The Difference a Week Can Make

This was last week (23 weeks). And wait for it ...

This is this week (24 weeks). Hello basketball for a belly!

 [ I was on my way to my fitness instructor certification testing ]

 

I was asked when I was due by a stranger for the first time. There is no more of the questioning look of is she pregnant or just fat. When my doctor measured me, he just said well all of the weight you've gained is right here (straight to the belly). I'll admit, it was a little difficult to put the new weight down on paper. I don't own a scale, so I only find out when I'm at the doctor. It's just weird to be ticking up the weight brackets. I don't mind it necessarily. I don't really know how to describe it. Maybe some other moms can articulate it better. I am now at a weight that is far outside of my concept of my own weight. I know that it is ok, since the weight is for my baby boy.

I was also telling my mother the other night that I really don't mind my big belly. It is so unlike any time before when I felt like my belly was hanging out. Any other time when I felt like my stomach was out it was accompanied by that bloated uncomfortable feeling. My belly is now way bigger than it has ever been before, but I feel great! I don't have any of the uncomfortable feeling. I'm sure when I'm 8-9 months that may change dramatically, but for now it just feels great. I feel good and I love feeling my boy kicking and flipping around all the time.

I did get the job that I had interviewed for a while back. I start my new employee orientation tomorrow. It will definitely keep me occupied and will help with saving up for our family. I'm looking forward to this new challenge.

I'll update more later this week. Catch you all later -

Circles of Neglect

What is a circle of neglect?
It is any of the contraptions manufactured to contain children in one little space with or without things to "entertain" them.

Why should they cease to exist?
The fact that even on the "registry must haves list" they are listed under "entertainers" should be a clue. They are just something to keep the child occupied/pacified for some amount of time. These contraptions do not count as toys; do not serve an educational purpose. Nor do they serve a physical development purpose. They are actually the opposite. They hinder physical development due to the nature of the way the childs legs are situated in it. Many parents used to think these (especially the walkers - which are the AAP banned ones) were beneficial in the child learning how to walk. However, the child does not have proper alignment, weight distribution, or balance outside of it and has to relearn how to walk on their own. Their hips, knees, and ankles end up looking like an old timey cowboy trying to walk right after getting off of their horse (I have witnessed this issue first hand).  Those tip-toeing cowboy children were the extreme case (literally put in a walker all day long), but I really wish these things would discontinue production.

What do I recommend instead?
When the baby is not yet crawling, there is no need for containing contraptions. If the baby is content to play on the floor that is where they should be. If they are not content on the floor, I highly recommend some sort of baby carrier. It is positive for attachment reasons, and it allows for my hands free to say do the dishes or whatever task I want to get accomplished. I also like baby gyms since they provide sensory experiences and the baby uses their own body to navigate it. If it is a shower I am needing, I might have to wait until they are napping to accomplish that one.
When the infant has started to crawl and/or pull-up and cruise on things, furniture is a great obstacle course to navigate. I have definitely rearranged pieces of furniture to provide cruising courses. For times when the child needs to stay in a supervised area, I've done having them in their high chair and providing toys or paper and crayons for them to work with. I'm not as opposed to the jumperoo things (as long as it is only used for short periods of time) since they do actually work leg muscles and have practice with balance. I have yet to decide if I will ever borrow one from someone (I know I won't buy one).
During the incredibly busy toddler time between 16-22 months, this may just be a time when my house will not be as clean and I will have to wait until they are napping to accomplish some tasks. However, this is also a time when children begin to want to imitate and be helpers. So, when possible, I try to involve them in doing the dishes or laundry. It may take longer and might not happen exactly as I would do it by myself, but the child is also learning skills and gaining self-esteem by accomplishing tasks with me.

I know many people love their circular entertainers, and I'm sure the majority of people don't just neglect their child for extended periods of time in them. I just have seen it done and seen the real down side physically for the child.
I recognize that many feel the need for something to occupy their child so that they can get something else done. What I think the difference is is that most of those things can get accomplished by including the child in at least some aspect of your process. Children are amazing with how they can comprehend and with what they are capable of doing.

Registry Stress

My registries are up and open. Registering for baby things seems, to me, much more stressful than registering for wedding. While the wedding registry was much more of a time commitment than I anticipated, and still was stressful, but I feel much more pressure with the baby registry to get the 'right' things. It is also difficult since there are so many things yet unknown. I don't know if our baby boy will use pacifiers or not. I don't know how long we will be able to breastfeed (I'm hoping for a year). I also want to get things that will be good enough to be used for other children (in the distant future).
For family and friends that did not see them on facebook -
Our registries are on www.nickisdiapers.com and www.babiesrus.com. Both of which can be looked up by putting my name in.
We are planning to do cloth diapers. We are planning to co-sleep. We are planning to breastfeed.
I have a feeling I'm probably a pretty high maintenance first time mom. This could definitely be the place where my career has a negative impact. I have very strong feelings about many aspects of child development, and now it will play out for my own child. I apologize in advance for my strong opinions and hope that I don't offend anyone.
Granted, now that I have apologized, I have been asked by some to share a few of my strong opinions so I will be writing a few future posts on topical child development related things. Take them as you wish. Keep your eyes peeled!

Rough Draft Registry

Here are my 22 weeks belly pictures!!
I took a couple pictures since the angle is kind of hard to get in the mirror.

I started my registry on Monday. Spent 3 hours at the store and left cause I was started to get exhausted from looking at things over and over and walking all around the store so many times. Some of the things they have on the 'guide' list are so ridiculous and unnecessary. The store here is also not organized very well. They had clothes racks blocking the organization stuff (any of you that know me well know that I love me some organizers). They also should give every momma that is registering a bottle of water as she is going around the store. I got so dehydrated while I was there. Over all, very dissatisfied with the outing and will be changing much of the registry this coming week online from the comfort of my home office.

So, friends and family reading this -- DO NOT yet go on my registry because it is likely to change entirely within the next few days.
I will let you know when it is complete. I also have little cards that have the registry number and stuff.

Also a heads up -- Do Not ... I repeat ... Do Not buy us a circle of neglect. That will never be on our registry and I refuse to ever ever own one. If you are unsure as to what I am referring, I am talking about those circular plastic entrapments that contain a child in a terrible standing position with 'activity' things all around them to keep them entertained. I hate them with a passion. Most of them are also banned by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
And, stepping off of soapbox.

I will try to get the registry done within the next 5-7 days. I just have to reevaluate and prioritize things. That is the other thing I hope they have online -- priority listing for the registry. There are many things that I want to place on the registry, but we won't need them right away so I'd rather they were indicated as such. We shall see if I can figure out a way to make that clear.

It is very fun to pick out cute baby things and I can't wait to start putting Rollin's things together for him!

Bladder Control

When I'm saying that title I'm actually singing it like I've retitled a Prince song you may or may not know. - Dorky, I know.

I couldn't help myself but blog a little more about my experiences thus far with the lessening control over my bladder functions. I am the type of person that is used to being able to go all day without having to empty my bladder. From very early on in my pregnancy, I now have to wake up in the middle of the night to use the restroom. I know this is preparation for having to wake up many times in the middle of the night for a screaming child, but I was hoping for just a little while longer of enjoying my uninterrupted sleep. Plus, the increased amount of water that we are supposed to drink while pregnant just exacerbates the having to use the restroom all the time. I'm not sure why this is so distressing to me, but it just is.

Those of you who know me on facebook may have seen my post Tuesday about the spin class I took. I felt like I was going to pee all over the bike for the whole class. I had to sit up several times and try to physically force my baby boy up off of my bladder as much as I could. It also didn't help that as I was riding, my belly was starting to get a little in the way. I'm definitely going to have to start adjusting how I have the bike set up. I am determined to keep riding, though.

I also had my first sneeze that could have been a very bad situation. I did control it and hold back the bladder, but it was a new awakening of how much I'm going to have to hold those muscles whenever I sneeze from now on. Any of you that have been pregnant before know how much doctors recommend kegel exercises. These muscles are so important now. When I think of kegel exercises, I still think of when a mysterious stainless steel item was a gift for several women in my family one year at Christmas. None of us knew what they were and there was a pool of guesses going. My sister's guess was that they were kegel weights which caused uproarious laughter among the family. I had never heard of such a thing (I forget how old I was, maybe 14), so that is when I learned what they were. It turns out the gift was a cow magnet (very strong magnet used for picking up sewing needles), but that is still what I think of when it comes to kegels. One of my prenatal workout videos has a kegel section to it which I may have to utilize even more now.