olive's in the crunchy granola

2011-10-16T22:01:00.000-07:00

Wow, this truly is such a beautiful video. First of all because of the content, and second because it is so nicely shot. Justin and I plan to have another baby when Oliver is a little older (like 5 or 6), and there is no way I'm letting my guns down next time. I want to have the natural water birth that I wanted with Ollie. Like I said in my first post, I was very discouraged by absolutely everyone except my mom and wonderful fiancé who completely stood by my side and stood by which ever choice I made. But it was also important for my mom to be there for his birth, and though she supported me, she didn't want to travel an hour away to the only hospital around that allows water births. I also would love to have a midwife and doula next time. Oh the dreams. I love babies and I love giving birth honestly. I have never been happier now that I'm a mamma to a beautiful little baby boy. I had some problems and didn't have the most comfortable pregnancy towards the end, but I would do it all over again even now if I could. I do want to wait though to have some years of just focusing on Ollie. He is so perfect in every single way and I devote my life to making sure he knows it and has things that prove it. That's why I breastfeed, cloth diaper, feed him vegan, wear him, care for him lovingly no matter what, and so on. I want the best for him, and I'll do everything in my power and so will his daddy to assure he gets it. Woah, crazy mamma alert! Haha anyway, here is a top five list of reasons to have a water birth, a link for all you need to know about water births, and finally how great midwives and doulas are.

Enjoy! <3

Five Reasons...

Less Pain.
Water birth has been shown to be very effective at reducing pain. Some studies say that water birth is second to only the epidural in pain relief. Mothers who have given birth in the water swear by the reduction in pain.
Fewer Tears.
Because of the ability to relax and to have a gentle second stage, pushing, most mothers who have a water birth have fewer tears and require fewer stitches than their counterparts who give birth outside of a tub.
Increased relaxation.
Water has long been known for its relaxing properties. After all, don’t we often suggest a warm bath when someone says they are stressed? Calgon, anyone? Seriously, the warm water does the same thing in labor and childbirth, though often with a more dramatic effect. Relaxation is a great thing in childbirth.
Increased mobility for mom.
When in water mom finds it easier to move because of the water. Her larger form is less encumbered. This movement can help speed labor or make for more effective contractions in some women. She is able to move her legs, squat, circle her hips – all of which can help her feel less pain and help her baby move down in the pelvis.
Decrease in the use of epidural anesthesia.
If you are looking to avoid an epidural, water birth is something that has been shown to decrease the need for pain medications.

Why Midwives and Doula Rock My World!!

The Art of the Midwife

Care with a modern midwife is truly an art form - combining the guiding, healing hands of one's most trusted advisor and nurturer with today's knowledge, science and medicine. This fusion is what sets midwives apart from most doctors.
A midwife's care is based on the idea that the woman is the central decision maker in matters regarding her birth and her child. Midwives respond to mothers as a caring and collaborative partner, highly trained to work with each unique situation individually. Her goal is the health and well being of mother and baby. She has the resources, wisdom and professional training to safely guide the journey of pregnancy.
A qualified midwife provides comprehensive prenatal care, guides labor and birth, and cares for newborns. However, her unique value is revealed as she connects with a woman and her family to offer a deeper level of care. During pre and postnatal visits that are three to ten times longer than standard doctor visits, the midwife listens to what is needed at each step of the process. She can then offer appropriate information, physical, emotional or clinical support, and options.
The safety and benefits of midwife care have been proven again and again in countries across the world. World Health Organization statistics show that births attended by midwives have lower infection rates, lower C-section rates, fewer complications, and healthier outcomes - thus, lower overall medical costs - than physician-attended hospital births. In addition, there is no difference in infant mortality between midwife-attended and physician-attended births for low-risk women. Countries such as the Netherlands, Sweden, and New Zealand, which have the best birth outcome statistics in the world, use midwives as their main maternity care providers.

Natural Pregnancy Support, Childbirth Support

Pregnancy and childbirth are natural experiences that should be supported by well-rounded care to address everything about a mother: physical, clinical, and emotional. To address only the clinical aspect would be incomplete care. Midwives look at the whole woman, as well as her family.
Professionally trained midwives provide you with this complete, holistic care. They also empower you with education and choices to help make the best, safest decisions for you and your baby before and after birth.

Clinical and Physical Care

Much of the prenatal, labor, and postnatal clinical assessments you will experience with your midwife are very similar to that of an OB. However, a midwife's experience with the normal birth process allows her to focus on you and your baby, rather than encouraging a reliance on technology and intervention. Your midwife supports what is healthy and good about labor and birth, while carefully watching for early signs of a shift away from normal. Midwives are trained to act when additional medical help is needed, but they do not unnecessarily expose women and babies to potentially harmful interventions.
If a clinical procedure is being considered, your midwife will provide you with a well-rounded education so that you can make informed choices about what is best for you and your baby, based on your individual values and belief.
Your midwife will visit with you during regular pre and postnatal visits, which generally last about one hour. As you near your due time, your midwife will help you create a comfortable, healthy environment for childbirth. Throughout your labor, your midwife(s) will be present with you. During labor, she will trust your instincts regarding what is best for you at each moment (standing, squatting, moving, eating, drinking), and will offer suggestions and encouragements to keep you comfortable and confident. She will work to minimize stress and tension to help you reduce pain and allow the body's natural process. Massage, breathing, nutrition, and the use of water are only a few techniques she may employ to help. When your baby arrives, she will be there to provide care for both of you.

Emotional care

A midwife can help you feel safe, supported, and in control throughout your pregnancy and birth. During visits with your midwife, which can start during your first trimester or even for preconception guidance, you will have ample time to ask questions, gain self-care knowledge, share feelings, explore dreams, and discuss fears. Often, your midwife becomes a trusted friend, as well as a knowledgeable advisor.
When you choose homebirth with a qualified midwife you are choosing to give birth in an environment in which you feel nurtured and secure. In this environment your emotional well-being, privacy, and personal preferences are respected. While you are laboring, your midwife will guide you and safeguard the well-being of you and your baby.

Natural Prenatal Care

Midwives provide comprehensive prenatal care, birth, and postpartum care. Most midwives will continue postpartum care until six weeks after the baby is born. Many midwives also provide well-woman care, which includes a Pap smear, breast exam, and non-pharmaceutical birth control. Midwives see their clients in a variety of settings. Some midwives do home visits, while others will work out of an office or clinic. Most prenatal visits last approximately one hour and can include lab work, if needed. The partner and other family members are often encouraged to attend prenatal care visits.
The true value of a midwife is not how many clinical things she can do, but who she becomes to you during the most important part of your life. She will become your most trusted advisor and your strongest supporter.
Here is one mother's account of her experience with a midwife. There are thousands of similar stories from women in every corner of the world.

"My midwife always met me with a hug, a mug of nourishing tea, and lots of excitement about the wonder of my growing child. I sometimes wondered how she could be so excited over my baby after helping so many other babies. She would answer with a look of joy on her face 'each baby is a wonder!'"

"My favorite thing about my midwife visits was having my belly palpated. I loved being gently touched and learning where all the baby parts were. 'This is a knee... here is a foot...'"

"For a while, I was seeing my OB at the same time. I would wait 45 minutes for a visit and then only have 10 rushed minutes with the doctor. I always left with my head spinning and mouth full of unasked questions. But then my midwife would spend a long time reorienting me, answering my questions and celebrating with me the magic of my growing baby. She always seemed to have time to talk with me about whatever was important at that point. I grew to realize she would know exactly how to help me birth my baby at home. I totally loved my home birth and couldn't dream of a better birth!"

Info from http://www.mothersnaturally.org/index.html

All you need to know...

http://www.bellybelly.com.au/birth/waterbirth-birth-in-water

I know it's a lot to read, but if you're anything like me, you'll enjoy it and read it all...

peace, love, and water babies!!!

Ollie was my cutest accessory today!

2011-10-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

Today was the last day of the International Babywearing Week. Justin, Ollie, and I went shopping at Target for some new comfy but cute mommy clothes. Justin is so wonderful to think of my dire need of non-maternity clothing. I got two really cute dresses, a pair of really nice jeans (regular not pregnant), and two really nice nursing tanks. One is black, the other is olive green (favorite colour) and they are the most comfortable nursing items I have ever worn! Oh and I had the cutest little accessory to make my day a little brighter. My baby!! Oliver was chillin' in his Hava ring sling while daddy and I looked around for cute clothes and breast friendly apparel. He loves being in his sling because it puts him at eye level with everything around me including the people. I'm pretty sure it makes him feel like an adult haha.

Did you wear your baby, if so, what did you wear him/her in?

Here are some really cute babywearing photos. Hope you enjoy!

babywearing global

now for those awesome crunchy pappas

Well there you have it. I loved these photos and got inspiration from them. Babywearing is an amazing things with many benefits for both parent and child. Do lots of reading and if you don't have a sling, wrap, or carrier try to find one that's perfect for you!!

peace, love, and happy carried babies!

2011-10-15T22:57:00.000-07:00

How perfect. I guess I'm not the only one who sings a Capella while breastfeeding :

).

I hope this puts a smile on a nursing mammas face.

peace, love, & mother's milk

2011-10-15T22:35:00.000-07:00

Well today is a wonderful day! It's the last day of The International Babywearing Week! Of course to me it will be considered tomorrow. I am still awake at 1:27 am and writing on my blog while reading many other blogs (addiction). It's so funny because I was wearing Ollie in my Hava ring sling yesterday doing some simple things in the kitchen and he was very intrigued with the cleaning of my coffee pot. The smell of hot vinegar made him sneeze a few time though and it was so cute. Justin and Ollie and I are going to do some shopping tomorrow. I'm getting some long needed clothing and a few new nursing tanks and bras. Oliver will hang out (literally) in his sling while we look around the store and then Justin will hold him while I try things on. He loves when his daddy has him :). I hope there are many other mammas and pappas wearing their babies and young children around all day. Take this day to walk around your neighbourhoods or parks to see all the beautiful colors of the changing trees.

Walk, walk, walk, and WEAR THOSE BABIES!!!!

2011-10-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

Jack

Look at this cute little mister.

He is eleven years old.

He is HIV positive. By no choice of his own, he was infected by his birth mother, and left to live a life as an orphan.

Jack is sadly aware of his status as an orphan, and he is heartbreakingly aware as he speaks about it. Honestly, I can not even imagine being in his shoes when I was 11 years old. I was blissfully unaware and ungrateful for the love and security I received from my parents.

Recently, he asked a visitor "do you know anyone who would like to take a boy like me. I would really like for a visitor at least, because I am all alone and I have no one."

Have you ever felt all alone. Maybe for a short while before you snap out of it. This boy is truly alone. And he knows it. And he grieves about it.

When a family came to adopt a younger child, he wondered why no one has come for him.
He asked "what do I need to do for a Mom to come? Do you know where she is? Is she looking for me?"

That makes me so sad. Is she looking for him? In his heart he is looking for mama, and I'm sure if he could he would run out of that place searching for her. Is anyone wanting or searching for him?

My heart breaks for the orphan. For the babies left alone in their cribs, finding no response to their cries, no smiles or claps for their accomplishments. But my heart is truly sad for these older kids. Statistically their lives don't fare well once they leave the orphanage. Especially if they have HIV. In America, they could live long, and happy lives. In their birth countries, few are lucky to live past their teens due to suicide or other reasons.

Please share this little boy. You could be the link to his mama finding him.

Read more sweet things about this wonderful boy here.

More Jack Facts:

He says he would love to find a family with a brother or sister of a similar age so they can play together.
He is not an aggressive boy.
He is very cute, smart and charming.
He is communicative and sociable.
The director of his baby house spoke enthusiastically about him. The director of his current orphanage writes very warmly about him.
He is responsible, obediant and kind
He can express his emotions quite eloquently
He is sweet to the younger children in his orphanage. He even shares his toys with them!
He listens to his teachers, and he always behaves appropriately

Let's share. Let's copy, paste, link, shout it out about this boy. Seriously, there's nothing better you have to do in the next 45 seconds so don't even click away before you do....

That's why God made control/shift/C, so do it!

a sick monkey is a sad monkey...

2011-10-14T21:07:00.000-07:00

Oliver has been sick for going on five days now and it is not only miserable for him but for the entire family. We went to see the pediatrician and she said he has an upper respiratory infection. She suggested not to try any antibiotics because we want his immune system to get strong and fight it on it's own. Well, it's not easy. The only thing I have been giving him is infant Tylenol and it does seem to help, but it doesn't do quite enough. He is much better during the day and doesn't seem to cough as much, but as soon as the sun goes down he's like a different baby. Every time I nurse him, he pulls off every few minutes and coughs so much he chokes. It's so horrible and I just want to help him. I know that breastfeeding is the best thing and should take place of medicine, but I feel like there should be more to it. I just keep thinking, "how can I help him in a natural way?"
So then I started doing some research and found all sorts of great things to try! Here's a few...

This is from on the blog called The Mommy Spot

Natural Remedy for Baby's Cough

I'd like to try and share as many natural cold and flu remedies for babies and young children that I can this season. With parents becoming more reluctant to use over-the-counter medications, the search is on for natural alternatives, and I've got a slew of them up my all-natural sleeves!

If you have a baby, owning a humidifier is essential when living in the cooler climates. I'd suggest a humidifier with a small reservoir for inhalants. If you already own one and there isn't an inhalant reservoir, that's alright. I'll show you how to use essential oils in either case.

Probably the most common essential oil that comes to most minds for coughs and stuffy noses is eucalyptus, but that's pretty potent stuff for babies, in particular babies under a year old. If it's all you have, you can use a few drops in the humidifier, but stay in the room with your baby while the humidifier is running, and keep the door open a crack. An oil I prefer is rosemary. A good quality rosemary oil requires only a couple of drops in the inhalant reservoir, and the fragrance is calming and pleasant. If you plan on putting your baby to bed while using rosemary in the humidifier, try running the humidifier for a good 30 minutes before bedtime. That way you can check the room for vapor intensity. Keep in mind your baby's sense of smell is much more acute than yours; less is more. After you put your baby to bed, keep the door open a crack just for a little extra ventilation.

If your humidifier doesn't have the inhalant reservoir, put a few drops of the oil on a cotton ball and place the cotton ball near the steam vent. But make sure you don't block it, or no humidity will get through.

Always get the highest quality oils you can afford, because there is a difference between them. If you can, give a whiff of the oil before you buy it. It should definitely smell like what's written on the label!

One last piece of advice: I've seen humidifier cleaning solutions out there, as well as additives to put in the water tank to avoid mineral buildups. I'd definitely steer clear of these. We've used humidifiers in our home for years, and if you clean them regularly with water and vinegar, and if they're rinsed out very well, you'll have no problem with buildups. It's important to take apart the entire unit on a regular basis as well, scrubbing out any mineral buildup with an old toothbrush.

Check back for more cold and flu natural remedies for your babies and young children. The wonderful thing about natural remedies is you can use several at once without worries. And that's important because when your little one is sick, nothing is better for mom and dad than peace of mind about cold and flu care.

(Note: Two other possible oils to use would be thyme or lavender. Follow same precautions.)

I really hope he starts feeling better soon. His sleeping schedule is all weird too. He usually goes to sleep at 7:30 or 8 pm and has still been doing so, but instead of waking up at 9 am, the past few days he's woken at 7:30 am. This morning he woke up at 5 am, 6:30 am, and then 7 am. All of these times he acted like it was morning and he was ready to go for the day talking his baby monkey jibberish and everything. I'm hoping he sleeps a little later tomorrow, or mommy's gonna get sick from lack of sleep :)

peace, love, and healthy babies!

How did that Olive get into the Granola?!

2011-10-14T19:52:00.000-07:00

Ok, to start off, my name is Meg, and I am a crunchy granola mom. Are you wondering where that term came from exactly? Well, I kind of made it up with a little help. In the next several sentences, I will explain to you where this term came from, and what it actually is.
Our son Oliver Elliot (who will be referred to as Monkey from here on out) had a check up appointment with his pediatrician. I believe it was his two month appointment. Dr. "Interesting" is around our age group and is very,... well, interesting. Justin (fiancé and monkey's dad) mentioned something about the farmer's market after my long intro involving not getting certain vaccines and veganism. This of course was a sloo of things some one like this Doctor "Interesting" would call "hippie topics". He then said, "So you guys are like my wife, hippie crunchy granola type people." He then laughed and awkwardly stared at my owl tattoo for an uncomfortable period of time.
So I now have declared that a "crunchy granola parent" is some one with a more laid back, eco-friendly, green living, attachment, love everything, live everyday like it's your last, stop to smell the poppies, take the unbeaten bath, soy milk kind of person. Now there are of course many other things that can be added to that list but I really didn't want a really bad run on sentence. :)
Justin and I would be what is referred to as attachment parents. Here is what Wikipedia says about it.

Attachment parenting, a phrase coined by pediatrician William Sears,^[1] is a parenting philosophy based on the principles of the attachment theory in developmental psychology. According to attachment theory, the child forms a strong emotional bond with caregivers during childhood with lifelong consequences. Sensitive and emotionally available parenting helps the child to form a secure attachment style which fosters a child's socio-emotional development and well being. Less sensitive and emotionally available parenting or neglect of the child's needs may result in insecure forms of attachment style, which is a risk factor for many mental health problems. In extreme and rare conditions the child may not form an attachment at all and may suffer from reactive attachment disorder as defined in DSM-IV and ICD-10. Principles of attachment parenting aim to increase development of child's secure attachment and decrease insecure attachment.

Per Dr. Sears' theory of attachment parenting (AP), proponents such as the API attempt to foster a secure bond with their children by promoting eight principles which are identified as goals for parents to strive for. These eight principles are:

Preparation for Pregnancy, Birth and Parenting
Feed with Love and Respect
Respond with Sensitivity
Use Nurturing Touch
Ensure Safe Sleep, Physically and Emotionally
Provide Consistent Loving Care
Practice Positive Discipline
Strive for Balance in Personal and Family Life

These values are interpreted in a variety of ways. Many attachment parents also choose to live a natural family living (NFL) lifestyle, such as natural childbirth, home birth, stay-at-home parenting, co-sleeping, breastfeeding, babywearing, homeschooling, unschooling, the anti-circumcision movement, natural health, cooperative movements, naturism and support of organic and local foods.

Pretty great huh? I love the ideas and values of each and every one of these things. Now, of course like it says, we don't follow every single step, but here is a list and small explanation of what we do.

Natural Birth

When I was pregnant with Monkey, I wanted so badly to have a natural birth without any meds or monitors, but for some reason every single person discouraged me. Any time I would say something about how I wanted to go "natural" the nurse or doctor would ask me things like, "Why, is it because you're afraid of needles?" or "Have you done your research, because it's more dangerous that way." and, "We don't usually have woman give birth that way here." This completely made me think twice and then for a third and fourth time as well. There was no way I could change hospitals at this point and I knew that I just had to try my hardest to convince them and myself that it would be ok. Well, when I was actually in labor, I wasn't too sure about my previous wants and needs for giving birth. At this point (because I laboured at home for seven hours) I honestly wasn't thinking about anything but meeting my baby and not being in pain any more. I gave birth to a 7 lb 9.5 ounce 21 inch long brown haired green eyed healthy baby boy at 1:21 pm on May 23, 2011. I was fine he was fine, but if I could do it again, it would have been in a hospital that accepts the wants and requests of their patients and it would have been all natural. Next time :)

Anti Circumcision Movement

We decided long before Monkey was born that we did not want to circumcise him. The main reason was because we wanted him to remain untouched, the way he was when he was growing in my belly and the way he was born. We didn't feel the need to take such drastic measures for something so pointless. There are actually no longer medical reasons to circumcise. The locker room theory doesn't exist any more either. Seriously, in 2011 who has to change and take showers in front of the entire PE class? Being circumcised does not prevent or even help to prevent STDs, that's just ignorant. People think its going to be so much harder to keep clean and take care of, but you don't actually do much. You are NOT suppose to pull back on the foreskin and this can actually harm your baby. The skin moves back on it's own and over time when it does retract a little, then you can clean in the areas you can naturally get to. I honestly think it would be harder to take care of a healing circumcised baby. There are those who think of their baby's future and about relationships. Well all I can say there is, if they meet some one who really loves them and they get to know each other first, is their partner really going to say "Uh uh, nope, I can't love you any more." when they see them naked? I don't think so. I do think though that more people need to realise circumcision is nothing but a norm. The only reason to circumcise these days is religion, and if that is your reason then go for it. If you don't really have any reasons and and the old ones don't make a whole lot of sense to you, then reconsider. Think about these things and do your research. There are always other options.

Breastfeeding

Let me start by saying, I absolutely LOVE breastfeeding my son. Very early during my pregnancy I decided I wanted to breastfeed. My mom nursed me until I was about two, as well as my little sister Grace who is now 8 years old. I guess you can say I learned best from her and I thank her for that. Thanks mom! :) So within the first hour after Oliver was born and got all cleaned up, I tried to nurse him for the first time. This was something I had been dreaming about the entire time he was in my belly. The nurse brought him over to me and laid him skin to skin on my chest (which feels amazing by the way) and I tried to get him latched on my own. I thought this would be very easy because Justin and I went to many parenting classes and a nursing class at the Breastfeeding Center (www.thebreastfeedingcenter.com) which by the way I love. We have been going there since way before Monkey was here and have bought so many great things including his Aden & Anais (http://www.adenandanais.com/) swaddle blanket, Prince Lionheart bottles (www.princelionheart.com/), and loot of cloth diapers. Anyway, back to nursing the little Monkey for the first time. After the nurse laid him on my chest skin to skin, I got him to latch for the first time ever. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever experienced besides his birth. He didn't have the strongest latch at first because he was a little crooked, so I took him off and tried again. This time was wayyyyy different. He was very much so on correctly there was no guessing that! His suck and swallow reflex was very powerful and after about two minutes I had the worst cramps of my life. My uterus was already contracting! I nursed him every time he seemed hungry and we quickly grew into a wonderful team. There is much more to my breastfeeding experiences that I will save for another post. :)

Baby Wearing

Baby wearing is such a wonderful thing that has actually been a technique for carrying a baby or small child for thousands of years. Many different cultures have adopted this in their own way. There are now so many different wraps and slings and even more ways to wear them, making it possible to care for your infant and do everyday things. Where do babies receive comfort? They want to be held, cuddled, walked with, bounced, skin to skin, to hear you breathing, and your heart beating. This to them is just like being in the womb. I myself have a carrier, a wrap, and a ring sling. I don't really care much for the carrier, but I love my Moby Wrap and Hava Sling. My Hava Sling was a birthday gift from Justin while I was pregnant and we got my Moby Wrap from Target just a few weeks after my baby shower. I think that they both have their own uses and I love them for separate reasons. Here are a few things to know about baby wearing.

What Babywearing Means: Our Story

Baby Wearing

I would like to introduce you to a style of parenting which will bring out the best in your baby and yourself. During my thirty years as a pediatrician, parents in our practice would often say, "As long as I carry my baby she's content." After years of watching a whole parade of babywearers we dubbed these thriving infants "sling babies." Many kids ago we noticed that the more we carried our babies the less they cried. With each baby, we began carrying them more and more. By the time baby number six, Mathew, entered the family we wanted to become more experienced at wearing our babies.
Because we noticed that cultures throughout the world carried their babies in homemade slings we began fabricating different styles of slings to carry Mathew. I remember one day when Martha fabricated a sling out of material from an old bed sheet and said, "I really enjoy wearing Mathew. The sling is like a piece of clothing. I put it on in the morning and take it off in the evening." Hence the term "babywearing" was born in the Sears household.
Since that time we have worn two more infants, Steven and Lauren, and over the past fifteen years have encouraged hundreds of parents in our pediatric practice to wear their babies, as well as promoted the art and science of babywearing in our many articles and books. Since 1985, when we began our personal study on the beneficial effects of babywearing on babies and their parents, we have logged many miles wearing our own babies and have continued to advise this style of parenting in our pediatric practice. At their baby's first check up, we show new parents how to wear their baby. During this personal course on babywearing, we advise parents to experiment with various training positions to find the one that is most comfortable and allows the baby to mold to the contour of the parent's body. I encourage parents in our practice to wear instead of wheel their babies.
Babywearing means changing your mindset of what babies are really like. New parents often envision babies as lying quietly in a crib, gazing passively at dangling mobiles and picked up and carried only to be fed and played with and then put down. You may think that "up" periods are just dutiful intervals to quiet you baby long enough to put him down again. Babywearing reverses this view. Carry your baby in a sling many hours a day, and then put her down for sleep times and tend to your personal needs.

I wore Mathew a lot during the first year of his life. We were buddies from birth. Mathew grew up associating the sling with a fun and exciting place to be. When I would mention the cue word "go", nine-month-old Mathew would crawl to where the baby sling was hanging (because in his developing mind was a flashback that "go" meant daddy would put Mathew in the sling) and we'd take an exciting walk together. These babywearing moments Mathew may never remember, but I shall never forget.

A Sling

There's a problem here its become quite clear.
Got a 6-month-old Sling fanatic who is clearly an addict.
Wakes in the mid of night screams with horrific might.
So outa the bed I fling and don the medicinal Sling.
Over the head the tool I fit and in it, him I sit.
Instantly he begins to cooo tis amazing what the sling will do.
Which route should I pursue, when he's 20 what should I do?
I gotta wean him from the Sling I tell you, its an addictive thing!

— Bondweign, Hanrath
I love Dr. Sears. More on him later. Anyway, I love my sling and wrap and so does Monkey. You can use them any time any where and if you start young, your child will love it as long as they can fit in it! :)

Co Sleeping (Family Bed)

Oliver started out sleeping in a bassinet next my side of the bed. This made night time feeding easier and also, I was afraid to have him in his crib. It got to the point that we would both just fall asleep laying down and slept all night that way. It's not really "sleeping" to me though. I am still very conscious and know where he is at all times and I sleep only on my back or side facing him. I sleep well but not fully which I am ok with because of the benefits. We do not plan on kicking Monkey out any time soon, but I'm sure one day he will be in his own bed. :)

Vaccines

We are following Dr. Sears' alternative vaccine schedule.
Here it is:

I happen to have the book in front of me, so here you go ...

(Note: This comes directly from The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert Sears. Someone please let me know if posting these schedules violates any copyright laws.)

Selective schedule:

2 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
3 months - PC, Hib
4 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
5 months - PC, Hib
6 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
7 months - PC, Hib
15 months - PC, Hib
5 years - Tetanus booster
10 years - Blood tests for measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, and hep A immunity. Consider vaccinating if not immune. Also consider a 3-dose polio series if travel to Africa or Asia is a possibility.
11 years - HPV (3 doses, girls only)
12 years - Hep B (3 doses)

Alternative schedule (if you want child to be fully immunized but spread things out a little):

2 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
3 months - PC, Hib
4 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
5 months - PC, Hib
6 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
7 months - PC, Hib
9 months - polio, flu (2 doses)
12 months - mumps, polio
15 months - Pc, Hib
18 months - DTaP, chickenpox
21 months - flu
2 years - rubella, polio
2 years, 6 months - Hep B, Hep A
3 years - Hep B, measles, flu
3 years, 6 months - Hep B, Hep A
4 years - DTaP, polio, flu
5 years - MMR, flu
6 years - chickenpox
12 years - Tdap, HPV (girls only)
12 years, 2 months - HPV (girls only)
13 years - HPV (girls only), meningococcal

Phew! :

Homeschooling/ Unschooling

We are planning on "unschooling" Monkey starting, well, now! Here's some very interesting things about unschooling.

Unschooling is a range of educational philosophies and practices centered on allowing children to learn through their natural life experiences, including play, game play, household responsibilities, work experience, and social interaction, rather than through a more traditional school curriculum. There are some who find it controversial.^[1] Unschooling encourages exploration of activities, often initiated by the children themselves, facilitated by the adults. Unschooling differs from conventional schooling principally in the thesis that standard curricula and conventional grading methods, as well as other features of traditional schooling, are counterproductive to the goal of maximizing the education of each child.
The term "unschooling" was coined in the 1970s and used by educator John Holt, widely regarded as the "father" of unschooling.^[2] While often considered to be a subset of homeschooling, unschoolers may be as philosophically estranged from other homeschoolers as they are from advocates of conventional schooling. While homeschooling has been subject to widespread public debate, little media attention has been given to unschooling in particular. Popular critics of unschooling tend to view it as an extreme educational philosophy, with concerns that unschooled children will lack the social skills, structure, and motivation of their peers, especially in the job market, while proponents of unschooling say exactly the opposite is true: self-directed education in a natural environment makes a child more equipped to handle the "real world."^[3]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unschooling
You should check out everything else on the page. It is all very interesting and wonderful!

Cloth Diapering

We decided we wanted to do fluff instead of disposable stuff while I was still pregnant. There are so many reason to choose cloth diapers. It's not just good for the environment, but it's also great for you and your baby.

6 Reasons to Switch to Cloth Diapers

Courtesy of Charlie Banana

Cloth diapers are as old as the beginning of time, but they quickly lost their luster when disposables hit the scene. Now back bigger (and more stylish) than ever, they’re enjoying a resurgence among green-conscious parents. If you’re still on the fence, you may not be for much longer. We recently chatted with Gaëlle Wizenberg, ceo of luxe, modern cloth diaper company, Charlie Banana, to get on her take on why it’s important to switch to cloth. Check out her top six reasons below:
They’re not your mom’s (or grandma’s!) cloth diaper. The cloth diapers available today are more suited for the modern parent’s needs. You no longer need to worry about pins or a diaper service. Plus, today’s cloth diapers are available in adorable colors and prints from bright, bold colors to pastels.

They’re more comfy and healthy for baby. Disposable diapers contain so many chemicals, including chlorine which causes some babies to break out in rashes. Cloth diapers are comfortable, breathable, absorbent and have super soft interior liners. There are no hard, sharp plastic closures to irritate or even cut baby’s skin (like many disposables on the market).
Charlie Banana diapers have a fleece interior and micro terry inserts, so it keeps baby dry and diaper rash-free. Cloth diapering cuts down on diaper rash tremendously.
Options, Options, Options. There are TONS of cloth diaper brands and products on the market that fit every parent’s need and budget. I recommend researching the best option for your family. If you’re not ready to go 100 percent cloth, hybrid options are the best bet for you. Charlie Banana provides a Disposable Insert option — it’s 100 percent biodegradable — made of wood pulp. It’s also a great alternative when traveling or when you’re out and about running errands.

They’re easy to clean and care for. The truth is you need a minimum of 24-36 cloth diapers throughout your baby’s entire lifetime. Many parents are scared of the “poop” factor, but the reality is, it’s a part of parenthood and not that big of a deal. Once you get the hang of disposing of the poop and tossing the diaper in your diaper pail or washing machine, you’ll be on cloth diaper cruise control. And it will prepare you for potty training — studies have shown that cloth diaper babies potty train earlier. Check out our recommended care tips.
They help reduce your family’s carbon footprint. Whether you’re super eco-conscious or not, this is truly priceless! One child will need about 6,000 diaper changes by the age of 24 months, which equals to one ton of rubbish. And disposables diapers take 500 plus years to decompose. Actually, we’re not even sure if they ever fully break down.
And parents are supposed to remove the solids prior to disposing of them, but this rarely happens. Mostly, they end up in the landfills, sitting in the sun. And since they are full of bacteria, viruses and vaccines, they pose a threat to wildlife and the ecosystem as a whole.
And we haven’t even mentioned the packaging, the wipes, the plastic liners for the disposable diaper buckets and all the resources required to produce the diapers, shipping, trucking etc.
You’re not truly green until you use cloth diapers. From the best organic baby food and softest organic cotton duds to a eco-friendly nursery and green baby care products, more and more parents are jumping on the earth-friendly bandwagon. But when it comes to diapers it seems totally acceptable to let your adorable tot sit in a rough plastic bag full of chemicals 24 hours a day for 2 years!
Babies’ pores and skin are so fragile and new — the skin absorbs everything. For a happy and completely healthy baby, we highly recommend making the switch to cloth diapers.

I'll put up another post about what diapers and accessories we use and everything else we do cloth including our wipes and home made wipe solution.

Just a quick list:

1. I make Monkey's baby food. It's all vegan.
2. We try to go to the Farmer's Market as often as we can.
3. We never let him cry for much time and try to get to him right away.
4. Provide nurturing touch and are consistent with love.
5. I am a stay at home mamma and love every second of being with my little monkey everyday. I never miss out on anything and see him change and grow.

Oh wow I guess that's it for now. I'm sorry I wrote so much and completely understand if you don't want to read it all haha. Now that Monkey is asleep...on to the next post!

peace, love, and baby fluff!