Congratulations! I will email you later today, or feel free to drop me a note if you see this before you get my message!Don't miss the new giveaway for a ComfyRumps diaper, folks!
Friday, April 8, 2011
Winner - Gypsy Jewels!
Time to draw a winner for the $20 gift certificate to Gypsy Jewels! Someone gets to treat herself with really lovely jewelry or something to make breastfeeding a little easier -
Congratulations! I will email you later today, or feel free to drop me a note if you see this before you get my message!
Don't miss the new giveaway for a ComfyRumps diaper, folks!
Congratulations! I will email you later today, or feel free to drop me a note if you see this before you get my message!Don't miss the new giveaway for a ComfyRumps diaper, folks!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
ComfyRumps Review and Giveaway!
***This giveaway is closed***
winner: Jennifer!
winner: Jennifer!
I'm not sure if I've mentioned, but we're using cloth diapers. It wasn't a unanimous decision around here, but I think my husband is a convert now that we've had a good chance to try them out. We started using cloth after the first week (just to get past that meconium and overwhelmed new parent stage), and have only used disposables when it's way more convenient (like when we spend the day far from home visiting family. I know, we could take cloth for that but toting them around seems a pain).
Mia in one of her ComfyRumps - still on the smallest setting, which has fit so far from 8-12lbs.- a great fit from 8lbs to 12, where she's at now - and still lots of room to grow Edit: Still fitting well with no leaks and room to grow at 19 lbs!
- no leaks. Not a single one.
- they come in lots of colours, prints, and a fuzzy version with fuzzy prints too... cuteness!
- great fit and the one size style means they will fit until she's out of diapers
- the snap style prevents wing droop and allows for a lot of adjustments
- the company is Canadian (although, the diapers are made in China)
- the ridiculously affordable price!!!
The outer is PUL (no cover required), and the inside is microfleece. It's very soft. It has lost a tiny bit of the softness after so many washes (as any microfleece will) but I only noticed that when I got the replacement diaper. The insert is a three-layer microfiber, and is very absorbent. One more thing I love about this system - you can hold a dirty diaper by the front and give a couple good shakes, the wet/dirty insert falls right out into the diaper pail. No touching required! Love.
ComfyRumps are in heavy rotation at our house and have been for 7 weeks now. They are in great condition still, with one exception. I had one diaper delaminate after 4 weeks' use. I am sure it was simply a faulty batch of fabric (it was the only one of that colour that I had, the other 11 diapers are still looking great), and when I contacted ComfyRumps to let them know, they sent out a replacement immediately. Great customer service.
Overall... if you're looking for an affordable, reliable, quality diaper from newborn and up, take a serious look at ComfyRumps. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Now for some great news... ComfyRumps has offered a fantastic diaper to one of my readers!!!
The giveaway:
One winner will receive a ComfyRumps cloth diaper!
How to enter:
This is the mandatory entry - do this first to qualify for bonus entries!
Visit ComfyRumps and tell me your favourite diaper, OR something else you learned there.
Make sure I've got a way to contact you if you're the winner!
Bonus entries: (please leave an extra comment for each. If you already do any of these things, leave the comment - you do get the entry for it!):
- Like ComfyRumps on Facebook (leave your first name and initial!)
- Follow ComfyRumps on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!)
- Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!)
- Tweet about this giveaway and leave me the link to your tweet! You can do this once a day and you can use this tweet if you like:
#Win a @Comfyrumps diaper at Emily's Latest! @emilyisland's fave dipe for newborn & up http://bit.ly/hQMJMJ US/CAN (Ends 4/22) #clothdiapers
- Follow my blog (publicly) – 2 entries, leave 2 comments
- Add my blog button to your blog– 2 entries, leave 2 comments (please leave a link to your blog)
Please be sure to include your email address if it’s not public in your blogger profile! Anonymous comments without a way to contact you will be rejected. Canadian or US mailing addresses only, please. Giveaway ends April 22nd at 11:59 EST. A winner will be drawn within the next day or two (as long as I'm not in labour!), announced here, in a separate post and emailed!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Markham Mom to Mom Sale
I don't know if any of my readers are local (in the Markham, Ontario area), but there is a mom-to-mom sale coming up on April 9th at the Markham Fairgrounds.
I went last year before baby Mia was born and got some fantastic deals. It's kind of like a giant garage sale of all baby stuff, from other moms and some companies as well. I had a good time browsing. It was really crowded and last year I didn't even have a baby in tow - this year it will be a little more work with a stroller to push through the crowds, but I plan to go all the same.
If you are interested, they have a Facebook presence and the main website for more info is here.
I went last year before baby Mia was born and got some fantastic deals. It's kind of like a giant garage sale of all baby stuff, from other moms and some companies as well. I had a good time browsing. It was really crowded and last year I didn't even have a baby in tow - this year it will be a little more work with a stroller to push through the crowds, but I plan to go all the same.
If you are interested, they have a Facebook presence and the main website for more info is here.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Conversation
This is what it's like -
Ghee!
Ghee!
Ghee? Did you say ghee? Ghee!~big grin~ Elk!
Oh, elk! Good girl!Elk elk! A-boo!
A-boo! A-boooo!~grin~
Smiles! Good girl! Big smiles! Yay, Mia!~grin~
~sigh~And that's pretty much the highlight of my day.
Friday, March 25, 2011
I used to be more interesting.
Before (that's Before, with a capital B), I'm sure I had other things to talk about. What was life full of - work, food, movies, restaurants, going out with friends, sewing, baking, gardening? I can't really remember. I do remember swearing I wasn't going to be one of those boring people who can only talk about their babies.
Fast forward to today, and my main topics of conversation these days are:
The reason is this: she takes ALL of my time, 24 hours a day. I have very little time for anything but nursing, changing, soothing, diapering, endless laundry, stuffing cloth diapers, putting away baby laundry, wiping up spit up, leaving a trail of baby washcloths, burp cloths and baby socks as we go, and picking it all up as well. It took me three hours to put away the dishes from the dishwasher the other day. One day I vacuumed with her in a sling - that was a MAJOR accomplishment!
I know it will get easier. It already has, really. We're trying for a schedule of sorts, and it's actually working - she's had two nights in a row now that have been better. Better means she's up every even hour to eat, burp and settle - which takes an hour. So I'm getting 4 one-hour stretches of sleep a night now. That is an improvement. I've realized that I've actually been sleeping with my eyes open (literally - I wake up and I immediately need drops in my eyes, they are so dried out).
I know that my sense of self and having a life outside of the baby will return as well. Eventually.
For now, I'm devoted to her care. It's my only job, my life's work and my passion... even at 4:00 am, when I'm dead tired and she's starving.
And this is why I have very little else to talk about these days... There's no room for anything else in my life right now!
Fast forward to today, and my main topics of conversation these days are:
- sleep
- milk
- Mia
- ...
The reason is this: she takes ALL of my time, 24 hours a day. I have very little time for anything but nursing, changing, soothing, diapering, endless laundry, stuffing cloth diapers, putting away baby laundry, wiping up spit up, leaving a trail of baby washcloths, burp cloths and baby socks as we go, and picking it all up as well. It took me three hours to put away the dishes from the dishwasher the other day. One day I vacuumed with her in a sling - that was a MAJOR accomplishment!
I know it will get easier. It already has, really. We're trying for a schedule of sorts, and it's actually working - she's had two nights in a row now that have been better. Better means she's up every even hour to eat, burp and settle - which takes an hour. So I'm getting 4 one-hour stretches of sleep a night now. That is an improvement. I've realized that I've actually been sleeping with my eyes open (literally - I wake up and I immediately need drops in my eyes, they are so dried out).
I know that my sense of self and having a life outside of the baby will return as well. Eventually.
For now, I'm devoted to her care. It's my only job, my life's work and my passion... even at 4:00 am, when I'm dead tired and she's starving.
And this is why I have very little else to talk about these days... There's no room for anything else in my life right now!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Gypsy Jewels - Review and Giveaway!
***This giveaway is closed***
Winner: Leigh!
Winner: Leigh!
I have a great line of products to share with you today. Gypsy Jewels is an Etsy shop featuring gorgeous jewelry as well as mama products. Juliea is a doula so, as you can imagine, she's well in tune with the needs of mamas! Of course, the jewelry is not just for mamas - her gemstone bracelets and necklaces are lovely on anyone. Check out these beauties:
I love this silver leaf necklace - isn't that pretty?
And this malachite and rose quartz birthing bracelet is not only lovely, but the stones are meant to stimulate contractions. I have read elsewhere that these stones are excellent for fertility!I love that Juliea has taken the time to research the stones and tells what they are known for in the product descriptions. Whether or not you believe in the power of stones, they are so pretty!
Besides the jewelry, there are also the mama products and this is where I come in. I was able to review the Mama Munchies cookies and a nursing clip.
The Mama Munchies cookies are full of goodness that helps with lactation. So not only do you get to eat cookies, it's for the baby - and you don't have to share! They are organic, and contain ingredients that are beneficial to your health as well as helping out with milk supply. Plus, (this is really important) they are delicious! Nothing like feeling like you've done yourself and your little one a good deed by eating a cookie :) I loved the cranberry and walnuts in them, and that they are not overly sweet, just sweet enough. Yum.
Plus, they are perfectly freezable so if you're still waiting on baby's arrival, you can pick them up now and be prepared. I know this first hand as I received them in January and as you know, Mia joined our family in mid-February. The cookies tasted absolutely fresh when I brought them out of the freezer.
The nursing clip is wonderful as well. I had the chance to try this out recently - I'm not that shy about bringing the boob out for Mia to nurse, but there are certain situations where I'd rather not show the world. The clip is way smaller than dragging along a big cover, and you can use whatever's on hand as the cover itself. I had a blanket handy so that did the trick. I really hate carrying luggage for the baby - my diaper bag is a small tote - so keeping accessories to a minimum is key. This works for me!The clip is pretty fabric with a lead-free clip on each end.
You can see that the clip has plastic 'teeth'. I remember this type of clip back in the day when they were made with jagged metal teeth! Nothing like that here. It is fabric-friendly so you don't have to worry about damaging whatever you use as a cover. You could use a napkin at a restaurant, your jacket, whatever you have on hand.Here we are using the clip... do I look tired? I AM! And yes, I am sitting around on the couch wearing only a nursing bra on top... Par for the course these days, I'm ashamed to say. At least I have a little modesty using the blanket as a cover. Mia's little legs in her legwarmers and socks look like doll legs, but I assure you she is under there munching away. It's pretty much all she does besides snooze (never at night).
Here's the great news for you! Juliea has offered one of my readers a gift certificate to her Etsy shop! VERY nice! You could pick up something for yourself, or any of her products would make great gifts. The giveaway: One winner will receive a $20 gift certificate to spend at Gypsy Jewels!
How to enter: Visit Gypsy Jewels, and tell me something that you love, OR visit Juliea's doula website, Crowning Lotus, and tell me something you learned. Please be sure to include your email if it’s not public in your blogger profile! You MUST do ONE of these things for the mandatory entry; if you do BOTH, leave an extra comment for a bonus entry!
Extra entries: Bonus time! Leave a comment for each extra entry.
- Follow Juliea's blog (publicly)
- Heart the Gypsy Jewels shop on Etsy (leave your Etsy name)
- Become a fan of/"like" Gypsy Jewels on Facebook (mention your first name and last initial in your comment).
- Follow @gypsyjewels on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!).
- Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!). Already do? That counts!
- Tweet about this giveaway (once - this is not a daily!) and leave me the permalink. You can use this for your tweet, if you like:
"#Win a $20 GC to Gypsy Jewels (Etsy) @ Emily's Latest. @emilyisland @gypsyjewels http://bit.ly/hggDOY US/CAN 4/7 jewelry & mama products!"
- Follow my blog (publicly) – 2 entries, leave 2 comments. Already do? That counts!
- Add my blog button to your blog - leave the URL. Already have it? That counts!
- Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post and to Gypsy Jewels – 2 entries, leave 2 comments and please include a link to your post
- Tell me - do you believe in the power of stones? I am open minded about it - not fully believing, but not disbelieving either! Kind of a "can't hurt, might help" attitude!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Winner - Fairhaven Health Breastfeeding Support!
Late, I know - this one ended on the 17th! Random.org considered the entries and here is the winner:
Congrats, mama! I'll be emailing you shortly :)
Stay tuned for more giveaways for mums and babies... I know things are moving slowly around here but they are coming, I promise. Good ones, too!
Meanwhile, for your entertainment, here is another photo of my favourite little girl. This is the dark side of Mia - she definitely has her smiley moments, but this happens too! This is just the start of a raging and inconsolable crying fit she had after tummy time today. Thankfully, a nap on mum solved whatever the issue was.
Congrats, mama! I'll be emailing you shortly :)Stay tuned for more giveaways for mums and babies... I know things are moving slowly around here but they are coming, I promise. Good ones, too!
Meanwhile, for your entertainment, here is another photo of my favourite little girl. This is the dark side of Mia - she definitely has her smiley moments, but this happens too! This is just the start of a raging and inconsolable crying fit she had after tummy time today. Thankfully, a nap on mum solved whatever the issue was.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
The Nursery - photo tour
Here are some pics of the nursery, just for fun. I am not a big fan of theme nurseries or gender-specific stuff, so we went with a colourful, eclectic look.
Her bookcase we got secondhand - solid wood, so perfect and we didn't pay an outrageous price. The decal of the branch and birds is from Wilson Graphics (read my review and see it being installed here). The little painting on top of the bookcase is by Toronto artist Scott Waters, and features a parakeet and sailboats. I love it.
The glider I bought secondhand (I paid $25 for the glider, plus $75 for fabric) and recovered (see the before and after here). The print above the glider is a monoprint I did in one of my university printmaking courses.
The crib is secondhand, too (I paid $100). It was a drop-side crib, but my husband secured the side so it no longer drops down. I made the dust ruffle because I couldn't find one I liked - it's simply broadcloth in white and blue with a gold braid trim. The sailboat mobile is from ATG Stores, and the two quilts are handmade (all hand stitching!) by my aunt. 
The maple dresser is one I refinished the summer after high school. I remember stripping off about 9 layers of paint, so I couldn't bear to paint it white to match the other furniture! The shelves are from Ikea, laundry basket from Bouclair - I picked it up on sale for less than half price and added the fabric that I used on the glider to the laundry bag. To the right of the dresser (just outside the picture) is the dirty diaper pail for cloth diapers. The red horse on the top shelf I picked up at an art gallery in Spain years ago - it's modeled after a horse in a painting (and I have just totally blanked on the artist and the painting). The tigers are from my husband - he won a contest some years ago to name tiger cubs at the Metro Toronto Zoo, and along with a behind the scenes tour of the zoo he got those cute stuffed tigers. Something I did just today was add a couple of ribbons dangling from the shelving above the change table, with clips on them, and clipped on some Wee Gallery baby art cards in black and white - something to look at for her, and it's easy to change the images from time to time.
As you can see, I did end up using the wire alphabet that I made - my husband spray-painted it bright red and I love the way it turned out! I hung it using tiny finishing nails. Here's a close-up:
And the little bird you may have spotted on the curtain rod... one I made just for fun a while back.
_____
We discovered the cause of all the nursing problems - thrush! No wonder I've been in so much pain. I knew it wasn't the latch!
The medicine they gave the baby (Nystatin) makes her spit up all day long, and the cream I've got (the one recommended by Dr. Jack Newman) doesn't seem to be helping much. Ugh. I've been treating this for a week and it has gotten better (I'm not in tears with every feeding) but it is not all better. It's driving me crazy. The next thing to try is vinegar (1:3 with water) swabs, and instead of giving the baby 2mL of Nystatin twice a day, swabbing her mouth with it instead so she's not taking so much in. I sure hope it starts working.
So I'm spending my days nursing, cleaning up after baby spits up - changing her outfit a lot, nursing again because she's hungry because she spat up all her milk... along with doing cloth diaper laundry and stuffing, and wishing she would sleep (this baby does not nap OR sleep at night!).
This is the first chance I've had to get on the computer for a week! I miss the blog and hope to get back on a more regular basis (just need to get her on track with that plan!). I have reviews of some really great products to write and giveaways too, so do bear with me, there is good stuff to come.
Lastly, I can't resist sharing a pic of our cutie - just over a month old now:
Her bookcase we got secondhand - solid wood, so perfect and we didn't pay an outrageous price. The decal of the branch and birds is from Wilson Graphics (read my review and see it being installed here). The little painting on top of the bookcase is by Toronto artist Scott Waters, and features a parakeet and sailboats. I love it.
The glider I bought secondhand (I paid $25 for the glider, plus $75 for fabric) and recovered (see the before and after here). The print above the glider is a monoprint I did in one of my university printmaking courses.The crib is secondhand, too (I paid $100). It was a drop-side crib, but my husband secured the side so it no longer drops down. I made the dust ruffle because I couldn't find one I liked - it's simply broadcloth in white and blue with a gold braid trim. The sailboat mobile is from ATG Stores, and the two quilts are handmade (all hand stitching!) by my aunt. The maple dresser is one I refinished the summer after high school. I remember stripping off about 9 layers of paint, so I couldn't bear to paint it white to match the other furniture! The shelves are from Ikea, laundry basket from Bouclair - I picked it up on sale for less than half price and added the fabric that I used on the glider to the laundry bag. To the right of the dresser (just outside the picture) is the dirty diaper pail for cloth diapers. The red horse on the top shelf I picked up at an art gallery in Spain years ago - it's modeled after a horse in a painting (and I have just totally blanked on the artist and the painting). The tigers are from my husband - he won a contest some years ago to name tiger cubs at the Metro Toronto Zoo, and along with a behind the scenes tour of the zoo he got those cute stuffed tigers. Something I did just today was add a couple of ribbons dangling from the shelving above the change table, with clips on them, and clipped on some Wee Gallery baby art cards in black and white - something to look at for her, and it's easy to change the images from time to time.As you can see, I did end up using the wire alphabet that I made - my husband spray-painted it bright red and I love the way it turned out! I hung it using tiny finishing nails. Here's a close-up:And the little bird you may have spotted on the curtain rod... one I made just for fun a while back._____We discovered the cause of all the nursing problems - thrush! No wonder I've been in so much pain. I knew it wasn't the latch!
The medicine they gave the baby (Nystatin) makes her spit up all day long, and the cream I've got (the one recommended by Dr. Jack Newman) doesn't seem to be helping much. Ugh. I've been treating this for a week and it has gotten better (I'm not in tears with every feeding) but it is not all better. It's driving me crazy. The next thing to try is vinegar (1:3 with water) swabs, and instead of giving the baby 2mL of Nystatin twice a day, swabbing her mouth with it instead so she's not taking so much in. I sure hope it starts working.
So I'm spending my days nursing, cleaning up after baby spits up - changing her outfit a lot, nursing again because she's hungry because she spat up all her milk... along with doing cloth diaper laundry and stuffing, and wishing she would sleep (this baby does not nap OR sleep at night!).
This is the first chance I've had to get on the computer for a week! I miss the blog and hope to get back on a more regular basis (just need to get her on track with that plan!). I have reviews of some really great products to write and giveaways too, so do bear with me, there is good stuff to come.
Lastly, I can't resist sharing a pic of our cutie - just over a month old now:
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Winner - Daddy Scrubs!
Here's the lucky winner of the Daddy Scrubs (read my review here) - one dad-to-be is going to be pretty happy and comfy!
Congrats!! I am sure your son will love these scrubs as he welcomes his third baby!
A big thank you to Daddy Scrubs for the giveaway. I can not recommend these enough for the delivery room... My husband was comfortable, the scrubs took the place of his regular clothes and saved them from getting stained - and the scrubs came clean as a whistle in the wash so he can wear them now to lounge around the house.
More reviews and giveaways to come, I promise :) One day I will be able to get back to more regular posting. Meanwhile, we are operating on minimal sleep over here as we are trying to get Mia out of the habit of sleeping only tucked up beside one of us on the couch and into the habit of sleeping alone in her bassinet by the bed at night. It's been a rough few nights. She hates to sleep on her back, hates to lie flat, hates being swaddled... Stubborn little girl, just like her mum and dad. Who will win???
Congrats!! I am sure your son will love these scrubs as he welcomes his third baby!A big thank you to Daddy Scrubs for the giveaway. I can not recommend these enough for the delivery room... My husband was comfortable, the scrubs took the place of his regular clothes and saved them from getting stained - and the scrubs came clean as a whistle in the wash so he can wear them now to lounge around the house.
More reviews and giveaways to come, I promise :) One day I will be able to get back to more regular posting. Meanwhile, we are operating on minimal sleep over here as we are trying to get Mia out of the habit of sleeping only tucked up beside one of us on the couch and into the habit of sleeping alone in her bassinet by the bed at night. It's been a rough few nights. She hates to sleep on her back, hates to lie flat, hates being swaddled... Stubborn little girl, just like her mum and dad. Who will win???
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Breastfeeding support: Fairhaven Health Review and Giveaway!
***This giveaway is closed***
Winner: CanadianMama
Winner: CanadianMama
So the breastfeeding is going a little better... We're working on the latching, and I've decided to just let her have her hands all over the place rather than try to control it. As long as they're not clawing at her own face or in between her mouth and me, it's cool.
As for my supply - well, that has been just fine. Almost too much, in fact - I leak on the side she's not latched to, I drip like a tap if she cries or goes longer than an hour or so without nursing, I go through cloth breast pads like nobody's business.
All that cluster feeding she did early on probably helped, but I also think it has a lot to do with some great supplements I've been taking. I've reviewed products from Fairhaven Health before (they were great when we were trying to conceive and during pregnancy - you can check out my previous reviews of FertilAid for Women, Natural Pregnancy Deodorant, and the most fabulous Dream Belly Stretch Mark Cream - I didn't get a single stretch mark!), and they were kind enough to send me some nursing products.
I got to try out the Nursing Blend Breastfeeding Supplement, the Nursing Time Tea, and the Nipple Nurture Balm. I am so sorry, I haven't had a moment to take pictures of the products yet (Mia's keeping me really occupied lately!), but if I can I will update with some of my own photos.
The Nursing Blend Breastfeeding Supplement is a complete postnatal vitamin supplement that goes beyond and includes herbal support for breastfeeding. Besides the usual vitamins and minerals you need, it also contains fenugreek, anise, fennel, coriander, anise, chamomile and vervain, an herbal blend designed to stimulate milk production and calm mum and baby. I love that the capsules are suitable for vegetarians/vegans as well! The dose is two capsules daily. I've had such a good supply of milk that I'm alternating these with a regular postnatal vitamin every other day. The capsules are a standard size, but are easy to swallow, and have a vaguely herbal taste to them - no bad flavour at all.
The Nursing Time Tea is a loose tea blend of fennel seed, goat's rue, blessed thistle, alfalfa, anise seed and lemon verbena. I find the flavour of anise really comes out in it - slightly licoricey. I love that flavour! It is wonderful with a bit of honey for sweetness and a little extra energy. The herbs in it are chosen for their role in increasing milk production, helping baby with gas and indigestion, and adding nutrients for mum and baby. I really like this tea and if I weren't already engorged I'd be drinking cup after cup - for now, I'm limiting myself to a cup a day at most because it works overly well! If you have any trouble with supply, this will definitely help.
The Nipple Nurture Balm is an organic, lanolin-free ointment for the nipples that helps to soothe and heal them - so necessary for new mums! If you have tried lanolin, you will know it's fairly 'stiff' and sticky out of the tube. The Nipple Nurture Balm is the opposite - quite liquid and easy to spread over sore, cracked or chapped nipples. To me that makes it much easier to use because I'm so sensitive there right now. It is safe for ingestion as well, so no need to clean it off before nursing. The base is shea butter and olive oil, and it contains the herbs marshmallow root, calendula, and self-heal, which have anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and healing properties. If I had one complaint it would be that it's a little too runny for this type of container - I have to keep it flat because if it's tilted the oil runs into the threads of the lid and gets messy. I don't like mess! So I just keep it in one place rather than toting it around. Fairhaven Health has offered a giveaway for one of my readers!
The giveaway: One winner will receive the three products I tried: Nursing Blend Breastfeeding Supplement, Nursing Time Tea, and Nipple Nurture Balm !
How to enter: Visit Fairhaven Health, and tell me something that piques your interest, OR something you learned from the website. Please be sure to include your email if it’s not public in your blogger profile! This is the mandatory entry - do this first!
Extra entries: Bonus time! Leave a comment for each extra entry.
- Become a fan of/"like" FertilAid on Facebook (mention your first name and last initial in your comment). Already do? That counts!
- Follow @FertilAidAmy on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!). Already do? That counts!
- Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!). Already do? That counts!
- Tweet about this giveaway (once - this is not a daily!) and leave me the permalink. You can use this for your tweet, if you like:
"#Win amazing #Breastfeeding Support Products at Emily's Latest. @emilyisland @FertilAidAmy http://bit.ly/dOsZR0 US/CAN ends 3/17 #bfcafe"
- Follow my blog (publicly) – 2 entries, leave 2 comments. Already do? That counts!
- Add my blog button to your blog - leave the URL. Already have it? That counts!
- Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post and to Fairhaven Health – 2 entries, leave 2 comments and please include a link to your post
- Let me know if you've tried a product intended to help with lactation before - and did it work for you? If you haven't tried one yet, do you plan to?
Friday, February 25, 2011
In love & BF help?
I know, I'm biased. But - isn't she great?The only troubles I've been having are some issues with breastfeeding. I thought going in that it's natural and how hard can it be? I had the firm belief that it would be easy. HA! Everyone told me it was hard and they were right.
She is two weeks old tomorrow (wow!) and I am exclusively breastfeeding. She's gaining very well, no trouble with supply - but my nipples are so freaking sore. She's on 5-6 hours a day. They're cracked and just super, super sensitive. I've got an inversion on one side and engorgement on the other (which I have also had surgery on to remove a lump; it's not clear whether the milk ducts were affected by that). Maybe this is way TMI for a blog post?
I've had a public health nurse come by and spoken with two others on the phone... they're recommending baby-led latching, cold - NOT warm - compresses, cabbage leaves, air-drying. My midwife recommends NO cabbage leaves, warm and cold compresses, latching by popping the nip in when baby opens wide.
Of course, baby rarely seems to open wide enough and constantly has her hands up at her mouth when I'm trying to get her to latch (once she's on, we're good). When she is latched, she's grabbing and scratching at my breasts and her own face. Wearing mitts keeps the scratches down but her hands are still in the way. Argh!
Advice welcome, I've had so much contradicting advice so far a little more won't do any harm!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Daddy Scrubs - Review and Giveaway!
This giveaway is closed
Winner: Crafty
Winner: Crafty
It seems sometimes like pregnant mums and babies get all the attention and dads can get left out in the cold. It is so nice to include dads in the preparations for new babies - they're important, too!
I was so thrilled for my husband to try
out a great product for expectant dads - Daddy Scrubs! These are practical scrubs that allow the new dad to not only be comfortable in the long hours spent at the hospital (or home for home-birth families!) but also define his role as the Daddy. To differentiate dad from the hospital staff, and to show his pride, they are printed with "I'm the Daddy". A dad came up with this great idea when he found himself expecting his fifth child - an idea born of experience!My husband and I spent many hours in the birthing room during my prolonged labour. Being as comfortable as he could be enabled him to sustain me during the most difficult parts. And he has some funny stories about his Daddy Scrubs as well!
At lunchtime on the Saturday, he dashed out to the hospital cafeteria to grab a sandwich. To get to the caf, he headed through the main lobby where some labouring mums who were not yet in active labour were waiting with their husbands. As he walked through in his Daddy Scrubs, he overheard one excited dad-to-be whisper to his wife, "I didn't know they gave us scrubs!" The poor guy must have been so disappointed when he realized that not every dad gets these special scrubs to wear!
The real test came during the delivery. Two and a half hours of pushing and my husband was my coach and support. He even caught our baby when she finally arrived! We had a midwife, and a midwife-in-training as well. The trainee clamped the cord, then added the second clamp so that my husband could cut it. But, she forgot an important step - to milk the blood out of the section to be cut! So the cord between the clamps was full of pressurized blood and when my husband cut it, it squirted far and wide, hitting my husband, the trainee midwife, even the ceiling of the birthing room! It was so dramatic, and super funny - a moment of comedy after an exhausting labour. The point of telling this story is that the Daddy Scrubs saved his regular clothes from this - and (this is the amazing part) the blood ALL came out of them in the wash. I'm not sure if that is due to the nature of scrubs or the laundry detergent I used, but... wow.Overall I loved seeing him in his Daddy Scrubs and I think he felt pretty cool and comfy in them as well. They looked great on him, were perfect for the delivery, and are comfortable enough to wear as lounge wear or pyjamas now - after all, he is still 100% the Daddy! He got to try the scrubs in khaki; they also come in green and navy, with different font options as well.
If scrubs are not the expectant dad in your life's thing, they also have "I'm the Daddy" t-shirts and hoodies, ball caps, and mugs. What an awesome gift any of these would make for an expecting father.
And guess what? DaddyScrubs has offered a set of scrubs to one of my readers!!!
The giveaway:
One winner will receive their own Daddy Scrubs!
How to enter:
This is the mandatory entry - do this first to qualify for bonus entries!
Visit the Daddy Scrubs website and tell me your favourite product there or something interesting that you learned.Make sure I've got a way to contact you if you're the winner!
Bonus entries: (please leave an extra comment for each. If you already do any of these things, leave the comment - you do get the entry for it!):
- "Like" the DaddyScrubs Facebook page (leave your first name and initial in your comment)
- Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name)
- Tweet about this giveaway and leave me the link to your tweet for ONE entry (this is not a daily entry)! You can use this tweet if you like:
#Win a set of Daddy Scrubs for expectant dads at Emily's Latest! Comfort & style for dad! http://bit.ly/eeGc0H @emilyisland US/CAN (3/7)
- Follow my blog (publicly) – 2 entries, leave 2 comments
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- Tell me who you would love to win these for!
Please be sure to include your email address if it’s not public in your blogger profile! Anonymous comments without a way to contact you will be rejected. Canadian or US mailing addresses only, please. Giveaway ends March 7th at 11:59 EST. A winner will be drawn within the next day or two, announced here, in a separate post and emailed!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Busy but I will be back
We have been spending the week enjoying our newborn. She's six days old now and has already surpassed her birth weight - she gained 11 oz in just the last two days! So you can imagine how much nursing I have been doing. Pretty much every hour on the hour for twenty minutes. And that means I'm not getting much sleep.
Thank goodness for my husband, who has been taking her out to nap with him on the couch for a few hours in the middle of the night so that I can get some much-needed rest. I just wake with every sound she makes (all those sleepy little chirps and sighs), so having her out of the bedroom and safe for a few hours makes all the difference.
By the way, breastfeeding? Ouch! The first couple latches we got weren't great because she was having trouble opening her tiny mouth wide enough. So I got a little damage within the first few hours and have not had a chance to heal. Then engorgement hit - oh. My. Goodness. Unbelievable agony. Thank goodness that is fading now. I can't wait for the day that feeding her is pain-free. It's not the latch now, by the way - we're good with that. It's just the engorgement and the damage from before.
A few people have asked her name - it's Mia, after my husband's grandmother.
I've got some more really great baby and mama products to review soon here on my blog. I've started using some of them already and am looking forward to sharing them with you.
One thing I wanted to mention is that one of the products I've reviewed in the past, the Tropical Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent - and their Oxygen Bleach, too (links are to my reviews) - is AMAZING at getting blood out. I am so impressed.
Thank goodness for my husband, who has been taking her out to nap with him on the couch for a few hours in the middle of the night so that I can get some much-needed rest. I just wake with every sound she makes (all those sleepy little chirps and sighs), so having her out of the bedroom and safe for a few hours makes all the difference.
By the way, breastfeeding? Ouch! The first couple latches we got weren't great because she was having trouble opening her tiny mouth wide enough. So I got a little damage within the first few hours and have not had a chance to heal. Then engorgement hit - oh. My. Goodness. Unbelievable agony. Thank goodness that is fading now. I can't wait for the day that feeding her is pain-free. It's not the latch now, by the way - we're good with that. It's just the engorgement and the damage from before.A few people have asked her name - it's Mia, after my husband's grandmother.
I've got some more really great baby and mama products to review soon here on my blog. I've started using some of them already and am looking forward to sharing them with you.
One thing I wanted to mention is that one of the products I've reviewed in the past, the Tropical Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent - and their Oxygen Bleach, too (links are to my reviews) - is AMAZING at getting blood out. I am so impressed.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day!
We are so proud, overjoyed, and overwhelmed to introduce our perfect daughter.
Born on February 12th at 7:16 pm with a full head of hair (!). 7 lbs, 14 oz. and 21 3/4" long.
I had a long and difficult labour, as she was occiput posterior (facing forward). Back labour is possibly the worst thing ever. Early labour started on Thursday, and after 18 hours of that, my water broke late Friday night. We laboured at home overnight with the midwives here, went into hospital at 7am on Saturday at 7cm dilated, where labour stalled for many hours because of her position.
My birth plan went out the window due to the extreme pain of back labour, a cord wrapped around her neck causing her heart rate to drop during contractions, and my exhaustion after being up three days and two nights labouring. I ended up with an epidural, which then caused the contractions to slow down, and led to oxytocin to induce contractions (there goes the natural, unmedicated birth I was hoping for). It did allow me to catch a brief nap before heading into pushing.
An OB tried to turn her, but she proved stubborn and wouldn't budge. Unfortunately, that manipulation set us back some and probably prolonged labour some more. I stalled again at 9cm, and the threat of a vacuum delivery or, worse, a c-section, loomed. I developed a low fever due to exhaustion, low blood sugar, and dehydration. My blood pressure dropped dramatically. I was pumped up with 3L of fluids.
My midwife checked the effacement and thought if I started pushing, it just might work out. I pushed for two and a half hours, coached the whole time by my amazing husband and midwife. It was incredibly hard work, especially after all I'd already been through. My epidural catheter fell out at some point and soaked the sheets below me - I started feeling the contractions in my back again and was in tears, just about ready to give up because I couldn't handle more of those. Luckily, they managed to get the dose going again.
At the two hour point, my midwife told me that if we didn't get her coming out soon, I'd be heading to the OR. The work of delivery had caused baby to pass meconium in the fluid as well. That gave me the motivation I needed to use my last ounce of strength to get her out.
My husband caught her as she came, cut the cord, and she was rushed off to the warming table and a respiratory therapist and NICU nurses to suction the meconium before she breathed it in (so much for delayed cord clamping and immediate skin-to-skin contact). A few minutes later she was returned to me, all cleaned up and so, so beautiful. While the three of us bonded, I was sutured up from a 2nd degree tear - luckily, a very straight and apparently "easy" tear that will heal well.
We had to stay the night in hospital because of the meconium and my blood pressure scare.
We are finally home and getting used to a whole new life. More to come later.
Born on February 12th at 7:16 pm with a full head of hair (!). 7 lbs, 14 oz. and 21 3/4" long.I had a long and difficult labour, as she was occiput posterior (facing forward). Back labour is possibly the worst thing ever. Early labour started on Thursday, and after 18 hours of that, my water broke late Friday night. We laboured at home overnight with the midwives here, went into hospital at 7am on Saturday at 7cm dilated, where labour stalled for many hours because of her position.
My birth plan went out the window due to the extreme pain of back labour, a cord wrapped around her neck causing her heart rate to drop during contractions, and my exhaustion after being up three days and two nights labouring. I ended up with an epidural, which then caused the contractions to slow down, and led to oxytocin to induce contractions (there goes the natural, unmedicated birth I was hoping for). It did allow me to catch a brief nap before heading into pushing.
An OB tried to turn her, but she proved stubborn and wouldn't budge. Unfortunately, that manipulation set us back some and probably prolonged labour some more. I stalled again at 9cm, and the threat of a vacuum delivery or, worse, a c-section, loomed. I developed a low fever due to exhaustion, low blood sugar, and dehydration. My blood pressure dropped dramatically. I was pumped up with 3L of fluids.
My midwife checked the effacement and thought if I started pushing, it just might work out. I pushed for two and a half hours, coached the whole time by my amazing husband and midwife. It was incredibly hard work, especially after all I'd already been through. My epidural catheter fell out at some point and soaked the sheets below me - I started feeling the contractions in my back again and was in tears, just about ready to give up because I couldn't handle more of those. Luckily, they managed to get the dose going again.
At the two hour point, my midwife told me that if we didn't get her coming out soon, I'd be heading to the OR. The work of delivery had caused baby to pass meconium in the fluid as well. That gave me the motivation I needed to use my last ounce of strength to get her out.
My husband caught her as she came, cut the cord, and she was rushed off to the warming table and a respiratory therapist and NICU nurses to suction the meconium before she breathed it in (so much for delayed cord clamping and immediate skin-to-skin contact). A few minutes later she was returned to me, all cleaned up and so, so beautiful. While the three of us bonded, I was sutured up from a 2nd degree tear - luckily, a very straight and apparently "easy" tear that will heal well.
We had to stay the night in hospital because of the meconium and my blood pressure scare.
We are finally home and getting used to a whole new life. More to come later.
Friday, February 11, 2011
She's keeping us waiting
Still at home, still lots of intense contractions 4-5 minutes apart. They were at 3 minutes apart for a while but slowed down again. Teasing us!
I am booked for an induction on Monday if she doesn't get herself in gear before then!
I am booked for an induction on Monday if she doesn't get herself in gear before then!
update
I had that membrane sweep done yesterday in the late morning. The midwife said the first one rarely works and that if it did, it would work within 24 hours. She was expecting I’d need another on the weekend, and was scheduling me for induction on Monday if nothing had happened. It was pretty unpleasant but not as bad as I’d thought it might be, especially after coming to terms with why I was so freaked out about it. At that time I was at 2cm dilation, 70% effacement and station –1.
Yesterday afternoon I started getting some irregular contractions. By evening they were pretty painful. I took a bath and went to bed, but I woke up pretty much every time one happened, so I was getting sleep in about 10-15 minute stretches. Early this morning DH timed the contractions, and they were between 8-5 minutes apart and lasting about a minute.
This morning I had an appointment for a biophysical profiling ultrasound, which is the one they do post dates to check the amniotic fluid, fetal movement, muscle tone, and fetal “breathing” (irregular practice breathing). This is because I’m pretty much at 41 weeks now. We had spoken to the midwife just before leaving for the appointment to confirm that she still wanted us to go, considering how frequent my contractions had become. It was not fun spending 45 minutes in the waiting room and having contractions every 5-7 minutes! The staff was really freaked out by me being in early labour in their office, and kept asking us if we shouldn’t be going to the hospital (not that they gave me any priority in terms of seeing me at my appointment time!). It was kind of funny. We were pretty calm (aside from me doing some breathing techniques through the contractions) and they were the ones panicking
We got a score of 6/8 for the profile; everything was good, except that the tech wasn’t able to catch her doing breathing movements. The baby is measuring approximately 7 lbs 13 oz (give or take half a pound) and DH got to watch the ultrasound and see her heart beating, and her little fingers wiggling and such. The profile took about 15-20 minutes. I couldn’t see the monitor at all!
Because we didn’t have a perfect score, we had to drive up to the midwife’s office (40 minutes away) to do a non-stress test. Bumpy country roads are really awful for a woman in labour BTW! For the test, I was hooked up to an external fetal monitor with two devices, one measuring the fetal heart rate and one measuring the contractions. Over twenty minutes, it did a graph print-out of the contractions and it was neat to see the way they regularly peaked (though I can certainly feel it already!). What they were looking for is her heart rate accelerating with movement and contractions. That test showed that the baby is just fine. It had to be done to make sure there were no problems. It also showed the midwife pretty clearly that the contractions are quite regular and spaced now at 4.5-5 minutes apart.
We are at home now, waiting for the contractions to become much stronger, which will mean I’m in active labour. At that point we’ll call the midwife and she’ll come to our house until I’m at 7cm dilation, and then we’ll head over to the hospital.
So, we will probably be looking at tonight or tomorrow for the birth (how exciting!). I hope it’s tonight because it would be a cool birthday – 11/02/11 – but I guess we’ll still keep her if she comes tomorrow
We're going to be exhausted after very little sleep last night and probably no sleep tonight!
Yesterday afternoon I started getting some irregular contractions. By evening they were pretty painful. I took a bath and went to bed, but I woke up pretty much every time one happened, so I was getting sleep in about 10-15 minute stretches. Early this morning DH timed the contractions, and they were between 8-5 minutes apart and lasting about a minute.
This morning I had an appointment for a biophysical profiling ultrasound, which is the one they do post dates to check the amniotic fluid, fetal movement, muscle tone, and fetal “breathing” (irregular practice breathing). This is because I’m pretty much at 41 weeks now. We had spoken to the midwife just before leaving for the appointment to confirm that she still wanted us to go, considering how frequent my contractions had become. It was not fun spending 45 minutes in the waiting room and having contractions every 5-7 minutes! The staff was really freaked out by me being in early labour in their office, and kept asking us if we shouldn’t be going to the hospital (not that they gave me any priority in terms of seeing me at my appointment time!). It was kind of funny. We were pretty calm (aside from me doing some breathing techniques through the contractions) and they were the ones panicking
We got a score of 6/8 for the profile; everything was good, except that the tech wasn’t able to catch her doing breathing movements. The baby is measuring approximately 7 lbs 13 oz (give or take half a pound) and DH got to watch the ultrasound and see her heart beating, and her little fingers wiggling and such. The profile took about 15-20 minutes. I couldn’t see the monitor at all!
Because we didn’t have a perfect score, we had to drive up to the midwife’s office (40 minutes away) to do a non-stress test. Bumpy country roads are really awful for a woman in labour BTW! For the test, I was hooked up to an external fetal monitor with two devices, one measuring the fetal heart rate and one measuring the contractions. Over twenty minutes, it did a graph print-out of the contractions and it was neat to see the way they regularly peaked (though I can certainly feel it already!). What they were looking for is her heart rate accelerating with movement and contractions. That test showed that the baby is just fine. It had to be done to make sure there were no problems. It also showed the midwife pretty clearly that the contractions are quite regular and spaced now at 4.5-5 minutes apart.
We are at home now, waiting for the contractions to become much stronger, which will mean I’m in active labour. At that point we’ll call the midwife and she’ll come to our house until I’m at 7cm dilation, and then we’ll head over to the hospital.
So, we will probably be looking at tonight or tomorrow for the birth (how exciting!). I hope it’s tonight because it would be a cool birthday – 11/02/11 – but I guess we’ll still keep her if she comes tomorrow
We're going to be exhausted after very little sleep last night and probably no sleep tonight!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Green light - red light
Thank you so much for all your support and comments. I actually feel so much better about things for writing it out... Realizing where the fear stemmed from helped me start to get over it.
So here's where we stand today...
Last night at around 8:30 I had a gush of bright red blood. Panic! I've seen that before, and the last time was when I had the miscarriage at 11.5 weeks. I called the midwife immediately and, after a lot of questions about pain, how much blood, any other symptoms, she instructed me to lie down, drink a big glass of orange juice, and count fetal movements. Baby was moving about every 2-4 minutes, in between Braxton Hicks contractions that were happening every 10 minutes. The concern is placental abruption, but because I didn't have pain or a rock-hard abdomen that didn't subside, she said that probably wasn't it.
When I spoke to her again an hour later, she said it sounded like early labour, to take a nice relaxing bath, go to bed and let her know when we're at 5-1-1.
Well, I had two (two!) real, although mild, contractions at around 5 am - and nothing since then.
FALSE ALARM!
Phooey. I spent the day off my feet (as much as I could stand) as per instructions from my midwife. So boring (although my husband rented Little Big Planet 2, which is fun!).
So I am going in tomorrow for my appointment and membrane sweep... Not looking forward to it, but I can handle it. And if it helps get this baby out, sounds good to me. My back is aching, my belly is so full of baby that it feels stretched to the limit and so uncomfortable, my feet are swollen, and I am DONE!
Hopefully that will be the beginning of the end - and the start of a whole new life!
So here's where we stand today...
Last night at around 8:30 I had a gush of bright red blood. Panic! I've seen that before, and the last time was when I had the miscarriage at 11.5 weeks. I called the midwife immediately and, after a lot of questions about pain, how much blood, any other symptoms, she instructed me to lie down, drink a big glass of orange juice, and count fetal movements. Baby was moving about every 2-4 minutes, in between Braxton Hicks contractions that were happening every 10 minutes. The concern is placental abruption, but because I didn't have pain or a rock-hard abdomen that didn't subside, she said that probably wasn't it.
When I spoke to her again an hour later, she said it sounded like early labour, to take a nice relaxing bath, go to bed and let her know when we're at 5-1-1.
Well, I had two (two!) real, although mild, contractions at around 5 am - and nothing since then.
FALSE ALARM!
Phooey. I spent the day off my feet (as much as I could stand) as per instructions from my midwife. So boring (although my husband rented Little Big Planet 2, which is fun!).
So I am going in tomorrow for my appointment and membrane sweep... Not looking forward to it, but I can handle it. And if it helps get this baby out, sounds good to me. My back is aching, my belly is so full of baby that it feels stretched to the limit and so uncomfortable, my feet are swollen, and I am DONE!
Hopefully that will be the beginning of the end - and the start of a whole new life!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
You can't pretend it never happened.
I was 20 years old. It was the fall of my third year in university. We'd just gotten back into the swing of classes after a summer off, and everyone was busy reuniting with classmates and renewing friendships. I'd (amicably) broken up with my first serious university boyfriend over the summer, and felt ready to pursue a new relationship. It was truly a golden time - I was loving school, had a part-time job I enjoyed, had a ridiculous amount of friends, life was full of possibilities.
I'd noticed this guy before, a serious kind of guy, passionate about his studies, cute but not the kind of guy women were falling over. He was respected for what he was doing in school - he had talent - and while he was fairly introverted, we had some friends in common. I had a little crush on him, I'll admit it. There was something that intrigued me about his reticence, and his school work impressed me. I'd chatted with him briefly, but didn't really know him.
One Friday night, a bunch of us from school got together at the local pub. There must have been 20 of us, a really good group of people - lots of laughing, and lots of drinking. I have always been pretty good about knowing just how much it takes to keep a good buzz on without losing control, but that night I made a mistake in judgment. I had too much.
Slowly, as the night ended, people started leaving. Without cars, generally too drunk to drive anyway, and too frugal for cab fare, most of us walked the 1/2 hour or so to our various student houses. The guy lived on the way to my place and so we walked together. We chatted and laughed as we walked. His place came first - there was another 10 minute walk for me - and I was a little fearful of walking the rest of the way alone, well after midnight. He invited me in. Looking at the options - one one hand, the dark street, on the other his smiling face in the light of the doorway - I accepted. It felt like a safe harbour.
We were both drunk. We kissed. It went further than I wanted. He was stronger than I was. I said no. He ignored it. He didn't use a weapon, other than his body; he didn't leave a mark, other than internally/emotionally. He got laid. I got raped.
I never thought of myself as a victim. I was a smart young woman. I knew about rape, theoretically. I knew about making safe choices. I knew that what had happened to me was wrong. I didn't report it. I felt so stupid for getting myself into that situation. I blamed myself for "allowing" that to happen. I could hardly believe it had - I kept running over the sequence and doubting whether I'd really made it clear that I didn't want to have sex with him. It was like a choose your own adventure in reverse - if only I hadn't gone that night, hadn't had so many drinks, found a cab, hadn't trusted a stranger. If only I'd fought harder, screamed and shouted, woken the neighbours, run away, been able to defend myself.
I decided I wasn't going to give that incident any power. That I could get over it, learn from it, move on. And for a solid 15 years I have been able to say to myself, "I was date raped. I am over it."
The truth is, you don't really get over it. I don't think there's closure for that. I still blame myself for making bad choices that led to putting myself in that kind of danger (logically, I do know that's not entirely fair to myself).
This is not a story I've shared much. My husband knows it happened, my midwife, of course the guy who did it... that might be it. I didn't tell anyone at the time.
Before this happened to me, I didn't understand why women would keep silent about rape. I couldn't fathom letting someone get away with that. Before, I was a more judgmental person - now, I realize that there is an awful lot of grey in this world. A woman can see the black and white, but her choices are all grey.
It ended up being more about the consequences for me. In a completely typical, cliched response that I was, even as it happened, perfectly aware of - I felt like it must have been my fault. It was me, after all, who drank so much she wasn't thinking straight. It was me who agreed to go in to a drunk guy's place without knowing him very well. I questioned my actions rather than his. I could step back and look at it as though it happened to someone else and say very rationally, that was rape, that should have been reported to the police. But it happened to me and that's different. I doubted myself, I felt like I would be blamed and marked, it would ruin the rest of my studies, I'd always be That Girl. Some people might stand by me, but most would wonder if it were really true or, worse, back up the guy. I'd have to talk about it, relive it, it would go on and on. I wasn't beaten. I had no marks. It would be my word against his.
I honestly don't know that I would handle it differently if I were to go back and relive my reaction to the rape. Would I report it? It's not right that it happened, it's not right at all that he got away with doing that to me, it's not right that I felt too ashamed and scared of the consequences to come forward, and it is SO not right that the whole scenario is, I bet, way more common than anyone guesses.
So why am I thinking about this now? It's been so many years. It isn't something I make a habit of dwelling on at all. The first recent reminder was when I was filling out the forms for the midwife. A question asked - were you ever the victim of sexual assault? I hated checking off 'yes'. I hated that this one incident changed my history and changed the way I would be treated. The midwife asked me about it on reviewing the form and I said I was over it, it was a long time ago. I didn't want to discuss it, I didn't want to be treated differently or even reminded that it had happened. (Doesn't that reaction kind of scream, "Not over it!")
And now I'm 40+ weeks pregnant - a very much wanted baby, a loving and safe relationship with my husband - and suddenly the rape has come right back to haunt me. Not because of the birth - I'm not afraid of that, or of the pain of labour. Apprehensive, okay, nobody likes pain - but there's no fear there. I actually can't wait.
It's the induction procedures that terrify me. The concept of lying there while someone does things to me that I don't want to happen, that I know are going to hurt, that will undoubtedly make me feel bad physically - it's a big problem for me. Invading my body with membrane sweeps or hormone gel. It's a violation. I know it's meant to help and it's not malicious, it's about the baby and not about me. I know it's medical, and not about power or sex. I know these things. Logically, it's perfectly clear and not a big deal. Emotionally, it is something else entirely - it's huge and horrible and makes me want to run and hide. Despite the purpose of it, all for the good, it's the process that troubles me.
I feel like time is running out. I have until Thursday to try to change my attitude about this, to overcome the fear - or just accept that I'll be gritting my teeth, spreading my legs, and putting up with a bad thing happening to me again, a stranger doing things to me that I don't want. Of course, I could go into spontaneous labour naturally in the next 50 hours, but I am not feeling like that will happen.
A week from now, this part will be over. The induction will have or will not have happened. We'll have a new baby and so much more to think about than the past.
Meanwhile... well, after a major breakdown this morning about it, I'm writing this to get it out... hopefully it helps me deal with it, and who knows, maybe it will help someone else somehow.
I'd noticed this guy before, a serious kind of guy, passionate about his studies, cute but not the kind of guy women were falling over. He was respected for what he was doing in school - he had talent - and while he was fairly introverted, we had some friends in common. I had a little crush on him, I'll admit it. There was something that intrigued me about his reticence, and his school work impressed me. I'd chatted with him briefly, but didn't really know him.
One Friday night, a bunch of us from school got together at the local pub. There must have been 20 of us, a really good group of people - lots of laughing, and lots of drinking. I have always been pretty good about knowing just how much it takes to keep a good buzz on without losing control, but that night I made a mistake in judgment. I had too much.
Slowly, as the night ended, people started leaving. Without cars, generally too drunk to drive anyway, and too frugal for cab fare, most of us walked the 1/2 hour or so to our various student houses. The guy lived on the way to my place and so we walked together. We chatted and laughed as we walked. His place came first - there was another 10 minute walk for me - and I was a little fearful of walking the rest of the way alone, well after midnight. He invited me in. Looking at the options - one one hand, the dark street, on the other his smiling face in the light of the doorway - I accepted. It felt like a safe harbour.
We were both drunk. We kissed. It went further than I wanted. He was stronger than I was. I said no. He ignored it. He didn't use a weapon, other than his body; he didn't leave a mark, other than internally/emotionally. He got laid. I got raped.
I never thought of myself as a victim. I was a smart young woman. I knew about rape, theoretically. I knew about making safe choices. I knew that what had happened to me was wrong. I didn't report it. I felt so stupid for getting myself into that situation. I blamed myself for "allowing" that to happen. I could hardly believe it had - I kept running over the sequence and doubting whether I'd really made it clear that I didn't want to have sex with him. It was like a choose your own adventure in reverse - if only I hadn't gone that night, hadn't had so many drinks, found a cab, hadn't trusted a stranger. If only I'd fought harder, screamed and shouted, woken the neighbours, run away, been able to defend myself.
I decided I wasn't going to give that incident any power. That I could get over it, learn from it, move on. And for a solid 15 years I have been able to say to myself, "I was date raped. I am over it."
The truth is, you don't really get over it. I don't think there's closure for that. I still blame myself for making bad choices that led to putting myself in that kind of danger (logically, I do know that's not entirely fair to myself).
This is not a story I've shared much. My husband knows it happened, my midwife, of course the guy who did it... that might be it. I didn't tell anyone at the time.
Before this happened to me, I didn't understand why women would keep silent about rape. I couldn't fathom letting someone get away with that. Before, I was a more judgmental person - now, I realize that there is an awful lot of grey in this world. A woman can see the black and white, but her choices are all grey.
It ended up being more about the consequences for me. In a completely typical, cliched response that I was, even as it happened, perfectly aware of - I felt like it must have been my fault. It was me, after all, who drank so much she wasn't thinking straight. It was me who agreed to go in to a drunk guy's place without knowing him very well. I questioned my actions rather than his. I could step back and look at it as though it happened to someone else and say very rationally, that was rape, that should have been reported to the police. But it happened to me and that's different. I doubted myself, I felt like I would be blamed and marked, it would ruin the rest of my studies, I'd always be That Girl. Some people might stand by me, but most would wonder if it were really true or, worse, back up the guy. I'd have to talk about it, relive it, it would go on and on. I wasn't beaten. I had no marks. It would be my word against his.
I honestly don't know that I would handle it differently if I were to go back and relive my reaction to the rape. Would I report it? It's not right that it happened, it's not right at all that he got away with doing that to me, it's not right that I felt too ashamed and scared of the consequences to come forward, and it is SO not right that the whole scenario is, I bet, way more common than anyone guesses.
So why am I thinking about this now? It's been so many years. It isn't something I make a habit of dwelling on at all. The first recent reminder was when I was filling out the forms for the midwife. A question asked - were you ever the victim of sexual assault? I hated checking off 'yes'. I hated that this one incident changed my history and changed the way I would be treated. The midwife asked me about it on reviewing the form and I said I was over it, it was a long time ago. I didn't want to discuss it, I didn't want to be treated differently or even reminded that it had happened. (Doesn't that reaction kind of scream, "Not over it!")
And now I'm 40+ weeks pregnant - a very much wanted baby, a loving and safe relationship with my husband - and suddenly the rape has come right back to haunt me. Not because of the birth - I'm not afraid of that, or of the pain of labour. Apprehensive, okay, nobody likes pain - but there's no fear there. I actually can't wait.
It's the induction procedures that terrify me. The concept of lying there while someone does things to me that I don't want to happen, that I know are going to hurt, that will undoubtedly make me feel bad physically - it's a big problem for me. Invading my body with membrane sweeps or hormone gel. It's a violation. I know it's meant to help and it's not malicious, it's about the baby and not about me. I know it's medical, and not about power or sex. I know these things. Logically, it's perfectly clear and not a big deal. Emotionally, it is something else entirely - it's huge and horrible and makes me want to run and hide. Despite the purpose of it, all for the good, it's the process that troubles me.
I feel like time is running out. I have until Thursday to try to change my attitude about this, to overcome the fear - or just accept that I'll be gritting my teeth, spreading my legs, and putting up with a bad thing happening to me again, a stranger doing things to me that I don't want. Of course, I could go into spontaneous labour naturally in the next 50 hours, but I am not feeling like that will happen.
A week from now, this part will be over. The induction will have or will not have happened. We'll have a new baby and so much more to think about than the past.
Meanwhile... well, after a major breakdown this morning about it, I'm writing this to get it out... hopefully it helps me deal with it, and who knows, maybe it will help someone else somehow.
Winner: Tropical Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent
Someone lucky gets to try out Tropical Traditions' eco-friendly and non-toxic powdered laundry detergent for free! Let's see who won...
Congratulations! I'm about to email you.
FYI, I had to draw a new winner, because the first commenter chosen did not complete the entry they said they did. Yep, I check! What a shame!
Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for the baby to arrive so I can get my tiny new reviewer to test out some products! Check out the list up on the top left of upcoming giveaways for a sneak peek of what's to come - lots of goodies for mums, baby, and even dad! I hope you stick around for them!
Congratulations! I'm about to email you.FYI, I had to draw a new winner, because the first commenter chosen did not complete the entry they said they did. Yep, I check! What a shame!
Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for the baby to arrive so I can get my tiny new reviewer to test out some products! Check out the list up on the top left of upcoming giveaways for a sneak peek of what's to come - lots of goodies for mums, baby, and even dad! I hope you stick around for them!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
No, she's not here yet.
I had an appointment with the midwife yesterday. My due date is Friday, and she said that 80% of first-time mums go about a week late. There’s nothing happening yet; I doubt she’ll come by Friday.
Next Monday, if nothing’s happened yet, she’ll do a membrane sweep to try to get things going (does that sound early to anyone else?) – and again Thursday and Sunday if necessary. By the 14th, they’ll start induction with a prostaglandin gel and then maybe pitocin (which would probably mean a February 15th baby).
I’m really hoping none of those things happen and labour will start naturally before Monday! It feels like not enough time... While I want her here, I really want this to happen without interference. Ugh.
I'm also feeling a LOT of outside pressure to have the baby. People keep asking me about it (some daily) - as if I wouldn't let my family and close friends know when things start happening! Even though it's not in my control - I'm doing what I can to get things going, including Evening Primrose Oil, Red Raspberry Leaf tea, sitting/bouncing on my yoga ball, keeping on my feet and walking as much as I can - I still feel like somehow I am failing or disappointing them by not going into spontaneous labour.
So – send labour vibes :) but don't ask me...
Next Monday, if nothing’s happened yet, she’ll do a membrane sweep to try to get things going (does that sound early to anyone else?) – and again Thursday and Sunday if necessary. By the 14th, they’ll start induction with a prostaglandin gel and then maybe pitocin (which would probably mean a February 15th baby).
I’m really hoping none of those things happen and labour will start naturally before Monday! It feels like not enough time... While I want her here, I really want this to happen without interference. Ugh.
I'm also feeling a LOT of outside pressure to have the baby. People keep asking me about it (some daily) - as if I wouldn't let my family and close friends know when things start happening! Even though it's not in my control - I'm doing what I can to get things going, including Evening Primrose Oil, Red Raspberry Leaf tea, sitting/bouncing on my yoga ball, keeping on my feet and walking as much as I can - I still feel like somehow I am failing or disappointing them by not going into spontaneous labour.
So – send labour vibes :) but don't ask me...
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Upcoming reviews & giveaways
In case you didn't notice it on the top left there, I have some great reviews/giveaways coming up.
I've already got the Daddy Scrubs, Comfy Rumps diapers, and nursing products from Gypsy Jewels here, just waiting for baby to come so that we can do a proper review. I can't wait - just looking at these things makes me excited!
And, I have my hospital bags packed now. In case you thought I might have put it off just a little longer... ;) Just to give you an idea, here's the STACK of stuff we "need" to bring (with lists on top of last-minute additions):
Oh, and maybe my big yoga ball, too...
All I can say is, I hope we need very little of it because (fingers crossed) our stay will be short and sweet (except, I'm breaking into the food bag the minute we're in the door!).
I've already got the Daddy Scrubs, Comfy Rumps diapers, and nursing products from Gypsy Jewels here, just waiting for baby to come so that we can do a proper review. I can't wait - just looking at these things makes me excited!
And, I have my hospital bags packed now. In case you thought I might have put it off just a little longer... ;) Just to give you an idea, here's the STACK of stuff we "need" to bring (with lists on top of last-minute additions):
Oh, and maybe my big yoga ball, too...All I can say is, I hope we need very little of it because (fingers crossed) our stay will be short and sweet (except, I'm breaking into the food bag the minute we're in the door!).
Winner - Hi-Tec Snowdonia Boots!
WOW, you guys love these boots! I totally get it - I love them, too. One lucky winner will be walking in warm style. I bet you're dying to find out who it is! Let's see...
Congrats!!! I'll be emailing you shortly. If I don't hear back from the winner within 48 hours, I will redraw!
Just a note, I did reject a few comments this time around for either not completing the mandatory entry or for entering past the deadline. That's sad! If you ever have a question about how to enter a giveaway here, just drop me a note via email, a comment here, or twitter.
A BIG thank you to Hi-Tec for sponsoring this great giveaway. I'm a big fan of their products and can't wait to see what they come up with next. The new apparel line they are coming out with looks promising!
If it wasn't you this time, do stick around - I've got lots of other lovely giveaways lined up for the future. And, more followers means better and more frequent giveaways. Who wouldn't want to be a part of that?! Meanwhile, go enter to win yourself some free eco-friendly and non-toxic laundry detergent!
Congrats!!! I'll be emailing you shortly. If I don't hear back from the winner within 48 hours, I will redraw!Just a note, I did reject a few comments this time around for either not completing the mandatory entry or for entering past the deadline. That's sad! If you ever have a question about how to enter a giveaway here, just drop me a note via email, a comment here, or twitter.
A BIG thank you to Hi-Tec for sponsoring this great giveaway. I'm a big fan of their products and can't wait to see what they come up with next. The new apparel line they are coming out with looks promising!
If it wasn't you this time, do stick around - I've got lots of other lovely giveaways lined up for the future. And, more followers means better and more frequent giveaways. Who wouldn't want to be a part of that?! Meanwhile, go enter to win yourself some free eco-friendly and non-toxic laundry detergent!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Packing the Hospital Bag
Edit: I've updated this with what I actually needed (marked in red).
The rest... well, just excess baggage!
The rest... well, just excess baggage!
I have totally been putting this off. Here are my silly, procrastinatory reasons (I know they're no good):
- If the labour bag is packed, that means I will actually have to go through labour. (Yes, I know that makes no sense at all.)
- Half the stuff I need to pack is stuff I use every day. So I can't pack it. Right?
- I have about 5 different lists (from the web, from birth books, from my midwife, from my hospital, from friends) telling me I need about a zillion things. Really. A zillion. I don't want to move IN to the hospital. In fact, I plan (as if I get to plan this) to be in there for about 6 hours total. Yes, I know that plans go awry, and maybe (hope not) I'll end up with a complication or two that could require a longer stay.
- My suitcase is too small to contain the zillion things.
Okay. So. I have decided - since I'm on maternity leave now (aka, I'm self-employed and I've decided to stop working - not like I'm getting any pay while I'm off) -
TODAY IS THE DAY.
Here's my final list, and if you think I'm missing anything crucial, you absolutely must let me know!
For me:
I have gathered some stuff to take to eat, since I keep hearing how awful hospital food is. My midwife actually included "Food and juice for midwives" on the list of things for me to bring - is that weird? I thought it was. I'm expected to feed them??? Anyway.
See what I mean? A freakin' zillion things. I'm not moving in, I'll be there for a very short time, I hope!
I'm gonna do it. Really. Just as soon as I'm done writing this post. Which is taking a long time. And I could write all day... Okay, okay!
Here's my final list, and if you think I'm missing anything crucial, you absolutely must let me know!
For me:
- My chart (my midwife gives me a copy of my medical chart) & birth plan definitely needed
- robe
- pyjama pants and tank top
- flip flops Yes! my feet were so swollen after, I went home in these.
- 3 pairs of underwear I don't care about definitely needed
- overnight maxi pads definitely needed
- puppy training pads (this is from the midwife's list. I got them at the dollar store, way cheaper than the pet store or WalMart, if you're in the market! They're just waterproof pads for the car/bed/whatever).
- tissues. Maybe my own soft toilet paper? I've heard that's a good idea... thoughts?
- olive oil (for perineal massage and for baby's bum) definitely needed
- 2 washcloths definitely needed
- arnica gel definitely needed
- nipple butter/lanolin cream definitely needed
- nursing pads definitely needed
- gravol definitely needed
- ibuprofen definitely needed
- towel
- toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, cleanser, facial moisturizer, toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush & hair elastic, deodorant Only used what's marked in blue
- makeup. There will be pictures, right?
- lip balm definitely needed
- hair dryer (do hospitals have these? I forgot to ask at the tour. I hate having wet hair!)
- 2 pillows definitely needed
- sleep mask
- barf bucket. Yes, apparently I need to bring my own barf bucket. definitely needed! Ugh!
- after outfit: a transition top (nursing/maternity) and probably my Moody Mamas lounge pants. Comfy and forgiving for a still-swollen belly. Socks, undies, comfy nursing bra. definitely needed
- heat pad
- blackberry, loaded with an audio book and music, and earphones
- Daddy Scrubs (these are cool - hang in for a review/giveaway of these after the birth!) definitely needed
- the book The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin. definitely needed - DH referred to this throughout to learn more about what was happening
- toothbrush definitely needed
- Camera and charger definitely needed
- Cell phone and charger definitely needed
- Laptop - in case of boredom, and to keep family in the loop
- Change of clothes (thanks for the tip, Chari!) definitely needed
- car seat. It's already installed. definitely needed
- car seat cover (it's winter here), also already on there definitely needed
- two outfits, a teeny one and a slightly bigger one, with feet teeny one was too small! definitely needed
- sweater-suit - not quite a snow suit, but warm.
- two hats, a cotton one and a soft toque
- mittens: cotton no-scratch and warm wool ones
- nursing pillow
- package of newborn diapers. We're going to cloth diaper, but the first few days will use disposables. definitely needed
- baby wipes. Again, we're going to use cloth wipes but have some disposables for the first few days. definitely needed
- diaper cream
- baby wash
- receiving blanket
- brush
- digital thermometer
- Vaseline (thanks Nelly!)
I have gathered some stuff to take to eat, since I keep hearing how awful hospital food is. My midwife actually included "Food and juice for midwives" on the list of things for me to bring - is that weird? I thought it was. I'm expected to feed them??? Anyway.
- juice boxes definitely needed
- Crispy Minis
- trail mix
- muffins from the freezer definitely needed
- honey for energy
- fruit salad bowls
- puddings
- plastic cup for ice/water definitely needed
- spoons
See what I mean? A freakin' zillion things. I'm not moving in, I'll be there for a very short time, I hope!
I'm gonna do it. Really. Just as soon as I'm done writing this post. Which is taking a long time. And I could write all day... Okay, okay!
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