Reblog | From the Sea to the Sky in British Columbia

I wrote part of this blog 2 years ago after Sean and I had completed our anniversary escape to Canada. I was excited to be back home after being overseas, and this trip was so much fun. We were able to explore the city of Vancouver, spent a few nights in a secluded cabin near Mount Currie, and then had an adventure at Whistler. Sean really made this trip special for us, so I wanted to bring it back up. With the whole social distancing going on due to COVID-19, it’s been hard on everyone to stay put.

I know we’re all itching to get back out and exploring, but for the sake of the entire world, we should do the best thing possible for the entire world, and stay home to protect each other until we know what’s really going on. I’m a nurse returning to work soon, so thankfully I haven’t had to deal with the hardships just yet, but I have a lot of friends who are on the front lines, and the marks on their faces don’t lie. Stay home, stay safe. And without further ado, a look from the Sea to the Sky in British Columbia.

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Highway 99 in Canada is known as the Sea to Sky Highway. We took this from Vancouver to Whistler, and I kid you not, the view was absolutely breathtaking. It seemed like after each turn there was a waterfall or a viewing point to stop at.

  We didn't have much time on our hands to make it to every stop, so we chose two different points on the highway. Our first stop was Britannia Beach, which is located next to a mining museum. If time permitted, I would've asked my husband to go inside because it looked very interesting. In the 1800s, they discovered copper here, which led to the development of the Britannia Mining Company.  We parked our car in front of the museum store and then walked across the highway to an old railroad track that leads to the beach. My husband was able to fly our Mavic over the lake to capture the view, vlog to be completed soon. Just being by the water was a nice feeling, even if it wasn't for swimming.

Our second stop was about a 10-minute drive north, to Shannon Falls. Shannon Falls is a 335-meter waterfall, ranking it the 3rd largest waterfall in Squamish, BC. This area is perfect for picnicking on your way up to Whistler because it has a large picnic area with tables and a restroom. The waterfall is very well maintained. There is a walking trail that goes up to the falls.

  On our way back down from Whistler, we stopped at Nairn Falls. This was when we were driving from Mount Currie to Whistler, so it's a bit more north. This was a 1.5-kilometer hike on a hiking trail alongside the Green River. To view the falls, there is a fenced platform that has a combination of rock and wood, which is extremely slippery, so approach it with caution. There's an area where you can view the river, and then a higher area to view the falls. Michael was able to fly the drone here, but we did it with caution because the wind was very strong where the falls were coming down.

  The drive to Whistler was about two hours. The weather was on our side that day because it was clear blue skies and minimum wind chill. I would recommend this drive, and I hope to go back and stop at more of the locations along it.

What I actually used in my hospital bag

I think one of the most exciting things I did during my pregnancy was prepare my hospital bag. That, and preparing my son’s nursery. As a nurse that’s had the chance to care for laboring and postpartum moms, I kind of already had an idea on what to bring with me to the hospital and what would be a waste of space. So hopefully this little list can help you decide on what to keep and what to leave at home. We had three bags packed for our time there: mine, Maverick’s, and my husband’s.

Mental note: If I had to give birth during COVID-19, I wouldn’t bring more than I needed. I wouldn’t want to bring my own clothes (in addition to going home outfit) because I’d have to bring that into my home to be washed. I’d rather use the hospital’s supplies, and limit what had to come back into the house. Just food for though.

Momma’s bag

Your postpartum attire | I kind of regret packing so many clothes because I ended up living in that hospital gown to make it easier to nurse Maverick. I brought a few pairs of pajamas that were nice because I thought we would be able to do a Fresh 48 session, but since Maverick ended up in the NICU, that outfit didn’t get taken out. The things I do recommend bringing are your nursing bras, some warm fuzzy socks for when you’re chillin’ in bed, and a comfortable going home outfit. A good going home outfit would probably be sweats or supportive leggings and a comfortable shirt/sweater. If you haven’t already, I’d also invest in a pair of compression socks because you will swell up after delivery. It’s only for a few days, but it gets really uncomfortable when you get up to walk.

Slippers for the shower & walking | I know how dirty hospital floors can get. I’ve had patients vomit and poop on the floor on the same day, and that’s different patients. So whatever you do, don’t walk around the hospital barefoot, even if it’s in your room. Bring a pair of slippers (flip flops *rolls eyes) to wear in the shower, and then maybe a comfy pair of slippers to walk around in. I was lucky enough to be gifted a “spa” set for my secret Santa, so I brought those slippers with me. I don’t like wearing flip flops, so that’s why I brought two pairs.

Hygiene Kit | It’s always smart to bring your own hygiene kit with you when you travel, so the hospital is no different. The soap at the hospital isn’t the best, and neither is the shampoo. So I packed travel-sized shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant and toothpaste with me. Then I packed (of course!) my skin care kit. Shout out to Janine and Joey for sending us a hedgie and shiba travel toothbrush! Don’t forget your hairbrush and extra hair ties. Those things will go missing so quickly. Oh, and bring your own towel from home because hospital towels are the size of… baby towels, literally towels big enough for your baby. My hospital towel couldn’t even hold all of my hair.

Depends | Like I said in my postpartum must haves, DON’T KNOCK THE DIAPER UNTIL YOU TRY IT. It was extremely annoying having to try and build a diaper using the Asian pear undies and a chux. Using a diaper was super easy cause I could just change it every time I went to the restroom.

Baby’s Bag

Going home outfit | I didn’t bother bringing baby too many clothes for the hospital because he spent most of it naked anyways. I’ve always swaddled newborn babies naked (just in a diaper) because it’s so much easier for us as nurses to come in and do our assessments. I don’t even like messing with onesies at home, let alone at work when you’re trying to be quiet in the room. So I just brought a couple of outfits to choose from for him to go home in.

Baby Blanket | We brought one because even though it was a little warm here in El Paso, the wind would still be cold. Depending on where you’re at and what season it is, you may not need it.

Boppy | If you plan on breastfeeding, it’s just so nice to have a boppy to give you extra support while you nurse. Babies can get so heavy after a while, even if they’re only 6 pounds like Maverick. What’s nice is you can ask your nurse to help you with all the different ways you can position the boppy to give you the most comfortable position to nurse in.

Breast pump | If you’ve never used a breast pump before, it’s a good idea to clean and sanitize your breast pump and bring it with you. You’ll most likely be seen by a Lactation Consultant before you leave the hospital. This is important if you plan on exclusively breastfeeding since we don’t want our babies to lose>10% of their weight before they go home. Knowing how to work your breast pump is important because you want to make sure you’re using the correct flange sizes, and that you know how to work the settings. I personally like the Spectra S1 because you can charge it, unlike the S2 which requires an outlet. I also recommend the Freemie Liberty as a hands-free pump.

Other things

Car Seat | I’m not sure if it was only a policy at the previous hospitals I worked at, but it could be the case at your facility: baby is supposed to be checked in the car seat to make sure it’s the proper fit for them. At my old facilities, we would conduct an oxygenation test on them if they were small for gestational age (SGA). This is personally my preferred method of how baby should be discharged so I know (as a nurse, not as a mom) that baby is safe on their car ride home. You would be surprised how many people do not bring their car seat TO THE HOSPITAL IN THE CAR… People have really tried to ride home carrying their baby in their arms. DO NOT BE THIS PERSON, CAUSE I WOULD NOT LET YOU LEAVE.

Distraction Items | When you aren’t writhing in pain before delivery, you can pass the time reading a book or watching a movie on a laptop. When your baby is sleeping and you’re wide awake, it’s always nice to have something to fill the time. So make sure you bring something to do for those lulls during the day.

Camera | This is obvious, for photos, duh! Or if you’re willing to dish out the money for someone else to do it, invest in a birth photographer like we did! We do not regret the decision at all!

Snacks | Hospital food can take awhile to get to you, and sometimes it’s not that great. This is not just for you! Make sure your partner has snackies to eat while you’re laboring down. The more snacks you have in the room, the less they’ll have to leave the room. Just make sure that if you’re grumpy because you’re hungry, that they hide so you don’t want to punch them in the face.

Things you’ll most likely get at the hospital

Most people want to pack these because everyone says they’re useful, but you most likely won’t need them until. It’s probably a good idea to buy an extra of the medical supplies for home when you run out of what they give you at the hospital. And remember, whatever they give you in the hospital has to be thrown away when you leave, so make sure you just bring everything they give you in your room (not the equipment, obvi.) But things like diapers, wipes, and personal care items will have to be thrown out after your discharge due to infection control. Bring it home with you! And don’t be afraid to ask for things before you leave like extra bottles of formula if they tell you to supplement while waiting for your milk to come in, or syringes if you plan on expressing breast milk.

• Baby diapers and wipes

• Baby blankets and beanies

• Pacifier

• Premixed formula and nipples

• Gowns

• Tucks pads, Proctofoam, Dermoplast, ice packs, pads/chux, peribottle

Hopefully this helps narrow down your list of things to pack. It can be stressful trying to choose what to bring and what to leave at home. It’s so hard lugging all the extra stuff around. Plus, when your baby comes, you’ll be too busy admiring the little peanut to worry about anything that you may have forgotten!

How to make the most out of social distancing

Strange times we’re going through right now, right? It’s like, the more you tell someone they have to stay home, the more they want to start exploring the outdoors. The more you tell someone that they can finally binge-watch their trending Netflix show (aka Tiger King), the more they want to have a picnic in the park next to everyone else having a picnic in the park. Is it me, or have we needed to go to Target more this week than any other week before this entire pandemic started?

You’re right, it’s difficult not to lose your mind and go stir crazy during this whole “stay home, stay safe” lock down, so what can you do to make it better at home? I’ve been lucky enough to have my hands full with my newborn, so hopefully, you have more time to do these things!

But first, how’s maternity leave going?

Since we were fortunate enough to have Maverick before all of this, we’ve just been hanging out at home for the most part. Part of me wishes he was still in my tummy so I could protect him, but it’s okay. Maternity leave has mostly been me sitting in a chair watching Netflix as I feed or console Maverick. It’s also been cleaning the house because of the doggy fur and dust and reorganizing things to make space for all of our baby stuff. We were supposed to go to Washington to visit everyone so they could meet Maverick, but I guess that’s just going to have to wait until we can use our leave again. So for now, Maverick is going to observe the inside of our home and backyard.

So what can you do?

Clean out your closet

I’ve been putting off cleaning out my closet for so long. Only because I was pregnant and I didn’t know what I wanted to keep for my new momma bod. But it is spring, so it’s a perfect time to do some spring cleaning! Since you aren’t going to be going anywhere crazy during this lock down, it’s a good opportunity for you to go through your closet and try on things you want to keep or get rid of. I know the biggest thing that holds me back on donating/selling clothes is the thought, “if XYZ happens, this would be perfect!” … XYZ never happens. Try to focus on keeping timeless pieces, staple pieces, and a few signature pieces. I’ve found myself moving away from loud clothing and staying relatively plain and neutral. It’s much easier to mix-n-match your outfits if all the pieces are around the same color scheme.

Writing more

You can obviously see that I’ve had more time on my hands to write since I’ve been posting more frequently. Being stuck inside and not being able to hang out with friends or family actually gives you the excuse to spend some time on your computer. If you’ve ever wanted to build a blog or write a book, then maybe right now is your chance to build that foundation! My friend Aleita has already finished her first book and has started working on her second one. Even though she had been working on it for the past year, this little break gave her the time she needed to let her creative juices flow. I’ve had more time to go through my photos, take photos, and organize my thoughts for the blogs I want to write. Even if you start on a free blog like Weebly or Wix, it’s better than not starting at all. Or if you aren’t into writing for the public eye, investing in a journal might be a cool idea to document how your 2020 is going. I’m sure it’ll be an interesting story to tell your future grandkids.

Trying your hand at baking

Okay, so far, I’ve only baked lactation cookies and made pot roast. Other than that, Sean and my mother-in-law have been cooking everything. I’m very thankful for that because I am EXHAUSTED. I do want to get back into baking during my leave though. It’s something that I used to find so much joy in. Cake decorating was so much fun when I was in culinary school. So far, all I’ve done to get this whole baking thing underway has been bookmarking recipes on Instagram. I follow @sweetish.co and @livewellbakeoften. The food they post always looks absolutely delicious, and I’ve followed a few recipes from them that were very simple to do!

Learn how to use a sewing machine

Sean has always prided himself on sewing things by hand. When he got the bright idea of making Maverick a swaddle that looks like a Pokemon, he quickly realized how long it would take to sew it by hand. That’s when we invested in a sewing machine. Now Maverick has a Pokemon swaddle, and I have a sewing machine. I’ve set aside my college t-shirts to have them made into a quilt, but we keep forgetting to send the box to my friend Mrs. Tanya. So I decided during this quarantine season, why not try to learn how to quilt myself? So now I have a bunch of cut up & fused fabric on my table waiting to be quilted together. I’m excited because this is probably the most motherly hobby I could think of. Wait till we get to that Halloween drip this year, my family is going to look fireee.

Play video games

Sean has been doing some catching up on his video games. I just bought Sean Dreams for PlayStation 4. It seems like a very interesting type of game because you can actually make your own game or play other games. It seems like it takes a lot of time to learn, but we've seen a few that were really well done! They also have recently released Animal Crossing, a game Sean and I have both become slightly addicted to. It kind of reminds me of Facebook’s infamous FarmVille. I never played the original AC, but I’m really lovin’ this one. And really, if we can’t get together in person, getting together on each other’s islands in the next best thing right? If you ever want to connect, drop your Friend Code in the comments!

So happy we were able to purchase weights before this lock down started!

Start a new workout routine

You don’t always need to be in the gym to start a fitness routine. Everyone is afraid of getting sick right now, so what better way to protect yourself than getting healthy? Exercise will help boost your immune system! I’ve done a few fitness apps for beginners that I love to include Nike Training Club and FitOn. I’ve also followed @WhitneySimmons and @Brooklynhillfit on Instagram that have great workouts. It’s hard to do those workouts unless you have a home gym though. Anyways, get movin’ at home, get healthy. Not just for your physical appearance, but to live a better lifestyle overall!

Bottomline, stay the fxck home

I can’t stress this enough. If you don’t need to go anywhere then why voluntarily expose yourself to the virus? The cases here in El Paso are going up each day and it’s terrifying watching it come so close to home. If you don’t need gloves or masks, stop hoarding them and donate them to hospitals where the workers actually need them. If you already have 18 rolls of toilet paper, don’t go hoarding another load on your next trip to the store. It’s actually such a frustrating feeling going to the store and not being able to buy Lysol or Clorox because Karen wants to hoard them. Even though Karen is a non-essential worker who is supposed to stay home ANYWAYS. You guys do know that if we want to keep everyone safe and clean, then you’re supposed to let others have the supplies to be safe and clean? Okay, that’s all. Stay home, wash your hands, cover your nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze. #COVID19

A mom’s review of the Spectra S1 breast pump

Looking for the right breast pump among so many options can be so difficult, especially if you’ve never had to deal with one before. The only breast pump I had any experience with was the Medela Symphony and that’s because it was what we lent out to new moms in the hospital. I thought that I wanted a Medela pump, but after reading so many mom reviews, I decided on the Spectra S1.

There are so many great things about this pump. Some of the features that are included in this pump are:

• Quiet hospital grade suction with different cycle settings

• Differentiate from expression and letdown (massage) mode

• Closed double pumping system

• Rechargeable battery

• Night light - super useful at night so you aren’t fiddling with your cellphone!

• Lightweight approx. 3 lbs

• Price: $200 (Can be covered by insurance!)

Why the cycles of letdown and expression are so great

I really like that this pump has both of these functions, my travel pump does not have this option. The different cycles are supposed to resemble how baby would be on your breast. The letdown cycle, controlled by the top middle button with 3 wavy lines, is locked in at 70 CPM, with 5 different suction levels. This is supposed to mimic the first time baby latches when they’re sucking fast to get the milk to release from the ducts. This normally takes about 2 minutes on average to happen, and you can help it along by massaging your breast in the beginning. The only thing that you have to keep in mind is that the pump does not automatically start on letdown, you have you press it once you turn it on.

The expression cycle is when the milk is steadily flowing and this is when baby will have a suck, pause, swallow motion. There are 5 speeds of 38, 42, 46, 50, and 54. It has 12 different suction levels as well. I would recommend starting at a slower cycle and lower suction speed when starting. Having a strong and fast suction does not always yield more milk, in fact, if you’re uncomfortable it may actually hinder your milk production. Another tip to make this easier on your nipples is to lube them up with nipple balm so they slide comfortably in the flanges.

A pump that suckles, not sucks

A small thing that I noticed was the vibration of the flanges when pumping. It’s actually kind of soothing to have a different sensation so it’s not just a straight suck from the pump. Spectra prides itself on it’s natural nursing technology which mimics a more natural feeding session that other standard pumps may not offer.

Closed Pumping system feature

The closed pumping system just means that as you’re pumping, the milk will never come into contact with the pumping motor. The Spectra has a good back flow system set up as well so the milk you’re pumping is going directly into the bottle or bag that you’re pumping to. Pretty much, the milk isn’t going to be exposed to unnecessary bacteria.

Spectra S1 with night light on

Stay at home pump or travel pump?

I definitely do not see myself traveling with this pump to work or anywhere else. The odd shape of the pump makes it a very awkward thing to pack in a tote bag. I did originally choose this pump so I could bring it to work without the worry of having the find an outlet in a private space just so I could use it. I do like that I can carry it anywhere in the house though.

If you had to only have one pump though, at least you know traveling with this pump, you’ll always get a good milk turnout. Plus it’s very easy to clean if you did have to travel with it!

What’s all included in the box?

• 1 Spectra S1 breast pump

• 4 Breast flanges (2 x 24 mm, 2 x 28 mm)

• 2 Tubes

• 2 Duckbill valves

• 2 Back-flow protectors

• 2 Spectra wide neck storage bottles

• 1 12-volt AC adapter

Top 10 Postpartum Must-haves for Mama

If you’ve been stressing out about what you need for your baby’s new arrival, let this blog help ease some of that stress. I feel like a lot of new moms stress about what they need for baby and forget about what they need for themselves. So I’m going to go over a few items that helped me through the first few days of postpartum and they are still items I’m using right now. Giving birth is hard enough, the time after it shouldn’t be as hard.

Depends | Don’t knock the diapers until you try them! You’ll most likely be given mesh undies, small chux pads, and a maternity pad (a normal period pad) after labor. You may be surprised at how much you’ll be bleeding after labor. You have to remember that you just lost a fairly large organ and you have a wound inside that needs to heal. Changing your pad after you use the restroom can become very tedious when you have multiple items you’re trying to shimmy up your legs. Lining a Depends with your tucks pads is so much easier than trying to make sure your pad stays in place in your Asian pear undies.

Dermoplast and Tucks | Your punani is going to hurt, and so is your butthole. You just had a human and an organ pass through your punani, so don’t be surprised if it’s super sore for a few weeks. Plus all of that pressure from baby’s head on your rectum is going to give you some mean hemorrhoids. Dermoplast has benzocaine and menthol in it to help give a nice numbing feeling to the area. It’s a spray you can use 2-3 times a day. Tucks contains witch haizel which helps with the pain from swelling and the itchiness that comes with hemorrhoids. These two items will make using the restroom a lot less scary for the first time.

Disposable Ice Packs | Sit on these, sis. Ice packs will help reduce swelling which helps with pain. That gate control theory is real with these ice packs. So the idea is that your brain can only process one sensation at a time. The receptors that process temperature differ from the ones that process pain. So if you overwhelm these nerves with a cold or hot sensation, then it’ll reduce the way you process the pain. So sit on it sis.

Aloe Vera and Vitamin E lotion | You will be so itchy after you give birth. During my pregnancy, I was so adamant about putting on my almond oil, Vitamin E belly balm, and lotion on that I didn’t think it’d be as bad after birth. BUT I WAS WRONG. My stomach was (and still is) itchy AF. So I’ve been using both lotion and aloe vera on my tummy to help soothe the itchiness. Both are good for helping keep your stretch marks hydrated. A plus for the aloe vera is putting it on your perineal pads to help soothe that area too.

Peribottle | Touching your punani is going to be scary the first few times around. Wiping your butt is going to be scary the first few times around. But I can’t stress enough how important it is to keep your area clean after delivery, especially if you were the unlucky few to get stitches during delivery. The last thing you want after delivery is an infection. So using a peribottle with warm water and some soap will save you the hassle of constantly wiping to keep yourself clean. Plus it makes peeing a whole lot easier when you spray at the same time. Your hospital should give you one to use, but if you want a better one, the one from Frida is a good purchase!

Motrin | The Army’s holy grail of pharmaceuticals; heals all ailments. LOL, just kidding. But after 9 months of not being able to take Motrin, it was the first drug I requested after delivery. You’d be amazed at how limber you are after delivery with all of the adrenaline rushing. Motrin helps with those afterbirth pains. Your uterus contracting back down, your perineum throbbing from having spit out a human and an organ, and the rest of your body aching from delivery and being so tense. This is one drug I would not pass up on.

Lanolin | I’ve been using lanolin for awhile now. I bought Lano’s Multipurpose balm and I use it for my lips and dry patches on my hands due to the constant handwashing. Lanolin is made from wool grease, or the oil from animals who have wool (sheeeeep, baa!) It’s widely used by breastfeeding mamas as nipple cream. If you and your little nugget are going to go on adventure together into the world of breastfeeding, then this is a must have. Cracked nipples are no joke. It increases the risk of infection for you, and can be really painful when baby is feeding. No one wants to be in that kind of pain. Trust me, it isn’t fun. The one I recommend for breastfeeding and pumping is Honest Company’s Nipple Balm!

Haakaa | This won’t let you down when it’s catchin’ your letdown (lol, bad mom jokes.) Honestly though, I’ve caught almost 2 ounces each time I stick this baby on to my other boob while Maverick feeds. It’s such a good way to build a small refrigerator stash. I don’t freeze it (… yet) because I only catch about 2 ounces. But it’s a nice lil snacky snack if baby is still hungry and you’re over breastfeeding for 40 minutes. Babies get heavy after awhile. This was a great gift from our sis Amanda. So if you know someone who is pregnant, get them a haakaa.

The great thing about most of these items is that you’ll receive them after delivery, so you won’t have to buy your first set, but it’s always good to buy a set for home. Or if you’re not wanting to buy a bunch of different products, you can grab the Frida Mom Postpartum Kit that includes disposable undies, cooling wipes, perineal foam, and ice packs. There’s a peribottle that is also available for a separate purchase! Regardless of how you decide to get your hands on these items, they’ll all be super helpful in helping you heal so you can take care of your little baby.