Your Natural Baby and More

Please forgive my absence

2009-10-02T18:56:00.000-07:00

But this little man has needed me more the last few weeks.

I guess it's just some developmental milestones, but he has been a nonstop snuggler. I love when he comes and takes my hand and leads me to some new discovery.

He wants me there.

And while I do love to write and talk about motherhood.

I actually like to be a mother more.

So when he's back to running off without looking back and playing in the yard with the dirt and worms, I'll finish my posts on homeschooling: )

We have a Winner! (it's a Mama Monday)

2009-09-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

Well Mamas. We've got our winner.

As soon as Random.org did its thing, I clicked on over to Rachelle's blog. Lo and behold, she just had a baby!

No mamas, I swear I didn't plan it.

But congratulations are in order to Rachelle for her beautiful, natural birth~

Little Forest is such a handsome little man!

Rachelle, email me with your shipping address and I'll get your goodies in the mail: )

Alterna-schooling

2009-09-09T22:52:00.000-07:00

Mamas,
I apologize that my alternative, home and un-schooling posts are pushed back until next week. I'm still gathering research!!!
If any of you are homeschooling/unschooling, I'd love to hear your feedback as I am still putting these posts together: )
In the meantime, make sure to enter my giveaway below and read THIS about Craniosacral Therapy in the Midwifery Model of Care at Midwifery Today.
Warmly,
emily ruth

Thinking Mama Monday--Beth Allen

2009-09-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

Friends, I have spent a lot of time talking about natural cleaning and home remedies. This really isn't the root of what I meant for this blog to be. I will be spending more time on natural parenting philosophies and practices.

One of my dear friends is a beautiful example of what Intuitive Parenting truly means to me. Mamas, meet Beth.

*****

I was young when I first became a mother. 22 to be exact. And then 23 when my 2nd child was born. I am now 28 and expecting my fourth child. There must be something to this motherhood thing- because putting myself through morning sickness (aka 24 hour sickness) 4 times in 6 years is not exactly my idea of fun. It truly is an amazing thing, though, being a mother. Nothing else I have done has brought me more contentment or fulfillment, and I can't imagine that anything else ever could. Sometimes I look back and think I was dreadfully unprepared to be a parent. I sometimes wish I would have informed myself better on certain things. But being a mother, or a father, is as much of a learning and growing process as being a child. I am actually glad that I didn't read a plethora of parenting books, (I think I read one.) I honestly believe that a mother's intuition is the best manual that one could have. I would imagine you can go crazy trying to fit your child and parenting skills into the mold of some well-meaning doctor(s) or author(s). YOU are the one who best knows your child. And trusting our own instincts is something that we need to let happen more as parents.

Here are some goals that I have had since having my first child, although this is the first time I have officially written them down.

Raise children who are respectful of the earth they live in and generations that came before and will come after. I want to teach my children that everything they do has a consequence. From using cloth diapers to recycling and using water wisely, everything that we do effects the Earth that we live in. This can be applied to life in general, as well. My children know that they are responsible for the consequences of their actions. When they understand this, it makes it much easier for them to make good choices. I think that not accepting or being responsible for one's actions is one of the big problems in our society today. I also want to teach my children to respect and love their elders. There is much that can be learned from generations past, (no matter how different we may think their lives were) and I feel that it is irresponsible to think that their experiences and advice don't apply to us. Besides, it is just magic hearing the stories that my Grandpa tells about growing up or reading my grandmother’s journal. It makes me realize just how similar their daily struggles are to ours.

Teach children to find joy and love in relationships and simple pleasures rather than material things.We have a rule in our house that we don't buy our children new toys unless it is their birthday or Christmas. And even then we try not to go overboard. They love their toys, they can occupy themselves for hours with them. They don't have to have something new to be entertained. We also try to buy toys that require a little imagination on their part. Battery toys are not my favorite. Plastic toys I am very particular about- although I do love the Duplos blocks. (and so do my children.) If we want to reward them, we reward them with time- a special outing or a movie at the theatres or staying up late. One of my girls favorite things is "girls day out" where they get one on one time with me. We never do anything fancy- and we don't need to. It is just a time for us to bond and talk and be silly together. A time I hope will create an open and honest dialogue between us in preparation for the teenage years. I hope that they are learning that loving relationships are more rewarding than any material thing.

Make an environment that is peaceful and allows for imagination games and play. Allow for do-nothing time. (aka learn to be creative time)I like my home to be filled with my children's laughter and play. There is no happier sound to me. (well, it comes close between that and the quiet of when they are sleeping safe in their beds.) I (very) strongly feel that our world today is over-stimulated. Children must be playing video games or watching movies all day to be entertained and happy. To me this is very unhealthy. It is not only not "real" but it is just too much. It is a no-brainer to me why so many children have attention problems these days. They have never been allowed to just be. When children are let to be "bored" for a while they quickly learn that they can create their own magic. I love seeing what my children come up with on their own. Sometimes it is something as simple as coloring at their art table. Other times it is more elaborate, like building a "boat" and gathering up beloved stuffed animals to go to Disneyland or get on Noah's ark. One thing that I learned from my own sweet mother is that the messes that are the results of creativity are (for the most part) happy messes and well worth the effort. How much will it matter in a few years (or even a few days) that a mess was made? But the memory of playing with home-made play-dough or cutting up a bazillion little shapes out of paper (and pretending they are snow) will last forever.

Teach children to respect others and to be conscious and sensitive of varying opinions and beliefs while still standing up for their own."See it from their point of view" or "try walking in their shoes" are some of the most important things that we can do as human beings. I want my children to be able to hear a differing opinion or belief and, while they might not agree with it, show respect towards the person. Everyone has had different life experiences and situations that have shaped them into they are. It is not fair or right to judge, especially when considering that we may feel the same way as they if we were in their situation (or "shoes"). At the same time, I want my children to be able to stand up for what they believe in when called for. There is a difference between being tolerant and allowing yourself to be stepped on. This can and should be done in a respectful manner, however.

Never sacrifice organic, nourishing and whole foods, even if it they are more expensive. They are as close as you can get to perfect health insurance. I have my husband to thank for being so stalwart on this front. He has taught me that the cost is worth the quality, there are things that can be done without before we we sacrifice healthy, nourishing food. Processed foods are the main culprit of ill health and we try to avoid them whenever possible. We choose to follow a vegetarian diet, but I whole-heartedly believe that you can have a healthy, well-balanced diet eating meat as well. The most important thing is to be aware of where and how your food comes to you. There is such a disconnect from our meals, (and our snacks, and our drinks). It is easy to ignore the label and enjoy the convenience. We wouldn't let our children sit in a puddle of toxic waste, we shouldn't let them eat things that sound like they are made out of toxic waste ingredients, either. It doesn't have to be fancy. Just whole.

Play with my children everyday.This is something I take very seriously. Whether it is a game of hide-and-seek, musical chairs, or simply reading a big pile of books on the couch together, I always make time for play. It doesn't have to be hours long, I am always surprised at how well 20 minutes can satisfy my children's need for attention. I like to try and find ways to add a little fun to our mostly uneventful days. Most of the time it is as simple as making a "secret lunch" or having a marching band, but they just love it. I try to remember that this is the time they are here with me, that they want to be here with me. I need to take advantage of that as much as possible. Plus, how can I resist when my 22 month old grabs me by the hand and says, "c'mon, mama! play blocks!" There is just no arguing with that.

I really admire Emily and her devotion to natural parenting. I have a lot to learn from her. There is something to be said for using nature as a lead when raising your children. I remember always hearing how dangerous co-sleeping is, or how your children will never learn to sleep if you nurse them at night. But snuggling up with my warm, intoxicating little babes close to my chest is something that came so natural. Those are some of my sweetest memories, I would not trade them for the world. And I now have 3 very soundly sleeping little children that feel safe and content and watched over. To me, the core of natural parenting is listening to your instincts. Don't follow the parenting trends, they are too often found to be faulty. Follow what you know is best for your child, and the best is always first and foremost your time and your love. Hold your children as often as possible, read to them everyday, teach them to find joy in the simple things in life. Give yourself a little more credit, we are all learning this parenting thing for the first time.

Thank you Beth for sharing your insights with us.

(Find her personal blog, HERE.)

Bionorica & Dr. Sears Book Giveaway

2009-09-04T14:31:00.000-07:00

Scroll down for the winner of the Babies in Bloom Giveaway

Mamas~ before we know it, Flu Season will be upon us. You all know I'm not running to a doctor to get the flu vaccine. I constantly wonder why American health care is so different than the integrated approach in much of Europe and Asia.

"Europeans and much of the rest of the world recognize that integrative solutions allow for a much more comprehensive approach to health challenges" explains Dr. Narinder Duggal, Clinical Associate Professor, School of Pharmacy at the University of Washington in Seattle.

I want to tell you about a product out of Germany that I have fallen in love with. The company is called Bionorica and they sent me samples a few months ago. I told them I wouldn't promote their product unless I really believed in it and if it worked for my family.
Well, here I am singing their praises.
Check out their website HERE.
Sinupret is a plant based herbal supplement that promotes healthy drainage in the upper respiratory tract, improves airflow in the nose and supports healthy mucous flow in the nose and sinuses. In addition to supporting sinus and respiratory functions, it also supports the immune system. It has been tested in clinical studies and used for over 35 years (in Germany) and has proven safe for children and adults. Sinupret does not contain stimulants, caffeine, ephedra, pseudoephedrine, codeine, steroids, gluten or narcotics. Sinupret has no harmful side effects.

Bionorica is giving away a bottle of Sinupret for kids, Dr. Sears Book The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood, a small bag (would be great to hold a purse first aid kit), kid binoculars, and a mini teddy bear (it's super soft). While I disagree with Dr. Sears on a few points (he suggests spaced vaccines -- I don't vax at all) but this is a great book packed with fabulous information. Thank you Bionorica for sponsoring this giveaway!

To enter, comment here before next Friday (the 11th) at noon. Link to this giveaway on your blog and come back for a second entry.
Please join us next week for our alternative schooling series.
Have a great weekend!

Winner!~Babies in Bloom Diaper Giveaway

2009-09-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who entered. If it was your first time visiting YNBAM, welcome! I hope all of you come back soon, as I've got more giveaways coming up. Also, if you would like to join our YNBAM Online Community, please clickity click on over.
Our Winner for the Babies in Bloom Boutique sponsored diaper giveaway is...

Congrats Sarah! Contact me at yournaturalbabyandmore@gmail.com for more details! You are going to go crazy over all the choices you have. You just might have to spoil baby girl : )

Enjoy Mothering Magazine...FREE!

2009-09-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Ladies,
We celebrate Mothering Magazine around here. So many fabulous articles. And the pictures are always lovely. I enjoy pretty pictures.

Click HERE today to receive a digital copy (bimonthly) of Mothering Magazine FREE! Use coupon code CMDCD.

Thank you Mothering Mag!
Don't forget to enter the cloth diaper giveaway below; )

Babies in Bloom Diaper Fashion Giveaway

2009-09-02T06:03:00.000-07:00

My dearest Reachel over at Cardigan Empire is talking about baby fashion--and of course cloth diapers are the center of that discussion. (You really should drop by the Empire sometime. It's delightful).

Ladies, by now you all know how I feel about cloth diapers.
The only laundry I enjoyed doing is, (and I really do mean this), diapers. There is nothing so perfect as cloth diapers on the clothes line, or fresh out of the dryer. I loved folding them with care to put in drawers, knowing soft cloth--not itchy paper--would adorn my little man's bum.
Perfection, those cloth diapers. Perfection.

Alas, Mo is now in undies so I must refrain from buying. Heavens, this is difficult. But by golly, no one can stop me from looking! And one of my favorite stores to look (wink, wink) is Babies in Bloom. And lucky for everyone who lives outside of San Diego, BIB has an online boutique. Babies in Bloom carries everything from diapers and organic layette, to nursing supplies, natural toys, books and highchair accessories. Basically, if you need it for your baby, they carry it.

Rochelle, Babies in Bloom owner, a real force and supporter of natural parenting choices has graciously offered to sponsor this Giveaway to one lucky reader.

Comment on this post before Friday Sept.4th at noon, and you have the chance to win your choice of either a Bum Genius One Size Pocket Diaper or a Bummis cover (Super Whisper wrap /Super Brite) with 3 prefold diapers. Post about this giveaway on your own blog and come back for a second entry: )

Random.org will pick our winner and announce the lucky bum after noon on Friday.

Good Luck, Mamas!

Giveaway~ Cardigan Empire

2009-08-31T14:45:00.000-07:00

One of my dearest friends in the world and Fairy Godmother to Mo is doing a giveaway for this adorable Elephant Sweater. Please visit her blog at Cardigan Empire for details on how to win!
Even though I have no girlies, I'm entering anyway.
It's that sweet.

Thinking Mama Monday-Sharon Bodon

2009-08-31T06:28:00.000-07:00

I wanted to get to know better the Mamas that inspire me everyday. Some are readers that I've met via blogging. Some are friends I've met after our recent move to San Diego and some I've known for years. All are women that are in the trenches of motherhood, striving to find balance in their lives. When talking with today's mama, I was struck with her philosophy that the little things add up. There are small things we can do everyday to maintain our overall body/mind fitness, helping us keep up with the kiddos. She really walks the talk, so I've asked her to share a few of those tips with us.

Ladies, I present Sharon!

A typical day for me, pre-children: Wake up rested after 8.5 hours of uninterrupted, deep-REM-cycle sleep; a leisurely breakfast of slow cooked oatmeal; off to whichever job I have at the time, which always involves either teaching exercise classes (yoga, pilates, water aerobics, kickboxing) or running a wellness program for a corporation, putting on health fairs, etc; Leave the jobsite after 8 hours, feeling satisfied, thinking I really made a difference for those I taught or educated; Happy hour with friends (pre marriage) OR nice peaceful meal in candlelight (post marriage); watch a good movie; Blissful sleep again....
A typical day for me, post-children: Wake up after about 7 hours of interrupted sleep; leftover pizza for breakfast; stay in my robe for half the day, getting the kids dressed, fed, played with, nursed, diapered, (repeat cycle 3 or 4 times); get stir-crazy at home and venture out to a park or store; return wiped out, wondering why I can't just be happy staying at home all day; attempt a home-cooked healthy family meal which no one really eats much of; order pizza so they won't starve; wonder if the kids/husband really will ever appreciate anything I do; finally get the kids to sleep after many failed attempts; 10 loads of laundry; quick kiss for husband in the hallway as I head off to bed....
I am sure many moms can relate to my pre and post-kid scenarios. I can definitely say that I really never thought parenthood would be so all-consuming! Of course those little angels are worth every bit of effort I make and even without accolades I will do it every day until they are grown. One thing I am not, though, is a martyr. I do find ways throughout my day to retain some semblance of the independent, fitness-oriented woman I want to remain and refuse to blame motherhood for insanity or weight-gain.
Acquaintances with kids have asked me how I stay fit and seem to be pretty sane. I'd like to share some of those fitness and health tips with other moms who feel that they just don't have the time or energy to focus on themselves.
So to add a few details in the post-children scenario:
That less than perfect night of sleep could have been much worse (I think all moms just have to accept that they will not sleep like they did pre-kid for a LONG time). Hubby and I take shifts: Me: 8pm to 2am, Him: 2am to 8am. This works out pretty well for allowing each of us SOME uninterrupted sleep-time.
That leftover pizza is thin-crust, light-on-the-cheese, heavy on the veggies pizza. In regards to all food intake while stay-at-home-mommying: grazing on leftover kid food all day is a bad idea. Make yourself a real plate of food at least twice a day so you can really focus on the quantity and quality.
Playtime with kids: usually involves doing something really physically active: dancing, sports, gymnastics, actually getting in the play structures at the park and climbing gym WITH them. People really won't think you're nuts, just young at heart.
Also, it is possible to do Pilates and Yoga to maintain muscle tone and flexibility even without heading off to a class. The key is to learn several yoga poses and Pilates movements and perform them ALL THROUGHOUT the day. For example, before I even get out of bed in the morning, I do 3 Pilates exercises, then as I play with the kids on the floor I'll hold a yoga pose, like bridge or downward dog for example, and tell the kids to make a game of going underneath me. Then I "teach" a fitness class to the kids, and while of course they are not following along well, they are having a blast just trying. I'll hold a yoga balance pose and tell the kids to throw soft pillows at me to try to knock me over which fun for them, good for challenging my balance. I use the crib rail as a ballet barre: while comforting the baby as she's trying to go to sleep, I do plies and barre work.
I know that this daily routine of mine is not keeping me at triathlete levels of fitness. It is a basic maintenance plan, which is so important as we get older especially. It's also really good for the kids to see you being so active, as it sets them up for a lifetime of physical fitness themselves. If mom and dad do it, they probably will too. Even that evening laundry session might seem tedious, but I have convinced myself that this is my opportunity to zone out, or "zen out" and do a sort of meditation. I repeat a mantra and practice deep breathing exercises as I fold those mounds of clothes. I hope at least one idea will inspire another mom to take a little control back of her health!
Namaste,
Sharon Bodon

Thank you Sharon! I am off to downward dog into a bridge for Mo~

Oxygen

2009-08-27T13:03:00.000-07:00

This scene makes me want to breathe deeply

Today's natural remedy is oxygen. Yes. You read correctly.
Oxygen.
Have you ever been lost in thought and suddenly found yourself out of breath from lack of...breathing? I think we all experience this in times of stress, and I want to send a friendly reminder.

Breathe.

Lack of oxygen causes all kinds of health issues: Stroke, heart attack, muscle tension, it has even been linked to cancer. Read HERE for more info on the importance of oxygen to our bodies and our minds.
Take a moment right now...
"Try an experiment suggested by Swami Vishnudevananda. Focus attention upon the ticks of a clock placed at a distance of about twelve feet. If you get distracted, try concentrating harder until you experience the ticking with undivided attention. If you fail at first, you should try again and again until you succeed in keeping the ticking clearly in mind for at least a few seconds. What happened? The majority of persons who took part in this experiment reported that they have completely suspended the breath. The others, who had less concentration, reported that they experienced very slow breathing. This experiment shows clearly that where there is concentration of the mind, the breathing becomes very slow or even get suspended temporarily."~holisticonline.com

This Thinking Mama

2009-08-24T06:44:00.000-07:00

Our family November'08

I've asked mothers who I feel embody natural parenting practices to guest blog for our Thinking Mama Monday posts. Of course they have graciously accepted. I decided it was only fair before asking them to share their very personal stories, that I ask the same of myself. And since I have not spoken much of what attracted me to Attachment/Natural Parenting, I thought now was a good time to do so.

It started for me over 10 years ago, in high school.

I was researching cultures around the world and found that Asia, South America, Africa and Australia had one thing in common: A majority of the people in these places did not use diapers until American diaper companies introduced them in the 1980's. They instead listened to their infant's cues when he needed to eliminate---just like when a baby cries because he is hungry, tired, hot or cold. This one practice, (called Elimination Communication or EC) opened my eyes to a whole other way of parenting I didn't know existed,

Attachment Parenting- also known as AP.

It did then, and still does make so much sense to listen to our children. I became addicted to researching parenting philosophies. While I view myself as relaxed in some AP practices and more "to the letter" in others, I do it because it helps me feel fulfilled as a mother. I strongly believe that everyone should get all the information they can and make the decisions that work best for them in their families. Period. Every situation is different, and judgement should never be made of other's choices.

My faith in AP was strengthened when I became a mother...3 times over.

In August '07 my husband Roger and I enjoyed a beautiful birth at home with our son Morris. His arrival was one of the pinnacle events for me as a woman. I was born a mother that day.

Last summer we learned we were expecting twins. I had an extremely healthy, uncomplicated, pregnancy. Every test was perfectly textbook, but due to Arizona laws (which I deem unconstitutional) regarding homebirth of twins, my real plan was to birth out of state--(In a hotel with an out of state midwife trained in twin birth). In the meantime I met with a doctor and (unofficially) consulted with a homebirth midwife (who knew nothing of my plan) concerning diet, etc. Despite having the best of both worlds, our boys Sheldon and Thomas were suddenly born premature and lived only a short while before graduating this life. Tests reveal no medical reason or explanation for the early labor and as a spiritual person, I know they were meant for a different mission than this life had to offer. Yet even with this knowledge, I was born a baby-lost mother on that day last October.

The message I want and need other women to know regarding my situation is that were it not for my beautiful, empowering, life changing homebirth with Morris, I wouldn't have had the strength to be emotionally present at the exquisitely heartbreaking birth of my twins. I experienced both the joy and sadness that birthing two angels brings a mother. Being emotionally present has made all the difference in my grieving process. The bond I have with Morris has helped me continue to heal and I know that is strengthened by breastfeeding, co-sleeping and other AP practices.

Unfortunately, most hospitals are not equipped to support mothers spiritually and emotionally after these kinds of experiences as my AP community did. For these, and many other reasons, I strongly believe in the midwifery model for uncomplicated pregnancies and plan to birth at home when given the opportunity.

I started this blog in the hopes of passing on a gift I was given: The knowledge of choices in birth and parenting.

We have the freedom to choose for ourselves what is best for our families in where we birth and how we parent. Exercise those freedoms and learn all you can.

~Announcement~

2009-08-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

Become a Member today!

YNBAM Yahoo Group

Intuitive parenting without judgment of ourselves or others.

Looking for connection to moms practicing attachment parenting? Join others with a desire to parent in harmony with their child's nature and spirit. We are mothers who believe that our children are innately good. We believe in parenting joyfully, nonviolently, and unconditionally. Attachment parenting goes beyond babies and toddlers. The principles of unconditional love and support stay with us and our children as they grow and continue to experiment with the world. We ask that group members always be respectful of the way others parent.

If you're a little bit "granola", we'd love to have you~ This group is for crunchy mamas interested in any (not necessarily all) elements of Attachment/Natural/Conscious/Intuitive Parenting such as... Breastfeeding, cloth diapering, child led weaning, drug-free birth, elimination communication, baby wearing, co-sleeping, natural remedies/holistic healing, eating whole foods, homeschooling, alternative schooling; and/or unschooling (child-led learning), sustainable living, no vaccines and positive/gentle discipline.

Whooping Cough -Natural Remedy Thursday

2009-08-19T13:37:00.000-07:00

As a teenager, I was vaccinated for Pertussis (Whooping Cough). I contracted it 4 years later. I was misdiagnosed at first because of my vaccination record. If I had a proper diagnosis earlier, I could have treated and possibly eliminated the worst part of the virus.*** The only upside in having the virus was that I will never get it again because I now have the natural antibodies against it.
I will not talk more about vaccines today. I've already done that HERE. But I do want to reiterate a few things that every parent should know, regardless of if you choose to vaccinate or not, regardless of if you believe they are effective or not. If you vaccinate your child for a disease, contracting that disease is still possible. Please be aware that in outbreaks, up to 90% of the affected persons have been vaccinated. Many times, a disease will be wrongly ruled out by the doctors because a person has been vaccinated (as in my case). Everyone needs to have a plan and know of options if you or your child contract a disease.

WHOOPING COUGH (Pertussis) SYMPTOMS—
A week or two after exposure, the catarrhal stage begins. The eyes may be red, and the child seems to have a cold in the head. There is sneezing and watering of the eyes. Then a persistent cough develops, especially bad at night. This coughing continues a week, and keeps getting worse—and is the most significant indication that the problem may be whooping cough. If the cough is not treated, in about 2 weeks, the typical whoop begins. At first, only 1-2 times a day, it degrades to every time there is coughing. It is a deep breath at the end of a series of deep coughs. The child's face may be reddish or bluish from the effort and lack of air. Vomiting may also occur. This whooping stage lasts 3-6 weeks, and the cough may not entirely disappear for several months.

CAUSES—
Whooping cough is a contagious bacterial disease, which usually attacks children between 6 months and 5 years of age. But newborns and adults can also be affected. The disease is not highly contagious after the first few weeks. The most contagious phase is before a definite diagnosis is possible. Whooping cough occurs more frequently, and seriously, in overcrowded and unhygienic quarters and cold weather. Vaccine?--You should weigh the fact that pertussis vaccine is one of the most dangerous of the shots in its occasional side effects.

TREATMENT—
• Treat the cough! When a cough first develops, treat the cough. If you do so, the whooping cough phase can be entirely prevented.
• Wild cherry bark tea is excellent. Here are other herbs useful for coughs; select from those you have on hand or can most easily obtain. They can be mixed: black cohosh, flaxseed, rosemary, comfrey, horehound, hyssop, myrrh, white pine, bloodroot, red sage, blue violet, ginseng, coltsfoot. Prepare a tea and give a teaspoonful every hour until the cough is better.
• Be sure and include other worthwhile practices, such as partial or complete fasting on fruit and vegetable juices until the cough is past.
• When the cough is severe, as in whooping cough, drinking warm water, one cup after another, followed by induced vomiting can expectorate sputum (mucus or phlegm).
• A light diet is essential. Overfeeding during the whooping cough prolongs the disease and leads to complications. In case it is a breast-fed infant, do not overfeed either. The child is thirsty, not hungry.
• As soon as it is perceived that the problem is whooping cough, place him on a full fruit juice fast. First, give citrus juices. This can be followed by other fruit juices; then carrot and other vegetable juices, and clear vegetable broth soup. Later still, fruit can be added.
• Give vitamins A and C in large doses.
• It is good to soak the feet in hot water, with a little mustard and salt added to it.
• Steam inhalations are often very helpful. They can be given every 2-4 hours, according to the severity of the case.
• Thick slippery elm tea is very good in whooping cough; mix in a little lemon juice and drink it freely.
• Keep him isolated from other children.
• If the weather is warm, sunny, and not too damp or dusty, keep him out of doors most of the day. But he should not exert himself in play.
• Air and sun his bedding every day, if there is sunshine.
• Sodium Ascorbat Powder (pure, filler free). You can get it in your health food store. 375 mg / per kg body weight or until they have one lose stool. Then cut it back but just a little bit. Put into some diluted juice and let the child sip it all day long.

***"The disease [Pertussis] is difficult to diagnose. Currently,to be completely sure of the diagnosis of pertussis, you have to take a culture, which is a catch-22 because the cultures are only positive at the very beginning of the illness in the first week or two. At this time, the cough is very mild and neither the patient nor the doctor is thinking about the diagnosis. By the time they do think of pertussis because the cough has become more severe or lasted for a couple of weeks, the culture—which is taken from the nose—is often negative."
-Dr. Pichichero at PulmonaryReviews.com

~I'm done with summer break~

2009-08-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

Alright. I'm ready to be back. I've been visiting family and friends, loving every minute of it. But I'm ready to write!

Tomorrow will be Natural Remedies Thursday, and Thinking Mama Mondays are reappearing too. Coming up, a back to school post on alternative education (It's never too early to plan for next year). And another little announcement to come on Friday... I'm kind of excited about it~

Lastly, here's a little something from my Mo who turned 2 Monday. Don't mind him...he always wears his birthday suit.

Hmm...maybe an EC post or two coming up? ; )

Essential Oils Part 2 guest post with Kara Bagley

2009-07-29T13:55:00.000-07:00

For all those waiting on the edge of your seats for this week's EO post~ I had miscommunicated with Mrs. Bagley and told her to be ready with this post next Monday. Ooops! She obliged and got it done for me early.

Thanks again Kara for a fabulous, informative post!

Before I get to the Q& A from my last post on essential oils (EO's), I wanted to touch on my experience with blends. EO blends differ from company to company, but many of them are comparable to one another. There are three reasons I love to use blends.

First, it allows me to obtain and oil that would otherwise be too expensive. Whether blended with a less expensive EO (like citronella) or a carrier oil (like coconut), a blend can keep you from breaking the bank. I use Native American Nutritionals (NAN's) Serenity for calming anxiety, it contains chamomile which is around $100 a bottle! So I can get the benefits of chamomile for far less because it is blended with inexpensive EO's like patchouli and orange.
Secondly, with these oils being so potent, you will want to dilute most of them for skin contact. Some oils are blended for ease of use. I love NAN's Tummy Rub blend for traveling with carsickness and indigestion from eating poor foods. This blend can be used straight form the bottle and rubbed right on my tummy.
Third, a common practice when using EO's is if one doesn't work; try a different oil. Not all body's or ailments will react the same to every oil every time, and there are usually a handful that have been known to be effective. A blend made up of a variety of EO's that work together will give you a better chance of finding relief from your problem. My favorite bottle in my possession is NAN's Spice Traders blend. I mix it in a spray bottle 10 drops to an ounce of water and give my mouth a few sprays a day to boost my immune system, especially if I have been around somebody who is sick. When I feel like I am coming down with something, like a little soreness in my throat, a headache or low energy, I take 3 drops in a vegetable capsule filled with cod liver oil at least 3 times a day, every day until I feel better.
Once you grow experienced with essential oils you can mix up your own blends, but for a beginner this is a fool proof way to use EO's.
Now, on the the Q&A:
Q. Would you talk more about what therapeutic grade essential oils are?
A. Therapeutic grade EO's are extracted from plants in the most delicate way to preserve the fragile compounds that are essential for medicinal healing. Beware only 2 percent of EO companies in the U.S. sell true therapeutic grade and sadly trusted companies have been known to start stretching their oils to make ends meet.
Q. How many drops come in a bottle of essential oils? Shelf life?
A. 15 ml is about 300 drops depending on viscosity. If the oil is neat (unadulterated or undiluted and not extended) it will last indefinitely in the right conditions except for lemon peel which can be stored for up to 3 years. Oils that are blended have a shorter life span due to rancidity of the carrier oil.
Q. What does adulterated essential oils mean?
A. An adulterated EO is altered in some way, usually to stretch the smell or taste of an oil. Companies do this by adding alcohol, adding terpenes from another oil, adding a cheaper oil to an expensive oil, adding a colorless and odorless synthetic product, or by substituting an oil for another cheaper oil. Some of these methods can actually be toxic and health deteriorating!
Q. How can you ensure that your oils are not adulterated?
A. This is the toughest about using EO's. I have taken some classes from very knowledgeable woman who have use the oils from various EO companies. There is a test that can be done to measure the quality of the EO, but requires specialized equipment. A trained nose can detect an adulterated oil. The reason I buy from Native American Nutritionals (NAN) is because there are a number of people I know personally that vouch for the company and their oils. NAN has the lowest price at this time. Two other companies I have had enough experience with to trust are Forever Young, Forever Green and Mountain Rose Herbs.
Q. What is the difference between organic versus non-organic?
A. Like fruits and vegetables, organic is a certification the herb farm can get for growing chemical free. That being said, just because they are not labeled doesn't mean they are grown with chemicals. The certification is quite a process that small farms do not tend to have the energy to deal with.
Q. What is the difference between essential oils and fragrance oils?
A. Fragrance oils may be marketed as essential oils, but are commonly adulterated oils that are intended for perfumes and soaps with little to no healing properties.
Q. How do you properly store and care for your essential oils?
A. Essential oils should be stored in blue glass bottles away from heat and direct sunlight. When traveling, it is best to carry small amounts and leave your large bottles at home. You can purchase bitty 5/8 dram (30 drop) bottles with your carrying case from Addicted to Oils. EO's are volatile, meaning they evaporate. Always keep the lid on when not in use.
Q. Can I use the same oils for therapy as I would for making scented soap?
A Yes, soap is a great way to incorporate EO's in your daily skin care regimen. In fact, I wanted to share some of my easy, effective and frugal recipes I have been using.
Moisturizer: Coconut oil is a super light moisturizer for all your skin, especially your face. I keep it in a ½ ounce cold cream container. You can add a few drops of geranium oil for balancing oil glands and cellular regeneration with lavender to stimulate circulation and diminish scars and wrinkles. NAN makes two nice blends; Skin Care and Baby Soft that are perfect for daily healing and moisturizing treatments.
Toner: Face washes are basic, to bring the skin back to balance a light acidic solution is perfect. I use a mixture of 1 ounce water and 1 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar. Here, EO's are great for covering up the smell of the vinegar. Fennel seed is a great one that also tightens the skin and brightens complexion.
Deodorant: Combine equal portions of baking soda and arrowroot powder (¼ cup each). Combine 5 tablespoons coconut oil and 10 drops lemongrass, then work the two mixtures together with a spoon until it obtains the substance you desire. Place in a small container with lid or an old store bought deodorant stick.

Thank you Kara! With this education, I think we are well on our way to using EO's on a daily basis~

Essential Oils guest post with Kara Bagley

2009-07-20T00:10:00.000-07:00

I am excited to start another series here called Thinking Mama Monday. I have "met" a few of you online and a few more in person. I feel each of you have something to contribute to this community. Mondays I will be spotlighting women who have inspired me to learn more and incorporate natural parenting philosophies into my life.

Many of you know my good friend Kara (author of cooking blog, Taste is Trump) has helped me in my healthy cooking endeavors. Something you may not know is that she is also well versed in another topic I have been quite interested in. I've asked Kara to start off her two part guest post by sharing a bit about what got her interested in essential oils and teaching us about them. Without further ado, I give you Kara Bagley.

Photo credit HERE

"Enjoying optimal health has always been important for me. I learned to control how I am feeling largely through my diet. A healthy diet puts your body in a position that is always gravitating to health and healing and away from sickness and infection. The diet consumed by the majority of our society has put them in a position teetering from one side to the other, never able to fully heal from ailments.
I disagree with the way many traditional doctors counsel their patients with little good information about consuming whole foods and natural remedies while overusing aggressive treatments and harmful drugs. I have heard of doctors prescribing antibiotics for babies who look like they might be getting and ear infection and mothers willingly administering the drugs because the doctor thinks it is harmless. The fact is that many children (especially healthy ones) can get over ear infections with out any treatment and there are many natural remedies that can give a helpful boost if needed. In my search for homeopathic treatment, I was lead to essential oils (EO’s).
I started out with tea tree oil because of its limitless uses, but my first real experience was alleviating a coughing household using lavender and eucalyptus on my family’s feet. The nerve endings in your feet carry impulses through your entire body and the pores on your feet are big and absorbent, so it is one of the best ways to administer EO’s. After committing myself to learn more, I have picked up on ways to clean my home, treat sunburn, bug bites, cuts, stop profuse bleeding, dispel an ear infection, keep squirrels out of my garden…I have been able to avoid colds and the flu by using EO’s to boost my immune system and rid myself of the carsickness that plagues me every time I drive in the mountains.
Another wonderful use for EO’s is liver cleansing. Our world is so toxic, cleaners, pollution, chemicals on clothing, hair products, in our water and especially food. The liver is on overload. A little boost with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 drop of lemon oil and 1 drop of peppermint oil every morning and allergies clear up, reoccurring headaches go away, you have more energy and less sugar cravings, the list goes on. It is quick, painless and works!Essential oils are extracted from plants and contain a concentrated essence of the plant they are from. These oils have many medicinal applications ranging from emotional, spiritual and physical. God gave us these oils to treat ourselves and I believe this is the perfect time to learn how to use them as modern medicine becomes more and more corrupted by business, government and money.
I wanted to get some tangible, starter information out on using EO’s because I have had such great experiences with them. Feel free to ask questions for there is far too much to cover in one blog post. I am constantly learning more uses, please share your experience so we all can be more effective as we care for our families.
The first thing to know is that not all oils are as potent, even if the bottle says 100 %, up to 49 % could be extender (stinking FDA). This creates a big question mark when deciding how much to use and also drastically reduces the shelf life. Next, not all EO companies use the best process for extracting the oils from the plants. Some companies use a quicker, easier process which will diminish the quality of the oil, so you will want to find a good source to buy your EO’s. One last thing to note when using a full strength therapeutic grade EO’s on a baby; dilute 75% with a coconut or olive oil. Children under 3 dilute 50%. This applies for all these EO's except for lavender and tea tree, which are gentle enough to apply neat (undiluted.)
Here is an introduction of 5 staple EO’s with some of the most common uses:
Lavender

Apply lavender oil neat to skin for all burns, skin irritations, acne, rashes, insect bites and abrasions for relief, healing and to minimize scarring.

Apply a drop to your fingers and rub on temples for relief from a tension headache.

Combine 10 drops of lavender and 4 ounces of water in a spray bottle and spritz skin and clothing for insect repellent.

Mix 3 drops of lavender and ¼ cup milk with warm water for a calming bath.

Place one drop on a tissue and inhale to relax and calm, slide tissue in pillowcase for better sleep.

Inhalation can also reduce mood swings, PMS, depression, anxiety.
Peppermint

Drop peppermint oil neat on a bee sting or bug bite for pain and itch relief.

Rub a drop of peppermint oil neat on temples, hairline on back of neck and on sinuses for headache relief.

Rub a drop mixed with 5 drops of coconut or olive oil on stomach for nausea, indigestion, bloating or cramps.

Open bottle and inhale for relief from fatigue, jet lag, motion sickness, nausea, vertigo, curb appetite, improve concentration, and to calm nerves. For children, put a drop on a cotton pad and let them sniff away for a long car ride or if they are nervous about something.

Drop 5 drops on a cotton ball and place by plants to keep animals away. Or to deter rats, mice, ants or cockroaches, place along path or point of entry.

2 drops peppermint oil to 1 cup water in a spray bottle, spritz for sunburn relief.
Tea Tree

Drop tea tree oil directly on an open wound to keep clear from infection and aid healing.

Combine 10 drops tea tree and 1 oz water in a small spray bottle and spritz face after washing to heal and discourage acne.

Apply 1 drop undiluted to individual blemishes with a q-tip.

To clear a wart or skin/nail fungus, apply one drop morning and night up to 2 weeks.

Works best if you keep it covered so the oil stays in contact with the infected skin as long as possible.

Drop 3 drops in with you laundry soap to kill germs and deodorize (great for cloth diapers and other really smelly laundry.)

Mix 1 drop per ounce of water to make a bacteria killing mouthwash.

Add 3 drops to your humidifier to inhibit the growth of mold and clean the air.

Add a drop of tea tree oil to 2 cup homemade baby wipe solution to extend shelf life.
Lemon

Rub a drop on your hands to sanitize when washing is not possible. (In place of hand sanitizer.)

Drop lemon oil neat on athlete’s foot, a cold sore, wart, corn, bunion or callous day and night.

Apply one drop neat on location to stop bleeding (gums, shaving nicks, bloody noses).

5 drops in 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Shake well before each use. Spray on surfaces (great for bathroom and kitchen counters) and in air to disinfect.

Soak fruit in a mixture of 2 drops lemon oil and a quart of water to clean and increase shelf life. Dry fruit before storing. Can also use this mixture for soaking dirty dish rags or cloth diapers.

Use 1-2 drops neat to remove gum, grease/oil spots or crayon from surfaces.
Eucalyptus

5 drops of Eucalyptus in 1 cup of baking powder can be used in place of Comet cleaner for sinks, toilets and bath tubs.

Rub a drop on each foot after showering each day to ward off colds.

2 drops eucalyptus to 1 tablespoon coconut oil rub into scalp for dandruff treatment.

8 drops in a cup of water in a spray bottle to disinfect, floors, counters, air, kids (great regimen for de-germing after school.)

F0r sinus problems, congestion and coughs; place a drop on a tissue, cover nose with tissue and breath.

Eucalyptus oil may be dabbed directly onto the skin to relieve pain and itching of insect bites and stings.

Mix 3 drops of eucalyptus with ¼ cup milk and add to a warm bath for relief from the fever and flu.

2 drops with 1 tablespoon coconut oil to rub on achy joints (arthritis), achy muscles, or sprains.
Once you are converted and committed to treating your family with EO's, the best way to get started is to buy what you can and have them accessible at all times. You’ll find there is a bit of a learning curve, but it does not take long to catch on. Basically the only thing you can do wrong with EO’s is to get them in your eye (ouch!) This is just the tip of the iceberg, there is so much more that EO’s can be used for; skin care, hair care, household cleaning, pain, emotional therapy, stress, even cancer. A blogger that I know and trust has a site with great info.
After you have aquired some experience with EO’s, you will never want to leave home without them, I don’t. If you are looking for an easy way to keep your EO’s handy, “Addicted to Oils” makes perfect-for-your-purse EO cases. The cases hold small vials and dropper bottles, it also has a pocket for gel capsules and band aids. They are truly invaluable when it comes to anything away from home; playing at the park, going to the pool and especially traveling.

Email me at karabagley(at)gmail(dot)com and I will take your questions for a Q&A post to follow."

Thank you Kara. We look forward to reading the Q&A next Monday!

The Science of Kangaroo Care

2009-07-06T22:35:00.000-07:00

Yet another great link brought to my attention by friend Shell (who happens to be a fabulous midwife if you are a lookin').
HERE is a link to an article which looks at scientific evidence of skin to skin contact for baby and mama moments after birth. Truly fascinating. Check it out.

Arizona Birth Network and interview with Pam England

2009-07-06T06:04:00.000-07:00

An amazing human being and Doula, Leigh Steele has posted something really beautiful on The Arizona Birth Network Blog.
An interview with Pam England, Author of Birthing From Within .
HERE
She addresses birthstory medicine and how women feel regarding their birthstories.
I have listened to it twice and I am still thinking about it.

Arizona Birth Network Blog

Peeling Skin--Natural Remedy Thursday

2009-07-02T13:48:00.000-07:00

No sun protection? Didn't attend to your sunburn?
Now you have peeling skin. Here are some helpful remedies to provide immediate relief or prevent skin from further peeling.

Home Remedies to cure peeling skin
-For all-over peeling, soak in a cool oatmeal bath.
-Drink plenty of water about 10-12 glasses a day.
-Use mild soaps instead of strong, harsh soaps. Take cool showers.
-Grated cucumber applied over the affected areas for 15-20 minutes has been found to be effective especially for the skin on the face. Regular application prevents dryness of the skin.
-Applying the juice of fresh mint every night on affected areas of the skin can help prevent dryness.
-Honey, olive oil and a mixture of turmeric and sandalwood paste are very effective in rejuvenating dry, parched skin.

Huge step forward in Natural Birth

2009-07-01T01:40:00.000-07:00

Courtesy Luna Maya Birth Center

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada recently revised their practice guidelines on breech birth. As of this week (June 2009), they no longer recommend routine cesarean for breech babies!
This is a huge step forward as it was the Canadian society and research that pushed material deeming vaginal breech birth unsafe.

The announcement from the SOGC is here: http://www.sogc.org/media/advisories-20090617a_e.asp
The guidelines: http://www.sogc.org/media/pdf/advisories/CpgBreechJune09_e.pdf

Breach birth is safe and straight forward with a care provider who is well educated for it. Many midwives and some doctors have this level of training.
"One of the most important statements in my mind of the announcement and guidelines is the acknowledgement that there are very few providers (in hospitals) who know how to attend a safe breech vaginal birth. I would like to offer the skills of myself and other homebirth midwives who for centuries have been safely attending breech births at home."
~Cristina of Luna Maya

Sunscreen---choosing wisely

2009-06-24T11:18:00.000-07:00

I have had great suggestions on posts. Keep them coming ladies!

Choosing a safe sunscreen for you and your family can get tricky. All claim to be safe, but which ones really are best? Can we buy without breaking our budgets?

Skin Deep, otherwise know as the Environmental Working Group, is a third party cosmetics safety database giving great information to help you make a good decision.

From the website:

"When we began our sunscreen investigation at the Environmental Working Group, our researchers thought we would ultimately recommend against micronized and nano-sized zinc oxide and titanium dioxide sunscreens. ...But many months and nearly 400 peer-reviewed studies later, we find ourselves drawing a different conclusion, and recommending some sunscreens that may contain nano-sized ingredients.

Our study shows that consumers who use sunscreens without zinc and titanium are likely exposed to more UV radiation and greater numbers of hazardous ingredients than consumers relying on zinc and titanium products for sun protection. We found that consumers using sunscreens without ZnO and TiO2 would be exposed to an average of 20% more UVA radiation — with increased risks for UVA-induced skin damage, premature aging, wrinkling, and UV-induced immune system damage — than consumers using zinc- and titanium-based products. Sunscreens without zinc or titanium contain an average of 4 times as many high hazard ingredients known or strongly suspected to cause cancer or birth defects, to disrupt human reproduction or damage the growing brain of a child. They also contain more toxins on average in every major category of health harm considered: cancer (10% more), birth defects and reproductive harm (40% more), neurotoxins (20% more), endocrine system disruptors (70% more), and chemicals that can damage the immune system (70% more) (EWG 2007)."

For more info, visit Environmental Working Groups Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database.

Here are my top three picks based on their ingredient safety as well as sun protection.

Soleo/Wyland Sunscreen Organic chemical free sunscreen, SPF 30+ *
$20.24 at Amazon

California Baby Sunblock Stick No Fragrance, SPF 30+ *

$13.99 at Target

Badger Sunscreen, SPF 30 *

$13.95 Found at Earthturns.com

Be safe in the sun this summer!

A must read

2009-06-22T16:46:00.001-07:00

Very informative article about infant massage at Midwifery Today.

Child Development and Creative Dance

2009-06-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

Photo Source
I grew up in a dance studio.

Literally.

My mother ran the studio and taught classes while I toddled my way around the rooms. Every day was Mommy take daughter to work day. I can't help but believe this early exposure to movement deeply influenced the way I process information and create dance.

In college my focus was ballet based modern choreography. It has all the benefits of ballet technique, but is easier on the joints. Plus, lets be honest. I love to roll around on the floor like a 4 year old and modern dance justifies that. It feels good to move.

Now that Morris is old enough, I'm looking at a few classes here in town. I adore watching him explore the elements of movement: space, time and energy. Kids love to discover all the options that are available to them to find they have choices in how they move.

I got back last week from the camp. I fell in love all over again with teaching the fundamentals of movement. I love a lack of inhibition. There are so many life lessons to be had from simply watching such free and open bodies doing anything that comes to mind without care or thought to what it looks like and who is watching. However, over the years of teaching, I am seeing this lack of inhibition and creativity far less frequently.

Children are generally taught in a very linear system. They sit in desks arranged in grids. They walk in a row to the playground. They go through the lunch room in a straight line. These activities train the brain in very specific ways. While it is good to have structure, and it is good for a 2nd grade teacher to have order in the classroom, the brain needs to develop in circular patterns as well. This can mean several different things.

First, dance/movement provides what is called a rich sensory environment which means giving the experience that can forge more pathways between cells in the brain. The more types of movement and movement patterns a child is exposed to, the more synapses are created. On the other side of it, if children are not given the opportunity to move in certain ways (circular patterns included) the brain will not develop in those areas. This can mean that child's brain will always look to solve problems using what I'll call the straight line synapses. The options become limited.

"Clear evidence has emerged that suggests that activity, experience, attachment, and stimulation determine the structure of the brain.
Early experiences directly affect how the brain is "wired."
At birth, baby's brain is remarkably unfinished. Most of its 100 billion neurons are not yet connected in networks. Some neurons are programmed for specific functions-breathing and heartbeat, but most are not yet designated for tasks and are waiting for the experiences in the environment to determine their function. Connections are created by the sensory experiences that stimulate the growth of neural connections. Forming and reinforcing these connections are the key tasks of early brain development.
A child's brain forms twice as many synapses (connections) as the child will eventually use. If these synapses are used repeatedly in a child's day-to-day life, they are reinforced. If they are not used repeatedly, they are eliminated. In this way, experience places a crucial role in the "wiring" of a child's brain. Activity levels drop naturally during adolescence when the brain "prunes" unused connections." resource

I am a huge advocate of creative movement classes for all children--The body is our instrument. Let's Play!

Sunburn--Natural Remedy Thursday

2009-06-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

For my dear friends living in Arizona, this is a no-brainer.
The gel inside the Aloe Vera plant is anti inflammatory, antiviral, antifungal and also antibacterial---making it the number one cure for sunburns.
There are a few very important things to remember when treating a sunburn.

#1--Do NOT apply lotion. Even if it says it contains Aloe Vera. Lotions actually trap the heat into the skin causing the skin to continue burning even when out of the sun!

#2--Take a cold shower before applying the aloe vera gel. Use no soap. This helps stop the burn process and prepares the skin for treatment.

#3(optional)--Mix white vinegar with ice water, about 40 - 60 to further take the heat out of the burn. Soak a few washcloths or hand towels in the mixture, wring them so they don't drip, then leave them on the burns until they become warm to the touch. Repeat until the ice has melted in the vinegar mixture.

#4--Apply 100% aloe vera gel. If using the actual plant, Cut a few plump leaves from an Aloe Vera plant. Take your knife and cut up the length of the sides of the leaves. Try not to waste the gel that will ooze out. Apply to skin and keep uncovered. Thanks to Kara (the Good Looking Cook) of Taste is Trump for her advice to add a few drop of lavender oil to the mix of aloe vera. It has healing properties and makes the aloe smell nice: )

Below is a video demonstrating how to best cut the plant to extract the gel. I'm just not quite sure why the latex gloves and the lab coat. It's certainly not a dangerous substance...

More about the Aloe Vera: Aloe Vera contains lignins. Lignins are a chemical compound that is an integral part of the skin’s cell walls. Lignins help the skin to heal much faster. Aloe Vera also works as an effective pain reliever. It acts as a cooling agent on the surface and contains salicylic acid, the same pain killing agent found in aspirin. Aloe Vera contains two anti-inflammatory agents, gibberellins and glycans. These are very effective at decreasing inflammation, which in turn promotes healing. Aloe Vera has the ability to prevent blistering and scarring. source

Back for Good

2009-06-15T19:35:00.000-07:00

Our trip went well and I am excited to have an open datebook with plenty of time to be a mom and write here.

I am just in awe of the magnificence of a woman's ability to nurture a child both in the womb and out. Cliche, but it is simply miraculous. Regarding pregnancy and birth, I feel that each woman must make the choices that are right for her, and those choices are not the same for every woman. Women need to feel safe wherever they birth, whether that be in a hospital, birthing center or in the home.

What is your birth story?

Right now I am working on a project and I would love your input on any or all of the following:

Where did you choose to birth and why?

What was your experience?

What was your partner's role and feelings during the birth?

What did you learn from your birth; before, during and after?

If you birthed naturally, what helped you most to do this?

Did your mother tell you your own birth story?

Did you have plans/hopes prior to the birth? If so, what were they?

If you've had more than one pregnancy/birth, how were they different?

Would you do anything different in future births?

If you are an adoptive mother, what helped you to bond with baby?

And anything else you would like to share regarding birth or motherhood...

Also, please let me know if you prefer your thoughts not be shared with others. If you don't mind sharing, tell me if you would like to do so anonymously or named.

Comment here or Email me at yournaturalbabyandmore@gmail.com

THANK YOU! I look forward to hearing your stories: )

My (other) day job

2009-06-10T23:42:00.000-07:00

Normally, my day job is that of wife and mother (and the thousands of other jobs that fall under the scope of nurturer). I love my job.

For the last two weeks however, I've revisited my formerly full time job of choreographer and teacher. I love that job too and next will post on the many benefits of creative movement for children. You might be amazed that it promotes everything from brain development to motor skills, self awareness and coordination.

Good Stuff.

Friday is our final day of the two week camp and I've got stories!

Thank you everyone who entered

2009-05-30T07:33:00.000-07:00

the Earth Mama Angel Baby Giveaway!

Random.org chose the comment number. The winner
is.....

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:9
Timestamp: 2009-05-30 07:30:06 UTC

Megan McGary who said,

" I think the Happy Mama spray sounds so fun to have around the house but especially when you're pregnant and need a delightful boost!"

Congratulations Megan!

email me your address and I will send you your goodies: )
yournaturalbabyandmore@gmail.com

Morning Sickness

2009-05-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

I just read another article by Julia Wilson. She is the author of Blissful Birth and is a fresh voice in the natural parenting community in Australia. I am drawn to her work.
In this particular article she talks about Morning sickness and several things you can do to treat or prevent having severe sickness. Very cool stuff for anyone who has dealt with it.
Here are some highlights:
"Nutritional needs increase in pregnancy, not in terms of calories but rather vitamins, protein and essential nutrients. Water volume and blood volume in the body increase substantially in early pregnancy, necessitating increased fluids and nutrition"...

..."Nausea is greatly exacerbated when the blood sugar level drops. To avoid this, it is essential to eat throughout the day. The nausea cycle can get out of control when you say, 'I feel so sick, even the thought of food makes me feel worse. There’s no way I can eat.' I hear you, believe me, I’ve been there but you don’t want to go down that road. If you don’t eat when the first signs of nausea arise, you’ll feel worse as time goes on. A few sips of juice or a small something to eat, even a bite of an apple will help the nausea to subside. Be sure, though that the foods you choose aren’t oily. Nibble something light and don’t overeat. Just start with a few bites and a mouthful of non-acidic juice. Sit down while you eat and chew slowly. Picture the food nourishing you and your baby."

Thinking about it in this way when I'm pregnant really seems to help. I hope it's helpful to you as well. More of Julia Wilson to come...

Julia Wilson is the author of Blissful Birth - The Handbook. A mother of five, she is an international advocate for natural childbirth and has been supporting families in pregnancy, birth and the post-natal period for well over a decade. Julia is passionate about natural childbirth and works from a holistic perspective. She also writes on topics regarding pregnancy and birth for magazines and websites such as Conscious Living, Natural Parenting, Natural Family and Kindred (previously Byron Child.) Julia was Australian country contact for America's Midwifery Today International Programme and former treasurer of the mid-North Coast Homebirth Group. She has been instrumental in popularizing the role of the doula in Australia through her work in the media and by offering doula training and support. Julia runs workshops, classes and seminars, based on the philosophy outlined in her book whilst also offering private holistic pre-natal, birth and post-natal support, both in hospital and at home.

Earth Mama Angel Baby Giveaway--Ends Friday 5/29

2009-05-25T09:13:00.000-07:00

Safe, pure and natural products that work.

Mama created the only complete line of 100% natural, herbal and toxin-free skin body care products and teas to help ease the common discomforts of the entire process of birth — from pregnancy through labor, postpartum and c-section recovery, breastfeeding, and baby care. The website even has resources for creating your own birthplan , a reading room all about pregnancy and babies, as well as support in grieving the loss of a pregnancy or child. This company is stellar.

These are my favorite products. Definite MUST-HAVES for anyone expecting. Keep them for yourself, or give them to a friend!

Organic borage oil and neroli pure essential oil help nourish and encourage skin's natural elasticity for natural stretch mark care. Natural Stretch Oil is light and readily absorbable. It's vegan, cruelty-free and toxin-free (no artificial preservatives!), and contains no nut oils. It's lovely as a bath oil and perfect for perineal massage to help avoid tears and episiotomies during natural childbirth.

Best-selling New Mama Bottom Spray is a cooling, soothing perineal mist that helps ease discomfort of postpartum soreness and swelling, episiotomies and hemorrhoids.

To Enter:

For one entry, browse through the fabulous products . In a comment tell us (here) your name and one thing on the website you loved.

Example: Emily Childers- The hot spot labor sock would definitely help in pregnancy and labor!

For a second entry, follow or subscribe to Your Natural Baby and More. (If you already do, this counts). In a comment tell your name & whether you followed or subscribed.

Example: Emily Childers-Follow

Giveaway ends Friday, May 29th at midnight.

Come back on the 30th to see if you won! Winner will email me with your mailing address. If I don't hear from you, a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

Apple Cider Vinegar. The Mother of Natural Remedies.

2009-05-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

When I was 18, I was introduced to the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar in cleansing and nourishing the internal organs. Never since then have I needed any drug or pain medication for stomach pains and cramps.

Apple Cider Vinegar. Who knew?

For centuries, people have been using Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) for everything from encouraging weight loss and healing aches and pains, to improving hair/skin condition and treating dandruff. ACV contains all of the nutritional value of apples, as well as additional enzymes and acids produced in the fermentation process.
Not all Apple Cider Vinegars are created equal. Make sure yours is unpasteurized and unfiltered. This extra processing negates many of the benefits and enzymes that were in the product in the first place.

A few of my favorite uses for

Apple Cider Vinegar:

http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/ shares so many benefits of ACV. Go bookmark their page right now!

For overall health: kill germs, aid in vitamin deficiency and cleanse the internal organs, drink a tonic of ACV 2 times a day before or during meals.
Apple Cider Vinegar Tonic-- Mix 2-3 tablespoons in 8 oz. of water. Note: If you take ACV between meals or before going to bed, always rinse your mouth or brush your teeth to avoid any prolonged vinegar contact with the enamel on your teeth.
ACNE BLEMISHES: Apply ACV tonic with a cotton ball several times a day. This will help reduce infection and dry out inflammation.
ATHLETE'S FOOT: Athlete's foot is a fungal infection which is quite difficult to get rid of. One of the best home remedies involves soaking the feet twice a day in a 50/50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water. Or, you can apply pure apple cider vinegar to the affected areas several times a day and before bedtime.
BODY ODOR: Drinking the ACV tonic helps reduce body odor as does applying with a cotton ball directly to underarms and feet.
BRUISES: Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in ½ cup (125 ml) of warm apple cider vinegar and apply it to the bruise as a compress.
COLDS: At the first sign of a cold, take 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in half a cup of water several times a day. The body becomes more alkaline during a cold and the vinegar will help to rebalance the body's acid level. If you have a chest cold, a long-standing home remedy calls for soaking a piece of brown paper in vinegar then sprinkling one side of it with black pepper. Place the peppered side of the paper on the chest, cover with a towel, and relax for 20 minutes.
DANDRUFF: Apply pure apple cider vinegar to the scalp and work it into the roots of the hair; allow the vinegar to stand for a half hour or a full hour before washing your hair. This will help to destroy the bacteria and fungus that cause dandruff and itchy scalp. Click here for information on how apple cider vinegar can be combined with certain herbs to make an extra strength natural hair care product for combating dandruff and soothing itchy scalp.
DIAPER RASH: Use a 50/50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water to eliminate the bacteria and fungus that cause diaper rash.
DIARRHEA: Pectin, the water soluble fiber in apple cider vinegar, will help to absorb water in the intestines and provide more bulk for the stool. Also, intestinal bacteria transforms pectin into a protective coating which soothes the irritated lining. The well known over the counter diarrhea preparation, Kaopectate contains pectin. So take the natural healing apple cider vinegar tonic (2 or 3 teaspoons to 8 ounces of water) to help eliminate diarrhea.
DIGESTION: Due to aging and bad diet, it is common for people to produce less stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) which can lead to digestive problems. Taking the apple cider vinegar tonic home remedy (2 or 3 teaspoons to 8 ounces of water) before a meal will enhance the action of your stomach's acid and digestive enzymes.
EAR INFECTIONS: Use an ear syringe (found at drug stores) to squirt a vinegar solution into the ear and let it sit for a minute or so, then turn your head and let the liquid drain out.The vinegar solution can be a 50/50 mixture of ACV and pure water, a 50/50 mixture of ACV and rubbing alcohol or a solution consisting of one-third vinegar, one-third pure water, and one-third rubbing alcohol.
HEADACHES: Research has shown that people have slightly more alkaline urine when they have a headache. An apple cider vinegar tonic will help restore your body's acid/alkaline balance. According to one home remedy, inhaling the vapors from a small bottle of apple cider vinegar can also help or if you have a vaporizer, add about 2 tablespoons cider vinegar to the water and inhale the vapors for five minutes.
HEARTBURN (ACID REFLUX): To relieve occasional heartburn, try drinking the general apple cider vinegar tonic (2 or 3 teaspoons to 8 ounces of water) before each meal.
HEMORRHOIDS: Apply the natural healing abilities of pure apple cider vinegar directly to hemorrhoids to help reduce stinging and promote shrinking. Use a cotton ball to apply the vinegar every few hours until symptoms are relieved.
LEG CRAMPS: Take the ACV tonic regularly to help the body's absorption of calcium and magnesium and thus protect against painful leg cramps.
MENSTRUAL PROBLEMS: A glass of apple cider tonic in the morning has been reported to help reduce the flow of a heavy period.
MORNING SICKNESS: Many women experience nausea and vomiting, often in the morning, during the first three months of pregnancy. A home remedy reported to help keep morning sickness at bay involves simply drinking, as soon as you get up, a glass of water containing a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
NIGHT SWEATS & HOT FLASHES: ACV tonic has helped reduce hot flashes and night sweats for some menopausal women who for various reasons can't take hormones.
SORE THROAT: One of many natural healing home remedies for a sore throat involves gargling with a mixture of 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to half a cup of water, using 3 mouthfuls of mixture each hour. As P. Bragg warns in her book "Apple Cider Vinegar-Miracle Health System", don't swallow the gargled mixture, because ACV acts like a sponge drawing out throat and mouth germs and toxins.
SUN BURNS: If the sunburn is localized, apply full strength apple cider vinegar on the affected skin to obtain relief. Do this by soaking a thin towel in apple cider vinegar and placing it over the burn. Leave it on to help prevent peeling and itching.If the sunburn covers a large part of the body then try this home remedy recommended by Patricia Bragg in her book called Apple Cider Vinegar-Miracle Health System:Take a cool bath in which one cup of ACV has been added. After soaking in the bath, gently dry the body and pat ACV directly onto the needed areas. Wait 5 minutes, then pat on aloe vera gel.
WEIGHT LOSS: The use of apple cider vinegar as a home remedy for weight loss is centuries old. Naturalists maintain that an overweight person can lose weight gradually by taking 2 teaspoons of ACV in a glass of water at each meal. No change in the daily food intake is required except to avoid high fat containing foods.
This is by no means a complete list of natural healing home remedies that use apple cider vinegar. For more, visit http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/

Healthy Eating

2009-05-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

Are you aching to finally get a spot in the class of the year?

You should be.

Kara Bagley, the author of Taste is Trump, is offering a session on June 6th at noon. The topic of the class is still up for the choosing. Tell me in the comments section or email what you most would like to learn about. Choose from the following, or peruse her blog and make a request!

bread baking

pizza making

using whole grains

salad making

healthy summer meals

yummy meals for kids

sweet treats or

breakfast

The cost of the class is only $30 and is due by May 30th to ensure your enrollment. You can pay Kara either with a check by mail or through paypal. You can contact her at karabagley@gmail.com

Start salivating, and please help me choose a topic, cause I want to do them all!

Mutsy review and Discount code (Grow Up! seat and Rider stroller)

2009-05-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

I'm extremely picky about products I buy. I want them to perform well and be durable to withstand the test of time. I know that part of my job in saving money for the family is to be an informed consumer. I also want products to be easy to use, and for heaven sakes, is it too much to ask that they be stylish?!?!

For these reasons, I was salivating over THIS booster seat made in Holland. I'm telling ya, they know what they're doing over there in Holland. This seat is Fabulous! I wrote to inquire about the GrowUp booster seat and get more info---They were generous enough to send me a sample. Let me tell you, this seat is awesome!

Here's the deal with my child. He is high energy, and mealtime is no exception. He decided early on he was not a fan of the high chair, but when I tried the various booster seats available at your big box stores, he shimmied right out of their measly little straps. I needed a 5 point harness to keep this kid safe. The Mutsy Grow Up! Booster seat does the job, and I love that it looks good while doing it (Modern design in 6 chic colors). It easily straps to a dining chair and the soft foam-like seat allows for greater comfort than most boosters offer.

If you are in the market for a stroller you must check out Mutsy's Rider line (4Rider and 4Rider Light).

They offer total flexibility for parents, you can take seat out, put in bassinet, take seat out put it into the babysitter frame and you have a rocker, take seat out and put in the Fun Seat. Goore’s for Babies to Teens is the best place I've found to purchase, www.goores.com . I've already spoken with their people, and because they know you readers are the best, you get a discount on all Mutsy orders from http://www.goores.com/ ! Give the code ynbmu at checkout to receive a 10% discount on any Mutsy order from www.goores.com.

Meet: Mr. Morris and Green Cleaning

2009-05-15T08:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I expounded on cleaning green to help asthma and allergies. It also helps skin irritations as I learned with my son Morris.

Morris, age 6 months

My little man has sensitive skin. I learned this when he began crawling around on our wood floor. I quickly realized that I could no longer use traditional cleaners. If I did, he would get road rash on his belly. Not cute. As I ran out of my toxic cleaners, I replaced them with healthier, environmentally friendly products or made homemade recipe cleaners. I must admit, at first I was bummed. I liked my Lysol and Comet. I can't remember exactly why, now--but change is always hard for me.

Then I realized something. One day I smelled some Pledge, promptly got a HEADACHE the size of Alaska and just about tossed my cookies.

I also learned that it doesn't have to be more expensive to go green when you clean. Homemade recipes are extremely affordable--or if you'd rather buy, when you shop at your health food store, check out the cleaning aisle and shop the sales.

Links: Biokleen, Seventh Generation

Homemade recipes
THIS website has many fantastic recipes for healthy cleaning.

Some of the basics-

BAKING SODA (sodium bicarbonate): An all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. Cleans, deodorizes, removes stains and softens fabrics.

BORAX (sodium borate): A natural mineral that kills mold and bacteria. An alternative to bleach, it deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap. Please note safety precautions on the box.

CASTILE and VEGETABLE OIL BASED SOAPS: Cleans everything.

CORNSTARCH: Starches clothes, absorbs oil and grease.

HERBS and ESSENTIAL OILS: For disinfecting and fragrance.

LEMON JUICE: Cuts through grease and removes perspiration and other stains from clothing.A bleach alternative.

SALT (sodium chloride): An abrasive.

VINEGAR (acetic acid): Cuts grease, removes stains and is an excellent water softener.

-My Favorites-

All Purpose Cleaner:

For a general, all-purpose cleaner, make a paste from baking soda and water or mix salt and water with a little vinegar.

Disinfectant :

2 cups water and 20 drops thyme oil. Mix in a 16 oz. spray bottle, shake well before each use.

Plain soap and water kills many bacteria

Mix a half-cup of borax with 1 gallon hot water. Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary or lavender. Steep for 10 minutes, strain and cool. Or add essential fragrant oils instead of fresh herbs. Store in a plastic spray bottle.

Glass Cleaner:

1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 quart warm water

Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Liquid castile soap and baking soda or Borax, scrub with a toilet brush.

Tub And Tile Cleaners: Cream of Tartar. To clean porcelain surfaces, rub with cream of tartar sprinkled on a damp cloth. Vinegar and Baking Soda. To remove film buildup on bathtubs, apply vinegar full-strength to a sponge and wipe. Next, use baking soda as you would scouring powder. Rub with a damp sponge and rinse thoroughly with clean water.

Rust Stain and Hard Water Deposit Remover:Apply full-strength vinegar or lemon juice and let stand until spot disappears, rinse. Repeat if necessary.

Carpets/Upholstery: A great non-toxic carpet stain remover is club soda. Soak spot immediately with soda and blot until the stain is gone.

Sprinkle cornstarch onto carpet, vacuum.

To remove grease spots from carpets, first sop up the liquid with a sponge, then rub a liberal amount of baking soda into the spot. Let it absorb overnight. Next day, remove the excess and vacuum the area.

Miscellaneous Cleaners:

Candles/Wax:Sponge with a piece of cotton dipped in rubbing alcohol.

Decals/Gummed Labels/Price Tag Remover: Use vinegar. To remove non-slip appliques and strips from bathtubs, saturate a cloth or sponge and squeeze hot vinegar over decals. Vinegar also removes stick-on hooks from painted walls. Saturate a cloth or sponge with vinegar and squeeze the liquid behind the hook so that the vinegar comes in contact with the adhesive. In addition, vinegar can be used to remove price labels and other decals from glass, wood, and china. Paint the label or decal with several coats of white vinegar. Give the vinegar time to soak in and after several minutes the decal can be rubbed off. (NOTE: Use these methods only on washable surfaces and washable paint)

Grease Cutters:1) Use lemon juice, vinegar, or sprinkle with borax and scrub with scrub brush.2) 1/2 tsp. washing soda, 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil-based liquid soap, 3 tbsp. vinegar, and 2 cups hot water. Mix in spray bottle, spray and scrub, wipe clean.

Paint Brushes:Soften hard paintbrushes in hot vinegar for a few minutes. Then wash paintbrush in soap and warm water and let dry.

Rust Remover:1) To remove rust from tin-ware, rub with a peeled potato dipped in a mild abrasive such as baking soda or salt. 2) Aluminum Foil. Briskly scrub rust spots on car bumpers with a piece of crumpled aluminum foil, shiny side up.

Concrete Grease Spot Remover: To remove grease from concrete flooring sprinkle dry cement over grease. Allow it to absorb the grease, then sweep up.

Tar Remover:Food grade linseed oil. Wet rag with linseed oil and rub hard

Vinyl Cleaner: 1 tsp. to 1/4 cup washing soda, and 1 cup boiling water. Dissolve the washing soda in the boiling water. Apply with sponge, wipe off with a damp cloth.

Asthma--Natural Remedy Thursday

2009-05-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

Image from HERE

When I was 18 years old, my doctor thought (for about 5 minutes) that I had asthma.

I didn't.

It turned out to be something else completely and was taken care of.

However, that does not change the fact that on my medical report it contains the word ASTHMA. If you are not aware, asthma is a scary word when it comes to insurance companies because it's costly --

"the estimated total cost for asthma care in the United States is $6.21 billion ... An estimated $2.5 billion is spent per year on medications"

10 years later, I'm married to an entrepreneur, I'm a mom, (feeling GREAT I might add) and have been nearly uninsurable for much of these last 10 years--all thanks to the word asthma. I was finally accepted last month by a company that has their heads on straight. But seriously---denied 4 times over the years because they all thought I had asthma.

I'm not bitter or anything...

So, if you think you have asthma, but haven't visited a doctor yet---Please! Try something else first! Down the road you may find yourself off group insurance and will suddenly become obsessed with your medical history.

Natural Remedies for Asthma

THIS website has proven quite useful. I retrieved much of my information from it.

Asthma is divided into two categories: intrinsic (meaning inside or within), for which there is no identifiable cause for the attacks and extrinsic, which is caused by something (external factors usually inhaled) that triggers an attack.

To keep this concise, minimize your intake of coffee and dairy as well as exposure to dust and chemicals. Now would be a great time to switch to all natural cleaning products, which I will talk about in depth tomorrow.

Nettle Tincture-If you live in the Phoenix area, my favorite place to purchase herbs, tinctures and such is Chakra 4.

For centuries, cultures around the world have used this herb to treat nasal and respiratory troubles: coughs, runny nose, chest congestion, asthma, whooping cough and even tuberculosis.

Nettle is a potent antihistamine. The leaves of the young plant, best harvested from May to June and before flowering begins, can be used fresh or dried, as a tea. They can even be eaten as a vegetable, lightly steamed they have a similar texture to spinach.

Cayenne Pepper- Also know as Capsicum, the botanical name being Capsicum frutescens.
Cayenne is the species of capsicum that is used for its stimulant and antiseptic actions, as well as its antispasmodic properties, which makes it perfect in treating constricted lungs. It will get the blood pumped around your body, strengthen your heart as well as clear your arteries.

Liquorice herb- Liquorice is another expectorant and anti-inflammatory herb making it excellent for lung infections. Also very soothing on the throat. As a syrup or tincture it could reduce the incidence of asthma attacks.
A few cautions on liquorice - do not use large doses and/or long term use as it can cause sodium and water retention, headaches, lethargy and high blood pressure. Avoid in pregnancy.

DoYouDoula? (Video)

2009-05-12T21:39:00.000-07:00

I've talked about Doulas HERE .
There are many studies that show the benefits of having a Doula support you in your birth. The key really is about having someone who can give you accurate information about all your options and then will support you fully in whatever decisions you make---Period. Whether you choose a medicalized birth, or to have your baby naturally. Doulas give this service.
When I first began my research, I was surprised to learn that many women who have the support of a Doula, do so not only in a hospital setting, but have also chosen a medicated birth. This speaks to the fact that Doulas, really are there to serve the woman--not to judge her birth choices, or talk her out of something she feels is right for her.
I know I've talked a lot about natural birth and the benefits of doing so---but I also want to bring attention to the fact that none of us can fully understand well enough to judge what another woman is experiencing or feeling in her given situation. Some women feel that the natural birth community ignores their particular circumstances if a cesarean or other intervention was needed. It is of course a tragedy for any woman to feel this---especially if they were originally seeking an unmedicated birth. Once again, having a Doula in this situation can help a mother to have a sense of involvement in her birth as opposed to simply being an observer or feeling like a victim of a procedure or intervention. Doulas have training to help the mother process her birthstory.
Having said this, I have a lot of trust in women.
Trust that we have the intuition to know what is right for our bodies.
Trust that we can handle our birth outcomes.
For some, it is about knowing and understanding the process. Once they have the information and are really tuned into their bodies--- They feel good about making decisions. Having a Doula as another resource for further education in the moment, is invaluable for them.
For some women, knowing all the physiology does nothing. For some, all the info and facts are distracting. These women choose to simply follow their gut (no pun intended). For them, a Doula is extremely helpful and can focus on comfort techniques and guiding the birth partner.
And still, for most women it is a combination of knowing and feeling.
The following video was brought to my attention by my midwife Marinah. It gives a great overview of several different reasons women loved having a Doula present at their birth.
Enjoy!

Cod Liver Oil

2009-05-11T08:08:00.000-07:00

You may have heard about it. I certainly had, and decided long ago I didn't want anything to do with it. The liver part--didn't sound like something I'd want to get involved with. Gradually, over the years, my mother in law tutored me in the benefits of cod liver oil---And you know what? It isn't nearly as unappealing as I thought.

Cod liver oil (I'll call It CLO from here on out) truly is the number one superfood. CLO has been shown to lower blood pressure and prevent heart disease. It amazingly improves the condition of the heart even after an attack--the Omega 3 fatty acids promote healing of the arteries and the vitamin A,D and E all improve the elasticity of the arteries.

In studies, the Omega 3's in CLO have shown to improve brain function, memory, stress response, skin conditions, digestive tract lining, joints, immune response, allergies, asthma, learning and behavioral disorders, including bipolar syndrome and manic-depression.

CLO is especially perfect for women during and after pregnancy because it lowers the risk of her developing baby having juvenile diabetes as well as aiding mother to improve bone density while nursing. Children in their bone formative years really benefit from these properties.

The dose for cod liver oil should be about 2 teaspoons per day for adults, and 1 teaspoon for children. Buy cod liver oil in small dark bottles and keep them in a cool dark place. It need not be refrigerated after opening if it is used up quickly--within two months.

To learn more about the benefits of Cod liver oil, click HERE

POST EDIT: You can administer CLO either mixed into food, or off the spoon. When Morris was eating baby food, I mixed it in easily (1/2 teaspoon, twice a day) with turkey and veggis. Now I give it to him straight and follow with a chaser of applesauce for him and spicy tomato juice for me. It does have an intense taste at first, but you really do get used to it, and the benefits far outweigh the moment of "ew".

I'm back... NRT

2009-05-07T12:27:00.000-07:00

We are finally moved and unpacked---I can almost hear choirs of angels singing.
In celebration of having one on one time with my computer again, I am returning to Natural Remedy Thursday.
I thought it appropriate to address back pain, seeing as how we have become reacquainted this past week.

I found this page interesting, as I have probably been doing some of my lifting incorrectly.

In my days as a dancer, I often sought the advice of my muscle therapist. He is an encyclopedia of curing just about any ache and pain. The obvious (and most important) ones are listed first. In the words of Ed...

-deep massage followed by drinking LOTS of water

-Include foods that have rich Vitamin C content, such as citrus fruit, tomatoes, blueberries and strawberries, in your diet.

-Eat two to three cloves of garlic in a day. Garlic oil can also be effective in curing backache. To prepare garlic oil, fry ten cloves of garlic in 60 ml of oil (mustard oil, sesame oil or coconut oil). Strain the oil, let it cool down a bit and massage the back with it.

-Apply potato, in the poultice form. Peel a potato and cut into cubes. Boil the cubes and mash them. After they cool down a bit, apply on the back and hold it there with a bandage, for an hour.

Drum Roll Please...

2009-05-01T01:12:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone who entered. I appreciate every comment!

And the Winner of a 2 year digital subscription to Mothering Magazine, a goody basket with my favorite nontoxic cleaning products, and the book "Labor of Love" by Cara Muhlhahn is... Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:22
Timestamp: 2009-05-01 08:08:44 UTC

Comment 22 is

Stacie Aho said...
Stacie Aho- facebook fan

Stacie, email me at yournaturalbabyandmore@gmail.com with your mailing address to claim your prize!

Happy Earth Day Giveaway!

2009-04-22T18:25:00.000-07:00

Thank you for reading, despite the sporadic posts.
I will be more consistent after our family move to California.

Stick around because I've got posts in the works about great products I've recently discovered as well as an interview with Cara Muhlhahn-- the midwife on the documentary film "The Business of Being Born", and author, "Labor of Love".

She is just Oh-so-cool.

----

Today is Earth Day, and I want to do something really special to celebrate the beautiful world we live in, a Midwife who is bettering the earth with her service and one of my favorite magazines for natural parenting info.The Giveaway is for a 2 year digital subscription to Mothering Magazine, a goody basket with my favorite nontoxic cleaning products,

and the book "Labor of Love" by Cara Muhlhahn.

----

You can enter to win the Mothering subscription, Labor of Love book and cleaning products TWICE.

For your first entry, subscribe to Your Natural Baby and More by email or Google reader (found on the right side bar). Then comment on this post with your first and last name--subscribe.

Example: Emily Childers-subscribe

For a second entry, you have the option to do one of the following.

A) Become a Facebook fan of Your Natural Baby and More HERE and leave a comment HERE.

Example: Emily Childers: Facebook fan

B) Call, send a text or email at least one friend letting them know about the Giveaway and leave a comment with their names.

Example: Emily Childers: Reachel, Susie, Beth

All comments are to be left on this blog, (not Facebook)

Winner determined by Random.org

Contest ends May 1st at midnight. Check back when I post the winner (May 2nd) and then email me. If I don't receive your email by May 4th, a new winner will be chosen.

Good Luck!

Cooking With Whole Grains Class

2009-04-13T05:27:00.000-07:00

Saturday I enjoyed being tutored by the Good Looking Cook.

Oh, my friends--it was just so fabulous.

I am so excited to incorporate more whole grains in my cooking.

For anyone who missed it, comment or email me at yournaturalbabyandmore@gmail.com

We'll put together another class when we have enough enrollment.

Thanks for all who made it! It was so fun seeing/meeting you ladies: )

Pregnancy diet & "big baby vs. small baby"

2009-04-06T14:32:00.001-07:00

I've had a few emails with questions regarding diet during pregnancy.

The diet I followed is well known in the natural birth community, but it is great for all birthing situations keeping mother and baby thriving.

The Brewer's Pregnancy Diet

(click above to read more about it)

(click HERE for a spreadsheet checklist)

Milk products & substitutes--4 servings

1 serving = 8 grams protein

Total = 32 grams protein
Calcium replacements--2 per soy (above)
Eggs--2 servings

1 serving = 6 grams protein

Total = 12 grams protein
Other proteins--6 to 8 servings

1 serving = 1 oz = 7 grams protein

Total = 6 to 8 oz. (approx. 42-56 grams protein)
Total proteins = 86-100 grams
Green vegetables--3+ servings
Vitamin A foods--1 serving
Whole grains--5 servings
Vitamin C foods--2 servings
Fats and oils--3 to 5 servings
Salt--unlimited
Total calories = 2600-3000
Recommended weight gain--unlimited (average 35-45 pounds)
Average size baby--7 lbs 2 oz to 8 lb 8 oz ?
*The Basic Brewer Pregnancy Diet Plan

However you plan to get the protein, it is important to remember that the Brewer Diet is not just about protein. For this diet to work as it's intended to work, it needs to include extra protein, PLUS extra calories, PLUS extra salt and lots of greens and whole grains. The goal is to increase the mother's blood volume by 60%, by increasing the osmotic pressure in her bloodstream, and those three components in the diet are what helps to do that. The reason that the blood volume needs to increase is to service the growing placenta. When that level of blood volume increase does not happen on the schedule that it wants to, that is when we see the cascade of effects that can include problems with the placenta, and premature contractions.

I would also like to issue a caution concerning the philosophy that a smaller baby is easier to push out than a larger baby is. That idea started in 1800, and I think that we now have good reasons for why that doesn't work as well as might seem obvious. One reason that that plan might not work so well is that the uterus needs to grow so much new muscle tissue during the pregnancy. Before pregnancy, the uterus weighs only 2 oz. At the end of pregnancy, the uterus alone should weigh about 2 lbs, which means that the uterus has to grow 1 lb 14 oz of new muscle cells. If the baby is on the smaller size because the mother has been restricting her nutrition for the purpose of having a smaller baby, the uterus has also been getting less nutrition, and may have less muscle tissue as a result. According to Brewer, this results in a less-strong uterus that may be more prone to dysfunction during labor, and more likely to need medical help such as pitocin. Another reason why this plan might not work so well is that the pelvic bone needs to stretch during the pushing stage of the labor. The pelvis appears to be one solid bone, but it is actually composed of three bones held together by ligaments. In the non-pregnant body, the pelvis functions as one solid bone because these ligaments are so tight. During pregnancy, the placenta secretes the equivalent of 100 birth control pills a day. One of these placental hormones has the function of loosening these ligaments that hold the pelvic bone together. If a baby is on the "larger" side due to the mother's eating a better diet, the placenta will also be better nourished and more capable of making a good amount of this hormone that loosens these ligaments, resulting in a stretchier pelvis. So if a baby is on the "larger" side because the mother has been eating better, it is possible that that baby could be easier to push out through a more-stretchy pelvis than a baby who is on the "smaller" side and is being pushed through a less-stretchy pelvis from the mother restricting her food intake for the purpose of having a smaller baby. I recognize that one thing that is problematic with a discussion like this is the lack of standard definition of what "larger" and "smaller" mean. In mainstream medical obstetric practice, 5 lbs is the standard dividing line between "normal" and "low birth weight", and from what I've heard in responses from mainstream professionals, they seem to regard any birth weight over 8 lbs to be "too big". On the other hand, Dr. Brewer used to quote a researcher who considered any birth weight less than 7 lbs 2 oz to be less than optimal. And in the natural-birth and homebirth circles that I've been involved with, it seems that the average birth weight is about 7.5 lbs. to 8.5 lbs, with many babies reaching 9 - 9.5 lbs without anyone being concerned. So the idea of what an ideal birth weight is can be rather relative, at least where the above-seven-pounds range goes. But I do think that the bottom line is that it can be risky for the mother to try to have a smaller baby by eating less food.

Here is more on that question from Dr. Brewer.... http://home.mindspring.com/~djsnjones/id68.html

Yet another reason...

2009-04-03T08:24:00.001-07:00

Again, I apologize for my posts these days. Moving my family is proving more of a task than I originally thought. For a little while, I might just be passing on good articles I stumble on. If you find a great Natural-minded article, send it my way!

The following is an article my husband found. It's actually pretty mind blowing and gives mothers yet one more reason to breastfeed.

CLICK HERE

C-section births fall

2009-04-02T17:02:00.000-07:00

I found this via Luna Maya Blog. It makes me happy to hear of women getting such great care!

http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_11982902

C-section births fall
By Jennifer Huberdeau, New England Newspapers
Tuesday, March 24
NORTH ADAMS — While more and more women choose to undergo Cesarean section births despite a national push by the federal government to decrease the number, the local rate has declined and is well below the state average.
North Adams Regional Hospital performs significantly fewer c-sections than other hospitals around the state — an average of 18 percent of all births at the hospital compared to the state average of 34 percent, according to reports released by the state Department of Public Health.
The hospital also has a better prenatal care record, according to the reports: 94 percent of women giving birth have had nine or more prenatal care visits versus the state average of 87 percent having that many visits.
"I think what is being reflected in our numbers is that we are taking a more 'midwifery' approach with our practice then before," Robin Rivinus, a certified nurse midwife with Northern Berkshire Obstetrics & Gynecology at the hospital, said last week. "It means that we do fewer unnecessary interventions — inductions, Cesarean sections, episiotomies. We treat childbirth as the normal, natural thing that it is. We only step in when it's medically necessary, which is much better for both the mother and the baby."
In 2004, federal health officials, after seeing a 40 percent increase in c-section births between 1996 and 2004, announced a goal of decreasing the total percentage of c-section births in the county from about 30 percent to 15 percent or below by 2010.
"We usually have a rate of about 16 percent, which is a pretty good range to be in," Dr. Charles O'Neill, an obstetrician/gynecologist with Northern Berkshire Obstetrics & Gynecology [at North Adams Regional Hospital], said.
"I think there are several things that conspired to push the number of c-sections up over the years," he said. "There has been a trend away from offering vaginal births after c-section (familiarly known as VBAC) because of several high-profile malpractice suits and a trend to deliver most twins by c-section."
During 2008, the hospital performed 29 first-time c-sections out of 207 births or 10.7 percent, which is well-below the state average of 20 percent. It had 20 repeat c-sections — 7 percent of the births versus the state average of 13 percent.
"Recently there have been several high-profile studies done that conclude there is overuse of high-tech interventions," Rivinus said. "The conclusions have been that all women should be offered a midwifery model, or a 'back-to-basics' approach to childbirth, where spontaneous, natural birth is the focus."
While some may find a planned Cesarean to be more convenient for the practitioner and family, Rivinus said there are several significant high-risk complications that come with c-sections: infection, uncontrolled bleeding, respiratory distress for the infant and increased risk of the placenta detaching from the uterine wall in future pregnancies.
"Vaginal births are a very natural process," she said. "I think births have become very clinical and sterile, which they shouldn't be. We strive to have personal relationships with our patients and treat the whole individual, not just the pregnancy."
O'Neill said that while he and Dr. Susan Yates have always offered a 'patient-centered' practice, subtle differences have evolved with the addition of two full-time and one part-time certified nurse midwives to the practice.
"To me, the take-home message is that our collaborative practice has made an impact on our overall rates in the end," O'Neill said. "They've helped us improve our standards with the progress of labor and help to remind us and the patients that patience is always a virtue."
Northern Berkshire Obstetrics & Gynecology plans to have two additional obstetrician/gynecologists on staff later this year.

How safe is your baby's shampoo?

2009-03-31T02:12:00.000-07:00

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics commissioned an independent laboratory to test 48 products for 1,4-dioxane; 28 of those products were also tested for formaldehyde.

The lab found that:
17 out of 28 products tested – 61% – contained both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane.
23 out of 28 products – 82 percent – contained formaldehyde at levels ranging from 54 to 610 parts per million (ppm).
32 out of 48 products – 67 percent – contained 1,4-dioxane at levels ranging from 0.27 to 35 ppm.

Over time, these little bits here and there add up and take their toll on our children's health.

Formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane are known carcinogens; formaldehyde can also trigger skin rashes in some children. Unlike many other countries, the U.S. government does not limit formaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane, or most other hazardous substances in personal care products.

Around here, we trust Dr. Bronner Soaps. They set high standards of quality and safety for your family.

Check the safety of your cosmetics at

Skin Deep

Effective Parenting

2009-03-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

My little family is preparing for a move to California. Please forgive my sporatic posts...

I stumbled on THIS today--Essential Truths of Effective Parenting.
The Alliance for Transforming the Lives of Children
I think it is beautiful and am working on these principles.
Enjoy!

Hemorrhoids

2009-03-26T18:40:00.000-07:00

Hemorrhoids.

There. I said it.

If you've ever been pregnant, you are most likely acquainted with their joys although there are several causes of hemorrhoids, including:

Constipation

Overeating of a low-fiber diet

Heavy lifting

Chronic diarrhea

and even consuming excessive spicy food

Eliminating hemorrhoids will involve stopping whatever behavior caused them, but there are some things to speed up the process as well.

Here are some of the easiest home natural remedies for Hemorrhoids.

-High fiber diet: at least 30 grams or (minimum) 5 fruits/veggies and whole grains per day

-Cold compress soaked in black tea

-Sit in a cool bath twice daily (the colder you can stand, the better)

-Keep a bottle of witch hazel in the Fridge--apply with cotton.

-Apple Cider Vinegar--apply with cotton

-Drink one ounce of Apple Cider Vinegar, twice daily

-Homeopathy:Taking five tablets of Aesculus twice daily

-Accupressure

Vaccines: Digging a little deeper (Part 4)

2009-03-24T18:20:00.001-07:00

I have had concerned emails after my posts on vaccines.
Please know, this is certainly not something I take lightly.
Believe me when I say I have done the research and looked at information on both sides of this issue. I have 2 doctors in my immediate family and I do not believe that modern medicine is the enemy. I do however feel that the evidence surrounding vaccine injury gives reason for concern.
But please don't take my word for it.
Educate yourself.
If you fear vaccines, but still worry about consequences of not vaccinating, you need to do more research. You do not yet have a full knowledge for yourself, and won't have peace about not vaccinating until you do.
Right now, I would suggest simply holding off on any scheduled vaccinations.
When Morris was born, I had not yet come to a place of peace and so we made the decision to hold off on any shots until I felt calm about doing so. The more I read, the more I was glad we hadn't rushed into anything.
Do more reading when you can. Discuss it with your partner, and reaIly meditate about it.
I don't want to talk you into anything, but it will not hurt to take some time off the vaccs and gain more knowledge on the issue. No matter what you decide, you will be glad you made your decision based on knowledge, and not social pressure.

If you decide vaccines are not for your family, know that you have to be educated and firm in your belief. I will admit, it is not always socially acceptable. I have had women not want Mo to play with their child for fear he will give them an illness. Not all your family will agree with the no vaccs philosophy and they might try to get involved.
You also need to think about how you will respond if your child does contract a disease. Vaccinated children contract the very diseases they were vaccinated for all of the time. Somehow this is considered a fluke. I have heard the words, "At least they did everything they could". This, of course implies that parents who choose not to vaccinate are not doing everything possible to protect their child. These parents are often looked at as irresponsible or conspiracy theorists.
This entire issue plays upon an interesting trend in our culture. Of course we as parents do anything and everything to protect our children. Doing makes us feel as if we have control over the circumstances. Doing makes us feel proactive. But what about Not doing. What if not doing is the "proactive" choice? Can we forgo that sense of security that we had "done everything possible"-- That if our child gets a disease, we can rest assured we had done everything we could? We need to ask ourselves those difficult questions--Who is the vaccine really for? Does it serve the child? Or is it mostly to calm our need for assurance--that we have done something? Can we give up our own need for assurance? It requires a different kind of knowing--a different kind of parenting. You realize you cannot rely on anyone else to make that decision for you. There is too much at stake. We are not suggesting naive recklessness--rather a thoroughly informed decision.

Sarah-- a reader, commented on the outbreak of whooping cough (pertussis) that is going on in her country of Australia. Many of the children who contract the disease have been vaccinated. Due to this, they are not diagnosed or treated in a timely manner because of their assumed immunity from vaccine. They are not only untreated, but continue to pass the disease for up to 3 weeks. This is not an isolated case of vaccinated children contracting and infecting others.
Dr. William Atkinson, senior epidemiologist with the CDC, admitted that "measles transmission has been clearly documented among vaccinated persons. In some large outbreaks...over 95% of cases have a history of vaccination." Problems with efficacy seem to plague vaccines. For example, in a 2003 U.S. outbreak of pertussis, 4 of every 5 people who contracted the disease were vaccinated against it.
I'm not selling a false sense of security through a magic shot. I am suggesting that you keep asking questions. Keep Asking Questions! And look for your own answers.

Eczema--Natural Remedies Thursday

2009-03-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

Up to 10 percent of children under the age of five develop eczema.

The disease in a child calls for special attention.

Last March it began. Morris started getting a little rash. I already knew he had extremely sensitive skin as he was allergic to most laundry detergents, soaps with fragrance, harsh cleaner residue, and even disposable diapers. Because of these sensitivities I had already made sure none of of these factors were present in our home. I also tried to keep his skin moisturized with a good fragrance-free lotion.

His rash worsened. I exhausted nearly every natural remedy and by April it was bad enough I considered using a steroid cream. This concerned me greatly because steroid creams are known to thin the skin and are linked to creating long term allergies. They are only to be used once in a great while and only for 10 days (max) at a time. The safety still seems sketchy to me.

By May, I felt I had no choice. I am not against modern medicine and know that it has it's place, so we gave it a go.

10 days. The steroid did nothing. Didn't even touch it. In fact, from there on out Mo's eczema went downhill. What was I to do? I thought I had tried the Natural route and then 3 different MDs--(one was a specialist). The rash only worsened.

Morris' case was turning into extreme eczema--textbook. When you google childhood eczema, you will find photos of kids completely wrapped in gauze and believe me when I say he was almost there.

It is so sad to look back on this---It was a dark time. You don't immediately think, "Eczema= Extremely difficult life trial", but I tell you it was one of the most stressful things I've ever dealt with. I was on the verge of tears at any moment.

Other than the one up top, I could never bring myself to take pictures. 4 months of his life is virtually undocumented. This condition occupied my every thought, every moment. He was so uncomfortable and his skin just looked painful. It had spread all over his back, both calves and onto the upper thighs. Both arms and hands were raw and the final straw was his face and ears. Just thinking about his whimper as a 7 month old makes me cry.

It was oozing and bleeding and his only relief was if I held him completely naked in my arms-skin to skin and rocked him to sleep.

Then he got a staph infection.

This almost completely broke me.

What does a parent do when all that doctors can give is the hope that he might grow out of it?

My gut kept telling me to go back to the Homeopathic route. His case turned severe so quickly that I didn't feel I spent enough effort searching for natural cures. Sure I did all the obvious ones--Oatmeal bath, humidifier, vaseline, 100% cotton clothing, Omega 3 oils, kept him away from pets, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize, etc. etc. etc.! I was reading constantly, searching for the cure. But because it was so bad, social pressure caused me to turn away from alternative medicine quicker than I should have. I knew there was a balance that had to be struck---all the factors had to be in perfect harmony.

I decided to start over.

Homeopathic medicine sometimes takes longer to have an affect on the body, but the cure is long lasting with no side effects. When a condition gets severe so fast, it can be scary to go the slow route. We are a society that wants quick results. But It is my feeling that the steroids disrupted his system and put him on overload. The necessary antibiotic for the Staph only added to it. From there on out his little body just couldn't handle anything it seemed. At this point, what did I have to lose? The steroids didn't work and there seemed to be nothing else to try.
We eventually worked out the balance.

Heat and dryness are the main triggers for him.

We live in Arizona.

A Hot Desert.

Not conducive to his condition.

It's March, and it has started again, although so much better than last year. We know how to manage now. Basically we just can't leave the house in the day and humidifiers are on constantly.

Here are some natural tips for helping your child to manage their eczema:
Moisturize - bathe your child in room temp water (even a bit on the cold side if they can take it) for no longer than five minutes. Use very little mild soap or non-soap fragrance-free cleanser from a health food store. Sprouts and Whole Foods have a good selection.

We like Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Pure-Castile soap. (Can be found at most health food groceries--Sprouts, Whole Foods, etc.)

After bathing your child, pat the skin dry and apply a moisturizing cream or ointment within three minutes.

Eczederm Rescue is an ointment by Peaceful Mountain and it is awesome. It contains healing ingredients like comfrey, calendula, olive oil, avocado oil, and arnica. Very effective. (Found at Whole Foods)

We tried about 20 different lotions and found Alba very emollient body lotion--unscented, to be the best. When Mo gets the urge to scratch,

Wise Woman herbal salve does the trick. (Online)

Only use all natural soaps, laundry detergents and lotions. Avoid anything perfumed.

I swear by Biokleen Free & Clear. The last 2 factors that really helped were the use of a homeopathic remedy of sulphur and adding Omega 3 fish oils to Mo's diet.

A spoonful of fish oils mixed into their food is so helpful to help rebuild the skin.

Boiron is a product line that both Sprouts and Whole Foods carry.

3 Sulphur tablets- twice a day, made all the difference. (30c dose)

A few more tips:

Keep your child's fingernails short to prevent their scratching from breaking the skin.
Dress them in 100 per cent cotton clothing to reduce sweating, which can be an irritant. After purchasing new clothing, wash them before dressing your child to make them softer and remove any tags to avoid irritating the skin.
Avoid wool and other coarse or rough-textured clothing or blankets and if possible, remove wool carpets. If you are wearing woollen clothing, put a cotton diaper over your shoulder when holding your child.
Keep your child's room at an even temperature.
Use a cool mist humidifier in dry or heated rooms to keep the air moist.
If your child is allergic to dust or dust mites, use protective coverings for pillows and mattresses and wash bedclothes frequently in hot water.
Keep pets off beds and other furniture, or outside.
If night-time itching is a problem, use a cold, damp washcloth to soothe your child's skin, followed by a moisturizer.

Children, like adults, experience emotional stress which can exacerbate their eczema. To help your child cope with their illness, it's important to develop and maintain a routine. Anyone who cares for your child should also keep to this routine. Talk to your child about eczema and inform him/her about what triggers the disease. Explain the importance of treatment and how necessary it is to use moisturizer and avoid triggers.

Vaccines: Ingredients and Exemptions (Part 3)

2009-03-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

Educate before you Vaccinate

A few of you brought up a great question in response to yesterday's post about informed consent. Before I get into the ingredients, I want to touch on ways to get around the state mandates for vaccinations before entering school.
I have heard from a few women recently, that it can be difficult to obtain the exemption forms from the schools themselves--it depends on the administrations personal feelings (so I've heard). So it is great to print off your own.
If you live in Arizona (United States), visit HERE for the AZ school exemption form. Every state is different, and if you live elsewhere in the U.S. click HERE. There is often a way to opt out under the religious or personal beliefs section. Arizona currently allows for the personal beliefs, which is a little less tricky. If you are asked to provide written statement, you could use something like below:
Being (a person/people) of Strong (Christian) Morals, it is against (my/our) Deep, Sincerely Held, Religious Convictions to accept the injection of any foreign substance into (my Body/our Bodies) or the Body of (my/our) Child. This includes, but is not limited to, any and all, Vaccinations, Shots, Tests for Diseases, Oral Vaccines, Epidermal Patches and in any other way that Live or Killed Bacterium, Viruses, Pathogens, Germs, or any other Microorganisms, may be introduced into or upon (my/our) child's body. This written statement to exempt (my/our) child from any immunizations because (I/we) hold genuine and sincere personal religious beliefs which are inconsistent with these medical procedures & experimentation. The practice of vaccination and the injection or application of any foreign substance is contrary to (my/our) conscientiously held religious beliefs and practices, and violates the free exercise of (my/our) religious principles.
If you have strong feelings on abortion, you might add something like the following: The attenuated virus used to produce the Rubella vaccine (RA27/3) was obtained from an aborted fetus and then cultivated on fetal tissue from another aborted baby (WI-38), and is also in the rubella portion of the MMR-II vaccine. The Chickenpox vaccine containing WI-38, MRC-5 and Hepatitis-A vaccine (MRC-5) were obtained from human babies that were electively aborted. A conflict arises because my religious convictions are predicated on the belief that all life is sacred. The Hepatitis-B vaccine protects against a disease that is only transmitted through multiple sexual partners or street IV drug users. If your child is not yet school age, or you are pregnant :
"well baby" visit: If you do take your new baby to an MD as opposed to a naturopath and/or chiropractor, please be aware and careful of any forms you sign. I'm referring to those "Refusal To Vaccinate" forms put out by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Go to this page below and find out why signing this form is very dangerous. These forms can be used to undermine parental rights...http://www.vaclib.org/legal/donotsign.htm
"By endorsing this particular waiver, parents would essentially be signing an admittance of neglect and or "abuse" for refusing vaccines. The language contained in this waiver could put parents and caregivers in jeopardy down-the-line if they should ever find themselves in the courts due to their child's health problems, when confronted with child protective services, divorce, or just about any matter pertaining to that child that could be used against the parent(s). Please read any waiver provided by your child's doctor carefully before signing. Instead, offer a formally written and signed letter that simply says that you do not wish to vaccinate your child. If you are unsure of the language in the waiver, buy some time by telling your doctor that you need to consult with a lawyer before signing it. "
If you are interested in more information, email me: )
Ingredients
Vaccines contain a number of substances which can be divided into the following groups:
1. Micro-organisms, either bacteria or viruses, thought to be causing certain infectious diseases and which the vaccine is supposed to prevent. These are whole-cell proteins or just the broken-cell protein envelopes,and are called antigens.
2. Chemical substances which are supposed to enhance the immune response to the vaccine, called adjuvants.
3. Chemical substances which act as preservatives and tissue fixatives,which are supposed to halt any further chemical reactions and putrefaction(decomposition or multiplication) of the live or attenuated (or killed) biological constituents of the vaccine.
All these constituents of vaccines are toxic, and their toxicity may vary, as a rule, from one batch of vaccine to another.
So I ask again,
Are vaccinations safe and effective?The following info is found HERE
Historical trends indicate vaccines have had little positive effect: Historical trends show that deaths caused by childhood illnesses had already declined as much as 98% before vaccine programs were ever initiated. Evidence indicates that an improved standard of living, particularly access to fresh foods, caused this drop in disease, not vaccines. Evidence also indicates that statistical tampering over the last sixty years has made vaccines appear more effective than they truly are.

Vaccines contain foreign animal proteins: Vaccines are cultured in such tissues as monkey kidney cells, rabbit and dog brains, horse blood, fetal calf blood, chick embryos, and, yes, even human fetal lung tissue. Under normal circumstances, the body only encounters foreign animal proteins though the digestive tract; when injected directly into the blood stream, these proteins can wreak havoc on the body.

Vaccines may contain animal viruses not intended: It is absolutely impossible to completely isolate one virus from others within the animal tissue used. As a result, vaccines pose the greatest risk of cross-species disease introduction; past vaccine batches have contained unwanted animal viruses. There is even evidence that the AIDS virus was spread from apes to humans through a contaminated oral polio vaccine given to over 300,000 Africans. Since then, other vaccine batches have accidentally included mysterious animal viruses, one of which is SV40, which some scientists link to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and certain brain tumours in the Baby Boomer generation.

Vaccines contain dangerous chemicals used as preservatives and adjuvants: The chemicals added as preservatives and adjuvants (intended to make them more powerful) to vaccines are dangerous; they include formaldehyde, aluminium phosphate, phenol (carbolic acid), alum, acetone, and, yes, some still do contain Thimerosal (a preservative comprising 50% ethyl mercury). Many of these chemicals are neurotoxic and lead to a myriad of other health issues; they have been linked to autism, Attention Deficit Disorder, and other developmental disorders. These toxins build up in the system over time. The medical community will tell you that “there is no conclusive evidence” linking vaccines with these disorders because they choose to reference scientifically flawed studies sponsored by the pharmaceutical companies themselves or refuse to undertake long term studies to compare the overall health outcome of fully vaccinated groups with unvaccinated ones. Common sense should dictate that injecting toxic chemicals into the bodies of neurologically immature babies is dangerous. (Note that the flu shot still does contain mercury.)

Germs are not necessarily dangerous: The “vaccine theory” is based upon the “germ theory”, which says that disease is caused by germs. The germ theory itself has always been in question. We encounter billions of germs everyday but we do not get sick everyday. The “terrain theory” hypothesizes that viral infections are not caused by germs, but by toxic conditions in the body, which make it a favourable host for these organisms; that germs can have a symbiotic relationship with our bodies by feeding on and helping to eliminate toxins. So, the key to combating infectious disease is not to kill the germ but to make the body an unfavourable host: feed it healthy sources of energy and don’t poison it with toxins. Vaccinations introduce toxins into the body and may therefore actually cause illness. See work by Claude Bernard or Antoine Bechamp.

Vaccines bypass the body’s normal lines of immune defense: There is a fundamental issue with injecting particles of infectious diseases directly into the bloodstream, thereby bypassing the immune system’s first line of defence—called the Th1 level of the immune system—in a “surprise attack” on the second line of defence—called the Th2 level—that is so distressing to the body it can cause anaphylactic shock. In nature, diseases are introduced into the body through the nose, mouth, skin and lungs, triggering a first line of defence that usually combats the illness before it ever reaches the bloodstream. Vaccines’ repeated “back-door assaults” on the Th2 level of the immune system make it hyper-sensitive and compel it to react inappropriately to other normally harmless substances like peanuts; the result is a generation of children with damaged immune systems who suffer from food and environmental allergies, asthma and increasingly with life threatening anaphylactic disorders.

Vaccine injuries are under reported: Although there is a government system in place for reporting vaccine injuries, the medical profession does not encourage such reporting and there are no repercussions for doctors who choose not to report incidents. Doctors, who naturally do not want to admit participating in a practice that injures a child, often choose to deny or disregard even the most obvious connection between a sudden health issue and vaccine administration. As a result, it is known that vaccine injuries are drastically under reported (it is believed fewer than 10% of vaccine reactions are actually reported) so it is impossible to know just how many children are injured each year. Some researchers have linked Sudden Infant Death Syndrome to vaccines, and estimate that the number of vaccine-related deaths per year greatly outnumbers deaths resulting from the childhood illnesses themselves. Your doctor will likely tell you that “the benefits of vaccines outweigh the risks”; do not be lulled by this statement into assuming that someone else’s child is at risk while your child will only benefit. Just ask the tens of thousands of parents living with the reality of a “vaccine damaged” child.

Childhood diseases are not necessarily bad: Vaccination assumes that childhood diseases such as measles, mumps, and chicken pox are dangerous and “bad”. Conversely, others believe that childhood disease naturally builds the immune system and that, in healthy children, these diseases are not dangerous. In fact, contracting them in childhood provides natural lifetime immunity to them and protects the body against more dangerous related adult diseases. For instance, shingles occurs when adults who have previously had chickenpox are no longer exposed to “boosting” doses of chickenpox in the community.

Immunization assumes it is okay to sacrifice a few for the good of many: Mass immunization is based upon a “herd mentality” in two ways: first, it implies that every person is the same and therefore every person should be medicated in the same way (indeed that everyone, healthy or not, should be medicated); second, it necessitates the belief that it is acceptable to sacrifice a few for the good of the majority. (The “few” parents of children injured or killed by vaccines likely beg to differ.)

Vaccine science assumes nature is flawed: The belief in the effectiveness of vaccines is based upon the idea that nature is fundamentally flawed and only science can save it—that, without help, the human immune system is incapable of protecting the body. Conversely, others believe that scientific interventions themselves are playing havoc with our health and that vaccines and other contaminants like air pollution, pesticides, flame retardant chemicals, fluoridated drinking water, genetically modified, overly processed foods, etc, etc, are poisoning our bodies. These toxins compromise our health and make us susceptible to illness.

Natural immunity is achieved through healthy living: Bottom line: There is evidence that vaccines are neither safe nor effective…and that immunization against relatively harmless childhood diseases may be responsible for the dramatic increase in autoimmune diseases as well as chronic illnesses like cancer. Again, these basic principles apply: feed the body with healthy sources of energy and don’t poison it with toxins and it will protect and heal itself—without the need for pharmaceutical intervention. The few studies undertaken have shown that unvaccinated children are healthier than vaccinated children.

Know your rights: No other country in the world uses and mandates as many vaccines as the United States because government officials in Canada, western Europe and other free nations respect individual rights and health care choices. Immunization should not be mandatory. When it becomes mandatory it goes against everything our country was founded on. It is already happening on many levels and some schools require proof of immunization to attend. You will take the brunt of intimidation tactics, but there are exemptions and ways to get around it. You must do your research.

"Only authoritarian regimes in underdeveloped countries take a totalitarian approach to dissent today, with some imprisoning non-vaccinators or using the militia to force vaccination. Increasing oppression and punishment of families trying to protect their children from vaccine injury and death in the United States would certainly make it easier for patent holders on vaccines to make larger and more predictable profits.
It is important for the public, including legislators, to be fully informed about all of the potential motivating factors for the public policies being promoted by individuals with letters after their names. It is also important for the public, including journalists, to independently verify the scientific integrity of studies which are used to justify the erosion of civil and human rights in America."- Barbara Loe Fisher

"There are significant risks associated with every immunization and numerous contraindications that may make it dangerous for the shots to be given to your child.... Immunization against relatively harmless childhood diseases may be responsible for the dramatic increase in autoimmune diseases." Dr. Robert Mendelsohn MD, pediatrician
Vaccines.
You might notice by now that I don't refer to them as Immunizations. This is because they don't truly provide immunization from disease. There is a difference between acute disease and chronic disease.
I remember as an 8 year old getting the chicken pox. Vaguely. I recall scratching a bit and being uncomfortable for a couple days. Back in those (good 'ole) days, there was no vaccine to save me from such an illness. I had an acute disease--meaning an illness of short duration. Now we have vaccines for nearly every acute illness that exists. We don't however know the long term effects of these vaccines. We are trading acute illness for chronic illness (which lasts indefinitely). When a person has an acute illness, they develop the antibodies needed for true, lifelong immunization. When a person receives a vaccine there is no telling how the body will receive the foreign substance and how it will react.
Yes, there is the risk that an unvaccinated child will get sick. That is just one of the risks of being alive--But there is absolutely no proof that a vaccine would prevent illness.
Think about that. How can one prove that getting a shot is going to protect you (with titers) when thousands who have received the same shot are contracting the very illness they supposedly had immunity to. How do we know that vaccine didn't make them more susceptible?
We don't. We can't know that. It is all very theoretical.
But given all the information, I wouldn't vaccinate my cat--much less my child.

I urge you to become informed about vaccinations; please complete your own research before subjecting your child and make a truly informed decision. You DO have a choice; please exercise true informed consent.
It's your child, your future, your choice.

Vaccines: Informed consent? (Part 2)

2009-03-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

I was looking through the notes from my vaccine class last night---there is simply too much information to really get into. I don't want this blog to be solely about vaccines. I hope to give just enough information to spawn your own research and questioning. I feel that is most important. Finding our own answers is priceless. If you would like more on certain aspects of vaccines, please email me and I will be happy to share what I have and point the direction of more info.
I first want to talk about the principle of informed consent. Every person has the right to know what is put into or done to their body. Yesterday I used the analogy of a doctor explaining the risks of a surgery. It is always the patients decision if they want to go through with any kind of intervention. If you as the patient believe that the risk is smaller than the positive effects, then you can choose to consent to that risk. But what if you were not informed of those risks? What if you later discovered the risks were more than you bargained for? What if you would have chosen to forgo the intervention? Wouldn't you feel violated? If we are not given all of the facts, how can we make an informed decision?
We know there are injuries caused by vaccines. That is a fact. By law, companies have to list them on the box (at least the injuries they will admit to). But when your child receives a shot, do the doctors ever show you that box? Are you told what the extent of those risks are?
When I told the pediatrician about our choice to not vaccinate, there was no listening to my concerns. I was given a packet of information on why not vaccinating is dangerous. I read it and in turn gave that doctor a packet of all the reasons why vaccinations are dangerous--(which I'm quite sure was not read). We were at a gridlock.
I know this doctor means well. I know she genuinely wants to help patients. But she is not aware of the all facts. I don't mean that in a demeaning or belittling way. I simply mean that there are holes in most doctors' education about vaccines. The information they are given is one sided. After all, most medical schools are gifted millions of dollars each year by drug companies. Do you think doctors are getting educated on the dangers drug companies pose to the very patients those student docs want to help?
I don't think so.
EXAMPLE: Here is Merck's own website listing adverse effects of the RECOMBIVAX HB (Hepatitis B) injection --scroll to pg 7. This drug was studied on 147 children and 1252 adults for only 5 days. (click links to read about symptoms)
LOCAL REACTION (INJECTION SITE)
Injection site reactions consisting principally of soreness, and including pain, tenderness, pruritus,
erythema, ecchymosis, swelling, warmth, and nodule formation.
BODY AS A WHOLE
The most frequent systemic complaints include fatigue/weakness; headache; fever (≥100°F); and
malaise.
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Nausea; and diarrhea
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
Pharyngitis; and upper respiratory infection
BODY AS A WHOLE
Sweating; achiness; sensation of warmth; lightheadedness; chills; and flushing
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Vomiting; abdominal pains/cramps; dyspepsia; and diminished appetite
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
Rhinitis; influenza; and cough
NERVOUS SYSTEM
Vertigo/dizziness; and paresthesia
INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM
Pruritus; rash (non-specified); angioedema; and urticaria
MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Arthralgia including monoarticular; myalgia; back pain; neck pain; shoulder pain; and neck stiffness
HEMIC/LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
Lymphadenopathy
PSYCHIATRIC/BEHAVIORAL
Insomnia/disturbed sleep
SPECIAL SENSES
Earache
UROGENITAL SYSTEM
Dysuria
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
Hypotension
Marketed Experience
Hypersensitivity
Anaphylaxis and symptoms of immediate hypersensitivity reactions including rash, pruritus, urticaria, edema, angioedema, dyspnea, chest discomfort, bronchial spasm, palpitation, or symptoms consistent with a hypotensive episode . An apparent hypersensitivity syndrome (serum-sickness-like): arthralgia/arthritis (usually transient), fever, and dermatologic reactions such as urticaria, erythema multiforme, ecchymoses and erythema nodosum

Digestive System
Elevation of liver enzymes; constipation
Nervous System
Guillain-Barré Syndrome; multiple sclerosis; exacerbation of multiple sclerosis; myelitis including transverse myelitis; seizure; febrile seizure; peripheral neuropathy including Bell's Palsy; radiculopathy; herpes zoster; migraine; muscle weakness; hypesthesia; encephalitis
Integumentary System

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome; alopecia; petechiae; eczema
Musculoskeletal System

Arthritis Pain in extremity Hematologic Increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate; thrombocytopenia

Immune System

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); lupus-like syndrome; vasculitis; polyarteritis nodosa

Psychiatric/Behavioral

Irritability; agitation; somnolence Special Senses Optic neuritis; tinnitus; conjunctivitis; visual disturbances

Cardiovascular System

Syncope; tachycardia.

Such a small test group and short test period--with so many side effects!

It is alarming to me that Merck can study 147 children and 1252 adults for only 5 days and is able to release a vaccine with no liability whatsoever (Did you know you basically sign your rights and life away when you sign to receive the vaccs?). What reputable research firm does a clinical trial and only follows them for 5 days? What happens to any findings after 5 days? They clearly are not taken into account.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has a website listing the effects HERE . Most of what they admit to is mild.

"A vaccine, like any medicine, could possibly cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. However, the risk of a vaccine causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small".

They also claim that

"life-threatening allergic reactions from vaccines are very rare. If they do occur, it is within a few minutes to a few hours after the shot".

Is their statement that severe reactions happen quickly supposed to be reassuring? Even the wording that death is a possibility, minimizes the very admission of that fact. The disclaimer on the flu vaccine says,
"In 1976, a certain type of influenza (swine flu) vaccine was associated with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). Since then, flu vaccines have not been clearly linked to G.B.S. However, if there is a risk of G.B.S. from current flu vaccines, it would be no more than 1 or 2 cases per million people vaccinated. This is much lower than the risk of severe influenza, which can be prevented by vaccination".
Again, minimizing the risk, and skewing the numbers. So basically- Yes, there have been problems in the past, but we've got it all figured out and everything is fine now.
Except that it's not.
Why are so many "experts" saying these effects are normal? Simply because they happen all of the time? I don't think that necessarily makes it healthy, or normal in any sense.
The challenge is that there is not always a clear causal link and since no long term studies are done, there is no way to prove the cause. But there is SO much anecdotal evidence which is continually ignored.

"My child was fine until the day after the MMR when he stopped talking and won't look at me".

"My daughter was athletic and top of her team until she had the Hep B vaccine and within 2 weeks she could barely get out of bed".

These statements are typical of what I've read over and over. Experts say it's not related. Or experts say, "well it may have triggered something already there". Are triggered and caused somehow different?
For example, let's take the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine created by Merck.
First of all, this vaccine is marketed toward young girls, ages 9-26. HPV is a sexually transmitted disease. Why then, are they marketing it toward 9 year olds? Many parents are simply told it is the vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. They are not told it is to prevent cancer that results from an STD. The option of educating young women about the risks of sexual activity and STDs seems to not even be considered. This, in order to "protect" from cancer?
At least three deaths and more than 1,600 adverse reactions including spontaneous abortion and paralysis have been attributed to Merck & Co.'s new HPV vaccine. This is what they will admit to. Merck has since lobbied state lawmakers to make the HPV vaccine mandatory for young girls across the nation. Mandatory. As in, our choice is taken away. Will a young woman who chooses to abstain from sexual activity be forced to subject herself to the adverse affects of this vaccine?
One report, (case No. 275438-1), describes the reaction as coronary artery thrombosis, sudden cardiac death. "Given Gardasil vaccine dose #1 3/12/07. Collapsed and died on 3/26/07… Echocardiogram revealed very enlarged right ventricle, small left ventricle as well as large blood clots within both the right atrium & right ventricle." A second report noted that the woman was vaccinated and "died of a blood clot 8 hours after getting the Gardasil vaccine."
Furthermore, Merck has been less than forthcoming about how many 9 to 15 year old girls were actually in the clinical trials to demonstrate whether Gardasil has been proven safe for girls this young.
"Merck and the FDA do not reveal in public documents exactly how many 9 to 15 year old girls were in the clinical trials, how many of them received hepatitis B vaccine and Gardasil simultaneously, and how many of them had serious adverse events after being injected with Gardasil or the aluminum placebo. For example, if there were fewer than 1,000 little girls actually injected with three doses of Gardasil, it is important to know how many had serious adverse events and how long they were followed for chronic health problems, such as juvenile arthritis." (Source: PRNewswire)
This brings to light just how many problems exist with studies being conducted by pharmaceutical companies to prove the safety of vaccines.
Common sense tells us that when clinical studies are performed, there is one group which is given only the drug to be studied, and another group which is given a placebo. By definition and rule of controlled clinical studies,-- to prove the safety of any drug, it must be administered by itself to the test group, and the placebo group must receive nothing but a benign substance. Neither group should have ever received another vaccine of any kind--otherwise adverse effects may be perceived as "normal". Because large groups of unvaccinated individuals are not easily available (or willing), this important detail is always overlooked.
It is now widely accepted for vaccine studies conducted to consist of both groups receiving vaccines. You may ask, "How can that be possible?"
Well, of course it would be inhumane to not give one group a vaccine, right? At least that is what the Institute Of Medicine decided in 1991--
Now it is common practice for the so called "placebo" group to be given a "well established" vaccine--meaning one that is supposedly known to be safe.
Can you see the fallacy in this type of science?
But lets say, the best case scenario occurs and the tests are performed according to the rules we state above--One vaccine at a time. The problem is that in real life, most patients are given multiple vaccines in a myriad of combinations--Up to 8 at one time. There are absolutely no studies conducted to prove that 8 at one time is safe! Have you ever heard of Drug Interactions--where two prescriptions taken together become dangerous?-- Vaccine danger can be exponentially higher when taken in multiples.
Is this making your head spin?
It's true. It shouldn't be this complicated.
HERE , HERE and HERE are other reports of Vaccines gone wrong...
Tomorrow, I'm wrapping up. I haven't even talked about contamination and what crazy stuff vaccines are made of. Stay tuned...

Vaccines: Are they safe? Are they effective? (Part one)

2009-03-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Making an informed choice

The question of vaccine safety has become a hot topic in the news. It is difficult to find any educator on the subject who weighs the information objectively. This is due to the extremely emotional nature of the consequences presented by either side.

When my husband and I discovered we were becoming parents, the decision to vaccinate weighed heavily on our minds--To be honest, even after making our decision, I continued to think about and research the facts. This is certainly not something to be taken lightly. After 2 years of reading and a class about vaccines, I feel I have only scratched the surface.

The main point about vaccines that spurred my quest for knowledge on the matter, is this: There is so much we are not being told about the long term effects. The problem is that vaccines are constantly changing and being reformulated. None of the studies are able to rule out long term effects because vaccines are not studied long term.

Beyond the side affects issue, the first question that came to my mind when initially starting my search was not about the safety of vaccines. I asked,

Are Vaccines Effective? We are all willing to take some amount of risk when we know it would effectively save our lives, correct? For example, there is risk involved in heart surgery, but if we know the risk is smaller than the life saving probability, we are usually willing to take it. The doctor would carefully explain the risks and allow us to make our own decisions regarding such surgery. I have found however, that such care to inform about the risks of vaccines is virtually nonexistent. I will speak to this more tomorrow.

Back to the question, Do vaccines work? Do they truly create immunity?

I read a paper written by Richard Moskowitz- MD , that revealed some little known facts about vaccine history.

"In a recent British outbreak of whooping cough, for example, even fully vaccinated children contracted the disease in substantial numbers. [note 1] In another pertussis outbreak, 46 of the 85 fully vaccinated kids studied eventually came down with the disease. [note 2] In 1977, 34 cases of measles were reported on the campus of UCLA in a student population that was 91% "immune," according to careful serological testing. [note 3] In Pecos, New Mexico, during a period of a few months in 1981, 15 out of 20 reported cases of measles had been vaccinated, some of them quite recently. [note 4] A survey of sixth-graders in a fully-vaccinated urban community demonstrated that about 15% of this age group are still susceptible to rubella, a figure essentially identical with that of the pre-vaccine era. [note 5] Finally, although the yearly incidence of measles in the U. S. has fallen sharply from about 400,000 cases in the early 1960's to about 30,000 cases by 1974-76, the death rate remained exactly the same; [note 6] and, with the peak incidence now in adolescents and young adults, the risk of pneumonia and liver enzyme abnormalities has risen to 3% and 20%, respectively. [note 7]"

Reading this alone was enough to make me scratch my head and wonder if everything I had previously thought about "immunizations" was correct. What I've continued to find since then has confirmed that we have a right to question the practice of routine vaccinations.

So what about the safety? One survey, commissioned by Generation Rescue (Data collected by Survey USA), compared vaccinated and un-vaccinated children in nine counties in Oregon and California. Among more than 9,000 boys age 4-17, the survey found vaccinated boys were two and a half times (155%) more likely to have neurological disorders compared to their un-vaccinated peers. Vaccinated boys were 224% more likely to have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and 61% more likely to have autism. For older vaccinated boys in the 11-17 age bracket, the results were even more pronounced. Vaccinated boys were 158% more likely to have a neurological disorder, 317% more likely to have ADHD, and 112% more likely to have autism.

Complete survey results are available at www.GenerationRescue.org. The survey asked parents whether their child had been vaccinated, and whether that child had one or more of the following diagnoses: Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), ADHD, Asperger's Syndrome, Pervasive Development Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), or Autism. The phone survey was chosen to mirror the methodology the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) uses to establish national prevalence for neurological disorders in their national phone survey.

These numbers may not be perfect, but they are alarming, and enough to compel more investigation.

Tomorrow I will touch a bit more on the safety of vaccines, as well as informed consent.

1. Stewart, G., "Vaccination Against Whooping Cough: Efficiency vs. Risks," Lancet, 1977, p. 234. [back]
2. Medical Tribune, Jan. 10, 1979, p. 1. [back]
3. Cherry, J., "The New Epidemiology of Measles and Rubella," Hospital Practice, July 1980, pp. 52-54. [back]
4. Unpublished data from the New Mexico Health Department. [back]
5. Lawless, M., "Rubella Susceptibility in Sixth-Graders," Pediatrics 65: 1086, June 1980. [back]
6. Cherry, op. cit., p. 49. [back]
7. Infectious Diseases, January 1982, p. 21. [back]

She works hard for the money

2009-03-17T13:35:00.000-07:00

Ok. No money involved here.
But I am busy working on the vaccine post (which will be up tomorrow).
Today, my midwife Marinah gave some very interesting info on her blog about the effects of antibiotics in the first year of life. I wanted to share it with you and know you'll find it interesting.
CLICK HERE
A teaser...

From Medscape News: March 9, 2009 —
Antibiotic use in the first year of life is associated with a small, but statistically significant, increased risk for asthma in childhood.
The risk for the development of asthma in childhood increases as the number of antibiotic courses in the first year of life increases.

Earache, cold, diaper rash, cradle cap-- Natural Remedy Thursday

2009-03-12T09:38:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love most about living a naturally inclined life are the health benefits.
While I was not exactly "granola" growing up, my mother was very much into using herbs and homeopathy for healing ailments of all kinds. To this day my body responds better to things of the earth than to western medicine's interpretation of healing. Nature is wise.

Homeopathic and Naturopathic medicine have played a huge part in my parenting philosophy and I find that mindset has helped inform a lot of my parenting decisions.

I want to share a few of my favorite Natural Remedies, and will continue this series every Thursday. Enjoy! Doesn't it seem that kids are more prone these days to earaches (medically termed otitis media)? Factors that contribute to Otitis Media are a blockage of the Eustachian tube from a cold, allergy or some foreign particles in the ear as well as nutritional deficiency and other infections. Polluted air and smoke can exacerbate an ear infection.

Here are a few things I have found to work well in treating an earache.

-A few drops of garlic extract into the infected ear. (Studies show that garlic is nature's antimicrobial).

-Use blow dryer from about 12 to 15 inches from your head, this will remove any water trapped in the Eustachian tube.

-Put some olive oil on the warm spoon; put 2 to 3 drops of this in each ear.

-Put few drops of lobelia extract (found in most health food stores like Sprouts or Whole Foods) into the infected ear and rub it gently.

-Wash your ear using colloidal silver--another natural antibiotic.

-If you are nursing, a bit of breast milk in the ear does wonders-- for adults and children alike!

The Common Cold and Cough can surely dampen your and your baby's spirits. Because it is a virus, it pretty much has to run it's course. There are however treatments that will help shorten the duration and decrease the intensity.

Ginger is an excellent remedy for colds and coughs. To make a fresh ginger tea, about ten grams of ginger is cut into small pieces and boiled in a cup of water. It should then be strained and honey added to taste. This should be drunk while still warm and may be taken twice daily.

I also love a ginger bath. Draw a hot bath and use fresh cut ginger or 2 Tbs ginger power. It soothes aching muscles and sore throats.

Ginger is fabulous for aiding in so many ailments (nausea and diarrhea to name a few), so I purchase it in bulk from an online store but you can find this spice at most health food stores.

Garlic extract on the back of the throat helps as well as lemon tea.

While battling with a cold it is best to avoid meat, fish, eggs, cheese, and starchy foods.

Ahh the diaper rash. There are several factors that contribute to rash. One is diet. The child may have an allergy to something he has eaten. Feeding baby one new thing at a time can help pin point the culprit. Wet diapers that chafe the skin are another cause of rash and the plastics used in Disposable Diapers do not allow skin to breathe.
The best thing for diaper rash is air and sunlight. Let baby run diaper less in the yard and make sure skin is completely dry before replacing a diaper at changes. Cod liver oil or Udo's Oil (flax oil) taken orally can aid in repairing the skin and corn starch patted on the affected area will absorb excess moisture.

Cradle Cap is caused by oil glands making excess oil.

The first thing to check is that your baby shampoo/wash does not have harsh detergents which can strip the skin of the natural oils, thereby encouraging excess oil production. My favorite for baby is Burt's Bees Baby Bee Wash. It contains no parabens and is gentle enough for extremely sensitive skin. After washing, it helps to apply a little olive oil and comb through to remove the dry flakes.

I hope you found some value in the first installment of the Natural Remedy series. Join me every Thursday and feel free to make requests! email me at yournaturalbabyandmore@gmail.com.

Congratulations!

2009-03-10T21:05:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone for reading and commenting!

Thank goodness I didn't have to pick the winner, I leave that to Random.org. I wanted you all to get these fabulous BPA-Free goodies: )

Visit me here again---

More Giveaways coming soon!

The winner of the Boon Squirt Spoon and

Nuby sippy cup is...

Random Integer Generator
Here is your random number:16

Comment 16 is by Jinni of Utah.

Jinii said...
The BPA issue has been something I have been taking very seriously. Why would you want to expose your child to something dangerous when there are so many BPA free options. I love the Boon spoon especially.

Congratulations Jinni!

email me your address and I will get your prize in the mail.

Emily--emidinkl@Yahoo.com

The Dangerous Mattress Monster?

2009-03-09T14:54:00.000-07:00

When Roger and I went looking for Mo's crib mattress, it was not quite the experience I was hoping for. We had bonded quite deeply with the little man, and co-slept for almost the entire first year. I wanted him to be safe in his new sleeping environment. This means safe from off-gassing materials. Did you know that crib mattresses can emit fumes from chemical treatments, PVC covers and the polyurethane foam inside? Sound scary? It is.
So we go to this baby boutique which touts "only the safest products" on the window. I had read about off gassing and was hoping to see some natural fiber mattresses.
Nope.
In fact, the saleswoman made me feel like I was paranoid for even asking to smell the mattress before I purchased it. She insisted that if this mattress was good enough for her kid, it was good enough for mine. (What?!)
Heaven forbid we allow the customer to think about the safety and quality of the product.
It smelled like plastic, gave me a headache and I almost threw up in my mouth. It was seriously that bad. No Kidding.
Later,we finally found one that was semi-natural (I guess) and didn't stink too bad. I took it home and left it in Mo's new room for a few minutes--I later walked back in to smell that distinct stench again. (Mmmm. Chemicals. Yum.) Almost as bad as the first time around!---kinda scary. I left that puppy outside in the carport for nearly a week before bringing it back in the house.
I wiped it down with Vinegar and put an organic cover on it hoping that would do the trick.
You know what would have been a lot easier, and safer? Going with a different product that until recently I didn't even know existed. Everyone should be aware of the dangers of off gassing and that there are alternatives.

Enter the Natural Mat.

Click on the link for more info

Last week I was lucky enough to stumble on this fabulous company.

They use no chemicals, no plastics and no PVC. Their superior mattresses combine the finest natural and organic raw materials including lambs wool, natural rubber latex foam, coir, mohair and cotton. The natural fibres provide much higher levels of spring and support, and far better ventilation than any synthetic foam or coil springs.

If you are expecting a baby or are looking for a crib mattress for your little one, Protect them. http://www.goores.com/ is offering a discount on the Natural Mat for Your Natural Baby and More readers. (Don't you feel special?)

Go HERE and type in code ynbnm at checkout for a 10% discount on any Natural Mat order from www.goores.com.

Now I can sleep knowing Mo is safe at night.

Awesome.

BPA-Free contestants comment here

2009-03-06T15:43:00.001-08:00

technical difficulties--
Good thing I have comments emailed to me!

BPA-Free/Giveaway (Closed)

2009-03-06T15:42:00.001-08:00

Don't forget to read to the bottom for the fabulous product giveaway: )
We've all heard about BPA. But do we really know what it is?Bisphenol-A is a hormone disrupting chemical considered to be potentially harmful to human health and the environment. It has been known that scratched and worn polycarbonate feeding bottles will leach this chemical into liquids.

To quote one of my favorite natural blogs on the Biography of BPA:

"BPA has gotten a lot of press in the last few years when it was discovered in (and leaching out of) hard plastic baby and water bottles...

But BPA is still out there in plenty of places, and according to the latest issue of the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health (IJOEH), it's increasing every woman's breast cancer risk.
Researchers looked at over 400 separate studies on a handful of common toxic agents, chief among them BPA and phthalates, and found that early exposures -- particularly during fetal development and childhood -- are closely linked to eventual breast cancer diagnoses. In fact, the earlier in life women are exposed to BPA, the greater the likelihood they'll develop this disease.
How did this happen? How did we come to let a chemical so clearly dangerous run so free in our lives? An important article in Fast Company magazine tells the must-read tale.
Of the more than 100 independently funded experiments on BPA, about 90% have found evidence of adverse health effects at levels similar to what humans are exposed to. On the other hand, every single industry-funded study on BPA -- 14 in all -- has found no such effects."

You really must read the article in it's entirety HERE.

2 years ago as I was researching BPA for the first time, there wasn't very much information on it. Only a few baby bottle companies even offered BPA Free products. Now there are many available options for BPA Free.

A Few of my Favorites:
http://www.nuby.com/

http://www.adiri.com/

http://www.thinkbabybottles.com/

If a product doesn't tell you it's BPA Free?

The following companies provide attractive, functional products with exceptional design with all mouth-contact products being exclusively BPA-free, and demonstrate a commitment to providing BPA-free products as a matter of course in the development of new products.
Born Free
Brita
Combi
KidCo
Klean Kanteen
Green to Grow
Medela
Nalgene
Natursutten
Not Neutral
Obentec
Prince Lionheart
PUR
Rivadossi
Sndro (Trebimbi)
SIGG
Steadyco
Thermos

Now for the Giveaway!

This is the first of many giveaways in the near future, so stay tuned...Winners are decided by Random.org, which means you could win multiple times: )

This Giveaway is a package deal.

Win and get BOTH fabulous products.

The first is one of my favorite things ever and makes eating on the go with baby a breeze.

BPA-Free Boon Squirt

You put pureed foods inside the handle, and it squirts out the spoon.

Genius!

I am also giving away a BPA FREE 10 oz. Nuby Sippy cup in green.

Just comment (from anywhere in the world!) HERE to enter to win both products!

The Winner will be chosen by Random.org and announced Tuesday, Mar.10 at 9:00 p.m. Arizona time.

Also, it would be totally cool of you to mention this giveaway on your blog. Not a requirement--just really cool; )

Elimination Communication (EC)--Our personal experience

2009-03-05T09:16:00.000-08:00

Morris 4 1/2 monts old

You may have heard of people potty training their infants. Sounds crazy, yes?
People throughout the world practice this infant potty learning otherwise known as Elimination Communication or EC.

As a cloth diapering mama, I thought EC sounded great as it would cut down on wash loads. I documented the beginning of our journey on my personal blog HERE and HERE. (I also talk a bit about how I got interested in cloth diapering).
Since these posts, we have continued to enjoy EC. From 12 to 14 months Morris was completely potty trained in that every time I took him to the commode, he would relieve himself---and if I stayed on top of it, he would go the entire day without "using" his diaper. He was not walking at that point, so he wasn't taking himself to the bathroom, but he would go on a cue sound that we gave him. He did this with us and babysitters alike. I will admit it is not as clockwork now that he has started walking and learning more skills--like jumping out of his crib. Toddlers tend to get distracted and are not as predictable--but at 17 months he started taking himself to the potty and we still use a lot less diapers than I believe we would have otherwise.

Now, some may say that in the beginning it was the parents that were potty trained--not our son. I have to disagree. EC is nothing more than acting on a baby's needs just as we would when we know they are hungry or need sleep. Babies are smart enough to tell us when they want to nurse or when they need a nap---why would they not do that with the other basic need of relieving themselves? I figure if a 3 week old kitten can learn to use a cat box, a 3 week old human can learn to go in the toilet. Are we not the most intelligent of species?
Enough of my rant.

The Idea
behind EC is to help the child retain their ability to recognize when they are about to go. The reason I think it is perfect for cloth diaper mamas to try is because cloth diapers help the child keep that awareness. They feel the wetness as opposed to disposable diapers that wick moisture away, essentially teaching them to use the diaper as a toilet.

The basics:
I started at 6 weeks, although now that I'm not nervous about it, I would be excited to start at birth. Experts say that you can start as late as 10-12 months--although slightly longer of a learning curve, but still worth it.
All you do is put the baby over the potty at certain points during the day and give the cue ("Pssss"-#1 or a grunt-#2).
Examples of opportunities include:

1. Upon first waking in the morning

2. Before and after nursing/eating

3. Anytime baby is looking like they are going (grunting, wiggling, kicking legs...)

I could go on and on all day about how fabulous I think it is--but at this point you may just be wondering how to get started.
Click HERE

for a post that I think does a great job explaining the How-To.
Enjoy the process.
The goal is not potty training necessarily--but rather meeting your child's needs from moment to moment and strengthening that relationship by building trust.

I will touch on this subject again next week, as I hope some of you will comment or email any questions or tips you may have.

In the next weeks I will act on some great topics sent by Mary, Sarah & Jillian. Thanks ladies: )
Coming up...
The effects of BPA
Nutrition and recipe ideas
(great for pregnant or nursing mothers and healthy food for kids)
natural remedies for colds/coughs/cradle cap/diaper rashes/eczema
Cloth diaper laundry tips
and alternatives to Vaccinations.

Action

2009-03-04T10:55:00.000-08:00

I was telling a friend how I posted here for over a week on cloth diapers.
He joked that I probably lost all my readers that didn't have babies, or didn't plan on cloth diapering.
I realized, that actually could be the case.
So I'm asking for your help. Please tell me...

What are some topics in relation to Natural Parenting and Birth that you would like to discuss?

comment here or email me at emidinkl@yahoo.com

Coming soon are posts on Elimination Communication (EC) and the Effects of BPA. Plus a GIVEAWAY: )

The Little Things

2009-03-03T21:15:00.000-08:00

Are you having an emotional response to these pictures? Are you thinking,"Oh no. Not another 'Go Green' rant". Are you moving your mouse to the back button? I beg you to read further. I was reading an article today and started pondering all the things I can and should do to be a better steward of this beautiful earth we've been given. This is sort of my journal entry afterward. It's not too doomsday, and there is a happy ending: )

No matter your political persuasion and no matter your religion, we all share common ground on one thing.

We want the earth to be clean for our grandchildren and our grandchildrens' children.

This subject can be very frustrating because so much of advertising is "Green Washed" these days. Companies often use the green train simply to sell a product or service---when sometimes their product or service doesn't really even help the earth or the environment! It bugs the heck out of me, and it draws attention away from the real issue at hand.

We can all do something everyday to leave the earth a little better.

OK. Take everyone in the U.S. that doesn't typically recycle (think in the millions). Now imagine if all those people for one day recycled one aluminum can. It adds up. Doing one thing really can help. I know in the past I avoided doing the little things because that's how it feels. Little. "What good will it do? It's one soup can. What good will it do? It's one newspaper." But thinking on the larger scale, it means something.

Another thing that stops some from taking these steps is the whole political issue. Really, this isn't a matter of where you stand politically. The earth is something we all share whether you are far to the left or right, or anywhere in between. And whether you believe in global warming or not, again isn't the issue. All you have to do is look at the smog in the air or pictures of our landfills getting bigger and bigger. Polluted air causes multitudes of health problems and much of our waste does not decompose for hundreds of years. This trash is getting dumped by the tons every hour of the day. Where does it go? Some is incinerated (again, back in the air). Much of it sits for hundreds of years to come-- polluting our soil and ground water (again, more health consequences). This is something I never thought about as a kid--trash has to go somewhere. When we throw something in the dumpster, it doesn't disappear into the black hole. And that smoggy air is going to blow somewhere. In Phoenix, we get L.A.'s smog drift all the time in addition to our own.

So I'm trying to be more aware of what it is I buy-- thinking more about the life of the product--asking myself these questions:

Do I really need it?

How long will I use it?

How will I dispose of it?

What will happen to it once it has left my hands?

If I have to think very long about any of these questions, it is a good indicator to me that whatever it is, is not worth the purchase, or the space it will take up in my home and soul.

Whenever someone talks about the environment, I get depressed. And I'm tired of being depressed about it cause it really isn't a good motivator for me to take action. For me, I have to make it a game--and that's how I plan to teach my children. Not, "The world will be decrepit in 50 years if we don't recycle!" or "Our grandchildren will all have asthma if we don't cut down on our Carbon emissions". Does that sound fun to kids? I think not. Frankly, if we suck the joy out of being a kid in the name of the planet then we may end up with kids who resent and rebel against the green values we want for them. I'm thinkin' more like, "Let's see if we can put more in the recycle bin than the black bin this week!" or "Let's see how long we can make this roll of paper towels last". Kids love games. I'm just a big kid so I like games too---FYI: I made our last paper towel roll last almost 4 weeks, thanks to these-- Awesome.

I have a long way to go-- but I'm trying to do more little things.

Let's all remember the little things.

Stay tuned for a giveaway this week!

Cloth Diaper Finale! (Part 8)

2009-02-25T19:46:00.000-08:00

Purchase Diapers HERE

Part 1 HERE-Exposing the Myths (sanitation)

Part 2 HERE- Exposing the Myths (ease of use)

Part 3 HERE- Exposing the Myths (cost)

Part 4 HERE- Cloth Diaper Benefits (health, environment)

Part 5 HERE- More Benefits (potty training, and more)

Part 6 HERE -Basic info and terminology

Part 7 HERE- Building your cloth diaper stash

Part 8 HERE- Diaper Needs Questionnaire

So now that you have the info on all the different types of cloth diapers, you're probably asking yourself why you even thought about doing it. It can be overwhelming, I know. But I want to give you something I found right before making my first diaper purchase and hopefully it will help you as much as it did me. It was from an Australian website (I wish I could remember which one), so I've modified it a bit to work with our terminology in the states. It's a questionnaire that will clarify which diapers will serve your needs best, so that you have a positive diapering experience. Fun Fact: In Australia, cloth diapers are called Nappies.

What aspect of cloth diapering is most important to you?

The environmental impact and natural fibers next to baby's skin?--All cloth diapers are better for the environment compared to disposables and are much healthier for baby. However, to really take advantage of the environmental benefits you may consider organic, unbleached prefolds, or trim cotton fitteds (like Mother-ease). In addition to cutting down on chemical processing of the hemp or cotton fibers, they dry quickly on the line so you can rest assured that you save quite a bit of energy (and money!).

Cost?--Again, all cloth diapers are going to save you a lot of money. Even if you decide to go with the Cadillac of diaper systems, you will still save $500-$1200. However, to maximize this benefit, going with an economical stash comprised mainly of flatfolds, homemade fitteds, or onesize diapers are all great ways to stretch your dollar. Flatfolds price between $1.50-$2 and save you on energy when line dried. Onesize diapers are great because they adjust to fit your child all through the diapering years so you maximize your investment. While All-in-ones (AIO) are more trim and (some say) more convenient (no stuffing required--the most like a disposable)--they also take much longer to dry. At the same time, they are sized (s,m,l) so you will need to have a complete stash of each size which does raise costs a bit. However, while it may be more expensive initially (having an entire stash of each size)-- a family cloth diapering several children over the years can benefit from diapers with less wear due to the separate sizing.

Designs and Fashion?--There is no doubt that cloth diapers are always going to be better looking than disposables. Go ahead. Make those 'sposie moms jealous. With all kinds of prints and patterns on Covers, and diapers--you can make them your favorite fashion accessories.

How do you plan to dry your diapers? If your plans are to machine dry them, you have a lot of flexibility with what diapers you choose. If you are looking to use a clothesline or a drying rack indoors, you may think about buying pocket diapers, Flatfolds or Prefolds or pocket diapers. With pocket diapers, you remove the stuffing for laundering and drying. This allows for a quicker dry period than say Fitted diapers or All-in-ones which are thicker and therefore have a longer dry time.

Is your partner supportive of using cloth diapers? I can tell you from experience that in the beginning, the learning curve can feel a little scary. It is obviously not the social norm to cloth diaper, and there may be a few "mistakes" while you figure out how to make cloth work for you and your family. If your partner is not supportive and encouraging during these moments, it can be really easy to give up solely to avoid the initial discomfort. But if you can convey to your partner how important it is to have their positive energy to draw from, even if they don't understand why you are doing it, it makes for a MUCH more fulfilling experience. I have known 3 other couples who wanted to cloth diaper (one was the husband!). The only one who quit was the one who didn't have that encouragement from the spouse. It makes a difference. If you know you will need help changing diapers from your partner, parent or babysitter, and they seem on the fence about it--try having a few pocket or all-in-ones around just for them (so they know it is just as easy as disposables). They'll get on board. Real men change cloth diapers--that's what I say: )
I hope this series has been helpful for you. Feel free to send me questions or insights you may have about cloth diapering and natural parenting in general. I'll continue posting things as they come. Next week, Info on BPA, an EC post, and easy diaper laundering techniques and tips.
Have a great weekend!

Cloth Diapers--Building Your Stash (Part 7)

2009-02-24T09:01:00.000-08:00

Choosing what you put in your diaper stash can be intimidating.

But don't let that stop you from taking the first step! As your baby grows, your routine may change--so don't get stuck on finding the "perfect system". You might constantly be tweeking what of your stash you use at various stages. You may start out using more pocket diapers and later on feel more comfortable with Prefolds. Don't be afraid to play around with things.

Starting Simple
I suggest first deciding how willing you are to try prefolds. They are extremely economical and very comfortable for babies. There is some initial trial and error--figuring out how best to fasten a prefold on your baby, but once you get the hang of it you can practically do it in your sleep (which you may very well do)! The reason I recommend prefolds so highly, is because it motivates us to change our babies more quickly, as opposed to waiting until they have peed several times in the same diaper. With frequent changes, babies learn to not like the feeling of wet and therefore can potty train much faster. I also apply the idea that if I wouldn't want to sit in my own waste, why should I subject my baby to that?

The difference between Chinese and Indian prefolds are that Chinese are very durable and slightly less soft. Indian are quite soft, yet more fragile. Since I am planning on using my stash for future children, I bought the Chinese, looking for longevity. I think they are still pretty soft (softer than disposables!), but some mothers swear by the softness they find in Indian prefolds. It is really a matter of preference.

When you know how much or how little you want to use prefolds, you can fill in your stash with what I call "Super Convenience Cloths-" known as pocket and fitted diapers. Ask yourself how often you have others watching your little one. Sometimes the social transition to cloth is easier if your family/babysitter has a few SCC to use and feel comfortable with.Pocket diapers are a bit more absorbent, so they are nice to use at night as you can adjust how much you stuff into them. They are also super easy to use. Fitteds are great for day and mostly for convenience--not as much absorption.

How many Diapers do I need?:
If you are willing to try EC(which I will talk about Monday), these numbers will be a little high for you. EC can cut down considerably how many diapers you use each day.
For newborns you'll need about 12-18 diaper changes per 24 hr period - so multiply that by how ever many days you want to go before laundering again. At this stage, their BM are water soluable and can basically be thrown in the machine without much pretreatment--easy peasy. I didn't mind doing a load every day. It’s nice to have 3-4 diaper covers for going out--but at home I rarely put a cover on. I wanted to know quickly when he was wet. The amount of diapers depends on how often you want to wash. For older babies (about 6 months plus or when their BM slow down) 9-12 diaper changes per 24 hrs period is usually a good amount. At this age most babies don't need to be changed very much at night, which cuts down the amount of diapers. For toddlers I usually don't recommend more than 6 or 9 diapers per day.

You may find yourself in an adjustment period at first- especially if making a transition from disposables to cloth. Some families find that when making this switch, mixing up a reusable system with disposables (ex. overnight, or for outings) may make the transition easier - do whatever works best for you! I told myself several times those first couple of weeks to do whatever was going to help me cross over into cloth with the least stress because less stress=longevity. I didn't want to give up before I had begun! It meant that at first I only cloth diapered Morris at home--then I added outings--and then night time. This can also ease the stress of buying your whole stash at once. Once I felt good about my diaper maintenance and routine, I couldn't believe I was ever afraid of it or thought it was hard.

What someone suggested to me (and worked very well for us) was to purchase a few (3-6) of the convenience (pocket, or fitted) diapers--and 12 prefolds in Morris' first size. I chose to get 6 One Size Pocket diapers by BumGenius and 12 unbleached Chinese Prefolds (infant size). Babies do grow out of the infant size quickly, but the close fit you can get with the proper size can eliminate BM leaking. I will admit that with prefolds, I had 2 times the breastfed (BF) poo escaped the cover. But I know this happens with disposables and it wasn't a big deal.

If you are willing to invest a bit more money for a great fitted diaper, that allows you to see quickly when wet (like prefolds), Motherease Onesize Diapers have great consumer reports at the Diaper Pin website. I have heard these contain the BF poo extremely well and are practically bullet proof. I plan to get a set of these for my next baby because they look so comfortable and easy to use: ) Again, these diapers adjust to fit your baby anywhere from 8-35 lbs.

12 pack is $179.95

24 pack is $334.95

32 pack is $495.95

Quite the savings from $2800 disposables!

Cloth Diaper series

Purchase Diapers HERE

Part 1 HERE-Exposing the Myths (sanitation)
Part 2 HERE- Exposing the Myths (ease of use)
Part 3 HERE- Exposing the Myths (cost)
Part 4 HERE- Cloth Diaper Benefits (health, environment)
Part 5 HERE- More Benefits (potty training, and more)
Part 6 HERE -Basic info and terminology
Part 7 HERE- Building your cloth diaper stash
Part 8 HERE- Diaper Needs Questionnaire