Pregnancy After 35 Book Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations to Huette of Idaho ,winner of InSeason Mom’s first book giveway, the updated third edition of Your Pregnancy™ After 35!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Love and hugs to all of our current and future moms! Enjoy your special day! Okay hubby, what are you cooking? I want some good down-home southern cooking!

MAY 2013 FEATURED INSEASON MOM -SUSAN

Name: Susan

Age: 42

State of residence: New Jersey

Child's name and age: Chad, 12 months

Current or former profession(s): Social Worker

PREGNANCY

ISM: How long were you trying to get pregnant?

Susan: We were trying to get pregnant for about 8 months and we got pregnant naturally in March 2010. Unfortunately, that pregnancy ended in a miscarriage at 10 weeks. We began trying again in the Fall of 2010 and conceived our son in July 2011.

ISM: What did you do or not do to increase your chances of getting pregnant after 40?

Susan: Initially, when we were first trying to conceive (when I was 39), we didn’t do anything. Then we began to do BBT charting, ovulation kits and all that goes along with trying to conceive naturally. That is when we conceived the first time. After the miscarriage, we started out pretty much the same. Neither one of us was chomping at the bit to pursue the medical route to conceiving but it became clear to us that if we wanted to be parents, we needed to at least explore all of the available options.

So in April of  2011, we began looking into adoption. We were (and still are) interested in welcoming a child from the foster care system into our family. My husband has always wanted to adopt. I can’t say it’s something I always wanted to do, but I am certainly open to it; especially given all of the children that languish in the foster care system without ever knowing the love and nurturing of a family. It wasn’t about us having a biological child, necessarily. It was about sharing the love we had in our hearts with a child who really needed it.

We also decided to get information about where we were medically, too. In May of 2011, we decided to see a reproductive endocrinologist (RE) to get the preliminary testing. My husband had a semen analysis and I had my hormones tested and a hysterosalpingogram. 

My husband’s sperm count was normal and my tests were normal for “my age.” We were given the “unexplained infertility” diagnosis that is both hopeful and infuriating!! The RE did not feel we needed to do anything aggressive because I did not have any barriers truly preventing me from becoming pregnant. We were presented with the option of doing rounds of Clomid with an intrauterine insemination. I should pause here to say that my husband and I are people with a strong Christian faith. We’d always believed that if the Lord wanted to bless us with a family, He would do so in His way and in His timing. This we were clear on.

Venturing into the realm of medically assisted conception was concerning for us because we wanted to be careful not to tread in His territory, so­ to ­speak. After much prayer and seeking godly counsel, we came to the conclusion that our inability to conceive was a medical issue, just like diabetes or asthma (conditions my husband and I have, respectively). We seek available treatment for that to live healthy lives. That is how we believe God provides treatment/healing ­­ through the knowledge and wisdom He gives medical personnel. So we felt comfortable with this level of treatment to address our inability to conceive. And the bottom line to us was that if it wasn’t His will, no amount of treatment would allow us to conceive. So we went forward and conceived our son on the first round of treatment. Our RE marveled  because he said that it was exceedingly rare.

SUPPORT

Medical Community

ISM: How supportive were your doctors during your pregnancy?

Susan: That was truly a mixed bag. I felt decidedly unsupported during my first regular OB visit. My OB is a no­nonsense, blunt kind of doctor, something I was not particularly appreciative of during my first OB visit, after a miscarriage, and being of “advanced maternal age.” I was expecting her to congratulate me and to be excited with me. Instead, she let me know that because of my age I had a 50% chance of miscarrying during the first trimester and I had an increased chance of having a child with a birth defect because I was 40. She was appalled that my husband and I were opting not to have any invasive testing done. She related a story of how one of her patients “foolishly” didn’t have testing and was devastated when her child was born with Down Syndrome.

I explained to her that my husband and I were committed to this pregnancy no matter. The testing would only serve to add additional anxiety. I wanted to enjoy my pregnancy and I didn’t want to risk, however small, an invasive test that could cause a miscarriage. After my first appointment, I literally cried in the parking lot!

On the other hand, I absolutely LOVED my perinatalogist. He was a kind, older OB who was very experienced with older moms. He made my pregnancy seem like the most natural thing in the world despite being a doctor that specializes in high ­risk pregnancies. He was so encouraging and reassuring. And most importantly, he respected our decision to not do any invasive tests.

ISM: Did you change doctors or would like to have changed doctors? Why or why not?

Susan: I came very close to changing OB’s. I attempted to make an appointment with an OB that a doctor friend recommended but I would have been 16 weeks along before she could see me. So I decided to stay with the practice I was already with. I reasoned that I only had a 25% chance of delivering with the OB I had a negative experience with and I liked the other OB’s and NP’s in the practice. As the months passed, I realized I needed to at least see this other “dreaded” OB to get to know her in case she did end up delivering our baby.

As I got to know her, I actually grew to appreciate her forthrightness. I found her to be much more confident and accurate in her assessments than the other OB’s. I truly trusted her competency. I wouldn’t choose her to be my friend but I did choose her to deliver my baby when I found out I had to have a scheduled c-­section!

FAMILY AND FRIENDS

ISM: What was the reaction of friends and family when you told me about your pregnancy?

Susan: Overjoyed!! Everyone was supportive, excited, and hopeful!

LABOR AND DELIVERY

ISM: Did you take any childbirth classes? Why or why not?

Susan: We opted to take childbirth classes because at the time, I didn’t know if I would have natural childbirth or have an epidural. We felt that even if we decided to go with an epidural, the breathing techniques would be helpful to cope with labor. Little did we know we wouldn’t need it at all!

At 36 weeks I was informed that my little sweet pea (as we called him) was more like a lima bean and that I would need to have a c­section. They estimated that he was at least 9 pounds and could be anywhere up to 11. Since I’d never given birth before, they had some major concerns about shoulder dystocia. I delivered my son via planned c­section 5 days before his official due date. He weighed 9.5 lbs.

ISM: Where did you give birth?

Susan: In a hospital.

ISM: What do you remember most about the birth experience?

Susan: Two things: It was (and still is) mind boggling. It truly is a miracle of God. One moment your child is inside of you. He is more of a notion than a reality. The next moment you have this living, breathing person in front of you.. The other is that it’s weird not knowing what labor or contractions feel like. After 9 months of waiting, I didn’t have to (get to?) experience what is usually the culmination of pregnancy. I’m not complaining. It’s just weird.

I AM MOM

ISM: What concerns you most about being a mom over 35 and how do you address these concerns?

Susan: Living long enough to see my son grow up and have his own family is a great concern to me. I address it by taking care of the things that are within my control. I am trying to lose weight, exercise and eat healthier. The rest of it is in God’s hands!

ISM: What do you enjoy most about being an older mom?

Susan: Having never been a younger mom, it’s difficult to know how it’s different but I think that I am wiser (or at least I hope so). I don’t feel like I’m missing anything as a younger woman might think. I think having experienced infertility and a loss has more of an impact on my enjoyment in being a mother than my age. This is something I longed for. That longing has been fulfilled and I am enjoying being a mom way more than I could have dreamed or imagined. It truly brings me joy. I am grateful every single day. I see my child as a blessing, not a burden.

ISM: How has becoming a mom changed you?

Susan: It has made me slow down and live in the moment more. There is no “rush, rush, rush” with a baby. I am less selfish.

ISM: What advice do you have for women considering motherhood after 35?

Susan: Don’t focus on the increased odds of having a child with birth defects. At 40, your chances of having a baby with Down Syndrome goes from significantly less than 1 % to like 2%. Yes, but that still means that you have a 98% chance of having a baby without Down Syndrome. All negative statistics have a positive flip side. Focus on that!

InSeasonMom (ISM) Cynthia would like to thank Susan for being an inspiration to moms across the world! I would like to invite all my InSeason Mom readers/followers to enter my first book giveaway featuring the updated third edition of Your Pregnancy™ After 35.  You can check out the simple rules at: Great Resource For Expectant Mom 35+

Great Resource for Expectant Mom 35+/Book Giveaway

Recently, I read the updated third edition of Your Pregnancy™ After 35 by Glade B. Curtis, MD, MPH and Judith Schuler, MS. I don’t read many books about pregnancy after 35 written by doctors because most of the books are filled with decade old statistics guaranteed to scare any expectant mom over 35 and to discourage any woman over 25 from thinking about wanting to have a baby.

However, from almost the first sentence in Your Pregnancy™ After 35, the authors struck a balance presenting realistic information combined with positivity for older moms. I knew the book was a great resource for expectant moms in their late 30s and 40s when I read: “Today, many healthcare professionals gauge pregnancy risk by a pregnant woman’s health status, not her age.” As a woman who gave birth for the first time at age 42 to a healthy baby and again at age 44 to another healthy baby, I almost screamed with delight that the importance of health was being recognized over age by a traditional healthcare provider.

I appreciate the relevant and timely topics the authors covered.  A few of the topics include:

·         First Time or Repeat Pregnancy

·         Tests for you and your baby

 ·         Tips on job-stress relief and how to deal with fatigue

 ·         Balancing pregnancy with career and/or child-care responsibilities

·         Exercise, nutrition, and weight management

 ·         Delivering and breastfeeding more than one baby

The updated third edition of Your Pregnancy™ After 35 proves its claim of being the “medically grounded, informative, reassuring guide” expectant moms or prospective moms “need to have a healthy, happy pregnancy.”

Because I was so impressed after reading this book, I contacted their Marketing Director to see how I could give away one (1) copy of the updated third edition of Your Pregnancy™ After 35 to one of my InSeason Mom readers/followers. The Director agreed to the giveaway to an InSeason Mom reader/follower located in the U.S.

Since this is my first book giveaway, the rules are simple:

 1)     Contest starts now, Friday, April 26 and ends 11:59 p.m.  EST on Saturday, May 11, a day before U.S. Mother’s Day.

2)     Contest is open to any InSeason Mom reader/follower in the U.S. over age 18.

3)     If you want to enter the drawing for the updated third edition of Your Pregnancy™ After 35, simply let me know in the Comments section of this post or send me an email to info@inseasonmom.org .

4)     The winner will be randomly selected and contacted by email.

5)     For those who have done book giveaways, please let me know if I’ve omitted any rules. Blessings to you!

FEATURED INSEASON MOM -APRIL 2013- WENDY

Wendy with son William

Name: Wendy 

Age:  46

State of residence:  Illinois

Child’s name and age:  William, almost 4

Current profession:  teacher

ADOPTION PROCESS

ISM: How old were you when you adopted? 

Wendy: I was 44 when we adopted our son.

ISM: How did you arrive at to the decision to adopt? 

Wendy: My husband and I met later in life, when I was 37 years old.  We got married when I was 41, so we decided to try having a family as soon as possible.  It turned out to be more difficult than we had originally hoped, with my age working against me.  After trying to get pregnant on our own without any success, we moved on to trying fertility treatments - IUI, IVF three times, and IVF with Donor Eggs.  We came close, but I was never able to sustain a pregnancy to full term. 

As you can imagine, the emotional and physical roller coaster took quite a toll on me during these processes.  Luckily, my husband is a very supportive man, and was always there to simply hold me when I couldn't help but cry uncontrollably.  I never lost hope that I would become a mother, though.  I knew deep in my heart that I had so much love to share, and that I would be a great mom. 

My own mom has set such a wonderful example of being the kind of mom who could nurture the best in all of us, that I knew I, too, would be successful.  Eventually, my husband said, "Maybe it's time that we move on to the next option for us - adoption."  I had to give up the idea that I be pregnant with and give birth to our child.  But as my supportive sister-in-law (who, coincidentally, was adopted, as well) said, "Being pregnant and giving birth is one year...  What you will have with your child is so much more than that."  Once I had that in my heart, I knew that adoption was going to be the right path for us.

ISM: Many people have misconceptions about the adoption the process in general.  Did you have any and what did you learn?

Wendy: We were definitely inexperienced the first time around, and had a lot of fear of the unknown.  The adoption process involves so many decisions, that it can be very daunting to the uninitiated.  Our first order of business was to simply find as much information as we could about the process and about agencies.  There were so many conflicting reports from different people about which way to do things, which type of adoption - domestic or international, which agency to use, how to go about getting a home study done, etc. 

At first, we heavily researched international adoption.  The feature that we liked most about going the international adoption route was that it was more-or-less a wait-your-turn type of situation, where you could have a reasonable idea of when you might become parents.  We were lucky enough to meet and speak to so many adoptive parents who adopted internationally, so I think we got a good impression about it. 

However, after speaking with many international adoption agencies, we found that many of the practices in other countries could feel a little shady, for a lack of a better term.  Some countries require that you bring $10,000 to $20,000 in crisp, new $100 bills.  That just seemed a little scary to us.  We also didn't want to contribute in any way to child trafficking.  This is not meant to be a judgment on anyone else's decision to adopt internationally.  It just wasn't right for us. 

Besides which, another requirement of many international adoptions is to make several long trips to the country... sometimes up to several months.  With both of us working, it would have been difficult to take that much time off from our jobs without resigning, or, at the very least, taking a leave of absence.

Making the decision to adopt domestically, though, did carry some scary thoughts, as well.  The way that most domestic adoptions work, outside of the foster system where there needs to be a TPR first - Termination of Parental Rights, is that the birth mother or expectant mother chooses you.  This means that you have to put together a profile and then put yourself out there.  Of course, this is scary, because you think that it may be a possibility that you may never get chosen. 

There are also so many other things that you need to think about and determine when adopting domestically.  You have to decide which things would fit well with your family and situation, and which things would not, such as: race; gender; whether or not the birth mother smokes, drinks, does drugs, etc.; how much you are willing to pay for the legal living expenses of the birth mother; whether you want a closed, semi-open, or open adoption; and many other factors.  We ended up getting chosen four times before we actually got our son.

About three months after we signed with our agency, the first expectant mom chose us.  She lived in Oklahoma, though; and on the weekend that we were supposed to call her, there were 16 tornadoes.  We never did hear from her, so we wondered if she was ok.  That was our traumatic first match. 

We got our second match in another three months.  We ended up staying in this match with the expectant mom for three months, paying for many of her living expenses through our social workers and agency.  However, we kept noticing that many things did not add up with her stories.  She lied about so many things to both us and to her social worker.  Now, just because an expectant mom lies, doesn't mean that she is not going to place her child.  In fact, this would have been her fourth child placed outside of her home (though we are unclear how many of the placements were intentional adoption plans or if the outside placements could have included the Department of Children and Family Services). 

After three months of the lying and the shenanigans, my husband convinced me that this was not the right match for us.  I was concerned that our adoption agency would think we were being difficult, and not match us so readily.  This situation did seem like a sure thing, considering the expectant mom's past with placing children for adoption; however, she was so manipulative, that we chose to dissolve the match with her.  For us, it was important that we were able to say good things about the birth mother to our child.  Also, we knew that if we had a semi-open or an open adoption, that this woman would be in our lives for at least 18 years.

I was worried that we would not match again, but I didn't have to worry long.  Only three weeks later, we got a call from our agency about a little boy who was 17 months old.  We spoke with the birth mother, and it seemed like a really good fit on the phone, so we decided to visit with the birth mom and meet the little boy two weeks later.  Meanwhile, two days after we spoke to the third birth mother, we got a call about a fourth match from an expectant mom.  This seemed like a great fit, too.  However, since we had already made plans to meet up with the third birth mother and what would then be her 18 month old, we asked the fourth expectant mom if she would be willing to wait for our decision in two to three weeks.

The first night of our visit with the third birth mother, we had dinner together.  It was truly like speaking with a long-lost friend.  In fact, she said "It feels to me as if you are my brother and sister."  We knew that if all went well the next day, when we met the little boy, that this was the right match for us.  Here was a birth mother that we could say nice things about, and whom we wouldn't mind keeping in our lives. 

The second day of the visit, we met with the little boy and the birth mother, and hung out with them for virtually the whole day.  It was truly love at first sight, and it just grew from there.  We all knew that this was the exact right match for all involved.  Three weeks later, our son was in our custody.  That's when our adventure as parents first began.  It was not always an easy road, since an 18-month old child is bound to suffer from the emotional trauma of the losses in his life.  However, we wouldn't trade our situation for the world, since we have bonded so well as a whole and loving family. 

The next step for us, now that our son has been with us for two and a half years, is to complete our family through adoption one more time, so that our son can benefit from having a sibling.  This is very important to us as older parents, as we have to think realistically about how long we will be in his life, and we want the siblings to be able to have each other as family when my husband and I are gone.

SUPPORT

ISM: What was the reaction of friends and family when you told them about your decision to become a 35+ mom? 

Wendy: We were both lucky, in that our family and friends have been super supportive through all our trials and triumphs of becoming parents.  I did have many younger friends who were getting pregnant fairly easily, and they were sometimes hesitant to speak to me about their joys.  But I have never been one to compare my life to others, and I was truly happy for them.  I knew deep in my heart that I would be a great mom, and that my time would come, and the right child for us would come in due time.  I was right!  Our son is perfect for us.  He fits in well with our family and friends, and he even looks like my husband.

I AM MOM

ISM: What concerns you most about being a mom over 35 and how do you compensate for this concern? 

Wendy: My biggest concern is that I won't be around for him as long as some of his friends' parents may be for them.  My husband and I are in the process of getting ready to adopt a second child, so that the children will benefit from having a sibling throughout their lives.   Of course, I hope that both of us will be around for a long, long time yet, and will get to one day, see our grand-children.  One can only hope!

ISM: What do you enjoy most about being an older mom? 

Wendy: Like I said before, I think my mom gave us a good foundation of how a mom should be.  But I think that being an older mom definitely has it perks.  Especially, after 21 years of teaching, I have really learned how to be patient, consistent, and know that not every battle needs to be fought ... It's often better to choose your battles wisely, and let a lot of little things go.  I am sure I would have made a great mom at any age, but at an older age, I am probably even better, because I know the value of having a family.  After so many trials on our journey to having children, I feel truly blessed to finally have my dreams of motherhood come true.

ISM: How has becoming a mom changed you? 

Wendy: Becoming a mom is much like how I expected it to be; though, there are definitely benefits that I hadn't expected.  Do you remember the sheer joy and love of life that you had as a child?  But somehow lose as an adult with all the things that have happened to you in life?  Well, becoming a mom gives you a window into seeing the wonderment of life as a child.  You get to relive the joy and love of life all over again through their interaction with new things and experiences. 

I feel so lucky to be able to recapture that feeling, that I hope I will not lose it again.  I now know the value of keeping that joy and love of life...and not letting life take any of it from you along the way.  I hope that I will be able to help our children maintain this love of life as they grow older, as well.

 ISM: What advice do you have for women considering motherhood after 35 or 40? 

Wendy: Honestly, I say "Go for it!"  Motherhood is pure joy.  Even when my son is misbehaving, my heart is still full of love for him.  I feel so blessed to have him in my life, and couldn't imagine life without him anymore.

InSeason Mom (ISM) Cynthia would like to thank Wendy for being an inspiration to moms across the world! Featured InSeason Mom is a series started in 2006 and resurrected again in 2011. If you would like to be featured as a Mom of the Month or sponsor a Mom of the Month story, please email info@inseasonmom.org for details.

Helping Your Baby Sleep at Night

Goggle images

Are you a sleep deprived mom of a baby? If so, no one needs to tell you what the lack of sleep does to your emotional and physical state. Girl, I’ve been there and know how it feels. Here are a few tips from the experts that may help your baby sleep at night:

Give Your Baby Time to Settle Down– The Mayo Clinic Staff

Give your baby time to settle down. Your baby might fuss or cry before finding a comfortable position and falling asleep. If the crying doesn't stop, speak to your baby calmly and stroke his or her back. Your reassuring presence might be all your baby needs to fall asleep.

Do the 5’s- Dr.Harvey Karp 

The 5 S's are:

Swaddling

Side/stomach positioning in the parents' arms.

Shushing: as loud as a vacuum cleaner.

Swinging: this is more like a gentle jiggling motion

Sucking: either a pacifier or finger.

Rocking or walking down-Ask Dr. Sears

Try rocking baby to sleep in a bedside rocking chair, or walk with baby, patting her back and singing or praying.

Place baby in a warm/comfortable bed-Ask Dr. Sears

Placing a warm baby onto cold sheets can cause trouble. Especially in cold weather, use flannel sheets or place a warm towel on the sheets to warm them, and remove it before placing baby on the warmed sheets.

Develop a realistic attitude about nighttime parenting- Stay flexible- Ask Dr. Sears (favorite by InSeason Mom Cynthia)

Sleeping, like eating, is not a state you can force a baby into. Best you can do is to create a secure environment that allows sleep to overtake your baby.

No single approach will work with all babies all the time or even all the time with the same baby. Don't persist with a failing experiment. If the "sleep program" isn't working for your family, drop it. Develop a nighttime parenting style that works for you. Babies have different nighttime temperaments and families have varied lifestyles.

InSeason Mom Cynthia’s note: if you are a new sleep deprived mom, I hope one of these techniques will work for you. If one does not, remain sane by remembering what you’re going through is only for “a season.” Blessings to you!

Any tips for a new sleep deprived mom? Please share in the comments section below or on InSeason Mom  Facebook.

FEATURED INSEASON MOM FOR MARCH 2013-DEBBIE S.

Deb with baby Charlize

Name:  Debbie S

Age:  51

Current residence:  Maritimes, Canada

Child’s name and age:  Charlize age 6 (7 in April)

Current or former profession(s): Insurance Sales and Service for 20+ Years

PREGNANCY

ISM: How long were you trying to get pregnant? 

Debbie: I really wasn’t.  I married at 44 and my husband was hoping for the chance to be a dad again so pressured me to go off the pill.  I did so willingly believing I wouldn’t get pregnant at 44.  Surprise!  We were married on June 11 and I became pregnant a month later.

ISM: What did you do or not do to increase your chances of getting pregnant after 40?

Debbie: Just went off the pill not even thinking I would become pregnant.  I had been on the pill for years so I thought it was a good idea to give my body a break from it.  Turns out my body had other plans.

SUPPORT

Medical Community

ISM: How supportive were your doctors during your pregnancy? 

Debbie: My physician was very supportive and followed my pregnancy closely.

ISM: Did you change doctors or would like to have changed doctors? Why or why not?

 

Debbie: No, I live in a small town and changing from one obgyn to another isn’t that easy.  As it turned out, she was wonderful.

Family and Friends 

ISM: What was the reaction of friends and family when you told them about your pregnancy? 

Debbie: Well, I actually didn’t tell a lot of people.  Only my parents and sisters knew.  We had opted for an amnio test and the results we received were devastating. 

According to the report, there was an abnormality that would result in our baby being extremely disfigured.  We were given the option to terminate.  As we debated what to do, we couldn’t understand why the ultrasound had been perfect and didn’t present these abnormalities.  We were referred to a physician for a more in-depth ultrasound that showed our baby was physically perfect so made the decision to continue with the pregnancy and bank on the ultrasound.  Thankfully, we were right. 

Later, the experts told us the amnio sample must have become contaminated in the lab and shared in our relief that our baby was okay.  I was able to keep the pregnancy private because my husband accepted a 3-month position in New Zealand and we left Canada just as I started to show.  I returned to Canada one week before my “no fly” limit so there wasn’t a lot of time between my return and the birth of our daughter.

LABOR AND DELIVERY

ISM: Did you take any childbirth classes? Why or why not? 

Debbie: No, I avoided them and anything to do with childbirth.  Call it denial, I figured the less I knew in advance the better- lol!

ISM: Where did you give birth?

Debbie: At the hospital.

ISM: What do you remember most about the birth experience? 

Debbie: What stands out most was the wonderful labor nurse I had who entertained me and made me laugh while we were waiting for me to reach that magic 4 cm so I could have the epidural.

I'M A MOM!

ISM: What concerns you most about being a mom over 35 and how do you compensate for this fear? 

Debbie: I guess for me, it’s the worry of dying before my daughter is ready to be on her own.  I probably compensate for this with more denial.  I just take it one day at a time knowing no other mother knows what her future holds either regardless of what her age is.

ISM: What do you enjoy most about being an older mom? 

Debbie: What I enjoy is how I can focus on her and not be concerned with becoming who I am.  I’m already there so she definitely benefits from having a mom who has already “found” herself.

ISM: How has becoming a mom changed you?

Debbie:  I’m more relaxed about life in general and that amnio experience allowed me to appreciate all the normal growing pains as my daughter changed from infant to toddler, to preschooler to grade 1. 

ISM: What advice do you have for women considering motherhood after 35?

Debbie: I would tell them to go for it and not stress about the “what ifs”.  Like I said before, when it comes right down to it, everyone’s life is a “crapshoot”.  None of us knows what tomorrow will bring.

ISM: You can join Debbie at Menopausal New Mom as she juggles marriage, motherhood, midlife and menopause at http://menonewmom.blogspot.com

InSeason Mom (ISM) Cynthia would like to thank Debbie for being an inspiration to moms across the world! Featured InSeason Mom is a series started in 2006 and resurrected again in 2011.  If you would like to be featured as a Mom of the Month or sponsor a Mom of the Month story, please email info@inseasonmom.org for details.