I'll never forget the night I had my daughter and those special moments we had our first few days together. In my birth plan--or a I called it my "birth wishes"--, there were a few things I knew wanted to happen without a doubt. I knew I wanted to have fun, I wanted my husband to cut the cord, and that my daughter would get a pulse ox screening.
A pulse ox screening? What's that? I didn't know myself until a few months prior to having my daughter. I met a woman online, a woman on a mission to save babies after losing her own. This mother's story touched me. She had a normal pregnancy, like I had, and a normal birth, like I hoped to have. And her baby Cora was big and plump, just like mine was. She lost her 5-day-old baby in her arms, without warning.
Kristine sent me some pamphlets with helpful information about the Pulse Oximetry Screening, which is a simple test that can help detect congenital heart diseases, one of the leading birth defects.
As I held my newborn in my arms at the hospital I thought of Kristine and her efforts to help new mothers like myself. I immediately asked the nurse when they could give my daughter a pulse ox screening. She asked another nurse, who said she didn't need one, she was healthy, had a great apgars, but I insisted. The on-call pediatrician (Lil' J was born over a holiday weekend) asked why I wanted one so bad, and I told her about my friend who had shared her story with me. I guess it was a good enough answer for her because she gave the go-ahead for the test. No needles or probes were needed. Just a little band around her foot. I didn't encounter an out-of-pocket bill, but the peace of mind that came when it was done, and they told me her results were normal, was priceless.
Right now only two states have routine pulse ox screenings hospitals. A lot of people don't even know or understand the importance of newborn screening. If you'd like to learn how you can help, or to get more information on newborn screenings for you, your family and friends, visit SaveBabies.org. And spread the word. The more people who know about this, the better.
I'm so grateful for Kristine, for all of the help she's done for families, and for spreading awareness of screenings which have literally saved babies lives. I still hold my daughter now and think of her, and her daughter, and how they've forever left a mark in our lives.
*I was asked to share my story and experience about newborn screenings in a compensated blogger outreach program. I decided to share my story about her pulse ox test because it was especially important to me. I hope you'll take a few moments to visit their website and learn more. ** Yes, looking through these old photos totally made me cry. Time to switch the machine back on!
I hadn't seen Elizabeth in what felt like ages. We both had babies now. And they needed to meet.
We met for lunch a few weeks ago and made up for lost time. I brought her her baby shower gift I had bought forever ago--a baby wrap--And we caught up over tacos.
Our conversation spanned from postnatal yoga, to careers, husbands, and of course our babies. When it was time to go we promised each other we wouldn't go this long without meeting up again, and tentatively planned play dates for the near future. So when I got a text from her about getting together for anti-gravity yoga I knew it just had to involve babies. To be sure, I texted her.
"Let's do it. Sounds awesome, what is it?"
She texted me back saying it's yoga in sling-like hammock things. In my head I read "wraps" and "sling" and was like "woah, yoga with babies, score!"
She signed us up for a month of free classes every Monday at 6:30.
"PM right?" I asked her.
No. AM. Yikes!
When I got home to search for anti-gravity yoga and find out exactly what I had signed myself up for my jaw hit the floor. This is what we were going to do...
There are no babies in this picture. ADULTS in sling-like hammock things. OH!
Normally I don't like to do things on my day off without my daughter but I thought this experience would be good for me to have a bit of alone leisure time, and get a real workout. Plus it would be early and she wouldn't be awake yet.
The night before our class I slept in my yoga clothes and pre-programed my GPS to take me straight there in the morning. The less thinking I'd have to do when my alarm went off at that crazy hour, the better. I had worked until 11 that night, and watched an amazing episode of Big Love, so I was going to sleep late. And I knew I'd be hurting in the morning.
When my alarm went off I texted my friend to make sure she was still going. I didn't want to show up with four complete strangers if she decided to sleep in. She told me she was still game, so I slipped my shoes on and headed out the door.
When I got there the scene was as scary as I imagined. Silk cloth hanging from the ceiling in a small room with hard floors. There were six small hammocks. One for the instructor and one for each of the students.
We introduced ourselves. Four of the five of us were either my friend or a friend of my friend. I was glad she had recruited others to go in case I decided to bail out early, faking an injury.
Our instructor told us if we were pregnant, had high or low blood pressure, we shouldn't do the upside down exercises until we got a doctor's note. None of us were pregnant--or knew it, so we were all in the clear.
"Grab your sheet by the end and swing it back and forth," our instructor told us all. We watched as she wrapped her hands around the end of the sheet and jumped in. Then we each took turns doing it ourselves.
The first few poses involved wrapping the sheet around us and sitting or laying comfortably in the hammock. "This is nice!" I thought to myself. What a relaxing way to spend my morning. We went through the motions of getting used to moving the fabric, and it sliding beneath us, how to grasp it in our arms to move and stretch certain ways.
"Now grab your fabric and place it behind you at your hips," she said. Cool, I had that. "Now trust the fabric, you're going to flip over like this." I watched as she did a Lady Gaga move and once again my jaw dropped. I couldn't hold in my laughter. She wants me to do what? This is me we're talking about. The one who broke the floor during an attempt at chair dancing. I knew if I were to try this my face would wind up in pieces.
I watched as everyone else did it first. They looked graceful and natural. I thought for a moment. Did I really want to attempt this? Why did I sign that waiver saying I wouldn't sue if I died? I contemplated excuses, a bathroom break... Announcing indeed I am pregnant... then I thought how easy it is in postnatal yoga to sit out an exercise because "Oh, baby's gotta eat!"
All of this went through my head in a matter of seconds, when I decided I'd just do it. I closed my eyes, grabbed onto the fabric for dear life and flipped over.
Hanging upside down wasn't comfortable. Our instructor told us to breath and gave us all sorts of directions of things to do with our legs and hands but all I could think of was how my head was sure to explode at any moment... What if blood starts coming out of my ears?... Crap, I've gotta fart... My daughter is so weird for enjoying hanging upside down. And kids like to hang from the monkey bars? Why do they do it?
"Yea yea yea, breath, extend, blah blah blah, can I sit up yet?" I couldn't be the only one so uncomfortable hanging upside down.
After that I knew I could handle any part of this workout. But would you believe it got harder?
We did push ups with our legs extended--feet swinging (not intentionally) in the hammock with our arms on the ground. I realized I don't have any upper body strength when my arms gave way and I face planted into the cement floor. I couldn't help but laugh. I was falling apart. I wanted to say that I had just had a baby eight months ago--The reason for my inadequacy--but my friend had had her baby months after me and she was doing just fine.
I survived the rest of the class by the skin of my teeth. But really, I was just the comedic relief. I couldn't hold my laughter in as I watched everyone balance perfectly on one leg from my wobbly and stumbly point of view.
The woman next to me kept laughing at me too as I nearly grabbed her a few times to break my fall.
When it was finally over we laid straight back in our hammocks for a restoration pose--My favorite part of yoga. I thought to myself if I'd ever come back.
I didn't go a second time today. I'm far too sleep deprived this week, but I'm still registered for next week. Now that I'm mentally prepared for what's coming I may be able to try it again and not be such a whimp. Lawd knows I need some kind of workout to get fit again, and by golly I'm gonna do it. Even if that means impersonating Lady Gaga every now and then.
Here's an example of what we did. I did everything in this video minus a pose or two. NO LIE!
If you're brave enough (or stupid enough--I'm not sure which I am yet) to try it you can look here to see if there's a place near you that offers it! All I can say is good luck!
No one likes getting shots. Lord knows I didn't. Heck, I still don't. So when Lil' J had her first round last week I about lost it. Ok, actually I DID lose it. She freaked out too but had forgotten about it a couple minutes later. I on the other hand, couldn't get the memory out of my head. She was laughing and cooing one second, the next she was turning red and screaming her head off. And there I was holding her arms down. I felt like a jerk. I told myself I wouldn't, but I cried too.
I promised her I'd make up for it and I did. Right after the appointment with the mean nurse we went to Old Navy's baby sale and had a little shopping spree. We scored BIG!
Two jean skirts, a pair of pants, a sweater dress, two bohemian-style dresses, a pair of sparkly moccasins, a beautiful long sweater, and a jean jacket that she can wear with it all--All for $117!
At first I had put the pants back cause I thought the total was going to be closer to $200 but when the lady rang me up and the total only came to $107 I went back to get the adorable brown pants (and I think the FIRST pair of pants I've bought for her).
Everything I bought (minus the jacket) was on sale for $5-15!
Sadly, Lil' J slept through all the shopping, but she was happy to take part in a photoshoot when she was feeling herself again. I am so blessed to have this little angel in my life!
She measured 95th percentile for height and 90th for weight so I got almost everything in 6-12 month size so she can wear it longer. The dresses I think she'll be able to wear as shirts even when she's older.
If you ask me, she looks good in everything.
What do you think? Like her fall wardrobe?
Oh, by the way, everyone who comments on this post before Sunday September 19th at 11:59pm is entered to win a $100 gift card to Old Navy. If you're a blog follower/subscriber (or become one) you get an extra entry. Also, go here to get a special coupon for 30-40% off. It's a fast one so good luck!
PS: I just took this video of her in her other bohemian dress. I just had to share! We had too much fun. The whole video coming for Wordless Wednesday!
*Thanks Old Navy, for sponsoring the shopping spree & giveaway*
Bellybars Are Yummy--But Don't Take My Word for It
If you caught my MomTV show then you know how much I love Bellybar. And if you've read my blog for awhile you REALLY know how much I love them. I started eating them before I was trying to get pregnant because of all of the great nutrition in them. If you're trying to conceive it's a good idea to start stocking up on these vitamins before getting pregnant. For one, it takes a few months for your body to get stocked up on the nutrients like folic acid that it needs, and two, having them can HELP you conceive!
My favorite flavor is the Berry Nutty Cravings. It has a great blend of yogurt, nuts and berries. You may remember when I entered the Holly Jolly Belly Contest. I won! And I won a trimester worth of Bellybars, that's two cases of each flavor. I ate up all of the Berry Nutty ones first, now I'm alternating between the rest of them.
One thing I love about them is that they're also quick and easy to grab and go. With my job being so crazy, sometimes it's hard to get a break to eat. I'll put a few of these in my purse and snack on them throughout the day. Don't believe me? Look... I'm eating one as I write this post!
If you're pregnant, thinking of getting pregnant, or breastfeeding you definitely need to check these out!
Hate prenatal vitamins? Yea, sometimes they can by icky. Well eating a Bellybar is a lot like taking a prenatal vitamin because it has lots of folic acid, DHA, protein and iron! All things your baby really needs! Speaking of vitamins, Bellybar is coming out with a NEW prenatal vitamin next month, chewable and allegedly yummy!! I can't wait to try it! I'll for sure let you know about it when I find out more, and we'll have a giveaway here! They're ALSO coming out with a new s'more flavor!! *dies*
We gave away 3 Bellybar prize packs during the show! Bummed you missed it? You can find Bellybar's at Target, Wallgreens, Babies R Us, Whole Foods, Pea in a Pod, Motherhood Maternity, HEB and more! You can also buy them online! For more information or more on how you can try some follow @bellybar on twitter or become their facebook fan.
Want to try them all?! Well you can enter to win a prize pack right here!
THREEwinners will each receive a prize pack full of: -1 bars of each flavor (Baby Needs Chocolate, Berry Nutty Cravings, Mellow Oat and Burstin’ Chocolate) -1 shakes of Due for Chocolate Bellybar Shakes -1 pouch of the Citrus on Board bellybar chews
Here's what you do to enter: Visit Bellybar and tell me what product you want to try!
That's all! If you'd like extra entries, comment again if:
- You follow my blog
-Vote for me to win the Tickled Pink bedding on TheRealMomTV -Comment on one of my posts on The Real Mom TVorParenting Magazine's blog during the duration of this giveaway(3 entries each!) -Follow @Bellybar on Twitter -Follow me on twitter and tweet "Win a yummy @bellybar prize pack on @futuremama's blog #giveaway 3 winners! http://bit.ly/au1hFp" (2Xs per day- tweets must be 6hrs apart) -Give me a pregnancy tip! -Comment on non-giveaway related post of mine during the duration of this giveaway (1 entry per comment) -Become my Facebook Fan
-Become Bellybar's facebook fan -Add my button to your blog! -Add my Full Terms of Giveaway button to your blog. -Post about this giveaway on your blog. -Email Subscribe to my blog (don't forget to confirm your email!) OR Subscribe to my blog through one of these feeds (let me know which one in comments). -Vote for me on Top Baby Blogs(per day/computer) (just click the link) -Vote for Baby Makin(g) Machine as top 50 Mommyblog on Babble (once per day) -Tell me how you heard about this giveaway (you read my blog regularly, saw it on Twitter, etc.)
This giveaway ends April 4th at 11:59pm.
I'll use random.org to choose a winner. Good luck!
A big thanks to Bellybar for providing the prize to the winners. I was not compensated in any way for this post. Opinions are my own.
