Belly Bandit Review

1 week post partum

1 week post partum

So I normally would not be showing pictures of my belly as I am pretty conservative, however, I am so amazed with the results I have gotten from using the Belly Bandit ( http://www.bellybandit.com/ ) that I just had to share. I am almost in disbelief that it is actually working since I was expecting to look pregnant for weeks to months. I am now 1 week post partum and my stomach is already flat and firm. I would definitely recommend this to anyone post partum. It supports your back so nicely in that first week. Chris even tried it on and thought it felt really good and wished he had something like that on since his back is getting a little sore from leaning over to care for Alex. It does get a little wrinkle in it that doesn't come out if you are short waisted like myself, but it doesn't change the effectiveness. I did exercise and ate really healthy the entire pregnancy and think that the belly bandit just sped up the recovery. So probably not a substitution for good diet and exercise in my opinion.

1 week old

Alex is 1 week old today. We think he is pretty cute and already showing lots of personality with all his funny facial expressions. We can't believe how fast the past week has gone. He is doing so well and the pediatrician says he is an over-achiever. He is already almost back to birth weight and lost his cord as of 5 days old. Pediatrician asked if we had a natural birth because she could tell by how well he was doing and his alertness which I thought was crazy. He loves to eat and it seems like I am feeding him every hour which is making me so hungry...more than when I was pregnant. But the crazy part is that my body is getting smaller and smaller by the minute...much faster than I had anticipated. We have had several rough nights but every day are learning new tricks to make the night go better. I think we may have had a total of 7 hours of sleep last night broken up and we both even had dreams which was awesome. I hope he can do that tonight.

Alex is here!

Immediately after he was born, Alex was put on my chest

He weighed 7lbs 15.2 ounces and is 21 inches long

With Nana Evans

With Grandpa Evans

First kiss from Daddy

With Grandpa Higham

With Auntie Chelsey

Cuddling with Grandma Northcott

Me and Alex

Our first family photo

With Auntie Katie

Sleeping with Daddy after a long night

Sleeping in the bassinet…for a cat nap

His favorite place to be…cuddled up against daddy’s chest

With uncle Jackson

Alex was born on September 2nd 2010 at 8:16am. He was 7lbs 15.2 oz and 21" at birth and absolutely perfect. We are so in love with our little guy and can't believe we are parents now. Just when you thought you couldn't have more love in your life, then this little person comes into your life and it's just such an awesome feeling.

The birth story.....

I started to go into labor around 9pm ish on September 1st after getting off the phone with my mom and thinking everything was fine and definitely not that I would be going into labor in minutes. In fact, Chris and I had gone for a 3 mile walk that night. I had been showing signs of being in early labor over the previous couple days and my doctor thought I would go into labor the 1st or 2nd...well she was right.

My contractions started up right away at 4 mins apart lasting for 1 minute and I was able to manage them just fine with the hypnosis techniques I had been practicing. By 10pm, Chris could tell this was different than contractions before and called the oncall doctor who said to come in to the hospital. Chris packed the car while I tried to stay focused in hypnosis. Chris called our parents on our way to the hospital and my mom, Chris's mom and Chelsey met us there. We got to the hospital triage at 11:45ish where I was checked and sure enough I was in labor and already 5cm dilated. I was admitted and quickly my contractions were picking up. I used the jacuzzi tub, my birthing ball and different hypnosis cues and scripts. The most effective for me was "release" with pressure on my forehead and everything else seem to not matter. By 3am, I was 8cm dilated. By 5am I was 10cm but a little lip of cervix still there. That is when I knew I was in transition and the contractions were on top of one another with no break. It was at that point that I felt like I couldn't do it anymore and I was simply moving forward knowing that there was an end in sight and that this horrible pain I was feeling would end with a baby. My mom and Chris were by my side during that whole time and I couldn't do it without them there. Chris's mom made sure I had cold clothes which helped a ton in making me feel more comfortable. I thought I would have wanted to move in various positions, but while in transition for about 2.5 hours, I didn't want any part of my body to move due to the pain. At 7:30ish, we started to push, which was scary because I had no urge and I was in so much pain that I could not tell when I was having a contraction or not. Chris and mom helped me so much through the pushing stage and at 8:16am we had our beautiful baby boy on our chest. He was alert with eyes wide open looking up at both of us and nursed right away. That was one of the most awesome things about having a natural child birth just for that moment.

The hypnosis was different than I had expected in helping me to manage my labor, but it seemed very effective up until I got into transition and I just couldn't focus anymore.

He is so perfect and we can't believe he is ours. I just love his little facial expressions. A little too early to tell who he looks like but some similarities in the eyes and nose to mommy when she was a baby.

As my due date approaches tomorrow, I have been getting more and more excited to meet this little Alex. I keep wondering what he will look like...like daddy or mommy or maybe neither of us. I am now on my 3rd week off work which is hard to believe. Time is flying by so quickly. Normally, if I had been off work this long, I would have been bored out of my mind and going crazy, but I think I was so tired that this has really been a much needed break and I am glad I did it so that I could be fully refreshed and ready for Alex when he arrives. It is not like my job is physical easy to do.

Chris's dad, Don, gets home tomorrow and my mom is now starting to feel better from being sick so I think it is perfect time for Alex to think about coming.

Overall, I have been feeling good considering I am 40 weeks pregnant. I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and my doctor was practically ready to induce me if I had agreed to it. I think it is crazy. I have been planning for a natural birth experience using child birth hypnosis and spent many hours practicing for this. My doctor says she will let me go until 41 weeks and 6 days but doubted I would go much past tomorrow. I think she just jinxed us from having Alex more sooner than later by that comment. Maybe she knows what she is talking about though. My body is definitely acting like it is getting ready and Dr. Bird said I am in early labor. Cross our fingers he comes soon.

Surprise Baby Shower!

Gorgeous cake that matched the nursery theme perfectly and delicious too.

super cute shoes from Emily

socks that look like sneakers from Katie and Jordyn

Beaba Baby Cook from Melissa Angeli and Mom

Gorgeous hand knit blanket from Mom

Best friend Stacy who also was in on the surprise

Great Grandma Evans

Marina Leathers and her mom Ana who guessed my belly size perfectly with the TP

Uncle Jackson...one of the winners of the TP game

side belly shot...we're almost there

Mom, Marina, Debby and Barb

On Sunday August 15th, I thought I was going for pedicures with Barb and Chelsey only to walk into there house where my mom and Barb were hosting a surprise baby shower in honor of Alex. It was amazing that the secret had been kept so well including my best friend Stacy who flew up for the party and she is not one for keeping secrets either. It was a really special day to have friends and family together especially when I was not expecting it.

There was tons of food of course, but I think a combination of the excitement and Alex taking up more room, that I didn't actually eat too much. The cake was absolutely delicious and I can't get over how perfectly it matched the nursery theme. Just amazing.

In attendance were Mom and Jackson, Barb, Chelsey and Grandma Evans, Marina Leathers and her mom Ana, Meagin Thayn, Emily Higham, Stacy Carman, Rachel Wingeier, Dana Staskherz, Debby Wohlmut, Sheryl Lindenberg and Marlene Staugler.

We played a couple games including guessing my belly size with toilet paper and guessing what kind of baby food is in the baby jars. Jackson was one of the winners of the toilet paper game which I find funny since he won that game at the last baby shower he went to. He was so excited to win, but then quickly a little disappointed when he realized his prize was lotion. Barb says she will make it up to him with a different prize...hehe.

There were so many wonderful gifts received for Alex. He is already so spoiled and loved by so many friends and family. I still just can't wait for him to arrive and getting more excited by the minute.

Nursery completed

Crib that Don and Chris made...absolutely gorgeous

Today Don and Chris put the Crib together in the house and it looks absolutely gorgeous. They did such a nice job and the picture really doesn't do it justice for how beautiful it is. That was such a nice gift and will be enjoyed for many years (converts to an adult bed). It's nice to finally have the room come together and feel a little more organized an ready. Chris set up the bassinet today too. I'm 37.5 weeks now, so we are getting close and really it could be anytime now that Alex might arrive. Friday was my last day of work and so now I can relax and worry about me before Alex gets here. Work had gotten physically too difficult for me which was a bummer because I only have 11 week left until I need to be back at work due to going on reduced hours. So even more reason I hope Alex comes more sooner than later. Overall, I have been feeling good. A lot more braxton hicks, pelvic discomfort and fatigue, but other than that pretty normal I guess and I'm ready for Alex when he is ready.

Dad and Patty’s Wedding

Patty's family

Uncle Chris and Jordyn

Hayden (Patty’s grandson) and Jordyn

Carter (Patty’s Grandson)

Jackson and Macy (Patty’s eldest granddaughter)

We are happy to officially welcome Patty to the family and wish my dad and Patty many years of happiness. Patty had spoken so much about her daughters and 5 grandchildren over the last 3 years and it was great to meet them all. All the grand kids including Jordyn and then Jackson (I know he is not a grandchild) were in the wedding. There was so many little ones, it seems I took a lot of pictures of the little ones. Jordyn did such a good job walking down the isle...I was very impressed. We took a video of it, but it is rather large, so I will not attempt to post. I didn't get a lot of pictures of our side of the family, as we were all in them, but the photographer got lots of pictures and looking forwards to seeing some of those soon.