johncsnider

Become Gorgeous has My Green and Natural Pregnancy on their Best Pregnancy Blogs 2013 list! My Green and Natural Pregnancy:   A wonderful pregnancy blog for whose who are keen to embrace a natural and holistic lifestyle during pregnancy. The author, Elizabeth, started it when she was pregnant with her third baby, sharing tips on how to have a green, natural and holistic pregnancy and minimize exposure to chemicals and toxins. http://www.becomegorgeous.com/pregnancy-parenting/pregnancy_advice/best-pregnancy-blogs-2013-A11607#

Dear friends and family, I had [am about to have] a baby!  Yay!  I have no clue how my baby will act from day to day.  Maybe I had a caesarian and cannot even get out of bed alone. Maybe my baby is an innately easy baby that lets me rest or get things done while he/she sleeps. Maybe my baby is super fussy and only naps while having skin contact with me, nursing, and marching up and down the stairs at the same time. We all have different experiences so please help me on my journey and don't judge me. It used to be that "it takes a whole village to raise a child" and then we all moved away from our families and started working outside the home. In India family takes care of the older kids and home chores for three weeks after the baby is born. I don't live in India and I don't have a village of relatives helping.  I don't live in Europe where spouses get paternity leave.  Some women need help after the first baby and some don't need it until their third. Her...

Today at our community pool I saw a new mom with baby #2 and she was in Survival Mode and didn't know it.  I went "missing" for quite a while after baby #3 was born.  To outsiders at the preschool I was completely on top of it being early or just in time for drop offs and pick ups with kids that seemed happy.  On the inside, I was in Survival Mode. Survival Mode is when it takes every ounce of being just to keep the family boat afloat. When you are in "go" mode from the moment you semi-wake until the moment you hope to sleep. This is often brought on by bed rest, morning sickness, pregnancy fatigue, post-partum recuperation, or a fussy baby.   REMEMBER THAT THIS IS JUST A PHASE AND ALL PHASES PASS.   Here is what Survival Mode looks like for me: At least one kid awake and hanging on me from 5am - 10pm. An infant that doesn't nap unless sucking on me and rocking at the same time. (This only lasted the first four months until I was able to "aid...