Pregnancy: 15 weeks

Posted on March 21, 2015 by llpitlwp

Pregnancy at 15 Weeks:

I am excited this week because my daughter is expecting our second grandchild. As a maternal child nurse, I was always in awe of the miracle of life.

Thirty plus years ago, we did not have all the ultrasound pictures that new parents-to-be have today but the miraculous changes and the sound of the fetal heartbeat thrilled me just the same as it does now. I particularly love the “fruit” comparison when it comes to the size of the fetus…it makes it all so real in terms of how small and tiny a being is developing right from the beginning of conception. It also amazes me how such a tiny being can physically affect a mom-to-be so soon after conception.

Journey with me and my daughter through the 15th week of gestation.

So much is now going on with your baby. He is around 4 inches from his head to his rump and he weighs all of 2 1/2 ounces. He is the size of an apple!

Here is what is happening with your baby:

amniotic fluid is moving through his nose and respiratory track
legs are growing longer than his arms
there is movement in all of his joints and limbs
his eyelids are still fused but baby can sense light
taste buds are forming
you might be able to see if your baby is a girl or boy if you have an ultrasound this week, although he will have to cooperate and not be curled up hiding his identifying parts from you

What is happening in your life:

you have probably gained about 5 pounds
you may be experiencing a stuffed up nose, “rhinitis of pregnancy”…and yes, this could be from hormonal changes and increased blood flow to you mucous membranes
if you are having an amnio then it might be done between now and 18 weeks
the first trimester is over and you may be feeling overall better, that is a good thing, so enjoy yourself with your significant other

Things for you to do:

Bonding with your baby can begin very early in your pregnancy because of ultrasounds so now, believe it or not you can you can begin to “talk” to your baby. Read a book to your baby and share some of your secrets with him. You might even want to start a blog to keep your family members up on your progress. When your baby is born he will know you better if you play music and talk to him while he is in utero.

via Your pregnancy: 15 weeks | BabyCenter.

TGIF-Weekend Reading

Posted on March 14, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Reading:

Spring is almost here…

Looking forward to the weekend? I surely am, even though some are equally hectic or even more so than the weekdays when everyone is doing their own thing, work and school. Signs of spring are all around with weather warming here in Chicagoland. Time to get outside.

I felt sad reading this post in the NYT because I can’t even imagine how I could have dealt with my husband being away and possibly out of touch when my kids were young. This young mom has a “moment” with her 2 year old son that is more than touching. What must her weekend be like?

Bedtime around here is the time I feel my husband’s absence the most. We generally tag team dishes and bath, so once the kids are asleep we can enjoy some precious alone time (we also have a 4-year-old daughter). With him gone, I keep holding out hope for a fairy godmother to come do the dishes and fold laundry while I handle bedtime.

Deployment Is Confusing for Children, Which Makes Children Hard on Parents – NYTimes.com.

Narcissism is a word making the news lately. In psychology, this is not a nice label to have associated with you or your children. How does one develop narcissistic traits? Well, this study gives you some ideas about over valuing children and yes even your grandchildren.

A study conducted by researchers at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Ohio State University suggested that parents who overvalue their children raise children who overvalue themselves — narcissists, in the commonly used, nondiagnostic sense of the word. That overvaluation was evaluated in ways obvious and more subtle (if you thought your child had a working knowledge of all of those topics, you’re overestimating him or her — because several of them don’t exist).

‘Kids Like Me Deserve Something Special.’ The Risks of Overvaluing Our Young. – NYTimes.com.

Coffee and wine on Facebook refer to wake up and relax. They appear in mom feeds very frequently. Interesting discussions recently about the exhaustion of constantly multitasking.

Why do moms always talk about coffee and wine? Referencing the fact that talk of both beverages constantly fills up her Facebook feed, Kristen Schrotberger says she’s over the rampant liking of posts that reference the need for more coffee and wine. Her very matter-of-fact post on Scary Mommy sheds some light on why any conversation about alcohol and coffee is instantly popular. It’s because we parents are so exhausted from the constant multitasking we need to relax. Coffee picks us up, wine helps us wind down.

via: Kids in the House

Yet another weekend is upon us. I hope you enjoy some time for yourself!

Pregnancy at 14 weeks

Posted on March 14, 2015 by llpitlwp

Pregnancy at 14 weeks:

Your Baby is the Size of a Lemon

Here is what your baby can do this week:

squint, frown, make faces, pee, and maybe even suck his thumb
he has brain impulses that are developing which allow him to make faces with his facial muscles…isn’t this incredible?
his little kidneys are making urine, he is actually making urine which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him
he may even suck his thumb because now he can grasp…WOW!
he is the size of a lemon and measures a whole 3 1/2 inches
his body is more in proportion now but his legs have a little catching up to do yet
ultra-fine hair called lanugo is beginning to cover his entire body
his liver starts to make bile, and his spleen starts helping him to make red blood cells

This is an exciting week and the beginning of the second trimester of your pregnancy!

It is true, your life is changing but it can be more than manageable, here are some links at my favorite site for moms and babies.

Your food diary
Secrets of maternity dressing
The basics of good sleep
Great pregnancy exercise: Swimming

Here is what you can expect now that you are in the second trimester.

your energy is possibly returning
your breasts may not hurt as much
nausea and morning sickness may subside
you may be starting to show, with a little tummy

A little worry is not uncommon, but try to focus on taking care of yourself.

Baby at 14 Weeks Gestation

Boy or Girl?
Decision Guide: Should you find out the sex of your baby?
Boy, girl — or big surprise? Sixty-four percent of mothers-to-be in a BabyCenter poll said they wanted to find out the sex of their baby ahead of time, while the rest preferred to wait. “We decided that the surprise of ‘it’s a boy!’ or ‘it’s a girl!’ is the same surprise at 5 months as it is at the birth,” said Jessica. Michael disagreed: “I think the old-fashioned way is the best. Finding out before birth is like opening your Christmas presents before Christmas!” If you’re still on the fence, here’s a look at the pros and cons of each side. A word of caution: If you want to keep your baby’s sex a secret, let your provider and the ultrasound technician know right away so they don’t inadvertently blurt it out in the middle of an ultrasound exam or while reviewing your test results.

via Your pregnancy: 14 weeks | BabyCenter.

I am so excited by this series of articles because we are expecting our second grandchild! Baby Center is a wonderful resource for moms and dads to be.

Daylight Savings and Kids’ Sleep

Posted on March 7, 2015 by llpitlwp

Finally Daylight Savings is here!

This popped up in my email today from Jen and Jill at Sleepy Planet. They are two of the best people I know to help parents and kids with sleep and Daylight Savings is one of those times.

Spring Ahead Without

Falling Behind on Sleep

Daylight Savings this Sunday, March 8

Before bed, turn clocks ahead 1 hour. If your child normally sleeps till 6:30 AM, the next morning she will likely sleep till 7:30 AM. Her entire schedule – naps and bedtime – will then shift one hour later.

If you’re happy about this change, great! Just protect her room from too much light in the early morning (use room-darkening shades if necessary), and use white noise so she won’t wake with the birds.

If you’d rather help your child get back to her usual schedule, try the following:

1. Put your child down at her regular bedtime, say 7:30 PM, on Saturday night.

2. Set your alarm for 6:30 AM (according to the new clock) and wake your child at this time. To her, it will feel like it’s 5:30 AM, but don’t worry. She’ll be tired, but she’ll adjust.

3. If your child naps, put her down at her normal nap time according to the new clock and resume a normal schedule from there. Don’t allow her to nap longer than usual.

4. On Sunday night, put her down at her usual bedtime according to the new time.

Excerpt from The Sleepeasy Solution: The Exhausted Parent’s Guide to Getting Your Child to Sleep — from Birth to Age 5.

Happy Daylight Savings!

TGIF-Weekend Reading

Posted on March 6, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Reading:

Chicago

OMG…this weekend we may see the temperatures rise above freezing here in Chiberia (Chicagoland) and just perhaps some of this snow will melt and the ice on our stoop will disappear…FINALLY!

So many interesting articles appeared in my feed this week. I am excited to share some of them with you.

Morals, values, opinions and the Core Curriculum currently a hot topic is discussed here. This article really got me thinking. See what you think!

So as a parent, I will teach the morals, the values and my opinions. The schools will teach my children to question me. In that way, we all end up on the right side of history.

Why Schools Should Undermine Moral Teachings – NYTimes.com.

Moral facts or mere opinions that vary from culture to culture, what do you think?

The Convent of the Sacred Heart Greenwich Middle School Parent Blog is on my favorite list. There are always some great posts that generate a lot of thought on my part about what my grandchildren will face in the future.

As a philosopher, I already knew that many college-aged students don’t believe in moral facts. While there are no national surveys quantifying this phenomenon, philosophy professors with whom I have spoken suggest that the overwhelming majority of college freshman in their classrooms view moral claims as mere opinions that are not true or are true only relative to a culture.

via Why Our Children Don’t Think There Are Moral Facts | Convent of the Sacred Heart Greenwich Middle School Parent Blog.

For me, sleep comes fairly easily and now that I am a grandmother, when I awake during the night, getting back to sleep is not usually a problem. But for many moms and women in general, this is not the case. Are you too stressed or worried to sleep well? Or do you know someone that is…then this NYTimes article may shed some light on why sleep is so evasive.

Why all the angst over bedtime, the one part of the day that, barring nightmares, ought to bring deeply needed peace? Many believe that sleep deprivation among women has worsened. In the “Women and Sleep” study, 80 percent of women reported being just too stressed or worried to turn out the proverbial lights.

via Mothers and Sleep Medication – NYTimes.com.

Another weekend, my husband and I try to have dinner out on Fridays, most of the time with friends but sometimes just the two of us. We unwind at a local restaurant, where the waitstaff knows us and where we can enjoy eating and relaxing. I have to plug the Lettuce Entertain You restaurant group because they have been a dependable favorite of ours for so many years here in Chicago. They do not disappoint!

Lettuce Entertain You

Enjoy a meal with your significant others this weekend!

Pregnancy at 12 Weeks

Posted on March 3, 2015 by llpitlwp

Your pregnancy at 12 weeks:

The end of the first trimester of your pregnancy is near. You should be feeling better if you experience nausea during the early weeks of being pregnant and your breasts may not be so sensitive at this stage.

What is happening inside your uterus is dramatic.

Baby at 12 Weeks is the Size of a Lime

Baby’s fingers are starting to open and close
Baby may now have sucking reflexes to suck his thumb
He may be able to curl his toes
He will move around if you prod you abdomen
His kidneys will begin to excrete urine

You also may be considering an amniocentesis, which is a somewhat invasive test, done to check on your baby, and whether or not he has any hereditary disorders or Down Syndrome.

Amniocentesis (also referred to as amniotic fluid test or AFT) is a medical procedure[1] used in prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities and fetal infections,[2] and also used for sex determination in which a small amount of amniotic fluid, which contains fetal tissues, is sampled from the amniotic sac surrounding a developing fetus, and the fetal DNA is examined for genetic abnormalities. The most common reason to have an “amnio” is to determine whether a baby has certain genetic disorders or a chromosomal abnormality, such as Down syndrome. Amniocentesis (or another procedure, called chorionic villus sampling (CVS)) can diagnose these problems in the womb. Amniocentesis is usually done when a woman is between 14 and 16 weeks pregnant. Women who choose to have this test are primarily those at increased risk for genetic and chromosomal problems, in part because the test is invasive and carries a small risk of miscarriage. This process can be used for prenatal sex discernment and hence this procedure has legal restrictions in some countries. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amniocentesis

Quick Clicks From Baby Center
Sex during pregnancy: An overview
What activities should I avoid ?
A BabyCenter tour for expectant dads
Girl or boy?

via 12 weeks pregnant | BabyCenter.

Now is the time to be thinking about baby “must haves”. Some items such as car seats are quite expensive and if you are considering a “used” one, it is important to know that car seats expire due to wear and tear and the temperatures they are exposed to in cars.

In the weeks to come, I will be giving you a list of my favorite people and their websites to help you decide on what baby gear is right for you and your little one.

If you are expecting, I hope your pregnancy is going well.

Rules for Visiting A Newborn Baby

Posted on March 2, 2015 by llpitlwp

Visiting a Newborn Baby

Rule of Thumb:

When visiting a newborn baby, it is so important to follow some simple etiquette so that you do not add to the stress of the new mom.

All mothers and fathers are different and appreciate different levels of support. While this list won’t be absolutely everyone’s cup of tea, they are points that are made many a time by new mothers. Put your feelers out, start with the list and ask for any feedback. The best thing you can do is to ask, not assume or take it upon yourself to do what you’d like for yourself. This is the key to maintaining strong, close relationships with those who have just had a baby.

via Things To Avoid When Visiting A Newborn Baby.

Do not smoke- smoking including second hand is not good for baby
Do not hold hot drinks while holding the baby
Do not arrive late
Do not assume you can bring your children with you
Avoid visiting if you are sick
Avoid staying too long
Avoid giving unsolicited advice

Of course, this is only a synopsis but you can check out the above link to get a more extensive list of things to avoid when visiting a newborn baby.

I would also bring some food for the parents, as cooking can be difficult, if you know what I mean!

TGIF- Weekend Reading

Posted on February 27, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Reading:

Another cold week here in Chicago with a fresh covering of snow. The weekend is warm and welcoming inside our home. We use our time to relax a little, along with catching up on some reading and napping with each other and our furry friends.

Saralyn Richard, the author of Naughty Nana, is my cherished friend, who has written a charming children’s book about her dog Nana. It is a favorite of mine and I hope it becomes a favorite of yours. Enjoy an interview with Saralyn from Dogster.

I think dogs are wonderful teachers of patience, compassion, loyalty, trust, responsibility, and love.

Unfortunately, a lot of children do not have consistency and stability in their lives. A dog is always steady, consistent, reliable, and predictable. A dog will always greet you the same way, and treat you the same way whether you are bad or good. Whether you got a good report card, are smelly or clean, whether your room is a mess, a dog is going to love you unconditionally and the same way all the time.

via We Chat With Author Saralyn Richard About “Naughty Nana” | Dogster.

For me children and rainbows go together, like rain and running in puddles on a rainy day. Here is an activity from Kristina at Toddler Approved, which helps me share my love of rainbows with my grandchild . I think you will find Kristina’s blog something you cannot stay away from…it will bring out the child in you this weekend.

Easy Preschool Cutting Craft: Paper Rainbows

One of my favorite parts about St. Patrick’s Day is that it is associated with rainbows. My kids love singing songs about the colors of the rainbow all year long and there is just something that makes me happy whenever I see a rainbow!

This week my preschooler wanted something to do while her big brother (my 1st grader) did his homework. We got talking about St. Patrick’s Day and she assigned herself to make a rainbow.

This easy paper rainbow craft project is a super simple way to practice scissor skills and cutting straight and curvy lines!

Kristina is the founder of Toddler Approved. She is a mom of three (ages 6,3,1), as well as a National Board certified teacher. Kristina taught for several years and then worked part-time as a curriculum specialist, new teacher coach, and crisis intervention trainer once she became a mom. She retired in Fall 2011 and now loves being full-time mom and teacher to her kiddos. She loves chocolate, running, taking pictures, and party planning. She is also currently the creator of the Virtual Book Club for Kids.

via Toddler Approved!: Easy Preschool Cutting Craft: Paper Rainbows.

Pregnancy has been a theme on Parenting in the Loop during the past 11 weeks. Fashion and pregnancy can be a challenge right from the beginning. A few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Amy Tara Koch at a luncheon. I was taken with her style and her book Bump It Up. She has some wonderful suggestions for the fashionista momma to be, spiced up with Amy’s sense of humor. Please enjoy!

FIVE FAST FERTILITY FIXES

1. When your jeans or trousers still fit everywhere except the belly, a SIMPLE RUBBER BAND can offer an additional breathing room. Leave jeans unfastened and loop the rubber band around the button and button hole. This sartorial trickery is easily concealed with a hip length tee shirt, some sassy, dangly scarves or a cute scarf worn as a wide Kimono belt.

via Bump It Up – The Official Website.

Enjoy the weekend everybody!

Pregnancy at 11 Weeks

Posted on February 24, 2015 by llpitlwp

Your pregnancy at 11 weeks:

Baby is size of a Fig

Baby is Growing:

Your baby is 1 1/2 inches in length. Believe it or not your baby is almost fully formed even tiny tooth buds are appearing and bones are starting to harden. There is a lot of movement that you cannot feel until a month or two when your baby is significantly larger.

via Your pregnancy: 11 weeks | BabyCenter.

How you are changing as your pregnancy moves along:

More energy
Less nausea-you may start to enjoy eating again and then gain about a pound week
Slow digestion which can cause constipation due to hormonal changes
Heartburn – hormones again cause a relaxation of the valve between your stomach and esophagus

What is safe to eat during pregnancy now that your appetite is improving? Here is a link from Baby Center.http://www.babycenter.com/is-it-safe-nutrition-during-pregnancy

Pregnancy can be a time of some anxiety, it is therefore good to get in touch with other moms like friends and family members. Your own mom can be a wonderful support if you have a good relationship with her. Sometimes mothers and daughters develop a better relationship during this time.

TGIF-Weekend Reading

Posted on February 22, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Reading:

My Favorite Weekend Pup!

There has just been too much snow in the past few weeks but here is some reading to catch up on if you have a Sunday free moment.

You grandparents out there, this is for you, so you don’t wind up on a list. You all know what I mean. Although we are the old sages when it comes to wisdom, there are some things we should definitely leave to our grandkids’ parents. Don’t you agree?

Things Grandparents Should Never Do | POPSUGAR Moms.

Traveling with kids just made easier with a new contraption Lugabug. Check it out here. Anything to help is my motto!

Frequent flyer families need to check out Lugabug, which makes carting your kids through an airport as easy as rolling your luggage. Mainly because your kids roll along on your luggage.

Lugabug is a fully collapsible, portable travel chair that attaches to the front of a suitcase quickly and easily to turn any wheelie bag into a ride-on suitcase. Kids as young as two, and up to 70 pounds just sit, attach the optional seat belt, and you’re off. Although it’s probably best for parents of toddlers, considering our 40-something pound grade-schoolers are usually pretty capable of walking on their own.

via Lugabug turns any suitcase into a ride-on suitcase for children.

Boy or Girl baby announcements during pregnancy, known as reveal parties have really come a long way. Some of these I really like some are just too over the top! What do you think?

It seems the days of simply announcing whether your baby is a boy or girl seem to be long gone. The latest trend in baby showers that shows no signs of waning is the gender reveal party — personalized, meticulously planned, sometimes messy events with executions that can be so time-consuming, we can only imagine that these ideas are conceived by parents who know they will never, ever have this much free time available to them ever again.

via 10 of the most outrageous gender reveal party ideas.

Sorry for the lateness of this post I hope everyone had something that made the happy this weekend.