Sunday, May 8, 2016

What to pack in your Labor & Delivery bag

What to pack in your Labor & Deliver Bag

Before having my son, I was paranoid I was going to go into labor in random places, so I had my labor & delivery bags packed for 2 months. I carried my poor cord blood registry box everywhere I went and every day to work (since it couldn't be left in the car due to temperature).
When my water broke in the last hour of work at 1:30pm (while sitting at my desk), I calmly texted my husband to come pick me up, because my water just broke. I told my boss and co-workers and waddled out to my car (where everything was all ready to go). I waited for my husband to get to my work (no more than 10 minutes), he hopped in my car and we drove to the hospital. Baby A was born at 7:14pm that day.

For those of you preparing for your baby, here are the basics that I packed in my Labor & Deliver Bag, and what I realized I might of needed when at the hospital:
  • Bath robe (This was a lifesaver and I lived in it the first week after delivery)
What to pack in your Labor & Deliver Bag- Robe

  • Prenatal vitamin
  • Snacks (for self & hubs)- since the kitchen was closed by the time we got to our room, this helped hold us over till hubs could run and get mcd’s
  • Chargers
  • Ipad/iphone
  • Sleepers for baby
  • Going home outfit (plus socks, hat, gloves, etc.) for baby
  • Breast pump & supplies (if you've never used one before, a nurse/lactation consultant can help you learn how to use it)
  • Wallet
  • Glasses
  • Own pillow
  • Blankets & pillow for hubs
What to pack in your Labor & Deliver Bag- Blankets for hubs

  • Change of comfortable clothes
  • Flip flops for shower
  • Antibacterial hand gel
  • Nursing bra
  • Nursing pads
  • Comfy pjs
  • Fuzzy warm socks
  • Boppy or nursing pillow (if it works for you- my kiddo is too much of a wiggle worm and doesn’t ever latch properly when laying on one of these. It's a great neck pillow though. haha)
  • Will
  • Insurance info
  • Birth plan
  • Birth certificate registration for hospital (send in ahead of time if you can.)
  • Cord blood registry box (make sure to fill out form inside BEFORE going into labor- I forgot about this and hubs was rushing to fill it out while I struggled through my early contractions)
  • List of people to email/call/text once born
  • Sleep Eye mask if you have trouble sleeping in hospitals (I was too paranoid/watching my child, that I basically had to be given some heavy-duty pain meds to get any sleep- which I was grateful for relieving the major pain downstairs, but it also knocked me out so I could actually sleep more than the 15 minute naps I was getting the first day.)
Your hospital might provide these, but it's great to bring your own if yours doesn't. If they do have them, make sure to take these home!:
  • Tucks
What to pack in your Labor & Deliver Bag

  • Disposable underwear
  • Giant maxi pads (stock up at home too)
  • Dermapast
What to pack in your Labor & Deliver Bag

  • Motrin extra strength
  • Stool softener
  • Sitz bath (don’t forget to take this home)- for Vaginal births.
  • Shake formula (even if bf, take these home from the hospital- you never know when you need it!)
  • Diapers & wipes (take what the hospital has too!)
What we brought that I honestly think helped lighten the mood:
  • Snacks/gift for nurses (this was a hit at the L&D)
What to pack in your Labor & Deliver Bag- Snacks for Nurses

What to pack in your Labor & Deliver Bag- Snacks for Nurses

What to pack in your Labor & Deliver Bag- Snacks for Nurses

Funny story about the treats- I came across this idea on Pinterest and decided to do a little "peanut-filled snack bucket" since "Peanut" was our nickname for our son before he was born. Well, when I was in the hospital and screaming bloody murder for my Epidural (the Anesthesiologist was backed up in the OR, so it took him 2 1/2 hrs to get to me), one of the things I actually screamed to the nurses right after screaming obscenities- "I'm so sorry I'm so horrible. I have candy for you, I swear!"
So when hubs got the candy, they laughed- I wasn't lying!
We actually had some of the nurses later in the night (baby A was born right at shift change) that were like "Are you the guys who brought the candy?"
haha. My only regret was not bringing 2 buckets- one for the Labor & Delivery nurses and one for the Recovery Room nurses (they were separate, so the recovery nurses didn't get any of the treats- poo).

I hope this helped you in packing your hospital bag. If you end up having a c-section, there might be a few things that you need that I didn't, but this is a great starter list for those who are going to have a vaginal birth.
Have a great day and happy packing!
-M

Friday, April 29, 2016

"Life is better with a bump" is a LIE: Things I learned while pregnant

So before I got pregnant I kept seeing all these adorable bumpie photos, cute maternity clothes and daydreamed about eating a whole barrel of ice cream without anyone fat-shaming me. I dreamed of getting teary-eyed at seeing my little one's ultrasounds (ok, I did actually get teary-eyed when I first say my little guy on the screen) and giddy when feeling him kick.
I only had a few friends that have been pregnant recently, so the truths of pregnancy were not totally real for me. Now what people didn't forewarn me was how people treat you when you're pregnant. Some women have absolutely wonderful pregnancies and others do not. Well, as it turns out- mine was the dreadful kind- however it didn't turn into that till I hit the second trimester (we will dive into that later in the post). Now granted, I know there are ladies who had it WAY worse than me, and those ladies I commend you for being true blue troopers.

Life is better with a bump is a lie: things I learned while pregnant


So, in order to help out any of you newly pregnant/or trying to be pregnant gals out there, here are some things that no one prepared me for or talked about when it comes to being pregnant, that I can now share with you (now that my little one is out of my bump):
  • The Questions & 3rd Trimester Comments: People will ask you “how are you feeling?” basically from the second you announce your pregnancy. It was the default question people would ask me- many times I’d be asked that phrase at least 10 times in one day (or more).

    Once you hit your 3rd trimester, people will constantly ask you your due date- questioning basically how much longer you’re going to look like you’re smuggling watermelons down the hallway.

    Also in your 3rd trimester, you’ll get a lot of “oh you’re riding low, you must be ready to pop soon”- I was told that basically my entire 3rd trimester. Newsflash people, my son just rode low the whole pregnancy (he stuck to my lower right side almost the entire time). He also was late- born at 40 weeks, 5 days. But my labor was less than 6 hours from when my water broke to him being born- so I guess him being that low helped somehow? haha.
  • The Weird/Degrading/Rude/Old-School Comments: Also, be prepared for people to make weird comments. So I was in the grocery store at the checkout lane and the cashier noticed my giant bump. “Oh when are you due?” “January 30.” “This your first?” “Yes.” “Know if it’s a boy or girl?” “Boy.” Her face then lit up and she responded “Oh you’re so lucky! You got the good one on the first try!” The first thing I thought of was… a) what if I had to try to get pregnant for a long time or had multiple miscarriages- that comment would be a little rough. B) the “good one”? Really? Do we still live in a society where having boys is considered superior to girls?- but then again, maybe its just me reading into things while being very touchy and emotion.
  • Lightening Crotch: Ok, some people might not want to talk about this special subject, but I'm gonna be real here (real specific). No one ever talks about “lightening crotch.” So for those who haven't experienced it yet, there is more than just back/hip pains that go on when you’re pregnant. What many fail to talk about is what the mommy threads refer to as “lightening crotch.” For some reason, these threads were the only place I ever found anyone talking about it, besides talking to my doctor. They rarely mention it on "pregnancy woes" lists that exist on any of those fun baby sites.

    Basically "lightening crotch" is when you get sharp pains in your groin. I almost always got them on the left side and mine started in my 2nd trimester. They would persist all throughout my 3rd trimester. It basically feels like someone is poking you down there or a nerve is being pressed on. Mine ALWAYS hurt after I slept on my side, and often would happen if I tried to lift my legs higher than knee level. Luckily I have chairs at the end of the bed, because every day I’d sit on the chair to put any clothes that were below the belt on- it was the only way to not be in pain. This pain in the groin- sometimes brief, sometimes lasting a few hours- was “normal” according to the doc. My doc gave this suggestion to help alleviate it- "do thigh exercises with a kids ball between your legs." Tried it- but for me it just hurt worse after that. So in short- lightening crotch I guess is normal- wish someone would of told me about that!
  • Paranoia: Be prepared for you to freak-out about every thing you’re feeling. When it's your first pregnancy, you have NO CLUE what’s going on with your body- no matter what people tell you. I would spend hours online typing in “ I feel this way, while pregnant” in google searches (which honestly is not always something you should do- Dr. Google is never the best source). I’d mention to my doctor certain symptoms, and most of the time it was “normal in pregnancy”- many of which I was like “Really? Seriously?” Often times you ask yourself- is this serious enough to call the doctor or am I just over-reacting? You will become the most paranoid person you know during this pregnancy, forewarning.

    Believe me, for at least in my case, the last few weeks I constantly thought my water might of "had a slow leak" or "these contractions must be it" before they'd go away for many hours to my disappointment. Well, when my water did break and my contractions started, I then realized "Yep. This 100% is it. Why did I think those symptoms/Braxon Hicks contractions I had earlier were the real this? This is 100% totally the real deal." Not everyone has it as intense and some people DO have slow leaking water- but in my case, it just was paranoia before the real deal happened.
  • LOTS of Tests: Be prepared to feel like a lab experiment (lots of test) and keep up with educating yourself. You don’t realize nearly how many doctors appointments, blood test, etc. that your OB doctor will suggest- it adds up QUICK. I quickly went through my FSA account (I only put $500 in it, thinking "that should be enough to cover my co-pays for the first majority of the pregnancy, since my kiddo wasn’t due till the new year. That should cover all my doctors visits, test, etc- right?"- Wrong.)

    Some people are LUCKY- they have a very smooth pregnancy, are not high risk in any way, have a great health insurance plan- and pay little to nothing during their pregnancy. Then you have the rest of us. Just be prepared to have your blood drawn, monitors placed on your belly constantly and peeing in a cup a hell-of-a-lot more than that first pregnancy test. The second the doc sees even one hiccup, prepare yourself for at least 3 more tests to follow that. I felt like I lived at the doctors. Again- some people are lucky, but be prepared to not be one of those.

    Now I "lucked out" and only had to go once a week for Fetal Non-Stress Tests (Recommended because I ended up having Gestational Diabetes -stay tuned for a later post on dealing with that). Because I could keep my glucose in check only by diet. I didn’t have to be on pills or insulin, but many ladies are not as lucky and have to go twice a week for the Non-Stress Tests. With my insurance, I had to pay my $40 copay for basically every single one of the specialists visits. I also had to pay $40 copay for my glucose strips, not to mention the $40 copay up front for EVERY fetal non-stress test I had to take every week starting at 32 weeks. I would then often got charged $40 after the visit (so total $80 a non-stress test)- because they'd charge $40 for the visit and $40 for the doctor to access it after the test was done! WTF?!

    If you’re considered high risk in any way, and/or end up having Gestational Diabetes- be forewarned- the copays start to add up quick. I was kinda flabbergasted over the sheer amount of money having to be shelled out during this pregnancy. Don't get me wrong, I am 100% behind making sure my kiddo is growing safely and is healthy- but DAMN! So biggie with this- be prepared to spend a lot of $ up front if you end up being considered “high risk” in any way shape or form.
  • Sometimes Doctors Forget You're Not a Doctor (Be Sure to Always Ask Questions if You Don't Know What They Are Talking About):  So, I started out with a semi-smooth pregnancy with my son. My 1st trimester was the easiest- I paid my $40 copay for my first OB visit to confirm I was pregnant, and I had NO morning sickness- just nausea. The only hiccup in my first trimester was that during that very first visit I was a single pound in the “overweight” category- meaning I was considered higher risk. I got pregnant at age 29 and had no previous history of miscarriage or whatnot. So other than that 1 pound, I was in a good place (I kept saying, couldn’t you have just let me go pee it out or something- 1 lbs, seriously!).

    However once I had my 20 week ultrasound- things went downhill from there. The ultrasound doctor noticed that one of the measurements was a little high- which in turn can be a red flag for various genetic disorders. He suggested talking to a genetic counselor, getting a fetal echo-cardiogram and another followup ultrasound. Of course all of this was dropped in my lap on a Friday afternoon, minutes before the end of the work day- so when I called back (I had bad reception in my workplace, so I missed the call) the doc was gone for the weekend. Nurse gives me the news with the doc's suggestions and I immediately have a mini-heart attack. She had no clue what all the doctor mumbo-jumbo ment- so I was left to turn to Dr. Google till my doctor could contact me via their patient portal or the following Monday.

    This was the WORST weekend I ever had to go through mentally during the pregnancy. Luckily the following Monday the doctor got back to me and answered all my questions and apologized for the news being dropped before everyone left for the day, though he still suggested I get all these tests/meetings done.

    I sat through the genetic counseling- though most of what she said I already had found out about during my weekend of traumatic googling. What she said didn’t change our minds on anything. I drove out to another hospital to get a fetal echo-cardiogram (because my hospital didn’t do those) and baby’s heart was doing great through that whole test. I got a followup ultrasound- at this one, baby looked great (and that one measurement was not to be measured after a certain number of weeks, so the followup Ultrasound didn’t discuss that at all!). After all of that testing, traumatic talk and what not- it was never spoken of again.

    Because I’ve had multiple times of dealing with specialists and constantly having to talk to doctors- I had to educate myself on various things to get it all straight in my head (because honestly, most doctors don’t tell you everything- let alone put it in easy terms that you can understand). Don’t hesitate to ASK QUESTIONS and do your research- because there is a LOT going on- and often you won’t find the answers to every single question you have from the short doctors visits.
my glucose numbers- gestational diabetes
My Glucose Numbers after the dreaded test...
  • The Nasty Glucose Test/Gestational Diabetes: Because I was 1 lb in the “overweight” category, aka. "higher risk," I had to take the 1-hr glucose test at 2 different times of my pregnancy. I passed the first one with flying colors. Then the second one I failed by only a few points. That sad failure in the second one ment I had to go through the 3-hour glucose test (Note: this test most insurance company’s consider special/extra tests- so I had to pay more for this test).

    When you’re one of the unlucky ones who has to do this 3-hour test, you form a bond with other 3-hour mamas in the waiting room. One such mama who was also taking the 3-hour test, actually ended up being in my birth class later, so we shared our trauma of the whole ordeal.

    Overall it wasn’t too horrible- I think the prep for it was the worst part- who the heck wants to force a pregnant gal to not eat/fast for 10-12 hours!? Mine was scheduled the morning of Halloween- my whole thought was “if I fail, I won’t be able to have much candy. So I’m taking the test the morning of Halloween, so I can have all the candy I want for one last time before the results come in.” Sure enough- I failed the glucose test (only the 1 hr and 2 hr- my fasting and 3 hr numbers were fine). Again, only failed them barely. *Stay tuned for my Gestational Diabetes post.*
  • Other Random Symptoms Rarely Mentioned: 
    • You often will Sweat on your upper thighs from where your tummy rest while seated. (I know gross, but totally happens easily).
    • Dry, itchy eyes (I had this the entire pregnancy!)
    • Sometimes when your toes swell/feet swell, they swell so much that the skin around your toenails hurt. Think about it- your toenails are not swelling too- Painful!
    • Acne like your 14 years old again! I got acne (still do and I'm 2 months Postpartum) all around my neck line and all over my shoulders/chest and chin. Gross.
    • Never sleeping comfortably from the 2nd trimester on. Doesn't matter what position you are in, you are never comfortable.
    • Carpel Tunnel (I had this happen a few times in my 2nd trimester).
    • Also, your cat might randomly decide they loveeeeee laying on you or near you. Though I've also heard some people say their animals avoided them while they were pregnant. My cat who hates most people, all of sudden was my best friend. Weird.
cats love pregnant ladies


I know I got real specific here for some things and kind of ranty/long winded on others, but I hope this helps you first-time pregnant gals or those wanting to get pregnant. Now that my baby is in the world, I adore him (though of course he does have times he's a pain in the butt). Just know, always ask if you're unsure if something you're feeling is normal. Even if it is normal, it never hurts to ask- as for some people "normal" actually isn't. You want you and your baby to be healthy in your pregnancy.
Godspeed in your pregnancy endeavors and I hope for your sake, you have a smooth pregnancy.
Have a great day all!
-M

Monday, April 25, 2016

Baby A's Woodland Boy Nursery

So, now that my son is over 2 months old, I guess it's time to show off his nursery. We had it mostly done when he was born with just a few minor things  left to do, but overall it was "complete" when he turned a month old.

Woodland boy nursery


Ever since I found out I was pregnant last year, I knew I wanted a woodland themed nursery- no matter if it was a boy or girl.
When I found out baby A would be a boy, I narrowed down the color theme to Brown, White, Orange and Green.

Woodland boy nursery
Storage Galore!

Since my baby shower was also woodland themed (see my post on my baby shower here), I could actually use a lot of the items in the decor for the nursery.

Woodland boy nursery

Woodland boy nursery

Woodland boy nursery
My mom graciously sewed these adorable curtains.

Now, by no means am I a perfect decorator and my hubs is not the most perfect painter, but I think its cute.

Woodland boy nursery

Woodland boy nursery

Woodland boy nursery

Even though baby A doesn't sleep a huge amount of time in his crib yet (he has reflux and no matter what I do to his crib, he still won't sleep longer than 40 minutes at a time in it. He also still likes mommy cuddles. But when he hits 4 months, we are gonna try to get him to sleep more than once a day in the crib).

Woodland boy nursery

Woodland boy nursery
The toy corner, before I finished the walk decor.

Woodland boy nursery

Woodland boy nursery

Woodland boy nursery

Woodland boy nursery
The tree was actually part of our set for Shrek. The theater company didn't want it back, so we decided to incorporate it into the nursery decor.

Woodland boy nursery

Woodland boy nursery
This particular changing pad is small and most places don't make covers for them, so I used a pillowcase and a dishrag to cover it. 

I think it turned out not too shabby. I hope you think its cute too.

Woodland boy nursery

I used various printables for his decor that I found through some online searches.

  • For his name clipboards (which I hope someday we can show off his art he creates) I used the woodland graphics from: We Lived Happily Ever After
  • The 3 animals on the wall under the letters are from here: Mish Mash by Ash
  • The mountains printable from here: Oh So Lovely
  • And other various printables used in the room are from here: Soho Sonnet


I hope you have a great day! Thanks for stopping by!
-M

Monday, April 18, 2016

How to throw a Gender Reveal Party on a Budget

After talking with a friend about Gender Reveal Parties, I mentioned to her that I basically threw ours together in 2 days. We weren't planning on having one last year, but then I thought- why not!?
I then realized I never made a post about it. (Something about having a baby, blah, blah, blah...)

Gender Reveal Party on a Budget


Thanks to party decor I already had, some printables others created and the Dollar Store, our Gender Reveal Party was all ready! We also didn't know what gender our kiddo was until less than a day before we revealed (our ultrasound was the day before the party)- so we didn't have to keep the secret long. We basically told everyone at/during the time of the Reveal Party.

Gender Reveal Party on a Budget front door


First thing to do for a gender reveal party- make everything pink & blue.

Gender Reveal Party on a Budget decor
Ring Pops, candles & baby pins from the Dollar Store.
Gender Reveal Party on a Budget decor
Posterboard and paper from Dollar Store.
Gender Reveal Party on a Budget decor
Chalkboard Banner Kit by Stampin' Up.
Gender Reveal Party on a Budget decor
Dressed up a feather wreath I had from Xmas.
Gender Reveal Party on a Budget decor
Our big Light Up Sign was ready to roll.
People were told to wear whichever color they thought the kiddo would be. Also everyone was told to write their name under which "team" they thought the kid would be.

Gender Reveal Party on a Budget decor
The drink setup and where people cast their votes.
At the golden hour, we opened our reveal pull pinata that I finished off the night before:



After the big reveal- everyone had surprise cupcakes (also made the night before, shortly after finding out the gender ourselves). I used this tutorial from 2 Sisters 2 Cities when making the cupcakes. In theory, we could of just had this as the big reveal, but I really wasn't sure how they'd turn out, so I did the pinata as the main reveal.

Gender Reveal Party on a Budget cupcakes
The cupcake before
Gender Reveal Party on a Budget cupcakes open
Once the cupcake was bit-into
The drinks/punches we made- Strawberry Lemonade soda and Tropical Rum for the pink side, and Blue Curacao with Coconut Wave soda for the blue side. (I made non-alcoholic versions for me and a few others who didn't drink).

Gender Reveal Party on a Budget decor drinks

Gender Reveal Party on a Budget decor

I also made snacks for people to take home. I used treat bags and stamps from Stampin' Up!

Gender Reveal Party on a Budget treat bags

Gender Reveal Party on a Budget treat bags

Gender Reveal Party on a Budget treat bags

I used various printables at the party from:


Aside from the fact that our pinata reveal kinda fell on our heads, it was a fun easy party. We also asked everyone to write down their name & address, so we could send birthday cards to them on their birthdays (as well as already have their addresses for thank you cards & Christmas cards).

Gender Reveal Party on a Budget decor

Gender Reveal Party on a Budget decor

It was a fun time, and didn't take much time or money to make it fun.

Gender Reveal Party on a Budget decor


I hope this gives you some ideas if you're in the midst of planning a Gender Reveal Party of your own.
Have a great day!
-M


Thursday, April 14, 2016

Woodland Creatures Baby Shower

So last November (I know- sooo late to post) my besties and my mom hosted a baby shower for me and Baby A. Since Baby A's nursery is Woodland themed, they decided to do a Woodland themed baby shower. At the same time, my hubs held a "Chuggies & Huggies" party out in the Barshed with the guys- we provide the booze, friends brought the diapers.

Woodland Creature Baby Shower decor


My bestie/maid-of-honor and her hubs (my husband's best friend and one of his Best Men) made the fantastic food, where as my mom made the decor. It was held at our house, since most of our friends are familiar with our digs. The food spread blew me away...

Woodland Creature Baby Shower food

Woodland Creature Baby Shower food


There was a baby onsie making/decorating setup on the deck (Tie-Dye onsies and Iron-on onsies).

Woodland Creature Baby Shower onsie decorating


Besides all the food and drinks inside, we also did a few baby shower games before gifts opened. Look at this food spread!

Woodland Creature Baby Shower food spread

Woodland Creature Baby Shower food shepards pie bites

Woodland Creature Baby Shower food cheese board

Woodland Creature Baby Shower food mac and cheese bites

Woodland Creature Baby Shower food mini shepard's pie bites

Woodland Creature Baby Shower food spread

Woodland Creature Baby Shower food mini cheesecakes

Woodland Creature Baby Shower food peanut butter acorns

Woodland Creature Baby Shower food dessert table

Woodland Creature Baby Shower food mini pecan pies

Woodland Creature Baby Shower food sugar cookies

Woodland Creature Baby Shower food mozzarella stuffed meatballs

Woodland Creature Baby Shower food mushroom cupcakes

Woodland Creature Baby Shower food coconut grass cupcakes

Woodland Creature Baby Shower drink glasses

Woodland Creature Baby Shower drink punches

Woodland Creature Baby Shower drink glasses

We also had a woodland photo booth setup. Here's my mom and me.

Woodland Creature Baby Shower photo booth

Woodland Creature Baby Shower photo booth

Woodland Creature Baby Shower photo booth


Photo booth props and woodland cutouts (on drink containers and other stuff) created by: Big Dot of Happiness
My mom also made the take-home goodie bags.

Woodland Creature Baby Shower goodie bags


And everyone signed the book "Where the Wild Things Are" for Baby A.

Woodland Creature Baby Shower sign book

It was great that it was in November too- so I kept most of the decor up straight through Thanksgiving. ;)

Woodland Creature Baby Shower table decor

Woodland Creature Baby Shower table decor

Woodland Creature Baby Shower table decor


We did a fall front door decor setup too.

Woodland Creature Baby Shower front door decor

At the time, we didn't have our wall chalkboards up yet, but this wall decor actually inspired us to put up big chalkboards in those exact spots!
Woodland Creature Baby Shower wall decor

I had a great time and I freakin' love my buds. I am so blessed for friends and family that cared so much about us!
I hope this gives you inspiration if you're planning a Woodland Creatures party too.
Have a great day!
-M