Zephyr Hill

A Family Blog

Birth Center, Hospital or Home Delivery?

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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

BabyKicks Basic Pocket Diaper Review & Giveaway

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My thanks to Bringing Home Baby for sending a diaper to us in exchange for a review! Today's review and giveaway is brought to you by a sweet friend named Miryam who owns the Bringing Home Baby store. Let me introduce you to Miryam by way of a brief little interview! Q= How did the Bringing Home Baby Store get its start? Our family is passionate about natural and eco-friendly baby care. We started cloth diapering our son at birth, breastfeed, baby wear, and choose natural care products. Continue Reading

A Common-Sense Approach to Tantrums

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Tantrums usually peak in the toddler years, and by that I don't mean "the terrible two's." Defiance can rear it's head even before a child reaches the age of one, and why should that surprise us, human nature being what it is? 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. Don't do either of these things. Hahaha! Ignoring (or distracting) a child who's having a tantrum is Continue Reading

Disana Wool Diaper Cover Review & Giveaway

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I've cloth diapered for 4 years and love natural fabrics and yet I've never tried wool until now. Why is that? Probably for the same reasons that lots of other mothers have resisted, namely: Wool is more expensive Wool requires special care Wool requires special detergent Wool takes a really long time to dry So if you are one who is hesitating, I completely understand! However, thanks to Little Spruce Organics, I am now the proud owner of a beautiful Disana wool cover in size Continue Reading

How to Manage Morning Sickness

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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