To Believe or not to Believe

With Christmas less than a week away last  minute shopping is at its peak. Parents wait in long lines to obtain that must have toy for their child. Some even using the last of their savings just to see a smile on their childs face on Christmas day, only to tell their child that it was a toy giving to them by Santa. Others are using a more "realist" approach, and either do not celebrate at all or are brutally honest with their 2 year old that mommy and daddy are the ones that brought them the toys under the tree. Others find it appealing in their household to share the tale of St. Nick, and how their was a man who went around and gave gifts to people, while also explaining about the birth of Jesus and the reason Christmas is celebrated.


I grew up believing in Santa Claus without any idea that my mom was working twice as hard just to make sure I had presents under the tree Christmas morning. At the time I truly believed that if I were good then Santa was going to come at night while I was asleep and bring me everything that I had asked for. Waking up every Christmas needless to say I was never disappointed (except for that one year when I didn't get my Easy Bake Oven :-/), but what about the kids who are? What about the ones that sat in Santa's lap and read off a long list of items only to have their tiny little world crumble on Christmas morning because they received a scarf and mitten set instead of the latest electronic gadget? 


These are things that I have pondered about especially because this is my first year as a mom, and as a parent you always want the very best for your child. If only we could always keep a smile on their pretty little faces, and never see them disappointed. **sigh**
Unfortunately in the real world life is not all covered with sugar plum fairies, and money definitely doesn't grow on trees. Do you let kids be kids and enjoy mythical stories and embrace the idea of imagination or do you tell them the truth? Their has to be a balance to this dilemma ...or is there? 


God made our imaginations and hardwired us to connect deeply with stories, and we all know children have the greatest imaginations of them all. Jesus himself appealed to people’s imagination by telling parables—stories that communicated profound truths. Even if stories are fairy tales, and therefore not necessarily true, they still communicate truth. Parents can use the Santa myth to teach their children to be giving rather than demanding, and to experience generosity and grace. Whatever you're decision may be I hope you all have a happy and safe holiday. :-)

Parting is such sweet sorrow...and it kinda hurts too. Yikes!

So last night was the 1st time the LO did not need to be nursed to sleep!!!!! Oh my I am so happy! Why might you ask? Because this is the month that I said I was going to ween from breast feeding. After all the horrible stories I've heard about how hard it is, or how much it's going to hurt I've kind of been dreading this day. But what I've come to realize throughout everything is that everybody is NOT the same. What I experience as a mom you may never. Motherhood is probably about 40% read and taught and the other 60% comes from self.
On the 15th my bambino will be 6 months and I'm so proud to have been able to breast feed for this time. It's giving us a bond that's beyond describing. A bond that will forever be cherished. I like to think it was I who has made him this strong and healthy baby thus far. It's a bitter sweet moment for me, but I'm sure the transition for him will be smooth and easy. **crossing fingers**
Now for me on the other hand is another story, but I will manage. :)
As I watch my son slowly drift in and out after being nursed to sleep I smile. This moment I treasure forever.

Blah, Blah, Blah

Soooo... apparently I have what is called writers block, and I am totally blank on topics. Its strange because as a new mom there is rarely a dull moment in your life, so having this "block" is quite entertaining to me. I have so much to talk about concerning the LO, but not a single topic comes to mind... so, I will just rant about what's been happening with the little bambino. :)


One of my dear friends just recently had a sweet baby girl, and hearing her experience just brought back all the memories of my labor. I remember every detail just like it was yesterday. Wow... I look at my baby and realize that he's growing so rapidly. It just amazes me on how quickly they grow and develop. I'm so grateful to be able to spend all of my day with him to witness all of his developmental moments in life. I'm currently working on a video that will be a detailed look on his life throughout the 1st year. I'm super excited about the project, and I can not wait to play it for all my friends and family at his birthday party!


Blink and you're sure to miss something that's for sure! Just last week my LO said da-da for the first time, and it was the most amazing thing to ever hear. Of course he said it after I just recently nursed him and I was the one holding him... go figure. :) Thankfully dad was there to witness that awesome moment. Now I'm working on hearing the words every mom dreams about.. yes you guessed ma ma! :) Ummm... I think I may have to wait a while for it. LOL He's also rolling around, reaching and grabbing for EVERYTHING, and sitting up by himself. Who's a proud mommy??? You betcha... me!!!!! ;)


We've also started on a different solid which has been exciting to see how he responds to the taste. I dont think I have I picky eater on my hands because we first started with bananas and now we're trying carrots this week. He seems to love everything so far. :) Everyday I find myself simply staring at him while he sleeps. So peaceful. So innocent. I'm truly blessed.

Traveling while Preggo

The holidays are fast approaching, and the airlines will be extremely busy. While I miss being pregnant at times, I do not miss the frequent pain associations, and traveling while sick is not a day at the park! Take it from me I wish I had of known before hand on how to ease the pain of traveling while pregnant. I traveled during my entire pregnancy all the way until I was 7 months pregnant. Yes I was 30,000 ft up in the air far away from any doctor or hospital with only 2 months left until delivery.Crazy? Mayb, but definitly safe. In fact if your pregnancy is not considered high risk then you can safely travel within the U.S all the way until you are 8 months pregnant. Anything past that will require a statement from your doctor allowing you to travel, and even then its up to the airlines descretion rather to allow you to fly or not. Its also recommended to travel during your 2nd semester as compared to the 1st becasue normally the morning sickness has ceased some. Also if you are traveling during your 2nd or 3rd trimester its recommended also to have a copy of your prenatal chart handy. This information will include your age, the date of your last menstrual period, your due date, the number and outcomes of any prior pregnancies, your risk factors for disease, pregnancy-related lab tests and ultrasounds, medical and surgical history, and a flow sheet of vital signs taken at each doctors visit.


Although it is perfectly safe to travel while pregnant its necessary to take the extra precautions.

• Check with your healthcare provider to make sure its ok to travel.
• Have medical records and all other vital records handy.
• Buy travel insurance
• Prepare for the unexpected
• If traveling in your last trimester check with your airline to make sure that there arent any restrictions.

Traveling while pregnant – whether by plane, train, or automobile can be a tricky proposition. But with your doctor's blessing and some smart preparation, there’s no reason to sit home. Safe travels to everyone! :)

You are the teacher

Every day I make a point to take time out to read to my LO for at least 15 mins a day. Not only do I get the bonding time with him, but he enjoys it also. We talk about the pictures on the page and I let him touch the pictures as well. I like to think that he understands everything thats being read to him. :)
Just recently I found myself in a situation that neither myself nor the bambino has been in. We went with dad to the dentist and what should have been a normal 30 minute visit turned into almost 2hrs!!! Do you realize how incredibly long 2 hrs is for a 5 month old??? The few books I had, and his toys started to become boring to him after about 30 mins. I was running out of ideas! So I did what any Iphone user would have done and I searched for apps for babies. Laugh if you may, but to my surprise I was saved by the app Gods. The one that I enjoyed the most (so much I purchased the upgraded version for .99) was called Phone4Kids. What I recently discovered is that babies love sound and lights. Rather it be singing cartoons, mommy singing nursery rhymes, the sound of bubbles being blown, or just plain clapping...they love it! My son in particular becomes so attentive when he has a visual followed by a sound. Books that include music or noise and lights really catch his attention and seem to work the best. 

The reason I love this app Phone4Kids is because my son is stimulated with visuals and with sound. From the moment I uploaded it he was glued to the screen. The upgraded version allows you to scroll through 24 different types of activities. From ABC's to 123's, colors, animal, sounds...this app has it all! So far my .99 was money well spent towards watching my son begin his learning process that will make the pathway for the rest of his life. Its never too early for you LO to start learning. I also ordered a sign language DVD that should arrive next week. I'm super excited about its arrival and will be posting updates. Attached is a video of my son heavily engaged with the app on my Iphone. Enjoy!

The Soother

Being a new mommy in a new city definitely takes a toll on your sense of time management, but I'm getting the hang of it. I've been MIA, but what I've come to realize there's no rule book on parenting. A lot of it I've just been winging, and sometimes thats the only way into finding out what works best for you and your LO.
The subject I'm addressing now is trying to get the little bambino to sleep in his crib. While I was pregnant I would have never thought of this as being an issue, but boy was I wrong. I've read how some babies from newborn until whenever sleep through the night in their crib like perfect little sleeping sweet babies. Ummmm....yeah... not over here. I will admit its partial....ok its totally my fault. From birth to about a little over a month I was so good at swaddling him and placing him gently into his crib for a good couple of hours of sleep, but then I started to have baby withdrawals, and let him sleep with me one night. My mother warned me that I shouldn't start a bad habit, but me being a first time mom, and thinking that I knew everything I ignored her advice. Now 2 months later, and my LO probably thinks my bed IS his bed, and his bed is like some nicely decorated piece of furniture. Go figure :-/
So of course I started googling on the best ways to get your LO to fall asleep in their crib. I no longer can swaddle him because he will just kick his way out, so I needed ideas quickly! (My baby is a WILD sleeper already) After trying all the different suggestions I stumbled upon an article about using a soother to help with your baby falling asleep. I immediately went to www.amazon.com and typed baby soothers. What I absolutely love about Amazon is not only can you get free shipping on most of your items, but you have the opportunity to read reviews of the product. Love it!
So I found one that caught my eye made by Fisher Price called the Peek a Boo Waterfall Rainforest Baby Crib Toy.  It was fairly easy to install on the side of the crib and plays several different songs and also lights up and has monkeys that swing about or fish that swim in the water. The volume also adjusts and it has a simple touch button on the front of the toy. A lot of parents also even commented that as their child got older they were able to reach and turn it on and soothe themselves back to sleep when suddenly awakened. If I had to rate it out of 5 stars I would give it a 4 simply because the music could play a little longer, but other than that it was worth the purchase. I would definitely recommend it to all the  new parents.

Sleeping nice & sound in HIS bed with the soother playing softly in the background. :)

More bang for your buck

Being a new mom definitely changes a lot of things in your used to be all about you world. While once nothing could stop you from eyeing that $500 watch, now you're clipping coupons for baby wipes and diapers. Ahhhh.... the joys of motherhood. And while raising a baby will take a toll on your savings there is a way to not feel like its money down the drain.
First I would start off by recommending to start clipping coupons if you haven't already. I wasn't, and still not quite to be considered the coupon queen, but I do make an effort now. Especially in ads like Babies R Us where you can sometimes find coupons for up to 40% off a single item, and those come pretty much on the regular. I can specifically remember purchasing my breast pump from Babies R Us and using their 40% off coupon on top of the item already being discounted. It was very much worth the effort of clipping and saving.
Next I would suggest to buy in bulk. A lot of people think that stores like Costco and BJ's are strictly for larger family homes, but thats certainly not the case. Buying in bulk not only saves you money by getting more for an overall cheaper value, but it also saves you that late night trip to Walgreens or your local grocery store. When you buy in bulk its less likely that you will run out of your essentials like diapers, wipes, or formula.
One of the last things I wanted to sort of touch bases about when it comes to savings will be the terrible realization that one day you wake up and your tiny baby no longer fits their clothes. Yes all of those adorable outfits, and some that he or she only wore once for 5 mins can no longer be worn. So now you have to go out and buy more clothes for the next age group, and the next, and so on... until you realize that you may be putting out more than you should. Now I know we all want our babies to have the best, but seriously.... $50 for a shirt that he or she may wear only once? I realize we live in the age thats all about the brands, but I don't think we have to worry about your baby getting bullied in his crib at daycare because he has a batman on his onsie vs a Polo sign. I learned my lesson very early when it comes to buying clothes for the LO. Yes I was that mom heading directly to all the cute individual baby stores like The Childrens Palace or baby H&M, but when I saw some of them that never really got worn I completely changed that. I soon discovered Burlington baby section, and OMG they have everything, and everything is so incredibly reasonable. Now if you still want to "splurge" on special occasions for your LO, then that's totally fine, but every day wear I would highly recommend the latter. Happy shopping mommies and daddies!!! :-D

Does your baby trust you?

Wow its been quite awhile since my last post, but I've been pretty busy with a baby that just recently wants to be the complete center of ALL of my attention. Normally the bambino is great with relaxing in his swing or either getting his exercise in with tummy time, or just simply babbling and blowing bubbles. Not sure what has caused this onset of wanting to be a baby and be held all the time...how dare he!!! :)
The dilemma I guess I've been faced with is rather or not to let my LO have those "cry it out" episodes or not. Now normally the bambino isn't a typical crier. He's mostly a very happy, easy going, laughing and smiling type of baby. If and when he cries it's because he has a wet or poopy diaper or he's hungry. I can't even begin to tell you how many books or online sites that I've read about this topic, and it seems like no matter what method you choose there will always be a critic to your decision. 
If you're constantly picking them up then you're "spoiling" the baby, or if you let them cry it out then your losing that sense of trust your baby has for you. So the question is which method is correct? My answer to that would have to be to each its own. All babies are different and I don't think there is one type of parenting style that fits perfectly to every child. I think you should be open to trying different ways if your way isn't working properly.
I personally have tried the "cry it out" method and it broke my heart to listen to my baby cry his eyes out. Needless to say thats not the method I am currently using in my household. Babies are so delicate and precious, and at such young ages their only way to communicate is to cry, so if they're crying then its obviously a reason behind it. Temporary emotional abandonment just isn't my style. I've also heard the what you would call "ol' school" moms say that you're spoiling the baby by not letting them cry. Like really? How are you spoiling something that only wants to be loved and comforted? At such a young age a baby simply doesn't yet learn that having crying fits get them attention.  On the contrary, the more responsive you are to an infant’s needs, the less “spoiled” the baby will be as they get older. Bonding creates trust, and children with secure attachments tend to be more independent, not less. 
The one thing I know that I want to have with my son is a great loving relationship were he not only knows that I love him with all of my heart, but were he also trusts me.... and that trust starts now. 
Ps. I'm holding him right now :-D

The Bumbo

So my LO had his 4 month shots the other day, and I must say he did awesome! He's such a big boy. He's also at that point wanting to be right in the center of everything. He rarely wants to be placed on his back anymore to lay down, but he loves it when we prop him up with pillows to sit up. Since he's still not quite able to stay upright completely by himself a lot of times he has to go back to his laying down position when I needed something to be done around the house. I do have a wrap that I use, but the housework I can do with him in it is very limited considering I can not, or should I say I don't feel comfortable bending down and over with him in it. Luckily for me a friend of ours so graciously gave and introduced us to a baby seat known as the Bumbo.
The Bumbo is a soft rubber like seat that contours to your baby and allows them to sit upright totally unsupported. Its recommended to start using not until your baby is fully able to support their head which depending on the baby is typically between 3-4 months. It also can come with a detachable tray to use if you preferred to feed your baby in it as well. Oh, and it comes in a few cool colors if you needed it to match your decor. :)
I've only had it for a few days now, so I'm not a veteran on the product, but so far I must say its pretty awesome. My bambino already sits up a little, so when I put him in the Bumbo he just sat there and looked around with bright eyes. It was the coolest thing because he was able to sit up and check out the world around him. My cat even had to look twice at the neat little chair sitting on the kitchen floor. I was able to clean my kitchen while having my son in the Bumbo on the floor playing with his toys content and happy. I say that was pretty awesome vs having a fussy baby because you have to lay them down to do something. Now granted I only had him in it for maybe like 15 mins, but that entire time he really seemed to be having a great time.
With all products that I use with my LO I go to the trusty internet to read reviews and to basically get the 411 on the product. Well before receiving the Bumbo to my concern was information about a recall back in 2007 for the Bumbo baby seat. Of course I turned into like supermom and continued to read and search every site pertaining to the Bumbo and this alleged recall. Well... after much research it appears that 30 babies were reported having Bumbo related injuries due to falling out of the Bumbo onto the floor from a high service.  Hmmm.... lets think about his for a moment. So as a mom because of my lack of intelligence and basic stupidity for putting my baby in something and then placing him on a counter it's clearly the manufactures fault if they fall. Right? I mean like seriously people this product or any other baby product is not meant to be used as your personal babysitter. It just amazes me how peole can be so irresponsible, and the moment something bad happens they start pointing fingers. If you the parent put your precious baby in a product, then put that product on a table, countertop, etc, and left them unattended you are to blame. Period.

Bambino contently playing in his Bumbo...on the FLOOR! :)

Also if your LO is able to sit up on his or her own then maybe the bumbo is not the ideal product for you. If they have outgrown it, it is no longer safe to put them in it. ie. car seats, bouncers, walkers high chairs ect…. The idea is to know and watch your children and when you see that they are at the threshold of out growing a product you simply stop using it. The Bumbos that were produced after the recall simply have a sticker stating “WARNING” – “Never use on a raised surface. Never use as a car seat or bath seat. Designed for floor level use only. Never leave your baby unattended as the seat is not designed to be totally restrictive and may not prevent release of your baby in the event of vigorous movement.” Now we just have to hope people will read. 
 

Those aren't crocodile tears my dear

So I'm laying with the LO and its confirmed that he is not going to sleep anytime soon. I told him that he has a really big day tomorrow and that he may want to get some rest, but he disregards my advice and continues to blow bubbles and play. I guess he forgot that tomorrow is his 4 month checkup. Oh no!!!! Yes tomorrow I will have to pretend to be strong while they inject my poor baby! One thing as a new mom I don't think I will ever get used to will be seeing and hearing him scream from his check up vaccinations. No way no how! It just breaks my hurt to see my baby so helpless and in so much pain. His 2 month shots brought endless screams and I'm sure tomorrow will be even worse. I just hope its over quickly for my baby and he doesn't cry that bad. *wishful thinking*
I decided to entertain him so i found this episode of one his favorite shows Sid The Science Kid. It was an episode on vaccinations ironically! So appropriate for tomorrows big day I thought. There you have Sid talking about how great vaccinations are for you, and then my son seeming to understand. So awesome! I really enjoyed the episode also, so much I think it will be a tradition of some sort to watch it from now on before his gets his shots. Feel free to share it with your LO as well. ;-)  http://youtu.be/4tpmiGFxRg4

Don't blink or you will miss it!

I find myself constantly contradicting things that I say. Like for instance a little after my bambino was just born I remember saying oh I cant wait until he gets bigger, or I cant wait until he's crawling, and so on. Well today for the first time when I laid him on his tummy he crawled just a little bit towards me. I was so ecstatic, but then after a moment I kinda felt a little sad because my baby was growing up. I started thinking about how next he'll be running around, then headed off to school and college then marriage and then my little baby will be gone far away from mommy. I know... a little much, but my imagination definitely can get the best of me at times, and its true...time flies by.
We've probably all been guilty of having a moment when we've made statements similar to mine, but we probably fail to realize that babies grow and development so incredibly fast. Heck I'll even admit to missing moments of my pregnancy, but remembering saying I couldn't wait to hurry up and deliver! :)
One thing I will suggest for all the new or upcoming moms is to try and record any and every moment possible of your pregnancy, delivery, and those tender moments postpartum.
One thing I did was had pictures taken while I was pregnant. I waited until I was about 8 months (very much showing) to have them done. I absolutely love looking at all my pictures and having them to reflect on those moments of all 9 months, and to also have to show my son one day how pretty he made mommy. :)
During my delivery I kept it pretty modest. I didn't video record anything while in labor, but I did have photos taken of my before, during and after delivery (censured and rated PG of course), and I absolutely LOVE having those pictures.  I can really look back with them with loved ones that couldn't attend, and tell a story of the whole event. Pretty awesome I must say... even though I'm not thrilled on my appearance on over 90% of them I still love them.

Last I would recommend buying a very nice baby keepsake album. This is were you would joint down every little tiny thing about your pregnancy and delivery, and after your Lo arrives...every single milestone for the first five years. I have documented not only little things like my cravings during pregnancy, but all of my sons "Firsts" up until now. The album I have is very detailed and it allows for me to add extra scrapbook type of items to it also! Now if your not into detail, then they also have the really simple ones that allow you to just make a note of the basics moments. Either way trust me you will love looking back, and having those images or stories to reflect on about your little one. Besides... they're only a baby for such a brief period so  enjoy and don't forget to take notes! Heres a link to the book I have for my son. ~~~>>> www.crgibson.com/baby-2100000235

All cartoons are not good

So I received a package in the mail from my mom, and along w/ all his toys and books was a newspaper article enclosed. And yes... people still read newspapers. :-) So any who... the article stated that parents shouldn't let their kids watch Spongebob. Yes I know it may sound weird considering Spongebob is suppose to be a kid friendly cartoon, but according to this article its not a good watch for your precious little one. It goes on to state that the show causes short-term attention and learning problems in your children...particularly 4 year olds. Apparently there was a study done on kids who watched Spongebob and those who didnt and then those two separate groups did some sort of mental test. The ones who watched Spongebob did horrible in comparison to the other group.
Now I personally before reading this article wouldn't let my son watch Spongebob because to me its not a learning cartoon. And in some cases Spongebob can be mean or even rude to his friends on the show. Absolutely not the type of behavior I want my Lo to mimic.
The article also writes that the networks spokesperson disputes the accusations and says that Spongebob isn't meant to be watched right before a test or any type of learning tool. Like really???!!!
Either way I don't think I'll be letting my 4 month old be entertained by this particular cartoon..I'm content with his PBS. :)

Oh No... My HAIR!!!!!

I noticed such a dramatic change in my body during pregnancy. My breast became fuller, I experienced morning sickness and my mood... well...you know. All of these changes were due to the hormone levels in my body changing. Of course this hormone change is necessary for the well development of a mothers unborn child, but dang it can be a bumpy road to recovery.


As many may have heard or experienced there are some awesome advantages during pregnancy as in dramatic hair growth. Throughout my pregnancy my hair was probably in its most healthiest state. During pregnancy, the increase in the female hormone estrogen stimulates hair growth. My hair was growing like weeds, and it was so incredibly thick, and most importantly the shedding was pretty much non existent! Well I must say things have made a change for the worst with the sudden drop of estrogen that occurs after birth. Now that Im almost 4 months postpartum  all of those awesome things that I mentioned my hair did...well its not anymore. Its like my hair did a complete 180 degree turn and made a quick dash to the opposite end of the spectrum.


I probably didnt experience or should I say notice the change until my son was 2 months old. I was in the shower combing my hair like I always do and I looked at the comb and there was such a massive amount of hair in the comb. I was so horrified that I ran to the nearest store and bought the most expensive hair products for restoring hair, dry/damaged hair, moisturizing hair. Everything you can think I bought. OMG!!!


 I then realized that I may have gotten a little carried away with spending all that money on those hair products. That my hair shedding will probably be around for at least another 6 months and there was not much I could do to stop the process. In the meantime I have learned that there are a few remedies to help  ease the pain. This may not be for everyone but hair extensions and integrations immediately add length, volume and highlights to your hair. They also come in different colors and hairstyles and an expert can get them to match you perfectly. Hair extensions can also last for 4 to 6 months, or longer. If extensions arent your thing then concealing the problem may be another option for you. You can get help from a hair stylist to find a style that creates the illusion of volume. Also while waiting for your hair to grow back, you may choose to wear headbands, scarves, and hats to conceal parts of your scalp with thinning hair. The last solution I found was watching what you eat. Unfortunately there's no miracle food that will instantly stop the shedding, but I learned that fruits and veggies help to stimulate the re growth from all the antioxidants they contain. Also, supplements can be taken to help with the re-growth as well.


Please do not let hair loss ruin the joys of motherhood. Learn about your hair loss options so you can stop worrying and focus on the more important things... your new precious gift.  Before you know it, your child will be taking his or her first baby steps, and you will have your gorgeous hair back!

Solids....How exciting!

So this morning I woke realizing that my son that was once my little tiny newborn is growing so rapidly into my big growing baby! *tear* Don't get me wrong I love that he's developing at an excellent rate, but I must admit I miss him being so tiny.

This thinking sparked me to do a little research on the internet about starting my baby on solids. Previous to now I said that I wasn't going to start my son on it until he was 6 months, while still providing him with his main nutrition source of breast milk. Well...lately he has really been showing interest in what I eat. He stares at my food when Im preparing it, and if I'm holding him while eating he follows my food into my mouth with his eyes. He also is in the stage of what Gerber called the "supported sitter". www.gerber.com Thats when your baby is able to sit up with the assistance of being held, and also during tummy time he holds his head all the way up and pushes up on his arms. Wish all of these factors I'm really considering to push forward with the solids at 4 months rather my original 6 months. I'm really excited about this process because I'm also going to be making my own baby food!!!  

All new moms should at least give it a try, and if its not your thing then at least you'll say you tried.  There are tons of online sites to help you get started, and once you get a system its easy breezy. ( At least thats what I got out of the readings) Once I actually start I will definitely update with my results.  In the meantime here's a link to a really helpful site to show you how incredibly easy making your own baby food can be~~~>> www.babycenter.com/0_how-to-make-your-own-food_1401482.bc  Below is a pic of my son during tummy time. Drool and all isn't he adorable?! Good luck moms!! :) 

My secret to losing 30lbs in less than 2 months! Shhh...

 Before I begin I must say that it feels so awesome to be able to wear my old clothes again!!!! Geesh... most of those maternity clothes are so hideous! I never was a fan of spending a lot of money on clothes that I knew I 1) would only wear a few months 2) would never wear again. When I did buy clothes I would just buy regular clothes but just bigger sizes. My pre-pregnancy weight was 118lbs and I'm 5'6". According to my doctor I was suppose to gain no more than 30lbs through out the entire duration of my pregnancy. I actually lost weight the first few months because I was so incredibly sick every single day! Oh my Goodness it was awful!!! Every single thing I ate didn't sit right and immediately came back up like clock work.
Prior to becoming pregnant I was very active in the gym. Anywhere from 4-6 times a week was the norm for me. I didn't work out at all during my entire pregnancy because of complications in the very beginning and my doctor recommended I kept that to a minimum. At the end of my 9 months I had gained an exact amount of 30lbs. I must say I actually enjoyed having the weight on me (while I was pregnant) :-)
When the day came for me to leave the hospital with my new bundle of joy I reached to put on my "normal" clothes. I looked in the mirror and to my surprise I thought " I STILL LOOK PREGNANT!!!" Oh nooooooooo....I thought. Whhhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyy because their was clearly no baby in there?!
Apparently I was living my preggo duration with the concept that everything was going to go exactly back to normal with little to no effort on my part. Right? Wrong!
Lucky me I was at least on the right path to recovery from my post baby pooch. I was breastfeeding my son!!!!!! YES! If I had to divide how I lost my weight breastfeeding would get about 60% of the credit. The remaining would definitely have to go to being fit prior to conceiving, eating right during pregnancy to maintain the proper weight gain, and exercising post pregnancy. Ok maybe 10% I will credit to genetics (thanks mom) tee-hee :)
But seriously ladies...If you're struggling with a little post preggo weight,  pregnant, or even thinking about conceiving I truly believe all of those factors combined helped me get to where I am now. I feel so awesome, and I'm able to focus on my son 100% rather than feeling stressed about my weight which is why we put ourselves through it in the first place right? :)
Feel free to leave a comment or ask me any questions. Good luck and you can do it!!!!

8 1/2 months

3 1/2 months after :)

Got Milk?

From the moment Weston was conceived I absolutely knew that I was going to breastfeed him. I didn't know much about it in the beginning, but I did remember always hearing the term "Breast is Best." Of course like many others I heard all of the dramatic stories about how dreadfully painful it was, but that still didn't deter me away from my decision. All I knew is that I was going to give it my best try no matter what. Anything for baby Weston right? :)
Well I must say being over 3 months deep into it I'm glad I went with my gut instinct. Now don't get me wrong I'm definitely not that person who criticizes women, or makes them feel bad for not breastfeeding. I understand every woman is different, while many unfortunately just can not nurse their baby. I just want to encourage those who may be on the fence on rather or not if breastfeeding is right for you to do so...or at least say that you gave it your best attempt. Honesty is one thing that I will be throughout my posts, and I will say that in the very beginning it HURT! I even went through the whole engorgement moments where I really thought my boobs were going to explode. LOL! But trust me with a little patience, a couple readings, and a lot of practice definitely will make you perfect. My goal is to continue throughout the year breastfeeding exclusively and at his six month mark ween him from the breast onto a bottle. Crossing my fingers on that being a smooth transition. ;-)
 Overall I think I've been pretty lucky with breastfeeding. My son latched instantly. My body was producing the adequate amount of milk from the very beginning. When I decided to start pumping he transitioned to the bottle with ease at 3 weeks old (which was an awesome thing). And now just recently Weston took a bottle of formula. I wanted to try it out just in case I didn't have enough milk for an out of town trip or a weekend visit with grandma. To our surprise he gulped it down as if it was directly from mommy. FYI he didn't like the powder kind so we bought the ready to pour organic. I must say breastfeeding gives me that extra boost of bonding time with my son in which only a breastfeeding mother could receive. The eye contact, the closeness, and the sense of knowing that I'm giving my baby the best makes me smile. I'm including a link to a site I found very useful. ~~~>>> http://www.breastfeeding.com/

To needle or not to needle...that is the question

Nine months prior to June 14 of this year I just knew I had my birth plan all planned out exactly how I wanted it. Go in, withstand the pain, be a soldier, have the baby, in and out. Wrong! I know now things don't always go as planned even when written down on paper. Deciding to have an epidural was one of the hardest decisions I had ever made. All the horror stories from the many nights of googling, and all the pressure to live up to the women in my family to go natural. With so much info I started questioning what was the right choice for me? But that was just it... I had to do what was right for me and my Lo. No one could make that decision but me, and after 6 hrs of staggering pain I opted for the epidural.  Although I steered away a little from our original plan, having an open mind about your all of your options makes things less stressful. A stressless mom equals a happy healthy baby. My pride got put aside that day and I came out with no regrets.