Tag Archives: newborn

2017, let’s slow down shall we?

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Here I lie, in my bed, at 8:16pm. Feeling defeated. As it turns out, I should’ve enforced my idealistic ‘use the breastfeeding pillow each and every time you nurse’ rule because this time round, after baby #3, it won’t kill your wrists (like it did with the boys), it’ll kill your NECK. Sounding familiar to anyone?

My neck. It’s broken. (Not really, it just feels it).

I do things. I’m a doer. I find it hard to not.do. My Apple Watch (thanks Vitality) will tell you I walk over 10 000 steps a day – some days up to 17 000. That’s a LOT. I carry kids, hold kids, throw them onto the bed to change their nappies, lift them on my back because the ”grass is wet” or the “berries are squishy” and they don’t have their shoes on. In and out of baths, up and down bunks, sleeping children, awake children, kicking children, giggling children. They’re in my arms a lot. And as it turns out, 3 has knocked me over onto the bench (otherwise known as the injury booth).


The height of the messy bun directly coincides with the seriousness of sleep deprivation, personal hygiene and couldnt-care-less-ness. I’d say it’s pretty high.


If these is what my kids look like, can you imagine how tired I am? 

And so with the help of the chiro, a neck brace, enforced attention to my posture, homeopathic goodies, neck spasm goodies, a cold pack, transact patches and hubby’s massages… I’m sloooowly on the mend. All this, constantly reminding me that we’re not immortal. Our bodies are human and weak and we can’t just keep on. This is a hard lesson for me to learn. But this lesson is timely in and of itself. Is this not the season for reflection, rest, peace and joy? Enjoy them, SLOW DOWN, and savour the days? Why YES, yes it is.

So 2017, here we are. Let’s take it slow, shall we?

Benefits of Baby Wearing

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Given a Boba Wrap by a fellow mom of 3, she said “because you will need your hands free with the other two”… and she was right. It has been a life saver. Because, come on, I now have 2 hands and 3 children. My ratio is off.

I have another more sturdy carrier, but never used it when my boys were newborn, only when they were strong enough to fit into it and hold their own head. So this Boba sling wrap was a WIN! (I wish I had used it when my other two were teeny tiny).


Like kangaroo care (skin to skin), there are many benefits to baby wearing. And not only to sip on a hot cup of coffee (from a travel mug ermm errmm…) or pack a quick school lunch you may have forgotten about. There are physical, emotional and psychological benefits. And honestly, even if the only benefit was to have some free hands, that would be reason enough for me!

Credit: Thanks to The Natural Child Project for these awesome points (which I’ve adapted, and added my comment in on…)

1. Wearing a baby is convenient.

When we carry a baby in a wrap, we can walk around freely and not have to worry about negotiating steps, crowds or narrow aisles with a pram. If not for the sling, I lug bub around in her car seat – which is fine, but also clunky and heavy. Some wraps/carriers also allow for discreet breastfeeding – something I managed with my older ones. Win.

2. Wearing a baby promotes physical development.

When a baby rides in a wrap attached to her mother, she in tune with the rhythm of her breathing, the sound of her heartbeat, and the movements her mother makes – walking, bending, and reaching. This stimulation helps him to regulate his own physical responses, and exercises his vestibular system, which controls balance. The wrap is in essence a ‘transitional womb’ for the new baby, who has not yet learned to control his bodily functions and movements. Research has shown that premature babies who are touched and held gain weight faster and are healthier than babies who are not. Mechanical swings and other holding devices do not provide these same benefits.

3. Babies worn in slings are happier.

Studies have shown that the more babies are held, the less they cry and fuss. In indigenous cultures where baby-wearing is the norm, babies often cry for only a few minutes a day – in contrast to Western babies, who often cry for hours each day. Crying is exhausting for both the baby and his parents. Babies who do not need to spend their energy on crying are calmly observing and actively learning about their environment. Baby-wearing is especially useful for colicky babies, who are far happier being worn, but placid, content babies and children will also benefit greatly from the warmth and security of being held close.

4. Baby-wearing is healthy for you!

It can be challenging for new mothers to find time to exercise (ha ha ha), but if you carry your baby around with you most of the day or go for a brisk walk with your baby in her wrap, you will enjoy the dual benefits of walking and ‘weightlifting’. A long walk in the wrap is also an excellent way to help a tired but over-stimulated child fall asleep.

5. Toddlers appreciate the security of the wrap.

Wraps are usually associated with infants, but they can be very useful for toddlers as well; most carriers accommodate children up to 35 or 40 pounds. The world can be a scary place for toddlers, who feel more confident when they can retreat to the security of the wrap when they need to do so. Toddlers often become over-stimulated, and a ride in the wrap or carrier helps to soothe and comfort them before (or after!) a ‘melt-down’ occurs.

6. Baby-wearing helps you and your baby to communicate with each other.

The more confidence we have in our parenting, the more we can relax and enjoy our children (aint that the truth). A large part of feeling confident as a parent is the ability to read our baby’s cues successfully. When we hold our baby close in a wrap, we become finely attuned to his gestures and facial expressions. Many baby-wearing parents report that they have never learned to distinguish their baby’s cries – because their babies are able to communicate effectively without crying! Every time a baby is able to let us know that she is hungry, bored or wet without having to cry, her trust in us is increased, her learning is enhanced, and our own confidence is reinforced. This cycle of positive interaction enhances the mutual attachment between parent and child, and makes life more enjoyable for everyone.

7. Wraps are a bonding tool for fathers, grandparents, and other caregivers.

Wraps are a useful tool for every adult in a baby’s life. How cool is it to see a new father going for a walk with his baby in a wrap. The baby is becoming used to his voice, heartbeat, smell, movements and facial expressions, and the two are forging a strong attachment of their own. Fathers don’t have the automatic head-start on bonding that comes with pregnancy, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make up for this once their baby is born. The same goes for babysitters, grandparents and nannies. Cuddling up close in the sling is a wonderful way to get to know the baby in your life, and for the baby to get to know you!

8. Wraps are a safe place for a child to be.

Instead of running loose in crowded or dangerous places, a child in a wrap is held safe and secure right next to your body. Wraps also provide emotional safety when needed, so that children can venture into the world and become independent at their own pace. Also, now that I have three, I’m constantly doing a head count, and having one of them on me, makes that whole ‘where are all my children’ thought a tad less stressful.

9. Wraps are economical.

Wraps cost far less than prams, fancy front-carriers or backpacks. Many mothers consider the wrap to be one of their most useful and economical possessions. If used often it pays itself off quickly and if you no longer envision any more children, then why not donate your wrap to a new mom?

10. Baby-wearing is fun.

Who doesn’t love to cuddle a precious little baby? And when your baby is older, having her in the wrap makes conversations easier and allows you to observe her reactions to the wonders of the world around her. It’s also fun for baby, because when she is up at eye level, other adults notice and interact with her more. Your child will feel more a part of your life when she is in her sling, and you will find yourself becoming more and more enchanted with this special little person.

Here is a video on how to put on your wrap, and wear your newborn baby. You feel like a rock star once you get it right. Which you are. Obviously.

My easiest green switch yet…

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Clay newborn

So, if you don’t know all that much about how our green journey started, it had to do with a really bad bum rash, on a teeny tiny newborn, with a panicked mom and nothing that seemed to help us. Until a new natural product arrived at my midwives clinic and she suggested I give it a go. I had honestly tried a plethora of creams, medicines, ointments, powders and nothing had helped, and so I was willing to give anything a shot. And it worked. Clay powder and calendula cream. That was it.

That word calendula holds a million emotions for me. It was the first thing I googled when this bleeding, blistering, bum rash started healing. How do I get my hands on more of this goodness, and can I smother it all over my newborn to keep him safe for-ev-er? And as my research into calendula grew, so did my knowledge and understanding of natural products; what they do, why they’re so effective, how much safer they are than regular store bought products… and and and.

During my exploration of how to care for this tender tush, I was advised to not use any wet wipes, often not even a towel directly on his bum. Picture the scene: There I am, a nervous 28yr old first time mom, holding my wriggling, gurgling newborn (like Rafiki does in The Lion King) under lukewarm water (with one hand) to wash his bum (with the other hand, that’s right, no cloth), and only to have pre-placed a towel in the slither of ‘sun’ on the 1m x 1m patch of grass found in the average Vancouver backyard. Straight from the bathroom, we headed outside to the towel, where we air-and-sun-dry the naked bottom. I spent many an afternoon chasing the sun with my newborns bottom, and reading magazines. This tush was the topic of most conversations between my hubby and I. Life was exciting.

Have you ever checked the ingredients in the packet of wipes you’re currently using?

FOR EG, Huggies Cucumber and Tea Tree Wipes… (don’t be fooled by the soothing sound of cucumber and tea tree).

Ingredients: Water, Potassium Laureth Phosphate, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, DMDM Hydantoin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Malic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Fragrance.

These wipes have a hazard rating of 7 out of 10 and ingredients have been linked to cancer, immunotoxicity, allergies, developmental problems, reproductive toxicity, organ dysfunction, endocrine disruption and cellular changes. (Source)

And so I scrapped all the wipes in the house – even the ‘sensitive’ ones (oh man, how deceived we were. I dare you to read the ingredients in ‘sensitive’ wipes). And I investigated making my own. I stumbled across Wellness Mama‘s recipe, and making ones own wipes became second nature in our house, and we used them for everything. I wrote a blog about it here.

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I was a wipes making machine. I could do it in my sleep, and as long as we were stocked up on good quality paper towel/tissues, we never ran out. Ever.

And then we moved back to South Africa. And life got busier, and we now had 2 kids, and my local grocery store didn’t sell the Bounty brand of thick paper towel, and once I ran out of my original raw supplies (bought online from the States), I was stuck. I found South African ingredients that worked, but for some reason it all seemed a lot harder to continue. It wasn’t as cost effective, and wasn’t as second nature. I cringed and closed my eyes as I bought regular wipes, knowing full well how much nonsense they had in them. Until, I found, quite possibly, my ALL TIME favourite Pure Beginnings product, their Biodegradable Baby Wipes (with Organic Aloe).

I absolutely LOVE this product. We have a pack of wipes in every school bag, handbag and car. First off, they’re biodegradable, so they’re not contributing to the destruction of our earth. And secondly, they contain organic aloe and organic tea tree. They’re properly legit, and affordable! And recently, Pure Beginnings brought out the triple pack. I didn’t think it was possible to get any more excited about their wipes until I saw the triple pack.

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Pure Beginnings Organic Wet Wipes:

  • 64 wet wipes per pack (or 192 in the triple pack),
  • Soft and gentle on delicate skin,
  • 100% biodegradable plant fibre,
  • Organic Aloe extract with soothing and anti-bacterial properties,
  • Organic Tea Tree oil with natural anti-septic and fungicide properties as well as wonderful healing properties.

If there was one thing I’d buy new moms, it’s these. They’re SO good for bubs, they’re safe, easy to use, they smell amazing and are biodegradable. Everyone wins!

You know how some people buy a box of nappies every month before their baby arrives? Well since we cloth diaper, I’ll be buying a Pure Beginnings Triple Pack (and some wine, and some camembert… because… I can’t wait for cheese and wine again).

(…And for the record, I haven’t made my own set of wipes since using these).

The GLÜKi Life

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I am an optimistic person by nature. A typical number 7 on the enneagram. Naturally, I over-commit myself to making absolutely everything I do full of adventure, excitement and fun – a life in full colour (aaaaand a little exhausting for my hubby and kids).

For instance, if we’re going to the beach, we neeeeeeeeeeed (as my toddler would say) an ice cream. If we’re going on a road trip, we simply must get coffees on the way. Camping trips require s’mores and I can’t go past a till check out without trying the new flavour of tic-tacs.

And so you can imagine my pure delight when I came across this range of organic skincare – GLÜKi Organics. As you may already know, names are a pretty big deal in our family (you can read the post on naming our second born here) and so if GLÜKi was a person, no doubt we’d be besties.

GLÜKi Baby – Happy Baby

Origins of the name GLÜKi, loosely derived from:

• South African Afrikaans – geluk (“happy”)
gelukkige verjaarsdag (“happy birthday”)
• Middle English – luk, lukke (“good luck”)
• Dutch – geluk (“happiness”)
• Yiddish – glick (“blessing / happiness”)
• Danish – lykke (“good luck”)
• Low German – luk (“good fortune”)
• German – glück (“happy”)
• Swedish – lycka (“good luck”)

GLÜKi Organics is an uncompromised high quality plant-based product range that meets a loving mother’s need for her baby. They take immense pride in the therapeutic value of each ingredient in their products.


GLÜKi uses a range of organic and natural ingredients such as mafura butter, aloe vera leaf extract, baobab powder, marula oil, shea butter, kalahari melon (one of my faves) and organic rooibos. No nonsense. I like.

So, bearing in mind I’m a number 7 and want all things fuller, bigger, more playful and joyous, you can imagine how satisfying it was to add GLÜKi to all areas of my life. It was like gleefully sprinkling glitter all over every room… without the clean up.

The range is attractive and beautifully designed. After browsing through it all, I gave the nipple cream and travel pack to a brand new mum-friend (how handy for her diaper bag?), and I threw the hand and body lotion straight into my handbag (and I smother it on like it’s nobody’s business). Honestly, sometimes before meetings, appointments or seeing friends, I like to rub it all over myself in the hope that they will recognize it as, you know, ‘my smell’. You know those friends who always smell good, and have a particular smell? Well that’s what I was going for. It really is that good.

The organic baby shampoo, baby body wash and bedtime bubble bath were delegated to the bathroom, and our changing table thought it was Christmas with the addition of the organic baby moisturizing lotion, oil gel, bum cream and baby powder. Like I said, goodness every-where.

My favourite product in the baby range is the bum cream. It is appropriately thicker than the rest of the range. Often I find thin bum cream gets messy and you end up slapping it (and therefore wasting it) all over your little ones tush, whereas this stays put and does what it needs to do: it nourishes, protects the skin, reduces chafe, and prevents rashes and irritation.

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The GLÜKi team have written a wonderful post about how to care for your newborns skin. It includes the benefits of touch and baby massage, not overdoing bath time and how to feed your baby’s skin naturally. All of which I’m a huge advocate of.

I absolutely LOVE the smell of this range as you would have noted by my wishing people thought of it as ‘my smell’. To me, it smells like marshmallows (the nice, not sickly sweet, but the mature, refreshing and clean kind – if you can imagine such a marshmallow). This product to a baby’s skin is like a weeks trip to Indigo Fields for an adult. Have you been to Indigo Fields?

GLÜKi Organics is manufactured here in our very own beautiful South Africa and is EcoCert certified. GLÜKi is also an accredited partner of Phytotrade Africa, endorsed by Beauty without Cruelty and their ingredients Vegan. Have a peek at their extensive range of stockists online.