Breastfeeding and Mommy fat

Yes, the two go together!! And, biologically, they are meant to. Believe me, I know there are some women out there who claim that breastfeeding is what got them back into their size 4 jeans again in a week, but in looking at the broad spectrum, I think those are few and far between.

I have never been one of the “lucky ones” to be able to get back into my jeans again within a year–much less a week! After a year is really when I can finally start losing good bits of weight because that’s usually when my babies are taking in more solids than they are nursing. Nature actually produces hormones that keep your muscles from being able to regain their “hardness” (for lack of a better word) to keep your body soft for your baby. I mean, think about it. Doesn’t it seem natural that a baby would prefer a soft, comfortable mommy to lie on and snuggle with. Once again, I know there are those moms out there that don’t keep that weight on. For whatever reason, their bodies must burn calories like crazy–I don’t know. But if you are one of the blessed ones to keep those extra pounds on for a few months extra–remember that you are indeed blessed! Look down at that baby, and that’s all you need to remind you. Years will come when you will have an opportunity to get all that weight off. That’s happened to me now. After seven straight years (literally) of either pregnancy or nursing, I weaned my youngest when she turned 2 in July. It was definitely bittersweet, not knowing if there will be another. But after 7 years, I had really been wanting to do a cleanse for a long time. I knew I couldn’t do that while nursing so I stopped. We were both still enjoying the two nursings a day so I hope I didn’t make the wrong decision, but it’s done now!

What made me think of this today was that I had a postpartum visit with a family and their new baby last night. After 3 weeks, this mom was one of those back in her regular jeans. This was her first baby so that’s a little more understandable, but it certainly never happened to me! She was saying, however, how she certainly didn’t fit the “same way” into them. That is for sure! I have a friend whose child told her, “Mommy, they should use Mommy fat to make pillows.” My kids tell me all the time how squishy (and wonderful) my tummy is. I remember telling my own mom that her tummy felt like jelly, and I could never understand why she didn’t take that as a compliment. But I remember plain and clear in my mind that that was a GOOD thing. So when my children say it, I don’t get offended. I try as hard as I can to take it as a compliment and remember what’s important. After five kids, I’m now about 5 pounds from my pre-pregnancy the first time (at 22 years old) weight. I can tell you that it’s a lot different on a 36 year old body with lots of pregnancies and breastfeedings!! But it’s not my desire to be the best looking mom at the beach or even in the church nursery! My goal is to be healthy enough to enjoy life with my kids. I want to be a good weight for me, and if that has a squishy tummy instead of a hard one to go along with it, well that’s okay! It gives my kids a nice pillow.

My body has been used as one of the most sacred things on earth–a safe, warm, nourishing home for these little ones we’ve been blessed with. And then it was used as their sole source of nourishment outside the body for at least 6 months or more. Our bodies are so amazing. They were fearfully and wonderfully made. I know not everyone has the same success stories with breastfeeding, and other things need to be done. I would encourage anyone who is struggling with breastfeeding to contact a lactation consultant immediately. Do everything you can to continue, but in the end–do what’s best for you and your baby.

I’m not going to go in to all the “normal” benefits of breastfeeding here. I’m sure anyone who’s reading this knows that there’s nothing out there that can beat the miracle of breastmilk. It’s filled with all sorts of immunity boosting, serotonin lifting, antibody filled goodness! It’s truly liquid gold and can be used for much more than just filling your baby’s tummy. If your little one has a clogged tear duct, just rub some breastmilk in there a few times. Within a few hours, it will be cleared up. Actually, you can do this instead of have them use erythromycin in their eyes in the hospital. If you don’t have an STD or group strep B, there’s not a whole lot of reason for them to put that goop in their eyes anyway! Your own breastmilk is much better to clear away any infection they may develop. It’s straight antibiotics coming straight from the body that they just came from!! Natures own packaging!! I usually rub a little my babies eyes after each feeding for the first couple of weeks just to ward off infections. Not only does it work great it baby’s eyes but also in any other little ones you may have that get pink eye or other eye infections. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve put it in my older kids eyes. They’ve never been grossed out by it. I guess because we don’t think breastmilk is a gross thing at our house.

You can also use breastmilk in a dropper to drop into an infected ear. Once again, it’s straight antibiotics. Any cuts or scrapes–yep, put breastmilk on them. Any ailment your baby (or other family member) has can usually be cured with nature’s remedy stored right in your amazing breasts!! That’s another thing–there’s never any worry about it going bad or being the wrong temperature. It’s always available, and you never have to measure enough out or “run out” of it if you gone longer than you think. Some other added benefits are the way it makes you feel. When you nurse, your brain produces serotonin which is the “feel good” hormone. It relaxes your whole body and sometimes makes you fall asleep. Go ahead and fall asleep (if you don’t have any other children running around that need your attention). It will be good for you and your baby!

Nursing in public can be an obstacle that some women (and their husbands) need to get past. You can certainly do this discreetly. It usually takes about 6 weeks with a first baby to really get good and comfortable with doing it at home and feel like you can do it while you’re out. One of the most important things to remember is to be confident in what you are doing. You are doing the best thing for your baby, and your baby has the right to eat in a decent place (not in a bathroom!!) Know the laws of your state. Every state has laws protecting nursing in public. If anyone says anything to you, be prepared with an answer. Don’t cower and quit. But I really believe that if you are confident in what you are doing, no one will say anything. I have nursed in public hundreds of times, and I’ve never had anyone say anything to me. And believe me, there were times I would have welcomed it because I wanted to be able to defend my right. That wasn’t right of me either–I shouldn’t have wanted to be argumentative (but that’s another story.) So be confident, know your rights, practice, practice, practice at home and then go out and feel free to nurse your baby on your soft, pillowy body with the liquid gold that nature gave you in your amazing breasts on your amazing body!!

Baby-wearing

I’m a huge fan!! Anyone who knows me has seen me with a sling and a baby in it whenever I was out when my babies were little. Although I liked my sling, I have to admit, after a few hours, my back did not like it so much! It was worth it to me, though, to have my little one close to me–where he/she could smell me, hear my heart beat, hear the rhythm of my voice, and be gently soothed to sleep by my movements. This is bonding, people!! Strollers, infant seats, and other inanimate “baby-sitters” have their place at times–but mostly, your baby needs to be on you. It’s so convenient!! You’ve always got two hands free to do what you need plus you have a happy baby!! What more could you ask for?

So, what kind of device should you get? There are so many on the market today. I currently own an Ergo–which I really like. I used it when my (now) 2 year old was 2 months old, and we spent the week at Disney. It was a lifesaver as she spent every minute in it with the newborn insert. She is now going to be spending some time in it next week again at Disney as we go for another week! The Ergo is great because it’s fashioned like a hiking backpack in that all the weight is distributed to your hips–none on your back. I carried her around all day for 6 days in that thing and never had one issue. Another thing I love about the ergo is that your baby is up close to you, unlike in a sling. I love being able to kiss my baby whenever I feel like it!! I’ve added a link to the Ergo Baby Carrier website on the side of this page.

But, since having my last baby, I’ve recently discovered a new baby carrier that actually makes me want to have another baby just to use it!! I don’t think anyone could outdo this one. It’s called the Moby Wrap. I want to buy one for every pregnant mom I know! And you can actually use one to hold twins as well! It’s an amazing thing–your baby is right next to you, as close as possible, in a kissable position, feeling every rhythmic move you make. It’s also very easy to nurse in. I’ve added a link over to the side for this website as well.

Whichever baby wearer you choose, just remember that wearing your baby is a great way to promote bonding. Instead of getting out a cumbersome stroller to head into the mall, just wrap or strap or sling your baby on to you. You are free, your baby is happy. And I can tell you most of the time that baby is going to end up crying and in your arms anyway–and then you’ve got to hold a baby and push a stroller. Not fun! If you’ve got other young children, it’s essential for your sanity!! But no matter what your reason, it’s great for mommy and baby (or daddy and baby) getting to know and trust one another.

Childbirth classes

Choosing the right childbirth class is so important! I’ve recently discovered this even more as I’ve had a couple of very natural clients who wanted to do everything “right” and have ended up with c-sections. Please research and study the childbirth classes offered in your area. Even if you are delivering at a hospital, you can still take classes at a birth center nearby or in someone’s home. There are so many classes to choose from these days–it’s not just lamaze anymore. Speaking of, my husband and I did take lamaze with our first child. Once I was in labor–I remembered nothing of it! I was shocked to hear recently that lamaze still advocates patterned breathing… you know, the “short, short, long” or whatever. That panting is only going to hyperventilate you! I can’t even do it when I’m not pregnant, much less in labor!! And most people don’t know that the patterned breathing does absolutely nothing to actually help you in labor. It’s just a distraction. It’s something else to focus on instead of the pain. You can do that with a lot of other things besides something that’s going to hyperventilate you! So, as you can tell, I’m not big on lamaze classes.

You need to find a class that’s going to give you good information about what is going to happen with your body during labor. If you don’t know this–things can be scary for a first time mom. You need to know the changes your body will make and at what stage. You need to know what’s normal and what’s not. You need to be as armed with as much information as possible to be prepared. No, no one can ever tell you what it’s going to be like. There’s no way to describe it. Most people think of it as the most painful thing in the world because that’s how our society portrays it. I’m not going to tell you it’s going to be a walk in the garden–but it is manageable! There is a difference between pain and suffering. You don’t have to get to the suffering point if you are prepared and know what to expect.

So check out your local birth centers and google childbirth educators in your area. The Bradley Method is a really good one (although it’s very intense for dads, and if your husband is not too into that–don’t do it.) One that I’ve seen in practice a couple of times and has worked amazingly well is Hypnobirthing. That’s a great one. Whatever you choose, make sure that the only breathing pattern they have you doing is slow, relaxation breathing. You can go ahead and start practicing that now. Right now, breathe in to the count of 20 and breathe out of the count of 20. In through your nose, out through your nose (until later in labor–once you get close to transition, you’ll have to be breathing out through your mouth more than likely.) If you can’t do it to the count of 20, that’s fine. Do it to 8 or 12 or whatever you can. And keep practicing. Just whatever you breathe in to, breathe out to the same.

Most importantly, though, find a good childbirth education class. It really is worth it to know what’s going to be happening. Don’t just do it because it’s the “thing to do” but really learn something!!

“False” Labor

It’s just the worst!! You’ve been through 9 months of pregnancy… maybe morning sickness, maybe heartburn, indigestion, or some other gastrointestinal stuff that just “goes along” with pregnancy, maybe you’ve had aches and cramps in your legs (BTW, take calcium supplements for the cramps and rub peppermint oil mixed with olive oil on your legs for tired, achy legs), you’ve peed more times than you ever thought possible, you’re up 4 times a night now visiting the bathroom or just trying to find a more comfortable place to lie and sleep…. whatever your ailments have been–you are ready to be DONE with them! So one day, your Braxton-Hicks contractions feel a little different, a little stronger. You get your hopes up that this is it! You do some walking and get the contractions going even more. You’re feeling more and more hopeful. You think you must spot some heavier mucus in your underwear and notice that your bowels are moving more frequently. That’s a sign of labor, right??? So you continue like this through the day, maybe call your doctor or midwife, inform your doula and wait! After a few hours, most of the contractions are gone, life is as usual and you don’t feel any closer to having this baby!! Maybe you even went in to get checked by your doctor or the hospital and were told to “go home” that you weren’t in labor. How depressing!!

But… before you get too down… remember, all is not lost! You are still one day closer to having your baby and all that work your body was doing is work that it won’t have to do later! Early labor is a process that can take days and even a couple of weeks to build up to active labor. I am convinced that I walk around for at least a week in early labor before the whole process really starts to feel like labor. I’m grateful for all that early stuff. It’s not painful, and it doesn’t stop me from going about my business (as long as I don’t focus on it and just let it happen.) Be thankful for that “false” labor. It’s not really false at all. It’s your body doing it’s job in it’s own way. Birth is not an event that can be planned, and your birth will not be like anyone else’s. Yes, we can be prepared for what our bodies need to do biologically to get this baby from the safe haven of your womb to the safe haven of your arms. We should be educated about the process. But no one can tell us distinctly how our own bodies will work because everyone’s body is different. Some women have many “false” labors where their body is taking an extra long time to get ready. Some women go into it hard and fast. Each of these has it’s pros and cons. Most women are somewhere in the middle and usually have a pretty long early labor period (especially first time moms) which is not usually painful but the contractions get more rhythmic and stronger and longer as time marches on. Sometimes these wax and wane, but if it’s true labor then the contractions will continue and eventually–there will be a baby!

Some differences in “false” labor and true labor include:

1. In true labor, contractions get into a rhythm and continue to get stronger, longer and closer together. Don’t sit around waiting for this to happen–timing contractions for hours on end. YOU WILL KNOW when your contractions are getting stronger, longer and closer together! Continue with your normal everyday life until you know that for sure! Denial is your friend in labor. The longer you think, “this isn’t really it” the better! Sitting and focusing on your labor pains just makes things seem way longer than they really are. This is the truest sign that true labor is indeed here.

2. In true labor, you may see more of a thick, mucus discharge and more than likely it will be tinged with blood. This blood signals that your cervix is opening. Remember–a little blood is a good thing. We like it in labor. It means your body is progressing. Lots of blood is not a good thing. If you start to hemorrhage or your panties are filled with blood, get to the hospital right away.

3. In true labor, your bag of waters may rupture. (Sometimes referred to as your “water breaking.”) This is not always the case. This may not happen until late in labor, during pushing, or not even at all. Babies can be born in their bag of waters. But if your waters do rupture, this can be in one of two ways–a big gush that just pours out (most people don’t mistake this one!) or a slow trickle that you can’t stop when you do a kegel. Sometimes the bag “breaks” up high and the baby is blocking the water so it may take longer to trickle out. Either way, make sure you check your amniotic fluid so you can tell your healthcare practitioner when you call about the color, odor, amount and what time it happened. If the amniotic fluid has a brownish, greenish color and a foul odor, you will be instructed to come in right away as this means that the baby has already had a bowel movement and there is a risk of infection. Make sure you pay attention to how dark of a color it is–your health practitioner will want to know!!

4. In true labor, contractions will get stronger with activity and will stay strong even in a bathtub or shower. I tell my clients this as a pretty tried and true method–if you think you are labor, get in the bathtub. If your contractions continue, you are in labor. If they stop, you are not! It may take a couple of minutes to tell so give it a little time. But the water will stop your contractions if it’s not true labor.

5. In true labor, contractions usually radiate around to your back and all over your uterus–not just stay in the front and down at the bottom. Sometimes this may happen with a couple of contractions in “false” labor but usually if it continues, it’s safe to expect that the other signs will follow soon.

If you have several of these signs–you’re in labor. It may take awhile (especially for first time moms) so don’t rush off to the hospital. If you want to have a natural birth, the longer you are at the hospital, the more you are going to have to fight. If you have given birth previously and know you have a tendency to go quickly, discuss with your health practitioner when he/she would like for you to come in. Obviously, if you are a first time mom, you are going to discuss that as well. But there is usually no hurry. Once your contractions are rhythmic at about 4-5 minutes apart and lasting about 60 seconds, you could certainly start thinking about making that trip. But don’t be surprised if you get there, and you are still only 3 cm or so. Your body has a lot of work to do. All that early “false” labor has helped, but you need to have some very strong contractions to really get your body ready to push a baby out! So if you aren’t feeling too much–my advice is to stay at home and wait it out. You’ll know when you really need to get to the hospital. Once again–if you’ve gone quickly before, you may not need to wait at home that long. If your mother went quickly and you feel scared, you should go as well. If, for any reason, you don’t feel comfortable staying at home, then don’t. Just remember that home is the easiest, calmest, most familiar place and your body will usually progress much better there.

Trusting women’s bodies

We live in a world where everyone seems to be at odds about something. Whether it’s politically, spiritually, or whatever–we’re all fighting. It’s the same in the realm of childbirth. The natural childbirth/midwifery model is at odds with the medical minded OBs. And no one wants to give. I’m usually on the side of the midwifery model. I think that’s pretty obvious from reading my blog and website pages. But I just wanted to say today that I’ve learned something in the past 24 hours. Anyone can be guilty of making the wrong choices when it comes to childbirth, labor and delivery. We preach “trust your body.” I repeat that over and over when I’m in labor with a client. We tell doctors that they don’t trust women’s bodies when they induce them, put time limits on labor, “rescue” them from the feeling and joy of childbirth, cut their perineums, perform unnecessary c-sections, etc. And we’re right! They aren’t trusting that women’s bodies are strong enough, smart enough and made to do this!! But sometimes I think that the other side is just as guilty. Sometimes the midwifery model doesn’t trust women’s bodies either. When a woman’s body is truly saying “I can’t do this” we need to listen. I don’t mean a woman going through transition who just doesn’t feel like she can do it anymore. We’ve all been there. We know she can do it. That’s why she needs a doula to be with her the entire way saying, “Yes, you can. Trust your body.” That’s when she does need to trust her body (and so does everyone else) to take her down the path of true exultation brought about by natural childbirth. And, yes, that usually happens in natural childbirth. Usually everything goes just fine when left alone. BUT there are times when a woman’s body says, “No, I literally can’t do this.” That’s when we realize how blessed we are to live in a day and age when we have a safe (in comparison to the alternative) option to get babies out a different way. When a woman has been at 10 cm for hours and never gets the urge to push–there’s got to be a reason. Her body is saying, “I can’t get this baby out safely.” LISTEN TO IT!! When a woman’s labor keeps stalling out over days–even after taking herbs to get it going again and doing all one can naturally do to make it happen–there’s got to be a reason. This is one thing that doctors may get right. They do tell women that their bodies have a reason for not continuing to progress in labor. They just conveniently forget to tell that that the induction or epidural or any other number of interventions that the doctor performed on them was the cause of it! They are right that if babies are not positioned right, it will make labor and delivery long and very hard. So they are quick to do a c-section. But they forget to say that the fact that the baby was induced before he/she was ready would be the reason why he/she was not positioned correctly. Doctors and nurses go around saying that there are no side effects to epidurals. I mean, seriously, everyone tells me this–that there are NO side effects. Give me a break!! First of all, how could there not be? And secondly, we know that there are so basically, these women are being lied to. But one of the very common side effects is a slow down in labor. So the doctors who want women to stay on a 1cm per hours schedule (which is ridiculous–especially for a first time labor) inevitably end up doing lots of c-sections on women whose epidurals slow down their labor. So these women aren’t progressing in labor for a whole different reason than basic biology.

So this whole experience has made me go “Why can’t we all work together??” Women who want a natural childbirth don’t feel like they can go to a hospital or have an OB because they will be having to fight for their rights to just let their body do what it was made to do. And they do have a viable option in birth centers and home births. I’m not going against my belief on that!! I truly believe that birth center and home births are still just as safe if not safer! I just believe that ALL of our health care providers have got to be truly listening to and trusting women’s bodies whether they are saying what we think they should or not!

Natural Childbirth-a woman’s rite of passage

Now some may think this is a bit extreme. When I write this, I don’t mean to discount women who haven’t been able to have natural childbirth for one reason or another. I know that there are true reasons why some women have had to have c-sections or other interventions that have caused them not be able to have true natural childbirth. The sad truth is, though, that most of those things could be avoided if we would just let nature run its course and allow women to experience the amazingly powerful exhilaration that comes from birthing a baby without any interference. I am not naive enough to believe that most women don’t want these interventions. Women tell me all the time that they have “nothing to prove” by giving birth without pain medication. Oh, if only these women knew what an empowering experience childbirth can be! I truly believe it’s a woman’s rite of passage! I cannot express to you how deeply satisfying it is to groan and breathe and work your way through labor–to be so connected with your body, mind and soul–to be so in tune with your most basic mammal instincts. And then in the end, through your hard work, you feel this perfect miracle slip from your warm, safe womb into the safety of your warm, safe arms! And after it’s over to be able to know that you did it like billions of other women have been doing it for thousands of years before–I believe it’s the most empowering experience a woman can go through. And this empowering birth memory continues to take you through your baby’s infancy and beyond. Any woman who had the strength to go through childbirth knows she has the strength to go through motherhood. Women talk of equality with men, and yet when it comes to birth, they sit back and say “Rescue me! I’m not strong enough to do this on my own.” Doctors for years have been leading women to think this is true! Equality is not something for which I grasp. I am different than men. I don’t need to be the same as them. My body is different, and it’s made for different purposes–the most different being the fact that I have the ability to reproduce another living soul. I have the ability to house and grow a precious baby for nine months. And then I trust my body to know exactly how to bring this baby into this world in a safe and loving way. And after that, I am equipped with all the “equipment” I need to continue to care for this baby by nurturing and feeding with the breasts that God gave me. No, I don’t need anyone to tell me I am equal with a man. I don’t want to be equal. I enjoy the differences between a man and a woman.

Men have their own rites of passage. Maybe it’s a first hunting trip, a camping trip through the Rocky Mountains, or something more primitive. Whatever it is, that’s fine. Let them have their own rituals and pursuits. My husband has plenty of his own that he can enjoy with my sons. But I am preparing my daughters for the amazing journey of a lifetime through pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood. There is nothing like it, and a man can never understand it. I truly am saddened by women who miss out on such a huge part of it by not being able to partake in the beautiful part of natural childbirth–even when those women have chosen on their own accord not to do it. I just believe that if we had more education out there about the importance of it–what it really means, how strong our bodies truly are, what interventions can really mean for us, our baby and our memories of our birth experiences–that the tides could change.

As long as women keep looking at birth with the “I have nothing to prove” attitude, things will continue as they are…with ever rising c-section rates, babies who are too tired to nurse because they are drugged, moms who never realize their true potential because they’ve never seen it, and so much more. It’s been said that there’s a big secret out there that so many women don’t know, and it’s not that childbirth is painful–it’s that women are strong! I believe that with all my heart. Allow yourself to find out how truly strong you are and how incredibly unique your body was created!

Benefits of Red Raspberry Leaf

Red Raspberry Leaf tea is a must for every pregnant woman’s cupboard!! It’s been known to help every ailment known to pregnancy! I drank this yummy concoction throughout my last three pregnancies and was the better off for it! My midwife recommended one cup a day for the first trimester, 2 cups for the second, and, yep you guessed it, 3 cups during the third trimester. This amazing elixir strengthens the walls of the uterus so that when it comes time to push, your uterus is ready and can do this much more quickly and efficiently. I’ve also read stories of women who drank at least a quart of it when they knew they were starting labor. The belief is that this will make for a much faster and easier labor (which is what drinking the tea all along is helping to do as well.) I decided to try it while in labor with my 4th child since I had just read some articles. I have to say that she was definitely my easiest birth. Now, there were other reasons for that as well. She was my 2nd one born at home so I knew what to expect, I knew exactly and could tell everyone around me just what my body was doing the whole time I was in labor and I was prepared mentally and physically. I do remember that birth, though, as being the best of them all. My body worked amazingly well and very quickly. I have no doubt that some of that was due to the tea. I can’t tell you why I didn’t do it again with the 5th baby. Who knows? But she was a whole different story in herself for sure! Long labor, long transition, traumatic birth….but she was 11 lbs. 4 oz. so what else could you expect?

RRL tea has been known to help with morning sickness as well. Drink your tea first thing in the morning (if this is when you experience nausea.) Obviously, if you get it later in the day, drink it then. Also, a wonderful homeopathic to take for nausea is Nux Vomica. I ate that stuff like candy during my last two pregnancies, and it definitely helped!

There are some that will tell you that drinking red raspberry leaf in the first trimester can cause a miscarriage. This is not proven, but if you feel unsure, then don’t do it. Always talk to your OB or midwife about anything you take during pregnancy. I’ve posted a link here on the right to an article about it. As always, do your own research. If it differs with what your doctor or midwife says, don’t be afraid to ask questions, give them evidence and balk a little! I’m all about education! Please educate yourself on all subjects of pregnancy, birth and infancy. Doing so will make you a more empowered mom to do the best for your baby and yourself.

An ounce of prevention…

…is worth a pound of cure–Especially in modern medicine’s idea of “cure.”  I am not a medical doctor so I will preface this post with saying so! My nervous side tells me to add the disclaimer of “Check with your doctor about anything you read” just because of today’s “sue-happy” attitude (not that I think anyone would sue me for a blog) but it’s hard for me to even put that because of the way so many doctors just run to synthetic medications to cure the symptom and not the cause.  So take that as you want! One of the big things we keep hearing all about these days is the Swine Flu or just the flu in general. It’s coming on hard and early this year. Now, I’ve never been freaked out by the swine flu. My husband works in a hospital, and he assures me that it’s just the flu that everyone has blown out of proportion. I tend to agree, but I have my own conspiracy theories of why this has happened!

For whatever reason, one thing is sure, the flu is here early. That is bad for everyone, but it could really be bad for pregnant moms whose immunities are down anyway. So what do you do? Get the vaccine? Um, no! Once again, here’s where my nervous side says, “Tell them to ask their doctor” but my common sense (and many years of research on vaccines) says “DON’T DO IT!!” I feel especially able to say that about the swine flu vaccine though since it has only been on the market a couple of months and was developed so quickly (another theory comes to mind here) that there’s no way to see what the affects could be.  Plus, there have already been links to GBS (Guillain-Barre Syndrome) found by the Health Protection Agency in the UK and it’s been found that they used cancerous animals cells in the vaccine found in Germany!  I have posted both of these links to these sources on the right of the page under “Interesting Articles and Sites.”

So then what can you do?? What can we do for our children to prevent them from getting the flu–because prevention is really what it’s all about! I have also included a link about elderberry as being a huge immunity booster. Take a tsp. at day of elderberry syrup and start fighting those flu germs! Also, up your intake of Vitamin D. Better yet, get out in the sun without sunscreen!!! I know that doesn’t sound very PC today, but your best source of Vitamin D is direct sunlight on your skin. The vitamin is then produced topically on your skin and sinks down into your body to be used. When you slather sunscreen all over you (or your kids) every time you are outside, it blocks the harmful UVA rays but also blocks the Vitamin D producing UVB rays that your body desperately needs. I’m not suggesting that you lay in the sun and bake yourself. Here in SWFL, all it takes is a good 10-20 minutes in direct sunlight a day. The further north you go, the longer it takes. Personally, we don’t use sunscreen at our house unless we are at the beach. That’s a whole other issue, though.

Getting back to flu prevention–we’ve got elderberry and Vitamin D. Also, take fish oil. If you already take it, take more! There are easy ways to give your kids fish oil these days as well. Just make sure you are getting a high quality fish oil. Anything “Nordic” is good. Cheap fish oil may have higher concentrations of mercury that you certainly don’t want to be putting into your body.

And the best thing you can do for prevention every single day (in flu season and out) is to eat well! Make sure you are getting plenty of fruits and vegetables, and try to make as many as possible raw! If you can, try to buy organic or grow your own. Believe me, in this economy I understand the struggle. I don’t buy as much organic as I used to either. So just do what you can! Stay away from sugar, high fructose corn syrup, food dye, preservatives, etc. Having a healthy digestive system is a huge factor in keeping healthy!

It’s been brought to my attention that I didn’t mention anything about frequent hand washing. This is very important as well especially for kids and moms, but everyone should try to make it a habit. For some reason, my little ones seem to wash their hands all the time anyway. They just love doing it without me ever saying anything. My older ones don’t get the same thrill so that’s something that I need to remind them of.

A beautiful water birth

My latest birth was a beautiful water birth. This was her third birth, and it went pretty quickly once things really got going. She was in a birth center and enjoyed her labor in the tub the whole time.  She progressed well so we didn’t worry about getting her out. I did ask her to switch positions a couple of times, but besides that, she made the decisions! She did awesome. Her other births had been in a hospital setting, and after she was settled back in bed after this birth she said, “I will definitely tell all my friends to come here [to a birth center] and get a doula.” She started nursing very soon after birth as the baby was alert and happy and hungry!!  I’ve talked with her a couple of times since the birth, and she says that life is resuming as normal. Baby is still nursing well, she’s healing well, and everyone is feeling well!! It was a beautiful end to her pregnancy–one she won’t ever forget. She has a precious birth story to share with her baby one day!

Me using light touch and affirmation during a contraction

Baby feeding poll