You are not alone.

Becoming pregnant for the first, second or even third time is scary.  There’s so much to do, research, prepare for and think about.  With heaps of books, websites, newsletters and videos out offering information on what to expect when you are…well….expecting,  all this information can seem clinical and overwhelming.

Enter the Mommy Consultant.  Sarah Burnham is a mother of two with a wealth of knowledge and experience that she offers through her website, e-book and consulting services.  Through her consulting services, she can help you stay organized during your pregnancy, provide information and resources and assist with things like product searches and recommendations. She offers her services on a case-by-case basis and offers a free initial consultation to make certain that what she’s offering is what you need.

Her e-book is written in a warm and conversational way and relates much to her experiences, from her two complicated pregnancies to her colicky second child.  She includes essential information about hospitals, classes, fitness, support networks, pregnancy symptoms, the first few months at home and much more.   Additionally, because she’s a BC mama, she has sections on taxes, EI benefits and local resources. We love the forms and checklists included in her book and wish we’d had them when we were pregnant. The book and her services do tend to be focussed more on mums with pregnancy complications, however we think the forms, checklists, hints and resources make her e-book a great tool for any family-to- be.

Being pregnant, giving birth and parenting are all about personal choices. As you go along you’ll filter through all the info out there to make your own formal or informal manual of the tips and tidbits that are best for you and your family and the mommy consultant can help you get that focus.  It’s going to be a fun, bumpy, challenging, astonishing ride, so why not get all the help you can?

Mommy Consultant: mommyconsultant.ca

Car seats come in many shapes, sizes, colours and price points, but ultimately, the most important thing is that the seat gets our kids to their destination safely.

We talked to Gerry at Crocodile Baby about things to consider when buying your baby’s seat:

Think big:  If mommy and daddy are tall, chances are baby will be tall too.  As appealing as a portable infant bucket seat that you can use with the stroller can be, if you are on a limited budget, consider buying a convertible seat that will take your baby through their car seat years.

Bucket bonus: If you aren’t worried about your child growing out of the infant bucket seat too quickly, or portability is important, make sure that the seat fits with your stroller for maximum convenience.  Make sure you pay attention to weight and height limits of the seat – some have higher limits than others.  And try to use both hands when carrying your bucket seat to avoid even more strain on your back.

Ages and stages: Your child will be safest in a five-point harness, no matter what his or her age.  Consider a convertible seat with a higher weight if possible to allow you to keep your child in the harness for longer.  Canada safety regulations state that children should be in a harness until they reach 4 years and 40 lbs, but keeping them in a little longer certainly won’t hurt.

Double check: If you aren’t confident about how you have installed your car seat, don’t be afraid to ask for help.  Check out the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation for information on clinics and inspectors near you.  Unfortunately, BCAA and most fire halls aren’t doing inspections any more as they simply don’t have the expertise available.

Reduce, reuse, recycle: Car seats, like dairy products, have expiry dates.  If you are done with your car seat before its past due, consider passing it on to a friend or donating it to a local shelter if you aren’t planning to have another child.  Second hand stores will generally no longer accept car seats due to liability issues but you can recycle them at Pacific Mobile Depots as long as you remove all fabric and metal.

And most importantly, remember to make sure you get your car seat early…because you never know when your little bundle of joy might decide to show up!

Birthing Buddies has been helping metro Vancouver mamas give birth since 2003. Owned and operated by local doula and mama, Jenny Taylor (and her awesome husband), they’re committed to providing women with services that enhance the birth experience.  They’ve long carried Aquadoula Pools with built in heaters and any day now they’ll have Aquaborn Inflatable Pools available for rent. These new pools are expected to arrive by May 1^st so you can start booking them now for mid-may! They also rent TENS units which offer drug-free pain relief and may end up being your best friend during labour – your partner and doula excepted of course!

And if you’re looking for a great prenatal class, Birthing Buddies offers fabulous private classes that you can take when it’s convenient for you. Think prenatal in your pajamas!

So how can you win? It’s easy – just become a fan of Birthing Buddies on Facebook and you’ll be entered into a draw for an Aquaborn Pool Rental or $100 towards any of their services.

We’re limiting the number of responses, so don’t wait too long or you may miss out. And of course anytime you have feedback please feel free to email us.

Take the reader survey.

If you have problems accessing the survey try copying and pasting the following link into your browser:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PJDMR77

And, as always, thank you for supporting yoyobelly!

Do mums-to-be need nursing bras before their babies arrive?

It’s a good idea to get at least one soft, stretchy bra while you’re pregnant to take to the hospital with you.  Anita makes great ones.

There is no failsafe formula to predict how your breast size will change when your milk comes in so I don’t recommend getting too many bras before you deliver. Even with very soft nursing bras the seams can irritate you and if they compress your breasts too much you can get mastitis.

What about once your baby’s arrived?

It’s best to wait four to six weeks to get fitted for a bra after you have a baby. You may need an “interim” bra in the meantime which can seem like an unnecessary extravagance but it’s better for your milk supply and your long term breast health.

Once things settle down a bit I recommend you have three or four nursing bras. Two underwire ones and some softer ones for sleeping. And larger breasted women are always happy to discover that they can wear an underwire while they’re nursing as long as you’re fit professionally and you don’t sleep in it.

How often do you need to get refitted when you’re nursing?

Often when your baby starts solids you’ll notice a difference in your breast size but overall it’s best not to rely on frequency of nursing as an indicator but go in for a refitting when you notice a change in size.

What are your favourite nursing bras?

Well obviously I’m partial to Honeymilk but I also love Anita’s bras, Medela makes a lacy one that’s quite nice and Emma Jane makes a pretty cotton one that works if you’re not too large.

What’s the most important piece of bra advice you can give nursing mums?

It can seem expensive but it’s important to invest in nursing bras, they’re not going to last forever but the effect they have on your body will. And remember if you’re breastfeeding you’re not buying formula and bottles, which definitely end up costing more per month than a new bra, so invest in good support. You’ll feel better and your breasts will be healthier.

You:

• An old nightie or T shirt to wear during labour, something you don’t mind getting messy.
• At least two pairs of PJs or nighties and two nursing bras. Night shirts or pajama tops that button up or are front opening make nursing easier.
• Two pairs of warm socks and pair of slippers.
• At least five pairs of undies, ideally old or cheap ones as they’re bound to get messy. If you have any high waisted panties you may want to throw them in your bag just in case you end up having a C Section as they won’t irritate your scar.
• High powered sanitary pads. The hospital will supply some but we suggest bringing along your faves and perhaps your Lunapanties.
• A bathrobe.
• Your toiletries including a hairbrush, shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, lip balm, massage oil or lotion and ear plugs to tune out the 24/7 hospital noise.
• A comfy, forgiving going-home outfit.
• Books and magazines – it’s unlikely but you *may* get a chance to do some reading. We brought some of our newborn reference books to help over the new baby hurdles.
• Your favourite pillow. You want to get all the rest you can and being comfy will make that easier.
• A nursing pillow. We love YOU Pillows.
• Snacks and drinks for labour and possibly after. Hospital food for new mamas leaves a lot to be desired – there’s not enough of it for one thing – and most wards have fridges you can store your snacks in. Think granola bars, yogurts and fruit, quick and easy food to fill the gap.
• A list of phone numbers for all the people you’ll want to call. Or want your partner to call.

Your Baby:

• A going-home outfit.
• Receiving blankets. Pack a few in case you need to prop your babe up in the car seat.
• Depending on the weather, appropriate outdoor gear – blankets or bunting bags if it’s cold, a sun hat if it’s warm.
• Diapers.
• A car seat. If you want to check that it’s installed correctly before your baby arrives BCAA runs regular car seat clinics.

Your Partner:

• Comfortable shoes for pacing the corridor or supporting you.
• Pajamas, a few changes of clothes and their toiletries.
• A watch to time your contractions.
• wimwear in case they join you in the shower or birthing pool.
• Digital Camera and or video camera.

Other:

• Small gifts for any siblings who may be coming to visit
• A small music player to play the CDs that became your babe’s favourites while in the womb. Also playing “static” is a cheap way of creating white noise to drown out some of the hospital din.

But don’t leave packing your bag till too late. Lately, an astonishing number of babies we know have been making their entrance into the world a titch earlier than expected. So make like a boy scout and be prepared.

How are they eco-friendly you ask? Each of these companies print their offering on paper that’s either 100% post-consumer recycled or Forest Stewardship Certified (FSC) and they also all use vegetable or soy-based inks.

Mama Lisa Zuraw was inspired to create Sweetbeets’ line of delightful cards that spark memories of the magic of childhood when she found herself decidedly underwhelmed by the selection of unimaginative baby announcements she was faced with after the birth of her first child. Part of a collection that includes birthday cards and party invites available from her Etsy shop and at retailers across Canada, she only has a small selection of baby cards, but in her case small is beautiful: www.sweetbeets.com

If you’re attracted to a non-cutesy mix of modern and vintage then you’ll want to check out baby cards from That Sky Blue, Canada’s largest letterpress design and print studio based in Montreal. You can choose from their collection of baby cards or they’ll also create custom baby announcements for you. They have baby shower cards too and though they don’t retail online they’re widely available across Canada: www.thatskyblue.com

Jonesy.ca offers the largest selection of baby cards of any of these companies we’ve mentioned with everything from stylized pink and blue safety pins to a purple pacifier and a cow + moon card. They sell online and you can either order them individually or in boxed sets.  We also love their kids emergency set which covers all your eventualities from new babies to birthdays: www.jonesy.ca

What lovely missives with which to launch a baby into the world in a greener way. But finding the perfect words, well that’s all on you…

3D Baby Vision Fetal Imaging allows mums-to-be to capture one of the most amazing moments in life and preserve it through CD, DVD and photographs. Their friendly, fully licensed Ultrasonographers use the latest, high-quality equipment around to capture the best images and DVD recordings of your unborn babe. And you’re also welcome to bring family and friends along to meet your baby in real time courtesy of their 50” plasma screen TV set in relaxing, spa-like setting. Ahhh!

So how can you win this great gift certificate for Premiere Ultrasound Package that includes a CD, DVD and photos? Just go to www.3dbaby.ca and click on their Vancouver location for more information about their studio and services. Then come back to this contest on the yoyobelly site and leave a comment about what you’d most look forward to seeing your baby do in the womb if you won this prize.

It’s easy to comment on any of our contests, but you do it on yoyobelly.ca not in our daily emails. All you need to do is add your comment at the bottom of the contest after the share and enjoy buttons. Please note: To be eligible for this contest you must use valid email address as that is how we’ll contact the winner.

Friendly animals, a beautiful butterfly garden, a magic castle or planes, trains and. . .oh baby, the things you will see. There are no limits to the imagination at MuralMom.

Trained illustrator and graphic artist Camilla Havlik-Patten has been designing murals for 15 years. She loves helping families transform their mural dream into a living reality.

From conception to reality, you can have your very own masterpiece in just three easy steps:

Step 1: Through photos, pictures and other inspiration you (and your little muse!) will work with MuralMom to define your unique mural, including theme, colour, and any other must have preferences.

Step 2: Your ideas are turned into sketches and then, once the design has your stamp of approval, custom mural templates are created.

Step 3: You receive the mural template and start painting. All you do is place the templates on the wall, draw around the outlines of your design and paint them in – as easy as a colouring book! MuralMom will provide you with a supply list, clear “no artistic talent required” instructions and access to a clients only library of helpful online video tutorials. Plus MuralMom Camilla is available with tips and guidance.

Mural costs vary, depending on the complexity and size. MuralMom can design unique creations to fit most budgets. Generally after the initial consultation you will receive your stencils within two to three weeks. How quickly or leisurely your painting proceeds is completely up to you. Each individual template is poster-size making it easy to complete your mural, section at a time.

So don’t be restricted by a limited range of off-the-shelf decorations. Together with MuralMom you can make your baby’s room an absolute masterpiece.

Contact Camilla aka the MuralMom for an initial consultation.

Mural Mom: www.muralmom.com

At a time when your hormones are fluctuating (to put it mildly), acupuncture can help balance things out by relieving first trimester nausea, mood swings, disturbed sleep patterns and hormonally induced headaches. It can also be really helpful in bringing relief to the physical adjustments your body goes through as your back, hips and joints stretch and shift with pregnancy. And for those of us who suffer from things like chronic headaches (whether pregnancy induced or not) and regular aches and find ourselves unable to take much in the way of pharmaceutical aids during the nine month stretch, acupuncture can be a savior.

Acupuncture is safe during pregnancy and is recommended by many prenatal caregivers. It’s a good idea to find an acupuncturist who really understands pregnancy and pre and post-natal treatment. There are many trained practitioners and studios in town, including Acumamas which is staffed by a group of doulas who really know their pre and post natal “stuff”.

When it comes to the last few weeks of your pregnancy a prenatally focused acupuncturist can actually offer a special treatment program geared at preparing you for the labour (or surgery) ahead. They offer everything from treatments to aid with fetal positioning to cervical ripening, which will in theory help make your labour just a little bit easier. Speaking of easier labours when you use a doula with acupuncture training, like the gals at Acumamas, they can actually offer pain support via acupuncture during your labour. And post-natally acupuncture can also be great for sorting out issues with milk production and all the hormonal changes that your post-preggo life will bring.

If you’ve never tried acupuncture before or you’re squeamish about needles be assured that the treatments are indeed very relaxing and the needles so fine that they really don’t feel like anything. In fact, they’re a lot easier to deal with than all those blood tests that being pregnant brings.

Acumamas: acumamas.com