Milan Maternity

The Phases of Pregnancy

2012-05-31T05:25:00.001-07:00

I have realized that I have very clear phases of pregnancy. And it seems, from seeing and talking to other women, that they go through very similar phases.

#1, The "Oh my gosh" I'm really pregnant Phase

This phase is the briefest of all phases. It happens every time I've taken a pregnancy test, and the test was positive. As soon as I see the positive sign, my first thought is something along the lines of "OH my gosh! I'm actually pregnant!!" It happens every time. Even though all of my pregnancies have been planned and hoped for, I still have that brief moment of anxiety. This phase lasts anywhere from 10 seconds to 1 minute, then is immediately followed by Phase 2.

# 2, The Excited Phase

You've just taken a pregnancy test, you are indeed pregnant, and you've gone through Phase 1. You are now feeling all of the joy and excitement in the world. This phase usually lasts a couple of weeks. It's the phase where you look up everything pregnancy related on the internet, and want to soak in everything. It's a fabulous phase.

# 3, The I Am Soooo Pregnant Phase /Am I Really Pregnant Phase

Phase 3 has two different phases, depending on if you are the kind of person that gets sick or not. The I Am Soooo Pregnant Phase person is the person who gets sick and is reminded every single day that they are pregnant because they constantly feel sick or keep getting sick. It is not a fun phase of pregnancy.

The Am I Really Pregnant Phase happens at the same time other people are going through the "I Am Soooo Pregnant Phase." This is the people who don't get sick at all during pregnancy, and feel just like they always feel. They aren't sick and they aren't showing at all, so the pregnancy seems kind of unreal. It's not unusual for these people to forget that they are, indeed, pregnant.

# 4, The Good Phase

This phase typically coincides with the second trimester. Most of us are feeling better by this point. (I'm so sorry for those of you that don't!!) You have energy again (or a little more) (if you lost it) and you're usually starting to show soon after this phase begins. And it's also sometime during this phase that you usually start to feel the baby move, making it feel super real that there is a human life growing inside of you. And it's during this phase you usually get an ultrasound, founding out the gender if you so choose. Which means those that went through the Am I Really Pregnant Phase have proof that they are, in fact, pregnant. This phase is just....good and exciting.

# 5, The I Have to Actually Birth A Baby?!?! Phase

This phase seems to come at the end of the second trimester/beginning of the third trimester. It has finally set in that now that this baby is in there, it also has to come out. You've probably read too much information about the birthing process and are freaking out about all of it and wishing that the baby could magically go from being inside you to outside of you with no birth necessary. Or, if you've already had a baby, any of the scary memories that you have blocked out so well come flooding back to you. You're freaking out.

# 6, The I Want This Baby Out of Me Phase

You go from comfortably pregnant to uncomfortably pregnant. You are huge, you have to pee 10 times in an hour, and just can't seem to figure out how to feel comfortable. You want the baby OUT so you can just feel normal again! And you want it out soon, and by any means possible. Depending on how large and uncomfortable you get and when, this phase can last anywhere from a few weeks to a couple months. (I'm pretty sure this phase started at 6 months during my first pregnancy, but came much later during my second more comfortable pregnancy).

# 7, The Anticipation Phase

You are now full term and the baby can now come "at any time" and be healthy and every day you wonder if it's going to be the day, and every night you go to sleep wondering if you are going to wake up in the middle of the night in labor. Every day feels like the longest day ever, and you do everything you can to fill your day and stay busy because the anticipation is killing you.

# 8, The Reality Phase

You are in labor, and this baby IS coming. There is no turning back now. It is only a matter of time before you will be a mother (again...). It is only a matter of time before this newborn baby that you will be fully responsible for will be in your arms and the constant feeding, sleepless nights, uncontrollabe crying (you and/or the baby) begins. It is only a matter of time before you get to hold that sweet, most perfect little baby in your arms that you have been dreaming of for months. You are going to have to really birth this baby, and you aren't sure if you can, but it's happening, and it's real, and you're scared, and you're excited, and your nervous, and...and...and...and... And even if you've already had a baby, you go through these feelings of excitement and doubt every time.

#9, The Unreal Phase

Your baby is here, your baby is perfect, and it feels like everything is a dream. You can't possibly put into words how you feel or what you are thinking, but nothing feels real, yet it all somehow feels utterly and completely perfect.

Celebrity Baby Bumps

2012-05-29T05:26:00.000-07:00

I've decided that one of the things in life that just aren't fair is how cute celebrities (usually) look when pregnant. Check out some of these famous baby bumps from the last few months.

Molly Sims always looks great and her and her baby bump look amazing!
Reese Witherspoon is too cute, especially with her baby bump.

Adriana Lima is a better model pregnant than I could ever dream to be when I'm not pregnant.

Alyson Hannigan looks so lovely with her little bump!
Seinna Miller looks so cute just strolling down the street. I wish that's how I looked on a daily basis.
I don't think Vanessa Lachey ever has a day where she doesn't look cute and put together. I love how she rocks her baby bump.
And of course Kourtney Kardashian can pull of dresses when she's pregnant that I couldn't have ever in my life have pulled of.

Confessions of a Mother

2012-05-24T06:01:00.002-07:00

I have some confessions to make. I think it will make me feel better. I figured what better place to do it than in public to really get it out there.

-My daughter is 17 months old, and I still swaddle her when I give her a milk bottle and rock her for bedtime.

-My son owns about 25 pairs of underwear, just so that I could continue my infrequent laundry habits even after he was done with diapers.

-I turn to chocolate (and let's be honest, other food) to relieve my frustrations...a lot!!!

-I record General Hospital daily, and the first thing I do when the kids are in bed is watch it. It is my one guilty pleasure tv show that I'm ashamed to admit I watch.

-I'm constantly worrying what others think about my mothering abilities and worried they are judging me and think I'm not a good mom.

-I count it a huge success any day that I accomplish just one chore.

Ahhhh, it feels so good to get all that off my chest. C'mon...you know you want to make some confessions, too.

Foods to Avoid While Pregnant

2012-05-21T06:03:00.000-07:00

I had no idea before I started having children that there were so many foods I had to avoid. It was all new to me. Here's a list:

-Soft cheeses--During pregnancy, try to avoid Brie, goat, Camembert, feta, queso blanco, an blue or other veined varieties of cheese. The reason is that they may be unpasteurized and might contain listeria, which can trigger food poisoning. Cheeses like cheddar and Parmesan have been aged, which process kills bacteria naturally.

-Eggs--Don't avoid eggs, but we all know that can be contaminated with salmonella, which is more dangerous for pregnant women. Just make sure you eat refrigerated eggs that don't have any cracks and or have unclean shells. And, avoid runny eggs. We also aren't supposed to sample the cookie dough, but I have to admit, it is very, very hard for me to resist!!

-Deli and prepacked lunch meats--I somehow completely missed the memo on this one during my first pregnancy. Turns out they can also be contaminated with listeria if they aren't handled properly. Before eating deli or prepackaged lunch meats, make sure you heat them until they are steaming hot so you can kill the bacteria. Some meats can also be infected with toxoplasma. If the meats aren't fully cooked, it's one of the infections that can cross into the placenta.

-Some fish--There are fish that contains high levels of mercury, which is obviously bad for fetal brain development. Fish to avoid are shark, tilefish, king mackerel, swordfish, and albcore tuna. Don't think you have to stay away from all fish though. Canned tuna has very low levels of mercury and is ok once or twice a week. And salmon doesn't contain mercury. It's actually great for you during pregnancy, when your body needs a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, which it has!

-Caffeine--A 2008 study from Kaiser Permanente confirmed that high doses of caffeine daily during pregnancy can increase the risk of miscarriage. It found that women who consumed more than 200 milligrams or more of caffeine per day had twice the risk of miscarriage than women who didn't have any. So beware of coffee, tea, soda, cocoa, and energy drinks...especially during the first trimester.

-Alcohol--I think almost everyone knows this by now, but let's cover our bases just in case. Did you know that alcohol crosses into the placenta immediately? Women who drink frequently while pregnant put their child at risk of fetal alcohol syndrome, which can have mild to very severe side effects. In 2005, the US Surgeon General urged all pregnant women to avoid any alcohol.

-Soft serve ice cream--I just heard about this one a few weeks ago! I had no clue. It poses another danger when it comes to listeria. It can live in the machines that hold and serve it. Listeria can affect the placenta, amniotic fluid, and the placenta if you are infected.

With all that said...if you've had these things, don't stress. I can tell you I have enjoyed large amounts of chocolate, soft serve ice cream, cookie dough, and unheated lunch meats while pregnant, and it's all been ok. Just use caution in everything!

The Things I Took For Granted...

2012-05-18T06:02:00.001-07:00

Turns out that before I was a mother, I took a whole lot of things for granted.

In fact, I realized that there is a long list of things that I most definitely won't take for granted again.

-Sleep.

-Not just sleep, but sleeping in. (I can't believe I'd stay up all hours of the night and get to sleep in until almost noon!)

-Silence.

-The ability to shower whenever I wanted for however long I wanted.

-Sleep. Oh, beloved sleep.

-Getting something to eat and not having to share it.

-Being able to make a "quick trip to the store".

-Going to the bathroom in peace/without an audience.

-Adult conversation.

-A clutter free car.

-Napping.

-Deciding at the last minute to go on a date with my husband.

-Only having to buy one or two plane tickets.

-Sleep.

-My body.

-Washing my hair.

-Only having to make one dinner per night.

-Free time.

-The ability to have children.

-A clean house.

-Sleep.

-Clean clothes.

But given the choice, I'd give up all of these things again without a second thought for my sweet kids! I just won't take them for granted anymore. What would be on your list?

The Sleep Book That Saved My Life

2012-05-15T06:10:00.003-07:00

(This title might sound like an exaggeration, but I promise, it's not.)(And this post might seem a little long, but I promise, if you need sleep, you should read this post.)

Ahhhh...our babies. So sweet. So angelic. So adorable and perfect. So awake at 1 a.m. And 3 a.m. And 4 a.m. And 6 a.m.

Lack of sleep when you have a baby is just something that you don't fully comprehend until you are right there in the thick of it. I was warned about it, but how was I to really know until I was there? I was one of those mothers that said I wasn't going to let my baby sleep in our bed....until I brought him home and I was soooo tired and the only way he would sleep was if I held him. And there he slept, in our bed, until 7 months old. When he started waking up every hour to nurse during the night, I knew it was time to figure out a better solution. Not to mention his naps during the day lasted about 20 minutes. I was tired. Scratch that, I was a walking zombie.

Figuring out how to solve this problem best is one of those personal decisions that everyone has to figure out on their own. Cry it out, no cry sleep solutions, attachment parenting...so many choices to look at. There seems to be no right answer, just what works best for your child's individual needs.

Someone recommended "On Becoming Babywise." I read it, but it just didn't have all of the information I needed, and I didn't completely agree with all of it. When I was done reading it, I was left feeling like I needed to know a little more, given my child's age and temperament. I know many people swear by it, but it just wasn't for me.

Then someone suggested Dr. Ferber's "Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems." With the lack of sleep I was getting, the book appeared to be about 4,572 pages long, and I just didn't know how I was supposed to make time to read it.

So I went to the bookstore and looked through every single baby sleep book they had in stock. I read several pages of each, weighed my options, thought long and hard, and finally decided to buy "The Sleep Easy Solution" by Jennifer Waldburger and Jill Spivack. It turned out to be everything I needed and more.

Their approach is referred to as "The least cry method". The book was sympathetic to how difficult it was going to be to get my child to sleep through the night, in his own crib.** It let me know how much my child should be sleeping and it had step by step instructions on getting him there. It walked me through everything, step by step, and let me know that as hard as it might seem, I would get through it. I read it, (It helped that it wasn't a huge book that I felt too overwhelmed to read.), I read what I thought was most important to my husband, and we put the plan in action.

The very first night, he cried for approximately 20 minutes, and then fell asleep....FOR THE ENTIRE NIGHT!! I don't know if that is normal, and it didn't happen that way every night, but now I knew it was possible.

The napping part was a little trickier to get a handle on, but it walked me through all of that, too. And even let me know that this would be the trickier part, but that it would get better. After about a week/week and a half, both night time sleeping and nap time were all worked out and we were all finally able to sleep again. No joke, I would have gone absolutely insane if it weren't for this book and getting the sleeping schedule worked out.

I liked that this book had an age by age guide, not a one size fits all attitude, on training your baby/child to sleep. I like that it doesn't start the sleep training process until 4 months, which seemed a much better age to me than from birth. I like that it covers different scenarios. I like that it talks about how to best handle time changes, traveling, etc. And it doesn't just cover sleeping for babies, but talks about a wide spectrum of things up to the age of 5. How much sleep they should be getting at each age, transitioning to a bed, nightmares/night terrors, separation anxiety, birth of a new baby, potty training...it covers it all and more!

So if you are having problems in this area, I HIGHLY recommend this book! I have recommended it to many people, and everyone that has read it and used it has absolutely loved it, too. Good luck!! We all need our sleep!

**The book did have a section on slowly transitioning a baby from co-sleeping to sleeping in a crib in their own room, involving sleeping on their floor. I choose to fore-go this and dive right into getting him in there on his own, and it worked out just fine.

Mother's Day Giveaway Winners

2012-05-13T23:14:00.001-07:00

We hope everyone had a fabulous Mother's Day! Thank you for sending in your nominations for our Mother's Day Giveaway! The winner of our first giveaway has been notified, but we need to announce the winner of our second giveaway! Here is the winning entry:

E-mail us at service@milanmaternity.com to claim your $100 MM E-gift card! Thank you to all who participated and again, you are so appreciated!!

A Mother's Dictionary

2012-05-11T06:43:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to enter the 2 Mother's Day giveaways!!

Giveaway #1: We're hosting our Mother's Day Makeover again and want your nominations. One lucky mom will be surprised this Sunday with a $100 Milan Maternity gift card! If you know someone who deserves a little pick-me-up, needs a maternity/nursing wardrobe update, or works hard and never takes time for herself, let us know! Tell us why you think this special woman deserves our Mother's Day Makeover giveaway. E-mail your nominations to service@milanmaternity.com.

Giveaway #2: $100 gift card for yourself! Click here to enter!

Mother's Day is THIS Sunday. So I thought I'd share A Mother's Dictionary for the special occasion.

Bottle feeding: An opportunity for Daddy to get up at 2 am too.

Defense: What you'd better have around de yard if you're going to let the children play outside.
Drooling: How teething babies wash their chins.

Dumbwaiter: One who asks if the kids would care to order dessert.

Family planning: The art of spacing your children the proper distance apart to keep you on the edge of financial disaster

Feedback: The inevitable result when the baby doesn't appreciate the strained carrots.

Full name: What you call your child when you're mad at him.

Grandparents: The people who think your children are wonderful even though they're sure you're not raising them right.

Hearsay: What toddlers do when anyone mutters a dirty word.

Impregnable: A woman whose memory of labor is still vivid.

Independent: How we want our children to be as long as they do everything we say.

Look out: What it's too late for your child to do by the time you scream it.

Prenatal: When your life was still somewhat your own.

Preprared childbirth: A contradiction in terms.

Puddle: A small body of water that draws other small bodies wearing dry shoes into it.

Show off: A child who is more talented than yours.

Sterilize: What you do to your first baby's pacifier by boiling it and to your last baby's pacifier by blowing on it.

Storeroom: The distance required between the supermarket aisles so that children in shopping carts can't quite reach anything.

Temper tantrums: What you should keep to a minimum so as to not upset the children.

Top bunk: Where you should never put a child wearing Superman jammies.

Two-minute warning: When the baby's face turns red and she begins to make those familiar grunting noises.

Verbal: Able to whine in words

Whodunit: None of the kids that live in your house.

Whoops: An exclamation that translates roughly into "get a sponge."

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers!

MM Mother's Day Makeover Giveaway! Two $100 Winners!

2012-05-09T12:31:00.000-07:00

We want to wish ALL of you a Happy Mother's Day this weekend! We having two fabulous giveaways this year!

GIVEAWAY #1: We're hosting our Mother's Day Makeover again and want your nominations. One lucky mom will be surprised this Sunday with a $100 Milan Maternity gift card! If you know someone who deserves a little pick-me-up, needs a maternity/nursing wardrobe update, or works hard and never takes time for herself, let us know! Tell us why you think this special woman deserves our Mother's Day Makeover giveaway. E-mail your nominations to service@milanmaternity.com.

A few rules/details:

-Nominations must be received no later than this Saturday, 5:00pm PST.

-You cannot nominate yourself (but read on, you're eligible for giveaway #2!)

-You can remain annonymous if desired (we can e-mail the gift card to your nominee if you have an e-mail address for them)

-The winning nomination will be notified by Saturday, 7:00pm PST.

-You may nominate more than one super mom

In addition to your nominations for our Mother's Day Makeover Giveaway, we're giving away an ADDITIONAL $100 gift card to one of our current fans!

GIVEAWAY #2: Here's the deal... we'd love your help spreading the word about our Milan Maternity and our Mother's Day Giveaway! Here's how to enter:

1. Share this post with one of the share buttons below and comment for each way shared. (1 entry per share method, and for every day shared.)

2. Bring us more facebook fans! Get two additional entries for anyone that "likes" our facebook page and comments with who sent them. For example, if we see a comment on our FB page "Jane Doe sent me!", we'll add two more entries for each person that you refer!

3. Have you seen our new summer styles that will be available soon? Find them here, and comment on what you love.

Giveaway #2 open through midnight, Saturday 12th, PST. Winner will be chosen by random.org.

What I Wish I Had Known #8

2012-05-08T07:03:00.000-07:00

I don't remember feeling this way with my first pregnancy, so I wish someone had warned me: Pregnancy makes you tired!! I wish I had known that for the second pregnancy (and now my third). I always have tried to limit my sons t.v. time, but when I was pregnant with baby #2, I'd turn on the t.v. for him, lie down on the couch, and be out like a light...I was SO tired! Now that baby #3 is on the way, all morning long I can't wait until the kids nap time because all I want to do is sleep, because I am just SO tired!

I wish I had known that growing a baby inside of me would completely zap all of my energy! (Not that it would change anything, but knowing what's coming is always nice.) So make sure you plan time for naps!

Mother's Day Sale and.....that awkward phase

2012-05-03T06:46:00.001-07:00

I'm at that stage in pregnancy when my regular clothes don't fit right, but maternity clothes are too big. This phase of pregnancy seems to be occurring earlier and earlier with each pregnancy. I am only 13 weeks, after all, and I'm already hitting the awkward clothes phase.

Luckily, Milan Maternity has some clothing options that are PERFECT for this phase. These options are ones that are good because most people probably wouldn't even notice that they are in fact maternity clothes. And they aren't huge on you during the early stages of pregnancy when your stomach is just starting to grow.

The Gisella is perfect. It fits well even in the early stages. It comes in two colors: coral and emerald. (And they happen to be on sale for $23. It's a win-win!)

I LOVE the Vittoria dress. And one of the most awesome things about it is that when I wore it, no one had the slightest idea it was a maternity/nursing dress. Which means when you are trying to cover up that teeny tiny baby bump, no one will know you are actually covering it with a maternity/nursing dress.

Another top perfect for those early stages of pregnancy that is also a favorite of mine is the Gabriella. It comes in both royal fuschia and vintage blue. And another one of my favorite things about it is that it can be worn with the detail in the front or the back.

The Carissa is yet another perfect option. The ruched sides are perfect for your growing belly, making it look good even when you're in the early months. It also comes in two colors: honeysuckle pink and nautical blue.

And last, but certainly not least is another favorite of mine. The Nicola is yet another top that doesn't look like a maternity top. In the early months it fits a little loosely, and no one would even know that it's a maternity top. I also LOVE both colors it comes in, berry and seafoam green.

See, Milan Maternity has you covered in every single stage of pregnancy and after. Even that fun phase when other maternity clothes are just too big.

And in case you're needing an additional incentive, our Mother's Day sale is going on through Monday! Get 15% off everything with code "15FORMOM" and free shipping on all orders over $50.

Monday laugh

2012-04-30T06:06:00.001-07:00

I've seen this circulating around, and it makes me laugh every time. I think it's something that every parent has experienced and can appreciate...(when we aren't going through it). Both of my kids are especially fond of "The Rod."

For just a dollar

2012-04-27T06:22:00.001-07:00

You may or may not know this, but the dollar store can be pretty awesome! It's unfortunate that I go as infrequently as I do, but I went enough to FINALLY notice that they have pregnancy tests! Did you know this? I wish I had known sooner. Pregnancy tests are not cheap. (Especially if you are like me, and feel like taking just one test isn't enough.) If you are also like me, you might be wondering "A pregnancy test? From the dollar store? Is it legit?" Leave it to me to put it to the test. For purposes of this science experiment, I bought my favorite pregnancy test brand along with the dollar store test.

My favorite pregnancy test brand:

The results:

The dollar store pregnancy test:

The results:

Turns out I've been wasting money all this time! I could have found out I was pregnant with my previous two much cheaper! It should be noted that it's not the typical "pee on a stick" test. There is an extra step, but hey...for a dollar, I can do one extra step.

Oh...and yes, I am pregnant! Baby number three is due at the beginning of November.

--aniC

You're not the only one

2012-04-23T06:46:00.003-07:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to go to an event just for women. As I listened to other mothers speak of their trials in motherhood, I felt comforted.

I remember how excited I was to be a mother. Even though my first pregnancy had it's difficulties, I was happy, and looked forward to the sweet little baby that was to come. And then he came. And with him came sleepless nights, tears, frustrations, and very brief moments of joy. But everywhere around me (blogs, facebook, etc) other women were going on and on and gushing about how wooonderful motherhood was. Not that I didn't think it was wonderful, but I mostly just felt like it was hard. Really, really hard. And not only were they gushing about how wonderful it was, but were also doing things like making amazing meals, sewing their baby perfect little outfits, and were being wonderful wives to their husbands. Apparently, something was very, very wrong with me.

And then, this weekend, as I listened to these other women tell their stories of grief, frustration, and feeling overwhelmed a lot of the time with motherhood, I realized, I was in fact normal. Motherhood is hard. We mothers do shed a lot of tears. We mothers do feel a lot of frustration and/or inadequacy. We mothers do wonder what in the world we were thinking when we pictured perfect little families with children who ate the way they were supposed to, and slept when they were supposed to, and never dared misbehave. And we mothers that feel this way are normal! And it is ok to have these feelings. And it is ok because we do have those moments in between the craziness when everything is perfect and we are overwhelmed with love for our children and it gives us the little glimpse of hope we need to get us through the difficult times.

This weekend I finally felt validated. And I finally felt like I wasn't alone in my feelings that I'd had for the past 3 and a half years. I finally felt like I wasn't the only one, and I am, actually, normal.

What I Wish I Had Known #7

2012-04-19T06:41:00.002-07:00

Anyone who does any kind of reading about pregnancy has read the information about pregnancy weight gain.

If your pre-pregnancy weight was in the normal range, you should gain between 25-35 pounds.

If your pre-pregnancy weight was below the normal range, you should gain between 28-40 pounds.

And if your pre-pregnancy weight was above the normal range, you should gain between 15-25 pounds.

Now, I am no medical professional (obviously) but to this I say a big fat whatever! (Please pardon me if you disagree.) But here's the deal. I am CONVINCED that there is no standard for weight a woman should gain during her pregnancy. I am CONVINCED that every woman responds to pregnancy differently, not only different from one woman to another, but from one pregnancy to another for each individual person.

I am not saying that we should sit around all day doing nothing, and eat 23 donuts, 2 packages of Oreo cookies, and a couple cartons of ice cream and just have the attitude of "I'm pregnant, so I'll gain whatever I gain." We obviously have to be smart (within the means of being smart while having pregnancy cravings) and that we should do what we can to get physical exercise. But the fact of the matter is, I started both of my pregnancies at a normal weight. With my first, I gained about 60 lbs and with my second about 35. (Although, you can almost say all that extra weight during the first pregnancy must have been due to the Texas sized feet I got.) I didn't eat completely crazy during either pregnancy, and I didn't stay stagnate during either pregnancy. Although, the first was a boy and the second was a girl, and I think that can make a difference with some woman. My midwives gave me a hard time for gaining so much weight during my first pregnancy, and I was really bothered that I was gaining so much beyond what I was supposed to.

And I say all that to say this: I wish I had known not to hold myself to some "standard for pregnancy weight gain". I wasn't doing anything overtly unhealthy. And it goes the other way, too. If you are doing everything you can to gain weight during pregnancy, and it just isn't happening, don't feel bad. Everyone is different, everyone's body is different, and everyone's bodies reacts in a different way. Don't be upset if your normal isn't the "standard" normal.

A trick of the trade #5

2012-04-17T06:14:00.001-07:00

Here's a little trick that might work for you.

Did you know that juice consumption up to the age of 4 should be limited to about 4-6 ounces a day? (According to Dr. Sears and several other sources.) But getting my kids to drink water was about as easy as getting them to clean up after themselves. But was we all know, drinking plenty of water a day is important.

My kids are picky enough eaters as it is. I figured if I could do anything right since they were eating so badly, I could at least figure out a way to get them to drink enough water, and not too much juice.

Feeling frustrated that they wouldn't drink water, but would drink juice, but shouldn't have more than 4 ounces a day, I decided to try a little trick. In about 4 ounces of water, I'd add the tiniest bit of juice (I'm talking maybe half an ounce, if not less). When offered that version of juice, my kids have been all over it! I don't know how they could like it, but they do. So they drink less than 4 ounces of juice a day, and are getting plenty of water! I call it a win!

Motherhood breeds ingenuity, doesn't it?

Burping 101

2012-04-12T06:09:00.000-07:00

That title really draws you in, eh?

I was surprised when I was pregnant with my second baby and read an article saying that burping a baby wasn't necessary like previously thought. So, I had my baby and decided that article must be true, and didn't burp her after feedings. It took less than a week for me to decide that burping was, indeed, quite necessary. I strongly believe that if your baby has been fed and has a clean diaper, but they are fussy, gas (of some sort) is the problem. Burping a fussy baby has almost always worked for me to calm them. (You never know what burps are still hiding out in their little bellies.)

According to Dr. Sears, there are two important keys to burping a baby. 1) The baby needs to be in an upright position and 2) Pressure needs to be applied to the babies belly. (A step that is very often forgotten.)

Before I share Dr. Sears burping positions, I'd like to share one I learned after the birth of my second baby. After talking to the doctor about how it seemed like she always had gas, the doctor suggested I add a little bounce to my burping method. I would hold my baby while standing, with her head resting on my shoulders, and bounce while lightly patting her on her back. This method always seemed to work much faster and much better than other methods I'd used. But Dr. Sears is an expert, so perhaps you'd rather see his positions instead.

Over-the-hand burp. Sit baby on your lap and place the heel of your hand against her tummy, with her chin resting on the top of your hand. Lean baby forward, resting most of her weight against the heel of your hand to provide counter pressure on her tummy, and pat her on the back to move up the air bubbles.
Over-the-shoulder burp. Drape baby way up over your shoulder so that your shoulder presses against her tummy, then rub or pat her back. Hold baby securely by hooking your thumb under her armpit. If she's on your right shoulder, do this holding with your right hand.
Over-the-lap burp. Drape baby over one thigh (legs crossed or spread) so that it presses upward against her tummy. Support baby's head with one hand while you pat or rub her back with the other hand.
The one-arm burp. This position is particularly helpful when you're busy and baby needs to burp. You can simply stroll around the house and have one hand free. The only drawback is that spit-up may go on the floor or down over your arm and baby's legs.
Sling burping. If the air just won't come up, place baby upright against your chest and wear her in a sling until the air comes up.
Nighttime burping. Burping is often not necessary during night feedings, since babies feed in a more relaxed manner and therefore swallow less air. If a trapped air bubble seems to be causing nighttime discomfort, you can avoid sitting up and going through the whole burping ritual by draping baby up over your hip as you lie on your side.
Burp and switch. Some babies are more comfortable if they burp when changing sides. Getting the air up makes room for more milk. This can help avoid large spit-ups when a bubble gets trapped under the milk.
Knee-to-chest burp. Sometimes babies need help not only getting air out the top end, but also out the bottom. The knee-chest position (flexing baby's knees up against her chest) helps baby pass excess gas.

And of course, no matter what position you use, it's always wise to make sure you have a burp cloth positioned under your babies mouth.

And I stick to my guns and say no matter what anyone else says, one of the keys to a happy baby is burping them!

Need a laugh?

2012-04-10T06:39:00.001-07:00

I don't know about you, but I needed a laugh today and this did the trick. It's one of my favorite jokes.

A man took his pregnant wife to the hospital to give birth. The doctor told them that they'd developed a new machine and asked if the couple would like to try it out. The machine could take some of the pain of childbirth from the mother and give it to the father to ease the mother's burden.

Well, they thought that was a good idea, and decided to give it a try. The doctor initially set the machine on 10 percent, telling the man that even 10 percent was probably more pain than he'd ever experienced. But the husband was surprised at how little pain he was feeling, and asked the doctor to raise the level.

The doctor increased it to 20 percent, and when the man still felt fine, he raised it to 50 and finally 100 percent.

After it was all over, the man stood up, and stretched a little. Both he and his wife felt fine, and they shortly left the hospital to take the baby home.

It was then that they found the mailman dead on their doorstep.

A trick of the trade #4

2012-04-05T06:36:00.000-07:00

I do believe that as long as I birth babies, I will be birthing bald babies. Which is totally fine. Bald babies are just as cute as follicly unchallenged babies. But, when it comes to bald baby girls, that means no hair to clip cute little hair clips in. Which is also ok. Because, of course, there are ways around such "problems".

Luckily, other moms shared their trick with attaching bows to bald baby girls. You see, all you need is a little bit of corn syrup or glue. (Yes...glue.)

See this here bow attached on my sweet baby girls head when she was 4 months old? It was attached with one of the two.

I started out with corn syrup. But, long story short, it was messy....and it didn't come off very easily. So then I moved on to glue. Now, before you possibly judge me, know that it is just regular old non-toxic, washable, Elmer's glue. And only a tiny little dab does the trick. With a tiny little bit of water, it comes right off. (Or sometimes, it comes off quite naturally)

So with a little bit of ribbon, and a tiny dab of glue (or corn syrup if you like sticky messes), your sweet bald baby girl can be properly adorned, too.

**It should be noted that I have heard of other components to use to attach the bows, but these were the two that I felt most comfortable with.

Pack your bags!!

2012-04-02T06:46:00.001-07:00

I am such a procrastinator, so I really wasn't one to have a hospital bag packed much in advance. Plus, some things are last minute things anyways. But, it's still important to get it done! Here's a list that might help you out as you pack your bags to get ready for your hospital stay for your babies birth.

1. I absolutely say this is the most important. CHAPSTICK! I don't know what it is about labor and childbirth (perhaps all the heavy breathing during labor?) that makes your lips so dry. I remember not having any during my second birth experience and making my husband go get some. I applied it often and liberally throughout the remainder of labor.

2. Toiletries. Deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste, make-up, hair elastics, shampoo, conditioner. Basically, everything you'd take if you were going on a trip where none of those things are provided.

3. Comfy clothes, socks, and slippers. I most certainly did take my housecoat with me the second time, and most certainly enjoyed wearing that over having to wear the hospital gown. And I was thankful to have some comfy socks to keep my cold feet warm on those cold hospital floors.

4. Photo ID, insurance card, birth plan, checks or credit card. This would probably not be the best time to forget such items.

5. Delicious snacks. Not that places let you eat while you are laboring. But afterwards, when you are starving like you haven't eaten in days, and all you're getting is bland hospital foods, you'll be happy to have some good snacks on hand.

6. Anything that will help you be comfortable, relax, or take your mind off of the pain. Whether this is in the form of an IPOD with your favorite music, a favorite book, or pictures of your family. Personally, I didn't have time for any of this stuff, but I know others find it useful.

7. Important phone numbers. Some hospitals don't allow cell phones (Crazy, I know!) Or some have really bad cell reception, thus sucking battery life out of your phone. Whatever may happen, it's always a good idea to have the important numbers written down somewhere in case you can't get them off of your cell phone.

8. Comfortable clothes for the ride home. I had jeans to wear home, but luckily also had some comfy pants. Maybe it's just me, but why would I even want to wear jeans?? I say comfy clothes going home are a necessity.

9. Your babies going home outfit. It's always so fun picking out the perfect outfit to take your new baby home in. Although, keep in mind, unless your baby is above average, the clothes are going to swallow them, so try to pick the tiniest thing available.

10. Comfortable undergarments. This is a time when "granny panties" are, in every way, ok. And needed! And whether your are going to nurse or not, make sure you have a comfortable supportive bra.

11. If you are planning to nurse, make sure you have some nipple cream. Whether it's your first baby or 5th, you'll need it!

Some last minute items (Electronics of course!):

-Camera and charger. I try to make sure the camera stays charged those last few weeks of pregnancy, and make sure it stays in a place that will be easy to grab when it's time to get to the hospital. And make sure you have plenty of storage space ready to go on your camera.

-Cell phone and charger. As previously mentioned, if you can use your cell phone, it might not get good reception in the hospital, so make sure you have a charger since it's battery life will go quicker.

Are you seriously asking me that?

2012-03-29T06:24:00.002-07:00

I'm sure all of you are familiar with Pinterest now. My sister has a board just for me, and several of the things she has pinned for me has to do with motherhood. When I saw this one that she pinned for me, my first thought was "That is my life."

Click to enlarge.

(From nickmom)

What I Wish I Had Known #7

2012-03-27T06:36:00.001-07:00

Now that spring is here and summer is soon to follow, traveling is in the future for a lot of us. Namely, flying.

I remember the first time we flew with a baby. Our son was barely over 2 months old, and I was SO nervous to be flying with a baby. I worried about everything. Would he be ok? Would he scream his head off the whole time? Would everyone hate us because we had a screaming baby? What about his ears during take off and landing? Etc, etc, etc.

I wish I had known that flying with a newborn baby was just about the easiest thing in the world! Turns out the loudness of the flight lulls babies right to sleep. I assume it sounds a lot like the womb did. He slept like a champ basically the whole flight and it was the easiest thing in the world. And for the ears, he either slept through that part, or was completely fine as long as he was drinking something so he kept swallowing.

So if you are flying with a newborn here soon, don't worry about it at all!

It's waay, way easier than flying with a toddler! Now there's something to be concerned about...

Lillybit Uptown Diaper Clutch Giveaway Winner

2012-03-26T10:46:00.004-07:00

The winner of the Lillybit Uptown Diaper Clutch giveaway is:

With the coordinating comment:

Congratulations! Please e-mail
service@milanmaternity.com by March 28th, 11:59pm PST to claim your prize, or
another winner will be chosen.

It's sandal time!

2012-03-23T06:51:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day to enter the Lillybit Uptown Diaper clutch giveaway HERE! Don't forget to enter before tonight at 11:59 PST!!

Spring is officially here! I love spring. And I love that it really does feel like spring (at least where I am). And I love that spring means sandals!! My toes love the fresh air just as much as my face does!

When it comes to sandals and pregnancy/constantly carrying around a little one, comfort and support are key. Usually when I think of "comfortable and supportive sandals" I think of something a grandma would wear. But there are lots of great non-granny ones, too!

The first two comfortable/supportive brands I thought of were Aerosoles and Crocs. Now...Crocs are something I have never owned. I just never could jump on that bandwagon. But for the sake of you guys, I looked up what they had, and I have to say these two caught my eye.

The first pair I noticed were the "sexi sandal" (their name, not mine!). And they come in different colors. Black, oyster, espresso, nautical navy, and scarlet (pictured).

The "Adrina Strappy sandal" comes in aqua/celery (pictured), black, espresso/bronze, ultraviolet/berry, and scarlet/oyster color combinations.

I have to say, even though I have had a Croc aversion for years, I'd love both of these...in all colors.

I also found a couple of pairs of Aerosoles. I actually own these "Plush Around" sandals. And I love them! They come in black, brown (pictured), beige , natural, demin, gold metallic, leopard, and silver metallic. Truly, You can't go wrong with these!

And these "At First Plush" are super cute. They come in bone (pictured), black, and red.

And there's tons of other comfortable/supportive sandal options out there. (But I have 2 kids and not enough time in the day, so I can't find them all for you.) The point is, there are options! And it is sandal season, so for Pete sake, get yourself some cute (comfortable) sandals!

Everyday

2012-03-20T05:56:00.001-07:00

Don't forget to enter the Lillybit Uptown Diaper clutch giveaway HERE! Giveaway open until Friday, March 23rd, 11:59pm PST

I ask myself on a daily basis "How come no one told me how hard motherhood would be?" Every.day.

What question(s) do you ask yourself daily?