Being a Mama Past & Present
This weekend we had dinner with friends of ours that are expecting. During our conversation the topic of being a mom now vs. 50 years ago came up. It got me thinking of my own childhood (I am 41) vs. the life that our son will have/grow up in now. My mom was able to stay home and sell Avon with me and while I would like to be a stay at home mom it isn’t feasible. Women now are expected to be career driven as well as a wife and a mom. In turn we are more financially secure than my parents were. I don’t remember ever having play-dates.…
Returning to Work After Baby
Returning to work after having a baby is a difficult and emotional challenge that many moms must face. I had three months of paid maternity leave and though I had prepared for the day, so I thought, I never knew the emotional and physical challenge would be so difficult. I had been pumping and stock piling breast milk in preparation. About three weeks beforehand I started teaching little man how to take a bottle. I have heard horror stories about mama’s that didn’t do this and their infant refusing to eat when in childcare so I cannot emphasize how important this is. He hated taking a bottle from me but…
God Why Does Everyone Else Get A Baby?
Since writing about my Rainbow Baby I have had several women reach out and thank me for sharing my story. Some have lost as well and are having a tough time dealing and discovered the strength to share their story with me. Others have not conceived and have talked with me how heart wrenching it is and I cry with them because that is all we need sometimes. To all of the women in both scenarios I understand. I too asked God on several occasions Why Does Everyone Else Get A Baby? What is wrong with me? The doctors could never give us answers why we couldn’t conceive and it…
Baby Repeat?
To the mama’s that don’t know what to say when asked “Are you ready for another one”? after trying so hard for the one you have. Some people don’t know your story. Some people know your story and seem to forget or they just don’t realize how hard it was to get pregnant and once pregnant have a successful pregnancy. So when people ask me if I am ready to have another one I answer with “I am going to enjoy the one I have been blessed with and if God sees fit for another then so be it”. What they don’t see is the tears when you are alone.…
Sleep! What is that again!
Seems to be the most mentioned topic in any conversation for new parents. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have heard “How is the baby sleeping? How are you sleeping?”. It is understandable I suppose since generally new parents forget what sleep really is and appear to look like zombies for the first few, well I will have to get back to you on how long this lasts. I have now read five books, more blogs and forums than you can shake a stick at and discovered there are more methods to get your baby to sleep than Carter has liver pills! It is mind blowing…
Sex After Baby
Not sure about you but sex was the last thing on my mind! New baby, no sleep, your body is in full recovery mode and well I just didn’t feel sexy at all. Note: you need to be cleared by your doctor prior which is normally four to six weeks after delivery. On top of that “Nursing releases oxytocin, a hormone that triggers good feelings toward the baby but also suppresses your libido,” says Dr. Booth. “Anthropologically speaking, keeping your sex drive low is your body’s way of preventing another pregnancy too soon. Patients are always relieved to find out there’s a reason they’re not as into sex.” Some women…
Post Baby Body & Mind
You give birth and you still look six months pregnant! That was how I looked at least. Not sure what I expected but my reality was skewed greatly. I have heard of women who were back into their pre-baby clothes as they were leaving the hospital! Umm no I was in maternity clothes still and let me tell ya how that was not cool. Que the poor me music here! I have always had “body issues” you could say. Being heavy runs in my family and I completely freaked out when the scale hit 173 while pregnant! I am 5’5” and to me 120 is perfect. That puts me in…
Postpartum What?
Okay ladies and gents it is a topic no one wants to talk about but it is a fact of life and it happens. If you have been following my posts you will know we are now home with our lil one and attempting to adjust. Of course we were both sick when we came home but that passed after the first week or so. Around week two is when the real fun begins! See I am by nature OCD. I am a counter (literally have numbers running in my mind all day) and things have to be a certain way or in my mind the world is pre-apocalyptic. So…
My Rainbow Baby
As I write about my rainbow baby, it will be the most difficult post I will ever write. I pray it touches you in some way and encourages healing if you have been through this. Rainbow Baby definition A rainbow baby is a baby born shortly after the loss of a previous baby due to miscarriage, stillbirth, or death in infancy. This term is given to these special rainbow babies because a rainbow typically follows a storm, giving us hope of what’s to come. First I would like to say I am so sorry for your loss. I know you are probably sick of hearing this by now but…
Let’s Talk Boobies, Who-ha’s and Well…
I learned in a quick hurry that your body is no longer your own after a baby. You are now the life source for your lil one (if you choose to bf) and if you had sweet images of feeding like I had, WRONG. I pictured it as a sweet bonding moment laying in a field of flowers I suppose. What I got was angry barracuda that attacked like it was the last supper. You also will experience who-ha (lady part) sensations unlike any other and then your first umm pooh happens! Your milk does not come in for a few days, which to me is a cruel joke via…
