Monthly Archives: June 2014

Mommy Mocktails – The 411

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Mommy Mocktails - The 411

By Bellybelly.com.au

Mocktail Recipes – Yummy, Alcohol-Free Mocktails For Pregnancy

Under current health guidelines, pregnant women are advised to avoid alcohol for the duration of the pregnancy.

That means, for all the parties, barbecues and weddings you aren’t too tired to attend in the next nine months, you’ll be staying away from your favorite tipple.

It doesn’t mean, however, that you have to sit politely sipping on tap water while the rest of the party gets tipsy around you. Far from it. In fact, you can spend your evenings knocking back mocktails like there’s no tomorrow.

Now you can enjoy cocktail nights with the girls again, just make sure yours is a virgin.

Here are some delicious mocktail recipes to try:

#1: The Mama Sunrise

Orange juice (or mango if you fancy)
2 dashes grenadine
Crushed ice

Take a highball glass, and half fill it with cracked ice. Add the orange juice to the top of the glass, and then carefully pour the grenadine onto the surface of the drink. The grenadine will slowly sink to the bottom, giving you that beautiful sunrise effect.

#2: The Ginger Spritzer

Non alcoholic sparkling wine soda
Gingerale
1 lime

Many women swear by ginger as a cure for morning sickness, so this mocktail could be your lifesaver in those early months. Half fill a large wine glass with the non alcoholic sparkling wine soda, and top up with the gingerale. Add a splash of fresh lime juice, and garnish with a round of lime.

#3: The Banana Mamma

3 bananas
2 cups crushed ice
1 cup lemon sherbet
3 cups grapefruit juice
Sliced lemon or grapefruit to garnish

This is a great way to get fruit into your diet, although we can’t claim it’s totally healthy because of the lemon sherbet. Blend the bananas, lemon sherbet and grapefruit juice together. Prepare a pitcher with crushed ice, and then pour in the mocktail to chill. Serve in tall glasses, garnished with a slice of lemon or grapefruit – or both.

#4: The Strawberry Surprise

2 cups lemonade
1 ½ cups crushed ice
½ cup frozen strawberries
Fresh strawberry to garnish

This is another deliciously fruity mocktail for you to enjoy. Blend together all the ingredients, and serve in tall glasses with a fresh strawberry as garnish.

#5: The Fruity Sangria

1 pomegranate juice
1 cup mango juice
1 orange, sliced
1 pear, sliced

This is the perfect mocktail for hot days spent relaxing by the pool. Mix together the pomegranate juice and mango juice in a large jug. Add the sliced orange and pear. Leave to chill in the fridge, or serve immediately with ice. Serve in a lowball glass, and garnish with an orange slice.

#5: The Nojito

4 sprigs fresh mint
Juice of 1 lime
2 tsp caster sugar
1 cup soda water
Sliced lime and sprigs of mint to garnish

The mojito is a popular cocktail across the globe. To make a pregnancy-friendly mocktail version, simply mix the ingredients together in a large jug. Serve in a highball glass, and garnish with a slice of lime and a sprig of mint.

#6: The Virgin Mary

Sea salt
Fresh lime juice
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp hot sauce
½ cup tomato juice
Crushed ice
Lemon wedge and rosemary sprig to garnish

Place the rim of a tall glass in fresh lime juice, and then dip into sea salt. Fill the glass with cracked ice and add the lemon juice, hot sauce and tomato juice. Stir and garnish with a lemon wedge and a rosemary sprig.

#7: The Virgin Pinacolada

1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup coconut syrup
1 cup crushed ice
Pineapple chunks to garnish

Mix the pineapple juice and coconut syrup together in a jug of crushed ice. Serve in a lowball glass with a chunk of pineapple to garnish. Since it’s a pinacolada, you should probably have a little cocktail umbrella in there too.

#8: The Mulled Mamma

1l pomegranate juice
Mulled wine spices

If you’re pregnant over winter, you might long for a mulled wine – especially if the smell is wafting from the kitchen. This great non-alcoholic version tastes so much like the original, that you won’t feel like you’re missing out. Simply heat the pomegranate juice, and add the mulling spices are normal. If you can’t find mulling spices, simply add some whole cloves, orange zest and a cinnamon stick. Don’t forget to remove the spices before serving.

#9: The Special Treat

1 scoop of mint chocolate ice cream
2 tbsp coconut cream
1 cup crushed ice
3 tbsp milk
Chocolate syrup

You’re going to struggle to argue that this mocktail is healthy – it’s about as decadent as they come. This is a mocktail you should save for very special occasions – like birthdays – so you don’t have to feel too guilty. To try and make this drink a little healthier, you could substitute the milk and ice cream for soya alternatives. Take a low glass, dip the rim in chocolate syrup and fill with crushed ice. Blend together the mint chocolate ice cream, coconut cream and milk, and pour into the glass.

Tea During Pregnancy- The 411

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Tea During Pregnancy- The 411

With all of the warnings about consuming caffeinated drinks during pregnancy, many mums-to-be are hesitant to drink their favorite tea. But is drinking tea during pregnancy safe? And if so, what types of tea are safe?

Overall, herbal teas are very safe and beneficial during pregnancy, as long as recommended doses are not exceeded.

Benefits of Drinking Tea During Pregnancy

Drinking herbal teas during pregnancy is certainly a wise choice when compared with caffeinated beverages.

Caffeinated drinks have a diuretic effect, reduce nutrient absorption and deplete the adrenal glands.

Meanwhile, herbal teas hydrate, provide easily assimilated nutrients and feed the body during pregnancy. They are also packed with antioxidants and vitamin C which helps lower your anxiety and stress levels. Various types of herbal teas can also reduce morning sickness symptoms and even prepare the uterus for labour!

Well, you sold us at ‘no more morning sickness’. So which teas are best for pregnant sippers?

The Safe Tea List

1. Ginger Tea

Eases nausea (goodbye, morning sickness!), aids the digestion process and relieves stomach issues . Just add four or five slices of fresh ginger root to a cup of freshly boiled water and drink a maximum of three cups daily.

2. Nettle Tea

Provides high levels of iron, magnesium and calcium and is described by Nicole as being a brilliant nutritive tea to sip whilst pregnant. Stick to one or two cups a day.

3. Raspberry Leaf Tea

This tea prepares the uterus for labor and prevents post-partum hemorrhage. It’s also high in calcium and magnesium and is safe to drink from the second trimester onwards. It is usually recommended that women drink one cup per day from 24 weeks, then build up to two cups at 30 weeks, three cups at 36 and three to four cups from 37 weeks.

4. Dandelion Leaf Tea

This tea is wonderful support in late pregnancy in fluid retention is an issue. Dandelion leaf tea is high in potassium and has a gentle but effective diuretic effect. I suggest adding dandelion leaf to another tea as it has a slightly bitter, grassy taste.

5. Peppermint Tea

Peppermint tea is great for relaxing your stomach muscles to help settle an upset stomach as well as the nausea and vomiting common in early pregnancy.

6. Rooibos Tea

Rooibos tea is highly recommended in pregnancy. It is caffeine free, contains calcium, magnesium and loads of antioxidants. It also has positive effects on digestion and can ease colic and reflux. Children can also drink Rooibos, and it is lovely with milk and a little honey.

Teas To Avoid During Pregnancy

According to research, caffeine consumption during pregnancy (particularly over has 200mg) has been directly linked with reduced birth weights. According to a study:

“Caffeine is rapidly absorbed and crosses the placenta freely. After ingestion of 200 mg caffeine, intervillous blood flow in the placenta was found to be reduced by 25%. Cytochrome P450 1A2, the principal enzyme involved in caffeine metabolism, is absent in the placenta and the fetus.”

BMC Central has published research this year (2013) which again produced results showing that caffeine is implicated with low birth weight. They found that for a baby expected to be of average birth weight (3.6kg), it equated to a loss of 21-28 grams per 100mg of caffeine consumed per day. Caffeine also extended the length of pregnancy by 5 hours per 100mg of caffeine per day, however if you’re also a coffee drinker the news is even worse! Coffee was associated with an even longer pregnancy – 8 hours longer for every 100mg of caffeine per day.

This research illustrates the importance of keeping an eye on your caffeine consumption during pregnancy. For this reason, teas that are particularly high in caffeine should be restricted while you are pregnant.

These teas include:

Black
Green
Oolong
LiChee
Lapsang souchong
Hong mao
Golden monkey black
Quinshola clonal
Nilgiris
Earl grey
Darjeeling

Teas and herbs to avoid during pregnancy due to their risk of side effects include:

St John’s Wort
Don Quai
Ginseng
Yarrow
Pennyroyal (known to cause miscarriage)
Ephedra
Licorice Root

You would have noticed that green tea is on the restriction list. This is because there is still some discussion concerning how safe green tea is for pregnant women.

Green tea contains high amounts of caffeine and is said to reduce folic acid absorption. So if you are a green tea addict consider limiting yourself to maximum one cup a day and use that as your caffeine allowance, or try sourcing a caffeine-free green tea.

Chai tea contains caffeine, but 1-2 per week is okay. You can purchase dandelion chai at organic shops and healthy cafes, which is caffeine free and great for your liver.

Chamomile tea is fine as long as there is no history of hayfever. Its from the same family as feverfew which isn’t recommended during pregnancy. You’d need to drink a huge amount of chamomile to have any issues.

Steer clear of rosemary, oregano and majoram in large amounts.

Cramping and Contractions – The 411

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Cramping and Contractions - The 411

I spoke too soon ! Last night, my uterus starting contracting ! Not the most comfortable feeling in the World…. UGH !

From what I have read, the uterus contracts as it goes back to normal size. I wish it would hurry up !

I popped two extra strength Tylenol and sat under a heating pad today and it seems to be helping. I had hoped to not feel anything “period /pms-like” for at least ten to twelve months !

Here’s to hoping my period starts within the 4-6 week time frame and I can start stimming for IVF #2 AND it takes and sticks for a full term pregnancy ! #frommymouthtoGodsear

Recuperating – The 411

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Recuperating - The 411

Surprisingly, I have had no cramping and very little bleeding after my D&C. The bleeding stopped today and I feel pretty good.

The only complaint I have is that once they wheeled me back to recovery, I started sneezing and my nose was running. It got progressively worse. I went out and got Benedryl tablets and have been taking them. The sneezing stopped and it is starting to dry out my nose. I will be glad when that ends, as it is gorgeous outside and I have an awful cold or allergy attack.

Benedryl makes you very sleepy, which is probably a good thing, otherwise, I would not take the time to rest.

I spent a little time today combing thru ads on Freegaragesale.com for Menopur and Gonal-F. Like a dummy, I donated my left over meds and now I will need them. Hopefully, I will be able to find some on one of the sites so that I won’t have a huge expense, as I am out of pocket. Insurance will not cover any infertility meds, which really sucks.

I am looking forward to getting the PGD report back on my fetus to find out if anything was wrong with it… It will make a huge difference moving forward by knowing what happened.

I think the hardest part in all this are the phone calls, texts and FB messages from friends asking how I am doing and other women from the boards asking what I am doing next… I really do not want to have to think about it. I just want life to resume as normal. I will be careful not to mention my next cycling until I at least 15 weeks pregnant. I see now how much of nuisance it is to have people feel sorry for you or ask a million questions that you do not want to answer.

My Suction D&C with Genetic Testing – The 411

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My Suction D&C with Genetic Testing - The 411

Yesterday, I arrived at Lenox Hill Hospital at 1:00pm. On the way in, I ran into my NYC RE, Dr. Tomer Singer. He grabbed me, hugged me and again said how sorry he was about my loss. He said he saw me on the schedule, wished me luck with the procedure and told me to be sure to come in weekly for beta monitoring.

While sitting at the hospital, I checked my emails and my RE from CNY Fertility Center and Spa, Dr. Michael Grossman and also my travel nurse, Greta, both emailed me to wish me luck with the procedure and express condolences. My entire medical team has been amazing ! They have been calling and emailing me daily to see how I am doing.

I went to the 10th floor of the hospital, checked in for my 4 pm procedure and shortly the intake nurse took me to the back. She gave me a bag with a gown, robe and slippers, and sat me in a nice reclining chair in the pre-surgical wait area. Dr. Harry Karamitsos, my OB from Manhattan Physician’s Group, came over, had me sign some documents, explained what was going to happen and made sure I was doing okay. He kept saying how sorry he was that the first cycle did not end in a live birth and that he was here for me moving forward. He went over to some office in the hospital to pick up the PGD kit and came back with it and told me to have the nurse leave it in my chart. It was a large, weird shaped vial with pink liquid in it.

Later the nurse came over to ask me interview questions and then had me change into the gown, robe and slippers. She then had me sign my advance directive and then went to get my mother.

As I sat waiting on the Anesthesiologist, my wait turned into several hours. The case before me ran into some kind of complications and her surgery, whatever it was, ended up taking from 3pm to 8:30pm. I did not go into the OR until 9:15pm.

I was given the option of postponing until the next morning, but I opted to wait and get it over with. I did not want to risk my body starting a natural miscarriage ! I was already starting to cramp and was experiencing pink tinges on toilet paper and “she was not doing that !” No having contractions for hours, passing clots, then the fetus, followed by gushing blood, pain, etc… No Thank You !

The Anesthesiologist came out and asked me a ton of questions and my OB introduced us and told me the Dr. D was his father’s anesthesiologist when he had bypass surgery. Dr. D was a pretty cool doctor. He calmed me right down. I was then led to the OR by my two nurses and the older one told me she had just had IVF. We talked about it on the walk to the OR.

Once in the OR, it was COLD ! I met a male surgical assistant, another nurse, the two that walked me down, my Anesthesiologist and Dr. Karamitsos. It was a full on circus of people.
I got on the bed after disrobing and then my IV was started. I did not remember much after the meds went in as I was OUT ! I woke up at 9:55pm and was like wow… that’s it? Done? Dr. Karamitsos and Dr. D were standing over me and asking how I felt. I was like HUNGRY ! Dr. K went out to talk to my mom and I was rolled to recovery. I am not quite sure how and when I ended up on a different bed… Weird! You fall asleep on a bed with a hole under your tush and wake up on a stretcher type bed, LOL.

In recovery, I was wide awake. I was not queasy nor nauseated. I told the nurse all they gave me was Toradol… that was not that bad of a drug… not like propofol or versed… I am awake, alert and ready to go !

After lying still for 40 mins. I was placed in a chair. I was giving apple juice and graham crackers. After demonstrating that I was okay and not nauseated, I was permitted to go to the bathroom and get dressed.  I had a little bleeding but nothing too bad.  I was irked because I was hoping to NOT have another period for at least 12 months… oh well, at least it was mild spotting.

I was discharged at 11 pm and my mom wanted to catch a cab, but I felt fine and wanted to take the subway to Penn Station to take the train to her house.  I decided not to stay in NYC until the next day and just go to Northern VA to her house so I can relax, not have to deal with people and rest.

My mom spoils me and my sister lives about 50 miles from my mom so I can get her husband, who owns a catering company to make me chopped chicken bbq on his 8 ft barrel grill 🙂  I figure I will milk this cow while I can… everything will be back to normal soon enough LOL.

Yesterday, I was bombarded with emails, texts and calls from my production team, friends, social media friends wondering what was going on…  It was team too much !  I had to express that I will post exactly what I want exposed about my personal life.  When you are in the public eye, people who only know you on social media or thru your work, seem to think they can inbox you or post asking personal questions.  I forgot to make the picture I posted visible only to my friends…  I got so many questions of concern and downright nosey-ness !  I just ignored the posts and inboxes.  I am already filming my whole journey for reality tv, so I refuse to put much else on display.  Now I wish I had waited to post that pic so that only my friends/ fam can see it.  I took the pic off my profile so that killed all the curiosity…

Anyway, I got to DC this morning, hopped in the car and drove out to my mom’s.  She immediately made me go get in the bed and said she does not want to see me for several hours LOL.

I got Chick Fil A for breakfast and thank goodness I baked a few loaves of Buttermilk Banana Nut Bread on Sunday to have something quick to snack on.  I am being a good little patient, well today at least, and then I will just patiently wait the 4-6 weeks for my menses to start so that I can go in for baseline and start stimming.   I am going to order my meds a med a week until I get them all in so that I am ready for my next IVF.  The money I am spending on meds, I intended to spend on this elaborate nursery I designed.  I was looking forward to going to North Carolina to High Point and picking out the gray furniture I have been eyeballing on manufacturers websites.  Oh well, now if my IVF takes on round two, my baby(ies) will not be born until April or May, so I have time.

I am hopeful that IVF #2 will be a charm !  And I do have frozen AA embryos for FETs plus what ever is frozen from my next fresh cycle, should it not take.  I am just going to pray and keep the faith and speak this thing into existence !!