I'm kicking off your week with a roundup of content I've found really valuable over the past two weeks! The last roundup was a hit so I am even more excited to share a bit of what has been filling my content plate recently.

Always feel free to drop a link to your favorite article, podcast, or post you "saved" this week. I would love to check it out!

Black Maternal Health Week - Posts & Resources
Black Maternal Health Week was 4/11-4/17 so I wanted to first and foremost highlight some of the resources related to the topic. The Womb Room, a Baltimore based perinatal support center, shared a post on Instagram that pointed out so harrowing statistics about maternal mortality rates for black mothers. This post serves as a somber reminder of the disparity in healthcare and the importance of bringing awareness to this issue. The post doesn't just share WHY we need to care, it also shares specific ways that you can make an impact. We shouldn't just wait for this week to occur to bring awareness to this issue. This needs to be at the forefront of our minds constantly until changes are made. This article on The Every Mom from a couple years ago is also very helpful if you are looking for a deeper dive into the disparities in Black Maternal Health and some suggested ways to help.

Addressing Healthcare Inequity with IBD Advocate @kimberlymhooks
Kim and I are both part of the American Gastro Association Patient Influencer Program. That is how I discovered her content and have been finding everything she puts out to be so helpful. She is a great follow for those in the IBD community. She shares a lot about her life with IBD and the advocacy work she is doing all with an incredibly positive attitude. 

78% of the Mental Load Falls on Mothers with @mamapsychologists
Mental load is a hot topic right now and rightfully so. We are finally putting a name to all of the extra work that moms do and recognizing that work. It's not just magic behind the scenes, there are hard working mom's making life happen. This post really spoke to me as I recently recorded a podcast episode about the mental load of traveling as a mom.

Podcast: Skimm This: State of Women... and Society
My last pick of this week is a podcast. The Skimm just launched Skimm This Special Edition where they are diving into different issues impacting women in America. The first episode called State of Women... and Society was one of the best podcast episodes I have ever listened to. It so eloquently described the social landscape we are facing as women and even had the author of Fair Play on to weigh in. The Fair Play card game has been a game changer in my marriage after having kids so I was thrilled to hear more about how this tool can help other women. The second episode of the mini series dropped a few days ago and it is at the top of my queue to listen to while working this morning.

If there is a full size product in my line up, chances are its because I tried a mini version first. One of my favorite things about Sephora is the extensive selection of mini products they offer and here are a few reasons why.

• I love frequently trying new products so committing to a full size version won't happen for me until I am really sold. Minis allow me to mix and match until I find the right product combination I can commit to. 
• I can see what works for me before investing. Especially during pregnancy my skin was temperamental. I relied on minis to test out how a product would effect my skin before I purchased the full size. 
• They allow me to add more expensive products into my routine. I want a little of the luxury without the price tag. Having some minis of more expensive products allow me to incorporate them into my routine when they will be put to best use (special occasions, dealing with a serious breakout, etc.).

Also remember that your products expire! You can see how long their shelf life is right on the bottle. If you want to have a treatment on hand for just the summer months or to deal with occasional breakouts, buying a full size version might not make sense. By time you get around to using the whole thing it could be well past the optimum timeframe. 

My rule: When in doubt, go for a mini version! Below are my favorite skincare and haircare minis that you can grab during the Sephora sale this year!

**Disclaimer: Products that I deem "pregnancy-friendly" are based on my research and comfort level with those ingredients. Always consult a medical professional with questions on product safety. 

Caring for. your hair extensions is a commitment. The better you care for them, the longer they will last you, which I guess makes them more of an investment! I've had semi- permanent sew in extensions for almost a year now so I've tried quite a few products to narrow down the perfect combination to keep my faux locks in good shape. Before I share my picks, here are some tips I've picked up along the way.

• Oil is your best friend. Oil the heck out of your ends to keep them smooth. They aren't getting natural oils from your scalp so your extensions need all the help they can get when it comes to keeping them moisturized.
• Heat protectant is essential. I like a detangler, leave in conditioner, protectant combo. 
• Investing in good tools is worth it. The Dyson Airwrap seemed insane to me when I first say the price tag, but after getting one for myself I see that there is a serious return on investment. It has helped keep my hair looking healthier and cut down on my dry time by a lot. I can also curl and dry my hair simultaneously so I am limiting the amount of heat I have to use on my hair.
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You can disregard this last portion if you don't have well water. I unfortunately do (the only downside to our big move), but I've found a few products to help my hair stay in tact. In addition to our water treatment, using reparative shampoo, and lathering my extensions in hair masks, I also use one of these products every few times I wash my hair. Both I've found to be effective in giving your hair a little detox from buildup and there is a noticeable difference after use. 

Whether it's replenishing your supply of favorites or trying some new products, the Sephora sale is one of the best times to stock up on skincare and makeup. Pregnancy can require a major overhaul of your beauty routine (which can add up) so in the past I've used this opportunity to purchase pregnancy friendly products. It can feel overwhelming trying to figure out which items are pregnancy friendly and effective so I put together a list of my favorites to help you out. 

A quick disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. These products contain the ingredients that I felt comfortable using during pregnancy based on my research and discussions with my doctors. Please do your own research and make your own decision on what you feel comfortable using. This is just what worked for me.

I follow so many incredible content creators who share about IBD, motherhood, and mental health. I find myself saving and screenshotting a ton of posts each week that I’ve found interesting or have made an impact on me. Instead of just keeping these to myself I want to highlight my favorites each week and magnify some of the voices that I find so valuable. 

The articles and posts range from scientific to just fun and helpful - really a compilation of my “Saved” folder this week. 

NSAIDs and IBD: Are They Really a No-Go?
Lights Camera Crohn’s
Article Link | IG Link

America Erased the Postpartum Pause New Parents Need—Here’s How to Get That Time Back
Parents Magazine, Shared by Postpartum Support International
Article Link | IG Link

Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s IBD Ventures Invests $2.4 Million in Developing Novel Products to Address Unmet Needs of IBD Patients
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation
Article Link | IG Link

The Best Parenting Books for Every Age and Stage
The Everymom
Article Link | IG Link


What did you "save" this week?

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This is the master post for all of my Sephora Sale picks this year! Bookmark, save, screenshot - whatever you want. It's all in one place. I've linked each separate post below along with links to ALL of the products mentioned! Happy shopping!

Pregnancy Friendly Makeup & Skincare
Sephora Mini Must Haves
Products for Hair Extension Care

​Designing a nursery can be so fun, but it can also cause you to rack up some pretty big bills. Baby supplies in general, and especially nursery furnishings are not cheap. When I was pregnant with Maddox, we were still living in our townhouse. He had a super tiny room we were trying to make into a Pinterest worthy nursery and a budget almost as small as the room. We made it happen through shopping sales, repurposing furniture, and a little DIY. You can read about the whole process here. This time around we were also hoping to stay within a small budget for designing our baby girl’s nursery. We moved into a new house so we have more space to work with, but with adding a second kid into our budget we were hoping to still save on the decor. 

The first thing we decided on was reusing the furniture from Maddox’s nursery. He had graduated to a big boy bed so no longer needed the crib. We also were ready to move the glider out of his room so he could have more space to play. Both of these we are utilizing in the nursery now. We also assessed the house for other things we could repurpose. We have a refinished long white dresser that used to be a TV stand in our old living room. This is now her dresser/changing table. We had some white shelves that we used for storage in our old basement. We moved two into her room/closet for extra storage. We also had a large piece of art in our old living room that didn’t really have a home since we moved. The color scheme is pink, gray, and gold which actually was perfect for our nursery design. We were really leaning into the pink theme and the gray from the art really tied in the colors of the glider and crib from Maddox’s old nursery. 

​At this point I felt pretty good that we had the base items covered. I made a list of the additional items we wanted and then waited for sales. My company offers a discount at RugsUSA so we were able to get the rug we wanted for a reasonable price. We found a lamp we loved on clearance at HomeSense for $25. I waited for some sales at Target to pick up this Studio McGee mirror and shelves (they were only $20 each!). Amazon was my go to for picture frames, curtain rods, curtains, and storage baskets. We were also lucky enough to have most of her linens gifted to us which was really helpful. What I would categorize as the “unnecessary” or “cherry on top” items were the Barefoot Dreams blanket, the art prints, and the ceiling light. One of my best friends gifted us the Barefoot Dreams blanket (she also gifted me my very first one, so kind of a tradition I guess!). As for the ceiling light, I almost purchased one off of Amazon until my sister (who was decorating my niece’s nursery) clued me in to this steal from Lowe’s. It is about $140 which is a great price compared to some others I was finding (think in the $300+ range). This one is great quality and looks a lot more expensive than it is. One of the last items I decided on were the prints for her wall. For Maddox’s room I found prints off of Etsy and did the whole digital download, print yourself, cut to size thing, which I didn’t mind. This time around I found an Etsy shop with these two prints (1, 2) and just knew they were perfect for the room. I ordered them already printed and it ended up being about $50 total. It was more expensive than the DIY thing, but I was happy to support a woman owned small business. I love that I can tell my daughter that one day when she looks at them. 

​Overall I am so happy with how the nursery turned out. I don’t feel guilty that we spent too much money. Looking back I’m relieved that I put the money I wanted to spend on an entirely new, stark white Pottery Barn room set in her college fund instead. No shade to anyone who goes for the splurge, it just didn’t feel necessary for us. I think it’s cool that a lot of the pieces in her room have a story about where they came from, just how Maddox’s room does. I am also really shocked at how different the gray glider and crib from Maddox’s nursery look in the new nursery. I was skeptical at first, but seeing how well everything came together definitely made me realize how little decor tweaks can make all the difference. 

​If you read my post about designing Maddox’s nursery, you are probably already familiar with my tips for finding sales and staying on budget. This time I’m going to leave you with a few new tips after going through this a second time. 

• ​One, don’t be afraid to reuse or repurpose items. By painting a large piece or styling decor differently you can cultivate a totally different vibe. Go through your house to see what pieces or decor aren’t being used to their full potential and evaluate whether they could make sense for the nursery. This will save you a lot of money. It might not seem like you’re on your way to creating the Pinterest perfect nursery you want, but it will surprise you how these items can come together. 
• Two, make a registry! For baby number two I felt really weird about making a registry. Our friends and family were so generous with gifts when we were having Maddox, I didn’t want them to feel obligated to get us anything this time around. The thing is, if someone wants to get you something they are going to do no matter what so you might as well have a list of the things you actually need. Like I mentioned before, we were gifted a lot of the linens we needed because I put them on our registry. 
• Three, put it into perspective. This room is where your baby (and you) will spend a ton of time. Make sure that it makes you feel happy and comfortable. It’s easy to get caught up in having a photo worthy nursery. I am absolutely someone who wants that Pinterest worthy nursery, but I also make sure to check myself. Is the nursery functional? Am I going to regret spending money on this thing instead of an experience with my baby in the future? Try going through questions like that with yourself if you are on the fence about a purchase. Sometimes the answer will be, yes this is really important to me, and other times you can leave it or replace it with something more cost effective. 

At the end of the day, no matter what theme you decide on or what budget you are working with your baby will love their nursery. It is a special place that you put love into creating for them. You’ll be spending a lot of time in there with your little one over their first years so the biggest tip I have is make sure it is a place where you feel comfortable, calm, and safe so that your baby can learn to feel that way in their room too! 

​As someone with IBD, aches and pains are just part of the package, but IBD may not be the only culprit.

Since my diagnosis in 2015, I have heard providers mention in passing the link between Crohn’s Disease and other autoimmune conditions. Sometimes this correlation was used as a potential cause to pin unexplained symptoms on, but I never really got to the point of a secondary diagnosis. For years I have been complaining of aching and swollen joints even after my Crohn’s symptoms improved and I was steadily receiving treatment. Eventually, my providers suspected that this chronic pain could be caused by something other than just IBD. After years, yes years, of being urged to visit an arthritis specialist, I finally did. 

So what made me decide to go?

The statistic that up to 30% of IBD patients also suffer from arthritis or joint inflammation has been living rent free in my head for years. But to be fair, I’ve had a lot going on over the past few years. With the pandemic, the birth of my kids, job changes, moving, etc. it has been a whirlwind. I already spend so much of my time at doctor’s appointments so the thought of having to add yet another specialist into my rotation was not appealing. I wasn’t motivated to go get my joints checked out. Yes, it was affecting my daily activities, but it didn’t seem like an urgent situation. Plus I was having so much pain following each c-section, how active could I really be even if my joint symptoms somehow magically improved? 

Following the birth of my daughter and the numerous complications I experienced, I began intensive physical therapy to rehabilitate my abdominal muscles. I have been blown away at the improvement I’ve seen, and surprise, I’ve actually been able to be more active. Walks around the neighborhood, carrying my kids through the mall, and running on the playground have all become activities that I am able to do, and want to do. Unfortunately, my joint pain was still persistent despite the improvements through physical therapy. The more I realized what activities I could be doing, the more frustrated I got at the discomfort I experienced. 

The biggest factor that encouraged me to finally see a doctor was my kids. Of course the pain and frustration had been present before. In fact, I remember leaving yoga class at the YMCA crying because at 25 my joints were more swollen than the geriatric participants that made up the rest of the class. With my kids though I want them to experience me as the best mom possible. For me, part of that was taking steps to get to the bottom of my joint pain. 

This morning I had my first appointment with a provider that specializes in arthritis care. I’m in the process of completing various bloodwork and scans to help figure out the actual cause of my joint pain, so it may be a while before I know a definitive answer or see improvement. I do feel confident, though, that I have made steps in the right direction. I am hopeful that this road to a diagnosis won’t be as turbulent as it was with my Crohn’s diagnosis. I have some experience under my belt now and am more confident navigating medical appointments. What makes me feel most positive though are the stories and advice I’ve gotten from the online IBD community. At least if I have to go on this journey, I have some very inspiring peers helping me and cheering me on. 

As some of you know already, I am so excited to be a part of the American Gastro Association’s Patient Influencer Program this year. I just dropped a podcast episode explaining what the program is, my involvement, and then what that means as far as the content I’ll be sharing. 

The five key takeaways from the first session were pretty powerful for me so if you are interested definitely take a listen. 

I also will be introduced to new tools and resources to share with you all. This past session I learned about the IBD Parenthood Project site and was so excited about it, I probably have brought it up to every person I’ve talked to in the past two weeks. 

IBD Parenthood Project is a site created by AGA that provides accurate and up to date information about IBD through every stage of family planning. I said it in the podcast, I can’t believe I didn’t know this existed, and I hope by sharing here we can get it out in front of more people who need it. The site has a patient tool kit with a ton of information to help you feel empowered and advocate for yourself with confidence throughout TTC, pregnancy, and the postnatal period. A few of my favorite things are a checklist to walk through with your doctor and the myth vs fact sheet about IBD and fertility/pregnancy. While this doesn’t solve the whole issue of maternal IBD care, it does get us moving in the right direction. Patient education is power!

Keep following along on crohnicallyblonde.com, via the Crohnically Mom Podcast, and on Instagram @crohnicallyblonde for new information and session updates. We have our next meeting this week! 

You can listen to my recap episode below or on Spotify or iTunes.

A couple weeks ago I dropped my first podcast episode after having McKenna! I shared all about her grand arrival into the world. Today I released a second part to her birth story explaining the medical challenges that I faced directly leading up to and immediately following birth. Over the past four months I've shared some of what we've been going through on Instagram, but this episode was a longer form way to just throw everything into one place for those who are interested. Basically if you want to get up to speed on the Remicade, the postpartum preeclampsia, the staph infection of it all.... tune in. 

I debated not putting out this episode because I didn't even know where to start. Each of these issues was a separate experience that could have their own discussions around them (and maybe they will someday!). This really just touches the surface of each of these postpartum experiences. Hopefully this episode brings some awareness to some of these complications, but it will definitely serve as a way to get you up to speed on the postpartum journey up to this point. It's a good baseline before I begin more frequent updates. I think it was important to share these experiences because they were integral in a lot of what I have experienced postpartum, especially from a mental health perspective.
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Listen to the episode below or directly on Spotify or Apple.