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A friend of mine is having difficulty conceiving her second child. She leads a healthy lifestyle, exercises daily and recently stopped working to reduce stress. She is currently taking Progesterone pills but I had told her that I would research some natural ways to boost her fertility. I’ve come across some very interesting information related to the potential causes of unexplained fertility and natural ways to overcome infertility. This information comes from many sources and as with any medical information, should be discussed with your physician.

The following is a list of natural remedies that are suggested to boost fertility:

Vitamin C & Antioxidants: Eat your fruits and vegetables, as antioxidants help to reduce stress on the reproductive system. In fact a recent study by Harvard researchers, as reported by WebMD, found that 79% of infertile couples had a low intake of fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin Supplements:

• “In a small study published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine doctors found the nutrient formula in a supplement known as Fertility Blend increased conception rates. It’s key ingredients: folic acid, vitamins E, B-6, and B-12, iron, magnesium, zinc, the amino acid L-arginine, selenium, the herb chasteberry (also know known as vitex), and green tea.” - WebMD
• Magnesium, Zinc and Vitamin A are needed for egg production.
• Zinc is a vital mineral for enzyme systems that affect fertility. The growth and development of the embryo depends on zinc which can be deficient in many women due to stress, pollution and alcohol consumption. Many infertile couples tested show low zinc levels.

Avoid Sources of Synthetic Estrogen (Xenoestrogens): Limiting your exposure to Xenoestrogens, such as those found in birth control pills, non-organic produce and meat, mercury-polluted fish, pesticides, plastic containers and plastic wrap can help increase fertility.

Moderate Exercise: exercise keeps your body in good health and balances hormones, but too much exercise can lower progesterone levels and impair fertility.

Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol: both caffeine (as little as one cup of coffee per day) and alcohol can reduce fertility up to 50%

Reduce Stress & Get Adequate Sleep

Fertility Herbs: the following herbs can be used in a tea or tincture form to possibly boost fertility

• Red Clover Blossoms: This herb is said to be the most useful herb in aiding fertility, especially when combined with Raspberry Leaf.
• Chasteberry: Chasteberry should help fertility by balancing the sex hormones.
• Dong Quai: Dong Quai is a Chinese fertility herb, long-used to solve menstrual difficulties. It also helps to balance estrogen levels in the body and improve chances of egg implantation. It is suggested to use this herb during the days between ovulation and menstruation only.

WebMD has a pretty good, comprehensive article about wellness choices you can make to naturally increase your chances of conceiving. Keep in mind that outside of this article, most of the information on WebMd related to infertility involves more medically invasive treatments instead of natural remedies. It is my opinion that the root cause of unexplained fertility can be linked to an imbalance in your body which may be solved by proper nutrition, exercise and care of the psyche. If those areas are at optimal levels and there are still problems conceiving and maintaining a viable pregnancy, then it may be time to consider more aggressive measures.

I’d love to hear you share your own personal experiences related to fertility, suggested remedies for infertility and success stories!

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I recently read an interview on Gaiam, “How to Become a Mindful Parent” and it’s stuck with me, so I wanted to share. Lately I find myself caught up in the hectic pace of day to day life with a 3 year old and 9 month old, working part-time, running a business, blogging, and managing a household, and I find that I sometimes react mindlessly to my family. This article reminds me to stop stressing about everything I have to do, allow my children to be who they are, to stop “sweating the small stuff” and instead live in the present moment and enjoy my life as a wife, mother and well, me!

“How are children, as you put it, live-in Zen masters?

Jon Kabat-Zinn: Well, for example, a Zen master is likely to continually push your buttons so you have plenty of occasions to practice maintaining clarity and emotional balance. Children, by their very nature, are going to call into question and perhaps disrupt everything you know, and that is a great opportunity for bringing mindful awareness to the situation. Say you’ve put a lot of energy into making dinner after a difficult day, and your baby starts screaming and is inconsolable just when you are about to sit down and enjoy it. That’s a perfect opportunity to bring mindfulness right into that moment and see how attached you may be to having a peaceful dinner. What are your options? You can flip out and be immature and not be in resonance with whatever your child is experiencing, or you can realize this it what it means sometimes to have baby or a toddler. Life itself is the curriculum. When you give up your attachment, you won’t relate to your child with resentment. Our live-in Zen masters teach us to accept things as they are, and then respond appropriately rather than react mindlessly—because things are already as they are.”

Now, I know that mindful parenting is an ideal and not always realistic. Much of the time it’s a challenge to focus on a recipe for dinner much less to have the time to master the Zen of parenting! However, I’m going to try to change some of my reactions and instead respond mindfully in the moment. It’s a start and if it brings me inner peace and helps me to relate better to my family, I’m all for it!

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The Center for Science in the Public Interest is requesting that the Food and Drug Administration ban artificial food dyes added to many foods due to the fact that they may be linked to attention and behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, ADD and ADHD in sensitive children. They are requesting that eight artificial dyes including Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Orange B, Red 3, and Yellow 6 be replaced with natural alternatives that are already being used in the United Kingdom as they phase out the use of the synthetic dyes. Artificial food dyes are used in everything from candy and soft drinks to cereal and other processed food products in the United States. In fact, Americans consume twice the amount of artificial colorings today than they did 50 years ago and some studies show that the end result is more children with increased risk of hyperactivity.

The FDA has yet to comment on this petition, but hopefully it will lead to a ban or at the very least better labeling of foods containing these artificial substances. More details on this request are available at the The Center for Science in the Public Interest website.

Also check out Kim’s recent post “Food Dye Rebellion Starts Now!” on BabyCenter.

Related Babyminding Posts:

Study Shows Link Between Food Additives and ADHD

How a Child’s Diet Affects Behavior

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For months now, I’ve been reading about the potential harm that cell phone use can cause unborn babies, children and even adults. Dr. Mercola has many articles about the dangers of high level Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) that is emitted through wireless mobile devices, particularly cell phones. However, he is very alternative when it comes to health and wellness, and while I respect his opinions, I try not to rely on his information solely, but rather find other sources to support his theories.

Results of a Denmark study that involved 13,000 children shows a possible link between a mother’s use of a cell phone during pregnancy and later behavioral problems that develop in children exposed. The study states that, “They found that mothers who did use the handsets were 54% more likely to have children with behavioral problems and that the likelihood increased with the amount of potential exposure to the radiation.” There are questions as to whether the behavior problems are due to the exposure to EMR through cell phone use during pregnancy or that mothers who use a cell phone regularly may not be giving their children the attention they seek. So, the study itself may be flawed.

FDA says there is a lack of scientific evidence showing that cell phones are harmful. However, The World Health Organization advises that a precautionary principle should be applied with regard to cell phone use, advising that just because there is no scientific proof of harm, there is still uncertainty and therefore prudent use of cell phones should be adopted. Some of their recommendations are:

• Minimization of cellphone usage
• Limitation of use by at-risk population (such as children),
• Adoption of cellphones and microcells with ALARA levels of radiation
• Wider use of hands-free technologies

I don’t think I’ll be giving up my cell phone any time soon. However, given that I don’t stand in front of my microwave when it’s running, I think I’ll start using a standard telephone more and my cell phone a little less. And we’ve never let our 3 year old use our cell phones, as we’re not taking any chances until someone can prove conclusively that cell phone use is safe! What are your feelings on the subject? Do you think cell phones can damage the brain?

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A recent study reported by WebMD, indicates that The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is going to revisit the role food additives play in behavioral disorders such as ADHD. Dr. Andrew Kemp conducted the study and found that children with ADHD improved when food colorings and the preservative Sodium Benzoate were removed from their diet. The study involved 297 children given either beverages with these food additives or a placebo without. The results…children given the additives exhibited higher levels of hyperactivity and a shorter attention span. Continue reading ‘Study Shows Link Between Food Additives and ADHD’ »

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April is Autism Awareness month and today is marked by the United Nations as Autism World Awareness Day. One in 150 children today is thought to be afflicted by an Autism Spectrum Disorder. This number is a dramatic increase from the Autism incidence rate in the 1980’s. The cause is still unknown and more research funding is needed. Some believe that Autism Spectrum Disorders are caused by exposure to environmental toxins such as heavy metals, live viruses and bacteria and pthalates in plastics or even television exposure, while others believe there is a genetic component to Autism and is inherited. There is also controversy over whether Thimeresol and Mercury in Childhood Vaccines are linked to Autism Spectrum Disorders. One thing that seems to be certain regarding Autism Spectrum Disorders is that early intervention is key to treatment. Some signs to look for in your baby’s development are as follows:

• No babbling by 12 months.
• No gesturing (pointing, waving goodbye, etc.) by 12 months.
• No single words by 16 months.
• No two-word spontaneous phrases (not including echolalia) by 24 months.
• Any loss of any language or social skills, at any age.

More information can be found at the following websites:

National Autism Association

Autism Society of America

Autism Speaks

Autism One

HBO is airing a documentary “Autism The Musical” today at 6:15pm. Also be sure to watch Jenny McCarthy on Larry King Live tonight at 9pm where she discusses her life as a mom to an Autistic son.

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Getting Baby to Sleep Through the Night

I’ve put off writing about sleeping babies because I’ve been so sleep deprived that the very thought of sleep makes me want to cry. I’ve always been a good sleeper. I’ve been known to sleep through house alarms, severe thunderstorms and even a Category 3 Hurricane when we were living in South Florida! I typically need about 8-9 hours of sleep and have always been able to get it…until my precious daughter Laurel arrived. The past 5 months have been a blur of feedings, diaper changes and keeping up with my almost 3 year old. I’ve tried not to think about the fact that I haven’t slept more than 2-3 hours straight in over 5 months but I think there is finally an end in sight! I didn’t have this issue with Britton, as she like me is a sleeper - 12-13 hours at night and a good 2 hour nap during the day. Laurel on the other hand cat naps throughout the day (20 minutes at a time) and on a good night goes 5-6 hours before waking. However last night she went almost 11 hours. I think I’ve finally found the secret to her sleep after months of experimenting with various sleep methods. I thought it might be helpful for other parents out there struggling to get their little one to sleep through the night if I provided a list of all the suggestions I’ve received or read about.

1. Swaddle (not just for newborns!)
2. White Noise (A sound machine set on ocean waves has done wonders!)
3. Set Bedtime Routine (can include a warm bath, rocking, singing, reading…anything that will signal that it’s sleep time, the key is to do the same thing every night)
4. Pacifier
5. Swinging or Rocking
6. Lavender scented oil or bath soap (I love California Baby Calming)
7. Snuggle (we still have a 5 minute snuggle with our 3 year old before she falls asleep)
8. Ferber Method…(I personally couldn’t handle this “cry it out” method but it’s worked for a lot of moms I know!)
9. Happiest Baby on the Block 5 S’s (swaddle, swing, shh sound, suck pacifier, side lying position -especially for newborns)
10. Wait until they’re ready - unfortunately for mom and dad, sometimes it just takes time!

Please feel free add your own suggestions as a comment!

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A few nights ago at a local restaurant, a waitress made a comment to my husband and I that her 7 year old son is starting to take his toys for granted. She said he received around $1500 in toys for Christmas, including a Nintendo Wii, but that his first question after opening all of his gifts was, “Why didn’t you get me a Playstation 3?”. This has stuck with me for several days as I look around my daughters’ playroom filled to the max with toy after toy.   How do I avoid spoiling my child in a world where materialism and instant gratification are so rampant?

I’ve decided as a new year’s resolution that I will try to instill a sense of pride of ownership in my daughters by taking the following action: Continue reading ‘A Lesson in Materialism - How Not to Spoil a Child’ »

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Disciplining your children is always a difficult task. I was spanked as a child, but I don’t believe in spanking. I understand that some parents use it as a discipline of last resort, and it may work for some. However, I remember the humiliation I felt as a child each time I was spanked and I’m choosing to try other methods for my daughters. There are two books that I have read recently on the subject that I highly recommend. The first is “The Discipline Book” by Dr. William Sears and the other is “The Natural Child - Parenting from the Heart” by Jan Hunt. Both of these authors support attachment parenting and approach discipline from the standpoint of teaching your children to respect you as a parent by showing respect for them as children. Jan Hunt offers the following list of 10 alternatives to physical punishment, as she feels that “slapping, hitting and spanking teach violence, destroy a child’s self-esteem, create anger, interfere with learning, and damage the relationship between parent and child.”

Ten Alternatives to Punishment by Jan Hunt in her book, “The Natural Child”

1. Prevent unwanted behavior from occurring by meeting your child’s needs when they are first expressed.
2. Provide a safe, child-friendly environment. Put away the breakables and precious items until your child is older.
   
3. Apply the Golden Rule. Treat your child the way you would expect to be treated in a similar circumstance.
4. Show empathy for your child’s feelings. Say something like “You really look unhappy” to show you care about her needs and feelings.
5. Validate your child’s feelings. Let him know you understand and care.
6. Meet the underlying need that led to the behavior in the first place.
7. Stay on your child’s side. Try to find a win-win solution that meets everybody’s needs.
   
8. Reassure your child that she is loved and appreciated.
9. Provide positive alternative experiences and productive activities. Shift the focus away from a situation that has become too stressful to resolve at the moment.
10. Ask yourself “Will I look back at this later and lau