Tag: maternity blog

I said I’d never; but I already have…

As a new mom this phrase, I said I’d never but, I already have, speaks to me. I’ve just barely dipped my toes in this motherhood journey & I’ve already quickly realized that you can have all these grandiose ideas about parenthood & how you plan to raise your babies & sometimes you have to throw things out the window.

“I said I’d never but I already have” pretty much encompasses how our first week of parenting went. We never planned to formula feed. We had mixed feelings on introducing pacifiers, we certainly never anticipated spending time in the NICU . In some ways I’m thankful that our journey forced us to toss our plans out the window & just move forward.

One of my biggest I said I never woulds – the Google machine. As an ER nurse I know googling random medical questions is a cardinal NO NO. In fact it’s one of the fastest ways to get an eyeroll in an emergency room. As a new mom I found myself struggling to fall back asleep after Will’s 5am feeding, knowing he’d be awake again in 90 minutes. So, I unhealthily spent most of that early morning time on Google: wondering if his baby acne was something more, if his head looked too flat, if I should worry that he favors looking to one side and on and on. Every nurse bone in my body would yell at me to stop! Usually by day break I would have talked myself down… Once William started sleeping through the night I found myself not doing it quite as much but every once and awhile I’ll find myself scrolling through a mom forum discussing things that I know I don’t need to worry about it typing something absurd into Google!

I think motherhood is all about walking this line of sticking to your guns but also making concessions on things when it’s what is needed. We weren’t super into the idea of pacifiers, but in the NICU they use them all the time for the babies, especially during procedures. I wasn’t about to sent him some of that comfort because of what I’d been told in a breastfeeding class. So our “no pacifiers” went straight out the window. And guess what? Life moved on. He continued to breastfeed without issue despite what lactation consultants would tell us and ironically at nearly 7 months William has little to no interest in pacifiers

What are some concessions you had made early on in motherhood? What are other things that you don’t budge on?

I know there will be more. Probably today. We’re leaving this morning for Miami & then tomorrow we’re heading to the Caribbean for a week. Wish us luck.

Summer Solstice

Happy Friday everyone. Yesterday was the summer solstice & a few friends & I took Will to the San Francisco conservatory of flowers. The conservatory is a ten minute walk from our apartment & a $6 entry so it made for a perfect afternoon adventure.

And last night was Chris & my first date!! We went to our favorite restaurant that does a delicious multi course food and wine pairing.

This weekend we have some friends coming to visit us and the weather is supposed to be AMAZING in San Francisco. Happy summer!

Gender Neutral Nursery Reveal

crib hampermobilerug

Our nursery is finally done!!! It feels so good to have everything wrapped up. Since we are saving the gender of our baby for delivery day we had to opt for a very neutral room. Neither of us were super into some of the generic themes you can find at superstores. When coming up with our plan for designing the nursery we first picked out a paint color & then we chose furniture. Next we decided that we should choose a bright rug & have that kind of lead us. We ended up doing a plant theme & I think it turned out SO cute, I couldn’t be happier. Some of my favorite pieces in the nursery are the sweet mobile that came from an Etsy shop called The Felting Dorcas, I also really love the accent wall above the dresser / changing station. I found some glass hexagon shelves on Etsy & filled them with small river rocks & some artificial greenery & I think it totally ties the room together!

The Final Countdown

This past Sunday I hit 37 weeks & it feels so surreal that this baby is going to make his or her appearance any day now. I’m officially off of work as of last week & am fully in preparation mode. As a nurse I’m used to having random week days off, so at first it just felt like I had a long stretch of days off but now it’s really setting in that I won’t be heading back to work until the fall! Throughout the entirety of Chris & my relationship I have either worked nightshift or for the past 3 years worked swing shifts which meant coming home around 2am. So this is the first time in five years that we’re seeing each other every night & eating dinner / going to bed together like most couples, it’s something we were both very excited about!

As for how I’m spending my final weeks pre baby? Well I’m certainly soaking in taking afternoon naps & just resting whenever I feel like. But I’ve also got a decent list of little projects that I’m trying to tackle, mostly random cleaning or organization tasks. Our baby room is done, our hospital bags are packed & my freezer is already stuffed to the brim with food for once baby is here. My parents are finally back in town, they spent the month of March away so I can breathe easy knowing they are just a few hour drive away if baby decides to come early now. My mom is planning to come next week to help me with some cleaning, which I’m pretty excited about. Aside from cleaning & resting I’m wrapping up some last minute self care items: getting new glasses, getting my hair cut etc. And of course I’m going to acupuncture especially as I get closer & closer. My major goal this week is to finish our 2017 photo book, I make one each year with all our pictures & I’m SO close to finishing last years & I know I absolutely NEED to get it done before this baby gets here otherwise it may never happen so that is a top item this week.

Below is a photo from the last shift I worked. My amazing coworkers threw my the sweetest send off, it was super hero themed on account of me being SUPER pregnant.

Baby Shower

This past weekend we celebrated our little baby. My best friend planned such an incredible shower. It was so much fun, Chris’ mom & some of her closest friend flew all the way from Austin, & my mom & two of my aunts made the trek to San Francisco also. Besides our families, a lot of my nursing school friends, coworkers, & my best childhood friend came. San Francisco really put on a show weather wise, It was high 70’s, I couldn’t believe it. Not only did our little baby get spoiled with so many thoughtful gifts, but I felt so spoiled with how much love was in one room & how many people can’t wait to meet our little baby! It’s so bizarre to think that in just about 10 weeks we’ll get to meet the little person we’ve created & I can’t wait. It feels like it’s seriously just around the corner!

Winter Babymooning

 

Here are some photos from our babymoon this weekend. We rented a little log cabin & stayed outside of Tahoe for two nights. I know most babymoons take place by a pool, with a mocktail in hand but given that we live so close to Tahoe & that my pregnancy is primarily taking place in winter this seemed like a very fun & romantic choice. It was so nice to unplug, be out of cell service & just enjoy each other’s company. I told Chris how happy I was to make once last trip up to the snow before the baby because I know each consequent trip from here on out is going to look a lot different.

The resort we stayed at, Sorenson’s has a little cafe that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They deliver firewood to your porch daily & are dog friendly (pretty much checking all our boxes haha!) We packed some of our own food because our cabin came equipped with a full kitchen. I brought some homemade chili that just needed reheating & I brought some buttermilk pecan sticky buns. The sticky buns turned out SO good, here’s the recipe . Then we grabbed dinner at the cafe our second night.

 Each day we strapped on our snowshoes & went exploring. Even though snow shoeing may sound terribly bland it’s actually a lot of fun. It’s basically snow hiking so you can stay on a trail or off road & climb up the mountain. It’s the perfect, free, activity for people who aren’t into skiing or snowboarding but still want to enjoy the scenery. We had Juno with us so she was off exploring or chasing after her ball & we were able to keep up with her.

We are planning a little warmer of a babymoon next month, but we’ll still be driving there. Chris & I have always loved going on road trips & driving together in the car. We spent a lot of weekends early on in our relationship driving the Pacific Coast Highway, so it seemed appropriate to pick babymoons that we could drive to. Especially since car rides post baby I’m sure will be less leisurely haha.

Hope everyone had a great weekend ❤

Second Trimester Musts

Belly Balm – I started religiously applying some kind of cream or balm to my growing belly at least once a day during the second trimester. Your bump starts expanding so fast that your skin starts to itch! My favorite balm was this one from Mother Love & it’s a salve so it’s really thick but starts to melt as soon as it goes on the skin. Because of how thick it is I use it a night so it can really soak in. I also used the Burts Bees Belly Butter. The belly butter has a much thinner consistency and is more like a cream, so I used it during the day. You certainly don’t have to spend a fortune on lotion or balm or salve, but it’s definitely worth putting something on your ever growing belly even if it’s just plain coconut oil!

Register – We started our registry pretty early, I think we went to Buy Buy Baby when I was about 4 months along. Since I work every other weekend, & the timing with the holidays we registered a little on the early side, but it ended up being nice because family could get us things off our registry for Christmas. And it was nice not to feel rushed, we were able to slowly add things to our registry over the last two months or so.

Maternity Clothes – You’re gonna need em but you don’t have to spend a fortune. I found great deals on clothes from Thred Up. Slightly used or new maternity clothes for a fraction of the price? What’s not to love. Another tip for getting affordable maternity clothes? Living in San Francisco & being pregnant primary in the fall / winter, I’m not in need of tons of dresses or shorts, but instead needed warm long sleeves tee’s & sweaters. I found GREAT deals on sweaters believe it or not in the men’s section. I got some really cheap & totally comfy long sleeves from Old Navy for, I kid you not, $8!!! I also got a few sweaters from the Target men’s department. Even before I was pregnant I would always cruise the men’s clearance or sales racks at places like Banana Republic for sweaters. Men’s sweaters are typically thicker and cozier. I’m not always a huge fan of the fit of some women’s sweaters. I tend to lean toward a looser / warmer fit. I also discovered H&M’s mama line & the jeans I’ve lived in the last few months are from there.

Plan / Go on a babymoon – it doesn’t have to be extravagant, it doesn’t have to be week long, but planning a night or two should be on your to do list. We had contemplated going to Hawaii for a babymoon but decided we would rather save that trip for later in the year with baby! Instead we opted to for two smaller getaways that were driving distance. We went to a cabin in Tahoe to enjoy some snow you can see my post on our trip here .  Our other small babymoon is going to be in Pismo Beach toward the end of February. We’re staying at a really nice resort that’s right on the beach & is dog friendly! Setting aside a little bit of time for just you & your partner is so important & feels so valuable as the weeks start ticking by & as due dates draw closer.

Skincare Routine – If you don’t already have a go to skincare routine, I think the second trimester is the perfect time to establish one. In the first trimester the idea of washing my face & going through multiple steps was nauseating. By the second trimester you have more energy so I think it’s a perfect time to set aside 10 minutes a night to make yourself feel a little extra pampered, plus your skin will thank you. My favorite overnight cream is Origins Night-a-Mins Renewal Cream.

Pre-Natal Yoga– Your second & third trimesters are a great time to find a prenatal yoga class. I started mine about a month ago & every time I go I’m so happy I signed up. It’s offered through our hospital & meets once a week for 90 minutes. I really started to notice my body begin tightening up more & more as my belly grew this trimester. My back would be sore by the end of the day. So going to a class that specifically focuses on how to adjust poses to make them the most beneficial for your ever expanding belly is so important. Plus it’s a great way to meet other women who are expecting babies right around the same time as you. If you’re in the San Francisco area check out SF Prenatal Yoga this website lists all the prenatal yoga classes available & gives you information on the instructors so you can see if you think the class will be a good fit. Besides getting 90 minutes of stretching in each week, I also find myself leaving class will other valuable insights about ways to relieve acid reflux, recommendations on doulas, birth books etc.

Compression Socks – This is my final must this trimester. If you’re at all on your feet during the day, or if you notice you’re having leg pain or leg swelling do yourself a favor & invest in a pair or two of these. Being a nurse I’ve heard the praises be sung about compression socks for years & years by veteran nurses. I would occasionally wear them pre-pregnancy but now I wear them every.single.day. at work. Standing for 10 to 12 hours even not pregnant is hard work for your legs, so wearing these has made a huge difference. Also if you’re planning any sort of air travel either for a babymoon, to visit family or for work you should definitely be rocking some of these as our tendency to develop blood clots while pregnant is much higher. If the comfort factor isn’t selling you, know that they can also help prevent vericose veins. Amazon has a ton of options for compression socks so in 1-2 days you yourself could be enjoying all the benefits & comfort, no but seriously get yourself a pair!