Losing Weight After 3 Kids Part 1

When it comes to losing weight it is simple, but it is not easy! It is going to take some dedication on your part. You can take the weight loss pills and drinks, however, they are not going to be sustainable. In many cases you will end up back where you started. I have had 3 children and this is what I did to loose a substantial amount of weight.

Change your food 

Make your meal simple. Protein, fruits, vegetables, and one grain. This will make grocery shopping quick and easy. I love to get creative and get inspiration by looking at youtube channels that are based on healthy cooking. If you just stick to a protein and a few veggies for dinner with fruit (homemade sorbet) paired with exercise the weight will come off. 

Stop eating so much white bread including donuts, dinner rolls, and sandwich bread. Your body converts this stuff to sugar. Try gluten free breads if you just have to have it. Your body and your ego will thank you for it.

Drink Water

You are going to need to drink ALOT of water! There is no doubt about it. You gut may stick out because there is residue in there from years of toxin build up. Do yourself a favor and drink at least 6 (16oz) bottles of water. This will help your body digest your food and it will help your body rid itself of toxins.

While trying to lose weight we fall short because of all of the empty calories that we are consuming in our beverages. Our coffee creamer, our store purchased juices are laden with calories! Do your self a favor and drink water or a freshly squeezed juice to quinch your thirst!

Meal Prep

As a busy mom it is difficult at times it is hard to eat right. That is why it is vital to prep your meals for the week. Some moms go as far as prepping for the entire month. They may make a home made soup or a vegetarian lasagna or a veggie casserole for the weeks ahead. Here are some great storage containers 

To stay on track have your tupperware in place and pack it up for the week. Do not forget your snacks. Guacamole and veggie chips are a good snack. So is hummus and gluten free bread.

How to Make Your Own Baby Food

When it comes to your baby's health and nutrition it is so important to get as close to nature as you possibly can.

There are many lines of baby food that is on the market. However, I want to expose moms like you to another alternative, making your own baby food.

The benefit is that you know what is in it. There are no added chemicals and preservatives. It is also cost effective to make your own baby food as opposed to buying small $1.20 bottles of baby food. That equals  a little over $33 a week. Which is then $134.40 per month on the conservative side.

Making baby food is really easy! All you need to do is get fresh fruits and veggies, wash, peel (optional), steam/boil, puree!

I like to take a batch of carrots, clean them, (6-8carrots) boil them, and puree them. A bag of organic carrots at my store costs less than $2.50 for lb which I can make the equivilent of 10 store purchased jars baby food. Saving my family a lot of money 25 cents per jar versus $1.20 a jar!! You do the math!

You can use the Magic Bullet Baby Bullet Baby Care System to do it. Or you can use your small food processor. \

Storage of homemade baby food

I like to store the baby food in small glass mason jars or silicone baby molds. Like the green one in the picture below. You can always freeze the extra for a later date!

Click the picture below for more info on this baby food storage option!!!

3 Potential Causes of Ezcema

There are many reports out there that state that the cause of eczema is unknown. I have to state that I am not a doctor. However, I will also have to state that I believe that eczema is curable, you just need to know what is causing it to occur.

The purpose of this post is to shine a light on what could be causing your child's eczema.

Laundry Detergent

Children have really sensitive skin especially newborns. It is important that you take the time to understand and know what is in the laundry detergent that you are using for your child's bedding and clothing.

Many people will be surprised that the brands that are "baby" brands are not friendly or gentle when it comes to the baby's skin. It is important to look out for laundry detergents that have surfactants in them. Also, look out for colorings, and dyes. These will all cause your baby to have skin irritations.

Look for a brand that is all natural and uses natural ingredients. My favorite laundry detergent to use for my family is The Honest Brand by Jessica Alba. I noticed a substantial difference in my son's eczema once we started using this brand.

Click here to try the  Honest Brand >>The Honest Company Laundry Detergent - Free & Clear - 70 oz

Bath Soap

When purchasing a soap for your child it is important to use a soap that is absolutely gentle yet effective.

Many of the soaps on the market have so many additives and colorants that they make eczema worse!

Some of the cheap soaps you definitely want to stay away from. Instead, you should try a soap like Dove Beauty Bar, Sensitive Skin. This soap is mild yet effective for your baby's skin

Food

When it comes to food it is going to take some trial and error. I learned grains cause my son's eczema to flair up. It is really unfortunate because he loves oatmeal. 

But, I learned that the oatmeal was causing his eczema. It is vital that you make sure that your child has their fair share of fruits, veggies, and water! No substitutes. If you take a close look at their progress you will be able to possibly identify what is causing the flair ups.

Which Breast Pump is the Best Breast Pump?

I have tried 3 different breast pumps with my last pregnancy and I must tell you that no breast pump  is made alike. Some are way more effective than others. So before you buy a breast pump you need to be well informed on what you are getting. One great tip is that you want to save yourself some time and effort by getting a double pump. Pumping is already double the time, because of the clean up of the bottles and pump parts vs. just putting the baby directly on the breast.

Also, there are some places that we allow you to rent hospital grade breast pumps for a monthly or weekly fee.

Hands down the best pump that I have used is the Medela Symphony Hospital grade pump.The retail cost was way out of my range $1,500 to be exact. However.

I was able to rent it for $20/wk. I have heard some ladies say that they were able to rent it for $50 a month. So it really depends on the hospital and your area.


Medela Freestyle Breast Pump

A great affordable pump would have to be the Medela Free Style Breast pump. It is alot more affordable than the hospital grade and it is manufactured by the same company. One thing that you want in a breast pump is good suction. The suction is everything because that is going to help increase your milk supply and empty out your breast when it is time. If you have a breast pump that lacks good suction it is no bueno! You can purchase the Free Style on Amazon.


Nature's Bond

One breast pump that I was absolutely disappointed in was the Nature's Bond Double pump. That is due to the fact that the suction power on the machine was very poor. Maybe I was became to fond of the Medela hospital grade.

However, I purchased Nature's Bond because it had some great reviews. But it did not do me too well.

Crowd Birthing?

There is a new phenomenon going on called crowd birthing. When I first heard the name...I thought that it was a group of pregnant moms to be going into labor. However, it is not as bad as I thought. But, I do not think that I would do it.

Today more and more women are giving birth to children with over 8 people in the delivery room. We live in the new age of sharing everything with the world...from our birthdays to our greatest disappointments on the web for everyone to see.

I want to know if you would crowd birth or not...and let us know why or why not! We would love to hear from you!

Check out more about crowd birthing here.

Learn how to get free diaper samples.

Sex after Pregnancy

After my 1st baby was born I experienced the trauma and I did not know that I experienced the trauma until later....

My son's head was so large that it ruptured my vagina. I tore, I had to get a second degree incision (I got cut open), he had to be vacuumed out, and I had to get stitches. To say the least I was depressed. I thought that I would never be able to enjoy sex again.

That was until I started doing some research. I found out that I could do exercises to strengthen my pelvic floor and tighten back up my vagina. I spent a little over $100 on a Kegel Master device. Now they are not that expensive, and this device works beautifully.

At that point and time, sex was so bad that I was desperate to try it. I must say that it did help tremendously. I used it 2 to 3 times a day for 6 weeks....that was 6 weeks after I had my baby.

My husband and I both notice the difference. But, nowadays you do not have to pay $100 to get your sex life back after having a baby. There are so many affordable alternatives now that give you the same results.

You can do the Kegel exercises without devices or weights but I would highly recommend the weights because they will make your vagina stronger!

Without Devices:

When you are sitting up straight contract your vagina muscles like you are stopping and starting the stream of going to the restroom (#1). And, you just keep doing it over and over again. Then you can do this about 3 times a day for 5 - 10 minutes

Here are some great devices that will help you:

Kegel Master 2000

Intifit Premium Kegel Ball Exercise Training Kit

There are a number of other kits and devices on the market but these work very well. I hope that you fine success in getting your body back the way that you want it!

Learn how to get FREE diaper samples.

How to Get Rid of Baby Eczema

One of the most frustrating things about ezcema is that it is becoming more and more common. However, doctors are unsure of how it develops in babies. Essentially, what we do know about eczema is that it is the excessive drying of skin. This skin will peel excessively. Sometimes the dryness is so bad that their are large amounts of flakes of the baby's skin in the crib where he is.

I speak from experience, all 3 of my boys have had eczema in the beginning. However, I learned quickly how to get rid of a medium case of eczema without a doctor's prescription.

Here are some ways that I have found that really help you to control eczema



Use a Natural Body Wash/Soap

When it comes to getting rid of your baby's eczema you need to know that the regular popular brand body wash/soap will not help your baby. It may actually exacerbate the condition of your baby's eczema.

Using a natural soap/body wash will help with that. Most body wash/soaps have lye and sulfates in them. This is very drying to the skin. However, there is a soap bar that you can buy for your baby that is made out of plantains ash as opposed to lye. And, it is sulfate free. It will not dry out your baby's skin. It is called Shea Moisture African Black Soap Bar.

If you do not like using soap bars then their is a body wash just for babies that Shea Moisture makes. Check it out here.

Use Extra Hydrating Moisturizers

It is very important that you use a moisturize that will actually hydrate the baby's skin and penetrate deep. One product that I found to be helpful is Eucerin. It is absolutely amazing what this product can do for your baby's skin. In fact, if you baby has a severe case of eczema it is a good chance that your doctor will want you to use mix Eucerin with the steroid prescription that they will give you. That has been the case for me and my first 2 boys.

Coconut oil and Shea butter are 2 other great products that will help with the treatment for eczema. My favorite coconut oil is the Spectrum Unrefined brand because the great benefits of the oil are still present in the oil because it did not go through the refining process.

Moisturize Baby Immediately After Baths

It is very important that you moisturize your baby's skin immediately after you bath him. This is due to the fact that after we bathe our skin pores are open and this is the time to apply the best moisturizing lotions and creams.

When you are dealing with eczema, it is vital that you moisturize your baby's skin not only after a bath but 2 more times in a day.

I hope that my tips help your baby's skin eczema. They definitely worked for me!