Father’s Day Special!

Since this is the month of June and we are all waiting eagerly to celebrate Father’s Day, I will try to include more Daddy-related articles this month.

The feeling of baby is so real to a pregnant woman. Being pregnant, we feel the weight of the baby, her movements, his butterfly kicks, heartburns, etc. But for the Dads it is very difficult to develop a bond with the baby until they see it for real. (Dads if you are reading this blog and feel this is untrue please feel free to share your experience). Some might infact find it intimidating to love the baby in mother’s belly because they see what changes it is doing to the human being they love the most. It is a natural instinct and to help them through this process I feel Dads should be involved in the whole pregnancy process from the get go. If they have the time from their busy work schedule, they should be encouraged to attend Doctor appointments so they get to hear the heartbeat of the baby or see the baby move in the ultrasound appointments.They should be encouraged to touch your belly and talk/sing/read to the baby in the belly as it will help them set a routine of spending time with you and baby and eventually a very special bond between the Daddy and baby will be developed.

Hope this small piece of advice helps new moms and dads develop a special bond with their baby that will remain strong forever in the future!

Essential Shopping List For Baby (Registry must haves)

I am posting a list of things I used as a checklist of essentials that I wanted to buy or add to registry in order to prepare for the arrival of the baby. Some things I was gifted at the baby shower before the baby was born but most other things my husband got after the baby was born. It was good to have a list ready for him so all he had to do was take the list and find the item in the store. I am not adding brands yet. I am just adding the different types of items needed. Hope this helps you make your list.

Nursery

1. Crib

(Our baby slept in the crib till 3 months of age and since then we co-sleep)

2. Crib Mattress
3. Changing Station/Dresser

(I used the top of the dresser as changing station)

4. Changing Pad
5. Changing Pad Covers
6. Crib Mobile
7. Baby Monitor
8. Diaper Genie

(love this to keep the smell away even from the garage)

9. Laundry Basket
10. Crib Bedding Set
11. Crib Mobile
12. Nursery Decor
13. Extra Fitted Crib Sheets

Car/Travel Safety

1. Car Seat
2. Stroller
3. Mirror
4. Portable Changing Pads
5. Diaper Bag
6. Window Shades

Bathing Essentials

1. Bath Tub
2. Baby Soap
3. Baby Shampoo
4. Baby Moisturizer
5. Diaper Cream
6. Hooded Towels
7. Mug
8. Pail
9. Diapers
10. Wipes

Baby Clothing

1. Onesies
2. Pajama Sets
3. Sleep N Plays
4. Outfits
5. Hats
6. Mittens
7. Socks
8. Booties
9. Sweaters
10. Sleep Sacks
11. Receiving Blankets
12. Burp Cloths
13. Bibs

Feeding Essentials

1. Milk Bottles
2. Extra Nipples
3. Bottle Warmer

( I did not end up using one)

4. Bottle Sanitizer

( I used this extensively and was an awesome gift from a friend)

5. Bottle Drying Rack
6. Electric Breast Pump
7. Milk Storage Bags
8. Formula (just in case)
9. Pacifier (we never ended up using)
10. Bottle Brush
11. Nipple Brush
12. Boppy Pillow

Mommy Essentials


1. Nipple Butter/Cream
2. Nursing Cover
3. Nursing Pads
4. Nursing Tops
5. Front Button Tops
6. Nursing Bras

Other Nice to Haves for Baby

1. Baby Bouncer Seat
2. Baby Swing
3. Baby Jumperoo
4. Baby Floor Mat/Gym
5. Baby Floor Mirror
6. Baby Teethers
7. Baby Soft Books
8. Baby Carrier

Expecting Mommy Tip of the Day #6 Drink Lots of Water!

Drink Lots of Water! Or at least 8 cups of water per day at the minimum. Water helps relieve muscle cramping. It also helps with reducing chances of urine infection which is common during pregnancy. Many pregnant women also have found that drinking water helps with constipation, the dreaded hemorrhoids, gases, etc. I never had swelling on my ankles or legs or any part of my body during pregnancy and I feel it is because I really kept track of how much water I drank during pregnancy. The more water you drink, the less your body will tend to retain.
Even after delivery, it is best to keep drinking enough water , especially if you are breastfeeding as it helps in milk production and prevents you from getting dehydrated.

My Baby Shower

I thought I would share some pictures and thoughts about my baby shower on this blog before I start writing about baby shower ideas.

My baby shower was planned by my husband and three beautiful friends R, Sa and Sw. I totally couldn’t believe that they would plan all this for me and I love them so much for that. Two of them Sa and Sw flew all the way from East Coast to throw me a party and I think that was the best gift ever. I love my husband for making sure everything that my friends planned fell into place. He also managed to sit through half the party without getting too embarrassed among all the ladies.

My shower was not a surprise as my friends and hubby were not very sure who all to invite. I was new in Las Vegas and was missing all my friends from Raleigh, NC but I still managed to invite 15-20 new friends and colleagues that I had made in this new town. And several of them were present to celebrate our new beginning.

The baby shower venue was chosen to be Verandah at the Four Seasons . The venue was sophisticated yet comforting and beautiful. We had rented a private dining room that seated around 30 people. I was actually invited by my husband and R to choose the menu a couple weeks before the party in order to finalize. I totally loved their Oreo Cheesecake they had for the tasting and was one of the desserts I distinctly remember. It was not something I would otherwise order but I ended up trying it and loved it.

Sa and Sw flew in a day before to prepare for the party decorations. Sw made and decorated a delicious cake for me with a “boy” theme The baby topper was the cutest! The theme for the invitations, balloons and centerpiece decorations was animal theme. The return gifts and the cake were in a “boy” theme. I don’t remember everything we had on the menu but if I find it in my email I will post it on the blog as an update. My friends had planned funny baby shower games for the party like guessing how large my belly was , whose water will break first, guessing whats in the poopy diaper, etc. And there were prizes for correct guesses too!

Towards the end we cut the cake and also opened presents. I must say it was all very overwhelming at the end, everyone was so nice and showered me with wonderful presents for the baby and it made me realize how close I was to giving birth and how my life was going to change soon. But the best part was that I was surrounded with so much love during this time.

Expecting Mommy Tip of the Day #4 : Don’t forget folic acid supplements!

Please remember to take right amounts of folic acid along with vitamins during pregnancy. Folic acid is important for bone, blood cells and brain development of the baby and helps minimize birth defects. Infact if any of my readers are wanting to get pregnant, now is the best time to increase your folic acid intake. 

Folic acid is found naturally in many vegetarian sources like green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, legumes and beans. Here is a list of 15 sources of Vitamin B9 found on my internet search :

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/folic-acid-foods/

 

 

Expecting Mommy Tip of The Day #3 : Kegels and more.

Your friends may find this difficult to discuss with you or it may not come across their mind to warn you about this when they first hear that you are pregnant. As awkward as it may sound, urinary incontinence is a side effect of pregnancy. It is very important to keep doing Kegels throughout pregnancy. Kegels are exercises for the pelvic floor muscles that can easily be done at home. These helps strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Strong Pelvic muscles also help during pushing your baby out during delivery. Your doctor/doula or midwife or your yoga instructor can help you show how to do these daily.

Also in order to avoid awkward situations like “peeing in your pants while sneezing or coughing or even vomiting, due to weak pelvic muscles” always carry extra underwear and maybe use pads or panty liners. This tip will surely help in saving you from embarassment in office meetings or other important public places or even at home with guests around.

Expecting Mommy Tip of the Day #2 Sleep Sleep Sleep

Pregnancy can give insomnia to some mommies and I know things can be uncomfortable and it might be difficult to sleep but you must sleep and take rest as much as you can. A good night’s sleep will help you feel refreshed for the next day. It may probably help relieving your aches and pains,  your acidity and heartburn and other issues you may have. Also once baby comes  you might be sleep deprived and you need all the stored energy during the first couple years of the baby/toddler stage.

Some ways to fall asleep that worked for me when I was pregnant were:

1. Read books before sleeping.

2. Watch a very boring movie

3. Write your diary at night. Once you have everything in your head out on paper, you probably will sleep better.

4. Drink a cup of warm/hot milk sometimes with a pinch of turmeric.

5. Get a nice back rub or foot massage from your partner. While getting a foot massage make sure your ankles are not massaged. I am not sure if it is an old wives’ tale but someone told me that there is a point on the ankle which if massaged, can put you in labor. Unless you are past due, then that needs a whole different post 🙂

6. Ask your husband to tell you a story.. i know this sounds stupid but it worked for me so many times.. I used to fall asleep within one or two sentences 🙂

7. Close your eyes and count the sheep!

8. Talk all your worries out with your partner, parents or close friends before sleeping.

9. Listen to soothing music

Please feel free to add to this list in your comments. Hope you all have a good night tonight! If not feeling sleepy yet, try one of the above and tell me if it worked for you!

 

If there was a pregnancy survival kit..

If there was such a thing as a pregnancy survival kit, I would include the following :

1. Nausea Medicine, Tums and others in this criteria

2. Morning Sickness Tea/Ginger Tea

3. Pregnancy Books including one for the new Dads

4. Pregnancy Yoga and Exercise DVDs

5. List of Restaurant menus with delivery/pickup options

6. Massage and Movie gift cards

7. Pregnancy Pillow

8. A good Tummy butter/oil to keep stretch marks at minimum

9. Jean and Bra extensions

10. Loose clothing

11. Maternity belt

12. Postpartum belt

What would you add to this pregnancy  “must have”list?

Babymoon Destination 1 – Las Vegas

Come second trimester and for most mommies the yucky feeling  is gone. The doctors most of the times give an OK to travel by airplanes during these months. There is not much heaviness of the baby or any heartburns that are almost guaranteed in the late third trimester. This is the best time to go out with your partner to movies, restaurants, meet your friends and dance a little (please take your doctor’s permission to do so), wear pretty clothes, look lovely, travel to awesome destinations that you might not be able to travel with baby and/or relax! Vacation to a relaxing place with your significant other during pregnancy is termed as “baby moon”. It is the time you and your partner can share alone before the baby arrives and have good memories of  it for a long time. Trust me ! Finding alone time is going to be very difficult on arrival of baby!

I will be researching some destinations and writing about them in Babymoon Travel Category as time goes by. Here  is my first post on this topic.

Las Vegas was the first place that came to my mind as a “top babymoon destination”. Shockingly enough my Google search for “top babymoon destinations” did not agree with me. Well, atleast on the first results page!  Maybe being a local “Las Vegan” I am biased but I feel it can be one of the best destinations for baby moon. Here’s why :

1. Needless to say Las Vegas has tons of luxurious hotels to choose from.  In pregnancy, smoking can be a major concern but most  hotels have non smoking zones inside the casino section. If you are not big into gambling, this should not really bother you , as most shopping arcades inside the casinos are smoke free. Spas are smoke free. You will find large smoke free zones in indoor pools,  restaurants and kids areas. Hotels offer smoke free rooms. If you do a Google Search on smoke free hotels you will find a few top non smoking hotels in Las Vegas.  Believe it or Not!

Following are some examples of smoke free/gambling free hotels in Las Vegas within a few minutes of the Las Vegas Strip.

• Trump International Hotel
• Vdara Hotel & Spa at City Center
• Platinum Hotel
•  Renaissance
• The Signature at MGM Grand
• Hyatt Place

2. Most hotels have awesome luxury spas with a menu to indulge. Most of them offer prenatal massages too!  What is better than getting a great massage in the tiring pregnancy days? A massage, a facial, pedicure, manicure and off you can go in style and party or just get a good relaxing night’s sleep. There is an off strip spa  Belly Bliss that is completely dedicated to Pregnant and New mommies!

3. Food! Come baby, it is going to be very difficult to go to fancy restaurants unless you find a baby sitter first. Las Vegas gives you an array of the fanciest restaurants in the world and many cuisine options to choose from. Las Vegas has restaurants of some of the best chefs in the world. The sin city also claims to have some really good buffets that offer world cuisines that you can enjoy. And trust me you enjoy food the most in second trimester without the nausea from first trimester and the heartburn from second trimester.

4. Cirque Du Soleil and other Las Vegas shows! If you come to Las Vegas you should and definitely should watch a Cirque show or a Celine Dion show or David Copperfield show or any others that are showing at the time you come! They are classy, breath taking and just beyond imagination if you have never been to one before! Come baby, even watching a show on TV is going to be difficult at times. Going out to theaters without a reliable baby sitter  will be out of question!  Pregnancy is the best time to catch up on all these shows without too much effort. I assure you, these shows will be one of the best treats you ever gave yourself!

5. Awesome pregnancy photo locations! Natural and Man Made! You will find hundreds of locations to take the best pregnancy photos in Las Vegas. The welcome to Las Vegas sign, The Eiffel Tower at Paris, The Bellagio , the Venetian, Red Rock State Park, Wynn, Lake Las Vegas, Lake Mead, Mt. Charleston, Valley of Fire even places like Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon!!

6. Wedding Destination! Many a times couples decide to get married before the baby comes. Las Vegas provides a perfect destination for a wedding.  Las Vegas Bridesmaids can even help you plan one if your are interested. Check their blog out to get more information on Las Vegas Weddings.

I hope I have convinced you enough that Las Vegas is not only a destination to party, gamble, get drunk and act like weirdos but it also provides wonderful opportunities to make beautiful memories in your life before the much awaited arrival.

If you are interested in babymooning here email me at ninemonthsofshower(at)gmail(dot)com and I can help you plan one!

Happy BabyMooning!!!

Disclaimer : I am writing this blog and referring these links solely because I want to. I am not being asked to refer to any of the above businesses by any of them. I don’t get paid to write this blog and refer links. Always check facts about smoking policies, spas, etc with hotels before booking  as circumstances can change over time.

What did you crave during pregnancy?

I craved “Aceitunas rellenas y aceitunas ‘FerránAdrià’ (Olives stuffedwith anchovy and piquillo and ‘Ferrán Adrià’ liquid olives )” from Jaleo a stylish Tapas Restaurant at The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas..

http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/taste/restaurant-collection/jaleo.aspx

Alas, I never got a chance to visit Jaleo during my pregnancy so my craving was never satisfied really… 😦

Another thing I craved was Paneer and Tiramisu.. Both my favorite foods even before and after the baby. Though I did not eat any Tiramisu during my pregnancy as I didn’t want to have alcohol during that time even though it would have been a tiny bit, I ate a lot of Paneer.

This post is making me hungry! While I go fix me something yummy for lunch before my baby wakes up why don’t you gals take a look at my Pinterest Cravings Board?