Before I start writing about pregnancy topics, I wanted to give a shout-out to my new readers/followers from New Zealand. HI!!!!!
OK, I have been thinking...In today's day and age you can find almost anything to make a mom's life easier.... Like this:
or this:
I either think to myself, "I MUST HAVE THIS!" Or, how did moms live without these innovative creations? In the "olden days," did moms just sit around in a rocking chair waiting for the baby to wake up for a feeding, change the diaper, and afterwards give 'em a rattle? (remember rattles?) ...sounds boring.
Even though there are solutions to almost every problem, the downside is, you are usually going to pay the big bucks to have it. Sometimes it's okay to go old-school or create you're own solutions. I feel once I have the baby, I can better decipher what I need and what is just "cool" to have. But, I will keep in mind that there are inventions out there for almost EVERYTHING and if it's worth the cost, I will probably buy it.
Here is an exciting thought, when it comes to smart phones and IPhone/Pads, there are so many useful FREE Apps. The only App I have right now is an ovulation calendar. It's called "My Ovulation Calendar." This App will come in handy when I am off my birth control. I will be able to track my menstrual cycles and over a period of time (no pun intended) be able to predict the week I am ovulating. There are so many Apps out there, and I don't have all day to write about every single one. Just search on your phone and see which ones you like. But, here is one of my future Apps that is a must:
RIGHT?! This keeps tract of the baby's feeding. This even keeps track of which boob you left-off on! This is a must have because I AM A FIRM BELIEVER IN BREAST FEEDING. If you are on the fence about breastfeeding or totally against it, my advice is DO IT. DO IT. DO IT.
Breastfeeding is beneficial to both the mom and baby. It is the most important and best thing a mother could do for her baby. Why?
1. Breast milk changes as your baby grows – breast milk has just the right amount of fat, sugar, water, and protein to help your baby continue to grow. It provides all of the nutrients and antibodies your baby needs.
2. Breast milk is easier to digest – breast milk is easier to digest than formula. The proteins in formula are made from cow’s milk and it takes time for babies’ stomachs to adjust to digesting them.
3. Breast milk fights disease – The cells, hormones, and antibodies in breast milk protect babies from illness. This protection is unique; formula cannot match the chemical makeup of human breast milk. In fact, among formula-fed babies, ear infections and diarrhea are more common.
4.Life can be easier when you breastfeed – there are no bottles and nipples to sterilize. You do not have to buy, measure, and mix formula. And there are no bottles to warm in the middle of the night! You can satisfy your baby’s hunger right away when breastfeeding.
5. Breastfeeding can save money – Formula and feeding supplies can cost well over $1,500 each year, depending on how much your baby eats. Breastfed babies are also sick less often, which can lower health care costs!
6. Breastfeeding can feel great – Physical contact is important to newborns. It can help them feel more secure, warm, and comforted.
7. Breastfeeding can be good for the mother’s health, too – Breastfeeding is linked to a lower risk of these health problems in women:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Breast caner
- Ovarian cancer
- Postpartum Depression
8. WHEN BREASTFEEDING, WOMEN CAN BURN AROUND 500 CALORIES PER SESSION.
....SOLD!
With all of those positive reasons to breastfeed, negative ones don't even matter, but here they are
1. Sore nipples- yeah, not to excited about this. There are plenty of creams out there, so LUBE UP!
2. Low milk supply- There are so many different healthy types of food that help to increase milk supply, so don't worry.
3. Oversupply of milk- PUMP IT! Duh.
4. Engorgement- Get over it.
5. Plugged ducts- This one I'm actually scared of and grossed out about. My nightmare: It's the middle of the night. The air is still and the house is in complete silence. Just then, the baby cries. WHAAAAA! I wake up to find my ducts are PLUGGED. DA DA DUUUUMMMM!! My baby is in need of me and my milk. I can't be there for him/her. WHAT DO I DOOO?!
I guess I could have pumped, but what if there isn't an oversupply of milk?
Every website I've been to has something written to encourage new mothers to have a lactation consultant. This could help solve the issues new and all mothers may have. After reading is I hope you CHOOSE TO BREASTFEED!
Ask your hospital or birthing center for the name of a lactation consultant who can help you. Or, you can go to http://www.ilca.org 
to find an IBCLC in your area.
Want to read/learn more..This information is found here. Also, there are tips on how to get started with breastfeeding, complications that may occur, and much more.
Ta-ta for now,
Linz
Meet one of my very nearest dearest bestest friends ever, Joey (he's the boy...I'm in the middle...and the other one is my sister Heather).
Oh...and this was last September...during our annual Apple Picking Tradition (I told you we go EVERY year)
He is the same age as my sister and I've known him since he was in kindergarten. I consider Joey, his younger sister Anna, and my sister all siblings. We are super close and always will be. Since Joey has grown up so much, he likes to be called Joe. BUUUUT my sister and I have been calling him Joey (basically) our whole lives. And that's never going to change. UNCLE JOEEEYYY.
ANYWAYYYY... I wanted to beat him up on Monday night. He texted me and said he saw my awesome blog and went on and on about how funny and beautiful I am... okay not really. But he did text me though. He actually said he loved my blog about nutrition and wanted to talk to me about which prenatal vitamins I was taking. Joey is not interested in pregnancy at all and it actually grosses him out. So, you are probably wondering "why does Joey want to know about her prenatal pills?" Well, since you asked, Joey has a Biology degree and wants to work in the food industry. No, not Wendy's, (hehehe) But at the industrial level where he could better preserve foods without using harmful chemicals. So that is why he is knowledgeable on these topics.
After I told Joey I was taking the Target store brand prenatal pills, he basically flipped out. He told me never buy store brand even though it's cheaper. It's cheaper because they use more chemicals and dyes than popular brands. I ended up talking to Joey for about an hour about which vitamins were good and bad. He sent me to this website called "Puritan Pride" and after finding prenatal vitamins that were DYE-FREE, I was feeling better (be careful even all-natural vitamins may contain dye...look at the ingredients). I was just about to say good-night and go to bed UNTIIIIILLL he tells me not to buy store brand ANYTHING. For example, no target brand toothpaste, mouthwash, body lotion, body wash, etc. (can't ya tell I love Target?) I responded with- "WHAT?! FINE I JUST WON'T SHOWER, BRUSH MY TEETH, OR WEAR DEODORANT FOR 9-10 MONTHS!" And smart-as, I mean Joey, says, "ALRIGHT THEN, THAT'S THAT!"
As you can probably already tell, I am controlling and only want what's best for my family. So this freak-out (I like to call it overreacting) is quite normal. Everyone who is close to me is used to it.
After all of that, you are probably asking yourself, "Why didn't this anal/controlling girl ask for Joey's advice before she bought the Target brand prenatal vitamins?" You guys are on a roll tonight! I don't know why! OKAY, that's that.
In conclusion, don't go crazy about which chemicals are in which products. Just be aware and eliminate or cut back on items that are more dangerous for you and the baby. Oh, and no dye! Thanks, Joey. LOVE YOU.
Any food/chemical questions about pregnancy can be E-Mailed to me and I can talk to Joey. <3
xoxlindsay87@aol.com
'ello loves!
I had such a stressful day, I'm glad to be able to think of happy thoughts and post in my blog.
Last post I talked about health and fitness, afterwards I found this awesome website.
These are the basics of Dr. Brewer's nutritional research as taught by "The Bradley Method." It gives pregnant women the appropriate daily nutritional needs, like servings of grains, protein, fruits, greens, veggies, so on and so on. Plus there is a printable weekly food journal!! Nutrition is soOoOoOoOoOo important when it comes to keeping an expecting mother and her unborn child strong and this website is perfectly detailed.
Another thought...last night Tommy and I talked about cutting back on non-essential expenses. And the gym is one of those expenses. I spend about $400 a year on my gym membership. I am not renewing the membership next month, instead we will be buying an elliptical for $500. Plus, I can't go anywhere when I'm home with the baby. AND there is NO WAY in hell I'm bringing a baby to a gross gym. So the best solution is to buy an elliptical, two or three sets of weights, and a work-out ball for sit-ups. The work-out ball is also good for stretching the pregnant back and huge belly.
SO CUTE!
I WANT A HUGE BABY BUMP, but without the stretch marks. I need to research more about the best cream brands for stretch marks, because that is something I do not want.
Maybe that will be the next topic in my post.
Who knows... depends how I feel, I might not want to look up information about stretch marks, I do have some time ya know.
MWAHZ! (still trying out signature sign-offs)
Linz
Good afternoon!
Today is a rainy rainy day... such a great excuse to write a long blog. There are tons of thoughts running through my head (not sure if that's good or bad thing).
Tommy and I are celebrating our one year anniversary in Barbados. Our official anniversary day is June sixteenth, however, I am still teaching, so we will be going July seventh.
I am currently on a monthly birth control and I have one more month supply left, which is for the month of June. After that I am not ordering anymore and should begin normal ovulation in July...hence, our other reason for this vacation. To get away, relax, be alone, and try to do the deed. I know, I know...getting pregnant could take many months of trying, and I am ready for that. But, Tommy claims he has fast, strong swimmers. So hopefully conceiving will happen sooner than later.
Now, when do I want the baby to be born you may ask? I want the baby born in May. May is a perfect month because the kids are still in school and it's warm. My birthday is in July, and...
Not only that, every year my mom tried to have a birthday party for me, everyone was on vacation or busy. Or people just hated me. Nah, they were away.
September is also a great month. My mom was born in September and we go apple picking EVERY year. This tradition has been kept for the past twelve years, if not longer. I would love to keep that tradition for my child.
Now that we know the conceiving plans and which months I love, let's get to...
THINGS I AM DOING TO PREPARE FOR THE BABY:
- Taking a prenatal vitamin (research suggests taking a prenatal vitamin two months before will benefit you and the fetus more than taking it when you first get pregnant).
- Finding a doctor. I've met with two and both were not up to my standards. (one was too pushy and didn't work at the hospital I want to deliver at, and the other one has the worst phone staff). I've found another doctor and I have an appointment with her in three weeks. She delivers babies at the hospital I want, but her available hours suck, so we will see.
- Being healthy and fit. Tommy and I are already extreme health conscious people. We work out regularly, and eat only whole grains, veggies, chicken (only), egg whites, cottage cheese, almond milk, frozen yogurt, well...you get it. But I am cutting artificial sweetener out, not like we have huge amounts, but still...I'm eliminating it from our diet. We don't drink coffee, only tea. The tea will be decaf from now on as well. And yes, Tommy is included in these changes because his sperm needs to be healthy and strong.
- Get some home upgrades completed. Like, painting the living room (so I don't breathe in the fumes when I am pregnant) and doing more things around the house because once the baby comes, bye-bye money! We have lived here for eight months and have already done so much, I love this house and the neighborhood. There are kids playing everywhere, pregnant women taking walks with their husbands, and friendly dogs in their yards (except the time when we almost ran over a charging maltese with our tandem bike) I'm living the life.
Okay, that's about all I am doing to prepare for the baby so far. I need to go make dinner...I feel like I should have a signature sign-off name or phrase when I finish writing a post.. how about XOXOXOX LYLAS OR LYLAB LOVE FOREVA LINZ... no? Alright, I'll keep working on it.
Until next time,
Lindsay
Here's my other half, Tommy.
No comments about the NJDevils. They sucked this season...I know, but we still go to the games. ANYWAYS, He is the best and makes me so incredibly happy. He is just as excited as becoming a parent as I am. <333 Okay, enough with the mushy stuff.
Meet my Chihuahua, Chloe. She is the "baby" of the family...for now.
I'm not sure how this spoiled pup will accept a new baby in the house. She will no longer get all the attention, plus a newborn baby will be bigger than her. I predict tons of barking.
This is exciting!
The reason I created this blog is for family and friends to share my pregnancy and everything that happens afterwards with my husband and I. This blog is also for women who are planning on getting pregnant, like me, new moms, experienced moms, or for people who need a good laugh. I am extremely picky, organized, and strong-willed. I only settle for the best when it comes to my family. I will share everything from things I am doing to prepare before conceiving, conceiving, hospital decisions, delivery, gender reveal, nursery, diapers, breastfeeding choices, first birthday, and all that's inbetween. Oh, and of course PICTURES! Come along for the ride...if you dare.
