Because the things I like seem to spread throughout various circles of friends as if it’s gospel I’ve gotten a big head and think that EVERYONE cares about what works for me and what I like. It’s my blog so just nod and smile or I shall smite thee.
We received our crib rebate. It came out to $219, which is awesome since we only paid $125 for the old crib with a mattress. We (I) found a crib at Babies ‘R’ Us that I (we) really like. It was marked down to $299 with an added twenty percent off. Subtract the amount of the voucher and add it to what *we* originally paid and we have a brand new crib with old mattress for $145. This crib doesn’t have the drop down side like the other one did and I’m glad because I kept forgetting to pull it up at night and it didn’t seem like a good mechanism for a crib. The old crib had a spot at the bottom that you push with your leg in order to scoot the drop-down front down the plastic tracks. The sliding side is held in the down position by two little rubber stoppers. They still sell that style, that mechanism is not the aspect which caused the recall. But as someone who used it for ten months, I decided I don’t like it. The new crib is the “lifetime” convertible type. It’ll switch to a toddler daybed and then a regular twin-size bed. It’s GORGEOUS!
I know, you can see a jean butt in there and you want a close-up of what’s inside the crib…
There is a pregnancy product out there called Preggie Pops. Every time I saw the packaging I read, “Preggis POOPS”. Preggie Pops are meant to ward off morning sickness, but considering the first to ingredients in order are, SUGAR and Corn Syrup, I’m thinking this product is full of shit. Really, I think the best thing is to have a tiny bit of food in the stomach all the time. Eat several small meals instead of two or three large meals. But I didn’t really suffer from morning sickness so what the hell do I know. Anyway, this post is about Preggis POOPS. The very best advice I received for my pregnancy was to drink Citrucel.
From the Mayo Clinic…
Constipation is common in pregnancy for several reasons, including:
- Hormone changes. An increase in the hormone progesterone during pregnancy slows the digestive process.
- Iron supplements. Often given to prevent anemia in pregnancy, iron supplements can make constipation worse.
- Changes in digestion. Your colon absorbs more water during pregnancy, which makes less water available for stool, resulting in harder stool.
Some tips for managing constipation during pregnancy include the following:
- Eat on a regular schedule. Small, frequent meals can help ward off constipation.
- Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Aim for eight 8-ounces glasses a day.
- Exercise every day. Simple activities, such as daily walks, can be effective.
- Eat high-fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains.
- Try fiber supplements, such as psyllium powder, Metamucil or Citrucel.
- If iron supplements are contributing to constipation, your doctor may adjust your dosage.
When a friend of mine called to congratulate me on my pregnancy with Sophia I could hear in the background her husband saying, “Tell her about Citrucel.” Over and over again.
Though it comes in a canister and is in a Tang like powder form, Citrucel is a great form of fiber and does not add to the already inflated amount of pregnancy gas. It’s awesome and will help things move right along. Make sure to follow the directions and add plenty of water. The only problem with it that I had was trying to drink it fast enough before all the fiber settles. I personally found it better to mix it in a six-ounce juice glass instead of a regular 12-ounce glass and trying to locate the 8-ounce mixing mark. I don’t know why things are always measured by an 8-ounce glass. I don’t think there’s any such thing. Damn Chinese products! You’ll have two ounces less to mix with, but it’s easier to down it quickly. If the fiber does settle, the texture of it could set off anyone with a hyper gag reflex. Anyone able to drink fast enough is golden. With the light orange Tang-y flavor, there is no nasty taste or aftertaste.
Citrucel is a fiber supplement not a laxative, but as with anything check with your doctor before using. I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. This advice is not meant to take the place of talking to a doctor.
1. I was much too tired to have any morning sickness. I just slept. I tend to refer to the first trimester of my pregnancy and my coma. I’ve heard that keeping bland crackers near the bed for near intravenous snacking really helps. Here are some symptoms I did have…
2. Your body will probably never be the same again. You may be able to get it close, but the pooch belly will probably always linger. Make your peace with that now and don’t worry about how many pounds you gain during your pregnancy. Some women gain 25, some gain 35. I gained 42. Your body will pack on the pounds you are supposed to gain no matter what you eat. That doesn’t mean you might as well go crazy with the chocolate cream pie or whatever, but don’t worry too much if your cravings take you away from dirty-hippy-vegan-leafy-granola-squirrel-food. The weight doesn’t just go to your belly either. You will get bigger EVERYWHERE and you will feel like you ARE a planet by the end of it. You’ve been warned – albeit a little late.
3. You are in fact eating for two, but remember one of you starts out about the size of a pea. Something the size of a pea couldn’t possibly need *that* much. Don’t force yourself to eat more than you can handle. Just eat as healthy as possible.
4. There are TONS of lists of what you should or should not eat and drink during pregnancy. You will drive yourself MAD trying to follow it all. The big one is to stop smoking crack. Never do a drug named after a part of your body (Dennis Leary). Seriously though, street drugs are a pretty obvious no-no.
The following three quoted areas are from Pregnancy Nutrition Guidelines by Elizabeth Eden at How Stuff Works*.
Alcohol:
In the US you will probably NEVER find a doctor that says it’s ok to have any amount of alcohol, however they will tell you not to worry about the drinks you had before you knew you were pregnant. I’ve known several people that had a drink here and there during there pregnancies and their kids came out just fine. I didn’t dare have any because it would be my luck that just smelling one silly drink would permanently harm my child.
No safe level of alcohol consumption has been established. As a result, it is best to take a cautious approach during pregnancy by abstaining from alcohol.
Cigarettes:
If you smoke you already know it’s not good, so I’m not going to beat a dead horse.
Caffeine:
increases production of stress hormones, causing constriction of uterine blood vessels, which lessens the blood flow to the uterus and may temporarily decrease the amount of oxygen reaching the fetus. Large amounts of caffeine cannot be good for your baby or you. However, caffeine consumption in small amounts (one to two cups of coffee per day) is considered safe during pregnancy.
Herbal Tea:
Some herbs and herbal teas contain drugs. Ginseng tea contains a small amount of estrogen. Chamomile tea contains ragweed, which can cause severe allergic reactions in some people. Teas made from juniper berries may cause stomach irritation. Just because herbal teas are considered to be natural does not mean they are safe for pregnant women. So, in general, avoid herbal teas except for those teas known to be safe for pregnancy such as peppermint and raspberry leaf.
I ran into a bunch of sites that say to stay away from soft cheeses and lunch meats. My thoughts are to just make sure the cheeses you eat are pasteurized (it should say on the label). I haven’t found a cheese in the US yet that isn’t pasteurized, including the ones listed as “no-nos” on the CDC web page about preventing listeria like feta and queso blanco fresco. As for the deli meats and such, don’t eat them past the expiration date and toss them after about a week.
The other thing I saw a lot of are sites saying to avoid fish because of mercury content, but it is safe to eat some fish in moderation (that’s always the key isn’t it?). FDA - What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish.
Fish contains DHA, which is fabulous for brain development, so if you like fish at all don’t rule it out completely because of mercury fears.
The best sources of DHA are: seafood, algae, and especially coldwater fish. Omega-3 fatty acids are nature’s antifreeze. In general, the colder the water, the higher the omega-3 content in the fish oil. Popular sources of DHA are: salmon, sardines, and tuna. Eggs and organ meats have a small amount of DHA in them, but the healthiest source of dietary DHA is seafood. Two 4-ounce servings of omega-3-rich fish per week should yield a sufficient amount of omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA. Besides fish oils, vegetable oils (primarily flaxseed, soy, and canola) are also rich sources of omega 3 fatty acids, with flaxseed oil being the best. The two F’s, fish and flax, are the top brain-building foods for growing children, and adults.
I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. This advice is not meant to take the place of talking to a doctor.
*Eden, Elizabeth. “Pregnancy Nutrition Guidelines.” 17 November 2006. HowStuffWorks.com.
A very good friend of mine is ten weeks pregnant with her first, so here is where I get to tell her all the things I found useful during my pregnancy and she can choose to ignore me.
First, a few words to the husband, boyfriend, significant other, partner, insignificant other because they generally have a very short attention span. You poor bastard. I don’t feel sorry for you because the woman in your life is going to eat you out of house and home, nor because she’s going to gain weight beyond recognition, nor because she’s the one that will get ALL of the attention from EVERYONE for the next nine months and then it will all shift to the pink (or brown or grey or in our case orange) squishy thing that the two of you (with the possible aid of donor(s) and or doctors) created and bestowed or more likely thrust upon the world. Nope, I feel sorry for you because your woman is going to go completely nuts and take you with her. Some women become hormonal through the entire pregnancy and might act like a completely different person (read BITCHY AS HELL). Others just have random moments of rage or insanity, highly emotional times or a fun combination of all of the above.
I think I only had handful of these lapses of sanity, but then again my point of view may have been a bit askew. The first that I remember happened after I watched a cooking show. They grilled up some baby eggplant and zucchini after marinating them and I wanted to try it. Kurt and I went grocery shopping and everything was great until I passed by the eggplant isle. It should be here. Where is the eggplant? I went around the little veggie island about three times. Kurt escorted me away saying that we could make something else for a side dish. I left with him, but did not find that a suitable solution. I went back to search for the eggplant. Round and round I went about another three times as if it would magically appear before my eyes after a number of revolutions. Still no eggplant. Kurt tried to drag me away a second time, but I wouldn’t go. I want eggplant! “It’s not here,” he told me, “we’ll have to find something else.” I whined about wanting eggplant. Seriously, I started whining and almost threw a tantrum. Kurt looked at me just then realizing that *this* was a pregnancy thing and because it was the first trimester he was SCARED! He had this look like, “OHMYGOD is it going to be like this for NINE MONTHS?!?!” Kurt took me aside and asked if this is what I wanted to teach my daughter. He was talking to me like a child but trying to reason with me as if I was still sane, the idiot. Yes, I could read his reaction and after each childish thing I did, I knew what I did, but I just could help wanting what I wanted RIGHT NOW.
Another misadventure takes us to my second trimester. The characters involve volatile Erica and her very close friend that was wishing to either be invisible or in a dark hole somewhere. We thought it would be fund to go shopping for maternity clothes for me. It wasn’t. It had nothing to do with me not being my usual size but also not able to fill maternity pants. It had to do with all maternity tops being “V” necks. Even on a hormonally stable day I don’t like “V” necks, but on this day I really despised them. And I couldn’t find any other choices. Oh my poor friend. I’m so sorry. I didn’t make a scene with any sales people but I was being very vocal in general about the lack of selection for maternity tops. If there is ever a next time that I’m pregnant, I’m just going to stick with huge baggy T-shirts.
This friend also stood by me as I wailed about getting pregnant at the end of my relationship. Yeah I know, very dramatic. Kurt was avoiding some questions that I wanted answered – I can’t remember what they were, but he was avoiding them like the plague. Pregnant hormonal Erica jumped off the deep end on this one. I seriously felt like Kurt and I were over and cried a lot thinking that Sophia would never know her parents as a happy couple. I imagined having to drop her off at her dad’s house for the week as an infant.
So guys (non-pregnant partners), when you find out your beloved is pregnant invest in some squeeze stress balls, a dart board (for the love of life don’t you dare use her picture as the target), and nine months of weekly therapy sessions.
A couple days ago I was sorting through all of my links and some blog roll-y stuff and I came across a crib recall post from Play at Home Mom. I probably wouldn’t have paid any attention to that particular post it if she hadn’t added a picture of a crib that looks EXACTLY like Sophia’s.
We bought Sophia’s crib used off of a Craigslist ad. That alone sets many people off because we’re told not to trust used baby items, “You never know if they’ve already been recalled or if they’re missing parts”. I still say ‘used’ is a great way to go just be smart about it. Usually it’s obvious if there are missing parts, so that part is simple. Don’t buy that one. Make sure all of the manufacturer’s stickers/labels and “do not remove” tags are still in place, and stick with newer looking models. Besides, the crib Sophia is using has been on the market since 2002 and it was just recalled in June of 2008. How pray tell does that make a NEW crib a safer bet? Anyway, Sophia will be getting a new crib at a used price.
If you have one of these cribs:
Crib Styles:
- Berkley
- Hilton
- Positano
- Spindle
- WindsorOnly the Following Crib Model Numbers are Included:
BC-23, BC-36B, BC-36G, BC-36P, BC-007, BC-010, BC-010C, BC-010HP, BC-010W, BC-017, BC-107C, BC-107CR, BC-110C, BC-110HP BC-110W, DA617BC, DA620BC, DV730N, DV730W, DA770BC, DV830-N, DV830-W, 0113B00, 0113K00, 0303C00, 0303G00, 0303B00, 0309K00
Then you can go to the Jardine Crib Recall site for a voucher on a new crib (which will probably be recalled six years from now *eye roll*).
Detailed instructions for what you’ll need to do to receive a voucher for a new crib can be found here. Make note of step #2 and #3…
2. Remove mattress support hardware and identification label using the enclosed instructions and Allen key that is provided.
3. Place the bolts, mattress support plates, identification label and signed acknowledgment form in the prepaid shipping envelope provided.
If you’re going to buy a use crib, MAKE SURE the label on the base that holds the mattress in place is still there. If it’s missing, that’s a BAD SIGN.
Funny that today’s Heads or Tails is flower. Ok, maybe it’s only funny to me. Today I received two things in the mail. One was a new pair of Robeez shoes for Sophia.
The monkey and sunflower Robeez shoes are the ones she outgrew. Her sunflower shoes were her main pair. They match just about everything. The monkey shoes I couldn’t resist cause they’re just so damn cute. The peace shoes, which are HUGE on her are the new ones. I got them cause they aren’t pink and the blue is very close to her favorite Peep blue color and the orange in the middle is my favorite color.
The other thing I got in the mail today is a “convertible wristlet” which is a small clutch/handbag. It’s also called a Zippy Zipper Wristlet by Simple Sweet Cakes, the Etsy Shop from which I purchased my wristlet. It’s awesome! I love it. I’m not a purse person, but I didn’t want to carry stuff in my pockets through the summer. I like to go without a jacket on the hotter days and it’s uncomfortable to carry a cellphone in my jeans. This is the perfect small not-a-purse answer for me. I can wrap the strap around the stroller or fish it through my pant loops like a hip pack. I had mine custom made with an exterior zipper pocket for change and two interior pockets to separate my cellphone and business/store cards from the rest of the junk in my not-a-purse. The fabric I chose is called Turquoise Fleur. I thought it might be a little loud for me, but it’s not. I love it. It reminds me of tiles one might find in a Spanish kitchen. And the colors, Peep blue and Orange 
Yes, that is a nasal aspirator keeping it propped up. No, I don’t keep it in my not-a-purse, but as of lately I probably should!
I forgot to mention on my clothing post that yesterday was the first time I took Sophia out in public where not everyone admiring her cuteness rambled endlessly about the full head of long downy hair my monkey baby sports. Usually people will go on and on as if there is no baby under all that hair, but not today. Several people commented on the shoes she wore for the first time.
These Robeez shoes were given to us by a friend. Two hours after we arrived home from the hospital with Sophia our friend called to see if she could come over and “drop something off”. I told her she had perfect timing. She hadn’t even heard the news yet. 
I hadn’t thought much about Sophia wearing shoes especially not the very day we brought her home. I often see babies with only one shoe on because the other has fallen off to a place only dogs and people without children can find and thought they only added to the cute baby factor on kids that can’t even walk yet, but yesterday was so cold! I realized a nice pair of leather shoes provide a kind of protection from the elements that socks alone just can’t, and these shoes fit very snuggly so they don’t fall off. The elastic really keeps them on well and they’re so cute!
