I really wish I head read this article when I was pregnant and planning to breastfeed. After three days with absolutely no sleep, I gave up and switched to bottle, but that's a story for another time (and another post).
If you are considering breastfeeding, please read this - I can tell you from experience it is all true - but don't let it put you off if you are confident in your choice. This is in no way tarnishing the reputation of breastfeeding, or promoting bottle feeding instead, but states several realities which many midwifes fail to tell you about in antenatal classes. At my antenatal class, the speaker straight up lied to us all, saying there were ' no drawbacks' at all.
Of course, I knew she was lying. My Mum, Nonna, and best friend as well as my Grandma all breastfed, and I knew it was not as easy-going as many would have women believe. For a start, I was already leaking profusely and my nipples were so sore and red (even bleeding) that I had to wear nipple pads, meant for lactating women (after birth) and used ointment several times a day.
It's not all bad news though - you do have an amazing bond with your baby through breastfeeding and it has been proven to produce endorphins as well as help the body heal after birth. All I am saying is, it is way more of a challenge than it's advertised as being.
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/parenting/baby-and-toddler/news/a26808/dealing-with-breastfeeding-criticism/
Tuesday 30 August 2016
Monday 29 August 2016
We'll Be Back Soon
Okay, so I didn't do too well keeping up the blog on my own. In fact, I did next to nothing admittedly.
All of that will change in October, as we'll be giving the blog some much - needed attention. I make no promises about a site makeover, but we will be getting our butts in gear and learning how to better organise the blog. We will try to add regular photos to posts and keep up with the daily blog schedule.
In the meantime, we will blog when we get the chance, but posts may be few and far between. September will be our 'peace out and plan' time and we promise to make a great comeback in October!
Some Good and Bad News
So the good news is that one of us is getting a job part-time (a few hours a day in evenings and fuller weekends), but the bad news is that the other has become a single Mum. Don't worry, we are both reasonably happy and well- we just have a lot on our plates at the moment.
Introducing: Agony Aunt
So, if you guys can help us out with some comments, we will introduce an agony aunt (like the kind you see in magazines). Simply send us a private email or comment publicly on the blog and we will get back to you asap. The Agony Aunt will only start up once we have comments and interest in it - so please do give us your thoughts!
See You Again Soon
Best Wishes,
M.O.M.
xox
All of that will change in October, as we'll be giving the blog some much - needed attention. I make no promises about a site makeover, but we will be getting our butts in gear and learning how to better organise the blog. We will try to add regular photos to posts and keep up with the daily blog schedule.
In the meantime, we will blog when we get the chance, but posts may be few and far between. September will be our 'peace out and plan' time and we promise to make a great comeback in October!
Some Good and Bad News
So the good news is that one of us is getting a job part-time (a few hours a day in evenings and fuller weekends), but the bad news is that the other has become a single Mum. Don't worry, we are both reasonably happy and well- we just have a lot on our plates at the moment.
Introducing: Agony Aunt
So, if you guys can help us out with some comments, we will introduce an agony aunt (like the kind you see in magazines). Simply send us a private email or comment publicly on the blog and we will get back to you asap. The Agony Aunt will only start up once we have comments and interest in it - so please do give us your thoughts!
See You Again Soon
Best Wishes,
M.O.M.
xox
Friday 19 August 2016
My plans they crumble around me
I feel like all my hopes and dreams has just gone in one instance. The reality has hit I feel like I've hit a brick wall. Is this all there is to life And will i always being a single parent. Sharing my kids was not what I wanted, i want a family unit that I did not have. Feeling safe and secure as a couple and now, I have to feel it on my own. If it's a single woman looking after a child I have more responsibility on how the children are raised, it's never going to be equal parenting, is me who sacrificed everything.
I hope my kids in forgive me I'm trying to do my best, as a parent I feel like I fail at every hurdle. This is me, trying to get over the thing that was always inevitable. I need to move on now and be strong for the children. Even though i feel weak and tired.
I hope my kids in forgive me I'm trying to do my best, as a parent I feel like I fail at every hurdle. This is me, trying to get over the thing that was always inevitable. I need to move on now and be strong for the children. Even though i feel weak and tired.
Monday 8 August 2016
Diet: The Animal-Free Shopper
I recently read this handy little book, designed to help consumers make informed decisions when shopping for animal-free products. It includes cosmetics as well as food and clothing information, with lists of retailers which sell animal-friendly products, and full lists of those products available.
However, I don't think it is realistic in this day and age to do a completely animal-free shop. Especially not without taking a guide out with you. My advice would be to simply check labels and know which ingredients are the ones to watch out for (in a lot of chocolate desserts, for example, there is gelatin sourced from animal bones).
For anyone who would like to read the book, it is called The Animal- Free Shopper, written by The Vegan Society, first edition published 1991.
Is It Worth It?
As this information is now very out of date, I would recommend researching in a library or online for better information. If you are ready to put in the commitment required when shopping, it is definitely worth the effort. A clean conscience and protecting animal rights are great reasons to try to buy animal-free products.
That said, it is a difficult task to complete, and it may be impossible to do 100% of the time, but it is well worth trying. Medications are a whole different story though, and are virtually completely impossible to avoid animal testing if you have to take them. There are alternative, natural remedies also but these should be taken with caution. Please do not stop taking medication even if you feel you can replace it with a natural remedy.
However, I don't think it is realistic in this day and age to do a completely animal-free shop. Especially not without taking a guide out with you. My advice would be to simply check labels and know which ingredients are the ones to watch out for (in a lot of chocolate desserts, for example, there is gelatin sourced from animal bones).
For anyone who would like to read the book, it is called The Animal- Free Shopper, written by The Vegan Society, first edition published 1991.
Is It Worth It?
As this information is now very out of date, I would recommend researching in a library or online for better information. If you are ready to put in the commitment required when shopping, it is definitely worth the effort. A clean conscience and protecting animal rights are great reasons to try to buy animal-free products.
That said, it is a difficult task to complete, and it may be impossible to do 100% of the time, but it is well worth trying. Medications are a whole different story though, and are virtually completely impossible to avoid animal testing if you have to take them. There are alternative, natural remedies also but these should be taken with caution. Please do not stop taking medication even if you feel you can replace it with a natural remedy.
Budgeting - Some Tips To Live By
Using kitchen towel (the re-usable, washable kind) has helped me save on wipes - at least for use of the face (instead of bum!).
Selling off extra clutter that is not needed can boost your funds. Anything you can't get rid o on facebook or selling sites, you can try to sell doing a Yard Sale. If that still doesn't work, make gifts out of extra things for friends or just give the rest away to charity.
Don't over-wash clothes - if it was worn once it probable isn't dirty. (A great way to tell is to do the sniff test - it never lies!)
Forget your credit card so you can't over-spend. By not taking your card out, you make it impossible to use money you don't have, or to use too much and not leave enough left over for bills, say.
Only leave small change in your wallet - leave notes at home - this gives you enough for a small treat like a chocolate bar or crisps, and you can buy baby food with change too.
Keep a change jar - use this money for baby essentials like wipes and food (we love the Ella's Kitchen pouches for when we're on-the-go)
Use all your food: invest in storage tubs and jars so that leftovers can be made the most of
Read our Leftover Menu for tips when it comes to using up those annoying little bits that are always hanging around!
Selling off extra clutter that is not needed can boost your funds. Anything you can't get rid o on facebook or selling sites, you can try to sell doing a Yard Sale. If that still doesn't work, make gifts out of extra things for friends or just give the rest away to charity.
Don't over-wash clothes - if it was worn once it probable isn't dirty. (A great way to tell is to do the sniff test - it never lies!)
Forget your credit card so you can't over-spend. By not taking your card out, you make it impossible to use money you don't have, or to use too much and not leave enough left over for bills, say.
Only leave small change in your wallet - leave notes at home - this gives you enough for a small treat like a chocolate bar or crisps, and you can buy baby food with change too.
Keep a change jar - use this money for baby essentials like wipes and food (we love the Ella's Kitchen pouches for when we're on-the-go)
Use all your food: invest in storage tubs and jars so that leftovers can be made the most of
Read our Leftover Menu for tips when it comes to using up those annoying little bits that are always hanging around!
The Truth About Food: Meat (Source: BBC iPlayer)
The World Health Organisation says that some types of meat can cause cancer. Currently 98% of the UK population eat meat, consuming up to 54kg a year. More processed meat is being favoured as wells as ribs and chicken.
Benefits of Eating Meat
Steak
protein = 7 and a half eggs
zinc
solenium
potassium
vitamin D
iron
Bacon
In terms of damage to health, two rashers of bacon are equal to smoking 4 cigarettes. However, less than 3% of all cancers are caused in relation to meat being eaten and over 25% are related to smoking cigarettes.
sodium nitrite added - this helps to preserve the meat and prevent harmful bacteria from forming, but is also one of the main ingredients responsible for health warnings on meat.
Nitrites increase the risk of cancer developing. This is caused by the chemical reacting with stomach acid as it is digested - the compounds resulting can cause cancer. Bowl cancer is likely to develop if over 18 percent of the recommended amount of processed meat is eaten every day.
The number of nitrites is halved when a special formula is added to processed meat. This formula is currently still being developed and is in testing.
Red meat may be cancer-causing.
How to Cook
PAH chemical formed in smoke.
High temperatures and fat dripping onto embers produces more smoke.
Eating too much meat is related to heart disease because of saturated fat.
Meat reaches the gut ans produces TMAO (contributed to hardening of arteries) by bacteria in the gut only found in meat-eaters. A move away from red meat has happened recently in the UK, with a 60% drop in lamb and 25% in beef in the past 50 years. 335% more chicken is eaten now,. Thi is most likely because chicken was made cheaper in the 1940s when battery farming was introduced. 3 and a half million chickens are now consumed daily in the UK.
A 12 week study found that halving the amount of red meat eaten reduced the amount of saturated fat dramatically, with bad cholesterol levels in blood dropping by 10%.
Benefits of Eating Meat
- Processed meat means it as had something added, whether this is in the form of flavouring, salt, sugar or preservatives. In other words it is meat that has been modified in some way.
- Processed meat contains the same nutrients as fresh.
- From 800 studies by W.H.O. 16,000 people die in the UK every year due to bowel cancer.
- Today, we eat over 30% more meat than in the 1930s.
Steak
protein = 7 and a half eggs
zinc
solenium
potassium
vitamin D
iron
Bacon
In terms of damage to health, two rashers of bacon are equal to smoking 4 cigarettes. However, less than 3% of all cancers are caused in relation to meat being eaten and over 25% are related to smoking cigarettes.
sodium nitrite added - this helps to preserve the meat and prevent harmful bacteria from forming, but is also one of the main ingredients responsible for health warnings on meat.
Nitrites increase the risk of cancer developing. This is caused by the chemical reacting with stomach acid as it is digested - the compounds resulting can cause cancer. Bowl cancer is likely to develop if over 18 percent of the recommended amount of processed meat is eaten every day.
The number of nitrites is halved when a special formula is added to processed meat. This formula is currently still being developed and is in testing.
Red meat may be cancer-causing.
How to Cook
- Processed meat means it as had something added, whether this is in the form of flavouring, salt, sugar or preservatives. In other words it is meat that has been modified in some way.
- Processed meat contains the same nutrients as fresh.
- From 800 studies by W.H.O. 16,000 people die in the UK every year due to bowel cancer.
- Today, we eat over 30% more meat than in the 1930s.
PAH chemical formed in smoke.
High temperatures and fat dripping onto embers produces more smoke.
- Safest = gas BBQ
- control temperature
- marinade
- cook thoroughly
Eating too much meat is related to heart disease because of saturated fat.
Meat reaches the gut ans produces TMAO (contributed to hardening of arteries) by bacteria in the gut only found in meat-eaters. A move away from red meat has happened recently in the UK, with a 60% drop in lamb and 25% in beef in the past 50 years. 335% more chicken is eaten now,. Thi is most likely because chicken was made cheaper in the 1940s when battery farming was introduced. 3 and a half million chickens are now consumed daily in the UK.
A 12 week study found that halving the amount of red meat eaten reduced the amount of saturated fat dramatically, with bad cholesterol levels in blood dropping by 10%.
The Food Debate: Veggie vs Meat
More people from around the world are starting to be more conscious of what they put into their bodies. We are going to weigh up the pros and cons from a non- biased point of view.
Definitions
Veggie/ Vegetarians: no meat or meat products (includes gelatin found in jelly) but they do eat dairy products.
Meat Eaters/ Omnivores: eat meat, meat products, dairy products and plants. (So pretty much anything!)
Health Benefits:
Vegetarian
Definitions
Veggie/ Vegetarians: no meat or meat products (includes gelatin found in jelly) but they do eat dairy products.
(Should not be confused with Pescetarians.
Pescetarian: No meat, but still eat fish and dairy products)
Meat Eaters/ Omnivores: eat meat, meat products, dairy products and plants. (So pretty much anything!)
Health Benefits:
Vegetarian
- No animals were killed in the making of the meal you eat
- Your meal is cruelty-free as animals were not farmed at all
- More sustainable than meat (less land, water and resources used)
- Can grow most of the food you eat
- Reduced meat in the diet is it linked to a longer life expectancy
Meat Eaters/ Omnivores
- Food can be more easily sourced as your diet is so adaptable
- You don't have to eat a lot of meat: you can do this sustainably by limiting the amount you eat and ensuring it was kept in a cruelty- free way (i.e. Free Range)
- It can be easier to ensure that you're getting enough Iron and Protein as red meats are rich in these
- Can benefit some wildlife through population control - for example deer in the UK have lost their natural predators (wolves) and are beginning to damage wild habitats through over-grazing
- Nothing is wasted - All parts of an animal can be used (hide for leather, bones for gelatin etc)
Drawbacks
Vegetarian
Vegetarian
When
deciding to become a vegetarian, you should make sure you have done
your research and knowing what you can eat to replace the meat.
Meat
Over-fishing has become an issue and some species have been hunted to near extinction. A key example of taking advantage of nature is the loss of the Dodo - a flightless bird killed for its meat and has been completely wiped out. The Dodo was not a suspicious bird, and made its nest on the ground - making it an easy target for hunters
Thursday 4 August 2016
A Letter to Mini-Me
Be good, don't cry. It's nearly time for bed. Wipe your tears, blow your nose, wash your face, rest your head. Get on your PJs, brush teeth, into bed - it's time for stories. We'll imagine today never happened and go far away - to a land of laughter where we can play.
So be good, don't cry. Mummy will get better. Daddy's not mad any more and the house can withstand rainy weather. When the storm is brewing and you're caught in the middle, just remember you are innocent - an adult's life can be a riddle. You don't have to figure it out, we can do it ourselves - this is not something to worry your pretty little head about.
So be good, don't cry for Nanny - she's taking care of you now. Mummy and Daddy might get back together and we'll muddle through somehow.
So be good, don't cry. Mummy will get better. Daddy's not mad any more and the house can withstand rainy weather. When the storm is brewing and you're caught in the middle, just remember you are innocent - an adult's life can be a riddle. You don't have to figure it out, we can do it ourselves - this is not something to worry your pretty little head about.
So be good, don't cry for Nanny - she's taking care of you now. Mummy and Daddy might get back together and we'll muddle through somehow.
Hello, Faithful Readers (We know it's been a while)
Thank you!
For keeping up with the blog, even though we really haven't! We have had a lot of shizzle to deal with and we know you'll understand (especially the Mummy and Daddys reading!).
Thing is, life is hard.
No one knows what's coming next - you just gotta face the days as they come.
I will try to keep the blog going as well as I can - having a few days to myself should help. As you may have read, the other one of us has had a taxing time deciding what to do regarding the closure of her long-term relationship. (It's sh**, we know.) Don't worry, we are in contact regularly so she won't be stranded <3
Please comment anything you would like to say to her and I will pass the message on - any supportive comments are more than welcome and may really help.
Thanks Again,
Mums
one half+ of Mums On Mars
For keeping up with the blog, even though we really haven't! We have had a lot of shizzle to deal with and we know you'll understand (especially the Mummy and Daddys reading!).
Thing is, life is hard.
No one knows what's coming next - you just gotta face the days as they come.
I will try to keep the blog going as well as I can - having a few days to myself should help. As you may have read, the other one of us has had a taxing time deciding what to do regarding the closure of her long-term relationship. (It's sh**, we know.) Don't worry, we are in contact regularly so she won't be stranded <3
Please comment anything you would like to say to her and I will pass the message on - any supportive comments are more than welcome and may really help.
Thanks Again,
Mums
one half+ of Mums On Mars
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