Sunday, June 26, 2011

Maternity Clothing

Maternity clothing is something that is expensive often and many women on tight budgets, moan about. It is only for nine months, and yet spending $40 on something I can only wear for such a short time.

According to my midwife though, wearing tight clothing can restrict blood flow, and can not be healthy for you and the baby, so here are some places to look for some cute, spiffy maternity clothes and some tips on finding them, and not breaking the budget!

All the normal online maternity shops have Clearance.....start there, if you are looking for something new. You never know what will be really cheap that day! Check online for coupon codes as well.
http://www.duematernity.com

Motherhood

Kohls

JC Penny

Old Navy

If you are looking for long skirts....this link is for you.
The Modest mom- combining femininity with fashion

Also, if you have local stores in your area like Herbergers, Ross Dress for Less etc. They often have clearance and racks with some maternity selection. Target does as well, but it is generally generously sized, in case you are petite looking for something.

After you have looked and found something you think you like..... and the prices are still too high for you. Check on ebay. Look under the brand names of the things that you like and do a search for it. You will be amazed!!! You can find new, gently used maternity items for much cheaper. However, be careful. Watch that you do not spend over what they are new.

Also, check local children's boutique's and consignment shops. They often carry maternity wear, and sometimes you can find a cute shirt or two that will brighten your pregnancy wardrobe. Sometimes you can bring in some of your children's clothes, that they hardly wore and get some credit it for them as well.

Finally, second hand stores. I know, some people hate shopping them, but occasionally amongst the '80's garb, you will find some cute things!!!

I hope this helps you to try to find something to help your pregnancy wardrobe search a bit!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Book Review: Natural Hospital birth by Cynthia Gabriel

Natural Hospital birth: The best of both worlds
by Cynthia Gabriel

Reviewed by Martha Artyomenko


Doula, medical anthopologist, and mother of three, Cynthia Gabriel offers the tools and inspiration you need to release your fears, win the support of the hospital staff, and avoid unnecessary interventions.

I have never read a pregnancy book that I so throughly loved before! Okay, I loved Ina May's guide to childbirth, but this one is absolutely amazing!!!
I think everyone, no matter what type of birth you desire should read this book.
This book explains birth in way that I have not read before, it speaks of the emotional impact birth can have on a woman, medicated or non-medicated. It goes through the steps of labor and birth, explaining them in a way a mother who has never given birth can read and be prepared.

It speaks of reasons for interventions, and reasons you could refuse or accept. This book is filled with birth stories of mothers, and the struggles or triumphs they faced throughout their births. This is not a book that is going to be too scientific for readers who struggle with that. This is a basic guide for the mom, who would like a natural birth. How natural it is, this book can explain how that varies for each woman.
I especially liked in the appendix a list of common interventions and how to avoid them. It was simple, educating and gives you the info and encourages your own research as well.
This book does not make you feel fearful, but rather empowered and encouraged to go forward with labor and delivery.

Overall, this book is such a wonderful guide for childbirth, I wish I could buy a copy to give each client! I give this book 5 large gold stars!!!

This book is available for purchase from many sources.
It retails for $16.95 and is 256 pages long
Amazon

Borders
Borders often has coupons as well on their books, making this a reasonable place to buy from.

Combatting tiredness in pregnancy

Tired? Run down feeling? Most people find that these feelings are par for the course when it comes to pregnancy, but here are a couple suggestions that may make it a little easier!

First off, make sure you let your care provider know, if it is unusually bad. Your iron may be low, and need to be checked. If your blood pressure is low as well, it can make you very tired as well.
One thing, I have seen when blood pressure is low, that exercise can raise it and make you feel much better. You will feel like your limbs are heavy and you cannot move, but force them to move and walk to raise it up and you will be amazed at how much better you feel.

Daily exercise, not too extreme, as that can tire you, but a brisk walk daily can actually combat the extreme tiredness and help you to feel better in your pregnancy. There is some studies that show that exercise during pregnancy helps your baby to be in a better position and labors to be faster and go smoother.
Here are a couple of links to some articles on the topic:

Seven Great Benefits of pregnancy exercise

Study: Exercise in pregnancy benefits babies

Exercise during pregnancy

Exercise during pregnancy benefits your baby's heart

How to exercise during pregnancy

Most of these are just articles with info on the studies, and remember to discuss any type of exercise with your care provider.

So, what else can you do to combat weariness?
Lack of sleep can really wear you down in pregnancy, the constant getting up to use the restroom, and the uncomfortable stress of sleeping with a large ball in front of you.

A couple of tips, make sure you find out how much calcium/magnesium supplement you can safely take as a pregnant woman. This mineral helps your muscles to relax so you can sleep and have less leg cramps.

Drink plenty of fluids, but not over the top so you are using the bathroom in excess.

Eating a light protein snack before bed can sometimes help you to sleep better and keep your blood sugar more stable, even if you do not have blood sugar issues.

Eat a healthy diet- there are many trains of thought on this. Anyone who has read "What to eat when you are expecting" knows about the Best odds diet, which focuses on limiting weight gain in pregnancy. There are many other diets out there, do some research.
This study was interesting on how poor diet in pregnancy can effect your baby's long term health.
Why poor diet in pregnancy can effect your offsprings's long term health?


Excess sugar and empty calories can be a cause for lack of energy though as well, so choose the foods that will give the most nutritional impact on your baby first. Your stomach will not be able to hold as much food as time goes on, so making sure you get the most important foods first is an excellent way to look at it.
Focus on the food groups, and make sure you are getting as many servings as you are supposed to of vegetables, fruits and meats. Women in pregnancy can sometimes struggle with dairy, but this is another thing to discuss with your care provider.