Adeventure of the day.

Spoons. Today the boys used spoons. Not to eat something like pudding or yogurt that sticks nicely without making a mess but to eat cheerios. In milk. Yes, the end result was rather disasterous. But up until the point that the bowl made it's upside down debut they did awesome. Pick up spoon. Put in bowl. Put in mouth. It is easy to forget how awesome the little things are. And how such little tasks in my life are such big advances in theres. My boys are basically awesome.

A drug free home

Today while perusing on a mothers of multiples I read an amazing article written by a mother of triplets who is also a homeopathic health care practitioner. She has made a personal commitment to having a "drug free family". She believes that all ailments and conditions can be treated holistically through natural medicine, meditation and the maintenance of healthy chakras. While this goes a step further than I would take it she brought forward an interesting concept of a drug free family. I understand that there are a number of conditions that we need modern medicine to cure but there are also a number of conditions and situations where I do feel our children are being grossly over medicated. I have taken the stand and have decided to place my children on alternative vaccination schedules because I am unsure how I feel about the potential consequences of them. But, what about the things I give my children to treat their ailments. What about the potential consequences of them? Tylenol, benadryl, orajel, antibiotics all have possible repercussions as well.
I try not to over think my children's illnesses and sometimes realize colds just need to run their course but I am also the first to give my children cough suppressants to clear their chests, anti histimines to un stuff their noses and tylenol to stop their pain or break a fever. But, in reality stuffy noses and chest congestion is the bodies way of naturally curing out impurities, fevers are the bodies natural response against defenders. When we interrupt our bodies fight against outside offenders we are actually delaying the time in which are children are going to heal. As a parent, I cannot stand to see my child uncomfortable but rather than reaching into the medicine cabinet maybe I should be curling up on the couch with my boys instead. Laying down and cuddling with them rather than doping them with benadryl or trying alternative approaches before jumping to modern day medicine
Antibiotics are being over prescribed in epic proportions. Children are being given these drugs for almost every ailment that brings them into a physicians office and it is created a vicious cycle of drug resistance. A recent study by the APA has found that 80% of all ear infections, 86% of all upper respiratory tract infections and 60% of all eye infections will clear BY THEMSELVES within 7 days and are now encouraging parents to keep a "watchful eye" on these conditions rather than immediately treating them but unfortunately most pediatricians are not heeding this warning and are still OVER PRESCRIBING.
What we are ultimately doing is overwhelming our children's bodies with drugs that don't belong in them and destroying their ability to naturally fight off infection.
While I can't bring it in me to throw my tylenol to the wind...I will be ditching benadryl and cough suppressants.
And will try to remember when the sick bug comes my way that cuddles, hugs, chicken soup and nap time probably have more cure in them than any syrup ever could.

ERF-extended rear facing

So, today as I was packing my children into our vehicle a friend asked why are they still rear facing? I responded with my typical response...I am an advocate of extended rear facing. My husband was skeptical and actually told me I was crazy when I first popped the idea on him and after watching the videos and hearining my arguments he too, agrees, that erf is the way to go as far as car seat safety is concerned. Most people don't know what this is (actually my parenting soul sister Nikki got me hooked on making my parenting stances known). Well, here is the chance to hear me carry on about another one of my mommy beliefs. It is now recommended by the AAP (american association of pediatrics) now recommends that children...ALL children be rear facing until the minimum age of two. Why you ask? the law says my child has to be one year of age and 20 pounds and then I can face them forward. Well, yes...you CAN but why would you? This is a minimum requirement. Not a definite.
Take a second to think of these facts: 6 million car accidents a year in the US. Every 12 minutues someone involved in an automobile accident dies. 2,000 of those deaths are children. Almost makes you want to encase yourself in a bubble and never get into a car again.
So, those facts at hand it is important to stress that car seats save lives...no doubt and that safer car seat practices are needed. Now that the AAP has made their statement known we have to wait for the state to change the law and car seat manufacturers to change their requirements sticker. I am not one to butt my nose into other peoples parenting but these facts and videos changed my entire view on car seat safety.
A child, though they may have adequate muscle control do not have a bone structure that allows for whiplash type injuries. The bones that are protecting the delicate spinal cord are soft, pliable and do not have the ossification that adult bones do because of this during a whiplash type injury a spinal stretching of 2 inches can occur. The spinal cord can only withstand 1/4 inch of stretching before snapping occurs. That is a difference of 1 3/4 inch. This type of injury is called "internal decapitation", the name alone is enough to scare the hell out of you. What is literally happening is a childs spinal cords is snapping from the intensity of an impact though the bone structure is remaining in tact. There have been a number of crash tests performed that have shown RF (rear facing) crash test dummies undergo significantly less impact than there FF (forward facing) counterparts. The car seat acts as a cradle during impact causing a child and car seat to move as one unit rather than a forward facing child who's head is thrown forward during impact. This can truly be the difference between a life or death injury for a young child.


This video demonstrates what happens to a young child during a forward facing impact





This video demonstrates a rear facing child during impact.



The difference in body distortion, whiplash type injury and overall impact are noticeable.
There are arguments that claim that children in RF car seats are more likely to suffer broken legs during an accident if their feet touch the seat in front of them. This may be true. However, broken legs can be fixed. Broken necks cannot.

Your child may be going crazy to face forward and see the world. To be "big" like their older siblings and face forward but I am urging all parents to keep their children rear face to the minimum age of two. I have two very tall 18 month old boys who legs touched the seat in front of them months ago but they aren't going forward facing yet or anytime in the near future.

So, my word has been said...I have spread my word of knowledge and I am done for the day.