Summer is here – the best lemonade

1 Jun

Well, the kids are out of school so I guess that means it is officially summer!!  I actually love it.  No more school lunches to be made.  No more getting up early, since my kids now sleep in.  Whenever I think about summer, I think of barbeques, corn on the cob, and great summer drinks like lemonade.  I found this recipe on pinterest for lemonade that I am definitely going to try out.  Have a great summer everyone.

 

1 cup Countrytime Lemonade mix, 2 cups cold water, 1 can of chilled pineapple juice {46 oz}, 2 cans chilled Sprite = best lemonade stand in the neighborhood.  Enjoy!!

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Breastfeeding saves money 4 ways

30 May

When my sister was pregnant, she was on a very tight budget and was also working full-time.  She didn’t think breastfeeding was going to be possible.  But when she started looking at not only money she would save and the health benefits, she decided she couldn’t afford NOT to breastfeed.  Although it takes a lot more time and commitment on her part, she decided it was worth it.

Here are 4 ways that breastfeeding saves money.  Yes, it definitely is the cost of formula, but there are other factors I hadn’t thought of either.  You may click on the link to read the whole article.

Breast Milk Is “Free”

Formula currently costs around $2,000 to $3,000 for the first year of a baby’s life if purchased at retail prices. On the other hand, breast milk is produced by the mother from the food she consumes, so it is essentially “free,” since the mother needs to eat anyway.

Breast-Feeding Equipment Is Tax Deductible

You may have to buy breast pumps and other breast-feeding equipment if you intend to store your milk. A recent IRS ruling on breast-feeding equipment just made this expense tax deductible, so you can use your Medical Flexible Spending Account to pay for them. This means that you can potentially use pre-tax money to buy breast-feeding equipment, and that makes the costs even lower.  Some medical insurance companies even cover breast-pump rentals.

Breast-Fed Babies Are Sick Less Often

There are numerous studies that show that breast-fed babies are less likely to experience Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and other childhood diseases. One big reason is that breast milk carries many antibodies produced by the mother, and the baby gets some of the immunities against the diseases the mom has already experienced. A healthy child incurs very few medical costs, and in an analysis published in Pediatrics last year, the authors state that if all U.S. women followed the recommendation to breast-feed their babies exclusively for the first six months of life, then the nation would save $13 billion a year in medical costs.

Health Benefits to Mom

There have been numerous studies that show that moms who breast-fed for six months had less chance of developing diseases such as reproductive cancer and diabetes. Another huge benefit is that breast-feeding moms lose their pregnancy weight a lot easier than moms who do not breast-feed. This is because producing a full day’s milk for a baby burns 500 to 600 calories. This is equivalent to running for an hour and a half.  Less obesity and health issues for breast-feeding mom also means fewer medical costs.

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Ever heard of Fenugreek? –

28 May

I came across a word that I have never heard before – Fenugreek.

Fenugreek is an herb that helps raise milk supply. It’s been used for centuries in cultures across the world, both as a galactagogue (milk-making aid) and as a spice (you’ll find it in curry powder, for example). Nobody really knows how it helps moms make more milk, but it does.

You can find fenugreek in capsule, powder, seed, tincture, or tea form. Use fenugreek with caution if you have a history of diabetes or hypoglycemia, asthma, abnormal menstrual cycles, peanut or chickpea allergies, migraines, blood pressure problems, or heart disease. And, of course, always discuss any supplements — herbal or not — with your doc before starting treatment.

Just an interested tidbit of information I found.

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Fun Friday – Do’s and Don’ts with baby

25 May

Here’s some very sage advice on caring for baby, like the one below.  Enjoy and have a great weekend!

 

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Breast feeding and Vitamin D deficiency

23 May

According to the Center for Disease Control, human breast milk, which is the absolute most healthy source of nutrition for a newborn, does not supply an infant with an adequate amount of vitamin D.  It is rare, but vitamin D deficiency rickets can occur in infants who do not get enough of this vitamin.  According to this 2008 recommendation, breast fed babies should receive a daily vitamin D supplement of 400 IU.  See the guideline specifics here:  http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/recommendations/vitamin_D.htm

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Tips for successful pumping

21 May

If you want to breast feed your baby but can’t be with him/her all the time, pumping is a great option.  Here are some tips from the Mayo Clinic that may help you achieve success when you need to pump and want to keep your milk supply up.

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Oh, what to do with the kids in the summer!

18 May

Ok, school is almost out (9 days of schools left) and we all wonder – What can I do with the kids to keep them busy, have fun, but not spend a lot of money.  I came across a great website that list 14 cheap summer activities for kids.  I thought it had some great ideas.  If you have some activities that you always do with your kids in the summer, please share.

Day 1. See a “one dollar” movie at the theater.  Alternative: Have a movie day at home by streaming a classic from Netflix.

Day 2. Sprinkler day.  Delay your sprinklers for one day so they come a little later in the morning.  This way everyone can get on their bathing suits and have fun jumping through the sprinklers on a hot day.

Day 3. Attend “story time” at your local library.

Day 4. Set up a lemonade stand. This is probably my favorite idea because of the lessons in entrepreneurship involved.  Loan your kids $10 as “seed money” for supplies, or better yet, let them use their own money from savings.  This way they don’t get used to the idea that borrowing leads to prosperity.  Take the kids along to the grocery store one morning and let them pick up the lemons, sugar, cups, and a couple bags of ice to keep in a cooler.  Yes, Crystal Light lemonade works, too, but is less authentic and more expensive.  This is a great way for neighborhood kids to work together, as they can divide into teams to man the lemonade stand, make the lemonade, handle the money, etc.  Please remember that an adult needs to be with the kids at all times, both inside and outside the house, so have a neighbor help.

Day 5. Teach your kids to fly a kite. Check your 10-day forecast and look for a windy day in the coming week.  Pick up an expensive kite for the kids.

Day 6. Make homemade play-doh.  I haven’t run a cost analysis on this recipe to determine it’s “frugalness,” but I can tell you it is a lot of fun!

Day 7. Bake a cake.  I remember having a ball helping my mom bake something when I was young.

Day 8. Build a “fort” in the living room.  When my son was smaller he got the biggest kick out of playing in giant cardboard boxes.  We would color them, and cut “windows” out for him to look through.  A living room “fort” could be as simple as a few kitchen chairs gathered in a circle with a large bed sheet thrown across them and draped to the floor.

Day 9. Go bowling.   These days, bowling can be an expensive activity.  Call the lanes ahead of time and ask if they have any summer specials (certain days may be cheaper). Also check those coupon mailer packs for coupons for free games.  To keep costs down, just let the kids bowl – you can work on your game another time.

Day 10. Declare a “bored” game day. I learned to play chess, checkers, backgammon, and poke one summer while staying with my grandparents.  Few kids today don’t realize you can play games without a computer.  Most of these old board games are inexpensive in their basic form

Day 11. Have a water balloon fight.   The kids participated in games like a water balloon toss – they start close together, but take a step back with each toss to increase the distance.  The last one to break the balloon is out.  With that was left, the kids had an all-out water balloon battle.

Day 12.  Create a “mini-me.” Find a piece of large poster board, or large heavy-duty paper (such as a butcher paper) wide enough for your kids to lay down on.  Use a dull pencil (less chance for boo-boos) to trace their entire body to the paper from head to toe.  Now let the kids decorate the kids to look like themselves in the same clothes they are wearing, same color eyes, hair, etc. When they are finished, help them cut out their mini-me for proud display.

Day 13. Pajama day.  I feel like having these days as an adult!  Stay in your pajamas all day long.  Make pancakes in the morning, bake a pizza for lunch, and lounge around watching movies.

Day 14. Spend a day volunteering your time. A good way to wrap up your two-week blitz of summertime fun is to allow your kids to donate their time to a worthy cause.  Contact a few local charities and find out which ones will allow kids to volunteer some time over the summer (under your supervision).

Have fun this summer.  Remember they are only little for such a short time.

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Breastfeeding Benefits – Added benefits the longer you breastfeed

16 May

So we all heard that the longer you can breastfeed your baby the better.  I just came across an article that explains the benefits by weeks and months.  I found it really interesting, I hope you do to.  Click on this link to read the whole article.

If you nurse your baby for 4-6 weeks:

  • You will be helping to ease his transition through the most vulnerable part of his infancy.
  •  Babies who are breastfed have lower rates of many illnesses, including digestive and respiratory problems, pneumonia and meningitis, and SIDS.
  • Breastfeeding during the early weeks helps you recover from childbirth faster. Nursing ‘forces’ you to stay off your feet and sit still for  long periods of time.
  • The hormones prolactin and oxytocin that are released when you nurse are called “the mothering hormones”, and help you relax. When researchers give them to laboratory mice, (even males), they start building nests and doing motherly things. They really are powerful hormones, and many mothers report that even when they are extremely stressed, they feel a rush of relaxation when their milk lets down.

If you nurse for 3-6 months:

  • Your baby will be healthier than the baby who is formula fed.
  • Studies have found that babies who were exclusively breastfed for at least four months had half as many ear infections as formula fed babies.
  • Nursing can help you lose the extra weight you put on during pregnancy. Mothers who breastfed lose more weight by the time their babies are 3-6 months old than formula feeding mothers who consumed fewer calories, because breast milk production mobilizes the fat you stored during pregnancy, and also uses up about 500 calories each day.

If you nurse for 6 months:

  • Your baby will be much less likely to have problems with allergies, since at around that time, your baby’s intestinal tract begins to produce antibodies which coat his intestines and protect him from foreign proteins and allergens.
  • Mother’s milk will supply all the nutrients your baby needs for at least the first six months of life.
  • Most mothers who exclusively breastfeed for six months will not have a period during that time, and rarely ovulate. If you are nursing with no supplements or solids, you have about a 98%-99%  rate of protection against pregnancy.This only applies if you are totally breastfeeding: no water, formula, pacifiers or scheduling feedings.
  • Many of the studies of the protective effects of breastfeeding use the six month mark as a cutoff. That means that researchers have found that nursing for at least six months has been shown to have protective effects against many illnesses, such as child hood cancers.

If you nurse for 9 months:

  • You will be helping your baby through one of the most important developmental periods of his young life. Babies between six and nine months go through so many changes – sitting up, teething, starting solids, crawling, pulling up, and more. Even though an older baby is eating solid foods, breastmilk is still the most important part of his diet, and continues to provide him with important immunities at a time when he is crawling around and putting EVERYTHING in his mouth, including yucky, germy stuff.
  • Lots of research points to the beneficial effects of breast milk on a baby’s intellectual development. Breastfed babies score an average of 8 points higher on IQ tests than formula-fed babies.

If f you nurse for a year or more, as recommended by the AAP:

  • Your baby will receive health benefits that last a lifetime. Long-term nursing protects against ulcerative colitis, diabetes, asthma, Crohn’s disease, obesity, and high cholesterol in adulthood. Babies who are breastfed for a year or more are less likely to need speech therapy or braces later in life.
  • Think about the cost savings if you nurse for a year! Formula can cost as much as $200.00 a month, depending on the type you use. The cost of bottles, nipples, and extra doctor’s visits also add up. You can easily save at least $1,000 during the first year by nursing your baby.
  • You will continue to provide him with the best form of nutrition. The fact that most babies can tolerate cow’s milk after one year doesn’t mean that they don’t continue to get benefits from breastmilk. The concentration of antibodies in human milk becomes more concentrated as the volume they consume goes down.
  • During the toddler stage, your baby will encounter many spills and bumps and bruises as he navigates his new world. Nursing provides a perfect way to comfort a toddler who has bumped his knee, or who is fighting sleep after a busy day.
  • Children who are breastfed long term tend to be more secure and independent than babies who are weaned early, because they have had their needs met during the vulnerable period of infancy.
  • Long-term nursing provides benefits for moms, too. Many of the benefits of breastfeeding are dose-related. This means that the longer you breastfeed over the course of your lifetime, the lower your risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis.

Whether you nurse your baby for days, weeks, months, or years, you will both benefit. Some mothers are hesitant to begin breastfeeding if they know they won’t nurse for long, or are uncertain about whether it will hurt, or tie them down, or whether they will be able to produce enough milk. It’s always worth giving breastfeeding a try. Even if it doesn’t work out, you can always stop nursing at any point. Many mothers start out with the intention of only nursing for a short time, and then find that they keep going much longer than they ever thought they would. Take it one day at a time, and remember than even one feeding at the breast provides important benefits to both you and your baby.

 

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When is a child too old to breastfeed?

14 May

Ok, I don’t know if everyone has seen the Time Magazine Cover, but there has been a lot of controversy over the whole thing.  Basically, the cover shows a mother breastfeeding a 3, almost 4, year old son. But it raises the question:  When should a mother stop breastfeeding?  Of course the answer will differ depending upon whom you ask.  But most pediatricians recommend at least a year.  I feel it is a personal decision and one that each mother should make.

I would love for everyone to weigh in and tell us when you think a child is too old to breastfeed.  Everyone is entitled to their opinion and there is no right or wrong answer.  I’ll even start, again this is my own opinion, I think when the child is around one year old.  I’ll let everyone know the results at the end of the week.

Have a great week!!

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New Mother? Start a new Mother’s Day tradition!

11 May

I LOVE Mother’s Day!  It’s a great excuse to celebrate the joy of being a mother, and to honor my own amazing mom, and the other incredible women in my life.

Many years ago, my sisters, my mom, my nieces and myself, started a super fun Mother’s Day tradition that really makes the holiday meaningful for us all.  Every Mother’s Day weekend, we get together for what we call Mother’s And Daughters, which is basically a 24-hour girl party from Friday to Saturday.  We look forward to this weekend all year long!

Each year’s retreat is centered around a different theme, like a British Tea Party;  Pretty in Pink;  The 80′s;  Hawaiian;  Paris; etc.  On Friday evening, we all converge at my mom’s (grandma’s), dressed in the theme, and eat a yummy dinner of themed food.  The table is always decorated around the theme — something guys just don’t appreciate.  After dinner and plenty of visiting and laughing,  we get in our jammies, paint our nails, play a gift-exchange game, and watch a movie centered on the theme.

We sleep over, then spend the next day shopping at the mall, where we buy my mom all of her gifts from us — she picks them out, so we know she’ll love them!  Okay, I’ll admit that we buy ourselves some Mother’s Day gifts as well, which is a win-win for us and our husbands, as this removes the “guess-work” for them, and we are assured that we won’t get a yard tool for Mother’s Day.

We arrive home on Saturday evening feeling rested and celebrated.  Then, whatever happens on Sunday is just icing-on-the-cake.  Or sometimes, not.  But no matter what, we’ve shown ourselves a fantastic weekend, made some sweet memories, and celebrated our Mom, and being women!

Do you have a fun Mother’s Day tradition?  If not, may I suggest that you START ONE!!!  Steal mine, or part of mine, or think of something unique that would make the holiday meaningful for you.  Here, from Disney Family.com, are Ten great Mother’s Day Tradition ideas that may help you.   I hope that your day will be filled with people you love, and things that make you smile.

“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”

- Abraham Lincoln

Here’s to all our Angel Mothers.  Happy Mother’s Day!

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