POP 50 Real Tips from Real Moms on Childbirth

POP 50 Real Tips from Real Moms on Childbirth

Robert Vaughan


By Author Pamela Peery
This book contains 2 cut-out BIRTHPLAN CHECKLISTS - updated TIPS - and more HELPFUL ADVICE for worried moms-to-be.

POP, the new, must-have pregnancy handbook is a collection of real advice from real moms who just gave birth. Ideal for all pregnant women, it covers both vaginal deliveries and C-sections. Easy and fun-to-read, this childbirth handbook gives fantastic advice, funny tips & easy tricks that made childbirth easier for real moms all over the world.

Top Look for 2015

.I LOVE this book! I wish a resource like this existed years ago when I had my two daughters. Having a concise, organized and detailed accounting of other mom s experiences will give realistic expectations to expecting moms. As the due date gets closer, most women have varying degrees of fear and anxiousness. This book will help reduce these common feelings. Knowledge brings calm. --Cathy Y., Jacksonville, FL 

This guide takes away so much stress. It covers the little things you don t think of. The experiences of many women, all put together in one place. --Kim L., Drexel Hill, PA

Pamela Peery, a stay-at-home mom, is a former lawyer, legal editor and law professor. For more information, please see babyalmosthome.com

Peery started this book after her own birthing experience. Neither her childbirth class, her doctor nor her pregnancy books prepared her for the 30 hours of excruciating, steady early labor contractions that were only supposed to last a few hours.

After the shock of being sent home from the hospital for false labor twice, she couldn't help but wonder if she was the only woman ever to have gone through this. Why didn't anyone tell her this could happen in normal labor?

So Peery created a website requesting childbirth stories how labor and delivery plays out in the real world. What other women wished they'd known beforehand.

Peery spent the next few years pulling herself out of bed at 4 a.m. to pour over these birthing stories from women around the world, while her family slept.

With tears in her eyes, she was able to relive wondrous and intimate moments of women she'd never met or even spoken to.

Turns out she wasn't the only one who didn't experience textbook childbirth.

This book - over 10 years in the making - is a collection of the best advice these women had to offer.

It represents more than 80 women reaching across time and space to encourage, advise and hold the hand of pregnant women everywhere.

What to Write in My Baby Book?

What to Write in My Baby Book?

Wow, I can’t believe I have made it through the first month of motherhood and I can’t believe how fast Photo Book Baby is growing – his cheeks have filled out and his legs are nice and chubby! I have been working on a couple projects simultaneously, a custom baby book and a pregnancy journal. As you know, I’m not an “off the shelf” type person. If I have the time (or even when I don’t) I love to do DIY projects. I just couldn't find a baby book that I liked and then there’s all those weird blanks that sometimes you don’t know how to fill or what to put. My only solution was to go custom.

I haven’t started physically laying out the book yet – I’m currently in my “collection” phase, amassing all the stuff – both physical items and digital files for those books. I have decided to write a series so you can follow along with me and make your own baby book or pregnancy journal. It’s never too late moms and dads – even if your “baby” is college bound! (What a nice gift that would be to send your kid off to college with a memory book!) Let’s start!

Gather all your items in one place.

It’s all about organization and we all know how hard it is to start a project when your files and (and thoughts) are all scattered about. Here’s some items you may want to gather for your book:

Physical Items:
Hospital name bands for baby and mom
Congratulatory cards
Baby shower cards
Baby shower game cards
Birth announcement
Ultrasound photos
Baby shower invitation
Scraps of baby shower wrapping paper and ribbon
Name card from baby’s hospital bassinet
Stamped footprints/ornamental birth certificate from hospital
Nursery paint chip cards
Lock of hair
Photo of you and/or your husband at the same age as your child (I’m assuming this is most likely not digital.)
Pregnancy test stick (I did not keep mine, but I took a photo of it.)
Umbilical cord stump (yes, this is admittedly a bit out there – but my husband’s mom saved my husband’s in his baby book, so when our baby’s fell off, I guess I felt compelled to keep it too. It looks really weird though…LOL!)
Newspaper from the baby’s birthday
Cultural specific items – for example, my mother bought a Chinese calendar which contains Chinese fortune/horoscope for each day. The Chinese calendar is based on lunar/solar cycles, (which makes it super confusing to me), so the western calendar date is different than the Chinese date, not to mention the year is 4709 and not 2011! Other cultural calendars include Indian, Islamic, Jewish… A lot of these calendars can be found online.

Put all these things in a basket or area on your shelf until you are ready to work on your project. At some point you can scan these items (300 dpi jpeg recommended) for use in your photo book.

Digital Items:
Photos of everything: baby shower, baby bump photos, nursery preparations, and of course baby!
Baby’s Horoscope on his birthday
Personal notes/journal on baby – milestones, etc. (more details on this later)
Congratulatory emails
Facebook status posts (you can do a screenshot of your friends’ comments)
Cost of Living/Current Statistics – i.e. cost of loaf of bread, gallon of milk, gallon of gas, world population, President of the U.S.
Anecdotes from “this day in history” – i.e. notable births, historical events, news headlines

As for the last two items, you can find information by Googling your baby’s birth date, using keywords such as “world news from (insert date)”, “this day in history (insert date)”, “notable births (insert date)”. A lot of this type of information can be found on Wikipedia.

During my online searching I also found this free, digital Scrapbooking tool from Tommee Tippee (a Babies R Us product line) called The Day Baby Was Born. It guides you through steps to make a digital scrapbook that you can share online via Facebook or print out by following the prompts. “This day in history” type information is instantly gathered for you from sources like Wikipedia and Wolfram Alpha and you can choose which items you want to include. It’s a very easy way to collect the info you may want to include in your own custom baby book, or you can use it as a standalone book in itself. It’s pretty fixed though in terms of how it’s laid out, but eh it’s free…

Just as it’s important to gather all those physical items in one place, I store these digital items in a folder on my desktop where I can just drag and drop anything and everything related to my baby book. You can create sub-folders into categories such as “pregnancy”, “baby bump photos” etc. per your preference.

Until my next post, keep on collecting folks!

Tell me – what kinds of items are you collecting for your baby book?

What are Braxton Hicks?

By Robert Vaughan

Irregular, usually painless uterine contractions, Braxton Hicks tend to occur from around the middle of your pregnancy (although they can start much earlier) and increase in frequency as your due date nears. That’s not to say everyone gets them – and there’s no need to worry if you don’t.

Essentially, they’re the muscles of your womb contracting – typically for between 30 to 60 seconds at a time, but sometimes up to two minutes or so.

While many women are concerned and confused by them, Pamela Peery, author of “POP: 50 Amazing Secrets to a Successful Labor & Delivery or C-section,” explains that Braxton-Hicks are merely your body’s way of practicing for the real contractions to come later.

Why do Braxton Hicks happen?

Named after the English doctor, John Braxton Hicks, who first described them in 1872, today’s experts are divided as to Braxton Hicks’ purpose – some believe they help tone the uterine muscle and promote blood flow to the placenta, others that they help soften the cervix in preparation for labour.

Alternatively, it could just be your body having a right royal laugh at your sanity’s expense. As one Mumsnetter puts it: “They are mother nature’s joke on first-time mothers.”

Also known as ‘practice contractions’, they’re quite handy preparation for the full-blown article as you can practice your breathing exercises when they happen without feeling quite so foolish.

Braxton Hicks vs contractions – what’s the difference?

There’s many a red-faced mum-to-be that’s been turned away from the delivery ward thanks to Braxton Hicks – especially during the latter stages of labour when they can increase in frequency and strength – what’s sometimes referred to as “false labour”.

Typically though, Braxton Hicks differ from the real thing in that they’re irregular in intensity and frequency and their timing is unpredictable and non-rhythmic – they tend to turn up, do their erratic thing and then taper off. Plus, they’re usually not truly painful, more uncomfortable.

In contrast, real contractions increase in regularity, intensity and length as labour progresses, and become progressively painful.

How can I ease the discomfort?

While not as painful as true labour, Braxton Hicks can still be unpleasant. Common triggers include being active, someone touching your bump, having a full bladder, being dehydrated or following sex.

So don’t get overly fruity when you need a wee and are gasping for a cuppa. Seriously though, changing what you’re doing can often help, so if you’re lying down get up, or, conversely, if you’re walking around stop and put your feet up.

Practicing your breathing exercises, a warm (not too hot) bath, or, as dehydration is a trigger, drinking a few glasses of water can also help.

Warning signs to look out for, to see if you’re experiencing real ‘contractions,’ include:

• Lower back pain/cramping
• Bloody or watery vaginal discharge
• Regular contractions coming less than 12 minutes apart
• Heaviness in your pelvis and the urge to push
• Diarrhea
• Nausea

If you’re less than 37 weeks pregnant these could be signs you’re going into premature labour and you should contact your doctor or midwife immediately.

If you’re beyond 37 weeks, the above symptoms could mean D-Day has come a wee bit early. That said, if you experience any of the above or you think your waters have broken, you’re bleeding or you believe your baby is not moving as much as normal, you should still contact your doctor or midwife immediately.

Seek medical help if you have:

• Lower back pain/cramping
• Bloody or watery vaginal discharge
• Regular contractions coming less than 12 minutes apart
• Heaviness in your pelvis and the urge to push
• Diarrhea
• Nausea

For the most updated information you can connect me with on Facebook or Twitter or visit my website . I would love to hear from you. If you have your own story please share it with me. Thank you for all your support and remember to pick up a copy of my book for you or a friend that is expecting its a great and fun read.

Pop: 50 Amazing Secrets to a Successful Labor & Delivery or 

C-Section

Source: www.mumsnet.com

Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling welcome a baby girl and the reviews are in for author Pamela Peery.

Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling 

welcome a baby girl!

By Robert Vaughan

The week's top stories were all about life's milestones – a new baby, A great pre-birth baby review and a much-anticipated wedding that actually didn't happen (yet).

Below, check out the strongest reactions this week. And let us know what you think  and the reviews are in for Pamela Peery "POP" As heartwarming news was the birth of Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes baby daughter – the first child for both actors.
It was first reported in July that Mendes was pregnant with the couple's first child. At that time, rumors swirled that she was already seven months along.

Mendes has kept a very low profile in recent months. Us notes her last red carpet appearance was back in February. And earlier this year, she brushed off pregnancy rumors during an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." which takes backseat driving to a whole other level.

The Reviews are pouring in for Pamela Peery's newest pre-birth book :POP 50 Amazing Secrets to a Successful Labor & Delivery or C-section

Reviewed on JANUARY 1, 2014 | Science and Technology
A new mother herself and a law professor, Peery has gathered advice from more than 80 new mothers in this slim volume to create an alternative to the textbook-like pregnancy titles that talk about the “typical” childbirth experience and that left Peery in the dark about atypical possibilities. The 50 tips in this work touch on everything from packing for the hospital to recovering from labor and discuss various options, including water birth, medicated births, and C-sections. Each tip includes two or three stories from real moms that show the wide range of normal when it comes to childbirth and offer advice that readers might not get elsewhere.

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Kirkus Reviews:

It provides advice on everything from what to take to the hospital during labor to the pros and cons of epidurals. However, this book stands out due to its encouraging, nonjudgmental tone. Peery says up front that she’s no expert, but this fact makes her book all the more appealing. Readers will feel from the get-go that she’s on their side, rooting for them…Mostly, she quotes other women, who offer stories and advice about their own birth experiences…. Pregnant readers who finish this book will likely feel more knowledgeable and more secure about what’s ahead. A solid, supportive advice book to help women through the physical and mental work of childbirth.

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KEEPCALMANDSOLDIERON:

The first must-read for first-time moms is Pamela Peery’s POP: 50 Amazing Secrets to a Successful Labor & Delivery or C-Section. This little paperback is just over a 100 pages and can be devoured while soaking in a long, hot, aromatherapy bath (because I know you have that kinda time to relax, First-Time Mom). It’s a collection of tips from new moms, in their own words. Save yourself from the vortex that is Googling “Does labor hurt?” and consult the advice of the feisty, funny, humble moms in this book.
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San Francisco Book Review:

A woman can read a dozen pregnancy books before giving birth and still find herself lost once the process actually begins. What do contractions really feel like? How long do different stages of labor last? Do epidurals really work? How does one handle the pain without one? Pamela Peery didn’t realize how ill-prepared she was for giving birth until labor was upon her, and the experience inspired her to collect the advice and stories of others. The result is POP: 50 Amazing Secrets to a Successful Labor & Delivery or C-Section. This slim volume is packed with quotes from more than eighty women regarding their own experiences with having a baby. No matter what questions you might have, whether you’re expecting your first or have already been through birth before, this book is sure to provide some inspiration. What should you bring to the hospital? Find ideas that might not be included on other lists. Curious about early labor? Get some ideas about what to expect. Read the thoughts of women who have had epidurals—they usually work, and you can still push even when you’re numb—as well as of women who have gone all natural—remember that your body is made to give birth. POP would make a great gift to any expectant mama.

Reviewed by Holly Scudero on April 29, 2014.

See it here at http://bit.ly/1g0xHaC

Winter babies crawl earlier than summer babies

Babies born in winter start crawling earlier than those born in the summer, a study has found.Israeli researchers say those born in the winter to spring months began crawling at an average of five weeks before their counterparts born in summer or autumn.

According to NHS information, babies should start crawling when they are between six and nine months old.One theory is that winter babies might crawl earlier because they will usually start crawling in the summer months, when there is more daylight.

This means they are active for longer, they wear fewer layers and spend more time on the floor on their stomachs, the researchers said.However they added the findings were specific to places such as Israel, where the home is very different between the summer and winter.

In countries where the home environment is similar all year round, due to things like central heating, the same effect is not observed, they qualified.

The study looked at 47 healthy babies with typical development, who were divided into two groups.The first group had 16 babies born from June to November - the 'summer-fall' babies.The second group had 31 babies born from December to May - the 'winter-spring' babies.

The babies were observed in their home when they were seven months old, with a second observation when they began to crawl.Their parents were asked to record the stages in their babies' development before and between the observations.

Researchers used the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), a highly-reliable measurement which looks at which position the baby is in.The scale has four positions: prone (on the stomach), supine (on the back), sitting and standing.

The average age at which babies started crawling was 31 weeks.

Babies born in the winter - who started to crawl in the summer, started crawling at 30 weeks, while babies born in the summer - who started to crawl in the winter - started crawling at an average of 35 weeks.

The winter-spring babies had higher overall AIMS scores than the summer-fall babies, especially for movement in the prone position, which is the most meaningful for measuring crawling.For the other positions on the AIMS scale there was no significant difference between the summer-fall or winter-spring babies, or between genders.

In their report, the researchers said: "The difference in crawling onset of four weeks constitutes 14 per cent of a seven-month-old's life - and is significant.

"The geographic location and the local climate where the study is conducted is important to understand the findings," they added.A seasonal effect is found in places where the differences in the home environment between summer and winter are significant.

Studies done in Denver, Colorado and in Osaka, Japan found a seasonal effect that corresponds with the findings of the Haifa study.However a study conducted in Alberta, Canada, where winters are long and cold on the one hand, but the home environment (because of winter heating) is very similar all year round, the seasonal effect was not observed.

"Although the winter in Israel is comparatively mild compared to other places in the world, it turns out that it nonetheless influences the motor development of babies because of the differences between summer and winter in Israel,"

The researchers said the findings could help make parents aware that they provide opportunities for their babies to move around and crawl in the winter months too.

"The season influences the babies' experiences in a number of ways, including layers of clothing that are worn; the opportunities babies are given to spend on the floor on their stomachs, and the hours of activity and daylight.

Awareness of the seasonal effect is important so that parents will give their babies proper movement and development opportunities in the winter as well."

The research was conducted by Dr Osnat Atun-Einy of the University of Haifa's Department of Physical Therapy and Dr Dina Cohen, Mr Moran Samuel and Professor Anat Scher of the same University's Department of Counseling and Human Development.

One of many Reviews for Pamela Peery "POP: 50 Amazing Secrets to a successful Labor & Delivery or C-Section".

Christine Goldman, CD CPD, CBE, LE - Certified Birth Doula, Certified Educator and Owner of Doulas of Central New York

"The perfect must-have for every expectant mom.Reading these honest and short tips from moms all over the world is a fantastic and easy way for women to prepare," 

THIS IS IT.... THE MOMENT!

The moment you have been waiting for your whole life. You've endured and, hopefully, enjoyed many months of pregnancy and are ready to give birth. You are finally going to have your baby.

What happens now? Purchase your new guide by Pamela Peery Author of "POP". 

All women know the classic movie and TV scenarios: you are out walking somewhere and your water breaks. (Just a little, of course- no big mess for TV or movie girl.) You calmly put your hand on your husband's arm, say "Honey, it's time"and catch a cab to the hospital.

Or you're lying in bed and feel slightly unpleasant twinges. You turn to your husband and announce,"I think this is it." Then you gracefully gather your neatly packaged bags and your husband drives you to the hospital while you sit dreaming of your new baby.

Both scenarios end a short time later with you pushing on a nice crisp hospital bed, where you turn a little red and puff a few times until you hear your baby cry. The doctor triumphantly lifts the infant up, announces the gender, and viola- that's it! Easy peazy.

Is that how it's going to happen, you wonder excitedly? No, not exactly...

50 Amazing Secrets

to a successful LABOR & DELIVERY or C-SECTION