30 Aug
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All Sorts of News…

Written by Dr. Cindy

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There’s a lot of things happening I want YOU, my awesome readers, to be aware of.  Hopefully this post will help you take advantage of some really great deals and events.  I would love to see each of you out involved in all we have going on in the community. 

Birth Center News:

As you know, pregnancy and birth are major passions of mine.  And, they definitely keep me busy!  Well, in the midst of growing our family with baby #2 on the way, we’ve also been very occupied helping open a birth center.  All About Babies Birth Center is in the north of the metroplex, in Argyle.  Please become a fan on Facebook.  There, we will post updates on the latest events- Movie Nights, Sip’n'Sees and MaterniTEAs- and classes- Out of Hospital Birth Orientation, Organic Cooking Classes, Birth Classes, Cloth Diapering/Babywearing- (including our Open House!).  We are also in the midst of updating our website, and will post that as soon as it is available.

Win Your Own Blog:

My friend and patient, Heather aka “The Mommypotamus“, has the coolest contest going on on her blog right now…  And, you should definitely go check it out!  Do you love my blog?  I’m not talking just content here, I’m talking the layout and look?  Well, you could have a blog of your own, for FREE!  Heather’s husband, Daniel, is the talent behind my blog.  He designed the whole thing for me, tutored me on how to use it, and still deals w/ my nagging questions.  And, I love, love, love my blog…  Even when I am too busy puking to give it the attention it needs ;) .  I just think it’s so cool that Heather is offering you the chance to win yours!  Go check it out, here.

Cooking Demo & Free Meal-Mommypotamus LIVE:

Many of you already follow the Mommypotamus on her blog and Facebook page.  But, have you met her in person?!  Well, now is your chance, and there may not be more for a while…  Mommypotamus has agreed to kick off our organic cooking classes before she has Babypotamus (very soon).  She’ll do a cooking demo, serve a light meal and talk about “Nourishing Meals for the Busy Mom”.  You will NOT want to miss this!  It will be in Argyle, THIS Thursday the 30th at 6:30PM.  Check out Mommypotamus’ post for more info.

Birth on Labor Day:

The Tarrant County Birth Network is a fabulous organization!  If you are a mom, plan on becoming a mom, or are in any field that deals with pregnancy and birth, you should DEFINITELY support this amazing group…  Join the TCBN!  The memberships start as low as $25 per year, and include a ton of great perks!  On September 25th, they are hosting a wonderful event, BOLD.  BOLD stands for “Birth on Labor Day”.  It is a play about several women’s different birth stories.  There will also be a free birth and parenting fair, in conjunction with the play, on that day.  Lifetime Family Wellness Center and All About Babies will both have booths at the fair, and we’d love it if you would stop by and say hi.  We have tickets for the event on sale at all office locations (Hurst and Argyle).  Please, contact me at drshaggerton@gmail.com for more details. 

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17 Aug
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Where are his shoes?!

Written by Dr. Cindy

There is a running joke in our family that anytime Harper is going to be around his great-grandmother, we must put shoes on his little feet.  The first thing she will comment on, if she sees his bare toes is, “Where are his shoes?!”  I even went as far as purchasing these socks, to please her when he was too tiny to wear shoes.  Again, society ingrains so many ideas into our heads…  For instance, speaking of Harper being too tiny to wear shoes, at what age will we make shoes a staple of his attire?  I must admit, every time I buckle him in his seat to go on an outing and I look at his bare feet, I hear a little voice in my head say, “They’re going to think you are a bad mom!  Who lets their children run around town without shoes?  They’ll feel sorry for you that you are too poor to put him in nice shoes.” 

Why do we make yet another crazy, “hippie” choice and allow- rather choose- for our child to go barefoot as often as possible, even when we are in public?  Well, just like with every other decision we make, this one has research and studies to back it.  Now, with all of the recent popularity in adults being barefoot, it may not surprise you that barefoot for children is healthiest.  However, even though this adult trend is growing, and some people know it to be true for their children, how many kids do you see in public settings without shoes?  If you are like me, a mom who feels self-conscious because her dirty soled, barefoot child is in the minority, you’ll agree that you don’t see many.  I urge you to join me though, go against the grain, it’s best for your child and his/her development!

Going without shoes as much and as often is possible helps so many aspects of a child’s development, and in the instance when shoes are a necessity, choosing the right footwear is crucial.  Studies show that when a child walks barefoot, he/she will hold his/her head straight.  Shoes take away vital information that the ground transmits to the foot and the foot transmits in turn to the brain.  Hence, when shoes are worn, a child must look down more to receive visual input of where he/she is going and what the ground is doing, rather than allowing his barefoot to tell him all of that info.  Therefore, in this instance, not only does the child benefit from brain development, but their spinal curves are also developed properly from bare feet too.  Furthermore, when the child’s foot comes into direct contact with the floor (only possible when it is completely bare), the child’s ligaments and muscles are sensitized by what they feel and allowed to develop.  This helps the child’s stability tremendously, and will help ensure less injury in the present and future.  And, let us not forget crawling…  It is becoming so common now- especially with all the option and cute styles- to put shoes on newborns and young infants.  We need to allow those little bare feet to feel the world around them, even if they aren’t in the walking stage yet, they develop immensely from bare skin too.  This is very important when it comes time to crawl too; you want their hands and feet getting as much information from the environment as possible.  Crawling is one of the few activities which help integrate both sides of the brain and teaches them to work together.  Vision is also developed through proper crawling, so if this stage is hampered by things like shoes, the child may have reading and writing issues develop later.

All of that being said, there are times when it is simply not an option to be barefoot.  For instance, shoes can serve to keep feet warm in cold weather (being pregnant in the middle of a Texas heat wave, makes me long for this moment right now ;) , shoes can serve as protection for kids playing games, running in a park where dogs have left “gifts” behind :P, or being in an area where the foot may be dangerously exposed to objects that could puncture the child.  In these situations, what do you look for in a shoe?  First, make sure the shoe is flat.  Have you ever seen a young child in high-heel pumps?  I hope not!  However, although most of us laugh at that notion, some wouldn’t think twice about the actual sole of the shoe they purchase for their children.  Unfortunately, style often dictates these decisions.  Go with flat, the shoe needs to stimulate the environment as much as possible, and you don’t want a rise in the shoe affecting the child’s pelvic development and leg musculature.  Secondly, have the child measured for a proper fit.  Babies are not adults!  They are born with cartillage, not bony feet like adults.  Therefore, their feet are still developing and they are soft.  You do not want to cause improper bone ossification and development by placing the child in a shoe that fits improperly.  Next, make sure the shoe is as soft soled as possible and has plenty of bend to it.  You want the shoe to be protective (that is the only reason the child should be wearing it), but you want it to allow the child’s foot to feel the environment and respond to it as much as possible. 

Here are some good companies:  Preschoolians, Pediped, Terra Plana, Foosies, Trumpette, Soft Star, Pedoodles, and RoBeez. 

What about you?  Do you have a favorite soft-sole shoe company for children?  Does it make you feel embarrassment of safety concerns when your child is barefoot?

Filed under: Children's Health

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11 Jun
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Choices & Comfort…

Written by Dr. Cindy

First of all, allow me to open this post by thanking you for being so patient with me.  I know I haven’t been around much.  Growing baby number two has definitely kept me in bed and in the bathroom a lot more than I would like.  But, hopefully I am soon to be over the hump; and, at least I can look at precious Harper and know that what I am enduring is so worth it!  All that to say, I hope to be posting a lot more often here pretty soon. 

These past couple of weeks have been pretty interesting, and I’ve heard some conversations I wanted to bring up for discussion.  People’s choices, especially in this country, are so interesting to me!  The things we allow and the things we outright choose can be quite perplexing to my little brain.  I wonder, do you see something wrong with this picture?

“What picture?” you ask.  Well, allow me to share what I am talking about.  At a party this weekend, I stood listening to a labor and delivery nurse at a new, local hospital and another lady who works at an OB/GYN practice discussing some changes that were about to take place.  The lady from the OB/GYN office was telling the hospital nurse that a bunch of their OBs were about to come on staff at her new hospital.  To which the nurse replied, she already knew this information plus the fact that they were getting even more doctors from some other practices.  Then, the nurse went on to share that the talk at the hospital had been all about how they were going to handle all of the new births (business) that these OBs would bring their way when they came on staff.  After all, this hospital doesn’t have that many birth rooms.  Her solution?  They better get triage and the operating rooms ready for the overflow they were bound to have!  Admittedly, though, they both confessed that this probably wouldn’t be the perfect solution because the operating room would already be full with surgeries. 

So let me get this straight?  Women are going to choose to pay thousands of dollars to birth in a hospital.  During their pregnancy, they will tour the hospital and see these nice birth-rooms, planning out their perfect hospital birth in their heads.  Then, on the big day, they show up to be told, “Whoops, we hired more doctors and right now we are filled to capacity.  Would you like to deliver in a large room where the beds are separated by curtains?  Or, would you like to be taken into the OR with big lights, where you won’t be having surgery, but the feeling will be much the same?”  What?  Doesn’t that sound to you like a perfectly legitimate option and two great choices?  Maybe if you’ve never experienced these rooms in a hospital. 

Ironically enough, after overhearing this conversation, I was called to doula a hospital birth.  When I got there, guess where the mom was?  In triage.  Sitting on her twin bed because as the nurse informed her, “This is triage, we have different rules that birth rooms, and no, you may not use your birth ball.  You will be in this bed.”  Why was she in triage?  Well, even though her water had broken, the staff was trying to decide if they were going to admit her.  Anyone ever heard of a hospital sending a mom home and not admitting them when they have ruptured membranes?  Nope?  Me neither!  So, do I think it is a big possibility that this hospital didn’t have a room available for this mom and was stalling?  Absolutely!  Did the fact that she was forced to lay on her back in that triage bed until she was complete and pushing convince me of my opinion more?  Absolutely!  I am just so thankful that this particular mom did an amazing job and was able to endure what most women could have never done.  She had her baby beautifully and naturally- even under the stress of a rude nurse in a little triage room- without medication as she desired. 

Yet another reason that choices in this country not only amaze but sadden me!  I am all for- and grateful for- hospitals, when they are necessary.  The problem is, most in this country are uneducated and misinformed when it comes to their options.  Therefore, we crowd our hospital rooms with births that shouldn’t be taken there at all, and we are now forced to use hospitals rooms to have births in that weren’t meant to have women birthing in them.  Why choose to go to a place that is designated to save sick and dying people to birth a healthy baby?  And, now- in this country- most are choosing to pay a high dollar to do so and  forfeit the comfort they were promised on their tour they would have.

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11 May
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Giveaway!

Written by Dr. Cindy

Sorry I have been absent from my own blog…  I’ve been busy doing other things, like sleeping, sleeping and waking up from sleeping.  Oh, and I forgot, the part where I try to convince myself to eat and then work really hard to keep it all down and not run to the bathroom.  Oh the joys of growing a precious baby!!  At least I have Harper to look at, who reminds me all of this hard effort and lots of sleeping is oh so worth it in the end.  He’s good at being that constant reminder, like the other day when we were sitting at the table as he was happily eating his breakfast.  He didn’t seem to notice or care that mommy was a new shade of green and I had a cold washcloth over my face.  When he looked up from stuffing his face and saw the washcloth covering my face, he quickly screamed, “Boo!”  Oh how I wish I had been playing!

Well, you aren’t going to get much research or recipes these days.  But, I did want to mention a really cool giveaway that my friend, The Mommypotamus, is doing.  Go check it out, and browse her blog while you are there.  I can’t say enough about how incredible she is.  And, I am so grateful that someone can provide some research and recipes for a few more weeks, while I work hard at growing this new lil’ one :)

Filed under: Children's Health

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26 Apr
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Here we grow…

Written by Dr. Cindy

Praise the Lord, we are so blessed!  Instead of just referring to Harper, “my child”, I now get to use the phrases- “my children”, and “my babies”, and possibly, “my boys”.  Wow!  JB and I celebrated seven years of wedded bliss tonight.  If you had asked me seven years ago if I could imagine where the Lord would have brought us today, I would definitely have to answer, “No”.  Never in a million years did I imagine being this blessed, it is so humbling!!  I mean, we adore Harper so much, and now we get to experience that all over again.  I can not even imagine loving another baby as much as him, but I hear the love multiplies; and, I can’t wait to experience it. 

It has been so much fun announcing this pregnancy!  I think the second time is even more exciting because we now somewhat know what we are getting into; and, we love it, so it makes it that much more fun!  Getting to tell everyone we are expecting finally makes it seem real too.  When I was pregnant with Harper, it took me 5 tests to believe it was real.  Yes, 5!  This always makes people laugh…  I mean, isn’t it ME who tells every patient, “Yes, if the test says you are pregnant, you are pregnant.  There are no false positives…  False negatives, yes, but nofalse positives.”  How come I can dish out this advice and truth to others, but can’t believe my own test results?!  So, in true Cindy fashion, I was curious and tested last Friday.  The two lines popped up right away.  But, after walking around the house smiling and in disbelief, when I returned to glance at the test, the second line had lightened in color.  I thought to myself, “Well, maybe it was a false positive.”  Hello, Cindy!!  JB woke up early Saturday to go to work, and as soon as Harper woke up, Iwe ran off to buy some more tests.  When I returned home, I immediately tested again- there it was, 2 positive lines!  I still couldn’t believe it, and had bought a digital test (you know, just to make sure!).  Shaking, I took the digital tests.  Third time’s a charm!  It read…  You guessed it:  “Pregnant”!  Now, I could finally let myself believe it…  Hey, I’m getting better, it only took 3 tests this time :) .

Now for the fun part, I only had a little while to put my creative plan in sharing my exciting news with JB together.  And, unlike last time, this time was a bit more challenging.  Not only was I on a time crunch, but it was lovely pouring cats and dogs outside, and Harper was wanting me to entertain him.  Off to the store for some more supplies…  You see, I plan these announcements way before we are ever pregnant.  I have so much fun doing this…  I once had a friend who said pregnancy announcements are the girls’ version of what guys get to plan when they propose.  So true!  And, JB loves being a dad and loves surprises; therefore, I try to do my best to make his day.

We have developed a new office logo, and have been talking about doing maternity t-shirts for the office.  I came up with the idea of incorporating our new shirt into my announcement.  Of course, when I have a grand idea, nothing can go as planned!  Harper and I returned home with all my supplies in tow.  I typed everything up- even figured out how to reverse the letters into mirror image (so complicated!), and as I go to print out my iron on labels, the printer is out of ink.  Are. you. kidding. me?  Seriously?!  Back in the car we go, poor Harper!  I barge into the office through the backdoor and JB, who is supposed to be with patients, is there to greet me, “Hey!  What are you guys doing here?”  I quickly hide my stash of supplies behind my back, “Oh just need to print something real quick.”  And, I run by him quickly.  “Ok, see you later.”  But, when I get upstairs, I find out all the office printers are laser which can be destroyed by iron on labels.  Great!  Back in the car, nothing accomplished, and JB’s work day is quickly coming to an end…

We arrive at the store, and I find some ink that I think will work in our printer.  I dash back home, get Harper some toys to entertain himself, as I attempt to figure out how to replace printer ink.  I did it, the labels print off in just the nick of time!  Now to iron everything onto my shirt.  Voila!

I was really proud of the cute, final product.  JB had asked me to pick up his dry-cleaning that morning too.  At this point, it was laying neatly across the bed.  I decided to hang my announcement shirt on a dry-cleaning hanger and place it on top of his clothes.  Just as I got it all hung and positioned the way I wanted, snapped a picture and laid Harper down for his nap, JB walked in from work. 

I tried to act as normal and calm as possible, but I was so excited!  “Check your drycleaning to make sure it’s all there.”  I said as he walked by it.  “I will”, he replied.  How could he not notice the extra shirt he hadn’t dropped off that I had picked up?!  He walked by the clothes twenty three times, before I said in a more irritated nicevoice, “You really need to check your clothes and put them up!”  To which he responded, “Ok!” in an equally nice annoyed voice.  He took a look at the pile, then a closer look, and then gave me a puzzled look…  “Are we?!”  He exclaimed, as he jumped up and down and gave me a huge bear hug.  “Yep!”  I was so excited!  I could finally rejoice with my best friend and the father of my children.  We hugged and jumped up and down and screamed and prayed to thank God for His blessing.  Just like when I announced Harper’s pregnancy, I will never forget this day. 

There’s the story that so many have asked about, that is how I told JB.  How about you, any cool stories of how you announced your pregnancies?  Come on, share, I need ideas for my next ones ;) !  Also, stayed tuned for how we told our parents and friends; their reactions have been priceless.  And, I’ll even let you in on a cool contest one of my friends is doing to help name her baby…  Glad she is holding this contest because we have absolutely no ideas for boy names this time.  All of that to come later, this first trimester is exhausting, I am off to bed!

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15 Apr
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Backseat Birth Slideshow

Written by Dr. Cindy

Remember this post?  It still leaves a huge smile on my face to think back to the night before my midwifery exam, when I had the honor of catching a precious baby- Myles- in the backseat of his daddy’s car.  Dianthe, his incredibly strong and brave mom, finally posted his slide-show today…  I don’t know what took her so long ;) !  I was so excited to sit down and watch it, and I smiled and giggled the whole way through.  Okay, is Dianthe not gorgeous and oh so photogenic?!  Sheesh!  And, what a talented photographer, BluDoor Studios‘ ReJana did an amazing job, and she was so sweet to work with at this birth.  My favorite part of the slide-show is the pic of all the cars parked on the side of the highway…  What a scene we made :) !  Thanks again, Hall family, for allowing me the honor of being there and making such great memories (I think I’ll be on cloud 9 for the rest of the year).  Without further ado, here it is, go watch the show for yourself!

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05 Apr
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Isn’t He Too Old?! Part 1

Written by Dr. Cindy

I was reading through the American Academy of Family Physicians’ Position Paper on doctors supporting breastfeeding.  I hear many times a week, unfortunately, from patients whose doctors are not informed on the benefits of breastfeeding.  And, sadly, these doctors do not know how to educate and support their parents so that their pediatric patients get the best health benefits from nursing. 

I have always been an advocate of breastfeeding, but my passion toward the subject has grown tremendously after nursing Harper all of these months.  As I was preparing to have Harper, I remember anticipating our breastfeeding relationship with much excitement.  Oh, I couldn’t wait to grin at my child in the wee hours of the morning, as he lay gently on my lap being satisfied by my incredible ability to feed him.  Nursing, like pregnancy, is one of those miracles that just amazes me!  However, fast forward one year and several months later, and I would definitely confess that my little daydreams of wonderful nursing experiences definitely haven’t been reality.  I can understand why moms give up.  It is not easy and definitely not always pleasant!  I think this is especially true with an extremely hungry, agile little boy.  And, although I can’t say I enjoy it, Harper will be 2 years old in a few months, and our breastfeeding relationship is still going strong.  I take it day by day, but I am not planning on weaning him soon.  Why do I stick with it since I don’t particularly enjoy it?  Or, the other question/statement I get all of the time, “You’ve made it past six months, and you’ve made it past 1 year, why are you still nursing?  Isn’t he too old for that?!  When are you going to quit?”  Just like everything else, breastfeeding is a choice with made strongly backed by research.  In these next few posts, I will explain what the research says, and why I choose to do something for so long that I don’t necessarily enjoy.  The position paper put out by medical doctors made me grin:

For the child- “In 2007, a systematic review of the effects of breastfeeding on maternal and infant health found that for infants in developed countries, notbreastfeeding is associated with increased risks of common conditions including acute otitis media, gastroenteritis, atopic dermatitis, and life-threatening conditions including severe lower respiratory infections, necrotizing enterocolitis, and sudden infant death syndrome.  The health effects of breastfeeding persist beyond the period of breastfeeding. Children who were not breastfed are at increased risk of obesity, type 1 and 2 diabetes, asthma, and childhood leukemia.  The evidence base also supports the importance of six months of exclusive breastfeeding(when compared with four months) as protective against gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract infection, including otitis media and pneumonia.”

For the mother- “Not breastfeeding is associated with an increased risk of postpartum depression.  In the longer term, for women in developed countries, not breastfeeding is associated with increased risks of type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer.“

“As recommended by the WHO, breastfeeding should ideally continue beyond infancy, but this is not the cultural norm in the United States and requires ongoing support and encouragement.  It has been estimated that a natural weaning age for humans is between two and seven years.  Family physicians should be knowledgeable regarding the ongoing benefits to the child of extended breastfeeding, including continued immune protection, better social adjustment, and having a sustainable food source in times of emergency. The longer women breastfeed, the greater the decrease in their risk of breast cancer.  Mothers who have immigrated from cultures in which breastfeeding beyond infancy is routine should be encouraged to continue this tradition. There is no evidence that extended breastfeeding is harmful to mother or child. Breastfeeding during a subsequent pregnancy is not unusual. If the pregnancy is normal and the mother is healthy, breastfeeding during pregnancy is the woman’s personal decision. If the child is younger than two years, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned. Breastfeeding the nursing child after delivery of the next child (tandem nursing) may help provide a smooth transition psychologically for the older child.“

“Weaning is the time of gradually transitioning infants from mother’s milk to complementary foods or an older child’s diet. In this sense, weaning begins with the introduction of solids at the middle of the first year. Complete weaning, or complete cessation of breastfeeding, ideally should be a gradual process accomplished over a long period. There is no evidence that a specific age of weaning is necessary or mandated. Like other developmental milestones, children wean when they are ready, physically and psychologically. There are several weaning techniques that can be recommended when a mother wishes to encourage the process. Medications to decrease or stop milk production are not necessary and should be avoided. Sudden abrupt complete weaning is rarely necessary, and can place the mother at risk for engorgement, plugged ducts, galactoceles, mastitis, and breast abscesses. The child may be placed at risk for infectious illnesses, dehydration, malnutrition, and psychological trauma such as feelings of abandonment.  In cases in which abrupt weaning is necessary, the advice of a lactation consultant should be sought to minimize the risks.”

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24 Mar
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Cloth Isn’t Just For Clothes…

Written by Dr. Cindy

diapr

A growing practice, quickly gaining popularity for many reasons, is that of using cloth diapers instead of disposables.  But, a less often talked about practice is that of using natural- even cloth reusable- feminine care products (pads and tampons) too.  And, many health/environment conscious moms who are not using cloth, opt to use natural/organic diapers, pads and/or tampons.  Many people have seen my cute pictures of Harper wearing his fashionable diapers.  Although they know he isn’t wearing Huggies, they may not be aware of what he’s in and why I’ve chosen to dress him that way.  Why would I make such a choice?

Over the years, I have watched countless moms come into my office.  The ones who dress their babies in precious cloth diapers always catch my eye.  And, fortunately, I had a chance to talk with many and ask their opinions before having Harper.  Once pregnant, after talking to all of these moms, it was a no brain-er that we would cloth diaper our children.  When cloth was not an option, we would not use conventional paper diapers, but would turn to the natural organic brands.  Why in the world would we choose to put this much thought into what goes on our child’s bottom? 

Well, cloth is the best option- in our opinion- and, we not only advocate that moms steer away from the regular conventional brands when it comes to diapers but also when they choose to purchase products to use on themselves once a month.  We have seen drastic results and awesome changes in women’s and children’s health because of the switch; this is why we feel so strongly about it!  We started out using Seventh Generation newborn disposables on Harper, until all of his meconium was gone.  Once the meconium had passed, we started out with a diaper service, so that we could try cloth without having to buy them yet.  This was a wonderful option, and it was really just as cheap (if not more) than disposables.  I loved the option to try without having to buy.  We, obviously, loved cloth, and quickly decided to purchase our own.  We went through Hip Green Baby.  I can not say enough about how much I love Kristi, and how wonderful she and her company are.  Harper wore her prefolds (we just did plain, no dye) with a Snappi and Wonder Wrap or Thirsties cover.  This is the simple way to go, and we love it!  Thirsties covers are my absolute favorite!!   

Harper’s health is quite the obsession around here!  And, you guessed it, we choose cloth- in large part- for health reasons.  The skin is the largest organ, and comes into contact with most everything we are exposed to.  This is particularly true when it comes to diapers, which a baby wears against his/her skin 24/7.  We did not want Harper’s skin exposed to something as potentially harmful as paper diapers filled with chemicals, when there is such a great option as cloth.  We do not believe that it is any coincidence that our children end up with so many skin problems, allergies, and hormonal disruptions when we look at how long they are usually left in these paper diapers filled with horrible chemicals.  Did you know most paper diapers contain dioxin, bleach, chlorine, tributyl tin, perfumes and plastic?

Dioxin has been found to cause damage to the immune system, birth defects, and it is a carcinogen.  Bleach is harsh on skin and a known carcinogen.  Chlorine can also harm skin and is carcinogenic too.  Perfumes are known to disrupt the hormonal system and have been linked to asthma.  Tributyl tin has harmful effects on the hormonal and immune systems. 

You won’t find these chemicals in cloth diapers, and who wouldn’t prefer cloth underwear over paper?!  In addition to health savings, we have saved a lot of money by using cloth diapers.  And, because we will be able to use Harper’s diapers when we have other children, this is a savings that I look forward to continuing.  I often hear families complain about their expenses, and watch them work so hard to pinch pennies.  I find myself wondering, “Why don’t they simply switch to cloth?”  It is so easy, and makes so much sense!

Furthermore, it is a lot easier to potty train a baby who has grown up in cloth versus paper diapers.  Harper senses when he is wet a lot sooner when he wears cloth.  We have been doing Elimination Communication with him since he was four weeks old, but I credit the fact that he is sixteen months and almost potty trained to our choice of cloth diapers.

I am not a huge environmentalist, but it is nice to know that we aren’t adding to the disgusting problem that has been created by all the disposable diapers that are thrown out.  Did you know when you throw out a paper diaper, it takes hundreds of years for it to decompose?  Yuck!  And, it is estimated that your paper diapers from your one baby will generate at least one ton of garbage.  Care about the environment or not, those nasty facts can not be ignored!

I urge you not to stop your research for the health of your family when it comes to what they wear on their bottoms!  And, maybe going straight to cloth isn’t an option.  Well, fortunately, there are safer, healthier disposable options out there.  Please, do your research! 

Some sites to look at:

Seventh Generation 

Earth’s Best

Hip Green Baby

G Diapers

Natracare

Luna Pads

Glad Rags

What about you?  Do you use paper or cloth?  If you’ve made the switch, I would love to hear why and how you did it.

Filed under: Children's Health

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15 Mar
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Not Me! Monday

Written by Dr. Cindy

NMM2

Last week, while having dinner with some classy friends and a fellow chiropractor, I did not loose half of my sandal.  I was not sitting at the table, feeling a bump under my foot which I thought was something wrong with my friend’s floor.  When I finally looked down, I did not see half of my sandal gone and start laughing hysterically.  As I showed JB, he did not glance behind me into the kitchen and say, “Oh my gosh, there is half of your shoe lying on her kitchen floor!”  I mean how embarassing if I would have had to throw my shoes away at their house and walk out barefoot, but I didn’t, not me!

Harper and I walked out to the mailbox last week, and we were met with a great surprise (for mommy).  When I ripped open the letter from the Registry of Midwives to find out I had passed my licensing exam, I did not wait to get back in the house to start jumping up and down and dancing in the street.  My neighbors did not think anything of this crazy behavior, if any of them were watching.  And, I certainly did not carry on so much that Harper started crying…  Nope, not me, mommy’s crazy behavior did not make Harper cry at all!

When JB called the other night to tell me he would be home shortly, I did not hang up the phone with with him only to have Harper walk up between my legs and bite the middle of my thigh, for no reason.  I did not call JB back and yell into the phone, “Come home now!”  And, I definitely do not still have a big purple bruise in the shape of Harper’s teeth on my leg…  Nope, not me!

What about you, care to share what you did not do?!  Head on over to MckMama’s Blog and join the fun!  Happy Monday!

Filed under: Not Me! Monday, Uncategorized

04 Mar
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Seasons…

Written by Dr. Cindy

thinkin

Well, the babies have not stopped coming, and for that I am very blessed!  Exhausted?  Yes, extremely!  But, blessed?  Yes, even more than exhausted!  Please bear with me, as I go through this season and my blog seems seldom updated at times.  I love blogging, but often times, sleep just wins out!  My poor readers, I am so sorry. 

I am reading a wonderful book right now; in fact, it is our new book for Mom’s Bible Study.  Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow has given me a lot to think about.  Dillow talks in the book about the light in which we see and paint our circumstances.  And, before I turn into bed for the night, I felt like I needed to share some of the thoughts in my head on my blog.  I know I have shared before about being thankful.  This subject was brought to mind again tonight.

It would be very easy to complain or feel frustrated about some circumstances in my life right now.  However, I keep going back to something that was spoken over me while I was pregnant with Harper.  It is so sweet to me how even though I serve a big (infinitely so) God, He still cares about the little details in my life.  He knew that I would need this word of encouragement as I raised Harper; and, He picked someone to say it to me at just the perfect time.  What they told me is: “Don’t despise the season.”  What did they mean by this?  Well, the explanation came from the book of Esther, chapter 4, to be specific.  It was so neat- as the Lord often does- because I had been reading through Esther at the time that I was given this word.  However, the person saying it to me did not know that I had been studying Esther.  Basically, they were trying to tell me that even though we go through situations we may not appreciate at the time, there is a greater reason for them.  And, instead of complaining, we need to look for that reason.  Don’t despise, but rather appreciate the season.  I could ramble on go so much more in depth with this explanation and all this word has meant to me, but I will suffice it to say just this little bit.  After all, it has been a busy week, and I am tired! 

It boils down to this though:  We have a choice!  We can despise our season, or we can appreciate it.  How many circumstances has God allowed me to walk through that He has used in my life later that I never could have foreseen Him using?!  I could make so many posts out of that one!  Or, how many times have I been caught complaining about a season, only to really miss that season when it is gone?  Or worse yet, how many times do I complain about my circumstances, failing to stop and look at the big picture that it could be so much worse?  My dad’s trip to Haiti sure did put that into perspective, as did many of my friends and acquaintances who have lost babies lately. 

How does this look on a practical, daily life level?  Well, the whole reason I am posting this is that as I was putting Harper to bed tonight, it didn’t go as easily as I would have hoped or was imagining.  It had been a long day- I had another birth, and haven’t gotten much done or much sleep.  JB normally puts Harper to bed, but wasn’t available tonight.  And of course, as often goes when there is so much to be done and I really need him to sleep, Harper took forever to be put to bed.  As I laid next to him, with my eyes shut wishing he would catch on and do the same, he climbed on me, practiced all of his vocabulary, and poked me in the eyeballs.  I could feel the clock ticking away, and I kept having to remind myself that even though my eyes were shut I needed to stay awake and get things done once he fell asleep.  His vocabulary recitation grew louder and louder, and sleep seemed more and more evasive, I could feel the frustration starting to rise up inside me.  All of sudden, I heard the words, “Don’t despise the season!” in my head, and my perspective changed in an instant.  I had been away from my precious baby and missing him all day.  Although outside my bedroom walls the world waited on me, I decided in that instant that the world could do just that- wait!  It can be very frustrating sometimes that my little boy doesn’t love sleep, and I don’t have the freedom I once enjoyed.  But, much more than that, it is so rewarding to be blessed with a little boy that loves to climb on his mama.  I get to come home and smell his hair, cuddle him and listen to him babble on and on.  One day, I know I’ll go in and peak in on him sleeping in his own bed, the co-sleeping days will be long gone, he’ll be the teenager who then loves to nap, and I will miss these ‘hard’ days and wish I had cherished the season more. 

Therefore, I choose to be content in my circumstances because I am so blessed!  Hopefully this will encourage you, as it has me.  What things in your life do you need to appreciate and view in a fresh perspective?  It is a short season, don’t despise it.

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