Tim Tebow Super Bowl Commercial

Did you see the ad? I thought it was well done and not nearly as controverial as so many “women’s groups” had claimed. I am so glad that Focus on the Family ran the ad and encouraged people to get the whole Tim Tebow story on their website.

The Layette

When shopping for your new baby to be, it can be hard to resist all the precious items stores have to offer expecting parents. Tiny outfits and booties, sweet little bonnets and caps, rattles galore, and bibs, pajamas, and blankets make it hard not to bring home more than you need. Keep in mind that you will be receiving prents from family and friends and baby showers. You may also have friends or realitives who are planning to give you hand-me downs. As the date nears for the arrival of your newborn, take stock of what you have and then shop wisely. Realize that your baby won’t be alble to wear too many outfits before he or she outgrows them.

Wardrobe:
4 to 7 nightgowns with elastic bottoms
3 to 8 undershirts with snap bottoms
3 or 4 blanket sleepers for a fall or winter baby
3 or 4 lightweight sleepers for a spring or summer baby
3 or 4 pairs of socks
1 or 2 pairs of booties
3 or 4 soft terry drool bibs
1 or 2 sweaters for cool days
1 heavy sweater or coat for winter
1 or 2 lightweight hats with brim for sun protection
1 heavyweight cap that covers the ears for winter
1 pair soft mittens for protecting baby from scratching hiself
1 pair heavy mittens for winter baby
Linens:
3 or 4 fitted crib sheets for crib, bassinet, or cradle
3 or 4 lightweight blankets for warmer weather
3 or 4 heavy blankets for cooler weather
1 or 2 waterproof mattress pads
5 or 6 waterproof pads for changing diapers
5 or 6 soft washcloths
1 or 2 soft terry towles
1 dozen burp cloths or cloth diapers
Several dozen disposable diapers if you are planning to use them

Coth Diapers: 3 to 4 dozen cloth diapers: prefold, fitted, or all-in-ones
8 to 10 covers: vinyl pants, fleece pull-ons, wool covers, or wraps
1 to 2 dozen fleece stay dry liners
1 dozen doublers for nighttime or heavy wetters
4 to 6 pairs of diaper pins
2 dozen soft terry or flannel wash cloths to use as wipes
Diaper Pail with Lock

Foods to Eat While Pregnant

Eating a healthy diet while you are expecting is very important for the health of your baby. Getting good nutrition helps prevent low birth weight and birth defects. Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. I recommend a vegetarian diet for everyone, including pregnant women. The benefits are incredible. Being a vegetarian will also help to get your child off to a healthy life. Remember to drink at least 8 glasses of water daily. 10 – 12 is far better. I also recommend drinking bottled water.

Calcium:
Soy Milk
Tofu
Collard Greens
Turnip Grees
Broccoli
Blackstrap Molasses
Figs
Sunflower Seeds
Cheese

Protein:
Beans
Vegeburger
Cheese
Eggs

Folic Acid:
Avocado
Oranges
Eggs
Spinach
Beets
Turnip Greens
Brewers Yeast
Bananas
Tomatoes
Cantaloupe
Dried peas and beans
Whole Grain Breads

Iron:
Blackstrap molasses
Iron enriched breads and cereals
Dried beans
brewers yeast
Turnip Greens
dried fruits
Nuts and seeds
Prunes

Vitamin D: Sun Exposure for 5 to 15 minutes a day
Fortified Cereals

Vitamin B12:
Nutritional Yeast
Fortified Cereals
Fortified Soy Milk

Vitamin C:
Citrus Fruits
Broccoli
Tomatoes
Berries
Peppers
Melons
Potatoes with Skin

Vitamin A:
Carrots
Sweet Potatoes
Spinach
Turnip Greens
Cantaloupe
Apricots

Carbohydrate:
Whole Grain Breads and Cereals
Fruits
Potatoes
Whole Wheat Pasta
Rice
Vegetables

Don’t . . .

Do NOT use Tobacco products, alcohol, recreational drugs at anytime during your pregnancy. Not only are these products bad for you, but they can do serious damage to your unborn baby.

Babies that are born to moms who smoked during pregnancy are more likely to suffer from asthma, ear infections, and low birth weight. Alcohol causes low birth weight, birth defects, and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Drugs can cause low birthweight, birth defects, retardation. Often babies are born addicted to the drug and must go through a “withdrawl” period following birth. You have a choice. Your baby doesn’t.

Do not drink coffee. The baby does not need the caffeine. Don’t drink soft drink. Your baby doesn’t need the caffeine and you both need your calcium. Soft drinks deplete the body of calcium. Don’t continually eat junk food. Try to make every meal count. It is ok to have a sweet snack, but limit your consumption of foods with no nutritional value.

Enjoy this time with your baby. Help your baby to get off to a good start by providing healthy meals now before he or she is born!

**The ideas on this page are for information only.**
**Please consult your doctor or Midwife if you have questions about your nutrition or before changing your diet.**

Hannah’s Homebirth Story

Hannah’s homebirth was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. She was my fourth baby, but my first homebirth.

We decided right away to have her at home. From the moment we found out, there was no question in my mind that I did not want to go to the hospital again. I searched briefly for a midwife. The nearest midwife was 100 miles away.

Mykal jokingly said one day, “I could deliver the baby.” So I started thinking about it. I began researching more about homebirths. I found out that many couples were choosing to have Unassisted Childbirths in their homes. So, I suggested to Mykal that we do it. He was comfortable with the idea as long as I was. There is no one I trust as much as my husband.

I did my own prenatal care. We purchased the items we felt we would need for the birth. We had an ultrasound done at an independant imaging center in Las Vegas. We found out we were having a little girl. Mykal began singing a song to her with her name in it daily. (After she was born, Hannah recognized the song immediately and it has continued to be her favorite! My Mykal is so special!)

I palpated my belly frequently, learning the position of the baby. I bought midwifery books so I could learn everything I potentially needed to know for the birth. I knew a lot to begin with. This being my fourth baby, I knew how to give birth. I explained to my husband how to check my cervix and how to deliver a baby. He figured it out right away.

Neither of us had ever delivered a baby. I did help my best friend at her homebirth, which was a fantastic experience for me. We prayed and prayed that everything would work out okay. We were turly blessed.

On Sunday, November 5, 2000 I was 2 cm dilated and the next day I was 4 cm dialted. I knew the time was near. I had already experienced that “nesting” instinct women often get toward the end of their pregnancy. I had scrubbed everything in the house over and over again. I felt so on top of everything and in complete control. Then the last 3 weeks of my pregnancy, I was so big and so tired I slept a lot.

On Wednesday, November 8, 2000 I woke up and felt like I was going to have the baby by the end of the day. I was having uncomfortable contractions two minutes apart all morning. I warned Mykal that I might be in labor and to stay near a phone while he was gone to his mother’s house. I set up the table we had for our birthing supplies and made the bed in brand new white sheets and plastic mattress pad.

I was so disappointed when by 12 noon the contractions had basically gone away. Mykal came home and we had lunch together. We went about our normal activity for the rest of the day.

At 7:30 p.m. I noticed more contractions. They were slightly uncomfortable and began coming 2 minutes apart. I was hoping this would be it! I could hardly wait to hold our new baby. Mykal began checking the baby’s heart rate every hour. He kept a close eye on my blood pressure.

We told the kids the baby might be coming soon. They were so excited they asked to camp out on the living room floor. Mykal promised to wake them up if she was born.

I was so content, so happy, and completely relaxed. I had no fear about the impending birth. I read a book in bed for much of the night. We prayed together. The contractions for the duration of my labor were 60 to 90 seconds long and a consistent 2 minutes apart. I had no pain. I don’t think I have ever been so relaxed as I was that night! It was such an incredible experience!

Mykal was so loving and supportive and everything I needed and wanted. He was calm. He rubbed my back. He encouraged me to walk around and to squat on the floor. He brought me my favorite soup for supper. He was perfect in everyway. God has blessed me with such a wonderful husband. I couldn’t have asked for more than he was and is.

I breathed slowly and deeply with each contraction. I imagined my cervix opening and the baby’s head moving down. When I had a moment of question – “Do I really want to do this?” – I reasoned that I must be in transition. Sure enough, Mykal checked me and I was 7 to 8 cm dilated. That made me smile. My womb would rise high and hard with each contraction. I knew our baby would soon arrive.

By 4:30 a.m. I was at 10 cm. My water had not broken and, although we had an amnihook, I decided to hold off. I had no urge to push so I wanted to wait and see what would happen. I told Mykal I wanted to go to sleep. He went to take a bath. We were both tired.

I was able to doze off even though my contractions were strong and consistent. Suddenly I heard a loud “pop”. It had hurt – almost like something had exploded inside of me. I knew my bag of waters had broken. I called to Mykal. He jumped out of the tub and rushed to the bed. I explained to him what had happened. He had heard it, too. It had sounded like a brown papr bag, filled with air, popping. Her head was so low that none of the water escaped when the sac broke. I told him, “The baby will come fast now.”

It had been a while since I had emptied my bladder. I really wanted to do so before pushing her out. Mykal did not think it was a good idea, but I insisted. Once I sat on the toilet, I had one strong contraction and felt her head begin to come out. I called Mykal and he said, “Get back to the bed.” But I could no longer walk. He laid me down on our carpet and rushed to get some pads to cover the floor with.

With the next contraction (while he was getting the pads) I reached down to help ease her head out. Mykal arrived, got the pads in place and he helped me with her head. Once the head was born, Mykal to check for the cord around her neck. It wasn’t. He waited for her head to turn on its own. Then he eased her top shoulder down and out first. She slipped out with a gush of amniotic fluid. Mykal placed her on my tummy and covered her with a fluffy white towel. Hearing her first cry, brought tears of joy to my eyes. It was beautiful.

I will never forget the emotion that filled Mykal’s voice when he saw her as she slipped out into this world and he said, “She’s so beautiful.” That simple phrase uttered was filled with joy and relief and said so softly. I could hear the tears in his voice.

Mykal ran to get the camera and began taking pictures. A few minutes later he woke up the kids. When Hannah was 30 minutes old we cut the cord after all of the blood had gone to her.

I delivered the placenta into a bowl. Hannah was rooting so I nursed her for a little bit. We filled a small tub with warm water and bathed Hannah. Mykal dressed her in a pretty gown. I bathed and went to bed to snuggle with my baby and my loving husband.

I have never had such an awesome experience in my life. I cannot even describe how powerful and complete I felt when it was all over. It was so beautiful to give birth with only my husband present. To be alone with my husband made the event intimate and so precious. I believe this was how God intended it to be. Hannah represents the wondrous love we share. Mykal is the love of my life and Hannah is the most glorious expression of our perfect love.

Overcoming Early Pregnancy Fears

The first three months of pregnancy are often the most stressful. Not only is your body changing , your world is about to change too. You have to start considering the baby’s well-being in every decision that you make. It can be easy to spend the first few months terrified that you will do something wrong or afraid that you have already made a harmful mistake before discovering your pregnancy. All of these worries can result in a stressed out and over -anxious mom-to-be.

Your pregnancy isn’t as fragile as it seems, however. Your body is designed to protect the baby from harm and Dr. Adelaide Nardone, OB/GYN and Medical Advisor to the Vagisil Women’s Health Center, offers some advice and reassurance about some of the most common concerns of early pregnancy.

Abdominal Pain – These pains are one of the most upsetting parts of early pregnancy because of the fear of impending miscarriage. In most cases the pain is experienced as mild cramping and is completely normal. “This is associated with implantation of the embryo, placentation, and the enlarging uterus.” explains Dr. Nardone.

Toward the beginning of the second trimester many women begin to experience pain in the lower part of the uterus, as the body begins to make room for the rapidly growing fetus. “This is often from the stretching of the round ligaments.” Dr. Nardone says. These are the structures that attach your uterus to the abdominal walls.

In most cases these aches and pains are nothing to worry about, but if you have severe, persistent or sudden pain that is accompanied by a fever or bleeding you should see your doctor right away. It could be a sign of kidney problems, urinary tract infection, or even preterm labor.

Back Pain – Back pain can also be a cause for worry since it is sometimes associated with miscarriage, but it’s a natural part of pregnancy and can be caused by many things. These include changes in posture due to the growing uterus and strain from carrying the extra weight. The weakening of abdominal muscles and decreased support for the spine can also result in back pain.

“Women should attempt to wear sensible shoes when they are pregnant and get off their feet when possible.“ advises Dr. Nardone. She also stresses the importance of avoiding heavy lifting and straining. Sitting in comfortable chairs and sleeping on a comfortable mattress will also go a long way in easing backaches.

Nausea and Vomiting – Occasional nausea and vomiting are almost inescapable during pregnancy. But sometimes vomiting can be so severe that keeping food down is next to impossible. It’s natural to worry that the baby isn’t getting everything it needs to develop. “Fortunately, mother nature provides well for the growing fetus even in times when the mother of the baby is lacking nourishment. Maternal stores are often recruited to provide the baby with sufficient nutrients.” says Dr. Nardone .

Its extremely important that you get plenty of fluids in order to prevent dehydration. Take small sips all through the day to avoid upsetting your stomach. You should also try to eat a little of whatever food you can tolerate, even if that means several nibbles instead of a meal. Always take the prenatal vitamin prescribed by your doctor, it was designed to help your body provide for the baby in times like these.

Caffeine – If you are among the millions who begin the day with a caffeine fix you may be concerned that you drank too much coffee before discovering your pregnancy. Caffeine hasn’t been proven to increase the risk of miscarriage or birth defects, although large amounts of caffeine may raise the heart rate of both mom and baby. Dr. Nardone’s advice is, “If a pregnant woman needs her caffeine fix in the morning she can allow herself a cup of coffee. If she wants more it is advisable to switch to decaf.”

Hot Baths – It is always recommended that using hot tubs or taking hot baths be avoided during pregnancy, but what if you have already indulged? You can relax, there is very little chance that you did any harm. The water would have to be 102 degrees and you would have to stay in for 20 minutes. It’s very unlikely that you would be able to stand the water for that length of time.

A warm bath is a great way to relax during pregnancy and is perfectly safe. You don’t have to obsess about the perfect temperature, Dr. Nardone offers a simple, common sense guide, “If you are sweating in the bathtub, chances are the water is too hot.”

Stress and Anxiety – Many expectant moms feel guilty when they allow the pressures of daily life to upset them. The fact is that some anxiety and stress is unavoidable, and Dr. Nardone suggests, can even be helpful. “Some degree of stress in pregnancy is probably not harmful and may help to make the woman more determined and focused throughout her pregnancy.”

Too much stress or anxiety can be harmful however, and may put you at risk for pre-term labor, a low birth weight baby, or even miscarriage. The poor nutrition and insomnia that can result from excess stress isn’t healthy for you or your baby. Make sure that you take time to relax and try not to let the pressures of daily life overwhelm you. Dr. Nardone offers these suggestions for reducing stress:

• Don’t over commit or overextend yourself.
• Learn to relax and take control.
• Take time out to “distress.”
• Occasional take-out dinners can free up much time and energy.
• A relaxing warm bath or foot massage can do wonders.
• Allow yourself the pleasure of enjoying the life growing inside of you.

Being pregnant is a wonderful, exciting, and sometimes stressful experience. Remember, your body is doing what it was designed to do. Take care of yourself, relax and your pregnancy can be one of the happiest times in your life!

Books to Read While Pregnant

These are books that I have read and recommend:

A Child Is Born by Lennart Nilsson

Conception, Pregnancy and Birth by Dr. Miriam Stoppard

What to Expect When You’re Expecting by Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi Eisenberg Murkoff, and Sandee Eisenberg Hathaway, R.N. This is a great book for first time moms.

Special Delivery by Rahima Baldwin

Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin

Heart & Hands by Elizabeth Davis

Unassisted Childbirth by Laura Shanley