by Sarah Jividen | Jul 27, 2018 | ER Nurse, Nurse Mom Life, Working Mom
If you have taken a peek over at my About Me page you may have read that nursing was NOT my first career. If fact, I did’t even discover that I had a calling for nursing until after I had been working in the medical sales field for about 9 years.
Ill press rewind for just a minute… Once upon a time, I worked in the competitive field of surgical equipment sales for a fortune 100 company and a few medical device startups.
I knew I didn’t love the career, but I made a pretty good living. It also allowed me to travel for work and I was able to afford to take a lot of incredible overseas trips. After a few years in the sales grind, I knew I wanted to do other things. The problem was that my resume said I was a medical device salesperson. So what was I supposed to do?
That voice in the back of my head continued gnawing at me, little by little. Every day a small piece of my soul was being eaten up by working in a career that I had no real passion for.
Until finally one day, after a near mental break down I made the difficult decision to leave the field. I went on a quest in pursuit of greater clinical medical knowledge and a desire to help humankind. After years of scratching my head I had finally discovered my new path.
I was going to become a Nurse!
It has been 9 years since my near mental breakdown that forced me to make an incredible life change. Nursing school was one of the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. But I am so thankful everyday that I did it. Ultimately, it was the best decision for myself and and for my family.
Here I am showing off my badge bloom…
My whole point in writing this post was to talk about a really cool experience that I had recently…
A journalist at the Huntington Post recently contacted me through my blog. She asked if my husband and I would be interested in being interviewed for a piece that she was doing about what it was like being married to an ER nurse. Of course I said yes!
(I was a journalism major in college and still have an itch to write, which is one of the reasons I blog).
Nursing is challenging.
I want to be an advocate for nurses because I think we tolerate things that would never be tolerated in any other field (but we do it anyway because we’re awesome). I also really, really want to find a way to help nurses take better care of themselves. Plus, I am extremely passionate about being a nurse and have a passion for helping others. So, I was excited to share some of my thoughts (and I was also intrigued to see what my husband had to say about being married to an ER nurse).
If you are still reading this and want to take a look at our Huffington Post article you can read it here.
Thank you for reading my blog and free free to leave a comment. I appreciate that your took the time to read this!
Sarah
by Sarah Jividen | Jul 11, 2018 | Breast Feeding, Nurse Life, Nurse Mom Life, The-Motherhood, Working Mom
(This post about pumping essentials contains affiliate links. You can find my disclosure policy here.)
So you have made it through the first few months of breastfeeding a newborn. Congratulations! You are doing a great job, MamaMama!
But now a new change is looming on the horizon: your maternity leave is slowly creeping to an end. And you are wondering how you are going to continue providing your dear baby with their primary source of nutrition, breast milk.
And, like me, there is probably a big question going through your head right about now:
What pumping essentials do I nee when I go back to work?
I had so many concerns about being a “pumping mom,” and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how I was going to make it happen without a ton of stress. But I knew I needed to be prepared. I am a registered nurse, and I work hectic twelve-hour shifts. Like most pumping moms who work, I don’t have time not to be prepared.
I am happy to share that I have been successfully pumping as an ER nurse in a very busy level 1 trauma center for the last four months. And I still can’t believe how well it is going! Sure, there have been a few minor hiccups along the way (like forgetting my breast pump at home, whoops!). But overall, the experience has been way better then I would have thought.
I now know that I will be able to continue pumping breast milk for my baby for as long as I desire. I want other working moms to know that they can do this too. (Read more about what I have learned about pumping at work as a nurse).
Pumping essentials for pumping at work
Top 9 pumping essentials you need when you go back to work:
This pumping essential is the highest on the list, for obvious reasons. Without it, you have no way to access your milk! I am using the Medela Freestyle portable pump because it is the one that my insurance covered, and it works great. You want to make sure that you have a double pump so you can pump both breasts at once to save time.
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Check with your insurance to see if they cover a portable breast pump before you buy one. I live in California, and my insurance gave me a breast pump free of charge!
(Just a note, the different brands do not work interchangeably with each other. So you want to make sure you find one brand you like and stick with it! Otherwise, you will end up with a bunch of parts that don’t work with one another. You don’t need your back to work pumping supply list to be any longer then it already is!)
You will need breast milk collection storage bottles to store your milk until you get home from work. I use the Medela bottles because I already use the Medela pump, but there are several other brands you can use as well. Just make sure the ones you are using are made without BPA (it’s a safer plastic that helps retain breast milk’s beneficial properties).
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I also like the Medela screw-on lids better than some other brands because they are leakproof. (I tried a different brand and had an issue with leakage all over my packed lunch!). You can wash them in the sink, and they are also dishwasher safe.
I like this nursing bra accessory because it makes it possible to double pump without having to hold the pumps with both hands. Once you start pumping, you will find that having to keep the pumps in place is annoying and makes it difficult to do anything else. This pumping essential will just make your life easier!
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This ingenious contraption can hook on to almost any nursing bra and make it a hands-free pumping bra as well! That way, you can still do other things like check email or scroll through your phone. Because let’s be honest, pumping can be pretty dull after a while!
After you pump, you need to make sure you have a place to store your breast milk until you get home. I always pack a lunch for work, so I just use my insulated lunch bag to store my milk. You can use any insulated storage bag.
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Engorgement is no joke. There have been a few times at work when I wasn’t able to pump on schedule, and I ended up leaking through my scrubs (you could barely see it but still!). As a result of that embarrassing experience, I started wearing nursing pads when I was at work.
I use reusable nursing pads made of bamboo because I have read that many disposable pads contain absorbent chemicals that come in direct contact with your skin. They also run the risk of trapping moisture, especially if you are leaking. This can increase the risk of mastitis, a very painful bacterial infection that will make you sick and can be dangerous if untreated. Disposable pads can also be expensive over time if you are frequently using them. I have 12 reusable nursing pads, and I run them through the washer and dryer with all my other clothes.
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The beautiful thing about pumping is that you can store your breast milk in the freezer! So even if you have a surplus of milk, you can put it away for later use. These little breast milk storage baggies are great because you can write the date on the top section, so you know how long they have been in the freezer.
Place them in the refrigerator for 12 hours before you need them to thaw them out. Or place them in a bowl of hot water for quicker use. These are on the high list of absolute must-have items to pump at work that you will need: I have used over 200 of them already!
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My freezer got a little overloaded with breast milk within the first few months that I was back at work, and this milk storage organizer helped me to keep things more organized. It also helped me keep the milk organized by date, so I make sure to use the oldest milk first.
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Your baby is going to need a way to drink your breast milk when you are not there, right? I tried so many different brands of bottles for our baby (there are so many!), but I finally settled on Dr. Brown’s newborn bottle feeding set. Different brands are NOT able to be used interchangeably with one another, so its a good idea to find a brand you like and stick with it. Otherwise, you end up spending a bunch of money on bottles and parts you don’t even need.
In the beginning, your baby will only need the 4-ounce bottles because they won’t be drinking as much milk. But as they grow, you need to switch to the 8 oz size. My son is six months and can take an entire 8 oz bottle in one feeding very easily.
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The Dr. Brown’s bottles have a blue vent system that is supposed to remove excess air bubbles from the milk. This supposedly helps reduce feeding problems like colic, spit-up, burping, and gas. Our daughter struggled with pretty severe colic and constant spit-up and switching to Dr. Brown’s bottles helped the situation tremendously. She still had some issues, but they were noticeably much better!
Take it one day at a time, Mama.
You may get overwhelmed, but you too can do this!
I hope these pumping essentials help to make your return to work much easier on you. There are a lot of products on the market, and it can be overwhelming for a mom who is preparing to go back to work from maternity leave. So, make it easier on yourself and have a plan in place before you go back to work (read more about how I pump at work as a registered nurse who works 12-hour shifts).
After successfully pumping at work with two babies, I have whittled down my list to include the things that have helped me the most. I hope this helps to guide you in the right direction to find what works for you too!
It is your legal right to continue to provide breast milk for your children and pump while you are at work. Do not let anyone tell you differently or make you feel guilty about it. Only you know what is right for you and your babies.
Good luck, Mama! Let me know how it goes as a pumping mom in the workplace, and please reach out to me if you have any questions. I would be happy to help you!
Additional recommended reading:
by Sarah Jividen | Jun 5, 2018 | Breast Feeding, Nurse Life, Nurse Mom Life, The-Motherhood, Working Mom
This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure page here.
Are you wondering how to pump at work as a nurse who works long 12-hour shifts?
When I went back to work after my son was born, I was so nervous about when, where, and how to pump at work as a nurse who works long 12-hour shifts. I just couldn’t figure out how I was going to successfully make it happen when our RN workloads are already so intensive!
But, I am happy to report that I have been successfully pumping as an ER nurse in a hectic level 1 trauma center for the last two months. And to my surprise, it’s working! And I now know that I will be able to keep breastfeeding and pumping for my child for as long as I desire.
I am so relieved that I am still able to breastfeed and pump for my son as a busy nurse who works long 12-hour shifts. I want other nurses to know that they, too, can do this! That is why I am so excited to share what I have learned during my pumping journey at my hospital.
Additional recommended reading: Must-Have Items To Pump At Work
Nurse Moms, you can do this. Please read on to learn about how to pump at work as a nurse. If I can do it with my circumstances, you can too.
How To Pump At Work As A Nurse When You Work 12 Hour Shifts
How To Pump At Work As A Nurse Who Works 12 Hour Shifts:
#1. Communicate with your charge nurse/administration that you will be pumping while at work.
Hospital administrators are not psychic and have no idea what your pumping needs are if you do not tell them about it. They may have no children or have ever breastfed, so this may be new for them. Discuss the frequency that you will need to pump and discuss a location that works for you. Ideally, it should be somewhere private on the unit like an unused office or empty patient room.
#2. Talk to the charge nurses before each shift, so they know in advance.
Figuring out how to pump at work as a nurse takes some pre-planning on your part. It is not a good idea to wait until things get busy to ask for a place to pump. Charge nurses have a lot to balance, too, so work with them and come up with a plan before all hell breaks loose on the unit!
#3. Have a pumping schedule in mind.
In a perfect world, pumping every three hours would be ideal. But that may not be possible for a busy hospital nurse with a crazy workload. Figure out a flexible “working” plan such as:
- 6:45 (before shift starts)
- 10 am
- 1 pm, or 2 pm (lunch break)
- 4 pm
- 7:30 pm (after shift ends)
It is almost impossible to follow any schedule exactly, but planning at least gives you a guideline.
#4. If you can afford it (and your workplace allows), try starting with two 12 hour shifts a week instead of 3.
I was nervous about being able to pump for three shifts a week successfully, so I decided to start with two. I am so glad I did. It has made pumping at work seem less stressful and more attainable. As a bonus, I get to spend a little extra time with my son as well. Once my son starts eating more solid food and is breastfeeding less, I will go back to working three.
#5. Work every other day.
Continually pumping away from your baby day after day might affect your breast milk supply. Talk to your administration about working every other day so you can breastfeed at home on the days in-between.
#6. Find out if your hospital has a designated pumping station.
At my workplace, and we have a pumping room for breastfeeding nurses that is located on the 5th floor. It is not ideal for me to go there during my shift because I work in the ER on the first floor, but sometimes I can make it there during my lunch break or before/after a shift. They have comfortable chairs with curtains so I can pump comfortably with privacy. They also have Medula breast pumps available for use.
#7. Find co-workers who you know will cover your patients for you when you need to pump.
One of the many reasons nurses don’t pump during their shifts is that they are concerned about their patient’s safety while they are gone. Hopefully, you have a trusted charge nurse or another co-worker you know can keep an eye on your patients so you can pump. Remember, it is your legal right to pump while at work, so no matter what your workplace needs to find someone to cover you. So far, I have been fortunate to have many other nurses that I trust to cover for me when I ask them.
This option isn’t for everyone, but it works for me! I can have complete control of my schedule, so I don’t end up working back-to-back shifts or night shifts while I am breastfeeding. It has also offered me a better work-life balance as a working mom.
#9. Be flexible, but stand up for your right to pump!
Due to the unpredictability of being a busy RN, you will need to be somewhat flexible when it comes to pumping during a 12-hour shift. But if you are not reasonably accommodated, you need to say so. It is your legal right to pump at work. Ultimately, you are the person responsible for making sure that your pumping needs are met while you are at work.
Essential Items to pump at work as a nurse:
This device is the highest on the must-have items to pump at work list, for obvious reasons. Without it, you have no way to access your milk! You want to make sure that you have a double pump so you can pump both breasts at once to save time.
ORDER NOW
I like this nursing bra accessory because it makes it possible to double pump without having to hold the pumps with both hands. Once you start pumping, you will find that having to keep the pumps in place is annoying and makes it difficult to do anything else.
ORDER NOW
After you pump, you need to make sure you have a place to store your breast milk until you get home. I always pack a lunch for work, so I just use my insulated lunch bag to store my milk. You can use any insulated storage bag.
ORDER NOW
Engorgement is no joke. There have been a few times at work when I wasn’t able to pump on schedule, and I ended up leaking through my scrubs (you could barely see it but still!). As a result of that embarrassing experience, I started wearing nursing pads when I was at work.
ORDER NOW 
Additional recommended reading:
by Sarah Jividen | May 15, 2018 | The-Motherhood, Toddler Life
What is the best way to help your toddler prepare for a new sibling?
One of the many things that I worried about when I was pregnant with our second child was how our 2-year-old daughter, Zoe, would react to having a new baby in the house.
Actually, if I’m being honest, it was my NUMBER ONE concern.
Would she feel jealous? Left out? Completely traumatized by this new ginormous life change?
After our new baby boy was born our daughter was very affectionate and loving towards him. Now that he is 4 months old, she can’t stop giving him hugs and kisses at least 5 times a day. It melts my heart every time.
But this new fondness for her baby brother didn’t come without a few hiccups along the way.
Now looking back with my 20/20 vision I know she acted out a little. Not directly towards him, but in her own not-so-subtle “I’m throwing a tantrum but I just want a little more attention” way.
There was about a 4 week period where she was throwing significantly larger-then-normal temper tantrums after our newborn boy was born. In fact, they were darn-right gnarly at times. I remember thinking “where did my sweet child go?”
Since then she has adjusted quite well. But it has been a learning experience for all of us! We have learned so much about our first born since the arrival of our new baby.
10 Simple Ways To Help Your Toddler Prepare For A New Sibling
10 simple ways to help your toddler prepare for a new sibling:
#1. Talk about it with them frequently.
Don’t surprise your toddler by bringing in another tiny human behind their back. One of the best ways to help your toddler prepare for a new sibling is to start talking about it with them. Start the talking at least as soon as you tell family and friends about your pregnancy. Your toddler will need time to process this information about the upcoming change.
#2. Explain the role of big sister (or brother).
We reminded Zoe daily that she was going to have a lot of new responsibilities when “baby brother” arrived. It was important to us that Zoe see that she would have a very important role as big sister so that she didn’t think she was being left behind. For example, when she played with her puzzles we reminded her that she would need to teach her little brother how to play with puzzles also.
Also, explain that your toddler will need to “look out” for their new sibling, and how special the role of big brother or sister will be. They will enjoy hearing about how the baby will want to try and do everything they do!
#3. Give them their own “baby” to practice with.
When I was about 5 months pregnant my mom bought Zoe a baby doll. Our goal was to try and teach her how to be “gentle” with the baby. She actually took to it quite well and enjoyed playing with it. When ever we talked about the new baby coming we would say “where is Zoe’s baby?” She was able to have her own “baby” to practice with and she loved it. Now that her little brother is 4 months old, she still enjoys playing with her baby in her crib at night.
#4. Give your toddler books about becoming a big sister or brother.
We gave our daughter 2 new books about becoming a big sister and read them to her almost daily. She loved pointing to the Mom’s belly and saying “baby in there!” Having pictures to look at really helped her process the idea of having a younger sibling.
In addition, reading the big sister books gave us a regular reminder to continue talking about and including our toddler in conversations about the new baby.
#5. Give them a gift from the new baby.
Right after our son was born, we gave our toddler a new picnic set that was a “gift” from her little brother. When she played with it we talked to her about how she could have a picnic with her little brother soon. Our newborn also “gave” our daughter a new “I’m a big sister” shirt (in purple, her favorite color!). She felt like a million bucks.
This one was so important to us since there is a lot of attention put on a new baby. We didn’t want our daughter to feel left out of the excitement or hold resentment towards him. Our goal was to keep our attention equally on her as much as we could.
Here are 10 simple ways to help your toddler prepare for a new sibling!
#6. Talk about how much fun it will be.
My husband did a great job of talking to our two-year-old about how “fun” and “cool” being a big sister will be. He really embellished on the fact that he would learn so much from her and look up to her. Even now when we try and teach Zoe a new life lesson we talk about how she needs to be a good role model form her little brother. She just loves it!
#7. Praise your toddler for being the best big sister EVER.
For the last few months of my pregnancy my husband and I would ask our daughter “who is going to be the big best big sister ever?” Every time she would excitedly reply “Zoe!”
#8. Stay calm during meltdowns.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a mother it is that my child reacts to how I act. Melt downs are inevitable. It an unfortunate, but completely normal part of toddler hood. However, if I become upset then it only upsets my daughter worse.
I learned this lesson the hard way after taking several road trips with my toddler. Having an additional child in the home only makes things more stressful and easier to lose it when one kid is getting crazy.
#9. Give them a little extra attention and love.
During the last few weeks of my pregnancy I made sure to spend a little extra time in the evenings preparing for bed with my daughter. We would spend 15-20 minutes reading books and then turn the lights off for another 15 minutes of “snuggle time.” There is no better way to help prepare your toddler for a new sibling then by showering them with a lot of extra love.
#10. Practice gratitude.
This one never fails. Gratitude helps me handle difficult situations with more grace. At the end of the day I am so grateful to have two beautiful, healthy children. Even if it means months of newborn baby exhaustion, a messy house, and total craziness for a while! Since it was my second and last pregnancy, I knew I wasn’t going to get this experience ever again. So I wanted to enjoy it while it lasted!
Are you the parent of a toddler who is expecting a new baby soon? Are you doing anything to try an ease the transition for your toddler? I would love to hear so please leave a comment with your thoughts!
by Sarah Jividen | May 8, 2018 | Food, Mom Tips & Tricks
(This post contains affiliate links. My disclosure page is really boring but you can find it here.)
Ahhh, springtime is finally here! The days are getting longer, the sun is out and I want to be spending as much time as I can doing things that matter most to me. Like spending time with my husband and kids.
But I have to grocery shop, meal plan, and cook dinner for my family! Ugh, there is just never enough time. As a working mom (I’m an ER nurse) I already have a hard time coordinating everything I have on my do-to list.
That is one of the many reasons Sun Basket meal delivery has been such a blessing for us.
My husband and I started using Sun Basket three years ago when I was pregnant with my daughter. Since then I have introduced the meal delivery system to several other families who have found the same value in it that we have.
Admittedly, I do not enjoy meal planning. And I have never thought of myself as a very good cook. Fortunately, with Sun Basket meal delivery I get simple recipes, organic nutrition, and an easy way to prepare a healthy meal in 3o minutes or less.
If having scrumptious organic home cooked meals regularly without a ton of hassle is something that interests you too, please continue reading about the 9 reasons Sun Basket Meal Delivery has brought great value to our family.
Choose from 18 healthy & delicious recipes a week from Sun Basket! Save $45 if you order today!
Sun Basket Meal Delivery Review By A Mom, RN
What is Sun Basket?
Sun Basket is a healthy meal kit service that delivers organic produce, clean ingredients and easy, delicious recipes for cooking at home. We have it delivered to our doorstep once a week and has completely revolutionized dinner at our house.
I have almost zero extra time (isn’t that every Mom’s dilemma?). Bottom line: Sun Basket meal delivery has made it so much easier for me as a Mom to ensure that my family eats a healthy diet. In fact, I don’t know how I could feed my family this well without it.
How does Sun Basket work?
You sign up online and pick the recipe option to your liking (vegetarian, paleo, gluten free, family options). You can also select exactly which meals you want delivered. Then a box is delivered to your doorstep with every pre measured ingredient you need along with a detailed recipe. Simple and easy, just the way I like, er, need it!
I have tried nearly every meal delivery system, yet I always come back to Sun Basket.
I wont say which ones we have tried but you have probably heard of them. I stopped using them because on several occasions there was at least one ingredient that had already gone bad. Yuck!
I just didn’t feel that I was getting the same quality that I did with Sun Basket.
Sun Basket Meal Delivery Review By A Mom, RN
Sun Basket Meal Delivery Review: 9 Reasons Sun Basket Brings Great Value To Our Family
1. Nutrition
Healthy nutrition is so important to me. As a registered nurse I have spent a lot of time taking care of patients with preventable chronic illnesses. I am constantly trying to teach my patients how to take better care of themselves by eating well and getting enough physical activity.
It is well documented that eating a nutrient rich diet is vital for good health, well being and even prevents many chronic illnesses from occurring in the first place. Good food provides our bodies with the energy, vitamins, fats and protein we need to thrive.
We need to take more responsibility for their own health and well-being. The best way to prevent chronic illnesses and most cancers is to not get sick in the first place!
Sun Basket helps me provide good nutrition for my family because:
- It keeps me from ordering take-out, which is usually not very healthy, &
- It keeps me from making something fast and less healthy at home, like a frozen pizza (don’t judge, life gets busy, yo!)
2. Time savings
Sun Basket delivers of ALL of the ingredients I need to make 3 dinners per week. That means I don’t have to spend time hauling my kids to the grocery store to buy food for those meals.
I also love that our meals are already pre planned so I don’t have to figure out what I’m going to cook that night.
Most importantly though, Sun Basket meals take 30 minutes or less to prepare with easy to follow recipes. Which means I get to spend more quality time doing things that I love, like playing with my little ones.
You can get 50% off Sun Basket Family Meals HERE!
3. Money savings
Since I am getting only the meal ingredients I need, I don’t have to buy an entire block of Parmesan cheese (for example). Plus, ordering take-out or eating out can start to add up over time.
4. The greens are often fresher then at the grocery store
I am a big fan of fresh, organic produce. I can even taste the difference between organic and conventional produce a lot of the time. That is why I appreciate that Sun Basket ingredients come directly from the source. There is nothing I hate worse then buying spinach from the grocery store and having it turn bad the next day!
5. I want my family to eat as organically as possible
100% of Sun Basket’s produce is organic and they only use responsibly raised meats free of antibiotics and added hormones.
Also, Sun Basket uses sustainably sourced seafood that is listed as “Best Choice” or “Good Alternative” by the Monterey Bay aquarium’s seafood watch program.
6. I get to cook meals that I never would have made otherwise
Last week I made Havana shrimp mojo tostadas with cabbage slaw. This meal was so good, I couldn’t believe I actually cooked it myself! The recipe was super easy to follow and looked, dare I say… fancy? Like, restaurant style fancy. I used to steer clear from seafood because I never felt comfortable cooking it. Now I make a different seafood recipe at least once or twice a week!
7. Good customer service
There have been two times that our delivery was shipped 1 day late due to traffic issues in Los Angeles. Both times we were notified immediately and offered a credit if we decided not to accept the box. Not a deal breaker for me as the shipments did arrive fresh. LA traffic truly is off-the-charts insane so unfortunately its par for the course here. Other then those minor inconveniences the service has been exceptional.
8. Sun Basket makes it easier for us to have quality family time
The most important benefit for us that has come out of using Sun Basket is that it allows us to sit down as a family for our meals, no excuses! Dinner is my favorite part of the day and I love that it gives my husband and I a chance to reconnect and talk about whats going on in our lives. It keeps us connected. Its like having a date night in.
9. Sun Basket has helped me become a much better cook (And I am teaching my daughter too!)
Sadly, for my husband and children, I am not a culinary genius. I’m not horrible in the kitchen, so long as the recipes are simple and easy. My specialties usually involve a Nutri bullet and just mixing ingredients in a bowl (what can I say, I like to keep things really simple!).
Cooking has become a family experience for us. My daughter helps out by tearing greens, mixing dry ingredients in bowls, mashing veggies, and even dashing our meals with salt and other spices. It is a real treat to watch her get excited to cook! She is learning the value of cooking with healthy ingredients and we have a great opportunity to teach her where her food comes from (so she knows that food isn’t created in a grocery store).
I am constantly learning about new ingredients and cooking techniques. And looking like an expert chef to boot!
Sun Basket discount for first timers!
If you haven’t tried Sun Basket yet, you are in for a treat… click this link for a big discount:
Choose from 18 healthy & delicious recipes a week from Sun Basket! Save $45 if you order today!
Join us for dinner anytime!
Tonight we are having lemon-pepper salmon over Greek salad with artichokes and olives. My recipe says it will take 20 minutes to prepare and I know I have every ingredient I need, so I am not stressed about it.
Its Saturday evening and I am looking forward to enjoying a wonderful, nutritious meal with my family on the back porch… with a nice glass of wine of course. Join us for dinner anytime!
by Sarah Jividen | Dec 21, 2017 | Pregnancy, The-Motherhood
I’m officially in the “nesting phase” of pregnancy.
The American Pregnancy Organization describes nesting as when pregnant women feel the “overwhelming desire to get your home ready for your new baby.”
That is exactly me in a nutshell right about now.
I am “nesting” just like this mama bird trying to get her home organized for her babies
I had my 30 week appointment a few days ago. Our little man is measuring at 32 weeks and is already weighing in at a hefty 4lbs 7oz. That’s already more then our daughter Zoe weighed at birth and she was 7 weeks early! So it already looks like I’m going to have a big baby boy.
Aside from feeling like a blimp I would say everything is pretty great. I am still able to work without restrictions (I do however have to wear compression stockings to get through 12 hour ER shifts).
So now I’m embracing my new nesting phase.
Just in the past week I have really gotten down to business:
My house has never been so clean and organized.
Our house never really gets super messy, but I have been feeling the urge to clean and organize much more then usual. For example, before 7:30am this morning I had already vacuumed the house, finished a load of laundry and organized the kitchen cupboards.
Don’t get me wrong, I like a clean house. But I am way more into cleaning and organizing this week then I have been in a really long time.
I organized all my to-do lists on Trello
I am 99% paperless and hate having lists floating around my house. If it isn’t able to be easily accessed on my phone then I might as well not even have it. Especially now that I am a mom. Paper lists just aren’t practical anymore.
Recently I discovered an amazing app called Trello and it has revolutionized my organization and planning skills. Trello basically allows me to organize and prioritizes my to-do lists and projects using boards, lists and cards. It’s all on my phone and easy to access.
I easily organized my personal boards by: grocery lists, random to-do lists, house projects, new baby to do-lists, and blog to do list. Each list can be broken down into separate cards and you can make notes on each one.
For example, my blog board is separated into 3 separate topics: mom, nurse and website to-do. I can further organize my mom board into additional topics : baby/kid, mom, pregnancy, health, environmental. Then each of those is broken down with individual “cards” that I can add specific tasks to.
It sounds confusing but it is seriously the best for people who like to be organized and efficient. It has really helped enhance my “nesting” abilities.
I am purging anything I dont’ use or need.
I am really trying to minimize the stuff in our house. If it is not serving a purpose of bringing me joy in some way, it is leaving the Jividen household.
This week’s priority was my closet. If I haven’t worn it in a year, it got tossed. In fact, I have never owned so few clothes in my life. And it actually feels really good. Everything I have now I actually wear (or will wear as soon as I’m not a pregnant mama anymore).
Next stop: the garage! That will be a much bigger task.
I organized my kid’s closet.
Our kids are going to share a room for the foreseeable future (wish me luck on this one). Fortunately, the room has a nice sized walk-in closet with plenty of room for both kid’s wardrobes and storage.
Each child now has there own very organized side of the closet, split right down the middle. I even organized all their clothing by size and season. Nesting win.
In preparation for baby #2 I boxed up all of our daughter’s outgrown baby clothes into large bins, and they are ready for delivery to my other soon-to-be mama friends. They surely must also be in nesting mode and organizing like crazy like I am.
I had a 2nd crib delivered tonight.
Thank god for Amazon Prime. What in the world did mom’s do before it existed?
I am only 2.5 weeks away for the time I gave birth to Zoe at 33 weeks and 7 weeks prematurely. So I really don’t see this as jumping the gun at all because babies really can show up at any time.
Zoe may be a little confused as to why she has 2 cribs in her room now, but that’s OK. It will give her time to get used to it before another small human comes in.
We are buying a new car this weekend.
A Subaru Outback to be exact. After about a year of research into what the safest automobile is for small children, the Subaru Outback keeps coming back as the clear winner. I had one once before when I lived in Denver and they really are dependable and safe cars.
We will be donating my husbands car this weekend too.
My Christmas decorations are ready to be put up.
My nesting list includes decorating for Christmas as soon as it is socially acceptable. How can I resist when this little face is so excited about decorations?
This one has been HUGE for me this week. In my nesting frenzy, I am so excited to get ready for the holidays. Especially now that our 2 year old daughter is so ecstatic about special events and decorations. It just makes it so much more fun for me.
Seriously, if it wasn’t considered inappropriate I would have starting putting up our tree tonight (3 weeks before Thanksgiving). I just ordered a new, much larger tree since we have the space for it now and it was just delivered this afternoon.
On my Trello app I have already listed which new tree decorations I will be purchasing this week. I am so excited to get them and decorate that I can barely wait.
I’m not sure where this burst of extra energy is coming from.
But I’m going with it until the baby tells me I’m tired again. It’s not like I have any extra time or anything. I’m still working almost 40 hours a week as an emergency room nurse and I have a very energetic toddler at home.
I have read that there is an evolutionary component to the nesting phase that women have during there pregnancies. Apparently there have been several studies done on this maternal phenomenon. I experienced the same thing during my first pregnancy with my daughter. Only I had way more time to do it!
Whatever it is that is giving my ever-growing body an extra kick, Ill take it. I’m sure it won’t be long until I’m too big to even want to do a lot of these things. Until then, I will continue nesting away!
Sarah, Mother Nurse Love
