Today my friend had her second baby, a baby girl. She.is.adorable. In light of this new little addition to the world I was taken back to my own birth experiences. All three of my labors and deliveries were without incident and downright boring (ask my husband!). And I realized why it was that they were lacking in the "excitement area." I was all DOPED UP!
**Please don't think that I am refering the birth of my children boring, just the labor part was, I slept the whole time. The actual birth of my three little ones were and always will be the best moments of my life**
With all of my children, from the second I walked into the hospital they had me hooked up to all sorts of IV's pumping Nubain, some sort of saline solution, and whatever else they could get me to consent to into my body. I would progress fine during that point and was feeling not too shabby. I mean, who wouldn't when you felt like your head was a cloud? And then I would get to around 4-5cm and they would say, "Ok, you can get the epidural now." Well, whoopdy-fricken-doo! Sign me up! I dont know what would happen after that point but all 3 times I would just STOP progressing. I would get to 6cm and just stop. Then, I would have to be given Pitocin (an artificial oxytocin to cause you to contract). And then I would be on my way. Mind you, all this time I was pretty much in and out of conciousness because of all the medication I was on.
Now some people would consider this experience great! No pain, sleeping for 16+ hrs, ect. But I have to be completely honest. I have been in labor for a total of 46 hrs, and I can hardly remember any of it! Like I said before, I, ofcourse, remember and cherish when they were actually born, but the entire time working up to that is a blurr. And that makes me very sad!
Well, I have made a decision. IF/when I have another child, I will be doing it naturally. I want to remember every second and work for the baby I will give birth to. I am not going to go into the various health benefits of natural child birth, if you are interested I would be more than happy to entertian a conversation with any of you via email about it. I just know that this decision is the right decision for us.
Now for my crunchy item of the week:
One important way to get "crunchy" is with your laundry. Ofcourse the most "eco-friendly" way is to do it by hand and line dry, but very few of us actually of time for that. So I would recommend an HE (high efficiency) washer and dryer. They optimize minimal electric and water usage and work (in my opinion) better than the original washer and dryers. So along with an HE washer you need to have HE laundry detergent. So my recommendation is for Ecos Laundry detergent. Ecos uses 100% natural coconut oil, purified water and the essential oils of whatever scent you choose. It is 100% biodegradable, and non-toxic. And it is plant based and made of replenishable and sustainable ingredients. Plus you can get it at bulk stores for a great value and because its concentrated it lasts you twice as long! http://www.ecos.com/ecosliquid.html
Ok... so thats my written word vomit for the week. Please share with me your experiences with natural or medicated child birth and let me know if you try Ecos Laundry detergent or if you have a different all natural detergent that you prefer!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Lets Talk About B@@BS
A friend of mine had her first baby this past week and she dealt with something that I have never had to. Breastfeeding difficulty. He was latching on and everything fine, but loosing weight! I can only imagine how frustrating that must have been! The nurses were all but helpful. Criticizing her and trying to force her to give the baby formula. She felt hopeless! As she was telling me this1, I started thinking, why are so many people "anti-boob"??
Here is some food for thought, direct from the American Academy of Pediatrics website: Most health professionals are familiar with the benefits of breastfeeding. The AAP continues to support the unequivocal evidence that breastfeeding protects against a variety of diseases and conditions in the infant... Breastfeeding is also a great benefit to the environment and society. Breastfeeding families are sick less often and the parents miss less work. With this said, I'm so confused! Why is it that so many nurses/doctors, who should be informed about the importance and benefits of "mama milk" are often times so unsupportive of it? A mother who is struggling to feed her child in the way that God created our bodies to do should not be made to feel like a bad parent, should not be forced to give the baby formula. But instead, be encouraged, shown the right positions to hold the baby, be offered the services of a lactation consultant, ect.
I have been very blessed in my efforts to nurse my two youngest children. My daughter nursed for just over 6 months and weaned herself. And my son is 15 months old and we are still going strong. I cannot tell you how many sideways glances we get. How many times people say to me, "when are you gonna stop that?", even the receptionist at the doctors office said to me, "oh you should stop that!" I'm baffled. A direct quote from the AAP says, "The AAP recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for about the first 6 months of life. This means your baby needs no additional foods (except Vitamin D) or fluids unless medically indicated. Babies should continue to breastfeed for a year and for as long as is mutually desired by the mother and baby. Breastfeeding should be supported by your physician for as long as it is the right choice for you and your baby."
In this country of healthy living and awareness of whats good for your body, why is it that one of the fundamental and original ways to do whats the healthiest for your family is demonized? Now, I"m not a "nursing nazi," there are some cases where breastfeeding just doesn't work. But my point is that people in the health care field in particular should be some of the first to offer support for a mother that would like to try it. Not make them feel like their baby is going to suffer because of it. And as a disclaimer, for any of you reading this, if you DID NOT breastfeed your baby this post is in no way intending to belittle or judge you, it is merely a rant from a tired mother of three about the lack of support for those who do.
Ok... so now that my big 'ole rant is over... time for my Crunchy item of the week...
The Crunchy item of the week issss: the gDiaper gCloth inserts. I started cloth diapering in true crunchy fashion and I was amazed at the possibilities of what you could fluff your baby's bum with! The gDiaper is a well known cloth diaper. It is a so called "big name" in cloth. However, I was not aware that there were REUSABLE inserts for the diapers. I was under the assumption that there were only disposable biodegradable inserts. Well these reusable gCloths have received very high ratings and come 6 in a pack for $23 at babiesrus.com. Here is the link! Let me know if you decide to go with cloth, or have used the gCloth reusable inserts before! Enjoy your week!
Here is some food for thought, direct from the American Academy of Pediatrics website: Most health professionals are familiar with the benefits of breastfeeding. The AAP continues to support the unequivocal evidence that breastfeeding protects against a variety of diseases and conditions in the infant... Breastfeeding is also a great benefit to the environment and society. Breastfeeding families are sick less often and the parents miss less work. With this said, I'm so confused! Why is it that so many nurses/doctors, who should be informed about the importance and benefits of "mama milk" are often times so unsupportive of it? A mother who is struggling to feed her child in the way that God created our bodies to do should not be made to feel like a bad parent, should not be forced to give the baby formula. But instead, be encouraged, shown the right positions to hold the baby, be offered the services of a lactation consultant, ect.
I have been very blessed in my efforts to nurse my two youngest children. My daughter nursed for just over 6 months and weaned herself. And my son is 15 months old and we are still going strong. I cannot tell you how many sideways glances we get. How many times people say to me, "when are you gonna stop that?", even the receptionist at the doctors office said to me, "oh you should stop that!" I'm baffled. A direct quote from the AAP says, "The AAP recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for about the first 6 months of life. This means your baby needs no additional foods (except Vitamin D) or fluids unless medically indicated. Babies should continue to breastfeed for a year and for as long as is mutually desired by the mother and baby. Breastfeeding should be supported by your physician for as long as it is the right choice for you and your baby."
In this country of healthy living and awareness of whats good for your body, why is it that one of the fundamental and original ways to do whats the healthiest for your family is demonized? Now, I"m not a "nursing nazi," there are some cases where breastfeeding just doesn't work. But my point is that people in the health care field in particular should be some of the first to offer support for a mother that would like to try it. Not make them feel like their baby is going to suffer because of it. And as a disclaimer, for any of you reading this, if you DID NOT breastfeed your baby this post is in no way intending to belittle or judge you, it is merely a rant from a tired mother of three about the lack of support for those who do.
Ok... so now that my big 'ole rant is over... time for my Crunchy item of the week...
The Crunchy item of the week issss: the gDiaper gCloth inserts. I started cloth diapering in true crunchy fashion and I was amazed at the possibilities of what you could fluff your baby's bum with! The gDiaper is a well known cloth diaper. It is a so called "big name" in cloth. However, I was not aware that there were REUSABLE inserts for the diapers. I was under the assumption that there were only disposable biodegradable inserts. Well these reusable gCloths have received very high ratings and come 6 in a pack for $23 at babiesrus.com. Here is the link! Let me know if you decide to go with cloth, or have used the gCloth reusable inserts before! Enjoy your week!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
New Year... New Hopes
Happy New Year everyone!
I have had a great last couple of weeks. Christmas Eve, and Christmas Morning spent with the family at home... LOVE. Then the monday following the kids and I took a short trip to Ohio to see my mother, brother and sister. Then it was New Years Eve not long after! We spent the evening at home with a couple friends and I got the ring in 2011 with a kiss from my wonderful husband! Fortunately the kids got the memo that saturday was "sleep late day" so we didn't have to get out of bed until 9:20ish. Woo hoo!
So... the New Year comes chock-full of lots of different things. For some, new debt from overindulging at Christmas time (hopefully not though). And for others you have made a whole list of "new years resolutions." Yet for some, the new year is coming complete with new challenges. Whatever the situation... the new year is just that... NEW! It'll take most of us about 3 months to start writing 2011 at the end of the date (we will probably have to rip up about 5 checks because of this error).
One thing I want to challenge all of you to focus in this new year is the HOPE that we find in Christ alone. He is the one that can help you with that debt. He can help keep you on track with all of the "resolutions." And HE is the one that you cling to when you face 2011's challenges.
Zepheniah 3:17 says, "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."
How amazing is that? He takes delight... in YOU. He is mighty to save... YOU. I have been finding my self lately so bogged down and feeling... hopeless. But this verse is so promising to me. God is with me... he will never forget me. He rejoices over me. Thats the big one, He rejoices over me. There are times when I feel like no one appreciates what I do or how I handle my family or whatever! But gosh... HE appreciates it! HE rejoices over it! Praise God!!! So... in closing to this topic... lean on him... trust in him... HOPE in him. This new year will NOT be perfect, no year ever is. But He loves you and will be with you no matter what you encounter.
SOOOOOO... Being that I am a self proclaimed semi-crunch mama, I have decided that in each post I will share with you one of my new fav crunchy finds! This weeks Crunchy find of the week is Amy's Organics. They are frozen, canned, or jarred items... all premade and easy... but all organic! Everything is vegetarian, and there are gluten free products as well. The best thing about them is that they are easy on the wallet! This afternoon for lunch I had Amy's lentil soup... oh my gosh! DELISH! I buy this stuff at Walmart... but I'm sure you can get it at most places. Please check it out... I really really recommend it!
http://www.amyskitchen.com/index.php
Well thats all for this week. Let me know if you try Amy's Organics or have tried them in the past and let me know what YOU thought of them! Also, leave any prayer requests or any New Years resolutions that you would like to share with us! Thanks!
I have had a great last couple of weeks. Christmas Eve, and Christmas Morning spent with the family at home... LOVE. Then the monday following the kids and I took a short trip to Ohio to see my mother, brother and sister. Then it was New Years Eve not long after! We spent the evening at home with a couple friends and I got the ring in 2011 with a kiss from my wonderful husband! Fortunately the kids got the memo that saturday was "sleep late day" so we didn't have to get out of bed until 9:20ish. Woo hoo!
So... the New Year comes chock-full of lots of different things. For some, new debt from overindulging at Christmas time (hopefully not though). And for others you have made a whole list of "new years resolutions." Yet for some, the new year is coming complete with new challenges. Whatever the situation... the new year is just that... NEW! It'll take most of us about 3 months to start writing 2011 at the end of the date (we will probably have to rip up about 5 checks because of this error).
One thing I want to challenge all of you to focus in this new year is the HOPE that we find in Christ alone. He is the one that can help you with that debt. He can help keep you on track with all of the "resolutions." And HE is the one that you cling to when you face 2011's challenges.
Zepheniah 3:17 says, "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."
How amazing is that? He takes delight... in YOU. He is mighty to save... YOU. I have been finding my self lately so bogged down and feeling... hopeless. But this verse is so promising to me. God is with me... he will never forget me. He rejoices over me. Thats the big one, He rejoices over me. There are times when I feel like no one appreciates what I do or how I handle my family or whatever! But gosh... HE appreciates it! HE rejoices over it! Praise God!!! So... in closing to this topic... lean on him... trust in him... HOPE in him. This new year will NOT be perfect, no year ever is. But He loves you and will be with you no matter what you encounter.
SOOOOOO... Being that I am a self proclaimed semi-crunch mama, I have decided that in each post I will share with you one of my new fav crunchy finds! This weeks Crunchy find of the week is Amy's Organics. They are frozen, canned, or jarred items... all premade and easy... but all organic! Everything is vegetarian, and there are gluten free products as well. The best thing about them is that they are easy on the wallet! This afternoon for lunch I had Amy's lentil soup... oh my gosh! DELISH! I buy this stuff at Walmart... but I'm sure you can get it at most places. Please check it out... I really really recommend it!
http://www.amyskitchen.com/index.php
Well thats all for this week. Let me know if you try Amy's Organics or have tried them in the past and let me know what YOU thought of them! Also, leave any prayer requests or any New Years resolutions that you would like to share with us! Thanks!
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