Limit yourself to what you bring to the hospital you won’t be there long one – 3 days generally. I know I over-packed, and even though I read the books, searched the Internet and got some great advice from my cousin and mom, you still don’t really know what to expect or what you’ll need.
Just a few things for the baby:
- one (1) going home outfit, a sleeper is best
- a couple of diapers and small pack of wipes (I didn’t use the wipes but its more for just in case)
- car seat (base already installed)
- blankets to wrap them up for when going home – obviously this will be weather & seasonal dependant on how many you bring or how warm they are
Few things for mom:
- Pen and pad of paper (scribbler)
- maybe a book or something if you think you may get bored (it happened to me but I was so tired or occupied by the baby I didn’t touch it)
- Cell phone or phone list, charger for your phone
- A few female hygiene pads (no tampons for a while if that’s what your used to using) Also the hospital provided me with some during my stay.
- a going home outfit (I just wore what I came in with, made for less to pack), comfy nursing bra, extra pair of underwear & comfy shoes (your feet could still be swollen), sandals (flip flops) the floors are cold when your walking to the bathroom
- Some women like to pack warm socks – I didn’t need them my feet always get too hot AND I wasn’t in the hospital for a long delivery
- old night gown or housecoat – I recommend just using what the hospital provides you its just easier and you don’t have to worry about ruining them
- Camera with charger or extra batteries
- I was nice enough to pack some snacks (granola bars) and water for the hubby
- Lanolin cream (a.k.a. Nipple cream), lotion, lip balm are all definitely musts
Just remember you don’t want to over pack, you will also be more occupied with the baby and possible visitors. Also don’t forget it is ok to say no to having visitors… mom and baby will be exhausted and do need their rest! I was exhausted but was ok with visitors, I think it was because the drugs they were giving me were keeping me up anyways.
Will add more to the list if I remember anything!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Baby Budget
Ok so I know I already touched base on this topic but need to mention… Shop at home; what I mean by this is to reuse things in your home that you feel would be appropriate for your baby’s nursery.
Some things that I did:
My parents still had kicking around some items that me and my sister used when we were little, were in our nursery, or just things that were tucked away and forgotten about.
The dresser, was actually my dads from back in his bachelor days was painted white to be used for me and my sister when we were younger. This wonderful dresser was still lying around in use for their den but they wanted to get rid of it, I thought it was perfect. So it is now in the baby’s room as a dresser and change table; I purchased a Summer Infant Contoured Changing Pad
for under $20 and attached it to the dresser.
Funny enough, my mom still had the rocking chair from when we were babies. Yes, it is an actually rocking chair not a glider! Again, this rocking chair was perfect and my mom was sweet enough to give it up for here grandbaby. We had a beautiful brown blanket that was a gift from Lloyds work and we now use it as a throw for the chair.
I wanted to get some kind of shelving, side table or night stand. Again, my dad had a night stand that was now too short for the new bed they purchased; incredible how high up these beds are nowadays! So, of course, this night stand was tucked away collecting dust… I thought it would be perfect for the baby’s room and it’s actually a homemade piece that my dad built his junior high class WAY back in the day.
So these are a few ways that you can save some money if you have some things lying around that you can salvage. I actually priced out approximately what it would’ve cost us if we purchased those three (3) items brand new. The cost would’ve been around or even over $500, I was shocked at how much we could’ve spent.
I also saved a few bucks by drawing out some cute art work of drawings that I found on the Internet and that I thought would be ideal. This was very time consuming but in my opinion for what we wanted it was perfect. Babes would have some wonderful artwork in her bedroom that mom made especially for her!
Be creative with the things that you want to do with your nursery, the possibilities are endless. I didn’t want to get caught up in spending too much money all at once, and it was a great way for my parents to de-junk the house with those few items that they said they no longer needed or wanted.
Some things that I did:
My parents still had kicking around some items that me and my sister used when we were little, were in our nursery, or just things that were tucked away and forgotten about.
The dresser, was actually my dads from back in his bachelor days was painted white to be used for me and my sister when we were younger. This wonderful dresser was still lying around in use for their den but they wanted to get rid of it, I thought it was perfect. So it is now in the baby’s room as a dresser and change table; I purchased a Summer Infant Contoured Changing Pad
for under $20 and attached it to the dresser.Funny enough, my mom still had the rocking chair from when we were babies. Yes, it is an actually rocking chair not a glider! Again, this rocking chair was perfect and my mom was sweet enough to give it up for here grandbaby. We had a beautiful brown blanket that was a gift from Lloyds work and we now use it as a throw for the chair.
I wanted to get some kind of shelving, side table or night stand. Again, my dad had a night stand that was now too short for the new bed they purchased; incredible how high up these beds are nowadays! So, of course, this night stand was tucked away collecting dust… I thought it would be perfect for the baby’s room and it’s actually a homemade piece that my dad built his junior high class WAY back in the day.
So these are a few ways that you can save some money if you have some things lying around that you can salvage. I actually priced out approximately what it would’ve cost us if we purchased those three (3) items brand new. The cost would’ve been around or even over $500, I was shocked at how much we could’ve spent.
I also saved a few bucks by drawing out some cute art work of drawings that I found on the Internet and that I thought would be ideal. This was very time consuming but in my opinion for what we wanted it was perfect. Babes would have some wonderful artwork in her bedroom that mom made especially for her!
Be creative with the things that you want to do with your nursery, the possibilities are endless. I didn’t want to get caught up in spending too much money all at once, and it was a great way for my parents to de-junk the house with those few items that they said they no longer needed or wanted.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
More to come
The start to motherhood…
I spent 2 full days in the hospital trying to focus on recovering, feeding and caring for my baby, and taking everything in. I couldn’t get over how amazed I was by her, I barely slept while I was in the hospital because all I wanted to do was look at my baby. The thoughts running through my mind were everywhere and there is no way that I will be able to recall any of it, but one thing for sure I will never forget the feeling of meeting my daughter for the first time and taking in that feeling of “wow I just became a mother”. Those are all feelings that a mother will never forget.
I think about my parents now becoming grandparents for the first time. I can’t even begin to imagine the feelings they felt! One thing that always crosses my mind and I’m sure will one day for me when I become a grandparent for the first time… “My baby is having a baby” what an incredible feeling to know that your baby is all grown up and is starting a family of their own. But of course that will be a ways done the road, and according to her daddy it apparently never will haha! Focus on the beginnings of the joys of motherhood!
More to come soon as parenthood has just begun!
I spent 2 full days in the hospital trying to focus on recovering, feeding and caring for my baby, and taking everything in. I couldn’t get over how amazed I was by her, I barely slept while I was in the hospital because all I wanted to do was look at my baby. The thoughts running through my mind were everywhere and there is no way that I will be able to recall any of it, but one thing for sure I will never forget the feeling of meeting my daughter for the first time and taking in that feeling of “wow I just became a mother”. Those are all feelings that a mother will never forget.
I think about my parents now becoming grandparents for the first time. I can’t even begin to imagine the feelings they felt! One thing that always crosses my mind and I’m sure will one day for me when I become a grandparent for the first time… “My baby is having a baby” what an incredible feeling to know that your baby is all grown up and is starting a family of their own. But of course that will be a ways done the road, and according to her daddy it apparently never will haha! Focus on the beginnings of the joys of motherhood!
More to come soon as parenthood has just begun!
Labour and hospital time!
My contractions jumped so quickly, from one (1) hour apart to 15 minutes to eight (8) minutes and so on. So my contractions, that I remember, started at seven (7) P.M. and I was at the hospital for 1:30 A.M.
The nurse hooked me up to their machines, gave me a clicker/button to use for when the baby made movement, and blood was drawn as well as the I.V was put in. The machine was having a hard time reading the baby’s heartbeat and I felt no movement from her either. The doctor moved me to a birthing room maybe a half hour later to monitor the baby a bit more closely.
They set me up for an epidural, which is so painful. The anaesthesiologist gave me the first needle to numb the area for the epidural, but in my humble opinion, it didn’t do anything for the pain that that needle caused me! WOW! it felt like the needle was being wiggled into my spine and than I felt a very cold serum enter into my spine and ALL of the pain from the needle and the labour disappeared! Sorry I can’t even lie about it…
Shortly after, my doctor was having a hard time getting the babies vitals. Every time I would have a contraction her vitals would drop, he broke my water and tried to “tease” her to get her to move around and still nothing. Next thing I know I’m getting prepped for a caesarean.
While I was in the operating room Lloyd had to wait outside until they were ready, I am so happy that he was able to be there to support me and be by my side. The doctors were in and doing their job and all of a sudden we hear a “Whoa”, all the nurses and doctors were in a sense shocked at what they saw…
Short panic on my end in my mind – is my baby ok?!?! But next thing I know I hear “its a girl!” come from over the curtain and a small wince from babes. Everything was ok! The whoa was because the umbilical cord was in a true knot and the doctor showed us from over the curtain. Wow! This what was causing the babies vitals to drop every time I had a contraction, and I was so thankful for the steps that the doctor took to take care of me and most importantly my beautiful baby girl!
The doctors were doing a quick clean up of the baby and testing her Apgar Score and they called Lloyd over to see her and to take pictures. He brought her over to me and all I could say to myself was oh my God she’s a mini-me and absolutely perfect!
It was official, we were parents of a perfect and healthy baby girl – 6lbs 11oz 20 inches long. I didn’t even think about myself and the upcoming recovery, all I could think about was my new family, the overwhelming feeling for becoming a mother for the first time. Welcome baby Sachiko (her names means happy child in Japanese and she was named after her great-grandma).
I was so grateful for the actions that my doctor took to make sure that both me and my baby were healthy, and of course to my loving husband for never leaving my side and being the man that I fell in love with. I can’t forget my little munchie boo; am so grateful to have her in my life and from that point on ward I couldn’t imagine my life any differently! She is the perfect addition to our family and am excited to watch her grow!
This is one job that is the hardest job I have ever had but it is absolutely the most rewarding job that I will never want to give up. My life is that much more complete with her here!
The nurse hooked me up to their machines, gave me a clicker/button to use for when the baby made movement, and blood was drawn as well as the I.V was put in. The machine was having a hard time reading the baby’s heartbeat and I felt no movement from her either. The doctor moved me to a birthing room maybe a half hour later to monitor the baby a bit more closely.
They set me up for an epidural, which is so painful. The anaesthesiologist gave me the first needle to numb the area for the epidural, but in my humble opinion, it didn’t do anything for the pain that that needle caused me! WOW! it felt like the needle was being wiggled into my spine and than I felt a very cold serum enter into my spine and ALL of the pain from the needle and the labour disappeared! Sorry I can’t even lie about it…
Shortly after, my doctor was having a hard time getting the babies vitals. Every time I would have a contraction her vitals would drop, he broke my water and tried to “tease” her to get her to move around and still nothing. Next thing I know I’m getting prepped for a caesarean.
While I was in the operating room Lloyd had to wait outside until they were ready, I am so happy that he was able to be there to support me and be by my side. The doctors were in and doing their job and all of a sudden we hear a “Whoa”, all the nurses and doctors were in a sense shocked at what they saw…
Short panic on my end in my mind – is my baby ok?!?! But next thing I know I hear “its a girl!” come from over the curtain and a small wince from babes. Everything was ok! The whoa was because the umbilical cord was in a true knot and the doctor showed us from over the curtain. Wow! This what was causing the babies vitals to drop every time I had a contraction, and I was so thankful for the steps that the doctor took to take care of me and most importantly my beautiful baby girl!
The doctors were doing a quick clean up of the baby and testing her Apgar Score and they called Lloyd over to see her and to take pictures. He brought her over to me and all I could say to myself was oh my God she’s a mini-me and absolutely perfect!
It was official, we were parents of a perfect and healthy baby girl – 6lbs 11oz 20 inches long. I didn’t even think about myself and the upcoming recovery, all I could think about was my new family, the overwhelming feeling for becoming a mother for the first time. Welcome baby Sachiko (her names means happy child in Japanese and she was named after her great-grandma).
I was so grateful for the actions that my doctor took to make sure that both me and my baby were healthy, and of course to my loving husband for never leaving my side and being the man that I fell in love with. I can’t forget my little munchie boo; am so grateful to have her in my life and from that point on ward I couldn’t imagine my life any differently! She is the perfect addition to our family and am excited to watch her grow!
This is one job that is the hardest job I have ever had but it is absolutely the most rewarding job that I will never want to give up. My life is that much more complete with her here!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Week 39
The doctor’s appointment went well and he said that the baby’s head was low and she was engaged for her birth day!
This week was probably the worst for me. I fell sick, and felt like the flu had taken over, really was the last thing I needed but what can you do. The weird thing about me getting sick this time was that I was achy all over BUT the achiness and a few other cold symptoms would only show up late at night. The doctor said that it was ok for me to take Tylenol cold to help with the symptoms. One thing he didn’t tell me was that it could be a sign of early labour!!!!
This is the reason I love the Internet and search engines like Google! So I Google’d being sick in my last week and sure enough I found that it very well could be a sign of early labour. A lot of women got “sick” a week before their baby was born and ALL the symptoms disappeared right after birth but I still treated it like a cold just in case.
One week later, I went shopping with my hubby to one of the local malls and felt a drop! The baby shifted again and the even more pressure was torture. We left the mall around seven (7) P.M. and while in the car I had the feeling of a bad menstrual cramp. A part of me knew I was starting to go into labour but I think I was in denial. The next one started an hour later, and it was more intense now and right after the pain stopped my body was shivering uncontrollably. This was it, the time all pregnant women look forward to – the end was near! I took a nice hot shower and just rested until my contractions got close enough apart to start making my way to the hospital.
This week was probably the worst for me. I fell sick, and felt like the flu had taken over, really was the last thing I needed but what can you do. The weird thing about me getting sick this time was that I was achy all over BUT the achiness and a few other cold symptoms would only show up late at night. The doctor said that it was ok for me to take Tylenol cold to help with the symptoms. One thing he didn’t tell me was that it could be a sign of early labour!!!!
This is the reason I love the Internet and search engines like Google! So I Google’d being sick in my last week and sure enough I found that it very well could be a sign of early labour. A lot of women got “sick” a week before their baby was born and ALL the symptoms disappeared right after birth but I still treated it like a cold just in case.
One week later, I went shopping with my hubby to one of the local malls and felt a drop! The baby shifted again and the even more pressure was torture. We left the mall around seven (7) P.M. and while in the car I had the feeling of a bad menstrual cramp. A part of me knew I was starting to go into labour but I think I was in denial. The next one started an hour later, and it was more intense now and right after the pain stopped my body was shivering uncontrollably. This was it, the time all pregnant women look forward to – the end was near! I took a nice hot shower and just rested until my contractions got close enough apart to start making my way to the hospital.
The final Trimester… finally!
By week 32 I had gained so far a total of 23 lbs but it felt like closer to 50… walking was getting hard; was slowing down and waddling was more apparent. But the baby and I were doing great, she was active with a strong heartbeat.
My second ultrasound was scheduled for week 32, was excited to see my little munchie again. When the time came for me to see her on the monitor, the technician was pointing things out, she showed me the baby’s head and said “wow, this one has a FULL head of hair!” maybe what was causing all my heartburn according to the pregnancy myths. The technician tried to show me her face but like my first ultrasound she was being shy, instead of not wanting to turn around to show herself off she was covering her face with her hands.
The third trimester, for me, was a full filling one. My nesting had started, all I wanted to do was cook or bake and get a move on with the baby’s room, also had the urge to constantly organize the baby’s things. The cooking and baking wasn’t the usually “ok time to cook or bake something” it was like an urge to get it down. Would bake later in the evening instead of early in the day, and would sometimes get those urges to cook or bake around one (1) A.M. The urge to cook or bake wasn’t even because I was hungry! Its a phenomenon that woman go through in preparation for the baby and it will affect everyone differently. My cousin was doing cook ahead meals that she could freeze or would have the urge to clean the cupboards from top to bottom!
My nesting period even consisted of me getting my hubby to help me finish setting up the baby’s room with the furniture. I also did home art for her room to add a homemade touch to her nursery, would stay up late trying to get them down and would have to force myself to take breaks or quit for the night to rest.
Shopping trips were cut short because I would tire out so easily and my back would be aching. Getting comfortable, especially in my last month, seemed to be near impossible a lot of times but had to make due with what I could. Was so thankful to have such a wonderful husband around to give me a back rub and put up with my constant movements at night to get comfortable. Don’t know what I would’ve done without his support and help, I am forever grateful to him.
The time came for the baby to make a drop… WOW!!!! the change in pressure on my pelvis and especially my bladder was indescribable. Constant runs to the bathroom, which irritated me the most at night, would wake me up 2 – 4 times some nights and was painful to get up from bed. Sometimes had to walk hunched over to take off a little bit of that pressure. I think the only good thing in my mind was that I would deal with the pressure because it meant that babes was on her way. The first drop I noticed happened around the last month, so one (1) month of “suffering” was happy I was just able to deal with it!
My second ultrasound was scheduled for week 32, was excited to see my little munchie again. When the time came for me to see her on the monitor, the technician was pointing things out, she showed me the baby’s head and said “wow, this one has a FULL head of hair!” maybe what was causing all my heartburn according to the pregnancy myths. The technician tried to show me her face but like my first ultrasound she was being shy, instead of not wanting to turn around to show herself off she was covering her face with her hands.
The third trimester, for me, was a full filling one. My nesting had started, all I wanted to do was cook or bake and get a move on with the baby’s room, also had the urge to constantly organize the baby’s things. The cooking and baking wasn’t the usually “ok time to cook or bake something” it was like an urge to get it down. Would bake later in the evening instead of early in the day, and would sometimes get those urges to cook or bake around one (1) A.M. The urge to cook or bake wasn’t even because I was hungry! Its a phenomenon that woman go through in preparation for the baby and it will affect everyone differently. My cousin was doing cook ahead meals that she could freeze or would have the urge to clean the cupboards from top to bottom!
My nesting period even consisted of me getting my hubby to help me finish setting up the baby’s room with the furniture. I also did home art for her room to add a homemade touch to her nursery, would stay up late trying to get them down and would have to force myself to take breaks or quit for the night to rest.
Shopping trips were cut short because I would tire out so easily and my back would be aching. Getting comfortable, especially in my last month, seemed to be near impossible a lot of times but had to make due with what I could. Was so thankful to have such a wonderful husband around to give me a back rub and put up with my constant movements at night to get comfortable. Don’t know what I would’ve done without his support and help, I am forever grateful to him.
The time came for the baby to make a drop… WOW!!!! the change in pressure on my pelvis and especially my bladder was indescribable. Constant runs to the bathroom, which irritated me the most at night, would wake me up 2 – 4 times some nights and was painful to get up from bed. Sometimes had to walk hunched over to take off a little bit of that pressure. I think the only good thing in my mind was that I would deal with the pressure because it meant that babes was on her way. The first drop I noticed happened around the last month, so one (1) month of “suffering” was happy I was just able to deal with it!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Becoming less Surreal
At around 20 weeks, my belly was definitely looking like I was pregnant and I was starting to feel it too. My back was becoming more achy with the weight gain, which by this time I gained probably around five (5) to 10 pounds. The baby started kicking more often and always when I first woke up and, of course, every time i tried to lie down and rest.
By the time the second trimester started, I had a lot more energy every day. Lloyd and I ended up going to one of the near-by lakes for a day trip, great way to get out of the city. We got in some walking but even though I did have more energy I still tired out very quickly. Carrying around the extra weight that was non-existent before made everyday walking harder. So normal full day trips would be cut in half, or I would find somewhere to sit down to rest while. If I didn’t force myself to rest, there’s no way I would’ve been able to carry-on in the days.
Next trip we did was to the mountains for the weekend. I was so happy again to be getting out of the city and for a small vacation. Even though it wasn’t the tropics and didn’t include SCUBA diving, I was still happy to be going and with no one else but my wonderful husband Lloyd.
If you haven’t noticed… this is the BEST time for traveling! The first and third trimester your energy is depleted and all you want to do is sleep, never mind that in your last trimester your waddling everywhere you go and constantly running to the bathroom because of the added pressure. BUT this will all have to wait for one of my upcoming posts. Back to traveling… the second trimester is, hands down, the best time to accomplish your travels and other such things that will require energy.
The pregnancy symptoms that became more apparent this trimester was a little bit of heartburn and my joints got a bit swollen but only when it was excessively hot.
For heartburn – the doctors always recommend something like TUMS. TUMS taste awful though, but they do work most of the time and you get some supplemented calcium from each tablet. I did later on find the best thing that worked for me was bananas and a BIG glass of nice cold milk! Believe it not they both did work and added bonus with one of your fruits for the day and one of your many glasses of needed milk. Eventually my heartburn got to the point that only milk or banana would help. The TUMS would help but only for like five (5) or 10 minutes, this was why I just stuck to the milk or banana.
As for my joints swelling, there wasn’t much you could do. Elevate your feet, stay off of them as much as possible, don’t stand for too long, take in lots of water, and try to keep cool if possible. In the day time, what worked best for me was always wearing a pair of sandals or shoes, seemed to help with some of the pressure anyways. I had to wear footwear inside or out, so I, of course, did what most women like to do, went shopping for an indoor pair of comfy sandals that would also accommodate for the swelling. Of course there was going to be more swelling, you haven’t had the baby yet!
By the time the second trimester started, I had a lot more energy every day. Lloyd and I ended up going to one of the near-by lakes for a day trip, great way to get out of the city. We got in some walking but even though I did have more energy I still tired out very quickly. Carrying around the extra weight that was non-existent before made everyday walking harder. So normal full day trips would be cut in half, or I would find somewhere to sit down to rest while. If I didn’t force myself to rest, there’s no way I would’ve been able to carry-on in the days.
Next trip we did was to the mountains for the weekend. I was so happy again to be getting out of the city and for a small vacation. Even though it wasn’t the tropics and didn’t include SCUBA diving, I was still happy to be going and with no one else but my wonderful husband Lloyd.
If you haven’t noticed… this is the BEST time for traveling! The first and third trimester your energy is depleted and all you want to do is sleep, never mind that in your last trimester your waddling everywhere you go and constantly running to the bathroom because of the added pressure. BUT this will all have to wait for one of my upcoming posts. Back to traveling… the second trimester is, hands down, the best time to accomplish your travels and other such things that will require energy.
The pregnancy symptoms that became more apparent this trimester was a little bit of heartburn and my joints got a bit swollen but only when it was excessively hot.
For heartburn – the doctors always recommend something like TUMS. TUMS taste awful though, but they do work most of the time and you get some supplemented calcium from each tablet. I did later on find the best thing that worked for me was bananas and a BIG glass of nice cold milk! Believe it not they both did work and added bonus with one of your fruits for the day and one of your many glasses of needed milk. Eventually my heartburn got to the point that only milk or banana would help. The TUMS would help but only for like five (5) or 10 minutes, this was why I just stuck to the milk or banana.
As for my joints swelling, there wasn’t much you could do. Elevate your feet, stay off of them as much as possible, don’t stand for too long, take in lots of water, and try to keep cool if possible. In the day time, what worked best for me was always wearing a pair of sandals or shoes, seemed to help with some of the pressure anyways. I had to wear footwear inside or out, so I, of course, did what most women like to do, went shopping for an indoor pair of comfy sandals that would also accommodate for the swelling. Of course there was going to be more swelling, you haven’t had the baby yet!
Budget & Shop Around
I did start to gather things for the baby in the middle of my second trimester. At least started shopping around and I guess it doesn’t matter when you go out to buy these items, in terms of what trimester is best, because you should always have someone there to help you – while your shopping, packing the car, unloading when you get home ETC. I also found a lot of great deals online – if you do your research and are patient enough to look around you will find some great deals and even get some opinions to help make a better decision.
I’m happy I started looking around as early as I did; I knew babies needed a lot of things but I really didn’t know or realize it was that much. Some people will say you need this and that, but most of the time you don’t. Just one thing that I kept in mind is that the baby doesn’t need the fancy stuff (best mind set especially if your on a budget).
Another great way to watch your budget is put the things you want and need in your baby registry! Get things as gifts and what you don’t get shop around for the best deals. Toys – this seems to be a word that gets some parents all worked up. Babies don’t need a lot of anything to keep them occupied, in the beginning stages they would rather stare at a light than play with the most expensive toy, gadget or gizmo out there, so keep it simple. Things that will help with hand-eye coordination, or tummy time, but these things aren’t needed until they know the toy is there; these are all great items for your baby registry.
Clothes – don’t buy, well if you do buy sparingly. You will get gifts; your friend found the cutest outfit or must have suit. Another thing that came my way were hand-me downs! Wow! did I get a lot of them, at least a dozen garbage bags full of clothes! I was able to pick and choose what I wanted and didn’t want, what I didn’t I donated. I now have more than enough clothes to dress my child until she is probably five (5) or so!
Putting yourself on a budget is a great way to keep things inexpensive and than you don’t go over-buying and than never using more than half of what you bought. They say on average couples will spend anywhere from $10 – 20,000 in the first year of their child’s life; its easy to fall into that statistic. I was very careful not to, there are more important things in life than just things. I’m not saying don’t spend the money, my baby is worth every penny I spend on her and she’s worth more but my love for her is more valuable to her than things. I would rather save that money we didn’t spend for a rainy day for her or even for her future – college isn’t cheap you know.
I’m happy I started looking around as early as I did; I knew babies needed a lot of things but I really didn’t know or realize it was that much. Some people will say you need this and that, but most of the time you don’t. Just one thing that I kept in mind is that the baby doesn’t need the fancy stuff (best mind set especially if your on a budget).
Another great way to watch your budget is put the things you want and need in your baby registry! Get things as gifts and what you don’t get shop around for the best deals. Toys – this seems to be a word that gets some parents all worked up. Babies don’t need a lot of anything to keep them occupied, in the beginning stages they would rather stare at a light than play with the most expensive toy, gadget or gizmo out there, so keep it simple. Things that will help with hand-eye coordination, or tummy time, but these things aren’t needed until they know the toy is there; these are all great items for your baby registry.
Clothes – don’t buy, well if you do buy sparingly. You will get gifts; your friend found the cutest outfit or must have suit. Another thing that came my way were hand-me downs! Wow! did I get a lot of them, at least a dozen garbage bags full of clothes! I was able to pick and choose what I wanted and didn’t want, what I didn’t I donated. I now have more than enough clothes to dress my child until she is probably five (5) or so!
Putting yourself on a budget is a great way to keep things inexpensive and than you don’t go over-buying and than never using more than half of what you bought. They say on average couples will spend anywhere from $10 – 20,000 in the first year of their child’s life; its easy to fall into that statistic. I was very careful not to, there are more important things in life than just things. I’m not saying don’t spend the money, my baby is worth every penny I spend on her and she’s worth more but my love for her is more valuable to her than things. I would rather save that money we didn’t spend for a rainy day for her or even for her future – college isn’t cheap you know.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Second Trimester begins
Once my second trimester began, I started noticing big differences like I had more energy and didn’t feel the need to nap as often or at all. Another difference was that I had more trouble sleeping at night, my guess would be because I did have more energy.
Unfortunately, I had more energy all the time, night or day, when I wanted to rest like at bed time it felt like I just finished drinking a pot of extra strong coffee. The good side to having more energy meant I could get more down and Lloyd and I could actually get out and do things, things that normal couples do like dinner and a movie!
At about 16 weeks, I noticed that my belly started to show and by 18 weeks I gave up on regular pants and picked up my first pieces to my maternity wardrobe. Although, I was thankful for sweat pants and because my second trimester was in the spring & summer, I loved my cotton stretchy shorts. The were “old” comfortable beach shorts or my workout shorts, they were perfect.
June couldn’t have come any sooner, 18 weeks and it was time for my first ultrasound! We were so excited to see our little munchie boo for the first time. The only part of the ultrasound that I was not looking forward to, was going to my appointment with a full bladder. Asking someone to drink 2 Litres of water about an hour prior to the appointment, asking a pregnant woman is asking her to torture herself. I would’ve had a full bladder by drinking an ounce of water an hour prior. Now remember I was only 18 weeks along… imagine when you reach the 32 week mark and are told to go for another ultrasound.
Well the end of the ultrasound came and the technician went to get Lloyd to show us our baby. Seeing what we could see was looking at a miracle in the making. We are so blessed to have such a healthy baby, and she looked just perfect. That day was also the day we found out that baby is a girl!
We later decided on our daughters name, Sachiko, means “Happy Child” in Japanese. She’s named after her great-grandmother, who couldn’t be more honoured.
Also, during my 18th week I started feeling these weird gas bubbles or fluttering. Than I thought nothing of it, but later discovered that it was my precious munchie boo starting to make her movements more clear to me. By the time 22 weeks came around the fluttering/gas bubbles were definite kicks. What an incredible feeling.
Unfortunately, I had more energy all the time, night or day, when I wanted to rest like at bed time it felt like I just finished drinking a pot of extra strong coffee. The good side to having more energy meant I could get more down and Lloyd and I could actually get out and do things, things that normal couples do like dinner and a movie!
At about 16 weeks, I noticed that my belly started to show and by 18 weeks I gave up on regular pants and picked up my first pieces to my maternity wardrobe. Although, I was thankful for sweat pants and because my second trimester was in the spring & summer, I loved my cotton stretchy shorts. The were “old” comfortable beach shorts or my workout shorts, they were perfect.
June couldn’t have come any sooner, 18 weeks and it was time for my first ultrasound! We were so excited to see our little munchie boo for the first time. The only part of the ultrasound that I was not looking forward to, was going to my appointment with a full bladder. Asking someone to drink 2 Litres of water about an hour prior to the appointment, asking a pregnant woman is asking her to torture herself. I would’ve had a full bladder by drinking an ounce of water an hour prior. Now remember I was only 18 weeks along… imagine when you reach the 32 week mark and are told to go for another ultrasound.
Well the end of the ultrasound came and the technician went to get Lloyd to show us our baby. Seeing what we could see was looking at a miracle in the making. We are so blessed to have such a healthy baby, and she looked just perfect. That day was also the day we found out that baby is a girl!
We later decided on our daughters name, Sachiko, means “Happy Child” in Japanese. She’s named after her great-grandmother, who couldn’t be more honoured.
Also, during my 18th week I started feeling these weird gas bubbles or fluttering. Than I thought nothing of it, but later discovered that it was my precious munchie boo starting to make her movements more clear to me. By the time 22 weeks came around the fluttering/gas bubbles were definite kicks. What an incredible feeling.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Books! Reading is an empowering form of information…
Even though our bodies are meant to go thru with pregnancy and labour we have no idea what to expect. The added information for anything and everything is available for reading. I love books! They help a lot, or they can.
Even though I was not worried about what was going on and was taking everything day-by-day, I was still curious. I wanted to know what stages my baby was at, what it possibly looked like, what was developing at that stage of my pregnancy. So I, of course, started searching for readings and websites that would help as a guide. I even found a few things for when after the baby was born, I had some time on my hands while I waited for my bun in the oven to be ready so why not pick up some reading!
Now I’m not trying to sell these nor am I saying you have to read the following. But for me they worked as a great tool for me for information and it even helped the hubby out so he knew what was going on. Some men will say they’re not interested but most of them really are!
Anyways, this list was some of my favourites. Of course, not ALL the information will be relevant to everyone but they’re full of information, ideas, and suggestions. I looked at it like, some will be very helpful and others won’t be; take some and leave some is what me and my cousin would always say!
Books and DVD's
-What to expect when expecting
-Secrets of the baby whisperer
This was more for when baby comes… and like I said before, take some and leave some. This book is not for everyone but there are some good ideas and suggestions!
-Girlfriends guide to pregnancy
-Dunstan Baby Language (DVD)
-Healthy Beginnings
-Kids that click (DVD)
HAPPY READING!
Even though I was not worried about what was going on and was taking everything day-by-day, I was still curious. I wanted to know what stages my baby was at, what it possibly looked like, what was developing at that stage of my pregnancy. So I, of course, started searching for readings and websites that would help as a guide. I even found a few things for when after the baby was born, I had some time on my hands while I waited for my bun in the oven to be ready so why not pick up some reading!
Now I’m not trying to sell these nor am I saying you have to read the following. But for me they worked as a great tool for me for information and it even helped the hubby out so he knew what was going on. Some men will say they’re not interested but most of them really are!
Anyways, this list was some of my favourites. Of course, not ALL the information will be relevant to everyone but they’re full of information, ideas, and suggestions. I looked at it like, some will be very helpful and others won’t be; take some and leave some is what me and my cousin would always say!
Books and DVD's
-What to expect when expecting
this was a good read for what was going on weekly, they also have a website that you can get weekly emails from!
-Secrets of the baby whisperer
This was more for when baby comes… and like I said before, take some and leave some. This book is not for everyone but there are some good ideas and suggestions!
-Girlfriends guide to pregnancy
I loved this book! Unfortunately, I don’t think that it is available for sale anymore, but can be found in the rare sections of book websites. This book did not candy coat anything, it literally is the Girlfriends guide and the author talks like there’s nothing to hide… Well seriously, after childbirth what is!?!
-Dunstan Baby Language (DVD)
This DVD was good, and helped with of the cries for us, but my daughter always went into her second stages cries immediately that we found it tough to hear what she was asking for. At the rare times that she didn’t, the information from the DVD was excellent.
-Healthy Beginnings
This book was similar to the What to expect book, but the main difference is this book is Canadian, written by Canadian doctors. I did get this book when I went to my prenatal classes, was a part of the fee, so don’t pay for it at the book store or doctors office if you plan to do prenatal classes and of course if you are Canadian!
-Kids that click (DVD)
Again this was something that we got with our prenatal classes and is great information on how to install and use your car seat properly and effectively.Ok, so for literature this was pretty much if for now… there are PLENTY of websites available for you to choose from that are equally just as good and I’m sure the same for books. This is just what I went by and used. Will continue to update if and when I choose to pick up some more reading! You really can’t go wrong with books, just look around and always remember the information that is given – take some and leave some! What didn’t work for me may work for you and vice versa!
HAPPY READING!
Dealing with the First Trimester
Ok so not only was this my first trimester but my first pregnancy. So like most, if not all, women I had no clue what to expect or anything of sorts. Thankfully, my cousin was expecting her second baby and gave me tons of information. Mainly, some good books to look into but she was a great support for me, was like the older sister I never had. Full of insight from her first child and also that she was about four months ahead of me, she helped and guided me along the way. Too bad we lived so far apart and discovered Skype a little too late.
My first trimester felt like a breeze. Maybe because I was expecting what you see in the movies. The movies is just theatrics so of course they’re going to make things look rough and out of sorts. All it seemed like every woman on television or in the movies went through the same thing. Well to my discovery, not all women are the same and every pregnancy is different. Even Lloyd would ask me, aren’t you supposed to be having morning sickness? In other words, are you faking. I’m just kidding, but to a pregnant woman it sure can feel like that’s what your oh so wonderful husband is thinking. I was very thankful, no “morning sickness”. The only time I didn’t feel so good was if I didn’t eat regularly or ate junk food. Being pregnant for me was probably the best “diet” I have ever been on, but this is just speaking from my personal experience and, of course, DO NOT DIET WHILE YOU ARE PREGNANT!!!!
I say diet for myself because it was my body’s natural way of telling me what to eat. I craved lots of veggies and fruits, especially the juicy ones like oranges. If I ate junk food it made me SUPER bloated and lethargic, so was best to just not eat it. Also, my stomached filled faster so even though I was eating less at each meal I was still eating more often, was probably feeling hungry every two (2) hours. I actually started to get tired of eating but I knew I had to because it was not only my body I need to replenish but my body was also in charge of supplying nutrients to my baby so she would grow to be that healthy baby that every parent prays for.
Overall, the first trimester was full of hunger and tiredness. I never felt like sleeping so much in my life, would be awake long enough to eat, shower and get a little cleaning and/or chores done but it would tire me out so quickly I would be in dire need of a good nap. I would get in a full nights sleep eight (8) or so hours a night and would also have to nap at least twice a day. I had no energy in reserve for much.
Another thing I noticed was some things that I used to hate, like the smell of lavender, I now love and still do. Must be something with the changes in our hormones. Prior to being pregnant, I couldn’t stand the smell of lavender and once I was pregnant that’s all I wanted was lavender this and that!
I also ended up taking a nice three (3) week vacation with my family to Belize. The weather was great and the heat did not bother me one bit. My aunt and mom were wondering how I was even able to handle the heat. What i couldn’t handle was the Air Conditioning… if you can believe that or not. Unfortunately, because I was in my first trimester I was so tired and, like I mentioned earlier, all I wanted to do was nap all the time. So whenever I could I would get in some shut eye, but while still trying to enjoy the vacation.
Once I returned to Canada, I was to schedule my first prenatal visit with my family doctor and he would be referring me to the OB-GYN for all my future visits. My doctor used the Doppler so Lloyd and I could have a listen to the baby’s heartbeat for the first time! It was so amazing to hear, I just couldn’t get over the fact that there was a little person in the making in there. We were 12 weeks down with about 28 more weeks to go!
Already started on my prenatal pills, was definitely thankful for the vitamins, and was drinking plenty of milk.
Funny thing about milk, I used to hate it and would never drink it. My only source of calcium before was yogurt and other such sources. Now I’m into my post-partum and I still continue to drink milk, I’ve learned to love it like I used to as a child! One reason why I made sure to get in my extra calcium with milk or yogurt, at least those three (3) glasses they recommend, was I remembering hearing about my grandmother near the time when she past away. She had fallen and broke her ankle so at the age of nearing her 90’s she was to have surgery to try to repair it. The Doctor, unfortunately, could not repair her ankle because the bone was like sponge, too soft to be able to do anything with. Her bones had depleted because of loss of calcium, babies in utero will take the calcium from the mother’s sources like the bones if the extra calcium is not supplied with her diet. Not wanting to use that as a scare tactic but it was a good reminder for me throughout my pregnancy of how important my milk was and will always be.
My first trimester felt like a breeze. Maybe because I was expecting what you see in the movies. The movies is just theatrics so of course they’re going to make things look rough and out of sorts. All it seemed like every woman on television or in the movies went through the same thing. Well to my discovery, not all women are the same and every pregnancy is different. Even Lloyd would ask me, aren’t you supposed to be having morning sickness? In other words, are you faking. I’m just kidding, but to a pregnant woman it sure can feel like that’s what your oh so wonderful husband is thinking. I was very thankful, no “morning sickness”. The only time I didn’t feel so good was if I didn’t eat regularly or ate junk food. Being pregnant for me was probably the best “diet” I have ever been on, but this is just speaking from my personal experience and, of course, DO NOT DIET WHILE YOU ARE PREGNANT!!!!
I say diet for myself because it was my body’s natural way of telling me what to eat. I craved lots of veggies and fruits, especially the juicy ones like oranges. If I ate junk food it made me SUPER bloated and lethargic, so was best to just not eat it. Also, my stomached filled faster so even though I was eating less at each meal I was still eating more often, was probably feeling hungry every two (2) hours. I actually started to get tired of eating but I knew I had to because it was not only my body I need to replenish but my body was also in charge of supplying nutrients to my baby so she would grow to be that healthy baby that every parent prays for.
Overall, the first trimester was full of hunger and tiredness. I never felt like sleeping so much in my life, would be awake long enough to eat, shower and get a little cleaning and/or chores done but it would tire me out so quickly I would be in dire need of a good nap. I would get in a full nights sleep eight (8) or so hours a night and would also have to nap at least twice a day. I had no energy in reserve for much.
Another thing I noticed was some things that I used to hate, like the smell of lavender, I now love and still do. Must be something with the changes in our hormones. Prior to being pregnant, I couldn’t stand the smell of lavender and once I was pregnant that’s all I wanted was lavender this and that!
I also ended up taking a nice three (3) week vacation with my family to Belize. The weather was great and the heat did not bother me one bit. My aunt and mom were wondering how I was even able to handle the heat. What i couldn’t handle was the Air Conditioning… if you can believe that or not. Unfortunately, because I was in my first trimester I was so tired and, like I mentioned earlier, all I wanted to do was nap all the time. So whenever I could I would get in some shut eye, but while still trying to enjoy the vacation.
Once I returned to Canada, I was to schedule my first prenatal visit with my family doctor and he would be referring me to the OB-GYN for all my future visits. My doctor used the Doppler so Lloyd and I could have a listen to the baby’s heartbeat for the first time! It was so amazing to hear, I just couldn’t get over the fact that there was a little person in the making in there. We were 12 weeks down with about 28 more weeks to go!
Already started on my prenatal pills, was definitely thankful for the vitamins, and was drinking plenty of milk.
Funny thing about milk, I used to hate it and would never drink it. My only source of calcium before was yogurt and other such sources. Now I’m into my post-partum and I still continue to drink milk, I’ve learned to love it like I used to as a child! One reason why I made sure to get in my extra calcium with milk or yogurt, at least those three (3) glasses they recommend, was I remembering hearing about my grandmother near the time when she past away. She had fallen and broke her ankle so at the age of nearing her 90’s she was to have surgery to try to repair it. The Doctor, unfortunately, could not repair her ankle because the bone was like sponge, too soft to be able to do anything with. Her bones had depleted because of loss of calcium, babies in utero will take the calcium from the mother’s sources like the bones if the extra calcium is not supplied with her diet. Not wanting to use that as a scare tactic but it was a good reminder for me throughout my pregnancy of how important my milk was and will always be.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Changes in Life
Well the changes in my life from my apparent “gypsy” lifestyle, as my best friend would say, has changed drastically. Meeting people in your life can be one of those life altering scenarios for better or for worse. Well meeting my wonderful fiancé Lloyd was life altering!
Lloyd is one of those people whom I was able to relate to. We’ve been through lots in our lives; many life lessons, met many people who all had something to teach us, and just overall life experience. He became such a big part of my life and allowed me to explore my own life with the help of some incite from him. All he did was talked to me and allowed me to talk back, this in turn I was able to reflect on my life.
One major life altering change that has happened in my life is that in March 2009 Lloyd and I discovered that we were expecting a baby! At first I was scared, but I had so much support around me, especially from Lloyd, that all my worries disappeared. As soon as I could I went to doctors to get a due date and get all my prenatal started, the doctor confirmed my due for November 1, 2009 – was due for a Scorpio baby!
Next thing, telling my parents, YIKES! Made dinner for mom and dad, nice Caribbean stewed chicken a dish that always goes over well with my family. I don’t know why I was dreading telling my parents, maybe because we were not married? Either way, there should have been nothing to fear. My parents are very supportive people and after the initial shock they were excited about becoming first time grandparents!
Lloyd is one of those people whom I was able to relate to. We’ve been through lots in our lives; many life lessons, met many people who all had something to teach us, and just overall life experience. He became such a big part of my life and allowed me to explore my own life with the help of some incite from him. All he did was talked to me and allowed me to talk back, this in turn I was able to reflect on my life.
One major life altering change that has happened in my life is that in March 2009 Lloyd and I discovered that we were expecting a baby! At first I was scared, but I had so much support around me, especially from Lloyd, that all my worries disappeared. As soon as I could I went to doctors to get a due date and get all my prenatal started, the doctor confirmed my due for November 1, 2009 – was due for a Scorpio baby!
Next thing, telling my parents, YIKES! Made dinner for mom and dad, nice Caribbean stewed chicken a dish that always goes over well with my family. I don’t know why I was dreading telling my parents, maybe because we were not married? Either way, there should have been nothing to fear. My parents are very supportive people and after the initial shock they were excited about becoming first time grandparents!
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