Postpartum Care with MamaCloth Boutique + Giveaway!

I'm going to talk about a somewhat TMI topic with you all today - post partum bleeding care.

Here's a little back story. I've been a cloth diapering mama for about 2 years now (wooop wooop!), but for most of that time I've been "Aunt Flo Free." Breastfeeding does that to ya! I was blessed to be period free for the 9 months of pregnancy with Penny and through about 13 - 14 months post partum. Then I had a couple cycles and was pregnant again! I knew I was interested in reusable cloth pads but my cycle came back for such a short window of time that I barely got any research done.

Switching to cloth pads was sort of a no brainer to me, I was well aware of the reasons to cloth diaper and a lot of the same health reasons apply to disposable menstrual products. But a lot like cloth diapers, jumping into the reusable cloth pad world was daunting to me! What kind of pad do I want/need? How many? Plus, if I am to expect the same situation with my cycle to happen with Ruby as it did with Penny it will probably be well over a year before my cycle returns again. However, there is the case for post partum bleeding.

I got in touch with the Mama Cloth lady - aka, Meg, the owner of Mamacloth.ca. She gave me the run down on why you want to switch to reusable cloth pads (affectionately called "mama cloth" all across the board) and we worked out a package of what I could expect to use for my post partum bleeding. She also threw in 3 pairs of of pretty coordinating nursing pads. What a doll!

1 "All in one" organic bamboo velour, 2 layer hemp cotton fleece with PUL fabric (in hot pink / damask)
1 "Pocket" pad with several inserts (floral print)
PUL pad wrapper (damask)
3 pairs of nursing pads

As it turns out, mama cloth is kind of similar to cloth diapers if you're already familiar with it. The "All in one" style is just like an AIO diaper - no inserts required, it's all good to go just like you'd expect a disposable pad to be. The "pocket" style pad is just like a pocket diaper - add however many inserts you need based on your flow. It all looks pretty easy to me! Washing cloth menstrual pads is also very similar to cloth diapers; I rinse them prior to putting them in a wetbag that hangs on the door handle in our bathroom. Then we throw them in with the cloth diaper wash since we've been on wash overload with a newborn and toddler in cloth too!

You've got to be wondering how exactly these hold up with the super heavy, crazy flow that happens after birth. In my case I had a unique tear and coming into contact with anything was excruciating! Thankfully Mamacloth's AIO pad features an organic bamboo velour top that is what your skin comes in contact with. Seriously a life saver!!! I would trade all the underwear in the entire world to have this material be my underwear! It was so soft and truly absorbent. This is an important luxury to have when your lady parts are healing after birth; whether you had tearing, stitches or no damage at all. 

The pocket style mama cloth pad was really nice because as I mentioned before, you can customize how many inserts you need based on your flow.

A new mama can never have enough nursing pads either, so I loved trying out Mama Cloth's version of nursing pads. These come with two layers of so-soft fleece and an inner layer of absorbent cotton fleece. I never leaked a whole bunch during let down while I nursed Penny but this time my milk production is in crazy overdrive. These pads have done well with getting me through the night and their cute prints are a plus! :)

As you can see, MamaCloth.Ca is not just all about your period, it's all about reusable cloth products for the home. So in addition to menstrual products, she's got cloth/family wipes, wet bags and un-paper towels. 

So make your period a happy one - am I kind of a geek for getting really excited about these beautiful prints that she has for her products? Periods are rarely roses and unicorns but it does help a little to have these pretty pads to look at, right?

Here's your chance to win a $30 gift certificate to Mamacloth.ca! You can use it to buy anything in her shop - doesn't have to be just cloth pads!  Be sure to follow Mamacloth.ca on facebook and twitter to get the scoop on any new prints or deals that she's running!


This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all who entered!

Disclosure: I received product in exchange for my honest review, all opinions expressed are my own. 

Ruby's Birth Story

My wait for Ruby began around the tail end of the 38 week mark. I had Penny at exactly 39 weeks and was fairly positive that Ruby would come at the same time too.

I had been having contractions in the evenings for several weeks but nothing like the real thing. My midwife had started to check me at 37 weeks, when I started at about 2cm and stayed fairly constant over the next several weeks. Days passed, and I reached my "estimated due date" (March 4th). No baby yet. I began to despair.

That week I decided to get swept, which kick started some things into action but ultimately I wasn't going anywhere. We had several nights where I would have some consistent contractions but they'd peter off in several hours. We invited my parents up for the weekend so that they were already here as we planned for them to watch Penny when we checked into the birth center. That Saturday we went to our local pool (which has an awesome kids water park) and my 6 year old niece dragged me around the pool ("c'mon Auntie - let's go down the lazy river!!") and kept me very active. That night I started another round of good contractions - lasting a minute to a minute and a half and 4-7 minutes apart. We got excited, thinking that tonight may be the night! But alas, morning came and a very grumpy Bianca emerged from the bedroom for breakfast with the family. False labor - you are a cruel bitch.

So it was Sunday, March 9th. I was 40 weeks and 6 days. My parents were going to leave in the afternoon. I began to get anxious because I knew that as soon as they'd leave I'd go into labor and they'd have to turn right back around. Adam and my stepdad took a quick trip to work on a school project together and were gone for a couple hours, during that time my mom and I sat and chatted while I tried to keep my mind off my gloom. Around 1:00 a round of contractions started - this caught my attention. My contractions always started after dinner; very rarely did I ever feel anything before 5:00. I kept this to myself but eventually my mom noticed that my attention was elsewhere and she asked if I was having contractions. The guys came home around 2:30 with lunch (at my request: spicy Thai food) and at the table I continued to have contractions and I was getting on edge. We timed them - 1 minute long, 4 minutes apart. Adam decided to call the midwife to see what she thought. Darlene thought it still might be early but agreed to meet us at the birth center around 4:15 to see where I was at. So at 3:45 Adam and I kissed our sweet Penny goodbye and took off in hopes that I'd be bringing home a baby shortly.

My birthing room was prepared when we arrived and Adam turned on a good Pandora station that he knew I'd like. My midwife checked me out - 4cm, not fully effaced. But these contractions were real. She gave us three options - go home for a few hours, go for a walk, or break the waters. I definitely didn't want to go home because I was afraid that the contractions would stop and that it would mean bringing Penny back into the situation when she's completely content with the grandparents at the moment. So we opted for a walk.

We walked up and down the streets in a nicer part of downtown Everett. The rule was that I had to walk through my contractions; no matter how hard it was or how teeny tiny my steps were, I had to keep moving. It. was. hard. Many of these contractions were painful enough where I was openly weeping as we walked. I lamented over what a sight I must be - a clearly very pregnant woman, in her sweats, bawling her eyes out and clinging to her husband. I thanked my lucky stars that this wasn't a small town or one where we could possibly run into someone! The icing on the cake - we walked by the local events center and they were just finishing up the home and garden show, so a ton of strangers got to witness this as well!

After an hour we returned and I got checked again. Sorry honey, no progression and your baby is sunny-side up. We were presented with the 3 options again - home, walk or water. Home still wasn't an option, walk was no longer desirable because it was getting dark. My birthing team was completely confident with breaking my waters because I was past my due date and all other risks were low. I decided to go for it - it was time to have a baby.

It was within a minute of breaking my water that I went into transition. In an attempt to help turn baby, the team had me do lunges using the side of the birthing tub. Lunges through 5 contractions, on each side. Oy. I got through my round of 5 contractions on my left side before I crumbled into my husband's arms and we decided to go into the water. This was an immense relief, though the contractions were still coming very fast and very hard. I remembered with Penny's birth that I was able to 'check out' in between contractions and rest. There was no resting here. Even in between contractions I was uncomfortable and barely paying attention to what anyone said.

The urge to push came a lot sooner than I expected and I pushed for several rounds on my knees and hanging my upper body over the edge of the tub, using Adam as support (the same way as I had done with Penny). Eventually it was time to get baby out (her heat rate had dropped) and I switched to being in a sitting position and was told to push with all my might. I got to the point where I knew I had either approached the ring of fire or I was tearing - the birth team urged me on and with a couple pushes I had my sweet baby girl in my arms!

With tears in our eyes we spoke to Ruby for the first time, welcomed her into this new world and marveled over her perfect features. She weighed in at 7 lbs 15 oz, 20.5" at 7:16pm. That's a full pound heavier and almost 3 inches longer than her sister was, sheesh!

From the moment that my water was broken to babe in arms was about an hour and 3 minutes. The only family who knew I was at the birth center were my parents - the paternal grandparents, aunts and uncles were all surprised with a picture text of Ruby and I!

This labor goes to show just how different each birth and child are! I went into labor spontaneously with Penny, had an 8 hour and 40 minute labor and she came in the morning. Over the last couple weeks I've been astonished at how quickly Ruby has grown, how different our breastfeeding relationship is and how I've emotionally coped with having a newborn again.

Sausage Spinach Calzones from Saving Said Simply

Nothing says YUM better than quick, easy, real ingredients and cheap! This is why I love pinning Christie from Saving Said Simply's recipes. This calzone recipe below can easily be adjusted to fit your family's tastes and even better.. I bet you can make them ahead of time and freeze them for a 'dinner in a pinch' night!

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When it comes to family dinner time, there's always a few staple recipes I keep on hand. One of our family favorites is this recipe for Sausage Spinach Calzones. Quick, hits all major food groups, crowd pleaser and less than $2 per serving, we have one happy (and full) family! I love saving leftovers for lunches the next day too. 

Ingredients:

• 2 Cans Refrigerated Pizza Dough (I use Pillsbury THIN CRUST Pizza Dough - about $2 a can on sale)
• 1 Jar of Pizza Sauce 14 oz. ($1.50 or less on sale)
• 1 Sausage Roll 12 oz. (about $2.50-$3 on sale)
• 1 cup of Shredded Cheese 8 oz. (Mozzarella or 4 Cheese Pizza works best) ($2.50 or less)
• 2 cups Fresh Spinach, chopped (I buy them when BOGO $3.99 - or $2 each bag)
• 1 Tablespoon Milk
• Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese

TOTAL = about $12.50 for 8 calzones (or $1.56 per serving)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown Sausage over medium heat. Drain.
2. Mix browned sausage, 2 cups of spinach, 1 cup shredded cheese and 1 cup of pizza sauce in large bowl until well coated.
3. On lightly floured surface, roll out 1 can of pizza dough into 16 inch square. (This is why thin crust comes in handy). Cut into 4 inch squares.
4. Fill each square with about 1/2-3/4 cup of sausage mixture. Fold dough over into a triangle (gotta have the classic calzone shape).
5. Press edges together with a fork to seal. Prick tops of the calzones with a fork. Place calzones onto baking
sheet.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 for 2nd can of pizza dough
7. Brush milk onto tops of the calzones. (I cheat and just use my fingers instead of a brush. The idea is to keep the calzones from burning/drying out).
8. Add sprinkle Parmesan cheese (as you can tell, my son really likes this step).
9. Bake in oven at 375 degrees for about 18 minutes or golden brown. 

Makes 8 servings

Read more about Christie at Saving Said Simply: An Asian Mommy Blog for more great recipes, kid crafts, family-friendly ideas and giveaways! Christie loves providing honest reviews on family-related products and services and sharing her knowledge of everything Orlando too! You'll find some parenting laughs, kid mishaps and great adventures of her family of 4 as she "saves" each precious moment. Be sure to check out Christie's website and follow via Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest for more great family moments!

Guest Post: Spencer's Birth (by Momma Jorje)

Today I am sharing Spencer's birth story with you. Jorje, from Momma Jorje, chose Spencer's birth location based on his potential special needs after receiving a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. 

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I had a lot of contractions in my final trimester. They came often and they were hard. Because of this, our doctor had said that Spencer might (safely) arrive as early as 36-37 weeks. That'll make a family anxious! We were open to having Spencer any time as Giftmas approached. Then we hoped to wait a week. Our doctor was on vacation from December 25^th - 30^th.

At 11 o'clock on December 25^th (11:04 actually, if I recall correctly), I decided I'd better go tell Tyler (13yo) to get to bed. Sasha (2yo) was still up with me. As I walked to the other end of the house, I noticed I was wet... really wet. I went to the bathroom to check myself and found some slight tinge of pink.

I got very shaky. I called my Jenni (my doula) and explained what was going on, including feeling like I was having a major adrenaline rush from the excitement of it. She reassured me that the shaking was normal anyway, but that we should get to the hospital. I didn't feel a need to rush, but I woke Elmo and we started getting ready. He carried the numerous bags out to the truck. We (Sasha, Elmo and I) were loaded up into the truck by 11:30. I called Jenni again to let her know we were on our way. Tyler was staying up at home, waiting for updates.

Easy meals with Mrs. T's Pierogies

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Millennial Central for Mrs. T’s Pierogies. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

What are some of the ways you've helped a new mama?

One of my favorite ways to bring support for new families is by bringing them a meal. We have been so blessed by family and friends who have been bringing us meals during Ruby's first month. It's really taken a load off of my shoulders (and let's be realistic- I've picked up a few new ideas for what to cook in the future!).

But I've also taken a step towards normalcy and have actually hosted a meal or two of my own! I can hear you veteran mamas clucking your tongues and reminding me to take it easy and just to let people help. But feeding people is a joy to me; and one that I can't deny myself of doing for too long.

Baby steps, though. I know my limits! So what is a super easy, quick and delicious meal that I can whip up in under 20 minutes that is a guaranteed win? Mrs. T's Pierogies, of course!

What is a Pierogie, you might ask? It's the Polish version of ravioli, to be honest. Mrs T's offers a variety of frozen flavors, such as potato and cheese (our favorite). You can serve these as a main or side dish, or create a fun finger food for a get together with friends. You can do them super simplely or fancy them up. There's no limit to how you can prepare them! You can even check out my Seahawks Beastmode inspired pierogies. ;)

Our favorite way to prepare Mrs. T's is very simple and only takes a few key ingredients.
You will need:
1 package of Mrs. T's Pierogies per 2 adults
1/2 lb of bacon
1/2 white or sweet Walla Walla onion, sliced thinly
Sour cream

You will do:
1. Chop your bacon into large bacon bit size. Cook on the frying pan until done; transfer to a plate and blot up the grease. Keep the remaining grease in the pan on low heat.
2. Gently saute your onion in the bacon grease.
3. While sauteeing the onions, boil your pierogies. Once they float they are all done!
4. Using a slotted spoon transfer the boiled pierogies to the pan with the onions. Turn up the heat to about medium and allow them to cook on each side until slightly crispy and brown.
 5. Serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream on the side. YUM!

Whether it's game day, the season premiere of your favorite show, or just an average weeknight, Mrs. T's Pierogies are a delicious and perfect addition to any at-home get-together with friends. You can find 11 different Mrs. T's Pierogies flavors to fit the tastes of your family. 

Find more fun ways to serve pierogies by following Mrs. T's Pierogies on

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