All posts by Monna

Feb 20
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Organic Mama’s Medicine Chest: Sniff, Sniff, Hack, Hack – Congestion

By | Natural Health | 2 Comments

Lately, I’ve seen a lot of Facebook/twitter updates about friends contracting all the ailments that arrive as the weather changes. Sniffles, coughs and congestion are the major complaints. Just part of winter, you think? Maybe not. It is possible, if not to avoid getting the winter sniffles, to at least minimize the length of colds and respiratory illness.

First – here’s what we do to avoid getting sick in the first place!

1. SLEEP. It’s my theory that in the winter months when the days are shorter, our bodies may actually need more sleep. Darkness and cooler weather lull me to my bed early and I often sleep 10 hours at night. My kids sleep between 10-12 hours. We follow this schedule during most of the holidays as well (sometimes to the annoyance of family who think we should make exceptions for late night celebrations). But, this way our kids maintain their good tempers and health even while the winter colds go round.

2. Fresh/cooler air. In Arizona, we are fortunate to enjoy good weather in the “winter”. Instead of bundling my children in winter clothes at the first sign of chill and turning on our heater, we make our way into the yard to play. Fresh air and sunshine offer a little Vit D and exercise, both musts for good health! And, per my favorite pediatrician’s advice, we keep our house temp between 68-72F instead of turning the heater up to 80F. Yikes! If we’re cold, we just add socks or a sweater. Here’s why:

Hotter temps + Dry air = dried out nasal passages and eyes, making them more susceptible to cold and flu germs. Also, bacteria and viruses grow faster in hotter temps. Simple!

3. Avoid dairy/orange citrus/caffeine and Sugar  when illness threatens. As soon congestions appears, we cut out any phlegm producing dairy or orange citrus. Contrary to popular belief, a big ole’ glass of OJ is not a good idea when congestion rears it’s ugly head. If you want some Vitamin C, squeeze a lemon into 8 ounces of warm water and add some raw honey. Caffeine dehydrates the body and sugar weakens the immune system so we leave them alone till we’re back to full health.

If one of us does succumb to respiratory type illness, here are a few things we do to get better fast.

 

*As always, I’ll remind you that I am not a doctor.  These are common sense remedies I use for my family, especially because they support the immune system rather than simply masking the symptoms of illness. I have taken the time to research any herbal recipes carefully myself and have consulted with my local herbalist and doctor. I encourage you to always do the same before choosing to take or administer any kind of remedy, whether herbal, prescription or off the shelf at a local drugstore.**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feb 08
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“Real” Friends Still Call, Even if They Use Facebook.

By | Spirit | 5 Comments

This morning,  I am thinking about the way we connect ( or don’t connect) with each other since the inception of the plethora of social media that surrounds us these days. I have been p0ndering this for a while as I learn to navigate the way technology has invaded my personal relationships. Perhaps I’m getting a bit old since I find it hard to adjust to sometimes. But, my friend Scott’s post, Building a Relationship Seems like Too Much Work, pushed me to write a little this morning. This is a good thing since I haven’t written much since my post, So, You Think I’m Crazy to Birth at Home. My thinking has been pretty myopic lately.

These days, not only is there texting but there’s Facebook, Twitter, Piniterest, Google Plus and an overwhelming list of tools people use to connect with each other.

For me, getting used to all the communication options has been somewhat overwhelming and, at times, a little discouraging. I love texting as much as the next person because it allows me to send or receive a message when I or the person I’m contacting is in a place where they can’t talk or when it’s something small that doesn’t require a phone conversation. What a great invention!!

But the huge downside to our having all these different ways to communicate with each other is that we often feel over-exposed and like we’ve already “seen” or “talked” with someone without having actually heard their voice or seen their face. We are missing a true human connection.

When I was in high school and college, my friends and I called each other, hung out, even wrote letters. Recently, as part of my “nesting” projects, I’ve been cleaning out old journals, cards and letters and I couldn’t believe the number of letters (long ones!) I have received over the years from both female and male friends. There was no doubt who real friends were because we made such a solid effort to stay in touch.

Now, with all the ways we have to contact each other, my calls to friends often go completely unanswered or I’ll get text messages back saying we should catch up “soon”, but they don’t call me back for weeks or months. When we finally do see each other, we have a great time and there is genuine chemistry. But, somehow getting over that initial difficulty of returning a simple call seems too much for some people.

Perhaps the ease with which we can all connect with each other instantaneously sometimes blurs the line between acquaintances and real friends. But I also think because it’s so easy for us to connect, we may be neglecting those friendships that we actually value. We assume we’ll get around to calling eventually but get caught up with the busyness of every day life. When you’re the person waiting for the return call, you can sometimes wonder whether your friendship is really all that important to the other person.

I appreciate Scott’s post yesterday that really made me think about this a little more and I’m going to work on not taking for granted my ability to create real relationships with friends. I don’t want to live my entire life “virtually”. I want to hear the music of my friends voices, look into their eyes as we talk to see their hearts and see the beauty of their faces. My goal for this year is to be sure I’m taking the time and effort to value my relationships.

Have you noticed a difference in the way you or your friends connect (or don’t connect) because of technology?

Jan 24
0

So, You think I’m Crazy to Birth at Home…

By | Birth Choices, Birth Week, Pregnancy | 17 Comments

Tonight I saw a friend who completely disagrees with me on a topic dear to my heart, my choice to give birth at home. It’s not something we can discuss for very long because it is something she’s very passionate about and holds strong feelings against it.

An RN who holds a key position in the Obstetrics department of a local hospital, she has the education to speak to the topic in an informed manner. She also believes strongly in what medical care can offer to women who wish to birth at a hospital.

While I have chosen to birth at home, I also value the importance of an obstetrician when one is needed. After all, I had a rather dramatic miscarriage  last year that resulted in severe hemorrhaging. I am grateful that medical care was there when I needed it! I truly love and respect my friend. I simply disagree that every birth qualifies as a medical event.

However, since this friend isn’t the only person in my life who doesn’t understand why I choose to birth at home, I decided to offer a few thoughts on the matter.

I’m not going to quote a bunch of statistics about how home birth is safer than hospital birth. You can find statistics on both sides of the argument that will support whatever position you have decided to embrace.

After having a hospital birth the first time, I wanted to try something different. It wasn’t that I had terrible care, I just felt I might be more comfortable in a different environment. So, I did my research and concluded home birth to be a safe choice for our second birth. The decision was a positive one for both my husband and me. Here are a few of the reasons I love it.

I believe my female body is made to give birth safely and that birth is not an inherently dangerous or even “medical” experience most of the time. My midwife is well trained to recognize warning signs and we have a transport plan in place should we need it.

I love being comfortable in my own space.

I love that I can wear what I want – even if it is nothing.

I love being free to make noise and believe me, near the end, I do!

I love that my midwife respected my wishes not to constantly check the dilation of my cervix in order to give me progress reports that make me feel like I’m not moving fast enough. My hospital birth was very discouraging from this perspective.

I love being able to move around or be still without anyone trying to mess with me in the middle of a contraction – like checking my cervix when I really don’t want to be touched. (Are you getting that this is kind of a big deal for me?)

I love how fast my labor seemed to go at home. Second births are typically shorter but mine also felt less intense. On reflection, I think this is because I was distracted by other things I could do (and did) at home, like clean my kitchen, pick up, eat, and ask my husband to buy oranges from the store so I could make gingerbread cookies. At which point, he questioned whether I was really in labor! Did I make the cookies? Ahem. Well, I was pushing out a baby within about 2 hours of asking for the oranges so… No, silly. haha! But the thought that I was going to make them was a positive distraction.

I love that I can labor in my bathtub. In my hospital birth there were no birthing tubs but my doctor assured me the shower would do the same thing because the shower would relax my nerve endings. Well!!!! I can assure you it is NOT the same thing! Good grief. The anti-gravity affect of the bathtub was a game changer in my second birth. So relaxing. If only I’d had that in my first birth – of a 9lb 7 oz baby!

I love having my midwife in attendance the whole time, encouraging me, monitoring the baby and ensuring that everything is progressing smoothly. This is also Robert’s favorite part. He felt so much more comfortable with my midwife’s attendance at my birth than the doc at my hospital (though the doc was fine). My midwife’s 28+ years of midwife skills and impeccable record are reassuring. She and her apprentice aren’t whipping in and out of my room just to inform me whether I’m dilating fast enough. Their attention is not divided between me and the other patients in their care who may need more attention than me. My midwife and her apprentice watch me – and only me – closely to ensure I’m still feeling strong and that the baby is ok, the entire labor.

I love the constant presence and support I receive at home from people I know well and actually love. For me, nearly a year of meeting with my midwife and her apprentice formed a bond between us that was more than that of a caretaker. That bond helped my midwife to know when I needed that extra encouragement to finish the work ahead of me, “You know, when you decide to get serious about pushing, that baby is going to come right out!” and I trusted her enough to listen. And you know what? She was right!

I love that my baby and I are not exposed to super-germs at home that are often present in the hospital.

I love that no one is pushing me to take drugs to hurry things along or just to prove that I’m not trying to be a hero.

I love knowing that my body has the strength to introduce a new life to the world, without drugs. Regarding people who think women who birth without drugs trying to prove their “heroism”, I have no illusions on this point. Just ask friends who’ve known me for years and remember me losing consciousness whenever I experience something acutely or surprisingly painful (like getting my ears pierced, hitting my elbow on a locker or getting my measles booster shot). I am not joking. I have naturally low blood pressure, so I faint in these situations. It’s always been a source of embarrassment for me! Birth is different because it’s not an acute or sudden pain but more like waves of pressure that increase gradually, making the pain bearable.

I love how fast I recovered from my drug-free delivery. So different from the first time when I felt so disconnected from my baby and almost a little nuts after my epidural. Narcotics and me – Not a good combination!

So, those are a few of the reasons home birth works for me.

Based on my research, I believe there are times that hospital births put babies at higher risk because of unnecessary interventions. That doesn’t mean they can’t be safe. There are also many times OB’s and L&D nurses provide optimum care for their patients and save lives.

In either birthing environment, we can do our best to make wise, informed choices but in the end, the outcome isn’t really in our hands as mothers (or anyone else’s). My own faith in the divine leads me to believe that the best plan is to do the research, commit to a course of action with a care provider who shares our vision and move forward in confidence and without regret.

So friends – if you’re looking for a sermon on home birth from me or you want to feel guilty about your birth choice, you’re not gonna find it here!

How did you make choices about your birth?

Jan 01
0

Happy New Year: 2011 in Review

By | Uncategorized | One Comment

My plans for blogging in 2011 took a completely different turn than what I initially intended. Instead of being a year full of more organic-ishness and local reviews, it definitely went in a more personal direction.

 

I started the year pregnant but by Valentine’s Day had an unexpected and dangerous miscarriage. As with most losses, recovering from that experience took time and its own toll on me. But, as a result, I gained entrance into a secret club of women (and fathers) who have dreamt of new life and had to bid it goodbye. I found strength and healing in the kindness offered by those who shared their lives with me. I also gained a new determination and strength to live my life as fully as possible now – with an honesty and directness that has filtered through the rest of my writing. So, while I still wrote about local and organic goodness, I wrote a lot more about the organic way we learn to love and grow as we live.

I’m looking forward to what this New Year of 2012 will bring. I don’t expect it to be without pain or loss, but I intend to enjoy the joyous moments to their fullest. I wish the same for you.

With warmest wishes – Happy New Year!!!!

Monna, aka The Organic Mama

Here are some of the stories that made up my 2011. 

A Sense of Belonging   http://wp.me/p1GpYg-1F

Zucchini/apple/oat muffins (or How to Sneak Veggies into your kids treats) http://wp.me/p1GpYg-1Q

A Miscarriage and An Unexpected Turn of Events http://wp.me/p1GpYg-25

Best Brownies Ever! http://wp.me/p1GpYg-2f

Super Summer Smoothies http://wp.me/p1GpYg-2V

Barrio Cafe Review http://wp.me/p1GpYg-2B

It’s THAT time of the Month. Yes, that’s exactly what I’m talking about! http://wp.me/p1GpYg-2z

Mother’s Day: Celebrating the Imperfect Mom http://wp.me/p1GpYg-2J

Organic Mama’s Medicine Cabinet: 5 Basic Essentials http://wp.me/p1GpYg-fo

Times I’m Embarrassed to be a Christian http://wp.me/p1GpYg-jz

Five Sisters  http://wp.me/p1GpYg-6T

Lessons from the Fat Girl http://wp.me/p1GpYg-mx