You've Been Marked!

So many things are happening to your body internally from the time you conceive.  Not only are there changes happening on the inside, but on the out as well.  In some women you will notice changes in your face, nose, lips, hair, and your skin.  The biggest change you will find is in your skin.  Some women are lucky enough to get stretch marks.

Stretch marks are when the elastic fibers under the skin’s surface break.  This results in purple or white lines that form on your body when your body is growing and your skin isn’t able to keep up.  Some people who gain weight in a short span of time may notice them.  In pregnancy, with your belly growing and your breasts growing if your skin doesn’t have enough elasticity to keep up with the growth you will see what is known as stretch marks.  You will most likely find them on your belly or breasts, but they can also form on your thighs, bum, lower back, and under arms.

When I was pregnant people kept telling me to rub cocoa butter all over my body to help prevent stretch marks.  The brutal reality is you can not prevent them.  It depends on the elasticity of your skin and genetics does play a part, if your mom had them you are at greater risk of getting them.  Though you can not prevent them, using lotions is certainly something you can do to keep them under control while you are expanding to make room for your little nugget.  Keeping the skin hydrated will help with the itchiness you may have from the skin stretching.  When you scratch the skin it will make the stretch marks worse.

The good news is after the pregnancy some of the stretch marks will eventually fade. They never really go away but they can fade to a faint line that blends more with the skin; however, there are some marks that remain front and center.  Since they can not be prevented, if you are lucky enough to get them, focus on helping them fade post pregnancy rather than trying to prevent them from happening.

Here are some ways to help stretch marks fade after the baby is born and improve your skins elasticity.

Massage the skin.  By massaging the skin with natural lubricants you will be helping the elasticity in your skin which will at the very least help in the color of the marks.  A few lubricants that are beneficial to use are:

• Almond Oil
• Alive Oil
• Aloe Vera
• Cocoa Butter
• Shea Butter
• Vitamin E Lotion

Drink plenty of water.  Water helps keep your skin healthy which should help your skin recuperate from the stress that it’s endured.

Exfoliate the skin.  By exfoliating the skin you will be getting rid of dead cells allowing the skin new skin to breath.  This will help with itchiness and will help the marks fade over time.  To avoid spending a ton of money on exfoliators that have a bunch of chemicals in them you can make some exfoliators at home.  Sugar is an excellent exfoliator and you can usually find it right in your kitchen.  If you add a bit of olive oil or almond oil and some lemon juice to the sugar you now have the paste-like substance you need to exfoliate.  When you shower gently massage this over the necessary areas for a couple of minutes and rinse it off.

Rub lemon over the trouble spots.  Cut a lemon in half and rub the lemon all over any trouble spots you find.  Lemon is an awesome way of rejuvenating your skin.  The acidity from the lemon helps fade any redness and helps repair the damaged skin.

Take a bath.  Not just any bath, add some sea salt to your tub of warm water.  The salt water will help excrete the toxins from your skin.  Sit in the salt water for at least 30 minutes once a week.

Carrots are your best friend.  Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin C which is great for keeping your skin fresh, healthy and beautiful.  You can drink carrot juice or make a paste to rub on your marks.  Mix the carrot drink with some sea salt or sugar and massage into the skin, allow it to dry before you rinse.

These are just some helpful tips on how to help fade the marks you may have gotten from your pregnancy.  I don’t recommend using any over the counter stretch mark creams during your pregnancy other than simple vitamin E lotion or cocoa butter because there are chemicals in any stretch mark cream that can be harmful to your baby.  Give some of these a shot and take some before and after pictures and see if your marks improved.  My stretch marks definitely have faded after 4 months of using these remedies.  If you find that they are not fading and are still very prominent the best advice I can give is embrace them and own them.  You earned those tiger stripes and it is a beautiful memory of the bond you have with your baby.

What About Prenatal Depression?

        Morning y’all! I want to talk about something that seems to be swept under the rug, prenatal depression.  Prenatal depression was never mentioned to me through my pregnancy by any doctor or midwife.  I went to the doctor the day my son was born because I hadn’t felt any fetal movement for almost 24 hours, naturally I was a little anxious.  Being sick for 9 months with hyperemisis, little to no sleep and other health issues, 3 weeks away from my due date, you could say I was a little on edge.  I had huge dark circles under my eyes, I was a nervous wreck because no movement was far form the norm for my baby boy, and let’s not forget I had been throwing up everything I ate for 9 months.  I was on the table with my mom in the room getting an exam to see how far dilated I was, and my doctor asks me...”are you depressed?”  Now!? You ask me now when I am 3 weeks away from my due date and have been going through this for 9 months!  Mind you I was high risk so since 16 weeks gestation I had been at the doctor every 2 weeks for my prenatal visits.  Needless to say, I was not happy.  She followed that statement with...”I just want to make sure I am not missing anything.” Depressed I was not, ready for the pregnancy to be over, I was.  I am telling you this because it absolutely floored me that 3 weeks away from my due date after seeing me every 2 weeks for 9 months suffer I was asked this.  I was not upset that I was being asked if I was depressed, I was upset and shocked that I was being asked this so late in the game.  If the doctor wanted to make sure she wasn’t missing anything, she would have asked at the first signs of me seeming off to what she was normally used to, rather than letting it go for 9 months.

I feel it is so important that you be your own advocate and pay close attention to your body.  Talking to your partner about any changes you may be having is really helpful also because an outside perspective can always see things that perhaps you can’t.  There are a few reasons you may be at higher risk for prenatal depression.  It doesn’t necessarily mean you will experience it but some reasons it is a possibility are:

• complicated pregnancy

-bedrest

-genetic testing

-prior health issue

• history of depression or anxiety
• prior miscarriage
• financial and job concerns
• relationship problems
• unplanned pregnancy

If you fit any of the above, you are at risk for prenatal depression.  That is not to say that  you can’t have prenatal depression if these things haven’t happened to you  Also, just because these may describe you doesn’t mean you will have prenatal depression.  Some symptoms to look out for may be:

• emptiness or sadness
• irritability
• lack of sleep
• too much sleep
• lack of concentration
• guilt
• panic attacks

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms contact your doctor or midwife.  Make sure you talk to them about how you are feeling.  Emotional health is equally as important as your physical health during pregnancy.  Be your own advocate and make sure you express to your doctor or midwife exactly what is going on and how you are feeling.  Depression can be environmental in some cases.  Most of the time it is a biochemical condition so it can be difficult to avoid.  In those instances that the depression is environmental, there are a few ways you can help in preventing prenatal depression, such as:

• Spend time with your partner
• Talk to your partner or counselor about any fears or anxiety you may be having
• Yoga classes or some form of meditation
• Have a healthy and nutritious diet
• Try your best to get out of the house
• Pamper yourself

For women who do have prenatal depression, know you are absolutely not alone.  Make sure you speak to your doctor or midwife right away to work on some ways you can deal with this.  I hope this helps in letting you know it can happen and does for one in eight women.  Stay informed and keep yourself in the loop with what is going on with your own body.

Blue Or Pink, What Do You Think?

 Morning ladies!  What I am going to talk about today I was very hesitant to post at first.  I received an email from an expecting mom last night that read “How do I deal with the disappointment that I am having a boy?  I feel like a horrible mom because I have a healthy baby and all I can think about is how badly I wanted a girl.  I am not sure what to do.”  After reading this email I was incredibly hesitant to respond publicly because it would mean I would have to admit that I too had this same feeling.  When I found out I was pregnant with my first pregnancy we found out late enough that we knew we were having a baby girl.  I was beyond thrilled.  Unfortunately, after losing my first baby I was faced with the possibility that I wouldn’t be able to have any children according to different doctors.  After finding out my husband and I were pregnant again we could not have been happier.  Due to the fact that I was high risk, I had more ultrasounds than the average.  I had an ultrasound at 16 weeks where I was told I was having a girl, then, at 18 weeks I was in the hospital with kidney stones and had an ultrasound done on my kidneys.  The tech was so sweet and took a look at the baby to lift my spirits and again I was told I was having a baby girl.  Two weeks later I went in for my anatomy ultrasound and there was so much kicking happening it was hard to get a glimpse of anything! So tentatively I was told girl again.  Needless to say, after 3 confirmations that I was having a girl I went pink crazy.  My entire registry was pink, my husband and I bought little girl clothes, we had the names picked out and got things engraved, and we had the nursery all planned out.  At 26 weeks, I went in for one of those really awesome 3D ultrasounds.  When I went in I was asked if I knew what I was having and I said yes and we proceeded.  As we proceeded the tech said “He looks great.”  I was in absolute shock!  After this I went home and I cried.  My mind was so set on having a baby girl that I couldn’t see that boy or girl I had a beautiful healthy baby growing inside me.  I felt depressed at the thought of having a boy and it pains me to even type this because I am so in love with my son, but at the time I had this overwhelming anxiety about having a boy and believe it or not I was actually disappointed.  I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was not alone in feeling this way. I felt like the worst mother in the world and could not understand how I was actually disappointed when I had this gorgeous baby in my belly.  I want any mom who has this anxiety to know that you are not alone.  What I can tell you is, when you have that baby in your arms you won’t be worried about boy or girl.  Pray for a happy and healthy baby.  That is what is important.  To quote a good friend of mine who was with me in dealing with my disappointment, “it is an instant love affair.”  There is nothing in the world like holding that beautiful baby boy or girl and you will know when you are there.  I am more in love with my son than I could ever imagine.  He is a blessing from God and I was not meant to be a mom to a little girl right now.  Maybe in the future, but for now God gave me a beautiful, healthy and happy baby boy.  Take what you have been given as a blessing from God.  It is okay to feel slight disappointment at first but don’t dwell on it too much because what is important is that you have a happy, healthy baby.

I hope this helped you a little bit.  Believe me when I tell you, holding that baby is the most amazing thing in the world and nothing else will matter from that point on.

To Breast Or Not To Breast...That Is The Question

Good afternoon mommas! Over the last few days I have received quite a few e-mails form expecting moms asking about breastfeeding.  The question most asked was "what is the difference between nursing and pumping expressed milk?"  I myself both pump and direct nurse.  Ultimately it is whatever works for you and your baby, whether that be nursing, expressed breastmilk or formula.  For those mommas who chose not to breastfeed, that is totally okay! We are so lucky to have the science and technology out there to allow companies to continue perfecting formulas to fit our babies!  For those of you who are considering breastfeeding or are already, I am going to give you some pros and cons about nursing versus pumping and some tips to help with any concerns or questions you may have.

Before I had my son I was absolutely terrfied of breastfeeding.  I "what if-ed" myself to death.  What if I don't produce enough? What if my son won't latch? What if it is really painful? The list goes on. To start off, the stress and anxiety moms have about breastfeeding will make it more difficult for you to feed because your baby will sense that and it will decrease your milk supply.  First things first, try your best to be relaxed about what you chose to do.  Since we are speaking strictly about breastmilk, you should know that breastmilk is Vitamin D deficiant.  As a solution, I put a drop of vitamin D in my son's milk once a day or give him the drop directly if I am nursing.  You can find Enfamil Vitamin D drops in your local drugstore.

Here are some pros and cons about each to help give you some guidance.

Pros about pumping breastmilk:

If you are out with your baby you do not have to go find a discrete place to feed and be worried about judgemental people.  I can't understand why, but there are many people that find it offensive when you are out in public and need to nurse your baby.  Some places even have strict rules about nursing.  It does not make sense to me, but out of respect for those who take offense it is nice to have a bottle at the ready.

Someone else will be able to feed the baby at any point in the day.  This will allow you to get a nap in or if the baby is sleeping through the night, you can wake up your partner to feed the baby so you can get some extra rest.  

Since I both pump and direct feed, I love that when my husband is home he can feed our son so I can go get something to eat, take a shower, or tidy up.  Having the pumped milk in a bottle also gives your partner the chance to bond in some way with the baby and helps your partner feel more involved.  My husband is the type to have a hand in everything and it definitely helps that he can feed the baby.  It gives them some time together and it makes my husband feel much more included.

If you are going back to work, you can set a schedule and pump in the bathroom or a back room at work.  This way the baby will still be able to get your milk. We are so fortunate with how progressed the breast pumps have become.  Mine is the Medela "on the go tote." It is a tote bag which you can store all your bottles, brushes, and soaps in along with anything you need for the baby.  It also comes with a little case that hold a specific ice pack and 4 bottles of milk. It's very discrete, quick and easy.

I am not sure if all women experience this, but I found nursing to be extremely painful.  The baby has a much harder suction than the breast pump so you will find a pump to be much easier on your nipples.  I know many of my girlfriends and my own mom said how painful it was nursing.  If you are experiencing a difficult time with cracked, dry or sore nipples I highly recommend using lanolin.  It is perfectly safe for your baby and truly helps.  I use the medela lanolin or the lansinoh lanolin.  Both are great products it is whatever your preference is.

Pumping is much faster than nursing.  You never want to rush your baby while they are eating or get impatient because they will sense that.  If pumping, you want to pump 15 to 20 minutes per pumping and you can do both breasts at the same time.  Some women just don't have the time to sit with their baby for 45 minutes to an hour every 2 to 4 hours with all that needs to get done around the house.

With pumping, the amount of milk is measured.  You will know exactly how much your baby is getting.  I found this to be a huge plus because I know exactly when I need to burp him to avoid from projectile vomitting or even just a little bit of spit up and when his pediatrcian asks me how much is he eating, I have an exact answer.

You will always have a back supply if your supply weakens at points or if you want to go out and have a few drinks, you have reserves at the ready.

Cons about pumping breastmilk:

Pumping milk is a bit more taxing on the body.  You have created a little more work for youself if you are pumping and alone with the baby.  You will have to feed your baby then express your milk or vice versa.

Washing the bottles is time consuming and can become a pain in the neck if you don't stay on top of it.  I find using the proper bottle brushes and a soap specific to washing bottles makes it a bit easier, but still time consuming.  Just a tip in washing bottles, using a soap specific to bottles makes a huge difference versus using Palmolive.  The way the soap suds and sticks to the bottles is very different.  Bottle soap such as Dapple is created to sud different and won't leave a film on the inside of the bottle.

For that morning feed, when you are still exhausted, having to get up and go to the fridge and warm up the bottle probably isn't what you want to do first thing in the morning.

There are some expenses associated with pumping that are not with nursing.  Most of the pumping equipment comes with the pump but you will need extra bottles and some relacement pieces such as, nipples, rims for the bottles and membranes for the pump.  If your baby doesn't like the bottles that come with the pump (Medela bottles) you will need to try out different ones which can also cost a little.

Depending on the bottle you are using the baby can have a higher air intake with a bottle rather than a breast.  This depends on the bottle used.  Us moms are so lucky they have come out with bottles like Tommie Tippie which are made to prevent gas and colic.  I use these and have been successful in my experience.

You won't have as much bonding time unless you make an effort to have that skin to skin contact with your baby.

Pros about nursing:

You have a complete bond with your baby.  You won't have to set aside specific time for skin to skin contact because you and your baby will get it with every feed.

No bottles to wash!  You save the 10 to 15 minutes it takes waashing the bottles and parts for the breast pump, which in mommy time, 10 to 15 minutes makes a huge difference!  That could be a quick power nap!

There is a very minimal expense.  You would only need to buy nursing covers for when nursing in public.

You do not need to worry about the temperature of the milk because it is direct.  With bottle feeding it is super important to have the bottle at the right temperature because it can cause the baby to have an upset stomach if too hot or too cold.

When in doubt, whip it out! If the baby is fussing and crying you just take out your breast and calm down the baby rather than having to wait to get the milk and warm it up escalating the baby to a much higher degree of anger.

Cons about nursing:

Direct nursing is much more time consuming.  It could take up to an hour for some babies versus 20 minutes.

Unfortunately, dealing with judgemental people is a con.  As I stated before, I can't understand it, but there are many people out there who don't want to see mother's breastfeeding their baby.  

You have to be with the baby at all times.  There is no quick running to the store or anything.  As long as you are direct feeding you must be at the ready.

Your partner will not be able to share in the experience of feeding.  For some, like my husband, it can create some sadness and disconnect because they don't feel as needed by the baby.

As I said before, I found my experience very painful! The baby is much more intense than a pump.

If all your baby knows is breast it can make the weening transition much more difficult.  If the baby is introduced to a bottle and breast from the very beginning the baby is less likely to be opinionated about what he or she is getting.

I hope this helps a bit if you are trying to decide what to do.  If you having any questions, comments or concerns please contact me! I am here to listen and guide. I can't stress enough, do not hesitate!  Thanks so much for reading!

Stretch It Out Mommas!

Hey ladies! 

Today I want to talk about effective stretches for expecting moms to help prevent injury and ease any pain or discomfort you may be experiencing.  As with anything, you should consult your doctor before doing any exercise or stretch while pregnant.

Breathing deeply with each stretch is important part of making each stretch effective.  

On all fours straighten out your back and arms, making sure the hands are directly under your shoulders. Gently sit back onto the heels of your feet, extending the arms and putting your head to your chest.  Hold for 7 seconds and go back to beginning position.  Repeat this up to 10 times. Make sure when you sit back on the heels you leave space for that bump in between your legs! You should feel the stretch in your back, thighs and pelvis. 

Back to all fours being careful to keep the back in line with your head so there is no slump in your back you are going to curl the back up making a rainbow arch and tucking the head to chest. Hold this for 7 seconds and return to in line position. Repeat this up to 10 times.  You should feel the stretch in the lower back.  You’ll find this will ease backaches

you may be having.

For the next stretch there are 3 variations, standing, sitting, or laying.  It is your preference, whatever you find most comfortable for you and the baby.  Starting with the standing position press your back to a wall. You are going to press the small of your back to the wall tucking that bum under stretching the lower back. Hold for 7 seconds and return to starting position. Repeat this up to 10 times.

The next variation is sitting in a chair with the back in a straight line.  With sitting you want to make sure you are as comfortable as possible so you can sit on a pillow or towel if necessary.  Put your hands on you knees or upper thighs and curl your back as you press your stomach to your back. Hold for 7 seconds and return to start.  Repeat up 10 times. 

The final variation of this exercise is laying on your back with your knees bent and arms by your sides. Pushing down with your feet into the floor, squeeze and lift the bum up off the ground forming a 45 degree angle at the knee. Be sure your pressure lies on the feet and not on your neck. Hold for 3-5 seconds, return down and repeat up to 10 times. If you have an exercise ball you can use this under the small of your back for more support rather than laying on the floor.

Sitting up straight with your back against a wall, put your heels together, outside ankles to the floor.  Gently press your knees to the floor. Hold for 5 seconds and very slowly release up. Repeat this up to 10 times.  This will increase your hip flexibility.

Standing facing a wall put your hands or elbows on the wall in push-up position.  Keep your heels on the floor, toes to the wall, put one leg in front the other to stretch the back of the calf.  Hold this for 7 seconds and alternate legs.  This is best to do before bed which will help alleviate that awful middle of the night charlie horse!

The final stretch is for women who are experiencing lower back, hip and leg pain.  Laying on your back, keeping your hips straight, have your partner gently pull on your leg from the knee.  This will help align your knees and hips. Be extremely careful doing this stretch.

I hope these stretches help in easing all your aches and pains through pregnancy! It also won’t hurt to have your partner give you a back rub!

Touch The Bump Baby Gives You A Lump!

Good evening mommas!! Tonight I am going to address an interesting topic.  This has come up in my own personal pregnancy and also in a few of my girlfriend's pregnancies.  I didn't even think to discuss it until I received an email tonight from a momma who is 28 weeks 2 days pregnant.  This young momma asked me "How do I deal with when other people touch my bump without asking?"  I have to say I am an expert on this.  I'm going to start off by telling you a story.

My husband has someone in his family who is incredibly hands on...even when not welcome.  I am not the most touchy feely with people I am not super close to.  As I am sure I'm not the only one, I didn't and don't have the best relationship with this person.  Anyways, we hadn't seen his family for a few months during my pregnancy because I was so sick and had been on bedrest so when we finally saw them I had a decent size baby bump.  The reason we were seeing the family was for a memorial mass. So as I stated before, I am not the most touchy feely person...especially not with people I am not incredibly close to, the family was well aware of this.  Baring that in mind, we are in church and I have a baby bump and my husband and I went to go get communion and had to walk in front of a few people who were not going up for communion.  As I passed by, I was stagnant waiting for the line to continue.  All of a sudden, I felt a pair of hands come up behind me and touch me on my belly.  Needless to say, I was completely shocked that A) someone was touching my bump, who knew I hate to be touched by anyone outside of my very close personal circle and B) I was getting my bump felt as I was in church.. going up to get communion.  I kindly removed her hands from my belly and gave my husband a look to see if he had witnessed what happened.  As I started to go forward to the aisle she tapped me on the back and said, "do you have any cravings?!" Now normally, this is a fine thing to ask a pregnant woman...not when in the middle of church and you've just touched the bump unwelcomed!
After knowing I didn't want to be touched and am now aggrivated by the situation, we go outside to say by to everyone at the end of mass and her hand comes in contact, yet again, with my bump! My son was not happy because he kicked so hard I think he broke a rib.  I left it alone and we left.  I spoke with my husband about it and how to address it because I didn't want to make waves for him, at the time we saw them somewhat often.  He was upset almost as much as I was by the fact that I was touched by theis woman who I was not close with, at all, without even asking, in the midst of a memorial mass.  We saw her the following day and I addressed it with her and told her I really didn't appreciate being touched without her even asking me.  She apologized and moved on...to the next time she touched my bump without asking. Only the next time, she poked my belly, not feel the baby, poked..hard! I think it goes without saying we don't see them that often.
At any rate, the moral of my story is it happens to the best of us.  Many people just like to touch the baby bump and it is one of those things, along with all the other "joys" of pregnancy we must deal with.  It is 100% okay to let someone know if they have crossed the line and they have made you uncomfortable in any way!  There are times where it is completely appropriate and very comforting when people touch the bump and they feel him or her kick and move, but never feel obligated to let someone touch when unwelcome.  I have made maternity shirts that read "Touch the bump Baby gives you a lump" with little baby feet.  Having a shirt like this pretty much sums it up and will give humor to the awkward situation of bump touching!  Contact me at my e-mail helpingmommytone@gmail.com or contact me through twitter
https://twitter.com/helpingmomstone or on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/trish.moise if you are interested in purchasing one! I hope this gave you some humor and answered you're question on how to handle bump touching! Stay tuned for my next post on proper stretches and workouts for expecting mommas! Keep em' coming! Thanks so much for the support!

What To Expect When It Isn't Expected: Childbirth Unknowns

Morning ya'll! Today I am going to chat about what to expect when it isn't expected.  A question that I was asked by an expecting mom yesterday was "How can I make a birth plan?" Don't think of what you are doing as planning but make sure you are educated about all the possibilites and have an open mind.  A fellow momma said it best, "flexibility is the key." Some mommas are planners and need that to help ease the anxiety and I totally understand that and it is great for this.  I am the same way, I like to have a plan and know the unknown.  The reality is, there is no way to know what is going to happen with childbirth.  Throughout the pregnancy there is a great deal of anxiety and prelabor nerves because it is so unknown what will happen.  I sent myself into a tizzy over not knowing what was going to happen.  The best way to prepare is say to yourself what will be, will be and at that point it is truly in God's hands.  The best advice I was given was to go with the flow.  This is extremely difficult for me because I need to control the situtaion, I have a very strong personality, but if you think you are going to go into childbirth with any control you are sadly mistaken.  The baby makes the rules and dictates what will be.  We can only help ourselves  by dealing with the things we can control, which are very few through pregnancy and delivery.  I found centering myself everyday made a huge difference.  Here are some ways I centered myself and helped deal with the anxiety and fear leading to childbirth.

Do your research and keep an open mind.
You want to really explore everything and anything that can happen so you are aware of all the possibilities.  If you educate yourself it will make the experience a bit easier so when something does happen you may not have planned on you are prepared. It is good to have preference going in but make sure you keep an open mind that anything can happen.

Keeping a journal of all your fears, anxiety and positive thoughts.
This will be a vent for you and allow you to discuss these things with you partner...though they will never understand what you are going through, even when they say they do.  Writing down your feelings will give you a chance to deal with this anxiety head on.  You could avoid it and pretend it doesn't exist and I promise you it will only increase the close you get to the big day.  Though normal for the fears and anxiety to increase the closer you get to the birthday it is important to keep this from consuming you.  It will make things much more difficult for you in the labor/delivery process.  The more relaxed you are the easier the process will be.  Our bodies are brilliant and when in distress they don't do the things necessary for delivery which makes labor more intense than it could be.

Visualize the big day!
If you take a moment each day to sit down, close your eyes, and picture yourself holding you beautiful, pink, perfect baby boy or girl this will help you focus on the positives of childbirth rather than the negative.  Because of the way we are programmed, most of us immediately dive into the negative thoughts instead of turning them to the positive.  Really take time everyday to visualize any positive you can with childbirth.  Even if the positive for you is the anesthisiologist coming in to give you the epidural! Whatever works!

Talk to your baby!
You want to try and make sure you can really connect with you baby no matter what stage of pregnancy you are in.  It is crucial to spend time throughout the day talking to your tummy.  It felt very strange for me at first talking to my tummy because there was no response; however, from the day I found out I was pregnanct at 7 weeks I played music for the baby, sang to him and told him who I am so he got used to my voice.  The more you connect with the baby the better for you and the baby.

Connect with other mommas!
We now have so much media which is a blessing and a curse.  In this instance I am so thankful we have social media. Here is the link to one page I found most helpful https://www.facebook.com/birthwithoutfear.  It will give you an oppurtunity to connect with other mommies-to-be and share experiences with them.  Having a support is so important.  I remember at first feeling like no one understood what I was going through until I connected with some of my girlfriends who were also pregnant or just had a child. Don't be afraid to reach out to other mommas! I would wager that 9 times out of 10 they are having the same fears and anxiety you are.

These are just a few tips that can help you on your journey through childbirth and make things go a bit smoother.  For mommas like me who have to have a plan in order to feel confident going into childbirth, trust me, this works. Oh yea, and it definitely won't hurt to make your partner give you a back rub or two. Hope this helps a bit! Keep the questions coming, I am thrilled to answer any and all!

Morning Sickness and Hyperemisis...Now You Know You Are A Mom.

Hey ya'll!! After my first blog I have recieved lots and lots of positive feedback, which I am thrilled about!!  After talking to a few of my girlfriends who are currently in the early stages of their pregnancies I wanted to post about how you can help with the dreaded "morning sickness." Normally, the sickness will subside within the first 3 to 5 months of pregnancy but those 3 to 5 months can feel like the longest of your life! I know, I have been there and for me those 3 to 5 months lasted 9 months.  I have a few tips that really helped me along the way and I hope will help you mommas! 
                One thing I did was keep a package of saltines by my bedside.  In the morning before I even lifted my head from the pillow I would eat a cracker or two so I could get myself up from the pillow.  Waking was a slow process everyday but this helped me to just get on my feet. For every mom it is different how and when you get sick, or even if you get sick, some moms just have impending nausea for the duration.  The best thing to do for the nauseaand sickness is to eat starchy foods, such as popcorn, baked potatoes and crackers.  You do want to make sure you get some protein in as well because when you are constantly getting sick the baby is taking everything and anything from you and you want to make sure you have some left in there for you.  I found eating shrimp and peanut butter worked for me, not together, of course.  
                The next thing that made my life a little easier while dealing with all of this was to have good smells around me.  There is nothing like a pregnant nose and you will sniff out anything so you want to make sure you have fresh scents.  Lemons, rosemary, and ginger were things I always had near me in the event I was around someone who had an overpowering perfume or any smell that threw me off.  Not only was the lemon and ginger great for scent but also taste! I would boil water with cut up lemons and ginger root slices in it making a delicious tea without any caffine and it was delicious with some honey added and helped me get through a few hours in the day.  Drinking something like this will also help with keeping you hydrated which is one of the most important things you want to do when dealing with sickness in your pregnancy.  
                 During pregnancy most mommas experience an extreme hunger.  When dealing with sickness the last thing you want to do is sit down and eat a huge meal because you will end up with twice as much coming out..I promise.  I found eating a very small amount every hour was the best was to get in some nutrients.  Maybe you like peanut butter crackers, so have 2 or 3 every hour, or you like kettle corn so have a hand full every hour.  Doing this will allow you to get something in your system and will help stay ahead of the nausea.  
                  Another thing I found helpful though difficult was having a workout plan and sticking to it, no matter how hard it was to get up and get moving.  I have specific exercises coming so stay tuned!! I hope this was somewhat helpful for the moms-to-be out there struggling with morning sickness or hyperemisis.  If you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact me at helpingmommytone@gmail.com

Thanks!!

Helping Mommies Everywhere!

        Hey ya'll! My name is Trish.  I am a new momma of a 3 month old little boy.  Prior to my pregnancy I was a nursing student on my way out and had to put that on hold for my son, temporarily.  My blog is going to be centered around pregnancy and post pregnancy help for moms!  
          I want to start off by telling you a little about my experience through my pregnancy.  I was going into it a high risk patient due to a previous miscarriage I had along with many other health problems.  I am only 21 now and was only 19 the first time I found out I was expecting.  The struggle of telling our parents we were pregnant and going through the accepting process made it that much more traumatic when we went to the doctor and found no heart beat.  After that I was told by 7 different doctors I would most likely never be able to have children.  Feeling defeated and depressed I crawled into a whole and my relationships suffered until I really started focusing on healthy living.  Centering my mind, body, and spirit through my faith and concentrating on working out and eating healthy.  After 5 months we found out we were pregnant again with our beautiful baby boy.  
            As I said before I was a very high risk pregnancy with my son.  From day one I was incredibly ill and could not seem to get out of my own way. I had "morning sickness" that lasted day in day out. You name it I had it.  I was admitted to Woman and Infants hospital at 4 months pregnant with kidney stones and a kidney infection and the "morning sickness" only became worse.  I was unable to hold down any food and minimal liquids.  The hospital had a bed with my name on it due to how much I was in and out.  Whether kidney stones, dehydration or the flu, my pregnancy was one big doctor's appointment.  
             I read book upon book about pregnancy trying to figure out what I was doing wrong and why I didn't have the glow or positive experience I hear so many speak about.  After being in and out of a G.I. office and losing 50 pounds, I was put on in home IV's and bed rested for the remainder.  I had nurses coming twice a week and sticking me for IV's which was traumatic in itself.  Due to the dehydration it made it very difficult for the nurses to find a decent vein so I was stuck 4 to 5 times each time they came.  
              Needless to say, this will make you never want to have more babies! The cherry on top of the sundae is at 37 weeks my son was still for 24 hours... no movement and I was having horrible headaches. I was sent in for a non-stress test at my OBGYN's office they did further testing with an u/s which sent us to the hospital. They did my blood pressure which was 190/135 and I was tachy.  A doctor came in almost immediately and said my diagnosis was preeclampsia and it was time to have a baby.  I am pretty sure I almost peed I was so terrified! I went through the induction process, which thank God worked, and 12 hours later my husband and I were holding our baby boy.  That moment made everything worth it and I would do it a million times over for him. 
               I am sharing all of this with you because I hope to give some insight to expecting moms who are having a similar experience.  I didn't have someone I could go to who knew what I was going through, everyone I dealt with had beautiful pregnancies.  Even my doctors were shocked at the experience I had.  My goal is to be here if you have any questions or concerns because I know how it feels to be there and people looked at me like I was doing something wrong.  I did everything right according to the doctors, it was just how my body reacted and I was blessed with a gorgeous and healthy baby who is thriving.  He was 6 pounds and 20 inches at birth and 3 months later is 13 pounds and 25.5 inches and stricly fed with my breastmilk.  
              Through this blog I want to help moms going through a difficult time with their pregnancy and moms having a difficult time post pregnancy.  Follow along as I take you through different ways to help pregnant and post pregnant mommas mentally and physically.

You can follow me on twitter:  
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