Sorry I've not been around much {here's why...}

You may have noticed, my posts have been thin on the ground.

I REALLY must learn to have a stash of posts handy, to share in times such as these.

So, where have I been??

Right here. And pretty much nowhere else.






Any of you who have been following my blog for a while, may have guessed that for themselves!!! In previous pregnancies, my blog posting has always decreased. It's rather hard just to eat, clean and breathe, without also blogging.

But, I am now just over 15 weeks pregnant, and turning a corner. It's a wide, sweeping bend, more than a 90 degree corner, mind you.  But, it's a turn, nonetheless.

The nausea is nearly gone, but tiredness is still there. Not helped by the children having whooping cough, amongst other traumas and challenges.

But, I AM improving! YAY!

My brain is now thinking about blog posts I want to write, and getting excited to start back with sharing what God is teaching me. I have missed blogging - it's a creative outlet for me, and focusses my mind upon the things of Christ.

I'm due February the 6th, which will be my first proper winter baby! All my others have been spring or autumn.

After what happened with my last pregnancy, these weeks are not quite like they were before. I have to remember to be thankful for each day, and that God is in control, and His ways are perfect. I know everything was OK, but I am reminded, quite regularly, that things don't always go how we think they will.

My main thought needs to be that of Psalm 139:14

"I will PRAISE THEE".

God is creating this tiny person, growing inside me. How can I do anything but PRAISE Him?

What are you praising God for today? His mercies are new every morning.

Leaves? Anyone? Raspberry leaves?......

For some, this is not breaking news.

For some, it may be life changing.

For some, it already HAS changed their lives.

REALLY? Life-changing?

Ohhhhhh yes!

Now, I am not the world's top promoter of all things "natural" or "herbal".

I certainly don't want to get into a debate about such things!

(As a slight aside, one of my top tips is Arnica cream, for bumps and bruises.)

However, that is not the main theme of this post.

It's raspberries.

Well, not ACTUALLY raspberries....as much as I love them...

 (I had to scroll down quite a way, having googled "picture of raspberries", to find one with cream and chocolate! *whistles* )

As much as raspberries are good, it's the LEAVES I am about to wax lyrical about!

"sorry, did I hear you correctly?...LEAVES?"   I may hear you ask...

Yes....LEAVES!

It still amazes me how many ladies have not heard of using such a thing.  You can have it in tea form, or if you find herbal teas rather vile (*bleugh*), you can take it in capsule form.

So, why on EARTH would I suggest you take raspberry leaf?

Well, I should really have started by saying that this post is for those who are still having menstrual cycles, or for those who are pregnant.

So, off you toddle, you men who read my blog....(well, I certainly know of ONE man that does...he may have already decided this one wasn't for him...you know who you are....).

All other ladies, stay - you may have someone you can tell about this, and help them immensely in the process!

I didn't really know much about this until my 5th pregnancy.  I had heard a little, but not really taken it regularly, so it didn't do much.  But, with my 5th, I tried to take it regularly.

Why?  Well, it's supposed to tone your uterus, and help with the 2nd stage of labour. It is also supposed to help the uterus reduce after giving birth and help with after pains as well.

So, less pushing...less bulgy tummy...less pain when feeding...

Sound good?

Read on!

The thing is, there isn't a lot of research on the matter...only a LOT of ladies who can tell you that it made a difference to them.

With my 5th baby, I didn't get the chance to see if it worked as I had an emergency c-section!  But, I do know I got to 7cm dilation with no pain relief, and coping well between contractions!

Baby number 6, I started taking the tablets at 34 weeks. I  started off taking 3 a day (400mg, I think), and increased it to 6 for the last few weeks.  I was very careful to take them every day, and not be lazy with it.

I then followed the advice of this article...

"The Raspberry Leaf Tea Story

Tea made from raspberry leaves is the best-known herbal aid in pregnancy. Rather than go into all the traditional lore about this herb, we present the following lengthy account, because it is both contemporaneous and highly specific.

"My mother was born and raised in Scotland, coming to america at the age of 26. Whenever a member of her family became ill or had a health problem, her mother had consulted an herbalist or herb doctor. As a result of this, I was treated with herbs as a child.
"Mother had always told me that red raspberry leaf tea would prevent miscarriage and was excellent for pregnany and chilbirth. When I became pregnant, I immediately sent for some raspberry leaf tea and began taking one cup of it each day, made from one teaspoon of dried leaves added to one cup of boiling water and steeped for 15 minutes. I had a very normal pregnancy. Then I went into labor, I truly expected to have an easy labor and delivery because I had faithfully taken the tea. While it is true that I did not have a complicated or extremely difficult time, it was not by any means easy. The tea had not lived up to my expectations.
"It was not until sometimes after the birth of my daughter that I read a book my mother had brought with her from Scotland entitled Dragged to Light by W.H. Box of Plymouth, England. In it I found the secret of just how to take the tea so it would truly work wonders during labor and delivery. Box said, 'On one ounce of raspberry leaves pour one pint of boiling water, cover and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain, and when the time for delivery is approaching drink the whole as hot as possible.'
"There were a number of testimonials in the book written by women who had used this herb. Several took the strong solution over a period of time before going into labor. They were instructed in that case to take a wineglassful three times a day. They had 'only two stiff pains and it was all over' or 'no after pains and very slight before.' They never made it out of the house. Box's instructions were, 'But those who take the tea considerably before the time should not leave the house when the time is approaching as many mothers are delivered almost suddenly when at their work, to the great veaxtion of doctors and nurses.'
"When I became pregnant again I was determined to try it that way. I still took a cup a day as I had before. but this time when I went into labor I made a strong solution of it as I had read in the book. I put it in a container and took it to the hospital with me. I wasn't sure how quickly it would work and I didn't want to have the baby in the car. I didn't think they'd allow me to drink it in the hospital so I drank half of it in the parking lot. I was afraid to drink all of it as it was so strong and I didn't personally know anyone who had taken it this strong before. I had been having strong contractions but by the time I registered and was taken up to the labor room the contractions were so mild I hardly felt them. Upon examination they said I was ready to deliver and would not even give me an enema. In the delivery room I was quite comfortable and hardly felt anything. One hour after entering the hospital my son was born.
"In the recovery room there were several other young women who had just given birth also. They were moaning abd groaning. I couldn't imagine what they were making a fuss about as I felt like I could have gotten up and gone home. I had always read and heard about women getting after-pains with a second child. I never had even one. This was also the testimony of a number of women who were treated with the tea by Box.
"Later I thought I would have had an easy time anyway since it was my second child. I was anxious for someon else to try it. A friend of mine was expection a baby in a few weeks and she had been taking a cup of the tea daily and was also goig to take the strong solution when she went into labor. She had had two previous pregnancies and both times nearly miscarried and had to take drugs and be in bed a good deal of the time. Both deliveries were extremely difficult. When she became pregnant this time she began spotting and it looked like she would have to go through the same kind of trouble she had before. Having used an herb I had given her for another problem, with success, she asked if there was an herb for this problem and I recommended raspberry leaf tea.
"She started taking it and the spotting stopped immediately and she had a normal pregnancy, much to the amazement of her family who remembered her difficulties in the past. When she went into labor she took the tea as I had and told me she had only 25 minutes of hard labor before her baby was born.
"I have told a number of women about this amazing herb through the years, but no one else seemed interested enough to try it. However, 1978 my daughter became pregnant and she was very much interested in having an easy delivery. She took the tea each day and had a normal pregnancy. She, too, took the strong solution of the tea with her to the hospital and also being a little wary drank only half of it. When the doctor examined her, it was late in the evening. He said the baby wouldn't be born until six o'clock in the the morning so he went hime. She was having hard contractions at this time and I was very disappointed and felt the tea hadn't worked. An hour and a half later we recieved a call from our son-in-law saying we had a little grandson. The tea started working and the doctor had no sooner reached his home when he had to turn around and come right back to the hospital. My daughter said the next time she is going to drink all of the tea." -- I.A., Utah "

(I found this article here )

So, as I take the tablets, not the tea, when I knew I was in labour with Elijah, I downed about 10 tablets in one "sitting"! *gasps*

I carried on to have the best labour I have ever had!  Had I not been continuously monitored (medics being paranoid about me having a VBAC!....*rolls eyes*), which slowed my labour down whilst I lay on the bed, then I believe I would have delivered even quicker!

All my other babies - number 1-4 - I had to push for over 2 hours, 3 out of 4 resulting in assisted deliveries as I just couldn't push them out. I never felt a proper urge to push, as everyone said should happen.

But, baby 6...totally different story! Within about 30-40 minutes of being allowed back up on my feet again after monitoring, I felt the overwhelming urge to push!!! It was the first time for me! And, with no more than about half an hour of pushing (and that wasn't constant....I remember only about 10 decent pushes?), he was born!!!! I felt amazingly better than I ever had straight after giving birth...I even cut his cord myself, as I was alert enough to do it! Normally I would be exhausted ad hardly aware of being handed a baby!  I was amazed at the difference!

The after pains were not as bad as with the others, either.

So, needless to say, I am taking it again, with determined regularity!

What of helping those with painful periods?

I have heard, just recently, of a young girl who was passing out, vomiting and in terrible pain, with every cycle.  She started taking a cup of the tea every day...and when the next cycle came around, she had virtually NO symptoms at all.

Now, again, I cannot give you lots of research on the matter, but I hold a lot to experience! If lots of people can tell you it helped THEM, then it's worth a whirl!

The only research I found, certainly said there is no harm in taking it.

So, there is my experience with it.  I will take the big dose again when I am in labour, and maybe if I don't get strapped to a monitor, things will be even quicker?!


This is the recommended doses I found for pregnancy...

The following guidelines on consuming raspberry leaf during pregnancy have been taken from Parsons (1999): Tablets - Take two 300mg or 400mg tablets with each meal (three times a day) from 32 weeks. Teabags - 1st trimester- one cup per day -2nd trimester - two cups per day -3rd trimester - up to 4 to 5 teabag cups throughout the day. Loose leaf tea - Bring one cup of water to the boil. Remove from heat and add one teaspoon of the herb. Stir, cover and let sit for ten minutes (do not boil the herb), strain and sip. Adding sugar or honey many improve the taste. 2 to 3 cups per day is often recommended especially after 28 weeks of pregnancy. And the article further up tells you about the concentrated dose for during labour.   I am not sure about how much to take for helping with period pains, other my friend's daughter taking a cup a day.  It may be a case of just trying it and seeing what works. Please share if you have found it has helped you! And, watch this space to see if I have a better labour this time! *grin*  Not much longer now - my due date is 13th of April! :-)

Quick announcement

I am so sorry for being rather quiet on here, but there has been a reason.

When you are feeling nauseous, and tired, and simple tasks are tiring, blogging becomes an unachievable luxury.

It all helps when it's worth it!

 
I am due to have bambino numero 7 in the middle of April 2012!  We are so very excited, and I have finally turned the corner on fatigue and nausea! Yipee!

I had been writing blog posts in the mornings, but mornings have not been my strong suit over the last 10 weeks or so!  They are normally my time when I curl up with my Bible, and learn much of God's Word to share with you all.  I have to admit that my quiet times have not been what I would like.  The praise part is, that my body is naturally wakening up near to 6.30am again, no alarm required.  And, with the darker mornings, the children are not wakening so early.  My quiet times should resume as before, and my blog posts should increase in frequency!

It is tough not sharing with people when you feel at your worst, but we wait to tell people until after the scan.  So, once again, apologies for the quiet (not like me, I know!).

I will more than likely now update on several things that I have learnt through these last few weeks - pregnancy and non-pregnancy related.

Anyhow, bed beckons!

I will be back soooooooooon! :-)

Top Tips Tuesday - Surviving Pregnancy

Someone asked, on an online group that I am on, how to cope with lots of little children during pregnancy.  It got me thinking about what helped me to cope, and how I struggled, during my prgenancy's.

Contrary to common opinion, I am NOT superwoman.  (I KNOW that some of you are well aware of that.....). Some people seem to think that I am, because I am a SAHM, who has 6 children, and who homeschools.   But, I certainly have many a day where I do not feel like a super anything.  Well, maybe a super-whiner, or a super-failure, or a super-lost-it-completely.  ANYTHING of any merit that is observed, is ALL of God's grace, and God's grace alone.  I could NOT do it without the Lord, and HIS strength.

So, for my Top Tips, I am going to give a few ways to prevent pregnancy melt-down, a lot of which applies to general life, as well.

1.  Don't miss out on your quiet time.

Now, I have to ALWAYS alter how and when I do my quiet time, when I am pregnant.  I simply can't manage the early rises quite like I normally do.  I have to adjust that.  Sometimes I don't get my readings done until the evening, or it may be in the morning, but with the children milling around.  But, I have discovered (to my personal disaster), miss it, miss out.  Or, miss it, mess up.  If there is ever  a time when you need to know that closeness with the Lord, it is when the children are little, and you are hormonal, and pregnant.  Melt-downs happen waaaaaay quicker, if you are not keeping your eyes on the Lord.  Pray a lot.  Think on God's goodness. You REALLY need to.  Otherwise you dwell on the problems, and how "blah" you are feeling, and you end up in a downward spiral of self-pity and tears. (yep, tears...easily the tears)

2.  Don't do more than you have to

Yes, YOU! That lady there, reading this, who's a perfectionist and couldn't possibly imagine letting ONE thing "slip" from her perfect routine.  Let some things wait.  Because they CAN wait until you are feeling better.  Or until someone else offers to do it.  Or until the baby is born.  It is more important to have a Mummy who isn't having a melt-down because she has lost her last ounce of energy ironing the tea towels.  (for the record, I NEVER iron tea towels, but I do iron more than some I know.  My lovely husband likes things to be ironed, so I do.  But, a pile ALWAYS builds up in early and late pregnancy, and I just do what NEEDS to be done...the earth isn't going to implode beacuse you don't get all the ironing done!)  Let your standards slip.  Ok, maybe put more positively, alter your standards for a short while.

3.  Take help when it's offered.

No matter how much it may not the way you like it done, or the speed you like it done, take help when it's offered.  If someone has a kind enough heart to offer in the first place, you would be MAD not to accept.  Even if the offer is purely because someone is trying to be self-righteous, or nosey, still say yes!  It's for gOd to judge the heart, and in the meantime, you reap the benefits. Yes, Mrs Blogs' dinners may not be quite like yours, but it beats making it yourself!

4.  Use paper plates and cups

Yes, that's right. Paper.  And throw them away.  One less job already - no washing up! You can get them VERY cheaply in Poundland and big stores.  It's easier for the children to clear up as well.  Even if you jsut do it for lunch, it's still a little help.

5.  Get the children involved

If you don't already have the children helping in the house START NOW! Every small thing that they can do, is one less thing for YOU to do.  It's all a great education for them, and it may start some excellent routines for the rest of life.  Even small children (2 or 3 years old) can do many things.  Changing hand towels, replenishing toilet paper, putting things away, getting out cutlery.  The list is long!  As for older children - my oldest two (9 and 8) could make basic dinners, and lunch with any kind of sandwich fillling (but especially PB&J and chocolate spread!....there's PROTEIN in peanut butter - it's GOOD!)  All these ways that a child can help can free up a nauseous and weary mother, reserving your energies for the things that you really need to do.

6.  Have "room time"

Again, if you don't already do this as part of your routine, start now!  We have done this for years now.  For an hour in the afternoon, the children spend an hour in their room.  I usually have them read for half an hour, and play for half an hour.  Girls in their room and boys in theirs.  Now, invariably, I have had my youngest child nap i the morning, and the room time is in the afternoon.  This is so that I was able to do school work in the morning, whilst the youngest was asleep.  You need to decide which things are more valuable to your time and energies.  I found that getting school done with fewer interruptions and having the smallest child with me during room time, is better than doing school in the afternoon when the youngest is awake just so I can have  a rest when the children have room time.  So, find what works for you.  But, I HIGHLY reccommend this "room time".  They are told NOT to keep coming out and bringing problems to me.  They have to be nice to each other, and sort out any problems themselves!

7.  If you home school, be flexible

I have known people (including myself!) to get into a real tizz about keeping up with a very busy home-schooling schedule during pregnancy, and ending up stressed out and exhausted.  I would suggest, if your curriculum choices allow, to take a less intensive approach at the harder times in pregnancy.   Get your older children to do a lot of independant reading.  They can learn SO much from factual books, by just sitting, quietly reading on their own.  Maybe get them to write some short reviews to show you what they have learnt, or narrate some facts to you, or demonstrate in some other way.  DO NOT stress about the younger children.  If you have started early with your children, and are already in a very strict schedule with, say, a 4 year old.  CHILL OUT! They are still SO young, and they can cope with something less intense, simply to allow their Mum to rest and cope.  You can do many "educational" things, such as simply reading aloud to them.  You can sit on the sofa, and they can be learning by just chatting to them - pointing out colours, numbers, things beginning with different sounds, light, sound - all just from your sofa! Learning comes in so many different shapes and forms.  RELAX!  Try and take it easy with the the things that can wait. Concentrate on teaching Biblical character traits. Eternal things, of so much importance, can be taught in very informal ways.  In fact, you could tie it in with the helping, by setting them tasks to tie in with character traits, which will also help the whole household! Get inventive, as much as your weary brain will allow!

8.  ABOVE ALL ELSE....

Remember....this will pass!  It is such a short season in life, with a far more eternal weight of glory.  You are growing a child inside of you, who you will be raising for the kingdom of Christ.  The weeks of nausea are far outweighed by the blessing of the child that will so very soon bring you joy!  Keep on, just one moment at a time.  Don't worry about how you will cope tomorrow, or next week, or next month.  TODAY is what counts for the Lord, and we must honour Him in our lives TODAY.  He WILL give you the grace and strength that you need.  If it doesn't seem like you have much, God know it is what you need, and you need to do what you are able to do, with the strength that HE has given you!

So, for all those of you going through pregnancy, keep your chin up!  Maybe you have some ways that you have found to cope with those tough days.  PLEASE share them!

Perhaps your child-bearing days are over?  PLEASE impart your wealth of experience to those whose days of tiredness and nausea are still not done! There must be something that you can share!

Maybe you are not pregnant, but still struggling.  Maybe with illness or a difficult child - I am sure these ideas may help you in some way.  I pray that God will use them to His glory!

Please link up below, if you blog about this subject, or share your experiences in the comments section below.

And, sorry it's late - but I DID start it on Tuesday! *grin*