Barbie's Home Birth

Look at how amazing Barbie is with her home birth.  I thought this was pretty funny especially since I am 39 weeks pregnant.  However, I do feel Barbie's maternity outfit might be a bit dated!

Barbie's home birth

Oral Sex: A New Cure for Morning Sickness

This is a very interesting study.  Since I am 8 months pregnant, I no longer have morning sickness so I cannot say I have put it to the test.

Of course, what pregnant women is interested in oral sex when they feel like they are going to throw up all the time! If you do try it, make sure it is the father of your baby! 

Either way, interesting to read.

Oral Sex: A New Cure for Morning Sickness

Johnson and Johnson removing chemicals!

This is great news for the mainstream world of baby products.  Johnson and Johnson has vowed to remove toxic chemcials from their products.  I will still contiuue to support my favorite natural brands like California Baby or Earth Mama Angel Baby but this is still a huge step for the baby care world.

Check it out!! 

Johnson & Johnson has announced plans remove “chemicals of concern” from its baby products by 2013.

Wow, it has been a long time! Let's talk discipline!

The last time I posted on my blog was February, right before I found out I was pregnant with our little boy Joaquin, who is due in October.  It has been busy but I need to get back on track and start posting once a week!

I am going to start with this great article that I received today.  Discipline is always a hard subject when it come to your child and we have really tried to do our best to communicate Tallulah about her behavior and listen to her in her times of need etc.  We have done a few time outs in the past by putting her in her crib but we have not done that in awhile and instead of tried to talk to her and understand why she is upset.  With a two year old that is often easy to do because it is usually because they are tired, hungry, over stimulated or just frustrated because they are not in control of a situation.  After reading this article, I totally agree with it and we will continue on our path of just trying to understand our little girl, instead of isolating her or punishing her.  Honestly, it has been very successful for her and us.  Since our daughter's birth, we have always tried to listen and understand what she might be communicating to us and I think that is the key to success.

Trust me, I know we all can get frustrated and the easy way out is to punish our children but if you step back and think for a moment and look at things through their eyes, you may feel differently about your approach.  Please read this article, it really is wonderful and will make your think a bit about how your handle your next situation.

Cheers!
Alicia

Why a time out is just as damaging as spanking

My Top Items to Have on Hand for a Sick Baby or Toddler

When you are sick as an adult, it is easy to get in the car and go pick up cough medicine etc. but when you have a sick child, you want to have everything you might need right at your fingertips.  Here are my favorite things to have on hand because they really do help when your little one gets sick. Remember, I am not a doctor, just a natural mama.  Always consult your pediatrician before giving your child any medicines.

Tylenol and Ibuprofen
Yes, I know these are not natural but you will learn quickly, that being a natural parent often requires the acceptance of traditional medicines.  There is no denying that if your child has a fever that Tylenol and Ibuprofen can bring it down fast.

Old Indian Syrup for Kids
This stuff is great for kids and adults.  It really helps break up the mucus when they have a yucky cough.  I use the one by Plantery Herbals.

Honey
Great for a cough but not for children under 1.  They should not have honey.

Hyland's C Plus Cold Tablets
 These are nice because you can give them to children under 2.  Many homeopathic medicines are for 2 and up so these are great.

Coldcalm by Borion
 We use the adult version of Coldcalm for ourselves and it is amazing.  You cannot use it until children are 3 years of age but I heard it works wonders.

Nosefrida Nasal Aspirator
 This is so much better then the bulb aspirator.

Saline Nasal Spray
A must have for sticky booger noses.

Bach Flower Remedy
Again, another great item for adults as well as children for those stressful days.

Boiron Camilia Teething Relieff
 I love these because they are in a liquid form.

Gaia Kids Defense Herbal Drops
These are just nice to have if you are going to be traveling or think your child may be exposed to a lot of germs etc.  Just add a few drops to water.

I hope this list helps you out in preparation for your next sick days.  I just had my first round of a sick toddler so I was glad I discovered some of these items.  Remember, you can get most of these items on www.diapers.com and they will deliver next day if you spend $25.  I swear by it!

Great Webinar coming up on Valentine's Day

Kiwi Webinar: GMOs: What They are and Why You Have a Right to Know

The Art of Hurrying

One thing I have learned as a stay at home mama, is what I call "the art of hurrying".  These are tips that I think are helpful for moms because we all know how it feels to be hurrying in the shower, hurrying to eat breakfast, hurrying to brush your teeth etc.  These are my tips for new mamas.

Teach your baby to love their crib

From a very early age, we taught Tallulah to love her crib.  After every diaper change, or in between clothing changes or whatever it might have been, we would put her in her crib for just a few minutes.  This would allow her time to play for a bit in her crib and enjoy hanging out.  This has come in handy as she as gotten older.  I have put her in her crib for times when I had to use the bathroom, vacuuming, laundry and showering.  I always have the monitor with me, in case I need to check on her.  This is a great thing to do but remember, keep it short like 15-20 minutes once they are older.  

Keep the routine predictable

Every day, Tallulah knows that when we are getting dressed that she will hang out in her crib while mama takes a quick shower.  She knows that she gets dressed, brushes her teeth and then mama showers and does the same.  The other important thing is that Tallulah knows that after doing this time in her crib that a fun activity like going to the park or the aquarium follows next.

Books and books

Read to your babies!  We have read to Tallulah since she was very little and now she can hang out in her crib and look at books while I shower and get dressed. She also looks at books when she wakes up in the morning which gives me an extra 20-30 minutes in the morning.

Plan ahead

If you know you are going somewhere that will require you to take a snack, lunch or an extra pair of clothes, pack your bag the night before or at least pack your bag mentally.  Prep snacks ahead of time. Use a fun snack cup that is easy to travel with.  Keep an extra pair of clothes, diapers, wipes and plastic bag in the car for random messes. Do not forget snacks for yourself. I love Clif bars, they are super yummy, have good protein and easy to pack!

Surprise toys

Always have secret toys that are only played with for special circumstances, like if you are in a hurry and need a special toy to entertain your little one or you are going to a lunch with friends or going for a longer drive then usual. 

Keep your routine simple

Keep your hair, make up and outfits simple. Plan your outfit out ahead.  If you know it is going to be a busy day, shower the night before if you have shave, wash your hair etc.  You can still look amazing while keeping it simple.

Take time for yourself

Make sure to take time for yourself.  Maybe find a mom that you can trade time with so you can both go to yoga or pilates and alternate watching each others children.  Or find time, to have a cup of tea but use really good tea. Treat yourself to one yummy thing a day, so good tea, good coffee or good chocolate, whatever your "yummy" thing is.

These are all things that make my daily routine a lot easier and bring ease to not only my day but also to my child's day.  I hope they work for you!

My Advice on Weaning

It has been a week since I weaned Tallulah off from breast feeding. She was a little over 18 months old. I really wanted to keep doing it but I decided it would be better to wean her off before I get pregnant again. I did not like the idea of being super nauseous and still breast feeding. I am going to be honest, I really miss it. I still have milk and sometimes think about giving it to her again but realize that would not be beneficial to her or myself.

I am so thankful that I was able to breast feed for as long as I wanted. I was able to keep my milk supply while pumping at work and then once I became a stay home mom. So many women ask about weaning off advice so I thought I would share mine.

1. If you can, breast feed for as long as you can. Tallulah has only had a few brief colds and they were while she was teething and I believe breast feeding plays a huge role in that.

2. When you are ready to wean, start by taking the mid day feeding away first, then go down to just morning and night, finally eliminate the morning and just go down to the night feeding. I kept up with the night feeding for about three months which gave Tallulah plenty of time to adjust. Once I was ready to wean her off, I started explaining to her that soon we were going to have just cuddle time with mama and no more milk. I explained that she was becoming a big girl and did not need mama's milk anymore. This is the benefit of breast feeding for so long. By the time I was ready to wean, Tallulah was old enough to understand.

3. Just stick to it and create a secure feeling for your baby as they go through this transition. Cuddle with them, read with them, just make sure they know that you are there for them and that you are empathetic for how they feel.

This last week has been pretty smooth. She does ask for milk for a moment at bedtime but forgets about it, once we start cuddle and story time with mama and papa, she is super content.

I think it is harder on the mama emotionally then the child. :)

The Vaccine Decision Starts Here

As a parent, in particular a natural focused parent, I think vaccinations are one of the hardest decisions you make for your baby/child.  We decided not to vaccinate our daughter and she is now 18 months old.  We just felt that pumping that much of anything into a new little body did not make sense.  It just did not feel right to us as parents.  Tallulah has never been sick except two brief one day colds and she was teething at the time and she has progressed in all areas of growth and is a very strong and happy little girl.  We do believe that not vaccinating her plays a part in that.  Now of course, until we have a second baby and do all the same things with it, we will not know if we are right but regardless, we feel very confident in our choice.

Here is a great resource for helping you make a decision on vaccinations.  It is not biased.  It really does give you all kinds of information and it is a great forum to hear others thoughts and decisions.
I hope it helps you.

Mothering Community-The vaccine decision starts here

Yikes: Most Parents Use Carseats Incorrectly!

Recently, I have noticed some people having their toddlers ride front facing in their car seat earlier then recommended. It makes me wonder if they are just not educated on the new recommendations. I know some people that think it is silly but it makes me think of this picture I saw of a tiny little girl who was rear facing way too early. She was one years old but was way too small to be rear facing. Please read this great article and think about your choices when it comes to the car seat.

Thanks!

Yikes: Most Parents Use Carseats Incorrectly!

A Recipe for Fudgy Black Bean Brownies | Meal Makeover Moms' Kitchen

Yummy Black Bean Brownies from Cooking with Moms

This recipe looks amazing. We have not given any chocolate to our 18 month old but when we do, I think this is a great find! I am going to try and make them in the next week or two and report back to you all.

This is also a fun blog to follow if you like fun and healthy recipes.

A Recipe for Fudgy Black Bean Brownies | Meal Makeover Moms' Kitchen

Petition Against Arsenic in Apple Juice

 Hi everyone, 

I am sure you are aware of the arsenic that is being found in apple juice.  Apple juice is the top juice drank by children.  Please see the letter below and sign the petition.  Make sure you buy organic juice or make your own juices at home! Better yet, just stick to water.

Every child enjoys a juice box with her after school snack. But what parents don’t know is that a disturbing number of juices contain unsafe levels of lead and inorganic arsenic that can lead to serious health problems for children.

While the government has rules in place to limit lead and arsenic in our drinking water, there’s nothing to stop companies from making juices and other children’s drinks that contain unsafe levels of those poisons. A new study by Consumer Reports found that at least 10% of apple and grape juices sampled had more arsenic than what the government says is safe for drinking water -- and even more had unsafe levels of lead.

Now it’s up to the Food and Drug Administration to make rules to regulate how much arsenic and lead can be in juices, like they do for drinking water. Click here to sign the petition asking the FDA to protect children from poisons by regulating arsenic levels in juices.

While not lethal, that kind of sustained, low-level exposure during early childhood "carries the most serious long-term risk," according to researchers. The dangerous effects of unsafe levels of inorganic arsenic and lead in children are shocking:

• Inorganic arsenic is linked to cancers, heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and immune system problems
• Children exposed to drinking water with unsafe arsenic levels had decreased intellectual function
• Low-level arsenic exposure is "significantly related to poorer scores in language, visuospatial skills, processing speed, and immediate memory," among other problems
• Unsafe levels of lead were found in 25% of juices sampled, and lead exposure is linked to brain development and behavioral problems

If lead and arsenic are unsafe for children in their drinking water, the same poisons should be regulated for the juices that so many children love.

Click here to sign the petition on Change.org asking the FDA to protect children from unsafe levels of arsenic in juices.

Thanks for being a change-maker,

- Michael and the Change.org team