How To Make Garlic Oil

Great for cooking and getting rid of an ear ache.  I make this for our kids too...it's also nice for The Boy, who has always had a chronic ear wax issue...prevent infection while moving that gunk out.  I have a jar of it on hand all the time, and use it for cooking as well.  (It's nice to have that garlic-infused oil for when I make cashew "cheese".)

Rather than writing it all out, I'll just copy and paste the jist of it with a link to more information, and what appears to be an awesome blog about natural home remedies.*Crush cloves of garlic (how ever much you want to make)
*Cover cloves with olive oil about 1 inch over the garlic
*Let this stand for about 3 days, shaking daily. Don't leave the garlic in the oil much longer than this.
*Strain the garlic from the oil with a coffee filter, cheesecloth or clean white cotton t-shirt.
*Store oil in a jar

Found at "Jill's Home Remedies", the link below is to the garlic oil post.

http://jillshomeremedies.blogspot.ca/2011/09/how-to-make-homemade-garlic-oil.html

Family Friendly Household Cleaners

The first thing I'm going to say is that vinegar does not disinfect surfaces.  I'm sure at some point in your life you were told it did.  But I know for a fact it doesn't.

Years ago I had to sit through a 6-hour "Food Safety Handling" class when I worked in a restaurant.  The man teaching the class was a food inspector, and because I had just seen him less than a week prior, (while he was inspecting the restaurant I was working in), he remembered me and made a special point of looking at me when he said "For those that think that vinegar will disinfect your counter tops or cutting boards, I assure you, it won't."  He went on to explain how to mix bleach with water to make the right concentration to use it for disinfecting surfaces.

I hate bleach.  I hate it because I always get a spot of it on my clothes...EVERY TIME.  I hate it because it makes my nose hurt.  And I hate it because after I handle it, it takes DAYS for me not to taste it when I eat, or smell it on my hands.  I also hate knowing that there is a nasty film on anything that it has touched...and that the film comes off on little hands...who often end up in little mouths.  I don't want my kids getting that in their mouths.  So we don't use it for cleaning, and almost never (about once every 3 months or so) use it to get the brightness back into whatever white laundry we have here.


Because I hate bleach, I wash a lot of things with soap and water.  I kind of believe in doing things the way that makes the most sense.  (We only need to wash our own hands with soap and water, right?!)  There are those times though, that I need something stronger...something that will disinfect.  So I use lemons.  I had to look up a link that would show it works, because I know if I don't, someone is going to think I'm nuts.  So HERE is a link to that info.  And that link ended up being pretty cool, so I am going to share more of what's on there.

1. Homemade Substitutions

There are many inexpensive, easy-to-use natural alternatives which can safely be used in place of commercial household products. Here is a list of common, environmentally safe products which can be used alone or in combination for a wealth of household applications.

Baking Soda - cleans, deodorizes, softens water, scours.
Soap - unscented soap in liquid form, flakes, powders or bars is biodegradable and will clean just about anything. Avoid using soaps which contain petroleum distillates.
Lemon - one of the strongest food-acids, effective against most household bacteria.

Borax - (sodium borate) cleans, deodorizes, disinfects, softens water, cleans wallpaper, painted walls and floors.
White Vinegar - cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up.
Washing Soda - or SAL Soda is sodium carbonate decahydrate, a mineral. Washing soda cuts grease, removes stains, softens water, cleans wall, tiles, sinks and tubs. Use care, as washing soda can irritate mucous membranes. Do not use on aluminum.
Isopropyl Alcohol - is an excellent disinfectant. (It has been suggested to replace this with ethanol or 100 proof alcohol in solution with water. There is some indication that isopropyl alcohol buildup contributes to illness in the body. See http://drclark.ch/g)
Cornstarch - can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs.
Citrus Solvent - cleans paint brushes, oil and grease, some stains. (Citrus solvent may cause skin, lung or eye irritations for people with multiple chemical sensitivities.)

2. Formulas

Combinations of the above basic products can provide less harmful substitutions for many commercial home products. In most cases, they're also less expensive. Here are some formulas for safe, alternative home care products:

  Note: These formulas and substitutions are offered to help minimize the use of toxic substances in your home, and reduce the environmental harm caused by the manufacture, use and disposal of toxics. Results may vary and cannot be guaranteed to be 100% safe and effective. Before applying any cleaning formulations, test in small hidden areas if possible. Always use caution with any new product in your home.

Make sure to keep all home-made formulas well-labeled, and out of the reach of children.

All-Purpose Cleaner: Mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda (or 2 teaspoons borax) into 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water. Store and keep. Use for removal of water deposit stains on shower stall panels, bathroom chrome fixtures, windows, bathroom mirrors, etc.

Another alternative are microfiber cloths which lift off dirt, grease and dust without the need for cleaning chemicals, because they are formulated to penetrate and trap dirt. There are a number of different brands. A good quality cloth can last for several years.

Air Freshener: Commercial air fresheners mask smells and coat nasal passages to diminish the sense of smell.
• Baking soda or vinegar with lemon juice in small dishes absorbs odors around the house.
• Having houseplants helps reduce odors in the home.
• Prevent cooking odors by simmering vinegar (1 tbsp in 1 cup water) on the stove while cooking. To get such smells as fish and onion off utensils and cutting boards, wipe them with vinegar and wash in soapy water.
• Keep fresh coffee grounds on the counter.
• Grind up a slice of lemon in the garbage disposal.
• Simmer water and cinnamon or other spices on stove.
• Place bowls of fragrant dried herbs and flowers in room.

Bathroom mold: Mold in bathroom tile grout is a common problem and can be a health concern. Mix one part hydrogen peroxide (3%) with two parts water in a spray bottle and spray on areas with mold. Wait at least one hour before rinsing or using shower.

Carpet stains: Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray directly on stain, let sit for several minutes, and clean with a brush or sponge using warm soapy water.
For fresh grease spots, sprinkle corn starch onto spot and wait 15 - 30 minutes before vacuuming.
For a heavy duty carpet cleaner, mix 1/4 cup each of salt, borax and vinegar. Rub paste into carpet and leave for a few hours. Vacuum.

Chopping block cleaner: Rub a slice of lemon across a chopping block to disinfect the surface. For tougher stains, squeeze some of the lemon juice onto the spot and let sit for 10 minutes, then wipe.

Coffee and tea stains: Stains in cups can be removed by applying vinegar to a sponge and wiping. To clean a teakettle or coffee maker, add 2 cups water and 1/4 cup vinegar; bring to a boil. Let cool, wipe with a clean cloth and rinse thoroughly with water.

Deodorize:
• Plastic food storage containers - soak overnight in warm water and baking soda
• In-sink garbage disposal units - grind up lemon or orange peel in the unit
• Carpets - sprinkle baking soda several hours before vacuuming
• Garage, basements - set a sliced onion on a plate in center of room for 12 - 24 hours

Dishwasher Soap: Mix equal parts of borax and washing soda, but increase the washing soda if your water is hard.
If you want to use a commercial dishwashing soap, try Nellie's All-Natural diswasher powder, which contains no bleach or phosphates.

Dishwashing Soap: Commercial low-phosphate detergents are not themselves harmful, but phosphates nourish algae which use up oxygen in waterways. A detergent substitution is to use liquid soap. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of vinegar to the warm, soapy water for tough jobs.

Disinfectant: Mix 2 teaspoons borax, 4 tablespoons vinegar and 3 cups hot water. For stronger cleaning power add 1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap. Wipe on with dampened cloth or use non-aerosol spray bottle. (This is not an antibacterial formula. The average kitchen or bathroom does not require antibacterial cleaners.)
To disinfect kitchen sponges, put them in the dishwasher when running a load.

Drain Cleaner: For light drain cleaning, mix 1/2 cup salt in 4 liters water, heat (but not to a boil) and pour down the drain. For stronger cleaning, pour about 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, then 1/2 cup vinegar. The resulting chemical reaction can break fatty acids down into soap and glycerine, allowing the clog to wash down the drain. After 15 minutes, pour in boiling water to clear residue. Caution: only use this method with metal plumbing. Plastic pipes can melt if excess boiling water is used. Also, do not use this method after trying a commercial drain opener--the vinegar can react with the drain opener to create dangerous fumes.

Fabric softener: To reduce static cling, dampen your hands, then shake out your clothes as you remove them from the drier. Line-drying clothing is another alternative.

Floor Cleaner and Polish:
vinyl and linoleum: mix 1 cup vinegar and a few drops of baby oil in 1 gallon warm water. For tough jobs, add 1/4 cup borox. Use sparingly on lineoleum.
wood: apply a thin coat of 1:1 vegetable oil and vinegar and rub in well.
painted wood: mix 1 teaspoon washing soda into 1 gallon (4L) hot water.
brick and stone tiles: mix 1 cup white vinegar in 1 gallon (4L) water; rinse with clear water.
Most floor surfaces can be easily cleaned using a solution of vinegar and water. For damp-mopping wood floors: mix equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and water. Add 15 drops of pure peppermint oil; shake to mix.

Furniture Polish: For varnished wood, add a few drops of lemon oil into a 1/2 cup warm water. Mix well and spray onto a soft cotton cloth. Cloth should only be slightly damp. Wipe furniture with the cloth, and finish by wiping once more using a dry soft cotton cloth.

For unvarnished wood, mix two tsps each of olive oil and lemon juice and apply a small amount to a soft cotton cloth. Wring the cloth to spread the mixture further into the material and apply to the furniture using wide strokes. This helps distribute the oil evenly.

Laundry Detergent: Mix 1 cup Ivory soap (or Fels Naptha soap), 1/2 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup borax. Use 1 tbsp for light loads; 2 tbsp for heavy loads. Commercial natural, biodegradable laundry detergents are also now available online and in select stores.

Lime Deposits: You can reduce lime deposits in your teakettle by putting in 1/2 cup (125ml) white vinegar and 2 cups water, and gently boiling for a few minutes. Rinse well with fresh water while kettle is still warm.
To remove lime scale on bathroom fixtures, squeeze lemon juice onto affected areas and let sit for several minutes before wiping clean with a wet cloth.

Marks on walls and painted surfaces: Many ink spots, pencil, crayon or marker spots can be cleaned from painted surfaces using baking soda applied to a damp sponge. Rub gently, then wipe and rinse.


Metal Cleaners and Polishes:
aluminum: using a soft cloth, clean with a solution of cream of tartar and water.
brass or bronze: polish with a soft cloth dipped in lemon and baking-soda solution, or vinegar and salt solution. Another method is to apply a dab of ketchup on a soft cloth and rub over tarnished spots.
chrome: polish with baby oil, vinegar, or aluminum foil shiny side out.
copper: soak a cotton rag in a pot of boiling water with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup white vinegar. Apply to copper while hot; let cool, then wipe clean. For tougher jobs, sprinkle baking soda or lemon juice on a soft cloth, then wipe. For copper cookware, sprinkle a lemon wedge with salt, then scrub., A simpler method is to apply a dab of ketchup on a soft cloth and rub over tarnished spots.
gold: clean with toothpaste, or a paste of salt, vinegar, and flour.
silver: line a pan with aluminum foil and fill with water; add a teaspoon each of baking soda and salt. Bring to a boil and immerse silver. Polish with soft cloth.
stainless steel: clean with a cloth dampened with undiluted white vinegar, or olive oil. For stainless cookware, mix 4 tbs baking soda in 1 qt water, and apply using a soft cloth. Wipe dry using a clean cloth. For stainless steel sinks, pour some club soda on an absorbent cloth to clean, then wipe dry using a clean cloth.


Mold and Mildew: Use white vinegar or lemon juice full strength. Apply with a sponge or scrubby.

Mothballs: The common mothball is made of paradichlorobenzene, which is harmful to liver and kidneys. Cedar chips in a cheesecloth square, or cedar oil in an absorbent cloth will repel moths. The cedar should be 'aromatic cedar', also referred to as juniper in some areas. Cedar chips are available at many craft supply stores, or make your own using a plane and a block of cedar from the lumberyard.
Homemade moth-repelling sachets can also be made with lavender, rosemary, vetiver and rose petals.
Dried lemon peels are also a natural moth deterrent - simply toss into clothes chest, or tie in cheesecloth and hang in the closet.

Oil and Grease Spots: For small spills on the garage floor, add baking soda and scrub with wet brush.

Oven Cleaner: Moisten oven surfaces with sponge and water. Use 3/4cup baking soda, 1/4cup salt and 1/4cup water to make a thick paste, and spread throughout oven interior. (avoid bare metal and any openings) Let sit overnight. Remove with spatula and wipe clean. Rub gently with fine steel wool for tough spots. Or use Arm & Hammer Oven Cleaner, declared nontoxic by Consumers Union.

Paint Brush Cleaner: Non-toxic, citrus oil based solvents are now available commercially under several brand names. Citra-Solve is one brand. This works well for cleaning brushes of oil-based paints. Paint brushes and rollers used for an on-going project can be saved overnight, or even up to a week, without cleaning at all. Simply wrap the brush or roller snugly in a plastic bag, such as a used bread or produce bag. Squeeze out air pockets and store away from light. The paint won't dry because air can't get to it. Simply unwrap the brush or roller the next day and continue with the job.
Fresh paint odors can be reduced by placing a small dish of white vinegar in the room.

Rust Remover: Sprinkle a little salt on the rust, squeeze a lime over the salt until it is well soaked. Leave the mixture on for 2 - 3 hours. Use leftover rind to scrub residue.

Scouring Powder: For top of stove, refrigerator and other such surfaces that should not be scratched, use baking soda. Apply baking soda directly with a damp sponge.

Shoe Polish: Olive oil with a few drops of lemon juice can be applied to shoes with a thick cotton or terry rag. Leave for a few minutes; wipe and buff with a clean, dry rag.

Stickers on walls: Our children covered the inside of their room doors with stickers. Now they are grown, but the stickers remained. To remove, sponge vinegar over them several times, and wait 15 minutes, then rub off the stickers. This also works for price tags (stickers) on tools, etc.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Mix 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar, pour into basin and let it set for a few minutes. Scrub with brush and rinse. A mixture of borax (2 parts) and lemon juice (one part) will also work.

Tub and Tile Cleaner: For simple cleaning, rub in baking soda with a damp sponge and rinse with fresh water. For tougher jobs, wipe surfaces with vinegar first and follow with baking soda as a scouring powder. (Vinegar can break down tile grout, so use sparingly.)

Wallpaper Remover: Mix equal parts of white vinegar and hot water, apply with sponge over the old wallpaper to soften the adhesive. Open room windows or use a fan to dissipate the pungent vinegar smell.

Water Rings on Wood: Water rings on a wooden table or counter are the result of moisture that is trapped under the topcoat, but not the finish. Try applying toothpaste or mayonnaise to a damp cloth and rub into the ring. Once the ring is removed, buff the entire wood surface.

Window Cleaner: Mix 2 teaspoons of white vinegar with 1 liter (qt) warm water. Use crumpled newspaper or cotton cloth to clean. Don't clean windows if the sun is on them, or if they are warm, or streaks will show on drying. The All-Purpose Cleaner (above) also works well on windows. Be sure to follow the recipe, because using too strong a solution of vinegar will etch the glass and eventually cloud it.

 3. Healthy Home Cleaning Habits

Exchange Indoor Air
Many modern homes are so tight there's little new air coming in. Open the windows from time to time or run any installed exhaust fans. In cold weather, the most efficient way to exchange room air is to open the room wide - windows and doors, and let fresh air in quickly for about 5 minutes. The furnishings in the room, and the walls, act as 'heat sinks', and by exchanging air quickly, this heat is retained.
Minimize Dust
Remove clutter which collects dust, such as old newspapers and magazines. Try to initiate a 'no-shoes-indoors' policy. If you're building or remodelling a home, consider a central vacuum system; this eliminates the fine dust which portable vacuum cleaners recirculate.
Use Cellulose Sponges
Most household sponges are made of polyester or plastic which are slow to break down in landfills, and many are treated with triclosan, a chemical that can produce chloroform (a suspected carcinogen) when it interacts with the chlorine found in tap water. Instead try cellulose sponges, available at natural foods stores, which are biodegradable and will soak up spills faster since they're naturally more absorbent. For general household cleaning, try Skoy Eco-Cleaning Cloths. These cleaning cloths are non-toxic, extremely absorbent (15x paper towels), reusable, and biodegradable.
Keep Bedrooms Clean
Most time at home is spent in the bedrooms. Keep pets out of these rooms, especially if they spend time outdoors.
Use Gentle Cleaning Products
Of the various commercial home cleaning products, drain cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners and oven cleaners are the most toxic. Use the formulas described above or purchase 'green' commercial alternatives. Avoid products containing ammonia or chlorine, or petroleum-based chemicals; these contribute to respiratory irritation, headaches and other complaints.
Clean from the Top Down:
When house cleaning, save the floor or carpet for last. Allow time for the dust to settle before vacuuming.


Okay, well I tried using a Magic Eraser for the dried paint splattered on my dining room wall from last week's art projects with the kids, and it didn't even touch it.  I tried using some Baking Powder, and it is atleast starting to come off.  But not great.  I'm going to keep trying things and will post what I used if I find a magic solution.  I will NOT give in and use bleach.  I'll find something safe and not stinky!  ; )

Another Thrush Post...This One Is From Experience

So, the last time I posted some info on thrush, it was from research...not first-hand experience.  Now, thanks to my baby's first illness, I speak from experience.

My daughter is 13 months old, and just got over thrush.  She's never had a drop of formula in her life.  Not one.  Other than being breastfed about 30 times a day, she's eating solids and drinking some water from a sippy cup or bottle if she needs it.  (I'm just not making milk like I used to, no matter how much I put her on the boob or what else I do, so sometimes she really does need a drink of water.)

Anyways, when she turned up with thrush (Oral candidiasis), my husband started asking me how she "caught" it.  I explained to him that they don't "catch" it, and that we ALL have that yeast in our mouths all the time.  I told him that when someone's immune system is low, or they're on antibiotics, the natural yeast can go a bit crazy and cause thrush.  Our daughter had just been sick for the first time a few weeks ago (we all were), and I'm sure it beat the hell out of her immune system.  It was ROUGH, and we all suffered for two weeks with it.  (Three adults and three kids all sick at once.  Super fun.)

I can't help but laugh at all of the old wives tales I've heard about thrush since Little Miss got it.  And I'm here to call bullshit.

Thrush is not caused by bottles.  It's not caused by pacifiers.  Kids don't catch it from being around other kids who have it.  As I said, it's caused by yeast over-growth, and THAT is caused by use of antibiotics, or by a lowered immune system.  And it can be passed from baby to your boob, and if your boob isn't washed everyday, or if you re-use the same (contaminated) bra, you and baby can pass it back and forth...for however long it takes for you to realize what's happening!

I found it pretty easy to deal with, compared to how I'd imagined it.  Wash those boobs, wear a clean bra everyday and wash the old one in hot water before re-using it, and let those boobies air out.  Sunshine kills yeast, and airing those boobies out can kill that yeast pretty easy.  You can hang your bra in the sunshine and kill yeast too...(this is also done with cloth diapers to sterilize them, right?).  You don't have to just lay in your backyard letting it all hang out (though more power to you if you want to, LOL).  You can just sit in a chair in your house located in some sunshine.  

Now, that said, the back of my house points at a condo, and the front faces a busy street...so I wasn't about to sit in my kitchen window with the girls hanging out...and we've recently acquired a house guest for the next little while, I did my topless time in the bedroom.  No sunshine, but it didn't seem to matter.
I picked up gentian violet at the pharmacy but never used it, and now after reading the below information, I'm glad!

 I read this on the "Ask Dr.Sears" website (found HERE):

"Warning - gentian violet has been used for many years to treat thrush. A recent study done in Australia has linked gentian violet to cancer of the mouth. However, many other professionals around the world believe that it is safe, and continue to recommend it. For this reason, we suggest you use this remedy sparingly, and for as little time as possible."

What I ended up doing was taking the advice of one of my readers...I took garlic pills, zinc, and kept up with my Vitamin B & C that I always take daily anyway.  Oh, and the 40 gallons of yogurt the baby and I ate!  (Not really...but it sure seemed like that much!)
I ALSO gave her the anti-fungal drops 4 times a day for the week, and by the end of that week, the baby was thrush-free.  (If she hadn't had such a high fever for so long, I'd never have used the anti-fungal, but because of her age I wasn't going to mess around with it.)

And, as I was discussing on the Facebook wall, I can't say for certain whether or not it could be possible for formula to cause thrush.  The truth is that we don't know 100% what is in every single can.  It's not uncommon for formula companies to recall it because something is in it that shouldn't be there.  What's to say that none of that could possibly cause an overgrowth of natural yeast?

What I CAN say, though, is that without a doubt formula causes thrush to go crazy.  It's full of sugars and is milk-based, and everything I've read on thrush is that it feeds on the sugars in dairy...so babies shouldn't be given any dairy products other than yogurt for as long as two weeks after the initial break-out.  It only makes sense that thrush would LOOOOVE to feed on the formula that coats the inside of a baby's mouth.

(I had a formula-fed baby [after she was 4 months old], so I'm not hating on you...just pointing something out.)


The major thing I wanted to get across here is that thrush is not caused by YOU.  You didn't do anything wrong.  It was NOT from "improperly sterilizing bottles", it's not from Baby finding a pacifier under the couch that has been there for God-knows-how-long, and it's not caused by your boobs.  It's caused by the overgrowth of this ever-present yeast.  Without a doubt, once infected, it's possible to get into a cycle of re-infection if things aren't cleaned and dried properly, but it's NOT how it STARTED.  And that's the main point here.

Also, when my Dr. checked my daughter, he said that thrush does not cause fevers in children.  HERE it proves otherwise.  Clearly her thrush extended past her esophagus, which is why she had a high fever for 3 days, until she started the anti-fungal.  (Have I mentioned my Dr. is an ASS?!)

Here are some articles on thrush:

Ask Dr. Sears:  http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/childhood-illnesses/thrush
The Portable Pediatrician:  Look under "Oral Thrush"
Medicine Net.com:  http://www.medicinenet.com/thrush/article.htm
Breastfeeding Essentials:  http://breastfeeding.hypermart.net/thrush.html

The story behind this little thrush thing is...interesting.

We took the baby to the Dr. at 10:30am to get checked out (if she hadn't had a fever for 3 straight days we wouldn't have gone), and the Dr. said she had "tonsillitis and thrush".  He said he'd call in a prescription for me right away.  That was the last day his office was open before Christmas, and it closed at noon that day.
I went to the pharmacy to pick it up and found he hadn't yet called it in.
An hour later it still had not been called in.
Another half hour later, the pharmacist sent a fax to his office to tell him that the prescription hadn't been called in (because it was 6 minutes after noon, and the phones at the office were turned off).

Nothing.

He never called it in at all.  The pharmacy closed at 6pm, so I knew we were out of time, and were running low on options.  At 6:30pm my husband drove myself and the baby up to the Emergency Room.

We sat there (in a room) for 2 1/2 hours before we even saw a Dr.  She looked in Baby Girl's mouth and said straight out, she does NOT have tonsillitis.  She said that babies this age do not even get tonsillitis.  She said that the baby had very bad thrush, and that's it.  She also was the only one to mention that I would need to treat myself to avoid passing it back and forth with the baby (my own Dr. failed to mention that).

I told the Emergency room Dr. about my family Dr. not calling in a prescription, and told her that he had said that Baby Girl had tonsillitis, and her excuse was that he is "getting older, and is overworked."
Now, call me a bitch if you want to, but I don't give a flying monkey's butt HOW old he is, or HOW "over-worked" he is.  If he's practicing medicine, he need to be ON TOP OF HIS GAME, or he needs to stop.  NOW.  My little one is a BABY and this is not the first time he's done this to one of my kids.

(As soon as I can actually contact him, I'm going to tell him that I want to be referred to another Dr. ASAP, or I will be contacting Health Canada, and whoever else I need to talk to, and put in a report against him.)

So anyways, after what was 3 hours in the hospital, we finally got to go home...after we stopped at the 24-hour pharmacy to pick up the prescription.
I'm somewhat glad that Dr.Ass didn't call in the prescription, really.  He'd have given her penicillin for no reason at all, and it would have no doubt given her a bladder infection.  (Gotta love antibiotics!)

In closing, thrush is no big deal...normally.  If you're getting factual information on it, it helps.  LOL  And if your Dr. isn't a complete ass, that helps too.

Next time I'll take the all-natural route and skip that shit-show all together.  Can you blame me?!

**For the record, I want to say that I don't think that EVERY baby is the same, and that sometimes what works for one, won't work for the next.  I'm not a Dr., and don't pretend to be...I'm just a mom.  Nothing I write is medical advice, and is only my own experience and/or written from research I've done.
I also don't want to say that there has NEVER in the history of mankind been a baby who got thrush from a dirty bottle, but from everything I've read, it's just not how it happens.  If you think that's what caused it in your baby, that's fine.  I'll agree to disagree with you.  Maybe you're right.  Maybe you're not.  I'm not going to argue about it.**

Knowing Better and Doing Better...Meghann's Story (With Quote By Victora F.)

"Once I gave birth I opened my heart, soul, and mind. Before giving birth I had my own ideas of what parenthood would be like. Thank goodness I birthed a strong soul who taught me differently." ~Victoria F.

This is a wonderful and inspirational story from a mom who started out a mainstream mom, and who has taken a complete roundabout to become a heart-following natural parent.

******************************************************************************

They always say hindsight is 20/20 or when you know better, you do better.  That is definitely true in my case.  

I had worked in a Chiropractors office for a few years and there were already a few things I KNEW I wanted for my children to be.  I wanted to go natural and drug free with my birth.  I wanted a doula to help me achieve that goal.  I didn’t want to vaccinate at all. I wanted my kids to be adjusted from day one.  I wanted to breastfeed and make my own baby food when the time came.  My in-laws took the initiative to talk to us about circumcision and told us to really do our research before deciding.  I was thankful they put themselves out there and talked to us.  Otherwise, we probably would’ve done it….since we didn’t ‘know better’.    But that was the extent of my natural parenting. 

My first son in hospital before he was whisked away.

I had my first son in 2005.   I did it drug-free, so I was fairly happy with my birth experience.  But it was in a hospital and I had a few unfortunate experiences during labour with hospital staff.    We took our son home whole, and then I had no clue what to do.  I breastfed, never enjoying it, but did it because I wasn’t going to give my baby less than what I knew was best.

But that’s where the best kind of stopped.  I started listening to other parents and what their expectations of babies should be.  Are you charting his poops and pees? How’s his weight gain? Is he gaining enough? Better feed him cereal, he seems underweight.  Make sure he eats a certain amount at every meal!  If your baby was fussy he was ‘bad’, if he never cried he was ‘good’.  Don’t hold him too much, then you’ll always need to hold him!  Don’t let that baby sleep in your bed, he needs to learn independence, he’ll become too attached, he’ll be sleeping with you when he’s *gasp* 5 years old!  How will you have a sex life?  Don’t give in to the night crying!...leave him there, he’ll work through it, he needs to self soothe!  Is your baby misbehaving??!...better give him a slap or two so he knows what’s not allowed! 

And so I listened.  

I moved my son at 8 weeks old into his crib.  I’d stand outside the door yearning to grab him when he cried and then the voices from others would ring in the back of my mind “DON’T”!   I’d smack his leg or bum when he misbehaved as early as 7 months.  I cry looking back now, how could I EVER do that?!  It’s a regret I have every day of my life. 

Despite that, he’s turning into a sweet boy, sensitive and nice, but still has anger issues.  I feel it stems back to me and those early, early times.   But we’re working on it in gentle ways. 

Since him, I had another boy, this time born in a birth center, in water, attended by a midwife.  It was so peaceful.   Breastfeeding was a breeze this time around, I actually enjoyed it!  I had learned so much from my midwives during prenatal visits.  Our visits were an HOUR long (compared to 10 minutes with my OBGYN first time around.)  These were the pregnancy and parenting answers I was looking for!  More natural, back to basics type answers.  I learned to relax more and to trust my instincts, and things have gone fairly well. Son number two is a relaxed, laid back kinda guy, loves his mama and is so sweet.

Son two was born in a birthing center.

My support team! Hubby, mother in law, sister in law.

My gorgeous boys .  : )

Baby three was a girl and I had her at home with midwives.  Our way of parenting her is so opposite to our first.  We welcome her in our bed whenever.  She slept with us for the first several months of her life, I couldn't bear to put her in another room.  I still bring her to bed and feed her through the night when she needs.  In fact it’s rare that we ever wake up with just the two of us in bed.  I complain we need a King size bed to fit the 5 of us in there, since the boys are more than welcome to come in whenever they feel the need, and they do nearly every night.   Our daughter has never cried longer than 2 minutes without one of us grabbing her.  You can’t spoil a baby, but you can make them feel like they’re not getting enough love.  We fed her solid foods when SHE was ready, and we did baby-led weaning…so much less stress than pureeing food and making sure she’s getting a certain amount.  She enjoyed everything she ate because it was her choice to eat it!  She will wean from breastfeeding when she’s ready, not on my timetable.  We cloth diaper with her, I don’t know why I didn't think I couldn’t do it with the others, it’s way easier than I thought and I’m secretly addicted to buying cloth!   We've had her spine adjusted since she was a day old.  She’s never had antibiotics or any neurotoxin in her body.  We baby wear her all the time.  She’s never had a drop of formula.  We extend rear-face her car seat now.  The boys were flipped around immediately when they turned 1 and were 20lbs…she’s 24lbs and 15 months, no way we’re flipping her car seat around to forward face yet.  We discipline completely different, much more calmly and gently.  We try to treat our kids how we’d like to be treated.

My daughter’s birth at home with my oldest son and hubby by my side

My amazing midwives and the other important people in my life who I needed there for the event.

With every child I learned something new.  Once I was pregnant with my third, I learned even more . My desire to know as much as I could, led me down all sorts of information pathways.  This has impelled me to make changes in other areas of our life.  We eat better, little or no processed foods, more whole foods, less sugar, no dyes.  We buy organic and pasture-fed when we can.  I've changed all our cleaning products to non-toxic or completely natural.  I've recently made the switch from shampoos and conditioners to baking soda and vinegar!  Hahaha.  I've dumped all my lotions, creams and makeup and opted for coconut oil and minerals.  We've cut out fluoride and bought bamboo toothbrushes.  We un-school and follow our kids desires in learning.  It couldn't be going better.   And I have Facebook largely to thank.  There is a whole community of people who are attached parents…I never had gentle parenting support in the circle of friends I was in.  I learn so much from all my natural living pages and all the attached parents striving to do the best for their kids! I learn every day.


So never stop learning, it can completely change who you are and the kind of parent you’ll become.

Our happy and complete little family.

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My intentions of sharing her story are to give some hope to other people who may not be parenting with their heart.  I know all too well that putting our thoughts into actions sometimes only need something as simple as knowing you're not alone, that you're not crazy for wanting to pick up your crying child.  Sometimes all we need is to know that there are other people who were once where we are, and who are now doing thing differently...doing things better than they were before they knew better...and who are happier (and have happier children) than before.

I believe that we all have the capacity to treat our children as we would want to be treated ourselves, and to love and guide them with respect.  I believe that when we know more, we know better.  And when we know better, we do better.

Thank you Meghann for sharing your story.  xoxo