Let's Talk Labor

Oh Baby - It's Almost Go Time...

All the feels... moments after delivering our rainbow baby Grace

Women who have given birth often LOVE to share their own personal labor stories. I absolutely love taking the time to listen to these stories and always find myself in awe of the miracle that birth truly is. Each woman always has such a unique story and situation. Mine like many others is unique and something that as long as I live I will treasure and cherish forever.

I have been fortunate to have had two successful labors and am about to bring my third into the world this week. While many women will tell you horror stories of extra long labors and lots of pushing my story is different. In fact it’s the exact opposite. My labors are insanely short. To the point that it’s almost scary how quick these sweet babies of mine like to arrive. I have a condition called precipitous labor. I had no idea what that was until after having my son. Precipitous labor is classified when you deliver within less than three hours of your initial contractions. Labor for me becomes an “extreme sport” fast.

With Carter I went into labor two days before my due date on my own. I came home from a late night movie went upstairs and went to the bathroom. At that time I lost my mucus plug. I didn’t know it them but that was the start of what was to become a crazy night. Shortly after I began to have contractions that only grew more rapid . Because this was my first go-around we had no idea I was really in labor. I just kept thinking it was Braxton Hicks. It totally wasn’t. I did most of the laboring at home within that hour of the mucus plug coming out. I even went thru transition and threw up all over the bathroom floor still hardly realizing this was the real deal. At that point my contractions were every 3- 4 minutes and were getting harder and harder.

Luckily we lived near the hospital and my husband was able to get me there quickly. When I arrived I was 7 ½ cm which was pretty crazy for a first time mom. The team moved very quickly and before I could blink I was holding my son in my arms. It was a total whirlwind. The mucus plug came out around 11:45 pm and Carter as in my arms at 2:47 am. While yes the fact that it was so short was awesome, it made for some pretty horrific tearing and lacerations on my lady parts. The swelling was worse than the actual process of giving birth.

Checking out my masterpiece shortly after delivering my son Carter. 

When it came time to have my daughter the OB talked about doing an induction instead because it would be more controlled. They assumed she would also come fast so they encouraged me to think about it. I wasn’t so sure I wanted to be inducted because I had heard all of those horror stories about how painful it can be. Ultimately, we decided to do it because we wanted my recovery to be easier than it was the first time around. Looking back I am SO glad that we went that route. My delivery was so much less stressful and my recovery was a breeze in comparison.

With Grace I arrived on induction day already 4 cm and about 80% effaced. This is not uncommon for your body to begin to dilate but not be in true active labor the more children you have. They started me on an IV of pitocin and let me sit on the labor ball. This did nothing actually. We did that for two hours and aside from a few regular contractions it wasn’t really putting me into labor. I had opted for an epidural so the next step was to get that then break my water and begin the waiting game.

Once those things were done they gave me what was called a “peanut ball” it’s like a yoga ball but it looks like a peanut and goes between your legs to help with dilation. They assumed since we hadn’t seem much action a few hours before that it might be a long afternoon. They encouraged me to rest and said they would come back later to check. Well later never happened. That labor quickly went from 0-60 in a matter of an hour. Grace was born within two hours of my water breaking and just like Carter’s birth, it was a whirlwind. The good part though, was it was a controlled whirlwind and a lot less scary than my birth with him.

As the doctor was finishing with my placenta delivery she mentioned how smart we were to have went this route for the delivery and suggested that if we ever have more we should strongly consider doing the same for the safety of me and the baby.

That brings us to my soon to be “Cinderella” induction that will take place this week. As you may already know you are not allowed to be induced until 39 weeks so my doctor has to wait until I reach that milestone. Turns out she will be on call the night leading into week 39 for me so we are going to be waiting until midnight or a little after then she will begin my induction. While no birth is ever truly the same she is anticipating a crazy whirlwind night ahead of us once she starts the process.

We have a 45 minute drive to get to the hospital now where we live and are very nervous about her coming on her own early. We realize that if my water breaks or contractions start to ramp up I have VERY LITTLE time to get there. I am already 3 ½ dilated and the baby’s head was at a +2 station early last week. While we are eager to meet her and anxious for what’s to come this week we also want to make sure she comes in a safe environment both for her and for me. That is why an elected induction has been our choice and we will kick off the fun at the stroke of midnight.

Some would argue that she will come when she is ready and that I should just let her be but I prefer safe and controlled over spontaneous chaos any day.

Aside from sharing my birth story with you all I also wanted to share some of my must have postpartum brands for recovery just in case you are expecting as well and are new to postpartum recovery.

1. Wear the mesh underwear they provide and even take some extra pairs of them home with you if you can. They are super comfy and then you won’t ruin yours.
   
2. Wishgarden Herbs - After Ease- This is a tincture that I drink for about a week after delivery. Once you have more than one baby the post labor pains are often more painful than delivery especially if you are planning to breastfeed.
   
3. Earth Mama- Periodic Tea - This tea should be drank right after birth. I like to double up and use a few tea bags at at time the first day. It has a nice cinnamon flavor and really aids in cramping. You can also use this during menstruation as well.
4. Earth Mama Perineal Balm and Perineal Spray - These are heaven for your lady parts. They will help a lot  with swelling. Ingredients are very “clean and chemical free” if that matters to you. The balm is for heavy duty pain and swelling and the spray I used more so in the weeks following delivery.

5. Earth Mama Sitz Bath - These can be used as an actual sitz bath or you can use them as a compress on your lady parts. They come in a contained pouch. You can also make padsicles from these by pouring the “juice” over pads and freezing them. Awesome treat to come home to and have for recovery.
   
6. The Honey Pot postpartum pads - These are pads that are infused with herbs to help with swelling down there that comes along with the days following delivery. The provide a cooling sensation and help ease some of the pain.
   
7. Peri Bottle - TAKE THIS HOME WITH YOU!!! The hospital will give you one after you delivery. They will teach you all about it after you deliver. My advice is just don’t leave it behind. You will totally want it as you recover from home.
   
8. Stool Softeners - No brainer. Just get some and thank me later. Your lady parts will be glad you did.

Wishing you all the best with your own recovery. Be kind to yourself. Don’t over do it. Simply rest and bond with your little one. No need to try to do housework or cook right now. You simply need to recover.

xoxo

Sarah

Third Time's A Charm - Hospital Bag Must Haves

Third Time Around - Here's What Made The Cut 

My first go around when it came to hospital bag packing was over seven years ago. Back then the mommy threads and groups were not like what they are today and Pinterest was just taking off. 

Needless to say packing the bag didn't seem like such a big deal back then because I had nobody else's to really compare with. I guess you could call it bare bones packing. I had a coming home outfit for him. Some basics for me and that was it. I didn't have matching outfits for him and I or Instagram worthy swaddles or pacifier clips or any of the THINGS that moms today read that they need to have in their hospital bags. 

I barely changed out of the hospital gown and I think he was in hospital clothes most of our stay too. We made it thru just fine. 

Then five years later I went at it again as I was gearing up to pack for the hospital for the delivery of our daughter Grace. It seemed there was so much pressure to have the perfectly packed bag. I remember stressing over all the lists on Pinterest thinking I had to have ALL THE THINGS!!! While I tried my best to not be too over the top I was for sure packing heavier the second time around. I had everything from custom onesies from ESTY to matching outfits for her and I. My hospital "bag" was more like hospital LUGGAGE. 

This time around I would call my hospital bag a combo of my first and second go around. I am wiser and know what I need, but it won't be as over the top this time around. 

Here is what is coming with me. I am going to break this list down by things for me and things for the baby incase you want to print it off. For most of this I will just write the list. A few of the things I will explain the why behind it incase this is your first time.

Mom Stuff 

*Soft blanket, pillow from home and nursing pillow
*Phone charger
*Fuzzy socks
*Sweats and a top to wear home - You may want something fancier but honestly I just want to be comfy

*Robe
*Bras - Nursing, sports, regular - whatever makes you most comfortable.
*2 pair of pajamas - If you are planning to have a c-section and know you will be there longer you may want to throw in one more outfit. 

*Underwear - big ones and you probably won't even need them. Spring for the mesh shorts they give you postpartum. They are wicked comfy and won't ruin your own stuff. I'll bring some along, but have full intentions of just wearing those mesh ones. 

*Dry shampoo, tooth brush, tooth paste,- I won't be washing my hair there it's too much work.
*Lotion, face wash/ lotion, make up
* Hair brush, pony tail holder, bobby pints,
* Deodorant
* Glasses and contacts
*Towel and wash cloth - This one is not necessary, but the hospital ones are pretty small and rough. 

*Sibling gifts for Carter and Gracie
* Nursing pads and nipple cream- I use Charlie Banana nursing pads and Earth Mama nipple cream 

* Earth Mama postpartum care products - bottom balm and spray, periodic tea
* Wish Garden AfterEase tincture - this is something that helps with the after birth pains
* Essential oil diffuser with wild orange for labor and serenity for postpartum recovery 

Every blog post I come across also suggests snacks, but honestly that's never been an issue for the last two deliveries I had. The hospital I stayed in had plenty of food and I could order more whenever I wanted. I guess check out where you are delivering at and get a feel for what you will have available then decide if you want to bring something along. 

Baby Stuff 
*Muslin swaddles - I will be bringing 3 but you could always throw in a few more if you want.
* 3 outfits - They will be onesies/ sleeper outfits. Nothing too fancy. 

* Coming home outfit - This used to be a much bigger deal than it is now. Spring for comfort for them rather than fashion. 

* Name tag - Hello my name is - I ordered this from ETSY since we have not shared her name.
* Car seat and base - If you are clueless on installing it be sure to ask for help! Don't try to wing it!
*Pacifier
*Earth Mama baby wash and lotion - Most hospitals have their own or use hospital grade soap. I prefer one with less chemicals so I like to bring my own and use a brand I trust.
* Wipes - most hospitals will NOT have wipes on hand for you. They have theses cloths that are like a paper towel that you have to get wet. We are not a fan so wipes will come along with us this time.
* Hats or a bow if you are planning to have one for pictures. I would say bring a hat for sure though to keep them warm during those first few days.
*Diaper bag - This is not something that we will bring in instead we will just have it along for the car ride in the event that we need it. 

* Car seat cover - I like the Milk Snob ones - this keeps everyone from touching or looking at your new addition. 

* On The Night You Were Born Book - We started the tradition with my son and love reading this book to them the day that they are born. We also read it each year on their birthday to them. 

Hope you find this list helpful. I promise there are things that are missing and not all of these are NECESSARY!!! This is just what will be coming along with me as a THIRD time mama.

Best wishes with the packing!
xoxo 

Sarah 

Swaddle Blankets - How Many Is Too Many?

MUSLIN SWADDLE BLANKETS - ONE OF MY MUST HAVE BABY ITEMS

Okay moms! Especially first time moms. I know what you are thinking at this point in the game - What are the must have baby items vs the nice to have items? Maybe you are building your registry or asking other mom friends or are feeling totally clueless about what you need. Regardless I am going to weigh in on swaddle blankets today and share my two cents.

First things first, with my son seven years ago I started with ZERO actual muslin swaddle blankets. I had tiny flannel receiving blankets that I thought would work but they turned out to be better burp clothes than blankets.  A close friend brought me a four pack as a gift when he was born and thats when my "small obsession" started.

For my son,  I really only used the Aden & Anais kind. It was one of the most popular brands at the time and quite honestly still is when it comes to swaddles. Back then I didn't know that there was a difference between the regular muslin cotton vs the bamboo or even that the ones at Target were not as soft as the ones that came from the company. As my collection began to grow I learned all of this along the way. We used them to swaddle him in the beginning, but over time they just became his blankets for snuggling. I would take one everywhere we went. Car rides, trips, daycare. You name it - was had a swaddle along with us.

They were wonderful for the summer time because of how light weight they were. At the time I also used them for a car seat cover when needed and a burp cloth if he drenched me in baby puke. (Yes - this happens more often than you realize, especially if your baby has any reflux issues.)

My collection for my son was probably 25+ swaddles. Keep in mind though he was my first.

When it came time for my second several years later the swaddle market was getting even cuter. I went ahead and purged my son's collection first. I got rid of the BOY specific ones and held on to the ones that were gender neutral since we were having a little girl.

Gracie and I with her Little Unicorn Swaddle. You can still get this one now and it's still one of my favorite prints. 

I probably added another good 10 blankets to the collection and got ones that were pretty girlie. I found two new brands that I also bought from in addition to Aden & Anais. I really started to fall in the love the patterns from Clementine kids and Little Unicorn. You can buy these thru the company website or find it on this really fun baby site called Spearmint Love. My daughter is almost two now and we use a new one daily as her blankie. She is not specific about which one she has but she does insist on having one where ever she goes.

One thing that I started to use as burp cloths the second go around were the Aden and Anais muslin musy squares. These are mini version of the swaddles. I think the intention is to use them for a lovie but they were hands down my new favorite kind of burp cloth.

Now that it was time to prep for number three, I took more of a minimalist approach. I have come to learn that while having 20+ swaddles is NICE -it is not necessary. Having more like 8 -10 is a realistic number. You could actually have less, but if your baby turns into a blankie baby like mine are you will be doing laundry often.

Since my daughter is still using her swaddles and very much attached to them I knew that I needed to buy new rather than plan for those to be hand me downs. Otherwise there would be lots of blankie stealing going on between the two. My collection now is mostly all bamboo swaddles because I prefer the softness. I do however still get some that are not because the muslin cotton tends to be a bit cooler in the summer time. All the ones I have purchased have been kept out of my toddlers reach. I didn't want to show them to her and have her thinking they were hers before the baby gets here.

This time around I got swaddles from the following brands so far:
1. Aden & Anais- Only the bamboo ones.

2. Pattie & Co - Probably the softest one I own. It's from a company in the UK that had a rainbow one I just had to have for our sweet little rainbow baby.

3. Little Unicorn - Expect to pay more for these but the patterns are stunning.

4. Cloud Island - These ones are carried at Target. Not bad quality at all and perfect for the cool cotton I will need for summertime.

Last but not least realize this - the bamboo ones don't always hold up as long as the regular muslin cotton ones do. Many of our bamboos have tiny holes from lots of love. The more you wash the cotton muslins the softer they will get. I would recommend washing them several times before the baby arrives and get them extra soft and fluffy. I use dryer balls too to help with static and to keep them looking nice.


Wishing you all the best mama! Find something you love -then buy enough to get you thru. The baby needs far less "THINGS" than you realize, but they do need lots of love. You are going to be amazing at this.