Page 28 - Blog
May 27, 2014
My husband and I can’t help but laugh over all the things we never thought we’d say as parents that pop out of our mouths (“What did I just tell you?” “Listen to your mother.”) We love our kids to bits, but man, is being a parent tough sometimes! In the new book All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood, award-winning journalist Jennifer Senior digs deep into this push-pull conundrum, looking at how parenting has changed over the last half century. She talked with me about some of the fascinating things she learned.
In All Joy and No Fun, you explore how, as parents today, we feel that the overall job of parenting is incredibly satisfying and fulfilling—all joy—but the day-to-day stuff completely wears us out—no fun. But you also discovered that that’s in great part because modern parents demand so much of themselves, right?
We do demand so much of ourselves! And a lot of it is about the context we’re living in. There are different external pressures we’re responding
May 09, 2014
Treat mom or yourself to a bright and festive meal that celebrates spring. Don’t feel like you need to make all the dishes—pick two or three and enjoy with all the special women in your life.
Ruby Sparkler
Makes 1 cocktail 2 ounces (60ml) RHUBARB-PLUM SYRUP (see below) 1 tablespoon ST. GERMAIN LIQUEUR 4 ounces (125ml) chilled PROSECCO or CAVA Pour the rhubarb syrup into a Champagne flute. Add the St. Germain and slowly pour in the prosecco or cava. Toast to Mother’s Day!
Rhubarb Plum Syrup
Makes 2 cups syrup 1 cup (122g) diced RHUBARB (from about 2 stalks) 1 ripe PLUM, pitted and sliced into wedges 1 cup (250ml) light AGAVE NECTAR 1. In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients. Add 11⁄4 cups (300ml) of water and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the syrup is bright red and the fruit has fallen apart, about 5 minutes. 2. Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve, catching the strained syrup in a bowl below. (The fruit can be
May 05, 2014
Some women like to clean and organize. I’m more of a cook. But I am human. And cooking at 9 months pregnant and immediately after a baby is not easy. So when nesting hit me at the end of my last pregnancy, I was focused on FOOD! Let me share with you some ideas that helped me stock up my freezer and cupboards with easy to grab snacks and meals.
Easy to eat snacks for energy when breastfeeding:
Apples and Almond Butter
Dates and Almonds
Chocolate Milk!
Instant Oatmeal
Raw Energy Bites (As a bonus, this recipe helps with milk production)
Carrots and Hummus
Cashews and other nuts
When you do cook, make double and freeze the rest.
Buy some disposable foil casserole pans. Make one lasagna (for example) in your regular pan to eat right away and a second in the disposable pan to freeze.
For a round up of dishes that freeze well, please see my recent post “The Best Meals to Freeze Before Baby Arrives” featuring Pomegranate Lamb Moussaka, and other unexpected meals to put up.
Ask for meals instead
April 30, 2014
In the United States, the speed with which a mother recovers from birth and “gets her body back” is measured in weeks, not months. Magazines flaunt celebrities who lost the baby weight in just 2 weeks, dashed back to work after a mere month, while effortlessly bouncing a baby on their hip. Women are expected to return to work 6 weeks after giving birth, just as if nothing had happened. We are one of the only cultures that does not value the importance of slowing down and asking for support in the postpartum year. I would like to help change that. Here are ten tips for how you can enhance your physical, emotional and mental health in the first year after giving birth – whether this is your first or fifth baby.
Stay in Bed
As long as you can! Take all the help you can get in the first year after your baby/babies are born, and don’t feel guilty about it. A midwife I know has this rule of thumb: 1st week – in the bed, 2nd week -‐ around the bed, 3rd week around the house, 4th
April 24, 2014
Back in 2002, a mother living on Maui was not satisfied with the baby carrying options available to her. Looking to keep her new son close to her body, she tried seven different carriers, some of which worked fairly well, but nothing that satisfied her needs for comfort and ergonomics. With a background in design, she set out to create something that was both comfortable and easy for parents to use. With that, the ergonomic, comfortable design of the Ergobaby Baby Carrier was born.
With that humble design, Karin Frost revolutionized how we carry babies. Her soft structured carrier (SSC) design has become the gold standard. As we are celebrating our 10 year birthday, we wanted to visit with our founder, Karin Frost to hear about Ergobaby origins, how she helped change the safety testing for SSC's and the road ahead for Ergobaby.
Tell us about how you started Ergobaby
One of my most treasured and tender moments was feeling my sleeping baby close to my body, the rising and falling
April 23, 2014
If you've ever bought baby or toddler yogurt you know if can be expensive. At our local store, it ends up being about $1 a serving for the organic baby yogurt. Not only that, but it is loaded with sugar (besides the sugar found naturally in fruit). Our little one is a big fan of yogurt, and I think it can be a healthy part of her meals, but I prefer to make it at home with no added sugar and much, much cheaper.
In order to make baby yogurt you will need a yogurt maker. Also, you will need 10-12 hours from start to finish. Only about 20 minutes of this is actual hands-on time though.
Homemade Baby Yogurt
It takes anywhere from 10-12 hours to make yogurt from start to finish, but only about 20 minutes of it is active time.
Ingredients
4 cups of organic, hormone-free whole milk
1/2 cup whole milk yogurt
Fruit stir-ins: natural applesauce, blueberries*, bananas*, or peaches*
Directions:
1. Make the yogurt. This post from 101 Cookbooks is great on explaining how. It is the one I follow all the
April 18, 2014
Newborn little babies are brand new to the world. Those first few months out of the womb (sometimes called the fourth trimester) are best spent snuggling, warm, close, and connected together. Taking care of baby and getting used to your new life together. In those first few months of life, you are her world. However, mama starts yearning to re-emerge into the world just as baby starts communicating she is ready to reach out and explore. As she grows, she depends on you to help guide her and show her the world. Babywearing offers a safe space with which to begin to share the world with your baby. Mama's body is still a baby's home base, but you are able to reach out together. However, as you start venturing out, exploring and sharing the world with baby, remember to follow your baby's cues and trust your instinct. Babies are born with an immature nervous system and they have difficulty regulating this busy world they are presented with, so they sometimes get overwhelmed or
April 17, 2014
In the first months of life, you are her world. As she grows, she depends on you to help her reach out and explore. Babywearing gives baby a safe place to begin this evolution, right next to you, with your support, love and attention. Mama's body is still baby's home base, but you have a way to reach out together.
After 10 years of pioneering comfort and ergonomic design in baby carriers, we've worked with midwives, babywearing consultants and parents to create the Four Position 360 Baby Carrier. This carrier offers the standard front-inward, hip, and back carry positions. And now for the first time, for those babies who are ready to engage with the world, we have listened to parents, meticulously tested, and thoughtfully created the safest and most comfortable baby carrier that supports baby in an ergonomic seated position front-outward position. When baby tells you she's ready, the Ergobaby Four Position 360 gives you every option to go explore the world.
With the Ergobaby
April 11, 2014
There’s something magical about the summer sun, fresh air, and the great outdoors. As a mom, some of my fondest memories are of summertime adventures with my little ones. Whether it's a walk in the park or a hike through a lush forest, these moments are even more special when you have your baby close to you, sharing the experience. In this blog, I’ll explore the joys and benefits of using baby carriers during summer adventures, and how Ergobaby products can make your outdoor excursions even better.
The Benefits of Summer Adventures with Babies
Physical Benefits of Outdoor Adventures
Getting outside with your baby isn't just fun; it’s also incredibly beneficial for both of you. Fresh air and sunshine are great for everyone, but especially for babies and parents. Regular outdoor activities can help improve your baby's sleep patterns and boost their immune system.
For parents, it's a wonderful way to get some light exercise, which is essential for postpartum recovery and overall health.
April 04, 2014
You met the mamas behind the designs, now we're taking a closer look at the designs.
Alyson Brown of Unruly Things
Alyson's designs are loosely inspired by woven fabric. You can vote for her designs here:
No. 1
No. 2
Kristina Meltzer of 100 Layer Cakelet
Kristina found her inspiration from beachy California style. You can vote for her designs here:
No. 1 - Indigo Swiss Dot
No. 2 - Watercolor
Jenna Rammell of Small Fry Blog
Jenna's love of playful, bold color drove her designs. You can vote for her designs here:
No. 1 - Flower
No. 2 - Stripe