Baby Wearing
I couldn’t resist sharing this adorable video by Marvelous Kiddo! Check out her ode to babywearing- And if you love ‘em you should have put a sling on ‘em!
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Mar
5
5
Joining the 12.4%
For quite awhile now, I have been crazy busy: work, school, wedding, website, baby…the list goes on. This month for the first time in… I don’t know how long, I am looking at either being unemployed or under employed. At first I was freaked out. What about MONEY? How would we survive on my Husbands modest income? What about “the game?” My profession is in Internet- where everything seems to move at a hyper fast speed- What if I was forgotten or passed by? What if it was impossible to get back where I left off? These were all serious concerns of mine.
Lately, I’ve taken a step back. Did I want to rush back to work 6 short weeks after the most amazing experience of my life? NO WAY. For the 3 months I have before Bean arrives, I would still be in school, I could finally have a day off to study, go to the park, sit in the sun, prepare for the baby, get to my “to do” list, and do I dare say it; “Do Nothing!”
I started to look at things in a new light, what is it in American culture that drives us to WORK-WORK-WORK-WORK? What are we so afraid of? I think if you asked around the answers would be 1. Money and 2.Health Insurance. I am lucky to have coverage for both me and the baby until June and My husband is transitioning in to a job that will cover us all. But what about money, how would we get by in a city like Los Angeles with so much less of it? Would our lives be seriously impacted in a negative way? The more I sat with this, the more ridiculous I felt about the pressure society puts on us to GO-GO-GO-GO! The guilt I felt over the possibility of not working took a back seat to wondering why the heck I felt so panic stricken when faced with the future.
I’m looking at the months to come in a new light. Things will be tough and sacrifices will need to be made, but ultimately I will get to get ready to be with my daughter- thru every poop, every burp, every cry and every smile. I will save on daycare costs and if I am lucky, I will finally get to some of the things I’ve been meaning to do! I have some time before Bean arrives so I’ve made a list of things I can do to keep me busy. I can:
Finally unpack
Decorate baby’s room
Exercise
Work on MeaMommy
Work on EchoParkOnline.com
Go thru 1000’s of old emails
Graduate with a Masters Degree!
Go thru and develop Wedding photos
Edit Wedding video
Volunteer w/ kids
Learn web design
Read a book!
and MOST importantly:
Raise our Daughter.
The timing could be better, I wish I had more time off after the baby comes but I can’t possibly know what lies ahead and making myself sick worrying about it helps nothing. I just have to stay busy and keep confident that things will work themselves out. How can they NOT with Bean on the way??????
Jan
31
31
Gestational Diabetes
I got a call on Friday from my Obstetrician’s office….I may have gestational diabetes???!!! How did this happen? I don’t fit “the profile.” OK I could definitely exercise more. And since I’ve become pregnant- I’ve been known to enjoy a desert here and there, but DIABETES! Are you serious? I spent the morning Monday having my blood taken on the hour for 4 hours so that they could get a better idea what was going on and see if my original test was faulty. So now I sit and wait for the call. The call that will be a huge wake up call on the way I eat and the exercise I get. I’ve done the research and I know this is totally ridiculous but, I can’t help feeling like a bad Mother right now. Did I not take my pregnancy seriously enough?
What the experts have to say on the matter:
BabyCenter.com
More from BabyCenter.com
Google Health
The ADA
The Mayo Clinic
UPDATE: My tests came back negative! I am diabetes free. Overall however I am eating less sweets and trying to get out an exercise 30 min a day. I’m off to hike! XO Me
Jan
27
27
Babelgum’s The (lil) Jersey Shore…totally awesome!
Summer at the Jersey Shore officially kicks off when eight kids move out of their bunk beds and into their summer share. Don’t miss the romances, the fist pumping, juice heads…and juice boxes. And remember, never fall in love at the Jersey Shore.
Jan
15
15
Baby it’s Cold Outside
This is just ridiculous! Poor Baby! Mommy needs to stop watching so many infomercials. Wouldn’t have taking one of her existing Snuggies and cutting a hole in it, been easier? I’m just saying….
Not convinced? Still have to have one? Buy one here.
Jan
3
3
Mother announces child’s death on Twitter
Mommy blogger, Shellie Ross tweeted that about the circumstances surrounding the death of her two-year-old son Bryson Ross. Bryson, who was two fell into the family pool and drowned. Is Twittering in a time of crisis a misuse of the Internet or a testimony to the support system it can provide? Many are left asking “What kind of Mother tweets during a crisis?” Others argue that Ross was simply reaching out to her community for support. For more on the story, here is an article by Lisa Belkin. For ABC’s take on it go here.
Dec
18
18
Man uses Google to deliver a baby!
When Leroy Smith’s wife unexpectedly went into labor with the couple’s forth child, the nervous dad turned to Google to help him safely deliver the baby. Smith had called a midwife, but his wife’s contractions came so quickly, he felt he had no other choice but to grab his trusty BlackBerry and Google “how to deliver a baby.” The search led him to wikiHow where step-by-step instructions assisted the frantic father in delivering 6lb 11oz daughter Mahalia Meriate Angela Smith.
Prior to the baby’s birth, Leroy’s wife, Emma, had nagged him about his BlackBerry habit, but now the happy and healthy mother-of-four is thankful for the gadget, telling The Sun, “Thank God for the BlackBerry, I’m never going to moan at Leroy about being on the phone again.”
Dec
16
16
Bean’s First Video
Today we saw Dr. Bochner and he made us a video of Bean’s latest sonogram so I decided to put it to music. Bean must have known she was on camera because she was kicking and dancing around. It was pretty amazing. Toward the end of the video you can see her heart beat and face <3
Dec
11
11
Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours”
That kid’s amazing! His facial expressions are almost as amazing as his Uke talent! Damn he’s good….so good he makes me want to listen to the original, so here’s that too.
Dec
8
8
Nursing Mother becomes a safety concern for Target shoppers…..??
File this under GRRRRR! Read Salon.com’s great article about Mary Martinez who was shopping in a Target store in Harper Woods, Michigan when she had the police called on her for breastfeeding her 4 week old baby inside the store.
Target goes on record saying the indecent came about after the security guards in the store became concerned with the safety of other Target guests. Are you %$#!(*!! @! kidding me?? Please pass this story around for the sake of Mrs. Martinez and nursing Mommy’s everywhere.
Shame on you Target. It’s a Boob. Get over it.
Dec
7
7
Co-sleeping
According to Wikipedia, co-sleeping, also called the family bed, is a practice in which babies and young children sleep with one or both parents, as opposed to a separate infant bed. It has been widely practiced historically, is standard practice in many parts of the world, and is practiced by a significant minority in countries where infant beds are also used. There are conflicting views on its safety and health vis-à-vis a separate infant bed.
I came across this great article “Babies Are Not Designed to Sleep Alone” about the benefits of newborns sleeping in the family bed.
Enjoy!
Dec
5
5
BABIES! The Trailer
Dec
4
4
Preggatinis!
LA Based author Natalie Bovis-Nelson aka “The Liquid Muse” shares her master mixologist skills with Moms everywhere her awesomely original book Preggatinis: Mixology for the Mom-to-be! According to Natalie, Modern Moms can stay in the social swing of things with her recipes for one-of-a-kind, lip-smacking, liquorless libations. The recipes highlight fresh juices, herbs and garnishes- as well as ideas for baby showers and “Preggatini Parties” This Mom-to-be will drink to that!
Nov
19
19
Cool Baby Announcements ++Rattle-N-Roll++
I stumbled across these gems today. Rock and Roll baby announcements by Rattle-N-Roll! This company allows you to upload a picture of your little one that they will draw a portrait of your child from the photo and integrate it, along with the stats, into one of our custom templates. I’m loving the idea and of course their motto “Because some of us were just born cool!” More info can be found here.
Nov
16
16
Hands down the best Halloween shot of 2009
Nov
11
11
Alternative Vaccination Schedule
Ok at 16 weeks, I may be jumping the gun here but when a girlfriend told me this morning that as soon as her son was born in the hospital she was pressured into getting a DTaP shot. I thought I better start researching alternative vaccination schedules. Who knows what a softy I’ll be once Bean comes out. One thing is sure, I wont be capable of making snap decisions. With the recent disheartening news that the manufacturers of the MMR vaccine will no longer (at least for now) be making individual doses of the drug, I was reassured that I need to make sure I am 100% educated on this topic from the starting line.
I’ve just touched the tip of the iceberg in researching but from what I’ve read so far and the input of a few of my savvy Mommy friends. This is what I’ve come up as a possible vaccination schedule for Bean.
A special THANK YOU to The Daily Hammond!
Please weigh in! I am eager to hear what others have to say.
Alternate Vaccine Schedule
· No Hepatitis B until age 4 if at all. Get this from dirty needles or having sex. Don’t really see the need for it.
· No Hepatitis A until age 4 if at all. Get this from feces of infected person. Very rare don’t really see a need for it.
· No HPV for males. No on females until a better vaccine than Gardasil is out on the market. Too many deaths and side effects = vaccine risks outweigh HPV risks.
· No Vericella: this is for the Chickenpox. Certainly don’t need this.
· No Vaccine should contain the preservative Thimerosal.
· All shots must be separated. No combo shots. Only one shot containing Aluminum is allowed at a time.
Schedule:
1. 4 months – Rotavirus *really necessary?- still debating
2. 5 months – HIB (aluminum)
3. 6 months – PCV (aluminum) Rotavirus
4. 7 months – HIB (aluminum)
5. 8 months – PCV (aluminum) Rotavirus
6. 9 months – HIB (aluminum)
7. 10 months – PCV (aluminum)
8. 16 months – HIB (aluminum)
9. 17 months – PCV (aluminum)
10. 22 months – Measles *dependent on single shot availability.
11. 24 months – DTP (DTaP) (aluminum).
Monitor brand used: a. Maximum toxin levels: i. Pertussis Toxin = 15.5 mcg. ii. Diphtheria Toxin = 2 Lf iii. Tetani (tetanus) Toxin = 5 Lf b.
Recommended brand: Adacel i. Do Not Use: 1. Daptacel 2. Infanrix 3. Pediarix
12. 25 months – Prevnar (aluminum). No at this time. Drug has received bad press. Need to circle back when the time nears to check on drug stats.
13. 26 months – DTP (DTaP) (aluminum).
14. 27 months – Rubella *dependent on single shot availability
15. 28 months – DTP (DTaP) (aluminum).
16. 29 months – Mumps *dependent on single shot availability
17. 30 months – DTP (DTaP) (aluminum).
18. 36 months – IPV (Polio)
19. 38 months – IPV (Polio)
20. 40 months – IPV (Polio)
BEFORE any boosters do blood work to determine need.
21. 4 years – MMR Booster. Only give this if his titers show as negative. Only immunize for any of the three that shows as negative otherwise no shot.
22. 6 years – DTP (DTaP) Booster. Could be different by this time.
23. 8 years IPV (Polio) Booster
As mentioned this is just a first stab at what I will decide to do. Below is Dr Sears’ latest recommendation:
Nov
5
5
What changes when you have a baby? by Rebecca Woolf
Rebecca Woolf is an AMAZING writer and Mother and I am proud and fortunate to call her a friend.
What changes when you have a baby?
1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.
2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid.
3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.
4. You respect your body … finally.
5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.
6. You find that your baby’s pain feels much worse than your own.
7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.
8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.
9. Your heart breaks much more easily.
10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.
11. Every day is a surprise.
12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)
13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.
14. You become a morning person.
15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.
Nov
3
3
Tomorrow you are 16 weeks
I was feeling super crampy today. So I was telling myself that you must be growing but then I read that I might not be drinking enough water (gotta remember to do that!) Tomorrow you are 16 weeks! That makes 24 to go! According to Baby Center, you are now the size of an avocado. I pulled this stock photo for reference.
We couldn’t be more excited!
Nov
3
3
Happy Halloween!
Wishing everyone a spooktacular Halloween filled with sweet-toothed children dressed up in adorable costumes!
Love,
Mom(me?)
Check out our resident halloween darlings Harlem Lilaquoi and Mason Pierce!
Oct
30
30
Favorite Baby, Kid and Adult Friendly Blog of the week
Blog (also very awesome)
“A gentle introduction to our visual world”
Part art installation, part pacifier, Wee See is a collection of black-and-white animations built from basic shapes to delight both child and parent. As vision develops slowly over the first months of life, Wee See provides surfaces of bold, well-defined artwork to engage your baby’s curious mind and bring the screen to vibrant life.
Oct
29
29
A letter to Moms everywhere about the H1N1 vaccine
When I was first told I was pregnant, everyone from my Father, to my OBGYN, to NPR were telling me it was recommended that I run out and get the H1N1 shot. After much deliberation and countless hours of reading- I have come to my final decision on the H1N1 (and seasonal flu) shot. I wanted to share my thoughts with you so that you might also consider your options.
To date, “Swine Flu” has maybe killed 1000 Americans- that less than countless diseases DAILY. Did you know that doctors DONT EVEN TEST for it since August? They only diagnose…THAT’S INSANE! New reports are saying the numbers could really be as low as 200 deaths countrywide.
Obama has declared a “swine flu emergency” with little to no concrete evidence to back up his statements. Even the CDC admitted on their website that there are no tests administered for determining true H1N1 anymore-so they are blindly mass-administering this new drug to children, pregnant women and adults (with no conclusive testing of the effects) because the government paid 7 BILLION dollars to pharmaceutical corporations to develop it. Admitting that this “epidemic” is a much less of a threat as previously considered is at this point what business people refer to as “opportunity costs.” In addition to the law that the Bush administration passed in 2005 that completely relieves all liability to drug makers that manufacture the shot (and the regular flu shot). In other words, if you have an adverse reaction to the chemicals in these vaccines- you have zero act of recourse. Desiree Jennings anyone??
People get the flu! It happens. Don’t be fooled by scare tactics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As always, thanks for making me think,
Mom(me!)
Oct
27
27
Study OKs Some Wine During Pregnancy
Study OKs Some Wine During Pregnancy
British researchers find no signs of cognitive damage in children whose moms drank one to two glasses a week
Posted: October 31, 2008
Pregnant women have long been bombarded with conflicting medical advice on the subject of alcohol. While many, especially in countries where wine is viewed as part of a healthy lifestyle, feel an occasional glass is safe, alcohol abuse has been linked to cognitive and developmental disorders in children, particularly fetal alcohol syndrome. Many doctors advise that the safest policy is no alcohol during pregnancy.
But a British study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology is raising new questions. The research found that not only can pregnant women safely drink a glass or two of wine per week, but that their children performed better three years after birth when compared to children of women who did not drink at all.
The research was conducted by the University College London, with the support of the University of Oxford and others. “The link between heavy drinking and the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome is well-established,” wrote the authors, led by Dr. Yvonne Kelly of UCL’s department of epidemiology and public health. “However, it is unclear whether low levels of drinking during pregnancy may convey harm for child health and development.”
Kelly added that various United Kingdom national health institutes are inconsistent with advice regarding this behavior. “Very few studies have considered whether light drinking in pregnancy is a risk for behavioral and cognitive problems in children,” said Kelly.
The researchers pulled data on 12,495 3-year-old children from the U.K. Millennium Cohort Study, a project following the health and well-being of children born between 2000 and 2002 in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Families were randomly selected from child-benefit rolls (every mother is entitled to a stipend from the government after each birth).
During pregnancy, the women completed questionnaires on alcohol consumption, among other topics. The Millennium researchers then returned to the households three years later and administered a series of cognitive and behavioral tests on the children. For the current research, Kelly and her team separated the results of those tests according to the patterns of drinking in the mothers.
They found that light drinking did not appear to result in an increase of behavioral difficulties or cognitive deficits. “Indeed, for some behavioral and cognitive outcomes, children born to light drinkers were less likely to have problems compared to children of abstinent mothers,” she said. “Children born to heavy drinkers were more likely to have problems compared to children of mothers who drank nothing whilst pregnant.”
The team found that children born to mothers who drank lightly—one to two glasses of wine a week—were 30 to 40 percent less likely to be hyperactive or display bad conduct, compared to mothers who abstained from alcohol during pregnancy. Children from mothers who drank lightly scored higher on vocabulary tests, for example, and could identify more shapes, colors, numbers and letters than children in the other categories. This result was consistent even when socioeconomic factors and other lifestyle choices such as the prevalence of smoking in the household were taken into account.
Moderate drinkers, defined as those who consumed three to six units of alcohol (3 to 6 glasses of wine, 3 to 6 shots of liquor or 1.5 to 3 pints of beer a week), had children who performed only marginally better on the same tests as children of nondrinking mothers. Children of mothers who drank more than seven units a week were more likely to exhibit a wide range of problems, most notably poor behavior and greater emotional instability.
Kelly believes that the socially advantageous standard of women who drank lightly may provide more of an explanation for the results rather than a dietary contribution from alcoholic beverages. “It may also be that light-drinking mothers tend to be more relaxed themselves and this contributes to better behavioral and cognitive outcomes in their children,” she said.
Kelly added that the U.K. government is considering changing its alcohol policy to recommend complete abstinence during pregnancy, and that this research challenges that notion and merits further research into the subject.
Britain’s National Health Service released a statement in response: “Official advice regarding drinking during pregnancy should not be ignored on the basis of this study. As there are known risks associated with heavy drinking during pregnancy and given that it is proving so difficult for studies to determine what lower limit is safe, women could just as well avoid alcohol during their pregnancy.”
Oct
27
27
Letter from Dr. Feder on the H1N1 vaccination.
I received this letter today from my (hopefully) new pediatrician. I hope sharing it helps some of you make an informed decision on the H1N1 shot. More on Doctor Feder can be found here.
———————–
Greetings,
Thank you for your well wishes, I am back in the office after having spent 4 days at home last week with the flu (most probably H1N1). Our office has been inundated with your calls and concerns regarding the H1N1 flu and vaccine. In an effort to serve our community I will be offering the H1N1 flu shot for those people who want it (it has not arrived yet). However, I encourage you to become informed. I have enclosed the following article for your consideration. LF
H1N1 Flu Vaccine: Will history repeat itself?
by Lauren Feder, M.D
On October 1, 2009 I attended the International Public Conference on Vaccination in Washington, D.C. where renowned experts spoke to approximately 600 participants from health professionals to families who had been affected by vaccine reactions. Although the theme centered on, “Show Us the Science & Give Us the Choice,” the timing of this meeting coincided with the beginning of the flu season and the major concerns about the H1N1 flu (Swine Flu) and the new vaccine.
As a holistic physician and homeopath, I strive to offer my patients broad spectrum health information and prescribe natural and standard medicine when needed with the aim of doing no harm. I also acknowledge and respect a patient’s right for freedom of choice in this matter.
For the past few months our office has been inundated with visits and calls from concerned families about the H1N1 flu and the vaccine. After reviewing the literature and listening to the opinions of my colleagues from the vaccine conference, I have come to a conclusion: there are more risks than benefits to the H1N1 vaccine. Despite this, I am offering this new vaccine in my office in an effort to serve those who want it However, I am encouraging all to make an informed choice regarding this matter.
The swine flu and its vaccine are not new. In 1976, an army recruit based in Fort Dix died following a mysterious illness. In addition, four of his fellow soldiers were hospitalized. Health officials disclosed to America that the illness was swine flu. Without knowing much about the details of their medical history and why they were susceptible to severe reactions to this illness, people became anxious that this could lead to a flu pandemic similar to 1918, and a vaccine was quickly prepared to be given to the masses. In the end, the illness never transpired. It came to be known as the swine flu fiasco of 1976 after twenty five people died and five hundred became paralyzed all from the vaccine. In other words, more people suffered from the effects of the vaccine than the illness itself.
One of the medical conditions that resulted from the 1976 swine flu was a condition called Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) an autoimmune condition characterized by the rapid onset of paralysis. I became alarmed when I recently received a memo to physicians in which it was written, “In anticipation of widespread vaccination this fall, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is conducting enhanced surveillance for GBS.” Does this mean that we will be seeing increased cases of GBS this fall following the H1N1 flu vaccine?
Another concerning aspect of this vaccine is the use of dangerous ingredients. In addition to mercury and aluminum contained in many routine vaccinations, a fast tracked vaccine such as the new H1N1 will most likely contain squalene an oil-in-water adjuvant used to stimulate the immune system. Squalene is not licensed to be used in the United States, unless it is approved by the FDA in cases of a “public health emergency.”
During the Gulf War many people in the military received the anthrax vaccination due to the threat of bioterrorism. Currently numerous vets are suffering from an array of severe and debilitating autoimmune diseases collectively known as Gulf War Syndrome (GWS) which is linked to the anthrax vaccine also containing squalene. According to Meryl Nass, M.D., an authority on the anthrax vaccine, “A novel feature of the two H1N1 vaccines being developed is the addition of squalene-containing adjuvants to boost immunogenicity and dramatically reduce the amount of viral antigen needed. This translates to much faster production of desired vaccine quantities.” Although Squalene may aid vaccine efficiency it can come at a cost.
On a positive note, the swine flu has been considered mild in places where winter has already occurred, Australian Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon reassured parents in July 2009 the swine flu is no more dangerous than regular seasonal flu. “Most people, including children, will experience very mild symptoms and recover without any medical intervention,” According to pediatrician Dr. Jay Gordon, “Swine flu does not pose a realistic risk to your family: There will be millions of cases reported and rare fatalities highly publicized.” In addition, having the flu stimulates the body to develop protective antibodies. As human beings adapt to the new influenza virus, it will become less virulent (harmful) over time. “By the end of September, there had been about 600 deaths in America including about 50 deaths in young children. Complications from infectious diseases like influenza are more common in people with heart, respiratory and other health problems and that is true for swine flu. (NVIC)
In order to produce vast amounts of this vaccine in a short amount of time, clinical testing has been limited. Not only has it been tested for a few weeks on only a few thousand healthy Americans, there is no data out on the safety for pregnant women and people with health conditions.
Currently there are governmental agencies such as the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program available for people who have suffered from the effects of a vaccine. However, the swine flu vaccine is different because under federal legislation passed by Congress in 2001 any vaccine that is to be used under the Emergency Use Authorization allows companies to be protected from liability. According to Barbara Loe Fisher of the National Vaccine Information Center, “Federal health officials are already pre-emptively warning Americans that most of the deaths and cases of brain inflammation, seizures, paralysis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, strokes, heart attacks, miscarriages and other serious health problems that develop after swine flu vaccination will be considered a “coincidence” and not related in any way to the flu shots just given.” In other words, you are on your own if you suffer a complication following this swine flu vaccine.
We live in a time of vast technological advancements in medicine. We have witnessed the wonders that modern medicine has contributed to our level of health and treatment of disease. However, success can lead to excess. The overuse of antibiotics has led to antibiotic resistance and the advent of infections such as MRSA. By overusing the flu vaccines and anti-flu drugs such as Tamiflu, researchers are concerned that this may cause viruses to change into more dangerous strains.
I encourage you to make an informed decision in this matter for you and your family. Whatever your decision, it is always prudent to keep your immune system strong. Use common sense measures such as frequent hand washing, gargling with warm salt water, get ample rest and exercise, eat a healthy diet avoiding refined sugars, drink plenty of water and broths, and consider using homeopathic medicine, herbs, vitamins and supplements for boosting the immune system.
In good health,
Lauren Feder, MD
Sources: National Vaccine Information Center, Meryl Nass M.D., Mercola.com, Journalist Gary Matsumoto, Jay Gordon, M.D., CDC.gov, Gary Null.
Oct
26
26
Favorite Baby Website of the Week.
Most of you know about the incredible Fail Blog. Today I can across it’s pint-sized equally amusing love child My First Fail Blog. Babies in compromising pictures? What’s not to love?
Oct
22
22
File this under…!@#$%^^&*(*!!!!!!
CNN: A six-month-old baby had a miraculous escape after his stroller rolled off a railway station platform and into the path of an incoming train. The incident, which happened Thursday at Ashburton railway station in Melbourne, Australia, was captured by CCTV. The footage shows the baby’s mother momentarily letting go of the stroller, which then rolls over the edge of the platform. Second later, a train pulls in to the station
Oct
16
16
Update: H1N1 and Flu vaccinations
My general distrust for pharmaceutical companies has me constantly questioning the fast tracked H1N1 vaccine. I wanted to pass along some information I found on the H1N1 vaccine. Please read.
I really enjoyed this blog on the H1N1 debate.
********AND if you do get the regular flu shot YOU MUST REQUEST the mercury free version. Additionally REQUEST THE INGREDIENTS PAMPHLET that come with your particular vaccine. DO NOT let them tell you they can’t get you that information. They may need to look for it but they have it in house. REFUSE the shot until you see it. Pharmaceutical companies are still administering vaccines with MERCURY in them you must REQUEST to get the mercury free version. I have read this over and over from countless sources. The mercury agent is called Thermasol and can usually be avoided in SINGLE(not cost saving multiple) vaccination packaging.*******
****PLEASE READ COMMENT SECTION****
Be informed and live well!
Oct
14
14
You’re going to eat WHAT?
Placenta Dehydration Encapsulation- ever heard of it? What if I told you that I was planning on eating my afterbirth? Most people I’ve told this to roll their eyes and immediately proclaim “EWW that’s disgusting!” Then what if I then told you that of some of the benefits of placenta ingestion included:
· Balancing your hormones
· Enhancing your milk supply
· Combating Fatigue
· Increasing your energy
· Preventing signs of aging
· Recovering more quickly from birth
· Bringing the body back into balance
· Preventing and treating postpartum
· Lessening postnatal bleeding
· Increasing postnatal iron levels
· Building baby’s immune system
· Weaning from breastfeeding
· Regulating hormones during menopause
Still think I’m disgusting? As it turns out many cultures have consumed their own placenta for thousands of year. According to the website http://mommyfeelgood.com/ Almost every mammal ingests their own placenta after the birth, sometimes even ignoring the young until the placenta has been completely ingested.
So how am I going to do this?
Enter Sara Pereira- a feel-good-goddess among women! Sara has made it her lifes work to bring relaxation, comfort and replenishment to women in all stages of their pregnancy – before and after. I adore Sarah! Before I was married, she came over to give me one of the best massages I have ever had the pleasure of receiving. Sara specializes in placenta encapsulation as well as pre, post and Swedish massage. Sara is a total gift to women everywhere! Once my baby is born Sara is going to prepare the placenta in the comfort of my own home. She brings all of the supplies needed and comes over for about 2 hours on day 1. The dehydrator stays at my house over night, and for about 1 hour on the second day. She will arrange to either meet my hubby, a family member or friend to start the process (or she can wait until I’m out of the hospital). The placenta should be kept on ice (the hospital will put in containter) in a small lunch size cooler until it can be taken home to be refrigerated. If the time frame reaches more than 48 hours, the placenta can be frozen. Once dehydrated she will neatly incapsulate the dried out placenta in easy to swallow little pills to be and taken like a vitamin or supplement which I will continue to take for 2 weeks.
How easy and great is that? Honestly… I think the whole thing is just about one of the coolest parts of me being pregnant!
More on Sara and her wonderful services can be found here.
More on Placenta Dehydration can be found here.
Still unconvinced? Here are some scientific journals on the subject.
Sara (isn’t she a doll?)
http://mommyfeelgood.com
Oct
8
8
Am I having a boy or a girl?
Meet Baby Man(aka Paul Christy)! According to the Baby Man website; “He predicts the sex of not-yet-born babies with uncanny accuracy. Although it’s all for fun, BabyMan’s visitors are reporting that he is 94% correct! If you are pregnant, click on the Predictions bar to try the BabyMan method now!”
You can email Paul and talk directly here!
Hmmmm…According to BabyMan’s website. I am having a boy! Well see…..!!
Oct
8
8
Favorite Mommy Website- Offbeat Mama
As a featured member and a huge fan of Offbeat Bride. I was thrilled to find out about OffBeat Mama! Offbeat Mama is chock full interesting features on amazing Mothers of all kinds. Offbeat Mama brings endless resources to Moms that dare to think out of the traditional parental box. Cool clothing, photography, editorial you name it! I adore this site and check it daily. I’ll look forward to the first book! This site is a fabulous idea.
Oct
6
6
Amniocentesis vs. CVS vs. PUBS.
Amniocentesis vs. Chorionic Villus Sampling vs. Percutaneous Umbilical Cord Blood Sampling, how do you choose what’s right for you and your baby. What if my baby has down syndrome? This is something I’ve been thinking about quite a bit. Being 35, I am on the very cusp of the “dangerous zone”. I had my first trimester quad screening last week and now I sit and wait for a percentage. A “1 in xxx” number. That percentage determines what my next scary step is. Once you receive your number – then you have to decide as parents- is that number comfortable to me? Oh and did I mention there is a high percentage of what they call “false negatives?” So here I sit and wait for another week hoping, praying, for a 1 in 50000000000 chance that our baby has down syndrome. Unless that number could be a false negative(?) To be continued.
Read more about Amniocentesis here.
Read more about CVS here.
Read more about PUBS here.
Oct
6
6
Pregnancy Weight Tracker
Am I gaining to much? Am I gaining not enough? BabyZone.com keeps it simple with a handy and analytics you can use to track your pregnancy weight month by month. Check it out here!
Mine:
Oct
6
6
Flu Shot and the H1N1 shot; safe for you and your baby?
Let me start by saying I am for the most part very skeptical of the CDC, the pharmaceutical companies and many current vaccination recommendations. So when I went to my doctor today, I was armed with questions. Did I need the flu shot? I certainly didn’t want it. If I wasn’t pregnant, getting the shot would never even be a consideration. These days with the H1N1 scare, every “reputable” source is telling pregnant women to run out and get both. I felt it was necessary to explain to my doctor my overall position on this matter and see what she had to say about it. Her response only left me more confused.
Honestly she wasn’t much help. The answer I got was that she predicted that about 50% of her patients would request the shots- which were given out for free in her office- and 50% would not. She assured me that neither shot had mercury in them and she herself would be getting one. Basically it was up to me.
So I’m still struggling with the decision. I’m currently leaning toward not getting either shot. Frankly, the CDC’s fast-tracking approval of the H1N1 vaccination terrifies me. Possible side effects down the line terrify me more. I’m stuck, when did bringing a life into this world become so damn scary? Aren’t I supposed to be filled with joy and the hope for tomorrow? Then why around every corner it seems there a new worry?
Please comment, I am desperate to see what everyone thinks.
To Be Continued………….I’ll let you know who it all turns out.
Oct
1
1
Favorite Mommy Website- Momversation
“Momversation is a video show and website that brings together outspoken moms who want to talk about what matters to them. Each episode features four mom-bloggers introducing a topic and sharing their thoughts. And you can get in on the conversation, too: tell other moms how you feel in episode comments, and start your own topics in the Momversation forums.”
Are you looking for some great Mom based conversation? Look no further! Momversation is where you will find it. With topics for Moms in all stages, this community is fresh, enlightening and filled with opinionated intelligent ladies like yourself! With topics like ” Is circumcision wrong?” “Do you keep a gun at home?” and “Is home schooling bad?” these Moms are sure to keep the discussion intersting. Make sure to check back when new Momversation episodes are posted every Monday and Thursday!
Oct
1
1
Holy Baby!!
This just in. A woman in Jakarta Indonesia gives birth to a 19 pound baby!!! The doctors at the hospital attribute the babies large size to the Mothers diabetes. They think that excessive amounts of Gluclose may have cause the baby to grow. Fortunately, the baby was delivered by caesarian! More on Akbar and his insatiable appetite cane be found here.
Sep
30
30
Baby Video of the Day
Sep
30
30
Ridiculous Baby Website of the Day
According to this Online Pregnancy Test, this site can determine in 10 seconds if I am with child, what the sex will be and who the father is. My results came as a bit of surprise, according to the test- my son Jayden will be born on Christmas day! Who’s the Daddy? Well it’s Bill Clinton of course!! Don’t tell Hillary- I respect her to much. Take you 100% accurate 10 second pregnancy test here! And make sure you stay very still during the scan.
Sep
30
30
Pregnancy Product Reviews weeks 1-10
4 stars. Belly Bars market themselves as “The tastes you crave, and the nutrition that you need.” I opted to save money and buy an entire box of Amazon. I would have one a day every morning on my way to work. They also make wonderful afternoon snacks. The bars are delicious and packed with essential vitamins that your growing baby needs. Recently scientists in Finland found that eating chocolate during pregnancy may make for happier, livelier babies. At 180 calories a pop, I highly recommend giving them a try. You can find out more about Belly Bar products here.
Quite possibly the best pregnancy product I’ve used yet. The Belly Band allows you to wear your favorite pants leaving them completely unbuttoned and unzipped and no one is the wiser! The Belly Ban looks just like a tank top would if you wore one under a shirt and is extremely comfortable! I have one in black in the smallest size and I can’t wait to buy more. More information can be found here! Ladies- don’t wait…this is product is AWESOME.
I consider myself lucky. My pregnancy has been morning sickness free. I have however been suffering from wicked heartburn. If yo are like me and CAN’T STAND heartburn, then give these babies a try. I pop two pills and almost instantly- no more heartburn. I think these work better than any off the shelf digestion medicine, are safer and are worth the extra dough! Find out more about this product here!
Normally, I’m more likely to buy vitamins from a health or speciality store. The day I found out I was pregnant, I went straight to my neighborhood Walgreens to pick these up. I have to say as far as what I’ve read about other prenatal vitamins, these are easy to swallow (only 2 pills a day!), smell great and go down easy. There are no side effects and I enjoy taking them. The skeptic in me always wonders if a major corporation has you true best interest in mind, so my next batch will more than likely not be from Walgreens. I took these pills into my Doctor’s Office and she said they were great. I recommend them if you need a user-friendly prenatal. More about this product can be found here.
Not my favorite product. There are to many pieces and the end result is sloppy. I would have given this product 2 stars but I have only used the smallest belt. Maybe when I graduate to the larger belt, it will work better but I doubt it. More information can be found here.
Sep
30
30