Tuesday, November 30, 2010

12 WEEKS_LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL?

This week´s US showed some improvement :)

Hoping for the best!!!

Friday, November 12, 2010

NAUSEA_ GOD PLEASE LET THIS FIRST TRIMESTER BE OVER!!

Yes one of the most pleasent gifts from pregnancy ;) Nausea.
I´m feeling really dizzy all day long, smells just make me want to through up... How is it be possible to be hungry and sick all the time!

I´ve been looking all over for good advice about the subject and here´s what I´ve got. Check http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/pregnantnausea.htm for full article.

How can I avoid nausea?


In the morning

Take your time getting out of bed.
If you tend to feel really sick in the morning, eat a little as soon as you wake up and before getting out of bed.
Ask your partner to bring the food to you, or prepare a snack the night before and leave it beside your bed.

Throughout the day

Eat little and often, every two or three hours - even if you're not hungry.
Drink a lot of liquid, preferably 10 to 12 glasses of water, fruit juice or herbal tea each day.
Avoid food containing a lot of fat or spices.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine.
Eat dry crackers, toasted bread or rusks.
Rest several times a day. Lie down with a pillow under your head and legs.
Move slowly and avoid sudden movements.
After eating, sit down so that gravity helps to keep the food in your stomach.
Avoid smells that make you feel sick or throw up.
Don't brush your teeth immediately after eating because this can cause vomiting. 
No smoking
At night

Before going to bed, it may help to eat a snack such as a yoghurt, bread, milk, cereal or a sandwich.
If you wake up during the night, eating a small snack may stop you feeling sick in the morning.
Sleep with the windows open to get some fresh air, if possible.


Tuesday, November 9, 2010

WEEK 9_Good news & bad news

Went to the doctor´s yesterday and received some good news and some bad....

Bad news first the hematoma is still there and is slighlty bigger. Besides the origin of it had a technical explanation ( I will get to that later) Long story short I will probably have to be in bed rest for the duration of all the pregnancy, if I´m lucky. It is a high risk pregnancy and that means first and third trimester will be very risky.

Good news is that the baby is growing just fine his heart beat was perfect and we even saw him move. He already has his little legs and arms and tiny little face...He or she is beautiful, and luckily doesn´t even know how worried we are for him. The bonus we had during this US was we were able to see our baby in 3d cause the doctors were looking at the hematoma to see its evolution and gave us a picture of our baby in 3d, we were able to see his face and tiny little eyes. I will add the pictures later.

Even after what doctors said I´m very optimistic and have a feeling we will be able to raise this baby just fine, of course with a very intriging pregnancy but I´m sure we will bring Nacho´s brother or sister to this family.

I will do everything I can to protect our baby and with God´s help he will join our family in some months!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Bed Rest Sucks!!

It makes my mind go wild, I honestly can stop thinking at all. Thanks to you mommy blogger I can distract myself a bit.

Really if I have to be in bed for the rest of my pregnancy I don´t know what I´m going to do...

My back and neck is killing me for being in bed all day with my laptop...Thank god for WI-FI internet!!!

Besides I´m putting so much weight that whenever I get a green light to start having "some" activity I´ll have to go with a greek style (just wraping some sheets around me, cause that´s the only thing that will fit) :)

Truly the only thing I care is for my baby to be ok and growing, however I cannot stop my crazy head... My concerns arn´t really what I mentioned it´s just being able to have this baby_ THAT´S ALL.

Back pain_NO PAIN NO GAIN right?

Weight_Well I will fight that battle when the time comes.



Friday, November 5, 2010

10 THINGS YOU NEVER THOUGHT YOU WOULD LOVE SINCE YOU ARE A MOM

1-Watching the TV has really changed it´s concept, I find myself (and my husband) watching my 18 months baby´s reactions watching his face makes is way more entretaining that the actual TV program.
2-Your baby´s gases make you smile!
3-The smell of sweat, yeap I love to smell his hair after a long round playing. Smells... well I love his smelly feet after a long day, I just want to eat them
4-Watching him play and talk with his teddy bear melts my heart.
5-I never thought that someone´s poop would make sooo happy but it does.
6-My baby is quite a singer that really makes my day.
7-Watching him grow every inch and every pound.
8-His kisses and hugs fills my heart with love and joy, the best gift anyone can get.
9- Deep conversations only he understands!!
10- Last but not least watching and feeling him breath deeply when he falls asleep after a long day!!!!

NEW APROACH TO MY CHALLENGE

Thinking through everything I decided to have a more positive aproach... after all being positive will only help and apart from that I have to be greatfull for the family I have my wondefull baby and husband that are bieng so very comprehensive.
Yes my little one too has being extremely patient with mom!!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

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I LOVE......

check out these sites I think they are great!!!

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WEEK 8_ back to the beggining

Back to light spotting, I was silly enough to think that maby this was over. Lets see what the doctor say on monday.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

WEEK 7

I should have waited another week for my new visit but since I was still bleeding asked for a new visit. Luckily I got to see my new baby´s heart beating strongly and he is growing just fine but the hematoma is still there and there were no changes in size...
Now I was told to wait another two weeks and come in again...If I´m not heavily bleeding I shouldn´t worry (I bet no mommy can do that)
Fingers crossed ...










WEEK 6

I well we (my husband and also my 1 year old came along) finally met our beautiful new baby....and  unfortunately our new SCH_Subchorionic Hematoma. That´s why I experienced some light bleeding...I was recomended by my doctor to rest at home, forget about cleaning, about work and avoid any source of stress. Basically my life from now on will be from the sofaa to the bed to the bathroom.:( Appart from this I cannot lift my baby, 0 efforts...It´s going to be hard on my little one and my husband!!
Next US will be in two weeks.

WEEK 5

I´m biting my lips to avoid telling everyone!! Two more weeks to go for the first ultra sound. Anyway I will ask to make an early visit next week because I had some very light spotting, last time I had some implantation spotting and was nothing. Lets hope it´s the same thing.

WEEK 4

:) FINALLY!!!!! The two lines, pregnant message appeared, I have triple confirmation!!!!!!
I already have a doctor appointment for week 7, It will be eternal until we see our new baby.

SCH-

I quote this article from http://www.justmommies.com/articles/subchorionic-hematoma.shtml

Take a look at the web for the complete article:

Decades ago, when a woman presented with early trimester bleeding, doctors assumed it was an impending miscarriage. They had no other information to go on. Now with the help of ultrasound technology, doctors are able to make a more definitive diagnosis.


SCH or Subchorionic Hematoma is a gathering of blood between the membranes of the placenta and the uterus. A more technical name is the chorion. Some doctors will also just refer to it as a blood clot.

Diagnosing Subchorionic Hematoma

Diagnosing a SCH is based on its symptoms and visualization via ultrasound scan. Many women visit the doctor or emergency department with the chief complaint of vaginal bleeding during early pregnancy. An ultrasound, either transvaginal or abdominal, would more than likely be carried out. During the ultrasound scan, the doctor or radiologist will locate the fetus and assess it’s current condition. Identifying a SCH by an untrained eye is difficult. The clot appears as a black mass within the uterus. It almost appears as if another placenta is present. Ordinary ultrasound images appear blackish with visuals of bone. After a visual of the blood clot is made, and it appears a woman is not having a miscarriage, the diagnosis of SCH is made.

Having a diagnosis of SCH instead of a miscarriage is probably a relief but having SCH comes with it’s own concerns.

Treatment of Subchorionic Hematoma

There is no formal treatment for this blood clot but each doctor is different. Some suggest that you can continue with your everyday activities while others may suggest taking it easy. Some physicians even suggest refraining from sexual intercourse throughout pregnancy and bed rest. Surgery is not an option. Straining and heavy lifting should be avoided- as such for a normal pregnancy.

Some doctors prefer a ‘wait and see’ approach while others choose to use medications. Blood thinners such as: aspirin, Lovenox (inj), Coumadin and Heparin (inj) are used in attempts to ‘bleed’ the clot out. Estrogen and Progesterone therapy is also sometimes used to aid in the development of the pregnancy.

The current statistics for pregnancy loss with a SCH is 1-3%. This low percentage is related to large clots. Most pregnancies progress with no further complications. Most clots resolve on their own by 20 weeks of pregnancy. The clot either bleeds itself out or the body absorbs it.

Women with SCH are at greater risk for placental abruption or abruptio placenta. Placental abruption is when the placenta tears away from the uterus. This is an extreme pregnancy complication that requires immediate medical attention. If the placenta separates from the uterine wall, the health of the fetus is in danger.

SCH is a risk early in pregnancy because the clot itself can cause a miscarriage. The clot can release completely from the uterus and cause the fetus and placenta to miscarry.

Women with SCH may experience intermittent periods of vaginal bleeding throughout their pregnancy. This experience would more than likely be a result of the clot ‘bleeding out.’ Blood is an irritant to the uterus and cramping may be accompanied with the bleeding. While seeing blood while pregnant can be very scary-it is very common with SCH. Tampons and sexual intercourse is not generally recommended during bleeding/spotting periods.

Allow yourself adequate rest and plenty of fluids. Dehydration can also cause the uterus to contract-irritating your baby and the clot.

If you’ve been diagnosed with SCH, you’re not alone. Support groups have been popping up all over the internet in recent years. Women from all across the globe have been gathering through the World Wide Web to share their experiences and offer hope to others going through the exact same thing.

If you’re ever in doubt about your condition, you should never hesitate to contact your doctor. Information gathered here should only be used as a reference and not a substitute for actual medical care.

WEEK 2

Still don´t know if I pregnant or not but I "feel" pregnant. I even bought some pregnancy tests!!

WEEK 8_When things don´t start as expected

Well I´ve been thinking for a while now if I should write or not. To be honest I find it really hard to do so because things didn´t started as hoped.

Well I must say I´m 8 weeks pregnant now :) ...the thing is durins my first US the doctor told me I had SCH I´ll write about that afterwards. I had light bleeding ever since and was told to rest at home and have 0 stress. It is very difficult to go through this and the more you read the less you want to know. I have faith and prayed every day to be of the lucky ones that can tell about this experience afterwards with a healthy and lovely baby in their arms.

Many things go through your mind because you the only thing you can do is wait and hope for the best.

Its been 2 days now with no bleeding at all and perhaps that is what gave me the strengh to start sharing this with you.

I start to see some light at the end of the tunnel but still will no nothing until my next US on monday.

Will keep you posted.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

WEEK 1

WE´VE JUST STARTED WITH OUR BABY PROJECT AND SOMETHING TELLS ME WE ARE GOING TO BE LUCKY SOON ;)

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

10 THINGS YOU SHOULD DO BEFORE GETTING PREGNANT

1. Leave any toxic habits, such tabaco, alcohol and other drugs.



2. Trying to get the ideal weight. Overweight women may go on a diet advised by doctor to lose weight without risking your health.


3. Going to the gynecologist, who will ensure, through a blood test, that you do not suffer anemia or other disorders.


4. Find out (through blood tests would ask the OB) if you have passed certain infections that, if infected during pregnancy, can affect the unborn baby: rubella, toxoplasmosis, hepatitis, syphilis, AIDS ...


5. If necessary, get the vaccine against rubella and chickenpox.


6. Visit the dentist. In this way, you avoid having to undergo dental treatment during pregnancy (although most are not contraindicated).


7. Stay in shape, start practicing a sport or other exercise that can continue during pregnancy.


8. Review your diet with a doctor and try to maintain a balanced diet from now. The diet should be sufficient calories and adequate amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals.


9. Start taking folic acid three months before leaving the method of contraception. This vitamin is essential for the health of mother and child, prevents certain types of anemia and prevent certain birth defects in the unborn baby.


10. Necessary reforms to adapt the property for your child. The works are a source of concern, and during pregnancy is not advisable to become overwhelmed, or have contact with paints and solvents.

Stress and pregnancy

Stress, a growing problem present in the lives of couples, is an obstacle for those looking for a baby


Until now it was known that age, alcohol consumption and other drugs were factors influencing the chances of getting pregnant but the stress was not taken into account by a factor difficult to analyze.

Experts have found that levels of cortisol and alpha-amylase, two components of stress, were more present in women who took longer to become pregnant or failed.

Lead a quiet life is important. Stress is a common problem for couples seeking a pregnancy because several months when they try and fail to begin to worry and stress levels increase.

How to eliminate stress? Experts recommend trying to live a quiet life avoiding stress and strain.

To this end, some ideas are: yoga, meditation or relaxing massage.

WEEK 3_PREGNANCY TEST EXPERT

I´ve recently bought eight pregnancy tests...of course trying to concieve might make more anxious. But lets be honest taking the test 2 weeks before you should is way too much. I know you must wait but it is easier aid than done. :)

Anyway I should say I´ve learnt a lot. They are not all the same and most importantly check for the sensibility (the amount of hormone detected) this will help you if you want quick results!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Need Vacations!!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess we all feel this way some time or another.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

GENDER PREDICTION_ SECOND , THIRD OR FOURTH BABY


There´s a lot published around about this... from diets, postures, etc to labs that guarantee the wished sex of the new baby. Well, since I already have a beautiful, HEALTHY, baby boy I´d love to have a girl. But Honestly what every mom really wants its to have her baby (whichever gender god decides) safely in her arms. Don´t you think so?

Still and even though I know it won´t change a thing my feelings towards a new baby that isn´t even near to be on it´s way, I think I ´m going to do my best to help luck.

First of all no matter what sex its important to take folic acid complement to guarantee a healthy baby. After that I´ve read that high calcium and magnesuim diets increase the chances of having a baby girl.Anyway I will check with my doctor so that it has no secondary effects on me or the future baby to come.

Last but not least I will follow the chineese gender prediction calendar. By the way I ´ve found different version of it ;) I´ve chosen the one that matches with my last baby. So if  it works I guess it should be the right one. I honestly do not believe much on it cause if it were for them there would be no baby girls at all!!!!

Monday, June 7, 2010

POLLY CHICCO HIGHCHAIR

Polly Magic is Chicco new highchair which has a defect that must be considered by parents. I´ll post some pictures soon.

Basically I happy with it but believe I must tell you that the support for the tray is quite dangerous. My son hurt himself with it. It´s a design issue that should be considered.

WEIGHT LOSS

Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I´ve lost 11 pounds already! I half way there and plan to keep going with my diet untill I reach my prepregnancy weight.

Promise to share some pictures and most important the daily plans I follow.

Take care!

I´M I DOING IT WELL

Recently I´ve read a lot on "mothering styles" and still the question keeps poping  up in my head.

I´m I spoiling him? I supose this is something most mothers must think one time or another. In my case in particular it was increased since he was born before he was suposed to. So eating time is ruled by him . Let me explain:

In the begining when I was breastfeeding I was indicated by the doctors to feed him strictly every three hours. If he was sleeping I had to wake him up. Unfortunately I only brestfed him for over four month. Know I know that I should have gotten more help and tryed it for at least a couple months more. I was almost all day long with my breasts out either feeding my baby or with the breast pump to increase the amount of milk. It was really stresfull and ended up with almost no milk at all so the pediatrician told me to switch to formula. Since he was almost five months all he also added some fruit and cereals to my baby´s diet. Still my baby was a little under weight so I did whatever it took for him to eat. My husband and I became circus clowns!So now with a year and three month he knows he is in charge when it comes to food.How can we change that?

On the other hand I think we must have done SOMETHING right since he is a very bright lovely healthy baby. He smiles all the time and he is way too smart.Sometimes we are surprised by him it looks as if he can analyse things deeply. From the time he was 10 he could walk on his own, with no help at all, no grabing to anything no nothing, I ´ve read somewhere that besides being mature enough babeis must feel safe and self assured parents have a key importance there. He is also able to communicate very well and understands 2 langages. He dances and plays football, well I guess if he was able to develop all this in sucha a short time I must be dong something right.

I´ll keep looking for my mothering style.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

WEIGHT LOSS

I´m keeping up with my diet and going steady. I think I´m on the right way. Still have to start excersising, the only thing I did was some tennis last weekend....
About this... I got a couple books and really there are some moms out there with very crazy ideas. Using your baby as a weight!!! Gosh my baby did NOT like the idea. Not even for the first try!!!!

Friday, May 14, 2010

WEIGHT LOSS

This is my fourth week in my weight loss plan. I must say I believe I starting to get stuck... This week I haven´t loss not even 1 pound...I think its time to add some exercise to my plan... Hope it will work better!!!

BABY INCUBATORS_ MY EXPERIENCE

Baby ICU and incubators

The experience is quite stressful. You are though with the final sprint and hard work and you cannot hold your baby right away…They need special cares and it the best for our babies but it is hard. Nowadays the tendency is to let the parents have much more contact with their babies since its being proven that babies evolve much better, they gain weight and eventually the discharge is much sooner.
All the machines are intimidating all the procedures, which depend on the hospital, are also very frightening.
My baby was born in 37 of my pregnancy so technically he was not a premature baby. But his weight was also in the line, in fact this was the reason why doctors decided to induce labour since I was having an CIR. In other words,the placenta was no longer feeding my baby as it should. So, back to incubator, when he was born he was taken almost directly, after a very short greeting to the ICU, were he was put into one of the incubators.
After labour, and expulsing the placenta doctors checked everything was ok with me and gave just a couple stitches to the small epistomy they made. They finally let me go back to my empty room where I did not have my baby. My husband followed the baby and went into the ICU and spent some minutes with him and then came with me to my room. He told me that apparently everything was fine and that if I was going to be able to see him I should be prepared because I was going to be impressed.
Then the nurse came into my room and game another great news…”if you cannot walk to the ICU, you will not be able to see your baby until tomorrow” of course my legs were numb from the epidural and as you can imagine was very difficult, only an hour had gone by since giving birth. Strength came from within and I walked to the bathroom, and then I told the nurse I was ready to see my baby.
First a very hard hygiene protocol, putting on a sterilised robe, hat and sleepers, then you were allowed to go towards a sink were you had to clean your hands and arms with special soap and finally you were allowed to go to the place were babies were but first you would have to put on some alcohol gel on your hands. Yes, my husband was right; it is shocking to see your newborn with cables all over. You realize how tiny we are and that all that crap of how he will look like doesn’t really mean a darn thing.
The nurses in the ICU told me that I could hold my baby. So tiny, so helpless, holding your baby with all those cables around, with so many people around, with those electronic noises, is something I do not wish anyone to go though.
The time they allowed you to be with your son was of only 1 hour and a half. Nothing!
Of course this is something that depends exclusively on each hospital. Then they asked you to leave and they checked each baby and let them sleep.
So every three hours the same routine robe, hat, sleepers, hand wash, alcohol, baby, and out. If you do the calculation you can imagine you practically have no time for anything not even sleeping. I had my room right next to the ICU but there were some parents that came from home… obviously they did not come every three ours. These were cases of very premature babies that had to be hospitalized up to three or four months and the mothers were already discharged.
My breasts were about to explode I wanted to breastfeed my son and it was hard to do so in these conditions. Anyway I got a lot of help from the nurses in the ICU and with the aid of a breast pump I started doing so. The second day some of the cables from the machines connected to my baby were taken off and only left some others and we were able to dress our baby with some of his clothes. Until then he was wearing only his super tiny diapers.
Another unpleasant surprise came along the third day. The nurse said that since our baby had not pooped they would have to do a test to his stomach to see the reason for this. Again we were forbidden to hold him for a couple hours. Tears rolled down my face as I prayed for everything to be ok. Thanks God it was.
Three days had gone by and since I was ok the hospital wanted to discharge me again a new drama came along for us. I couldn’t even imagine going home without my baby. THAT WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION. The solution they gave me was either go to a hotel a couple blocks away or pay an extra for my stay at the hospital.
As everything developed fine we were allowed to give him a “bath” if you can call it that way. We washed his hair in a sink of the ICU. The rest of the days went by. First all cables were taken off then he was allowed to sleep in a normal cradle of the ICU. Finally one day the doctor

So my experience with the baby ICU and incubators lasted, thanks God, only a week.



REVIEW_RECARO CAR SEAT

BRAND DESCRIPTION
For children weighing 30 - 100 lbs. For ages 3-12 years and height of 59 inches or less
This innovative child seat offers the latest safety protection like energy-absorbing EPS foam, deep side wings and an excellent fit for children weighing 30-100 pounds and 3-12 years of age. Due to its outstanding versatility, it provides the perfect platform on which to watch your child grow. With its height-adjustability it offers optimum safety for toddlers and young children.
My experience:
The seat is quite good we are trying it right now with a one year old and he is really happy with it. I guess he is very comfortable, the washable trim is important but to be honest I haven´t washed it yeat so I can´t say if it Is easy or not to take it off and put it back on. The only down side to this chair is that the clip is quite hard to clip but I must say I´ve tryed a couple of seats and is something that happens almost with all of them.

TOUGHTS ON MODERN MOMS

Everybody talks about the gorgeous adventure of being pregnant, the “terrible labour” but no one really tells you that all this is just the begging. We are today in a globalized world were everything goes to fast and women are now supposed to do it all. So you are expected to work until the last day give birth and go back to your work as if you had flu. But hey there’s a new stranger at home willing to be with you and you had to cope with the “advances” of modern life plus the reality you are now a MOM. Yeah, great I have a career but I’m not super woman!!!

Mother Nature is really smart and gives you almost 10 months of transition, but we are so involved in our busy days that we do not realise what we are getting into. Until you find yourself alone with your baby at home with your body still aching and your husband already working in the office showing pictures of you and your wonderful baby. Don’t get me wrong I believe women are privileged; the only thing I think is that society is now asking for way too much. That’s were I find myself right now…struggling. A one year old, a carrier as an architect and a husband that is adapting to this new life as a real family.

Friday, April 30, 2010

ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR SECOND BABY

Actually this is something I´m asking my self right now. My baby is now 13 months old and the idea of making our family bigger is very tempting. I´ve been gathering lost of info about it. I´ll share it with you. You may know what to expect but still...


For many people the decision to have another child is more about when than whether. And plenty wonder if there's an ideal spacing between children - for the adults and the kids. The big question: Is it best to have children one right after the other so they can play together and you can get all your child rearing done in the shortest time, or is it better to put some distance between the kids?

Here's a rundown of the studies on ideal baby spacing:

Waiting 18 to 23 months after the birth of your last child before conceiving another seems best for the new baby's health, according to a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. What should I consider when making the decision?

How old is your other child (or children)?

There is no right or wrong answer here, though it seems clear from the research above that it wouldn't be wise to get pregnant if you're the parent of a child under 6 months. People go both ways on this question. Some think the older your other children, the better. That way they've had plenty of time with you and they can understand and even talk about the effect another child might have. Others think spacing your children close together ensures they'll be playmates for life, and that you won't be spending the rest of your life raising small children.

How will another child change your lifestyle?

Are you settled into a nice routine with your other children? Do you have a good childcare system set up?

Is everyone else finally sleeping through the night? Perhaps you've gotten to the point where you and your

partner have time for each other again. Maybe you've gone back to work and you love it. These are all important considerations when you're thinking of having another. Remember, a newborn will take over your life. Consider whether you have the time and energy an infant requires, and whether your children are ready to deal with the reality of a baby in the house. You may end up deciding that one is enough.

Age

Unfortunately age is a factor, especially for women. If you're 38 years old and you want two more, you don't have the luxury of spacing them three years apart. But if you're under 30, and you don't have any health problems that could make conception difficult, you can be a little more flexible with your timing. There are no hard and fast cutoffs in terms of age. Many women can still get pregnant in their early 40s, but fertility rates do drop dramatically once you reach 35.

Physical Health

Everyone needs to have their health checked out preconceptionally. This is true, even if you’ve had a baby before. Things to be sure to address would be any chronic conditions you’ve had like thyroid issues, high blood pressure or diabetes and be sure that they are in control before attempting to conceive. Also be sure to discuss other health concerns.

Finances

Are you economically ready to handle a new baby and everything that comes with it? From maternity leave to day care, it can get expensive. Hopefully you can save some money by reusing items from your first including baby clothes, maternity clothes and big ticket items. You may also look at the benefits of staying home on your finances as child care for more than one can add up.

Do you and your partner agree?

Sometimes one partner is ready and the other isn't. It's hard to be in sync all the time. This is a tough one to settle, but the first step is to start talking about your differences. Sit down together and discuss your points of view. You may not solve anything at that moment, but you'll have a better understanding of the issues. It might help to talk to others in this situation, too.

What does your heart say?

Sure, you can sit down with a big legal pad and run through the pluses and minuses of having another child. But this is one of those decisions that's led by the heart, so go ahead and follow yours. If you want another baby, and your partner (if you have one) wants one too, there may be no time like the present. •Evaluate your practitioner from your last birth.

If you had a positive birth experience and what to have a similar experience you will probably not need to do much research or changing. However, if you’d like something different, you may need to find a new doctor or midwife or switch hospitals or other birth settings.

REVIEW_Quinny Buzz 4

Nice but big and heavy


First days without my baby I though it was great- it was big enought, the cot was used for sleeping during the day on the lower floor and it was steady and nice. I took me some time to learn how to close the shade, but when we learned - was fine.
Once we got our baby home and I started to really use it I realised it was way too heavy for me. It has  very poor storage and it is also almost on the ground, so if you are picky like me you will not want your baby stuff rolling almost against the floor...The rain cover is uncomfotable, it a separate piece and there is no room to even store it on buggie when it's not raining.

- too big for buses ,for some european elevators and some shops.

-going on stair case is aweful! dont ask anyone to help you - if you do - they will hate you eventually!

-the footmuf is great

-The shade is almost nothing, buy some sun glasses for your baby.
-handle really great - you can fit it to your hight.

- great and easy to use with the maxicossi.
-if you like to walk from place to place- thank to the big wheels the baby doesn't feel all the bumps on the way, but if you have a car - it's too big for the trunk - you will have to do your shopping some other time.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

ULTRASOUNDS

Obstetric Ultrasound is the use of ultrasound scans in pregnancy.
Currently used equipments are known as real-time scanners, with which a continous picture of the moving fetus can be depicted on a monitor screen. Very high frequency sound waves of are generally used for this purpose.

They are emitted from a transducer which is placed in contact with the maternal abdomen, and is moved to "look at" any particular content of the uterus. 
The information obtained from different reflections are recomposed back into a picture on the monitor screen (a sonogram, or ultrasonogram). Movements such as fetal heart beat and malformations in the feus can be assessed and measurements can be made accurately on the images displayed on the screen. Such measurements form the cornerstone in the assessment of gestational age, size and growth in the fetus.
A full bladder is often required for the procedure when abdominal scanning is done in early pregnency. There may be some discomfort from pressure on the full bladder. The conducting gel is non-staining but may feel slightly cold and wet. There is no sensation at all from the ultrasound waves.
Main uses of ultrasounds during pregnancy
1. Diagnosis and confirmation of early pregnancy.

The gestational sac can be visualized as early as four and a half weeks of gestation and the yolk sac at about five weeks. The embryo can be observed and measured by about five and a half weeks. Ultrasound can also very importantly confirm the site of the pregnancy is within the cavity of the uterus.
2. Vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy.
The viability of the fetus can be documented in the presence of vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy. A visible heartbeat could be seen and detectable by pulsed doppler ultrasound by about 6 weeks and is usually clearly depictable by 7 weeks. If this is observed, the probability of a continued pregnancy is better than 95 percent. Missed abortions and blighted ovum will usually give typical pictures of a deformed gestational sac and absence of fetal poles or heart beat.
3. Determination of gestational age and assessment of fetal size.
Fetal body measurements reflect the gestational age of the fetus. This is particularly true in early gestation. In patients with uncertain last menstrual periods, such measurements must be made as early as possible in pregnancy to arrive at a correct dating for the patient. See FAQ. In the latter part of pregnancy measuring body parameters will allow assessment of the size and growth of the fetus and will greatly assist in the diagnosis and management of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR).
The following measurements are usually made:
a) The Crown-rump length (CRL)
This measurement can be made between 7 to 13 weeks and gives very accurate estimation of the gestational age. Dating with the CRL can be within 3-4 days of the last menstrual period. (Table) An important point to note is that when the due date has been set by an accurately measured CRL, it should not be changed by a subsequent scan. For example, if another scan done 6 or 8 weeks later says that one should have a new due date which is further away, one should not normally change the date but should rather interpret the finding as that the baby is not growing at the expected rate.
b) The Biparietal diameter (BPD)
The diameter between the 2 sides of the head. This is measured after 13 weeks. It increases from about 2.4 cm at 13 weeks to about 9.5 cm at term. Different babies of the same weight can have different head size, therefore dating in the later part of pregnancy is generally considered unreliable.
c) The Femur length (FL)
Measures the longest bone in the body and reflects the longitudinal growth of the fetus. Its usefulness is similar to the BPD. It increases from about 1.5 cm at 14 weeks to about 7.8 cm at term. (Chart and further comments) Similar to the BPD, dating using the FL should be done as early as is feasible.
d) The Abdominal circumference (AC)
The single most important measurement to make in late pregnancy. It reflects more of fetal size and weight rather than age. Serial measurements are useful in monitoring growth of the fetus. (Chart and further comments) AC measurements should not be used for dating a fetus.
Other important measurements are discussed here.
The weight of the fetus at any gestation can also be estimated with great accuracy using polynomial equations containing the BPD, FL, and AC. computer softwares and lookup charts are readily available. For example, a BPD of 9.0 cm and an AC of 30.0 cm will give a weight estimate of 2.85 kg. (comments)

My own experience: Follow carefully your baby´s weigh, I ended up with an induced labor because of this. The baby wasn´t growing any more in my belly and it was better for him to be outside.

BAPTISM FAVORS

Lovely way to present Baptism favors!
Tip: buy something online and prepare de display yourself you will save a lot of money and it will look great.

REVIEW_BABY GEAR_ FISHER PRICE BOUCER

To all of you seeking for some help that will let your back rest for a while this is really perfect!


My baby was very demanding and when we sat him in this bouncer he had a great time and also gave my husband and me some time to be able to have a normal meal!


It´s also of great help when you are on your own with your baby giving you those safe 60 secs to pee!!! Perhaps I was overprotective but hearing him laugh let me relax a bit.




It has many sounds and vibrations that will stimulate and also relax your baby!!!
You will find other bouncer and a better description here:

REVIEW_The Graco Baby Einstein Discover & Play

Another great gadget that will help you out through those months when your baby is very active but still doesn´t actually walks on his own.
Description:

The Graco Baby Einstein Discover & Play is an entertainer that will stimulate and entertain your baby as it introduces them to colour, shapes, textures, animals, nature, language and music through a unique and engaging collection of toys and real-world imagery.

Babies love the gentle rocking motion and the swivel seat that allows them access to all the toys.

When the combined talents of Disney and Graco put their heads together to design a range of Baby Einstein products you know that what they come up with is going to be pretty special. The philosophy behind Baby Einstein is the enrichment of the play experience for babies and toddlers and parents – encouraging mental and creative stimulation through music, art, language, science and nature. Of course we're not promising little geniuses but we can help ensure that playtime and education go hand in hand?.

Features:

Activity centre to entertain and stimulate your baby
9 interactive toys
Gentle, rocking motion
3 position height adjustment
Seat turns 360 degrees
Washable seat
Stand provided to allow stationary use
Weight: 5.2kg
This item is suitable for a child who can sit anassisted, is unable to walker, weighs less than 13.6kg and is less than 81cm tall.

NUSERY DESIGN




Design Ideas form the Web.




Nursery design ideas from Micuna.






Nursery design Ideas from Belino.



















HERE ARE SOME NICE PICTURES FROM A NURSERY DESIGNED BY MAF ARCHITECTS. CUTE ROOM FOR A BABY BOY!



LOSE WEIGHT AFTER PREGNANCY

And of course in a Healthy way.

My baby is already 13 months old and one week ago I said it is enough. No more cheap excuses for me. You can find millions of reasons for having some extra weight after becoming a mom but the reality is that (unless you have some disease) you are eating too much!

A week ago I started my own personal challenge and I must say I really glad to find out that today I lost 1 kg, and all I did is follow some basic rules we all know, a traditional mediterrenean diet as a guide is all!

I will keep a weekly post to let you know how I´m doing and of course you can also join me. Really the more the better and we´ll help each other stay in track.

Here´s my own plan:

Breakfast
2 toast with cheese and jam- Cofee or tea with sweetener

Midmornin & midafternoon snak
2 pieces of fruit (any except bananas which you can only have once a week)

Lunch
Grilled steak/ grilled or steamed chicken /white fish and a salad (lettuce, tomatoes just a few carrots , cause they have lots of sugar, brocoli, spinach, etc)
A low fat yogurt as a desert

Dinner
White fish and steamed vegetables.
Again a low fat yogurt as a desert.

The important trick is to drink between 1 to 2 litres of water.

TRY IT IT REALLY WORKS, ITS EASY AND HEALTHY!!!!

Join me!!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

LOSING WEIGHT AFTER PREGNANCY_2nd WEEK

My second week and still going on. Lost some more weight but of course its harder than wining it!!!

I´m keeping my very healthy diet and added some special meals that I will share in my next post.

Keeping up the good work!!!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Saturday, April 3, 2010

3d/4d ultrasound sesion

Even if it is propaganda it still is true its amazing what you will feel when you see your baby for the first time.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

GENETIC TESTING

Genetic tests are done by analyzing small samples of blood or body tissues. They determine whether your baby carry genes for certain inherited disorders.

Genetic testing has developed enough so that doctors can pinpoint missing or defective genes. The type of genetic test needed to make a specific diagnosis depends on the particular illness that a doctor suspects.

Many different types of body fluids and tissues can be used in genetic testing. For deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) screening, only a very tiny bit of blood, skin, bone, or other tissue is needed.

Genetic Testing During Pregnancy
For genetic testing before birth, pregnant women usually undergo amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling.

Amniocentesis is a test performed between weeks 16 and 18 week of a woman's pregnancy. The doctor inserts a hollow needle into the woman's abdomen to remove a small amount of amniotic fluid from around the developing fetus. This fluid can be tested to check for genetic problems and to determine the sex of the child. When there's risk of cesarean section or premature birth, amniocentesis may also be done to see how far the child's lungs have matured. Amniocentesis carries a slight risk of inducing a miscarriage.

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is usually performed between the 10th and 12th weeks of pregnancy.See other explanation.

When
Doctors recommend genetictesting for any of the following reasons:

•A couple is planning to start a family and one of them or a close relative has an inherited illness. Some people are carriers of genetic illnesses, even though they don't show, or manifest, the illness themselves. This happens because some genetic illnesses are recessive — meaning that they're only expressed if a person inherits two of the problem gene, one from each parent. People who inherit one problem gene from one parent but a normal gene from the other parent won't have symptoms of a recessive illness but will have a 50% chance of passing the problem gene on to their children.
•An individual already has one child with a severe birth defect. Not all children who have birth defects have genetic problems. Sometimes, birth defects are caused by exposure to a toxin (poison), infection, or physical trauma before birth. Even if a child does have a genetic problem, there's always a chance that it wasn't inherited and that it happened because of some spontaneous error in the child's cells, not the parents' cells.
•A woman has had two or more miscarriages. Severe chromosome problems in the fetus can sometimes lead to a spontaneous miscarriage. Several miscarriages may point to a genetic problem.
•A woman has delivered a stillborn child with physical signs of a genetic illness. Many serious genetic illnesses cause specific physical abnormalities that give an affected child a very distinctive appearance.
•A woman is pregnant and over age 34. Chances of having a child with a chromosomal problem (such as trisomy) increase dramatically when a pregnant woman is older. Older fathers are at risk to have children with new dominant genetic mutations, those that are caused by a single genetic defect that hasn't run in the family before.
•A child has medical problems that might be genetic. When a child has medical problems involving more than one body system, genetic testing may be recommended to identify the cause and make a diagnosis.
•A child has medical problems that are recognized as a specific genetic syndrome. Genetic testing is performed to confirm the diagnosis. In some cases, it also may aid in identifying the specific type or severity of a genetic illness, which can help identify the most appropriate treatment


My personl experience: Even if you are not in one of these groups its your choice to do these test...I personally felt much better after knowing everyting was fine. It gives you more time to prepare yourself to whatever happens.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Book Reviews

What to expect when you are expecting

A classic among pregnant women.

Baby Basics: How to Change a Diaper

Chorionic villus sampling

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a form of prenatal diagnosis to determine chromosomal or genetic disorders in the fetus. It entails getting a sample of the chorionic villus (placental tissue) and testing it. CVS can be carried out 10-13 weeks after the last period, earlier than amniocentesis (which is carried out as early as 14-16 weeks).It is the preferred technique before 15 weeks
Use as early as 8 weeks in special circumstances has been described.
It can be performed in a transcervical or transabdominal manner.
Indications
Possible reasons for having a CVS can include:
• Mother's age of 35 years or greater
• Abnormal first trimester screen results
• Increased nuchal translucency or other abnormal ultrasound findings
• Family history of a chromosomal abnormality or other genetic disorder
• Parents are known carriers for a genetic disorder
Risks
CVS carries a higher risk of harming the fetus than amniocentesis (miscarriages occur in around 1 in 100 to 1 in 200 cases with CVS, versus around 1 in 1,600 with amniocentesis. Apart from a risk of miscarriage, there is a risk of infection and amniotic fluid leakage. The resulting amniotic fluid leak can develop into a condition of low amniotic fluid level. If not treated and the amniotic fluid continues to leak it can result in the baby developing hypoplastic lungs (underdeveloped lungs). Additionally, there is a risk of CVS causing digit-reduction defects in the fetus if performed before 11 weeks (0.07%-0.10%).[5]
It is important after having a CVS that the OB/GYN follow the patient closely to ensure the patient does not develop infection.
Limitations
A small percentage (1-2%) of pregnancies will have confined placental mosaicism, where some but not all of the placental cells tested in the CVS will be abnormal, even though the pregnancy is unaffected. Cells from the mother can be mixed with the placental cells obtained from the CVS procedure. Occasionally if these maternal cells are not completely separated from the placental sample, this can lead to discrepancies with the results. This phenomenon is called Maternal Cell Contamination (MCC).[6] CVS cannot detect all birth defects. It's used for testing chromosomal abnormalities or other specific genetic disorders only if there is family history or other reason to test.

My personal experience:

As I explained in my case the sampling was performed trascervically. The hole thing took no more than 15 minutes. It is almost painless, just like a normal Pap test. Its, uncomfortable and you have to add the fact that you´ll find yourself very stressed thinking about your baby´s wellbeing. Choose carefully your doctor and you´ll be much more relieved.You must stay in bed and make no effort for at least the following three days. The results are ready in 48 hours. Seems quick but when you are in bed waiting it feels eternal.

Good Luck!!!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

THE CALL

"MRS, everything is just fine...wow what a relief!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hang on can I know the sex of the baby?? ITS A BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


ITs celebrating time. The best way to do so...SHOPPING.

The first things I got my baby were bought in El CORTE INGLES, the one next to my office. I was so happy I wanted to buy the whole store.

THE QUESTION:TO DO IT OR NOT

We finally went though all the posibilities in our heads and we reached the conclution that whatever we decided later on it was better being prepared.

We decided to do the test. We scheduled the test and prepared the money, cause of course this was an extra charge. 950 euros to put in risk your baby. The bright side: if everything goes fine you can relax the rest of the pregnancy and above you get to know really soon the sex of the baby.

I haven´t told anybody at my office about my pregnancy and after the test I had to stay in bed for at least four days. We scheduled the test for a Wednesday and missed to go to work for 2 days. I told my boss I was "ill".

WEEK 12:THE TEST

My husband came with me and stayed though the whole thing. It was really quick and almost painless. The previous days I tryied to find out in you tube and didn´t really get much information.

Dr Delgado did the test and he only took around 10 minute for all of it. (I´m considering undressing also)It´s really much more what goes though in your mind and the responsability you feel than anything else. Its quite stressfull to think your future child is in risk ...

When I left the office the doctor told me to check I had no deep bleeding (some small stains are normal) or temperature.In seven days tops I would receive a call indicating theresults.

Thank God 4 days went by and everything was in orther. Now I had to wait for THE PHONE CALL.

Planning

July

As an architect a tend to plan everything, unfortunately (or fortunately I should say)later on you´ll see that sometimes life teaches you that we have a greater planner above us...

I had chosen my ginecologist at Teknon, I had gone though a complete check up, was on prenatal vitamins, I was ovulating and we were both very happy doing our homework...

After 4 pregnancy test taken days before I should have, the best news was here: we were finally expecting!! (on our first attempt!)

As soon as I knew this I called my doctor but she told me it was way too early for a
ecography. I would have to wait at least till 8 weeks pregnancy.

WeeK number 8

My husband and I went to the doctors office at Teknon and we first saw our son. I must say we were with tears in our eyes but i should say you don´t really SEE anything :) its just a cute ball you know that will become your son.

When talking to the doctor we were hapily saying well we do not belong to any risk group for down sindrome or anything and ... the doctor inturrupted us and told us.
"That isn´t really like that, even though you are young (we were both 28 at the time) the probability of having a baby with down sindrome or any other illnes is very high. In fact the last case I had was of a couple younger than you without any history of the sindome in their famiies. I must say I would recommend doing either the corion Biopsy or the amnioscentesis. Of course there is a risk of abortion."

This was the doctor way of congratulating us for becoming parents. We left the office in shock with a huge question bouncing in our heads...

A very expected baby

My husband and I have been married 5 years now and we decided it is time we try and have a baby. We are both very excited with the idea but also worried cause things aren´t going specially well here in spain.

To our dear baby

This will be a transcription of experiencies from my pregnancy diary for all of you having a baby. I want to share my exerience with you and also re live tha beautiful but also scary process of becoming a mom.

Recomended books!