Cragmama

Apr 14 2014

I know this might not apply to a lot of my readers, but I’ve had enough good feedback and requests for this lactation cookie recipe that it seemed worth sharing on here. What, pray tell, IS a lactation cookie, you might ask? It’s nothing more than a cookie filled with various “galactagogues” (substances known to promote healthy breastfeeding.) But don’t worry guys, you can feel free to indulge also – I promise you won’t spontaneously start lactating, and you’ll probably think they’re yummy 😉

They are EASY to make! There’s about a million variations of this recipe floating around the internet, but here’s the version that worked best for us (changed up a little bit from this site.)

INGREDIENTS:
2 T flaxseed meal
4 T water
1 C butter
1.5 C brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 C whole wheat flour
4 T brewer’s yeast
1 tsp baking soda
1 T cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3 C old fashioned oats
1/2 C chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Soak flaxseed meal in water for a few minutes.
3. Beat butter and sugar in mixing bowl, then add eggs, flax mixture, and vanilla and beat well.
4. Mix flour, yeast, baking soda, and salt into a separate bowl, then add to butter mixture and beat again.
5. Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
6. Scoop onto cookie sheet and bake 12 minutes.
NOTE: This recipe made a LOT of cookies for me (45 to be exact.) I ended up freezing a lot of them, so if your freezer is stocked (entirely likely for new moms!), you might want to half the recipe.

A tender moment with my sweet little girl.

Eat cookie. Then do this. 🙂

And while we’re on the subject of lactation, don’t underestimate the importance of staying hydrated, especially for you active, exercising mamas out there! Keep in mind that the main components of breastmilk are protein, fat, and WATER – so in addition to making sure you get enough food (an extra 500 calories a day at least), always carry a bottle of water with you to ensure that you consume at least 80 ounces of water per day.

Has anyone else tried these cookies, or another variation? What other tips and tricks have you used to keep mama’s milk free flowin’?

First Experience Craggin’ as a Family of 4!

Climbing. North Carolina.

4 Comments.

Apr 09 2014

When it comes to new babies, it seems like the topic du jour always involves developmental milestones. Is she sleeping through the night yet? When did he start walking? And, have you started with solid foods yet? But I like to think that each family has their own unique milestones to achieve as they grow and develop within a changing family dynamic. For us, one of those milestones is “first outdoor climbing trip.” With Big C, that happened at 6 weeks, on a bluebird spring day at Pilot Mountain. Since Baby Z was born in the same month (this not by accident…), we had a similar time table in mind this time around. So with a forecast of sunny and 60’s, and three great partners lined up, we decided to go for it just one day shy of the 5 week mark.

Rocky Face, the NC ethics anomaly…

I have to admit that while having been through this “first” before I was confidently optimistic, I was feeling pretty rusty when it came time to pack. It’s amazing how quickly you forget – I actually found myself going back through some of my early days “Creating a Cragbaby” posts. Lucky for us, we now have an area that is virtually fail-proof as a “first time crag.” (It was closed to climbing when Big C was a baby.) Rocky Face is so convenient that in many ways, it almost feels like cheating! Not sure what to bring? BRING IT ALL! The parking lot is only about 50 feet from the base of the climbs.

Big C tapping into his TMNT “turtle power.”

The only thing Rocky Face is lacking is shade. It BAKES in the sun…ie, yesterday’s temps were bordering on too hot. In fact all the grown-ups came away with decent sunburns. Big C was the only smart one that insisted on wearing his long-sleeve jammies for the majority of the day (pretty sure ninja turtles were on his mind more than sun exposure though), and we were all thankful to have the PeaPod Plus by KidCo for our new little cragbaby (full review coming soon!)

Nothing says spring climbing like a slithery friend…

Our day as a whole could not have gone any better! We were thrilled with how well Baby Z did – she pretty much just alternated between nursing and sleeping all day long. It was definitely an interesting day, and hubby and I came away with several observations, most of which were actually RE-observations – things that had also happened with Big C back in the day, but had long since forgotten.

MORNING CHAOS – Even though we had packed a lot of our gear the night before, getting out of the house was rather chaotic. Getting everyone dressed, fed, and in the car is pretty simple on paper, but with a newborn around, it’s a mad dash after that first nursing session to make sure we are in the car before baby gets fussy and needs to sleep again.

CRAG NAPS – Baby Z slept like a champ. She slept for the car ride there (predictable), and then took two mega-naps in the PeaPod (not predictable.) I was obviously expecting a newborn to nap at the crag, but had assumed that with all the extra stimulation going on, we’d be in for multiple catnaps rather than a couple of long ones. But she surprised everyone by spending the whole day konked out on a picnic table in the middle of all the action, only waking up to nurse. It made me remember how hubby and I used to marvel that Big C (who was generally a horrible sleeper for the first few months) would sleep so much better at the crag (or in a tent) than he ever did at home. It’s pretty early to tell, of course, but I’m starting to think it’s a genetic trait…

Enjoying being on the sharp end again!

OLDER SIBLING TIME – When there were just three of us, I could pretty much rotate through nursing, climbing, belaying, and watching a baby sleep. But now there’s another kiddo involved. He needs time with Mommy and Daddy too…oh yeah, and he also wants to get in a climb or two himself.

END OF DAY MELTDOWNS – I’m not gonna lie, if our day at the crag was heaven sent, the simple hour and a half trip home was the car ride from hell! Everyone was starving, but we kept driving waiting for a wide awake (and generally unhappy) Baby Z to fall asleep. Once she finally nodded off, we pulled off the highway, and Big C decides to make a really loud sound that wakes her up…back to the highway we go. Somehow amidst the wrath of a newborn woken too early, Big C falls asleep, the grown-ups decide (rather grumpily) to push on towards home and then get take-out. But of course, by then, Baby Z needed to nurse again, Big C was cranky for about 15 minutes, then morphed into that strange, overtired manic state. Meanwhile the grown-ups just wanted to eat and go to bed. Moral of the story? No matter how tired I am after a long day at the crag, my kids are tired-er. I’ll keep that in mind for next time…

As for me, it felt glorious to be able to get out on the sharp end again. My head felt sketchier than I’d wanted it to be on our warm-up (Flight Time, 5.7+), so I opted to toprope Mr. Aidman’s Free (5.11a). Remembering the moves helped get my confidence up, and when it was my turn again, I pulled the rope and led it cleanly for my first real send in about 9 months! Other routes for the day were Quarryisms, 5.10c/d (easy climbing to a crazy reach move at the anchors), and Snake Charmer, 5.10b/c (NOT recommended on a warm day!)

Despite a few tense moments here and there (mostly happening in either our car or our house at the beginning and ending of our day), I would definitely call our first day out as a family of 4 a hands-down success! Psych is high at our house for New River Gorge season, and we hope to find ourselves up there sooner rather than later!

Hanging out with Little Z (note Big C in the background on his favorite "boat rock..."

Hanging out with Baby Z – note Big C in the background on his favorite “boat rock…”

How the Boba 4G Makes Me Feel Like SuperMom!

Gear Reviews.

5 Comments.

Apr 07 2014

Some of you may remember that I reviewed the Boba 4G Carrier for toddler use last fall (find it here.) And as good as it worked out for my then 3 year old, I’m happy to report that it is even better for my newborn little girl! What makes it so great? Let me count the ways…

1. EASY IN/OUT – Once the straps are adjusted, I can easily get baby girl in and out of it all by myself. When C was a newborn, I remember there being quite a learning curve with using the majority of our carriers by myself, and many of them I never really got the hang of…but this one is easy to use.

2. VERSATILITY – Accommodating heights of 5’0″ – 6’3″ and waistband sizes of 25″-58″, this carrier securely fits users on opposite sides of the spectrum, which works out great in families where a small mommy and large daddy are both sharing babywearing duties.

3. INTEGRATED NEWBORN/INFANT SEAT – Whereas many carriers require an additional (and often pricey) insert for the short-lived infant months, this carrier comes with an option for babies 7-15 pounds already included. It’s one of those inventions that is so ridiculously simple, I can’t believe no one thought of it before! Basically there is “pillow” that snaps into place in the shape of a ball for 7-10 pounders, then expands to more of a rectangle shape for 10-15 pounders. Note: Even though she was full term, Baby Z was tiny, and at 5 lbs, 12 oz, didn’t make the recommended weight minimum. But she (and therefore we) fell in love with the Boba from the minute we got home from the hospital!

Fun with Crag-Kiddo while Cragbaby catches some her zzz’s.

4. BREASTFEEDING – Most carriers claim that it’s possible to nurse on the go, but I always found it to generally be more trouble than it’s worth. But the Boba has a lot of thoughtful features that make breastfeeding while babywearing a lot less awkward. All you have to do is expand the panel straps and lower the waistbelt a little to give baby a little more space and line him/her up with your breast, and latch on! The 16″ panel offers great coverage for being discreet in public (and then a couple of years later doubles as great back support for your growing toddler!)

5. PEACEFUL BABY – My favorite reason of all is how happy my little girl seems to be in this carrier. If she’s tired, she’ll konk out within minutes, and often sleep so long that I actually have to wake her up to ensure that we’re nursing at least every 3 hours! For comparison, when placed in a bouncer or on the floor, she’ll rarely last more than an hour or so…

6. MADE FOR ADVENTURES – When it comes to outdoor adventures both big and small, this carrier is a must have for transportation to and from the crag and along the trail. And the benefits won’t end when the newborn phases does – as Baby Z gets bigger, she’ll be able to see and interact with the world from the safety of mom, first with her head poking out of the top while I wear her on the front, and eventually riding on my back.

Sleep in heavenly peace.

On most days I wear Baby Z for anywhere from 2-6 hours, and her Daddy often gets in an hour or two as well in the evenings (for benefits of babywearing, click here and here.) This enables us to provide her with the comfort and security that every newborn needs without having to neglect my active 4 year old (not to mention that almost all of my writing is done while babywearing these days…) With this carrier, I can sometimes even catch fleeting glimpses of SuperMom sometimes – as I find myself able to cook, clean, and entertain toddler all with a sleeping baby snuggled up next to my chest!

For all the other moms (and dads) out there, what piece(s) of baby gear bring out YOUR super powers?

6 Ideas for Nature Hunts with Young Explorers

Toddlers at the Crag. Hiking. Homeschooling.

No Comments.

Apr 03 2014

While I’ve written before on the many benefits of unstructured outdoor time for children, you might find that your green hour time needs a refreshing boost every now and then with a planned activity. Also, the added challenge of a trail “assignment” can make for happy hikers! But just because an activity is planned doesn’t mean it has to be elaborate or complex, especially for younger kiddos. By nature kids are creatures of curiosity that love exploring (whether it’s out in the woods or rifling through that drawer in Mommy’s office they aren’t supposed to be into…) And I don’t know about all kids, but mine in particular has always enjoyed the satisfaction of completing something – filling a potty chart with stickers, marking days off on a calendar, playing with snatoms and other chemistry gifts we’d gifted, and crossing items off on various “lists” (he may get that last one from his mommy…) So with that in mind, a scavenger hunt can put him on a mission that will keep him entertained for quite a while! Here are a few ideas for some scavenger hunts involving nature, some of which we’ve tried, and some of which are on our list to try in the coming months…

1. Egg Carton Scavenger Hunt – Print out pictures of various nature items and glue/tape them onto the top of an empty egg carton. Its helpful if each item is small enough to fit in one “hole” of the carton. Note: If you anticipate that the remnants of this activity may end up in your child’s room (my son is a packrat…), make sure you only include pictures of items that you’re okay with being stored in (and probably forgotten about) in your house! For example, acorns and pinecones may be okay, whereas rotting fungus and slimy slugs are probably not…

2. Nature in a Bag – Print out a checklist (using words or pictures, depending on the ages of your children), and glue/tape to a paper bag. (A bag will give you more freedom in the size of your items, but they will be all jumbled up together.) As you gather your items, check or cross off each one. Then take your bag home and investigate your findings with a closer look. Older children may enjoy using a magnifying glass or microscope if you’ve got one, while younger children can build with their items, or even sort by color or size. If you’re feeling crafty, you could even make a collage or some other sort of art project!

This craft idea was taken from http://www.littlefamilyfun.com/2012/05/nature-names-craft.html

3. I Spy Bingo – Some items may be fun to find, but are inappropriate to bring back home (flowers in a someone else’s yard, large items, and living things to name a few.) In these instances, you can use a bingo template to check off items as they are found rather than bringing them with you.

4. Photo Montage – Instead of simply checking off an item, your child can photograph it instead. Don’t be afraid to get imaginative and pretend you are a wilderness photographer on assignment in an exotic, unexplored land! To add an artistic element, print the pictures out and make a book. This is a great option to use for handmade field guides, or to preserve a memory of an extra special hike/destination.

Egg Carton Scavenger Hunt

5. Alphabet Hunt – This idea is simply a themed variation of a typical scavenger hunt, and can be used in conjunction with any of the above mentioned ideas. Instead of choosing random items, use an alphabet theme! Younger children can focus on one letter of the alphabet at a time (5 things that start with “S), while older kids can get more complex (1 item for every letter of the child’s name, or even the whole alphabet if you’ve got the time!)

6. Rainbow Research – Another themed variation that can be used with any of the ideas above, this time with colors rather than letters. You can work with one color per hunt (10 items that are green), or multiple colors (1 item for each color of the rainbow). Our current favorite is a color chart, taken from this website.

The great thing about all of these activities is that they can be tailored to fit whatever season and habitat you need them to, and then restructured over and over again. Finding items along the hiking trail in the middle of winter will feel like an entirely different game than hunting for springtime colors in your neighborhood! Anyone else have scavenger hunt lovers in your family? What’s your favorite way to structure one?

The Newborn Days w/Baby #2 – Keeping Your Sanity the 1st Month

Parenting. Reflections.

4 Comments.

Mar 31 2014

One on one time at the local gelateria = fun AND yum!

Wow, just 6 short weeks ago I shared my last preggo update…10 days later I gave birth to a magical little girl, and today she is celebrating one month of life! The past 4 weeks have been a whirlwind of eating, sleeping, and not sleeping…and showering every now and then. Slowly but surely we’ve started to get into a groove with life as a family of four. There have been a few key strategies and pieces of gear that have helped us find our stride, so I thought I’d share them…

1. OLDER SIBLING ONE ON ONE TIME – The first few days home from the hospital were horrid when it came to C – my usually laidback and fairly compliant child had been replaced with a very loud, defiant child who cried more often (and much louder!) than my newborn did. Add to that a concoction of postpartum hormones and emotions, and it seemed like one or both of us was in a constant state of meltdown (and ironically it was usually as the baby was peacefully asleep right beside me!) Our solution was to make sure that hubby and I each had one on one time with C (WITHOUT Baby Z) every day. It didn’t have to be a special treat or outing (though we have done a few of those), but C seemed to respond just as well when we kept things simple and as close to our pre-baby day to day routine as possible (going to the store with Mommy, wrestling with Daddy after dinner.) He definitely still has his moments, but each passing day is becoming better and better as we all come together to figure out a new “normal” for our family.

2. FRESH AIR – Pre-baby rarely a day went by that we didn’t leave the confines of the house for at least a little while. So establishing a “get outside” routine has been vital to everyone’s mental health. Some days we plan a mini-adventure for everyone to do together – for example on Baby Z’s 1 week old birthday, the whole family hit the trail. Steve and C mountain biked, and I hiked with Z in a carrier (at a conservative pace). After our 2.5 mile experiment, everyone was still happy, so we spent the rest of the afternoon leisurely on the playground. But most of our mid-week days have been more low key – heading to a park, walking down to our neighborhood creek, playing in the mud kitchen, or even just hanging out in the backyard digging with some bulldozers.

Baby in carrier, toddler in wagon = fresh air on a trip to the store!

3. STAYING ACTIVE – To be clear, I am in no way advocating that women start a vigorous workout program immediately after giving birth. But for women who stayed active up through the end of their pregnancy and had an uncomplicated labor and delivery, in my (non-medical) opinion, it’s not necessary to wait until the 6 week mark (but please ask your doctor before following my advice!!!) In my experience, quickly getting back to (conservative) exercise can really help a mama feel good, physically, mentally, and spiritually. It’s amazing how something as simple as walking a few miles with Z in a carrier helped me to reset my mindset for the rest of the day. Another key for me was getting back to the climbing gym as soon as I felt ready, which this time around was just before the 2 week mark. Initially my goal was not to get a “workout” in, but just to let out some stress moving over the walls.

4. BABYWEARING – While a high-quality carrier is helpful with a first child, it is ESSENTIAL with a second child, unless you want to spend your postpartum life chained to the house. Our family swears by the Boba 4G – I reviewed it for my then 3 year old last fall (find it here), but a newborn review will be forthcoming in the next few weeks. The benefits of babywearing are largely documented (see here and here), but without getting off on too much of a tangent, I’ll just say it’s awesome for both mom and baby! In addition to the many physical and emotional benefits, it’s just plain convenient. Carrying baby hands-free means I give my toddler my full attention, whether it’s playing with blocks in his room or going down slides at the park. Floors can be swept, tables can be wiped down, and laundry can get washed and folded…the only thing I haven’t figured out how to do while wearing baby is taking a shower!

Babywearing…not just for mommies 🙂

5. COSLEEPING – “Do whatever gets the most people the most amount of sleep.” This was probably the best advice I ever got during the early weeks with my first little cragbaby – and for us this means cosleeping while baby is nursing through the night. I know it’s controversial. I know a lot of you might automatically write off the idea as too “hippie-dippie.” But I can’t tell you how much MORE sleep everyone gets by keeping a nursling in bed with us rather than having to get out of bed to tend to baby. A mom is definitely more rested which means she does not look like she could make use of Botox cosmetic in Calgary Eastport Dental Centre. And contrary to popular belief, it does NOT mean that you’ll one day end up trying to a wean a 7 year old from mommy and daddy’s bed! With C it was a very natural progression to spending more and more of the night in his own crib – and now he just joins us in those first few quiet moments of the day when everyone is awake but not ready to get up yet (and I wouldn’t trade that for the world!)

We’ve certainly had our moments of tears, frustration, exhaustion, and feeling overwhelmed, but we’re figuring it out one day at a time. Family life with 4 is a lot more hectic than family life with just 3…but I can already tell you that Baby Z can hold her own and is a perfect fit in our crazy, fun-loving family. If this first month is indicative of anything, it tells me that there’s a lot more adventure on the horizon for us all, and I can’t wait!

Cragmama "Not all who wander are lost…" JRR Tolkien

Lactation Cookies – Got Milk?

First Experience Craggin’ as a Family of 4!

How the Boba 4G Makes Me Feel Like SuperMom!

6 Ideas for Nature Hunts with Young Explorers

The Newborn Days w/Baby #2 – Keeping Your Sanity the 1st Month