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Blog Feature: What I Ate
Check out the amazing food I've made or tracked down!
Noelle Updates
Get updates on our little Nini and how much she's grown!
Restaurant Reviews
Read my reviews on local and far off restaurants and their menus!
Art + Design
From interior decor to what I wore. I love art and design.
Causes near and dear to my heart.
From animal adoption to ending child sex trafficing, there are so many causes out there that I believe deserve some attention.
Jun 18, 2013
Jun 3, 2013
Cupcake ATM Open For Business
Okay, so there's not a literal cupcake ATM here at my house! But there is somewhere in the world and that makes me really happy. There is an assembly line of strawberry, chocolate and vanilla cupcakes going in and out of the oven today. I'm baking them for the people at my husbands work to thank them for all of the food and well wishes. Also for the surgical team that took my lap band out of me last wednesday! Partially because I am a show off and partially because I just freakin love baking. The house is a huge mess. I can't find anything but there will be cupcakes and sweetness anyways. I seriously have my work cut out for me (plus a baby) but whatevs. Life will come together as it always does!
I make the cupcake batter and add pudding mix to keep em soft and mushy. I didn't have a pastry bag and tip because I kinda lost them in the move so I put all of the frosting in a freezer bag and cut a small hole in the corner. It worked and make them pretty, pretty! Gotta build up my
Jun 2, 2013
Why Glass Instead of Plastic
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| By TatteredTiques |
What is it about glass? Plastic manufacturers have gone out of their way to make plastic safe. We now have the BPA-free tags popping up everywhere. This is all good stuff. When I was young, my Dad would take us to Pizza Hut on some friday nights and they would give us our soft drinks in these plastic cups with monsters on them (dracula, wolfman etc.) and he would keep them, take them home and wash them 1,000,000 times. We re-used those filthy cups until I was well into my teen years. I didn't realize his mistake until I had a conversation with one of my friends who does body piercings and he explained to me why the "gun" they use at the mall to pierce ears is atrocious and unsanitary. Legally, this "gun" has only been approved to tag animal ears and that's only because they were going to die soon anyways. These devices are plastic and plastic is porous! Thats right, like a sponge. So BPA-free or not, plastic absorbs. It absorbs food and bacteria and the dishwasher only gets rid of so much- ever noticed how your plastic gets discolored over time? Yeah, that's exactly what it looks like- gross!
Glass is 100% non-porous! It also cleans much easier and is super easy to recycle into something else. Recycling doesn’t compromise glass’ quality or structure and no toxins are produced in the process. Glass’ safe, glossy surface repels food odors and residual flavors. And food reheated in glass—whether in a conventional oven or microwave—tastes superior to victuals nuked in plastic. Also, glass is much prettier. I would take a pantry and fridge full of sparkling clear any day! The glass containers are super versatile- I use the same kind of glass jar to hold preserves, cuddle my toothbrush & put beautiful wild flowers in.
Okay, so since we're rational people trying to make better choices obviously we dont want to throw out all of our tupperware and rubbermaid containers. Unless of course you look at how discolored they are and cant bring yourself to use them again. Bring in the glass storage at your own pace. If you're still shopping at Walmart or Target check in the food storage section and you should find a box of 12 Ball Jars for somewhere between $7 and $10 dollars! That's 12 containers for less than $1 per jar. Also, because of its non-absorbency powers, you can safely buy them from thrift stores- but make sure you're getting them for well under a buck. You can always order them on Amazon and they even have the Classic Blue Ball Jars for sale right now!
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| Caprock Vintage for Pyrex |
Have you ever heard of Pyrex? It's heaven-sent. If you're into vintage cookware these are an absolute staple in your kitchen. Pyrex is super high-quality storage and cookware and its getting harder and harder to find for cheap. Whenever I'm scouring thrift stores the first thing I look for is 100% authentic Pyrex. When I find it, I do a little gleeful dance- kind of a like a jig in the aisle with lots of people glaring at me. But I don't care, it's Pyrex!
I personally don't do my own preserves (yet). But obviously a good collection of glass storage and tight lids is going to be beneficial in that process as well. You'd be amazed how quickly your collection grows if you kinda just pick some up while you're there. I've got a whole shelf in my pantry of various, clean, glass storage.
X O X O M
Craving Summer Popsicles
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| By Beeper Bebe |
I paid $3 for a popsicle today. In my defense, it was hot and they were gourmet and I wanted to! I got a delicious and highly acidic flavor, pineapple mint. It was amazing and I let my 5 month old baby have a lick. This place seriously had me craving some frozen healthy treat recipes. So I went on a little hunt and compiled a list of must-try recipes. The popsicles usually sold in the frozen aisle are full of corn syrup and fake dyes- these ones are made of pure ingredients and a little bit of sweetener (coconut sugar, agave etc).
First off, you probably want to get yourself a popsicle mold. This will make life much easier and make the perfect size frozen treats. I personally really like the results of the Norpro Ice Pop Maker. The mold is 100% BPA free and for some reason the pops slide out nice and smooth. Perfect style.
There are lots of great recipes online for these natural, frozen treats but if you get really into it, you can always buy/download some pretty/colorful recipe books. I'm not gonna lie, sometimes I buy these to use them (of course), but also to look at the pictures and show it off in my recipe book library in the kitchen!
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| People's Pops |
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| Paletas |
Growing up in Southern California, paletas sabor increÃble! I want authentic without all of the crap. Enjoy!
Coconut Fruit Juice Popsicles (paleo style)
Ingredients
2 cans Coconut Juice with Pulp
2 cans Coconut Juice with Pulp
1 cup blueberries
1 cup diced pineapple
1 cup sliced strawberries
Popsicle mold
Place pineapple, then blueberries, then strawberries in all the mold containers, evenly distributed throughout.
Pour Coconut Juice into the separate sections until the fruit is covered with juice.
Put on cover with handles according to your pop mold container.
Put in freezer for a couple hours of until completely frozen.
Monkey Popsicle
Ingredients
16 0z of unsweetened coconut/or almond milk
4 TB Almond/or some other nut butter
2 teaspoons of raw honey
3 TB of cocoa powder
2 (frozen) bananas
2 teaspoons of vanilla
Optional add ins: ice, carob nibs, avocado, coconut butter, pastured egg yolk, coconut oil
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend. If using frozen bananas then you may not need any ice cubes. If you are using unfrozen bananas, then throw in 5-8 ice cubes. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze! Makes 7 popsicles!
Mojito Lime, Orange & Mint Pops
Ingredients
2 oranges, peeled and quartered
1 cup lime juice (from approximately 6 limes)
1/2 cup water
6 teaspoons liquid stevia or agave
4 sprigs mint
Combine ingredients and blend until smooth.
Pour into popsicle molds and freeze overnight.
X O X O M
Apr 11, 2013
TV You Should Be Watching On Netflix Instant Right Now
Spring is here and it's making a very awkward transition! It was 80+ degrees yesterday and my skin stuck to my clothes with sweat- while today there's supposed to be warm thunderstorms? What? Rain is the perfect time to make soup & hibiscus tea and turn on Netflix instant. *High Fives*. Ok, who doesn't have this yet? We have it on our Wii and it is absolutely vital to get through this weird Tennessee weather. Now, Netflix rotates shows in and out of its circulation on a constant basis, so by the time you read this, these selections may not be available. But for now, here is a list of TV you absolutely cannot miss on Netflix instant right now!
The Venture Bros.
Okay, so they only have season one available [on netflix instant] which is a HUGE shame. But it's a great starting off point. Venture Bros is by far my favorite show on television via adult swim. The last season (season 5) came out in 2010 so I've been waiting 3 years for the saga to continue. This show is like an abusive boyfriend that constantly abandons you, yet you always let it back into your life. Why? Maybe the sex is just that good...
Arrested Development
So I have a thing for wildly inappropriate, cleverly written television. This show is hilarious. All of the characters are totally hatable (including Michael, whose martyr complex is just pathetic). So you'll love all of the mixed up hilarious shit that happens to each of them. Wait, I lied, Michael Cera is lovable (as always).
Adventure Time
What?! It looks like a kids show. And it is? But not at all. Again, only season one is available to watch on instant but get yourself started. Super fun writing for super fun people. This show instantly puts me in a good mood (and makes me want to pick up my ukelele).
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
Are you offended yet? No? Well, you will be now. From dumpster babies to bums jerking off in alley ways, this show has it all. Again, everyone is totally hatable. I am absolutely in love with Charlie [it's marriage threatening].
Archer
Thanks FX (again) for doing something right. If James Bond was a gigantic dick with serious mommy issues he would be Sterling Archer. The one liners are non-stop. Every second has me laughing.
30 Rock
I don't like Tina Fey in any of her movies except Mean Girls. But 30 Rock is it for her. Liz Lemon is my hero. You'll see why.
Bobs Burgers
Bob's voice is done by none other than H. John Benjamin who also does the voice of the Orpheus' "master" in The Venture Bros. and Archer in Archer. My favorite character in this show is Louise who's voice is mastered by Kristen Schaal (Hazel Wazzername from 30 Rock).
Mad Men
The only serious show on the list. I've been obsessed with this show since its inception. Set in the 1960's, it follows the mysterious Don Draper. He's a huge talent in ambitious advertising and scandal follows him everywhere. Sometimes it's hard to watch because you know that all of this oppression and cruelty was a reality not so long ago.
There you have it! My ultimate list. This is not to say that there isn't plenty more great TV on Netflix instant, including but not limited to: Parks and Recreation, Battlestar Galactica, Dr. Who, Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends, Shaun the Sheep, Futurama, Home Movies, South Park, Myth Busters, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret etc. I think everyone should all just quit their jobs and watch tons of great TV all day. You can just get another one when you're finished.
My Week In Pictures
homemade edamame burger
(sharpening my vegan cooking claws)
saw Elton John live at the Bridgestone Arena
(very cool)
Noelle & I chilling on the couch playing Epic Mickey
Pre-gaming at The Flying Saucer in downtown Nashville
(before Elton)
Showing off our new Pikkolo carrier at Zolli Coffee
Apr 3, 2013
My Week In Pictures
New Haircut.
California veggie burger at The Wild Cow.
Salads with veggies for lunch and lemon water.
Rosewater, chocolate cupcake from Khan's Bakery.
New haircut.
Riesling, poached pear sorbet from Jenni's.
Our friends gave us a vintage NES.
Noelle and grandma.
Jenni's ice cream has sorbet, vegan options.
Made vegan enchiladas for easter dinner.
Noelle Update 4-3-13
I was really, really hoping to do this update at her 12 week mark but alas, a mommy's work is never done and whenever I've gotten a moment I've used it to sleep, do laundry etc. So, here it is & here she is at 12 weeks. I cannot believe how fast the time has gone by. Noelle is now 13 lbs. and almost 25" long. She's starting to teethe and every thing near her mouth is fair game. This week she's started using both of her hands to maneuver things into her mouth. Sometimes she hits her nose but she never gives up and is thrilled when she can make it happen. She's starting to chew on Sophie, her gel teether from the Baby Einstein play mat and her pacifier, which we put a tiny diluted drop of peppermint on to help cool it off. She's got a baltic amber necklace wrapped twice around her ankle and its been helping a lot. The drooling was getting crazy. It didn't bother me as much as it seemed to, her.
She's trying to sit herself up when she's laying down and her naps are getting shorter and shorter. She's still sleeping well during the night and waking up every three hours to eat. We also change her in the middle of the night and she's been able to avoid any diaper rash so far. She's starting to grow out of her x-small prefold diapers and we're going to be moving into the small sizes soon. I ordered a catbird pikolo carrier and I'm really excited to try the front facing carry position with her. Lots of moms dont reccomend and front carry positions but I just know she's gonna love it and it'll get her used to be carried. Her head control is incredible but not perfected yet- it's just a matter or time though.
She sleeps great in her snugabunny swing during the day and she's still sleeping with us in our bed in her snuggle nest. We haven't given her any vaccinations and are still on the fence about a lot of them. Everyone who sees her is intrigued. We get complimented whenever we go out what a pretty baby we have. She's communicating really well and I'm learning what she wants or needs very quickly now. We've filled up a huge bag with clothes that don't fit her anymore. She's now wearing 3-6 clothes and completely out of her newborn and 0-3 month clothes. She mostly wears onesie pajamas with feet.
Sometimes she is overcome with excitement! 90% of the time she is all smiles and she talks and talks! We've heard a couple of words come out of her mouth, but nothing intentional yet. She loves assisted standing and crawling. Nothing makes her happier than when all three of us (me, my mom & jeremy) are hovered over her and smiling. She loves to be surrounded by us and chimes in on every conversation. She LOVES when daddy gets home! He calls her squishy bear and cant help but tell her how beautiful she is all of the time. She does great with other people but is all smiles for mama, daddy and grandma. She is always smiling or has a worried look on her face. I keep trying to remind her that she is a baby and that its ok to be silly. She's a little adult with progress on her mind.
I'm so proud of who she is becoming and how quickly she learns things. She has a gentle, kind spirit and is always up for learning new things. The only times she gets upset are when she's hungry or bored. This baby rarely has gas and is an absolute joy to be around!
Mar 29, 2013
What I Ate Today
What are you eating today?
Mar 27, 2013
What's In Your Easter Basket?
Baby's first easter is almost here. While I am not a practicing catholic or christian anymore, I can definitely appreciate the celebration and everyone knows how I feel about bunnies! Also, I read about some excellent egg-free fun over at The Kind Life for when she's old enough to celebrate with us. I put together some sets at polyvore of the ideal easter basket contents. I'll definitely be taking pictures of her in some confetti in a basket this Sunday. And what's dreaming about easter baskets without including Daddy & Pets! Enjoy!
Another Bunch of Dahlia Flowers Vinyl Wall Decal / Evenflo Classic Glass Nurser 4 oz. 3 pk / Vindie Baby Girl Bownknot Blue Stripes Swimsuit swimming Cap Girl’s... / Mini Melissa Infant's, Toddler's & Little Girl's Mini Melissa... / Wood Teether Bunny wooden toy natural baby toy / ERGOBABY® Performance Carrier
Gotta get a basket all setup for Daddy too!...
Tweed hat / Casio Databank Watch DBC-32D-1AES / Game of Thrones Coasters / Gingko Slab Red LED Alarm Clock - Beech, $64 / Sparq Home Whiskey Soapstones (Set Of 12) / Doctor Who, Bowties are Cool Patch / Doctor Who Flask - 6 oz Stainless Steel - David Tennant / Star Wars onesie Daddy is my Jedi Master bodysuit
And of course Artoo & Tabitha will want in on the fun...
Orb Pet Bowl / Claudia's Canine Cuisine Luv Bones Carob Dipped Dog Treats / Chilewich Fish Shaped Basketweave Pet Mat - Carbon, $67 / Alessi AMMI22 MiòJar - Jar for Cat Food / Coastal Pet Metal Buckle Double Ply Nylon Personalized Dog Collar in... / Best Friend Kitty Sticks Cat Treats 50g | Cat Food | Pets | Food &...
What will be in your easter baskets this year?
Mar 24, 2013
What A Typical Day Looks Like
Our Nini (Noelle) has now reached 11 weeks. This morning she had her two month physical with Annie (our physician) and she's 100% healthy and wonderful. Great news! Nothing makes me happier than hearing that baby is healthy- I would absolutely die if anything happened to her. Anyways, I talked to a friend this week who of course I haven't spoken to until before the baby was born (I'm now the worst friend ever) and she asked me point blank, "what do you do all day now?". Before I got pregnant I had ZERO friends with kids so I figured this question would come up eventually. So, to rid you of all suspense, here is what I DO all day:
Usually I try to leave the house at least three times a week with baby. This means meeting up with a moms group, practicing outings at the grocery store, taking a walk in the park etc. This does not always happen, especially if the weather doesn't allow for it. Since we have decided to have only one car, my husband wakes up early, showers, gets dressed then wakes me to get ready and takes care of the baby while I shower, get dressed, juice some fruits and veggies and make him some coffee and toast. Usually my Mom (who is staying with us for a while) will take the baby while I take him into work and then drive back to our house. In between all of this we clean and refill 6 bottles with breast milk for the baby to eat throughout the day. We use a bottle warmer when she looks like she's starting to wake up which is when she'll want to eat. By the time I get back my Mom is usually downstairs with baby making herself coffee and baby is wide awake. I usually run upstairs and tidy up our bedroom which becomes a war zone overnight easily. Then I'll start a load of diapers in the laundry.
Then I'll take baby and we'll go out somewhere or start our afternoon routine. I turn on Pandora on my favorite stations and we dance (my only source of exercise right now). Usually it's Daft Punk or Lady Gaga but I get a good dance beat going and try to work up a sweat. Then we'll do tummy time and she'll just lay on the bed with me over her and talk, talk, talk! She loves to talk and coo and make the funniest sounds. I always try to respond honestly. After that I'll usually give her a bit more milk from her bottle and we head downstairs. I put her in her rock 'n play in the kitchen and she watches me make my lunch which is usually leftovers from dinner heated up and put in a corn tortilla. After that we'll go into the living room and she'll watch me eat (fast). I throw my dishes into some soapy water, grab another bottle and head upstairs- she's surely ready for a nap by now. I give her the rest of her bottle and put her on her side on a pillow on my stretched out legs. Usually I'll give her her pacifier to help her doze off and I put her in her swing or snuggle nest. She usually sleeps for about an 1-3 hours while I start another load of laundry, fold the diapers and then nap with her. When she wakes up she's sure to be hungry so I have a bottle warmed and ready to feed her & when it's about half empty I'll change her diaper again. Sometimes she goes back to sleep, sometimes she wants to play more. By now it's around 4-5pm, I put down the baby einstein play mat which she loves, or we bounce on my yoga ball for a while but mostly she just wants to talk. Every other day I give her a bath in the sink or in the tub with me! I love to bathe with her because she loves to swim! She kicks her feet and smiles and kicks off the walls of the tub. She usually wants to take another nap after a warm bath.
By this time my husband usually gets home or I go to pick him up while my mom takes baby. When we get home he walks the dog & takes the baby so I can go downstairs to make dinner. The perks to only bottle feeding breast milk are that Daddy can take over! I make up some dinner and we eat it upstairs in bed while watching a movie. It's nice and we get to relax together with baby. She sits in our laps if she's awake and watches us eat. Then I go run errands at Target or Whole Foods (if needed) and we start her bedtime routine around 9pm. She eats a whole bottle, and falls asleep. We go to sleep immediately and her wake up times in the night are 1am, 4am and 7am. Jeremy takes the 1am, I take the 4am and he takes the 7am when he wakes up. Then the whole thing starts again! I usually do most of my grocery shopping on the weekends and sometimes my mom takes her just for the heck of it which is SOOOO nice. My day has most definitely changed- I seriously took my freedom for granted while I was pregnant haha. It's tough work but it's also really fun and she's a really easy baby. She never cries for very long- her needs are really easy- she's happy as long as she's fed and not bored. She doesn't get reflux or gas very often and she's just really happy and smily. The only problem is that she keeps growing! She's 25" long now and 12.5 lbs. - she's very long and lean which is surprising because she's got the chubbiest little cheeks and legs! Ah, listen to me, I am a damn proud mama.
So, that's my life right now. Haha! Sounds weird but I'm actually loving it. Feeling very empowered and very much like a natural mom. I do wish I had more time for skating, sewing and creativity in general but I know that'll come back as she gets bigger.
What was/is your life like with baby if you've got kids? What's a typical day look like for you?
Mar 20, 2013
My Daily Beaty Routine
Let me just start by saying that I am flattered by how many people compliment my skin. Sometimes this is just because I am wearing enough makeup to cover up what's under there efficiently & sometimes it's because it's in the middle of summer and my natural oils are hydrating my skin. Sometimes it's because I've been drinking a ton of water. For whatever reason, I get complimented often and that thrills me to no end. I did not have great skin in school. When puberty kicked in, I had the very limited resources of my Mom (who I JUST finally got to start washing her face daily) and neutrogena commercials (I'm not even going to go into how horrible that crap is for your skin). I slathered on the "oil control" everything because I had no idea what was wrong with my skin and everyone kept telling me it was the oil's fault. This of course made things worse and eventually I'd give up and find cover girl makeup and literally cover every inch of my face with thick pancake-batter-like, oil free foundation. This of course made my skin worse and didn't cover anything.
Like everything else in this life it simply took some understanding of biology and trusting my instincts. I went to school for 2 years as a makeup artist and 2 years as an esthetician and learned all I could about the skin. It's ironic that I did all of this and came to several contradicting conclusions: first off, most "skin care" is crap. It's full of toxins that enter your body and just make things worse. Sodium laurel sulfate is found in 99% of face wash/cleanser and it's also found in laundry detergent, dish soap and pretty much anything that bubbles. It's harsh and strips your skin of the oils that it needs to properly hydrate and promote cell regeneration. Secondly, hydration is ALWAYS key. This doesn't mean just put on moisturizer. It means drink water! Properly hydrate your body which leads me to my next conclusion: beauty starts on the inside and works its way out. If your skin is beautiful with very little makeup- you're eating well, exercising, laughing and your insides are healthy.
People who juice on a daily basis usually have incredible skin. They're getting really high doses of vitamins and minerals and it goes to the middle and works its way out. Or, in other words, your skin is the last organ to benefit from good health so if you've got good skin its a good indicator that you've got a healthy body. So, my daily beauty routine doesn't include a toner, cleanser, moisturizer etc. It's actually kind of different: I wake up and brush my teeth with homemade vegan toothpaste, I use a scrub daily that also doubles as a moisturizer. I got the recipe from The Vegan Housewives and before that I made something very similar (minus the essential oils). This scrub exfoliates manually with the raw sugar crystals and moisturizes with the coconut oil. After I scrub with it, I pat my face dry. My face feels greasy for maybe 5 minutes at most because the oil immediately starts soaking into my skin. I drink 16oz of water within an hour of waking up & I juice 1 cucumber, 4 celery stalks, one bunch of kale, one bunch of spinach, 1 lemon, and a tiny bit of ginger root. I don't eat animals or their bi-products. That's basically it. If I feel like my skin is feeling dry after a couple of hours I add a little bit more 6:1 coconut oil and peppermint essential oil.
I don't wear foundation anymore, I do use a concealer under my eyes and mascara. I love, love, love lip balms. Rule of thumb- I always wear something emollient based (formulated without: Parabens ● Sulfates ● Petrolatum ● Synthetic Fragrances ●Colors ● Mineral Oil ● PABA ● Animal testing or animal ingredients). Wax and petroluem based balms just sit on the lips- I want something that will soak in! Look for ingredients like ultra refined organically grown shea butter fruit, beeswax (not as a base), alpha tocopherol USP (Vitamin E), sesame seed oil, aloe vera oil, borage oil, macadamia nut oil, avocado oil, wheat Germ Oil, grape seed oil, ascorbyl palmitate (Vitamin C). I have personally tried every single La Natura lip balm and can confidently say they rule. I put a little bit of brown shadow to fill in where hair wont grow anymore in my brows and I'm ready to go!
I've truly learned the benefits of less is more! My skin is not perfect but for the most part it's healthy and that's all I can ask for.
What do you do inside and out to promote healthy skin?
Mar 17, 2013
I Have To Give My Baby Formula Sometimes and It Turns Out That's Ok
People mean well when they tell you "formula is rocket fuel". It's really easy to misinterpret this, I know that I did. When I got pregnant I knew nothing about breastfeeding or formula. I know that my mom breastfed me until she went back to work (about 6 months) and then she fed me formula. I figured this was the norm, just like I figured that giving birth in a hospital was the norm... so why stray? Well, I obviously learned a lot during the pregnancy and ended up going with a natural birth at home and of course that led to a strong want to exclusively breastfeed. Attachment parenting feels right to me and it's really important to go with your instincts when it comes to your baby. During discussions with other natural birth Moms and Dads, it's been thrown around over and over again that formula is the devil and just wrong to give to your baby. I nodded and agreed assuming that I would never need formula, I'm gonna be a breastfeeding mom. This scenario reoccured several times during my pregnancy and little did I know that every time I said it, I was slowly reinforcing the insecurities that would inevitably occur when my milk never came in.
It's all well-meaning but I've learned that it's not explained properly at all. Moms and doctors are constantly saying that formula is bad and breastfeeding is good, when what they should be saying is that breastfeeding should be your first choice, supplementing with donated milk should be your second and formula should simply be a last resort. This would really clear up a whole mess of anxiety and depression that occurred when I failed to produce my own milk for my baby. I was SO angry at my body for betraying me. I swore that every time my baby cried it was because I was letting her down (so not true). The first time we gave her formula was completely bittersweet. I was SO happy she was eating (and so was she) but so angry that it wasn't at my breast from my supply.
Breastfeeding is making a comeback, did you know that!? How cool is that? Basically, for the last 50 years formula has taken over as the first choice of new parents. Formula companies have even made claims that formula is just as good if not better than breast milk (wtf). Well, we all know that this is not even kind of true. Because formula has taken over for so long and women are learning better- a lot of women preach the evils of formula. This message is meant for women who don't know that breast feeding is a much better choice. But what about the women who do know better and can't breastfeed for whatever reason? I mean, REALLY can't breast feed.
Some moms have their babies, attempt breastfeeding on day one and if baby doesn't latch, they immediately give up. This is easy because usually you're in a hospital and you've got a nurse saying "we can call in the lactation specialist if you want, but I've got formula right here....". Well, what are mothers who don't know any better gonna do? First, moms make the mistake that if baby doesn't latch and drink then the baby will starve. The truth is that baby has some reserves. Baby wont die if you dont feed him/her immediately. You have enough time to call in a lactation specialist and really work on that latch. They can usually pinpoint the reason immediately and offer solutions. Sometimes the babies introduction into the world is part of the reason why breastfeeding is hard. C-sections, however necessary can throw off this biological want to breast feed for babies, but not always. Sometimes C-sections and epidurals don't throw anything off but the chance is much higher. Either way, it's important you do whatever you can to encourage baby to breast feed if you've got the supply.
Now, sometimes you don't get the supply. I have a hormonal imbalance called PCOS that means I probably should've never gotten pregnant, avoided a miscarriage and had her with no complications. It also means that my milk would not come in naturally and easily. I didn't know I had this imbalance until after I had her. Here is my breast feeding story. I believe that after day 3-4, if that milk doesn't come in- that's just the beginning of the fight! First, I started pumping like a crazy woman. I rented a medela symphony hospital grade pump and used that thing every 2 hours like clockwork. At the urging of my lactation specialist I took Motherlovewhich includes goats rue, fenugreek, blessed thistle, nettle and fennel; these are all herbs used for milk promotion. I also took alfalfa and moringa. Pumping plus the herbal supplements was my first attempt at getting that milk supply in. Unfortunately, it did nothing. If these things don't work there are prescriptions you can try too: Reglan and the compound, Domperidone.
The point is that there are a lot of things to try and they're all worth the effort. But while you're doing all of these things, formula is an ok supplement. It's more than ok: we're lucky we live in a country where the water is clean enough that we can make formula for our babies. If you're lucky enough to have a network of caring moms (like I do here in Nashville), your second choice can be doner milk! Another mama's milk is a great choice. From the beginning of baby making the village mothers fed all of the babies, not just their own. It's not weird or gross. I would say just make a good judgement call: ask if she's taking any drugs, legal or illegal.
The hardest part, I thought, of giving baby formula was that I wanted her to have the best. I learned while I was pregnant that babies who are formula fed have more health issues and a lower IQ. I don't want my baby to struggle in school because I couldn't produce milk. I talked to my Dr. about this and she brought up a great point. Those tests really are relative! Moms who don't consider breast feeding are usually uneducated women who don't know any better! Well, babies raised by uneducated moms usually have lower IQ's for whatever reasons. These babies often have health issues because their mothers just aren't as aware of all of the preventative care to take. They're not bad moms, they just know very limited amounts of information and don't really question what they're told. So it would make sense that when these statistics were taken the results would be what they are. Is it the formula or the women who generally use formula? Just something to think about...
Another amazing alternative to breastfeeding or while you're working to get your milk in is this great little device called the LactAidtrainer system. You fill up a small bag with doner milk or formula or your pumped milk, hang the bag from your neck and tape a tiny little tube with the end at your nipple and when baby latches and sucks, she gets fed at your breast! I love this because I love the experience of bonding with her. I love watching her at my breast and I love being skin to skin with her. She prefers this method but will take a bottle under fire.
So I guess what I'm trying to say is be careful what you say about breastfeeding. While preaching the evils of formula is only well-meaning (of course)- it can easily throw off a mom who genuinely cannot breastfeed and make her feel like the biggest disappointment walking the earth. Instead, consider saying that breastfeeding is the ideal choice! Be supportive of moms who cannot produce and if you can, donate milk! So far, I've had 3 wonderful women offer their milk and although I've never been able to supply enough for her she's consumed about 75% breast milk and 25% formula since birth! That's amazing to me and I am eternally grateful to these women. I'm still working to get more and more milk in- but I realize now that what's important is that I do my best. That I explore all options and that it's important to ALWAYS question what you're told. Formula companies make a killing off of people who just don't know any better... ALWAYS question especially when there's millions of dollars involved lol.
Thank you for reading this. I hope your breastfeeding journey is amazing no matter what and remember what's important is that you show baby your love however you can.
Vegan Menu Review- The Mellow Mushroom, Nashville TN
Nashville does not have an abundance of vegan restaurants. Being in the south, there is definitely a preference towards barbecue and fried cheese. Like all great cities, Nashville is slowly evolving into healthier, higher quality foods so it's really nice when I can find something on the menu specially for my dietary choices. The Mellow Mushroom originated in 1974 in Georgia and has spread itself all over the US with locations from Portland to West Palm Beach. They pride themselves on providing food in a fun, creative environment & I'm happy to say that they delivered.With the offering of creating your own pizza (all options gluten free) with 4 different sizes and the inclusion of "vegan cheese" you can easily create your own vegan delight! The waitress even offered to let the chef know to leave off the usual butter and parmesan on the crust. I ordered a small pizza with pesto and olive oil instead of sauce, vegan cheese, roasted red peppers, onions and pineapple. Paired with a pint of Yazoo beer (vegan of course). It was delicious. The chef knew not to smother the pizza in "cheez", just enough to get the gooey texture of cheese and I could taste the freshness in the organic veggies. Pretty much anything with pesto in it is the best, but on a pizza, it's magnificent. My opinion - ★★★★☆ i would give 5, but that's only reserved for 100% vegan restaurants so not too shabby. The Mellow Mushroom is a great place for vegans to hang out with omnivores and still have great choices!
What would you order on your vegan pizza? Let me know below...
Jan 12, 2013
Noelle Snow: A Winter, Water Birth Story
I started to feel strange cramping sensations after I picked my husband up from work on Friday night. I was approximately 42 weeks pregnant at that point so my Mom drove with me everywhere so I wouldn’t get stranded alone. My husband and I had dinner plans with some friends in midtown and we had about an hour to kill before we met up. We were walking around and the cramps got more and more intense- having had twice thought I was going into labor I was determined to ignore the symptoms until I felt them much stronger. We met up with our friends for dinner and the cramps got more intense! We took our amazing food to-go, got in the car and went home so I could rest.
About 10 minutes after we got home I was out of early labor and into early active labor. About an hour after that I was in transition. We called the midwife and doula and they both showed up about an hour later. I was active labor from about 10pm until 7am the next morning. This is not the same for every woman, but for me, the pain was excruciating. Contractions lasted about 2 minutes with about a minute in between for 9 hours. By the end of my transition I was exhausted, even while trying to sleep in between. Jeremy slept next to my tub and woke up with every contraction. We had no clocks or sense of time and only knew it was morning by the light coming through the blackout curtains. I made a medium amount of noise. It was truly a chore keeping the tub full of hot water.
I wanted complete silence, from everyone. I didn’t want to be told what to do or bothered at all. The only touch I wanted was my husband in front of me. I wanted total darkness the whole time. I wanted to be able to listen to my body and not be distracted. Concentration was really important throughout the whole labor.
At around 8am my midwife wanted to check my progress. I was terrified she was going to tell me that I’d been in transition all night and I was still only 4-6cm dilated. Luckily, I was at 8 and 9 was on it’s way. I did a lot of walking after that- got out of the tub and did my contractions leaning on high furniture. This really got things moving. By 11am I was ready to go downstairs and start pushing. I had the incredible urge that I completely understand now and totally hated. I pushed for about three hours- completely soberly. I had no sense of time and had lost all faith in my abilities to it at that point. By the end I decided that I was going to get her out if it killed me and I literally thought it would kill me. The very last push left me on all fours in the tub, ready to pass out. The midwife pulled her out from under me and put her on my back. Jeremy cried his eyes out looking at her. I stared at the water and was told not to move because I had a baby on my back. She didn’t cry for a minute. I couldn’t see or hear her and I was about to pass out.
For what seemed like an eternity I stared at the water & then Sheryl told me to turn over and meet my baby! We sat there skin to skin until the tub got too cold to stay in. Seeing her for the first time was incredible- Jeremy just sat there with his mouth open- and couldn’t stop saying how beautiful she is. I just stared at her, trying to keep my eyes open and kept kissing her head. I barely bled after that until after the placenta was delivered- Jeremy cut the babies chord after it turned white.
My midwife asked how I was feeling and if I wanted to get out of the tub, thinking that getting out of a tub was nothing at this point, I leaned on the edge of it to move my body upwards and completely passed out. I blacked out for about 90 seconds and woke up on the floor- they had lifted me out of the warm tub and I was on the floor, on my stomach, unable to move. I hadn’t slept for 40 hours, I’d thrown up all food, I was hydrated luckily but had lost a lot of blood with the placenta. Sheryl immediately checked my blood loss & blood pressure. Danielle, the assistant, monitored my pulse and they decided I was just exhausted. Daddy took over the skin on skin contact and she stayed with him until I could open my eyes again.
Grandma came in and the midwife asked if she was ready to meet her granddaughter. My Mom cried like a baby- for a long time and just looked at her. I can honestly say she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Absolutely perfect and so wide eyed and alert at such a young age. They examined her health and she was declared practically perfect in every way. While I was on the floor, we figured out a way to attach baby and start breastfeeding. She latched on immediately and took in a really good meal that first night. I stayed on the floor until about 9pm that night and Danielle stayed with me until I could get up and get into bed. She told me I was going to bleed for days but it would slow down a lot. I had to crawl up the stairs into my bed and almost passed out from attempting it.
Since then we’ve told family and friends she’s arrived and taken some pictures. Baby is doing great and feeding really well. She’s not very fussy- she slept through the night and we woke up and fed her around 2am. She’s absolutely perfect. It’s going to take a couple of days for me to eat, sleep and recover but I’ve got Jeremy and my Mom here to help me through. I wrote this very quickly, I just wanted to get it down while the memory is still fresh. But here is my labor story.
I am so proud of myself for following through with this. Our midwife said the baby didn’t go into distress once and that I brought her into the world the most gentle and perfect way possible, also, I didn’t tear at all! I experienced everything and while I’d never take what happened back, I certainly don’t think I could ever do it again. I do feel very empowered, I also feel very traumatized. Jeremy and I are absorbing a lot of what happened still. Would I recommend this to everyone? I don’t know. There’s something amazing about getting through it- but something terrifying about it too. I’m still piecing it together in my head while trying to physically heal. That’s all for now- I’ll update more and Jeremy wanted to write the birthing story from his perspective. But she’s here and I couldn’t feel more gushy about the whole thing. She’s absolutely perfect and we did it!
Did you write a birthing story or have a water birth? I'd love to read about it!
Did you write a birthing story or have a water birth? I'd love to read about it!