Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Why a Water Birth?

Second time round for me I'm really hoping to have a water birth.
I would of loved to of had a water birth with Ashlyn. I don't know about you, but any time I've had cramping (period or pregnancy related) I've always opted for a hot bath. Back in those days however, a water birth wasn't as common nor as popular as it has become today. Nor was I as familiar with the option. Though I wish I had been.

I have many reasons for opting to go water second time round. Watching fellow You Tuber's has definitely given me a better insight into the whole thing. It's not for everyone. I admit when I first told a few family members what my plans were it did raise a few eye brows. Questions raised about how the baby would breathe under water for example. That always came down to ignorance. Below is a list of the many benefits a water birth can have for you & your new baby.
 
 

The Many Benefits Of Water For Labour And/Or Birth

  • Greater comfort and mobility. The mother has much greater ease and freedom to move spontaneously and to change position to aid in descent of the baby.
  • Reduction of pressure on the abdomen. Buoyancy promotes more efficient uterine contractions and better blood circulation, resulting in better oxygenation of the uterine muscles, less pain for the mother and more oxygen for the baby.
  • Helps mother to conserve her energy. Immersion reduces opposition to gravity; supporting the mothers weight so that her energy can be used to cope with the contractions
  • Promotes deeper relaxation. As a woman relaxes deeply in water, her hormones are released and she starts progressing faster with more rhythm: labour becomes more efficient.
  • Water relaxes the pelvic floor muscles, as it softens the vagina, vulva and perineum leading to fewer injuries to these tissues.
  • Water minimises the pain so effectively for most women that it reduces or eliminates the need for analgesia.
  • If analgesia is required it is in lower doses and is potentiated by the effect of the water.
  • Immersion is more safe and effective than an epidural.
  • Water stimulates the touch and temperature nerve fibres in the skin. It blocks impulses from the pain fibres, known as the ‘Gate Theory of Pain’.
  • Facilitates a dysfunctional labour. Water can be an effective way to stimulate dilation of the cervix when the mother has difficulty progressing into the active stage of labour.
  • Water can reduce the need for drugs to artificially stimulate labour. Often, simply getting into the tub will result in dramatic and rapid progress to full dilation within an hour or two.
  • Lowering of blood pressure. When anxiety is causing high blood pressure, immersion in water often helps relieve it. The effect is heightened if the room is darkened.
  • Change of consciousness. Immersion helps relive anxiety and promote relaxation. Water encourages women to let go and focus inward as labour progresses
  • Easier breathing. Moisture in the air makes it easier to breathe without the mouth becoming dry and is helpful for women with asthma. Also decreases the tendency to hyperventilate.
  • Facilitates the second stage of labour. Many women are less inhibited in the water.
  • Many women experience rapid second stages, with the baby emerging minutes after the body begins pushing, also known as the foetus ejection reflex. (see Odent, The Nature of Birth and Breastfeeding)
  • It reduces the ‘ick’ factor for some women and encourages both parents to touch the baby whilst birthing
  • Being in the tub reduces the possibility of intervention by birth attendants. Their visibility is reduced and they cannot touch the perineum or baby as it emerges unless the mother chooses to let them.
  • The ability for birth attendants to intrude is reduced. They are less likely to interfere with the actual birthing without the woman's consent and willingness to move and allow access.
  • Skin to skin time is facilitated.
  • Initial breast contact is also easier to initiate as the woman is already naked.
  • The cord continues to pulse strongly for an extended period, resulting in baby receiving his full blood volume.
  • Birth in water is wholly a somehow softer, more gentle experience.
Read more here;
 

I did have a natural birth with Ashlyn. But like I said above, I wasn't as knowledgeable back then as I am now in regards to all the different options birth wise & labour wise. If your like me though, opt for hot water during cramps or maybe your just looking at a natural birth experience with as little intervention as possible, definitely start looking into a water birth!!
It's definitely the option I'm planning for & can't wait to experience a water birth of my own :)

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Low Blood Pressure

It is not uncommon to feel lightheaded or dizzy while pregnant.
During a normal pregnancy, your blood vessels dilate and your blood pressure gradually decreases, reaching its lowest point around mid-pregnancy. It then begins to go back up, returning to its regular level by the end of pregnancy.
Generally, your cardiovascular and nervous systems are able to adjust to these changes, causing adequate blood flow to your brain. But occasionally they don't adapt quickly enough, which can leave you feeling lightheaded, dizzy or cause you to faint.  (Thanks Babycenter for that info)

I experienced all of the above during my pregnancy with Ashlyn.
During my very first blood test i fainted! It was the worst feeling in the world. You start to feel shaky, lightheaded or dizzy, warm, you start sweating and then boom your out. Luckily I only fainted during one blood test my whole pregnancy, but nearly fainted a second time during my glucose test. I had all the symptoms but luckily it subsided. Maybe the fact that I was laying down that time turned things around for me. I was told by my doctor the first time it happened lying down would help me. And it did.

Fainting during my pregnancy was a very common thing for me. I worked as a cashier which required standing for long periods of time. We would receive breaks throughout our shifts but whilst serving customers there was no point where you could stop and have a breather so to say if you needed one.
I can't remember how many weeks pregnant I was the first time it happened at work. It was very embarrassing though. Especially having customers all around you aswell as fellow staff members. I always ate beforehand, I tried having sugary snacks or sugary drinks with me on the till. It didn't matter what I did, I still kept fainting. It would get quite hot where I was working as well and to be perfectly honest with you I'm sure that added to it all.
I ended up being moved to a different section at my work where I was able to sit for majority of my shift and that helped out alot. I was still required to stand and do things every so often though and so towards the end of my pregnancy I was still feeling dizzy and had to quite work when I was 6 months pregnant.

I even fainted after having Ashlyn. I'd gone through nearly 24 hours of labour pain relief free and on my way to having a shower (naked mind you) I collapsed and fainted half way to the door. I then had to sit on a chair in the shower and even then I felt extremely weak.

Now the point of this whole post is because I still experience low blood pressure even now.
The simplest of things like everyday house work sends me feeling weak, lightheaded or dizzy, and I need to sit down immediately. And like during pregnancy it doesn't matter whether I've eaten or not it still happens. Some days being better then others. I do notice things always being worse when it is hotter. And i tend to get warmer quite easily.

I have been to the doctors for it and not even he could come up with a reason as to why. He's sent me for a number of blood tests, all of which come back negative. No surprise. The last time though I went and seen him my blood pressure was just about normal again, but all my symptoms have been coming back again and I know for a fact my blood pressure is low again.

I've been wanting to go back to work a few days a week for a while now. But having this low blood pressure seriously gets in the way of things. I wanted to go back to where I was working before I had Ashlyn but they only had cashier jobs available and I just know there would be no way my body could handle it. Something about standing in the one spot for a period of time just does it to me. I tend to have more energy during the afternoons, so I was hoping to find somewhere where I could work in the afternoons to early night. I'm only wanting to go back as a casual-part time for now based on future baby plans and Ashlyn still being at home. I don't believe in day-care, and not because I see it as an excuse to stay home rather then work and watch my daughter myself...I've seen and heard way too many stories and I simply don't trust any of them. If I was to go back before Ashlyn started school next year either Matt or a family member would look after her for me. We are lucky in that aspect of things. But the point is, there isn't too many jobs available where I could work the hours I'm looking for and even more so, a job where I wouldn't need to be standing in the same spot for majority of my shift. Something like shelf filling would be fine for me because even though I'd be standing, I'd be moving around and could stop to have a breather if need be.

Alot of people look down at you when you say you have low blood pressure. They look at it as an excuse not to go back to work. But unless you have experienced the symptoms you have no idea. It does get in the way of things and hold you back. It restrains you from doing certain things. Theres nothing I hate more then some-one making a comment about you going back to work when they simply have no idea of the circumstances.

We are wanting to buy our own home in the near future and going back to work is obviously going to help us reach that goal quicker. I just need to knuckle down and find something that is going to allow that come true even though I have low blood pressure..... xo

Thursday, February 7, 2013

My Mum Was A Teen Mum..

So I'm having one of those nights dwelling on the past and thinking about what is.
Ive wanted to do a video on this topic for a while now but never knew quite how to address the subject. There is so many raw emotions and thoughts still, so much has gone on and to be honest everything is really sketchy and I don't remember too much from the early days. But lets see how I do and I guess I'll try starting from the very beginning.

Well my mum was a teen mum. She had me when she was just 15 and my dad was only 18. I don't know too much about my mum and dads relationship, like how long they were together, how they met things like that.
But I've lived with my nan and grandad (my dads mum and dad) ever since I can remember! Apparently my mum couldn't handle me when I was a baby and so she gave me up to my nan and grandad. My dad at the time was living with them. She would say I hated her because I would cry whenever she held me? I don't know, personally I find it pathetic especially being a mum now. Anyways..
Like I said it's seriously all so sketchy. I've heard stories about back in those days from different family members but can't really remember them for exact. Like my nan has obviously told me the most things and even then not too many.

My mum was quite rebellious as a child. Even before my dad was in the story. Always running away and apparently would sneak out and into my dads room all the time. She would sleep in the toilets across the road from my dads house. That apparently was a usual occurrence from her.
At one stage my mum and dad did live together with me when I was first born in some apartment but again I don't know what went on and how things went about to get my dad back at his mums (my nan) and eventually me too. I do know that I was roughly 6 months old I think when she gave me up, which is why I don't have too many photos of when I was first born.
 
So, I lived with my nan and grandad right up until I was 19. My dad moved out somewhere along the line (without me) when he met my brothers mum, don't know how old I was or why he didn't take me....always a question I wonder about now still. I think I'll do a completely different post about my dad otherwise this one will be waaaay to long!

Me when I was little
 
So in those 19 years I was living with my nan and grandad, my so called mum would make the odd appearance. Unsure of how often but obviously not very because I always remember being scared. She would park across the park, at night mind you, and call my nan up and ask that we walk over to her, I hated it. I didn't know who she was. Plus it being dark didn't help. Another time we seen her at the shops, now I don't know if this was prearranged, maybe it was actually because I have photos of that day. I remember her saying to me that 'she was my mummy', I was only little then unsure of my age. I'll have to come back to this post and add in photos because at the moment my scanner won't connect to this laptop. But I'll definitely do that because I have some photos of my mum back then.
 
Another time, I must have been about 6 years old because my mum rocked up to the park once again out of the blue but this time with my little brother and sister.  Theres 5 years between me & my sister, Skye, and 6 between me and my brother Corey.

Then once again another huge gap between appearances. The next time I remember seeing her was when I was in year 6, she rocked up at my primary school with her new boyfriend (not my siblings dad) and wanted to start seeing me again. That's the first time actually that I started seeing her on a regular basis.
It was good while it lasted. Introduced her to my friends my boyfriend at the time. I finally had a mum & and then like always she disappeared again. I remember actually one of my teachers that was very familiar with our story having words with her one day.
The next time she came back I was in high school and I think that's the very first time I stayed with her overnight & started seeing my brother and sister. Started developing a relationship with my siblings for the first time. I was really close with my little sister. Loved her to pieces! And i remember us always picking on my little brother lol. Like drawing on him while he was asleep. Poor Corey.
 
Skye and Corey

My grandad never liked her, my mum that is. Same as my dad and other family members because she had dumped me at my nans basically. My grandad would always give strict orders that I be home by a certain time. I think he worried that my mum would run off with me.
Throughout my life I would be told what my mother was like, but it was one of those things where I had to learn for myself. And I guess what girl doesn't want her mum around?
Then there was another gap between seeing my mum. Because the next time I heard from her I had a new baby brother (different dad to my brother and sister). This time she lived on the other side of the river to me. I remember catching the train with my mum, then her new boyfriend meeting us at the train station to pick us up, with my brother, sister and baby brother, Aiden, whom Id never seen before.
I didn't have a very good first impression of my mothers boyfriend. He wasn't some-one I would expect her to be interested in. He reminded me of a fat slob and wasn't the least bit good looking. My mum said he had gorgeous eyes and she would always say the eyes are the window to your sole. I remember my mum and him would always argue and he had a tendancy to try odering us kids around. My mum would say to him quite often 'they're my kids and I'll tell them off not you'.
He had a daughter to his first marriage (I think they were married) Brogan, I remember her name still. I got along with her quite good. We were roughly the same age. But I only knew her over a weekend because the next time I seen my mum she had broke it off with her dad.

Next thing I can remember was my mum moving up the road from me. Same street I lived on. I remember her telling me about it and telling me to keep it a secret. My grandad hated the idea of her living up the road. This was the last and final time I seen her. It lasted a while. Being up the road it was easier to go and see her and I was seeing her more often. It was just her and Aiden living there though because like I said previously she'd broken it off with Aidens dad. He'd still have him some weekends and I remember going with my mum to drop Aiden off sometimes. I hated going because she always met him in the city and they'd argue constantly and she'd always cry. She always said to all of us kids, over her dead body would she lose Aiden like she lost the rest of us. Skye and Corey lived with their dad. Somewhere along the line she left them too. A pattern had already been started. I don't know how old they were when mum left them though but I do know it wasn't as early as she left me.

Back to my story.
By this stage I was 15. Finally met a guy that I was pretty serious about (Matt) and like any teenager I was wanting to spend my weekends with him. My mum however was wanting me to spend my weekends with her because she would have Skye and Corey. And that was fine but not when it was every weekend. I needed time to spend with my friends too not just family. There was a 5-6 year age gap between me, Skye and Corey and being that I was in high school now, into boys, they were in primary school and into other things. It was a time I guess where I didn't really connect with them as well as I used too. It's hard to explain I guess. Anyways, it got to the point where one day my mum wanted me to do something with her and I couldn't because I had already prebooked something with Matt. She got upset with me over it. Stopped texting or calling me first, usually she would always. Even her attitude towards me changed. I coud hear the difference in her voice when I spoke to her. It got to the point where I was fed up with it. I'd done nothing wrong, so I stopped making the effort. I stopped trying to contact her and never heard from her again. So in the end, yes, I did learn what she was like. But It as something I did need to learn and find out for myself. I had finally realised after all those years what a true kind of mother she was. I wasn't going to put up with her coming and going into my life anymore. It was honestly and truly the final straw for me.

               
               Me and Matt back in high school
 
I can see already how long this is going to be!!!! So much to go into =/
Getting the life story part over with so you can at least get an understanding of it all and next thing being my feelings towards her now...
 
My brother and sister continued to see her and i kept in contact with them. Unfortunately I didn't see them very often. My baby brother Aiden ended up living with his dad, so much for not losing him like she lost the rest of us. I would hear all this through my sister. She would always keep me up to date with mums new boyfriends (there was alot) and what she would say.
The last time I seen Aiden was what feels like forever ago. He was all grown up. I went & visited him with Skye, Corey and my grandad (mums dad) one day. And because so much time had been lost in between it was definetly awkward.

Aiden
 
The photo above was taken the day of that visit. I don't even know how old he is here or how old he is now. But he's basically my long lost brother. He moved to a different state with his dad and neither me, Skye or Corey have any contact with him. And not because we don't want to. No-one has his number to contact him on an address or anything. My grandad (mums dad) was going to try find him again but nothing as yet. I would of loved to of had him at my wedding with the rest of my brothers and sisters. Not even my mum has contact with him anymore and to me thats just plain sad. I don't understand how any mother could ever lose contact with her child.

As it stands now, not even Skye or Corey have contact with my mum. She basically did the same thing to Skye that she did with me. Skye got to that age where she was into boys, wanting to spend her weekends or free time with them and once again our so called mother got upset with her daughter once again and the same thing happened. Immature if you ask me. Corey eventually grew to learn what she was like. My mother was the kind to put her boyfriends first. And everyone of us kids noticed that. She would tell us how much she loved us when we were seeing her but her actions over time always said different.


My mothers even got to the point now where she denys me or Aiden. Whenever she gets a new boyfriend she forgets to mention that she has 4 kids rather then 2. And thats painful. She hides the truth because I guess she doesn't want to admit what a poor excuse she is of a mother. I think she's even starting searching for Aiden now. Before Skye stopped talking to her she mentioned that she thinks she found him. And by found I mean found a photo of a boy on a school website that she believed was Aiden. I just hope the past doesn't repeat itself and she does to Aiden what she did with me. Coming and going as she sees fit..
 
I still don't see Skye & Corey as much as I would like too. I want more then anything for them to have a strong bond with Ashlyn. I miss them so much and love any time I do get to spend with them. I tend to see Skye more then I do Corey just because it's easier to catch up with her. Corey lives with his dad and Skye lives with her nan (dads mum) now and it seems impossible to catchup with both of them at the same time. I miss my brother alot. Anytime he has seen Ashlyn he always has all the time in the world for her.


   Taken in 2012.



To this day my so called mum has never seen Ashlyn. Never even made the attempt to either. In my eyes she is not Ashlyns Nana. I can't even put into words how much I hate her. How wrong all of her actions are. Becoming a mother myself put everything into perspective. I could never imagine leaving behind my baby girl. She knew I was pregnant with Ashlyn. I think once she even said to Skye if i need help with money to just ask, but never did she try contacting me. She had a tendency for buying our love I guess you could say. She knew I was getting married as well & would even break down to Skye how she would love to be there but again never tried making contact. We both have facebook, she's never tried adding me. I want more then anything a mum. But she'll never be that for me. Quite often I've found her facebook and thought about adding her. I don't even know what I would do if she just happened to add me one day. Whether I'd accept or reject. She has just caused so much hurt and left a huge gap in my life. When I was pregnant all I wanted was for some-one to ask questions, relate too but she wasn't there. I've always seen my nan as just my nan despite her being like my mum my whole life. Matt's mum we get along but its just too complicated in regards to his family. I don't see it ever growing into anything more. As much as I'd like it too. I want more then anything to have a mother figure. But it just looks like that's one of the things i dip out on in life. That is why I will forever make sure I am there for my daughter. For her kids when she one day has them. I will stick by her no matter what and I sure as hell will never let her down.
I haven't spoke to my so called mum in like 9 years & not once in that whole 9 years has she made contact. I blame her for not being able to have a relationship with my brother Aiden. I blame her for the distance I sometimes feel between me Skye and Corey. And I blame her for some of the reasons I am the way I am.



I don't even know if this post as fully came out the way I wanted it too. I know its long and I'm sorry for that but to get the full story or there abouts it had to be lol. Hope you understand me that little bit more now :)
xo

 

Monday, February 4, 2013

TTC Abbreviations

As promised for all those in the dark when it comes to ttc abbreviations like me, listed below are some of the most popular used;

2WW - Two Week Wait
LUTEAL PHASE - 14 days after ovulation
AFAunt Flo, menstruation, period
BBT - Basal Body Temperature
BD - Baby Dance, Sex
BFN - Big Fat Negative (Pregnancy Tests)
BFP - Big Fat Positive (Pregnancy Test)
CD - Cycle Day
CM - Cervical Mucus
DPO - Days Past Ovulation
EDD - Estimated Due Date
EPO - Evening Primrose Oil
EWCM - Egg-White Cervical Mucus
ER - Egg Retrieval
HPT - Home Pregnancy Test
KEGELS - The muscle used to stop the flow of urine.
Very important to keep it toned by flex & hold.
Referred to as doing your Kegels

LH - Luteinizing Hormone - detected in OPKs
LP - Luteal Phase, days between ov & AF
O or OV - Ovulation
OPK - Ovulation Predictor Kit
PG - Pregnancy, pregnant
PNV - Prenatal Vitamin
SAHM - Stay at Home Mum
ROFL - Rolling on the Floor Laughing
SO - Significant Other
SOD - Sex on Demand
TTC - Trying To Conceive
YI - Yeast Infection

You may or may not see me use these abbreviations, but now atleast you know for future reference the next time that you do.

Until my next post.... xo

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Basal Body Temperature Charting. (BBT)

So basically there is a few different ways to track when you are ovulating. One of the newest ways that I came across (new being that I didn't know of it before) is Basal Body Temperature Charting (BBT). All that means is keeping track of your lowest temperature attained by the body during rest. Generally measured after you wake first thing in the morning before any physical activity.
The reason women TTC (Trying To Conceive) track these temperatures is because at the time of ovulation you will notice a drop and then a slight rise in your temperature. But unless this rise occurs 3 days in a row you probably haven't ovulated yet. A good tool to keep track of your BBT is Fertility Friend.

I've been tracking my BBT for 16 days now. So only over one cycle as yet but I definitely noticed the changes in temperature along with other symptoms. Below is a graph of my temperatures from the last 16 days using Fertility Friend. You will notice as well that they will automatically put a criss cross line where they think you have ovulated. As you can see I didn't get the 3 day in a row spike where they have estimated I ovulated but I definitely agree with their verdict has I experienced major cramping that day along with positive OPK's 3 days in a row.

 
I'm still learning all the nitty gritty of TTC like all their abbreviations etc.. so for all of you newbies like me I'll be sure to enter the proper terms along with the abbreviations when talking TTC talk lol.
 
Now for charting your BBT you can use just an ordinary old thermometer If you wished, I'm sure most of you would have one laying about the house somewhere anyways. To be honest that's all I was using to begin with until little miss Ashlyn decided to play with it one morning and because we haven't been able to find it since I treated myself this afternoon and brought one of the proper BBT thermometers you can buy at just about any store that sells thermometers.
The only difference really between the two is BBT thermometers are said to give more accurate and precise temperature readings than standard thermometers.
 
You must remember when charting your BBT for ovulation this particular method will only show once you have already ovulated, hence being too late for BD (Baby Dancing/Intercourse)
This method is set up to keep track of the differences in temperatures over a few cycles to give you an idea of when you generally will ovulate.
 
Maybe next post I can research the main abbreviation used for TTC and list them all for you. xo
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Major Baby Fever...

I have always wanted to start blogging and see what all the fuss is about...but never actually got around to doing it. I've had the past diaries, written poems things like that so blogging should come naturally to me. Better late then never I guess and why not start now, starting off with documenting my increasing baby fever. lol

I'm sure you can tell by the title I am experiencing major baby fever. It doesn't help that it seems like every Tom Dick and Harry is pregnant right now does it...!!
 
Ashlyn just turned 3 on Jan 25th and I did always say 2014 was the year I wanted another one.
From the moment I had Ashlyn there was an instant bond between us, as I'm sure every mother feels. Breast feeding for me just made it feel even more intense and in the beginning I couldn't actually see myself having anymore children (not for a while anyway). To me it just felt selfish taking away that one on one time with Ashlyn. I wanted to concentrate all my energy and love into her. I didn't want to miss out on any milestone, take anything away from her or take anything for granted. As stupid as it sounds, I couldn't imagine being able to love another child with as much love as I had for Ashlyn. Silly right?
For me it just didn't feel right. And it actually took a while before I even considered the possibility of having another.

 
 
I can't remember when all this baby fever kicked in but its in full throttle as we speak.
You absolutely know when your 'clucky' because you find yourself watching every baby and delivery story possible, you find your self planning what themed nursery your going to have, even have both gender names picked out before you even fall pregnant!
Yes I've ticked all three of these boxes and more.
 
As clucky as I am though, I'm holding off for now. And for many reasons. The first being that 2013 has always sounded unlucky to me. We had a rollercoaster of a 2012, so I guess you can't be too careful despite not really being too superstitious. Second being I don't want any of my children to have a late birthday. This is a BIG one for me. My birthday is late November and I've always hated it. You have to wait until the end of the year for so many things. Its never a good feeling when all of your friends are experiencing life's new adventures when you have to keep on waiting. Getting your Learners Permit, legally being able to drink..just to name a few. We took all this into consideration when we were TTC for Ashlyn. I'm not sure how the school systems work everywhere else in the world but here in Australia your child starts school at the age of 4. But, if you are born after a certain month you have to wait until the following year making you 5. Ashlyn's birthday is at the very beginning of the year, so she starts school next year on time (making her 4), my nephew however is born the year before Ashlyn in October and starts the same year that she does (making him 5). Stupid policy but I don't want my child to have to wait.
Another reason, I would really like to have a boy second time round. Don't get me wrong, I am in no way against having another girl..but to be honest I can't see myself having anymore then 2 children and It would be nice to have one of each. Pigeon pair. Based on that I have decided to go by the Chinese Lunar Chart.
If you have never heard of the Chinese Lunar Chart (many haven't) it's basically an ancient Chinese old wives tale that is said to have an accuracy rate of up to 93%. You line up your (lunar age) with the (lunar month) you conceived and it will give you a result of either boy or girl. It was right when I had Ashlyn and tends to be right majority of the times I test it out on friends or family. So understandable why I have some trust in the theory.
I'm also looking into the Shettles method as I have seen alot written about that aswell along with charting just like any other would be if TTC.
Because I am going by the Chinese Lunar Chart though, there are only certain months I can TTC. Which is prooving difficult when I'm wanting to be pregnant so bad.
But if in the end after abiding by all of these 'Old Wives Tales' do I still get a girl I will be just as happy. Just means Ashlyn will have a little sister rather then a little brother and girls are alot of fun :)
Atleast I can say I tried right lol.
 
I can't wait to experience all the unknowns of Pregnancy again. Will keep you posted xo

9 Months Pregnant with Ashlyn.