You will find a sling to be extremely useful! I put mine on each
time I take the baby to the grocery store. It's quick and easy and I
don't have to carry in her infant seat. It's also great in public;
strangers are less likely to want to touch your baby because she is
snuggled up to you. Finally, it creates less bulk. You won't always
need your stroller because you can just put your baby in the sling. It
folds nicely to fit in the diaper bag so it's always handy. I even use
mine around the house when my baby is fussy and just wants to be close!
Look me up on Etsy and ask me about custom orders! I would be happy to sew one for you in your favorite colors.
I don't think I have blogged about this before so I thought I would let you in on a secret. Store bought baby wipes are for the birds! :) There is a cheaper and HEALTHIER way.
Here goes:
Use a quality paper towel like Brawny (I have also found that Walmart's Great Value brand is fantastic). Cut the roll in half so you have 2 short rolls.
You will need a container with a lid that one of the rolls will fit into.
Simply put 2 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol in the bottom of the container. Now, place one of the cut rolls in the container. Let it soak for 30 mins then pull the cardboard out of the center. Remove the wipes starting from the center of the roll.
Why so much trouble? Why not just buy baby wipes?
Here are the ingredients of a certain name brand wipes:
water
Paraffinum Liquidum
Propylene Glycol
Oleyl Erucata
Phenoxyethanol
Glyceryl Oleate
PEG-40
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Cetearth-20
Methylparaben
PEG-75 Lanolin
Cetylpyridinium Chloride
Butylparaben
Perfume
Do you know what all that is? I didn't think so. I'll break it down for you according to my research.
Paraffinum Liquidum- mineral oil
Propylene Glycol- Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient.php?ingred06=705315#
Oleyl Erucata
Phenoxyethanol- According to a warning by the FDA of 2008 "Phenoxyethanol is a
preservative that is primarily used in cosmetics and medications. It
also can depress the central nervous system and may cause vomiting and
diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration in infants". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenoxyethanol
Glyceryl Oleate
PEG-40- http://www.thesmartmama.com/understanding-labels-peg-40-hydrogenated-castor-oil-greenwashing/
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Cetearth-20- Ceteareth-20 is the polyethylene glycol ether of cetearyl alcohol; may contain potentially toxic impurities such as 1,4-dioxane. Violation of industry recommendations - Restricted in cosmetics; use,
concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Not safe for use on
injured or damaged skin http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient.php?ingred06=701225
Methylparaben- Methylparaben is in the paraben family of preservatives used by the
food, pharmaceutical, and personal care product industries. Parabens
mimic estrogen and can act as potential hormone (endocrine) system
disruptors http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient.php?ingred06=703937#
PEG-75 Lanolin- This ingredient is a chemically-modified form of lanolin, a fat-like sebaceous secretion of sheep. (Limited information available) http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/721898/PEG-75_LANOLIN/
Cetylpyridinium Chloride- It is an antiseptic that kills bacteria and other microorganisms. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetylpyridinium_chloride
Butylparaben- Butylparaben is in the paraben family of preservatives used by the food,
pharmaceutical, and personal care product industries. Parabens mimic
estrogen and can act as potential hormone (endocrine) system disruptors.
Human endocrine disruptor - strong evidence
Human skin toxicant - strong evidence
One or more animal studies show effects at very low doses
I'm 39 weeks pregnant! When is baby Georgiana going to get here?! We are sooo excited. Good thing we already got the garden planted because she's due right in the middle of planting season. :)
I have been working hard around here to get things ready. I've been washing baby clothes, organizing the cloth diapers (and trying to figure out how to fold them), etc. I have our hospital bag packed already and the snacks are in the car!
I think I can hear my belly ticking.... :)
Will this guy be jealous of his new baby sister???
Unbelievable. I am now 35 weeks pregnant. That means we'll be meeting our little girl soon! We are so excited. I can't believe my due date is just around the corner. Here's something I've learned...it sure is harder to rake dirt into rows in the garden when you have a big belly! :)
Soon, this picture frame I made....
will have a photo of her sweet face instead of an ultrasound photo.
P.S. Pay no attention to the candy cane table cloth. It's not Christmas...I just thought it was too cute to put away so soon!
What?! Already?! I can't believe 25 weeks have gone by already. I can tell the baby gets bigger all the time because the movements get more intense!
Just six more days until we find out whether it's a boy or a girl! That will be an exciting day. Until then, feel free to make donations to the blog so we can buy cloth diapers. Just kidding. Sort of. :)
With the baby in mind, I have been more and more diligent about what I eat. I want to make sure the baby is getting all the good vitamins and nutrients it needs. However, whether you're pregnant or not, you need to be thinking about your own body this way. What do you fuel yourself with? Consider this deeply. Your health depends on it. Sure, you feel fine today but what about when you're elderly? Will you have wished you made better choices?
Check out some of the good posts on this blog to get you started.
You'll find these Crispy Potatoes under the "Cooking" Section
I can't believe it! I'm already 21 weeks pregnant! Time flies...sort of. I can't believe I'm already this far along but then again April seems like a long time from now. I'm really enjoying it though. It's fun to feel the baby move. The baby moves all the time so if it's moving while I'm eating I tell Mr. Right it's because the baby likes carrots, steak, or whatever I'm eating. I know that's not true but it's fun anyway.
I've been careful about food for two years now but I think about it even more now that I'm pregnant. It's different when I know the baby is growing off of what I eat. So, even though homemade cinnamon rolls are beyond yummy, sometimes even good things can be bad! It's time for less cinnamon rolls and more veggies with ranch dip. Have I told you how to make that yet!?
From Mr. Right's dad- just waiting for baby!
We'll find out the gender in about a month and I can't wait! Until then, I'll continue to call the baby "baby" and enjoy the movements!
They were on sale! They smell soooo gooood. This is what happens when you leave a pregnant lady alone in the produce aisle. Not really, Mr. Right was putting them in the buggy like crazy too. Though, I did add one more bag later.
How many apples can two people eat? Well, I'll tell you the truth. I ate three last night because the smell kept drawing me to them.
Maybe I'll make apple sauce, an apple pie, fried apples....maybe we'll just eat them all like that.
I really like apples.....
I've been feeling the baby move for about 2 weeks now. Well, my handsome Hubby got to feel it also! For the first time, two nights ago, Hubby got to feel that little thump on his hand. It was amazing.
Not too much longer (ha!) and that crib will have a sweet little baby in it. Yes, the room is blue and we don't know the gender yet. There is a reason....my favorite color is blue so if it's a girl, she will learn to like it too.
I'm thankful we know what we do about food and health. We are already giving our child a good start due to what I eat and we can continue to do that as he/she grows. I'm eager to teach our children the importance of good food and health...among other things.
Look out Daddy, your little one is kicking me right now. Feels like we're going to have an active one!
We went on a cruise last week and stopped in Ponchatoula, Louisiana on the way back. We found a neat little cafe called Paul's Cafe. Great food for weary travelers! Anyway, we were about to leave when we noticed a little craft/farmer's market across the street. So, we stopped in. Wouldn't you just know, they had a booth with homemade canned goods! And they had pickles! I could only find Bread and Butter but I'd rather have dill. So, I asked the lady if maybe that booth had dill somewhere. She read the jar in my hand and said, "These are ing pickles. I've never had ing pickles. Maybe they're like dill." To clear up the confusion...the homemade label on the jar reads "ing: pickles, vinegar, asst spices." Ing means ingredients! It's not a type of pickle! My husband almost lost control right there in the market but thankfully he made it outside before he couldn't contain his laughter anymore.
Thankfully, the other lady standing next to her did inform her that "ing" meant ingredients. I just couldn't believe how serious she was! She truly thought there was a type of pickle called an "ing pickle."
We'll not get into the fact that the label should have read "ing: cucumbers, vinegar, asst spices." Whoever made these didn't start with pickles as an ingredient....she got pickles as a result of the pickling. Brother....
At least I can rest easy knowing I finally got some pickles.
Cod liver oil...doesn't that sound yummy? Well, in fact, there are many health benefits to taking cod liver oil AND you can buy it in a tasteless capsule. If you like liver, then there are places where you can order fresh, pure cod liver but, if you're like me and the sight of liver makes you gag, then order a quality supplement. It can be that easy. So, don't run away just yet.
It is said that fishermen used to fill a barrel with cod livers and salt water, let it ferment for up to a year then consume the oil or apply it to their skin. This doesn't sound appealing but research indicates these were very smart fishermen.
Cod liver oil contains certain fatty acids that prevent your blood from clotting easily. These same fatty acids have also been proven to reduce pain and swelling.
Cod liver oil contains vitamins A & D in addition to omega 3 fatty acids which can help with:
wounded skin (when applied to the skin)
heart health
reduced mortality for all cancers
damaged hair and nails
healthy vision
boosting your immune system
regulating blood sugar
lowering blood pressure
proper embryonic development
boosting brain power
lowering high triglycerides (by 20% to 50%)
and much more!
Some research even indicates that cod liver oil aids in weight loss....although I'm not sure this has been proven.
The following doses have been studied in scientific research:
BY MOUTH:
For lowering triglycerides: 20 mL of cod liver oil per day.
For high cholesterol: 30 mL of cod liver oil per day.
For lowering blood pressure: 20 mL of cod liver oil per day. WebMD
Of course, you should do your own research and consult your doctor before you begin taking any supplement including cod liver oil especially if you're pregnant. However, based on my research, the benefits of taking it are astounding. Now, this doesn't mean you should continue to eat junk food and count on a supplement to fix your problems. I'm a firm believer in a healthy diet. If you maintain a healthy diet/lifestyle and take a supplement like cod liver oil, my opinion is, you're giving your body a fighting chance. Don't wait until you're older and wish you had. If you're already older, don't say it's too late. It's never too late to fuel you're body correctly.
Right now, I am 11 weeks pregnant. I’m over the nausea stage for the most part and now I’m just hungry. I don’t put much stock into cravings because I feel like some women just make all that up. Yes, there’s a baby growing inside of me but that doesn’t mean I have to eat everything in sight.
With that being said…I wish I had some pickles. To be honest, I’ve wished that for a long time (even before I was pregnant). It’s not just a pregnancy “want”, it’s an all the time want. However, I have yet to find pickles that don’t contain Yellow 5 as a coloring or Sodium Benzoate as a preservative. If you know of any, let me know because I’d like to buy LOTS of them.
I’ve heard of women eating crazy things when they’re pregnant just because they’re “craving” it. Let’s be honest though, should you eat something that is harmful to you and your baby just because you’re craving it? No! I’m not going to eat those pickles I badly want because it’s a poor choice. We’re adults and we can choose to walk away. So, the next time you crave a fast food burger remember it’s bad for you and that sweet little thing who is counting on you.
Beans are a fun topic because they are so versatile and cheap! I like cheap. One thing you’ll learn is I like frugalness just as much as I like natural food. Sure, canned beans are convenient but they cost considerably more than dry beans and they tend to have a lot of sodium. Plus, you don’t get the satisfaction of soaking them yourself.
I like to cook a big pot of beans then use them for various things throughout the week. We like beans and cornbread, of course, (we do live in the south) but I also like to use them in chili, Mexican dishes, etc. So, what you do is, buy a bag of pinto beans (we’ll start with them because they can be used in a wide variety of ways). The best value I have found at our supermarket is a 4lb bag. (I try to support brands other than the “big names” sometimes but that’s a topic for another post!)
1.To start, dump out the desired amount of beans onto your counter. Four cups is a good amount to start with. Now, you want to sort the beans. My husbands grand-mother used to say you need to “look” the beans. This simply means to make sure there aren’t any rocks mixed in with them. Rocks aren’t easily digestible no matter how long you soak them. Once you’ve “looked” your beans, gather them up and put them in a slow cooker (that’s my favorite mode of cooking beans). Run some water over them, swish them around a couple times and drain the water. This gets dust and dirt off them.
2.For four cups of beans, you’ll cover them with 12-16 cups of water. I usually just put a lot in there so each bean will have enough water. I don’t care for measuring if I don’t have to! You want to soak them overnight. This is best because this method makes the beans more easily digestible. So, pour in the water, put the lid on and leave them alone to soak overnight. (Leave the slow cooker off, of course.)
3.When you get up in the morning, drain the soaking water off and fill up with new water. I put enough water to cover the beans by about 2 inches. Since I’m home all day I turn my slow cooker on high around 8:00a.m. and I turn it off around 3p.m. If you’re going to be gone for a longer period of time you might try putting them on low all day instead.
More than just being versatile, pinto beans have many healthy benefits. (Thanks to my C-U-T-E hubby for researching them). Pinto beans in particular are packed with molybdenum (200% daily value in 1 cup of beans). They are also a good source of folate (great for pregnancy), dietary fiber, tryptophan, manganese, protein, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, and vitamin B1 (thiamin). Fiber is good for lowering cholesterol and prevents sugar levels from rising after your meal and lowers your heart disease risk. Fiber (as well as antioxidants) found in pinto beans can reduce your cancer risk. Besides all that, pinto beans have lots of protein and are a good source of iron!
Note: Don't add salt until AFTER the beans are cooked or they will be tough.
What are you waiting for? Get those beans soaking!
