Mouth watering fruit USB memory sticks that look good enough to eat! They come in watermelon and strawberry and a filling 8GB serving size and are $42 each. If you like USB gadgets you’re sure to enjoy usbgeek.com! My other favorites from the site are the USB ducky fan and the USB capsule flash drive.
Why Choosing a Midwife Results in Better Prenantal Care
Do you want to have a normal, healthy birth, with genuinely compassionate prenatal care? In comparing the general care of an OBGYN and a midwife, you will defintely receive more attentive and compassionate care with a midwife. Just in comparison of practitioners from my old OBGYN office alone, the midwife always spent the most time with me and focused on keeping me healthy and learning about my lifestyle. Each of the three Doctors that I met with in the office spent less than two minutes with me and typically only read my stats making sure they were “normal” or within what the polls say is normal for a pregnant woman at my stage of pregnancy. Come to think of it, even the Nurse Practitioner at my old OBGYN office was not half as attentive as the midwife was.
Generally you would choose a midwife if the following apply:
1. You want a normal birth free of harrassment from practitioners that might induce you and push you to have a c-section so that they can make it home for dinner.
2. You are a “low risk woman” which means you are healthy and want to stay healthy throughout your pregnancy.
3. You enjoy prenatal visit where you can converse and establish a relationship with your practitioner.
4. You want a partner or supportive practitioner instead of a directing practitioner.
5. You want more options of places, settings, or environments in which to give birth.
When I was 6 months pregnant I switched from a standard OBGYN to a birth center. That was the smartest thing I’ve ever done. The Hollywood Birth Center is the best of the best from what I hear. The environment is warm and cozy with the focus being on keeping you happy and healthy. Visits are never less than 45 minutes and the entire staff is focused on helping you determine which methods of care are best for your and your baby. Some people might think that at a birth center you will find only extremsits or a bunch of crazy feminists who are completely opposed to advances in the medical field. It has been nothing less than the opposite from my experience.
I am encouraged to be a well informed consumer and not simply inject my baby with whatever drugs or vaccines a doctor tells me to. I am encouraged to gain weight appropriately for my body and eat a healthy variety of foods. At my old OBGYN office, for example, they emphasized that I gain weight less quickly. Meanwhile, 37 weeks into the pregnacy I am of a perfectly healthy weight and my body just happened to gain weight more so in the begining than in the end. It is terrible that I was scolded for eating well and healthy simply because I gained a pound or two too quickly according to what is “normal.”
This is a great resource for some reasons to choose midwife care by Robin E. Weiss on about.com.
The Lonely Stretch Mark
There are constant gripes about stretch marks in the pregnancy world. I’ve heard that it’s genetic and that it’s not. There is a surplus of creams, oils, lotions, and who knows what else out there to help treat and prevent their existence.
I’ve used a combo of cocoa butter lotion with a follow up misting of cocoa oil that’s brought me to 35 weeks with a lonely stretch mark. Not sure if it is worthy of naming or not, but if it sticks around for the next two to seven weeks I might consider it. Its about a fourth of an inch long and directly on my belly button!
Drinking massive amounts of water supposedly helped plump up my skin along with the cocoa butter suit I wear daily. I’m not too sure if my Mom or Sister got stretch marks during any of their pregnancies so I suppose I can’t completely rule out the genetic factor, but I’m pretty sure that they did.
$50 Coupon for BOB Strollers and Garmin 405
Just wanted to share a $50 coupon code with you good on the purchase of BOB Strollers and the Garmin 405 GPS heart rate monitor from triplesports.com. You also get free shipping when using the code and purchasing both items, make sure to use the code “MOMMY50.” If these two are not for you then you still might be able to benefit from a 10% discount on any item by using the coupon code “MOMMY10.” These codes are good now through September 5th. Have fun shopping!
Running Goals During Pregnancy
Your body and running goals quickly morph when pregnant. There is a great article on Runner’s World that provides three ways to help change your running goal focus during the 40 weeks of pregnancy: pamper yourself, just get out there, and put your training diary on hold! I unfortunately stopped running about a month prior to becoming pregnant and was advised to not start up again. Keep active if you can, you might regret it when you learn you can’t be. I envy runners now and harp on my husband for not hitting the streets when he can. I even have a new pair of running sneakers waiting for me for after the pregnancy. I purchased them for myself as a “congrats you just had a baby gift.”
Hopefully if you are a runner and plan on becoming pregnant this will be a good resource for you!
I dugg the article on digg already but this is the parent article from runner’s world for you to check out!
A Craigslist for Baby, Kid, and Maternity Stuff
I stumbled upon freepeats.org today and just had to share this wonderful site with the rest of the Moms that are out there in the cloud. It is the craigslist of much wanted mom gear. You can find a wide variety of items for your kids of all ages and maternity gear of all sorts. If you join soon, within the first two weeks of your area’s forum startup, then your lifetime membership will be free. Signing up after the two week window would be only $4.95 for a lifetime membership.
We all know how briefly most baby items and maternity items are used for. Items that are posted on the site are all gently used and are in safe, working order, with no missing parts. For obvious safety reasons no used car seats or crib mattresses are allowed to be posted. This site is a great way to help out Moms in need by offering your gently used items for sale or barter. You can also clean out your closet or garage and earn a little extra cash in the form of an Amazon or Target gift card one of freepeats’ drawings!
Freebies from Publix’s Baby Club
I signed up for Publix’s Baby Club months ago and have found it to be nothing less than uber useful thus far. They sent me tons of coupons for free products including diapers, wipes, formula, and bottles. The most used perk has been their baby and child care book that they sent free of charge! It is a thick book full of health concerns and developmental stage information that will make a handy reference tool when my baby arrives. The club’s benefits do not only cater to babies, but caters to children of all ages. Simply select the appropriate age category to get goodies for children of any age. You can click here to sign up for Publix’s free Baby Club!
Choosing Your Baby’s Pediatrician : Interview Sheet
Choosing your Baby’s Pediatrician is such an important task for any parent. There are so many Doctors out there and with the world of medicine constantly changing, it is difficult to be a well informed consumer without going to medical school yourself. I have some links at the bottom of this posting with reference tools I used to compile my list of questions for my upcoming Pediatrician interviews.
Today I went to my first pre-baby Pediatrician visit at Pediatric Associates. I have heard only wonderful things about Doctor Arnold Tanis, who founded the successful practice more than 55 years ago. After doing some web based research on the group I was impressed with them having a website and the ability to make appointments online. They also have convenient extended office hours and 24/7 phone support with Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners. The group also conducts prenatal classes and various other information sessions in the office. It seemed like they were a very well rounded and established group with Doctors of various backgrounds. All of these factors are very important to me.
From the group’s reputation I was expecting a smaller, more quiet, pleasant office environment. When I walked in I was a bit overwhelmed with the amount of people in the office and the office size. I wasn’t sure where to go but there was a receptionist directly in front of the main entrance so I assumed that’s where I needed to get in line to sign in. After about ten minutes of waiting I asked a woman behind me if this was the general sign in line. I learned it was in one of the other two waiting areas. Luckily the busy receptionist overheard us and recognized that I was not with a child and was there for a prenatal visit with one of the Doctors, Dr. Alexander. I was buzzed right in and blamed the chaotic ambiance of the office on me not being familiar with where to go, the fact that it was raining, or perhaps it was just a busy day.
Once inside I was told to follow someone who was walking so fast that she almost disappeared on me. Finally I made it to Dr. Alexander’s office and thought I was in a safe zone away from screaming kids and busy office personnel. I noticed she was a D.O. and felt a little more reassured knowing that Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine focus on the total health of the individual and place more emphasis on preventative care than Medical Doctors tend to. She and I also share the same alma mater so I thought we might be of similar backgrounds or have similar things that make us “tick”. After waiting another ten minutes or so I was greeted by Doctor Alexander and quickly learned that I had it all wrong. She was very snappy in her speech and seemed like she was in a rush. Although that made me feel a bit uncomfortable I had my list of questions and intended on sticking to them in addition absorbing any information she planned on sharing on with me.
Looking back at my list, I think I may have been able to get in 4 of my 17 or so questions. Seeing as this is my first child and I do have a background in health, I would say that I might have more researched opinions on certain topics than most. I want to be a well informed consumer and believe that the relationship I establish with the Doctor I choose to treat my child is very important. Although me being well informed about immunizations was supported by Dr. Alexander, it came off very strongly that relationships with parents was not a priority. This was something I felt in the first 30 seconds or so and I regret spending 30 more seconds of my time convincing myself of this. This is known as “thin-slicing” by Malcom Gladwell in his book Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. I should have trusted my intuition and ability to gauge what was most important to me without spending the additional time with her.
After waiting in the main lobby for almost ten minutes and waiting in Dr. Alexander’s office for almost another ten minutes, I was dismissed by a ” I have to go, I’m very busy and know you came late. “ Guess I had one too many questions for a “Nice to meet you” to get interjected. At least I now know that I am better prepared for my next interview after this trial run.
- Choosing Your Child’s Healthcare Provider : 10 Things to Consider - Lara Jana M.D., F.A.A.P.
- Choosing a Pediatrician - Elizabeth Pantley
- Pediatrician Interview Sheet - www.babycenter.com
Pregnancy Insomnia Cure: Boppy Total Body Pillow
I purchased my Boppy Total Body Pillow from Target when I was about 5 months pregnant and having a bit of trouble sleeping. The first night I used the pillow I slept straight through the night for 13 hours! I loved how I could hug the pillow and how it supported my leg to keep me in the proper sleeping position. My belly was not at it’s peak at that time but the curved lower portion of the pillow fit my body comfortably. Now I am at my 34 week mark, belly protruding beautifully, and the pillow is just not having the same magical effect. I am very surprised that this pillow was a five time winner of American Baby Magazine’s Products that Moms Can’t Live Without. I have reverted to my old down pillow that I hold while sleeping on my side.
My complaints are that I need to sleep only on one side to use the pillow and if by chance I want to switch sides I must flip the pillow over as well to use it properly. When I was around 5 months pregnant, and my belly was not that large, turning to my other side was not a significant feat. Flipping myself over at my current stage in the game is quite difficult enough, let alone flipping anything else over! Additionally, at a regular maintenance visit with my Chiropractor he mentioned the adverse effects of sleeping one side. He told me that sleeping one only one side can lead to shoulder aches of the side that you sleep on since you are continuously putting pressure on it. I have read on several sites that it is best to sleep on your left side for circulatory purposes, however he said that as long as you sleep on your side (and not your back) you and your little one will be just fine!
I also used the pillow for support while propping myself up in bed or on the couch and found it very useful at first. After about three weeks of staggered use the pillow is no longer full and plush and becomes too flat rendering it uncomfortable for sleeping or propping myself up. However, I am not giving up just yet. I think I may be able to find some future uses for this pillow. Perhaps my baby will enjoy it as a recliner or I can turn it into a bed for my sister’s dog Bongo if I cannot find a human home for it.
Overall, I wish I would have saved my $54.99 plus tax and invested in a prenatal yoga dvd or Baby Boot Camp classes which I’m sure have equal if not more beneficial health and sleep effects than this pillow.
Victoria’s Secret Model Karolina Kurkova Accused of Being “Too Fat”
Although some say that calling uber thin Karolina Kurkova fat is enough to make your skin boil, I think it’s a fair accusation. The Victoria’s Secret model was said to have been attacked by Brazilian press for being ‘too fat’ during Fashion Week in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It is odd to me that main stream society reveres models as the epitome of beauty and then turns around and reprimands those who call someone who is thinner than them fat. The same women that strive to keep up with the Jones’ in fashion and fitness have a problem with the stereotype that they support. Meanwhile Kurkova is showing “back fat, love handles and cellulite.” When I saw the picture of her in a bikini that is the first thing I saw. It greatly takes away from the display of the pieces she is wearing.
In my opinion, she isn’t doing her job. When you sign up for a job there are certain expectations to uphold. Just as I expect athletes to be in optimum physical shape and not out of breath on the field I expect to see models minus back fat, love handles, and cellulite. She is definitely not “over weight” by any means, her BMI (at 5′11″ and 130 lbs) is 18.1 which is considered to be underweight. I do, however, think she is “over fat.” She could definitely tone up a bit and shape up. I think any athlete that was lagging along on the field and was clearly out of shape would be equally criticized for poor performance at his or her job.
digg story
