Nanny to Mommy

Mary and Joseph weren’t the only couple to experience an unexpected pregnancy. They can happen any time when you’re in a relationship with someone and regularly have sex. No birth control is 100% effective, so there will always be a slight chance that you get pregnant without planning it.

Clearly, it can be a big shock to your system when you discover this. It wasn’t in your plans right now, but you’re still excited for what lies ahead. Nevertheless, you’re in a very different position from a couple that was planning a pregnancy. With that in mind, here’s some advice to help you during this situation:

Have you heard the myth that you shouldn’t wear sunscreen whilst pregnant? There is a ton of misinformation out there, and quite frankly it’s seriously dangerous to be misinformed on this topic. Whilst there are lots of things to avoid whilst pregnant (sayonara soft cheese and retinol), sunscreen is totally pregnancy safe. Keep reading to find out the best sunscreens to wear whilst pregnant and the many reasons you shouldn’t ditch the sun cream for 9 months!

You’ll love that you’re pregnant. Alas, you perhaps won’t love how you feel, at least not always. While you’ll be happy to bring a baby into this world, the fact of the matter is that it can be problematic for your body. It is, after all, a pretty intense experience. However, while it’s inevitable that you’ll feel a little less than perfect some of the time, there are things you can do that can limit the time. In this we’ll run through some tried and tested methods for feeling at your best when you’re pregnant.

Pregnancy can be a physically and emotionally demanding time. You need to make sure you are taking care of yourself and the growing baby inside you.

There is no one way every woman will take care of herself during pregnancy, but some guidelines can help you maintain your well-being while pregnant. Here are four steps for taking care of yourself during pregnancy so that you have a healthy baby.

When you are nearing the end of your pregnancy, you need to start making preparations for the big day. There are a lot of things to think about before, during, and after the birth, so you need a detailed birthing plan in place ahead of time. One of the main things you need to decide is where you are going to give birth.

Some people might decide that they want to give birth at home instead of going to hospital and there are a lot of other considerations to make here. But even if you decide to give birth in a hospital, you need to make sure that you put plenty of thought into which hospital is right for you. These are some of the main factors you should consider.

Readers who have kids will understand all-too well that parenthood is an uncertain journey across unknowable terrain. Of course there are many people who can offer you part of the road map. Your own parents, friends and colleagues, parenting book and even blogs like this one can help you to navigate certain twists and turns on the long and winding path of parenthood. But ultimately, it’s a map you need to draw yourself. And you may well find that if and when your next child comes along, the topography has changed even more. If there’s one piece of advice this blog can impart to parents, dear reader, it’s to expect uncertainty. If fact, it’s just about the only thing you can rely on. Parenthood is, by definition, wracked with uncertainty. Parents constantly agonize over whether they’re doing the right thing, whether their actions as parents measure up to those of other parents, and whether they’re doing the right thing for their little ones.

What’s more, the uncertainty begins long before your first baby is born. Pregnancy is a beautiful experience… but it can also be terrifying. Your body changes in all kinds of ways, and even when your OB-GYN lets you know exactly what to expect, you’ll likely find that something surprises you every day of your pregnancy. The good news, however, is that while many of them seem shocking most of them are totally, totally normal and not necessarily an indicator of complications. Let’s take a closer look…

Many people would like to have kids one day, however or whenever that might happen. Other people are not entirely sure, but do have a general feeling that it’s probably something they want at some point. Or you might be completely undecided. Whatever position you are in, it’s a good idea to bear in mind that it often takes planning a lot of commitment to be able to get pregnant. Of course, some couples will find that they just luck into it, and for others there will be a simple accident and that will be that, but if you are struggling to have children then you might want to start looking into what other options there are. Thankfully, there are many, so you will not have to feel that there is nothing that can be done. Let’s take a look at the most common options.

Trying for a child is one of those processes that pulls your emotions all over the place. Yes, there is the excitement of hoping to bring a new life into the world, always a positive feeling. But with trying, of course, comes the fear of failure. Add into the mix the anticipation, frustration, doubt and love that you'll be feeling, and it is a very strange and wonderful mix. This isn't enough to stop us trying, of course, but it helps to be ready.

One thing that needs to be said about trying for a baby is that it's not easy and although there is a lot of information and a lot of assistance out there, you may still find that it's not your first time lucky. It may not be the second time either. You just need to keep up hope that it will be one of these times. Persistence may be necessary. After all, it's not like the process is all bad, is it?One thing that needs to be borne in mind as you prepare to bring a new life into the world is that you can't have too much help. You may feel like you're getting too much advice but the more advice the better, you will soon find your feet and work out what is best for you. You will be swamped full of questions in your mind such as will my baby need special bedding, how much cold baby formula will be needed and many things will go round in your mind.

If you are expecting a baby or planning to have a baby in the near future, then being prepared for what pregnancy will be like, and being prepared to have a healthy and happy pregnancy can go a long way too. After all, you are growing a human and it can take its toll on you. So here are a few things to think about and to plan for. 

It is every parent’s wish to give their child the best life possible, starting from day one. Thus, as early as during pregnancy, it’s essential for expecting moms to take care of themselves. Pregnancy is such a delicate phase in motherhood, and some complications may come along the way. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent them.

Below are some must-remember tips to stop common pregnancy complications from happening.

Pregnancy is an exciting and magical time, but it’s a huge strain on the body. While lots of happy, healthy babies are born each year without any planning at all, if you are in a position to plan then it’s never going to be a bad thing. Here are some of the things you can do in preparation.

I received this educational information and assets from Moms Meet to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

When you are expecting a baby, there are so many things to consider. Going into each of my births I had a birth plan which of course the main goal was a healthy baby, but a birth plan is honestly only the first stepping stone. When you are making out a birth plan, you consider how you want to labor, how you want your child taken care of, and maybe even your pain management options while you are laboring or after. More than 1 in 3 (36%) women did not have a birth plan, which is an opportune time for a patient to speak with their doctor about pain management options, including non-opioids.

I really wanted to try for a completely drug free birth with my son. With my birth plan in place, I tried to talk to my doctor about my options. My doctor made me feel like I was a child without a say. She wouldn't listen to me and in that moment, I should have taken a step back and realized that she may not be the best doctor for me.

This is a guest post.

From taking a gap year to saving up to buy our first home, there are a number of reasons why many of us are settling down to family life far later than our ancestors.

In our grandparents’ generation, the idea of getting pregnant in your late thirties was almost unheard of – but today it’s becoming increasingly common.

Statistics indicate that over the last 45 years, the average age of first-time moms has increased to 26.3 years – an increase of 5 whole years. In some countries, the mean age of first-time moms is over 30.

Pregnancy can be a time where you experience more changes at once, more than any other time in your life. Whether it’s emotional changes or physical, everything changes and it can be extremely overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what to expect.

From dealing with morning sickness to dealing with a whole world of responsibilities, there are all kinds of different factors that are now being introduced into your life that can turn your world upside down.

You may think that you’re ready for these changes, but one change particularly that you might not be expecting: is stress. Stress is something that seems to hit you right when you least expect it. It can disrupt your life and literally put you down constantly if you don’t know how to see it coming and put a stop to it.

So many people have this idea that being pregnant is butterflies and roses, so many individuals constantly think that when you’re pregnant, you’re just a mother, you don’t have to worry about anything else. But this is completely false.

Pregnancy is a beautiful, miraculous occurrence, but let’s face it: it’s also extremely uncomfortable at times.  From swollen feet to morning sickness and everything in between, carrying a child is certainly no picnic. According to the Sleep Foundation, “78% of women report more disturbed sleep during pregnancy than at other times.” It can be difficult enough to sleep while pregnant, and the last thing you need is your mattress adding to your discomfort and inability to sleep. Memory foam mattresses as well as heated mattresses provide many benefits for women during their nine months of pregnancy and beyond. Consider investing in supportive and comfortable OMF Mattresses for optimal rest and relaxation.

Image Found HERE

Earth Day is a great time to teach children about sustainability and humans impact on the planet. There are so many different topics to cover, science experiments, and craft ideas to help teach little ones about their world. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. To complete this super cute craft idea above, all you need is:

tissue paper

construction paper

glue

and a printer

Have your child take small pieces of blue and green tissue paper to glue them in a circle on the construction paper. Then Take a picture of the child looking up and holding their hands in the air, resize to 3x5, cut their outline and paste on construction paper. Voila! What a memorable and adorable craft idea!

This post is sponsored by Basic Invite. All opinions are my own.

 

I love sending personalized cards to my friends and family. Whether it's birth announcements, baby shower invites, and first birthdays there are a lot of reasons to celebrate your special occasions with Basic Invite.

 

 

Basic Invite is one of the few websites that allows customers almost unlimited color options with instant previews online. Once you select a design you can change the color of each element on the card to over 160 different color options. So you can make sure the card is exactly how you want it down to the tiniest detail. This is what sets them apart from almost any other online stationery company.

The information in this post was sponsored by LifebankUSA. All opinions are my own.

When you are having a baby, there are so many things to consider. You read all the books and have dreams of what life will be like with a newborn. You want to protect them to the best of your abilities. You probably already know that banking your baby’s umbilical cord blood could one day help your child or a close blood relative. As you’re thinking about saving your baby’s cord blood, consider maximizing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect your child’s healthy future with placenta banking as well.
 

Here’s what you need to know about the placenta and how you can collect and preserve even more potentially life-saving stem cells when your baby is born.

We are very excited to share with you an awesome "Be Mine" Valentine's Day Giveaway sponsored by Mommy Scene and filled with lots of amazing natural products and fun stuff for families!

 

These products are featured in our 2015 Holiday Gift Guide.

No I am not pregnant. I thought it would be nice to feature an awesome gift idea for all of you pregnant ladies though because you deserve to be pampered too. Introducing Ecocentric Mom Subscription Boxes! But it's not just pregnancy boxes, they also have a mom version and a mom & baby. And I LOVE subscription boxes. I think they make a GREAT gift idea. I received this month's box and I wanted to let you see what was inside.


What I love about Ecocentric Mom subscription boxes is they have researched everything to only include the best, healthiest products for you and your family. You also get an item that is a "keeper", something that can't be "used up" and what is more eco than that!

Here's what came in this month's box: