Baby Wearing

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I'm betting most of you who are here know what baby wearing is. For any who don't, baby wearing is using some type of carrier or sling to hold your baby against your body. Babies are worn a number of different ways, for many different reasons. I'll detail some of those reasons for you, as well as discussing different types of carriers and their uses.

When your baby is born, he or she goes from a warm, perfect environment where s/he's held 24/7 to a cool, strange environment where sometimes (maybe often?) s/he is set down alone somewhere. Some people are worried about holding their babies too much (which is absolute nonsense), but I once read somewhere that since your baby used to be held 24 hours a day, any amount of holding, even 18 hours a day, is a reduction from your baby's point of view. Your baby wants, NEEDS, to be held -- a lot. This will change, slowly, as he gets older, but while he's little, he NEEDS you. So what are the benefits?

*Worn babies cry less
Why does the baby need to cry when he's already with you? He can't want to be held -- he's already being held. If he needs fed or changed, you'll notice his early cues, so he won't have to cry to get your attention. If he needs to sleep, he'll probably be comfortable enough to simply drop off in his carrier.

*Worn babies are happier
It comes from having their needs met nearly instantly, but these babies are happy and quickly develop a sense of trust in their parents and environment.

*Worn babies are smarter.
Babies tend to spend more time awake and alert, according to The Baby Wearer, which is when they learn the most about their environment. It doesn't hurt that they're able to see a lot more from a worn position than they'd be able to see from the floor, and when they're a bit older (3 - 4 months), they can "participate" too.

*Worn babies have better physical development
First, baby's body regulates more easily because it picks up the rhythms of yours. But also, baby gets a chance to turn his head in the carrier, push against you with his feet and knees, push away from you with his hands, grab things if he's facing out, etc. I've heard stories about people who wore their babies nearly constantly from birth and their babies walked by 9 months!

*Worn babies make it easy for moms to get things done
If your baby cries unless he's held, you can't get anything done if you have to sit and just hold him, and you can't (shouldn't) let him cry. Instead, put him in a carrier and your hands are free to fold laundry, cook dinner, or whatever else you need to do. You're happy, the baby's happy, and chances are, the rest of your house is happy too. I personally always put Daniel is my wrap while we're shopping because I can do whatever I need and he's right there with me. I can walk away from my cart and I'm not leaving him unattended, and there's no chance he's going to get fussy and demand I pick him up, forcing me to push the cart one-handed. If I have to chase Bekah, I have a prayer of a chance of catching her while Daniel is in the wrap and my hands are free!

With all these benefits, who wouldn't want to wear their baby? I have worn Daniel almost EVERY time we've gone out since he was born (he is 4.5 months). I can count on ONE HAND the number of times I've carried him in somewhere in his car seat. By the way, it drives me nuts when people toss a blanket over a child's car seat and carry them everywhere in it. Then leave them sitting in it, still covered, once they're inside the store, restaurant, etc. Pay attention to your child. Pick him up and cuddle him. Even if he is sleeping, at least uncover his face and keep him close, and once he is awake, INTERACT WITH HIM. Your baby is a person, who needs more of your attention than anyone else. Your baby is not a convenience to be shoved aside until you feel like paying attention to him. This is part of personal responsibility as a parent: take responsibility for your baby and put your own needs aside! Don't expect some object to baby sit your child! We have WAY too many toys and seats and stuff to put babies in these days so we can ignore them and pretend they're learning so much and they're so happy. No. Your baby doesn't care about shiny toys or fancy seats, he just wants you to hold him.

Stepping off soapbox. It had to be said.

There are many different types of carriers and wraps. Let's talk about the basic styles.

Ring Sling: This is a wrap that goes over one shoulder, wraps around your body, and tucks through a ring. It can be worn in many different positions (on the front, side, or back, and at many different levels) and is easily adjustable. However, all the weight is on one shoulder and across your back -- not well distributed. Some people swear by them; I've never liked mine very much, though I have one. They're easy to make, but if you choose to do that, you MUST use good quality rings, NOT craft rings from a local craft store. Zolowear, Maya Wrap, others.

Mei-Tai: Many, many of today's carriers are styled like Mei-Tais. These carriers have wide straps that go around your waist and over your shoulders (usually crossing in the back) and tying around the baby. Modern carriers with buckles and padded straps are usually variations on this. This carrier is fairly versatile and can be worn on the back or front. It's not quite as adjustable as the ring sling, but still fairly adjustable. It also has better back support. Little babies can be worn in these, but they often don't feel very secure. This is better for older babies or even toddlers. Daniel really doesn't like my Mei Tai so far, and I originally thought I'd use it the most. Mei Tai Baby, Baby Bjorn, Baby Hawk, Beco, Ergo.

Pocket slings: This type of carrier is like a little pocket that goes around you and the baby tucks down inside of. It's not at all adjustable (you have to buy or make one that fits your measurements) and depending on your size and baby's size, baby can get lost down inside it (or feel like that). But some babies love to recline and be cuddled close like this. It's not great for older babies and it does only go over one shoulder, so it's not great for back support. Peanut shell.

Wraps: These are really great for little babies. They are made out of several yards (5 - 6) of stretchy material, and you have to wrap them a special way. The baby tucks inside a pocket somewhere on you. Baby can be worn facing in or out, on your front, side, or back. They're not great for older babies because they can stretch too much with baby's weight, but until that time, they wrap over both shoulders, your waist, and most of your back so they are great for back support. This is my FAVORITE and Daniel's too. I can tuck him into this any time and he'll go to sleep. He just loves to be carried this way and I take him everywhere in this. Moby wrap, Metro Mamma.

Check the links at the end of each description for brands of carriers and places to buy them. Of course, there's no reason to limit yourself to these! There are MANY nice baby carriers out there, several made by WAHMs. You can make them yourself, too, if you want to.

We LOVE baby wearing. I plan to continue wearing Daniel as long as he'll let me (or as long as I can, depending on when I get pregnant again) and to wear all future babies.

Do you baby-wear? If you don't have kids yet, do you plan to wear your babies? What is your favorite carrier?

This post is being entered in a blog contest here:

Cloth Diaper Tutorial

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Notes: First, I wrote this tutorial over a year ago. My diaper-making has changed since this time! This diaper was right after I started using cloth tabs, but before I started doing snaps or the sham pocket opening. I took some pictures to update this tutorial a few weeks ago, as I was making my last batch of diapers. But then I downloaded them to my laptop and erased them from my camera, and now my laptop doesn't work! So, um, the pictures are stuck on there and I can't get to them, and I'm not currently making diapers to take any more. So either when my laptop gets fixed or I start more diapers I will get pictures and update this tutorial to show you what my newest diapers look like, I promise. The pattern I use now is also better, so that you don't have to "guess" on the size of the tabs. I linked to the proper pattern below. The tutorial I linked to above will show you what the sham opening looks like.

Here is the original tutorial:

Interested in learning how to make a cloth diaper with nice cloth tabs? You're about to learn! With this pattern, I was able to get 11 diapers out of less than a yard of fabric. Yes, really! They are a size small (fits 8 - about 20 lbs.). I chose Alova suede cloth for my inner fabric and PUL for my outer fabric. My tabs are made of a stretch knit, with Aplix as a closure. You can use this pattern actually for any type of diaper you want -- AIO, AI2, fitted, pocket fitted, or PUL pocket. This one happens to be a PUL pocket. The instructions for a pocket fitted would be the same, except for the fabrics used. The instructions for any other diaper would be slightly different due to sewn in/snapped in soakers. There are plenty of other resources on the internet for those, though!

You can also choose to use your own pattern with these instructions. If you like the look of this pattern in particular, I am willing to sell it fairly cheaply. :) Just send me a message!

Materials needed:
*Inner fabric (Alova suede cloth, minkee, lightweight fleece, flannel, etc.)
*Outer fabric (PUL, Procare, Windpro fleece, anything else if you're doing a fitted)
*Cloth tab fabric (stretch knit, cotton, really anything)
*Elastic (about 1/2 yd.)
*Thread (100% polyester)
*Hook and loop (2" hook, 8" loop)

First, the pattern itself. Here it is, laid out so you can see it all:

The easiest way to cut the fabric, though, is to fold the pattern in half and cut it on the fold. This way you're cutting less (two layers at once) and you know it's going to be symmetrical. So, here it is folded:

Now, remember that this is the pattern for the WHOLE diaper, not just the body. You'll have to cut the body first, leaving off the tabs. The next picture is the body of the diaper, cut, laid on top of the pattern so you can see how much to leave. It's about 3 - 4" and doesn't matter too much really.
This is just one layer. You need to now use the piece you've already cut (the piece in the picture, the magenta, is PUL) to cut any other layers you will need. You will definitely need at least an inner and an outer, probably more if you're doing a fitted. What matters most here is that your two pieces match, so use the one you've just cut as a pattern for all the other layers.

Then, you'll need to cut the tabs. Lay the cut piece on top of the pattern as shown above. Pick up your tab fabric and fold it. The folded section needs to be AT LEAST as wide as the uncovered area on the pattern, but can be wider. Lay this part on top of the pattern with the fold on the outside edge of the tab. The idea is, you're going to cut it so it slightly overlaps the body of the diaper. You'll need two of these, one for each side. Here is a picture of the tab, folded and by itself:


Once you have cut the tabs, set them aside. You won't need them until after the next few steps.

Place the two body layers on top of each other, right sides together (for suede cloth, the soft side; for PUL, the not-shiny side). These layers will face out later. Pin it carefully. Alternately, use a glue stick to baste the two layers together. Here it is:



Now, you will sew a seam around the diaper, avoiding the tab areas and the back of the diaper. Here is a picture of where to start sewing:



Once the diaper is sewn it looks like this (ignore the kitty paws!):



Notice where it is sewn and not sewn. The back of the diaper and the tabs are not sewn yet. Now, clip around the area that is sewn to even the edges. The seam allowance should be around 1/4" when you are done, and it will look like this:



Now that the body of the diaper is sewn, it's time to pin the tabs to the diaper. Lay the tab next to the diaper like this:


The top half of the tab will be pinned to the top layer of fabric; the bottom half of the tab will be pinned to the bottom layer of fabric. Remember that the tab is folded, with the fold on the outside, facing away from the diaper. It will be sticking up when it is pinned properly. When it is pinned, it looks like this:

When you're sewing it, open up the tab so you sew one side at a time. It will look like this:


Carefully sew each side of the tab, being careful not to sew the diaper closed where the tab is pinned to the body or you won't be able to turn the diaper. Once it is sewn to the diaper, it will look like this:


Just one more step with the tabs, and then we'll sew in the elastic. Remember that the tabs are closed on the outside due to the fold, and they are now sewn to the body of the diaper on the opposite side. But, there are two remaining sides that aren't sewn yet. The tabs need to be sewn along the curve (bottom of the tab) and along the top (which connects to the back of the diaper). Make sure, when you are doing this, that you sew all the way from the folded edge of the tab onto the body of the diaper. For the back of the diaper, start about an inch away from the tab, then sew all the way across. Here is where you should start:

Once this has been sewn, trim the tabs the same way you trimmed the seam allowance on the body of the diaper, so it looks smooth.

Now, we need to mark where the elastic will go. Fold the diaper in half so that you can mark the same thing on each side. The bottom of the leg elastic should be about 3" above the bottom of the diaper. The top of the leg elastic should be in the curve just before the tab (about 2 - 3" away). Here are two pictures to show you where these marks should be (slight pinkish marker):
Bottom

Top

Set the elastic (I use 1/4" Lastin, but you can use polybraid or whatever you want) at one of the points. Tack it down by sewing forward slightly then backward. Then, switch to a zig zag stitch and sew the elastic down (stretching it out until it is taut but not as tight as it will go) into the seam allowance. I don't measure my elastic, but I would think it's 4 - 5".

Here is the tacking and starting the elastic:
When you're done, it will look like this (the picture is one leg):


For the back elastic, I like to do both the inside and outside of the pocket opening. Some people prefer to do only the outside. I think doing both gives a better fit, helps the diaper stay stuffed, and looks better. You can choose though.

At the point where your stitching ends (remember sewing about an inch onto the back of the diaper? The rest of the back is open still), clip the seams towards the outside of the diaper. This will leave a higher part of the diaper (the unsewn part). That's where your elastic goes. It will look like this after the clipping:



Sew one layer at a time. You will probably have to remove the tray on the sewing machine in order to put the pocket opening over the arm to do this. Once it is done, the whole diaper should look like this:



You can choose, at this point, to fold down the extra fabric at the back above the elastic and hem the pocket opening. In this particular diaper, since it is for home use and these fabrics don't fray, I am not going to bother. Then, turn the diaper right side out. It will now look like this:



Some people prefer to just leave the diaper like this, and sew on their hook and loop (or snaps). That's fine. Others, like me, prefer to topstitch. Start the needle about 1/4" from the edge, right next to the opening of the pocket. Stitch around the diaper, just inside the elastic (it'll be about 1/2" from the edge there). This will form a casing for the elastic, and mini-gussets around the legs to keep in the messes. When you sew around the elastic, stretch it out. It will look like this as you are sewing that part:


At this point (whether you've top stitched or not), attach your hook and loop. About 6" of loop tape goes on the front of the diaper. About 1" square of hook goes on each of the tabs. It's also a good idea to add 1" square of loop tape to each tab (just a bit away from the hook) to function as laundry tabs so your diapers don't turn into a giant chain in the wash. Once you have done that, here is your finished diaper!

Mental Health Issues

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I was asked a couple weeks ago about my stance on mental health issues. Tonight I'll explain. I think this post is very timely because some have felt that I am not compassionate towards those who are ill. So, before I explain my stance, I'd like to say that I have a lot of compassion for individuals who are ill, from any disease or situation. I don't, however, have a lot of compassion for a nation who is getting sicker and sicker and choosing to use drugs instead of seeking to take responsibility for their own health. I think in a lot of cases people are unaware of alternatives, are unaware of how to achieve good health, and I do feel compassion for them. But that's part of why I write this blog: to inform people that, in a lot of cases (not ALL!), they don't have to be sick. There is something they can do. I am very passionate about health issues, and I really would LOVE to go to medical school someday and practice alternative medicine, or do research into these issues I feel passionately about. But with two small children and more to come, it's just not in the cards right now. So, I settle for reading everything I can get my hands on and sharing with my readers here. :)

Now, on to mental illness. I really believe mental illness falls into three categories, and each category should be treated differently:

Psychotic Illnesses (Schizophrenia, etc.)
Mood Disorders (Depression, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, etc.)
Learning/Behavioral (ADHD, etc.)

The first category, I believe, is best medicated. A lot of people who develop psychotic illnesses do so because of hereditary reasons or life situations beyond their control. Many of them become completely out of touch with reality and even potentially dangerous to themselves or others. In these individuals, brain chemistry is truly disturbed, and there is not anything we can do (to my knowledge) to actually heal them. So, medication is necessary as a first step in order to bring them back to reality and control any dangerous urges (and perhaps counseling can help as well). I don't believe that any of these conditions are very common, but when they occur, they require the care of a licensed, experienced psychiatrist.

The second category is usually best helped by a combination of talk therapies and diet, depending on the exact illness in question. A lot of people suffer from depression, I believe, because their brain chemistry and hormones are out of balance. A lot of this is caused by low-fat diets. Fat and cholesterol (especially saturated fat) regulate hormone production and use in the body. As our society has shifted towards a lower and lower fat diet, depression has become much more prevalent. It seems especially prevalent in a subset of people who believe that the lowest fat, lowest calories will keep them healthiest, leading me to believe that a more appropriate diet would alleviate some of the symptoms of depression (I think this is a MUCH better solution to the problem than SSRIs). However, I think a lot of depression and mood disorders are caused by unfair pressure or expectations or other situations. This is why I believe therapy can help -- journalling, group therapy, individual therapy, etc. I think therapy can be VERY helpful. I believe that anti-depressants and other drugs should be an absolute last resort. SSRIs block the brain from producing serotonin by providing synthetic serotonin, so when a person stops taking them, they are likely to "crash." Taking SSRIs daily for the rest of one's life does not seem like a solution to me at all. I also know that they are WAY overused. I knew someone who was mildly depressed, and when she went for an initial evaluation by a psychiatrist, she was told "I cannot even begin to counsel you unless you start taking Prozac." There was no attempt to begin therapy, and she was under 18 at the time. Frankly, I don't think she's been the same person since.

The third category is tricky. I think that there are some people (a very small number) who truly have ADHD or some other behavioral disorder. Perhaps they are just immature for their age, their brain chemistry isn't right, or they have been "trained" by life circumstances and so they are suffering from something they truly need help with. These people are best helped, in most cases, with some type of therapy. A classroom aide would help children to remain on task in a lot of cases (if that is possible), and medication, again, should be a last resort. However, I think these are GROSSLY overdiagnosed. One in three children is diagnosed with ADHD or a similar disorder now. That can't be right. Most of those children would be "cured" simply with basic diet changes (no high fructose corn syrup or artificial dyes, for example), or even by meeting with a better doctor!

Many children are referred for diagnosis by a teacher and when the parent takes the child to the doctor and says "My child's teacher says he has ADHD" the doctor says "Let me write you a prescription for Ritalin." There is no evaluation or formal diagnosis. I KNOW this happens, has been happening for 15 years, because that's what happened when my brother (now 22) was said to have ADHD back in the second grade. Thankfully, my mom said "No thanks" to the drugs and he is now one of the calmest, most laid-back people I know, and has no trouble concentrating. He's a pilot, actually. That doctor is no longer practicing, or at least not in this state. It is my opinion that many children, upon a formal evaluation by a qualified psychiatrist, would be found NOT to have ADHD at all. I was referred for diagnosis, too...but upon formal evaluation, the doctor said "No, she just marches to her own drummer," meaning that I was avoiding work in the classroom deliberately, because it bored me, not because I actually could not concentrate. I also believe that a lot of children are very intelligent and are bored by busywork and they, like most adults, have trouble concentrating on things that bore them. In that case, the solution would be accelerated classes, if possible, or working at home on projects that specifically interest them, like building models, visiting museums, writing stories, etc. I've been against the overuse of ADHD drugs since I was just 15, long before I was ever against any other (legal) drug use. (I've always been against illegal drugs and have never tried or even personally seen them, for the record.)

So, do people have mental illnesses? Yes. Are drugs the answer in some cases? Yes. I would even venture to say that drugs may be MORE useful for (true) mental illness than any other type because personally, I wouldn't mess around with someone who is psychotic or is a potential danger to themselves or others. I also do think, for more minor issues, that diet, alternative medicine (herbs, acupressure, etc.) and counseling can play a huge role. Only a qualified team of experts (psychiatrists, psychologists, nutritionists, pediatricians, etc.) can properly diagnose a person and recommend a proper treatment. (And please remember that that means your child's teacher is NOT qualified to make a diagnosis, only a recommendation, and that you should follow up with your child's doctor.)

**EDIT: We have received some sarcastic comments about our views on natural health. We believe that everyone is responsible for their own health and that the choices they make affect health, good or bad. There is NO choice that you make that does not have some type of consequences. If you choose to take drugs or to follow a different course, that is your choice. But everyone is ultimately responsible for their own choices and their own health. If you do not believe the way we do, that's fine, but you probably shouldn't keep reading the blog, as it will only make you unhappy. Take responsibility for yourself!!**

What do you think about mental illness? Do you know anyone who suffers from one?

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Homemade Christmas: Update

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While everyone else is combing the stores for the perfect (expensive) Christmas presents, I'm at home, slowly making my way through my list of presents to create for my family. I thought I'd give you an update on how that's going! There's a month left till Christmas (well, almost), so I had better be making progress!

Here are the projects I'm working on:

Vanilla Extract -- It's actually starting to smell a little like vanilla, instead of just alcohol! I made mine with "bourbon vanilla beans" and bourbon (most vanilla is made with vodka), so it has kind of a unique scent and should have a unique flavor. I haven't found bottles appropriate to send it in, yet, so I'll have to hunt some up soon.

Doll diapers -- I have most of the pieces cut out for these, but haven't done any sewing yet. Unfortunately, when I bought some of the fabric, I underestimated how much I'd need. I'm waiting on the sales (hopefully NOT just today because I do not want to brave Black Friday crowds if I don't have to!) to pick up the rest. These really shouldn't take long, though.

Rice-filled heating pads -- I have most of these cut out, too. I'm doing a set that consists of 1 long, 1 - 2 short (depending on how much fabric I have), and 1 U-shaped one for around the shoulders. I'd love to have enough so there would be one for the shoulders, one for the low back, and two small ones for arms/legs or whatever else is sore. I'm also using these to safely heat Daniel's bed sometimes these days so they really do have endless uses!

Bath and Body products -- I finally have my shea butter, cocoa butter, and several essential oils on order. I haven't come up with my exact recipe, but I'll write a blog about what I did when I get my stuff!

Candles -- I've thought about it. A lot. But I haven't tried anything. That's pretty sad, seeing as I've had all the necessary stuff for over a month now, maybe even longer than that.

Blankets/sheets -- I meant to cut these last weekend. They WILL be cut, and some sewn, before the end of this weekend!

So, clearly I have a lot more work to do! But I have picked out what I'm getting for everyone and I have gotten a start. Hopefully I will have it all done by Dec. 19 and wrapped up and pretty. We're putting our tree up today, so it'll be nice to have some presents to put underneath! Bekah's pretty excited about the tree this year, she is starting to sort of understand what is going on.

How is your Christmas planning going? Did you get a lot of great deals today?

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

This blog post will be brief since it's a holiday. I hope you are enjoying all your food, and your family! And maybe a few of the recipes posted from last week. :)

How did your holiday go? Post and let me know!

Job Bias

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****Thanks to all those who commented. Comments for this post are now CLOSED. We all have different life situations, and I would ask that you respect ours. We have openly shared where we are because we felt it best to be honest. But, now we are done discussing this topic and will be moving on. Thanks.****

We've been asked several times about my husband's job: initially, what he does, and upon finding out he works for a medical supply and pharmaceutical distribution company (yes, that's true), how it is not a conflict of interest for us to be against the medical industry. So, we thought we'd share with you a bit about our background and why we are where we are.

We met in 2005, when Ben was working as a manager for CompUSA. He was still in school then and hated the job, but needed to work full time at something that had evening/weekend hours. In March, 2006, he had a friend who had worked at CompUSA with him who had moved to Cardinal Health. He told Ben how flexible they were, so Ben interviewed and got a job with them. At this point we weren't exactly pro-pharmaceutical, but we sure weren't anti. We both used OTC drugs (Tylenol, Motrin, etc.) when we didn't feel well, and the cats we got in June 2006 were vaccinated.

In December, 2006, Ben began to suffer from chronic pain. We went to urgent care one night, and saw our regular doctor several times. She thought he had an infection and prescribed antibiotics, several courses. There was no change. She sent him to a specialist and they did several painful tests and tried more antibiotics. STILL no change. This went on for about a year, and ultimately chiropractic adjustments put an end to the pain. That was the beginning of us stepping back from the medical industry.

In July 2007, we were visiting my parents when Ben fainted and got taken to the emergency room. He was pretty annoyed by this because he had fainted before and he knew what was going on. The doctors there would not take a history and would not listen to us about anything. They ran a million tests and found nothing (they even ran neurological tests!). We began to suspect that they were doing so many because we have really good health insurance. My grandmother is a retired nurse, and had given us Phenergan in the past when we were sick (it is an antihistamine but commonly used for anti-nausea) and we knew this would help (he gets really sick when he wakes up from fainting). They ignored us for several hours and finally gave it to him...and then he was fine. Later, we learned from doing our own research and talking to family members that he has something called "Situational syncopea" which basically means certain types of overstimulation can cause him to lose consciousness. There's nothing that can be done but avoiding the triggers. This wasn't helping our opinion of doctors.

In January 2008, we had a bad experience at the hospital with Bekah's birth. At one point I was about 4 cm dialated and in a lot of pain. I said I could handle it, even with an IV and sitting in bed, if I was just left alone. The doctor called (she didn't come in until less than ten minutes before Bekah was born) and insisted on talking only to ME (wouldn't talk to Ben, even though I was having contractions every two minutes) and said "This is a hospital, we move things along here. If you don't like it, you can go home. You're getting your water broken." Several more things were pushed on me -- pitocin (apparently, according to the monitor, my contractions weren't strong enough -- that is CRAP because 18 months later I delivered my son at home with the exact same labor pattern), stitches, Motrin, epidural, etc. This, too, turned us against doctors/drugs.

My daughter's few illnesses turned us further, her allergy issues further still (our chiropractor wants to have her hair tested for chemicals, because since we removed the city water from her diet and limited baths, she's slept through the night 10 days in a row, we're going on a record number of nights in a row now. He thinks it is chemical sensitivities and if we can get the stuff out of her body, we can heal her). Our own research and experiences healing on diet and other natural remedies turned us further too. Even just Bekah's situation now, it seems that we are the ones who observe her and figure out what's going on! Yes, one problem is that doctors simply are not there everyday and do not observe the patients, do not have enough time to spend with them. But they also like to jump in and treat symptoms and not look for underlying problems.

So, anyway, when Ben took his job, we were not anti-pharmaceutical. That has come over time with various experiences we've had. At this point, Ben is in a rather advanced field: continuous auditing. This means that through using computer programs, he is able to check all of the company's issues (employee databases, spending accounts, etc. -- all that stuff companies need to operate) instead of looking at only a sampling, which is the way auditing was previously done. He is leading this shift and it is a passion for him. His goal, someday down the road (5-7 years), is to work on this area for a number of different companies. At this point he is unable to do that because it is just too new of an area.

There is also the plain fact that Ben has to have a job. We are slowly transitioning our lifestyle to where we want to be; we aren't there yet. Ideally we will move to a farm, and Ben will work from home, consulting for various businesses. That is where we are heading, but it can't happen overnight. We have talked about Cardinal and conflicting interests many times, though. I'll let him explain that to you. :)

Like Kate said, I had been working for them for about 2 years before we started taking serious strides toward alternative medicine/treatments. Since I've now been there for nearly four years and the fact that first and foremost I work to provide for my family, I have good reason to stay. Even if I completely disagreed with what Cardinal does, my family still comes first, obviously, though I would be adamantly searching for a new job.

That being said, I has been pointed out that Cardinal is primarily a pharmaceutical distributor and since we're now firmly anti-drug, that should be a conflict. Well, yes and no. First of all, Cardinal makes most of its profit (percentage wise) from its Medical Product and Manufacturing division. (Cardinal is the largest manufacturer of surgical gloves and instruments in world, and also makes tons of other product - feel free to search it) Obviously Cardinal is going to expand the businesses that a) the consumer wants most and b) makes them the most money. As consumers shift away from drug based care, Cardinal will follow. They are not the problem, the end users (aka doctor/hospital/pharmaacist) is.

The second main reason is that I do firmly believe that drugs can help people. What did I just say!? Seeing as how November is diabetes awareness month, I'll use that. I've seen various studies that say that most diabetes is preventable. I've seen some that say in up to 95% of cases it can be shown that the person's weight was the primary cause. So where does that leave our beliefs and Cardinal? Well, obviously the best course of action was to not be overweight, exercise, eat right, and avoid all the risk factors, especially if it runs in the family. On the other hand, even if a person ignores all warnings and common sense and basically causes their own diabetes, I still think that they should have the ability to buy insulin to prevent their death.

The simple truth is that most people will not take proper care of themselves, and at some point will need a "treatment" to fix a problem. Since most people believe drugs are the answer, that will be the option of choice for most. Even if my family will never use drugs, we will still use many of the products Cardinal supplies (like gloves, gauze, etc. which we purchased for our son's home birth).

In the end, at this point I feel that I can do good inside the organization by changing the hearts and minds of my coworkers. While there is a part of me that feels a conflict, this is very minimal to me. Once you go down that path of being super critical, it will never end. We're pro-life, so does that mean we can't shop at Dairy Queen? (Until 2003, DQ's parent company Berkshire Hathaway used to donate to pro-choice groups.) If you look deep enough, you can find a problem with every person and company. We are choosing to look at the intent of the company, and not nitpick. I would totally agree that working for a pharmaceutical manufacturer would be a total conflict of interest for us. In Cardinal's case, I think they are doing much more good than evil, and even if it's not ideal at this point, we can live with it.

There you have it! Thanks Ben. :)

Are there other questions? How do you balance your real life with your ideal life?

Health News: Water Kefir and National Health Care Plans

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Health news Tuesday!

Mammograms and Chemotherapy: Industry Recommendations
The cancer industry's current recommendations on mammograms. I should note, I am not against THERMOGRAMS, newer technology that can detect cancer more accurately and without radiation.

Make Your Own Probiotics: Kefir
This article details both milk and water kefir. Water kefir is not sold anywhere (milk kefir is sold in most grocery stores) and isn't well known. We've actually been working on some for awhile now, trying to "perfect" our recipe. I'll be blogging about our efforts soon!

Nutrition Can Save the Country
Mike Adams' view on why nutrition is so important and how good nutrition can help in many different areas.

GlaxoSmithKline Recalls H1N1 Vaccine in Canada Over 'Life Threatening' Allergy Risk
Important news for those considering an H1N1 vaccine.

Government-Run Health Care: Where it Stands
Why this plan should not pass, and what you can do about it.

Supplement Use: When, Why, Which

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As most people who read this blog know, I am anti-drug and anti-vaccine, and really, anti-medical-community in general. A few, though, have asked about my stance on supplements, so I thought I'd address that issue. Do we use supplements, which, and why?

The answer is yes -- we do, at times, use supplements. We do not, as some do, take several everyday. I know people who take a few dozen different supplements every single day, to add to their diet. I don't believe this is necessary, since, as one reader pointed out, you should ideally get everything you need from your diet. Of course, this the IDEAL and it doesn't always happen.

There are certain situations that I feel call for supplements. The first is in the case of illness. Many times, people lose their appetites during illness because the body is too busy fighting off the illness to worry about digestion and other normal processes (and so you can get extra sleep/rest). But this is the very time when you need a boost, so your body can fight off the illness. Vitamin C, for example, is an antioxidant that can really help to fight off colds or infections. It would be difficult to take enough food to get a large enough dose of vitamin C (not that you shouldn't drink orange juice or tea with lemon, for example), so a supplement can help.

Another case is when diet and environment are not sufficient. For example, vitamin D in the northern climates in the winter. We make vitamin D in response to sunlight on our bare skin, but there is not much sunlight, and we don't usually go outdoors without most of our skin covered in the winter. Vitamin D from food sources is generally not adequate, either. It is easy to become deficient, so in this case we need supplements.

A third case is if there are known deficiencies. We had Bekah tested awhile back and found she was deficient in B12, among other things. It wasn't that she wasn't getting adequate food sources (she eats a lot of grass-fed beef and other meat, the primary sources of B12), but that she wasn't absorbing it well. So, supplementation was necessary.

So, WHY do I think supplementation is correct in these situations, but drugs are not? It's really quite simple. Our bodies need these nutrients to survive and thrive. Being deficient is a serious problem, and we need to correct that deficiency, whether it is something we've tested for or suspect based on environmental factors. On the other hand, we do not need drugs to survive. We can never be deficient in, say Lipitor. It is not a required building block for life. My goal is to provide our bodies with what we need to thrive, based on God's design. Drugs do not fall in that category; supplements do. Supplements can be nature's medicine to help us heal. Drugs...well, they are poison to the body. They kill something that is in the body (the illness), but they are not specific and they also kill good gut flora too. Supplements will not do this, they will support the body's natural healing.

That said, it's important to select supplements carefully. Man-made supplements or food fortified with man-made supplements are basically useless. Our bodies don't absorb them well. The best supplements are based on whole foods. Cod liver oil, for example, is a great source of vitamins A and D and is absorbed well. The quality of the supplement is paramount. I can't advise on particular supplements to buy (brands or types) really, so please do research with sources you trust before selecting your supplements.

Do you use supplements? Why or why not? If you do, what types do you use and when?

Sewing Cloth Diapers

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Detail cloth diaper attempts; include pattern.

I wrote about cloth diapering in a post awhile back. Now, if you looked at some of the sites I included, you probably realized those diapers are expensive! Most are $15 - $19 each. Granted, this is still significant savings over using disposables (cost estimate is $2000 - $2500 for disposables, birth to potty training, and only $400 or so for cloth, assuming 24 one-size diapers), but wow! It's a big expense all at once, and if you ever lost a diaper or something, you'd be mad.

Instead, you can sew them! I designed and sewed all of mine. The average cost per diaper I sew is around $2. A lot better, right? If I used one-size diapers, I'd only have to spend about $72 on diapers. Since I use sized diapers (newborn, small, medium), I spend about $200 (this gives me 24 NB, 36 small, 36 medium, which is a rather large stash). But, that's half of what you'd spend on purchased, one-size diapers. For a more accurate comparison, I spent about $48 on my newborn diapers, vs. $400 on purchased diapers. 8 times as much.

Sewing the diapers is NOT that hard. But, it's good to learn from someone who's already done it. I'm going to detail my attempts to sew diapers for you so you don't have to make all the mistakes I did.

January, 2008: I first looked at cloth diapers seriously. Bekah was due in just a few weeks. Up until that point, people had mentioned them to me but I thought it was kind of weird. I thought it would be yucky and messy and I didn't even want to try. Give me some disposables, I thought! But I was starting to get a little more "green" and I decided to give it a try. Since I had learned to sew some as a teenager, I couldn't actually bring myself to pay for something I could make. This led to my first attempts.

I printed off the Mamabird pattern (then free, now $2). I decided I'd use flannel I had sitting around for the diaper, terry cloth for the soaker, and a hidden layer of PUL for the waterproof part, so it would be an AIO. I also used Aplix (like Velcro, but stronger). The first diaper I made looked crappy and seemed tiny to me. I didn't think it would ever fit my baby and I abandoned the project temporarily and resigned myself to starting with disposables. I just couldn't visualize the fit without a baby to try the diaper on.

February, 2008: I tried the diaper on Bekah. It was huge! I had no idea how tiny newborns really were. It also leaked inside of an hour. PUL underneath cotton flannel = bad. I thought that it would be really fabulous if I tried some with the PUL on the outside, and used buttons to secure them. I wouldn't need a snap press, and I wouldn't need any Aplix. I decided to make 10 like this.

March 2008: Okay, so I finished all my new AIO with PUL outer and buttons. They're all white and boring (inside is terry cloth) and they feel wet against her skin. I'm still trying to use whatever I have around the house, although I did break down and buy some microfiber cloths for the soaker (the part that holds the wetness). I only use them for a couple weeks because with only 10, I'm always washing them and they don't look so great anyway. They don't leak though.

April 2008: I discover FOE (fold over elastic) and fitteds. Fabulous! I sew up a dozen of these, with flannel on the outside and Alova suedecloth on the inside (okay, I broke down and bought fabric that would wick the moisture away). Still using microfiber. I use these diapers until she grows out of them. I also sew a few (4) fitted pockets and 3 covers. The covers are just PUL bound in FOE. They have snaps on them now but I still use them. I designed the fitted pocket myself (not the concept though) by narrowing the front of the pattern and making a few other adjustments to see if it fits better. I like the fitted pockets so much, I design a medium pattern just like it and cut out 24 diapers.

June 2008: Bekah's outgrown her small fitteds, but is way too small for the one medium I sewed as a test. Conundrum: adjust the medium, or sew more smalls? I end up sewing a bunch of smalls. This time I make her "real" pockets (PUL outer) with the opening at the back edge. I use Touchtape on these. TT is a LOT better than Aplix, in my opinion. After the first 6 or so, I try out using cloth tabs instead of cutting the whole diaper body out of PUL. This saves a LOT of PUL! I always use this on my diapers now. I use these until she is 11 months old, when I buy a snap press and start transitioning all the diapers to snaps. I still use these sometimes. Daniel wears them.

October 2008: Ben doesn't like the fitted pockets I sewed as mediums, which Bekah has been wearing for a few months. At. All. We are stuffing with microfiber cloths, and Ben hates these too. So I start designing new medium pockets ("real" ones), with cloth tabs, and I also add a sham pocket opening to the design (this means an opening in the middle of the diaper instead of the back edge; I'll show pictures in my tutorial in a few days). I sew 6 like this, which we use for night time. Ben loves these and wants more.

February 2009: I've finished my new stash of medium pockets. They're wonderful. Bekah still wears them today. I have 36 of them.

April 2009: I've finished sewing 24 newborn diapers with the same design as the mediums. When I get a chance to use them, I love them.

September 2009: I sew 24 new smalls, because there isn't quite enough elastic in my old ones to fit Daniel yet (I had 17 originally but added more). I've widened the front of these and changed the design slightly from the mediums. They're so awesome, they fit BOTH kids (Bekah at 26 lbs. and Daniel at, then, 10 lbs.). When people see them, they think they're professionally made (believe me, my early attempts did NOT look professional). I've contemplating sewing them...but just too busy to really commit to it.

My pattern, by the way, is available online for free: www.rctdiapers.webs.com. I will also be posting a tutorial in a few days on exactly how to sew diapers from this pattern.

Do you (or would you) use cloth diapers? Would you ever consider sewing your own?

Exercise in the Winter

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Getting exercise in the winter isn't easy, especially if you live in a cold, snowy climate -- which I definitely do, in Ohio! It's even harder if you have little kids and can't just dash out for a quick jog on a relatively "okay" day, or go to an expensive gym. So what's a busy mom to do?

One popular way for my friends and I is a "stroller stroll" at the mall. We load up the kids in their strollers and walk laps around the mall. This is best done with small children (read: ones who will still actually sit in their strollers for any length of time) and in the mornings on weekdays, when the mall isn't very crowded. Depending on how heavy your kids are, this can be a pretty good work out! It's also nice to chat while strolling, do a little shopping if something catches your eye, and have lunch at the food court (bring your own if you can't stand the options there) before heading home for naps.

If your kids won't sit in a stroller, or don't live close to the malls (now, I live less than five minutes from a mall...but growing up it was at least twenty minutes, so we didn't go too often), mall walking won't work for you. Other indoor stores can, if you can get your kids to sit still, or at least run after you. Sometimes there are museums or indoor playgrounds that you can go to, so your kids are entertained but you can get some exercise in too. Look for local mommy-and-me type events too, or join a group on Meet Up (I did!).

But, if you need something a little older-kid-friendly, try using a Nintendo Wii! It's my understanding that a lot of people have these now. We actually do have a Wii, and the Wii Fit. It's a great way to hop into exercise everyday, and you can do it for five minutes or an hour, and you can start and stop whenever you need to. Most exercises are only a few minutes long, so it's easy to do while you're coordinating dinner, kids, laundry, etc.

Failing a Wii (not everyone can afford one), you can also do routines from the fitness channels on TV, or exercises videos (DVDs?) from the library. If you're desperate, use your kids' silly dancing videos!

There are other small ways to exercise around your house as well. Wearing wrist or ankle weights while you go about your daily chores can be a great idea. Running up and down stairs more often than you really need to (you know, you went up to get your toddler's cup but forgot your next load of laundry) is great. Cleaning various rooms is exercise too. It really is built in!

Of course, the best exercise is your KIDS! Chase them, tickle them, "attack" them, just go nuts! Dance with them, sing, do gymnastics, etc. Your kids will give you PLENTY of exercise if you let them. I, personally, am trying really hard to limit my computer time to when they are having short play time in the morning, naps, and evenings. This is so I spend more time with them during the day in general, but also so I don't spend a lot of time just sitting down. I have to get up and chase them!

I do other random things, too. I also keep all their diapers upstairs so every time someone needs changed I have to run them up there. I try to do chores on each level everyday so I spend some time upstairs, downstairs, and in the basement. If I leave the basement door open, Bekah will inevitably down and probably feed the cats (she knows how to open their food and give them extra, although she's not supposed to) and then I'll have to run down and grab her and make her clean up and run her back up to time out.... You get the idea.

How do you exercise in the winter? Do you involve your kids? Let's hear all about it!

Updates on Bekah

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News from the recent doctor's appointments, etc.

It's been a couple months now since we started working hard on Bekah's treatment. We got the prescriptions for B-12 injections and glutathione cream in October. Unfortunately, within a few days, Bekah's eczema flared up horribly and she began waking up every night, angry and itchy. She also wasn't napping well or at all, so she was spending most days and nights throwing tantrums constantly. We continued to give her sublingual B-12 everyday, in hopes that would make some difference. We stopped the injections and the cream, and within a few days her eczema was clearing up, and is now basically gone. At its worst, the eczema totally covered her chest and belly and was bright red, and there were patches on her arms and legs too.

Bekah was able to try several new foods after her eczema subsided, including almonds (allergic), lima beans (allergic), raisins (fine -- yay!), and others I can't remember. We now know that she cannot tolerate any legumes, nuts, tropical fruit, gluten, or dairy. We won't even try anything else in those families for awhile. So, she is down to apples (she'll now eat them raw), pears, bananas, carrots, celery, potatoes, chicken, beef, turkey, ham, eggs, coconut. Ham was new too, also fine.

Last weekend we realized that maybe we should stop bathing her so often, and stop allowing her to drink city water. Although she was napping again, the eczema was gone, we were making sure she was eating enough during the day, and her behavior was somewhat better, she was still waking at night. When we were out of town and she was drinking only filtered water, her behavior improved dramatically. We have gone to bathing her only 1 - 2 times per week and allowing her to drink only filtered or spring water. She's slept -- soundly -- through the night this week and has been napping better and much happier and less fussy during the day. We think that she has chemical sensitivities and our ultimate solution will be to buy a reverse osmosis system for the entire house, so that ALL the taps, including showers, will be safe.

Bekah's also talking more. She's repeating many words, trying to communicate constantly. This really started to explode after we removed city water. Could be a coincidence, but we don't think so.

On Thursday, 11/19 we went back to the doctor. She advised starting B12 injections again, and getting an alternative base for the glutathione cream and beginning that again as well. She also took a look at Bekah's diaper rash and said it looks like strep bacteria, and prescribed an antibiotic cream for her. She also recommended putting her in disposables for awhile until the rash clears and treating all her diapers. So, we bought Seventh Generation diapers for her (she thinks they are funny, she pulls at the paper and pokes at them when wet and says "Skee-see" which means "squishy").

We've only applied the antibiotic cream two or three times, and the rash is clearing (it always does; and to my knowledge strep bacteria lives harmlessly in many peoples' guts and is caused by an acidic system. We also know for sure that the reason it's causing a rash is because she eats an allergenic food and this causes diarrhea, which is acidic, and that feeds the rash). However, the eczema on her chest is beginning to flare again. She definitely has chemical sensitivities.

The truth is, doctors understand very little about what's going on right now. It puzzles them why kids are so allergic, even to their mothers' breastmilk in some cases. I have the answer: leaky gut syndrome. Doctors have theorized that when babies' guts don't develop properly, they remain "open" and larger than normal proteins can get through, directly to the bloodstream, and can cause the body to form antibodies against them and become allergic. When the mothers suffer from leaky gut syndrome, these proteins pass into their milk, and then into their babies' bloodstreams, causing allergic reactions (babies' guts are born open and are protected by IgA in the breastmilk, and close sometime around 18 weeks of age, later in formula fed babies). Gut development is KEY. When babies are born via c-section, their initial gut flora isn't colonized properly. Formula feeding makes it worse (the proteins get into their systems, and there is no protective IgA). Vaccinations and antibiotics make it worse. Early solids make it worse. And so on. In breastfed babies, their mother's health matters completely. Doctors are aware that most of the immune system is in the gut, and do know about how it develops normally, but somehow can't seem to put the pieces together to figure this out.

So, I have to decide what to do next with Bekah. She's almost 22 months and still breastfeeding, which is definitely a point in our favor. Unfortunately she was supplemented early and started solids early. Her first 6 weeks, she received formula sometimes, so her gut flora didn't colonize properly then. It might have been okay, but I started her on solids early too. I probably wasn't in the best health then and was eating dairy and junk food, passing this to her, creating allergies. It was a cascade of bad decisions. Now we have to fix it.

I'll post more updates on Bekah as we decide what to do next.

For what it's worth, Daniel was born at home, had no drugs in his system while I was pregnant, during labor/birth, or after. He's over 18 weeks now and has had no supplements of any kind, nor any solids (Bekah was on solids at his age). He shows no signs of allergies and has even been able to tolerate small amounts of dairy through me (I think -- we'll try in a few more weeks). I believe he will outgrow his early sensitivities entirely and be normal. Which is very exciting to me! At 4 months he is 25" and just over 13 lbs. and a very happy boy. :)

Thanksgiving Recipes

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A collection of favorite gluten-free, casein-free Thanksgiving recipes. If you're not "free" of anything, feel free to use "real" bread or butter instead of coconut oil. Although I love the coconut oil so much I might use it even if we weren't dairy-free!

Turkey
Ingredients:
1 15 - 20 lb. organic turkey
1 small onion, cut in half or quarters (skins and ends removed)
2 - 3 tsp. sea salt
1 tbsp. coconut oil
Stuffing (opt.)

Directions:
Open turkey and remove giblets. Set aside for gravy (in the fridge). Rinse turkey and pat dry. Salt liberally inside and out. Place onion inside turkey cavity, then stuffing if desired. Melt the coconut oil and rub it over the breast (you can do this again halfway through baking if desired). Bake at 325 for about 2 hours, then at 350 until done (about 20 - 30 minutes per lb.). Allow to rest 10 - 15 minutes, then slice.

Stuffing
Ingredients:
1 loaf gluten-free bread, sliced (as I can't figure out how to make this yet, you'll have to buy it, or go here to learn)
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 c. onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced or shredded
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. sage

Directions:
Leave the bread out on the counter for a couple of days to stale. Break it up into small cubes. (If you forget to leave it to stale, you can cut fresh bread into cubes and bake it at 200 degrees for an hour or so to dry it out.) Mix the bread, onions, carrots, and spices. Add the stock (may need more depending on how much the bread absorbs, which can vary a lot depending on what flours are used). Stuff into a turkey, or simply put in a baking dish and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.


Gravy
Ingredients:
2 cups chicken or turkey stock
Giblets from one turkey
1 tsp. sea salt
2 tbsp. minced onion
2 tbsp. coconut oil
1/4 c. cold water
2 tbsp. arrow root powder

Directions:
Boil the giblets in the stock until done. You can throw away the giblets at this point, or puree some into the stock for richer flavor and more nutrition. Use the stock (or 1/2 c. cooking wine) to deglaze the pan the turkey cooked in, getting all the drippings. Sautee onion in coconut oil. Add stock/drippings mixture. Bring this to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Separately, mix together cold water and arrowroot powder. Add this to the stock mixture and stir constantly until gravy is thick. If it is not thick enough, add some arrowroot powder to cold water and add this to the gravy. Arrowroot powder does not dissolve in hot liquids. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Mashed potatoes
Ingredients:
6 - 8 medium potatoes (preferably red skin), washed and cut into large chunks
2 - 3 tsp. salt
1/2 c. coconut milk or chicken stock
1 tbsp. coconut oil (opt)
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:
Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, but not falling apart. Drain. If using garlic and coconut oil, sautee garlic until softened over low heat (garlic burns easily). Add potatoes and mash, adding enough coconut milk or stock to achieve desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
1 lb. cranberries, washed
2 c. water
1/2 c. turbinado sugar
Zest of one lemon

Directions:
Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan and boil gently until cranberries are soft, about 45 minutes.

I'm still working on dessert -- gluten-free pie crust and dairy-free fudge! I've got some rich, expensive pure cacao downstairs waiting for me. I'll update later in the week if I find my perfect recipe. You can find more at Elana's Pantry if you're looking for dessert.

Are you hungry now? I am!

The Magic of Lecithin

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This is going to be a rather brief post, but I felt I needed to share what I've learned!

I've been breastfeeding for almost 22 consecutive months, two different babies. For those who don't know me, Bekah (22 months on the 26th) is still breastfeeding. Of course Daniel (4 months) is as well. I plan to post further on the subject of extended breastfeeding and child-led weaning later. That's not the point. What is the point today is that during this time, I've had a couple incidences of clogged milk ducts (common) and I found something amazing that helps!

It isn't unusual at all to get clogged milk ducts, cysts, and even mastitis (a painful breast infection that often starts with a clogged duct). If you have any of these, part of your breast will be red and swollen and extremely painful. Some women seem more prone to these issues than others are. I was lucky, and didn't experience really any problems until just a couple months ago.

The first time I got clogged ducts was in October, when Daniel was about two months old. It happened on the inner side of my left breast and was VERY painful. It was swollen and none of the usual things were clearing it. Anytime anyone so much as brushed past me I wanted to scream, it hurt so much.

The usual things to try to clear this are:
*Frequent nursing
*Massaging the affected areas
*Using hot/cold compresses to get the milk flowing again
*Nursing with your baby underneath you, so your breast is pointing down (gravity helps)

With a toddler who likes to do her own "massage" plus both kids nursing frequently I thought it was go away easily enough. It started Wednesday night and by Friday morning I was done with it. I read somewhere online to try lecithin supplements (still NO idea why this was suggested; does anyone know?). I got some and took 1200 mg on Friday afternoon. That night as I nursed Daniel it resolved itself and everything was fine again!

This started to happen a second time last Friday (for me I think it's stress-related; there was traveling and such going on both times). I took lecithin (1200 mg each time) Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. It was only very mildly painful, and I felt fine. I could feel only tiny little clogs throughout my breast (it was in the same place) instead of big, hard lumps. Then, Monday night, it was just suddenly gone. It was NO big deal at all.

So lecithin supplements really help with clogged ducts and may prevent mastitis! It's worth a try!

Health News: Uses for the Appendix and Stop the AP's attack on Alternative Medicine

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Health News Tuesday!

Why Your Appendix Isn't Useless
Wondering what your appendix is for? New research shows that the appendix may play a role in maintaining healthy gut flora.

Obesity Epidemic
This is an opinion piece and I don't agree with all of it (as most of you know, I don't believe that healthy fat or cholesterol are bad at all), but it does make you think.

Whole Foods to Use "Non-GMO" Seal on its Private Label Products
There is currently no law requiring the labeling of GMO foods. Most corn and soy products in an average grocery store (non-organic) are GMO. WF is taking steps to assure that their products do not contain GMO foods and are labeled as such! I am excited since I shop there a lot.

Routine Cancer Screenings Useless
The big push to screen all men and women of a certain age for cancer has resulted in no reduction in cancer rates (in fact, they're higher), suggesting that frequent, routine screenings are not beneficial. Instead, screening should be saved for those in true high-risk groups or who have symptoms.

Statin Drugs Cause Muscle Damage
In this day and age, probably everyone knows someone who is taking a statin drug. Besides the fact that high cholesterol causing heart problems is a myth, statin drugs can also cause muscle damage (and other damage). More reason to stop taking them immediately!

Stop the AP's Attack on Alternative Medicine
This is more a call to action than anything else. The AP (Associated Press) is publishing a series of articles on why alternative medicine is bad. This series is highly misleading and based on faulty studies, most carried out by the drug industries and not involving anyone who was trained to practice alternative medicine. Please take a minute to read this even if you read nothing else.

Ways to Cut Spending

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Now that you've sat down and created a budget, does it really work for your family? Or are there areas where you spend too much still? Are there areas where, on paper, it works, but in practice you are spending beyond what you've budgeted? It's hard, but there are definitely ways to cut spending, which is necessary sometimes.

First, you probably can't cut spending in your major areas, like housing, insurance, etc. There are ways, but they are much more involved than cutting in your non-essential areas. Let's discuss them briefly.

Housing -- You have a few options here. You can simply move to a smaller/cheaper place, if you are in a position where you can afford to move and downsizing is an option (it wasn't for us, with a growing family). You can also refinance your home to get a lower interest rate. Typically, though, you just have to deal with it.

Insurance -- You can shop around for different companies who may give you a better deal, or, if you have different companies, get all your insurance (home, car, health, life, etc.) with the same company to get a discount.

Health care -- There's not much you can do here, necessarily, if there are services you MUST have. We'll discuss this in another post because it is a rather involved subject.

Now, on to the non-essential or variable categories. There are a LOT of ways to cut spending here! Let's talk about a few.

Phone/Cable/Internet -- Do you have any or all of these? Do you use them? Is there a way to get a better deal by signing up for a bundle discount with another company? Can you get rid of your land line altogether? Can you get rid of cable or premium movie channels? Get a slower internet package (not suggesting dial up, but maybe slower cable connection)? At one point we had all of these services and were paying $120/month for them. We now only have internet (we didn't use the phone and cable isn't really necessary) and are paying only $55/month. We even discussed not having internet, but at the time I was doing freelance writing and making a lot more than $55 a month, so it was more than worth it to keep it. None of these services are necessary, though! If you're struggling for money, get rid of your internet AND your computer and just use the library for awhile.

Cell phones -- These days, everyone wants an awesome phone, and an awesome plan. We have free phones and the most basic plan. We also get a discount through Ben's work. This makes our phones only about $60/month, which is less than half of what a lot of people pay (this covers three phones). Our contract is actually up, and if we sign another two-year contract and don't get new phones, they'll just give us $150. As much as new phones are cool, ours are fine. We'll actually get money by holding off! It's also possible to trade in your phones for lower-end models (which work just fine) and reduce your service plans to minimum levels. No internet access, no texting, low minutes. Make your calls after 7 PM (or whenever free nights start) and just use your internet at home. Of course, again, if you cannot afford it, you can NOT have a cell phone. But, you really should have either a cell phone OR a land line, whichever is cheaper.

Entertainment -- How much do you really spend on entertainment each month? Going out to eat, going to the movies, buying new video games or DVDs, etc.? If you're like most, it's quite a lot. Do you really need a date every weekend? Are you paying a babysitter? Try having "dates" at other couples' houses, and you can all bring something to eat to share, and a DVD to watch or a game to play from your own collections. Or, trade babysitting so you can go out. Or better yet, trade babysitting and send your kids to someone else's house so you can be home alone for a couple hours! Remember quiet time? I don't. :) If you must go out, limit yourself to once a month and choose cheaper events, or even free events, like local outdoor concerts in the summer, or museums (some are free) in the winter. Really, you can cut this budget a lot! We always trade babysitting with friends and plan carefully for big nights out. We went out for our anniversary and spent only about $25 on dinner, and another night (just a couple weeks ago), Ben took me to a Ben Folds concert, which was $50 for both of us. But these are generally pretty rare. The last time we went out before that was our first anniversary over two years ago!

Food "Entertainment" -- This is such a big spending category for so many people, I thought I'd address it separately. A lot of people don't think twice about swinging by Starbucks for their morning coffee, or grabbing a Diet Coke from McDonald's on the way home, or picking up dinner at Wendy's, or getting snacks out of the vending machine at work, or going out to lunch everyday. But this can add up BIG TIME. I heard someone say today that when she added it all up, she was spending $56 a month on Diet Coke, just from McDonald's! Starbucks every weekday morning will run you about $120/month (assuming $5 per drink). That is a lot! My suggestion is to cut ALL of this out and save these for an additional treat. If you budget, say, $20 a month for these things, you can choose to get a latte, say, every Friday, as your end-of-the-week celebration. Better yet, learn to make what you like at home and take it with you, which will save a LOT of money. We've beene experimenting with homemade potato chips and fries lately. They are yummy and healthy and lots cheaper than a fast food place. You can do the same with coffee, and your daily lunches too. Ben's been taking a bowl of soup to work for a couple years now. It costs us around $2, if that, per bowl. That's a lot better than $10 to go out, or eat in the cafeteria, and we know it's healthy. (If you're interested, he eats my Mexican chicken soup EVERYDAY because he loves it...he doesn't want anything different for lunch, it's been that soup for two years or more. I'll post that recipe sometime.) This is a HUGE category for savings for most people, so look carefully at how you are spending this money, especially if you pay cash for it. If you use debit or credit, go back and add it up: you might be surprised!

Groceries -- This isn't really non-essential, of course, because you have to eat. But what you buy makes a huge difference. If you buy a lot of processed or pre-packaged foods, that will run up your grocery bill quite a lot. Obviously I don't encourage anyone to buy processed foods for health reasons, but it's easy to want to buy organic versions sometimes. It's convenient to buy the pre-cut fruit, veggie trays, organic chicken nuggets, etc. But this is unnecessary and adds a lot of money. Buy all your stuff minimally processed and do it yourself: wash and cut your own fruits and veggies. Dry your own in the oven or a dehydrator (I asked for one for Christmas!), make your own breads and crackers, mix your own salad dressing, etc. You should also buy in bulk whenever you can. We got a GREAT deal on organic, grass-fed beef because we bought 200 lbs. at a time. You can get an even better deal by buying half a cow, if you like steaks (we don't). Average price would be $4/lb of meat, including the steaks, which can cost up to $16/lb in a grocery store. Shop local stores or farmer's markets in season. Write a meal plan and then make up a grocery list, and try to stick to it as much as possible. Don't forget to include all meals and snacks, though, or you'll end up dashing off to the store a few more times and buying the more expensive stuff. I know I do! And don't forget to eat before you go (and feed your kids, and possibly bring a snack along for them) so you're not tempted to buy something ready-to-eat while you're there. By making cheaper (yet still healthy) meals, I was able to slash our grocery budget from $250 every two weeks to around $175 every two weeks, sometimes less. It CAN be done, even eating mostly organic!

Clothing -- Don't buy clothes if you don't have to (adults!). If you have kids, shop out of season, shop clearance racks, shop resale stores, shop Craig's list, shop garage sales, trade clothes with your friends. Some people like to give me the argument that they need to go to brand-name stores and pay $10 for a shirt or pair of PJs because "they're really good quality, they last forever." Guess what? Your kid won't wear them long enough for that to matter. And they'll probably get them all stained and who knows what while they are wearing them. Just go to Good Will and get each item for $1.50 (or less, if on sale! I got a bunch for $1/each a couple weeks ago). Buy shoes at Good Will too ($2/pair) or Walmart ($10/pair) if you must have them new. No, your kids do not need to go to Stride Rite and get professionally measured and perfectly fitted for a pair of shoes they'll wear for four months.

Baby items -- Beg, borrow, and steal (just kidding about the last one). Trade with your friends whose kids are slightly different ages from yours. We got a Jumperoo, swing, and exersaucer free this way. Shop Craig's list. Your baby doesn't care how many babies have used it before him or her. Your baby does not need a million toys and items anyway. Bekah's dresser was one my parents picked up at a garage sale for $10 for ME in the 80s...(dating myself here). It was free to us. Daniel's was one we got in a huge set of furniture from an aging family member for $200 (that includes kitchen table, full bedroom set, grandfather clock, and a few other nice items). Never pay full price or buy new!! The exceptions, OF COURSE, being car seats, cribs, or anything where there is a safety issue, and always check recalls if you do decide to buy used.

Baby food -- Personally, I breastfeed my kids, so that's effectively free (except that I'm starving all the time! Formula costs anywhere from $1200 - $3600 a year). I make all their food too. I'll discuss all my reasons why later, when Daniel's getting ready to start solids (he's 4 months, but we won't be starting for a few months yet, until at least 8 months). But I never buy baby cereals, jarred baby food, or baby snack foods. In addition to not being great nutrition, it doesn't taste like real food, and it is expensive!! We'll discuss this in more detail later, but suffice it to say, you don't need all that fancy stuff. Between breastfeeding, cloth diapering ($200 vs. $2000 - $2500 for disposables, birth to potty training), and not buying baby food, there's pretty much no baby stuff I buy in a typical grocery store. I'm not sure how many parents can say that!

Look carefully at your budget and see where you can save. I guarantee there are places! If you have questions, please feel free to post them. In some of these areas, there's really a lot more to say and I'll post on them more later.

Have you made a budget yet? Were you surprised by how much you spent in any area?