Who do you think Baby J looks like?
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
One Month of Jamie
Jamie is officially one month old today. Sometimes I can't believe that a whole month has gone by since his birth and other times, I can't imagine what our life was like before he got here. In honor of little man's one month birthday, I'm going to bombard you with pictures.
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| One of his first pictures ever |
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| I think he looks gigantic here |
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| First picture as a family of 3 (I can't believe I'm posting this) |
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| Heading home! |
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| First bath |
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| Serious face |
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| Welcome home, Jamie! |
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| Sleepy baby, tired mommy |
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| This one cracks me up |
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| Sunday Funday & Kitty bomb |
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| VERY early morning |
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| First Halloween |
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| There's a turtle on my butt! |
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| This might be one of my all-time favorites |
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| The bump is out! |
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| Baby burrito |
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| Someone hates having their diaper changed |
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| Also cracks me up... |
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| Baby blues |
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| Snuggles with Mommy |
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| First Sunday Funday |
... and one of my favorite professional shots. Status of heart = full.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
How To Get A Free Or Discounted Breast Pump
The topic of this post ties in perfectly with both my role as an HR professional and as a new mom. I'm excited to share this information and I hope that even one other mom is able to benefit from it.
When I was about 6 months pregnant, I read an article on breastfeeding and learned that under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies are required to cover some of the costs of breast pumps and breastfeeding supplies and support (lactation consultants). I don't have that particular article but here are two that explain the benefit.
Breast Pumps Now Covered By Insurance
More On Free Breast Pumps And The Affordable Care Act
After I read the article about the ACA, I called the customer service number for our insurance carrier and asked what the process was for obtaining a breast pump (or a discount on a pump) through our policy.
Under our plan, I had a couple of options...
I could purchase a pump from a retailer (e.g. Target, Babies R Us, etc.), and submit the receipt with a claim form to the insurance company. This process would be treated as an "out-of-network" service. Under our plan, out-of-network costs are covered at 60%, so I would be responsible for 40% of the cost of the pump and the insurance company would cover the remaining 60%.
I could obtain a pump from a pre-approved, in-network provider. Who are these, you ask? (I did too). The nice man from the insurance company explained that these are healthcare supply companies who sell things like prosthetic devices, walkers, wheelchairs, etc. for home use. If I elected to do this, the healthcare supply company would submit the claim for me and the cost would be covered 100%.
*There was also an option to rent a breast pump from a hospital or healthcare supply company but I knew that I wanted to own my pump so I did not inquire further about this process.
I assumed that if I went with option #2, I'd probably be getting a crappy, manual breast pump by some no-name company and not the Medela double electric pump that I had my eye on.
I was wrong.
The nice insurance man emailed me a list of our insurance company's approved healthcare supply companies. There were at least 50 on the list but not all of them sold breast pumps. So, I started making calls and visiting websites. I quickly found out that some of these companies sold the non-retail version of the pump that I wanted. By non-retail version I mean it didn't come with the discreet black travel bag or some of the extra accessories, but the "guts" of the pump were the same.
The first few companies I called weren't able to ship the pump to me until I was within 30-60 days of my due date or until after the baby was born. I continued to make my way down the list until I found one who either didn't have this rule or didn't know that they needed to abide by it.
I gave them my insurance information, my doctor's information, and my due date. Once they verified my insurance information and called my doctor to confirm that I was actually pregnant, they shipped the pump to me. It arrived in about 2 weeks.
I did end up purchasing a feeding gift set, sterilizer bags, and storage bags from Target. Because I did this the day we brought Jamie home from the hospital (bad parenting decision #1: bringing a newborn to Target before you even bring them home, #whatwerewethinking), I wasn't in my right mind and neglected to save the receipt. Had I done that, I'm pretty sure that I could have submitted it with a claim form to the insurance company and that they would have covered 60% of the cost of these items.
So, that's how I got my free breast pump. If you are a mom-to-be or a relatively new mom (I believe you can get a free/discounted breast pump within the first 12 months of your baby's life, but don't quote me on that), and are interested in getting a free or discounted breast pump, here are some things you'll want to do or consider:
~ Get a Summary Of Benefits form from your insurance company. If you have benefits through your employer, your HR department should have these on hand or should be able to direct you to this information online. This form will tell you to what extent out-of-network expenses are covered, if at all.
~ Call your insurance company's customer service number and ask what the process is for obtaining a breast pump and supplies through the Affordable Care Act. They should be able to tell you what your options are for either purchasing or renting a pump.
~ If you think you might be interested in renting a pump, contact your OB/GYN or the hospital where you plan to deliver to find out if they have pumps available for rent and what the associated costs are.
~ If you don't want to rent and don't want to go through a pre-approved healthcare supplier, you may want to look into consignment shops. If your out-of-network costs are fully covered, you could get the retail version of a used pump with the nice bag and extra accessories for free. Keep in mind, if you do buy a used pump, you must purchase new, clean parts (valves, membranes, connectors and breastshields). Any parts that come in contact with the milk cannot be re-sold once used. If someone tries to sell you a pump with used parts, DO.NOT.BUY.IT!
Here are some additional links to check out:
Breastfeeding Insurance & Reimbursement
What Are My Breastfeeding Benefits?
How To Get Your Breast Pump Covered By Insurance
A little bit about breastfeeding and my experience so far ...
If you are a mom or mom-to-be who is even thinking about the possibility of breastfeeding, I encourage you to try it for at least 3 weeks before deciding to switch to formula. We are just past the 3 week mark and I can honestly say that it has gotten significantly easier, less painful and that I actually enjoy this time with my son. There were many nights (and days) that I spent sobbing as I fed Jamie because he wouldn't latch, it hurt, I was tired... or all three. But I am so glad that I stuck with it and hope to do so for the first year of his life.
If you aren't able to physically nurse, use the information in this post to get yourself a breast pump and bottle feed your baby expressed milk. He/She will still get the benefits and you will get some relief from any discomfort and the constraints of feeding on-demand.
We recently tested the bottle out and, thankfully, J-man took it. I've replaced two feedings a day with a bottle of expressed milk which gives Colin a chance to help out a little. I do still need to pump during this time to keep my supply up, so I'm either feeding or pumping every 3 hours. Non-mommy friends don't seem to get this and think that I can just jet out of the house whenever I want because I can "just have Colin give him a bottle!" Um, doesn't work this way, kids. Regardless, I'm glad that he took the bottle so quickly. I've heard stories about babies who refuse the bottle completely which makes returning to work or getting any break from baby until they self-wean nearly impossible. Moral of the story: whether you nurse, pump or a combination of both, it's a huge commitment but so is motherhood and the benefits for your baby are so great that it's at least worth a try.
When I was about 6 months pregnant, I read an article on breastfeeding and learned that under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies are required to cover some of the costs of breast pumps and breastfeeding supplies and support (lactation consultants). I don't have that particular article but here are two that explain the benefit.
Breast Pumps Now Covered By Insurance
More On Free Breast Pumps And The Affordable Care Act
After I read the article about the ACA, I called the customer service number for our insurance carrier and asked what the process was for obtaining a breast pump (or a discount on a pump) through our policy.
Under our plan, I had a couple of options...
I could purchase a pump from a retailer (e.g. Target, Babies R Us, etc.), and submit the receipt with a claim form to the insurance company. This process would be treated as an "out-of-network" service. Under our plan, out-of-network costs are covered at 60%, so I would be responsible for 40% of the cost of the pump and the insurance company would cover the remaining 60%.
-OR-
I could obtain a pump from a pre-approved, in-network provider. Who are these, you ask? (I did too). The nice man from the insurance company explained that these are healthcare supply companies who sell things like prosthetic devices, walkers, wheelchairs, etc. for home use. If I elected to do this, the healthcare supply company would submit the claim for me and the cost would be covered 100%.
*There was also an option to rent a breast pump from a hospital or healthcare supply company but I knew that I wanted to own my pump so I did not inquire further about this process.
I assumed that if I went with option #2, I'd probably be getting a crappy, manual breast pump by some no-name company and not the Medela double electric pump that I had my eye on.
I was wrong.
The nice insurance man emailed me a list of our insurance company's approved healthcare supply companies. There were at least 50 on the list but not all of them sold breast pumps. So, I started making calls and visiting websites. I quickly found out that some of these companies sold the non-retail version of the pump that I wanted. By non-retail version I mean it didn't come with the discreet black travel bag or some of the extra accessories, but the "guts" of the pump were the same.
The first few companies I called weren't able to ship the pump to me until I was within 30-60 days of my due date or until after the baby was born. I continued to make my way down the list until I found one who either didn't have this rule or didn't know that they needed to abide by it.
I gave them my insurance information, my doctor's information, and my due date. Once they verified my insurance information and called my doctor to confirm that I was actually pregnant, they shipped the pump to me. It arrived in about 2 weeks.
It came with everything pictured except for the 2oz storage bottles (I don't know why I included them in the picture, #babybrainisreal). It did, however, come with 4 of the 5oz bottles pictured below, along with two ice packs for the cooler compartment (not pictured).
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| Motor and controls |
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| Storage and cooler compartments |
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| Adapters, storage bags and 5oz bottles |
So, that's how I got my free breast pump. If you are a mom-to-be or a relatively new mom (I believe you can get a free/discounted breast pump within the first 12 months of your baby's life, but don't quote me on that), and are interested in getting a free or discounted breast pump, here are some things you'll want to do or consider:
~ Get a Summary Of Benefits form from your insurance company. If you have benefits through your employer, your HR department should have these on hand or should be able to direct you to this information online. This form will tell you to what extent out-of-network expenses are covered, if at all.
~ Call your insurance company's customer service number and ask what the process is for obtaining a breast pump and supplies through the Affordable Care Act. They should be able to tell you what your options are for either purchasing or renting a pump.
~ If you think you might be interested in renting a pump, contact your OB/GYN or the hospital where you plan to deliver to find out if they have pumps available for rent and what the associated costs are.
~ If you don't want to rent and don't want to go through a pre-approved healthcare supplier, you may want to look into consignment shops. If your out-of-network costs are fully covered, you could get the retail version of a used pump with the nice bag and extra accessories for free. Keep in mind, if you do buy a used pump, you must purchase new, clean parts (valves, membranes, connectors and breastshields). Any parts that come in contact with the milk cannot be re-sold once used. If someone tries to sell you a pump with used parts, DO.NOT.BUY.IT!
Here are some additional links to check out:
Breastfeeding Insurance & Reimbursement
What Are My Breastfeeding Benefits?
How To Get Your Breast Pump Covered By Insurance
A little bit about breastfeeding and my experience so far ...
If you are a mom or mom-to-be who is even thinking about the possibility of breastfeeding, I encourage you to try it for at least 3 weeks before deciding to switch to formula. We are just past the 3 week mark and I can honestly say that it has gotten significantly easier, less painful and that I actually enjoy this time with my son. There were many nights (and days) that I spent sobbing as I fed Jamie because he wouldn't latch, it hurt, I was tired... or all three. But I am so glad that I stuck with it and hope to do so for the first year of his life.
If you aren't able to physically nurse, use the information in this post to get yourself a breast pump and bottle feed your baby expressed milk. He/She will still get the benefits and you will get some relief from any discomfort and the constraints of feeding on-demand.
We recently tested the bottle out and, thankfully, J-man took it. I've replaced two feedings a day with a bottle of expressed milk which gives Colin a chance to help out a little. I do still need to pump during this time to keep my supply up, so I'm either feeding or pumping every 3 hours. Non-mommy friends don't seem to get this and think that I can just jet out of the house whenever I want because I can "just have Colin give him a bottle!" Um, doesn't work this way, kids. Regardless, I'm glad that he took the bottle so quickly. I've heard stories about babies who refuse the bottle completely which makes returning to work or getting any break from baby until they self-wean nearly impossible. Moral of the story: whether you nurse, pump or a combination of both, it's a huge commitment but so is motherhood and the benefits for your baby are so great that it's at least worth a try.
~ Questions about getting a pump through your insurance company? Need some words of encouragement about breastfeeding? Email me! mbatomommy(at)gmail(dot) com ~
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
If you asked me three weeks ago if I'd ever cook again, I probably would have burst into tears and asked you, "When??" In fact, a similar scene took place in my kitchen after a fellow new mommy friend brought us a chicken pot pie during our scary, exhausting, terrifying, emotionally trying, tiring, worry-filled first week home. It was delicious. And she made us apple crisp too - also delicious.
Anyway, my amazing mom was here to help out for the millionth time later that same day and I remember saying to her, "How did she have time to make a whole meal and dessert?? She has a new baby too! I'm never going to be able to cook again!" (Side note, her baby is 7 weeks older than Baby J and she had obviously moved past the emotionally and physically tumultuous place that I was in. Not that it's not a huge accomplishment to have a happy, healthy, well-fed baby and a full meal prepared and delivered to a friend. Because it is. Trust me.)
At 2 days shy of the 3 week mark, I'm happy to report that I cooked. My friend's pot pie was so good (hello perfect fall comfort food!), that I decided I had to have it again ASAP. In typical Colleen fashion, I took pieces of several different recipes to make this my own. I didn't make my own crust which I am slightly ashamed of, but I do have a newborn at home. Baby steps - ha!
Thanks to my child crying and being generally inconsolable for 3-5 hours starting at 5pm every night, we didn't actually get to enjoy this until 9:00. We were so famished that I completely forgot to take a picture until after we had finished our first helpings.
Chicken Pot Pie
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1 box pie crust
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion
1 Tbsp. Kerry Gold unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 potatoes
4 carrots
4-5 stalks celery
1 can cream of celery soup
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease and flour a 9" pie dish. Chop onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes into bite sized pieces and set aside, separately.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, rinse chicken breasts, season with salt and pepper and cut into cubes. Add butter and olive oil to a skillet and place over high heat. When a drop of water sizzles in the pan, add the onion and cook until translucent (about 2-3 minutes). Reduce heat to medium high and add chicken. Cook until no longer pink in the center.
When water starts to boil, add chopped potatoes. Boil for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add carrots and celery and boil for 5 more minutes. Veggies should no longer be raw but should not be soft either. Drain water from pot and add cooked vegetables to a large mixing bowl.
Add chicken and onion mixture and can of soup to the bowl of cooked vegetables and mix until combined.
Add crust to the greased pie dish and flatten against the sides. Pour contents of bowl into pie dish. Cover with second crust, cut away the excess and cut slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown and contents are bubbly. Enjoy!
Anyway, my amazing mom was here to help out for the millionth time later that same day and I remember saying to her, "How did she have time to make a whole meal and dessert?? She has a new baby too! I'm never going to be able to cook again!" (Side note, her baby is 7 weeks older than Baby J and she had obviously moved past the emotionally and physically tumultuous place that I was in. Not that it's not a huge accomplishment to have a happy, healthy, well-fed baby and a full meal prepared and delivered to a friend. Because it is. Trust me.)
At 2 days shy of the 3 week mark, I'm happy to report that I cooked. My friend's pot pie was so good (hello perfect fall comfort food!), that I decided I had to have it again ASAP. In typical Colleen fashion, I took pieces of several different recipes to make this my own. I didn't make my own crust which I am slightly ashamed of, but I do have a newborn at home. Baby steps - ha!
Thanks to my child crying and being generally inconsolable for 3-5 hours starting at 5pm every night, we didn't actually get to enjoy this until 9:00. We were so famished that I completely forgot to take a picture until after we had finished our first helpings.
Chicken Pot Pie
1 box pie crust
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion
1 Tbsp. Kerry Gold unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 potatoes
4 carrots
4-5 stalks celery
1 can cream of celery soup
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease and flour a 9" pie dish. Chop onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes into bite sized pieces and set aside, separately.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, rinse chicken breasts, season with salt and pepper and cut into cubes. Add butter and olive oil to a skillet and place over high heat. When a drop of water sizzles in the pan, add the onion and cook until translucent (about 2-3 minutes). Reduce heat to medium high and add chicken. Cook until no longer pink in the center.
When water starts to boil, add chopped potatoes. Boil for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add carrots and celery and boil for 5 more minutes. Veggies should no longer be raw but should not be soft either. Drain water from pot and add cooked vegetables to a large mixing bowl.
Add chicken and onion mixture and can of soup to the bowl of cooked vegetables and mix until combined.
Add crust to the greased pie dish and flatten against the sides. Pour contents of bowl into pie dish. Cover with second crust, cut away the excess and cut slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown and contents are bubbly. Enjoy!
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
What Did Parents Do Before Google?
I really don't know how anyone survived life at home with a new baby before Google. I guess there were probably a lot less things to worry about back in the day, and I'm envious of people who didn't feel the need to nervously look up the contents of every diaper or movement, sound, etc. that emanated from their baby. On the flip side, it's nice to be able to run to the computer whenever we're not sure about something and find that, usually, whatever it is that we're looking up is totally normal.
Here are just a few of the searches you would find in our Google search history from the past 2 weeks:
And here are some really helpful websites that we've added to our blog readers and bookmarks as a result of these searches:
Here are just a few of the searches you would find in our Google search history from the past 2 weeks:
- Does it hurt when the belly button stump falls out?
- What if only part of the belly button stump falls out?
- How to bathe a newborn.
- What are the symptoms of pertussis?
- Can you get a flu shot and the Tdap booster at the same time?
- My nipples are bleeding, can I still feed my baby?
- What is the difference between the baby blues and postpartum depression?
- When do the baby blues go away?
- When should PPD be treated?
- What does a good breastfeeding latch look like?
- How soon can you introduce an artificial nipple to a newborn?
- How to sterilize baby bottles.
And here are some really helpful websites that we've added to our blog readers and bookmarks as a result of these searches:
Mommies - What websites do you turn to when you have a parenting question?
Saturday, October 26, 2013
The First Week & A Call To Mommies
So as you know by now, our little bundle of joy has arrived and I'm happy to say that all three members of our family (even the cat) have survived the first week at home.
To say bringing baby home was an adjustment would be the understatement of the century. For someone who makes it a point to gather as much information and be as prepared as possible before doing pretty much anything, this week really threw me for a loop. I had read all of the books, Googled everything, diligently listened to any and all instructions from my doctors, and prepared our home so that everything was "perfect" and "ready" for Jamie's arrival.
Add to that some pretty serious hormonal imbalances, sleep deprivation, and sorenipples everything, and you've got a recipe for a pretty challenging couple of days, if not longer. What you see on most blogs and Facebook posts is not even close to the reality of new parenthood.
To quote a new mommy friend, In the blog world, everyone is all "breastfeeding was so easy for me!" And "here's a picture of me nursing at the pumpkin patch while my baby is dressed perfectly".
That really cracked me and Colin up because it's so true.
Three things really helped me during the past few challenging days:
1) Colin. I know I could not have gotten through this week without him by my side. I could write a whole post about how amazing he's been but I will just leave it at this: Daddies don't go through labor and delivery and their hormones remain pretty much stable while Mommy's are all over the charts for 9+ months. Take advantage of this if you can, ladies. Bank up Daddy's vacation time and let him help for as long and as much as possible. Colin has been the rock in this family since day one but especially this week. I love him more now than I ever have or thought I could.
2) Everyone who has fed us this week, but especially my mom. Yesterday was her birthday (Happy Birthday Mom!) and not only did I not get her a card or flowers or anything, but she came over last night and she cooked us dinner. On her birthday. When I was between contractions, I distinctly remember saying to Colin and my labor nurse that we all needed to go home and thank our moms for doing this for us. After a week at home with a new baby, I am more thankful for my mom than I have ever been... just for being "Mom."
3) And speaking of Moms...the network of women who have reached out to me to share their very personal stories has been my saving grace in many moments of uncertainty this week. Many of these women I hardly know, but every single one of them jumped at the chance to answer my questions - some at 5am - or offer words of advice and encouragement. My heart is so full of gratitude for all of them.There is just something about being a mom that connects you to other women in a way that nothing else can.
That being said, I thought it might be nice to gather the email addresses of any moms who might be interested in sharing advice, words of encouragement, or just saying "hey, you're not alone," with other women. I haven't worked out the logistics of it yet but I'm envisioning a sort of listserv/email group where we could initially introduce ourselves, where we are on the journey of Mommyhood, and then use the email chain to seek advice from one another on parenting questions or just life in general.
If you are interested in being part of the email chain or have ideas about how to put this plan into action, send me an email: mbatomommy(at)gmail(dot)com
It may take me a few days (or weeks) but I'd really like to try to get this together!
And just for fun, here is the very last picture that was taken of me pregnant. I'm 39 weeks and 1 day in this picture and Jamie arrived 4 days later.
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| Standard milk-drunk picture |
No matter what you do, how much you read, how many gadgets or products you buy, or how great of an eater or sleeper your baby is; there is no way to feel 100% ready, calm, prepared, or in-control when bringing a new baby (especially your first baby) home.
Add to that some pretty serious hormonal imbalances, sleep deprivation, and sore
To quote a new mommy friend, In the blog world, everyone is all "breastfeeding was so easy for me!" And "here's a picture of me nursing at the pumpkin patch while my baby is dressed perfectly".
That really cracked me and Colin up because it's so true.
Three things really helped me during the past few challenging days:
1) Colin. I know I could not have gotten through this week without him by my side. I could write a whole post about how amazing he's been but I will just leave it at this: Daddies don't go through labor and delivery and their hormones remain pretty much stable while Mommy's are all over the charts for 9+ months. Take advantage of this if you can, ladies. Bank up Daddy's vacation time and let him help for as long and as much as possible. Colin has been the rock in this family since day one but especially this week. I love him more now than I ever have or thought I could.
 |
| What real Daddyhood looks like: sleeping on a terribly uncomfortable hospital chair bed for 2 nights...  |
2) Everyone who has fed us this week, but especially my mom. Yesterday was her birthday (Happy Birthday Mom!) and not only did I not get her a card or flowers or anything, but she came over last night and she cooked us dinner. On her birthday. When I was between contractions, I distinctly remember saying to Colin and my labor nurse that we all needed to go home and thank our moms for doing this for us. After a week at home with a new baby, I am more thankful for my mom than I have ever been... just for being "Mom."
 |
| Grandma & Jameson |
3) And speaking of Moms...the network of women who have reached out to me to share their very personal stories has been my saving grace in many moments of uncertainty this week. Many of these women I hardly know, but every single one of them jumped at the chance to answer my questions - some at 5am - or offer words of advice and encouragement. My heart is so full of gratitude for all of them.There is just something about being a mom that connects you to other women in a way that nothing else can.
That being said, I thought it might be nice to gather the email addresses of any moms who might be interested in sharing advice, words of encouragement, or just saying "hey, you're not alone," with other women. I haven't worked out the logistics of it yet but I'm envisioning a sort of listserv/email group where we could initially introduce ourselves, where we are on the journey of Mommyhood, and then use the email chain to seek advice from one another on parenting questions or just life in general.
If you are interested in being part of the email chain or have ideas about how to put this plan into action, send me an email: mbatomommy(at)gmail(dot)com
It may take me a few days (or weeks) but I'd really like to try to get this together!
And just for fun, here is the very last picture that was taken of me pregnant. I'm 39 weeks and 1 day in this picture and Jamie arrived 4 days later.
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