by Jennifer Shakeel
So you are having a new baby. A wonderful addition to your happy family, or so you think. I have gone through this twice. First there was just our oldest daughter, and she loved being the only child. Then we were pregnant, a surprise to us all, and we had to prepare her for a new sibling. She was three at that time, four when her baby brother was born. That was eleven years ago. Recently we added another baby, one that was planned to our family. With 14 years between our youngest and oldest and 11 years between our second and youngest, we really thought that things would go smoothly.
I should say that we worked to make sure things went smoothly. Our son had some concerns over no longer being the baby in the family, but was looking forward to being a big brother. Our oldest was excited the entire pregnancy, she couldn’t wait for the baby and was really excited when we found out we were having a girl. They both expressed some concerns over whether or not we would love them the same, if they would have the same place in our hearts. I was surprised at their ages that they still worried. Part of the reason that we waited so long for our third child was because our son did not want to not be the baby.
More on Helping Older Siblings Adjust to the New Arrival
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Filed under Childbirth, Pregnancy by More4kids Inc.
by Jennifer Shakeel
Congratulations you are pregnant! The next nine months are going to be incredibly exciting for you. I am sure that you have heard the stories from other people you know about the weight gain, cravings and morning sickness. What no one ever tells you about are all tests the doctor is going to want to do on you while you are pregnant. When you first hear them talk about the tests the initial reaction is, “Why would I want to have that done?” Then they answer that question and your mind if overloaded with information and concern. The goal is not to worry or upset you. To help offset that anxiety I am going to go over the most common tests performed and tell you what to expect so that you are prepared when your doctor starts talking about them.
More on Pregnancy Tests - What to Expect
Filed under Pregnancy by More4kids Inc.
While it may seem as though being pregnant for nine months can last for years, especially the last trimester, it really doesn’t. Before you know it your pregnancy will be complete and you will have a beautiful baby boy or girl. The question is, are you ready for baby to come home? Do you have the essentials? I don’t mean the baby’s room necessarily, though a crib or basinet is important, but I do mean the items that you are going to need to take care of your baby once she/he is longer inside you.
Let’s start with the basics, diapers and wipes. Whether you are planning on using cloth diapers or disposable diapers you need to make sure that you have plenty of them on hand. If you are going to use disposable diapers I recommend that you at least have one package of newborn diapers, which typically will fit a baby up to 8 pounds. I wouldn’t go and buy a case of diapers until baby is born and you know his weight, because you don’t want to be stuck with a bunch of diapers that baby can’t wear. As far as wipes go, I always opt for the natural ones that are for sensitive skin. That is just a personal preference.
More on Preparing for Baby: Essentials for Your New Child
by Jennifer Shakeel
You have heard about women who suffer from postpartum depression. Some have made the news with the things that they have done. You may even remember the big debate between Brooke Shields and Tom Cruise a few years ago over whether or not it was a real condition and if medications should be used to get through it. Your doctor may talk to you briefly about it, and then you will dismiss it. The thought that is going to enter your mind is, “Who in the world could be depressed over such a wonderful event?” The answer is, more women then you realize.
The first thing I want you to understand that depression during the last trimester of pregnancy is normal. The fluctuation of hormones, the draining of your energy, not being able to sleep properly, the realization that you are going to be a new mom (for the first time or second or third) all sinking in can cause a woman to feel down, not quite like herself and depressed. This is not saying that all women go through this. I didn’t with my first two, but I can tell you with this one… the last couple of weeks have been tough.
More on Coping with Depression Before and After Childbirth
Filed under Post Pregnancy, Pregnancy by More4kids Inc.
by Jennifer Shakeel
Congratulations! You made it through labor and delivery and you are the proud parent of one of the most beautiful babies in the world! That’s right, you can now take that big sigh of relief… you are no longer pregnant. As you lay in the hospital bed, you are overwhelmed by the desire to stand up and see your no longer pregnant body. You are almost jittery with excitement of putting on those pre-pregnancy clothes. Once the pain killers wear off you jump out of bed to stand in front of the mirror and marvel at your no longer pregnant body…
Marvel indeed! Chances are it is not what you were expecting. I can tell you that last month, as I gave birth to my third child, a scheduled C-section, I asked my doctor if while she had me open she would go ahead and do liposuction and take care of everything while she was there. She laughed and told me I really didn’t need it (music to a pregnant woman’s ears) that there was really very little fat there and she was impressed. Naturally then I was looking forward to being back to where I was before I was pregnant.
More on Adjusting To Your No Longer Pregnant Body
Filed under Post Pregnancy, Pregnancy, Weight Control by More4kids Inc.
