My baby's Becker's Nevus and Natural Sunscreen

Oliver was born with Becker's Nevus, a large but asymptomatic birth mark that has no apparent reason or source, but requires extra diligence in the sunscreen department according to his dermatologist. It's not that the birth mark itself is at higher risk of skin cancer, but in general people with birth marks are at an overall higher risk.

With a trip to Davenport, Florida under his belt, and Curitiba, Brazil plane tickets in hand, this little guy is getting his fair share of experience in the baby sunscreen department.

Here's what we've learned together.

You can try to avoid the sun. UV-filter attachments for strollers, screens for car windows, placing sheets over car seats... there are ways to shield your baby from the sun, and it's good to get acquainted with them so that you can use them to reduce over-exposure, but cutting out sun altogether is no good. A little soak of rays is good for a baby, it provides vitamin D through skin conversion and can help a jaundice baby return to health. A good idea is to reduce a newborn's exposure to sun to simply letting them lay on the ground near a sunny window, and increase from there.

You can use the power of natural plant oils. Many common oils actually have sun protection factor and all it takes is slathering some on your skin and on your baby's. Here are the strengths (sorry Saira, I was sure coconut was 8!):

• Hemp Seed Oil – SPF 6
• Macadamia Oil – SPF 6
• Sesame Oil SPF 4
• Shea Butter – SPF 4
• Jojoba Oil – SPF 4
• Coconut Oil – SPF 2

Or, you can buy a prepared sunscreen, but keep this in mind: most on the market are no good! Remember all of those nasty chemicals in conventional sunscreens? Well babies have a higher skin surface area to actual body volume ratio, so they require more sunscreen for less chemical-filtering power. They can't handle parabens and other preservatives the way we can. That's why it's imperative that you choose a natural sunscreen for your baby - and not just one that says natural - a real tried and true natural company... like Green Beaver!

I have written about Green Beaver before. They are one of my favourite companies on the planet. Started and run in Ontario, Canada they make only natural products, in fact their sunscreen is the first 100% natural certified-organic sunscreen in Canada! It uses only unaltered zinc oxide to shield from the sun, so it creates a block on your skin instead of entering the bloodstream. They received a "1" rating which is amazing on the Environmental Working Group's Guide to Sunscreens.

Besides such wonderful ingredients and a lack of nanoparticles, Green Beaver's sunscreen is also not oily, it not whitening (this can be a real problem with "natural sunscreen" and it's good for use in the water. Oh, you mean waterproof right? Not just waterproof - it's actually safe for the water too! It's biodegradable and won't pollute the lakes that you swim in after applying. How nice!

It is available in SPF 30 for adults or kids, as well as an SPF 27 spray version, and an SPF 15 face cream. They also make - who knew - an amazing bug spray! You can buy it online (see link above) or at my ever-favourite health food store - Quarter Master Natural Foods on Wortley Rd in London, Ontario.

Remember, just because you have a great sunscreen system going doesn't mean your babe should be in direct sun for long periods. Babies aren't as cool at cooling down using sweating as adults are so they have a higher risk of overheating and becoming dehydrated. Always remember to keep an eye on them and give them lots of breastmilk or formula and water to keep them hydrated.

500 Days of Mummer

If my math is correct, today marks the 500th day that my little Iver has received most of his nourishment from his mama.

For the 40 beautiful weeks that he grew inside of me, my every bite was shared with him.

He was exclusively breastfed from 2 minutes old to around 5 months.

Now he enjoys the occasional fruit or veggie but still relies on his dear friend, the breast, to provide his nutrition.

I'm sure soon my milk will become that morning and night treat that gives us bonding time and provides a nutritional safety net, then before I know it he'll be fully weaned and ready to do crazy things like go to overnight summer camp. I don't know how that will feel for me.

But I'm so happy for the past 500 days because it's made me feel capable and natural and needed.

Yoga Move of the Day: Plow

I've posted in the past about my love of yoga and many of you know that I often practice alone at home rather than in a class at a studio.

If you're interested in letting your mat feel the floor of your living room, I'd love to post about some poses that you could try.

The first one is Plow and it's somewhat advanced. I've chosen it because it's the pose I've been familiar with the longest: my sisters and I used to do this all the time when we were young. I have to say I've been plowin' since I was 4 or 5.

Plow is great for working many areas. It gives an excellent stretch to the whole back and, if done right, every muscle from your fingers to your toes. It stimulates the abs and is said to promote thyroid function. It can help relieve menopausal symptoms, infertility, sinusitis, backache, headache and insomnia. It it very calming to the mind and can help you to de-stress.


Rather than get right to it, take these steps to ease into it.(First change into something comfortable, get your feet naked, and roll out a mat. Turn off distractions like phones and TVs, and get going...)

To enter Plow

Start from mountain pose, or standing, and slowly lower yourself to the ground so you're in corpse, or laying flat down with your arms at your sides and your legs flat on your mat.

Using your hands to support your back, if needed, lift your toes high above your body, lifting your pelvis and making a straight line, with only your head, neck and upper back touching the floor. This is shoulder stand. Exhale and bend your hips further to allow your toes to touch the floor behind your head. If you'd like, try to take your hands off of your back and place them on the ground, palms down. Stretch your arms out. Lift your thighs high in the air and pull your chin away from your chest.

Finish by extending your legs back straight in the air, and coming softly down to corpse again.

Be Careful

This isn't safe for someone with a previous neck injury or for pregnant women. It is probably somewhat ambitious for someone who is using a Diva Cup (yikes). If you have any serious conditions like high blood pressure or heart problems ask your doctor before practising. It is an intermediate pose so attempting more basic poses first would be best. As always, yoga isn't a contest - don't overstretch. This is especially important if you're practising bikram, or hot yoga, because higher temperatures allow your muscles to stretch farther than they'd like.

Natural Bug Repellent

Our family is planning a trip to Curitiba, Brazil in June and at the top of my list of things to do is "get kids' bug spray". Possibly less important than "get passports" but I'm glad to say I crossed it off the list this week.

Not that bug spray is hard to find, not even a kids' variety, but one that meets my standards is a rare gem.

Eco.Kid is all natural, as organic as possible, fragrance free, synthetics free, artificial colour free, and is kind to the environment. This product uses wild harvested organic oils so it not only keeps bugs away but moisturizes skin at the same time.

Typical bug sprays contain DEET - have you ever read why DEET is legal? In the US, the EPA claims that it is not unsafe because exposure is brief. Then they go on to recommend that it is never used under clothes directly on skin, and that you shower immediately after use. It also says there is no age restriction on use because in lab studies the effects on the adult animals was equal to the effect on baby animals. Great. The cows and calfs got the same rash, so the government says my baby can use this chemical.

Eco.Kid actually makes a bunch of neat stuff I'm realizing, but I'm not sure if it's just for "kids" and not "babies". I'll find out!

On a side note: did someone switch my operating system to British or why does it think that "moisturizes" and "realizing" are spelling errors? Am I off?

How to Host a Seed Party

Yesterday was my first annual Seed Party! I had a blast, a ton of good food, and have now committed to growing like 30 odd vegetables in my garden this year (yikes and yay).

Considering a package of seeds is about $2 - 3 but contains much more than the average person uses, hosting a seed party is a fun way for everyone to share, therefore getting everything that they want to grow and ultimately getting hundred of dollars in vegetables for the price of a seed package or 2. Plus, people with additional gardening experience can help those who are just starting out. 

1. Make a guest list. Go beyond just your closest friends, or the people who you think love gardening. I invited a whole group of women that totally inspire me. The youngest guests were 3 months and 7 months in utero, and 2 and 7 month-old babies also. I made sure my garden-goddess mama was there, and told my friends that their moms were welcome too. Keep in mind that you can expect a 50 - 75% attending rate from who you invite. It helped that my party was on a Saturday afternoon and that children were welcome.

2. Set up. I chose the laborious task of handmaking small envelopes for people to take seeds home in. I purchased patterned scrapbooking paper and cut each sheet into 16 equal squares, then folded the corners in and glued the lower half to make a small envelope. Planning for 11 people taking 10 varieties home each, I made 110 envelopes. (I... well, we... Bethany helped a lot too.) I also set out my own seeds - in a used baby wipe pail no less - as well as blank labels, pens and markers, and a few books about gardening so that people could read up on questions they had.

3. Explain the method and let everyone have fun. In the picture below Zach is helping me choose seeds for a friend who couldn't make it to the party. (We chose beans, peas, spinach, tomatoes, carrots and pumpkins!)

 

4. Don't forget the food! I provided watermelon lemonade, cucumber-mint spa water, coffee, tea, rosemary chocolate-chip shortbread and morning glory muffins that I had just pulled out of the oven from baking with my friend Nancy. Bethany brought her famous pineapple salsa. My mom made flax crackers with cream cheese and sprouts. And so much more! (I would continue listing but Oliver needs some attention. Cheers.)

Upcoming Blog Posts!

I am sitting here plotting as I so often do and would love to get you in on it. I have some ideas for upcoming blog posts: could you let me know if they'd interest you, or suggest what you'd like to hear about?

The importance of magnesium - As slowly every person in the world reads The Miracle of Magnesium I will explain my take on things and try to convince you that I've been promoting magnesium since before it was popular too! Really - ask Calvin!

Natural sunscreen - Some of them are crappy so I'd like to tell you which I like.

Spring gardening - Okay, hang on to your hats because you know I'm going to be posting like a crazy person about every single sprout.

A great book: How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and How to Listen So Kids Will Talk - I'm really trying to cool it on the parenting/pregnancy posts because I know that not everyone on here is a mother of a first child approximately Oliver's age, but bear with me. I'm excited, okay?

But what else? You tell me!

50 Uses for Maple Syrup - GUEST BLOG

Guest Blogger: Angela Goertz

It's maple season! We've been boiling down our sap for over a week now and have used it in some pretty amazing ways already. Here are 50 ways that you can use maple syrup.

1. Chili - add a tablespoon of syrup to the pot for added sweetness
2. Walnut ice cream - a classic flavor at any parlor
3. Pancakes – a traditional pairing, simple and delicious
4. Roasted nuts – better than honey roasted
5. Pork chops – glazed in syrup, sweet and savory
6. Bacon – the best part about eating bacon beside pancakes
7. Yogurt – sweeten with syrup instead of sugar
8. Granola – nutty, sweet and crunchy
9. Ribs – sticky and smoky
10. Coffee sweetener – next time pass on the Splenda
11. Burgers – Calvin’s specialty (my brother-in-law)
12. Coffee cake – add sweetness and flavor
13. Butter tarts - with pecans, raisins or walnuts
14. Waffles – extra crispy, with syrup that fills every indentation
15. Cinnamon rolls – sticky glaze under a cream cheese frosting
16. Salmon – maple glazed salmon, a restaurant favourite
17. Lemonade – sweeten citrus with a natural sweetener
18. Candy – just like at a sugar bush
19. Muffins – sure to get anyone out of bed
20. Icing – perfect on cake, cupcakes, or out of the bowl
21. Bananas foster – rum, cinnamon, syrup, and fried bananas over vanilla ice cream
22. Cream cheese on a bagel – dessert and breakfast in one
23. Apple crisp – oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and syrup-sweetened apples
24. Chicken wings – maple-garlic, like honey-garlic
25. Butternut squash soup – add syrup to steamed squash or sweet potatoes, plus chicken stock and puree
26. Apple cider – sweeten warm cider and add a dollop of whip
27. Oatmeal – a quick, healthy breakfast any morning
28. Ginger molasses cookies – two natural sweeteners in one tasty cookie
29. Rice pudding – stir into rice pudding with raisins and cinnamon
30. Glazed carrots – glaze peeled carrots, keep the greens attached for presentation
31. Canadian milkshake – like at an old-school diner only in the Great White North
32. Banana bread – nutty, moist, full of flavor
33. Glazed ham – sure to please the whole family
34. Breakfast sausages – making delicious ingredients even more delicious
35. Baked beans – a quick snack or a side-dish
36. Rhubarb pie - sweeten this tart fruit and add another flavor profile
37. Peanut brittle – get your candy thermometer ready
38. Maple fudge – a rich and easy dessert
39. Snickerdoodles – another maple-cinnamon pairing
40. Meatloaf – a spin on a traditional family favourite
41. Roasted sweet potatoes – flavorful and nutrient-rich
42. Scones – have a tea party with the girls
43. Pumpkin pie – a perfect autumn treat
44. Rum sauce – great on ice cream and everything else
45. Roast chicken – sticky syrup on crispy roasted skin
46. Barbecue sauce – balanced flavors with a hint of sweetness
47. Carrot cake – add syrup to the batter or frosting
48. Beef stew – sweeten a savory stew to elevate flavors
49. French toast – soak in syrup with a hint of cinnamon
50. Poached pears – a beautiful and simple dessert

You can read about how we make maple syrup from scratch (well, trees) here on Mom's almost-never-updated blog.


Angela Goertz is my blondest sister. Equal parts intelligent and creative, Angela spends impressive stretches of time studying for her degree in Health, often pulling top marks that even make professors raise a brow. She currently lives in the same forest community that I grew up in, watching deer through her window and she puts on make-up and, of course, retrieving sap from the maple trees. Two times daily. She eats a ton of yogurt.

Slow Cooker Bread

Just a real quick post because I discovered a great recipe. No photo to accompany it since I might be finishing it off as I type.

Mix 1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1/2 tsp salt
2 T raw sugar
1 tsp baking powder

and some herbs of your choosing

Then whisk in 6 oz of beer.
Knead on a floured surface.

Place in an oiled slow cooker on high for 2 hours with the lid slightly open.

Right? How good!

Natural Birth Control

As I continue to full-time breastfeed Oliver I realize the time will soon come that my "moon cycles" will return - growing up we called it Shark Week. (Hey if the benefit to your baby isn't enough, breastfeed purely for this fact. I haven't pulled out a Diva Cup since last November!) When I'm back on the cycles we'll need to have a solid choice for family planning. There are many things to consider.

The birth control pill is nastier than you think. Information about it isn't broadcast readily because pharmaceutical companies make a ton of money from it, and would hate for you find out that it is seriously toxic to the liver and can be to blame for bacterial infection in the body (causing candida, yeast infections, etc.) It also severely decreases nutrient absorption so a healthy diet turns slightly less healthy, when on the BCP. This includes all forms of chemical contraceptives, including the new rings and patches. They all use artificial hormone adjustment to prevent pregnancy. It just sounds bad doesn't it? Taking chemicals out of the running, what are the other choices, and which is best?

The first method to consider is sterilization. This should only be an option when you're 100% positive that you're done having children. Keep in mind your life goals and priorities can change at anytime so it's not a decision to make in your 30's. I don't know a lot about the surgery involved but it's worth asking what will be used to anesthetize you, what other chemicals may be used (i.e. antibiotics), what the lasting effect on your hormones will be, and what medications or treatments may be required for aftercare.

Copper IUDs use a physical method (mainly) of preventing conception. Some IUDs don't just create a barrier for the sperm, they actually rough up the uterine wall, and some even secrete hormones. It's worth checking into the one you're considering. They can be a pain to have "installed" and removed, and have annoying side effects like heavy and prolonged bleeding, and loss of sex drive. Other barrier methods include diaphragms, cervical caps, sponges, and the ever famous condom.

I have a few problems with condoms. First of all they make the beautiful and natural act of sex kind of weird by involving a layer of latex between the people in the act. Whether that bugs you physically (most men) or just makes you feel off like me, you're making a good choice by declining them anyways: they are not planet-friendly! Using condoms creates major waste and the materials they are made with are not biodegradable. (Okay, new business venture anyone?) They also contribute to the spread of STDs because people think they are protected by them - newsflash - you aren't. There are vegan condoms out there, and even "all-natural" ones made of sheepskin. Sheepskin? Moving on!

Natural Family Planning is an amazing option. It involves a woman taking her body temperature every morning upon waking, and tracking it. Observing her cervical mucous can help also. (Ah, what the heck - we've already talked about Diva Cups, let's just go there.) This is also known as the fertility awareness method because you use the information to make an estimation of when you're fertile. From there you can choose to have sex on those days if you're trying to have a baby, or avoid having unprotected sex if you're not. Temperature charts are available online but I find the website www.fertilityfriend.com is the easiest to use. When starting it, use another form of birth control for the first 3 months or so just while you get the hang of it. There will only be about 6 days that you need to be careful, per month, so that's not terrible. (Is it?) Careful can mean using other methods during those days, so don't think I'm promoting some sort of weird part-time abstinence thing here. Some people also skip the temperatures/mucous part and just use a calender, but I'd only recommend that if you're cool with possibly having a surprise baby in 9 months. 

Everything considered, NFP is the most natural way to go. Best of luck with your babies or lack thereof!

Say No to Disposables!

Isn't it hilarious how many things are disposable now-a-days? Like somehow we think using something once immediately destines it for a landfill, and pronto! There are so many products that we can choose a reusable option beyond cloth diapers and diva cups.

Paper towel - For goodness sakes use a dish cloth. Someone needs to confirm for me that I'm using the correct term there because in my Euro-mennonite upbringing we used the german word - a "lapin". However you label it, this handy piece of cloth can wipe up messes in a snap, and *news flash* it's only a bacteria magnet if you let it be. Soak it in hot water, use some vinegar, run it through the laundry or dishwasher, or even microwave it for 30 seconds to get rid of microbes. And did you know you can knit/crochet a dish cloth?

Razors - Your legs may be important to you (hey I love me a good leg) but they don't merit a new hunk of plastic every 2 weeks. Purchasing a permanent shaver with a replaceable head is a great option - or go gentleman style and use a straight edge blade. (Replaceable heads on permanent handles are a great choice - see my post on Radius Toothbrushes!)

Styrofoam cups at parties - I do declare: your party guests can be trusted with glass drinking cups and ceramic coffee mugs. If they can't, pick some up at the dollar store and you can feel better about the ones that don't make it. And as for the dishes, isn't there always that sweet friend that asks if they can help clean up? If there isn't, get the dishwasher rippin' or fill a sink up gosh-darnit. Styrofoam is the worst!

Facial cleansing cloths, take out containers, grocery bags. I rest my case!

What disposable things do you choose reusable for?

Brushing Baby's Teeth

What a day of perfect timing. You know one of those days? You walk downstairs and the washer just finishes its cycle. You put the recycling bin at the curb just as the truck starts coming up your road. For me it was raindrops beginning to fall just as Oliver and I got in from our walk to the library.

And this:

Today I noticed Oliver's first tooth. He was gnawing on my finger as we watched Property Virgins (so good) and a little sharp edge poked me. Upon looking inside I noticed his front bottom right tooth peaking out. Very exciting.

Here's the perfect timing part. I went to the mail box and found a package from Radius (a loyal supporter of my blog) and inside was one of their incredible baby toothbrushes.

Dentists recommend brushing your baby's teeth as soon as they have them. You can even begin before teeth emerge with just a clean cloth on your index finger, rubbed on their gums. For formula-fed babies and those eating sweet solids (Ollie loves him some bananas) the sugars can be troublesome if left in their darling little mouths overnight.

The Pure Baby toothbrush by Radius is designed for little ones age 6 - 18 months. It is nice and small and has ultra-soft bristles. The toothbrush is BPA-free and dye-free as well as cruelty-free. It features vegetable-based bristles (castor bean), is recyclable and the packaging is also sustainable.

You can use a baby toothbrush with nothing, with water or with baby toothpaste - I recommend Lavera. They say it's best to brush twice daily (one of those times being before bed) on the inside and outside surfaces of the teeth, and the tongue. The brush will be good until the bristles look worn, and can be replaced by a Radius Tots brush at 18 months old.

It is best to book a dentist appointment when baby has his or her first tooth. Once two teeth are touching side by side it's time to start flossing. Remember treats like fruit juice are just as bad for baby's teeth as they are for mom and dad's.

The Healthiest Dinners

Let's be honest - I don't make lentil-walnut loaf with chilled millet salad every night. Sometimes I need to do a little nutritionist handy work and health-ify the somewhat junky items that make their way onto our meal plan. But it isn't hard.

Wait, hold on, you don't make a meal plan? I can't recommend it more. Using a meal plan may be fairly credited with ensuring my marriage stays a solid 10 out of 10. It helps grocery shopping, being thrifty, avoiding waste and planning timing, and we're always excited when the clock starts rolling around 5pm. You don't have to plan breakfast and lunch, or even the specifics (just write fish + rice + veggie). But back to good choices...

There are many dinner options that sound, well, pub-esque but actually pack a nutritional punch. Here are a few of my favourites:

bean, chicken or fish tacos/fajitas - serve with lettuce, tomato, onion, pepper and olives, and a side of guacamole or salsa, skip the cheese and sour cream
Asian stirfry - don't worry about the strips of pork and sweet sauce when you've got a bed of brown rice and a wok full of red pepper, snap peas and bok choy
pad Thai - I add copious amounts of bean sprouts, scallions, carrots and peanuts
nachos - go easy on the shredded cheese and top heavily with jalapeno and onion, served with homemade refried beans
homemade pizza - a whole grain pita crust with tomato sauce, broccoli and pineapple can hide the naughty of shredded mozzarella
breakfast for dinner - swap in turkey bacon and add spinach and zucchini to your eggs, and serve with a strawberry smoothie
lasagne - believe it or not it tastes better with eggplant slices and basil overload

Don't give up the dinners you love before attempting to convert them into a canvas for yummy vegetables.

The Thrifty Preggo: How to Save Money + Have a Baby

If there's one time in your life you wanna practice money-saving, let it be during pregnancy. Okay, maybe upon being proposed to also. Not that I believe the popular notion that babies are expensive (they are not! in my experience) but I do think being prepared for whatever your new journey throws at you is best.

There are plenty of ways to get ready for your little mini-on-the-way without breaking the bank.

Make a list. Of everything you need and everything you want. Then pick your pen back up and get ready to scratch things out.
1. Do you already have something that serves this purpose? (A change table and a changing-station-addition to your pack n play? A carriage and a stroller that your car seat fits into? A co-sleeping side car and a moses basket?) Cross it out.
2. Will the need for this item not arise for six months? (Baby gates for crawlers? A lego set? A bath tub insert for babies that can sit up?) You can buy it later, with gift cards... or, at six months reevaluate all the things you have and anything you don't need that still has a tag on it, return!
3. Are you being realistic with amounts? A baby that can't walk can probably cool it with the snazzy shoes. Most babies choose 1 or 2 teddies that they like and the rest sit there. Also blankets.

Next, where to get it.

1. Buy it used. Try Kijiji or consignment stores.
2. Hint at generous family members.
3. Add it to a registry.

We've found that adding Oliver to our family has been a real pleasure and no financial strain at all. It just takes some thrifty-thinking!