Substitute Dessert with Sweet Oaty Bites

from Super Healthy Kids



If anyone can have a freak accident, it’s Erica. She’s like a magnet for strange injury.  Yesterday, minding her own business, she was standing at a fence watching Nate’s baseball game.  Suddenly she turned, and her face hit a garbage can so hard she completely split her lip open.  There was blood everywhere!  Soaked through her sleeve as she tried to hold it together.  I couldn’t help but wonder how she didn’t realize the garbage can was there?  Anyway, she’s going to have a fat lip this morning!  I guess everyone has to have that kid that could run into a telephone pole on a wide open street. She’s that kid in our family.

On to our letter-O experiments!  Delightfully easy, gluten free, non-fat, and super good; your kids will love these little oatmeal cookies.  If your kids like granola bars, they’ll certainly enjoy this treat.

Sweet Oatie Recipe

• 2 cups oats (any variety)
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped or diced almonds
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 egg whites
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. In small bowl combine egg whites and vanilla.  Whip with a fork for about 10 seconds.  Add the egg whites to the dry ingredients.  Form balls with dough and place on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes, or until bottoms begin to turn brown.

SmartMom Teething Bling

I swear moms are the most ingenious people out there!  Yet another fabulous product created by moms Kendra and Amy in 2002…the SmartMom Teething Bling.  If you haven’t seen moms around town or celebrity moms wearing these, you probably don’t need to look very hard.  They are super popular!

This adorable pendant is not only fashionable but it’s also a teething toy for your little one!  How many times have you been standing in line, sitting on an airplane, sitting in church, or any place else with your baby when she wanted something to chew on?  Instead of your hair, your keys, your cell phone, or their hands (which have been who knows where), you can just let them chew away on your necklace!  How convenient is that?!?

SmartMom uses only the highest-quality, phthalate-free, federally approved silicone in our Teething Bling® line. The material is non-toxic, latex-free, food–safe, even dishwasher-friendly! It is the same silicone used in many other popular teething products and SGS test reports are available upon request. Although they stress that this is adult jewelry not intended for children to wear, all of their pendants come with a breakaway clasp as an added safety feature.

I have to confess.  SmartMom was so sweet to send me a Teething Bling to try out and even though my son is well past the teething stage I’ve been wearing my Bling all the time!  It seems to be the perfect accessory for my summer dresses. :)  I love it!
And as if cute, stylish, and convenient aren’t enough, in honor of the many mothers and children who inspire daily, SmartMom donates from their profits to these worthy organizations:
http://www.curesearch.org
http://www.dressforsuccess.org
(in special memory of Maria Jankowski Maurer)

SmartMom has expanded their product line to include coordinating bangle bracelets and other fun items like Shakespeare quoted onesies and tween bling for older kids.  Check it all out at www.smartmomjewelry.com!

All About Baby Event in Charlotte!

Prenatal or postnatal in Charlotte?  Come one, come all to an incredible baby event that is ALL ABOUT BABY!


The first 50 moms to register get an incredible BABY BOOT BAG filled with goodies from all our sponsors, so sign up today!

Foods Can Actually Help Fight Sun Damage

from A Milky Way blog

We all have heard the phrase, beauty begins on the inside. But did you know you can actually decrease the risk of sunburn by loading up on fruits and veggies and other nutrient rich foods? It’s true!

The foods you choose to eat can significantly enhance your skin’s ability to protect itself from environmental damage, including sunburn. An organic, antioxidant rich diet that is filled with brightly colored, nutrient rich foods gives the skin cells an added measure of protection against free radicals.

What are free radicals? Simply put, it is a molecule that “steals” an electron from an oxygen molecule, destabilizing that molecule – which then seeks out an electron from a neighboring stable molecule causing a chain reaction called “oxidizing.” You’ve probably seen evidence of oxidization; its called rust when you see it on metal surfaces and it certainly isn’t something you want to encourage happening in your body. Science has linked free radical damage to DNA destruction and mutation, the aging process and a host of chronic health conditions. Antioxidants are valuable nutrients that neutralize this process…stop it in its tracks on a molecular and cellular level. You probably recognize most of them:

• Vitamins A including beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein
• Vitamins C and E
• Minerals Zinc and Selenium
• EFAs a.k.a. Essential Fatty Acids or Omega 3s
• Flavanoids such as pycnogenol, grape seed extract
• Polyphenols from aromatic spices such as curcumin (found in curry)

Antioxidants are abundantly available in fresh fruits and vegetables and they work wonders to protect the health of skin and can help it heal more quickly. Organic fruits and veggies have an estimated 30% more antioxidant power and nutritional value than conventionally grown counterparts. Keeping your diet loaded with antioxidant-rich foods – primarily from raw fruits and vegetables – can boost the skin’s resistance to sunburn by up to 30-40 percent in some cases.

This doesn’t mean you should go without sunscreen. But in the ongoing effort to achieve balance between free radical damage and important Vitamin D production (both require exposure to UV rays), it is good to know you have other options. While UV exposure is the most efficient way for the body to get the Vitamin D it needs, there are dietary sources including fortified milk and butter, oils, wild tuna/salmon, and sprouted seeds.
But, let’s say you blow it and you and the kids get sunburned. That same antioxidant-rich diet – with a few additions – can help speed healing. A few things to look out for:

• The phytochemicals from brightly colored fruits and vegetables (think blueberries and bell peppers – yum!) help prevent infection and boost healing, providing protection from burns. I know when I’m hot – cool, crunchy and sweet really feel and taste great.
• L-Cysteine is an amino acid found in high protein foods and garlic, broccoli and wheat germ promotes healing of burns.
• Of course, hydration is key. And with a particularly bad burn you will want to look for those with some sodium and potassium and both are lost with your body’s effort to cool itself on overdrive.
• Don’t go crazy, but add a few extra calories to your diet; your body needs the extra energy while it heals itself.

Something else to be aware of in preventing sunburn: Some prescription drugs can make the skin more susceptible to sunburn including: antibiotics, antidepressants, diuretics, antihistamines, sedatives, estrogen and acne medications (e.g., retinoic acid). If you are planning a sun-filled vacation, it is important to ask your pharmacist if any of your family’s medications have photosensitivity as a side effect.

Reprinted from Episencial.com, a leader in healthy and eco-friendly baby skin care products. Episencial features art by Eric Carle, not only a great artist and kid's book author but a great philanthropist for children's causes. Their products are organic, manufactured using solar energy and contain none of those bad things for the skin or the environment like additives, parabens or petroleum. Made in the USA of recycled bottle material.

Their skincare line which was developed for infants and children but which is good for everyone from 0 to 150 years old includes:

*Sunny Sunscreen SPF35 - water-resistant protection for face and body
*Protective Face Balm - all-over relief for chapped skin & lips (SPF6)
*Sweet Dream Bubble Bath - long lasting gel concentrate
*Soothing Cream - for eczema, itch relief and bothered skin
*Playful Foaming Wash - hydrating hair and body cleanser
*Better Body Butter - silky soft hydrating lotion

“Delayed” Cord Clamping and Stem Cells – When to Cut the Cord?

from Dr. Greene



What if there were a simple, free, natural way to give your baby a bit better start on the first day of life:

• Improving blood counts now
• Reducing the chance of iron deficiency later
• Improving oxygen levels in the brain
• Reducing serious bacterial infections
• Stabilizing blood sugar levels
• Improving organ growth

A growing number of studies suggest that what we call “delayed” cord clamping might do all of the above, and more. Throughout almost all of human history, in all parts of the world, and throughout the world of mammals, the umbilical cord remains connected both to the baby and the placenta at least until the cord stops pulsing (sometimes longer). Usually this is 90 seconds to 3 minutes or so.

The idea of rushing to clamp and cut the cord within 20 seconds is a recent idea, so that professionals can take charge of and examine the baby right away. It’s not clear this practice is beneficial for healthy, stable babies.

At the moment of birth, perhaps 2/3 of a term baby’s blood is in the baby; 1/3 remains in the cord and placenta. For premature babies, it might be only half.

Waiting the extra seconds for what I prefer to call “normal” cord clamping rather than “rushed” cord clamping, gives the baby an extra supply of iron – a supply that can last for 6 full months – perhaps enough to prevent iron deficiency throughout the entire first year. I believe babies were originally designed to get iron from their mothers, not from fortified processed foods like white rice cereal.

A Natural Stem Cell Transplant
The extra blood the baby gets by what I call “normal” clamping isn’t just any blood – it’s once-in-a-lifetime, rich, umbilical cord blood, which is packed with an assortment of powerful stem cells. These stem cells are still migrating from the placenta into the baby at the birth moment.

Those who favor cord blood banking rush to clamp and cut the cord earlier, to prevent the valuable stem cells from going into the baby, so that instead they can whisk these stem cells away to be preserved in cold storage. This is better than just throwing the stem cells away.

I prefer going with the age-old natural process of letting these potent stem cells plant themselves in the baby as a last gift at birth, to grow within and carry out the purposes for which they were designed. Cutting edge science is just beginning to appreciate and understand the true value of this gift.

Alan Greene, MD, FAAP

Free dance classes and more this week!

A new dance studio has opened up in Plaza Midwood in Charlotte and they are offering FREE classes all this week!  Move Studio Charlotte caters to moms, expectant moms, and children!  It offers a FABULOUS Mommalates class (prenatal pilates) for new and soon-to-be mommas!  I have taken this mat class before from April (the owner) and it is wonderful.  It allowed me to stretch and move my big ol’ belly and body!  Without breaking a sweat you work every muscle to the point you just feel that nice soreness, not overworked and sore.  There is a lot of targeting of legs, hips, butt and things too which is just what I need right now!

Mommalates is offered this Wednesday at 6:30pm for FREE at Move Studio Charlotte (1111 Hawthorne Lane Suite 101,Charlotte, NC 28205).  Other free classes this week include Pilates mat classes, yoga, swing dance, children’s movement, and adult contemporary jazz.  Be sure to check it out!

Going Green and Keeping Them Clean – Cloth Diapers

from livegreenmom.com



When I became a mom in 2001 I didn’t even think twice, it was disposable diapers all the way. I was tired and overwhelmed like any new mom and wouldn’t even consider anything that didn’t make life easier in some way. I wish I had seen past all that and looked at the bigger picture. Disposable diapers are going to be sitting in our landfills longer than than you and I will walk the earth. Check out these diaper facts for the real lowdown on why cloth diapers should be explored for your baby’s bum.

Today we have a guest post from Amara Sparacino with some tips on cleaning your cloth diapers effectively. Thanks Amara!
—————————————-
Going Green and Staying Clean with Cloth Diapers
Diapers are not something to be tossed around lightly. The average little one, in its first year of life goes through more than 2,500 diapers. Wow.

So, you’ve decided to help your baby and the environment by using cloth diapers. Maybe you want to avoid using the chemicals usually associated with disposables. There are lots of good reasons to go with cloth, your baby’s bottom will likely appreciate it, and you won’t suffer from images of landfills and diaper mountains dancing in your head.

It’s a big job. But wait – how do you actually clean cloth diapers correctly?

As you know, it means more responsibility. Untreated cloth diapers need to be changed more frequently than disposables. And it is that issue alone that probably explains why some people stay with disposable diapers for convenience. But washing cloth is not rocket science. And let’s face it, it’s been practiced for just about forever.

Start With the Basics
There are two basic and popular storing methods for cloth diapers: wet pail and dry pail. Let’s talk about the advantages and disadvantages of both.

With a wet pail, diapers are stored in water (and normally baking soda) before washing. Many people prefer the dry pail method however because of the odor from stagnate water and the process of emptying it. Pails can be uncovered or covered and odors are controlled through a sprinkle of baking soda.

Another good idea: place a deodorant disc at the bottom of your pail. And for dirty diaper bags that feature a small piece of fabric sewn into the inside seam, you can use a few drops of an essential oil. Consider Tee Tree and/or Lavender oils to help disguise those pungent odors that may be tougher to deal with.

Washing and Drying
One of the most recognized of the green detergents available is Mountain Green. It contains no enzymes, softeners, dyes, brighteners, or fragrances (in the Free and Clear version). Numerous other detergents are also known for their “greenness”, and they include: Allens Naturally, Arm & Hammer Essentials Free; Bio-Kleen; Maggie’s Soap Nuts; as well as Sun and Earth. Some moms swear by the Smart Klean Laundry Ball because it’s chemical free, non-toxic hypoallergenic and soap less, and effectively sanitizes. It works best with smaller loads and utilizes natural ceramics to clean fabrics. There are knock offs of the SmartKlean Ball that are less effective, so keep your eyes out. (Extra tip: add fine sea salt and vinegar for a boost in cleaning power).

In general, diapers should be washed through two cycles: 1) COLD/COLD or a COLD rinse or soak, and 2) HOT/COLD wash. Skipping the first COLD/COLD cycle will likely result in more stains, which is why it is necessary to prepare the diapers for the HOT water cleaning. Many odor problems are resolved with no more than 2 to 3 drops of Tea Tree or Lavender essential oils.

Avoid washing no more than two-dozen diapers at one time. This will prevent piling from friction in your machine.

Make sure your rinse water is free of bubbles, and keep in mind that cycles can be repeated to deal with persistent odors and/or stains. Just put the freshly washed diapers either in the dryer (on HOT for an hour to 90 minutes) or in the sun to finish. Heat from the dryer or sun will effectively sanitize the diapers so they will be up to snuff for your baby’s darling derriere. And while your wee one may not thank you for the effort, the peace of mind that comes from taking such care is priceless.

Amara Sparacino is a mom of an 11 month old baby girl (who goes through way more diapers than she ever imagined possible!) She works with her brother on WashingMachines.net a website that helps people who are searching for a washing machine find information about every machine available – allowing them to compare costs, efficiency ratings and check out reviews so they can find the best washing machine for their home.