Product I Love: Groovebook!

Highly recommended! A book of 100 photos for $2.99. It's a subscription service that lets to add photos from your iPhone as you go along and once a month, the photos are ordered and you receive the book 2 weeks later.

 I took advantage of my FREE book (yes, using my code gives you your first book FREE) to make a book of our trip to Disney for Bu's birthday, but I'm continuing my subscription so I can have books of his every month, the same way I've always made his albums. The difference is the albums usually cost me $20-40, but this is $2.99! And they're 4X6, so I can put them all in his yearly "time capsule" boxes that I keep for him, but you could just as easily tear out the pics to give to grandparents, etc. You could even tear out the photos eventually and put them in a scrapbook or photo album, but they're kept organized and in order in the meantime.


As always, this is not a sponsored post, just a product I love that I thought I'd share with my readers
:)

Guest Post: "Swollen to full capacity"

Swollen to full capacity

Stirring, moving life inside.

Stretched, marred with creation.

Blemished beautifully, and changed.

A mothers body, the evolution,

Grasping the transformation.

The meaning of a new skin,

Showing without, what once was within.

Battle wounds, large hips, tender chest, a mother's breast. 

Accepting the new as a bold declaration.

Not wistfully wishing, 

Fondly remembering,

And proudly remembering 

this new mothering skin.

So amazingly capable of bringing forth life!

I will not detest,

I shall not disguise,

And I will PROUDLY wear...

This mother's skin.

 

 

 

 

 

This beautiful poem was written by Miranda Irvin. I read it and LOVED it, and asked her immediately for permission to repost! In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted to post it this week as it is a beautiful reminder and example of being proud and grateful for the incredible thing our bodies can do: creating, sustaining and bringing forth new life! I hope you all love it as well, please check out her blog to see more from this wonderful crunchy momma!

Vaccinations...

Something to consider...there's "on schedule", "delayed schedule" and "non vax" parents, but everyone has to do their research and follow their instincts when it comes to vaccinating their children.

It's a hot topic, which is way I try (and I mean try, though I think it's usually obvious where I lean personally) to encourage parents to really research ingredients, possible side effects, etc before taking a course of action. The most important thing though is of you're not 100% certain where you stand, WAIT. You can always start vaccinating later but you can't take it back if you do it and then decide its not the best choice for your family.

I leave you with this graphic from the Facebook group "Educate before you Vaccinate"...believe it or don't, but hopefully it at least piques your curiosity enough to look into it for yourself :)

Top Baby Blogs!

Help Momma Friendly reach more readers by clicking this link and helping move the blog up the list so other mommas and mommas to be can find us! :)

Thank you!

Some of the responses to WIO/CIO...

"I think it's about paying attention to what your kid needs that day/night. Like there are nights when my kid is sick and I'll do whatever it takes to get them to sleep...even if that means holding them up on my chest all night. Or if my son is feeling especially anxious or scared about something I will let him sleep in our bed. But there are times when absolutely nothing is wrong and all their needs have been met and maybe they're just overstimulated and need to be alone in their crib/bed and they will probably cry until they fall asleep. And that's actually what they need in that moment. And we mustn't neglect the needs of the mom and dad. Sometimes a parent desperately needs sleep so they can function properly and that might mean they have their kid CIO/sleep train. Or maybe a couple really needs their alone time so that means no co-sleeping. There's no way you can know every single family's needs/dynamic. People can't judge parents who CIO or cosleep or whatever they choose because you don't know what that family's needs are. And every mom knows their own baby best not some stranger or "sleep expert."' -KA

"I'm definitely against CIO. Babies and children need nurturing and by crying, they are showing that they are in need...Studies show that babies who have more physical touch with caretakers and who have not been left to CIO are more stable as they grow. Society today is in too much of a rush to push their children out of the nest so to say. And more 4 month old breastfed son does sleep through the night so a child's sleep pattern should be natural, not forced upon him by making him feel alone and helpless. However, parents who dont believe in crying it out, if at all for any reason they feel as if they might snap or get violent that then they should put the child down then. CIO is better than physically harming a child." - MVC

"We did CIO with our daughter at 6 mo. Well she would cry for like a minute and just fall asleep and now at 3 she sleeps perfect and there's nothing wrong with her. and my son is 18 mo and we didn't have to do it. We just let him sleep in her room and he must have took notes from her." -CG



What are your opinions on Waiting It Out (WIO) versus Crying It Out (CIO)? It's a controversial topic that divides a lot of parents, and even a lot of households, but I am curious to get a RESPECTFUL dialogue going about sleep training/teaching/coaching your child or waiting for them to settle into their own rhythm...

My Birth Plan Revisited

 Originally posted in 2011 at Plus Size Preggo

 Spoke to an OB at my practice yesterday (they rotate so you get to know everyone), and I was pretty disappointed with what I was told about my birth plan, even PO’ed at one point…As I told my sister, who came to the appointment with me: “Unless something magical happens during birth that makes me want to blow everyone in that hospital, I am NOT going to do a hospital birth with the next baby!” (Blunt but true story LOL)



* I’d like the following people to be present during labor and/or birth: My husband, my sister, and my mother. “OK”

* I’d like to wear my own clothes during labor and delivery. "OK, but you probably won’t want to"

* I’d like to take pictures and/or video during labor and delivery. “Only allowed BEFORE labor, AFTER birth and NOT during newborn tests”

* I’d like the option of returning home if I’m not in active labor. "OK"
* Once I’m admitted, I’d like my partner to be allowed to stay with me at all times. "OK"

* Once I’m admitted, I’d like to eat if I wish to. "Not going to happen"

* Once I’m admitted, I’d like to try to stay hydrated by drinking clear fluids instead of having an IV. "Not going to happen, either"

* Once I’m admitted, I’d like to walk and move around as I choose. “You’ll be strapped to a monitor so you can walk as long as you’re not far from the edge of the bed” read: NO.

* As long as the baby and I are doing fine, I’d like to have intermittent rather than continuous electronic fetal monitoring. "We can do it, but it’d be a nuisance." read: "Not going to happen"

* As long as the baby and I are doing fine, I’d like to be allowed to progress free of stringent time limits and have my labor augmented only if necessary. "OK"

* If available, I’d like to try a birthing ball, birthing stool, squatting bar, and/or a birthing tub/pool. “What are these things?” I WISH I was kidding.

* I’d like to try the following pain-management techniques: bath/shower, hot/cold therapy, massage. "No bathing or showering, stay home and do that until you MUST come to the hospital"
* Please don’t offer me pain medication. I’ll request it if I need it. "Make sure you tell them that at the hospital" I thought that’s what the point of THIS was?

* If I decide I want medicinal pain relief, I’d prefer regional analgesia (an epidural and/or spinal block). "OK"

* When it’s time to push, I’d like to be coached on when to push and for how long. "OK"

* I’d like to try the following positions for pushing (and birth): semi-reclining, squatting, hands and knees, whatever feels right at the time… "We’re not equipped for that" read: "Not going to happen"

* During delivery, I’d like to give birth without an episiotomy. Again, “Make sure you tell them that”. Um, will do.

* After birth, I’d like to hold my baby right away, putting off any procedures that aren’t urgent. "OK"

* After birth, I’d like to breastfeed as soon as possible. "OK"

* After birth, I’d like not to get oxytocin (Pitocin) after I deliver the placenta unless it’s necessary. This is where I got pissed. "Well, we will do that so you don’t bleed. I mean, you’re going to bleed anyway…but we’re physicians. This is what we do." Uh-huh. So basically, fuck yourself. We’re medicating you one way or the other.

* After birth, I’d like my partner to cut the umbilical cord. "OK"

* If I have a c-section, I’d like my partner present at all times during the operation. "OK"
 
* If I have a c-section, I’d like the baby to be given to my partner as soon as he’s dried, if appropriate. "OK"

* If I have a c-section, I’d like to breastfeed my baby in the recovery room. "OK"

* I’m planning to bank cord blood privately. "OK"

* After delivery, I’d like all newborn procedures to take place in my presence. "OK"

* After delivery, I’d like my partner to stay with the baby at all times if I can’t be there. "OK"

* I’d like 24-hour rooming-in with my baby. "After the birth, ALL babies go to the nursery for a bit, but then he’s all yours" I almost clawed at her face when she said that. I’m going to fight this one.

* I plan to breastfeed EXCLUSIVELY. "OK"

* Do not offer my baby: formula, sugar water, a pacifier. "OK"

* I do NOT want my baby circumcised. "OK"

* I’d like to wait and see how I feel before deciding about the timing of hospital discharge. "OK"



So I reiterate…I knew I’d be disappointed because I was expecting too much from a hospital, but for the most part, I expected this. Next go round, once I know I can successfully have a birth without complications, it’s birthing center all the way!!!

My Birth Plan

 Originally posted in 2011 at Plus Size Preggo


* I’d like the following people to be present during labor and/or birth: My husband, my sister, and my mother.

* I’d like to wear my own clothes during labor and delivery.

* I’d like to take pictures and/or video during labor and delivery.

* I’d like the option of returning home if I’m not in active labor.

* Once I’m admitted, I’d like my partner to be allowed to stay with me at all times.

* Once I’m admitted, I’d like to eat if I wish to.

* Once I’m admitted, I’d like to try to stay hydrated by drinking clear fluids instead of having an IV.

* Once I’m admitted, I’d like to walk and move around as I choose.

* As long as the baby and I are doing fine, I’d like to have intermittent rather than continuous electronic fetal monitoring.

* As long as the baby and I are doing fine, I’d like to be allowed to progress free of stringent time limits and have my labor augmented only if necessary.

* If available, I’d like to try a birthing ball, birthing stool, squatting bar, and/or a birthing tub/pool.

* I’d like to try the following pain-management techniques: bath/shower, hot/cold therapy, massage.

* Please don’t offer me pain medication. I’ll request it if I need it.

* If I decide I want medicinal pain relief, I’d prefer regional analgesia (an epidural and/or spinal block).

* When it’s time to push, I’d like to be coached on when to push and for how long.

* I’d like to try the following positions for pushing (and birth): semi-reclining, squatting, hands and knees, whatever feels right at the time…

* During delivery, I’d like to give birth without an episiotomy.

* After birth, I’d like to hold my baby right away, putting off any procedures that aren’t urgent.

* After birth, I’d like to breastfeed as soon as possible.

* After birth, I’d like not to get oxytocin (Pitocin) after I deliver the placenta unless it’s necessary.

* After birth, I’d like my partner to cut the umbilical cord.

* If I have a c-section, I’d like my partner present at all times during the operation.

* If I have a c-section, I’d like the baby to be given to my partner as soon as he’s dried, if appropriate.

* If I have a c-section, I’d like to breastfeed my baby in the recovery room.

* I’m planning to bank cord blood privately.

* After delivery, I’d like all newborn procedures to take place in my presence.

* After delivery, I’d like my partner to stay with the baby at all times if I can’t be there.

* I’d like 24-hour rooming-in with my baby.

* I plan to breastfeed EXCLUSIVELY.

* Do not offer my baby: formula, sugar water, a pacifier.

* I do NOT want my baby circumcised.

* I’d like to wait and see how I feel before deciding about the timing of hospital discharge.


I’ m sure a lot of these won’t be do-able (I’m looking at YOU, eating during labor and no IV!) but I’m going to take this to my OB appointment tomorrow and talk everything over with my doctor to see what I am willing to compromise and what MUST be.


(This nifty PDF was a big help in articulating just what I wanted during my labor and delivery.)