Friday Top 5 - Biggest Challenges

5 Biggest Challenges of Having a New Baby

Having a new baby is a huge blessing, but doesn’t come without its challenges. This week’s top 5 is a list of the biggest challenges we face having a new baby in the house. Next week’s list will be the top 5 blessings, and I have a feeling many of the same things will be coming up again, as many of the challenges we face turn out to be blessings as well. For now, here are the our top 5 challenges of having a new baby:

Kathryn

1 – Breastfeeding. Although it’s getting much easier, breastfeeding is still a bit of a challenge. It’s a huge adjustment to be on call for someone else 24 hours a day. When the baby cries (or even when she doesn’t, every 3 hours) I need to drop everything and be available to her. There are many moments in the middle of the night that I would give anything to be able to go back to bed and have my husband get up to feed her, but I know breastfeeding is best for her and that it’s worth all the hard times, so I press on.

2 – Postpartum recovery. This is something I was not prepared for - a month later I have still not fully recovered! I still have to take baths every day (doctor’s orders) which is difficult to find time for, and take away from nap time. I also still find it uncomfortable to sit, which makes breastfeeding more difficult. 

3 – Waking up every couple hours. Although I often wake up in the morning feeling rested, and manage to make it to 9 or 10 at night without taking a nap, I find it very hard to get up through the night. It often feels like I’ve JUST laid my head on my pillow when she’s crying again. I end up sleeping in a chair for a least a couple hours every night, which is taking it’s toll on my back, and likely contributing to my slow recovery. 

4 – Colic/Crying. I’m sure my mom is laughing out loud as she reads this, as Ileana is not a “colicky” baby. She is generally very good… except for about 4-5 hours every evening. Luckily my husband is usually home, and he’s a big help, but it’s an awful feeling hearing her scream and scream, knowing something is bothering her and not being able to make it stop (both for her comfort and our own sanity)! 

5 – Being home all day. This comes as no surprise – I’ve never been the type to sit in the house all day, even on the weekends. I like to be busy (which I suppose I am, but it’s a different type of busy) and I find it hard to go a whole workday without talking to another adult. Luckily, though, I'm now feeling well enough to drive so I’ve started to get out of this house for short amounts of time. I’ve also been very blessed to have many visitors throughout the day, who not only keep my company, but give me opportunities to nap, shower, take a bath or get some cleaning done.

 

Natasha

I am exactly the kind of person who wants to say everything is great because it is most of the time, and when it is I tend to forget about the rough times that make the good moments so great. I also find that bringing home another new baby hasn't created any new challenges, but has amplified the ones I already had. It's been good for me to sit back on all of those things that make the good moments so great, and be thankful for this life that is a constant call to holiness and self-sacrifice (and the fact that when I mess up, another opportunity to get it right is just around the corner!)

1 - My toddler. I love this little guy to pieces, but he has been the single greatest challenge in bringing home this baby. He's been really great at home and he adores his new baby sister, but his newfound independence while a blessing at home is proving to be a problem when I venture out with the whole clan in tow. I used to just carry him everywhere but now that he's not the littlest I have to hold his hand and let him walk. When my daughter was his age she was happy to stay at my side, but this little guy is off and running as soon as his feet hit the ground. And since outings are a necessity in our schedule for the older kids, I need to make it work somehow. It certainly makes for a hairy afternoon!

2 - One more voice! When all the kids are happy, there's almost nothing that brings as much joy to my heart as the sounds of their little voices filling my house. But this being an imperfect world (and us being imperfect people) sometimes they are all going at once. Yelling, crying, being super-excited, interrupting each other. And I have a hard time tuning any of them out, which means that if the baby is crying, my preschooler is throwing a tantrum, one older boy is trying to tell me a story while another talks right over him, my head feels like it's going to explode! I'm sure it's a good thing that God made mothers with a sensitivity to their children's voices, but sometimes I wish I could turn down the volume on one (or more) of them just a little bit!

3 - Routine (or lack thereof!). I'm trying to take each day with Mary as it comes, knowing that at this stage every day is different and trying not to have any expectations. And while it helps me to be available to my little one on demand, it makes getting housework done tricky. If she has a fussy day I'm with her, and if she ends up sleeping a lot I find myself not sure what to do with myself, reluctant to start anything I may not be able to finish. There are of course many things that need to be done regardless (feeding and educating the kids chief among them!) but I've had to pick and choose a lot of the other stuff, and make peace with the fact that everything's not going to get done every (most) day(s).

4 - Forgetfulness. It is absolutely crazy how quickly I forget things, and I get so frustrated with myself. A few weeks ago when my mothet-in-law was keeping the kids overnight, she called to let me know what to pack for them, and as soon as I hung up the phone I called right back to see if she needed dress clothes for Mass for them. She laughed and said, "I just asked you that!" Seriously it's that bad. I hope it gets better soon and in the meantime, I'm getting real good at saying, "I'm sure you probably told me this already, but..."

5 - Being spread so thin. I have no doubt in my mind that this life is my path to holiness and I struggle to put this as a challenge. Every moment of every day is an opportunity to love these little ones, and the moments of chaos carry the greatest possibility of loving by serving joyfully and treating them with dignity. I wish I was an expert at this but I still have a looooong way to go. But being confronted with their innocence in my moments of failure convicts me faster than anything else, and their quickness to forgive me makes me want to try even harder. Someday I'll finish complete thought after complete thought and long for the days when my home was so full of life I had to put my thoughts side for a few minutes. I pray I can make the most of these days while I'm living them now, so that I can embrace Jesus and bring Him to my children while they are still in my care.

Friday Top 5 - Ways We Keep Our Sanity

Kathryn:

The first few days after we brought Ileana home I felt like I would never have any time for myself again. (I remember the first day struggling to find 5 minutes to remove my chipped nail polish, and the second day taking 10 minutes to dry my hair after taking a shower). Since then things have settled into more of a routine, and I’ve managed to find more time throughout the day to relax and take some time for myself. Here are the top 5 things I am doing to keep my sanity these days:

1 –  Taking Naps. I’m not sure if this counts as something I’m doing for myself, since the only way I can survive is by taking naps, as I don’t get to sleep a whole lot through the night. Curling up with the heating pad on my sore back and taking a few minutes to read my book before my nap has been a great way to relax.

2 – Taking Baths / Reading. Luckily the doctor has ordered 3-4 baths a day as I recover from the delivery, so I don’t have to feel guilty about taking 15 minutes a few times a day to to read my book. I must admit, as stressful as it is some days to squeeze them all in, I’ll definitely miss my baths when I’m all recovered. I think it’s something I'm going to keep trying to do at least once or twice week.

3 – Accepting the help of family and friends. I’ve never been the type to accept the help of others easily – I like to be independent and try to do everything on my own. But since Ileana was born I’ve really relied on the help of several generous people to survive. As hard as it sometimes was to go take a nap or a bath while my mom, mother-in-law or friend did my dishes, its something I needed to do – and its been very humbling too! One of the best things I’ve done is take people up on the offer to cook for us… I haven’t cooked a meal in 2 weeks, and we’ve been eating better than ever! Accepting generosity of the people in our lives has been an extremely overwhelming and humbling experience.

4 – Facebook. Yes, this sounds lame, but it makes me feel a little less isolated. I’ve never been the type to sit in the house all day (let alone for 2 weeks) so staying in touch with the outside world has helped me keep my sanity as I adjust to life as a stay-at-home-mom (for a year) – not to mention all the advice I’ve been getting from other mothers!

5 – Watching “The Office”. One of my favorite things to do with my husband is watch The Office. We started watching it together when we first started dating, and have now been through all 9 seasons several times. Cuddling up with him to watch an episode during one of Ileana’s evening naps has been a great way for us to feel a bit more normal and to spend some time together doing something we love.

Natasha:

1 - Baby Wearing. One of my biggest concerns with this pregnancy was how I was going to manage life with a newborn in my already-busy household. I homeschool four of my five other children (grades preschool-three) and I've never had to bring home a newborn in the middle of that yet (my last baby was six weeks old when I started homeschooling). I have other carriers but none that were useful in the newborn stage, so I asked a friend about her wrap-style carrier and she totally sold me on it. With a bit of research I settled on one, and it's been awesome! I've used it from day 1 (when my husband asked me to help him with the supper-time rush) and the baby is completely happy in it. I can teach, sweep, do laundry, vaccuum - you name it...all while the baby sleeps away. I love being able to get things done, be present to my other children in the ways I always have been, and especially to have my newborn so close to me in all of that.

2 - Stay home. You would think this would be a no-brainer for a mother six ages newborn-eight. The problem is that while my other children had a way of slowing me down (which included needing several nursing pitstops, and endless kilometres of crying in the car as newborns) this little baby is so much more content. If I'm only going to be gone for a few hours, I can often get away with nursing her before we leave the house and again when we get home (without a feeding in between). Which means if I get a hankering, say for chocolate chip cookies and we're out of sugar, there is very little talking me out of packing the whole crew up and heading to town. The problem is that we all suffer when I do that, and I am never the kind of mother my kids deserve when I throw too many balls in the air at once. We have two guaranteed days out a week (gym day and piano day) and last week, for the first time in the month since Mary's birth, I made those the only outing days in the week. And it was awesome! I need to be strict about the two day maximum for going out, to allow more time for me to breathe and spend time enjoying my little ones instead of always carting them to and fro. The sugar can wait until Daddy gets home.

3 - Taking others up on offers to help. I don't know where I'd be if it wasn't for the kind and generous support of family and friends. Whether it's a nice hot meal (we've had supper dropped off at our house five times since the baby was born), a gift of housekeeping (my parents and Jeff went halfers to pay to have our house professionally cleaned every two weeks until Christmas for my birthday), or the 100% availability of mine and Jeff's parents to look after the rest of our kids whenever we need it, even coming to us when we were totally prepared to bring the kids to them. I don't pretend for a second that I would be nearly as happy as I am without this beautiful community surrounding us, and I am so grateful for the way their giving enriches these precious early weeks and beyond.

4 - Date nights. Okay, so we all know that life with a newborn doesn't exactly lend itself to nights on the town. But Jeff and I (who are enjoying the blissful newlywed stage that thankfully always seems to follow the birth of a new baby for us) by setting aside time in the evenings for each other. One of the things I couldn't wait for in the final months of my pregnancy was to snuggle up to my husband and be comfortable! And after many months of waiting, we're making up for lost time!

5 - Blogging. I am having so much fun doing this blog with Kathryn! I love reading her posts because I had no idea how much I forgot about doing this for the first time. I love having a friend to message at 3 am knowing she'll be up too, or to say, "hey, what's you're baby doing today?" Someone I can pray for and ask to pray for me, because among the things we share on this journey is our faith. I look forward to the rest of this journey together with our new little girls, who I pray will also find in each other the same companionship I have been blessed to share with Kathryn.

Labour and Delivery - Kathryn's Experience

From the day I found out I was pregnant one of my biggest fears about pregnancy was labour and delivery. Almost immediately I began imagining the pain that lay ahead of me; worrying about what would happen and how I would cope. Throughout the course of the following 9 months I spent a lot of time reading and watching videos about labour, talking to other moms about their experiences, gathering advice and visualizing what lay ahead. By the time my due date came and went, however, my fear diminished and the anticipation of meeting my baby took over. In all my visualizations of how it would happen, I never imagined being overdue at all – let alone by almost 2 weeks – or being induced.

After a long, long wait and three membrane sweeps (yes, I had 3) I finally began having contractions on a Monday afternoon. That night we went to the hospital, thinking I was in labour, but the contractions slowed down and I was still not dilating beyond 2cm, so I was sent home. I continued to have contractions (although not at regular intervals) on Tuesday and Wednesday – all day and all night. By the time I got to the hospital on Thursday morning for my scheduled induction I was absolutely exhausted. I had previously decided that I wanted to have as natural a labour as possible - I wasn’t ruling out the idea of an epidural, but I was going to try everything in my power not to get one. But, after 3 days and nights of contractions (which I know now were considered only “mild”) I had changed my plan and couldn’t wait to get an epidural. I knew I just didn’t have it in me to go through labour when I was beginning near my breaking point.

Ironically, I ended up going into labour on my own early Thursday morning. By the time I got to the hospital to be induced, my contractions were getting stronger and closer together, I had begun dilating and I was considered to be in “active labour”. We were given a room, introduced to our AMAZING nurse, Jerri, and the waiting began. Things progressed pretty quickly from that point. I was given a shot of morphine (which I didn’t really want but was talked into getting by the doctor) and my contractions got stronger and stronger. When I decided I could bear no more, and realized that the morphine was having no effect, I asked for an epidural. I was in so much pain at this point that I was no longer afraid of the needle, and it was over before I knew it. Up to this point in the day, I was relying fully on my husband, who was amazing at comforting me, praying with me and reminding me of the end result. After the epidural kicked it things changed. I became confined to the bed, but I was so exhausted that I no longer cared. With the morphine making me dopey and the 3 sleepless nights catching up I took the opportunity to nap. The next 5 hours passed very quickly and by 3:30 I was ready to start pushing. I heard from several mothers that pushing came naturally to them, that my body would know what to do, and they were right. It was hard work, and I know I would never have made it through those 90 minutes without the epidural or without the support of my husband and nurse. Finally, at 5:04pm my husband made the announcement: It’s a girl! As Ileana Sofia was placed on my chest all the pain and all the fatigue faded away! (Although I must admit, if I hadn’t see it for myself I wouldn’t have believed it wasn’t a boy).

Ileana Sofia meeting Mommy

The moment I first saw her was like nothing I’ve ever experienced – all the pain, all the uncertainty, all the fear and all the waiting became so worth it. I loved her from the moment I met her. One of my favourite moments of the day came shortly after she was born – when Ileana was placed in the arms of her daddy for the first time. Seeing his instant love for her, his natural ease and gentleness with her, stirred up in me a whole new level of love for him. We were finally a family!

Proud Daddy with his new baby girl

Recovery has been difficult, and adjusting to life as parents is a more of a challenge than I ever expected, but I am so grateful to God for the beautiful gift of our baby girl and am looking forward to all the lessons we have yet to learn as we begin this new adventure together!


(Read about Natasha' experience here.)

Labour and Delivery - Natasha's Experience

I was in an interesting place spiritually when I went into labour with my sixth child. First of all,every time I am pregnant I get more (not less) anxious about the delivery. It's always funny to me, because none of my deliveries has ever been "difficult" as far as deliveries go, they have all been pretty quick with no complications. And yet,as Michelle Duggar (the matriarch of the 19 Kids and Counting family) points out, they don't call it "labour" for nothing - it's difficult, painful work. Necessary, of course. But still scary.

There are of course many benefits of knowing the road that lies before you - namely that you can mentally walk the course ahead of time. I didn't allow myself to go there too much in previous pregnancies because I had convinced myself that it was silly to worry about something I had done so many times before. But during this pregnancy through meetings with our school of community, we began reading some challenging texts about walking through fear and allowing it to make you vulnerable and open to receive Christ's love and consolation. For the first time ever I felt free to say, to myself and others, "Yes, I am afraid of what lies ahead of me." The evening of my labor I posted a message on the group page of our school of ccommunity asking for prayers, letting them know how fearful I was. And as I entered into what, for me, has been the most difficult labor and delivery thus far,I know it was those prayers that held me up, and helped me to embrace Jesus in my hour of need.

To be clear, it still wasn't a nightmare birth by any stretch of the imagination. But it was vastly different than all the others and I realized that, while it brought me great fear, there was still a certain amount of security I had in my past experiences of labor and delivery. I was reminded of the words of a very wise and dear priest from family camp this summer, challenging us to ask ourselves, "in what area of my life do I find the most security, and how can I surrender my will in that area to the Lord?" I continued to drink in the love and support of the world's greatest coaching team, my husband and my mother, as I tried to focus on the great task that lay ahead - birthing this beautiful baby - while at the same time uniting myself with Jesus, garnering all the trust I could muster and stepping onto a new part of this road that I thought I knew so well.

The first difference in this labor was that my contractions, which had been strong and regular when I went into the hospital, completely stopped. I went several hours through the night without a sign of anything, yet at a day past my due date and having had a membrane sweep the day before (which in every other case has brought on labor within 12 hours) I was fairly certain this was the real thing. The waiting brought on fears like, "maybe I won't be able to fully dilate," and "what if I need a C-section?" It did however bring the added security of prolonging my labor into the morning so that my family doctor, who is not on call outside of office hours, could attend the birth.

I was pacing the hall when she arrived,joking that she would be mad if she arrived and heard that I was laying around all night! She gave me a big hug and sent me back to my room, advising that her first order of business would be to break my water and "get things moving". I was so relieved to have my own doctor there! She had the resident attempt to break the water first, and though this was not her first time performing the procedure, she was not able to break the bag of waters. The doctor took over, but even she wasn't able to break my water. I've had this done for four of my five previous babies and it's usually just a simple and painless prick. But this time as it turns out, when I started dilating (I was four centimeters along at that point) a small lip remained along one side, preventing the baby's head from coming down any further and the bag of waters from bulging enough to allow it to be punctured. After two more unsuccessful attempts with waiting time in between, she decided to try and manually push on the part of my cervix that was in the way while I was having a contraction (which is, incidentally, as unpleasant as it sounds!) It did the trick however, and with that out of the way she had a clear shot at the bag of waters, which finally broke as easily as I remembered.

Things started progressing very quickly and within a few minutes I felt the urge to push. The doctor checked me and discovered that the baby was turned the wrong way. She suggested I stand upright to let gravity help the baby turn on her own. I should have known by the way she was instructing Jeff to hold onto me in case I fell over that this was going to be intense. From the moment I got on my feet my contractions were hard and strong, and the urge to push was so overwhelming that it took all of my energy a) not to panic and b) not to let the baby fall out onto the floor! I leaned forward onto the bed, which had been raised to standing height, while Jeff rubbed my back and my mother stood in front of me, holding my hands. And there, surrounded by two of the people I love the most, the only prayer I could muster was, "Jesus! Jesus!" And I knew He was there.



Helping me through the roughest patch

After a few minutes I was able to get back into the bed (no easy feat since my contractions were now one on top of another!) The doctors teased me because they couldn't tell I was having a contraction until they said they wanted to do something (I don't even remember what now) and I asked if they would please wait until it passed. "Well if we could actually tell that you were having a contraction in the first place, we would have waited!" my doctor quipped. I think she was probably trying to make me feel better.

They gave me some pain relief and I was finally able to push. Things were pretty straightforward from there. When the head was delivered I had to ride out a couple of contractions without pushing to allow my body to stretch on its own without tearing (from stretching too fast as the baby comes out). I've had to do that before and while its difficult, it was an incredible test of will, specifically that I can will my body not to do something even if everything inside of me is pushing me to, that my body is not master of me. She was born and placed directly on my chest, and I don't even remember them announcing the gender (which we did not know ahead of time). After all of that hard work I got to look for myself, and finally after 40 long weeks and the most intense labor yet, my baby girl and I finally met.

It was the most beautiful experience I have ever had. I have never felt so completely dependant, so lifted up in prayer, and so tenderly cared for as I did in the ten hours it took to bring my little girl into the world. It was the strongest I have felt the presence of Jesus in my life. I was stripped of everything, even my ability to formulate the words of a prayer in my head, which as it turns out is exactly where I needed to be. Because really, only one word is necessary - Jesus. He is the One who does everything else. He is the one who walks us through the darkest hours of our lives, and stands with us on the other side as we look on our suffering with new and grateful eyes. This is why I can say with confidence, I will follow You, wherever you lead. Because I know I can trust you, and even if the trial is too great for me, I don't have to put faith in myself.

Welcome to the world, little Mary.  We sure do love you!

 

(Read about Kathryn's experience here.)

 

It's a Girl! (Two Times!)

We've gone from this:

 

 

To this:

 

(I think it's safe to say we're both happy to have these little girls on the outside!)

 

Neither of us knew we were having girls, and needless to say we couldn't be happier.

 

Please join the Bregel family in welcoming their daughter, Ileana (born November 1) and the Mazerolle family in welcoming their daughter Mary (born October 10.) 

 

 

More to come in a few days, but for now we're soaking up life with our new little girls!

Friday Top 5 - Things We're Looking Forward to After the Baby is Born

Kathryn:

The top 5 things I'm looking forward to after the baby is born are always the 5 most anxiety-causing parts of pregnancy for me. I hate the unknown, or being unprepared for things, and everyone who has had a baby before will tell you that nothing can prepare you for how life will change when your first child is born. So as excited as I am for all the changes that are coming, I am feeling a little anxious about all of the unknown things. Here’s my list of the top 5 things I’m looking forward to after the baby is born:

1. Being a mother – and everything that comes along with it. Just seeing, holding, caring for and loving that little baby and knowing that he or she is mine, that he or she is a product of the love between me and my husband, is a feeling I can’t wait to experience.

2. Finding out if it’s a boy or girl and seeing what he / she looks like. I have spent countless hours lying in bed dreaming of this little baby. I imagine naming him or her, dressing him or her and, more than anything else, that moment when the doctor says, “It’s a ___!”

3. Being done labour – I’m pretty scared for labour. Not only the pain that is inevitable, but all the unknown that goes along with it. Will the baby be healthy? Will there be complication? Will I have a short or long labour? Can I make it without getting an epidural? I’m really looking forward to all that being done and over-with!

4. Sleeping on my back / rolling over in bed – I know I can’t realistically say I’m looking forward to getting a good night’s sleep, because everyone knows that wont happen, but I am looking forward to being comfortable in bed. I'm a back-sleeper, so I’m excited to sleep on my back again. But I'm now finding it difficult to even roll from one side to the other now that my stomach muscles are less-than-functional.

5. Breastfeeding – Another brand new experience for me as a first time mom. I'm really looking forward to that special bonding time between baby and me, even if it can often be difficult at first. I'm determined to push through the beginning stages and to do what’s best for me and for my baby!

Natasha:

#1 - Finding out if it's a boy or a girl. The suspense is killing me now!!! On a visit to labor and delivery a few weeks ago, the basinnette in my room had a pink and a blue knit hat in it, which is what they do when they don't know which gender you're having. It made it so much more real to me that in only a few short weeks, a nurse is going to put one of those little hats on my baby! Which one will it be??

#2 - Introducing the baby to the kids. They are all so excited about this baby, and have been very involved in my pregnancy right from the start. I remember always begging my parents to have another baby when I was a kid (what kid doesn't do that??) so it's fun for me to watch especially the older ones be excited for a new baby. 

#3 - Being able to take a deep breath. I can't believe I still have eight more weeks of growing to do! As this baby gets bigger the space inside my belly gets more and more cramped. I often have trouble breathing and finding a comfortable position to sit in, and as much as I love feeling the baby move around inside of me I have to say that I really can't wait to be able to sit and watch TV with my husband, and be comfortable.

#4 - The late nights. This one surprises me, but I have this stupid, romantic feeling whenever I think about being up in the night with this baby. I remember it so fondly with my last little one, and I've done it enough times now to know that it passes quickly, and so instead of dreading it I am looking forward to it. My current baby awoke in the middle of the night for the first time in forever the other day, and rocking him to sleep and looking at his little sleepy face reminded me that once upon a time, we did that almost every night. There is something so peaceful in the magical combination of a sleeping household and having a baby all to yourself that makes being awake so worth it.

#5 - Enjoying food. As the baby grows, heartburn is setting in for me. And while I am able to enjoy food so much more now than I did in my first trimester, I usually end up paying for whatever I eat not long after it makes its way through my crowded inner system. I keep gum closeby and chew it constantly (one of the best heartburn tips I've ever gotten!) and that seems to keep it at bay. But I do have to say I am looking forward to that day in the near future when I can indulge in a really delicious meal and not have it come back to haunt me!

Friday Top 5 - Things to Bring to the Hospital

Kathryn:

I really feel like I have no idea what to expect when it comes to labour (probably because I really DON’T know what to expect!). So I’ve made a top 5 list of things to bring to the hospital, but it’s all based on what I THINK I will need or want. I’m sure by baby #2 my list will change!

1. My Husband - Right now I can’t imagine doing it without him. When I get scared or anxious the thought of him being there with me to help me through calms most of my fears.

2. Music - Relaxing praise and worship music can get my mind of just about anything. For the early part of labour I plan to listen to music on my ipod to keep my mind off the pain of contractions. (My rosary will go hand-in-hand with this, as it helps me to relax and to focus).

3. Fan - I HATE being hot! In some of the labour stories Ive heard the woman has said that one of the most uncomfortable parts in early labour was being too hot. I feel like that’s going to be me, so I plan to have a fan (and lots of cold water or ice) on hand to help with that discomfort.

4. Camera - I think this one’s obvious. I want pictures, and lots of them, as soon as our little one arrives!

5. Pyjamas - I don’t plan on wearing the hospital gowns (Johnny Shirts) at all, if I can avoid it. I’ve got lots of nighties, housecoats and slippers ready to come to the hospital with me. 

Natasha:

#1. My husband. This may seem obvious, and of course he'll be there, but if possible it's my hope that he will travel to the hospital with me, and not have to meet me there. It's always been the case that I've gone into labor while he's been home, meaning he is around to help get the kids ready and help me get to the hospital, and I can't imagine needing to do that without him. We live 45 minutes away from the hospital, so if I ever did go into labor while he was at work I would probably get a neighboor to come stay with the kids until Jeff's parents could make it over, and I would need to call an ambulance to take me in. Which, naturally, I hope I never need to do. 

#2. Comfy day clothes. I HATE Johnny shirts! If you look back at my post-delivery pictures for any baby, you will see me in jeans and a t-shirt. Not because I'm some kind of superwoman, but because I really don't feel comfortable in hospital getup (especially when people are coming to visit me and the baby). They need to be loose fitting (since I won't be back to my pre-pregnancy size yet) and easy to nurse in (yay!) but - they need to be my own, and not hospital-issued.

#3. A list of phone numbers for people to call. Of course there are people whose numbers I won't forget, and people (like siblings) that other people will look after calling for me (God bless them!) But there are always a few people that I don't know numbers for off the top of my head (like my best friend's work number) that I want to make sure I have, for the calls I want to make myself. This time around we're going to use texting more than we did before too, because my poor husband felt like he missed the first hour of baby #5's life by being on the phone from the moment he was born to deliver the happy news! We'll likely text right away, and then make our calls in the evening when we've had a chance to bond with the baby and process the day's events.

#4. New pj's. My Mom bought me a new pair of pj's when I was expecting my first baby, and I've kept it up ever since. It's so nice on that first evening in the hospital, after a crazy-long day where your body when through some pretty miraculous (albeit, messy) feats, to slip on a crisp, new pair of comfortable clothes and settle into that first blissful evening processing the fact that your little one can now snuggle with you from the outside.

#5. The Rosary. Okay, so I rarely have the actual beads with me (my fingers do the trick!). But the rosary is my go-to prayer when I am nervous or can't sleep. And for me it takes on special significance in childbirth. I never really had a strong devotion to Mary until I had children of my own, because with everything that a normal birth entails I couldn't even imagine how much more intense hers would have been knowing she was bringing our Saviour into the world (not to mention conceiving out of wedlock in a time where people were put to death for that, and the knowledge of the life of suffering her Son would lead). It made her "Yes" so much more profound for me. I usually have a hard time sleeping in the hours before the baby is born after I arrive at the hospital, and I count on Mary for comfort and grace to be as strong and holy as she was in my own circumstance (which is so much less demanding than hers).

Friday Top 5 - Sources of Pregnancy Wisdom

Kathryn:  As a first time mom-to-be, I seek advice and wisdom anywhere I can get it – books, tv, internet, friends, coworkers and even strangers! It seems like I’m meeting new challenges and changes every day, but I’ve been very blessed with wonderful women in my life to help me through all the challenges I face. Here’s my top 5 list of sources of pregnancy wisdom:

1. Mom – I don’t think I’ve ever called my mom as much as I do now that I’m pregnant. Every little ache, pain or question I have she’s always there with advice. I’ve especially enjoyed learning about what her pregnancies and labours were like. So far my pregnancy has been exactly like hers were. And seeing as her labours were short and babies small – which helps to ease my labour fears! Lots of advice has come from my mother-in-law and sister-in-law too, which has been very helpful and a new sort of bonding experience with both of them.

2. Baby Centre – I have the BabyCentre App on my phone, which gives me daily updates on my baby’s growth and development, changes in my body, and tips/advice for dealing with pregnancy. The website has also been a great resource for research questions, concerns, aches and pains, as they arise

3. Natasha / friends – Seeing as Natasha has already done this 5 times, and that she and I are doing the blog together, she’s been a huge source of pregnancy wisdom. Other friends have been there to offer advice as well, but none quite have the experience she does. Her friendship has been invaluable throughout this pregnancy!

4. Laureen – My massage therapist, who has two young children, has been a huge help. Not only do my massages relax me, but the long chats with her have taught me a lot about preparing for a baby and taking care of my body. The biggest I’ve gotten from her was the suggestion of a babysitter. We went to meet her babysitter this week, and we loved her! She lives in our area, is affordable and speaks Spanish! We are so thankful for that contribution from her!

5. Prenatal Class – this may seem like a given, but prenatal class has been a HUGE source of pregnancy wisdom! After only 2 weeks I feel like I’ve learned more about labour and delivery than I did from all of my reading and talking to other in the last 6 months! The best part of the class is that my husband is there with me, learning the same things I am (which isn’t as easy when it comes to talking to friends or reading a book). It’s been a great learning and bonding experience for us both and getting us very excited for the arrival of our baby!

Natasha: 


1.  My definite, number one source of pregnancy (and parenting) information is my mother, and my mother-in-law.  There are no two women who are more closely linked to the journey I am taking than these two, no one who could be a better predictor of how my pregnancies and babies are most likely to be, and no two women I trust more than these two.  Particularly when facing something I haven't faced before, it's nice to have someone to call and say, "did this ever happen to you?" or "how did you handle this?" 

2.  My doctors.  I only actually have one doctor, but my mother also works for a doctor, and the two are invaluable resources when it comes to any of my medical questions, pregnancy-related or otherwise.  I have the amazing (and rare) blessing of having a family doctor who delivers babies, and she has delivered every one of my five children.  We have an excellent relationship between her, me and my husband, and I am more confident in her medical advice than just about anyones. (As an aside, there is a possibility that I may not be able to have my GP deliver this baby because it is pregnancy #6 - I would really appreciate your prayers in this regard.  I can't imagine having someone different at the helm of my birthing team!)  My mother's boss is usually just a phone call away, and always very eager to give sound, level-headed advice that I trust.  So when I can't reach my own physician, he is the one I check in with.

3.  "What to Expect When You're Expecting".  Over the years my friends have given me a hard time when they see this book laying around my house.  "Do you really still need to read that book?" they often ask.  YES!!!  I devour it chapter by chapter when I am expecting!  It is full of practical pregnancy information, and there is a surprising amount of information you forget, even when it's your sixth time around. 

4.  Babycenter.com.  I have subscribed to Babycenter's weekly pregnancy updates since my very first pregnancy, and they are the first source I look to when I type a pregancy-related question into an online search engine. 

5. Other "grand-multips" (women who have had six or more babies).  Especially Catholic ones, and especially homeschooling ones. I am sort of in unchartered territory in average social circles, and I am fortunate enough to know a good number of holy, Catholic women who are the mothers of very large families, and have played a foundational role in my own family life, even before I got married.  I wish I had time to have weekly tea with any one of these women, but sadly this is not the case.  And yet, the small amount of time I do spend with them, maybe even only once or twice a year greatly affirms and strengthens me in my conviction that what I am doing is worthwhile.  I get so much encouragement when I ask one of them, "how did you make it through such-and-such" and they say, "oh boy, just by the skin of my teeth!" Because it shows me that these women are no different than me, and struggled the same way I do.  What I see and admire in them are the fruits of a lifetime of laboring for the good of their family, walking the same road I am walking.

Friday Top Five - To Do Lists!

Almost on the home stretch!

With only ten and twelve weeks to go, there is lots to do before our babies arrive!  Here are the top five things for each of us:

Kathryn:

With less than 3 months to go, there is still a lot that needs to get done before the baby arrives. Here’s our my top 5 list of what I need (or want) to do before the due date:

1. Set up the crib – we were lucky enough to have been given a crib from my cousin. The problem? It’s not assembled, and we don’t have the instructions. We’re supposed to be getting a copy of them soon, but since we’re still waiting, the crib is still sitting unassembled in the baby’s room

2. Stock up on supplies (clothes, blankets, diapers, wipes etc) – This being our first baby we pretty much need everything. We’ve starting buying diapers (a box every pay day in hopes that it’ll alleviate some financial stress when I’m on Mat leave) and have been receiving a few gifts, but we still need a LOT! We do have a couple of baby showers coming up, and my husband will be having a diaper party, which will help a lot.

3. Go on vacation – we’re going away for the long weekend as one last getaway as husband and wife before the baby comes. We’re looking forward to having some time together with just the two of us, even if it’s just for a few days.

4. Pick names – a daunting task! I’m finding it very stressful to choose a name and while we have a short list of both boys and girls names, decided on one of each has been near impossible!

5. Sell a car – Now that my husband is working in the city and with my salary soon being cut in half, we’ve decided that that best way to save some money is to get rid of one of our cars. It’s going to be a sacrifice, but we’re looking forward to getting the burden of double the car payments off our backs.


Natasha:

Since I already had most of what I need, my to-do list mostly involves replacing things that have gotten too old, or shuffling our household around to make room for the new little one.

1. Buy a crib mattress - Both of ours are currently in use (on a toddler bed for my 3-year-old, and on a crib for my 18-month-old).

2. Buy an infant car seat - The one we had expired in January.

3. Replace the change pad on the changing table - We purchased our change table used in 2004 when I was expecting my first, and the poor little pad has definitely seen its day.  The problem is that it is smaller than the average changing table, meaning we can't just walk into Toys-R-Us and pick one up (I've tried!)  I think it's around the size of a bassinette mattress though, so I plan to do some online investigation to see if I can purchase one of those (Toys-R-Us doesn't sell them in their store).

4.  Move my current baby downstairs and vacate the nursery - I set the toddler bed up in my daughter's room downstairs a few weeks ago, and was delighted to discover there was more space than I thought there would be.  Now we are just waiting for fall to make the official move, since I want daylight savings on my side (pretty sure it's going to be a rough battle getting these two to sleep instead of play when I put them to bed in the same room).  Our current goal is September, when school starts, to give plenty of time for adjusting to the changes before baby arrives.  I hope it gets dark early enough by then!

5.  Go on a date with my husband - Several, if possible, but if I manage to squeeze in even one I'll be happy.  It would be nice to get away for a weekend, since I remember our last weekend away with my current baby when he was four months old was pretty disastrous (a normally content little boy, he was really fussy the whole time, pretty much confining me to the hotel room while my husband and his brother explored the sights without us).  As a nursing mother I rarely leave my little one overnight in the first year (though I know other mothers who do, I just find the hassel of pumping and storing milk almost as difficult as just bringing the little one along).  If we can't, we can't - but still, a little getaway would be nice.  And a date is an absolute must!

Taking Care of Business - Kathryn

I had a blog post written and ready to publish in early June called “Taking Care of Business”, all about how I was coping with pregnancy and working full time. Needless to say, things were VERY busy and I never got the time to finish and post it. Throughout the month of June I attended 4 bridal showers, 3 bachelorette parties, celebrated 4 family birthdays as well as fathers day, participated in 3 graduation events for my grade 5 and grade 8 students – all while writing report cards, applying for jobs for next September and packing up my classrooms.

Fun at one of the many parties we attended in June

In the midst of everything that was going on, I began experiencing pain in my side. It was a dull pain at first, until suddenly one day, while teaching, the pain became so bad that I felt like I would pass out. I ended up going to the hospital and, after being tested for kidney stones, was told it was probably just ligaments stretching. A week later I was back at the hospital with the same pain, which had moved more into my back, making me convinced that it was kidney related. Again I was told it was ligaments and was sent home to lay down with a hot water bottle. The pain persisted off and on for about 2 weeks, causing me to miss about 2 days of work. Later in June and into early July, the pain moved into my back… just in time to host my sister’s bachelorette party and attend her wedding as maid of honor. The timing was terrible, but it made me realize a couple of important things. #1 – I definitely DO want some sort of pain relief when I go into labor. #2 – I’ve had things very easy in this pregnancy and I am very blessed to have been relatively pain free up until now. Another positive thing that came out of the experience was having an introduction to the labour and delivery ward. Having visited twice now I feel MUCH less apprehensive about labour and about what's going to happen when the time comes. (Not to mention Jose finally got to hear the baby's heartbeat when we were there!)

20 week ultrasound

I am now in week 28 and starting to get pretty big, but experiencing very little discomfort lately. It’s been three weeks since my sister’s wedding and in that time I’ve started to get down to business and prepare for baby. I’m starting to see God’s wisdom in a 9-month pregnancy. I feel like it took the first 4 months or so just to adjust to the idea of having a baby and to become more excited than scared. I’m now getting down to the physical preparation – cleaning and reorganizing rooms, unpacking boxes that never got unpacked, setting up a baby registry, and buying some furniture. I’m very blessed to have the summer to prepare because doing all this while working full time would be very difficult! I’m looking forward to getting everything else together and finishing our preparations as summer vacation continues.

Getting Prepared: 12 Hashbrown Casseroles to be put in the freezer for when the baby is born and the baby's room (where we can finally see the floor!)

Taking Care of Business - Natasha

Mazerolle family piano lesson

May and June have been crazy in my household, and I still can’t believe how fast they’ve come and gone. I can’t even remember anything about what I have been doing since my last post, except that it involved a whole lot of nesting!

We officially finished all our curriculum requirements in May, but picked up a few extra subjects (and got a head start on some of next year’s material) in June, because I just didn’t feel right about not doing anything for the last month of the official school year. It was nice to have a bit of pressure off though, because up until then everything had been, “We have to get this done! We have to get this covered!” The boys also finished their piano lessons in May, which was nice because I was starting to find it difficult to get everyone out every Wednesday afternoon. As it turns out my previous employer had some extra jobs that needed doing around the office, so I was able to pick up a day of work once a week for the summer. I know this will make some people shake their heads (what is she doing working when she has so much on her plate already??) But it’s only one day a week, and we have a great (and reasonably-priced) babysitter, so I see it as kind of like a day camp for my kids once a week. Plus it’s an opportunity for me to earn a little bit of extra money to put towards our family retreat this summer, and next year’s school expenses. I am really thankful for the opportunity, and also happy that when it comes to work, my Monday is also my Friday!

The four oldest kids started soccer at the end of May, which runs every Monday and Thursday evening for the summer. It’s crazy getting them there, and we don’t always, but my goodness we get so much out of it when we do make it. I love soccer because as far as sports go it’s relatively inexpensive, and it doesn’t require as much skill as say, hockey, so it’s much less competitive. My kids can just go and have a good time. This summer is the first time my daughter has played, and so far I think she’s got her brothers beat! Who would have thought that with three older brothers, this little girl would turn out to be the sports superstar? I heard some parents talking to each other about how good she was the last time we were at practice, and my heart nearly exploded out of my chest! So worth the time commitment it takes to get there.

Soccer stars!

 I recently have taken up baking like wildfire! We bought an air conditioner this year, which helps because I can run the oven on a summer day without heating us completely out of the house. We don’t buy any pre-packaged snacks anymore (my choice), so I am trying my hardest to keep a full supply of healthy snacks around that are easy for the kids to grab, and almost as fun as the ones they get at the grocery store. I also started making bread about a month ago, and wow! I really hope I am able to keep it up, because it’s a savings of over $1.25 a loaf – and when you go through a loaf a day, that adds up pretty quick! I’ve sort of taken this on as my commitment to lowering our costs as a family, since I can’t go out and earn a living every day the way my husband does. Every little bit makes a difference, and I just hope that when the nesting wears off I am able to keep it up, and this becomes a new lifestyle for our family and not just a period in my life that the kids and Jeff look back on fondly in a few months!

And of course, there is the baby! Our little one is growing fast and furious inside my belly, and I am definitely feeling the effects of it. I’ve moved from the awkward, “is she pregnant? Is she just putting on weight?” stage of pregnancy to the part where people are completely confident to ask, “When are you due?” Which is thrilling to me, because I love the opportunity to share my excitement with anyone! We have also started the task of rearranging our house to accommodate our new little one, and I am thrilled to discover that it’s not going to be nearly as crowded as I thought it would be. It’s such a nice feeling to realize that you have everything you need – God really does provide for every little thing.

BABY!!

 What I am most looking forward to about the baby’s arrival is slowing down. It always strikes me funny that with a bigger family, having a new baby doesn’t mean the same crazy chaos that it does with a smaller, younger family. I remember when I only had a few very little ones I would take every opportunity to rest and relax in the months before a new baby was coming, because I knew it was the calm before the storm. But when you have older kids, it’s the opposite. These are the months where we can get around easily without diaper bags, nursing and sleeping schedules, and car seats. We can stop by a friend’s house and stay until ten if we want, and won’t pay for it by being up all night when we get home. We can go to the beach, the zoo, the park, and not worry about keeping a little one out of the sun (or corralling everyone back into the van so Mommy has a quiet spot to nurse). So while the pace of these days sometimes leaves me exhausted, I am relishing every minute of it. I know there is no way I could ever keep it up, and that’s what pushes me to enjoy the most of it now, and not let it slip away. Because I am also looking forward to October – when I can stay in most nights of the week, put my feet up, and fall asleep with a newborn laying on my chest. When everything I do will involve having a little one bundled up next to me, and I will spend the wee hours of the morning in complete exhausting, head over heels in love with a new little person who was born into the family and somehow became like they had always been here.

30 weeks

 Here’s to living life to the fullest, at every stage along the journey! God is so good!

Friday Top 5 - July 20th


Sorry it's been so long since our last post. Here's another Friday Top 5 - clothing we can't live without. Another post coming soon!


Kathryn

#1 Dresses and tights – Sundresses (maternity and otherwise) with knee-length tights have been my top outfit of choice from early on. There aren’t many pre-pregnancy clothes I can still fit into, other than my dresses, and the tights make them super comfy and casual.

#2 Bella Band – My Bella Band has made it possible for me to wear my pre-pregnancy jeans and capris comfortably and saved me from buying new ones. Super easy, comfortable and definitely a must have.

#3 Long t-shirts / tank tops – Tight t-shirts are my favourtie. They show off my bump without making my look huge (loose or flowy shirts make me look a lot bigger than I really am).

#4 Maternity Shorts – My mom bought me jean-shorts with a maternity panel in the US. Better than jeans because they keep me cool and fit well (most jeans are too long for me)… and they match everything!

#5 Birkenstocks – Comfortable shoes to walk in which also keep my feet cool in the summer heat. I had to ditch my heels when I started getting back pain a couple months ago, I’m getting a bit too clumsy for flip flops and my flats are getting tight, so Birkenstocks are my new favourite, must-have shoes!

Natasha

#1 - Bella Band!!! I can't believe I went through five pregnancies without this! It makes everything so much more comfortable, and gained me the use of about $500 worth of tops, shorts, pants and skirts that I otherwise would have had to retire loooooong ago!

#2 - Low rise jeans. Not the kind where you can see your bum anytime you crouch down, but the ones that rest just below your belly, so you can wear them even when your belly gets bigger. I have a trusted few pairs of pants I can still close the button on, only because they fit a bit lower than the rest of my pants. And when I'm having a bad day, being able to fit into a pair of non-maternity pants really gives me a boost (even if I do know the real reason why!)

#3 - Maternity dresses. This is one area where I am officially into maternity clothing, and thank goodness. I tried squeezing myself into non-maternity dresses, but they just don't flow right and end up making me look like I'm wearing a tent! Maternity dresses are cut around my belly so they float back in towards my body, not just down from my belly button. Plus they're so breezy and feminine, and perfect for summer.

#4 - Form-fitting clothes. I admit, I drag my feet when it comes to wearing maternity clothes because I love my pregnant belly! I'd rather wear something that puts the spotlight on my belly and doesn't drift away from it, and I feel like more form-fitting clothes do the trick. This is why I love the Bella Band, because it lets me stay in those clothes so much longer, without feeling like my belly is hanging out of the bottom of my shirt. 

#5 - Long tank tops. These are great for layering, and a staple for my summer wardrobe. I discovered recently that I can wear one over my non-maternity bathing suit, and it looks completely beach-worthy. Which is good for me, because I will never be someone who is comfortable in a two-piece with my bare pregnant belly hanging out (I think it's beautiful, but I'm not even comfortable without a cover-up when I'm not pregnant!) The tank top gives me just the right amount of confidence to wear the bathing suits I've always worn.

Friday Top 5 - June 1, 2012

We thought it would be fun to do a weekly comparison of some fun pregnancy facts, so welcome to the first weekly edition of our Friday Top 5!  This week's suject - Top 5 Comfort Foods.  And here they are:

Kathryn:
- Oranges
- Pepperoni Pizza
- Wendy's fries with buffalo ranch sauce
- Tomato Soup
- Ice Cream

Natasha:
- Peanuts (unsalted, and in the shells)
- Jujubes or other soft candy (blue whales, etc.)
- Oranges
- Mint gum
- Cheese

Who knew that the one we would have in common would turn out to be the healthiest?  I guess sometimes pregnancy cravings can be good for you.  What are some of your craziest pregancy comfort foods?

Change is in the Air - Kathryn

16 Weeks

These days, it seems like everything is changing! From my body, to my emotions and even my outlook on life, it seems that everything is new. I’m not going to talk about body changes, because we all know what happens to a woman’s body in pregnancy. And, to be honest, I haven’t been at all surprised or bothered by any bodily changes… yet.

My relationship with food, however, has changed quite a bit. I was shocked to come to the realization a few days ago the relationship I now have toward food is very different. I now eat to be healthy, for energy and to make sure I’m giving the baby the nutrients he or she needs. I can’t lie - I do often eat to satisfy my cravings too (I SWEAR I’m not abusing the I’m-going-to-get-fat-anyway-so-what’s-the-difference line). But I have no guilt about the occasional indulgence in some Wendy’s fries, a chocolate cupcake or a bowl of ice cream after supper. Before I was pregnant, I was constantly thinking about the amount of calories, fat or sugar in my snacks, wondering how each treat would affect my waistline – and I did it subconsciously! I never realized until I started truly enjoying full, balanced meals without thinking of calories how much I had actually done that. It’s been a welcome change to not have to think of my figure each and every time I eat, but I think about nutrition instead. This has been one of the greatest changes I’ve experienced so far.

Another big change I’ve been experiencing is in my emotions. I’ve never been an emotional girl. Sure, I went through my “woe is me” phase in High School (and it seems like I cried all of my wedding day, which was very out of character for me) but I’ve never been the type to cry in a movie from reading a sad story… until about a month ago. One afternoon I innocently said to husband, “I don’t think I’ve really had any of those pregnancy hormones yet”. That evening, as we settled in to watch a movie, I got my first dose of hormones! At one point during the movie he put his hand on my shin, and I swatted it away because I thought it was too sweaty. So he got up and went to sit on the chair and I IMMEDIATELY burst into tears, sobbing “why don’t you want to sit next to me?!” I haven’t had too may other crazy outbursts since that night, but I do find that I’m much more sensitive now. I cry when I watch commercials with babies, I cry when I watch “A Baby Story” and I cry when I get hit in the head with soccer balls (see my previous post).  I even get emotional over songs on the radio – happy or sad!

I’m not going to say that every change I’ve been going through has been a pleasant experience, but for the most part I’m really happy to be experiencing them. I feel like they’re forcing me to grow up a little and to discover a little bit more about who I am as a woman. Also, I know this is nothing compared to the changes that are coming! I still can’t believe I have already hit 18 weeks and am almost halfway through my pregnancy! Now that my belly is starting to pop, and my nausea has completely dissipated I say wholeheartedly:  “bring on the changes!”

18 Weeks - Belly is starting to pop!