Wednesday, May 26, 2010

j. crew is rocking the mommy bikini universe!



















j. crew (pics above and below) got wise to a mother's needs in the bikini department...












land's end has some pretty cute mom swim separates too!

positive discipline book



















if your child is at least 6 months old, and you feel like you need a little direction in how you're going to approach disciplining him, you may want to check out kids are worth it.   it is an amazing book that will give you the tools to raise a child that has the foundation to be self-confident and have integrity. in the mean time,  it may give you some major insight on how you turned out based how you were disciplined.

the focus is on positive discipline.  if the concept sounds foreign, have no fear, it is an amazing, eye-opening experience to learn about raising a child that is not bribed, controlled or punished.  how the heck do you raise a child without punishing them?  guess you'll have to read it to find out....

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

congress likely to ban drop-side cribs




















drop-side cribs are malfunctioning and trapping and smothering kids. there have been at least 32 deaths in the last 9 years caused from them.  several of these cribs have been recalled in the last few years.

read more here.  please see all recalls here.

photo via here.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

new studies on gm foods--including hair growing in mouth









gm stands for genetically modified...sound delicious?  well, ever since 1995, thousands of crops in the u.s. have been grown with seeds that are genetically modified.  they are modified, on a cellular level, in an effort to fight pests and grow "better" plants, although ultimately they have done neither.

in 1999, the european public spoke up and outlawed gmo's.  sadly, 11 years later, the united states is still using us as guinea pigs and does not have to disclose if foods are in fact genetically modified.  click here to sign a petition to ask obama to start labeling gm foods.

recent studies have shown that hamsters fed gmo soy are sterile within 3 generations.  additionally, they have an unusual abundance of hair growth inside of their mouths (bleck!!).  rats have shown in some gm studies to be infertile by the 2nd generation and have high infant mortality rates.

please read more about gmo's and your health here.

please tell your grocer, schools and politicians that you will not buy the following foods that are gm in the u.s.:

1. soy
2. corn
3. cottonseed oil
4. canola (canola oil)
5. sugar from sugar beets
6. hawaiian papaya
7. some zucchini
8. crookneck squash

oh dear, do you know how much corn is in the american diet?...not to mention soy.  corn is in cow feed (hello grass-fed beef and dairy), chicken feed, corn syrup, citric acid (ok, that's in everything, right?), chips, xanthan gum, and a bajillion other things.   your safest bet is to eat organic whole foods.

click here for a list of foods and products, including infant formulas and coke products, that may contain gm ingredients.  it also includes a list of which products are safe.

photos via here and here.



Wednesday, May 19, 2010

great magazine, bad name.



















have you, like me, seen organic spa on the store shelves and gone, "um, i want the life where i NEED an entire magazine only about organic spas"---of course, to be followed by quickly not buying the magazine?

here's the deal, organic spa is a fantastic magazine.  it turns out it should be named organic everything.  it has all sorts of [organic] stuff in it from beauty products to hotels to gardening to wineries to home decor to...well...ok, there may have been a spa or two mentioned.

pampers dry max causing chemical burns on babies




















an article came out in last friday's wall street journal about the pampers dry max product saying:

"Some mothers who blame the reengineered diapers for causing rashes, even "chemical burns," have started a Facebook page to detail their claims and press P&G to reverse course. The claims quickly gained traction, leading this month to a lawsuit and inquiries by product-safety regulators in the U.S. and Canada."

nearly 10% of procter & gamble's $79 billion revenue comes from the pampers brand.

cloth diapers anyone?

photo via here.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

breastfeeding? low milk supply?















it can be extremely emotional for a new mother to experience low breast milk supply.  plus, unfortunately, once you introduce anything other than breast milk to fill baby (ie formula or water), your body says "oh, baby isn't eating as much, so don't produce as much milk as yesterday."so it's a little bit of a catch 22 that should be handled with delicate intuition day by day.  the other challenge that comes with introducing a bottle, is that the baby gets instant gratification, so he finds it more time consuming to work at getting milk at the breast.

once you get him on, be sure he stays on until he falls asleep or takes himself off--otherwise he will not get the higher fat hind milk that comes after the watery, low fat fore milk in the beginning.

if you are experiencing low milk supply, please try the following (some work within 24 hrs):

*these herbal supplements (they come highly recommended)
*make and eat these fenugreek sprouts
*this mother's milk tea
*drink lots of water (1-2 glasses per nursing session)
*nurse, nurse, nurse as much as possible
*try not to skip feedings, even at night
*read more here

photo via here.

six confirmed mumps cases in los angeles.
















here is the release by the los angeles public health department regarding the current mumps cases.

please go to this other link for commentary by a los angeles 30+ year pediatrician, jay gordon, who is "not comfortable with the mmr vaccine and questions its benefits."  here is a quote from his commentary:




Mumps is a virus we have never managed to eradicate. The average number of cases in America is around 200-500 per year. In 2006, we had an outbreak in the Midwest of 6,584. Of those, there were 11 cases of partial or complete deafness and 22 developed viral meningitis. There were no fatalities. Interestingly, the outbreak affected mostly college age students who had both doses of the vaccine against mumps.

photo via here.

need a travel bed for your toddler?
















if you don't like dealing with the hassle (or ick) of cribs on vacation or at grandma's house, but are not comfortable putting your baby/toddler in a raised bed, this is a perfect product for you.  it is a soft portable bed by wagamama that rolls up for travel.  there are 2 sizes offered--we ordered the large for our toddler, which can also double as a playpen liner.

there are a few organic fabric options, plus the entire site is 15%-30% off right now!!!

Monday, May 17, 2010

adhd linked to pesticides.
















the bright side of this recent study linking adhd to pesticides, is that we realize that they have serious effects on our health and that the sooner pesticides are eliminated from a child's life, the healthier he will be.  meaning--PAY ATTENTION FOLKS!!!--you are being handed information that will help you and your children.  go organic whenever possible...and read the post below this one....

photo via here.

organic can be expensive...




















i think we've all heard the whole foods nickname "whole paycheck" for a reason....it ain't cheap.  try to buy organic at your local farmer's market, trader joes, or check out this updated 2010 list of which 12 fruits and veggies are treated with the most pesticides and should only be purchased organic.  the list also tells you the top 15 that you could go non-organic on if you need to save money.

UPDATE: cnn.com did a a great piece on this topic/list a couple weeks after i originally wrote this post.

photo via here.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

produce bags--if you can remember them.

















that's the challenge really, isnt it? -- simply remembering to grab just 2 of those 19 reusable bags that you have by the back door before you head out to the grocery store or farmers market.  well, for those of you who have mastered it, you are ready to move on to the next level....

mesh produce bags!  if it kills you to use a plastic bag at the market (i literally pile produce in my cart to avoid it, much to the cashier's chagrin), consider investing in some cotton mesh produce bags.  they come in a few sizes, can go straight into the fridge, and of course can be used for other items like nuts, dried fruit, etc.

ecobags.com (or see amazon link in right sidebar) has a nice selection of cotton produce bags, including some that are more solid than the mesh--which are nice for bulk grains, bread, and more...

Sunday, May 9, 2010

a beautiful baby crib...from ikea!















i must admit that it never even crossed my mind to look for a crib at ikea, but recently i have seen one looking quite chic in a few design spreads.  it looks so beautiful and simple without bumpers and fancy bedding.  it's the sniglar and is $80--the mattress has two height placements, and the side comes off to become a toddler bed later.  i cannot tell how/if the wood is treated, but ikea is usually pretty on top of their game when it comes to consciousness and safety.

of course, if you're up for attachment parenting, you may not need a crib.  we got a beautiful expandable stokke sleepi bassinet/crib and really only used the bassinet part---for a few months (came in handy as it was small, and i could roll it around the house).  our 18-moth-old son naps in a hammock and has always slept either in our bed or now beside it on a futon.

don't forget to get an organic mattress if you buy a crib!

photos via here and here.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

did you take a cpr class? do you remember any of it?














i kind of do.  actually, the thing that always sticks in my mind is ALWAYS use a landline (at least in california) if possible, or yell to someone else to go call 911 on one.  our teacher said if you use your cell phone to call 911, your call gets routed though the chp, and can add on 7 minutes to an emergency.

anywhoo, now that my son is 18 months old, i couldn't remember if i'm supposed to do infant heimlich or a more gentle version of the adult heimlich.  so i made a little visit to my friend youtube.

here are some videos you may want to check out if you need a refresher:

infant heimlich/cpr : part one and part two
toddler heimlich/cpr : part one and part two

adult cpr : updated 2010 video
adult heimlich : 2009 video

2008 method of doing continuous chest compression cpr to an adult--good if you are uncomfortable with giving mouth-to-mouth.  this keeps oxygen flowing in the victim's body/blood/heart....100 compressions per minute.  if you do nothing, the person will probably die.

photo via here.

Monday, May 3, 2010

stretch marks bikini



















not only is this a beautiful, vintage style sexy bikini, but it covers some areas that may need it after baby!  you can find it at anthropologie for $176, and it comes in turquoise or black.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

what's the deal with raw milk?



















for some reason, i keep ending up in raw milk conversations lately.  i know.  i need help.   after bookmarking some sites recently to mention on here, today i received an email about...you guessed it....raw milk. so here's the deal-y...

the milk that you buy in the store, put in your coffee, and feed to your kids is pasteurized.  it has been heat treated to nearly beyond recognition.  its best qualities have been killed.

pasteurization goes hand in hand with factory farmers.  they raise unhealthy cows on grain (cows should only naturally eat grass), pump them full of antibiotics and hormones, then heat treat the milk to kill "potential pathogens".

raw milk is a complete food from healthy, well-cared for, grass-fed cows, full of valuable enzymes, beneficial bacteria, good fats, and much more.

please read more here, including a eye-opening interview with organic pastures' founder mark mcafee.  they are a great company (i speak from personal experience) that sells raw milk, kefir and more here in los angeles at many farmers' markets.  they ship!  and also offer glass bottles.

click here for where to find raw milk in your state.  and click here for a raw milk facts site.

photo via here.