My baby turned two years old on Sunday. Deep breath. When did that happen?! I can still remember giving birth to her at home, in our bedroom. Like it was yesterday. And the newborn snuggles! Oh, the newborn snuggles. I just cannot get enough. Those newborn days are so fleeting. You're so exhausted, and yet trying to just drink in every moment. The days just seem to fly by too fast. And you blink and she's not a baby anymore. She's two, and she's running and talking and growing into … [Read more...]
Where Should Baby Sleep? The Case for Co-Sleeping
"Is she sleeping through the night yet?" The worst question that could ever be asked of a new mom. EVER! Becuase, um, news flash: Babies don't (and shouldn't) really conform to our ideals of what it means to sleep for long periods without waking, at nighttime. I mean pretty much anyone who's ever had a baby, or taken care of someone else's baby, could probably tell you that. And yet, how a baby is sleeping is always at the very top of other people's priority list for your baby. So, you … [Read more...]
Breastfeeding: The Greenest Way to Feed Your Baby {Green in 365: Baby & Child Care}
This is Day 81 of the Green in 365 series! Breast milk is nature's perfect food for your newborn baby, and breastfeeding is the greenest and most eco-friendly way to feed your baby for their first months of life. Once you get the hang of it, breastfeeding is easy for you an your baby - no bottles and nipples to wash and sterilize, no formula to buy, measure and mix, and make sure you have enough with you everywhere you go, no bottles to warm up in the middle of the night. If … [Read more...]
6 Tips for Surviving the Newborn Stage — Part 2
Yesterday I gave you my first three tips for surviving the newborn baby stage, and today I have the next three for you. As always, this is what I have found to work for me, my babies, and my family, and it doesn't necessarily mean that you can or should do all of them too. I'm a firm believer that you have to find what works best for you and your baby, but I hope that some of these tips can be helpful to you in figuring that out. Tips for Surviving the Newborn Stage Lay Your Baby Down to … [Read more...]
6 Tips for Surviving the Newborn Stage — Part 1
Read Part 2 here. Recently, I shared my choices for essential gear for the newborn stage, and while all of those things do help to make my life with a newborn easier, after having three babes, I've also learned a few tips and tricks that really help me to survive those early days, weeks and months. In some ways the newborn stage is one of the easiest stages of a child's life. Their needs are basic, and they sleep all. the. time. And yet, life with a newborn can be exhausting and … [Read more...]
8 Natural Remedies for Postpartum Baby Blues
Baby Blair is two months old now and the time is just flying by! I love this newborn stage so, so much - the sweet smelling baby that sleeps all the time, curls up in a little ball, makes such cute and funny faces and noises, and is most happy and content when they are in your arms. But, the newborn stage can be a difficult stage too - adjusting to life with a new baby, nursing around the clock, dealing with behavior issues of older children, feeling sleep deprived and dealing with the ups … [Read more...]
Guest Post: 8 Tips for a Healthy Postpartum Recovery
I'm thankful to have Amee from Inspired-Houswife guest posting today about natural postpartum recovery. I feel like my recovery was much quicker with this birth because I followed many of these tips! Hello, Live Renewed readers. My name is Amee from Inspired-Housewife, and it is my pleasure to be with you today. Congratulations to Emily on the birth of her baby girl Blair, and way to go mama on having the baby at home too! Now that baby Blair is here, Emily should focus on her new … [Read more...]
Guest Post: Dairy-Free Snacks for Nursing Moms (And Everyone Else Too)
I'm thankful to have Diana from Saving by Making guest posting today about going dairy-free while nursing. This topic is especially timely for me as my baby is battling a yeast diaper rash and I'm considering cutting out dairy, except for yogurt, to help clear it up. Read on for Diana's great suggestions! Dairy-free. I'd heard of people who ate that way and was very thankful that I was not allergic to milk. I [mostly] followed the Brewer diet during pregnancy, which means I was … [Read more...]
My Frugally Green Journey – Learning to Live Frugally
Kaelyn in a Fuzzi Bunz cloth diaper at 3 months A few weeks ago I started sharing the story of my journey toward living green and living frugally. Last time I told you about where my hubby and I started from, and the changes that began when I became pregnant, and then continued after the birth of our beautiful daughter, and I had switched to using homemade and green cleaners, and using cloth diapers on her. One thing that I didn't talk about in the previous post, but have been thinking … [Read more...]
Feeding Baby: Breastfeeding and Beyond, Part II
Today, I'm again over at Kitchen Stewardship with Part II of my guest post on Feeding Baby: Breastfeeding and Beyond. I hope you'll head over and read the rest of my post. If you have any questions about feeding your baby this way, I would love to answer them as best as I can! Also, remember, as with everything, I'm not perfect at this all the time. I try my absolute best to feed my children only healthy, nutritious, whole, real foods, but sometimes it's much easier said than done. If … [Read more...]