Babyccino » Health

Resolution 2 of 999,999. Soul Cycle.

Dina — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:00:57 +0000

Soul Cycle just opened an amazing new space in Tribeca and while I totally TOTALLY dread working out I decided to just suck it up and force myself to go. After all, as mentioned before, the only cardio routine I have these days is courtesy of the Dancey Dance segments from Yo Gabba Gabba.

So anyway– Soul Cycle has had a following for quite some time in other areas of the city and I was nervous as hell to go. I had never done a “spin class” before and I was pretty confident that I was going to die on the bike and make a total scene. As I stood in the lobby waiting for class to start I tried my best to look like a pro but when I saw the sweat drenched people emerge from the prior class I started to panic.

Anyway – long story, longer… I snapped my shoes into the bike, said a prayer, jumped on and just did it. The teacher was amazing and led the class on what felt like a 45-minute spiritual journey through the mountains. The music was loud and excellent, the dark room and the vibe made you want to really push yourself. It was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be and I felt like a new human being when it was over. I am now hooked and I would highly recommend it to all the sluggish, sleep deprived moms and dads out there. It’s a boost both physically and mentally.

-Dina

Papaw ointment — an Australian treasure

Courtney — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:00:12 +0000

I’m probably not winning any points for originality with our Australian readers, but before coming to Australia I had never heard of Lucas’ Papaw Ointment and it has since become our favourite Australian discovery. This natural remedy, made from an enzyme in papaya fruit, can be used on burns, boils, cuts, insect bites, open wounds, chapped lips, haemorrhoids, and the list goes on. And it is definitely the best treatment for nappy rash I’ve ever used.

After stockpiling these little tubes to take back to London with me, I discovered you can actually buy it in London (the creator was, in fact, British)! Dr. Lucas formulated the papaw ointment more than 100 years ago in Australia after leaving London for a warmer climate. Its natural antiseptic quality is great for preventing infection in wounds, it’s totally safe to use on babies and children, and it is so natural it can also be taken internally to aid digestion. It also smells nice — an added bonus!

-Courtney

First-aid elephant from Goodies of Desire

Esther — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:00:59 +0000

Before we moved to a new house a few weeks ago, we used to live in an apartment building. Parking in the basement, large elevator, and the rooms conveniently laid-out on one single level. Disadvantage: no garden. Advantage: no stairs.
Last week I came home from work and found my 4-year-old daughter sitting on the sofa with a package of frozen red cabbage wrapped in a tea towel, pressed to her forehead. A bump the size of an egg was slowly developing. You guessed it, she fell from the stairs (or, as she stated, her little brother pushed her, but I’m not sure how much of a truth there is in that). Poor girl.

Now I’m not against red cabbage, (we prepare it with a little sugar and apples — truly delicious with good sausage or game), but don’t you think this cute little elephant from Goodies of Desire would do a much better job at soothing a little (or bigger) owie? I do, and thus, from now on, I keep one in the freezer compartment of my fridge for cases of emergencies. Good to have around.
The friendly elephant is filled with cherry pits and the label says that in addition to the usual bumps and bruises it can also be useful for ‘Kopfenschmerzen & Kater’ (headache & hang-over) or ‘Milchstau’ (engorgement). VERY good to have around.

If you find it a pity however to hide the friendly fellow in the freezer, you may also warm it in a medium warm oven to treat colds or to use it for relaxation. Or, thanks to its cotton elephant skin and natural cherry pit filling, you can safely give it to a baby as a cuddling toy/rattle.
What a multi-purpose little fellow… And, to make it even better — it’s machine washable.

xxx Esther

Invisible Zinc

Sara — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 06:00:47 +0000

All those scorching Australian summers that I spent oiling myself with ‘Hawaiian Tropic’ –- how it makes me cringe! If only this product was around when I was in my late teens… okay, who am I kidding, I still would have ignored the facts, all for a deep bronze tan that didn’t ever last. The fact is that the sun ages your skin prematurely and causes cancer. Whilst I did come to my senses long ago, I am sure that I still wear the damage of those early reckless years. These days, I don’t leave home without having applied Invisible Zinc to each and every member of my family (husband excluded here, he is not partial to me assaulting him with ‘goo’ every morning — not for want of trying, mind you).

The concept behind Invisible Zinc is technology that provides a physical (not chemical) barrier between you and the sun’s UVA and UVB rays. They use a world patented form of Zinc Oxide that has been milled down so that it is no longer visible to the naked eye …fortunately you can banish all images of the white zinc-nosed, speedo-clad Aussie lifeguard, not quite the look I favor either when I head for the beach! Zinc Oxide is a natural sunscreen agent that sits on the skin reflecting dangerous UVA and UVB rays without unnecessary chemical sun-filters (incidentally, most chemical sunscreens offer little or no protection against UVA rays).

So Courtney, take note! This Aussie product is a must-have for you and your family over the coming months… and for those of you shivering in the Northern Hemisphere, as strange as it may seem, summer is just around the corner! (-:

-Sara

11-13 weeks scan at the Fetal Medicine Centre

Esther — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 06:20:40 +0000

My first two babies were born in London. Even though I had both of them through the National Health Service system, I went to the Fetal Medicine Centre (FMC), a private clinic on Harley Street in London, for the 11-13 week scans. Reason is, the founder of the FMC is Professor Kypros Nicolaides, the world’s authority on fetal medicine and the person who discovered the relationship between Down Sydrome and the measurement of the nuchal translucency!
Since I was exactly 12 weeks pregnant when we met with the girls in London a few weeks ago, I decided that this little baby also had to receive the test of all tests at the place of all places. And it was fabulous to see that little person happily moving around inside of me!
Everything looked absolutely perfect at the scan, BUT (and here’s the but!) I was told that the nasal bone of this little 12-week-old creature was on the small side. Not non-existent, but small. And, I was told, a non-existent, or very small nasal bone is one of the soft markers for Down syndrome. However, since the rest of the rest of the test was good, and the results of the blood test were fine, the overall chance of a chromosomal disorder was still considered small.

For my first two babies the test results were excellent. Of course, we’re still talking percentages, so it doesn’t give any real security, but the chance of something being wrong was so absolutely marginal, there was no need to worry. For this baby, the results are still very good, but there was a but. And the but made me worry.

At 15 weeks, I asked for an extensive scan here in Amsterdam, to look for any symptons of a chromosomal disorder, as far as detectable at this stage of the pregnancy. The doctor found nothing. She measured the nasal bone, and however on the small side, it was within the normal range.
At 15 weeks you can choose to have amniocentesis. The chance of miscarrying after an amnio is somewhere between 1 in 100 and 1 in 300. The chance that my baby has a disorder is 1 in 700, as they told me after the test in the FMC in London. I’m 36 years old. I decided not to have an amnio.

Did you have a decision to make? Did you have an amnio??

xxx Esther

P.S. Picture of my scan in Amsterdam. Baby is beautiful, isn’t he/she??

Swine Flu

Emilie — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:00:31 +0000

The Swine Flu, in France known as la grippe A, has landed in France and the media frenzy is on!

School started last week and, as in other countries, measures are being taken on how to prevent the spread of the virus. Children are being asked to sneeze into a tissue, wash their hands and cough into their elbow. If there are more than three cases of the flu at any school, the authorities will decide if they should close down the school. In October, if the media is to be believed, all children will be offered the vaccination at school.

Without wanting to trivialize the subject, the hysteria around swine flu seems a bit overblown! From talking to friends who have been diagnosed with it, it isn’t any worse than the common-all-garden variety. There have been very sad cases of people passing away after having been infected by this flu, but the toll does not seem to be higher than during the normal flu season.

So why all of this excitement?

Is it because the pharmaceutical companies are seeing this as a golden opportunity to sell a huge amount of product? Are governments enjoying looking like the health of the public is their main priority? I might be sounding a tad cynic but it really seems to me that the attention on swine flu is a bit of a storm in a teacup. I completely agree with preventative measures such as washing hands, coughing whilst covering the mouth and so on. What I don’t agree with is the hysteria created by the media and the governments. In times of crisis, especially health crisis, it makes so much more sense for me to stay calm and inform the public in an non emotive way. I would love to know what you guys think!

- Emilie

Zoobug

Esther — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 06:00:21 +0000

My daughter is very much loving her new Zoobug sunglasses. It’s funny how kiddie sunglasses nowadays are so nice – I don’t remember having such cool sunglasses as a kid. (I actually don’t recall having sunglasses to start with!)
The fact is, it’s a good idea to find your kid sunglasses with good lenses, as the sun can do a lot of damage to young eyes, and so you want them as protected as possible.
Zoobug was created by Dr. Julie Diem, an ophthalmologist from London who after searching good quality sunglasses for her niece discovered that they simply didn’t exist!
Zoobug sunglasses are sweet looking, sturdy and flexible and have lenses that are UV400, filter blue light and are impact resistant, giving sensitive children’s eyes the best protection possible.

xxx Esther

The wonders of tea

Emilie — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:00:32 +0000

I have just returned from Ireland where I was visiting my family and I can promise you I don’t think I have ever had so many cups of tea.
The Irish LOVE their tea, and long may it continue as there is nothing better in life than sitting in a warm kitchen, taking a bit of time out while sipping a good cup of tea and solving the worlds problems. (I actually think that a lot of the world’s problems would be much better solved if they were being discussed over a good cup of tea in a warm Irish kitchen instead of in conference rooms of the White House and 10 Downing Street, but that is a different matter entirely…).

Now, I have always known how good tea is to drink but I had no idea that you could also use the leaves for all sorts of things. On the flight from Paris to Dublin my toddler had a gunky eye and the lovely (Irish) air hostess suggested that I wipe it out with a cold tea bag. I have no scientific understanding of the medicinal value of the common black tea bag but I thought it was worth a try. I tried it and her eye cleaned up instantly! Now it might have been getting better on its own anyway, but I reckon the tea bag trick cannot do any damage and certainly is much nicer than squirting antibiotics into her eyes…

- Emilie

The science of shopping

Rebecca — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:00:12 +0000

I’m usually a fashion magazine reader, but lately I’ve been tempted (while stuck in line at the checkout) to grab the mags that promise easy weeknight dinners or dresses that make you look thinner, like plenty of hurried moms out there. My latest purchase was the July issue of O Magazine, in which I’ve discovered a very interesting article on shopping. I consider myself a bit of a shopping expert, or shopaholic at the least, and I’ve even managed to make a career out of it with my shopping tours in Paris. (When I was 2, someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I answered, “A shopper like my Mommy!”)

And this article, entitled 6 Common Shopping Traps, proves what I’ve known all along– shopping does something to the brain to make you feel better! That is, in some individuals, anyway — it seems that “feel good” parts of the brain are activated when they shop, and others have strong reactions in the pain centers in the brain. Think I can convince my husband that shopping is actually making me healthy? Check out the article for more info and other tips on how not to overspend. Thanks, Oprah!

xx Rebecca

Smoothie maker

Esther — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:00:46 +0000

A while ago I was sitting in my neighbour’s kitchen and spotted some brown bananas. Thinking of Courtney’s delicious banana bread recipe, I asked her if I could have the bananas if she was planning to throw them out (I knew she wouldn’t make banana bread herself – it’s not common at all here in the Netherlands)! She kindly refused, explaining that they had a family addiction to smoothies, so every over-ripe banana was very much needed!
Smoothies? It started to make me think:

Smoothies are yummy
Smoothies are healthy
I finally found the excuse to buy one of those cool blenders!!!

So, the next weekend I convinced my husband that for the health of our family we needed a KitchenAid blender. (I admit, I completely went for the look of it; I didn’t read one review and didn’t compare prices!) And I love it.

Now, having just entered the world of smoothie making, I’ve discovered it’s an art by itself! There are a million recipes to find; you can use fruit, (soy)milk, yogurt, frozen berries, nuts, tofu, cereal, even egg whites!

A search on Google proved that smoothies are not always that healthy: stay away from sugar (honey is better), too much frozen fruit (less healthy and too cold for your body) and too many of them a day (makes you fat). I guess the ice-cream I was using is better left out as well.
Do any of you have good tips for great smoothies?

xxx Esther

A shot…

Esther — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:00:28 +0000

No, this is not the start of a crime scene investigation. Yesterday I took my 4-year-old daughter to the health centre for her last childhood immunisation (until she’s 9, that is).
At the breakfast table — thinking that going cold turkey would be slightly unfair at this age – I matter-of-factly mentioned that this afternoon we would go to the doctor to get her a shot (as if we were going to get her a new summer coat).
Oh. My!!
Apparently, the little 4-year-olds have been spreading the news — my daughter started sobbing uncontrollably!
Only after the promise of a huge ice cream did she calm down a bit and we went on with our usual daily affairs.

In the afternoon we went to the heath center and after some weighing, measuring, and numerous tests (I wonder if they test the parents or the kid) the doctor went to the fridge to prepare the highlight of the show: the shot.
By now I was probably even more nervous than my daughter. I frantically started to look in my handbag for the candy necklace I’d thrown in there earlier, and which of course I couldn’t find at all anymore. Not sure if it was the mess in my bag or the nerves — stupid over-sized bags! Thankfully I pulled it out just before I decided to empty the contents of the handbag on the doctor’s table!

By the time the injection was ready my daughter bravely pulled up her sleeve. Poor darling.
I’m not sure which was worse, her first shot when she was a 3 -month-old baby and completely unaware of what was happening, or this shot where she was completely aware of the situation!

The challenges of motherhood…
Ouch.
The candy necklace did help though, and so did the ice cream afterwards!
Do you have any other tips? My son will be 4 before we know it!

xxx Esther

What to do?

Natalie — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:00:16 +0000

I’ve got another question for you all seeing as you were so helpful last time. What do you do when your baby can’t shake a cough? Little C has had a cough now for quite a few weeks. It alternates from being dry and chesty to rattly and wheezy. I just spoke to my mum and she says I should give him Baby Panadol every night until it clears. She is a big fan of pharmaceuticals, obviously!

I have been just trying to let it clear naturally. But it really isn’t going anywhere and my mum says that unless I treat it soon it might develop into bronchiolitis. As you might remember, he is nine months old and going to child care – so constantly exposed to germs. He doesn’t have a cold at the moment and is in good spirits. Just coughs a lot. What do you think I should do: let it run its course or intervene?

-Natalie

My pregnancy books

Michela — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 06:00:40 +0000

I know most you have children already, but there is a chance someone might be looking for some suggestions about pregnancy books — if only to give as a gift to their good friend who is expecting for the first time.
To tell you the truth some people I know go through pregnancy (even the first) without reading anything but the NHS leaflets, and it’s perfectly fine! But if you are like me than you might want one or two (or three) books that tell you in depth what’s going on inside you.
So here we go, this is what I read:
1. What To Expect When You’re Expecting: This must be the best-seller pregnancy book ever. It’s easy to read and it contains loads of information. Although I read the revised UK edition it felt a bit too much focused on the American system.
2. The Rough Guide to Pregnancy and Birth: This could be a good companion to any other more “serious” pregnancy manual you choose. It does contain loads of advice and information, but the week-to-week progress is narrated in a semi-fictitious weekly diary. Really funny — this will not allow you to take yourself too seriously.
3. Birth and Beyond…: This is definitely my favourite. I found it reassuring and empowering, something you badly need during your first pregnancy. It covers pregnancy and the first 9 months of the baby’s life. Written by one of the world’s leading obstetricians, it takes a holistic approach covering aspects regarding both parents and the baby. It also includes an extensive reference section.

So this is what I have in my library. What’s in yours?

-Michela

A little dirt can’t hurt!

Courtney — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 06:00:32 +0000

Having been raised on a farm surrounded by plants and animals, I’m pretty sure I ate my fair share of dirt, sand, and maybe even the occasional worm! (I remember my older cousins daring me to eat one!) While we were always told to wash our hands before meals, my four siblings and I grew up in a household where germs were truly no big deal. Dogs licked our faces, my siblings and I often shared food, and we probably even ate something that had fallen on the floor. My mom was certainly no ‘germaphobe’.

While my ‘dirty’ childhood probably makes many mothers today cringe, I was quite pleased when I read last year that kids who grow up on farms or with animals go on to be healthier later in life. So… all that dirt was actually good for me!

I recently read this article in the New York Times which also suggests that dirt, germs (and even worms!) are crucial to building kids’ immune systems, and preventing autoimmune disorders, asthma and allergies.

I don’t know about you, but it makes me feel a bit more relaxed about what my kids put in their mouths!

-Courtney

The bitter after-taste of Chinese pine nuts

Esther — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:00:34 +0000

It started yesterday. A strange, bitter taste in my mouth — especially when I was eating something. My dinner, even my glass of wine tasted funny (what a waste)!
I didn’t think much of it at first; normally strange things like this just go away by itself. But this morning, my oatmeal tasted bitter, as did everything else I ate the rest of today. This started to become really annoying!
Now, I don’t consider myself a hypochondriac, but I decided to do some research on the internet. Was this a neurological disorder, maybe?? (I could be featured in the next Oliver Sacks book!!)

Within five minutes of browsing, I found the answer: the bitter taste in my mouth was caused by the pine nuts we had in our salad earlier this week!!!
Apparently, according to a scientific article that appeared in 2001 in the European Journal of Emergency Medicine, certain pine nuts, and specifically the ones imported from China, can cause a taste disturbance — a bitter, metallic taste in the mouth, especially prone when eating, can develop and last for days!

Lots of people from all over the world have reported on this strange phenomenon — even Wikipedia describes the risk of eating pine nuts!
The good news is, that although the strong, bitter taste is a nuisance, there is no evidence of any health concern. The bad news is, that there is no known cure to the taste disturbance. I just have to wait and sit it out!
If only my wine wouldn’t taste as bitter…

xxx Esther

An onion for relief

Esther — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 06:00:08 +0000

Over the holidays we went to visit our family, and of course my toddler son (who was already severely covered in chicken pox) got the worst cold attack. A blocked nose and nasty cough kept him from sleeping, the poor little guy. Of course I didn’t have any cold medicine handy –shame on me– and all the shops were closed over Christmas! Thankfully my sister-in-law knew of an old, tested-and-true home cold remedy: just put an onion cut in pieces in the corner of the bed or on the night table! The sulphury fumes will relieve head congestion; breathing will become easier and a blocked nose begins to clear.
Effective, cheap, and always readily available!

xxx Esther

P.S. The smell is not that bad…

The things kids come up with…

Emilie — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:00:59 +0000

Courtney recently wrote a post about the cute things kids say… but what about the things kids say that put you in a tight spot?

Our household has been hit by the chicken pox virus, both our girls have been covered in spots. A couple of days ago we finally managed to venture out and were happily sitting on the metro when my daughter exclaimed in a voice that could be heard for miles: “Mommy, that lady over there has got chicken pox, she needs to go to the doctor and get fixed!” I looked over at the lady she was pointing at (as did the rest of the carriage). The lady in question must have had some acne as a teenager and had slightly pocked skin. Nothing shocking, but definitely something that she would have been aware of herself and did not need a two-year-old to point out! And the 2-year-old just kept on going, “Lady! Lady! You there: Lady! You have got chicken pox! You need to go to the doctor and be fixed!!!”

Luckily the lady in question thought she was being funny and laughed, but we were really lucky to fall on someone with a sense of humour, or else I really wouldn’t have known what to do! To be fair my daughter actually thought she was being genuinely helpful, but lets face it, it was a really, really inappropriate thing to say. I have tried to explain that to her, but I am not sure if it really did compute…..

- Emilie

Baby-led weaning

Emilie — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:00:10 +0000

Our second daughter is now 6 months old and we have started weaning her, and she is really enjoying a change from plain old milk. The thing is… with our first daughter, weaning was a big deal for us and I would spend hours reading books on concocting the perfect nutritious purée, but this time round I don’t have the same luxury. I often need to give the baby something to chew on while I get a meal in front of the eldest. The good thing is, she loves feeding herself much more than being fed.

I read about baby-led weaning a couple of years ago and recently read an article about it in the Guardian. It is apparently very popular in Holland (as usual the Dutch are a bit more advanced than the rest of Europe). The theory is that you give your baby food they can pick up and then let them go crazy: steamed vegetables and fruit, bananas, and avocado all work. You feed them whatever you can cut up into big chunks and soften so that they cannot choke on it. At the end your table will look like a vegetable battle field, but your baby will have had the best time.

I don’t know how much food actually gets eaten, so I am still feeding my daughter purées, but I do believe she is getting to enjoy food and develop her motor skills whilst having a great time with the rest of the family at the dinner table.

- Emilie

Baking Soda

Emilie — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:00:21 +0000

This post is about the environment, money saving, muffins, clearing drains and a mother in sheer desperation due to 2 small children covered in chickenpox.

You may wonder what all of these things have in common…. Baking Soda, otherwise known as Sodium Bicarbonate or NaHCO3.

Whenever I am googling for random things like an alternative to household cleaners or something to calm itchy skin, Baking Soda always turns up trumps.

I guess it is due to the Baking Soda’s alkaline nature. If you add it to water it raises the PH levels of the water, making it softer and therefore soothing for itchy skin. It also breaks down fat, so can be used to unblock drains and clean kitchen surfaces. Last, but definitely not least, it raises dough and it is an essential ingredient for cookies, muffins and lots of other treats!

Anyway, even if I sound like an old-fashioned housewife, I now actually have a massive box of Baking Soda in my kitchen cupboard and it gets used regularly! Oh, how my world has changed….

- Emilie

Meningitis Awareness Week – What you should know!

Esther — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 06:01:07 +0000

A while ago I wrote a post about Mette Mitchel’s lovely webshop called Flawless. I’m sure you remember that post, as all the items Mette sells are seriously wonderful.
But that’s besides the point, this time.

When I was browsing Mette’s shop, I found out that Mette’s daughter Miko fell very ill with meningitis at the young age of 7 months.
Meningitis! I wasn’t exactly sure what it was, but I knew it was super scary and extremely dangerous. I sent Mette an email, and told her I was glad her baby was alive and well. In her reply she told me how frightful it had been, how happy and thankful she is that Miko is alive and well today and that she now donates 10% of all of the sales made at Flawless Home Parties to a UK Children’s Charity, the Meningitis Research Foundation. She also mentioned that it would be Meningitis Awareness Week in the UK this week…

Quickly the idea took place to help spread the awareness of meningitis (and septicaemia), as, I found out, it is EXTREMELY important to know the symptoms of this disease. Meningitis moves fast. Very fast. It’s all about recognizing the symptoms and getting help ASAP.

So… What exactly is meningitis (in short)?

Meningitis describes any infection to the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord (shown in blue on the diagram), which is contained within protective membranes called the meninges. (Picture courtesy of www.schoolscience.co.uk)
The infection is caused by a virus or bacteria which gets into the lining and inflames it.

Viral meningitis is unpleasant but almost never fatal and most sufferers recover. Bacterial meningitis is more serious as the bacteria can spread from the linings of the brain into the blood stream and cause septicaemia (blood poisoning). If not treated quickly this can be fatal, or leave survivors with after-effects as severe as brain damage, deafness or amputations.
One in ten people carry the bacteria which can cause meningitis and septicaemia harmlessly in their noses and throats. These bacteria cannot survive outside the body for long and are passed between people by close or intimate contact.
Anyone can catch meningitis and septicaemia, but babies and the under-fives are the most at-risk group.

How can you recognize meningitis?

Meningitis and septicaemia can be hard to diagnose in the early stages as the early symptoms resemble a lot of flu-like illnesses. Parents of very young children need to be aware of symptoms like blotchy skin, pain and irritability from muscle aches and a tense or bulging soft-spot on their baby’s head. Parents should trust their instincts and seek medical attention if they suspect their child may have meningitis or septicaemia.

Now, please take a minute to visit www.meningitis.org, or the Meningitis Foundation of America, or ANY place where you can learn about this disease, and study the symptoms, the glass test, everything.
Remember: KNOWING THE SYMPTOMS AND ACTING FAST CAN SAVE LIVES!!!

xxx Esther

P.S. Thanks to Neil from the Meningitis Research Foundation for helping me with the description of meningitis.

P.P.S. Mette will be our first-ever guest writer today with her personal story about how her daughter fought meningitis.