GrowingSlower

Oh Crap, Potty Training! eBook Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:47:00 +0000

Oh Crap, Potty Training is the amazing eBook I recently used to potty train my 20 month old boy. If you're a mom of a toddler, you need this book. That's all there is to it. So, I'm teaming up with the author Jamie Glowacki to bring you a giveaway!

The Giveaway

Jamie is giving away a copy of her Oh Crap, Potty Training eBook to one lucky GrowingSlower reader. For your chance to win this amazing potty training guide, enter using the Rafflecopter form below and to review the official rules.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How I Potty Trained my 20 Month Old Boy

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Wed, 22 May 2013 01:18:00 +0000

When my friend Amanda posted in our Facebook group that she was reading the best book, she peaked my interested. She went on to describe it as funny and interesting. You can imagine my surprise when I realized she was talking about a book on potty training! It's called Oh Crap, Potty Training by Jamie Glowacki. Enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post for a chance to win your own copy.

I had never even thought about potty training with BabyE at 20 months, but she assured me that anywhere from 20 to 30 months old was the ideal time to do it. Up until then I had been wondering how I would hack it changing, washing, sorting, and storing two sets of cloth diapers after the new baby arrives. It never ever crossed my mind that there might actually be another way.

I immediately contacted the author of this amazing book and asked her if she'd be interested in a review and giveaway here at GrowingSlower. She kindly obliged and sent me a copy of the book. I started reading that day, and well, it's no exaggeration to say that it has literally changed my life!

Of course, the book can be entertaining as all get out, but what you really want to know is if it works. Here's our experience implementing the potty training process and tips recommended in the book.

Pre-potty training To Do List

After reading about the first day of potty training, I knew that it would be intense. The idea is to completely ditch the diapers and let your little run around in the buff all day while you watch them intensely to see when they start to potty. I'd have to be prepared if I was really going to watch my little one that closely. Here's what I did to prepare. Actually, it wouldn't have gotten done at all except that DH really did most of it for me while I was getting the toddler to bed after a long exhausting day.

Pre-make meals and snacks in single-serving containers.
Barricade kitchen to keep toddler on an easily washable surface.
Separate out washable toys
Clear social calendar, not hard to do in a one-car family.
Make plenty of All Purpose Cleaner for accidents.

Day 1: Potty Training Boot Camp

Day one of potty training felt a little like a police stakeout. You sit and watch intently for hours and nothing happens. Your vision blurs. Your eyelids get heavy. You snack anxiously and wonder if anything is ever going to happen.

A full two hours after ditching the diapers, BabyE still had not made his move. Then all of a sudden, some squatting, some toots, and I missed all the action.

The rest of the day went a bit better. After two hours of nothing, he decided to make up for lost time by peeing every twenty minutes for the rest of the day. The upside was that it gave us a lot of opportunities to practice our potty skills.

Day 2

I was terrified to put pants on him on day two. How was I going to catch him when he started peeing if I couldn't see it? I had a whole stack of clean pants ready, just sure I would be changing him constantly.

Then nothing happened.

No accidents. No clothing changes. No extra loads of laundry.

I really did need to hand the responsibility over to him just like Jamie said. He was more than capable.

He asked to poop on the potty and actually did it!! What?!

Day 4

Jamie lays out an option to either potty training during the day first and eventually add in naps and night time to to do it all at once. We opted to get it all over with at one time. In a momentous mommy ceremony, I washed the diapers and packed them away for the new baby. We were not going back.

E continued to make progress everyday. He got the pee thing down as long as I prompted him. He also learned he was supposed to poop in the potty, and told me when he needed to go, but it was a bit of a struggle for him to actually do it once we got there. Who can blame him? It's was so different from what he was used to.

We had one accident at the end of the night, but cutting back on liquids earlier in the day took care of it.

This potty training was really just a time commitment over the first day. It's was already SO much easier by Day 4! AND hello I hadn't changed a diaper in 4 days! So weird!

Day 6

At some point I realized that I had stopped seeing my child as a ticking time bomb waiting to explode or at least spring a slow leak. Things were getting back to normal. He played, I wrote, and we did chores together. We went outside to play and for walks.

Day 8

We went down to one wake up at night and he was still dry on the morning of Day 8. That was also the first morning he had an easy poop on the potty. Before that it took four or five tries of half an hour each to get it out. It was so hard to watch!

Day 9

We made the drive over to Nana's house for the big Baby Shower, and E hung out with Daddy all day. It was great for us all to have someone other than Mommy be solely responsible for potty training. I think there were a couple of accidents, but they both picked it up really fast. We are still working on making sure he asks to go when we leave him with other caregivers for church, but we'll get there.

Day 14

Self initiation started around the two week point. That means that almost every time, E was asking to go potty when he needed to go. I was no longer responsible for when anyone needed to do their business except for myself. Woohoo!

Potty Training and Beyond

As I write this, I have not changed a diaper in 25 days!!

I love that this was an all or nothing deal, kinda like ripping off a band-aid, except for it didn't hurt. It was exhausting at first, but it got a lot easier quick. And I got to pack away the diapers people!!

There was none of this we're going to try to potty train or getting stuck on wearing training pants at night forever. We did it and did it fast. Now I just wish I could give Jamie a big hug.

I really like that this system does not rely on stickers or candy as an incentive for going in the potty. (BabyE eats them both, and neither is good for him.) It gives personal responsibility to your toddler for something that they are fully capable of doing. I wish all of toddler parenting were this easy.

Now that I've been through the potty training process, I realize that E was probably actually ready for this around 18 months.

Oh Crap, Potty Training!

The book is very entertaining and a quick read. In fact you only need to read the first five chapters to get started. If you don't run into many problems, you probably won't have to visit most of the later chapters at all. If you do, then every question you could possible have is answered there.

If you are sensitive to a little language or potty jokes just cover your eyes for those parts. Jamie is in fact a hilarious writer, which is a nice feature for this sometimes stressful subject matter.

Quite possibly the best thing about this PDF eBook is that it's actually formatted for an e-reader rather than a letter-sized sheet of paper. Almost no other PDF eBook I've read to date has had this amazing feature. Of course, you can read it right on your computer screen too.

Enter to win your own copy below right now. If you don't want to wait around for the giveaway, you can buy Oh Crap, Potty Training! on Jamie's website. It's only $15, but it's worth about a million!

Seriously, get the book. Read it. Do exactly what Jamie says. It will work. (PS. In case you were wondering, I don't profit in any way for book sales.)

Are you thinking about potty training? Have you tried it? How did it go?

Title Image by thejbird on Flikr.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday Baby Link Up {Week #31}

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:00:00 +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

This weeks feature is The Natural Emergency Kit That I Always Carry In My Diaper Bag by Charise at Thought I Knew Mama. This is something I've been meaning to do for, um BabyE's whole life, but I haven't quite gotten around to it yet. Great idea Charise!

Link up your post below. Then stop by and enter for a chance to win an Amber Teething Necklace for your little one. Also, bring all your potty training questions to our expert on a Facebook chat Wednesday at 10 am Pacific. You won't want to miss it!

What are your best potty training tips? What are your biggest potty training questions?

Tuesday Baby Link Up {Week #30}

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:57:00 +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

Eating my placenta? That is one of the few crunchy things I thought I'd never do. Until this second pregnancy came along, and I started reading about some of the benefits. While still feeling a bit of ick about it, I've made my reservation to have a local doula come encapsulate my placenta for me after the birth. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes. This week I'm featuring Placenta Encapsulation Review - How, Why, and Does it Work? from Green Idea Reviews. This is a great article that will tell you everything you need to know about placenta encapsulation.

Link up your post below. Then stop by and enter for a chance to win an Amber Teething Necklace for your little one.

Have you tried placenta encapsulation?

Amber Teething Necklace Giveaway { Ends 5/26}

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:02:00 +0000

Teething is the worst isn't it? There are so many amazing things about the way creation works, but human babies getting their teeth is one of the few that just doesn't seem to work very well. Pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding are an orchestra of miracles most of the time. Then it comes time for baby to get teeth...

BabyE got his first tooth at just 4 months old. It was so hard for him to cope with the pain at that age. We tried every natural remedy we knew of, but nothing really seemed to work completely. We were both miserable.

One of the few things we didn't try was an amber teething necklace. I have a couple of friends who absolutely swear by them, so I was so excited when Spark of Amber offered to send me one to try with E.

It just so happened that the day the necklace arrived in the mail, E was starting to cut a new tooth. Overall his irritation seemed to be less than normal. Within a couple of days he was feeling all better.

Do we have the amber teething necklace to thank? It's impossible to say for sure, but it certainly can't hurt. I love that there are absolutely no adverse side effects to trying it as there might be with using a medication. At the very least he looks like a super cute little surfer dude.

We tried the 18 inch long necklace, and unfortunately it is long enough for him to get in his mouth at 21 months. Amber necklaces are not meant for chewing. For little guys, I'd definitely recommend getting a shorter version.

When I first put the necklace on him, he wanted it off again within about 3 seconds. Instead I did the usual mommy tap dance routine to distract him, and he's had it on every since (except for sleeping). Now he asks for his necklace every morning.

About Spark of Amber

Spark of Amber offers a range of Amber jewelry items for all ages, including teething necklaces. I love that the company is run by a work at home mom in the US. She sources her jewelry from 3 women in Lithuania who support their families by making jewelry. All Spark of Amber jewelry is authenticated, and shipping is always free.

The Giveaway

If you'd like to try an amber teething necklace for your little one, enter for a chance to win one in the giveaway below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Getting Ready for Baby #2 Checklist

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Fri, 10 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

All right, who stole my week? Last week I was happily thinking about how Baby #2 would be arriving in about 14 weeks. The next day, I got my pregnancy update email and poof! Just like that a whole week was gone. I thought I was 26 weeks, but I was actually 27!

Now I have less than 13 weeks left to get ready for Baby #2. Up until now, I've been avoiding even writing down this checklist. Now that it's out though I'm actually feeling a little less overwhelmed. I feel a lot better to have it front of my eyes rather than rattling around in my head.

1. Prepare my Toddler for Baby #2

Since I found out I was pregnant, I've made it my goal to help my toddler become a little more independent. We've been working on getting dressed and undressed, putting on socks and shoes, and feeding himself. Pretty much none of that is working so far, which is just fine. He's just not quite ready yet.

The very best most wonderful thing that is working is that we started potty training last month when he was 20 months old. I'll be talking a lot more about that next week. I can't wait to share our very positive experience with you!

One of my major concerns has been to do a better job of getting our house childproofed. I can just imagine all of the things E will find to get into while I'm sitting down nursing the new baby.

Then one of my wonderful Facebook fans suggested that I should also plan a safe place to put Baby #2 down where he or she can't be accidentally over-loved by the toddler. I hadn't even thought to worry about that yet.

We spend a lot of time talking with E about the new baby that is going to come live at our house. I tell him how he is going to have to share his milkies with the new baby.

Still, I know that there is absolutely no way he can comprehend the huge change that is about to occur. I can't comprehend it either, but I am feeling more confident that we will figure it out.

2. Prepare for Another Natural Birth

I've done almost nothing to prepare for the actual birth so far! I spend a lot of time preaching to people about how they need to prepare if they want a natural birth, and well, it's about time I take my own advice.

I have been reading Childbirth Without Fear at a rate of about 5 pages per day. So, I should be done about the time the new baby turns 4!

Luckily, I have been enjoying lots of beautiful empowering natural birth stories and doing lots of research as I work on my Natural Birth Stories book. Wow! these women are so strong! It is helping me build faith that I can do this again.

I really need to get back on track with my pregnancy exercise and nutrition plan. I've been doing ok, but I know I could be doing better.

I clearly remember how much I need all the strength in my arms and legs to maintain a comfortable position while laboring and pushing. I spent a lot of time on my hands and knees and in a semi squat last time around.

I would also like to practice my relaxation and review my Bradley workbook with DH.

I need to start gathering supplies for my home birth kit. This will need to be ready by the time we have our home visit from the midwives. Thankfully that's about 10 weeks away, but I'm sure it will be here before I know it!

We will be renting a birth tub, so I need to reserve that soon. I already have a just-in-case-of-transfer type hospital birth plan, but I'd also like to make one specifically for our ideal home birth.

3. Getting Ready for Baby

The nice thing about having a second baby is that there are many less things to buy. Now if only there weren't so many more things to do!

Here's a list of things I can think of that we do need to buy:

Convertible Car Seat. I have my eye on a Diono Radian RXT.
Baby Monitor
Baby Wash Cloths. Ours are so worn out.
Tandem Double Stroller. This can wait as we'll be baby-wearing for quite a while.
Postpartum Mama Cloth. This isn't really for baby, but I will not be enduring 8 weeks in disposable pads again. Ouch!
Bassinet. I need to measure and see if there's anyway we can fit the Co-Sleeper in our bedroom. If not I like this Fisher-Price Newborn Rock 'N Play Sleeper. It lets baby sleep on an incline, it folds up flat for storage, and it goes up to 25 pounds and 32 inches long which is great for my big babies.

I also really want a pair of baby Robeez shoes. E never wore shoes until he was walking, but they're so cute and impractical! I'll have to wait until we find out the gender for that one though.

I need to wash at least the smaller sizes of baby clothes and sort out which ones might be passably gender neutral. We're making it a little bit harder on ourselves since we aren't finding out the gender this time. I guess I should probably buy and wash at least a couple baby girl clothes?

At least with an August baby, a diaper and a receiving blanket will do just fine for quite a few weeks. Poor BabyE didn't wear clothes for the first three weeks he was born except to visit the midwife.

So there's really not much we need to buy. Compare that to even my minimalist baby registry checklist I posted a couple years ago.

It felt so good to pack away the diapers just a couple of weeks ago, but I'll need to find the newborn cloth diapers and wash them in preparation for Baby #2.

4. Declutter

We just did a major declutter about 6 months ago, so there isn't a whole lot to do. I just want to maintain the progress we've already made.

Tackle the pile of filing that is living on my dining room table.
Back up and donate or recycle the old computer.
Donate the books we decided to part with.
Clear off the top of the dryer. I'm tired or reaching around the sewing machine to get to the knobs!
Clear out a drawer for clothes for Baby #2.

5. Stock Up on Freezer Meals

I guess I had spent so much time learning about pregnancy and preparing for birth that I missed the part about postpartum recovery. I didn't even put away one freezer meal before I had BabyE.

Then the intensity of the postpartum period with my first baby took me by surprise. I didn't cook dinner again until BabyE was 4 months old.

Luckily DH did an amazing job of taking care of us and making sure his ravenous breastfeeding wife stayed full of healthy food. That's just not going to work this time around with a toddler and new baby to care for.

I asked a few of my bloggy friends for advice on freezer meal recipes. Jennifer at Cup Full of Faith recommended meat balls and stuffed pasta shells. Yum! I'll also be trying out some of these Nutrition Packed Freezer Meals from Justyn at Creative Christian Mama and this Sweet 'n' Spicy Crockpot Chicken at Nourishing Home.

So really, that's not too much to get done in 13 weeks, right? Right!? I'll be posting later to let you know how it all goes!

How did you prepare your toddler for Baby #2? What are your favorite freezer meal recipes? How many do I need? Did I forget anything from my list? (I'm sure I did!) Share your advice in the comments.

Image from Nina Matthews Photography via Flikr.

Tuesday Baby Link Up {Week #29}

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

It's hard to believe Baby#2 will be here in a short 13-ish weeks. I am hoping to take a little bit of a blogging maternity leave when baby arrives. I'm looking for bloggers and GrowingSlower fans to help me out by sharing some guest posts during that time.

If you'd be interested in guest posting on GrowingSlower this summer, check out my guest posting guidelines, and email me. Thanks in advance!!

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

A Baby Shower for my Baby Sister

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Mon, 06 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

In just a couple of weeks, I will officially get to take on the title of Auntie! I can't wait to welcome my little niece into the world, and this weekend we celebrated her impending arrival with a baby shower for her mama.

Ladies from four generations chatted and caught up after too long, enjoyed some yummy snacks, and gave gifts to help prepare the mama-to-be for her new little babe.

I can take very little credit for all the beautiful baby shower decorations and food you will see below, but I just couldn't resist sharing with you such a happy and beautiful day. Thank goodness for my sister's many amazingly talented and generous friends and my own mama who helped out! Get ready for some sweet baby shower eye candy!

The mom-to-be loves to go to frozen yogurt. We made an ice cream bar with all her favorite toppings.

Check out these cute little labels for the toppings that one of the girls made.

We used mason jars for drinking glasses with pink little ribbons. There were paint pins for the baby shower guests to label their glasses, so they didn't get mixed up.

A few weeks ago I told you about the adorable baby shower invitations I found at Splash of Silver on Etsy. Here are the ones we used for the baby shower.

We loved the baby shower invitations so much that we modeled our flower arrangements after it, putting them in a mason jar with a little pink ribbon tied around the top.

Our goal was that most of the decorations could be reused as nursery decor. We double checked the nursery colors (grey, coral, white, and a tiny bit of aqua). We spied on her Pinterest boards.

One of her friends put together these cute picture frames with her maternity pictures and ultrasound photos modeled after this pin.

She is even going to hang these tissue paper poofs in the nursery as a sort of over-sized mobile.

As each baby shower guest arrived, we asked them to fill out an advice card offering their words of wisdom and encouragement to the mom-to-be. There was also a sign up for anyone who wanted to bring a meal to the new family once baby arrives.

You can download these free printable advice cards (53 kb), meal sign up (162 kb), and thank you list (148 kb). For more baby shower ideas follow my Baby Shower pinterest board.

What are your favorite baby shower ideas?

Letters to Littles {21 months}

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Fri, 03 May 2013 16:31:00 +0000

Dear 21 month old BabyE,

It has now been 3 months since I wrote you a letter. You have changed and learned so much in that time! I will do my best to capture some fraction of the special moments and cuteness that fill your everyday.

This morning after breakfast we cuddled on the couch. You were clearly in need of some cuddles. The laundry sat unfolded. You nursed and looked at your Duck & Goose, 1, 2, 3 book, and I read Childbirth Without Fear.

Even when you were learning to walk, you never wanted help. You would always pull your hand right out of mine. Now when we're walking together, you say and, and and put your hand in mine. It makes my heart swell every time!

You're so very polite. You always sign thank you when we give you something. Even when we ask something of one another you sign thank you for us too. Now you've added saying Q.

Sometimes you just tell me in words and sign that you're happy. Sigh.

Here are a few of the many other words you say so sweetly:
Mo, More
Peessssss, Please
Poeee, potty
Buckle
Tickle
Be-y, Belly
Heavy

You can now climb up the stairs on the jungle gym and slide down all by yourself. Some of your favorite things to do are go for walks to see the horsies, play catch, kick the ball, do puzzles, and have me read books to you over and over and over.

At bedtime you whisper night, night and make the sign for bed. Then you run and jump happily in bed, knowing you'll get tucked in by Daddy and get Mama milkies. You've been learning so many words lately, we sometimes have to catch up and figure out what you're saying. One night we finally realized you were telling Daddy to pay, pay (pray). You know and love your routine so well.

One of our very favorite things you do is to announce ug before you throw your arms around us and pat our backs. You hold our faces in both your hands and give us big kisses. Many hearts have been thoroughly melted in this way.

You love bubbles. Tia taught you to blow imaginary bubbles. You hold the wand to your face and blow, then look up at your invisible bubbles and tell me high. Then you say pop, pop while squishing them between your fingers.

You also love to mimic anything we do, especially Daddy. You look in the mirror and pretend to shave. You stand in front of the potty and pretend to go.

When you ask for something like yogurt you follow it up immediately with yeeesss and an emphatic nodding of your head, lest someone might consider telling you no.

It is clear you are becoming more of a big boy than a baby with all your need to communicate your very specific desires. This seems to have coincided with you learning to use the potty and us telling you what a big boy you are. Apparently you believe us! You point to yourself and say boy and want to try to do everything by yourself.

I look forward to you being able to tell us more of what you want, need, and think in the coming months.

Love,
Your Mama

7 Secrets for a Screen-Free Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Thu, 02 May 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Summer is coming. Kids will be home full time. Moms will be hearing those dreaded I'm bored's. It would be so easy to let them watch just a little extra TV here and there until it turns into a lot.

My challenge to you is to turn off the TV this summer. Here are 7 Secrets for a Screen Free Summer.

1 Start Small

Each year Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood challenges families to turn off their screens for one week. You can do your own TV free week anytime. You can do anything for just one week!

2 Find Alternatives to TV

Once you turn off the TV you and your kids may be looking at each other wondering, What now? There are lots of things to do instead of watching TV. Here are 47 things to do instead of watching TV to keep you busy.

3 Look for Inspiration

While the average American is spending around 32 hours in front of the TV every week. You don't have to be average! There are lots of families loving going TV free.

Beth at Red and Honey made a goal to unplug her family and challenged others to join in.

We have been almost TV Free for well over a year, and we're still loving it!

4 Focus on the Benefits

From spending more time as a family to saving money, there are lots of benefits to going TV free. Focusing on the benefits will remind you why you're doing this challenge when all you want to do is veg out in front of the TV.

5 Make it Hard to Go Back

There may be times when it would be really easy to put the kids in front of the TV so you can get dinner on the table or get housework done. If you're going to go screen free, make it hard on yourself to go back.

Cancel cable or satellite. Unplug the antenna or the TV, so you have to make it a conscious decision to turn it on. You could even go really crazy and get rid of the actual TV or store it away.

6 Make it Fun

It can be a hard transition for parents and kids to go screen free. Plan some fun outings and activities to replace all that screen time. Make some really special events to look forward to. You may even let them pick out some special items to keep them busy instead. Soon your kids won't even remember what they're missing.

7 Find Balance

Going completely TV free isn't something that you may feel the desire or need to do. If that's you, don't feel like it's an all or nothing deal. Look for a healthy balance in the amount of screen time your family gets. This way you will be able to maintain cutting back on TV long term.

How would you go screen free, a little at a time or cold turkey?

Title Image by abbybatchelder via Flikr. Linked up with Frugally Sustainable and Simple Lives Thursday.

Tuesday Baby Link Up {Week #28}

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +0000

It's hard to believe Baby#2 will be here in a short 15-ish weeks. I am hoping to take a little bit of a blogging maternity leave when baby arrives. I'm looking for bloggers and GrowingSlower fans to help me out by sharing some guest posts during that time.

If you'd be interested in guest posting on GrowingSlower this summer, check out my guest posting guidelines, and email me. Thanks in advance!!

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

I'm sure none of you will be surprised that this week I'm featuring Victoria's post on Green Idea Reviews. She's asking the question Is Homebirth a Green Idea? Check out Part 1 and Part 2 of her post to find the answer.

Link up your post below. Then stop by and enter for a chance to win a Little Monsters Pocket Diaper.

Don't forget to email me if you're interested in guest posting here on GrowingSlower!

5 Benefits of Going TV Free

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Screen Free Week 2013 is next week April 29 through May 5. Here are some of the benefits our family has enjoyed by going almost TV free.

5 Benefits of Going TV Free

1 As I've been striving to live more simply and reduce my ties to our consumer culture, I've realized that television is just another form of consumption.

It is like the plastic toys with flashy lights and sounds that don't require kids to do any more than push a button for instant gratification. They don't get to use their imagination or move their body. The fun quickly fades and leaves them bored and looking for the next thing to entertain them.

2 Turning off the TV can help us get back in touch with reality.

Being fed a constant diet of the monoculture portrayed on TV leaves us desensitized to real relationships. Are all husbands dopey and unhelpful? Are all wives nagging and overly sensitive? Are all kids shuffled off screen as an inconvenience? I don't know about you but that's not the reality I know.

Turning off the TV has allowed me to refocus on the real values of our family. Watching TV can easily allow things inconsistent with those values to slip into your home.

3 No not everything on TV is bad. Television has the potential to inspire and entertain. For the most part though TV is the equivalent of eating Doritos. We think we enjoy it, we can't settle for just one, and in the end it's really just junk. (I recently learned that lesson about both TV and Doritos.)

Take back control of what comes into your home. Whenever I do watch live TV now, I am honestly shocked at the content that I previously allowed in my home. It is amazing how desensitized I was to it and what I convinced myself was acceptable.

4 Enjoy the quiet. Hear yourself think. Hear your family speak.

It wasn't until I stopped leaving the TV on constantly for background noise that I realized just how much it was cluttering my thoughts.

5 Watching less TV can give you the opportunity to pursue your passions. The average American watches four hours and 39 minutes of television every single day. Just imagine if you spent that much time writing the novel you've always dreamed of or working on your big business idea?

What would motivate you to try going TV Free?

Title image by .reid. on Flikr

Little Monsters Pocket Diaper Giveaway {Ends 5/8}

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

The Mama's Got a Brand New Babe giveaway event, hosted by Going Green with the Grizls and Sew Fatty, seemed like the perfect thing for me to participate in with a new baby on the way! The giveaway runs through May 8th.

After you enter to win the Little Monsters Pocket Diaper in the Rafflecopter widget below, make sure to keep scrolling down to the linky. There are 26 other bloggers with great giveaways for mamas and babies worth at least $25 each.

There are also TWO fabulous grand prizes!! Each includes prizes from an amazing list of sponsors including Boba, Gen-Y, Bamboobies, Kissed By the Moon, and Bummis!

Be sure to attend the Twitter party on May 9th from 9-10 EST to participate in the live drawing for the grand prizes. There will also be special prizes specifically for the Twitter party. You must tweet at least once during the party to be eligible to win. (Hashtag: #MamasBabe Hosts: @GreenGrizls & @SewFatty)

Little Monsters Pocket Diaper

The very best time of year is coming soon! Warmer days mean sweet little baby legs can be left sticking out of cute cloth diapers.

Of course, my favorite part and my primary motivation for using cloth diapers is saving money so that I can stay at home with my babies. So, when researching my cloth diaper options long ago, I settled on using inexpensive prefolds and wraps. Those have worked really well for us.

I have to admit that trying out this pocket diaper that Little Monsters sent me to review has been such a luxury.

Once the insert is stuffed in the pocket, they're essentially all one piece and about as close as you can get to the speed and ease of changing a disposable. That means more family members are willing to help with diaper changing duty!

The microfiber is oh so soft on baby's sensitive skin. It is also much trimmer than a prefold. While using the Little Monsters pocket diaper, I did find that I needed two inserts for my toddler. I put the microfiber insert that came with the diaper on top and added in one of my other hemp doublers for extra absorption. I imagine that for a little baby, just one insert would be fine.

One of the things I really like about the Little Monsters pocket diaper is that it is one size for 9 to 35 pounds. You could use the same set of diapers from newborn all the way through potty training without having to buy multiple sizes. This is really appealing to me now as I ponder the aspect of having two kids in cloth diapers and having to sort and organize two different sizes.

The Giveaway

Little Monsters is giving away a cloth pocket diaper with extra insert to one lucky GrowingSlower reader. Rules and entry below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Real Food for Babies & Tuesday Baby Link Up {Week #27}

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +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

Last week Justyn from Creative Christian Mama linked up a great post all about Real Food for Babies. If you've always been taught that rice cereal is the best first food for babies, you'll want to read this!

Link up your post below. Then stop by and enter for a chance to win a copy of First Bites eBook, all about nutrition for the baby and toddler years.

What was your baby's first food?

Beautiful Mom Giveaway Event {Ends 5/12}

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

In honor of Mother's Day and all the beautiful mamas Natural Vitality and hosted by Happy Mothering and the Green Moms Network are sponsoring a giveaway.

The prize package includes 3 items that will leave you feeling energetic and refreshed, with a total value of $170.95.

Prize #1: $100 Gift Certificate for the Natural Vitality Store

Best known for its Natural Calm supplement, Natural Vitality makes several high-quality dietary supplements. Natural Vitality’s products are Non-GMO project verified and the ingredients are organically grown. Read Happy Mothering’s review of Natural Vitality supplements here.

Natural Calm is a magnesium supplement that can help muscle and nerve function, heart rhythm, immune system, and bones. The main reason I wanted to bring this giveaway to GrowingSlower readers was because Natural Kids Calm is the multivitamin we use for BabyE.

Prize #2: 100% Pure Red Wine Resveratrol Gift Set

The 100% Pure Red Wine Resveratrol Gift Set is designed to aggressively protect against signs of aging such as environmental damage, lines, wrinkles and loss of elasticity. These products don’t contain harsh detergents, synthetic chemicals, chemical preservatives, artificial fragrances or any other toxins.

Prize #3: Mom Energy: A Simple Plan to Live Fully Charged

You can win Ashley Koff and Kathy Kaehler's Mom Energy: A Simple Plan to Live Fully Charged. The authors share their system for helping moms overcome fatigue to achieve the optimal health and energy. What mom couldn't use a little more energy?

The Giveaway

For a chance to win all three of these great prizes, enter using the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GrowingSlower was not compensated for this post and is not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Essential Yoga Poses for Moms

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +0000

I'm thrilled to welcome back my wise friend Jen from Every Breath I take. Today she's sharing two essential yoga poses moms should be doing everyday. Spoiler alert, you can get Jen's current 5-class virtual yoga series for only $25 when you register using the discount code MAMAONMAT!

Mama on the Mat - For Alignment’s Sake

My three-year-old daughter, AE, and I were recently visiting my aunt. When it was time to head home, AE began to resist. I playfully asked if there was a fun way we could make our way out to our car. "Carry me upside down!" she shouted. As I swooped up my 98th percentile child and inverted her, my aunt said, "And that is why young people have the children." There is no denying the physical demands placed on our mothering bodies.

From pregnancy to breastfeeding to babywearing and beyond, it is easy to pick up bad posture and alignment habits on our mothering journey. Pelvic floor issues, sciatica and back pain, neck and shoulder tension and chronic headaches are all common byproducts of poor alignment.

Since there is never a good time for a mama to be in pain or sick, I’m on a mission to help mothers restore and maintain healthy alignment through the practice of yoga.

I recently recorded a podcast about yoga and parenting with famous yoga teacher, Judith Hanson Lasater. She shared some wonderful encouragement for mothers who have a hard time making time to practice yoga. One of her suggestions was to start with one or two poses a day. So, I thought I’d share two of my favorite poses for mamas that can be practiced almost anywhere.

Half Dog

We wear shoes with heels (even our athletic shoes often have a heel); we sit for prolonged periods of time; we don’t stand with our feet in the proper position – and our entire body is paying the price!

Tight calves and hamstrings can result in everything from leg cramps and back pain to mensural cramps, incontinence and organ prolapse! We all need to stretch the muscles at the back of our legs – every single day!

Adho Mukha Svanasana is my all-time favorite pose for stretching the calves and hamstrings. The closer your hands are to your feet, the more intense the stretch is for the back of your legs. However, if you aren’t on your mat, you can still stretch the back of the legs! This pose can be practiced using your desk, your kitchen counter or a wall or chair anywhere you happen to be throughout your day.

Place your hands on the wall, desk or chair and step your feet back until your torso is parallel with the floor. Make sure the feet are pointing forward and not turning out. Now, bring your awareness to the low back. Most of us will find we’ve tucked the tailbone under and rounded the low back. Instead, lift your tailbone toward the ceiling to restore the natural lumbar curve. Linger here, breathing gently for two - three minutes. Come out of the pose on an in breath.

Squat

We see our kids doing it all the time, but most of us rarely “cop a squat.” (Name that movie reference!) Squatting is greatly underrated in our society. Much more so than the widely recommended practice of kegels, regular squatting, with precise alignment, is instrumental for pelvic floor health. All women should be squatting every day!

The key points of alignment for safe and healthy squats are:

Feet should be slightly further than hip distance apart and pointing forward.
Knees should be as wide as the ankles, with the shins and thighs parallel.
Most woman cannot get their feet flat without turning them out, so a rolled yoga mat or towel under the feet should be used for support.
The natural lumbar curve should be in tact (no tucking the tailbone under). Once you have healthy alignment in your squat, go ahead and practice those kegels – they are most effective when practiced in a squat!

Obviously, the more time we spend practicing yoga, the more benefits we will see. If getting to a class is difficult for you, 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). Designed specifically to restore and maintain healthy alignment, it will definitely help with those all too common mama aches and pains. Plus, it comes with 10 yoga break videos that can be quickly added throughout your day!

Save $5 off the regular full series price of $30 when you use the discount code MAMAONMAT before April 30th.

This post is the first in a three-part blog tour. Check out the schedule and links to the other two posts, hosted by Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama and Christine at African Babies Don’t Cry.

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.

Tuesday Baby Link Up {Week #26}

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +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

The featured post for Week #26 is the Keeping the Poop Out of your Diapers at One Organic Mama. If you're a cloth diapering mama, you have to stop by and see this cheap and effective trick for, well keeping the poop and the poop-stains off your cloth diapers. Brilliant!

Link up your post below. Then stop by and enter for a chance to win an Ergo baby carrier.

What are your favorite diapering tricks?

Win an Ergo Baby Carrier!

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:10:00 +0000

I'm so excited to partner with Charity from The Homegrown Family online store along with some of my favorite blogging friends at Positively Real Media to bring you this awesome Ergo baby carrier giveaway!!!

The Ergo carrier is the one baby carrier I've used from the time my son was 4 months old until now! I could carry him comfortably even though he was 30 pounds as a one-year old. I've even happily carried him for an hour or more during this pregnancy.

Some days it has been an absolute must to allow me to get dinner ready while keeping him safe and happy.

Here's some more info on the Ergo from from the Homegrown site:

ERGObaby's baby carrier design supports a natural sitting position for babies, eliminating compression of the spine and hips that can be caused by unsupported suspension. The baby carrier also balances the baby's weight to parents' hips and shoulders, and alleviates physical stress for the parent.

The Homegrown Family store carries the Ergo along with some awesome real food kitchen tools, including The Wondermill Grain Mill, Bosch Mixers, and the Excalibur Dehydrator.

They even carry coconut oil!

Check out this online shop and help support this family business!

Here's a little bit of info about the family behind Homegrown Family.

Brian and Charity, parents of twelve kids (nine at home), live in the beautiful mountains near Yosemite National Park. Brian is self-employed and works with his sons. Moving from the corporate world (GE Capital and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage) to self-employment, he embraced the vision of discipleship at home, working, homeschooling and serving with his family. Charity has a passion for directing people to love Jesus MORE, and see families grow in freedom as they raise their family to serve the Lord. Together, along with their children (ages one to twenty-three), in the last two years, the family has served in teams that have shared the Gospel in the Philippines to over 45,000 people, starting 104 Bible Studies and planting 24 churches.

They invite you to visit their family missions page and the Family Missions International site for more information about joining the missions team.

The Giveaway

You can use the Rafflecopter form below to enter the giveaway. Then stop by and visit The Homegrown Family. Due to shipping restrictions, this giveaway is only available to our US friends.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

First Bites Review & Giveaway {Ends 4/26/13}

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +0000

First Bites is an eBook all about nourishing your baby during his first years of life. The book covers breastfeeding newborns all the way up through starting solids and feeding toddlers. Hilary shares her extensive research with grace.

Even though I consider myself pretty educated about breastfeeding, she still surprised me with really interesting new information about the biology of breastfeeding that I had never seen before. She also paired the research with her personal experience of feeding her own children, making First Bites really enjoyable to read.

Any mom to be will benefit from the many personal stories of breastfeeding in First Bites. We can learn a lot from both the challenges and successes that the mothers shared. It actually gave me quite a bit to think about as I prepare for another birth and a new breastfeeding relationship.

In the second part of the book Hilary discusses starting solids. She brings attention to several studies that can help guide you as to which food you may want to start feeding your baby.

There is lots of information on first foods, how to make them yourself, and how to save money on the healthiest options.

Part three talks about Toddlers and older children. Hilary dives into the scary world of what's really in our food and how it affects our children. It is so wonderful that she's puts all this research at our fingertips, even doing her own mini behavior experiments.

This isn't just a book about starting solids. I would encourage any mother to read it. First Bites is available for Kindle and in PDF format. Hilary also has a new book out called Accidentally Green.

The Giveaway

You can win a digital copy of the First Bites eBook. Use the easy Rafflecopter entry form below to enter and to see all the official rules.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Positive Natural Birth Stories {Call for Submissions}

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

When I was preparing for the natural birth of my baby, I devoured every positive natural birth story I could get my hands on. Each story was different, but each one solidified my resolve and my faith that I too could give birth naturally.

Since experiencing the power of a natural birth myself, I have become even more passionate about importance of sharing our positive birth stories to empower one another. So, I'm finally getting serious about my birth stories book.

I know it's probably crazy to start such a big project in the middle of an exhausting pregnancy while chasing a toddler, but I think pregnancy just stirs up the creative juices in me. I'm a little over half way done with the book, but I'm still looking for about 10 birth natural stories to include in the book.

Searching for 10 more #naturalbirth #birthstories to include in my book. Share yours!ow.ly/jYgct
— Shannon Brown (@growingslower) April 11, 2013

The Book

The book consists of two parts. The first is the natural birth stories themselves. The second is advice provided by the mamas for achieving a natural birth. I know we all have that need to share our (sometimes unsolicited) advice with every pregnant woman we see, so here’s your chance!

Each contributor will also have a short byline where you can tell us a little bit about yourself, including your blog or business if you have one. You don't have to be a blogger to have your story included. In fact, most of the moms who have shared their birth stories so far are not writers in their daily lives.

Would you be willing to share your birth story and natural birth advice with mothers to be? If you would like to become a contributing author of the Natural Birth Stories project, simply enter your contact information, birth story, and advice in the form below. Please feel free to answer all the advice prompts or choose just one, depending on how much time you have.

I know your story and advice will be an inspiration to all the women who read it!

Share your natural birth story in the form below. If you'd like to stay updated about the progress of the book and when it will be coming out, let me know!

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Linked up with Simple Lives Thursday, Your Green Resource.

Tuesday Baby Link Up {Week #25}

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +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

The featured post for Week #25 is the 11 Week Pregnancy Update at Ashley's Green Life. Isn't this picture of her tiny baby bump adorable? I think finding the right background is part of what's holding me back from doing more bump pictures. (Oh that and getting out of sweats!) I only have one picture so far this pregnancy! Head on over and read about the making of Ashley's photo along with the rest of her pregnancy update.

There are also three great giveaways going on this week at GrowingSlower. Stop by and enter to win a $200 gift certificate for Organic Eco Baby, a $25 gift certificate to SplashOfSilver on Etsy, and a jar of handmade Magnesium Oil Lotion.

What are your favorite backgrounds for pregnancy pictures?

Earth Day is for Babies Giveaway {Ends 4/22 US Only}

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

In honor of Earth Day, I'm joining with Organic Eco Baby, Going Green with the Grizls and So Easy Being Green to bring you the Earth Friendly Babies Giveaway, or as I call it the Earth Day is for Babies Giveaway. Earth Day really is for our babies. I so hope we leave a healthy, beautiful world for them to inherit!

The Prizes

When you enter the giveaway, you'll have a chance to win a $200 gift certificate from Organic Eco Baby. The winner will be able to use the gift certificate to choose from all the great cloth diapers, organic clothes, safe bath products, non-toxic crib mattresses, green toys and goodies for Mama available from Organic Eco Baby. A few of the brands that you can find at Organic Eco Baby are Naturepedic, SoftBums, Green Toys, Keekaroo, Smart Bottoms and more!

Enter the Giveaway

You can enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. This giveaway is available to the US only (sorry to my international readers!). Enter now because the giveaway will end April 22nd, 2013 at 11:59pm EST. The winner will be notified by email. GrowingSlower is not responsible for issuing the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Magnesium Oil Lotion for Pregnancy & Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

When I heard from a couple of different mamas that Magnesium can help relieve some uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness and insomnia, I was intrigued. Since Magnesium is most easily absorbed through the skin, I made some Magnesium oil spray. Unfortunately, I haven't been very good about actually applying it as much as I should.

Part of the problem with the Magnesium oil spray is that it stung when I applied it to my arms and legs, though putting it on my belly is usually ok. Ideally I would spray it on, allow it to absorb for 20 or 30 minutes and then shower it off. You mamas can imagine how often I have that much free time!

I have been wanting to try Magnesium oil lotion for a while now as a more comfortable alternative. On the day when I was just about to order the ingredients to make my own, Justyn of Creative Christian Mama offered to let me try some from her shop. I tried the single strength without rosemary since I'm pregnant. To learn more about Justyn and her journey with Magnesium check out her post on How to Make Magnesium Oil Lotion.

With the healthy Magnesium mixed into creamy soothing lotion, I didn't have any more troubles with stinging. In fact, I've been using it as belly butter to help with my itchy pregnancy belly.

Since Magnesium deficiency can lead to trouble sleeping, I decided to work the Magnesium oil lotion into our bedtime routine with my sleepless BabyE. We have never done baby massage before. Now as soon as he sees the adorable little jar of Magnesium oil lotion he starts motioning for me to rub his belly. He loves it!

I love having a product that has ingredients as pure as if I had made it myself. It's even better that it comes handmade from a mama-owned business!

Giveaway

Justyn is generously giving away one 2 ounce jar of Magnesium Oil Lotion to one GrowingSlower reader. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter and see the official rules.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

12 Best Natural Birth Books

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +0000

I had this terrifying realization. Ready or not, this baby is coming in 18 (ish) weeks! Each week is flying by faster and faster, and it seems like there is so much I still need to do.

Just because I've done this birth thing before doesn't necessarily mean I'm ready now. There was a lot of mental and emotional preparation that went into my first birth.

By this time in my first pregnancy I had already read a dozen pregnancy and birth books. I just don't have that much time now, but I still need to prepare.

I reached out to the GrowingSlower facebook fans to get your suggestions for the best natural birth books. I can't wait to read your suggestions! I'll also be rereading some of my old favorites. Here here are our recommendations in no particular order.

Top 12 Natural Birth Books

1. Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin***

2. Redeeming Childbirth by Angie Tolpin*

3. Childbirth Without Fear by Grantly Dick-Read*
The new release will be available May 2013. You can pre-order now on Amazon. You have got to see the cover on this!

4. The Other Baby Book by McGrory Massaro and Miriam J. Katz*

5. Hypnobabies Home Study Course*
An home-study version of the entire Hypnobabies childbirth education course.

6. Husband Coached Childbirth by Dr. Robert A. Bradley, et al.***

7. Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon-Rosegg, et al.***

8. Natural Hospital Birth by Cynthia Gabriel*

9. The Business of Being Born by Abby Epstein**
(not a book, but a must-watch documentary)

10. Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn by Penny Simpkin, et al.*

11. Hypnobirthing by Marie F. Mongan and Lorne R. Campbell**

12. The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer and Rhonda Wheeler*

* Recommended by GrowingSlower Facebook fans and readers

** Read and recommended by me
*** Both of the above

I hope to add my own to this genre come April 2014. If you have a natural birth story to share, visit my webform to submit. Love reading birth stories? Sign up if you'd like to be notified when the book comes out.

Title image by katya_alagich on Flikr. Linking up with Wellness Wednesdays.

Tuesday Baby Link Up {Week #24}

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Brown) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:51:00 +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

Featured Post

You're invited to become a curator on our Oh Baby Baby Pinterest board. If you would like me add you so you can pin to the board, just send me an email and be sure to let me know the email address associated with your Pinterest account.

This week features asks an important pregnancy question: Should I get my membranes stripped? This something I contemplated as I went 16 days after my due date with BabyE, but I decided to trust that Baby would come when he was ready. It just wasn't worth the pain and the chance that it wouldn't work anyway.

Hop on over and enter to win a $25 gift certificate to Etsy shop SplashOfSilver and over 50 other baby shower-related prizes, including a $300 grand prize package.