TOTALLY FREEEBIE FRIDAY!!

At My Bloomin Belly, we believe moms and moms to be, still want to be cute and sassy! So, this week we are giving a way a set of Lia Sophia bangle bracelets. In the 2008 winter catalog these sold for $98, and you can get them from us for free!!
Ok, not really for free, you do have to do some stuff to be entered to win!
Here's what you need to do (each thing you do will get you one entry):

1) Put our button on your blog or site.
2) Add yourself as a follower to our blog.
3) Purchase "My Bloomin Belly: A Pregnancy Calendar Plus"
4) Give us a shout out on your blog or site.
5) Post a comment on one of our posts.

BE SURE TO TELL US WHAT YOU DID AND WHERE TO LOOK!! You can do this by posting a comment on the blog. Just leave a comment for each one (these are your entries!).
P.S. if you want the cuter and smaller button just let us know, we can send you the code through email.

The winner will be randomly selected by random.com. Good Luck!

Belly Envy

In the depths and trenches of my pregnancy symptoms, my husband used to tell me, "Honey, I would do this for you if I could."
"Yeah right!" I would say. I know he only said that because he didn't have to. I mean really, morning sickness, bloating, cravings, sleeplessness. . .who wouldn't want that?? My husband didn't and even though he said he would do it, he also let me know how grateful he was that he didn't have to!
For some husbands though, want it or not they DO have too!! Couvade Syndrome is in my opinion just BELLY ENVY, while most call it sympathy pains, I think it's a man's desire to better understand and relate to a woman, specifically their wife. They never get to experience life growing inside them. Yes, they do have small role, but a woman gets to experience creation up close and personal. I think some men are simply jealous!! But that is just my opinion!

If you can believe it, research has shown approximately 80% of men actually do go through some kind of sympathy pains or symptoms. I think the most common is that a husband will gain weight right along with their wife (an excuse to over eat??). Others include morning sickness, bloating, back aches, and even labor pains!! While some theories suggest that this is brought on by a man feeling helpless as he watches his wife endure difficulty and pain while he can do absolutely nothing about it, it could also be an actual biological phenomenon of a man's hormones actually changing as well. (Sort of like when women menstruate at the same time.) Couples that spend extra amounts of time or are particularly close might see this happening more often. That's not to say if your husband doesn't experience sympathy pains you are not close. My husband and I (I think) are very close and he never had sympathy pains. I think it is also about each individual person and their physiological and mental make up. What do you all think? Have any of your husband's had belly envy?

10 Best Things About Being Pregnant

Not in any particular order, but here are my top 10 favorite things about being pregnant!

1. Has to be when you feel your baby move!! Baby's movement can be felt as early as 13 weeks (rare), but I would say most feel that definite movement around 17 -20 weeks. Every little bubble I felt during all my pregnancies I wondered if it was my baby, but I really wasn't ever really sure until around 17 weeks. Then, I felt those movements that were undoubtedly my little one swimming around.

2. Getting to park in stork stalls at the store. While not a lot of stores offer this parking option, the ones that do are awesome and I loved getting that front row Joe spot when I have been pregnant with 2 or 3 in tow!

3. Eating extra calories guilt free!! OK, not that you can go wild just because your pregnant (although I did, honestly) but you do get to eat more and for me that is nothing but a silver lining!

4. Once I got pregnant, I no longer had to cook dinner. It is one of the perks that I got from my husband while pregnant. While not all husbands will cook dinner, most will do extra things for their wives like rub their feet, or clean the bathrooms.

5. You don't have to have a menstrual cycle! OK you do have to carry a big old baby around, but really who can say 9 months with no period is a bad thing?

6. You always have an excuse to excuse yourself to take a nap. Kids are fighting, turn to your husband and say, "honey, I'm pretty tired right now I think I'll take a nap." What's he gonna say, NO? Not while your pregnant, he wouldn't dare, right?

7. The excuse to go shopping. You all know I love to shop and even though I wasn't shopping for myself (OK, I was. . .maternity clothes) I had to have everything stocked and ready and that meant shopping.

8. The excuse to get a pedicure. Again, what husband will deny his wife carrying his child a little old pedicure. I say use it, use it all you can!!

9. The so called pregnancy glow is great when it happens. It just doesn't happen your whole pregnancy all the time, but from my experience even with my girls that I had bad acne with I usually went through a period of time where people would exclaim, "Wow, you look great, you're positively glowing!" This is great because you usually don't feel like you look great when your bloated and tired so it's a pick me up and makes you feel good when the glow starts glowing!!

10. The baby shower!! OK, maybe I am shallow, but I just love it when there is a party and I am the center of attention. It just feels good to have people around you all excited and supportive of you and everyone is smiling and laughing and sharing stories. Your baby shower is just fun and I say have one even if it's your second and third child, you still need stuff if not more so!!

PAPER, PLASTIC or do you have YOUR OWN?

My mom is one of 7 children. Whenever I complain about wrestling my 4 she says, "Can you imagine 7?" I think to myself (an only child), "NO, can you??" My mom always likes to remind me about the bright side and how easy I have it. Even when she only had my wee little diapers to change and I have had 3 in diapers at once, she always puts me in check. So when ever I have a little grumble about my diaper woes I get, "I remember my job of rinsing out my brother and sisters diapers in the toilet!"
To be fair, she used to tell me this story before I even had children. So when I had my own children, I have to admit I was grateful for the disposable diapers I had at my finger tips. To my knowledge at the time, the old cloth diapers and all the horrors that went with them were gone with my mom's childhood chores!
When I had my second baby, I heard something incredible. There are actually people that still use cloth diapers!! As I listened to this woman speak about cloth diapers, I was shocked! Why would a person put themselves through the horrors of POOP and washing it?? YUCK! My mom's stories raced through my mind. I could never ever do it. I am too much of a ooey gooey avoider. I really can barely manage changing diapers as it is.
BUTT . . .
By the end of the woman's little pitch, I really could have been sold on the idea. Especially now as the economy is in such a scary state, if I was going to have more children I really might consider the switch to the cloth diapers. Here is why:

1)
Did you know the average cost of disposable diapers for one year is somewhere around $1000.00? Think about if your child doesn't potty train until age 3 (average for boys) and then consider the pull ups to use at night? AND that is just if you have ONE child! The total cost could be staggering!! You can buy once and really re-use for most to all of your consecutive children. Think of all that extra shoe shopping you can do for your new big feet!!
Calculate it for yourself and you might get tempted.

2)
If you care about the environment and are trying to find a way to make a difference. . .
Well, this could be a huge way. By using cloth diapers, waste goes in the toilet to sewage treatment plants, not to the dump where eventually everything gets buried and absorbed into the soil and eventually into our drinking water. Do I have to even mention the decomposition of disposable diapers? Well, they don't!

3)
Cloth can be better for baby too. There are no chemicals or anything in cloth diapers and can be better for baby's with sensitve skin.

4)
Can be more convienient. YES, really! Think about it, no runs to the store as you realize your on your last diaper!

These are just a few reasons, but like we always say at Bloomin Belly, do what works best for you and your family. Cloth diapers are more natural, cloth diapers are more cost efficient, cloth diapers have velcro now, cloth diapers can help save the planet, and cloth diapers could be for you!

The last set of hyper-links (cloth diapers) are all different sites where you can look at cloth diaper products.

Good Luck and happy diapering!!

Dreaming of baby.

A friend of mine who has been trying to get pregnant for over three years called me today and told me that she had a dream that she was pregnant.  In her dream she had a big belly and figured that she was about six months along.  She had never taken a pregnancy test because she was afraid that it would say negative, but she just knew she was pregnant.  Finally, she took a test and she was in fact pregnant.  She said that she was so happy, and wanted the baby out right then.

She called to see if I could tell her what this dream was all about.  I am not a dream reader, but I told her that it probably meant that she really wants a baby (of course) and that maybe her body is trying to tell her that it will happen.

Funny how when we want something bad enough, we can actually convince ourselves that it is real or dream about it in our sleep.  Have you ever heard of a false pregnancy?  This is a very real condition in which our mind actually convinces or bodies into thinking that we are pregnant, called Pseudocyseis.  It is very real and happens mostly to women in their 30's or 40's who want a baby very badly and cannot conceive or women who have had a miscarriage or lost a child.

While some women actually get a positive pregnancy test, most just experience pregnancy symptoms such as cravings, sickness, and a growing belly!  While this is a very rare condition, it is very real, and can be very emotional for someone who wants a baby so badly.

If you think that you may have a false pregnancy, talk to your doctor, but don't quit wanting that baby.  A positive outlook, wether in a dream or in your everyday life will keep you stress free and more likely to conceive. 

My WHAT is going to get bigger???

Pregnancy makes weird things happen to a woman's body. It's true and it is just one of those things women sacrifice to become mothers! What I am about to tell you is absolutely TRUE! Your feet totally get bigger from being pregnant. I am NOT talking about swollen feet, I am saying your feet really will get bigger and not only that, they stay bigger forever!!! Before babies, my feet were about a size 7 1/2 after 4 babies my feet are now a size 8 to 8 1/2. I am not kidding, this is real!!

So, I wanted to know why my feet got bigger, because let's face it, it is kind of strange.

I found out the reason is because of the hormone relaxin that gets released into our bodies. Relaxin is important because it is what loosens everything up, hence the name "relaxin", it relaxes joints and ligaments so that baby can fit in our bodies. But, it doesn't just relax our pelvis joints it relaxes everything, including our feet. That combined with the weight of baby and other weight we gain in pregnancy our feet flatten making them bigger and wider.

The big question I know you all are thinking is, "OH MY GOSH, WHAT CAN I POSSIBLY DO?? DO I HAVE TO BE A BIG FOOT IN ORDER TO BE A MOM?"

Sadly there is not much you can do. You most likely will be a big foot! A few things you can try are wearing good shoes with good arch support and trying to not gain too much extra weight. So even though you most likely will end up with bigger feet, just remember it's worth it and this is why. . .

If your feet get bigger, your old shoes won't fit so you will have to go SHOE SHOPPING!! There is always a silver lining!! Oh, and you get a sweet baby too!!

To Tell a Tale!

When I got pregnant the first time I knew right away I was having a boy. I knew it, no one could tell me otherwise. To seal my prediction I did several things; I got a penny, taped it to a string of dental floss and let it dangle over my wrist. It totally swayed long, meaning A BOY! Then, to give further evidence, all I wanted was meat and I don't eat meat but I sat in a restaurant and to my husband's surprise ordered a nice big steak and gobbled it down. Another clue that I was indeed having A BOY! Finally, as the cake topper, I carried my baby very low my whole pregnancy, I was waddling around like a duck as soon as my belly popped. So there was no question when I went for my ultra sound that I was having A BOY!
Any you know what??? I was totally right!

When I got pregnant with my second child, I had a dream that I was having a girl. All I wanted was sweet food. I loved citrus and the first 3 months all I wanted was Peanut Butter Twix candy bars and everyone knows if you crave sweet foods you will have A GIRL! The next tell tell sign was the way I carried my second baby; way high. I couldn't hardly breathe because she was cramping my lungs meaning I was for sure going to have A GIRL! The last thing that let me know my dream was accurate was that I had super bad acne with this pregnancy which only A GIRL would dare do to their mother. So as my husband and I walked in for our ultra sound betting who was right, I knew I was and that my husband would be giving me a nice foot rub later that day. Of course I was right!!!

So you tell me if old wives tales are real or not?? I say they are, but I am hooky like that.

Check out these Internet sites that calculate several old wives tales to determine the sex of your baby!

http://www.childbirth.org/articles/boyorgirl.html

http://www.amazingpregnancy.com/oldwivestales/

Is there hair in there?

Maybe it is just a myth, but many women report high levels of heartburn when they are pregnant caused by their baby's hair. I remember being pregnant and having the worst heartburn. It would get so bad sometimes that I thought I would need to go to the emergency room! I of course carried a Costco sized bottle of TUMS with me at all times, and in the bad times, tried to find comfort by picturing my baby being born with a full head of that soft baby hair. That hair that looks so great and smells so good.

When she was born, the first thing I did was notice all of her black hair (although I was not sure how it was black) and thought how great it would be that the heartburn would stop.

The next time I found out that I was pregnant, I ran out to Costco for another bottle of TUMS. You can never be too ready when heartburn strikes! I had heartburn maybe the first few weeks of my pregnancy, but never again. When he was born (pretty bald) I knew that the heartburn theory was in fact true.  

There are so many little "sure signs" that we hear about when we are pregnant.  You can find out more of them in our book My Bloomin' Belly.  Check it out!

JUST DO IT!

When I was pregnant with my first child I was teaching in an elementary school. This required me to be on my feet for long hours and I was constantly busy and very active. In addition, I had to pack up my classroom for some building renovations that summer. I lugged and hauled boxes all in my early 3rd trimester into the week before I delivered. Many of my co-workers exclaimed in disbelief with how active I was and to BE CAREFUL!! But I felt great. I had always been active and I just continued that same life style. With my consecutive children I was also very active. I had to be!! What with chasing my other children around, I could be nothing less. I went up and down stairs, lifted babies, grocery bags and I tried to get a lot of walking in for even more exercise. Recently, I heard a story of a perfectly healthy pregnant woman that quit her job as a cashier because she felt it was too active and wanted the baby to be safe. Now, I am very into doing what is best for you, so I am not judging. However, I did wonder which was better? Being active and exercising during pregnancy or reducing your activity, taking it easy and just resting during pregnancy.
What I found was that exercise and physical activity is good for everyone EVEN PREGNANT people!

Some listed benefits are:
1) easier labor if physically fit
2) faster recovery rate from pregnancy and labor
3) improved self-image
4) less discomforts during pregnancy
5) reduced risk of gestational diabetes

Now this isn't to say go run a marathon if your pregnant! (Although some people do!) Do what is best for you. Maybe this woman I heard about had some other reason that didn't get conveyed to me. . .but, if you feel good and you are having an uncomplicated pregnancy, I would say get some exercise. My favorite was walking (I used it as an excuse to go shop, you have to walk to shop, right?) Another great low impact one is swimming. I have heard a lot of women love going swimming during the last part of pregnancy because it relieves the weight and pressure the baby is putting on them. What ever is good for you JUST DO IT!!

Here are a few sites that had some good guidelines and suggestions for exercising while pregnant:

http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/exercise-during-pregnancy

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/exerciseguidelines.html

To eat or not to eat...

That is the question!

When I was close to my delivery date with my first child, my doctor advised me that once I went into labor I should not eat or drink anything.  When I was close to bursting with my third, I asked my midwife if I could eat or drink when I was in labor.  "OF COURSE!" was her response.

Delivery 1:  Water breaks at 5am.  Following doctors orders I put an immediate halt to all food and drinks.  I starved, I was thirsty.  Everyone around me was either eating, or drinking, or smelt like food.  It was torture!  I suffered all day long.  Finally at 6pm she was born, and what do they give me?  Ice-chips!  I was not OK with this situation, and knew that next time needed to be different.

Delivery 2:  Started to have some contractions.  On the way to the hospital at 7am, I told my husband to make a pit-stop at Dennys.  I ate an omelet, and I ate pancakes with tons of syrup.  I drank juice and water, and I was happy.  In pain, but happy.  After all what the doctor didn't know wouldn't hurt him.  The labor was long and hard.  Honestly, I couldn't have done it without all those extra carbs.

Delivery 3:  In labor I sent the husband to find me a burger and root beer float.  Sat in the tub enjoying them with my husband begging me to go to the birthing center.  Between contractions I loved that food, and devoured every last drop.  By the time we finally left, it was nearly too late, and I spent the car ride with a freaked out husband telling me to quit pushing while I pushed and pushed. (It felt good to push, what can I say?) Moments after our arrival (less than a minute to be exact) he was born.  Maybe the grease from the burger and fries helped in slide out quickly, you never know!

So my question is this:  Should women eat in labor, if not, WHY?  I found so many mixed reviews.  Some say that it is actually better to eat while in labor, and some say that it could cause you to vomit and aspirate.  But, most people have food in their stomachs at all times anyways, so the risk is always there, and the risk is so low that it is almost unheard of.

After doing tons of research, I have concluded (keep in mind that I am NOT a doctor) that it is in fact better to eat and drink during labor.  We need the energy, nutrients, and let's face it eating milkshakes lifts the spirits.  What do you think?

Childbirth 101

One of my best memories of pregnancy with my first child was going to the birthing class. My husband and I chose a weekly class that met in the evenings during the last few weeks of my pregnancy. The class was pretty basic and covered the gamut of having a baby. We watched a video of a lady giving birth, we practiced breathing exercises, labor massages, and discussed the basics of what it would be like to go through labor in terms of a hospital delivery. It was just like out of a tv episode. My husband and I showed up with our pillow. We chatted with other couples and excitement and anticipation sizzled through our group when one of our members stopped coming because she had delivered her baby!
I enjoyed the class and found it helpful and with my next 3 children I didn't even take a refresher course. Mainly because with other kids in the picture who has the time??
At the time I didn't even think there were other options. I just went to my doctor when I found out I was pregnant and they kind of took the reigns from there. In terms of the class I chose, my doctor asked which hospital I was going to deliver at and gave me a list of classes my hospital offered. I didn't even think that there were other methods, other ways of delivering my baby.
My sister as I mentioned in a previous post is expecting her first baby and she asked what our thoughts were on the whole birthing class idea. This is a great question and not really an easy one. There are a TON of different types of classes that you can take while pregnant to prepare for your labor and birth. Not only are there classes for that, but on parenting and nursing as well.
One thing I would do differently if I could go back in time is to take a nursing/breastfeeding class. I figured nursing would just come naturally to me and I would automatically know how to do it, so I just passed on that option. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way, breastfeeding doesn't come naturally for everyone. If you worry at all about that part of welcoming your little one, La Leche, is a great resource for that.

In terms of different childbirth classes, you can take any or all of the following:
-general childbirth classes
-Lamaze classes
-Bradley method classes
-Hypno-birth classes
-Waterbirth classes

You can find these classes in a variety of ways:
-through friends and family
-through your care provider (doctor, midwife, doula)
-through your local hospital
-through local birth centers
-via internet

Our advice about which classes to take and when. . .
1)Figure out what kind of birth you want to have
2)Think about what you are most nervous about
3)Chat with your caregiver
4)Do a little searching: DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK YOUR INSTRUCTOR/CLASS COORDINATOR QUESTIONS!!!
5)Figure out what would work best with your schedule, such as weekly, a one time intensive class, or whatever

THEN,

Make your choice. There are so many variables, this really is going to be different for everyone.

Here are some sites that may help in your decision:

http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_newborn/pregnancy/birth_class.html
http://www.moondragon.org/pregnancy/childbirthclasstype.html
http://www.icea.org/
http://magazine.lamaze.org/

If anyone else out there has some good suggestions or a story about a birthing class you have taken, please share it with us by posting a comment!

OOPS!

This is for you Laura. . .
When I was about 13 I told one of my best friends she had been an accidental addition to her family. "I was not!" was her adamant reply. I insisted that I was right. Her oldest sibling was 18 years her senior and the closest sibling was something like 8 years older than her. I knew she had been an accident! Insistent that I couldn't possibly be right, we went to her mother and asked. Her mother's reply, "You were a pleasant surprise dear." Ha! I was right!Imagine my shock when 19 years later, I would find myself with my own pleasant surprise! My last 2 children are only 13 months apart, and believe me; I don't use the word surprise lightly!! It was very embarrassing to have my blood test while carrying my 3 month along in tow! Let's just say I got some nice smirks that day!!Recently, I found out my cousin is pregnant with their 3rd child even though they had planned only 2! "Surprise!"It seems to me many children come into the world without so much as a twinkle in the eye to prepare their families!So how many pregnancies actually are planned?According to American Pregnancy Association there are about 6 million pregnancies in the U.S. each year, 47% of these are UNPLANNED!! Incredible! So if you find yourself with a little unexpected delivery, don't feel too bad, you're not alone, at 47%, almost half of the babies born each year came about in a similar manner!

The 411 on pregnancy tests

When should you take a pregnancy test?

How effective are they?

How do they work?

These are all very good questions, and things that you need to know if you suspect that you are expecting.  If you might be pregnant, you will want to know as soon as possible.

Home Pregnancy Tests are about 99% effective when taken correctly.  That is just as effective as urine tests taken at your doctors office.  The nice thing about taking a test at home is that you can do it in the privacy of your own bathroom, anytime you want.

When you "pee on the stick" a very glamourous thing to do might I add, the test is looking for the HCG hormone, or human chorionic gonadotropin.  HCG is released into the body by the placenta when a woman is pregnant detectable about 10 days after conception.  If the hormone is detected, the test reads positive, and you are pregnant!

The experts suggest waiting about 5 days after a missed period to take a test, however the test usually works just fine even 1 day after a missed period.  If you take the test too early and it says negative, you could still be pregnant.

Here are some pregnancy testing tips, to help you get the most correct response possible.

~ Take the test first thing in the morning.  HGC levels are highest in urine held in the bladder for at least 4 hours.

~Do not drink a lot before the test.  Your urine will become diluted.

~Read the instructions carefully before taking the test.

Pretty basic right?  And if you can't wait until a missed period, your doctor can give you a blood test about 7-10 days after conception.

And one last thing, it is VERY normal to take several tests.  Sometimes you have to see the result many times to believe it!  If you are one of these people, you may want to get your tests at the dollar store!

Where did the sparks go and how can I get them back?

When my husband and I met, sparks flew. I loved dating Dennis. We would read in the park, hike up to a beautiful spot to watch the sunset, have romantic dinners, he left notes on my car, brought me flowers. . .he was the perfect gentleman. Our wedding was out of a fairy tale, our honeymoon was romantic and the first few months of marriage were bliss. We were so in love, I swear hearts flew out our eyes every time we even looked at each other. Even after I got pregnant with our first child it still seemed like we were on our honeymoon. We swooned over the idea of the two of us creating one. We would lay in bed and watch my belly move in awe, it was magical. Then we brought our precious little baby home and everything changed. It was hard to have hearts shoot from our eyes when we were so exhausted we could hardly keep our eyes open or because they were too red and puffy from tears of frustration of not knowing what the heck we were doing. There was no romantic hikes, quite reading in the park. . .instead we were doing all we could to keep our colicky baby from crying non-stop, changing diapers, lugging 100 million pounds of baby items everywhere we went. It seemed like our romance took to a back burner or worse was lost in the back of a cupboard somewhere.
Once our little ones arrive it is really hard to keep a marriage going. Babies demand our full attention. It is easy to put our love life aside. But, I want to pose a thought to you. . .When you said your vows you said until death and for some, an agreement for eternity. Your children are with you (in your home) for about 20 years before they go off and make their own lives, your spouse could be with you for 30, 40, 80 years or even forever!! Even though your children are demanding and require a lot and it is important to establish a relationship with them, it is critical that we maintain our relationship with our spouses, we will be them a whole lot longer!!
Here are a few tips on how to help maintain your marriage after the little ones start to arrive:
1) TALK TO EACHOTHER!! Talk about your feelings, be open and accepting of what you both have to say! Take turns telling about your day, talk about goals, talk about and dream together about a future trip or activity that you will someday do together. Whatever you talk about just do it. (Fighting doesn't count as your talk time!)
2) PUT THE KIDS TO BED EARLY! We put our kids to bed at 7pm!! For some that may seem way early and yes the kids do wake up by 7am but, kids do require 10-12 hours of sleep so it is best for them and it gives my husband and I time for us. Even if it has been a long day and we are both exhausted we still sit together in front of the TV and snuggle and have time to be close and uninterrupted!
3) USE A BABYSITTER!! I know it is hard to leave your little ones. I would cry the first few times I left my children and worry, but if you find someone you trust it can be done. This is good for you and your spouse to have an opportunity to get out of the house and go on a real date, even if it is just going to a park and swinging on the swings together. You might not believe it, but it is good for the children as well. They need to know you have a life aside from them and that it is important. They also need opportunities to be around other people and be used to you not being there ALL of THE TIME! I know some moms and dads that they never leave their child or children because the child cannot handle it. In the real world you can't be with your child 24/7. It is better to break them in gently and on your terms.
4) DO SOMETHING UNEXPECTED. My husband used to put notes on my car at work, sometimes now I try to return this little tradition by sneaking a note into his bag so at work he will find it.
5) BE RESPECTFUL WITH EACHOTHER. Even thought fuses get shorter once we become parents, it is important to discuss issues and problems that arise in a loving and respectful way. For example, my husband is not tidy. It was fine before kids because it was easy to pick a thing or two of his and it not make a difference. Now with 4 little ones and a husband it is too much for me to keep up with. I pointed this out to him calmly and let him know how difficult it was for me and how important a tidy home is to me and since then he has tried harder. Not that he is perfect, but at least I see him making an effort.
These are just a few tips, if you want to find more, I found a ton just by typing in the key words "maintaining marriage after children" on google.
Let us know what other great ideas you have by posting a comment on this post!

Sanitizing bottles.

We all know how harmful germs can be, especially to an infant or small child.  It is very hard to know if you are getting your baby's bottles and pacifiers clean and germ free.  After all, there are many methods for cleaning out there.  

When cleaning my baby bottles, I want to use a proven method.  Recently I heard that you can use Clorox Bleach for cleaning bottles and other baby items.  You can even use bleach to clean your children's toys.  It was something that I wanted to try, but I needed to know how to use it correctly just to make sure that I didn't hurt anyone.

I went to the Clorox Bleach website and found tons of information on cleaning and sanitizing.  Not only did it tell me how to clean my baby items, but also how to create safe drinking water and clean other items in my home.

Give it a try, it might just help keep your baby healthy.

Sneak Peeks

Your ultra sound experience is one of the funnest parts of your pregnancy. You finally get to lay eyes on your sweet little baby. For most this is a major mile stone to reach during your pregnancy and for most the one time deal is never enough! For me it's just plain lack of patience, I just want to get as close my little ones as much and as soon as possible. Some women will even try to get extra ultra sounds by being sneaky. I am not going to name names. . .(shhh it was me!) but one woman resorted to producing a few tears of "fear" of twins with her last baby. This combined with the surprise of the pregnancy I (I mean she) persuaded my doctor to give me an early glimpse of my little unexpected bit of joy. I then had my regularly scheduled ultra sound where our family found out we would be getting a 2nd little sister added to our brood. Still that was not enough, I wanted to see more of this little girl. So, as I had done with my first three I scheduled another ultra sound with a commercial fetal ultra sound portrait studio.

I personally was won over by Utah's Fetal Fotos with my first baby and returned the next three pregnancies to catch the sneak peeks of my little ones. During my 2nd pregnancy I heard something about ultra sounds possibly being dangerous for the baby. Since this had been a favorite part of my pregnancy I didn't want to give it up, but decided to find out for sure. What I read then and what I have researched for this post was the same; there is no clear evidence that ultra sounds have had an adverse affect on a fetus, but that women should be cautioned. I read an article that gave both sides and listed some studies as well as what the FDA has said. I also found an article that gives a great deal of information regarding ultra sounds in general as well as words of caution and facts. These are great sites if you want to start some research for yourself.
As for me, I couldn't resist seeing my babies as often as possible. I really liked going to the Fetal Foto studio and having lots of little momentos and treasures to keep to remember my pregnancies and to add to my little ones' scrap books. I found one site that you can also get your belly casted as a momento of pregnancy! If I would have known, I probably would have had that done too!