Baby Slings and Sleep

One of the comments I regularly hear from parents is 'I'm worried about my baby sleeping in a sling'.  This concern comes from a culturally taught notion that 'good' babies sleep in their cots, in their rooms, by themselves.  All other sleep, be it napping in the buggy or sling, or the inevitable crashing out in the car seat just as you pull into the parking space at the supermarket, is 'Not Real Sleep'.  Many so-called sleep experts advise against lettingyour baby sleep anywhere except in a darkened room, safely bundled up in their crib.  Woe betide the parent who actually relaxes about where their child sleeps!

Whilst I don't advocate a completely anarchic attitude towards babies' sleep - we actually suffered from being naively laissez-faire with our first-born, with some unpleasant consequences - babies can, and will, fall asleep when they are tired.  Some babies may fight sleep, some babies may need a large amount of parental input to fall asleep, but they will eventually fall asleep.  One of the keys to having a baby who falls asleep with relative ease is, as a parent, to relax about the details of where and how they DO fall asleep.  Easier said than done when you are almost shaking with exhaustion and would saw off your own arm for just an hour to yourself - to shower, drink a HOT cup of tea or coffee, eat.  Or even sleep yourself.

Milk alternatives

In the news recently I read about the high bidding that has been going on with formula milks.  As someone interested in the food I feed my children I know that there are alternatives to formula milk in a can when babies are old enough to be on solid foods.  I remember talking to Herbalist Amanda Rayment about this when Maya was about 9 months old and I was going through a rough patch with breastfeeding. I felt like I wasn't producing enough milk. One of the thingswe talked about was using Almond Milk as a drink and to mix with foods.  However I never needed to in the end as the tincture I got from her worked amazingly well to boost my supply.

This recent news story made me realise that most people don't realise that there are alternatives to canned formula milk so I asked Amanda to share her knowledge. She has written a useful Blog about Almond Milk and how to make it.  I would add to this that the almond meal makes great cookies! There are loads of recipes online for these.  I've also used the milk myself and it makes a great milk for cereals and smoothies. Just tip in some fruit (bananas, berries) blend and drink.

I'm not a vegetarian but do question our dependence on cows milk for protein and calcium. So often we are told you need to eat cheese or drink milk to produce breastmilk and for healthy teeth and bones. But cows don't drink another mammals milk to get their calcium to produce milk, they eat calcium and protein rich grass. Green vegetables and nuts and seeds are rich in minerals, vitamins and proteins and are also absorbed better, and don't have side effects such as increased mucous production.  So perhaps we could do with re-educating and empowering ourselves about alternatives to dairy and get ourselves and our children eating our own formulas rather than those of multinational companies.

Here is the link to Amanda's Blog, look out for more Blogs about this subject soon. Subscribe via the box on the right so you don't miss out.  Amanda also offers telephone and in-person consultations from Clifton, Bristol.

~ Eva

[caption id="attachment_2453" align="alignright" width="481"] Cow with her calf surrounded by protein and calcium rich grass.[/caption]

"If I could get a decent night's sleep, I'd be a much better mother!"

[caption id="attachment_2413" align="alignleft" width="480"] Photo from http://mommygreenest.com[/caption]

by April Whincop, IBC Lactation Consultant.

These are the words of women who want to be the best mothers they can be for their babies. A so-called solution to the challenge of the 'broken' nights - an idea often fed into them by unworthy gurus - is to 'help' their babies to sleep longer.

But let's listen to the wordless ones, to the other side of the sleep story. What would our babies be saying if they could speak?

Herbs for Relaxation and Sleep by Amanda Rayment Master Herbalist

I was delighted to receive Eva’s invitation to write for Born’s blog, one because I love to sing the praises of how herbal teas are a mothers ally and equally important to say yes to Eva. Born has developed into a service and resource that offers huge support to parents and in my opinion can be trusted by parents. Love Amanda



Question: Can herbal teas and baths be of assistance when we are experiencing our baby or toddler having restless, inconsistent sleep patterns?

 

Abdominal-Sacral Massage - by Natalie McGrorty

The abdomen is a part of the body that many of us pay little attention to, unless we experience pain and discomfort in this area or are not happy with its appearance. However, the abdomen contains many of our vital organs and in women, the reproductive organs too. Therefore, health of the abdomen contributes greatly to wellbeing.

Many women experience intense pain and heavy bleeding before and during menstruation but believe that this is  ‘normal’ and something that they must endure. However, symptoms such as PMS, cramps, clotting and irregular cycles are in fact signs of imbalance and in many cases result from misalignment of the abdominal organs. This is also true for many digestive disorders.  Due to the close proximity of the abdominal organs and tissues, which share common neural pathways, improper alignment of any of the organs can result in stagnation and congestion elsewhere. Digestion, fertility and immunity are closely linked.

The Joolz Day Tokyo Limited Edition Stroller

'All Black' strollers are always a hit with urban parents, and I expect that the new Limited Edition Joolz Day Tokyo Stroller will be warmly welcomed by those who appreciate its distinguished qualities.  There is just a little bit of colour and frills added to the stroller by designer,  papercraft artist and illustrator Hiyoko Imai. Her illustrations are visible inside the canopy, on the parasol, and on the traditional Japanese Wrapping Cloth included with the stroller.

Introducing the Bugaboo Buffalo

This week Bugaboo launched to retailers its brand new stroller. The Bugaboo Buffalo is the 4th stroller in the Bugaboo family, positioned as an 'off-road' stroller - a distinct and very different pushchair from the others. The Bee+ is definitely the nimble city stroller, fantastic for the bus or tube.  The Cameleon is exactly that, a city stroller but with the off-road capacity should you need it; it's the multicoloured fabric combinations that really earn it its name. The Donkey launched a couple of years ago and is the work horse of the family, carrying twins or siblings with ease.

On the Birth of Musings on Mothering - By Teika Bellamy

La Leche League are an organisation that is very dear to me. It was a haven of sense when Maya was a baby. I felt around friends and in fact it's where I met Becky 5 years late when our boys were babies. 

This compilation of stories and poems, complied by Teika Bellamy is the kind of thing you keep on your feeding chair. Breastfeeding is a great opportunity to catch up on reading and this book also makes a mother feel good about the great work she is doing.

~ Eva

On the Birth of Musings on Mothering - By Teika Bellamy

About five years ago, when my daughter was approaching her first birthday, I picked up the telephone and called my local La Leche League Leader to find out about meetings. The Leader (the wonderful Rachel O’Leary) was friendly and helpful, and I was excited to learn that the group ran toddler meetings alongside their normal meetings and so I counted down the days to that first meeting.

Little did I know then that that phone call would set an alternative life path beneath my feet…

What does a Doula do? by Catherine Waters, Relaxed Birth & ParentingDoula

At each birth I attend, I'm reminded of this quote;

“It is by logic that we prove, but by intuition that we discover.” Henri Poincaré

I first heard the term Doula when I was newly pregnant with my third child. I did some research, and was struck by what a good idea it seemed, 'to mother the mother'.

I went on to have my third baby at home, a beautifully simple birth.

Summer is on the way - honestly!

One of the highlights of my working week is when the new season's clothing arrives.  It is just like Christmas - even though I spend quite a bit of time selecting the items, six months has passed since I last saw them so it's always a bit of a surprise when they are unpacked; I also feel nervous waiting for the reaction from staff and customers.  Have I chosen well?  Do they like the range?  Sometimes I will love an item and everyone else hates it - the dreaded 'Marmite' effect.