Cookies for Mom 12/23/2009
 

These cookies make the best welcome baby gift for the nursing mom.  They are delicious and will give mom's milk supply a boost!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies

1 cup *butter*
1 cup *sugar*
1 cup firmly packed *brown sugar*
4 tablespoons *water*
2 tablespoons *flax seed meal*
2 *eggs*
1 teaspoon *vanilla*
2 cups *flour*
1 teaspoon *baking soda*
1 teaspoon *salt*
3 cups *oats*
1 cup *chocolate chips*
2-4 tablespoons *brewer's yeast*

Preheat oven to 350°.

1. Mix the flaxseed meal and water and let sit for 3-5 minutes.
2. Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar well.
3. Add eggs and mix well.
4. Add flaxseed mix and vanilla; beat well.
5. Sift together flour, brewer's yeast, baking soda, and salt.
6. Add dry ingredients to butter mix.
7. Stir in oats and chips.
8. Scoop onto baking sheet.
9. Bake for 12 minutes.
10. Let set for a couple minutes then remove from tray.
3 Comments
 
Wearing Babies 11/25/2009
 
Picture
When Carter was a baby I thought baby carriers were the car seats that came with our stroller travel system.  In fact, he spent a lot of time in his car seat.  Too much time in there.  With Elizabeth I did use hotslings and carried her a lot more often.  Praise God that I have been able to fully experience the benefits and blessing of wearing baby.  Lilah loves to be close to mommy and her carriers make it possible.
Picture
Wearing baby has so many advantages.  Lilah has been such a fussy baby that I am not sure how we would have survived without me wearing her close.  She feels safe and comfortable being close to me and dad (when he straps her on).  When the kids want to go on a walk we are not restricted to places that we can take a stroller.  Mom and Lilah can participate in everything that the rest of the family is doing:  gardening, long hours at the farmers market, long walks.  There really are no limitations for us.  Another huge benefit is that it is a great way to get your body back in shape.  Wearing baby uses your abdominal muscles in a great way, perfect for the Post Purdum period.  No wonder women in other countries are still wearing baby (and toddlers)!


A few of my favorite carriers
Sleepy Wrap
Beco Butterfly
WAHM Slings
Add Comment
 
 
1.  Study Up.  Read books like Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and magazines like Mothering.  Stay far, far away from A Baby Story and What to Expect When You're Expecting.

2.  Create a Support System.  Discuss your birthing choices with your physician or midwife as early as possible.  Have one support person, husband or friend, that will be there during your pregnancy and birth.  Share your fears and concerns, highs and lows.  Let them be your voice so you can focus on giving birth.  Hire a doula if possible. 

3.  Attend a Natural Birth Class.  I attended the Wonderfully Made Childbirth courses and they were amazing!  Opt for a private tour of the hospital, if possible.
4.  I loved Hypnobabies.  This program is amazing and if you commit to it you can have a very low pain/no pain birth experience.  We used this from about 20 weeks on and Nathan and I both slept better and felt empowered to participate in the birth experience together.  Hypnobabies has a great home study course if there traditional courses are not available in your area.

5.  Create a Birth Plan.  

6.  Prepare Your Body.  Prenatal yoga, walking and doing squats is a great way to prepare yourself for labor.  Stay Hydrated.  Eat Healthy.  Use Evening Primrose Oil to do perennial massage.

7.  Drink Raspberry Leaf Tea (and lots and lots of water) during pregnancy and labor.

8.  Get Baby In Position.  Visit a chiropractor during pregnancy.  Use the Knee to Chest position to put baby in the optimal position for labor.

9.  Enjoy the comfort of your home as long as possible.

10.  Pray.  Love.  Laugh.  Breathe.  Be.
1 Comment
 
 
Picture
I have always been drawn to things of the past. Antique’s, old books, shows on TV about history (especially the early 1900’s). And so as I started to right this post about cloth diapering I started to wonder about this new surge in cloth diapering that is considered a “new” practice. Which in fact is a very old, traditional way of doing things. Cloth diapers have come a long way-even the past couple of years. The main reason we have choosen cloth diapering is to prevent the thousands of pounds of extra waste in our landfills from diapering three kids. But an added benefit is how cute they are.

And for the frugal shoppers out there you can even make money with cloth diapers. I buy low and sell high (as may of you know from my kids clothing purchases) so I have actually made money from cloth diapering.

Here is a short tutorial for anyone interested in getting started.

 The first step is to decide what type of diaper you are wanting to use. I actually use a combination of a few differen types.

 All in One’s-these are the easiest most “disposeable like” diapers. They either velcro or snap on just like a sposie. You wash the entire diaper after each use and then re-use.

Pocket Diapers-these are very similar to all-in-one’s except they have a pocket so you can stuff it at nap or bedtime for more absorbancy.

Fitted Diapers and Wraps-the fitted part of the diaper goes on similar to the all-in-one but requires a wrap or cover. The benefit is great absorbancy from the fitted and the wrap can be used over and over again without washing.

Pre-folds or flats-these are your grandma’s diapers. There are dozens of different fold techniques and you use a pin or snappi to hold it on. These diapers require a wrap or cover also. They are also the most econimical.

Wool-this is a great option for the winter months. Wool is very absorbable and is used just like a wrap over a fitted diaper, prefold or flat. Watch out because it can become very addicting!

 
My Diaper Stash

Elizabeth is now potty trained so she is only using fitteds and wraps or pocket diapers at nighttime. But until recently we also used lots of flats with wraps just because they are so economical. And the wraps are so cute!!!

For the newborn joining our family soon I have already started to stock up on fitteds, wraps, flats and all-in-one’s.

 
Where to get the deals

Diaper Swappers

Diaper Trader’s

BabyCenter’s Thursday Swap

Swaddlebee’s Outlet

 
Washing Instructions

For newborns and pee only diapers I just rinse them in a cold water cycle. For older babies I will plop the poop (gross sorry) into the potty and then do a rince cycle. Then I wash the diapers with washing soda, a few sprays of simple green and a capful of bleach. This has always worked for me but there are lots of washing methods available on the net.

 Storing between loads

Wetbags are a great way to store soiled diapers. Once the wetbag is filled you just put the entire thing including the bab into the washing machine.

 Going out

I started out using sposies when we went places. But small wetbags make it very possible for you to store soiled diapers in your diaper bag until you get home. Just make sure that anyone who might be changing your child know’s they are cloth diapered. I always use my easiest diapers when going to church or play dates to that no one has to “figure it out the hard way”.

Picture
Real Diaper Industries has provided us with this hands on kit that is available for anyone who wants to touch and see what cloth diapers look like.  Just let us know if you are interested and we will get it to you!
1 Comment
 
 


Picture
Welcome to our little corner of the web where you can sit back with a cup of coffee or tea, snuggle up with a warm blanket and be blessed by the hope from women supporting women, families lifted up in prayer and God meeting us where we are.  We look forward to being united with the thread of Jesus Christ and the needles of community.
3 Comments
 
 
Picture
Several times in the last couple of weeks I have been asked two questions.

The first, when are you going to start Lilah on solids?  

 

I think that people are genuinely concerned when they hear that I didn’t start Lilah on baby food at 4 months (or before).  There is a misconception that breast milk is not adequate enough for babies, partnered with an urgency to “buy” baby it’s first foods. My answer is no, but I will begin around the seventh month.

 

The second question, are you going to make your own baby food, makes me giggle because I assume that they do not ask this question to every mother they know.

 

So I wonder what gave it away?  The fact that I chose to birth naturally, cloth diaper, exclusively breast feed, homeschool?  Maybe I need to stop wearing that jumper dress with the apple applique’ (just joking, and not meant to offend anyone wearing one right now).

 

So here’s our feeding plan, plain and simple.

 

Newborn-6 Months

Come to visit us anytime in the first two months and you will notice that I pretty much have a baby attached to me all the time.  And Nathan will be calling us the Booby Buffet, Mama’s Milk Machine-you get the idea.  I nurse only and often to make sure I have a good milk supply and that baby gets the hang of it.  We choose not to use bottles or pacifiers and are blessed to be able to.  But if you need to supplement there are great tips and ideas on pumping and bottle feeding out there.

 

After 6 Months

~We start with infant cereal.  Just a few tablespoons a day until baby “figures it out”.  I use breastmilk in my cereal, but you can also use warm water.  A friend of mine recently asked how I get the breastmilk in there when I don’t pump.  I’ll leave that for you to figure out, wink-wink.

 

~Next we will slowly incorporate fresh carrot juice to the infant cereal to add a new flavor.

 

~This is how we make our own baby food from fruits and veggies (it may appear too simple, but that’s because it is).

  1.  Pick your own squash, carrots, green beans, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, peas, apples, peaches, pears, or any other available fruit or veggie from your garden (if you don’t have it fresh in your garden grab a bag of frozen fruit or veggie from the freezer), (if you don’t have any in the freezer go to your local farmers market), (if winter is here you can go to the grocery store and purchase fresh, frozen or canned (no salt added) fruits and veggies).

  2.  If they are soft foods like peaches and pumpkin you will not have to heat them.  Other foods will have to be heated either on the stove or in the microwave.  

  3.  Put them in the blender and add water slowly until you get the desired consistency.  When you first start baby on foods you will want them to be super fine adding more texture as they get older.

  4.  Most often baby will eat the the same fruits and veggies we are eating that day.  But if I make too much or have a bushel of squash from the garden I will make and freeze.  Just pour the food into ice cube trays and freeze.  Once they are done you can dump them into a freezer bag and you are ready for food on the go.

 

9 Months and Beyond

Around the 9 month mark I start feeding baby mashed up foods that we are eating as a family.  This helps me to prepare healthy fruits and veggies for us and also allows baby to become part of the family sharing in meals with us.

Babies milk source will continue to come from me until at least 18 months and then we will add soy or cow milk.

 

My goal is that baby will have eaten as many foods as possible by the time she is 18 months old (except cow milk, butter, salt, sugar, peanuts or any other food that is labeled inappropriate for infants-it’s an ever changing list).

There is also the cost factor.  If you ever purchased jarred baby food you know how expensive it is.  And if you haven’t you will probably be in shock when you see the price.  Not to mention that baby food has got to have the highest food/packaging ratio on the market!

 

This method was not recommended by a Doctor and is my own preference for feeding our children.

Add Comment