Conceiving with Endometriosis

I always felt fortunate that even if I couldn’t get pregnant on my own, I had the option of getting help and our insurance covered the treatments. Don’t get discouraged if your insurance or finances aren’t an option because this is ultimately what happened to us. I had my laparoscopic surgery in May, started seeing my fertility Dr. in June, and was planning on being artificially inseminated in September. It was Labor Day weekend, and to our surprise and shock, my husband and I were pregnant without having to go through the artificial insemination. So we ultimately did do it on our own this time without having to go through any fertility treatments.

Getting Pregnant isn’t always easy & painless

The fertility Dr. recommended artificial insemination as our first step, so I needed a test called HSG. It typically is done in the hospital where you remain awake and dye is injected into the uterine cavity through the vagina and cervix. The uterine cavity fills with dye and if the fallopian tubes are open, the dye fills the tubes and spills into the abdominal cavity. I recommend that you take plenty of Motrin beforehand, as you will be sore & uncomfortable if this is a test you are having done, and you may also want someone to go with you. My fallopian tubes where not obstructed, which meant I was scheduled to start taking a drug called clomid for my upcoming artificial insemination.

Endometriosis & fertility

People always use the expression, hind site is 20/20, so while planning for a pregnancy has some good points, it can always become discouraging when it doesn’t happen as fast as you think it should, or if insurance and money become an issue. Fortunately, our insurance covered a fertility Dr., alleviating that piece of the puzzle. After our first consultation, we started the process. My husband and I had to have more in depth testing done, and while mine was going to be much more invasive, in typical male form he made sure to tell me how horrible it was that he had to donate sperm!

Conceiving while diagnosed with endometriosis

The hardest part of finding out the truth, even if you can work through it, is the acceptance. Once I had my diagnosis, my doctor discussed my options. Because my endometriosis was so severe, she had told me that if pregnancy was something that I wanted, there wasn’t much time to spare and we would need to go to a fertility Dr. My other choice was to be put on a drug called lupron, which would trick my body into a false menopause. Not an option at 24! Never did I think I was going to be one of those women who actually planned for her pregnancy, but at least that was still an option for me.

How does Endometriosis affects pregnancy

I have always suffered from horrible monthly periods and cysts resulting in numerous ultra sounds & tests since the time I was 12 years old. So after five years of marriage, using no contraceptives & zero pregnancies, my husband and I decided it was time to seek a more in depth medical evaluation of my situation. I currently had a 9cm cyst on my ovary that kept growing, so I opted to undergo a laparoscopic procedure to remove it. When I woke up in recovery, my questions had been answered. I was diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis which was a relief in a sense to finally know, but unfortunately, endometriosis can only be diagnosed through having an actual surgery and many women go un-diagnosed.

Can't be a full-time breastfeeding mom?

If you know you'll have to interrupt your breastfeeding by going back to work, school or other activity, get your body and your baby used to the idea. Do not wait until the last minute to start pumping and introducing a baby bottle. Also it is a good idea to let other family members feed your baby because it starts the separation process. Your baby will most likely reject these changes and you will feel guilty, so give baby and you time to adjust. However don’t do it too early because it's important to first establish the breastfeeding relationship. Introduce any changes gradually, begin to pump and feed him/her with a bottle. Once you're comfortable start having daddy or another caregiver feed, hold and care for the baby. This is great bonding time for daddy as well. This way, when you're ready to go back to work, you'll be confident that your baby is not traumatized and refusing/rejecting everything and everybody.

After labor time

My first advice is to get plenty of rest. I know, you just became a mom and you're very excited about the new baby. You are ready to care for him/her and can't wait to do all the baby stuff you've dreamed of for 9 months. There will be plenty of time for that. You need a lot of rest after a delivery, whether it was natural or C-section, because your body has gone through an unbelievable shock. You may not realize it but you've lost a lot of blood, most of your nutritional sources have been utilized to create, form and grow your baby inside and you are very weak. Also eat a healthy diet rich in nutrients and drink plenty of water. You need to recuperate quickly so that you can care for your newborn.

What to carry in the labor bag

Here are some of the essentials that you will need to pack: Nipple ointment, shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, wipes, tooth brush, tooth paste, hair brush, lip balm, hand cream, breastfeeding bra, sleepers, robe, a hand mirror, and cell phone (if allowed). The Push Pack is great because it offers pre-made bags of essentials. Also be aware that more and more hospitals are becoming World Health Organization compliant and switching to breastfeeding only, which is great. However, you may need to bring a bottle or formula, because these hospitals may not give you any. Be sure to add a good baby bottle that will supplement your breastfeeding, as needed.

Pre-natal classes: Breastfeeding

Most hospitals now offer breastfeeding classes and have lactation consultants on staff. These classes are a must. You would be surprised at how difficult something so natural can be. I took this class and can definitely say that it was beneficial for both my baby and me. It not only teaches you the importance of breastfeeding but techniques of feeding your baby. When my second child was born, I think she spent hours at the breast, something I didn't do with the first one and think it made a huge difference with building my milk supply. This will not only establish the immediate bond but tells your body to begin producing milk to fulfill the demand. Don't look at the clock, just do it.

Pre-natal classes: Lamaze

I highly recommend that you attend the Lamaze class at the hospital where you will be delivering. Take your partner with you, most pregnant moms do. The Lamaze class is not all about breathing. They will walk you through everything from what to do when you start contractions all the way to what to do with a newborn (changing diapers and bathing). Since it's given by the hospital you get an added benefit because they walk you through additional things such as where to enter the hospital, how to register, what your room and the baby care rooms look like, as well as what to expect from your nurses and doctors. While some may say this additional information is a no brainer, when you are in a hurry and panicked it helps to bring about some calm knowing where you are supposed to go. Schedule a class today! There is no such thing as too much information where caring for a newborn is concerned.

The Football technique

There are many ways to hold the baby while breastfeeding. One such technique is called the football hold because you basically hold your baby like a football. This is a good technique for mothers who have had a C-section because the baby rests on your side rather than on your belly. Rest the baby on the outer side of the breast you'll feed her with, baby's legs will be behind you and baby's head faces you to make eye contact. Place your arm over the baby's body and wrap your hand behind her head and neck. Line up her mouth with your nipple/areola and begin feeding. Have a happy feeding.

Latching on techniques

My lactation consultant stressed the fact that the baby must open his/her mouth wide to latch on to the areola the breast rather than just the nipple. She even mentioned I should stick my finger inside his mouth and push down gently to get my son to open his mouth. Getting your baby to properly latch while breastfeeding will help eliminate air swallowing that can lead to gas. It will also reduce the irritation to your nipples. Have a happy feeding.

Breastfeeding on demand

What does it mean? Breastfeeding on demand means feeding your baby whenever he/she wants to feed. Most newborns feed every 2 hours. At 8-12 weeks some mothers are able to train their babies to only feed every 4 hours. Whatever you decide to do, your body adjusts to your baby’s demand and schedule. Have a happy feeding.

My baby has flaky scalp, is it normal?

Cradle cap occurs when the glands on the baby’s head make too much sebum and traps shed skin flakes under the greasy build up. Although it is not caused by poor hygiene and usually clears up after a couple of months, you could clean it off. Dip a cotton ball in mineral oil and very gently message the scalp with the mineral oil. This will loosen up the crusts. Then wash the head and hair with a baby shampoo and gently lift the crusts off with a soft hairbrush. DO NOT scratch it off. Do this each day until the condition is gone. Cradle cap can come back even after treatment because the glands continue to make too much sebum for several weeks.

Always consult with your Pediatrician before trying to remove sebum from baby's head.

Giving your newborn a sponge bath

Mix a small bowl of warm water and a cap full of baby soap. Lay your baby on a flat surface, keeping his diaper on and covering him with a blanket at all times. You will bathe your baby’s body in sections so your baby doesn't get too cold. Dip your washcloth into the warm water and wring it out. Then uncover one arm and wash gently. Be sure to clean in between the skin folds and in between the fingers. Then cover the clean arm with the blanket before moving on to the next limb. Uncover the other arm and clean in the same manner. Do one leg at the time as well. Uncover his front torso and wash. Turn your baby onto his side to wash his back and nape of the neck. Next wipe his face, front of the neck, behind his ears and eyelids. Wipe his head very gently. Make sure he's warm at all times. Remove the diaper and wipe all areas, gently, several times. Pull the fold lines apart to make sure they are cleaned very well. Replace the diaper with a clean dry diaper and dress your baby for the appropriate weather conditions. See my blog post on diapering your baby.

Washing baby's head and hair

Be sure to use a mild tear-free baby shampoo as soapy water will likely migrate into your baby’s eyes. See bathing with your baby first. Rest baby's head on your forearm leaving one hand free hand to do the washing. Squirt a pea size drop of shampoo onto a wet washcloth and gently rub the soapy washcloth all over your baby’s head. Make sure you wash in between the little rolls of fat under your baby’s neck and behind the ears. To rinse you can either scoop water with a cup, your hand or washcloth and rinse gently. When you're finished, wrap your baby in a towel. Always keep him warm and close to your body. This is something Daddy will enjoy doing as well.

Bathing with your baby, another beautiful moment

Bathing with your baby can be a great bonding experience, and something that daddy can do too. Your baby will be moving, squirming and very slippery so be sure you (or daddy) have a good grip on your baby at all times. Once you're sitting in the tub, have someone hand you the baby. First rest the baby's head on your forearm, if you're a righty use your left forearm (and vice versa). Rest his bottom down slowly into the water --ALWAYS keep his head above the water. You may want to use your legs for additional cradle-like support. Use your free hand or a cup to wet your baby’s skin. With a gentle baby soap and washcloth wash your baby. Make sure to wash in the folds of the skin, including the neck, under the chin (milk and sweat are generally collect in this area) and diaper area, then rinse well. Using a gentle baby soap will not require you to change the water for rinsing. See washing head and hair here.

Do you get in the tub with your baby?

What to do when you have a gassy baby

Our Pediatrician suggested Gripe water (over-the-counter medication) for gas. We tried several brands, but they only worked some of the time. However, because my baby was gassy at every bottle-feeding, I was concern about giving my baby medicine with every feeding. I did some research and found a natural alternative for gas/indigestion -- even for adults-- anise seed tea. We boiled just 2 to 4 little seeds in 8oz of water until the water turned lightly yellow and fed the tea in between milk feedings. Sometimes I mixed the tea directly with my baby's formula. It really helped. Check with your pediatrician before giving anise seed tea to your baby. Do you have a home remedy for gas?

Diaper changing can be a nightmare.

Who would have thought that changing a diaper could be so complicated? Well if you don't do it right, it could lead to diaper rash, discomfort for your baby or even worse, infections. Here's what I learned at a Lamaze class: 1. Set your baby on a large surface - the floor is the best place so if the baby turns he/she won't fall. 2. Facing your baby, open the diaper, and hold both of his/her feet up. 3. Use the diaper as toilet paper and clean the big mess. 3. With a wet wipe (or clean, wet rag) wipe the visible areas, as well as the folds in the skin. 4. Make sure there's no poop residue anywhere. 5. Apply diaper cream all over the diaper area. 6. Close the diaper tight enough so that it won't leak but loose enough to avoid leaving marks on your baby. It's important that the baby is fully clean after every diaper change. Ask your pediatrician or nurse to guide you step-by-step.

Constipated baby?

Pay attention to your baby's moves, cries and bowel movements. I found that my 3-month-old baby tended to get constipated very easily despite the fact that she was 100% breastfed. Our pediatrician recommend that I change MY diet to benefit my daughter. So I ate lots of vegetables, whole-wheat products, and fruits and drank plenty of water. I avoided starch and processed foods, such as white bread, pasta, white rice, potatoes, etc. While the constipation was less it did not eliminate the constipation. My mother suggested that I give my daughter water in between feedings and something that really made a difference: PRUNES. I boiled 1 to 2 prunes (sometimes I threw 1/2 of an apple, raisins or dried cherries) for about 5-10 minutes or until prunes were soft, blended them until a smooth paste has formed and gave my daughter one or two teaspoons of this paste. It worked like magic. My daughter is now 3 years old, and the same prune paste is part of her daily diet. Ask your doctor if you should try this.

Is it healthy to let your baby cry to sleep?

My friends, my family, our pediatrician and even my husband was telling me that it was in the best interest of my son to let him cry himself to sleep. After 4 months of sleep deprivation I agreed to give it a try. The first night my son cried for almost 2 hours. What was even worse was that I cried right along with him, albeit from another room. It felt so cruel. All he wanted was his mommy. I refused to ever do that again. By the time he was 8 months old he was sleeping 6 hours a night. However when he turned 13 months and my daughter was born……guess what? He began to wake up every 3-4 hours in the middle of the night to cry for mommy.

Do you let your baby cry to sleep? How do you feel about it?

Ways to Increase Milk Supply

Rest up. Your body needs energy to make milk. Take a nap when your baby is napping, or lie down and read a book. Skip evening TV and go to bed as early as possible.

Eat and drink plenty. It can be easy to skip meals while focusing all of your attention on your baby. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids and eat three nutritious meals a day, with healthy snacks in between.

Nurse frequently. Forget trying to keep baby on a “schedule” and nurse as frequently as your baby would like. That may be every 2 hrs or it may be every 45 minutes. Frequent nipple stimulation will lead to greater milk supply.

At what age should my child be toilet trained?

One of my biggest fears about my children going to pre-school was the "fully toilet-trained" requirement, as well as thinking... ok even if my child if fully toiled-trained, are all 3-year olds? What happens when they try to wipe themselves and make a mess, then come back to the class and play with the same toys? After asking around on how to overcome my fears, I decided to made sure they do #2 at home before I drop them for 3 hours to the nursery school, the teachers and Principal at the school assured me they'll help the kids in messy situations.

My children didn't ask to go to the bathroom until they were 3, and my 4 1/2 y/o still can't wipe himself. A friend at work said her 3 y/o actually told her he wasn't ready for the potty yet. At what age was your child potty-trained?

Pink, magenta & purple babies, is it normal?

Yep, my baby was very, very pink, nearly magenta when she was born and it lasted a good 6 months. Every doctor's visit we asked about the super pink/purpleish skin color but the Pediatrician insisted there was no problem. We learned that the pink tint comes from the red blood vessels, which show through your baby's still-thin skin. After a few months she did in fact tone down, as the magenta hue became lighter and lighter to the point of normal.
Here's more information on a newborn's appearance