My Motherless Adventure - Pregnancy and Parenting Without My Mom

Vote For My Snugglebug!!

2011-07-05T13:47:00.003-04:00

Yes, OF COURSE I entered my cutie into the Gerber photo contest on Facebook. Please vote for my snugglebug!! I will return the favor if you leave a comment on this post with a link. Thanks!!!!!! Good luck to everyone!

First you have to "like" Gerber's page HERE. If you have already done this ever before, skip this step.

Then, vote for my sweetiepie HERE.

Thanks in advance!!!

Trash Into Treasure!

2011-07-05T13:29:00.002-04:00

I love to go to yard sales because you really don't know what fantastic things you can discover!

A couple weeks ago I found this high chair for $5. Of course it needed to be cleaned up and a new cover/safety straps, but I figured that out.

My favorite model was napping at the time, so her teddy bear had to do.

I still have to figure out hoe to cover up that ugly stuff on the side of the tray... any ideas?

2 month shots

2011-04-05T18:52:00.000-04:00

Let's be honest, I'm a wuss. Pain and I are not friends and I think I actually have more sensitive nerve endings than most people. Thank God Lynaea got her daddy's pain tolerance! She had to have her shots today and I was dreading it. I felt like the worst mother in the world because she was having such a good day and I knew it was totally going to change and she wouldn't even see the pain coming!

BAM, it was going to huit her out of nowhere!

Well, the time came to give her shots, but she took it like a CHAMP. Of course she cried a little, but after a couple of minutes she was back to happy baby. I think I cried more than she did.

I just had to share my little joy. Peace and love!

Post Partum Depression

2011-03-31T22:17:00.000-04:00

Yes, it is hard adjusting to the whims of a newborn.

Yes, I fell off the face of the planet.

Yes, PPD sucks.

Fortunately I went to the doctors about a week ago to get medicine because my mood just wasn't lifting. Things are looking up! I fell off the face of the Earth for a while there, but I am slowly coming back. In a few days I hope to be as good as new.

Wish me luck!

Becoming a Mommy Has Made Me Appreciate:

2011-02-24T15:16:00.000-05:00

1) Having both hands at my disposal to type... or do anything else

2) Poop colors and frequencies (of the little one in my arms)

3) Showers

4) Sleep for more than 30 minutes at a time. I take that back... sleep period.

5) Lactation Consultants

6) The end of growth spurts

7) Every ounce my baby girl puts on

8) So much else!

Birth Story :)

2011-02-19T12:44:00.002-05:00

So, late February 2nd I started getting contractions and they were totally different from what I had felt before. Everyone told me that when you get contractions you know it... and I didn't really trust that until I got them! I certainly knew it. I had contractions regularly all night until about 7 am February 3rd... then they totally disappeared! I was not at all prepared for that because I thought only Braxton Hicks went away and I was so sure this was it! I actually got depressed because my husband had to go back to work. He left about 11am and I decided to distract myself with tv.

Well noon came around and so did my contractions... with a vengeance! By 3:30 my father in-law was rushing me to the hospital and when I got there at 4pm I was already 5 cm. I totally expected the ride to the hospital to be so much different (you know... screaming, crying, etc.) but it was actually pretty quiet. Apparently I shut out the world when I have a contraction. I had to call hubby, who was an hour away, to tell him this was it!

By the time he got there at 6pm, we walked a couple blocks around the nursery and it was time for the epidural. Good thing I asked for it when I did because it took an hour to get all my fluids in before they could put give me the epi. And man! Those contractions were getting pretty brutal. By 9:30 I was fully dilated and we were just waiting for the baby to drop and for me to get the urge to push (never got it actually...) I tried pushing then, but it was no use. An hour later I decided to try again and after an hour of pushing, Lynaea Jane was here!

She weighed 6lb 5.1 oz. (so little but I thank god for it because I felt EVERYTHING... it is called the ring of fire for a reason! Apparently my epi wore off...) and was 19 1/4 inches long born at 11:20 on 2/3/11. The one thing that kind of bothers me is they never told me her Apgar. They just told me she was perfectly healthy and I didn't think to ask. I had a miracle in my arms at the time!

5 days later she was back to birth weight and at 16 days old she is weighing 7 lb 2 oz!

She's Here!

2011-02-16T10:10:00.000-05:00

And it only took two weeks for me to post it........

She was born at 11:20pm on 2/3/11. She weighed 6 lb 5.1 oz. (so little!) and was 19 1/4 inches long. She was 9 days early and in perfect health!

Day 2:

Day 12: I finally caught her oo face :)

Oh.. That Is NOT A Braxton Hicks Contraction!

2011-02-03T15:31:00.000-05:00

I am in early labor! Oh my goodness I'm so excited but WOO those contractions hurt! Just wanted to update... sorry guys it's hard for me to focus right now. Wish me luck! Timing my contractions is all I can think about!!

Almost 38 Weeks!

2011-01-28T01:09:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness, one more day to go! It depends who you talk to, whether 37 weeks or 38 weeks is full term, but in 1 day there will be no dispute! I will officially be full term and am giving Lynaea the go-ahead as soon as tonight hits! Of course she will propbably be a stubborn one... she is her mother's daughter after all.

I know all of the old wive's tales to induce labor naturally (and have been trying some over the past week and a half) and I'm hoping one of them will work one of these days! Wish me luck because I will need it. Only stadol for me and even that... oh let's be realistic I'll probably use stadol. There's only so much pain a woman can take!

Give Me Pitocin and I Will NOT Be Nice!

2011-01-20T17:10:00.002-05:00

C-section numbers have been growing in the last few years. At my hospital, 33.6% (was 20.7% in 1996) of all the births are done by c-section, whether emergency or planned. Why the increase? Pitocin usage. It is the synthetic version of oxytocin (the hormone pregnant women secrete during labor) used to start or speed up the process of labor

Just some of the risks of Pitocin:
For the mother: Higher rate of complicated labors and deliveries, greater need for analgesics and anesthetics, postpartum hemorrhage and a higher rate of placental rupture and separation life-threatening to both the mother and baby.
For the baby: Fetal distress, a higher rate of jaundice, low apgar scores at 5 minutes, permanent central nervous system or brain damage and fetal death.

With naturally paced contractions, there is a time interval between contractions allowing for the baby to be fully oxygenated before the next contraction. In induced or stimulated labor, the contractions are closer together and last for a longer time thus shortening the interval when the baby receives its oxygen supply. Reduced oxygen could have life-long consequences on the baby's brain.

The longer, stronger, and closer contractions directly leads to more epidurals. Epidurals tend to slow down labor and make it harder for women to push. Then the doctors finally say "there's nothing else to be done, we must do a c-section!" (emergency c-section numbers are rising)

Doctors do know best right? Actually, America has the worst infant mortality rate of the ENTIRE DEVELOPED WORLD. It also administers the most pitocin. Interventions are not needed! In fact, a controlled randomized study showed that the use of pitocin to stimulate labor was not as productive for the progression of labor as allowing mothers to change positions during labor by walking, sitting or standing.

I have decided that the only way I will be induced is if my water breaks unexpectedly and it has been a few days. (so infection does not harm my daughter) Any other time they can kiss it! I will not be induced.

C-section risks (just a few)
1) It is major surgery and infections can occur.
2) Those who deliver by planned (no previous health problems) Cesarean are 2.3 times more likely to be re-hospitalized within 30 days
3) C-section babies have higher rates of childhood asthma. Being pushed through the birth canal squeezes fluid from their lungs, so babies delivered vaginally tend to have fewer respiratory issues.
4) They are cutting THROUGH your abdominal muscles.
5) Longer recovery time
6) The hormones that are supposed to be secreted at birth by both mother and baby are not secreted at all, making it harder to recover mentally, physically, and go through the bonding process.
7) Babies are also more noticeably aggitated and harder to console in the days following birth. (see #6)

Sunday Night Sucks... So Cheer Up!

2011-01-16T22:53:00.001-05:00

Enough sad stuff, let's chuckle a little!

I'm Not a Fan of the Death Penalty, BUT

2011-01-08T01:17:00.001-05:00

For these two I would certainly make an exception.

Oh Please Baby, Don't Go Past Your Due Date

2011-01-06T14:14:00.000-05:00

Pregnancy has become extremely uncomfortable and I can't imagine Lynaea staying in there past her due date! Oh who am I kidding, I can't imagine her going past 38 weeks (full term). I am sitting here going insane wondering when she is going to come. 38 weeks is only 3 weeks away! 7 weeks seems like an eternity...

Last night I thought I was starting to go into early labor which made me nervous because she's still too little. Everything's fine now, but I can't stop thinking about when she is actually going to be here! Oh, the insanity...

Sunday Night Sucks.. So Cheer Up?

2011-01-03T01:27:00.000-05:00

Sorry guys, I feel like wallowing.

Time to Accomplish Something

2010-12-31T13:14:00.000-05:00

Tick tock. So the New Year is coming and it has me thinking, like every person on the planet, about what I hope to achieve in 2011. I'm hoping that making my list public will push me to do them all, so here it goes!

Read all of the physical books that I own and get rid of the least important ones cluttering my house. (I got a Nook for Christmas!!)
Be the best mother I can for Lynaea
Get rid of any stretchmarks that I got while pregnant
Get rid of the baby weight
Get back to Freshman year of college weight
Finish the first draft of my novel
Join a group of some kind that meets at least once a month to keep me social
Get the courage to talk to people who knew my mother so that I may know her better as well.

Wish me luck! Happy New Year everyone!!

33 Week Milestones

2010-12-27T15:39:00.000-05:00

I have been nesting hard for the past week or so and decided to sit for a minute. I'm sure I will think of something to clean soon, but for now I will try to relax.

Just like every mom-to-be in America, I read the changes my baby is going through week to week. This week I thought I would share some with you, because let's face it. I can't think of anything else!

She is about 4 1/2 pounds (No wonder she doesn't seem to have much room in there anymore!
Her lungs are almost mature
Her bones are fully formed and hardened
Average weight gain for mommy at this week is between 22 and 28 pounds (I'm at 25)
Mommy should expect having trouble finding a comfortable way to sleep, sit, and walk. (yep...)

I'm so excited!

The Best Chocoate Chip Cookies For the Best Time of Year!

2010-12-24T18:07:00.002-05:00

I'm a big fan of cookies on Christmas (and Christmas Eve) and this is by far the best chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe I have found.

Happy Holidays!!!!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Stir together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the dry ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon.
Refrigerate the dough until firm (about an hour or two)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. (Sometimes they need 20 minutes... just watch them until the edges are starting to turn golden brown) Cool on baking sheets until completely cool. Transfer to sealed container.

Sunday Night Sucks... So Cheer Up!

2010-12-19T21:25:00.002-05:00

I'm having a harder time with tonight than most Sundays... so a double dose should do the trick!

No these aren't my videos.. but they are hilarious!

I Want a Beer

2010-12-17T16:20:00.001-05:00

Don't worry I will wait a few more weeks to taste the deliciousness, but I gotta tell you... I can't wait!

I never used to be a beer girl, but college can, and does, change a person. Lately I haven't been able to get comfortable enough to relax... though all I seem to do nowadays is sit!

A couple more months and counting... then again I'll be breastfeeding so it might be a little longer. All I have to do is build up a supply so that hubby can bottle feed her my saved milk while I also nurse a bottle of a different kind.

I'm looking forward to it as much as children look forward to Christmas... oh yea, I still have to do my Christmas shopping...

Write a Book... Or Not

2010-12-15T18:56:00.000-05:00

For some time now I have wanted to write a book, but never knew what about. I felt that I could do it if I tried hard enough, don't laugh, and to be honest I still do. So, I think I'm going to attempt it. At least then I will won't be able to say "What if..." Call it a "bucket list" item if you'd like.

I encourage all of you to start work on one of your items. What will it be? Set a deadline or else you might let yourself off the hook!

By telling all of you, now I feel I have more of an obligation to get it done rather than by just telling myself. I always let myself off way too easy.

So what will it be?

Pelvic Girdle Pain

2010-12-11T22:23:00.001-05:00

I've decided that pelvic girdle pain... is weird feeling. I had never heard about it before, though I suppose I should have expected it. It started a few days ago and silly me, I thought I was just sleeping weird. Turns out, it's a totally normal pregnancy experience that I should have been expecting.

Pelvic girdle pain is what happens when the crazy pregnancy hormones in your body make your pelvis ready for childbirth by spreading them. Fun.

Anyway, if you are a newly pregnant woman with her first child on the way, this is from me to you. I don't like being surprised so maybe you don't either. Oh, and if you are standing in a hot room and you get dizzy... that's your blood pressure. Sit down and you'll feel better (though you should tell your doctor in case it's more serious than you know)

If I See Anymore Cardboard Boxes, I May Scream!

2010-12-02T19:10:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the hiatus guys. My husband and I had to move into our apartment a couple of days earlier than planned, so I have been quite busy! My internet will not be connected in our apartment until the 7th (I'm in the library now) and I'm more than a little bummed. Wish me well! I will be back sooner than you know!

My Many Thanks For

2010-11-25T21:49:00.002-05:00

1. Warm salt water to gargle, Ricola cough drops, and humidifiers.

2. The tiny baby trying to burrow her way out of my stomach through my (super stretched) abdominal muscles.

3. The best husband in the world who always knows the right thing to do or say.

4. In-laws who treat me as their own.

5. My fabulously crazy family.

3rd Shift Poses Dangers to Women and Their Unborn

2010-11-22T19:21:00.000-05:00

My husband's new job is third shift for the moment and I was considering adopting his sleeping pattern to get more time with him. I was thinking I might mess up my baby's sleeping pattern, but it turns out the dangers are much more severe.

You would think that as long as you are getting the proper amount of sleep and you were eating healthily at the correct times that nothing else would be affected. Wrong. Hormone production gets screwed up and this leads to the health risks.

Women who work third shift (especially during their first trimester) are 50% more likely to deliver a premature baby. 50%!

Also, the production of the hormone melatonin gets screwed up and this leads to a much greater risk of developing cancer (breast cancer is a major one connected with working 3rd shift).

I never knew this before, but I'm so glad that I do now! Tell all your female friends and family members.

Sunday Night Sucks... So Cheer Up!

2010-11-21T21:58:00.000-05:00

Just another video (I didn't make) to cheer you up on the suckiest night of the week!

This kid just keeps going in for the torture!