Friday, October 20, 2006

So Blue
So, have any crying spells while you were pregnant? Did you feel sad all of a sudden and then have to cry it out? Did you feel weird about it, guilty, or confused? Well, I have a little secret to share with you, it doesn't always stop after pregnancy. Some women , like myself, develop the Baby blues others can go into a deeper blues they can't shake also known as postpartum depression (I've had this as well).
I remember with my first child feeling like I didn't belong in the hospital. I had my baby and I wanted to go home. I had absolutely no desire to attend the so very corny class on taking home your baby, but I went anyways. While there waiting for the class to start I distinctly remember this really pretty new mommy that had a glow radiating from her face. I swear she wore a glowing crown around her head. She had a permanent smile on her face as she gazed at her baby then to her husband/partner. I really wanted to feel this but I couldn't. I wanted to sit there and cry my heart out. Why? Why did I feel so blue? Why couldn't I feel happy and great? Why couldn't I wear a damn glowing crown on my head? I wanted my glowing crown but I just couldn't force myself BUT I could force myself not to cry. So I sat and watched a nurse teach us all how to place a diaper on a baby and listened to her lecture us on the right temperature to bathe our baby in. The whole time I stared at glowing mommy who was oblivious to my stare.
Once we were home I immediately took a nap and rested with my new baby. I knew I needed rest due to a very long, sleepless and stressful night with this new colicky and screaming baby. When we woke up I went downstairs and a little later visited with my best friend. My 2 year old niece who was very used to my attention was there as well. While visiting with my friend, my niece wanted me to put my baby away and play but I was in no shape to get up and play with her and she did not like this at all and started to cry. While her mother was trying to explain the situation to her the cry became even deeper and painful. When I saw this I broke down and the flood came down my face. I wept and then cried for several minutes and I could not stop. My body shook and my throat choked. I cried a uncontrollable cry I had never cried in my adult life before. My heart also felt the bluest it had in a long while. I forced myself to look the other direction and then eventually the startled look on my best friend's face made me laugh. I broke out into a laugh and my best friend joined me later asking if I was okay. I had experienced a really weird overwhelming wave of emotions. Crazy hormones! The baby blues.
The baby blues usually don't last very long, it can last up to a couple of days. The wave of emotions come and go and eventually you shake it and go on with motherhood. If you can not shake the emotions and it persists then it is considered postpartum depression. The symptoms of postpartum depression are: Loss of interest or pleasure in life, Loss of appetite, Less energy and motivation to do things, A hard time falling asleep or staying asleep, Sleeping more than usual, Increased crying or tearfulness, Feeling worthless, hopeless or overly guilty, Feeling restless, irritable or anxious, Unexplained weight loss or gain, Feeling like life isn't worth living, Having thoughts about hurting yourself, and Worrying about hurting your baby. If you are going through any of these symptoms then please talk to someone and get help. There are ways to cope and deal with postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is treated much like any other depression. Support, counseling and medicines can help. To read more on postpartum depression
check it out here. If you have no one to speak to then lean on your doctor, church, or women's groups:local or online (check out connecting moms to find other mommies to connect with that have experienced the same emotions as you). Postpartum depression can be treated. You are not alone.
To all mommies: lean on eachother and love, help eachother and teach, support one another and grow strong.
Transitioning to our new lives
Evie

Monday, October 16, 2006

Melting Off the Baby Weight!

So it took me three babies and still working on it to get my prepregnancy body back! So how is it that you look into a magazine and see that so and so looks great one month postpartum? And Why are so many celebrity mommies going in for scheduled c-sections? A nip and a tuck here and there maybe? I really never understood the c-section coincidence in Hollywood until recently! Call me naive but can it be true that maybe a little Dr. 90210 stuff be going on? I mean who wants to do something like that when you just gave birth? What about natural time and healing and then if you're into it loosing just do it the natural way:EXERCISE and DIET? Also, what if you want more kids and you've chosen nipping and tucking? Do you grab the extra skin from your butt? I don't get it.
So if you don't believe in that, don't have the money or just forgot to mention this procedure to your Dr. the last time you had your baby then here are some little tips to loosing postpartum baby weight: The natural, non surgical way.

Breastfeeding will help you out. You probably have heard about this little tip but it is very true. You can really use this great gift to your advantage and towards your safe weight loss goals.
To be a breast milk producer you have to consume 500 calories extra per day. What does this mean? Well, that on top of the recommended daily caloric intake of the suggested 1800 to 2000 calories you need to ingest 500 extra calories. So if you exclusively breastfeed and light exercise you could really see where the whole program would work.
If you should decide to cut out a bit of calories to loose weight as I did, then here is some more information. Now, you can do a very simple mathematical equation to get your exact caloric intake and then add 500 extra by using this formula I found in the Better Homes and Garden New Dieter's Cookbook:
1. Begin with a base of 655 calories
2. Multiply your weight (in pounds) by 4.3
3. Multiply your height (in inches) by 4.7
4. Add numbers from #1,#2, and #3
5. Multiply your age by 4.7
6. Subtract the total of #5 from the results of #4 to get your resting metabolic rate(RMR)in calories. This is what you need just to maintain your bodily functions.
7. To determine your daily maintenance calories, use your RMR (#6) and multiply it by one of the following:
1.2 if you don't exercise
1.3 if you exercise 2 to 3 hours a week
1.4 if you exercise 4 to 6 hours a week
1.6 if you exercise 7 hours or more a week

Then add 500 calories to this and then you have your caloric intake for your milk production and weight maintenance. If you would like to loose baby weight slowly and safely then watch what you eat, work up to exercising 4-5 hours per week and limit your caloric intake never going below your calculated daily maintenace calories. Also use common sense! If you need a certain amount of calories to function and your body is producing milk (which takes 500 calories) then use the calculation and cut out slowly. For example, at the age of 28 my intake was calculated at 2,643.8 calories. there was no way I was going to consume this many calories....at least when I found out how much I was ingesting to stay at my weight I safely decided to cut out and consulted my very good friend who is a Registered Dietician and she told me not to go below 1800 cal. because of my milk production. After calculating your caloric intake consult with your doctor or a RD and they can safely tell you what is best for you.

#2 Small Calorie restriction and Journaling
Next, the best way I lost weight and the way many programs are built upon is calorie cutting plus journaling. I was able to view daily what I was ingesting and my progress. I did this by purchasing a small pocket calorie book "Calorie King 2005". This book broke down food calories by category and also had a large section for fast food calories and fat grams. I made better choices on what I was eating and started to loose weight. This was great to see. Journaling taught me a bit of self control plus I also tracked my exercise progress and rewarded myself when I reached my goals.

#3 Exercise
Depending on how you feel physically I suggest small steps when getting back into activity. Remember the more you do the more you pay for it physically. Too much can lead to exhaustion, heavy bleeding, headaches and fatigue. So listen to your body. Small brisk walks outdoors can be uplifting and great to start off with.
When you are ready to take it to the next step there are many options. A gym of your choice and many include childcare, outdoor activities with your family or friends and indoor videos, TV workouts and indoor equipment choices as well. I encourage partners or your children work too,they motivate you to meet up and exercise. I started three weeks postpartum and took my other two children with me for walks while they rode their bikes.
Once you have decided on your exercise start up then start out slowly and exercise for about 30 minutes. Every other day make sure to do weight lifting. Small weights are a good start if you're not used to lifting. I started out with 3 lb. Dumbbells and worked up to 5 lbs. and then 8 lbs. Weight training not only sculpts your muscles but it also raises your metabolism aiding in the weightloss process. You'll see a difference, mixed with breastfeeding and smart eating you're sure to see a difference very soon. Remember with all activity to consume plenty of liquids.
*Focus on mental well being. Exercise helps you clear your mind, releases endorphins helping you feel better about yourself and your new situation. It may also help ease the baby blues.

Rewarding Yourself
Once my goals were met I rewarded myself with a new garment! I loved this part. There's nothing as rewarding as getting back into your pre-pregnancy clothes but add pre-pregnancy clothes to a couple of new garments and you have a great smile on your face, a new body your happy about, and good health.
Caution: This may lead to a very attracted husband/partner BE CAREFUL!!!! :-)

Happy Transitioning to your New Life,
Evie

I do want to empahsise that dieting is not encouraged during your breastfeeding term, although exercise, and taking care of yourself is. Please consult with your physician if you should decide to diet.

Monday, October 09, 2006

Don't POP the Little Pimples

Why does my baby have tiny pimples on her face? This was what I thought when I saw little acne spots on my daughters face BUT popping them was never a thought that came into my mind. I know people who have actually popped the acne on their baby's face. Don't pop the baby pimple!
Baby acne is pretty common. It can be present at birth, but more often it shows up after a couple of weeks, usually on the cheeks and sometimes on the nose, chin, and even the back and legs. My babies usually had them at birth that were inverted and then came outwards after a couple of weeks. They would turn into small whiteheads. I found that some baby acne can become more pronounced when your baby is hot or fussy but this may also be heat rash. I also personally found that my little ones would get these little suckers when they would fall asleep on my breast while nursing. A little breast milk on their skin for a couple of hours caused the problem. In your situation it could be saliva, spit up, mommy's milk, or maybe a little rash could appear if you switch your detergent. Some blame baby acne on what mommy eats, drinks and the medication she is taking while nursing. Researchers still can't point it on one thing. Just keep a watch on all that you do and use on your baby. My solution that worked pretty good was clean the area with a clean, wet cloth and then dry the area afterwards and that did the trick. Just please, please don't pop them! Popping them could lead to other problems like pain, or infection. You don't want that for your little one.

Happy transitioning to your New Life,
Evie

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Golf Balls!

Yuck, I know that sounds horrible and disgusting but it's true. You think that you've seen it all during your menstruating career BUT not until your first baby will you experience big ole clots (sometimes golf-ball sized). Okay, so you think this is a bad topic to write about but who else is going to tell you the details? No one told me! Believe me I was shocked and scared (maybe not as shocked as what I saw as I delivered my baby-I'll give you a hint....it was brown :-( Whole other topic posting)
Okay, so now you know and you'll have these golf ball sized gifts for a couple of days. While in the hospital they'll actually want to check your progress with these not so nice passings and make sure you're doing okay. This is where you get the great long, extra thick pads (make sure you take some for home).
Hope this gets you ready or helps you feel like you're not the only one.
your friend getting you ready or helping you along your new life,
Evie
Post Partum Contractions

So you delivered your precious baby and you think that the contractions should be over with? Well, not exactly. Our body has a way to get our over stretched uteruses back into pre-pregnancy shape...it's called contracting. Contracting to get rid of a foreign, oversized melon ball to contacting back into regular shape to get ready to hold another foreign object. :) The shrinking of your uterus can cause contractions that worsen when your baby nurses or when you take medication (Pitocin) to reduce bleeding.

Right after you deliver you're observed by your nursing team. They want to get you to the postpartum floor to heal as soon as you're ready. My nursing team was very concerned after baby #2 was delivered to get me to the bathroom because they felt my bladder was very full. I was not ready and really would not have cared if the darn thing filled up and exploded. I did not want to get up to go to the bathroom at all. I felt no sensation to go nor did I feel like getting up to walk to it. Right as I was getting up to go, on came on this horrible contraction that led to a dosage of Pitocin. This contraction was the worse ever and I needed my hubby to help me breathe through them all over again.. Not Fair, my baby was over on a table being examined and I was going through contractions again! All ended up being okay but I want to share with you that you probably will go through contractions afterwards and during breastfeeding for about a week or so. Don't worry, the pain fades with every day that passes and with Tylenol. Hey, maybe you won't go through this at all. I didn't with my first born. My sister tells me it gets worse as you have more children!!! That's all you have to tell me and I'm scared :(
Remember TYLENOL!

Evie

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Officially Coming Out of THE CLOSET

So today I am officially coming out of THE CLOSET to all of you and letting you know I'm a SCRAP EATER!!!!!!!!! Ha, I said it! It's something that I've been thinking about for the longest time and although I should be writing about new mommy stuff I just wanted to jump ahead and give you a glimpse at what busy motherhood has done to me, and maybe you someday.
I'm a scrap eater. I never was before having children. I simply had my own plate of food every meal. When I wanted to share or someone to share with me, of course from those I knew, especially my Hubby, I would simply ask and satisfy my curiosity or craving. Coming from a family of six, me, my brother and sisters did this all of the time. Then I found out all about SCRAP EATING once I became a Mommy.
When my first born came, little did I know how fast you have to eat sometimes. One minute she would be fast to sleep in her bed and me sitting down in the kitchen listening to her through the baby monitor, and then the rustling of blankets and her little snorts would start. Seconds later the whaling and demanding cries for attention and food would begin. There would sit my lunch with a bite in it getting cold and stale by the minute. I would pick her up and then take her to the table as I nursed her. Some days I would eat over her and bits of my sandwich would fall on her head or chest...So the co-eating had to stop, and of course it had to be from me! When she started to eat solids she would share with me or get her own plate full.
Then baby two arrived and the scrap eating started!!! My little MR was almost 4 yrs. when little NM was born. Once the crazy little schedule set in it was official that I was a scrap eater. I would feed MR and she would sit at the table and barely touch her food. Once NM would nurse and fall to sleep it was time to place MR down for her nap and then I had a little time to eat. Walking into the kitchen I would pass the table and see a hardly eaten plate of food, so I would eat it instead of making my own new plate. Pretty bad.
So you wonder what I do now with three children and my own business? Forget it!!! Some days, I don't even make myself food. I know my kids will eat breakfast no matter what, but lunch, I'm happy if they eat half the plate. Sometimes I get so frustrated that I went out of my way to make them a great lunch and then to have them eat one bite. So instead of making myself a plate, sometimes and only sometimes, I eat the leftovers. It all depends on the day and if they went by my rules in my head:

Scrap Eating Rules:
1.) Food can not be touched by boogers, dirty hands, or saliva
2.) Food can't be bread with nothing in it but Mayo.(My kids are notorious for eating the ham and cheese and leaving the bread with Mayo.)
3.) If they're sick forget it...Gross!
4.) Never drinks (They leave Piranas in there! Yeah, backwash is just too dirty for me)

So, you see, I'm mostly a lunch scrap eating mommy. I know that I'm not alone. You may still be in the closet, not a full timer yet or maybe in denial :) I know I was....but now I'm a free scrap eating mommy !!!!!!!

Happy Transitioning to your New Life,
Evie