5 Best Sunscreen Lotions for Kids (Non-Toxic and EWG Rated)

April 25, 2019 by Nataly

Summer is around the corner and finding the best sunscreen lotions for kids might sound a bit intimidating.

After all there are hundreds of sunscreen lotions for children to choose from, but they are not all created equally.

In fact, a 2018 report from Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that nearly 67 percent of sunscreens didn’t work. That is to say these sunscreens provide inadequate sun protection and/or they contained harmful ingredients.

Types of Sunscreens Lotions for Kids

There are two main types of sunscreen: mineral and non-mineral based (chemical filters).

Mineral sunscreens

As per the Enviromental Working Group (EWG), there is good evidence that little if any zinc or titanium particles penetrate the skin to reach living tissues. Mineral sunscreens are currently deemed the safest and most effective. (source)

In addition, mineral sunscreens tend to rate better than chemical sunscreens in the EWG sunscreen database.

With that said, there are some sunscreen products which use a combination of mineral ingredients AND other toxic chemicals.

Therefore, when choosing a mineral sunscreen for kids opt for those which active ingredients are zinc oxide or titanium oxide.

AND in addition, avoid those which ALSO contain:

Oxybenzone (in the active ingredients)
Fragrance (bottom of the ingredient list)
Retinyl palmitate, retinol or vitamin A
Spray application

Non-mineral sunscreens

Sadly, most of the popular sunscreen brands widely available in the U.S including sunscreen lotions for kids are non-mineral (chemical) sunscreens.

These also tend to be the sunscreens with the most concerning potentially hazardous active ingredients. So, it is crucial we dig a little deeper at the ingredients list in the label before purchasing.

If you opt for non-mineral children’s sunscreen, EWG recommends you choose a traditional sunscreen with active ingredient Avobenzone (3%). This ingredient is critical for reducing UVA damage that can lead to skin aging and cancer.

In addition, ensure that the sunscreen product does not contain:

Oxybenzone (in the active ingredients)
Fragrance (bottom of the ingredient list)
Retinyl palmitate, retinol or vitamin A
Spray application

Harmful ingredients in sunscreen

Two of the most concerning ingredients found in most sunscreens including those marketed to children include oxybenzone, a hormone disruptor, or retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A that may harm skin.

EWG has uncovered mounting evidence that one common sunscreen chemical, oxybenzone, poses a hazard to human health and the environment, based on their research over the course of 12 years (source).

EWG’S Rating System

EWG (The Environmental Working Group) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment.

EWG provides information on sunscreen products from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings indicate both efficacy and the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product – not the product itself – compared to other sunscreens. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any. (source)

In addition, products are rated with a “hazard score” ranging from 1-10 (“1” being least hazardous and “10” being most hazardous). The scoring system takes into consideration five factors:

Health hazards associated with listed ingredients
UVB protection
UVA protection
Balance of UVA/UVB protection
Sunscreen stability

I know it can be really overwhelming finding the best sunscreen for kids. Especially, given all of the information available and health concerns surrounding most children’s sunscreen lotions.

That is why I chose to create a list of the best sunscreen lotions for children based on EWG’s rating system, customer reviews, and personal use.

Living in South Florida, we have used our share of sunscreens over the years and based on my own experience and EWG’s scoring system, I have narrowed it down to 5 of the best sunscreen lotions for kids.

All of the following sunscreen lotions for kids in this list follow some of the same criteria.

They all are:

Mineral based (using Zinc Oxide as the active ingredient)
Score a “1” in EWG’s scoring system
Made specifically for children
DO NOT contain concerning ingredient including oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate

5 Best Sunscreen Lotions for Kids (Non-Toxic)

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1. Adorable Baby by Loving Naturals

Adorable Baby By Loving Naturals (Non Nano Zinc Oxide) is an all-natural sunscreen SPF 30+ for babies, toddlers, children and adults. Adorable Baby also comes conveniently as sunscreen stick for mess-free application.

2. Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen

Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen, Baby, SPF 30+ is a customer favorite and it contains Zinc Oxide as the active ingredient. It is water (up to 80 minutes as per manufacturer) and sweat resistant.

3. All Good Kid’s Sunscreen Lotion

All Good Kid’s Sunscreen Lotion is made of Zinc Oxide, it is coral reef safe, water-resistant, and UVA/UVB broad spectrum SPF 30. It is also an Amazon’s Choice products and has amazing customer reviews.

4. Thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen

Thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen SPF 50+ has one of the best (and most) reviews in Amazon. It also a mineral-based sunscreen, free of biologically harmful chemicals such as avobenzone, oxybenzone, or UV chemical absorbers.

5. Badger Kid’s Sunscreen Cream

Badger Kid’s Sunscreen Cream, Tangerine and Vanilla SPS 30. This Zinc Oxide based children’s sunscreen is water and sweat resistant for 40 minutes, hypoallergenic and coral reef safe and planet-friendly.

This Amazon’s Choise product is also BPA & phthalate-free and skin-soothing base of sunflower oil, beeswax and vitamin E.

In Summary

Summer is a great time to enjoy outdoor activities and play in the sun.

But it is also important we are protecting our kids not just from the sun, but from harmful ingredients found in sunscreens for kids.

Having a safe and effective sunscreen lotion for the kids and yourself is a must-have summer and beach essential.

Now that you know the main concerns surrounding children sunscreen lotions and have a list of great options to choose from, narrow down on one that fits you and your family best.

What is the best sunscreen lotion for kids you have come across?

How to Survive the Newborn Stage (A New Mom’s Guide)

April 16, 2019 by Nataly

Being a new mom is one of the most exhilarating feelings in the world. On the same token, coming home with a newborn can prove to be quite the challenge the first few days/weeks.

All kind of feelings and emotions kick in the minute you hold your little baby for the first time.

You feel relieved, excited, scared, exhausted, blessed, sleep deprived… I mean the list goes on.

It is no longer yourself you must worry about. But now you have this beautiful little being that requires around the clock care and attention.

So, how can we make sure that we keep a good balance as a new mom, so that we can function properly and give the very best of ourselves to our baby?

In this new mom’s survival guide we will go over important tips to help you navigate your few days/weeks at home with your newborn.

New Mom Survival Guide: Newborn Days

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1. Postpartum Care

Postpartum care is one of the most important things in the first few days home from the hospital.

After all, the better you feel physically, the easier it will be care for your new baby.

Your body just underwent a very physically demanding journey. Whether you have a vaginal delivery or a c-section, taking care of yourself and your body is a good idea.

Ensure you have a postpartum care kit prior to giving birth so that you aren’t scrambling to buy things at the last-minute.

2. Sleep when the baby sleeps

Okay, so I am pretty sure you have heard this from almost everyone, “sleep when the baby sleeps”.

The first few days as a new mom, sleep will become a thing of the past. You will cater every minute of your day (and night) to your newborn, especially if you are breastfeeding.

It is important that you are getting some much-needed rest to keep up with the baby’s demand. One of the best ways to do that is to sleep when your newborn is napping.

Thankfully, they do quite a lot of sleeping at this stage, so it shouldn’t be hard to take a snooze when the baby sleeps, right?

Well, that’s easier said than done.

Although some new moms adapt perfectly well and take sound naps with their newborns, it isn’t as simple for other new moms.

It is normal to feel a bit anxious about falling asleep while your newborn sleeps. It is a mom’s instincts to want to make sure that the baby is safe and well while their sleeping.

As the weeks go by and you should start to feel more comfortable with your new mom more, so “sleeping when the baby sleeps” should become come easier.

In addition, knowing the principals for creating routines and establishing healthy infant eating and sleeping habits is crucial.

Although every baby is different, having the basic knowledge and techniques in place when the baby arrives will be sanity saving. Trust me!

Goodnight, Baby is a great eBook to have by your side before the baby arrives and after, which will teach you:

How to get full feedings in and why it matters
Why (and when) you should be waking your baby up
What to do during middle of the night feedings
Why nursing baby to sleep hinders the process and what to do instead
Tired cues, wake times, and sample schedules
Simple bedtime routines that work
Teaching baby to take longer naps

3. Minimize visitors

Everyone wants to meet the new baby. So, everyone will want to visit as soon as you make it home from the hospital.

An important transition a new mom faces the first few days postpartum, is bonding with their baby, and establishing a new family nucleus routine.

When too many visitors stop by, it might interrupt the ability to rest, bond, relax, and even breastfeed.

Set clear boundaries with friends and family and voice your preference about receiving visitor after the first weeks postpartum.

4. Ask for Help

Asking for help or accepting it when offered can be a game changer in the first few weeks postpartum.

It is incredibly important to ask for help when you need it to prevent it from escalating to mom burnout and frustration.

When my first child was born, I went through a period of overwhelm and exhaustion.

I was blessed my husband was able to stay home for the first 3 weeks, but when he returned to work, I felt alone and overworked.

When my second child came around, my mother-in-law stayed with us for the first 6 weeks it was a lifesaver.

5. Dishes Can Wait

If you are anything like me having dirty dishes piled up in the kitchen sink and dirty clothes to be washed, drives you nuts.

I learned really fast that if I wanted to keep my sanity my priorities needed a big overhaul.

After you have a baby, expectations need to be realistic and attainable.

It is okay to fall behind on dishes, laundry, and cleaning for a little while… you are allowed to slow down and enjoy your new baby.

Actually, you are entitled to that and much more! After all, you just gave birth to a human.

6. Meal Prep, Freezer Meals, and Batch Cooking

If while you a reading this baby hasn’t arrived, try to look into meal prep (freezer meals). They will be sanity saving and money-saving when the baby comes.

Freezer meals will give you the ability to throw a few things together and let your slow cooker do the work.

Also, batch cooking and freezing meals are a great way to prepare for the first few days/weeks postpartum. Not having to worry about cooking is a beautiful thing.

Easy and delicious batch cooking meals include lasagna, casseroles, and chicken.

Trust me, when you are under slept, exhausted and hungry… leftovers will be your best friend.

7. Bassinet or Playpen

You spent months designing and decorating the baby’s nursery and now you can’t wait for the baby to come home so he can sleep in his beautiful room.

Well, in perfect world the baby would use his nursery from day one. However, that is seldom the case.

Newborns need constant care and supervision and new moms need sanity and time-saving alternatives.

Having a bassinet or pack-and-play where you can comfortably put the baby in while you roam around the house is a great idea.

In addition, you can use them to put it next to your bed for the first few days/weeks as you develop a sleeping routine.

8. Breastfeeding

Although breastfeeding comes completely natural to some moms, the reality is that it takes time, patience, and consistency to successfully breastfeed.

There are a lot of great breastfeeding tips for new moms that will make your life a lot easier. However, for the purpose of this article I will be mainly sharing with you those that are some of the most important.

Here is what you should know about breastfeeding in the first weeks home with your newborn:

BE INFORMED! I can’t stress how important it is to learn about breastfeeding before baby comes. It will save you a lot of headaches.

Milkology has great and inexpensive breastfeeding courses you can take from the comfort of your home.

Your milk supply will not be much the first few days (don’t worry, you are making what the baby needs)
Remain consistent and feed on demand to establish a good milk supply
Stay hydrated and eat nutritious foods that provide you with energy and healthy calories
Keep a diaper count and discuss it with you health care provider on your first pediatrician visit
You know baby is drinking enough if she is having at least 3-5 wet diapers by day 3 and at least 6-8 wet diapers by day 6

In Summary

Bringing home a new baby changes your life, forever.

It is a beautiful journey, but it is also filled with challenging phases.

As a new mom there is a lot to learn, get used to, and explore.

Know that these are just guidelines, but your story and your journey are unique.

Follow your intuitions, put you and baby first… and the rest will follow.

Welcome to motherhood my friend.

What advice will you give new moms that will help with the first week home with a newborn?

5 Potentially Harmful Things You use Daily (Plus, Healthier Alternatives)

April 15, 2019 by Nataly

Did you know that we expose ourselves to harmful things daily which could potentially have negative effects on our health?

Most importantly, these daily harmful things don’t just put us in danger, but our entire family.

So it is critical we learn to identify these daily hazardous products and avoid them if possible.

Next, are 5 harmful things we use on a daily basis and healthier and safer alternatives.

5 Harmful Things You use Daily

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1. Air Fresheners and Scented Candles

AIR FRESHENERS

Air fresheners, candles, and perfumes are in almost all American households.

After all, who wants to have their house smelling like a school cafeteria?

So, you light up a scented candle, or you spray a “fresh laundry scent” air freshener.

But what are you really spraying in the air? Worse yet, what are you inhaling into your body?

As Wikipedia explains, “many air fresheners employ carcinogens, volatile organic compounds and known toxins such as phthalate esters in their formulas.”

Additionally, a University of Washington study of top-selling air fresheners and laundry products, found that all products tested gave off chemicals regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal laws, including carcinogens with no safe exposure level.

However, none of these chemicals were listed on any of the product labels or Material Safety Data Sheets.

The chemicals found in these air fresheners included acetone (paint thinner and nail polish remover ingredient), chloromethane (a neuro and respiratory toxin) and acetaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane (two known carcinogens).

In addition, a plug-in air freshener contained more than 20 different volatile organic compounds, with more than one-third classified as toxic or hazardous under federal laws.

Again, another reason to be extremely selective with the products we decide to purchase and expose our entire family to.

CANDLES

Candles don’t fall far behind the toxic spectrum.

In fact, what many might consider as a “harmless candle”, could be filling the air in your home with carcinogenic soot and lead emissions.

Most scented candles are made of paraffin which is a waste product from the petroleum industry.

“Paraffin waste releases carcinogenic chemicals when burned and many others such as: Acetone, Trichlorofluoromethane, Carbon Disulfide, 2-Butanone, Trichloroethane, Trichloroethene, Carbon Tetrachloride, Tetrachloroethene, Chlorobenzene, Ethylbenzene, Styrene, Xylene, Phenol, Cresol, Cyclopentene”. (source)

“Researchers have shown some scented candles produce smoke laced with almost as many toxins as those produced by cigarettes. Research by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has shown that cored candles release the dirtiest soot – sometimes containing particles of zinc, tin, lead and the metal cadmium.” (source)

It is also extremely important to reduce candle emission exposure around our children.

Studies have shown that a child’s central nervous system is particularly sensitive to lead. Some of the most damaging neuropsychological effects of lead poisoning of young children include learning disabilities, reduced psychometric intelligence and behavioral disorders. These effects have been associated with chronic low-level exposure to lead and are believed to be irreversible. (source)

Below are safer and healthier alternative to regular candles.

SAFER AND HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES

So, are we forced to leave our house smelling like a high school’s boys locker-room?

Not quite!

The best solution is to use good old baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in closed spaces (fridge, closets, even shoes) and diffuse organic essential oils.

Please note: NOT ALL essential oils are good for you either. Even those which claim to be “natural” and “healing”. Make sure you use organic essential oils, as many scented oils are made from petroleum and other chemicals. Always look of the “USDA” organic seal.

If you don’t have an essential oils diffuser, this Amazon’s Choice product is super inexpensive and has over 31,000 happy customer reviews on Amazon.

As far as candles, the safest option are ones made of pure 100% beeswax. Not only are they the safest option but they help purify the air by emitting negative ions into the air.

Bluecorn Beeswax Candles are a popular choice. They are:

100% Pure Beeswax & 100% Pure Essential Oils in 100% Recycled Glass
Paraffin-Free; Lead-Free; Non-Toxic & Hypoallergenic
Beeswax emits negative ions that cleanse the air

Here are some size options for natural beeswax candles:

When it comes to air fresheners there are not many “safe” options.

It could be extremely overwhelming to look for healthier options but there are a few resources that can help.

The EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning gives you practical solutions to protect yourself and your family from everyday exposures to potentially harmful chemicals.

However, even those classified as “A” on EWG hazard rating system, pose some sort of health threat.

2. Pots and Pans

As busy moms, we love the convenience of non-stick cookware.

It makes for a faster and cleaning dishwashing experience.

But are we trading in convenience for safety?

When choosing cookware is important to note that non-stick cookware pretty much always contains a man-made chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as PFOA.

These chemicals are notoriously persistent in the environment and the human body, and some have been linked to serious health hazards. (Source)

After all, what good is it to cook healthy food when we are cooking in harmful cookware.

To avoid these harmful toxins, it is recommended you stick to cast iron, stainless-steel, and glass cookware instead.

HEALTHIER AND SAFER ALTERNATIVES

CAST IRON

Cast iron cookware is one of the healthier alternatives. It also comes with its own set of health benefits.

Some of the benefits of cooking with cast iron cookware include:

Durability
It adds iron to your food (great for people with iron deficiency)
Dual purpose (stove-top and oven)

Here are some great and inexpensive cast iron cookware options:

STAINLESS STEEL

Stainless steel is another great and safe cookware option.

The 13-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set by T-fal (Pots and Pans with Copper-Bottom), is an incredible investment as you will be able to tell by the almost 5,000 costumer reviews.

GLASS

Another safe cookware material option is glass.

Glass cookware is perfect for baking. This particular glass set is clear, nonporous Pyrex glass which won’t leach odors or metallic tastes into food. It is also safe for oven, microwave, freezer, and dishwasher…and I love that you can see the food as it cooks.

CERAMIC

Ceramic coated cookware is another popular option. But is it safer?

Even though ceramic material doesn’t contain PTFE and/or PFOA they also raise health concerns.

The reason is because although the ceramic itself is considered “safe” the material underneath (usually hard anodized aluminum) isn’t. Recent studies on potential health effects of exposure to aluminum include neurotoxicity and Alzheimer.

CERAMIC COATING

There are some “safer” nonstick brands in the market that claim to have come up with healthier ways to make cookware non stick. These brands include GreenLife and Green Pan cookware (which use Thermolon), and Ozeri Green Earth Pan (which use Greblon). Neither Termolon or Greblon contain PFOA or PTFE.

100% CERAMIC

If you would like to go with non-stick cookware, choose a “100% ceramic” products instead of a ceramic “coating” products.

One of the most known and trusted brands is Xtrema.

Xtrema uses “a unique ceramic clay formula that is 100% natural.” Xtrema cookware products are also said to be free of lead, cadmium and toxic heavy metals, PFOA and PTFE-free, non-scratch, nontoxic, and non-metal.

You can now safe 10% in all of their products using promo code SaveX10.

3. Cleaning Products

Coming in at number three in harmful things we use daily are cleaning products.

You just arrived from soccer practice and you rush to wash the stinky uniform before it infests the entire house.

So, you reach for your handy bleaching product and your toughest stain-removing, grime attacking detergent.

But as you are pouring it in your washer…. Are you aware of what you are inhaling? More so, do you know what is doing to those who wear those clothes afterwards?

One of the most common household products associated with harmful toxins and potential health issues is laundry detergent. (Source)

Not only can you come in contact with toxic chemicals via your clothing, but you can breathe them into your lungs once they become airborne in the process of doing your laundry.

Popular brand detergents come with a big list of hazardous chemicals, some of which the manufacturer doesn’t even have to list on the label. That makes it even harder for the general public to ever discover what’s in there.

That was just an example of every other category of cleaning products.

Just like laundry detergents, most popular brands of dish soaps, disinfectant sprays, bathroom cleaners (to mention a few), are made with toxic chemicals that could be putting the entire family in danger.

It is extremely important for the health of our entire family that we learn to buy all-natural cleaning products with the best safety ratings and non-toxic ingredients.

Recent studies of over 2,000 cleaning products in the American market today found that many contain substances linked to serious health problems.

The American Lung Association claims that many cleaning supplies or household products can irritate the eyes or throat, or cause headaches and other health problems, including cancer.

HEALTHIER AND SAFER ALTERNATIVES

I must admit, the search for natural cleaning products can be overwhelming. After all, there are thousands of products to choose from.

And what’s worse, even if we wanted to look in-store for the ingredients of the cleaning product of our choice, chances are we wouldn’t find them.

Did you know that U.S. law allows manufacturers of cleaning products to use almost any ingredient they wish, including known carcinogens and toxic substances?

Yup, that happens. All the time. Right under of our noses.

Neither does the government review the safety of products before they’re sold. That it is why it is so important to be informed and know what products are safe to purchase and use for the entire family.

Once again EWG had made so much easier by creating the EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning database.

If doing the research on your own seems a bit daunting, don’t worry.

I’ve put together a “Best Natural Cleaning Products List” where I list recommended products based in EWG hazard scoring system, product reviews and personal preference.

4. Mattresses

This caught me completely by surprise when I first learned about it. And when it comes to potentially harmful things we use daily, this one in particular is one we really USE DAILY indeed.

Our bed mattresses! And you guessed it… our baby’s cribs mattresses as well.

Most mattresses on the market are full of chemicals that can pollute our bedroom air and harm our body.

Here is a list of some of these chemicals and their potential health concerns (source):

polyurethane foam that can emit volatile organic compounds (can cause respiratory irritation or other health problems
flame retardant chemicals (have been linked to cancer, hormone disruption and adverse effects on the immune system)
and PVC or vinyl covers (can damage developing reproductive systems)

HEALTHIER AND SAFER ALTERNATIVES

The EWG recommends that you look for the following specifications when purchasing your mattress:

No less than 95% certified organic content (cotton, wood, or natural latex)
No polyurethane foam
No added chemical flame retardants (wool and polylactic acid, or PLA, are good alternatives)
Low-VOC certification
No added fragrances or antimicrobials
No PVC or vinyl
If you opt for polyurethane or memory foam look for one that is low-VOC certified by (Oeko-Tex Standard 100 or Greenguard Gold)
If you opt for latex, ensure you choose one with 100% natural latex.

Safer Mattresses Certification

Global Organic Textile Standard
Global Organic Latex Standard
Oeko-Tex Standard 100
Greenguard Gold

Here is a great option:

The Pure Echo GOTS Organic Cotton Natural Mattress by My Green Mattress.

CRIB MATTRESSES

Unfortunately, much like regular adult mattresses, most baby crib mattresses in today’s market also emit large amounts of VOCs, have toxic flame-retardant chemicals, fragrance chemicals, and use PVC or vinyl covers.

Studies found that, “infants spend most of their time sleeping and are likely to be exposed to elevated concentrations of chemicals released from their crib mattresses… The results suggest that crib mattresses are an important source of VOCs and infant exposure to VOCs are possibly elevated in their sleep microenvironments.” (source)

Organic crib mattresses are the safest option as they are free of harmful chemicals and materials.

As a first option, look for the GOTS certification when choosing a crib mattress.

The Emily Crib Mattress, GOTS Organic Cotton and Natural Eco-Wool is a great option.

The Emily Crib Mattress manufacture’s specifications include:

Made in U.S.A
GREENGUARD Gold Certified.
Handcrafted using a GOTS certified organic cotton, 100% Natural Eco-wool quilted cover, and organic coconut pad
Free of polyurethane foams; A heavy batting of GOTS certified organic cotton
Two-sided design (easy flip in case of an accident or spill)
Certified to be free of lead by UL Laboratories and passes CFR 1633,1632 flammability testing

If an organic option is not possible, EWG suggests you look for a crib mattress with:

Wool or polylactic acid to provide flame resistance (instead of chemical flame retardants)
A natural fiber cover, like cotton or wool, polyurethane laminate, or polyethylene (not PVC or vinyl)
No antibacterial additives or added fragrances
A low-VOC certification like Oeko-Tex Standard 100 or Greenguard Gold

REFERENCES:

EWG Healthy Living: Home Guide (Mattresses)

Infant Exposure to Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds from Crib Mattresses

5. Makeup

Makeup is not far behind the list of harmful things we use daily.

It might come as a complete surprise to you that personal care and beauty products are one of the least regulated industries in the U.S.

We assume that the government is overseeing what type of ingredients go into our beauty products and ensuring they are safe for us to use.

Well, we assumed wrong!

Truth is, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) “oversees” the cosmetics industry but lacks the power to approve products or ingredients before they are sold, even though their contents have been shown to enter the body.

What’s more, it has been more than 80 years since Congress last updated the federal law designed to ensure that personal care products are safe.

Some of the harmful toxins found in most cosmetics sold in today’s American market include (source):

BHA and BHT
Coal tar dyes
DEA-related ingredients
Dibutyl phthalate
Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives
Parabens
Parfum (a.k.a. fragrance)
PEG compounds
Petrolatum
Siloxanes
Sodium laureth sulfate
Triclosan

You can find detailed information on each of these ingredients and the health concerns, here.

I know this information can feel overwhelming and scary.

But it is our reality and we must find proactive ways to be informed and to what we are buying, putting on our bodies, and exposing our family to.

HEALTHIER AND SAFER ALTERNATIVES

Once more, EWG comes through as one of the ground braking organizations that is determined fight this issue (and many others).

They also created the Skin Deep Database which allows us search amongst thousands of cosmetic and personal products and brands for the least hazardous products in the market.

EWG’s staff scientists compare the ingredients on personal care product labels and websites to information in nearly 60 toxicity and regulatory databases.

Checking Skin Deep Database before purchasing products is a great idea. You can also check cosmetics products you already have and see how they score.

In Summary

Just because we use products daily doesn’t mean that they are safe. And just because they are sold in stores, does it mean that they are heavily regulated by the government.

Do your own research, ask questions, and take action by helping EWG and other organizations sign petitions to protect your health, your family’s health, the environment and future generations.

Take it from someone who threw away bags full cosmetics, personal care, cleaning products, baby products, and food…. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

What other harmful things do you suspect you use daily?

9 Ingenious Must-Have Household Items List for Busy Moms

April 9, 2019 by Nataly

I don’t know about you, but I find myself at the verge of exhaustion from time to time. Had it not been for some ingenious must-have household items that make my day-to-day mom life so much easier, I would be in some serious trouble.

Truth is, whatever saves me time, makes my life easier, and isn’t too complicated to operate, that’s what I want in my life.

After all, with a feisty toddler who rolls her eyes at me like a teenager, a five-year-old who flies off the couch mimicking Super Mario, and running an online business… I need all the help I can get around here.

Sure, a live-in nanny that cooks and cleans would be nice… but while I save up for one of those, here are a list of amazing household items I couldn’t do without as a stay-at-home mom.

NOTE: This household items list is full of great ideas for mom gifts as well.

9 Household Items List For Moms

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1. Coffee Maker

Ok, let’s face it! Sometimes coffee is more of a necessity than a luxury.

On those hard mornings when you’ve had little to no sleep because of a teething baby or a coughing toddler, a fresh cup of coffee is everything.

Specially, having a coffee maker that is easy to use and clean.

You don’t need anything fancy as long as your ingredients are the best you can find.

As for me, organic Colombian coffee and organic coconut creamer are my favorite go-to’s.

Here is the perfect example of an inexpensive, versatile, and best-seller coffee maker.

The Black and Decker Coffee Maker come with these sanity saving features:

Quick Touch Programming: you program the 24-hour auto brew feature so you can wake up to a fresh pot of coffee (What??? Sold!)
Sneak a Cup Feature: temporarily stops the flow of coffee so you can pour your first cup before brewing ends without making a mess.
2-Hour Auto Shutoff: for added safety and peace of mind (I am guilty of forgetting to turn off the coffee machine when leaving the house, so this is a great feature)
Beautiful Design

Now you tell me… worth it? I’d say so.

2. Electric Pressure Cooker

If you cook often, an electric pressure cooker is the way to go.

You are telling me that I can throw a few ingredients together that take me 10 minutes to prep, press a button, and have a cooked meal in minutes?

YESSS… Sign me up for that one.

Electric pressure cookers are a lifesaver for busy moms. Many moms opt to meal prep and freeze which makes it even more time-saving.

As opposed to slow cookers that take hours to make a meal, the pressure cooker makes most meals in seconds.

The best value for your money is the Amazon Best-Seller Instant Pot Programmable Electric Pressure Cooker (6 Qt).

It has almost 6,000 Amazon reviews with a nearly perfect score of 5-star rating.

In addition, the cooking pot is made of stainless steel which is one of the safest cooking material surfaces.

3. Vacuum

Oh, my dear friend the vacuum!

When you are a mom, everyday messes are just part of the agenda. Therefore, anything that makes the clean up process easier is a household item must.

However, not all vacuums are created equal. Although most do the same basic functions, some are also clunky, heavy, hard to clean, and loud.

Remember what I said in the beginning, “whatever saves me time, makes my life easier, and isn’t too complicated to operate”… that specially applies to vacuums.

The Bissell Cleanview Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner is s great choice because it is lightweight and it has a washable filter (bye-bye vacuum bags).

It is budget friendly, Amazon’s Choice product, and nearly a perfect 5-star review from 2,000+ customers. It is also used on bare floors, carpet, sealed hard floors, low pile carpet, stairs, and upholstery.

4. Clothing Steamer

Hate ironing? Me too. And despite my efforts to take out every single item of clothing out of the drying wrinkle-free, that isn’t the case.

Having a clothing steamer is a lifesaver. Specially on days that we are on a time crunch (e.g. church Sunday mornings).

The Beautural Steamer for Clothes pre-heats in only 30 seconds and has a large water tank which hold enough liquid for 15 minutes of continuous steaming.

This steamer is an Amazon’s Choice household item and holds an almost perfect 5-star review of 1,000 happy customers.

5. Electric Tea Pot

This is another time-saver household item if you love tea.

I usually start my school morning routines with a hot cup of organic tea.

My sister-in-law gifted my husband and I with this handy household item a few years ago.

Using the standard stove top tea-pot takes longer that I have time for most days, so I just use the electric one. Water boils in a few short minutes with the push of a button.

The AmazonBasics Stainless Steel Electric Kettle is a great option taking price and performance into consideration.

It also comes with a removable filter. You can infuse whatever you want in the pot itself, and when you are ready to serve it only the delicious infused tea pours in your cup.

6. Durable and Non-Toxic Cookware

Listen, here! Nothing irritates me more than having to scrape a kitchen pan.

However, when choosing cookware is important to note that nonstick cookware pretty much always contains a man-made chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as PFOA.

These chemicals are notoriously persistent in the environment and the human body, and some have been linked to serious health hazards. (Source)

After all, what good is it to cook healthy food when we are cooking in harmful cookware.

To avoid these harmful toxins, it is recommended you stick to cast iron, stainless-steel, and glass cookware instead.

Do you have mixed and matched pots and pans everywhere? Do you wonder what kind of materials they are made of and if they are hazardous to your health? That was me a few years ago.

Well, if you have been looking for a complete cookware set but have felt indecisive about what you should buy… here is set you will not go wrong with.

The 13-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set by T-fal (Pots and Pans with Copper-Bottom), is an incredible investment as you will be able to tell by the almost 5,000 costumer reviews.

It is made of stainless steel construction which makes it durable and safe ( PTFE, PFOA, lead, and cadmium-free).

For more safer cookware options, check out “5 harmful Things You Use Daily (Plus Safer Alternatives).”

7. The Tumbler

This might seem like a small and insignificant item to some. But as a mom of two who runs around all days in between multiple tasks keeping my cold beverages cold and my warm beverages warm, is a must.

Don’t you hate it when you are so busy that your coffee gets cold?

I know I do… and let me tell you, I am not a fan of microwaved coffee.

It used to happened all the time until we came across the Double Wall Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Tumbler by Built NY as a gift my husband received for Christmas last year (although my husband received a fancier version, which was the Yeti Tumblr).

So, after discovering how incredibly amazing these are… I bought one for the entire family.

Even the kids have their own Tumbler and I don’t have to serve water a million times a day because the water stays cold all day long.

Plus, it’s PVC, BPA, latex and phthalate-free which is the kind of products you want to be using anyway.

Besides being great for personal use, they are also great gifts ideas for:

8. Blender and Food Processor Combo

Kitchen blenders today are not just for making smoothies.

They are now very multi-functional and come in handy for making everything from soups, sauces, and grounding nuts and spices. Specially when you have a blender and food processor combo.

For this combo, I like a glass blender and a plastic food processor. Because I often put warm food in my blender to liquefy, I rather it be glass versus plastic.

The Oster Pro 1200 Blender with Glass Jar plus Smoothie Cup & Food Processor Attachment is a great and affordable choice for this household item must.

9. All-Natural and Non-toxic Cleaning Products

This must-have household items list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning our day-to-day handy cleaning products:

Detergents
Dish soap
All-purpose cleaner
Disinfectants
.. and more

They are all indispensable when it comes to making our life easier and well… cleaner.

However, there are many harmful toxins that lurk in our day-to-day cleaning products.

It is extremely important for the health of our entire family, that we do our research and opt for natural cleaning products the have the lowest risk of harm (if any) to ourselves and the environment.

Get the full list of the best natural cleaning products here.

In Conclusion

Motherhood is hard!

Despite our many efforts do it all ourselves and keep it all together all the time, we simply need help.

Whether you are a full-time working mom or a stay-at-home mom, the struggles to keep everything staying afloat applies to all of us.

Therefore, any household item that makes our job easier is what we need.

What is in your household items list that makes your mom life much easier?

Don’t forget to Pin for later…

How to Raise Grateful Children (15 Gratitude Activities)

April 4, 2019 by Nataly

One of the most fundamental aspects of parenthood is raising grateful children.

Gratitude and kindness are two crucial human traits which tends to lead to an adulthood of inner happiness and fulfillment.

But how can we teach gratefulness to our children?

It has become harder than ever to teach our children about being grateful when we live in an entitled and materialistic world.

Although that isn’t the case everywhere, or for everyone, society has become more and more entitled and desensitized.

We can blame a million factors, such as technology and social media. However, the truth is that if we cultivate gratefulness in our children from early on, and engrave it deep in their hearts, it will become their nature.

Next, we will cover how to raise grateful children and 15 individual gratefulness activities you can put to practice today.

How to Raise Grateful Children

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1. Lead by example

One of the best ways to teach gratefulness to our children is to lead by example.

Remember the famous phrase, “Do as I as say, not as I do?”

Yeah… that’s not going to get us far when teaching our children this kind of lesson.

You must put gratefulness to action in you daily life and allow you kids to witness it firsthand. That way, when you are getting ready to talk to them about it, you are credible.

This is especially true if you have older kids. When faced with a change, older children tend to put up resistance at first. One of their favorite go-to line, “well you don’t do it so why should I”?

Sound familiar?

I though so.

In addition, by watching you practice gratefulness, your children are more likely to adopt it themselves from a young age as a life principle, even if it isn’t something that is actively being taught.

For instance, a child whose parents eat broccoli for dinner, are more likely to eat broccoli themselves without being forced to.

So, you get the idea. Teach you children to be grateful by leading by example, but exactly do you do that?

Gratefulness activities for parent to lead by example:

Pray (or give thanks) for the food you eat when you sit together for every meal
Include a “thankful prayer” on your school morning routine
Acknowledge and give thanks to your partner or children out loud when they do something for you
Express your gratitude to your local service personal in your area (mailman, garbage truck crew, community police and fire station) by writing them a handwritten letter and handing them a small treat (hand-made cookies, cupcakes)
Opt to be more positive when expressing yourself around your children (ex. instead of, “it is so hot and unbearable today”, try “what a beautiful sunny day”)

2. A Thankful Mural

The thankful mural is a beautiful activity to do with your children.

It serves for a constant reminder of all the things we should be grateful for. A “thankful mural” also helps kids think about all the things they have and should be grateful for.

Thankful Mural Gratefulness Activity

Every month give each member of your family a post-it note or a custom paper cut out.

Everyone get to write 3 things they are thankful for. Discuss everyone’s answers as a family.

You can opt to store them away in a special Blessings Jar and revisit the jar on New Year’s Eve where you can reread them out loud as a family. That is a great way to end the year and sets a great tone for the new one.Here is a great little book that will go great with this activity for younger children.

Or, you can choose to display them all year round. A cork board is a great place to display them.

A simpler version of this activity is to say the things you are grateful for over dinner.

3. Volunteering

Another great way to teach children how to be grateful is to help them realize what they should be thankful for.

Most children today grow up having everything they need from the time they are born.

That can indirectly create a sense of entitlement in our children, which if not careful can be carried into adulthood.

It is our job as parents to teach them about the world. The good and the bad. About the fortunate and not so fortunate, so that they are able to develop a sensitivity compass.

Doing volunteer work is a great way to help kids realize what the world is really like. By helping others who are less fortunate allows them to see firsthand how blessed and fortunate they are indeed.

Volunteering gratefulness activities

Here are some volunteering activities that can help teach kids about gratefulness. Keep in mind the age of the child when picking a volunteering activity.

Helping at a homeless shelter
Taking toys to a foster home
Hold a bake sale for a good cause
Help put together military packages

4. Donation

Just like volunteering, donating time, things, and/or money is a great hands-on way to get children to understand the significance and impact of gratefulness and kindness.

Kids could be very possessive of their things, especially toys.

Teaching them to give, not just from other sources, but from their own stuff is a very significant lesson.

Donating gratefulness activity

Once or twice a year (close to Thanksgiving or during Spring cleaning season are great times) have your kids perform a toy inventory and voluntarily give away 3-5 toys to charity.

Obviously, this depends on the child, their age, and the number of toys they have.

This gratefulness activity works best if you can carry the entire experience through and take the toys in person to a facility that needs them (foster home, homeless shelter, churches, etc.).

Kids learn by watching and by doing. Trust me, they will never forget this day.

5. Set an allowance

How many times do you find yourself telling your children, “money doesn’t grow on trees”.

I believe that one of the most important factors about gratefulness and gratitude is to educate children early on about the value of money.

Where it comes from, how hard it is to earn it, and how we should manage it.

Setting an allowance gratefulness activity

You can put this to practice by setting an allowance for chores they complete around the house on a weekly/monthly basis.

They can use that money to buy something they really want, after they have accumulated enough to afford it.

Managing their own funds, working hard to earn it, and spending it in one (or a few items) will give them a better appreciation for the things they already have.

They will appreciate how hard you work for what you provide for them, and how grateful they should be for it.

6. Count your blessings

Another funny phrase we hear people say all the time is, “you should count your blessings”.

But honestly, if you were a child and your parents told you that, you would be asking yourself, “what does that even mean?”

The goal for this gratefulness activity is to make a list as a of the things you take for granted.

Even as adults we tend to forget how incredibly blessed we are about the smallest things. Just by taking a quick look at the world around us, many of those things would hit home.

A few reminders:

Clean, accessible water at the touch of our fingers
Electricity
Freedom
Transportation
A roof over our head
Shoes
Food
… and lot more.

With that said, those examples alone are not going to convince a child as to why they should be grateful. After all, most of them have yet to experience life’s hardships.

So, here’s what we can do instead.

Counting your blessings gratefulness activity

Consider and discuss with your kids the following scenario as an example:

The plate of food in from of you didn’t just appear.

Did you know that farmers worked day in and day out on crops to harvest the ingredients for this meal?
Then, someone rinsed it and boxed it.
Truck drivers drove them to the grocery store where someone stacked it neatly for us
Then mom/dad had to purchase all the ingredients with hard-earned money
And finally, someone had to cook it before it was places in front of you

Again, take into consideration the age of your children and feel free to alter the content to match their comprehension level. But you get the point.

They don’t know any better. It is our responsibility to create a sense of gratitude and accountability.

7. Gratitude Journal

Having and gratitude journal helps put a lot of things into perceptive.

A gratitude journal is not only a great way to put down on paper all of the positive things in your life, but it can also serve as motivation and encouragement for the “not so good days”.

It can also be a creative outlet for kids to express themselves in a positive way.

Gratitude Journal Activity

Buy a gratitude journal for each of your kids and yourself
Explain to them that it is a gratitude journal and that you and them will be doing this activity together
Pick a day of the week when you sit down together to write positive experiences you had that week
You can give them the option to read their entry out loud or to keep it private
Explain the gratitude journal will serve as a reminder of all of their blessings when some days don’t go as planned.

Additional Resources

Here are great reads that can guide you along this important parenting principle.

Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World– by Kristen Welch
The Me, Me, Me Epidemic: A Step-by-Step Guide to Raising Capable, Grateful Kids in an Over-Entitled World- by Amy McCready
Making Grateful Kids: The Science of Building Character- By Jeffrey Froh and Giacomo Bono

NOTE: You can get two of these books FREE (in audible form) when you sign up for a 30-day free trial of Amazon Audible.

I highly recommend these books in Audible form for busy moms that are always on the go. Listening to these wonderful books (and many more) while driving, doing the dishes, or going for a jog can be really rewarding.

Final Thoughts

My father once taught me that the world doesn’t owe us anything, instead we owe the world.

He says that we are born to a world where others have already worked and sacrificed to receive us.

Therefore, we can’t be entitled to anything, because everything and everyone who welcomed our entrance to this word, were the sole contributors.

When we were born, soldiers were already fighting for our freedom. The crib we slept in was built by hands of someone who probably worked on it for hours. And our parents ensured that every single second we were protected and loved.

Then as we grow, we help pay it forward to humanity, with the same gratefulness and compassion to the next generations.

Therefore, it comes down to basics…

Children are not born knowing. So, it is or job to educate them and guide them.

Teach them from early on about gratefulness, humility, kindness, love and compassion.

With these magnificent traits, not only will they help make the world a better place, but they themselves will feel fulfilled and content.

How do you teach your children about gratefulness and gratitude?

The Best Natural Cleaning Products of 2019 (A Mom’s Guide)

March 29, 2019 by Nataly

Let’s face it, toxic chemicals have made their way in to our everyday household products quietly and unadvertised. It is extremely important for the health of our entire family that we learn to buy all-natural cleaning products with the best safety ratings and non-toxic ingredients.

With heath issues on the rise in recent years, it is more important than ever to know what we are indirectly putting on our skin and what scents we are breathing in.

Recent studies of over 2,000 cleaning products in the American market today found that many contain substances linked to serious health problems.

The American Lung Association claims that many cleaning supplies or household products can irritate the eyes or throat, or cause headaches and other health problems, including cancer.

I must admit, the search for natural cleaning products can be overwhelming. After all there are thousands of products to choose from.

And what’s worse, even if we wanted to look in-store for the ingredients of the cleaning product of our choice, we wouldn’t find it.

That is because cleaning product manufactures are not required to list all ingredients they use in their formulations. They use the excuse of “they don’t want other companies copying their top-secret formula”.

Did you know that U.S. law allows manufacturers of cleaning products to use almost any ingredient they wish, including known carcinogens and toxic substances?

Yup, that happens. All the time. Right under of our noses.

You can even opt to make your own cleaning products at home to have complete control over the ingredients.

However, if you are busy mom like me, and creating your cleaning products isn’t in your schedule, read on…

My Natural Cleaning Product Story

I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of 24 (currently 34).

I am extremely blessed that I am able to keep it at bay without medication, by watching what I eat and living a healthier lifestyle. But that wasn’t always the case.

When my second child was born, I opted to exclusively breastfeed. At two months of age she developed a rash which her pediatrician diagnosed as baby eczema.

The pediatrician recommended I eliminated all dairy from my diet as that could be a trigger to her eczema as milk protein passes through breast milk.

One week after my dairy restrictions, my daughter’s skin cleared completely.

The breakthrough was that for those 7 months that I avoided not only daily but every other ingredient related to it (yogurt, butter, ice cream, pastries, cereals, even some breads), I felt the best I ever had physically!

That opened Pandora’s box! Not only for my well-being, but the well-being of my entire household (husband and kids).

That experience and my nursing background pushed me to dig deeper not only in the food that we were consuming but in the products we were using.

It was a frustrating and overwhelming ordeal.

Until I came across EWG.

They made it so easy for me to educate myself and be able to be confident in the products we were purchasing and using on our children.

After all of my research, I threw away bags full of food, make-up, personal care products, baby products, and cleaning products.

Products that are highly popular and advertised, and that american families rely in their uses on a daily basis. But, that have the potential of being extremely hazardous to our health and our children’s health.

I must say I went through a period of rage.

I was upset at our government for allowing harmful chemicals to be used in human products and I was upset at myself for trusting the system.

What is EWG?

EWG (The Environmental Working Group) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment.

Their mission is to use the power of information to protect human health and the environment.

EWG has different databases that help you to easily check a product’s hazards score based in their extensive ingredient research. Their databases include cosmetics, food, and cleaning products.

The EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning gives you practical solutions to protect yourself and your family from everyday exposures to potentially harmful chemicals.

As EWG explains, “EWG’s staff scientists compared the ingredients listed on cleaning product labels, websites and worker safety documents with the information available in the top government, industry and academic toxicity databases and the scientific literature on health and environmental problems tied to cleaning products”.

EWG Scoring System?

EWG created a scoring system using the extensive data collected and organized on product attributes, ingredients and toxicity. This scoring system gives consumers the best information available to make informed, healthy choices.

The final score for a cleaning product ranges from “A” to “F”.

A letter grade of “A” indicates very low hazard to health and the environment with robust disclosure of ingredients.

A letter grade of “F” signifies that the product is highly hazardous or provides little to no ingredient disclosure.

Letter “C” score indicates an average cleaner that poses no overt hazards and provides some disclosure of ingredients.

Now that you have a basic understanding of the EWG and their hazard rating system, let’s get to the easy part.

Next, we’ll go over the top safest cleaning products based on the EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning hazard ratings and my personal favorites which fit that criteria.

The Best Natural Cleaning Products

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Air Freshener

Although air fresheners aren’t a “cleaning product” per say, they are commonly used in nearly every household as a way to keep the house smelling fresh and clean. They are also one of the many harmful things we use daily.

However, as Wikipedia explains, “many air fresheners employ carcinogens, volatile organic compounds and known toxins such as phthalate esters in their formulas.”

A University of Washington study of top-selling air fresheners and laundry products, found that all products tested gave off chemicals regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal laws, including carcinogens with no safe exposure level. But, none of these chemicals were listed on any of the product labels or Material Safety Data Sheets.

Chemicals included acetone (paint thinner and nail polish remover ingredient), chloromethane (a neuro and respiratory toxin) and acetaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane (two known carcinogens). In addition, a plug-in air freshener contained more than 20 different volatile organic compounds, with more than one-third classified as toxic or hazardous under federal laws.

Again, another reason to be extremely selective with the products we decide to purchase and expose our entire family to.

There are not many “safe” options when it comes to air fresheners. Even those classified as “A” on EWG hazard rating system, pose some sort of health threat.

So, are we forced to leave our house smelling like a high school’s boys locker-room?

Not quite!

The best solution is to use good old baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in closed spaces (fridge, closets, even shoes) and diffuse organic essential oils.

Please note: NOT ALL essential oils are good for you either. Even those which claim to be “natural” and “healing”. Make sure you use organic essential oils, as many scented oils are made from petroleum and other chemicals. Always look of the “USDA” organic seal.

If you don’t have an essential oils diffuser, this Amazon’s Choice product is super inexpensive and has over 31,000 happy customer reviews on Amazon.

Dish Soap

Doing the dishes is a daily chore, but with that also comes exposure to some very common and toxic chemicals.

Next, are great choices for the entire family for washing dishes safely.

Puracy Natural Liquid Dish Soap (Green Tea and Lime) is a personal favorite. Not only does it have an EWG “A” rating but it is an Amazon’s Choice product and hold an almost 5 start consumer reviews of more than 2,000 happy customers.

I always buy the refill option on Amazon and don’t have to worry about buying more for months (plus, you save more money buying in bulk).

Seventh Generation Fragrance Free Dishwasher Detergent also has an EWG “A” rating and it is an Amazon’s Choice product.

Laundry Detergent

One of the most common household products associated with harmful toxins is laundry detergent.

Not only can you come in contact with toxic chemicals via your clothing, but you can breathe them into your lungs once they become airborne in the process of doing your laundry.

Next, is a safer product list based on EWG’s hazard rating system.

Better Life Natural 4X Concentrated Laundry Detergent. This plant-based, lavender grapefruit laundry detergent is good for up to 64 loads, it is sulfate-free and is color safe. It also has an EWG “A” letter score.

ATTITUDE Sensitive Skin Baby Laundry Detergent is hypoallergenic, fragrance free, and score a “A” on EWG’s hazard rating system. ATTITUDE is one of our favorite companies and we purchase a lot of their products because of their use of clean and safe ingredients.

Grab Green Natural 3 in 1 Laundry Detergent Pods are fragrance-free with organic enzymes and are plant and mineral based. They score an “A” in EWG’s hazard ratings system and are an Amazon’s Choice product.

General Multi-Surface Cleaners

Just like all other categories, multi–surface sprays and cleaners contain toxins that be potentially harmful.

Whether they come in contact with our skin, or whether we breath them in… the threat it is still present.

Next, are better multi-surface/multi-use cleaning options for your health, your family’s health, and the planet.

Seventh Generation Disinfecting Multi-surface Cleaner Lemon Citrus Scent. I personally love and use this products and it has a EWG “A” hazard rating.

Attitude All Purpose Citrus Zest Hypoallergenic Cleaner is perfect to clean toys and play areas. It has an EWG’s “A” hazard score.

General Bathroom Cleaner

Seventh Generation Toilet Bowl Cleaner is a great option. It has an EWG grade letter “A” and it has great reviews on Amazon.

In Summary

Remember, just because a product is labeled “all-natural” or “eco-friendly” doesn’t mean that it is.

Ensure you do you research and be informed about what it is exactly that you are buying and using around yourself and those you love.

The products listed here are some of the best products in the market today based on EWG’s hazard rating system, products customer reviews, and personal experience.

But, feel free to do your own research as well.

Make sure you save this article in your browser, or pin it to Pinterest as I will be adding more products to this list in the next few weeks.

What natural cleaning products do you use?

DISCLAIMER

The safety of products suggested by Lovely Momhood are based on the Environmental Working Group rating system. This by no means implies that any given products is 100% safe. It just means that based on EWG’s extensive research on every single ingredient that goes in to any particular product, it is given a certain “hazard score”. The “hazard score” does not reflect efficacy or quality. The value is simply a determination of a hazard score based on the product’s ingredients. Any product on this list can be researched on the EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning for specific details on each ingredient and their health concerns, (if any).

5 Common Breastfeeding Problems and How to Fix them ASAP!

March 26, 2019 by Nataly

Breastfeeding is a rewarding but challenging journey. It is for that reason that it isn’t uncommon to encounter breastfeeding problems along the way.

Every woman, every baby, and every circumstance is different. That is why no breastfeeding stories are ever the same.

However, there are common breastfeeding problems that affect breastfeeding moms across the world.

Knowing what to do when and if those breastfeeding issue arise, will give you a better shot at a successful, long-term breastfeeding journey.

Next, we will go over five common breastfeeding problems and how to fix them as soon as possible so that you can regain your sanity!

5 Common Breastfeeding Problems and Solutions

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1. Engorgement

Breast engorgement is an almost inevitable breastfeeding issue.

Although not necessarily true for some women, most breastfeeding moms experience some degree of breast engorgement and discomfort.

Breast engorgement is when your breasts are painfully overfilled with milk. In turn, breasts become swollen, firm, and even painful.

Breast engorgement is more common in the first few days and weeks postpartum. It happens as your body starts producing more and more milk to meet the demands of your growing baby.

If you are producing more milk than the baby is drinking, then engorgement will likely happen.

So, until your body starts to regulate the supply your baby needs for each feeding, breast discomfort and engorgement can stick around and even worsen.

Clogged ducts and mastitis can be the result of prolonged breast engorgement.

Breast Engorgement Solution

The following breastfeeding tips can relieve engorgement symptoms, keep your milk flowing, and make it easier to breastfeed, and prevent further issues from arising:

Apply warm compresses for a couple of minutes before you breastfeed (or before pumping or manually expressing milk)
Breastfeed or pump right after a warm shower
Try to breastfeed more often to fully decompress breasts
Gently massage and compress the breast when the baby pauses between sucks
Use cold compresses after feedings to alleviate discomfort, a frozen pea bag wrapped around a thin towel works great (no more than 10 mins at a time)
Take pain relievers approved by your doctor
If you are not breastfeeding, pump or extract enough to relieve breast pressure until milk production starts decreasing

If your breasts become extremely engorged, painful, you are unable to feed baby, and/or you develop a fever… contact your healthcare provider immediately.

2. Cracked Nipples

Cracked nipples can make it extremely hard to breastfeed and it can potential hinder your ability to breastfed long-term.

Women are more susceptible to cracked and irritated nipples in the first few days/weeks as your breasts get used to the continuous sucking.

In addition, not providing your breasts with the proper care and improper latching can also lead to nipple issues.

Here are the things you can do to treat you cracked and irritated nipples…

Cracked and Irritated Nipples Solutions

Natural Remedies

Here are some natural alternatives that can get the job done without using any over the counter nipple creams:

Breast milk alone (around your nipple) is known to be a natural moisturizer
Extra virgin olive oil
Organic Coconut oil
Organic Shae butter

As a rule of thumb, I always tried to start off with a bit of breast milk first.

However, between the constant baby feedings and pumping, I found it hard to use the breast milk alone.

That’s why I recommend having a nipple cream at your disposal, especially if you are planning on pumping.

Over the counter nipple creams

Despite my attempt to go all-natural to relieve my irritated and cracked nipples, I had to opt for reinforcement.

Thankfully, nowadays there are many safe, and organic products that are completely chemical and toxin-free for both mom and baby.

My top 3 picks for over the counter nipple creams that are safe to use, toxic and chemical free are (source):

Organic Nipple Balm- The Honest Company

Boob-ease Organic Lanolin Free Nursing Balm- from Bamboobies

Lanolin Nipple Cream- from Lansinoh

Nipple Care Products

One of the most challenging breastfeeding problems is to breastfeed with an irritated or cracked nipple.

In my case, I also developed a nipple blister, and take it from me… the pain was unbearable.

Here are some of the best and popular nipple care products to help your nipples heal as you continue to breastfeed:

Hydrogel pads: serve as a soothing and protective barrier between your nipple and your clothing, while promoting healing.

Nipple shields: are flexible silicone nipples that are worn over the mom’s nipple during a feeding (temporarily) to promote faster healing. They are also used in helping lactating moms with flat or inverted nipples.

3. Low Milk Supply

Many new moms give up on breastfeeding early on because they believe that they are not making enough milk.

Most women are physically capable of making enough milk for their babies to be healthy and happy. With that said, in some instances there is a real underlying cause which might be inhibiting milk production.

Before we identify low milk production as an actual breastfeeding issue, here are a few things we should address first.

It important to understand that milk production from day one postpartum won’t be the same as day five, or month three.

Your body is designed to produce exactly what your baby needs to thrive at every stage of development.

Here are some parameters to consider when it comes to the baby’s stomach size maximum capacity (source):

1-day-old: 5-7 ml
3-day-old: 22-27 ml (0.75 oz)
1-week-old: 45-60 ml (1.5-2 oz)
1 month: 80-150 ml (2.5-5 oz)

In other words, if you are only making a small amount the first few days per feeding, remember that is the exact amount the baby needs.

Next are things you can do to help your increase your supply from day one.

Low Milk Supply Solutions

Feed your baby on demand from day one. During this time frequent and effective emptying of breasts controls the levels of milk production.
Continue to put your baby to the breast as often as possible.
Pump after each feeding after or between feedings to stimulate your breasts to make more milk.
Add herbal breastfeeding teas to your diet to promote relaxation and support a healthy breast milk supply. One of the most popular choices is the Organic Mother’s Milk Tea by Traditional Medicinals. Always ensure to consult your doctor before starting any herbal supplements.

Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet full of breast milk producing foods (such as oatmeal, ginger, garlic, fennel, etc.).
Drink enough fluids.
Get plenty of rest and try to reduce stress.
Certain medications such as antihistamines counteract with milk production. If you are using antihistamines or estrogen-based birth control consult your doctor for alternatives.

4. Poor Latch

A poor latch is one of the last things we want to happen.

Without a proper latch your nipples will be more prone to cracking and bleeding, milk production will likely decrease, and you will have a fussy hungry baby in your hands.

Although babies are born with the innate ability to “suck”, latching is something that takes practice and A LOT of trial and error.

Possible latching problems and solutions

Proper latching

Before we can discuss the potential latching issues, is important to have an idea of what a proper latch is.

Proper Latch

You’ll know you’ve got a proper latch if your baby’s chin and tip of her nose are touching your breast.

You’ll also notice the baby’s lips have a good mouth full of your breast instead of just your nipple.

Once the feeding begins and you’ve got the proper latch, your baby will fall right into the rhythmic suck-swallow-breath pattern of suckling.

With a good latch you shouldn’t hear clicking noises and should see rhythmic jaw movements instead of lip movements.

With a good latch your breasts should empty out effectively and breastfeeding should not be painful.

To get a proper latch ensure the baby is properly aligned to your body (more on positioning next).

Then, once the baby opens his mouth wide and tongue is down, introduce your breast in his mouth.

If he does not open wide don’t try to force it. You can try to get him to open his mouth again by tickling his lower lip with your nipple. Once he opens wide, introduce your breast again.

If he latches successfully, you should see all the signs of a proper latch described earlier.

If you don’t, break suction by gently putting your finger into the corner of her mouth, and try again.

Now, let’s take a look at possible factors that might be interfering with achieving a good latch.

Positioning

If either baby or you aren’t properly aligned to one another, it makes it harder for baby to get a good latch.

Here are some basic breastfeeding positioning guidelines:

Help the baby latch by having a good under arm support (a nursing pillow will be your best friend). That will help draw the baby up and closer to your breast.
Don’t take the breast to the baby. The baby should come towards you.
Baby’s face and body should all be facing you (a tummy to tummy position).

Flat or inverted nipples

Having a flat or inverted nipple can make it more difficult, but not impossible, for baby to latch on.

Try pumping a few times a day. Pumping can help draw out the nipple.

You can also try using nipple shields. Nipple shields are flexible silicone nipples are also used in helping lactating moms with flat or inverted nipples.

Nipple shields are meant to only be used temporarily. So, once your baby is able to latch on herself and breastfeed effectively nipple shield should no longer be used.

5. Going back to Work

One of the breastfeeding problems many moms face is their desire to continue breastfeeding after returning to work.

Having a clear plan of action can make that possible.

Going Back to Work Breastfeeding Solutions

Getting Ready

By the time you return to work breastfeeding should be well established.
You can begin by offering small bottle feeds to get the baby used to taking the bottle while you are away.
Talk to your employer ahead of time about your plans to pump at work.
Have good, portable, friendly pump. A lifesaver for me was the Medela Pump in Style Advanced with On the Go Tote. It comes with all you need to make the back to work pumping experience more convenient and hassle-free.

Back to work

Set the alarm to pump when the baby “would have been feeding”. Try to plan for three 15 mins pumping session on an 8-hour work day.
You can pump on the same bottles at different pumping sessions on the same day as long as you keep the bottles chilled.
Try to breastfeed often when you are home with the baby (nighttime feedings boost supply so take advantage of that).

An amazing and inexpensive resource which walks you step-by-step through transitioning to back-to-work pumping is The Ultimate Back to Work Pumping Class from Milkology.

ADDITIONAL BREASTFEEDING RESOURCES

Conclusion

Breastfeeding problems are common. Breastfeeding is a journey that takes time and patience to master.

If you encounter any of these breastfeeding issues, try working through the above solutions to help you through it.

If nothing you do works, contacting a lactation consultant in your area can help you assess potential breastfeeding problems and get you back on track.

What breastfeeding problems have you encountered and where you able to find a successful solution?

5 Memorable and Bonding Outdoor Spring Activities for Kids and Parents

March 22, 2019 by Nataly

Spring is in the air and what better way to celebrate than to make some everlasting memories by doing these memorable outdoors Spring activities for kids and parents.

Spring reminds me of new beginnings.

Flowers blooms, ducklings hatch, and butterflies break out of their cocoons.

Why don’t we as parents, use this time to reset and renew our efforts in making everlasting memories with our children.

This spring I want to grant you with 5 memorable and inexpensive outdoor spring activities that your children will remember for a lifetime.

Now, I know many parents will likely skim trough this article just to get an overall idea of what all 5 outdoor spring activities are….

However, I assure you, you are going to want to read it in full detail.

Below, will give ideas you can implement to turn a regular spring activity into childhood memories your children remember forever.

The goal with all 5 activities is to be a more present parent and practicing mindful parenting for the length of each activity.

That will ensure that your parent-child relationships will bloom like Spring flowers for years to come.

Ready? Lets begin…

5 Bonding Outdoor Spring Activity for Kids and Parents

* This post may contain affiliate links. Click here for more info.

1. Go on a Picnic

Spring is the perfect time of the year to have picnics at the park.

The weather is nice, the birds are chirping… I mean, beautiful.

But how is this memorable? Well, it could be all on its own. But, let’s kick it up a notch.

The Spring Activities Game Plan

Fill up a picnic basket with friendly foods and other essentials.

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, here is an example:

Picnic basket
A picnic blanket
Sandwich
Fruits
Water/Juice
Utensils
Napkins
Ice (optional)
Portable speaker to put on nice music

Then, pick up your child from school.

Yes, personally.

They will LOVE this, specially if you don’t normally do this. You get brownie points if you pick them up early.

Now don’t be alarm to hear them say, “What’s wrong mom? Why are you here”?

Tell them that you planned something special for them because you love them, and they deserve it.

Then, set out to your beautiful picnic with the person you love most on this universe.

Use this time to:

Listen to them
Ask them about their day
Read a book while you are there
Talk about old happy memories
Make plans for another date
Read them a letter you wrote for them

I guarantee you, this is day they will NEVER forget. After all, believe it or not, all your child wants is to be with you!

Note: If you have more children you can opt to do it as a family or choose to do it individually to have a one-on-one time with each.

Gear up

2. Plants Flowers

The idea of planting a living organism and watching it grow is remarkable.

Spring is a great time to plant flowers or a tree with your children and make it a fun and learning experience.

Here is how we make it special…

The Spring Activities Game Plan

Have your child go with you to select the flowers
Allow to them to pick the color and the pot (if using one)
Read the instruction together and go over basic flower care rules (most flowers come with their own instructions)

Use this time to:

Teach your child about nature, life, animals and our human responsibility to care for them and respect them
Create a temporary schedule for when they will water the plants

Gear up

Kids Gardening Set

3. Go on a hike

Hikes are so much fun and one of the must-do outdoor Spring activities for kids.

These days our children are constantly surrounded by electronics and other means of entertainment.

It is important that we dedicate time to help them get the exercise they need and at the same time get some fresh air.

Getting out of the school, work, chores, homework routine helps to reset and unwind.

So, a spring hike sound exactly what the doctor ordered.

Now, I know we all don’t have fancy hiking trails with beautiful tall forests trees.

I would know, I live in South Florida!

But there are plenty of parks that have walking an biking trails you can enjoy together.

You can also just stroll around the neighborhood. We do that often and my kids love it.

The Spring Activities Game Plan

This is another activity you can personally pick up your child from school for.

In addition, preparing a few snacks and even a picnic basket will be a good idea.

Going for a walk is the perfect time to apply present parenting techniques and interact and engage with your child.

Simply engage with them by talking to them about what they see.

The simple fact of being with them, while breathing is some fresh air, away from phones, TV, and technology, is an amazing feeling.

4. Play in the Rain

Alright, alright! I know this might not be the ideal scenario for most parents.

Kids getting wet, mud all over the place, and a pile of wet laundry clothes.

However, I guarantee you it will be a memory for the record books.

Some of my fondest childhood memories are about paying in the rain.

The Spring Activities Game Plan

On a rainy day, ask your kids if they would like to go play in the rain.

If you are anything like me (a clean and tidy freak of nature) your children will think you’re hallucinating. And when they realize that you are in fact serious, they will love you forever.

I mean think about it! Imagine you are a child and you parents literally offered to let you play in the rain! You would be jumping for joy and would tell all of your friends the next day in school.

Had my parents volunteered to let me play in the rain I would have been static. That never happen obviously, my sibling and I used to sneak out the back door to play in the rain. Shhhh..

You can opt to give them rain coats, and rain boots so they can splash in puddles. Or you can opt to go old school and let them run around in the rain in their underwear, haha.

Use this time to:

Interact with them! Be part of the fun, be part of their happy moment.

Get wet, have fun, enjoy your children.

It let’s them know that they can bring their guard down and just be! That they can be present and in the moment with you.

Gear up

5. Go Butterfly Catching

This is another childhood memory for me, and I am happy to say that my children love it just as much.

Around our house, there are usually small yellow butterflies that linger around grassy areas all year-round.

But in spring time, they multiply by the dozen.

When we walk around the neighborhood there is a big patch of grass that usually has a lot of them. The kids call it the butterfly garden, and that’s where we do most of our butterfly catching.

Note: We never, under any circumstances injure a butterfly or are careless about how we handle them.

The goal of this Spring activity is to play along side them, catch them to take a closer look by putting them in a breathable container for a few minutes, and then release them back in to nature.

I teach this to my children over and over and they like to thank the butterflies after our butterfly catching activity.

The Spring Activities Game Plan

Locate a place where butterflies linger.

Usually grassy areas where there are blooming flowers.

If your kids have never done this before it will be a new and fun activity.

My kids have done it multiple times and every time they love it just as much.

Take your butterfly nets and your butterfly houses.

Depending were you go you might also want to take drinking water. Believe me, this butterfly catching situations can get competitive.

Note: Another alternative to this Spring activity is to take them to a Butterfly Garden. We have a place by our house called “Butterfly World” and it is a great activity to experience with your children.

Use this time to:

Enjoy the moment with them
Be part of their experience
Teach them about nature
Teach them to be gentle

Gear up

Conclusion

Children grow, fast!

Outdoor Spring activities allow us to pause our crazy daily routines and enjoy our children.

Make the commitment this Spring to play out one of these memorable Spring activities for kids by implementing every detail.

Make it special for them. Don’t let this be another regular activity.

Make it memorable, make it fun, make it special and everlasting.

Trust me when I tell you, they will remember it forever.

What outdoor Spring activities for kids do you love? Which ones do you remember from your childhood?

Pin for later…

13 Postpartum Care Tips and Instructions to Heal Faster After Vaginal Delivery

March 19, 2019 by Nataly

Postpartum care can be a trialing time for most new moms. Next, we will go over important postpartum care tips to ensure you heal faster after vaginal delivery.

Let’s face it, pregnancy was exhausting, giving birth was a major undertaking, and postpartum recovery can prove to be a bit much.

Yes, that is the price we pay for growing, carrying, and giving birth to a human. So, you my friend, are nothing less than incredible!

However, there are many things we can do on our end to speed and ease our postpartum recovery if we know what to expect after birth and how to tackle it.

So, let’s make sure that you get back to being your incredible self faster after your vaginal delivery by applying these tried and true postpartum recovery tips.

13 Postpartum Care Tips after Vaginal Delivery

* This post may contain affiliate links. Click here for more info.

1. Use a peri bottle and cleansing sprays

I cannot stress enough how important this is.

If you have a vaginal birth you might feel like an 18-wheeler just ran over your lady friend!

Okay, maybe that was a bit graphic. But trust me, you will know exactly what I mean.

Vaginal deliveries are no strangers to possible tearing (internal, external), stretching, episiotomy, and so on.

Although the extent and degree of discomfort varies from women to women, discomfort will be almost inevitable.

Using a peri bottle will help you cleanse your perineal area without having to wipe the already irritated area.There are also cleansing sprays to help soothe and clean your perineal area.

Earth Mama Herbal Spray is a great natural alternative and an Amazon favorite as it is made with organic herbs and no parabens, butane, propellants, or artificial fragrance.

Peri bottles and cleansing sprays are a great way to keep your lady parts clean, cool, and happy.

POSTPARTUM CLEANSING CARE INSTRUCTIONS:

Use the peri-bottle and/or cleansing spray to clean your perineal area every time you use the toilet
Fill your peri bottle with warm water to ease discomfort
You can opt to use the peri bottle with warm water after you urinate, and the cleansing spray after a bowel movement

2. Witch Hazel

Witch hazel pads are a MUST on every postpartum recovery care kit.

The witch hazel pads were a lifesaver after I had my son and the ONLY thing that provided some sort of perineal comfort.

After 45 minutes of pushing, a bad case of hemorrhoids, an internal tear and a few stitches, witch hazel was my saving grace.

Witch hazel pads help soothe and heal the peritoneal area and hemorrhoids faster.

Witch hazel is widely known for its ability to ease inflammation, soothe sensitive skin, and for its antiviral properties.

Try to stick to organic witch hazel pads.

Your perineal area is already compromised so ensuring you are using natural and non-toxic postpartum care products (specially while breastfeeding) is ideal.

Cool Comfort Pads from Naticare have organic witch hazel and aloe. These pads are also non-GMO, Paraben free and chemical-free.

POSTPARTUM CARE INSTRUCTIONS:

After cleansing your perineum put a new witch hazel pad (or two) on your maxi pad with every pad change.
You can also opt to put the witch hazel pads directly on your affected areas and then putting the maxi pad to lock it in place.

3. Tap don’t wipe

This might seem like an obvious postpartum care tip, but you’ll be surprised as to how easy it is to forget it.

When we use the toilet, we might do things on autopilot. That is why is important to remember to tap the perineal area instead of wiping it in the first few days postpartum.

Another great practice is to use cleansing water wipes, since toilet paper material tends to get stuck… well, down there.

Water wipes are also ideal for your baby as they are a natural baby product composed of only 99% water with a touch of grapefruit seed extract to guard off mold.

We buy them in bulk and are a must in my house for our entire family.

POSTPARTUM CARE INSTRUCTIONS:

Right after every perineal cleanse, ensure to tap the area dry. Many times, I wiped instead of tapping and trust me, that wasn’t pretty!
Use water wipes as you start to heal to clean the area throughout and avoid leaving toilet paper residue.

Related: The Best Baby Natural Products List

4. Spray and numbing creams

In the first few days postpartum you might also need numbing sprays to go along with your witch hazel pads.

Your heath care provider will make an assessment and decide if you need a medicated spray to help with your perineal pain and discomfort.

Consult with your doctor if you are opting to breastfeed before using any medicated sprays.

NUMBING SPRAYS INSTRUCTIONS:

After each perineal cleanse, spray the area few times and apply witch hazel pads on top of your maxi pads.

5. Maxi pads

Following birth your uterus will continue to expel bodily fluids.

Keep handy a good amount of maxi pads postpartum. They can go pretty fast since you should be changing your pads and cleansing the area often. Specially in the first few days.

A great maxi pad option are the Menstrual Overnight Pads (Certified Organic Cotton) by Rael. They are made with 100% organic, OCS certified, non-GMO Texas cotton grown and nurtured without the use of toxins, pesticides or synthetic chemicals.

You can should also keep disposable bed mats in bed for the first few days to prevent staining your bed sheets.

Related: The Ultimate Postpartum Care Kit for New Moms (All Natural and Non-toxic)

6. Ice packs

After a vaginal delivery, your perineal area will need as much tender loving care as possible.

The first few hours postpartum not only has your body undergone a major physical change, but it will commence the healing process.

That all results in swelling and discomfort as your body attempts to repair and restored damaged tissue.

ICE PACK POSTPARTUM CARE INSTRUCTIONS:

To reduce swelling and bring soothing relief apply ice to the affected area 48 hrs following delivery or for as long as needed
You can use an ice pack, or a frozen pea bag wrapped in a small towel or cloth
Ensure you apply cold therapy intermittently (10 mins on-off)
You can also use maxi pads with a built-in cold pack

7. Prevent and treat constipation

Constipation is a common postpartum issue caused by multiple factors (iron supplements, pain medication and dehydration).

If you developed hemorrhoids as a result of childbirth, incorporating a stool softener to your postpartum recovery care kit will not be a bad idea.

Here are a few other ideas to help prevent and relieve constipation.

CONSTIPATION POSTPARTUM CARE INSTRUCTIONS:

Consider going short walks in your early postpartum day (if ok with your doctor)
Increasing high fiber foods (pear, apples, avocados, lentils, quinoa)
Drinking plenty of water
Use Colace if needed

Colace is a stool softener said to be safe to take while breastfeeding (source), although you should always consult with your healthcare provider to before taking any medication.

8. Postpartum Belly Bands

Using a postpartum belly bands helps keep things in place as your belly shrinks back to size.

They also aid with postpartum discomfort, swelling, and circulation by means of compression.

Two common and popular options are:

9. Sitz Baths

Sitz baths are another great postpartum care kit product essential.

It not only helps cleanse the perineum, but it relieves itching, irritation, and minor pain.

In addition, the warm water used along the sitz baths help increase blood flow to the perineal area which can promote faster healing.

Making a sitz bath part of your postpartum care routine is essential to faster postpartum healing.

Sitz Baths Soak (organic) from Purasoothe is a great choice.

It is made of organic lavender, coconut and sweet almond oils, organic vitamin E, witch hazel, and organic frankincense which promote healing and relief discomfort naturally.

Always ensure is ok with your doctor to do sitz baths postpartum.

POSTPARTUM SITZ BATH INSTRUCTIONS:

Fill the tub with a 3-4 inches of warm water (make sure the tub is clean)
Add the sitz bath soak
Soak for a few minutes (15 to 20 minutes)
Tap dry

If you opt for the Sitz bath kit, follow the same process. The difference is that you will be soaking your perineal area in a basin placed in your toilet seat instead of the tub.

You can repeat this process 2-3 a day as needed.

10. Take care of you breasts

The are a lot of remedies out there for postpartum perineal healing and comfort relief.

Fairly so!

However, breast discomfort, engorgement, and even pain can also prove to be quite the challenge postpartum.

If you opt to breastfeed, the first few days/weeks your body will start producing more and more milk to meet the demands of your growing baby.

Until your body starts to regulate the supply your baby needs, you might feel your breast full, warm, achy, and even tingly (during “let-down” as the baby sucks).

POSTPARTUM BREAST CARE INSTRUCTIONS:

Take a warm shower and slowly message your breast to hand express excess milk
After the shower feed baby or pump to decompress breasts
Apply cold compresses to your breasts after feedings for 10 minutes at a time (cold can reduce swelling and inflammation)

You can still experience some of these symptoms if you aren’t breastfeeding. Therefore, applying the same techniques will also help.

If your breasts become extremely engorged, painful, you are unable to feed baby, and/or you develop a fever… contact your healthcare provider.

Related: 5 Common Breastfeeding Problems and How to Fix Them ASAP!

11. Kegel Exercises

As if all the above weren’t enough to deal with, postpartum incontinence can also be an issue.

But, don’t worry. There is something you can do to help with that.

Kegel exercises can help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and help with incontinence after birth.

So, what is a Kegel exercise? Think for a second if you really have to pee but have to hold it instead. The contraction that happens in our efforts to hold the urine in place is a Kegel.

We tend to do this contraction on demand, but we can also do it voluntarily to increase the strength and endurance of our pelvic floor muscles.

POSTPARTUM KEGEL EXERCISE INSTRUCTIONS:

Here are the instructions Sutter Health recommends you follow:

Gently tighten and then relax the muscles of your perineum (you can do this lying down or sitting)
Start with 2-3 seconds per tightening, then 5-10 seconds
End by holding your contraction for 20 seconds
Begin with 2-3 contractions per session and build up to holding 5 contractions several times per day

12. Opt for a good postpartum nutrition

After giving birth your body undergoes many changes.

Eating colorful produce, healthy proteins, fats, and certain grains will provide you energy, help you combat anemia and accelerate wound healing.

Here are a few examples:

Green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, broccoli)
Vitamin C packed fruits (berries, citrus fruits, kiwi, and pineapples)
Healthy proteins (organic eggs, organic chicken, grass-fed beef and wild salmon)
Whole and sprouted grains (rice, quinoa, oats)
Nutsand seeds (almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, brazil nuts)
Healthy oils (olive and coconut)
Legumes (black beans and chickpeas)

Some women continue taking their prenatal vitamins for a few weeks postpartum as additional supplement, especially if they will be breastfeeding.

Ask your healthcare provider if he/she recommends you continue taking dietary supplements postpartum.

I would also like to add that there is no shame in opting for that frozen lasagna aunt Tracie dropped off 2 days ago. Sometimes, in the early postpartum recovery days the goal is also to survive the newborn phase!

13. Walk it out

It is important to note that although exercise might be off-limits for the first few weeks postpartum, being active is important.

Walking postpartum can help prevent clots from forming (particularly if you had a c-section). Walking can also help ease and prevent constipation and guard against baby blues.

POSTPARTUM CARE INSTRUCTIONS:

Walk around your neighborhood
Walk around the house
Remember to stay hydrated

Related: 11 Things to Expect After Giving Birth and Practical Tips to Heal Faster

Conclusion

The postpartum recovery period can feel daunting and overwhelming.

After all, not only do you have to care for yourself and all of the aforementioned postpartum challenges, but you must also take care of a newborn baby.

By following these postpartum care tips and instructions you can help speed up the postpartum recovery process after a vaginal delivery and get back to feeling like yourself sooner.

Remember that postpartum recovery is a phase, and that it too shall pass.

The most important thing to remember is that you must take care of yourself so that you can take care of baby.

Happy mamma, happy baby.

See you in the next phase of motherhood. 😊

What postpartum care tips are you thinking of implementing after your vaginal delivery?

Types of Sunscreens Lotions for Kids

Mineral sunscreens

Non-mineral sunscreens

Harmful ingredients in sunscreen

EWG’S Rating System

5 Best Sunscreen Lotions for Kids (Non-Toxic)

1. Adorable Baby by Loving Naturals

2. Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen

3. All Good Kid’s Sunscreen Lotion

4. Thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen

5. Badger Kid’s Sunscreen Cream

In Summary

New Mom Survival Guide: Newborn Days

1. Postpartum Care

2. Sleep when the baby sleeps

3. Minimize visitors

4. Ask for Help

5. Dishes Can Wait

6. Meal Prep, Freezer Meals, and Batch Cooking

7. Bassinet or Playpen

8. Breastfeeding

Related Articles:

In Summary

5 Harmful Things You use Daily

1. Air Fresheners and Scented Candles

AIR FRESHENERS

CANDLES

SAFER AND HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES

2. Pots and Pans

HEALTHIER AND SAFER ALTERNATIVES

CAST IRON

STAINLESS STEEL

GLASS

CERAMIC

CERAMIC COATING

100% CERAMIC

3. Cleaning Products

HEALTHIER AND SAFER ALTERNATIVES

4. Mattresses

HEALTHIER AND SAFER ALTERNATIVES

CRIB MATTRESSES

REFERENCES:

5. Makeup

HEALTHIER AND SAFER ALTERNATIVES

In Summary

9 Household Items List For Moms

1. Coffee Maker

2. Electric Pressure Cooker

3. Vacuum

4. Clothing Steamer

5. Electric Tea Pot

6. Durable and Non-Toxic Cookware

7. The Tumbler

8. Blender and Food Processor Combo

9. All-Natural and Non-toxic Cleaning Products

In Conclusion

But how can we teach gratefulness to our children?

How to Raise Grateful Children

1. Lead by example

Gratefulness activities for parent to lead by example:

2. A Thankful Mural

Thankful Mural Gratefulness Activity

3. Volunteering

Volunteering gratefulness activities

4. Donation

Donating gratefulness activity

5. Set an allowance

Setting an allowance gratefulness activity

6. Count your blessings

Counting your blessings gratefulness activity

7. Gratitude Journal

Gratitude Journal Activity

Additional Resources

Final Thoughts

Related Articles:

My Natural Cleaning Product Story

What is EWG?

EWG Scoring System?

The Best Natural Cleaning Products

Air Freshener