The Business of Babies

Nursing older babies and toddlers

naplesdoula — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:45:09 +0000

It’s been forever since I’ve had a post. I think about it, and then I can’t find a time to write. Then when I have time to write, I can’t think of what I wanted to write about!!

But I’ve been thinking lately about what it’s like to nurse an older baby in public. I’ve nursed my last four babies way beyond a year and up to two years. But after they start eating solid food, there usually isn’t a huge need to nurse them when you aren’t at home just because it’s easier a lot of time to give them food when they are hungry. Now, there are times when it’s more necessary…. when they are tired, hurt, whatever. But in general, I’ve personally found it easier just to nurse them at home and give them something easy to satisfy them when we are out.

The reasons for this are many. One reason is that older babies are more likely to “pop off” for no reason or without notice! Any sudden sound or noise or someone who comes up and talks usually peaks their curiosity. They need to look around to see what this new noise is–usually leaving you exposed for a second or two until you can get covered. While this doesn’t really bother me, I am aware that there are others around that may take issue and (contrary to popular belief) I do like to be sensitive to their feelings! Another reason is because even if you do use a cover when babies are small, by the time they are older they are usually not as happy to be under that cover while nursing. Older babies (mine anyway) also tend to move around a lot. Mine seem to get up on their feet and dance around while still continuing to nurse. It’s truly amazing that they can do this. But they do!! It’s quite hard to control when you’re out in public.

So in saying all that, my reasoning for writing this is because with Cedar I’ve found myself having to nurse him as an older baby out in public way more than my others. He will be a year on the 29th, and he’s a big baby anyway so people tend to notice, make comments, etc. The reason that I find that I need to nurse him more is that he’s gluten free. If I don’t have a snack already prepared (which I usually don’t because I’m not that organized) then I can’t just give him crackers from the salad bar or goldfish from the nursery. I can’t break little pieces of bread to appease him before his meal (usually consisting of fruit, chicken salad, beans or a baked potato depending on where we are dining–since we usually frequent the same places.) So I end up nursing him to keep him happy. I have noticed many more looks and stares in the last couple of months.

Even though I don’t use a cover (because I think it screams “I’m nursing a baby under here”) I’m very discreet. I have many people come all the way up and say “Oh, do you have a sleeping baby?” As long as he’s still, that is! When he decides to do his “nursing dance” there’s not a lot I can do about it. I still make sure I’m covered, but I just do my best to keep his dancing to a minimum.

But even with all of this, I’ve found people’s comments interesting. I haven’t had anyone say anything negative–mainly because I haven’t had any comments from anyone I didn’t know. I’ve certainly had looks from people I didn’t know, but not comments. But the comments have mainly come at church and most of them in the nursery. Ha! I’ve been amused by how many people ask, “Um, exactly how old is he?” It does make me laugh. This is usually from women in their 50′s or 60′s. I think many of them didn’t nurse because that was the big formula push in America. So I’ve found that some of them seem a little uncomfortable with nursing all together. So when you throw in the whole idea of nursing a baby who actually has teeth and can walk (oh the horrors) it just wigs them out! Like I said, if they don’t see me start to nurse in the first place, they usually don’t know what I’m doing. So they come up and see if he’s asleep. Usually when they talk is when he does his whole “popping off” thing, and they kind of freak out. It’s actually rather amusing. So that’s when the question inevitably comes, “How old is he?” It’s like they’ve heard of people out there nursing their babies beyond 6 months, but they didn’t know that they actually knew someone who did it!

Thankfully, another friend of mine at church is still nursing her almost 13 month old as well. This is also her 6th child so we are just plain weird together!! One day we were in the nursery together nursing, and the volunteer who was in there was just kind of overwhelmed. I didn’t really notice it at first, but then she asked the question, “Exactly how old are they?” I felt like giggling. That was when he was only 10 months and she was 11 months, but it was still quite the big deal.

I’m trying to do my part to normalize nursing older babies/toddlers for a year and beyond. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends nursing for 2 years and then beyond that for whatever time is mutually enjoyable for mother and baby. This just means that as long as mommy and baby are both happy with the situation–go for it! The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has always recommended nursing “at least” one year and has recently changed their stance to two years. When you look at the amazing health benefits of breast milk, you really can’t argue with it. It’s physically and emotionally healthy for babies and their mommies. And I think that normalizing ‘nursing in public’ makes it easier for women to continue the breastfeeding relationship which is so important between mommy and baby. Personally, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Badges of Honor?

naplesdoula — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 02:19:51 +0000

We’ve all heard it–We should be proud of our stretch marks and taut them as “badges of honor.” So do we?

I’ll admit–I’ve got plenty of them!! Most of them I got with my first pregnancy. I gained 53 lbs. and just about stretched this body beyond it’s limit! Thankfully, they aren’t in places that are noticeable when I’m wearing a one piece bathing suit (and I can promise you, I ain’t wearing a two piece ever again for anyone but my husband!!) so I don’t really have to worry too much about others seeing them. But I do wonder what my husband thinks of them. Does he think of them as badges of honor?? Is he so proud of me for carrying his children for almost 50 months of my life that he can look at my stretch marks as beauty? I don’t know. He’s out of town right now so I can’t ask him!! But it’s something to think about!

Personally, I have come to think of them in high regard as the years have gone by. I mean, my body is amazing!! It can conceive babies, grow them perfectly for nine (or ten) months, birth them without any help from the medical world (much to their chagrin) and then go back to [almost] where it was before–with a few added “marks” for nostalgia. Our bodies ROCK, and we should celebrate that! If it takes a few stretch marks to help us remember that–then so be it!

So the next time you go to rub that cocoa butter on to prevent them or that scar cream to get rid of them, stop and think–you may be preventing or erasing any visible evidence of the amazing feats your body has done! Celebrate your stretch marks, celebrate your birth experiences, celebrate your incredible body. And wear those badge of honor proudly!

“If I were at home, I would have died”

naplesdoula — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:29:14 +0000

This is a great post written by www.erinmidwife.com

It does a great job explaining why midwife attended births do not and WILL not have the same outcomes as a hospital birth, and for low risk women (and I would argue even most mid or high risk women) they are safer.

“If I were at home, I would have died”

March 31, 2011 by erinmidwife

A midwife in North Carolina was recently charged with practicing midwifery without a license because her state does not license Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) and other direct entry midwives. There was some local news coverage of the arrest and the ongoing efforts of North Carlina families to legalize CPMs. One of the local news stories contained the “If I were at home, I would have died” sentiment.

When I hear statements like this I cringe on the inside. Being a midwife, I hear it a lot. Women love to talk about their birth stories, naturally. In the park, at mom’s groups, among new friends, anywhere women gather there are stories of births and babies being told. When a mother begins telling me her story from the “I would have died at home” perspective, I nod with empathy and saymmm hmm.

A typical hospital birth hook-up: pitocin to speed up labor, epidural medication, and an IV bag. Pitocin use in labor makes women more likely to hemorrhage after birth.

It’s a bit of a double bind (midwives and doulas — you know what I am talking about). One the one hand, my inner advocate of truth wants to illuminate the myths and realities of the hospital birth industry. On the other hand, it is her story to tell, her journey, not mine. In these moments the best I can do is to honor the mother’s feelings and experiences while side-stepping all the nuts and bolts of the “I/we would have died” argument. That can get messy.

But since it’s coming up in the again in the media and a larger audience of women is hearing such emotionally charged statements, it’s time to get messy. So, why do women in the US die while giving birth? No one knows for certain because our reporting methods for maternal mortality are so abysmal. We think, based on fractured US statistics and older studies, that the primary causes of death to women during birth or shortly after are thromboembolism, preeclampsia/eclampsia, hemorrhage, infection, and anesthesia deaths.

Lets look at hemorrhage because it is the most likely to occur in a homebirth setting, though the risk is extremely small when compared with hospital birth.

Here are a few reasons why. Homebirth and hospital birth are supported by two divergent models of care. The homebirth model subscribes to the philosophy of don’t fix what isn’t broken: natural processes generally work best when they are not interfered with. The medical model subscribes to the (more profitable) philosophy of action: pregnancy and birth are conditions that require fixing. All actions and interventions have consequences. Many of the interventions in a typical hospital birth cause complications, like hemorrhage. These interventions do not happen at home.

New research demonstrates that women whose labors are altered by prolonged exposure to pitocin are more likely to hemorrhage after their birth. This is because oxytocin, our body’s own version of pitocin, helps the uterus to contract after birth and minimize blood loss. Pitocin binds to oxytocin receptor sites, and over time the body becomes desenstitized to it, preventing the uterus from contracting normally and leading to hemorrhage. Regrettably, we’ve gotten to a point now where most births in the US are started artificially with the help of pitocin (induction) or hurried along by it (augmentation). Homebirth midwives do not use pitocin to start or speed up labor.

Immediate postpartum interventions can also lead to hemorrhage. The period just after birth is a unique and potent time biologically for the mother and baby. A natural flood of hormones connects mother and baby physically and emotionally, and helps the mother safely birth her placenta. The mother’s hormone levels will never be as high as this hour after birth; and when this flow is is disrupted the mother is more likely to bleed excessively.

Interventions during this immediate postpartum time are routine in a hospital setting: failing to give the baby to the mother immediately, assessing the baby away from the mother, pulling on the umbilical cord, changing the mother’s position to suit the care provider, diverting the mother’s attention away from the baby, clamping and cutting the umbilical cord without any good reason to do so, etc.

Midwives honor the biological importance of the hormonal bubble after birth and do not intervene unless the mother or baby needs help.

In a typical homebirth, mother and baby are undisturbed after birth. The midwife does not unnecessarily poke, prod, clamp, or otherwise interfere with the mother and baby unit.

When you hear someone say “I would have died if I had a homebirth” or “my baby would have died” please remember that these are very emotionally charged sentiments. You can’t simply cut and paste all the circumstances surrounding a given hospital birth, superimpose them on a homebirth setting, and predict the same outcome — or vice versa. The models of care are too divergent. Women can die from birth complications in any setting, and our hospital death rate from birth-related causes is indefensibly high. We know that low-risk women are as safe, if not safer, birthing at home.

Blessed are the “overdue” moms

naplesdoula — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 02:28:39 +0000

Being “overdue” is definitely a thing of the past for most pregnant American women. It wasn’t always this way. Talk to any woman older than 50, and she’ll probably tell you how she was 2 or even 3 weeks over with one (or more) of her children. Now, I don’t think they estimated due dates very well–especially for the even older women, but still….the fact is that they let these women wait it out until the BABY decided it was time to be born!

Now the precious few who get to experience being overdue are those who choose a more natural approach–home birth moms, birth center moms, and even some moms who choose a hospital birth but want to do everything they can to be more natural about it. These are the moms who can truly understand walking into a place where they frequent often and hearing, “You haven’t had that baby yet??” Now, even those who aren’t overdue can relate, I’m sure. But once someone knows when you are “due” it just makes it that much worse. Everyone starts talking about induction, giving you advice on how to induce naturally, etc. etc. It’s not enough that you already are uncomfortable and feeling big as a whale. Then you have the added stress of listening to everyone else tell you the same thing! That’s why when I was overdue with my sixth one (he was born four days after his EDD) I stayed home for the most part! I didn’t go to church the last two weeks because I didn’t want to hear what anyone had to say! Even if they were well meaning, usually the words came out wrong. Those pregnancy hormones do a number on your emotions so I would end up as a basket case, and my husband would have to listen to me blabber on about it!! It just wasn’t worth it!

In modern day American, most women and their doctors have forgotten that EDD stands for “estimated due date.” It’s not exact due date. There are many reasons for this. First of all, usually women don’t know the exact day of conception. Women’s cycles are all different. Some ovulate later in the month that others. Some are fertile for longer periods of time. So a pregnancy wheel takes the average of a 28 day cycle (which is an average in itself) and goes by that to give you an EDD. Secondly, even if someone does know the exact date of conception, all women’s gestation periods are different, and all babies require different amounts of time to be ready!! Taking all these factors into account and the fact that the 40 week idea is just an average in itself, the thought that the EDD that the doctor gives a mom is the day that she is actually “due” is ridiculous!

Babies are actually the ones who “tell” their moms when they are ready. When they are fully developed and it’s time for them to be born, they will give off the hormones that start the contractions. Isn’t that amazing? It’s not just a random thing that a mother’s body does at a certain date. So there’s good reason to let those little ones stay in there until they give their moms the signal!! Up until that point, they still have some growing and developing to do. Most women or their OBs don’t even see the point in waiting the full 40 weeks before inductions. ACOG has now made it illegal to induce before 39 weeks for anything other than truly medical reasons. You wouldn’t believe how many inductions are scheduled now right at 39 weeks! Oh, they still tell their patients some load of crap about why they are doing it. But you know that it can’t be all that important because they have to wait until 39 weeks at the minimum. So if you’re more natural minded–don’t be afraid to question your OB!

So all you “overdue” moms out there–YOU ROCK! All the ones who have waited until their babies were ready and endured the physical discomfort and uncomfortable and rude comments while doing the right thing for their babies, I applaud you! It’s tough to stand up for what you believe in, and it’s even tougher if you’re having to fight your OB about it!! But keep up the fight! Keep on keeping on another day, another week. You won’t be pregnant forever!! And when it’s all over, you’ll be so glad knowing that you let your baby decide when they were ready–not when it was convenient for anyone else!!

Going overboard?

naplesdoula — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 04:35:43 +0000

If you’re a mom in the “birth world” or probably in any “mom world” at all, you’ve probably seen the new AAP guidelines for car seat safety that just came out today. I happened to be at Classical Conversations this morning in the nursery with not a lot to do so I was reading many comments on thestir. My goodness! I’ve seen many heated conversations on birth, vaccinations, circumcision, etc. but I’ve never seen quite the heated opinions on car seat safety. I guess it just goes to show that moms are passionate about anything and everything that has to do with their children!! Since seeing it there, I’ve seen quite a bit on facebook as well in a natural birth group that I’m in. It seems those Crunchy Mamas have a lot to say (about everything!) I put myself in that category as well–so don’t get offended if you are there!!

So the new guidelines say that children should be rear facing until at least age 2 and in a booster seat until they are 4’9″ AND 12 years old. Let me say here that these are GUIDELINES. This is not the law in any state–yet. From the comments on these pages, though, it looks like many people want this to be the law. I can’t help but think that these people must only have 1 or 2 kiddos that they are strapping in.

I know that I am not the poster child for car seat safety, and maybe that’s because I feel a little too safe in my big 12 passenger van. But I do kindof think that this is a little overboard. Oh man, I would so be skinned alive and burned at the stake for saying that on one of those boards!! A part of me wonders if, like everything else, some of this isn’t about money for the car seat companies!! I mean, they are the ones doing the tests…. Someone figured it out, and in order to follow the guidelines, comply with weight/height regulations, and keep the “shelf life” of a carseat/booster seat in mind, each child would go through four car seats before finally graduating to being able to sit in the front seat at age 13. For me, that would mean buying 24 car seats throughout my kids’ lives. Yes….. sorry, I have to wonder about the money thing for the car seat companies!!

I guess I’ve been living under a rock, but I hadn’t seen the recent studies, videos, etc. done on keeping children rear facing for so long. From what I’ve seen today, I guess these studies have been circulating. So, I just put Cedar in a front facing convertible car seat on Saturday because he’s now over 22 lbs. That’s what I thought I was supposed to do. Man, these ladies were talking about calling the cops on people who do that!! I’m really glad none of them has ever been behind me when I happen to look back and see one of mine hopping over the seat to sit with his/her sibling!! And all day today after reading that this morning I kept thinking, *someone is going to look in my window and see my [almost] 9 month old forward facing!!* So as soon as I have a chance, I will turn him back around. It is really a pain to have a rear facing car seat in a 12 passenger van–I can tell you. I was soooo looking forward to having him turn forward. It’s so much easier to get him in and out plus, the only place for a rear facing seat is right in the middle of the front bench seat so whoever sits on the other side of him has to climb over his seat–not that kids mind too much, though. But it means another year and a half of me having to haul myself up in the back to strap him. When he’s forward facing, I put him right behind my seat so I can just get in with him in the driver’s side, turn around, and put him in. So much easier!! I tell you what–12 passenger vans weren’t invented for families. Some car company would do well to make one that was more family friendly!! Because there are plenty of homeschooling, quiver-full families out there who have them.

So, I understand the safety of keeping the babies rear facing for longer. It’s the “stay in a booster seat until they are 12″ part that gets me! Are you kidding?? I like the comment that one lady made–that we should just wrap them up in bubble wrap until the are 18 because that’s safer. Hey, maybe it would work–we could just line the insides of our cars with it!! But really, come on, people. I know someone who did make their kids sit in booster seats at 12 years old, and all the kids laughed at them (behind their backs, of course.) I mean, I can’t even imagine telling my [almost] 8 year old now that he was going to have to go back into a booster seat. He would have a heart attack!! He and my nine year old daughter could actually (by weight limit) still sit in the convertible car seat that my 8 month old now sits in. It says “up to 65 pounds” for forward facing. Seriously? That would have to be one fat kid!! Because there’s no way they could meet the height requirement. I don’t know what it is, but I know their heads aren’t supposed to be more that one inch above the top of the seat, and they, of course, would be hanging out both ends. I am considering, though, putting my 6 year old back in one. She is going to be so mad at me, but I do think it would be better for her. We’ll see how that fight goes!

I just think the world over does it sometimes. There are plenty of adults who are 4’9″. Do they need booster seats as well? I saw someone’s comment saying that everyone–even adults–were safer rear facing, and she would be willing to try driving that way if someone invented how. Have we lost our minds? Are you kidding me? Can you imagine the day when all the seats in the car will be facing backwards and the drivers’ side will have a head harness and safety straps like the space shuttle? And half of those people facing backwards will be puking because they are car sick. (Side note: I’ve always wondered how many babies are fussy in the car because they are sick to their stomach from being rear facing–just saying…)

So at what point do we stop? Will this be the end, or will we really one day have all rear facing seats in the car? We did actually have a very bad wreck on the interstate on a family vacation when we had five children. Everyone got worked on by our chiropractor, but we were all completely safe–including my 2 1/2 year old front facing toddler, my 5 year old who was out of her booster seat and just sitting in a seat belt, and my 10 year old who was actually in the front seat and got hit with the air bag. We were traveling at about 55 MPH because it was raining. My husband was driving, and I was in the middle seat of an 8 passenger Odyssey. I only had the lap belt on (without the shoulder part) so I had a purple/black bruise across my abdomen for 2 weeks. I can only imagine what it did to the inside!! But I had just had a baby five weeks before so it couldn’t have been too good!! The baby, by the way, was completely safe in her snug infant seat. Oh, and my four year old son, who had the worst of it, was actually in a booster seat. His face got slammed into the window, and he had a black eye for over a week. I was really concerned about a concussion that night because he kept going to sleep before the ambulance got there, and I was freaking out!! But, of course, it was 11 pm!! But he was fine as well. Our guardian angels were working overtime that night!!

So, what are your thoughts???

“Thou shalt not eat or drink”

naplesdoula — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:10:53 +0000

In the last 25 years, obstetric practices have come a long way in America to make positive strides toward getting us “back to basics.” One area, though, where most hospitals and OBs require a truly barbaric practice is in the area of not allowing a woman to eat and drink during labor. Think about it. This is probably the hardest work any woman will do for that long of a period of time, and yet doctors tell her that she can’t have any nourishment. It’s crazy! Can you imagine telling a woman running a marathon or an olympic athlete that they couldn’t have anything to eat first–and then they could only have ice chips!! To send a woman into transition labor and then pushing (sometimes up to 2 1/2 to 3 hours) without fuel for her body is almost dooming her for failure.

The premise behind this thought comes from the 50′s. (There are a lot of things in obstetrics that haven’t progressed much past that!) During that time there was only general anesthesia if a woman ended up with a c-section. In order to ward off the slight chance that she might aspirate and inhale that into her lungs, they made the rule of no food or drink–across the board. So they hook women up to an IV–sort of like “gatorade in your veins” they call it–and said that was enough. First of all, there are actually pitfalls to being over hydrated. Worst case scenario, babies can have seizures and respiratory distress because the excess fluid can cause low sodium or glucose levels in babies. This may be why they used to routinely give babies glucose or “sugar water” in the hospital nurseries. Today most women going for a c-section get an epidural which doesn’t have the same risks of aspiration. Now some women do get nauseated during a c-section still, but if they are awake, they either get some anti-nausea medication or they just vomit–and they don’t swallow or inhale it!

Some OBs will also use the “we don’t want food to make you nauseous” card. Seriously? The food is not what makes you nauseous. I mean, I wouldn’t recommend a big mac and fries during labor. But eating high protein and easily digestible healthy carbs is exactly what you need to keep your strength up. And I don’t know about you, but when I vomit, I like to have something there to actually come up rather than just throwing up the gastric juices of my stomach that burns my throat!! Talk about making an uncomfortable situation even more so!!

Most hospitals will allow you to bring popsicles into the hospital and will keep them in the freezer for you. They don’t really want you to bring red ones–just in case you vomit, they won’t wonder if it’s blood. But other than that, they are usually okay with it. So instead of bringing in pure sugar on a stick, I tell my clients to make their own popsicles ahead of time and bring those. Get some of those popsicle molds (available at Target or Walmart.) If you already have kids, you probably already have them!

In a high power blender blend coconut water, fruit and yogurt together.Pour into the popsicle molds. Freeze.

You have a wholesome, nutritious snack with carbs, protein and electrolytes (in the coconut water) that will actually be fuel for your body–and you’re still playing by their rules! Now, if you want to rock the boat, go for it. But this is just a way to get what you need and still play nice!

Teaching our kids to be fast food junkies

naplesdoula — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:41:50 +0000

*I realize that this post may make some readers mad. I’m sorry. I’m not apologizing for writing it. I am sorry if you get mad when reading it. I’m talking to myself as well (my past self and even sometimes my present self.)

Let’s face it. We live in a face paced, give-it-to-me-now world. It’s all about convenience and how quick we can get it. Think back 15 years ago. We had the internet. We had email. But most of us had dial up. To get online we sat down at our computer, clicked on AOL, signed in and heard that horrible screechy sound then a loud ring. Screechy sound again before we connected, and if we were lucky we’d connect the first time and hear that beloved, “You’ve got mail.” I remember being about to sign in then get up fix a snack before coming back to actually surf the web (which also took forever!) If we had to go through that today, we’d be on the phone so fast with our internet provider it would make our heads spin! We wouldn’t put up with that. Nor should we. We have the technology now to make it quicker, and that’s okay. Sometimes quicker IS better. But in the case of food–it’s not, and it’s scary what our expectations are doing to our children.

This starts very, very early. Breastfeeding isn’t always the “quickest” thing to get. It’s not just easy for most people. Yes, it’s the most natural thing in the world–except when it’s not. It’s work. It takes commitment. And it takes time. Lots of moms aren’t willing to give that time. They know that “breast is best” but they are way too quick to say, “It’s just not working for me.” I believe that formula is way too accessible in this day in America. In other countries, you have to have a prescription to get it. So there it starts…. an easy fix. Give the baby a bottle. After all, the pediatrician tells us it’s almost just as good, right. I’ve even heard that some pediatricians today are still saying it’s JUST as good. And you can find it anywhere–justification. Yes, there are reasons for not breastfeeding. There are instances (very few) when moms really, physiologically can’t do it. In old times, these babies would have had to have a wet nurse or have been given goat’s milk (which has much closer proteins to human milk that cow’s.) But everyone expected that they would nurse their baby because that’s how babies ate!

So most moms in America turn to formula. Around 4 to 6 months (because that’s when the doctors start telling them to) they start strolling down the grocery aisle to the baby food. What are they in? Jars. Jars that have been sitting on the shelves for quite some time and have an expiration date of at least a year away. Hmmm, I wonder how vegetables and fruit can sit on shelves for over a year? Preservatives. That’s the only way. So from the very beginning, we start spooning preservatives in our babies’ mouths. Not to mention the cereals. We aren’t even asked to give them cereal with any nutrition–just dehydrated flakes of white rice that do nothing but expand and sit in our babies’ tummies to make them full. Hey, it does the trick to make them sleep through the night, right? Everyone knows today that white rice isn’t good. We all know to eat brown rice for any nutrition. White rice (along with white flour, white pasta, white potatoes, etc.) is pure sugar once it’s in our bodies. Why would we give that to our babies? Their guts are not ready to digest all that so it sits and rots in their tummies–causing all sorts of gastrointestinal issues including leaky gut syndrome early on and all sorts of other colon trouble later.

As they get older, look a little further down the aisle. You will find more preservative filled snacks–quick and easy. Baby food companies know exactly what moms want to hear. They claim to be nutritious. They are also quick and easy. What more could we ask for? So we fill their bowls and tummies full of grains that they can’t digest well because, let’s face it, it’s easy! It keeps them busy for a few minutes or happy in the car or while we are sitting at a restaurant. What are we teaching them, though? Bad eating habits and the fact that food can fill the time as well as their stomachs.

So then our babies are toddlers. We venture into the world of microwaveable toddler meals. Quick and easy once again–all under the guise of good nutrition. Carrots and peas–what could be bad about those? Well, maybe the fact that they are loaded with preservatives once again. Sometimes we’re still shoving jar food down them because it’s easy to make sure they get their “veggies.” And don’t forget the fast food meals that come into play at this point. Which of us hasn’t been guilty of driving through the drive thru to get our toddler a happy meal? Now, I’ll admit it happens a lot sooner with the later ones coming a long. You can keep your first ones away from that stuff a lot longer. Then by the time number 3 or 4 comes–forget it! Right? Well, I admit this is where I fail a lot. Our life is busy. I’ll admit. What’s the solution when you are out and it’s lunch time? I know lots of moms who pack lunches to take. I’ve done that. I really have. It’s not so bad. But doing it a lot with six kids gets really time consuming! So a lot of times I go to Jason’s Deli–trekking in with all six kids and one adult is quite the show, I can promise. The workers there know me, and the managers talk to me personally! I guess I bring a lot of business when I walk through the door! But it’s so much more worth it than another meal of chicken nuggets.

But still…. is Jason’s Deli really the answer? If I’m honest, I’ll tell myself “no.” The answer is more nutritious whole food at HOME!

So there it begins…. from the very beginning we choose the fast and easy way. What our children need is whole, nutritious food from us. They need to be taught that faster is not always better. They need to know that they don’t turn to food for comfort or entertainment. Our children in America are obese. Look around. It’s sad! They eat crap and they don’t get enough exercise. And starts with the nutritional habits of mom and dad. Let’s commit to doing better. There are tons of resources to help you with ways to get good food into your children in easy ways. Children eat what they are given (for the most part.) Train them early and it’s much easier than having to untrain and train again! Smoothies are a great way to get wholesome fruit in them plus throw in a little green spinach as well. My 7 month old is already drinking them. I don’t use dairy so I don’t worry about that–just a little coconut water. Also, let your babies eat what you eat. This solves a lot of the texture issues that children have as they are growing up. You may need to pulse it through a food processor a couple of times, but that’s okay. They can eat it!

Play with some recipes. Have fun in the kitchen with your children. They are more likely to eat it if they help make it! And start from the beginning teaching your kids to be Health Nuts rather than Fast Food Junkies!!

Vaccines do not CAUSE autism

naplesdoula — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:40:35 +0000

*Some of you may find this title surprising to see on my blog!! But read on, my friends. I got this from a “note” on Facebook, and it is right on! It’s the most concise, easy to read article I’ve ever read on the subject. And it explains vaccinations in a very real way. Sorry for the skipping lines and the way it came out. After copying and pasting, that’s what happened, and I don’t seem to be able to fix it. Also, pay attention to the paragraph that I highlighted in red. Even if your child has not had vaccinations, this can happen. I’m sure it started to happen with my youngest–which is why we are on the food allergy road right now. It truly makes me shutter to think what “could” have happened if he had had vaccines!*

by: Marcella Piper-Terry

Okay. I give up.

Vaccines do not cause autism.

Autism is a behavioral diagnosis. In order to receive the diagnosis of “Autism” a child must exhibit a certain number of behaviors over a certain time frame. If he or she does not do so, the diagnosis of “autism” is not warranted.

There is no blood test for “autism.”

“Autism” can’t be confirmed or “ruled-out” by laboratory analysis. It’s strictly a behavioral diagnosis.

Therefore, anything that causes physiological damage cannot directly “cause” autism.

Ergo… vaccines cannot “cause” “autism.”

Vaccines cause other stuff.

Vaccines cause encephalitis.

Vaccines cause seizures.

Vaccines cause immune system deficiencies.

Vaccines cause gastrointestinal problems.

Encephalitis causes mood swings.

Encephalitis causes extreme pain.

Encephalitis causes inattention and impulsivity.

Encephalitis causes aggression.

Encephalitis causes balance problems and difficulty relating to one’s environment.

Seizures cause mood swings.

Seizures cause inattention and impulsivity.

Seizures cause alterations in conciousness.

Immune system deficiencies cause children to have more frequent bacterial infections, such as ear infections, upper respiratory infections (URIs), sinusutis, and strep infections.

Immune system deficiencies cause children to have more frequent viral infections, such as stomatitis, “fevers of unknown origin,” “viral rashes,” hives, conjunctivitis, and gastrointestinal viruses that cause vomiting and diarrhea.

Immune system deficiencies cause children to be more vulnerable to ”everything that’s going around” and to have a tougher time getting over things than their peers.

Gastrointestinal damage from vaccines causes diarrhea.

Gastrointestinal damage from vaccines causes nausea, reflux, vomiting, and the recently discovered “disease” now known as GERD (Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease).

Gastrointestinal damage from vaccines causes increased vulnerability to viruses and bacteria, which leads to increased administration of antibiotics, which leads to overgrowth of pathogenic yeast.

Pathogenic yeast overgrowth leads to intestinal hyperpermeability (“leaky gut syndrome”).

Pathogenic yeast overgrowth leads to constipation.

Pathogenic yeast overgrowth leads to food allergies.

Pathogenic yeast overgrowth leads to skin eruptions, “drunken, silly behavior,” inattention and impulsivity, and cravings for bread, sugar, ice cream, milk, and carbohydrates.

Technically, vaccines do not cause autism because techincally there is no such thing as autism.

Vaccines cause the underlying physical conditions that result in the pain, neurological damage, immune system disorders, gastrointestinal damage, and yeast overgrowth – all of which combine to produce the behavioral symptoms that result in the “autism” diagnosis.

Gastrointestinal damage is the most obvious result of vaccine damage.

When a previously healthy child suddenly starts having multiple episodes of watery and extremely stinky diarrhea every day, and this happens shortly after receiving vaccinations, it is notable as a “vaccine injury.” What is not so obvious is that when the child’s gut is permanently damaged, he or she is no longer able to absorb nutrients necessary to produce neurotransmitters necessary for proper brain function. So when the child develops mood swings, sleep difficulties, and learning disabilities several months later, these issues are not recognized as being related to the vaccine injury because the initial damage occurred many months earlier.

Please re-read the previous paragraph.

This is why Dr. Andrew Wakefield is such a threat to the pharmaceutical industry.

Dr. Wakefield NEVER said vaccines cause autism.

Dr. Wakefield is a gastroenterologist. He saw a number of children with gastrointestinal problems who also happened to be diagnosed with autism. Dr. Wakefield reported his observations. He never claimed that the MMR “caused” autism. He merely reported that a number of children he had seen had BOTH gastrointestinal problems AND autism, and according to parental report, these issues developed within a short time of when the children received the MMR vaccine.

Why is Dr. Wakefield such a threat to the pharmaceutical industry?

Hint: Not because vaccines cause autism – they don’t.

Vaccines cause gastrointestinal damage.

Gastrointestinal damage causes malabsorption of nutrients necessary for proper brain function.

Malabsorption of essential nutrients causes immune system disorders, seizures, encephalopathy, etc… and THAT’s what leads to the ultimate diagnosis of “autism.”

If Dr. Wakefield’s obervations are correct, SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE will eventually draw the connection between vaccines and the domino-effect that leads to the “autism” diagnosis. From the perspective of the pharmaceutical industry, better to “nip it in the bud” now, which means discrediting Dr. Wakefield to the extent that no one will look further into the science.

Has this ploy worked?

Not for me. And not for many of the very intelligent parents I know.

Only time will tell if there are enough of us to make a difference.

On my soapbox

naplesdoula — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 04:16:51 +0000

Okay, I’m going to take a few minutes to get on one of my soapboxes here. I figure if I can’t do it here, where can I? I’ve recently seen a couple of editorials written in online newspapers about breast feeding in public. These were written by women who claimed to have breastfed their own children–although one said for only a couple of weeks. Both of these women were vehemently against nursing in public. One even started her column with how much she absolutely “hated” when women breastfed their children in public. She stated how it made everyone around them feel self-conscience and not know what else to do besides stare. Really? When you don’t know what to do, you stare? One lady agreed with the manager of a furniture store who tried to throw a lady and her three children out of his store for nursing there. Thankfully, she knew her rights to be able to do this and stated them as so. But the writer of the article thought it would have been better for her to take her three small children out to the car (up north where it was freezing cold) and nurse her baby there, then come back to the store to finish her shopping–all so that it wouldn’t make others feel uncomfortable. I’m sorry, but I just have to say that it’s their problem if they feel uncomfortable. The baby is hungry. He needs to eat. Would you like to eat your lunch in the bathroom or in the freezing cold? I didn’t think so. Not every outing can be scheduled around babies’ feeding times–especially when you have more than one child.

I think this is the mindset that causes women to stop nursing earlier than they or their baby would like. It’s inconvenient. When women are made to feel uncomfortable about nursing in public, they often stop before they would if it were “easier” to do. Not all women are as confident about it and willing to stand up for their rights as someone like say…. me. I’ve never had anyone confront me about it. Oh, I’ve wanted them to. I’ve waited for someone to ask me to leave or make a snide remark so that I could make a quick comeback. And that was a wrong attitude of me!! I have since mellowed some. Maybe I’m getting older. Maybe God’s working on my heart a little more. Maybe both. I’m still very confident to nurse in public and would defy anyone who tried to take the right to eat away from my baby. But I would do it in a much nicer way these days. I also try to find an out of the way spot if I can, but that’s not always possible with five other kids around.

In actuality, all I’ve ever gotten were nice comments when I’ve nursed my babies. I’ve had several older women tell me that they were so glad to see that women had the right to nurse in public these days. They always were made to feel like they had to hide–they could never have a social life when their babies were young because they had to be home to nurse. Wow! What commitment those women made to their babies. Talk about sacrifice! I even had a man in his 80′s at church when Cedar was very young tell me that he never took a medication in his life until last year, and he knew that was because his mother breastfed him! I don’t know if that’s true, but that’s what he believed. He said, “You know, it went out of style there for awhile, and I’m so glad to see you young moms doing it again. It’s the best thing you can do for your babies.” I loved it! He was so encouraging and supportive. I was sitting right there in the back of the church in the narthex nursing my baby. He could have been embarrassed or outraged that I was doing that AT CHURCH!! But he thought it was wonderful.

So I would encourage anyone who is feeling nervous or scared about nursing in public to do what you need to do for your baby! Make sure you feel comfortable with nursing at all first. Sometimes that relationship is hard to establish, and you need to work on that at home. But once you feel like the two of you have got it–go for it! Make sure you are confident in your decision and know your rights just in case you are confronted. Every state has laws that allow for breast feeding your baby in public. If you feel more comfortable covering up, there are great nursing cover-ups made specifically for that. I have many friends who use them. I cover up sometimes, depending on where I am. I used to never–but that goes back to my mellowing as well!! When I don’t cover up, it has nothing to do with “wanting to expose myself” in order to make a point (which is what so many seem to think.) I can promise you, you see nothing when I nurse, and more than one person has thought that I was only holding my sleeping baby.

So now I’ll step down off my soapbox…. and go nurse my baby!

Fevers–friend or foe?

naplesdoula — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 19:50:55 +0000

We’ve all been there. Child wakes up in the middle of the night, crying, whining, you sit down beside them, pull them into your lap, and–FEVER! They feel like they are burning up. You take their temp, and it’s 102.2. What do you do? Do you run to get the Tylenol or Advil or Motrin? Or do you bed them down in your room and let them ride it out? If you are like most moms in America, you grab the fever reducing medicine, get it down them and wait for the fever to go down. After all, isn’t that what you are supposed to do? Isn’t that what your doctor says to do?

We need to start thinking about fevers a little differently. Instead of thinking of them as enemies, we need to think of them as our allies–fighting a battle for us! Try this. Next time one of your children (or you) develops a fever, imagine that it’s saying this, “Slow down!! Rest a while! There’s something in this body that’s not quite right, and I need to get rid of it so I’m going to raise your body temp, keep you from feeling like normal so you’ll lie down. Then I can focus all my energy on getting rid of that little microscopic invader!!” Do you see how much harm we can do then by taking a fever reducer?? Our goal as moms (and doctors as well, it seems) is to get our children (or ourselves) back to normal as soon as possible. We think that by seeing them bouncing off the walls again, we’ve done them a great service. Nothing could be further from the truth. You see, that fever is telling us that there is a foreign “germ”–whether viral or bacterial– that doesn’t need to be there. Our body temperatures rise so that we become an inhospitable host to that “germ.” We (or our children) also feel like crap because of that rise in temp so we take it easy, sleep, and give our immune systems time to focus on those foreign invaders and do the job it was created to do! Sometimes this takes a few hours. Sometimes it takes a few days. That depends on how well our immune system is working and how much we’ve suppressed it. It also depends on the nature of the “germ” as well, obviously. If it’s a viral infection–like chicken pox, hand, foot and mouth, Fifths disease, cold, or flu; we have to just let it run it’s course. If it’s bacterial–like ear infection, strep throat or other, it will sometimes need a little help to get rid of it. Most of the time these things are easily treated with homeopathics and herbal remedies. But I’m not saying that I haven’t used the occasional antibiotic as well!! Garlic is a wonderful tool to draw out infections–by making a garlic poultice.

But as far as the fever goes, we should consider them friends. They are our first line of attack–the first clue that something isn’t right in there! Let’s let our fevers fight for us, do their jobs. If you become uncomfortable with a rise in temp (like say, in the 103-104 range–even up to 105 for some kids who just always get high fevers) there are some other things you can do.

Make a ginger bath with tepid water. Boil some water on the stove and slice some fresh ginger root into it. Let it steep at least 10 minutes then pour it into a tepid bath. Let child play in the bath for as long as he/she can stand it.
Make a chamomile tea bath using same method.
Peppermint tea cools a fever and chamomile calms and relaxes so you can make a combination tea for your child.
There are several homeopathics for fever, but the two I have handy are aconite and belladona. Aconite–This is for the sudden onset of fever or at the very beginning of a fever–usually in winter. It’s for a very restless child who is tossing and turning and difficult to calm down. Belladona–This is for a feverish child who has chills or has a flushed or red face or body. His pupils are typically dilated. I have different children who always need the same fever remedy for them.
These remedies will not bring the temp down to 98.6, but remember that’s not the goal! The goal of these fever reducers is to get the fever to a temp that you can feel comfortable with as a mother (usually around 100-102.5) and still allow the fever to do it’s job. I usually try to put off using any reducer for a few hours and then use one of these for a little relief for the child. I hardly ever use anything for myself with a fever.

*There are a few things to remember: If any child 6 weeks old or under has ANY sort of fever (above 99) he needs immediate medical attention. If any child 7 weeks to 3 months has a fever above 101, he needs immediate medical attention. If your child has a stiff neck or any symptoms of meningitis, seek immediate medical attention. If you ever just have a “gut feeling” that something is wrong, take your child in! You are the mom, and no one knows your child better than you!

Dr. Sears has some really good tips and recommendations as well for fevers! He’s always good when in doubt!