The Nursing Mother’s Companion April 29, 2008

Planning to breastfeed?  Never done it before?  Wondering how it will go?  You know I love to recommend a good book!  “The Nursing Mother’s Companion” by Kathleen Huggins is an excellent book that provides practical, reassuring advice and support for today’s expectant and nursing mothers. It includes easy-reference survival guides that help identify and resolve problems at each stage and many illustrative drawings.

“Most books about breastfeeding are heavy on nursing’s mystical rewards and light on actual technique. Huggins, a maternal nurse and professional lactation consultant, corrects the imbalance with a lucid, trouble-shooting guide… The author tackles various common and uncommon complaints about breastfeeding from inadequate milk supply, breast pain, engorgement and fussy babies to infections, allergies and breast-milk jaundice that could affect the child. In a chapter on nursing mothers who work outside of the home, Huggins offers an instructive review of breast pumps. Her reassuring, practical suggestions make this book an excellent informational companion.” – from “Publishers Weekly”

One first-time mom said:

“I’m still happily nursing my 8-month-old son, thanks in large part to this book. Our first few weeks were tough going, but Kathleen had the answers to ALL my questions, which helped me to stick with it. I wish hospitals gave this book to every new breastfeeding mom, but since they don’t, it’s going to become a standard baby shower gift from me.”

A book is a great resource for those problems that strike in the middle of the night!  But, if things aren’t going well, don’t be shy to ask a friend who’s breastfed to help.  I know it may seem a little odd to talk about your boobs, but we women who have breastfed generally don’t feel uncomfortable discussing the details with fellow moms! 

Safe Sunscreens for the Family April 24, 2008

We know that too much sun exposure is not wise, but are sunscreens themselves really safe?  Of all the body care and cosmetics you use, sunscreens are likely to be filled with the most dangerous chemicals.  When sunscreen soaks into the skin, we absorb known carcinogens and estrogen-imitating chemicals, which can cause a whole host of serious problems.  In fact, some research has shown that countries in which chemical-laden sunscreens are most commonly used actually report the greatest increase in cancer melanoma (skin cancer). 

What’s safe?  Look for sunscreens that contain only zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.  These non-chemical sunscreens are often marketed for babies or those with sensitive skin, but they’re the best choice for all of us.  Instead of soaking into the skin, these sunscreens sit on top of the skin and deflect rays.  Here’s a list of safe sunscreens from Nature Mom’s Blog post “Safe Sunscreens for the Family” :

California Baby SPF 30 + Sunblock Stick – No Fragrance- My top pick for kids! This is a non chemical sunscreen. It uses non-penetrating titanium dioxide (no nano particles) to protect against the sun. It is also made with organic & sustainably grown ingredients.

California Baby SPF 30 – This is specially for children to be safe and it a favorite among many natural parents. I have used this on my own kids and I really like it. I usually opt for the fragrance free versions.

California Baby SPF 30 + Bug Repellent- This is a good sunblock/bug repellent combo that is DEET free.

Badger Face & Body Sunblock SPF 30 – There was huge run on this sunscreen not long ago and you could hardly get it. It is known to be one of the safest sunscreens out there.

Lavera Baby and Children Sun Screen Lotion, SPF 30- Contains organic peach seed, apricot seed oil and calendula and protects against UV A, B and C rays with waterproof protection.

Jason Natural – Sunbrellas Chemical Free Sun Block SPF30+- Chemical, Fragrance and Paraben Free Complete UVA & UVB Protection Ideal for Sensitive Skin.

Dermalogica Ultra Sensitive Faceblock SPF 25 – Another chemical free sunblock using non-penetrating titanium dioxide. This has a hint of color…most likely to hide the streaky whiteness of the natural titanium dioxide.

For more info and details about sunscreen safety, read Tiffani’s whole article, “Safe Sunscreens for the Family“

Five Favorite “Green” Tips April 22, 2008

On earth day there is no limit to those inspiring ”go green” lists.  Lists of 100, 50, or even 25 ideas tend to leave my mind reeling with the possibilities.   It’s important to take steps to live lighter on the planet, year by year.  Ready for something more manageable? Here are five of my favorite ways to go green this year:

1. Line-dry Laundry:  The dryer is the single biggest consumer of electricity in your house.  Line drying is a lifestyle change that will force me to spend more time outside, possibly in quiet contemplation (doesn’t that sound nice?).  As an added bonus, it’ll make my clothes last longer too.
2. Reduce Errands:  I hate running to the store for one thing.  Talk about a time-sucker!  Reducing and combining errands will make an impact on the air quality in my community and on my bank account, considering gas prices today.  I want to learn to wait longer between errands and plan ahead better to get everything in one outing.  My kids will be glad too!
3. Choose Cloth: I switched to cloth diapers last year.  I could never imagine going back!  Now it’s time to switch to reusable cloth anywhere and everywhere else: shopping bags, napkins, towels, even menstrual products.  I’ve tried cloth products in all these areas.  Turns, out cloth is actually NICER to use.  The disposable product category is such a marketing gimmick!
4. Eliminate Junk Mail:  It’s as easy as writing to Mail Preference Service, c/o Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 9008, Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008 (include date, name, address, signature, and the message “Please register my name with the Mail Preference Service”).  I’ll also call catalogs that I don’t want to receive and ask to be removed from their mailing list. 
5. Shop Smart:  I want to continue to think long-term about the products I buy.  Is it high quality?  Will I still love it next year?  Was it manufactured safely, without dangerous chemicals?  I hope to consume less by re-purposing items I already own, borrowing when possible, and only buying real quality that is meant to last.  It’s shopping with an eco-conscience. 

Canada Get’s It April 17, 2008

Rumours that Canada Health is taking steps to label BPA (bisphenol A) plastics as “dangerous” are sweeping through the press.  Stores across Canada are said to be pulling BPA plastics from shelves as customers continue to reject these controversial products, especially in the baby isle.  Canada’s labeling BPA as “dangerous” could be a wonderful example to the international community, paving way for potential bans, action, or regulation of the hormone mimicking chemical.  

Action north of the border may be helped along by a study released by a key U.S. government agency, the National Toxicology Program of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.  This agency is responsible for evaluating hazardous substances. Just this week, the agency released a draft report linking exposures to BPA to breast cancer and the earlier age of puberty in girls.  If you’ve heard studies say otherwise, examine their source.  Isn’t it strange that independently funded studies continue to find problems with BPA, while manufacturer’s studies show no need for concern?

We’ve already replaced our drinking containers with glass, stainless, or bpa-free plastic options.  And, although I’ve purchased some new glass Pyrex storage containers, some BPA contaminated plastic containers still linger in my cabinets.  I hereby pledge to send them to the garage to be repurposed as storage solutions for my husbands screws, bolts, and what-nots… Today!

Have you made the switch?  Purge your house of all food-related plastics with a 6 or 7 triangular plastic symbol, usually located on the bottom of your container.  No symbol at all?  Well, if it’s clear, rigid plastic it’s suspect.  Better be safe than sorry! 

The Best Prep for a Non-Medicated Birth April 15, 2008

Many women desire to give birth without pain medication, or at least with as few heavy medications as possible.  How do you prepare yourself for that challenge?  What makes the difference between a woman who throws out her birth plan and gets that epidural and the one who manages her pain in the way she had hoped? 

For one, you have to realize that women feel contractions differently.  Some experience contractions as extremely painful, but others just feel tightness or almost nothing at all.  My friend Chihiro said she couldn’t even tell when she was contracting with her first baby, but with the second she experienced intense pain.  Prepare yourself by keeping an open mind to how easy or difficult the actual experience may be for you.  It’s completely unpredictable.

That said, countless women who experience intense pain during labor do manage to forgo medicating.  Now, I realize that a non-medicated birth isn’t for everyone, but if this is one of your goals here are some tips:

1. Limit your exposure to medication opportunities.  Really.  If you don’t want to take drugs, try to avoid having them offered to you.  When you enter the labor room, personally tell the nurse that you prefer she NOT offer you medication.  Ask your birth partner to keep new nurses updated.  I heard of one woman who hung a “Don’t Offer Me Medication” sign on her labor room door.  Hey, it’s easier if you don’t have to say “no”.  If you really, consciously change your mind, I bet you’ll find the words to ask for that medication!
2. Train your mind to think of birth positively.  Birth is an opportunity to bond with your mate, work hard for something worthwhile, experience the thrilling joy of success hard-won, and embrace that new baby for the first time.  Read LOTS of natural birth stories!  This is the most enjoyable and probably the most effective way to prepare for a natural, non-medicated birth.  Each time you expose yourself to stories of women who experienced birth like you desire, you set yourself up to approach birth with a positive, confident attitude. 
3. Prepare to be flexible.   Your birth will probably NOT go exactly as planned.  Maybe your contractions will stop temporarily. Maybe your doula will not make it.  Maybe your labor will drag on for over 24 hours.  Maybe you’ll go from 2 to 10 centimeters in an hour – who knows!!!  It’s great to have a plan, but be prepared to throw it out the window.  Spend some time imagining very different possibilities and how you would like to react.  No matter what happens, you can have a fulfilling birth experience if you keep your perspective positive and take control of your choices.  In birth you are not the victim or the patient, you are the mom.
4. Gain access to alternative pain management options.  If you’re saying “no” to drugs, say “yes” to something else! Read, talk to other moms about what worked for them, and arrange for the services of a midwife or doula.  There is a rich culture of birthing aids from warm water to massage to visualizations that can make a huge difference in your perception of pain during labor.  Your labor nurse is very unlikely to be of help in this area.  You’ve got to proactively plan ahead to arm yourself with safe, effective labor tools.  Again, reading positive natural birth stories is an excellent way to fill your mind with pain management ideas. 

Bottom line: managing pain is 90% mental.  The difference between achieving your goal to birth without drugs and making a decision to medicate that you may regret is usually how prepared you are mentally.  Know that you can do this.  Focus on the positives and let every contraction bring you closer to holding that baby in your arms.

One great classic full of positive birth stories is Ina May Gaskin’s ”Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth”.  You can also find a rich resource of birth stories at Mothering.com. 

Many blessings!

Holistic Moms Network April 10, 2008

Ever find yourself wishing you had more friends with young children, especially ones who shared your outlook on parenting and natural living?  Holistic Moms Network may be just what you need. 

I recently joined a chapter in my area.  I had been meaning to go for months (ok, more like a year) because they hold monthly informational meetings about quite interesting topics from organic gardening in your backyard to vaccinations, homeopathy, and natural childbirth.  The monthly meetings feature an expert guest speaker and serve as a great way to meet other natural/holistic, mindful mamas in your area.  It’s a truly non-judgmental atmosphere, which makes all the difference. 

Well, it’s been a lot of fun!  I know that the whole point of the network is to meet others who share your way of life and to live and learn as a community, but meeting these people has provoked more than one “I’m not alone!” epiphanies.  Now I’m helping to facilitate a bi-monthly book club and starting to form relationships through socials and playdates.  It’s so inspiring! 

The Holistic Moms Network (HMN) is a relatively new, national non-profit dedicated to connecting parents who are passionate about natural health and green living.  HMN has 120+ chapters across North America. HMN encourages families to parent from the heart, trust their instincts and make informed healthcare decisions.  To see if there’s a chapter near you or for info on how to start one, visit www.holisticmoms.org, or call (877) HOL-MOMS.  
 

Weaning Liam April 7, 2008

My first baby “weaned” herself – she just lost interest.  But, with my second child it’s been different.  Weaning is a touchy subject.  How long should you nurse?  Should you wean at all?  It’s a highly personal decision that others should stay out of, in my opinion. 

I decided last week to wean my little boy, who’s now 14 months old.  He has been biting when nursing and he doesn’t show any signs of losing interest.  I’m ready to stop nursing.  Before we weaned Liam was nursing twice a day: once before bed and once at about 6 am in the morning.  I was hoping that a weaned baby might mean more sleep for everyone.

Day 1: It’s bedtime and time for Liam’s feeding.  Instead of nursing him, I let Daddy do the entire bedtime routine.  Liam went to sleep without a fuss and slept a little better than normal, waking at 7 am for a solid food breakfast.  I leaked all night and woke up a bit engorged.  As the day goes on, I leak like crazy and things get pretty uncomfortable.

Day 2: This is the WORST day!  I’m completely swollen and still leaking like a drippy faucet.  Where are my nursing pads?  (Stock up on nursing pads before weaning!)  I resort to using thin cotton socks.  It’s sad, but true.  My breasts look like they are filled with lumpy rocks.  They feal like it too.  I am in constant pain even sitting still or lying down.  Is this what it feels like post-partum if you don’t nurse?  I wonder if my boobs might fall off…  

Day 3: I realize I should get cabbage leaves or something to help with the pain, but I’m too lazy and busy!  At least I have real nursing pads now.  The leaking is slowing down, but the engorgement is still serious business.  Fortunately, I am no longer in constant pain.  Holding Liam or allowing anything to touch my chest is very painful. 

Day 4: We are over the worst!  Although my breasts are still very swollen, I believe that the swelling is starting to very, very gradually subside.  I am tempted to pump, but I know that will only stimulate more milk production.  I realize by the end of the day that I am no longer leaking. 

Day 5: Wait a minute, how long is this going to take?  Liam adjusted to weaning surprisingly well.  He “asked” to nurse a couple of times on day 2 and 3, but was pretty easily distracted by games or other food.  He’s sleeping until 7 or 7:30 each morning, with only a few nighttime wakings requiring little comforting (which is Dad’s job – yah!!!) to go back to sleep.  My boobs, on the other hand, seem unaware that we really don’t need that milk anymore.  I’m still lumpy and engorged.

Day 6: Some random leaks spring here and there.  Very odd.  However, things are definitely settling down and slowly going back to normal.  I have wonderful news: Liam slept through the night last night from 7 pm to 7:30 am with no need whatsoever for parent interaction.  Woohoo!!!! 

I have been told that it can take up to two weeks for your breasts to go back to normal after weaning.  I didn’t experience this at all with my first baby, because the process was so gradual.  It’s nice to have my body back to myself, and even nicer that someone else can put Liam to sleep at night without my help.  Now that Liam’s not breastfeeding, I’m making an extra effort to offer him lots of whole milk and cuddles.  He’s growing up! 

Enter to win a FREE pair of Mama Black Maternity Jeans! April 3, 2008

Mama Black maternity jeans hit the maternity market last year and made quite a splash!  Their styles are sexy, with a great fit and a reasonable price tag.  The Celebrity and Cha Cha are truly my overall maternity jean favorites because I love, love, LOVE the Mama Black over-the-belly waistband. 

Did I say “over-the-belly”?  Yes!  Girls, I wear under-the-belly with the best of them, but when it comes to heavy jeans, over-the-belly is better.  You have to try it to see, but they just stay up.  Period.  And, if jeans are going to look good on your bum they just CANNOT slouch and sag the way under-the-belly styles always do.  I love that Mama Black jeans hug the legs and butt for a very sexy, cute fit.  In my experience their waistband is also more comfy to sit in because it doesn’t cut you off at the waist.  I spend a bit of time sitting at this keyboard.  When I was pregnant, I wore my over-the-belly jeans to work everytime they were clean. 

Besides the Celebrity and Cha Cha styles, Mama Black added Supernova and Suri this spring.  Supernova is a lighter wash denim with more of a straight, slim leg.  Suri is a gray denim trouser with an under-belly band for those of you who just cannot believe that over-the-belly is better

Enter to Win! Entering is free and no purchase is necessary.  Just tell us which Mama Black maternity jeans (at EuphoriaMaternity.com) are your favorite style.  Do so by adding your comment below.  Enter now through April 30th.  We’ll choose a random winner from all participants! 

Euphoria will pay shipping.  Winner will be notified by email, at which point a shipping address will be requested.

Saying “no” to Junk Food April 1, 2008

On Sunday night I faced a defining mothering moment.  I told my daughter that she couldn’t have Koolaid like the other kids at a weekly dinner social.  I hated doing it, but figured that I’m going to have to say “no” in a social situation at some point.  I was afraid that Koolaid might become a weekly occurance at the social and I’m not OK with Koolaid as a regular drink for my three-year-old.  Aria took the disappointment well, especially since I pointed out that she could have some homemade carrot cake for desert.  She asked me about it later and I explained, “Every mom has to decide what is a healthy choice for their child.  In our family we don’t drink Koolaid because mommy doesn’t think it’s healthy.” 

When you’re pregnant, it’s having the self-control to forego your favorite deli sandwich and miss-out on the goodies at social gatherings from sushi to soft-cheeses.  You look forward to getting back those off-limits indulgences once baby is born, only to discover that with nursing and feeding a young child you’re faced with a whole new level of diet reform.  After all, it’s up to you to eat the right foods to make your breastmilk nourishing and safe.  And, once your baby is eating table foods, you realize that your entire family needs to model healthy eating habbits if baby is going to form his own. 

Saying “no” to junk food is choice we face every day.  I especially enjoyed a recent post at Nature Moms Blog, “Healthier Kids: Moving Beyond Pizza and Hot Dogs”. If you’re looking to reevaluate your family’s eating habbits and take baby steps to healthier foods, her article outlines some good guidelines.  You can also enter to win a cookbook from Holistic Moms Network.  I want one!

Congratulations Adiri Bottle Winners! April 1, 2008

Wow, we got so many great responses to our Adiri Natural Nurser Bottle giveaway!  Thanks for sharing your thoughts.  Our three lucky winners are: Danielle Ledezma, Jimena, and Naomi.  We’ll contact winners via email to arrange for delivery! 

Didn’t win ?  Better luck next time!  Our April giveaway will be announced soon!