Wrapping a disposable diaper around a baby and tossing it in the trash when full is a far cry from the way our great-grandmothers diapered their children. And even though I do a lot of cloth diapering, I know that my experience is very different from a mother of two centuries ago in America. Because I love history (my major in college) it seemed like a fun idea to take a trip down memory lane and peek in on the ladies of yesteryear as they cared for their babies' most basic needs. The Continue Reading
Veggie Tales DVD Review and Giveaway
Have you heard of Catholic Family Gifts? This is a great online store with a huge selection of quality religious items to celebrate Baptisms, First Communion, Confirmations and other sacraments, as well as bibles, books, videos, crosses and religious jewelry. The owners of Catholic Family Gifts are the parents of six children and they are proud to nurture the faith of families everywhere through the wonderful products they sell. There are many wonderful children's books: Indoor and Continue Reading
Birth Center, Hospital or Home Delivery?
When it comes to labor and delivery, I've had a wide range of experiences. Just to illustrate: #1 (Joseph) was chemically induced at the Army hospital and ended up being delivered via c-section. #2 (Catherine) was a midwife attended VBAC at the Army hospital, with the usual interventions (IV, epidural). #3 (Margaret) and #4 (Benjamin) and #5 (Samuel) and #6 (Susanna) were all totally natural VBAC's and midwife attended at a free-standing birth center. I've never done a home birth Continue Reading
A Common-Sense Approach to Tantrums
Tantrums usually peak in the toddler years. Modern magazines and parenting books usually offer the same type of advice. Either ignore the tantrum or get down on the child's level and attempt to reason. But there are potential weaknesses to these 2 approaches. Ignoring or trying to distract a child who's having a tantrum is evasive. You're missing out on a teachable moment, the chance to show him that tantrums will not be tolerated (they are obnoxious and disrespectful!) and that anger Continue Reading
How to Manage Morning Sickness
I chose the title of my post carefully because after six pregnancies I still haven't found out to get rid of morning sickness completely (I know....boo! hiss!). Some women do find complete relief in one way or another, but for most of us it's a matter of learning how to cope until the tincture of time works its magic. All I can offer here are tips on managing morning sickness. If there's a "morning sickness remedy" out there, you can bet this mother has tried it. I have strapped on Sea Bands, Continue Reading