Motherhood
Motherhood
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
November 20, 2014
Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. Without the attachment to a specific religion, it’s a day that pretty much everyone can enjoy. And if you love the flavors of the season, like me, it’s a time to celebrate everything from cranberries to root vegetables.
We usually celebrate Thanksgiving at our home in Brooklyn. I start the day with a Turkey Trot in nearby Prospect Park, which helps to clear my head for the full day of cooking and socializing ahead. My mother in law and a few friends join us around 5 and we finish up by the time the kids go to sleep.
This year it’s just going to be me, my husband, and our three kids at the table. Since the littlest one has yet to even have her first taste of mashed sweet potatoes, and the older two don’t really care about the big feast, we really have no pressure to make any of the traditional foods. Heck, we could grill up some burgers and everyone would be happy! Well, everyone except for me. Those Thanksgiving smells remind
Motherhood
Postpartum
November 10, 2014
In the hospital you have lots of help—nurses, lactation consultants and doctors—all at your beck and call. Then comes the time to take your little one home. You’ve read the “must-have” books, subscribed to on-line baby websites and parenting blogs and spent many evenings on the phone with your own mom. Think you’re prepared? Think again.
Here are a few important tips parents tell me they wish they had been told about the first few weeks at home with their newborn.
Sleep
Everyone tells you that you won’t get much sleep, but it’s worse than you imagine. Realistically, you won’t get any in the first few weeks. In addition to needing to feed every few hours, babies don’t know the difference between day and night. So no matter what time he rests, you need to take advantage and nap too. You can also try to help him get on track by keeping nighttime feeds and changing as calm as possible and wake him after 3 hours of daytime sleep to feed. But as soon as your doctor
Motherhood
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
November 07, 2014
International Babywearing Week was October 5-11, 2014 and we definitely kicked it off with a bang; Shannon and I. The sun was blazing, it was super hot inside my house, you know the one that my dad refuses to turn on the central air in? (yeah that one), and I couldn’t have been any more relieved to hurry and rush to Gracefull Birth for their Nurture event – A Celebration of Pregnancy, Childbirth & 4th Trimester. MY KIND OF PARTY!
I knew exactly what I wanted to wear and how I wanted to dress Shannon, but I struggled a bit with styling my hair. However, what I didn’t struggle with was my selection of a soft-structured baby carrier (SSC) to complement my vibe and that was my Ergobaby Organic Baby Carrier – Zen. It definitely matched the natural style
Motherhood
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
July 16, 2014
Some days it is a struggle just to feed the kids lunch. Where on your priority list does making a healthy, tasty lunch for you fall? I hear ya.
Here is an easy option, full of super foods and good protein. Have some basic ingredients on hand, and you could be eating in less than five minutes.
About some of the ingredients:
Salmon – Full of healthy fats and omega 3’s. Keep some smoked salmon on hand in the fridge, ready to eat. Lately I have been enjoying “hot smoked” salmon more than lox. I found some wild-caught hot smoked salmon at Trader Joe’s that is almost as good as the salmon my husband smokes at home.
Avocado – A great source of vitamins and fiber. It provides a creamy taste to meals without dairy. Bonus, cut up tiny bits for baby finger food or mush with the back of a spoon. (Why make separate food for them when they can enjoy the same ingredients?)
Pickled Strawberries – Fermented foods provide beneficial probiotics, great for your digestive track. Pickled
Motherhood
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
June 24, 2014
[caption id="attachment_6825" align="aligncenter" width="1262"] PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNIFER EMERLING[/caption]
Earlier this month, we partnered with Erica Chidi from The Mama Circle to work with some first time mamas. Nurturing women into motherhood and helping new parents feel confident as they transition into a new phase of their lives, The Mama Circle is a wonderful support and resource for new parents in the Los Angeles area. Erica opened up her garden to some gorgeous new mamas and babes for a first foods class. Gathered around a beautiful breakfast spread (mama needs nurturing food
Motherhood
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
May 09, 2014
Treat mom or yourself to a bright and festive meal that celebrates spring. Don’t feel like you need to make all the dishes—pick two or three and enjoy with all the special women in your life.
Ruby Sparkler
Makes 1 cocktail
2 ounces (60ml) RHUBARB-PLUM SYRUP (see below)
1 tablespoon ST. GERMAIN LIQUEUR
4 ounces (125ml) chilled PROSECCO or CAVA
Pour the rhubarb syrup into a Champagne flute. Add the St. Germain and slowly pour in the prosecco or cava. Toast to Mother’s Day!
Rhubarb Plum Syrup
Makes 2 cups syrup
1 cup (122g) diced RHUBARB (from about 2 stalks)
1 ripe PLUM, pitted and sliced into wedges 1 cup (250ml) light AGAVE NECTAR
1. In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients. Add 11⁄4 cups (300ml) of water and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the syrup is bright red and the fruit has fallen apart, about 5 minutes.
2. Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve, catching the strained
Motherhood
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
May 05, 2014
Some women like to clean and organize. I’m more of a cook. But I am human. And cooking at 9 months pregnant and immediately after a baby is not easy. So when nesting hit me at the end of my last pregnancy, I was focused on FOOD! Let me share with you some ideas that helped me stock up my freezer and cupboards with easy to grab snacks and meals.
Easy to eat snacks for energy when breastfeeding:
Apples and Almond Butter
Dates and Almonds
Chocolate Milk!
Instant Oatmeal
Raw Energy Bites (As a bonus, this recipe helps with milk production)
Carrots and Hummus
Cashews and other nuts
Motherhood
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
April 23, 2014
If you've ever bought baby or toddler yogurt you know if can be expensive. At our local store, it ends up being about $1 a serving for the organic baby yogurt. Not only that, but it is loaded with sugar (besides the sugar found naturally in fruit). Our little one is a big fan of yogurt, and I think it can be a healthy part of her meals, but I prefer to make it at home with no added sugar and much, much cheaper.
In order to make baby yogurt you will need a yogurt maker. Also, you will need 10-12 hours from start to finish. Only about 20 minutes of this is actual hands-on time though.
Homemade Baby Yogurt
It takes anywhere from 10-12 hours to make yogurt from start to finish, but only about 20 minutes of it is active time.
Ingredients
4 cups of organic, hormone-free whole milk
1/2 cup whole milk yogurt
Fruit stir-ins: natural applesauce, blueberries*, bananas*, or peaches*
Directions:
1. Make the yogurt. This post from
Motherhood
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
August 14, 2013
[youtube]http://youtu.be/uT9dnm8xhl8[/youtube]
So did you get a chance to try the Workout with your Baby video in last week’s post? I hope it showed you how easy it can be to get a great workout at home, with just your baby and the Ergobaby Carrier. Don’t forget that you can still sign up to try out Tailored Fitness free for 30 days if you want to try creating your own custom workout video.
This week we are going to take a look at the 2nd key to finding your best post-baby body, cooking healthy with your baby in the Ergo. Eating healthy is
Motherhood
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
August 01, 2013
I have breastfed all of my babies. When my first born was a year old, I quit nursing her cold turkey. Being 21 and quick to accept advice, I listened when the pediatrician said that I didn't need to nurse her past a year old, and that quitting right after her birthday was best. Truthfully, I snuck in a few extra nursing sessions- sobbing my eyes out thinking that each session was our last. I got terrible mastitis when she was 14 months old, and went through the worst pain. The nursing experience ended on a sad note, and I couldn't wait to have another baby and begin the sweet journey all over again.
We then had Riley.
And another loss after that.
When my next love was born, I soaked it all in. By that time, I had done so much research on babies in general, that I knew long-term breastfeeding was our plan. My first son nursed until he was two and half years old. He weaned himself, and it was the smoothest transition I had ever experienced.
When our second son was