting on khakis and a white t-shirt. I immediately asked him why he wasn’t dressing up and he said we had to stop by his parents house because he found some clothes there when he was helping them move stuff last weekend. I knew something was up but I just went with it.

When we pulled up to his parents his brother’s best friend was getting out of his car and I immediately thought I knew what was going on. I was still shocked when I walked into the house and everyone said surprise.

Andrew’s family is quite small and we haven’t really been in New Jersey long enough for us to have a lot of friends, so I was not expecting a baby shower here at all.

I hate being the center of attention for anything. Luckily, the only embarrassing thing that happened was them making me put this hat on for a few minutes.

We got so many great things that we still needed.

A beautiful cake (with our nicknames—everyone in his family has a nickname).

I cut the cake and we all simply had a great time.

I’m truly blessed to have Andrew & his family. I can’t believe he kept a secret from me!!

What is the most surprising thing your significant other has done for you during your pregnancy??