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Tips for Teething and Painful Gums!
Your little one’s gums might be sensitive long before any teeth pop through that adorable toothless smile. Before you reach for the infant acetaminophen, know that its use in babies under a year of age is linked to asthma. There are many natural things you can do in the meantime to ease her discomfort:
- freeze or refrigerate a wet washcloth for her to chew/suck on
- give her a cold, thick carrot (added benefit of developing a taste for healthy sweet food!)
- put an ice cube or frozen breast milk in a mesh feeder bag for a pain relieving popsicle
- giver him organic cotton or terrycloth toys to mouth
- use Hyland’s Teething Tablets or Boiron Camilia drops
please check back soon to purchase an exciting remedy used for years in Europe handmade exclusively for Integrative Moms!
Join a CSA
One of the best things you can do for the health of your family and your bank account is to join Community Supported Agriculture. Basically you pay in advance for a share of the farm, which helps the farmer with costs upfront. When the harvest is ready, you get to pick up your bags of fresh vegetables and fruits weekly. You’ll be eating organic, local food that is in season at a fraction of grocery store prices. What could be better than that? When it’s time to feed your baby, just steam and puree some of your share! For more information:
Pre & Postnatal Fitness
Doctors and Holistic Health and Fitness professionals now all agree that exercise both prenatal and postpartum can have a wonderful and positive effect on everything from overall well being, to an easier labor, and a speedy recovery. When working with pre & postnatal clients I have them pick up Annette Lang’s Training Fan. This is the perfect reference took that takes into account ACOG’s (American College of Pediatricians and Gynecologists) guidelines while addressing the woman as a whole. My clients find it easy to follow and note that it’s functional size is perfect for taking to the gym or when traveling. Click on image to buy at Amazon:
Natural Approach to Treating Thrush
The good news is that it will usually go away on its own within a few weeks, but in the meantime you can speed healing by:
- boiling any pacifiers and bottle nipples for 20 minutes after each use to sterilize them
- dab a little acidophilus on the spots in his/her mouth, or
- dissolve 1/8 teaspoon of lactobacillus bifidus in his/her bottle
If you are breastfeeding:
- take probiotics
- supplement with vitamin c
- avoid sugar (very important since yeast lives on sugar)