Friday, January 23, 2009

Freedom of Choice Act

Wow. This makes me wish I followed Politics more. I usually stay out of them. I hate debating it.

If you know me well, you know my stand on abortion. While I would never get one myself, I do not feel like this country should go as far as making them illegal. This doesn't mean I am Pro-Choice or strictly Pro-Life. I just choose not to judge someone for making different decisions than me.

Although this bill, Freedom of Choice Act, makes me want to vomit. It will basically wipe away any restrictions on abortions currently in place. In other words, this will make partial birth abortions legal up to the baby's due date. Yes, you read that correctly. Any women can decide at any point in their pregnancy, even late into their 3rd trimester, to terminate the pregnancy for no apparent reason. It could be something as simple as because the mother changed her mind.

Medical reasons, I can understand, but because a women changed her mind?

This makes me sick. We are no longer talking about a "cluster of cells" or an "embryo." This is an alive, kicking, thriving, heart-beating, capable of living outside of the womb BABY. Yes, people, a BABY. Call it what you want, but if you are 36 weeks pregnant, it is with a baby. Fetus is just a medical term for an unborn BABY.

There are a few other regulations that will also be overturned. There is a website with a lot of information and also a petition you can sign to attempt to stop it.

http://www.fightfoca.com/

Seriously, I do not think that abortions as a whole should be banned but this is absurd! I cannot believe Obama is supporting this. It makes my heart ache.

Those regualtions were put into place for a reason.

I am sitting here, staring at my beautiful baby sleeping through the video monitor, in disbelief that this is now going to be legal. I just don't understand how someone can want to terminate a life, which is such a miracle to create, at any point in a pregnancy.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Google is not your friend: Miscarriage Statistics

I have a live feed on my blog which tells me who had visited (only the city/state they are from) my blog and what website they came from and website they leave to.

For some reason when you google miscarriage statistics, one of my previous blogs comes up where I copied & pasted some statistics I found on the Internet. So anytime someone googles this, they come across that blog post.

I imagine that this is happening because, like me, you are petrified of a miscarriage once you learn you are pregnant. So you hop on Google and bring up some websites in hopes of getting some reassurance that you will not be a part of this devastating statistic.

I am a part of this statistic. I always will be. Nothing is going to change that. That 5% my blog post talks about, I am a part of that. 5% seems small, but not once you find yourself a part of it.

When you are pregnant, Google is not your friend. You try to Google every worry in order to breath easier and most of the time you come across something that makes you feel worse and then find something else you would have never worried about had you not Googled in the first place!

So as much as humanly possible, refrain from the Google!! Step away from the computer and take a deep breath. I may be a part of this statistic, but that doesn't mean you will be. If you are truly worried about something, call your OB. This is what they get paid the big bucks for. They can give you the reassurance you need. After all, they have a medical degree and we all know degrees from University of Google aren't recognized at any medical facility!! =)

I understand your worry. My future pregnancy(s) will always be plagued with this fear. Don't let this ruin your pregnancy bliss! Relax, put your feet up and have a giant bowl of ice cream! You deserve it!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

This makes complete sense: Miscarriage Survivor

"Being able to survive it, doesn't make it okay"

I couldn't agree with this more.

Friday, January 16, 2009

An Ode to Baby Poop

I have written before how it's funny how parenting changes everything. Your perspective changes, your concerns, your lifestyle...everything.

Any mother of a new baby knows the joy of pooping. Pooping is a good thing. You get excited for a good poop! You are disappointed with a small poop. You worry if your baby doesn't poop.

You celebrate a good poop!!

Hailey is a clockwork pooper. She always poops in the morning after her first bottle. I can almost time it! Bring on the poop!

Yesterday, she didn't poop as usual. By the time I dropped her off at my mother-in-laws before work, she still hadn't pooped. My sister-in-law was there too. So later in the day, I texted my sis-in-law wondering if she had pooped. Nope, no poop as of yet. Great. Why isn't she pooping? Was it the multi-vitamin she got last night? Where's my good poop?

So I inform Randy of the poopless morning. He seems concerned over her lack of poop as well. Once he gets home and picks her up, he texts me that she finally pooped! YAY FOR POOP!

And for the record, she is back to her regularly scheduled pooping and gave her momma a nice guacamole poop this morning!

Friday, January 9, 2009

Some People Have Shit For Brains

Excuse the harshness of the title, but after you read this you will know why I chose it.

I was at the mall and was walking out to my car. I happened to be parked by Sears and walked past their Merchandise Pick Up area. I could see that this 4 door sedan had a giant plasma TV taking up the whole back seat. As I become closer to the car, I see 3, count that 3, young children crawling into the front seat with what probably is their mother. One child in sitting on the floor and the other 2 are situating themselves on the mother's lap. The driver is getting into the driver's seat. I am stunned.

They were going to drive home this way, with three young kids, all of which looked like they were still at least booster seat age. And the parents thought this was okay.

Does is take that much common sense to know that if you bring your 3 kids along to pick up your huge new TV in a 4 door, 5 passenger car that there is not going to be enough room for all to ride safely back to your destination? Really? Have you ever heard of having only one of you go so the other can watch the kids? (And yes this possible because the Sears workers will put the merchandise in your car for you so there is no need to bring multiple people). Or maybe getting a sitter of some sort if both of you insist on going? Is it really that difficult?

A child's safety (anyone for that matter) is the most important and should never be compromised. I don't care how inconvenient it is, it's priority.

And don't give me this "But it's only down the street" or "I have done this so many times and nothing have ever happened" or "You don't understand everyone's situation" bullshit. I won't buy it. I actually won't buy any excuse for this behavior. It shouldn't be done period! Picking up your huge luxury flat screen TV is not a life or death situation. Riding in a car the way that family was is!

This is not rocket science people. Here is a great website for information about children's safety in the car:

http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm

Here, I will even give you another resource:

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.9f8c7d6359e0e9bbbf30811060008a0c/

A friend of mine told me today she saw a 2 year old riding in a car on his/her mother's lap while the mother was driving! Wow really? Did Britney Spears strike again?

Please educate yourself on this.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Cheers to a new year!

It's 2009! Happy New Year!

As I reflect on this past year, I see that there have been a lot of changes in my life. I started the year still mourning the loss of my first pregnancy. Having a miscarriage changed so many things in my life. My outlook on pregnancy and parenthood are different and is something I know hold very sacred and do not take for granted.

In the month of January, I found out I was pregnant again. Lots of emotions ran through my head. From sheer excitement to fear and anxiety which plagued the first trimester of my pregnancy. My pregnancy bliss is forever tainted with the fear of another miscarriage.

In January, I also attended the funeral of a family friend. He was referred to as "Papa" to everyone who knew him. He was the father of my mother's best friend. Papa will always be missed.

In April, I attended another funeral. This one for Rich, the best friend of my brother-in-law, who died in a serious car accident. It was discovered it was due to high speeds and alcohol on the highway. This was a devastating loss (as all losses are).

In May, my husband and I celebrated our one year anniversary. I also found myself in Labor & Delivery due to some explained bleeding which turned out to be nothing. We also found out we were having a baby girl

I also attended yet a third funeral of the year. Stacey was a family friend of my husband's. She died an unexplained death due to the possibility of a prescription drug overdose but still unsure of the real cause.

In July, I ended up in Labor & Delivery again for some contractions. All was good and I was sent home.

In August, my daughter was born 7 weeks early due to my water breaking unexpectedly and for no specific reason at all. Hailey Cathleen was born August 19th @ 3:31pm weighing 5lbs 12oz. We spent the next 29 days visiting her in the NICU counting down the days until she could finally come home with us.

In September, we were finally able to bring home our baby girl.

I turned 27 in October. Celebrated some great first holidays with Hailey and ended the year with a bang at a New Years Eve party at our house!

So here it is January 1, 2009. I am anxious for what this year will bring. Lots of joy as we get to watch Hailey grow! Hopefully I won't be attending any funerals this year!

Cheers to a fantastic 2009!