OMG I love dessert. I do believe I am a sugar addict. But I know better. I know sugar is not good for me, especially in the quantities I consume. I have been thinking for months about going on a no-sugar diet. There are rules that need to be defined for such a diet.
1) Does sweet fruit count? It is sweet and does contain sugar - but it is natural sugar. So it's ok, right?
2) Does juice count? Similar to fruit, it has a lot of sugar in it naturally (bottle of grape juice in the fridge says 40g per serving!)
3) Do I limit my no-sugar diet to only include foods that do not have sugar on the label? 100% Fruit juice, for example, does not have _added_ sugar... So then I could still eat things that are sweet... but does that defeat the purpose?
4) What if I only have sugar on the holidays!
Well, let's see what that would look like for the year 2012 (since 2011 is already half over).
Jan 1 - New years. Wouldn't be the same without french toast for brunch!
Jan 23 - Chinese New Year. Fortune cookies?
Feb 5 - Someone's birthday. Cake! and maybe the Superbowl with snacks galore.
Feb 7 - Tu B'shevat (jew holiday like arbor day). Fruits and nuts - often covered in chocolate
Feb 14 - Valentines day. Huge box of chocolates!
Mar 8 - Purim. Homentaschen! (cookies with fruit in the middle)
Mar 17 - St Patrick's day. There's sugar in alcohol, right? Probably only the kind I drink.
Apr 7 - Passover. Haroset (apples, walnuts, sugar, cinnamon) and whatever dessert to complete the huge holiday feast.
Apr 8 - Easter. Cadbury eggs! Chocolate bunnies!
May 5 - Cinco de Mayo. More importantly, my wedding anniversary. Cake! Or chocolates! Preferably both!
May 13 - Mothers day. More chocolates? Maybe breakfast in bed which probably will include something with syrup on it. Please, boys.
May 24 - My birthday. Cake!
May 31- Another birthday. Cake!
June 17 - Father's day. I guess I could skip the sweets on this day.
July 14 - Bastille Day. Orangina, anyone? (childhood memory)
August - Nothing! What!
Sept - Nothing! What!
Oct 31 - Halloween. I don't even need to say.
Nov 22 - Thanksgiving. Pie!!
Nov 30 - Another birthday. Pie! I mean Cake!
Dec 9 - Chanukah. Gelt! every night for a week.
Dec 25 - Christmas. Cakes, pies, marshmallow yams, fruit loaf, etc etc.
Dec 31 - New Years Eve. I ask again, sugar in booze, yeah?
Ok, so if I really kept the sweets to ONLY the days above, then you could argue that's 23 or so days out of 365, which isn't that much sugar. However! For most of these holidays, we don't eat sugar on only the day itself. Halloween candy is in stores a month before the holiday, and you buy it early in preparation and munch on it until the day of, and then you eat whatever the trick or treaters don't take, so it is probably sitting around for another month at least. Same goes for the other Hallmark Holidays like mother's day, father's day, valentine's day. A box of chocolates should last a week or two, not just one day. A lot of the other holidays are huge feast celebrations, again, with leftovers for a week or two. And since the holidays only have a couple weeks in between, our exposure to holiday sweets is fairly constant. The only break I see is roughly June-Sept. So if I am going to try a sugar-free diet, my best chances of staying on it, free of Holiday Temptations, would be to start after that May 31st birthday, and see how long I can go. Maybe I will be lucky and kick the craving after a month or two so that when Halloween rolls around, I won't be so tempted to sneak my hand in my kid's treat bag. (that doesn't sound quite right, does it.)
Anyone else want to go sugar-free with me starting on June 1?
-NinaMama
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Because I cook for my children.
Our pediatrician shared this article today about the importance of family dinner and eating local, organic foods.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/family-dinner-how_b_806114.html
I love the idea of family dinner. But it rarely happens in my house. I started to think about all the real and perceived obstacles about sitting down and having a meal together.
Breakfast: We are all sleep deprived, all the time. So we hit the snooze button over and over again. By the time we can get ourselves up and out of bed, we're already late (for work, for school, whatever). There is no time for breakfast. Generally I'll get up a little earlier so that I have time to make some instant (!) oatmeal for my toddler, but he doesn't always have time to eat it before his ride to school leaves. And I sure don't have enough time to make breakfast for everyone, unless everyone (meaning my husband and I) wants instant oatmeal, which they (we?) don't.
Dinner: I get nervous just thinking about it. What am I going to make that both my toddler and husband will enjoy? Right now my toddler is on a no-diary diet, so that eliminates most of the things I like to cook. I know that whole grains are important, and want to provide that and/or beans, but often times they have to be soaked the night before, and I never think about dinner more than 10 hours in advance. My cooking is often criticized, which makes it difficult for me to be creative in the kitchen, or to pick out the "right" recipes. How will I know if this recipe that sounds really good will actually taste good when I make it? It gets good reviews online, but what will my critics think? I don't remember being taught how to cook anything other than pasta. People have stories about how their grandparents taught them how to cook everything, and I don't remember sharing the kitchen with my grandparents more than once, and I'm pretty sure I got shooed out of the way rather than asked to participate. My mom let me peel apples for a pie once. When I think about going to the grocery store, I don't trust myself to know how to pick out fresh and ripe produce. I don't feel like I know how to clean it properly, or cut it into the right sized shapes. I don't trust that the things labeled as organic are really organic, and have no way of knowing what their definition of organic is. I don't trust the produce. I know what we *should* be eating, and feel guilty when I serve things I know are bad for us. Family dinner has to be everyone's priority. I have to make it my priority to have a meal planned, groceries bought, and food prepared before my toddler gets home from school (otherwise his bedtime is too late). Then the idea of having him cook with me is out the window, unless I pick him up early from school each day, which then impedes my chances of planning the meal and getting the groceries. I have an infant, too, so trips to the store, with one strapped to my body and sometimes fussy or screaming, and the toddler wanting to get in and out of the cart, are not easy. Getting my toddler to sit still long enough to eat is another challenge. My husband has to make it a priority to leave work in time to get home for dinner, which is nearly impossible because of his commute time, work obligations, and my toddler's dinner/bath/bed routine which starts at 6pm.
So you see... for me, it is not so easy. The GUILT of KNOWING what is best and the inability to provide it weighs heavily on me. I keep on trying. Hopefully something will happen to make it easier. Clearly, I need more confidence in the kitchen. I'm not sure how to build that. Maybe take some cooking classes, but who has time for that with two little kids.
Enough of this pity party. I could have spent this time soaking some beans and finding a recipe for tomorrow night's dinner. Alas.
-NinaMama
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/family-dinner-how_b_806114.html
I love the idea of family dinner. But it rarely happens in my house. I started to think about all the real and perceived obstacles about sitting down and having a meal together.
Breakfast: We are all sleep deprived, all the time. So we hit the snooze button over and over again. By the time we can get ourselves up and out of bed, we're already late (for work, for school, whatever). There is no time for breakfast. Generally I'll get up a little earlier so that I have time to make some instant (!) oatmeal for my toddler, but he doesn't always have time to eat it before his ride to school leaves. And I sure don't have enough time to make breakfast for everyone, unless everyone (meaning my husband and I) wants instant oatmeal, which they (we?) don't.
Dinner: I get nervous just thinking about it. What am I going to make that both my toddler and husband will enjoy? Right now my toddler is on a no-diary diet, so that eliminates most of the things I like to cook. I know that whole grains are important, and want to provide that and/or beans, but often times they have to be soaked the night before, and I never think about dinner more than 10 hours in advance. My cooking is often criticized, which makes it difficult for me to be creative in the kitchen, or to pick out the "right" recipes. How will I know if this recipe that sounds really good will actually taste good when I make it? It gets good reviews online, but what will my critics think? I don't remember being taught how to cook anything other than pasta. People have stories about how their grandparents taught them how to cook everything, and I don't remember sharing the kitchen with my grandparents more than once, and I'm pretty sure I got shooed out of the way rather than asked to participate. My mom let me peel apples for a pie once. When I think about going to the grocery store, I don't trust myself to know how to pick out fresh and ripe produce. I don't feel like I know how to clean it properly, or cut it into the right sized shapes. I don't trust that the things labeled as organic are really organic, and have no way of knowing what their definition of organic is. I don't trust the produce. I know what we *should* be eating, and feel guilty when I serve things I know are bad for us. Family dinner has to be everyone's priority. I have to make it my priority to have a meal planned, groceries bought, and food prepared before my toddler gets home from school (otherwise his bedtime is too late). Then the idea of having him cook with me is out the window, unless I pick him up early from school each day, which then impedes my chances of planning the meal and getting the groceries. I have an infant, too, so trips to the store, with one strapped to my body and sometimes fussy or screaming, and the toddler wanting to get in and out of the cart, are not easy. Getting my toddler to sit still long enough to eat is another challenge. My husband has to make it a priority to leave work in time to get home for dinner, which is nearly impossible because of his commute time, work obligations, and my toddler's dinner/bath/bed routine which starts at 6pm.
So you see... for me, it is not so easy. The GUILT of KNOWING what is best and the inability to provide it weighs heavily on me. I keep on trying. Hopefully something will happen to make it easier. Clearly, I need more confidence in the kitchen. I'm not sure how to build that. Maybe take some cooking classes, but who has time for that with two little kids.
Enough of this pity party. I could have spent this time soaking some beans and finding a recipe for tomorrow night's dinner. Alas.
-NinaMama
Because I dress my kids in layers.
I wanted to write about the benefits of keeping children warm, but then someone sent me a link to this article, which says exactly what I had planned to say! Written by a doctor, no less. (though I did not verify her credentials...)
http://www.youandyourchildshealth.org/youandyourchildshealth/articles/the%20importance%20of%20warmth.html
We've all heard that you should dress your baby/child in one more layer than you are currently wearing. I had a lot of questions about how to do that, such as:
Does one layer of fleece (like a pair of footy pajamas) equal the warmth of two of my thin cotton layers? (like a tank top and tshirt) I know fleece is made of polyester and does not breathe, but that is partly why it feels warmer, it traps the heat inside (but also traps sweat that accumulates inside and could make the body cooler - see how confusing?!?)
Does a bra count as a layer?
Does a baby carrier/sling count as a layer?
If we are going to be in the car, is the extra layer necessary, considering how warm the car seat is? What if we just use a light blanket in the car instead? Or keep the heater on?
My baby is very big (so many thick rolls! love it!) and I generally wear 3-4 layers (I think - bra, tank, t shirt, sweater - SF is chilly, man!) . If I were to dress my baby in one more layer than what I have on, he would not be able to move very well. (think of maggie simpson in her snow suit) How do you accommodate for that?
I asked my peers these questions, and the resounding response was, "My kid is warm in x amount of clothes, so that is what he wears", where "x" tended to be 1 or 2 layers, equal to or less than the number of layers mama wears. This takes me back to the link I posted above, where you will read that children don't actually know when they are warm or cold, and it is our duty/gift to keep them warm, and so with that in mind, how do you dress your child, and round and round we go.
I suppose the 3-layer-adage is not one size fits all. My questions about how to correctly apply the layering standard were not addressed.
Anyone else care to chime in? I mean to answer my questions about layering, not about whether or not your child is warm. I am sure they think they are.
-NinaMama
Because I don't give unsolicited advice.
In my effort to spread knowledge without being critical or judgmental, I will strive to write according to these rules, which I received in a parenting class I took recently:
1. I will not analyze or interpret the motives of my readers. (ie "I think the real reason you yelled at your child is because you had a fight with your husband")
2. I will not probe into the privacy of my readers. (ie "If your son is so upset about not seeing enough of his father why can't your husband rearrange his schedule and get home sooner? Couldn't he get up fifteen minutes earlier in the morning? What time does he go to bed at night?")
3. I will not evaluate or pass judgment upon my readers. (ie "I don't think you handled that right. You were much too permissive.")
4. Any information learned about my readers or their children will remain confidential (assuming you send it to my private email - if you post a comment to the blog, well, it'll be public for all to see.)
5. I will not give unsolicited advice to my readers. (ie "I think if your son doesn't eat his sandwich for lunch, you should put it in the refrigerator and give it to him again for dinner.")
That last one is going to seem like grey area for the topics that interest me! But you'll notice that I won't ever (er, will try really really hard not to) tell you what you should or should not do. I will explain my concern about something and give my personal experience. If, from that, you choose to make a decision based on the information, that's up to you, but it won't be me telling you that you have to or should do it. See the subtle difference? You're reading this because you're interested in the topic and are seeking out information. I'm not here to tell you how to parent. I'm telling you how *I* parent.
Here's an example of the difference between me giving you unsolicited advice, and me telling my experience.
Unsolicited Advice: "If you want to stay in good company with your fellow parent friends, you should follow these 5 rules, too!"
My Experience: "I have found that when I follow these rules with my parent friends, we get along better and have more meaningful and fulfilling conversations."
Do you see the difference? That comment is totally true, btw. I try to follow these same rules with my husband, who has a different parenting style than me. Things run smoother when I follow the rules.
And if someone asks me for advice, I'll reply with my own experience or childhood memory, or preface my suggestion with "How would you feel about...?" (ie "How would you feel about putting the fixings for a sandwich on the table and letting him make his own?")
-NinaMama
1. I will not analyze or interpret the motives of my readers. (ie "I think the real reason you yelled at your child is because you had a fight with your husband")
2. I will not probe into the privacy of my readers. (ie "If your son is so upset about not seeing enough of his father why can't your husband rearrange his schedule and get home sooner? Couldn't he get up fifteen minutes earlier in the morning? What time does he go to bed at night?")
3. I will not evaluate or pass judgment upon my readers. (ie "I don't think you handled that right. You were much too permissive.")
4. Any information learned about my readers or their children will remain confidential (assuming you send it to my private email - if you post a comment to the blog, well, it'll be public for all to see.)
5. I will not give unsolicited advice to my readers. (ie "I think if your son doesn't eat his sandwich for lunch, you should put it in the refrigerator and give it to him again for dinner.")
That last one is going to seem like grey area for the topics that interest me! But you'll notice that I won't ever (er, will try really really hard not to) tell you what you should or should not do. I will explain my concern about something and give my personal experience. If, from that, you choose to make a decision based on the information, that's up to you, but it won't be me telling you that you have to or should do it. See the subtle difference? You're reading this because you're interested in the topic and are seeking out information. I'm not here to tell you how to parent. I'm telling you how *I* parent.
Here's an example of the difference between me giving you unsolicited advice, and me telling my experience.
Unsolicited Advice: "If you want to stay in good company with your fellow parent friends, you should follow these 5 rules, too!"
My Experience: "I have found that when I follow these rules with my parent friends, we get along better and have more meaningful and fulfilling conversations."
Do you see the difference? That comment is totally true, btw. I try to follow these same rules with my husband, who has a different parenting style than me. Things run smoother when I follow the rules.
And if someone asks me for advice, I'll reply with my own experience or childhood memory, or preface my suggestion with "How would you feel about...?" (ie "How would you feel about putting the fixings for a sandwich on the table and letting him make his own?")
-NinaMama
Because I am informed.
I made some assumptions when I started this blog.
I assumed that I am privy to a certain type or level of information that others are not, due to my own experiences and location. I assumed that if I didn't know it before, if I am only just learning something now, in my 30s, then there must be other people (parents) who also don't know about it yet.
I assumed that if I couldn't find information online to support the idea/info, it must not be very well known.
I assumed people are not informed.
I assumed people want to be informed.
(Wow, that's a lot of ass making. Oh my.)
That last one proves to be false most of the time. People don't want to be given new information, especially if it is news that what they are doing or using could be in some way harmful. I looked through the list of topics I want to write about, and most of them will touch on a subject that explains why that thing, or its alternative, is harmful.
I know that I will hear a lot of people saying "but my kid likes it" or "I did that and my kid is just fine". I'm sure both of those things are true. But we all know that liking something doesn't make it good for us (crack cocaine?) and the harmful effects that are not spoken about are the ones that are difficult to detect (like brain or emotional health and development), that we may not discover until our kids are grown, and so it is hard to say, really, whether or not our kids are, or will be, "fine". (also makes me wonder who defines "fine")
I don't want you to get on the defensive. I'm not trying to insult you. What I want is for you to know both sides of the story so that you can make educated decisions and find balance for yourself and your family. In most cases, I assume (again) the general public isn't aware that the thing is harmful at all. Maybe they never thought about the effects, or they were told otherwise, or who knows what. In some cases, I assume we (society?) just don't think to question safety in the ways I'll write about.
In the end, all I care about is spreading knowledge. I do get passionate about certain subjects, but I know that if I stray too far from my goal, someone out there will let me know.
-NinaMama
I assumed that I am privy to a certain type or level of information that others are not, due to my own experiences and location. I assumed that if I didn't know it before, if I am only just learning something now, in my 30s, then there must be other people (parents) who also don't know about it yet.
I assumed that if I couldn't find information online to support the idea/info, it must not be very well known.
I assumed people are not informed.
I assumed people want to be informed.
(Wow, that's a lot of ass making. Oh my.)
That last one proves to be false most of the time. People don't want to be given new information, especially if it is news that what they are doing or using could be in some way harmful. I looked through the list of topics I want to write about, and most of them will touch on a subject that explains why that thing, or its alternative, is harmful.
I know that I will hear a lot of people saying "but my kid likes it" or "I did that and my kid is just fine". I'm sure both of those things are true. But we all know that liking something doesn't make it good for us (crack cocaine?) and the harmful effects that are not spoken about are the ones that are difficult to detect (like brain or emotional health and development), that we may not discover until our kids are grown, and so it is hard to say, really, whether or not our kids are, or will be, "fine". (also makes me wonder who defines "fine")
I don't want you to get on the defensive. I'm not trying to insult you. What I want is for you to know both sides of the story so that you can make educated decisions and find balance for yourself and your family. In most cases, I assume (again) the general public isn't aware that the thing is harmful at all. Maybe they never thought about the effects, or they were told otherwise, or who knows what. In some cases, I assume we (society?) just don't think to question safety in the ways I'll write about.
In the end, all I care about is spreading knowledge. I do get passionate about certain subjects, but I know that if I stray too far from my goal, someone out there will let me know.
-NinaMama
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Because I use a nose hose.
My kids get congested a lot. Over the years, we've accumulated quite an array of nasal aspirators. Some of them don't work at all, some of them work a little, one of them works really well.
Plastic Bulbs
I have a bulb-style aspirator from American Red Cross that is white, and has a flat side with a little hatch. I think the packaging marketed this as being great to make cleaning of the bulb easier. The problem with this one is that the plastic is so hard, I can't squeeze the damn thing. Totally useless. I have another bulb-style aspirator, in the shape of an elephant, with the same problem - too hard to squeeze. Fun bath toy, tho.
I also have two other bulb-styles that are just run of the mill blue plastic, I know one came from the hospital when my second son was born, chances are the other one came from the same hospital when my first was born. One of them works pretty well - the plastic is soft enough to get a good squeeze, and the air sucks back in pretty quickly to create enough suction to get boogers out. The trouble is that it takes a lot of tries (maybe the vacuum area is too small) and baby gets annoyed before the job is done.
The other one I have is a bit smaller, but doesn't suck the air back in quick enough after it is squeezed. I'm not sure if this is due to the type/quality/age of the plastic or what. But just wanted to note: Two bulbs that look the same may not perform the same. Had I not tried many different types of aspirators, I may have thought that this one was fine, that I was doing it wrong, or that all aspirators worked that way. They don't. If it doesn't suck well, (so tempted, but I won't say it), then you should get a different one.
Motorized
Next up is the motorized aspirator. What were we thinking when we bought this? Oh yea, "Our kid is miserable and we'll do anything we can to help him. Buy every single nose sucker thing you can find until you get one that works!" This one doesn't work. It is SO LOUD. The suction noise it makes is really scary. My kid wouldn't let me get anywhere near him with it, and there is NO WAY to use it while he sleeps, the noise would wake him up. Luckily, all is not lost. This thing also comes with a button that plays creepy mechanical sounding lullabys to help soothe baby into submission. So now my toddler runs around with it so he can press the button and listen to the music. And sometimes he pushes the suction button so he can scare himself a little. Oh also, this thing comes with a weird little cup where the snot is supposed to collect after you suck it out of their nose, but I was never able to get any more out than what fits in the tip of the thing that goes in the nose.
You Suck
This last one works the best. The NoseFrida. You actually suck the snot right out of your kid's nose.
It has a stiff mouth piece at one end with a little lip on it which makes it easy to bite down on to hold it in place. Then there is a hose (thus, "nose hose") which is plenty long enough to stretch from you to baby without putting your face too close to theirs. Then a little blue sponge that is designed to keep the air going into your mouth clean and free of bacteria etc that comes out of baby's nose. Then there is a wider tube with a hole at the end where the snot collects. This last part is detachable for easy cleaning, and the little sponge replaceable for good hygiene.
The benefits are that you can control the amount and duration of the suction, the opening at the end is much bigger than the blue bulbs so you increase the vacuum area and get more out in less time, it is virtually SILENT (aside from the satisfying wet gurgly sound it makes when the snot comes out), and the snot collection area is clear, so you can actually see how much you get and you can see when it is clean after you rinse it out.
It looks a bit odd, and it takes some getting used to. I didn't like it the first few tries. When I sucked air through it, I tasted this horrible plasticy flavor. Really gross. Then, I rinsed it out, and tried again, but accidentally got some water into the hose part, so that when I sucked, some water droplets went into my mouth. Of course, my brain thought it was snot (probably because the day before I actually did suck snot directly out of my baby's nose as he was really uncomfortable and I neglected to bring the bulb with me. It was a "what do they do in Africa" moment.) and I gagged pretty hard. I stopped using it after that for a while, until a friend of mine commented on how well it works for her. I gave it another go, and realized that gross plastic flavor wears off, and the snot-in-mouth sensation does, too, especially if the hose is dry. Now this is the only aspirator I use.
My toddler will sometimes let me use it on him, but only after he tries it on me first (only fair, right? good teaching moment - wash between uses and especially between noses). Generally, I use it on him while he's sleeping. He's pretty strong and wriggly when he doesn't want me to use it. The NoseFrida has a big enough opening at the end to work well on toddlers, the blue bulbs are a bit too small. I mean, ideally, a toddler would be blowing his own nose, but mine refuses to for one reason or another. Funny, since 6 months ago he'd use up an entire roll of TP just practicing blowing his totally mucus-free nose.
My infant has two reactions to the NoseFrida. When he's awake and in a good mood, he kind of takes a deep breath as I suck from his nose, and giggles a bit as if it tickles. When something is really stuck in there or it is a lot of snot or he's tired and just wants to be able to fall asleep, he really doesn't like it and will wiggle his head back and forth and scream. Poor little guy. I also wonder how it feels to be so congested and have snot sucked out this way, must put pressure on his ears. How uncomfortable.
And remember - loosen hard, sticky boogers before trying to suck them out. You can use a gentle saline solution (drop it into baby's nose from your clean finger, or get a nose sprayer from the drug store), or, my favorite, a well-aimed squirt of breastmilk, right up the nose. Works wonders :)
-NinaMama
Plastic Bulbs
I have a bulb-style aspirator from American Red Cross that is white, and has a flat side with a little hatch. I think the packaging marketed this as being great to make cleaning of the bulb easier. The problem with this one is that the plastic is so hard, I can't squeeze the damn thing. Totally useless. I have another bulb-style aspirator, in the shape of an elephant, with the same problem - too hard to squeeze. Fun bath toy, tho.
I also have two other bulb-styles that are just run of the mill blue plastic, I know one came from the hospital when my second son was born, chances are the other one came from the same hospital when my first was born. One of them works pretty well - the plastic is soft enough to get a good squeeze, and the air sucks back in pretty quickly to create enough suction to get boogers out. The trouble is that it takes a lot of tries (maybe the vacuum area is too small) and baby gets annoyed before the job is done.
The other one I have is a bit smaller, but doesn't suck the air back in quick enough after it is squeezed. I'm not sure if this is due to the type/quality/age of the plastic or what. But just wanted to note: Two bulbs that look the same may not perform the same. Had I not tried many different types of aspirators, I may have thought that this one was fine, that I was doing it wrong, or that all aspirators worked that way. They don't. If it doesn't suck well, (so tempted, but I won't say it), then you should get a different one.
Motorized
Next up is the motorized aspirator. What were we thinking when we bought this? Oh yea, "Our kid is miserable and we'll do anything we can to help him. Buy every single nose sucker thing you can find until you get one that works!" This one doesn't work. It is SO LOUD. The suction noise it makes is really scary. My kid wouldn't let me get anywhere near him with it, and there is NO WAY to use it while he sleeps, the noise would wake him up. Luckily, all is not lost. This thing also comes with a button that plays creepy mechanical sounding lullabys to help soothe baby into submission. So now my toddler runs around with it so he can press the button and listen to the music. And sometimes he pushes the suction button so he can scare himself a little. Oh also, this thing comes with a weird little cup where the snot is supposed to collect after you suck it out of their nose, but I was never able to get any more out than what fits in the tip of the thing that goes in the nose.
You Suck
This last one works the best. The NoseFrida. You actually suck the snot right out of your kid's nose.
It has a stiff mouth piece at one end with a little lip on it which makes it easy to bite down on to hold it in place. Then there is a hose (thus, "nose hose") which is plenty long enough to stretch from you to baby without putting your face too close to theirs. Then a little blue sponge that is designed to keep the air going into your mouth clean and free of bacteria etc that comes out of baby's nose. Then there is a wider tube with a hole at the end where the snot collects. This last part is detachable for easy cleaning, and the little sponge replaceable for good hygiene.
The benefits are that you can control the amount and duration of the suction, the opening at the end is much bigger than the blue bulbs so you increase the vacuum area and get more out in less time, it is virtually SILENT (aside from the satisfying wet gurgly sound it makes when the snot comes out), and the snot collection area is clear, so you can actually see how much you get and you can see when it is clean after you rinse it out.
It looks a bit odd, and it takes some getting used to. I didn't like it the first few tries. When I sucked air through it, I tasted this horrible plasticy flavor. Really gross. Then, I rinsed it out, and tried again, but accidentally got some water into the hose part, so that when I sucked, some water droplets went into my mouth. Of course, my brain thought it was snot (probably because the day before I actually did suck snot directly out of my baby's nose as he was really uncomfortable and I neglected to bring the bulb with me. It was a "what do they do in Africa" moment.) and I gagged pretty hard. I stopped using it after that for a while, until a friend of mine commented on how well it works for her. I gave it another go, and realized that gross plastic flavor wears off, and the snot-in-mouth sensation does, too, especially if the hose is dry. Now this is the only aspirator I use.
My toddler will sometimes let me use it on him, but only after he tries it on me first (only fair, right? good teaching moment - wash between uses and especially between noses). Generally, I use it on him while he's sleeping. He's pretty strong and wriggly when he doesn't want me to use it. The NoseFrida has a big enough opening at the end to work well on toddlers, the blue bulbs are a bit too small. I mean, ideally, a toddler would be blowing his own nose, but mine refuses to for one reason or another. Funny, since 6 months ago he'd use up an entire roll of TP just practicing blowing his totally mucus-free nose.
My infant has two reactions to the NoseFrida. When he's awake and in a good mood, he kind of takes a deep breath as I suck from his nose, and giggles a bit as if it tickles. When something is really stuck in there or it is a lot of snot or he's tired and just wants to be able to fall asleep, he really doesn't like it and will wiggle his head back and forth and scream. Poor little guy. I also wonder how it feels to be so congested and have snot sucked out this way, must put pressure on his ears. How uncomfortable.
And remember - loosen hard, sticky boogers before trying to suck them out. You can use a gentle saline solution (drop it into baby's nose from your clean finger, or get a nose sprayer from the drug store), or, my favorite, a well-aimed squirt of breastmilk, right up the nose. Works wonders :)
-NinaMama
Monday, April 18, 2011
Because I make things for my kids.
I wanted to make a heavy blanket for my almost-3 year old, thinking that a little more weight at night will help keep him feeling safe and secure and in his bed rather than mine. I remembered a blanket my mom made, it was corduroy and had this thick, heavy, yucky (ie not cleaned or bleached) looking cotton filling (there was a hole in the blanket where the insides were coming out - I suppose it was used a lot!).
You can't find this type of batting (for you non-crafters, that's the term used for the stuff that goes between the fabric in a quilt) anymore. I did find some organic cotton/bamboo blend batting at Joann's, of all places (they have little else that is "organic" or "green" in their store), but it is really thin and light weight.
I did some research on how weighted blankets are made, knowing they are popular among kids with sensory issues and adults with restless leg syndrome. I assumed I'd find a lot of information, and I did! These blankets are generally made by sewing two pieces of fabric together with vertical tunnels, filling the tunnels with a little bit of weighted material (rice, sand, beans, poly pellets, etc.), then sewing horizontally to keep the weighted material in place, repeating this process until the blanket is done. Interesting! But not really the way I wanted to weight down the blanket. I just wanted the fabrics and batting themselves to be heavy. So how do I do that?
Well, I found some other website asking a similar question, and they said that back in day, people would take old blankets, like old wool army blankets (thin, but heavy), and use those for the batting. What a good idea! However, this is for my kid who is about to embark on potty training. It needs to be fully washable. Wool, if you don't know, shouldn't be washed because it felts up and shrinks and can become stiff and no longer useable as a blanket. I *do* have a wool puddle pad on his bed, because wool is a natural moisture barrier, but I don't wash it. I want to be able to wash his blanket without worrying about it.
I was thinking about this ever since we returned from the fabric store, where my toddler picked out, by himself, the corduroy and flannel fabrics I'll use for his blanket. Somehow, the colors and patterns he chose complement his room perfectly. I swear I did not guide his choices, aside from denying one pink floral fleece (I prefer to use cotton fabrics - organic, too, but those are hard to find). Anyway, what to do to make the blanket as heavy as I want it to be?
I found the answer laying on his bed this morning. A blanket I crocheted many years ago which I now can't stand to look at because the colors don't go with anything and it is just getting old and ratty, but I can't bare throw it out. Perfect!! It is really heavy, and made out of some kind of acrylic that, while not a natural fiber, won't shrink. The only problem is that it is a bit bulky and bumpy, but I think if I sandwich it between the soft organic cotton batting and the other fabrics, the end result ought to be just right.
Stay tuned for the finished product!
-NinaMama
You can't find this type of batting (for you non-crafters, that's the term used for the stuff that goes between the fabric in a quilt) anymore. I did find some organic cotton/bamboo blend batting at Joann's, of all places (they have little else that is "organic" or "green" in their store), but it is really thin and light weight.
I did some research on how weighted blankets are made, knowing they are popular among kids with sensory issues and adults with restless leg syndrome. I assumed I'd find a lot of information, and I did! These blankets are generally made by sewing two pieces of fabric together with vertical tunnels, filling the tunnels with a little bit of weighted material (rice, sand, beans, poly pellets, etc.), then sewing horizontally to keep the weighted material in place, repeating this process until the blanket is done. Interesting! But not really the way I wanted to weight down the blanket. I just wanted the fabrics and batting themselves to be heavy. So how do I do that?
Well, I found some other website asking a similar question, and they said that back in day, people would take old blankets, like old wool army blankets (thin, but heavy), and use those for the batting. What a good idea! However, this is for my kid who is about to embark on potty training. It needs to be fully washable. Wool, if you don't know, shouldn't be washed because it felts up and shrinks and can become stiff and no longer useable as a blanket. I *do* have a wool puddle pad on his bed, because wool is a natural moisture barrier, but I don't wash it. I want to be able to wash his blanket without worrying about it.
I was thinking about this ever since we returned from the fabric store, where my toddler picked out, by himself, the corduroy and flannel fabrics I'll use for his blanket. Somehow, the colors and patterns he chose complement his room perfectly. I swear I did not guide his choices, aside from denying one pink floral fleece (I prefer to use cotton fabrics - organic, too, but those are hard to find). Anyway, what to do to make the blanket as heavy as I want it to be?
I found the answer laying on his bed this morning. A blanket I crocheted many years ago which I now can't stand to look at because the colors don't go with anything and it is just getting old and ratty, but I can't bare throw it out. Perfect!! It is really heavy, and made out of some kind of acrylic that, while not a natural fiber, won't shrink. The only problem is that it is a bit bulky and bumpy, but I think if I sandwich it between the soft organic cotton batting and the other fabrics, the end result ought to be just right.
Stay tuned for the finished product!
-NinaMama
Because I don't trust baby gear.
I am really passionate about the issue of baby gear. I define "gear" as any man-made device meant to help or enhance the care and development of our children. I believe that we do not need any of it, and most everything designed to "help" our kids actually hinders their development in some way.
A short list of products that drive me the most batty:
Bumbos/Bebe Pod
Doorway bouncers
Exersaucers
The reasons I dislike these three devices in particular basically sums up why I dislike most baby gear. Babies just don't need it in order to develop, and we unwittingly cause undue strain on our kids, and really limit their potential for brain development, when we put them in these things.
For example, the Bumbo, designed to "help" a baby sit up before they are ready to do so on their own, puts a lot of stress on their developing spine, limits the baby's opportunity to develop the muscles needed to be able to sit up on their own, and, most importantly, limits brain development because the child is not learning, on their own, how to sit up. If you do it for them, they won't make the connection in their brain that "oh, if I move my leg this way, and put my arm down this way, I can sit up like this." Instead they learn "if I cry, mom will put me in my chair so I can sit up."
What REALLY makes me mad about the Bumbo is all the *great* reviews it gets and how much parents love it. It is really difficult to find any documentation, blog or otherwise, that supports the point of view that this is a dangerous device that should be used with careful consideration and at most only a few minutes at a time. The only negative press this thing gets is from a recall telling parents not to set the thing on a table top or counter or their kid might fall down and break their head. What would parents think if this was recalled because of how it hinders brain development? The closest we've come to that was the Baby Einstein recall, when all of their products were marketed as "educational" while many studies show that any tv watching by infants is, actually, not educational at all. But that is another topic to explore later. You can ask a pediatric physical therapist about Bumbos, they use them sometimes for serious cases of developmental delays or other special needs babies, but for a normally developing kid, they'll tell you what I'm telling you. A few minutes a day - max.
I was just reading some Bumbo reviews and someone is saying it encourages good posture. What! Why does a 4 month old baby need "good posture"?! and in what way can it possibly encourage that! It does the exact opposite, it puts strain on the spine, hips, knees, legs. How can that encourage good posture later in life if the child has to compensate for that strain? Also, if you search for "bumbo review", you will only find good reviews. If you search for something like "bumbo development" or "bumbo spine", you'll get the real story. Here is my favorite review of the Bumbo. It is not written from the POV of a physical therapist (though I would love to find a review that is), but it puts some real common sense into the practical use of a Bumbo, regardless of the claims about whether it helps or hinders development:
http://www.babygizmo.com/news/bumbo.php
Back to what I was talking about...
A doorway bouncer (or any kind of bouncer, really), encourages the baby's leg muscles to develop faster than the bone that supports the leg. It also adds stress to the spine.
Exersaucers follow the same pattern, too much stress on the spine, encourages muscle growth before bone growth, limits the baby's ability to form necessary connections in the brain.
I never would have thought to question the safety or risks of using these very popular tools had I not had the (mis?)fortune of working with physical therapists when my son was 0-9months old. I feel like the information these professionals have is hidden to most parents. Who would ever suspect that this thing, whose packaging claims how great it is for your baby, that gets RAVE reviews from parents, could possibly do any harm at all?
Questioning product safety isn't generally a way that parents are taught to think about buying or using any baby product. But now I question everything. Does my baby really need this in order to develop (mentally, physically, emotionally) normally? What do parents in impoverished countries use instead of this? (generally, the answer to this question is "nothing", because you really don't _need_ any of this stuff to raise your kids). I think about the possible un-marketed, hidden, unstudied effects of its use, and I take that into consideration before I buy anything. Most of the time, I heave a big sigh and put it back on the shelf, it looks so fun and I know my kid would like it! But I have to be more vigilant and trust in my sons' ability to develop without "help".
Another aspect to baby gear is the parent's need. Almost all of this stuff is developed because the parent needs it - not the baby. In general, we don't live near family anymore. There is no village to help us raise our children. So we have to build -things- to take the place of those extra hands. Parenting is hard, we need a break sometimes, and if the only way to get that break is to put the baby in a bouncer, well, there are worse things that could happen.
Being aware of the risks of all these products is what is important. If you know what the potential risk is, then you can limit the use to only what you absolutely need, and balance that with an adequate amount of time that the baby spends on the floor flat on their back and on their tummies, or in your arms.
-NinaMama
Disclaimer:
I am a bit of a hypocrite. I bought a Bumbo, before I knew the risks. Thank goodness it broke before I had a chance to use it (wondering how you can possibly break a bumbo? well, the two-tone ones with something that looks like a removable handle where the tray goes... that piece isn't actually removable, unless you pull really, really hard. really.). I used the doorway jumper, but never more than 5 minutes a day, so I could go to the bathroom or just rest my arms for a bit. By the time my kid was big/old enough for an exersaucer, I felt I "knew better" and didn't even bother with it.
A short list of products that drive me the most batty:
Bumbos/Bebe Pod
Doorway bouncers
Exersaucers
The reasons I dislike these three devices in particular basically sums up why I dislike most baby gear. Babies just don't need it in order to develop, and we unwittingly cause undue strain on our kids, and really limit their potential for brain development, when we put them in these things.
For example, the Bumbo, designed to "help" a baby sit up before they are ready to do so on their own, puts a lot of stress on their developing spine, limits the baby's opportunity to develop the muscles needed to be able to sit up on their own, and, most importantly, limits brain development because the child is not learning, on their own, how to sit up. If you do it for them, they won't make the connection in their brain that "oh, if I move my leg this way, and put my arm down this way, I can sit up like this." Instead they learn "if I cry, mom will put me in my chair so I can sit up."
What REALLY makes me mad about the Bumbo is all the *great* reviews it gets and how much parents love it. It is really difficult to find any documentation, blog or otherwise, that supports the point of view that this is a dangerous device that should be used with careful consideration and at most only a few minutes at a time. The only negative press this thing gets is from a recall telling parents not to set the thing on a table top or counter or their kid might fall down and break their head. What would parents think if this was recalled because of how it hinders brain development? The closest we've come to that was the Baby Einstein recall, when all of their products were marketed as "educational" while many studies show that any tv watching by infants is, actually, not educational at all. But that is another topic to explore later. You can ask a pediatric physical therapist about Bumbos, they use them sometimes for serious cases of developmental delays or other special needs babies, but for a normally developing kid, they'll tell you what I'm telling you. A few minutes a day - max.
I was just reading some Bumbo reviews and someone is saying it encourages good posture. What! Why does a 4 month old baby need "good posture"?! and in what way can it possibly encourage that! It does the exact opposite, it puts strain on the spine, hips, knees, legs. How can that encourage good posture later in life if the child has to compensate for that strain? Also, if you search for "bumbo review", you will only find good reviews. If you search for something like "bumbo development" or "bumbo spine", you'll get the real story. Here is my favorite review of the Bumbo. It is not written from the POV of a physical therapist (though I would love to find a review that is), but it puts some real common sense into the practical use of a Bumbo, regardless of the claims about whether it helps or hinders development:
http://www.babygizmo.com/news/bumbo.php
Back to what I was talking about...
A doorway bouncer (or any kind of bouncer, really), encourages the baby's leg muscles to develop faster than the bone that supports the leg. It also adds stress to the spine.
Exersaucers follow the same pattern, too much stress on the spine, encourages muscle growth before bone growth, limits the baby's ability to form necessary connections in the brain.
I never would have thought to question the safety or risks of using these very popular tools had I not had the (mis?)fortune of working with physical therapists when my son was 0-9months old. I feel like the information these professionals have is hidden to most parents. Who would ever suspect that this thing, whose packaging claims how great it is for your baby, that gets RAVE reviews from parents, could possibly do any harm at all?
Questioning product safety isn't generally a way that parents are taught to think about buying or using any baby product. But now I question everything. Does my baby really need this in order to develop (mentally, physically, emotionally) normally? What do parents in impoverished countries use instead of this? (generally, the answer to this question is "nothing", because you really don't _need_ any of this stuff to raise your kids). I think about the possible un-marketed, hidden, unstudied effects of its use, and I take that into consideration before I buy anything. Most of the time, I heave a big sigh and put it back on the shelf, it looks so fun and I know my kid would like it! But I have to be more vigilant and trust in my sons' ability to develop without "help".
Another aspect to baby gear is the parent's need. Almost all of this stuff is developed because the parent needs it - not the baby. In general, we don't live near family anymore. There is no village to help us raise our children. So we have to build -things- to take the place of those extra hands. Parenting is hard, we need a break sometimes, and if the only way to get that break is to put the baby in a bouncer, well, there are worse things that could happen.
Being aware of the risks of all these products is what is important. If you know what the potential risk is, then you can limit the use to only what you absolutely need, and balance that with an adequate amount of time that the baby spends on the floor flat on their back and on their tummies, or in your arms.
-NinaMama
Disclaimer:
I am a bit of a hypocrite. I bought a Bumbo, before I knew the risks. Thank goodness it broke before I had a chance to use it (wondering how you can possibly break a bumbo? well, the two-tone ones with something that looks like a removable handle where the tray goes... that piece isn't actually removable, unless you pull really, really hard. really.). I used the doorway jumper, but never more than 5 minutes a day, so I could go to the bathroom or just rest my arms for a bit. By the time my kid was big/old enough for an exersaucer, I felt I "knew better" and didn't even bother with it.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Because I have a blog
I'm going to use this "first blog post" space to save my notes and mini-ideas about things I want to write about later. No boring intro for you to read here! But possibly an idea of interest that you may want to come back to read about later.
Ideas:
Why some baby gear is not good for baby, even if the packaging says it is.
New cars - no such thing as "environmentally friendly", so how do you choose one?
Benefits of Attachment, Unconditional parenting styles
The diaper debate - cloth, disposable, compostable
Self Help - be a better parent by taking care of yourself and improving relationships within the family (PAX)
Education - why I believe in unschooling and waldorf, yet send my son to montessori
Nose Aspirator Review
Non-critical way to give fellow parents advice
Rant on how people treat their children, "Do you really think I need this right now? You're being nasty, stop it." imagine how that kid feels!
Books I like - how to talk so kids will listen, unconditional parenting, dr sears (all), baby moves (maybe this should be a page in itself that I can constantly add to)
Baby's first foods - 4mo? 6mo? Rice cereal? Raw Liver?
Threats and name calling - links to sites explaining what happens for kids when you do
Country life vs city life
Because I don't bathe my infant every day, and don't use soap on my toddler everyday (environmental impact, health impact)
Fire Retardants in everything
importance of organic beds and bedding, how big box stores make you think theirs is organic when it really isnt. wool puddle pads vs plastic sheets.
Because I don't bribe my kids
Because I keep my children warm - what counts as "one extra layer"?
Feeding babies safely - is it possible? store bought, even organic, can have trace amounts of baddies that can build up in their system over time. you just never know what happens in the factory, if the machines are cleaned, if the packaging facility is in good condition and working order, so many unknowns. cant trust it, even the reputable brands. homemade can have pesticides. produce is labeled organic, but what is the farm's definition of organic? how organic is it?
All natural cleaners - vinegar, baking soda - what about store bought "natural" cleaners?
Because i leave my kids alone (not in the house by themselves, I just let them be without interfering in their game or whatever)
Crime and punishment of mothers (stories on my mind - young mother shakes baby to death so she can play farmville, 10mo baby drowns while mom checks facebook, mother of 4 drives into a river with all her kids in the car, the oldest survives)
Defensive parents
Social support and understanding of mothers needs (goes along with crime and punishment)
Ideas:
New cars - no such thing as "environmentally friendly", so how do you choose one?
Benefits of Attachment, Unconditional parenting styles
The diaper debate - cloth, disposable, compostable
Self Help - be a better parent by taking care of yourself and improving relationships within the family (PAX)
Education - why I believe in unschooling and waldorf, yet send my son to montessori
Rant on how people treat their children, "Do you really think I need this right now? You're being nasty, stop it." imagine how that kid feels!
Books I like - how to talk so kids will listen, unconditional parenting, dr sears (all), baby moves (maybe this should be a page in itself that I can constantly add to)
Baby's first foods - 4mo? 6mo? Rice cereal? Raw Liver?
Threats and name calling - links to sites explaining what happens for kids when you do
Country life vs city life
Because I don't bathe my infant every day, and don't use soap on my toddler everyday (environmental impact, health impact)
Fire Retardants in everything
importance of organic beds and bedding, how big box stores make you think theirs is organic when it really isnt. wool puddle pads vs plastic sheets.
Because I don't bribe my kids
Because I keep my children warm - what counts as "one extra layer"?
Feeding babies safely - is it possible? store bought, even organic, can have trace amounts of baddies that can build up in their system over time. you just never know what happens in the factory, if the machines are cleaned, if the packaging facility is in good condition and working order, so many unknowns. cant trust it, even the reputable brands. homemade can have pesticides. produce is labeled organic, but what is the farm's definition of organic? how organic is it?
All natural cleaners - vinegar, baking soda - what about store bought "natural" cleaners?
Because i leave my kids alone (not in the house by themselves, I just let them be without interfering in their game or whatever)
Crime and punishment of mothers (stories on my mind - young mother shakes baby to death so she can play farmville, 10mo baby drowns while mom checks facebook, mother of 4 drives into a river with all her kids in the car, the oldest survives)
Defensive parents
Social support and understanding of mothers needs (goes along with crime and punishment)
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