At 29 weeks pregnant I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I was shocked. A phone call to my mother revealed I have relatives on both sides of the family tree who had gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes as well.
For the next 11 weeks I was a fanatic about my eating habits. I followed the diet recommended by my dietitian religiously. A sonogram at 32 weeks showed my daughter weighed approximately 4 pounds, which was the 97th percentile for weight at that gestational age. Fortunately diet and exercise were all I needed to control my diabetes and my daughter was born a healthy 8 pounds 2 ounces at 40 weeks.
Over the next 4 months I have dropped 65 pounds from continuing the low carb gestational diabetes diet and exercise program. I feel better than I have in years and even with caring for an infant I have more energy than I have in years. At a recent doctors appointment my physician made a comment that has stuck with me: "your daughter gave you a gift. Don't return it or break it or loose sight of it. Make the most of it every day."
Fortunately I agree completely. It is easy as you go through your 20's to take good health for granted. Or to have little to no regard for your health. Our society encourages binge drinking, promiscuity and unhealthy eating habits and glosses over the consequences as part of the aging process. I abused my body in my 20's and my child could have paid the price. She has given me the gift of health back and I intend to cherish my health and daughter for the rest of my life.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Was that you?
When my daughter was 2 days old my husband and I were watching her sleep in her crib, talking about how cute she was, how luck we were and how tired we were. As we were watching we heard a very distinctive fart coming from the crib. We looked at each other, looked at our daughter and laughed. Who would have thought someone so small could make a sound that loud? Just one of the many things I had not thought about in life prior to baby.
Over the next 5 months we have enjoyed many laughs at the volume of her digestive track, however what happened yesterday will haunt her forever. My husband and I purchased an entertainment center over the weekend. It was delivered Monday and as I watched the deliverymen assemble it, Morgan in my arms, I heard the unmistakably loud sound of someone passing gas. As I shook my head and smiled in embarrassed amazement at my daughter, the deliverymen looked at each other and smirked. In horror I realized they thought I was the flatulent party.
To the amusement of the deliverymen, she continued to preform and then giggled after each sound. After the second episode I decided any attempt to comment would look like I was blaming the baby for my own actions so I just ignored it and spent the next 10 minutes wishing they would just hurry up and get out of the house. Now I must find an online site that can make a t shirt stating "My baby farted, not me!"
Over the next 5 months we have enjoyed many laughs at the volume of her digestive track, however what happened yesterday will haunt her forever. My husband and I purchased an entertainment center over the weekend. It was delivered Monday and as I watched the deliverymen assemble it, Morgan in my arms, I heard the unmistakably loud sound of someone passing gas. As I shook my head and smiled in embarrassed amazement at my daughter, the deliverymen looked at each other and smirked. In horror I realized they thought I was the flatulent party.
To the amusement of the deliverymen, she continued to preform and then giggled after each sound. After the second episode I decided any attempt to comment would look like I was blaming the baby for my own actions so I just ignored it and spent the next 10 minutes wishing they would just hurry up and get out of the house. Now I must find an online site that can make a t shirt stating "My baby farted, not me!"
Monday, April 16, 2012
Accessories Every Baby Should Have
The latest crazy in baby accessories are: mom or dad. Every baby simply must get them right away. Mom or dad come in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes. They work wonderfully together or separate and are the perfect complement to every baby.
A mom or dad will keep you warm, clean and fed. They are very versatile and creative. A mom or dad can find multiple uses for a single item, clean the biggest mess, and make the most dull situation exciting. Often the sound of a mom or dad's voice will turn the grumpiest baby into a smiley, happy darling.
Never carry anything again, a mom or dad has limitless carrying capasity. You need it, just hand it to mom or dad and they will hold it. Often feel hungry when out on the town? Mom or dad to the rescue!They have a never ending supply of food and always know just when to produce it. Do you often feel sleepy or tired and need a pick me up? Never fear, mom or dad can take care of that too. Babies can find comfort in the arms of mom or dad and sleep soundly.
Don't wait another minute, get your mom or dad today. A baby with a mom or dad is a happy baby!
A mom or dad will keep you warm, clean and fed. They are very versatile and creative. A mom or dad can find multiple uses for a single item, clean the biggest mess, and make the most dull situation exciting. Often the sound of a mom or dad's voice will turn the grumpiest baby into a smiley, happy darling.
Never carry anything again, a mom or dad has limitless carrying capasity. You need it, just hand it to mom or dad and they will hold it. Often feel hungry when out on the town? Mom or dad to the rescue!They have a never ending supply of food and always know just when to produce it. Do you often feel sleepy or tired and need a pick me up? Never fear, mom or dad can take care of that too. Babies can find comfort in the arms of mom or dad and sleep soundly.
Don't wait another minute, get your mom or dad today. A baby with a mom or dad is a happy baby!
Friday, April 13, 2012
Advice for New Moms: Follow Your Instincts
From the time my husband and I decided we wanted a child and then learned I was pregnant I have read as much as I could on every aspect of conception, pregnancy and raising a child. I wanted to find out how to increase my chances of conceiving. Once pregnant I wanted to know what was happening to my body, how my baby was developing and what to do to give my child every opportunity for the best start possible. From diet and exercise to labor methods to feeding options I read it all and analyzed which method would give my daughter the best start possible.
When my husband and I brought her home we intended her to sleep in a bassinet in our room. I wanted her to be close by for night time feedings and honestly I didn't want to let her out of my sight. I felt an overwhelming fear at being responsible for another human being. At 10:30 our first night home we went upstairs with our sleeping bundle of joy and placed her in the bassinet. My husband and I then got into bed, turned out the lights and the baby began to cry. Our dog jumped from her bed to the bassinet and began to whine. I got up, turned on the lights and picked up the baby. Tripping over the dog, I tried to sit on the bed to nurse her (after all, it worked well in the hospital). The dog immediately jumped on the bed and wanted to see what I was doing. My husband pushed the dog off the bed, baby got fed and back in the bassinet. I went back to bed and turned off the lights. She whimpered and I jumped up again. Nothing wrong, just making noise in her sleep. Back to bed. 15 minutes later another noise from the bassinet and I was up again. 5 minutes later the baby was in her nursery, sleeping soundly in her crib and I was back in bed asleep.
Lesson number one of motherhood: forget about what the books, your friends and relatives say, what you planned and follow your instincts. No new mother gets a good night of sleep, but I wasn't going to get any sleep with my daughter in the room. Every sound she made woke me up and I felt the need to check on her. A little distance worked well for us. She slept well and I slept as well as I could between feedings.
Advice from friends, relatives or books is just that: advice. If it sounds good, try it and see. It may work for you and your child, it may not. There isn't a set way to raise a child and what works for one parent may not work for another. In parenthood the end result is the most important, not necessarily how you got there. I find myself repeating that often when hearing about what children should or should not be doing. Schedules, sleeping through the night, starting solids, there is no right or wrong.
When my husband and I brought her home we intended her to sleep in a bassinet in our room. I wanted her to be close by for night time feedings and honestly I didn't want to let her out of my sight. I felt an overwhelming fear at being responsible for another human being. At 10:30 our first night home we went upstairs with our sleeping bundle of joy and placed her in the bassinet. My husband and I then got into bed, turned out the lights and the baby began to cry. Our dog jumped from her bed to the bassinet and began to whine. I got up, turned on the lights and picked up the baby. Tripping over the dog, I tried to sit on the bed to nurse her (after all, it worked well in the hospital). The dog immediately jumped on the bed and wanted to see what I was doing. My husband pushed the dog off the bed, baby got fed and back in the bassinet. I went back to bed and turned off the lights. She whimpered and I jumped up again. Nothing wrong, just making noise in her sleep. Back to bed. 15 minutes later another noise from the bassinet and I was up again. 5 minutes later the baby was in her nursery, sleeping soundly in her crib and I was back in bed asleep.
Lesson number one of motherhood: forget about what the books, your friends and relatives say, what you planned and follow your instincts. No new mother gets a good night of sleep, but I wasn't going to get any sleep with my daughter in the room. Every sound she made woke me up and I felt the need to check on her. A little distance worked well for us. She slept well and I slept as well as I could between feedings.
Advice from friends, relatives or books is just that: advice. If it sounds good, try it and see. It may work for you and your child, it may not. There isn't a set way to raise a child and what works for one parent may not work for another. In parenthood the end result is the most important, not necessarily how you got there. I find myself repeating that often when hearing about what children should or should not be doing. Schedules, sleeping through the night, starting solids, there is no right or wrong.
Baby Smiles
There is nothing as sweet as a baby's first smile. After my daughter was born I was in a constant state of exhaustion and anxiety. Adjusting to interrupted sleep is no picnic and to top it off the bundle of joy my husband and I left the hospital with does not come with a user manual. Every cry was an experiment. Diaper change? Hungry? Tired? Bored? Just want to drive mom nuts?
Around week 6 I stumbled into the nursery, picked up my crying baby and cuddled her to my chest. Her cries stopped and I felt a small frisson of satisfaction. I placed her on the changing table and smiled. That little face broke into a huge smile that reached her indigo eyes. I felt my heart melt and all exhaustion left my body. For the next 10 minutes I talked to her and tried to coax that smile back onto her face.
To this day making that little face break into a smile is a huge accomplishment. Her smile means I am doing something right. She is happy and feels secure.
Around week 6 I stumbled into the nursery, picked up my crying baby and cuddled her to my chest. Her cries stopped and I felt a small frisson of satisfaction. I placed her on the changing table and smiled. That little face broke into a huge smile that reached her indigo eyes. I felt my heart melt and all exhaustion left my body. For the next 10 minutes I talked to her and tried to coax that smile back onto her face.
To this day making that little face break into a smile is a huge accomplishment. Her smile means I am doing something right. She is happy and feels secure.
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