Belly Blogging ...

Happy New Year!

Nothing like starting the year off with a bang! My 2nd son was born on December 13th, weighing in at a measly 6 lbs 2 oz. He has quickly sprouted, however, and now is closer to 9 lbs.

I must say, no one really warned me how hard having two little ones would be … especially tending to the needs of a newborn (and a colicky one, at that) while trying to spend time with and entertain a toddler. Our evenings require a lot of patience! I am certainly glad to be through with pregnancy, but this is definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

With my pregnancy I gained 30 lbs, and now, 4 weeks later, the scale is telling me that I have a good 10 lbs to lose. Trust me, I’m watching, and it hasn’t budged for a couple of weeks … Although I’ve visited the gym a handful of times, I haven’t gotten the official “go ahead” from my OB yet, so I’m trying to ease into it. Just like everyone says, I’m finding that it’s harder to lose the weight the second time around!

So my plan is this … realistically, I can exercise 3-4 times per week at this point, thanks to lots of babysitters in the family and a husband that will let me escape for an hour on Saturday mornings. But more importantly, my diet MUST change. I let myself slip a little during my pregnancy and indulged in quite a few baked goods … the fact that I was pregnant during the holidays certainly didn’t help. I had an ample supply of foods that contributed to my current muffin-top. So, my calorie-counting spreadsheet will come out tomorrow (or maybe the next day …). After all, I do believe that diet is about 70% of the effort required to lose weight. Exercise makes up the rest. I’ll keep you informed!

Are You Ready to Vote? Oct '08

Well, November 4th is almost here. Who among us is still undecided? Hopefully very few. I've managed to watch all the debates and even attend a political rally (on top of countless hours of news reports). Although we may not agree on our candidate, I hope you have thought through the issues as much as I have and vote for who you think will be best for the United States.

Although I don't believe that either candidate is perfect (or running mate, for that matter), I must side with McCain, as I believe that his ideals will more closely reflect traditional American values. For one, obviously I have to be a proponent of capitalism, otherwise I wouldn't have this business. This country was founded on the backs of immigrants who made their own way by using their God given talents. They created and ran their own businesses without much government interference, and the best and brightest have succeeded without government hand-outs. I believe small businesses will prosper under McCain, I'm not so sure about what will happen under Obama.

While I don't agree with everything McCain is proposing, I do feel that he is, and has always been a proud supporter of America. I question Obama's associations with some of his mentors, one of whom claims to not regret the terrorist acts he performed years ago (yes, I know Obama was only 8) and as recently as 2002 has admitted to being an Anarchist and Marxist, and he's not the only one of Obama's friends that holds these ideals. I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like the America that I want to live in. I understand that Obama wants to make life more fair for everyone, but incorporating socialistic ideals where he is taking from one and giving to another is not the American Way. And regardless of how long ago these acts occurred, I would not befriend an admitted terrorist, period.

I could go on and on about the views of each candidate, especially on abortion, taxes, trade, etc. But the last thing I want to bring up is this: This comes from IPI, a non-profit public policy organization, and the sound byte airs on CNN and Fox News.

Republicans controlled Congress and the presidency from 2001 to 2007. So they should get the 'credit' or the 'blame' for whatever happened in those years. But in January 2007, the Democrats took control of Congress. In those last two years:

• The Dow has fallen more than 2,000 points.
• Wall Street has collapsed and banks are closing.
• Consumer confidence surveys have been cut in half.
• Gasoline prices have risen from about $2.20 a gallon to over $4.00.
• And the economy has lost hundreds of thousands of jobs.

As political commentator Rich Galen points out, the question every American should be asking is, "Are you better off than you were TWO years ago?"

Electing a democrat will completely throw all governmental control to the left. There need to be checks and balances or our country could very quickly go through some drastic changes that will affect our American way of life. Please choose your candidate wisely and KNOW the issues you are voting for or against. VOTE RESPONSIBLY!

UPDATE:

Okay, Okay, so Obama won. I am not a sore loser. I will honor him now that he is my president and I will judge him only after his ideas have been put into place and I can see the results of them. After all, how could so many millions of people be wrong ...?

My Top 5 Books to Read During Pregnancy, Sept 08

Hello fellow preg-o's! This week I'd like to tell you about a few books that greatly helped me during my first pregnancy and 1st year (and beyond) with my son. I'm sure you will be familiar with some, but maybe not all of them. Hopefully you'll come across one that sounds interesting to you. If this is your first pregnancy, purchasing one or all of these books will be well worth it! After all, your baby doesn't come with an instruction guide!

The one that most of us have heard of is What to Expect When You're Expecting, by Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg and Sandee Hathaway. This great guide does just that, from the beginning of pregnancy through your birth. If you're not quite sure what is normal or not, this is the book you want. I can't tell you how many times I referenced this book even AFTER I read it. You can read it month by month or look up specific issues through the index. It's in paperback and has been updated recently to include more modern issues. (And the woman on the front is not in a rocking chair anymore! Hooray!)

Another book that I like in addition to the last one is Your Pregnancy: Week by Week, by Dr. Glade Curtis and Judith Schuler. This one goes into detail about the changes in your baby and your body each week during pregnancy. There are lots of great drawings of the baby in-utero and facts like "This week, your baby grows eyelashes." As you go, it tells you how much weight you should have gained and addresses issues that will be of concern during that time frame, such as AFP Tetra testing (18-21 weeks), your first sonogram (20 weeks), and glucose testing, among other things.

A book that I am currently reading is called Natural Baby and Childcare, by Lauren Feder, MD. This book is of particular interest to me because I am more concerned now about vaccinations and other potentially harmful things that my child will be exposed to. The book is written by a woman who earned her MD but runs a mostly holistic pediatric practice (but is not opposed to conventional medicine, if needed). Throughout the book, she talks about holistic remedies and ways to help your child avoid or overcome illnesses without conventional medicine. She also talks a lot about organic nutrition and ways to "naturalize" your house and environment to minimize exposure to toxins.

Another book by Dr. Feder is The Parents' Concise Guide to Childhood Vaccinations. If you are having questions about whether or not to vaccinate your child, READ THIS BOOK! It is excellently written because it gives you a clear perspective from both sides: that of an MD and that of a holistic practitioner. It helps you weigh risks and benefits of each vaccine and then outlines a guide to help you minimize any potential negative reactions your child may have if you choose to vaccinate. Dr. Feder admits that she did not vaccinate any of her children, but as someone that has and will continue to vaccinate, I found this book to be extremely helpful. It's also a pretty short read!

Lastly, almost everyone will read some sort of book on sleep training. There are so many different philosophies and I'm not saying that the one I followed is the right one, but I will admit that I have a toddler that sleeps 11 hours at night and takes a 2 hour nap each day, and in general, is a really good kid! Oh, and he was sleeping through the night (we're talking 12 hours straight) at 4 months old! So the last book I'm going to recommend is On Becoming Baby Wise, by Gary Ezzo, MA and Robert Bucknam, MD. This method relies on the schedule of 1) Eat, 2) Play, 3) Sleep. Getting your baby into this pattern is not so easy to do sometimes, and you'll have days where it just doesn't work, but eventually this comes naturally to your baby and her sleep/wake cycles will become pretty regular (less stress on Mom, Dad and Baby!). This is a great step-by-step reference book that takes you through the weeks. It will instill a sense of confidence in you as a parent!

If anyone has any recommendations of other books, I'd be glad to review them and post the references!

What's going on with BPA, July '08

After much thought, my topic for this week is something that most of us moms have already heard about, and something that you soon-to-be moms should be looking into. It's called BPA.

What is BPA? Otherwise known as Bisphenol A, it is an industrial chemical used primarily to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins, both of which are used in countless applications such as baby bottles, sippy cups, fitness water bottles, food storage containers and on the inside of some canned food.

The National Toxicology Program stated that there is some concern for neural and behavioral effects in fetuses, infants, and children at current human exposures. The NTP also has some concern for bisphenol A exposure in these populations based on effects in the prostate gland, mammary gland, and an earlier age for puberty in females.

Two recent human studies have not associated bisphenol A exposure in pregnant women with decreased birth weight or several other measures of birth outcome. Results from several animal studies provide evidence that bisphenol A does not cause birth defects such as cleft palette, skeletal malformations, or grossly abnormal organs.

Data from studies in humans are not sufficient to determine if bisphenol A adversely affects reproduction when exposure occurs during adulthood. A number of studies, when considered together, suggest a possible effect on reproductive hormones, especially in men exposed to higher levels of bisphenol A in the workplace.

(Nutrition Action Health Letter, BPA Update 2008)

What is the bottom line? Can Bisphenol A affect human development or reproduction?

Possibly. Although there is no direct evidence that exposure of people to bisphenol A adversely affects reproduction or development, studies with laboratory rodents show that exposure to high dose levels of bisphenol A during pregnancy and/or lactation can reduce survival, birth weight, and growth of offspring early in life, and delay the onset of puberty in males and females. Recognizing the lack of data on the effects of bisphenol A in humans and despite the limitations in the evidence for "low" dose effects in laboratory animals, the possibility that bisphenol A may impact human development cannot be dismissed. More research is needed. See The National Toxicology Program (NTP) Draft Brief On Bisphenol A (BPA) for a more detailed response.

(NIEHS- Since You Asked: BPA)

In my opinion, it's better to be safe than sorry. If this stuff could possibly be leaching chemicals into my or my child's body that mimic estrogen, I'm going to choose one of the many alternatives out on the market. Most of the time, they don't cost any more than the original item.

Nalgene Outdoor has come out with a line of BPA free sport bottles. SIGG produces steel bottles for adults and kids. Many Whole Foods stores now carry BPA free items as well. A helpful website that I found to evaluate the products I already have is this one.

I look forward to your comments!