Recently, I went to a baby shower and played some really cool games! One was to guess what type of chocolate candy was melted inside diapers and the other was to make babies out of small canisters of Play-Doh. Mix those games with a little “spiked” punch and here is what you get…

Have you ever tried to return something to Babies”R”Us and been denied? Well, it happened to me a few times and I’m really not happy about it. My frustrations with this company started back when I was pregnant. I created my baby registry online and wrapped it up inside our local store with the scanner. Anyway, Babies”R”Us gifts started arriving at my home from family and friends. A few items that I tried to exchange (the online store sent incorrect colored merchandise), I was told I’d have to mail the stuff back since the stock numbers were different than the ones in their store regardless of the fact they sold the exact product.

Then, I received a few gifts that were not on my registry but sold at Babies”R”Us. I tried to take them back and was denied since the items were not on my registry. What did I do? I went home and registered for the items online, marked them as received, then returned them for store credit. What did they think, I was a moron who couldn’t think outside of the box?

Here is my problem with being denied a return. If Babies”R”Us carries the item I am trying to return (regardless if it is on my registry), then why not take the item back and offer store credit? The store still benefits since the credit must be used there! In most cases, the customer will spend more money than the credit they are issued, so Babies”R”Us profits! Or, the person will forget about the credit and it will never be used; therefore, BabiesRUs wins again!

As a result of the poor customer service I received from a manager named Claudia at the Babies”R”Us located at the Loop in Kissimmee, I will never shop at Babies”R”Us again. It’s a shame too since I estimate they will be losing at least $1500 per year from me (every time I would visit, I’d shell out at least $100 on baby necessities because of the convenience factor). Also, I will not encourage any of my friends or family members to register at this store.

I was promised I’d receive a 10% coupon to purchase any remaining items on my registry after my son was born, well he is now 20 months and I am still waiting on that coupon! I called corporate several times and asked when I could expect it and was told it would be arriving within 3 months after my son’s birth. Needless to say, I finally just gave up on the coupon!

Also, take note that Babies”R”Us will delete your registry after a certain period of time without warning. So, if you want a record of baby items you registered for (perhaps for future reference) then print a complete copy and hold onto it.

My family went to Ikea recently and attempted to park in the Family Friendly designated parking area. Having a toddler, I know from experience how challenging it can be to get from my car into the store without a struggle. It is very considerate of Ikea to provide these parking spaces close to the entrance. I wish more stores would adopt the Family Friendly parking concept!

Anyway, I was appalled at the number of people parking in the Family Friendly area WITHOUT children or babies. It is not my place to call these people out, but trust me when I tell you I wanted to give them a piece of my mind. I know Ikea cannot patrol who parks there and it’s basically an honor system, but what kind of idiot doesn’t understand what the sign means?

Are you guilty of parking in a Family Friendly or Expectant Mother parking spot without having children or being pregnant? If you are, please be considerate of those who really need the spaces!

I was caffeine free for about 20 months (during my entire pregnancy and until I stopped breast feeding my son). It was difficult to give up caffeine, but I knew it would be best for my baby especially considering how much of an addict I was. I drank decaf every once in awhile, but it seemed like such a waste. I missed my jolt of energy and trust me, when you’re big and pregnant or dealing with an infant all day and night, caffeine is pretty much a necessity!

For approximately 600 days, I was caffeine free and actually considered staying that way. Then, I realized I was just being crazy with that type of non-sense thinking! I have to tell you, the feeling I got from my first cup of caffeinated coffee was complete euphoria. It didn’t take my body long to become dependent again! I guess this is what it is like to be a junkie?

Yesterday, I blogged about my efforts to try to save a steer that was running around on a busy road. Unfortunately, the steer was hit by a car; however, he did survive with only a slight limp. The story gets even funnier…

Remember I mentioned I was 6 months pregnant when this happened. I have also complained in previous blogs that I gained more than the recommended weight during my pregnancy and felt like livestock. I’m sure you can probably already guess where this story is going.

Let’s be honest, no one will look at a pregnant woman who has gained entirely too much weight and say “you are fat” instead they just blow it off and say “it’s ok, you’re pregnant”. Even though a pregnant woman only needs an extra 300 calories per day, she is encouraged to eat more because she is eating for two. Enough ranting already, let me get back to my point.

When the steer incident occurred, my husband and I both worked at the same company. Needless to say, the story quickly made its way around our office complexes. People would stop by my husband’s cubical and ask “how’s the cow”. Those who overheard the inquiries but didn’t know the cow story actually thought I was being referred to as “the cow”. Eventually, my husband started asking people if they were talking about me or the steer! We still giggle about it to this day!

Did you ever get referred to as an animal while pregnant?

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This story is too bizarre not to share. When I was 6 months pregnant driving home from work, I was shocked to see a steer running around on a relatively busy road. Being an animal lover, I pulled over to try to do something about it. The steer ran over to my window and his size and enormous horns freaked me out. He didn’t look so big from far away but up close, holy cow! I didn’t want to get hurt and opted to stay inside my car.

I called my husband frantic asking him what I should do. He told me not to get out of my car and to let someone else stop and deal with it. That wasn’t good enough for me though. You would THINK he would have jumped in his car and drove the 2 miles to where I was sitting, but instead opted to stay home and watch American Idol!

I called 911 to report the steer on the loose. Apparently, other people had reported the animal but the officers could not find the location. I assured the 911 dispatcher that I’d stay on the phone with her and try to warn approaching traffic with my lights. As I was talking to the dispatcher, a SUV was coming towards the area so I began flashing my lights and honking my horn. Unfortunately, the cow stepped out in front of it and BAM! The front end was demolished, yet the cow didn’t even hit the ground! His back end went down, but that was about it.

The driver was in total shock, she wasn’t quite sure what happened (she actually asked me if she hit a tree). Her SUV was totaled, but the steer appeared to be fine. We didn’t go near him, we just waited for the officer to arrive. In the meantime, I noticed a phone number on a fence and called to let the landowner know what happened.

Long story short, the 800+ lb steer survived with just a minor limp on one leg. Can you imagine hitting an 800 pound cow? Good grief! Of course the officers joked continuously about going out for steaks afterwards, they were quite amused to say the least.

Today, the cow is thriving! I smile every single time I drive by that area thinking about the night I helped save a steer’s life! I swear he recognizes my vehicle too, he looks up every single time I drive by (it could be because I always honk and wave).

Have you ever witnessed a weird incident like this? Could you imagine trying to explain to your insurance company that you hit a cow. Too funny!

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I mentioned in an earlier post about having a miscarriage with my first pregnancy. After my loss, I heard a variety of comments from people trying to ease my pain. I know everyone meant well with their version of comforting words; however, some comments were not received well. There are some things that do not bring comfort to grieving parents and people are sometimes better off not trying to find the perfect words (trust me, they do not exist).

Why am I bringing this up? Well, a close friend of mine recently lost her first pregnancy to a miscarriage. We both agree that people who have not experienced a miscarriage cannot comprehend the pain they cause emotionally. The healing process takes a long time and people cannot just expect you to wake up the next day with the attitude that “it wasn’t meant to be”. A mom has to let her heart heal which takes a very long time.

The second a woman sees that plus sign on a home pregnancy test, she instantly begins dreaming of her unborn child. The thought of becoming a mother consumes her and that is all she can focus on. Now imagine the horror of learning that all those dreams have been shattered.

I wanted to write a quick list about things you DO NOT SAY, regardless if you think it will make the grieving mom feel better.

The baby would not have been healthy.

At least it happened before you got too attached.

It just wasn’t meant to be.

God will bless you when it’s your turn.

The timing just wasn’t right.

You’ll get pregnant again and have a healthy baby.

Time heals all wounds.

A lot of women experience miscarriages, they are very common.

The bottom line is this, regardless of how far along a mom is when she loses her baby, it is still a loss and it hurts. Also, there is a possibility the person can conceive again; however, you are not a doctor and do not know what is going on health wise. Anyone who has miscarried will be terrified with future pregnancies and the potential nightmare of losing another baby.

Even though you think what you are saying will bring comfort, just remember that sometimes not saying anything is best. Obviously, you do not want to ignore the situation, just let the grieving parents know you are there for them! Sometimes a hug is all it takes to let someone know that you love them and are there. I found a terrific website “Healing Hearts Baby Loss Comfort“ with some ideas on what to say to someone who has experienced a miscarriage.

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A friend of mine recently gave birth to her third baby; however, this time she had a c-section instead of delivering naturally. Hearing about her unplanned experience at Winnie Palmer Hospital brought back a few painful memories! In a previous post, I mentioned how my birth experience was not at all as I thought it would be. My excitement quickly turned into a stressful ordeal once the decision was made for an emergency c-section.

In my opinion, the worst part was when I was taken to the recovery room. My nurse was the size of a tooth pick; however, she was as strong as an ox! While I was lying there trying to comprehend what just happened and wondering what was going on with my newborn son, my nurse began performing a fundal massage (kneading and pushing down on my tender abdomen with all her might)! Even though my epidural was still intact and working, this brought tears to my eyes and made me groan! She had to repeat the massage (more like punches) several times and would warn me before performing it so I could brace myself. I was white knuckling and gritting my teeth so hard that I thought they’d break. This was far more painful than any contraction I felt prior to my epidural! Didn’t she realize I had 16 staples across my stomach and internal stitches as well?

Upon further research, I have realized a fundal massage is an important step for helping a woman’s uterus contract and shrink back to normal size after a c-section. I’m not going into further details since I’m sure the thought is grossing out some readers. Like I mentioned, this is extremely painful and many sites recommend that a pregnant mom learn how to perform this function on her own since she can be less vigorous and get the exact same results!

If you had a c-section, did you experience a fundal massage? Was it extremely uncomfortable for you? If you are pregnant, make sure to ask your doctor about this so you know what to expect.

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I am jealous of birth stories when a mom gets to see and hold her baby immediately after delivery. I remember when I was pregnant, I used to imagine what that moment would be like. I would close my eyes and try to picture my newborn son being placed on my chest as the tears of joy ran down my face. Of course, that is not how my birthing experience was at all.

My son’s birth was a blur, it happened so quickly that I still shake my head thinking about it. I won’t go into too many details, but I arrived at the hospital at 11 pm and my son was born less than 3 hours later. In a nutshell, my labor progressed quickly which shocked everyone. I literally was checked into a room when I was 6 cm, received my epidural, then at 9 1/2 cm, my blood pressure dropped drastically. Baby’s heart rate was impacted, so the decision was made for an emergency c-section.

Before I knew it, I was in the operating room and there were like a million people around me.  It was scary and not the experience I had hoped for. I could feel the doctor cutting me and I remember crying out. The doctor asked what I felt and I described it as a sharpness and poking. A strong cocktail was quickly administered into my veins and my husband was told I wouldn’t feel anything, know where I was or what was going on. They were not lying, I don’t really remember much about the actual birth. Apparently, they were telling me my son was out but I couldn’t comprehend anything.

Eventually, I heard a baby crying and asked “do I hear a baby” and it took a while for reality to set in that it was my son crying. The nurses laid him on my chest for a quick family photo and I remember touching his blonde hair and noticing he had blue eyes, but then he was quickly taken to the nursery with daddy following close behind.  Needless to say, I was completely drugged and thankful my husband took photos so I could later share the birth experience.

I still ask my husband to give me the play by play from the operating room because I was as high as a kite. I tear up every time I see my son’s first pictures because those are images I wish I was able to witness or remember. All in all, I delivered a very healthy baby boy and that is all that matters.

Anyone else have a similar birth experience? Do you feel as though you missed out too?

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Pregnancy wasn’t just uncomfortable because of my growing pains, but also because my belly was a free for all. I have never in my life had so many random people touch me! I am not a touchy feely person to start with, so all this rubbing really made me cringe. Why do people think a pregnant belly is a public display that is meant to be touched? What ever happened to at least asking before going in for the rub?

I think it was most uncomfortable for me when I told my coworkers I was pregnant (I waited until almost 16 weeks since I had experienced a previous miscarriage). I was manhandled with hands all over my itty bitty baby bump. I can see why people get excited about touching a big ole baby belly to try to feel the baby move, but not a tiny little bump.

There were some courteous friends that would ask first. Obviously, people I cared about didn’t need to ask me. It was the strangers that really blew my mind! I was at Cracker Barrel one evening with my husband and our waitress just walked right up and grabbed my stomach! I didn’t see her approaching and almost peed myself!

I had one friend who told me she HATED when people touched her pregnant belly because it made her so uncomfortable, but seeing me pregnant made her want to touch my belly! I thought that was funny. She was once in my predicament, but on the flip side she could barely keep her hands away from my huge tummy. Perhaps my thoughts will change now that I know a miracle really does reside inside the belly for 40 weeks and it’s not just a tumor that causes unpleasantness.

How did you handle people touching your pregnant belly? Did you mind or how did it make you feel?

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