5 of My Favorite Pregnancy Posts.

Wow. 

I was just looking back though some of my photos from my last pregnancy.

I didn't realize just how much my belly grew.

The human body is just so amazing.

I haven't done a Pregnancy Post in the last few months, so here are some Oldies but Goodies.


1. A Goddess, A Cow and A Cat

2. Perineal Massage

3. Eating Dates and Shorter Labor Times (seriously do it...all I know is that I went from having a 20 hour Labor with Kid #1 and a 5 hour Labor with Kid #2.)

4. Dealing with Heartburn During Pregnancy

5. My Post-Partum Physical Self-Care Check-list (I ended up doing most of these. It was a lot of getting everything ready before and keeping up with it BUT so worth it. I healed up SO MUCH faster than the first time.)

For Pregnancy and Beyond. The Goodness of Red Raspberry Leaf Tea.

"Red Raspberry Leaf Tea" is a wonderful tonic for women during Pregnancy and afterwards. I drank it daily for my last two trimesters, during my most recent pregnancy. Did I mention my first Labor lasted for 20 hours and my second for only 5 hours?

I seriously think Red Raspberry Leaf Tea was big factor. (Besides Eating Dates).

I drank it sporadically during my first pregnancy and had very few Braxton Hicks Contractions. The second time? I had a crazy amount of Braxton Hicks. My uterus was revving up for the Big Show.

According to Susun Weed (herbalist extraordinaire and writer of the book Herbal for the Childbearing Year )....

Rubus is the best known, most widely used, and safest of all uterine/pregnancy tonic herbs. It contains fragine, an alkaloid which gives tone to the muscles of the pelvic region, including the uterus itself. Most of the benefits ascribed to regular use of Raspberry leaf tea throughout the pregnancy can be traced to the strengthening power of fragine or to the nourishing power of the vitamins and minerals found in this plant.

She lists the following; vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, iron, vitamin A and B complex, phosphorous and potassium. That sounds like an awful lot of goodness, doesn't it?

Not only has Red Raspberry Leaf Tea been terrific during my pregnancies, it's been a life-saver with Menstrual Cramps.

A few years back, when I was subbing at my local Baltimore City school, one of the teacher assistants was having awful cramps. I lived half a mile away, so during my lunch break I went home and brewed up Red Raspberry Leaf Tea. She drank it and later asked me what was in it, her pain stopped so quickly.

Infusions are different than brewing up a cup of tea. The magic number is 7. If you are using tea bags, the ratio should be 7 teabags to 1 cup of water.

If I don't grow the herb, I usually buy it from Mountain Rose Herbs. They come in plastic bags, so I generally store them in mason jars or other glass jars.

How to Make an Infusion with Leaves....

1. Take two handfuls of cut-up leaves or three handfuls of whole leaves.

2. Put in large glass jar.

3. Fill to top with boiling water.

4. Put lid on
.
5. Steep for four hours or overnight in the fridge.

6. Pour into a mug, using a tea strainer to catch any loose leaves.


***I reuse the leaves 2-3 times by just filling up the jar again with boiling water.



Another method is to put several handfuls in a clean towel, tie up the towel with a string or rubber band and steep it in a large stock pot. (The second photo illustrates what I mean).

I've used this method during my pregnancy because I was going through so much tea. I frozen several OJ bottles full to drink during Labor. I ended up only drinking one of the OJ bottles but drank the rest during my Post-Partum recovery.


Can you tell I love my Red Raspberry Leaf Tea?




**** A Reminder, please check with your Doc first and get the okay, okay?

The Simplicity Month. Egyptian Red Lentil Soup.

This has been one of my quick, simple go-to meals for several years now. It's crazy cheap and crazy good. 

It's a terrific soup to freeze, if you are pregnant and trying to stock-up your freezer.

My friend gave me the recipe at one of my Soup Swaps. Thanks, Molly for introducing it to me!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of Butter or Coconut Oil
1 Onion
3 cloves of Garlic
1 cup of Carrots
1 tablespoon of Dried Thyme
1 teaspoon of Cumin
2 cups of Red Lentils
8 cups of Water, Veggie Stock or Chicken Stock
Sea Salt to taste

Directions

1. In a large pot, melt the Butter (or Coconut Oil). 

2. Add Onion and Carrots. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently (about 5 minutes). 

3. Add Cumin, Thyme and Garlic (about 1 minute).

4. Add Lentils (3 minutes). Keep stirring so they don't stick.

5. Add Water, Veggie Stock or Chicken Stock (or a combination of all 3).

6. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.

7. Blend if desired.

***Sorry for the unappealing photo. My Sissy wanted this recipe today and I didn't have any photos of bowl of my "Egyptian Red Lentil Soup." I didn't want to defrost this container just so I could take a photo, so this will have to do. 

My Favorite Birthing Books.

Preparing for Child-birth and Motherhood is over-whelming (in many, many different ways). People prepare differently. I like classes. So, I took several classes during my first Pregnancy.

I am a Reader. So, I read. Lots and lots of books.

These are the books that were the most helpful for me, during both my Pregnancies. I re-read some of them (it's amazing how much you forget, especially about newborn care and the specifics of Breastfeeding), before my 2nd daughter was born. 

Hope this is helpful!

Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year

by Susun S. Weed

(The book is clunky and obviously self-published many moons ago. But, if you can get past the formatting issues, etc.., this is THE BOOK on herbs and women during Pre-conception, Pregnancy and Post-partum. Susun Weed is kinda out-there, but she knows her stuff).

Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality

by Laura A. Jana and Jennifer Shu

(A terrific resource. I will definitely be re-reading this book. It's so easy to focus on getting STUFF ready for the baby and preparing for Child-birth that sometimes you forget that you will be developing a new skill set...changing diapers, burping. putting to sleep, etc...).

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth: Updated With New Material

by Ina May Gaskin

(A classic. Ina May is THE most famous Midwife in the country. She and The Farm Midwives are amazing inspirations, from the mid-70s until the early 2000's...when the book was updated...their practice had a 2-3% C-Section).

Spiritual Midwifery

by Ina May Gaskin

(Another classic. This book was originally written in the 1970's and you can definitely tell. The words "heavy" and "psychedelic" are thrown around a lot. It's a collection of Birth Stories told by women who had their babies at the Farm. The last section has some interesting information for Midwives and folks interested in learning more about Child-birth. The photos and drawing are a hoot).

Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers

by Nancy Mohrbacher and Kathleen Kendall-Tackett

(This book was highly recommended to me by one of the Lactation Consultants at the phenomenal Breastfeeding Center of Greater Washington. It's my favorite book on breastfeeding.

Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation

by Pam England and Rob Horowitz

(I don't think I understood how much I had absorbed of this book until I began re-reading it. Pam England is a Certified Nurse Midwife and began a teaching a series of classes with her husband back in the 1990's. The book is a little on the hippy side but I think it does a fantastic job of helping mentally prepare for Childbirth. I also adore the Art Therapy element of Birthing From Within, which I think it's particularly helpful for second-time Mamas).

Journey into Motherhood: Writing Your Way into Self-Discovery

by Leslie Kirk Campbell

(This book is a wonderful resource for women who love to write and are about to become Mothers for the first-time. There are tons of writing prompts in the book for every stage of your pregnancy and the first few months after. It is a terrific book for helping a woman deal with the emotional and mental shift that occurs when you have a baby.)




***Disclaimer: Amazon Affiliate Links are included in this post. Thank you!

Don't Forget Your Doula.

If there was only piece of advice I could give Pregnant Mamas about Childbirth, it would be hire a Doula.

It doesn't matter what kind of Birth you are planning, every woman should have a Doula.

You may have the most supportive partner in the World, but they can only do so much. A Doula has been there and done that and seen so much (my Doula had attended over 400 births by the time she had attended my first Birth). A Doula's only job is to support you!

A Doula is particularly important in the hospital because they can be your advocate when you are at your most vulnerable. A Doula is worth their weight in gold!

Here is an interesting piece on understanding statistically how having a Doula at your birth can positively affect your out-come.

During my first pregnancy, I interviewed several Doulas/Birth Assistants; it was one of our Midwives' requirements for a Home Birth.

It's essential that you meet with several and find someone whose personality fits your own. Listen to your Gut...is it a good fit? If not, keep interviewing...

I ended up going with a Doula I thought I felt comfortable with but then I started have a little doubt at the very end. The Universe works in mysterious ways because she ended up having to call in her substitute.

I met Gwen for the first time when I was completely naked and had been in active labor for 8 hours. She had a motherly presence, an awesome white streak in your black hair and didn't mind when I kept calling her "Glen" instead of "Gwen."

For the next 12 hours, she was my Rock, my Anchor, my Savior. I don't think I could have spent 2 1/2 hours pushing out a malpositioned 9 lb baby with no drugs, if she hadn't been by my side.

My husband was great.

My Midwife was great.

But, Gwen was my Life-line.

She showed my husband how to do a hip-press and took over when he needed a break. She was with me through every contraction, every breath...using a myriad of visualizations and mantras. She made sure I was constantly sipping enough water. She held my hand and got me through the most intense pain I have ever felt. She was just what I needed.

And, I was absolutely thrilled she was at my side for my second Birth.

I was only at the Birth Center for two hours before the baby was born, but Gwen was still a huge help. Even though my Labor was much faster and I had already had an un-medicated Birth...it didn't make any of the contractions easier. It was still really, really HARD WORK. Having her hold my hand and work through each contraction was AMAZING.

It was also wonderful having Gwen there the 4 hours afterwards, while I recovered.

Having her attend both my two very different Births was very special and very healing.

Doulas rock!

Buy your Maternity clothes second-hand, don't go on that expensive Baby-moon, scrimp on other things...but do yourself a huge favor and hire a Doula.

Student Doulas are ALWAYS  looking for more experience, so you may be able to hire one for free or for a reduced rate.

For tons more information and names of Doulas in your area, check out DONA International.

Pregnant Mamas. On Eating and Making Your Own Greek Yogurt.

I ate A LOT of Greek Yogurt, during both my pregnancies.

If you eat dairy products, it's a terrific way to add more protein to your diet. I would have a cup with my Breakfast, one with Lunch and sometimes as a Snack. That's over 30 grams of protein right there.

I wish I had know how easy it is to "make your own Greek Yogurt."

Seriously, all you do is dump Plain Yogurt into the Greek Yogurt Maker and let it sit over-night.

It's so much better than the commercial kind, especially if you make your own Plain Yogurt first. I really can't believe it took me so long to figure out how incredibly easy it is to make Greek Yogurt.

Head Smack.

I used this tutorial on how to make Yogurt.

I bought this Greek Yogurt Maker. Totally worth the 30 bucks I spent (considering how much Greek Yogurt we still eat around here).

Pure Yumminess.

I promise.

How Clary Sage Helped Me During Labor

During my second Un-medicated Birth, I used "Clary Sage Essential Oil." 

I wasn't very familiar with Essential Oils, before my Midwife had mentioned it at my 40 week appointment. Some of the other Midwives at the practice had just come back from a workshop where "using Clary Sage Essential Oil for pain management" had been discussed.

I found a Study of over 8,000 women in the U.K conducted over 8 years that showed that Clary Sage can be useful during Labor, so I decided to give it a try.


"The evidence from this study suggests that aromatherapy can be effective in reducing maternal anxiety, fear and/or pain during labour. The use of aromatherapy appeared to facilitate a further reduction in the use of systemic opioids in the study centre, from 6% in 1990 to 0.4% in 1997 (per woman). "


My first Labor lasted 20 hours and my second was 5 hours. My Midwife said she had expected it to last about 10 hours, since often Labor times are halved at second Births.

I think eating Dates and drinking Red Raspberry Leaf Tea had an impact. Letting go of my Fear definitely played a part.

Who knows, how much the Clary Sage helped ease any anxiety or fear I felt. But, it smelled good. It helped cover up certain other smells.

Afterwards, I used it to help with my Afterbirth Pains. For the first three days, they were as intense as my Labor contractions.

Every time, I would steel myself for the pain, by dabbing some of the Clary Sage mixed with Olive Oil under my nose.

Here is a post that explains various methods of application. Luckily, I enjoy the smell of Clary Sage - I know it can be pretty strong for some folks. Remember Essential Oils should be put in some type of Carrier Oil before putting it directly on your skin.

Have you used Clary Sage before? I'd love to hear about your experience.

Belly Cast? Do It.

Making a Belly Cast.

Have you heard of it?

I'm sure you have, if you even the slightest bit crunchy.

Two of my absolute favorite possessions are my Belly Casts. They are reminders of two very special times in my life.

My husband and I made the first one when I was 36 weeks pregnant. He put up a minor fuss during the beginning of the process (using plaster is very messy, if you didn't know) and kept saying "I'm not the artist, you're the artist. I don't want to do this." But, by the time we finished, he had gotten into it and was very glad that we did it.

The second time around was so much easier (except for the fact we were being cheap and using the remains from our first Belly Cast kit).

Some people paint their Belly Casts. I happen to love the stark white of the plaster, so I'm not going to paint either of mine.

Make sure you cover EVERYTHING while working plaster (with newspaper, an old plastic table-cloth, whatever you want to use as your drop-cloth). We accidentally got some plaster in the cracks of the wooden stool I was sitting on and they are still there. We used our Bathroom as our work-space, which was nice because I could then immediately jump into the shower.

It's a nice bonding experience with your partner and I definitely recommend celebrating your pregnancy by making one. It's a fun Date Night! Enjoy!!!

This is the Belly Cast Kit we used. (Disclosure: Affiliate Link).

The Birthing Month. Birthday Time Capsule.

One of my favorite things that we did for Nye-Nye's First Birthday, was to make her a Birthday Time Capsule of sorts. 

I wrote about it here when I was thinking about doing a Christmas Time Capsule.

It took a while to explain it everyone at the Birthday Party, but once all of the Indian Aunties understood my Odd-ball Idea they ran with it.

We handed out a letter form and a number to each group (we decided that it might be a little to overwhelming for each person to fill out their own, so we asked people to find a partner). The number was the Birthday they were suppose to write about on the paper they were given.

On Nye-Nye's 2nd Birthday, we opened the first letters. It was so sweet, I can't wait until she actually understands the concept. I have a special box where all the unopened letters remain.

Originally I wanted to do this for our Baby Shower but I wasn't able to get it together in time.

Here is an example of one of the letters.



Dear Bright Eyes,

Happy Birthday! Today, you are turning 5 years old. I am Catoctin Mountain Mama, your Mama.

My favorite memory (of when I was 5 years old) was when I was playing Soccer and I looked up from where I was standing and realized my Aunt and Uncle were on the side-lines. They had drove over an hour to come and surprise me. I felt so loved.

I loved playing soccer, going to my Ballet class, playing dress-up with Aunt Mimi, cuddling with the many, many kittens on our Farm, listening to my Mama sing, sitting behind Daddy when he drove the tractor in the fields, eating oatmeal in the Morning, listening to my Popop play the piano, learning how to read and playing with my Mama's long hair when I was your age.

Don't forget to spend many hours outside playing in all sorts of weather.

My wish for you is that you will always be fearless and willing to take chances (and fall flat on your face), that you will have faith in your ability to adapt to any situation, that you will learn to always listen to Your Inner Voice, that you will come to see Life as a Journey and not as a Race, that you will always treat others with Kindness and share that gorgeous of your yours and that you will be comfortable in your own skin.

I would also like to say that I want you to question EVERYTHING, especially when you are told that it's the only way (even if the person saying that is me).

Enjoy today. Greetings from the year 2014!

All My Love Forever and Forever,
Mommy

Anala's Montessori Corner

 

 

 

Poor kid. She only gets a corner of a Bedroom to claim as her own. But, she doesn't seem to mind. Look at that concentration. Look at those smiles.

 

I think this may be my newest favorite part of our house. Sometimes it pays to be part of a long line of Pack Rats.

I borrowed the sheepskin from my Mama's house.

The mirror I took from the Master Bedroom (which originally came from my Mama's house).

 I bought the child's furniture piece from an auction for $2. My Sissy did a lovely job of painting it. And, I just added the crystal pulls from my favorite vintage store Ginger and Spice in Walkersville, MD. They cost $6 each. I moved the bookcase from one part of the room to this corner.

Since our Family is a bit Bird-crazy right now, I cut out a photography from an Audubon Calendar and put it in a frame I already had.

The "Gobbi Mobile" I made.

I am so loving this "Montessori infant room." (Even if it's just a corner).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Increasing Your Milk Supply: Honeyed Barley Water with Mint

Ancient Greeks. They knew a thing or two. Turns out one of their Sacred Drinks was "Honeyed Barley Water with Mint."

I already knew Barley Water has historically been given to folks when they were ill. But I didn't know it had such a long history.

Besides being a Sacred Drink and helping sick folks recover, Barley Water is terrific for helping New Mamas increase their milk supply.

Recently, I made my easy, delicious Barley Stir-Fry. Instead of throwing out all that nutritious water, I added some honey and fresh mint. And froze it to give to one of my Pregnant friends.

If you have ever tasted plain Barley Water, it's about as bland as you can get. Mint and honey (or agave or your Sweetener of choice) really jazzes it up.

Here is an interesting post on the history of Barley Water with two recipes.

Soups to Freeze. My Mama's "Cold Zucchini Soup"

This recipe is from my Mama and can be found in my Family Cookbook. It's a perfect, easy Summer-time dish.

Peel Zucchinis - if large, take out seeds and pith from centers.

Barely cover with water and chopped onions.

Add bouillons or use Chicken Broth.

Cook until just tender.

Cool and put into a blender (at this point you can freeze and use later...if you have a glut of zucchini, you can fill your freezer with this Soup).

Season with pepper, garlic powder, salt (unless you used a bouillon), fresh dill, a dash of curry and sour cream (or plain yogurt).

Easy, right? Except make sure you COOK the zucchini first. That's the step I missed the very first time I made this Soup when I was 19 years old. Whoops.

This would be a nice soup to make, if you are currently Pregnant and trying to stock-pile your freezer. If you don't have a garden, you may know someone who does. They'll probably be willing to give you bags full of them.

You may also want to try Broiled Zucchini. Pure deliciousness and a very FAST meal.

Mirror + Tummy Time = Happy Baby

 

Every parent knows they are suppose to do Tummy Time. At least 30 minutes a day, right? Well, "what are you suppose to do, if your baby screams after a minute (or less) when placed on their tummy?"

My Pediatrician's advice? Just do it ten times a day. Ummm...sorry that's not going to happen when there is an active Toddler racing around the house.

I just had a Head-smacking Moment, on Monday. The baby LOVES looking in the mirror. Why not combine the two activities?

Sometimes it's amazing how long it takes to open your eyes to the simple solution that's been staring you straight in the face (sorry, couldn't resist).

I began "borrowing" Nye-Nye's mirror in the Living Room. I prop it right in front of where I change the baby on the floor. It's easier to remember to do Tummy Time, by making it a habit to do it right after I change her.

She can now last up to almost 10 minutes at a time. It's a HUGE improvement! Hats off to the simplest solutions!

 

My Birth Story Told in Photos. Part III.

Now on to Part III of my Birth Story. This is Part I and Part II is here.

These are the photos from the last few minutes before Juliette Anala was born at 3 pm.  All the photos are PG...you'll see more flesh at the beach this Summer, I promise.

Why am I sharing such personal photos? Like I said before, I am disturbed by how Birth is often portrayed with much Fear and negativity in the Media. Birth doesn't have to be a terrifying, awful experience. It can be a deeply positive one.

Due to the fact that only 1% of Births in the United States happen outside of Hospitals, the average American has not seen many images an Out-of-Hospital Birth.

In one of the photos, you can see my Doula (in the purple shirt) who is also a Birth Assistant (meaning she has more medical training than a Doula) using a Doppler to monitor the baby's heart-beat. Throughout my Labor, both Gwen and Jennifer listened frequently with the Doppler, which meant I could be mobile and choose exactly which position felt the BEST for me. No one told me I had to stay in a certain position. If it didn't feel right, I moved.

My Midwife encouraged me to push very slowly, since I had had a 4th degree tear with my first Birth. She had me feel the baby's head to help me push (which is what I was doing in the photo of me smiling). She had me cough through several contractions. The "ring of fire" was seriously no joke.

Erin (my incredibly talented friend who took all the photos) got some amazing shots of the baby emerging. But, I won't be sharing those ones.

Can you believe this was the first Birth she had ever witnessed? Not only did she take these priceless photos, she was a calm, soothing presence who held my hand whenever I needed. And it was incredibly fitting that she was present. My husband and I met at her 30th Birthday Party!

Here goes...