Wash your hands well, you don't want "the" cold

After two and half days of a runny nose and sore throat, I am cranky and wish I had reminded myself to wash my hands more. That and not bite my nails when I get into a deep thought at work. 

Being pregnant and cautious about not taking medicine, this has been a trip: Emergen-C, vitamin C, lemon echinacea tea, up to 25 mg a day of zinc, breathing over a boiling pot of water, homemade chicken soup, less than stellar night's sleep, naps during the day, and more tissues than I can count - I am so over this cold! I wish it felt the same way. 

Here's to waking up tomorrow over the hump. And if not, do post comments with natural remedies that you found to work. 

My cat "baby" and new baby

Every where I am, he is there. If he is not sleeping, he is following me around or cuddling with me. I gaze at him and think there is nothing cuter than he. He is family and soon he will meet his new (real) baby sister. No longer will he be the baby.

It is difficult to hear the stories of the many pets that took a back seat to the baby. He will be loved by not only us, but his new buddy. I keep telling him that he will have another little me to devote his time to. Yes, I may not be able to snuggle with him all the time, but we will have us time.

You will always be my baby, Cooper!

Resources:
Cat Introductions - Introduce Cat To Baby - Cat-World 
Introducing Your Pet and New Baby - The Humane Society of the United States 

Sensitive about the size of my pregnant belly

I love my pregnant bump. I am not one to wear baggy shirts to hide my bump. I am okay with people touching my belly, and sometimes doing so without asking permission. I knew this before getting pregnant. What I did not know was how I would respond when other pregnant women make comments about the size of their belly versus mine. It does not bother me if a non-pregnant women or men ask me about my size or comment, because they have nothing to compare it to. I am my own person, my own baby. 

I am athletic. I was at my ideal weight before getting pregnant. I eat sensibly. I am active. My baby is healthy and growing at the appropriate rate. I do not want to hear that I am tiny looking or you are so much bigger than me. It is a judgement and please keep it to yourself. If you have comments on the cuteness of my baby bump, or comments of the sort, these are all welcome.  

I am respectful to other pregnant ladies to not say oh you are so big or you are carrying this way or that way. I have read and know that every women is made differently and therefore will respond differently when growing a baby bump. 

Sincerely, 

23w 4 d

Thankful to have 9 months to get everything ready for baby

It was a very productive day getting ready for the baby. 

Let's see...

Sign-up for labor and birth class - check

Sign-up for breastfeeding class - check

Sign-up for newborn care class - check

Find a fabric to create my own crib skirt (see my rant on finding crib skirts) - check

Make a baby budget and review our finances - check

Search for infant day care in area that also allows cloth diapers - check

Go to prenatal yoga - check

My reward:

(Strawberry Champagne from Cupcake Royale)

 

SIDS risk reduction: No crib bumpers

With the most recently (Oct. 2011) published SIDS risk reduction guidelines by American Academy of Pediatrics (APP), which lists not using crib bumpers as a measure to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), I was surprised by the number of crib bedding sets - which include bumpers. After searching through 33 pages of options for "crib skirts" on Amazon.com, it seemed that more than half of the options were included in crib bedding sets.

A 4-piece crib bedding set includes a fitted sheet, crib skirt, crib quilt, and bumper. The cost of these sets can range from $70 to $300, with an average price of $150. Per the guidelines, the crib quilt and crib skirt are not recommended for healthy babies under age 1.

While the crib bedding sets are stylish and tempting, I am left wondering how soon until the manufactures change the rhythm of their production, in reaction to the AAP's SIDS guidelines? Being the practical, buy things as you need them kind-of person, yet looking for style, I would like to see a 2-piece crib bedding set that includes a matching fitted sheet and bed skirt. Or, more options for crib skirts.

For more on SIDS guidelines by AAP, read: HealthyChildren.org - AAP Expands Guidelines for Infant Sleep Safety and SIDS Risk Reduction.

Pregnancy acronyms/abbreviations

If you have been in any pregnancy related forums, like BabyCenter.com's birth club or diaperswappers.com, you will get your fair share of pregnancy related acronyms and abbreviations. At times, it can feel as if others are speaking a foreign language or only the insiders know what is going on. You can be rest assured that you are not alone and there is help out there!

Here are some common, basic acronyms/abbreviations to familiarize yourself with this new language:
DH - Dear/Darling Husband
SO - Significant Other
BF - Boy Friend or Breast Feeding
DS - Dear/Darling Son
DD - Dear/Darling Daughter
BB - Breasts
SAHM - Stay At Home Mom

And a brain teaser for you:
TTBOMK my DH and I had BMS a few days before O and now are awaiting a DD in May.

Daily diet for pregnancy

I love blueberries! I can eat a half pint in a sitting and be contempt, so I call myself the Blueberry Monster - like Cookie Monster, but healthier. 

Here is a typical day in the life of my stomach and my baby:

• Breakfast: multi-grain cereal with fiber covered in organic soy milk, glass of electrolytes (such as Nuun) in water, and an orange. 
• Morning Snack: An apple and yogurt or a lemon zest Luna bar
• Lunch: Hard fried egg, ham (heated or grilled to kill any potential bacteria) and cheese sandwich on wheat bread, with snap peas or carrots. 
• Afternoon Snack: Carrots, cheese or almonds
• Dinner: Ravioli or tortellini (a new craving since pregnancy)
• Evening Snack: Organic blueberries or strawberries

For fluids, I have the electrolytes at least once a day for help with absorbing water and drink half my body weight in water a day. I have the occasional apple cider vinegar added to my water.

I have a relatively low sugar, low fat and all natural diet. When I say pregnancy diet, I do not mean losing weight rather maintaining a healthy weight for me and for the baby. I could use more vegetables, but with that I am taking Thorne Prenatal Vitamin, 4 IU Vitamin D, and Fish Oil.  I am not perfect and do throw in there the occasional sweet such as a cupcake or half a cookie. I do not need much variation in my diet, so I can easily maintain the same menu without getting bored. 

To top off my diet, I get 8 to 9 hours of sleep a night and exercise regularly. Being pregnant has helped me increase my time asleep to 10 hours some nights, as I crash earlier in the evening than prior to pregnancy. In addition to sleep, I get a 20-30 minute walk in each day, yoga one or two times a week, and the occasional trip to the pool.