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Anonymous
Your time during pregnancy can easily be consumed by maternity clothes and equipment for baby – and I’m all for these wonderful distractions that help you feel beautiful and give you warm fuzzies when thinking about bringing life into the world. But there are mental transitions that are happening and sometimes we all just need someone to talk to about it. I was offered a wonderful opportunity to participate in a therapy/coaching program called Momentum offered by Abilto. The seven-week program is a tag-team of a psychotherapist paired with a coach who helps you through this transition with two one-hour sessions per week using video conferencing technology.
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One of the most highly asked questions every pregnant woman has is, “When will my baby be born?” It is one of life's little mysteries that can often drive us crazy with wonder. It becomes especially hard when you are creeping up on your due date or have even gone past.
I was overdue with my first pregnancy and thought I tried just about every single natural labor inducing method available. I’m creeping up on being overdue with baby number two and started my research again. Below are a few methods of inducing labor that I found.
Of course, none of these should be attempted unless you are overdue or at 40 weeks. In most cases, they are so mild that they would not work unless you were already showing progress. Still you should consult with your doctor or midwife before trying any sort of labor induction methods.
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I just got back from the best massage experience I have ever had! My husband treated me to a prenatal pregnancy massage that absolutely made me feel like a new person.
Since I am in my 39th week, every single thing on my body has started to swell. It literally hurts to bend my fingers and legs at this point. I reached the breaking point last night and asked him if he could find anywhere local that specialized in maternity massages. I headed off to a warm bath and he found the perfect location only three minutes from work.
I must tell you that I have had a professional massage before while I was not pregnant and loved it, but this massage beat that one hands down! If you are not starting to swell or if you have no aches and pains you are blessed beyond measure. My body and my emotions did really well up until the last trimester until my comfort level got out of control. Today before the massage the words out of my mouth to the therapist were, “Something's got to give!”
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What is the etiquette for throwing a baby shower for friends or family members who are pregnant with their second or third child?
This has been the question among many of my friends over the past year, and has come to light for me as I have been going through this second pregnancy.
It seems that the opinions are never ending and definitely conflicting. I had not really thought about it much until I ran into a friend at the store and she asked when my shower would be. I had always been taught that there was no shower for the second baby, so when I told her there was no shower planned, she was stunned.
New trends in baby showers
As time has moved from when our mothers were new moms, beliefs and traditions have moved as well. Here are some of the trends I have noticed among friends, acquaintances, and family members.
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I am officially 38 weeks pregnant this week and I am starting to feel it. On top of being in the last few weeks of pregnancy, I also started back to work this week. To say that it was exhausting would be an understatement. I am just one of those people who refuse to take up valuable sick days that I could use to spend with my newborn baby.
What does that mean? It means I will be at work until I pop! If it is anything like my first pregnancy I will be working until 41 weeks pregnant. I know there must be several other expectant mothers out there who feel the same way I do and are wondering how they can make it through those last few weeks.
Here are some tips that have been helpful for me:
Bring a stool to work
If you have a job that requires a lot of sitting, then you are going to need something to prop your feet up on, but in a professional manner. I brought one of Graham's wooden stools to work with me. It seems to help a little with the swelling in my feet. It also helps if I can change up the position of my feet throughout the day. If you do not have a stool, try using a box from work.
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I am nearing the end of this pregnancy and I had forgotten just how much the end can cause people to say the craziest and most thoughtless things! I am nearing the point of not wanting to venture to far from home for fear of what I may hear next. On the other hand, I started back to work today and have heard nothing but the sweetest comments from my colleagues. I truly appreciate their kind words and encouragement.
So, as a reminder to myself as well as a lesson for those out there, here are the things you should never say to a pregnant woman:
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I can honestly say that the first time I was pregnant there was some anxiety about childbirth, but no real fear. I guess I did not know what to expect and knew that I had no control over it at all. This time I feel different about things and I am not sure what that is all about! You would think I would have less anxiety because I have been there before, but the more I hear the more I know that every birth is different.
Even though my first son's birth was pretty hard, it went well and I can still sit back and think about how awesome of an experience it was. It is almost as if being there before has made me anxious for a similar experience (well...mostly similar) this second time around. My first son weighed 8lbs and 13 ounces which was a large load for my small frame. With a very patient nurse and doctor, I was able to deliver him vaginally with some assistance (vacuum).
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First of all, I want to make absolute sure that everyone knows I am in no way a doctor and that you must consult your doctor before doing anything. With that said, my last OB visit has left me wondering about how my baby may be positioned. When she asked if I felt like the baby was head down, I told her that it seemed he flipped and I wasn't sure anymore. When she located his heart beat higher than normal she told me she wasn't sure either. I have one more week before my major exams begin, so we will know more then. In the mean time, I have been researching ways I can hopefully ensure that this little guy turns head down! Here are a few of the tips I've read:
Music
In this MP3 player age, most people have access to music with ear phones. You can place the ear phones near the bottom of your belly to help encourage the baby to move towards the music. It is true that at about 15 weeks gestation, your baby can hear what is going on outside of the womb! There are even different devices on the market today that are made especially for playing music to your unborn baby.
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Here I am with about five weeks to go in this pregnancy and I am definitely starting to feel it physically. It is amazing how you can go from loads of energy to not being able to lift your head in the matter of a few weeks. What makes it even harder is the fact that I have a thre year old who is relying on me every single day. There are absolutely no sick days and there is little to no time for a nap (unless I take one when he is napping). Maybe I was this exhausted the first time around, but I definitely do not remember it! I have been trying to take matters into my own hands and find things that help pick me back up during the day. Hopefully some of these ideas will be helpful to you as well!
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