Lazy Day

I don’t feel like moving today.  I wish I could just stay in bed all day.  But alas, those days are gone.  At least for 18 or so years…

Anyway, this morning after making my darling husband a big cup of coffee and sending him on his way,  Daisy and I watched Gilmore Girls in our PJ’s.

It’s starting to get cold!  I was freezing last night.  I’m excited to get Daisy some cute hats and sweaters though. 🙂

Daisy’s still sleepy today too for some reason.  She’s been doing this whole “I’m only taking a 30 minute nap” thing and it’s killing me!

Ok, I’m off to attempt nap-time again.  Wish me luck.  *yawn*

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Magic Butt Frosting

I never thought I’d be so excited about butt frosting.  AKA diaper rash cream.  When I was in the hospital after giving birth to Daisy, My friend Anna,  (who is a herbalist)  made me some amazing concoctions.  Mommy Tea, Herbal Sitz Bath, and Mommy and Baby Salve (AKA butt frosting, again just because I like saying that lol)

This salve is amazing.  I recommend it to women who have just given birth, and for skin irritations (my husband used it on his razor burn and it was gone within a day) and my most favorite use is for diaper rash.

Daisy was very sick at her tummy a few weeks ago and had awful diaper rash.  I tried this organic, natural salve and her intense red rash was gone in ONE day.  One day.  It’s made with all natural and organic ingredients like Olive Oil, Plantain, Cocoa Butter and lots of other healing herbs.  I HIGHLY recommend it to all my mommy and pregnant friends (and my mommy and pregnant friends who have husbands who get razor burn.)

Oh, and it’s only $10- so how freakin sweet is that?

Help a fellow hippie out by helping your baby’s butts!

Find it here 🙂

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Post Number 100! Taking a look back…

In honor of my 100th post on this blog- I though I’d take a look back, in photos, of my journey to motherhood. Not too long ago this was pretty much just a pregnancy blog, now I have a beautiful 10-week-old!

^ This was taken the day we found out we were pregnant.  We were so excited we could hardly stand it.  We had been trying for almost 6 months!  I didn’t get morning sickness at all, I did, however, start craving strawberry smoothies.  Every night on my way home I’d stop at the store for strawberries, and Dole fruit juice, and I’d blend them with ice and eat almost 5 of those a day!  I thought something had to up.  So I took a test and well… you know the rest 😉

When I was 17 weeks pregnant we found out we were having a girl!! We were SO excited!! We would have been happy with either, but we were really hoping for a girl.   Since I had midwives, this was the only ultra sound I had throughout my entire pregnancy.

Though we got pregnant in August, we didn’t tell everyone the news until October (around the time this blog was born)  This a picture from the day we told the world our amazing news 🙂

I know I was around 30 weeks in this pregnant and it was very cold outside.  I liked being pregnant in the winter time and having my babe in the spring.  I was so cute!  I almost miss that belly.  Almost.

After being induced at 41weeks, and 38 lonngggggg hours of labor, our baby girl was born, healthy, happy, and more than we could have ever hoped for.

I don’t know what I would have done without this blog!  The community of sweet moms I’ve met and been encouraged by is amazing!  My blog has been a great outlet to vent and know that I’m not alone.

I appreciate all of my readers and look forward to 100 more posts! 🙂

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Waterbed in denim

I need to take a belly picture soon because I’m getting HUGE.  Everyday I feel bigger. I haven’t felt as many kicks lately which kind of worries me but I’ve probably just been too busy to notice.  And counting kicks isn’t super important until your third trimester right? Yeah I think so.

So anyway back to me being huge.  My pants barely fit. Barely fit is a understatment. I feel like stuffed sausage.  I look like a water-bed in denim. I’m going to bite the bullet and get maternity jeans. Ew. Buying maternity pants is like buying a mini van.  I might as well exchange the elastic banded pants for my “sultry, mysterious, sexy, woman card”  Take it. It’s gone. Gone for at least three more months. Ha.

So, I’ve been trying to get Ryan prepared for labor.  I’m being totally obnoxious and making hospital packing lists and quizzing him on hard words like “cervix” (which I had to explain to him and I’m still not sure he knows what it is)  I’m not trying to make him feel dumb I just don’t want him in the dark when the midwife starts poking around and talking about dilating and centimeters.  He really is doing great. He’s been reading some of the pregnancy books (on his OWN) and asking good questions at midwife appointments.  I think he’ll be ok.

I’m kind of torn on whether or not to take breathing classes. They’re so expensive and really, however which way I breathe won’t take away the pain. The whole point is just to take deep breaths and go with it.  We’ll see.  So I’m pretty much done with my birth plan.  Take a gander.

Maranda’s Birth Plan

Labor and Delivery

* No more than four people in the room at one time (including midwife)

* No pain medication unless absolutely necessary

* Mother would like freedom to move around during labor as well as laboring in birthing tub

* Mother would like the option of drinking, water and cranberry juice, and eating ice chips or italian ice during labor

* No cesarean section unless it’s an absolute emergency

* No epistomy

* No use of forceps or vacuum unless absolute emergency

* No use of mirror

* When baby is born it will be passed to the father who will pass it to mother

* Father will cut cord after it has stopped pulsing and is clamped

* Mother will take sitz bath after birth

Baby

* Baby will not be taken out of the room

* In case of emergency baby will be accompanied by father at all times

* No vaccines will be administered

* Baby will not be given formula or pacifier

This will be revised I’m sure but that’s what I have for now.

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25 weeks- practice birth plan

25 weeks

Work is getting more and more difficult.  Everything is getting more difficult actually. Sitting up, rolling over, walking, everything. My legs hurt so bad. But other than that its pregnancy as usual.  Next week is a happy week. For one, I’ll be 26 weeks which  all the books say a baby has a 80-90% survival rate if born, and that just makes me happy.  Two, it’s my birthday. It’s going to be a hoppin’ 21st birthday too lol. I’m going to buy Ryan a beer and make myself a virgin cosmopolitan.

I’ve been thinking about my birth plan. I haven’t written it out yet but there are some key things I know I want. I really don’t want to be induced.  I don’t feel like I will be, I have a feeling that baby will come early if anything- but just incase, I want to avoid being induced at all costs.

I want to labor at home for as long as I can. I want a natural childbirth so laboring at home sounds ideal.  I don’t want drugs, an epistomy, or c-section unless it’s an absolute emergency.

I want to be free to move around during labor. Walking, standing, sitting. I’d like a water birth- or at least be able to labor in a tub for as long as I want. I also want the option of drinking water and cranberry juice and possibly eating italian ice during labor.

I don’t want more than 4 people in the room with me at a time.  Including my doula/midwife.

When baby is born it will be handed to Ryan and he will hand him/her to me.  Ryan will cut the cord after it stops pulsing. The baby will not be taken out of the room. Incase of emergency baby will be accompanied by Ryan at all times.

Baby will not be given any vaccines, formula, or a pacifier.

That’s all I have for now. I know I’ll think of more.

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Braxton Hicks?!

Yesterday was so scary!! Around 1pm I started feeling cramps in my lower stomach.  I knew it wasn’t ligament pain because this felt like cramps not stretching. I drank a ton of water and took a nap- which helped a little but not a lot.  They were sharp and persistant and I totally freaked out.  Around 4:30pm I called my midwife and she told be to drink a ton more water, eat, and lay down that they were most likely braxton hicks- and that if I felt more than 5 in an hour to call back.  I never felt more than 5 in a hour.  And there wasn’t any order or rythm to them, they were just spuratic and uncomfortable. Around 9pm they stopped.

Today I haven’t felt any but I called into work and am taking it easy in bed just incase. HOLY COW how freaking scary? Maybe I’m completly over reacting but I was scared.  I thought I was going to go into labor and have a premie and gah I don’t even want to think about it.

I’m only 24 weeks for crying out loud- if I were 30 weeks that’d be a little different. Good greif. I found this online and it kind of helps

Should I be concerned if the contractions get more intense?

Many women find that Braxton-Hicks contractions increase in frequency as their pregnancy progresses. When you are physically active, you may have more Braxton-Hicks contractions than at other times. Most women first notice Braxton-Hicks contractions late in the second trimester — around 24 weeks or so — but they can become much more common in the last weeks of your pregnancy. The contractions themselves may also last longer and be more intense or painful. This is because the muscles in your uterus are getting stronger in preparation for labor.

Still, it scares me.  Ugh.

Dear Baby,

This is your first offcial command from your mother- STAY PUT- I really want to meet you too but you need to cook a little longer.  Bug me again in about 12 weeks and we’ll talk about it. Thanks.

-Mom

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spandexy

It snowed like crazy and we were without power for like 2 days. It sucked. And I have to work like all week this week because of christmas. F consumer culture. Anyway- I’m 22 weeks and 2 days! Exciting.  I’ve never had heartburn before but I’m getting it now like crazy. I hate it. I didn’t sleep at all last night it was so bad. I got this huge pillow and propped it up and slept sitting up. It sucked. I don’t know what to do about it- I hate Tums. They’re so chalky and gross.

So is it weird I’m 22 weeks and not in maternity clothes yet? I like it. I hate  all of the maternity clothes I’ve seen. They’re all so old lady.  Plus whats up with all the gross stretchy spandixy fabric? It feels nasty.  I’m still wearing my old jeans. My legs and hips haven’t grown much at all which makes me happy.  So, I’m wearing these for as long as the belly will allow.  I always wore flowy tops pre-pregnancy so now my flowy tops are just a little less flowy.. Yeah- I’m putting off maternity clothes shopping for as long as possible.

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This can’t be normal!?

I’m 21 weeks and my breasts are leaking? I layed down and took like an hour long nap and woke up with wet spots on my shirt.  I thought this wasn’t supposed to happen until the third trimester? Does this mean I could miscarry or ??? AHHH

Probably TMI but I don’t care.  I called my midwife and talked to the receptionist and she said she didn’t know and would have a midwife call me back.  Well that’s not at all comforting.

I’m freaking out.

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