Baking a Healthier Bun in the Oven

Where has Nicole Harter been?

2011-05-10T07:46:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

So, disregard those rumors that I threw away my healthy lifestyle and decided to live on the couch with bon bons...this will be a "what has Nicole been doing for the last 4 months", and "why she has been ignoring her blog" post.

I am so excited about this project, I cannot even tell you...but I will...are you dying in anticipation yet???

Announcing the Franklin Community Gardens--found at King Street Memorial Field in Franklin, MA. There are 46 raised beds: 4 beds will belong to the Franklin Food Pantry, 8 will be leased by community organizations, 4 are wheelchair accessible, and 30 will be leased by Franklin residents. The first ever community garden in Franklin, Massachusetts. Awesomeness.

Here is a little bit of history. Once upon a time in 2010, a bunch of community members: Jodi Koeman, Amy Cornwell from New England Chapel, Lauren Marciszyn from the Hockomock YMCA, Anne Marie from the Franklin Food Pantry, Deb Schwab from the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School, and Franklin residents Sandy Bryant and I joined forces and started building raised beds across the community. We organized 12 beds to be built in total at the Charter school, NEC, the senior center, the food pantry, early childhood development center, and other sites. The beds were a small start with the hopes that someday there would be a larger community garden in Franklin, where people could create vegetable gardens and build a community that spanned generations and taught the community about the importance of fresh, local, organic food ! The funding for the beds came from part of a state grant called Mass in Motion, given to the Hockomock YMCA for use in creating a healthier community in Franklin.

One day that fateful spring, someone (Amy Acevedo) walked by the bed at the food pantry and inquired "what is this doing here?" and happened to be an avid gardener with experience in community gardening. Luckily that same someone was also a "doer" and joined our small team and began pulling in other garden do-gooders. The Franklin Community Gardens was born. Fast forward to October 2010 and we establish a steering committee (Amy Acevedo, Chris Clay, Lauren Marciszyn and I). From there we took it and ran, developing plans, working with the town, and establishing a town committee as well as a non-profit. And as of last weekend and we have accomplished the following:

Established the Franklin Community Gardens Town Committee (Amy Acevedo, Chris Clay, Deb Schwab, Teresa Triana and myself)
Established and incorporated the Friends of Franklin Community Gardens non-profit (Amy, Chris, Deb Schwab, Teresa Triana, Lauren Marciszyn and myself)
Built the first site for Franklin Community Gardens at King St Memorial Field with 46 raised beds thanks to the funding from the next installment of the Mass in Motion grant via YMCA
Began registration process for the distribution of the raised beds

PHEW...so I have been a little busy helping with those things. If you are interested in learning more about Franklin Community Gardens visit www.franklincommunitygardens.org. The blog, which is written by Amy and sometimes Chris, is a better description of all we have been doing, all the amazing sponsors and folks that have been involved, and it is all soooo (dare I say it) WICKED EXCITING!

If you are interested in becoming a "Friend" or "Sponsor" of the Franklin Community Gardens-we will have more info coming soon.

If you are a member of the Franklin community and would like to be more involved with the Franklin Community Gardens, we meet Monday evenings at 6:30 PM at the Municipal building.

The other little things I have been doing are:

Chasing little Levi around because he started walking at 10.5 months! He is now 13 months old and having a blast playing and exploring!
Watching Samuel do his activities--swimming, basketball, baseball, and cub scouts! Helping him with his homework and getting him outside and into the garden!
Teaching kids cooking workshops once a month at the Franklin YMCA. They are called "Chop Chop" and we have a lot of fun cooking healthy recipes!
Working out at the Franklin YMCA--where I can drop Levi off at Child Watch
Heading to Tangerini's Spring Street farm, where my Spring CSA as started up again. Loving those fresh local greens!
Making friends with other moms in my town through the MOMs club. If you are a stay at home mom, you should look into a local mom's group to help find support and make friends. Really helps with the long days at home when you have other adults to talk to!
Reading
Yardwork--our grass is finally coming in!

I hope I can start blogging more often now that the garden has been physically built. Hopefully with some new recipes!

In health and seedlings!

Nicole Harter

For all you pregnant ladies or those with pregnant friends...

2011-03-03T15:39:00.000-08:00

My beautiful and talented friend Bekah Dobry is having a giveaway on her site...her latest blog reads:

"Leidi Bird is doing another giveaway, Yeah! I’ve decided to put up for grabs a Custom New Baby 4 Piece Set, which includes a quilted changing pad and 3 coordinating burp cloths. This means you can pick any of the available fabrics shown on Leidibird.com! If you are expecting, already have a little bundle of joy, or would like a set to give as a gift, then enter to win by Wednesday March 9th for your chance!"

So head to the Leidi Bird blog and enter for your chance to win!

In health and wellness,
Nicole

"Johnny Won't Eat That"...Well NOW he won't!!!

2011-02-09T09:45:00.000-08:00

Today I am going to talk about something that has been increasingly on my mind lately: parental comments about their children's eating habits, especially around their children, and how it affects them. It has been on my mind lately for 2 reasons:

I will be teaching a parent/child cooking class this Saturday called "Chop Chop" at the Franklin YMCA. And some of the success of the class is dependent on whether the kids try the foods we cook. And that depends a lot on the parents (and whether or not they make comments).
We are going to be doing some taste-testing at my son's school next week. So whether the kids try the foods will depend on the child's sense of adventure and the environment of food they have grown up in.

So what's the big deal, if we call our children "picky"? Or "good-eaters" or make a comment that "Oh, Johnny won't eat that" or "Susie won't try that, she is picky"?

The problem is that it is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you say "Johnny wont eat that" in front of Johnny, then you are correct, he won't eat it. If Susy grows up thinking she is "picky" then she will describe herself that way to other people. She will think "I am just a picky eater, it is the way I am" and then she doesn't ever have to learn otherwise. So what if you didn't label your children in terms of how they eat? What if you didn't compare your kids and just allowed them to look at and explore the foods and try them whenever they were ready? You may find that they may surprise you and break out of the role you have given them on their own.

So how can we foster an environment that encourages our children to try different foods?

Don't force your kids to try anything or eat anything. Not even a one bite rule. This takes control and power out of the equation. Let them have the power to decide what goes in their mouth.
Make it a rule that everything for dinner goes on everyone's plate (except for allergies of course). The more they see, touch, and move the food around on their plate--the more comfortable they will get with the food. The more comfortable they get, the more likely they are to try foods. Maybe not the first or second time, but eventually.
Zip your lips about whether you think your kids will try things--you may be pleasantly surprised.
Let the kids see/touch/help prepare the food before it is cooked.
Bring the kids to see it grow in a garden or at a farm if you can.
Let the kids see, touch, and smell it at the grocery store.
Try foods in different ways--cooked, raw, pureed, mashed, oven roasted, etc.
Avoid labeling foods as ones your child doesn't like as an absolute. Try to say things like: "oh, so you didn't like it this time? Maybe you'll like it cooked another way, or when you get a bit older". Once my son understood that tastes change, he understood that he may like something later on and he is more willing to re-try foods.
Recognize your child won't like everything and respect those things. Forcing a kid to eat something they truly don't like won't help them develop a love and respect for vegetables. (Remember those lima beans your mom forced you to eat?)
Sign them up for cooking/gardening classes or send them to someone else's house for dinner. Sometimes kids will try foods they see their peers eating or that another adult offers.

Good luck! I know I catch myself sometimes labeling my child's behavior as part of who he is--and then I have to stop myself. If I call him the class clown, he will make himself fit the role. A "picky eater" is the same way...

Shoot me an email if you want to know more about the Chop Chop class! I will try to post some pictures if I can get some and let you know how the class goes in a future post!

In health and wellness,
Nicole Harter

Duh moment of the day...

2011-01-25T09:59:00.000-08:00

Umm.....duh! That is what I have been telling myself all day since the dumb thing I did this morning. Let me give you some context:

Last week I went to Whole Foods and there was a pleasant lady walking around with a basket of samples of cleanser and moisturizer. Well, we started chatting and she told me that I looked like I needed a moment to myself (I don't know if her first clue was the baby in the carriage, the bags under my eyes from lack of sleep, or the disheveled look of my clothes/hair). She told me that the cleanser can also be used as a relaxing masque. My brain immediately thought of a facial and how amazingly relaxing and refreshing that sounded....so, I figured "what the heck" and I took the sample from her. I then proceeded to ask her if there was any almond in it, and I mentioned I was allergic to almonds. To this she replied "I don't think there is. But the ingredients are listed, so you can read them over." I glanced at them, particularly the moisturizer, and I didn't see any almonds either. When I got home, I stuck the samples somewhere on a counter (added to the rest of the clutter) and proceeded to forget about them.

Fast forward a week to this morning. I was cleaning up some of the aforementioned clutter and came across the little skin samples. My mind immediately jumped back to the vision of me laying in a white cotton robe on a bench and receiving an amazing rejuvenating facial. I looked back at the package and thought "well, it isn't the spa, but it is close enough". So once the baby was down for his nap and I changed over the laundry, grabbed my sample, and headed to the bathroom.

Once I got the "masque" on, I headed to the couch and put my feet up. It wasn't on for more then 5-6 minutes, when I started to feel really hot in the face. "Hm...I pondered, maybe my face doesn't like this". I walked into the bathroom and saw my very red, very hot face and proceeded to immediately wash it off. After I was all rinsed, I pulled the cleanser ingredients from the wastebasket and listed as the fourth or fifth ingredient, is... GASP "sweet almond"...uh oh...

So immediately I went upstairs to grab the children's benadryl (the liquid form hits the blood stream faster then the pill-form). I called my husband to put him on alert that I could die at any moment (he started heading home). Then I washed my face, took a shower, and tried not to panic. After the initial panic subsided and I could feel the benadryl doing it's thing. I spent the remainder of the day looking at my red and sun-burned looking face and thinking about how STUPID I was for not carefully reading the label when I have a known allergy of an item found commonly in natural beauty supplies.

So, let this be a lesson to you. If you or your children have an allergy--please please please, read the labels very carefully on both food and beauty items. Don't just skim them and listen to a random hand-out-samples lady. Read them (no matter how small the print) and be careful. I really should know better...

In health and wellness,
Nicole Harter

Balancing Nursing and Solids

2011-01-25T08:20:00.000-08:00

Striking a balance between food and nursing has been something I have been focusing on since the little one started solids at six months. I basically called all my friends with kids that I knew had nursed and asked them what their system was for giving both food and nursing. (Sidenote: Don't you just love your mommy support system!).. I just could just not remember specifically what I did with my first, and my friends were a lot more organized than I was, because some of them had written it all down! I also looked online at various sites to see other schedules for babies.

What I came up with is that all babies are different. "Great", you say, "that is SO not helpful." "Well", I reply, it is helpful BECAUSE....it gave me more than one option to try when the first option didn't work out. So I am going to list out the general guidelines of what worked for me, but not get into specifics of schedule because schedules are typically different for different babies.

Nurse before feeding him food. This is really important because most of your baby's nutrients should still come from your milk.
Give it an hour after you nurse before you give your baby some food. That way, your baby isn't super starving while you try out foods, but also hasn't just been stuffed with milk.
Try foods multiple times, even if your baby doesn't like it the first time around.
Don't get stuck on certain amounts of food that you think your baby should be eating. Some days your baby will want more than others. Just feed your baby until they lose interest. Don't try to force them to eat whatever is in the bowl. Let them tell you (nonverbally unless your baby is really advanced) that they are full. It is important that you respect this so that they retain their own ability to feel full. If they lose this ability, it can lead to overeating when they are older. It may also affect how much they want to eat at the next nursing session.
Ask for advice from other moms but don't get set on a direct comparison between your baby and someone else's baby. Your baby may eat more/less than the baby down the street, which is totally fine. Just because the kid next door is eating 3 jars of baby food each day and a whole banana, doesn't mean your baby needs as much.
Go by your baby's cues. Don't feed your baby because the clock says 10 AM. Feed your baby when he is acting hungry. Levi got into a snacking mode when I did this because I was feeding him too often. He would just eat a little because I thought it was "time to eat" but then he would be hungry 2 hours later because he didn't eat much at the last feeding. After a while you will fall into a routine that he/she sets. It usually works out much better than the schedule you set, because they don't fight you on it!

I hope these tidbits help you find your way through those first couple of months while nursing and giving your baby solids. And just remember, as soon as you get a system down pat--things will probably change to suit your baby's new growing needs!

In health and wellness,
Nicole Harter

Happy New Year!

2011-01-19T08:30:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Wow, I knew I hadn't written in a while, but September? Really??? Well, I am very sorry. I guess the holidays and my sweet baby's face got the best of me. Maybe also the sleep deprivation (yes still) and the teething and the baby proofing. So I guess I have a lot to catch up on...

So many people make New Year's Resolutions and so many times we let them go. Why?? Well, there are a number of reasons...

We try to change alone, in a vacuum where everything else pretty much stays the same. No support. No changes to the routine to support the change. If we truly wanted it and it was possible in the current situation, wouldn't we have done it before the New Year's resolution?
Our goals aren't aligned with what we truly desire. So where's the motivation in that?
Our goals are unattainable. We want to lose 30 lbs by Valentine's day...uh...that isn't healthy!
We don't know where to start. It feels so overwhelming, we give up and beat ourselves up over it.
The goal is superficial. Maybe your goal is only skin deep and doesn't address other major issues. Losing weight when you have emotional eating issues, drinking less when maybe you have a drinking problem, quitting smoking when maybe you don't have other tools for stress management.

So maybe when you are in the midst of beating yourself up over "losing" your New Year's Resolution, take a moment and pause.

Think about what you really want. To lose weight? Mend relationships? Stop a bad habit like getting too drunk at parties or smoking cigarettes?
Write down an honest list of what it would REALLY take to make those resolutions happen. What are the things you need?
Write down a list of what is standing in your way. What are the road blocks, what would it take to take them down?
Formulate your plan and take a single step on the list. Seek help to hold you accountable, like a workout partner or a health coach. Seek out help in your partner to make time for you to go to the gym or workout. Find a referral to a doctor or couples counselor. Look up listings of AA meetings.
Then start executing your plan one step at a time. Rework your plan as necessary.

So what if it isn't 1/1/11 today. It is January 19th...the first day you have towards meeting your goal. If it is something you truly desire, then you will be glad you did. You are the only one who can decide to change your life, but you can't do it alone without changing the things around you to support your goal.

Have fun storming the castle!

In health and wellness,
Nicole Harter

A little Leidi Bird told me...

2010-09-29T06:57:00.000-07:00

This blog post is WAY overdue and I have been meaning to do it since I got my diaper bag back in August. Yes, I got my diaper bag when Levi was already 4 months old! Not by choice, but because I couldn't find one I liked!!! The ones at the baby stores just didn't seem right. So, all summer long I just used a beach bag. It worked fine, but I knew it would be a little strange to use it through the winter!

Finally, I was on Facebook and noticed something from a friend I hadn't noticed before. I clicked on her website, to find out that she had her own company--Leidi Bird Designs. She happens to make beautiful handmade bags. So I checked out her site for a bit and stumbled upon the fact that she also makes nursing covers, burp cloths, and yes, DIAPER BAGS!

So I looked at the diaper bag in various views and I knew it would be amazing. So I ordered a custom bag. I got to pick out my material and leather colors and everything.

Her bags are really well-made. And you have to know, she is a mother of two, so she designed an amazing diaper bag!!! This bag provides 10 pockets, including two outside bottle pockets and a special waterproof wipes pocket under the flap for easy access anytime. The Daisy Days Diaper Bag has two side stroller straps which hook and lock around your strollers handles (I use this feature daily on my walks)...See more of the description here: http://leidibird.com/store/baby/custom-daisy-days-diaper-bag.html

So, if you are in the market for a diaper bag or tote, eyeglass case, nursing cover, burp cloths and a number of other amazing handmade beauties, check out Rebekah's store and awesome blog. You won't be disappointed!

Oh, and I couldn't help myself and I also ordered a nursing cover with matching burp cloths because they were in a special deal. They were really adorable and would make a really great gift to a new mom or for a baby shower! Everything is handmade and unique, plus you would be supporting another woman/mom in her awesome business.

Hope you love Rebekah's site as much as I do!

In health and wellness,

Nicole

Another recall? Maybe we should recall our food safety policies...

2010-09-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

For those of you who feed your baby Similac formula, please check into whether your current stash is part of the recall: http://similac.com/recall/lookup.aspx. My thoughts go out to you as you must be upset and frustrated with this terrible issue.

Also, interestingly, I saw this article that a friend posted on her Facebook page and thought it was interesting...http://jezebel.com/5646145/similac-recall-breastfeeders-spare-us-the-sanctimony. Personally, I think everyone has got to do what they gotta do. I happen to share my experiences with breastfeeding because that is where I am at right now. I was in the opposite situation 7 years ago with my first son, where breastfeeding was impossible while I was finishing school.  If his formula was recalled I would be really upset and scared.

However, I do have to say, that some of the comments and the general feel of the article REALLY bothered me.  For me, I think it brings to light the fact that moms on both sides feel responsible or guilty about doing the right thing all the time and end up judging one other, but the responsibility of the companies of these recalls is ignored. The feeling you get in this culture is all about personal responsibility and the companies don't have to be held responsible. Like the egg recall--they say consumers should fully cook their eggs. What happened to days where you could lick the cookie batter and eat your eggs over easy and not be scared that you would get sick or die?

Similar to other debates where people judge each other--like to go organic or not. Maybe the FDA should be holding these companies to a MUCH higher standard than they are currently practicing. Why should moms have to choose between organic and paying extra or non organic and be scared they are compromising the health of their families? Maybe companies shouldn't be allowed to spray any of our food with dangerous chemicals. Maybe factory farming should be examined because it has dangerous side effects and compromises the safety of our food system (in the case where the runoff from a meat farm was infecting spinach and tomatoes).  Maybe we should examine our food policies and practices so that it works better for safety of the people as well as the health of the plant.

Food safety in this country (in my opinion) is TERRIFYING! Even for pet food! I don't go to the farms to buy directly because I want to feel superior to anyone. I do it because it is fresher and safer than going to the grocery store. Similarly, I don't breastfeed my baby to feel better than anyone else, I do it because I want to and I feel it is the best choice for my baby. I write about breastfeeding to offer support to women who want to make the same choice. Not to feel better than anyone else, but to help other women feel supported and have all the information.

So, whether you breastfeed or not, isn't really the issue here. I think the real issue is that we should be able to safely purchase something at the store and not have to pray that it won't be tainted or make our families ill. And, if a company sells a product that makes people ill, they should have bigger consequences.

In health and wellness,
Nicole

Hello Sunshine Soup and Baby Solids

2010-09-23T17:28:00.000-07:00

Ahhh...September is so nice in New England. Hello sunny skies and days that are a little breezy, goodbye August heat and humidity. So what have I been up to?

There are T-16 days until baby Levi turns 6 months! While I am excited for him to turn 6 months and start eating solids, I am a little sad that it is going by so fast! As the date approaches, I am starting to do a little research on solid foods. I have been a little tempted to start early, but I am holding steadfast to the recommendation to exclusively breastfeed for his first 6 months.

So why should you wait? Firstly, your milk is the best thing to fill up baby's little tummy. When you fill him or her up with other things, you are missing the opportunity for your little one to be eating the perfect food. Secondly, waiting helps the baby avoid digestive problems and potential for allergies. Just because your baby may appear ready for food, their little digestive systems may not be as ready as you think!

Here is a helpful article from http://www.wholesomebabyfoods.com/ that helps you learn how to tell whether your baby is ready for solids: http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/readyforsolids.htm.

On a side note, the website http://www.wholesomebabyfoods.com/ is FANTASTIC!!! I highly recommend looking through it before you start solids and throughout your baby's introduction to solids. There are recipes for baby food (which is so simple to make and outlined so easily on the website). Also, there is even instructions on how to make your baby homemade cereals, which are WAY more nutritious and healthful for your baby!

Here is a recipe for a little fall soup, that I whipped up last week. It is a perfect recipe for fall, but also an easy recipe to whip up while introducing solids. Simply keep some sunshine squash aside from the rest of the soup, add some water, puree, and freeze the leftovers into ice cube trays. When you serve the baby, stir in a little breastmilk or formula to thin it out.

Sunshine Squash and Corn Soup

Ingredients:
Sunshine Squash (or other winter squash)
1/2 large onion
2 ears of corn on the cob
Vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Couple leaves of fresh sage or 1 tsp dried sage

Directions:

Cut the sunshine squash and scoop out the seeds.
Place face down in a baking dish, add a bit of water into the bottom and bake at 400 for 40-45 min, until fork slides in easily.
Meanwhile, saute the onions in a little bit of olive oil until soft.
Once it is cooked, scoop out the squash from the skin and put some of it into a food processor.
Add the onions to the processor and a bit of the vegetable stock.
Puree. Add a little more vegetable stock until it is a nice smooth consistency that you like. Add more or less if you like thicker/thinner. If you have too much squash to fit in one batch, then do this step in multiple batches.
Place the smooth squash mixture into a sauce pan.
Cut the corn off the cob (I place it in a bowl and cut downwards).
Add the corn to the squash mixture in the sauce pan.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the sage to taste.
Simmer on a medium low heat until the corn is cooked (about 5-10 minutes). If needed, you can add more vegetable stock.

Hope you enjoy this nice soup that brings us nicely into autumn days! You could even add a grain to the soup like wild rice or barley to make it a bit heartier!

In health and wellness,
Nicole Harter

Preserving Summer's Bounty

2010-09-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

I do not know if you have had the opportunity to read Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, but it is a good one. It is a memoir about her family's experiment with eating only locally grown foods for an entire year. Basically she talks about the benefits to the environment, local economy, and your health to eat locally produced food year round. So how do you eat local vegetables year round in temperate climates such as Massachusetts for example? Good question! Barbara Kingsolver helps you discover some of the answers in her book.

I read the book last summer and it has made a lasting impact on how I view the summer's bountiful harvest and decided that this year I will not squander it!!! So this year I have preserved the following locally grown treats to last me into the fall/winter months:

In my freezer:
This year: blueberries, green peppers, corn from the cob, tomato sauce, basil pesto, and green beans
Last year: blueberries, cranberries, green peppers and basil pesto

In my pantry:
This year: blueberry jam, tomato sauce, salsa, quartered tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and soon to be grape jelly, dried garlic
Last year: Grape jelly and dried garlic

In my refrigerator: I made pickles this year! They only last 2 months, but it helped me utilize those cucumbers for a longer part of the summer!

Now, it is important to note that I do not have that much compared to the quantity that Barbara Kingsolver has in her book. I also do not have a lot compared to the amazing men/women who have been doing this for years. I also cannot live off of just this food for the whole winter (and it really isn't the point). The point is that I am starting small and learning new things each year. Each year I intend to do a little bit more and learn something else that is new so I can build my winter stash. This year, if you noticed, I did more than last year. I did a little bit each month in the early summer, and in August I did some each week!

Last winter with the little that I did do, it felt amazing when I pulled the veggies out of the freezer or opened a new jar of jelly that I had made out of the grapes from my yard. I felt more connected to the food I was eating and the earth that I was protecting, if even in a very small way.

So have you ever preserved anything to last from the summer and into the winter? If not, then why not try it? It only takes a little effort to grab a few extra peppers or ears of corn at the farmer's market or farm stand and cut them up and put them in your freezer. Start small and see how it goes, you just may get hooked on local foods!

Resources for preserving foods:
Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
Pickyourown.org
USDA guidelines for preserving foods
Tangerini's newsletter (my CSA farm) with preserving tips

In health and wellness,

Nicole Harter

Summer Fun Favorites!

2010-09-02T11:29:00.000-07:00

Hi again!

I feel as though I haven't written a post in a while. I had an amazing vacation in Portland, Oregon to thank for that as well as a seven-year old boy to entertain all summer. We had a blast! So, I thought I would list some of the fun/healthy things we did that highlighted this summer!

Fun Farm Afternoon: Another family and ours met up for the afternoon and decided to head to Tangerini's Farm. We got some veggies, let the kids run around the hay maze, let them feed the animals, and had some icecream. We had a beautiful afternoon soaking up some fresh air and vitamin D. The best past of bringing the kids to the farm is that they are exposed to where their food comes from (not just the grocery store) and show them that they have local food available to them as well!

Lake days: I brought the kids down to some lakes early in the summer, including Wallum Lake in Douglas and Mendon Town Beach in Mendon. I packed up some of our own snacks like fruit, nuts, air-popped popcorn, carrot sticks, and homemade sandwiches so I could skip the unhealthy snack bars and icecream truck. We laid out the blanket in a nice shady spot and let my older son run around to his heart's content.

CSA Pick-up Days: I belong to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), where I give a farm money to be a member, and then every week I arrive with my bags to pick up this week's bounty. I belong to Tangerini's Farm, which has been great. Last year I did Heirloom Harvest which was also wonderful (but too far away with the baby). Each week my mother and I loaded the kids in the car and picked up our goodies. The great part is that each week there is "U-pick" items as well. My son loves to pick veggies and then is more inclined to try them out when they are on his plate later! For more information about finding a local CSA near you check out www.localharvest.org. If the CSA isn't for you, they will also tell you how to find local farmers markets as well!

Jammin: So one morning I woke up and I called my mom from bed and the conversation went kind of like this-- "Hey mom, want to go buy 5 lbs of blueberries and make jam?" "Sure honey, I will be over in a little bit". And instead of buying just 5 lbs, we went with 10. That afternoon we made a ton of jam to last us the winter. We plan to pick the concord grapes growing in my yard to make grape jelly next week because the grapes are almost there. Next year we plan to do strawberries as well!

Grill nights with friends/family: This summer, instead of going out to eat with friends/family, we decided to have them over! We made simple meals that were local and seasonal and avoided going out for meals that were more expensive, higher in salt and fat, and made from less-than-ideal ingredients! Examples include:

Grampie meal: Grilled whole chicken, grilled baked potatoes with onion, salad, and sauteed greens.
Dad meal: Steamed mussels in a tomato wine sauce with fresh salad.
Friend meal: Steamed lobsters and steamers, grilled baked potatoes and grilled summer squashes, with a salad.

Picnic in the back yard: My husband worked from home one day so we decided to have a picnic in the backyard with both kids. My older son Sam played on his play structure and swing set and baby Levi laid on the blanket. We soaked up some sun and fresh air and ate a nice little picnic lunch.

I hope you had a happy/healthy summer that include a lot of good memories! Having a good time and staying healthy can be synonymous if you keep it light, fun and simple! Although I do have to say, that as much fun as I had this summer, I would say that I am enjoying having Sam back to school to get back into a routine. I do plan on posting more often now that Sam is back in school too!

Enjoy the remainder of the summer!

In health and wellness,
Nicole Harter

Skip the Juice...

2010-08-02T16:20:00.000-07:00

And hydrate your kids with plain, old-fashioned, high quality H2O!

Since my first son was a baby, I had a thing against juice. I kind of felt like it was liquid sugar, only going to cause problems with his teeth and offer limited nutritional advantages. Turns out my hunch is pretty spot on.

According to the HealthyChildren.org website:

"The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that fruit juice not be given to infants under six months of age since it offers no nutritional benefit to babies in this age group. After six months of age, infants may have limited amounts of juice each day. For youngsters older than six months, fruit juice offers no nutritional benefits over whole fruit. Whole fruits also provide fiber and other nutrients. Infants should not be given fruit juice at bedtime, nor as a treatment of dehydration or management of diarrhea. For children ages one to six years old, limit fruit juice consumption to 4 to 6 ounces (120–180 ml) each day."

Do yourself a favor and avoid it early! Otherwise, it is a pain to try to convince them later that water is better (especially when they have had the chance to taste the sweet stuff). Stick with water for hydration and they'll never miss the juice. Give them plenty of fruits when they are old enough to eat solids and you will be giving your child the gift of healthy habits early!

For my son now? Juice boxes are reluctant treats that I allow only when we are out on playdates and other moms offer it to him--and in those cases I make sure they are 100% juice with no additives. Honestly, pack your kid a water bottle! It will save you money if you just use a reuseable bpa-free water bottle and you won't need to worry about the juice boxes!

The only case that I actually buy juice is when the whole school seems to have a cold during cold/flu season. I will cave occasionally and buy some orange juice (with pulp) to boost his immune system. Otherwise, I stick to water!

In health and wellness,
Nicole Harter

How long should I breastfeed my baby?

2010-07-29T09:03:00.000-07:00

One of my friends recently asked me how long she should breastfeed. Her daughter just turned a year in June and she was feeling the social pressure of when she should "stop." I could tell she (and her daughter) weren't ready to stop. Her daughter was still feeding 3 times per day. It didn't sound like she was ready to me! She brought it up because was feeling embarrassed that she was still feeding her baby human milk. So sad that she should feel embarrassed to do the most natural thing a mother can do with her baby.

So, for all those mommies out there who feel pressured to stop breastfeeding, I will give you the American Academy of Pediatric's answer: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusively breastfeeding (no other foods or supplementation) until 6 months of age. They continue to say that "Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child." Emphasis is mine, but I am pretty sure they are encouraging that babies receive human milk for longer than a year. They also go on to say "There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer".

Wow, pretty counter-culture I would say...I remember waitressing in college and one of the wait staff freaking out and thinking it was "disgusting" that a woman was breastfeeding at the table. Keep in mind that she was covered up (but even if she wasnt...) and the baby was really young (under 6 months). I mean, come on, the baby has to eat! Should the mother stay home for the first year of her baby's life? Should she let her baby scream and cry in the restaurant because it is offensive to some waitress?

I don't know about your pediatrician, but mine recommends at least 1 year and said that 2 is even better. He wouldn't come out and say "you should do this____" because it is not widely accepted to breastfeed your baby much longer than a year and sadly most of his patient's moms probably don't even make it to a year.

How long do I plan to breastfeed Levi? I don't know. I am taking it one day at a time and going as long as mutually desired between the two of us. That doesn't account for any one else's opinion including Sally the busybody neighbor, or Carol the babysitter or your mother-in-law, or your mother, or your sister or brother.

Do what is good for you, and give your baby the milk he/she needs as long as you and he/she deem necessary.

In health and wellness,
Nicole

Breast is Definitely Best

2010-07-24T10:21:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, there are people out there who don't know the benefits of breastfeeding. So, I figured I would take a post to explain some of them. Breastfeeding is sometimes a touchy subject. I find that there is a lot of defensiveness, judgement, and misinformation out there surrounding the topic. I think there is an attitude of "I will give it a try but if it doesn't work out there is always formula". The problem is, that breastfeeding is so difficult in the first few weeks (especially for brand new moms) that many people give up too soon with that attitude. I know, because I was one of them!!!

When my first son was born, I was 20 years old. I mistakenly thought that breastfeeding would come naturally. I took a quick class, but I thought the tough part would be the latch. They don't teach you that the tough part is getting virtually no sleep the first couple of weeks because you are the sole provider of food for your baby. Yes, it is natural, but "natural" does not necessarily equate to "easy". Three weeks after my son was born, I went back to school. I was in one of my evening classes and my milk "let down"--which is a fancy way of saying that my body thought the baby was ready to eat and the milk starts flowing. Needless to say, with no place at school to pump and no where to store the milk, I soon sadly decided that breastfeeding and getting through the remainder of my college years wasn't going to work. I felt terribly guilty (and defensive) that I had "failed" at breastfeeding.

This time around, I had the opportunity to do it differently. It took me at least 2 months to find a rhythm and feel completely comfortable with the breastfeeding. It was hard but I didn't give up! Knowing what I know now, I have figured out that the first time around I just didn't have enough time/resources/information/support to get used to it and creatively find a way to finish school and breastfeed at the same time. I cannot go back and change the past, but I learned from it and now I can do it a better way moving forward.

So why would I work so hard to breastfeed?

Your milk is specially designed for your baby. The formula makers are finding more and more nutrients/vitamins every year in breast milk that they synthetically try to replicate in formula. Chances are there are things they are still missing.
Your milk is constantly changing to meet the needs of your baby depending on what your baby needs in the moment. Your milk is different from day to day and week to week. Your milk's fat content is different in the morning than it is before your baby goes to bed. Formula is stagnant. It would be like eating rice cereal every day for every meal fortified with a multivitamin. Would you think that would be healthiest option for your body? Well, it isn't the healthiest for them either.
Babies who are breastfed have the benefit of the protection of mom's immune system, as antibodies are passed from mother to baby in the milk.
Babies who are breastfed have a significantly lower chance of dying of SIDS and other respiratory diseases.
Babies who are breastfed digest better and have lowered risk of developing obesity.
Babies who are breastfed have lowered risks of health and dental issues.
Your body was designed to breastfeed your baby. It helps you contract and strengthen your uterus postpartum, lose the extra baby weight, and reduces the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and osteoporosis.
You get to bond and be close to your baby very differently than using a bottle.

There are a lot of other reasons--but I thought those were plentiful enough. For more information on benefits of breastfeeding you can read articles found at http://www.llli.org/NB/NBbenefits.html.

That being said, there is more to breastfeeding that just sticking your baby on your chest once you give birth. There are whole professions (lactation consultants) dedicated to breastfeeding support for moms. There is a lot of information out there on how to ensure you have an adequate milk supply. There are tons of places to find support and information. You can start are www.zipmilk.com and http://www.llli.org/.

A couple of hints to start that I have found in books, from my lactation consultants, and online articles (keep in mind that I am NOT a lactation consultant and if you have questions/concerns you should see a licensed professional):

The first few days your baby is born is really important to set the stage for your milk supply. Do not send your baby to sleep in the nursery and let the nurses determine when he/she needs to be fed. And don't let them supplement with formula or water (this can affect your supply). Keep your baby near you. When he/she starts to fuss to eat, then put him/her to breast. Feed him/her at least every 2-3 hours. Even if you think nothing is coming out!
If you go to your pediatrician and your baby hasn't regained weight to his/her birth weight. Request another appointment a few days later for a weight check and keep breastfeeding! Typically within the week the baby will start gaining again.
If your doctor has requested you supplement with formula, talk to a lactation consultant immediately. They can assess whether he/she is latching correctly (this affects how long they eat and how much comes out!) and they can help you to increase your milk supply if necessary. If you need to supplement, they can help guide you to ensure it doesn't compromise your milk supply. Believe it or not, if you give your baby a bottle of formula and you don't stimulate your milk supply--you body doesn't think you need more milk and will start producing less (so the situation will become worse). It doesn't necessarily mean you will never have enough milk. Let someone help you!
Don't necessarily go by a strict "schedule" and don't limit feedings in duration or in time between. If you fed your baby and he/she is rooting an hour later. Feed him/her again! Feed at least every 2-3 hours.
The 2-week and 6-week growth spurts are normal. If you feel like your baby is eating constantly all day--it is normal and won't last forever. You DO have enough milk! If you don't, as long as you keep feeding, your body will catch up and start producing more milk!
Call for help early if you think something is wrong.

I hope this helps. I know this time around I was dead set on breastfeeding. I was stubborn and it has paid off. I saw/called lactation consultants at least 5-7 times in the first month. I had one lactation consultant tell me that she "couldn't believe" I was still breastfeeding because of all the issues I had. But it can be done and it is definitely worth it!

In health and wellness,
Nicole

Back to Sleep

2010-07-22T20:30:00.000-07:00

I am writing this post as I should be going to sleep, but I couldn't get to sleep without getting this one off my chest. Early this week I got a very sad email. It was a prayer request for a woman in my bible group to pray for her daughter, as her grandson died over the weekend of SIDS.

Gulp.

Every new mother's nightmare. I know, because I saw it happen when I was nine years old. I was at my grandmother's funeral reception. My cousin and I had just been upstairs to check on the baby (her sister) and I came back downstairs. A few minutes later she called for my aunt and then I heard the scream. I remember my mom sprinting up the stairs and desperately trying infant CPR. My cousin Evelyn died when she was just 3 months old.

Just recently my cousin and I talked about that day and how it has affected our parenting. I remember checking on my first son every night to make sure he was breathing. I remember putting him on his back every night and making sure there was nothing near his face while he was sleeping. I bordered on neurotic. I was so afraid of losing him, my little love.

Putting my first son on his back to sleep was easy. He slept like a champ, and he still does to this day. Recently he even slept through a fire alarm one night (thankfully a false alarm). My second child, however, does not have the same magical sleeping patterns. Around 2 months old, it felt like his sleeping stretches were getting shorter and not longer. My husband and I were exhausted and I started trying to figure out how to make it better. I asked around, looked up the topic online, and the result: people talked about sleeping positions. I read countless comments and heard people talking about how their children sleep better on their tummies.

Sigh...I know Levi is uncomfortable on his back, but resort to sleeping on his tummy? I just didn't think I could handle it. But sleep deprivation will lead to desperation. I started to toy with the idea. I brought it up at a baby brunch that weekend with some high school friends and one of my friends reeled me back in. She said "You know, the rate of SIDS has gone down a lot since they put babies on their backs". Bingo. It's true. I knew it was true. I needed to do some research and find another way.

My husband did some research too. He found out that basically every baby would sleep better on their tummy--and that is the whole problem. They sleep so well that if they begin breathing in the same air that is trapped near their face, they don't wake up because they are sleeping too deeply. He found that the best ways to help babies who are uncomfortable on their backs, is to swaddle them really tightly or to help them sleep on their side.

Since we tried those recommendations to no avail, I did what any other concerned mommy would do and I brought it up at his 2 month appointment. My pediatrician listened to his bedtime routine and thought about it for a minute. His thought: "He relies too much on sucking to sleep. Get rid of the pacifier. When he wakes up a little and realizes it is not in his mouth, it wakes him up. I am NOT going to recommend he sleep on his tummy." Wow. I hadn't even thought of that. My husband and I were pretty skeptical. But, since we were desperate we gave it a whirl.

The first night was terrible. He cried and got up almost every hour and sometimes every half hour. The next night was pretty much the same. I almost gave up on it, only the next night got better. Then the next night even better. By the 4th night, we could put him down awake and he would get himself to sleep. Huh. He also started arching his own back and getting himself on his side to feel more comfortable. The end result: he was sleeping better and we were sleeping better and he didn't have to sleep on his tummy.

The moral of the story I guess, is that I get it when your baby isn't sleeping well. It is really tempting to help him sleep better by putting him on his tummy. But, it isn't worth it. Losing some sleep a few weeks or months, is much better than mourning. Talk to your doctor and see if there are other things you can try to help your baby sleep more soundly. But don't jump to putting them on their bellies especially before he/she is rolling over. You know, I know the risk is small in general and chances are your baby would be fine. However, it has affected my life enough to know that is DOES happen. I know the guilt that the parents feel when they lose a child. I know I couldn't live with the guilt. Could you?

Here are the steps you can take to reduce the risk of SIDS http://www.sids.org/nprevent.htm. They won't eliminate the risk completely, as there are cases where infants sleeping on their backs have died of SIDS as well, but it will greatly reduce the risk.

I hope this helps. Just know that other moms are right there with you when your baby isn't sleeping well and keep hanging in there. Pretty soon he/she will be sleeping better and better.

Just remember to put your baby "Back to Sleep".

In health and wellness,
Nicole

Forgiving Ourselves

2010-07-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

Today I made a mistake...I prematurely pulled out all the garlic from the garden. They seemed too small, but I was going off a comment my farmer made a couple weeks ago. She harvests her garlic around 4th of July as a rule of thumb. We also have been getting garlic at the farm, so I thought it was "time". We checked them on 4th of July weekend and they looked too small, so we said we would wait.

Well, I went outside today and the leaves were browning a bit and I got nervous and pulled them all out. I didn't want them to be sitting in the ground going bad and miss our chance at garlic! After I brought them inside, I thought "oh crap, I don't think they were ready" and then I went online to see when to harvest. Apparently I was supposed to have waited until they were at least 1/3 of the way brown and practically falling over. Woops. I was pretty mad at myself. Why didn't I look it up before being impulsive? Why didn't I just trust what I knew instead of second guessing myself?

So after stewing for a little while on my own stupidity, I shook my head and laughed. It is my first year growing garlic. I am still learning, and next year I will know better! Then I started thinking about that in the context of so many things. The first time I made a pot of beans: I undercooked them and everyone had some interesting digestive responses! The next time I made a pot of beans: mush. The third time got better and so forth. I even made myself plenty sick the first year I started cooking in my early 20's. Especially anytime I had cooked chicken (I cook it a lot longer now)!

Then a light bulb went off and I just had to post: Part of being a new mommy, is allowing yourself to make mistakes as a parent. Wow. Before having children, especially when I was pregnant, I didn't think I would ever say those words. When we have our own kids, we are supposed to do everything better than the way our parents did them, right? We are supposed to know it all? Supposed to be super mom??!?

Well, it just isn't true.

I think the number one thing I learned when I had my first son is that one-size does NOT fit all, and there is no "perfect" mom. That is a hard thing to grasp when you are a type A perfectionist that likes to control the outcome of situations (haha, the old me was sorta like that). But the truth is, you ARE going to mess up. Say it with me now: "I am going to mess up and make mistakes". It is much easier to acknowledge it in the beginning, so that you can laugh at yourself when those mistakes arise.

Funny story. When my son was 3 years old and in pre-school, he asked me where babies come from...I was like "what??" and I was totally unprepared! I thought it was a bit early for him to be wondering those things and I hadn't researched it yet! So in the moment I told him a little white lie (don't judge, we all lie about Santa and the tooth fairy). I said "You know in Dumbo? The stork comes and brings the little baby" and I thought nothing of it. The next day when I came to pick him up from school, I find out my son was practically in an all out brawl with another kid in his class. Apparently his mommy told him that the mommy goes to the hospital to push out the baby. My son was all but yelling at the top of his lungs "No, the stork comes!!!!" Yikes! I knew I messed up and I learned never to lie to my child again when he asks me a question. I was mad at myself for not being prepared, but I corrected it that evening and my son has minimal scars (or so I think). After that incident, I looked up appropriate ways to talk to children at specific ages about babies, sex and our bodies and I learned how to do it better next time. So the point is, that I acknowledged my mistake and tried a different method.

So, when you become a mommy--or perhaps now that you are a new mommy, just know that we have all been through it and we are all doing the best we can. All moms face different challenges because children are all different. One thing is the same and that is that we are ALL challenged! So, do the best you can and take your mistakes in stride. We all make them and our parents did too.

In health and wellness,
Nicole

I Love Dessert (especially these mini cakes with red currants)

2010-06-23T13:57:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I love desserts. I grew up in a home with some strict limits on desserts and I think it made me only love and crave them more. Meanwhile, my husband was allowed to put extra sugar on his frosted flakes as a kid and he can live without it. Go figure.

While I love to eat dessert, I do not love the extra crap that comes with most processed desserts in the supermarket and I certainly do not want my kids eating those things either. The additives include high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, artificial flavorings and colorings, and loads of other preservatives that allow their shelflife to be longer than the average life expectancy of your favorite pet. Therefore, I do not limit my dessert intake except that they should really be homemade as much as possible. I make exceptions for the local italian bakery and occasionally the bakery at Whole Foods for special occasions, but overall the things that are around the house on a regular basis are the things I typically make myself.

I also love to alter my desserts to be a little less processed and little more natural than most homemade desserts. Now, don't get me wrong. A piece of cake is a piece of cake and should be eaten as such. But I play with other flours and sweeteners to minimize the damage. A cake made with whole wheat flour will spike your insulin levels less than one made with regular white flour. You get the picture, so on with the dessert!

I got some fresh red currants from the farm yesterday, so I wanted to do some experimenting. I found a recipe for red currant mini cakes that I altered a bit to be a little heartier.

Mini Cakes with Red Currants

Ingredients:

1/2 stick of butter
5/6 cup of powdered sugar (sift if extra lumpy)
1/2 cup of flax meal
3/8 cup of whole wheat flour
1/4 tps baking powder
3 egg whites
Fresh red currants

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 4 cups on large muffin tin (where there are 6 molds instead of 12).

Melt the butter in a sauce pan.

Mix the sugar, flax meal, flour and baking powder in a bowl.

Lightly beat the egg whites with a fork and add to the dry ingredients.

Add the melted butter.

Mix until just combined with no lumps.

Divide the batter into the 4 greased cups.

Top each cake with currants.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan.

Remove from the muffin pan and let them cool on cooling rack.

Top each with a little sprinkle of powdered sugar.

Breakfast of Champions and Super Moms!

2010-06-09T06:51:00.000-07:00

What wakes you up in the morning? For me it is my hungry baby crying, but that is not quite what I meant. I mean, what gets you going for breakfast? For many people it is a caffeine buzz by way of coffee or tea. For others it is a drink of juice, which is a lot better than coffee but still filled with sugar that will wear off in no time, leaving you with less energy! Being a mom or a mom-to-be, you know that energy is very important and you feel more and more drained these days!

So what will give you a lasting burst of energy starting in the morning? You have probably guessed where I am going, but... fruits and vegetables!!! Since we are supposed to fit in 5-10 veggies a day (according to the food pyramid), many people are left with the question "how the heck do I fit in 5-10 veggies in 1 day?" The answer is to eat them at every meal. Seems so simple, but many people struggle with breakfast. So I figured I would post how I managed to fit in 2 servings at breakfast just this morning and some tips on how to do it daily. And no, it doesn't take a long time--I have a little baby to manage too!

Poached Eggs on Swiss Chard and Asparagus

Ingredients:
3-4 spears asparagus
Handful swiss chard
2 eggs
1 Tbs white vinegar
Piece of bread of your choice. Preferably of whole grain variety.
Salt & pepper

How to make:

Prep veggies by washing them. Snap the woody ends off asparagus and chop up the swiss chard.
Get a small frying pan and fill most of the way up with water. Add 1 Tbs of white vinegar and put on high heat to bring to boil.
While you wait for the water to boil, throw the swiss chard in a pan with a little water to steam. Cook chard until tender. About 3-4 minutes.
Crack 2 eggs in a ramekin and set aside until water boils.
Toss a piece of bread into the toaster.
Once the water is boiling in the frying pan, slowly slide in the eggs.
Turn down heat to medium and cook until egg whites appear opaque white.
While the eggs are cooking, arrange the chard on your plate. Then put the asparagus into the same pan from the chard (less dishes).
Put the asparagus on the plate once they turn bright green and tender to your liking (about 1-2 minutes).
Scoop out the eggs with a slotted spoon and place on top of veggies. Salt and pepper to your taste.
Grab the toast from the toaster. Top with olive oil or butter if you would like.
Enjoy!

It is a very simple meal, with few ingredients, and it is packed with vitamins and minerals! I have to admit though, that after breakfast I popped a couple of locally grown strawberries in my mouth for an extra serving! That makes 3 for me before 10 AM!

Other tips for fitting fruits/veggies into breakfast:

Use leftover veggies from the night before to avoid having to cook them in the morning. Plus a fried or poached egg on top and enjoy! You can also place leftover greens into an omelet.
While making veggies night before, chop some extra of each and put in a container in the refrigerator. Then pull it out in the morning to add to an egg omelet.
Make some oatmeal and toss in fresh berries, apples, pears, peaches, or even applesauce!
Use fruit with plain yogurt or cottage cheese.
Add fresh fruit to your cereal or granola.

I hope this helps to inspire you to step up your breakfast and add some extra lasting energy to your day.

In health and wellness,
Nicole

It's Poop Again! My Experiment with Cloth Diapering...

2010-06-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

When I got pregnant with my second son, there were 2 main things I wanted to do differently: 1. breastfeed a lot longer and 2. try out cloth diapers. If you have read my earlier posts, you know I have been breastfeeding! So what about the cloth diapers and how do they compare with the disposables?

Well, after using the cloth diapers for 8 weeks now, I have to say that I do not ever want to switch back to disposables! I was surprised. I was a little nervous I would hate them. We started them the first week because I was scared I would get into the disposable routine and not want to switch. We started using them and we are doing fine. In fact, this past weekend we took a road trip to Baltimore for my 10 year reunion and we decided that toting dirty cloth diapers across state lines would be too difficult. We used the disposables for 2 days and couldn't wait to get home to our normal cloth routine.

Here are the main reasons why I prefer cloth:

They are more cost effective. They are more money up front, but by 4ish months you have made up the cost and no more expensive diapers to buy.
Better for the environment. I felt bad all the time that the disposables were hitting the landfills and they never decompose. That is a lot of trash for one little baby. Some people argue that you use more water (yes you do) and the harsh detergents are just as bad. I use environmentally friendly detergents, but yes, I do use more water. But I feel better using more water than producing more trash.
They just "feel" better. When I felt the disposables on my hands they feel less soft and more plasticy (I know that isn't a real word). So, the feeling of the cloth diapers on my son's skin feel better to me. They feel more substantial, softer, and more comfortable.
The disposables leaked! He had a couple of big poops and the disposables just couldn't handle it. The cloth diapers never fail me with his poop (knock on wood!). It could have been because they were slightly too small--but that is another reason to love my cloth ones--they are adjustable in size!
They are adorable. They look like little underpants and I match them to his outfit of the day. I know it's silly but they are so cute!

The drawbacks:

More laundry. You have to do a load pretty much every other day. But babies make more laundry anyway and I find myself doing daily anyway. If you think "I work and cannot take the time to do it". You would be happy to know my husband cleans them more than I do, and he works a full time job too :)
Touch more poop? I haven't really found this to be the case, but some people think that they are messier. I find that a dirty diaper is a dirty diaper, and when you change him it's the same. I take off the diaper, take it apart and toss everything into a pail. Then I dump everything into the washer without really touching it.
Don't travel well on trips. I don't really want to drag back a bag full of dirty diapers in a car ride. And, if you do not have access to laundry while you are away, you would be stuck carting them around.
Cannot use diaper cream with them directly. The cream stains the diapers. We bought some washable liners (made by Bum Genius) to protect the diaper if he ever gets a rash.

What else is needed?

Wipes: We use little baby wash cloths I picked up from the store to do the wiping. We just dip a wash cloth in a little container of water that we keep on the changing table and toss it in the diaper pail with the diaper.
Diaper pail and bag: We use a trash bucket with a pop-up lid for the diaper pail and put a nylon bag in it to catch the diapers. When it is time to clean, we just pull out the whole bag and dump it in the wash.

How do you clean them? (my cousin Lynne gave me this recipe for cleaning them and it works beautifully).

Run a cold cycle first to remove stains. We use a 1/2 tablespoon of Charlie's soap, 5-8 drops of grapefruit seed extract, and 2-3 drops of blue dawn dish soap.
Run a hot cycle to disinfect. We use a 1/2 tablespoon of Charlie's soap, 3-5 drops of grapefruit seed extract, and 2-3 drops of blue dawn dish soap.
Hang them on a drying rack or clothes line to dry them. The dryer destroys the Velcro over time and hanging them to dry doesn't take very long.

The grapefruit seed extract is often used to sanitize and has antivirus and anti fungal properties. You can get it at health food stores. The blue dawn prevents you from having to "strip" them because it has de-greasing properties. You can get this anywhere.

What do you do with the poop?

We don't do anything yet because he is still breastfed, so his poops are like mustard. When he starts solid foods, we plan to just plop it into the toilet before throwing the diaper into the pail.

So, in conclusion...
I have decided to stick with my cloth diapers for a long while. We use the Bum Genius brand. I did some research ahead of time and other cloth diaperers seemed more satisfied with that brand overall. But, you can always get a sample of a few different kinds and decide for yourself what works best for you.

So, I hope this helps anyone thinking about going the cloth diaper route.

In health and wellness,
Nicole

The BEST Nursing Pads Ever...

2010-05-25T10:33:00.000-07:00

So, remember how I told you in my last post how I got some better nursing pads? Well, I did want to share what they were and where I got them.

Last Tuesday I went to the lactation consultant because I am having serious leaking issues stemming from being over supplied--and whenever I let down, I am covered in my own milk. LOVELY. Extremely embarrasing in public. So, now in my case, these pads help tremendously. Not only with leaking, but with other breastfeeding issues as well..

They are wool. I know what you may be thinking...Wool? Are you nuts, that would be ITCHY! Well, these are not. I will not even buy sweaters with any wool in them because I itch like crazy. However, these pads do not itch. They are made from 100% organic, untreated wool. Apparently the treatments wool receives when turned into sweaters, etc--is what makes them itchy. Well, I learned something new that day.

The lactation consultant let me take her pair to try them out. I was impressed. Mainly because they didn't itch and they started to heal my nipples even faster! Apparently when the milk gets in them, the natural lanolin content of the wool mixes with the milk and has healing properties. Plus the wool helps to keep the moisture off your nipples, giving them a better chance to heal. Sweet!

I went online to the website www.danishwool.com and bought another pair. I bought the Ekstra-because I leak heavily, and they are just as soft as the Softline ones. So, if you are having any issues with leaking or sore nipples or know any other Mommies who are, point them in this direction. They will thank you for it!

In health in wellness,
Nicole Harter

Battle of the Breast

2010-05-19T11:48:00.000-07:00

When you are pregnant and decide to breastfeed your baby, rarely does the image contain any of the potential problems that come with breastfeeding. During the first week, the true reality of it can be a little abrupt and somewhat a smack in the face--especially if you have any issues that fall outside of normal.

In my case, where I do fall outside of the norm, it has been an all out battle. I had a lactation consultant actually say to me "I cannot believe you are still breastfeeding"...I have had to talk to 5 different lactation consultants and see 2 of them in person in the last 6 weeks. Yikes. But, I have to say it is completely worth it. If I can do it being what I have been through, then you can too. So if you do have any issues, ask for help. Lactation consultants are a profession because breastfeeding is no easy task, and breastfeeding support groups exist because it is hard work.

So what happened to me? I breastfed in the hospital beautifully. I had plenty of colostrum and my baby seemed so content. He latched on and all was well in the world. I was discharged from the hospital early because I had such a great labor and delivery. All was sunshine and moonbeams until the next day when my milk came in. I literally had enough milk for twins or triplets or the whole neighborhood of children. That would have been okay if I had actually had twins or triplets. I had so much milk that it hurt to shower.

So, what's the big deal? People suggest pumping and storing it and living up the fact that you have so much milk and that it is a blessing! Now, do not get me wrong, I do not wish upon me the opposite problem of too little milk, which can be even more frustrating and difficult. However, the problems that stem from an over abundant milk supply can do a lot of damage and I thought I would share the things to look for in case you suspect you have an "oversupply" like I did.

The first thing was engorgement. Engorgement is where you feel so full and uncomfortable, you cannot bear it. Being engorged a bit the first couple of days is normal, if you feel this way after the 2nd day, call someone to help.

Next up was sore nipples. If the nipples are not addressed early, they become traumatized and cracked. Believe me, it really hurts. But it stems from the inability to get a good latch because your breasts are overly full. Mine was compounded by a strong and forceful let-down. Basically my son would bite down to slow the flow of milk, and my nipples were destroyed. If your nipples feel sore or begin appearing damaged, call someone immediately. If you have cut up nipples, you can develop an infection or mastitis. They can assess your nipples, help you get a better latch and potentially prescribe some nipple cream to prevent such infections.

When you have all that extra milk, where does it go? Well, you start leaking. At least that is what happened to me. I have been covered in milk for 6 weeks and I am just now seeing the other side (due to better nursing pads).

Having an "oversupply" wouldn't be so bad if it just affected momma; however, your baby starts suffering as well. Your baby gets a lot of "foremilk" as opposed to "hindmilk" when you have an oversupply. The foremilk is full of lactose (sugar) and the hindmilk is full of fat. Basically what happens is that your baby's digestive system digests it too fasts, so the baby is hungry more often and the lactose irritates the digestive tract. The baby can become fussy, gassy, and have explosive and watery poops (sometimes appearing green or greenish). They also do not grow as well because they aren't getting enough fat.

If this sounds like you, please seek the help of a lactation consultant and don't give up!

The Waiting Game is Over, Levi is born!

2010-05-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

Hello all. I apologize for neglecting my blog for the last 6 weeks. But since I had a baby, I forgive myself and I hope you will too.

My new baby, Levi Francis Harter (pronounced just like the jeans) was born April 9th, 2010 at 2:26 AM at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, MA. Now, if you are interested in birth details, read on. If not, then skip the rest. I promise there is nothing too graphic. There is a picture of him getting his first bath.

Birth Story:

Thursday, April 8th I awoke with a strong desire to get things done and had the energy to match. I woke up, cleaned my downstairs bathroom and kitchen including mopping and wiping down the cabinets all before 9:30 AM. I left for my chiropractor appointment. I particularly wanted him to focus on my lower back which felt kind of sore that day. He joked that I was looking lower that day and said he thought I may be dropping as we spoke. I joked back for him to try to give me an adjustment without breaking my water.

After my appointment I headed home. My mom stopped by for a bit and I felt like I should rest for a while. My back was sore and I wanted to be energetic enough for yoga that night. I was having a lot of braxton kicks contractions and I also felt kind of crampy, with twinges of pain lower in my abdomen. So I rested for a minute, then proceeded to clean my entire first floor and made some food to freeze for when the baby came. That night I debated about going to yoga and I went because it always makes me feel better.

When I got home from yoga, I put my 7-year old to bed and chatted with my husband. I told him I thought I was getting close. I told him about my backache, my cramps, and the strong nesting desire. Funny thing was that my doula instinctively emailed me at that moment and asked me how things were. I told her about my day. She told me to get some rest. It was 10:30 PM and time for bed. I got up to brush my teeth and felt the familiar pop and gush as soon as I stood up. "Honey, I think my water just broke". Time to head to the hospital. My mom came over to watch Sam, and we hopped in the car. We called the midwife to tell her we were on our way and called the doula to tell her to meet us there.

The car ride over to the hospital was interesting. My husband was driving and timing contractions. They were 30-40 seconds long, 2-3 minutes apart. I was breathing and trying not to curse myself for not bringing more towels. We were calling our family members to tell them to expect a baby soon. We got to the hospital at 11:30 PM. They checked me over, and I was 3 cm and 90% effaced. Everyone thought I had a bit of time before the baby would come. After getting monitored for a few minutes, I went to my own room.

I was hoping for a natural birth, but I was open to however God decided my labor would go. My doula met us there. We spent the first hour breathing and dealing with my back labor. My husband was awesome at massaging my lower back. At around 1:45ish, I started losing my rhythm and couldn't get it back. "How the hell do women do this?" I asked myself. It was as bad as I could take. I could no longer focus or time my breathing. My doula asked if I wanted to see where I was at. I couldn't bear to get checked because I didn't want to find out that I hadn't progressed very far and lose my resolve. I had labored for 7 hours in my first labor and only progressed 1 cm. I couldn't bear to hear that again.

The midwife came in and tried to help me get back into rhythm. She got me to move positions. I told her it felt like my insides were tearing apart. Apparently those were the "magic words". Just after 2 AM, after being in the hospital for a little more than 2.5 hours, she got me on the bed to check my progress and she announced it was time to start pushing. The tearing apart feeling was when Levi was moving into the birth canal. Once they got my into position, I pushed for 16 minutes. Levi was born at 2:26 AM, and I got my natural child birth.

When the baby was born they put him straight on my chest. The skin to skin contact is essential when the baby is first born. If your hospital doesn't do this as common practice, I recommend you ask for it (as long as the baby appears healthy). They also waited a bit before clamping the umbilical cord. The blood continues to pulsate and pump the blood into the baby. Once it stops, the cord is clamped and my husband made the cut. This is also something I would recommend. It provides the baby with enough iron stores so that at 6 months it is not as necessary to supplement the baby with iron. After the cord is cut, they took him to get a birth weight and gave him right back to me to nurse. He nursed for 30 minutes on each side. Nursing as soon as possible after birth ensures that you establish breastfeeding, begins shrinking your uterus, ensures he gets colostrum early, and helps signal to your body for the milk to come in (which usually happens 2-3 days after the birth of the baby).

After the baby nursed, he was taken (with my husband) to the nursery for any initial things like vitamin K and eye ointment. We declined the hepatitis B vaccine that they routinely give the first day of life (I recommend that you read into it and make a decision for yourself). They also give him his first bath (my husband helped and got pictures). I was "sewn" up since I tore a bit, and they pushed on my uterus to avoid hemorrhaging later. After everyone was done we met in the postpartum room and got some rest for the night.

Overall the birth of both my sons were amazing experiences. However, after having experienced one with many interventions and one that was completely natural, I have to say that natural childbirth is the way to go. The bottom line is that they both are uncomfortable and painful (childbirth hurts). But I felt completely present in the moment, I did not feel "out of it" or "drugged" and felt completely empowered in my woman-ness. When I let my body do it's thing, it went a lot faster and the recovery went a lot better than when I had been given pitocin and an epidural. Our bodies are amazing things and know what to do. We just have to let them do it.

However, regardless of how you give birth to your baby, enjoy the time and get ready for the new game to begin. The first month is tough but they are only newborns for a short time. The last 6 weeks have been a rollercoaster for me, as you will find out in my next few posts.

Resources:

If you are hoping to birth with less interventions, I encourage you to read "Birthing from Within" by Pamela England & Rob Horowitz and "The Birth Partner" by Penny Simkin. I also encourage you to get a doula to help take the pressure off your partner. They are professionals at managing pain in labor and they know what to say/do when times get tough and your partner doesn't know how to help you push through.

If you want to look into vaccinations--I recommend "What your doctor may not tell you about Children's Vaccinations" by Stephanie Cave, and "The Vaccine Book" by Dr. Sears. That should give you some insight about the Hep B shot and other ones that you should be prepared for at the early pediatrician appointments.

The Waiting Game

2010-04-06T04:34:00.000-07:00

I do not know if it is just me, but near the end it doesn't seem like it can really happen unless you have all the last minute things done (although it totally can). I think my husband and I were almost putting off some of the things we needed to do because we knew the anxious waiting game would begin as soon as the to-do list was completed. Welp, we are there. The last few things are done:

Bags are packed. We went through the list of things to bring to the hospital. A helpful tip we got from the midwife was to pack 2 bags: one for labor and one for post-partum. Just carry the labor stuff with you when it is "go time" and then once you have the baby, your husband can go switch the bags. There is no need to lug ALL your stuff through the hospital, especially if you require room changes.

Car seat was put in and blessed by the local police station (so nice by the way). If you call and make an appointment, your local police or fire department will typically install it and explain to you how to use it.

Did you know that you HAVE to put the bar down on infant carriers for it to be installed correctly? And did you know that you shouldn't use those mirrors/toys on your seat?
If you get into an accident and your car is impacted, the carseat protects your baby by taking it for a "ride". The seat bounces up towards the seat--if there is a mirror or a bar there, that is what will impact baby on its head and face. You want the bar down and the seat clear so that the baby impacts the soft padding of the seat. Just thought you should know :)

Baby's room is set up and baby clothes are cleaned.

Grocery shopping is done. I went on a stock up trip for some essentials:

The freezer is full of frozen veggies (as I will probably get to the store very infrequently during the first few weeks and want access to something GREEN)!
Froze some easy-to-make meats for my husband to be able to put together quickly and stress-free.
Grabbed some whole wheat pasta and grains that we can make into easy one-pot meals.
Toilet paper! All the paper goods.

So, now what? I am due in 12 days and everything is ready. But waiting is difficult, and I read from one of my birthing books that a watched uterus doesn't contract! So it is time to pull out some labor projects. Labor what??? Yes, labor projects. Things you can accomplish that are non-essential that will distract you from the fact that you are waiting for baby. You do not want them to exhaust you or stress you out. You want them to keep you active and distracted!

So what are my labor projects?

Making curtains for the boys' rooms. Sewing is a good project. It keeps you active while not exhausting you, and it can keep you busy for hours.
Making and freezing some one-pot meals. This will be super useful when the baby comes. Cooking keeps you active and you feel like you did something useful for baby.
Cleaning out. Did you ever hear of someone cleaning and organizing all of their kitchen cabinets? Well, I probably won't be getting there. I will probably work on my bathrooms first. But it is useful to use that nesting instinct on something to pass the time (and you probably won't get to it for a long time once baby comes).
Blogging! Haha I may post a few more times to pass the time!

So, wish me luck. Hopefully I won't need to pass time for too much longer. I was 9 days early with my first and time will only tell to see if the pattern will continue.

In health and wellness,

Nicole Harter

Food Rules book review

2010-03-24T11:37:00.000-07:00

I just have to mention this awesome book that I just read that I am reading for next month's book club. Food Rules by Michael Pollan. It can be seen here on amazon.com.

It is great, and seriously only takes 30-60 minutes to read. It basically sums up a lot of what I tell my clients about developing a healthy relationship with food, what to watch out for, and basically just common sense about food/dieting.

I also highly recommend two other books Pollan has written: In Defense of Food and Omnivore's Dilemma which have both changed my understanding of food and my relationship to eating forever (in a good way!). But those books are a lot more detailed and dense. If you aren't a reader--see the movie Food, Inc. and it covers a lot of the material as well.

So if you want to start easy/common sense of just the basics of how/what to eat--read Food Rules. Then if you need some more explanation, go to In Defense of Food. And if you become consumed like I did--then read Omnivore's Dilemma.

In health and wellness,

Nicole

Feeling swell? Or just swollen?

2010-03-24T10:48:00.000-07:00

Got cankles? Mine haven't started yet, but I had them when I was pregnant the first time with Sam and I remember them vividly. I have recently needed to remove my rings too, which I know is a sign of things to come.

Interesting to note, that swelling in the hands, feet, and face (called edema) is a normal part of late pregnancy because of the additional blood and fluid in the body. ALSO, the body retains water in order to "soften the body" in order to loosen up the joints to allow for safe passage during labor/delivery. That is pretty comforting to me, knowing that the body has a purpose and plan for all that fluid! AND, it accounts for 25% of weight gain for women during pregnancy. So suffice to say, once you have the baby, you will stop retaining all that water and your weight goes down significantly.

So what can we do in the meantime to help you lessen the effects of the swelling and keep it to a minimum?

Drink a lot of water to help flush out the fluids! I know it is painful for frequent trips to the ladies room, but it really does help!
When you are sitting, put your feet up. And don't cross your legs--it affects circulation!
Avoid prolonged sitting and standing (take breaks).
Exercise by walking or swimming throughout the day.
Avoid too much salt (limit going out to eat or highly processed foods that have a lot of salt). Salt to taste in your own food. No need to avoid it all together.
Eat more potassium. Potato skins, sweet potatoes, dried fruit, nuts, grapefruits and citrus (if heartburn not an issue), and bananas (if constipation isn't an issue). This also helps with leg cramps if you have been suffering those as well!
Avoid caffeine or other dehydrating beverages.
Avoid "long days" of activity. Especially in the warm weather and sun! Take breaks with legs up and drink plenty of fluids!
Avoid using tight elastics around ankles and wrists.
If it is really bad, try support stockings.
Use cold compresses on swollen areas.

If your swelling is really bad, talk to your doctor or midwife. They will also be looking at your blood pressure. If the swelling is really bad and your blood pressure is sky-rocketing, it can be a sign of preeclampsia, which is serious.

I hope this helps ladies. At the end of the pregnancy, all of these minor inconveniences will be part of your distant memory!

In health and wellness,

Nicole

Feeling the burn (heartburn that is)!

2010-03-22T17:47:00.001-07:00

So, I am 36 weeks, which I am calling the "beginning of the end". Basically it is when all of those interesting side effects of pregnancy start becoming worse if they haven't already. Like, thought you had a backache before? Ha, it becomes a whole new ball game in the last few weeks.

So one of the latest side effects that has descended upon me in the last week is heartburn! I consider myself lucky because many women have it way worse than I do, and have it set in a lot earlier, but it is unpleasant none-the-less. So I did a little reading on the subject and thought I would share some tips that I found:

Eat multiple small meals per day (5 or 6) instead of 3 bigger ones. When your stomach becomes empty, acid starts building and making the heartburn worse. If it starts and you are due to eat dinner in a bit, having a couple of saltines or oyster crackers can help to neutralize it until you sit down to eat.
Don't overeat and stuff yourself. Basically the little doorway to your esophagus isn't working the way it used to, so give it a little room.
Watch your intake of citrus, tomatoes, caffeine, chocolate, garlic, onions, acidic and spicy foods and see if you feel better on days where you limit those items. Try re-introducing them to see if they are triggers for you.
Avoid greasy and fatty foods.
Eat slower and chew thoroughly. Inhaling your food will make it worse. If you chew more, your stomach won't need as much acid to break down the food. Also, when you eat slower your body will send a signal that you are full before you over-stuff yourself.
Keep yourself hydrated. But do not fill up on water during meals. Try drinking more between meals. When you drink during meals it can fill your belly too much so you feel stuffed.
I have read that a glass of milk or a bit of yogurt after meals helps with short term relief.
Do not lay down right after meals. Let yourself digest a bit by walking around and moving. Propping yourself up a pillow or two may help (not just your head because that can hurt your neck).
Do not eat right before bed. Give yourself a couple of hours to digest.
Be careful not to pop too many antacids--and talk to your health care provider about which ones are safe. Some can interfere with uterine contractions because they contain too much magnesium later in pregnancy.

Another interesting side note about heartburn is about the correlation between newborn hair and heartburn severity. I thought it was probably an old wive's tale joke that I saw on my friend's Facebook page. But then my mom mentioned it. She said it is true, and that she had a lot of heartburn with me (I had a lot of hair) and none with my little sister (bald as can be).

So I looked it up, and HA there have been studies that DO link the two seemingly unrelated events! I was kind of blown away. But here is a link to the study I saw: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17150070 . Apparently there is a relationship to the two. The explanation from this study states "We propose a shared biologic mechanism involving a dual role of pregnancy hormones in both the relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter and the modulation of fetal hair growth".

Well look at that, I learned something new in the little exercise and I hope you did too. In case you are interested--I had very little heartburn with Sam. He had a little bit of hair (more like fuzz) and it was gone very quickly. Sam was bald thereafter well past his first birthday. His first birthday pictures show a happy little bald kid. This baby is giving me more heartburn than Sam did, so I will see if this one has more hair!

In health and wellness,

Nicole

Tea time?

2010-03-03T06:57:00.000-08:00

Something I have missed during my pregnancy is a hot cup of tea. Especially because I am no longer a coffee drinker, I miss the warm feeling of settling in with a hot mug and feeling the warmth flow down my throat and into my belly.
Now, I haven't stopped drinking tea because it's necessarily "bad for you". I mainly stopped for the following reasons:

During my first pregnancy and in my first trimester of this pregnancy it caused me to become nauseous and toss my cookies more than once. I took it as a sign that my body wanted nothing to do with it.
I do not like the idea of taking in too much caffeine. Caffeine does cross the placenta, your baby cannot metabolize it, and there are no conclusive studies to tell us how much is "safe" for the baby. I limit my caffeine intake to chocolate.
Many herbal teas (especially in tea shops or loose teas) have a mix of all different kinds of herbs, some of which are not recommended when nursing or pregnant. Since I feel uncomfortable with my limited knowledge of herbs to know which herbal teas are okay/not okay to have during pregnancy, I have been skipping it.

One type of tea, however, has peaked my interest because of it's claims of healthfulness in pregnancy: Red Raspberry leaf. So I decided to do a bit of research and see what I could find. Here is the general gyst of what I found:

The consensus is that Red Raspberry tea can be used as a "uterine tonic" and that it stimulates the uterus to contract and tone itself to prepare for labor/birth.
However, there is controversy as to when to begin drinking it. Many believe drinking it too soon (1st trimester) can cause miscarriage, while others believe toning the uterus earlier will help to have an easier labor/birth from a stronger uterus.
The conservative approach is to start drinking it later in the pregnancy (some say 3rd trimester and some say when you reach 36 weeks).
Be careful of other herbs found mixed in with the red raspberry leaf teas, as they can be unsafe for baby.

One day in Whole Foods, I saw the Yogi brand "Mother to Be" tea and I inquired with my midwife (since it contains red raspberry leaf tea). While the package doesn't mention the controversy, my midwife advised that I wait until later in my pregnancy to take it. Upon further investigation, I found that some of the herbs are listed as "unsafe for pregnancy" like stinging nettles, is actually found in the Mother to Be tea. So you really do need to be careful with these herbal teas, even the ones that are marketed towards expectant mothers!

So, if you do decide to start drinking herbal teas. I do recommend that you talk to your health care provider about it, let them know what you are drinking/how much/etc, and make sure you are doing the best for your body and situation. Resources for herbal teas and safety during pregnancy: http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/herbaltea.html

Unfortunately the lack of tea will not stop when the baby is born. There are herbal teas that affect your baby when nursing (e.g. feverfew can increase baby's heart rate, goldenseal can be toxic) and some that can affect your milk supply (mint, sage, parsley can lower your milk supply). Seems scary to me, so I just leave them on the shelf. So just BE CAREFUL at tea time and maybe opt for some hot water with lemon.

In health and wellness,
Nicole

The first week: things no one talks about (but should!)

2010-02-23T10:38:00.000-08:00

When my first child was born, I remember thinking "labor was nothing compared to the pain of recovery". I also remember that I had felt completely unprepared. No one had talked about my own physical recovery, they only spoke of the pain of labor. None of my classes or books covered it either. In what I have seen in postpartum topics, it seems like everyone typically talks about the possibility of postpartum depression, breastfeeding, and then getting back into your pre-baby body. Which, while some of that is helpful, they do not talk about the normal healing process.

As a result, my mental image of bringing the baby home from the hospital was this rosy picture of me sitting in my rocking chair, nursing, and cuddling my baby as we both blissfully fell into our afternoon nap. I thought the pregnancy aches and pains would be over, the pain of labor behind me, and I would be into baby bliss. Ha. I was mistaken.

Lately, I have been thinking about those first two weeks of baby bliss: the emotional/hormonal breakdowns as your hormones try to re-balance, the stitches I had because I tore in two places, the fact that I couldn't walk up and down the stairs, the menstrual cramps you have because your uterus is shrinking back to it's former size, the insecurity of when you first start breastfeeding, the hemorrhoids from pushing with an epidural, and the tiredness from waking up at all hours of the night. Where was all that reality in the baby books?

Now, don't get me wrong. It is all COMPLETELY WORTH IT. These are things that once you get into the 3rd-4th week you begin blissfully forgetting and don't cross your mind until you are preparing to go through it with subsequent children. BUT, I would have liked to been more prepared the first time, and I thought I would share so that other first timers could get a little more mentally/physically prepared for their own recovery (since most of our energy is focused on getting prepared for the little ball of joy we are growing in our tummies).

Here are some things to consider:

Where is your baby stuff in relation to where you will be spending most of your time? Do you have to take stairs to get to all your baby stuff? The first week or so, you may not be ready for many trips up/down the stairs. The first week I had Sam, I could only make 1 trip per day up the stairs (in the evening to go to sleep). Therefore, we needed to set up a mini camp in the living room or a side room on the first floor so I could still be near a bathroom and the kitchen throughout the day.
Do you have someone who can be home with you the first week (or preferably 2)? If your husband/partner can't be there, a friend or relative would be very helpful while he/she is away or at work. This person will be invaluable helping you around your house, bringing you a glass of water, helping you lift the baby. They can also run to the pharmacy if you need anything. Then you can focus on healing and on nurturing your new baby. It is good to work this out ahead of time. This is vital in cases where you give birth by cesarean and have even more healing to do.
Can you prepare meals ahead of time or have a sign up sheet for loved ones to bring food for the first week or two? Think about how much you'll want to be up and down getting yourself water/food much less cooking after giving birth. You will be tired and sore. You will also need good nutritious food/energy. Don't be afraid to ask for help and support. No one expects you to do it all on your own. If people offer their help and support, practice saying "Yes please, that would be great".
Who can you call? Post phone numbers for the nursery, local lactation consultants, other new recent moms, and a local postpartum group. Make sure you feel supported and do NOT be afraid to reach out to other people. If you begin feeling isolated or overwhelmed, you will need people to call who have been there before. You are NOT alone! If you are the first one of your group of friends to have children, be understanding that they may not necessarily know what you need because they haven't been there before. So either tell them what you need, or be prepared with other phone numbers to call!

Next, while you are getting ready for baby, prepare a Survival Kit for your own healing/recovery needs. You may not need any or all of what I list here. I have met some women who have natural births and are up and around a day or two later. The trouble is, you cannot predict if that will be you. So this is nice stuff to have on hand, and then you can always save the receipt and send your hubbie/partner/mom/friend to the pharmacy to return whatever you didn't use or need.

Sitz bath: you will need this if you develop hemorrhoids from pushing or if you need stitches from a tear or episiotomy (or if you are lucky enough to have all of the above!)
Pads: The overnight, long kind. You know that period you haven't had for 9 months? Well the first few weeks more than make up for it. Do NOT use tampons.
Cotton rounds: You can soak these in witch hazel and use as a compress.
Witch hazel: to use as a compress and to clean areas...
Donut pillow: It is sore to sit. It feels better to sit on a donut for a few days.
Stool softener that is approved by your doctor/midwife or some kind of guidance on what to eat to ensure soft passage of stools. Things are going to be all sore down there, you do not want any more trauma.

Now, hopefully I am not scaring you, that is really not my intention. I think it is just really easy to miss this stuff when the cultural focus is on the cutesy stuff like new clothes and decorating the nursery, which is clearly more fun! So, I hope you enjoy bringing home your new bundle of joy. It truly is a remarkable part of life. Hopefully feeling more prepared and supported will make it even smoother and more enjoyable for you!

In health and wellness,

Nicole

"I'm good, but I wish I could poop the way I used to..."

2010-02-22T10:57:00.000-08:00

It is funny to me that whenever I see anyone that I haven't see for a while, they always ask "How are you feeling?". And it is not necessarily funny that they ask (they are just being sweet and polite), but my reaction is always funny to me. Of course, I typically answer the obligatory "Oh, I am feeling pretty good" or "Good, but a bit tired". In my head, I laugh at myself for telling another little white lie. No one really expects you to run through the little aches and pains that typically accompany pregnancy and no one ever really wants to hear that your pipes are running slower than usual. Just once, I would like to say "Good, except I wish I could poop the way I used to" or "Good, except the lower back pain I am encountering whenever I stand longer than 20 minutes" or "Super, but I wish I could get some sleep without having to go to the bathroom 3 times in the middle of the night"....

Funny though, several months ago, I went to a concert with my husband and some friends and one of the girls was late in her first trimester. It was our first time meeting, and I thought she was hilarious and refreshingly honest. Like me, this woman eats very healthy and, as a result, is used to a comfortable level of regularity. When I (politely) asked her how she was feeling so far, one of her first complaints was that she felt nauseous, but the worst thing was how she wishes she could go like she used to! Oh, I think of that story now, and think that woman is braver than I!

The truth is, that more than half of pregnant women experience constipation. So you are not alone! Much of it is due to the increased iron supplementation. However, it is also caused by the natural relaxation of your intestines, which causes everything to move a bit slower. Another thing that may contribute is that cup of coffee that you may have given up that used to help you go more reliably. Great, so it is a normal part of many pregnancies...so what can we do to help move things along?

Eat high fiber diet. Especially fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Prunes and dried fruits can also be very helpful. Dark leafy greens are high in magnesium and will also be helpful.
Avoid constipating foods. Maybe just for a while, pass on the cheese and bananas until you feel better.
Drink a lot of fluids (mostly water). I'll admit, this is my pain point. Part of me dreads drinking too much at this point of the pregnancy because I am literally going to the ladies room every 30-45 minutes. But, not only is the fluid good for constipation, it is good for a lot of other things too. So drink lots of water (and prune juice if you are already constipated). Hot water in the morning can also be helpful.
Relax and manage stress. Stress, worry, and anxiety can contribute to constipation.
Eat good fat and oils. Avocados, olive oil, nuts to name a few. Fish oil and flax also can help move things along for you.
Watch your iron supplements. Take iron in small doses spread throughout the day if you need to supplement. Experiment with other types (floradix or brewer's yeast for example).
Watch your calcium intake. Calcium can be constipating. So try to get it in high fiber forms (like broccoli). Eating too much dairy (high calcium and low fiber) can also be constipating.
Exercise. Nothing intense. Just a quick walk during a 10 minute break at work, maybe some yoga and/or stretching before bed.

So I hope you have enjoyed this post or at least found it useful. Constipation is not your friend, and if it gets really bad it can lead to other problems like hemorrhoids--which is really not pleasant to bring up at the work picnic. So, truly do not ignore it. If you have really bad problems, bring it up to your doctor or midwife before turning to any laxatives or things of that nature, because many of them are not safe in pregnancy.

In health and wellness,

Nicole

Beef up on your iron (literally) and Recipe for Beef, Lentil and Tomato Stew with Greens

2010-02-08T05:51:00.000-08:00

Typically during your 28 week appointment (or closest one), your doctor/midwife will give you the lovely orange drink for glucose testing (for gestational diabetes screen) and will also recheck your hemoglobin levels (they typically check it with your first bloodwork too). Hemoglobin is your red blood cell count and typically lets the doctor/midwife know whether or not you are low in iron. The interesting thing is that in your last trimester of pregnancy, your blood volume gets much larger, so the hemoglobin will naturally become diluted and your iron levels will lower accordingly.

Doctors/midwives will diagnose anything under 11 "anemia" and recommend a supplement. "Your iron is borderline" is result I got in both pregnancies. Since I am normally "borderline", that answer was not surprising to me. Upon further inquiry, I find that my iron is a 10.7. I recommend that you find out what yours is, if you are told you need iron supplementation because you should know how much to take (keep in mind that you get some in your prenatal too if you take one). I say this, because iron supplementation is very constipating, and who needs MORE constipation during pregnancy? I vote no to constipation.

When I asked if there are other options, the midwife then explains that I can eat more iron-rich foods, more vitamin C with the vegetarian forms of iron, and we can recheck closer to my due date. I like that option better. Maybe a burger a day will keep the doctor away...

So what does a diet look like when you are trying to increase your iron levels? First, get yourself a cast iron pan. The iron leaches into your food and increases the iron substantially. You can get one for a decent price. Just follow the directions on seasoning it and use it! Then use the lists below to increase iron rich foods and foods that enhance iron-absorption, and decrease foods that inhibit iron-absorption or eat those at different times of the day.

Iron-rich foods that have highest absorption because they contain the heme form of iron:

Red meats like beef, pork, lamb, liver (limit liver to 1/week because of high vitamin A levels)
Chicken, duck and other poultry
Fish and shellfish

Iron-rich foods that have lower absorption because they contain the non-heme form of iron (but should still be considered):

Unsulphured or black strap molasses
Green leafy veggies (kale, chard, broccoli, spinach, beet greens, etc)
Dried Beans and lentils, and legumes
Dried fruits like raisins and appricots (which have the vitamin C in there too!)

Foods that enhance iron-absorption:

Foods high in vitamin C which includes fresh/raw fruits/vegetables, fruit juices (read the labels 100% juice with no added sugars!)
Foods high in folate (folic acid) which are dark leafy greens, dried beans, wheat germ and orange juice

Foods that inhibit iron-absorption:

Whole grains with phytic acid. Soaking grains can neutralize it's effects
Calcium-rich dairy foods and supplements (eat at different times of the day)
Tea with tannic acid
Some herbs, including peppermint and chamomile
Coffee
Cocoa

If supplementation is needed:
However, if after talking to your doctor/midwife, they find it absolutely necessary that you supplement your iron or you feel uncomfortable relying on your diet alone: consider using Floradix or Brewer's Yeast instead of a synthetic vitamin. They are more easily absorbed and will cause less constipation. Do not supplement if you are not anemic, iron is not excreted easily and you could become iron toxic, which you do not want either.

Recipe: Beef, Lentil and Tomato Stew with Greens
I adapted this recipe from a basic lamb stew recipe I got from Epicurious.com. I have used lamb in it as well and it also works nicely. The beef, lentils, and greens will give you a big iron boost.

Ingredients:
Olive oil
1 pound of beef stew meat
1 onion chopped up
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp minced, peeled fresh ginger
1-2 carrots, diced small
1 stalk of celery diced small
1 Tbs curry powder (or more if you like)
2 cups beef stock (or water is fine)
1.5 cups jarred diced tomatoes with juices or a chunky tomato sauce
1 cup dried green or french lentils
2 cups chopped greens (kale, collards, spinach or chard would work nicely)

Directions:

Brown the beef in the olive oil.
Add onions, garlic, ginger, celery and carrots. Saute until onions and carrots get cooked down a bit.
Add the curry powder and mix it in for about 30 seconds.
Add the stock or water.
Add tomatoes and lentils.
Cover the pot and let simmer for 45 min to 1 hour until the lentils are tender.
Toss the greens in and cook down until tender.
Serve in bowls by itself or serve over brown rice (soak the rice for several hours before cooking to neutralize the phytic acid. Phytic acid will block the iron absorption).

Don't take shots in the dark. Know your options.

2010-02-04T12:28:00.000-08:00

Can you tell that I have been lazy and less creative on the food front? Everyday around 5PM I get pretty low-energy and so coming up with new recipes hasn't been by biggest priority.

So today, I just wanted to pass on information for books that have been helpful to me in case you were interested. I remember when Sam was born that every doctor appointment I went to, Sam needed to receive vaccines, which my doctor and I spent very little time discussing. It seemed really scary to be giving him 3 or 4 shots in one day when he was such a little baby, and without knowing what my options were at the time, I just did what the doctor ordered.

However, knowing that doctors receive their orders from the CDC, FDA, and the government (who have interests/are subject to lobbying by pharmaceuticals), I am increasingly aware that doing your own research about the topic helps you feel more comfortable with any decisions you make about your baby's health--with either way you go.

I have always been a "middle of the road" person when it comes to vaccines--and can see points of view from both sides. You obviously do not want to eliminate vaccinations and expose your child to deadly diseases. But, you want do vaccinate in such a way that there are less risks of developing autism, ADD, ADHD, and other autoimmune diseases that may be related to over-vaccinating children before they can developmentally handle the ingredients. So, while I do plan on vaccinating the new baby--I plan on doing it on a modified schedule that I will develop based on research and with my pediatrician and (hopefully) pose less risks.

So, in case you are interested, here are 2 books that were recommended to me--that present both sides of the vaccine debate and that both are written by doctors.

What your Doctor May Not Tell you About Children's Vaccinations by Stephanie Cave, MD with Deborah Mitchell: I am currently reading this one and finding it fascinating (because I am a dork). But it is helpful to see that I can delay some of the vaccines until the baby is a bit older--without risking him getting some of the diseases, etc.

The Vaccine Book by Dr Sears: I haven't read this one yet (it is next on the list), but my doula recommended it. She said if she had read it, that she probably would have given her son 1-2 of the vaccines recommended instead of abstaining from them completely (she didn't vaccinate at all because of fear of the controversies). So I am pretty sure it gives a picture of both sides of the debate--when the vaccines are neccessary and when they can be delayed.

In any case, it is something to think about before your baby is born, especially since the first vaccine is scheduled on the day of his/her birth (Hep B). If not those books, you should read a little bit about it so you feel comfortable with any decisions you make. You should also talk it over with prospective pediatricians to see what they think about the topic too, since their philosophy on it will be important to align with your own.

Hope this helps to bring up (yet another) thing to think about when preparing for your little one.

In health and wellness,
Nicole

What is BPA anyway?

2010-02-03T09:14:00.000-08:00

While I try to make it a habit to avoid instilling fear into mommies (especially first-timers) and while worrying about every little thing will drive you nuts as a new mom-to-be, there are instances where a higher level of concern and care are healthy. Such is the case when dealing with BPA. So, I do warn you, that this post is kind of scary, but should be taken into consideration while pregnant and caring for your little baby.

When you go buy (or register for) your baby bottles and breastfeeding gear or whatever you are planning to use, there is this claim on the boxes for "BPA-free". Many people probably do not know what it means, but it sounds good right? Well, it is something every pregnant/nursing/mothers for children under 2 should be very concerned with (and really anyone for that matter) and I thought I should take the time to explain why for people who may not know or may not necessarily be taking it that seriously.

Back on August 3rd, 2009 (approx 5-6 days before I discovered my exciting baby news), the Massachusetts Department of Health released a public health advisory to consumers concerning bisphenol A (BPA). The full advisory can be found here: http://www.massmedboard.org/public/pdf/bisphenola_advisory.pdf. The advisory actually states in bold letters "The DPH is specifically advising parents and caretakers of children up to two years old to avoid the use of products that contain BPA for making or storing infant formula and breast milk. DPH is further advising pregnant and breastfeeding women to avoid products that may contain BPA."

Red flag. This concerned me. This organization rarely sends statewide warnings about public consumer products to doctors, etc; so it is something that really got my attention. I did a bit of reading on the advisory and about BPA in general and thought that other people should know about other sources of BPA other than baby bottles so you can protect yourself and your loved ones. On a side note, I think it is really sad that we need to do this, instead of the government taking strides to ensure that none of the products contain a harmful substance, but sigh...how long did we use lead paint and asbestos? And now formaldehyde and BPA? And can we please do some things to get the mercury out of our tuna fish? OK, done with politics. Back to BPA.

Basically BPA is is an organic compound that is a building block of several plastics and plastic additives. Apparently according to Wikipedia, there have been concerns over its safety for humans since the 1930's (sigh again). It is an endocrine disruptor (which means it acts like a hormone in your body) and is linked to a whole host of problems--disrupted fetal development of thyroid and reproductive systems, obesity, thyroid dysfunction, reproductive issues in both men and women, breast and prostate cancers, and sadly the list goes on.

So, something we want to avoid, right? So what are the sources of BPA, and what should we do to avoid BPA exposure?

Sources of BPA:

BPA is used as a liner in some food and beverage cans to prevent spoilage
Transparent (clear or colored) plastic containers or baby bottles with the recycling number 7 and the letters PC, which stand for “polycarbonate” plastic
Liquid baby formulas

How to Avoid BPA exposure:

Avoid eating canned foods/beverages while pregnant/nursing. Fresh/frozen foods are better choices. Jarred food in glass bottles is fine. Thank goodness we can still eat our pickles.
Drink out of stainless steel or glass containers. Avoid plastic bottled water and canned soft drinks.
Replace Tupperware and other food storage with glass containers.
The most effective means of reducing BPA exposure to infants is to breast feed. If formula is needed, avoid liquid formula. Dry powder has not been shown to contain detectable levels of BPA.
Use BPA-free products to store breast milk and formula.
Do not heat or pour hot liquid into plastic bottles.
Do not put plastic bottles or containers into the dishwasher.
Do not use harsh detergents and soaps on plastics, which also causes leaching.
Pay attention to the types of plastics used on sippy cups, teething rings, pacifiers, etc.

So, I hope you aren't freaking out and thinking that the past few months you have been doing everything wrong and have done harm to your baby. The past is the past and I didn't know any of this with my first son. You can only do something about today and days ahead. So having anxiety about the past is useless. The same can be said about all those people with mercury fillings. You cannot control what you do not now. So, now you know, and you can take action!

Start by reviewing the state of the union: all of your baby's gear, your food pantry, and the beverages you drink (and your registry). Return or toss all the items you suspect to contain BPA. Replace your tupperware and other food storage containers with glass (I keep all my dry bulk goods in mason jars, which works really well and each one is $.50-1.00 at AC Moore or Micheal's). Get yourself a cute stainless steel water bottle. Toss or give away all your plastic water bottles. Stick to glass bottles or fountain drinks when you are out and thirsty. And basically do the best you can. Any action you take will reduce the amount of exposure and that is all anyone can ask of you. I have listed some resources for you to get more info. And while my post is focused on pregnant moms and babies, it isn't that good for anyone really, including your husband or partner!

Resources:
http://www.massmedboard.org/public/pdf/bisphenola_advisory.pdf
http://www.mass.gov/Eeohhs2/docs/dph/environmental/exposure/bisphenol_a_brochure.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A

In health and wellness,
Nicole

Handy Little Inventions for the Pregnant Woman

2010-01-28T12:19:00.000-08:00

I am due on April 18th, which is in a little less than 3 months. I have technically begun the last trimester, and I am starting to be able to tell. The high energy feelings of the second trimester have begun to wane, my hips are starting to feel really sore, my belly is popping out of my pre-pregnancy clothes, my lower back is beginning to ache, and my appetite has almost doubled. Woo hoo, I finally feel pregnant! You know, I take the good with the bad, and I am really enjoying it. However, there are a few handy little inventions that are making this pregnancy more enjoyable and I thought I would share them:

Hot water bottle: I love mine and I have started using it every evening for sore hips, sore lower back, and just warming myself up under a blanket! Nothing fancy, just a plain hot water bottle filled up with heated (not boiling) water. You can find them on Amazon.com for pretty cheap. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=hot+water+bottle

Belly band: I do not know about you, but I really don't like maternity pants. Everytime I go to the store to try them on, I leave purchasing another top or nothing at all. So what do I wear? I assure you, that I do not typically leave the house without pants on. I either wear a comfy pair of yoga pants (in solid colors that match everything) or I throw on a pregnancy belly band over some of my pre-pregnancy pants. Now, I have to admit, I am "lucky" because I had a huge stash of bigger sizes in my basement because 2 years ago I lost quite a bit of weight (when I discovered what I know now about healthy eating). So I just grab a box of the next size up, toss on a belly band, and throw on an extra long or maternity top. I grabbed mine at Target for $17 bucks, but Amazon also has a ton of different kinds as well. The great thing is that if I eventually do break down and buy maternity clothes, you can use the band to help you keep your pants up post-partum until you fit into your normal ones again. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=belly+band

Epsom salt: Not a new invention, by any means. But I have discovered that dumping 2 cups of Epsom salts in a warm (not too hot) bath feels good on my aching hips and lower back. Epsom salt is basically magnesium sulfate, which is a mineral your body needs to relax muscles and intestines (hint hint, if you are constipated). Bathing in the salt can help you to absorb some of that magnesium and relax tense muscles/intestines. ALSO, it helps with shrinking and soothing hemorrhoids if you have developed them during pregnancy or if you develop them during/after labor. You can use them as a bath or for use in sitz baths.

Rolling pin: Hand to partner, point to sore muscle, and let them roll out the tension. Give positive feedback sounds of relief...

Journal or sketch pad: Vent it out, draw it out, let it out. You are hormonal, emotional, excited, stressed, anxious, happy, sad, nervous, and sometimes just hungry and tired. I encourage you to let it all out. It basically just helps to write things down. You end up figuring out things about yourself you didn't know, and feelings you didn't know you had. With such a major change coming in your life, it is important to maintain your mental health. So write it out, draw it out, and let it out. It will be surprisingly therapeutic. I promise.

Pillows: Either a pregnancy pillow, or a body pillow, or a bunch of regular pillows/blankets. They will help you sleep better and feel less sore in the morning. Try to keep your spine in neutral and your hips aligned face forward. I stack up a folded up blanket and put it right above my hip to under my armpit, and it helps fill the space between my waist and bed, and keeps my hips in better alignment. Then put a pillow between your legs to keep your leg straighter.

Do you have an invention that you specifically like to help relieve aches/pains? I would LOVE to hear.

In health and wellness,
Nicole

Reality Check: Am I ready for this baby to be born?

2010-01-27T10:38:00.001-08:00

A couple of weeks ago my friend began having some pre-labor contractions, etc. So I swung by to drop off some flowers and well-wishes and found her knee deep in baby clothes. She was so funny. She didn't want me to help (but I did anyway) and she, her mom, and I sat and discussed how time just "flies" by when you are pregnant. You think you will get to the little things like washing the baby laundy and putting the room together "next week" and then WHAM! Next week is here and you are wishing you set aside the time to take care of that stuff, read some of the books you bought that are still sitting in the Amazon box, and wishing you weren't feeling like you were running out of time and not "ready" for the baby to come.

Needless to say, I went home and pulled out all of my son's old baby clothes, baby gear, and went online to order those books from Amazon that I had meant to be reading. I also signed up for that Birth Refresher course to take next month. At a party the next week, her husband teased me that she "freaked me out". Sigh, my poor husband ratted me out. But honestly, it was sort of true! I think it was actually more of a reality check that this baby is really going to be coming out in 3 months (give or take). I think I have all the time in the world, but in those last few weeks, do I want to be freaking out or relaxing with my feet up?

Now, don't get my wrong, my freak out focus was on the physical needs of the baby (clothes, blankets, etc), but when I really thought about it, was it really about having all the "stuff" ready??? Ha, the answer was "partly". While having the basics done and ready makes things easier, it was really the emotional aspect of giving birth to a baby in 3 months that I was not really preparing myself for. The thing I really needed was to start thinking about facing my fears from my last birth and start taking measures to feel supported during/after labor.

The birth of my first baby did not really go as I had "planned", and could quite frankly be described as traumatic. I really wanted to give birth naturally, and I thought that I would be supported by the midwives I was seeing. I also thought it was such a natural event, that why give it another thought? Needless to say, none of the midwives were on duty when my water broke, and the OB/GYN didn't give me much in the way of options at the hospital. It was pitocin, then laboring on my back with monitors on, and then an epidural because my labor wasn't progressing. After I left the hospital stunned, sore, and feeling like a failure, I also struggled with breastfeeding and didn't really have the breastfeeding support I really needed. So, when I saw my friend who said "I am not ready for this baby to come out", I knew I felt the same way about my baby--both physically and emotionally. I also knew I didn't want a rerun from my last birth experience.

So how am I preparing mentally for giving birth to this baby now, you ask? Well, I did buy some books that I am thoroughly enjoying and thought I would share them:

The first on the list is "Birthing from Within" by Pam England and Rob Horowitz. This is unlike any other birth/labor book I had ever seen or read. It does talk about the process of childbirth, but it comes at it holistically and considers how fears/emotions/environment can affect the natural process. Yes, it is really touchy feely and goes into a lot of art, but it was surprisingly really helpful. There are art exercises to help you start thinking about your mental/emotional blocks and fears about giving birth and becoming a mother/father. My husband is even enjoying it! We do some of the artwork and then describe what we did. It has helped me understand some of my fears with going back to a hospital setting and then coming up with ways to alleviate or minimize those fears. It has also helped my husband and I communicate and get in touch with our current impressions of birth and how we can honestly support each other the best way possible.

"The Birth Partner, A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions" by Penny Simkin. The book is very informational into the physical nitty gritty of what is happening physiologically--which in the end is helpful when the doctor/midwife/nurse is using the technical birthing jargon while you are in the hospital. But it also is a good guide for husbands and birth partners to prepare for what to expect from the mom and how to support her along the different steps of the way. When you combine this knowledge with the knowledge you get about yourselves/each other from "Birthing From Within", you may feel a lot better and maybe even start looking forward to labor!

"Active Birth: The New Approach to Giving Birth Naturally" by Janet Balaskas is pretty practical. It goes in depth on how you can physically prepare your body for the physical process of labor while you are still pregnant. The stretches are awesome, and align really well with my prenatal yoga class. Then it goes into actual birthing positions that help you use gravity and how your body is made in order to help move your labor along. After reading this book, it is no wonder to me why my labor wasn't progressing while laying flat on my back in a hospital bed!

"The Nursing Mother's Companion" by Kathleen Huggins. I have read the first few parts about pregnancy and the first week. I plan on using this book more as a survival guide as I move along through the different stages.

So, now I am reading, stretching, relaxing, researching, and cleaning a little bit each day to start physically and mentally preparing for this baby! I find that it has less to do with stressing over getting the "stuff" prepared-- like buying the right care seat and bouncy chair--but more about feeling like you are a bit organized and mentally ready to face labor and being a mommy (in my case again).

So what things have you done to start thinking about what labor will be like? Have you started getting yourself and your thoughts organized about having the baby and having a support network to help you during/after labor? Maybe today is a good day to start!

A side note: early last week my friend sent me a note for the flowers and she put a PS that her house was in tip top shape. I think this was her way of feeling ready for the baby. She did all this before she went to the hospital to give birth to her amazing little 9 lb baby boy :)

In health and wellness,
Nicole

Chemically Speaking Bonus Part: Managing Indoor Pollution

2010-01-25T07:35:00.000-08:00

As Richard pointed out in a comment on my post about beauty products, there are many sources of chemical exposure in the form of indoor pollution. Richard specifically mentions formaldehyde, there are a number of other ones to point out. While cleaning supplies, household paints, and pesticides/insecticides account for some of this pollution, you should be aware of some of the other sources and take measures in your home to reduce it. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside the typical home is on average 2-5 times more polluted than the air just outside—and in extreme cases 100 times more contaminated.

Some things that can be done:

Test for radon, formaldehyde, mold, lead, and asbestos.
Use up-to-date carbon monoxide detectors and ensure you change the batteries according to the package directions or guidelines put forth by your state.
Ensure your home has proper ventilation systems
Use air purifier, preferably HEPA to reduce airborne pollutants and allergens.
Change the filter on your furnace regularly, which blows air throughout your home.
Keep indoor plants, which have been shown to drastically reduce indoor pollution and increase oxygen.
Use greener household cleaners/detergents.
Use fragrance free products.
Remove or properly store paints, polyurethanes, and other household chemicals.
Air out your home regularly, by opening windows and running fans (not during pollen season if you have environmental allergies like I do).
Avoid purchasing furniture/building materials made with pressed wood--especially baby furniture. Find out what types of chemicals are used in the types of furniture bought. Some glues contain formaldehyde.
Hold off on any major building plans in your home while pregnant including ripping up carpet or remodeling--if you do choose to paint, use no-voc paint and avoid being in contact while painting is occurring and until the area can be properly ventilated.
Let all new furniture, etc have time to gas off before exposing self or baby.
Avoid using regular dry cleaners. If necessary, minimize and remove all plastic coverings/materials before bringing item into your home. Research more "environmentally-friendly" dry cleaners that use less toxic chemicals.
Avoid using vinyl or PVC near self/infant as these materials also let off toxic gases.

Some more resources on indoor pollution and ways to circumvent known issues:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/indoorairpollution.html

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/iaq.html

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formalde.html

In health and wellness,

Nicole

Chemically Speaking Part 3: Greening Your Clean

2010-01-25T06:54:00.001-08:00

So, as a continuation of the chemicals topic (in addition to making beauty products less harmful and eating a more organic diet), this post has all the information I have collected from a variety of sources on helping you to use/find greener cleaning products for your home.

The household cleaning agents we use contain hundreds of potentially harmful substances. The harmful components in many household and personal care products can cause dizziness, nausea, allergic reactions, and eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation; some can cause cancer.

Many of these cleaning substances are used by pregnant women, and when inhaled, get into our systems and in turn, get through to your growing baby as well. My rule of thumb is that if it is really strong-smelling, you probably do NOT want to be inhaling it. More specifically, pregnant women are warned to stay away from insecticides, pesticides, bleach and ammonia. These inhalants can be really nasty and cause birth defects.

So what should we do? Our nesting instincts are bound to take over and encourage us to clean the house from top-to-bottom. So what should we use? The answer is greener, less harmful, and more mild cleaning solutions (like the ones grandma used to use).

Another bonus to working on greener cleaning solutions is that you are starting the baby-proofing process early. According to the World Watch Institute, cleaning products were responsible for nearly 10 percent of all toxic exposures reported to U.S. Poison Control Centers in 2000, accounting for 206,636 calls. Of these, nearly two-thirds involved children under six, who can swallow or spill cleaners stored or left open inside the home. Do not under-estimate the will of a young toddler who really wants to see what is under your sink. So why not ensure that the products under there are less harmful/toxic?

Benefits

Less expensive. The amount of products you need for green cleaning is way less than your different cleaners for all different types of surfaces in the house!
Better for YOU and for BABY
Smells better and improves the air quality within your home. Less chemicals for you and your baby to breathe in and absorb.
Eco-friendly: Most store bought household cleaners are not good for the environment.
Greener or homemade products are less harmful to the world. They also use less packaging, so there is less packaging waste. You’re not buying new bottles over and over and sending those chemical covered plastic bottles to landfills!

Rules of thumb:

Avoid use of insecticides and pesticides in your home. If you have an infestation, you should contact exterminators that use greener/less toxic products.
Chlorine bleach is harmful, so avoid any cleaning products containing bleach.
Fragrances can mean up to 200 chemicals in a product. Avoid purchasing products with fragrances and dyes.
Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide can do the job in most cases!
Greener cleaning products have come to market, but can be more expensive. Seventh Generation is a brand I like and trust.
In the rare instance you need to use a hazardous product, use as little as possible and dispose of it in a way that will cause minimum harm—for example, by bringing it to a hazardous waste recycling or treatment center.

Making Homemade Cleaners:

You will need:

distilled white vinegar
lemon
baking soda
olive oil
Water
liquid castile soap
hydrogen peroxide
borax (only for laundry detergent)
washing soda (only for laundry detergent)

Recipes:
Furniture polish: ½ cup distilled white vinegar and 1 tsp olive oil

Marble counter tops: 1 TBS castile soap, quart warm water, rinse and then dry with a cloth

Glass and all purpose cleaner:

Get old glass cleaner bottle when runs out
Fill ½ distilled white vinegar and ½ water.
Use on anything. Especially good for high chairs and toys that your baby may touch or put their mouth on!

Soaps for cleaning dishes: water and castile soap

Mildew and mold: use a mixture of lemon juice or white vinegar and salt

Carpet: Baking soda and cornstarch are both good carpet deodorizers.

Clogged Drain: Pour a quarter cup of baking soda down the clogged drain, followed by a half cup of vinegar. Close the drain tightly until fizzing stops, then flush with boiling water.

Bathroom: Baking soda and castile soap on tub, toilet, and counter. Makes a gritty scrub. All purpose cleaner on everything else!

Laundry: If anything avoid fragrances or colors in your detergents!

We typically use Sun Free, which is a good plant-based detergent. I have read up on it and it is supposed to be very good on cloth diapers as well. I will let you know once baby comes :)

I have also heard of Charlie's Soap, which I also plan on trying (www.charliesoap.com) and heard it works well.

But, here is a homemade detergent recipe, that I have also used:

1 oz liquid castile soap
½ cup washing soda
½ cup borax
¼ cup baking soda
¼ cup distilled white vinegar

Use castile soap as base and combine with washing soda and borax (for the stains and bleaching), and either baking soda (reduced static and softens fabrics) or vinegar. Add juice of a lemon to brighten whites.

In conclusion, I hope this information helps you begin to think about how you can reduce the amount of chemical exposure you have during pregnancy. Happy cleaning!

~Nicole

Chemically Speaking Part 2: Eat Organic or Not?

2010-01-12T11:47:00.000-08:00

By now you are probably thinking that I am a crazy chemical-free woman who will launch into a tirade about pesticides--how they build up in our bodies, are bad for the environment, and that we do not truly know what levels are really and truly "safe" for adults nevermind the smaller bodies of children, infants, and fetuses and that while you are pregnant and nursing you should never let an unorganic morsel of food ever cross your lips. Well, while much of that is true, I am not here to lecture anyone and I am not going to pretend to eat 100% organically all the time. Because that would be a big lie.

Honestly, eating organic 100% of the time would be pretty close to impossible and would probably make your life close to miserable, and would be pretty darn expensive. There are plenty of places that it wouldn't be possible--either the food isn't available, or you are out to eat, or you are eating in someone else's home, or you just can't afford for everything to be organic. So what is a pregnant girl (and any mom for that matter) to do?

The answer is that it is up to you, and my blog today is more about giving information on how to make more informed choices about it. I basically use the following guidelines when purchasing food organically/locally, etc. I suggest you try some of them (one at a time) and see what works for you.

Buy local. The first thing is that whenever possible, I buy directly from the farm. It is fresher, the produce/animals are treated better, and the food has used a lot less gas to get to me (which means a smaller environmental impact). Find a farm you know, like, and trust. Ask about how they farm (with or without chemicals). Many farms offer CSA shares (community supported agriculture) where you buy a share in the farm for a particular season and then go pick up your goods each month/week. The great thing about going to the farm is that I spend less time and money at the grocery store (where I am sure to pick up junk I do not need). So while it may appear that the tomatoes are a little more expensive, I save money in the long-run. If you are interested in finding local farms and farmers markets please visit www.localharvest.org for more local information.

There are times when I do need to go to the grocery store or supplement things I cannot get at the farm and/or farmers market. AND, I know that not everyone has access to local food sources. In those cases, I use the following basic guidelines:

Buy organic when you are higher on the food-chain as much as possible. This is the case with non-fish animal products such as beef, pork, chicken, dairy, and eggs. The higher up on the food chain you go, the more likely they have consumed more toxins in their food (similar to larger fish having higher concentrations of mercury), and therefore the more toxins are passed on to you. Since toxins are stored in body fat-- milk and butter are the #1 things I would look for organically, followed by higher fat meat and eggs.
Choose which vegetables/fruits you purchase organically based on how contaminated they are as well as how often you eat them. If you eat something everyday, you should go organic. The 12 Most Contaminated fruits/vegetables should be bought organically whenever possible. They include: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce, and potatoes. The top 12 least contaminated can be traded off in order to save your pocketbook a bit. You can buy them organically, but are less important than the others. These include: onions, avocado, frozen sweet corn, pineapples, mango, asparagus, frozen sweet peas, kiwis, bananas, cabbage, broccoli, and papaya.
Try to buy as local as possible--the closer you are, the less mileage it took to ship the food to you so the fresher it will be. I typically try to keep it to Massachusetts, if not available, I choose the east coast option when available, then within the country. The exceptions I make to out of the country is whether we can grow it here or not (coconuts, pineapple, bananas) and I buy these items less frequently. I typically skip the asparagus from Peru until I can buy it in-season from the farmers market or someone more local.

So, I hope you are not too overwhelmed by all this information. Typically, it is better to follow an 80-20 rule, where in your home you do the best you can, and when you are out you pick the best from what is available. It is definitely a summary of how I make my decisions at the grocery store for fresh food because there are lots of things that play into the decisions. There are tons of books and resources on the subject if you are interested in more information. Here is a list of my personal favorites:

Food, Inc a movie
Real Food, by Nina Planck
Real Food for Mother and Baby, by Nina Planck
In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan
What to Eat, by Marion Nestle
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by Barbara Kingsolver

I will talk about processed food in a later blog, but hopefully the question of whether or not to buy organic has been peaked in your mind for all your fresh food options... I tried to make it straight forward and brief, and help you keep as many chemicals off your plate as you can. At the end of the day, do the best you can. That is all anyone can ask of you!

In health and wellness,
Nicole

Chemically Speaking, Part 1: In the Name of Beauty

2010-01-11T12:10:00.000-08:00

So, not that we do not have enough to think about with our diet, exercise, and getting all the baby stuff ready for the little one's arrival...but something else to think about is all the chemicals that we use on a daily basis that we inhale, put on our skin, and consume in our foods. I don't know about you, but I think I want my baby to be as protected as possible from all the junk that is out in the atmosphere. We do filter some of the toxins out in the world, but unfortunately, we do not filter everything 100%. A study done by the Environmental Working Group found 232 known chemicals in the umbilical cords of babies between Dec 2007-June 2008. Ewwwww.

Okay, so what is a pregnant girl to do? I know everyone says "you can't control everything"...and honestly I know that and I do not pretend to try. There are environmental toxins out in the air (pollution) that I have very little power over. However, there are a few ways to significantly reduce the amount of chemicals that enter your body and I will cover them in my next few blog postings:

Pay attention to the ingredients in your beauty products
Eat organically (or from local farms that use as little chemicals as possible)
Change up some of your cleaning supplies

Part 1: Beauty Products
Unfortunately, beauty products are more than skin deep. Skin is the largest organ of the body and absorbs many toxins found within the body. 60% of what is put ON your skin is absorbed into the blood stream

The average person uses nine personal care products a day. Since the cosmetic/toiletries industry is not well regulated, many of the ingredients are not tested for toxicity (especially healthy doses for growing fetuses). Once and a while exposure may be fine, but the products that are used most often are the ones you should focus on first. I started with deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, soap, and lotions, since I used them the most often. But you should also check your make-up if you wear it daily.

Below is a list of chemicals that are best avoided by anyone, including the pregnant variety. I took it directly from "Dirty Dozen" an article on www.greenguide.com. The Dirty Dozen Chemicals in Cosmetics by Catherine Zandonella September 18, 2007

1. Antibacterials: Overuse of antibacterials can prevent them from effectively fighting disease-causing germs like E. coli and Salmonella enterica. Triclosan, widely used in soaps, toothpastes and deodorants, has been detected in breast milk, and one recent study found that it interferes with testosterone activity in cells. Numerous studies have found that washing with regular soap and warm water is just as effective at killing germs.

2. Coal Tar: Coal tar is a known human carcinogen used as an active ingredient in dandruff shampoos and anti-itch creams. Coal-tar-based dyes such as FD&C Blue 1, used in toothpastes, and FD&C Green 3, used in mouthwash, have been found to be carcinogenic in animal studies when injected under skin.

3. Diethanolamine (DEA): DEA is a possible hormone disruptor, has shown limited evidence of carcinogenicity and depletes the body of choline needed for fetal brain development. DEA can also show up as a contaminant in products containing related chemicals, such as cocamide DEA.

4. 1,4-Dioxane: 1,4 -Dioxane is a known animal carcinogen and a possible human carcinogen that can appear as a contaminant in products containing sodium laureth sulfate and ingredients that include the terms "PEG," "-xynol," "ceteareth," "oleth" and most other ethoxylated "eth" ingredients. The FDA monitors products for the contaminant but has not yet recommended an exposure limit. Manufacturers can remove dioxane through a process called vacuum stripping, but a small amount usually remains. A 2007 survey by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found that most children's bath products contain 10 parts per million or less, but an earlier 2001 survey by the FDA found levels in excess of 85 parts per million.

5. Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde has a long list of adverse health effects, including immune-system toxicity, respiratory irritation and cancer in humans. Yet it still turns up in baby bath soap, nail polish, eyelash adhesive and hair dyes as a contaminant or break-down product of diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea and quaternium compounds.

6. Fragrance: The catchall term "fragrance" may mask phthalates, which act as endocrine disruptors and may cause obesity and reproductive and developmental harm. Avoid phthalates by selecting essential-oil fragrances instead.

7. Lead and Mercury: Neurotoxic lead may appear in products as a naturally occurring contaminant of hydrated silica, one of the ingredients in toothpaste, and lead acetate is found in some brands of men's hair dye. Brain-damaging mercury, found in the preservative thimerosol, is used in some mascaras.

8. Nanoparticles: Tiny nanoparticles, which may penetrate the skin and damage brain cells, are appearing in an increasing number of cosmetics and sunscreens. Most problematic are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles, used in sunscreens to make them transparent. When possible, look for sunscreens containing particles of these ingredients larger than 100 nanometers. You'll most likely need to call companies to confirm sizes, but a few manufacturers have started advertising their lack of nanoparticle-sized ingredients on labels.

9. Parabens(methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, isobutyl-): Parabens, which have weak estrogenic effects, are common preservatives that appear in a wide array of toiletries. A study found that butyl paraben damaged sperm formation in the testes of mice, and a relative, sodium methylparaben, is banned in cosmetics by the E.U. Parabens break down in the body into p-hydroxybenzoic acid, which has estrogenic activity in human breast-cancer cell cultures.

10. Petroleum Distillates: Possible human carcinogens, petroleum distillates are prohibited or restricted for use in cosmetics in the E.U. but are found in several U.S. brands of mascara, foot-odor powder and other products. Look out for the terms "petroleum" or "liquid paraffin."

11. P-Phenylenediamine: Commonly found in hair dyes, this chemical can damage the nervous system, cause lung irritation and cause severe allergic reactions. It's also listed as 1,4-Benzenediamine; p-Phenyldiamine and 4-Phenylenediamine.12. HydroquinoneFound in skin lighteners and facial moisturizers, hydroquinone is neurotoxic and allergenic, and there's limited evidence that it may cause cancer in lab animals. It may also appear as an impurity not listed on ingredients labels.

12. Hydroquinone: Found in skin lighteners and facial moisturizers, hydroquinone is neurotoxic and allergenic, and there's limited evidence that it may cause cancer in lab animals. It may also appear as an impurity not listed on ingredients labels.

If that wasn't exhaustive enough, also steer clear of the following:

Phthalate—diethyl-, diethyl hexyl-, dibutyl-
Silicones (si--, tri--, dimethicone)
Sodium laurel sulfate (SLS)
Tolvene
Glycol Ethers

While it sounds daunting, it is not as bad as you think. I found the following work for me, that I picked up at Whole Foods--just to help you get started:

Shampoo and conditioner and shower gels: Whole Foods 365 brand . I like the grapefruit, but they have a lot of other flavors. The awesome news about these, is that they are great AND they don't break the bank.
Deodorant: Lafe's Roll-on Liquid. I like the fresh scent. I tried a lot of others--and at the end of the day I was stinky (not to mention they went on sticky). This is the brand I recommend to all my clients, and all of them have agreed. I was referred to this one from both my cousin's wife and the woman working at Whole Foods.
Toothpaste: I find Tom's of Maine to be fine. My son will even use it too!
Lotion: I just stopped buying it. Instead, I use coconut oil. I have heard sesame and olive oil also work well.
Chapstick: Burt's Bees
Make-up: I don't wear make-up more than once every 3-6 months, so I put it as a lower priority in my quest for natural products. I have heard that Aveda and Jurlique are supposed to be all-natural.

I hope you found this enlightening and helpful. I know this was one of the last things I switched over to natural, after spending a fair bit of time working on my foods, mostly because I was a little intimidated. But happy hunting and go slow--switching out 1-2 products at a time, and you will find what works for you!

Stay beautiful!

In health and wellness,

Nicole

I like to move it, move it.

2009-12-22T10:47:00.000-08:00

Let's talk physical activity. I know, it used to be like a guilt-ridden word for me. When I was in college, I never felt like I exercised "enough" or was active "enough". If I didn't get to the gym or exercise at least 30 minutes that day, I was a useless waste of space and would tell myself I would "make up for it" the following day. But really, is it worth living life beating up on myself for unattainable goals? NO!

While you are pregnant is no exception. The American Pregnancy Association says that if you followed a regular exercise program pre-pregnancy, that you can maintain that program to some degree during pregnancy. That does not mean that you should be able to, that you have to be able to in order to be healthy. It does mean that if you were fit before, you should be able to continue some exercise, but not necessarily all that you did before. In my first pregnancy, I learned that I couldn't set that expectation for myself, otherwise, I would be pretty annoyed. Before I had Sam, I was a 3-mile a day kind of girl. Once I was pregnant, I found that I had to go a lot slower, drink a lot more water, and take it easy. I even had to stop running and start walking as I got further along in my pregnancy. My lower back just couldn't handle that kind of working out! I would think to myself "what is wrong with me?" Ha. The answer was very clear--there was nothing wrong with me, I was just pregnant. So if you are a marathon runner, and you can do just as much as you did before. Great! Good for you. If you are like the rest of us, just do what you can and stop with any discomfort, breathlessness, or exhaustion.

So, what about if you are light on exercise before your pregnancy and now you want to get healthier? Great! That is a great goal to set for yourself. I would say, start really slow and begin with lower impact exercise. Walking, swimming, stretching and practicing yoga are amazing ways to move your body while you are pregnant and will help with your overall health and well being. It will feel good and should feel good to move your body. The goal is not to beat up on yourself, it is to move in ways that feel comfortable, uplifting and even fun!

Fun. Exercise, fun? Isn't that an oxymoron you ask? Physical activity can be fun, yes. It shouldn't be a chore or a punishment. That kind of physical activity isn't sustainable in most lifestyles. Ever wonder why most people use their treadmill as a coat rack? Movement doesn't need to be exhaustive or even planned as such. Movement can be a nice walk with your partner around the block, walking your dog, a relaxing yoga class to meet other pregnant friends, a romp in the snow with your other children, shopping with your sister or good friend (you can get a ton of walking in) or could even be cleaning the house! Even sitting on your floor and stretching everyday is beneficial. So, start thinking outside the box (and off your couch) and think of non-conventional ways you like to move!

Last but not least, while considering any type of physical activity, you should follow the American Pregnancy Association's guidelines I have listed below that I pulled directly from their website http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/exerciseguidelines.html:

Listen to your body. Your body will naturally give you signals that it is time to reduce the level of exercise you are performing.
Never exercise to the point of exhaustion or breathlessness. This is a sign that your baby and your body cannot get the oxygen supply they need.
Wear comfortable exercise footwear that gives strong ankle and arch support.
Take frequent breaks, and drink plenty of fluids during exercise.
Avoid exercise in extremely hot weather.
Avoid rocky terrain or unstable ground when running or cycling. Your joints are more lax in pregnancy, and ankle sprains and other injuries may occur.
Contact sports should be avoided during pregnancy.
Weight training should emphasize improving tone, especially in the upper body and abdominal area. Avoid lifting weights above your head and using weights that strain the lower back muscles.
During the second and third trimesters, avoid exercise that involves lying flat on your back as this decreases blood flow to your womb.
Include relaxation and stretching before and after your exercise program.

So, what are you waiting for? Find a way to go out and move (but make sure it feels good)!!!

In health and wellness,
Nicole

Nourish Yourself Outside of Food

2009-12-17T05:32:00.000-08:00

This blog post is a bit different from my other ones because it is focused on other types of nourishment other than the food kind. Although what you eat is very important while you are pregnant, it is also almost equally important to nourish your soul. I thought since we are in the middle of the holiday season, which can result in a higher amount of stress and anxiety for a lot of people, that there is no better time than the present (pun intended).

When talking about stress, I could go into the physiological reactions in the body and the excretions of cortisol and different hormones and how they stress the baby, and blah blah blah...When it comes down to it, when we are stressed, it doesn't feel good emotionally or physically. It doesn't make our life feel good or make us feel happy. So, why not try to live with less of it? I tell you all to eat intuitively, so I will tell you also to live more intuitively and focus on living your life so that it feels nourishing. If throwing the Christmas party, getting out all your holiday cards, and shopping for each of your siblings is stressful instead of pleasurable, then maybe you should rethink about why you are doing those things. Is it because you think you should?

I think it is important to do a lot of self-reflection to figure out what your own stresses in your life are, and analyze them. Is it work? Is it family? Is it keeping your house clean? Is someone sick in your life? Is it just finding the time to get everything done? Do you have other children to care for? Is it meeting everyone else's expectations?

Start making a list. Seriously, take out a piece of paper and write the stresses down. Now, begin thinking creatively about how you can unload some of those stresses. Can your husband/partner take care of anything on the list? Can you ask someone else for help? Are some of them just simply unimportant? Are some of the things out of your control? Can some of the things wait?

I ask you these questions because sometimes life becomes overwhelming with the things we have to do...but many times we are stressing about things that we can't control or that we could simply take off the list of priorities.

So why is this so important for pregnant women or mommies in general? Because more often than not, most mommies I meet are just spent. They are overextended, exhausted, and they are undernourished because they don't take the time to focus on what they need because they are worrying about everyone else's needs. They have the whole world on their shoulders, and honestly, it doesn't need to be that way. Besides, can you really and fully be present for your babies/children in that overextended and exhausted state of mind? I know I can't, and when I try, "unpleasant Nicole" takes over again and then no one is very happy.

So how are you supposed to spend time nourishing yourself? Well, that is also individual. The amount of time you need and what you choose to do are up to you. Here are some of the things that I have found that help me recharge so that I can be there for the other people in my life that I love:

Reading for fun (a non-children or pregnancy/work-related book)
Taking a prenatal yoga class (every week!)
Walking in a park or on a bike path
Watching a sappy love story
Taking a nap
Taking a bath
Drawing or writing in my journal
Baking or cooking (I like it, but if it feels like a chore for you, it shouldn't be on your list!)
Spending time with my husband, like a date or an evening connecting that doesn't involve the TV
Going to a little cafe
Curling up with a blanket and having a cup of tea or soup
Stretching
Meditating
Making or giving a gift to someone
Shopping for something I need that I have been putting off (like maternity shirts)

So, what can be on your list of nourishing things? What can you do today that will recharge you a bit, help you to relax, and help you refocus your priorities? Now do it! If you become well practiced at it, you will be able to continue when the baby is born and be a much better mommy for it!

ONE more thing...practice saying "no" and start setting some boundaries on how you spend your time. Say "no" to organizing the work holiday party or doing that extra project. Say "no" to hosting people at your house for New Years or taking your sister out to pick our curtains. Say "no" to whatever it is that is keeping you from having a little bit of time to recharge yourself. Your body, baby, and family will be glad you did. And, don't feel guilty. Guilt trips are free, but you don't have to take the ride. No one is going to take care of you, unless you do it.

Enjoy the holidays and nourish yourself!

In health and wellness,
Nicole

Snacking It Up and Homemade Toasty Granola!

2009-12-10T09:12:00.000-08:00

So, I don't know about you, but I am a snacker or a "grazer" as some people call it. I do enjoy my 3 main meals of the day, but I do need at least 2 snacks (sometimes 3) in between meals to keep my blood sugar from taking a dive and creating "crazy" Nicole. Do you know anyone who fights on the way to a restaurant? Well, that's me. If my blood sugar takes a dive, I am not a pleasant person to be around, much less dine with. So, I have found that snacking helps me to maintain my blood sugar and the more pleasant Nicoleness that most other people prefer.

The great thing about snacking, I find, is that it is a way for me to insert more fruits/vegetables into my day. Believe it or not, but the daily recommended intake of fruits/vegetables for anyone over the age of 2 years is 5-10 servings (a serving is a 1/2 cup of most fruits/veggies and 1 cup of leafy greens). I don't know about you, but before I became a health-conscious eater, I did not even come close to that amount. I got maybe 1-2 per day, and sometimes none! Now-a-days, I use my snacks to increase those fruits and veggies and give me a natural energy boost to keep me going through the day. The other things I like to incorporate into my snacking are proteins and whole grains. They keep me fuller longer and keep my blood sugar from spiking and crashing.

For pregnant ladies, keeping a steady blood sugar level and getting all of our fruits/veggies becomes even more important. The foods we eat are the basic building blocks for our baby's growing body. I would like to think I am growing my baby from whole, natural, vitamin-filled foods instead of artificial flavors and ingredients.

So, with our busy lives, what are some good snacks to eat throughout the day that boost our energy, keep us fuller longer, and give us so many of those vitamins and nutrients?

Celery or carrots with peanut/cashew/almond butter (add some raisins if you'd like)
Whole wheat pita with hummus and taboule
Leftover veggies warmed up from the night before (I LOVE a warm bowl of leftover squash)
Whole milk plain yogurt with granola, fresh fruit, dried fruit, and/or nuts
Handful of nuts or dried fruit or both (trail mix)
Banana/Apple with yogurt or peanut butter
Whole grain toast and peanut butter
Any piece of fruit (grapefruit, banana, apple, oranges, nectarines)...list is endless. Try to get fruit in season as it tastes better and brings you nutrients you need at the right time of year. Right about now, I am eating my share of grapefruits, tangerines, oranges, and pomegranates)
Cucumbers, tomatoes or any salad with oil based dressing
Whole wheat couscous or quinoa salads
Avocado smeared on whole wheat toast
Avocado sliced on tomatoes
Hard-boiled egg
Homemade air-popped popcorn

The great thing about this list of snacks, is that they will translate into great snacks/meals for kids when they get into their toddler/preschool years. If you introduce them to these types of snacks at a young age (rather than the goldfish/cheerios types of snacks) they will begin with better eating habits and set up their little palettes with a taste for healthier, more natural foods.

Homemade Granola
I altered this recipe that was originally created by Sara Foster from Foster's Market. I love the sweeteners she uses and the shredded coconut. I prefer to cut the oil, changed some of the nuts and dried fruit she calls for, and cut the cooking time a bit because otherwise it came out too dark. My husband and son LOVE when I make granola and it makes a great snack that keeps for a while. So then, I can grab something quick and healthy when I am on the run. It is delicious on plain whole yogurt, on fresh fruit (like berries or bananas), or for a snack on the go.

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup pecans
1 cup dried shredded coconut
1 tsp sea salt

1-2 tbs grape seed or expeller pressed canola oil
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

Bake the first 4 ingredients at 275 degrees for 10-12 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet. Place in large bowl.
Mix oil, syrup and honey in a small bowl and pour over the baked oats and nuts and mix with wooden spoon.
Spray the cookie sheet with olive oil.
Spread oat mixture onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Stir while baking to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
Pull it out of the oven and mix up. Add the cranberries and raisins. Mix up and break up the chunks while cooling.
Once cooled put in air tight contain and store at room temp.

Enjoy!

In health and wellness,

Nicole

Aversions and Cream-less Creamy Broccoli Soup

2009-11-24T08:09:00.000-08:00

So, equally important to discuss cravings in pregnancy, it is also important to discuss the ever present aversions that occur sooner than you can shake a pregnancy stick.

In my first pregnancy my strongest aversions were to eggs and tea of any kind, so I was interested to see what my aversions would be the second time around. Sadly, I was distraught to find out that anything green typically fell into the aversion category. I used to eat kale and eggs for breakfast! So, as you can imagine, as a holistic health counselor who basically couldn't stand the smell of greens, nevermind put them anywhere near my mouth, I was in a bit of a dilemma. Do I eat these things that I know are healthy and good for me and good for my baby? Or do I skip them until I feel up to eating them and eat something else?

The answer was, a resounding, "skip it". While I do teach my clients the benefits of eating greens as a daily staple in the diet, I also discuss the concept of intuitive eating. Intuitive eating is basically a way of eating that relies on listening to your body and using it as a guide to a healthy and balanced diet. I tell my clients if they hate milk and have to force themselves to eat dairy to get their calcium because they think they "should", I tell them to stop and see if their symptoms feel better. If you are in the mood for red meat, eat a bit. If in the mood for salad, eat it. Basically those messages mean your body wants/needs something or doesn't want or need something. You get the idea. So when it came to being pregnant, I thought I'd better listen to my body and eat what it says, not what my brain thinks it should eat. And the aversions will change daily. So follow your nose and your instincts daily, your tummy and baby will thank you.

So, if you are pregnant and you have something you are averted to, but are eating it because you think you "should", stop it! Greens and vegetables are typically an aversion in the first trimester, and you can try them again in a few weeks. In fact, skipping them may help your nausea. If you can't stand milk, but you are holding your nose to drink it down, there are plenty of other ways to get your calcium--sesame seeds, homemade chicken stock, grains, beans, and broccoli are all examples.

So, now that we discussed what you don't want to eat--here is a recipe you may want to eat. It is a healthy soup I whipped up when averted to most veggies. It helped me feel comforted, while giving me some of those vitamins/minerals I was missing from my other greens.

Cream-less Creamy Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:

1 good sized carrot

minced clove of garlic

1-2 tbs olive oil

head of broccoli

good tasting veggie or chicken stock

sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Dice carrots into small pieces, and mince garlic. Place into saucepan with olive oil.

Saute for roughly 5 minutes until carrots are tender.

Cut up broccoli into small florets and dice up the stalk. Add to saucepan.

Add stock until just covered or a bit less.

Cover and boil for a several minutes until the broccoli is soft and carrots are cooked.

Place in food processor and puree until smooth.

Add more stock to desired consistency. I like mine pretty thick, so I use less stock.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

You can add other things like onions, mushrooms, and/or peppers when you saute the carrots, but I like mine pretty simple, especially during the earlier weeks of my pregnancy. I also made other versions with butternut squash and sweet potatoes, depending on what I was in the mood for at the time. You could make something similar with asparagus or pumpkin too. The options are limitless.

The other good thing about this recipe is that, with a couple of tweaks, it could be baby food. So you can get rather good and make the veggies plain with water--and you will become an expert on homemade baby food.

Enjoy!

In health and wellness,

Nicole

Cravings and Recipe for Buttercup Squash Bread

2009-11-19T06:11:00.000-08:00

Cravings. The most cliche topic for pregnant women, but they are real and important to address. The definition for craving is "an intense desire or longing for something". I am not sure I would use that dramatic or romantic a definition to describe food cravings, but more like a nagging. A nagging for me to eat a food that will not seem to go away. All other foods seem less appetizing, and until I get it satisfied, I can't seem to think of much else. Any one else empathize?

The thing about cravings is that they are actually messages from your body about what to eat. Your body pretty much has most things handled. We never have to tell our bodies to make the heart beat or to heal a cut, or to breathe. We don't even have to tell it how to create the perfect little life that is growing inside of us, but yet, for some reason sometimes we don't care to listen to it when it tells us what to eat. Interestingly we listen to popular culture more often than we listen to our bodies.

Cravings for different types of foods may actually be your body asking for a nutrient, or a way of letting you know that our foods and/or lives are out of balance. This doesn't stop at just pregnancy either. Learning to listen to your body's desire for certain foods can be a helpful cue into your health and overall well being.

Lack/need for nutrients is one of the main causes of cravings during pregnancy. For example, in my first pregnancy with Sam, I craved a lot of red meat in the form of meat sauce and meatballs. I also craved spinach. I would come home from work, open up a package of frozen spinach and eat the entire package in one sitting. So what was my body telling me? Not so subtly, it was saying "I need iron". And indeed, my iron levels were borderline anemic. Had I not given into those cravings, I may have indeed become anemic, which would have required intervention via medication and additional supplementation.

Here are some common cravings and possible nutritional explanations:

Pickles or other sour fermented foods like sauerkraut: B12. These types of foods help the uptake of B12. Examine your intake of animal foods and give into the pickle cravings.
Dairy including ice cream: Calcium
Red meat: Iron and B12
Vegetables (spinach, broccoli, greens, carrots, etc.): Variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
Fruits (berries and citrus): Variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
Salty foods: Salt and other minerals

Now, the lack of nutrients will account for most cravings that pregnancy brings and it is important to listen to those cravings and eat the healthiest versions of what you are craving. But is there really a nutritional need for M&M's and Frito's? It is less likely. So what are other causes of cravings?

Protein may be out of balance. This can cause cravings for sweets. When we do not have enough protein we crave more food and your body knows that fastest and surest way towards more calories is fat/sugar. According to Chinese Traditional Medicine, when we are having too much protein (which is yang) we swing back the other way and crave more sugar (which is yin) to balance the your body.
Comfort. Sometimes when we are sad/lonely/scared, we reach for the comfort foods. They can be foods from childhood or the nearest snack or sweet. Really think about your state of mind when having a craving to see what you think you are really craving. It could be a cuddle and reassurance from your sweetie instead of that pack of cookies you are grabbing.
Stress. Your body's chemistry literally changes when you are stressed. You release cortisol and adrenaline, which changes your state of mind and your nutritional needs. Many people reach for food in order to deal with stress. If you are feeling very stressed, it is time to re-evaluate your lifestyle especially in time for baby. When baby comes the world will slip away and you will be focused on other things. Maybe it is time to look at your job and begin setting new boundaries there. Maybe it is time to relax and let a bit of the housekeeping go (or hire someone to offload the burden) or shuffle some of the household responsibilities with your significant other. But really taking time for yourself will be better for you and better for baby. Your pregnancy and labor, not to mention transition into motherhood will be better for it.
Water. Sometimes we get hungry when we are really thirsty. So keep yourself hydrating and take a sip of water before reaching for any sweets. You may find the craving goes away.

Now, that is not to say we should never give into our sweet cravings, but maybe we can attempt to eat the healthiest versions of what we are craving and dig a little deeper into the reasons we think we are craving those foods. I crave baked goods occasionally, and I try to make some healthy versions that will deliver some whole grains and important nutrients while at the same time satisfy my sweet tooth. I often do that in forms of breads made with fruits, veggies, and gentle sweeteners.

Buttercup Squash Quick bread with Flax

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (pastry if you have it)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 tbs flax meal

3/4 cup honey

1 cup buttercup squash cooked/mashed (can replace with pumpkin, butternut squash, or kumbacha)

1/2 cup grape seed or canola oil

1 beaten egg

1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp cloves

opt: chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine first 4 ingredients (dry) in a bowl.
Combine honey, squash, oil, egg, and water in separate bowl. Stir in spices.
Add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
Scoop into 5x9x3 greased loaf pan.
Top with chopped walnuts if desired.
Bake for 50-60 min until toothpick comes out clean.
Serve with a little drizzle of honey to sweeten it up.

Makes one loaf but you can double the recipe and freeze one to save for another craving day!

Fighting the Nausea with tips and Warm Apple Ginger Oatmeal

2009-10-23T06:03:00.000-07:00

Contrary to my first pregnancy, for the past 8 weeks or so I have been battling nausea. I have had that "iffy" feeling you have in your stomach right after you have a stomach bug when you question "is it safe for me to eat?" and "does my stomach hurt again, or am I just hungry?". So I have sought out a number of ways to deal with this particular ailment in healthier ways.

The good (or not so good) news about pregnancy is that people are always willing to offer you helpful tips and advice! In this case, I found it very helpful when other moms shares tips of how they got through the first trimester (and in my case, into my second trimester) nausea. I also did a little homework online to come up with a list of things to help me through:

Tip #1: Keep blood sugar level by having small meals more often throughout the day. Don't let yourself get too hungry or too full. When your blood sugar is low and you feel really hungry, it is easy to fall into nausea. When you get too full, it is easy to get heartburn and just feel really uncomfortable.

Tip #2: Listen to your body when it comes to aversions! If it is one thing your body knows, it is what it does/doesn't want you to eat when you become pregnant. I will have an entire posting about this topic in later weeks, but I found that if it doesn't look appetizing, then do NOT eat it. Even if it is something that you are encouraged to eat in those pregnancy diet books, or if it is something that "never bothered me before", I am avoiding all of those foods. Examples for me: seafood (except tuna), dairy, tomato sauce, greens (which I used to eat for breakfast), beans, quinoa. I find that whenever I decide to plow through and eat it anyway, I am always sorry.

Tip #3: Eat what you crave (within reason). Again, your body knows what it needs. I will have another whole post on cravings as well, but it also helps fight the nausea to listen to what your body wants. In many cases your body is asking for the nutrients it needs at the moment to help grow that baby!

Tip #4: Avoid strong smells. I don't know about you, but my sense of smell became very keen when I got pregnant. One day I walked into my dad's house where he was cooking some tomato sauce and I asked him if he used beef broth in it. He looked at me surprised, and said "yes I did, how did you know?" and I said "I could smell it immediately walking in the front door". My husband is still amazed at the smells I can detect. This presents a problem some nights at dinner time when I need to cook something. We went through an entire week of eating leftovers and ordering out because I could not bear to smell anything or open the refrigerator. But I figure, these weeks will happen and it is better than getting sick!

Tip #5: Always have remedy supplies on hand at home and on your person for unexpected nausea. Keep the supplies in the house that settle your stomach. I had "night sickness" more than "morning sickness" and my husband had to run out at night more than once for my nausea remedies. When going out throughout the day, carry something that will not be too rough on your stomach that will help increase your blood sugar and ease that stomach.

Tip#6: The remedies. This list is one I got from friends and family and a posting I did on facebook for helpful advice. This list is obviously not exhaustive and you need to do what works for you. I tried to stick to the healthiest options with the fewest additives and resort to medication only as last resort.

Reed's ginger ale (doesn't have the high fructose corn syrup or other additives of regular ginger ale)
Crystallized ginger
Ginger teas (I am adverse to this one, but others swear by it)
Mint teas (This one made me sick during a meeting one morning, but others swear by it)
Homemade ginger tea (with honey and ginger root)
Gingery oatmeal
Gin gin candies (contain sugar and glucose syrup, but not as strong as other ginger candy)
Something sour or any hard candies (try to find ones without high fructose corn syrup, dyes, or additives)
Perrier water (the sodium bicarbonate content is supposedly better than other waters or sparkling waters)
Motion sickness bands on wrists
Ginger ale on ice with bitters
Saltines
Sliced lemons with or without water
Apples
Tums (last resort)

Recipe: Warm Apple Ginger Oatmeal

I love this breakfast, as it warms me up, settles my stomach and steadies my blood sugar with it's whole grain goodness. The pectin in the apples is said to also settle stomachs as well as the ginger.

Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
2 cups water
2 tsp ginger root--grated
1/2 cup of apples peeled and cut small
Pinch of salt
opt: Dried cherries or dried fruit of your liking
opt: Walnuts or other nut you prefer

Directions:

Place water, oatmeal, ginger, apples, and salt in small saucepan and put over medium high heat.

When water starts boiling, turn down to a simmer and cook until it gets nice and creamy (about 10 minutes). Stir occasionally so that it doesn't burn or stick on the bottom. The longer you cook, the creamier it gets and the less you cook the chewier it is. I prefer mine creamy over chewy.

While the oatmeal is cooking, toss a few walnuts or other nuts into the toaster over to enhance the nut flavor.

When it is cooked to the consistency you like, scoop the oatmeal into a bowl and top with a few dried cherries and the toasted walnuts.

Warm up and enjoy!

I hope this helps you or others you know with that nauseating feeling during the first few months and some healthier remedies to get you through!

In health and wellness,
Nicole

Welcome to Baking a Healthier Bun in the Oven

2009-10-22T06:21:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

Welcome to my new blog. I have been toying around with the idea of writing a food/recipe blog for quite some time, but never quite got around to it. When I got pregnant, I started rethinking about it and wanted to blog about my pregnancy and healthy eating. Then I had that lightbulb moment--why not combine the things that I love the most-- my new brewing baby, all the challenges pregnancy brings with decisions about healthy eating, and my love of cooking! Voila, a new blog is born!

I waited to start this blog until I felt comfortable enough that I had told everyone the good news, so I am 14 weeks along and still adjusting to the changes in my diet and my expanding waistline! I am due on April 18th and hope to continue blogging throughout the first year (if I can manage to do it between naps!). So I hope you enjoy reading my adventures of cooking and eating while pregnant as well as the other adventures that pregnancy brings!

In health and wellness,
Nicole