June 16, 2008
From the Editor:
Things have been incredibly busy for me. After a slow month of April both May and June have been packed. I've had to make some choices and work through some things that were stressful - and I finished up school lessons with the children. I ended up missing the May newsletter when a client project came and took a chunk out of life.
It's times like this that I'm really thankful for Natural Birth and Baby Care. I've been able to make pretty consistent blog entries, but I'm just now getting back to working on the main site.
I am so glad I have the site - which I can write on *my* time! My website has helped change my life. I've updated my personal story - you can read it here!
In baby news I'm feeling my little kicker tons now! I'm also happy because my husband finally felt the baby move. We've also found out the sex of our baby - it's a boy!
I've been blogging quite a bit about my pregnancy experience so be sure to take a look at the blog. Also be sure to look if you're TTC - I wrote a lot during the time we were waiting to know if our TTC attempt had worked.
Enjoy the coming month!
~Kristen
Featured Articles
Managing Motherhood - I've started a new category on my blog. I know that one of my challenges as a mother has been getting effective - able to keep up with motherhood, household duties, and my own personal development. So I've started this section of articles on how you can take steps to find effectiveness and development in your own walk as a mother.
I've updated my Rh status article some as I've learned new information!
I've had a lot of people contact me about preparing for pregnancy so I thought I'd highlight my article on preconception nutrition. I began a preconception diet myself in stages about 9 months before we started TTC, mostly because I was worried about my cycles.
I added in full fat dairy first and noticed my cycles improve quickly. At about 6 months I started an agressive and nutrient-dense diet. At 3 months I started a fertility tea, and then 1 month before we TTC I started taking prenatal vitamins. We got pregnant on our first try! I think my diet and charting my cycles with helpful software are what helped us get pregnant so quickly. Here's the article on preconception nutrition!
I've had several new birth story submissions since the last newsletter! Please feel free to share your own birth story!
Product Reviews
No new products reviewed this month - I'm planning some for next month ;)
Book Reviews
Vaccine Alternatives - this book gives a great basic overview of each vaccine and each disease the vaccines cover. It's written by a doctor who wants to share objective information with you - and he also shares a lot of wisdom on treating illness.
Featured Recipe
Roast Beef Heart Sandwich Meat
This recipe is tasty!
- 1 beef heart
- 1 onion, diced
- Salt, pepper, and garlic to taste.
You simply fill a crockpot with enough water to cover the heart. Then add in onion and seasonings. Cook on a low setting for 8-10 hours. Then slice and serve as a sandwich meat.
Heart is a muscle meat so it's taste is quite similar to roast beef. It has a finer texture that I prefer over other roast cuts. It contains a lot of nutrients that are said to give extra energy and health for pregnant and nursing mothers.
My family normally eats the slices with a spicy mustard and mashed potatoes on the side because we are a gluten-free family (my husband has Celiac disease). But it's supposed to be a sandwich recipe and I think it would be divine as a thick sandwich or a sandwich dipped in a flavorful juice!
Featured Links
- I don't often give a link right to a forum post, but this month I will! I've really been enjoying digging into this thread. It's all about "feeding your freezer." If you're interested in filling the freezer with meals before your baby comes, or in "once a month cooking" or anything, this mega thread is worth a skim. Tons of recipes!
- If you're doing your own prenatal care and want to keep detailed records this is a great template for inspiration.
Thanks,
Kristen, Editor