Photo by Stashdesign

This one is for my mom. She loves the name Caroline. She asked me to name my daughter Caroline and when I told her I already had a name, she then asked my sister.

I agree with her -- it's a beautiful name. Classic and elegant.

And there's a song by Old Crow Medicine Show called Caroline that I love. Here are the lyrics...

They say you were born in St. Clare's Hospital, I say you were born up in the sky.
You come floatin' down over New Orleans to the sweet green levee on the riverside.

And your voice chirped like old squeaky shoes, and mama always said we had nothin' to lose, and so we danced on the street corner.

Oh Caroline. Heartbroken hard times, they never got us down. Walkin' the same line through every single southern town, hand-in-hand, your arm 'round mine.
Oh Caroline.

Oh I just love this song!

Our Baby Name Finder says Caroline means song of happiness. It comes in as 94th in popularity of girl's names in the US.

Has your mom or family memeber helped you pick a name for your baby? What comes to mind when you hear the name Caroline?

Related posts:

Baby Name of the Week: Jace

Baby Name of the Week: Matilda

 Baby Name of the Week: Holden

Photo from A Pea in the Pod

I am experiencing really bad swelling and water retention. It's mostly in my legs and hands. From the knee down I have what they call pitted edema -- the swelling is so bad that when pressed, the skin stays indented. Sexy, I know.

I don't have preeclampsia or toxemia, and all my tests have been coming up fine. It's just twins at 33 weeks can make a woman have the types of feelings like she's 41 weeks with one baby. That's what the doctor told me...and I'm also measuring like I'm full term, too.

So the OB told me to get compressions socks and I wrote all about it in another post. I've been wearing them for two weeks...but before you go out and buy them, here's a warning.

I bought the kind that are knee high at the suggestion of one of my doctors (there are three in the practice). But when I went in for another visit, another doc told me to take them off immediately. Since they stopped just below the knee, all the swelling was accumulating there, cutting off circulation, and she warned that I could cause myself to get a blood clot.

Instead she wanted me to try a full leg hose made for pregnant women to accommodate the belly.

I asked her if she thought I would then swell above the waist. Luckily she knew I was joking (sort of), so she smiled.

I'm wearing them now. Oh wow was it hard to get them on! But they feel good and aren't cutting off circulation anywhere. We'll see how they work. I'm still swollen, that won't go away until after the babies are born (or I go on strict bed rest), but it's helping.

Have you worn compression stockings?

Related posts:

Edema: Swelling During Pregnancy

Is It Normal? Swollen Ankles

Signs of Preeclampsia

Photo by Nicole080984

I am 95 percent certain of what I am going to name my twins. I'm just not ready to announce it yet in case I change my mind.

I know, it's funny -- I'll talk about my cankles, hemorrhoids and throwing up, and missing my vagina, but baby names seem so much more personal.

There are some unusual names out there, but for me, I consider unusual to be a name like Vegetable or Callus -- you know, names that no one really names their kids. At least I don't think there is anyone named Vegetable or Callus. But I found this post where moms are talking about unusual names of kids they know. Not celebrity names.  

I suppose people think my niece's name, Tennessee, is unusual. Perhaps even my husband's name, Hans, is strange to some. 

Some of the names that made the list on this post were:

• Lovie
• Geronimo
• Pastel
• Lucifer
• Topanga
• Aviecse
• Echo
• Halo
• Clutch
• Freedom
• Mystery

I happen to love unusual names. Maybe I would never name my child Echo, but I think it's neat someone did. I know how much time and thought my husband and I have put into our name selections and I'm sure others have done the same.

Names I loved for our boy, but didn't make the cut were Wolf, Otto, and Oscar. Names I loved for our girl, but didn't make the cut were Nova, Stevie, and Soraya.

Do you tend to like unusual names or more traditional names when it comes to naming your kids?

Related posts:

Uncommon Names

Naming Baby After Daddy: Classic or Not Cool Enough?

What's Your View on Unusual Names?

Photo from TUMS

Hello heartburn. You are such a biatch!

I honestly don't know how my stomach has any space at all, but I certainly find the room to eat. My twins are pushing up against everything -- they press on my lungs, dance on my bladder, and pounce on my tummy. Lots of breathing, peeing, and heartburn issues.

Heartburn, acid reflux, burning -- whatever you want to call it -- is inevitable. And lately I get it in the middle of the night and in the morning.

My sister told me she slept with TUMS next to her bed when she was pregnant. Roll over and eat when needed.

But is it safe to take antacids during pregnancy?

The short answer is yes. But many doctors caution to only take what's recommended on the box...and not to go overboard. It's still medicine, not candy (even though some taste really yummy).

Antacids can also be binding, particularly if they contain alumnium, meaning they can make you constipated. Lots of moms-to-be already have some issues going to the bathroom, so avoid the brands with aluminum and stick with the ones that contain calcium instead.

And while you are reading labels, stay away from any antacid with sodium bicarbonate. This may make you retain water. Trust me, I'm retaining a lot just because I'm in my third trimester with twins and it's not fun.

So calcium antacids are fine as long as you don't take more than what the box recommends.

I also sleep with extra pillows so my head in more of an incline, slightly propped up, to help ease my acid reflux as much as possible. Of course, it's easier said than done -- I move around a lot at night.

And I'm sure you all heard the wives tale that says if you have heartburn, your baby will be born with lots of hair. My sister's daughter was born without any hair and she had "the flux" (what we call it) really bad. So that squashes that.

(This is general mom advice and experience, but definitely check with your own health professional before taking any supplements or OTC or prescription drugs while pregnant.)

Are you experiencing heartburn? What do you do to get relief?

Related posts:

Natural Heartburn Help

Heartburn Relief During Pregnancy

Is It Common to Have Heartburn at 13 Weeks?

Photo from CelineDion.com

Back in August, I wrote about Celine Dion's pregnancy through IVF. One mom, Freela, commented how the announcement came very soon and was worried. Sadly, Celine has now had to "unannounce" her pregnancy. 

"We are living the reality of the majority of couples who have to use [IVF]. The process can be long and arduous," Celine's husband Rene Angelil, 67, told the Canadian paper Journal de Montreal as reported on Celebrity Baby Blog. "But today, we are full of confidence. Celine is more determined than ever."

Celine's doctor revealed that the embryos transferred in August and October were not successful.

"I admire all the women who go through such a tough process. Since April, she has undergone numerous examinations, multiple hormone injections, and blood tests," René told the paper, revealing the couple will go to New York this weekend for a third try. "Céline and I didn't get discouraged...we put our faith in life and in the stars."

The couple are hoping to have a sibling for their 8 year-old son, Rene-Charles.

Baby dust to them! I know how frustrating it can be when you are TTC. 

Related posts:

How Far Would You Go to Have a Baby?

Did You Do IVF? Will You Tell Your Baby?

Clomid & Gonal-F: The Un-Fun Part of TTC

Photo by wntg1grl

We're joining Kim (aka wntg1grl), a stay-at-home mom of three who's expecting twins, on her exciting journey from bump-to-babies. Check back every week for the latest developments.

As for me getting the flu shot....yes, I will! I will have to wait a while because I was taking Tamiflu, but as soon as they okay it, I am getting it.

No appointments this week for the twins but I'm definitely growing. I am having more and more back pain, feet and hands swelling, and heartburn. I thought I had bad heartburn before...man was I wrong!

I have been getting all of the babies' things prepared: putting things away from the shower, exchanging what I need to, and finishing the nursery. Hopefully I'll be done before I hit week 30, then I can relax. Well, at least a little. There's not much relaxing with a 2-year-old!

What's Happening with Babies: 

We're in the third trimester now! The home stretch is near! This week we grew our beautiful eyelashes and we've learned how to blink, so we're practicing on batting our eyes for when we want to get our way in the future.

Photo from Motherhood Maternity

I bought two nursing bras this weekend...and I am still a little skeptical. Did I really need them? Couldn't I just wear a sports bra and pull it over to the side?

Will I even be wearing a bra at all?

First you must know I have small breasts. They haven't grown that much during my pregnancy -- I'm barely a 34C now (normally a small B) and I'm 33 weeks pregnant with twins.

I've heard more growth is coming...especially once my breasts start to produce more milk, so I bought two nursing bras to have just in case I deliver early and just in case I won't be able to make it to the store to get some before the babies arrive.

I read that if you are buying early, buy one size up and one cup size up.

The lady at the store told me I really need two -- for when one gets dirty. OK, makes sense.

Then she asked if I wanted underwire or no underwire. Um? I normally love underwires, but she said some women are bothered by them when engorged.

My mom was with me and she said, "Get the lacy underwire one in case you go out and want to feel pretty." (Smart!)

I bought one underwire, one without underwire -- the one in the photo.

Then she asked if I wanted a nursing sleep bra.

OK...I felt like she would have kept on selling me more things. I put a stop to the sleep bra. I could wear my sports bra if I felt it was absolutely necessary. Plus, I gave myself a budget of $30 in case I didn't like them.

Have you bought a nursing bra yet? How did you decide on size? Underwire or no underwire? Did you get a sleep bra? So many questions!!

Related posts:

Nursing Bras: How to Find One That Fits

Where to Find Nursing Bras and Nursing Pads

Breastfeeding Essential Nursing Tank Tops

Photo by Damo Momo

We've all seen the maternity shirts with the funny sayings on them -- everything from Love Hurts to I'm Not Fat, I'm Pregnant.

Some of them can be a bit brash, but this Bun in the Oven t-shirt ($25) from Damo Momo is more subtle.

Made from bamboo and organic cotton, Damo Momo's collection also includes a long sleeve version of the Bun in the Oven top, as well as solid color dresses and a few other items. They all look super comfy.

In my travels on the web I saw a shirt for my husband that said Real Men Make Twins -- silly, I know. But good for a giggle. I didn't buy him the shirt...instead just emailed him the photo for laughs.

Do you wear maternity shirts with cute or funny sayings on them?

See this poll at CafeMom.

Related posts:

T-Shirts with Clever Saying on Them

Where to Find Inexpensive Maternity Clothes

Lullabelly: Take It Or Leave It?

Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

"We are over the moon," actress Tiffani Thiessen says about her pregnancy.

The former 90210 and Saved By the Bell star and her husband, Brady Smith, are expecting their first baby in May.

What a great looking couple!

Tiffani is currently on USA's drama White Collar and it will be interesting to see if her impending motherhood will be written into the show. 

I loved her in the original 90210, but I have a feeling being a mom is going to be her best role yet.

Congrats to the couple!

Related posts:

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Padma Lakshmi Is Pregnant

 Rebecca Gayheart & McSteamy Expecting a Baby

Louie is one the left;

Puffins is the white one on right.

I have two cats. Two crazy cats. I cannot stress the crazy enough. It scares me actually because if I raised two cats who are insane, what will my babies be like? OK, felines and humans are different, yes, but still!

Lil Louie Monster is the baby cat. He is 3 years old and we've had him since he was just 8 weeks old. He lives up to the monster in his name and he's jealous if our attention is anywhere but on him. Oh and he plays fetch with his ball. Impressive for a cat. 

Mr. Puffins is like an angry old man. No one really gets him but me. We adopted him from a shelter when he was about 5 or 6, which makes him about 8 or 9 now. He lived on the streets for most of those 5 or 6 years. He's a tough one and has only one tooth since they were rotted so bad from eating garbage for years.

I love my cats. I don't want to get rid of them, but here is what I'm afraid of....

Both of them have already tried to make the cribs their own. We tried putting down tin foil because it supposedly scares them, but Louie just thought the foil was there for his personal enjoyment and the other night at about 2am decided to play in it. Noisy!

We also found the two of them in one crib doing some love stuff -- meaning licking each other. That had to stop. Desecration!

We bought crib tents to keep them out, but Louie has already taken to scratching and climbing the crib tent. Makes me nervous. Besides that's not going to help when the babies are in the co-sleeper in the beginning.

I'm worried about Louie's jealousy, Puffins' crankiness especially as the babies get older and want to pet him, and both of them scratching my kids. (We don't believe in having their nails removed.)

Oh and did I mention we live in a loft? No doors to keep cats out.

I know. I've got a situation on my hands and about a month until the twins arrive. Help!

Are you concerned about your pets getting along with your kids?

Related posts: 

Did Having a Baby Make You Hate Your Dog?

Who Do You Love More: Your Baby or Your Dog?

Photo by Shelly888

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine says if you've been trying to conceive for 12 months -- or six months if you are a woman over 35 -- without success, it's time to seek help from a fertility specialist.

But if you haven't reached that point yet, you can try some changes in your diet that may help your chances of conceiving go up.

Colette Bouchez author of Getting Pregnant: What Couples Need to Know Right Now wrote a piece for WebMD that included some foods that may increase the odds of having a baby.

Before I share the food suggestions, it's important to remember that some women need more than just a diet change to help with fertility. But for those starting out on their TTC journey, these fertiity foods may help with ovulation.

Eat more:

• Monounsaturated fats (like olive oil) and less trans fats (like the kind found in many baked goods or fast foods).
• Vegetable protein (like soy), while reducing animal protein (like red meat).
• High fiber, low-glycemic foods -- like whole grains, vegetables, and some fruits, while reducing the intake of refined carbohydrates and sugars.
• Go with moderate amounts of high-fat dairy products -- like ice cream, whole milk, and cheese.

One of the researchers who took part in this study, Jorge Chavarro, MD, "believes diet made a difference because the majority of women experiencing ovulatory dysfunction were also suffering from undiagnosed or subclinical PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), a condition related to insulin resistance that also affects ovulation."

"It responds well to diet, so that could be one of the reasons these foods were so helpful," says Chavarro, who is also author of The Fertility Diet.

Bottom line: Give the diet a try, but don't depend on it alone -- it should be just one part of your effort to have a baby.

What are some of the changes you've made to your lifestyle when TTC?

Related posts:

TTC Ladies: What You Should Know Now

8 Ways to Prep Your Body for Pregnancy

5 Natural Ways to Boost Fertility

Photo by pictureperfect,

mom of this cutie named Jace

The name Jace can be for a girl or a boy and there are different ways to pronounce it. Some moms go with the one syllable Jace, rhymes with Chase, while others go with two syllables -- so it sounds like Jay-see.

The pronounciation Jay-see is mostly heard for girls.

There are quite a few ways to spell the name.

The name Jace is said to mean healer.

For a boy, spellings include Jace, Jase, and Jayce.

For girls, spellings include Jayce, Jayse, Jacy, Jacey, Jaycee, Jacee, and Jaicee.

CafeMom kaymarie1473 has a son named Jace and she wondered how others moms spelled and pronounced the name. The few that responded felt that Jace, rhymes with Chase, felt more like a boy's name.

In some ways, Jace, either for a boy or girl, feels like a nickname for a Jason or Jacinda. And I'm a huge fan of names like that -- something about them are sweet, a little unexpected, and not too different, but not too common.

Have you considered the names Jace or Jaycee for your son or daughter?

Related posts:

Baby Name Finder

Baby Name of the Week: Matilda

 Baby Name of the Week: Holden

Photo by mmoleader

I'm going to be honest...when I was in the trying to conceive (TTC) groups and someone would get a big fat positive (BFP) on their pregnancy test, I would get sad. I was so very happy for the woman getting the BFP, but it made me think...when is this going to happen for me? Why isn't it me?

Well really, at first I was thinking what the heck is BFP? Then I learned. Then I felt sad for myself. I was a little behind on all the lingo.

I eventually got my BFP and as most of you know, readying for twins next month. I got so much baby dust from fellow CafeMoms, I am sure it helped. So thank you!

And as some of you may know...I still have my positive pregnancy test. It's been under my bathroom sink since March. (OK, weird, I know.) I need to take a photo of it and throw it out, yes. But I cannot tell you how my heart filled when I first saw the two lines telling me I was pregnant. I just couldn't toss it right away.

If you were or are TTC, did you feel like I did -- feeling sad when learning of another's BFP? If you eventually got your own BFP, did you save the test or take photos of it?

Related posts:

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It's not just to keep my boobs off my belly or to give more room to my baby boy who is high and loves to get into my ribs (though it helps...a lot!), it's to prevent backaches and strains.

We need to take care of our backs now -- once the baby (or babies) are born, there will be lots of baby lifting. No mama should have to suffer with a bad back.

As we know, everything is different. So even if you had good posture before pregnancy, with balance off and weight shifts, you may not have it during pregnancy.

WebMD has some good suggestions on keeping good posture during pregnancy.

When standing...

• Hold your head up straight with your chin in. Do not tilt your head forward, backward, or sideways.
• Make sure your ear lobes are in line with the middle of your shoulders.
• Keep your shoulder blades back and your chest forward.
• Keep your knees straight, but not locked.
• Stretch the top of your head toward the ceiling.
• Do not tilt your pelvis forward or backward. Keep your butt tucked in.
• Point your feet in the same direction, with your weight balanced evenly on both feet. Your shoes should have good arches for support to prevent stress on your back.
• Avoid standing in the same position for a long time.
• If you need to stand for long periods in front of a table, adjust the height of the table to a comfortable level if possible. Try to elevate one foot by resting it on a stool or box. After several minutes, switch your foot position.
• While working in the kitchen, open the cabinet under the sink and rest one foot on the inside of the cabinet. Change feet every 5 to 15 minutes.

When sitting....

• Keep your back straight and your shoulders back. Your behind should touch the back of your chair.
• Sit with a back support (such as a small, rolled-up towel or a lumbar roll) at the curve of your back.
• Try using a foot rest or stool. Don't cross your legs. Alternate with feet up or feet flat on the floor.
• Avoid sitting in the same position for more than 30 minutes.
• At a desk or table, adjust your chair height and workstation so you can sit up close. Rest your elbows and arms on your chair or desk, keeping your shoulders relaxed.

Are you having posture issues or back pain? Have any other tips to add?  

Related posts:

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Back Pain During Pregnancy

I let my vanity go and got an appointment on Monday. It was the best thing I could have done. But some people wonder if it's safe to get a massage during pregnancy.

There are some points on the body that when pressed, like acupressure, can make a woman go into labor. But a skilled and certified prenatal massage therapist should know what to avoid. Plus it's a massage, not acupressure.

Some people feel massage should be avoided during the first trimester. So it's best to consult with your doctor first. And if you are high risk or have health issues, speak with a doctor first.

But I have to say that my massage at 32 weeks of my twin pregnancy was perhaps one of the best ways to spend my birthday. The therapist set up the table with body pillows and I was on my side -- switching sides mid-way through. All my aches were taken care of -- my lower back, neck, the carpal tunnel in my hands, the pain in my calves, and swollen feet and ankles. There was no rubbing of my belly, just in the areas that were stressed the most. It was like she was able to get the blood flowing better again and even though it was just an hour of reprieve, it was quite a great hour. (I am so thankful for my sister's thoughtful gift!)

With me being so tranquil and relaxed, so were my babies. I used some of the meditation breathing techniques to really let go and it was so calming.

If you have the money to spend, I highly recommend it especially for third trimester mamas.

Have you had a prenatal massage?

Related posts:

Has Anyone Gone Into Early Labor Because of a Prenatal Massage?

Massage During Pregnancy

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Photo by AshBayGrammy

My husband and I went to visit my parents last weekend and we take the train an hour upstate to see them. We had just left the house and I realized I forgot something. 

I forgot my pills, I told my hubs.

Which ones?

My birth control pills.

He laughed. Obviously I am not on birth control.

I mean my pregnancy pills, I stuttered. You know, my daily pill.

Your prenatals?

Sigh. Yes.

For the life of me I couldn't remember the words prenatal vitamins.

Then the other day I heard my cell phone ringing, but couldn't find it. Not in my bag, not in the couch, no where in sight.

It started ringing again and I was able to find it this time...in the top drawer of my bathroom cabinet. I had been cleaning up earlier and guess it was mixed in with the items I put away.

My twins better come out smart because they are sucking the brains away from me.

Have you experienced pregnant brain? Share one of your funny stories.

Related posts:

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My beautiful niece Tennessee

When my sister, Jen, was pregnant with her first baby, she loved the name Sophia. They found out the baby was a girl and Sophia became the name we all cooed into her belly.

For her baby shower, I made cupcakes in ice cream cones and spelled out the name Sophia -- a letter on six cupcakes all in a row.

We all couldn't wait until Sophia was born. But Sophia turned into Tennessee.

Sometime during the third trimester, my sister decided Sophia was not the name of the baby. She just felt the little girl growing inside her and the name was a match.

She and her husband had talked about the name Tennessee, but if it was a boy. It was brought up again and they both fell in love with it for their little girl.

The name change was a little jolting for the family. Some of the more traditional thinkers were really unsure of the name. Some opinions were voiced...mostly people would ask what happened to the beautiful name Sophia?

I'm sure my sister got tired of explaining, but anyone who knows Tennessee knows she was meant to be Tennessee. Sophia, even though a great name, wouldn't have been the right name for her.

My husband and I have names we really love for our twins...but there's a little part of me being cautious in case we have a name change at the last minute, too.

Did you have a name picked out for your baby, then went with a different name?

Related posts:

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Photo by wntg1grl

We're joining Kim (aka wntg1grl), a stay-at-home mom of three who's expecting twins, on her exciting journey from bump-to-babies. Check back every week for the latest developments.

The OB asked me when I will be getting my flu shot.  Well, I never have, so I am concerned with the risks. He says the risk of getting the flu outweighs any risk associated with the vaccine. 

Then on Friday, I went to volunteer in my 2nd grader's classroom, and heard so much coughing. I asked the teacher about it, and one of the girls had just gotten back from having the flu. My son is now starting to have symptoms...I am hoping and praying he doesn't have the flu. Especially since the doctor had just told me that pregnant women are the highest risk. Supposedly, our immune system sort of "turns off" to prevent us killing off our own baby...I am worried about my son, the rest of the kids, and myself...I will definitely be doing more research.

Even if my feet are up all day, they still swell. Even when I first wake up in the morning, they are still big fat swelled up piggies. I would show you a photo but it's so so bad, I just can't.

It's edema at it's worst (or maybe best?) making me super uncomfortable. It even hurts to walk. I can't even fit into certain shoes because of the swelling!

All this excess fluid is normal, I'm told, especially for me, a twin mama-to-be in my third trimester. My uterus is growing, there's excess pressure on everything, fluid is pooling in my extremities and is worse in my lower legs, ankles, and feet.

I've written about my feet swelling before...when it wasn't so bad. But even though it's gotten worse, my OBGYN doesn't seem so alarmed.

My blood pressure and urine are coming up within expected results when tested, so they ruled out preeclampsia. And yes, I'm drinking plenty of water, but I will drink more. And I swear, I'm not eating a lot of salt.

My OBGYN suggested compression socks. At first I bought the kind with the toes cut out and after ten minutes of wearing them I thought my toes were going to explode. I felt my heart beating in them and they were red and beyond swollen. Yikes! I got the knee sock instead. So far it's helped a little, but my feet are still pitting -- meaning when I press on certain swollen spots, that spot stays indented.

Oh and getting these socks on and off is very challenging! I can barely bend with my babies bump and the socks are compression socks, so they don't have the kind of stretch like a regular sock.

I know...woe is me, right? I just want to know if there are any other mama-to-bes out there with extreme swelling like me.

Have you had extreme swelling? What works best for you?

Related posts:

Do I Really Need to See the Doctor?

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Photo from Lullabelly

My twins really respond to music in the womb -- everything from their dad playing guitar to music I play in the house. But what if I had music just for them? Maybe times when I'm watching TV and instead of them listening to the backstabbing comments on Project Runway, they can listen to some soothing tunes?

They can with Lullabelly.

This super soft belt velcros on and features soft speakers that can be plugged into an iPod, iPhone, MP3 or CD player, and plays music for your baby. You won't be able to hear it unless you had your ear to the belt...or you can put on the headphones to listen along, too. Prices start at $49.99.

Prenatal music is said to stimulate baby and helps with memory and learning, plus it's safe -- not too loud for baby. And they say playing the same music for baby when she is in the womb will help her sleep when she is out of the womb.

I have one and love it. The belt is so soft and my babies respond. I played them soft music and they calmed. Then I played them some rock music and they tensed up. I changed it because when they tense up, it's not too pleasant for me. Back to the soft music and I pictured them gently floating and sucking their little thumbs.

What do you think of the Lullabelly?

See this poll at CafeMom.

Related posts:

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Photo by Shinde-Kudasai

Some people are very private; others don't mind sharing it all. But with social networking, blogging, Twitter, and other outlets for the whole world to see, is there such a thing as sharing too much?

One woman, Penelope Trunk, a 42 year-old single mom, blogged about her miscarriage and it created quite a stir.

It wasn't just that she shared her loss that rattled people -- she wrote that she was relieved for having lost her baby so she wouldn't have to have an abortion.

Her actual tweet was "I'm in a board meeting having a miscarriage. Thank goodness because there's a f#*ked-up 3-week hoop jump to have an abortion in Wisconsin."

There's a lot more to the story....

Trunk has a post on her blog, Brazen Careerist, about the tweet that caused such a stir.

Here are some excerpts from her blog:

Throughout history, the way women have gained control of the female experience is to talk about what is happening, and what it's like. We see that women's lives are more enjoyable, more full, and women are more able to summon resilience when women talk openly about their lives.

To all of you who said I should not be happy about having a miscarriage: You are the ones short on empathy. Any woman who is pregnant but wishes she weren’t would of course be grateful when she has a miscarriage. Yes, there are many women who want the baby and have a miscarriage. I was one of them. I cried for days. I get it.

But if you have ever had an abortion, which I have, you would know that a miscarriage is preferable to an abortion. Even the Pope would agree with that.

What do you think? Is this too personal a topic to blog or tweet about? Or does it just depend on the person -- if they are willing and want to share, they should share? 

Related posts:

What Do You Blog About?

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Photo by amybuddy45

Some people keep track of their baby's kicks in the womb. With twins in my belly at 32 weeks, I am being kicked or punched almost all the time. Some doctors recommend jotting down the frequency as a way to monitor that everything is OK with baby.

In your third trimester, you should experience about 10 kicks an hour.

My baby girl is super active. She punches and kicks a lot more than my little boy. But my boy loves to curl up and his butt presses hard against my ribs when he does. Ouch.

I'm not keeping a kick chart on paper, but it's definitely in my mind and with twins in there they kick so often I would notice if there was a change in that.

Do you keep a kick chart? How active is your baby (or babies) in the womb?

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Me & Louie, my kitty baby

Today is my birthday! And this year I'm celebrating unlike any year before. As a first time mom-to-be of twins (32 weeks today), I have to say, my birthday isn't such a big deal to me this time. I'm more excited about my babies' birth day, which is coming up. Fast!

My husband wants to take me out to eat, but I'd almost rather stay home in my PJs and have him cook me some dinner.

My sister wants to take me for a pedicure, which I really need, but my feet are so swollen I'm not sure if I want anyone to touch them.

Ooh a massage would be nice, but how comfortable will I be on a massage table? Would I get too cold or too hot with my hormones the way they are?

Part of me wants to get my hair done -- I have so many greys and I could use a trim, but not sure if I'm up for sitting that long in a chair. And what if I hate my hair when it's done? I don't need to be feeling any less attractive than I do now.

I guess I'm just a little restless as I type this out, suffering from carpal tunnel, swollen hands, and three numb fingers.

But, really, this is the happiest birthday I have had so far. I'm going to have two babies soon...and the most amazing chapter in my life is about to start. I'm going to cheers my water on the rocks, eat some ice cream, and have a great day with daddy-to-be.

Update: My sister gave me a gift certificate for a prenatal massage and I have an appointment today!

Have you celebrated a birthday during pregnancy? How far along were you and how did you celebrate?

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Photo by SydneysMommy7

There's a song by Tom Waits called Waltzing Matilda that I love. It's actually part of a very old song written by a poet in the 1800s and it's also the unofficial anthem for Australia.

Michelle Williams and the late Heath Ledger (who was Australian) named their daughter Matilda.

Most popular in the 1800s, according to CafeMom's Baby Name Finder, Matilda is German meaning strength for battle, and French for strong in war.

It's one of those vintage names that feels fresh again. And you could call her Matty for short. There's also that actress Tilda Swinton. Her full name is Katherine Matilda Swinton and goes by Tilda. I like it.

There are only ten CafeMoms who named their daughter Matilda and it's ranked 829 in the US as far as popularity.

Do you like the name Matilda? What does the name make you think of?

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Twins parents-to-be!

I know some people may think this is absolutely weird, but I had a Halloween-themed baby shower.

I'm actually having two baby showers. (Hey, I'm having twins!) One is for friends, the other is for family.

My friend baby shower happened last weekend and we had it at my house. My husband and I just moved into a new place and we wanted to have a housewarming, but with the babies coming, we thought we could do it all together. My sister took care of a lot of things for me and we had a lot of fun planning it.

Guys and girls were invited -- we had food, drinks, music, and masks. Masks? Yep. Since my birthday is coming up and is on Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), we went with that theme and had vibrant skull masks and decorations. We took everyone's photo wearing one of the masks.

OK, some of you are probably thinking Day of the Dead? For a baby shower?

This is why it's so great. Day of the Dead is a two-day celebration common in Mexico that takes place on November 1st through the 2nd to honor and remember those who passed on. It's a celebration of life, and the lives of those who are no longer with us. My twins will never know those who have died, but in honoring their lives, and keeping their memory alive, in a way, they will know all about them.

Cute hats for the twins!

Adorable onesie!

It was a great party with so much to celebrate!

Did you have your baby shower yet? Was there a theme?

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