Tag Archives: motherlode

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What Is a Birth Plan?

Greetings, all!

As I get closer to delivery, only three more weeks, my husband and I were advised by my OB to review a series of questions and what if scenarios. I found a detailed check list on The Bump to use as a template. But you have to keep in mind; plans don’t always go the way you envision. So play out a few different scenarios so you are not surprised or caught off guard!

Here are some interesting things they brought up that I didn’t really think about…

1. Do you want the lights bright or dimmed?

2. Do you want interns present from the birth?

3. How do you prefer to spend your first stage of labor? In a bath tub? Walking around? With music or in silence?

4. During delivery how do you want to be positioned? Stand, squat, lie in side, lean on partner…?

And here are some really important questions to ask…

1. Would you like labor augmentation? Do you even know what that is?

2. What kind of pain relief do you want to use? There are a lot of options.

3.  What level of fetal monitoring do you want?

4. After delivery what do you prefer? What do you want to do with the umbilical cord and placenta?

5. What if you have to have a c-section. Know your options. Read about recovery. You have decisions here too; want your partner there, want to see the baby come out via mirror?

Print out your plan and keep it in your hospital bag, it’ll just be a source of comfort!

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Written by our Founder and CEO,  Lindsay Bell!

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Dinner Is Served – Vol. 1

Greetings, all!

We are happy to bring you a new monthly blog post, where one of BFC’s own, Courtney Bell Garvey, gives a delicious new recipe for you to try. Enjoy!

Hi again – You might remember me from my blog as a first time twin-mom; but now I’m back to talk about food! I decided to throw in my hat as a working professional to be a stay at home mommy and am now focusing on my two greatest loves; family and food. In particular, easy, healthy meals for us busy mamas. I try to plan dishes that are filling and large so there are leftovers. Recently, I cooked up a twist on meatloaf; Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Meatloaf. It was so easy and delicious. I paired it with a green salad which was great and added a ton of nutrients and nice color to the plate. Please see the recipe below.

Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Meat Loaf

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 cup flatleaf parsley, chopped
7 ounce jar roasted red peppers, cut into 1/2 inch pieces kosher salt and pepper
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 cups mixed greens

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. Combine the turkey, onion, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan, 2 tablespoons of the mustard, the parsley, red peppers, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Shape the meat into an 8 inch loaf and place in a baking dish.
3. Bake until no trace of pink remains (internal temperature should be 165° F), about 45 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.
4. Whisk together the remaining mustard, the vinegar, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.
5. Divide the greens among individual plates and drizzle the vinaigrette over the top. Serve with the sliced meat loaf.

Happy eating!
Courtney

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Written by one of BFC’s own, Courtney Bell Garvey!
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Safe Food Chart for Expecting Moms

Greetings, all!

I was sitting at a group dinner a few weeks back with majority men, when the waitress came over to take my order. Shoot, I couldn’t remember if Swordfish was on the do not eat list and I didn’t have my “do not eat checklist” in my bag! One of the reasons why I tried to memorize that thing, but nonetheless, I went ahead and ordered it. My other option was red meat, which I already had once that week.

When I got home I ran to my list, and there it was listed on the AVOID list. Way to go, Lindsay.

This is one thing I am trying not to get too narcotic about; my NYC expecting friends pay much closer attention to this AVOID list, than my mom-to-be friends back in Ohio. I was getting ready for a wedding, which I was a bridesmaid (along with two other expecting moms), when it was finally lunchtime. Time to feast! The bride had a very nice deli spread delivered. The expecting Ohio gals dove in. I asked them if it was okay to eat deli meat – they said yes, in moderation – once per week as instructed by their doctor. Whereas my doctor in NYC said pass. I was starving, so I decided to join them.

Everyone seems to say something different. It’s hard to keep track. I agree, moderation is probably the best rule to follow, except when it comes to certain things like alcohol, raw fish, etc.

My sister’s husband is in the medical field and he suggested this link to follow for food safety, while pregnant.

I have it saved on my phone next time I’m in a pickle. Yum…pickle!

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Written by our Founder, CEO, and soon to be mom, Lindsay Bell!

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A New Kind of Job

Greetings, all!

As a new mom (or dad) one of the first big choices you have to make is whether or not you’ll be returning to work after your little one is born. For some this choice is easy, but for others you agonize over the “right” decision. In my case it was easy. I could NOT work. I was a teacher at a private school and the cost of child care far exceeded what I was making. I quickly found peace with the decision because it’s what we had to do.

I’ll be the first to admit that I did not fully understand what it took to be a stay-at-home mom. My mom did it for most of my childhood, and so did many others. I was very happy to be fortunate enough to stay home with Henry. Almost six months later, I can tell you that it has been awesome. I love being there when he wakes up, listening to him giggle all day long, taking him outside for fresh air, and so much more.

However, some days I find myself wishing I was back in a classroom. I loved my job. I was good at my job. I loved my students, colleagues, and even the parents! I long to talk to other adults, to actually sit down to eat lunch and have a few moments of relaxation, to take a shower where I can condition my hair AND shave my legs, and to wear nice clothes without the fear of being spit up on. I suppose “the grass is always greener!” I have to look at it as now I have a different kind of job that is equally as important. Instead of teaching multiplication, I play peek-a-boo. I read to Henry, we sing songs, and get in some gym and music time, too!  I find balance by tutoring former students a few times a week and getting a sitter once in a while to go work out or to dinner with my girlfriends. Balance is key! Whether you stay at home, work full or part time, being a parent is hard work! Finding the right balance is essential in order to maintain your sanity and happiness!

I asked my “Baby Mamas” how they came to the decision whether to stay home or go back to work. Their answers varied. Some didn’t have a choice and had to go back to work because they couldn’t afford to lose their income. Others wanted to go back to work and are enjoying being back in the work environment. One mom is back at work because her company pays for her fertility treatments. Another mom is a partner at a law firm with her husband and she balances work and motherhood by working from home a few days a week and bringing her son to work on others. All the situations are different, but they are all the right choice for their family. It’s not easy to be at home all the time and it’s not easy to leave your baby. Ultimately you have to do what is best financially, mentally, and logistically for your family.

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Written by Maureen Kruse, our past Chicago city coordinator.

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Teenagers, Screentime, and Social Engagement

Worried about your child’s screentime? A new report on “Teens, Technology and Friendships” from the Pew Foundation puts an unusually positive spin on teenagers’ online engagement.

The report found that young adults build friendships and connections online, by both strengthening connections with real-world friends, and by connecting with new friends via social media, video gaming, and messaging apps. 

The associate director of research at the PEW center even noted “What we found is that it’s crucial for teenagers in forming and maintaining these really important relationships in their lives.” So rest easy, parents; it turns out your child’s screentime might not be quite as bad for them as we originally thought.

You can read more about the study on The New York Times’ blog, Motherlode here.

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BFL – Motherlode

Parenting in the age of the Internet is hard, especially since parents are raising a new generation of digital natives. A recent blog on “The New York Times” site caught our attention. The author states her child “asked the internet” for answers to a number of daily questions, such as whether or not there is a frozen pizza left in the fridge.

She brings up the point: “What do children, especially young children who are just starting to make sense of the world, think about the Internet — what it’s for, where the information comes from, how reliable it is? And how do these notions change over time?”

Studies show children are good at using computers to provide facts, but not as useful for making moral judgements or deciphering the veracity of claims made on the internet. Children are fairly predictable in their internet behavior: they trust sources that have been correct before and discredit those that have been proven wrong.  

This means children will be increasingly looking to the internet to solve knowledge gaps. The author closes with a great point: with our children immersed in the Internet practically from birth, we need to know what they understand, and more important, what they don’t, so we can fulfill our parental duty of filling in the gaps.