Are you looking for some quality videos for your kids when you are stuck inside due to weather (be it extreme heat of the summer, like here in Texas right now, or the bitter cold of deep winter)? I wanted to share a couple videos I like that I feel bring a little more exposure to other areas of life, sort of expanding my son’s horizons so to speak.

Classical Baby: The Poetry Show

Since we don’t have cable or satellite, I wasn’t even aware of the Classical Baby shows on HBO until one day when I saw the Classical Baby: The Poetry Show video at our local library. I decided to check it out for our then 2 year old son.

The Poetry Show is a compilation of favorite poems from William Shakespeare, Robert Louis Stevenson, John Keats, Robert Frost, Woodie Guthrie, Gertrude Stein, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and Langston Hughes. Most of the poems are recited by famous personalities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Susan Sarandon, Andy Garcia, John Lithgow, and others; William Carlos Williams reads his own poem “This is Just to Say”. Adding to the greatness is colorful animation and music as well as footage of real elementary age children discussing poetry. I was amazed by these children and the depth of their thoughts!

Not being a big poetry fan myself, I was curious what the show would be like for our young son. I was pleasantly surprised when he was GLUED to it and absolutely loved it! After watching it several times, he could almost recite the entire poem “Grassy Grass Grass” by Woodie Guthrie (which happened to be my favorite one on the show). He loved it when he was 2 and he still likes watching it now (he’s 4).

This is definitely a recommended video to introduce your child to the world of poetry and all it offers. I know if left to me, my son would not have had this preliminary knowledge about poetry. And I have to admit that I developed a new respect and appreciation for poetry and I really liked all of it! If poetry was presented this way when I was in school, I might have had a different appreciation for it all my life.

My only complaint is that I wish the video were longer, or that they made more volumes of “Poetry Shows” featuring more poems and poets.

Although I have not seem them, there are other videos in the series: Classical Baby 3-Pack – Music, Art & Dance.

• The Music Show features an animal orchestra playing Tchaikovsky, Bach, Mozart and Copland, plus many other great classical composers.
• The Art Show features some of the world’s greatest works of art accompanied by some great classical music. The exhibit features works by Monet, Degas, Pollock, Van Gogh, plus many other masterpieces.
• The Dance Show features animals dancers showing impressive moves inspired by George Balanchine, Martha Graham, Pilobolus, plus many other great choreographers.

YogaKids Ages 3-6 (Vol. 2 ABCs)

Having heard great things about this video and wanting to bring some form of exercise to our son, I bought this Yoga Kids video a few years ago.

The video features the instructor, Marsha Wenig, and a group of children outside in various scenic locations with their yoga mats. Starting with the letter ‘A’, a topic is introduced (often with additional information) and then the related pose is demonstrated and performed. You get to see the instructor do the pose as well as the children. For example, A is Alligator and there is a very brief intro showing an alligator followed by instructions and demonstration on how to do the “alligator” pose.

The instructor’s voice is very calm and soothing and her manner of speaking to the children is perfect (she does not “talk down” to them). The overall vibe is very positive throughout the video, as would be expected in a yoga video. The pace is just right, the poses are child-friendly (of course) and creative and vary between standing, sitting, and laying down poses. My son is all about cars so he loves the “D” move: driving! I was super impressed by the entire video.

My son was not quite 3 when we first tried this and he didn’t take to it right away. So I put it away for a few months and tried it later. He enjoyed it and got maybe halfway through it before his short attention span overcame him. Now that he’s older he can make it even farther through the video. He likes it and attempts most of the moves. We do it together and that makes it more fun for him – and great for me, too!

Depending on your child, they may not be ready for this right at age 3, or they may be ready at age 2 – you never know! Keep trying and I’m sure you will one day find them loving this, too! What a great family activity for promoting exercise.

Although we only have Volume 2 (ABCs) here are all the videos in the series:

• Yoga Kids: For Ages 3-6
• Yoga Kids, Vol. 2: ABC’s for Ages 3-6
• YogaKids, Vol. 3: Silly to Calm

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What other videos do you like that would “expand horizons”? Leave a comment and share!

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• Indoor Activities for Toddlers: What to do on a Cold or Rainy Day
• Cheap Fun: Entertainment and Activities for Preschoolers for $1

You will see that:

• Not all natural/organic make up has to be expensive
• By saving money on a few items that you use, you can worry less about buying other safer yet more expensive items

Olive Oil: Eye Makeup Remover

My former eye makeup remover contained such toxic ingredients as mineral oil, propylene glycol, alkyl benzoate, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, ans propylparaben. Bleh. I was thrilled when a friend told me about using olive oil as an eye makeup remover!

I put some olive oil in a small container that I keep in my bathroom. (It’s actually the container for my old eye makeup remover pads.) To remove eye makeup, I simply pour a little olive oil onto a square pad and then rub over my eyes. It works beautifully! And you can feel better knowing you are using a safe product, not to mention saving some money!

The olive oil I use, the container I keep it in, and the square pad I use to apply it

Witch Hazel: Astringent/Toner

My former astringent/toner contained toxic ingredients such as benzalkonium chloride, artificial colorings, butylene glycol, and phenoxyethanol. One other ingredient it contains is witch hazel. I remember hearing about just using plain witch hazel for an astringent so I decided to give it a try.

I bought the store brand/generic witch hazel at Target for less than $2 for a big bottle. I pour some into a smaller bottle that I keep in my makeup area (and that I travel with). After washing my face with Aubrey Organics Facial Cleansing Lotion, I put some witch hazel on a cotton ball and wipe all over my face. It removes even more dirt and makeup. And at a great price, too!

witch hazel that I use, the container I keep it in, and a cotton ball I use to apply it

Related Idea

Although not for makeup, I wanted to remind you about a previous article of mine where I share many uses for liquid castile soap. Since you now (hopefully) have castile soap on hand for cleaning your house, it will be easy to use for body care as well. It can be used for:

• shampoo
• shaving cream lather
• hand soap

Other Ideas?

What other ideas do you have for avoiding toxic chemicals in makeup and related products? Any other “homemade” solutions? Please leave a comment and share; I’d love to hear from you!

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Related Articles:

• Skin Moisturizer Ingredients to Avoid, Plus Some Great Natural Lotion Options
• Safer, Natural, Non-Toxic Shampoo for Adults and Children

I’ve written before about the toxic chemicals in some personal care products:

• Is Your Sunscreen Helping You or Hurting You?
• 11 Toxic Ingredients to Avoid in Hand Soap and Sanitizer and Safer Options for Your Family
• Does Your Toothpaste Have These Dangerous Ingredients? Plus Natural Toothpaste Options
• Safer, Natural, Non-Toxic Shampoo for Adults and Children
• Skin Moisturizer Ingredients to Avoid, Plus Some Great Natural Lotion Options

The Story of Cosmetics

To get a quick story about this, watch this 8 minute video. You may be surprised at what you learn.

If you can’t see the video, click here.

The Safe Cosmetics Act

It’s up to Congress to close gaping holes in the outdated federal law that allows cancer-causing chemicals in baby shampoo, hormone disruptors in fragrance, and lead in lipstick. That’s what you get when you have a $50 billion industry that’s practically self-regulated.

What can you do?

• Visit the SafeCosmetics website.
• Learn more about the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011.
• Ask your Representative to support safe cosmetics. (It takes less than a minute to do.)
• Read labels and start buying safer products for you and your family.
• Look for my upcoming article where I will share easy ideas for replacing two common cosmetic products with simple things at home.

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• Loving Naturals Sunscreen Review: Organic, Safe Sunscreen for Babies, Kids, Adults

In my recent article on the new 2011 Sunscreen Recommendations from the Environmental Working Group (EWG), I mentioned that I chose to buy Loving Naturals sunscreen. I thought I would let you know what I think of it, in case you are wanting sunscreen recommendations.

Why I Purchased It: Great Ingredients

I chose it  based simply on the great list of ingredients. Hint: Even though the EWG provides a great list of sunscreens, I think you should still look at the list of ingredients. Some of them still contained too many chemicals for me. Loving Naturals sunscreen had a great list of basic ingredients:

• Non-Nano Particle Zinc Oxide (24.8%) (Active Ingredient)
• Grape Seed Oil
• Organic Sunflower Oil
• Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides (derived from Coconut Oil)
• Soy Wax (Non-GMO)
• Organic Sesame Oil
• Organic Plum Kernel Oil
• Candelilla Wax
• Organic Cocoa  Butter (Fair Trade)
• Organic Hemp Seed Oil
• Organic Macadamia Nut Oil
• Organic Cocoa  (Fair Trade)
• Organic Green Tea
• Salt
• Water

What Else is Cool About It?

Loving Naturals sunscreen is SPF 30 and blocks both UVA and UVB rays. In addition to those standard sunscreen qualities, Loving Naturals sunscreen is also Certified Organic, Cruelty Free, and Vegan.

The bottle also contains a “born on” date and an “expires on” date. On my bottle those dates are 18 months apart.

Application

Loving Naturals sunscreen has a thin consistency and a little bit does go a long way! Start with a little bit at a time, especially if you want to avoid the white skin tinting. Yes, it does leave a white tint, but you may be able to eliminate most of it if you work at rubbing it in. I think that’s pretty common with natural sunscreens and nothing that really bothers me. Despite all the oils it contains, it is not greasy. It is also not smelly. Also, be sure to shake the bottle well before each application.

If you do want to avoid the white skin tint, Loving Naturals now makes CLEAR sunscreens (although I have not tried them).

But Does it Work?

Loving Naturals sunscreen worked great for us! I put some on my 4 year old son’s face and arms as we were playing on the beach in April. After 2-3 hours there was absolutely no pink at all on him. I was very happy with the results.

What About the Water?

Loving Naturals sunscreen states on the front of the bottle that it is water resistant (not waterproof). Even though we have not used it in water situations, I would be cautious about water use and reapply often. It also states that it retains SPF after 40 minutes in water and to reapply after swimming, sweating, or after 1-2 hours.

More Information

For more information about Loving Naturals sunscreen, visit their website: LovingNaturals.com

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Related Articles:

• Get Toxic Chemicals Out of Cosmetics: Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011
• 2011 Sunscreen Recommendations: Safer Options for Fun in the Sun

As I mentioned in my article on whole food-based children’s vitamins, it is important to use whole food based vitamins instead of synthetic ones. Whole food based vitamins are easier on your system and more bio-available for absorption.

Problems With Synthetic Vitamins

• Synthetic vitamins are not as readily absorbed by the body as whole food nutrients are. Your body can absorb vitamins when all parts of the complex are present. In the case of a synthetic, isolated nutrient (a fraction of a vitamin), your body must supply the other parts of the complex, thus creating more work and deficiencies.
• Synthetic vitamins often contain harmful ingredients such as artificial flavors, artificial colorings, sugars, artificial sweeteners, hydrogenated oils, and preservatives.
• Synthetic vitamins often contain allergens.

Whole Food Supplements

Whole food supplements are made from concentrated whole foods. The vitamins in these supplements are not isolated; they combine a variety of enzymes, coenzymes, antioxidants, trace elements, activators, and many other unknown or undiscovered factors all working together synergistically to enable this vitamin complex to do its job in your body.

Dr. Mercola provides more information about whole food supplements vs synthetic.

New Chapter Organic Perfect Prenatal Vitamins

New Chapter Perfect Prenatal vitamins are whole food based and contain herbs, minerals, and probiotics. You take one per meal and they can even be taken on an empty stomach. Taking a tablet several times a day is easier (and better utilized) than once-a-day vitamins. Since the bottle contains 192 tablets, that comes out to 64 days or roughly two months.

What About Cost?

You may have heard of New Chapter Perfect Prenatal vitamins before but may have balked at the high price. Indeed, if you went to your local Whole Foods you might find them priced around $57/bottle (192 tablets). While that may or may not seem like a lot of money for a two-month supply of excellent vitamins, I am here to show you how you can save 39% on New Chapter Perfect Prenatal vitamins!

How To Get Discount on New Chapter Organic Perfect Prenatal Vitamins

As much as I love Whole Foods, if that is where you buy your New Chapter Perfect Prenatal vitamins you are paying too much!

Here’s how to get them cheaper:

1. Buy one bottle (192 count) on Amazon.com. Just by doing that the price drops to $41.24/bottle.
2. Sign up for Amazon.com’s Subscribe and Save. By having a bottle automatically ordered every so often (you choose the frequency) you save 15%, bringing the price down to $35.05/bottle.

Bonus: There is free shipping for Subscribe and Save!

Let’s do the math:

We just went from $57/bottle to $35/bottle, for a savings of 39%! Don’t you just love Amazon.com! And that’s for a two-month supply!

My Thoughts

I can’t believe I just thought about looking for vitamins on Amazon.com recently! I have ordered one shipment and now I have one bottle (192 count) scheduled to arrive every two months. Having used their Subscribe and Save for awhile now with diapers, I am completely confident in it. You can always change frequency or order more anytime and update the next shipment. It’s so easy!

How To Purchase

Simply click on New Chapter Organic Perfect Prenatal to take you to the Amazon.com product page. New Chapter Organic Perfect Prenatal vitamins are also listed in my Amazon.com store in the ‘Whole Food Vitamin’ category.

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EWG recently released their 2011 Sunscreen Guide, which provides a handy way to find your sunscreen and see its rating, as well as find the best and safest sunscreen for your needs.

New FDA Rules on Sunscreen

At first it might seem like good news has finally arrived: after 33 years of deliberations, the FDA has finally issued sunscreen rules. But looking closer, EWG feels the rules do not do enough to protect us from the sun and instead caved to industry. Dangerous ingredients are still allowed and UVA protection standards are not on par with the strict ones in Europe, making it hard for customers to differentiate between mediocre and superior products.

What Would I Buy?

EWG lists 134 beach/sport sunscreens (out of 1783) that earned their best rating. Some of the sunscreens in that list still contain lots of “chemical” sounding ingredients. Here are a few of the top sunscreens that I would personally choose for myself and my family: (This list has changed from last year.)

• Kabana Skin Care Green Screen: Made with only EIGHT organic (86% certified organic!) and natural ingredients.
• Badger: They also have a lip balm and face stick.
• Loving Naturals: They also have a vegan sunscreen.
• Caribbean Solutions: It’s also biodegradable.
• Doctor T’s Supergoop! Quickstick SPF 30: Convenient size, easy to use for babies and kids.
• Goddess Garden Baby Natural Sunscreen: Although they have others for kids and face, I would choose the baby one.
• Aubrey Organics Sports Stick Unscented: The sports stick version seems good to me!

You can easily shop for these items and more in my Amazon store!

What Did I Buy? Loving Naturals!

I purchased Loving Naturals and have been very happy with it! I will write a more detailed review in the near future.

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• Loving Naturals Sunscreen Review: Organic, Safe Sunscreen for Babies, Kids, Adults

A recent study showed that pregnant women show a huge lack of knowledge about childbirth options, with fewer women attending childbirth classes and appearing to simply follow the advice of their caregiver. A large number of them were not able to answer basic questions regarding the pros, cons, or safety issues associated with epidurals, episiotomies, Cesareans, and other childbirth options. The study did say that women who received prenatal care from from midwives tended to be more informed about their options compared with women receiving care from a medical doctor.

I am hoping this article will share some basic information about the risks of common obstetrical practices during labor and childbirth, and also open your eyes to the safe, natural birthing methods used by midwives.

As you’ve read in my previous article on safety, there are are fewer interventions, safer birth practices, and better outcomes for moms and babies with midwife-assisted birth. Complications in birth often arise because of all the interventions used. Midwives use fewer interventions and have better outcomes; complications are avoided because of the method in which babies are born. But what specifically do they do (and not do) during childbirth that leads to these great outcomes?

8 Ways Midwives Promote Safe Childbirth

Midwives follow evidence-based birth practices. I’ve put together a list of 8 ways that midwives approach birth that lead to healthy outcomes of mother and baby.

1. Labor Starts on Its Own and Proceeds at Its Own Pace

In home births, labor starts on its own and proceeds at its own pace; and this is a good thing. Nature knows when a baby is ready to be born and midwives know to follow nature’s lead. When babies are truly ready to be born, the natural birth process works better.

Even though the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendations for labor induction are 10% or less, 34% of labors are medically induced in hospitals (compared to just 2.1% in home births). And despite a common nonchalance about inducing labor, especially elective induction, there are risks associated with induction.

Induction with drugs and rupture of the amniotic sac increases the risk of:

• having the cord prolapse (a life-threatening complication for the baby)
• having the baby in a less than optimal position in the birth canal (often leading to a cesarean section)
• having a premature baby with respiratory problems because the lungs are not mature

The common use of drugs (pitocin, for example) to speed up labor is associated with greater likelihood of the baby being distressed, and increases the chance of uterine rupture (which can be life-threatening to mother and baby).

2. Freedom of Movement and Position During Labor and Birth

Midwives find that women instinctively move in ways that help the baby move through the birth canal. Therefore, a laboring mother is free to be in any position during labor. This can include sitting on a birth ball, taking a warm shower, taking a bath, walking, squatting, being on hands and knees, etc. For birth, women are also allowed to birth in a position of their choosing. It’s not uncommon for a midwife to catch a baby while the mother is on hands and knees, or squatting, or in a birthing tub, or on a bed.

In hospital births most women are told to lie on their backs during labor and birth and 70% give birth this way. The mother is then more likely to have:

• slow labor
• a baby showing signs of distress
• difficulty pushing the baby out
• perineal lacerations from tearing

3. Intermittent Fetal Monitoring

Midwives use intermittent monitoring, or Intermittent Auscultation (IA), to monitor the baby during labor. For this, a hand-held Doppler device or a fetoscope is held against the mother’s belly at certain time intervals to listen to the baby’s heartbeat, just as she did during prenatal visits. Since a laboring mother could be in any position during labor, a midwife might find herself doing some bends and twists to work around the mother to get the reading!

In hospital births over 90% of women are attached to electronic fetal monitors, even though WHO’s recommendation for Electronic Fetal Monitoring (EFM) is ‘not routine‘. While this might not seem like an intervention to be concerned about, since Electronic Fetal heart rate Monitoring (EFM) became the standard of care in hospital obstetrics in the mid 1970′s this technology has contributed to the dramatic increase in cesarean section birth, while the perinatal morbidity and mortality rate have not declined with routine electronic monitoring.

In fact, it has been reported that between 71 – 95 % of operative deliveries for fetal distress result in a baby that is not “clinically” distressed at birth, based on Apgar scores and umbilical artery pH. One study has shown that routine EFM increases the cesarean rate by 21% and the use of forceps and vacuums by 11%, with a total increased risk of 23%, as compared to IA.

4. Mother May Eat and Drink During Labor

Midwives allow the mother to eat and drink as she wishes during labor, understanding that labor is vigorous exercise and quenching a mother’s hunger and thirst is not only tolerable but actually preferred in order to maintain chemical balances in both mother and child.

Eating and drinking during labor are safe. Despite the fear about aspirating stomach contents during surgery, other countries that allow oral intake during labor do not have a problem with aspiration. Restricting food and drink in labor is not justified.

In the United States, 60% of women are denied fluids and 85% of women are denied food during labor. There are some risks with the strict “nothing by mouth” standard during hospital births; dehydration and starvation are associated with:

• longer labors
• increased use of Pitocin
• instrumental delivery
• chance of producing ketones, which can make the fetal blood more acidic and lead to fetal distress

Even though they have been linked to difficult labor and cesarean sections, routine IVs have thus become an acceptable solution to doctors. But they also have risks:

• fluid overload, which can lead to fluid in the mother’s lungs and baby’s lungs
• dilutes the blood, which decreases concentration of red blood cells leaving fewer oxygen-carrying cells/volume for the baby and the uterine muscle cells

5. Natural Pain Relief Methods Used

Midwives are skilled at helping women to labor naturally utilizing techniques such as position change, hydrotherapy (labor in water), massage, breathing patterns, and other holistic modalities. By using natural pain relief methods, the very real and common complications of epidurals are avoided.

In hospital births 86% of women are given drugs for pain relief, even though WHO’s recommendation for pain relief drugs in labor is ‘not routine‘. Epidural analgesia is the most common form of pain relief used and most laboring women welcome the pain relief it provides, but they do not appear to be well-informed about the side effects.

Epidurals alter the physiology of labor, leading to:

• Prolonged first stage of labor
• Increased risk of malpresentation of baby’s head
• Increases need for Pitocin augmentation (which has its own risks)
• Prolonged second stage of labor
• Decrease in ability to push effectively
• Fivefold increase of the likelihood of a forceps or vacuum extraction delivery
• Increased likelihood of needing an episiotomy
• Increased risk in cesarean section (which carry far more risks to both mom and baby than vaginal births)

Maternal side effects include:

• Drop in blood pressure (which can lead to respiratory distress for mother and baby)
• Urinary retention and postpartum urinary dysfunction
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever
• Spinal headache
• Immobility
• Increased risk of hemorrhage
• Itching
• Serious perineal tear

Fetal/newborn risks include:

• Drop in baby’s heart rate/abnormal heart rate/fetal distress
• Drowsiness at birth and a poor sucking reflex
• Hyperbilirubinemia (Neonatal jaundice)
• A baby born with poor muscle strength and tone
• Direct drug toxicity
• Poorer performance on newborn assessment scales

6. Perineal Support

Midwives seldom do episiotomies, preferring to protect a woman’s tissues from the scalpel or serious tears by skillful hands-on care and positions that aid smooth delivery. Some may even apply a type of counter pressure to the stretching from the baby’s head, to help prevent a tear.

Episiotomies (cutting the vaginal opening to make it larger) and serious tears (usually the result of an episiotomy) can cause long term pain for many women. They can also increase:

• perineal injury
• need for stitches
• experience of pain and tenderness
• risk of infection
• delayed healing
• wound breakdown
• likelihood of leaking stool or gas
• pain with intercourse

7. Exhale Pushing/Mother-Led Pushing

Midwives encourage breathing and pushing according to the mother’s natural tendency. During mother-led pushing, the mother may want to push as she feels the urge from her body. During exhale pushing, the mother will slowly let the air out of her mouth while she pushes instead of holding the air in. This may be accompanied by natural noises she may make such as grunts and groans. This is how I birthed my son and to me it was like a full, purposeful, heavier exhale with focused attention on squeezing, if that makes sense.

Mother-led pushing is generally easier on the mother and reduces the risk of tearing. Exhale pushing promotes a gentler, slower pushing phase which may be easier on the mother and baby. Making noises like grunting and groaning during pushing also relieves strain on the mother’s heart and circulations.

Prolonged breath holding during direct pushing, as is commonly used in hospital births, has some consequences including:

• increases the chance of a tear
• increases the mother’s fatigue
• decrease oxygen levels for both mother and baby

8. Delayed Cord Clamping and Cutting

Midwives do not cut the umbilical cord as soon as the baby is born in order to ensure the baby receives as much oxygen as possible. Instead, they wait until the cord stops pulsating which can take 2-5 minutes. The benefits of delaying cord clamping/cutting are:

• Increased levels of iron
• Lower risk of anemia
• Better oxygen levels
• Fewer transfusions
• Fewer incidences of intraventricular hemorrhage

In one study, a two-minute delay in cord clamping increased the child’s iron reserve by 27-47 mg of iron, which is equivalent to 1-2 months of an infant’s iron requirements. This could help to prevent iron deficiency from developing before 6 months of age.

At birth the umbilical cord sends oxygen-rich blood to the baby’s lungs until breathing establishes. So as long as the cord is unclamped, the average transfusion to the newborn is equivalent to 21% of the neonate’s final blood volume and three quarters of the transfusion occurs in the first minute after birth.

In hospital births it is common practice to clamp and cut the cord immediately, which has some consequences:

• Deprivation of the placental blood (which belongs to the baby) results in a large loss of iron to the baby.
• Prolongs the average duration of the third stage (delivery of the placenta) and greatly increases maternal blood loss.

Bonus: Nutrition

While one may not think excellent nutrition during pregnancy contributes to labor and birth, good nutrition is important to prevent a variety of pregnancy-related complications. It thus plays a crucial role in having a healthy baby and mother. Midwives promote the importance of good nutrition throughout pregnancy and often recommend certain dietary changes in order to help with certain issues.

Excellent prenatal nutrition can help with:

• having a healthy weight baby
• preventing pre-term birth
• preventing preeclampsia
• adequate iron levels (which can help with bleeding after birth)
• postpartum recovery (makes it easier and faster)

The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth

The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth, by Henci Goer, provides scientific research about many birth choices so the reader can make informed decisions about their maternity care and birth. I *highly* recommend it to anyone pregnant, or thinking of becoming pregnant. The information is easy to read and presented well. It covers the topics mentioned in this article as well as many more.

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Related Articles:

• Demystifying Midwife-Supported Natural Childbirth Part 3: Who Chooses Midwifery Care?
• Demystifying Midwife-Supported Natural Childbirth Part 2: Safety
• Demystifying Midwife-Supported Natural Childbirth Part 1: Misconceptions and Facts About Midwives
• The Rights of Childbearing Women
• Evidence-Based Maternity Care Report Released

As I mentioned in Part 1 of this series on demystifying midwife-supported natural childbirth, safety is one of the most common misconceptions about midwife-supported childbirth, especially for out-of-hospitals births (like mine was). I know it’s the question I get asked the most often.

Since there is so much information about risks with hospital births, safety of midwives, and ways midwives promote safe childbirth I am dividing this information up into two articles.

• This article will focus on a higher-level discussion of the safety of midwife-attended births while also highlighting the risks with hospital births, which many people may not be aware of.
• The second article will follow in a few days and will describe in more detail the specific ways midwives promote safer childbirth.

Before we discuss the safety of midwife-supported natural childbirth, especially in out-of-hospitals births, let’s take a look at what most people in America consider the safest place and the safest way to give birth: in hospitals with surgeons.

Current State of Childbirth in America

There are four million births in the United States each year, with 99% of births occurring in hospitals and over 90% attended by surgeons. Maternity care affects large numbers of women. It is also big business, totaling $20 billion a year.

• The United States has the highest per capita spending on health care in the world.
• Care for mothers and newborns combined is the fourth largest category of hospital expenses.
• Childbirth is the most common reason for the hospitalization of women in the United States.

Common hospital practice is to speed up and control the birthing process, therefore nearly all women giving birth in hospitals are subjected to some level of technological or medical intervention, even though medical evidence shows that the routine use of unnecessary interventions put mothers and babies at risk.

Citizens for Midwifery list the most common interventions:

• Over 31% Cesarean Surgeries – Has risen over 50% since 1996 (highest ever)
• Vaginal Birth after Cesarean (VBAC) rate has fallen over 50% since 1996 (access is disappearing)
• 34% of Labors Medically Induced
• 41% Need Vaginal Stitching (episiotomy, tears, vacuum extraction, forceps)
• 47% of Labors Artificially Stimulated
• 60% of Women Denied Fluids
• 76% of Women Restrained In Bed
• 85% of Women Denied Food
• 86% Given Drugs For Pain Relief
• Over 90% of Women Attached To Electronic Fetal Monitors

Case in point, Ricki Lake shares an astounding fact she discovered while making the movie The Business of Being Born:

I was surprised to find out C-sections maxed out at 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. (doctors want to go home or not have to stay through the night waiting for a baby to be born).

If we had better outcomes to show for it, perhaps this would be more acceptable. Unfortunately, our outcomes are not nearly as good as those of developed countries that rely more heavily on midwifery care. The United States has:

• A high infant mortality rate compared to other developed countries (29th in the world).
• A maternal mortality rate that has not improved in 20 years (25th in the world, one of the highest in the developed world).

Risks With Hospital Births

Despite 75 years of routine hospitalization for birth there are still no reputable studies or scientific evidence showing that hospitals are the safest option. In fact, there are numerous reputable studies showing the various risks and hazards of hospital birth.

Since most women choose to birth in a hospital setting due to its presumed safer environment, many might be unaware that there are risks associated with many hospital birth practices. One study compared an equally matched number of midwife-attended home births to hospital births.

The study found that women birthing in hospitals were:

• five times more likely to have high blood pressure during labor
• nine times more likely to tear
• three times more likely to hemorrhage
• and three times more likely to undergo cesarean sections

Hospital-born babies were:

• six times more likely to suffer fetal distress before birth
• four times more likely to need assistance to start breathing
• four times more likely to develop infections

Does that information surprise you? I shared the information with you to open your eyes to the current birthing situation in the United States so that perhaps you will be more open to hearing about a perfectly safe and valid way to have babies: with the care of a midwife.

Is Midwife-Attended Birth Safe? Yes!

Regarding home birth, the best research continues to show that home birth for women with low-risk healthy pregnancies, attended by a qualified birth attendant, is no more risky than birth in the hospital.

“Every study that has compared midwives and obstetricians has found better outcomes for midwives for same-risk patients. In some studies, midwives actually served higher risk populations than the physicians and still obtained lower mortalities and morbidities. The superiority and safety of midwifery for most women no longer needs to be proven. It has been well established.” (Madrona, Lewis & Morgaine, The Future of Midwifery in the United States, NAPSAC News, Fall-Winter, 1993, p.30)

There are many aspects to consider when talking about safety in childbirth.

Type of Safety: Perinatal Mortality

From Citizens for Midwifery: Perinatal mortality (fetal death after 20 weeks of gestation plus infant death up to 28 days of age) is more relevant to the discussion of home birth safety than infant mortality, since the quality of prenatal care and effectiveness or harm of birth practices can contribute to this outcome.

Home and hospital have similar perinatal mortality rates for populations of mothers who are “low risk”. So by that standard, planned home births and hospital births are equally safe for babies of healthy mothers.

Type of Safety: Maternal Mortality

Despite the highest per capita spending on health care in the world, the United States has a maternal mortality rate that has not improved in 20 years (25th in the world, one of the highest in the developed world).

There is good evidence that overall cesarean rates should be about 15%. Cesareans are major abdominal surgeries that carry an array of health risks and consequences. Recent studies have found that though overall rates are low, maternal death occurs 2 to 4 times more frequently with cesarean section than with vaginal birth.

• The average rate of cesarean for all hospital births is now over 30%.
• As of 2000, the average rate of cesarean was around 20% for women who were “low risk” when they entered the hospital.
• Fewer than 5% of planned, midwife-attended home births end in cesarean.

For a healthy mother, her chances of avoiding a cesarean (and having a better outcome) are increased by choosing care with a midwife.

Type of Safety: Maternal and Infant Morbidity

Injury or illness associated with the birth for mother and baby (morbidity) is another important component of safety. A recent study indicated that over 40% of women birthing in a hospital experience some level of morbidity related to childbirth.

Morbidity for the baby can include:

• bruising or lacerations from operative deliveries (cesarean section, forceps or vacuum extraction)
• breathing difficulties due to drugs or pulmonary immaturity
• infection from exposure to hospital germs
• complications related to late preterm birth from elective inductions and cesareans

Morbidity for the mother can include:

• fever
• infection
• drug reactions
• surgical incisions from cesarean section
• lacerations of the perineum (from tearing or episiotomy a surgical cut to the perineum)
• drugs used in labor (to induce and/or speed up labor, and for pain) can cause a range of complications for both mother and baby

The problems listed above occur because of the medical interventions used in a hospital setting. By birthing at home with a midwife, the chances for these common birth injuries can be reduced.

Better Outcomes With Midwives

Midwifery clients experience lower rates of:

• induced labor
• electronic fetal monitoring
• epidural analgesia
• assisted vaginal delivery (forceps and vacuum extractions)
• Cesarean sections
• episiotomies
• infections
• bleeding
• babies born requiring resuscitation

Because women choosing home birth with a midwife have far fewer interventions during their labor, birth and immediate postpartum period, they also have easier healing, breastfeeding, and bonding with their new babies.

What If Something Happens?

This question alone shows how most people view birth and laboring women: like a ticking time bomb, just waiting for something bad to happen, almost like it’s guaranteed. Let me remind you again that birth is a normal physiological process. As women, our bodies know how to birth babies.

Midwives recognize that birth is a normal, healthy process. Midwives focus more on women and babies as individuals and less on technology.

While I can’t go over every potential birth complication and the ways a midwife would handle them, I can share the following general information:

• Most of the complications seen in hospital births are actually caused by all the interventions used. With midwife-attended births, most complications are avoided because of the method that they deliver babies – naturally.

• Midwives are well-trained to recognize signs of complications developing and are able to handle most of them. (Not every problem requires a trip to the hospital; sometimes, just a change in the mother’s position or re-hydration solves the problem.)

• If there are developing complications, midwives also assess the need to transport for medical care well in advance, in the rare cases where it is needed. Serious complications almost never occur without some preceding signs that there is a problem.

• Midwives are trained in emergency procedures and have necessary medical equipment at hand in case something serious happens. They carry IVs, oxygen, tubes to help breathing, pitocin for hemorrhaging, suturing supplies, and are fully trained in resuscitation.

In the European countries with the lowest infant mortality rates, more than 70% of all births are attended by midwives. More than 50% of all babies born in the Netherlands are born at home with midwives in attendance, and the Dutch infant death rate is much lower than in the United States.

Most Common Reasons for Hospital Transfer

According to one study, 12.1% of women transferred to the hospital during their planned home births. Only 3.4% of those were considered an emergency by the midwives. Most of the hospital transfers were during labor and due to:

• maternal exhaustion
• request for pain relief
• failure to progress
• other non-emergency situations

What About Those Medical Interventions?

With the mention of “fewer medical interventions” with midwife-supported natural childbirth, I bet some of you are confused. After all, aren’t all those interventions used in a hospital good? Aren’t they justified to protect the babies, even if they are hard on the moms? Hospitals wouldn’t use them unless they were necessary and safe, right?

WRONG!

Even though medical interventions are well-meaning, their risks and complications are often ignored. Each intervention carries significant risk of harm to the natural process and to the mother and/or baby. In addition, the use of any intervention tends to lead to other interventions, in a cascading effect.

A thorough knowledge of birth allows midwives to minimize the use of technology and medical interventions.

Medical interventions are costly, largely unnecessary, and frequently harmful. Here is a table that provides an easy way to compare labor and birth data between the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendations, planned homebirth, and hospital birth.

¹ World Health Organization Recommendations, Ideals vs. Reality in U.S. Births on Citizens for Midwifery

² 2005: “Outcomes of planned home births with certified professional midwives: large prospective study in North America.” Kenneth C Johnson and Betty-Anne Daviss.  BMJ  2005;330:1416 (18 June)

³ 2005: State of American Childbirth on Citizens for Midwifery

* 2004 National Hospital Discharge Survey

Conclusion

I hope I’ve shed some light on the facts that show how safe birth with a midwife is. I believe that having all the information is important for an expectant mom so that she can make an informed choice for herself and her birth.

Don’t forget to watch for the following article on the ways midwives promote safe childbirth.

More Information:

• The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer
• The Business of Being Born movie
• 10 Homebirth Facts No One’s Telling You on Blinded By The Light
• Why Homebirths Are Worth Considering by Melissa Cheyney on the Huffington Post
• Birth By the Numbers on OrgasmicBirth.com (great video)
• Birth Misconceptions: Myth and Fact on Birthingthefuture.org
• Ideals vs. Reality in U.S. Births by Citizens for Midwifery
• Cesarean section rates by state on The Unnecesarean
• Overview of Maternity Care in the US on Citizens for Midwifery
• Safety in Childbirth on Citizens for Midwifery
• State of American Childbirth on Citizens for Midwifery
• Overused Interventions

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Related Articles:

• Demystifying Midwife-Supported Natural Childbirth Part 3: Who Chooses Midwifery Care?
• Demystifying Midwife-Supported Natural Childbirth Part 1: Misconceptions and Facts About Midwives
• 8 Ways Midwives Promote Safe Childbirth
• The Rights of Childbearing Women
• Evidence-Based Maternity Care Report Released

What does that mean exactly?

I am pretty “crunchy” when it comes to eating healthy and overall nutrition (for myself and my family). Part of that ‘crunchiness’ was a deep desire to breastfeed my baby for a long time (which is actually not so radical but rather the way humans were meant to be fed). This belief led me to research my choices when starting solid foods for our baby and led me to new information and a new way to approach introducing solid foods that is compatible with my health-focused attitude towards food – and led me to introduce solids differently than most people do.

I exclusively breastfed my son and we waited to start solid foods until he was eight months old. We skipped rice cereal completely; his first food was some avocado that I mashed. Waiting the appropriate few days between new foods, we then tried mashed bananas. No need for anything from a store-bought jar! We also made sure that “food was fun” for the first year, meaning that it was just for experimenting with, getting familiar with, learning hand-eye coordination, but absolutely NOT to replace any breast milk or become regular stand-alone meals.

Our son's first food - avocado. He was excited about the first bite, but not so much about the next few bites. They are one of his favorite foods to this day.

Disclaimer

I want to remind you to read my disclaimer. I am not a medical doctor and you should always consult your physician for medical advice and opinions before you try any of these ideas. I am providing this information for educational purposes and sharing what worked for me.

1. Delay Solid Food Introduction

Health experts and breastfeeding experts recommend waiting until your baby is at least six months old before starting solid foods. In fact, many organizations (such as the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics) recommend that all babies be exclusively breastfed (no cereal, juice, or any other foods) for the first six months of life (not the first 4-6 months). Even with the new recommendation of six months, many health care providers still share the old recommendation of starting solids at four month old.

When most people hear these numbers, they think it’s when they HAVE to start their baby on solid foods, when that’s not really the case at all. Six months is the minimum age to start solids, not the mandatory age.

Watch the baby, not the calendar

From Kellymom.com: Solids readiness depends on both the maturity of baby’s digestive tract and baby’s developmental readiness for solids. Research indicates that 6 months appears to be ideal for avoiding the allergies and other health risks of too-early solids. Most babies are developmentally ready for solids somewhere between 6 and 8 months.

Why?

Kellymom.com (one of my favorite sites) shares in great detail why many experts recommend delaying solids. Here are a few of the top reasons:

• Delaying solids gives baby’s digestive system time to mature. Their digestive system is still pretty immature at four months. Digestive enzymes don’t reach adequate levels until 6-9 months (depending on the enzyme). If solids are started before a baby’s system is ready to handle them, they are poorly digested and may cause unpleasant reactions (digestive upset, gas, constipation, etc.). Remember, “outward” signs of being ready for solids do not mean that your baby’s inner digestive system is mature and ready.

• Delaying solids decreases the risk of food allergies. Babies possess what is often referred to as an “open gut” from birth until somewhere between four and six months of age. This means that the spaces between the cells of the small intestines will readily allow intact macromolecules, including whole proteins and pathogens, to pass directly into the bloodstream. Introduced before the gut closes, solid food can irritate the gut leading to allergies or food sensitivities.

• Delaying solids helps to protect baby from iron-deficiency anemia. The introduction of iron supplements and iron-fortified foods, particularly during the first six months, reduces the efficiency of baby’s iron absorption. One study found no cases of anemia within the first year in babies breastfed exclusively for seven months and concluded that breastfeeding exclusively for seven months reduces the risk of anemia.

• Delaying solids helps to protect baby from future obesity. The early introduction of solids is associated with increased body fat and weight in childhood.

• Delaying solids helps mom maintain her milk supply. Studies have shown that for a young baby solids replace milk in a baby’s diet – they do not add to baby’s total intake. The more solids that baby eats, the less milk he takes from mom, and less milk taken from mom means less milk production. Babies who eat lots of solids or who start solids early tend to wean prematurely.

2. Skip the Cereals

If you ask most pediatricians, childcare books, and other parents they will say to start baby on rice cereal mixed with breast milk or formula. This thinking has been around for 60 years! But would it surprise you to know that there is no scientific basis for this recommendation? None at all.

If you delay starting solids until six months or later, you can skip the rice cereal and start with foods that actually have nutritional value. More health experts are now becoming concerned about babies getting used to the taste of highly processed white rice and flour, which could set them up for a lifetime of bad habits (such as a weakness for cakes and cookies).

But what about the iron?

People will say that babies need rice cereal due to the added iron content. It’s debatable whether healthy breastfed babies need the extra iron (you can get baby’s iron levels checked). Human milk does not contain large amounts of iron, but iron in breast milk is better absorbed than that from other sources. Approximately 50 percent of the iron in mother’s milk is absorbed, compared to only a 7 percent absorption from formula, and a 4 percent absorption from infant cereals.

Why?

• After processing strips away fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients, white rice is a nutritional disaster, as processed as anything in the food supply, and the nutritional equivalent of table sugar.

• White rice is a refined carbohydrate, a group of highly processed, nutritionally devoid foods that have been linked to increased rates of heart disease, insulin resistance, eye damage, and cancer in adults, and are worthless nutritionally for infants as well.

• Feeding infants cereal has been associated with an increased risk of type 1 diabetes and may prime your baby’s appetite for a lifetime of processed carbs in the form of white bread, cookies, and cakes.

• Ironically, the introduction of iron supplements and iron-fortified foods (such as cereal), particularly during the first six months, reduces the efficiency of baby’s iron absorption.

my sweet boy and his sweet potato face

3. Keep Breast Milk Primary Source of Nutrition

When you introduce solid foods, breast milk consumption should not diminish at all. The American Academy of Pediatrics as well as breastfeeding experts worldwide agree that breast milk should be the primary source of nutrition/calories in baby’s diet for the first 12 months. Solid food is mainly for practice/exploration and teaching them to eat, not to get nourishment.

Food is fun for the first year.

For those of you with well-meaning but uninformed family and friends that ask “when are you going to feed the baby real food“, remember that breast milk and/or formula IS real food. These will be enough to sustain your baby’s nutritional needs up to one year old.

Why?

• Introductionof solids before 6 months of age generally does not increase total caloric intake or rate of growth and may displace the important nutrition your baby needs to receive from breast milk and/or formula and onlysubstitutes foods that lack the protective componentsof humanmilk.

• Babies need fat and breast milk is the best source. Solid foods (from a jar, especially) do no contain enough fat and calories to replace breast milk. Check out the comparison: Human milk has 22 kcal/oz and 1.15 g fat/oz while applesauce has 16 kcal/oz and 0 g fat/oz, carrots have 10 kcal/oz and 0 g fat/oz.

More Information

• Is my baby ready for solids? on Kellymom.com
• Myths about solids readiness on Kellymom.com
• How to start solids on Kellymom.com
• Wholesomebabyfood.com

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1. Pure Water

Most people don’t drink enough plain, pure water. We are a dehydrated nation and we don’t even know it. Part of the problem may be that people think drinking ANY liquids will do the job of hydrating our bodies. But according to Dr. Batmanghelidj, M.D. nothing substitutes for water; not a thing. If you rely on coffee, tea, alcoholic beverages, sodas, and even fruit juices for your hydration, you are doing your body a disservice.

How much water should we drink? We should be drinking enough water throughout the day to not allow ourselves to become thirsty. A good guide is to observe the color of your urine. It should be a very light-colored yellow. If it is a deep yellow then you are likely not drinking enough water and your body is beginning to become dehydrated. When it becomes orange, then the body is truly dehydrated and some part of the body is suffering from that dehydration.

For more water information:

• The Water Cure: An Interview with Dr. Batmanghelidj on NaturalNews.com
• Water: For Health, for Healing, for Life: You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty! by Dr. Batmanghelidj, MD
• Your Body’s Many Cries for Water by Dr. Batmanghelidj, MD

How to Get Your Kids to Drink More Water

• Drink water yourself. Practice what you preach, right? If you drink only water, your kids will see that and be more apt to follow. Remember my previous article on modeling? You really have tremendous influence on what your kids eat and drink.
• Start early. Many parenting philosophies preach “start how you mean to continue” and drinking water can definitely follow this. If you provide your young child/toddler with only water, they won’t know what anything else tastes like, so water will taste good!
• Add a splash of something. If you need to wean them from drinking juice (or milk) you can start by watering down their juice until the combination of water/juice is 90:10 – and then you move in for 100% water! We also add our son’s powdered vitamin (Amazing Grass Kidz Superfood) to water and that makes it tasty!

Don’t Forget Water Quality!

We should be drinking clean spring water and filtered water. I would not recommend drinking tap water, distilled water, or fluoridated water.

And before you reach for that bottled water, read my previous article on the waste and deception behind bottled water (and safe, eco-friendly alternatives).

2. Avocados

Omega 3 fatty acids are missing in the average western diet and this missing fatty acid is behind a lot of bad health and disease. It just so happens that avocados are high in omega 3 and omega 6. Some people are afraid of avocados because of their higher fat content, but it’s important to understand that a body needs fats as long as they’re healthy ones. Avocados are a good source of healthy fat.

Also, there is no cholesterol in avocados. Even though avocados contain no cholesterol, the monounsaturated fatty acids in avocados can improve total cholesterol.

You can tell when avocados are ripe by color and gentle squeezing. If the normally green skins are turning brownish and you can mush it slightly with a gentle squeeze, those are ready to eat. However, if you are not using them right away, pick the green hard ones and let them ripen at home.

My Thoughts:

We don’t drink milk but we know our child (and us too) needs healthy fat, Vitamin D, and calcium. That’s one of the reasons we wanted to include avocados in his (and our) diet from early on; it’s a great source of healthy fat. He has always loved avocados (well, except for his very first taste)!

3. Spinach

Spinach is an excellent source of iron, calcium, and folic acid, along with vitamins A and C, which is great for growing bones and brains. Spinach has also been found to fight cancer, slow the effects of aging on the brain, and improves and protects eyesight.

How to Get Your Kids to Eat Spinach

• Mix it in Stuff. There are so many ways to incorporate spinach into a child’s diet. You can mix it with ground turkey and taco seasoning to make tasty turkey burgers. You can even blend it with your healthy homemade Popsicles!
• Mix it in more stuff. Stir it into hot soups, toss it into tomato sauce, and tuck it into quesadillas.
• Topping. Make a spinach pesto to add to your child’s favorite pastas or poultry dishes.

Buy Organic

Since spinach is listed as one of the ‘Dirty Dozen’ (conventional fruits and vegetables found to be highest in pesticides) by Environmental Working Group, it’s best to buy organic spinach.

4. Eggs

Unfortunately eggs have gotten a bad rap for contributing to high cholesterol levels in people. But there have been several studies that discovered that there was actually no difference in heart disease risk in those who consumed more than one egg a week. Another study concluded that eggs did not contribute significantly to the body’s cholesterol levels.

In fact, eggs are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. They are filled with many vitamins and minerals:

• Eggs are a natural source of protein and Vitamin D, which helps to build and maintain muscle.
• Eggs are also high in B vitamins, iron, and folate.
• Eggs contain choline, which is an important nutrient for healthy brain functioning, and it also helps to reduce inflammation and regulate the cardiovascular system.
• Eggs may in fact contain more lutein than most green vegetables.
• Zeaxanthin is also found in eggs, which can also assist with the prevention of macular degeneration.

How to Get Your Kids to Eat Eggs

• Breakfast Burrito. These are a favorite at our house. In addition to scrambled eggs, we also include potatoes, cheese, salsa (or raw peppers and onions), and healthy sausage. Just combine your desired ingredients on a tortilla. You could also add black beans as well.
• Quiche. Not just for breakfast, quiches are a great dinner option where you can include your family’s favorite ingredients like turkey sausage, vegetables, or cheese with the eggs.

Buy Organic

Eggs should always be bought from truly organic sources, as these have far higher nutritional value than normal store-bought eggs. These eggs contain far more omega-3, which helps to increase our HDL (good) cholesterol levels while decreasing our LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

5. Blueberries

Loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants — substances that slow the body’s release of chemicals that can damage cells — blueberries can help lower cholesterol, sharpen memory, and fight certain cancers, prevent urinary infections, reduce blood sugar, lower blood pressure, and ease depression symptoms.

You can get these health benefits from either fresh or frozen blueberries, but those fake blueberries in processed foods won’t do you any good!

How to Get Your Kids to Eat Blueberries

• Homemade Popsicles. Mix it with spinach in some healthy homemade Popsicles!
• Oatmeal. Put it in their morning oatmeal.
• Snack. Eating fresh blueberries is a yummy snack!
• Mix in Stuff. Make a purple puree with blueberries and spinach and add to tacos, burgers, and pancakes.

Buy Organic

Blueberries are also listed as one of the ‘Dirty Dozen’ (conventional fruits and vegetables found to be highest in pesticides) by Environmental Working Group, so it’s best to buy organic.

6. Sweet potatoes

Packed with vitamins B, C, and E, plus calcium, potassium, and iron, sweet potatoes are also rich in complex carbohydrates and fiber, which keeps digestion moving along properly. The beta carotene in sweet potatoes protects cells from damage. Sweet potatoes are good at preventing a sugar crash, due to those complex carbohydrates.

How to Get Your Kids to Eat Sweet Potatoes

• Steamed. Peel, cut into chunks, and steam for 10 minutes or until tender. Mash on plate and add butter and salt. Our son loves this!
• Homemade Fries. We slice sweet potatoes into thin strips and place them on a baking stone (not an aluminum sheet). We then spread a mixture of coconut oil, seasoned salt, and other spices over them and bake.
• Mix in Stuff. Sneak some into recipes for a subtle sweetness or add to pasta sauces to cut the acidity of tomato that some kids dislike.

Buy Organic

Sweet potatoes are also listed as one of the ‘Dirty Dozen’ (conventional fruits and vegetables found to be highest in pesticides) by Environmental Working Group, so it’s best to buy organic.

7. Oats

These whole grains help prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes, will keep your child feeling full, and aid in escorting bad cholesterol out of the body.

How to Get Your Kids to Eat Oats

• Breakfast Oatmeal. Use the old-fashioned rolled oats (or steel cut oats if you have time) since they offer more fiber and longer-lasting energy than the quick-cooking kind. Top with blueberries for a healthy breakfast.
• Pancakes. Consider making making oatmeal pancakes.
• Cookies. For a healthier version, use applesauce instead of the fat, cut back on the sugar, and use dark chocolate chips and dried fruit.
• Binder in Recipes: Instead of bread crumbs in recipes, use chopped oats in meals like meatloaf or meatballs.

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[Photo credits:  Angga Hadilaksananto (water), Brybs (avocado), Andreas Andersson (spinach), Robert Michie (eggs), Brad Harrison (blueberries), Vangelis Thomaidis (sweet potatoes), Spencer Ritenour via Park Slope Lens (oats)]

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Related Articles:

• 5 Foods Your Kids Should NOT Be Eating
• March is National Nutrition Month®: ‘Nutrition From the Ground Up’
• Healthy Vegetarian Recipe: Quinoa Chowder with Spinach and Feta
• My Breastfeeding Journey
• Breastfeeding Tips: How to Prepare for Success