Things I’m Loving and Not Loving

I am a Happy Camper

Zico chocolate coconut water: This stuff is so good. It’s like a watery chocolate milkshake and would be the perfect liquid for a chocolate banana smoothie.

Yoga: I bought the prenatal package of ten classes at Dragonfly yoga, and although I didn’t go as often as I would’ve liked, I have been a couple times recently. It feels good to move like that, and it’s actually somewhat challenging now as an almost 40 week pregnant person. Plus there’s always a decent chance I’ll get to catch up with one of these two friends!  

The Americans: Brody watched this show over his lunch breaks, and now we’ve started watching it at night. We’re only in the first season (thanks Amazon Prime!), but it’s really interesting. 

Baking: Everything with sugar sounds good to me right now. In the past couple weeks, I’ve made banana whole wheat waffles, salted oatmeal white chocolate cookies, flourless peanut butter thumbprint cookies, banana coffee crumb cake, and zucchini bread. I’ll share all the links on my next food post.

My family: I love my husband and daughter so much, and as Brody pointed out yesterday as we walked around the Capitol Square, we have such a good life. I probably felt even more sentimental yesterday because a) It was our seven year anniversary, b) I’m pregnant, and c) Brunch may have been our last meal out at a restaurant as a family of three.  

Friday mom and baby play group: What would I do without these ladies?!?! They’ve been a source of support, laughs, food, fun and so much more for me (and Finley) over the last year. 

Relaxing during Finley’s nap: I’m typing this post as I lie in bed. While I did a few things right when she went down, such as laundry and the dishes, I’ve been trying to put my legs up to relieve the immense amount of pressure that exists down there. Baby Girl’s head is LOW.

I Could Do Without

Maternity clothes and my compression wear: I know I’ve moaned and groaned about this already, but I can’t wait to wear normal clothes again. I’m tempted to sell or donate (to a friend or Goodwill) all of my maternity clothes as soon as possible. 

Frequent night wakings: After spending a couple hours lying on one side of my body, my bottom hip starts to ache. Flipping to the other side takes a decent amount of effort, and unfortunately, often wakes Brody up. I know, I know…I’ll be getting up a lot with a newborn, and this is just preparing me for that….

Rain: We got a ton of rain last week, which was great for the grass, trees and plants, but not as much fun for a toddler who always wants to go outside. This week looks beautiful though, and even if I spend it in the hospital (maybe Baby H will come early?), Finley will enjoy it with my mom and/or Brody.

And for fun…Things Finley is Loving

Buses and trucks: She doesn’t play with trucks or cars much, but she gets so excited to see them drive past. She waves to them and says “Hi bus” and “Bye bus!”. 

Animals: Finley plays with her Little People animals every day. We also talk about animals every day, most likely the ones at the zoo. She likes seeing birds and squirrels outside while on walks or playing at parks.    

 Bacon: Maybe this was only a one time thing, but she housed a plate of bacon at Graze yesterday. Also, the anniversary card Brody got for me has a piece of (paper) bacon on the spring on the inside, and Finley keeps trying to eat it.   

Hope you’re having a nice Monday! And tell me: What are you loving or not loving???

Survey from a Blog from a Magazine

Did you follow that title? This morning, I read Carrots ‘n Cake morning post, and she answered the questions that Anna Faris responded to in Health magazine. I liked the questions and thought I’d also be a copycat. 

Can you eat what you want or do you have to watch it?

Being pregnant, I’m “allowed” an extra 300(ish) calories a day. However, I haven’t found in either of my pregnancies that my eating habits changed much. Eating fairly clean and healthy has been a part of my life for so long that I don’t even think about it. I do allow myself to indulge in something  sweet almost everyday, whether it be a couple pieces of dark chocolate after dinner, a brownie, or some ice cream (which we don’t keep in the house, so it’s a rare treat). 

After you had your baby, did you feel pressure to snap back into shape?

Surprisingly, no. I walked a lot for the first month after giving birth to Finley, but I didn’t start working out (going to the gym, running, workout DVDs) until  at least 8 weeks postpartum. I felt good about my body and didn’t mind the extra around my middle. Honestly, nursing helped me drop the weight quite quickly, so I started to feel comfortable in my body again after a couple months (or less). With this baby, at least now as a 30 week pregnant lady, I am feeling the pressure to be fit. But I’m not doing so great in that department, so I am excited to start working out regularly and sweating after I give birth.

Do you guys want more kids?

We’re likely going to stop at two. Both of us have one sibling, so that’s what we “know.” Also, as my sister says, we’ll never be outnumbered and the girls will each always have a partner (either each other or one of us) for going to amusement parks. Ha!

What are your favorite ways to pamper yourself?

Ummm…pamper? What does that mean? I’ve never been one to get regular massages, facials, or my nails done. For me, I feel pampered when I can take a shower without a toddler in the bathroom at the same time! Actually, I did get a gel manicure (my first ever!) on Friday night with my sister. The woman spent a few minutes massaging my arms and hands at the end, and that felt pretty amazing.

Besides wine, do you have a go-to drink?

When I’m not pregnant, and I’m not drinking red wine, I like stouts and IPAs. When I can’t drink or just want something special, I love kombucha. 

Do you have any health regrets?

Nothing I can think of.

Are you a yoga person?

Right after I graduated from college in 2005, I got into hot (or at that time it was Bikram) yoga. I practiced 5-6 days a week and loved it. After Brody and I bought our house in Sun Prairie and then I started student teaching, the location and long classes (90 minutes) weren’t convenient. Since then I’ve dabbled in it. I’m currently taking prenatal yoga classes at Dragonfly in Middleton, but I’ve only been able to make it to a class once every other week or so. After the baby is born, I’d love to start going to hot yoga again. 

What workout move do you loathe?

In BodyPump (which I haven’t taken forever), I despise biceps. 

When do you feel sexy?

When I get dressed up for a fancy night out with Brody. The last time this happened was when we went to The American Club in Kohler and had a nice dinner together. I wore a dress, eyeliner, and perfume!

When do you feel your absolute happiest?

In general, I am happy in the morning. I love the promise of the day to come, drinking coffee, and cuddling with Finley on the couch while she watches an episode of Daniel Tiger and does her nebulizer. Otherwise, I am so happy when Brody, Finley and I are out having fun, such as at the museum or out for brunch.

A Day in the Life [12-11-14]

What better way to fill you in on my life than a this-is-what-I-did-in-day-if-you-care-at-all post. Oh, and it never shows up in what we did today, but I’m pregnant and due June 4! Finley will have a little brother or sister who is almost two years younger than her.

5:50am: Finley is awake but it’s too early for everyone.

5:55am: I’ve successfully soothed her back to sleep.

6:20am: Now she’s awake for real.

6:25am: Diaper change

6:30am: Sesame Street in Mom and Dad’s bed

7:00am: Breakfast with The Today Show playing in the background

7:30am: Bake pumpkin muffins

7:40am: Finley watches the rest of the Sesame Street episode.

8:00am: Diaper change

8:05am: Play time with breaks to sample the muffins

9:30am: Drop off at gym’s daycare

9:35am: Kickboxing class for Mama

10:25am: Shower…alone with no toddler trying to open my hairspray or use Qtips

10:35am: Pick up Finley from daycare

11:00am: Home and diaper change

11:10am: Lunch

11:35am: Play with Mom’s wallet and attempt to eat coins

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11:45am: Read books in Finley’s room

12:00pm: Diaper change

12:10am: Sing “Twinkle Twinkle” and put Finley in her crib

12:20pm: Finley is asleep.

12:25pm: Make Starbucks hot chocolate

12:45pm: Address Christmas cards in the basement

1:20pm: Work on this post

2:00pm: Odds and ends: make guac (avocados were on their last legs), fold laundry, brush teeth (whoops, hadn’t done that yet today), pick up a little, etc.

2:30pm: Relax on the couch, meal plan, and make grocery list

2:55pm: Finley is awake – quite a nap!

3:00pm: She has a kids Chobani tube and we watch Mickey’s Christmas Carol. *Normally we only watch an hour or less of tv a day (typically Sesame Street), but I saw this recorded and wanted to see it too.

3:30pm: Finley eats peanut butter granola with milk, and I have crackers and cheese.

4:00pm: Walk the dogs – Finley cries for the last half of it while I try to keep her happy by singing “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and the ABCs.

4:30pm: Home and diaper change

4:40pm: Play and wait for Dad to come home (plus another diaper change at some point)

5:25pm: Brody is home, and I watch while he entertains Finley.

6:10pm: Dinner – we all fend for ourselves.

6:40pm: Finley gets a bath.

6:55pm: Brody and I read Finley holiday books.

7:10pm: Lights out for our little one

7:15pm: Couch, pineapple, tv (Blackhawks are playing), Facebook, blogs, Instagram, text with my sister, and this post

8:45pm: Get ready for bed

9:00pm: Lights out for the adults

A Dog Park Morning

Long time no chat!

All is well here. We’ve been busy with moving into our new house, unpacking, shopping for accessories, and hanging artwork. I’ll post pictures soon.

My hiatus from the interweb was due to a lack of Internet at our friends’ house. They didn’t have it at their house while we were living there, and I managed to use up 75% of my internet data in seven days. Truth be told, I kind of enjoyed the break from Facebook, Instagram, reading blogs and blogging myself.

This morning, Finley, the dogs and I made a trip to a dog park in Middleton close to our new house.

I bundled Finley up in her Patagonia fleece (it’s a little big still) and her new See Kai Run kicks. It was only 47 degrees when we got there, and I didn’t want her to be cold.

The dogs had lots of fun at this park. It was our second time here, and the loop around the park is about three minutes longer than the loop at the Token Creek dog park we used to frequent.

It wasn’t too long before I took off my scarf and unzipped my hoodie. The first part of the loop is downhill (if you walk counterclockwise), but then the other side is all uphill (duh).

Pushing a 26 pound toddler and the Bob up that will make even the fittest person sweat. I counted this as my workout for the day.

The views are quite pretty as well.

Now the dogs are tired, Finley is napping, and I got in a shower. It’s been a good morning.

Happy Friday!

Happy Weekend!

1. Yesterday Finley and I hosted our weekly play group! It was a great time, and about six mamas and their babies showed up. Finley slept through the first 1.5 hours of it, but woke up in a happy mood and played with her friends. Actually, the playing looked more like baby fight club as they’d steal toys from each other or play tug of war with them.

2. My mom is coming to visit for the weekend. She hasn’t seen Fin since the end of December, and I know she’ll be excited with how big and mobile (read: rolling, not crawling) she’s becoming. She also made her amazing sugar cookies – yummy!

3. Speaking of cookies, kind of, Brody and I are considering experimenting with a Paleo or Primal diet, which cookies would not be a part of. Initially he suggested vegan because our friends Bridget and JP are doing a vegan and juice cleanse, but I think Paleo or Primal makes more sense for us. I’ve been doing a little research online learning what each eating lifestyle allows. Really I think the most important part is that we cut out processed foods and gluten. I’ll keep you updated.

4. I made a Paleo friendly meal yesterday: PaleOMG’s spaghetti pizza pie. I really liked it, and ate it for lunch and dinner yesterday. It may be smart for me to find a handful of Paleo/Primal meals before we start. Brody hasn’t tried this one yet, but I think he’ll like it.
Note: I tried linking this recipe but that function in WordPress is not working. Grrrr…

5. My favorite cooking show is The Pioneer Woman. She’s so relaxed, her recipes always look delicious (and not Paleo/Primal – see how this is going to be so hard?), and her life on the ranch is pretty cool. I don’t follow her blog but I do visit to her website for recipes from time to time.

6. Brody got me a FitBit for Christmas, and I love seeing how active I am. On the days I exercise, I almost always get to at least 8,000, and many days (like yesterday,) 10,000 steps. Sometimes, though, I’m pretty lazy. Those days tend to be the ones I don’t leave the house.

7. Finley didn’t have the best night of sleep last night. She went down easily at 7pm, I dream fed her at 9:15pm, and she woke up at 12:45am. I fed her but could tell she was awake. After an hour of rolling around and talking to herself loudly in her crib, I changed her diaper (not poopy) and fed her again (she didn’t eat much before), and she fell asleep while nursing. This was around 2am. She woke up at 4am, and I was tired having been awake for an hour and a half in the middle of the night, so into our bed she came. She slept until 6:45am.

8. Moose and Frankie have had a rough winter. Pre-Finley, I took them to the dog park almost daily. Because of the cold and Finley, they now get a couple ten minute walks a day and maybe one trip to the dog park on the weekend. It’s so sad. We’ve gotten them into daycare every so often but not enough. Spring and summer, and the daily walks with Finley in a stroller, can’t come soon enough for them.

9. Tomorrow is Brody’s birthday. Finley and I are very excited to give him his gifts!

10. I pulled out my baby photo album and a couple of Brody’s baby pictures to see who Finley looks like. What do you think?

I’m six months old here, and Brody is five months.

This is Finley today right after she spit up all over herself.

Have an awesome day!

WIAW (but actually WIAFriday) and Day in the Life

I’m finally doing a WIAW! It’s been a very long time. Thanks for Jenn for being such a gracious host.

Finley wakes up around 7am. She gets a clean diaper and nurses. Then it’s my turn to eat!

Breakfast: coconut Chobani, banana, and Eat Live Run’s granola

That was the last of the granola – sad. It was my second batch, and you better believe I’ll be making another one next week. As I eat, Finley plays in her exer-saucer thing.

We go upstairs to her room to play and read books before nap #1. I enjoy a cup of coffee with a little cream and milk.

Squeezing a workout in during this nap is the best chance of it happening. I had picked up a Jillian Michaels’ Last Chance DVD from the library, so I give it a whirl – the workout I choose is a good one!

I take a bird bath (shower without washing my hair) just as Finley wakes up. After feeding her, she plays on the family room floor as I Swiffer our wood floors.

Now it’s lunch time. We’re eating a little early because I didn’t have a morning snack and we have errands to run before nap #2. Finley eats avocado, egg yolks mixed with plain whole milk yogurt, and pear.

Lunch: two egg scramble with salsa and cheddar cheese, quarter of an avocado, two pieces of wheat toast, and some canned pineapple

Finley and I pack up for an afternoon away from the house. Our adventures begin with a Woodman’s run.

I quickly drop the groceries off at home while Fin stays in the car, and then we take off for a coffee shop. I’ve timed it so that Finley’s nap #2 will happen in the car. She took a good morning nap, so I’m okay if her other nap(s) isn’t as great. As expected, she sleeps on the drive to the coffee shop and wakes up as I park.

Friday afternoons we go to a play group formed from the Mother Baby Hour we attended. I really like the moms, and Finley likes looking at the other babies and sharing toys.

This was also the time I needed a snack.

Snack: chai latte, kombucha, and an unpictured banana

We stayed at play group until 4pm and then headed home. Once again, I timed it so Fin would take another cat nap in the car.

Surprise, surprise – I’m hungry again. As I eat, I prep an apple for Finley for the next few meals.

Snack: apple and peanut butter

Brody gets home around 5:30pm, and his dad and stepmom arrive soon after. We all watch as Finley eats her dinner. Her grandpa and step-grandma try to hold her, but she gets pouty. Like many babies, she isn’t always okay being held by new people. I’m hoping she warms up to them before they leave.

After a quick bath and nursing session, I put Fin down for the night. She falls asleep within five minutes a little after 7pm.

I join everyone downstairs and stuff my face with three pieces of pizza. This is one more than I normally eat, and in the end, a mistake. I also drink half a bottle of wine.

Dinner: Salvatore’s pizza and red wine

My father-in-law and his wife drive back to their hotel; they’ve been awake for almost 24 hours (they live in Switzerland). Brody and I plop on the couch and watch The West Wing. I fall asleep during the second episode (we’re already in season seven!) – wine does that to me.

It was a good day: a workout, errands, friends, good food, and family.

Non-Baby Topics (No Lie…Not Even One Picture)

Let’s chat about something other than sleep, breastmilk, and all other baby-related topics.

First up, TV! Now that I’m home full-time, I’ve been watching more TV (should I be ashamed?), or at least having it on in the background. Brody and I also continue to watch our shows at night.

My daytime TV starts with The Today Show. I was embarrassingly excited when they announced that Carson Daly is joining the team!!!!

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I always defend Carson when Brody pokes fun of him on The Voice and thought he was fantastic when he was a guest host for The Today Show a month ago.

I also regularly watch What Not To Wear and The Chew, both of which I DVR. Sometimes I’ll see an episode of Long Island Medium or The Dr. Oz Show.

At night, Brody and I have a handful of shows we’re into. This section demands a list:

1) Have you seen The Newsroom? If not, you have to watch it.

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It’s in its second season and is SO well done. The writer and producer, Aaron Sorkin, also created Sports Night and The West Wing. The show gives a (fictional) behind the scenes look at producing a nightly news program. The characters are well-developed, and the plot is just smart.

2) Sons of Anarchy started up again, and we watched the first episode the other night. I forgot how violent that show is: anal rape, torture porn, drowning in a tub of urine. Oy! And I’m sure all of the S.O.A. and Fifty Shades of Grey fans out there heard that Charlie Hunnam will be Christian Grey in the film version of the very popular trilogy (which I never read).

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3) The Food Truck Road Race is another one we keep up with. Quite a 180 from S.O.A., right? Tyler Florence hosts this show, and I’m guessing the title gives away the premise.

4) Brody started watched Revolution on Netflix on his own, and I got sucked in a couple weekends ago about ten episodes into the first season. We enjoyed Lost, and this is by the same writer, JJ Abrams. It’s a slightly futuristic setting in which the “lights went out.” No power, no electricity…well, sort of. This is the perfect lazy weekend show.

Second non-baby discussion point, FOOD!

Last weekend, Brody was gone, and a kind friend brought over soup for me. One less meal to figure out? Awesome! The soup (with kale, ground turkey, and carrots) was delicious, and with the cooler temps, I’m ready to start making more comfort foods. I found the recipe my friend used (link above) and made myself a batch. Instead of rice, I added some potatoes that were on their last legs. It was the perfect quick and healthy lunch for me last week.

I was craving something sweet (no surprise) I found this protein powder peanut butter cookies. They were what you’d expect from a healthy cookie, but I actually prefer this protein powder cookie dough. Brody came home, saw the cookies thinking they were “real”, and got excited. I quickly intercepted his reaching hand – he would’ve spit the cookie out and given me that “I can’t believe you eat this” look. Because I’m an awesome wife, I made “real” cookies for him this morning…with peanut butter, and butter, and sugar. Smitten Kitchen has the best cookie recipes, so I followed hers. Peanut butter cookies for the win! I broke my rule (more of a guideline) of not eating chocolate before noon and had two. Then I had two after lunch. I’ll probably have more before the day is done.

This is kind of food related: a commercial was shot at my house on Wednesday. Like a legit commercial that will air on TV (only on the east coast, though). How did this come to be? A neighbor of mine knows the woman who was responsible for finding locations for breakfast sausage company’s commercial. My neighbor suggested my house since they were looking for a kitchen space with a breakfast bar. Out of a handful of houses, mine was one of three selected! A crew of thirty some people arrived at 7:30am and occupied the entire first floor of my house. Lots of cars and an RV lined the streets around my house, camera and lighting equipment was set up inside and outside, and there was a food buffet outside…cause that’s when you know it’s the real deal.

They left at 8:00pm (after doing a very good job of cleaning my house) and handed over a nice check. Plus, they left a package of breakfast sausage in the freezer for us! It was a very cool and unique experience.

Third and final topic, exercise. I’m kind of back on that horse; this past week I went to kickboxing on Tuesday, Zumba on Wednesday, and ran three miles on Friday. My body feels good, but I can definitely tell something is different with my knees. They ache when I crouch down and stand up, even if I hadn’t recently worked out. Also, I don’t notice it’s any worse after running. Pregnancy can affect ligaments, and I’m guessing that’s what is going on. I also need new shoes. It could be that.

I didn’t even mention “she who will not be named” once. Bet you didn’t think I could do it? It was hard.

Questions:
What show(s) are you into?
What’s the best thing you’ve made recently?
What’s been your go-to way to exercise recently?

Madison Moms Blog Playdate at Blackbird Yoga

A couple weeks ago, I stumbled on Madison Moms Blog and added it to my Feedly. There are a handful of women who write for the blog, and I have enjoyed reading about their mom-related experiences. Plus, they have tons of giveaways!

When I read about their playdate at Blackbird Yoga, I immediately signed up. Two friends with kids went to this yoga studio’s “mommy and baby” yoga and recommended it to me; I was excited to see what it was like and try something new.

On the way, I ate a protein bar in the car. While the flavor was good, the texture was a little funky and chalky. Good thing I only paid 25 cents for it (courtesy of the reduced bins at Woodman’s).

A few moms from the Mother Baby Hour I go to every Tuesday at the Meriter Business Center were there (I shared the event at last week’s meeting), so I chatted with one for a while. Not too much later, the owner of the studio announced that a yoga class would be starting soon.

It was a short fifteen minute class that included sun salutations, downward dog, mountain pose, warrior, and savashana. Finley hung out on her back while I moved through the poses. The teacher had a couple of songs that went along with poses; it was very cute to see the older kids doing yoga and singing along. This studio is on the far west side of Madison and a thirty minute drive from my house. Luckily, they are opening one on the east side by Happy Bambino! I’d be fun to go to a weekly yoga class with Finley. Plus, they have free childcare for when you want to take a class on your own – AMAZING! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for another Groupon soon.

Yoga was apparently exhausting for Finley. She fell asleep in my arms after the class.

While she slept, the founders of Madison Moms Blog drew names for the giveaways. I must be on a winning streak because I won! My goodie bag included cute gray yoga pants, a gift certificate for four Gigi’s cupcakes, foot scrub and cream from Pink Papaya, and body wash from Pink Papaya. So fun!

Finley woke up after a forty-five minute nap and was ready for some tummy time. She hung out, and I talked with a few moms.

Everyone, including the babies/kids, received gift bags which included candy, dental care items, and Menchie’s coupons.

I had a great time at this event; thanks to Madison Moms Blog for putting it together!

Pregnancy Update: Week 41

How far along? 41 weeks, so overdue by a week.

Baby’s size? The website I had been referring to stops giving comparative fruits and vegetables after 40 weeks. Maybe there’s one that starts comparing her to animals? Household objects?

Weight gained? I am holding steady at 25 lbs.

Stretch marks? None.

Sleep? Some nights are better than others. Saturday morning I slept until almost 8am – that almost never happens. Brody’s sleep, on the other hand, has been suffering big time. I have apparently become a snore monster. Truth: I woke myself up at least once because of my own snoring.

Best moment(s) this week? Giving birth…psych. That didn’t happen, but it would’ve been cool. For real, though – good times: getting to the dog park every day, going to see This is the End with Brody on Saturday afternoon, trying new recipes, meeting up with Jeana and Nicole, reading on the back patio, hanging out with Brody after work (and not being worried about grading), and, of course, hearing Baby’s heartbeat at our now bi-weekly appointments. It’s the little things.

Miss anything? The usual: stomach sleeping, changing sleeping positions while sleeping, red wine (and sangria), blah blah blah.

Looking forward to? Seeing our baby and finally telling everyone her name.

Movement? She’s still squirming in there.

Food cravings? This isn’t exactly a craving but more of an anti-aversion; I ate chicken breasts! Now it wasn’t a whole chicken breasts as that still makes me want to gag. I made sweet and sour chicken (bite-size pieces), and I ate it and liked it.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Food commercials – I can’t watch them. Everything savory looks disgusting. Everything sweet still looks good, though.

Exercise? Lots of walking still. One day this week I made it to the dog park in the morning and again with Jena when she was done with work. I got to the gym one day for some treadmill walking and elliptical action.

Gender? Girl.

Labor signs? Lots of Braxton Hicks, lost my mucus plug (sorry if that’s TMI), some crampiness, some lower back aches, slightly dilated and effaced, and brief “twinges” of pain. Two nights this week I woke up thinking (and hoping) that my water had broke. Unfortunately it was just sweat that had formed between my thighs and knees from how I lie in bed. Both embarrassing and disappointing.

Symptoms? I don’t even know how to answer this one anymore.

Belly button in or out? Out. The timer says I’m done, but Baby hasn’t heard the buzzer. Lame metaphor? Yes.

Wedding rings on or off? Off at night and on for most of the day. I don’t wear it to the dog park because my hands swell when walking in the warmer temps.

INDUCTION
Now that I’m d-day plus seven days, the i-word has been tossed around a lot by me, friends, and my doctor. Before my due date, Brody and I had decided to hold off and avoid induction interventions.

Suddenly at my appointment on Thursday (three days after EDD), I found myself open to the idea of inducing using a prostaglandin. The three of us discussed even doing it that next weekend or early next week. My doctor was not pressuring me but was open if I waned to do it.

As we drove away, Brody (unintentionally) asked a loaded question: But I thought you wanted to wait?

After a nights sleep, some additional thought, and a little research, I decided to not schedule anything, and Brody supports that decision. I believe the pressure of “the due date,” my boredom at home, everyone’s well-intentioned texts and calls (don’t take that the wrong way friends and family – keep checking in!!!), and knowing I had the power to meet her in three-ish days got to me.

From what I’ve read, inducing can bring on a slew of interventions that I would like to avoid if possible. Obviously I’m open to whatever is necessary to have a safe and healthy baby, but the big two I hope to avoid are having a C-section and getting Pitocin.

In my free time this week, I read about lots of “natural” induction options, and have tried a handful. On Saturday morning, I decided to give reflexology a shot.

Reflexology is based on the belief that certain points in a person’s hands and feet correspond with body parts and organs, including the uterus. I made an appointment at Reflexions and decided that even if nothing happened from it, at least it’d be a relaxing 60 minutes.

The reflexologist was nice enough to have a chair for me instead of asking me to go on the table.

She also does fertility and prenatal massages, so she had the background knowledge to realize us pregnant ladies aren’t supposed to be on our backs for long. My feet were propped up with pillows, and she sat on the floor while working on my feet, ankles, and lower legs.

After the hour was up (which flew by!), she showed me three pressure points I could continue to work on that connect to the uterus: one on the bottom of each foot, one above the inside ankle bone on each foot, and the webbing between the thumb and first finger.

Considering it’s Monday, I wouldn’t say the reflexology session induced labor, but it sure felt great and was, as I had hoped, very relaxing.

I have a doctor’s appointment today at noon, so we’ll see how I’m progressing and what the future plans may be.

Hope you have a wonderful Monday!

Questions:
Have you ever tried any more “alternative” medicine (besides massage and chiropractic care)?
To the mamas out there – What brought on labor for you?

What To Do When You’re Overdue

Only about 5% of babies are born on their due dates, so it really shouldn’t come as a shock that mine has come and gone.

Physically, I’m doing good. I’ve been staying quite active (two trips to the dog park yesterday = four miles of walking) and did just over an hour of cardio (treadmill walking and elliptical) at the gym this morning.

Mentally…well, not horrible but not as good. I like to be busy and have stuff to do. As much as I complain about the grading that comes along with the school year, I love working. Typically by this point in the summer, I have started babysitting. Instead I’m at home, waiting…

What is an overdue pregnant lady to do when she’s not working and at home waiting for her life to drastically change?

Watch TLC, specifically A Baby Story, Long Island Medium, and What Not to Wear

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Some tears have been shed with those first two shows.

Read a good book

I am loving Gone Girl – I just got to a really good spot and a big twist in the story.

Make lists of mundane (and maybe important) things to do

Doesn’t it feel productive to cross things off, even if it’s “clean coffee maker”?

Exercise

Not only is exercise good for you and the baby, but some say it may help get labor going.

Meet up with friends

Yesterday, I met up with Nicole and her daughter at Orange Leaf – so good to see her again! Oh ya – and I have a frequent buyer card now. So dangerous. On Monday, I met my friend Jeana and her 7 week old daughter Avery at Starbucks.

Check Gmail, Facebook, Feedly, and Instagram (too often)

Been doing WAY too much checking of social media lately.

People keep saying things like “Enjoy these last few quiet days.” I am trying, but when I have no idea what it’s going to be like with a newborn, how can I understand?

At least the dogs like having me at home during the day. They follow me around, get to go outside more (including the park), and take selfies with me.

Question:
Any productive or completely mundane tasks I should add to my to-do list?