Homeschool Musings

We're beginning our homeschool journey. Honestly, it is harder to figure out than I expected, but when it goes well - I'm soooo excited. Gracie is somewhere between Kindergarten and First Grade. So I say she's in "Fir-indergarten." It's amazing that we can cover 6 subjects in less than two hours a day! We're only a few weeks in, but I'm hooked.

One of my favorite things is the variety of subjects. I love that she can spend time learning different things from us. Pete shows her all kinds of animals and insects (she is comfortable touching many random creatures including snakes!). He also taught her how to work a tape measure and throw a frisbee. I say that's biology, woodworking and phy ed!

You can see my influence here. Yes, she is operating a hand sander solo. I'm not sure what to call the subject ...environmental science? ...economics? (since she's learning the value of natural renovation and improving older furniture to save money).

Well, it's time for culinary arts (she'll help me make dinner).

Love,

PG-13 Breastfeeding Advice

Not everyone who reads this blog is a pregnant lady. Some of you are, hoping to be, hoping never to be LOL. I originally rote this for my cousin who just had her first baby. Regardless of your state (or unstate) of motherhood, you may find some of my thoughts interesting. If not, see you later!

1. You have to train your baby to breastfeed. You will be training that kid to do stuff his whole life and it starts at birth. Babies have a natural inclination to suck, but they need your help to get it right. This website is awesome (and graphic!). Dr. Jack Newman has videos of proper latch technique, how to correct a poor practices and lots of choices of position for your comfort. I was really, really helped by this site after Faith was born – she was a tough kid to get latched correctly.

2. DON’T WORRY! Your body was created for this. The milk is great even from day one. People say the baby might not be getting enough milk because the milk hasn’t “come in” yet. Phooey! If diapers are getting wet, then liquid is going in. Listen for regular swallowing – that’s a good indication. If you use the epidural, then the baby will get that medication. So she may need to “come off” the meds before she’s vigorous enough to get into nursing.

3. Speaking of Breasts…

• After each time your baby nurses, rub lightly some of your own breast milk onto your nipples. Then let them “air out” until they’re dry. Never underestimate the healing power of light and air on these sensitive areas.
• When you shower (even now) don’t allow soap to get on your nipples. It dries them and messes us the oil glands (those little bumps on the areola).
• Wear loose clothing (even no bra – even though you’ll drip- just use a burp cloth to catch it) and of natural fibers (100% cotton, etc)
• Avoid “pulling” her off the breast. Be really gentle when breaking the suction. (One little finger pressing into the breast should ease her off.)
• After your milk comes in (usually six days or less), if you are suffering from painful fullness (and the baby’s not taking enough to relieve you), you can put cabbage leaves in your bra. This was a huge help.
  

Hope these tips and experiences are of benefit to you (sooner, later or never). So if you see me a few weeks after my baby is born, you may wonder... "Do I smell cabbage?"

Love,

Like a kid in an organic candy store!

Last week, we drove to Durham to Common Ground Green Building Supply to buy some truly non-toxic paint (see previous post on my disappointment about our "zero-VOC" paint).

I had a blast! Everything in the store is non-toxic, non-off gassing, natural and green. I could walk on cork floors (and they are every bit as awesome as I was hoping), see all the fun colors of the marmoleum flooring (alternative to linoleum floor tiles) and browse paint samples to my heart's delight. (They even had a few mistints, but I didn't succumb).


Not only did we buy paint, but we found some really great (pretty cost-effective) options for the continued kitchen renovation. I won't tell you all right now, but cork floors might really be in my future :-) See we love them already!

Love,

Wrapping Mattress (DIY)

Please see my previous posts on preventing SIDS

One aside before the DIY:
Don't be mislead! My SIDS soapbox is not about "cheap" mattresses that off-gas. The mattresses (even those with special covers and toppers) are treated with flame retardant chemicals. So even though someone says - "Oh I got a good mattress - no worries," it does not matter. The only safe options (unwrapped) are going to be natural latex (like from savvy rest) or an organic cotton mattress. Even if the mattress you buy says "Eco, Soy, Plant Derived or Bio" it is often still a polyurethane foam (mixed with some healthy stuff). Just watch closely for PVC vinyl wrapped mattresses. Bad and often not disclosed. ----------------------------------------
As promised, here are pictures and instructions for wrapping your mattresses. We just graduated Faith up to a "big girl" bed. Since we aren't in a position to purchase the natural latex mattresses for the girls, we made sure their beds are wrapped.

1. You can purchase the wraps already cut to size or purchase a roll of 6 mil clear plastic sheeting (not PVC or Polyurethane) and cut enough to completely cover the mattress with overlap.

2. You want to wrap the mattress like a gift so that all of the seams are on the bottom (whichever you determine is the bottom). Clear tape is the ideal. This is semi-clear packing tape I'm using.

3. Ironically, you now need to cut a few vent holes in the plastic on the underside of the mattress. We want to stop the off-gassing the mattress, but it still needs a minimum amount of ventilation. The jagged holes prove I'm not a perfectionist (LOL)! It's going to be on bottom anyway.

4. Now you make the bed! Make sure vent holes are down and all seams are thoroughly taped shut. I have a wool blanket and an all cotton mattress cover then the fitted sheet. It makes the bed a little softer. It also cuts down on the "crinkly" sound that is an unavoidable result of the wrapped mattress.

Happy Wrapping!

Love,