Hat Tip to Rixa for finding another great article!

http://rixarixa.blogspot.com/2009/02/eduadors-vertical-maternity-ward.html

Read it – it’s great information!  This is what Rixa noted at the bottom of her blog:

Vertical births have also lowered the hospital’s cesarean rate from 18% to 8%.

That is FANTASTIC!!!

I had completely forgotten that I sent this picture into People Magazine – and never realized they put it up… too funny!

http://www.people.com/people/package/gallery/0,,20242009_20242003_11,00.html

I love this pic!

And easy on Mom!

Everyone seemed to like my cornucopia recipe, and I love cooking with bread/pie crust/dough (I’m a carb addict, which explains why my waistline is not 24″, eh?), so tonight I played around with some ideas and made this:

 Take a pizza dough (I made mine from scratch, but you can purchase them) and flatten it out to about 12″ x about 16″ or so.  I doubled this, which is why there are two in the picture, but the description is for making one.

Taco Roll

 I cooked a pound of hamburger, drained it, and added a cup of beef broth, a pureed onion, and a package of taco seasoning.  I boiled then simmered until the liquid was reduced.  Remove this from the heat and let it cool.

I spread about a cup or so of cheddar cheese on the uncooked dough – a good artery-clogging layer for a fun dinner – then spread the meat evenly over that.  Leave about an inch all around.

Fold over the ends about 2″, then roll the whole thing into a log – think “burrito” on a grander scale.  I slit the top a couple of times to let steam escape, placed on a cookie sheet, and put into a preheated 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes, until the pizza dough was browned and it was yummy looking!

I shredded some lettuce and had sour cream and taco sauce at the ready.  If you like, diced tomatos and onions could be a great garnish too (and I forgot to take a pic before I dug into it… lol).

It was DELICIOUS and all the kids scarfed it up!  It’s much easier than the description lends it to be, really it is!  There would be an endless amount of ideas for things you could put in the roll – different vegetables, different seasonings other than taco, you name it, whatever floats your boat.  Enjoy!

 

Need the pizza crust recipe?  Here it is:

• 2.5 to 3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 package regular or quick active dry yeast (2.25 teaspoons)
• 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
• 1 cup very warm water (120 to 130 degrees)

Mix 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl.  Add three tablespoons oil and the water.  Beat with electric mixer on medium speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl frequently.  Stir in enough remaining flour until dough is soft and leaves sides of bowl.  Place dough on lightly floured surface, knead five to eight minutes or until dough is smooth and springy.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes.  *pizza dough recipe courtesy of the Betty Crocker cookbook.

Tip o’ da hat to my friend MJS for posting this on Facebook!

To put this entire note in simple terms, let me give some vocabularies to summarize:

character |?karikt?r|
noun: the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual; strength and originality in a person’s nature

hypocrisy |hi?päkris?|
noun: the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform; pretense.

This is not about politics. This is about decency and respect. Bush may not have been the perfect President, but he has always been a decent human being. Thank you, President Bush for showing that cowboys got more class than any Rhode Scholarship or Harvard degree combined. This is why I cannot stand liberal elitism.

Jan 20th, 2009:
Outgoing President George W. Bush quietly boards his helicopter and leaves for Texas, commenting only: “Today is not about me. Today is a historical day for our nation and people.”

Eight years ago:
Outgoing President Bill Clinton schedules two separate radio addresses to the nation, and organizes a public farewell speech/rally in downtown Washington D.C. scheduled to directly conflict with incoming President Bush’s inauguration ceremony.

 

Jan 20th, 2009:
President Bush leaves office without issuing a single Presidential pardon, only granting a commutation of sentence to two former border patrol agents convicted of shooting a convicted drug smuggler. He does not grant any type of clemency to Scooter Libby or any other former political aide, ally, or business partner.

Eight years ago:
President Clinton issues 140 pardons and several commutations of sentence on his final day in office. Included in these are: billionaire financier, convicted tax evader, and leading Democratic campaign contributor Marc Rich; Whitewater scandal figure Susan McDougal; Congressional Post Office Scandal figure and former Democratic Congressman Dan Rostenkowski; convicted bank fraud, sexual assault and child porn perpetrator and former Democratic Congressman Melvin Reynolds; and convicted drug felon Roger Clinton, the President’s half-brother.

Jan 20th, 2009:
The Bush daughters leave gift baskets in the White House bedrooms for the Obama daughters, containing flowers, candy, stuffed animals, DVD’s and CD’s, and heartfelt notes of encouragement and advice for the young girls on how to prepare for their new lives in the White House.

Eight years ago:
Clinton and Gore staffers rip computer wires and electrical outlets from the White House walls, stuff piles of notebook papers into the White House toilets, systematically remove the letter “W” from every computer key-pad in the entire White House, and damage several thousand dollars worth of furniture in the White House master bedroom.

Headlines On This Date 4 Years Ago

“Republicans spending $42 million on inauguration while troops Die in unarmored Humvees”

“Bush extravagance exceeds any reason during tough economic times”

“Fat cats get their $42 million inauguration party, Ordinary Americans get the shaft”

Headlines Today

“Historic Obama Inauguration will cost only $170 million”

“Obama Spends $170 million on inauguration; America Needs A Big Party”

“Everyman Obama shows America how to celebrate”

“Citibank executives contribute $8 million to Obama Inauguration”

 

Source: Stephen J. Archer´s Friend whoever he may be…

Too many doctors and hospitals are overusing high-tech procedures

http://www.consumerreports.org/health/medical-conditions-treatments/pregnancy-childbirth/maternity-care/overview/maternity-care.htm?loginMethod=auto

The report found that, in the U.S., too many healthy women with low-risk pregnancies are being routinely subjected to high-tech or invasive interventions that should be reserved for higher-risk pregnancies. Such measures include:

• Inducing labor. The percentage of women whose labor was induced more than doubled between 1990 and 2005
• Use of epidural painkillers, which might cause adverse effects, including rapid fetal heart rate and poor performance on newborn assessment tests
• Delivery by Caesarean section, which is estimated to account for one-third of all U.S births in 2008, will far exceed the World Health Organization’s recommended national rate of 5 to 10 percent
• Electronic fetal monitoring, unnecessarily adding to delivery costs
• Rupturing membranes (“breaking the waters”), intending to hasten onset of labor
• Episiotomy, which is often unnecessary

In fact, the current style of maternity care is so procedure-intensive that 6 of the 15 most common hospital procedures used in the entire U.S. are related to childbirth. Although most childbearing women in this country are healthy and at low risk for childbirth complications, national surveys reveal that essentially all women who give birth in U.S. hospitals have high rates of use of complex interventions, with risks of adverse effects.

 

Hat tip to Pushed Birth for finding this article!

Yup.  Peanut butter pasta.  That’s what my kids call it.  So easy, and fairly not-too-bad-for-you.  *grin*

So boil some pasta, any kind will do.  While that’s cooking, pick out a meat – chicken, pork, sausage, steak, doesn’t matter here either.  I dice it small, cook it up.  Then I add some carrots, peas, onions, whatever I have on hand that sounds good.  Usually the carrots and peas are the best, in my opinion.  Cook ‘em til they’re tender.  Dump the drained pasta in, and now comes the good part.

I soften about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of peanut butter in the microwave (depending on how much pasta/meat/veggie mix I made), add about 1/4 cup soy sauce, about 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and if you have them on hand, about a tablespoon or so of sesame seeds.  Mix that together well, then stir the mix into the pasta meat mixture.  This actually makes sort of a “thai” peanut sauce that’s quite good.

This is one of my kids’ favorite meals – and it really is very fast, very inexpensive, and very very tasty!!!  Just thought I’d share!

MOMMY MYTHBUSTER: http://mommymythbuster.wordpress.com/

I love reading about moms (like me!) that defy the Mainstream Birth Board An “Expert” Wrote A Book And Said This So It Must Be Right And You’re Not Because You’re Different or We Just Don’t Like What You Have To Say Bandwagon Mentality and actually use valid data and common sense to raise their children (we don’t defy current legitimate recommendations/studies or less mainstream birth boards, however – they all know what they’re talking about!).  What a wonderful blog she has!!!  Great information for the new AND “old” mama!

Some of my favorite blurbs from her blog:

Carseats are safer than seatbelts for those 2+ years old

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administratin (NHTSA) manual says that carseats are only “54 percent effective in reducing deaths for children ages 1 to 4 in passenger cars.” Well, that sounds like an impressive number! So children who ride in carseats are 54% safer if than if they used seatbelts? No. That’s 54% safer than riding completely unrestrained. According to the NHTSA, children who ride restrained in lap and shoulder strap seatbelts are equally protected from fatal injury as those restrained in a carseat.

 

Bottles with BPA are dangerous

Following the ban Health Canada issued advice to parents who continue to use plastic baby bottles. They advised, “If you continue to use polycarbonate baby bottles, it is recommended that parents and caregivers do not put boiling water in them.” Why would you put boiling water into your baby bottle? Oh, I know. To wash or sterilize them, right? Surely the extreme heat from the dishwasher could cause BPA to be released. Nope.

Health Canada goes on to advise, “These bottles can be sterilized according to instructions on infant formula labels and can be cleaned in the dishwasher. They should be left to cool to room temperature before adding the infant formula.”

 

Kidnappers are usually strangers

The facts just don’t support the fear and hype we have all come to believe.

 

Kudos to Mommy Mythbusters – I hope your blog lives long and prospers!

I got such great responses from my “Did you know” (Pregnancy & Childbirth)” that I figured I’d do a quick one on newborns too!  Just some money- or time-saving tips from a mom that’s been there… four times.

Did you know:

• That you don’t have to sterilize bottles, nipples, and pacifiers?  Warm soapy water or your dishwasher are just fine.  Save all that time you’d waste (and the money on those commercial sterilizers!) and snuggle your baby, while the dishwasher safely cleans your things.
• That you don’t have to separate baby’s clothes and/or wash them in a different detergent?  Unless your healthy baby has a VERY RARE sensitivity to your regular detergent, don’t waste your money on “special” (read:  money-making) brands marketed towards your baby’s clothes. 
• That fabric softener is just fine.  I’m sure you’ve heard/read/been told that baby’s clothes have a flame retardancy in them that fabric softener will destroy.  Well, the flame retardancy is a NASTY chemical that I personally don’t want near my baby’s skin anyways; over time it will wash out; and I would rather have soft, good smelling clothes on my baby than ones that a cigarette can be put out on!   The supposed flame retardancy won’t save your baby’s life in the event of a fire, in my opinion.  I use liberal fabric softener so my baby’s clothes are soft next to their delicate skin.
• That your municipal tap water may actually be safer than bottled water and/or “nursery water”?  your city water system is monitored very closely, and unless a warning has been posted, it is absolutely safe and fine to use for your baby’s bottles if you use formula.  Bottled water and nursery water are not as stringently regulated, are most likely from municipal sources anyways, are are frankly a waste of money.  Use your tap.
• That your bottles don’t need to be heated up?  If your baby likes it, give her room temperature or even cool formula.  Makes life much easier when you’re out and about, and don’t need to try to figure out how to warm a bottle.  This also makes middle of the night feedings easier.  Have a bottle of room temperature water on the nightstand, with a container of formula right there.  Mix it in a second and feed baby – no heating, no fuss.
• You can bite their little fingernails to trim them when they are sleeping in your arms, if you’re afraid to use clippers or just can’t seem to get them short enough with them.
• That a sink bath is just fine.  I never had a separate plastic bath that I had to fill/bathe/wash/store for such a short amount of time.  Wash baby in the kitchen sink so you’re not bending over, then in about 6 months or so, or when baby outgrows the sink and can sit up, move to the “big” bathtub.  Easy, and free.
• Generic formula is just fine?  If you have to formula feed, save a LOT of money and buy generic.  All generic formulas must meet the same strict safety, nutrition, and manufacturing guidelines as the priciest products on the market.  The reason they’re less expensive is that the manufacturers of generic formula don’t spend millions of dollars on research or on marketing, and they don’t give away free samples the way some other formula companies do. They simply sell a product that meets the standards set by the United States Food and Drug Administration.  It does also boil down to baby’s taste – baby may prefer one over another, but most will be just fine with the taste of the store brand.  Buy generic diapers too, and save a lot!
• Cold air is not your enemy.  Just because it’s winter, don’t stay huddled inside.  Take baby for a walk in a sling or a carriage – it’s really quite good for them.  And no, cold air – in and of itself – does NOT make one sick, regardless of what grandma told you!
• Skip the highchair, and get a booster seat instead.  Most companies have boosters that grow with your baby.  High chairs take up a LOT of room, are harder to clean, aren’t portable, and baby isn’t truly at the table with the rest of the family.  Boosters are very easy to clean, baby sits right at the table, you can take it with you, and she can use it well into her toddler years, unlike a bulky highchair.
• If baby’s diaper just seems to always leak at night, and a larger size doesn’t work, don’t waste your money on the expensive double padded nighttime diapers.  Just slip a cheap generic feminine pad in night diaper.  It works.  Really.  For a fraction of the cost.
• If your baby sleeps in a crib instead of your bed, try layering sheets (mattress pad, absorbant pad, sheet, absorbant pad, sheet, absorbant pad, sheet) so middle of the night leaks or spit ups are easily cleaned – just rip the top two layers off and everyone goes back to bed fast!

I’m sure there’s more rattling about in my mind, but for now I will leave you with these!  If any experienced mom has hints of her own, feel free to comment and we’ll have a nice compilation for a new mom or two!

Let them Eat Dirt!

http://freerangekids.wordpress.com/2009/02/08/let-em-eat-dirt/

 Accumulating evidence strongly suggests that eating dirt is good for you. In studies of what is called the hygiene hypothesis, researchers are concluding that organisms like the millions of bacteria, viruses and especially worms that enter the body along with ‘dirt’ spur the development of a healthy immune system. Several continuing studies suggest that worms may help to redirect an immune system that has gone awry and resulted in autoimmune disorders, allergies and asthma. [Here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27brod.html?_r=1&em]

 

Add the fact that the majority of babies 6+ months old can safely eat peanut & shellfish products and other “allergens” and I’ll bet we can lower the rate of children with allergies in no time.   Eat a piece of shrimp, don’t wash with antibacterial soap, and viola!

Ahhh… reason #472 why anti-bacterial products are never in my house and why nothing is ever “sterilized” (i.e., baby bottles, pacifiers)…. lovin’ my healthy no-allergy kids!

Or ever.

“Please take the spoon out from between your toes and finish your cereal.  Thank you.”

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