The Blog
The Important Difference Between Choking, Gagging & Coughing in Babies
When starting solids with your baby, choking and gagging are always the biggest concern. Choking is probably the number one reason why parents don’t give baby-led weaning a chance and decide against introducing finger foods from the start. This is an incredibly important topic and I wanted to cover everything you need to know so you can keep the baby safe and have more confidence with solids.
6 Travel-Friendly Snacks For Kids
Being prepared with healthy snacks for my kids on road trips has saved me many times. These 6 travel-friendly recipes don't require refrigeration. They're all kid-approved and delicious for the whole family to enjoy.
How to Survive a Nursing Strike
It’s not uncommon for babies to seem less interested in breastfeeding as they become increasingly aware of the outside world around them. My busy-body nursling has trouble sitting still for milk, especially when we’re out in public. She constantly pulls off (leaving me hanging) and often only 'sips', rarely taking in a full feed.
How To Cut Banana Handles For Babies
VIDEO
Easier for little hands to grasp with less of a mess.
The Video of Stevie's Home Birth
Completely in awe of birth, I've spent countless hours immersed in the beautiful videos that women have graciously shared online. Getting a glimpse into these empowering births has been such a gift, and I'm so honored to have the opportunity to pay it forward. Stevie was born peacefully and powerfully into the water on August 20, 2016.
My First Meal After Giving Birth & A Recipe For Birth Broth
Nourishing food is one of the most important parts of postpartum recovery. I’ve never experienced hunger quite as I did in those first few days postpartum when my milk was coming in, but immediately after birth, it’s best to start slow with easily digestible and nutrient-dense foods. Think of foods you would turn to when recovering from the flu. As you can imagine, the organs in your abdomen are all going through a massive shift, and digestion can be compromised.
The Birth Story Of Linus
The thing about a second birth is that I had already experienced a birth before, so I somewhat knew what to expect. The other thing about a second birth is that you have expectations of what that birth will look like. But as we all know, no two births are alike, and the birth of a baby is a mysterious process, not to be interrupted with any of our own plans.
5 Energizing Ice Cubes to Make for Labor (& Morning Sickness)
I shared a post on Facebook about some simple, but very effective, coconut water ice cubes for labor that ended up being the most popular post to date. I wanted to write a follow-up blog to share more information with additional options because as I experienced first hand, you never know what scents and flavors will appeal to you during labor. So it’s best to have two or more of these different ice cube flavors prepped ahead of time.
Orange Juice Gelatin Gummies
These gummies came to be after I received a carton of organic orange juice in a weekly staples box delivery from SPUD. I'm not usually a huge fan of fruit juice because once the fiber is removed it can spike your insulin quite drastically, which (among other things) can negatively impact energy and mood, especially in children. A cup of orange juice raises blood sugar so quickly that it’s one of the recommended foods to bring someone out of a diabetic shock.
A Review Of Our First Month With Baby-Led Weaning
I was actually a little nervous to start Stevie on solids. Partly because exclusive breastfeeding is just so easy and starting solids meant an additional layer of responsibility as a mother. It also meant I could no longer deny that my little baby was growing up. But I was mostly nervous to see how she’d take to baby-led weaning. I’m such an advocate of the method… I’ve written blog posts declaring my love, taught seminars about it, and even created an online guide to help other parents benefit from the wonders of a self-fed baby.
Colorful Coconut Bliss Balls
I've become pretty excited about experimenting with natural, food-based dyes after the Easter eggs I made this year with my son, Jones. I'm so pleased with how these colorful coconut sprinkles turned out and I'm very surprised I haven't seen them around before. I think this fun and easy method should be much more popular. Since I made them, Jones has been sprinkling them on everything. Colorful coconut sprinkles on his morning smoothie, then on his apple slices with almond butter. At dinner he asked for the green sprinkles to put on top of his broccoli. "To match" he said. Of course I had to let him, just grateful that I have a toddler who willingly eats broccoli.
Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs
At almost 3 years old, my son's patience and manual dexterity are improving by the day, so we've been getting into more crafting projects together lately. I thought this Easter would be a great time to try the naturally dyed eggs that I've been wanting to make for years now. He was involved in each step along the way and excitedly checked the progress as the eggs began changing color. Among other things, artificial food dye is strongly linked to hyperactive behavior in children. In Europe, food containing artificial coloring is required to have a label warning that it “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children”. So even if you don't plan on eating your dyed Easter eggs, it's best to limit your children's exposure as much as possible.
5 Strategies For Feeding a Picky Toddler
The absolute best way to build healthy habits for your child is to begin as soon as they start solids. Offering a wide variety of textures and flavours right from the get-go helps to broaden their palate and encourages adventurous eating. When a baby or toddler is introduced to a new food and rejects it, it's important to continue reintroducing as it can take several attempts before a new food is accepted. If you have a picky child you may fall into the rut of serving similar and accepted foods time and time again, because they don't 'like' other foods. Although the less they're exposed to, the less likely they will be to explore different foods when given the chance.
Turmeric Chia Seed Pudding
I can't get enough of turmeric's earthy flavor these days. Many ancient cultures placed an emphasis on soft, warm foods during the postpartum period and believed that warming spices were essential for restoring strength in a new mother. This turmeric chia seed pudding is especially beneficial for new mothers with its warming spices to help ground & provide balance.
Breastfeeding Support For The New Mother
Many women focus on assembling a support team during birth, but new mothers need early postpartum support as well. Have friends and family help with household chores, make you food, or take older siblings while you rest, heal and establish breastfeeding with your baby. Being skin-to-skin with your little one will increase your levels of prolactin, a hormone responsible for helping initiate and maintain breast milk production.
Coffee Alternatives For The Sleep Deprived Mother
I’ve never been much of a coffee drinker, but after having a baby I welcomed the occasional pick-me-up after a sleepless night. A morning cup of coffee soon became a daily ritual and I knew deep down that it wasn’t serving me. Instead of making me an energized supermom, coffee was leaving me anxious, jittery, and much less patient.
Turmeric Spice Fudge For Postpartum
Each ingredient in this earthy and aromatic fudge has been included for its impressive ability to support and nourish the early postpartum period. It’s wise to do as much as you can in advance to prepare for your recovery after birth, and this fudge would be fantastic to make during your final weeks of pregnancy because it’s stored in the freezer.
New Mama Essentials For Postpartum Healing
The last few months of pregnancy are usually spent feverishly running around making sure you have everything you need for your new baby to arrive, but don’t forget about yourself! Being prepared for your recovery after birth can help you heal faster, which will provide you with more strength and energy to care for your new bundle. With my ‘fourth trimester’ nearing an end, these are a few of the things that I’ve found essential for assisting my recovery during this postpartum period.
Foods To Focus On In Each Trimester
Featured on Ergobaby. Pregnancy is such an exciting time, but it can also be a time full of uncertainty. Proper prenatal nutrition is essential for both you and your baby, but figuring out what to eat can be very confusing. There are so many decisions to make when you’re pregnant, but while you’re picking out baby names and decorating the nursery, it's important to make nutrition a priority as well.
The Birth Story Of Stevie Holland
It was August 19th, 2016, 2 days from the estimated due date of our baby. We were just leaving the house to meet friends at the beach when the first sensation hit me. It shocked me with its intensity and I told my husband, Jeremy, that I thought it felt like a real contraction and not primordial labor. He asked if I still wanted to go out and meet our friends. Our shoes were on and bags were packed, so I suggested we continue on with our plans and see what happens. It took us about an hour to pick up takeout for dinner and get to the beach.