inemom

As my daughter’s first birthday approaches–tomorrow :)– I relish in the delightful year we’ve had together. Tomorrow we will celebrate with ours dearest and reflect on our daughter’s growth and love and light (and our growth as parents).  She’s taught us so much, mainly to listen to her and what she needs and be there for her. We have learned that she is happiest being an active participant in her everyday routine. My favorite author on this philosophy-of treating children as autonomous human beings deserving of the utmost respect-is Janet Lansbury. I am grateful for what I’ve learned from her work in this first year of mothering.

With my daughter’s first birthday comes out next visit to the doctor’s office and as nervous as I am, I plan to make my daughter as secure as she possibly can be by walking her through exactly what’s going to happen at her next appointment. Here’s a link to the article by Lansbury. I hope you enjoy her work as much as I do ❤️

http://www.janetlansbury.com/2010/01/this-may-hurt-why-some-babies-love-doctors-dentists-and-haircuts/

The Native Wilds Nest is a unique mommy-approved & mommy-made item with multi functions. It’s a super soft and stretchy bamboo item that serves three purposes: a nursing wrap/shawl,blanket, a car seat cover or “nest” and a shopping cart cover. 

We ordered ours to try it out and see what it’s all about! The black & white Lyla Nest is our favorite! Available on the Native Wilds website and their Etsy shop. 

Native Wilds Lyla Nest $49

  
http://nativewilds.com/collections/nest/products/lyla-nest

    
 

We’ve tried many nursing bras in a wide range of prices and here are our favorites ❤️

#1 Cosabella Never Say Never Mommie Nursing Soft Bra $79

  
  Why we love it: it’s comfortable, has no wires and is beautiful on the body. It’s lacy but is still lined with cotton which is important to us. 

https://m.shopbop.com/never-say-mommie-nursing-soft/vp/v=1/1552904636.htm?extid=SE_froogle_SC_usa&currencyCode=USD&ef_id=VT2H4gAABWq1Y6-y%3A20151120005758%3As&cvosrc=cse.google.COSAB40486&cvo_campaign=SB_Google_USD

Others that we like:

Lamaze cotton spandex sleep bra for nursing $16

  

Why we like it: offers support while sleeping with easy capability to nurse in the night. 

There are many great toys out there but this week I wanted to focus on Eco/green toys! Some of our favorites are:

Wooden activity gym by Heimess

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Band Set

Uncle Goose Block Set

Green Tones Endangered Animals Shaker Set

Green Tones Mama Bear Drum

Walk-Along Pull-Along Shape Sorting Turtle by Hape

Alphabet Abacus by Hape

Tea Set by Green Toys

Melissa & Doug Plush Rocking Horse

Skwish Natural Rattle and Teether by Manhattan Toy

Hand Made Montessori Toys:

Wooden Abacus Rattle

5 Sweet Montessori Toys in One Bag, Wooden & Cotton

 

And naturally–if you know me well–lots and lots of books!  Here are some of our recent favorite board books.  I don’t know who likes them more, mom or baby:

Baby Love (cloth book)

Black & White by Tana Hoban

Baby Look by Shanda LaRamee-Jones

On the Night You Were Born

Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You (both by Nancy Tillman)

Global Babies

Everywhere Babies

Ten Little Fingers & Ten Little Toes

Little Blue Truck

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt

Dear Zoo

My Big Animal Book

First 100 Words

My First Bilingual Fruit Book

Good Night, California

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Very Busy Spider

Little Fur Family

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do You See?

Pat the Bunny

Where’s Spot?

Peek-A-Who?

Where is Baby’s Belly Button?

Good Night Gorilla

Bear Snores On

The Snowy Day

 

Some may call me a hippie but I had a beautiful birth with my daughter and this is one of the women who inspired me to leave fear at the door- to my bedroom, not the hospital room. http://birthstorymovie.com/trailer/

“I’m not going to tell you where to give birth but I am going to tell you to ask questions and not to accept the first answer you hear.”

No matter where you choose to give birth, her books Spiritual Midwifery, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, and Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding are must reads. They changed my life! ‪#‎birthheroes‬ ‪#‎inamaygaskin‬ ‪#‎birthwithoutfear‬‪#‎midwives‬ ‪#‎doulas‬ ‪#‎homesweethomebirth‬

Ina May’s Books:

   

If you’re like me and the doctor’s ordered you off sugar, dairy and wheat (all the good stuff, right?!) you may find yourself asking, “What’s left?” 

Especially if you grew up eating a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast. 

As a nursing mom it’s important for me to get my calories and proteins in every meal. I have to make it count. So this is a breakfast that does just that. It’s delicious, savory and fairly easy to make. 

This dish calls for blanched broccolini. I like to keep blanched broccolini in my refrigerator so I have it on hand when making dishes like this. The steps to blanch broccolini are simple. Think of the steps you take to make pasta, only this calls for less time in the boiling water. You can add salt to the water of you desire. Cook time is 3-4 minutes for these veggies to get tender. Strain your broccolini and run under cold water before storing in the refrigerator. 

I use a Japanese rice cooker to make my brown rice because it’s easy and fool proof. I like to keep cooked rice in my refrigerator as well so I just have to heat it on the skillet when making dishes like this. 

Alas, this is a two pan breakfast. In one pan you will have water with two cap fulls of apple cider vinegar boiling to poach your farm eggs. In the other you will have olive oil and crushed garlic heating up where you will sauté your blanched broccolini and warm up your rice. 

Once your garlic is sautéed in the olive oil, add chopped broccolini and rice. Cover the pan with a lid. 

In the small pot with boiling water and apple cider vinegar add your farm eggs with the shells ON into the water for 30 seconds. Remove the eggs. Crack open the eggs directly into the water and let cook for approximately 4 minutes or until yolk is cooked to your desire (less time in the water means a runnier egg). 

Remove the lid from your sauté pan and stir your veggies and rice to ensure ingredients are getting heat on all sides. Once your eggs are done remove them with a small strainer or slatted spoon and place on a paper towel so excess water can be absorbed into the towel. 

Serve the sautéed rice and broccolini in a bowl. Top with the two farm eggs. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and herbs. Can drizzle balsamic vinegar if desired for taste. 

Bon Appétit!

  I often get asked what homeopathic remedies we use when baby is teething. Here are a few of our favorite things:

1) Boiron Chamomilla 30c homeopathic remedy

2) Genuine Baltic Amber Teething Necklace

3) Hyland’s Homeopathic Teething Tablets (daytime and nighttime)

4) Sophie the Giraffe Teether

5) Hyland’s Homeopathic Teething Gel

We use one of the homeopathic remedies you can find at the health food store, Chamomilla, in the 30c potency three times per day. Chamomilla is a particular favorite because it is used for teething and irritability as well as other symptoms such as constipation. I give baby 3 pellets once in the morning, once midday and once in the evening. My daughter is very used to taking her remedies so I am able to show her the pellets and she opens her mouth, ready for me to place them on her tongue.  She sucks on them until they’ve dissolved.  I make sure she is sitting up when I give them to her.  When she first started taking them, I would tuck the pellets in between her cheek and gum and that worked pretty well for her.

The amber teething necklace has been very a effective method in relieving teething pain. These necklaces have been used for a long time on babies and toddlers to relieve teething pain.  Amber is an ancient stone.  When worn against the skin, the warmth of the body heats up the stone and a healing, all natural oil is released onto baby’s skin.  This oil has anti inflammatory properties and helps relieve the inflammation associated with teething. When baby wears her necklace I have noticed she is much more comfortable on days when teething is particularly bothering her. She also has a dry shirt, which if you have been with a baby heavily teething you know that they can become soaked with drool. Since we’ve been using the necklace we have not needed to use a teething bib.

Hyland’s homeopathic teething tablets are great to give throughout the day while alternating with the Chamomilla 30c because they are a blend of a few different remedies that are helpful with teething and irritability. They are also in a lower potency so they can have a different effect on baby. We like to use the nighttime ones before naps and bedtime.

Sophie the giraffe teether is a favorite of our daughter’s. She can really gnaw on it her without hurting her gums.

Hyland’s homeopathic teething gel is a great alternative to the gels that numb baby’s gums.  This one is made of the same remedies we give orally for teething, just in a gel form. (Think of how we can use Arnica topically in a gel or cream and can also take the pellets orally. Same concept.)

There are other things not listed above that we’ve found particularly helpful such as a cold damp wash cloth on the gums (wet a cotton wash cloth and place in the fridge to cool). Baby’s favorite is a warm bubble bath with mama before bed. Yes, on days when baby needs the extra support, I get in the bath with her 🙂 I’ve found when the teething gets rough physical contact, especially skin to skin, is the most relaxing and soothing remedy of all. Plus, mama gets to soak and relax too. Just be sure to plan ahead and make sure you have someone to help you get baby in and out of the tub safely. 

Additionally, there are some great tethers out there without BPA. Green Sprouts makes a ring teether with liquid inside that can be chilled in the fridge or frozen, though our little one finds that if this one is frozen it’s too hard on her gums. Life Factory makes a silicone teether that can be frozen and stays soft. We have also found frozen blueberries or bananas in the Baby Safe feeder to be great.

Hope you find some of our tips helpful and soothing for you and your little one! Best wishes 🌟

 I love coming across pretty and unique things for my daughter to play with especially if they’re handmade by another mom!

These soft blocks are made by Vintage Baby Jane and can be found in their shop on Etsy.

I was looking for a quiet and soft toy that baby could play with before and after naps or bedtime that wouldn’t overstimulate her and also make for pretty decoration on her bed.

These sweet blocks are made of very soft cotton and have a little bell inside that’s just loud enough to hear when baby  shakes them.

These would make a great new baby gift for an expecting mom ♥️🎈

Blocks are one of a kind. Similar blocks to those pictures made by Vintage Baby Jane shop can be found here on Etsy:  http://etsy.me/1KEtZlW

A simple dish to make that’s delicious and healthy.

With this little tool you can make a variety of dishes to enjoy just like you would noodles-but guilt free!

For this recipe I used four baby green zucchini. I cut one end off and fed it into the zucchini pasta maker. Simply twist the zucchini into the tool and out comes a noodle-shaped product.

Easy Instructions: Boil one small pot of water, adding salt if desired. Cook the zucchini pasta for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender and strain in a colander.

In a separate pan heat up olive oil and pressed garlic. Add zucchini pasta. Stir fry on medium heat for approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and herbs.

Bon Appétit!

  
Today we made fresh applesauce and were able to enjoy it warm. What a treat!

The recipe is simple. You will need 2 organic apples of your choice. 

Peel the skin off the apples and fill a small pan 3/4 of the way with water. 

Place the apples in the water on medium heat, covered. 

When the water to boils, lower the heat. Allow the apples to cook for approximately 15 minutes, or until the apples become tender (cook time varies depending on size of apple). 

Once the apples are tender, separate the flesh of the apple from the core. Discard the core. 

Blend the apples and the boiled water (approximately 2 cups) in a blender. 

Blend for approximately 2-3 minutes alternating the speed from low to medium to high and back down to low again. 

Once the sauce has been well-blended and has a smooth consistency enjoy the first serving warm if you can! Pour the remainder of the applesauce into a glass container and allow to cool. Store in the refrigerator. 

This apple sauce makes a perfect starter food for baby. 

For mama, drizzle over ice cream for a delectable dessert. Enjoy!