39 weeks and 2 days…but who is counting?
I am. I’ve been counting for three years now and finally we’re so close to having this baby. This much wanted, much desired, desperately prayed for baby.
And we’re so close.
And we wait….
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I like my rituals. And by rituals I mean small things I do daily that are a part of my day though not in a religious way. They are things I do that are a sacred part of my day ~ an important part of my day done in steps that I tend to repeat the same way each time.
They are as simple as my morning ritual. Starting each morning with enjoying a few cuddles with my kids, a good hearty breakfast and establishing the kitchen and dining room back in order. Even this yes is a ritual for me as it’s part of the day that means so much to me even in its small way. But yet not so small as there’s something about feeding our bodies good and healthy foods right at the beginning of the day that helps set the example for the rest of what we eat during the day.
Another daily ritual of mine is making myself an herbal infusion each day. Every night I boil the water, add my herbs to my jar as I put my intention into it as well. And each morning I happily strain it, add a little honey and pour it into my glass jar that I’ll then carry around with me throughout the day. It’s a lovely treat for me that also happens to give me medicinal benefits each day.
And again in the afternoon there’s one when we get home from work and school all together. Based on how I’m feeling and how the children are feeling, I grab one of my essential oils, add it to my candle light diffuser, add a little water and light a small candle for the diffuser. It really helps set the tone for the afternoon and again a very enjoyable part of my day. Just thinking about that one makes me happy.
There are more that I do and each one a sacred part of my day. Especially as a mother, as a woman, I believe in the importance of doing daily rituals (or routines) that makes us happy, that are about us, that no matter how busy we get, we make them happen. As mothers we tend to care for others above ourselves and in these rituals I make sure that I am also taken care of both physically and emotionally.
I encourage you to begin your own rituals as well. Make them special for you and meaningful for you and something you do every day as part of your day. Enjoy!
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Lately my kids have been enjoying these herbal ice treats. It’s been specially nice here as the weather yesterday was quite hot, so this made a lovely after school treat. And what I as a mother love about these is that they are enjoying a treat while also getting the medicinal benefits of the herbs I use.
My son started it all by collecting rose petals (non-sprayed with pesticides…very important) from our backyard and asking me to make him a tea. I did that but then while he was at school, I added a little honey to it and put it in a cup to freeze. When he got home, I gave it to him and he was in love. Very delicious! And then from that day on the kids have asked me to make them more. We’re doing them about once a week or so and each time they look forward to it.
How to Make Herbal Ice Treats
Today we’re making again rose petals (collected this time by my daughter) and chamomile flowers. But truly there are so many options for herbs you can use including Peppermint, Lemonbalm, Hibiscus, Nettle…many options that kids love. Make the tea as usual (1 teaspoon of dried herb to a cup of boiled water or 2 tablespoons of the fresh herb to a cup of boiled water), let it cool down, place some in smaller child size cup, add a little honey (or not) and then freeze. So easy!
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During these last weeks of pregnancy, my herbal infusion is one that focuses on added iron, strengthening my uterus walls, soothing my aches such as my back, increasing my vitamins and minerals and continuing to cleanse my blood and be a tonic to my liver.
Personally during pregnancy but also all other times, I think everyone can benefit from an herbal infusion. You should drink water regularly and often throughout the day, so why not make it medicinal water instead?
For the last couple of weeks and through the rest of this pregnancy, this is my current herbal infusion.
Dandelion Root + Nettle + Rosehip +Marshmallow Root + Red Raspberry Leaf
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale): a tonic that is excellent for the liver. It eliminates toxins from the blood. Plus it also helps with anemia.
Nettle (Urtica dioica): full of iron and so many vitamins including vitamin K. It’s a nourishing pregnancy tonic.
Rosehip (Rosa canina): has a large amount of vitamin C which has been crucial for me in curbing sicknesses during this winter where it seemed everyone was getting sick but also to help absorb the much needed iron during pregnancy.
Marshmallow Root (Althaea officinalis): a soothing herb for inflammation and soreness and one that with the various back aches I’ve had, makes a wonderful addition to my herbal infusion.
Red Raspberry Leaf (Rubus idaeus): strengthens the walls of the uterus and is also rich in iron.
I really like the taste of red raspberry leaf and also rosehips so I don’t sweeten this herbal infusion, but sometimes I like to use honey with my other infusions.
May you have an herbal happy day!
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A yeast infection is a persistent, bright red rash on a baby’s bottom or other areas where skin touches skin. Yeast infections are caused by a microorganism that flourishes in a warm, moist environment. (source: Mayo Clinic)
It’s also a parent’s nightmare since it can be so hard to get rid of. Why? Well yeast strives in a moist environment and what’s more moist than a baby’s bottom in a diaper. Nice and warm and moist = yeast ideal home.
Yeast can also live in their cloth diapers (or fabric) for example for a week or two and so it becomes a bit of a merry-go-round when dealing with yeast.
When mamas ask others how to get rid of yeast, usually the focus is on how to wash it off the cloth diapers (things mentioned include tea tree oil, vinegar, bleach…) or which anti-fungal cream to use (from the very natural to the anything but natural). Ask 10 people how to remove yeast and you’ll be sure to get 10 different answers.
So, here are ways to do so that are simple and effective.
You need heat, yes lots of heat.
Yeast begins to die from the cloth diapers at 120F and it’ll be completely gone with 140F. So, crank up the water heater and wash all your cloth diapers with your regular detergent. You don’t need anything else than your regular detergent if you are using hot enough water.
Use an anti-fungal
If it’s going on my baby’s bottom, it’s going to have to be natural. Motherlove makes a good anti-fungal called Diaper Rash and Thrush Salve. Slather it on baby’s bottom anywhere where skin touches skin and also where there is a rash.
Air time
The opposite of warm and moist is cool and dry. So, keeping your baby diaper-less as much as possible during the yeast infection will help to kill the yeast.
Most importantly ~ find the culprit
What caused the yeast infection? If you only worry about the wash and cream you may just find yourself dealing with yeast infections over and over. It’s best to find the culprit and work from the inside out (holistically) to make sure you’re not having to deal with yeast again.
Common yeast culprits
- Antibiotics ~ if you had antibiotics at birth your baby may have a yeast infection (or thrush shortly after birth). Or if baby has had a dose of antibiotics, it’s very common for baby to then develop yeast. Probiotics are often recommended because it will help replace the good bacterias that the antibiotics killed off. There are both adult and infant probiotics available at most natural health stores. Probiotics are recommended two hours after the dose of antibiotics.
- Sugar ~ yeast loves sugar. You are probably not feeding your baby spoonfuls of sugar but fruits for example have sugar in them. So, if your baby has started solids and you are finding yourself dealing with yeast infections you may want to reduce the amount of fruits you give your baby. Also almond, coconut and even rice milk can contained as much sugar in a cup as the equivalent of 4 teaspoons of sugar, so if using these milks consider instead buying unsweetened versions.
- Dairy and high-carb foods. A diet of a lot of dairy and high-carb foods will also increase yeast in the body. Be mindful of these when dealing with a reoccurring yeast as dairy or high-carbs may be the culprits.
- Diaper changes. Change baby more often to avoid creating a warm and moist environment that is perfect for yeast to strive.
By taking a more direct and holistic approach to yeast infections you’ll get rid of it once and for all and not find your baby having yeast infections more than once.
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