A Mother's Guide to Raising Healthy Children

60 Seconds Long and 4 minutes Apart

2009-06-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

As I was cleaning out our office area the other day I ran into a note card that just made me laugh. I had written down very important directions to remind myself when I should head to the hospital to deliver my second baby. I had gotten these directions from Natural Childbirth--the Bradley Method. I wanted to stay at home as long as possible, but since I had a previous fast labor I thought that when contractions got to 60 seconds long and 4 minutes apart that would be a reasonable time to take things seriously. I had also written down 40 second contractions just isn't doing much to open the cervix.

Why am I laughing about this now?

Because when I noticed that I MIGHT POSSIBLY be in labor it was around 3:00a. By about 3:30 when I was having chills and just not feeling right I woke up my husband and in his half sleep state debated what was going on with me. I was hesitant to call my doula in the middle of the night because the contractions were somewhat frequent, but not lasting very long at all--no where near 60 seconds. It obviously wasn't doing much to open the cervix right? By 4:00 I knew something was not right, but not sure it was labor. I hesitated calling the doula, but I did. She wasn't sure from what I said if I was in labor either. From my voice I know she didn't think there was anyway I was very far along. But, she thought I should get everything together and my parents to our house so I could head to the hospital to at least get checked out. My parents arrived at 4:30 and the contractions were getting more intense, but still thought I would embarrass myself for heading to the hospital for false labor. But, off we went. On the way I was starting to realize it was probably real labor, which I was relieved since I had woken up my parents, the doula, and the doctor. Todd timed the contractions on the way to the hospital and they were 2-3 minutes apart, but I still don't think they ever lasted a minute which was my directions.

When we got to the hospital at 5:00a we decided that this time we would bring our bags in since last time we didn't and that was a mistake. The valet parking lady walked us to the elevator and then to the triage (another mistake). My contractions had stopped and I was perfectly normal for like 10 minutes it felt like. The lady even commented something of the sorts, " you sure don't seem like you are in much pain or labor" I was like GREAT--this is false labor. When I went to the triage I walked right in, smiling and normal for a good 5 minutes with no contractions. I know the nurses thought it was a joke that I was coming in as they were moving very slow and pokey to help me. They had even been given orders that last time I had come in at 8 cm. After a few minutes the contractions started coming back--WHEW-a relief that maybe this wasn't false. They finally got me hooked up to monitors and checked me. I thought for sure I was only 4-5 cm along. NOPE--I was 8 cm!! The same as when I had come in last time. I had tried to get there earlier this time but that did not happen. After this the nurses admitted that they were joking behind the desk when I walked in that there was NO WAY I was 8 cm this time around.

I am not sure if it was knowing how far along I was or if it was just coincidence, but after this my labor got very intense. The nurses also switched gears from slow moving to absolute chaos and very frantic to say the least. It was a real shame because in between every contraction when you are supposed to have your God given break instead I was being prodded with needles and told to sign my name a hundred times. I had no idea what I was signing things for. All I wanted was to sign my name as fast as I could so they would leave me alone. I asked for my doula a hundred times, but my wonderful husband kept saying she is on her way. I needed her support so desperately since not a single nurse gave me one bit of support. Instead the nurses would wait impatiently by my side during every contraction so that when it stopped they could have me sign papers, etc. For breaks during at least 5+ contractions they tried to get my heploc(sp?) in place. I have small veins so it is always a struggle. So, back and forth between contractions and then during a break being poked with needles. Fun stuff especially since it was never used! My only hope during this time was that I knew being 8 cm along that this intense labor and being pestered by nurses would not be much longer and in a VERY short time I would be meeting my precious daughter.

I am glad I was right because it did move quickly after that. A few minutes later I walked to my room. They encouraged me to take a wheel chair, but I wanted to be tough so I didn't. When I got to my room I got really light headed and vomited--oops. Maybe that is a sign you are ready because that freaked them out too. They checked me immediately again. I only had a little left on one side she said. I also kept asking where the doctor was as I felt I needed to push. I loved the looks on the nurses face when I said that. They told me to pretend I was blowing out a candle when that happened. They have me some oxygen and monitored me and I couldn't get out of my bad. UGH! With my first I was out of bed and it made labor so much more manageable. Then VERY shortly after the doctor and my doula arrived. I was very relieved to have my doula there, but I needed her long before. Then it was time to push. About 10-15 minutes later we welcomed our daughter into our family at 6:03a! We were blessed beyond belief with a beautiful and healthy child!!

All of this to say I am thankful we made it to the hospital in time. If I would have followed my directions I think I would have had my baby at home or in the car. I was only in labor that I know of for 3 hours! I am blessed with short labors, but it sure does cause craziness at the hospital. I have been told by MANY people to consider a home birth next time. We will see. At this time I will need convincing. My husband is not to keen on the idea either. He is afraid he would deliver the baby since I will probably be even faster the next time. But, I have to admit the calmness and support would be much appreciated as that is NOT my experience of birthing at the hospital.

If you made it through all of this--kudos. There is my birth story in a nutshell. It was definielty worth all the work for this wonderful blessing!!!

New Baby and Hospital Procedures

2009-05-05T17:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts over the last month. I have good intentions of writing every week, but it seems time gets away sometimes. I hope to continue with my Wednesday posts again.

My big news this post is that God blessed us with a precious daughter in mid april. She is wonderful and we are so thankful for her! In my previous posts I was talking about procedures for newborns in the hospital when they are born. I wanted to update how all of this went with my daughter during our hospital stay. I am so glad to report that I had a great experience with denying the majority of the procedures. I was worried that it might be difficult or that the staff might have problems with our decisions, but it was very easy and I had no problems at all!

Many of you may be thinking..... What procedures/vaccinations did you deny?

-Silver nitrate in the eyes right after birth (eye ointment).
---I am glad to report she did not contact any eye infections because of the chance of me having a sexually transmitted disease. I am also glad to report that she doesn't have burry vision for the first month+ of her life! :)

--Vitmain K injection
--Instead I administred an all natural oral dose of this at birth, 1 week, and 3 weeks. I also took some that she would get through breastmilk.

Hepatitis B vaccine
--I am glad to share that she hasn't contacted it yet nor do I predict she will anytime soon, especially since I do not have a STD and she is not sexually active! :)

--Hearing Screen--I am glad I saved $300 from this test, especially when many times it is falsely reported because of fluid in the ears. Thanks to my dear friend Melissa, who is a Audiologist for sharig this info. If I have concerns later I will have her tested when she is older and it is more acurate. :)

So, all of this to say... If you are going to be having a baby anytime soon, it is very easy to deny these procedures even if people in the medical field mtry to scare you into thinking it is not possible. My advice is to make an educated decision in what you think is best for your child and family in regards to these things. Like I said in a previous post with my son I had no idea they were even administering these things to him. This time with my daughter I am thankful I was educated and made these decisions.

Silver Nitrate in Newborns eyes

2009-03-05T16:51:00.001-08:00

Another procedure given to babies soon after birth is Silver Nitrate--or as I refer to as the clear gunk they put in babies eyes. What is this and is it nesessary to give to each infant?

Silver Nitrate is an antibiotic ointment that is rountinely given to each newborn incase the mother has gonorrhea or chlamydia. Since it is hard to know who actually has it they give it to each infant for precautionary reasons. If the baby passes through the canal and becomes infected with this bacteria it could cause blindness. If the mother knows she has a sexually transmitted disease then it is absolutely necessary in preventing the infection being passed on to her baby. If the mother knows that she does not have a sexually transmitted disease or that the baby wasn't exposed to merconium during delivery there is no need for administering it. It can actually cause irritation to the eyes and blurry vision for several weeks.

It is very easy to decline this procedure in most states and hospitals if you choose to not have it done.

Here are a few links for further info on this topic...
http://www.givingbirthnaturally.com/silver-nitrate.html

http://parenting.ivillage.com/newborn/nhealth/0,,3q83,00.html

http://www.nei.nih.gov/neitrials/viewStudyWeb.aspx?id=19

http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/newbornbabies/a/babytests.htm

Hepatitis B Vaccine and my Newborn

2009-02-18T20:22:00.000-08:00
Does my Newborn need the Hep. B vaccine, vitamin K shot, and silver nitrate shortly after birth?

If you are like me with my first child I had no idea these items were being administered to my precious newborn within the first 48 hours of life. It was never discussed before or during our stay at the hospital. It was given to my child without any of my knowledge. Pretty scarey! With my second child I am faced with the decision to choose to have this given to them. As I share my findings I want to use this blog to help other parents become educated in case you are unaware as I was. I highly encourage each parent(s) to make an educated decision as you do have the right to choose. In this post I am going to discuss the Hep. B Vaccine. I will discuss Vitamin K and silver nitrate in the next post.

What is Hep. B?
Hepatitis B is a viral infection which can cause chronic inflammation of the liver leading to cirrhosis, liver cancer, and possibly death.

When you read about Hepatitis B it doesn't sound good and you most certainly don't want your child to contact it, but you cannot let that alone scare you into going ahead without knowing all of the background. You must find the facts about the actual chance of your infant/child contacting the disease vs. the risks of recieving the vaccine.

Before we move on read this article which goes into great detail about the real risks of the disease vs. the vaccine: Facts About Hepatitis B -- The Disease and the Vaccine After you have read this I do not think I need to go into much more detail about the risks vs. benefits. Here are two quotes from Vaccination Liberation that I found to help paint a clear picture for me.

"Although young children are in the lowest risk category for contracting hepatitis, they are given three doses of hepatitis B vaccine by the age of 18 months, and then a fourth booster shot around 11-12 years of age. Birthing hospitals routinely inject all newborns with their first hepatitis B vaccination before they leave the hospital. The only way a newborn is at risk for hepatitis is if it is born to a mother with an active hepatitis B infection."

"The liver in a newborn baby does not begin to function until after the first 48 to 72 hours of life. The enzymes in mother's milk assist the liver in beginning to function. Receiving a hepatitis B vaccine within the first few hours of life does nothing to protect the newborn. Rather, the opposite is true, since the vaccine may compromise proper development of the immune system."

Why is this given to infants?
Please read this article by Sherry Tenpenny. She has spent her life researching vaccinations and great information on this topic.

What are the Ingredients in the Hep. B Vaccine (Recombivax)?You will have to check with the company your hospital or doctor uses, but here is an example:
recombinant hepatitis B Merck & Co., Inc.
800.672.6372 genetic sequence of the hepatitis B virus that codes for the surface antigen (HbSAg), cloned into GMO yeast, aluminum hydroxide, and thimerosal (mercury)

This article discusses each of the ingredients that are in vaccines to help you understand the risks of the vaccine.

Just because you vaccinate it does not mean your child will not get it. I know of a few people in my circle of friends that have had their child vaccinated, but still gotten some of the illnesses.

I want to add another link that discusses vaccinations as "big money." This is a very big issue in the vaccine industry that I wanted to pass along as it hidden to most people. http://www.healingdaily.com/conditions/vaccination.htm

There is so much more I could go into, but for tonight this is all I am going to put together. I hope this is helpful.

My Journey Through Childhood Vaccinations

2009-02-06T09:58:00.000-08:00

Over the last few months I have had several people ask me to write about childhood vaccinations. This is a topic that many of you know I am very passionate about. I knew when I decided to start sharing my thoughts and research about such a controversial topic that it would take a lot of time and I kept putting it off. Since I am pregnant and due with my second child in a few months I am starting to research and get up to date again. I decided this would be a great time to share my journey and thoughts as I seek to make my decisions regarding vaccinating my second child.

My next post will be about the first decision a parent is faced with when their newborn is in the hospital, but right now I want take the time to share a little bit about my background with vaccinations and my first son. When my son was born I had thought about vaccinations, but had not done thorough research until he was a few months old. I encourage anyone that is expecting to do all of your research before your baby is born. When you have a newborn it isn't the easiest to be motivated to research and make such a big decision. Also, you have to be ready from the beginning as I learned the hard way. For example while we were in the hospital when my son had just been born I had no idea they had taken him to get a Hep. B vaccination! I thought I had time to decide and was later very disappointed that he had already had a vaccination and I didn't even know about it! So, obviously my son had his first shot in the hospital and then a select few at the first appointment it was offered at the Pediatricians office. From that point on because of much thought and research my husband and I made a decision to decline the rest of the vaccinations and revisit the idea when he was older. Our son is currently almost 2 years old and we are still not interested in giving him any vaccinations anytime soon. Why have we made this decision? I will begin sharing my thoughts and research in the next post.

Buy Fresh, Buy Local

2009-01-22T11:11:00.001-08:00

Do you know where your food is coming from? Most of you like me buy food from the grocery store and have no idea where it has come from and what it has gone through to get to you. I personally do not like this thought, so I like to buy fresh and local as much as possible. It is wonderful to know where your food is coming from. Of course you want to do your research and make sure the food is being treated properly. But, I highly encourage you start by picking one item that you will switch and buy local. Before you know it you will be eating many healthy local foods. I am lucky to have a few WONDERFUL farms that are only a few mintues away from my house where I get most of my items. Then the rest I get delivered to my house through a wonderful program. Check into it because you may have places close by and never knew it. If there isn't local places then I am sure there are many co-ops and delivery services where you can access local foods.

If you live in the Indy area here are some great places to buy local food. Click on the links to see about these places and services! One of Todd and I's favorite restuarnts is the Traders Point Creamery. A nice lunch or dinner with all organic local food from the farm! We love it so much that we already have reservations for Valentines Day! :)

Farm Fresh Delivery
Apple Family Farm
Tuttles Orchard
Traders Point Creamery

Here are some FAQ's about Buying Fresh and local.

So where does my food come from and why does it matter?

For many of us, the location of the farmer who grew our food remains a mystery due to the long distances our food must travel to reach us. It has been estimated that in the US the average item of food has traveled 1500 to 2500 miles to reach your dinner table (see the WorldWatch report Home Grown).

Except for those who eat only from their own vegetable gardens, it is virtually impossible to keep track of every aspect of their food. But if the average food item travels at least 1500 miles from unknown sources, how can you know anything about the way it was produced? How can you be sure that the food was processed safely? How can you know whether or not pesticides, GMOs, antibiotics, or growth hormones were used?

Why is buying local important?

You will know the seeds it grows from, the farmers who produce it, and the routes that carry it from the fields to our tables.

Local foods systems provide several advantages over conventional and global markets. Buying locally strengthens regional economies, supports family farms, provides delicious, "fresh-from-the-field" foods for consumers, preserves the local landscape, and can help foster a sense of community.

Buying local food strengthens your regional economy

Locally-produced food is often fresher than conventional products grown far away and shipped in trucks for several days.
You can give local farmers feedback on the quality and freshness of their produce.
Buying local food fosters community growth

Buying local lets you connect with your food producer concerning the safety and nutrition of your foods

Locally-grown foods can be high in nutrients, often reaching you within 24 hours of harvest, whereas produce shipped from out of state may be up to a week old and has often suffered from severe nutrient loss.
When you buy locally, you can ask whether the farmers use safe farming practices, what they spray on their crops, and what they feed to their animals.

Here is a list of items that I have chosen to buy local.

Farm Fresh Eggs-I buy my eggs from the Apple Family Farm where the chickens are grassfed, free range, and treated very well. I love these eggs and can hardly eat eggs from the store now.

Milk, Yoguart, and Cheese-I buy these items from Traders Point Creamery or the Apple Family Farm. I am also currently on the waiting list to get my milk from the the Apple Farm and I am so excited about! Both of these places carry dairy that is obviously local, but more importantly the cows are grassfed, no hormones, antibiotics, or pesticides used.

Jelly (no sugar-just natural jelly), raw honey, and popcorn.

Fruits and Veggies-I get most of my produce delivered to my house from farm fresh delivery or Tuttles Orchard. Farm Fresh Delivery is wonderful because they deliver organic and local produce right to your door!

My next switch is that I look forward adding all of my meats from these local places too.

Snack Recipies

2009-01-14T17:18:00.000-08:00
My family LOVES snacks and I was having a hard time finding items at the store with whole ingredients and none of the icky additives (white sugar, high fructose corn syrup, MSG, salt, and soy, and items I cannot pronounce). I personally like to know what I am putting into my body. So I decided to start making my own snacks so that way I know the ingridents. Yes, it is more work then handing them a store bought snack, but I have loved even more not giving them processed food with icky ingredients. I will share more recipies later as I am always trying new ideas, but here are two of our favorites so far.

My son loves crackers so I decided to try making a graham cracker. These are a hit my with family and go very quickly. We also love commercial granola bars, but again wanted to know what was in them and that they were healthy. Note: You don't have to use organic ingreidents, but I choose to in most cases.

Graham Crackers
4 T or 1/2 stick of organic Butter (Sometimes I lessen this a little)
1 farm fresh egg
6 T Rapadura Sugar (unbleached and unrefined Evaporated cane juice)
2 T local raw honey (can be store bought)
2 T organic Molasses
1/2 t Baking Soda
2 t water
3/4 t sea salt
1 1/2 cups stone ground whole wheat graham flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour

Mix all of the liquid ingredients with the dry ingredients. You may not think it is mixed well as it may be a little lumpy, but it is fine. Then roll it all out to 1/8 inch. Then cut in shapes/squares. Put on ungreased cookie sheet and cook for 10-15 minutes. When you take them out they will be soft and you will think they aren't done, but they harden when cooling. Enjoy!

Granola Bars
2 cups of rolled oats (organic if can)
1/2 cup of dried fruit of choice (my son loves raisins)
1 t cinnamon
1/2 cup of organic raw almmond butter
1/3 cup of raw or store bought honey (can switch quantity with brown rice)
1/4 cup of brown rice syrup (can swith with honey)
1 tsp of alcohol free vanilla
organic cocoa powder

Combine dry and liquid ingredients seperate and then mix. Then pour the mix into a 8inch square and press firmly with spoon or hands to settle. Sprinkle cocoa powder on top. Place in freezer for 20 minutes or the fridge for an hour to harden. Then cut in bite size pieces of granola bar shapes.

Note: I mix and match this recipe by adding many other items. You can use peanut butter instead of almond butter and carob chocoalte chips. You can add add sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. You can also switch up the honey, rice syrup, or subsitiute agave nectar. Whatever bar you want to make just mix and match. I change it up frequently and we enjoy it. The only thing I have noticed is that if these are given regularly to my son it can constipate him. So, I usually only give it to him a few times a week for snack. Then it leaves more for my husband and I. :)

It's a New Year...

2009-01-07T12:03:00.000-08:00
It is the time when people make or break New Years Resolutions. I am not huge on doing this, but one thing I always encourage myself to do is spend more time with God and in His word. I also like to look back and see how God has worked in the last year and am always excited to see what He will do in the next. I know that if I don't take time to reflect on how God is working in my life then I may miss many things He is wanting to show me, bless me, and allow for me to grow.

One thing I learned from the last year is that I need to let God be in the drivers seat. It is not always easy, but how can I do it any other way? I have learned that things fall apart when I try to guide and lead my own life. Yes, many times I have learned the hard way, so I think I better just give in this year and truly let Him. I must also mention that God has again blessed us richly and been so faithful to us in 08. I am so honored to be following and serving such an awesome God. With that said I am really excited for 2009 and what this new year is going to bring for our family. I was thinking the other day and realized it is definietly going to be a year of some big changes. Two of the biggest things will be having our 2nd child and my husband graduating with his PLP liscence and on the search for a possible new job. We are so excited to see where God takes us this year just alone with these 2 things...

I know God is already moving and providing a path for me to grow this year and I want to share a brief story. I recently surrendred an issue over to God that I have been dealing with. Even after doing this I was still struggling very badly with worry and doubt, so I did something I had never done before. I asked God to speak or show me something everyday to get me through it with peace, trust, and faith. I have never before felt the hand of God so close to me before. It has been amazing as litterally everyday He has revealed something I know is from Him to give me ultimate peace and trust! I have had to really focus on watching, but when it is revealed I know it is the "thing" for the day that He is speaking to me. It has given me such amazing peace and I am so thankful to not be in the bondage of worrying and anxiety over it anymore. I know God is with me and He is soverign through this situation.

I have asked several times why am I going through this difficult siuation? I believe the answer is simple. When we are in our valleys is when we are able to grow stronger and learn and come out on a higher mountain. I know this experience that has been so devesatating to me has also been such a growth opportunity to see God actively moving in my life. He helping me to conquer the sin of worry and anxiety. I am going to start a journal to keep track of the things He reveals to me each day. I am looking forward to going back and seeing all of the many things He has shown me. How could I worry and not trust with all of these promises He is personally giving me each day? I am excited to see what else He is going to teach me over the next year as I continue to strive to let Him be in the drivers seat.

I share this story to remind us all that we serve such an awesome and active God! I pray that each of us will be able to experience His prescence in a deeper way as we strive to grow closer to Him each day. The most important thing we can do for our family is lead them to our Father who will always welcome us with open arms.

Thieves Essential Oil

2008-12-18T18:33:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share a new find I recieved as a gift at my last Holistic Mom's group and love it! It is Thieves Essential oil from young living. The Oil of Thieves helps to boost the immune system and fights off colds and flu, while killing airborne bacteria that promotes the spread of illness.

Here is an excerpt from 100essential oils.com ...

* Use Four Thieves Oil if you have a cold or flu, or want to avoid viruses this flu season.
* Highly effective in combating phlegm, pneumonia and bronchitis

This oil was developed according to the legend about 4 thieves in 15th century England who used a blend of clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, lemon and rosemary, as well as other protective aromatics to guard their health while robbing plague victims. These men did not get sick! The oils were studied and the combination was proven to work wonders.

Here is also a link to the booklet about Thieves from Young Living. Young living is where you should buy the oil if you are interested as it is the best quality.

I have personally made a natural hand sanitizer with thieves for when we are out and about which I love as I can at times be a germ a phobe! I am also putting it on my sons feet and the back of his neck when he will be around other kiddo's where germs could be spread. Knock on wood, but he has been around some sick kiddos the last few weeks and has continued to remain healthy. One day a few weeks ago he started to get a cold and after an extra 2 doses of Vitamin C it was gone. This was the first time that his immunune system was strong enough to fight it off so quick and easy. It made me proud! :) Anyway, we have a few months of the cold and flu season left, but I am interested to see how he pulls through with some of the new things I am trying. My hope is that if he gets anything it will be short lived and easy to fight off--The way our a good immune systems is meant to be. I will keep you updated good or bad. I just want to be a resource of what is helpful.

The top 3 things I have found to be helpful are: Thieves as described above, Vitamin C daily and upping if coming down with something, and probiotics.

Green Gift Giving Ideas

2008-12-10T17:08:00.001-08:00
Since the holiday is fast approaching I wanted to share a few green gift ideas that are also economical. (Some of these are from my Holistic Mom's meeting last night).

-Rather then more "stuff" offer a certificate of your making for your time or service.
Ideas of service:
Make one dinner a week for a month that you deliver
Offer baby-sitting time
Offer a monthly lunch date with an elderly relative or friend
Offer free lessons in a sport in which you excel
Weed a friend’s garden
Offer your talents, such as photography, financial planing, or hairstyling
Offer yourself as a willing cheerful worker for a day
Put together a photo album

-Give a gift certificate to a concert, store, resturaunt, etc.

-There are thousands of ways to give small but meaningful donations in someone's name, supporting just about any cause you can think of.

-Gifts that you make. You don't have to have loads of artistic talent, monely or time to make wonderful, thoughtful homeade gifts. Finding the right idea is the hard part, but there is one out there for every person on your list. Try to recycle items and materials you already have and or use sustainable materials to craft your gifts.

A few suggestions of homeade gifts:
Create a set of spice mixes or personalized flavored coffees, put together a family photo album, make your own cookbook of favorite recipies, a set of homeade art supplies like fingerpaing and clay, soaps, and lotions.

-If you don't feel crafty or short on time support local artisians and free trade with your purchases.

-Give a plant or tree

-There are also Green Ideas for Toy Giving. Here is a great sites for fun and unique gift ideas.

18 toys you can make at home

May we have a greener Christmas this year! :)

Holistic Mom's Network Group in Fishers

2008-12-03T18:01:00.000-08:00

Today I want to share with you about the Holistic Mom's Network that I am a member of in Fishers, IN. If you are wondering what it means to live holistically and green then this is a great place to connect and learn. I joined last year and it has been a huge blessing to my life. It has been a GREAT resource and learning tool on my holistic journey. It has also been great to get into the community and of course have fun evenings away with other like minded moms.

I want to take this time to help create national awareness about this group and share the importance of living a holistic and green lifestyle. As you know I am very passionate about how important this is for us and our families, so I am very excited to join the leadership team this year. Even if you don't live in Indy I want to share it with all of you as it is in many cities nationally. I encourage you to click on the link above. You can learn more about the organization and find a community near you. For the Fishers group we meet once a month on the 2nd Tuesday. We have great speakers come in each month to teach us about various topics related to holistic and green living. I have learned so much from the wonderful speakers who many times are local doctors, nutritionists, and others that are highly specialized in certain areas. Another great tool is the national and local e-mail loops. If I am ever looking for a natural rememdy, organic products, vaccine info, health issues, recipies, etc. I turn to this site for recomendations. It is wonderful!!

I also want to put in a plug for the meeting that is going to be held this Tuesday, December 9th at the Fishers Library. It is going to be a wonderful meeting and I encourage all of my friends in the area to consider coming for a night away. Just let me know if you are interested! Here are the details....

Please join us for the 2nd annual HMN Holiday Party. We don't know if snow will make this a "white" holiday season, but you can make sure yours is "green"!

Come relax with us over Trader's Point eggnog and delicious treats, while we share green gift ideas. Since it is better to give than receive, HMN wants to send you home with a gift. Everyone in attendance will go home having made an essential oil all-purpose cleaner to freshen up your house for the holidays. HMN Members will also receive an extra bottle of essential oil Thieves mixture to fight off those unwanted colds.

I look forward to seeing some of you there!! :)

All Purpose Cleaner Recipe

2008-11-19T16:32:00.001-08:00
I wanted to pass along how to make my favorite all purpose cleaner. I love it and it works great! I use it to clean the kitchen, bathrooms, toys, high chairs, etc. It is wonderful, natrual, non toxic and chemical free! If you reguarly use cleaners in your house I highly recommend switching to this or something similar. If you are using producs like lysol you are putting MANY harmful chemicals in the air and surfaces of your home that are very dangerous. This is especially harmful in the winter when your house is all closed up and no there is fresh air to move it out. Another great natural cleaner I use for floors and bathrooms is distilled white vinegar. So easy and great!

Antiseptic All Purpose Cleaner Recipe:
-Up to 1 tsp. antiseptic essential oil kills viruses and bacteria as well as great scents(thyme, sweet orange, lemmongrass, rose, clove, eucalyptus, cinnamon, rosemary, birch, lavender, tea tree, or theives.)
-1 tsp washing soda
-2 tsp borax
-1/2 tsp liquid soap or detergent (Dr. Bronnners) Can get find at Target and some other stores
-2 c hot water
(I also usually add about 10-15 drops of grapefruit seed extract, which kills viruses and bacteria)

Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake to disolve and blend the minerals. Spray this on the surface and leave for 15 minutes before you wipe it with a rag. This allows the essential oils antiseptic qualities time to work.

I also sometimes double the recipe and put in a larger spray bottle.

Enjoy!

Natural and Homeade Cleaning Supplies

2008-11-12T17:31:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share two natural cleaning products you can make yourself and are great on a tight budge. I won't go into all of the details in this post, but I am sure most of you know that cleaning supplies on the market have horrible chemicals in them. I strongly urge you to keep them away from your family and home. The worst part is that on cleaning supplies you will not find ingredients. I absolutely think this is wrong and I don't know how they get away with it in the secret trade. I personally like to know what is in the products I use and also know they are completely safe for me and my family. The two that I am going to share today are dishwasher and laundry detergents. These are two critical places to start with natural products in your home. Why? When you use most commercial dishwashing detergents it leaves chemical film on your dishes which you then ingest everytime you use the dishes. Many of the harsh chemicals and toxins that are repeatedly put into your body can lead to toxicity and health problems. In the same way laundry detergent is very important as it leaves scents and chemicals on your clothes that you wear all the time. Actually many babies are affected very badly by some of the chemicals and scents that they are surrounded in with clothes, blankets, etc used in detergents and fabric softners. So, it is really important to use natrual products with babies. You don't have to make them yourself, but since there is the secret trade even in natural products you will not always know the ingredients. They can say they are natural, but are really not. Make sure you are able to find out ingredients before purchasing. It should be pretty obvious as to what chemicals would be harmful. I know there are several new products out on the market right now that are probably really good, but I haven't tried them yet.

Dishwasher Detergent:
1 Tablespoon Borax (find with cleaning supplies at local grocery stores)
1 Tablespoon of Washing soda (find with cleaning supplies at local grocery stores)
Then put distilled white vinegar in the rinse compartment

Powdered Laundry Detergent for pennies a load:
2 cups Fels Naptha Soap (finely grated - you could also try the other bar soap, such as ivory)
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax

Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.
Use 1 tablespoon per load for 32 loads.

You can also add a few drops of essential oils for a fresh smell of your choice.

I also have used Charlies Soap for Laundry detergent if you don't like to make it. I bought a huge tub that is pennies a load and will last me for years.

What about cleaning the rest of your house with homeade natural products? In the next post I will have recipies to use in the kitchen and bathroon and all purpose cleaners.

If you know of others that you use and like please pass them along!

What God has taught me through the election...

2008-11-05T07:46:00.000-08:00
What happened last night for our country was not what I was hoping for. I was not surprised, but it was still very hard to see come about. I am usually not an emotional person, but being pregnant is seeming to bring this out of me. I have spent much time over the last few months praying for this election and giving it fully to God. I wanted a miracle and for the Christian/conservative values I believe in to be shown to America and not taken in the other direction. Why did I become so consumed by this? I think it was because God wanted to teach me some amazing things and mold me during this time. I am thankful for what He has done in my life over the last few weeks and especially the last few days.

Before this election I was so sad and hurt at the thought of Obama and the Democrats gaining such power in this country. I feared that they would bring this nation farther from God. Also, over the last few months I have never seen so much negative media leading our people, people being torn apart for their different political views, and looking to these political leaders to save them instead of clinging to the ultimate Savior. I can hardly stand to watch TV right now as it is being dictated by such a liberal media that people are turning to for answers for their life. I hate that to become president or other elected offices you have to lie and bash the other party beyond belief. People are also clinging to some of the new elected leaders believing they have come to save and rescue them. Rescue them from these "bad times" and bring much needed change that will in return ultimitely make them happy....or not? It makes me absolutely sick to my stomach! I am afraid that people putting their hope towards such things will only lead to disappointment. Only God can fill the holes in our life and make us complete and meet all of our needs. Also I must mention that we are really not having "bad times" right now in America that over half of the people believe because they were told so.

Do Americans think hard times are:(From an article David Letterman wrote recently:
-that 95% of Americans have a job
-being able to go get food at local grocery stores whenever we want
-being able to drive across this country without having to show identification as we enter each state
-if we are hurt or sick we can get immediate care from a hospital close by
-Over 90% of us have cell phones and many with flat screen TV's and many other luxuries
-We have political, religious, and social freedom that other countries long for
-70% of Americans have homes
-air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter

God has blessed us all so richly in this country and we are so ungrateful!!

What has God Taught me Through This?
God has really convicted me of several things. I want to share a story that happened yesterday as I was headed to vote. I was saying prayers in the car and had the Christian radio station on. Since I am emotional right now I teared up as I again lifted my hand and surrendered this election to Him. "May your sovereign will be done!" I said. As the polls had already been open I knew there was not anything more I could do, but trust God. Then I heard a wonderful song come on. Not even sure who it was or the song. But there were several phrases that made tears stream down my face. Phrases something like this: "When all has faded no more tears will be shed." "All the things of this world will be gone." "But Jesus will still remain." "There will be another day"

At that moment I was reminded that we get so caught up in so many things that in the scheme of things do not matter. As tears were coming down my face I was also happy to hear that there would come a day when there would be no more tears or sadness. :) All that matters is that I serve and follow God and look forward to the day when I will be in perfect harmony with him. Yes, there are so many things going on in this country and world that are not leading people to God and even yet farther from Him. But, we as Christians need to stand strong and boldly proclaim His name to this nation and country. May we lead people to the true leader during this time and have real change! May we talk about God more then the election and the leaders in office in America. Many people are being steered the wrong way and they will only be disappointed when it once again fails. These people need to see the face of God and how he can save and meet there every need. Only He can do that! I truly believe and trust that God is going to use what is going on in America and our culture to bring more people to Him! May He be glorified as we unite together for His name!

Since the election is over I am also very convicted that I must steer away from spending so much time in front of the TV and computer. I must instead spend time on things that really are important. I must focus more of my time on growing my relationship with Christ instead of feeding it things not of Him.

Natural Cure for a Sinus Infection!

2008-10-29T10:32:00.000-07:00
A few weeks ago I was plagued with a horrible sinus infection. When I get sinus infections I usually get them extremely bad and the only cure until this point has been to be be put on antibioitcs. Since I am pregnant I really did not want to do this unless it was absolutely necessary. So, I decided to try some natrual remedies and only go to the doctor if I couldn't get rid of it on my own.

I am excited to share that I was able to get rid of my sinus infection for the first time without antibiotics! I felt awful for about a week, but the remedies I used brought relief within a few days and then it was quickly gone!!! I was so excited one morning to not wake up all clogged up and with a horrible sinus headache!

Trisha's Natural Cure for a Sinus Infection:

-Take 1-3 cloves of garlic a day(Garlic is a wonderful natural antiboitic). To do this get a clove of garlic and chop it up in small pieces. Next drown it in honey. Then take it like a pill and chase it with water. Do not chew it!! If you cannot do this you can also buy garlic pills, but they are not as effective in my opinion. I think it is best to go with the real thing when possible.
-Go and get a Neti Pot (Thanks Melissa for recomending this!) This is a sinus cleanser. You can buy them anywhere--CVS, Walmart, etc. Use this 3 times a day.
-When you make the salt solution add 5 drops of grapefruit seed extract (another great natural antibiotic) for each use.
-Take 1-3 500mg of Vitamin C (I only took 1 since I am pregnant)

When you follow this you should feel relief in a few days and it will be gone within a week or so. I also heard that sometimes before a sinus infection heals it can get worse. I had this happen to me. The first day or two I felt like I was getting worse and was about to go to the doctor, but then it quickly started getting better. Even if you get put on antibiotics from the doctor it can take a few days to work. If this remedy does not work and you are not feeling some relief within a week of doing all of this you may want to head to the doctor.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Any medical advice should be answered by your highly trained and qualified pediatrician. This information is only my advice and opinion from experience at what I have found helpful for my family.

Wednesday Posts!

2008-10-27T10:27:00.000-07:00
I wanted to let you know that I have decided to post on this blog every Wednesday. This way you will know when I have new posts and when to stop by.

I also wanted to leave you all with two verses today as the election is nearly a week away.

"You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD is God; besides him there is no other… Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other."
--Deuteronomy 4:35, 39

May we all as Christians show everyone that the true leader and authority over us is God. He is the true leader of our nations and not the candidates running for president. No matter what happens we have victory in that our God is our ultimate leader who will reign over us forever. Let us lead this nation to the true leader!

With that said, it is still important to pray for our leaders and nations.

"First of all, then I urge the entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for a King and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity." 2 Timothy 2:1-2

Please take time over the next week to lift up prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings for the upcoming election and for those that will be in authority over our country.

God Bless!

Ear Infections--Just Say No to Antibiotics and Yes to Natural Remedies

2008-10-20T12:36:00.000-07:00

Did you know that ear infections are the number one cause for trips to the doctors office? Did you know that almost every child by a few months old has been on antibiotics for an ear infection? Are antibiotics really necessary for ear infections? My answer is NO and here is why....

Over the last 19 months I have dealt with about 4 ear infections with my son. In his early days he had a few that got bad and I put him on antibiotics. I did not want to give him antiboitics, but was not sure what else to do. Of course at the Pediatricians office I was never given any natural alternatives. I now want to share a recent experience I had with an ear infection and how for the first time I did not give my son antiboitcs. Instead used a natural alternative and it worked great! On Wednesay night he was up all night screaming and would not sleep. The next morning I took him to the doctor and he had an ear infection in his left ear. Of course immeditely the dr. wrote a prescription for antibiotics with no other explanation. I asked if I could wait a few days and they were happy I would wait to see if it wouldn't heal on it's own. She also stated they thought it could heal without them, but if it didn't in a few days go ahead with the antiboitcs. I immedietely knew I needed an alternative to anitobitcs this time and I was going to find it! God is so amazing because on my way home I drove past a health store I had never seen before. (on the way home from the Ped's office---how great!) I turned around and went in. I asked if they had garlic mullein drops for ear infections. The lady pointed me to it, which I was so thankful for. Low and behold right next to it was a pamplet on ear infections and bacteria resistance. It was by Mary Ann Block. Click here for a must read article on this topic. This statement was big on the front page--
"Studies indicate that 90% of all ear infections will heal entirely on thier own without antiboitic treatment. These same studies show that giving a child an antibiotic for an ear infection can actually cause the ear infection to last longer."

I knew at that moment that for the first time I was on the right track in healing the ear infection naturally and without antiboitcs! As soon as we got home I put two drops in each ear (in case in spread to the other) and some natural pain releiver for the earache. Then I put my son down for a nap and he slept for 4 hours without a fuss, which had not happened the last several days. Then he slept that night for 11+ hours without a fuss! I knew that the Garlic Mullein drops were working and quicker relief then antibiotics! Then on Saturday my dear friend Dr. Meg (I love her!) checked his ears and they looked good 48 hours later...

Trisha's Natural Remedies for an Ear Infection

-Go to the doctor and make sure an ear infection is confirmed
-Make sure the ear drum as not bursted. If so, you will not want to put anything in the ear.
-Get a prescription but be willing to wait a few days before giving it to them
-Go to your nearest health store or better yet have it on hand!
1.) Garlic Mullein drops or Nutri biotic drops (grapefruit seed and tea tree oil)
2.) Natural children's pain relievers for ear infections- I recommend hylands or ABC, but there are many others.
3.) I also suggest immune boosters or vitamin c to help support thier body to fight it off and heal.
4.) I have also heard that chiropractors or those in related fields can make adjustments to help with ear infections. So, if you know of somebody that would be an added bonus!
5.) Can take Garlic, Grapefruit seed extract, or collodial silver orally as they are natural antibloitcs. We did not have to do this.
6.) If your child has a cold you can put Garlic Mullein drops in thier ear for prevention.
-Then head home and put the drops in thier ear as the dosage suggests and give the pain meds. Only give tylenol and motrin if the natural remedies are not working.
-Wait a few days and see if it heals naturally. I am sure you will be surprised how quickly it heals for us it was only a few hours before we saw relief.
-If your child is not finding relief after trying natural remedies then it looks as if antiboitcs will actually be nessasary and it is the 10% that won't heal without them. But, you can be assured with knowing you tried a natural approach first.

I want to add that it is so important to not give antibiotics unless absolutely necessary! I feel very strongly about this from much research I have done. I will have a post later on antibiotic overuse, bacteria resitance, and how antiboitics harm a well functioning immune system and deplete the good bacteria to fight things off. You are doing much harm to your child by giving them antibiotics when it is not necessary. When the time comes when they actually need antiboitcs you will defintely not want them to have a resistance because of overuse when it was not needed! I also want to add that there are times when it is absolutely nessary and I am so thankful we have them to kill nasty infections!

Here are some other good articles on ear infections and antibotics from MSNBC, Dr. Green, Web MD, and Health Link.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16140545/
http://www.drgreene.com/21_768.html
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/ear-infection/news/20060912/cutting-antibiotics-for-ear-infections
http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1031002356.html

If your child gets an ear infection and you try these remedies I would love to hear your results and feedback--It will be helpful to us all!! :)

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Any medical advice should be answered by your highly trained and qualified pediatrician. This information is only my advice and opinion from experience at what I have found helpful for my family.

Natural Cold Remedies for Infants and Children

2008-10-08T10:54:00.000-07:00

I saw on the news yesterday that again they do not think it is safe for infant/children to take over the counter cold medicines. Many have even been taken them off the shelves. I wanted to take this time to give some natural remedies that are completely safe, have no side effects, and work very effectively!!

These remedies have helped my son tremendously when he has gotten a cold. For the first year of his life he got colds really bad and I did not use any homeopathic or natural remedies. I must admit that I even used some of the over the counter medicine that is now not considered safe. EEKS!!! His colds always lasted for weeks and also had bad lingering coughs for another few weeks. For this post I want to give you other options of great remedies for children's colds since it looks like it is your only option these days anyway.

Now that I am using natural and homeopathic remedies my son usually only gets colds for a few days, they are minor, and he has yet to get a bad cough again with it.

Here are my suggestions if your little one starts coming down with a cold that you will want to have in your medicine cabinet:

-Probiotics I give this to my son everyday, which is good bacteria that will build up and help fight off the bad infections when they come in. I actually give him a supplement as I think it is the most effective, but you can find it in many yogurts as well. I will post later about the amazing benefits of probiotics and the ones I would recommend.

-At the first sign of a cold I give him things that will boost his immune system to fight the cold off. The top herbs to do this are Vitamin C, echinacea and eldeberry. In most cases I have done this by giving him Buried Treasure, Children's ACF, ideal for cold and flu season. Click on link to see details and all of the wonderful immune boosting ingredients. This is amazing stuff and if my son is sick this is one of the first things I start giving him to help his body fight it off. One of the ingredients that I love is Collodial Silver because it is basically a natural antiboitic and helps fight off infections. You can also get children's Vitamin C, echiacea, and eldeberry extract, etc. in individual forms at most health stores that are also a great option.

-Homeopathy Medicine to fight the infection and relieve symptoms. Here is a list of items you will definitely want to have in your medicine cabinet when you need it. You can buy these items at your local health store or online:

Aconit + Ferrum Phosphoricum for the first onset of symptoms
Belladonna for fever
Allium Cepa for runny nose
Kalium Bichromicum (+ saline drops) for thick mucus
Eupatorium + Oscillo for the flu

One item that has many of the above ingredients and more that I prefer to use is Newtons Nothing but Natural for Kids fever aid and infection fighter. Then I give Allium Cepa or Kallium Bichromicum depending on the stage of cold.

Natural antibiotics to Fight off infections
If I sense that there is an infection or virus involved I would suggest: Garlic, Collodial Silver, Oregano, and Grapefruit seed extract. These are all WONDERFUL natural ways to fight infections. (I will have another post later with more details about these amazing natural antibiotics. The best thing is that they don't harm the good bacteria and also cause Bacteria Resistance that prescription antibiotics cause).

--WORD ABOUT FEVERS--
One other thing that I must mention is that a fever of 100-102 is a VERY good thing!! 103 is when you need to watch it closely and consider possibly a call to the doctor for advice. 104 is a definite call to the doctor and meds to lower it. If you have a young infant you should seek a doctor for most fevers, but many times these remedies are still very helpful in lowering it instead of the other options. One pet peeve I have is giving Tylenol and Motrin to lower a fever of 100-102. This is doing much harm in fighting the infection. Bad bacteria and infection strives and grows in the normal 98.6 temp range. This is why the body rises so that the bacteria and infection will die off from the heat. If you are stopping the body by lowering the temperature you are not allowing the body to fight it off effectively. Newtons Fever aid or Belladonna is a much better option for stabilizing a fever naturally from getting too high.

May we all have a wonderful winter with colds not being a stress for our families! :)

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Any medical advice should be answered by your highly trained and qualified pediatrician. This information is only my advice and opinion from experience at what I have found helpful for my family.

List of BPA Free Bottles and Sippy Cups

2008-10-01T11:57:00.001-07:00
Since children are a big target of concern for BPA and other toxic platics, I have compiled a list of Safe Sippy cups and Bottles. There are many other items that can be of concern in the plastic world that I will discuss in other posts, but I feel this is the most urgent. With my son I have tested out several of these and at the end will give "Trisha's Top Picks" for these items.

Most of these products are BPA, PVC, and Phthalates free. You may be surprised that the brand you are using is actually on the safe list. Many of these options are very cheap, but of course there are others that are on the more expensive side. You can purchase these at many local stores, online, or at my healthy families amazon store.

Also, note that even if you see a brand, it doesn't indicate that all of their other products are safe.

Click on links to see items that can be purchased at amazon.com

Safe Bottles:
Born Free Bottles
Medela Bottles
Parents Choice Bottles from Walmart
Nuby Bottles
Avent Bottles
Browns Baby Bottles (make sure these are the new ones. They were recently replaced)
Adiri Natural nurser bottles
Momo Baby bottles
Green to Grow Baby Bottles
Think Baby Bottles
Siliskin Glass Bottle
Sassy Mam Ultivent Bottles
Weego glass baby bottles
Gerber Clearview Bottles
Playtex origonal nurser Bottles
Playtex plastic drop in liners

Safe Sippy Cups:
Thermos Foogo Sippy Cup
Kleen Kanteen Sippy Cup
Nuby Sippy Cup
Avent Magic Cup
Sigg Water Bottles
Think Baby Cup
Born Free Sippy Cup
Evenflo Sippy Cup
Safe Sippy Cup

Note: I am still working to compile a complete Safe Bottle and Sippy Cup list. This is not yet finalized with ALL of the Safe Sippy Cups and Bottles out there. But, I will continue to update it regularly as I find new ones. You can access this list with the updates on my Label sidebar under Safe Sippy Cups and Bottles.

My Top Picks are:
Cheap Bottles/easy to find: Avent
More Expensive/order online: Momo Glass Baby Bottles

Cheap/Easy to Find Sippy Cups: Nuby
More Expensive/order online: Thermos Foogo Sippy Cups

Crash course for numbers on plastic

2008-09-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

If you look on the bottom of most plastic containers you will see a number. This number will tell what is in the product and if it is safe. Here is a great resource that will tell you all the info you need to know about these numbers. Plastic Handout from healthobservatory.org

Numbers that are on the safer side: 1, 2, 4, and 5

STAY AWAY FROM THESE NUMBERS: 3, 6, and 7

Another thing to remember is that Polycarbons are worst and Polypropylenes are best. Or use LDPE-low density plastic.

Other Points to pay attention to when using plastic products: (taken from Dr. Benzinger, whom I recently heard speak. He is an amazing doctor in the Indy area with great info in many areas. His website is secondopinion.org

-If you continue to use plastic please note that when heated (sunlight, microwaves, hot substances), plastic makes compounds break down and leach chemicals into your food or drink.
-Do not re-use plastic for over too long of a time
-Bleach and cleaning will break down the plastic
-Plastic purposes: never heat or store hot substances
-adopt the one and done philosophy

Other plastics to stay away from besides BPA:
Dioxin: severely toxic
DEHA=PET
Reuse grows all kinds of bacteria, viruses, molds, fungus, fecal material, etc....

Next post will have a list of safe sippy cups and bottles....

What is BPA and should we be protecting our Families from it?

2008-09-27T11:15:00.000-07:00
What is Bisphenol A??
"Bisphenol A-is a harmful chemical found in polycarbonate plastic which is used to make many popular baby bottles and sippy cups, among other things. Bishenol A (BPA) is a chemical that mimics the action of the human hormone estrogen, which alters our body’s natural pattern. BPA can leach from polycarbonate plastic, usually a hard, clear plastic that is common of many products we use everyday. Effects at even low BPA exposure include prostate cancer, breast cancer, early puberty onset, alterations in gender-specific behavior, decreased sperm count, affects on fertility, behavioral effects including hyperactivity, increased aggressiveness, impaired learning and other changes in behavior, and other problems." excerpt from Family and Health Safety

accoring to wikipedia Bisphenol A is commonly abbreviated as BPA, is an organic compound with two phenol functional groups. It is a difunctional building block of several important polymers and polymer additives. With an annual production of 2–3 million tonnes, it is an important monomer in the production of polycarbonate. Suspected of being hazardous to humans since the 1930s, concerns about the use of Bisphenol A in consumer products grabbed headlines in 2008 when several governments issued reports questioning its safety, and some retailers pulled products made from it off their shelves.

What are the health effects of BPA? In wikipedia Here is a quote from the site that answered my questions on the dangers of the BPA.
"In 2007, a consensus statement by 38 experts on bisphenol A concluded that average levels in people are above those that cause harm to animals in laboratory experiments,[30] and a panel convened by the U.S. National Institutes of Health determined that there was "some concern" about BPA's effects on fetal and infant brain development and behavior.[5] A 2008 report by the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP) agreed with the panel, expressing "some concern for effects on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and children at current human exposures to bisphenol A," and "minimal concern for effects on the mammary gland and an earlier age for puberty for females in fetuses, infants, and children at current human exposures to bisphenol A." The NTP had "negligible concern that exposure of pregnant women to bisphenol A will result in fetal or neonatal mortality, birth defects, or reduced birth weight and growth in their offspring."

Is it being banned in other places?--yes! Just in April Canada banned BPA from baby bottles. see link from the washington post. I also recently read an article that California is trying to ban BPA products. WalMart, the world's largest retailer, has said its baby bottles would be BPA-free early next year because of the concern. Babies R Us was recently taking back Dr. Browns Baby Bottles in exchange for non BPA ones(call to see if they are doing this in your area before heading out). I think there are some others,and will pass along when I find them.
>

I also looked up the CDC--(Center for Disease control and prevention) Was unable to find much pertinent info--scarey....

FDA-Basically they say that even though concerns have been raised and they are continually doing research find the levels in the body to be safe. I found this statment very interesting...
"According to FDA, there is no reason to recommend that consumers stop using products that contain BPA while the agency carries out its assessment process. But concerned consumers should know that several alternatives to polycarbonate baby bottles exist, including glass baby bottles. If FDA's review of data leads to a determination that uses of BPA are not safe, FDA will take action to protect the public health."
What I got from this statement is that while they are assesing the dangers they are going to keep it on the market. If we are using the products we are at risk of being a part of the research and side effects. They are basically not sure yet, but will continue researching and let us know later if there is a concern they find. They also mention alternatives, so my thought is why not protect our family instead of placing them at a possible risk. They also had a public safety meeting this month about it and are reviewing with a task force. So, maybe they will change there thoughts.

Other sites I found very helpful in doing my research that have great info on this topic.

thesoftlanding.com
safemama.com

My conculsion and thoughts-- From this research it has convinced my family and I to steer clear from BPA products. I think if there is cause for concern any many that see this are banning it, I do not want ANY levels in me or my families bodies. Also, later they may come out with the horrible effects and ban it and I do not want my family being a part of the test to find out. I urge everyone to consider staying clear of BPA, especially with children. There are many safe products from all price ranges to use instead. I am on a budget and have not found it to be any more expensive unless you choose too.

So, which products are safe? See next post....

I'm back!!

2008-09-25T11:02:00.000-07:00
I just wanted to aplogize for being MIA from this blog for a few months. I am officially back now and will be making weekly posts about various health, spriritial, and parenting topics. I am excited that you are visiting my blog! My prayer is that it will be a blessing to your family.

I will always have polls going on regarding the current topics I will be writing about in the right column. I would love to hear your anonymous input in these. I also welcome any comments or questions about the posts. And please let me know if there is a topic you would be interested in learing more about.

Enjoy and visit often! :)

Let Me Hear Your Loving Kindness in the Morning...

2008-07-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

An update for my morning quiet time. Let me first say it continues to not be easy, but very rewarding. I have heard that breaking a bad habbit takes 21 days. I hope that also starting a good habbit will happen after 21 days. I want for it to not be hard, but a part of my daily life and schedule that I love to do. I wanted to share a few things God has been showing me and confirming my desire for this queit time with Him.

One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is Pslam 143. If you haven't read it, take the time to read it sometime. I trust it will be a blessing to your life as it continually is to me. For a while I have been trying to read it every morning as a prayer for my day. A new verse jumped out to me since I made this committment to do my quiet time in the morning. Isn't it neat how God can speak to you in a different way even in verses you have read many times before?

"Let me hear your lovingkindness in the morning; for I trust in you; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For I lift my soul to you." Psalm 143:8.

God was confirming that I must hear his lovingkindness in the morning and trust in him for my day. The committment I have made is exactly what I need to be doing. I know that if I don't focus on him at the start of my day, I will live for myself and my selfish desires. I must put my focus on Him and trust that He will teach me the way in which I should walk for my day. For I must lift my soul to Him to be able to live for him and His desires instead of my own. I struggle many times trying to live my story and not God's story for my life. I can be very sefish sometimes, but I know it is wrong. Instead I knew must be humble enough to allow God to be first over my desires.

This brought me to 1 Peter 5:14. "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exhalt you at the proper time, casting your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." So many times I am not humble enough to allow for God to be in control of my life. I find myself being too proud and thinking that in some way I can solve my problems and decisions on my own. Through this verse God has taught me that in every situation I need to humble myself under God and have my first response at all times be to lean and trust God.

This past Satueday Todd and I helped out at Men's the Great Banquet at our church. On our way home we were talking about how we attended this retreat last year and our experience. I also must put in a small plug---If you haven't ever gone or heard of this retreat, I would highly recommend looking into it. They happen all over the country at different times throughout the year. It is a lifechaning 3 days retreat. It was such a great experience for both Todd and I. I told Todd that I really enjoyed it, but there was one thing I didn't like. The hardest part was being away from each other and not having any communication for 3 days. It was hard--especially for the one left at home. Todd said, "But, it is ONLY for 3 days to leave your spouse and have a time to fully focus on God alone." He reminded me that our first relationship is God, and ultimitely it should be before each other or our family and friends. WOW!! That can be hard! It reminded me that when I think about my love for my family and friends, and that I love to spend time with them as much as I can. That is great and brings me such joy, but I must love God FIRST--and MORE then anything else in my life. God reminded me again of my committment. How can I put him first without spending time with Him? How can I show God's love to my child, family, and friends without spending time with Him and getting my focus straight. How can I expect to have a strong and healthy family without His help and guidance? He must be first. I am thankful that even though I have had struggles with my committment, I must make it habbit and the most important thing I do each day. I will press on with my committment as I aim for God to show me His lovingkindness each morning.

I decided to start adding pictures to my entires. I think it is too boring with just words. :)

Quiet Time with God

2008-07-09T17:55:00.000-07:00
Do you have issues with being consistent with quiet times? After struggling to consistently find time to spend with my God each day I have decided I going to make a change. I am finally going to try and get up early and start my day out right. I know this might seem silly to some of you, but I am not a morning person. Up until this point I have chosen to do my quiet time at other times throughout the day. It seems that far to often other things have gotten in the way and that idea is put aside. I also think there is real value in making a committment to do this every morning. I know for me it is going to be hard to get up when I would rather spend my quiet time in my dreams. But, I want to make sure I start my day out right and have my quiet times be more consistent. So, for the next week I am going to try and wake up at 6:30 and have a quiet time. This should give me plenty of time before I start my day as a stay at home mom. If you have a hard time keeping a quiet time then I urge you to also take a step to make it better. I will let you know how it goes. It won't be easy, but I know it will be well worth the effort.

Welcome to My New Blog!

2008-05-14T07:06:00.000-07:00
I am currently striving to raise my son and family in a way that promotes the best possible health for now and our future. The most important aspect to our health is our relationship with God. I will spend time writing about principles of being a Godly mother, wife, disipline issues, the joys and struggles of raising children in a Christian home, and ultimitely directing our children to know and love God as thier personal Savoir.

I will also spend time writing about being a holisitc mom in today's world. I will be very vulnerable as I share my life and many personal experiences as I go through this journey with my family. I feel that it is very important to take care of the bodies God has given us.

The Bible says that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit:.... Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 1 corinthians 6:19. Honoring your body and caring for it shows your respect and honor for the One who created it. Your immune system is a strong and ready defender for your body, the magnificent work of a divine Creative Genuius, and it's up to us to take care of it.

I must first admit that over the first year of my son's live I have definitely not made the best choices for his health and evironment. I have learned from my mistakes and maybe by the 10th kid I will get it right! ;) Anway, I am also glad to say that I am gradually making small steps to better health for him and our family. So far from the changes I have made in our lifestyle there has been a transformation in his health. I still have a long way to go and I am continously learning. My hope is that this blog can help others find answers quickly and easily as many times I was running around in circles trying to figure out the best way to handle situations. I wish I would have known the place to find answers and guidance with a person I knew and trusted. For don't we all want our chidren to be healthy and happy!?!

God Bless and come back often.