Short Ramble About Labor

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Everyone has different views about what it means to be in labor. Hollywood tells us and shows us it is one way but our experiences are all different.

During my most recent pregnancy, I watched two labor videos and I will link them here for Adenike and here for Patricia. The two women, Adenike and Patricia had totally different experiences with the same end result of having health babies.

After 36 weeks, the baby can come anytime and for some the baby might be on time as predicted by the Ob/Gyn or it could be late and the pregnant momma will be induced.

To start the labor process, the mucus plug comes off first, then the water breaks…

I had two different experiences- for my first the mucus plug came off, and my water leaked as in, I felt like if I laughed, I wet myself. I called the docs office and they had me go to the hospital. Good thing I went because I went into labor after that. For the second, my mucus plug came off and nothing happened. Y’all I was disappointed 😞 😔 😪 I wanted the baby to come and I was tired of being pregnant and sore all over. I went to the doctor and he said sometimes labor begins after the mucus plug comes out and on researching, some mommas on Reddit said the plug can come off and then be replaced with more mucus. Two weeks later I went into labor.

Whether the baby comes vaginally or by cesarean, the end result is for a healthy baby and mom.

… So to any new moms and mommas to be, I want to tell you, you have got this and do not fear. Go and get your friends who pray and get excited, baby is coming soon.

I will end here.

Se you on the next episode and blog

💛

My Must Have Baby Items

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Hello Enerrrrrgy!

That is what I said when my second trimester had started- it was good to feel like a little bit of myself again. I had been working and there was no such thing as taking a nap for me except when I took one with my toddler on the weekends.

Another thing I welcomed was reduced nausea. While my gag reflexes were still at an all-time high, nausea had reduced considerably. My appetite had improved and I ate a bit more than I did before. I also tried to stay active as best as I could.

I did not have the nesting instinct for both pregnancies- or maybe I did but chose to ignore it 😉 because I had to work and didn’t want to do much but rest when I came home from work. I was also taking classes and when I came home, got stuff for the kiddo ready, I started working on school stuff. To get some of the school work done, sometimes, I did not go to bed until 2 a.m, this was rough on me. I still would get up the next day at 5.30 and get ready to go to work. Yes to having energy but the lack of sleep made me a bit groggy and dependent on coffee whilst I was working.

When I had a moment, I did listen to momma channels on YouTube, and I also started making a list of what I wanted to get that I did not get for my first pregnancy. So as not to misplace the list- I put them on a registry. I was having another boy and that saved me tons of money- I did not have to buy a lot of clothes (I could not resist some super cute items I saw) and some of the bedding items I still had.

So to expectant parents, one tip I will give you in this trimester is to get your baby items and start working on your baby’s room if you would have one.

Here is my list of must-haves (what I use or have used) and what I would consider optional. And if you do not listen to the podcast; do so- I go a bit in-depth about the items I list here on the blog

This one is for the mommas- a labor prep tea- ask your doc first.

  1. Car Seat: the hospital will not let you leave with your baby if you do not have one.

  2. Crib/ cot/ bassinet

  3. Baby clothes-0 to 3 months to begin with. I will say add a few newborn clothes as some of the 0-3mo might be big for some babies when they are born.

  4. Formula- go to Similac and Enfamil and sign up for coupons should you be deciding on baby formula

  5. Baby blankets, swaddles, baby carriers

  6. Breast pump and accessories - even if you choose to exclusively breastfeed. You will need your insurance to get this for free or pay a pretty penny for it. I will add that you could get a manual pump like the Haakaa for a cheaper fee.

  7. Nursing bra and breast pads, nipple cream

  8. Nursing cover

  9. Baby bottles/ feeding bottles with the right sized nipples

  10. Bottle dry rack(s)

  11. Bottle sterilizer

  12. Diapers- the age or weight-appropriate size

  13. Diaper bag- for doctor visits and to carry diapers, bottles, and baby change of clothes when you are out and about

  14. Pacifier if you choose to use one

  15. Baby Rocker

  16. Burp cloth/ bibs

  17. Baby bathtub with wash cloths

  18. Cradle cap Balm

  19. Baby oil, lotion, wash for a bath- be sure to choose sensitive skin, not the scented varieties

  20. Nursing pillow

  21. Thermometer

  22. Gripe Water and gas drops or my recent find-Tummy Calm.

  23. Buggy or stroller- Kate on Instagram mentioned how important this helped the parent going for walks, running errands and helping the kiddo sleep too. Thanks Kate

Some items I consider non-essentials but useful

  1. An expensive baby monitor

  2. sound machine

  3. Baby Wipe warmer

  4. Baby Changing table

  5. Rocking Chair and stool

  6. Bottle warmer

  7. Dockatot.

  8. Baby bullet

    That is all for now… If I think of anything, I will add more.

Is there something you used that is not listed here?

First Trimester and then Some Tips

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So this weekend I celebrated my birthday and I want to thank you for your wishes.

It was different celebrating with a newborn, but I enjoyed celebrating with loved ones.

We also celebrated National Sons Day and it got me thinking about what it is like to raise boys. I am thankful for a friend of mine who has 3 boys and how she has raised them. She is a blessing to me and I am encouraged whenever I talk with her.

This is the first time I am aware of National Sons Day and I think about the people who had sons in the Bible; Samuel, Eli, Jesse to mention a few people.- the more I read the Bible, I see that the sons that are good, and God-fearing always have it mentioned their mother’s names. I think it is important it is mentioned for us to learn how important the role of mothers is in the family.

Now to the first trimester;

First, congratulations, you are expecting!!!

In no specific order:

  1. Get an Ob/Gyn. Make sure it is one you trust because of your life and that of your Lil one depends on it. If you do not have and or cannot find one, ask friends and family for recommendations.

  2. The apps that helped you note when you were ovulating, trying to get pregnant can also help you during pregnancy. I used the FLO app and it helped with tips about what to expect as the months come, the Enfamil app was another one that I used. Feel free to use the app you are comfortable with (and share some so that I can add them to the blog.

  3. Get a multivitamin and if you are usually anemic, mention it to your OB. They will prescribe your prenatal vitamin with Iron.

I was nauseous for the first pregnancy and this past one and I kept my nausea in check by adding a slice of lemon to my water and making sure I ate something. If I did not eat, I found myself very nauseous. I did not crave for sweet stuff or cookies so I had saltine crackers and sugar-free mint-flavored gum in my bag always. This helped me during this trimester. Since I was working, and time was limited, I made sure to start my day with food or my gag reflexes aka nausea would be in overdrive. I craved eggs a lot in this trimester and I would go to the cafeteria, get some scrambled eggs, cover with hot sauce and enjoy 😘 This kept me full until lunchtime.

Regarding being tired, for my first, I could go and take naps during my breaks but, for my second, I am in a different position and role and sometimes, I ate at my desk. I had some coffee to keep off the exhaustion, when my mom fussed that I had coffee, I talked with my Ob/ Gyn and he said, a cup in moderation was okay. Please, speak with your doc before you add coffee to your diet.

What was your first trimester like?

The podcast link is below:

Thank you and until next time;

Ezanya

An Announcement

Hello Lovelies

I have been MIA for a reason and I want to let you know why.

I just had a baby a few weeks ago and momma and baby are doing well.

On the podcast, I shared a little bit about when I found out I was pregnant and why I kept it quiet. I am going to attach the podcast episode here and I will let you listen to it.

In the next episodes, I will do my best to share the things that I have used, that have helped me, and so on.

If you have questions and have suggestions about what you would like to hear, please leave a comment below or email me what you would like to hear. I will try to post pictures on Instagram and on the website too.

Until the next episode, God bless

Always

Ezanya