Tag: natural

Croup, Bronchiolitis, viral yuckiness – How To Avoid

Croup, Bronchiolitis, viral yuckiness – How To Avoid

by gabrielachanel ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I thought my 13 month old baby girl had been through it all until she got CROUP. This horrible viral infection that sounds like a barking cough which is supposed to be harmless, yet she ended up in the hospital with a nebulizer one night, because she couldn’t breathe.

It started out as a normal cough, got a little worse, then got better, then got terrible. I took her to the urgent care because our pediatrician’s office was closed (it was at night) and the urgent care facility decided to call an ambulance and take her to the ER due to her difficulty breathing, which put me in full anxiety/panic mode. When doctors freak out, you pretty much freak out.

Some back story about my LO: Born naturally and super healthy, never in any daycares (I work remotely), almost never around any other kids, pets, or anyone really other than her mom, dad, and maybe both grandparents. Was breast fed until her 1st birthday, has never eaten any processed foods and has never been on any medication, only eats home cooked meals or organic food pouches and drinks tons of water.

How something can go from “normal” to horrifying. I can’t stress the importance of washing your LO’s hands all the time. I mean, you can’t wash them enough. I can’t stress the importance of carrying hand sanitizer wherever you go.

I was more relaxed about things until you experience what your baby can go through. It was one of the scariest moments in my life to see her with a nebulizer around her face, steaming her with steroids. A very, very traumatic experience for her.

Pediatricians, doctors and experienced moms will tell you how normal it is for your baby to get sick the first year. They’re putting their mouths on everything, they’re touching everything and putting their hands in their mouths, they’re around all these floating germs for the first time while you enter the gym, grocery store, mall, airport, etc. But I can’t wrap my head around it being that bad. There’s a huge difference between a little cold and being hospitalized.

I have seen a noticeable difference in her health from just washing her hands all the time. I used to have the dumbest thoughts about how someone in my family may get offended if I ask them to wash their hands, or put hand sanitizer on my LO right after her touching all things in their house. I used to care about offending people but all that goes out the window when you experience what I did.
I used to think, well a little germ will acclimate her, it’ll get her immune system stronger. That’s a joke. Even if the viral infections aren’t as bad as hospitalization, its still not something your baby should have to go through.

I used to think it was tough to wash her hands, it is tough! Trying to hold her while getting soap and water one-handed by yourself is not an easy task but screw it and do it. It makes the world of difference. I’ve tried babyganics hand wipes, even baby wipes I use to clean her after dirty diapers — it isn’t the same. Washing your LO’s hands or putting hand sanitizer and waving them around until they air dry is the most effective and now that I’ve learned this I won’t ever stop.

There’s so many things I used to think I wouldn’t do, I wouldn’t act like, I wouldn’t be like but nothing is worse than having a scare with your LO’s health.

Now my LO thinks it’s a fun game to get her hands washed. She does this cute, but perfect plank, and puts her hands out and waves hi to the water as I wash them. She laughs when I put hand sanitizer on her hands and wave them around, she thinks we’re playing.

I pray at night for God to keep her healthy. Babies are so pure and just our world’s little angels and we have to keep them safe.

Whatever age your LO is now, it doesn’t matter. Take them to wash their hands regularly, especially when in contact with a lot of things/people, or keep hand sanitizer with you everywhere you go.

Hair so healthy, it shines! (No Pantene, you probably already have this all natural product at home)

Hair so healthy, it shines! (No Pantene, you probably already have this all natural product at home)

by gabrielachanel ♥ 1 Comment

I’m a natural dark haired brunette and I’ve colored and highlighted my hair blonde for the past 6 years. It was hay-like and super damaged to say the least.

Once I had my daughter, I wanted to go back to being brunette so we can be twins.

Many hair products tend to be full of harmful toxic chemicals, so I was looking into different hair masks and this kinda-gross egg/mayo treatment and was deciding what to do.

I went to my pilates session and my instructors hair looked so shiny and just super healthy! I see her twice a week so it stood out to me. I asked her what she did and she goes “oh, I try and do a coconut oil hair mask whenever I have the time.”

All my questions led to me trying it and LOVING the results! My hair was silky smooth and pretty much looked like my pre-highlighted virgin hair.

What you’ll need: a plastic shower/hair cap and coconut oil.

Put coconut oil (I buy the cold pressed unrefined organic one from Costco) all over your hair. It doesn’t matter if you washed your hair that day or if you haven’t in a few days, if your hair is wet or dry.. it works with whatever. Don’t use too much because the heat from your head melts it and it will run all down your face.

Put it up in a bun, put your shower cap over it and leave it on for 30 minutes to overnight. The time is up to you. I leave mine in for 3 hours. In this time I do work, I cook, do laundry, play with my little one, nap, whatever. The longer you leave the coconut oil on, the more it will condition your hair.

After x amount of time, wash with shampoo (maybe twice) and conditioner per usual. It washes right out no worries about it.

I brushed and blow dried my hair after and WALLAH! 💫 Magic.

Coconut oil nourishes your hair with vitamins, minerals and the medium-chain fatty acids. It’s really a wonderful way to give your hair an au naturel healthy boost. Rich in antioxidants, and containing anti-fungal/ antibacterial properties it not only leaves your hair feeling moisturized but it cleans it too!

Because of all these properties, coconut oil is so good for preventing dryness not just in your hair, but your scalp too! Bye-bye Head & Shoulders!

Repeat once a week for best results.

Enjoy ❤️

Increasing breast milk supply with two products you probably already have at home

Increasing breast milk supply with two products you probably already have at home

by gabrielachanel ♥ 1 Comment

I recently started taking pilates and I take my 6 month old daughter with me.  One day she got so fussy and I had to stay a bit after my workout session to feed her at my instructors house before I got back into my car.  My instructor asked me if I only use breastmilk or if I use formula too.  I told her I strictly use breast milk and she told me that she had to supplement with formula for all three of her daughters while she was still in the hospital!  Now, I’ve heard about mothers supplementing with formula more often than not, but never that early.  And I’m not passing judgement, but it got me thinking…

I need to start writing a blog to share my experiences with other people about information I wish I could have found online — just information that I find to be super helpful.

This blog, as my title says, will be a little bit about everything.  Not just a mommy blog, but also tips on health, fitness, the best deals and where to get them, recipes, pregnancy tips, first time mom tips, etc.  Any information that I feel could help someone out there.

So back to my very first topic on my very first blog:  Increasing your breast milk supply naturally.

Cumin with milk right before bed.  The original recipe is (overnight soaked) cumin seeds with the raw cumin spice mixed into warm milk before bed… but I found without the cumin seed and without warming the milk works just fine.  Also, I don’t drink milk so any milk should do, I typically use almond or oat milk. 
**I still remember telling my mom what I was drinking and she pretty much gagged.  She knows how much I dislike the spice cumin… out of all spices it’s one of my least favorite – but anything for my LO.**

I was willing to try anything when my milk supply was getting low.. eating cloves of garlic, drinking red raspberry and mothers milk tea, nursing often, staying on a regular pumping/nursing schedule, drinking plenty of fluids, eating fennel, fenugreek, using a lactation massager, eating everything under the sun that research claims will increase your supply — and nothing worked.  I was getting tired of reading the same suggestions, the same advice over and over again on blog after article after study.

My pilates instructor informed me that at the hospital they tried to put her on medication and pills to increase her supply but she had no luck. 
Well my dear reader, when I drank the cumin spice mixed with almond milk, I woke up engorged.. I really could not believe it.  But nothing like the second day which I compare to the day I delivered. My milk supply was so high, my breasts were back to that porn star size you have when you first give birth and since then (2 months later) my milk production has kept constant. 

Whenever I feel it might be getting low, or I can’t pump or nurse when I feel my milk coming in, I just take back a couple swigs of cumin almond milk before bed and sleep at peace knowing I’ll wake up with plenty of milk for my little one.  I’m currently pumping 4-5 oz of milk per breast 6 months postpartum.

If you’re having a hard time keeping your supply up, give this a try.  I know everyone is different and it may not work for every person.. but either way I’d love to hear about your experience!