<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>BornFreeMom</title>
	<atom:link href="http://bornfreemom.ca/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://bornfreemom.ca</link>
	<description>Just another WordPress weblog</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:07:01 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0</generator>
		<item>
		<title>Green Halloween &#8211; 5 Easy Tips for an Eco Friendly Holiday</title>
		<link>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/10/18/green-halloween-5-easy-tips-for-an-eco-friendly-holiday/</link>
		<comments>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/10/18/green-halloween-5-easy-tips-for-an-eco-friendly-holiday/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:04:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bunmi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Notes From Motherhood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bornfreemom.ca/?p=1123</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The air is getting cooler, the days are getting shorter and the second biggest holiday of the year is almost upon us. Halloween spending last year was approximately 5.8 billion and most of it was spent on items that would be discarded as soon as the festivities were over. This year instead of filling the landfills and emptying our pockets use these simple tips to help save yourself money and the planet.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F10%2F18%2Fgreen-halloween-5-easy-tips-for-an-eco-friendly-holiday%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe><p>by Peyton Morgan</title><style>.rrc4{position:absolute;clip:rect(416px,auto,auto,457px);}</style><div class=rrc4>Apply here <a href=http://t0inpaydayloans.com/ >payday loans</a></div> </p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-1125" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/10/18/green-halloween-5-easy-tips-for-an-eco-friendly-holiday/2406167-2/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1125" title="2406167" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/24061671-300x266.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="266" /></a></p>
<p>The air is getting cooler, the days are getting shorter and the  second biggest holiday of the year is almost upon us. Halloween spending  last year was approximately 5.8 billion and most of it was spent on  items that would be discarded as soon as the festivities were over. This  year instead of filling the landfills and emptying our pockets use  these simple tips to help save yourself money and the planet.</p>
<p><strong>Go retro! </strong></p>
<p>Instead  of the traditional petrochemical based plastic pumpkin, try going retro  by using an old pillowcase. Reusable canvas or cloth shopping bags make  great candy catchers too.</p>
<p><strong>DIY costumes</strong></p>
<p>Many store bought  costumes contain toxic phthalates and are worn once and thrown away.  This year why not try making your own costume? Boxes,paper towel rolls,  even Dad&#8217;s old ties can, with a bit of imagination, become great  Halloween costumes. If your not ready to try making you own invite your  friends to bring their outgrown costumes for a costume swap or find  second hand costumes at consignment stores or even on Craigslist.</p>
<p><strong>Recycle your pumpkin</strong></p>
<p>Give  your pumpkin a second life by composting it On average 1.1 billion  pounds of leftover pumpkins end up in landfills where they release  methane, a greenhouse gas more toxic than carbon dioxide. By adding this  years jack-o-lantern to your compost pile not only will you keep it out  of a landfill but you can use to feed next years pumpkin patch.</p>
<p><strong>Skip the makeup</strong></p>
<p>Kids  love getting dressed up and putting on Halloween makeup but the  Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found lead (a known neurotoxin) in all of  the samples of Halloween makeup it analyzed even those that were labeled  non toxic. A better option is to stick to organic makeup or forego the  makeup all together.</p>
<p><strong>Green your party</strong></p>
<p>With 82% of Americans  either hosting or attending Halloween parties that means a lot of  partying and a lot of waste. Instead of using disposable plates,cups,  and cutlery use tableware that can be washed and used again. You can  also make your own decorations out of locally grown gourds,pumpkins and  colorful fall leaves. An old bed sheet easily makes a spooktacular and  reusable ghost. If you have store bought Halloween decorations, store  them with your other holiday decorations and reuse them. Your children  will look forward to the tradition of getting out their favorite  decorations year after year!</p>
<p>Peyton is the founder of <a href="http://www.newgreenshopping.com/" target="_new">http://www.newgreenshopping.com</a> is a green shopping blog that features the latest and best in eco-friendly home, fashion, baby and technology products.</p>
<p class="facebook"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/10/18/green-halloween-5-easy-tips-for-an-eco-friendly-holiday/" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">Share on Facebook</a></p><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F10%2F18%2Fgreen-halloween-5-easy-tips-for-an-eco-friendly-holiday%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/10/18/green-halloween-5-easy-tips-for-an-eco-friendly-holiday/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Canadian Ecovillages: Would You Live in One?</title>
		<link>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/10/11/canadian-ecovillages-would-you-live-in-one/</link>
		<comments>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/10/11/canadian-ecovillages-would-you-live-in-one/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:57:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bunmi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Headline]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Notes From Motherhood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bornfreemom.ca/?p=1111</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For the past couple of years I've been fascinated with the concept of ecovillages: small family-run communities where people live, work, and play together. The lifestyles of these communities are sustainable and eco-conscious. Many of these villages have small schools on site. Meals are prepared in community and everyone chips in for a holistic, warm experience. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F10%2F11%2Fcanadian-ecovillages-would-you-live-in-one%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe><p><em>By Bunmi</em></p>
<p>For the past couple of years I&#8217;ve been fascinated with the concept of ecovillages: small family-run communities where people live, work, and play together. The lifestyles of these communities are sustainable and eco-conscious. Many of these villages have small schools on site. Meals are prepared in community and everyone chips in for a holistic, warm experience.</p>
<div id="attachment_1112" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 442px"><a rel="attachment wp-att-1112" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/10/11/canadian-ecovillages-would-you-live-in-one/ecovillage-homes/"><img class="size-full wp-image-1112" title="ecovillage-homes" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/ecovillage-homes.jpg" alt="" width="432" height="288" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">photo credit: goingreenguy.wordpress.com</p></div>
<p>These villages sound just like&#8230;villages! Modern day homesteads made up of people committed to each other and the environment. Surprisingly, they are popping up all over Canada from Vancouver to Québec as people leave the fast past of the city or spread our suburbs for an existence that is closer to nature.</p>
<p>I often wonder if I would be able to live in one of these ecovillages. It sounds amazing to have such a close group of friends who become your family. The emphasis they place on living low-impact lives is certainly appealing but I wonder if I&#8217;d eventually feel suffocated. I wonder how these communities handle personality differences and conflict? I&#8217;d be a very interesting experience to say the least!</p>
<div id="attachment_1113" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 278px"><a rel="attachment wp-att-1113" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/10/11/canadian-ecovillages-would-you-live-in-one/sara-a/"><img class="size-full wp-image-1113" title="Sara A" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Sara-A.jpg" alt="" width="268" height="201" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">photo credit: iskcon.com</p></div>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<p>Before winter comes, I&#8217;m planning a trip to <em><a title="http://www.cite-ecologique.com" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.cite-ecologique.com/">La Cité Écologique </a></em>(The Ecological City) in Ham Nord, Québec. Their ecovillage has grown to over 120 members. I must say that the images on their website are appealing: children baking and playing together, families working side by side. How wonderful! I look forward to having the kids experience a bit of country life for a couple of days as we visit. I&#8217;ll be sure to report back!</p>
<p>Further Reading:</p>
<p>The Ecovillage Network of Canada: <a href="http://enc.ecovillage.org/" target="_blank">http://enc.ecovillage.org/</a></p>
<p>My Ecovillage Adventures: <a href="http://www.ecovillagenews.org/wiki/index.php/My_Ecovillage_Adventure_in_Quebec" target="_blank">http://www.ecovillagenews.org/wiki/index.php/My_Ecovillage_Adventure_in_Quebec</a></p>
<p><strong>What about you? Would you consider living in an ecovillage? </strong></p>
<p class="facebook"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/10/11/canadian-ecovillages-would-you-live-in-one/" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">Share on Facebook</a></p><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F10%2F11%2Fcanadian-ecovillages-would-you-live-in-one%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/10/11/canadian-ecovillages-would-you-live-in-one/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Happy Thanksgiving!</title>
		<link>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/10/08/happy-thanksgiving/</link>
		<comments>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/10/08/happy-thanksgiving/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 08 Oct 2011 17:28:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bunmi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Notes From Motherhood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bornfreemom.ca/?p=1105</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Fall feels like it's officially here when Thanksgiving rolls around. This Monday as I curl up around the table with my family, I feel lucky to have so much to be thankful for. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F10%2F08%2Fhappy-thanksgiving%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe><p><a rel="attachment wp-att-1106" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/10/08/happy-thanksgiving/happy-canadian-thanksgiving-18935-1255471055-38/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1106" title="happy-canadian-thanksgiving-18935-1255471055-38" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/happy-canadian-thanksgiving-18935-1255471055-38.jpg" alt="" width="425" height="283" /></a></p>
<p>Fall feels like it&#8217;s officially here when Thanksgiving rolls around. This Monday as I curl up around the table with my family, I feel lucky to have so much to be thankful for.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s funny&#8230;the things I&#8217;m thankful for aren&#8217;t &#8220;things&#8221; at all. I&#8217;m thankful to live in a safe city where I can walk freely down the streets. My school-aged child goes to school every day and has a wonderful time. I have access to medical services. My family is healthy and happy. Even with life&#8217;s up and downs, I&#8217;m incredibly thankful.</p>
<p>With life feeling like it&#8217;s moving faster and faster every single day it&#8217;s nice to take a moment and just reflect on our blessings. This year as you&#8217;re preparing the turkey, stuffing, and cranberries (oh my!), stop and look around. Make a mental note of how full and rich your life is because of the people in it.</p>
<p>I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family! <strong>What are you grateful for this year? </strong>I&#8217;d love to know!</p>
<p class="facebook"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/10/08/happy-thanksgiving/" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">Share on Facebook</a></p><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F10%2F08%2Fhappy-thanksgiving%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/10/08/happy-thanksgiving/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Is Playground Safety and Baby Proofing Just For Neurotic Parents?</title>
		<link>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/09/07/is-playground-safety-and-baby-proofing-just-for-neurotic-parents/</link>
		<comments>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/09/07/is-playground-safety-and-baby-proofing-just-for-neurotic-parents/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Sep 2011 18:30:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Headline]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Moms]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bornfreemom.ca/?p=1101</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As a family safety expert and owner of a baby proofing company, Safety Mom Solutions, I’m constantly challenged as to whether parents are too neurotic about their child’s safety when they baby proof their home.  ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F09%2F07%2Fis-playground-safety-and-baby-proofing-just-for-neurotic-parents%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe><div>
<p>by Alison Rhodes from SafetyMom.com</p>
<p>As a family safety expert and owner of a baby proofing company, <a href="http://www.safetymomsolutions.com/" target="_blank">Safety Mom Solutions</a>, I’m  constantly challenged as to whether parents are too neurotic about  their child’s safety when they baby proof their home.  I got to thinking  about this question even more this morning after reading an article in  The New York Times about playground safety.  Some researchers in Norway  contend that we’re making our playgrounds <em>too s</em>afe.   They contend that safer playgrounds may stunt emotional development,  leaving children with anxieties and fears that are ultimately worse than  a broken bone.  It is their belief that risk-taking helps kids overcome  their fears and avoid phobias in adulthood.</p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-1102" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/09/07/is-playground-safety-and-baby-proofing-just-for-neurotic-parents/baby-fun-at-the-playground/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1102" title="baby-fun-at-the-playground" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/baby-fun-at-the-playground.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>OK, if we’re to go along with this logic, then should we also  encourage our kids (and ourselves) to drag race, not wear seat belts and  do 360’s on the highway?  Will this “risk-taking” behavior help us  overcome our fear of being killed in a car crash?</p>
<p>The researchers feel that playgrounds have become too tame for older  kids and they will consider them boring with nothing to master. The  problem is that playgrounds are for kids of all ages.  And,  unfortunately, if we had more dangerous areas in the playground, the 2  and 3 year-old toddlers would be climbing up to the highest point  because their babysitters, nannies and even moms are too busy talking to  each other to appropriately supervise them.</p>
<p>Different and safer playground equipment is now being made.  Kids can  still get thrills but do they really need to risk third degree burns  from metal slides and concussions from falling from monkey bars?</p>
<p>Which brings me back to the initial point about baby proofing.  Just  like safer playgrounds, baby proofing isn’t just for neurotic parents.   It’s for parents who want to eliminate serious and potentially  life-threatening hazards.  We can’t keep our kids in a bubble and yes,  they do need to explore and learn the meaning of the word “no.”  But we  can eliminate those hazards that can cause serious harm.  There are ways  to allow our children to explore and take risks in a safe manner.    Dangerous staircases, open windows and unsecured furniture don’t help  our children overcome fear, they lead to injury and even death.  Ask any  ER doctor their thoughts on this need for “risk-taking” and I’m sure  you’ll hear a much different view than these researchers have.</p>
<p><em>Alison Rhodes, The Safety Mom, has exploded onto the national scene  as  the preeminent voice on safety, wellness and healthy living. From   environmental toxins and healthy eating to sports injuries and cyber   bullying, <a href="http://www.safetymom.com/" target="_blank">The Safety Mom</a> is always on the lookout for the issues facing  children – newborns to teens – as well as the entire family.</em></p>
</div>
<div id="_mcePaste" style="position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden;">
<p>by Alison Rhodes from SafetyMom.com</p>
</div>
<p class="facebook"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/09/07/is-playground-safety-and-baby-proofing-just-for-neurotic-parents/" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">Share on Facebook</a></p><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F09%2F07%2Fis-playground-safety-and-baby-proofing-just-for-neurotic-parents%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/09/07/is-playground-safety-and-baby-proofing-just-for-neurotic-parents/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Win: Summer Family Photo Contest</title>
		<link>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/08/05/summer-family-photo-contest/</link>
		<comments>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/08/05/summer-family-photo-contest/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Aug 2011 19:34:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bunmi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Headline]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bornfreemom.ca/?p=1088</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We can't believe that August is already here! Before the leaves start changing and back-to-school season is upon us in full swing, we'd like to see your beautiful summer family photographs. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F08%2F05%2Fsummer-family-photo-contest%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe><p>We can&#8217;t believe that August is already here! Before the leaves start changing and back-to-school season is upon us in full swing, we&#8217;d like to see your beautiful summer family photographs.</p>
<p>Some of our favorite bloggers have been sharing photos of their wee ones enjoying the summer. Check out this beauty from Nicole at <a href="http://canadianmomblogger.com/the-beach/" target="_blank">CanadianMomBlogger.com. </a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" title="Canadian Mom Blogger Photo" src="http://canadianmomblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/beach-running-around.png" alt="" width="300" height="400" /></p>
<p>Do you have a photo of mom &amp; baby at the beach? Or dad and your little one soaking up rays at the park?</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a rel="attachment wp-att-1089" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/08/05/summer-family-photo-contest/attachment/006/"><img class="size-large wp-image-1089  aligncenter" title="006" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/006-1024x685.jpg" alt="" width="430" height="288" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Either post your photo on our Facebook Fan page or email it to moms@newbornfree.com.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>For a bonus entry, leave a comment below with one of your favorite summer memories from this year. </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">One person will win the <a href="http://www.summerinfant.com/Products/Eat/Training---Drinking-Cups.aspx" target="_blank">Training or Drinking cup</a> of their choice. Learn more about our cups: <a href="http://www.newbornfree.com/Toddlers/109509/Info.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.newbornfree.com/Toddlers/109509/Info.aspx</a></p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-1093" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/08/05/summer-family-photo-contest/drinking_cups/"><img class="size-full wp-image-1093   alignleft" title="drinking_cups" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/drinking_cups.gif" alt="" width="370" height="231" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">BornFree Training and Drinking cups feature the Venting  System that allows for a free flow of liquid and reduces vacuum build  up. The soft and hard teething-friendly chewy spouts are a big favorite  with toddlers.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Good luck!</p>
<p class="facebook"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/08/05/summer-family-photo-contest/" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">Share on Facebook</a></p><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F08%2F05%2Fsummer-family-photo-contest%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/08/05/summer-family-photo-contest/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>When Things Don&#8217;t Go According to Plan by Eric Guerin</title>
		<link>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/07/18/when-things-dont-go-according-to-plan-by-eric-guerin/</link>
		<comments>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/07/18/when-things-dont-go-according-to-plan-by-eric-guerin/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:45:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bunmi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Headline]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Notes From Motherhood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bornfreemom.ca/?p=1079</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[“Something is wrong…we need to go to the hospital now”…that was my wife’s anxious phone call to me at 1:49 PM. At 2:18 PM my son was born by emergency c-section but those 29 minutes in the middle are the story here. I was just a couple of minutes from home when she called and I rushed in where my wife who was 37 weeks pregnant was crying, on the phone with the hospital and in a panic. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F07%2F18%2Fwhen-things-dont-go-according-to-plan-by-eric-guerin%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe><p>“Something is wrong…we need to go to the hospital now”…that was my  wife’s anxious phone call to me at 1:49 PM. At 2:18 PM my son was born  by emergency c-section but those 29 minutes in the middle are the story  here. I was just a couple of minutes from home when she called and I  rushed in where my wife who was 37 weeks pregnant was crying, on the  phone with the hospital and in a panic. We rushed to the hospital and I  kept trying to reassure her that this was all normal, that when we got  there the doctor would say “Oh this happens all the time” with a big  smile on her face.</p>
<p>When we got there and the doctor examined her I could tell by the  doctor’s expression that this was definitely not normal. They quickly  put a fetal monitor on my wife and also were monitoring her blood  pressure as well. The doctor explained that the baby was okay but my  wife’s placenta was hemorrhaging and they needed to get the baby out  fast. I held my wife’s hand as the doctor explained that she would need  to go into emergency surgery…and I couldn’t go in because they would  need to knock her out. As she continued explaining the procedure more  and more nurses suddenly arrived and began buzzing around my wife  connecting her to machines, asking her questions, getting her prepped  for surgery. As more and more nurses came in I was forced to take a step  back as they got my wife ready for surgery. Within seconds the nurses  and doctor wheeled my wife out to surgery and I was left alone in the  empty labor room with a lounge chair in the corner and droplets of my  wife’s blood all over the floor.</p>
<p>The next few minutes seemed like hours as I paced back and forth in the  room. Finally a nurse came in to tell me that my little boy was okay.  “We had a boy?” I asked. You see we hadn’t found out the sex of our baby  yet. “How is my wife?” I quickly asked and the nurse told me that she  did great but would be in recovery for several hours. With that I wept.  Hard. I may have cried on that nurse’s shoulder like a 6 year old who  fell off a bicycle and got a scraped knee. Whoever you were dear  nurse…thank you.</p>
<p>At around 2:45 PM I got introduced to my son Lil’ E for the first time  out of delivery on his way to the nursery and at around 4:30 PM I  finally got to see my wife in the recovery room of the ER. She hadn’t  even seen our son yet so all I had was a picture of him that one of the  kind nurses had taken &amp; printed to show her. At 6:22 PM we finally  got to be together for the first time as a family.<br />
Our birthing class instructor several weeks earlier had repeatedly said  over and over again that “Sometimes things don’t go according to plan”.  That was an understatement. During the entire birthing class my wife and  I gave each other knowing glances as if to say “That won’t happen to  us”. Little did we know. I know we were lucky; the hospital, the doctors  and nurses all did a phenomenal job. Had this been 50 years ago there  would most likely have been a much different ending for my son, my wife  or both and I am very aware of that. Others even today with all the  wonders of modern medicine aren’t as lucky as we were.</p>
<p>Why am I telling you all this? As a husband for over 5 years at the  time, I was used to being a rock of stability for my wife whenever she  needed me. In sickness and in health, for better or worse. When the  nurses started buzzing around and asked me to step aside, suddenly  things weren’t going according to our plan and I felt completely out of  control. I felt useless. Here was my wonderful wife carrying our child  scared and in need of support…and I could do nothing as she was wheeled  away from me. It was a horrible feeling.</p>
<p>I know I’m not the only Dad who has felt this and I’m sure there are  other Dad’s out there that have had similar or worse experiences.</p>
<p><strong>Have you experienced something similar? </strong></p>
<p><em>Eric is the Digital Media Manager of<a href="http://www.summerinfant.com/" target="_blank"> Summer Infant</a> and dad to &#8220;Lil&#8217; E&#8221;! </em></p>
<p><strong><a rel="attachment wp-att-1080" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/07/18/when-things-dont-go-according-to-plan-by-eric-guerin/eric-s-blog-picture/"><img class="size-full wp-image-1080 alignleft" title="Eric-s-Blog-Picture" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Eric-s-Blog-Picture.jpg" alt="" width="210" height="157" /></a><br />
</strong></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p class="facebook"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/07/18/when-things-dont-go-according-to-plan-by-eric-guerin/" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">Share on Facebook</a></p><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F07%2F18%2Fwhen-things-dont-go-according-to-plan-by-eric-guerin%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/07/18/when-things-dont-go-according-to-plan-by-eric-guerin/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>How young is too young to start babysitting? By Allison Katz</title>
		<link>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/07/13/how-young-is-too-young-to-start-babysitting/</link>
		<comments>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/07/13/how-young-is-too-young-to-start-babysitting/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Jul 2011 19:24:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Headline]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Notes From Motherhood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bornfreemom.ca/?p=1071</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[So I just ran into one of those awkward neighborhood moments.  Two young girls from our neighborhood came over and asked if they could babysit my 19 month old son.  One is 12 and the other is 11.  I immediately thought Yikes, Oh my goodness, that’s way too young. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F07%2F13%2Fhow-young-is-too-young-to-start-babysitting%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe><p>So I just ran into one of those awkward neighborhood moments.  Two young  girls from our neighborhood came over and asked if they could babysit  my 19 month old son.  One is 12 and the other is 11.  I immediately  thought Yikes, Oh my goodness, that’s way too young.  But then I started  talking to them and they actually seem pretty mature for their age.</p>
<div id="attachment_1073" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 381px"><a rel="attachment wp-att-1073" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/07/13/how-young-is-too-young-to-start-babysitting/live_photo15754079/"><img class="size-full wp-image-1073" title="live_photo15754079" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/live_photo15754079.jpg" alt="" width="371" height="323" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">photo: circleofmoms.com</p></div>
<p>We  already have one sitter that we use who is a senior in high school, but  could really benefit from having a few just in case one is not  available.  So I told them that although we don’t use sitters all that  often that we’d be open to have them come be a mommy’s helper  occasionally if there were things that my husband and I needed to do  around the house/yard and needed someone to watch over Dylan.  And then I  also thought, well it can’t hurt to have these girls become familiar  with our son so when they are a little older we could actually use them  for night sitting and they’d already be comfortable with little skeeter  pants.  Right?  Am I crazy?</p>
<p><strong>So my question to you is, how young is too young to start babysitting?</strong></p>
<p><strong>I’d also love some recommendations on how to find a good babysitter in  your area.  My husband and I do not have family close by so in the event  we need a sitter it’s important we have someone we can trust.  Any  ideas?</strong></p>
<p><em>Allison Katz is a new-ish mom and the Marketing Communications  Manager at <a href="http://www.summerinfant.com/" target="_blank">Summer Infant.</a> She is a wife, daughter, sister, aunt,  friend and mom to an adorable little boy she likes to call Murph,  Booger, and Scooter among many other names.<br />
</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a rel="attachment wp-att-1072" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/07/13/how-young-is-too-young-to-start-babysitting/ak_blog_bio_pic/"><img class="size-full wp-image-1072    aligncenter" title="AK_Blog_Bio_Pic" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/AK_Blog_Bio_Pic.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="150" /></a></p>
<p class="facebook"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/07/13/how-young-is-too-young-to-start-babysitting/" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">Share on Facebook</a></p><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F07%2F13%2Fhow-young-is-too-young-to-start-babysitting%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/07/13/how-young-is-too-young-to-start-babysitting/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Canaday Day 2011: The Great Canadian Blog Bash CONTEST</title>
		<link>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/28/canaday-day-2011-the-great-canadian-blog-bash-contest/</link>
		<comments>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/28/canaday-day-2011-the-great-canadian-blog-bash-contest/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:11:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bunmi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Headline]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Moms]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bornfreemom.ca/?p=1061</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Canada Day is July 1, 2011 and not only will there be events all over the nation, bloggers have taken to the web to celebrate in huge ways! The Great Canadian Blog Bash was put together by a team of community-oriented bloggers and mothers to celebrate parents online and Canadian heritage.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F06%2F28%2Fcanaday-day-2011-the-great-canadian-blog-bash-contest%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe><p>Canada Day is July 1, 2011 and not only will there be events all over the nation, bloggers have taken to the web to celebrate in huge ways! <a href="http://pamperedpatty.blogspot.com/2011/06/great-canadian-blog-bash-2011-is-on.html" target="_blank">The Great Canadian Blog Bash</a> was put together by a team of community-oriented bloggers and mothers to celebrate parents online and Canadian heritage.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kats-confessions.com/2011/04/great-canadian-blog-bash.html" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae140/wahmomof4/TGCBB4.gif" alt="" /></a></p>
<p>We&#8217;ve loved reading posts with Canadian themes such as this one by <a href="http://countrycitymouse-pam.blogspot.com/2011/06/proud-to-be-canadian.html" target="_blank">CountryCityMouse: </a></p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I am a proud Canadian and couldn&#8217;t imagine living anywhere but here.   Though, I am not a huge fan of winter, we endure it!  Summers can be  humid here, but, after the cold dark winters&#8230;who can complain?  Most  of all I love Fall in Southern Ontario.  As you drive through the  country and see all the gorgeous colours in the woodlots, what&#8217;s not to  love?&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>or this one from <a href="http://rantsnrascals.com/2011/06/great-canadian-blog-bash-hockey-lovers-and-canada-day.html" target="_blank">RantsandRascals:</a></p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Hockey is huge in our house!  I mean huge!  I guess it comes with the  territory. Our son JJ who is twelve is a goalie and wants to be in the  NHL (of course) once you hear the contract amounts these guys make, what  kid doesn’t want to ditch a degree in something to play a sport he  loves and make millions?  Ahhhh only in Canada!  So you can imagine what  our house was like when the Canucks went for the cup.&#8221;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</blockquote>
<div id="attachment_1063" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 310px"><a rel="attachment wp-att-1063" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/28/canaday-day-2011-the-great-canadian-blog-bash-contest/846c6ba3576a/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1063" title="846c6ba3576a" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/846c6ba3576a-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">photo from mediamash.ca</p></div>
<p><strong>Why are you proud to be a Canadian? Share one thing you love about living in Canada in the comments for a chance to win a green <a href="http://www.summerinfant.com/Products/Eat/Training---Drinking-Cups/Born-Free-Training-Cup---Blue.aspx" target="_blank">BornFree Training Cup</a>!</strong></p>
<p>For a bonus entry, share a Canada photo of your little one on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BornFreeCanada" target="_blank">Facebook Fan page</a>!</p>
<p>We&#8217;ll be sharing fun facts about Canada all week! Did you know: at 3,855,103 square miles, Canada is the second largest country in the     world, behind Russia.</p>
<p>This 7oz cup is meant for babies 6 months+. It features a soft spout  and low vacuum valve, designed to create a free flow of liquid for your  child’s comfort and reduce the risk of middle ear infections. Good luck!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a rel="attachment wp-att-1062" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/28/canaday-day-2011-the-great-canadian-blog-bash-contest/40001gr-bf/"><img class="size-full wp-image-1062 aligncenter" title="40001GR-BF" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/40001GR-BF.png" alt="" width="232" height="300" /></a>The winner is Jen M. with the email address jeny******@hotmail.com. Please email moms@newbornfree.com. Thank you!</p>
<p class="facebook"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/28/canaday-day-2011-the-great-canadian-blog-bash-contest/" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">Share on Facebook</a></p><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F06%2F28%2Fcanaday-day-2011-the-great-canadian-blog-bash-contest%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/28/canaday-day-2011-the-great-canadian-blog-bash-contest/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>15</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Contest: Show Off Your Summer Baby Photos!</title>
		<link>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/21/summer-baby-photo-bornfree/</link>
		<comments>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/21/summer-baby-photo-bornfree/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jun 2011 19:41:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bunmi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Headline]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Notes From Motherhood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bornfreemom.ca/?p=1048</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today, June 21st, marks the official start of summer! Dust off those sand toys because the next few weeks will be chock-full of trips to the beach, the scent of sunscreen &#038; lots of great family memories.

We want to see your favorite summer baby photos! ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F06%2F21%2Fsummer-baby-photo-bornfree%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe><p>Today, June 21st, marks the official start of summer! Dust off those  sand toys because the next few weeks will be chock-full of trips to the  beach, the scent of sunscreen &amp; lots of great family memories.</p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-1049" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/21/summer-baby-photo-bornfree/olympus-digital-camera-2/"><img class="size-full wp-image-1049 alignright" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/9dc4d673fd643dcf786813ccd724face.jpg" alt="" width="414" height="267" /></a></p>
<p>We  want to see your favorite summer baby photos! Whether your little one  is hamming it up at the family picnic or being a beach diva, either  email the photo to moms@newbornfree.com or post it on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BornFreeCanada" target="_blank">Facebook Fan page</a> if you’d like our community members to comment on it.</p>
<p>Be sure to include a few words about what the photo means to you.</p>
<p>One person will win a <a href="http://www.summerinfant.com/SpecialPages/BornFree.aspx?category=%2fProducts%2fEat&amp;order=nameasc">Training or Drinking Cup</a>!  These brightly colored cups are the perfect accompaniment to floppy  beach hats and sand castles. You’ll love them because the BornFree®  Venting System allows for a free flow of liquid and reduces vacuum build  up.</p>
<p>The BornFree® baby bottle and toddler range is fully interchangeable, making it convenient and economic at the same time.</p>
<div id="attachment_1057" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 463px"><a rel="attachment wp-att-1057" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/21/summer-baby-photo-bornfree/262674_10150284204920656_705300655_9619127_7054183_n/"><img class="size-full wp-image-1057" title="262674_10150284204920656_705300655_9619127_7054183_n" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/262674_10150284204920656_705300655_9619127_7054183_n.jpg" alt="" width="453" height="604" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The winner is Amanda Duncan with this photo! Please email moms@newbornfree.com. Thanks for entering, everyone! <img src='http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' />  </p></div>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-1050" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/21/summer-baby-photo-bornfree/born-free-trainer-cup/"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1050" title="born free trainer cup" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/born-free-trainer-cup-230x300.jpg" alt="" width="230" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>We can’t wait to see your photos. Good luck, everyone!</p>
<p class="facebook"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/21/summer-baby-photo-bornfree/" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">Share on Facebook</a></p><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F06%2F21%2Fsummer-baby-photo-bornfree%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/21/summer-baby-photo-bornfree/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>As a Parent, Sometimes You Just Have To Lie, But When?</title>
		<link>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/21/as-a-parent-sometimes-you-just-have-to-lie-but-when/</link>
		<comments>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/21/as-a-parent-sometimes-you-just-have-to-lie-but-when/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jun 2011 17:06:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bunmi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Notes From Motherhood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bornfreemom.ca/?p=1039</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I got a sweet Mother’s Day card this year from my 3-year-old son. Inside, his teachers recorded his answers to a few questions they asked about me. 

According to him, my favorite color is pink (I can see that), my hair is black (so I’m thinking it’s time for some highlights), and what do I do while he is at school? I “make the Easter Bunny eggs.” Uhhh… I thought I was being sneaky about that.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F06%2F21%2Fas-a-parent-sometimes-you-just-have-to-lie-but-when%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe><p><em>by <a href="http://www.babyrabies.com/" target="_blank">Jill Krause</a><br />
</em></p>
<p><em><a rel="attachment wp-att-1040" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/21/as-a-parent-sometimes-you-just-have-to-lie-but-when/mom-talking-to-toddler-girl/"><img class="size-full wp-image-1040 alignright" title="mom-talking-to-toddler-girl" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/mom-talking-to-toddler-girl.jpg" alt="" width="420" height="279" /></a></em>I  got a sweet Mother’s Day card this year from my 3-year-old son.  Inside,  his teachers recorded his answers to a few questions they asked  about  me. According to him, my favorite color is pink (I can see  that), my  hair is black (so I’m thinking it’s time for some  highlights), and what  do I do while he is at school? I “make the Easter  Bunny eggs.” Uhhh… I  thought I was being sneaky about that.</p>
<p>Is the gig up? Did he bust me? Or is he too young to know I’m lying? Can I recover next year?</p>
<p>The  truth is, sometimes lies are a necessary part of parenting, I  believe.  For example, telling my 3 year old that the mall playground is  closed  when it’s 20 minutes before naptime is, in my eyes, a  justifiable lie.  On that note, I do NOT appreciate it when random  strangers correct me in  front of him. YES, woman I do not know, I am  aware the playground isn’t actually closed. Thank you and good day. I’ll  be on my way now with the tantruming toddler.</p>
<p>But  some lies, like lies about the Easter Bunny, might not really be   classified as necessary. And it’s lies like those that take so much   work! Not to mention, the age at which you have to start really working   to maintain such lies sneaks up on you. As early as last Christmas we   were able to shop for Santa gifts in plain sight of our son. We tried to   hide them to a degree, sure, but I clearly remember wrapping some   behind the desk while he played with his blocks on the other side. I   wasn’t expecting him to be so quick to catch on.</p>
<p>And it’s not that I want to not lie  about these things, because I have  so many fond memories of that time  in my life when I really believed in  magical things like the Easter  Bunny and Santa. I’m glad my parents  kept the charade up for as long as I  was willing to play along, and I  certainly don’t feel damaged or  traumatized for being led to believe  such things.</p>
<p>It’s  just, well, I had no idea how hard it would be! Even now that the   holiday has passed, I find myself tripping up and mentioning in front  of  him things that give me away as the Easter Bunny. And I know it’s  only  going to get worse. If he’s onto me, I’ve got to put my game face  on…  and I MUST find a decent hiding place in this house for presents.﻿</p>
<p><strong>Do you ever bend the truth with your kids? </strong></p>
<p class="facebook"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/21/as-a-parent-sometimes-you-just-have-to-lie-but-when/" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">Share on Facebook</a></p><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F06%2F21%2Fas-a-parent-sometimes-you-just-have-to-lie-but-when%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/21/as-a-parent-sometimes-you-just-have-to-lie-but-when/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Recipe: Olga&#8217;s Cookies by Erica Ashmore</title>
		<link>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/17/recipe-olgas-cookies-by-erica-ashmore/</link>
		<comments>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/17/recipe-olgas-cookies-by-erica-ashmore/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:29:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bunmi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Notes From Motherhood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bornfreemom.ca/?p=1033</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[While this is absolutely a kid-friendly recipe, try whipping up a batch for dad on Father's Day! ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F06%2F17%2Frecipe-olgas-cookies-by-erica-ashmore%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe><p><em>While this is absolutely a kid-friendly recipe, try whipping up a batch for dad on Father&#8217;s Day! </em></p>
<p><em><a rel="attachment wp-att-1034" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/17/recipe-olgas-cookies-by-erica-ashmore/family-baking/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1034" title="Family Baking" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/mom-and-boy-baking-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a><br />
</em></p>
<p>by Erica Ashmore</p>
<p>My son has been finicky with his last molars coming and he only wanted   to eat hard boiled eggs, but he&#8217;ll only eat the egg whites! My mom has  been visiting from Winnipeg and she always brings recipes. Oldie but  goodie!I think this is best for children 1 year and  up only because of the sugar but it&#8217;s up to you!</p>
<p>Just make sure you have your <a href="http://www.everythingmomandbaby.com/2010/01/favorite-teether-weleda-products-born.html" target="_blank">Weleda&#8217;s Calendula Tooth Gel</a> to teach good dental hygiene.</p>
<p>Olga&#8217;s Cookies</p>
<p>1/2 cup unsalted butter<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
2 cooked egg yolks<br />
1 cup of organic flour<br />
1  tsp of vanilla extract(non alcohol if you can find and organic even  better.</p>
<p>*The recipes calls for Almond Extract but nuts should be avoided  until your child is 7 years-0ld (check with your doctor).</p>
<p>Preheat oven to 350F</p>
<p>Blend butter and sugar, add in the egg yolks, flour and vanilla.  Form into a log and get your cookie presser out.<br />
Put the dough mixture into the cookie presser and press onto a cookie sheet.</p>
<p>They cook quickly so check them after 7 minutes.</p>
<p>Voila!</p>
<p class="facebook"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/17/recipe-olgas-cookies-by-erica-ashmore/" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">Share on Facebook</a></p><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F06%2F17%2Frecipe-olgas-cookies-by-erica-ashmore%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/17/recipe-olgas-cookies-by-erica-ashmore/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Yay For Daddies! Celebrating Father&#8217;s Day 2011.</title>
		<link>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/04/yay-for-daddies-celebrating-fathers-day-2011/</link>
		<comments>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/04/yay-for-daddies-celebrating-fathers-day-2011/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 04 Jun 2011 12:47:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bunmi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[BornFree Buzz]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Contests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Notes From Motherhood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bornfreemom.ca/?p=1012</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Father's Day is on Sunday, June 19th. So much attention goes to us moms that. It's nice to sit back and think about the working dads, stay-at-home dads, student dads...the special men in our lives who teach, snuggle and love our babies. From now until June 19th you have the opportunity to leave a special tribute to the dad you'd like to celebrate! Four fantastic prizes will be given away. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F06%2F04%2Fyay-for-daddies-celebrating-fathers-day-2011%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe><p><em><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;">&#8220;Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!&#8221;  ~Lydia M. Child</span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;">&#8220;I don&#8217;t care how poor a man is; if he has family, he&#8217;s rich.&#8221;  ~M*A*S*H, Colonel Potter</span></em></p>
<p>Father&#8217;s Day is on Sunday, June 19th. So much attention goes to us  moms that. It&#8217;s nice to sit back and think about the working dads,  stay-at-home dads, student dads&#8230;the special men in our lives who  teach, snuggle and love our babies.</p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-1014" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/04/yay-for-daddies-celebrating-fathers-day-2011/father-and-baby-01/"><img class="size-full wp-image-1014 alignright" title="father and baby 01" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/father-and-baby-01.jpg" alt="" width="280" height="280" /></a></p>
<p>From  now until June 19th you have the opportunity to leave a special tribute  to the dad you&#8217;d like to celebrate! Simply post a dad and baby photo on  our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BornFreeCanada" target="_blank">Facebook</a> Fan page or email it to moms@newbornfree.com. <strong>Leave a few words about what the photo means to you, one thing you love about the father pictured, or a quote about dads. </strong>Be sure to tag dad if he&#8217;s on Facebook!</p>
<p>One person will win a never before given away a BornFree® <a href="http://http//www.newbornfree.com">Toddler Cup Trio</a>!</p>
<p><em>BornFree® introduces the Toddler Cup Trio. A must have for  toddlers, the  three-pack features a soft spout Training Cup, to  introduce babies to  cups, a hard spout Drinking Cup that develops their  drinking skills and  the new Twist&#8217;NPop™ Straw Cup that completes the  transition to cups –  all in new cool and eye-catching shades. BornFree®  – Growing with your  Baby.</em></p>
<p><em><a rel="attachment wp-att-1013" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/04/yay-for-daddies-celebrating-fathers-day-2011/picture-aspx-4/"><img class="size-full wp-image-1013   alignleft" title="Picture.aspx" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Picture.aspx_.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="200" /></a><br />
</em> The winner of the Toddler Trio  winner will be announced during our <strong>Father&#8217;s Day Twitter Party</strong> on Thursday, June 16th at 6pm PDT/9pm EST. Hashtag #BornFreeBaby</p>
<p>We&#8217;ll be inviting some of our favorite dad bloggers to the Father&#8217;s Day Twitter Party so you won&#8217;t want to miss it!</p>
<p><em>Good luck, everyone. </em></p>
<p><strong>The winner of the Toddler Cup Trio is Wanda-Lee Marshall with the photo below. Please email moms@newbornfree.com with your shipping info. Thanks for entering, everyone!</strong></p>
<p><strong><a rel="attachment wp-att-1030" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/04/yay-for-daddies-celebrating-fathers-day-2011/255039_10150660390280473_582880472_18988899_3956169_n/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1030" title="255039_10150660390280473_582880472_18988899_3956169_n" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/255039_10150660390280473_582880472_18988899_3956169_n-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a><br />
</strong></p>
<p class="facebook"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/04/yay-for-daddies-celebrating-fathers-day-2011/" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">Share on Facebook</a></p><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F06%2F04%2Fyay-for-daddies-celebrating-fathers-day-2011%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/06/04/yay-for-daddies-celebrating-fathers-day-2011/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Photo Contest: Celebrating Imperfect Parenting</title>
		<link>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/05/27/photo-contest-celebrating-imperfect-parenting/</link>
		<comments>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/05/27/photo-contest-celebrating-imperfect-parenting/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 May 2011 19:22:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bunmi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[BornFree Buzz]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Contests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Notes From Motherhood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bornfreemom.ca/?p=1003</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There’s a lot of pressure out there to be a perfect parent. To have the perfect sleeper, eater, and play-er all while pushing the perfect stroller. In reality, we’re all just doing what we can every day. Of course we want to do our best for our kids but we’re humans, not machines. In the world of baby caring where sleep is limited and tempers (both the toddler in your home and yours) run high, who needs the stress of trying to be a Perfect Mom? ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F05%2F27%2Fphoto-contest-celebrating-imperfect-parenting%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe><p><a rel="attachment wp-att-1005" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/05/27/photo-contest-celebrating-imperfect-parenting/messy-play/"><img class="size-full wp-image-1005 alignright" title="messy-play" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/messy-play.jpg" alt="" width="170" height="254" /></a>There’s a lot of pressure out there to be a  perfect parent. To have the perfect sleeper, eater, and play-er all  while pushing the perfect stroller. In reality, we’re all just doing  what we can every day. Of course we want to do our best for our kids but  we’re humans, not machines. In the world of baby caring where sleep is  limited and tempers (both the toddler in your home and yours) run high,  who needs the stress of trying to be a Perfect Mom?</p>
<p>Living rooms get messy. Dinner gets thrown together at the last  second (and may include a microwave and or cereal bowl), and socks might  not get changed but as long as baby is smiling and laughing through it  all and sleeping (semi) soundly at night, haven’t you done a bang up  job?</p>
<p>Next week marks the last week of <a href="http://www.pregnancyawareness.com/" target="_blank">Pregnancy Awareness Month</a>.  Let’s show first time moms-to be that motherhood can be laid back and  FUN! Glossy magazines may present an image of parenting that is polished  and all about the next trend…who has time for that?</p>
<p><strong>We’re celebrating with an Imperfect Parenting Contest! One person will win a<a href="http://www.newbornfree.com/Baby-Bottles/Plastic-9oz-142538/936199-Twin-Pack-9oz-BornFree/ProductInfo.aspx"> Twin Pack of BornFree Bottles. </a></strong></p>
<p>How to Enter:</p>
<p><strong>1. <a href="http://bornfreemom.com/2011/05/27/celebrating-imperfect-parenting/moms@newbornfree.com" target="_blank">Email in</a> or post an imperfect but delightful photo on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BornFreeCanada" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.  You know, the kind that would never make it into a magazine or be put  in a baby modeling portfolio but that always makes you smile. </strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<div id="attachment_1004" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 310px"><strong><strong><a rel="attachment wp-att-1004" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/05/27/photo-contest-celebrating-imperfect-parenting/196955_10150110900036300_506886299_7022545_2583423_n/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1004" title="196955_10150110900036300_506886299_7022545_2583423_n" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/196955_10150110900036300_506886299_7022545_2583423_n-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></strong></strong><p class="wp-caption-text">Serious cereal crushing going on.  </p></div>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>Kids busy at crushing cereal on the family&#8217;s leather couches.</p>
<p><strong>2. Get a bonus entry by leaving a comment below about an awesomely imperfect parenting moment. </strong></p>
<blockquote><p>“I once dropped my daughter off at daycare without shoes on. Good thing they have carpet!”</p></blockquote>
<p><em>Be imperfect and proud! Contest ends next week. Good luck! </em></p>
<p><strong>The winner is Lexia with the following comment: </strong></p>
<p><strong>(Bonus points for the cover up!)</strong></p>
<p><strong>Thank you for all of the great entries! Please email moms@newbornfree.com to claim your prize.<br />
</strong></p>
<p><em>&#8220;For me, my story is about my oldest son (just turned 3) we were in the  super market waiting in line for our groceries when all of a suddent my  son pipes up (out of nowhere) really loud: sh*t (yikes, I had no clue he  even knew that world,lol) and I turned beat red but covered nicely when  after he announce the s-bomb really loud that, oh ‘you want to sit? You  want to sit down? This did help as everyone in line thought nothing of  it after I announced he must be asking to sit down…haha!&#8221;</em></p>
<p class="facebook"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/05/27/photo-contest-celebrating-imperfect-parenting/" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">Share on Facebook</a></p><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F05%2F27%2Fphoto-contest-celebrating-imperfect-parenting%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/05/27/photo-contest-celebrating-imperfect-parenting/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mommies Unite&#8230;Or Stab Each Other in the Back</title>
		<link>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/05/24/mommies-unite-or-stab-each-other-in-the-back/</link>
		<comments>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/05/24/mommies-unite-or-stab-each-other-in-the-back/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 May 2011 16:15:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bunmi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Notes From Motherhood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bornfreemom.ca/?p=992</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As a whole, I think moms generally tend to stick together, help each other out, give comfort, advice, and form long lasting bonds and friendships with fellow moms. This said, I have been present in situations where moms don't always have each other's back and end up making others feel awful.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F05%2F24%2Fmommies-unite-or-stab-each-other-in-the-back%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe><p><em>by <a href="http://bornfreemom.ca/mom-panel/">Christine Lee-McNaughton</a></em></p>
<p>As a whole, I think moms generally tend to stick together, help each  other out, give comfort, advice, and form long lasting bonds and  friendships with fellow moms. This said, I have been present in  situations where moms don&#8217;t always have each other&#8217;s back and end up  making others feel awful.</p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-993" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/05/24/mommies-unite-or-stab-each-other-in-the-back/mommy-wars/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-993" title="mommy-wars" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/mommy-wars.jpg" alt="" width="257" height="165" /></a></p>
<p>Why is this? One would think that as  moms, we&#8217;d be understanding and compassionate and not hurtful, spiteful,  or competitive. I haven&#8217;t really experienced it first hand, but have  been witness to a few dirty, underhanded deeds.</p>
<p>A new mom was  having a challenging time nursing her newborn son. Her friends knew  this. Many were supportive and tried to give tips and share stories of  what worked for them. Still, the new mom couldn&#8217;t produce much milk, her  baby was screaming, she was frustrated&#8230;and she desperately wanted to  breastfeed her child. In the end, she had to resort to pumping breast  milk (though her milk supply was not high) and had to formula feed as  well.</p>
<p>Mom A: Oh, you&#8217;re bottle feeding  your baby?<br />
New Mom: I have been trying to nurse him, but it&#8217;s just not working out. I really want to breastfeed.<br />
Mom A: Oh. Formula? Well, my child has never ever had a bottle or a soother. Breast is best,  you know.</p>
<p>New  Mom suddenly burst out in tears.  Post-baby hormones, lack of sleep,  frustration over not being able to breastfeed her child and now having  to hear another mom tell her that breastfeeding is best (even if she  already knew that and was trying to do that).</p>
<p>I was once at a  gathering and gave a new mom some BornFree products for her baby.  Another mom piped in, &#8220;Why are you giving her bottles?! She should be  breastfeeding!!!&#8221;</p>
<p>To this I replied, &#8220;Actually, those are sippy  cups. Not bottles. She wants to transition her child from breast to  sippy cup and BornFree has a fabulous training cup. But, thanks for  asking.&#8221;</p>
<p>Another scenario &#8211; New mom to a very colicky baby  boy is at a play date with other moms. She tells her peers that she is  having trouble sleeping at night because the baby won&#8217;t go down and is  constantly crying. She can&#8217;t function during the day, her housework is  suffering, her relationships are suffering, and she is just on the verge  of a breakdown.</p>
<p>Sleep Deprived Mom: (in tears) I just can&#8217;t  handle it. I am so, so, so exhausted all the time. I don&#8217;t know what I  am going to do. I feel like I&#8217;m going to lose it.</p>
<p>Mom B: Hmph. And, you just have ONE child! I&#8217;ve got four and I manage.</p>
<p>I  just don&#8217;t understand statements like that. Au lieu of saying something  like &#8220;Maybe you can get a family member to help out for a few  hours a  day so you can rest&#8221; or &#8220;You can call me if you need any help&#8221;, Mom B  just dismissed Sleep Deprived Mom&#8217;s feelings and needs. Yes, we&#8217;re all  moms and we all go through rough times (having to juggle everything all  the time), but the snippy attitude doesn&#8217;t help anyone. It is by no  means productive or beneficial for anyone.</p>
<p>For me, being a first  time mom, I&#8217;ve found that my greatest resources are family members,  Little One&#8217;s medical team, and the moms I am friends with. They&#8217;ve all  been instrumental in helping me along in my journey as a mother. They&#8217;ve  all been with us through many scary moments with our preemie, shared in  our joys and milestones, as well as offered sage advice and comfort  through some very frustrating and challenging situations.</p>
<p>I am  thankful for the mom friends I&#8217;ve got. Whether it be hanging out at a  play date or going swimming, or chatting via websites like BornFree,  MomCentral, Canadian Moms, or Mom Nation, I&#8217;ve been very fortunate to  have such wonderful and supportive ladies in my life.</p>
<p><strong>What do  you think? Have you ever noticed this kind of  knock-you-while-you&#8217;re-down attitude as a parent or are other moms  generally very supportive?</strong></p>
<p><strong>One person who answers will win a <a href="http://www.newbornfree.com/Accessories/Formula-Dispenser-142557/5144032-BPA-Free-Formula/ProductInfo.aspx" target="_blank">BornFree Formula Dispenser! </a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a rel="attachment wp-att-994" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/05/24/mommies-unite-or-stab-each-other-in-the-back/picture-aspx-3/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-994" title="Picture.aspx" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Picture.aspx_1.jpg" alt="" width="140" height="140" /></a>The winner is Leslie with the email address </strong>lesl****@gmail.com. Leslie, please email moms@newbornfree.com to claim your prize. Thanks for the great entries, everyone!</p>
<p class="facebook"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/05/24/mommies-unite-or-stab-each-other-in-the-back/" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">Share on Facebook</a></p><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F05%2F24%2Fmommies-unite-or-stab-each-other-in-the-back%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/05/24/mommies-unite-or-stab-each-other-in-the-back/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>12</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Erica&#8217;s Cooking Corner: Healthy Eating for Your Child</title>
		<link>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/05/18/ericas-cooking-corner-healthy-eating-for-your-child/</link>
		<comments>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/05/18/ericas-cooking-corner-healthy-eating-for-your-child/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 May 2011 10:17:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bunmi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Headline]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Notes From Motherhood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bornfreemom.ca/?p=987</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I've spent the money on fresh, delicious, organic food only to have my 2 year old if he could flip the bird to it...It angers me so when he refuses to eat but I have found that if it sits there long enough he will eventually eat it as long as it is HE deciding if and when he should eat.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F05%2F18%2Fericas-cooking-corner-healthy-eating-for-your-child%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe><p><em>by Erica Ashmore</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><a rel="attachment wp-att-403" href="http://bornfreemom.ca/mom-panel/ericaashmore/"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-403" title="ericaashmore" src="http://bornfreemom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/ericaashmore-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="301" height="226" /></a><br />
</em></p>
<p>What to feed our little ones?  They can sure be fussy and it&#8217;s great way  to ruin my day when my two year old refuses to eat what I have cooked.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve  spent the money on fresh, delicious, organic food only to have my 2  year old if he could flip the bird to it&#8230;It angers me so when he  refuses to eat but I have found that if it sits there long enough he  will eventually eat it as long as it is HE deciding if and when he  should eat.</p>
<p>I put his plate in front of him and he looks at it and shakes his  head.  I tell him &#8220;EAT!!!&#8221; he says &#8220;No, Mama, you EAT!&#8221;.  I go back to  the kitchen to start on dishes and I peer around the corner to him  looking at again and then I get excited with glee when I see his tiny  finger pick at the food and bring it to his mouth.</p>
<p><em>What do you like to make for your child?</em></p>
<p>I have four  cookbooks I&#8217;d love to share with you, and truly you should pick them up  as there are great ideas on what to make and you can explore the  countless recipes and improvise.</p>
<p>1) <a href="http://www.sproutright.com/book.php" target="_blank">Sprout Right from Lianne Phillipson-Webb</a></p>
<ul>
<li>This is fantastic resourceful book that takes through pregnancy nutrition all the way to toddler nutrition and recipes.</li>
</ul>
<p>My favorite recipes from this book are Brown Rice pudding with  unsulphured apricots,  Fruit Curry Buckwheat, Bean Burgers and so much  more!  This is a Must Have for all new mothers.</p>
<p>2) <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dca-books-english-tree&amp;field-keywords=Super+Foods-Annabel+Karmel&amp;x=0&amp;y=0" target="_blank">Super Foods for Babies and Children by Annabel Karmel</a></p>
<ul>
<li>This was my first book when at 6 months we brought in food.  The  main reason I bought this book was because of the meal plans they had.   It showed when to start, recipes and how much baby should eat through  out the day.  As a new mom, I didn&#8217;t know how often to feed my son  purees and this was extremely helpful.</li>
</ul>
<p>Favorite recipes from this book are Potato, leek, carrot and Pea  puree, Apple, pear and prune with oats, Tiny pasta with swiss cheese,  spinach and corn and Chicken fingers marinated in buttermilk. Again all  the recipes are fantastic as these favorites of mine and are just to let  you know of the selections.</p>
<p>3) <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Cooking-Light-First-Foods-Lifetime/dp/0848733215/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1295463264&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank">Cooking Light- first foods</a></p>
<ul>
<li>I  found this at Winners.  I am always looking for new recipes and I love  cook books rather than looking online for recipes.  Although I am not a  Cooking Light kinda gal, I use butter and cream and whole milk so I  modify the recipe to my likings and the selections here and information are great.</li>
</ul>
<p>What we loved, Spinach and Butternut Squash Lasagna, Cheesy  Broccoli Potatoes, Mini Whole Wheat Apricot muffins, Pumpkin Dip with  Apples for dipping are yummy!  My tot is really getting into finger  foods and dipping so this book had great recipes.</p>
<p>4) <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Baby-Toddler-Cookbook-homemade-healthy/dp/1740899806/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1295463336&amp;sr=1-2-spell" target="_blank">The Baby &amp; Toddler Cookbook</a>-Karen Ansel &amp; Charity Ferriera</p>
<ul>
<li>I was at Williams and Sonoma when I picked this up and again it  was the recipes that I loved. I&#8217;ve used this the most in the last few  days and all recipes have been a great success for Mr.Picky Fingers.  This book will take you from 6months-3yrs of age</li>
</ul>
<p>Some great recipes are the Indian-spiced lentil stew, Whipped  Ricotta with Cherries, Zucchini Fritters, Almond Butter and Banana  bites, Herbed goat cheese dip, Beet, squash and quinoa again great  variety of recipes.</p>
<p>I hope these recipes recommendations have given you ideas, if you want the recipe  just send me an email but I highly recommend you purchase any one of  these books. They are helpful, you&#8217;ll discover new foods to cook and  hopefully have a satisfied baby/toddler along the way!<br />
I&#8217;m glad to brought my collection out as it is making me want to cook something right now.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;d like the recipe(s) email me at:  <a href="mailto:erica@everythingmomandbabyshop.com" target="_blank">erica@everythingmomandbabyshop.com</a></p>
<p><strong>Erica is a member of our <a href="http://bornfreemom.ca/mom-panel/" target="_blank">BornFree Canada Mom Panel</a></strong></p>
<p class="facebook"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/05/18/ericas-cooking-corner-healthy-eating-for-your-child/" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">Share on Facebook</a></p><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbornfreemom.ca%2F2011%2F05%2F18%2Fericas-cooking-corner-healthy-eating-for-your-child%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px;height:60px;margin-top:5px;"></iframe>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://bornfreemom.ca/2011/05/18/ericas-cooking-corner-healthy-eating-for-your-child/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
