My husband has been able to get into most everything I have started to research while pregnant, but this one made him pause. After a lot of research and speaking to girlfriends who have tried it,  I have decided to save the placenta after I birth and have it encapsulated for its benefits to a postpartum woman.

Your placenta is perfectly made for you, and by you! It is a wonderful organ created to nourish the baby in the womb and then the mother postpartum.

I'm going to have the placenta made into vitamins but the specialist that we have hired has many options: vitamins, cookies, smoothies, truffles and she can even make you a dream catcher out of your umbilical cord if that would be something you would fancy [it is not for me but if you get one I would cheer you on]

Benefits of Placenta Capsules
The known ingredients that give the placenta its healing properties are:

Gonadotrophin: the precursor to estrogen, progesterone and testosterone,
Prolactin: promotes lactation,
Oxytocin: for pain and bonding; produced during breastfeeding to facilitate bonding of mother and infant. In pharmaceutical form this is a very addictive drug because it promotes a feeling of connectedness with others,
Thyroid stimulating hormone: boosts energy and helps recovery from stressful events,
Cortisone: combats stress and unlocks energy stores,
Interferon: stimulates the immune system to protect against infections,
Prostaglandins: anti-inflammatory,
Hemoglobin: replenishes iron deficiency and anemia, a common postpartum condition,
Urokinase inhibiting factor and factor XIII: stops bleeding and enhances wound healing,
Gammaglobulin: immune booster that helps protect against postpartum infections.

I will be using Natural Harmony Encapsulation and I found them through my birth center. On my end it is pretty simple I had to  get my blood work for them and then I take a cooler with me to the birth. They then come and pick it up and deliver it to me when its ready. I am pretty excited to see how it works for me and if you have done this I would love to hear what you thought!

I plan on doing this with Ryan on Friday, thought I would share it in case you might also be interested in giving it a shot, I am sure all mamas to be have a little bit of fear in them.

As I sit here listening to the Realxation Rainbow cd and remember that I am not supposed to be doing anything else while I listen, I remember that I am probably going to break some other 'rules' along the way and why not just enjoy it while I blog.

This last class was an interesting one to say the least. We learned so many new things, heard another couple argue during they're relaxation portion and I was actually hypnotized! I will touch on all of these but lets start with the part that has stuck with me the most. Claire's birth could not go as planned, of course I know this and have thought about this but this class we talked about actual reasons this could happen [she could be breech or traverse, she could arrive too early, I could get preeclampsia, and there could be a prolapsed umbilical cord]. Could these happen? Sure they could. Should I prepare myself emotionally for them? Of course. Do I plan on letting them take over my thoughts? No, not at all. My birth will be easy, natural, loving and exactly what Claire and I have been planning. Why? Because most births are able to be this way.
I know that if there is a drastic change in our birth plan that I will grieve, I am ok with that and Ryan and my family will be there for me during this time with no judgement. Obviously it is most important that Claire is healthy, that I am healthy and that she is born however she needs to be born. But I have been preparing, praying, learning and changing my life to welcome her the way I want to. It will be a 'loss' that I am sure I will need to grieve and move past and that is ok. I want to feel this all, I am not afraid of the feeling. I want it.

Hypnosis... I have had a lot of people ask me if what this class is going to do is hypnotize me so that I don't feel any pain during the birth. The short answer is no. If I didn't want to experience it I would just sign up for a epidural and all the pain meds they have to offer, maybe I would even see if twilight births are still an option. Hypnosis can be a part of the class, mostly just to teach us how to deepen our relaxation and to see what is possible when we focus. For me, I have learned that I am actually able to clear my mind and that alone has been a huge leap! Last class though she did a few relaxation exercises with us, where she lead us in and then we were listening to her voice but trying to deepen our own relaxation. These worked pretty well for me, I was able to follow along and feel myself relax and focus. She asked for a volunteer to do the 'Birth Companion's Deepening Exercise' [I have this worksheet if you would like me to share it with you] and I was the only one to offer. I was AMPED! I always try to get chosen at the fair and I never am. Very long story short [I could go on for days about this] it worked. She was able to relax me in a way where I actually was completely focused. When she said my left side of my body was relaxed, my cheek actually drooped [Ryan was watching and told me] when she said I could transfer the energy I was feeling in my fingers to my cheek, I could feel my tongue swell from the energy. As I type this I wonder if I sound crazy but then at the same time I could care less. If I can make this work for me this can be a lifelong skill that I will be able to call on any time that I am feeling stressed or just need to focus. I plan on having Ryan practice this with me often so that we can be a great team come Claire's birth day!

We also chatted a lot about birth plans and the like. I won't go into it but if you want to create your own and don't feel like typing it all out they suggested this website because you answer lots of questions and it creates one for you: EarthMamaAngelBaby silly website name but its a great resource.

When I got home she had also sent me all of these resources that you can check out if you would like to.
Class 3 Resources:
http://www.childbirthconnection.org/

http://www.choicesinchildbirth.org/

http://www.scienceandsensibility.org/

 http://www.marchofdimes.com/

http://evidencebasedbirth.com/

Books:
Goer, The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth

Gaskin, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth

Optimal Care in Childbirth: The Case for a Physiologic Approach

have a great and relaxing day!
xo

& other times your husband buys it so you eat more fruit and then you realize thats the size of your little baby lady!

Week 30 was a whirlwind and you can read about my moms baby shower and my dads birthday in my other blogs but I didn't mention that my cousin Amber was in town! she came to visit with her 2 year old daughter Jasani and we all stayed at my parents house in SCV. It was nice to all be under the same roof - my husband, my parents, my sisters and now my cousin and niece! Stephanie only had a short visit because she was off to NY to start her new job, I don't know how she does it, so much work but I know it will all pay off and she is kicking ass at it. We spent a lot of time watching Jasani run around and eating so so much delicious food. Amber was only in town for a few days but we made the most of it, shopping, park dates and a shower/birthday celebration. We are hoping we can go visit all of our family in Utah early next year, that way everyone would be able to meet Claire.

Last Friday we also did another 3d ultrasound at Meet Your Baby, this one was a better experience which was a nice change and it was really nice that Melissa could join us. Claire still wasn't that into it, she didn't want us to get a good shot of her face so she moved around a ton, sucked on her toes, and laid her little head on her chubby arms. Even though I haven't been able to get the perfect shot of her face I love seeing what she is doing in there and understanding what each jab I feel actually is. She has big ol cheeks and she is already a gymnast. I love her. Thankfully they are letting us come back one more time to try again, my last two appointments were around noon so this time we will be going in at 8:30pm, maybe that will work better for her.

Instagram photo dump.

Today is not only Claire's 31st week but its also her parents 6 year dating anniversary, we plan on celebrating on Friday after the ultrasound, I am feeling some Red Lobster biscuits but we'll see if it changes in the next few days. 
This upcoming weekend isn't quite as busy as the last one but it will still be full and very fun. Looking forward to Erica's honeybee themed bridal shower, Lago's birthday party/welcome home party and our newborn care class. Are you as stunned as I am that May is almost over? I can't believe June is only a few days away which means I only have about a month left of work! Crazy.
Last night I started the freezer prep so that once Claire has made her grand entrance Ryan and I have some food to eat that is just a freezer and a crockpot away.
hope you all had a lovely week
:)

Claire Belly! 
You are getting so big and so active! I can feel you all day every day and I can even see huge movements on the outside, I love it. I have been trying to get a video of you but you are still being coy, thats ok though - I am sneaky and I will keep trying. I don't know if you realized how much belly love you got this past weekend. Two of your aunts were in town and they could not stop touching you, hoping to feel you kick and just giving you lots of attention. Your little baby cousin also gave you a few nice rubs, she put lotion on for us because she even understands that we are crossing our fingers for a stretch markless pregnancy. Your grandma also threw you your second big party! You had a baby shower, everyone was so generous and showered you with so many amazing things. You know how a mattress to sleep on, a stroller to go around town in once you are bigger, a bassinet to sleep in when we travel, a sweet little bath pod, so so many clothes and toys and even a high chair! Man, you are so loved. I hope you can feel it.
Your dad and I are getting more excited every day, soon we will not only be able to feel you kick me from the inside but we will be able to see you kick me from the outside! It will be a treat. I can't wait to see all of your growth spurts, hear your little cries and see you stick your tongue out. You make me so happy Claire Olive, lets take a nap and think about our future.
xoxo
Momma

Wow, 6 years? Sometimes it feels like just a blink and other times I can't remember life before I had Ryan at my side.

Ryan and I met wake boarding in Buena Vista about 12 years ago, [what could have possibly taken him this long to make a move!? haha] from afar he seemed like too cool a kid for me, he went to Hart and those guys all thought that they were the best. Plus, I am an older woman so I could be very intimidating ;)

After watching his wake boarding skills year after year, playing underage drinking games into the wee hours of the night, and living on the same street in Long Beach for a year - Ryan finally asked me out on a date once I had moved back to SCV. I was in love early and hard. Ryan made me laugh like no one had been able to, he believed in me and loved that I was who I was without ever needing to change me.

But I did change. I changed into a long distance girlfriend who had trouble with the distance, I changed into a woman who finished her bachelors at CSUN earlier than planned so she could start her life in Long Beach, I changed into someone who was more involved in their community, I changed into a fiance who just wanted to run to the courthouse and make it official [Ryan wanted groomsmen though], and then I changed into a wife. I have loved every second of it.

On our two year wedding anniversary we announced that we were going to become parents, and now on our 6 year dating anniversary we are only 9 weeks away from welcoming our baby girl into our already full lives. I can already start feeling things fall away and change to make room for this beautiful person that was created out of our love for each other. I could not picture a better partner, a better father, or a better best friend. Ryan has all of my love, my respect and adoration. I am thankful for all the changes we have made in each others lives and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Happy anniversary bun, xxoxo

Lots and lots of photos from Claire Olive ZumMallen's first baby shower that my mom threw for her. 

My mom invited old friends, new friends and family to celebrate with us at La Cocina. We had my bridal shower there and it was the perfect location. The margaritas were flowing and the delicious food is always something that I look forward to. I couldn't be more grateful to my mom and dad for throwing something so loving and I am so so happy that BOTH of my sisters were in town and they were able to celebrate with us. They led the games and helped move the party along. This would not have been such a success if our family and friends weren't so loving and generous.

The Baby Girl decorations were so cute and thanks to Pinterest my mom found the cutest diaper baby crafts and a lollipop centerpiece for the sweets table that were made out of receiving blankets, everything was so cute and we could not be more thankful.

Claire is already so loved and we feel so lucky, thank you mom and to my whole family for putting this on for us & thank you to everyone who came to celebrate

xo
Nikol & Claire

Now I could talk about these women individually but now we are sort of a pack and I adore them all!

We met thanks to Jaclyn and her wonderful wedding festivities, a day of wine tasting, a night of little black dress bar hopping and a day after 4 hour long all you can drink brunch. By the end of it i can tell you that I was in love with everyone!

From that point on we get together whenever we can, we text each other ridiculous things and now I cannot have a mimosa without thinking about how much I miss them and cannot wait to get together with them again.

Jaclyn and I became friends in high school and throughout the college years, her softball career and many boyfriends we always ended up getting together or at least keeping in touch. When I found out she was engaged to Andy [who I also adore] I couldn't have been more excited for her! I was also a little nervous to go to SB and meet 20 new girls who I had never met before. Thankfully she has sweet lady friends. Chez, Dana, Dawn, Jamie, KK and Gregoria turned that fabulous day into a whirlwind of drunk friendship and so many jokes that I would not even know where to start.

They came to my engagement party, they threw me a surprise bachelorette party, they joined us at the wedding and now I am hoping to see a few of their smiling faces at my baby shower. I am glad that one silly weekend led to so many lifelong girlfriends.

I want to s heart all my life with all of you
xo

Daddy post

All of a sudden we are surrounded by babies. The Montans are giving us regular updates about their gorgeous Hailey now, and just this morning we found out that the Colsells welcomed their little man into the world. It’s been really wonderful to see our good friends come out on the “other side” of pregnancy, especially knowing that we’re about to dive in with them. Expecting your first child can be a strange and mysterious thing sometimes, like the Congo, and watching friends grow into mothers and fathers is a splash of cold water that we will be there soon, too.

Actually the Colsells have been more like a Vincent Vega shot of adrenaline to the heart, because their Chip actually came about a month earlier than expected. This was an eye-popping reminder that even though everything is on schedule and there’s no reason to think we’ll have a premature birth, Claire is the one in charge here. Not our calendar.

So what if Nikol goes into labor tomorrow? That question came to me in the middle of our hypnobirth class on Monday night, and I’m kind of embarrassed to say that I felt under-prepared. (If she had gone into labor right then I probably would have asked Siri what to do. And Siri doesn’t know shit.) One of my main issues in that class is trying to stay on top of what we’re learning so I don’t just learn it, I absorb it and can call on that knowledge without notice. At that moment, I didn’t feel ready enough.

The next morning, Nikol and I woke up early and went for a walk around the neighborhood. We used to go on walks all the time back when we were dating, and they were a great way to escape the world and just have 1-on-1 time. Back then I was chronically addicted to work, and I struggled to clear my mind and devote it to us. Over time, though, the need to be in front of a screen floated away and we could just be in the moment. This morning felt like those long walks again, when we would talk about movies and food and maybe one day starting a family.

I told Nikol that I had been feeling worried that I wouldn't be ready if Claire came early, but she reminded me of all the things we would need to do and slowly my confidence came back. I already knew all of the steps to take, and what we would need, but I just needed to clear my mind and think about it a little. All of the things I had read and that we had discussed earlier started to come back until I realized that we both knew exactly what to do in that situation.

The thing about feeling unprepared during pregnancy is that it’s a choice. With our classes, and our books, and the freaking Internet, you can learn anything you want and there’s no excuse to feel unprepared. Sometimes I feel a little out of the loop because I’m not the pregnant one, and Nikol is such an amazing researcher and planner, and because I had been lagging on reading over the last few weeks. But I just needed a reminder that I already learned so much, and that I am going to be ready whenever Claire’s ready. He wasn't even 24 hours old yet, and Chip Colsell had already taught me a very valuable lesson.

Nikol is growing bigger and more beautiful with every day, and there’s still a ways to go. I hope Claire takes all the time she needs, because there’s no rush and I have a lot to learn. But if she does decide to make her grand entrance early, I’ll be ready.

It can be hard to find good advice for expecting fathers, so here are a few tidbits that I’ve found especially helpful over the past few weeks and committed to memory:

Babies can differentiate between languages while still in the womb… and by the time they’re born they will already have bonded to your main language and lost some ability to recognize and make sounds in other languages. This was a pretty big surprise, so I’ve made a point to speak more Spanish to Claire lately. No one else in our hypnobirth class had heard this so explaining it actually made me feel a lot better, haha.

Anticipate her needs in advance as much as possible… because once labor starts, she’s going to have enough to worry about without being able to make sure you brought the camera. Preparation isn’t exactly my strong suit so during the day I try to make a mental note of all the things we need to bring to the birthing center when the time comes. This is also vital during the birth, because Nikol probably won’t even know when she’s hungry or thirsty, or needs dimmed lights or a massage. That’s stuff that I should just be able to see, and fix.

Do whatever she says when she says it… because that is going to make life way easier. Not easier for me – who cares about me in this situation? – but easier for her, which is infinitely more important. Plus, if I don’t do those dishes now, like this instant, then Nikol is going to do them, and that means that A) she’s not lying down and resting and B) she’s going to make the most noise of all time. It can be something as simple as not pointing out that you found the missing remote under her hand or the missing phone in her purse. Just do it and chuckle to yourself silently. It will make her life easier.

There are others, so maybe I’ll update this from time to time if you guys would like that. Hopefully they can help you and we can share some ideas on the way to parenthood. There is a lot more going on, such as Claire’s incessant kicking and rolling and my growing list of nicknames for her – first and foremost, The Claire Monster. Claire-O-Rama is another good one. I’ll keep you posted, and you already know that Nikol will, too.

Wow! Only 10 weeks to go until our birthing time! Not only is time flying by on its own but then my girlfriend Eva has her baby 4 weeks early! Oh my gosh could Claire come early too!? Of course I had thought of this before but now I am ready to pack my "Birth Day Bag" I will probably be doing a lot of stuff that Brittany suggests in her blog but I think I will keep poking around online to see what else I will be needing the day of. I start maternity leave on July 1st and I really would enjoy a few weeks at home, not working, to prepare lots of frozen meals for us and to deep clean everything on my huge list haha. I know we still have a good amount of time but this does feel like the home stretch and I want to be as ready as I can be.

The pictures below really made my day yesterday, having a migraine was such a downer so a few laughs were very very needed. This book is called HATCHED: The Big Push From Pregnancy To Motherhood and it was super super cute! I know I will need to get this for my next pregnant friend haha.

Speaking of books I want my girlfriends [and their sig others to read]
Ina May's Guide To Childbirth is a must buy and must give to your friends once you are done reading. I am so thankful that my friend Vicky who just had her daughter suggested it and Ina's breastfeeding book, I will be reading that soon.

The reason I loved it so much is hard to put into words. The first half of the book are testimonials of people who have given birth with a midwife and on The Farm, each one is touching and even if some seem hard they seem worth it and never scary. I will be rereading this book very soon.

This past week and weekend were full of good time with friends. Erica Hagaman will soon be Mrs. Brenes and we all could not be more excited for her. So 11 of us piled into her family cabin and began to celebrate this soon to be union! Katie & Maureen did an amazing job planning the weekend, I am sure getting 11 women into a cabin and have them all get their timing together, to get along and to all drink just enough to be a blast has to be a tough task and they took it on beautifully. Erica is surrounded by many women who I adore and am looking forward to partying with at the shower and at the wedding!
Congrats Hags!

Instagram photo dump. Lots of belly as per usual and Erica's bachelorette party!

Happy 30th week Claire Olive!
You are so beautiful and I love watching you roll around in my stomach - I want to know what you are thinking about in there. Are you moving around to get cozy or do you just move to move? I have noticed that lately you still love the bath tub but something new that you are doing is PLAYING WITH ME if I tap my belly you tap back! Or when I can feel your little booty pushing up against me I am able to cup it and move it up and down and you just go crazy, I love it! Little girl  you are making each day more wonderful and I can only imagine how you will do that when you are actually here. Your daddy loves talking to you and reading to you and he is helping me get ready for your arrival. This morning we watched A Baby Story and it was a homebirth where they had a daughter and we both cried over our quiche in excitement to meet you. This weekend is another weekend full or love and fun! Friday we get to see you in 3D again and this time your aunt Melissa will be able to join us, we are hoping that you will show us some more of your face because I already just want to bite your little nose. Then on Saturday your grandma is throwing you your very first baby shower!! I know, how exciting. We will be surrounded by friends and La Cocina what else could we possible ask for?!? Oh I know, a birthday party! Your grandpa is turning 60 and we are having a huge bash on Sunday and then followed by a family bbq on Monday. This will probably be a tiring weekend for us but believe me it'll be worth it
xo
I love you Claire!

Eva texted me this morning with the best excuse as to why she wouldn't be able to make it to trivia! Her water broke :)

Yay! Chip has arrived!! I can't wait to meet him and for Claire to be able to kick him while I hold him! Isn't he cute!?!? Eva & Brian made the most handsome baby boy and even though he is a bit early [due 6/18/2013] he looks healthy and happy.
Eva and I have become closer since we both were pregnant at the same time and I am so excited for us to both have babies and be able to have little friends.

So excited for all the 2013 babies!

CONGRATS TO YOU BOTH!

2 down, 4 more to go!

Last night was a lot more about relaxation, we practiced our breathing techniques and learned a little bit about soft touch massage. I really liked having Ryan do the massage on my back and arms while I practiced the calm breath. If you want to do the calm breath I find that it is really nice while driving but during Claire's birth I am supposed to use it during early labor and for in between surges. CALM BREATH - To a count of four, mentally recite “In-2-3-4″ on the intake.  Feel your stomach rise as you draw the breath up and into the back of your throat.  As you exhale, mentally recite “Out-2-3-4-5-6-7-8″.  Exhale through your nose, direct the energy of the breath down and inward toward the back of your throat, allowing your shoulders to droop into the frame of your body.  Release all tension and let go.  To determine if you are doing this exercise correctly, place your left hand on your stomach and your right hand on the lower part of your chest.  As you inhale, you should feel your left hand rising as though your stomach were inflating like a balloon.  As you exhale, you will feel your hands fold into each other, as your chest and stomach create a crevice. 

The breath that I am struggling with and will definitely need to start practicing now that we are getting so close is the surge breath, I read somewhere that because I am usually so low on iron that that could be a reason why this one is a toughie for me. I have done this one at home while watching tv but they suggest I practice it during kicks, pre-labor warm ups [Braxton Hicks], and any time I am feeling any type of discomfort. I haven't actually felt any pre-labor warm ups so once I do we will see how this helps me out. If you wanted to try this breath it can help to think of it as balloon breathing. SURGE BREATH - While resting your back against pillows or lying in a lateral position, place your hands across the top of your abdomen so that your fingers barely meet.  Exhale briefly to clear your lungs and nasal passages.  Slowly and gradually draw in your breath to a rapid count from 1 to 20 as though you were inflating your belly.  Exhale in the same slow manner.
While breathing in visualize filling a balloon inside your abdomen as you draw in.  Slowly exhale to the same count breathing downward and outward.  Visualize the balloon slowly drifting off into space.  Give your breath to your baby, gently and slowly exhaling down. 

I am really enjoying these class and sometimes while in the class I wonder if this is something that I might even want to get more into? I could really delve into this and then have my own type of hypnobirth class set up. No, I havent looked into exactly what that would entail but I do find it to be super interesting and I am totally surprised at how much it has helped me with my relaxation. Listening to the affirmations in the car has been really helpful and at night I can either listen to the cd or Ryan read the hypnobirth script to me as a bonding time and it really is nice. 

Making time for more practice is my goal for the week. I think that if I listen to the affirmations once each time I get into the car [it is about 16 mins long], do the breaths while driving/watching tv and take time to bond with Ryan/Claire in the evenings while doing soft touch massage and having Ryan read the Rainbow Relaxation Script. I am really looking forward to this I think it will really be a big help.

Hey ladies, did you want to talk about pelvic floor exercises [aka kegels]? No? How odd I just LOVE talking about them haha ok I don't really but in these classes they do and it is really important so I won't go really deep into it but I'll fill you in on how I am handling these and hopefully it will help you out and if you have never heard of this before don't worry about it, a few months ago - it was all new to me too.
Baby Center does a good job of explaining but in short: "Kegels are exercises you can do to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles – the muscles that support your urethra, bladder, uterus, and rectum. The exercises are named after Arnold Kegel, a gynecologist who recommended them back in the 1940s to help women with urinary incontinence, or diminished bladder control, which can happen after childbirth.
If you're not already doing Kegel exercises, start them now. Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles may help prevent or treat urinary stress incontinence, a problem that affects up to 70 percent of women during or after pregnancy."
If you are pregnant right now then you totally understand that these could help you out, especially while laughing and/or sneezing and please God don't do those at the same time if you haven't been practicing ;)
I like things to be pretty simple so instead of trying to remember to do this at every stop light or even have to think about it I decided to purchase Lelo Luna Beads and have them do all the work, the biggest thing that I have to do is remember them - this can be hard enough with the baby brain I have got going on. Feel free to ask me any questions but I think that is as much as I plan on sharing via this blog.

Now go enjoy your day and try not to concentrate on your pelvic floor too much.

xoxo
Nikol