A kid’s science project highlights the importance of eating organic food. What is happening to our food without our knowledge is simply appalling. We also love the idea of educating kids on the importance of natural living. Check out this video and see just what we mean!

]]> http://www.naturalmommy.com/2012/02/what-potato-would-you-like-to-eat/feed/ 2 http://www.naturalmommy.com/2012/01/natural-remedies-for-labour-birth-postpartum/ http://www.naturalmommy.com/2012/01/natural-remedies-for-labour-birth-postpartum/#comments Sun, 15 Jan 2012 07:02:45 +0000 NaturalMommy http://www.naturalmommy.com/?p=1178 By Jessica Carfagnini, ND of Thunder Bay Naturopathic Clinic

Botanical tincture
This is a botanical tincture that can be taken 6 weeks prior to delivery. Mother’s cordial
Caulophyllum, Mitchella repens, Chamaelerium luteum, Vibernum opulus (equal parts of individual botanical tincture, can be compounded – see Resources below). Dosage: 1 tsp 3 times/day, take in warm water. Continue until onset of delivery/labour. This tincture helps prepare the uterus for delivery, and also increases the effectiveness of contractions.

If you are past 36 weeks (i.e., 9 months), taking evening primrose oil 500 mg capsules up to 2-4 times a day with food can help initiate labour by increasing prostaglandins in your body.

Walking and light exercise can also encourage the baby to orient her/himself in mom’s pelvis.

Homeopathic remedies

For mom

Caullophyllum 200 CH – dissolve 2 pellets under your tongue every ½ hour at onset of contractions for 2 hours. After two hours, then only use if the cervix is not dilating, as needed.

Arnica 200 CH – dissolve 2 pellets under your tongue every ½ hour for labour pains.

Pulsatilla 200 CH – dissolve 2 pellets under your tongue every ½ hour to turn the baby or if mom is crying, praying, or feeling clingy during labour.

Kali-carb 200 CH – dissolve 2 pellets under your tongue every ½ hour for low back pain during labour.

Arnica 10 MK – dissolve 2 pellets under your tongue every ½ hour for pain during active labour, after the cervix is almost fully dilated. Also useful for after birth – dissolve 2 pellets under your tongue every 2-3 hours.

For baby

Arnica 200 CH – dissolve 2 pellets on baby’s tongue right after birth. This will help with the trauma of the birthing process.

Botanicals

Prenatal tea
Red raspberry, alfalfa, nettle (dried herb, equal parts), seep 1 tsp in a cup of hot water. Drink with juice or another sugar source for electrolytes and nutrients.

For perineal healing

Cold compresses – for a bruised perineum in the first 12 hours after birth. You can also soak wash clothes in the perineal healing bath (see below), store them in a plastic container in the fridge, and sit on these cool wash clothes over sanitary napkins.

Traumeel or Arnica cream – to be applied around wounds to improve healing of a bruised perineum.

Perineal healing bath:
Calendula officinalis, Hypericum perforatum, Symphytum officinalis (dried herbs, equal parts of each)
2 tbsp of each, add to 3 cups of water. Bring to boil and cover herbs. Let herbs seep for 15 min. Strain the herbs. After it has cooled, transfer the healing bath solution to a squeezy bottle or plant sprayer. Squeeze on perineum after using the washroom. Only use during the first week after labour.

Hypericum oil – to be diluted in olive or almond oil, apply over stitches if necessary.

Resources

Riverdale Homeopathic Resources
1331 Danforth Avenue, Toronto, (416) 778-0085
A very comprehensive homeopathic dispensary. They will mail you up to 5 homeopathic remedies (each multi-dose remedy costs $6.95 + tax and shipping):

Thuna Herbals
298 Danforth Avenue, Toronto, (416) 461-8191
A very comprehensive herbal dispensary

Ambrosia Natural Food
55 Doncaster Avenue, Thornhill, (905) 881-7811
They carry a wide range of herbs and supplements.

Body Mind Science Resources
1255 Sheppard Ave. E., Toronto, (416) 502-2665
They carry a selection of homeopathic remedies.

Alissa Tarita-Havenaar’s company was created from her own personal desire to live from the land and to offer reusable, biodegradable alternatives to many of the items used by moms, such as nursing pads.

Her goals include keeping materials as local as possible. In her quest to be sustainable, Alissa uses 100% wool materials and organic cotton knits, organic flax seed, and biodegradable materials. She also uses recycled (aka upcycled materials) like vintage buttons. Materials, like vintage buttons add to the uniqueness of her pieces.

Alissa’s business is a one-woman enterprise and out of her creativity is born one-of-a-kind items, made by her, for moms and babies. Her business represents her commitment to the planet and helping others to live a chemical-free life. We just had to talk to Alissa about her business, her values and her future goals.

To view the Wooly Owl web site, click [here].

NaturalMommy: Alissa, what are some of the reasons why you use local materials in the products you create?

Alissa: There are a few reasons. First, it keeps the cost of materials low. I purchase all of my wools from local second-hand stores. Convenient since at present I can walk to the store, (saving gas money from my pocket and from added carbon emissions into the air,) and second, all donations to the stores will usually be made by the local people in the community. Thus, the materials in their own way are from the community made back into items for the community. I was purchasing organic cotton form the United States, but have since decided to go strictly with recycled materials over organic. Although there is a huge market right now for things strictly certified organic, I feel that buying used over newly organic is genuinely a greener choice. The material is already there and does not require raw materials to be processed weather organically or not.

NM: How do you create your wool longies and in what way are they a good choice for babies?

Alissa: I take the materials that I have collected from local second-hand stores, from people who send me their scraps of wool in the mail (Thank you Janet from Victoria BC), and locals who have old sweaters and blankets, then fit them to desired patterns that are beautiful. I serge the majority of the lines and use my sewing machine for the others. My mother-in-law, Astrid, taught me how to needle point this year so I try adding some of that practice when it seems right.

As for the choice: wool is ideal for night time diapering.

I come from a one-use diaper family. My mom had five kids under six and I am pretty sure I was bottle fed too. In saying that, I never realized the inconvenient truth about diapers until I worked at a diapering boutique in Victoria, BC. It was such a mind blow to realize that chemicals are responsible for the soakage of urine in plastic diapers (and usually the cause of most diaper rashes). This chemical, which is not found in reusable diapers (a big wOOt to that!), removes urine from the baby’s skin so the baby doesn’t notice they have peed themselves. (Also a reason that babies who cloth diaper potty train faster since they are aware of their wetness). At night time however, you want them not to notice, and be able to sleep!! In saying that, wool maintains the temperature of urine to the baby’s body temperature and thus allows baby to sleep through the night longer than with a regular insert.

Lastly and most convincing, when urine (acid) mixes with the natural oil in wool called lanolin (base) the formula creates a soap that self-cleans the diaper….so just dry completely between use, and you can usually go a week without washing! Really? YES!

NM: How was your business, The Wooly Owl created and why?

Alissa: I have never had a hobby. Ever! I always would be inspired by my husband as he has always had a pastime that gave him pleasure, from WW2 History to painting Warhammer Figures, John has an artistic output.

I started sewing just two years ago back in Victoria BC. I applied at a studio that made handmade skirts and clothing, one that favoured that real 1920’s city/farm girl look that stirs my fashion sense. I was rejected since I could not even tell you how to attach the needle to the machine. Janet, my neighbour, insisted I buy a pattern, she gave me some lessons and from there it just took off.

After the diapering workshops, I truly found wool and realized its potential as a super fibre. As my life changed to be more conscientious, community based, and self reliant, The wOOly Owl was born as the stepping stone to a home based, farm-life way of being. From my machine, I can create something artistically inspired which can provide to my community a locally made item that is available to local people, and a great addition to a trade and barter economy.

NM: Since you make all of your pieces yourself, how do you balance your work life with your family/personal life?

Alissa: Honestly, I am finding the overlapping of my sincere life to my actual job very difficult to separate and move towards my ultimate goal of doing the wOOly Owl full time. There are so many people out there who are itching to make huge changes in their lifestyles yet feel somewhat unable to make that leap of faith. For me, when I read the ETSY pieces on Shop owners who “quit their day jobs” and who solely sell online, I feel frustrated that I am yet to be in any financial position to go full WOOlY Owl, that I still depend on my full time retail job, yet inspired that the more time I put into this craft, the sooner I can “quit my day job” and follow through with my own dreams. My Husband John is always behind me and supports me through and through. For me, sewing is like a good book, so if I am not diligently studying about how I am going to plant my veggie garden this year, John will find me at the sewing machine.

NM: The Wooly Owl is also an expression of your environmentally-conscious approach to business. Can you tell us what having a green business means to you and why you think it is important?

Alissa: I always feel good when I am preparing an item, say a pair of nursing pads. I wrap them up with these bright naturally dyed wool threads that I discovered (a glorious box stuffed full of 100% hand died needlepoint wool threads that are just beautiful) then I attach a button from Astrid’s collection and wrap them up in brown paper…

When I am out, I look around at all of the products that are made of plastic or have harsh chemicals in them, leaching toxins and pesticides -

…I think of the brown paper filled with naturally decomposable materials and how, when they are not needed, they will simply breakdown into the very thing from which they came…the earth. Simple. I am very proud that I could eventually grow vegetables from the things I make instead of being left with a tower of permanent plastic.

NM: How can moms benefit from using your re-usable nursing pads and why have you chosen wool as the main material for them?

Alissa: Dayna, a very good friend of mine is kinda my go to mom! As most people do not know, I do not have babies of my own. I have a gaggle of nieces and nephews on which to test my items (lucky them!) but I have none to my own name. I have been inspired by Dayna and learned that mothers are to be highly respected. To bear a child and to raise them with the utmost nurturing and love is truly something that is beautiful and that I deeply respect. I have learned so many alternative parenting strategies from her that were so foreign to me. I thought every child had a pacifier and yet I have now learned that babies cry for a reason and maybe their crying is a form of communication, that pacifiers should not be a tool to quiet your child. Alternatives…

Alternatives are good. I liked the bamboo nursing pads out there, but Dayna illuminated how awesome wool is as an alternative. Wool is naturally odour resistant which makes it an ideal breast pad. WOOly milk pads are backed with cotton and are fast drying and easy to clean. They are also capable of absorbing up to 30% of their own weight in liquid! Temperature regulating, these breast pads will also aid in keeping your nipples toasty warm or comfortably cool and won’t stick like other materials do! I also make exclusive wool pads for those adventurous ladies….

NM: Your products are one-of-a-kind pieces, made with care and respect for the planet and the moms/babies who use them. What are some of your thoughts on mass-produced goods and their impact on the environment?

Alissa: I think it unsettling how detached we are from our highest potentials. It is hard looking around at my community to see families that are so poor and stuck in financial crises. I look at the factories that have closed down and all of the individuals that had based their entire retirement on those factory jobs. Then I see others who have so much money that they are updating their summer cottage with $100,000.00 fireplaces. Children do not understand where their food comes from and we run to huge box corporations for material satisfaction. We have lost a plethora of skills and yet it is hard to find others interested in exploring ways to depend less on the grid and more on each other.

Mass production is a disease on all of us. Not only do items made overseas and sold from huge corporations sabotage local and community based businesses and local economy, somewhere along the line either the environment, the employee, or the quality of an item losses out. I am hoping to inspire others to always be learning. Learn how to can peaches, how to bake bread, and to discover the truths about factory chickens. Take a look around at your community and realize that your neighbour went to the food bank yesterday.

I know we are just talking about a reusable pad, but through its creation, I have gained a skill to cloth a community, and the journey of the wOOly Owl teaches me to walk my talk.

NM: What are your future goals for your business?

Alissa: What we do is who we are. The wOOly Owl inspires me as a person to really; truly and honestly take a second to think about how things are and to question why they are how they are. Bryan Kest said, “It’s not what you do, it’s how you do what you do.” I really take that seriously. It is easy to get caught up in the green movement of today. I think there is a market out there that is specifically geared toward the upper class that buys into the eco lifestyle based on an ego to appear vogue. I have been advised that I should make items for little dogs or I should sell my items in this or that particular community and take advantage of that clientele. I cringe at the thought of enabling a market that would rather buy something new and “organic” than to search for a simpler and less materialistic approach. I would rather offer affordable, local, and handmade items to those who truly need it most.

I hope that through the wOOly Owl, I can become a home based business that is interwoven in a life that is sustainable and self reliant. My husband and I just purchased an old farmhouse and some land. My garden seeds are on their way and I am even excited to say that I am going to try and grow my own wheat this year! I believe that we as human beings should never be forced to work our life around our job; I feel that our job should make time for our life. That we do what fulfills us and makes for us a simple life that is simple to live. And at the end of the day, when all is said and done, we live with good intentions, we inspire others to grow, and that we walk our talk.

]]> http://www.naturalmommy.com/2011/12/the-wooly-owl/feed/ 9 http://www.naturalmommy.com/2011/12/apple-juice-or-arsenic-juice/ http://www.naturalmommy.com/2011/12/apple-juice-or-arsenic-juice/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:16:18 +0000 NaturalMommy http://www.naturalmommy.com/?p=1140 As some of you might have already heard from Dr. Oz, there have been suspicions of high levels of arsenic (and lead) in fruit juice – especially apply.

Unfortunately, (released recently from ABC news, link below) these suspicions have been confirmed. Trace levels of naturally-occurring arsenic is safe, however we are not discussing trace levels of naturally occurring arsenic. We are talking about an elevated level which may result in long term illness and development delays. Levels found in many of the fruit juices on the market exceed the healthy levels for human consumption. In fact, these levels are higher than the US government allowance in water.

Many fruit juice companies are claiming that they are not responsible for regulations – instead it is the government’s job to set the threshold for arsenic levels in juice. Right now most governments have no regulations for arsenic in juices. Perhaps because until now, this has not been an apparent issue (thank you Dr. Oz!).

It is worth pointing out that juice boxes in general are not recyclable or biodegradable, so buying them is not environmentally friendly. In this regard, it is better to buy organic juices (perhaps packaged in glass to prevent possible chemical leaching from plastic bottles) and then transfer the juice into reusable containers for kid’s lunches.

The current solution? Perhaps, it is up to us as parents to make sure our kids consume less juice and more (filtered) water, or no juice at all. Many kids are consuming even more juice than is recommended – regardless of the possible arsenic contamination. The recommended amount is only 6 or so ounces per day because of the high levels of sugar. Bottom line is people require pure water to be healthy and whatever we consume be it food, water or juice needs to be pure and natural, without chemical additives.

Another solution is to get your family a juicer and make your own natural juices that contain more veggies and mix of fruits. This can be a fun activity for kids and a great way to sneak in a veggie or two!

To view the ABC news report, click [here].

“These toxins affect mostly children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems, but the combination of all these chemicals in our homes may be a factor in the development of cancer and other serious illnesses.” (Bradley, 14)

VOC’s eventually creep out of our homes and wind up in the air and consequently become a component of smog. Buying more expensive products, such as low to no VOC paint is definitely worth the investment in the long run. Just think about it as an invaluable investment in your family’s well-being.

Using natural cleaning products is one of the easiest and best ways to clean up air pollution inside the home. Many products are available pre-made at your local store but the cheapest things to do it make them yourself. It truly is an empowering thing to learn and to teach your children and other family members.

Studies have revealed that our bodies contain chemicals that people were not exposed to a generation ago. The results are not yet fully known. It is truly our job as parents in today’s world to protect our kids from harmful chemicals. It is not just the strangers in the park we need to be worried about, but also the strange ingredients on our cleaners and body “care” products. Shockingly, sadly and unnecessarily there is estimated to be more than 80,000 chemicals on the market today.

Below is an animated short video about environmental pollution and how we all participate in creating it.

Reference: Green Home: A Sunset Design Guide by Bridget Biscotti Bradley.

By Jessica Carfagnini, ND of Thunder Bay Naturopathic Clinic

During pregnancy women are often looking for effective ways to treat a variety of conditions in a safe manner. Since a great number of drugs are not safe to use during pregnancy many women consider other healing modalities, such as acupuncture, to relieve common conditions. Although there are certain acupuncture points that are not safe during pregnancy, a trained Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) or Naturopathic Doctor (ND) has the skills and knowledge to needle safely and effectively.

Traditional Chinese medicine is the oldest and most widely used system of medicine in the world. It has been catching on in the Western world due to its effectiveness in successfully treating a wide variety of illnesses and imbalances.

Women who are pregnant may seek acupuncture for rashes, sinusitis, urinary tract infections and other common conditions. Sometimes it’s as simple as needling a few points to gain some relief. For example, itchy rashes are considered a sign of “heat” in the body that can be released by administering as few as 6 acupuncture needles to specific points on the arms, back, ears and legs. Many acupuncture treatments do not even require that the patient remove their clothing. Simply wearing loose comfortable clothing that can be rolled up to the elbows and knees can provide access to some very powerful points.

In other circumstances several acupuncture treatments may be recommended along with an herbal prescription. For example, exhaustion, anxiety, depression or insomnia can be treated effectively with weekly acupuncture treatments and a prescription of herbs that are safe during pregnancy. Regardless of which condition you seek to resolve through acupuncture and herbs, make sure that you are transparent with each of your health care providers so that they are all aware of the treatments you are receiving.

Increasing numbers of women are seeking acupuncture to help them manage the possible side effects of pregnancy such as fatigue, constipation, nausea, vomiting and heartburn. In her book “Acupuncture and Pregnancy” Debra Betts shares a case of woman, pregnant with twins who was extremely nauseous and unable to keep any food down. Her nausea decreased considerably after a single acupuncture treatment and the vomiting stopped altogether. After two more acupuncture treatments the nausea also disappeared. You may be familiar with the “seasickness band” sold in some drugstores to help relieve nausea. This is an elastic wristband that stimulates a specific acupuncture point approximately 2 inches up from the wrist crease. Your TCM doctor or ND can help you locate exactly where the band must be placed in order to achieve the maximum effect to relieve nausea and morning sickness.

Acupuncture as a routine pre-birth treatment is used by midwives in German hospitals and is increasingly popular here in North America.  Research and clinical observation has shown that pre-birth acupuncture treatments can lead to a shorter labour and reduce the rate of medical intervention (1). Pre-birth acupuncture usually begins at week 36 or 37, with weekly acupuncture treatments that include approximately 6 -10 needles. These points help the cervix to ripen, the ligaments to relax and the baby to descend in preparation for a healthy and efficient labour. If the baby’s position is breech, posterior or too high your practitioner may add in specific points to encourage the baby to move toward an optimal position.

As the due date approaches, labour can be induced gradually and gently with the help of specific acupuncture protocols that help “Qi to descend” and prepare the mother physically and emotionally for the marathon of childbirth. ”Qi” is the Chinese term for “energy” and many acupuncture points “move Qi” in specific ways.

Finally, be sure to ask your ND or TCM doctor about points to stimulate using acupressure that will help during the actual birth of your baby. Your partner, friend or doula can easily learn how to administer pressure to these points and help your labour progress as smoothly as possible.

Congratulations on your pregnancy and your willingness to seek out excellent care for yourself during this important time. For more information on Naturopathic Medicine and on acupuncture in pregnancy, please see the resources listed below.

Resources:

1)     Thunder Bay Naturopathic Clinic www.tbaynaturopathic.ca

2)     Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors www.oand.org

3)     Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors www.cand.ca

4)     Debra Betts website on Acupuncture and Acupressure in Pregnancy http://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz

References:

1)     Betts, Debra.  “The Essential Guide to Acupuncture in Pregnancy and Childbirth”.  The Journal of Chinese Medicine Ltd. 2006, Sussex England.

“Buy items and gifts made of less plastic, especially for kids. Many children’s toys are made with plastic and other toxic materials. Try looking for non-toxic items, like bees-wax crayons or lead-free toys. Better for the environment and the kids who play with them.”

Two years ago when my son Keenan was five, I took him to pick apples at a friend’s orchard.

Our little apple-picking outing was a bit of an afterthought and we were late in the season, so all the best apples had already been picked. We bobbed around the orchard stretching as high into the trees as we could (sans ladder or stepstool, mind you) in an attempt to find apples without wormholes or other signs of vermin. Finally, we had collected about two bags worth and headed home to make applesauce.

Even making applesauce was a stretch for my domestic skills. I had to print out a recipe. Since my son was so young at the time, he couldn’t help much where sharp knives and the stove were concerned, so my afternoon was spent peeling, chopping and cooking the apples. Finally, we were able to taste the fruits of our labor, and boy, was it ever delicious! Now, I know it’s tough to mess up applesauce, but there was a great sense of accomplishment in taking a food from the tree, to our table in one afternoon.

I could not have imagined the impression this simple activity would make on my son. Keenan has asked for very few things as many times as he has asked to go pick apples and make applesauce again. So, on a warm day in September, we went back to the orchard with Keenan (now seven) and his sister Ella, who’s three.

This time we took a stepstool and Keenan picked most of the apples while Ella insisted that I lift her up so she can reach for herself. Despite my repeated claims that many of the apples on the ground are probably just as good, it did not seem to hold the same excitement as plucking the apple straight from the tree. Ella seemed enamored with the activity, though not in the same quiet, contemplative way as Keenan.

I remember back when Keenan was two and we took him to a place called the Berry Patch. You go there to pick your own strawberries and then pay for them by the pint. The strawberries are organic and not sprayed with any chemicals, so eating as you pick is the happy norm (mm-mmm). At the time, we’d never had a garden—not even potted herbs on the front porch—so Keenan hadn’t experienced picking something from the earth. When I told him he could actually eat the strawberry right there, he was floored! I still remember his face looking at me in disbelief as I told him to take a big bite. He was in heaven as he put the first small sweet strawberry in his mouth. As we continued to pick (his to eat and mine to fill our container) Keenan uttered over and over, “Thank you, Mommy.”

Now back to the applesauce. Having not grown up doing activities like making homemade applesauce, I am just now realizing the infinite value of gardening, canning, making and preserving fruits and vegetables. While my mom has mastered many of these things over the 15 years I’ve been away from home, I still feel like I am on the steepest part of the learning curve.

As we arrived home with the apples once again, I still had to print a recipe. The recipe calls for apples, water, sugar and cinnamon. I think I can handle this. So, as my three-year-old Ella climbed all over everything and made me a nervous wreck, Keenan and I started peeling and cutting up the apples. Keenan was now able to help more with peeling and chopping, but typical of a seven-year-old, he was already over the novelty of getting to use a knife. So about five apples into the dozen we need, I took over cutting while he began stirring the apples and water together on the stove.

I modified the recipe slightly to use raw honey instead of the sugar and also thought about adding a little organic vanilla extract (there may be hope for me yet). I added the honey too soon, however, and watched it boil with the apples and water. Great, just killed all the enzymes. Note to self: Add honey at the end next time. I decided that instead of the vanilla extract, I’ll split a whole vanilla bean open and scrape the contents into the applesauce. I showed Keenan the bean and explained to him that this was the beginning of vanilla extract and vanilla ice cream.

As we peel, chop and stir, Keenan asked me if we can get bees when we move to South Dakota. I utter the thing all parents say when our children ask us things that we can’t even comprehend, “Wow, we will have to see about that. That would be cool.”

Keenan’s comment impressed on me how a small part of each of us is drawn to these pure, natural foods and the ways in which we get them to our table. It’s all about the simple things that yield infinite benefits, including a deep appreciation of food and creating something together—even from ingredients as humble as apples.

We soon finished making the applesauce and scraped our bowls clean with delight. Pretty good, we all agreed. You know it’s a successful endeavor when kitchen time is 45 minutes start to finish and Keenan has something to take for the first few days of school. Now I can’t stop picturing him at the lunch table telling his friends that he actually made the applesauce from apples he picked himself. I also can’t stop smiling.

Kristin’s Applesauce Recipe:

(Makes about 1.5 cups)

5 Apples (they are especially delicious if you pick them yourself with your kids)

3 table spoons water

¼ table spoons ground cloves

2 tablespoons raw, local, organic honey

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Core and peel apples. Slice into small pieces. Place apples, cinnamon, cloves and water into a pot. Turn heat to medium and cover. Cook until soft and mash with a fork or spoon. Add honey and cook on low for another 10 minutes to infuse all the flavors together. Enjoy with you kids who helped you make it! To make a larger batch, just double or triple the recipe.

“A big drawback of cesarean sections is separation from your baby immediately after birth…once back at home, you will find it more painful to move around for a while, making caring for a new baby harder. It can take longer to bond with you baby, but be patient – it will happen…Cesarean babies are often premature, are more vulnerable to respiratory distress, and may be affected by what prompted the operation…A baby with physical problems needs extra attention, and you may need help to cope with sleeping or feeding.” (Meredith 18)

After a general anesthetic, drowsiness or lethargy can occur for you and your baby. Drugs that are absorbed through the blood stream may interfere with oxytocin (a hormone that is important for nursing and bonding), although exact side-effects of drugs is not clear. That said, breastfeeding may also pose some challenges after a cesarean. Some women notice that it takes longer for their milk to come in. It can also be more difficult to get into a comfortable position. Regardless of a cesarean, there is always the potential for challenges involved with breastfeeding, but it is well worth the effort to keep trying if breastfeeding is something you desire to do. Many Midwives have observed that given the right support, knowledge and patience, the vast majority of women are able to breastfeed. We suggest you view our page about breastfeeding [here] and ask for support, if you need some extra help getting the swing of things.

What is alarming is the rate at which women are getting c-sections. Web-sites like thestir are reporting that rates are said to go up to as much as 50% in the USA [and Canada's rates are not much less than that]. Check out their article [here].

“A quick and easy way to sooth persistent coughs with one fruit and two ingredients from your kitchen cupboard.”