Conceiving Naturally - Against the Odds - Finding the Right Doctor

So, I've been slacking on the blog.  Thanks for still following.  Lately my online activities have been strictly inboxes, pictures, iChatting with the hub, and oh yes...Pinterest.  Oh my law.  I feel creative just looking at everyone else's creativity.

Diving back into the Conceiving Naturally Series.  Here is what we've covered/will cover:

Series Intro
1. Prayer and Submission
2. Finding the Right Doctor (you're on it!)
3. The Role of Hormones
4. Diet - Hers
5. Diet - His
6. Herbs, Extracts, and Supplements
7. Exercise
8. Chiropractic
9. Acupuncture
10. Massage
11. Timing: Ovulation Calculators, Ovulation Predictor Test Kits, and the Rhythm Method
12. The Fun in Trying :)

So very many Doctors.  How in the world does one find the "right one?"  I don't have the perfect answer for you because we each have different desires and things that are most important to us when it comes to our health.  This step was a snap for me because I got a great recommend.  You would think in DFW metroplex, one would have a superfluous amount of choices when it comes to a doctor ... nope.  Not when it comes to finding an MD or DO that prescribes holistically first ... it's feels a little like looking for a republican in Portland.  In fact if you google "republican in portland" your computer will crash.  If you don't "know a guy who knows a guy" then google is your friend.  Here are some helpful searches:

-Holistic Doctors (your town) - Natural Doctors (your town) - Doctors who prescribe supplements (your town) - Holistic MD or DO (your town)

If you want to venture off the MD/DO territory and see a ND (Naturopathic Doctor) well alright!  I think googling "ND (your town)" goes without saying.

These searches will most likely lead you to some sites that have reviews and ratings.

Sometimes finding the guy who knows the guy is easier (and better) than finding the guy via the world wide web of confusion.  If you don't have a chiropractor, I suggest getting one.  Chiropractic is a step we will cover later and they usually know and refer patients to other doctors who have similar philosophies.  Other sources would be massage or acupuncture clinics, and health food stores.  Even small mom-and-pop health food store owners and employees can be a HUGE help.  Most of them I come across have been around town longer than your friendly Whole Foods Market and are staples in the community.  They have history, therefore, they know people.  Just ask.  They love what they do and will love to help you.  I can almost guarantee it.

If you live in a small town with like 1 doctor who hasn't even heard of Centrum Silver ... well my advice to you would be to put some mileage on the ol' tractor.  Your health is worth it. 

Once you have found one you think might be a good fit, you probably want to go in for a consultation before turning your arm over and letting them into your veins.  You can bring a list of questions if your memory doesn't serve you correctly.  Treat it like an interview.  You know what you want.  Don't be shy about asking where they stand on it.  Better to not to be surprised a couple months later when they suggest a new drug that they've only tested on mice that snakes wouldn't even eat.

Dr. Nina Cahan in Coppell, TX is who I ended up hiring as my doctor.  That's right.  You're the boss.  They work for you.  You have a choice and you don't have to settle on any old candidate just because they have initials after their name.  She showed me her closet of supplements that she prescribes and I swooned.

I think it best not to put words in your mouth, so I will just advise you to make a "conception" plan like you would make for the birth of your baby.  I don't think I'd be putting words in your mouth by saying the obvious question to ask is at one point the Dr. suggests medical intervention, and what kind.  What steps have you, and will you take before you consider this?  Will you consider this at all?  Sit down with your husband and discuss what's important to you both, and what you would like to ask.  I suggest your husband go with you to the doctor as much as possible in regards to conceiving and when you do get pregnant, it is important for him to go with you to your prenatal appointments.  Here at Super Natural Mommy, we love and support the daddies too.  It's not all about you.  This is an important lesson to learn as soon as possible ... especially once you are a parent.  You are in this together.  The savior has already been born, so pretty sure yours won't be an immaculate conception.  Just sayin'.  I mean, she was carrying God incarnate and she was still given a husband.  Their voice matters and the more that sinks into your soul, the more supernatural you will be.

Okay.  You're ready.  Go find that Dr. you can put some trust in.  If at any point they start venturing off into an area you aren't comfortable with, speak up.  Don't compromise your health.  If they suggest something you hadn't planned on doing, research it.  Think/pray about it and tell them you are doing so.  If you have conflicting views on something you just can't budge on, see if they will come to your side to see how it works out.  It may give them time to research it too.  Newsflash, you aren't perfect and neither is your doctor.  It should be a working relationship based on mutual respect.  If it isn't.  Seek another.

Go to the next section: The Role of Hormones

0-4 Month Must Haves

I've been on hiatus.  Tim-Daddy came home from Korea for a visit, so I took some time off ... aaaaaand 2 trips to the ER.  I electrocuted my left hand unplugging something, then 2 weeks later went back because I thought I had possibly broken or fractured my left hand.   Word to the wise:  Take baby OUT of walker before lowering the level.  Thankfully, nothing was broken...just a "crushing injury" which caused a contusion.  L smiled and laughed at me the entire time I paced and moaned till my Mom came home from work to take me to the hospital.  They gave me pain meds, which I only took 1 night.  The next time we hang out, be sure to ask me how that went if you would like a good laugh.

I was asked recently if I might make a list of newborn must haves.  So, aside from the obvious things like air, food, and love...these are the things I have come across that make life with a new baby much easier.  Before you go clicking and purchasing, be sure to join Amazon Mom to get free Prime shipping.  So here are my "must-haves" as they came to mind.

Boppy - I used this all day every day in L's first few months.  Great when you're feeding, rocking, gazing, etc... L is 6 months now and now I use it as support for sitting up - around her front or back.

 

Pack n Play - I opted not to get a bassinet since this had a basket that raised her up.  I thought I'd have it next to my bed, but she and I both slept just fine with her in her nursery.  I am not a total opponent of co-sleeping, but I do have reservations about the safety of it.  There are contraptions out there that prevent co-sleeping incidents and I'd encourage you to get one if you will be co-sleeping.  I have heard enough tragic stories as a result of co-sleeping (and one tragedy should be enough).  Tim and I agreed we wanted our bed to remain a marriage bed.  Of course, there are exceptions to this rule when you take monsters and thunderstorms into consideration.  You have to do what works for your family, but I would stress that safety come first.  For a time, I had the pack n play in her nursery up against the crib because it was easier on my back to lay her in it than the crib.  It is GREAT for the obvious benefits of traveling...not to mention play time/stretching out in a safe environment clear of foot (and paw) traffic.



Swing/Bouncy Seat -L had reflux so she slept in her swing and her bouncy seat a lot.  They have been like little portable miracles for me when I've needed to get something important done...like showering for instance.  This is a key to my sanity.  L's bouncy seat has dangley toys and plays music.  She got to practice hand-eye coordination while I got a little "me time" ... if being in the same room, while playing peek-a-boo with the shower curtain constitutes as "me time." They were both life-savers until recently.  Now they lay in the graveyard of L's entertainment.  May they rest in peace until the next little one.




Changing Pad Liners - I love my pretty & soft changing pad covers.  I do NOT love it when pee-pee or poo-poo gets on it.  These are great and can double as a burp cloth.  They come in all sizes and brands, but there is one kind that has a rolled seam around the edge and after washing they no longer lay flat on the changing pad.  The plastic liner also separates from the material.  Something like the link below is inexpensive and easy to fold.



Bumbo Seat - With or Without the tray, I think the Bumbo seat is superb.  It surrounds L completely and opened her eyes to the beauty of sitting up.  Get the tray, and this can be your portable "high chair."  Do not leave your baby in Bumbo unattended.  Check out this link for all the purdy color options.




Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron - Everything you need to know about feeding your baby.



Snap and Go Carseat/Stroller Combo (Extra base for carseat) - I think there might be a brand called Snap and Go, but I am not saying you should get that one...not saying you shouldn't.  Don't know anything about it.  There are many many brands of all designs and colors.  We got a CityMini Stroller and an attachment to snap the carseat onto.  Oh so very, very easy.  Probably a good idea to get an extra base if your wee one rides in more than one car regularly.

Baby Wrap or Carrier - There are endless options when it comes to baby wearing.  I think I may have tried them all.  I finally found one that felt comfortable for both of us.  The woman who makes them has 5 kiddos and 1 on the way.  She knows baby wearing.  Here's her Etsy shop.

Digital Bath Thermometer -I don't trust my hands to test the water since I can take a lot of heat.  This neat little guy takes the worry out of getting bath ready - beeps when the water gets too cold or too hot...and a fun toy too :)


Bottle warmer - A lot of people say this is a luxury item.  It's been a must-have for me.  I've taken the baby on 2 road trips and didn't leave home without it.  Since L had reflux, her bottle being warmed helped.  It's a known fact that you should not microwave your baby's milk/formula/food because of hotspots and harmful/unhealthy radiation.  Bottle warmers do it fast and come with a handy dandy guide on type of bottle, amt, and how much water to put it.  Put it in, change a diaper, boom - bottle's ready.  I went through a couple cheaper warmers that burnt out.  This one has been superior to those.  You can warm baby food jars in it as well.




Sheet Savers or Crib Bib- This goes along the same lines as the changing pad liners.  Who wants to change a crib sheet in the middle of the night?!?  I love my homemade (not by me though) cute crib sheets and didn't want to cover them up with those plain full sheet covers that snap.  Get at least a couple of these.



Sound Machine - Oh muh gush.  This is vital.  VITAL!  Babies are used to a rushing sound when they are in the womb and my baby had to have it outside the womb to sleep.  It drowns out doors and dogs and general goings-ons.  I personally sleep with a sound machine, so hers coming through on the baby monitor works for me.



Speaking of...   
Baby Monitor - So very very many out there.  Sometimes I wish I would have gotten the video monitor.  L's nursery door sticks and I do NOT like peeking in to check.  Here's the one I got.



Aden and Anais Swaddlers - So easy to swaddle in these very soft blankets AND they are breathable so baby doesn't overheat.  Your baby should wear something/be covered similar to what you are comfortable sleeping in.  A sweaty baby is no bueno.



Breast Pump - Breast is best, so pump it up ladies.  Freeze and store for when you're on the go or when someone else needs to feed your precious one.  I rented the hospital grade pump to try to get my milk to let down since it's got super suction.  It never happened, but if it had - you bet I'd be pumping right now while I blog :)  While you're at it, get a pumping bra.  I was attached to the pump for 6 weeks and the bra allowed me to multi-task.



There you have it!  I am sure there are many more gadgets and doo-dads out there that have been life-savers for you Mommies.  We'd love to hear them!

If You Vaccinate, Ask 8 (Part 2)

In the first section, I listed the 8 questions you should ask yourself prior to vaccinating (or not vaccinating) as suggested by the NVIC. Now let's delve into these questions a little deeper...some deeper than others, so forgive me as I begin out of order.

8) Do I know I have a right to make an informed choice?

Let's start with exemptions!

I've come across many people who think that their child can't get into school if they haven't had their shots. This is simply untrue. There are exemptions available to parents who choose not to vaccinate but still enroll their child in school. Each state dictates which exemptions are available in that particular state. The process typically requires you to contact the state for these exemption forms and then have them signed by the parent and notarized by a notary public prior to being turned into the school in which your child is enrolled. Public schools are required to acknowledge and accept these exemption forms, private schools are not.

First is the medical exemption. If your child has a past history of vaccine reaction or he/she has an underlying disease or illness that would increase the risk of vaccine reaction, your child's pediatrician or family doctor (including D.O.s) may be willing to give you a written medical exemption to bypass having to have further vaccinations. Since medical doctors are highly influenced by drug/vaccine manufacturers and procedures passed down for generations in medical school, this is possibly the most difficult exemption to obtain. All 50 states have medical exemption to vaccination.

Next is the philosophical exemption. This is based on your personal or conscientious beliefs in regards to vaccination. In most cases, you must object to all vaccines, not just a select few. Only 18 states have philosophical exemptions to vaccination.

Finally, there is a religious exemption. In most cases, this exemption does not even require you to state what religion you are, but just that it is against your religious beliefs that your child is vaccinated. Some states require a signed affidavit from a pastor or spiritual advisor that affirms the parents' sincere religious belief about vaccination. California, Mississippi, and West Virginia are the only states who DO NOT have religious exemption to vaccination.

Some states also allow proof of immunity as reason to exempt your child from a specific vaccination. Independent laboratories can draw blood and analyze it for antibody levels for a particular illness. For example, if your child has had chicken pox prior to entering school and you choose not to give your child the chicken pox vaccine, rather than obtaining one of the three exemption forms listed above, you can have blood drawn and analyzed to show that your child has high enough antibodies to chicken pox that natural immunity has been obtained.

Later, I'll go even further with information that will help you make an informed decision....vaccine ingredients, the concept of herd immunity, and the manufacturing and marketing of vaccines.

Feeding Chart 4-6 Months

I had mommy brain before I was a mommy, so now it's full force.

When the Pedi asks how many Oz's/day LilSue is having, I don't want to do math in my head. I also like to know for myself and be prepared the next time she's hungry...as she is much like Daddy: Not only is she his spitting image, but when she is hungry, you better feed her...NOW! Genetics are for real, y'all.

I am also fond of organization. Charts, straight lines, and totals please me a great deal. Being somewhat of a perfectionist, I am still drawn toward imperfection. If I was to delve into this a little deeper I would say that I find something perfect only if it has some imperfection. Okay...stepping back from the art of life and setting the course back to feeding charts.

I didn't like any templates I was finding.

I made my own.

Here it is.

Print front to back.  You know this.

Vaccinations

I have developed a great interest in vaccinations in the past few years and I plan on writing about this more in the future. However, here is an article that was released today that I wanted to pass along as soon as possible. Articles like this have been circling for years in the alternative medicine crowd, however, the research comes from a medical journal which makes it particularly significant to those with doubts. Currently the US national schedule of vaccines recommends 26 vaccines before the age of 1 - most of them before 6 months of age. To give you a reference point, children, like myself, born in the early 1980's were recommended to get 10 vaccines between birth and 6 years of age. Now recommendations are for 36 vaccines between birth and 6 years of age!

"New Study Finds Direct Link between Vaccines and Infant Mortality"

Paul Joseph Watson
Infowars
Thursday, June 23, 2011

A shocking new study published in a prestigious medical journal has found a direct statistical link between higher vaccine doses and infant mortality rates in the developed world, suggesting that the increasing number of inoculations being forced upon children by medical authorities, particularly in the United States which administers the highest number of vaccines and also has the highest number of infant deaths, is in fact having a detrimental impact on health.

The study, entitled Infant mortality rates regressed against number of vaccine doses routinely given: Is there a biochemical or synergistic toxicity?, was conducted by Neil Z. Miller and Gary S. Goldman. It was published in the reputable Human and Experimental Toxicology journal, which is indexed by the National Library of Medicine.

According to his biography, “Goldman has served as a reviewer for the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Vaccine, AJMC, ERV, ERD, JEADV,and British Medical Journal (BMJ). He is included on the Editorial Board of Research and Reviews in BioSciences.”

Miller, a medical research journalist and the Director of the Thinktwice Global Vaccine Institute, has been studying the dangers of vaccines for 25 years.

“Linear regression analysis of unweighted mean IMRs showed a high statistically significant correlation between increasing number of vaccine doses and increasing infant mortality rates,” the study found, adding that the results demand an “essential” inquiry into the correlation between vaccine doses, biochemical or synergistic toxicity, and infant mortality rates.

Despite the fact that the United States administers the highest number of vaccine doses to children in the entire developed world, 26 before infants reach the age of one, its infant mortality rate is higher than 33 other nations, all of which administer less vaccines. The study clearly illustrates the fact that developed countries which administer less vaccines have lower infant mortality rates, suggesting a direct statistical link between vaccination side-effects and infant deaths.

For example, the two developed countries that require children be immunized with the least amount of vaccines, Japan and Sweden, also top the table for the lowest infant mortality rates.

Of the top ten developed countries with the lowest infant mortality rates, seven of the ten also appear in the top ten table of countries that administer the least vaccines.

When looked at in comparison, the table of countries ordered by which ones administer the least vaccines compared to the table which orders countries based on infant mortality rates is very similar.

Despite the fact that it administers the most vaccines, the United States has the highest infant mortality rate of all developed countries, with an average of 6.22 deaths per 1000 live births. The US has a far higher infant mortality rate than the likes of Cuba or Slovenia despite spending vastly more on health care.

Click for enlargement. The table on the left shows the countries with the lowest infant deaths at the top of the list. The table on the right shows the countries with the lowest number of vaccines administered at the top of the list. Notice a pattern? The United States, which administers the highest number of vaccines to children in the developed world, also has the highest number of infant deaths per 1000 births in the developed world.

The correlation between higher numbers of vaccines and infant mortality figures takes on an altogether more sinister context when we consider the fact that during the February 2010 TED conference, Bill Gates, an enthusiastic proponent of vaccination programs, openly stated that vaccines should be used to lower global population in the pursuit of reducing CO2 emissions.

Gates is an avowed eugenicist who is committed to drastically reducing the world’s population in the name of combating global warming. This is alarming given the fact that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funds the production and distribution of vaccines to the third world.

Decrying the fact that the global population was heading towards 9 billion, Gates said, “If we do a really great job on new vaccines, health care, reproductive health services, we could lower that by perhaps 10 or 15 per cent.”

Gates followed this up at the July 2010 Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen Colorado by advocating so-called “death panels,” implying that elderly patients undergoing expensive health care treatments should instead be left to die and the money spent elsewhere.

As one of the richest men on the planet, Gates routinely meets with other billionaires in secret to discuss ways of lowering the global population. The last such confab, also attended by David Rockefeller Jr, Warren Buffett, George Soros, Michael Bloomberg, Ted Turner and Oprah Winfrey, took place on May 5th 2009 at the home of Sir Paul Nurse, a British Nobel prize biochemist and president of the Rockefeller University in Manhattan.

Parents are becoming increasingly educated about the risks posed by the ever-rising numbers of vaccines being forced upon their children. The US childhood immunization schedule now recommends that all infants receive 26 vaccine doses before they even reach the age of one. A Rasmussen poll conducted last August found that that 52 per cent of Americans were concerned about the safety of vaccines.

Vaccine side-effects, injuries and deaths are skyrocketing, but this in turn is causing the cover-up overseen by the pharmaceutical industry to implode, leading more people to resist vaccines globally in the knowledge that the inoculations are more closely related to profit-making than protecting public health.

Read the full study here:

http://www.infowars.com/new-study-finds-direct-link-between-vaccines-and-infant-mortality/

If You Vaccinate, Ask 8

Ok, so there have been some requests to blog on vaccinations. That's a pretty broad topic, so I'll start with some basics and then blog in more detail later.

With autism rates skyrocketing, deaths from Gardasil making the news, and all the hype over the Swine Flu vaccine the past couple of years, people are really beginning to question the safety and efficacy of vaccines. Just as with any other drug out on the market, there are side effects and risks and some people are more likely than others to suffer these side effects. I research many vaccines on the CDCs website...straight from the source...and even there I will find contradictions. But one of the best websites out there is the National Vaccine Information Center. They have a great "8" list of questions to ask yourself if you decide to vaccinate (or not-vaccinate).

1) Am I or my child sick right now?
2) Have I or my child had a bad reaction to a vaccination before?
3) Do I or my child have a personal or family history of vaccine reactions, neurological disorders, severe allergies or immune system problems?
4) Do I know the disease and vaccine risks for myself or my child?
5) Do I have full information about the vaccine's side effects?
6) Do I know how to identify and report a vaccine reaction?
7) Do I know I need to keep a written record, including the vaccine manufacturer's name and lot number, for all vaccinations?
8) Do I know I have the right to make an informed choice?

I'll go into more detail later what it means if you answer yes or no to each of these individual questions. But for now, I'll say this...if you have ANY hesitation about vaccinating your child (whether with one or all vaccines), just postpone it. Research the particular vaccine you have questions about so that you can make an informed decision. Remember, whether they get the illness/disease or they get the damage from the vaccine, you will have to live with your choice and be comfortable knowing what you chose for them. They have no voice!

Teething Relief

 My daughter is not yet 5 months and she has all four of her first molars cutting through her gums along with a lateral incisor.  Yikes.  Amazingly she is still sleeping through the night...for now anyway.

She is coping with painful gums much better than the previous issues with colic and gas.  While she was squirming and gnawing on her hand, the thought "reflexology" came to mind.  If it helped adults, why not babies too?  I didn't get licensed as a reflexologist, but I did take a class many a moon ago and I thought I remembered the teeth being associated with the toes and fingers.  I started squeezing her toes and immediately she stopped fussing and fidgeting.

Acupressure and Reflexology run along the same scope of focus, so I did a little googling.  Seems there is varying schools of thought on where the teeth pain centers correspond on the feet and hands...as far as I got into my search anyway.

You will notice on this hand chart, the teeth point is where a ring would be on the middle finger.
I've been pressing and holding that on the hand that corresponds with the side of her mouth that seems to be bothering her (BOTH currently!)  Really, her hands are so tiny, that if I just let her hold my finger, it goes all the way across all of her fingers, and I just squeeze.  If you do some searching yourself (I put some links at the bottom) you will find that a common suggestion is pressing and holding the webby part of the hand between the thumb and pointer.  I've been doing all of the above and still squeezing and holding her toes.

When she got really upset yesterday, I sat her in her bumbo seat and squeezed every little finger and toe.  She calmed down.  I've also read the suggestion of holding a piece of ice against the web of your hand.  I may try that if she lets me.  FYI - I wouldn't leave a piece of ice on a sweet little hand for more than a minute.

I also got the Boiron Teething Relief Camilia since it doesn't contain any food additives, preservatives, or numbing agents.



Video - Acupressure
Video - Acupressure
Article - Acupressure
Article - Acupressure
Article - Reflexology

Squashed Tomato

Here's what I made today for Father's Day get-together.  Everyone enjoyed it so much, it may be a mainstay in my culinary repertoire.  I doubled this recipe and made two batches for our big feast.

We had a wide array of grilled meats along with lots of veggies from the family garden.  Oh and homemade peach ice cream by Uncle Don.  I'm not a father, but it all made me happy.

I stewed 6-7 big juicy red tomatoes the day before I made this dish.
3-4 small to medium organic summer squash and/or zuchhini, sliced
   about 1/4" thick

Onion flakes (or if you don't come dangerously close to blindness chopping onions like me, 1 sweet onion)
2-3 organic tomatoes, previously stewed - or not

5...ish organic yellow and red cherry tomatoes cut in halfsies (cause they're cute)
Garlic powder
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 cups of organic shredded cheddar or cheese of your liking
Panko bread crumbs (I didn't use Panko, but it would have been better if I had)
Olive oil, to drizzle

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
You'll be doing two layers, so be sure to divide veggies and cheese for each layer.  Butter a 9 x 9 inch baking pan, spread a layer of half of the sliced squash across the bottom of the pan and sprinkle lightly with garlic powder.  Scatter half of the chopped onion/onion flakes on top of the squash and half of tomatoes on top of the onion. Salt and pepper to taste, and add half of the shredded cheese.  Repeat with another layer of squash, a light sprinkle of garlic powder, onion, tomatoes, salt and pepper, and all of the remaining cheese. Sprinkle top generously with a layer of panko bread crumbs and drizzle all over with olive oil.

Bake uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, or until tender. Sprinkle top with basil if desired, and use a slotted spoon to serve.

Sorry, no photo.  Maybe after the next time, I will come back and add.

Conceiving and Birthing Twins

So, I said I would blog about my twins. (This is Dr. Kristi blogging by the way!)

When my husband and I decided we were ready to start trying to have a baby. we figured it would be pretty easy. After all, I was getting regular chiropractic care, eating somewhat better, and taking nutritional supplements. Only problem was my cycles were psycho (it runs in the family). I'd have a period that lasted 2 weeks, then nothing for 2 weeks. This would then repeat. So, after a good 8 or 9 months of trying to conceive, I had to figure out things that would help with my hormones and regulate my cycles.

First, I started on a medical food from Metagenics. It was horrible tasting in water, so I put in in orange juice instead and it ended up being quite tasty. I started taking it according to the package directions and it seemed to work too well and I would have a 3 day period and then nothing for 4-5 weeks. That's still not normal, so I backed off a little on the medical food and got it to more of a normal cycle. But still, no getting pregnant.

The only other thing that I did at this point was change my meat. I started shopping for my meat at Sprouts or Whole Foods and got meats that were free from hormones and antibiotics. Within a month or so, I was pregnant.

The pregnancy was uneventful for the most part. You would think with twins that I would've been quite sick, but that was not the case. At 12 weeks we had our first prenatal appointment with Jean Sala, CNM at Inanna Birth & Women's Care. Everything seemed to be right on track up until my 20 week appointment when I started measuring about 4 weeks ahead....still with no idea we were having twins. Jean reprimanded me for eating so many mashed potatoes (that was my craving with that pregnancy). But early that next week, we had our sonogram and found out we were having twins. No wonder I was measuring big!

And so, the uneventful pregnancy then turned into an eventful pregnancy. A week after my sonogram, I went into the hospital for a kidney stone. My stone measured 3 cm. Now, that doesn't sound like much until you understand that kidney stones are typically measured in millimeters. YIKES!!! So, I was hospitalized and put under while they put in a stent. From this point forward, it is important to note, my urinalysis at each visit with my midwife showed up with protein in my urine (also a sign of pre-eclampsia). So, now I start to become more uncomfortable with the pregnancy, not because of the pregnancy itself, but because of the stent and how it's irritating my bladder all the time.

At about 32 weeks, my blood pressure went up, I was swelling, and I still had the protein in my urine so my midwife suggested I see an OB as my provider from here on out. She was going to refer me to her back-up doctor (who is the greatest OB in the DFW Metroplex), but his dad passed away the week she was trying to transfer me and he was out of the office. So, I was transferred to another OB, who I grew to like and who I have a professional relationship with now. Each week, my blood pressure continued to show up high at my visits. But as long as I stayed on bedrest as instructed by my doctor, my blood pressure would remain normal. She was fine with me letting these babies grow as long as we could keep them in there, and I am ever so thankful for that.

At 37 weeks, my OB informed me that she would be on vacation the following week. If I had the babies while she was gone, she was fine with that, but if I didn't, she was happy that she'd get to deliver them. Most OBs would've c-sectioned or induced by this time with my situation. At my Monday appointment the following week, her partner decided that she was going to hospitalize me until I had the babies. She kept trying to convince me to induce or have a c-section. I wanted no part of either choice and I let her know that. I even went so far as to ask for a second opinion with the OB that I was originally going to be referred to (at that point he was back from leave after his dad passed away). His opinion was that there was no reason that I needed to be induced or scheduled for a c-section. So, I sat in the hospital bed from that Monday until Sunday morning at 4am when my water finally broke on its own. During this time, I had my chiropractor coming in every other day to adjust me and do acupuncture on me. I looked forward to those visits!

So, all day Sunday I did everything I could do to be up and squatting during contractions. I was being monitored every 15 minutes for my blood pressure. So knowing that my blood pressure was high when I was up and moving around and that it was down when I was laying down, I had my husband watch the monitor to let me know 2 minutes before the machine was going to take my blood pressure so that I could hop into the bed and relax before it checked it. Then after it checked it, I would get back up and begin more squatting. Labor was quite bearable while squatting. When I would have contractions while resting in the bed, they were quite a bit more painful. I was dilated to 8 cm by about 5pm, and then I stalled. I labored for another 5 hours and made no progress.

At this point, we chose some medical intervention. I decided to have an epidural, because it was explained to me that my perineal muscles were extremely tight from all the squatting I had been doing. She said that the epidural would cause those to relax and I would probably have that baby out in no longer than an hour. Sure enough, about 30 minutes after having the epidural (11:07pm to be exact) A1 was born vaginally weighing 5lbs 11oz.

Next comes the part where medical intervention turns into more medical intervention. After A1 came out, the OB broke my water with A2. A2 was sitting very high in my belly, so once the water was broke, she had no fluid in which to move further down into my pelvic bowl. My body actually thought I was done delivering a baby. My cervix started closing up. We pushed and pushed and pushed for a good 30 minutes to try to get her down, but she wouldn't come far enough down and my cervix reverse dilated back to 8cm. So, I labored for another 5 hours to see if she would budge and nothing happened. I was stalled at 8cm again. At this point, the first baby has come out, the OBs hands have been inside me, and the stick to break the water had been inside me. My risk of infection was now greatly increased. I was thankful that she was willing to let me labor for those 5 hours, but she wasn't going to let me go any longer. Thus, A2 ended up being born by c-section at 5:07am weighing 8lbs 5oz.

So, lets take a look at this:
- twins
- born 6 hours apart
- born on two different days
- one vaginal, one c-section
- one small, one large

Yep, what a story! And I'll tell ya, they are just as different today as their birth story. I'll come back later and add a picture of the cuties!

Digging With Daddy

Super Natural Mommy isn't just about the Mommies.  We love Daddies, too.  We would like to wish all the Daddies out there a Happy Father's Day!

At the first of the year, my dad gets at his parent's backyard with the tiller.

My grandparents have been growing pretty much anything you'd like to eat in their big backyard since before I was born.  This makes for some pretty nutrient rich soil.  This would be the very place I learned to love all things nature.  My most favorite childhood memories are playing in their backyard.  A kid's imagination can really run wild when they are left to play in a place such as that with all their cousins.  We ran snail colonies, our own "bakery", and were missionaries to Nigeria (with British accents, of course).

I can remember my PaPa T.C. kneeling down with some seeds in his big hand over some loose, dark soil, teaching me about how things grow.  He liked to teach about the nature of God right along with it.  He is a man of few words, but one of the most faithful and kind I have ever, and will ever know.  If you have the pleasure of knowing Turner Churchful Johnson, then you know you're blessed.

Now he is getting advanced in his years and his hair is white.  He still loves to play in the dirt, but my dad, Kenny has taken over the grunt work, which he loves.  He takes a lot of pride in tending the family garden...and every now and then his kiddos will get a random text message of a pile of veggies.

June 2010

One day last summer, I went over to help in the garden.  I got my straw hat on, all set up to repel bugs, and proceeded to get dirty.  It was a good time, but I got tired quick.  Dad said the last 2 years in Colorado made me soft.

I had told my Grandma and PaPa I was going to give them a foot treatment so I figured I should do that before I was totally spent.  They love massage and spa treatments.  When I was doing massage full-time, my PaPa would come up and get one almost every week, only to fall asleep 3 minutes in.  My grandma, Peggy sparked my interest in bodywork when I was very young when she showed me a Reflexology chart.  I get my massaging talents from her as well.  There is one technique I use on the trapezius muscle in particular that I call "The Grandma."  It hurts, but it'll untie a knot.

After they were pampered and everything cleaned up, I was done.  I hopped in the Jeep and before I got to the end of their street, I felt like I could sleep for a week.  I thought maybe Dad was right.  CO must have taken a little TX out of me.  In a couple weeks I would discover I was pregnant!

Cut to one year later...while my daughter napped inside her great-grandparents house, I was in their backyard pickin' with my Daddy.

Yes, that's an Angry Bird

June 2011

If you don't have a family garden, I'd encourage you to start one.  If you don't have any earth to till, start with a seed in a pot.  Having such a project is inexpensive, and a great opportunity to teach your children the importance of being a good steward of the planet's resources, and how food gets to their plate ... not to mention the spiritual parallels ... they are endless.

that's good pickins'

Romans 1:19‑20

  "What may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."

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Introducing Contributor: Jaime Kimmons

Hello! I am Jaime Kimmons and I am also new to blogging. I am honored, Jen, that you included me in your "staff" on this blog!

I am not officially a Super Natural Mommy yet, but I am 8 months pregnant and expecting my daughter the beginning of August.

I am 29 years old and from Irving, Texas. I moved up to Maryland for college and ended up staying a few extra years. A turning point in my life - and in my views about health - happened October 2006 when my mom was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer. My mom commenced chemotherapy immediately and I moved back to the DFW area to care for her. She passed only 2 months later.

Prior to this point I was very much in the medical mindset. I had worked at a physicians' office for 6 years and was very knowledgeable about prescriptions, medical testing, vaccines, etc. I remember at one point snickering about a patient who came in and wanted to know what vitamins to take and what food to eat to avoid cancer. "Good luck, lady", I thought. My mom was a registered nurse and, consequently, all of us kids regularly took medication for allergies, headaches, etc.

However, as I was instructed by my mom's oncologist to administer daily morphine and a cornucopia of other medication (in addition to chemo), I couldn't help but feel that I was killing her faster than the cancer was. I thought there had to be another way. But I lacked the knowledge and resources to do anything differently.

A few months after she passed, I started working for a chiropractor. Everything I learned was a total 180 from what I had previously thought, but I was at a point in my life where I was ready to hear it. My husband and I began regular chiropractic visits - 4 years later we still go twice a week - and we immediately started seeing changes. My life-long allergies were non-existent as well as my constant headaches. We started learning about nutrition and toxins, etc. Slowly our entire outlook on health and wellness changed.

Fast-forward to the present - being pregnant with a girl inspires me even more to make sure I do everything in my power to make sure she doesn't have breast cancer one day (or any illnesses, really!).

I am planning on delivering naturally at a birth center which I will talk about in future blogs. The best part of living a natural, alternative health lifestyle is the absence of fear. I used to fear the Russian roulette of cancer and other diseases, and felt powerless. With the more I research and read, I have less fear and more confidence - and I can't wait to teach my daughter.

HOLY GOAT!

This is what's been running through my head the last few days:

"Goat is great,
Goat is good,
Let us thank God
For His goats
Amen."

We haven't had a bad day since switching to Goat's Milk formula.  Many of my pals know that Lily has had tummy problems.  It took 4 months and trying all these formulas before I began making my own goat milk formula:

Similac Advance Complete Nutrition
Earth's Best Organic
Similac Sensitive for Fussiness and Gas
Enfamil Gentlease
Enfamil Newborn
Enfamil Nutramigen
Gerber Good Start Gentle
Similac Alimentum - Tried the powder and the Ready-Made
*I did not try any soy formula as I have done my research on the dangers of soy, and I urge you to as well.*

I know you are probably thinking I'm not as "Super Natural" as you thought - as breast milk is CERTAINLY best.  The milk never came in.  I tried for 6 weeks - attached to the pump and taking every Galactagogue known to ever work for any woman in history.  The most I ever got was a teaspoon.  Believe me, I used that teaspoon.  We even gave Lily donated breast milk.  You may think that's weird, but I don't.  It was from a source I trusted more than a formula company while I tried to get my milk to let down.

We stayed with the Gerber Good Start Gentle for a good 2 months as she tolerated it best.  Along with that, a friend suggested the Colic Ease brand of Gripe Water.  There are many brands of Gripe Water and this one worked VERY well as long as we kept it in her.  I highly recommend this brand.  Before we gave this to her, I had tried many other brands all the while with her still in excruciating gas pain.  It's ingredients are the purest you can find.  However, this was an expensive remedy as Lily had to always have it in her system.  As Lily grew...the more she ate, the more painful the gas.  The suggested dosage of the Colic Ease was less effective ... that is until I increased the dosage at 4 months by a 1/2 tsp which we weren't supposed to do til 6 months.  So trying new formulas that ended up being a waste + landing on an expensive formula + tons of $$$ going to keep her sweet little tum-tum soothed with Colic Ease = a still fussy, gassy, spitty baby & a tired, concerned mommy.  I didn't like what all that amounted to.  Who would?

My child should not wake up from a deep sleep screaming in pain.  My child should not be turning red and sweating from trying to pass gas.  My perfectly healthy child should not be struggling with a smile because her tummy can't handle these formulas!  Along with the gas pain, there was reflux issues.  She didn't have an extreme case,  but we sure were dirtying up her cute little burp cloths and changing outfits a gajillion times a day (yes, this part was fun!).  There had to be an answer.

The goat was staring me in the face for a while.

I had read article after article and forum after forum for months and kept coming back to home-made goat's milk formula.  My aunt also continuously asked what I thought about trying it.  It seemed dangerous to make it on my own, daunting, and expensive.  But these mother's who did it, had stories like me, and their babies were 100% happier.

Still, I pushed the goat to the back of my gut...that is until her 4 month check up with her new, holistic pediatrician that I blogged about here.  She suggested I give Alimentum a try - the ready-made as the powder's first ingredient is corn syrup.  If that didn't work, she suggested making my own goat milk formula.  She said it would be time consuming and may be hard to do, but it would be a good alternative if she is in fact sensitive to cow's milk.

The Alimentum did not work.  It was one of the worst night's she's ever had, followed by an even worse day.  That night I went out and got all the ingredients in the recipe she gave me and we held off Lily's last feeding for the night until I was home and the first batch was made.  Now, over the few weeks prior Lily had begun a habit of snacking and cat-napping in between the gas pains.  She had just been drinking 3-4 ounces before bed along with one last serving of Colic Ease.

I made the formula, which was actually FUN.  It felt good.  It felt right.  It felt like I was redeeming the fact I couldn't give her breast milk.  I just knew it was going to work.  It had to. Oh and it tasted good, too.  Yep, I had some.  Tim and I are big goat cheese lovers.  We even drink goat's milk ourselves, and enjoy goat yogurt as well.  I, myself am sensitive to cow's milk and try to shy away from any cow's milk product.  (I would try to do this even if I wasn't sensitive, but I will let Dr. Kristi post more on that at a later time).

She drank a full 6 ounces instead of the usual snack.  After she was done she just looked at me with these big eyes like, "that's all I get?" and kept smacking her lips for a good long 2 minutes.  No spit up.  No waking up in pain.  Slept 9 hours.  Woke, ate, pooped, and slept another 3.  The next day was near perfect with not a single unreasonable fuss, lots of smiles, and she entertained herself for much longer stretches.  Before the switch, she only had 1 poopy diaper a day.  Now she's having 2-3.

Now, the poop.

It stinks.

Bad.

Way worse than regular formula poop.

Oh, and when she does spit up (now it's a very small amount compared to before), if it's been sitting in her tummy a while...yeah, it's pretty rank.

Totally.Worth.It.

Making it is not any more time consuming than shaking powdered formula with water for a day's worth of bottles.  I rather enjoy making it.  I make a batch once a day and put it into her bottles in the fridge.  I also made a batch yesterday that I put into breast milk storage bags in the freezer for when we are on the go.

If you are wondering if there is a powdered goat milk formula in the US, there is not.  I have ordered powdered goat milk formula made in New Zealand,  Nanny Care for when we are traveling next month.  I found it cheapest here.  I will edit this post and let you know how she does on it once it arrives and we try it.

I am aware that there are many advocates for a more involved, raw goat milk formula as given by Weston A. Price Foundation, but the one given by my Lily's pedi has been a miracle for her, so I am sticking with it.  Plus, it is actually CHEAPER to do compared to say Alimentum if you have the milk drop-shipped in bulk from Amazon, along with several of the ingredients.  (I love AmazonMom free shipping!)

So I'll post the recipe already!

Goat’s Milk Baby Formula Recipe

1 can Evaporated Goat’s milk
1 ¾ cups of R/O (reverse osmosis) water (or boiled water)
1 cup enriched organic Vanilla Rice Milk
1 T Spectrum Organic Flax Oil
1 T Black Strap Molasses
1 t Enfamil Poly-Vi-Sol with iron (Liquid infant multi vitamin)
16 drops of Trace Mineral drops

It is important to note that everything must be clean and sterile; clean hands, clean blender,
countertop, utensils. If you create a spill, be sure to clean it up right away and clean up any spills
on containers.

Wash the top of the Evaporated Goat milk prior to opening. Evaporated Goat’s milk is a good
choice because it contains Folic Acid and powdered goat milk does not. Pour ingredients into the
blender and mix for 30 seconds. The mixture will be frothy. First pour some of the moisture
(approximately 2 oz) into each of the 8 bottles. Then go back and fill each bottle to the 4 oz mark
with liquid. Do not count froth as part of the 4 ounces. Yield: 8 – 4 oz bottles from this formula.

LOOK AT THESE INGREDIENTS! Simple.  Organic.  Meyenberg Goats graze on grass and are not pumped with hormones and antibiotics.  No chemicals.  Gentle.  I am so very, very glad we made the switch, and so is this smilin' face.

I personally struggled with feeling inadequate, not being able to feed her from my breast.  But if going through all this helps one other baby feel better, I am glad we have gone through it.

------------------------------------------UPDATE - 1 YEAR LATER----------------------------------------------

First of all...whoa...it's been almost a year since I wrote this.

Treasure each moment, y'all.

Lily thrived on the goat's milk formula.  We had many minor reactions to various foods (mostly fruits) till she turned 1.  We also moved to Central TX from North TX and boom.  Seasonal allergies.  This was an incredibly difficult time for us.  We had been a world apart geographically for a year, and faced with re-integrating in a new military town and lifestyle as a family of 3.  Then we were tested with this deep, croupy, painful, keep-us-up-all-night-and-day-cough in a little 10 month old chest.  I was surviving solely on prayer, kisses, and caffeine. 

I was desperate to say the least.  We had her poked, prodded, tested, examined...we changed her diet multiple times and ways and started over with all her solid foods several times.  Still, this cough.  The kind of cough that kept my entire body tense 24 hours a day.  I thought my head was going to fall off.  Still no answers other than "it's allergies."  A homepathic seasonal allergy spray by KingBio for this specific region finally provided some relief after 2 months of agony.  Through all this, I was reading and searching for an answer, I kept coming back to allergic reactions caused by pasteurization.  When I started the goat's milk formula I was aware of this, but felt daunted because of some people's opinions of raw milk.  We reached a fork in road where we would have to make another expensive trip to Dallas for another horrifically tragic blood draw or drive to Waco and try raw milk.  Tim made the call for us and I am glad he did.  Waco it was.  To the World Hunger Relief Farm.  We gave her her first bottle that night and the coughing was exponentially less.  The next day, a couple more bottles and a chiropractic adjustment later, and the coughing was obsolete.  We were all smiling and sleeping again!

I admit, I was holding my breath, but she just kept getting better.  Starting December 27th 2011 she began coughing all day every day.  Finally on February 17th, 2012 it was gone.  This was not a coincidence.  I believe 100% that the pasteurization process of the milk she was ingesting is what was exacerbating her allergy issues.  It's been 3 months and now when we have a high pollen, tree, or weed count day, her eyes do get a little puffy.  She may sneeze and we may hear that cough once or twice, but we are staying with raw.  It was like the dark cloud that was hanging so low over us just dissolved when we switched. 

Since she was 1 when we switched to raw, we begun the process of slowly decreasing the amount of water we added to the whole milk along with the other ingredients in the formula.  She is 15 months now and we give her whole raw goat's milk.  With her first cup at breakfast, we add her liquid vitamin and powdered children's probiotic.  She also takes a teaspoon of coconut oil as well.  The rest of her nutrition she gets from all her yummy foods that she has zero reactions too! 

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email supernaturalmommy@gmail.com or via our Super Natural Mommy Facebook Page!

Conceiving Naturally - Against the Odds - Prayer and Submission

Let's dig in to Part 1 of my Conceiving Naturally Series - Against the Odds.

Click here to go to the series Intro if you missed it.
1. Prayer and Submission (you're on it!)
2. Finding the Right Doctor
3. The Role of Hormones

Sections to come:
4. Diet - Hers
5. Diet - His
6. Herbs, Extracts, and Supplements
7. Exercise
8. Chiropractic
9. Acupuncture
10. Massage
11. Timing: Ovulation Calculators, Ovulation Predictor Test Kits, and the Rhythm Method
12. The Fun in Trying :)

PRAYER AND SUBMISSION

If you are a praying person, hopefully this is a given first step in trying to conceive (TTC).  If you aren't a praying person, I still hope that you will read on and keep an open mind.

As I have said before, this is my own personal journey into motherhood.  I am not the keeper of the universe, therefore can not make promises that will guarantee you a bun in your anxiously waiting oven.

I was desperate for a child for a long time.  I thought about having one all the day long.  The desperation part was not healthy for me.  Each passing month the test was negative was only another month without a baby to me.  I do not recommend this mentality.

Letting go while still longing and striving toward the goal.  Is this possible?  Yes.

This is absolutely the hardest part, which is precisely why I wanted to cover it first. This is not simply a first step I took and moved on.  This needed to continue on.  Like an anchor in my soul.

If you don't have any faith, you can most definitely ask for that.  In my personal walk with the Lord, I have come to understand that He wants me to admit my weakness and just let Him be the all powerful One that He has always been, is, and always will be.  So.  No faith?  Ask. Hmmm...still none?  Keep asking (maybe throw in a patience request while you're at it).

Tim and I began "trying" early in our marriage.  We decided to put on the "let it happen when it happens" mentality and just kinda watched the calendar with one eye.  From the start we prayed together and looking back through the last 5 years I can see how prayer has truly been like sweet incense (Psalm 141:2) moving through each and every turn and phase of our marriage.  There's just something about being in your husband's arms, right?  Well, add him praying over you to that and notice life's tensions fade a little.  We prayed that God would give us a child in His perfect time and we trusted Him.  Over time, this prayer was harder to pray without a big "BUT" after it ... followed by pleading, and often tears on my part.

Exactly a year before we got pregnant, I truly surrendered for the first time.  Tim was working in Natural Gas fields during this period and was gone a lot.  I was alone in my room, unable to sleep and letting myself drown in the sorrow of my utter barrenness.  It's easy to look back now and kinda chuckle, thinking myself pathetic ... but those moments were raw and real when I was very much in the middle of them.  In my brokenness I heard that small voice simply say, "Read Psalms."  Delayed obedience is disobedience so I reached for my Bible, cracked it open in the middle, and started with Psalm 1 ... figuring I'd know when I got the message trying to be sent.

I was running through the Psalms and came to an abrupt halt when I slammed into this wall of a passage from Psalm 17:14-15

"...from men by your hand, O Lord,
from men of the world whose portion
is in this life.
You fill their womb with treasure;
they are satisfied with children,
and they leave their abundance to
their infants.
As for me, I shall behold your face in
righteousness;
when I awake, I shall be satisfied with
your likeness."

Wow.  Stunned in silence.  I was completely struck with a lightening bolt.  I felt hot and found-out.  I read it over and over and through the tears (you will find that I am quite the teary lady) admitted that I had been putting my treasure in FUTURE children...not even ones I had yet.  I was under the assumption that I would find satisfaction in a gift from God instead of God.  I was floored that He would care enough to meet me face to face and bring this to the surface.  After a long talk with God, I slept soundly ... and when I awoke, I was satisfied with His likeness. 

That was a turning point in our journey of trying to conceive.  It changed the way I looked at my present and future with Tim.  Maybe it would only be us.  Maybe we would adopt.  Maybe we would have children biologically.  Whatever the circumstances, they were not going to be my treasure.  A child was not going to bring me ultimate satisfaction.  It was time to surrender the reigns along with the metaphorical whip I had taken to my own (and Tim's) backside a few times. 

This did not mean all my heart's desires and longings went out the window.  God gave me my heart and those yearnings, my passions, my imagination.  I would continue to envision myself as a Mommy some day and we still earnestly prayed for children and continued on with the other 11 parts of this series toward our goal of conceiving naturally.
 
If you need a little help in the praying department, here is one you might start with...and may I suggest prior to your first big step: take a deep breath, close your eyes, and even get down on your knees.  Your life is about to change.

God,

Help us.

We need you.

We can't do this on our own.

Come breathe your life into us and bless us with a child.

Direct us to the ways and means you have for us to make this dream a reality.

Take the anxiety from us so we are able to enjoy the process no matter how long it may be, not matter what the outcome.
Let our hopes rest in you and you alone.
Amen.

Go to the next section: Finding the Right Doctor

Introducing Contributor: Kristi Corder

Hello.

I'm Kristi (or Dr. Kristi as some call me).

Thanks to Jennifer for allowing me to be a part of her wonderful blog. I'm new to all this blogging stuff, so bear with me.

I am 33 years old. I was born and raised in Hobbs, NM where I went to elementary school, junior high, high school, and college. I was 22 when I finally moved here to the DFW area. The reason: chiropractic school....which started my journey into natural healthcare. I am married to my hubby of 9 years and we have 3 wonderful kiddos...lets call them A1 (3 years old), A2 (3 years old), and baby boy (8 months). Yes, that's right, we have twins, and they were conceived naturally. I'll have to blog about their birth story later. We live in Savannah, TX and I have an office both in my home as well as in Irving, TX.

My parents took me to the chiropractor even when I was young, but I didn't really know much about the chiropractic philosophy when I started chiropractic school. I just knew that I wanted to be a doctor without having to be in school forever. But by the end of the first trimester at Parker College of Chiropractic, I knew this was the profession for me. I was just amazed at what our body was capable of doing if we just treated it right. More blogging to come in regards to chiropractic care.

I'm not perfect, my family is not perfect, nor do I expect anyone else to be, but we try our best to live healthy in our household. The kids have all been adjusted since birth and we all get adjusted on a regular basis. They have all been breastfed...the twins until 2 1/2 years old, and baby boy is still currently nursing. We introduce fruits and veggies as their first foods...the girls took to purees just fine, but with baby boy we are doing baby-led weaning. We all take quality nutritional supplements from Standard Process and Mediherb. We all drink water primarily. And we continuously try to substitute non-nutritious ingredients with more nutritious and healthy ingredients in our meals. This weekend will be our first time to buy raw milk from a local farmer...our kids have never drank milk bought from the store. More on that later!

It's so awesome to be able to show people how healthy children can truly be. My girls are almost 4 years old and they have never had a single medication, a hospital visit, or a sick visit to their doctor. I truly believe that this has only been accomplished because of our healthy lifestyle and our use of natural/homeopathic remedies for minor illnesses.

I'm so excited to be a part of this blog and can't wait to contribute more!

DFW Holistic Pediatrician Recommend

If you are in search mode for a pediatrician in the DFW metroplex that integrates holistic practices, then you might want to look into Healthy Kids Pediatrics in Frisco, TX.

I had originally thought Lily and I would be in Korea soon after she was born, so I just took her to my primary care physician who accepts babies as well, but isn't his focus (and neither is holistic medicine).  And if you have the military health insurance provider Tricare Prime, you know what a hassle it is to find a doctor that you like that accepts it.  Once we decided to stay on America's beautiful soil and just let Daddy do his year and come back to us, I began searching for a pediatrician that practiced primarily with a holistic approach.  I found Dr. Deborah Z. Bain's website and asked my chiro if she knew of her.  She smiled from ear to ear and said she knew her and they referred to one another.  I completely respect my chiropractor's opinion (Here's Dr. Kristi Corder's website).  I am blessed to call her a friend as well.  (She will be joining Super Natural Mommy as a writer soon. ) I was in.  I had to switch Lily to Tricare Standard to be able to see her, but was glad to do it. 

Switching from Prime to Standard was surprisingly simple.  I say surprisingly because nothing has been simple with the Army in my one year's experience.  You just have to disenroll from Prime.   You can mail a form or disenroll online.  I am new to the Army and found this page and it's links to be helpful:  HealthNet Federal Services

We saw Christie Duffy, M.S., R.N., C.P.N.P.  and I am so very pleased.  It was the first doctor's visit I have ever had in which I didn't have to be on the defensive in the least.  It's one thing to have to defend your health choices for yourself to your doctor.  But we are talking about my child now.  This little helpless, new body that our gracious God has entrusted Tim and I to look after.  It's a whole new ballgame.  Before I would take her to her monthly checkups with her first Doc, I had to psych myself up to stand firm with our choices for Lily's health (respectfully, of course). Thankfully he was accepting of our philosophy and had a very no-pressure approach, however his own philosophy just didn't line up with ours and that was okay.

When I left Lily's appointment today, I got in the car and let out a big sigh of relief.  I felt like there was a mutual respect between Christie and I.  Instead of feeling rushed, I was given plenty of time to ask questions, and I felt reassured and encouraged.  I was given excellent advice, info, and direction for now, and what's to come over the next few months. If I can't find an equally amazing pediatric office near Fort Hood once we are stationed there, I guarrandangtee you we will be making the trek to Frisco. 

If you are in the same think-tank as I am with your family's health, you can probably relate to the insecurity and uncertainty I carry in regards to doctor's visits.  In my experience with my own health, doctors can be insincere and condescending.  I would leave feeling defeated like there was no other choice for me.  On one occasion I had a sore throat and my doctor couldn't tell me if it was viral or bacterial but wanted to put me on antibiotics.  I asked if there was something natural I could try first and she literally laughed  at me and called me a "health-nut" ... in a tone that was definitely NOT complimentary.  Really?  You're calling me a health-nut?  That was my last visit with her. 

I am still searching for a Doc for myself in DFW that takes Tricare Prime (which I am still on).   I'd like for the doc to be a health-nut like me.  Let me know if you have a recommend!

Shrinking Stretchmarks

Originally I ordered Dr. Mercola's powerful antioxidant Astaxanthin for the many benefits he lists.  Mainly for eye health - My Memaw suffers from macular degeneration and it is hereditary.

I was pleasantly surprised after only 4 days of taking it, I saw a noticeable difference in the size of my stretchmarks that my daughter so lovingly gave me.  Literally overnight, my stretchmarks shrunk.  I also noticed the skin around my eyes looked different.  Brighter, and the skin tone more even.

Astaxanthin

• Reduce the appearance of wrinkles, dry skin, age spots, and freckles
• Boost your brain and nervous system protection from free radicals
• Help reduce the visible signs of aging
• Promote your joint and skeletal system health
• Potentially enhance your skin protection from sun-induced free radicals
• Increase your strength and stamina
• Improve your endurance
• Enable faster recovery from exercise
• Reduce joint and muscle soreness after a vigorous workout
• Enhance your visual acuity and depth perception

 I began taking Dr. Mercola's Krill Oil along with the Astaxanthin, so this deserves credit as well.

 Krill Oil for Women with Evening Primrose

• A healthy heart*
• Support for concentration, memory & learning*
• Blood sugar health*
• Healthy joints, with an increase in joint comfort*
• Fighting your signs of aging*
• Healthy brain and nervous system function and development*
• Protection for cell membranes*
• Cholesterol and other blood lipid health*
• Healthy liver function*
• Relief of normal PMS symptoms*
• Bolstering your immune system*
• Healthy mood support*
• Optimal skin health* 

Dr. Mercola's Astaxanthin
Dr. Mercola's Krill Oil for Women Enhanced with Evening Primrose Oil

Conceiving Naturally - Against the Odds - Intro

All I ever wanted to be when I grew up was a Mommy.  I remember in 3rd grade filling out one of those beginning-of-the-school-year-get-to-know-you pages and putting down "homemaker" in the blank after the question "What is Your Dream Job?"

I come from a long line of fertile myrtles.  I mean my great-grandmother's name is Myrtle for goodness sakes!  I always assumed I'd be the same and whenever I wanted - I'd pop out a baby.  Twas not so.

I only have my personal experience. God's timing in regards to Motherhood is different for all of us, so I can only share how TTCN (trying to conceive naturally) happened for me and my husband, Tim.

Soon after we married I was diagnosed with PCOS - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.  These are tiny cysts that appear as though there is a pearl necklace around your ovaries.  This stacks some major odds against conceiving naturally, and if you are lucky enough to get pregnant, now the odds are against carrying your pregnancy full-term.  Doctors say PCOS is incurable. 

Good News:  We were able to conceive naturally without the use of any drugs and I carried our daughter full-term.  It took 4 years of trying, but we have a daughter.  Healthy.  Thank you, God. 
More Good News:  The first ultrasound I had once pregnant showed my ovaries to be normal size and there was not a single cyst. 

Four Years.  That amounts to a lot of trying and hoping and waiting...rinse...repeat.  There is a VERY long list of steps we took to get to the point of a positive pregnancy test.

I won't be covering everything in one entry or I would never be finished.  So here is a little Table of Contents in the works:


1. Prayer and Submission
2. Finding the Right Doctor
3. The Role of Hormones
4. Diet - Hers
5. Diet - His
6. Herbs, Extracts, and Supplements
7. Exercise
8. Chiropractic
9. Acupuncture
10. Massage
11. Timing: Ovulation Calculators, Ovulation Predictor Test Kits, and the Rhythm Method
12. The Fun in Trying :)


I may take a break from the Conceiving Naturally series,  but all these parts will be covered in time.

Introducing Creator/Contributor: Jennifer Sperl

Hello.

I'm Jennifer.

I'm turning 30 this year and currently the happiest I've ever been.  

Married 5 years to Specialist Timothy Sperl of the US Army.

We are currently separated by miles and miles of ocean and land.

I imagine the happiness scale will tip once we are back under the same roof.

Mommy to one itty bitty Lily Sue who I stay at home with.

Lover of FOOD.  Real good healthy stuff.

I rather enjoy a nice bold cabernet or very dark beer on occasion. 

A friend to most furry creatures.  I say "most" because you should never, EVER feed a bear.   

My favorite furry friends are Clive and Guster, our 2 wirehair dachshunds.

Don't wear wranglers or lasso anything, but I love being a southern girl - of the Texas variety.

Jumped on the natural health bandwagon in 2003 when I went to massage school.

It quickly became one of my life's greatest passions.

My ultimate passion is Jesus.  There is no other name my heart sings.
And I sing a lot.

Welcome to Super Natural Mommy

I would like to welcome you to Super Natural Mommy.

I don't know if I am just "at that stage in life" or it's a babyboom, but I find myself smack dab in the middle of a bunch of other new mommies, expectant mommies, and friends trying to conceive.  I also find myself replying to emails, calls, and texts asking for prayer, encouragement, and advice...mostly regarding natural conception and childbirth.  From encouraging these ladies, I have in turn been encouraged by them...to write a blog.  So here we go.  After months of consideration, mulling over ideas, and just plain busyness of being a new mom, we begin.

My hope for this blog is to provide a little insight into conception, childbirth, and parenting the natural way with a heaping helping of personal experience, a side of research, and sprinkles of humor (heavy on the sprinkles).