New Mama Toolkit- Sponsored Post

The first few weeks post partum are bliss, unconditional love, joy, wonder, and awe combined with exhaustion, anxiety and discomfort.The reason behind the bliss, love and joy needs no explanation, but as for the others:

Exhaustion due to recovering from giving birth, the constant demands of new tiny human and the infamous sleepless nights-I remember my mom saying, “Don’t worry, he’ll start sleeping better in about four months.” What? Did I really have it in me to make it four more months without sleeping through the night? Yet somehow we all adapt and discover how much we actually can function on no sleep. Here I am almost five years after the birth of my first child, and I have not had a full 8 hours straight since then.

Anxiety because I wondered if I was doing everything right or if I was doing anything right. Where was this supposed maternal instinct? And then I was constantly watching to make sure the baby was breathing…every time he was asleep- also a contributing factor to my exhaustion- and I still find myself doing it!

Discomfort from nine months of a changing, stretching, growing body, going into labor, giving birth, learning how to breastfeed a new creature, and the hormone surges and dips that can lead to sluggish bowels.

So I’ve created a New Mama Toolkit- things to have on hand at the hospital and for the first few weeks at home that can help alleviate some of these discomforts.

A great breastfeeding pillow that can double as a body pillow- one you can put behind your back, between your legs, or even to prop up your own head. Then, when the baby comes, you’re prepared with a pillow you can nurse him on. This will take some of the strain off of your already aching body.

A comfortable nightgown and robe- one that makes you feel good. I chose black so I didn’t have to worry about any possible stains.

Nipple cream, booby tubes, cabbage leaves, a water bottle and a supportive nursing bra to prevent any possible issues with breastfeeding.

As for the constipation, I try to do everything as naturally as I can, and there are ways to relieve constipation during pregnancy and after delivery through nutrition. However I will gladly integrate conventional medicine whenever going the natural route just doesn’t work. (Integrative Mom!)

A few things you can do for sluggish bowels-

1) Take short walks as soon as you can- any movement will help get the bowels moving

2) Eat foods high in fiber

3)Drink plenty of fluids

4) Ask your doctor about taking a stool softener (Absolutely imperative if you are pregnant or breast feeding) a great one to try is DulcoEase® Pink™

DulcoEase® Pink™ Stool Softener contains the #1 OB/GYN recommended stool softener ingredient* ducosate sodium. It Prevents and Relieves constipation, is stimulant free, and provides comfortable relief within 12-72 hours.

If you are interested in trying it, click here for $1.50 off a box.

Every new mother’s toolkit should include DulcoEase® Pink™, the #1 OB/GYN recommended ingredient* for going #2. So if you are pregnant or breast feeding, ask your doctor if you should think Pink. Find savings on DulcoEase® Pink™ at www.MomsTalkDulcoEase.com!

*Among stool softener ingredients

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of DulcoEase® Pink™. The opinions and text are all mine.

Prevention

How To Remove a Tick

Holly 4 Comments

A friend and I once joked that we love all things natural, it’s nature we can do without. Of course this was after a particularly long hike on a hot day with our four children 3 and under, where we had encountered all sorts of “interesting” things.

And when we were wondering what all the little yellow things were in our hair, we were still holding it together. It was when we realized they were worms that had fallen from the trees that we high-tailed it out of there.

As the dowager countess of Downton Abby so eloquently put it, “That’s the thing about nature. There is so much of it.”

Yes.

It is often so breathtakingly beautiful.

In some places, ticks come with the territory.

I made it through my first tick incident, and can now check “removing a tick from my toddler” off of the list.

And I’m quite certain I will not use the phrase “full as a tick” ever again.

After I discovered the tick in my sweet baby’s hair it looked like a scene straight out of The Internship, as we stood in the bathroom and my sister-in-law googled what to do and my mother-in-law and I tried everything she said as quickly as she read it to us.

My sister was there too, and said she wanted to come in but had no idea what to do and didn’t want to add to the chaos.

Then my brother-in- law (who has four kids) casually walked in, grabbed a pair of tweezers, and took care of business. Aaah. Crisis averted. Until I stayed up all night researching ticks, tick bites, diseases they carry, etc. Never a good idea.

Here’s what I learned post traumatic tick incident:

Don’t follow all the old wives’ tales such as smothering them with petroleum jelly or nail polish, and don’t try to burn them with a match. (Again, a movie came to mind. City Of Angels with Seth asking for olive oil, rubbing alcohol or a match, and Maggie running around saying “We can’t just be burning tick heads!”)

Try this first: Saturate a cotton ball in liquid soap, place it on the tick for 30 seconds, and when you take it off hopefully the tick is on the cotton ball.

If that doesn’t work: Use tweezers and grasp as close to the tick head as possible, making sure not to twist or pinch too hard. Quickly pull the tick out.

3. Thoroughly clean the area with rubbing alcohol

4. Put the tick in a plastic bag and freeze it for 2-3 weeks. (Gross) If a fever or a rash develops within the next 2 weeks, head to the doctor’s office and take the tick with you. (again, gross.)

Every time I opened the freezer I was faced with that little pest. And if you know me personally this will come as no surprise, I got a magnifying glass and tried to identify the species of the tick and decipher approximately how long it had taken up residence (based on how full it was). I did this more than once.

I kept a very watchful eye on my boy, and thankfully we are well past the two week mark. But now we all know how to remove a tick!

Books, Nutrition, Reviews

It Is, In Fact, All Good

Holly Leave a comment

I’ve been reading Gwyneth Paltrow’s blog GOOP since its inception in 2008. I’ve always enjoyed reading about some of the places I traveled pre-children and I love checking out her latest fashion picks. All the recipes I’ve tried have been delicious too.

When her most recent cookbook was released, It’s All Good: Delicious, Easy Recipes That Will Make You Look Good and Feel Great there were lots of negative reviews, and plenty of mom blogs were very critical of it. I heard it described as Marie Antoinette-ish as in “let them eat cake.”

I wasn’t sure I wanted another cookbook, as I develop a lot of my own recipes and have been in a good rhythm with my meal planning. But one review put me over the edge and I knew I had to check it out.

During nap time on the day I received it, I read the whole book cover to cover.

The photographs are beautiful, and her personal anecdotes are relatable and authentic.
And from some of the critical reviews I read, I was expecting all kinds of crazy unattainable ingredients, which is not the case at all. I already use everything in these recipes…things like quinoa, honey, sesame seeds, sweet potato, ground chicken, kale, avocado…what’s not to like?

The recipes are quite easy to make and everything has turned out delicious- the biggest test for me is whether or not my kids will eat the dishes in the cook book.

After a long walk last night we came home later than usual and I realized I did not have dinner prepped. In fact I didn’t even know what i was going to make.

We had just picked up some leeks and basil from the farmer’s market, and I had some cod fillets in the refrigerator. I made gluten free fish fingers, roasted leeks and pasta with fresh basil pesto. In 30 minutes dinner was on they table.

I must admit- I had a hard time not gloating over how fabulous everything tasted. But the pesto was amazing. And so were the fish fingers. And when was the last time you saw a 4 or 1 and a half year old eat leeks? That’s what I thought. The kids gobbled everything up.

I have also tried the pumpkin pie shake as an afternoon snack, and it was a huge success. The meatballs and sesame carrots sticks were another dinner favorite.

Again, I base everything on how readily my two small boys will eat what I serve. When it comes to the recipes in Gwyneth’s new cookbook, they have liked everything.

Why yes, It’s All Good.

Giveaways, Nutrition, Reviews

Sambazon Juice and Smoothie Review and Giveaway

Holly 54 Comments

I’ve been a fan of Samabazon‘s variety of juices for years. My husband and I met the founders of the company in New York City a few years ago, and they were genuinely passionate about their product.

Sambazon is both Organic and Fair Trade certified, supporting two million acres of the Amazon Rainforest and over 10,000 family farmers. This company is truly dedicated to bringing the next level of nutrition to the world while supporting the environmental
and social well-being of the Brazilian Amazon and its people.

They recently released a new line of smoothies, and Green Moms Meet sent me some for review.

I tried the energy, the blended breakfast, and the super greens with kale and ginger.

I definitely had more energy after drinking that smoothie- something that is always appreciated by a mom of young kids. The super greens with kale and ginger was tasty with just the right amount of gingery kick, and I always feel great about consuming kale in any form. The blended breakfast was filling and enjoyed by my husband and both of my boys. Drinking a sweet purple drink always makes them happy, and of course I’m happy because it’s full of antioxidants, omega 3s, and organic superfoods!

The bottom line? They are all delicious! And really my biggest test is whether or not my kids will drink them.

I look forward to trying the chocolate almond and coconut protein smoothie!

Here are some facts about the company:
• Sambazon juices and smoothies are made with the finest organic Amazon SuperfoodsTM on the planet such as Açaí [Ah-sigh-ee], Acerola [Ah-sir-o-la], and Yerba Mate [Yur-ba Mah-tay].
• Their juices and smoothies are available in ten different delicious flavor varieties, and packed with antioxidants and healthy omega 3-6-9s.
• All Sambazon Superfood juices are NON-GMO, USDA organic, vegan, gluten-free, and provide whole food nutrition.

Available in a range of functional flavors providing a variety of health benefits
• Açaí/Antioxidant: This Original Amazon superfood juice is bursting with powerful antioxidants and healthy omegas. It’s a delicious way to combat free radicals and comes in two flavors: Original or Açaí+Blueberry+Pomegranate.
• Energy: This potent blend of Açaí berries, Yerba Mate, and Guarana delivers a whole food experience that boosts the body and mind the way nature intended. Energy is available in two flavors: A rich berry superfood juice blend with 50mg of organic caffeine per bottle, and a new Mocha Java superfood smoothie with 80mg of organic caffeine from fair trade coffee beans, plus a hint of chocolate.
• Protein: These indulgent smoothies are packed with 10g of organic vegan whole food protein per bottle (which helps to build lean muscle) and healthy omegas to keep you full longer. It comes in three yummy flavors: Açaí berry + Vanilla; Açaí berry + Chocolate; Chocolate + Almond + Coconut milk
• Supergreens with Kale + Ginger: This is a potent blend of Açaí berries, a powerful new blend of six varieties, plus a hint of ginger. It delivers around two servings of whole fruits and veggies, without added sugar.
• Blended Breakfast: This is the first beverage to combine whole fruit with ancient grains (like quinoa and amaranth), chia, and Organic/Non-GMO verified soymilk for a smoothie that sustains and nourishes. This delicious strawberry-banana blend is also a good source of fiber (7g per bottle).

Samabazon has agreed to give one reader of Integrative Mom three free product vouchers, plus a wooden bowl and spoon valued at $45. Open to U.S. residents only.

To enter please leave a comment on this post! I will choose a winner using random.org on June 10th, 2013.

For extra entries:
Like Integrative Mom on Facebook (then leave another comment on this post telling me you did)
Follow Integrative Mom on Twitter (then leave another comment on this post telling me you did)
Like Sambazon on Facebook (then leave another comment on this post telling me you did)

Good Luck!

• Disclaimer: I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms MeetSM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms MeetSM blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

Prevention

You Know You’re Getting Old When…

Holly 2 Comments

Today at lunch my 4 and a half year old was talking about “the 90s,” asking if we had to do everything by hand.

I had never heard him refer to a decade before, so i asked, “How do you know about the 90s sweetie?”

“I just know way back in the 90s there was nothing electric.”

Ah yes. The olden days of the 1990s. Before the turn of the century.

And then:

“Can we go back to doing laundry the way you used to have to do it in the nineties with a bucket of water and a washboard and that wringing thing? That way is so much more fun.”