Tips for Preparing for Delivery and Motherhood

Hello all! I haven’t posted in a long time, but Katie has contacted me wishing to guest post on my blog as this is Pregnancy Awareness Month. Here is her article:

Becoming a new mother can be one of the toughest, yet most rewarding, transitions that a woman can make. However, there are some tips and tricks that can help make this time of her life smoother and easier. Reaching out to friends and family, gaining education, and meeting health professionals prior to the birth can alleviate a great deal of stress and worry for the last few weeks of a pregnancy.

Education

Taking a few childbirth, early childcare or breastfeeding classes can be very helpful. Most classes are structured to last only a day or two and include a wealth of information. Additionally, the participants will have access to someone very knowledgeable about the subject they are instructing. These classes are usually offered by the maternity departments at most hospitals and have a fairly low fee. Some health insurance plans will even reimburse the cost of certain classes. Childbirth classes will prepare a woman for giving birth by fully explaining the process and even providing practice exercises for her to learn how to control her body and breathing during the birth experience.

Health Professionals

Many women will want to interview several pediatricians before choosing a child healthcare provider. A meeting with a doctor will help the mother determine if the practice fits in with her own child-rearing ideals. Because a pediatrician will have a major influence on the care of a child, a mother will want to find someone she is comfortable with and feels will be approachable and available when she has questions. Additionally, the doctor can help her make decisions about the baby’s health that should be considered before the actual birth. This includes subjects like planning for cord blood banking and other optional procedures. Umbilical cord blood banking is where cord blood is collected immediately following delivery and then stored, or “banked” at a private cord blood bank for the family. Since cord blood collection happen immediately after the baby is born it must be planned for before birth.

Friends and Family

It has been said that it takes a village to raise a child. Even in today’s ultra-modern society, this sentiment still holds true. Some new moms may assume that their friends and family will step in to help when the baby is born; however, many people are not sure if the mom will want help or how to help her. This is why a mother-to-be should talk to her friends and family members before the baby comes to let them know how they could help her. Sometimes asking for help can be hard, but most people are glad to lend a hand. Joining a mom group before the baby comes is a great way to meet other local mothers and have a built in support system when the new child arrives.

With a pediatrician picked out, education classes attended, and plans for post-delivery care made, a mother can go into delivery with a clear mind that her post-delivery transition will be a smooth one.

“Katie Moore has written and submitted this article. Katie is an active blogger who discusses the topics of, motherhood, children, fitness, health and all other things Mommy. She enjoys writing, blogging, and meeting new people! To connect with Katie contact her via her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter, @moorekm26.”

Children at a funeral

This is not a subject we like to talk about, but sooner or later, unfortunately, this question will arise: should I bring the kids to a funeral? I’m talking about very young kids (mine are two and half and 14 months).

I would say there are two situations: the first is when someone close to you passes; the second is when you attend a funeral in support of a friend who lost someone.

I have been in both situations, and I made two different decisions.

Less than two weeks ago, my grandfather passed away. The funeral was last week, and I knew right away that we needed to find someone to babysit the kids. Why? I know some people would have brought the kids, but this is why we didn’t: to be able to grieve properly, you need to be 100% focused on the ceremony, and if your kids are there, there’s no way this can happen. I don’t care how angel-like your child is, you will, inevitably, focus on your children if they are present.

A few years ago, a colleague of mine lost her brother in a terrible accident. My son was about 10 months old and I was pregnant with our daughter. I couldn’t find a babysitter, so I took my son with me.

In this case, I was at the funeral to show my support, not to grieve myself. I was at the back of the church (in case my son misbehaved).

Now, if I had been able to find someone to babysit, I would have left him at home. But in this case, I preferred to show up with him rather than not attend at all.

Like with everything when it comes to parenting, making a decision about this is very personal. By writing this post, my hope is that you think about all options.

Dress up the kids for Canada Day!

How much fun is it to wear red and/or white on Canada Day? And isn’t it even better to buy clothes for the kids?

Here are a few places you can go to gear up for July 1st without breaking the bank :

The Bay

 

 

Joe Fresh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little privacy please!

I am looking forward to the day my son is fully potty-trained. That is, when he tells me BEFORE he needs to go. For now, though, he goes when I ask him to, and that’s fine too.

His number twos are very timed: after lunch, after dinner. For the longest time, I asked him to sit on the potty and he would sit and sit and sit, sometimes for as long as 15 minutes, and only pee. I would put on his diaper, tuck him in bed for his nap, and two minutes later he would call me: he had done it in his diaper! Argh!

Then, one day, I had an AHA moment: what if he wants the privacy? What if I sat him on the potty and closed the door? So that’s what I did and guess what? He did his number 2 on the potty! What a dance I did that day to congratulate him!!

Since then, unless I missed a cue, he has gone every day, twice a day. It’s great!

Free your hands when pumping

Breastfeeding is hard enough at first, if you have to pump regularly too (to increase your milk supply), it can be a hassle.  I remember renting the Symphony Pump and sitting with my two hands holding each pump, trying to read at the same time. It’s not easy, let me tell you.

I wish I had known then about PumpEase!

 

 

A new mom I know raves about it. It’s quite a simple idea, but aren’t they the brightest, usually? Simply fasten at the front and you’re hands free! Plus, it’s a Canadian company! Check it out!