Baby Promos - A New Way to Market

Now I'm sporting the free Enfamil Carryall bag & the Simalac Sling Pack. I used the Enfamil bag at the grocery store the other day. The Simalac Pack is loaded with all the stuff I need for taking Rudy on his first trip post-delivery (probably to the pediatrician's office).

One thing I noticed about the bags is the lack of bold-in-your-face branding. The brand isn't on the bag. The Enfamil bag (inside) tag  says 'Made In China'. Simalac actually has their name on a little discreet tag on the outside of the bag. Why are they so shy?

I say, because they want people to use them. And when I say, people, I mean people like me. I wouldn't walk around with a backpack that screams SIMALAC, or use a multi-purpose bag that yells ENFAMIL. The promo stuff inside the bags is what's suppose to wheel you in. The bag is just an added bonus. In my case, the sample can of Similac powder was one of the recalled cans because of BEETLES. The powder has been trashed but I still plan to use bag. It's the only diaper bag I have and that I need at the moment. Thanks Simalac (but not for the formula). :-)

Rudy's 1st Baby Shower

Waiting for Rudy's arrival has given me time to reflect on the events that have happened to celebrate Rudy. The first big celebration was Rudy's 1st baby shower. It was an amazing luncheon, in a lovely setting with good eats and great peeps. I relive the moment by looking at pictures like these.

Location: The Portafino Inn - a beautiful Victorian house.

H'orderves: Stuffed shrimp wrapped in prosciutto, tartlets, and drinks - in the garden.

Table Setting: Linen table cloth & linen napkins.

Lunch: Caprese salad, polenta, chicken rollatini, & squash

More Lunch: Stuffed eggplant & peach dessert in a wine reductions sauce

Party Favors: Each guest received olive oil with a hand written thank you card and a murano pearl bracelet.

Beetles Vs Breast Milk

The hospitals give expecting moms free promo bags of coupons and formula complements of big companies like Infamil & Similac (Abbott). I have the Similac Pack which came with formula samples. Also I signed up for their StrongMoms group where they send you emails with all the needed 411.

Today I checked their Web site and found out that they have a recall on several formulas because they may have beetles or beetle larvae. OMG. Beetles? Seriously? Why didn't I get an email from StrongMoms about this not-so-little recall?

I'm going to be the poster parent for breast feeding. Rudy won't be getting in beetles out of my boobies!

 

It's "D" Day

Ladies and gentlemen, here we are Oct. 28, 2010, and Rudy is still living in mommy's belly. He hasn't dropped yet but by the way he's moving it could happen at any moment. I'm a little scared because my appetite is really picking up, but I haven't gained 1 pound. Where is all of that food going? I hope Rudy doesn't get too big in my belly. Why?

In my baby book, I'm reading the chapter on labor and delivery and the reiteration of the labor back pain, episiotomy, tearing & pushing, catheters & IVs; the 3 phases of labor - early labor, active labor, transitional labor - is giving me mental contractions. Now my brain needs an epidural. But I digress.

I'm thinking for the real "D" day an epidural is more likely than not. Daddy says Rudy's going to be a big one.

Pray for me and Rudy.

2 Days Left: How Am I Feeling???

What can I say? It's almost 12 noon and I just woke up. Seriously! How can an adult sleep so much? Of course, I do wake up in the wee hours of the night - sometimes 4 AM sometimes 6 AM - then I'm out like a light by 7 or 8 AM. These days I read, eat, and sleep. Sometimes I play video games on my DS.

Aside from sleeping like a baby, I have major sciatica, a real pain in the butt. It flares up from sitting. Rudy and I are most comfortable when I lay down on my left side; a little hard to do when driving to doc. appointments.

Ooh, I think Rudy's trying to tell me that it's time to eat (again), gotta go...

Today I had "The Talk"

Today I found a show called 'The Talk". I guess the idea is there are 4 women - host, guest, and 2 popular females in the entertainment industry - that talk about a specific topic. When I tuned in the guest was a 5-month first time pregnant lady (I think she's a GMA correspondent). The topic was labor pain. How appropriate, I thought.

One lady referred to it as hell, another said picture being repeatedly beat over the head with a rock, and lastly, like menstrual cramps times 100. In response, the 5-month pregnant lady said she's considering getting drugs via a catheter as the epidural could wear off. Nice!!!

Needless to say after I had "the talk", a c-section was sounding pretty good. In order to preserve my sanity I quickly changed the channel. I don't think 'The Talk" is the show for me.

Fat Feet. Fat Ankles

For several months my baby barring lady friends have asked me if I have swollen feet & ankles. My answer was no. Then a few days ago I was laying in bed and noticed that my feet and ankles were looking a little...fat. I'm not sure when this happened because most of the time I can't see my feet over my Rudy bump (belly).

I finally have fat feet and fat ankles! Luckily they are only visually disturbing. Yesterday I took a 2 mile walk and didn't have any problems.

Rudy Where Are You?

It's getting down to the wire, 16 days until the due date!!! Last week was pretty crazy. I got stung by a bee, the first time in my life and bitten up by a mesquite - not my first time. Aside from a little itching I survived.

Yesterday I went in for my weekly check-up and next think I know, I'm in the hospital getting fetal monitoring. Not exactly what I was expecting. Long story short, I hadn't felt Rudy move for a while. Even though he had a good heart beat, the doc wanted some long term monitoring done. They forgot to mention that I couldn't leave until I felt Rudy move.  Since I was there I decided to make the most of my visit. While sipping on cold water and refreshing apple juice from concentrate, I discussed the birth plan with the nurse and had it entered into the computer. A few hours later, I felt Rudy move. The shackles were removed and we were free to go.

The basic rule of thumb is you have to feel your baby move at least 10 times in a 2 hour window. Rudy's pretty big now so I don't feel kicking. Movement is usually a little tickle in the stomach area. Some moving is better than none. Rudy's monitoring results showed great movement but if mommy doesn't feel baby, mom goes and stays in hospital.

What to Expect... When Your Expecting

Remember when expecting moms learned all they needed to know about having a baby from oral tradition? Ladies sitting around talking about being pregnant and what to expect?  Those days may still exist but not in my world. My girl  friends, including moms, talk about TV shows, work, politics, and the economy.

Rudy's grandma is very hip, so rather than nag me about all I needed to know, she mailed me 2  What To Expect books: What To Expect When You're Expecting and What To Expect Eating Well When You're Expecting.

I started with the Eating Well because I didn't have any pregnancy side effects. Recently with some ligament & sciatic issues I realized I needed to read more of  the other What To Expect book. My issues were all in there, in black-and-white. Each problem, causes and solutions, even the physical and emotional effects.

There's something relaxing about being able to identify the changes you're body goes through while having a baby. When you know that everything is normal and there are others experiencing the same aches and pains you don't blame your baby (but life still can suck at that intense moment). It's just part of the process. The doctor only addresses issues as you are or after you have experienced them, which isn't that helpful.

For those who are planning on having a Rudy of their own, I say get a head start on the reading so you know what you're getting yourself into. The authors' have a great quick reference on pregnancy symptoms. Just remember every women is different. I didn't have any issues for the first 6 months, which is 2/3 of the blessed battle of pregnancy.

The No-Sew Blanket

Rudy has received so many handmade gifts - shoes, hats, blankets - crocheted and sowed. I feel like I have to make Rudy something. So I started to reflect on my past crafts. I used to sew throw pillows, but I don't have a machine. Then it hit me, several years ago I made a no-sew fleece blanket for my friends kid. You tie two pieces of fleece together and viola, you have a blanket. Several years and countless washes later, she still has and uses the blanket, hole free and still tied together. So I'm going to make Rudy a blanket too.

I found this video which accurately shows how to make the no-sew/ tied blanket.

The Gopher II: Don't Be Shy, Give It A Try

As I enter my ninth month of pregnancy normal actions like picking up something on the floor seems like a hassle. This could be because my - brick hard - stomach is so big I can't even see my toes or even bend down to tie my own shoe laces. Getting help with these types of little tasks from Daddy or the closes nearby person was diminishing the self-sufficient independence I've tried to maintain though the years. My independence level was quickly hiked up with the gift of the Gopher.

The as seen on TV Gopher II Pick Up and Reaching Tool helps me pickup things around the house, like bags in hard to reach places. I can pick up almost anything (solid) that I drop, except for the Gopher. I can pick up my shoes with the Gopher then sit down and put them on. It also works with doing things above the waist, like changing a ceiling light bulb (which I haven't tried). It's retractable too!!! So if your purse is big enough you can take it with you.


Using the Gopher can make you feel like you are elderly or crippled...if you let. I say forget about the stigma - don't be shy, give it a try.

Don't Believe Everything You Read

Last week we put together Rudy's bassinet, a 5-in-1 with a lot of bells & whistles. If you want bells and whistles I suggest buying a pre-assembled model. It'll save you time and probably save some relationships. The process was intense but we got the job done.After the bassinet was put together I carefully read through the manual. I wanted to make sure I knew how all 5 of the components worked. After all, this machinery will soon be housing my precious cargo - Rudy.

In my reading travels I discovered that one of the skirts was supposed to have 3 pockets to store diapers, towels, etc. for easy access. (One of the functions is a changing table.) I didn't recall seeing any pockets. I carefully searched the skirt - several times - in search of these pockets. Finally I accepted that we had put it together correctly and the pockets were missing.  I called customer support and quickly found out that the manual was made before the product. When the product was produced they decided not to add pockets.

According to the customer service rep, the elimination of the pockets has not been a problem for the company because most people don't read the manual. There is a picture with the pockets, but I guess people don't realize that either. I guess I should have know not to believe everything I read.