Unfolding Dreams

- New Post -  I discovered that Trying to Conceive Twins / Multiples is a trending topic online among trying to conceive websites and forums, such as Mama Natural . This discovery came after learning some natural supplements, such as Cassava Root and Soy Isoflavones might increase fertility and may increase the chances of having multiples. Originally,  I had this information combined with my supplements page, but later decided I wanted a separate place to address this, so it wouldn't take away from the information about the supplements. - My Interest -  There are claims that natural supplements can aid in ovulation, overall fertility and some may even increase your chances of having multiples. Being a woman diagnosed with Endometriosis at age 20, and a hyperthyroid issue called Graves' Disease at age 27, I worry about my fertility. A lot. I wanted to know more about these natural supplements and if they really work. When I wanted to conceive while breastfeeding, I ...

Questions Often Asked:  Will a subsequent labor and delivery go faster or slower than the previous one? If I had a C-section with  my first, does that mean I'll never have a VBAC? If I didn't progress in a previous labor, will my body progress in a subsequent one? All great questions, but unfortunately not one of those can be answered with 100% accuracy since every woman's labor and delivery experience and the situation is different. Also, no health care provider can tell you how your labor and delivery will go before you have had it. Even if you are having a scheduled C-section for a certain day, there is no guarantee that it will or will not be complication free until the actual procedure has occurred. And there can be women who had an uncomplicated delivery with their first and end up with an emergency c-section for their second and vice versa. You never know. The best advice I ever heard for these fears and concerns are this:  "A previous labor doe...

In the beginning of pregnancy, being pregnant for 37-42 weeks seems like a really long time. But before you know, you're 12 weeks pregnant, then you're 20 weeks and half way there and finally you hit the last 6-12 weeks of pregnancy and all of a sudden time seems to be flying. You start thinking of everything that needs to be done in preparation for baby's birth, and for the first 6 weeks after delivery. Here are some postpartum ideas you may want to try. 1) Put together a postpartum basket   Postpartum Basket My Postpartum Basket Postpartum Videos Postpartum Must Haves (Abi Archila) Postpartum Must Haves - Monthly Favorites (NaturallyThriftyMom) 2) Put together a Mommy Survival Kit Mommy Kit My Mommy Survival Kit Videos DIY New Mommy Survival Kits! (Frugal, Fun, & Fabulous) 3) Put together a breastfeeding area(s) Baby Nursery In my baby nursery, I have a nursing chair and nursing table. My nursing table has two drawe...

Mommy Kit: Disposable Facial Wipes Moisturizer Lotion Chapstick Hair Ties Hair Brush (To buy mine, click here ). Breath Mints Deodorant  I am using a baby organizer for my mommy kit, a diaper caddy I found at my local Wal-mart that I've had for awhile. I am not sure if this is sold anymore, so I've given other options for storage options with links, such as the  Munchkin Sara Bear Portable Diaper Caddy  and  Trend Lab Storage Caddy .  I am still working on mine, so I only have a few items from the list currently. To be continued...

- Linens for Labor - Last year, we made a switch to our bathing towels being white, so I am using all our old colored towels for the birth. The midwife's list said 4 towels, I obviously have more. I also have in zip log bags 12 wash cloths to place next to the crock pot for labor. I also have 12 swaddle blankets washed and stored in large zip log bags to toss into the dryer when the time comes for baby to wiped off after delivery.   - Set Up Birth & Postpartum Clothes - I have my bathing suit tops for the at home water birth, my own hospital gown for after delivery, the first outfit for baby in both genders, and my Nuroo skin to skin shirt. This is feeling more real that I am due soon. - Postpartum Basket - Here are some baskets I already had in my garage not being used that I decided to use in my bathroom to store some postpartum supplies. I started gathering supplies I felt might be usefu...

The Q-Tip Test What is it? It tells you if your period maybe coming or starting. When do you do it? You do this test during your two-week wait towards the end or if you miss your period and are debating taking a pregnancy test. What do you do? You stick a q tip into your vagina, wipe around your cervix gently. (If you are too rough, you could actually irritate the cervix and cause light spotting or bleeding, which would skew your results.)Then look at the q-tip for color. What does it tell you? Colors & Meaning Clean: Your period is not on the way or starting. Might be worth taking a pregnancy test. Red, Pink or Brown Cervical Mucus: This is a sign your period is starting or will start in the next 24-48 hours. Reddish Brown Blood: This is a sign your period is starting or will start in the next 24-48 hours unless it implantation bleeding or light spotting in early pregnancy. Monitor to see if this turns into a flow, decreases or completely stops. Deter...

Baby Aspirin May Help Prevent Miscarriages Blood Clots Some of the most common first-trimester miscarriages that can occur are said to be because of chromosomal abnormalities, low progesterone and blood clots. Taking a baby aspirin once a day during the first trimester may help reduce blood clots. Is aspirin considered safe to take during pregnancy? Baby Center.com says, "In most cases, no. Some pregnant women are advised by their doctors to take  a low dose of baby aspirin to lower their risk of certain complications, but you shouldn't take aspirin without checking with your doctor. ..Some experts recommend women with a condition called antiphospholipid syndrome take a low dose of aspirin. This is diagnosed in women who have certain antibodies in their blood or history of blood clots" (The BabyCenter Editorial Team). Uterine Lining According to Conceive Easy.com, "Baby Aspirin helps the uterine wall lining thicken to optimal thickness. This is supposed to he...

Question: Is it a good idea to do a Whole 30  while trying to conceive and breastfeeding? No Specific Answers Research Contradicts Itself Deanna Schober who wrote the article,  Breast Feeding & Fat Loss: Is it Harder To Lose Fat While Breastfeeding ,  says "A lot of the studies about fat and breastfeeding contradict each other leaving an unclear answer" (Schober).  We Don't Know How It Will Affect You Specifically As for the question you're asking if doing this (Whole 30) diet while breastfeeding and trying to conceive a good idea, no one can give  you a for a sure and specific answer. Mostly because we don't know how it will affect you in a positive or negative way.  We Don't Know Your Personal Goals Weight:   We also don't know the reasons for doing the  diet:  is it to lose weight, maintain weight, a healthier lifestyle, and  whether your body personally needs more or less fat to ovulate while ...

Create A Nursery Nursery Organization Ideas My Nursery

To view my Nursery Progression over the years, click   here . To view my different Nursery Ideas, click  here .

Disclaimer: I am not affliated with or being paid to promote the following videos. The videos are copyrighted to their owners. Videos of different nurseries and nursery organizations that I have watched on Youtube for inspiration. Our Boy Nursery (BBmakes3) Nursery Tour (MomReviews) OUR BABY GIRL'S NURSERY TOUR! (Jessi Malay) baby boy nursery tour (carrienewton2010) Nursery Closet Organization: How to organize a baby's closet (DoItOnaDime) How to organize a baby changing table (Leah Franklin) Hannah's Nursery - Closet Makeover (theBubblelush) Nursery Tour (Erin Galloway) Baby Girl's Nursery Tour! (Do It Like Doli) Last Edited: May 29, 2018

Photo by Melanie Brown on Unsplash So a mother of four, who I get the impression does not enjoy being pregnant asked this particular question, maybe something other women who are pregnant or have been pregnant who may or may not share her thoughts are wondering too. 🤰 Question:  Why do some women pregnant women  post selfies of how big they are getting? So I can't speak for every pregnant woman. This is just my thoughts on taking pregnancy photos and why I do it. Guilty! I just posted one maybe an hour ago of my 3rd pregnancy. So maybe this friend was talking about me or someone like me. I am one of those moms who takes tons of photos during pregnancy to document everything. It's amazing to go back and look at how your body has changed to create life and then bring it into the world if you document your birth. Things you don't always reflect on in the moment of discomforts, challenges, busy life...  Then when my children are born, I take tons of...

Protect Your Marriage  The Apostle Paul said,  “ Put on the whole  armour  of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil"  ( Ephesians 6:11 ). The Power of Prayer In the article, How To Protect Your Marriage and Family , the author writes, that we have a powerful, spiritual weapon called prayer. He says, "A   prayerless marriage is a powerless marriage. When we fail to pray, our defenses are down; our flesh becomes weak consequently giving the enemy easy access to our areas of vulnerability. A prayerful marriage is a powerful marriage. Prayer, and the knowledge of God’s truth are powerful weapons in our arsenal. By taking time to pray daily with and for our mate, and spending time in God’s word we can win the spiritual battles and fortify our marriage against the wiles of the enemy. Protect your marriage with prayer" (Milam). I can honestly say this is an area that I need to work on, I don't know if anyone can relat...

Do Something Productive "Equip yourself to deal with in-law problems by reading books,  seeing a counselor, and / or joining a support group" (Barry). 5 Common Problem Areas With In-Laws  In the article, Boundaries for the In-Laws, Establishing Rules To Protect Your Marriage , the author says the couple needs to identify the problems with the in-laws and lists 5 different possible problem areas: (1) Favoritism, (2) Intrusiveness, (3) Parenting, (4) Emotional Distance, and (5) Dependency. He also brings up some things that couples may try or have tried to do to deal with the situation: (A) love them (the in-laws) through it or (B) ignore them completely. He says, "If you want to see improvement, you need to take some initiative." Luckily he does provide some steps to follow: 1. Identify if there is a problem or if it is your perception 2. Find out how you may contribute to the problem 3. Confront your in-laws, gently but directly 4. Pick and cho...

Make Your Marriage The Priority In the article,  Setting Boundaries With The In-Laws  from the blog, Becoming A Better Woman, the author says, "If you want your marriage to last, you have to make a commitment that nothing (including in-laws) will come between you. This is not meant to discount the honor, respect, and loyalty you may have for your family. It simply means that marriage is an intimate bond that has to come first. Period" (Setting Boundaries With In-Laws). Dr. Phil says on the topic of Managing Your In-Laws , " There can be no divided loyalties. When you get married and start your own family, that's where your primary loyalty needs to be" (Dr. Phil) - Bibliography - Dr. Phil. "Managing Your In-Laws."  Dr.Phil.com . Peteski Productions, Inc, 2016. Web. 1 Jan. 2016. <http://www.drphil.com/articles/article/28>. "Setting Boundaries With In-Laws."  Becoming A Better Woman, From The Inside Out . N.p., 14 Sep...