Tag: natural

Brain food: Recipes and Coconut Oil for Kids

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Lately, coconut oil has been touted as quite the wonder food.  Though it’s been around for a long time, it’s now making the rounds as a natural beauty aid, as well as a healthier option for cooking with oils.  Beyond that, research on coconut oil has revealed that it works wonders for the brain, something that’s gotten my attention considering our ongoing trials and tribulations with pediatric epilepsy.  

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According to Food for the Brain: 

Virgin-pressed coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) which convert directly into ketones. Recent evidence suggests ketones may lessen symptoms in those with Alzheimer’s, as well as children with epilepsy.

Ketones are also made directly from coconut oil (virgin-pressed is best to avoid any hydrogenated fats) which contains medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs for short. These convert directly in ketones which the body can burn for energy rather than store as fat.

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The Wall Street Journal backs the positive effects of coconut oil:  Early research on coconut oil and Alzheimer’s disease shows a possible protective effect on neurons. In a study published earlier this year in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, Canadian researchers found mouse brain cells treated with coconut oil were somewhat protected from the toxic effects of amyloid proteins, which build up in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

 

 Coconut oil and Kids

With all the good news about coconut oil, how can you introduce it into the kids’ diets and routines in such a way that works for everyone.  It’s pretty simple, actually.  The easiest way to include coconut oil is to just add a teaspoon here and there to foods that you would eat with a spoon.  I’ve been known to add coconut oil to meals and snacks such as:

oatmeal

cereal

yogurt

ice cream

 

I picked up a Costco-sized tub of Carrington Farms coconut oil and we’ve had fun experimenting with meals and other daily uses. Coincidentally, after I bought my own coconut oil, Carrington Farms contacted me to participate in their April campaign.  As such, in addition to sharing how we use coconut oil, I thought I’d share some tried and true recipes that the kids love.

 Kid-Friendly recipes

I especially love adding, or rather, substituting coconut oil in baking. Because it tolerates high temperatures, coconut oil is a great substitute for shortening, butter, margarine, or vegetable oil. Here’s a delicious waffle recipe where I’ve incorporated coconut oil instead of butter.  These waffles are so crisp and delish, I’ll never go back to the boxed versions again.

 

Whole Wheat Waffles

 Recipe source: 100 Days of Real Food

•2 large eggs

•1 ¾ cups milk 

•¼ cup melted coconut oil 

•1 tablespoon honey

•½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

•¼ teaspoon baking soda

•1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour 

•2 teaspoons baking powder

•? teaspoon salt

 

800px Waffles with Strawberries

1.Preheat waffle iron.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, oil, honey, cinnamon and baking soda until combined.

3. Add in flour, baking powder and salt and whisk together until lumps disappear.

4.  When waffle iron is hot, put butter or spray and ladle batter onto center of iron.

5. cook until golden and crisp.  

6. Top with syrup and enjoy! 

 

And finally, here’s one more delicious recipe that includes coconut oil:

Banana Bread and Chocolate Chip Muffins

 Adapted from the banana bread recipe as seen in Feeding Your Baby Day by Day by Fiona Wilcock

Ingredients

1/4 cup of melted coconut oil

2 large bananas

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

handful of chocolate chips

 1. Prehead the oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare pan; I made mini muffins

2. Mash bananas until smooth and place in mixing bowl.  Stir in oil, eggs, and vanilla.

3. Sift flours and baking powder, adding back any that stays in sifter.

4 Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and beat together until smooth.  Pour or spoon into prepared pan.  Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.

5. Cool on wire rack and enjoy

 

Other uses for coconut oil

Aside from adding to food, coconut oil is an amazing natural moisturizer.  We’ve used it for dry hands, burns, conditioner, diaper cream and one of my faves, as the oil in my DIY wipe solution.

 

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Baby Days: Nighttime Changing Routine

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The baby days continue to consume me, both personally and work-wise. After an informative afternoon with famed pediatrician, Dr. Harvey Karp. I was inspired to share our nighttime changing routine, one of my favorite times of the day…for more reasons than the obvious! Find out how we incorporate Stokke, Under the Nile, Badger, CJ’s BUTTer and Fisher Price into our nighttime changing routine.

Earlier this week, I enjoyed a lovely lunch with the amazing Dr. Harvey Karp of Happiest Baby on the Block. I learned so much during the candid conversation over lunch at the book publisher’s NYC office discussing his latest book on sleep. (post to come) And now, with our baby right at 4 months, naturally, there are so many changes going on. He’s turned the corner on sleep, his eating habits are more predictable and his behavior is all around fun.

As a second time mom and mom of a preschooler and infant, I’ve found that the one of the hardest aspects of motherhood is finding balance. Yesterday, for example, finding time to balance the four year old, four month old AND write in between was complicated, to put it nicely. The four year old, like most preschoolers, demanded my attention. The baby sat so quietly for most of the day, but it was the big kid who tested my patience as I tried to make deadlines. Ultimately, something gives, and every time it’s the writing…but, such is life.

And since the baby didn’t get nearly as much attention, I’m SO grateful for our nighttime routine. It’s that one time of day when it’s just baby and me, and we’re both awake, happy and usually relaxed. So, while big bro hangs with daddy, it’s just us for 30-45 minutes of uninterrupted quality time–if we’re lucky.

There’s so many elements that contribute to how fun this can be, but here’s what we’re doing right now:

1. Badger Nighty Night Balm
I can’t get enough of Badger Balm. Truly. I was first introduced to these products via Healthy Child Healthy World. The Bug Balm was the first product we used and now, swear by. And so, when my husband brought home several sample of other balms, I immediately fell in love with even more Badger Balms that I didn’t even know existed! The organic Nighty Nighty Balm is, should I say it, the bomb. In lieu of lotion at night, I use this balm, which has a soft, but wax-like consistency, to give the baby a little post-bath massage. What a life, right? I use this time to help him exercise and stretch those chubberific legs, soothe his arms and then softly massage his chest and back. His coos and smiley face is enough to keep this in my routine. The balm moisturizes well and smells unbelievable. You think the baby smell is awesome? Just add this to the mix. There’s no synthetic fragrances, just chamomile, a little lavender and more. So sweet.

2. Changing Table: Stokke Care
This solid wood changing table from Stokke was our Christmas and Birthday present from my inlaws. While this beautiful piece of furniture deserves its own post, I’ll highlight what makes this such an integral part of our routine.
The first time around, we were city parents who were starved for space. We shrugged off the need for a dedicated changing table and opted for just a changing pad that we threw anywhere to do the job. After over two years of changing anywhere and everywhere our backs ached and that changing pad was practically crumbling for so much usage and handling.

So, this time around, when we were asked what we needed, we said nothing…EXCEPT a changing table. So, why the Care? Aside from the fact that it matches our Stokke Sleepi System, it’s multifunctional and grows with the baby like several of Stokke’s other products. After the diaper-changing days, the Care can be turned into a desk. (I know, right?)  The Care changing table boasts a lot of storage space and is compatible to various heights–perfect for taller parents. (Our backs are thanking us this time around!) The side compartments are just as convenient as the storage baskets that sit atop two shelves. As a cloth diaperer, the storage area is ample for my stash, as well as our bountiful inventory of baby toiletries and acoutrements. This is my most used baby staple, and one that I’m thrilled will truly grow with us!

3. CJ’s BUTTer
Heh. I said butt. Ok, got that out… So, both of my children much like other members of my immediate family, have extremely sensitive skin. Finding a diaper rash cream or ointment that REALLY works and doesn’t use toxins or harmful chemicals can be next to impossible. Burt’s Bees is my usual go-to diaper cream; in fact, the big kid was fond of eating it when my back was turned. Unfortunately, Burt’s Bees isn’t cloth diaper friendly. Thankfully, with cloth diapering, we don’t see too much diaper rash or irritation, but it’s when we switch over to disposables when we’re on the go or on laundry days, the irritation sometimes arises. CJ’s BUTTer which I’ve always seen on cloth diapering sites as a great option for diaper ointment, was sent to me as a sample in a Bluum Box. It was love after first swipe. The ingredients are all natural, it’s made with love by a small company, it works well and can be used beyond diaper rash (for black/mixed hair to separate locks? who knew!) It moisturizes and seals the irritated areas and I love that it contains essential oils. CJ’s BUTTer is my new go-to for diaper ointment.

5. Hooded Bath Towel: Under the Nile
This thick, luscious hooded baby towel is made from organic Eygptian cotton and you can totally tell. It’s both soft and durable and surpasses the quality and texture of the thin baby towels we received from the big kid’s baby shower. We have tons of baby towels, but honestly? This Under the Nile towel is the one I grab every time.  And bonus, my photographer friend, Maegan Dougherty, who has photographed our family many times pre-baby #2, shot some pics for Under the Nile’s clothing line, which can be seen on the front page.  Nice, right?

5. Fisher Price Giggle Gang
Another stuffed toy and one that laughs? Ha! Yes…but this one is too cute to pass up. It’s just a round, vibrant plush toy that giggles when you press it’s belly and it’s contagious and chewable! I have a video review of these guys coming up, but I couldn’t not include him on here because we keep Fuzzy on our changing table to distract Mr. Squirmy baby. Laughs all around!

6. Badger Baby Oil
For our first kid’s baby shower, I received several containers of baby oil. I honestly had no idea what to use it for, so I never really used it. This time around I find myself using it as often as I can. I use it in diaper wipe solution, for dry skin patches and most often after bath on baby’s scalp to help avoid cradle cap. I use just a tiny drop and it works so well. I’ve read articles that say to AVOID using oils on the baby’s head, but alas, this is something I still do and have no issues whatsoever. With with calendula and chamomile, the Badger Baby Oil smells so lovely, I love using it at night to complement the Nighty Night balm. Bonus: I love to include it in so many of my baby shower gift baskets because it not only lasts forever, but it’s a great alternative to the more questionable products in the baby aisle.

There are so many products out there, and many more that we use, but these few just so happen to be the ones we use in our current routine. All of them are fun, sustainable and worthy of sharing!

Full disclosure: the changing table was a gift from family, but all of the other products were either items in a swag bag, samples from a company for review or samples obtained from my husband’s employer, which has no direct affiliation with NKT. As always, all opinions on NKT are mine.

Burt’s Baby Bee Nourishing Lotion Touts New Formula

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Natural skin care and beauty care brand, Burt’s Bees, recently rolled out new versions of their popular Baby Bee Nourishing Lotions. The Original, Lavender and Fragrance Free formulas are pediatrician-tested, 99% natural and hypoallergenic.

In addition to being paraben-, phthalate- and petrochemical-free, part of the “new and improved”  equation is that the fragrances in the Baby Bee Nourishing Lotions are also 100% natural.

I like the thick, but non-greasy consistency of the Fragrance Free Baby Bee Nourishing Lotion. The combination of aloe, shea butter and other ingredients create a gentle moisturizer for the tiniest babies, but are just as effective for rough and tumble kids, such as my own. This is my new go-to baby lotion, and one that’s worth checking out.

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Sophie the Giraffe on Slate

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Since we’re chatting reader feedback, I have to mention this one: last week, my dad sent me a link to a very interesting Slate article.

It was an article about a teether—not just any teether, but Sophie the Giraffe.

Sophie the Giraffe, a rubber teether of international fame, has been a favorite among new parents for quite some time.  And unlike the article insists, most new parents I know swear by Sophie because their friends swear by it.  I couldn’t tell you what celebrity baby had Sophie, but I can tell you which of my friends did.

We’ve all been there: when a kid’s teething you’ll do anything to soften the cries and lessen the pain.  That is, anything that’s safe and effective.  And for me, I hardly consider a teether a social status.

For many parents who opt to go the natural route, numbing medicine is replaced by teethers and homemade methods.  Likened to the feel of a bottle’s nipple, Sophie’s rubber resistance against a baby’s aching, teething gums has been called a lifesaver when nothing else worked.  And just like the article mentions, when concerns started to rise about the safety of products from China, parents turned to less questionable products, including the rubber giraffe from France named Sophie.

Sophie the Giraffe is made of 100% natural rubber and food paint, making it completely safe to chew for babies.  Her unique size and shape make it easy for tiny fingers to grasp as well.

Regardless of how she got her rise to fame, Sophie is a beloved teether in the parenting community.  Sure, she costs a little more than her plastic counterparts, but for many, her effectiveness and safety is worth the expense.

Check it

Be sure to check out this interesting article on Sophie the Giraffe on Slate.

Sophie the Giraffe from Viulli can be found at specialty stores and retailers like giggle.  I even spotted her on Bed Bath and Beyond‘s site and diapers.com.

McNeil Recalls OTC Children’s Products; Helpful Links

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

If you keep up with the news, then I’m sure you’ve heard by now about the McNeil Recalls involving OTC children’s medication such as Tylenol and Motrin.  There’s no need for me to rehash what’s been already said, but as a quick synopsis:

McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the makers of OTC medication such as Tylenol, Motrin, Benadryl and Zyrtec, have issued a voluntary recall on a number of products because they fail to reach quality standards.

Don’t want to wade through the long list of recalled products?  Head over to Tylenol’s site and enter your bottle’s product numbers here.

WAIT! Before you throw out your bottles of Tylenol and Motrin that are included in the recall, save them so you can get a refund and/or coupon.  According to the NY Times Bucks Blog, you have to call or email the company to get your coupon for new product.  It’s advised it might be best to reach a representative directly 1-888-222-6036.

Honestly, at this point, with various recalls lingering, I’m leaning toward the generic route if I need to administer any meds for the kid, which is truly, really rare.  (Note: I have no idea who makes it, but I like Target’s generic products) And back to McNeil, I’m one to try and push to get my money back in lieu of a coupon.  If you do get through to the company, let me know how it goes!

US News and World Report listed some helpful suggestions for alternatives to medicine for kids.

Humidity. Humidifying the air is useful for cold symptoms because it helps the cilia, tiny hairs in the lining of the nose and sinuses, move mucus out of the nose.

Nasal irrigation and saline sprays or drops. Both saline sprays and nasal irrigation work by the same premise—decreasing the amount of mucus and crusting in the nose, which reduces congestion and obstruction. Nasal irrigation kits, including the neti pot and squeeze bottles, are sold over the counter along with packets of ingredients that can be mixed with water to create a saltwater solution to flush out the nose. Saline sprays and drops are also sold over the counter and can be sprayed into the nose safely, without irritating the nasal passages in children, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Nasal suctioning. Using a bulb syringe to suck secretions out of the nose can help clear nasal passages in babies, Tunkel says. Parents should gently push the bulb into the nose no more than a half-inch deep. For best results, put several drops of saline solution into the nose before suctioning, the Mayo Clinic suggests.

Safe Baby, safe baby 1,2,3…

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Even though summer is in full swing and I’ve already raved about one of our favorite sunscreens, I thought I’d share another great sunscreen that I had the chance to try out.
safebabySafe Baby, which is part of Skin by Monica Olsen line, is a paraben-free, waterproof sunscreen with SPF 50. Monica Olsen, a former model, but more importantly, a conscientious mama like many of us, was in search of natural baby products that she liked. Since she couldn’t find anything that she felt comfortable using on her new babe, she decided to create her own line.
Safe Baby contains organic flower extracts, vitamins and doesn’t use any harsh chemicals such as alcohol. Who’d want those nasty, harsh chemicals irritating baby’s skin anyway?

I love the way Safe Baby applies; it’s not too thick or overpowering, like other sunscreens I’ve tried in the past. The scent, at first, I thought was a bit too flowery for my taste, but it dissipated and became a subtle, sweet scent once applied. As a mama with a fair-skinned babe, I like that it’s SPF 50, too. Again, like most natural products, Safe Baby is a bit pricier than I’d like to pay. There are a few ingredients listed that I can’t pronounce, and perhaps because it’s newer, I couldn’t find these products in the Cosmetic Database yet. But after a day in the sun, Safe Baby worked wonderfully and didn’t leave everything greasy or stained.

Safe Baby is worth checking out. It’s a great alternative to the chemical laden sunscreens and good option for a more natural and safe sunscreen. If you’re in the NYC area, SKIN by Monica Olsen is available at Duane Reade. Safe Baby is also available at other stores, as well as online.

Want Safe Baby for yourself?

Tell me another product in the Skin by Monica Olsen line and comment below!

For extra entries, feel free to share this product via Twitter, Facebook or any other social networking site.

Huggies introduces Pure & Natural Diapers

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Huggies is joining the ranks of natural choices for disposable diapers with the launch of Huggies Pure & Natural diapers.  The new diapers are described as a super premium diaper that includes natural, organic materials and ingredients that also take initial steps toward environmental improvements.

huggies

The new Huggies Pure & Natural diaper is hypoallergenic, latex and fragrance free and features a breathable outer cover that includes organic cotton. The liner includes natural Aloe & Vitamin E and materials from renewable sources, and the product’s outer packaging is sourced from 20 percent post-consumer recycled materials. The new diaper will be offered in 6 sizes, from newborn through size 5.
Huggies Pure & Natural diapers will be available later in April.

Goodies
Check out Huggies Pure and Natural and don’t forget to get a free sample.

If you try and/or use Huggies Pure and Natural, be sure to come back to let us know how you liked them!