• Last updated 3/7/13 by mamazee

  Photo by Jennifer Margulis “When my baby turned one, my doctor told me to feed her ice cream every night, because she was measuring small for her age. It was my first child and I didn’t know better. No wonder she doesn’t like carrots. I was just clueless. Clueless. Thankfully when #2 and #3 came along I chose to listen to my doctors more selectively.” —K., mother of three in Solon, Ohio. “An hour after our first baby was born the nurse tried to give her a Hepatitis B vaccine. I didn’t understand why we would vaccinate for a sexually transmitted... read more

• Last updated 3/10/13 by AdinaL

One of my most pleasant, in fact, euphoric, car-buying experiences was at a dealership in Virginia. They had a “no haggle” policy. “So let me get this straight,” I said, leaning against the shiny Jetta. “THIS sticker price is THE price?” “Uh huh,” said Mr. Sales Guy. “Can you throw in new tires?” I pressed. “Nope, this is the price.” “You gonna hit me with some hidden costs?” I prodded. “Nope, this is the price.” “Do you think I can get it it cheaper at the lot down the road?” I asked, eyebrow raised. “Maybe, but... read more

• Last updated 3/10/13 by AdinaL

Last year, around this time, I was pregnant. I never expected, or desired pregnancy. It was just something I never thought of or wanted. I never “tried” getting pregnant. I was never one of those women who desperately wished for children. I have never heard the proverbial ‘biological clock’ ticking. I had no trouble conceiving (four times total, one full-term pregnancy and birth), even with the added complications of being on anti-convulsants-for Epilepsy- for most of my life. I wouldn’t find out for sure until December 2, but I knew I was... read more

• Last updated 3/10/13 by AdinaL

It was January. My husband and I had left sunny California and moved all the way across the country to D.C. The days were heavy. Gray. Cold. I was homesick. I was struggling to build a new career. And then I had a miscarriage. It was one of the worst winters of my life. That was three years ago. I’d like to think I’ve gotten better at handling D.C. winters and my seasonal affective disorder (SAD), but I wonder. The other day, my alarm went off and I looked at the pile by my bed: yoga pants, running shoes, a warm pullover, mittens, and a hat. I knew it was... read more

• Last updated 3/7/13 by mamazee

With the winter season upon us, I thought I’d gather a collection of the herbal, homeopathic, & home remedies that I regularly use to keep myself & my son healthy.  Being in school, if either of us gets ill it is a downward spiral of missed classes, extra studying, & a hectic schedule that takes a while to get back on top of, but my son is in school too where he & his friends like to pass their various illnesses around so preventative care is essential.  I found a swell liquid vitamin for kids that my son drinks every morning.  It’s the Buried Treasure... read more

• Last updated 6/27/11 by Cynthia Mosher

Based on the guessing your genetics thread in allergies   When a human body has something that it doesn't want, be it a used hormone, metabolic waste like ammonia, things like salicylates from food, or a chemical from the environment like antimony in flame retardants or mercury in fillings, it has ways to dispose of the toxin.  Enzymes in the body process the toxin, flag it for excretion, and excrete it.  There is a ton of individual variability in that process, and a lot of it comes down to genetics.  For those of us who are interested in genetic testing,... read more

• Last updated 3/10/13 by AdinaL

Hello all!  Thanks to a beautiful deep layer of snow that fell on our land this past weekend, we’ve been without internet for five days now.  What feelings does imagining that bring up for you?  A healthy dose of panic, perhaps? It is striking, isn’t it, how utterly dependent we’ve become on this beast called the internet.  I wanted to find a special pumpkin pie recipe - it was online.  I needed the phone number for internet repair – it was online.  I wanted to let friends know about a great fundraiser happening in our community last weekend – on facebook… I... read more

• Last updated 3/10/13 by AdinaL

I write from my home office, on a danish teak table, in front of a big window looking onto our street. I usually have the blinds closed because the sunlight makes it hard to read the computer screen. And from the sidewalk, at nearly the same time everyday, I hear loud hollering yelps, a groaning-holler of confusion and speculation that is impossible to ignore. The noises are coming from a young man, about 20-something with really short brown hair and big brown eyes. He’s clearly mentally disabled. I don’t know his name. I’ve named him Jerry. He wears a red... read more

• Last updated 3/10/13 by AdinaL

Whenever I watch the reality TV show Giuliana & Bill, I tell my husband: “Their lives parallel ours!” (Well, except for the minor details that they are rich, famous, and beautiful.) She wants to live in L.A. He wants to live in Chicago. They go back and forth. I want to live in L.A. Ron wants to live in D.C. This winter, we’re going back and forth. They are experiencing infertility. We are experiencing infertility. She is concerned about what the hormone medication might do to her body; so am I. I hope she hooks up with Pulling Down the Moon in Chicago. I’d love... read more

• Last updated 3/10/13 by AdinaL

One month ago today, a baby named Fox Elijah King was born to an awesome & radical couple, my friends April & Morgan.  April had a normal, healthy pregnancy, prioritizing an already-stretched budget to eat whole foods; she labored & delivered Fox naturally even though her birth was hard & fast.  He was lovingly welcomed, breastfed & kept intact.  He had a safe sleeping spot near his mama & was held constantly; embraced with an allegiance that can only come from a mother who was totally thrilled with his existence, a woman who studied motherhood to learn the... read more