African Babies Don't Cry

The Tuesday Baby Link-Up : Week 35

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:05:00 +0000

Welcome to the Tuesday Baby Link Up!

Yesterday was a public holiday here in South Africa, and our family invited us to enjoy the long weekend at the beach. What a wonderful weekend we had, the weather was warm, almost summery, and it was so nice to get away.

Grab the Badge

Your Hosts

Shannon at GrowingSlower

Jennifer at Every Breath I Take

Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama
Christine at African Babies Don't Cry

Melissa at Adventures of Captain Destructo

Featured Post : Coping When Babies Don't Sleep: 10 Ideas to Avoid Crying It Out Training at Positive Parenting Connection

I remember the pure utter exhaustion in those first few months of broken sleep with my newborn, and this post has some lovely recommendations on how to cope.

Follow our Oh Baby Baby Pinterest board for even more featured posts! We are also looking for contributors to join this board, if you are interested, email Shannon at info [at] growingslower.com and she can add you :)

Cloth VS Disposables : Which Are Healthier For Your Baby?

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:46:00 +0000

I remember back when I was a teenager, and not a very worldly one at that, I used to cover my ears in horror when my mother would recount stories of using cloth diapers with myself and my sisters. I remember thinking, how awful! Who wants to fiddle with baby pee and pooh and then try washing it out of the diapers to use them again and again on your baby? Surely that can't be sanitary?

I remember thinking that there is a reason I am living in the 21st century, and I may as well enjoy all the modern conveniences of disposables...

As I grew older and wiser I became more and more saddened by our 'throw-away' lifestyle and its impact on the earth. Disposable diapers are a huge contributor to our world's trash problem. It is estimated that 18 billion disposable diapers are thrown in landfills each year. There are many, many more ways in which disposables are taxing on the earth, for more information read my article, Lightening My Footprint with Cloth.

When I discovered I was pregnant I started researching my options in this department, and was overjoyed to find out that there are more convenient and attractive cloth options than the white terry cloth squares used on myself by my mother years ago. Cloth diapers have lately become rather fashionable. But, are they healthier?

Source: African Babies Don't Cry

Cloth diapers are made of natural fabrics, some more natural (unbleached bamboo) than others, which are so much better for your babies skin than the plastic and chemicals found in disposable diapers.

You will be shocked to find out exactly how many chemicals disposable diapers contain, and exactly how harmful they can be. Here are just a few:

Dioxins: Most disposable diapers are bleached white with chlorine [and many cloth diapers too], resulting in by products called dioxins that leaches into the environment and the diapers. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), dioxins are among the most toxic chemicals known to science and are listed by the EPA as highly carcinogenic chemicals. According to the World Health Organization, exposure to dioxins may cause skin reactions and altered liver function, as well as impairments to the immune system, nervous system, endocrine system and reproductive functions. ¹
Sodium Polyacrylate: Sodium polycarbonate is a super absorbent chemical compound that is used in the fillers of many disposable diapers. It is composed of cellulose processed from trees that is mixed with crystals of polyacrylate. This chemical absorbs fluids and creates surface tension in the lining of the diaper to bind fluids and prevent leakage. Sodium polyacrylate is often visible as small gel-like crystals on the skin of babies and is thought to be linked to skin irritations and respiratory problems. This chemical was removed from tampons due to toxic shock syndrome concerns. As it has only been used in diapers for the last two decades, there is not yet research on the long-term health effects of sodium polyacrylate on babies.² We do know, however, that in the short term it can cause allergic reactions, severe skin irritations, oozing blood from the perineum and scrotum, fever, vomiting, and staph infections. Sodium polyacrylate has killed children who ingested as little as five grams of the chemical, and it causes health issues in the workers who manufacture it. ³
Tributyl-tin (TBT): Many disposable diapers contain a chemical called tributyl-tin (TBT). According to the EPA, this toxic pollutant is extremely harmful to aquatic (water) life and causes endocrine (hormonal) disruptions in aquatic organisms. TBT is a polluting chemical that does not degrade but remains in the environment and in our food chain. TBT is also an ingredient used in biocides to kill infecting organisms. Additionally, according to research published by the American Institute of Biological Sciences, tributyl-tin can trigger genes that promote the growth of fat cells, causing obesity in humans.⁴
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Disposable diapers frequently contain chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These include chemicals such as ethylbenzene, toluene, xylene and dipentene. According to the EPA, VOCs can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system as well as cancers.

Other chemicals often used in disposable diapers include dyes, fragrances, plastics and petrolatums. Adhesive chemicals are used in the sticky tabs to close the diapers and dyes are used to color and make the patterns and labels that mark diapers. Perfumes and fragrances are used in some disposable diapers to help mask odours.⁵

Certain dyes used to add color to disposable diapers have been shown to cause allergic reactions resulting in rashes. Repeated exposure to the dye can cause a long-term allergy. One study that looked at several babies who suffered from rashes found that the rashes only occurred in places where the skin was in direct contact with the dyed part of the diaper.⁶

One study from 1999 found that test rats exposed to emissions from disposable diapers experienced impaired breathing. Three brands of disposable diapers were used, and two of the three brands were observed to cause "reduced mid-expiratory airflow velocity, sensory irritation, and pulmonary irritation ... and the effects were generally larger during repeat exposures to these emissions." Study authors concluded, "The results demonstrate that some types of disposable diapers emit mixtures of chemicals that are toxic to the respiratory tract. Disposable diapers should be considered as one of the factors that might cause or exacerbate asthmatic conditions."⁷

Source: African Babies Don't Cry

Disposable diapers are choking hazards, The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that an estimated 8,469 incidents involving disposable diapers occurred in the year 2,000 alone. One main risk is that disposable diapers come apart, leaving your baby at risk of choking on the parts of the diaper. The absorbent gel inside the diapers can also cause choking. ⁸ Unless you are using small clips, cloth diapers are generally not a choking hazard at all.

Babies experience fewer incidences of diaper rash with cloth diapers. Parents are more likely to leave longer periods between disposable diapers because they keep babies dry even after urinating. However, the bacteria and ammonia present in the urine is sitting against your babies' skin, resulting in more frequent cases of diaper rash. The chemicals found in disposable diapers, mixed with urine and faeces also cause diaper rash.

Disposables restrict air flow, resulting in higher scrotal temperatures than in cloth; these high temperatures can impair fertility. ⁹ This may account for the rise in infertility in the last 25 years.

When it is all laid out like this, it is so simple to see exactly why, and how, cloth diapers are the better option for your child's health. Are you a cloth diaper user? What sold you on cloth diapers, their cuteness factor? How much better they are for your baby? Or how much money they save you? I'm a little of all three :)

1 Noreen Kassem, Chemicals in Disposable Diapers, citations in original ^↩
2 Chemicals in Disposable Diapers ^↩
3 Dionna Ford, Why We Chose Cloth Diapers, Part 2, citations in original^↩
4 Chemicals in Disposable Diapers^↩
5 Chemicals in Disposable Diapers^↩
6 Nick Thorp, Diapers, citations in original ^↩
7 Diapers^↩
8 Chemicals in Disposable Diapers^↩
9 Why We Chose Cloth Diapers^↩

Toddlers' Birthday Parties Made Healthy at Natural Parents Network

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:03:00 +0000

I have a post today at Natural Parents Network about Toddlers' Birthday Parties Made Healthy.

Recently, my son, Jesse, turned two. Jesse, however, is unlike most traditional toddlers — he has an awesomely healthy diet, eating only whole foods, high raw, and completely sugar- and dairy-free, so it took a bit of imagination to serve up treats that other toddlers would be happy to tuck into. Don't feel compelled to provide a mountain of treats, most of which will go half-eaten and tossed. A prettily laid out table, with attractive and colorful treats, will make any toddler happy. Continue reading at Natural Parents Network ››

The Tuesday Baby Link-Up : Week 34

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 09:35:00 +0000

Welcome to the Tuesday Baby Link Up!

Grab the Badge

Your Hosts

Shannon at GrowingSlower

Jennifer at Every Breath I Take

Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama
Christine at African Babies Don't Cry

Melissa at Adventures of Captain Destructo

Featured Post : Breastfeeding Advantages A-Z with Adventures of Captain Destructo.

What a great post! Be sure to share with your pregnant friends! :)

Explore Your Parenting Through Poetry

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 20:04:00 +0000

By Lauren Wayne

What I love about poetry is how it allows us to view our lives through a different prism: one that breaks apart the pieces of our experience into rainbow colors and then focuses them with clarity that can be blinding in its insight. When I became a parent, it was natural — even necessary — to explore my new adventures (and misadventures) through the lens of poetry.

Did we dream you into existence, or was it more mundane?

When you open yourself up to writing poetry, you open yourself to reexamining and memorializing what was meaningful to you, even the hard moments.

Feeling you leave in a gush of pain and red, in the blackest and loneliest part of the night … Why were we led all that way, and never to see your face?

Poetry gives a voice to the sublime stories you want to retell and re-envision.

You slipped out to our surprise, … a flashing red-purple, wriggling in the water, and finally hauled in, turning it around and catching us in your net

And it elevates the everyday into song.

You sleep beside us for the waking together sun bright you point out and smile.

I've been writing poetry for years — handmade diaries from junior high glittering with stanzas in pink and green ink, earnest fountain-pen scrawls on random pieces of notepaper from college. But nothing has inspired me more than parenting — this wild, enlightening, exhausting, wonderful journey.

What can I learn in two years together (almost three)? What have you changed in me except everything?

Even if you don't consider yourself A Poet, even if you've never written (or read!) a poem in your life, I encourage you — I urge you — to pick up a pen or sit at a keyboard and give it a try. Consider an image, or a moment, and take a walk into your imagination. Describe it, feel it, relive it, and find the meaning for yourself that you can now share with others. As parents, all our writing opportunities are limited and hurried, but a poem is short — and therefore a possibility for an unexpected interlude.

One-handed now, lap filled, breast claimed, you furtively search for the letters, the keys, the strain to capture your thoughts in the dark.

If you'd like some direction, I have a whole month's worth of parenting-poetry prompts from my recent Weekly Parenting Poetry Workshop here. The workshop is over for now, but you can free verse it (so to speak). The writers who came alongside for the workshop didn't consider themselves poets — but look what they created.

Who knew a heart could stretch farther than even the body around it that housed you each in succession? Who knew love could flow out and envelop so big a group — bigger — and never grow anything but thicker, like the blood joining us all together?

Flex your pen, find your voice, and explore your parenting through poetry.

You can purchase Lauren Wayne's Poetry of a Hobo Mama: The First Three Years at Amazon in hard copy or as an e-book. And for a limited time, Poetry of a Hobo Mama is available as part of the Mindful Parenting eBundle, 20+ gentle parenting resources for one incredible price of $24.95. Buy your copy today, because the bundle with Lauren's book and many others will be available only until June 10.

Lauren Wayne lives and writes in the Pacific Northwestern USA, with her husband, Sam, and their two sweet boys: six-year-old Mikko and two-year-old Alrik. She has been writing and publishing poetry for twenty years, but parenting has added even more inspiration. Lauren blogs at Hobo Mama about natural and attachment parenting, and gives a behind-the-scenes look at writing at LaurenWayne.com. She co-hosts the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting and is a cofounder of Natural Parents Network, a site that brings together attachment parents interested in a natural lifestyle.

Photo credits: Author

The Tuesday Baby Link-Up : Week 33

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 08:05:00 +0000

Welcome to the Tuesday Baby Link Up!

If you haven't already, be sure to check out The Mindful Parenting eBundle sale! It is loaded with fantastic parenting resources at an amazing price.

Other exciting news is that I have managed to find water kefir grains for sale in South Africa, so now I can make coconut kefir - will report on how fabulous it is soon :)

Grab the Badge

Your Hosts

Shannon at GrowingSlower

Jennifer at Every Breath I Take

Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama
Christine at African Babies Don't Cry

Melissa at Adventures of Captain Destructo

Featured Post : 10 Activities for Under Ones at Our Feminist Playschool

I remember searching around for activities to do with Jesse when he was a baby, and this is a great list! :)

GIVEAWAY: The Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates Book Review {01/07;SA}

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 07:57:00 +0000

Hay House South Africa are offering the chance for TWO readers to each win a copy of Donna Gates's book, The Body Ecology Diet! Read to the end for entry details.

I was so excited to read the recently revised first and most popular of Donna Gates's book, The Body Ecology Diet. It is based on her health philosophy which she has built her booming health empire on, and I have heard so many good things about it from many people I admire and respect, including David Wolfe!

Nutritionist Donna Gates's explains that all life originally began as or from bacteria, and yet we since the days of Louis Pasteur we have viewed bacteria as the enemy and have created a modern medicine system based on fighting these bacteria. The result? People with poor or non existent inner ecosystems - which are SO essential for digestion, nutrient absorption, our immune system and more!

The Body Ecology Diet is all about balance, getting your body and specifically the microorganisms present in your gut, back into balance, which is essential for the daily functioning of your body. It shows you how to restore your inner ecosystem your body needs to function optimally, and to eliminate and control all those symptoms that rob your life of joy, Body Ecology claims to increase your mental awareness and concentration span, increase your energy and get to your optimum muscle to fat ratio.

I enjoyed reading this book immensely. The title is a bit misleading, as I generally avoid 'fad diet' type books, but The Body Ecology Diet is indeed a well-researched and supported way of life, there is nothing 'fad diet' about it. Donna Gates has spent years researching and studying in the modalities of modern medicine, Chinese medicine and Naturopathy and is a respected author on the topic of Candida overgrowth, probiotics and cultured vegetables.

I was diagnosed with Candidiasis years ago by a local Naturopath, and I duly cut out sugar and followed a typical 'Candida diet'. I definitely started to feel better, but still carry some of the symptoms today, and I think that Donna really has something different to offer than your average 'Candida diet'. This difference is the quality of research Donna did before writing her book, and her practice as a health consultant helping tons of people overcome Candida and more. Also, her emphasis on cultured vegetables, good quality fats, and the extent in which she recommends going to reduce your sugar and carbohydrate intake makes complete sense to me after my studies in nutrition.

I found this book really easy to read, easy to use, easy to refer back to recipes and important chapters and it contains lovely charts and infographics. It includes recipes, menu's and shopping lists, and I can recommend it for anyone that suffers with fatigue, general weariness, a poor immune-system and lingering symptoms of any sort.

There is even fantastic and very large online community of support available for followers of The Body Ecology Diet.

You should read this book if...

You suspect or know you have candidiasis (CRC), chronic fatigue syndrome, cancer, AIDS, or other immune-system deficiencies.
You have known or suspected food allergies or frequent digestive problems.
You have frequent skin rashes, constipation, or PMS.
You are bothered by headaches, or muscle or joint pains.
You always seem to be tired, nervous, or depressed, or your memory seems to be poor.
You are sensitive to tobacco, perfume or other chemical odours.
You have taken birth-control pills.
You have been plagued and frustrated by symptoms that persist no matter what you do to get rid of them.
You have a history of drug use, including extensive use of antibiotics or illegal drugs.
You want to ensure the health of your children and other loved ones.
You want to prevent major disease that doesn't manifest until years after the seeds have been sown: cancer, AIDS, heart disease.

BUY IT!

You can purchase your own copy of The Body Ecology Diet online from Hay House South Africa for R 185.95.

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win one of two copies of The Body Ecology Diet, enter by leaving a comment and using the Rafflecopter system below. The winner will receive all three products. Contest is open to SOUTH AFRICA ONLY.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit the Hay House South Africa website and leave a comment here telling me the title of one of their books / products that you would like to read / watch / listen too! You must enter your name and email address in the Rafflecopter entry system for your entry to count, after leaving a comment on this blog post.

Leave a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. Email addresses in Rafflecopter are not made publicly visible. Please leave the same valid email address in your mandatory comment so I can verify entries. You may leave it like this: christine [at] africanbabiesdontcry.com to foil spambots.

BONUS ENTRIES:

See the Rafflecopter entry system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter. Give it a try, and email or leave a comment if you have any questions!

Contest closes 1 July 2013 at 11:59 p.m. (GMT+2)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GMO's In South Africa {Jesse's First Show of Activism}

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 21:42:00 +0000

Last weekend Jesse had a great time on what he considered a rather enthusiastic walk, where there was lots of shouting and singing and even two ladies playing the drums (the best part!) Jesse wore his red shirt proudly - because he was happy to be snap with the rest of us, and he danced and sang with glee - thinking, I'm sure, that we should do this every weekend!

The rest of us knew why we were there, to show our support for the anti-GMO movement and to rise against the Monsanto wave washing the earth and particularly Africa.

Maize is a staple food in South Africa, and, horrifically, Monsanto already controls half of the maize seed market, and completely controls the cotton and soya market. Monsanto is one of the most powerful players in the seed business today, but originally made its mark as a chemical giant with strong links to the US army. Monsanto is responsible for the deadly Agent Orange and RoundUp to boot. The reason they have become such a large player in the seed market is because Monsanto was allowed to patent genetically modified seeds which has given them enormous power over farmers.

Listen to this!

Monsanto has produced crop seed which genetically modified to withstand onslaught by herbicides, in particular their RoundUp - this allows farmers to lower their needed manpower as they can now do aerial sprays of RoundUp killing all the weeds and the crops are unaffected...

South Africa is now at the complete mercy of Monsanto who decides what kind of seed to make available and at what price. Monsanto has complete rule over GM maize and 77% of maize grown in South Africa is now genetically modified. Monsanto's control over this market has resulted in seed prices rising by over 45% in the last 5 years... the price that farmers has received for their maize has remained the same...

Sound like Monsanto are up to no good? Yeah, I think so too!

So What Are GMO's?

Genetically modified (GM) foods are derived from organisms whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified by scientists. Currently available GM foods are mostly plant based, but in future GM foods derived from animals are likely to appear on the marketplace. Most GM crops have been modified to increase yield, through the introduction of resistance to plant diseases or improved nutritional content.

All GM foods should be assessed before being allowed on the market. FAO/WHO Codex guidelines exist for risk analysis of GM food, however are these guidelines sufficient?

What I, as a mother, am MOST worried about:

The effects on human health: GM foods have not been proven safe, the organs of rats who ate GM potatoes showed signs of chronic wasting, and female rats fed a diet of herbicide-resistant soybeans gave birth to stunted and sterile pups.

Increased allergies: Allergies are at an all time high in the human races history, thanks to the way our food is currently grown and prepared, between added hormones in meat products, pasturisation of dairy products, processing and the addition of sugar to nearly everything consumed nowadays. It is possible that the addition of foreign genes to food items will cause allergies not even thought of yet.

Many may argue that GM foods have their place, as there are thousands dying from hunger everyday... I agree that this issue needs to be addressed by governments and corporate giants alike - but at the moment the world produces enough food to feed 12 billion people, there are only 7 billion people on the earth and yet 1 billion of them go hungry. The solution is not to produce more food, the solution is end poverty through education, training, job building etc.

Loss of effectiveness of pesticides: Mosquito's in some countries eventually became resistant to the now banned DDT pesticide. Now while I am opposed to pesticides on the whole, the reason I am worried about a loss in effectiveness of pesticides is that scientists will continue to make stronger and stronger chemical concoctions, trying to rid crops of pests, and endangering the lives of everything that inhabits the earth at the same time.

The risk of cross pollination: It is likely that GM crops will cross pollinate with other nearby crops, eventually making all seed available genetically modified!?!!! It is a possibility that no natural corn may be available in 50 (or even less) years time!?!!! What choice will out children and grandchildren have then???

Seed patents do not allow seed to be collected by farmers and re-sown. Poor farmers rely on seed collection, and Monsanto patents will ruin them.

GM foods are regulated, but poorely. Some food suppliers have undertaken to label their products, but many are using this as a marketing ploy, and not committed to providing adequate information.

For me, this is something that science should NOT play with! We are upsetting the delicate balance of nature, illustrated by the Monarch butterflies in America - nearby cotton fields are growing GM cotton seed, with pesticide already in them to kill larvae, the pollen from this cotton travels to the Monarch butterflies where it threatens their caterpillars... Butterfly effect indeed!

What is your stance on GMO's now that you know what they are and what part Monsanto plays in all of this?

For further reading visit the African Centre for Biosafety

:: Mindful Parenting eBundle Sale! ::

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Thu, 30 May 2013 19:13:00 +0000

I am so excited to bring the Mindful Parenting eBundle Sale to my readers! I am an info junkie - as are most parents now days, am I right? And this bundle is jam-packed with resources from trusted and respected authors, I am diving right in and can't wait to read them all!

The Mindful Parenting eBundle contains more than 22 carefully selected e-products by renowned authors. Some of these products are only available as a standalone through this bundle! This bundle sale is a one-time opportunity, available only from May 28 to June 10, 2013.

This is a handpicked selection of e-books, workshops, e-magazines, and audio, with themes such as creativity and play, peaceful guidance, mindfulness for mothers, children and food, self-care and relaxation, and more.

22 eProducts with a total value of over $274 USD. That’s approximately $1.13 per eProduct! There are 3 resources for stress relief for parents, 6 peaceful guidance tools, 5 creative play resources, 3 motherhood resources, plus bonus resources and a freebie!

Check out the list of contributors:

Parenting for Social Change by Teresa Graham Brett
A Unique 7-Step Parenting Tool: Sleep talking by Marcy Axness
Relaxation Meditation, audio by Amy Phoenix of Presence Parenting
Newbie's Guide to Positive Parenting by Rebecca Eanes of Positive Parents
Issue three of the Play Grow Learn magazine by Christie Burnett of Childhood 101
Getting Back on Track! Why We Explode and What We Can Do About it, audio by Genevieve Simperingham of Peaceful Parent Institute
Stress Relief for parents, audio by Genevieve Simperingham of Peaceful Parent Institute
Creative Play Workshop, email course by Gina Kimmel of Connecting Family and Seoul and Katherine Lockett of Creative Playhouse
Mindset for Moms by Jamie Martin
Moods of Motherhood by Lucy Pearce of Dreaming Aloud
42 Rules for Divorcing with Kids by Melinda Roberts
Mommy Overwhelm by Laura Schuerwegen of Authentic Parenting
Nurturing Creativity, Guide for Busy Parents by Renee Tougas of Tougas Café
The Playful Family by Shawn Ledington Fink
Poetry of a Hobo Mama by Lauren Wayne of Hobo Mama
Encouraging Words for Kids by Kelly Bartlett of Parenting From Scratch
Raising a Creative Kid by Jillian Riley of A Mom With a Lesson Plan
Children and Food by Tara Wagner of The Organic Sister
Coming of Age, audio by DeAnna L'Am
The Parenting Primer, A Guide to Positive Parenting in the First Six Years by Michelle Carchrae of The Parent Vortex
API Live! Teleseminar Series: “8 Principles of Attachment Parenting” by Attachment Parenting International

Plus a lovely freebie by Jennifer Saleem of Hybrid Rasta Mama: The Mindful Mothering Challenge.

This bundle is available for 14 days only from MAY 28 to JUNE 10.

After that, these products will never be sold together again at this price!

Disclosure: Mindful Nurturing links are affiliate links.

The Tuesday Baby Link-Up : Week 32

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Tue, 28 May 2013 08:58:00 +0000

Welcome to the Tuesday Baby Link Up!

What a wonderful, busy, warm weekend we had. On Saturday we took part in the Durban March Against Monsanto - Jesse's first show of activism :) We then visited Dovehouse Organics in Howick which also has a lovely restaurant - although we didn't stay for dinner, and we all tasted Kombucha for the first time - Jess loved it!

I am taking part in amazing life coaching sessions with Jennifer Jimenez of Lets Dance Together, and I just love her - she is so calm, serene and bubbly all at the same time, just inspiring! At the moment she has an offer running where you can get a complimentary Vision Based Dream Building 7 Day Program! Head over here to sign up!

Grab the Badge

Your Hosts

Shannon at GrowingSlower

Jennifer at Every Breath I Take

Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama
Christine at African Babies Don't Cry

Melissa at Adventures of Captain Destructo

Featured Post : 5 Tips For Practicing Gentle Discipline with a Toddler at Natural Parents Network.

All five of these are great tips! I needed to read this today, and I thought that perhaps you did too :)

The Tuesday Baby Link-Up : Week 31

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Tue, 21 May 2013 07:08:00 +0000

Welcome to the Tuesday Baby Link Up!

Another week gone by, I cannot believe how quickly the month of May has flown by! We are enjoying the mild winter weather with warm days and cool nights, spending plenty of time outdoors (I find we spend more time outdoors in the winter than in the summer because the sun is just too hot in summer). This weekend we will be making the trek to join up with a local March Against Monsanto, have you found your nearest march? Here's a google doc of all events worldwide.

Grab the Badge

Your Hosts

Shannon at GrowingSlower

Jennifer at Every Breath I Take

Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama
Christine at African Babies Don't Cry

Melissa at Adventures of Captain Destructo

Featured Post : 17 Weeks at Ashley's Green Life

Ashley is mom to a toddler with another one on the way, she is a preschool teacher and green and vegan - think I am going to enjoy her blog :)

Placenta Encapsulation in South Africa {Guest Post}

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:52:00 +0000

Melissa from Organic Birth shares a bit about placenta encapsulation and how it is growing in popularity in South Africa.

Placentophagy is the act of consuming one’s own placenta for cultural, religious or medicinal reasons. This has been reported for decades to help stop the baby blues and diminish postpartum fatigue. Some women have cooked the placenta in a stew, mixed it into a smoothie, or even taken it raw to tap into its powerful effects. For many who feel squeamish about this or want to reap the benefits of placenta for more than just a day or two, there is another option: encapsulation. Powdered placenta has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries. In the study “Post-birth Rituals: Ethics and Law”, it states that at least 10% of South African mothers wish to take home their own placentas for either consumption or for post birth rituals. With the availability of placenta encapsulation, we estimate this percentage to rise.

In many cultures, the placenta is considered a sacred part of the birthing process – such as in the following:

Some African cultures swaddle the placenta in blankets and bury it beneath a tree as a tree symbolizes ongoing life.
A belief held by many Arabs is the future fertility of a woman is connected to the disposition of the placenta. Should something unpleasant happen to it the woman might be rendered sterile.
In some cultures such as Vietnam and China the placenta is viewed as a life-giving force. Therefore, it is dried and added to certain placenta recipes in order to increase a person’s energy and vitality.
In Indonesia, the placenta is seen as the baby’s twin or elder sibling and is perceived as the baby's guardian throughout life. It is the father’s responsibility to clean, wrap, and bury the placenta on the day of the birth.
Filipina mothers are known to bury the placenta with books, in hopes of a smart child.
In Korea the placenta is often burned and the ashes kept. During periods of illness the ashen powder is given in a liquid to help heal the child.
The commercial use of "placenta extract" found in some cosmetics, such as facial cream, is sold in France. In 1994, Britain banned the practice of collecting placentas in hospitals from unsuspecting mothers, after it was learned that 360 tons of it were annually being bought and shipped by French pharmaceutical firms. They used it to make a protein, albumin, for burns and to make enzymes to treat rare genetic disorders. Placentas are still used in beauty products today.

Placenta consumption and encapsulation is becoming popular in South Africa after the re-emergence of this service in USA, Canada and the UK. Locally, it is becoming a regulated industry where midwives and doulas offer it as an add-on service to their offerings. The benefits are numerous in that the placenta’s hormonal make-up is completely unique to the mother. Benefits include:

Preventing and lessening the risk of postpartum depression or “baby blues”
Replenishing iron from blood loss during birth and prevention of post birth anaemia in the mother
Lending a consistent flow of Oxytocin (the love hormone) long after the birth euphoria ends
Provides the HPL hormone to help establish early and healthy milk supply for breastfeeding
Stabilizes constantly fluctuating hormones post birth
Replenishes B vitamins and energy that were used during the birth process
Protection from infection and bleeding due to retained placenta tissue or membranes

There is study currently being conducted by a placentophagy research team at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in participation with Placenta Specialists in the area with preliminary results showing “96% of the women who participated in our survey (190 women at the time the data was compiled) found placentophagy to be a “positive” or “very positive” experience. Additionally, nearly everyone who tried placenta for postpartum would use the placenta for a subsequent child (98%).”

A Time article from over 10 years ago, already indicated that there was a benefit to consuming one’s own placenta for the long term immune-protection properties that the placenta offers, to the mother as well as the baby.

Lucine Biotech goes on to say that "Since the placenta is known to contain many of the components that a postpartum woman is lacking following birth, many believe that by ingesting the placenta capsules, postpartum women can re-balance their systems more quickly. Placental encapsulation, the process by which the placenta is dried and encapsulated for future ingestion, has become popular among celebrities and women seeking more holistic birth experiences.”

One of the primary questions to be answered is whether the processing of the placenta would ruin or eliminate some of the hormones, vitamins and minerals present in the placenta. Some preliminary research, to be published out of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas found that many of the compounds present pre-processing remained post-processing. The study analyzed several components present in placenta before any type of preparation, and after the steaming and dehydration that is common in converting the placenta into capsule form. The results demonstrated that “while some components are reduced in the dried state, many components do still remain. In fact, the research has shown that the iron content, in particular, is even more highly concentrated after dehydration (Benysheck 2012)."

Sources:
Cultural traditions source: http://www.birthtoearth.com/FAQs/Placenta+Traditions.html
The South African Tissue Act of 1983
Study “Post-birth Rituals: Ethics and Law”
http://blog.placentabenefits.info/index.php/2010/11/aaa-conference-in-new-orleans/

About the author, and her company:

In South Africa, Organic Birth – a company run by experienced doulas and midwives passionate about birth, women, babies and families offer Placenta Encapsulation services in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. We are the first group of Placenta Specialists in South Africa to receive international training, aligning ourselves with peer reviewed standards which include: in depth tutoring as well as case studies, legal training, evidence based research and up to date studies. Within these services we offer placenta encapsulation in two methods, placenta powder and placenta tincture which can be used homoeopathically for the mother and baby.

A mother would find a supplier in her area, meet with the Placenta Specialist – either face-to-face or telephonically, whom will answer all the mother’s questions. She would sign a contract with the specialist as well as supply STD blood-work, which is normally done in early pregnancy. All information is kept in the strictest confidence. The contract would state information regarding the benefits, dosage, laws etc. If the mother tested positive for any STDs, she can still encapsulate her placenta, the Placenta Specialist will do it in the mother’s own home with the mother’s equipment. The mother or family member will advise the Placenta Specialist when she is in labour and the placenta will be collected within several hours after the birth. It should be bagged and stored in a special but fairly simple way. Ideally, the placenta encapsulation process is started within 48 hours after the birth. The family should arrange this collection and release of the placenta with the hospital/caregiver prior to the birth. The Placenta Specialist will then prepare your placenta in a disinfected environment where there is no risk of contamination from other blood sources etc. Your encapsulated placenta will be ready to be collected within an average of 3 days.

There are two ways to prepare the placenta, in South Africa we mostly use the Raw Method which delivers the highest potency of benefits. These expire though after one year of freezer storage. The other preparation method is the Traditional Chinese Method where the placenta is steamed with special herbs before the dehydration process. These can last for an unlimited time in freezer storage and some women even use their own placenta capsules to lessen their menopausal symptoms. A placenta will make between 150-200 size ‘0’ capsules depending on the size of the baby and gestation. The mother can begin taking them right away for maximum postpartum benefits. Capsules can be taken 2-4 times a day during the first 6 weeks. Some can be saved for hormonal imbalances like when weaning baby off the breast or the mother’s first post-partum period. Placenta pills should be stored in the refrigerator and then transferred to the freezer to be stored for up to a year. Placentas that have been properly frozen can also be encapsulated up to a year after the birth.

We don't just supply a jar full of capsules and expect you to manage on your own. We are available at anytime to answer your questions about dosage, storage and times when you shouldn't take your placenta. We are also able to help in other areas regarding early parenting should your Placenta Specialist have that expertise.

Contact: Melissa Jacobs @ Organic Birth, Professional Doula - Advanced Skills,
Placenta Specialist, Holistic Women's Health Emissary
082 601 4108, melissa@organicbirth.co.za
www.organicbirth.co.za / www.placentaencapsulation.moonfruit.com

Tuesday Baby Link-Up : Week 30

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Wed, 15 May 2013 05:28:00 +0000

Welcome to the Tuesday Baby Link Up!

I do apologise this is going up late! Still plenty of time to link up below! :)

Grab the Badge

Your Hosts

Shannon at GrowingSlower

Jennifer at Every Breath I Take

Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama
Christine at African Babies Don't Cry

Melissa at Adventures of Captain Destructo

Featured Post : 5 Months from a sorta fairytale

Loving Camille's blog at the moment, and her baby updates are too precious. Check out the pics of her gorgeous daughters and more :)

GIVEAWAY: Naturalmente Bio Baby Body Cream, Body Oil & Baby Shampoo Set {25.05;SA}

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Sat, 11 May 2013 17:38:00 +0000

Naturalmente is offering readers the opportunity to win a hamper of their Bio Baby products, including their Calendula Chamomile Body Cream, their Calendula & Chamomile Nutrient Body Oil and their Mandarin Baby Shampoo. For entry details, please read to the bottom.

Naturalmente is a great ethical choice if you are looking for body and especially hair care products in South Africa. They stock a wide range of products ranging from body, hair to baby care and even have a natural home care range. Naturalmente products are gentle on us, and the environment. They use ethically sourced ingredients which are organically grown and harvested, and use only essential oils and natural fragrances. Even their packaging is Eco-friendly! Products are available to purchase from their online shop for ultra convenience.

Jesse loves water, full stop! :)

The Bio Baby range does not contain petrochemical by-products, preservatives, sodium lauryl sulphate, mineral waxes, paraffin and silicones nor does it use synthetic fragrances, oils or colourants.

I had the pleasure of reviewing their Bio Baby range, which consists of a lovely body cream, a nourishing body oil (great for as we go into winter!) and a lovely baby shampoo.

Calendula Chamomile Body Cream

This is such a lovely light, yet nourishing cream which I used liberally on Jesse face and body. It has the subtle, pleasant fragrance of calendula, chamomile and sandalwood essential oils. The body cream, as with all their products, contains only plant-based natural ingredients and are non-irritating. Indeed I found it soothed Jesse's sensitive skin, and did not irritate his eczema. Naturalmente have a long list of ingredients that are commonly found in commercial skin care products, which they avoid, among them you will be glad to know are parabens. I am so pleased to know that this cream carries no harmful ingredients, and so is safe to apply to Jesse's skin daily!

Calendula & Chamomile Nutrient Body Oil

It is with great timing that I started using this nourishing nutrient oil on Jesse's skin as we move into winter. This, too, has a light, pleasant fragrance of calendula, chamomile and sandalwood. This is a great oil to be used for massage, and will remain my oil of choice for Jesse's after bath massage from now on. The Bio Baby body oil is a tissue oil, and is great for scars as it regenerates tissue growth, and I definitely noticed an improvement in the appearance of Jesse's few scars from scraped knees etc. Of course, because of this, it is also great for pregnant women to reduce the likelihood of developing stretch marks!

Mandarin Baby Shampoo

This baby shampoo / baby wash is so gentle that I even used it as bubble bath a couple of times, with absolutely no effect on Jesse's eczema! It smells great, with mandarin and almond essential oils, a light fragrance and one you wouldn't mind your baby's head smelling of ;) This shampoo is one of the best natural shampoo's that I have tried, it lathers fantastically, containing only natural sulphates derived from coconut and glucose, and leaves hair shiny and soft. My son has long, curly blonde hair and it left is manageable and tangle free - always a good thing! All round I loved this shampoo / wash, and so did Jesse's hair and skin! :)

BUY IT!

You can purchase your own Naturalmente Bio Baby body cream, body oil or baby shampoo online at the Naturalmente store. Plus, for African Babies Don't Cry readers only, Naturalmente is offering a 20% discount on all purchases made for the duration of the giveaway. Please email marketing@naturalmente.co.za for the coupon code to use in your purchase to get your 20% off.

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win one of a hamper of Naturalmente Bio Baby products including their Calendula Chamomile Body Cream, their Calendula & Chamomile Nutrient Body Oil and their Mandarin Baby Shampoo, enter by leaving a comment and using the Rafflecopter system below. The winner will receive all three products. Contest is open to SOUTH AFRICA ONLY.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit the Naturalmente website and leave a comment here telling me one thing you have learned about the company or their products! You must enter your name and email address in the Rafflecopter entry system for your entry to count, after leaving a comment on this blog post.

BONUS ENTRIES:

See the Rafflecopter entry system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter. Give it a try, and email or leave a comment if you have any questions!

Contest closes 25 May 2013 at 11:59 p.m. (GMT+2)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

30 Before 30 Challenge {Update}

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Wed, 08 May 2013 20:28:00 +0000

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

On my birthday last year I posted this list of goals, or to-do's that I wanted to accomplish before my next birthday, i.e. before I turn thirty. I promised to keep you all updated on how I was doing, but that didn't really happen... until now! ;)

I have been slowly working my way through this list, ticking them off and changing a few as I grow and as my circumstances change, here is how it stands at the moment.

1. ~~Start my diploma in nutrition~~ - this one is not going to happen this year, mostly because instead I have started a diploma in metaphysics. I will postpone this goal until after I have completed my metaphysics diploma. So, number one will now read: Start my Diploma in Metaphysics :)

2. Find a daily routine and rhythm that I can stick to and be proud of - who knew this would be so difficult! Wow, anyone with any tips, please share them! Clearly I am not a routine kind of gal, and we never know what we are doing from one day to the next... my poor son :(

3. Write and publish a small ebook - in the works, watch this space ;)

4. Start a regular volunteering service - I volunteer for the Natural Parents Network as their sponsorship manager, now while this is not quite what I meant by volunteering service, it may have to do for another year as I struggle to fit everything in to my busy life.

5. Start up belly-dancing lessons again - also posing a problem as the nearest lessons are over an hour away, but I am still keen to get going on this one.

6. Revamp my kitchen into my 'dream kitchen' - still in the planning stage (dreaming stage)

7. Make this blog worthy of advertisers - getting there, see all those shiny advertisors blog badges in the sidebar? :)

8. Start a regular cardio and strength routine - I have started this a couple of times since writing this list, but have yet to stick to it. We plan to soon purchase a small home gym which will make it easier... I hope!

9. Slowly organise and simplify every inch of my home - we're getting there, watch out for upcoming organisation posts.

10. Put dreads in my hair - I may possibly chicken out of this one ;)

11. Become as close to a refuse free home as possible - We have renewed our dedication to our compost heap, and I have been trying to make all my purchases as minimally packaged as possible, still a long way to go, but we have made a start.

12. Get my new business of the ground, and start it off with a bang - See this post for more details.

13. Get my veggie garden going to almost self-sufficient standards - we have had great success with growing veggies from seedlings this summer, but anything I have tried to grow from seed has been a fail. My grandmother recently gave me a mini, portable, green house, and so I am hoping my results will change.

~~14. Send out home-made birthday cards for family and friends birthdays~~ - I'm scratching this one off the list, because it was an epic fail, and doesn't seem so important to me anymore.

15. Get my diet to 80% raw foods and completely sugar free - I have been on a journey to correct my health ever since my stint in ICU after Jesse was born, and this road has by no means ended. I started this year off trying a 21 Day Raw Food Cleanse with The Garden Diet, but only managed a week before poor planning and poor budgeting made it impossible. Eating high raw does require you to go to the shops more often, which is a problem for me because I live in the middle of nowhere. However, I am now trying a intestinal flora correcting diet (to cure my candida) and will then try the 21 Day Raw Food Cleanse again :)

16. Visit the Wild Coast again - planning this as a birthday trip, let me know if you'd like to join me, the South African Wild Coast is not to be missed ;)

17. ~~Complete my Bachelors degree~~ - this will be postponed until I complete my diploma in metaphysics.

18. Begin a daily meditation practice - I have yet to make this a daily habit, although I am meditating more now than ever.

19. ~~Do Jesse's playroom out in a mix of Montessori and Waldorf styles~~ - done, pictures to follow on the blog soon.

20. Start a savings plan for Jesse's university fees - oops, forgot about this one!

21. Organize all digital photos and print at least one from each month - well they're all organised, now to just start printing...

22. Learn how to knit - anyone have any links for good online (preferably free) resources?

23. Start a daily yoga practice - as with the meditation, its a long way off from a daily habit, but I am doing yoga more now than ever.

24. Buy a better camera - a birthday gift to me! :)

25. Start collecting eggs from our own chickens - funny story... our chickens were under constant attack from a wild mongoose living at the bottom of our property, we lost plenty and not even an electric fence would deter it. So the chickens refuse to sleep in the hen house, they now sleep in a tree right near the house, close to where our dogs sleep. The result? We cannot find where they are laying their eggs, and now have 8 new chicks running around ;)

26. Start charting my cycle - crikey, forgot about this one too. What is a good online resource for this?

27. Get a new tattoo - I know this will definitely be my sons name, I just cant decide where...

28. Read at least one non-fiction book per month - Yes! Done! So far at least, and I am so enjoying reading again, cant possible think why I stopped!

29. Get a hive, and keep bees for our own honey - proving trickier than I thought to find a hive, but I am still determined to keep bees and have been reading up on how to keep them ethically.

30. Visit my sister in the UK - Louise was just out for a 3 week visit, and plans to return to SA permanently by the end of the year, so I better start looking at tickets!

The Tuesday Baby Link-Up : Week 29

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Tue, 07 May 2013 08:43:00 +0000

Welcome to the Tuesday Baby Link Up!

My sister has left gone back to the UK after a lovely three week visit, *sniff. And now life goes back to normal :) Expect a few more blog posts from me this month, I have big plans :)

Grab the Badge

Your Hosts

Shannon at GrowingSlower

Jennifer at Every Breath I Take

Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama
Christine at African Babies Don't Cry

Melissa at Adventures of Captain Destructo

Featured Post : Rebozo Tutorials from A Little Bit Of All Of It

If you need to know anything about babywearing, Julia's blog is the place to go. This post on Rebozo's is another example of her helpful babywearing series. Enjoy!

The Tuesday Baby Link-Up : Week 28

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the Tuesday Baby Link Up!

We have had such beautiful weather this past week here in South Africa, the days have been quite summer-y. I hear we are in for a warm winter, which makes me smile - I don't enjoy the cold. We had a busy weekend of two birthday parties, so plenty of avoiding sugary foods and explaining why to nosy but well-meaning relatives ;)

Grab the Badge

Your Hosts

Shannon at GrowingSlower

Jennifer at Every Breath I Take

Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama
Christine at African Babies Don't Cry

Melissa at Adventures of Captain Destructo

Featured Post : Yoga with a Toddler at Little Old Souls

Have you seen Bettina's yoga challenge she has running at the moment? Its fantastic, each week she posts a routine, with pictures and instructions for you to try at home. All are toddler friendly, but this post especially, go check it out!

Mama on the Mat - For Healthy Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:56:00 +0000

Today I welcome Jennifer of Every Breath I Take for a guest post on the best ways to get your children involved in your yoga practice. Jesse loves the idea of doing yoga with me, but more often than not doesnt end up doing many poses, Jennifer has some great tips here and spoiler alert, you can get Jen's current 5-class virtual yoga series for only $25 when you register using the discount code MAMAONMAT!

By: Jennifer Hoffman

When I post a picture like the one on the right, everyone wants to know how I got my daughter to do that. Moms who have experienced the physical and mental benefits of practicing yoga want their kids to do yoga, too. The good news is you don’t have to be a certified yoga teacher to share this practice with your kids. In fact, very little formal instruction is required. Children have a natural curiosity that will draw them to the mat. We mamas just have to intentionally use our influence to inspire that curiosity. I didn’t make my daughter do the pose pictured above. I wasn't even in the room when she got into it. She chose to do it all on her own. If we give them the tools, and help them recognize the benefits of yoga, our kids are likely to enjoy this practice as much as we do.

There are two aspects of a yoga practice that I think are particularly beneficial for children – asana (poses) and savasana (relaxation). Together, they will foster a healthy mind and body.

Asana

If you want your kids to practice yoga, you have to practice yoga in their presence. It isn't always easy. My kids crawl on me and on my mat all the time. I have stepped back into down dog and landed on a Lego more than once (OUCH!). But, my daughter also strikes a pose with me when she’s in the mood. For kids under ten, I would suggest you simply practice 10 – 15 minutes of active asana. A few rounds of sun salutations are a great place to start. Share the major points of alignment with them, but don’t worry about perfection. While you are doing a pose, make the sound of the animal the pose is named after (e.g., bark like a dog in down dog, hiss like a snake in cobra, etc.). Giggle! Have fun! As you build up the repertoire of poses your child practices, take pictures of him or her doing the asana. You can assemble those pictures into a routine or even make yoga flash cards. Leave those printed routine pages or flashcards with their yoga mat in the space where you keep toys. One of the most important things we can do to motivate our kids to practice yoga is to help them reflect on the impact of practice on them. Try not to say things like “That’s a great down dog.” Instead ask, “Wow, you are in down dog – how does that feel? Is it fun? How do your legs feel?” After they've practiced a few poses ask, “What did you like about your yoga practice today? What was challenging? Do you feel more relaxed?”

Savasana

"Calm down!" "Relax!" "Settle down!" These phrases spill from our mama lips on a regular basis. Whether directed at our kids or other adults, they rarely have the desired effect. In fact, they often set into motion the opposite response. We inspire relaxation in our kids (and others) not by telling them it's time to relax, but by being a relaxing authority in their presence. We can invite them to settle down by first settling down ourselves and then calmly inviting them to join us. Relaxation is a learned skill. And, we have to practice it ourselves before we can teach it to others. The age of the child will greatly impact the amount of time he or she is able to practice formal yoga relaxation, but here are some tips for getting started:

Allow them to catch you practicing Savasana. Many kids will want to try it just because they see you doing it.
Keep a basket of yoga props and mats on the floor so it’s accessible. Everyone enjoys Savasana more with props!
When you see them naturally slowing down, develop a relaxation “script.” When they are awake, but mellow try massaging their face, shoulders, back, arms and legs while saying, “relax your face, shoulders, back etc.” Make audible sighs (big exhales) and encourage them to copy them.
Make the room as dark as they are comfortable with. Light stimulates the brain; darkness quiets it. It’s really hard for kids to relax in a bright room.
Keep your expectations realistic. They won’t always be in the mood to relax, and you can’t make the choice to relax for them. Success may be 2-5 minutes of relaxation.

If you are interested in practicing yoga at home (alone or with your kids), and yoga DVDs grow monotonous, then come by and check out my virtual yoga studio, Stay-at-Home Yoga. The current 5-class series is wonderful for moms, even if you aren’t a desk jockey. Plus, it comes with 10 yoga break videos that can be quickly added throughout your day and easily practiced with kids of any age! Save $5 off the regular full series price of $30 when you use the discount code MAMAONMAT before April 30th.

This post is the last stop in a three-part blog tour. Check out the schedule and links to the other two posts, hosted by Shannon at Growing Slower and Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama.

Jennifer Hoffman is not your average yogi. A public accountant turned certified yoga instructor, Jen now balances an active practice with her busy life as a blogger, mother, and wife. The key to this balance is simple: Jen lives life with intention. At EveryBreathITake.com, she encourages her readers to do the same, writing with a heart for whole and healthy lives on parenting, faith, relationships, and, of course, yoga. She is also the host of the Intentional Chatter Podcast. Jen teaches Virtual Yoga Classes from her home studio in Northern Virginia and relies on her husband Derek to keep their two lovely children – and two furry Labradors – off camera through Namaste.

The Tuesday Baby Link-Up : Week 27

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:14:00 +0000

Welcome to the Tuesday Baby Link Up!

Grab the Badge

Your Hosts

Shannon at GrowingSlower

Jennifer at Every Breath I Take

Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama
Christine at African Babies Don't Cry

Melissa at Adventures of Captain Destructo

Featured Post : Raw First Foods at Farmers Daughter

I just have to feature another one of Abbie's gems, this one on starting solids and what are the best first foods - raw fruits and veg, couldn't agree more! ;)

Latching [Guest Post]

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 08:56:00 +0000

Welcome to Mommy's Milk : A Breastfeeding Series, today I welcome Rachel from even one sparrow to share her experience and advice on latching whilst breastfeeding.

Alright, here's my deal with breastfeeding.

Everyone posts about how it's not easy but it's amazing, and then they give a gazillion pointers on how to get through the rough patches. But can I tell you about MY rough patch -- the one that tends to get glossed over?

Latching.

It absolutely drives me crazy to hear things like, "Latching is as simple as X, Y, and Z." Because you know what? I've tried X, Y, and Z. A million times. And latching has never been that simple for me or for my babies -- not for my first daughter, nor for my second. For whatever reason, latching has been and always will be a source of great difficulty for this small little family.

Since I figured I'm probably not the only one with this problem, I thought I'd share a few things I've learned along the way to ensure a good latch (or at least, help steer you in the right direction).

Please note: What I will NOT do is give a step-by-step guide for getting a baby to latch. Numerous resources from lactation experts are available (here, here, and here, among other places). Personally, I "knew" the diagrams inside and out, but it didn't actually do anything until I followed the following steps.

1) Diagnose the Actual Issue

There could be a number of reasons why your baby is not latching. Are your nipples flat or inverted? Do you have an overabundant supply? Is your infant tongue-tied? Seriously, before you get worked up over the whole thing, really figure out the exact issue.

For instance, with my first child, I had flat/inverted nipples and ended up using nipple shields for three months to get her to latch (I wouldn't recommend using them for three months, but that's a separate topic). With my second child, I figured it was the same issue -- until the lactation consultant informed me that my nipples were now fine having breastfed my first child. It took me a while (and a lot of research) to actually diagnose the problem this time: an overactive letdown and overabundant milk supply. These are two entirely separate issues with entirely different solutions.

2) Lactation Consultant = Your Biggest Ally

Before you go ahead and try to figure it out on your own, save yourself the headache: see a lactation consultant. They'll be able to see things you don't and can save you WEEKS of unwarranted stress.

Now to be honest, LCs don't come cheap, so do some digging in your area and with your insurance. For instance, I found out that my insurance will cover an LC visit if it's connected to a practice. Luckily for me, one of the doctors at the pediatrician's office is also an LC. Problem solved. Some other idea: La Leche League, asking around for friends of friends who are training to be an LC, etc.

However you can manage it: go see a lactation consultant early on before habits form and before tears are shed.

3) Play With Positioning

Find out what positions are best for what type of problem you may be experiencing. For instance, did you know that the football hold is the best position for mothers with flat/inverted nipples? Did you know that the side-lying position is the best position for moms with an overactive letdown/overabundant milk supply? Did you know that there are moms who don't even use the typical 3-4 positions and make up their own?

So try the positions out. ALL of them. At different times. Is it time consuming? Yes. Will you be able to breastfeed and multitask? No. But it will be temporary. Figure this out, and your baby will get more effective at nursing -- and, over time, will become a better latcher.

4) Have Patience

It won't be easy. If you don't have a baby that latches naturally, you have to go in to breastfeeding with great patience. I freaked out the first time around and didn't give myself or my daughter the time and patience needed to get the latch down correctly. I wanted to rush things. Eventually (three months in), she got it -- but maybe she would have gotten it sooner had I just had patience.

This time, I didn't freak out in the hospital. I asked for help, and I tried out different things. I let my daughter take her time. If she started to get upset, I gave her to my husband to calm her down before trying again. I had patience.

5) Change the Scenery

If nursing in bed isn't working and you're both getting flustered, take a minute and change locations. Seriously, I would get so worked up in the middle of the night that we'd wake up my husband or my toddler, that it wasn't worth trying to figure it out in bed. So for the first few weeks, I'd run downstairs to the couch and try again. We were both calmer and it helped to just change the scenery a bit.

6) Relax

...and by this, I don't just mean, "breathe," I literally mean R E L A X. Find a position that's comfortable. Make yourself comfortable. Get more pillows. Get a glider. Get whatever you need and can afford to make yourself INCREDIBLY comfortable. I couldn't believe what a difference it made once I gave myself the extra two minutes I needed to rearrange the pillows on my bed. If I was relaxed, my baby was relaxed.

7) Research, Research, Research

And finally: use the internet. I just spent hours upon hours reading every article I could on breastfeeding -- even ones that I didn't think related (special thanks to Christine of this blog for her breastfeeding series -- which I de-voured!).

Also: don't underestimate the powerful help of Youtube. I just searched high and low for videos on different positions, different latching techniques, different breastfeeding issues, and some of the videos I found were unbelievably helpful.

Rachel Stephan Simko is a mother of two, a professional writer for a marketing company, and loves cooking with squashes. She blogs about faith, simplicity, and mommyhood at even one sparrow.

The Tuesday Baby Link-Up : Week 26

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 04:44:00 +0000

Welcome to the Tuesday Baby Link Up!

Have you all seen my current giveaway? Joanna Steven has kindly offered up two copies of her wonderful eBook, The Milky Way: The Ultimate Guide to Breastfeeding on a Raw Food Diet, be sure to enter for a chance to win!

In other news, my sister is out from the UK, and I am enjoying having her home so much, as is Jesse. He loves his aunty. We are off to the beach for the day :) Happy Tuesday to everyone!

Grab the Badge

Your Hosts

Shannon at GrowingSlower

Jennifer at Every Breath I Take

Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama
Christine at African Babies Don't Cry

Melissa at Adventures of Captain Destructo

Featured Post : Postpartum Herb & Salt Bath at Creative Christian Mama

This is a wonderful, soothing and healing mix. Pin for your next birth! :)

Giveaway: The Milky Way : The Ultimate Guide to Breastfeeding on a Raw Food Diet eBook (TWO Copies) {28/04;WW}

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 06:37:00 +0000

To continue with my hugely successful breastfeeding series, Mommy's Milk: A Breastfeeding Series, Joanna Steven is offering my readers a giveaway of TWO copies of her eBook, The Milky Way: The Ultimate Guide to Breastfeeding on a Raw Food Diet, with a value of $19.97.

This is one of the best eBooks and possibly books I have had the pleasure of reading on the topic of breastfeeding, do not let the title put you off, this book is not necessarily aimed at raw foodists or moms on a high raw food diet but is packed with great information no matter what your diet looks like. And, this book is surely enough to inspire you to eat your greens! It is, however, aimed at Vegan or Vegetarian mothers, and is a great resource if you are currently on this type of diet, or are thinking of joining us ;)

There is never a better time to start eating healthier than when you are breastfeeding, and Joanna addresses the subject of detoxing whilst breastfeeding with great tips and advice.

Not only is it full of great breastfeeding information, with an emphasis on nutrition, what nutrients you should be consuming and where to get them from, but it is also a great resource on natural parenting, and has a fantastic section on sleep and naps - this is one area that Joanna's son and my son have in common in that they could never seem to calm down for a good nap. There is great advice for how to maintain your weight whilst breastfeeding, when to introduce solids and what foods are best to start with, how to keep your milk supply up and advice on the care of babies in the first year. All round, this is a fantastic parenting resource.

Wanting to eat more nutritiously, but don't know where to start? This eBook includes plenty of easy and fantastic raw recipes, plus meal plans and Joanna includes a handy food journal documenting her typical diet over a couple of days, making the transition to eating even healthier so much easier, and when you are a mom you need easy :)

Joanna Steven and her son, Franklin

Joanna Steven is the author of Well Rounded - The Ultimate Guide to a Healthy Raw Food Pregnancy, and a writer for publications and websites like Get Fresh!, the Tera Warner blog, the Raw Mom Club, EcoHearth and more. Additionally, Joanna is the co-author with raw vegan celebrity Tonya Kay of The Raw Nutritional Analysis Series, a series of eBooks detailing Tonya Kay’s diet throughout the seasons with full nutritional breakdown of the recipes, as well as Smooth! Bubble Teas and Irresistible Drinks for the Smoothie Connoisseur. She regularly writes about her family’s high raw diet, including her toddler son’s, on her blog.

BUY IT!

You can purchase your own copy of The Milky Way: The Ultimate Guide to Breastfeeding on a Raw Food Diet eBook from Tera Warner's shop for $19.97.

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win one of TWO copies of The Milky Way: The Ultimate Guide to Breastfeeding on a Raw Food Diet eBook, enter by leaving a comment and using the Rafflecopter system below. The winner will receive the plus package. Contest is open WORLDWIDE.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit the Tera Warner shop and tell me one thing you would love to learn from this eBook! You must enter your name and email address in the Rafflecopter entry system for your entry to count, after leaving a comment on this blog post.

BONUS ENTRIES:

See the Rafflecopter entry system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter. Give it a try, and email or leave a comment if you have any questions!

Contest closes 28 April 2013 at 11:59 p.m. (GMT+2)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Tuesday Baby Link-Up : Week 25

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:26:00 +0000

Welcome to the Tuesday Baby Link Up!

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a Tissue Salt and Facial Analysis course with Eva of ATIFA. Because I live in the middle of nowhere, this meant tons of traveling back and forth to Durban. Jesse tagged along, and was an absolute pleasure as usual. I am now a qualified Tissue Salt Facial Analyst! :) It was all SO interesting, do you know how important micro-minerals (Tissue Salts) are to our well-being? Very! I will write about them more on the blog, I promise :)

A warm welcome to Melissa of Adventures of Captain Destructo, she has joined us as an additional host :)

Grab the Badge

Your Hosts

Shannon at GrowingSlower

Jennifer at Every Breath I Take

Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama
Christine at African Babies Don't Cry

Melissa at Adventures of Captain Destructo

Featured Post : Breastfeeding, The Ultimate Convenience Food over at Farmers Daughter.

Don't you agree? Love the post from Abbie at Farmers Daughter. Breastfeeding is the ultimate lazy moms convenience food for babies, and what is so fantastic is that you can rest assured that you are always giving them the best! :)

The Tuesday Baby Link-Up : Week 24

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 19:52:00 +0000

Welcome to the Tuesday Baby Link Up!

Last week I hosted a Breastfeeding Support Blog Party in response to the WAPF's surprising recommendations that you should switch from breastfeeding to home-made formula if your diet is not up to WAPF standards. We felt that this recommendation could make vulnerable mothers change their views on breastfeeding, and so wanted to share our passion on why breastfeeding is always best, no matter what your diet. I wrote 101 Reasons Why You Should Breastfeed Your Baby, and had a great response to it. Other than this, my family spent a very chilled Easter at home, I hope you all enjoyed your long weekend :)

Grab the Badge

Your Hosts

Shannon at GrowingSlower

Jennifer at Every Breath I Take

Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama
Christine at African Babies Don't Cry

Featured Post : The Benefits of Extended Breastfeeding at Smithspirations

Continuing with my breastfeeding theme that started in February and seems to taken over this blog ;) I am highlighting this short, but information packed post from Smithspirations :)

Breastfeeding Support Blog Party Round-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Powell) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 08:04:00 +0000

On Thursday, bloggers from around the world came together in a show of support for breastfeeding mothers. New mothers have enough challenges without having to feel guilty for how they feed their baby, especially when they are choosing the most natural of means - breastfeeding. Over the last few days there has been a lot of heated debates, controversial posts, and social media outcry against the position that the Weston A. Price Foundation takes on breastfeeding. While they do present sound information on the ideal diet for breastfeeding mothers, they do so in a manner that brings about guilt, fear, and confusion.

The bloggers who participated in the Breastfeeding Support Blog Party are not trying to create a divide between mothers. They simply want to offer support, in the form of blog posts, as to why breastfeeding should always be the first choice both for baby and mama. We hope you take some time to read the posts that were written as part of the Blog Party.

There are also over 140 posts linked up as part of this. Take some time to check them out here or link up your own breastfeeding support post!

Dionna at Code Name: Mama has come up with 40 ways that family, friends, coworkers and employers can support mothers who pump breastmilk, along with a ton of resources for you and the pumping mom in your life. There are also some fun graphics you can print and pass out, with 70% of all proceeds going to buy pumps for moms in domestic violence shelters!

Destany at They Are All of Me writes about ten common breastfeeding myths that scare women out of breastfeeding.

Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama discusses how her diet wasn't WAPF perfect, but she still breastfed a perfectly healthy baby.

Christine at African Babies Don't Cry is passionate about breastfeeding, here are her 101 reasons why!

Kelly at Becoming Crunchy discusses the question of whether you should still nurse - even if your diet isn't 'right'.

Jorje of Momma Jorje has enough pressure in her life, she is glad she doesn't have to worry about what, when and how much food she feeds her son since he is also still nursing.

Angela at EarthMamas World discusses a few of the most common problems that a mama may encounter while breastfeeding. Angela also shares natural remedies for each of these breastfeeding problems!

That Mama Gretchen reflects on the beautiful bond breastfeeding has created as her two children have transitioned from their womb experience to their earth side one.

Julia at A Little Bit of All of It shares ways breastfeeding and breastmilk are unique and special in a way only they can be.

Amy W. at Natural Parents Network shares 5 scientific reasons that mother's milk is an unequaled form of nutrition and nurture: so awesome, and so unique!

Laura at Authentic Parenting shares solid information on iron intake for the breastfed baby.

Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares the questions (and answers) about breastfeeding she wished she had a friend to answer for her before becoming a mama.

Abbie at Farmer's Daughter choose to breastfeed her children in part because it’s easier than bottle feeding, not to mention that it is the best nutrition for babies, that it has health benefits for both mother and child, that it encourages bonding, and of course that it’s free! Basically breastmilk is the ultimate convenience food.

KerryAnn at Cooking Traditional Foods shares how the rush to recommend raw milk formula actually harms mothers.

Starlene at GAPS Diet Journey shares her experience with nursing and why she feels it is an important piece of the your baby's health.

At Living Peacefully with Children, Mandy draws a connection between how formula companies market and how women are treated by society.

Amy at Anktangle outlines a few of the many ways breastfeeding benefits both mom and child—aside from providing excellent nutrition.

Adrienne at Whole New Mom shares Part One and Part Two of 100 Reasons Why Breast Is Best.

Dawn at Cultured Mama shares her personal breastfeeding journey and how she overcame low supply issues and successfully tandem-ed nursed with only one breast.