A Day off.... just for fun

It has been one of those weeks. The kids have both been fussy, neither one too interested in the fact that Mommy has lots to get done around the house, and as is my annual tradition I end up doing a fall instead of spring cleaning. I have everything pulled out of everywhere and the house is currently... well not very attractive ;)

Xander and Madison are very good kids, they have their days as do we all, but this week has just been different for all of us. I finally realized that what they are both needing is uninterrupted Mommy time and attention. This time in our lives goes by so fast that I try to truly enjoy it, when my kiddos need me, other things can be set aside!!

So today as Daddy got ready for work, we also got ready to leave the house instead of getting ready for our afternoon nap as is usual. It was an unusually warm November day, so giving Xander a few different choice we ended up with the decision of going to the park to play. He would spend every waking moment there if he had the choice!!
By the time we arrived there, Madison was fast asleep so I covered her up with a blanket and carried the car seat to the jungle gym area. We had the whole park to ourselves so I decided to put her in clear view where I could still run around and play with Xander. We played for a time, going down slides and playing tag. After awhile Madison woke up so I strapped her in the ergo and off we went again. A few moments later another family (a mom and two young boys arrived). Xander and the boys quickly began playing together and I was content to watch them run around and have fun. Later we decided to go swing, Xander loves to go high, and eventually he let go and I forgot to pay close attention and BONK! he hit the ground!! He was very sad, but after some cuddling and kisses he decided that ice cream would make it all better! We went to the grocery store and got some movies and ice cream and malt powder to make malts! When we came home we got some lunch and the kids fell asleep watching their 'Diego' movie that we had rented.
Once everyone woke up we decided to make pizza dough so that we can have some pizza when Daddy gets home and watch a movie that we have been REALLY wanting to see. It's called 'UP' it's a cartoon movie but it looks like a lot of fun, and these days it's hard to watch much else anyway lol!! We did cheat though, we already had some malts, but we will have some again with our movie tonight after our pizza :)
Well it's time to get back to being Mommy. So there is my update, it's been one crazy couple of weeks and my Internet hasn't been working much, but now Damian has it fixed so I will try to update more frequently... and I will try to get some pics up of the last couple of months!

Fall Fun

Today we had a wonderful time painting pumpkins. Yes PAINTING!! Not a fan of Halloween, though we did carve pumpkins last year with fun shapes.. sponge bob and blue from blues clues. This year we decided that trying to carve with a 2 year old and a 7 month old would probably not turn out too well. Xander found the paints in my craft box, so this is how we came to painting our pumpkin.

A couple of weeks ago we went to a local 'pumpkin patch' and had a really nice time. This is where we got our pumpkin. I have to laugh though, we live at such a high altitude that things like that do not grow up here, so the pumpkins were "imported" from Canon City and placed in a field like they had grown there. We got one big pumpkin, we also got to go on a hay ride, drink a yummy cup of fresh made apple cider, pet cows, bunnies, goats, etc. Xander had a ball, and Madison enjoyed looking around sleep-ily in the ergo carrier. All in all it was a very fun little adventure that we had.

(ok now I'm getting back to this post some time later!!)
I plan to upload pics but I do not have the time or patience to deal with it right now.

Anemia

Anemia

A quick review

What is it?

In general it is low hemoglobin, not a disease but a symptom of an underlying problem. In pregnancy it is often caused by inadequate nutrition. Pregnancy is a very demanding time on a woman's body and it can be hard to maintain adequate nutrition throughout, but it is of up most importance. During pregnancy I strongly recommend the Brewer Pregnancy Diet www.blueribbonbaby.org

What are the symptoms?

Anemia reduces the amount of oxygen available to the cells of the body. As a result, they have less energy available to perform their normal functions. This can cause shortness of breath and dizziness. Other symptoms include: fatigue, weakness, irritability, you may also have pale skin, brittle nails, chest pain, a coldness in your hands or feet, or an irregular heartbeat. Some people with anemia also have a desire to eat ice or other peculiar things and have trouble concentrating or performing mental tasks.

What are some pregnancy safe remedies to increase hemoglobin?

My favorite remedy is Floridix, it works quickly and in my opinion it tastes good, though some wouldn't agree. It is made by Salus, it is a natural whole foods supplement, it is sugar free and it is also kosher. The drawback to this is that it is fairly pricey, one bottle runs about $30.

Another good option, which is generally cheaper is Chlorophyll. This is a standby remedy that is used by many midwives. Both of these are natural and should be non-constipating, however I have heard reports that chlorophyll can be constipating.

Herbal remedies: Nettle Leaf Infusion, Yellow Dock tincture, Alfalfa, Red raspberry

Food Sources high in iron: Dark green vegetables, prunes, grape juice, apples, apricots, asparagus, bananas, broccoli, egg yolks, kelp, okra, purple grapes, black strap molasses, Brewer's yeast.

For instructions on how to make an infusion: http://www.susunweed.com/How_to_make_Infusions.htm

Sources:

Holistic Midwifery I - Frye

Prescription for Nutritional Healing - Balch

Why Natural Childbirth?

Why natural childbirth? This bit of a Garth Brooks song puts it very simply for me...

I could have missed the pain, but I'd have had to miss the dance.

Yes for me childbirth was painful, but it was something I could handle, something you can handle. When my daughter was finally born, all I could say was 'I did it... We did it' I felt so amazing, so powerful, so strong, so alive... so EMPOWERED! I remember holding my daughter, my husband holding her, the look on my son's face when he met his new baby sister! Things I didn't remember when I had my son. I recovered faster and felt better after my homebirth with my daughter than with my drugged birth after my son. When she was born she cried for only a moment, then she looked around at this new world and was instantly calm! My husband was amazed at the difference between her and our son's first moments of life. So you say why natural childbirth? I say why anything but!
Please feel free to share your thoughts on your own natural childbirth in the comments. I would also encourage you to share your wonderful birth stories with mom's to be out there... we need more good birth stories out there... no more fear!!

Back Labor

Something that is very feared by many women... Back Labor! Often times when a baby is in what we call a posterior position (baby's back is against mom's back), this can produce a lot of back pain during labor. Sometimes it even happens when the baby isn't in this position. Though back pain can be difficult, with back labor you often do not feel the contractions in your belly, you feel them only in your back... so it's kind of a trade off instead of having both!


The way I like to explain the pain of labor to my clients is this.


Labor pain is a natural pain, your body knows that this is something it is supposed to do. A necessary pain that it completely knows how to handle. Our society puts a lot of fear in women when it comes to birth. The minute you tell someone you are pregnant, chances are they will tell you the worst horror story they have ever heard about pregnancy, labor, birth, babies, etc. In reality there are about 4 baby's born every second throughout the world... most of which are born successfully... vaginally, without hospital, epidurals, episiotomy, etc. I am hearing more and more often stories about women 'needing' a cesarean section because the baby was sunny side up (posterior). This is truly one of those reasons that I would adamantly question! When women choose to labor naturally at home, they are able to follow their bodies, do what brings the most comfort. I seldom see home birth ladies stay still in one position for very long. By moving throughout your labor, following your body's lead doing what comes naturally to do... you give your body a chance to open up, your baby the chance to rotate, all of this is working together to get the baby out in the most effective manor. Laying in bed generally does not allow these things to happen and can stall labor and prevent the baby from descending, especially in the case of a posterior baby.


If you haven't done it before, pregnancy is a great time to learn to tune into your body, listen to your instincts. If you do this during your pregnancy then it will come naturally to you to listen to your body during labor. There are many things that can be done to help when a woman is experiencing back labor. Here are a few suggestions....

The number one thing that I have found to help is counter pressure on the mother's back. This is done by pressing the palm of your hand on mother's back. It is usually done just off center in the low back, the laboring woman will be able to tell you exactly where to push and also how lightly or firmly to push. In my experience it is often a very firm push that they want. You will do this through contractions, but can usually let up between them. It will get tiring so you may need someone to take over periodically to give you a break.
http://www.childbirthconnection.org/pop.asp?ck=10426
Above is a link to a good drawing of someone applying counter pressure. However, in this picture it looks much more to the side than I generally see. Take the mother's lead, she can tell you just where it helps.

Some other suggestions from the 'Birth Partner' by Penny Simkin, which by the way would be a great read for a husband or other support person!
The double hip squeeze
The knee press
Rolling pressure over the low back
Slow dancing - a really great one. Husbands can be a very wonderful support during this time!
Open Knee Chest Position
Pelvic Rocking - great one for any labor, really helps relax the pelvis and let baby rotate

All of these and many more suggestions can be found in the birth partner. You can also see more ideas on www.spinninbabies.com

And one of the most important things... Get moving!! Moving though it may be hard as labor progresses, is extremely valuable in keeping laboring going and getting baby down through the pelvis.

As always, I hope that if you are reading this that the info will be of value to you. Don't fear birth, embrace it knowing that it is truly an amazing and fulfilling experience. By the time you have labored and born a child, you will know that you can handle being a mother.
Blessing for a beautiful birth.

Recipe for my Brother...

I was talking with my mom awhile back and she said that my brother told her the other day (now this has been a fews weeks!!) that he did not have any family recipes. I decided that I would try and get some to him, so why not blog it :)

When I was about 13-14 (?) I recieved the most beautiful journal from Elizabeth and Marie Phelps, some friends of mine. It was so pretty I just had to do something special with it. I decided to use it as a recipe book, so I began putting family recipes in it. It's no where near full, but I do have lots of great recipes in it, and I'm enjoying putting my own family recipes in it now too. All these years later.... A big thank you to you ladies, I have really treasured that little journal!!

So Oliver, here is a recipe for you.... (I wish I had a picture)

Mom's Green Enchiladas

1 doz. Thin white tortillas (at least)

10 oz Cheddar cheese, grated

10 oz. Monteray Jack cheese, grated

1/3 Cup Green Onions

1 Small can chopped green chilies

3 Cups cooked and diced chicken

1 Can cream of chicken soup

1 Can cream of celery soup

3/4 Cup Sour Cream

3/4 Cup Milk

Filling:

Mix chicken, green onions and jack cheese in a large bowl.

Sauce:

Mix chilies, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, sour cream, and milk.

Place filling in tortillas. Place in greased shallow pan. Cover with sauce and then the cheddar cheese. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Note: You can use 4 cups of cooked hamburger instead of chicken. You can also make this up and freeze it once put together before cooking it in the oven, then just pull it out the night before to thaw in the fridge and cook as directed when ready!

Increasing Breastmilk Supply

Breastfeeding your baby is one of the most important things you can do for him. It is a very special time, one to cuddle and bond. You are providing many health benefits from decreased allergies and immunity, to better health throughout their entire life. Breastfed babies have lower rates of juvenile diabetes and cancers among many other diseases, and as they enter adulthood they have lower incidences of heart disease, diabetes, etc.
Most people know that breastfeeding benefits babies, but many do not know that it is also very helpful for mother's health as well. Some of these are: increased bone mass after weaning (decreasing your risk for osteoporosis later in life), reduced risk of various cancers, psychological benefits, and less important but also beneficial is the calories burned to make milk helps mom lose pregnancy weight quicker during the postpartum period.
These benefits continue into the toddler period as well. In fact the World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding up to six months of age, and continued breastfeeding up to the age of two and beyond with additional supplemental food. Even the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, and continued breastfeeding for the first year and beyond, as long as mutually desired by both mother and child. Personally I breastfeed my children for a full year before introducing other foods, it seems very silly to me to feed a baby when they are rejecting the food spitting it out, and don't even have any teeth to begin eating anyway. Each baby is truly an individual though and parents should follow their own instincts with their child, to provide optimal health!
On rare occasion a mom's milk supply may not meet the demands of the baby. When using formula and bottles one can tell exactly how many ounces of milk a baby gets, and it is easier to feel confident that your baby is getting enough. This should never deter one from exclusive breastfeeding however! You can find more info on the following link http://milkshare.birthingforlife.com/supply to determine if you in fact do have a low supply issue. I will not continue on that issue because this article has it pretty well covered. So I will get back to my initial point of this post, which is to provide info on increasing milk supply for those that really do need additional help.

Increasing Milk Supply

First and foremost stay well hydrated, well nourished and well rested; feed the baby on demand and as often as possible. Eliminate as many obligations as possible when having supply issues. Motherhood is a lot of work and can be very exhausting, but it is a time in our lives that passes very quickly. It is very difficult to look back and have regrets about something as important as providing the best possible care to our precious babies because of such trivial issues as... needing to clean the house, running errands, etc. the list could go on for miles. The Milk Share link above will go further into issues such as these. The following will be mostly herbal and supplement sources for increasing supply.

From Wise Woman Herbal by Susun Weed:

http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Breastfeeding1.htm

Nourishing herbs -

• Comfrey
• Raspberry Leaf
• Nettles
• Alfalfa
• Red Clover

Susun says that these herbs encourage a plentiful supply of breastmilk and a relaxed healthy mother. She recommends using each one for a week, then rotating to the next.

Increasing and Sustaining Supply -

• Apricots
• Asparagus
• Green Beans
• Carrots
• Sweet Potatoes
• Peas
• Pecans
• All Leafy Greens
• Blessed Thistle Leaves - In tincture form up to 20 drops, 2-4 times daily
• Borage Leaves - As an infusion (basically a concentrated tea to be simple) and/or the flowers added to your salad
• Fennel/Barley Water - For the recipe see the above link to Susun Weed's website
• Hops Flowers

There is a great Nursing Formula Infusion recipe in Susun Weed's book 'Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year'

Well that's it for today! I hope this information that I have learned from others and am now passing on to you, has provided you with some valuable information. Many blessing on providing your precious babies with that liquid gold we call breastmilk. Just remember every day and every ounce that you provide for your little one is a huge benefit to his or her! health.

Sources:
Health Benefits for Breastfeeding Mothers - http://www.llli.org/NB/NBJulAug01p124.html
WHO statement - http://www.who.int/topics/breastfeeding/en/
AAP statement - http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/feb05breastfeeding.htm
Supply - http://milkshare.birthingforlife.com/supply
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html
Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year - Susun Weed