Books

October 5, 2012

My sister in law is due to give birth to her first child any day now! When I first found out she was pregnant, one of my very first thoughts was…BOOKS!

When I am seeking answers or entering into unknown territory I immediately turn to my old best friend…the book.

My sister in law is a reader as well, so I knew she’d be excited to hear my recommendations (or at least I hoped she would!).

Here are my Books for Mom “Preparing for Motherhood” recommendations:

The Happiest Baby on the Block

Can I just tell you this is seriously the MUST read book for all new parents. I honestly don’t think they should let you leave the hospital without at first either reading this book cover to cover OR at least watching the accompanying video.

This is not a parenting book. It’s not a cry it out book. This is a book for how to soothe your baby. It seems obvious…but I promise even those of you with the most go with the flow infants will find a treasure in this book.

It (along with a miracle blanket) is pretty much our go to standard baby shower gift nowadays! GOLD!

Your Pregnancy Week by Week, 7th Edition (Your Pregnancy Series)

Okay…What to Expect When You Are Expecting terrified me. I opened it up and read about all the things that could possibly go wrong and was scarred for life! Okay, maybe not quite THAT drastic, but honestly it’s not a good book for the newly pregnant mom.

I enjoyed Your Pregnancy Week to Week because I was able to read little bits of it each week and I liked that it kept me up with the changes in my body. It was comforting to read that some of the symptoms I was experiencing were perfectly normal and there were tips for things you might want to ask your doctor about (without the alarmist over sharing done in WTEWYAE).

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child

We all know babies need to sleep. We know they need to sleep a lot. What I loved about this book is that it really dove into the science behind it all. It told you not just that they need to sleep. Not just how to get them to sleep. This book explains WHY it is so important and what their sleep cycles look like.

It does also give sleep advice. There’s advice in this book for the dedicated co-sleeper as well as the parent that has no qualms letting their little one cry it out. Something for everyone.

On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep

Probably the most controversial on my list, this book has gotten a really horrible reputation. However the information in here regarding scheduling is priceless. I had one very go with the flow baby and one baby that needed his “flow” dictated down to the second. This book helped me understand that even though there is a stigma attached to scheduling, for some babies it is necessary (my son).

It’s not all about letting your kid cry it out. It’s about setting up a schedule that fits your family and your child and makes everyone happy.

Touchpoints-Birth to Three

This is the only real “developmental” book on my list. Why? Because it’s really all you’ll need. Too many conflicting sources might force you to become too paranoid and overly critical about the milestones your child is (or isn’t) reaching. I don’t actually enjoy parenting books at all, but I did like having this book as a guide.

It helped me see when things were going smoothly and when we might need to talk to our pediatrician about things. It was actually suggested to my husband by a coworker and I’m very grateful! The one we purchased while pregnant with Noah actually still applies to Lizzie today (she’s age 3).

What are some of your book recommendations for a new mom preparing for motherhood?

Why Butter Rocks, Margarine is Gross and This is a Great Book

April 26, 2012

Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats

Don’t read this book if you want to keep margarine in your diet. For real.

If you are not a fan of real butter and prefer the fake stuff (um…what’s wrong with you?), don’t read this passage:

Hydrogenation: This is the process that turns polyunsaturates, normally liquid at room temperature, into fats that are solid at room temperature – margarine and shortening. To produce them,manufacturers begin with the cheapest oils - soy, corn, cottonseed or canola, already rancid from the extraction process – and mix them with tiny metal particles – usually nickel oxide. The oil with its nickel catalyst is then subjected to hydrogen gas in a high-pressure, high-temperature reactor. Next, soap-like emulsifiers and starch are squeezed into the mixture to give it a better consistency; the oil is yet again subjected to high temperatures when it is steam-cleaned. This removes its unpleasant odor. Margarine’s natural color, an unappetizing grey, is removed by bleach. Dyes and strong flavors must then be added to make it resemble butter. Finally, the mixture is compessed and packaged in blocks or tubs and sold as a health food.

and

Instead of eliminating them, your body incorporates trans fats [like what is found in margarine] into the cell membranes as though they were cis fats – your cells actually become partially hydrogenated!

- Nourishing Traditions

If you do want to learn a bit more about nutrition and why the standard American Diet is responsible for pretty much everything bad in this world today (okay…I kid a bit. But honestly? And sadly? Just a bit…) than you MUST read this book.

Throw out what you know about saturated fat as a villain and get ready to embrace the butter and (most definitely) the coconut oil!

However…

Some of the suggestions in this book might not be feasible for all due to budget or location constraints.

In fact, I’m really frustrated by the lack of a good CSA here in Houston right now! (Houston. One of the largest cities in the US and if there’s a CSA nearby it’s been hidden deep underground and relies on marketing by word of mouth via secret society apparently).

Thankfully there’s Vitacost and Amazon and a lot of our local grocery stores are now offering more organic and whole food options.

Is it enough though?

In addition, articles like this and this lead me to believe unless we grow it, butcher it, and scratch make it ourselves…we’ll never know for sure if what we’re consuming is as pristine as we would hope it would be.

***As a brief aside: I recently purchased some coconut oil and this stuff is GOLD! I’ve used it on my hair, my face (as a moisturizer, I am still loving the oil cleansing method!) in food, etc. I don’t have as many cravings, I get fuller faster and I just feel better. Awesome stuff.

I bought mine from Vitacost.

We’re working on it

I’ve been overhauling our diet for some time now. Honestly we’re taking baby steps towards a more whole foods/organic lifestyle (that yes, includes plenty of saturated fats).

Why? Because it feels right.

Why not make the switch cold turkey? Because even though it feels like the right thing to do, it’s also:

Expensive
Relatively drastic
Tough with little kids
I like donuts (luckily, I like butter more)

And…you care because…?

All this to say, I’m going to try and work on finding more fun recipes for my family that fit the approach found in this book tempered with the reality that Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Meaning…don’t be surprised if one day you see a recipe for organic salad dressing followed the next week by an ooey gooey pan of brownies.

It’s all a work in progress