Full-disclosure, I have never been a very organized person. I am a faithful stack addict and I have no problem getting dressed straight out of a laundry basket in the morning, but I am trying to do better for my minimalist husband. We joke that I am the Type B- to his Type A, but he knew what he was signing up for. Since adding a tiny human to our home a year ago, we have acquired a lot of “stuff”. There is kid stuff in my living room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, nursery and car. It seems to be never ending, but I have found a few organization tips for baby things that are helping to tame it. I’m even less creative than I am organized, so I skipped Pinterest label ideas and went straight to Amazon for a label maker and it has made this process kind of fun. These are 4 baby organization ideas that have made our lives easier and our house a little more functional.
Read moreThat's Not My Target Receipt...and Other Book Ideas for Parents
“Touchy feely” books are the ones my one-year-old daughter has loved the most. Her favorite book is That’s Not My Lamb, written by Fiona Watt and illustrated by Rachel Wells. It’s one of many in a series, so we also have That’s Not My Puppy and That’s Not My Kitten. I just bought her, That’s Not My Dinosaur, as an Easter gift and I’m sure we’ll have it memorized just as quickly as the others. Although our daughter still tries to eat her books when we aren’t looking, she will completely tune-in when we open That’s Not My Lamb. She loves to listen along to “That’s not my lamb! Its spots are too fluffy…its back is too fuzzy…”, turn the pages and touch the different textures on each page. It’s pretty neat to watch her go through the book and go back to her favorite pages.
Read more5 Ways to Date Your Partner...Again
Most couples go through periods of time when intimacy is a little (or a lot) lacking and there is some disconnect between partners. Life has a really annoying and sometimes devastating way of getting in the way and that can be really compounded by having a baby. When you add a new little one into the mix of jobs, errands, to-do lists and bills; it can shock even the strongest relationships.
Not many people want to feel disconnected from their partners, but they also don’t really know how to fix it. You may feel like you are just in a funk or the two of you are slaves to your routine. Whether you just want to spice things up a little, or you don’t even know where you left the spices, there are some really easy things you can do to make your partner a priority again.
Read moreMy Daughter's First Birthday
Today my daughter turns one and leaves infancy behind to embrace everything toddler. She is walking, calling me “Momma”, throwing tiny tantrums and letting us know what her opinions are. I love watching her learn new things every day and become a tiny person with her own personality, but today I am happy and a little sad too. I feel like I blinked and my squishy newborn became a toddling little girl with a toothy grin and a purpose.
Read moreLovenox Injections in Pregnancy
Some women like me, know before they ever get pregnant they will have to be on anticoagulation (blood thinning) therapy, like Lovenox injections during pregnancy. Others have never heard of it and can be scared when they think about having to give themselves injections every day. Lovenox can be prescribed for a variety of reasons. For me, it was a history of a DVT, deep vein thrombosis (blood clot) in my leg. My DVT was a postoperative complication of my spinal fusion surgery, but once you have had a clot, you are at risk to have another. So for me, that meant 546 injections in my stomach over 39 weeks to get my baby here as safely as possible. Factor V Leiden thrombophilia in pregnancy and history of some pregnancy losses or fertility treatments are also reasons a woman might be put on anticoagulation like Lovenox. Pregnancy increases a woman’s risk of blood clots and they can be detrimental if they travel to her heart, her brain, the baby’s placenta or the umbilical cord. Although it can be intimidating, if your obstetrician or midwife prescribes Lovenox or anticoagulation therapy, it is because the risk of a clot outweighs the risk of the medication in your pregnancy.
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My Top 5 Pregnancy Hacks
Pregnancy is a pretty amazing feat, but it’s not always easy. It can be downright uncomfortable, clumsy and painful sometimes. I had a double whammy of being pregnant with a lumbar spinal fusion. I remember thinking my body couldn’t possibly handle one more unexpected change I had to google, and then I was hit with a few things I couldn’t even pronounce. I became a pro at finding things that make life easier during pregnancy. These are my top 5 favorites.
Read moreGreat Grandma's Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Recipe
We all have those favorite recipes and comfort foods that make us feel warm and nostalgic. I was lucky to know my Great Grandmother and to spend holidays at her house as a child. Some of my earliest memories are of her Christmas cookies and Easter egg hunts in her front yard. Every year, my mom and her sister make Great Grandma's chocolate crinkle cookies at Christmas and I eat my weight in them over the holidays.
Read moreChiropractic Care in Pregnancy Part II
Dr. Amber Galipp owns Legacy Family Chiropractic in McKinney and is our go-to Webster Certified Chiropractor for pregnancy. She sees patients of all ages, but her focus is on pregnancy and family chiropractic care. Her patients travel from all over North Texas because she is incredibly knowledgeable, fun to talk to and wonderful with babies and children. I was able to get her take on a few pregnancy-specific questions recently. Here’s what she had to say.
Read moreChiropractic Care in Pregnancy Part I
I have had the pleasure of getting to know Dr. Amber Galipp over the last year and I can’t sing her praises enough. I found her while I was pregnant myself and searching for a Webster Technique certified chiropractor. She has taken such good care of my entire family. She owns Legacy Family Chiropractic in McKinney and provides chiropractic care for all ages, specializing in pregnancy. I asked her to tell us a little bit about her practice and the benefits of chiropractic care.
Read moreWhat Happens at the 6 Week Postpartum Checkup?
When you have a baby, some doctors and midwives will see you a few days or a week after the birth. Some will want to see you at two weeks postpartum, especially if you had a cesarean birth, but the majority of women will see their doctor or midwife at six weeks postpartum for a checkup. You might be wondering what happens at the six-week checkup or when you can have sex again after having a baby. If that’s the last thing on your mind, that’s ok too...
Read moreFour Tips for a Smoother Cesarean Birth Recovery
Although it is the most common surgery performed on women and how over 30% of women in the United States give birth, a C-section is major surgery. It can come with some pretty unexpected side effects, so it’s good to know what is normal and what isn’t.
Read morePreparing Your Dog for a New Baby
Whether you are pregnant, adopting or expecting a baby through surrogacy there are changes taking place in your home that your dog can sense well before the baby arrives. There are often new emotions, excitement and stress, along with the baby items and nursery furniture. It’s best to start preparing your dog as early as possible for the addition of a new baby. There a few key things you can do to make this introduction as smooth as possible for the entire family.
Read moreBreastfeeding and Going Back to Work
If you have chosen to breastfeed and you will be returning to work, finding your routine for pumping at work can be a little daunting. The Affordable Care Act now requires medical insurance plans to cover the cost of a breast pump in full for new mothers. The “Break Time for Nursing Mothers” law also requires employers to provide you with breaks throughout the day and a completely private place that is not a bathroom to pump. Open communication and an understanding of your pumping needs and routine can go a long way with your employer.
It helps to think things through and plan in advance what your day at work will look like as a breastfeeding mother. We have compiled some ideas to make pumping and storing breastmilk at work and at home a little bit easier.
Read moreBeating Bed Rest Boredom in Pregnancy
Why would I need bed rest?
Bed rest is a pretty general term, usually used to address a need for limiting activities. It can mean different things for different people, but is often categorized into moderate bed rest, strict bed rest and hospital bed rest. Bed rest is not a proven form of prevention for pregnancy complications or preterm birth, but if your doctor has recommended it for you, it can be used as an added layer of safety and protection in some situations. Bed rest is often prescribed for varying periods of time in cases of high blood pressure in pregnancy, pregnancy with multiples, cervical changes or vaginal bleeding in pregnancy and sometimes even for pain in pregnancy.
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Music in Labor
Music plays an important role in our lives. It’s woven through our holidays, celebrations, weddings, worship and for a lot of us, even our exercise and commutes. I have a workout playlist, a sleep playlist, and praise and worship playlist and even a playlist to calm the baby when she is fussy. That last one has actually dropped from a playlist to just a single song that makes our baby stop crying. Psalm 23 is the quickest way to calm the baby and is our tried and true trick for getting her to sleep. If we want to make her laugh, 90’s rap is the way to go, but it definitely doesn’t help her sleep. I learned this the hard way when my iPhone was accidentally on shuffle on 11pm.
Read morePhysical Therapy and Pregnancy: Part 2 Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Pelvic floor dysfunction or disorders can occur before, during or after pregnancy. We most often hear about them after a baby has been born. We’ve all heard someone say “I pee when I sneeze” or “I have to cross my legs when I laugh- since I’ve had my kids.” Pelvic floor dysfunction actually refers to a variety of issues caused by the muscles of the pelvic floor. These muscles can be too tight or weak and can cause impairment or pain in the sacroiliac joints, hip joints, low back or coccyx (tailbone). Inability to hold urine or incontinence can also stem from pelvic floor dysfunction. It can cause pain with intercourse, vaginal exams or cervical checks during labor, and rectal pain.
Read morePhysical Therapy and Pregnancy: Part 1 Diastasis Recti
Pregnancy affects your entire body in pretty big ways, so it’s not surprising that after the baby is born you might experience pain, weakness or a new condition. Diastasis recti, pelvic floor dysfunction, symphysis pubis dysfunction or sacroiliac joint pain are all common conditions that can come on during or after pregnancy. The focus of physical therapy is on strengthening the muscles around the source of pain, functional exercises to teach you ways to care for yourself and your baby to avoid injury and therapies for pain after pregnancy.
Read moreHow Do I Know if I Have Postpartum Depression?
You have just had a baby and you might be wondering, why don't I feel normal? You might also be feeling anxious or fearful. Just like joy, happiness and love for your baby, feelings of guilt, sadness, fear and stress are all normal. None of these feelings are inherently bad, but they can be intrusive and hard to manage.
Read moreIf Only I Had a Doula When I Had a Miscarriage
My world and my identity were shaken to their core when I had a miscarriage in my first pregnancy. My husband and I had easily conceived the honeymoon baby we wanted, but the pregnancy was proving to be anything but easy. I was violently sick around the clock from the beginning and my hormones were making me a miserable person, but I was ready to be a mother. I couldn't wait for the pregnancy to be over, so I could meet my baby. We had an ultrasound at 8 weeks that looked perfect, but at 11 weeks, I miscarried.
Read moreFAQ About Tearing During Birth
We are in the business of easing fears and explaining the ins and outs (literally) of childbirth for our clients. The most common fear we hear is tearing when pushing during birth. We’re talking about your vagina here, so we won’t downplay what can happen. The thought of pushing this small human out can be frightful enough by itself, so we get it. We have gathered our most frequently asked questions about vaginal tearing here for you.
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