Free health product samples

With a brand new baby I'm looking for ways to avoid the dreaded flu and cold.  That means trying and adding supplements and vitamins into my diet.

I hate buying a full size product and not liking it so I love samples.

Click the image above to sign up to receive samples of various health products.

New coupons

Here are some new coupons to print and use.  

• $1.00 off REACH Total Care, Gentle Gum Care Floss
• $0.40 off THREE Campbell's SpaghettiOs pastas
• $1.50 off ONE (1) BOTTLE OF EMETROL FOR Nausea
• $2.00 off two Degree Women Expert Protection
• $1.00 off any one Degree Men Adrenaline Series
• $1.00 off one Degree Women Dry Protection
• $1.00 off (1) Milo's Kitchen Steak Grillers Recipe
• $1.00 off any two (2) Litehouse Products
• $0.50 off Kentucky Legend Ham Steak, Smoked Chops
• $1.00 off any LAURA'S LEAN BEEF product

$500 Kmart Giftcard Giveaway Ends 10/28

It’s Halloween Giveaway Event

Organized by: Mom Powered Media. Co-hosted by: Capri's Coupons, My Silly Little Gang, My Dairy Free Gluten Free Life, Oh My Heartsie Girl, Giveaway Bandit and Growing Up Bilingual.

This will be Eleanor's first Halloween.  I know she will only be a few weeks old but I can't wait to dress her up and pass out candy with her.

MPM Network Bloggers are super excited to share their Halloween Recipes, Crafts, Decor Ideas and so much more with you this holiday season. Make sure you take a peek at the fabulous posts below. Surely you will find something that makes you smile!

One lucky reader will receive a $500 K-Mart Gift Card!

Giveaway ends October 28th at 11:59pm, open to US, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Urban Times in Michigan is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com with questions or to see your business or blog featured on the next big event!

Eleanor's Birth Story ~ 10-7-13

Pretty much every day after 37 weeks I would wake up and wonder if this was going to be the day we would meet our daughter.  And then with each passing day I got more and more nervous. Especially as I waved goodbye to 37 weeks, then 38 weeks, and then I passed the 39 week mark.  I began to think she wasn't going to come on her own, and just set a date in my mind and said that's when we will meet her.  For me I'd been saying 10-3 for a while (which would be 40 weeks 2 days). 

And then that day passed, and the next day passed and the next day.  By the time I got past 40 weeks I was done.  I was frustrated that she wasn't coming and that nothing (sex, walking, bouncing on a ball) was helping.

At 40 weeks 2 days I had an appointment and a non stress test, that went fine, and I scheduled my next appointment for October 7  (Read about it here)

At 40 weeks 4 days I went to my cousins wedding. When she first told me the date I told her I probably wouldn't be there, because I expected to have a newborn.  Joke was on me.  My extended family was surprised to see me still there.   Baby wasn't showing any signs of showing up though so I decided to make the best and have at least one more night out. 

I planned to ask about an induction at my appointment at 40 weeks 6 days.  I know I wanted to do my best to induce labor naturally, but selfishly I was over it and wanted to meet her.  

I wondered if I would even know if I was really in labor.  Anytime I would feel off; crampy, nauseous, etc... I'd wonder if this was it.  I'd heard that when it's time you'll know, but still I wondered.

I was checked at 35 weeks 3 days and hadn't really made progress, but it was still early so I wasn't worried about it.

I knew baby had her head down (it had been that way from at least 28 weeks), because I could feel her hiccups and the doctor confirmed it again at each appointment.

I'm pretty sure right at 37 weeks she dropped a little because I started to feel pressure when I would be walking that I hadn't felt before.  My bump didn't look any lower, but I was breathing just a little easier. 

I think one of the things I was nervous about was it happening when Rob was at work and out on a car run.  If he was at the shop he could be home in about 30-40 minutes, but otherwise it could be a lot longer.  Not that I expected to have to make a mad dash to the hospital being a first time mom and all.

And since I didn't have group b strep I had planned to wait a little longer before going anyway since I didn't need the antibiotics. 

So going into I wanted to try an un-medicated birth because I didn't like the idea of being stuck in a bed (if I got an epidural) , but I also knew that I may not be able to handle the pain so kind of planned that I would wind up going that route, so I wouldn't be disappointed or discouraged when it happened and I reacted like this. 

I wanted Rob to watch her being born.   I just worried he would wind up like this. Haha

Or I would see this face

So I woke up on Sunday morning (40 weeks 5 days), got up and used the bathroom and as I was climbing back into bed I felt a small gush.  I went back to the bathroom, wondered if it was my water breaking, but assumed not since I wasn't having contractions and I knew it rarely happened as a first sign.  I changed my underwear, put a new pantyliner on and climbed back to bed (with a towel down on top of the sheets in addition to the one underneath).  Every time I moved I would leak a little and after 30 minutes I got up, changed my underwear again, put on a heavier pad, and switched towels and slept for about 45 minutes.  

When I got back up, Rob was up and I told him that I 'think' my water may have started to leak.  10 minutes later I was sitting on the couch and felt the little gushes and got up with my empty cereal bowl in hand and then started to run.  I didn't make it to the bathroom all the way before I had soaked through another pad, another pair of underwear, my shorts and still had fluid running down my legs.  I yelled for Rob and then started laughing.  He walked in and I was like "uh so I'm pretty sure my water just broke"  He said "I've never known you to pee yourself so it must have been."

And then it was like this in the house....

Actually not really.  I got in the shower and then called the on-call doctor while Rob took a shower and we finished grabbing some last minute stuff and headed on in.

I was still leaking a ton of fluid (I changed underwear and pads a few more times post shower) and sat on two towels on the way there (I didn't want to leak over my pants so I had on a skirt hiked up to my waist that I pulled back down when we got there..  Rob pulled up to the maternity entrance and even though I was capable of walking I got into the wheelchair.  When we got to the triage room I had leaked more...surprise surprise and when I stood I said "yeah you might need to wipe that down"

I was checked and was still at the 3 cm I had been at my last appointment.  They mentioned pitocin, but I wasn't ready to go that route yet so I asked for more time.

By 3:00 we had been in our labor room for a little while and I agreed to start pitocin because I still wasn't contracting.  I had some issues with the on call being rude about my decision to wait, and I was really upset about it and couldn't stop crying.  I wasn't against it, but the fact that she mentioned it even before I was ever to the hospital and constantly pushed it made me mad.  I will say that the nurses were amazing and really advocated for me.

So I started it a little after 3 pm on the 6th and they slowly upped it until I was at 10 cm about 12 hours later.  Hearing I was complete was awesome.

At around 9 pm I got my epidural.  I was 5 cm.  I could feel those contractions coming on and would just take my puke bucket (I never actually puked) and would just bury my face in it.   I had Rob call the nurse back in, she could tell the pain I was in, and asked if that was what I wanted.  I said yes, and the anesthesiologist came in.  Having to work through contractions during the placement was kind of rough.   

Then the pushing started.  I pushed for a few hours in different positions, using different techniques and nothing was happening.  I was feeling pressure and her head was visible when I pushed, but she just wasn't moving anymore.  

The doctor left the room and I said to Rob something about being okay with a c-section at this point.  He was okay with whatever I wanted. I was exhausted.  My back was really hurting and I was falling asleep in between pushes, I was going on 21 hours since my water broke, and I was done.  I was almost 41 weeks pregnant. I didn't want to have to go that route of c-section, but I didn't feel like a vaginal delivery was going to happen.

So when the doctor came back in and said something about just not making progress and a c-section I said I was okay with it.  

After that things moved fairly quickly.  There was no emergency, she was doing fine, but they moved things along.  They got Rob all scrubbed up, and me prepped to go.

  My mom had been there since 9pm the night before, but knowing it would be a few more hours before she could see us again I told her to head home and come back later.  She was pretty tired as well.

So I was wheeled to the operating room, they started to prep me the rest of the way, and then Rob was brought in. The anesthesiologist kept poking me and asking which poke hurt worse.  I could feel them, but neither hurt and I felt like I was failing a test and didn't know the right answer.

  I didn't see this, but apparently they had a timer on the wall that started when they cut into my stomach and they stopped once Eleanor was out.  It was under 7 minutes, which Rob thought was cool. 

I didn't feel pain, other than my back was really hurting still at this point.  I couldn't feel much just some pulling and pushing in my stomach.

I don't think they ever said that she was coming out, and I didn't feel anything different when they pulled her out.

But then we heard her cry.  I was unprepared for that moment.  I guess I never thought about it, but as soon as I heard that cry it made me cry.  I looked over at Rob to see tears in his eyes as well, and had to look away or I really would have been sobbing. Even writing about that moment is making me cry.

(I also don't think they ever said 'It's a girl', but we knew she would be; or at least really hoped she would come out a girl)

In that moment, when she first cried, everything else seemed to fade away, cliche as that might sound.  The pregnancy losses of last year, the worrying if baby was going to be okay, the labor that didn't go how I wanted it to, none of it mattered.

At 6:39 am on October 7th 2013 Eleanor Rose was born.  

Cue lots of excitement from us. 

So they got me all finished up and took us to the recovery room.  Eleanor got her first bath and Rob changed his first diaper ever. Ever.  Apparently he was waiting because he wanted to say that was the first one he ever changed.  And it was her first diaper as well.  He actually stopped the nurse from doing it so he could which I thought was adorable.

After a little time in recovery we got up to our postpartum room

The rest of the day passed by with lots of visitors, and trying to get to know our baby.

At one point a nurse came by to help me just stand up next to the bed, but other than that I didn't get up out of bed that first day.

We wound up staying a total of 3 nights in the hospital.   The first night was spent in labor and delivery, and the next 2 in out postpartum room.  We could have spent one other night, but Rob needed to get back to work, and having him bring us home Wednesday evening was much more convenient than trying to find a ride home.  And even if it hadn't been I was ready to go home.  I'd been stuck in that tiny room for days.

The first several days home were pretty rough as far as pain goes.  Getting in and out of bed & trying to take care of her and myself was awful the first several days.  It's gotten much easier though. 

I had this picture in my head of how labor would go.  I'd have contractions, go to the hospital, they would either break my water or it would break on it's on, I'd push and she'd be born vaginally.

Instead my water broke, contractions didn't start on their on and had to be helped along, I pushed, didn't make progress and had a c-section.

I'm grateful that she is healthy; I just didn't have the birth I thought I would and may never get to experience a vaginal birth.  I know that's putting the cart waaaay before the horse, but I hope that I will get to have that experience someday. 

I think that pretty much covers it, but if I missed anything or you have any questions ask and I will do my best to answer them. 

The night before my water broke.

Timeline

October 6

7:45 am Water started to leak in small gushes; wondered if that's what it was

9:45 am  No mistaking my water just broke

10 am  We showered and called on-call (and of course our phones would choose this moment to not get service), and headed in

11:30 am Arrived at hospital, checked and was still 3 cm

3:15 pm still no contractions stated pitocin at 1ml

4 pm pitocin at 2

4:45 pm pitocin at 4

5: 45 pm pitocin at 5

6:45 pm pitocin at 6

Took a round of stadohl since I wasn't ready for an epidural.

8 pm at 5cm

another round of stadhol

9 pm epidural

9:30 pm pitocin at 10 ml

6-7 cm

October 7

12 am pitocin to 12 ml

1:45 am 8 cm

3:20 am 10 cm

Started pushing

5:30 decided to have the c-section

6:20 c-section began

6:39 baby Eleanor was born!

Infant and Pregnancy Loss Day

Today, October 15th is national Pregnancy and Infant loss day.

Today also marks exactly a year ago that I found out I was pregnant for the second time.  

It took me a while to really talk about the losses, in part because I didn't want pity, but also because I worried people would say I needed to get over them because they were so early and didn't really matter.

When I did share them, and I am comfortable talking about them now, I got nothing but support and love. Some were curious about how I knew so early, but never was there judging. 

I've learned never to assume someone had an easy time getting pregnant, because you don't always know the back story.  

I've never done this, but never tell someone they can try again or at least you know you can get pregnant, or it's for the best.   Terrible things to say.

Knowing I have a sweet one week old baby who I adore and can't believe is mine makes loss easier, but when I lost a 2nd pregnancy only a month after the first, I didn't know that I would get pregnant again or that I would carry a baby to term.  

There are lots of lists of things to say and do and not to say and do out there, but honestly just listening and being there is the best thing.  Don't give advice or if necessary don't even say anything.  Just be there. 

Week One Update

My baby is already a week old.  

The last few weeks of pregnancy dragged on, so I'm not liking how time has seemed to sped up and a week has already gone by since Eleanor was born.

We could have stayed in the hospital until Thursday, but my ob said we could leave that day when he checked on us on Wednesday morning and I was ready. We'd been there since Sunday morning.  We did hang out there that day, and waited until after I had ordered supper to leave.  We got home about 7:30pm

First car ride

Funny thing is that Rob's best friend's wife was induced Wednesday for high blood pressure, and she had the baby that afternoon.  The hospital has maternity rooms on several floors, but luckily they put her in a room 2 doors down.  So we put Eleanor in her bassinet and walked over to visit baby Liam.  Liam's two older brothers were in the 9 and 10 pound ranges so it was crazy that he wound up being a pound smaller than Eleanor (side effect of the blood pressure medicine).

She loves to have her feet up in a frog like position or to have them crossed in the rock in play, and she loves snuggling, although I'm sure all babies do.  But she's also okay if she isn't being held usually, and is content in the rock n play.

She hated having her diaper changed those first few days and would just cry.  She doesn't cry as much anymore, but because she always has her little feet and legs up it's difficult to get a diaper on her at times. 

Nursing is still sometimes a struggle.  The problem is getting her latched on.  My nipples are a little more on the flat side and I've been using a shield when needed.  I probably use it half the time.

I expected it to be tough though, so I'm glad I was prepared for it.

The pain is getting a little better, especially on my lower right side.  Getting in and out of bed the first night home was torture so I started sleeping sitting up in the glider or on the couch.  I still will have this sharp horrible pain that will bring tears to my eyes, but I've been a lot better the last few days about taking my pain meds as often as possible, and I used a belly binder thing which keeps stuff nice and tight and that also helps.

I've had a few little hormonal moments.

When we came home I knew it was important to let Rob sleep at night since he is the only one working \so I didn't want him to have to get up.  But by the second night I was exhausted.  Getting up constantly hurt my stomach, and the lack of sleep was more than I could handle and I had several crying sessions that night.

The first day home Eleanor slept most of it and didn't eat much and I was worried.  Even on Friday (day 2 home) she was eating a little better, but was not having wet or dirty diapers. She was super fussy and Rob gave her gas drops later that night.  I was nursing her and heard that poop and knew it was going to be a runny mess.  A few minutes later I had her flipped on my arm burping her, and noticed the brown stain running down her leg.  First blowout at 2 am.  And then there were a few more that night.

I cried earlier that day because she wasn't pooping and then cried because she was. Those hormones are no joke.

I also don't know why I was ever worried about Rob not helping out because he is amazing with her. He does anything and everything he can.  Usually I'll feed her around 9 or 10 pm and then he'll stay up and hang out with her for a few hours or until she needs to eat again.  I get a late nap in and he get's time with her in and it is working out well for us.

I think that our first week has gone pretty well.  Caring for her is easier than recovering from the c-section.

I'm not worried about losing the weight at this point, although I did think I would have lost more by this point.  I'm down almost 10 lbs.

Since you made it this far, I'll reward you with a few pictures! If you follow me on instagram you may have seen some of them already. 

I had a baby.

I know I've been a little absent from the blog this week, but I have good reason.  

Meet Eleanor Rose born October 7 2013 at 6:39 am via c-section.

I'm working on the birth story and hope to post it next week, but as expected I'm a little short on free time lately.

Until then, enjoy my sweet baby girl. 

Military families on the move

We aren't a military family, but do know several who are and felt this was worth sharing.




Source

I've only moved 3 times in 28 years.  From my parents house to an apartment with my best friend, then back to my parents and then to the house Rob and I live in.  All 3 places where within just a few miles of one another in the same town, but coordinating schedules and help was tough.

Doing it every few years, if not more often, to places you've never been (and having to coordinate everything before ever arriving) seems near impossible, but it's a reality for many military families.

For more resources on various programs and benefits for military families visit Military Family or for  more specific moving tips from a been there done that mom, visit The military move.

Mighty Handle Review

*I was sent a product to review.  All opinions are my own*

When I was first given the chance to review this product I had high hopes.  A product that makes it easier to carry groceries in the house, and eliminates the need for extra trips?  Yes please!

And if that wasn't enough, this product is made in the USA and is recyclable.

We do have a garage, but it's half full of Rob's things and only has room for one car to park. And since I'm not working I've let him have it now that it is cooler in the mornings and occasionally get's frost etc.. on the windows. 

This means that when I grocery shop I have to grab bags, struggle to open the door one handed, bring bags in, and repeat the process making 3 or 4 trips.  Our driveway isn't that big, but being really pregnant makes it tough because I get tired easily

So even though I was still going to be carrying a heavy load in, I could do it in less trips without loading my arms down.

A size comparison

A few days after I got them (I was sent 2), I went grocery shopping.   As I was loading the bags back into my cart, I was looping them onto the hook, and once it was full I twisted the hook to lock the bags in place and and loaded them into the car that way.  

Because the hooks can hold a lot I only had to make 2 trips into my house.  I don't have an image of me carrying them in since no one was home to take a picture for me.

This product did make things much more convenient for me just with groceries, but I'm sure there are many other uses for it such as carrying paint cans for example.

You can connect with them here on facebook or can purchase on amazon using the link below.

Weekly Wrap Up 10/5

1) Last week when the internet was out I made a craft I had seen on pinterest.  It wasn't perfect; the lid doesn't fit, and some of the bigger headbands are too big, but I think it still turned out.  It cost me nothing, since I had all the materials on hand.  I used scrapbook paper on the lid, and a scrap of fabric to cover the container.

2) Last Saturday I mentioned we were going to go to Artprize.  We didn't go for long, but saw a few pieces.  It's interesting to see what people deem art, because a lot of what I saw I would not say is art. A bridge made out of wood with a car underneath was one example.  The colorful flags in the river wouldn't really be art to me either, but I still thought they were pretty.

This was made out of moss, concrete, grapevines and some other things. 

This entry was a room set up like a nursery, but guns all over.  There was a mobile made out of little pink pistols, wall art using weapons shaped into something else.  It was odd.

3) This week I won a signed book poster; not the prize I was hoping to win.  I also won a copy of this game.  I think my niece will like it.

Then I won a prize pack from a blog as part of a going green blog hop, but I have no idea what is in it.so that will be a fun surprise when it arrives.

And I also won this which will help organize baby stuff.

4) I got a few prizes I had already won last week.  One was bath wash and shampoo for baby.  I hopefully have enough that I won and was gifted that I won't have to buy any for a long time.  Another was a pack of pampers wipes, and a $50 Babies R Us giftcard.

Over the summer I won something from Keurig, but I didn't know it was a tumbler or k-cups.  I got it and it was a pack of iced tea k-cups.  Only neither of us are iced tea drinkers so I will probably give them away. 

And I won a $5 starbucks gift card from the app nexercise (I've mentioned it before) a few weeks ago and it came in the mail today.  I'm not a coffee drinker, but I do like the strawberries and cream frappachinos 

5) If you want to see pictures of the baby when she shows up (which I feel like may never happen) follow me on instagram or facebook.  I will post them to the blog, but it's so much easier to do via a computer and I might not be able to be on for a little while after she is born. I guess it depends on how anxious you are. Links to my pages are on the right sidebar. \

6) This week had a sad moment.  My mom's stepdad passed away.  They (my grandma and him) had been married longer than my parents (30+ years), and he was the only grandpa I knew on that side.  But he had a lot of health issues so I really didn't know him super well.  His death wasn't a surprise since he had been home on hospice since late summer, but it still stinks.  He was a nice guy, and I hate this for my grandma and all his kids and stepkids.  They are having a family get together in a week, but I'm going to miss it.  Since it's a week away baby should be here by that point and I won't feel comfortable bringing her to a group gathering.

7) That is the reason I will be missing my niece's first birthday party next week.  I'm not okay bringing her around all those people.  Especially during the start of flu season.  But don't worry sweet Libby.  I do have a gift for you! :)

I can't believe she is turning one this week.  Such a sweet little girl.   She also shares a birthday with my best friend.  Happy Birthday to Elisabeth (Libby) and Christina!  At the rate this baby is going she might also share a birthday.  Cousins exactly a year apart?  That could be fun right?  Although I hope both little girls can have their own special day too. 

8) My cousin is getting married today.  I think I just might make it to the wedding after all, but if not I just want to say congrats to Jessica and Thomas! 

9) Still.no.baby.  I know babies come when they are ready and I know 41 weeks 1 day is average for first time moms, but I'm starting to feel really frustrated and discouraged at this point.  I feel like I'm being silly, because I'm only 4 days over, but I want to cry and it's starting to make me feel depressed.



If I'm still pregnant, which I probably will be at my appointment on Monday I'm thinking I might be ready to talk about a induction later in that week.  A few days ago I would have said no way, but I might be ready now.  I'm worried about how big she might get, and by the time she is born it will be past 41 weeks so I don't feel like it would be to early.  I guess it's up to the doctor to make the best decision for us.