Pregnancy & Baby

What Goes In Your Hospital Bag The Third Time Around?

February 23, 2018 By Diedre 2 Comments

This post was sponsored by NursElet, but all opinions are my own.

Just four years ago, I was in the hospital having my 2nd daughter. She was supposed to be born on a Monday, but came on her own on a Friday. Thankfully I had time to swing by my house to get my hospital bag, but this time my hospital bag will be traveling in the truck with me.

My girls are only 2.5 years apart, so I knew exactly what to do to prepare.

Four years doesn’t sound like an incredibly long period of time, but when you are talking about babies, it can feel like the stone age. My kids are both school age and potty trained and can do a significant amount of tasks on their own.

They actually can play together long enough without fighting (most days) so that I can nap.

Now that baby #3 is on the way, I’ve felt a little nervous about adding a baby to the mix–and a boy!

My mom tells me it’s just like getting back on a bike, but there’s so much to remember, like what to put in my hospital bag.

I have most of the basics, but believe it or not, I had to check out a few checklists to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. I’m pretty type A, so I packed my hospital bag a few months ago, but I’m putting the finishing touches on it to make sure I haven’t missed anything.

This time around my house is 2 minutes away from the hospital, but who wants to be inconvenienced when you’re already there? I’m also having a c-section, so I want to be sure I include all the essentials to keep me comfortable.

Hospital bag essentials for me:

Nursing pillow: This is the first time that I’m bringing a nursing pillow to the hospital. When babies are little, they often nurse for long periods of time. It’s so much easier to have a pillow to prop your arm up against, especially in those first few days after birth when you are already worn out.

Pjs: Having pjs that are nursing friendly is extremely important.

Nursing bras/tops: If I don’t feel up to putting on pjs after the surgery, I can just slip a robe over my nursing bra/top & voila! Instant comfort + nursing accessibility!

Slipper Socks: After a c-section, it’s mandatory that you walk around, so slipper socks keep my feet warm (and clean) while I’m walking up and down the hospital halls.

Toiletries: (toothbrush/toothpaste, soap, mouthwash, scarf for my hair): Call me picky, but my husband and I are particular about what products we use on our skin. I’ll have my own handmade soap on hand and all the beauty products I need to feel clean and refreshed after delivery.

Snacks: To me, hospital food is definitely no where near home cooked food. My family will be popping in and out and I’m sure they’ll bring me things to eat, but while I’m waiting, I decided to pack a few of my own favorite snacks this go round.

Diffuser/oils: Why am I putting oils in my hospital bag? Well, I’m the mom that says, “There’s an oil for that.” I’ve been reading the Gentle Baby book and brushing up on the best oils for postpartum and baby. I want to feel relaxed while I am recovering, so you better believe I’ll be diffusing oils in my room, starting with Lavendar, Gently Baby, Patchouli just to name a few. Want to learn more and start your own natural, oil journey? Click here.

NursElet: This little bracelet is a name changer. How many of you have ever nursed, took a nap, then forgot which side you nurse on last? I can’t tell you how many times that happened to me. Those moments of amenesia will now be a thing of the past thanks to NursElet. It also fastens your shirt up to instantly turn it into a hands-free nursing or pumping shirt, even if it wasn’t designed that way.

Hospital Bag Fun for the Kids:

A gift for my girls: To celebrate their transition into being big sisters, I am bringing a gift for each of them. This will help them feel significant in a moment that many kids need reassurance. I am the oldest of 4 kids, and I remember feeling left out after my first baby brother was born.

A dry erase board/markers: They will be in school during the day, but I’m sure they will want to spend a few hours in the hospital room with us. At 6 & 4, I am anticipating that their attention span will wane in the room. The excitement of a new baby brother will wear off, so I’m bringing an activity that will keep them busy (and hopefully out of trouble).

What would you add to the list??

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4 Rules Every Pregnant Woman Should Adopt ASAP

January 29, 2018 By Diedre 1 Comment

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended.

The first time I became pregnant, I read everything I could get my hands on. I had What to Expect When You’re Expecting on my nightstand and could barely wait for Baby Center to email me the update of what fruit or veggie my growing baby looked like.

Slowing down and taking care of your body is the best gift a pregnant woman can give herself while you are carrying a new life.

I also pushed myself too hard. I tried to continue all of my regular task without letting pregnancy “hold me back.”

Now I see how foolish I was being. Slowing down and taking care of your body is the best gift you can give yourself while you are carrying a new life.

I think the miscarriage I had last January aided in my ephiphany. If I could go back to my previous pregnancies, here is some advice I would’ve given myself:

It’s Okay to Rest

I know. I’m guilty of not resting. My husband jokes that I nest my entire pregnancy. He’s partially right. I’m very type A and I want things done in a timely manner (basically when I want it done).

I have a hard time waiting on my hubby to help. But honestly, you are growing a tiny human. There are times that your body will force you to rest, even if you try to resist.

So take it from me, a third time mom, just rest.

Slowing down and taking care of your body is the best gift a pregnant woman can give herself while you are carrying a new life.

Do As Much As You Can In the 2nd Trimester

The first trimester is always rough for me. This pregnancy was truly the roughest because baby boy made me feel naseous…..alot. The things I normally love made me sick.

On top of feeling sick, I was also extremely tired. The first trimester sleepy (a phrase I made up entirely on my own) always hits me hard.

This summer, we sold our house and moved into another.

On top of that, I started a new job and found out I was pregnant.

Slowing down and taking care of your body is the best gift a pregnant woman can give herself while you are carrying a new life.

After getting over the first trimester ick, I started working on decluttering and fixing up the nursery. My family thought I was crazy since we still have so much time, but I know my body.

Now that I’m in the 3rd trimester, I’m experiencing back aches because baby boy sits so low. The sleepiness has also returned. I’m typically not out of bed before 10 AM on the weekends. My girls even ask me why I sleep so much. So take it from me–utilize your energy in the 2nd trimester.

Pair Those Extra Snacks With Exercise

This is my last pregnancy and I promised myself that I would stay in shape. While I’ve fallen off the fitness track a little, I try my best to stay active. I take my kids to the park, we run around the farm (which is a few acres), and I don’t always park in the closest space in the parking lot.

Unfortunately, the pregnancy weight doesn’t just magically fall off after having a baby.

My husband is a farmer, so my exercise comes from being on the farm with my family. Walking around collecting eggs or playing with the kids is great because most of the time I don’t realize how much I’ve been walking until I go home and sit down. Find something fun to get your blood pumping and your body moving!

Take Time to Reconnect With Your Husband

Adding a baby to the mix doesn’t exactly aid in the romance department. Postpartum life can be rough. Sleepless nights coupled with all the other stressors of adding a newborn to your household often puts your love life on the back burner. Take some time to go on dates with your love before the baby arrives.

Spend time nurturing each other and speaking each other’s love language.

My husband and I went on a babymoon for our anniversary. Being out of town away from the kids helped us remember why we feel in love. If it wasn’t for my lack of energy after walking around the town, I would’ve forgotten that I was pregnant. Having these sweet times together will sustain us through the transition of bringing home baby and “normalcy.”

Slowing down and taking care of your body is the best gift a pregnant woman can give herself while you are carrying a new life.

When you read books & articles about pregnancy, there are so many “rules” that moms should follow. I’ve found that the best rules for a pregnant women are the ones that keep them healthy, rested and happy.

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Why Every Couple Should Have a BabyMoon Before the Little One Arrives

January 10, 2018 By Diedre Leave a Comment

With baby #1, we went on our anniversary trip when our little one was six months old. I cried like a baby at night and can I be real for a minute?

My boobs were hard as rocks from not nursing in the evening. Our daytime events were fun, but night was rough. Taking a babymoon after the baby didn’t seem like such a good idea anymore.

With #2, our second little one was born the week of Thanksgiving, so I worked up until the day she was born. We just didn’t make time for a babymoon.

This time around, my hubby and I decided to take a trip before we are officially outnumbered.

Why is a babymoon important? Well I think that having a new baby is an exciting, yet challenging time in a couple’s life. It changes the dynamic of the relationship, and the entire household. You often forget how to attend to your own basic needs, and your partner sometimes suffers as you figure it all out–whether it is your first baby or third.

Here are a few reasons I think every couple can benefit from a babymoon before the little one arrives:

Reconnect

Life is stressful. Pregnancy can be taxing on your mind, body and emotions. Getting some alone time helps you remember when you fell in love in the first place.

If you already have children, having time alone is even more priceless because you know how difficult it can be to steal away time for the two of you.

Memories

With a new baby in tow, it may be difficult to get away again for awhile.

We are having baby #3, and we know that it will be difficult to leave all three with anyone–even our parents, so we are not taking this time for granted.

When days get stressful and we have to have an at home date night, we can always reminisce about our romantic babymoon getaway.

Scheduled Rest

If you are a hard worker (aka busy body) like me, it can be difficult to rest. Even when your body tells you that you’ve had enough, you can always think of other tasks to complete, and often feel guilty when you physically don’t have the energy to get them done.

Taking a babymoon with your spouse forces you to wind down.

If you can’t afford to take a babymoon, try to schedule a few dates alone with your spouse before baby arrives.

Taking some time to get dressed up will make you feel like yourself and not “just a mom.”

3 Ways to Rock Your Pregnancy (After a Miscarriage)

December 27, 2017 By Diedre Leave a Comment

*This post contains affiliate links. This means that I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you subscribe or purchase something through the links on this page.*

This is my last pregnancy, so I decided to go out with a bang.

I am determined to look good, feel good, and enjoy every single minute.

This seems like a fairly easy task, but after having a miscarriage, pregnancy is daunting. It can be tough to shake the fears and anxieties of your past experience while enjoying your current blessing.

Here are a few ways I’ve pushed forward and rocking my pregnancy:

Get Moving

There’s a myth that too much physical activity can be bad for a pregnant woman. That’s just not so! I wouldn’t recommend training for a marathon if you weren’t previously a runner, but a good bit of physical activity is great for you and the baby.

Keeping your body in shape will help you bounce back after the baby, and make your nine months easier.

If you can’t seem to find the energy to walk, run or do regular exercise, try doing a few stretches at home. I love that YouTube has so many workouts to choose from–even some designed specifically for you at all stages of your pregnancy!

Wear Cute & Comfortable Clothes

I get it. You don’t want to indulge in maternity clothes because they can be pricey.

I hear you girl.

The great thing about being pregnant now is that you have options! This is my last pregnancy, so I didn’t want to spend a ton of money on clothes I know I will never wear again. I invested in maternity leggings, a few pairs of maternity skinny pants, and the bulk of my tops and tunics came from Jane.com.

I love shopping there because I don’t have to sacrafice style for comfort. I just order a size up, check out reviews for fit, and my clothes are delivered straight to my doorstep! It doesn’t get easier than that.

Get Dressed and Get Out

On December 31st, my husband and I will celebrate 8 years of marriage. This year, we decided to take a babymoon. I am currently 6 months pregnant and due on April 1st.

After we have 3 kids, we know that our days of long weekends will be minimal, so we decided to have dinner and time out in Savannah, Georgia, my old stomping ground.

As we walked around downtown, I glanced over and saw a restaurant that we ate at last year. All of a sudden, the tears fell. I remembered that this time last year, I was enjoying the beginning stages of my pregnancy.

Even though I am pregnant now, it didn’t erase the pain of the lost baby. I instantly had the thought that I could never eat at that restaurant again because I didn’t want to relive those awful feelings. My hubby squeezed my hand a little tighter and reminded me how much we’ve grown since the miscarriage, and that we should enjoy the time we have together out on the town.

I was thankful for his reminder.

Mamas who have suffered a miscarriage, what did you do to bounce back and enjoy your next pregnancy?

Gestational Diabetes: How to Enjoy Pregnancy After The Diagnosis

December 13, 2017 By Diedre 9 Comments

*This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NatureMadePrenatalDHA #CollectiveBias*

Everyone told me that the orange stuff they give you to drink tastes like orange soda. To me it was more like a knock off of orange koolaid.

Drinking the stuff wasn’t bad. Fasting was the hard part. So many of my friends and colleagues brushed the test off like it was no big deal, so I thought I had no worries. Well, until the doctor’s office called me back because my glucose levels were off.

Whatever they told me in the office was a blur. They scheduled me for a meeting with a nutritionist and told me they wanted me to start checking my blood sugar.

Mind you, this was my first pregnancy. And I bet you can’t get what my cravings were? Sweet stuff!! Icecream, blueberry cake donuts, anything my pregnant fingers could get.

I was somewhat optimistic when I met with the nutritionist, but after she gave me her 30 minute spiel about gestational diabetes, what it looked like, and how to eat healthy, she asked what I thought and I immediately burst into tears. She asked me what was wrong, and I told her that everything she explained sounded like it was taking the fun out of my pregnancy.

Seriously, a pregnant woman is supposed to practice portion control and choose 1 meal to have heavy carbs??

Carbs are in everything…including milk?? I literally thought my world was ending.

Yes, I know this sounds dramatic, but trust me, pregnancy hormones were in full effect.

Fast forward 6 years, and I am pregnant with my 3rd child. I have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes in every pregnancy. This time around, I’m a veteran, and I know what to do. I now know to properly care for my body and enjoy my pregnancy!

If you’ve felt like gestational diabetes has been a death sentence, I have some tips to make it more tolerable:

Choose 1 Carb Heavy Meal

Did you know that even with gestational diabetes you can basically eat as much meat and veggies that you want?? All of a sudden my cravings changed from ice cream and donuts to hot wings and celery. And guess what? When I checked my sugar afterwards, it was right where my doctor wanted it.

I still enjoy my bread, I just choose 1 meal where I pig out on carbs, and lay low the rest of the day.

Drink Lots of Water

This is important all the time, but especially when you are pregnant. We are often prone to retaining water and can easily become dehydrated. This past week I’ve been sick with a nasty viral infection. I haven’t felt like eating or drinking much. When I went to the doctor, I got scolded for being dehydrating and losing 8 lbs.

I’ve always known how important drinking water is, but this week, it really hit home as I’ve been extremely sluggish without my extra H2O.

I’ve even enlisted the help of my family to help remind me to drink more. The little ones love reminding mommy.

Take Your Vitamins

I grew up taking vitamins and have always known how important they are, but I can’t say that I’ve always taken them religiously while pregnant. After my miscarriage, I don’t take ANYTHING for granted, and I’m following the pregnancy rules like this is my first time. I started taking prenatals right after the miscarriage.

Nature Made® Prenatal Multi + DHA vitamins are conveniently located at Sam’s Club just for you! Sometimes prenatal vitamins can be difficult to swallow, but the great thing about these vitamins is they are easy-to-swallow softgels!

They are also easier to digest if taken with food. They provides essential vitamins and minerals (before and during pregnancy) including Folic Acid, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Iodine, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin D3†. They also provide 200 mg DHA which may help support fetal brain and eye development†.

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

4 Ways Pregnancy Looks Different After a Miscarriage

September 18, 2017 By Diedre 5 Comments

Excitement

Euphoria

Gratefulness

Followed by……

Fear

Doubt

Anxiety

This what is feels like to be pregnant after a miscarriage.

I feel like a first time mom that needs to follow all “the rules.” As soon as I found out I was pregnant I wanted to shout from the mountain top, but then fear set in. My mind raced in a million directions.

What if it happens again? I just can’t take the fear and embarrassment.

9 months ago, I announced my pregnancy, and the next day at my checkup, I had a miscarriage. I thought that this time around, all the pregnancy euphoria would eliminate the past feelings, but I actually have to work harder to push those negative thoughts to the side. It definitely feels different than the first two healthy pregnancies–in more ways than one.

Every Week is a Milestone

Every week that goes by, I can breathe a little easier.

have two baby apps and am glued to them weekly. I’m dying to feel the baby kick so I can feel him/her move inside.

Now that I am 13 weeks pregnant, every week that goes by is a celebration!

Pregnancy Woes Let You Know You are Still Pregnant

Every day that is filled with heartburn, nausea, crazy dreams & feeling lethargic is a blessing. It lets me know that I’m still pregnant.

The things that I would normally complain about secretly make me smile.

Announcing Pregnancy Never Seems Like a Good Time

This was tough for me. I was scare to go to the doctor for the first time.

I was scared to tell people.

But the fourth time around, your body remembers what to do. It’s pretty difficult to keep a big secret like that for long. I finally decided to share my pregnancy at 10 weeks. I decided that the more people to cheer me along and encourage me would be best than silently dealing with anxiety and fear.

Joy is Sometimes Masked by Fear

In my last pregnancy, I found out the baby had no heartbeat at my 10 week appointment and that the baby was only measuring at 7 weeks.

Fast forward to this pregnancy.

When I went for my initial appointment, I was 8 weeks and 2 days. The ultrasound technician and doctor were more excited than I was. I held the ultrasound picture and cried in the secondary waiting room.

My husband asked what was wrong, and I couldn’t help but think that I was still in the high risk period. I struggled to enjoy my new blessing by looking back.

There is also fear about how people will look at me.

Honestly, I haven’t lost all the baby weight from the last pregnancy, so my baby bump isn’t cute. It’s lumpy. And the number I see on the scale now is scary. I worry about losing it all after this baby. And I wonder when my bump will look “normal”

Being pregnant doesn’t eliminate fear. Especially in the doctor’s office–the place I found out I had a miscarriage.

Honestly my faith is the one thing that has kept me grounded and focused on the positive.

And talking about my feelings with others who get it. Loss is a funny thing. If you haven’t been there, it can be difficult to empathize. I know it was difficult for me to understand the depth of a miscarriage loss before I had one. I hope that the more we talk about it, the more women can break those chains of shame, guilty & feeling alone.