Formula Warning

 Back in August, I had to start giving A formula to get him enough to eat due to a dwindling supply. I discussed my search for an organic formula here. I decided to go with Baby's Only organic dairy formula by Nature's One. You may have noticed Nature's One made the news recently, and not in a good way. The first ingredient, brown rice syrup, has been found to have dangerously high levels of arsenic. Nature's One is responding that they use reputable third party distributors and will test all their products for high levels of arsenic. Thankfully, A has moved on to whole milk. We had 2 cans of formula we were going to finish up, but I guess we won't. The news seems inconclusive right now, but until you know for sure, I would avoid products with brown rice syrup, especially if it's one of the first ingredients. My second go-to formula during the time A was using formula was Earth's Best Organic Formula. This would be my suggestion, as A took it well and didn't have any problems transitioning between the two. 

Melissa and Doug

We were happy to receive a Melissa and Doug Shapes Sorter from Uncle J and Aunt M. Melissa and Doug toys are sustainable products made of wood and non-toxic paint. The company is also based out of the U.S. They leave a low carbon footprint and use high quality, long lasting materials. For more details about Melissa and Doug, visit their website. 

A Calls it Quits

Picture Source: almightydad.com

Four weeks ago yesterday, A quit nursing cold turkey. I thought maybe I wouldn't blog about this because this really isn't applicable for most of my readers, but for the few for whom this is relevant, I wanted  to share my experience in the hopes that it is helpful for you.

Since I started enjoying nursing (it took about 3 weeks) I had planned to nurse until A was 12 months old, the AAP recommendation.

A nursed as usual when we woke up on November 12 (his 9 month birthday), and then refused to nurse for his second morning feeding. I didn't think anything of it and gave him some bananas and cereal. Then at lunch, he refused again. At that point, I had to give him a bottle because he needed the nutrients. When he refused again that afternoon, I started looking online. I'll tell you right now, in the 4 weeks I've been trying to figure this out, I haven't found anything helpful, and this blog won't offer you any new insights either. Everything I read said "a majority of infants don't quit nursing on their own until around 18 months of age." This, of course, makes me feel like a failure. My research told me this was most likely a nursing strike, perhaps due to teething or just a growing independence. I was under the impression it might last 2-7 days.

When 7 days came and went (at this point we had stocked up on formula to supplement the bottles of frozen breast milk), I researched the longest nursing strike: 18 days. So I figured I'd give it 18 days and then figure out what I'd do. I pumped and got enough milk to give him a bottle of breast milk a day. The rest of the day he'd get formula.

I called the Health Partners Lactation consultants and got no help from the nurse with whom I spoke. She told me that when her little one went on a nursing strike, she simply told him "this is where your milk comes from. You get it here, or not at all." Um, not going to work for me. My son goes to day care, so he already knows that's not true. She told me to not offer him an alternative, but I'm not going to refuse to give my son nutrients to teach him where milk should come from. And she told me the reason most babies quit nursing this young is not their choice, but because the mother gives up. Thanks for making me feel like crap, and not helping me find a real solution to the problem.

If you experience the same situation, do not feel bad. You can grieve the change in your relationship with your child, but then move on. Trust that you've done all you can and trust that you will make the best choices for yourself and for your child.

When the 18 days passed, I decided I'd pump enough milk to have a bottle a day for him until he's 12 months old. Ufda, that is 100 times harder than nursing exclusively. I'm not going to make it. And quite frankly, my supply won't either.

I woke up this morning with A, and I just didn't have it in me to pump. So I guess without really making a decision, I've made the choice to call it quits.

It took me 4 weeks to come to terms with this, but as Nate reminded me a few weeks ago, if I continue to set my heart on fulfilling all my plans, I will continue to be disappointed. I don't get to make such detailed plans as a parent. I'm okay with my decision. A had 9 months of breastfeeding and then made his own decision to exert his independence. His favorite way to take a bottle is standing up, holding on to the table. Not really an option with a breast. I hope it's a sign of good parenting to recognize what he needs and allow him to fulfill those needs in a healthy way.

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Formula

A returned to day care last week, which brings a whole host of new parenting dilemmas and choices to make. A has been enjoying his morning cereal mixed with breast milk this summer, but day care staff aren't allowed to transfer breast milk due to health and sanitation concerns. So here I am, researching formulas to mix with the cereal. Just like cloth diapers, I keep wading into more and more options with long lists of pros and cons.

If you want to go eco-friendly and uber healthy for your baby, here's what I found:

• Check the ingredient list. Make sure it is made with milk lactose or brown rice syrup. Avoid cane sugar, corn sugar, and sucrose. Babies don't need super sweet formula. 
• Decide if you want it made with DHA/ARA or not. Manmade DHA is a fairly new idea and not much is known about it's effects on infants. 
• Look for the USDA Organic label
• Go with powdered formula instead of premade formula. Powdered formula requires less packaging, and premade formula has been found to contain high levels of BPA. 
• Mix it with regular tap water or filtered water, not bottled water. Bottled water creates unnecessary waste and might leach BPA into the milk. If you are still nervous about your water, boil and cool it for use. 

Four formulas continue to come up in my research as the best options. In order (based on my opinions of what I think is best for A):

1. Baby's Only Organic Formula
2. Earth's Best Organic Infant Formula
3. Similac Organic Formula (contains sucrose)

My Organic Boy

I have been so proud that A has only eaten organic foods since he started solids. As we add more and more variety to his menu, I can't find organic produce at Cub where I normally shop, so I've made a few trips to the Mississippi Market in St. Paul for my organic goodies.

I love the food co-op. I don't have to spend nearly as much time weighing my options and searching odd corners of the store to find eco-friendly items. I like the mission of food co-ops, which focuses on sustainability and consumer control. I read once in Animal, Vegetable, Mineral by Barbara Kingsolver, "Eaters must understand, how we eat determines how the world is used." By shopping at the co-op, I feel like I'm helping to make my statement about how I want to use the world. 

I know A will have to eat non-organic someday, and probably someday soon, but I will hold out as long as possible and give his little body a chance to avoid extra chemicals. 

Baby Food!

A has begun his adventures in eating. I have no doubt that he'll develop a sweet tooth like his mom, and a snacking habit like his dad, but while I still have full control over what he eats, I'll try and prevent that from happening.

We started with Gerber's organic brown rice cereal. This was after much internal debate on my part. I wanted to excite his taste palate early and often, but the doctor thought I was a little crazy. After discovering that rice cereal can be whole grain, I allowed myself to feel okay starting with this simple food.

The next food introduced is where things got interesting. I decided to puree my own organic sweet potatoes. (1 potato made 18 servings at a cost of about $.07 a serving, compared to my jar of Earth's Best organic which cost .$.15 a serving). Nate insisted I need to account for my time as well-this first foray into purees took me 2 hours :o. I blame the blender though-it's a piece of junk. So I indulged in a $35 food processor. Hopefully this (and experience) will speed my process up. And after tasting both varieties myself, I have to insist that my fresh puree is much better than the jarred stuff.

Regardless, A is loving his solids. He says "mmm" after every new food. It's been very exciting for both of us!

Toys for 6+ Months

As A whined on his playmat he's had since birth, I thought, hm, maybe he's ready for some new toys. So I Googled "6+ month toys" and was reminded of a website I've visited before, Baby Earth. According to the website, their commitment is “to making baby’s world as healthy, happy and safe as possible." And, "While only a portion of their products are eco-friendly, BabyEarth boasts one of the largest selections of eco-friendly baby products in the market today." 


I'm already itching to buy a bunch of new, reasonably priced, eco-friendly toys for my little guy to chew on. 

Why I Breastfeed

I've been putting off this topic because it seems highly personal, but I think it's time to share the benefits I've found in breastfeeding.

First, the most obvious reason is that it is the best food for my baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least the first year. Breast milk offers more nutrients and antibodies than can be found in formula, and is uniquely adjusted to the needs of your baby in every moment; your body responds to baby's needs every time he eats.

Second, we save money. Formula is expensive! Breastfeeding just requires me to eat a few extra calories, which I'll happily do. In spite of my extra caloric intake, it also helps me to lose my baby weight. Gotta love that.

And then there are the environmental reasons. Formula comes in packaging, which must be thrown away, which means more junk in landfills. In addition, the packaging and formula require energy to be created. Using formula requires bottles, nipples, liners, etc. that must be produced, washed, and eventually thrown away. (To be fair, as a breastfeeding and pumping mom, I use bottles as well, but some women have lifestyles that allow them to exclusively breastfeed.) Finally, using formula requires fuel; a vehicle must get it to the store, and then you have to take your vehicle to go get it.

Breastfeeding is not without its difficulties. In my first weeks home with my newborn, a friend said to me "I don't know why you wouldn't breastfeed." I thought to myself, "I do." The first three weeks were incredibly difficult. My little (big) guy wanted to eat every 1-2 hours; my entire world had shifted to feeding the hungry boy. It was exhausting. But I also recall a very distinct moment when he was three weeks old and had finally started falling into a routine. He had just woken up and started eating, and I felt a sudden pleasure and bond in breastfeeding him. From there on, it has been an enjoyable experience. Even after an incredibly painful clogged duct at about 3 months, I'm happily breastfeeding.

I have all intentions of discontinuing breastfeeding at a year. Perhaps something will convince me to switch to formula before then. (Let's be honest; my baby doesn't have teeth yet, and I bet that's a whole new set of challenges.) But for now, I'm happy and proud to be breastfeeding. I know he's getting the best, and so is the planet.

 

The Big Rollover

That's right, A started rolling over! I can't believe how fast he's developing. Hopefully, he slows down and let's me enjoy this incredibly fun age a little bit before he starts crawling, walking, and running.

Witness the rollover here. It took two weeks to get a good video, but I finally captured it.

What I've Learned about Cloth Diapers

There is a whole community online of cloth diapering parents, which is helpful but also a little overwhelming. I started looking into cloth diapers right when I got pregnant (an easy summer job gave me lots of time to research online). After all my research and no baby to test out the diapers on, I ordered a Bum Genius Flip. When A came along, I realized the Flip was not the diaper I wanted to use. It was way too big. So I went back to the blogs, forums, and shopping sites and started my research over.

We've had A exclusively in cloth diapers for the last 4 weeks, and here's what we've learned about all the brands we've tried.

Bum Genius Flip: This was the first diaper we tried and the one I wanted to make work because you have the option of putting in a disposable insert, but they are a one-size that grows with baby, and even for our 10 pounder it was too big-spreading his legs way far apart. We never even used it.

GroVia All-in-2: This was recommended by a friend. We had the same issue as the Flip- it was way too big. And it took forever to dry.

GDiaper: We bought these because they were the only cloth diaper Babies R Us carried, and I had a coupon for them. They leaked every time we used them. I liked the fit a lot though. GDiapers also have the option of a disposable insert, but they are made with the same gel in disposable diapers, which is bad for baby and the environment. 

Swaddlebees: We tried the old side snap model and the Simplex. I liked them both a lot, but couldn't find anyone who carried enough for me to have a full supply. I got frustrated trying to purchase them from different companies, so I gave up. I found out on a forum that the company just doesn't keep their supply meeting their demand. I just tried putting the Simplex on again yesterday, and it leaked. I'm happy we didn't wind up with these as our main diaper; the snaps are much more difficult and you have to put an insert in, which would be harder for grandparents and friends to use.

Picture Source: Bumgenius.com

Bum Genius All-in-One 3.0: This is what we settled on. The only thing I dislike about this one is it takes forever to dry. I was using them still a little damp, but yesterday my mom suggested turning them inside out before drying them. They've been coming out completely dry since I started doing this. We had a few leaks recently ,but we started putting inserts in at night, and haven't had a leak since.

I highly recommend cloth diapering. We find it as simple as using disposables-really! If you are thinking about getting started, you might want to try a diaper trial (I just heard about Jillian's Drawers). I wish I had known about this before we tried all these. You pay a deposit and get to try a bunch of varieties. I've also discovered the Diaper Swappers Forum that has been very helpful. I posted some concerns on there and got a bunch of responses that were helpful right away. 

Why did I do all this researching, trial and error, and suffering of some big leaks? The simple answer is the first two weeks that we used disposable diapers, we went through about 200 diapers, costing us about $100. In my opinion, it took just as much time to take out the trash of stinky disposables as it does to throw a load of laundry in every day.

The cloth diapers we've decided on are probably going to cost us about $1200 over A's lifetime, and we can  reuse them for future babies, or sell them or give them to friends.

The biggest reason I wanted to go with cloth is because the disposables are one of the worst pieces of garbage we have, taking up to 500 years to decompose. I don't know about you, but that's not how I want to leave my mark on the world. 

A's First Month

A is already 4 weeks old. It's unbelievable how fast 4 weeks has gone by, and how much he's grown! At 2 weeks old, I remember thinking this new parenting thing was really a challenge. But now I'm loving it. He's already sleeping longer at night and he's working at a smiling. He loves books; his favorites are "Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See" and "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day."

Here are some pictures of the past month.

Dad cutting the umbilical cord

Sleeping in the hospital

Dad with A

Grandma and Grandpa with A

Nana and Papa with A

Uncle A, meet Little A

A's first moments home

Uncle T with A

Our Family Photo

Our first visitors: N...

and N

with a mohawk

sleeping like uncle T

Dad feeding A his first bottle

R playing copy-cat

38 Weeks and Still Growing

We've blown by the 37 week marker where it's safe to deliver and we're still growing strong.

The doctor says he thinks our boy will be about 7 1/2 lbs, but he hesitated when he said it so I think he's trying not to freak my out with a potentially bigger boy. This was especially concerning when I told him Nate and his brothers were all over 8 lbs, and all he said was, "huh."

I think we are finally ready for him to be born; Nate is getting us ready materially (we now have car seat bases installed in both cars, and he seems to be nesting more than I am, cleaning everything) and I'm finally psychologically prepared.

We'll keep you posted! 

Baby Shower

I'm finally posting some pictures with my head attached to the growing belly. I know it creeped some of you out to see all the headless photos. 

 The wonderful hosts, Nate's Aunt Linda and my Godmother Barb

 The quilt my mom worked on up until the last minute. She says letters N, O, and P have been to the Panama Canal. She also worked hard to find eco-friendly materials, though it's a challenge in Mankato. She was able to find fleece that was made from recycled products for the back. 

36 weeks

Sorry for no picture this time. Imagine a woman who's 9 months pregnant and that's pretty much exactly how I look.

I'm now scheduled for weekly doctor's appointments until Baby Boy gets here. This definitely helps to alleviate some nerves as I get closer to the due date. It's nice to have a professional checking to make sure I didn't miss the signs of labor or something.

To my relief, Dr. Baram tells me he'd guess the baby is about 6 lbs and would expect an average sized baby-around 7 1/2 lbs. He also reassured me that the very annoying Braxton Hicks contractions are not the real thing, and I'll just need to tolerate them until the real contractions begin.

No green updates to report, except that plain white onesies are much more exciting  to get as a gift when they are organic (thanks Julie!)



I'm excited to finish stocking up on all the "necessities" (in quotations because all we really need is a car seat and some warm clothes-I'm reminded of this when Nate's mom tells me he slept in a drawer for the first few months. Babies don't need nearly as much stuff as we somehow acquire. But it's all so cute and little!)

I'll try to get a picture up soon!

31 Weeks

At 31 weeks, people are starting to say things like "you're due when?!" and "you're getting big!" (some people don't beat around the bush) and looking at this picture I now understand why. If you look close you'll also notice my belly button has taken on a life of its own.

I have developed a subtle waddle and some awkward movements in order to change positions from laying to sitting to standing. Can't wait to see what the last two months bring in my physical prowess.

Despite challenges that come with gaining 25 lbs in 8 months (and darn proud of it!), I'm still enjoying the pregnancy. I'm still walking Kobie daily and have added weekly yoga and elliptical machine exercise. All this is in preparation for my latest pregnancy commitment...we turned in the paperwork agreeing to a water birth today. We'll be going all natural for the birth (as long as the rest of the pregnancy and labor go all right). I am still working through some trepidation around a drug-free birth, but I've done a ton of reading and mental and physical preparation, and will have great support from Nate to get through the challenge.

Why would I put myself through this some of my possibly more sane friends have asked? There are many benefits for baby and mom, which I'll let you read about from the American Pregnancy Association. My overwhelming reason, though, is the reviews I've consistently heard about the experience women have when they birth naturally. Both baby and mom come out of labor very alert and very connected. I think this first hour of bonding is such a critical time, and I want to give it the best circumstances I can.

28 weeks and kicking

It's hard to tell, but if you watch close, you can see our little boy moving around. Every time I started recording, he stopped moving.

He kicks once just after halfway through the video, then there's some movement on the left side (my right side) of the video towards the end.

Apologies for the gross, giant, hairy, white belly...winter doesn't do much to improve the looks of a pregnant belly.

Our Little Speed Bump

To take advantage of the belly, I went to our Halloween party as a speed bump; Nate was a road construction worker.

In green news, our oven busted. My first response was "let's trash it and get a new one." But Nate, always thinking green, suggested we donate it to someone who can fix it. Excellent plan! Anyone know how to fix ovens that don't heat to temperature? We've got an oven for you!

22 Week Belly

Per the request of all my friends in Baltimore, here's the big boy at 22 weeks. I think the belly looks bigger than it feels, until I'm trying to sleep.

He kicks all the time now. Nate got to feel him move last week too, very exciting.

Trying to keep the pregnancy green, my most recent challenge has been cosmetic products. I just got on a kick where I'm freaked out about everything I put on my skin and did a ton of research about alternative face washes, moisturizers, make ups, and body lotions. I used the Skin Deep Cosmetic Database from the Environmental Working Group for a lot of the research. Great information, especially if you want to go extreme in avoiding potentially hazardous personal care products. It can push you to crazy pretty fast though (especially if you are worrying about a developing fetus you can't see), so research with caution, and perhaps consult other experts as well.

It's a Boy!

We had the 20 week ultrasound today, and everything looked good! The ultrasound technician said he was not bashful at all for the camera, and very cute. We agree! She was generous with the pictures, including a close up of the reason he's a he, but I feel like a bad mom if I post our son's wee wee so if you want to see it, drop me an email! 

Baby Update - 18 weeks

I'm currently 18 weeks pregnant (+4 months) and we've scheduled our ultra sound for September 16. We are planning to find out the gender, so if you want to place your bets, you'll have to do it before then!

Our 16 week appointment was two weeks ago, and everyone is healthy. The baby's heartbeat is 144 beats per minute-so neat to hear! And my belly is measuring right where it's supposed to--and the doctor says it's not big enough to be holding twins, so the Danielson genes haven't affected this pregnancy!

I also gained enough weight since my last appointment. I'd have been shocked if this didn't happen because I've been eating all the time! But this was good news because at my last check up I had lost two pounds, even though I hadn't been getting sick. So when the doctor told me to eat whatever I wanted, I did, and it paid off!

Last week, the urge to shop hit me, mostly because I went back to work this week and none of my work pants fit, so I went to "Bellies and Babies" and "Nine" both maternity consignment shops (consignment shops are a great way to be eco-friendly and thrifty!), and picked up some stretchy-waisted pants. I have to say, I have no desire to go back to pants that don't give; these are the most comfortable pants I've ever worn!

Perhaps the most exciting update is that I've started feeling the baby move. I wasn't sure that's what I was feeling for a while; it would happen so fast and stopped quickly. Then, this week at work I had a bit of caffeine (the cause? perhaps...) and the fluttering in my belly was crazy! It feels like a critter tapping the inside of my stomach. Very cool.

Nate's getting ready for the baby by fixing as many iphones and ipods as he can for his small business, Nate is a Geek; the extra money will come in handy, I'm sure! We also bought a new car since mine was working its way toward the next expensive breakdown. Our new family car is a Toyota Prius. Nate's enjoying getting nearly 60 miles per gallon, and continuing to improve the mileage every fill up. I'm sure the car willhave it's own blog post soon.

We also celebrated our two year anniversary by spending a night in Minneapolis at The W Hotel--it might be the last anniversary we get a mini-getaway like that for a while!

Since this is supposed to be a blog about social responsibility, now is a good time to mention a few of those details as well...

We bought a used organic crib mattress. In addition, we have been trying to obtain used items--thus limiting the waste produced in manufacturing new products for our little one. We also plan to use cloth diapers, but we'll wait until we know the gender to buy those.