I am a Mommy.

I write so many blog posts in my head and rarely get a chance to get them down. As the title of this post says... I am a mommy. What does that mean? Let me tell you a little story...

As I was attempting to get dressed for the meeting yesterday, I couldn't find anything to wear. Not in the "ugh I hate all my clothes" way but in the "my baby bump is still hanging around and NOTHING FITS" kind of way. I decided to go root around in the storage bins in our basement hoping I could find something, anything, that would fit. I opened the bin labeled "Chloe's Clothes" and proceeded to pull out clothes two sizes too small.
"Ugh what was I thinking, I'm not going to find anything down here"
Something caught my attention, there was a laundry basket full of clothes across the room.
"Hmm that's weird, why would laundry be over here?"
I peeked in and found a ton of Lily's clothes from the newborn days. I found the cutest little onesie, smelled it and thought about all the memories of when Lily was Lexi's age.
"Oh man, why was I down here again? RIGHT, I need to get dressed."
I grab the clothes and head off into the laundry room to look for something to wear. I set the onesie down and start rooting through the never ending pile of laundry. I found a couple of outfits for the girls for after the meeting and set them on the stairs.
"Oh yea, focus Chloe, all you need is a dress... Eh here is that ugly orange dress, that works."
I start walking up the stairs but wait,
"I'm forgetting something... RIGHT the onesie. Now where did I put that?"
I then looked around for about ten minutes before I finally found the onesie. Walked upstairs, threw the dress on then took the next half hour to get the girls dressed.

Why am I telling you this story? Because this is what it means to be a mommy. Never having a coherent thought in your head, never fitting into those cute pre pregnancy clothes again, never getting the laundry done, and never having the energy to write the thousands of blog posts you "write in your head".  Can you relate?

I love being a Mommy.

Mapping the world

Nature study is so important with little ones. We have started a nature journal for Lily and I to sketch, trace, draw, or color the natural things we see and want to learn about, but Lily has been very interested in maps lately so we decided it was time for her to start mapping the world.We went to one of our favorite hiking places and started our atlas. She drew a path with the land marks along the way. She ended up drawing a house, trees, a bird and a tree with a big puffy ball that explodes into seeds (we have yet to figure out what kind of tree this is!).

My Own Creation Book

Every week we do a Bible Project. For a few weeks, we have been focusing on Creation.

First we read through the Creation account at the beginning of Genesis.

 Lily listened to the creation song while sorting each picture onto the correct "day" it was created.

Then she glued them down

Lastly, she drew a cover picture of things Jehovah has created.

Here are all the pages. Images found here.

We have also done these activities in our Creation Unit:

http://www.coloring.ws/creation.htm
http://www.dltk-bible.com/genesis/creation/book.htm

http://ministry-to-children.com/days-of-creation-game/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+Ministry-To-Children+(Ministry-To-Children)

Tongue and Lip Ties and Their Effects

5 week old Lexi before (bottom) and after (top).
She is sleeping in both. You can see how tight her lips were before and how relaxed they were after.

3 year 5 month old Lily before (bottom) and after (top).
Again, she is sleeping in both and you can see how tight before and how relaxed after. 

 Both of their top lips seemed to pull inward before the revisions.

Both girls had their tongue and lip ties revised last Friday. I have been researching ties since Lily was born. I struggled a lot with nursing her at first. She always seemed to be hungry, she left me bloody and in pain, she didn't sleep much and I could never get a good deep latch with her. 2 lactation consultants and 2 pediatricians told me repeatedly that Lily did NOT have a tongue tie and only had a "little" lip tie which would not effect breastfeeding. (Let me just point out that you can't be "a little tied", you either are or you aren't.) FINALLY, two years later I joined a support group for Tongue and Lip ties and learned that in fact, she did have a tongue tie. Through this group of advocates, lactation consultants and providers, I learned that the majority of Pediatricians, Lactation Consultants, ENT's, Pediatric Dentists, etc have not been fully educated on ties. Most do not know that they can result in not only breastfeeding issues, but speech issues, food/texture issues, spacing issues causing the need for braces, rot and cavities, and even tmj, migraines and the like. Also, most don't realize that anterior ties have a posterior tie behind them so they don't always fully release. They also rarely diagnose posterior ties (like Lily's). I was amazed to learn that these pesky little things could cause so many issues for my kid. I was determined to do what was best for her. We found a pediatric dentist in the area, Dr. Marcus, who was trained by Dr. Kotlow and specializes in the release. We took Lily in for diagnoses and learned that she had a lip tie and a substantial posterior tongue tie. He left it up to us whether we wanted to revise it that day or wait. We decided to wait until she was a bit older so she could understand what was going on.

Soon after, I got pregnant with Lexi. Barry and I both agreed that we would have her checked out right away. When she was born, I could instantly tell she also was tied. Her lip tie was very restrictive and attached to the hard palate. Her tongue was "heart" shaped which indicated a tie. We went back to Dr. Marcus and she indeed was tied. We decided to go ahead and have him revise both Lily and Lexi with Laser. I was beyond scared for my girls... what if they didn't want to nurse anymore? what if they are in a lot of pain? what if it reattaches and we have to go through this AGAIN? I knew we needed to do what was best, but we did waffle back and forth whether to go through with it.

Lily's Revision:
Lily went first. She sat in the dentist chair like the ginormous kid that she is. I sat next to her, trying not to show my anxiety. We both wore protective glasses. Lily held both of my hands and I kept telling her that she was ok and he was almost finished. She fussed and cried a little (mostly from fear, the laser numbs as it cuts) but did surprisingly well! Dr. Marcus stopped and looked to see if the revision was complete, but it wasn't. This was probably the hardest part for both Lily and I. He started again and Lily started screaming. She started yelling NO NO STOP and screaming in between. I started crying at that point, even though it was only about ten seconds. Right after he was done, she sat in my lap for a minute or so then jumped up and started playing. It's like nothing even happened! We had a pain plan in place for aftercare, but we didn't end up needing it with Lily! She was/is a trooper :)

Now the most amazing part... Lily ate TWO full plates at a buffet plus two scoops of ice cream in no time at all! If you know Lily, she doesn't eat. She takes forever to eat even just a little bit and isn't interested in chewy or tough foods. Not anymore! Ever since the revision she has been eating like a horse. Turns out, she was much more restricted than we thought she was. Now that she can eat she does. I have also noticed that she has a better, deeper latch despite her nursing for 3 years 5 months with a shallow latch!

Lexi's Revision:
Lexi was next. Barry put her in her car seat and they set the car seat on the dentist chair. It held her still enough that they would be able to do the revision. Barry sat with her and I was across the room with Lily. It seemed like it was taking forever, even though both girls took less than a minute. She cried a lot during but was fine after. I tried to latch her on right after to calm her down and she wouldn't nurse. I was trying not to cry, this was my worst fear! I couldn't stop thinking "what if she refuses to nurse forever??" The drive home was long and terrible because I couldn't shake the feeling that we ruined my perfect little girl. When we got to the celebratory buffet, Lexi started screaming. Nothing would calm her down. Not babywearing, she wouldn't nurse, not the arnica or tylenol, nothing. Barry dropped Lexi and I off at home and Lily and him went back to eat. I was so upset.

Moments after we cuddled up on the couch, she stopped crying and latched on. She Nursed! and she nursed well!!! No loss of suction, no choking/gasping, no gulping, no pain, just a good nursing session. The most amazing part, she didn't spit up for hours! This is a huge feat with Lexi. She would eat 1.5 ounces then spew 1 whole ounce. So. Much. Laundry. Thank goodness this has changed. Don't get me wrong, she still spits up, but not nearly as much. We gave her arnica/tylenol around the clock for 3 days then she stopped needing it!

The revisions have changed the girls eating habits for the good. I would do it again despite the tears.
Note: Post revision we did stretched 3-4 times a day on lip and tongue. We also did bodywork before and after (CST, Chiropractor).



Symptoms of/issues caused by lip and tongue ties include:

•colic/excessive crying 

•gassiness/fussiness

•gagging/spitting up

•reflux

•nursing abnormally often

•seems unsatisfied after nursing

•falling asleep quickly while nursing

•refusal to take bottle or pacifier

•slow weight gain/weight loss

•dehydration

•shallow latch/poor latch

•"clicking" sound while eating (breast or bottle)

•heart shape of tongue tip or dent in middle of tongue

•pain for you during nursing

•breast feeding issues (not limited to thrush, clogged ducts, mastitis, bleeding or cracked nipples, vasospasms, tell-tale "lipstick shape" after nursing)

•over-supply/under/supply (from babe not emptying breast completely)

•sleep apnea

•teeth gapping

•premature tooth decay

*pain while brushing teeth

•speech issues (lisp, replacing letters with others, avoiding talking, behind in speech)

*impacted self-esteem

•food & texture aversions

*affected smile

•jaw issues

•grinding of jaw

•facial tension (which can lead to body tension, especially in neck, shoulders and back)

•migraines

•snoring

Resources:
http://drghaheri.squarespace.com/
http://www.tonguetie.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZae0tz8RPE&app=desktop
https://www.facebook.com/groups/tonguetiebabies/

Lexi's Newborn Photos

There isn't much to say about these pictures, just that Heather from Mother Bird Photography did an amazing job!! I could not be happier with these lovely photos! 

Lexi's Birth Story

She's finally here! At 38 weeks 6 days...

Lexi Lauren

January 14th  

8:23 am

7 lbs 10 oz 

20.5 inches

As many of you know we had some preterm labor action around 32 weeks. It was intense and I was so scared I would have to go to the hospital, it made it incredibly difficult to cope. We made it through the night and were able to stop the contractions. After that experience, I was constantly on guard, in fear that I would have baby before she was ready. Thankfully, 37 weeks came and went and I was officially ready to have a baby. The end of my pregnancy was difficult. I had constant pelvic and back pain, frequent braxton hicks and was always exhausted. 

Monday, 1-12

We went to bed early. I was physically (and mentally) exhausted. I climbed into bed and started praying/pleading/crying/bargaining. I knew that baby would come sooner than later but I also knew that I was ready then. I had a rough night with very little sleep. It turns out, I was having some back labor. 

Tuesday, 1-13

I woke up the next morning giving myself counter pressure and was having pretty regular contractions every 10ish minutes. I refused to believe I was in labor... if I admitted it, it would stop. I had an acupuncture appointment that morning and was hoping that may speed things along if it was the real deal. My acupuncturist was amazing. She worked on turning her into the ideal position (LOA... she had been LOP for awhile). I started visualizing a bit through the contractions. It's odd how different your mind works in labor! I had always thought the helpful visualizations had waves from the ocean... instead I pictured a large snake wrapping around my belly and squeezing tighter and tighter, If I stayed calm and breathed deeply the snake would slither away. After acupuncture, I went to my midwife appointment. I was happy that something was happening. Even if it wasn't the real thing, something was finally happening! When I got home we decided to go to Costco, we needed a few things and it would be a good distraction. My back was killing me as we walked around. Later that evening, I was trying to take a nap on the couch and was starting to get frustrated. My contractions were still about ten minutes apart. They weren't getting any more intense or any closer together but they wouldn't go away! We tried to go to bed around 10:30 and slept on and off. 

Wednesday, 1-14

At 1am I had to get up. I couldn't lay or sit through them anymore and they were ranging from 3 to 5 minutes apart. I ate some yogurt, drank some water and cruised through them. I started to have a different visualization now. I pictured my cervix as a large donut. When I breathed in it inflated, when I breathed out it shrunk. Before long I started to think about when or IF we should call the midwives. I had to vocalize though each contraction but  I was still enjoying them and wasn't yet sure this was real. You'd think that working as a birth doula would make me more aware, but no... just like every mama out there I questioned whether this was real or not. Around 3am I had a couple contractions that made me think "ok, I'm in labor now. maybe I should call the midwives." Then afterwards I would think "no, I'm just being a baby- labor just started!" At 3:10am we decided to call just to be safe. Soon after we let our photographer know. I felt silly, I kept thinking, what if they get here and everything just stops. I was kicking myself for calling so early. A (one of my midwives) arrived around 4 and D (the other one) arrived shortly after. When A arrived, she told us to go ahead and set up the birth tub. Barry pumped it up and somehow Lily slept through it! She woke up just as he was finishing and I labored on and off on the ball.

 I kept thinking, "I wonder why women fear labor, this is so enjoyable!" Lily came in and we cuddled for awhile.

  She was so sweet and it was reassuring that she was ok with what was happening. I tried to prepare myself for a long day, but around 5:30 it was starting to get hard. I asked A&D (<<lol sorry guys, I just turned you into a stinky cream!) if it was too early to get into the tub. 

I didn't want to risk getting in too soon but it was getting really hard to relax without it. I considered getting in the shower but they assured me it would be ok to get in the tub, so I did. I let Barry know I wanted my friend Terri to come,

I knew I would need him with me soon. The water felt amazing. I instantly felt more relaxed and able to handle the contractions. I labored like that for awhile.

Lily would come in, rub my hand and tell me everything was ok. It was so sweet. Her presence really helped me stay calm. A little past 7am, things started to get hard. I was no longer enjoying the contractions. I had crazy back labor so D did some counter pressure for a bit, then Barry took over. 

I was so happy he was there for me. I kept seeing glimpses of him next to me and they were so reassuring. At this point Lily would run in after every contraction and ask if baby was here yet. She'd make sure and inspect the tub for signs of her brother-sister. It was getting extremely intense, I kept thinking, I can't do this for twelve more hours. There is no way this baby was going to come out of me. I  knew that meant I had hit transition but I also didn't believe it. What if I'm only 7 cm???  I started to panic a bit. I asked D if there was anything that could help. She said something along the lines of "sure there are" but didn't let on what they were. I checked myself during a couple contractions and could feel how high she was, how high the amniotic sac was. It was so discouraging. I wanted it gone. I wanted her to slide out right then. 

D and Barry encouraged me to get out of the tub and go to the bathroom. I knew it was going to be terrible though and that's what I said, over and over, "it's going to be torture!" Finally I was convinced that it was the only way to get baby out and I stepped out (with a whole lot of help). With an incredibly intense contraction, I lay over D's shoulder and my water broke, all over her. The only way to describe it was projectile rupture of membranes. It was kind of funny, but I also felt bad that this amazing woman was drenched in birth juices. I let out an "I'm SO sorry" and she started laughing.

 Soon after, I finally made my way to the bathroom. I tried to sit down but it was just so intense. During the next contraction my body started pushing. I could feel baby's head in my hand. At this point, all I could think was "I just need one more minute!".

 I heard A say "If you want to have a water birth you need to move, now!" I stood up, pushed gently on baby's head and made my way back to the tub... it felt like I was sprinting while pushing baby back in. Finally, I could relax in the tub again. I just kept saying "I just need one more minute!" while keeping my hand on baby's head. I could feel all her hair. I was so happy. After a contraction or two, breathing her down I felt her head slide out followed by her body. 

It was the most amazing feeling in the world. It didn't hurt, it didn't burn, she was just there. I lifted her up onto my chest and instantly felt an overwhelming sense of relief and joy. Baby was here! Baby is a girl! Lily hopped in the tub with us and we spent some time relaxing and bonding together. We were officially a family of four. 

Out of the tub, baby latched on right away. She was a pro! Lily joined in and we had our first tandem nursing session. It felt so amazing to have both of my girls there together and that Lily could be involved. Lily kept asking to hold her, she was so excited to have a baby sister! We called grandma to tell her and Lily got to spill the beans :) 

Our first tandem session!

After Lily's birth, I fell in love with birth. It became a passion of mine. The experience is truly magical. After Lexi's birth, I have an even deeper passion and feel so refreshed. I don't think I could ever have a hospital birth after experiencing the wonders of a hands off experience. I will never be able to find enough ways to thank my midwives for giving me the confidence to have such a raw and amazing  experience. They are such hard working, skillful, truly lovely women who have found their passion in life. I also can't thank my friend Terri and my photographer Heather enough for being there. Terri was such a blessing to have for Lily, and we really appreciate her taking care of our baby girl. Heather skillfully captured this amazing adventure for us so we can always remember. I am forever grateful to these amazing women and hope I get to work with them again! 

(For our full photo birth session, please see Motherbird Photography's website HERE.)