The Elephant in the Room: From Pregnancy to the First Year of Parenthood

By Krizia Guerra-Coleman

This book has helpful tips for new parents, health tips and issues we deal with during pregnancy and parenting. Have you wondered about the psychological, emotional and physical aspects of pregnancy and parenthood? Look no further. The psychological aspect of what's "O.K" to feel or what "not" to feel during pregnancy and parenthood, and what to expect and what to deal with during this first crucial year of parenthood. It covers your entire family!

The Elephant in the Room also covers very important tips for new dads to understand what exactly 'Mom' is going through as well as helpful guidelines to have a functional household once your baby arrives. What do you really need for your new baby, the hospital and how much could your new baby actually cost? Find it here along with pertinent information on vaccines and other alternative medicines available.

More information on this informative book and other important matters for new & existing parents are found on the author's blog at www.MommysKnowledge.com

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 23, 2015
• ISBN: 9781496962577

Krizia Guerra-Coleman

Krizia earned an associate degree in journalism, but she has always been writing something throughout her life. Whether it was a song or a poem, she has always had something to say and a strong, practical opinion on things that really mattered most to her. Now as a mother, Krizia found herself at a point in her life when everything she knew had changed. In the last semester of her master’s in art, Krizia stopped teaching to finish her degree. The news of a baby took her life by storm and sent her in a new direction completely. Going from being a fastpaced, independent woman with a goal in her life to a dependent, engaged woman finishing up school with no chance to work once she graduated took a big toll on her plans. She knew one thing for sure: that her life was going to change drastically. She was the first of her friends to have a child, so no one really took her under her wing to help much. Just a few tips here and there from family were all she knew. Reading a lot of baby books while pregnant, she found that none of them prepared her for the psychological changes of pregnancy and parenthood. This made her want to write a book based on the psychological aspect of pregnancy and parenthood to help people with the hard first year a parent actually goes through, hoping to touch other parents’ lives and make this process a lot easier. The book focuses on the subjects that most people do not want to talk about: the truth about life and being a parent-to-be and a new parent.

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© 2015 Krizia Guerra-Coleman. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 01/21/2015

ISBN: 978-1-4969-6258-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-6257-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015900058

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Acknowledgements

Prefix

Are You Ready?

When I Found Out

Birth Story

Now What?

What You Really Need for the Hospital

What Do Babies Cost Monthly?

Feeding

What No One Tells You

First Few Months

Breastfeeding

Sleep Training

Men

Vaccines

Alternative Medicine to Vaccines

The Second Half of Baby’s First Year

Month’s Ahead

Research Sources

About the Author

About the Book

Acknowledgements

I want to thank God first of all for the wonderful gift he has given me, my son. Though I did not think it so wonderful at the time it has been the biggest blessing and gift I have ever received in my life. A gift that has changed my life completely to something totally unexpected. God has given me the strength to be able to handle this life change and make it powerful so much so that my entire career has turned to reach out and help others. Without you God I would not be here today and neither would my son. Thank you!

To my husband for supporting me through this process of becoming a mother including the good and the bad times. Especially for supporting me while I wrote this book and encouraging me to touch the lives of other women by educating them on the truth about motherhood.

A special and most grateful thank you to my baby boy. Without you this part of my life would never have happened and I would not be where I am today. Thank you for all that you have taught me of myself, being a parent and loving so profoundly more than I ever thought possible. Because of you this is real. Thank you for changing my life all for the better. I work daily to be the best Mom I can be for you.

Thank you to my therapist that has helped me and guided me through this difficult transition from being a single woman to the best mother I can be. I do not think I would have survived without you. Thank you for your tips and advice you have shared with me. Thank you!

To the mom’s at my stroller strides work out class, Thank you for all the support, help, ideas and tips you have passed on to me. Other moms of the world will be grateful to you for sharing your knowledge and experiences.

Prefix

This book is dedicated to all the women thinking of becoming pregnant, that are pregnant and expecting their first baby, for those women on their second child or more that feel emotionally different from all the stereotypes of what people say you should feel during pregnancy and as a mom. After starting this book I have also wanted to dedicate this book to woman that have been raped and are pregnant due to that, the woman who have had one night stands, women that are in a relationship and end up pregnant as well as all the young ladies in high school and up that want to be a young mom or that are practicing unsafe sex. I would like this book to be passed on to them so they know what they are really getting themselves into. Being a young mom is not all that you think it would be. Reading this book may just give you a reality check on what parenting is all about and hopefully open your eyes to other things in your own life while developing and getting to know yourself before bringing a new life into this world.

The reason behind this is well, because I wish I would have known or someone would have told me about certain things or secrets that are not spoken about when you become pregnant, a mom for the first time or if you remember your experience either with your first pregnancy or with your multiple pregnancies. I touch on some emotions that are O.K. to feel or not to feel during pregnancy or as a mom.

I also mention situations or issues that happen to you that no one talks about during this time. Because it is said to be taboo or you are looked down upon as a bad mother for feeling this way. This is not true.

I am a Mother. I’m a mom that went to school to be an artist/teacher and developed a new idea when my baby arrived. I wanted to share with the other moms and moms to be, what I went through and what I have learned. I want other women to know what to really expect or understand what they are feeling and going through. It is O.K. to feel as well as be prepared for what is to come. I’m writing this down to share with other women so we don’t forget due to sleep deprivation. Giving knowledge so that women are aware of what really happens in pregnancy and beyond and are not taken by surprise because people don’t talk about it, things that you regret when you’re already pregnant or feel shame for what you feel or don’t feel. This is to educate women on the experience called pregnancy and being a mom.

This is not a what to expect when you’re expecting kind of book… that one is already done. This book is more psychological and some physical aspects, that the other books missed out on. I am writing to the women that had gotten pregnant unplanned, raped or any other circumstances even planned pregnancies. For the women that plan their pregnancies, the physical facts of this book will be helpful but the psychological aspect may or may not be relevant to you depending on each individual woman.

This book has help tips on parenting, health tips and issues dealt with during pregnancy and parenting for both baby and mommy. The psychological aspect of what is O.K to feel or not to feel during pregnancy and parenthood, the realization of loss of oneself as a person once pregnant and a parent, and the what to expect and deal with the first year of parenthood. Also help tips for dads to understand the mom as well as guidelines to have a functioning household once the baby arrives. Information on vaccines and other alternative medicine.

To the single dad that is left without a wife due to any circumstances here is a helpful guide to get you through your first year. Kudos to you and your bundle of love.

* This book is not a medical book so please take your baby to a pediatrician for any treatment or illness and consult with your pediatrician before doing any tips that I have received and given to you.

Are You Ready?

Ever wonder if you are ready to add on to your family? Well here are a few things from experienced moms to think about to help you decide if you are ready or not ready for an addition to your family. Do you look at a baby and say, Oh, how cute! I want one! Do you say, Babies are so cute! I can’t wait to have one! If this is you speaking, well, I hate to break it to you, but you’re not ready!

Let’s get real here. The word baby only applies for a very short amount of time. How long? Four months. After that, the child is an infant until he or she is a year old, at which point he or she becomes a toddler. This seems like a long period, but it flies by before you can blink. Unreal? Yeah … no, it’s not. You are so tired and sleep deprived through those four months; they come and go so fast that when you realize it, you don’t have a baby anymore. In your mind, you are saying to yourself, What happened?

The reality is that you need to be ready and really want a child—a person in your life to raise, teach, and help become a respectable human being, an asset to the human race and society. You will have more time with a child than a baby. This is the thought that needs to go through your mind before you get pregnant. Are you ready and willing to do whatever it takes to raise a child? Do you see yourself with a child or only holding a baby? Take your time and think about it before making a move on this. Read this book! I hope it will open your eyes to the reality of what really happens with a baby/child and help you make an informed decision about whether you are ready to deal with it.

When I Found Out

I am going to share my pregnancy story and experiences in hopes that other women can relate and realize that it is okay to feel different. I was one of those women who felt different. When I found out I was pregnant, I was just finishing up graduate school, planning to become a professor at a university. I must admit that I cried and cried and, well, I