Meanwhile, how awesome is it that daylight saving has started? More so because our day now starts at reasonable hour than because of the longer days. Getting back to 6am wake-ups has been amazing. Summer is definitely on its way!
Showing posts with label articles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label articles. Show all posts
08 October 2012
just another manic monday
Things are still crazy around here - time is flying and there's still plenty of renovation work to be done around our house before baby #2 arrives. Nesting mode is in full swing! I'm almost finished all of the painting (we're talking inside and out!), so next on the agenda is getting Noah's new bedroom ready which is the fun part! I'm just trying to do as much as I can while I'm still mobile as I plan to spend the last few weeks of this pregnancy either with my feet up or at the beach. Like so:
So that explains my absence on the blog - there just isn't enough time in the day at the moment! But I do have to share with you my latest obsession: raw cultured butter. You already know how I feel about raw dairy so this was always going to be the next step, no? Let me tell you - it's amazing! You can read all about the (long) list of benefits at some of my favourite sites Mercola.com and Natural News.
Meanwhile, how awesome is it that daylight saving has started? More so because our day now starts at reasonable hour than because of the longer days. Getting back to 6am wake-ups has been amazing. Summer is definitely on its way!
Meanwhile, how awesome is it that daylight saving has started? More so because our day now starts at reasonable hour than because of the longer days. Getting back to 6am wake-ups has been amazing. Summer is definitely on its way!
16 September 2012
my life: when the day begins at 4.46am
It's 10.35am on a Sunday morning and I'm already exhausted. Our day started at precisely 4.46am when Noah decided that enough was enough when it came to sleep. Lucky that we were staying at my parents house for the night (since Rob is away visiting his family), so I got to go back to bed at 6am for another few hours, but it still already feels like it should almost be dinnertime.
Somewhere in my delirious state when I felt like cursing the sun for rising so early, I thought back to an awesome article I read this week on Daily Life about the realities and competitiveness of motherhood. I must admit that I found it somewhat comforting to know that for most of us, life isn't always sunshine and roses.
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I find articles like this so refreshing. It can sometimes seems as though everyone you know leads the perfect life, and often it's because it is the only part of their life you see (I'll blame the endless Facebook status updates and beautiful photos of holidaying friends on Instagram!). Sure, I'll always be one of the first to jump up and say that I love being a mum, and that it's been the best experience of my life to date - being a naturally positive person I can't help it. But I'm also the first to tell anyone who asks what the reality can be like. Yes its tiring (amongst other things!), but I wouldn't change it for anything - except maybe sleep from time to time, but that's what grandparents are for!
Thinking back to this post I made a few weeks ago, I can definitely see why comments like these made by Miranda Kerr can sometimes grate on people. Although I agree with what she was saying in this instance, there's definitely a feeling of superiority when someone talks about their seemingly perfect life. We all have our ideals about parenting but we also need to be prepared and supported when our reality turns out completely differently. To me, the only thing worse than sleep-deprivation is a feeling of inadequacy, and frankly there's no place for that in parenthood.
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Word.
So if we all have the same goal when it comes to raising children (assuming that everyone wants theirs to be happy and healthy!), then the fact that we all do it differently really shouldn't be an issue. Sleep-deprivation can make you do crazy things, but being judgmental or feeling inadequate when things don't always go according to plan ain't helping anyone. That being said, if anyone's got any tips on how to make the sun rise just a little bit later, I'd love to hear it.
P.S. If reading about this kind of thing is totally up your alley then you'll love my friend Jacqui's awesome (and honest!) blog Talking to Ladybugs.
Somewhere in my delirious state when I felt like cursing the sun for rising so early, I thought back to an awesome article I read this week on Daily Life about the realities and competitiveness of motherhood. I must admit that I found it somewhat comforting to know that for most of us, life isn't always sunshine and roses.
.JPG)
Thinking back to this post I made a few weeks ago, I can definitely see why comments like these made by Miranda Kerr can sometimes grate on people. Although I agree with what she was saying in this instance, there's definitely a feeling of superiority when someone talks about their seemingly perfect life. We all have our ideals about parenting but we also need to be prepared and supported when our reality turns out completely differently. To me, the only thing worse than sleep-deprivation is a feeling of inadequacy, and frankly there's no place for that in parenthood.
.JPG)
Word.
So if we all have the same goal when it comes to raising children (assuming that everyone wants theirs to be happy and healthy!), then the fact that we all do it differently really shouldn't be an issue. Sleep-deprivation can make you do crazy things, but being judgmental or feeling inadequate when things don't always go according to plan ain't helping anyone. That being said, if anyone's got any tips on how to make the sun rise just a little bit later, I'd love to hear it.
P.S. If reading about this kind of thing is totally up your alley then you'll love my friend Jacqui's awesome (and honest!) blog Talking to Ladybugs.
10 August 2012
hello from my soapbox
I love Miranda Kerr. Not just for the obvious reasons, mind you, although I definitely see why she's kind of a big deal. It's more because of her frankness in interviews and the fact that she isn't afraid to speak her mind and say what she believes in. She's a great health advocate and I totally dig her vibe.
So she received some "backlash" this week (don't they all?) for having an informed opinion on epidural anesthesia. While discussing her son's birth, she commented that she had seen videos comparing newborn babies whose mothers had had an epidural to those who hadn't. Miranda described how the babies of mothers without pain-relief often went straight for the breast. "Then they showed ones right after the epidural and that didn't happen", she said. "The baby was a little bit drugged up, and I was like, 'Well I don't want that'... I had made a decision I wanted to do it naturally... I wanted to give him the best possible start in life I could".
What I find most frustrating about this "backlash" is not only that her comments were clearly on something she had educated herself about, but also because of the fact that her opinion isn't necessarily the mainstream way of thinking. It seems like many people were offended by her comments, perhaps taking it as a personal attack, but there's no denying the fact that when you do some research, Miranda isn't making it all up. As is often the case with many health-related issues, sometimes we need to dig a little deeper than the "truths" the mainstream media and health professionals give us, to find out what exactly we are exposing ourselves to.
While I was pregnant with Noah, I did a whole lot of reading on all aspects of pregnancy and birth (as most expectant mothers do!). This book changed my life:
It really opened my eyes to a lot of things, but what I remember most is that when I finished it I was convinced that I was going to have a natural birth. Now I'm not saying that there isn't a time and a place for an epidural - and I'm not one to judge - but I do think that we as mothers should at the very least take control and be educated about every decision we make in regards to our bodies and that of our families. No one else will.
Miranda has merit in saying what she truly believes was the best for her situation. I ended up having the natural birth that I wanted and that was the best for my situation. Who knows what will happen with my next one, as much as I hope for the same outcome. But at least I'll know what I'm getting myself and my baby into when the time comes. And I really encourage all expectant mothers to do the same.
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| @mirandakerrverified/Instagram |
So she received some "backlash" this week (don't they all?) for having an informed opinion on epidural anesthesia. While discussing her son's birth, she commented that she had seen videos comparing newborn babies whose mothers had had an epidural to those who hadn't. Miranda described how the babies of mothers without pain-relief often went straight for the breast. "Then they showed ones right after the epidural and that didn't happen", she said. "The baby was a little bit drugged up, and I was like, 'Well I don't want that'... I had made a decision I wanted to do it naturally... I wanted to give him the best possible start in life I could".
What I find most frustrating about this "backlash" is not only that her comments were clearly on something she had educated herself about, but also because of the fact that her opinion isn't necessarily the mainstream way of thinking. It seems like many people were offended by her comments, perhaps taking it as a personal attack, but there's no denying the fact that when you do some research, Miranda isn't making it all up. As is often the case with many health-related issues, sometimes we need to dig a little deeper than the "truths" the mainstream media and health professionals give us, to find out what exactly we are exposing ourselves to.
While I was pregnant with Noah, I did a whole lot of reading on all aspects of pregnancy and birth (as most expectant mothers do!). This book changed my life:
It really opened my eyes to a lot of things, but what I remember most is that when I finished it I was convinced that I was going to have a natural birth. Now I'm not saying that there isn't a time and a place for an epidural - and I'm not one to judge - but I do think that we as mothers should at the very least take control and be educated about every decision we make in regards to our bodies and that of our families. No one else will.
Miranda has merit in saying what she truly believes was the best for her situation. I ended up having the natural birth that I wanted and that was the best for my situation. Who knows what will happen with my next one, as much as I hope for the same outcome. But at least I'll know what I'm getting myself and my baby into when the time comes. And I really encourage all expectant mothers to do the same.
06 August 2012
hydration motivation
I was browsing one of my favourite sites today and was completely inspired by this post on hydration. It was a timely reminder for me because recently I've been guilty of some major dehydration. Part of it is because I'm always rushing around and simply forget to have a drink, and part of it is due to being pregnant and the fact that I feel like I need to pee the second I drink anything - not fun!
But I've decided that I'm totally going to give this a go - a week of serious hydration. I want to focus on drinking more juices and smoothies (which is super hard for me in Winter - the last thing I feel like on an ice-cold day is an ice-cold drink), herbal teas and, of course, coconut water! Plus I'll aim to eat more hydrating foods, and less caffeine, salt and meat. Taking on a challenge like this is often exactly what I need to get out of a rut and back into trying some new things in the kitchen again. Wish me luck!
P.S. There are also a few follow-up posts on their site if you're interested in the idea. Just have a looksie here and here.
P.S. There are also a few follow-up posts on their site if you're interested in the idea. Just have a looksie here and here.
12 June 2012
health hiccups
Wow, what a week. After a few too many days fighting gastro and a mild cold, I'm finally starting to feel like myself again. And let me just say, there is nothing like being knocked to the ground with sickness to make you appreciate good health. While I was under the weather I spent plenty of time resting on the couch, so not only am I totally up to date with all the episodes of The Bachelor, but I got to catch up on my favourite blogs. And this article on the Wellness Warrior, Everything you need to know about the pill really hit home.
You see, I look at the time that I went off the pill as a major turning point in my life - it was essentially the catalyst which started my journey to health and well being. I suffered some of the nasty side effects discussed in the article (and also the comments) including vitamin and mineral deficiencies and ammenhorea. These issues took months to sort out (and not without the help of my amazing naturopath), and after discovering the cause, I couldn't believe that I'd been putting synthetic hormones into my body for years without ever really questioning it.
It doesn't surprise me now when I realise just how common these problems actually are. And it doesn't surprise me that so many women remain in the dark about these issues when you think how often, if at all, an article like this would be published in mainstream media. But that's the beauty of the internet - it's a way for us to tell our own story and find our own truth - because if I learnt anything this past week, it's that good health is the one thing that we should never take for granted.
You see, I look at the time that I went off the pill as a major turning point in my life - it was essentially the catalyst which started my journey to health and well being. I suffered some of the nasty side effects discussed in the article (and also the comments) including vitamin and mineral deficiencies and ammenhorea. These issues took months to sort out (and not without the help of my amazing naturopath), and after discovering the cause, I couldn't believe that I'd been putting synthetic hormones into my body for years without ever really questioning it.
It doesn't surprise me now when I realise just how common these problems actually are. And it doesn't surprise me that so many women remain in the dark about these issues when you think how often, if at all, an article like this would be published in mainstream media. But that's the beauty of the internet - it's a way for us to tell our own story and find our own truth - because if I learnt anything this past week, it's that good health is the one thing that we should never take for granted.
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