Baby Wise: Our Survival Plan

We love the wisdom that is found in this book and know many other families who have followed the advice and been so thankful. On Becoming Babywise is sort of a "how-to" on feeding and facilitating sleep for your baby. It offers guidelines for scheduling naps and feedings, always with the notion that you have to be flexible with a newborn baby and constantly evaluate what his or her needs are. This is not a "feed the baby whenever he cries" philosophy. You wouldn't do that with your two-year-old, or yourself.

I can say we did this really well with Lucy, and we were a little more lenient with Adam, but it works, and we got sleep, and so did the kids. They both grew and ate well as infants.

In my experience, the people that criticize the book haven't actually read it.  It was recommended by several family members and friends, and Pete and I think its pretty logical. It contains a lot of good practical advice from baby's first day through over a year old. I will be referring to it quite a bit, once again, in just a handful of weeks. Nine more weeks til due date!

The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth: What It Is and Why We Chose It

{This post is in no way meant to look down on anyone who hasn't done birth this way or isn't planning to in the future. When all is said and done, a healthy and alive mama and baby is the goal. There's a lot of different information out there about childbirth and everyone is entitled to research and make her own decision about it.}

What is Natural Childbirth?
 Laboring and delivering your child without the use of any drugs and with little to no interventions. Basically, it's letting nature take its course and working with your body.

What is the Bradley Method?
Natural Childbirth with an emphasis on 1) Relaxing (or trying to) during labor through a variety of ways, 2) Having a coach (husband usually) to support you and coach you through the labor process, and also be an advocate for you in a hospital setting, and 3) Knowing whats coming, or education. Knowing what birth will be like and what the options are to relax or work with the pain during labor was so important to me in my last two births.

Knowing there would be pain, and that I would want to quit, was also very helpful. Its important for Pete to know that I will say to him at some point "I can't do this, I can't do this" and him saying back, "yes you can, its almost over, you're in transition, keep breathing, it's almost over..." He reminds me of why I chose to do it naturally, and coaches me through the hardest parts. And once the baby is born, probably only a short time after I want to quit, I am SO thankful I didn't give in to drugs.

Why we chose this route:

• The recovery is better for the mom.
• The baby is alert after birth and there is no risk that drugs have reached him or her.
• I want to remember the labor and be fully there as I experience the birth process.
• Labors are usually faster when done naturally.
• Less intervention in labor usually means a healthier mom and baby (obviously there are exceptions.)
• There are a lot of things we still don't know about pitocin, epidurals, and other drugs, namely the long-term effects. I'd rather not take the risk if it's up to me.
• Woman have given birth naturally for all of time, save the last century and a half. And the usual problems didn't go away when drugs came along. In fact, when doctors and drugs came on the scene in the 1800's to replace midwives, a whole host of new problems arose, according to the birth history books I've been reading.

But we still like our hospital:
Many people who are for the natural childbirth are against hospitals, preferring a home birth. I actually had two great experiences at our hospital and enjoyed my time there. The nurses and doctors listened to me and didn't pressure me to take drugs or change my wishes. The environment was actually restful... kind of like a two-day vacation. Other people clean up after you and bring you food, and are constantly there in case you or your baby need anything, which is reassuring to me. I know hospitals aren't for every woman who's having a baby, but for me, I thought it was a great experience overall. My doctor and pediatrician are both very obliging and worked with me to let me have the birth I wanted as well as forgo (usually) unnecessary treatments to the baby after he or she is born, like the prophylaxis eye drops.

Plus, there is always the possibility that there will be a true emergency and I like having the reassurance of already being at the hospital.

If you're considering doing natural childbirth I highly recommend you and your spouse doing a Bradley Method class together and both read "Husband-Coached Childbirth" by Bradley.  You can say you'll "try to do it naturally" when you go in to labor, but you'll probably give in because it really hurts and you and your coach are not prepared adequately. I was tempted to give in both times. Or at least I had the thought, "Okay, I know why people beg for the drugs." But my education and research helped my stay strong and cope with the pain, along with Pete, and God. Prayer is definitely important too.

This is such a short post on such a huge topic. I felt is was important for me to write my thoughts down not only for my own sake, but also for others who are thinking about and doing research on how they want their births to be.

Cloth Diapers

Why we do it: I was totally against cloth diapers when we first had Lucy, unlike Pete who was surprisingly open to the idea. In fact, we didn't get in to them until she was over a year old if I remember correctly. Part of that was that for her first year of life, we were traveling a lot, in other people's homes.

Eventually, after seeing a friend do it while staying in her house and realizing it wasn't that hard, we went for it.

Our number one reason is probably that its cheaper. Also, I enjoy the idea that I'm not just adding tons of disposable diapers to landfills. Plus, it's kind of fun. And its really not that hard.

What we do: We take a pretty flexible approach, trying to use cloth as much as we can, even out sometimes, but always feeling the freedom to use a disposable if we want to or need to: when we're out of town, church, when babysitters are over sometimes, during the night (I didn't bother to get in to the nighttime cloth diapers), and sometimes when I just forget to wash the cloth ones...

We use Best Bottom Diapers. There are tons of cloth diaper brands these days. I like Best Bottom because of the snaps which you can adjust to any size child who wears diapers, the leg gussets which rarely leak, and they're easy to wash. Adam wears the same diapers now that he wore in his first week home from the hospital as an infant. (They have different sized inserts for different weight categories.) The website is bestbottomdiapers.com for more info.

Adam at 1 or 2 months

We usually go through 4 or 5 diapers per day with Adam now that he's older (it was at least 8 per day when he was born and Lucy was still wearing them at that point too.) After a diaper is soiled, I unsnap the insert and throw it in the wet bag. If its number two, I dump it in the toilet and then put it in the wet bag. If the outer shell is still clean I might reuse it with a new insert once or twice- this is usually if its just a wet diaper.

After two or three days (because I have only one child in diapers now and we have accumulated quite a few), I wash them. (I'll probably be washing them every night when the new baby comes). I do a lot of laundry anyways, so it doesn't seem like a huge burden. First, everything is rinsed with cold water twice. Then washed with soap in hot water (and that's when I add other things that need to be washed such as sheets, towels, kitchen rags, and the occasional needed clothing item.) Then we usually line-dry the outer shells, and throw the inserts in the dryer.

Doctor's Appointment Today {almost 29 weeks}

Just got back from the doctor where everything looks good and they seemed fine with me choosing to test my own blood sugar, instead of doing the glucose screening test.

• I'm measuring right as 29 weeks.
• My blood pressure was great.
• According to my records I've gained two pounds in between this appointment and the last one (they were a month apart.)
• Baby's heartbeat was good. 
• I'm supposed to log my blood sugar numbers and report back in a month.
• Today, I got two shots: flu vaccine and Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis-  mainly to prevent the baby from getting whooping cough in the first few months of life.) I am for vaccines. 
• I also had my hemoglobin tested (for anemia) and it came back 11. They said they usually supplement with iron if its 10.9 or lower. I was glad to know this, because I haven't really been paying attention to my iron intake (just protein). Now I can pay more attention to that (and take my vitamins more often which I haven't been.) The nurse said it'll give me more energy, which I would love. 

Speaking of low energy, I've had a couple of horribly low-energy days in the past week. I would love prayer specifically that God would give me enough energy to be there for Pete and the kids, and generally keep our house running. And also that I wouldn't despair. Sometimes I get so tired physically that it affects all my emotions too. I want to choose to trust God as He gets me through every day.

My Alternative to the Glucose Screening Test

These came in the mail today: All the stuff I need to test my own blood sugar!

Instead of doing the standard glucose screening test at my doctor's office, I've opted to test on my own; regularly at first (per whatever the doctor recommends) and then from time to time when I want to check in to see how I'm doing.

Through my own research I've come to terms with the fact that anyone can get gestational diabetes (high blood sugar issues specifically in pregnancy which can lead to many problems). So, that is why I didn't just want to throw everything out the window and assume I'd be fine.

However, I haven't had good experiences with the screening tests in the past (expensive, time-consuming, incorrect results at first, makes me feel sick...), and I'm eating a very low glycemic diet anyways, which is what they put you on if you have GD. Plus, I don't want to drink the junk they make you consume before testing you. I don't think my body would handle that well at all considering I almost never put real sugar in my body, especially in that form.

So, today begins the fun part of testing my blood sugar. I'm actually kind of excited to see how it goes (is that weird?)!

Trim Healthy Mama

This is a shameless plug for a new way of eating I've been trying, and loving, for several months now.

Think: whole foods, good and traditional nutrition, energy, and biblical weight loss/body image specifically for, but not limited to, moms.

It's too complicated for me to try and describe everything here. After all, these two sisters wrote a 600-page book explaining everything. But I would say it is definitely worth it.

I was skeptical at first but my own story so far is this: I started eating "on plan" before I got pregnant (and still wasn't a stickler about doing everything "right"). Before I reached the second trimester I had lost 15 pounds (felt like I wasn't even trying). Even since then, I have only gained 8 pounds in my entire pregnancy so far. And I'm eating TONS of calories and good, nutritious food. Its all about eating the right things at the right time with the right other foods (mainly, controlling your blood sugar.)

I'm very interested to discover how I feel eating this way in the last couple months of pregnancy and postpartum. I've previously had a hard time shedding pregnancy weight despite religiously counting calories, exercising, and trying really hard to eat well. Honestly, I'm tired of the emotional battle- of constantly thinking about and trying to lose the weight. Trim Healthy Mama is so refreshing. I personally think its biblical, natural, and God-honoring.

If this interests you, I would recommend reading this short review since that is how I first became interested: http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2013/02/review-of-trim-healthy-mama.html

Another piece of advice is: Don't be overwhelmed. It was overwhelming at first for me but I changed little things one step at a time. It doesn't have to be a total overhaul in what you eat, just little changes. Pick a couple new things per week that you want to try.

Also, I should say, that I don't personally agree with everything in the book. For instance, they choose not to eat pork. We eat tons of pork. Pete and I don't agree with their reasoning and that's okay. I still thoroughly enjoyed "getting to know" these wonderful, fun, Christian women and the massive amounts of wisdom they had to share.

You can "like" Trim Healthy Mama on facebook for recipes and stories. And of course, always feel free to ask me questions.

Sweet Children

Psalm 127

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

the fruit of the womb a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

are the children of one's youth.

5 Blessed is the man

who fills his quiver with them!

 Sometimes, I just need the reminder of Psalm 127. As I sit here thinking about how I've lost my patience with them several times in the last 24 hours... it seems especially good to let this scripture sink in to my heart. Perhaps I should rephrase: Knowing my own heart (always prone to sin and deceit- Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick"), I always need to remember Psalm 127.