Guess which side 37 weeks pregnant sleeps on?

Guess which side of the bed 37 weeks pregnant sleeps on?

So this happened today!  It has been creaking for the past few months like an old wooden pirate ship every time I toss and turn!  I guess I sank the ship...

I pretty much take up the entire bed, admittedly, with my 13 or so pillow people!

Review: Nuna Pepp Stroller

I ordered a Nuna Pepp stroller from the Nordstrom summer 2014 Anniversary Sale because I loved how easy it looked to open, close, and move about.  This is important to me because I have hip and back issues.  My other criteria in a stroller is that it be flame retardant free, which Nuna claims this is, and also relatively lightweight (this is19lbs).

Let's take this out of the box.  It's nice and flat! It easily stands on end, and can be wheeled around by the handle much like a carry-on suitcase.  The latch to keep it locked flat is a rubber strap with holes that fit securley over a little nub. It is super easy to lift open, with no wear and tear on my bad hip and back.

Once it's open, however, the footrest on mine sticks straight out every time and has to be manually adjusted with both hands if one wants it in the down position.  Likewise, the latch strap sticks out and needs to be tucked in.  

Why is this stroller in my garage, you ask? I have chemical sensitivities and it smelled too strong for me, even in the box, to stay in my living room.  It struck me that a lot of the odor was from the fabric seat and unfortunately only spot cleaning is recommended instead of washing.  

The purple color "blackberry" is really nice and upscale looking, as is the form of the stroller itself (despite my husband's assesment of it as an office chair in both fabric and design).  It also felt pretty stable, and wheeled around easily.

I removed the seat from the frame--easy enough to do with some measure of un-snapping and un-velcroing. Nuna claims the fabric is Oeko-Tex certified. I haven't asked about a certificate, and assume they use a certified manufacturer since Nuna itself isn't in the database, and there is no Oeko-Tex tag on the seat.

I was surprised the main seat fabric is actually a bit textured and even mesh-like.  My assumption is that it helps quell heat and sweat.  It honestly felt a little bit on the cheap side, but that might just be the nature of the fabric.  The seat itself is thin but adequate--definitely not what I'd describe as "plush" or "cushy"-- and when you open the velcro under the seat you can see the main support is a corrugated plastic (typical I think of many strollers), and layered with a sewn in padding comprised of 20% polyester batting and 80% polurethane foam.

 The basket is puny and hard to reach.  I was unable to stuff a nearly empty modestly sized Ju-Ju-Be B.F.F. diaper bag into it.  It would be more suited to a small sized purse with maybe a little room for a book or a snack.  There are no other places to stow items such as a mesh bag on the back of the seat, and there are no available storage accessories for it.  I found the handlebar too slick to hang my diaper bag from it....I was sort of able to sling it over on one strap but it didn't look nice.

While we're here with the bare frame, let's take a look at how to fold down the calf/footrest.  There are two small buttons on either side of the base which are easily depressed (yet securely locked) to adjust it either the traditional knees bent position, a completely upright position, and to what my toddler loved was a lazy-boy type position. But let's hope you have two hands!

Another quick note about the frame is that it's only compatible with a few European car seats: Nuna Pipp, Cybex Anton, and the Maxi-Cosi models Mico and Pico.  That's something to keep in mind if you think it might truly be a "birth to toddler" stroller accessible to everyone (I say this because these are more expensive, hard to find car seats--which *might* be worth finding because they do get great reviews and safety ratings).

The footwell is a flexible plastic fabric and with a bit of a nubby texture.  There is mesh on the interior side (on the other side is the basket).  It is very shallow and doesn't seem very funcational.

Next I tested the foot brake and that was pretty great.  Very easy to quickly push with the foot.

I then reattached the seat (pretty straightforward) and unzipped the back to check out the recline.

 There are two sets of nice quality plastic zippers with a thick pull tab on both sides.  This two zipper design is a bit of a hassle, and limits adjustability, but keeps things neat I suppose.  It definitely did not recline as far back as I'd hoped and definitely not flat.

I adjusted the handlebar.  There are two easily adjustable (yet secure) tabs on the handlebar and it slides up to a respectable height for me at 5"8'.  I think it would be enough height for a taller person, too.  The grip itself is a smooth, firmer plastic.

Then I and added the hood or sunshade.  It was pretty simple to attach by tucking the end through to the back of the stroller and snapping it in place.  Easy to remove, too.  There is a tiny plastic window and I don't know if it's PVC or not, but I'd wager it was PVC based on the plastic smell.  It seems a bit of an odd little addition--not quite large enough to be functional, but perhaps better than nothing--although I detest PVC and it's one reason I got rid of my BOB stroller (that and the polyurethane coating on BOB the fabric).

The seat depth seemed a little shallow, but the height on the backrest was OK.  I don't know if I got a defective shade, but mine did not allow for the tiny inner shade to pull out and extend beyond the fully extended outer shade.  Either way, I found it lacking and definitely not adequate for a stroll down my agressively sunny Los Angeles sidewalk.

Next, we look at the harness.  This stroller isn't easily adjustable with the harness which you have to unthread and rethread based on the height you want.  The photo on the right is of the back.  (sorry the color is off  in these two shots).  As you can see no storage on the back, and also no storage for drinks or a belly bar-- even as an optional acessory.  Only accessories per their site are the optional car seat attachment bar, rain cover (I'd ask for sure if this was PVC), foot muff, travel/storage bag and a washable seat insert pad.

 THEN we come to one feature that might be a deal breaker for me.  The harness.  I dislike the flimy, cheap feeling fabric straps and I detest the five point puzzle harness design!  To use it is extremly finicky.  The two smaller top pieces have to be put just-so into the larger ones and then clicked into the main base.  If you manage to do it correctly the first time, the release seems pretty toddler proof, at least.

I honestly couldn't get it to work as a three-point harness because in order to get the top straps to click into the round base, you have to lock them into the bottom ones.  So it's sort of false advertising there.

The little foam shoulder pads seemed OK, a little flimsy, but maybe prone to flipping (although I can't say for sure).

By the end of my assembly on the smooth, relatively clean garage floor, the wheels, which I'd taken great care not to get dirty, were covered in dust and even had little indents once I wiped them clean, so I don't think these would wear very well on my gravel driveway. They are sort of a firm but giving rubber material that pits very easily.

The front wheel locks were easy to depress and seemed to work well.  I didn't notice any special kind of suspension but I also didn't take it for much of a test drive, so cannot comment much on that.

I also briefly had part of the nose on the floor and it also was a tiny bit scuffed, which makes me worry this stroller might not wear that well in terms of bumps and knicks (again, I'm only making assumptions based on my short time with this stroller).

I returned this stroller and because I don't like certain features and I don't think it's well rounded enough to justify the expense.  I think my City Mini is better bang for the buck.  Plus, I am not certain which car seat I'll be using, and I honestly don't want more than one stroller.

I LOVE the easy folding and opening, and pull along feature--it would probably really help my back and hip issue.  No more having to lug a stroller down to the car--you would still have to lift it into the trunk, but it really is quite sleek and flat.

You can see my almost 2.5 year old fits pretty well here but I don't think he would be comfortable for much longer.  The seat is just barely deep enough, just barely wide enough, and the footwell probably not adequate enough.  Height wise seemed OK but also would be outgrown too quickly.  He's on the taller end of the scale, but thin, and he has friends his age who are the same size so he's not a giant.

 

Compared to my City Mini the sun shade is laughable.  No attachments available, footprint is probably about the same but the seat is much less accomodating, and bad storage underneath.

I am tempted to say this stroller has an identity crisis.  It's definitely more of a city stroller or around the smooth block stroller, esp. if you want something better than an umbrella stroller but less cumbersome than a jogging one.  And want something stylish, but are too brokke for a Stokke.  If you have any of the Euro car seats it is compatible with it might well be worth it!  It's a nice stroller, despite the things I disliked about it.

I've seen photos of celebrities pushing it around in London and it seems well suited to that (so long as you have the rain cover, which would probably take up most of the basket storage space!). Probably easy to stow in your trunk or take on the public transportation.

While I think this stroller might be a good investment for some people, it's not for me.  Compared to my City Mini single, my husband called out the Nuna Pepp as being a "fancy fail," which I think is funny because to some degree it's true, but also a little bit unfair because for the right person this stroller might be great.  Still, I was a little surprised at all of the positive reviews on Nordstrom's website.

This is from the Nuna website, with my notes of "true" or "false" depending on my own findings.

smart design

• a chic, unique ride from the moment baby enters the world through toddlerhood  (ONLY IF YOU PURCHASE THE CAR SEAT ATTACHMENT SEPARATELY FOR APPROX. $50 AND USE ONE OF FOUR SPECIFIC CAR SEATS)
• folds down to a flat backpack size for trunks, taxis, airplanes and tight entryways (TRUE: THIS IS A GREAT FEATURE)
• opens easily with just one hand (TRUE: THIS IS A GREAT FEATURE)
• stands on its own when folded (TRUE: THIS IS A GREAT FEATURE)
• two-position, adjustable calf support comforts little nappers (TRUE: THIS IS A GREAT FEATURE, BUT ONE NEGATIVE IS WHEN YOU OPEN IT YOU HAVE TO FOLD THIS SUPPORT DOWN YOURSELF WITH BOTH HANDS)
• made with plush, cushy, better for baby certified Oeko-Tex® fabric  (MAYBE: I WOULD NOT SAY IT IS VERY 'PLUSH" OR "CUSHY" AND I ASSUME THEY HAVE OEKO-TEX CERTIFIED FABRIC AND ARE FLAME RETARDANT)
• three or five point anti-loop harness, featuring quick click release button provides ultimate safety and peace of mind (I COULD NOT GET THE THREE POINT TO WORK, I DETEST THE FIVE POINT HARNESS, DIFFICULT TO ADJUST HEIGHT OF STRAPS, AND FLIMSY FEELING STRAPS)
• one-touch, rear wheel braking system is so easy (TRUE: THIS IS A GREAT FEATURE)
• stays put with front wheel swivel locks (TRUE: THIS IS A GREAT FEATURE)
• three-position full recline cradles baby (NOT REALLY TRUE! SEE PHOTO ABOVE)
• progressive suspension technology gives a nice, smooth ride (POSSIBLY, I DID NOT TEST THIS FEATURE)
• height-adjusting handle for drivers small and tall (TRUE: THIS IS A GREAT FEATURE)
• various accessory options for every little want or need (ONLY IF YOUR NEED IS A RAIN COVER: USUAL ACCESSORIES SUCH AS BELLY BAR, SNACK TRAY, OR EVEN ADEQUATE STORAGE IS NOT AVAILABLE)
• conforms to ASTM safety standards and is JPMA certified

specifications

• recommended use: birth to 50 lbs (NOT SURE WHAT 50 POUNDER WOULD FIT COMFORTABLY? MY SON IS ONLY 30 LBS AND I DON"T THINK HE WOULD LAST MUCH LONGER IN THIS)
• product dimensions: 41.3/37.4 in high • 21.7 in wide • 33.1/29.1 in deep
• folded dimensions: 28.74 in high • 21.7 in wide • 10.2 in deep
• product weight: 19 lbs

For reference, the other strollers I've owned:

BOB Revolution CE: I LOVED this stroller but it was too heavy for my hip/back problem and it also aggravated it by the method of opening.  It also smelled to chemical high heaven with a coating of polyurethane on the fabric and a stinky PVC window, and very rubbery tires--none of which had aired out after several months.  But it was so well built and felt like a Rolls Royce on the pavement. Still, I sold it.

City Mini GT: After the BOB Revolution CE, this was a definite step down in terms of handling and quality.  However, it was definitely smaller and slightly less heavy, and a pretty good hybrid of a light jogging stroller but with the good features of the City Mini.  Great features like washable seat, respectable storage, easy of manuevering, general compactness, removable tires, good accessories (although I wish some were included with purchase).  I liked this but sold it because it was still too heavy and the open/close procedure hurt my hip/back.  It really isn't meant for jogging, either.

City Mini: I still have this but am hoping the company will swap out my 2012 potentially flame retardant laden cover.  Will try and review these three strollers more in depth and link here later.

Chant of the Pregnant Goddess

In honor of August's "Super Moon" and being 9 months pregnant, here is a lovely poem of pregnancy empowerment!  

                                          (image via shutterstock.com)

Chant of the Pregnant Goddess

by Jana McCarthy 

I am the mother of the moon
sister of the stars
child of the light in your eyes.
I am powerful.

The geometry of my shape shifts
from gently curved lines
to expanding circles:
earth, moon, sun.

I am powerful.
I am strong.

The tempo of my vibration quickens,
increasing from
butterfly wings, to floundering fish,
to beating drum,
erupting volcano,
the rhythm as old and constant as
the cycles of the sun
and the turn of the tides.

I am powerful.
I am strong.
I am beautiful.

I hold the hope of my ancestors
the knowledge of my time
the fate of my future.

I am powerful.
I am strong.
I am beautiful.
I am mother.

Babu, Babu, oh how I love you

How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)

by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. 

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height 

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight 

For the ends of being and ideal grace. 

I love thee to the level of every day's 

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. 

I love thee freely, as men strive for right. 

I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. 

I love thee with the passion put to use 

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. 

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose 

With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, 

Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, 

I shall but love thee better after death.

Review: Plan Toys Water Blocks

We love many prodcuts from Plan Toys and these Plan Toys Water Blocks are no exception.  My son has enjoyed these since about 4 months old, when he was able to roll over and look through the colorful water sandwiched between the plastic plexi panels.  Surrounding this plastic piece is a very smooth non-toxic, sustainably grown rubberwood with rounded corners that are very tactile and pleasing to the touch.  

There are six blocks in the set: three domes and three squares, one of each in primary colors red, blue, and yellow.  They are slightly heavy so smaller babies can't manipulate them as well, but are great for slightly older babies and toddlers to play with hands-on.  We love stacking them in with our block collection! You can balance the domes to make underpasses, or atop the squares to make architectural structures.  If you layer blue and yellow, they will show green in the sunlight!  

In fact if you place these in the path of sunlight they create a beautiful stained glass type relfection.  I'll have to add a photo of that when I get a chance. At the moment my son loves looking through them!

They are so pretty I like to keep one or two out dispalyed in his play area.

The squares measure about 4 x 4 inches and the domes about 5.5 wide and 2.7 inches tall.

Review: Haba's Lilli Doll

We received Haba's adorable 12 inch tall Lilli doll (from Oompa Toys) which is part of the Lotta and Friends Collection of Haba cloth dolls.
.  
I love Haba toys and was not disappointed in the details, quality, or the fun factor which the Oompa website indicated we'd find with Lilli.  

Lilli is the little sister of the Haba doll Lotta, and she has a well crafted, easy to remove skirt, shirt, pinafore, socks, shoes, and hairband which is designed to be large enough so your child can use it, too!  

Lilli and Lotta picked strawberries in their grandmother's garden, and Lilli is so excited for the strawberry cake they bake together that she puts on her special strawberry dress for the occasion.  Luckily, for your own strawberry eaters, this entire doll is machine washable.  Just to test, I washed and air dried Lilli and not only did she air dry quickly, the doll looked just brand new.

My 18 month old son was able to remove only a few of the clothes himself and I needed to help with the rest. However, I love that this doll that can grow with him and he’ll eventually be able to engage in creative play with her.  The shoes are latched with a soft but strong velcro.  The only thing I noticed was that the eyes on our doll were slightly smaller and less expressive than in some photos I'd seen, but it didn't seem to bother my son.

Lilli is well made from soft but sturdy cloth, she can do the splits, stand and sit if propped up. She has ears and a belly button.  Her hair is soft but when pulled very hard, does not come out. The packaging is an upright box with a view inside to Lilli through a plastic panel.  The doll is full of features and the price point, while expensive, seems fair for what you get.  

I would definitely recommend any of the dolls in this collection and I think that the clothing for the similarly sized dolls is also interchangeable, and some have additional accessories available.  This doll is ready to cuddle with in bed, or take on a road trip to grandma's as your special companion!

How to make a vintage baby photo in three simple steps

 I love vintage and antique photographs and decided to try and make my 4 month old look straight out of the 1940s.  I selected a photo that had a simple background and focused on his face--something which captured his bright-eyed expression.

To create a vintage look was very easy--only three steps and it can be done in any photo editing software.  Two free programs are Picasa (download only) and Picmonkey (online only you have to pay for their premium features)

Step 1: This is the image out of the camera.  Dark.  I used an auto contrast and fooled around with highlights to get it a little brighter.

Step 2: Now that's better.  After brightening things up I selected a little white "vignette" border to put the focus on his face.  In Picasa this is found under "vignette" and then you change the color to white, and in Picmonkey the option is under Effects--> Frost.  I then selected Infared Film and it suddenly made him look like a vintage photograph from the 1940's!  I'd tried the black and white but it left his face too flat.  This one emphasized his expression.

You can play around to get the look you want, especially depending on the skin tone of your baby.  My baby is very fair and this method worked well.  You can also add a white border, and in Picmonkey I love the premium "Craft" borders.  Go have fun!




  

Home Water Birth!

Our darling son was born at 9pm on a dark and stormy St. Patrick's Day.  He entered this world after a bolt of lighting and a loud thunderclap!  I had the windows open and the cool, fresh wind was blowing in and carried my birthing howls through the wild air.

My water broke in a gush 24 hours before that, and I spent most of the night sleeping through early labor. It wasn't until around 10am that the pain really geared up.  I wasn't able to use the tub until active labor because my water broke before labor, and sometimes a cozy warm tub will slow labor down.  The result might have been that I'd have to be transferred to a hospital for fear of infection.

 Luckily by evening I was dilated enough to jump in the water--the tub was a blessing!  My brother just asked if our tub was green on account of St. Patrick's Day!  I bought a separate tub liner, so that it was hygienic to reuse the midwife's tub. We bought a hose that is supposedly free of lead, BPA, etc., and connected it to our sink via an adapter in order to fill up the tub.  To empty the tub we used a pump that dumped into the bathtub and then threw away the liner which contained the rest of the residue.

The active labor was less painful (but more vocal) than the early labor. We felt so lucky we were able to have him born into the water in our own home with the help of our midwife Dr. Gleisner. I'd always envisioned giving birth at home in a tub and it was such a satisfying experience (despite the pain). 

Later that night we all bundled off to our bedroom and slept pretty much through the next day.

Here is my husband curled up with S on the night he was born.

Since then I've been completely and utterly exhausted!!  Walking and sitting hurt--a lot.  Husband is doing a good job of helping to take care of everyone.  We are currently working on nursing (around the clock) and sleeping and getting to know each other. We are so grateful for all of the support and love shown to us by our family and friends.  I'm frustrated I haven't been able to respond to everyone but hopefully in time I will be able to.

More details, please!!  OK!  I had an app for my iPod that timed my contractions.  That was helpful, because during a contraction I pretty much just was engulfed into my own world--almost like a trance.  Time basically stood still and everything outside of myself became irrelevant.  I would say contractions started out like waves on the shore.  As labor progressed, they grew in size until I could anticipate being pulled under and they eventually became like giant tsunamis!

 Kanagawa-Oki Nami-Ura^?, "Under a Wave off Kanagawa" by Hokusai,1830

Contractions were bearable until about mid-afternoon as I neared the next phase of labor.  My husband and midwife had to put enormous pressure on different areas of my hips and back in order to make the pain bearable.  I tried to move out of the bedroom between contractions and I literally just could not get further than the door--to which I grabbed onto the door handle and begged for mercy.  Yes, it hurt!!  Once in the bathroom, I ripped the toilet paper roll holder off the wall by accident.  I also slammed the door in my midwife's face and told her to leave me alone when she asked how I was doing!

Then, something changed.  My pelvis started doing sort of an "Elvis" forward thrust.  This was the baby entering the birth canal.  This signaled to me a shift in labor and entering into a new "phase".  While I still required pressure to the hips, I was able to get into the tub and that helped the pain immensely.  For some reason I became extremely vocal, even though there was no direct feeling of pain.  I call it my "Monica Seles" phase of labor, due to the loud grunting cries during each contraction--it's more like a giant muscular effort of the uterus and the effort that went into that than any sort of localization of pain.

I tried a few positions in the tub but ended up giving birth with my legs up and in a semi-sitting sort of position.  I don't remember pushing at all; I think I was concerned about putting pressure on the baby!  That was silly, because my midwife had been monitoring his heart rate with a Doppler and it remained strong and steady in the 150s throughout labor!  He did come out with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, which Dr. Gleisner quickly unwrapped before she handed him to me on my chest.  He looked right up into my face with his amazing, dark little eyes!

The only push I remember doing was the final push.  I felt the baby crowning and an enormous, stabbing pain at the top of the opening.  I felt down, and could feel his soft head and hair flowing in the water!  Don't be afraid to reach down and feel!  I was so surprised at how squishy his head was, and how soft the hair.  I really had no choice but to push and damn did that hurt!  I did tear, and had to have a few stitches.  I wonder how much worse it might have been if I hadn't been in the water.

I should mention in the middle of the whole thing my husband had to use a fishnet to get some fecal matter out of the water!  Unpleasant, but he was a real trooper.  He scooped it out immediately so it wouldn't be a concern for contamination of the tub.  During labor, I also yelled at him to get me apple juice.  I didn't stare dreamily into his eyes, or have him pat my hair, or any of those things I'd read about.  I did yell at him and my midwife to tell me I was doing a good job and to coach me a little bit more, because it turned out I needed that and found it helpful!  So: don't feel bad if you yell at your spouse, but maybe apologize for it afterward!

After bonding with him for a good long while on my chest (and having of course already closed the windows and turned on the heat!), I was helped out of the tub, umbilical cord attached, and put on the sofa.  There we lingered a little while longer before cutting the cord.  My husband and I really weren't interested in doing that--I was afraid it might hurt, even!  I didn't feel anything and the midwife did a clamping sort of action and attached a little band to it, instead of those giant bam-bam things you see at the hospital.

Then, I birthed the placenta.  It was like birthing a giant, warm, squishy squid.  My midwife made sure there were no pieces left behind, and then gave me a few local shots in the vagina before stitching me up.  It was not that great.

 As a side note: We saved the placenta and put it in the freezer since I wasn't sure what I'd want to do with it.  I declined the offer for placenta encapsulation--that just was not for me.  I thought about planting a placenta tree, but then though--what if the tree died?  what if we had to move and couldn't take it with us?  Was there symbolism in that?  I didn't want to worry.  It ended up being in my freezer for close to one year before I finally just threw it away!  Originally the idea of my organ rotting in the trash was pretty gross, but at that point I really didn't care.

After I was stitched up Dr. Gleisner started checking the baby (it is possible she did this before stitching me up, I don't recall)--she weighed him in this cute hanging sling device, checking his reflexes, measured his giant head, etc.  While this was going on I was given one of the frozen fruit pops I had prepared in advance, because I was pretty exhausted and while not actively starving, I definitely needed to refuel.  My husband put on the baby's first cloth diaper, and got him dressed.  The midwife then handed him to me and we gave breastfeeding a go!

I honestly do not remember if he nursed at all, but I think he did a little bit.  He latched on with no problems, and I know I'd already started leaking colostrum a few weeks before birth so he had a least a little bit of something.  It then all sort of became a blur.  We swaddled the baby, and all got into bed together and went to sleep.  My uterus had just run a marathon, and I cannot imaging how bad I'd have felt if I had not had the chance to sleep through early labor.  I'd also made sure to eat something right after my water broke so I would have the energy during labor because I knew I wouldn't be eating much.

Newborns sleep really well for the first week--I had to make an effort to get him to nurse and he did turn a tiny bit yellow.  Luckily he gained weight in the first week and rapidly grew!  I had a slight blip with nursing, but I'll post about my post v partum experiences later.

I'll also try to do a post with more information about how we prepared the house for the home birth, and how I tried to prepare mentally.

*This post was originally published in 2012, but I revised it in 2014

I'm planning another home water birth for my second child who is due in September 2014.