Ergo Baby Carrier Review

Next to  nursing, nothing calms a fussy baby faster than being held safely in the arms of a loving care giver.  In fact, according to Jean Liedloff, author of The Continuum Concept; babies are born expecting some form of human contact almost constantly until the reach the crawling stage.  Of course, their expectations don't stop there but may be suspended momentarily while exploring a little of their environment.  Now, I'm a small woman and both of my sons were almost 25% of my body weight before spending more of their time exploring than in-arms.  I would not have been able to offer my children the in-arms experience they desired without my one indispensable baby necessity: the Ergo Baby Carrier.

First the eco-points:

• The Ergo Baby Carrier is made of all natural cotton, and available in organic cotton as well.
• (Unlike strollers which are made of plastic, metal or other resorce intensive materials.)
• The Ergo Baby Carrier is of a high quality which is able to be passed for use with multiple children.
• With the Ergo Baby Carrier you can take your baby along with you on earth friendly activities such as hiking and camping.
• The Ergo Baby Carrier makes it easy to keep your baby with you during daily activities such as doing dishes or folding laundry which reduces the need for costly baby entertainment toys such as bouncing gyms and swings.

Now the mama baby benefits:

• Babywearing reduces stress on the baby which reduces stress on the mamma, (or daddy, or other caregiver.)
• Baby's who spend much of their time in arms naturally feel more included in the rhythms of their environment which creates for them a sense of being included and respected. (my own observation)
• Children who have enjoyed the benefit of babywearing may learn to talk sooner, according to Dr. Sears; The Baby Book.
• Baby's who experience emotional stability in infancy by being held in-arms instead of being left to cry for long periods of time may have a more stabile emotional center throughout life.  (Based on the theory that our bio-chemistry patterns are set up early in our childhood.)
• In-arms is a safe place for baby to be, especially during the crawling stage or in unfamilliar surroundings.
• There is no more  stimulating or interesting pattern for baby to look at than the face of a loving parent or caregiver.
• Daily weight bearing activity (not milk) builds strong bones.  (Got Ergo?)

I could go on and on with the benefits of babywearing (and please leave your own observations in the comments section!) but getting back to the Ergo, I have personally used the Maya Wrap, a wrap sling, the Snugli, and the Kelty Carrier.  They all have their good points: the Maya wrap is great, but not ergonomic and did hurt my shoulders when the kids got over 15 lbs., the Snugli was great for my husband so the baby could face out but only good up to 20lbs or so, the Kelty is great for my husband to go on hikes with an older child in the pack, but absolutely nothing was ever as comfortable as my Ergo Baby Carrier.  Husbands can wear the Ergo Baby Carrier too as it's adjustable for any body type. I wore both of my sons in it from the day they were born until ... well Micah was 2 years old and would fall asleep in the car during errands and I would take him out and put him in the Ergo on my back and continue with my day; Meric is 16 months old and still goes in it every time we go into any place that I don't want him running around. 

Where to buy:
Ergo Baby Carrier at Baby-Wise
Ergo Baby Carrier at Buy.com

I hope this review of the Ergo Baby Carrier has helped you look forward to spending a lot of time holding your baby, or find a gift for an expectant mom!  Either way, thanks for reading and please share your experiences in babywearing below!

Natural Salmonella Treatments for Food Poisoning

I'm offering this post in response to the recent recall of salmonella tainted peanut butter and some products containing it.  My family and I were affected by the tainted product and personally, this is the third time I've had food poisoning.  So, I'd like to offer you a compilation of the best natural treatment advice for salmonella or other food poisoning that I've found, some of which I've had results with.

• Balancing beneficial intestinal flora should be a first line of defense.  Probiotics such as  Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, and/or Bifidobacterium are available as powders, tablets, or capsules from health food stores; soy yogurt with live L. acidophilus cultures can also be eaten.   Because dairy products are generally harder on your digestive system, I recommend non-dairy yogurt, especially when your immune system is stressed.
• Fasting or a liquid-only diet can be beneficial for food poisoning.   Most likely your body has let you know this already by ridding itself of everything you attempt to ingest.  Sometimes even plain water seems like too much for the affected stomach to take.  I've found that electrolites drinks stay down easier; such as vitamin water, or even water with a little lemon.  Just sip slowly for best results.
•  Homeopathic treatment can work very effectively in the treatment of Salmonella food poisoning. Some examples of remedies commonly used are Chamomilla, Nux vomica, Ipecac, and Colchicum.  Consult a homeopathic practitioner for correct dosage.
• Pharmecutical grade charcoal tablets can help absorb toxins and remove them from the digestive tract through bowel elimination.  These can be foud at your local health food store.
• Bentonite clay works much in the same way as charcoal in that it is poreus and locks toxins in itself like a sponge.  Can cause constipation though, so drink plenty of fluids if you take this.
•  Natural sugars in breast milk (and some fruits and vegetables such as bananas, berries, asparagus, garlic and wholegrains ) could be an effective treatment for salmonella and other food poisoning bugs, scientists say at Telegraph UK.  This could explain why my 16 month old nurseling who also ate the Peanut Butter Larabar was unaffected.  Breast milk contains prebiotics which are sugars that feed the beneficial bacteria in the stomach.  Salmonella can not be transfered to the baby through the mother's milk.

Remember that unprocessed, plant based foods in their whole form such as fruits, vegetables and grains; when properly washed have the least risk of carrying food-borne illness.  I used to think that only meat and dairy products were at risk for poisonous bacteria; but as we've seen in recent years, many vegetable fields are being contaminated by runoff from factory farms.  As with the General Mills/Larabar incident, even processed vegan foods are not guarenteed to be free of harmful bacteria.  If you buy produce locally when possible and wash it yourself, those extra measures will help safeguard your health.

Peanut Butter Larabar Recall Hits Home

Micah and I were hit with mysterious flu like symptoms last week that lasted only half a day or so. I tucked him into my bed with me and put a towel over the blanket which proved to be of great Mommy foresight three hours and 4 towels later. I also brought my thermos filled with ice-water to bed and sipped ever so slightly at it throughout the night to prevent dehydration since I'm still nursing. My gracious husband took the next day off work and cleaned the house, so overall I can say that I benefited from the rest and help. I kept wondering if it could've been something we ate. Then today I got a call from our local grocery store. An automated message alerted me that I should not consume the Peanut Butter Larabars that I bought there recently. Well, a week late and $1.29 short, but I was grateful for the call none the less. I didn't realize that signing up for the local grocery store "club card" would benefit my family in this way, but I am glad to know that I will receive product recall notices on the items that I buy! That's great. "Peanut butter produced by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) has been implicated in an outbreak of salmonella." hit the headlines today, affirming my ordeal once more. Specific recall information and natural salmonella treatment suggestions below:Credit: Rocky Mountain Laboratories,NIAID,NIH Color-enhanced scanning electron micrograph showing Salmonella typhimurium (red) invading cultured human cells.

The specific products in this recall include:

Larabar peanut butter cookie

LÄRABAR Peanut Butter Cookie Individual Bar / UPC code number
Individual Bar / 54818-00014-7
Caddy (16-bar sleeve) / 54818-00064-2
6-bar pack / 93759-00298-8
6-bar, 6-pack case / 93759-00299-5
UPC Case Code / 54818-00085-7

JamFrakas Peanut Butter Blisscrisp snack bars / UPC code number
Individual bar / 93759-00212-4
Caddy (18-bar sleeve) / 93759-00213-1
UPC Case Code / 93759-00214-8

Salmonella bacteria is found wherever animals live.  Recently we've seen the rise of vegetable crop contamination due to runoff of unprocessed waste from factory farms.  Tomatoes, cantalopes, spinach, green onions and now peanuts have all been in the media in to past decade or so for serious salmonella outbreaks. 

"During slaughtering and processing, salmonella may contaminate animal carcasses. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates, nearly 40 percent of the American poultry supply, 12 percent of the pork and 5 percent of the beef are contaminated with salmonella.
Because fruits and vegetables have now been identified as a source of salmonella, it is important that these food items be thoroughly washed in running water before they are eaten.

Wash utensils and wooden cutting boards thoroughly with hot, soapy water. Salmonella may lie dormant for a year or more and then "wake up" when food is present. They also may live in the cut marks on a wooden cutting board. Use an acrylic board that can go in the dishwasher. Rub down or spray wooden boards with a solution of one ounce bleach to one gallon water and allow to air dry. "
Quoted from: Healthbeat

Natural Salmonella Treatment (found at Health A-Z)

A number of alternative treatments have been recommended for food poisoning. One very effective treatment that is stongly recommended is supplementation with Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, and/or Bifidobacterium to restore essential bacteria in the digestive tract. These preparations are available as powders, tablets, or capsules from health food stores; soy yogurt with live L. acidophilus cultures can also be eaten. Fasting or a liquid-only diet is often used for food poisoning.  Homeopathic treatment can work very effectively in the treatment of Salmonella food poisoning. Some examples of remedies commonly used are Chamomilla, Nux vomica, Ipecac, and Colchicum.  Charcoal tablets can help absorb toxins and remove them from the digestive tract through bowel elimination.  

Personally, I have used charcoal tablets for food poisoning relief in the past and have had sucess.  Bentonite clay can also be used in the same way.  Follow dosage instructions on the package.

If any of you have eaten the Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar and are pulling an all-nighter with your small children, you have my sympothies and encouragement that tomorrow will bring wellness again.  Until then, keep plenty of towels on hand and get some  rest.

The lesson for me is has been the confimation that whole fruits and vegetables properly washed have the highest level of nutrients and lowest level of poisoning risk of any food we can eat!

Keep your greens fresh and crisp!

It's 4 o'clock, nap time is over but you've still got 2 hours till dinner.   The kids wake up hungry and you've only got seconds until the domino  effect meltdowns occur.   A box of peanut butter crackers taunts you with the promise of temporary blood sugar stabilization, but your inner purist cringes at the whiteness of the "organic" flour... you must've been shopping hungry again... THINK!  5...4...3... SMOOTHIE! ... Water, Greens, Bananna, BAM! Done.  Here you go baby monkeys, drink up!   

According to Victoria Boutenko in her book "Green for Life," Chimpanzee's are our closest DNA relative; and we should be eating more like them for optimal health.   For weeks I allowed lettuce to wilt in the fridge before realizing that there must be a way to keep it clean and fresh and ready to serve ( in a smoothie or salad) at a moments notice.   Then, I remembered a trick I learned while working at Nature's Bin Health Food Store in Indian Rocks Beach.  We kept a large sealed plastic container in the deli with washed lettuce leaves and a damp paper towl that kept the lettuce perpetually crisp.  While I'm sure this is the intention of the "crisper" drawer of my refrigerator, I've not had the same results.    The tip:

1. Go to the grocery store and fill your handbasket with 4 heads of various greens.
2. Feel healthy and empowered knowing you will consume all of these this week!
3. Go to the food container isle and check the price of the largest one available. ($15 rubbermaid)
4. Realize that you can buy a plastic container intended for your closet with a lid for 1/3 of the price. ($5 sterilite)
5. Buy the cheap one,  take it home and wash it to make it ready for use.
6. Chop the bottom off all the heads of greens, wash them in cold water and place them in the bin with a damp kitchen towl.

Now you will have the freshest, crispiest greens available at your fingertips anytime of the day, just like your cousin the Chimpanzee.  Once again, that recipe for delicious kid friendly green smoothie is this:  handful of greens, frozen banana, 1 cup water. Blend.

For more green smoothie recipes, visit A Veggie Venture.

Happy Year of the Ox!  Stay healthy with a resolution to drink more greens!