New Baby!

I know it's a month late (4 weeks to be exact) but I'd like to finally announce the arrival of baby #3! We welcomed baby Michael on June 3rd at 7:50 am. He weighed 8 pounds 1 ounce, a lot less than Joseph did, and I could totally feel the difference in labor. He has blond hair and blue eyes (so far, things might change)and he's as cute as ever. I love him so much and am so happy to have him as part of our family. More birth details coming soon-ish.

Trying to Get Pregnant?

Don't get too excited, I'm not announcing anything here haa haa. Rosie and Joseph have been sick this week so I was looking up some stuff online and came across this website. http://www.babycenter.com/ovulation-calculator It tells you when your most fertile days are and when the baby would be due if you did conceive. Obviously it's possible to get pregnant anytime during your cycle as many women can prove, but this information tells you when it's the MOST possible.

I think it's good to know your most fertile days so you can get your body ready and increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy. It's highly recommended to avoid alcohol and caffeine. Experts generally agree that low to moderate caffeine consumption (less than 300 mgs a day or about two 8-ounce mugs of coffee) won't get in the way of getting pregnant. But you might want to cut out caffeine altogether if you're having difficulty conceiving or undergoing in vitro fertilization. You're also going to want to take a pre-natal vitamin with higher iron and folic acid. I was low in iron when I was pregnant with Joseph and my energy was incredibly low and I always felt light headed. Folic acid, sometimes called folate, is a B vitamin (B9) found mostly in leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach, orange juice, and enriched grains. Repeated studies have shown that women who get 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) daily prior to conception and during early pregnancy reduce the risk that their baby will be born with a serious neural tube defect (a birth defect involving incomplete development of the brain and spinal cord) by up to 70%. Folic acid prevents some birth defects like spina bifida.

When I decide that it's time for another baby (notice I said "when"), I'll certainly be checking out this website so I can coordinate the best times to "try".

To all the mommy wannabes out there, don't forget to be healthy and have fun "trying" ;)

Teething Pain Solved

Any parent will agree, when your baby is teething IT'S HELL (or heck, or... is it bad to say hell?) Back in the day... WAY back in the day, parents used to rub - get this - RUM in their babies mouths! WHAT?! Seriously? Alcohol in a babies' mouth? Well no wonder it worked, the babies were too drunk and doped-up to complain about the teething pain. I'm sorry to tell you that today that is just unacceptable for so many reasons. The main reason is that alcohol can put put your baby into convulsions (scary!)

Thankfully there are other options and they are work wonderfully to relieve the pain. There's the usual, Tylenol or Advil and that's great before bed, but let's be honest, even if it works we just can't give our babies this stuff day in and day out. Then there's Orajel, the stuff that numbs away the teething pain. I HATE that stuff! It works for about 5 minutes tops and it full of toxins. I refuse to use it! My favorite thing to use when my babies are teething is all natural, last for at an hour or longer, and calms my baby down. It's called Highlands Homeopathic Teething Tablets. They cost about $10/bottle. They are toxin free, and side effect free (at least I've never heard of or seen any side effects in my experience) They dissolve instantly in a babies mouth and they taste sweet, so it's easy to get your baby to take them. They also contain chamomile and therefore bring a calming effect to your baby. You can find them at Nutrition House, some Shoppers Drug Marts, and most Health Food Stores. Give them a try and let me know what you think.

Hmmmm.... I think Joseph needs some now.

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

"I make milk. What's your super power?" Why I decided to breastfeed.

I am a mother of two beautiful children, Rosie, and Joseph. When Rosie was born, two years ago, I made the decision to breastfeed. It was a very difficult and painful thing for both myself and baby to learn, but we persevered, and I'm so glad we did. Of course when Joseph came along 18 months later, breastfeeding was the obvious choice. There is just something so precious about holding a tiny baby in your arms , knowing you are providing him or her with the best nutrition possible. Here are just some of the benefits to breastfeeding for baby AND mommy. (There's a lot more benefits, I just can't remember all of them).

Baby
- Breastfeeding is the healthiest, most natural way to feed your baby. Each mother's breast milk is uniquely formulated for her own baby
- Creates a wonderful opportunity for mommy and baby to bond
- Contains all the right minerals and the right balance of nutrients
- Mommy's milk is easiest to digest.
- Mommy's milk contains the fatty acids essential to the development of the baby’s nervous system and vision. This may be one of the reasons why breastfed babies’ IQ are 8 to 10 points higher than that of formula-fed babies
- Breastfed babies cry less and have less digestive troubles
- Breast milk contains anti-bodies necessary to fight infections and illness such as ear infections
- Breastfeeding releases endorphins, which creates a feeling of relaxation and well being in mother and baby, and is even an ideal pain reliever for the baby
- Protection against SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)
- Protection from allergies such as eczema
- Improved mouth and jaw development

Mommy
- Helps stimulate hormones that shrink your uterus back to its pre-pregnancy size
- Lowered risk for ovarian cancer and osteoporosis
- Less likely to get pre-menopausal breast cancer
- Breastfeeding helps you lose weight after pregnancy. It can burn up to 500 calories a day (How awesome is that!?)
- Breastfeeding is free. Formula feeding can cost around $200 a month.
- Breastfeeding is easy. You can feed anytime and anyplace. No bottles to sterilize, prepare, warm-up, and clean.
- Less postpartum depression

As I was writing this blog post, my husband brought my baby in to feed. He looked up at me with his adorable chubby cheeks and gave me the cutest smile! What a wonderful bonding experience!

What do you love about breastfeeding? Tell me about it.

Me Ka Aloha (With Love)
- Elisabeth

For more information about breastfeeding visit

www.lllc.ca/
http://www.drjacknewman.com/
http://www.breastfeeding.com/