Friday, March 9, 2012

How crunchy is too crunchy?





So this new term has been making full circles in the mommy world. "Crunchy". What exactly does it mean? We'll here is one firm definition of it:




crunch·y

  [kruhn-chee]  Show IPA
adjective, crunch·i·er, crunch·i·est.
1.
crisp; brittle.
2.
Sometimes, crunchy granola Informal health-conscious and environmentally aware: one of those crunchy guys whoinsists on biking to work.


So a great deal of mom's don't like to be referred to as Crunchy, and then some find it flattering. Just what makes you crunchy exactly, and how much crunch is too much? 


I started on this parenting journey with no intention of doing anything different than the way I was raised. I didn't come from an organic background, I was simply taught; good values and good morales = good kids. That had nothing to do what the type of diaper I was wearing, whether I was breast fed as a baby, or if my parents made sure to feed me nutrient rich organic foods. Today mom's are embracing a new lifestyle and for different reasons. There is an eco-friendly movement which inspires mom's to be more aware of their carbon footprint, and then  there are the cost effective mom's, which are just looking for ways to save money. Either way, you can be one or the other or a little of each, but if both lead to the same place does that still make you crunchy no matter what? 


I am not really sure. I do know that in the last year I have learned a great deal about what I want for my baby, what sounds healthy, cost effective and if it helps save the planet at the same time, then bonus. 


So here are a few things that I am doing, or going to do and why. Let's see if this put me on the crunch meter?


1) Natural birth: We'll if anyone read my blog about my first time experience with pregnancy I think it is pretty clear why I decided to take the natural route. The idea of an epidural just wasn't for me, but of course I could still go natural in a hospital setting right? I decided I wanted the best environment to support my birth plan, so I set out to find a birth center! Best choice I ever made. 


2) Hypnobirthing techniques: I never believed in hypnosis. I am not even sure this would qualify for anything crunchy, but it definitely has gotten some weird looks when I mention it to others. Mind over matter is all this is. I needed to convince myself that I could have a pain free or pain manageable labor when fear was setting in. Over all this has been the best support I could have asked for, aside from my wonderful hubby. I highly recommend Hypnobabies for those who are interested in learning more! http://www.hypnobabies.com/ 


3) Cloth Diapering: When I found out I could save hundreds, even thousands on diapers I was interested, but when I saw how easy these diapers are to clean and how manageable this could be...I was sold...and so cloth diapering it is! Plus my child is less likely to deal with diaper rash and other bottom problems, she could potty train at an earlier age (up to 6 months earlier), and the diapers are actually super cute, especially her pink robot ones. ;) 


For more info on disposable vs. cloth you can check out this site: http://www.diaperjungle.com/Disposable-Diapers-Exposed.html


4) Breast Feeding: There are so many benefits to breast feeding I was surprised to learn a great deal of mom's still do not do it. Mostly because of frustration and not having the proper support and information. I am so thankful for the midwifes and consultants at my birthing center. This was probably one of the most informative classes I have taken. I will be blogging about breast feeding soon! 


5) Co Sleeping: Something else I never considered, aside from a friend advising that I may want the newborn in the same room as me since she will need to feed every 1-3 hrs. There are a lot of benefits to co sleeping with your child in beginning. It will allow for mom and dad to get more restful sleep, I can react faster if she wakes up, and research has shown that co sleeping allows for greater independence and higher self-esteem among other children. (reported on p.141 ofNatural Parenting – Back to Basics in Infant Care) ("routinely sharing the parents’ bed in infancy has been associated with greater self-reliance and social independence at preschool age than a history of solitary sleeping (Keller, M. A., and Goldberg, 2004).
This does have a limitation for us though. We do not want to co sleep with a toddler or share a bedroom with our children like some families may. To each their own, but for the breast feeding months this is fine with us. 


6) Processing my own baby food: This was a no brainier. Put simply : I wanted to know what I was feeding my child. (http://www.cspinet.org/reports/cheat1.html) The single-ingredients foods made by all the companies differ only modestly as a result of adding somewhat different amounts of water. However, Gerber and Heinz add substantial amounts of water and thickening agents (flours and chemically modified starches) to more than half of their twenty-five most popular fruits, mixed and creamed vegetables, desserts, and dinners for babies over six months (second- and third-stage foods). I didn't want to feed my baby any filler!


 I once witnessed another mother feeding her baby leftovers from a restaurant. Watching the baby eat a dinner with an enormous amount of salt, fat and other ingredients was just unsettling for me. Even as an adult we should be conscious of the things we put into our bodies but to hand the same dinner off to a small child just did not compute for me. 


The second benefit is cost. The average jar of baby food costs roughly $0.51. You can do the math to figure out that just adds up! It is much easier to make regular healthy family meals and incorporate your baby meals from those. There are several great books and blogs on how to broil, puree, and store the foods properly. 
**(Check out this mom and her great tips: http://moneysavingmom.com/2010/05/freezing-homemade-baby-food.html)  
**I also picked up some great recipes from this book: Start Fresh by Tyler Florence. His website and story are inspiring! http://www.sproutbabyfood.com/resources/category/tyler/


8) Vaccinations:  This is a new concept for me and my partner. We were both raised with similar backgrounds. You get the vaccinations you are required to get, and that's that! Today there is a bit more controversy on the subject. There is a huge list of pro's and con's as to why vaccinations are both beneficial and harmful. Of course this is a personal family decision and you and your partner need to decide what is best for your lifestyle. You may find that some vaccinations don't make sense while others seem very important. You can also talk to your pediatrician about spreading out the vaccines. It may mean more trips to the doctor but it also allows your child time to recover from each vaccination while rebuilding their immune system. 
We purchased The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child. " and just decided it would be good to have on hand as we learn the benefits and risk associated with each immunization. It was also important for us to find a pediatrician who would respect our values to selectively immunize if we chose to do so. This is actually very important because if you suddenly decide to not do an immunization with a doctor who doesn't see eye to eye, you may find yourself pushed against a wall for something you didn't necessarily feel comfortable with. 
There is also the debate with immunization and public schools. Some states will require that you fill out a religious waiver. It is recommended that you do this before you get ANY vaccinations rather than wait until you find it necessary. 

9) Chiropractic Care: I have always had back issues but I have never seen a Chiropractor. Frankly, I believed they were used for serious back issues and accident or injury victims. Once I was about 20 weeks pregnant I started to have severe back pain. A friend recommended I try a chiropractor. I was surprised to find out it was covered under my insurance. I started going once a week for a regular adjustment and immediately I was seeing and feeling results! At 38 weeks I have had no back pain at all. I can't even imagine having any back labor at this point. The second reason I found this so amazing was something called the Webster Technique. A technique designed by Larry Webster that would assist and re-positioning breached babies. 
I have had this technique applied several times and it is amazing! I call it the magic finger. My baby was sitting side ways and it became very uncomfortable around 34 weeks. When my chiropractor applied this technique we saw my entire belly moved as the baby shifted positions. Immediately, I felt comfortable again and the baby was more comfortable! 






The reason I listed this topic under my crunchy items was because I plan to also take our daughter to see the Chiropractor within the first week of her birth. We plan to use our chiropractor for Wellness Care. This kind of care can help with a number of issues and is a great resource in just preventative care for any future health issues. It just made sense to explore additional options aside from our pediatrician, for us it meant that our child would only benefit for a healthier and happier lifestyle. 




So I found this test funny. Apparently I am crunchier than I realized! I scored a "Pretty Crispy". Haha. I didn't intend on becoming crunchy, but I welcome it. I don't think I will skip on makeup, shaving my legs, give up meat, or start going barefoot anytime soon...okay...never, but apparently I still have crunch factor. haha. 



Crunchy Test: http://themoralesfamily.us/granola.htm






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