Lazy Posting

Pesto Prep

The rain has decided to water my garden today, so it is time to take some of my fresh pesto.  I avoid using nuts in my recipe as a few friends and kids or friends have tree nut allergies.  Today it is Fresh Basil, Fresh Spinach, Goat's Milk Ricotta, and a little love going into that blender.

Beyond the kitchen, I needed to wash off all the heavy soil and other stink from the last two days of gardening, so this morning it was an ultra cleansing round of olive branch to calm down the red from the sunshine overload and clear away the remaining fertilizer from under my nails.  Laundry is going, kids are comfy int their respective seats, one napping and one with a cup of chocolate raw-milk... so I'm off to the kitchen for a bit!

• 1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Blend the spinach, basil, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a food processor until nearly smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Drizzle the remaining olive oil into the mixture while processing until smooth.

Pesto Prep by messy-mommy-jeannine featuring Black & Decker

Lucky, A Birth Story in Two Parts (II)

There is this medical myth that second births are faster and easier.  In the grand scheme of things, yes, this one was "faster" but I would never call it easier.  I shared his brother's birth story earlier and now this one for comparison.

I realised as I was writing this that while I use nicknames for my boys, I had not selected one to use for my husband.  To make things simple, I'm using his STEAM handle which fans of the series "Song of Ice and Fire" (or watchers of HBO's Game of Thrones) will recognize.  Just to add to our nerd-score, my handle happens to be the reply.

Nerdy names aside, here is my second birth story:

On the Wednesday before my second little boy was born I had my regular OB visit and discussed my on-going issues with labor being unproductive and the signs of muscle damage in my hips and lower body as well as the continued stress on my kidneys making me weaker.  I was still at just under 5cm according to my OB when he checked and swept membranes again, sending me home with instructions to keep up the walking and allowing me to try anything and everything if it could help break my water or get things moving.

That night, just as we were all settling in to bed for some rest, my water decided to break.  After having to mop up the mess all over the bed and struggling into clothes without waking the sleeping nearly three-year-old it was time to go. I left Valar home with the sleeping toddler and had my mother drive me in with a plan for her to trade with him and watch the little boy once they confirmed this was the real thing.

We arrived at a little before 11:30 at the hospital, meaning I knew we would be having a baby on Beltane (Mday Day for those not familiar with year wheel celebrations). After navigating the world's worst parking garage and improper signage, we the triage department for the maternity ward as my contractions increased from an annoying cramping to drastic squeezing of my innards, making me sure that we made the right call about it.  The nurses hooked me to the monitor and we all watched my contractions at a steady 5 minutes apart and about a full minute long with a healthy dose of "Why am I doing this again!?!"  

And so it went until the attending arrived.  She nicely watched my contractions, asked what made me think my water broke, looked thoroughly squeamish when I mentioned that I was being intimate when it happened - did she not know how the baby got in there to start with - and said she wanted to do an exam.  After finding fluid she said she still doubted my membranes had ruptured because many women mistake loss of bladder control for their water breaking.  I assured her it was not my bladder, but she seemed to have a low opinion of my ability to tell the difference.

Then she went a step farther in being thoroughly inadequate in her diagnosis by saying I was just over 3cm, then seeing that their own hospital OBs had been the ones to do my last exam she said she'd leave it to what he had stated.  At that point she informed me that while they could see I was indeed having contractions and feeling something distinct, she felt I was not really in labor yet or only the very early stages if this was labor.

Curbing the urge to hop off the bed and throttle her as she told me I was not even in labor while mid-contraction... I asked her to simply humor me and she agreed to let me wait a while and see if the contractions did indeed progress things.  My desire to kill reduced greatly once she had exited the room and the nurses were again commenting that from everything they could see in my monitors, this was indeed labor.  Unfortunately, when two hours later I had only progressed a tiny amount that same attending tried to send me home because she did not feel it was safe to follow the advice of the supervising doctor from my OB's office about giving me pain medication and a sleep aid to allow my body some rest before needing to work even harder while pushing.

About the point that I was struggling to pull on my pants while trying not to scream from contractions every three minutes, my husband wisely dragged in another nurse in the midst of their shift change and explained that if they were serious about discharging me he wanted both a wheel chair to bring me to the car and the name and number of the best person to call while filing malpractice against the hospital for their behavior.  At this point the nurse, now with the fear of legal action, went back out and returned with another nurse and MY doctor as he had just come in for the day shift.  He assured me that he was not allowing them to send me home, pointing out that had the girl called him as directed he would have told her to admit me and do the transfer from the triage section into a progressed delivery room so that he could have a more experienced doctor doing the care until he arrived.

I was then moved from the initial room to a delivery room with a birthing tub, yoga ball, and far more comfortable bed to rest between what was now a routine of contractions every three minutes. My new nurse assisted us over and assigned husband to run a warm bath in the birth tub as I had expressed in my birth plan how that was the preferred location for my labor.  After another check from a doctor with more than half a brain we were vindicated with the news there was just a pin-prick hole and the baby was pressed tight against it but that they would open it a tad more once I was ready to move to the tub so things could progress.

Having had such an easy first labor, it was a shock to my system when we could hear an audible crack as the bones in my hips and spine suffered with each contraction.  After getting in the tub with my first son, there was such relief and quick progression.  It was exactly what I needed to relax, to allow the steady ebb and flow of contractions in waves, and to reduce the pressure from all the weight and muscle movement.  But unfortunately there is one saying about pregnancy and birth that IS very true… “Every birth is different.” 

Valar puts up with much of my complaining.  He's held my hand through two long pregnancies, and I adore that he has learned to read me so well over our years and can see when a migraine is coming or I need a break because the long term damage to my knees is getting to me. But when even he finally had to excuse himself to go have a cigarette and even cry a little to shake off the concern from my whimpering and howling at the pain in my spine and legs... it is fair to say that something was very wrong.

I would have stayed longer in the water if the intensity and frequency of these contractions hadn't been causing me to slip down into the tub as I started to pass out. The bed was safest this time and I'm thankful for it. Once there, it was easier to focus on breathing and using my mind to overcome the pain.

I asked for something first just to reduce the edge and make it tolerable to ride out without being so aware of how badly my bones were grinding and the least amount of interference with the baby's heart rate. That worked for perhaps ten minutes before I was back to having to bite a pillow to stop the howling and my body fought itself.

Finally it was my nurse who called in the attending and told him point blank that even she was uncomfortable with the level of pain I was putting myself through after all our other complications this pregnancy. He stayed to watch through two contractions before telling me he felt it was time to do something to both push the progression (fourteen hours of active labor at that point and only a single centimeter) and reduce my suffering. Within a few minutes the team was setting up for an epidural even knowing my scoliosis might be problematic.

I am thankful the anesthesiologist was so skilled and steady, placing her line even as my body decided to challenge her with only a two minute window between contractions that lasted nearly as long. After that it was so much calmer. I was quiet and mentally unclouded enough for us to sit and discuss with the doctor about all our options which lead to a safe, healthy birth for our little hobbit baby.  By sixteen hours of labor, I was exhausted mentally and physically.  I wanted it to all just be over. Valar wanted it to be over. Even the doctors must have wanted it to be over as they willingly listened to my concerns and questions if a c-section would be needed based on heart rate for myself and the baby.

My doctors listened kindly, agreed to see how soon there would be a surgical room open as we all felt the baby had been stressed enough and my body was beginning to suffer too.  As they left the nurse reminded us to call for her right away if I felt any change as I had just reached 7cm and with my eldest, all that was required for me to move from there through transition and into birth was the "effort" of standing up after a trip to the toilet.  It took perhaps ten minutes for me to ask Valar to call the nurse back in as I felt a touch of pressure.

I wish I'd been holding my camera at the moment she lifted the blanket to look.  The jaw drop and look of shock told me more than her rush to the room phone to call in my attending.  It was time and Valar just smiled and took his place next to me, holding my hand and grinning.  Since the epidural was doing a good job of dulling the contractions, I was able to resist the urge to push until the were all prepared.  This time took far more pushing as he was much larger, but as they lifted our little boy onto my chest and he opened his big blue eyes for the first time, I was so happy just to make it through all the challenges of this pregnancy and birth.

Epidural is not a dirty word.  Pitocin, though I feel it is used too frequently, is not a dangerous chemical.  In my case, these were the tools that lead us to another calm birth rather than a dash to the operating room or another baby born on a bathroom floor. I may have had to request pain medication and required the use of Pitocin to alter the progress this time around, but I am very happy to know it was possible at all.

Our mutual recovery from this experience has been much slower physically.  I required stitches which I promptly managed to rip open upon getting home and returning to being Mommy to a toddler and never stopping for long.  I had bruising at the spot where my epidural was placed and where one of my IV lines had blown during the first attempt at pain management with Nubain while in labor.  Over all, things have been slow but no more problematic than any fatigued life with a new baby.

The little Hobbit Baby did require a short trip to the hospital's NICU on his second night as he had tried to inhale while still in the birth canal and swallowed fluid and blood.  His lungs required a round of oxygen therapy and antibiotics to fend off infection.  He is on a vitamin D supplement to combat jaundice and steadily gaining weight perfectly.

Lucky, A Birth Story In Two Parts

There is a long debate on the benefits and risks of medication for pain management while in labor and the complications or interventions it requires.  Having had two very different births and done a large amount of research on the topic for each one (because medical knowledge evolves as new studies and options come available) I wanted to share my experiences and my thoughts on each method I experienced.


Just under three years ago my first son was born.  The pregnancy was a big surprise as I was on birth control and not showing signs until a regular doctor's visit to discuss the stress at work and my history of ulcers which revealed a positive pregnancy test in my blood panel even though I had not tested positive via pee-stick.

Pressed for time to get the first ultrasounds and tests done, I contacted a local OB at the closest hospital with a birthing center and learned my first hard lesson..."not all doctors like having involved fathers with lots of questions".  She would ignore him or answer in a sarcastic tone, and seemed put-out when he insisted on staying in the room to hold my hand as the did the highly uncomfortable first ultrasound with that horrible wand.

Just before my 20 week ultrasound we moved from New York back up to Maine, meaning I was able to transfer to the care of the OBGYN who had treated me for some long standing issues and knew my history already.  Here we were able to ask any question, get an honest answer, and feel confident that our baby was getting the quality of care we felt was deserved.

By the time our little boy was born, I was forty-one weeks and three days and so uncomfortable just trying to walk that the thought of it often made me cry a little.  When my ultrasound that week showed our son was still not yet 7lbs and there was some possible issue of being restricted because I had failed to gain any weight for the last six weeks of my pregnancy we agreed that it was time to accept that all the natural labor inducing tricks and home-remedy methods were pointless.  My doctor and I discussed the least invasive of ways to induce and arranged for me to be induced the following evening.

At 6:10pm the following evening they placed the first round of cervical ripening product (Cervadil) and my husband and I settled into our respective beds in the room in L&D.  Poor kind hubby, he had to sleep on the stiffly overstuffed couch while I was relatively more comfortable in my post on the hospital bed.

Unfortunately, my pushing for minimally invasive efforts to start things meant I went from only 1cm to 1.5cm in the course of the night.  By 8:30 the next morning I was bargaining for one more try with a cervical ripeness aid rather than something more drastic.  Thankfully they listened and with this round my body finally began to respond, getting the hint and moving into early labor without much issue.  I bounced on the yoga ball, walked around with my husband, and eventually sunk into the glory of the birth tub when the harsher contractions kicked in just after my water broke.

By 8:00 that night I was clearly going to have a baby soon and we made sure to call family and update them before people went off to bed.  Shortly after 9pm all three attending doctors were busy in deliveries in other rooms and the intern on her first night in L&D offered to check and see how things were looking before I hopped back into the tub for a bit more relief.  She declared I was about 7cm and most likely would hit transition soon.

For some reason I had it in my head that going to the bathroom would be a good idea before it was time to push.  I still don't know if perhaps it was some cruel trick of my body to mess with my plans, but I am once again so thankful my husband was standing just outside the bathroom door and quick enough with his reflexes that a dive to keep me and the baby from hitting the floor was not a futile effort on his part.  I remember crouching on the tile floor, looking up at the nurse who asked what was wrong and in a not-so-calm-voice tell her "I'm holding my baby's head!"

It was blur after that... they must have rushed me to the bed because I remember vaguely the effort to lift myself onto the birth bed and holding my husband's hand. I remember the nurse holding my leg for me and telling me to breathe, then her panic as I started to faint with the first push.  But somehow he took only three pushes and one pause as they moved his shoulders, coming out quiet but flailing and going straight to his father's waiting arms.  

Small, skinny, and having huge feet and wide eyes... my little man was perfect from his first breath. He's an amazing child, full of smiles and so bouncy and bright. When he began crawling, then walking well ahead of the normal timeline his father and I thought we had beaten the odds so perfectly.  We had faced a long battle just getting through my health problems and his pregnancy had come as a shock after so many years being told I was going to face a battle just trying to conceive.  And yet, there he was, perfect and giggly and bright as the sun in the sky after a long labor and un-medicated birth.



My recovery was a walk in the park, literally. Once we were released from the hospital after an extra day of watching because he was under weight and not latching correctly to breastfeed, I was walking almost every day.  Eventually I had to admit breastfeeding was not working because of sharp pains and bleeding from the breast, but until then I did my best and even after I investigated our options to find the healthiest, most natural choice for our baby.

Tomorrow I will share the full story of my second child's medically assisted birth and how it compares to my natural labor and birth of our first baby.  I want to do this with a clear head so that you can all see the difference and how each has merit.

Farmer's Market Fresh

Tomorrow is Saturday, that means farmer's markets and gardening at our house.  Tomorrow is also predicted to be very damp with off and on rolling showers and late afternoon storms.  Since I am still somewhat bloated from baby weight, I'm thinking along these lines while I head out to enjoy the green growing things.  Of course, add a newborn in a cuddly baby wrap to complete the look and you'll get a pretty good picture of how I really do look out there.

Farmer's Market Fresh by messy-mommy-jeannine featuring blue jeans

Thursday Interview Outfit

Interview number two is this afternoon and I'm about to hop in the shower while the baby and toddler are napping now that I nailed down my outfit.  Going slightly less formal today and drawing my color choice from my wedding ring to draw a little encouragement from my family and husband.  I do have to say, thank the powers that be for SPANX.  I still have some swelling in my abdominal area and feet, so compression waist slips and compression socks to help with the water retention thanks to my kidneys.  Anyway, now that Pinterest and Polyvore have eaten my soul, I am sure this blog will be more interesting in terms of fashion, though it can all be taken with a grain of salt since half the time I buy the lower price knock-off at Target or Macy's rather than the high price ones that take my entire food budget for the month in one pair of pants.

Thursday Interview Outfit by messy-mommy-jeannine featuring diamond accent rings

Working Mommy Thoughts

So, the tiny little hobbit will be two weeks old tomorrow, and I've already begun interviewing again to get back to work full time.  I love my kids, both of them, and I wish I could stay home and be the full time mommy for our littlest one that I have been for his older brother.  Unfortunately, the reality is that a family cannot live on just one income unless it is already six figures and while my husband works very hard, few dairy workers make that much.

My interview tomorrow felt a little less than stellar; I had the feeling she had already selected a person from the applicants that would be hired.  It did help to get me comfortable with needing to focus on something other than being a full time mommy, and I have had to think hard about how to change my wardrobe to cope with the remaining weight postpartum.  We had some complications at birth so I have to cope with damaged muscles that are preventing me from jumping into exercise again (this will be explained in his birth story to be posted soon).

Tuesday's Interview Outfit as worn by me!

What I do feel good about is that I have had a chance to use Pinterest to build ideas on what to wear for an interview or work.  I'm thinking perhaps if I keep this up and can get some followers I'll have a chance at making a steady blog update about fashion for moms.  My style is somewhat casual equestrian mostly because we live out in the country and I rode for so many years (up until pregnancy made it unwise to do so the first time).

Instant mommy wear... just add burp cloth and mystery toddler hand-print stains.

I've been up to starting a casual and a business outline and trying to pick things I can wear for both... but oh how hard that can be with a tiny one.  I need to go through my closet and dressers, take out everything and donate so much of what I still have in there.  Most of those things will not fit again any time very soon and since the plan is still to get a new place for our family, I'd like a reduced amount of clothing to haul.

Follow Jeannine's board Fashion Ideas Post Baby on Pinterest.

Follow Jeannine's board Work Wear Post-Baby on Pinterest.

Dear Samwise,

There are not enough words in any language to tell you how very much I love you.  Instead, I hope this letter and your name can do that for me if I am not able to do so myself.

Two days ago your grandmother made a cute and happy comment on facebook about your name.  She and I could never have imagined just how many ignorant little trolls would crawl out into the darkness of the internet to feed their need to call me names for that choice.  By the time you are old enough to read this I expect facebook will be pop-culture history and seem pointless and silly.  But tonight it has me thinking about your life, past and future.

By the time you can read this there is a good chance you know what kind of scary complications my bringing you into this world has involved.  No, this pregnancy has not been easy on us both but it has also been such a blessing.  Just weeks from your original due date and I am painfully aware there is still the chance that something could go wrong and I will not live to ever hold you in my arms or see your tiny fingers and toes.  So instead I want to tell you how much you mean to me.

Bringing you into this world is the most terrifying I have ever thought about doing.  Understand it will always, ALWAYS, be the very best thing I have ever done.  You are my light when all other lights have gone out. Knowing the reality of just how deadly the complications can be and how risky the treatment could be to you if I was selfish enough to take an easy escape.  Knowing you had less hopeful odds than a coin toss in surviving through to the "safety" of twenty-six weeks and yet, and then crying with joy when we could still find your heartbeat at thirty weeks.  You faced more darkness and danger than all of Mirkwood before you had lungs to even chance a first thin breath.  

My boy, my tiny hero, you are already ten times the man anyone in a story or behind a computer "shield" will ever be.  For you, little Samwise, the fires of Mount Doom will mean no fear and nothing but triumph; your long journey home is nearly done and the rest of the world who must cast off their burden of ignorance, anger, and hopelessness while you bask in a warm glow of love from the family that cannot wait to meet you. If the coin toss lands against us and I cannot say it in person, please let these nerdy words do it for me.

You really are the best of us, little Samwise. Your father and I made a choice of name for you out of so many "normal" or "unusual" options that we felt means something more. When the rest of the sworn fellowship gave up, betrayed their vow, or turned to gather glory and crowns in other battles, it was the "half-witted" gardener that dreamed of a happy life back in his shire hobbit-hole who instead carried his friend through to the end.

Your father and I had a choice, take advice of experts to end this pregnancy so you would not suffer, or carry on to an early delivery and maybe lose you along the way.  Little Sam, it was you who carried me when the days were longest and I was most afraid.  You are already more amazing a person than half the heroes in the world, and you have yet to see the sunrise for the first time.

If people are cruel to you about your name, do not get angry, feel sorry for them. I could have called you any of those “normal” names like John, Jeffery, or Ted… but that never seemed to be the cause of problems for Gacy, Dahmer, or Bundy when they became cruel men making horrible choices.  People were clueless about their nature and sometimes cruel to them as well, and it while it did make them bitter and bad it had nothing to do with their names.

Let the ignorance of others roll off your back like water on a duck.  Be the kind of man others want to call a friend.  Be a friend to others when they need one most and remind them there is so much good in the world.

Samwise, you are already a more amazing person than any one word could express or encompass.  You are my greatest achievement and I am so proud to be your mother.  You will do great things one day, I have no doubts about that fact.  I know there will be times you feel like giving up, or “hate what we did to you” by giving you this name.  But you are not just a boy with the name of a brave little hobbit who went off to war and came home to be the happiest and most celebrated of his village… you are my son and I love you.

You are also the last child I will ever have, the last baby born to this branch of the house “Martell”.  As another well known writer used that name for a royal family, he also gave them words that are perfect when this letter is not enough.

Unbowed.  Unbent.  Unbroken.

Remember who you are my little love.  I will not promise it will ever be easy, but you are more than up to the task.  As a person who grew up with a name most of her teachers could not pronounce and a nickname that everyone spelled wrong and related to a novel about a prom night gone bad, a name that is different just makes it easier to tell who those around you really are inside.  Even before you take your first gasp of air or cry for your first meal, you have done so much and been so strong.

I love you Samwise,

With all my heart.

Why I Immunize: Part III

This is the third of a series of entries about disease prevention and medical treatments.  To understand what has been covered and why some topics are mentioned or not, please be sure to read the previous entries about hygiene practice and healthy diet choices for disease prevention. 

While no one method is perfect for all people, the next logical step for most parents in prevention of illness is choosing to provide immunity through vaccination.  Not all people will choose to participate in vaccination due to a number of concerns, but it is impossible to make a reasonable decision if valid information is not available.  I am picky about my citations here and want to avoid false information and shoddy sources; this means while I acknowledge that she is considered an authority in the anti-vaccine movement, I will not be quoting material from Jenny McCarthy

In an attempt to understand the benefits of vaccines and why a parent would take the risk of exposure or reaction, we will explore a vaccine recently in the news for achievements in the eradication of a serious problem as well as known and assumed dangers related to it; I am speaking here about Poliomyelitis, often called "Polio".

Why I Immunize: Part III - Polio and Vaccine History

On January 13th of 2014 the announcement came that India, a country known for massive outbreaks of otherwise preventable diseases because of widespread sanitation problems, was declared "Polio Free" for a full three years.  This is still being verified by the World Health Organization and other sources, but marks a huge step along the path of eliminating a disease lethal to children and adults because of the regular practice of vaccination.  Two years free of disease is often the time at which efforts to continue vaccination begin to fail in public view that the risk is already gone.

The CDC defines Polio as "a crippling and potentially deadly infectious disease caused by a virus that spreads from person to person invading the brain and spinal cord and causing paralysis.  Because polio has no cure, vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and the only way to stop the disease from spreading. The spread of polio has never stopped in Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. Poliovirus has been reintroduced and continues to spread in Chad and Horn of Africa after the spread of the virus was previously stopped.".

The virus is spread by fecal-to-oral contamination, meaning poor hygiene is once again a factor in transmission.  While this means that proper washing of hands and other sanitary practices should be instituted to lower risks, the lack of clean running water can prove problematic.  Fecal contamination in the water supply has already shown in widespread Cholera outbreaks in even the most modernized areas, making sanitation a problem at all levels and thus an ineffective method of prevention in this situation.

The vaccine for Polio was created by Dr. Jonas Salk in 1952 and released for public use in 1955.  By 1957 the American government made their first push into inoculation by starting a well funded campaign to provide vaccines for families with young children.  At the time Polio was such a disturbing epidemic that many medical professionals flatly refused to see patients in those wards or with a suspected case.  According to numbers from the Smithsonian Institute as many as 11%  of nurses and doctors working in Polio wards in Los Angeles would contract the condition while treating those with an outbreak.  The push to use the only viable prevention was so huge that one New York City doctor reported giving an estimated 700 vaccines to children in the course of one week.

Polio Vaccine promotional poster from the Smithsonian Institute.

Unfortunately, no vaccine is without risk and the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) had some of the worst.  Children with highly compromised immune systems resulted in cases of Paralytic Polio. This is caused by the type of exposure and the use of an attenuated virus* (sometimes called a Live Virus).  Though the virus is intentionally made weaker through a preparation process it will reproduce and begin the pattern of infection to trigger the body's immune system to respond properly and build an effective protection.  As one might guess the risk lies in how some bodies may not provide timely reaction for any number of reasons and will allow the weak but present virus to spread too quickly, thus leaving an infection too large for natural solution and just as risky.

In more than 95% of the population there is no infection and the body develops the immunity as expected.  4 - 4.5% react with a-symptomatic polio which causes no complication and will be fended off in a slower building of immunities.  In the remaining 0.5 - 1% the outcome is no antigen reaction resulting in paralytic polio which may become permanent.

Much of this risk was removed when the second form of vaccine was released a few years later.  The Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) became the standard form of treatment by 1963 and was credited with the eventual removal of the disease from regular outbreaks in the population.  These vaccines use an "inactivated" strain of the virus which has been treated to prevent infection but can result in allergic reaction to the other components (neomycin, streptomycin, and polymyxin B) which are used to keep the virus in stasis while allowing the body to form antigens. 

By 1979 the widely promoted use of vaccines meant that the number of reported cases was small and reduced mainly to those areas where religious law did not allow for the use of vaccinations.  An estimation of ten confirmed cases of Polio through exposure to the wild form of the virus was given as proof of eradication due to the general population's immunity and began the theory and study of herd immunity as a viable method to control disease spread.  

Antibody: A protein found in the blood that is produced in response to foreign substances (e.g. bacteria or viruses) invading the body. Antibodies protect the body from disease by binding to these organisms and destroying them.  

Antigen: Foreign substances (e.g. bacteria or viruses) in the body that are capable of causing disease. The presence of antigens in the body triggers an immune response, usually the production of antibodies.

Attenuated Vaccine: A vaccine in which live virus is weakened through chemical or physical processes in order to produce an immune response without causing the severe effects of the disease.  Attenuated vaccines currently licensed in the United States include measles, mumps, rubella, shingles (herpes zoster), varicella (chicken pox), and yellow fever. Also known as a live vaccine.

Booster shots: Additional doses of a vaccine needed periodically to "boost" the immune system. For example, the tetanus and diphtheria (Td) vaccine which is recommended for adults every ten years.

Community immunity: A situation in which a sufficient proportion of a population is immune to an infectious disease (through vaccination and/or prior illness) to make its spread from person to person unlikely. Even individuals not vaccinated (such as newborns and those with chronic illnesses) are offered some protection because the disease has little opportunity to spread within the community. Also known as herd immunity.

Why I Immunize: Part II

The second in the long series here in My Messy Mom world on finding ways to protect our kids and supply reasonable choices for various health practices is about the medicine of healthy food.  While I briefly touched on this is about the medicine of healthy food.  While I briefly touched on this information in part one at the end under sanitary food handling, there is a wider range of things about food that need to be considered carefully.

Why I Immunize: Part II - Healthy Diet Choices

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." - Hippocrates

I cannot in all cases say that food is the only solution, but healthy choices can and do provide the benefit of less frequent need for medical intervention in some cases.  As parents, this becomes even more vital.  Our children are dependent on their parents for providing healthy foods and building a foundation for them at infancy.  This starts with the healthy weight gain and balanced diet of a mother in pregnancy, something I am working hard on at the moment while battling through unexpected complications as we approach the final countdown to delivery.

A classic food pyramid graphic as found at Orchard Advisors,
a great source for business blogs I read often.

There are hundreds of ideas on what is the best dietary choice, all with their own debatable facts.  Personal choice about the ethics of vegetarian or vegan ideals plays as strong a part in choosing meals as the desire to find something palatable to the tongue for the moment.  I will neither preach absolute veganism nor the more carnivorous path, but suggest that just like sugars and other ingredients a path of moderation be observed.  Please consult your health professional before making any drastic changes in diet and understand that while weight does play a part in overall health, extremes of any kind come with realistic concerns.

I'm a big fan of history and learn all kinds of ridiculous trivia through nerdy interests and this lends well to fun facts about the essential foods for avoiding disease.  One of those fun facts is helpful when discussing how proper food choice can directly impact developing a serious problem.
 

Non-scurvy carrying pirate with parrot.
ⒸAkelis Studios Photography 2013

Vitamin C is well known as an essential part of establishing a healthy immune system.  While there is no viable proof that increased intake prevents infection rates, the consensus of data does support a notable shortening of cold duration and severity.  While many mammals are able to self produce balanced levels of the micro-nutrients however many higher primates are unable to perform this action internally leaving it all to balanced diet with these delicious foods, my favorite being a strawberry-kiwi smoothie.

While overdose is rare, a well known historical disease is directly linked to deficiency in Vitamin C.  I am talking here about that bane of pirates everywhere... Scurvy! An interesting issue, it was common in sailors and pirates long out at sea with less access to fresh fruits and vegetables.  The primary signs of scurvy included such visible extremes that the romanticized images of pirate life now always include the rough, discolored skin and missing or damaged teeth.  Amazingly, this deadly condition has an exceptionally simple solution that was not known at the time and provides us with a great reference for how balanced diets are vital.

No matter your take on humans as omnivores or herbivores, the need for our foods to be free from harmful chemicals and excessive toxins like those found in some commercial farming.  Vegetation as food is key to our survival on this planet to feed the ever growing population.  For this reason I suggest learning about farmer's markets near you and community gardens where your direct requests or involvement can and will influence the produce.  There is on-going debate about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and their safety even though approved by the USDA.  Though I am far from perfect as a parent, I cannot support these things as the evidence of long term damage is far too overwhelming to be ignored and is often being silenced for financial benefit.

As for what types of produce to request, that might depend on your needs but here is a pregnancy friendly graphic I adore because it highlights the reasons for some cravings and alternative foods you may want to add to your diet if not already there.  My doctor provided me with an even more in depth version which has plastered my fridge since my first pregnancy and I am always writing in even more and I learn about homeopathic food treatments.

For those with a pre-existing condition ,there is a need to understand where dietary elements are found and how to maintain or manage. Celiac disease, diabetic issues of type I and II, and even heart disease risks can be treated with some modifications to diet.  While not all will be cured, the need to understand the individual needs of the body and food sensitivity is essential not just in allergic reactions but blood sugar and risk control.

Some foods can be removed from all diets without ill effects and to the benefit of all.  The ever popular soda is a great example of something over indulged in and proven to hold many harmful factors.  The largest issue in this area is the frequency with which children and teens indulge, building their risk for several issues. Another in this strain is the energy drink market which has grown to cover not just an occasional boost after sports to now claim a supercharged secret to get tired bodies through the day.  The two main risks are the excessive amounts  of sugars and caffeine packed into these two items. 

Sugar can be a tricky subject in general because it can be found in basically any raw or prepared food consumed.  Natural sugars found in fruits often take a beating because of lingering misinformation from one of the many pop-diet crazes of the late 90s.  What makes natural sugars different from additives and artificial sugars is their molecular make-up and the method in which the human body responds to them.  The sugars found in natural products is known as fructose and in moderation is not only safe, but essential in establishing and balancing blood sugars for regulating energy.

Table sugars, known as sucrose, are also made from plants such as beets and sugar cane with a long historical lineage that lead to some wonderful and horrible moments.  Sugar trade has long been linked to wealth and ":the sweet life" but molasses trade was at the root of much of the slavery circle.  Because natural sugars are best grown in warm climates and slow producing, the United States places high tariffs on sugar import and the search for affordable alternative sweeteners is a long standing one.

Corn sugars are popular in the United States as an alternative because of the government subsidy provided for farmers of this crop.  Similar to sucrose, corn based sugars known as high-fructose corn syrup which are created through chemical reformulation of the natural sugars in corn, are slow to break down and promote an unhealthy balances in the body including raising the risk of obesity related diseases which can cause disruption of organ function and even organ failure or death in extreme cases.  Additionally, corn is one of the most heavily genetically modified crops being produced and event chemically altered sugars made from that maize contains all the risks highlighted before.  With obesity on the rise a direct link is being drawn between the frequency of HFCS and other chemical sweeteners.

Food can be a serious issue in American households, with an estimated one in five children facing hunger.  While I cannot fix that problem with a single blog, and boy I wish I could, some of the things I share here are ones that can address helping our kids grow even with poverty looming.  We are low income family and receive some EBT/SNAP benefits to make ends meet.  They total out to about $1.97 per day per person in most states; not something most people could live on for a month, but it is something to start with when paying rent and heating bills can take every penny.

With a diabetic, a pregnant woman, a somewhat picky toddler, and an oft-times vegetarian in the house... we have a number of tastes and needs to consider.  I am also a bit of a "foodie" and spoiled by the fact that my husband worked as a chef and in fish markets so he has really wonderful skills with seafood and grilling.  My household is omnivore driven though we avoid excessive meat consumption and participate in most of the ideas below. It does make some of the healthier food choices much more difficult on us because home farming is not always an option in the land of year-round snow.  For now I make regular trips to my area farmer's markets, fishing centers, and a great little farm near our former apartment complex.

Some of the simple rules I have found work best over the years are this:

1. Avoid foods with a commercial.  Fast foods, sugary cereals, many chain restaurants, and pretty much any sports or soft drink you see flashing their product on television has less than wholesome ingredients under that label. 
2. Start the fruits early.  Over and over I hear from friends that watch my "Tiny Monster" how shocked they are that he will not only eat but ask for fruits and veggies as a snack and pass up chocolates and cookies.  Honestly, I think this is half luck and half parenting practice on our part.  When he's being good, he gets fresh strawberries or orange slices as a reward. 
   
   
3. Mommy is not a short order cook!  We make at least two vegetables with every meaty main dish and he is expected to eat a little of it all off his plate.  I don't force him to clean his plate, nor do I allow him to get away with eating nothing and then crying for a snack later.  On the rare occasions when we go out he is expected to display good behavior and eat what we order for him or it comes home in a doggie bag and he will be seeing it later.
4. Make it at home.  One of the most well known culprits for poor eating habits is the frequent thought that fresh or wholesome food takes too long to make and fast food is the only answer.  For years I worked retail-photography chain(s) in malls with a horrible menu of all the big name baddies for food.  I took to stopping at the salad bar in the supermarket and making a large salad with all the fresh fixings to bring home, then splitting it into Tupperware to bring to work.
5. Say no to the GMO.  Unfortunately simply buying "organic" may not avoid GMOs as the seeds are already altered before they ever reach the soil and do not require pesticides, making them ideal for organics.  Visiting local farmers and asking direct questions about the foods they produce is your best solution if able.  Other options will require research and sometimes cost more so it will need to be a choice of cost to reward.
6. Find a happy medium.  We could never go 100% vegan in my house, I'm too fond of my Italian heritage to forgo the joy of eggplant-parmesan or the deliciousness of gelato.  But in interest of health and budgeting we do at least one meatless meal per week.  I happen to be a big fan of the Moosewood Cookbooks that my mother used regularly while I was young and now own a number of veggie-friendly recipe folders of my own or refer to some great websites for new ideas.
7. Everything in moderation!  This phrase can be applied to a vast many evils, but food is a very good place to apply it.  My preferred demo of this dietary rule is alcohol consumption; specifically the very important topic of knowing that excessive drinking can cause disease and death, but limited amounts can actually promote positive health benefits in some cases.  While kids are too young to drink and should not be given alcohol, they are prone to over indulging in other things and learn from their parents.  Teaching skills like portion control and replacing poor nutrition items with positive food choices to make healthy eating natural from an early age.

Why I Immunize: Part I

I am a mother who loves science.  I also love my children and do everything in my power to do the best I can by them, including using logical practices to prevent disease and injury.  I also have my own, very real long term health concerns that lend to some difficulty in providing immunity and protection for both my soon-to-be-baby and the toddler.

There are a number of things that can be done to prevent disease without going so far as to place one's child in a bubble and never allow them contact with the outside world.  I follow trends in medicine closely and form my own rules based on what has the highest proven safety rate.  To explain all of the options and give them as much discussion on both sides (pros and cons) they will be broken into topical sections.

 

If this is your work let me know.  I want to credit the artists
because it contains huge amounts of awesome and you deserve credit!

In these entries I plan to cover the most basic forms of prevention and some of the situations where prevention has been ignored to detriment of community health.  From the basics of person hygiene and hand washing, to the controversy of vaccines and epidemics, I believe there should always be open discussion to reach a solution.  Anyone having a topic or supported information that might be interesting to add as an alternative is welcome to submit it for discussion provided that can show credible sources. 

I will refer often to both the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) because they provide a great dictionary for easy reference and are responsible for the information a typical pediatric center will provide when asked by parents. 

Please understand that while there is a point to having a dialog about health choices, the spreading of misinformation or admittedly false "facts" is not helpful.  Most notably the infamous claims that vaccines cause autism which were based on intentionally falsified documents do not lend to providing an education for parents.  Discussion about allergies to vaccine components and alternative choices to support good health are very useful and can assist a parent know how to prevent many kinds of undue risk to their child.  Health information from homeopathic sources is wonderful and welcome with verifiable proof such as clinical or otherwise approved trials (many countries require different types of tests).

At the end of my prepared sections I will share some of the home remedies and alternatives to over the counter items that I have found to be safe and successful in my own home.  I cannot promise they will work for everyone, nor that they might not be problematic in terms of allergic reactions which you should always watch for with any new substance.  Many of these are based on herbal medicine and for those interested in it I highly recommend doing your own study on the topic and making a reference library. 

Section One: Hygiene As Prevention

To ease into this, we'll start with the basics, hygiene as prevention. 

MDH poster for the prevention of disease through hygiene.

Washing hands and brushing teeth is so basic we start on these skills with toddlers.  My two year old is so fond of washing hands and baths that he will ask everyone in our house to lift him up so he can use the skin.  I'm not discouraging this behavior, hand washing helps remove exposure to bacteria and viruses we come in contact with through even the safest daily behavior.  

I'm a fan of homemade soaps and it really does help when picking out smells that things like mint and lemon are both naturally anti-bacterial and work without damaging the skin.  When making a hand soap purchase, go for a soap that does not contain perfumes as they often involve a chemical base that can promote headaches and be problematic on sensitive skin.  If you are a fan of organics or shop at farmer's markets but have not found something to be attached to so far, I suggest the awesome soaps from LUSH: Handmade Cosmetics and use their "Sexy Peel" as our hand soap if I am out of my farmer's market goodies.

While we all know hand washing is simple and essential, how often is it actually done and when should we do this?  Yes, I'm going into detail on something we all learned as children because the numbers of people who do not practice the basics is worrying.  To quote the CDC "About 2.2 million children under the age of 5 die each year from diarrheal diseases and pneumonia, the top two killers of young children around the world."

Cholera is a world wide issue and comes from the transfer of contaminated fecal matter the next victim via oral means, large countries have outbreaks due to poor conditions where the virus can hide after feces enters the water supply.  Pinkeye (Conjunctivitis) is an issue because the touching of eyes and face is so common that failure to wash hands between activities can spread infection from both the viral and bacterial agents which create this issue. Salmonella is a risk we are aware of in my home because we have had reptile pets and chickens which may increase the chance of exposure through both skin and eggs.

While these infections can be prevented with hand washing (and proper food prep techniques if you are consuming eggs), there are cases where washing might not be viable at the moment and so we move to the next solution.  Next on the list of typical choices is hand sanitizers.

Most parents know about these little bottles that appear as if by magic at playgrounds and birthday parties when kids show up with sticky hands.  I carry a bottle in my diaper bag and use it after cleaning my hands with a baby wipe post diaper change or dealing with other disgusting messes.  As a temporary fix for exposure to possible contamination, these are wonderful, but there is a downside too.

The problem comes when over use of these products does not always prevent contamination AND can lead to more resistant bacterial strains.  While they serve a purpose in the grand scheme of things, the dependence on such things may also factor in to the resistance of some bacteria to known treatments.  This becomes a more pressing problem when sanitizers are being used as the primary defense in medical settings like hospitals where people who have a lower resistance level will naturally congregate. 

To recap what I said here, the following is a simple list of times to wash hands and how to properly wash them:

When Should You Wash Your Hands:

• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before eating prepared food
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After using the toilet
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
• After handling pet food or pet treats
• After touching garbage
  

 How Should You Wash Your Hands:

• Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
• Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
• Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the "Happy Birthday" song from beginning to end twice.
• Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them with a blower.