Give to the St. Bernard Project

As stated on their website, SBP’s mission is to shrink the time between disaster and recovery. In the immediate aftermath of any disaster, information plays a key role in curbing unnecessary human suffering. SBP has free, downloadable guides to help impacted residents avoid the common pitfalls of recovery.

In advance of Harvey making landfall, SBP committed to helping impacted communities recover in a prompt, efficient and predictable way by providing the following services:

• Boots on-the-ground – As soon as it is safe, SBP will deploy a team of AmeriCorps members and staff to support immediate recovery needs
• Advisory to state and local leaders – SBP’s team will provide free advisory services to support decision-makers as they build long-term disaster recovery contracts and processes.
• Raise capacity of local nonprofits and share best practices for recovery
• Mold remediation training
• Damage assessment support – SBP can provide tools to conduct door-to-door damage assessment surveys, which collect valuable information on community need.
• Rebuild homes, when the time is right.

Click here to learn more and give to SBP

Buy A Cool Texas T-Shirt (100% of the proceeds go to SBP)

Over at Bonfire.com, they just started a new t-shirt campaign for victims of Hurricane Harvey. For $19.99 you get one of these nice looking t-shirts and 100% of the proceeds go to St. Bernards Project. I don’t know about you but I like that t-shirt and I like helping people. I’m buying one.

Offer a Place to Stay on AirBnB

AirBnB is waiving all service fees for Harvey victims from Aug 23 to Sept 25. If you’re in the area surrounding the path of the storm, considering offering a place to stay.

Give to the PayPal Giving Fund

Paypal has set up a special fund. If you have a Paypal account you can give without any fees. You can even select one of 12 charities to direct your funds to the one you prefer. Click here to give to the Paypal Giving Fund.

If you have other charities or organizations making an immediate impact in Texas, leave a comment below and I’ll add them to this post.

To anyone down in Houston or any of the other areas effected by this storm, we’re praying for you, and donating everything we can. Hang in there.

The Leonisa winners are:

1) Jillian Jordan
2)  Stephanie (comment #25)

Jillian and Stephanie, please check the email address you used in your comment below. You’ll have instructions there on how to redeem your prize. Thanks for playing!

If you’re expecting or just given birth, you’re probably not wearing all the same undies (or swimwear) you once did. Lucky for you, the nice folks over at Leonisa are giving away $150 worth of their products!

Leonisa has great undergarments for both women and men, so anyone is welcome to enter this giveaway. Choose from swimwear, shapeware, lingerie, and more. And we couldn’t have a giveaway on the Belly Blog without pointing out the products for the mommies and mommies-to-be:

If you’re expecting, your regular undies might not be as comfortable as they once were. Check out Leonisa’s maternity panties and underwear selection. And since hitting the gym right after giving birth is damn-near impossible, why not speed up the slim down with a belly shaper or girdle? (Shhh! We won’t tell!) Leonisa has a great selection of post pregnancy girdles and postpartum belly shapers. And here are a few more.

And of course, if you’re nursing you’ll love the convenience of their nursing bras.

Dads, we haven’t left you out here. Many of you gain a few extra pounds during pregnancy too, so this one’s for you: The Leonisa Powerslim!

So what are you waiting for? Read the details below and enter to win some free stuff!

Here is how you can win:

• Prize: 1st place will get $100 to spend at Leonisa.com and 2nd place will get $50. Yes, that’s two chances to win!
• To enter: Just leave a comment on this blog post (bonus points if you mention the Leonisa product you most desire… sorry it doesn’t give you an extra entry, just bonus points … which make you feel good).
• Number of winners: 2
• Shipping: This prize can only be shipped to the U.S.
• Deadline: Sunday March 29 at 11:59PM EDT.
• Problems? email help [at] whatsinmybelly [dot] com
• Other Details: One entry per e-mail address is permitted. The winners will be selected using random.org and announced on Monday as an update to this post. So, head back here on Monday March 30 for the announcement of our winner. Good luck…
• Thank you to Leonisa for the generous prizes!

Coupon Code:

Don’t want to wait on the giveaway? Use “SAVE10″ at checkout to save 10% off your Leonisa order.

Want to promote your product on the Belly Blog? Just fill out this form.

As a first time mom, I made the quintessential rookie mistake – I put too much stuff on my registry. Some worked out, and some didn’t. Here are my hits and misses!

Hits

Aden + Anais Swaddle Blankets

These things are as awesome as everyone says. Not just for swaddling, they make great car seat covers, floor covers for tummy time, and even emergency burp clothes. We don’t use them quite as much, now that my daughter Seraphina (S) is older, but they still come in handy – I always carry one in my diaper bag.

Tiny Love Take-Along Arch

S was actually great in the car seat, but during long car trips, this thing was a life saver. She stared at it as a wee babe, and then started playing with the toys as she got older. As an almost nine month old, she still plays with it.

Lamaze Play & Grow Jacques the Peacock

S loves this thing. She loved the black and white pattern on his wings when she was small, and she continues to chew on him and is mesmerized by the different kinds of fabric on his body. We actually have two Jacques, after one of them had a run-in with our weirdo, stuffed animal eating cat and lost part of his face. S loves him, beak or no!

Bumkins Waterproof Bib

S started on solids at 5 months. She insisted on putting the spoon in her mouth by herself, a habit she continues to this day. It’s great for her development, and I’m proud of my independent gal, but it means that meal time is an absolute mess. Regular bibs never worked, and we ruined quite a few outfits from those pesky avocado stains. But – this bib rocks! It not only prevents food from getting on her chest, but also keeps food from getting on her sleeves. After she eats, we hose it down and let it dry before the next meal.

Misses

Fischer-Price Snugabunny Bouncer

In short, S hated this. I’ve heard that some babies are swing babies and some are bouncer babies. S loved her swing (most of the time), but never liked the bouncer. I would recommend waiting until your little one is born and borrowing a bouncer and/or swing from a friend and see what he or she prefers. Trust me – the baby gear will consume your life if you let it! The less you have, the better.

Colic Calm, Gripe Water, Gas Drops

We tried them all for our super fussy baby. Turns out she had a milk protein allergy – once she was on the correct formula, the fussiness disappeared. Some people swear by them, but homeopathic medicines can be hit or miss. Best not to buy these until your little one is here.

Fisher-Price Rock n Play Sleeper

A registry favorite. Touts itself as a sleeper (which can be placed beside mom and dad’s bed) and is supposed to help with reflux (which S had pretty severely). I was never super comfortable with her sleeping in it – it didn’t seem as safe as a traditional bassinet or co-sleeper. Plus, her reflux? This didn’t help it at all. We ended up using it for some downstairs naps, so not a good investment for us!

Breastfeeding Supplies

I know. I was determined to breastfeed. And, despite what some breastfeeding advocates say, some people are incapable of it. Physically incapable (insufficient glandular tissue, in my case). My daughter lost 11% of her body weight within 3 days of birth and was almost hospitalized. Luckily, I had an incredibly supportive pediatrician and lactation consultant that we were real and honest with me – it doesn’t work out for everyone (though I did continue to pump – less than a ounce total a day – to give her what I could). I was truly devastated at first, and thinking of all of the breastfeeding supplies my friends and family had purchased made me feel even worse. I’m not saying you shouldn’t register for any breastfeeding supplies, but maybe not the whole she-bang (nursing covers and the like).

It’s the best thing about pregnancy.

No, I’m not talking about your right to eat all the things. Or, the fact that you can get out of anything – “Oh, you know, I don’t think I’ll be coming to [insert tedious social function here], I’m just not feeling up to it, since I’m growing a person and all.”

I’m talking about finally feeling that little bundle of joy start doing jumping jacks in your belly. As someone who had a pretty rough pregnancy, even I get a little nostalgic thinking about those quiet moments of lying in bed, watching my belly dance. It is, without a doubt, magical.

So – when should you start feeling junior?

Flutters

It might feel like a goldfish swimming in your belly, popcorn popping, or even a little poke; you can expect to feel your baby for the first time sometime between 16 and 25 weeks. 25 weeks may seem a bit late, but a lot of things will affect your ability to feel those baby kicks – whether you’re a first time mom, the baby’s positioning, etc. Don’t fret if you’ve hit 16 weeks and you’ve felt nada – there is a large range of normal here!

Once you feel that special little baby wiggling around in there, you’ll become hyper-aware and try to feel them all of the time. Thing is – even once you’ve felt your baby for the first time, it doesn’t mean that you will feel him or her all of the time, or even every day. As the weeks continue, you can expect to feel more, but don’t worry if little babe skips a day or two in the beginning.

When Can Daddy Feel the Baby?

Ok, Dad’s jealous – tell him to cool his heels. It may take a bit longer for him to feel any movement outside of your belly. Though, for what it’s worth, my husband felt our daughter for the first time the same week I started feeling her at all, so it totally varies from woman to woman.

Movement in the Third Trimester

Usually by 28 weeks or so, you are feeling your baby moving around several times a day. You may feel different kinds of movement too, like kicks/jabs and whole body rolls. You’ll probably be able to see this movement too, which may scare young children (I have to admit, it can look a little freaky). You may be able to tell when your baby is asleep, from lack of movement, and even learn their schedule, which may be quite different from yours – my daughter always enjoyed her 3am disco party.

You may have heard that baby doesn’t move as much as you get closer to your due date. You should still be feeling your baby often, but the movement will be different, since he or she is starting to run out of room in there. Less jumping jacks, more pushing and stretching.

The Important of Kick Counts

There was nothing more frightening to me while I was pregnant than the prospect of stillbirth. Doing kick counts gave me a huge peace of mind!

What are kick counts, you say?

It is basically counting (and perhaps recording) fetal movement every day. Consult your pediatrician on how to do kick counts, but here’s what did:

1. Pick a time of day that your youngster likes to party (I did them about an hour before bed).

2. A snack or cold water can help get baby moving – I’ve heard orange juice is especially effective.

3. I’d lay down in a quiet room and concentrate on my belly. I used an app on my iPad to record the kicks. Count any kind of movement – flutters, kicks, or rolls – but don’t count hiccups.

4. I’d keep counting until I got to 10 movements. Sometimes it only took 1-3 minutes, sometimes it took 15 minutes. The general recommendation is that you should get 10 movements in 2 hours. Depending on your pediatrician’s advice, you may want to either try again later if you don’t get 10 movements in 2 hours, or call your doctor. Additionally, recording fetal movement can also help you recognize trends in your baby’s movement. Should you see a downward trend in movement (it is taking longer and longer for you to get to 10 kicks over a couple of days), you should call your doctor and let them know.

Kick counts are a wonderful way to check in with your baby!

So, to the preggie ladies out there, the ones whose feet ache, who have to pee every 5 minutes, who can barely fit in their cars anymore (did anyone else have to adjust their steering wheel? Bueller?) – I have this to say. Cherish those sweet moments when you feel your baby move. You’ll miss it, I guarantee it.

Before you’ve probably shared your pregnancy news with the world (aka Facebook), your doctor may offer you a NT scan, or the nuchal translucency screening. This screening is performed towards the end of the first trimester in two parts – a blood test and a specialized ultrasound. The results are then evaluated by a physician and your baby’s risk for several different chromosomal abnormalities is calculated.

So, should you do it? There are several things to consider.

1. It may not be covered by your insurance. As an optional test, you may be footing the bill. Always check with your insurance if cost is an issue.

2. It is not a diagnostic test. The NT scan will NOT tell you if your baby has a chromosomal abnormality; it only assesses the risk. Typically, if your results show an increased risk, you will have the option to perform additional tests, such as a CVS (chorionic villus sampling), amniocentesis, or a blood test such as MaterniT21. Additionally, a low risk does not mean that your baby won’t have an abnormality, just that it is unlikely.

3. It may provide you with peace of mind – or the opposite. If you’re a worrywart, the NT scan may provide some reassurance that your little one only has a very small chance of having an issue. On the other hand, as a woman whose baby showed a high risk of down syndrome but turned out to have no chromosomal issues, I sometimes regret putting myself through all of the intense stress that accompanies such a result.

4. You want the possibility of bringing in specialzed care. The sooner you find out that your baby has a chromosomal; abnormality. the sooner that you can gather a team of specialists to support your bundle of joy once he or she arrives.

5. Ask yourself: would it matter? If the results truly would not affect the progress of your pregnancy, you may feel that the NT scan is unnecessary. Only you and your partner can make that decision!

1. The sun is your friend. Most of the time, even with the ickiest baby poop, my diapers would come out of the wash looking brand new (having a sprayer helps, I think). But, if your diapers come out of the washer looking less than perfect, just hang them up outside and let the sun do its thing. Seriously, the sun will bleach the stains right out of your diapers!

2. You might have the wrong type of washing machine. It’s true, you can wash cloth diapers in a high efficiency front loader, but you’re more apt to have issues with detergent build-up, ammonia stink, and other fun things. A good, ‘ol top loader works best – more water  = cleaner diapers. If you have a front loader, fear not – here are some tips for you.

3. You may need to rethink Junior’s wardrobe. There are few things cuter than a fluffy, cloth diapered baby booty – but that also means that said booty might not fit into clothing that is otherwise the right size. Instead of stiff jeans, go for jeggings, which have some stretch. Additionally, pick up a couple onesie extenders too! On the plus size, if you have a little lady, a colorful cloth diaper looks extra cute under a dress!

4. Always use the same diaper at the doc’s. If your babe is in a disposable diaper for their very first weight check at the pediatrician’s office (and, they probably will be, since most babies won’t fit into one size cloth diapers right away), make sure that they are in a disposable diaper each time they are weighed. Cloth diapers can add a decent amount of weight to the scale, and you want to have the most accurate reading (this is especially true if your baby is being weighed more often than normal).

5. Watch out for those diaper creams! Cloth can be a very gentle option for your baby’s bum, but if your baby has very sensitive skin, a diaper rash can be a pain to treat. Unfortunately, there aren’t very many diaper rash creams that are cloth diaper friendly and, in my experience, the ones that are aren’t that effective. It makes sense if you think about it – many rash treatments are barrier creams and a waterproof cream on your diapers means that they will start repelling liquid instead of absorbing it. You have some options though – you can use disposables with some heavy duty cream, or use fleece liners with your cloth diapers. The fleece protects your diaper from the rash creams!

Then, in the final moments of my nearly 24-hour labor, I ended up having a thing I didn’t even remember reading about: chorioamnionitis, or “chorio” (like Oreo with a hard C sound at the beginning), for short.

It wasn’t as bad as many of the other “worsts” I’d prepared myself for, but it got us stuck in the hospital for an extra week, which obviously wasn’t ideal. So I figured I’d share my tale so that any expecting moms reading it are aware of one more potential scenario.

I'm smiling because I have no idea what's about to happen to me.

My labor started out pretty typically. I was 40 weeks and six days pregnant, and woke up at 4 on a Tuesday morning with contractions. I labored at home for a bit; then, my husband, Matt, drove me to the hospital around 9. I wasn’t dilating very quickly, so at 1 p.m., a doctor came in and broke my water.

Dozens more contractions, several different positions and one epidural later, it was after midnight and finally time to start the actual delivery. I felt weak, exhausted and kind of strange, but I figured, “Well, this is childbirth.” The prospect of holding my baby girl soon got me pushing. Unfortunately, she hadn’t moved much after a half hour, so we took a break.

When we resumed, my attending nurse felt my head and exclaimed, “Oh, Mama, you’re hot!” It turned out I had a fever of 101; plus, my heart rate and the baby’s were both high. That’s when I heard her say the word to one of the other nurses.

“Chorio.”

“What’s that?” I demanded.

“It’s an infection,” she explained. “The more time that goes by after they break your water, the more likely it is that your amniotic sac will get infected. You’ve gone more than 12 hours.”

Suddenly, there were a lot more people in our room, and it was clear to me that it was Go Time. I pushed with every morsel of energy I could muster — so hard, in fact, that I threw up.

Julie’s head was stuck under my pubic bone, so my OB/GYN had to use a vacuum (which seemed more like a glorified suction cup on a string to me) to pull her out as I continued to push. I suffered a third-degree tear, and Julie was covered in meconium (her first bowel movement) when she finally emerged at 2:51 a.m.

Good thing I tried not to have any expectations, right?

Matt and I got to hold Julie briefly, but then she was whisked away to receive antibiotics because she, too, had the infection. I would only need antibiotics for 48 hours; she would need them for an entire week.

Fortunately, our hospital lets moms and dads of newborns who need prolonged care stay in their rooms as long as they’re not needed by other patients. So although I was “discharged” from the hospital on Friday morning, Matt and I both stayed put until the following Wednesday.

We sure missed our queen-size pillowtop at home, but at least we had our girl.

Julie got her vitals checked every 24 hours from her birth (every night at 2:51 a.m.), received her IV medication every 12 hours from her first dose (at 5 p.m. and 5 a.m. daily), and the pediatrician checked on her every morning at 7 a.m. Needless to say, we didn’t sleep much.

It certainly wasn’t the most ideal way to spend the first week of our daughter’s life, but we tried to focus on the positive things: all of the doctors, nurses and hospital staff members were amazing; we had lots of sweet visitors once we convinced them the infection wasn’t contagious; I got to spend extra time with the hospital’s lactation consultant, and breastfeeding went extremely well; we ordered some delicious food from nearby restaurants; we got fresh air in the courtyard, where the azaleas were in bloom; and we used a ton of free diapers.

When it was finally time to go home Wednesday morning, I’d been up walking around the hospital for days, but the volunteers insisted on wheeling me out with Julie in my arms like all the other mamas. I’ll never forget all the smiles we got as we creaked down the halls and out the sliding doors into the sunshine.

The day my daughter was born was not the happiest day of my life. The day we busted out of that hospital was.

We're smiling because we get to go use our own bathroom.

Mollee and her husband, Matt, live in Midlothian, Virginia, with their daughter, Julie, and their two Chihuahuas. Formerly a graphic designer, Mollee now stays at home with Julie, but she still enjoys making things with her hands and blogging about them. Find her recipes, paintings and crafts at molleemade.com.

1. Hormones: the hormones released during labor play critical roles in the birth process itself. Because this is a quick guide I won’t get into specifics about each of these (i.e. oxytocin, endorphins, adrenaline and noradrenaline, and prolactin), but the basic idea is that when we trust nature and allow it to take its course, our bodies release these hormones in the perfect amounts and at the perfect times, both during and after birth. These incredible hormones, which cannot be recreated by drugs or other interventions, contribute to the following:- controlling pain management,
   - signaling uterine contractions that tell baby to move down the birth canal,
   - creating a feeling of euphoria both during and after birth,
   - providing clear-headedness after birth for both mom AND baby, which plays a pivotal role in breastfeeding and bonding,
   - minimizing blood loss when placenta separates,
   - and maximizing the potential for a successful breastfeeding relationship.
2. Limiting or completely negating the “Cascade of Interventions”: briefly, the Cascade of Interventions refers to the reality that even a seemingly minor intervention (say, stripping of membranes) can disrupt the natural course of labor and birth and can ultimately lead to further intervention(s) and problems (the documentary The Business of Being Born does a great job explaining this further). Opting for a natural birth may eliminate the danger of ending up with unwanted and unnecessary interventions.
3. Due Date Variations: technically, this category falls under the “Cascade of Interventions” heading, but we now have updated data of which all parents-to-be should be aware. Recent studies illustrate that the length of pregnancy can vary naturally by as much as FIVE weeks.  Currently the “42 weeks” deadline looms large and can create a feeling of impending doom in that most care providers typically want to “move things along” at this point, which means intervening; and remember, more often than not, one intervention leads to the next. If due dates are more flexible than we once thought, parents can avoid intervening to induce labor and can simply let nature take its course. The following link provides more information: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2013/9/science-pregnancy/
4. Optimal Positioning aids the Birth Process: a mother who births naturally has more options in regards to movement and birth positioning which significantly impacts the birth process. If a mother’s legs are numb from an epidural, for example, she most likely will be lying down or sitting up on a hospital bed, not walking or swaying, lunging or squatting, finding the most comfortable position to labor and birth. Being able to choose how she labors can align the baby to move speedily through the birth canal which can also reduce discomfort.
5. Birth as an Empowering Experience: women’s bodies were designed to push out babies, but we have been intimidated by a medicalized model of birth—one that says women need help getting a baby out because our bodies are “broken” (small pelvis, first-time mom hasn’t “proven” herself, baby “too big,” etc.) and that the doctor always knows best. BUT—when we educate ourselves we learn we have choices, and we can make important decisions for our babies and our bodies. Birth can be intensely empowering when we trust women’s bodies to do what they have been doing since time began. I am not implying that birthing with intervention is lesser. Simply put, birthing without intervention— where mom and baby work together, ebbing and flowing to an ages-old rhythm of birth—can provide a woman with an entirely new perspective on her strength and abilities. Oftentimes this heightened self-confidence transfers to other aspects of life (say, motherhood and “mommy instincts”) and it can change the way we view ourselves as women. Natural childbirth certainly has been the most transformative experience of my life to date.

For more information, the following are some of my favorite birth resources—

So what do you think? Are you going the natural route? Are you definitely getting the drugs? Have experiences you want to share? Leave them in the Comments section below, because we’d love to know your thoughts!

When you find out that you’re pregnant, you’ll soon encounter a laundry list of things you can’t do for the next 9 months. For many new mommies to be, one of the hardest activities to give up is enjoying alcohol. Traditionally, drinking in any amount has been deemed a no-no. But some are starting to question this hard and fast rule.

One thing is for certain: heavy drinking during pregnancy is absolutely off-limits (defined as 5 or more drinks at one time). It can cause all kinds of serious issues, from birth defects to growth issues (under the umbrella of a “fetal alcohol spectrum disorder”). It can even cause a miscarriage or stillbirth.

But, what about a glass of wine here and there?

You’re probably going to get conflicting advice. This can be frustrating. For every study that suggests that any alcohol consumption could potentially harm a fetus, you will probably find another that finds that light drinking is a-okay.

So, what’s a prego to do?

Always discuss these decisions with your doctor, first and foremost. Your doctor should be someone that you trust, so their guidance will have a huge impact on your decision.

Also, decide where you fall on the pregnancy anxiety scale. If you can’t bring yourself to eat lunch meat (even heated up) or touch your cats for fear of toxoplasmosis, that sip of wine will probably cause you more stress than enjoyment, no matter how much you miss it.

The bottom line? Do your research, talk to your doctor, and make an informed decision that you’re comfortable with!

Jennifer and her husband, Robert, live in Tidewater, Virginia, and welcomed a beautiful baby girl named Seraphina on November 8, 2013. Besides expounding on the amazing/scary/life-changing topic of pregnancy, Jennifer is the full-time blogger behind Not Your Momma’s Cookie, where she tries to make cool treats and frequently shares embarrassing stories. 

To get things started, I’ll share our daughter’s room. Ella is now a year old but she’s still in the crib. (She decided to climb out of the crib for the first time this weekend, so we’ll be making some changes soon). We purchased an off-white furniture set from Babies R Us and went with an overall green and pink theme. Check it out:

I know you guys have some great nurseries (and kids rooms) to share, so send them on over and we’ll share them with everyone.

And while you’re waiting, check out these much more inspiring nurseries.