Lavender Alphabet Soup

Thought I'd share two fab new kiddy products that have recently come my way:

This little cutie is from the Sonoma Lavender company; a family-run farm in northern California where crops are grown and scented products are created for adults and children.  If you'd like a mini vacation, read about their idyllic location and family philosophy here. 

You probably already know that lavender encourages relaxation and restfulness; our daughter loves this mildly-scented, cuddly lamb whom  we've dubbed, "Lily the Lamb" in her honour. You can heat up the lavender sachet stored inside but we haven't done that; I'm pleased with the light scent.  The stuffed animals sell for $30 U.S. and you can purchase them via the Sonoma Lavender web site, linked above.

Hungry? Alphabet Soup is a three-person children's group based in Winnipeg. Their latest CD entitled, "You're It!" includes cute, upbeat ditties including, "My Lunch," "Spider-Mom" and "When I Grow Up." 

You can read about Alphabet Soup, listen to clips, upload MP3s and order their CD (for $15) via this micro-site. Feel good about supporting Canadian talent while entertaining your kids!

The Friendly Skies

I had a thought-provoking conversation with Marc Sorenson, Ed.D this week. Dr. Sorenson is a fitness/health expert in Utah and he was in the GTA to give a talk and promote his book which focuses on vitamin D deficiency.

So, what's the big deal about vitamin D deficiency? you ask. That's what I wondered, too, and I want to preface this entire post now by saying that I am not a medical professional and this information comes directly from a chat I had with Dr. Sorenson.  Now, that aside, I found our conversation and his revelations about sunlight, autism, sunscreen, cancer and the like quite shocking.

According to the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Marc Sorensen from October 21 to 23, 2008, 97% of Canadian Women Don't Know Vitamin D Levels:

"All Canadians should be asking their doctors about vitamin D and check their levels. This research shows us that Canadians continue to be misinformed and uneducated about the importance of vitamin D - and not knowing vitamin D levels is like not knowing your cholesterol levels, it can create any number of health issues down the road," said Sorenson. "Over 105 diseases, including breast cancer, osteoporosis and heart disease, are correlated to low vitamin D levels and the best source of vitamin D is the sun."

Dr. Sorenson has done a lot of research on this topic and advises that lack of vitamin D in pregnant women may also be associated with the onset of autism and that sunshine (not supplements or foods) is the BEST way to increase human stores of the vitamin. 

We also chatted about the dangers of sunscreen - that's right: the DANGERS - where some studies show that the chemicals in sunscreen may prove to be more damaging to kids' and adults' health than the risk of skin cancer.  All of this deserves a much longer, stronger look but as a mom and a journalist, I am very concerned and intrigued. 

If you're interested in checking out Dr. Marc Sorenson's books, visit his blog. There's a related Globe and Mail article here which supports the theory on vitamin D and the real importance of sunshine in our lives.

Please watch this special video.

I'd already been working on a blog post about a fantastic charity event for children with special needs when an email about The Teya Fund and an associated fundraiser pinged in my mailbox. I'm so glad I read the release and investigated further.  Please take the time to read about these charities, their fundraisers and the amazing people behind the stories.

First, I offer a snippet of insight from Randy Spiegal, the excutive director of Zareinu Education Centre of Metropolitan Toronto about the challenges facing kids (and parents of kids) with special needs.

Q: What are the most common challenges that parents of children with special needs face?

A: [Such] parents often find themselves outside their community.  When a child is born with special needs, the family [sometimes] retreats and focuses on putting one foot ahead of the next.  Parents need support, encouragement and access to the appropriate resources to deal with the challenges that they face.

Q: What challenges do children with special needs face?

A: With autism spectrum disorders (ASD) numbers now 1 in 160 children, there is a pressing need [to take action].  These and all children with special needs require access to therapy and education in centres that are non-judgmental and geared to their particular challenges.  All children want to be included and, more than anything else, need to be recognized simply for who they are. 

• On November 20th, the Zareinu Education Centre is hosting the Sunshine & Lollipops Fashion Show to raise money for the Centre. Visit Zareinu Education Centre of Metropolitan Toronto for more information and to purchase tickets.

________________________________________

I dare you to watch the video on the homepage of The Teya Fund and not be affected in a profound way. I'm feeling pretty choked up right now and in awe of Teya and her mother.

"Teya R. is an 11 year-old girl, who apart from being born profoundly deaf, was also diagnosed at the age of six months with an extremely rare neurological disorder called Cerebellar Hypoplasia. Basically this means Teya was born with limited neurological connections between her brain and her body. Her mother, Jeanette R., a young woman raising Teya on her own with little financial support, was told that Teya would never walk, and the first part of her life was spent on a feeding tube as she was unable to self feed. Teya’s prognosis from the medical community was that of a life confined to a wheelchair or walker, with little to no independence. Her mom, refusing to accept this bleak outlook, and recognizing a unique determination in her daughter sought an alternative for Teya."

• If you're in the Toronto area and have the time, please think about attending this fundraiser at the Bier Markt:

This cheery fundraiser is being held on Sunday, December 7th at the Bier Markt on The Esplanade in Toronto, to help an inspiring deaf and special needs girl to receive life changing physical therapy. Steamwhistle beer, snacks and entertainment are on the menu. There will be a special appearance by Bill Carroll from CFRB and the event will be hosted by Global news anchor Leslie Roberts.

I hope to be there. What about you?

Mama Cards and Midwives

Just a quick "service-y" post today...

You know that situation where you're at the park, your kid befriends another child, they bond, play, laugh and have a great time. Then, at the end of this impromptu playdate, you find that you have no paper, no pencil and no chance of reconnecting with the mommy-child duo you've just met? Mabel's Labels has come out with these super cute "mama cards" that'll save you from those situations.

Pick one of their funky designs, add your contact info (including, "mom of..."), and voila! You've got a playdate-ready biz card you can keep in your pocket or the stroller. $29.00 CDN for 100 cards.

On another note...

I received an email from a TV producer in Edmonton, AB who's looking for a midwife to appear on an early morning talk show.  If you are a midwife (or know someone who is) in the Edmonton area, please contact me if you're interested and I'll pass on the details.

 

How do you do it?

I'm a WAHM (work-at-home mom) for the most part.  Even with my extremely flexible lifestyle, we're still pushed to the brink in terms of time almost every day. Our mornings involve making (and encouraging the eating of) breakfast, diaper and clothing changes, making lunches, cleaning up as well as remembering those niggling little school or pre-school related details: "Is it 'music day' today? We need to include your music folder." Or, "Your school picture money is due TODAY?" Or, "Where did we store those winter boots and hats again?"

Amidst this early morning chaos, my husband needs to shower, dress and eat breakfast so he's ready to drop the kids off at a morning program AND get to work on time.  Meanwhile, I'm still in my PJs (most days) and I don't shower, eat breakfast or start working until everyone's left the building. How do families with two parents who work out of the home do it all?

Just today, I was talking to a fellow freelance writer and we were contemplating the seemingly undo-able scenerio where both parents work out of the home (or a single parent does it all) and have to contend with:

• making and attending dentist and doctor appointments,
• preparing dinner,
• cleaning the house,
• getting paid work done,
• helping with homework,
• cutting the lawn,
• caring for sick kids,
• booking vacations or holidays,
• caring for kids on PA days
• arranging playdates or fundraising activities
• booking and planning birthday parties
• grocery shopping
• ...and the list goes on and on...

If you're a family with two working parents (or a single parent) how do you do it all? I'd love to know!

Well, must go: I'm off to pick up child #1 from one program and drop him off at his regular school for the afternoon!

Great Expectations

This book came to me a few weeks ago and I've been reading it on and off since then.  Originally I thought: why would I want to read tales of labour, birth, pregnancy and new motherhood when I'm finally on the outer cusp of that (intense) period in my life?  However, Great Expectations: Twenty-Four True Stories about Childbirth, edited by Dede Crane and Lisa Moore, is a collection of emotional, funny, heart-wrenching memoirs and anyone who is interested in parenthood or who loves a good read will be moved.

I've not yet read all of the twenty-four stories included in this book but certain paragraphs and experiences from the stories I have read, stand out.  In Congratulations! It's A Toaster, Caroline Adderson offers a witty take on the matter of maternity wear: "My clothes no longer fit, and I had to dip into that green garbage bag of pastel hand-me-downs passed on by friends and friends of friends. This garbage bag of unflattering, out-of-style maternity wear is as much a fact of pregnancy as edema and Braxton-Hicks contractions, and receiving it, a rite of passage." Anyone who's been pregnant likely relates to that sentiment.

In Earth Mother, Joan Clark writes about her four births - two healthy baby boys, one baby who subsequently dies from encephalitis and the adoption of her baby girl.  As a new mother in the 1960s, Clark's transformation into a "mother bear" surprises her: "The ferocity of maternal love took me by surprise.  It was visceral, primeval." She also shares shocking stories about "medieval labour rooms" and a horrifying comment from one doctor about her deceased son.

Curtis Gillespie writes about childbirth from a man's perspective in Helpless. When his wife's second pregnancy goes awry, he ponders the role of men and fathers in the birthing process: "Men are just hangers-on, basically, delivery-room roadies...it's all going to go ahead whether he is there or not, whether he is supportive or not, whether he displays his caring and sensitivity and massage skills and ice-chip skills...that baby is coming out of that woman now, today and nothing's going to change that."

If you're looking for an excellent read or want to buy a meaningful gift for the mother- or father-to-be, definitely consider this book. Great Expectations is $21.95 CDN and can be ordered online through the link at the top [search on the publisher's web site] or in bookstores.

Dude, what's in your chocolate milk?

My sweet baby is growing up. As a modern-day mom, I try not to use the term "terrible twos" but, uh, it's just so fitting sometimes.  Our Lily has gone from a very friendly, sweet, and agreeable babe to a very opinionated, sometimes stubborn, and often confident toddler. 

Most of the time, my husband and I (and even Kash) find Lily's new determination fascinating and amusing.  I enjoy watching her express her opinion and understand that this is an important developmental phase. However, after a few dozen "LEELEE DO IT" conversations, my already limited patience is shot. After taking a deep breath, I pull out my bag o' tricks. Negotiate? "If you let Mommy put on your socks you can watch Dora" or give her choices: "Would you like the pink cup or the blue cup?" Sometimes these tactics work and sometimes they don't. I admit that I hate seeing Lily cry or get upset and she still seems too young for time-outs.  What's a parent to do?

I think we were harder (and probably more consistent) with Kash. As our first child and a guy who's extremely active and somewhat mischievious, we agonized on the right way to approach those terrible...er...'terrific' twos. Negotiate? Insist? Punish? Distract? Joke? Of course, we ended up doing (and continue to do) all of these things.  It seems this is one of the tricks to parenting that no one tells you ahead of time: you've got to assess each situation, trust your gut and your wits and react accordingly.  Each kid is different, each situation is different, and so much depends on the day, too.

So, next time Lily insists on taking off off her own shoes (for an agonizing 5 minutes per foot), I'll take another deep breath, smile and encourage her to go for it.

To snip or not to snip

Part of my job as online editor for ParentsCanada.com is to moderate our ParentTalk forums.  I'm pleased to see that more parents (and parents-to-be) are joining in the conversation - the forums are busy these days. 

Today I came across one thread on the subject of circumcision. It gets pretty heated as this topic will always be controversial: mix newborns + medical treatments + religion = you'll get a passionate debate flowing.  Until I read this thread and a related article on ParentsCanada.com, I didn't know that circumcision was no longer covered under many provincial health plans.  That fact, coupled with new info on the process and the possible outcomes makes this decision a tough one for many people. 

My husband and I thought about this very carefully before our son was born (in fact it's one of the reasons we decided to find out our baby's gender even though we always knew in our hearts he was a boy) and there was some debating between our family members, too.  In an effort to maintain our son's privacy, I won't divulge our final decision but it's safe to say we're pleased with it.

What do you think?

And the winner is...sleep.

We had over 950 people enter the ParentsCanada.com "New Mom Survival Kit" contest. The winner's been notified! I'm pleased at the interest of course but also at the answers to the contest form question: "What's the number one thing new moms most need?" 

What do you think the #1 response is?...

Why, it's "sleep" of course. About 90% of entrants included sleep as the most important thing for new moms.  I concur.  We had some varied and detailed responses too, like, "support from friends and family members" and "someone to come over and do laundry" and "patience and understanding." From my experience and that of friends, new moms are almost always overwhelmed by sheer exhaustion as well as pain from delivery or c-section, leaky breasts, sore ribs, and a variety of other tender bits.  I know I felt completely different than I thought I would: after a 24-hour labour resulting in a last-minute c-section, I was traumatized.  Luckily, breastfeeding went rather well but the emotional roller-coaster was not the thrill a minute it was billed to be!

The second time around was easier in that I knew what to expect but the pain and the emotional highs and lows still showed their complicated heads (along with a big brother who wasn't entirely eager to share our, uh, crib). Suffice it to say that support, sleep, help with the laundry, help with the pain, help with ANYTHING is always appreciated by new moms. 

What helped you most and/or what are you adding to your own new mom survival kit?

How Green Are Your Diapers?

I've long been a fan of Seventh Generation diapers and wipes. When I lived near the Danforth (a popular, urban area in Toronto) a few years ago, I'd trek over to the Carrot Common (think crunchy, healthy, organic, green) for a boat-load of these expensive-but-safe diapers for our first-born.  We no longer live near the Danforth, and Seventh Generation diapers are MIA here in semi-suburbia.  But I've learned that their stuff (including feminine hygiene products) will be available at Loblaws stores and other major chains in Canada in the near future.

From what I understand, the concern about standard diapers is not only in the fact that the chemically-bleached, white paper cover touches our babies' skin but that the process -- turning raw pulp and paper into bleached white diapers and the like -- is damaging our trees, our seas, our fish and vegetation. That, of course, affects what we eat and drink and dioxins have also been linked to cancer. This tidbit is from one of the studies I read: "The pulp and paper industry has been responsible for major inputs of persistent organic pollutents (or POPs), particularly dioxins, to the Baltic Sea." (Note: The source is a study posted on a Greenpeace site but I can't get the link to work here.)

Recently, I chatted with Betsy McGinn of Seventh Generation about the company, their products and their move into the mainstream.

Q: Are there studies that prove that issues or illness arise with chlorine and other chemicals in standard diapers?   

A: Martin Wolfe, in Seventh Generation's R&D division says, "The description "Chlorine Free" refers to the use of totally chlorine free (TCF) bleaching technology for the pulp used in Seventh Generation diapers.  TCF technology means that no chlorine, sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide (used in elemental chlorine free, ECF, bleaching), or other derivatives of chlorine are used to bleach to fibres in our diapers or feminine hygiene pads."

Q: What's the number one thing parents should know about regular diapers and how chlorine-free diapers can help?

A: Like any product you would buy for your baby, we ask our consumers to read the ingredient labels.  Conventional diaper manufacturers and conventional cleaning products companies do not disclose their ingredients.  I can not think of too many parents that would feed their babies food that did not disclose ingredients, so it is important to have this level of transparency. There are many components that are important to parents.  Chlorine-free is of greatest concern to parents who use our diapers but also, that we use sustainably harvested wood-pulp for the fluff in our diapers, as well as no dyes or fragrances.

Q: What can you tell me about your feminine hygiene products? Same thing - no chlorine? Better for the environment?

A: Like our diapers, our feminine hygiene products are not bleached.  Also, our tampons are made from organic cotton. According to the Pesticide Action Network, cotton production accounts for more than 10% of the world's pesticides, and is the most insecticide-intensive crop in the world.  So it is an important health benefit to have neither chlorine nor pesticides in products in and on our bodies.

---

Now, I'll come clean and tell you that I've got a case of Huggies upstairs in Lily's room.  We're starting to potty-train our daughter but, after speaking with Betsy and reading up on the issues, I feel like I should run out and buy a case of chlorine-free dipes right now. What are your thoughts: Do you cloth-diaper? A fan of the mainstream brands? Not convinced it's a problem? Thinking of changing brands? I'd love to know. Email me @ lisah AT parentscanada.com or comment here.