The post The Realities of Motherhood -Kylee Austin appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>The Realities of Motherhood
You have probably heard it, a big problem with motherhood in today’s society is the vast expanse between expectations and reality.
Mom of 3, Kylee Austin, shares her story uncovering the realities of motherhood.
“My throat burns, my eyes hurt, I’m tired, shaking, and ashamed…This is real motherhood. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Before you send me your love notes saying “you’re doing a great job, momma”, or your advice, “have you tried…??”. Let me say this, as much as I love your support and guidance, I post these moments, not for me, but because society has created this monster in motherhood. This monster that says we are supposed to be perfect, look perfect and post the pretty. I, personally, feel so isolated by the image society has created for me, scared that in these moments when I should feel like I need to reach out for help, I will be judged instead.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I think one of the hard parts of motherhood is that you can have a wonderful, engaged, memorable even day with your children and STILL have moments like these, moments when you question your sanity, moments when you question your ability, moments that crush you.
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What am I crying about?
What am I crying about? Well, it could be a mixture of many things. Lack of sleep due to teething and my rigorous schedule. Lack of time for myself, lack of naps, anxiety, depression, relationships, money, housekeeping, feedings, ‘threenager;, infants, twins…what DON’T moms have to deal with?⠀
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In the end, it doesn’t matter why. My kids are alive and healthy (thank God!), and I could have much bigger things to cry about. But, that doesn’t make me any less ashamed for yelling at my kids, having feelings that don’t make me “normal” according to society’s mom standards, putting my twins to bed early, or needing a second to myself and hiding in a room away from my three-year-old while he watches TV.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Please, don’t feel sorry for me and please be gentle (with everyone, you never know what people are going through!). I just feel like this is my civic duty to post and tell whoever’s out there right now crying that you aren’t alone, that you are normal and that it’s going to be alright.”
You can follow Kylie’s journey on Instagram. Do you have a similar experience, we would love to hear about your important journey. Submit your own story here. Be sure to subscribe to our YOUTUBE for our best videos.
Join us at the PB Moms Exclusive Circle, where healthcare experts prepare you for life after childbirth and motherhood. Go to: pregnancybeyond.com/exclusive-circle.
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]]>The post My Unmedicated Water Birth Story – Madian Martinez appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>Non Medicated | Non Epidural | Natural Birth | Water Birth
First-time mom Madian Martinez who welcomed a son in May 2019 shares her water unmedicated water birth experience with PregnancyBeyond. Scroll to the bottom of this page to see a video of Madian pushing out her son like a champ!
She wrote:
2 – 3 Centimeter Dilated
Do you want me to call the ambulance?
19 mins later I don’t know how I did it but I naturally pushed that baby right on out. I really couldn’t believe I had the strength and power to do that but I DID 
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This story was submitted to PregnancyBeyond by Madian Martinez. Do you have a similar experience, we would love to hear about your important journey. Submit your own story here. Be sure to subscribe to our YOUTUBE for our best videos.
Join us at the PB Moms Exclusive Circle, where healthcare experts prepare you for life after childbirth and motherhood. Go to: pregnancybeyond.com/exclusive-circle.
Follow PregnancyBeyond on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
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]]>The post Rainbow Baby : Nine Pregnancies To Motherhood appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>Rainbow Baby: Olubusaya Ola of Rhode Island had nine pregnancies on her journey to becoming a mother. She shares her story in the hopes that it inspires other parents who have experienced the loss of a child.
Nine pregnancies to motherhood
We have had nine pregnancies on our journey to becoming parents. Speaking to PregnancyBeyond, Ola describes the emotional moment she and her husband lost three pregnancies before 20 weeks. The new mom further describes how her daughter passed away after months in the Newborn Intensive care unit (NICU). A NICU is a nursery in a hospital that provides around-the-clock care to sick or premature babies.
“We had three miscarriages before 20 weeks and then gave birth to our beautiful daughter Ariyanu Enitan who was born prematurely and passed away in November 2012 after 6 months in the NICU.”
Rainbow Baby
I was told I couldn’t conceive without medical intervention. Then God surprised us and our doctors and blessed us with our son Ayotunji Feyisetan in 2016.
Soon after we were surprised again with a pregnancy only to deliver our son TiJesuni at 38 weeks stillborn December 2017. After this, we again suffered two more miscarriages.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CIn4dzlnLkB/?igshid=1i43psk56ilwa
Our Miracle Rainbow Baby
But we serve an awesome God who will not let his children suffer in vain. In the midst of a pandemic, God has given us our miracle rainbow, Simisayo Ayotomi born September 2020.
We have had, 9 pregnancies, 4 children, 2 angels, and 2 rainbows.
Even in the midst of the storm and pain, our joy is complete!
Speaking further to PregnancyBeyond, the new mom mentioned that she has been inspired by the stories we share. “I have been so inspired by the stories you share on our own journey that I hope my story inspires others”.
Warmest congratulations to you and your family on the birth of your sweet baby girl.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CIoCRmUn8Y7/
Photos by @baileyfox
This story was submitted to PregnancyBeyond by Olubusay Ola. Do you have a similar experience, we would love to hear about your important journey. Submit your own story here. Be sure to subscribe to our YOUTUBE for our best videos.
We invite you to join us at the PB Moms Exclusive Circle. Where we invite healthcare experts to prepare you for life after childbirth and motherhood. Go to: pregnancybeyond.com/exclusive-circle.
Follow PregnancyBeyond on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
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]]>The post Postpartum – What To Expect in Postpartum? appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>
By Ashley Nowe, Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist.
The postpartum period begins immediately after the delivery of the baby and generally includes the first 4–6 weeks after birth. In some cases, the delayed period can last up to six months after childbirth.
In this episode of our Instagram Live postpartum series, Ashley, Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist enlightens us on how to keep active during pregnancy and postpartum while preventing excessive diastasis recti, prolapse, and incontinence.
Points Covered: 
How your breath is your superpower (relationship of the diaphragm to the pelvic floor) How to reduce your likelihood of diastasis recti by proactively training the deep abdominals Proactive and safe exercise strategies Tips for a healthier pelvic floor (how to keep the intensity, but create lower impact workouts).
Questions Answered Include: Will strengthening my core improve my sex life after having a baby? What tips would you give in rebuilding your core postpartum How can I safely close diastasis recti after a c-section? Best tips for improving incontinence after pregnancy
We invite you to join us over at the PB Moms Exclusive Circle, where we invite healthcare experts to prepare us for life after childbirth and motherhood. Go to: pregnancybeyond.com/exclusive-circle
PRESS PLAY
DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS FOR MORE VIDEOS
Ashley Nowe is a Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist. Her mission is to help moms stay fit and active during pregnancy and throughout motherhood. Find more of her @getmomstrong
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]]>The post Postpartum Infections and Pain | Treatment Tips appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>Postpartum Infections and Pain In Perineal Area:
Treating Postpartum Infections And Pain In the Perineal Area. By Tiara Caldwell (Certified Doula &IBCLC ).
Particularly, the postpartum period begins immediately after the delivery of the baby. Generally, includes the first 4–6 weeks after birth. In some cases, the delayed postpartum period can last up to six months after childbirth.
For instance, in this episode of our Instagram Live postpartum series, we discuss infections. Meanwhile, Tiara, Certified Doula, and IBCLC enlightens us on how to treat them.
POINTS COVERED:
Common signs and symptoms of most infections to look out for.
4 common postpartum infections: 1. UTI, 2. Endometritis, 3. Surgical scar infection, 4. Mastitis.
Things to consider while pregnant to help reduce the risk of infection and pelvic pain.
Home relief for pelvic pain.
Questions Answered:
- How do you prevent postpartum UTI’s?
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How are postpartum wound infections treated?
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How to prevent infections.
We invite you to join us over at the PB Moms Exclusive Circle. Where we invite healthcare experts to prepare us for life after childbirth and motherhood. Go to: pregnancybeyond.com/exclusive-circle
PRESS PLAY
DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS FOR MORE VIDEOS
Also, Follow PregnancyBeyond on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
The postpartum period begins immediately after the delivery of the baby. Generally includes the first 4–6 weeks after birth. In some cases, the delayed postpartum period can last up to six months after childbirth.
POINTS COVERED:
Common signs and symptoms of most infections to look out for.
4 common postpartum infections 1. UTI, 2. Endometritis, 3. Surgical scar infection, 4. Mastitis.
Things to consider while pregnant to help reduce the risk of infection and pelvic pain.
Home relief for pelvic pain.
We invite you to join us over at the PB Moms Exclusive Circle. Where we invite healthcare experts. Who prepares us for life after childbirth and motherhood. Go to: pregnancybeyond.com/exclusive-circle.
The post Postpartum Infections and Pain | Treatment Tips appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>The post Journey To Motherhood : Woman Gives Birth To A Miracle Baby appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>Journey To Motherhood: A mother who suffered a miscarriage on the same date in the same hospital room a year apart has given birth to a “miracle baby”. Listen to her share her story in the video at the bottom of this page.
Katie Bonful, 31, who had suffered two miscarriages, Shared her journey to motherhood. Given birth to her rainbow baby, Maximus, now a year old.
She shares her miscarriage story in the hopes that it encourages and brings hope to mothers who have experienced the loss of a child.
Katie’s first miscarriage:
Katie miscarried her first baby after experiencing heavy bleeding during her second trimester on March 9, 2017. Katie and her husband Richard, couldn’t wait to start a family and were overjoyed when she fell pregnant in November 2016.
Everything seemed fine at the 12-week scan but Katie grew concerned when she started getting cramping and bleeding just before her 17-week check-up.
‘Suddenly I started bleeding everywhere – the whole cubicle was covered in blood. I was completely devastated and I felt numb.
‘I was so excited and had just started telling people I was pregnant. Nothing can prepare you for losing a child and we grieved for a long time.’
Doctors broke the devastating news that the baby was unlikely to survive and Katie went into labor – giving birth to a ‘lifeless baby boy’ at St Thomas Hospital in March 2017.
Katie’s second miscarriage:
She fell pregnant again, but went into early labor and miscarried in the same hospital room at St Thomas, Westminster, on March 9, 2018.
I was 17 weeks and five days along and I was getting ready for work. I felt strange but thought the baby was having a growth spurt.
‘It felt like I needed a wee – like a pressure down there – so after work, I went to the hospital.
‘They scanned me saw that my cervix had opened at the fluid around the baby had started to flow out.
I was told the baby was unlikely to survive.
‘They contemplated an emergency stitch but only if the pain and bleeding stopped but it didn’t.
‘I went into labor and was in so much pain for about eight hours before my second son arrived stillborn. It was heart-breaking when it started happening again.
‘I thought I’d know what it felt like, but was different to the first time so I had no idea. It fell on the same date that I’d miscarried the year before.
‘Not only that but I was in the same hospital room and the nurses even recognized me.’
Pregnant again:
Six months later, in August 2018, Katie fell pregnant again, but doctors told her she had a high chance of premature labor so she had weekly check-ups until she went into labor at 38 weeks. Doctors performed a cervical stitch, a treatment to stop the cervix from opening too early during pregnancy
Gave birth to a miracle baby:
She gave birth on April 13, 2019, to a healthy 6lb 13oz boy, and Katie and her husband, Richard, 34, said rainbow baby Maximus is a ‘miracle’.
A rainbow baby is a child born to a woman after she suffers a miscarriage.
She said: ‘Going through a miscarriage once is heart-breaking enough, let alone twice.
‘I couldn’t believe it when I was in the same room twice, going through the same thing again on the same date but one year on – it was like a nasty déjà vu.
She said: ‘After the second miscarriage my husband and I prayed for another child and said: “this time next year, we’ll have our little boy.”
‘Having faith helped get through such a difficult time.
‘The moment Maximus was born I was waiting for him to cry and the second he did I literally screamed in joy.
‘It was the most amazing sound I’d ever heard.
‘He’s such a little fighter – he was our little “rainbow” baby because he arrived after the storm.
‘It’s scarring and isolating to go through a miscarriage but there are other people who have been through it too.
‘I hope sharing my story can help others and encourage them not to suffer in silence.’
Journey to Motherhood Video:
Speaking to PregnancyBeyond she said “Life doesn’t always go the way we want it to or the way we plan.
”We invite you to join us at the PB Moms Exclusive Circle. Where we invite healthcare experts. Who prepares us for life after childbirth and motherhood. Go to: pregnancybeyond.com/exclusive-circle.
Follow PregnancyBeyond on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
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]]>The post Postpartum Psychosis – First 24 Hours of Postpartum appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
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Postpartum Psychosis:
Postpartum psychosis By Hanna Murray, Labor & Delivery Nurse.
Ahhh the birth of your baby, such an exciting and happy time! Women usually prepare a lot for the actual birth, but some don’t realize to prepare for postpartum. Do you know what happens in the first 24 hours after delivery? It’s a huge change for both you and your baby. So read on to find out more about Postpartum Psychosis.
All written by a seasoned labor and delivery nurse about Postpartum Psychosis. She has helped hundreds of women in the postpartum period. Plus, learn some helpful tips to deal with that first eventful day.
What Physiological Changes Happen to Your Baby?
Right after your baby comes out they take their first breath. Before they come out of your uterus, their lungs are filled with fluid. That first breath pushes most of the fluid out of the lungs and they can fill with air! This happens very fast, and although the baby has been practicing for a while, it’s a huge change for them.
Their whole world has changed at this point. Everything is brighter, louder, drier, and just plain strange!
That is why you will become a safe spot. When babies are close to their mothers, they feel safe. Don’t be surprised if your little baby doesn’t want to sleep alone in the bassinet. It’s just too foreign to them! They are used to being rocked to sleep in the warm, dark cave that your uterus was to them.
This doesn’t mean that you will spoil your baby. Hold them as much as you can in the beginning, and skin-to-skin is the ideal way to hold them.
Skin-to-Skin Should Start Right Away:
If your baby comes out crying and healthy, start skin-to-skin right from the start. This will help to maintain their temperature. It will also help to maintain their blood sugar and make it so they will breastfeed sooner and with more ease. The doctors or nurses might want to take your baby and get them examined, but please ask them to wait. Skin-to-skin is more important at this time.
As long as your baby is healthy, breathing well, and has normal vitals, tell your providers that you want to continue to do skin-to-skin for as long as possible and ideally for at least one hour after birth and until the baby has had its first full feed at the breast.
Ask Your Visitors to Stay at Home.
If you are breastfeeding, your baby will have its first feed in the first couple of hours after birth. After that, most babies have a nice long sleep, so this is when you (and your partner if you have one) need to rest as much as you can. You will probably be exhausted from birth and you need your rest! Please ask all visitors to come AFTER this important rest period. If you feel uncomfortable telling them to leave, your nurse will have no problem letting them know that now is the time to leave!
The first 24 hours, your baby will be more sleepy so this is prime time for you to catch up on sleep. Sleep is so important for your milk supply and for your healing after birth. Don’t skimp on sleep! After the first 24 hours, babies tend to wake up more and want to eat more, so it would be ideal if you have gotten more rest so that you can deal with this period of fussiness in your newborn.
What happens to you physiologically right after birth?
Once your baby is out your uterus keeps contracting. Eventually, you will birth the placenta as well. Once the placenta is out, your providers will press on your belly to make sure that your uterus is contracting, it’ll feel like a hardball. We want it to be contracting because then you will bleed less. It should contract so that it goes back down to the size it was before you were pregnant. You will bleed a lot right in the beginning, but your doctor and nurses are keeping an eye on the bleeding and making sure it isn’t too much!
If you had a tear or episiotomy, your provider will stitch you up at this time. Once that is all done your nurses will clean you up and watch you and your baby for about an hour or two. This is the ideal time to do skin-to-skin.
You Will Keep Having Contractions!
The contractions can be painful while you are holding your baby or breastfeeding your baby because your body will be releasing oxytocin and this is the hormone that makes your uterus contract. The contractions are good and will prevent you from bleeding too much.
If your uterus doesn’t firm up and you are bleeding too much your providers might give you some extra meds to help with the bleeding. You are in good hands!
Once your baby is out. Put a hand just below your belly button and press firmly. You will feel a hardball, this is your uterus! It’ll keep getting smaller and smaller until your uterus is about the size of your fist and way down in your pelvis. This happens at about 6 weeks postpartum.
The contractions are supposed to happen and are absolutely normal! In fact, after each baby, the post-birth contractions will be more and more painful. Some women are surprised because they think the contractions stop once the baby is out!
Take Your Pain Meds.
This leads me to the next point. Don’t hesitate to take the pain meds that your nurse will offer. It’s much better to stay comfortable in these early hours after your baby is born than to be miserable!
You will only need the pain meds for the first few days after delivery and they will help a lot with painful contractions
Bleeding will continue for up to 6 weeks
You are bleeding from the spot where your placenta was. There is basically a huge sore where your placenta was attached to your uterus on the inside. You will be bleeding a lot in the first 24 hours so invest in some nice big pads. Your hospital will most likely give you some big pads and some great mesh undies. Use them!
The first 2-3 days are the worst for the bleeding. It will taper off, but be prepared to have bled off and on for up to 6 weeks, it can be totally normal!
That’s about Postpartum Psychosis for the first 24 hours postpartum. I really hope this helps you prepare and that you have a healthy and happy birth.
Postpartum – What to expect in Postpartum?
About the Author
My name is Hanna, founder of Babytalk. I am a labor and delivery nurse and doula. Moreover, I love educating new and expectant moms. I believe that birth is the most powerful event any woman will go through in her life. It’s important to be prepared. That’s why I started my blog, Babytalk. So I can educate as many women as possible, far and wide! Please check it out at www.babytalk.life and I’m also over on Instagram educating women far and wide, I’m @babytalk.birthnurse on there and would love it if you’d follow me! I promise you’ll learn a lot!
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]]>The post The Ultimate Fashion Gift Guide For Christmas 2019 appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>- Kate Spade New York Ruffle Dress (Baby Girls)
2. Kate Spade New York Carolyn Dress (Baby Girls)
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]]>The post Christmas Gift Guide For The Whole Family 2019 appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>Black Friday 2019 sales are live and here are the best deals you can buy right now! While supplies last.
3. Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure
4. Samsung Flat 43-Inch QLED 4K Q60 Series Ultra HD Smart TV
6. Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case (Latest Model) 
7. Hamilton Beach 7 Quart Stay or Go Programmable Slow Cooker with Party Dipper
8. Sony 55″ Class BRAVIA 4K (2160P) UHD HDR Android Smart LED TV
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]]>The post Best Gifts For Pregnant Women 2019 appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>Black Friday deals are here and these are the best deals in Maternity and Baby that is available right now, and while supplies last!
They are going quick! Go take a look…
Pregnant? This is a must-read and it is PregnancyBeyond endorsed!
“Sweet Pregnancy Sleep by Mom Coach Kaytee is your friendly, short and accurate guide for your perfect sleep in pregnancy!
In this eBook Mom Coach Kaytee addresses sleep issues in pregnancy holistically- from physical causes such as reflux, leg cramps and body pains to the emotional and mental turmoil that can be experienced in pregnancy such as stress and anxiety.
The steps provided by Mom Coach Kaytee to tackle these problems are easy to follow and realistic steps to take.
It is a must-read for all pregnant woman and is relevant through the three trimesters in pregnancy.
Having just gone through the journey myself, I can say that the tips provided by Mom Coach Kaytee are very helpful and should be every pregnant woman’s helping guide for achieving that perfect sleep.
To simply put it, this is a book and a guide that all momma’s -to-be must have!”
Tobi Coker M.D., OB/GYN
- 4-in-1 car seat gives you 10 years of use: seamlessly transforms from rear-facing harness car seat
- Graco ProtectPlus Engineered helps to protect your little one in the frontal, side, rear and rollover crashes.
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