our baby boy, less than 24 hours after he was born.
Happy 1 month birthday to my baby boy!
Noah Augustus Gyllenhammer.
Born at 11:45 pm on Sunday, September 7. Seven pounds, 7 oz, 21 inches long — a tiny bit longer, and with a larger head circumference than his daddy at birth.
What an incredible whirlwind month. Birth story to follow.
So, I’m due NEXT WEEK. That just blows my mind. Since my pregnancy took a turn towards uncomfortable at week 36, some of these favorites more like necessities, especially because I’m still working. My top 10 for the second half of pregnancy:
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- I probably wouldn’t be able to sleep without this pillow, especially during weeks that Dave has been away on business. Every night and during meditation, I’m wrapped around it for support. Hip pain started for me these last few weeks, so it has been a must for me to have something to wrap my legs around. Even Dave and Winston love it. My only complaint is that the jersey fabric doesn’t ever really get “cool” like normal cotton does (I’m always flipping over my pillows to get to the cool side), but it’s still a lifesaver.
2//
- I brought this to sit on at my two-hour birthing long classes… SO much more comfortable than sitting on the floor. I’m such a fan of stability balls (so much that I had this
at the office), but especially now, during pregnancy. It’s great for helping me maintain my posture and releasing the tension in my hips. We’ve been practicing a few different laboring positions using it, and Dave has been using it for sit-ups. After Baby is born, Dad can even sit on it to bounce him. I’m so glad they have these available at the hospital that we’re birthing in because I feel like it will be one of my most used comfort measures. I have two different stability balls, and this one with the weighted sand base really makes a difference, where you don’t feel like you're about to go sliding all over the place. Basically this thing is a must-have.
3//
Sutter Home Fre Alcohol Removed Brut
- Ok, so this has the
tiniest
amount of alcohol in it even though it’s “alcohol-removed.” It doesn’t bother me, but it’s not for sticklers... I guess it
might
matter if you drank the whole thing yourself? I’ve made mimosas with this to celebrate my mom’s birthday and other special occasions, and I honestly can’t tell the difference between it and regular prosecco from Trader Joe’s. They used to sell this at Target, but I haven’t seen it there lately, so I plan to stock up at Total Wine & More for post-baby brunches and celebrations.
4//
- We got this for when the baby comes, but we decided to try it out a little early, and let me tell you, it’s amazing. Dave swears he sleeps so much better with it on. I’m already waking up throughout the night to go to the bathroom, so getting woken up by outside noise is a super pain. We live in an apartment complex, so whenever Winston hears another dog, he wakes up to bark. This not only drowns out the outside noise, but we’ve “tuned” it to produce an ocean-like sound that’s really soothing and helps all of us sleep better.
5//
- I bought this a while back because it makes the poached eggs SO easily (my poaching skills are lacking), but it also makes perfect hard-boiled eggs, which are my go-to pregnancy snack/on-the-go breakfast. I pop a couple of eggs in this thing, add a little water, flip the switch, and it steams my eggs to perfection. I set it while I’m making my decaf, and it’s super quick for those busy workday mornings. No standing over the stove watching the water boil and so much better than having days-old hardboiled eggs sitting cold from the fridge. This version is even better than the one I have, with the capacity to cook 10 hardboiled eggs and a bonus omelet tray.
6//
Hypnobirthing Home Study Course
- I’ve been following guiding hypnobirthing meditations throughout my pregnancy, but especially now with barely weeks left. This particular “album” has my favorite tracks - Birth Affirmations and Visualize Your Amazing Birth. Relaxation Triggers from Part 5 is also a good one. I haven't tried all the tracks from the course, but I tend to get into a groove with the ones I have. I’ve learned from doing Cross Fit that so much of what you can do physically is determined (or at least helped) by your mental state and perspective, so I appreciate the mental “conditioning” that these meditations facilitate.
7//
Mindful Birthing: Training the Mind, Body, and Heart for Childbirth and Beyond
- I
, but I discovered this book, and it is SO MUCH BETTER. I feel so much more mentally prepared for birth after reading this one. I even downloaded the iPhone app with the guided meditations. It offers a really insightful perspective on labor that I rely on more as the time grows closer. And unlike so many alarmist birth stories out there, the anecdotes in this book are positive, even when things didn’t go as expected or desired for these women.
8//
- I try to drink at least a cup of this tea a day because it's supposed to help strengthen your uterus. I haven’t had any contractions yet, so obviously I don’t know if it really helps, but I’m up for trying anything to increase the productivity of my labor. Read the reviews on Amazon - those women make it sound like a miracle beverage.
9//
- I have this exact dress, and it’s one of the 4 dresses that I have in rotation in my work wardrobe. THANK YOU, ASOS, for making not-so-expensive dresses that are so comfortable and can be worn at the office - I would look homeless and fat if it weren’t for you.
10//
- This online registry is wonderful because you can pull from any store on the interwebs. I think you can do that with Amazon too, but this site was so user-friendly, with great customer service and free insert cards. I’m still using it to keep track of additional things we need or cool products I come across for future reference.
Next up, a post on (anticipated) postpartum essentials (eek, that time is just around the corner!).
37 week ignorant, sweaty bliss.
Today was hard. Today I felt sad and betrayed and unimportant. I felt hurt and angry and alone. The person who I thought I could count on the most didn’t show up.
The highs of pregnancy are so high. But can we talk about the lows? It’s a waiting game until D-Day, and my biggest fear is that when the time comes, I’ll feel exactly like this — physically exhausted and emotionally spent. I fear that I’ll be begging for narcotics as soon as the first contraction hits, just so that I can sleep. And there’s love and forgiveness, but for the life of me, I cannot imagine being able to channel forgiveness while I’m in labor.
Today was an exercise in mindfulness. I’m learning that being present can be as painful as it is empowering. My hypnobirthing meditation calls it “surrendering to the pain.” Today, I lived in the pain for almost the entire day. I didn’t think of much else, and I didn’t do a whole lot. My agenda for the day disappeared, and the only sunshine I experienced was through the window. I think that living in the pain sometimes means laying in bed past noon and crying because it’s the only thing that feels good. But I’m learning that it also means that the present has no room for future fears.
This heart is doing hard work right now, beyond the physical strain of pumping to support another human. I’m learning to fully experience the negative emotions and enjoying those brief moments when I forget what it was that hurt me so badly. One beat at a time, one breath at a time, because there’s nothing healthy about anticipating future pain.
So happy 38 weeks, heart. Tomorrow’s a new day.
I'm towards the end of my pregnancy already, but I wanted to share a few things that have helped make my pregnancy easier, especially during the first few months.
1//
I can't testify to how well this works for stretch marks because I didn't apply it religiously, but it felt amazing on my super itchy belly in early pregnancy. It's super rich, and one tub has lasted me these past nine months. I'm also a huge fan of
I bought this when I was in Hong Kong, and it lasted me for months. It's great for washing off the essential oils from scrubs, and the almond scent is delicious.
2//
New Chapter Perfect Prenatal Multivitamin Trimester
. These vitamins are magical. Throughout my pregnancy, I never had any form of morning sickness when taking these, and I'm normally prone to nausea. I also started taking these before I got pregnant (they're easy on the stomach when other vitamins would make me sick), so maybe that made a difference. These vitamins are organic and probiotic. I like that you can take one pill per meal because it's better for absorption of the nutrients. You can buy this at Sprouts, but I've found that it's cheaper on Amazon, and I can get the full trimester package (the best value, usually) that way.
3//
These soft gels are another favorite. Robin recommended these on her
, and I have to agree that they are the best. They go down easily and don't have the fishy aftertaste that other fish oil tablets have.
4//
. I love my s'well bottle. I actually bought one for Dave, but then I stole it from him. I wasn't a fan at first because I couldn't fit the ice cubes from our ice cube trays in it, but the ice cubes from our apartment fridge fit great. I like that the outside temperature doesn't affect the temperature of your water inside - it stays cold for 24 hours. The bottle doesn't condensate, so I can put it on my nightstand without worrying about it ruining the finish on our furniture. I'm crazy about hydration, so I honestly do not leave the house without it, even on short walks around the complex.
5//
. This was a staple in early pregnancy, and I still wear it on occasion. I bought the less expensive version of their band at Target, but the original is the best because of the silicone strip. That little strip makes a big difference in the "grippiness" of the band. It doesn't work the best with work slacks, but it's great for denim.
6//
. These were one of my first pregnancy purchases, and I loved them so much that I bought three. Early pregnancy means sore, sore boobs that need extra support. These have built-in shelf bras, so they are super comfortable to wear to bed or for lounging. I've found the length to be great too, and I still wear mine. It's easy to pull the straps down, so I imagine that these can double pretty easily as nursing tanks.
7//
. Oh my gosh, I would go through these so fast. They're sour, chewy, and sweet and
totally
hit the spot for me during early pregnancy. I kept a bag by my bed and would pop a few in my mouth before bed (after brushing my teeth - oops!).
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. I used these notebooks to keep track of what I was eating for few months - they're the perfect size to slip into my bag. With the Bradley Method, the goal is to have 75g of protein a day. I wrote down that I had for every meal to make sure I was getting enough protein and leafy greens and to keep my sweet tooth in check.
9//
everything - Vitamin E Oil, Coconut Body Butter, Natural Facial Cleansing Pads, Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion with SPF, Lavender Sea Salt Body Scrub. When I found out I was pregnant, I started really looking at the ingredients in my skincare products and realized that not all of them were pregnancy-friendly. Trader Joe's has great natural options at great prices. I use the vitamin E oil on my belly, the coconut body butter all over, and the body scrub in the shower (using the almond shower oil I mentioned above afterwards). I substituted the cleansing pads for my toner, and my skin has been great! I was worried about acne and breakouts but a few weeks of swiping those cleansing pads across my face after a wash, and my skin has been pretty much clear and non-oily. They're intense-smelling at first, but I got used to them. This
Philosophy Hope Oil-Free Moisturizer
is my all-time favorite under-make-up sunscreen, but the Trader Joe's lotion has a
much
better price point. The face lotion with SPF has been a great alternative that's light, non-greasy, and doesn't cause shine later on in the day.
10//
Earth Therapeutics Peace Potion Massage Lotion Aromatherapy Rub
. I discovered this a while ago when I was shopping with my mom, and if there's a product for stress relief, this is it. It smells like heaven. When I was getting headaches early on in my pregnancy, I would rub a little bit of this on my temples, ear lobes, and neck, and just breathe it in. I can't do it justice just writing about it - you have to try it.
11//
. So, the whole dry body brushing thing. I don't know much about it really, except that it has something to do with detoxification and preventing cellulite. I started doing this when I felt like I was getting sick early in my pregnancy, and I've pretty much avoided catching a cold. I don't know whether that can be attributed to dry body brushing, but it can't hurt. Also, I'll do just about anything to avoid cellulite.
Stay tuned for part 2 of my favorites!
I’ve hit the 37 week mark, and although I haven’t had signs that labor is going to happen anytime soon, my hospital bag has been mostly packed for the last week or so. I’m still switching out items, taking some things out and putting others in, but it’s just about settled. Bear with me, it’s a long post!
Here’s my laundry list of what’s going in my hospital bag (the
Mossimo Supply Co. Geometric Weekender Duffle Handbag
from Target):
-Packing cubes — I bought ours for cheap from IKEA (
). I wanted to make sure everything was organized because the last thing I want to do when I’m in labor is have to hunt through a duffle bag. They came in a pack of 4 bags, so I used the big one for myself, the medium for Dave, and the two small ones for Baby. If you aren’t close to an IKEA, these
got great reviews. The large packing cube came with two sides, so I packed my laboring stuff in one side and my post-labor stuff in the other.
In the “for labor” side of my cube, I packed:
In the “after” side of my cube, I packed:
In Dave’s cube, we packed:
In Baby cube #1, I packed:
Baby cube #2 is holding his going-home outfit:
-I also picked up a big pink
from IKEA. It has quite a few pockets for a toiletries bag, so I was able to sort everything appropriately. Inside:
-I know that the hospital gives you diapers, but we got a cute little wristlet with one of our registries, so inside I packed:
-I purchased
Ziploc Big Bag Double Zipper, Large
to protect the paper products and keep them organized. I’m planning on using mine to keep Baby’s documents safe after birth and to hold a few things. Mainly:
As a side note, I plan to use these bags afterwards to organize and protect the baby clothes that he’s outgrown (but that I still want to hold onto). They are the perfect size for small packs of clothes that I plan to sort into 0-3 months, 3-6 months, etc.
-Other things I packed in my bag:
-In our separate cooler bag, I’m packing:
A few things we packed specifically to keep in the car in case needed, and those aren’t pictured. I packed those in either reusable grocery bags or large white plastic trash bags that we can throw the dirties in afterwards.
I haven’t done this yet, but I’m planning on making hot/cold compress packs with some leftover fabric and beans/rice to throw in my bag. Although, who actually knows if I’ll get around to this. I might just fill some old socks with rice and tie them off. It works. I’m also considering one of those temporary tattoos, like
or
from Etsy, to place on the inside of my wrist for extra inspiration and encouragement.
I’ll be updating this post sometime after we get back from the hospital (no promises on when) as to what was absolutely essential. Maybe this is just my crazy still-pregnant self talking, but I think it would be kind of cute to do a little “birth day” celebration with our family when they come to visit us in the recovery room. I’m planning on pre-ordering
mini cupcakes from Susie Cakes
and having a family member pick those up along with the bottle of
(to share, obviously) that we have chilling in our fridge. We are so ready.