Tag Archives: pregnancy

Sep 04 2012
14 Comments
Product Reviews

Fresh as a Daisy

There is no better scent then that of a freshly bathed baby. I can remember when I was little, my mom would pull me out of the bath tub, wrap me up in a warm towel and nestle her nose in the nape of my neck. She would take a big, long whiff followed by a bright smile and whisper “Fresh as a daisy!”. It always made me giggle.

But don’t we all want to be fresh as a daisy? I mean, in some ways it seems that our culture is obsessed with it. Have you ever walked through the fragrance section of a department store? A bit overwhelming (and quite stinky if you ask me…). Which is why I tend to stick with items that are fragrance-free. Whether it be with my body soap, lotion, or facial cleanser, I like it to be plain jane. Except my deodorant…got to use something potent. Or so I thought.

A few weeks ago a company by the name of 30SomeWeeks.com contacted me to see if I would be interested in doing a review of their all natural deodorant, DeodoMom. For someone who is passionate about going green and keeping things “clean” (chemical free) inside and out, you would think I would be the perfect candidate. The truth is, my journey to find a deodorant that actually works has been rough. I have pretty much tried it all (including the natural brands). So since finally finding one that does the job (I wear Secret…*hangs me head in shame) I am a bit reluctant to change-up my routine. But after reading more about the company and their products, I decided to give it a try.

Here is some of the information that helped to change my mind. In short, most deodorants and antiperspirants on the market today (including ones that consider themselves “natural”) are chock full of yucky chemicals. Chemicals that, when accumulated in excess, can be harmful. So finding an alternative way to keep myself dry and smelling great quickly became a high priority.

When the products arrived, I couldn’t wait to put them to the test. It is the perfect time of year to see how well these products work because of how hot the weather has been. That on top of the fact that I am running after a very active toddler and teaching two music classes a day and I am pretty much a sweaty mess by the time evening rolls around.

In my package I received a Rollon applicator and a jar of cream. I was most intrigued by the cream because I have never seen a deodorant come in that form before. I was also interested to see how applying it with your hands would work. To my surprise it wasn’t as messy and gross as I was anticipating. It had a nice smooth consistency and washed off easily. Both the Rollon and the cream contain the same ingredients, it just comes down to personal preference.

In order to give the product a fair chance, I decided to wear the cream deodorant for one week straight, applying it to my underarms after my morning shower. To my surprise, by the end of the day, I still felt just as fresh and clean as I did when it was first applied. Which means, this stuff must be made of magic.

DeodoMom is made from magnesium hydroxide (a mineral safe enough to eat) and water. It contains no aluminum, no alcohol/glycol, is free of all fragrances, dyes and parabens and is 100% vegan. Created by a husband and wife team with a goal to minimize exposure to aluminum during pregnancy, it is a great product for expectant mothers or any health-conscious person regardless of gender or age. Overall, it is a product that you can feel good about having in your medicine cabinet, knowing that it is both safe and effective.

So, are you ready to feel fresh as a daisy? Click here to order your own supply of DeodoMom today. And don’t forget to check them out on Facebook and Twitter for up to date product info and promotions.

*Full Disclosure: 30SomeWeeks.com did provide me with a sample of their DeodoMom Rollon and cream deodorant free of charge. I was not paid to write this post. With exception of some of the factual information given about the various products, all opinions regarding the products are my own and 100% honest.

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Apr 30 2012
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Music

Musical Mondays: Listening Ears

The simple act of listening to music can have a significant impact on both parent and child.  Listening to music together is an inexpensive and easy activity that can be wonderful bonding experience shared by the entire family.  Not to mention, the extensive benefits for your child’s development.

Listening, comparing, and responding to various types of music helps to develop thinking skills.  Early music exposure can help promote critical language and literacy as well as creativity and coordination. Listening to music will help teach your child about patterns and sequence, and about rhythm, beat and tone which are useful for problem-solving and reasoning.  Research has shown us that children with a strong sense of beat are more likely to read well and excel at math.  Listening to music helps put babies and toddlers into a relaxed and receptive state.  Music also has the ability to raise your child’s self-confidence and self-esteem and can become a form of expression for your baby when they can’t yet talk.

So now that we know the incredible benefits of listening to music, how can we make music the most important fixture in your home?  Nowadays, music is always available because it is so easily accessed.  Many people can play music from their phones, computers and televisions.  Putting on your favorite tune and dancing around with your baby is a great way to spend time with your little one.  Think of your family’s daily life as a movie that needs a soundtrack.  Having songs playing all the time will help cultivate your child’s interest in music, so that as they grows, they’ll have an ear for it.  Make music a part of your day by breaking into sing songs during playtime.  A simple game of peekaboo can spark a musical moment.  And as the day winds down, listening to music at bedtime is a great way to help your child get ready to sleep.  Recorded lullabies are sweet, but babies love the sounds of your voice the best.

When it comes to playing tunes for your kids, think cheerful and simple songs.  Let your personal preference be your guide.  If you like classical music and your baby appears to enjoy it too, go with that.  Anything with a good melody will do, although slow songs tend to work best for bedtime and fast ones for playtime.  Your goal should be to cultivate a love for music in your child.  It should be about having fun and exposing your child to new sounds and rhythms.  Looking to spice it up a bit?  Bring your children to listen to live music.  These are great opportunities to expose them to many different instrumental sounds and styles of music.

When listening to music with your child, help them to become an active listener by calling attention to particular sections in a recording or song.  For example, comment on the tempo (slow, fast), the pitch (high, low), the volume (soft, loud) or the different types of instruments (drums, flutes, etc.) that you hear.  Over time, auditory discrimination is enhanced as the child learns about these concepts.

In my classes, one of our favorite songs to listen to is Aquarium, from Carnival of the Animals off of the Kids Can Listen, Kids Can Move! by Lynn Kleiner.  With the help of their parents, children move to the music using scarves or instruments.  Each movement is intentional, dancing down low as the melody descends and back up again when the music ascends.  The kids love to practice their jumping at the end when they hear the oboe.  Moving our bodies with the music is a great way to teach children to be active listeners as well as teach musical form.

Introducing your child to the wonders of listening to music is truly a gift .  And the earlier you expose them, the better.  At 6 months in utero, your baby is able to discriminate sound.  Although most of the sounds in the womb are muffled, the melody and rhythm of music are not much altered. A baby’s brain is able to register the rhythmic patterns of the music, and changes in beat and melody are picked up.  So, take time to sit quietly and invite your baby to a concert in the womb.  Singing and listening to music is a beautiful way to begin your relationship with your baby.

Whether your baby is in or out of the womb, putting on your listening ears and cranking up your favorite song is a wonderful way to share the joy of music with your child.  And the best part?  There are no rules.  Just sit back, relax and listen :)

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Feb 24 2012
4 Comments
Babies

Harper’s Birth Story: Part 1

The process of giving birth is truly amazing.  The wisdom that your body has to deliver another human being is nothing short of a miracle.  I am forever grateful for the experience of giving birth to Harper.  I was so blessed to have my midwives, birth assistant, doctors and of course my wonderful husband by my side throughout the entire journey.  Their support and encouragement was unbelievable.

It was February 19, 2011.  I woke up in the middle of the night to some uncomfortable cramping.  Having never been in labor before I wasn’t quite sure what I was experiencing.  I tried to go back to sleep but the cramping kept coming and it seemed to be happening in some sort of pattern.  Finally, at 4am, I decided I should probably time them to see if there was something significant going on.  About an hour later, Freddie woke up and asked me what I was doing playing with my blackberry at 5am.  I told him that I thought that I might be in labor.  At this point, the uncomfortable cramping turned into waves of contractions.  But that didn’t distract me from my goal.  I needed to get the house cleaned and make food for the midwives.

Since Freddie and I were planning a home birth, it was important that our space was ready for our little girl to arrive.  We pretty much already had everything set up but there were a few minor details that we needed to complete.  One of which was to clean the bathroom, and the other was to get snacks ready for everyone to enjoy during labor.  Freddie took the bathroom while I cut up some apples in the kitchen.  I was able to get through a few slices before a contraction came on.  I would just grab the counter, lean over and moan my way through.  When I was done I went back to business as usual.

Around 8am, I decided to call my midwives to let them know what was going on.  Being that they had just checked me and not much was happening down there, they suggested I try to get some rest.  Well, lying down seemed to be the most painful, so sleep wasn’t an option.  So we headed to Costco to stock up on paper products.  By this time, my contractions had gotten pretty strong.  As we walked the aisles of Costco looking for the paper towels, I would grab on to Freddie and slow dance with him as I moaned my way through contraction after contraction.  After our cart was full of everything we needed, we checked out and made our way to the car.  On our way out, as the man was checking our receipt, I had another contraction.  The clerk looked at Freddie and said, “you better get her to the hospital!”, to which I replied, “it’s ok, I’m having a home birth!”.

On our way home, we decided to stop at Trader Joes.  I wanted to pick up some lunch meat and a bouquet of flowers for Harper.  We didn’t last long as it seemed like my contractions were lasting longer and getting closer together.

When we got home, we called our midwives again.  Freddie talked to them for a bit and gave them the statistics on my contractions.  Then he handed the phone to me.  The first thing I heard when I answered the phone was, “Are you having fun yet?”.  I couldn’t help but smile.  I love the way they helped me to reframe this uncomfortable pain.  They then asked me if I needed them to come over.  I told them I was ok and that Freddie was doing a great job supporting me.  But as soon as I gave the phone back to Freddie I was moaning my way through another tough contraction.  When they heard me in the background, they told Freddie they would be right over.

One of our midwives, Alice, arrived around 4pm or so.  At this point, I had been in labor for about 12 hours or so.  She decided to check me and I was only at 3 cm.  Are you kidding?!  She looked me in the eye and said, “This is going to be a long night”, I stared back and said, “I’m ready”.

In the midst of working through my contractions and dancing around the house in my underwear, our changing table arrived.  Hooray for perfect timing!  Alice asked Freddie to put it together, which left me to labor on my own.  Easier said than done.  But she wanted me to own my labor, work through my contractions and experience some of this journey by myself.  Looking back, I am glad I was able to have this time alone.

About 3-4 hours later, my birth assistant Jen arrived.  At this point, I had been in and out of the shower, the bath, the toilet, the bed, the couch…it was like musical chairs.  But I loved how I could move around my house, listen to my music and feel free to labor the way that worked best for me.  I continued to move around from room to room for a few more hours and then at about 10pm, they wanted to check me again.  This time I was only at 5cm.  And Harper wasn’t really dropping.  At this point, my midwife asked me how I would feel about her breaking my water.  She said she is normally not a fan of interventions, but she felt it was important in this case and thought that maybe it might help Harper to drop a bit and hopefully speed up the labor.  I told her I trusted her and was comfortable with whatever she wanted to do.  She said she was going to think about it a little more and went out on the couch to rest for a bit.

An hour later, Alice came back in and I was still at 5 cm.  So she said she wanted to go through with breaking my water.  As I laid on the bed, I felt a warm gush of liquid between my legs.  To be honest, it was a little comforting.  But the words that came from my midwife’s mouth were not.  She looked up at me and said, “I’m sorry, Heather, but we are going to have to go to the hospital”.  My first reaction was a cry of “No!”.  I had worked so hard with maintaining a healthy diet and monitoring my blood sugar levels so that I could have a home birth.  I had also already labored for almost 20 hours at home.  But as soon as those thoughts came into my mind, they left.  And the only thing that was important to me was the health of my baby.  ”Is she ok?”, I asked.  ”Yes.  She is doing great.  Your water is just full of meconium.  So we want to be able to deliver at the hospital in case there are any complications with Harper aspirating it.”

Luckily, we were in no rush.  In fact, at one point, Alice asked Freddie to charge her phone.  This helped Freddie to relax a bit because if our midwife had time to charge her phone, then this must not have been an emergency.

I had already packed a bag just in case, but to be honest, I didn’t pack my “best” things.  So I had Freddie throw in my comfortable jammies, my glasses, socks, and a few other items.  Then Freddie, Alice and Jen started to drain the birthing tub and clean up a little bit around the house.  By 1am, we were ready to go to the hospital.

Stay tuned tomorrow for Part 2, and the conclusion of Harper’s Birth Story.

Photo taken by Rachel Bradshaw of Little Sparrows Photography.

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Feb 10 2012
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Mommy Talk

You Know You Are a Crunchy Mama When…

almost every reference made in this video is totally sh*t I say!

Here is a list of my 10 favorites:

1: “Sorry if I smell like garlic, I’m trying to kick this cold”- Have you ever snuggled your baby to bed and realized they smelled like garlic bread? No? Huh…well, getting a hold of Gaia Herbs for Kids Ear Drops could help solve this problem. I recently learned about these through my friends whose babies have been battling ear infections. And they have worked wonders! For centuries garlic has been known to have anti-bacterial as well as anti-fungal and anti-parasitic properties. Mullein oil, another ingredient often found in ear drops, has an anti-viral action and also helps to work against inflammation and increases the lymphatic circulation. Make sure to consult your physician about this alternative method to conventional treatments.

2: “Who was your doula?”- Thank God for doulas! Before I got pregnant with Harper I was unfamiliar with the term, but after experiencing labor with a doula and a midwife by my side, I am a huge advocate of their work. If you or anyone you know is pregnant and expecting a baby, I would highly recommend having a doula at the birth. The support they provide both for the mother and the family is tremendous and can many times prove to be life changing. To read more on doulas, check out the DONA International site.

3: “I love the amber teething necklace“- If you have ever seen a baby with a necklace on and wondered why they are better accessorized than you, then chances are they were wearing an amber teething necklace. Amber teething necklaces are made for wearing not chewing. The Baltic amber helps to relieve teething pain. It also boasts other benefits such as boosting the immune system and offering anti-inflammatory and therapeutic properties.

4: ” Wait, I’m doing my kegels, hold on a second”- For those of us who have had the pleasure of giving birth, kegels have become our new form of exercise. And that is all I have to say about that…because divulging anymore information would be a bit TMI!

5: “I might eat the placenta, I might not”- Believe it or not, placentophagy is all the rage, in this culture anyways. But don’t worry, no ones frying it up and serving it for dinner. Or at least let me say, no one I know. However, people are dehydrating it, grinding it up, putting it in capsules and taking it in the form of a multi-vitamin. And why not? All the other mammals are doing it!

6: “48 hour water birth”- Ok, so maybe my labor wasn’t 48 hours but 31 hours is a good chunk of time too. And unfortunately I wasn’t able to have a water birth, but more on that later. I look forward to sharing my birth story with you soon.

7: “We don’t have a crib”- As we approach our one year anniversary of family cuddles, and celebrate Harper’s 1st birthday, I am still grateful that our crib was originally on back order. Not only did we save money by eventually canceling our order, but better yet, we get the chance to snuggle up to our adorable little girl every night. It doesn’t get better than that!

8: “Coconut oil, where’s the coconut oil?”- Because who needs diaper cream when there is coconut oil? And the number of uses doesn’t stop there. It is great for cradle cap, baby massage, digestion. Check out this link for the many health benefits of coconut oil for your little one.

9: “I think she’s pooping”- A day in the life of a family practicing elimination communication, is all about staying in touch with your little one’s bodily functions. Check out the above links to read more.

10: “It’s called the Business of Being Born“- I know I have mentioned this movie before, but it is a powerful display of knowledge. This movie was the turning point for me when it came to how I chose to bring my daughter into this world. I would highly recommend it to all people, but especially those who are pregnant.

To be honest, growing up, I could have never predicted I would be considered a crunchy mom, but now that I am, I couldn’t be more proud to say it…and all the other sh*t!

ps: Love this video and want to see more? Check out Mama Natural’s Blog

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Jan 28 2012
8 Comments
Mommy Talk

TMI

Hopefully we are all hip to the title of this post, but in the event that these letters have no significance to you, TMI stands for Too Much Information.

And as much as we all want this post to be filled with embarrassing facts about my life that have you screaming “TMI”…this post is actually intended to help new mommies and mommies-to-be find some sanity in the midst of TMI.

By TMI I am referring to the inordinate amount of information you begin to drown in the second you discover the double pink lines on your pee-stick. From books, to doctors, to friends, to blogs, to little old ladies at the grocery store, everyone wants to give you the low down on what life is going to be like for the next 9 months. And as grateful as we all are for the opportunity to get our questions answered, sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming. So this is my attempt to help you sort through the piles of stuff by giving you my two cents on some of my favorite finds.

As new parents, we are thirsty for knowledge. We are curious and eager to digest as much information as our brains can hold. I can remember when Freddie and I found out that we were pregnant. The first thing we did was go out and buy two copies of What to Expect When You are Expecting, one for each of us. I had heard that it was a “must have” for all expecting parents. When we returned home that night Freddie and I sat up in bed, cracked open the book and started reading, with bookmarks and highlighters in hand. We lasted all of 5 minutes, max! Unfortunately, there was a bit too much information all at once. And the writing was very dry and quite boring. So we put it down and never picked it up again.

But I still needed to know what this whole experience was going to be like. So I started digging through a pile of books that someone had given to me. I was excited when I came across The Girlfriends’ Guide to Pregnancy: Or everything your doctor won’t tell you. I decided to take it with me to breakfast one morning and was laughing out loud as I enjoyed my chorizo and eggs by myself…mmmmm :). What I enjoyed most about this book was the author’s approach to the information that she provided. She was relaxed in her presentation and it truly felt as if it were a girlfriend who was offering me advice.

Speaking of girlfriends, one day I happened to be in a conversation with my co-worker who was also pregnant, with her second child, and she mentioned babycenter.com. I had never heard of it before and was excited to see what all the hype was about. Talk about a lot of information! Luckily, you can easily search what you are looking for and it will direct you to an experts take on it as well as community boards where other mothers-to-be share their thoughts and feelings. My favorite part about this site was signing up for the weekly emails that offer information on your baby’s development while in utero. This helped me to better understand what was going on in my belly.

As my pregnancy progressed and Freddie and I started looking into what to buy for our little bundle, my friend gave me the Baby Bargains book which truly is the bible for reviews and ratings of baby gear. I tailored my entire registry list based off of their recommendations. What I found most helpful was the safety ratings. With all the possible options out there, it helped to narrow down our choices, knowing we were purchasing the safest product on the market.

If you haven’t seen the movie The Business of Being Born, add it to your Netflix queue immediately. Even if you are not a mother-to-be, or have already birthed your babies, this movie is powerful. I am so grateful that someone shared this movie with me. It is a wealth of information that will move you to change the way you approach childbirth, or at least it did for me.

Finally, one of my favorite sites for natural parenting is mothering.com. There is a plethora of resources on everything from pregnancy and birth to green living and recipes all with a natural approach. This site became very helpful to me after Harper was born as I felt that it offered me the support I was looking for when it came to issues such as vaccines, breastfeeding and co-sleeping.

In addition to the books, websites and movie mentioned, I found attending a birth class with my husband was not only a great source of information on what to expect, but also a wonderful place to meet other pregnant women with whom I was able to form a network of peers. And almost a year later, all of our babies are buddies and now we participate in mommy groups together. Another great way to meet other pregnant moms can be through pre-natal yoga. I was lucky to find a pre-natal yoga class that not only offered good stretching and exercise but also a forum where we could share our thoughts and feelings with other women who may be going through a similar thing. Sometimes gathering information from your peers who are in the midst of pregnancy themselves can prove helpful.

So after bombarding you with more information, I hope it wasn’t TMI. At the end of the day it is all about balance. You don’t want to go into this experience blindly, but you also don’t want to be overloaded. I like to remember La Leche League’s motto which is “Take what seems right for you and leave the rest”. The truth of the matter is all the knowledge you need is already inside of you. It’s called your mother’s intuition. And its available to you 24/7 if you learn to trust it.

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Nov 14 2011
4 Comments
Pregnancy

When Sugar Isn’t Sweet

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  That has always been my goal in dealing with difficult situations.  But the truth is, it’s not always easy.

Being pregnant with my daughter was a wonderful journey.  It was such a special time in my life.  I learned so much about my body and gained a whole new respect for how my body works.  Pregnancy no doubt takes a toll on you and being aware of how you can better support your body through this time is an important lesson.  I was very fortunate to have a safe and healthy pregnancy.  However, around this time last year I was faced with a small challenge.

During one of my prenatal visits, my dipstick test came back with a high level of glucose.  I was told that this meant I was “spilling sugar” and could possibly have a problem with Gestational Diabetes (GD).  This was a scary thing for me to hear.  Not only because I was worried for the health of my baby but also because a diagnosis of GD could mean that I was no longer eligible for a home birth because I was no longer considered low risk.  After talking to my midwives more about it, they suggested that I become more conservative with my carbohydrate intake and limit foods with sugar.  Doing this would help take the stress off of my body, which was obviously having trouble processing the sugar.  The hope was that I could regulate my blood sugar before I was scheduled for my 28 week Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT).

Unfortunately the timing around all of this was terrible because it was approaching Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday.  This meant, no potatoes, no pies, no ambrosia salad (my sister is famous for this).  But, I was determined to pass myGTT, and my midwives thought I might have a better chance to do so if I altered my diet.  So last Thanksgiving I ate green beans, salad, asparagus, turkey and beef tenderloin.  Delicious and satisfying but not what I was used to.

When I went in for my GTT test soon after, I was feeling confident that my blood sugar levels had stabilized.  I got the phone call from my doctor and I was heartbroken by the results, I had failed the test and was diagnosed with GD.  Getting this diagnosis is in no way the end of the world.  In fact, my mom had it with both me and my brother and we were both healthy babies.  So I was confident that Harper would be fine, but I was disappointed that I would not be able to have a home birth.  However, after talking to my midwives further, they explained to me that as long as I was able to keep my blood sugar levels under control then we could still go through with a home birth.

Of coarse, my main goal in all of this was making sure that my baby was healthy and safe.  Second to that, I still felt very strongly about birthing my daughter at home.  So as long as my baby was healthy and safe, I was going to do every thing I could to control my blood sugar levels.  After being diagnosed with GD, my doctor set me up with a diabetes educator.  My first meeting with my diabetes educator went wonderfully.  She believed that I would be able to control my blood sugar with my diet.  This meant that I was allowed 15 grams of carbs for breakfast, 30 grams of carbs for lunch, 30 grams of carbs for dinner and 15 grams of carbs for snacks throughout the day.  In order to monitor how my body was processing the carbs I had to test my blood first thing in the morning, and an hour after every meal.  It was interesting to see how different foods effected me.  I found that I could eat more carbs during the day but had to be careful first thing in the morning.

Things were going pretty well.  I was following a very strict diet, and was proud of how I had taken control of what could have been a scary situation.  However, the deeper I got into my pregnancy, the more my fasting blood sugar levels were creeping higher.  My educator suggested that I take a walk after dinner, as exercise helps to regulate your blood sugar.  This seemed to make a big difference but I was still having some trouble.  Luckily, I had a friend who also had GD and she had success with taking chia seeds.  I spoke to my midwives and educator about it and they said it would be safe and beneficial for me to try and it was amazing how quickly my body responded.  The final change in my lifestyle was taking my maternity leave from work.  I had a wonderful job that I enjoyed very much but it did put some stress on me, which can have a big effect on blood sugar levels.  So it was suggested by my midwives that I take a maternity leave earlier than originally planned.  By being diligent with my diet, increasing my exercise, introducing an herbal supplement and creating a more serene environment, I was able to successfully control my blood sugar levels.  In fact, at one point, my educator said I was doing such an amazing job that she couldn’t even tell I had GD.  That made me feel very good.

It is amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it.  Once I knew that my daughter was healthy and safe, I was determined to birth her at home, an environment into which I felt was best to welcome her.  In order to accomplish this task I had to work hard to stay on track (and trust me, when your pregnant it is NOT easy to say no to sweets!).  But I continued to keep my eye on the prize.  And was fortunate enough to attempt a home birth and deliver a healthy baby.

So again, just a reminder, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  Just make sure its sugar-free!

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