Spring E-Book Sale on must have titles!

As a reader reminded me, i promised to do better on posting and would try to post once a month.  I guess that month is up! lol  I've been a bit busy.  At the beginning of the month i actually traveled across the country to visit a new friend and her new little one.  It was great to see her, and great to have a mini vacation (10 day!), but it is good to be home again.

I don't have much time to talk though because i'm getting ready to do a Green Family Expo tomorrow (My booth will be H2O at Home which i STILL need to talk about). 

BUT i did want to share a great deal that i found with all of you.  Right now there is a sale going on until TUESDAY the 23rd.  You can get 30 e-books for only $39!  And they all sound pretty awesome!  I just ordered mine and i just need to dowload them now.  You can read them on your computer and you can send them to your e-reader (like the Kindle) for reading on the go. 

So go to Village Green Network and order yours now!

Here are the titles and descriptions of the books included in this sale (which is 90% savings!)

Grain-free Breads, Snacks & Desserts
Jill Tieman of Real Food Forager

Learn how to bake with gluten-free, grain-free flours in place of wheat. Properly prepare nuts and seeds for easy digestion. Make yummy snacks and treats that actually provide nutrients and are a positive addition to the diet.

The Eczema Cure
Emily Bartlett of Holistic Squid

Learn how to heal eczema from the inside out with real food. How to "put out the fire" that causes your itchy, red, oozing rash -- and step-by-step guidelines for how to get started. Includes detoxifying recipes!

DIY Natural Household Cleaners
Matt & Betsy Jabs of DIY Natural

Learn how to make all your own homemade cleaning products using simple, natural ingredients. These green cleaning recipes take the guesswork out of using essential oils so you can finally utilize their beneficial cleaning properties. Over 60 natural cleaning recipes for every room in your home!

Get Your Fats Straight
Sarah Pope of The Healthy Home Economist

Sarah identifies how the low-fat movement got its start and the devastating effects it is having today. She beats back the arguments for eating low-fat and presents simple, practical advice on what you need to do to regain your health.

Nourished Baby (Completely Revised)
Heather Dessinger of Mommypotamus

Did you know that feeding our children "sacred foods" often prevents the need for braces and can heal cavities? This completely redesigned book features 15+ brand new baby/toddler-friendly recipes including healthy chicken nuggets and bunless sloppy joes!

Skintervention
Liz Wolfe of Cave Girl Eats

All you need to know about healing and beautifying skin, hair, nails, teeth, and everything in between. Whether you deal with acne, eczema, or weak hair or nails, or you simply want to know what to use and why, this guide can help you. It's about taking care of yourself from the outside-in AND the inside-out.

Real Food Nutrition FOR KIDS!
Kristen Michaelis of Food Renegade

Want to teach your kids about real food? Child-friendly lessons inspired by the work of Weston A. Price. A beautiful book full of fun illustrations, coloring pages and activities for younger children.

 

Awaken: 30+ Egg-Free and Grain-Free Breakfasts
Karen Sorenson of Living Low Carb One Day At a Time

Breakfast ideas for those with egg allergies -– perfect for low carb, Paleo, Primal, gluten-free, grain-free, egg-free or dairy-free diets. Takes the guess work out of stocking your grain-free pantry.

Eat For Heat
Matt Stone of 180 Degree Health

Are you tired all the time? Have cold hands and feet? Lost your sex drive? Eat for Heat teaches you how to feel better by reducing beverage consumption, and to overcome your phobias about salt and sugar.

Diet Recovery 2 (Completely Revised)
Matt Stone of 180 Degree Health

Can "eating healthy" make you sick? Diet Recovery 2 is the completely revised guide to breaking free from the empty hunt for the perfect diet and the counterproductive pursuit of losing weight. Learn how to ditch dieting, relax and "eat the food" -- and balance your metabolism and get healthy.

Real Food For Real Life
Emily Benfit of Butter Believer

If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the "food rules" out there, you'll love this brand new book about eating healthy, without letting food take over your life. Real food is supposed to be simple! Get back to the basics and check perfectionism at the door, while learning the hows and whys of feeding yourself and your family healthy, whole nutritious foods.

Indulge and Heal: 40 Treats Without Grains, Dairy, Nuts and Refined SugarLauren Geersten of Empowered Sustenance

Discover new grain-free recipes for the SCD, GAPS, and Paleo Diet! Resources and tools for natural healing -- and support and encouragement for a holistic lifestyle.

The Homemade Handbook
Lindsey Gremont of Homemade Mommy

If you want to be inspired to learn to cook real food and to have the courage to experiment in your kitchen with new flavors and techniques, this e-book is for you! Packed with real food cooking tips and techniques from roasting to fermenting + 60 real food food recipes to get you started and test your new skills
 

Fast Paleo Top 100 of 2012
James Gregory of Fast Paleo

The 100 absolute best Paleo and Primal recipes from Paleo bloggers and enthusiasts around the web in one great e-cookbook. Fast Paleo Top 100 of 2012 includes everything from breakfast to slow cooker meals to baked goods and desserts.

From Your Freezer To Your Family: Slow Cooker Freezer Recipes eCookbook
Stephanie Brandt Cornais of Mama & Baby Love

This e-cookbook is full of great recipes that go straight from the freezer to the crockpot. It's also a complete beginner’s guide to real food. All recipes are 95% grain-free, gluten-free and dairy-free.

The Nourished Metabolism
Elizabeth Walling of The Nourished Life

Want healthy hormones? Learn why you should stop dieting TODAY, how to balance nutrients and energy for the optimal metabolism, a balanced eating plan that doesn’t restrict food groups, myths about sugar, salt and water -- and much more!


 

Real Food Ingredient Guide
Kelly the Kitchen Kop

Do you want to use more nutritious ingredients in your kitchen, but feel confused about which ones to choose? Do you need help deciphering food labels at the store, or knowing which foods to buy at your local farm? Get Kelly's help in this eye-opening, handy referenece manual.

Real Food 101
Kendahl Millecam of Our Nourishing Roots

Are you new to real food? Real Food 101 is a visual companion to Nourishing Traditions-style foods full of step-by-step tutorials with color photos that will teach you how to prepare real food easily and confidently!

The Almond Flour Sweet Treats Cookbook
Stacey Duncan of Nourished For Free

More than 100 delicious and Paleo-friendly sweet recipes using almond flour, coconut flour, natural sweeteners such as raw honey, coconut sugar, stevia, dried and fresh fruits... pastured eggs, coconut oil, coconut milk, fresh and dried coconut, grassfed raw butter, milk, and cream, sprouted nuts and seeds.

Toxic Free: 70 Recipes for a
Toxic-free Home
Robin Konie of Thank Your Body

Many of the ingredients found in commercial cleaning and personal care products have been linked to health problems. From infertility to cancer, the toxic chemicals that threaten our health are some of the most common things we put directly on our skin! Are you ready to ditch the toxic garbage for good?

Nourishing Our Children
Sandrine Love of Nourishing Our Children

Based on the nutritional principles of Dr. Weston A. Price, this book covers dietary principles for parents before and after conception, problems associated with modern processed foods, and vital information about water and fluoride, traditional fats and oils, milk, soy, vital nutrients, and healthy meal preparation.

Indulge: 70 Grain-free Desserts
Carol Lovett of Ditch the Wheat

Take all the guesswork out of making scrumptious baked goods that are grain-free, dairy-free, cane sugar free, and Paleo/Primal friendly. Over 70 + recipes and 162 pages of content. All recipes are dairy free and adhere to Paleo principles.

Simple Natural Health

Nina Nelson of Shalom Mama

A simple, comprehensive guide to natural health: nourishing your body with herbs, nutrition and fitness. Use herbs for upset tummies, sore throats and a whole host of other ailments – and in conjunction with diet to prevent illness.

Afternoon Tea: Grain, Nut, Dairy and Refined Sugar-Free

Suzanne Perazzini of Strands of My Life

107 pages of beautifully photographed treats that are all grain-free, nut-free, dairy-free with no refined sugar. Every recipe includes two photographs alongside clear and easy to follow instructions.

Toadally Primal Smoothies

Todd Dosenberry of Primal Toad

Do you enjoy smoothies? Do want to feel awesome and be able to do the impossible? Toadally Primal Smoothies contains 150 mouth-watering, healthy smoothies that follow Primal/Paleo/WAPF eating guidelines, including 70 low carb smoothies.

Garden and Preservation Planner

Brenda Scott of Well Fed Homestead

Planning, planting, growing, weeding, tending and harvesting a garden is a lot of work! This guide will help you think through what you really need to grow, where to grow it, how to grow it, and how to preserve it.

Restocking the Pantry

Kresha Faber of Nourishing Joy

Make your favorite condiments at home -- without sacrificing the store-bought flavor you love! Avoid high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, and food additives. Save money, have fun, and teach your children how to cook. These recipes are all easy to make & kid-approved!

The Grain Free Lunch Box

Jolene Sloam of Yummy Inspirations

Lunch Box Nutrition – what to include plus tons of tips. Lunch Box Organization & Planning – strategies to keep you organized. 50+ Grain, Gluten, Nut, Dairy & Refined Sugar Free Recipes – kid-approved meat, chicken, fish, egg recipes and a rainbow of vegetable and fruit ideas and delicious baked treats.

It's been a long weary journey

Hello followers!

  I wanted to make a quick blog post just to say that no, i did not die :)  Good new huh?  But of course, i have not been posting much, in fact, my last post was about 6 months ago.  Pretty pathetic.  Yes, life has been busy, as it always is, but that is no excuse not to post.  I promise, i will really try to do better, at least one good post a month (at least!).

So what's been going on in our neck of the woods?  Mostly a lot of self improvement.  The last year or so i've been dealing with a lot of depression (my post here explains it more) and working through my grief.  I know that my grief will never completely be over, but it has gotten much better.  I will always miss our daughter, but the pain has gotten easier to bare.  Giving myself actual time to work through my emotions, and having the support of those close in my life really helped.  I think that is what helped the most, to know those closest to me were no longer judging me and allowing me to be me.

Progress was slow, but it came.  One day while driving home from a party i was flipping through the radio looking for something to listen to.  I normally listen to pop, hip hop tops songs type stuff.  But i stopped on a station and started listening.  As the miles wore on (it was a 2 hour drive) i started to feel better and better.  The station i found was K-Love.  It made me feel amazing.  The music was so uplifting and the message i heard was just what i needed.  The DJs would come on between songs and just talk about how Jesus loved ME.  ME. I really needed to hear that, and hear it from someone other than my leader or my mother.  It was as if it was Christ's way of telling me himself.  That he cared about me, loved me and wanted me to succeed.

Since that drive K-Love and Positive Life Radio is what i listen to in the car 95% of the time.  I listen to it at home as well, but i also listen to the music on this blog or this blog.  The change in how i feel has been amazing.  There are time i'll listen to something else, some of the 'hits' and it's interesting how fast i feel crummy.  I don't like to feel crummy.  I love feeling positive and happy.  So i think i'll be sticking to my happy music :)

That was the turning point it seemed though.  From there i've been improving in all the other points of my life.  We no longer eat out 3-5 times a week but instead i am actually cooking homemade meal!  I know right!  I signed up for EMeals (Paleo plan) and it has been great.  No 'what's for dinner tonight' and everything tastes so good.  I've also been using essential oils to help uplift my mood.  I just put them in my diffuser, or place them in my hand and breathe deep.  So uplifting and refreshing!  Another things that has really helped me this last month has been i've started taking Juice Plus+.  And it has really been this last month i've seen some of the best changes.  I have energy, motivation and actually a pretty clear head.  My thoughts don't get muddled and i can see what i need to get done, and i have the motivation to do it, it's been great!  I have tried other "supplements" from other companies but nothing has helped me a much as the Juice Plus+, and i think it's because it's whole food nutrition from actual fruits and vegetables (they are juiced and then put into capsules).  I also preordered the book "Beautiful Babies" by Kristen Michaelis and because of preordering it, i got a lifetime membership to her online course worth $199! 

"In Beautiful Babies, nutrition educator Kristen Michaelis reveals the truth about diet and pregnancy. Based on her research of the nutrient-rich diets of healthy and fertile populations around the world, she lays out exactly what you should and shouldn't eat when trying to conceive, during pregnancy, and while breast-feeding. In the first half of the book she explains the ways industrialized foods can prevent pregnancy, how a low-fat diet can increase your likelihood of infertility by 85 percent, what to do if breast-feeding doesn't work for you, why babies can't digest cereal, and gives step-by-step instructions on how and when to introduce your baby's first foods. In the second half of the book she equips you with more than 50 recipes for incorporating traditional fertility-boosting foods into your diet. Beautiful Babies provides you with everything you need to know about having a healthy pregnancy and nourishing your growing baby."
If you would like to preorder and get the free course, just email your purchase receipt (i emailed the confirmation email) to booklaunch@foodrenegade.com.  So far the lessons i've watched/read have been amazing and i'm looking forward to learning more.

But every day now has been really good.  I wake up in a good mood, i have energy, i put on my music, dance around with my daughter and let the sun shine into our home.  It's all baby steps.  I know i have a long way to go still, but how much i've come is amazing.  I want to continue to eat better, i am going to be looking into MTHFR and see if it's something i have, i've going to work on reading my scriptures and saying my prayers, and being a better, more involved mother and a better wife. 

I really feel like there has been a change in my life.  It hasn't been easy, but it's happening.  I hope others can see the changes as much as i can.  but if they cannot, that's ok, what matter is that my daughter and husband can, and that Christ can.

And that is what matters.

My OB said WHAT?!?

I just wanted to share that i've been featured on the website, My OB said WHAT?!?

You can see the post here.

If you scroll down the pink comment is my story explaining.

Letting out all the hurt

Hello there my readers.  I'm not 100% sure why i am making this post but i feel like talking but not sure who to talk to.  So writing it is. 

And just a warning to you sensitive souled people, i'm not intending to hurt anyone's feelings with anything i write.  I'm just trying to make sense of what is running through my head and to get my thoughts 'on paper'.  I'm sorry if anything i say hurts you, but if it does hurt maybe it's best to step back, evaluate the situation and see why what i've said as offended you so much.  Is it because there may be some truth?  i don't know.  Just some things to consider and keep in mind.  But again, i'm sorry if this hurts.  I hurt too. 

For a long time now i have been struggling.  Struggling with my self worth, struggling with my identity, with who i really am.  I struggle with how i react, how i'm supposed to react and what others think.  I spend a lot of time worried about what others think.  a lot of time.  I'm always worried about it and i hate that it bugs me so much.

Growing up i had a lot to deal with.  My dad was abusive (mostly emotional and verbal but some physical) towards everyone in the family (i have 5 siblings).  Just writing that down is extremely hard for me.  It actually makes me want to delete this entire post and forget about the whole thing.  But i feel if i can't explain where i've come from that you won't understand why i'm here.  So as my hand shake i will keep typing to try and help myself.

As i said, my dad is abusive.  And so i grew up in fear my whole life, always walking on egg shells.  I always was trying to be the best child i could be, the most perfect i could be so that he wouldn't be so angry, so that he would love me, because why would someone be so mean and hateful if they loved you?  I grew up not really knowing if i was loved because even if my father said it, he rarely showed it.  And then because of his actions i could not even believe what he said since it contradicted every thing it would say. 

I also grew up with a lot of guilt.  I lot from my father (If i could just do the things he wanted, if i could just not cry, work hard enough, be *good* enough then *i* would be good enough) but also from my mother.  If i expressed how i felt about something she would tell me that it really wasn't that way, or i shouldn't feel that way, or something along those lines.  She would say things in passing that would make me feel guilty about whatever situation it was.  Hard to explain, but lots of guilt.

So i have a hard time knowing how i'm even supposed to feel most of the time.  If i'm feeling sad i feel that i shouldn't feel sad and i have to stop crying RIGHTHISSECOND because that is what has been drilled into me from my father.  Or somehow my mother makes me feel guilty for the way i feel.  I really can't go into details but it's pretty much how it always goes.

I really hate me on the inside because i feel like i'm a complete mess and that it's effecting my relationship with those that matter most, my husband and my daughters.  Our marriage has really been stressed from the very beginning due to me being on hormonal birth control and how crazy it made me.  What kind of crazy you ask? 

well, major depression for one, then anxiety, and the anxiety caused me to start having panic attacks (which i had never had before) and then the panic attacks would cause more anxiety and depression and it was just a big hot mess.  Example.  We'd be laying in bed to go to sleep.  Just because DH wouldn't be cuddling with me my mind would be racing with reasons why he wasn't, until i came the the conclusion that he didn't love me.  I'd start crying and hyperventilating until i just couldn't stand it anymore and i'd lock myself in the bathroom while i proceeded to bang my head repeatedly against the wall and scratch my arms.  I actually had the thought many times that i had made THE BIGGEST mistake of my life and that i needed to get a divorce because i didn't want to end up like my parents.  But then i couldn't bring myelf to do that because i felt incredibly guilty and worried about what 'everyone' would think if i admitted i had made a mistake and wanted a divorce.  But then i was scared to be doomed in a marriage with a spouse who really didn't care about me and didn't love me which would then start the entire cycle all over again.

Did i mention it made me crazy psychotic?  And the worst part was i didn't know why i felt this way.  I knew it wasn't normal but it came out of nowhere and i didn't feel this way until after we had been married.  It wasn't until my dear sister suggested that *maybe* it was my birth control that i started to see the light (what really upsets me is my doctor NEVER said that ANY of those things could be a side effect!  so i never suspected!).  Needless to say i went off of it immediately and i am so thankful i did.  Unfortunately those 5 months really took a toll on our marriage.  A start like that is NO way to start a healthy marriage.

So yeah, pretty stressful start on top of all my baggage from my growing up years.  Then enter our 1st pregnancy.  Everything was going great until our 1st ultrasound when the tec could not find any amniotic fluid.  We were told we'd have to see a specialist ASAP but the soonest we could get an appointment was a week away!  So after a week passed we saw the specialist who told us our baby had cysts in their kidneys and would not live after birth.

Big giant blow in our lives. 

Here we are living 2+ hours away from all family and dear friends and i'm going through a pregnancy with my child who is not going to live.  Even worse we are in a college town and our church ward was full of young married couples.  so everyone in our ward was either A) pregnant, or B) had a child under the age of 3.  I was treated like i had a deadly illness that no one wanted to catch. 

We'd be sitting in class and the lesson would be on service, compassion and all of that and everyone sharing stories of how they helped so and so in this situation or when they were going through ____ trial they were *so* thankful that so and so came to help.  All the wile i am sitting in my row completely alone because no one would sit next to me and bawling my eyes out because i was basically ignored by everyone around me and i had no family or friends to help.  I would then quickly leave the room so i wouldn't make too big of a scene and then of course everyone would come out and ask me how i was and if i needed anything.  I really hated that.  I understand my situation made people uncomfortable but it really hurt for them to say one thing and do the complete opposite.  All i wanted was a shoulder to cry on, for someone to show me some love and compassion while i got ready to go through the hardest thing in my life and i couldn't get it.  I was all alone.

THEN i get misdiagnosed and told i *have* to induce at 32 weeks when really the problme was a misdiagnosed bladder infection (which by the way went untreated for at least 1 week, if not 2 or more to the point where i was in INTENSE awful pain and running 101+ fevers even WITH taking vicodin which has fever reducing medicine in it!  I could have gone septic!!). 

So because i *had* to be induced we were robbed from our home birth experience that we desired so our daughter could be born in the most peaceful, loving environment we could have.  Instead i had to spend 3 days in the hospital being induced and then my daughter had to endure the birth with a rushed uninterested doctor who was in such a hurry for everything to be over that he pulled her out of me, i'm sure causing her harm in the process and then telling us that she was stillborn even though less than a minute later she tried to breath and tried again and again and again.  Never ONCE did that doctor check her for a heartbeat but instead insisted she was dead and that it was just a reaction that her body was having. 

So we never got to have the joy of knowing our daughter was alive and with us and able to hear everything we were saying.  She never was able to hear from her mother and father that we loved her earthside.  We were robbed from one of the most sacred experiences there are and there's nothing we can do about it since the doctors word is "law". 

Then again i had to deal with isolation and abandonment.  We had a total of 4 meals brought in to our home, one from a friend the day we came home from the hospital, and then 3 from our church after we had been home for 4 days and were told we'd have meals brought in as soon as we were home (even though they were informed we were home).  And we only had a weeks worth brought because we were told 'after that you should be feeling *much* better'.  No other friends or family ever brought us anything.  We were left alone with the day to day.  Most days i didn't even want to get out of bed let alone dress, shower or eat. 

I knew i was going to be depressed, i already was.  But also expected to be surrounded with love and support.  We had moved home 2 weeks before her birth and so we were with family and friends again.  We had lots of words of support but not much after that.  I struggled with my grief process because i felt rushed and guilty that i was depressed and upset.  I felt like everyone just wanted me to be better and 'get over it'.  And if i brought the matter up at all people would then say 'of course not, take your time' but then i'd feel the pressure again based on actions and things said.  It was a very hard confusing time for me. 

Then, to complicate things we unexpectedly found out we were expecting again just 6 months after our daughter passed away.  On one small hand we were excited but on the other big hand we were scared to death and worried.  It was hard to be happy when we still felt so much sadness, but the pressure from EVERYONE to 'be happy' again made it hard.  If i'd bring up my grief it seems like others would say 'but you're pregnant again!  Be happy!' as if having another child fixed everything.

If anything it has made things more complicated in ways.  Don't get me wrong, i LOVE my daughter more than i can even express.  She has brought *so much* happiness into my life and i wouldn't trade her for anything.  But it's not that cut and dry.  I still have mountains of unsettled grief buried deep inside me because of all the pressure around me to 'be better' because we have a healthy baby now.  I can't be sad because i have to be happy for her.  I also don't have time to grieve.  We've been blessed with a daughter who has silent reflux and we didn't find this out until she was SEVEN MONTH old!  7 months of pretty much non stop crying at night, never sleeping, never nursing well, crying crying crying.  And even after we found out it didn't fix everything.  7 months is a long time for a child to learn things.  and then throw in that we moved when she was 8 months we moved in with my parents for 3 months and then lived in a house we were renovating, her first year has been HECTIC and so she has no rhythm, no pattern, no way of doing things.  I'M her constant. So she doesn't sleep through the night (not even by a long shot!), struggles to sleep without nursing, and is just very high needs in everything in her life.  

and then the judgment i feel in this aspect in my life is huge.  I feel judgment from every single side of me.  Our circumstances don't seem to matter, only the outcome, and since we do not have the 'good' baby i am a bad parent and not doing things right, even though i'm doing things the best i can for MY baby.

I know i've been going on on a lot of different things but i just felt like i had to write about everything i've having to deal with because i've reached the end and i have taken all i can take.  I'm starting to sink and i feel like everyone is just standing to watch.  I get some sticks thrown at me that are thought to help, but i don't feel people are really listening to my issues.  I'm told often that i just need to pray, or read my scriptures, or go to the temple and it will fix everything.

But what these people don't seem to understand (even when i've tried to explain it) is it's not that easy.  Growing up, those experiences were used as a way of abuse.  So instead of feeling the Spirit of God, i felt the spirit of contention, the spirit of the devil.  It's hard for me to get past these fears and to move on.  I feel very alone and small.  I feel uncared about and unimportant.  I don't like to feel this way, but i don't know how to not feel this way.  When i pray i don't feel like my prayers get past the ceiling, and instead of feeling the Spirit i feel the opposite instead, i feel cold, dark and alone.  And i feel like a bad person for even saying these things because Prayer and Scripture reading are the answer to everything in my 'culture' so to even suggest that i don't want to do them makes me an evil horrible person.  But i have a hard time doing something in my life that makes me feel so insignificant and alone.

And so, i've reached the end of the road.  I cannot stand my periods of break downs anymore (they are coming closer and closer together these last months).  My sister has been setting a path in front of me these last few months and i think i've finally hit bottom enough to follow her lead.  Today i called and set up an appointment to get counseling.  This is extremely hard for me to do because it makes me feel like a failure and i have a VERY hard time asking for help, even when i desperately need it.  I've been trained to put on a 'happy face' and to not let anyone know how things really are.  So it's very difficult for me to even say anything negative or say anything is wrong.  But they are, and they have been for a long time now. 

But i won't let my fears stop me anymore.  I want to be a new person and i want to change how things are.  And the first step is talking with someone who can help me.

Yesterday a friend of mine shared an article about circumcision.  I was surprised to see that she posted it since she circumcised her son.  This is what she had to say:

"Great article, the best I've ever read. Its very long, 6 parts but well worth the read. As the mother of a circumcised boy I tend to avoid these kinds of articles like the plague because I don't like people making me feel bad about a decision I made because I felt it was in my child's best interests. 

But as a parent I'm always trying to improve myself when it comes to things like carseat safety and parenting method. I always find myself learning more and more about what I'm doing wrong and I love learning so I can be a better parent for D and to my future children, so why would I not want to learn more about circumcision? Because there is soooo much conflicting information! This site says its best to not circumcise, this site says that site is lying that circumcision is best, this site... says that they are both laying and you should only cut off half... you get the gist. 

So once I made what I felt was an informed decision I stuck with it and didn't want to read anymore about it or watch any videos to make me feel the pain I felt when I handed Derek off to the surgeon, because what mother would want to relive that? I hoped I'd never have another boy so I didn't have to battle myself about this decision again, and I knew that if I had been a single parent D would still be intact because without Hubby wanting the circumcision I couldn't have done it, even if it had been for the best. 

But something urged me to read this article and I did, then I made Hubby (my stubborn husband who is very VERY pro circumcision) read it and we've come to the decision that we aren't going to circumcise any more of our children. So please just read this, it is chalk full of information and has actual references =)"

I applaud my friend of taking the plunge to find out more information.  I know it's not easy to learn the truth, but it is so important to try to continue to learn and to grow so we can be the best people and parents we can be.

Before i ever became pregnant my husband and i had decided that if we were to ever have a boy that they would be circumcised.  We felt that way because my husband is circumcised and because i thought that was just what you did.  I feel stupid now for begin so ignorant.   It was when my sister was pregnant with her first that she first introduced the idea of NOT circumcising to me.  I didn't even really realize that was an option! (again, i feel so stupid that i thought that)  I started to do my real research and i was blown away by everything i did not know.  I was so THANKFUL that i had found this information out before we ever had a son.  It pains me to think of the pain we would have inflicted on our child just so they could 'look like his father' and because i though that's what you were supposed to do.  Circumcision is something you can never take back.  Once it is done it is done.  I now believe it is a choice that should be up to the person who owns that body part.  The foreskin serves a purpose.  I'm amazed at how much i have learned about this piece of skin.  I am sad that my husband did not have the choice when it came to his penis and i am sad for the impact it has had in both his *and* my life because his parents were given the wrong information and did not seek to learn more.  I'm sad that i did not know growing up that my own father and brothers are uncircumcised and that i did not grow up knowing that was normal.  Again, i am so thankful that *i* did learn more and that our views have changed.   If my views can change, if my friends views can change why can't yours?

What are you afraid of?  Knowledge is power and it is only when we know better that we do better.  By choosing not to do your research you are choosing to be ignorant and that can cause more harm that you know.

I want to share this article with you and to urge you to read it, no matter what your view point on circumcision is.  You never know how you will truly feel until you finally receive all the facts.  It might hurt to read this article if you have already circumcised your child but remember, when you know better you can do better.  And even i learned some things from this article, so everyone can benefit from reading it.

I love this quote from the article:
"As parents, we are entrusted by God or the universe or by nature with the care of our babies.  They truly are a gift, but one that we do not get to keep.  We have a responsibility to care for them as best as we can, because they cannot speak nor care for themselves.  Though they are babies now, and we have to make decisions for them, they will be adults, with minds and feelings of their own.  We need to make decisions for them that we will be proud to stand behind now and in the future.  If your son asks you why you had him circumcised, how will you answer?  "Because I am circumcised and I needed your penis to match mine?"  "Because I didn't trust you to be able to make your own decisions?"  When making this decision for your son, be brutally honest with yourself.  What does your decision serve: the child's rights, or your ego?"

And with that, will you be the bigger person and learn more?

Myths about Circumcision You Likely Believe

(This article can be a tad confusing to follow.  You'll read the first part by following this link and then you click on each of the next parts (2-6) to read the other points)

EDIT:  My friend decided to create her own blog to she could share your opinions and views and she started with her story of her son's circumcision and her journey to finding out the truth.  You can read it here: http://hippie-mommy.blogspot.com/2011/12/how-i-changed-my-view-on-circumcision.html

The Greater Good

Today i watched a documentary that i wanted to share with everyone out there in the USA.  It's called 'The Greater Good'. 

'The Greater Good' is free to watch online till Nov 5

"The Greater Good looks behind the fear, hype and politics that polarize people into emotionally charged pro-vaccine or anti-vaccine camps with no room for middle ground. Exploring the cultural intersection where parenting meets modern medicine and individual rights collide with politics, this character driven documentary weaves together the stories of three families whose lives have been forever changed by vaccination. By reframing the vaccine debate and offering, for the first time, the opportunity to have a rational and scientific discussion on how to create a safer and more effective vaccine program in America today, The Greater Good challenges viewers to think again." source

"Back in the 1980s, children were asked to get 23 doses of 7 different vaccines. By 2010, parents are being asked to give their children 69 doses of 16 vaccines. That’s triple the dose of those recommended in the 1980s.

And today, many states have made certain vaccinations mandatory… with parents having little or NO say in whether or not their children will receive a vaccine.

Are we doing the right thing? Should all of this be stopped? Or, are we completely taking vaccines for granted?" source

I don't care if you are pro vaccine or anti vaccine, you need to watch this movie. It's about education and becoming informed.  If you have no knowledge you have no choice.  Knowledge is power and we need this power in our lives.  If you can't sit down and watch the whole movie at once (it's 1 hour and 20 min) then watch it in segments like i did.  However you need to just watch it. 
Follow this link to watch the film

And if you would like to own this documentary it is only $10.00 this week (it's normally $20.00)  You can purchase it here.http://shop.mercola.com//product/the-greater-good-dvd,881.htm

The Hazards of Hospitals

 If you haven't ever thought about how safe your local hospital really is, today might be the day you start that thought process.  When we are ill and need help it's the first place many think of, but it might not be the best place.  At the very least you need to be on top of your game and make sure you are getting the best care you can.

Created by: Medical Billing and Coding

Source

Still not sure?  Then what about this article

Your Go-To Hospital For Dirty Speculums

And now i have to edit this post to include this video about a 17 year in Florida who impersanated a medical assistant for a WEEK in a hospital.  He did exams, changed IVs and even did CPR!

'Doogie Howser Wannabee' Matthew Scheidt Busted in Florida

 

I could go on, but i need to get going.  Such a busy life.  I have some other articles i've been wanting to share, so i hope to do that soon! 

So, i know we all have them, do any of you want to share a story about a bad experience from the hospital that put you, your loved ones or so on life in danger?

Sharing a blog post: NFP: There's an app for that!

My friend has written another post on NFP, also known as Natural Family Planning.  It has to do with a new tool available to those who want to follow NFP.  It makes me want to go out and get a smart phone!  Just passing it on for those who want the information.

NFP: There's an app for that!

Greening Up

For a while now i've been wanting to "green up" my life when it comes to my beauty products.  The more i've been reading about the toxic things in our beauty products (what am i saying, in pretty much everything around us...) and the effects it has on our health the more i've been saying NOT FOR ME.  If you want to know what i'm talking about, i suggest this article:

Chemicals In Cosmetics: What You Need To Know

 I think the first step i took in trying to "green" myself up was when i found out i was pregnant with DD2 i decided i was not going to paint my nails anymore (EDIT: now that i think about it, my first step was to stop using traditional menstrual products and get a cup, but that is another post!).  There are some nasty things in nail polish (as you can probably tell by the smell).  You can read a bit about it here:

Toxic Nail Polish

Pretty nasty sounding isn't it?  I didn't want to be putting that stuff on my nails for my body to absorb to be passed on to my growing baby.  So i haven't painted my nails in over a year now.  And honestly, i don't miss it too much.  Yeah...it was fun to have hot pink or lime green nails in the summer, but at what cost? 

My next step was to stop using so many toxic things in the shower.  The first to go was shaving cream.  This was easy because i just stopped shaving.  Yep, you read that right, since the beginning of the year i have not shaved once.  And i don't think i will anymore.  1.  it's a pain in the underarms for me (i get HORRID ingrown hairs), 2. i barely have time to wash my body let alone shave anymore, 3. my legs aren't that hair anyways and my husband thinks they are soft even when i don't shave, so what's the point, and 4.  why should i have to?  I have given myself permission that if i feel the need, i'm allowed to trim my underarms, but no shaving this year at least :)

Then after giving up the shaving cream i decided that next to go is my shampoo and conditioner.  Now this is where most people think i have really gone nuts.  Sure, they could let the no nail polish go with no problem, and shaving...well, that's not too horrible either.  But not using shampoo or conditioner!?!  Oh how will my hair ever be clean???

Easy.

For one, just water and my hands will get most of the grime out of my hair.  But for now i'm washing my hair using baking soda and apple cider vinegar.  You see, washing your hair with a detergent all the time (which is what shampoo is) strips away all the natural, GOOD oil from your hair.  This oil works on a supply and demand basis.  The more you wash it away, the more it makes (works the same as breastfeeding).  So if you stop stripping the oil away and instead try to work *with* your body, your hair will (in most cases) make only enough oil to keep your hair healthy. 

I am already a person who doesn't wash her hair regularly.  Yeah, that's right, i only wash my hair maybe once a week!  And it's NEVER been overly greasy :)  So i figured making the switch to not using any shampoo would be easy.

So i decided to start after i had a procedure to get a mole removed from my scalp, since i wouldn't be able to wash my hair for a while anyways.  The day before i washed my hair for the last time and then went 2 weeks before ever actually using anything on my hair.  This was because my scalp was VERY tender around the stitches site and i didn't want to use anything that would irritate and such.  So for 2 weeks i just rinsed my hair with water and i used a washcloth to kinda pet my hair in a downward motion to distribute the oils to the rest of my hair.  And that worked fine.  Then after 2 weeks i finally did my now normal wash routine.  I took one tablespoon of baking soda and rubbed it into my scalp and then rinsed it.  I then took one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and slowly poured a bit at a time on my scalp and rubbed it into the roots and shaft of my hair.  Then i rinsed and that's it, done. 

When i got out of the shower and towel dried my hair it was SO SOFT!!  My hair has never been that soft before!  All day i couldn't stop running my fingers through it.  I think DH was getting tiered of me saying 'i can't believe how soft my hair is!!!!'.  It's now been over 3 weeks since i've last traditionally washed my hair and i've done 2 of these "treatments" and my hair is still doing great.  I'm tossing my shampoo and conditioner and never looking back! 

Not only is this so much healthier for me, but it's also healthy for my wallet.  I mean, how expensive is baking soda and vinegar???  Awesome i know!

If you want to learn more about this "crazy" topic, read the articles below:
All about 'No Poo'
The No Shampoo Alternative- No Poo
What is No Poo?
Don't use shampoo again!
How to No Poo
The no poo do

So this is it for now.  My next step is body wash, then toothpaste and then deodorant.  Then we'll see where i go from there.

What about you, what are things you've done to "green up" your beauty routine?

A break down of Birth: statistics for the US

Via: Ultrasound Technician

What Not To Read During Pregnancy

So you're pregnant, or planning on pregnancy.

Congratulations!!!!

Do you plan on doing any reading? (you should!)

Are you at a loss of where to start?

Well have no fear!  A very smart and informed woman has put together her list of 'what not to read' and then 3 alternatives for each book. 
She has also broken down her recommendations into 3 categories: those who are just the average person possibly looking for information, those who are looking into their options, but don't know what they want yet, and then those who have done their research, know what they want and are looking for more information.

I feel this is a great list that i feel comfortable sharing (i have either heard great things about her recommendations, or i have read them myself).

What Not To Read.

Source

Do you have any book recommendations for those who are pregnant?  Have you read any on this list and if so, what did you think?

Would You Rather....

....Have a procedure that has a higher risk of muscle damage, can lead to urinary incontinence, has higher rates of infection, always requires stitching, higher rates of sexual dysfunction, cause more extensive scar tissue, more pain and many other issues...

Or

let nature happen and possibly have no negative effects?

Would you rather have an episiotomy or tear naturally (or possibly not even tear at all)?

I found this VERY informative article about episiotomies and tearing and ways to prevent tearing in the first place.

 Would You Rather....

This is one of the parts i found very interesting (even *i* learned something new!)

"In addition, tears heal faster, with less pain, and less scar tissue. This is because tissue cells look like little bricks. When a woman's perineum does tear, it tears through the 'cement' holding those bricks (cells) together - there is little to no cellular damage."

For those who have given birth, what has your experience been with episiotomy VS. tearing naturally?

Consider the Switch!

Are you expecting a baby?  Do you have a baby or young child?  Have you given much thought about what kind of diapers to use?

I'm not talking about whether you should use pampers or huggies but rather cloth or disposable.

Now i know what you must be thinking, 'Cloth, are you nuts???  That is *so* gross!'.  Well, don't.
  Hear me out!  
Read this post and see how far cloth diapers have come from the "dish towel" your grandma used :)  It will take maybe 15 minutes of your time but the information in this post could end up saving your hundreds, if not THOUSANDS of dollars.

So here we go.

First, i think we need to dispell the thought that cloth diapers are hard to use.  This is not the case at all!  Cloth diapering can be as easy as you want to make it.  These are the popular options you have (stay with me!).

Flats

Flats are basically a simple flat piece of cloth.  You then fold them to create absorbent layers and then pin or Snappi them onto your baby, or lay them in a cover (i'll explain the snappi later!).  A positive to using these diapers is the fact that they are only one layer, this means they wash and dry easier than other kinds and are inexpensive.  But they can be more time consuming since you have to fold them up.  These need a cover.

Prefolds

 Most people probably think these are burp cloths, but you'd be wrong.  These are a perfectly acceptable form of cloth diapering :)  The prefold differs from the flat because it has been 'pre-folded', hence it's name.  The middle part is thicker than the sides.  So you just fold it around the baby and fasten it and go.  These also wash and dry pretty quick and they are also much more inexpensive than other diapering systems.  My sister actually uses only prefolds that she made herself.  These need a cover.

Contours

These are a step up from the prefolds.  They have the absorbent later in a middle and are cut into an hour glass shape so there is no folding required.  You just fasten it and go :)  These need a cover.

Fitted

 

 Fitted are yet another step up from the contours.  These have an absorbent layer in the middle and snap or velcro on and have elastic in the legs (for a better fit).  So very easy to put on and use.  These need a cover.

Pocket

Pockets are some of the most popular types of cloth diapers.  They have a waterproof outer layer (so NO cover is required), an inner layer that wicks away moisture and then a pocket opening (normally in the back, some have it in the front) that holds an absorbent insert.  What is nice about these diapers is you can customize how absorbent your diaper is.  If you have a heavy wetter you can add more inserts to make the diaper bore absorbent!  Also, because the insert and diaper are separate the diaper washes and dries better that other types.  These are the types of diapers i use.

All In One (AIO)

All in ones have been said to be the easiest diapers of them all.  The absorbent part of the diaper is sewn in and it has a waterproof shell so the diaper is all one piece (hence the name).  These have been said to be the best option for dads or grandparents who are hesitant about cloth diapers since they are the most like a disposable.  A down side to these diapers is the fact that they are thicker and one piece so it can be harder to get clean and take longer to dry.

All in two (AI2)

These are the same as the AIOs but the insert snaps in instead of being sewn in.  This makes washing and drying a bit easier than with just the AIO.  

Stuffable AIO

A stuffble AIO is just like it sounds.  It's has an absorbent layer sewn in but it also has a pocket so you can stuff it more if you need to.  The one above is from the Nivy Nap brand which is made by a friend of mine.


Hybrid

The hybrid diaper is fairly new on the scene of cloth diapers.  Hybrids are diapers that are both disposable *and* cloth.  Of the ones i have seen you have a cloth diaper cover and then you can either use a disposable insert (i know the G Diaper ones are flushable), OR a cloth insert.  If you use the disposable insert you'll still need to clean the cover when it gets dirty. 

Many people who want to try cloth but are not sure will try a hybrid first to see how they like it.  They may use a cloth insert at home, but a disposable when they are out and about.  Each hybrid comes with their own inserts but many people use inserts they already have on hand (for the cloth), like prefolds and such, cutting down on costs.

Hybrids are normally more expensive then other cloth diapers and even disposable and most can only be bought online.  *Some* local stores are starting to carry, but not many.  I found the Mabu Baby diaper at my local Walmart!  A con with the disposable insert is fit you want to flush them you must tear them open and then swish them with a stick to break them up first, otherwise you will experience a clogged toilet.    Also, hybrid diapers use just as much water as normal cloth (if you flush the liner) since you have to flush the toilet every time you use a liner.  You also still wash the cloth inserts.   A pro to the diapers is that because you reuse the cover you and sending less trash to the landfill.

If you think a hybrid might be the diaper for you i just suggest you research the different options available and sales.

One Size

One Size diapers are diapers that adjust in size.  Normally this is done with 3 sets of snaps in the front rise of the diaper.  You snap the diaper down to create different sizes.  Sometimes it is done by folding down the rise of the diaper.  This type of diaper is very nice because you do not have to buy multiple sizes of diapers, one diaper works for most of your child's diapering years.  Another bonus is if you have 2 children in diapers you don't need a different stash for each child, the same diapers work for both children. Most of the time one size diapers do not fit newborn babies very well.  So most people have a small newborn stash until they fit into one size diapers.  One size diapers are available in many different types, like fitted, pocket and AIO. 

Covers

 

Covers are needed for diapering systems that are not water proof on their own (like the prefold.  They come in many different designs.  Some are made from wool, others PUL and yet other are fleece or other materials.They also fasten many different ways.  Some come in one size.

Fasteners

Your options for fasteners (if you are using a diaper system that needs them) are the obvious diaper pin, OR the new invention, the Snappi.  With the snappi there is no risk of poking yourself or the baby and they go on quickly and easily.  But they do cost a bit more than pins and don't last as long. 

~~~~~~

So as you can see, some diapers are easier to use than others.  Some go on just like a disposable, and others need to be folded first.  There are pros and cons to every system.  You just need to decide which will work best for you and your needs.

Now lets go ver the "yuck factor".  Many people don't consider cloth diapers because they think they are gross and unsanitary and they do not want to deal with poop.  Well, let me let you in on a little secret:

You are gonna have to deal with poop no matter what kind of diapers you use!

Even if you use disposables many times they blow out onto your baby's clothes (and bed or floor or swing or car seat) and you will have to wash them.  There is just no way around poop :)

But with cloth diapers, most babies do not have as many blow outs!  The diapers are very good at chatching the mess!  big bonus.

But really, for me, poop is not a big issue.  If your baby is breastfed that means theat their poop is water soluable so all you do is put it in the pail, no rinsing required.  If they are on solids you just dump the poop into the toilet (by shaking the diaper) OR using a disosable diaper liner like this:

It lines the diaper so when they go poop the liner and poop go in the toilet and the diaper in the pain.  No work for you :D

There are also things called diaper sprayers that attach to your toilet so you can spray the diaper off if you would like.

As for the unsanitary part, that is just ridiculous.  Washing machines are meant to CLEAN our clothes.  You don't worry about any of your other clothes being unsanitary, you don't buy new underwear for yourself every day do you?  So how is it any different with a diaper?

Now lets cover the actual act of taking care of the diapers.

You just changed your baby's diaper.  Where does it go?  In a diaper pail of course :)  There are two options for a pail: Dry and wet.  A dry pail is just a pail you throw the diapers in.  A wet pail is a pail with water in it that you put the diapers in to soak.  This can lead to less stains on your diaper, but it can also shorten the life of your diaper because the water breaks down the fibers of the diaper faster.  It is also a hazard for little children to have a pail full of water around.  Most cloth diaper users use a dry pail (i do). 

My dry pail is just a kitchen garbage can with a lid that i got from Bed Bath and Beyond.  Nothing really fancy about it.  It has a pail liner in it that keeps the pail itself clean and when it's wash day i just pull the liner rout and turn it right side out in the washing  machine.  No need to touch the dirty diapers!

When wash day comes i take the diapers to the washer, put them in and then run a rinse cycle with some white vinegar.  Then i wash with hot water and detergent (i make my own) and then rinse on cold.  After the load is done i throw everything in the dryer and i'm done (other than folding).  It's really simple and doesn't take hardly any time!  The washing machine does all the work!

What about when you are on the go?  What do you do about the diapers then?  You put them in what is called a wet bag.

The wet bag is a water proof bag with a zipper to keep the diapers in until you get home.  Then you just dump the diapers in your pail and you can wash the wet back with your diapers :)  I have two so when one in in the wash i can use the other one.

So see, it is rather simple!  

Now lets go over some of the reasons to consider cloth diapers. 

For one, cloth diapers will save you A LOT of money!  Some people are put off of the fact that each cloth diaper can cost an average of $15, but remember that you get to use this diaper again and again and again!  And in the case of one size diapers you can use the same diaper the child's whole diapering years!  

Did you know that the average cost of disposables for 2.5 years is $2,000!!!  That is a BIG chunk of change!  You can get an entire cloth diaper system for less than $500!  Even with laundry costs (which are not much, you are maybe doing 2-3 loads a week extra) you are coming out ahead!  And you can easily get a diaper stash for less than $500!

There are some brands of cloth diapers that are very inexpensive, even $5-$7 for a one size pocket diaper!  So you could get all the diapers you need for $100-$150!  And remember, you can use them for more than one child!!  This doubles your savings!

Another things to consider is with disposables, if you have to use more diapers (like during the newborn period or when a child is sick), your cost goes up!  But with cloth diapers, the cost remains the same :)  

OK, onto reason two!

Cloth diapers are healthier for babies.

Disposable diapers have dyes, fragrances, sodium polyacrylate (the super absorbent gel, and has been linked with TSS in the past), Tributyltin (harmful to the human immune system and disrupts hormone function) and dioxin, which is a by-product of bleaching paper and a cause of cancer.  There are also links of rises in male infertility and asthma with disposable diaper use.  And then the fact that more babies have diaper rashes with disposable usage.  There is just a lot of nasty stuff that i don't want my baby sitting in for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for an average of 2.5 years!!  

Then there is the environment.  Many believe that cloth diapers are better for Mother Earth.    Disposable diapers generate sixty times more solid waste and use twenty times more raw materials, like crude oil and wood pulp than cloth diapers.  The manufacture and use of disposable diapers amounts to 2.3 times more water wasted than cloth. Over 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum and 20 pounds of chlorine are used to produce disposable diapers for one baby EACH YEAR.  

Something else to think about is the fact that it is actually illegal to throw away human waste. Yet that is what everyone does when they use disposable diapers. That fecal matter in the landfills poses a threat to our water supply (it can leak down in the cracks and get into the ground water)! When you flush the solids and wash the diapers that water goes to a water treatment plant where they know how to deal with human waste.

And disposables takeover 500 years to decompose!  Even biodegradable ones since air and light are needed for decomposition and landfills do not get that.  Now think about the 27.4 billion disposable diapers are used every year in the U.S. and that we've been using disposable for about 20 years now and will continue to use them...that is a LOT of trash that is going NOWHERE!

Some argue that cloth diapers are not green because you have to wash them and that uses a lot of water and energy, BUT disposable also use water and energy to make but you use that diaper once and throw it away, with cloth you get to use them over and over again.    And many cloth diaper users dry their diapers on the line, thus saving energy and many also have HE washers, again saving energy and water :)

Ok, enough on that subject.

One of the last main reasons to consider cloth are the fact that they are so dang cute!  

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I am restraining myself from posting more.  But i think i have made my point :)

So, i think that is about it.  
There is so much more information available on the subject, and if you want to know more, it is easy to find online (or you can ask me).  I hope that perhaps i have helped you to realize that cloth diapering is not a thing of the past, not yucky, not time consuming and is very possible to make a part of your daily life.  People all over are making the switch!  (i even heard that 10% of the U.S. use cloth diapers!).  Maybe you should make the switch too!

How many of you use cloth diapers or are considering it?  What made you 'make the switch'?

(just FYI, All the pictures except for the last ones came from nickisdiapers.com, which, btw, is a great place to buy diaper and diaper supplies!) (and feel free to pass this post on to others!)