Rowena Recommends

A Registered Dietitian's Personal Collection of Recommendation for Healthy Eating, Great Skin Care and Meal Planning Tips for Busy Families

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Rowena is a Toronto-based Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator who is passionate about sharing her nutrition knowledge to help individuals live life well.
  • How to Protect Your Immune System During Covid-19

    How to Protect Your Immune System During Covid-19

    2020 certainly has been quite the year so far. There is certainly a lot of information to digest on social media right now but I thought it was important to revisit Covid-19.

    When I first heard about Coronavirus or Covid 19, I really did not think the pandemic would last as long as it has. In Ontario, Canada, it was recently announced that our social circles can expand. As individuals begin to open up his/her social circles and restrictions become looser, here is a gentle reminder of how to protect your immune system during these unprecedented times.

    Outside of your designated social circle, it is still very important to practice proper hand washing and social distancing as we are definitely waiting for a vaccine to be developed to cure Covid-19. During this period of time, here are some practical tips of how to boost/protect your immune system during this pandemic.

    When a person feels stressed, a fight or flight response is released by our body. As a result, cortisol is released to help get the body ready for action (i.e. mobilize blood sugar stores). At the same time, cortisol will suppress our immune system. When we feel stressed, our body’s ability to digest food and absorb nutrients also decreases. Last but not least, when we feel stressed out, sleep is not as good. When we don’t get enough sleep, we feel even more exhausted which often leads to not eating well so it really is a vicious cycle.

    This pandemic can also be a trigger for stress and/or binge eating in response to different types of emotions (sadness/stress/boredom/fear). Due to self isolation, many individuals miss the human touch and/or in person interactions. As a result, the individual may resort to food as a means of comfort. Think back to exam times and/or a very stressful job situation, did you eat more in response to stress to make yourself feel better (i.e. think chocolate and/or your go to “feel good” foods). If you were an individual who was used to a busy schedule who would always be on the go, you may be bored as the pandemic has forced everyone to adapt to a much slower pace in life. With nothing to do, food is also another way to fill time. Last but not least, the pandemic has created a feeling of scarcity for some as some individuals really do not want to go out any more than necessary in fear of the coronavirus. Individuals will buy a certain amount of food but because of the fear he/she lives in, he/she resorts to rationing out portions often resulting in smaller portions than normal.

    If you are someone who is eating in response to stress and/or a certain emotion during these unprecedented times, recognize that it is OKAY. Be kind to yourself. Do not beat yourself up. These are very strange times and it’s okay to seek comfort in food. At the same time, if you find that you are an individual who is often eating in response to a certain emotion, is there a substitute activity that can replace food?

    As briefly mentioned above, human connection is extremely important. Have you been taking advantage of modern day technology? Have you been reaching out to individuals via FaceTime, WhatsApp, Videochats, Zoom, Houseparty, etc.? For some, the virtual connection is not enough. If you know someone in need, have you dropped by for a porch visit? A simple short porch visit could make someone’s day. 🙂 If you know someone who is not able to go to the grocery store to get groceries, have you offered to help out and/or drop off groceries for him/her? We are all in this together so if you can help out, do your part. 🙂

    As stress can decrease our immune system, here are 5 nutrients you want to make sure to include in your daily diet:

    1. Protein

    According to research, protein not only helps us to build muscle but it can help our white blood cells produce antibodies.

    Don’t skimp out on your protein sources. Protein can be both animal based and/or plant based. During these pandemic times, some individuals may be switching to more of a flexitarian lifestyle where plant based meals are eaten more frequently to help stretch the budget dollars and/or to make food supply last so that trips to the grocery store are really minimal.

    The goal is to have ~30 grams of protein per meal. How does one get ~30 grams of protein at one meal? Make sure to have ~100-150 grams of animal protein PER MEAL (I emphasize this because many individuals think this amount is per day). If you are considering plant based sources, aim for 3/4 cup to 1 cup of tofu per meal OR 1 cup of beans per meal OR 2 eggs per meal (If eggs are your only source of protein at a meal, it is okay to have 2 at a time).

    2. Vitamin C

    As a very famous antioxidant, Vitamin C has shown to boost immune system. Having said that, Vitamin C is easily obtained through our diet. There is no need for supplementation. If an individual chooses to take Vitamin C through supplements, he/she tends to experience the placebo effect. No matter the dose of Vitamin C, an individual will most likely feel better after taking a Vitamin C supplement. Citrus fruits (i.e. oranges, lemons, limes, etc) and dark green leafy vegetables are some simple ways you can get your Vitamin C sufficiently through your diet. If you don’t like oranges, did you know that eating 8 strawberries at one time is like eating one orange in terms of Vitamin C content?

    3. Vitamin D

    As an individual living in North America, it has always been recommended to take Vitamin D daily. Vitamin D helps to absorb calcium and build bones. Research is now showing that Vitamin D can help fight respiratory tract infections.

    Not a fan of supplements? Unfortunately, there are very few food sources that contain Vitamin D. Not only that but the portions needed to obtain 600 IU of Vitamin D is not realistic for many individuals. For example, to get 600 IU of Vitamin D per day, you would need to drink 6 cups of milk and/or a fortified milk alternative. Mushrooms are a source of Vitamin D but to get 600 IU/day, you need to consume ~5 cups. Egg yolks are another source of Vitamin D but did you know you have to eat 30 egg yolks to get 600 IU/day?

    I typically like to recommend individuals take at least 1000 IU/day during the summer and 2000 IU/day during the winter.

    4. Omega-3 Fats

    Omega-3 fats are anti inflammatory so it’s a good idea to include them in your diet now. The best source would be from fatty fish such as sardines, herring, trout, Arctic Char, tuna and/or salmon; however, plant based sources like flax, chia and walnuts can provide a little bit of omega-3 as well.

    As fatty fish consumption is preferred, have these types of fish at least twice/week in your diet.  You don’t have to buy salmon fillets, you can buy cans of salmon. Instead of making a tuna sandwich, make a salmon sandwich. Tired of the usual sandwich combo, why not try to make salmon cakes? Sardines are DELICIOUS and they also make wonderful sandwiches. 😉

    5. Zinc

    If you are a seafood lover, make sure to consume a few more mussels/oysters/clams because these little bites of deliciousness contain a lot of zinc aka a nutrient which can help strengthen our immune system. Not a fan of shellfish? Don’t worry. Beans/legumes and/or nuts/seeds can also be a great source of zinc.

    Do you have oatmeal for breakfast? Make sure to sprinkle on some nuts/seeds for some protein and zinc in the morning.

    Are you a snacker? Instead of reaching for that cracker, why not grab a handful of nuts/seeds?

     

    Food For Thought: Think about your current eating habits. What are some things you can change to help strengthen and/or protect your immune system?

  • Fourth Trimester Survival Kit

    Fourth Trimester Survival Kit

    I really can’t believe we are now in our 9th week of quarantine. It’s May and we just witnessed a bit of snow on Monday. 2020 has certainly been a very strange year so far. Like everyone else, my husband, Baby E and I have spent the last 8 weeks in isolation but this means that 25% of my maternity leave is done. I’m hopeful that I can start enjoying maternity leave soon under the new norm. 😉 Although things are starting to slowly reopen, I can only hope that it goes in the right direction because if we have to go into lockdown again, I’m not sure how I will mentally be able to handle this. Zoom, Houseparty and video chats are helpful but nothing beats the real physical interaction with human touch.

    It is with mixed feelings as I realize Baby E is soon graduating from being a newborn to an infant. She just turned 11 weeks which means she has one more week to go before she officially begins an infant. I am sad at how fast time has flown but very excited as I continue to see baby E develop and do new things each and everyday.

    Baby E (May 12, 2020)
    Here is Baby E at 11 weeks.

    With that being said, what has helped me get through this “survival” stage? Here are the top 5 tips I found most helpful:

    1. Read The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp. If you are the type of person who needs the concepts to be repeated over and over again in order to help drive the concept into your brain, this is the book for you. To be honest, you could read the first 20 pages and get the big picture but if you decide to stick it out to the end, I am sure you are going to have the 5 S’s memorized and engrained in your head. Having the 5 S’s in your mind will you cope better when you have a fussy newborn.
    2. Sleep is a huge topic of discussion for both the new parents and the newborn.
      1. With regards to managing naps and bedtime for the newborn, I suggest tracking nap times and bedtime through the Huckleberry app. Once your newborn is at least 2 months of age, Huckleberry will generate a “sweet spot” aka a suggested nap time for your baby. At the end of the day, it is most important to watch your baby for sleep cues and to be mindful of their wake windows but the sweet spot provided by Huckleberry is a good guide to help you develop a routine (as much as you possibly can).
          1. You will be tracking all sorts of things (time of feedings, length of feeding on each breast, number of dirty diapers (urine vs. stool as well as nap times and bed times). Truth be told, if  you are technologically savvy, Huckleberry allows you to track everything in the app but I am old school and like pen and paper. I track everything else by hand. Initially, I also tracked sleep patterns by hand and manually added the hours of sleep up but the Huckleberry app made life a smidge easier as it totals it for you automatically.
        2. To help develop good sleeping patterns for your newborn which will ultimately help you (as the parent) to get some sleep again, consider the Taking Cara Babies course (s). I’ll admit that I did not purchase it from day 1 as I thought being mindful of wake windows and watching for sleepy cues is enough but after reading through the Newborn course, I was able to pick up a few more tips and be more conscious of some things I need to work on as I prepare for the 4 month regression. To prepare for the 4 month regression, I also have been starting to read “How to Navigate Months 3 & 4” through Taking Cara Babies.
    3. Download the Wonder Weeks app (I also bought the book as well for more in depth explanations) but this is a great app to let you know of when to expect periods of crying, clinginess and crankiness as the baby is preparing for his/her next leap.
    4. As a first time parent and someone who has a Type A personality (i.e.I like to check things off a list), download BabySparks (the app) as it will help ensure that you are giving your baby enough variety of activities to help meet key milestones. On a daily basis, you need to have a wide array of activities focused on developing motor skills, cognitive development, speech, sensory and social (emotional).  Unfortunately, the social (emotional) aspect of things is limited currently as we are all on lockdown due to the pandemic. Believe me- I would have loved to be out and about with Baby E and get her well adapted to the outside world and to meet everyone who would like to meet her by now.
    5. Most importantly, you can prepare all you want with the above mentioned apps and/or books but pay attention to your baby. Every baby is different; there is no one size fits all. Take the tips you have learned from the above resources and see how those tips can work into your current situation. An interesting point I have learned along the way is that no matter in the Taking Cara Babies course or in the Wonder Weeks app, it emphasizes that development should always be based off of the baby’s due date. Baby E was due 3 weeks early at 37 weeks (this means that Baby E is technically 8 weeks in terms of sleep development and in overall skills development) but based on the Wonder Week app, I find that Baby E is moving closer to the milestone developments for a 12 week old as opposed to an 8 week old.  She is cooing and babbling lots. She is beginning to discover her hands and feet but I am consistently working hard at making sure that Baby E is stimulated to help her learn that she can grab and/or swipe at things. She has shown that she is capable to roll from side to back so I’m also working hard with Baby E to help her learn how to roll over. I also find that Baby E is moving towards the sleeping habits of a 12 week old as opposed to an 8 week old. Baby E is able to sleep for a longer stretch at one time overnight BUT the duration of the stretch is still not consistent. I’m still trying to figure out why there is inconsistency. I’ll have to analyze the sleep logs more carefully. 😉

    Additional Tips:

    1. Before giving birth to Baby E, I have heard of the witching hour but I believed it was only a certain hour of the day (i.e. 5 PM) where babies would be extra fussy. I was in for a rude awakening as witching hour can span between 5-11 PM. In my experience as a first time mom, Baby E does tend to be a bit fussier during these periods of time when going through a leap. She’s generally very manageable during the day but as soon as 5 PM rolls around, unpredictable behaviours can emerge.
    2. Cluster feeding is a real thing. My husband believes I am consistently making up new terms as he jokes that he needs to “cluster feed” every night to make sure he doesn’t go hungry every night. If you don’t know what cluster feeding means, it means frequent feedings over a shorter period of time. In my case, as Baby E was hitting 8 weeks (Leap #1), Baby E was feeding on the hour every hour between 5-11 PM. As Baby E was transitioning from 10 weeks to 11 weeks, I experienced 3 days where Baby E fed every 20 minutes between 6 PM – 9:30 PM. Needless to say, she didn’t get very much sleep during this time but she certainly needed her calories. Week #12 represents Leap #2 so let’s see how the next week goes.
    3. Learn your lullabies and refresh your memory for kid friendly songs. I’m not a great singer but Baby E loves music time. 🙂

     

    Food For Thought: As much as I am trying to establish routine (which I believe we currently are doing as much as we can), realize that there is no such thing as a fixed schedule with a newborn. Baby E is still feeding every 2 hours during the day. I’m trying to stretch the feeding frequency out but it sometimes works, it sometimes doesn’t. Bedtime routine has been established but the actual bedtime is closer to 9-10 PM currently when in reality, I’d like the goal for bedtime to be around 7-8 PM. You have to go with the flow some days. Pay attention to the wake windows and sleepy cues. You can try to stretch the wake windows by 5 minutes but be aware that it is always harder to put a cranky baby to sleep.

    Under different circumstances, I would have taken a much different approach to help develop Baby E’s emotional/social aspect of development. I can only hope/wish that the zoom and/or video chats are enough for Baby E to help recognize voices of other individuals for now. I can only hope that Baby E will be a happy and jolly baby when meeting “strangers” for the first time.

    As a first time parent, what were some of your essential “tools” in your survival kit?

  • Fail Proof Two Bite Treats

    Fail Proof Two Bite Treats

    Yes- I say fail proof treats because I never considered myself a great baker (I still would say I am a very amateur baker) so trust me when I say that if I could make these yummy treats, you can definitely make them as well. This past Sunday’s weather was definitely a treat but it looks like Mother Nature is encouraging us to continue to stay at home. While staying at home, why not continue to bake? 🙂

    I have a bag of spelt flour sitting around in my pantry so I’m currently looking for different ways to use it up but I have to keep it yeast free as I am currently having major difficulties locating some yeast in the city.  It really does seem like the entire city took up baking as a new potential hobby during this pandemic. Not only am I trying to use up my spelt flour but I continue to look for easy recipes to make so that I am better prepared for the future for activities to do with Baby E when she can help around the kitchen. =)

    A friend recommended I try out Rachel Mansfield’s One Bowl Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookie. I like how the the prep time is ~5 minutes and it really is one bowl where you mix everything together and it does not take long to bake at all (it only took me 8 minutes). I also like how this recipe yields a very small batch so it’s not overwhelming for a small household to have as a treat on hand (the original recipe says it yields 8 cookies but I was able to get 6 cookies. I got a 7th cookie but that cookie was all spelt & almond flour with no chocolate chunks). 😉

    spelt cookie 1

    If you like soft and chewy cookies, you’ll have to make these so here is the recipe with the changes I made:

    Ingredients:

    1 egg ( I could have used a flax egg but I chose to use an egg instead)

    1/4 c liquid coconut oil

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    1/4 c honey (I ran out of maple syrup but maple syrup would be delicious in this recipe)

    1.25 c spelt flour

    2 Tbsp almond flour (I also have a very small amount of almond flour use up but coconut flour or oat flour could also work)

    2 tsp baking powder

    1/3 c dark chocolate (I love the Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Chips)

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 350oF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
    2. Mix together the wet ingredients (egg, coconut oil, vanilla extract and honey).
    3. Add in the dry ingredients (spelt flour, almond flour and baking powder)
    4. Mix in chocolate chips.
    5. Scoop out 1 heaping tablespoon to form one cookie.
    6. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until a light golden colour.
    7. Enjoy!

    On Instagram recently, it seems like many individuals were making cinnamon rolls and/or buns so it made me crave some as well. I’ve never made cinnamon rolls so I was worried my first attempt would not turn out but I’m very happy and satisfied with how things turned out the first time around. 🙂 The recipe yields 8 mini cinnamon rolls (I say mini because you can honestly finish one of these buns in two bites. Three at most if you take extra small bites).

    cinnamon roll batch
    I’m no food photographer so please excuse the not so good quality photo. 🙂 

    Ingredients:

    For the dough:

    2 cups all purpose flour

    2.25 tsp baking powder

    3 Tbsp white granulated sugar

    1/2 tsp cinnamon

    1/2 tsp kosher salt

    3/4 c whole milk

    3 Tbsp unsalted butter

    For the filling:

    1/2 c packed brown sugar

    3-4 tsp of ground cinnamon (I love cinnamon so I did closer to 4 teaspoons)

    1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

    For the Frosting (I love cinnamon rolls without the frosting but I know some individuals who like the frosting for an extra indulgence):

    4 oz. (113 grams) cream cheese

    1/4 c unsalted butter

    1 tsp vanilla extra

    1/2 c icing sugar, sifted (decrease further if you’d like the frosting to be even a bit more tangy)

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350oF.
    2. Line a baking dish with parchment paper.
    3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and salt.
    4. In a small sauce pan over low heat, combine the milk and butter. Cook just until the butter is melted.
    5. Add the warm milk mixture to the flour until just combined (Don’t mix too much).
    6. Lightly flour your work space with additional flour. Knead the dough for ~1 minute (be careful to not over knead the bread). If your dough came out too sticky, add additional flour. I found with the amounts listed above, my dough came out just right.
    7. Once the dough is a smooth ball shape, cover with a damp towel (or paper towel) and let it rest on the counter for ~15 minutes.
    8. In the mean time, whisk together the cinnamon and brown sugar (for the filling).
    9. You can also start to work on the frosting. I combined the cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla extract in the Vitamix. If it was a bigger batch, I would consider using a stand mixer.
    10. Once the dough has rested for ~15 minutes, roll the dough out  (~1/2 inch thick).
    11. Brush the dough all over with the melted butter and sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture over on top.
    12. Begin to roll the dough into a log. Once rolled, cut the log into 8 equal pieces.
    13. Bake in the oven for ~25-30 minutes or until pale golden.
    14. Enjoy the yummy goodness! 🙂

    cinnamon rolls 1

    Food For Thought: During these times, why not bake up some treats and drop off to some friends and family members who may need a pick me upper and do a visit within an acceptable social distance? Don’t forget that Mother’s Day is just around the corner so make mom some yummy treats! 🙂

     

     

     

  • Baking Diary of Covid 19

    Baking Diary of Covid 19

    As we are half way through week #7 of quarantine, how are you holding up physically, emotionally & mentally? Many would say baking helps relieve stress. I’ve never been a huge baker but I wanted to add something different to the mix since my days currently could be a bit tedious (it’s the same routine on repeat).

    When baby E turned 8 weeks, I felt ready to take on more as any time before then, I still wasn’t sure how much time in between nap and play time I had. As a new parent, I’m looking for recipes which have relatively few ingredients so that they are simple and fast to make. Here is what I have made so far over the past 2 weeks. Don’t worry, I’ve shared some of my creations. =)

    Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies (12-14 cookies)

    Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie
    My husband took this picture. You can actually see me eating a cookie in my hand in the blurred background. 🙂

    Inspired by Taste Toronto’s post about The Rolling Pin’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal cookie, here is how I made modifications to the recipe. It’s easy and the cookie is chewy!!! I love how this recipe doesn’t use any flour as I’m very limited with my flour supply currently. 😉

    1 1/3 c rolled oats

    1/2 tsp baking soda

    1/3 c chocolate chips (I use 70% dark chocolate chips)

    2 large eggs

    1/3 c honey (I didn’t have any brown or white sugar at the time)

    1 c nut butter (I used the Nuts for Nature Nut & Seed Butter. It’s absolutely delicious!!!)

    1 tsp vanilla

    1. Preheat oven to 350oF.
    2. Combine dry ingredients together (oats, baking soda and chocolate chips).
    3. Combine wet ingredients together (honey, eggs, vanilla & nut butter).
    4. Combine wet and dry ingredients together.
    5. Scoop out 1 Tbsp of batter for each cookie. Bake in oven at 350oF for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are golden brown and puffed up.
    Nut Butter
    In case you didn’t know which nut butter I was talking about, here is a picture of the delicious creation. This recipe pretty much depleted my supply of this nut butter. When this pandemic is over, I’m going to need to restock.

    Carrot Muffins

    Carrot Muffins
    Our mini golden doodle would have loved to have a bite of these. 🙂 You can sort of see her n the blurred background.

    1/2 c honey (I usually do have brown and/or white sugar but during these times, I seem too have run out of both options)

    1/2 c unsalted butter (somehow butter makes everything taste better but oil would be fine to use as well)

    1 c shredded carrots (~2 medium carrots –> I ended up shredding two large carrots so that I had leftover carrots to use in a stirfry)

    2 eggs

    1/2 c 2% milk

    1 tsp baking soda

    1 tsp baking powder

    1 tsp cinnamon

    1/4 tsp salt

    Instructions:

    • Pre-heat oven to 400°F (200° C). Line your muffin tin with silicone cups OR grease & flour your muffin tin.
    • In a medium bowl whisk together the butter, beaten eggs, carrots, honey and milk.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
    • Add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stir with a spatula or wooden spoon just until combined (15 or 16 stirs no more). Bake for approximately 20 minutes.

    5 Ingredient Bagel

     

    Bagels

    I don’t know anyone who is not a fan of bagels but given that it is a pandemic right now, I thought why not try making bagels myself? I thought bagels were very complicated to make but not with this recipe that I found. I’m still going to need to perfect on shaping these bagels more evenly but it sure was fun to make them. 🙂 These homemade bagels definitely aren’t as carbohydrate rich as the ones available on the market.

    Click here to make the easiest 5 ingredient bagels.

    Banana Bread

    What is your favourite go to banana bread recipe? My go to banana bread recipe is from the Joy of Cooking cookbook. Naturally, I always use half the amount of sugar recommended and I also do reduce the fat content by half as well.

    banana bread

    Irish Soda Bread

    I have a small bag of spelt flour sitting in my pantry for some time now. I wanted to find a simple recipe that could incorporate some spelt so this is the answer. Instead of wholemeal flour, I used spelt. I also didn’t have buttermilk at home but did you know that if you add 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to 250 mL of milk, you can make buttermilk? This is what I ended up doing.

    Click here to make simple & delicious soda bread

     

    Food For Thought: What have you been baking during Covid-19? What are some of your simple go to recipes? I’d love to know because I can see the appeal of baking more often now as it always makes the house smell so good.

    During these times of uncertainty, there’s a certain level of comfort in baking but it also incorporates some degree of normal in your life. Haven’t baked yet during Covid-19? I highly recommend you try as it can help calm and relieve some stress if you are feeling anxious during these uncertain times.

  • Taking Care of a Newborn’s Delicate Skin

    Taking Care of a Newborn’s Delicate Skin

    Until having my own child, I’ve never truly understood the saying “Your skin is as soft as a baby’s bottom”. A baby’s skin is so soft and so delicate. As an individual who takes a strong interest in taking care of my own skin, it is natural that I also have made it a priority to take care of my baby’s skin.

    A common condition in which many babies will experience (including my baby E) is baby acne. Everyone tells me to leave it alone as baby acne will go away naturally. It’s hard to leave it alone as a first time parent because I know if I had a breakout, I would try to be proactive about it. The good thing is I know the acne is not bothering her (she doesn’t seem to be itchy) but the appearance (bumpy and red) certainly bothers me (as I’m sure it bothers other parents as well). I’m practicing my patience. With that being said, during the time while baby acne heals, I have tried these products to maintain clean skin. I know there are many products on the market but here is what I have tried so far. As the saying also goes “A mother knows best” so what has worked for my baby may not work for your baby but I believe these are all safe options to start.

    Warm Water

    As the initial step, I always wipe down Baby E’s face with lukewarm water so that the skin is not irritated (either by really hot water or by really cold water) using a bamboo terry washcloth. I wipe her face at least 2-3 times per day but may wipe her face down more if she’s had more spit up throughout the day.

    Tip: Need a quick gift idea? So many individuals default to buying an outfit as a gift but what can be very useful and always used on a daily basis are wash cloths. 🙂

    Breastmilk

    As breastmilk does have antimicrobial properties, breastmilk can also be a cleansing option. What I have done is after I have wiped Baby E’s face with lukewarm water, I pat dry. I then soak a cotton pad with breastmilk and wipe this cotton pad all over her face. Once dried, I then wipe her face down with lukewarm water again.

    Unfortunately, for me, I did not see much results with breastmilk; therefore, I stopped. I did this routine for 3 days in a row. I know it’s worked for other mothers though. 🙂 As mentioned before, every baby is different so you just don’t know what will work for your baby until you try it.

    Mustela No Rinse Soothing Cleansing Water for Baby’s with Very Sensitive Skin with Avocado Pereose

    mustela cleansing water
    Mustela Cleansing Cream can easily be found on Amazon.

    As I mentioned above, Baby E’s skin is bumpy (on both cheeks) and both cheeks are red (i.e. inflammation is present). I did some research on this product and thought it was worth a shot.

    Like with breastmilk, I first wipe Baby E’s face with lukewarm water. Once dry, I will then squirt 2-3 pumps of this cleansing water on a cotton pad and will wipe Baby E’s face all over.

    Within a day of using this product, I noticed that Baby E’s cheeks were less red and less inflamed so I would say this product as worked for me. Thank goodness! 🙂 By Day 3 of using this product, 95% of the redness had subsided. Woohoo!

    So Luxury Coconut and Oat Milk Bath

    cocooatbath
    It’s made in Canada (in BC) and can easily be found at West Coast Kids. During this period of time, let’s try to support local businesses where we can. =)

    I’ve heard so many good things about this product not only for baby but for adults too so I bought it for us (my husband and I) as well as Baby E to enjoy. 🙂

    In combination with using the Mustela Cleansing Water, I also added this product when Baby E took her baths (the water would also be used to wash her hair as I noticed she has mild cradle cap).  Baby E’s body doesn’t have any skin problems (at the present time) but I want to keep it that way so if this product keeps skin healthy and moisturized, I’m all for continuing the use of this product. The ingredients in the product are recognizable so this makes me feel good when I use it on Baby E’s skin.

    After cleansing the face, what have I used to moisturize Baby E’s face and body?

    Mustela Hydra Bebe Face Cream with natural Avocado Pereose for Normal Skin

    mustela face cream
    This product can easily be found on Amazon. The tube is only 40 mL but because a baby doesn’t need a lot of moisturizer at one time, it still can last a little while. 

    Because I found Mustela’s cleansing oil to be effective with Baby E, I decided to try the moisturizer as well. I didn’t find I needed to go with the very sensitive skin option as I believe Baby E has normal skin (as far as I can see for now).

    The lotion is not greasy and it doesn’t have a very strong scent (apparently, the scent is Mustela’s iconic scent). Ideally, I would like a non-scented option but so far, this lotion has been working very well for Baby E.

    Baby Boo Bamboo Natural Body Lotion

    A friend gifted me a set of products from Baby Boo Bamboo including the Body Lotion, Shampoo and Diaper Cream. I use the diaper cream religiously and *knock on wood* but Baby E has yet to experience major diaper rash. We’ve also been applying diaper cream generously with each diaper change in fear of diaper rash.

    I initially used the natural body lotion on Baby E’s face. For the first 6 weeks of her life, Baby E didn’t have baby acne but during week 7, the baby acne popped out of nowhere. This is when I switched to Mustela’s Hydra Bebe Face cream.  For the first 6 weeks of Baby E’s life, Baby Boo Bamboo natural body lotion did the job. It was moisturizing and non-greasy.

    At the present time, I continue to use the natural body lotion on Baby E’s body after bath time.

    Because I mentioned about Baby E not having diaper rash, let’s talk briefly about the baby wipe options on the market as well. I have tried pretty much all the brands on the market and I have to say, I like the Aleva Naturals and/or Baby Boo Bamboo wipes the best. I find both of the wipes from these brands are more moist and soft compared to the other brands on the market (e.g. Kirkland, Huggies and Pampers). If I had to pick one out of the 3 other options, I would pick Kirkland over Huggies and Pampers.

    Food For Thought: As  a new parent/mother, I know there are many aspects of baby care where it can instill worry. For me, baby acne was a trigger. As a mother/parent, what are your go to baby skincare products? I’d love to know as I’m always curious about good products that can keep good skin on baby.

     

  • Newborn Gear Essentials

    Newborn Gear Essentials

    Now that Baby E is 7 weeks, my husband and I are a little over halfway through the newborn phase. As first time parents, all the  baby gear options can be overwhelming. Luckily, we also do have many friends and family members who have had kids so we’ve had a lot of opinions as to what is a “must have”.

    As first time parents, it is easy to go overboard and buy everything in sight but a piece of very useful advice I got from a sales associate at a store is “Buy only what you need for the first week. Generally speaking, what you need during the first week will carry you through the first month”.

    What are some items I cannot live without?

    My Brest Friend:

    For the amount of time I spend breastfeeding, I am pretty much attached to this item. I definitely feel like the Brest Friend offers more support than other nursing pillows. Although the Brest Friend is my preferred feeding pillow, I would recommend a 2nd breastfeeding pillow just because I find that I constantly am washing the cover for the brest friend. I am fortunate that I was gifted the Brest Friend and another nursing pillow so I do have two on hand to use.

    Milkies Milk Saver:

    In my previous post, I mentioned that my milk supply came in late. I recognize how precious each drop of breastmilk is. With each feeding (on average, baby E feeds 12-16 times/day), I do find that collecting the milk that leaked on the side is helpful. It’s so easy to use; just pop it into your nursing bra and it’ll save you from having milk soaked clothing afterwards.

    Medela Freestyle Breast Pump:

    For the first 2 weeks of breastfeeding, I could not imagine my life without a breast pump.  In order to help Baby E not lose any further weight, I had to put Baby E on the breast, supplement with formula and then pump for 15 minutes after each feeding. The next step was to put Baby E on the breast with a nipple shield and then supplement with expressed breast milk which meant I still needed to pump after each feeding. Getting a whole 150 mL bottle filled felt like such a huge accomplishment to me. 🙂

    I now currently pump in fear of engorgement but it also allows my husband to be involved with feeding as well.

    If you’re on the fence about getting a pump, don’t be. It’s totally worth it! 🙂 Having said that, I’m very thankful that a friend lent me her Medela pump. I bought new accessories (i.e. the tubing, bottles and the breast shields) to go with it.

    Baby Bottles:

    If you plan to have your partner involved with feeding, be prepared with different types of baby bottles and bottle nipples. We tried Dr. Brown bottles with preemie nipples, Nanobebe bottles and the Philips Avent bottles. It’s hard to say what your baby will like until you try the various options.

    If you plan to bottle feed, you may want to buy a bottle sterilizer to make your life easier in terms of cleaning. We went with the Philips Avent 3 in 1 Sterilizer.

    If you end up buying the Nanobebe set, it comes with its own sterilizing system.

    Bravado Designs Silk Seamless Nursing Bra: 

    Females are always looking for comfortable bras so I can’t imagine going through breastfeeding without a comfortable bra as well. Say hello to the Bravado Designs Silk Seamless Nursing Bra. During pregnancy, I was able to carry on with my regular bras but the minute breastfeeding began, I am very thankful for these nursing bras. It makes breastfeeding a smidge easier. 😉

    Glider:

    Prior to making my own decision about getting a glider as part of the nursery, individuals had mixed opinions on whether a glider is necessary or not. Based on my experience right now, a glider is absolutely necessary. I do all my feedings also rock Baby E to sleep on the glider. I can’t imagine life without the glider. I catch my husband taking a nap on the glider as well. 😉 My heart was set on a cloth glider by Dutalier; however, after much thought, I’m so glad we switched to buying a leather glider because leather is easier to clean. In addition, this leather glider could be used as a regular piece of furniture after Baby E is all grown up.

    Ubbi Diaper Pail:

    Wow. Before having Baby E, our organics bin would never get full. It’s a completely different story since having Baby E. Our organics bin is consistently full from week to week. Trust me, you’ll want to have the ubbi diaper pail in your nursery so that you can just toss that diaper away and keep the odour locked in.

    Babymoov Cosydream Newborn Lounger:

    I was all set on buying a Snuggle Me Organics but my mom suggested that I go with this option instead. Why? I like how this option can help with reflux (babies do have a fair bit of spit up), it can help prevent flat head (the pillow has a built in flat head prevention pillow) and it has a safety belt to make sure the baby is tucked in tight (baby E was born on the small side so this felt like the best option for her). Regardless of what option you go with, you will need a lounger. As much as baby snuggles are nice, you’ll want some time to be hands free but not have to worry as the baby will be right there beside you.

    Bassinet:

    Before we realized we were in a pandemic, I had imagined that we would continue our weekly visits to each set of grandparents. Saturday nights were reserved for my in laws whereas Sunday nights were reserved for my parents.  Because my mom already purchased the KidCo TravelPod Plus (it’s a travel size playpen with a bassinet on top) as I had planned to make weekly visits to each set of grandparents, she suggested I use this as the bassinet at home. We (my husband, Baby E & I have nowhere to go now as we’re all under lockdown). So far, it’s worked out great! Baby E, thankfully, does like sleeping in the bassinet. 🙂

    I did seriously consider the Halo Bassinet but during uncertain times like these, I’ll save money where I can. Buying baby gear certainly adds up! Believe me, during the weeks where there were major developmental growth going on aka “Leaps”, I was even tempted to consider the Snoo but that leads to a whole new discussion.

    Babymoov Lovenest Pillow:

    As the Cosydream Newborn Lounger is considered a sleeping aid, the baby is not meant to sleep in it overnight as it is not considered a safe option. To prevent flathead in the bassinet, I also purchased the Lovenest Head Support pillow. Luckily, Baby E had little trouble falling asleep in her bassinet with the head support pillow. 🙂

    Halo Sleepsack Swaddle:

    To help your baby go to sleep, you will need to swaddle him/her. I’ve tried the SwaddleMe brand and Halo Sleepsack Swaddle but am thinking about trying the Love to Dream Swaddle. There are so many brands on the market so it really depends on what your baby likes. Baby E is a flailer and naturally likes to sleep with her hands up by where her head is; therefore, I think she would do better in a Love to Dream Swaddle but for now, she seems to tolerate the Halo Sleepsack Swaddle so I’m going to stick with it for routine’s sake.

    White Noise Machine:

    Learning about the “awake period” according to the baby’s age has been very helpful combined with watching Baby E’s cues for sleepiness to help me establish sleep patterns for Baby E. At 7 weeks, there is no sleep pattern but I have been consistent with my nap time routine and bedtime routine for Baby E. I have found the white noise machine (we have the DreamEgg) to be quite useful in helping Baby E fall asleep. We also do have a mini golden doodle at home. Thankfully, for the time being, noises like our dog barking does not bother her. Let’s see how the barks affect her sleep in the future.

    Baby Bjorn Bouncer:

    Starting at the one month mark, I found Baby E to start becoming more aware of her surroundings and became more interested in looking around. I thought the Baby Bjorn Bouncer was the perfect option as we don’t live in a big space so I needed something compact but functional. The bouncer is a great option for when my husband and I are having dinner but we’d like to include Baby E as well. The bouncer is also a great option for when we’re in the office and would like to get some work done but also would like to keep a close eye on Baby E.

    Baby Wrap:

    There are days where Baby E is extremely clingy and the only way to get her to sleep is on me via a baby wrap. I was lucky in the sense that I’ve been able to try three different types of wrap (Solly Wrap, Innoo Baby Wrap and the Beluga Baby Wrap). All 3 wraps are very soft but I found the Solly Wrap the lightest. If I had Baby E during the warmer months, I believe this would be my wrap of choice. I prefer The Innoo Baby Wrap and the Beluga Baby Wrap because the material is a bit more elastic and a little bit more forgiving if the wrapping job on my part is not done as well. 😉

    ErgoBaby OMNI 360 Mesh Carrier:

    Don’t get me wrong. I love my stroller. Baby E loves walks in a stroller as she falls asleep instantly in there but there are also days where it’s easier just to strap her into the carrier and start walking especially during Covid-19 times (you can zigzag to avoid individuals easier when the baby is strapped to you).  I also like how using the mesh carrier can help my husband develop a bond with Baby E (same goes for the baby wrap as mentioned above).

    Baby Stroller:

    The stroller and the carseat were the first two purchases my husband and I made. I was pretty sure I was going to go for the Uppababy Vista but I was also tempted to go with a Bugaboo Fox as both are great strollers (you can’t go wrong with either option). How did we choose the Fox in the end? I liked how the Bugaboo Fox has a bigger sun canopy and my husband liked how the Fox looked compared to the Uppababy.

    Infant Car Seat:

    My husband and I were trying to decide between the Nuna Pipa Lite and Clek Liing. Both are very similar but we just took that leap of faith and chose the Clek. We love it so far as the Clek is fairly light. Since the car seat can also be placed on the stroller, we have tried taking Baby E out in the carseat while in the stroller. I find Baby E is more comfortable in the bassinet while in the stroller. 😉

    Activity Mat:

    Tummy time can be started from Day 1 so pull that activity mat out and start using it from day 1. Baby E certainly did not like it very much in the beginning but she is slowly getting used to it. Currently, Baby E does tummy time around 2-3 times per day ~5 minutes each time. She could be on the mat longer but if she continues to be on the mat for longer than 5 minutes, she will get frustrated. Flip her on her backside and she does enjoy looking at the toys dangling from above.

    Onesies:

    100% cotton onesies with zippers will make diaper change time a lot easier. I know many individuals may find it very cute to buy little outfits for newborns but 100% cotton onesies with zippers seem the most practical for the first month of life. After all, at this point in time, the newborn’s job is just to eat, sleep and poop.

    Food For Thought: Perhaps you are someone who is not quite ready to become a parent but would like to purchase a useful gift for a friend who will become a new parent. I certainly wished I had more knowledge of what are some essential baby items for new parents when my friends started to get pregnant.

    Are you becoming a new parent soon? What is on your “To Buy” list? Becoming a new parent may be daunting and you may feel like you need everything but the truth is, there are only some key items you need. What are your must haves?

  • Becoming New Parents During Covid-19 Pandemic

    Becoming New Parents During Covid-19 Pandemic

    At the end of 2019, my husband and I were both so excited to bring new life into the world come 2020. Little did we know that a pandemic was waiting to greet us in 2020.

    SugarPlumPhotography-15

    My expected due date was March 14, 2020 aka Pi Day. If many of you recall, March 14, 2020 was the day social distancing in Toronto, ON started. Our little girl must have known something big was going to happen because she arrived 3 weeks early on February 25, 2020. Keep in mind I started my maternity leave one month earlier to make sure everything is ready before our baby girl arrives. This baby girl definitely had her own plans in mind.

    Since our little girl (Everleigh) arrived, many individuals asked me how my delivery went, how everything is going, how is the adjustment period, etc. In this post, let me share with you my experience.

    As an allied health care professional and someone who took the prenatal course, I know the signs of labour (water breaking, mucous plug, lightning show, contractions, etc).

    In reality, I experienced all those symptoms- my water broke, I saw the mucous plug, I saw the lightning show and definitely had contractions but I was in complete denial and said there was no way I am in labour. My body even went into self cleansing mode as I went to the bathroom every 30 minutes during the night and had a regular bowel movement. I ended off with my first nausea and vomiting episode of my pregnancy in the morning. My husband encouraged me to call triage but I refused. My OB appointment was the next day early in the morning so I decided to hang in there. Before going to the OB appointment, my husband encouraged both of us to pack our hospital bags with us; however, I continued to be in denial (as a first time mom, how could my baby arrive 3 weeks early given that I’ve had no complications during pregnancy?) and was very confident that we would be back in home no time. I never made it back home. After the OB appointment, my OB sent me to triage as she said “You’ve been leaking fluids for ~36 hours. You are 3 cm dilated. Go to triage.”

    While waiting in triage, I was surprised as there were so many other mothers to be waiting patiently in the room. Why was I the only mother to be who could not sit down for more than one minute? I constantly had to get up to help ease the discomfort of contractions. Not only was I experiencing contractions but my body continued to cleanse itself as I continued to vomit.  Later on, I find out the reason why all the other mothers to be were so calm was because they were all planned C-sections.

    Remember how I said my husband and I both did not have our hospital bag? Thankfully I had mine packed but my husband did not have his packed. Luckily, the hospital I delivered at is very close to where we live so he was able to go home and bring the necessary items.

    Key Things to Pack? For your husband and/or partner- blankets & pillows.  For yourself- padsicles (your lady parts will thank you). If you don’t know what padiscles are, look them up OR message me and I am happy to enlighten you as to what padsicles are. Although I packed an outfit for myself, I found that I was happy to live in my hospital gown. The opposite could be said though; I have known some new moms who said that they felt more like themselves when they put their own clothes on.

    I don’t know very many people who are a fan of hospital food. Pack snacks and some items you’d like to eat in your hospital bag. You don’t have to pack any snacks at all because luckily, in the world we live in today, there is something called UberEats. Because our daughter arrived at 6:13 PM in the evening, all the food options in the hospital were closed by the time we were able to have a meal. Hallelujah for UberEats as we were able to order what we wanted to eat. The UberEats delivery person will be happy to meet you at the maternity ward.

    me with sushi at sunny
    Don’t worry. This wasn’t all for me. I shared. 🙂

    The reality is you are typically only in the hospital for 24 hours. Pack your typical items you would pack for an overnight trip (toiletries and your necessities). I packed makeup but to be honest, putting makeup on was the last thing on my mind. We were there for ~72 hours (inclusive of the OB appointment and time spent in triage).  We needed to stay longer as our daughter did not pass urine for the first 24 hours (my milk supply had not come in yet and she had issues latching), she was at high risk for losing more than 10% of her birthweight and tests showed she was at high risk for developing jaundice.

    During prenatal class, it is highly recommended to come up with a birthing plan. In my case, due to my state of denial and thinking I was experiencing Braxton Hicks, I did not  time my contractions (I downloaded an app in advance but never had the chance to use it). Once I was ushered into the birthing unit, it was closer to 1:30 PM (I waited ~3 hours in triage). Never mind the squat bar or hydrotherapy; my husband was not even back from grabbing our hospital bags. Thank goodness for my support nurse as she helped me breathe through the contractions. Don’t worry, my husband made it in time for the latter half of my contractions and was definitely there to witness the crowning and the birth. 🙂

    I tried to get through as much of the labour as possible without medication; however, I knew from the beginning that I would need epidural. I took the the epidural  but I was surprised at how much of the labour you could still feel. With that being said, the two best pieces of advice that I have been given is this:

    a) “Before giving birth to a baby, you will be told by many individuals of what their birthing experience was like. Many of these individuals will tell you horrifying and/or terrifying situations; however, throw all these stories out the window because you need to focus on your situation. Every woman is capable of giving birth and you are no different. You will get through the labour. It is possible.”

    b) “To get through each contraction, imagine it being a wave as you are sitting on the beach”. As the tide goes out, you breathe out. As the tide comes in come, you breathe in. The most important thing to remember is to remain calm”.

    As I leave you with the two most helpful pieces of advice I received, I will only say that labour (i.e. pushing phase) was much better than anticipated. You CAN get through it and you WILL get through it. Before I knew it, I had my baby girl in my arms. The only regret I had was I did not get a chance to check out the placenta. I know many individuals find these things to be gross and disgusting but I, for some reason, find these things fascinating.

    Lessons learned as a new parent:

    1. As a new mother, your sole responsibility is to feed the baby. Your schedule revolves around him/her. You will find that you won’t have time to do much else. Between feeding the baby, trying to nourish yourself as well as cleaning and/or sterilizing the equipment needed for feeding times, there is not much time left for much else.
      1. Learn to prioritize what you would like to do with your limited “free” time.
        1. Currently, I’d rather go out for a 10 minute walk with the entire family (husband, dog, baby and myself) OR I’ll go for a walk with the dog while my husband holds down the fort.
        2. I choose to read a book rather than sit in front of the TV and binge through a Netflix series. It’s not to say that I haven’t watched Netflix but it will take up to 3 days to finish 1 x 60 minute episode of a series.
        3. During Covid-19 times, having video chats with grandparents on a daily basis is crucial.
    2. There is nothing you can do about the broken sleep schedule to accommodate the frequent feedings of a newborn baby. Too many times have we all heard the phrase “Breast is best”. Don’t be afraid to pump some breastmilk so that your partner can get involved with the feeding as well.  Work with your partner to figure out a routine that works for both of you. The mother can’t do this alone. I know many new mothers who like to take naps throughout the day. I’ve never been a napper and currently still struggle with the concept of napping.
      1. In our  current situation, my daughter feeds, on average, between 10-12 times per day (~ every 2-3 hours). My husband has agreed to do one to two feedings anytime between 12-3 AM. I will be responsible for the rest of the feedings. What does this mean for my sleep pattern?
        1. I usually am able to sleep between 11:30 PM- 3:30 PM. Go back to bed between 4:30 AM-6:30AM and beep for the rest of the day with the occasional nap.
          1. Of course, there are days where the day is an exception to the general routine. There have been days where my daughter has fed 15 or 18 times per day which pretty much means during my waking hours, she’s feeding on the hour at every hour. I definitely am a bit more sleep deprived on these days.
    3. Having appropriate support systems in place is very important. It’s okay to accept help. It does take a village to raise a baby.
      1. As mentioned above, a mother’s sole responsibility is to feed the baby and the partner’s job is to support her in whatever way possible. Therefore,
        1. Who is designated for meal prep?
        2. Who can help out with house chores?
        3. Who can help look after the baby should the mother and/or father would like a nap?
        4. Who can help watch or take the dog (if you have a dog) out?
        5. Has anyone offered to help with bath time for the newborn?
    4. Breastfeeding is not easy. I delivered at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and am very fortunate to have access to a breastfeeding clinic where lactation consultants are on staff. My milk supply came in late and my daughter had latching issues. With that being said, for the two weeks of life, I needed to supplement her diet with formula. As a Registered Dietititian, I always do encourage clients to exclusively breastfeed for as long as possible. Accepting that I needed to supplement my daughter’s diet with supplement in the beginning until my milk came in was a challenge for me. Needing formula in the beginning is not a sign of failure.
          1. I am happy to say that my daughter is currently feeding well but with the help of a nipple shield.
    5. My husband and I are truly trying to enjoy/savour every moment with our newborn. Another piece of advice I really appreciated is: “Enjoy every phase.  Each phase will bring new joys for you and your partner”.

     

    How has the Covid-19 Pandemic affected parenthood?

    I appreciate all the extra time we have as a nuclear family. I love how the pace of life has slowed down and we really enjoy being in the present. I would say the biggest impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on parenthood is social distancing. Before Toronto was on lockdown, I thoroughly enjoyed visitors coming over. I found that if we have two visitors (individuals/groups of individuals), it was manageable. I would tell other visitors to come on another day. If you are not comfortable with visitors, let people know. People will understand.

    I was mentally prepared to spend the majority of the first month indoors as the feeding schedule allows you with little flexibility to go out and enjoy the fresh air. Having said that, we welcomed visitors but as soon as lockdown occurred, all visitors voluntarily cancelled (understandably so). As it is now past the one month mark and with no end in sight for the social distancing to end, I do wonder if we’ll ever get back to a state of “normal” again.  It is so hard to even have to limit the visits from grandparents which is why video chats on a daily basis is crucial. It feels very weird not to have Everleigh interact with her older cousins in person. Thankfully, we do live in an age where video chats are possible so it’s not complete isolation. 🙂

    Food For Thought: Bottom line is: being a new parent or not, we are all faced with challenges during these difficult times. My heart goes out to those laid off. I am in awe of parents who have no choice but to take care of their child(ren) and balance working from home. I think of the students who are affected by the pandemic and the struggles they may encounter as the online learning system seems very self-directed. Last but not least, I think of those who have had to postpone their weddings and/or other celebrations . Let’s all do our part and stay home as much as possible. Keep abiding by social distancing rules so we can flatten the curve.

    grayscale photo of man woman and child

  • Pregnancy Lessons Learned So Far…

    Pregnancy Lessons Learned So Far…

    I promise I’m not going to turn this blog into a #pregnancy/#momlife/#lifewithkids blog but I personally feel like it’s important to share what I’ve learned about my pregnancy journey as it’s often a topic that many females may be wondering about as they are thinking about getting pregnant but it’s never a topic readily discussed over coffee and/or at get togethers.

    From what I’ve experienced, friends who have become mothers generally don’t think that “mom topics” and/or discussions about kids are relevant because non-moms and/or non-parents would find this boring. I’ve never found discussions about “mom things” boring and/or discussions about kid friendly products boring; perhaps it is because I am also currently surrounded with a mini baby boom with many friends who do have children so I find it helpful to be somewhat in the loop. Another factor why I may not find these discussions boring is because as part of my work, I do counsel young families who may have a picky eater and/or a child who is underweight and/or a child who is experiencing failure to thrive. Sometimes, when a child is struggling with his/her eating habits, it requires me to look beyond what type of food is being offered and to look into the environment and other factors that may affect the child’s behaviour.

    At 30 weeks and 4 days, here is what I have learned about pregnancy so far:

    1. Initial Feelings of When I Found Out When I’m Pregnant…

    When I was pregnant the first time, I was very excited but also naive to think that this pregnancy was going to be a “for sure deal”. I know that most individuals recommend waiting until the first 3 months of pregnancy have passed before announcing to individuals. With the first pregnancy, it was really hard to contain my excitement so I could only hold it in for so long before I couldn’t help myself but break the news to a handful of individuals.

    With the second pregnancy, I decided to proceed with more caution knowing that it really isn’t a “for sure deal”.  You never know what could happen within the first 3 months (and even beyond). As for timing, I found out right before I was leaving for Washington for a pre-wedding celebration. Due to the nature of the trip, I had to tell one individual to explain why I wasn’t drinking alcohol and/or have one person at least help fend off other individuals who would continue to offer drinks (I also do recognize that some family doctors have started to recommend that it is okay to have a little bit of alcohol during pregnancy particularly during the 3rd trimester. I have made the personal choice to abstain during the whole pregnancy).

    I continued to reveal to individuals on an “as needed basis”. The next time I revealed the good news to someone was when we went up to a friend’s cottage. It was my husband and I along with the couple who own the cottage. Because my friend knows I like rose, she made rose punch. I initially requested to have water to start but when I finished the water and continued to refuse the rose punch, she caught on to what was happening.

    I was fully prepared to eat sashimi as my husband and I had made plans with another couple at a Japanese-Peruvian fusion Restaurant. On this day, it was also my first appointment with OB/GYN. It’s like the OB/GYN read my mind because before I could say anything, she said “It’s not worth eating raw fish”. By this point, my OB/GYN knows that I am a Registered Dietitian; therefore, I proceed to respond with “But the newest guidelines say you can have raw fish as long as it is from a reputable place”. The OB/GYN then proceeded to say “It still isn’t worth the risk because you never know if you become one of the lucky ones who end up with a piece of bad fish. It’s been quite the journey to get yourself to where you are today so let’s just take all the necessary precautions”.

    Because the couple who we made plans to eat at the Japanese- Peruvian restaurant knows that I love sashimi, seeing me not eat sashimi tipped them off that something is off. Since finding out I am pregnant, I have not touched a piece of sashimi but I do miss it dearly.

    How did my husband react? His reactions mirrored my reaction to pregnancy. The first time we were expecting a child, my husband was very excited and also naive in the sense that we both thought nothing bad could happen now. When we found out the second time, my husband didn’t show as much excitement not because he wasn’t excited but because he was also being cautious knowing that making it through the first 3 months safely is a journey in itself.

    2. Morning Sickness/ Pregnancy Symptoms

    I consider myself very lucky/fortunate to not have experienced any adverse symptoms of pregnancy. I have to say that pregnancy agrees with my body be it the first time or the second time. The only symptoms I felt during the first trimester was that I would prefer to be on the couch between 4-7 PM but as soon as I peeled myself off the couch and started moving, I would be fine.

    I always thought that pregnancy would cause me to develop a ravenous appetite. I was surprised to find out that during the first trimester, my appetite had decreased to half its normal size. I jokingly tell people all the time that my stomach has shrunk in half. I didn’t have any aversions to smells as well so I really was okay to eat and/or drink anything but after eating a half portion, I would naturally stop because my stomach would feel so full.

    Although I personally did not experience nausea and/or vomiting, I really can see how it can be crippling for the mother to be. Life is really put on hold as you constantly just don’t  feel well. Hats off to all mothers who had to go through morning sickness.

    I have been very pleasantly surprised to see that I didn’t experience any bloating and/or swelling of fingers. I also have not experienced any heartburn. Water retention and/or feeling puffy has always been a fear of mine but so far, that hasn’t seemed to be a problem for me.

    Stretch marks is also a daunting fear of mine but I have been proactive in using belly jelly. Some friends tell me that these stretch marks will appear suddenly overnight but I am doing my best to try to keep the skin around the belly area well moisturized. So far what I do see is the pregnancy line darkening. It’s a line that goes straight down the middle of your belly and it darkens as your pregnancy goes on. If I end up with a few stretch marks, so be it. The body has certainly gone through a lot of changes over the last little bit.

    3. Stay Active

    I definitely experienced fear of what physical activity is appropriate during the first trimester. Having found out in mid July, I was torn. I wanted to continue to run but I also feared that running would be a little too strenuous for the early stage of pregnancy (although I know that the recommendations say that as long as you are used to that type of activity, it should be okay). I was still getting a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity per day as our mini golden doodle needs to get her fix of physical activity.

    I reached a point where I said enough was enough so I would do short 5 KM jogs at a leisurely pace. Aside from the fear of the run being too strenuous, I was also conscious of the fact that I needed to go to the bathroom more often so I didn’t want to do more than 5 KM at a time.

    As soon as I passed the first trimester, I have been actively participating in prenatal pilates, prenatal yoga classes and regular barre classes at 889 Community. I love the vibe of the studio and because the studio is friendly to both pregnant and non-pregnant individuals, I felt very safe in attending these classes because the instructor would modify any exercises to something I could do. I aim to go to 4 classes a week but due to something called life, I often can only go to 3 classes a week. As the saying goes “Do what you can”.

    Like many females, I’ve had extreme fear of becoming a beluga whale during pregnancy. I know each person carries the weight differently but I do believe that being active before, during and after is very important. Don’t use pregnancy as an excuse to lay on the couch as a couch potato. It’s really easy to do so (I’ve used that excuse a few times but I know that this excuse would do me no good). Peel yourself off the couch and start moving!

    4. Seek Out a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist

    Where did I hear about pelvic floor health first? I attended a group fitness class and as a guest speaker, a pelvic floor physiotherapist came in to do a talk. Although some individuals may think that pelvic floor physiotherapists are more relevant for individuals who are currently pregnant and/or individuals who have delivered children, pelvic floor muscle health is very important for the pre-pregnant female as well.

    As more and more friends have become mothers, pelvic floor health has been a more frequent topic. At the end of my first trimester, I decided to book my initial assessment. I was not surprised when I found out that I have very weak kegel muscles. Since the end of September 2019, I have been diligently working on kegel muscles and/or other exercises suggested by the physiotherapist but also following up every 2 weeks for accountability. The physiotherapist has also suggested I purchase kegel weights which I do have to use on a daily basis.

    I am pleased to say that I have seen progress. Pre-pregnancy, I am an individual who would need to go to the washroom on the hour every hour. During the first little bit of pregnancy, there were times where I would need to go to the bathroom every half an hour. As I continue to work on strengthening my pelvic floor muscles, I don’t need to go to the bathroom as often.

    Physiotherapy can also help with correcting back pain. Pre-pregnancy, I would say that I have experienced very little back pain. At my current stage of pregnancy, I still have to say I don’t experience back pain (*knock on wood). I find that I don’t like using the Snoogle (the body pillow) but I also don’t like having pillows in between my legs.

    5.  Eating Habits- how have they changed? Any Cravings?

    I am sad to report that I have not experienced any cravings to do. I, personally, was looking forward to experiencing cravings as I would like to see how weird could the combinations of food get?

    As I mentioned earlier, I thought my appetite would increase exponentially during pregnancy but it has not. Perhaps the reason why it has not is because I’ve become more mindful of my eating habits. I eat more intuitively. I don’t restrict myself but I eat when I am hungry. I eat my 3 meals a day and really only have one or two additional snacks throughout the day. This is the recommendation (i.e. pregnant individuals should continue how they normally eat and add an additional 300 calories per day which is equivalent to two small snacks throughout the day). It’s not to say I won’t have a treat here and there; I do have a treat every now and then but I have no feeling of guilt whatsoever. Having said that, I am eating a little bit more cheese than I normally do as I’m trying to get enough calcium per day. 😉

    Are there any of foods I miss? Absolutely!!!! There is not a day that goes by where I don’t think about sashimi, raw oysters and a perfectly poached egg. I’ve never been a huge fan of deli meats so this category of food doesn’t mean much to me but because I love bagels, a lox and bagel would be something I would have from time to time. I’ve stayed away from smoked salmon for the duration of my pregnancy. Individuals are quite surprised that I would opt to eat soft cheeses but I find as long as the soft cheese it is pasteurized, I’m fine with eating it (I know some individuals will not eat soft cheese even if it is pasteurized).

    What is the hardest thing you have had to adapt and/or change during pregnancy? Due to the social aspect of having a coffee and tea with individuals, I’ve found it hard to limit my caffeine intake per day. I’m generally not a person who consumes an excessive amount of caffeine per day but it’s now knowing there is an actual limit per day. I have been adhering to generally having one cup of tea in the morning. When the occasion calls for it, I will have a latte in a social setting but generally, I will only have one cup of tea and/or coffee during the morning to account for other items that may contain caffeine (e.g. chocolate 😉 ).

    I’m not a huge consumer of alcohol but I absolutely do miss the freedom of having a choice of whether or not to enjoy a glass of wine. Being pregnant over the holidays is difficult as a glass of bubbles is often enjoyed throughout a few occasions. Attending weddings and/or other celebrations is also difficult because you want to have a glass of bubbles but you are handed a cocktail instead where you know it’s all sugar but you want to be included. 😉

    Because of my profession (i.e. Registered Dietitian), acquiring the desired amount of fibre per day is something I’ve always done even pre-pregnancy. Constipation has not affected me during pregnancy.  I often hear individuals may have constipation during pregnancy but this is also a reason why seeking advice from a Registered Dietitian during your pregnancy may be something you want to consider. Not only are your eating habits important during pregnancy but your nutritional needs will need to be considered during post-pregnancy and breastfeeding stage as well.

    Food For Thought: Each pregnancy is different. I wanted to provide insight to what a positive pregnancy experience could look like as many individuals may only hear of negative pregnancy experiences. Stay active, seek the help of a pelvic floor physiotherapist and consider seeking the advice of a Registered Dietitian to make sure that every bite you take during pregnancy is nutrient dense to ensure you and your baby’s health is optimal.

  • Reflections of 2019- What a Roller Coaster of a Year!

    Reflections of 2019- What a Roller Coaster of a Year!

    I can’t believe there are so few days left in 2019. Before welcoming a new decade in, I’m taking some time to reflect on the past year. This is a lengthy post so be prepared. 🙂

    2019 was destined to be a different year for my husband and I as we added a fur baby (a mini golden doodle) to the family. I believe all fur parents would agree- welcoming a fur baby at the end of January in the midst of a big snowstorm is not the best time to start training a puppy. Believe it or not but we potty trained our fur baby in the middle of winter with no help from pee pads. We were very dedicated and persevered as we took her out every 2 hours to let her relieve herself. We also worked very hard to expose our fur baby to all types of individuals be it socializing with babies, young children, young adults, adults and other dogs of all breeds. The more diversity the better. 🙂 We were also conscious of making sure that our fur baby was exposed to different scenarios (i.e. man or woman wearing a baseball cap, a man or woman wearing a toque, a man or woman wearing a hood) so that the fur baby would not be startled by such things. Luckily, we live in a very family oriented and dog friendly neighbourhood; golden doodles or poodle mixes seem to be the breed of choice so getting our fur baby well socialized seemed to be a very easy task to complete.  Like parents of human children, fur parents are equally just as eager to give tips and/or pieces of advice. As a first time pet owner, I am all ears and felt no annoyance.  My husband and I recognize that our fur baby is a well socialized dog and wants to love everyone but her level of obedience can improve (i.e. you call the dog’s name and say a command once and the dog does what you ask). Some people may say you don’t want a completely obedient dog as you may want the dog to remain somewhat doglike. There’s always two points of view right?

    If anyone thinks that dogs will eat anything and everything, you’ve got to meet our mini golden doodle. Perhaps it’s because she’s more poodle than retriever but she sure is a picky eater. She doesn’t like her dog food so we tried switching brands. Switching brands helped for a little while but she quickly got sick of it. We generally have to cook her very lean cuts of meat (i.e. chicken, turkey). We will give her beef but if the beef is too fatty, she will have the runs. Thankfully she likes salmon so we will give her some salmon as well. Depending on her mood, she will also enjoy blueberries, apple, pear, carrots, cucumber and/or cheese. She may chew on a piece of swiss chard, kale and/or lettuce from time to time. Some individuals have said that this dog has us wrapped around her finger; however, we have also tried the “we will take away the food if you don’t eat and we won’t give you other options” method but our little mini golden doodle has the stamina to hold out for at least 2 days. When she truly does not like something, she will not eat. Her top priority in life is to play. Her next priority is to seek food.

    millie3

    Our lifestyle definitely has changed. We don’t resent the change in lifestyle as our fur baby has added so much joy to our lives but naturally, you do want to stay at home more often and/or after a certain period of time out (i.e. my husband likes the time limit out to be ideally less than 4 hours), you start missing your fur baby and want to go home to hang out with her. I’ve never seen this side of my husband but my husband has become quite protective of our fur baby. He will not trust just anyone with her. If the fur baby can be included on a trip, he wants her to be part of the experience.

    millie4

    If someone thinks that a dog just needs to be taken out to do their business every now and then; think again. Our mini golden doodle does best when she’s gotten a minimum of 3 hours of physical activity but due to working hours and what not, we generally manage 2 hours of physical activity per day with additional walks so that she can go do her business. Don’t forget that this type of dog typically needs grooming every 6-8 weeks. We push for every 8 weeks as we like the shaggy look. She’s worth it though and we wouldn’t change anything! 🙂

    millie5
    We love you, Millie! 🙂

    The year also started off with a very unexpected surprise; on January 9th, I found out I was 5-6 weeks pregnant via a pregnancy test.  My husband and I have been married for over 7 years now. We don’t have children so at this point of time, many individuals have assumed we don’t want children. Has anyone ever told you never to assumptions? Don’t ever make assumptions because when you spell “assume” out, it says ” don’t make an ass of you and me”. Personally speaking, it is a very strange feeling knowing that my husband and I were one of the earlier ones among our circle of friends and/or acquaintances to get married but yet currently, we are one of the last ones to have a child.

    I can’t speak for my husband but I’ve always wanted to have children. My husband could go on in life without children  but if children is what makes me happy, he said he would be fine. I think this is the typical male response. The majority of males never seem to be ready for parenthood but once parenthood hits them, they wouldn’t change it for the world. I may not have been particularly vocal about this want but this is always something I thought that would naturally happen to me eventually.

    As a female, I’ve never been on birth control and my cycles are very normal (it arrives 3 days early each month). As two healthy young individuals, I never thought fertility would be an issue.  My husband and I are not perfect but I can confidently say that our lifestyles (i.e. physical activity and eating habits) are much better than the average couple. Since December 2017, we have been actively trying for a baby. Say hello to ovulation strips and making dates for when the time is right if a baby is what we want. By June 2018, a friend suggested we go to a fertility clinic to see if there were any issues. After investigations, there appeared to be some issues with sperm shape but the doctor did say that it is possible to get pregnant naturally but why was nothing happening? During the later half of 2018, both my husband and I were going to acupuncture treatments twice a week in hope that these treatments would help with fertility.  My husband was also taking 300 mg of Coenzyme Q10 and 2000 IU of Vitamin D. I was taking 600 mg of Coenzyme Q10 and 2000 IU of Vitamin D as well. Apparently, research has shown that both coenzyme q10 and vitamin D can help with fertility. I also learned that to maximize the success rate, you and your partner must engage in activity every other day between day 10 and 18 after you have finished your menstrual cycle. Many individuals would say “Just have fun with it” but the truth is, when you have to map out a schedule every month, there is not much fun left.

    Because my husband and I were having difficulty getting pregnant, you better believe how overjoyed I was when I saw that there was a positive sign on the pregnancy test. Over the next little while, I was on cloud 9. I couldn’t wait to meet my bundle of joy come September 2019. Sadly, 10 days later, I had a miscarriage at work. As a health care professional, I am no stranger to the hospital setting but 2019 was also the first year where I admitted myself into the emergency room to go under further investigation to confirm my miscarriage. Having gone into a hospital with a good reputation, I was shocked that it took them 6 hours to finally see an actively bleeding individual. Thank goodness I had a pad on me because I would have bled through my pants. After doing internal investigations and bloodwork, it was confirmed; there were no signs of pregnancy in my body at all.

    From my husband’s perspective, 2019 was an emotional year for me. I know that it is common for women to have miscarriages. The miscarriage itself did upset me but what upset met me more was the idea that I would never be able to become a mother. The next few months were a blur as the fertility clinic asked us to return only to do more bloodwork to confirm what I already knew. They wanted to confirm that I truly had a miscarriage in order to advise us on the next steps. We were now candidates for intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF).

    In case you don’t know what IUI is, it is when the female is given hormones to manually create ovulation. Because the clinic will know when the female is ovulating, they can prepare what they consider is the best sperm through a sperm wash. Once they extract the best sperm from the wash, the clinic will insert the sperm into the female hoping that it will be a success! 🙂 The success rate for this procedure is, unfortunately, very low.

    In Canada, we are very fortunate in the sense that we are eligible for one funded round of treatment. The only downside is that the wait time can be quite long depending on which clinic you are attached to. Being in the fragile emotional state I was in, I was all for paying out of pocket right away. If you are willing to pay for the IVF treatment, you could be well on your way once you get your next menstrual cycle.  My husband has always been the voice of reason; he asked if we could take a little time to do a little further investigation.

    My husband was not convinced that the fertility clinic did a thorough enough investigation; therefore, he became a detective himself. He has always believed we can get pregnant naturally so he never liked going to the clinic from the beginning . He also did not want us to go through IUI because he did not want my hopes to go up only to come crashing down when it was another failed attempt at getting pregnant. He did not understand how two healthy individuals with no significant past medical history, who both work out regularly whether it’s lifting weights and/or cardio and eats better than most individuals could not get pregnant. We are social drinkers but are not heavy drinkers. We don’t use recreational drugs. Why is parenthood not happening for us? He went to seek the advice of a urologist. Through these appointments, he believes he discovered the root cause of why we were having difficulty getting pregnant. I’m not going to go into details but my husband was diligent and researched natural remedies which could improve his condition. All he emphasized to me is that he needs time for his condition to improve (if it will improve). You can imagine how frustrated, emotional and fragile I was as I continue to get my period month after month. How I long to miss my period for once!

    As the months went by and as we hit the summer months of 2019, I truly began to  think parenthood was not in the books for us. I would be open for adoption but my husband is not open to adoption. From the outside perspective, my husband and I seemed to be “living the life” as per many friends who now have become parents as they say “Take your time. Enjoy your two people world. Having a kid and/or kids will change you forever. No need to rush”.

    Little did anyone know but my mood was very unpredictable. An outing with my husband could start out great but due to some trigger (i.e. seeing a stroller, seeing a pregnant lady, the thought of not being able to become a parent) could set me off and I would dampen the mood for the rest of the evening and/or rest of the weekend trip.

    Because of my unpredictable mood in 2019, my husband decided that a vacation to a beautiful destination is not worth it as my heart was clearly not in anything other than wanting to become pregnant. Even if I was far far away in a beautiful destination somewhere around the world, I could continue to be triggered and dampen the mood for the rest of the time.

    Perhaps it’s because I hit rock bottom and truly started to accept life as two individuals with a fur baby but fate has given us a real special opportunity at becoming parents because come mid-July 2019, I found out I was pregnant again. I may not have gone through IUI and/or IVF but for those who are going through difficult times with getting pregnant, know that you can always reach out to me. I understand the hopelessness one can feel when pregnancy just does not seem attainable. With what happened in January, I was more cautious this time as I really knew that there could be a possibility a miscarriage could happen again but knock on wood, I’m currently 29 weeks and 3 days. Baby is kicking and doing well. We can’t wait to meet her come March 2020.

    Bump1

    Food For Thought: As much as I portray happiness and “life is all good” on the outside no matter what social event I go to, 2019 was a roller coaster year for me. Not only was it challenging in my personal life but work was also challenging as the role I am currently in completely changed. There were definitely highs and there were definitely lows. As a I sit and reflect, I realize my husband was the only person who saw how sad I was. I’m glad we came out with a happy ending but I continue to think of those who wish to be in our position (i.e. parents to be). May 2020 be a year where unexpected surprises continue to happen. May the next decade continue to be filled with positivity.

     

     

     

     

  • Laneige Water Sleeping and Lip Masks To The Rescue

    Laneige Water Sleeping and Lip Masks To The Rescue

    Who else is glad to get a little break from the extreme cold we’ve been having the past week in Toronto? I certainly am! Having said that, I did not realize my skin was beginning to flake despite using a daily heavier olive oil based moisturizer and priming my skin with serum first. No matter how much serum I put on my face and no matter how much moisturizer I put on, my skin continued to flake.

    I tried my Darphin hydrating mask and it definitely did not do the trick as my skin continues to flake. Thankfully, there’s Laneige Water Sleeping Mask.

    laneige water mask

    After I prepped my skin with serum and my olive oil based moisturizer, I applied a thin layer of the Laneige water sleeping mask. I went to bed not feeling greasy but super moisturized. In the morning, my skin was instantly recharged with moisture. We’re back in business. 😉

    On that note, I have also found that the Bite Agave Lip mask hasn’t been as effective for me this winter. My lips are constantly chapped. I feel embarrassed as my line of work constantly requires me to speak to individuals so I can only imagine what individuals are thinking (“euw, why does that person have dry flaked lips all the time?”). I decided to give the Laneige lip mask a try and within 3 days, my lips are back to normal. I would apply first thing in the morning and right before bed time.

    Laneige lip mask

    I love how Laneige includes a little lip brush for you to apply the lip mask. Don’t forget that this product does not just apply to females. It can apply to males as well. Does your significant other often complain about dry and chapped lips over the winter time? Have your significant other try the lip mask out. It’s a win win situation.

    Food For Thought: It’s the holiday season. This is a great time to get value packs to try out products you normally would not try at amazing prices. Sephora has a Laneige gift set for $51 right now. Normally, if you buy the water mask alone, it’s $33 and if you buy the lip mask, it’s $26 alone. If you do the math, you’ve already saved money by buying the Laneige gift set as you get to try two other products. What are you waiting for? Make your dry face and lips happy again with lots and lots of moisture.