Of course with technology these days why wouldn't you want to know the sex of your child as soon as you possibly could? There is so much to plan for how would you buy things if you didn't know. Well with my first child we did not find out (even though my family still swears we did). Well we didn't and actually it made things easy for us since we knew we would continue adding to our family everything we got as gifts were neutral and everything we bought had to be neutral as well. I loved the surprise element having two names picked out and no one knowing. I feel like it gave my husband an important role as well in the delivery room he was so excited to go out in the hall and tell everyone that he barely waited for our child to cry. Now as we start preparing for our second everything we have works no matter what the baby is. So we are at a constant crossroads right now... do we find out or have it be a surprise again?
The nightly battle over names and the finding out question at our house is insane. Of course if you ask my two year old she goes back and forth between wanting a brother or sister and always picks SURPRISE when we ask if she wants to find out or be surprised. So she is no help, I guess we continue to go back and forth and don't really see the need. I just like the surprise I don't like having everything decided. I know that this is not for everyone but we have so much fun with everyone guessing for the nine months then everyone knowing for the nine months. That is just us how did you still have fun with announcing the sex early?
Monday, January 11, 2016
Friday, January 8, 2016
Mentality
Mentality is the biggest part of why I do what I do. I have always been a goal driven individual being a college athlete but I definitely lost that for a while after graduation. I have to rediscover who I was without athletics that had just been such a driving force behind EVERY decision I had made for 10+ years. I didn't know who or what was supposed to drive my decisions. I could do whatever I wanted for the most part. When I had my daughter I finally after year of breast feeding felt that empowerment and that sense of responsibility for myself and my child. How was I going to expect her to be a strong individual if I was struggling to be that. After losing my driving force for 3 years I had finally found it. My daughter I am her role model the one person she gains all of her information from if I am not the person I want to be how can I expect her to be. Children learn most of their habits from their parents. From that day on I changed my mentality no more would I sit and wonder why my house wasn't clean or I was 10 lbs heavier then I wanted to be. I realized I make every decision in my life I am not a victim of my schedule or my life. My mentality everyday shapes what I do. In order to have a strong goal driven mentality you have to find your driving force because at 4 am when your kid woke up 10 times in the night mentally you wont feel like being that person but your force will probably not only be the thing to get you out of bed it could also be the reason you want to stay in it.
Eating Right while Pregnant
Its tough right when all you crave is ice cream or chocolate or the thought of lettuce makes you even more nauseous. I don't mind giving into a good pregnancy craving once in awhile (birthday cake remix @ Coldstone) but there have to be boundaries. Pregnancy is not a get out of jail free card to eat whatever you want. In fact it is one of the most important times to be conscience of what you are eating and activity levels. There are many different health concerns that could come into play if you aren't in control of your decisions while pregnant and those choices can affect your unborn child as well.
I give myself a monthly schedule or foods I am going to eat. I use Sundays to prep all of my meals for the week which will not be eaten at home so lunch and snacks while at work. This is generally simple but you have to be scheduled and conscience of your choices. I avoid most processed foods and eat as must from natural ingredients as possible. I know with my schedule it would be much easier to grab something from anywhere or to stick with microwave meals. But I like to be in control of EVERY ingredient in my meals. Enough about that I am not saying limit calories or count calories I am going to make this simple. Eat foods from the outside aisles at the grocery store (think cheeses, meats, fruits and veggies) and dont over indulge. I do pack a hefty lunch bag every day. I am generally eating every 2-3 hours when my schedule allows that way I am never in a hunger mode. Each time as I approach meal time I know I am hungry but I am not overwhelmingly hungry leading me to over eat.
Controlling cravings...unfortunately you don't have control over what you crave (ice cream and pickles obviously) but you do have control over how you respond to those cravings. I generally do not say no to cravings if I am legitimately hungry and I have kept myself in check with eating that week. I judge that by looking back at my calendar and if I stuck with my plan 90% of the week I can splurge. I also let cravings go and if they continually come back more then 3 times in one week I will give in.
I give myself a monthly schedule or foods I am going to eat. I use Sundays to prep all of my meals for the week which will not be eaten at home so lunch and snacks while at work. This is generally simple but you have to be scheduled and conscience of your choices. I avoid most processed foods and eat as must from natural ingredients as possible. I know with my schedule it would be much easier to grab something from anywhere or to stick with microwave meals. But I like to be in control of EVERY ingredient in my meals. Enough about that I am not saying limit calories or count calories I am going to make this simple. Eat foods from the outside aisles at the grocery store (think cheeses, meats, fruits and veggies) and dont over indulge. I do pack a hefty lunch bag every day. I am generally eating every 2-3 hours when my schedule allows that way I am never in a hunger mode. Each time as I approach meal time I know I am hungry but I am not overwhelmingly hungry leading me to over eat.
Controlling cravings...unfortunately you don't have control over what you crave (ice cream and pickles obviously) but you do have control over how you respond to those cravings. I generally do not say no to cravings if I am legitimately hungry and I have kept myself in check with eating that week. I judge that by looking back at my calendar and if I stuck with my plan 90% of the week I can splurge. I also let cravings go and if they continually come back more then 3 times in one week I will give in.
Telling People your Pregnant
With family this is a joyous time right. But how do you tell your coworkers you are pregnant depending on where you work this could be an easy task. For me I work with a lot of different entities so it seemed like some people needed to know and some people didn't need to. At the end of the day it is your business who you share the news with but below you will find my list in order of who to tell first.
1. Boss or Director (this may be easy or if you have been short staffed it may be difficult but they need to know as soon as possible so they can 1. protect you and your child while working and start preparing to staff your potential leave)
2. Co-workers you see day to day they will probably notice right away if you are up to the bathroom every five minutes but it is always nice to after releasing the information to your boss to confirm the suspicions of your office mates.
3. HR will need to be kept in the loop as they will help with benefits and all of the great things that come along with pregnancies and work
4. Whomever else you feel like sharing the news with. Remember if you make a post on social media that can be found by anyone even if your privacy settings are high if it is in the world someone can find it. So if you want to keep things hush for a little while make sure you are conscience of that goal on your social media accounts.
It may just feel awkward depending on your place of work but feel rest assured that there are always people who are excited for you and lucky for you those will be the ones ready to give you advice (sarcasm).
1. Boss or Director (this may be easy or if you have been short staffed it may be difficult but they need to know as soon as possible so they can 1. protect you and your child while working and start preparing to staff your potential leave)
2. Co-workers you see day to day they will probably notice right away if you are up to the bathroom every five minutes but it is always nice to after releasing the information to your boss to confirm the suspicions of your office mates.
3. HR will need to be kept in the loop as they will help with benefits and all of the great things that come along with pregnancies and work
4. Whomever else you feel like sharing the news with. Remember if you make a post on social media that can be found by anyone even if your privacy settings are high if it is in the world someone can find it. So if you want to keep things hush for a little while make sure you are conscience of that goal on your social media accounts.
It may just feel awkward depending on your place of work but feel rest assured that there are always people who are excited for you and lucky for you those will be the ones ready to give you advice (sarcasm).
My Choice Midwife versus OBGYN
My first pregnancy ran pretty smooth for the most part. I was seen by an OBGYN group in the area they did a great job. But as my husband and I started thinking about getting pregnant I was excited to find there was another option in our area. I chose Covenant Midwives and Women's Health Center. More then anything I always like new experiences. We had some issues with our previous pregnancy in the last trimester so my main concern with choosing a Midwife for my care was two things. 1. I still needed to get cleared up what happened with my first pregnancy everything happened so fast no one had time to sit down and explain anything and 2. could a midwife handle my care with our past pregnancy experience in tow.
My first appointment I was not pregnant. I needed some answers before I was just going to make this big of change. I was happily greeted at a temporary office which was not adequate for this practice. It was for sure temporary but I didn't feel that stress ever when I was in the office and it was the day before they moved. That impressed me with a smaller then normal office it can be hard to operate as normal. I had a long list of questions for my provider and I wasn't even close to pregnant. When my provider sat down (yes she sat down in the room with me to just talk) she was fully engaged in everything I was asking her. She answered all of my questions and after she had spent all of that time she started looking into things like my diet and other concerns I may have. I feel like in the day and age that you can email your doctor or just talk on the phone to a nurse to get things done (and being busy I am actively engaged in those services) for a provider to sit down and be engaged in a visit was so impressive to me. I normally go one hundred miles a minute but in this instance I needed someone to just listen and answer and the Midwives at Covenant gave me just what I needed. I am excited to see my pregnancy progress with them guiding my care.
My first appointment I was not pregnant. I needed some answers before I was just going to make this big of change. I was happily greeted at a temporary office which was not adequate for this practice. It was for sure temporary but I didn't feel that stress ever when I was in the office and it was the day before they moved. That impressed me with a smaller then normal office it can be hard to operate as normal. I had a long list of questions for my provider and I wasn't even close to pregnant. When my provider sat down (yes she sat down in the room with me to just talk) she was fully engaged in everything I was asking her. She answered all of my questions and after she had spent all of that time she started looking into things like my diet and other concerns I may have. I feel like in the day and age that you can email your doctor or just talk on the phone to a nurse to get things done (and being busy I am actively engaged in those services) for a provider to sit down and be engaged in a visit was so impressive to me. I normally go one hundred miles a minute but in this instance I needed someone to just listen and answer and the Midwives at Covenant gave me just what I needed. I am excited to see my pregnancy progress with them guiding my care.
Working Out and Pregnancy
I know...when you read the title you hardly even wanted to click (thank you for clicking anyways). Facebook and nearly everything these days are overwhelmed with super moms who have 12 pack abs, beautiful children and perfect homes. Not real right or I find myself saying well honestly if I stayed home all day my house body and babies would be perfect too... Well here is the truth that I came to realize its mindset not time.
Sure it is easy for me to sit on Facebook and judge these supermoms but that is ten minutes those moms probably don't waste on other people. What I mean is moms tend to waste all of this time pinning, posting and stalking when we could be making ourselves our own SUPERMOM.
12 pack abs don't just happen they may be slightly photo shopped but it takes work. I know why would you want to workout you felt terrible before pregnancy now add a baby belly to that mix. Well exercise can be the answer to all of your problems. I myself sat in a three month daze and exhaust period but the day after I restarted my workout the benefits were endless.
Here are some great tips on busting through the 1st trimester bumps:
http://www.fitpregnancy.com/prenatal-exercise-hurdles-how-clear-em
Sure it is easy for me to sit on Facebook and judge these supermoms but that is ten minutes those moms probably don't waste on other people. What I mean is moms tend to waste all of this time pinning, posting and stalking when we could be making ourselves our own SUPERMOM.
12 pack abs don't just happen they may be slightly photo shopped but it takes work. I know why would you want to workout you felt terrible before pregnancy now add a baby belly to that mix. Well exercise can be the answer to all of your problems. I myself sat in a three month daze and exhaust period but the day after I restarted my workout the benefits were endless.
Here are some great tips on busting through the 1st trimester bumps:
http://www.fitpregnancy.com/prenatal-exercise-hurdles-how-clear-em
Keep the Energy with your 2nd Pregnancy
Hello I am nonstopmommy,
I am a full time working mother with one little girl and one child on the way. I also sit on the board of multiple programs and hold a second job. My husband is a god send for sure as he often picks up the slack playing daddy day care due to my hectic schedule. I am involved in a lot of activities but I still MAKE time to do the things I need to do for my family, myself and my growing baby. IT IS NOT EASY EVER...
Entering into my first journey as a mother I listened to everyone around me. If you have been pregnant or are trying you know what I am talking about. The non-stop advice that comes your way the second you are thinking about becoming a mother. Mothers are the best teachers right? Well some advice I got was good and other advice I got was well...ignored. But I no doubt made the choices I made with my last pregnancy. I was a victim to my "condition" as I felt it was. I didn't workout, I didn't watch what I ate and I defiantly did not stay on top of my health. I let my pregnancy happen "naturally" gaining as much weight as my body would allow and my body paid for it. I was excited to be in control of my 2nd pregnancy the second I knew I was expecting...
Then the 1st trimester hit and I felt like I am sure every other mother feels. EXHUASTED. I once again went back to my old ways even though I knew I wanted it to be different this time. I was too tired to do different. Fair. 1st trimester tends to come with many unwanted and hard to deal with symptoms. Fatigue was my biggest foe. Pretty soon I was sitting at my appointment with my Midwife having gained 10 lbs already in my first trimester.
That was enough...Luckily my 2nd trimester and New Years nicely coincided. I stopped these behaviors. I am in control of every single choice I make and more importantly the choices I make for my unborn child. There are no excuses or reasons out there that you cant do it. I will give people some slack on the first trimester but this is all mental. I am with you we have to start making choices that are respectful of the tiny human being we are making.
Please continue to follow and read for more of my thoughts and experiences with being a busy working mother.
I am a full time working mother with one little girl and one child on the way. I also sit on the board of multiple programs and hold a second job. My husband is a god send for sure as he often picks up the slack playing daddy day care due to my hectic schedule. I am involved in a lot of activities but I still MAKE time to do the things I need to do for my family, myself and my growing baby. IT IS NOT EASY EVER...
Entering into my first journey as a mother I listened to everyone around me. If you have been pregnant or are trying you know what I am talking about. The non-stop advice that comes your way the second you are thinking about becoming a mother. Mothers are the best teachers right? Well some advice I got was good and other advice I got was well...ignored. But I no doubt made the choices I made with my last pregnancy. I was a victim to my "condition" as I felt it was. I didn't workout, I didn't watch what I ate and I defiantly did not stay on top of my health. I let my pregnancy happen "naturally" gaining as much weight as my body would allow and my body paid for it. I was excited to be in control of my 2nd pregnancy the second I knew I was expecting...
Then the 1st trimester hit and I felt like I am sure every other mother feels. EXHUASTED. I once again went back to my old ways even though I knew I wanted it to be different this time. I was too tired to do different. Fair. 1st trimester tends to come with many unwanted and hard to deal with symptoms. Fatigue was my biggest foe. Pretty soon I was sitting at my appointment with my Midwife having gained 10 lbs already in my first trimester.
That was enough...Luckily my 2nd trimester and New Years nicely coincided. I stopped these behaviors. I am in control of every single choice I make and more importantly the choices I make for my unborn child. There are no excuses or reasons out there that you cant do it. I will give people some slack on the first trimester but this is all mental. I am with you we have to start making choices that are respectful of the tiny human being we are making.
Please continue to follow and read for more of my thoughts and experiences with being a busy working mother.
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