Baby Must Haves!!!! Tula SSC For the win!

I thought I would do a few posts showcasing things I feel are must haves based on experience.

I'm starting with the Tula carrier because it has seriously been a very much used, convenient, handy item and I'm very happy with it AND Tulas are currently 30% off until 31 December 2016 making this the perfect time to snatch one up if you are on the fence!

I purchased my first Tula months before my rainbow baby was born and I just got a second Tula for Christmas! I have a deep love of narwhals and was super excited when Tula introduced the Narwhal print!

Why do I love Tula so much?

For starters, I'm a whole five foot 2 inches tall AND I'm plus sized. This can make finding anything to fit difficult, and I was worried about finding a carrier that fit well and was comfortable for long periods of wear time. My Tulas do not disappoint!

Secondly, there are so many beautiful, whimsical, and fun prints so there is something to meet a wide variety of styles and interests. I personally had a huge issue trying to settle on my first until I saw Undying Love and I just had to have it because zombies!

Undying Love
Mom's Milk Boutique exclusive

I also love how adjustable it is. The great part about the adjustment range is that the carrier can be comfortably used in many different body types. That is a great thing if you need to share your carrier with another person in your child's life!

Tulas may be considered pricey by some and it was definitely a splurge for us but one I wholeheartedly am glad we made.

So where can you get one? Well for starters you can hit up the Baby Tula website and use the code THX2016 or find them on any number of online retailer sites.

Personally I recommend visiting Nicki's Diapers to see if the print you want is available there. Not only are they honoring the 30% off Tula sale, but you get free shipping and it qualifies for a free gift as well! My free gift was a Nicki's Diapers brand cover in the now retired Lemon Houndstooth print. (Ironically I had almost placed an order for that exact print!)

The placement on my Narwhal Tula from Nicki's Diapers couldn't be more perfect!!! The amazing thing is, no placement request was given! So not only did I get a narwhal carrier, but I got a beautifully centered narwhal! There is never really a guarantee on placement so I'm super excited mine is so lovely!

Look at that centered narwhal!

If you have been on the fence about purchasing a Tula, now is the time to jump in feet first because they are a great price with the current sale! Just don't forget to grab an infant insert as well, if your baby isn't sitting on his own yet or doesn't have good head control!

Zombies and Pine Trees: Tula at the Tree Farm!

The holidays are fast approaching and here at our house, decorating for Santa came earlier than usual as we had to get our tree up and decorated before my husband went in for surgery.

So this past Sunday was spent taking in the sweet smell of pines at a nearby tree farm while seeking out our prized centerpiece for our holiday decor!

What better way to enjoy our leisurely stroll through rows of beautiful pines than baby wearing with our Tula?

Our Tula was my one baby gear splurge that I bought just for me. We are, as y'all may know, huge zombie lovers so when Mom's Milk Boutique announced their exclusive "Undying Love" print carrier, I knew I had to get my hands on one! (I even enlisted the help of a "stocking buddy" and she is actually the one who ended up scoring it for me!)

Yay for matching suck pads!

Little Fox is still not quite ready to be carried without the infant insert but we actually are quite find of it. When he is fussy, he starts to calm just at the sight of the gray infant insert. He knows what's coming!! Tula Time!

We had a great time wandering through the rows of fragrant greens and choosing "the one" that, like my zombie Tula, we knew we had to have!

At one point, I had a lady ask me excitedly, "Is that a Tula?!" When I told her it was, she asked if she could touch it and told me she loved the prints but didn't know if it was worth the cost. 

I told her I felt it was well worth it to me as it was very comfortable to wear in my opinion, was easy for me to get on and off, and that he loved to be carried in it. It made me feel good to share our experience with our Tula with someone else because we really do love it!

We spent a great deal of time looking at all of the beautiful trees but we kept coming back to one. After extensively searching, we decided to bring home "the one" that seemed to call to us. 

Best Bottle for Nectar Thick Feeds

Wow! It has been a while since I have updated the blog, hasn't it? It has been a whirlwind of crazy since the last few months of my pregnancy and since Little Fox was born! I'm hoping to get back on track and be more present!

I thought I would start back with a post that can hopefully help other mamas and littles who are facing situations similar to ours which create a desperate search for a bottle/nipple combination for thickened feeds.

We had feeding issues right from the start with our rainbow baby, but that is a complicated story I'll save for another time.

The important thing to know is that those feeding issues led to the need for our new little addition to be placed on thickened feeds, nectar consistency.

This change in feeding plan came not only with emotional stress, but also with the added stress of trying to find out "how" to feed our new baby when his fluids were not able to flow through any of the nipples we had tried. In fact, under physician orders we were "trained" in how to properly make cuts into a perfectly good nipple in order for our son to be able to drink.

*Cutting, widening, or altering nipples in any way should never be done unless medically necessary. Doing so increases risk of choking and aspiration and also speeds up the wear on the nipple itself.*

Internet and baby forum searches for alternatives to nipple modification left me empty handed so I started looking into any and all bottle styles I could find.

That's when I came across the Comotomo bottle and saw the brand has the option of buying "y-cut" replacement nipples. Although on the pricier side, I crossed my fingers and placed an order for one 8 ounce bottle and a package of 2 y-cut replacement nipples.

My second purchase, a twin pack.

These things are amazing!!!

• The bottle and nipple are both made of silicone. 
• The bottle has a wide neck so washing or adding powders and thickening agents is easy.
• It is top rack dishwasher safe
• The volume information is molded and not inked, so it won't wear off over time. 
• I have had no leaks!!!!
• It's squishy....so comfortable to hold. 

The absolute best thing about this bottle/y-nipple combo? Little Fox's nectar thick feeds flow at the perfect rate for him! I'm so happy to have found a system that works for us and allows him to feed safely and comfortably.

Please keep in mind that he is on formula that is thickened under a pediatrician's orders for diagnosed and documented medical reasons. It is not advised to alter nipples or deviate from formula mixing directions unless medically necessary.

*Little Fox was diagnosed with laryngomalacia and swallow delay.

My Pregnancy Advice

1. Tums can be your best friend.

2 If water gives you heartburn, take a Tums before drinking.

3. Only tell a select few people you are pregnant before you hit the 12 week mark. I told everyone and has yet another loss, meaning I then had to let people know there would be no baby to bring home.

4. Start researching diapering options. Cloth diapers have come such a long way and you may like them more than disposables. #makeclothmainstream

5. Don't be afraid to ask questions. There is so much that can go on with our bodies, you may be surprised. This pregnancy has led me to learn about cholestasis and symphysis pubis dysfunction, among other things.

6. Understand that every pregnancy is different, even your own pregnancies can be completely different from each other!

7. Download an app like Ovia or Baby Center so you can see the week by week developmental progress on baby as well as learn a bit about the changes your body is going through.

8. The best fed baby IS a fed baby. No matter which you choose, breast or bottle, as long as baby is fed don't let anyone make you feel bad about your choice.

9. Join eBates to do your pregnancy and baby needs shopping. You will earn cash back and it quickly adds up. It's a free app and I absolutely love it! (And you can buy much more than baby related stuff, of course! So many stores participate here!)
Click eBates to join!

10. Be prepared for changes no one tells you about! I will share some of those in my next blog post!

These are 10 of my picks from my experiences with pregnancy!

Nature Lullabies

Little Fox will be here before long and I'm getting excited as well as nervous!

Just a few weeks left at most!

I decided to check out YouTube for some lullaby/nature sounds to play for him now so he has familiar soothing sounds after he is earth side!

This one is 4 hours 12.5 minutes of beatiful music accompanied by soothing sounds of nature.

I love it so much I'm thinking of using it during labor!

We are a very nature oriented family so we look forward to many outdoor adventures with him once he is able to be out and about!

Click the pic to be taken to the YouTube video

What are your lullaby favorites? Feel free to comment with them!

My Favorite Pregnancy App! Ovia!

There are quite a few pregnancy apps out there including those that are more "forum" oriented. While the more forum centered apps are "meant" to be supportive and helpful, they can also be full of drama and judgement, neither of which are my cup of tea.

Shortly after I became pregnant, my friend did as well. She started sharing things from an app to a popular social network we are both on. I loved the posts and had to try  Ovia for myself.

I quickly downloaded it free from my app store to check it out!

The first fun thing I did was pick my theme! You have several choices of what baby's size can be measured against.

Screen shot from my Ovia account

I chose "Weird but cute animals" and have had so much fun seeing what critter size Little Fox is every week!

   

Another awesome feature of the app is the "Ovia Exclusives." There are several helpful and awesome deals to be found here! I'm not sure if the deals offered stay the same or change, but they are definitely worth a look! I took advantage of the free Bamboobies offer so all I had to pay was shipping and handling for a pair of breast pads and a sample of Boobease 100% organic nipple balm. All I needed to do was use the code "OVIA" to get the discount.

There are so many great features in this app that I encourage you to check out. Insightful facts show up daily on your home page. Another favorite feature of mine is the Food Safety Lookup.

I have no complaints at all about the Ovia app. It's free, educational, fun, resourceful, and easy to use. Enjoy!

Visiting Our New Baby: Etiquette Rules

Newborn babies seem to beckon visitors to your home like moths to a flame. Seriously. People will seemingly be crawling out of the woodwork to gaga over your little one.

I'm not keen on having a lot of visitors after Little Fox is born and definitely don't want overnight company.

So...without further ado, my Etiquette Rules for visitors wanting to come by to see our new baby!

1. Wash your hands before holding
     the baby. 
     No, I'm not being paranoid. Baby's
     immune system isn't fully in place
     and they are much more likely to
     be affected by illness.

2. No kissing the baby
    Yep. This accompanies rule #1.
    Kissing the baby greatly increases
    their exposure to germs, even if
    you show no symptoms of being
    sick yourself. Plus the risk of the
    cold sore virus (herpes) freaks me
    out.

3. Do not touch baby's face or put
    your fingers in baby's mouth. 
    Seriously. Just don't. Why do
    people feel the need to put their
    fingers in a baby's mouth?
    Again: Germs. (And dirt, etc)

4. Keep visits short
    Pushing out a baby vaginally
    or recovering from a c-section is
    painful, tiring, and messy work.
    And the mess doesn't stop at the
    hospital. Bleeding from down
    yonder, leaky boobs, hormonal
    displays of emotion are not things
    us new mamas want to share with
    everyone.

5. Mom and baby's comfort trumps
    yours. 
    This may come off as rude, but it's
    true. After going through delivery,
    whether vaginal or c-section, and
    bringing home a newborn, hosting
    and entertaining visitors are not
    high on our list of priorities.

    If we are tired, we need rest. If we
    are hungry, we need sleep. We
    need to hold and bond with baby
    for necessary biological reasons.
 
    Your "need" to hold the baby is not
    a need but a want. Hand the baby
    back to mama without pouting.

6. If mom and baby are
    breastfeeding, respect
    boundaries.
    What I mean is don't expect mama
    to "cover up" or go to another room
    so you feel more comfortable.

    If mama wants privacy to nurse
    that may mean visitation has been
    long enough.

    Do not offer advice or question
    mama's decision to breastfeed. It
    isn't your place to do so.

    If mama lets you know you are
    welcome to stay, offer to bring her
    a drink and offer to burp or change
    baby after to help out if she is
    comfortable with that kind of help.

One other thing to remember:
Don't just show up announced. Call (or maybe text so as not to wake the baby) and ask if mama is up for a visit. If not, don't take offense. 

Bringing home a newborn and recovering from delivery is an emotional, physically exhausting and uncomfortable time with lots of learning and adjustments to be had.

Target Baby Registry Gift Bag: So Many Goodies!

I went ahead and did a baby registry at Target. They have some adorable and useful baby items, so I couldn't resist!

I have to say that as far as registry gift bags go, Target definitely delivers a nice one!

Items placed in my personal basket
for ease of visual reference.
Items came packed in gray and white
chevron with arrows bag, seen
behind samples.

One time use samples that are perfect for diaper bag use include Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment and Boogie Wipes.

A Pampers diaper clutch is also included and is a very well made little bag with a snap shut handle to attach to diaper bags, etc. In the clutch is one disposable diaper and a travel package of 6 wipes. If you use disposables, there is also a coupon included. (I cloth diaper so I will just leave my coupon on top of the diapers in the store for another mama to use!)

Other nice items in the bag are a Mam paci, Munchkin Latch newborn bottle, a sample box of Honest Company disposable diapers, Johnson's Baby Head to Toe Wash, Babyganics laundry detergent sample, AND a coupon for buy one get one free at Starbucks!! (That may just be the best part of the gift bag! 😉)

I can't say for sure if every Target gift bag contains the same items, but I would think the other locations have gift bags just as nice!

Happy Registering!!

The Labrynth in Cloth Diapering

Yesterday marked the 30 year anniversary of the Labrynth release. I can't even begin to count the number of times I have watched that movie over the years. There was so much awesomeness about it, that it really is no secret it has such a cult following, even now.

David Bowie, of course, was a huge part of the awesome that the Labrynth became.

I had been searching for a Labrynth themed cloth diaper for quite some time with no luck. Then a while back I stumbled across this beauty in a diaper bst group:

Bubble Bunz OS Fitted

Super excited, I had to snag it! When I received it, I was so tickled by the print in person and how well made it is. I can't wait to put this on Little Fox as soon as he is big enough!

One thing I am truly grateful for is that we are cloth diapering and I got my stash completed a couple of months ago. Not having to worry about diaper expenses in the future is such a relief and a blessing!

#clothforthewin

#clothallthebabies

Unexplained Itching? The Horror!!!

I had hives with my daughter but they were short lived, manageable, and tolerable.

While I've had no hives with Little Fox, I've had itching from time to time pretty much all over. It was short lived, though but my OB had me tested for cholestasis of pregnancy and at that time, the results indicated a negative result.

Little Fox looking healthy this past appointment

Fast forward to a few days ago: the itching returned with a vengeance, especially on my tummy and leg areas. It's absolutely horrible at night, and I had tried benadryl, vinegar bath, coconut oil, lotion, and calamine lotion....there was no relief!

I called the on call OB at about 1 am and she put in a prescription for Hydroxyzine and triamcinolone acetonide ointment (steroidal ointment).  I took the hydroxyzine tablet and used the ointment where the most severe itching was and had......no relief!! For several nights I wanted to literally get out of my skin!

Luckily I had an early morning appointment with my MFM OB and made him aware that the itching was unbearable. He drew blood to recheck for cholestasis and prescribed me prednisone.

I took my first dose last night and the itching was gone! An entire night of peace!

I'm still waiting for my blood results but for those of you wondering, cholestasis is a liver condition that usually shows up in the third trimester. It can cause intense itching that is especially bad at night, which is why I'm getting retested. (Update: Cholestasis testing, bile value, showed no indication of cholestasis. So...itching unexplained still!)

It really is wild and amazing, what can occur to your body when pregnant. Some things are amazingly awesome, like feeling those baby movements, while others are quite hard to deal with or explain.

*My MFM Dr let me know that the use of prednisone during pregnancy can result in premature rupture of the bag of waters. Unfortunately, the intensity of the itching was so severe, this was a necessary medication and would be used if my testing for cholestasis comes out positive. 

3D Ultrasound!

It has been a whirlwind of activity here. So much so, I'm almost not even sure where to begin!

For starters, I've been having tons of contractions for quite some time. Luckily, I'm only a finger tip dilated still, despite having very noticeable contractions every 5 minutes for the past few days. Even better news? My MFM Dr has put me on a weekly monitoring schedule to be sure we have no issues with either Little Fox or myself.

The weekly monitoring includes the non stress test (NST) which looks at Little Fox's heart rate and my contractions. Today I was having contractions 5 minutes apart, as I have been for a couple of days. His heart rate is perfect!

The second test we get every week is the biophysical profile, or BPP.  This test utilizes an ultrasound in which 5 different areas are observed and scored. Each area is assigned up to two points, for a possible total score of 10.

The five areas to be scored are:

1. Fetal heart rate

2. Fetal breathing movements

3. Fetal body movements

4. Fetal mustodayone

5. Amount of amniotic fluid

Today Logan scored a perfect 10 which is absolutely reassuring and the added bonus is that I was able to get a 3d picture of my Little Fox that you see posted today!

My ob explained this monitoring is usually done on expectant mothers who are at higher risk of delivering stillborn due to certain medical conditions. While I do not fall into those medical cacategories so my risk of having him born still birth are not high, I'm high risk for preterm labor. However the reason I am now on this program is that after feeling him move since I was thirteen weeks along, I suddenly stopped feeling most movements a few days ago. 

The loss of feeling is not due to lack of movement on his part but a change in the ability to feel the sensations of his movement on my part.  Since I can't feel his movements most of the time now, I have no way of knowing if his movements decrease or cease hence the need for weekly monitoring.

I feel very fortunate to have such an attentive, caring, and proactive doctor!

Faces of PTSD Day "Not All Wars Take Place On The Battlefield."

I just found out today is #FacesofPTSD day. Today is a day to unite and show that PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is not only associated with soldiers on the battlefield. No one is immune to potentially ending up in a situation that could lead to battles with PTSD. Abuse, rape, accidents...there are countless ways that could cause PTSD to manifest.

I have dealt with PTSD since I was 18 years old. I'm now 39, and even with counseling I still have triggers and days that I struggle. You may be wondering why I would choose to address this here, on my pregnancy blog.

The reason is simple.

At 18 I was raped and that incident resulted in pregnancy.

I did what you are supposed to do. I went to the ER. Had the rape kit done, pressed charges...it was a humiliating and miserable timeline of events. In that day, I didn't know just how miserable it could be.

You see, I was only 18 years old. I had no one one my life who had been through anything similar. I didn't know what to expect medically or legally. I was just helplessly pulled under and along by the current of events, never able to catch my breath.

Just when I thought I could find moments of peace from the nightmares, the daily fears of if I was being followed or watched, I began having horrible cramps and some bleeding. An ER visit confirmed that I was having my very first miscarriage. I was shocked, angry, heartbroken....so many emotions that it was hard for me to process my thoughts.

To this day, I still have triggers. I still have fears. I still find myself paralyzed when faced with things and thoughts that flood my mind and body with ingrained stress and fear.

I may have never stepped foot on a military battlefield. But I assure you, my war is just as real and has had lifelong negative impact on how I feel, think, live, and react to the world around me.

I am the Face of PTSD.

Read the article that started the movement:

"What gives Google? PTSD search results"

Awesome News! No PTL!

I'm super excited! After all the crazy painful regular contractions I've been having, I found out today that I am not yet dilated and baby Logan is still safe and warm where he needs to be!! I am now happily off of bed rest!! I am so relieved!!

I actually took this pic today just in case Logan decided to make an early entrance into the world. Luckily, this won't be my last pregnancy photo!

Our appointment was fantastic. My MFM doctor took New measurements of Little Fox's heart to rule out any cardiac abnormalties that can arise from taking certain seizure medications. Everything looks well formed and perfectly functioning, so that is a huge weight lifted!

Dr. Brown said baby is very active, so much so he had a hard time getting him to settle for measurements and pictures! He then said, "The Force is strong with this one" and "Approve Yoda does!"

This of course had me giggling and made Little Fox even more actuve, so my Dr then said, "He loves it when you laugh! It makes him bounce around more!" I absolutely love his light hearted humor and his awesome bed side demeanor!

Here is Little Fox, weighing in at 1 pound 11 ounces. I'm so proud!

Third Trimester Already?

Seems like just last week I got my bfp. I vividly remember the fear and trepidation I had about telling my husband I got a positive. Then the fear we both had about getting excited, telling anyone, and our reluctance to be hopeful.

Ironically, after our last loss we had given up. We were done trying. That last loss almost broke me. It was so devastating. But here we stood, wondering how long this baby would stay.

I remember my first appointment with my MFM doctor and going over my pregnacy history. Seven miscarriages in my life, three in a year and a half time frame. He was patient, comforting and honest. He made no promises and told me he had short term goals of getting me to nine weeks, then ten, and so on. When we passed the twelve week mark, his eyes lit up with hope for our little family, as the miscarriage rate was now considerably lower.

I was now allowing myself to be hopeful and happy and it felt good. Our little fox has had a strong heart beat from the beginning and has been in target with his growth.

Fertility issues are painful. Most keep their struggles quiet, suffering in silence. I have very rarely talked about my own struggles because it is hard. I am grateful, however, that even with my difficulties becoming pregnant and sustaining a pregnancy, I have two healthy children and my third on the way. I'm an older mom now, which makes things a bit riskier but we are taking it day by day.

I was placed on bed rest yesterday due to ongoing contractions with nausea and such which started Friday. Last night, my husband put his face next to my belly and told Logan not to be in such a hurry to get here, to stay put, and not come just yet.

So here I lay, willing our baby boy to stay safe and cozy for quite a while longer, letting him know that 24 weeks and 4 days is just not long enough to ready him for the world just yet.

All the while feeling and watching him kick and play within my tummy without a care in the world.

So Many Changes in Just a Few Months!

Our little family has went through quite a few changes these last few months. We found out we were pregnant, were tickled to find out we got sticky baby dust and this pregnancy was holding, and we moved into our new place, all in less than six months!

Of course moving and getting ready for our new family member has been costly, so we are looking for days to be more frugal and spend more wisely.

Razors are definitely an expense, especially with more than one person in a household needing supplies, which is common in most families. I tried the cheapie razors from stores I frequent and they were awful and needed replaced more often than more expensive razors therefore voiding the cost savings.

I decided to bite the bullet and sign us up for The Dollar Shave Club.

They had a deal in which if you purchased their Shave Butter you got a month free of their Executive line of razors. So, I took the plunge, spent $8 (free shipping that day, too!) and eagerly awaited them to arrive!

My husband tried it out first. The Shave Butter smells ah-mazing! Comprised of such awesomeness like golden barley, organic prickly pear cactus, Pacific sea algae, black willow bark, and oat extract, it is a skin nourishing razor gliding delightful smelling experience!

My husband used the brand new blade and the Shave Butter made the razor glide effortlessly over his skin and the six bladed Exective razor have a very smooth and nick free shave. We were very impressed with both the quality and performance of our new razor! The handle has a good weight to it and is not at all flimsy. Another perk of the club? You can purchase extra handles, which is awesome since I try to change blades every two weeks instead of one, so that means our one month razor cost ends up being about $4 for us individually. Win!

If you have been on the fence about signing up, click the pic below and give it a try. It is definitely worth it!

(I am in no way affiliated with The Dollar Shave Club other than being a customer. I was not asked to do a review nor do I receive any compensation.)

I want to try all the recipes!

The past few days I've been a recipe pinnin' addict! Seriously, I probably need to step away from Pinterest!!

That being said, we haven't had fried zucchini together ever. So it's been over 2.5 years since either of us enjoyed some FZ, I figured I would follow a simple recipe and enjoy.

The recipe was simple enough to follow. Slice zucchini, dip in milk then cover with flour. Dip in the milk again and then cover slices with Panko bread crumbs.

Then I fried in oil three minutes on each side. Slices were placed on a cooling rack.

These came out crispy and tasty!! Nom nom nom!!

Clean Eating Banana Pancakes

So thanks to my wicked insomnia I have been spending a lot of time with Pinterest. I'm finding so many things there, especially recipes, that I want to try.

Recently, my nightly rendezvous with Pinterest led me to a review of Clean Eating Pancakes by The Moms Playground which you can read here.

We have our own hens so fresh eggs are available daily. My daughter and I both love bananas so we were excited to try this out ourselves.

The recipe on The Mothers Playground called for 1 ripe banana, two eggs, 1tsp vanilla extract, and 1tsp of ground cinnamon.

The review mentioned the batter was very runny and the pancakes didn't fluff up. Since I knew that from reading the review, I tweaked our batch by adding an extra banana and it thickened it up a bit. Once cooked, it had a very nice texture, too.

We topped ours with a bit of Cool Whip and they were delicious!!! The only other change I will make next time will be to half the amount of cinnamon as it was a bit strong for my daughter's taste.

All in all, they were easy to make, cooked quickly, had a great texture, tasted great, and it was a fun recipe to try here. We will make them again.

For full instructions and the review, please visit The Moms Playground!

Completely Exhausted...Completely

It's no big secret that pregnancy can be exhausting for many women. I mean, we are quite literally growing life! Definitely no small task.

But here I am, 22 weeks pregnant in my second trimester when energy levels are supposed to be higher. Instead, I want to cry from frustration due to lack of sleep. (I know, I know. Just wait til the baby gets here to talk about lack of sleep. But seriously, I've had two babies so this isn't my first rodeo.)

Maybe part of my exhaustion is due to being of "advanced maternal age" as the doctors so eloquently put it. I can't say for certain whether or not that has any part in it.

I CAN definitely place the blame on several other things though, like the insomnia (both the normal for me insomnia and the pregnancy induced insomnia) and frequent trips to the bathroom every night. The sudden onset of nasty heartburn. The restless leg syndrome that makes me feel like I can run a marathon.

However there are two newish sleep thieves essentially stealing what little sleep I was getting.

The first of those is the nightmare. Or nightmares, I should say. Vivid, all to real, freak me out kind of nightmares. The ones that once awake, you need to take a few minutes to figure out if you were actually dreaming or if it was real life. The kind that plague you and rear their ugly heads in your mind as you go about your daily activities. Those kind of nightmares.

Then there is the itching. The all over, "want to scratch your skin off" itching. It happens during the day but is manageable. At night though, it becomes unbearable. I had the same issue when pregnant with my daughter. It wasn't PuPPS and we never pinpointed the cause. Being that was over 12 years ago, I have a call in to my MFM doctor this morning.

Between my constant tossing and turning, bathroom trips, and now incessant itching, I'm surprised even my very patient husband hasn't exiled me to the couch nor has he relocated there, either.

In fact he called me from work this morning, heard the half awake tone to my voice and immediately told me to go back to sleep. I seriously needed that nap today and am so thankful I am married to such an understanding and patient man.

I don't expect much sleep during or after my pregnancy. But I do need some, no matter how little it may be, before I become a "mombie" prior to even holding my little one in my arms.

Insomnia and Heartburn...Teaming Up on Me!

Insomnia is a long time foe of mine. We have been battling it out together for years. I have tried all sorts of remedies natural and prescription (I'm never taking prescription meds for it again!) and have had very limited relief. And by limited, I mean a few nights of decent rest before the remedy no longer offered even a hint of help getting me to sleep.

Combine my regular insomnia with pregnancy insomnia and well...I'm essentially a zombie currently. I'm tired. I'm irritable. And I'm likely to chew on you if you try to get close to me!

So...what can cause insomnia during pregnancy? Several things actually.

- Getting up to pee several times every night
-Heartburn
-Leg cramps
-Difficulty getting comfortable
-Vivid dreams (and I have some doozies!)
-Anxiety
-Hormonal changes

So...what is a mom-to-be to do?

I put myself together a small "insomnia" kit. I always wake up thirsty so having water to sip on is a must. Heartburn hits me randomly at night so I've got some Tums at the ready. And of course, reading material for when there isn't a chance I'm falling back asleep anytime soon!

I've heard that exercising, cutting caffeine, temperature adjustments of the bedroom, lighting, and routine can all help overcome insomnia. However, I've tried it all plus some and have yet to find relief but you may so try them out and see!

If you still can't sleep, you can use this quiet time to catch up on some much wanted reading so not a total loss!

I've heard for years pregnancy insomnia exists to help us get ready for sleepless nights once the baby is here. I think its just some freak of nature issue many of us have to endure that has nothing to do with sleepless nights as a new mom, which have causes all of their own!

What's in a Name?

The short answer? Possibilities!

Choosing a name for the child to be can be simple for some and stressful for others. There are so many things to take into consideration.

Probably one of the biggest considerations is finding a name both parents (of course this doesn't apply to all familial makeups) can agree on. Depending on nationalities, backgrounds, upbringings, and beliefs finding a commonly loved name can come easily or it may take some compromise and creativity. I ran into this myself when naming my first son with his father's input. We finally both made lists of names we liked and found a common one on both lists.

Problem solved!

Another issue that comes into play is the use of either unique names or spellings of the name you choose for your child. If the spelling deviates from the "norm" be prepared for your child's name to be misspelled constantly. As far as unique or newly created names, spelling and pronunciation conflicts may ensue.

When choosing a unique or differently spelled name, keep in mind that it can influence your child's future. If the name is difficult to pronounce, it may cause embarassment as your child goes through school and can possibly affect being called in for job interviews.

There are countless baby name websites to scour over, and many can be searched for by theme such as rustic, unique, southern, popular, etc. They can be very helpful for those struggling to even start!

This is baby three for me and the first for my husband. We had initially settled on a name rather easily, but no longer liked it after the ultrasound. He suggested asking my mom for names she liked and we fell in love with one of her choices: Logan.

Logan: Gaelic meaning "hollow" or "from the hollow"
(The inspiration for my blog's name.)

Ultimately, it is completely up to you in the end. As long as you love the name and are comfortable and confident in how the name sounds and flows, that really is all that matters.

Epilepsy and Pregnancy

So many women face obstacles during pregnancy that many people don't even realize. These obstacles can pose concerns and risks for both mom and baby.

For me, it is epilepsy.

I don't have the falling down-passing out-body jerking Grand Mal activity that most people associate with seizure activity. No, my seizures are much more subtle in nature but are dangerous nonetheless.

I am plagued with complex partial seizures and due to the wide range of seizure activity "symptoms" I have, it took years to finally get a diagnosis.

The biggest threat I face during this pregnancy is of course damage from the seizures themselves. My complex partial seizures often lead to loss of consciousness which put me at risk for dangerous falls especially. I do get a bit of an "aura" prior to the event, which so far has given me just enough time to sit down, sometimes on the floor when I am in places where seating is unavailable.

Medications also pose risk to the developing fetus. I currently take Lamotrigine (Lamictal) and am closely monitored by both my neurogist and Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) doctors.

Lamotrigine is considered a Class C drug and usually the benefits of taking it outweigh the risks. The greatest risks to the developing baby when the mother takes Lamotrigine during pregnancy are cleft lip and cleft palate.

According to my neurologist, Lamotrigine is considered one of the safest seizure control medications available to take during pregnancy. I'm grateful I've had luck responding to it favorably and have not needed to switch to a more pregnancy risky medication.

I am currently 19w3d along and had my anatomy scan last week. We were all relieved to see that baby looks awesome developmentally with no indication of any noticeable birth defects.

Being pregnant while epileptic can be scary so making sure we don't miss appointments or medications is crucial. I'm blessed to have such amazing doctors looking out for me!

Walking Dead Pregnancy Announcement

I know, I know...definitely not fox related but our family loves The Walking Dead. A lot.

So when we passed the point of when we had our losses and hit that 12 week mark, we chose to announce our "brave New world" Walking Dead style.

I had a lot of fun coming up with this and excitedly shared it on my birth board before taking the plunge and Facebook announcing (after informing those closest to us personally of course).

Below is my finished announcement. Enjoy!

"Ass kicker" onsie from The Woodbury Shoppe
"Team Daryl" cloth diaper from The Striped Tangerine
Photos borrowed from Google images