Chicken Pox parties?

There was one thing I failed to mention about Soluna's 1 year appointment.

Don't call CPS on me, but when the Dr. told me to go straight to the 11th floor after our appointment to get Soluna the 4 scheduled vaccinations, I didn't do it. Instead we went downstairs, paid for parking, got into my car and headed home. I am not that hippie mama who decides her kid needs no vaccinations, but I got nervous and a little scared. Since Soluna was born, I felt this need to make things as natural as possible. In earlier blog posts I write about wanting to buy organic, choosing not to wear deodorant, and just saying "no" to formula. Vaccinations are just another unnatural thing that they tell us are good for our children, but just doesn't feel right to me.

Soluna is due for 4 vaccinations. Well it's 4 shots, 6 vaccinations: Mumps/Measles/Rubella, Hepatitis A, Flu and Chicken Pox. It's the last two that made me raise my eyebrows and sent me home to ask my husband what he thought about it first. We both had the flu plenty of times and know that we both had the chicken pox, but hardly even remember it. Why are we vaccinating ourselves for sicknesses that, for the most part, aren't so serious that generations of people just dealt with? Apparently, I am not the only one who questions this.

In a recent article in the New York Post explores the world of mamas who forgo some vaccinations and decide to have chicken pox parties to expose their kids to another sick kid. Kids fight off the chicken pox and gain good old-fashioned lifetime immunity.

What it boils down to is that, folks that trust "the system" are fine with vaccinations. They stay on schedule and don't think twice. But, when you come from a family and community that has often been screwed over by "the system" you start to question things and, often, aren't given good enough answers to ease your worries. Soluna has and will get vaccinations, because I know about some of the possible public health ramifications. But chicken pox and the flu? Are they really necessary?

brown hippie mama confession #4: i believe in breastfeeding toddlers

(Painting Credit: "Dependent Man" by Samantha Weber. www.samanthaweber.com)

This has been on my mind a lot lately. Most of my family and my husband's family breastfed their babies for less than a year. Most of my mama friends breastfed for a year to a year and a half. Only a handful of my friends breastfed until their babies were 2 years old or even longer.

Here and there I have heard little snips from family that leads me to believe that if a walking, talking Soluna jumps in my lap and I pull up my shirt to give her a snack, I will, mostly likely, raise a few eyebrows, hear a few snickers and, possibly, get a gasp or two.

But now that Soluna is 7 months old, I wonder what we'll do when the time comes. I love our breastfeeding relationship. For the most part, it calms me and her down, gives us time to rest during the day and I enjoy the time I have comforting her. It's not all roses of course and sometimes I wish I had more time in the day to do other things, but I chose to be a mother and want to give her the best start in life that I can possibly give her. It's only in the Americas where extended nursing is rare. Worldwide, children, on average, are breastfed until the age of 4.

Now what are the benefits of breastfeeding after a year?
Breastmilk is still liquid gold for toddlers. It enrichens a toddler's diet by providing protein, fat, energy, vitamins and minerals and passes even more of the mother's immunities. Research shows that toddlers that breastfeed get sick less often and for shorter time periods. And, beyond these kind of nutrition and health reasons, breastfeeding toddlers get comfort and security from breastfeeding. Ultimately, they are well nurtured and their emotional needs are met so that they can be more independent children and adults. (This country is always pushing for independence, which I think is so important for children and young adults. But, why do we push our babies into independence so early?) ... And some research even claims that the longer babies breastfeed the smarter they are! (From Sears & Sear's The Breastfeeding Book and Kellymom.com)

And, the "experts" agree ... (copied from kellymom.com)

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that "Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child... Increased duration of breastfeeding confers significant health and developmental benefits for the child and the mother... There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer." (AAP 2005)

A US Surgeon General has stated that it is a lucky baby who continues to nurse until age two. (Novello 1990)

The World Health Organization emphasizes the importance of nursing up to two years of age or beyond (WHO 1992, WHO 2002).

So as Soluna and I grow together, if we continue to breastfeed, I'm going to have to divert criticism and stand my ground. And hopefully, at the least, Soluna will someday learn that it's important to do what you believe is right and meanigful regardless of the attitudes of those around you and the discomfort they might have in your choices... Isn't that how we want to live our lives?

brown hippie mama confession #3

Benji says I better not be a tease and actually write some of these brown hippie mama confessions.

In case you missed the first two confessions:
#1: I actually like macrobiotic vegan food and I'd like to see my food and Soluna's food in its original form before eating.

#2: I shop at Berkeley Bowl to get organic produce!

So here goes #3: I've given up on regular deodorants.

There's something about the strong smells of regular deodorants that leads me to believe that all those chemicals aren't supposed to be applied to porous areas of your skin where they can seep into body. I just did a google search and there were a bunch of articles on this including this one. So maybe it's not just me.

But since I knew I would be breastfeeding, I phased out using regular deodorant during my pregnancy. I just didn't feel like rubbing those chemicals onto a part of my body so close to my breasts and close to where my baby eats. I've looked for more natural remedies or organic brands. None of these work. So, I try to shower and bathe more often, but I smell funky sometimes. And, I feel like I sweat more post-partum... *sigh* sacrifices of motherhood.

Now I've never found any articles about deodorant and its link to breast milk, so maybe I'm making this up... but it seems logical to me. If you know of any studies please send them my way.

on a more practical food note...

Today I made my first batches of baby food. I had practically been preparing Soluna's food at each meal. This meant, she ended up eating a lot of avocados. Avocados, I think, are the easiest baby food because all you gotta do is wait until it's ripe, cut it open, scoop the goods out, mash/stir and serve. Avocados are especailly good for healthy baby brain development and my sister says that her Brazilian friends say that it's perfect for fattening babies up!

So anyways, I finally got Soluna's baby food cups in the mail. I made a run to Berkeley Bowl (another hippie mama thing to do) and started making batches of pear and sweet potato baby food. I mean seperately, not together. It was hella easy.

I just steamed the pears (20 minutes) and sweet potatoes (40 minutes). Peeled and cut them up. Popped them into the blender. Pureed them until they were the right consistency. The sweet potatoes needed a little bit of water. And... Tada! Homemade, Super Baby Food. I scooped out the puree into the food cups I bought and popped them into the fridge.

We kept one of the pear cups out for Soluna to try.. not her favorite! I think this might be her first food rejection. But, we're going to try it again in a few days.

gerber vs. homemade baby food

So last weekend as I was mashing avocados at a diner while eating breakfast with my in-laws, my suegra asked why we weren't feeding Soluna Gerber baby food. She said it was made especially for babies. Of course, I didn't know it at the time. Unfortunately, "No habla Espanol!" ... I know, I suck. I really wish that I hadn't made the horrible decision to learn German in high school. Now, I am at a conversational disadvantage. I am reliant on Benji's translations that often come way after the conversation is over, sometimes in the car on the way home, or don't happen at all if he doesn't feel like it or doesn't want me to know what the heck is going on.

In response to the Gerber question, that I was pretty ready to answer, Benji must have mumbled something about how it was cheaper to make homemade food. Which is true, but only part of the reason why we have chosen to make our own food. Okay, not to bust out my Super Baby Food book again, but fresh homemade baby foods will always have fresh ingredients, will not contain extra salt or preservatives and is more food and less water. I found more information on this topic right here.

The other night I dragged Benji to Manzanita Restaurant, which is literally around the corner from our home. It's a macrobiotic vegan spot and I REALLY love it. I forgot how good a plain steamed sweet carrot tasted or how mung beans can be so rich in flavor. We have become so out of touch from the simple pleasures of simple foods. It is so nice and refreshing to have a plate full of food that hasn't been overly spiced or overly processed. My point is... Why can't it be natural to eat less food from boxes and jars? Shouldn't we all be eating more "whole foods" and wouldn't it be nice to see real fruits and vegetables more often? Especially for our littlest ones, isn't it better to go more natural. I think this is how it should be for me and for Soluna... and Benji, if he wants.

Lifestyle changes. God help me, I'm becoming a brown hippie! (More about my hippie-ness later. I have some mama confessions.)

GERBER

VS.
HOMEMADE

okay, neither looks appetizing... but you gotta taste for yourself!