Jill Amery is a mom of 2 small boys and the Publisher of UrbanMommies, a stylish digital lifestyle magazine filled with fitness, style, health, recipes and savvy mom advice to help you through pregnancy, birth, and raising your kids.
This week is shaping up to be “postpartum visit week.” Lots of wee boys (and their tired mums) to visit. I’ve also heard from clients whose babies range in age from three to eight months.
The other day, my toddler wanted to know where his daddy’s mommy was. She died ten years ago of cancer, and I was stunned that he was already sensing the absent family connection. How young is too young to explain death? Experts agree that the correct terminology is a good place to start. ‘Passing away’, ‘expiring’ or ‘putting down’ simply don’t compute with the little ones.
It is difficult to avoid the use of all prescription drugs while breastfeeding – especially if you are having multiple children and nursing for a length of time with each one. And then there are the street drugs that nobody speaks of. If you are in the habit of using these when you become pregnant, you may need assistance and some honest research to prove how harmful they can be. As with any medical questions in pregnancy and during breastfeeding, your doctor or midwife will know more about your personal history and circumstances than any website, but it is always good to gain as much knowledge as possible in order make the ultimate decision about the health of your baby.
We are junkies. For everything French. And beyond the Bonpoint-Floriane addiction, there is one product that we can’t live without. The Jacadi sleep sack comes in two sizes, and each season there are a number of new, creative, soft designs for your precious one.
Here’s a little excerpt from an article by Dr. Michel Odent, noted French obstetrician. “According to traditional wisdom in rural France, a baby in the womb should be compared to fruit on the tree. Not all the fruit on the same tree is ripe at the same time. A fruit that has been picked before it is ripe will never be fit to eat and will quickly go bad. It is the same with a baby.
by Doula Jacquie Munro. During a client’s first pregnancy, I’m continually trying to think of the best way to help her prepare for this life-changing event. Over the months, we certainly talk on the phone about her physical changes. But her emotional changes, her expectations, values and priorities are of even greater importance. Often, a woman’s inner wisdom is at odds with the societal standard, and my job is to help strengthen her confidence.
A big concern many parents have about traveling is how time changes and jet lag will affect their child’s routine and sleeping patterns. It’s a valid concern; we all know how jet lag makes us feel (zonked and cranky), and who wants to cope with a toddler in that same state? According to pretty much any book or article you read, children cope with time changes and jet lag much better than adults do, acclimatizing much faster.
Oh la la! Opening the mail has never been so exciting. Instead of bills and flyers, what appeared in my mailbox today? Nothing other than the sexiest, frilly French panties that I have ever seen. Panty by Post is the brainchild of Natalie Grunberg and Lori Sholzberg, and in our estimation, will up Canada’s birthrate by alot. Great as a gift delivered monthly, you can order one, six or twelve pairs of sexy panties. Sure to boost your self esteem during the pregnancy or postpardom period, the marketing for the company features naturally beautiful women who are not airbrushed. Fabulous!
What to do when a toddler falls on his face and your see the first blood EVER?!? Or nothing will stop the baby’s crying and you’re starting to wonder… The BC Nurseline is a great resource! Now, you can just dial 811 from anywhere in the lower mainland, and you’ll be connected. Make sure you have your child’s care card ready when you dial. They keep your child’s history on file so that each time you call, you are not starting from scratch. Our time is very valuable, after all.
The best thing about being green is that simple is best. Choices are (fortunately or not) less plentiful, and certain decisions are a given. Low VOC paint? Check. Carpet? Nope. Particleboard furniture? Uh, uh. The basic concept from a health standpoint is the toxins in the substances. Volatile organic compounds as well as the glue used in making pressboard, particleboard and chipboard, and chemicals in carpeting are released into the air over time. No number of spider plants will eliminate the chemicals forever. Choosing wood furniture can be a better choice, not only from an environmental perspective, but from a financial one.