There’s a GOOD side to throwing up every day??

I’m currently 15 weeks pregnant with my second child and the nausea with this pregnancy has been downright horrible.  I’ve been in and out of the hospital for dehydration and was finally given a Zofran pump that administers the drug directly into my body.  The pump has saved my life (and stopped the all day vomiting), which I am thankful for, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wondered “why would my baby do this to my body??”  It seems so unnatural that a pregnancy would make the mother so extremely sick as to require hospitalization and so much medication.  Well, then I opened up a fabulous new book last night called Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five and began reading.  It’s written by Dr. John Medina, a developmental molecular biologist, who shares what the latest science says about how to raise smart and happy children ages 0-5.  It bridges the gap between what scientists know and what parents practice.  So far I’m only two chapters in, but the read is FABULOUS!!


Here’s what excited me so much about my nausea! (pg 23):


One study, yet to be replicated, looked at children whose mothers suffered from major nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.  When the children reached school age, 21 percent scored 130 points or more on a standard IQ test (130 is considered gifted).  If their mothers had no morning sickness, only 7 percent of kids did that well.  The researchers have a theory – still to be proven – about why.  Two hormones that stimulate a woman to vomit may also act like neural fertilizer for the developing brain.  The more vomiting, the more fertilizer; hence, the greater effect on IQ.  Whatever the reasons, the baby seems to be going to great lengths to get you to leave it alone.



How good are we at leaving baby alone – at this stage or any other in the womb?  Not very.  Most parents have a gnawing desire to do something to help baby, especially when it comes to baby’s brain.  Fueling that drive is an enormous sector of the toy economy show sole strategy is, I am convinced, to play off the fears of well-meaning parents.


John Medina really does a fabulous job in this book of bridging parents burning questions about children’s development and learning with scientific evidence.  The five questions (actually from parents) he aims to answer are “What can my baby learn while she is still in the womb?”, “What’s going to happen to my marriage after we bring our baby home?”, “How do I get my kid into Harvard?”, “How can I make sure my little girl is happy?”, and “How do I make my child GOOD?”  If you’re looking for a great book on baby and child development definitely check out Brain Rules for Baby!

Whole Wheat Yeast Breads – Why Me and Why You

from Adventures in Beanland


Part I – Why Me and Why You


 
Part II – Ingredients
Part III – Technique
Part IV – Recipes


Recently, I hosted four nights of “how-to” for whole wheat yeast bread baking for the women’s group of my church. It was a bit chaotic with so many women in my smallish kitchen, and I was incredibly intimidated to be in the spotlight as I explained each step and ingredient along the way. Together, these women and I tore up my kitchen, cranked out a dozen loaves of whole wheat bread, many batches of whole wheat rolls, hamburger buns, pita bread, and 4 homemade pizzas. Insanely fun.

I got myself into this because my Whole Wheat Bread in a Bread Machine is lovely. I won’t lie. It’s truly delightful. And, because I live a hermit’s life right now (working full-time from home and taking care of my girl and a med student husband)… I show love in one of the few ways I can: by giving away loaves of homemade bread.

Naturally, people who enjoyed the bread started asking for the recipe and tips on how to adapt it for their own bread machine. Well, soon friends who didn’t have bread machine wanted to know how to make it by hand or in a stand mixer, and they wanted to know where I buy my ingredients and if I made other things besides bread… etc.

I decided to make one of my monthly Healthy Minds and Bodies group meetings into a bread night. One night turned into four on the schedule and I started to panic. Because I had really only perfected the bread machine recipe, in preparation for these nights I dove into more hands-on bread baking. I love using the stand mixer, actually, but it’s hands-on in the sense that I’m constantly feeling the dough and making decisions as I go. I adapted the recipe and fine-tuned several others so I could share with confidence.

In the process, I discovered I truly do have a talent for this. My passion for healthy, do-it-yourself cooking drove me to lots of research, experimentation, and innovation. I’d like to share what I’ve learned so far with the 6 people who read my blog world.

Why Whole Wheat?

1. Whole wheat flour is a real food and nutritious. White flour? Not so much.
2. I buy wheat at a great price and it stores well. I grind it myself and get a lot of satisfaction from having food laid up in store in case of emergency (or rough economic times), and from creating something delicious truly from scratch.
3. I don’t have much experience with yeast baking with other grains. I hope to branch out, but I haven’t yet gone beyond a simple variation of my regular recipe with the substitution of rolled oats for some of the whole wheat flour.

Why Do I Make My Own Bread?

1. Because I can.
2. Because, in the long run, it costs less.
3. Because it tastes better and the smell makes me swoon. I grew up helping my mom make bread and it’s cathartic for me to work with dough and smell the yeasty goodness of the process. I want to pass on to my children the skills of self-reliance and the concept of being more in touch with food. They won’t need to go get plastic-wrapped bread that’s been trucked across the country. Yay!
4. The ingredients in store-bought bread are incomprehensible, like Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate . I don’t need that.

Intimidated yet?

Keep reading and you might be. I grind my own wheat. I make my own dough conditioner. I buy #10 cans of vital wheat gluten for a taller rise. We hardly ever buy bread from the store anymore, and I make nearly all of our pita bread, beanburger buns (because let’s be honest, there’s no meat in our house), rolls, and pizza crust. I’m very analytical and am constantly tweaking technique and proportions to achieve a better result (can you tell I wanted to be an organic chemist?)
However, I have some encouraging words for you:

1. You CAN do it. I didn’t make any homemade bread at all 3 years ago. And I don’t have oodles of time to sit around and make messes in the kitchen. I just kept trying and learning as I went. I made about a loaf a week for our family and it always came out (with two exceptions) edible, smelling great, and tasting good. A few times we ate it as toast. One time or two it went straight into breadcrumbs. But usually it made a good loaf of bread that continued to get better as I had more experience under my belt.
   Don’t try and you’ll still be eating store-bought bread 5 years from now. Try and who knows? You might find yourself enjoying making something healthy, cheap, and absolutely fantastically delicious for your family. And you can teach your children and your friends. Or just spoil your friends with homemade bread. They’ll thank you.
   It gets easier. And faster. And less messy. And cheaper. The more you do it, the more you can adjust things to fit your style. Prefer to do a loaf in the bread machine and skip the mess and time investment? Do it. Rather get your hands dirty but make 4 loaves at once to freeze and give away? Rock on.
   There will be a whole lot of info in subsequent posts. This isn’t required knowledge and you don’t have to be a bread expert to make a delicious loaf of bread. (This is a good thing because I definitely don’t consider myself an expert!* ) Instead, consider that the information you gather here and in other places constitutes tools in your toolbox. You can whip the info out if something goes awry or if you need to tinker, but you can certainly ignore my advice and still make excellent bread.
2. You do NOT have to do it the way I do it. Don’t run out and buy all the extra ingredients, a wheat mill, etc. Just start with a bag of whole wheat flour from the store and $5 loaf pan. Skip the dough conditioner and gluten. See if you actually LIKE whole wheat bread. (If you don’t, you should really learn to like it because it’s miles better for you. Ahem.) Get some successes under your belt and if you do decide to make this a habit, then invest in the nice-to-haves.
   Everyone has a different idea of perfection. My husband likes a light, soft, sandwichy loaf so that’s what this info is geared towards. That being said, the info should equip you to tweak as needed to achieve the result you want.
   You might decide you don’t want to make homemade bread all the time for your family. But, if you take the time to learn how, you’ll be able to use that skill when needed and you’ll be glad you have it.

Are you ready?
*Full disclosure: I have lots more to learn so it’s a good thing I’m only 25 years old. I haven’t yet tried: Freezing dough. Whole Wheat Sourdough. Other grains in my bread. Whole wheat tortillas (ok I tried ‘em and I failed). Homemade hummus to go with my pita (I know, I know). Whole grain artisan breads. The list is long, but as I tackle it, I will blog about it.
**My sources of knowledge: A mom and three sisters-in-law who bake homemade whole wheat bread. I shamelessly stole and modified recipes (including my dough conditioner recipe) from them and picked their brains for help as I stumbled my way along. I read lots online and in several cookbooks, notably The Bread Bible. In every case, though, I adapted recipes to fit our tastes, particularly those from the Bread Bible because they weren’t whole grain at all.

Next up: Part II – Ingredients


This cute little bucket is one reason I make homemade bread:

 



To continue reading parts II, III, and IV, please click on the links at the the top!

Yookidoo Stack 'N' Stream Tub Fountain

I’ve been in search of  a new, non-toxic bath toy for my two year old son who is starting to shy away from bath time.   It’s definitely hard to find a fun toy that is also BPA, PVC, and Phthalate free, but this one fits the bill!

The Yookidoo Stack 'N' Stream Tub Fountain is a winner in my book.  It is battery operated and I usually shy away from toys with batteries, but I still love this toy.  The battery power pushes the water up through the toy like a fountain, and as you stack and unstack the different boats and characters with the toy, you get different effects with the water (sprinkler effect, spray effect, spout effect, etc).  There are so many ways to use this toy that it will definitely keep your little one entertained.  My son enjoys playing with all the little people and boats separately as well!

This toy is fascinating for both babies and toddlers, and I think it will last a long time in our house.  Just one word of caution…be prepared to get wet…both you and your child!

P.S. The cheapest place I found this toy (by far) was on Amazon.  (There’s a video of the toy in use on Amazon as well)

Baby Dream Gear Classes in Charlotte!

I am very excited to announce that Little Miracles Baby Planning is the exclusive provider of these amazing classes in 2011 in Charlotte, NC!

Whether you’re expecting your first or fifth baby, Baby Dream Gear is the class for you.  The baby market is ever-changing and full of fun and exciting new items, but it can also be extremely overwhelming to find the right products for your family.  Baby Dream Gear believes that families should be empowered when selecting products, in an elegant and relaxing atmosphere. Little Miracles Baby Planning is pleased to bring you excellent gear, essential considerations when selecting products, as well as pampering and relaxation for well deserving parents during this class!

You will be pampered with food and drinks during each class, and as if all that wasn’t enough, each family will receive one FABULOUS SWAG BAG full of incredible stuff for baby!   You’ll get your very own Blue Avocado reusable shopping bag filled with amazing gifts from our partners, including Thinkbaby, Dr. Browns, Plum Organics, Playtex, Episcencial, Baby Banz, and much more!

Baby Dream Gear is offered in select cities around the country, and Charlotte will be having it’s very first class March 26th &27th at Belly Elan maternity boutique.  Click HERE for all the registration information.

We hope to see you there!!

Kidco Go Pod: Great Activity Seat for On the Go

from Rated By Mom



We saw a great baby product that is fabulous for camping, sporting events, trips to the park, grandma’s house or even your own backyard.  The Kidco Go Pod is a compact, lightweight activity seat that is super portable and a great alternative to those bulky, non-traveling activity centers.

At first glance, it looks like a camping chair all folded up in its bag.  But unfold it (in like 5 seconds flat!) and you have yourself an activity seat for your baby that resembles a camping chair.  Same fabric.  Same fold.  Same frame.  But this seat is for your baby!

The Go Pod is great for indoor or outdoor use.  Plus, simply fold and store when not in use.  Great for small spaces!




Features of the Kidco Go Pod:

• Locking Button – Ensures Go·Pod is locked in place; safe for baby

• Floor Pad – Keeps baby’s feet from touching undesirable surfaces
• Four Seat Height Positions – Grows with baby for appropriate leg/feet positioning
• Drink and Snack Holders
• Five Nylon Toy Loops – Holds baby’s favorite toy
• Storage Bag – Includes pocket for wallet, keys, ipod, etc.Age range: approximately 4 months (or when your baby can hold it’s head up unassisted) to walking
• Product Weight:  an amazing 7 lbs!!!Folded Dimensions: 6.5”W x 6.5”L x 29.5”H
• Open Dimensions: 24”W x 24”L x 19.5”H (at its lowest seat level)Three models available:  P7000-QuickSilver, P7001-Sorbet, P7002-Pistachio
• Retail approximately $49.99 at Buy Buy Baby and other retailers

The Benefits of a Babymoon

from Nature Moms



You will have heard of a honeymoon, but what about a babymoon? A honeymoon is understood to be a time of intimacy and closeness between a bride and groom, and a babymoon is also a time of intimacy and closeness. It’s a time for a mother and baby to get to know each other. Breastfeeding, attachment, and many necessary things occur when a mother takes time out for a babymoon.

The concept of a babymoon is not new, even if the term is. The term “babymoon” has been used to refer to close time between couples before the birth of their child, but generally speaking the term is reserved for those few weeks after birth.

All over the world, various cultures recognize the weeks immediately following birth to be an almost sacred time of rest and solitude for mother and baby. In some parts of the world, new mothers are pampered – fed special foods, given massages, and otherwise treated with care during the postpartum period. There is a reason why this global tradition is being upheld – there are many benefits. Here are some.

Healing
Your body has undergone a tremendous series of events. Pregnancy and childbirth, depending on the circumstances and health of the mother, can be draining at best and traumatic at worst. Your body needs time to heal physically, especially in the case of perineal tearing or a C-section. It also needs time to heal emotionally, as your body undergoes enormous hormonal shifts after birth and you adjust to the new routine of baby care.

Bonding
Western cultures tend to discourage mother-infant bonding. Mothers talk about how little their child needs them and how well he or she goes with a caregiver. But the importance of close bonding should not be diminished. During the babymoon, mother and baby should have lots of skin-to-skin contact and interaction. The close bond that is formed will build a foundation of security that will last for the rest of the baby’s life.

Health
An old midwife recommendation was for a new mother not to leave the house for six weeks. More and more we are discovering the wisdom of that caution. During the first six weeks of life, a baby’s immune system is still developing. It’s a germy world out there, and while exposure does help build immunity, the immune system must be ready before exposure can have any beneficial effect.

Breastfeeding
The health benefits of breastfeeding are too numerous to list here, but suffice to say that a babymoon encourages the breastfeeding relationship. Mother and baby have time to bond and learn the sometimes challenging art of breastfeeding without the rush of trying to get back to the old routine right away.

BABY WEARING IS MORE THAN BABY CARRYING

From A Milky Way



When we had Zeke more than eight years ago, I looked at that Baby Bjorn as a means of transportation. Lighter than a car seat. Hands-free. Get from Point A to Point B. It was all about me. But boy was that thing uncomfortable.

But thanks to Wooten and 7+ year experience owning and operating The Milky Way, I learned that a carrier is a lot more than a side car to my speedster. It's as much, if not more, about your baby and his/her well-being. Babies are literally a part of the mother inside the womb. They are being held and carried inside their mother's body. When mommy moves, or walks or runs, baby lightly bounces along, perfectly positioned and perfectly comfortable.

So when they come out of the womb they want you to help them transition from perfect attachment to complete independence...one baby step at a time. They want to be held. You want to boogie. The best way to do accomplish both is to carry your baby close to you. And to let them jiggle and bounce lightly along as you go. It's an ideal way to put them as close to being back in the womb as you can get. Babies thrive through touch.

According Babywearing International, a non-profit organization than promotes and instructs on babywearing, these are the advantages of attachment parenting:

• Happy Babies. It’s true … carried babies cry less! In a study published in the journal Pediatrics, researchers found that baby wearing for three hours a day reduced infant crying by 43 percent overall and 54 percent during evening hours.

• Healthy Babies. Premature babies and babies with special needs often enter the world with fragile nervous systems. When a baby rides in a sling attached to his mother, he is in tune with the rhythm of her breathing, the sound of her heartbeat, and the movements his mother makes—walking, bending, and reaching. This stimulation helps him to regulate his own physical responses. Research has even shown that premature babies who are touched and held gain weight faster and are healthier than babies who are not.

• Confident Parents. A large part of feeling confident as a parent is the ability to read our babies’ cues successfully. Holding our babies close in a sling allows us to become finely attuned to their movements, gestures, and facial expressions. Every time a baby is able to let us know that she is hungry, bored, or wet without having to cry, her trust in us is increased, her learning is enhanced, and our own confidence is reinforced. This cycle of positive interaction deepens the mutual attachment between parent and child, and is especially beneficial for mothers who are at risk for or suffering from postpartum depression.

• Loving Caregivers. Baby carriers are a great bonding tool for fathers, grandparents, adoptive parents, babysitters, and other caregivers. Imagine a new father going for a walk with his baby in a sling. The baby is becoming used to his voice, heartbeat, movements, and facial expressions, and the two are forging a strong attachment of their own. Baby carriers are beneficial for every adult in a baby’s life. Cuddling up close in the sling is a wonderful way to get to know the baby in your life, and for the baby to get to know you!

•Comfort and Convenience. With the help of a good carrier, you can take care of older children or do chores without frequent interruptions from an anxious or distressed infant—which helps to reduce sibling rivalry. Baby carriers are also wonderful to use with older babies and toddlers; you can save those arms and go where strollers can’t. Climbing stairs, hiking, and navigating crowded airports all can be done with ease when you use a well-designed baby carrier!

We have a carefully selected and comprehensive lineup of carriers, slings and wraps at The Milky Way to fit each parent's needs preference. Those include:

1. MOBY WRAP - A single piece of fabric that you wrap around your upper body with baby pressed snuggly-buggly against your chest, side or back. Offers many different holds and is very comfortable for parents as the wrap absorbs the baby's weight and distributes it throughout the upper body and not just at the shoulders. Very comforting to baby. Takes a little trial and error but we are happy to help you with that and once you get it it's a snap.
2. ERGO BABY CARRIER - A Baby-Bjorn-like carrier that is much more comfortable for baby and parent. Baby sits rather than dangles which makes it more comfortable and is better for the baby's spinal growth. A favorite of hikers so that should give you some indication of its long-ride comfort quotient. Two knocks on the Ergo is that, although you get front, side and back positions, baby always has to face you and you need an infant insert before your baby reaches a few months old. Scores high marks with dads.
3. FREEHAND CARRIER by TogetherBe - A Baby Bjorn-like carrier that is much more comfortable for baby and parent. Has every advantage of the Ergo but without the two knocks. Baby can face in or out and, having more adjustability, there is no need for an infant insert. A big advantage is that it goes from newborn to large toddler (up to 40 lbs.!). A good choice when you want dad to get into the game as well.
4. RING SLING - Like the traditional slings that have been around since the dawn of time but with a ring for easy adjusting. High snuggle quotient. Offers the most hold positions. It's limitation is that since it wraps around one shoulder, it is not as comfortable as the others. That said, it is ideal for small infants and for those who want a carrier that is a bit more user-friendly than the Moby Wrap.
5. MEI TAI CARRIER - Combo wrap and carrier. It's like a Moby Wrap but without all the wrapping so it's more user-friendly. Designed like a traditional carrier such as the Ergo or Freehand but with softer, prettier fabric. Not quite as comfortable for older children but an easy and cute way to roll for infants under a year. The most stylish way to go while combining the best of all of the carrier options above...except the amazing comfort factor you'll get from the more practical-looking Ergo and Freehand. And most dads could pass on the cute embroidery.