Sweet Bobbins

I have a friend who has a company where the sew all sorts of custom things. The cutest baby items you have ever seen in prints you don't usually find. Pacifier clips, nursing pads, nursing cover-ups, diaper inserts, cloth wipes, bibs, key fabs, custom crib sheets and bed sets. Check it out!!! www.sweetbobbins.etsy.com

Confessions...

My confessions are coming soon but I have come down with a terrible cold that has rendered me useless for several days now. As soon as I am together I will start dishing.

Confessions of an overweight Mommy to Be

As someone who grew up with one of my biggest fears being that I would be fat, it is hugely disappointing that I am now in that category. I am 22 weeks pregnant and my weight has definately modified my outlook about this. I really wanted to get pregnant so I am elated at the fact. I know that I am not the only one who is or has gone through this. I figured that I should start getting some of these feelings out in hopes that I will be able to sort through them and help others who are too. Please join me as I open my heart and share with you from the depths. I hope this reaches out to you.

Witch Doctors vs Scalpel Happy OBs

I've never really wanted to be one of those people that get on a rant and not let it go but I have now found myself to be a 33 year old woman who is pregnant and trying to find a balance in prenatal care and delivery options. Let me just give a bit of a background here. I already have a daughter, she is 13 years old. I gave birth to her in a hospital and overall, it was not a bad experience.
I was 20 years old, I had been through schooling for Medical Lab assisting, and even placed in State Competitions for it. I had a growing love and respect for the medical field. I planned to (and did) go back to school for my Phlebotomy Certification. In preparation for my delivery I preregistered at the hospital and went to birthing and breastfeeding classes. I knew what I wanted for an ideal delivery. I knew I didn't want to take any drugs and to only use alternate options for relief from discomfort. This had been a very healthy pregnancy with no complications and I was at my prime.
Upon arrival at the hospital I was put in a wheelchair and taken to the Labor and Delivery Ward. I failed to call the doctor before we left for the hospital (it's not like I'd done this before) so I was put in bed with a fetal monitor until they heard back from him. The bed was probably the last place I wanted to be. Since I had not made the call that was required, the hospital went into default mode.
I know how that works.
I have since spent several years working as a phlebotomist, some of the time in the hospital and some in a family practice and a few as an Autotransfusionist-in the OR. I have been the caregiver and I know what happens the minute you check into the hospital. You somehow lose all personal credibility and the staff automatically assumes that you don't know what you are talking about, you don't know the lingo and you are incompetent to make good decisions.
Carry this concept over to the Labor Ward and it is magnified by the thinking that a woman in labor cannot make a rational decision for herself.
While trapped in the bed I had more paperwork to fill out. I certainly didn't understand why, after preregistering at this hospital and even taking classes there, was it necessary for me to fill out more paperwork between contractions. Alas, I guess this was tolerable. I have no idea how long I was made to stay in bed, but it was far longer than I wanted to be. If it weren't for my husband convincing me to comply, I would have gotten up much sooner. Once the hospital heard from my doctor, I was allowed to be up and walking around.
The first nurse I had was not at all helpful; she even looked at me during a contraction as though she had never seen someone in labor before. My second nurse-though...Jennifer was her name; she was a God-send. I had back labor and was using my husband as standing support to help off load the pressure. This was not his environment; he seemed to be at a loss. He wanted to be helpful but needed to be told what to do-which is not normal for his character. Jennifer stepped in and gave suggestions to help relieve my discomfort. One of them was getting in the shower which was very soothing.
Once my water broke I was directed back to the bed since "the baby was coming". With a following contraction I was told to push, so they could see what kind of progress I was making. Apparently it was more than expected because after that I was told to "blow off the next contraction" because my doctor had not arrived. I was assured that if the baby came that there was Dr. So-and-so outside of the room if needed.
I have to say, at this point I didn't care WHO caught the baby-it was time for it to come!!! I did follow directions though, and my doctor made it in time. After my perfectly healthy daughter was born the doctor stood up and shook my hand and told me I did a great job. I achieved my goal; I brought her into this world without the intervention of drugs. I didn't want her little system to have to process out anything unnecessary when I was capable of giving birth without medication or other intervention; what my body was designed to do. However, once in the Mother-Baby unit, I did concede to an Ibuprophen.
I was disappointed though, when the umbilical cord was cut (sooner than I thought was necessary) and she ended up needing to receive oxygen since her poor little body was a dark purple/red. This was not an emergent state but still something that seemed preventable and deflated the value of what I had just accomplished.
In the past several years I have had one sister give birth in a birthing center (twice!) and another do a home birth and two birthing center deliveries. I've notice how much more in-tune their midwives were to what my sisters wanted. They seemed to be in much more control of their situations and happily satisfied with their outcomes.
However, when I go into a birthing center their strides towards a homey atmosphere seem to remove a sense of certainty of a standard of care. I'm not saying that it is not there, just merely that I find assurance in the pristine setting of a hospital. Let me follow that up by saying, after working in the OR and out on the floors too, that concept is nothing but an illusion. I have found blood from previous patients on equipment set up in fresh new rooms. I've watched as housekeeping staff drag a mop around the center of the floor and don't clean to the edges or the corners. Yet, I still find that I want to trick myself into thinking it's "clean-er". I have also been it the birthing centers that are so far into their concept of womanly power that apparently they don't need to even dust!
I want to have my baby in a place where all of my options are there; where I can have the option of birthing in a tub, or lying on my back in a hospital bed. Where I can use a birthing ball, or be on all fours. Where they can catch it in the shower or while I'm walking down the hall. I feel like if I'm in a hospital my only option becomes the bed. If I'm in the birthing center, I don't even get the option of a normal hospital bed. If I'm in the hospital they are going to make me do what they think is right and disregard what I want, but at least they will take care of me for a few days after. If I'm in the birthing center I get to do what I want for the birth but then I have to pack my own meal and leave within a few hours, without assurance and assistance for the days to come. Why isn't there an in-between option that respects the value of the medical field while giving the freedom to have the least bit of intervention for the care of your baby? Why is it that an OB acts like "natural birth" is like getting prenatal care from a witch doctor and birthing centers act like OBs are standing at the door with a syringe in one hand and a scalpel in the other?

Low Entry Giveaway

Check out this giveaway-for the germaphobe in all of us! Get the link under Tips 4 Savings.

New Things

It surprises me that finally when my life is slowing down to a pace that I like I end up getting involved with something else. So here I am, signed up for another committee.
I grew up in Brandon, Fl. Our big family splurge every year was to go to the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City. I looked forward to it. It was a really big deal. We lived about 20 minutes from the State Fair and even had the day out of school to go. But the kids in Plant City had the day off for the Strawberry Festival. Since the two of them were only a month or so apart, people in our area you would plan their finances around going to them. We could only afford one and it was ALWAYS the Strawberry Festival. I love everything about the berry and I seriously anticipated having the HUGE strawberry shortcakes that were sold for only $2.50. We had to share many things growing up, but my Mom tried her best to allow us each to have our own.
My excitement has never dwindled for this berry-or the event. After having lived in the Carolinas for 8 1/2 years and missing all of those Strawberries I finally got to go back in 2009. And I definately caught Strawberry Fever!!! Imagine my surprise when 2010 rolled around and it was announced that my current town of Fort Mill was going to replace the Spring Festival with it's very own South Carolina Strawberry Festival!!!
What a delight! So the festival here is nothing like the one in Florida. Actually it reminds me of the Fourth of July Festivals of my childhood. A very hometown feel, where you feel safe and let your children run free (with in reason). I was so tickled about this event that I just couldn't contain myself. So, wouldn't you know it I have managed to get myself involved with the Planning Committee. I am seeing strawberries in everything! It's funny how this fruit has followed me my whole life. Even in High School I had a coach that called me Strawberry! Well, I guess it suits me!

A new day...

Well, I have tried to join this world of Blogging. I truly like the idea but have had a challenge from time to time. I have sat down many nights with a consideration of what I might write about. Most times I think that what I have to post is probably not so interesting. I decided to bring this frustratrion to a dear friend of mine. She brought to my attention how much I do that people might like to read about. So now, I am making my commitment to you to share more of what I do. I realized, that perhaps I should document what I do through more photographs. I had forgotten that through all of these years I have learned new things and possibly take them for granted. So now I am going to make it a point to share with you my learned things as well as the new endeavors that I take on.

My latest quest is to learn about food storage. Although I understand that the point behind that is to have a stock of food supply that can sustain your family with out the luxury of electricity or even a clean water supply. But for now, I am just trying to expand my pantry stock while couponing as well as explore ways to save food for longr periods of time-economicly.

I purchased a Food Saver to see how it may help. My first task was to purchase a 6lb package of Ground Beef and divide it out. I also bought a 5lb bag of Cheddar Cheese with the same goal.

Stay tuned for step by step directions for how to do this, and my review of this product!