Healthy Tot

Mom’s Groups

Published

on November 11, 2008

. 0 Comments

My daughter was almost 5 months old when I finally reached out to meet some other new moms in my area. I had a little postpartum depression and well, wasn’t feeling my best to go out and make some new friends. In my case I decided to meet people through Stroller Strides, the fitness program designed for moms to do with their babies in tow. For me, it was great, I was able to slowly and comfortably meet some people and get some exercise as well. My husband and my mom and my friends (who unfortunately lived too far for a walk and meet for a quick coffee) all encouraged me to get out of the house. After doing it, I wished I had earlier. What evolved from Stroller Strides was a sort mom’s group and playgroup made up of those of us who had babies within a few months of each other. It was an easy natural formation for us and today my daughter is almost 3 and I am still friends with the same group of women and our kids get together to play once a week.

After the experience that I had, I find it very important to encourage other expectant and new mothers to get out there and meet some other moms. Becoming a mother is a big adjustment and well, misery loves company. Just kidding!! Really, reaching out is a healthy, positive way to help make your way as a mom. Decades ago, families lived much closer, sometimes in the same neighborhoods making it easier to find help, advice, a sympathetic ear, but now many people live quite far from their relatives. Moms groups can provide that much needed support and connection.

Want to join a mom’s group? Look at your local coffee shops, libraries, toy store and baby stores. Moms groups often post on bulletin boards at these locations to reach out to moms. Look online, many well-organized groups will have a website for groups in your state. Some are very casual and free, some are organized and facilitated by a knowledgible leader/s with and will have some fees, but are still generally affordable.

Want to start a mom’s group? Reach out, post a sign at any place moms will show up. Talk to other new and expecting moms- I know that is not for everyone, but you might be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to meet a new mother. Once you have a group, find a meeting place, your home, rotate homes, a coffee shop, etc- decide what you’re comfortable with. Some groups will be easy to start and others might need some structure to help get the ball rolling with topics and discussions.

Join a stroller fitness group like Stroller Strides. There are branches reaching in many cities and towns across the country. If your not sure about being in an organized group or starting one yourself, it will be another avenue to meeting other moms.
Any way you decide to meet other moms, it can be a helpful and fruitful experience. It will offer you support and possibly some little friends for your little ones.

Some states asking baby companies to avoid BPA

Published

amy

on October 21, 2008

in Uncategorized

. 3 Comments

Errrrrrr! Really! I was really mad. When the FDA recently declared BPA safe I was so mad and disappointed I didn’t even write about it as you probably noticed. I felt duped, or that they would say ok actually we are going to, that was a mistake. And when they released their findings that BPA was safe last month I thought it was unconscionable enough that they released info on how to avoid it. Ummm, its safe but you shouldn’t use it. As the Washington Post states “The (FDA) report stands in contrast to more than 100 studies performed by government scientists and university laboratories that have found health concerns associated with bisphenol A (BPA).”

The good news, some states are now taking action contrary to the FDA’s findings. They are going to baby product companies to ask them to avoid putting BPAs in their products. In addition, thankfully, many manufacturers have responded to the public’s desire to have BPA-free products for their babies, kids and even themselves. I find it amazing that the manufacturers and retailers like WalMart and Toys R’ Us are beating the government to the punch. (and I rarely have good things to say about big box stores, but here’s one place they are getting it right) Wasn’t it enough that it has been banned in kid’s products in Canada? When the FDA held off its ban on BPAs everyone should have said, “hmmm, what did the Canadian government get to see that these guys didn’t?” or were the lobbyist’s influence as usual too much to resist? Whatever the reason they deemed it safe, I think it better that we avoid it.

Yikes-BPA in your plastic bottles
BPA update…
BPA Primer from GreenMommy.com

To School or not to School…

Published

amy

on October 14, 2008

in Uncategorized

. 2 Comments

After a lot of deliberation we had decided not to to send my daughter to preschool this year. Mostly based on lack openings and affordability of the 2 year old toddler programs in our area, we decided to wait another year. But one week before most schools began, I was talking to an acquaintance who told me about a very affordable school she was going to send her twin boys to. It was a little further away than any of the others we had looked into, but I decided to check it out. After the tour, and liking what I saw and heard, I decided we should enroll her and give it a shot. The director of the school alleviated any fears I might have about her not liking it by saying she could stop at anytime, and if she wanted- start back up again when she was ready.

The program is two days a week, Thursdays and Fridays for 2.5 hours each day. The first day the parents stayed, half in the class room and half at an orientation. The second day, the parents dropped their kids off at the classroom and headed off to have coffee in another room. I have to say that both days we left the house, she seemed pretty excited, but once we got there she didn’t want to get out of the car telling me it looked like they had enough kids already. After some coaxing she came out and we went inside. But after those first two days, there haven’t been any problems getting out of the car. In fact, we go in, hang up her jacket and lunch box, hit the bathroom for a last visit before they start their day and she excitedly bounces down the hall to her classroom. She says hi to her friends as they come in- sometimes even forgets to say good-bye to me.

I know, I am a stay at home mom, and I grappled with her going off so young while I had decided to stay home to be with her. But part of the reason I did, was because I saw it as a way for her to gain independence from me. We are together all the time, and she relies on me for everything, which is fine with me but I can’t do it forever and I feel like this makes the process less painless- probably for both of us. I feel so good when I pick her up and she has a big smile on her face eager to show me her newest art project. In the car ride home she tells me about her friends, and what happened at recess. I have to do a little prodding about what book they read, if she was a good listener and helper, but she seems to feel really good about each day there. For us it ended up the right decision, and I’ll keep her there as long as she enjoys it.

Vitamin D

Published

Albert

on October 13, 2008

in Sunscreen, eating and healthy ideas

. 0 Comments

I just read an article about vitamin D and how the American Association of Pediatrics has doubled the recommended daily amount of it from 200iu to 400iu. It’s a good article and definitely worth checking out:

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/13/AR2008101300995.html

Vitamin D sources include cod liver oil, milk, and can also be created by human bodies when exposed to sunlight. Exposure to sunlight has its own problems, so most people these days take supplements.

Apple Picking- it’s here again

Published

amy

on October 7, 2008

in Outdoor fun and activities

. 0 Comments

Fall is here- yes, I know you already know… but it means apple picking! It is such a fun activity to do with your kids. For starters it is fairly inexpensive, you’ll pay for your apples, pumpkins, or other edible goodies- maybe a hayride. But you can have a few hours walking around with your family among trees, picking your favorite variety of apples on what is hopefully a nice crisp sunny day.

It’s how we spent this past Sunday. We were up visiting some good friends in New Hampshire and to see their new little baby boy. (Who is adorable, I might add) We had a nice dinner Saturday night, and then Sunday headed out for some fresh air in the orchard. We went to a place about 15-20 minutes away from their house called Carter Hill in Concord. With their little guy in the Baby Bjorn and our girl in the baby backpack, we headed out and wandered the rows of trees. It was a great day, the sun shining and the views beautiful, trees just starting to turn to warmer shades of colors. We picked a load of apples, a little over 15 lbs, and of the 10 or so varieties they offered we picked from at least 7 of them. We picked some just for my daughter as she says she only likes the “tiny ones”, easier for her to hold.

I think we’ll probably munch on a lot of them but I have some baking plans for them as well. I really love apple pie, apple spice cake, homemade apple sauce, mmmm, my mouth is watering!
Find some creative apple recipes here.

Looking for a place to pick your own apples?
Pickyourown.org