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Drill Sergeant

Drill Sergeant

As I sit here with the throbbing and aching pain in the back of my mouth and the extreme crankiness that goes along with a toothache…I can't help but want to poke myself in the head and find a sense of humility in knowing that because I live in the US and can afford candy, cookies and all things CRAP it's my own damn fault that I feel like this in the first place!!

Becoming a parent and becoming healthy!

It is funny how being responsible for another individual changes your entire outlook on life. After giving birth to my son I quickly lost the baby weight and kept it off for most of the first year of his life. Although I wasn't actively exercising, nursing my son and just being busy kept the weight off. However, before my pregnancy I'd been overweight so I should have focusing on trying to lose the pregnancy weight and some! When I stopped nursing I continued to eat as if I was still burning an extra 500 calories daily,  a big no no. I soon tipped the scales at over 200 pounds!

My Mother Knows Best

"Can you imagine doing that with our baby?"  "How could they not realize how unsafe that was?"  "It's an act of nature we are even alive!"

Sound familiar?  Every generation of new parents is certain they know best.  That they've evolved, learned so much, improved on the past and harnessed the future to raise the most unique, brilliant, and miraculous children ever.  Just like the last bunch of parents.  And just like the next bunch.  It's how humans are wired.  What had no meaning before we arrived is suddenly incredibly important and we are determined to perfect everything we do.

Parents Take Heart

Parents Take Heart

David Bowen with his 4 year-old daughter, Natalie 

by: David Bowen,  CEO, Malaria No More

OPINION

A few weeks ago, my four-year old daughter Natalie was running a fever. Her forehead was hot, and her face, which usually shows a smile that makes your heart glow, was twisted into a grimace.

The Power of Health in Every Mother’s Hand

By Daphne Metland/International Editor, BabyCenter

OPINION

I am in Manila, admiring 15-year-old Marie's two-week-old baby.  Her two sisters, five nieces and nephews and grandmother are peering through a gap in the wall of the two-room home they all share.

It's obvious that Marie already loves her new baby, but knows very little about how to care for her.  I praise her for breastfeeding her daughter, and Marie's face lights up.  She wants to do the very best she can for her baby and she is happy to have the information and encouragement.

Dumb Mom’s Guide to Growing Healthy Humans.

Keeping kids healthy during the winter months is hard.

Because germs like cold weather. And kids, for some unknown reasons LOVE germs.

Don't ask me why, I don't do science.

All I know is that for some reason, when the mercury drops the germs find the closest sticky, sweaty kid palm to crawl inside for a stay.

And then, invariably, they drag that germ home, spread it all over your house in the form of puke and poop and snotty noses, infect the other little people inhabitants of the house, before finally settling in your lungs and refusing to leave.

Or something like that.

Point is, before it settles in your lungs, or even before it settles in their palms, there are things you can do to keep them healthy.

All We Need Is Love and Support

My tips for raising a healthy baby are pretty simple, give them love and support.  I was very fortunate to have 2 very healthy and happy little babies.  I realize that this is not always the case and I do not take this for granted.   Sometimes when I go into their rooms to wake them up in the morning I take a second to be thankful that they are so healthy.  When we brought our first baby home, my husband and I were pretty clueless, but we just did what we felt was right.  If my husband ever had a question he would just google it, typically he already knew what the doctor was going to look for at the check up.   I think he was more interested in being educated about the growth of our baby than I was!

How Motherhood Made Me Healthier

The moment that Lucas was born instantly changed my views on a lot of things-one of them being health. I understood that Mike and I were solely resposnsible for the health of our child. We were responsible for what he would eat and drink. We were responsible for putting sunscreen on him. Getting his swim lessons. Encouraging him to be active. We were responsible for all of his medical decisions. All of a sudden, it wasn't just me that I was responsible for. I also knew that we had to make some changes in the way that we lived because he would look to us as role models. No more waiting for tomorrow or "one day." The time was now. We had to overhaul our way of life. We had to start eating better. Exercising more. Being outside more. Cutting out bad habits.

Relax. Really, Just Relax. It Will Be Okay.

Tonight I watched my daughter exercise her tantrum muscles, flailing about the living room claiming boredom even in the light of the million toys she has and the brand new Christmas tree and the television and and and… As I tuned her out (somewhat), I thought once again how lucky I am that the most annoying thing I have to deal with is a tantrum.

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