Blog
October 03, 2014
“Bonding is a loving experience. The absence of bonding is fear.”
~Barbara Findeisen, Lifelong Patterns of Fear & Wholeness
This past weekend, we had the opportunity to celebrate 20 years of Attachment Parenting International at the Pathways to Child Flourishing Conference. Since 1994, Attachment Parenting International (API) has brought experts, parents and families together for mutual support, education and empathy. Their commitment and actions are providing guidance and community strength to transform and heal the suffering from inherited patterns of parenting that do not serve healthy connection and trust in our children. The API founders, Lysa Parker and Barbara Nicholson, their Board of Directors, parenting support groups, and members all bring their experience to API. They learn together, through their collective insight, success, and clear scientific research to share and
October 02, 2014
Safe sleep is an issue that regularly makes the news, and something parents may experience anxiety about. If your child is sleeping in your room, their own room or bed sharing we want to reduce the risk of SIDS, we can do this when we put our child down to sleep in a safe environment. Here are some safe sleep tips.
Always place your child on their back to sleep. If they can roll over onto their tummy you do not need to worry about them sleeping on their side or tummy.
Do not let your child have a pillow or any stuffed animals in their sleep space until they are at least 12 months old.
Do not use a crib bumper, these can be a suffocation risk.
If bed sharing, make sure that there is no gap between the mattress and headboard or wall.
The ideal
September 02, 2014
Whether it’s your first venture into motherhood or you’ve walked this journey before, bringing a life into the world is a task unlike any other. From having your days filled with diaper duty and sleepless nights to getting in as much cuddle time as possible and being lost in your little love’s eyes, the one thing we can all agree on as new moms is that we’re much shorter on time for ourselves than we used to be. You are your best self when you take some quality time. And because we know how hard that is to come by for the first few months, Ergobaby and I have teamed up to create yoga sequences for you that allow you to incorporate your babe right into your practice, safely nestled into your Ergobaby Wrap.
We’ll be offering a practice for each quarter of the first year, to take you through the newborn phase all the way up until your little one has their first birthday. You can do the practice pose
August 01, 2014
Babywearing and breastfeeding often go hand in hand; breastfeeding encouraged and even made easier by babywearing and babywearing encouraged and even made easier by breastfeeding. There can be a learning curve to figuring that out though but worth taking the time to see if it is something that would work for you. Once I got the hang of breastfeeding in a carrier it made it so much easier to chase around my other children (I have 6 total, keeping up is a big job!) and meet my baby's needs too. Whatever carrier you have or prefer, breastfeeding is likely possible while babywearing.
Feeding a baby in a carrier is totally doable. It may not be easy at first, but with a little patience and practice, you and your baby will get the hang of it in no time.
July 18, 2014
I happen to be in the Hawaiian islands at the moment for a very special 4th of July weekend. My dad lives here now – he moved from Southern California about 8 years ago. That said, he isn’t here. He is in LA for cancer treatments before he gets to come home to this beautiful island of Kauii. My dad and I came here together nearly every year for yoga retreats when I was a child. So let’s just say I’m feeling a bit nostalgic.
Those of you who know me know I have two boys – ages 8 and 11. It was one of my first trips to Hawaii with my eldest when I was introduced to Ergo. Ergo was the brand I loved most passionately as a mom of young babies. Both my boys ended up calling our Ergo the ‘pack-pack’ and lived in it from being tiny little creatures to about 3 years old.
Another thing I’ve been doing since being a small child is making sunscreen and personal care products. My dad founded a skincare company called Epicuren the same year I was born. It is still a family business. When my babies
July 16, 2014
Some days it is a struggle just to feed the kids lunch. Where on your priority list does making a healthy, tasty lunch for you fall? I hear ya.
Here is an easy option, full of super foods and good protein. Have some basic ingredients on hand, and you could be eating in less than five minutes.
About some of the ingredients:
Salmon – Full of healthy fats and omega 3’s. Keep some smoked salmon on hand in the fridge, ready to eat. Lately I have been enjoying “hot smoked” salmon more than lox. I found some wild-caught hot smoked salmon at Trader Joe’s that is almost as good as the salmon my husband smokes at home.
Avocado – A great source of vitamins and fiber. It provides a creamy taste to meals without dairy. Bonus, cut up tiny bits for baby finger food or mush with the back of a spoon. (Why make separate food for them when they can enjoy the same ingredients?)
Pickled Strawberries – Fermented foods provide beneficial probiotics, great for your digestive track. Pickled
June 30, 2014
My oldest is nearly 3-years-old. This year she was able to plan for Father’s Day. We talked about things we could do to play with him and make him happy. She wanted to buy him a small toy that “he would like.” I agreed that something like a ball would be a sweet gift from her so they could play together.
So the Wednesday before Father’s Day we went shopping. As we got out of the car she insisted we go to the drug store with the “red letters.” Like most 2- and 3-year-olds, my daughter knows what she wants. Usually the opposite of what I suggest. But I am trying to roll with it as much as possible.
With baby sister dozing in the Ergo, we strolled through the seasonal toy aisle. I tried to steer her towards beach toys, which we could use anyway, but she wasn’t interested. I tried to entice her with all the options for balls, like we had originally planned. Nope. She had her eye on this cheap, plastic, made in China, fishing toy. You know, the kind of toy that breaks in a day, is forgotten
June 26, 2014
Organic. Ethical. Ergonomic.
We're thrilled to announce that we are adding three gorgeous and eco-friendly carriers to our Organic Collection. Comfortable, safe, ergonomic and made from 100% Organic Cotton fabric (Oeko-Tex Certified), the Organic Collection is designed with your family and the planet in mind. With fabric as pure as baby's breath, each carrier is crafted with sustainable materials in a responsible, environmental manner.
The beautiful Ergobaby Organic Dandelion Carrier features a vintage-inspired all-over dandelion print in a soft, neutral taupe color that is sure to become your new everyday basic. A staple of childhood, blowing on a Dandelion releases dozens of seeds, illustrating letting go and starting something new.
Zen mama. Trust your
June 24, 2014
[caption id="attachment_6825" align="aligncenter" width="1262"] PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNIFER EMERLING[/caption]
Earlier this month, we partnered with Erica Chidi from The Mama Circle to work with some first time mamas. Nurturing women into motherhood and helping new parents feel confident as they transition into a new phase of their lives, The Mama Circle is a wonderful support and resource for new parents in the Los Angeles area. Erica opened up her garden to some gorgeous new mamas and babes for a first foods class. Gathered around a beautiful breakfast spread (mama needs nurturing food
June 05, 2014
Rewind to December 2009. My wife was 11 weeks pregnant, and I was going to be a dad for the first time. In June of 2010 (ironically, the due date was a day before Father's Day) I was going to meet the baby boy or girl that I was already completely in love with...and then my world came crashing down. Three days prior to Christmas 2009, my wife and I lost our baby. I understand that bad things can happen during the first trimester, but that didn't ease our devastation. I put on a brave face for my wife by saying everything will be OK, and I told my inner circle that we'll dust ourselves off and try again - but privately I was a mess.
I didn't eat, I lost a lot of weight, and spent a lot of my private moments in tears. I knew I had to move forward, but I didn't know how. I would hear stories of deadbeat dads, lazy dads, and dads who frankly don't give a crap - and I would become enraged. How in the world could someone father a child and not want to be involved in their lives? I'd give up