Hello Lexington FAMILY Magazine Readers!
Bump update: the night before last I sat down on the couch, only to see some sort of body part poke out and run across my stomach. It felt...weird obviously, like I was being tickled from the inside; which is different from the feeling of being kicked all the time. I tried to get my sleeping husband's attention, but he just wouldn't wake up (men!) Even though she did it a few more times, he still missed it. Oh well, I'm sure it's just the first of many appearances her little limbs will be making soon.
On another note, I'm feeling quite ROTUND. I saw my profile tonight in a mirror as I was walking passed, and felt totally unrecognizable. I know many of you Mommies out there understand exactly how I feel. Am I horrible to feel this way? I KNOW I am pregnant, I KNOW I'm only going to get bigger (there goes that "only 6 pounds" from earlier), I know I know I know. But sometimes knowledge doesn't make things OK in my mind. Yes I wrote a whole post about the crazy woman at the gym working out way too soon after having her baby, but AFTER baby is out is a different story. I can't do anything about it right now but vent (and the Prenatal Yoga DVD a friend slipped to me recently).
I haven't really complained about my body or what's been happening to it. Frankly I've been that girl that everyone hates because none of the "bad stuff" has really happened to me. However, in the last week my feet swelled up to the size of sausages (I'm talking remote control boats here people!) so much so I had to work from home for two days, had horrible heart burn, bad headaches, uncontrollable allergies, and was seriously considering just sleeping sitting on the toilet one night--I think this little girl has been inspired by the Olympics, and is using my bladder as a vault! A good night's sleep seems to be a thing of the past.
I've been a professional insomniac for at least ten years now. But surprisingly enough in my first trimester I was happy to be going to bed before midnight (it was a miracle in my mind). Now I may make it to the bed, but the idea of comfort and actual rest might be as fathom-able as seeing a Unicorn at the Horse Park. What can I do, other than suck it up and deal?? I'm thinking of buying one of those "Wedges" to make sure I don't roll onto my right side while sleeping (which of course is always more comfortable for me), or maybe one of those "S" looking pillows that wraps around your body...Ugh, any suggestions at this point are very welcome!
It's almost 1AM, so I'll now get off my soapbox and leave you to comment and share your thoughts with me!
Until next time, enjoy your cheese without my whine!
Karyn Potts
*To comment, click below*
Friday, August 29, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Crafty Time
Hello LFM Readers!
I've been feeling a bit sentimental lately, and am contemplating putting together some sort of project for my daughter. You know those cards you can buy at Cracker Barrell with the year you were born on it, and all of the interesting things that happened during that time? I was thinking of something like that; (a scrapbook-type thing maybe?) to be done after she's born obviously, with maybe the top song on the billboard list, what fashion trends are popular, what's going on in the news, who the president is, the top movie of the week and/or year, what new technology has just come out, etc, etc.
I've heard of some people keeping journals or diaries during their pregnancy. This not only helps Mom remember for the next time around, but also gives the child a sense of all the things Mom was going through and feeling for 40 weeks. We just got a new book in to review the other day at Lexington FAMILY Magazine, called "Love Letters Before Birth and Beyond" by Mary Knight--a great idea. My publisher's sister has actually kept a diary for her son for 28 years (and counting)--WOW!
I've also heard of parents putting together Keepsake Boxes, with items like the daily newspaper from the day the child was born, as well as all of the cards and well-wishes from the shower.
One idea that my own Mom has already started me on is for Christmastime. Instead of doing an advent calendar, we'll have 25 Christmas books. We'll keep them boxed away, and wrap them up every year under the tree. Each night our daughter can open one and that will be our bedtime story! This way we'll be counting down the days, as well as relieving some of the stress and anxiety of having to "wait until Santa comes" to unwrap a gift.
Do you have any other ideas? Was there something special you did for your own child like this? I'd love to know, drop me a line or two!
Until next time, relish the sentiments!
Karyn Potts
PS: Next week I go for my Glucose Test; I've heard the orange flavor is the way to go, but my doctor thinks the Sprite-flavored one is better. Any suggestions?
*To comment, just click the button below*
I've been feeling a bit sentimental lately, and am contemplating putting together some sort of project for my daughter. You know those cards you can buy at Cracker Barrell with the year you were born on it, and all of the interesting things that happened during that time? I was thinking of something like that; (a scrapbook-type thing maybe?) to be done after she's born obviously, with maybe the top song on the billboard list, what fashion trends are popular, what's going on in the news, who the president is, the top movie of the week and/or year, what new technology has just come out, etc, etc.
I've heard of some people keeping journals or diaries during their pregnancy. This not only helps Mom remember for the next time around, but also gives the child a sense of all the things Mom was going through and feeling for 40 weeks. We just got a new book in to review the other day at Lexington FAMILY Magazine, called "Love Letters Before Birth and Beyond" by Mary Knight--a great idea. My publisher's sister has actually kept a diary for her son for 28 years (and counting)--WOW!
I've also heard of parents putting together Keepsake Boxes, with items like the daily newspaper from the day the child was born, as well as all of the cards and well-wishes from the shower.
One idea that my own Mom has already started me on is for Christmastime. Instead of doing an advent calendar, we'll have 25 Christmas books. We'll keep them boxed away, and wrap them up every year under the tree. Each night our daughter can open one and that will be our bedtime story! This way we'll be counting down the days, as well as relieving some of the stress and anxiety of having to "wait until Santa comes" to unwrap a gift.
Do you have any other ideas? Was there something special you did for your own child like this? I'd love to know, drop me a line or two!
Until next time, relish the sentiments!
Karyn Potts
PS: Next week I go for my Glucose Test; I've heard the orange flavor is the way to go, but my doctor thinks the Sprite-flavored one is better. Any suggestions?
*To comment, just click the button below*
Monday, August 18, 2008
Are You Serious?
Hello LFM Readers!
I just have a question for all of the post-natal Mommies out there: how do you feel about your body after you've given birth? Do you feel a sense of accomplishment? Like your body is a fantastically-designed warrior of some sort? Does the fact that you lived through such an experience amaze you? (My sister-in-law reminds me that women in other countries have babies out in fields every day!)
Though I have yet to go through it myself, I feel as though someone better be giving me an Olympic Gold Medal after I have this little girl. Yes, I'm opting for the ever-popular epidural in hopes of easing some pain, but I still understand giving birth is most likely going to be the hardest thing I've ever had to do.
That said, I'm fully prepared to accept whatever shape and form my body molds into afterwards. I'm wondering however, about a certain woman's frame of mind I saw yesterday at my local gym.
She came in with a baby sling on. Inside it, I could see a very little head peaking out and long skinny legs--no fat on him yet. He must have been "new to the world." I figured she must be bringing him to the playroom while she worked out; but why would she go through the trouble of putting him in the sling just to walk through the parking lot?
She checked in at the front desk, saying she wasn't planning on doing anything strenuous, she just "wants to lose her baby weight," and kept on walking to the back of the gym. The girl at the front desk and I looked at eachother in disbelief. Surely she wasn't going to work-out with a baby strapped to her, was she? The employee quickly picked up the phone and called a Manager to go and talk to the Mommy. No one under the age of 12 is allowed in the work-out area (insurance, yada yada yada), not to mention if the Mommy got hurt in some way and hurt the baby too.
I watched the Mommy leave after her confrontation with the Manager. Apparently he caught her on the floor doing crunches--all with a tiny 4-week old baby attached to her!! (I overheard him mention to the Mommy that she could leave the baby in the playroom; that's when she said just how old he was.)
I stood there shocked. Wow. Are you serious? Are you THAT crazy about your body that you can't even wait until the 6-week check-up point to start working out again? Though she wasn't super-defined, it's not like she was overweight by any means. She's not a trainer at the gym, nor is she a celebrity jumping back on schedule for a couture runway show. If she's that gung-ho about getting her pre-pregnancy body back, why not just take the baby for a walk, or try doing some yoga?
I just didn't, (and still don't) understand what the fascination is. With all of the body image pressure on young girls and women these days, shouldn't someone be easing their stress somehow? Especially after having a baby??? Look, I'm no Heidi Klum by any means. But what I have come to grips with, is that if I didn't look like her before, I'm most likely not going to look like her after. Why try?
My advice: slow down! Give your body a chance to recuperate after this most joyous occasion of having a baby. No one expects you to be super-model-ready just weeks afterwards, so you shouldn't either. People in your life understand what you're going through; there's no need to impress anyone. Take the time to bond with your child, as you will never get these precious moments back!
Until next time, put away your bikinis!
Karyn Potts
*I appreciate your comments! Just click below*
I just have a question for all of the post-natal Mommies out there: how do you feel about your body after you've given birth? Do you feel a sense of accomplishment? Like your body is a fantastically-designed warrior of some sort? Does the fact that you lived through such an experience amaze you? (My sister-in-law reminds me that women in other countries have babies out in fields every day!)
Though I have yet to go through it myself, I feel as though someone better be giving me an Olympic Gold Medal after I have this little girl. Yes, I'm opting for the ever-popular epidural in hopes of easing some pain, but I still understand giving birth is most likely going to be the hardest thing I've ever had to do.
That said, I'm fully prepared to accept whatever shape and form my body molds into afterwards. I'm wondering however, about a certain woman's frame of mind I saw yesterday at my local gym.
She came in with a baby sling on. Inside it, I could see a very little head peaking out and long skinny legs--no fat on him yet. He must have been "new to the world." I figured she must be bringing him to the playroom while she worked out; but why would she go through the trouble of putting him in the sling just to walk through the parking lot?
She checked in at the front desk, saying she wasn't planning on doing anything strenuous, she just "wants to lose her baby weight," and kept on walking to the back of the gym. The girl at the front desk and I looked at eachother in disbelief. Surely she wasn't going to work-out with a baby strapped to her, was she? The employee quickly picked up the phone and called a Manager to go and talk to the Mommy. No one under the age of 12 is allowed in the work-out area (insurance, yada yada yada), not to mention if the Mommy got hurt in some way and hurt the baby too.
I watched the Mommy leave after her confrontation with the Manager. Apparently he caught her on the floor doing crunches--all with a tiny 4-week old baby attached to her!! (I overheard him mention to the Mommy that she could leave the baby in the playroom; that's when she said just how old he was.)
I stood there shocked. Wow. Are you serious? Are you THAT crazy about your body that you can't even wait until the 6-week check-up point to start working out again? Though she wasn't super-defined, it's not like she was overweight by any means. She's not a trainer at the gym, nor is she a celebrity jumping back on schedule for a couture runway show. If she's that gung-ho about getting her pre-pregnancy body back, why not just take the baby for a walk, or try doing some yoga?
I just didn't, (and still don't) understand what the fascination is. With all of the body image pressure on young girls and women these days, shouldn't someone be easing their stress somehow? Especially after having a baby??? Look, I'm no Heidi Klum by any means. But what I have come to grips with, is that if I didn't look like her before, I'm most likely not going to look like her after. Why try?
My advice: slow down! Give your body a chance to recuperate after this most joyous occasion of having a baby. No one expects you to be super-model-ready just weeks afterwards, so you shouldn't either. People in your life understand what you're going through; there's no need to impress anyone. Take the time to bond with your child, as you will never get these precious moments back!
Until next time, put away your bikinis!
Karyn Potts
*I appreciate your comments! Just click below*
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Baby Update
Hello Lexington FAMILY Magazine readers!
Time for a check-up! I went to the doctor Tuesday and low and behold, have only gained 6 pounds for my entire pregnancy! WOW! Ladies and gentleman, let me just inform you now--I am NOT the kind of person who only gains 6 pounds over six months. I can gain that in two days if I want to. So imagine my surprise when I got that news! I thought this whole time when I was being weighed and updated, that the pounds were between each visit, not total! My doctor actually said I should come and teach her other patients how to eat :P Her heart rate is great, as is mine, and apparently I look "fantastic on paper." Hope that means I do, not on paper..?
I've been trying to eat well, and walk when I can. Though I do have one complaint: my feet have been swelling slightly every once in a while. And my back hurts sometimes (but that's a bit normal for me). Has anyone tried those belly belts? I hear they're a lifesaver; but when I tried one on a few weeks ago, I didn't seem to notice a difference. Perhaps I need to wear one a few days to feel the benefits? What do you suggest? My sister-in-law in Missouri gets free prenatal massages; but when I checked into it, I was told I'd just have to see a general physical therapist for treatment--"Not the same thing" I've been told by other Mommys. Is there someone I can see or an affordable place anyone has gone to or heard about?
One thing I'm proud of myself for doing this week: scheduling our classes. I've signed Brian and I up for a 3-week Childbirth class, a Breastfeeding class, Breathing & Relaxation, and Baby Boot Camp. I think we're also registering for Infant CPR (though it's more for me since Brian deals with that in his job), as well as a Baby Signs class. The latter class is said to reduce frustration for you and your child, as well as *maybe* raise their IQ; and I loved taking Sign Language when I was in college. I like to pretend we'll be as ready and educated as we possibly can before this little "bundle of unknowingness" comes!
Other than being proactive and watching my health, I've been watching the SALES!!! It's official: I should no longer be allowed to go shopping by myself! :) I spent two days in Gymboree and the Children's Place at the mall. I then decided to go to Babies R Us for small hangers, since it's right by my house. $100 later, I walked out of the store with hangers, and two bags of clothes for next summer and fall. I figure I might as well get the deals now (everything's on Clearance) instead of paying full price when she needs it. Hopefully that theory will keep me ahead of the game!
Next on my list: Finding a Pediatrician and Registering!
Well, until next time, I'll keep you posted!
Karyn Potts
*To comment, click the comments button below* and thanks in advance for the advice and insight!
Time for a check-up! I went to the doctor Tuesday and low and behold, have only gained 6 pounds for my entire pregnancy! WOW! Ladies and gentleman, let me just inform you now--I am NOT the kind of person who only gains 6 pounds over six months. I can gain that in two days if I want to. So imagine my surprise when I got that news! I thought this whole time when I was being weighed and updated, that the pounds were between each visit, not total! My doctor actually said I should come and teach her other patients how to eat :P Her heart rate is great, as is mine, and apparently I look "fantastic on paper." Hope that means I do, not on paper..?
I've been trying to eat well, and walk when I can. Though I do have one complaint: my feet have been swelling slightly every once in a while. And my back hurts sometimes (but that's a bit normal for me). Has anyone tried those belly belts? I hear they're a lifesaver; but when I tried one on a few weeks ago, I didn't seem to notice a difference. Perhaps I need to wear one a few days to feel the benefits? What do you suggest? My sister-in-law in Missouri gets free prenatal massages; but when I checked into it, I was told I'd just have to see a general physical therapist for treatment--"Not the same thing" I've been told by other Mommys. Is there someone I can see or an affordable place anyone has gone to or heard about?
One thing I'm proud of myself for doing this week: scheduling our classes. I've signed Brian and I up for a 3-week Childbirth class, a Breastfeeding class, Breathing & Relaxation, and Baby Boot Camp. I think we're also registering for Infant CPR (though it's more for me since Brian deals with that in his job), as well as a Baby Signs class. The latter class is said to reduce frustration for you and your child, as well as *maybe* raise their IQ; and I loved taking Sign Language when I was in college. I like to pretend we'll be as ready and educated as we possibly can before this little "bundle of unknowingness" comes!
Other than being proactive and watching my health, I've been watching the SALES!!! It's official: I should no longer be allowed to go shopping by myself! :) I spent two days in Gymboree and the Children's Place at the mall. I then decided to go to Babies R Us for small hangers, since it's right by my house. $100 later, I walked out of the store with hangers, and two bags of clothes for next summer and fall. I figure I might as well get the deals now (everything's on Clearance) instead of paying full price when she needs it. Hopefully that theory will keep me ahead of the game!
Next on my list: Finding a Pediatrician and Registering!
Well, until next time, I'll keep you posted!
Karyn Potts
*To comment, click the comments button below* and thanks in advance for the advice and insight!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
