Pregnancy and Birth | Eco-Mothering

Natural Remedies for Postpartum Hair Loss

By Donna DeForbes | October 8, 2013 - 5:30 am | Pregnancy and Birth, Wellness

Natural Remedies for Hair Loss | Eco-Mothering.com

Hair loss after giving birth is quite common. The high levels of estrogen that kept your hair thick and luxurious throughout pregnancy suddenly take a nosedive, which triggers your body’s normal process of hair shedding. What’s normal? An average woman sheds about 100 hairs per day. During pregnancy, your body holds onto all that hair, so it seems like you’re losing a lot when they begin to fall out after the baby is born. Relax. It’s the extra hair falling out—in addition to your daily shedding—as the body returns to its pre-pregnancy hair growth and shedding rates. The hair loss tapers off to its normal rate between 6-12 months after giving birth. While the hair loss process is normal, it can seem scary. To learn about a few natural remedies, read my full post on MammaBaby. This post is featured on Thank Your Body Thursday and Natural Living Monday.

Top 5 Power Snacks for Breastfeeding Moms

By Donna DeForbes | September 13, 2013 - 5:30 am | Nutrition, Pregnancy and Birth

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Power Snacks for Breastfeeding Moms | Eco-Mothering.com

When I was breastfeeding Sofie, I was always hungry. Why? Because women emit anywhere between 425-700 calories per day into their breast milk, which is great for baby but also leaves you feeling depleted and constantly craving food. Take care of yourself and eat smart with nutrient-dense snacks that make your milk healthy while fueling you with a much-needed boost of energy. If you can make snacks ahead of time (say, on the weekend while someone else cares for the baby), they’ll be on hand for easy grabbing during the week. Here are five ideas: Nut Butter on Whole-grain Bread This combination of protein and whole grains really takes the edge off hunger. Nut butters are delicious and come in a variety from peanut to almond to cashew (although avoiding peanut butter may decrease your child’s chances of a peanut allergy). Try these delicious and healthy nut butters — I … Continue reading →

How to Host a Blessingway Birth Ritual

By Donna DeForbes | August 13, 2013 - 5:30 am | Holidays and Celebrations, Pregnancy and Birth

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Baby showers can be a great way to gather with friends and accumulate the necessary baby stuff. But they often seem like clones of one another with the focus on silly games and diaper cakes. If you’re seeking something more to mark your pregnancy, consider a Blessingway as a celebrational option. With its Native American (Navajo) roots, a Blessingway—or Mother Blessing, as it has come to be known in its American form—honors a woman in her journey toward motherhood. What is a Blessingway? Instead of emphasizing gifts and the unborn baby, a Blessingway focuses on the mother-to-be. How is she feeling? What does she need? It tends to be women-only—close friends and family of the pregnant woman—who gather together to offer support. This could mean sharing their own birth stories, offering emotional guidance or advice, or participating in some kind of ritual. The point is to honor the mom-to-be in … Continue reading →

MommyCon 2013 Natural Parenting Convention

By Donna DeForbes | August 1, 2013 - 5:30 am | Beyond Childbirth, Giveaways, Pregnancy and Birth

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Sometimes I think I’m sleeping under a rock. I just found out about a fast-growing, natural parenting event called MommyCon. If I’d known about this months ago, I’d have arranged our family’s summer trip around the Philly convention. While I can’t make it for the inaugural year, it’s not too late for you to go. Scroll to the bottom for a ticket giveaway! What’s MommyCon? It is a boutique-style, traveling event with a focus on natural parenting techniques and products. Speakers range from local birthing experts to national bloggers on the topics of breastfeeding, cloth diapering, babywearing, green living and natural health and wellness. Discover new baby products from green companies. Feed your baby in the Nursing Lounge. Try on a variety of baby slings and carriers. Get to know other moms and mothers-to-be who share your family values. Win an awesome giveaway. MommyCon is a laid back convention open to … Continue reading →

Top 50 Eco-Friendly Baby Names and their Meanings

By Donna DeForbes | July 26, 2013 - 5:00 am | Pregnancy and Birth

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I admit it. The birth of the Royal Baby has got me excited about baby names. What makes an eco-friendly name? Well, I’m looking at meanings here, so anything to do with nature. Even Prince George is rather green as its Greek origins mean “one who tends the soil.” Here’s our pick for the top 25 for each gender. Girl Names Aspen – tree name, also means “earth mother” Acacia – Greek for “tree; everlasting” Brier – French for “heather; nature” Bryn – Welsh for “hill” Chanda – Hindi for “moon goddess” Clover – flower name Denver – English for “born in a green valley” Elyssa – Greek for “loving the ocean” Fern – plant name Hailey – English for “natural; hay meadow” Ivy – plant name Jelani – American for “pretty sky” Kameko – Japanese for “turtle girl” Lavender – plant name Lotus – Greek for “flowery” Magnolia – … Continue reading →

Green Your Baby Shower

By Donna DeForbes | July 9, 2013 - 5:30 am | Holidays and Celebrations, Pregnancy and Birth

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With celebrity pregnancies getting so much attention lately, my mind has turned to baby showers. Baby registries are big business, and the celebrations often center around light-hearted disposability. However, going green doesn’t have to take the fun out of baby showers. Here are some tips for making more eco-conscious decisions. Choose a few or try them all. Go Electronic. This is easier to do than ever. Whether you use Evite, Pingg or design your own PDF, send the invitations via email. People get it right away, they’re likely to respond faster and most online services automatically track RSVPs. Oh yeah, and you’re saving trees. Make sure to include on the invitation a line that sets the tone for your green shower, such as: “Join us for an earth-friendly baby celebration.” Paper gets a dose of green with seeded paper invitations (and thank-you cards) that guests can plant as wildflowers afterwards. Shower Activity Idea: … Continue reading →