Being pregnant with my first baby was hands down the most exciting experience of my life.  I’m not saying anything new here, but babies… change you.  It’s all so unbelievable & overwhelming & beautiful (except for the wiki-image of a placenta. That did not work for me.  At all.)  I’d think to myself, I’m making a person.  There should be a term for what first time moms go through- obsessive giddiness might capture it.

But as the due date approached, mundane matters started to encroach on the fun.  For one, I felt utterly clueless about how to have a baby.  I spent hours a day studying up on pregnancy, labor, breast feeding…  And then there’s the shopping.  The clothes are pretty fun, actually.  Picking out tiny onesies & fluffy blankets makes it all feel real- a little person will be wearing this!

But a lot of it I could have gladly done without.  I remember trolling the internet, studying the lists of “Things You Need to Have a Baby.”  I admit shopping has never been my favorite thing.  But eight months pregnant, as big as a house with straight up pregnant kankles, & I’m trudging around town trying to figure out which kind of “X” to buy.  Between all the running around & hormones, I felt exhausted & depressed.  I remember asking my husband (as if it was his fault), Why doesn’t somebody just sell this stuff in a kit so I can buy it all online & be done with it?  Because really, I have better things to do.  (Like napping!)

Meanwhile, Andrea was in the same boat, but six months ahead of me & trailblazing with all sorts of crazy information on toxins.  Andrea pointed out that not only do we have to buy it all.  We have to worry about how these products will poison our vulnerable babies with X-rated chemicals that make adults blanche, & pollute the world they have to live in.  Aak!

Once that whole vista opened up I was officially overwhelmed.  So on top of learning how to feed a human from my boob, I have to become a chemist & an environmentalist?

From then on, the links flew back & forth.  I hope everybody finds themselves a pregnant buddy to compare notes with.  It was a huge comfort, going through it all with a sister.  And it opened up a whole new world.  Because once you start thinking about your children, “good enough” no longer applies.  You want everything in their world to be safe, beautiful & perfect.

So there you have it, the story of the Everything Kit.  Two concerned, new mothers, wishing it were all done for you.  An idea years in the making.  So moms, prop up those swollen feet.  We’ve got your nap covered!

xo~ m & a

From the moment they are born, over 200 toxic chemicals pollute infant bloodstreams.  200.  What is going on?

Scientists used to believe that the placenta provided an effective barrier against most chemicals.  Now we know that all manner of environmental pollutants are being carried to the developing fetus via the cord blood.

In 2004, The Environmental Working Group conducted a study on the umbilical cord blood of 10 babies born in the US.  The results were shocking.  Two major labs found, on average, 200 industrial chemicals & pollutants in the blood.  Of the total 287 chemicals detected:

134 are known to cause cancer.

158 are toxic to the brain & nervous system.

186 cause infertility.

151 cause birth defects or abnormal development.

PLEASE watch this video.  Share it with friends.  Help send a universal wake-up call to inform parents about the dangers of toxic chemicals in our world.

-m & a

Want to learn more?

• Visit Healthy Child Healthy World

• Visit the Environmental Working Group

• Join Seventh Generation’s Million Baby Crawl for safer chemicals

• Watch the presentation 10 Americans by Ken Cook of the Environmental Working Group

Cold season stinks!

There’s nothing worse than a sick baby. I know colds are an unavoidable part of growing up.  But that just doesn’t make it any easier to watch your kids suffer.

This winter has been a really terrible one for colds.  Our families have been sick non-stop since December. Rotten all around, but truly miserable for little ones.

Most over-the-counter cold remedies are dangerous for infants. Babies can’t spend their colds zoned out on Nyquil, watching re-runs of Northern Exposure like some adults I know. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make colds a little less distressing.  Here are a few very simple, safe & natural ways to help your baby feel better.  (But nothing can replace the advice of a pro, so consult your doctor!)

Good luck & stay healthy!

-m & a

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Fluids

When a baby is sick, getting enough fluids into them is extremely important. If you are breastfeeding, just increase the frequency. Breast milk is the perfect food for a baby, sick or healthy. Otherwise, offer fluids every 10 or 20 minutes. Water & natural juices that are high in vitamin C are the best. These will hydrate while thinning out mucous.  If your baby is drinking milk, cut back while they are sick.  Dairy can cause mucous to thicken, making it more difficult to clear airways.

Having trouble getting a sick toddler to take enough liquids?  Try a homemade popsicle.  Just pour natural juice into an ice tray.  Use a toothpick, or a popsicle stick cut in half, for the handle. Freeze & serve up smiles.  Laughter is the best medicine after all.

Chest Rub

I’m going to try not to sound like a fanatic here, but I can’t rave enough about Sniffles Baby Chest Balm.  Erbaviva’s organic formula relieves cough & cold symptoms naturally. Most chest balms are not recommended for children under 2, but Sniffles Chest Balm is gentle enough for all ages. And unlike most conventional balms, it’s petroleum-free.

Just apply the balm to your baby’s chest and back, & use the palm of your hand to rub with a gentle, circular, massaging motion. Organic essential oils of Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, and Myrrh warm the chest & open breathing passages.  The calming massage, along with organic Calendula, Lavender & Chamomile, help your baby to relax. (And you and your baby will enjoy the incredible scent.)

When Andrea first started using Erbaviva’s Chest Balm, she was surprised to find her toddler loved the stuff.  Whenever he is sick, he runs to her with the jar & says, “Want nice cream, Mommy.” Her glowing review lead me to try it on my son. I was shocked to get the same reaction. When something brings that much comfort to your sick kid, you fall in love.

Steam & Warm Baths

Steam & warm baths are tried & true sickie remedies that work great on babies & adults. Steam loosens congestion, allowing your baby to breathe easier. To create a steam room, close the bathroom door & run hot water in the shower for several minutes.  Switch to cold water for a minute to create lots of steam.  Sit with your baby in the steam room for several minutes.  Repeat three or four times a day, as needed.

Warm baths work much like a steam room to clear nasal passages and soothe lungs.  Baths are great because they relax overwrought little nerves while they do their magic. You can add a few drops of eucalyptus, thyme or sage essential oil in the bath water too.  The vapors will help to clear the sinuses.

Moms aren’t the only ones who enjoy a little spa treatment.  We love Erbabviva Baby Cream for after-bath massages.  Colds come with achy muscles & baby massage can ease the pain. Baby Cream is made from the highest quality, natural ingredients. It’s very light & soaks in easily.  And the Organic Lavender & Chamomile essential oils are specially formulated to help your baby relax.

Sleep!

Nothing cures a cold faster than lots of sleep.  So throw out the schedule. Let your baby go to bed early & nap as long & often as they like.

*This article is provided for information purposes only. Please consult your baby’s health care provider before trying home remedies.

It's all about 'where' though.

Our son is two & a half- high time for some big boy pants, I say.

We’ve been talking to him about the potty for months now. We bought the potty seat.  We read Everyone Poops & discussed at great length. We let him “flush the poopies” from his diaper.

And we were making some slow progress.  He really liked talking about the potty at least. But the Potty Sticker Chart remained pretty bare, with two lonely stickers.

Over the holidays my mother-in-law shared with us her tried-and-true method- let him run around with no pants for a week.  He’ll be so uncomfortable with the idea of going into mid-air, he’ll want to use the potty.

Sounded shocking. We already think of our kids as being a bit feral. But she potty trained four kids, & none of them wet their pants (as far as I know, anyway).  And it would be so nice to cut back to one diaper-clad babe-in-arms.  Not to mention reducing our carbon footprint.

Desperate measures are called for.  So today we decided to give it a whirl.

It’s January, so we cranked up the heat and put him in a sweater & fleece, with socks.  Quite an outfit, I tell you.  The view got pretty weird at times.  We trailed him all day long, repeating, “Need to go yet? How about now?”

Kinda shocked, but it worked like a crazy.  He used the potty 4 times (both numbers.)  There was one minor accident (involving the seat of an unfortunate toy car.)  But all in all, a really encouraging start.

Tonight we put the diaper back on before bed.  He is already impatient with the bulky things. By the time we pick up some toddler underwear hopefully he’ll be ready for them.

In the meantime, I just hope he doesn’t become too attached to life in the buck.

-m