Yikes! Evocative title, huh? Please read before you flame – I think you’ll find my post is much less about Nestle, per se, and more about my overall philosophy.With Easter coming up this weekend it becomes even harder to avoid purchasing Nestle products (here’s a list of Nestle brands – and don’t think just food. Loreal, for example, is a brand owned by Nestle). I do avoid purchasing Nestle products but I do not promote the International Boycott of Nestle that began in 1977 publically. I think of this everytime… Continue reading Why I Don’t Boycott Nestle
This week marks the 14th anniversary of passage of the U.S. Female Genital Mutilation Act of 1996. This law made it illegal to practice genital mutilation, sometimes called female circumcision, on any girl under 18. However, it is still permitted, and even encouraged by some, to practice male genital mutilation on infant boys, sometimes called male circumcision. Genital Integrity Awareness week is held annually to advocate for an end to this needless and dangerous cosmetic surgery to baby boys. What can you do? Sign the petition to ask the CDC to not… Continue reading Genital Integrity Awareness Week
My mom pays me the greatest compliment when she tells me what a calm, confident mother I am. I know she means “you are such an uptight freak normally!” LOL. I take no offense because it is completely true. I tend to over think and worry myself sick. With Aellyn I’m just not. I can’t explain it except to say I feel this overwhelming rightness. I was born to be her mother. It is what I was meant to do and I just know that I will do it right. Not… Continue reading The Gift of Infertility
I was up late last night watching Healthcare pass! So exciting*! In this political climate (read: people grandstanding instead of working towards compromise) getting it done in 14 months is really admirable. Here are some of the immediate changes:
- Prohibit pre-existing condition exclusions for children in all new plans;
- Provide immediate access to insurance for uninsured Americans who are uninsured because of a pre-existing condition through a temporary high-risk pool;
- Prohibit dropping people from coverage when they get sick in all individual plans;
- Lower seniors’ prescription drug prices by beginning to close the
Everyone knows that pink is for girls and blue is for boys right? It is almost impossible to find gender neutral clothing for newborns and increasingly through childhood. But it wasn’t always that way.
Pink used to be the preferred color for boys. In the November 1927 Time Magazine reported on the birth of a baby girl to Belgium’s Princess Astrid: “The cradle . . . had been optimistically oufitted in pink, the color for boys, that for a… Continue reading The Cult of Pink
My perfect miracleAfter the first few years of infertility you no longer get a punch in the gut when you see a baby – you learn over time to gird yourself for the inevitable heartache of smelling that newborn scent. If you get really good you develop intricate ways to never even be around when a new baby comes a-visitin’.I am so blessed to have my own beautiful baby now. I now routinely browse Aellyn’s infant pictures and revel in the wonder of her and of my luck. Normally I can keep any… Continue reading My Infertile Heart
March is National Reading Month! This is something I’m passionate about as a former teacher and current librarian – books are so important! Finding books that also support your parenting philosophy and worldview can be difficult. I’ve compiled a list of books for children that illustrate natural parenting as well as children’s books for assisted reproduction families! I’m using Amazon.com to organize my books and, should you want to purchase one and do so through one of these links, I get a small referral fee. However, you can also find a book you… Continue reading Children’s Books That Promote Natural Family Values
Unhappy babies, ignored chores, and their lazy, attention-seeking mothersOk, I give in. I’m going to blog about the horrifically asinine article in the New York Times about moms who blog. The article is empty of any actual journalism but the vacuum is filled to the brim with stereotypes, misogyny, and prejudice. Others have detailed the problems with the “article” very well (PhD in Parenting has a compilation of some of the best reviews). I have to be honest that if I were a newspaper I’d probably be a little pissy about the… Continue reading Don't Bother the Monolithic, Antiquated Newspaper, Honey, It's Too Busy Forsaking Journalistic Integrity In Favor of Sensationalized Perpetuation of Misinformation
In my part one I lauded the placenta for its uniqueness and powerful function. I also talked about how cultures around the world (and across time) have honored the placenta as mystical. Now I’d like to show you a variety of ways you can honor this life-giving organ! I think there is something in this list for everyone and every comfort level. I’m generally going to put them in an order from least to most “unusual” – defining unusual as… Continue reading The Amazing Placenta Part 2: Honoring the Tree of Life
I think that the placenta is a truly amazing thing that deserves a moment (or two) of your attention. Will you open your mind for a moment and let me sing the praises of this amazing organ?
Western culture tends to treat the placenta like a bodily excrement. Like a booger, ear wax, menstrual blood, a turd, a clipped fingernail, shaved hair, etc.. It isn’t like that at all though. It is a fully functional and complex organ. And, it is a very unique and interesting organ at that:
