The Paleo Way-leo

After reading my first post, I thought I jumped the gun a little. I intended to do a quick intro of a new way of healthy eating and I presented it like this new diet I found. I think my problem comes with the word "diet". I have never been on a diet, nor had I ever thought I would follow one. I still don't want to put in the mental energy of considering this a diet. I simply consider it a healthier way of eating. I am not trying to lose weight, some are, and that is fine for them, but to imply that this is a "diet" in the practical sense seems disturbing to me when I also share the fact that my children are on this diet as well. But then I think of the facts- we are all on a diet in one form or another. Mine was previously the Standard American Diet (SAD) and it was chock full of thought, decision-making, and meal-planning and execution. This new diet, is full of the same processes with just different ingredients. I choose to cut out processed foods and inferior forms of nutrition as staples of my family diet.

Will I ever eat pasta or rice again? Yes, of course. I haven't had any in two and a half weeks, and I can honestly say I do not miss it yet. Am I feeding my children enough carbohydrates? I take special considerations for their diets and I trust my knowledge and research into the matter. It is not to be taken lightly, but I know that this is a definite improvement from the previous norm around here. I have always been conscious and dedicated to feeding them good food, but I know more now and I have to make educated decisions based on the new information I have. Yes, in part it has to do with nutrionism, but I also understand that the science behind nutrition is a relatively young science and information changes often. We don't have to look very hard into recent food history to see how the research changes. So for now, I see the basics of the Paleo way of eating to be the most closely related to my intuition of what wholesome food for my family is. I am not considering myself to be bonded to restrictions, I see it as being dedicated to healthy choices that allow my family to grow and thrive in the best way possible. This is my job, after all. I only have one chance.

Update and easy paleo recipe: Italian Sausage and Spaghetti Squash

Mmm... I've been enjoying all the food that comes along with healthier eating just as much as I have enjoyed the not so good for you foods that I was eating way too often. I probably spend way too much time looking for foods and recipes that I want to eat but I think it's time well spent because the payoff is worth it.

Quick update on this journey. It wasn't supposed to be a diet, per se, but it turned into weight loss! I knew that if I cut things out like my over indulgences in the comfort foods, I would feel better and not gain, but I didn't really know what "feeling better" meant, or that I would see results so quickly. I should have taken a before and after, I still haven't, and I didn't even think of weighing myself. I went to a doctor's appointment about a month and a half ago and I weighed 123 or 121 (I have a terrible memory, so let's just say it was 122!). So I weighed 122, which is about 6lbs more than I did before I had my 8 1/2 month old baby, and I was feeling like my love handles were bigger than ever. I didn't mind the extra curves, Erik was liking them more than ever (ha!), but I was starting to feel unproportioned- and that is what I was starting to hate. My double chin didn't really help me either, but I was just going along with it. I did start to cut my portions down a little before I even started eating cleaner, because at times I was eating as much as Erik and even found myself shoveling handfuls of food in my mouth, after dinner, while I was cleaning up the kitchen. Not a pretty sight. Anywho, so I went to the doctor on Saturday and they took my weight. I was 113! I couldn't believe it. I had been telling a few friends about how I noticed my love handles had shrunk considerably, and that I felt my stomach wasn't as big- but man, I was shocked. By no means am I starving myself, I eat a lot still, but I know it is because I am eating better. I do not want to lose more weight, I have never been focused on a number, but I don't want to be the skinny kid I was all my life before kids. I just want to feel proportioned and healthy! I sure am starting to feel that way. I now officially know what it means to have MORE ENERGY. It is such a difference to wake up in the morning and not feel exhausted still! I am going to stick to my clean eating and I'm sure I will feel better and better.

Posted a recipe on Instagram (follow me I'm @beekum) today and thought I'd share it here since a friend asked. Super easy and off the top of my head and it was still delicious!

Italian Sausage and Spaghetti Squash 



Need: 
pack of italian sausage - I chose sweet because I am paleo with children
bell peppers - any color will do
garlic
shallots or onion
olive or coconut oil
spaghetti squash
salt
pepper
garlic powder

Do:
For Sausage:: Grill, bake, or pan fry sausage. I didn't want to get the grill out so I pan fried my sausage. I cooked just enough to be able to slice through into pieces. I removed sausages and sliced them, meanwhile I added coconut oil and began sauteeing red bell peppers, shallots and garlic in same pan. Cook the bell peppers for a while to soften them enough, then add shallots and garlic for last few minutes. After the bell peppers, shallots and garlic have cooked for a bit, add the sliced sausages back in and cook on moderately high heat. I like mine to be a little crispy around the edges. Cook until desired crispy deliciousness is achieved! 

For squash:: Preheat oven to 350. Slice spaghetti squash lengthwise, scoop out all seeds and mush like you would on a pumpkin. Place both halves face down on an oiled (with coconut oil or olive oil) baking sheet or in a baking pan works, too. Roast for about an hour or until cooked depending on the size of your squash. I added a few tablespoons of water about halfway through to get some steam action going. You can tell it is cooked when it looks kinda translucent and you can shred easily with a fork. Shred contents of squash into a bowl or pan. I shred into a bowl and added salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Done! If you wanted, you can do anything with this like stir fry it longer in a pan with desired ingredients- so versatile! Best served IMMEDIATELY, while still hot.

Then, throw your tasty meal onto a plate and devour until the cows come home. To get slaughtered. For tomorrow's steak.


Hope you like it!

paleo primal - best diet ever

"I'm on a diet," I said in an uncertain voice to a family member as she handed me the comically large serving spoon. The smell of the fresh homemade potato salad danced gracefully upon my olfactory receptors. I took my daughter's plate of leftover dried out hamburger meat, cut into toddler portions, and began to eat them. Eye on the prize, Rebecca, I told myself, eye on the prize. It's just potato salad. I mean, that was probably the first time I had ever turned down fresh potato salad, but I had to keep things in perspective. It was just one party, one day, one encounter. Was it really that hard? No. It was hard for about the four or five seconds I considered just having a little. But I did it.

Okay, so right off the bat you might be thinking this couldn't possibly turn into the "best diet ever" post I shouted from the rooftops last night. Yeah, that was me. No, I wasn't drunk. Don't let my prosaic intro set a dismal mood, however. Because we gotta be honest, any type of diet or lifestyle change, as this diet is often seen, always comes with some sort of change. I had to start somewhere, and that was my first public demonstration of my commitment to better health.

So what is this diet? It goes by a few names such as the Paleo diet, Paleolithic diet, Caveman diet, Primal diet, and a few others I'm sure. I refer to it as Paleo for both descriptive and comedic purposes. We crack a lot of jokes about it around here, that seems to be the way we deal with everything these days.

So, what are the basics? I will make this as simple as possible, because that is what attracted me to it. It is called the Paleo diet because it is supposed to closely mimic our hunter-gatherer ancestors. There is a whole slew of science related research to backup this premise, which I won't get into, but I will provide links to at the end of the post in case you are interested. I just don't have time to get into it myself. I am still reading a little every day though, and have been tweaking the diet to fit my needs, which I will also explain. Anyway, so the basic idea is to eat little to NO Processed Foods. That is what reeled me in. I am a big whole foods advocate by nature, but I found myself in the same place many people do, feeding my family more and more out of convenience. That will be another post in itself. In addition to the cutting of processed foods, we are cutting out Grains in every way shape or form. If you are cutting out processed foods, you end up cutting out a huge portion of grains you were consuming, almost without knowing it. Okay, so the basic foods are Meat and Fish, Vegetables, Fruits, Nuts, eggs, and a few additions and exceptions. Some people include dairy, which I will in very small occasional amounts. Some also include legumes, but most agree that if you do, the cooking process needs special attention such as soaking and sprouting your beans. None of the canned, sodium filled, BPA exposed stuff you find in the store.

So, that's basically it. It is all about clean eating, really. I plan on writing about this new lifestyle change for my family. So far, I feel great, I have only had one slip up- but I am not taking on any negative thoughts when it comes to food. It is about providing myself and my loved ones with the BEST food I can. What can be negative about that? It is not as though I will never eat a bowl of pasta again, or that we will never have another pizza night movie party. We just will not make those things anything even close to a regular part of our diet.

Like I said, this is the best diet I have ever been on. Okay, it is the first, but it makes sense to me. I have been making great food, and so far, so good. Here are some examples of meals I've made, followed by pictures. There are dinners and snacks. The tiny portions are the kids plates. I eat a lot more than that. I will keep track of the recipes I make, too. Most of these are just off the top of my head or a slightly altered recipe I've made before to fit our needs.

*Wild Cod, steamed broccoli, and salad w/avocado and tomato
*Rolled fresh deli turkey with organic carrot stick
*All Natural italian sausage and peppers, and a spinach salad w/avocado, tomato and garlic olive oil dressing
*Six Vegetable chicken soup - with Green beans, red bell pepper, butternut squash, carrot, zucchini, and onion. I added some fresh cilantro and avocado on top. Free-Range chicken.
*Romaine salad w/ avocado, strawberry, cilantro, garlic olive oil dressing, and fresh turkey.
*Turkey roll up with fresh raspberries and strawberries
*All Natural Andouille sausage, tomato slices and brussel sprout chips
*Bacon, avocado, chicken wraps
*Chicken Pan roasted in white wine, garlic, and seasoning with zucchini, and prosciutto wrapped asparagus
*Breakfast berries - Blueberries, Raspberries, and Strawberries
-Not pictured- We've had lots of omelets and scrambles with a variety of veggies. Yesterday I made grilled steak with cauliflower mash, salad, roasted green beans, and a fried egg.




Here are some links to more information about this diet. I don't necessarily agree with every single thing these people talk about or do, but it is a good source of information on the basics and they give a lot links for further reading:
Why I Eat Paleo
The Beginner's Guide to the Paleo Diet
What Is the Paleo Diet?

Let me know what you think! I am still excited, and I am enjoying the food I'm making more than ever, because I know EXACTLY what I am eating and what I am feeding these precious loves of mine.

pregnancy update: week 35

I'm supposed to be laying down right now, but here I am at the computer.

On Wednesday I went in to labor and delivery at the hospital because I had been having contractions since about 4am. These were far more painful than the ones I had previously complained about. I thought it was go time! After waiting around for about five hours, I finally decided to go in. They weren't necessarily getting stronger or closer together, but my Dr. thought it would be a good idea, so off I went. They hooked me up to the monitors and did a cervical check. I was only 1cm dilated and about 80% effaced. These contractions weren't doing much though, and they had decreased in frequency and intensity quite a bit since the morning. I could still feel them though. The nurse said I had an "irritable uterus" and could be in the beginning stages of labor, so the Dr. wanted me to to take the terbutaline shots again. Again! I just didn't want to. I hate to go against what my Dr. says, but sometimes you just have to stand up for yourself and trust your body. I have had 3 children, and been through 3 labors so I feel like I know my body pretty well when it comes to this. At this stage, I knew my body was gearing down, and things weren't progressing. So, I basically said I didn't want the shot. She said she would just call my Dr. and let him know. So she came back and said that as long as I rested and drank lots of water, I could go home without the shot. I just didn't see any point in stopping these weak contractions that weren't doing anything. If my uterus was irritable, I would calm it down by staying off my feet and not getting worked up about anything (like my crazy kids who have been driving me up the walls the last few days). I still had some contractions the last few days, but its mostly when I get up and do things. Yesterday I had the chance to relax all day, but getting up to make dinner and clean a little did actually set them off. So, I can totally feel this irritable uterus thing at work. I'm trying to stay off my feet as much as possible, and I am trying to stay calm. I will be 36 weeks on Wednesday, so my Dr wants me to hold her in a little bit longer if I can. I have an appointment on Monday with him, so we can check her position and we can discuss this in further detail. I will update then!

I have been neglecting this blog and haven't even cracked into the new one I made. I have been battling in my mind over what I want to do with them. Do I want to combine them? Focus only on the personal one for now, or go ahead with my original plan of separating content? It all comes down to time, for now. I'm just focusing on getting things ready for the baby and keeping myself healthy until its time. So, don't count me out just yet!

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

pregnancy update: week 34

Let's get right to it. Same format as previous weeks, this is gathered information from 3 top pregnancy information sites for the 34th week of pregnancy.

pregnancy update: week 33

I skipped a week of updates because the Christmas holiday took everything out of me. I'm still recovering. But now, I'm back on track and ready to face these last few days of the year and the last few weeks of pregnancy head on.

This marks 33 weeks of pregnancy for me. Again, just like in my pregnancy update: week 31, I decided to condense the most important info from a few major sites so we wouldn't have to all go looking for information in a million different places. So here we goooo!!

Baby's Development -
From Babycenter.com:

• baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (about that of a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark
•  rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and skeleton is hardening
•  bones in skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier to fit through the birth canal

From WhatToExpect.com:

• still gaining weight at about half a pound a week
• could grow up to an inch this week
• amniotic-fluid level has maxed out
• antibodies are being passed from you to your little one as she continues to develop her own fetal immune system

From I-Am-Pregnant.com:

• with the exception of crying, your baby is capable of doing everything that a newborn baby will do
• baby sleeps a lot of the time
• when your baby is awake, she is listening, feeling and learning
• baby will probably have settled into the birth position by now and your caregiver can most likely tell which way your baby is presenting
• if baby were to be born now, the lungs would probably be strong enough to function properly, but baby may still need extra care from specially trained doctors and nurses
• baby's eyes open during alert times and close during sleep
• eye color is usually blue, regardless of the permanent color as pigmentation is not fully developed

Mother's Development -
From Babycenter.com:

• you may find yourself waddling
• finding an easy position to sit in — let alone sleep — is becoming more of a challenge
• you may be feeling some achiness and even numbness in your fingers, wrists, and hands

 From WhatToExpect.com:

• third-trimester insomnia strikes about three-quarters of pregnant women
• third-trimester fatigue can sometimes trigger headaches
• if your belly is aching when you change positions or get up suddenly, you could be suffering from round ligament pain
• pregnancy hormones can make nails grow faster but can also cause them to become brittle
• your belly button may have popped out by now
• may experience shortness of breath because of your growing belly
• a bigger belly means a shift in your center of gravity and that can spell clumsiness
• forgetfulness may be present, and studies show that women who are pregnant with girls tend to experience this more
• braxton-hicks contractions may continue up until actual labor

From I-Am-Pregnant.com

• most women experience an increased urge to urinate
• your uterus has actually grown 500 times throughout your pregnancy
• red blood cell production catches up with the production of plasma and physiological anemia may begin to fade at this time

For me, I think mostly everything is true. My biggest complaints this week are peeing 300 times a day, 3 times a night, and this awful heartburn. But, I was reading online and a natural remedy for heartburn is chewing gum. They say the increased saliva production from chewing gum helps neutralize acid, and last night, it totally worked for me! I was so happy.

When I went to the doctor last week, he said the baby is sideways again, not head down like the week before, so a c-section could still be on the table. He also mentioned trying to turn the baby himself but I don't even want to get into that mode of thinking until we confirm next week with another ultrasound. If she hasn't moved by that point, we will discuss options.

I have this weird feeling that something is going to happen soon. I have been having a lot of cramps and some consistent contractions lately. I wouldn't be surprised to find I was dilated if he decides to do an exam. I have been in a lot more pain, of course, because I'm getting bigger and bigger. The hardest thing to do in the world is just to GET UP from a sitting or laying position. Once I'm up, it only hurts for a few minutes, but the actual process of getting up hurts like hell. Rolling over in bed is traumatic sometimes, if I am not paying attention to every small movement I make. And standing or walking too much? Forget it! I know I need to keep moving a little, but yesterday I made dinner and I was standing for probably two hours in the kitchen. My stomach was hard as a rock for an hour after and I could barely enjoy my dinner because everything was hurting so much.

I know, its all complaining. I can't help it. I'm miserable. BUT, we are looking forward to a new baby. We still find it hard to believe that another unique combination of us is going to be born in the next month or so, and how it is going to feel fitting her into our family. We can't wait.

So, that's it for now. I think my next post might be on baby names, that should be fun. Good luck to all the pregnant mamas reading this, and I hope things go smoothly from here on out. Try to rest, I'll be wishing I could!

all things baby: the vaccine book review and giveaway

Gone are the days when all parents stick to the norm and do as they are told when it comes to their children. Some still do, but nowadays lots of parents are interested in knowing as much as they can and making informed decisions when it comes to their children. I discussed this in a previous post of mine: What Every New Parent Should Know. Statistically, this is my most viewed post on this site. What this tells me is that a majority of people who have come across this humble blog of mine are hungry for information when it comes to their children. This is awesome news. In an effort to keep the momentum going, I decided to review The Vaccine Book, written by one of the most respected and well-known pediatricians, perhaps ever, Dr. Robert Sears. In addition to offering a review, I am giving away a new copy to one lucky reader as part of my All Things Baby Event. Even if you don't win the giveaway, I encourage everyone to research the topic of vaccines and vaccine safety because there is a wealth of information available.

My review:
The most positive thing I have to say about this book is that the doctor clearly states his intention of writing such an important and well-researched book. Yes, he is a doctor, so many would believe that his bias rests with pro-vaccine groups. But this book isn't meant to serve as a pro vs anti-vaccine group media. Instead, it is meant to offer clear information that many parents are eager to know before they even make the decision of being pro or anti-vaccines. What more can we ask for as parents?

The book includes the vaccine schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and many other references. The first twelve chapters covers each of the 12 vaccines currently being recommended. Each vaccine is covered in detail, as far as a definition, how common it is, when it is given, how it is made, the ingredients and any controversial concerns with them, possible side effects, and common reasons for giving and/or not giving the vaccine to your children. He discusses available options for each vaccine, in detail, and gives his personal opinion on each disease and his experience, if any, in his practice of medicine. There is a lot of information to consider for each vaccine and each disease, and I was pleasantly surprised that there were so many details and options to consider.

The additional chapters discuss combination vaccines, travel vaccines, other special situations, and even adult vaccines. There are comprehensive chapters on vaccine safety research, side effects, the available research on vaccines and autism, more information on ingredients, alternative vaccine schedules, and there is even additional information regarding vaccines in Canada.

This book offers so much information in one place, and is a great start to your own personal research if you are interested in doing any. Personally, I am. If any of you are interested in doing the same, check this book out. Also, don't forget to enter the giveaway for your chance at a free copy.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

pregnancy update: week 31

Even though this is my 4th pregnancy and I know what to expect for the most part, I still like to read about the development of the baby and what's happening with my body. I use all sorts of resources. I skip around from site to site and see if they all say the same thing, or if anyone can tell me something new or different than the last. I'm willing to bet I'm not alone, so I thought this week I'd gather up some unique information from a few sites and put them all in one place. I did not repeat information shared on two or more sites.

pregnancy update: week 30

 Pregnant women! They had that weird frisson, an aura of magic that combined awkwardly with an earthy sense of duty. Mundane, because they were nothing unique on the suburban streets; ethereal because their attention was ever somewhere else. Whatever you said was trivial. And they had that preciousness which they imposed wherever they went, compelling attention, constantly reminding you that they carried the future inside, its contours already drawn, but veiled, private, an inner secret.
-- Ruth Morgan

I've had an interesting past few days, as far as my pregnancy is concerned. On Thursday morning, I took a solo trip to Walmart to pick up some ingredients so I could make my sick little babies some homemade chicken soup. Of course, I ended up buying way more than I intended. This means I spent more time walking through the huge store. About halfway through my journey, I noticed that my stomach kept getting tight, like I was having contractions.

pregnancy update: week 29

I know on my last pregnancy related post I promised that I didn't like to complain too much. But if I can't complain here, on my own blog, to you, dear readers, who the heck can I complain too? Nobody else wants to hear it. Besides, pregnancy gives us so many excuses, doesn't it? I think so. You don't want to argue with a pregnant woman.

So, it's week 29 and I'm right in the thick of pregnancy hell. You know, the pregnancy hell that punishes us for all our pregnancy sins. Sins like eating too much, eating too late in the day, eating the wrong foods, doing too much around the house, walking or standing too long, and other sins of the maternal flesh. Even though this is the fourth time I've been through this, I always wait until its too late to repent. Now, I'm suffering the consequences. Pray for me. I am trying to still hold on to the beautiful part of this journey. I feel it most when I lay, alone, and feel the little one moving around. She needs me.

weaning a one year old

Every nursing relationship eventually comes to an end. Weaning an infant under one year of age is different than weaning an older baby or toddler. In this post, I am talking about weaning an older baby or toddler and when that time comes, so many different emotions can come into play. These emotions may range from negative emotions like resentment, apprehension, sadness, guilt or they may also include positive emotions like relief, pride, a sense of accomplishment and a sense of closure.

 Maternity - Pablo Picasso

When you start the weaning process, things can be easy or they can be downright difficult and seem impossible. After successfully nursing 3 children for a combined total of about 4 years, I can definitely say that every experience is different. These are a few things I have learned in my varied experiences, with very different babies.

third trimester woes

I try not to complain too much, I honestly do. But this is getting out of hand. I'm now 28 weeks pregnant and in my third trimester. I have to say that these third trimester aches and pains are the worst I have experienced so far, after having 3 other babies. Heck, the first trimester morning all day sickness made it sort of awful from the beginning. I was throwing up almost every single day. I did feel better after, but I mean, I couldn't even walk from one room to another without consciously trying to fight back the urge to throw up. And actually going out and doing anything was torture. Grocery shopping was the worst! All the sights, sounds, and smells irritated the life outta me. It was as if I was on sensory overload and had to stop, close my eyes, and put my hand over my mouth just to stay in control. I threw up in the Albertson's bathroom at least three times. I tried Sea Bands, those seemed to give me a headache. I tried sucking on hard candy, but that was only a temporary fix that made me feel slightly more nauseous after. The only thing that truly helped was laying down, particularly on my right side. You can imagine what that did for things on the home front. I didn't want to get up to do anything! I would sometimes let an entire day pass without cleaning one thing. Finally, relief came with the second trimester. I had a new found sense of energy, I was able to do everything I needed. My house got the attention it deserved, my girls realized that mama would get up to chase them if I needed to lay the smack down, and I could get up and make Erik's lunch at 3:45am without feeling like I was going to die. Life was good, for now.

what every new parent should know

It is one of the first decisions you have to make for your child after they are born, and there are a lot of people who have never heard of it, or prepare for it. Shortly after your baby is born, barring any unforeseen emergencies, you will be asked to sign a consent form about the Hepatitis B vaccine and Vitamin K shot. My intention here isn't to sway you either way, but just to give you a "heads up" about an important medical decision you will be faced with so you can take the time to research and are comfortable with whatever decision you make. Last thing any new parent wants is to be confused or concerned with a medical decision for their baby, while they are still basking in the glow of meeting their baby for the first time.

The main goal here is to make sure you know which risks are involved in any sort of medical decision you make for your child and also to understand the alternatives, if any. In my case, I never knew I had a choice until my brother informed me after I already had two children. Now, as a parent I have read credible information and feel comfortable with my choices concerning these shots which are routinely given at birth.

Why is this important? Well, this is definitely not a scholarly article, or a persuasive argument under the vaccine debate. This is just one parent to another asking if you know all the facts. For example, I was surprised to know that the Hepatitis B vaccine is really only seen as necessary at birth if the mother is at-risk for or confirmed to have Hepatitis B. As pregnant women who receive prenatal care, we are screened sometimes multiple times throughout pregnancy for STDs and Hepatitis B falls under that category. I realized that because my Hep B-free status had not been compromised, I didn't think it was necessary to subject my delicate newborn to a vaccination at birth. As we should all know, all vaccines carry with it a risk-factor. The risk factors for the Hepatitis B shot kind of scared me, to be honest. The shot is not recommended for individuals who are ill or who might have an allergic reaction to baker's yeast or any other component of the vaccine. So, logic tells me three things. First, we have no way of knowing at birth whether our children are allergic to baker's yeast. That would be something we would not normally discover until they are on solid foods. Second, I do not know the components of the vaccine and they have not yet been exposed to them. Therefore, my child may be at risk for a reaction to this vaccination. Third, if my child happens to be one of those children who are born with any sort of difficulty breathing or infections (like from the common occurrence of swallowing meconium), I should definitely postpone this vaccination as per the recommendations by the CDC. All you have to do is research the CDC website and you can see for yourself. Inform yourself. You don't have to change your decision to vaccinate, but it never hurts to have your own knowledge base from which you make these important decisions.

Again, the key here is to do your own research and make the best decisions you can for your child. I am confident in the decisions I make regarding my children and their vaccinations because I know my own situation, our own family's risk factors and the risks involved in both vaccination and non-vaccination. I encourage anyone who has the best interest of their children at heart to do the same. The information is there.

 My Roslyn, on her birth day.

If anyone knows of any great resources to link to regarding this information, feel free to do so in the comments. Also, I encourage you to share this with any other expecting parents you might know, so they can make the best decisions for their baby, too.