It’s my due date!

So, I figured being a first time mother it would take a while to go into labor. As I write this, I will be past my due date in 10 minutes. I’ve had a near great pregnancy and the last few weeks were a change because I felt kind of crappy. The past couple nights I finally have slept and started feeling a bit peppier as far as being more energized, but even simple things as walking to the nearest store resulted in a 3 hour nap.

I’m okay with this because after everything I have read, this could single my body preparing itself for labor…maybe not. I’m nervous about meeting my little girl, yet excited. It’s going to happen and I know she will be the best thing that will ever happen to me. Plus I want to get the pain over with!

TMI: Things only Mothers will understand

Since I became pregnant, I soon realized a lot of things that happened to pregnant women that I feel never get addressed publicly. I believe if young females were more educated on what it meant to actually carry a child, safe sex would be practiced more frequently.

You hear the common shitty aspects of being pregnant: backache, headaches, mood swings,heartburn, weight fluctuations, and stretch marks. I was/am prepared for all of that! Fact of the matter is, I haven’t been affected by much of those yet except the 27 lbs I have gained and recent appearance of major acid reflux! It was the things I noticed that I never hear getting discussed publicly is what freaked me out the most. Thanks again for saving the day Google and What To Expect…

I imagine the ‘taboo’ of it all is simply because they are really weird, annoying and gross. The things that I feel no one talks about, but should are:

1. How much fiber you’re going to have to consume to prevent constipation – which is virtually inevitable without proper amount of fluids and fiber. Constipation leads to hemorrhoids, which is more common than I had previously thought. It’s not excessive to make sure everything you eat and drink is high in fiber!
2. Your nipples are suddenly 10x darker than before due to hyper pigmentation. What??? Why? This is supposed to go back to normal after you give birth, phew!
3. Sneezing. This is one thing I have had all 27 weeks! I sneeze at least 7-10x a day still. Carry tissues with you at ALL TIMES!
4. Leakage, ESPECIALLY when you sneeze, laugh or cough. One word: Kegels! I like to do a set of 10 every time I use the restroom. It’s supposed to help with labor too!

My last piece of advice, like always, is water, water, water! I can’t stress the importance of water in general and how much more important staying hydrated it is for you and the baby during pregnancy.  Lack of hydration can lead to low amnionic fluid, noticeable Braxton Hick contractions and even pre-term labor!

To cloth or not to cloth?

When I first found out about my pregnancy, my main concern FAR was if I was going to be able to afford a child being a single mom while attending school.  I want(ed) to have the cheapest happy healthy baby as possible. I researched and read on ways to cut baby costs and one thing intrigued me: cloth diapering. I love the idea of it also being eco-friendly and  it was an added perk to know I wouldn’t be introducing her to chemicals so soon!

I deliberated for several months on if cloth diapering would be something I’d want to pursue for my first child. I spent a lot of time researching the topic through different platforms trying to decide if the pros outweighed the cons and after several months I have decided to try cloth diapering.

A common concern is if I would have the time to do cloth diapering? I do go to school full time and work. Then I figured, “Hey, if it saves me money-it’s worth it.” Then it came down to water costs? Water actually doesn’t cost that much, it’s electricity that is what is often high. I already wash my clothes in cold water, and I can sacrifice  2 loads of hot water cost a week.

I finally purchased Real Nappies on Amazon at a killer price and OsoCozy Indian Cotton prefolds for Ivy’s first 6 months. If it doesn’t work for me, I tried.