Planning an Induced Labor or Scheduled Cesarean?

As I approach the birth of my third child, I continue to educate myself about childbirth and what is best for myself and my unborn child.  I am amazed by the amount of people in the United States who conveniently fail to realize the risks they are taking, and who make the choice to trust thier doctors over themselves without knowing any different or any better.  I just read an excellent book entitled:  The Official Lamaze Guide, Giving Birth with Confidence, for the third time, and had to share just ONE of the MANY interesting AND EYE OPENING bits of information this book shares.

In 2000 The Journal of the American Medical Association presented some research indicating that the elective induction of labor carries many risks and disadvantages, the most shocking being that a baby that is even SLIGHTLY early is THREE TIMES more likely to DIE in the first year of life than a FULL TERM (born when the mothers body and baby is ready, decided by nature) baby. 
(The scary thing is, does your doctor know this information and if they did, would they even tell you?)

Now I am sure that anyone who has had a baby survive past this point without knowing this information may not be affected by this information at all, but anyone who has unexpectedly or unexplainably had a baby die from SIDS or any other horrible reason may think twice about having a subsequent labor induced or having a scheduled cesarean, knowing this information, and personally, this is just not a risk I am willing to take...I am not the gambling type...for many reasons, one being the potential for a haunting guilty conscience.

I am also not against induction or cesareans, after 41-42 weeks or when the baby or mother's life or health becomes compromised, after all, that is why they were invented in the first place, not to fit or fix our busy schedules or convenience or fears. 

Dr. Seuss is so smart!

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.”―Dr. Seuss

Thought for today...

Everyone has things about themselves that they should change...some people admit to those things and try their best daily to change them,

others try to avoid, rationalize, and/or  make up excuses to validate the qualities/behaviors that need changed in their own mind, to themselves only or to others...

Prayers...to end the rationalizations and excuses, ignorance, avoidance, or whatever it is that you need to call it to fit your situation...prayers for strength, courage, guidance, and whatever else it is that everyone might need to be their best self and live their best life!

I am my mother?

Went to bed early lastnight, 10 pm...

woke up at 11 pm, hungry (typical)...

heated up a half of a wrap with some deli  ham and swiss cheese, rolled it up, took a bite, and started to head back to bed...

decided to eat it in the livingroom so the husband would not hear me chewing and wake up (Like my mother, I am a loud chewer even with my mouth shut unfortunately, and I also find slight embarassment in being harassed for eating after hours, like my mother...)

woke up at 4 am, sitting upright in the recliner, VERY CONFUSED, then I remembered why I was there...

so I double checked to make sure that the food I had been eating made it to its destination (check: no slightly chewed food in the side pockets of my mouth, none on the chair or floor or myself...) 

I headed back to bed, ashamed and proud.

(My mother is notorious for eating while others and sometimes she, herself, sleeps; often waking to find chewed food in her mouth or some potato chips laying on a napkin on her chest.  The best was when my dad pulled back the covers late one November night to find my mom and a few chunks of turkey in the bed.  He told her he often sleeps on the couch so he doesn't choke on any food during the night.  If I were him I would be avoiding all the crumbs...good thing my mom changes her sheets often, well no wonder!)

Keeping up with the Jones's? Easy!

If you take excellent care of what you have, and buy things when they are a bargain...you don't have to have a lot of money or waste a lot of money at all to live like those who do...

GOODWILL HUNTING

So I have been making a point to stop at the Goodwill store in our town, whenever I have a few minutes, like when the kids are still sleeping at the sitters and I got done early...(Rarely do I enjoy or reccommend interrupting a nap...like father like sons.)

So here are my bargains:  (over $1000 worth of stuff for $47)

Learning Curve Thomas the Train Table and many accessories valued at well over $600
GeoTrax track, accessories, trains, buildings valued at over $150

Asics wrestling shoes valued at $44 (we saw the exact ones at the store)
Franklin youth batting glove valued at $12
Gap and 3 other button down shirts & Old Navy Long sleeved T-shirt all like new valued at $50?
7 Disney Movies we've never seen valued at $70?

And just think, if we would've had to pay tax and shipping on this stuff, it could've easily went into the $1200 range.
And we would've been buying the shoes for wrestling in the fall anyways, so the way I look at it, I got the wrestling shoes early and they threw in a thousand dollars worth of FUN for FREE! 


FRUGAL TIPS

• take excellent care of what you have
• "try" to buy things ONLY when they are a bargain
• buy only what you need or will be able to use (in other words, don't become a pack rat...too much becomes too much = waste and items no one will never have enough time to use)
• save on Christmas and Birthday gifts
• add to a SAVINGS account
• buy only items that are urgent or not readily available at store sales, flea markets, etc.
• buy gift cards for vacations or outings
• just like buying a used car, used toys can look and work just as well, and save a TON of money while serving the same purpose
• pack up and sell what you are no longer using,
• try to include instructions and the original box when possible
• make sure items are clean and working well or pitch them

Extreme Couponing for WORKING MOMS to try

After reading the Suddenly Frugal Blog article, Is Extreme Couponing Hurting Self Esteem, I couldn't help but wonder why everyone sets such unrealistic goals for themselves. 
I do not find too much difficulty in my mini version of EXTREME COUPONING.  

Follow these steps and you can save too.

Once or twice a month I go shopping "Extreme Coupon" style and these are my usual steps:

1. All the time, I gather all the coupons I have received in the mail from Krogers and all of the Sunday paper coupons given to me by my mom and mother in law and keep them in the same location.
2. While the kids are playing, I take my pile of coupons and cut the ones that I could use.
3. While the kids are playing or eating, I file them in my accordian coupon keeper which is labeled/categorized as things appear in the store, Krogers, my grocery store of choice.
4. If time allows, I pull out each section of coupons and arrange them as the items appear in that section.
5. I also pull out free coupons, coupons with amount off entire order, and things that I know I want to buy for sure and put them in a separate section in my coupon keeper. 
6. I like to take a look at the recent Kroger ad and add the sale items I could use to my grocery list, I also like to put stars by items that are on sale and pull out the coupons of sale items and move them to the front.(It is beneficial to do steps 2-6 close to the time you will be going to the store...it makes it easier to remember what coupons you have.)
7. I have someone watch the kids or someone go with me to help manage the kids, or it would take about 4 hours or more to be successful.
8. I make sure I have a good 2 hours to be at the store.
9. I try to only buy what is on sale or what I have a coupon for and many name brand items are only purchased when they are on sale AND I have a coupon for them.
10. I do not buy ridiculous amounts but base it on:
1. How much and often I use the item,
2. when it will expire,
3. and how much room/extra money I have that particular day.
11. I save between 24 and 37% every time I go and I consider the extra hour or two TOTALLY WORTH IT!

* In response to Beth's comment, I rarely use the coupons that you load directly to your Kroger card, but yes, that is an option too!

What you say matters, and what you do...it matters even more.