This last Friday, my 3 year old was sporting red, swollen, watery and white discharged eyes, and a low-grade fever. It looked like pink eye. I looked in my Modern Essential Oils book and found that Lavender would be a good option for compresses (you never put an oil directly in the eye, and if you do, you want to flush it out with fractionated coconut oil or olive oil - never water.) Anyway, I used a a cotton ball and put a few drops of fractionated coconut oil & one drop of lavender oil and patted it around both of his eyes (though I could have just bypassed the fractionated coconut oil, as lavender is such a mild oil. But, I have found that as I have used the oils more and more, my mom and gut instincts have come back full-force instead of questioning what to do and relying on the Western medicines to resolve symptoms. At the time, it just felt like I needed to use them both together for his issue. It has been an amazing discovery of those natural instincts. With the oil, I also applied it on the bottoms of his feet, on his neck where he also had some sore swollen glands.
I wish I would have taken a before and after picture. His fever lasted off and on during Friday, he was looking better on Saturday, even better on Sunday and now you'd never know he had this issue!
This is just one of the many wonderful uses of doTERRA CPTG lavender oil. What I love too is that it has healed the issue without any side-effects, and it only took a few drops within a few days time.
I have come across people who are concerned about paying the extra money on top of what they already are used to doing for their ailments. Once you start learning more and having your own testimony of the oils, your first thought to treating an ailment is not going to the Dr., or anything you can get over-the-counter, or through a prescription - but through doTERRA CPTG oils. Wouldn't it be something to heal the issue you're dealing with rather than using medicines that are ultimately bad for your body in more ways than one? Would it be worth it to truly feel better and be at your best, rather than depending on a medication and picking up other symptoms along the way? And the more you use them, the more you really get your instincts rolling. I have friends & family who call & text me, and even one of my friend's calls me "nurse Jen" and tells me "I have this going on... what oil do you suggest I use." Most of the bottles are 15 ml which equals about 250 drops, and 250 drops can really go a long way, depending on what you are using it for, how you're using it etc. Essentially, you use about one to two drops of an oil per whatever you are dealing with - though that totally depends on what you're dealing with too; sometimes you're using more per application. But I'll go more into that in a post and how to increase your natural healing supply at home, whether that be oils, or other healthcare products and eliminating harmful substances in your home.
I just personally love that my 3-year old is healed from the eye infection that he was dealing with and simply doing that with a pure natural form of healing - doTERRA CPTG lavender oil.
WELCOME!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Wholesome, nor not?
I came across this quote recently and it made me think of the many ways this is so true of our day and age. I remember going to the open market to get oranges when I was a little girl and being so exited because my Mom would squeeze those oranges once we would get home and we would have our treat of the day. I love squeezing orange juice with my kids and hear them calculate how many cups of juice we might get out of a whole box of oranges and how they can give a cup to about 970 kids if they squeeze the oranges REALLY well.
How come we don't see more wholesome food all around us? I am guilty of this too. I use far too much processed food. Look at my pantry! I have things there that I don't really want to have. So, why do we do this to ourselves? Society? The norm? Was on sale? It's easy? I don't have to do it myself?
Whatever the reason, our bodies can tell a difference. When I eat wholesome food; I sleep better, I am more kind to my kids, my mind is clear, my gut is clear, inspiration comes, and I feel more grateful.
Let's do us all a favor and look for one extra thing today that we can put in our mouths that is wholesome. Just one thing. Our furniture won't benefit from real lemons as much as we will.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
"Give it Another Try!" -- Best Breastfeeding Tips I Received
Some of the best breastfeeding advice I have ever gotten was, "give it another try!" My first breastfeeding experience, I wish I could do a do-over. I did not have the opportunity to take a breastfeeding class, I had a horrible experience with a couple of nurses within the hospital after giving birth to my first baby., and didn't find the support I needed to get a positive start or sustain a successful breastfeeding journey. Nevertheless, I did try and I tried for 4 months without much success, and a lot of tears, and pain. I also heard all the negative stories about breastfeeding, and I'm sure that didn't help my outcome either.
"Give it another try!" was the best advice I got from our then HypnoBirthing instructor, now long-time friend. And since then, I have had two successful breastfeeding journeys - both extending just over a year. I'm just about to slowly wean my 3rd child, she is almost 14 months.
After the great advice of giving it another try, I now knew that breastfeeding was NOT supposed to hurt, that if it hurt, your baby was not latching on correctly. I think I heard every scary story in the book about this side of the fence on breastfeeding. If you are having to pierce your lips shut from yelling out profanities because you are hurting, get some help and don't give up! Get more educated! This is not how breastfeeding should be, despite the many stories out there that breastfeeding hurts - keep in mind that it is not supposed to hurt!
I learned all that I could, because it simply does not come naturally, for you or baby and patience for yourself and baby are key. The more prepared you are, the less frustrating it'll be and the more likelihood you'll have a successful breastfeeding experience.
Another great tid bit of advice was not getting underwire nursing bras, because it can cause clogged milk ducts (and that HURTS) a lot!
Having a good pillow support for your little one is helpful too.. before I had the Boppy's, but I found that I wasn't getting the back support I needed, as well as the support I needed for my baby as well. Someone recommended to me the "My Breast Friend" pillow. That was one of the best purchases I had ever made!
Drink at least 64 oz of water a day, more if you can. The more water you drink, the better your milk supply is, and the better hydrated you are as well.
Just because baby has teeth doesn't mean that you cannot nurse anymore. Oh, I always thought that once a baby got teeth that was the end of breastfeeding. But someone once told me, if you think about how you drink through a straw, you don't use your teeth to suck. The breast for baby is the same way. The only times I ever experienced biting was once on purpose - but quickly taken off, a firm "no" - it never happened again. The other time would be when I let my babies a few months after birth fall asleep while nursing. I would not recommend that though, unless you are okay with it. I wouldn't recommend it simply because you might have issues with weaning later on due to your baby making you the pacifier. Neither of my fully successful breastfed babies (the 2nd and 3rd) ever took a pacifier. One of the things that is recommended for your birth plan is to let the nursery know ahead of time that you do not want your baby to have any pacifiers. I personally didn't care that they had a pacifier or not, they just chose not to have one on their own.
Other advice that was so helpful was the use of Lansinoh
Air dry nipples after each feeding.
Detach suction with your finger.
In the beginning, I had one nurse show me with my first breastfeeding experience, which I had to do once with my 2nd child for maybe just a day or so. But it works wonders to get the "training" going with your baby to latch on correctly - esp before your milk comes in. The hospital has bottles of sugar water, drop a couple of drops of the sugar water on your nipple and baby will find and latch on in those beginning days.
Try new breastfeeding positions. Some work better for you and baby than others.
Nursing pads are very helpful. You might have to try a few different brands out, or you might be able to get the ones that you can wash and reuse. I personally loved the Johnson & Johnson disposable nursing pads. The pad itself didn't stick to you (which hurts if it does) and protected your skin. If you leak a lot, it will protect you from leakage as well.
Above all, ASK QUESTIONS. Get into a class if you can, hands-on experience with a supportive nurse goes a long way too! That was the best experience and support I had - was through some incredible nurses. Other support is great at La Leche League, a breastfeeding forum, help from your pediatrician etc.
"Give it another try!" was the best advice I got from our then HypnoBirthing instructor, now long-time friend. And since then, I have had two successful breastfeeding journeys - both extending just over a year. I'm just about to slowly wean my 3rd child, she is almost 14 months.
After the great advice of giving it another try, I now knew that breastfeeding was NOT supposed to hurt, that if it hurt, your baby was not latching on correctly. I think I heard every scary story in the book about this side of the fence on breastfeeding. If you are having to pierce your lips shut from yelling out profanities because you are hurting, get some help and don't give up! Get more educated! This is not how breastfeeding should be, despite the many stories out there that breastfeeding hurts - keep in mind that it is not supposed to hurt!
I learned all that I could, because it simply does not come naturally, for you or baby and patience for yourself and baby are key. The more prepared you are, the less frustrating it'll be and the more likelihood you'll have a successful breastfeeding experience.
Another great tid bit of advice was not getting underwire nursing bras, because it can cause clogged milk ducts (and that HURTS) a lot!
Having a good pillow support for your little one is helpful too.. before I had the Boppy's, but I found that I wasn't getting the back support I needed, as well as the support I needed for my baby as well. Someone recommended to me the "My Breast Friend" pillow. That was one of the best purchases I had ever made!
Drink at least 64 oz of water a day, more if you can. The more water you drink, the better your milk supply is, and the better hydrated you are as well.
Just because baby has teeth doesn't mean that you cannot nurse anymore. Oh, I always thought that once a baby got teeth that was the end of breastfeeding. But someone once told me, if you think about how you drink through a straw, you don't use your teeth to suck. The breast for baby is the same way. The only times I ever experienced biting was once on purpose - but quickly taken off, a firm "no" - it never happened again. The other time would be when I let my babies a few months after birth fall asleep while nursing. I would not recommend that though, unless you are okay with it. I wouldn't recommend it simply because you might have issues with weaning later on due to your baby making you the pacifier. Neither of my fully successful breastfed babies (the 2nd and 3rd) ever took a pacifier. One of the things that is recommended for your birth plan is to let the nursery know ahead of time that you do not want your baby to have any pacifiers. I personally didn't care that they had a pacifier or not, they just chose not to have one on their own.
Other advice that was so helpful was the use of Lansinoh
Air dry nipples after each feeding.
Detach suction with your finger.
In the beginning, I had one nurse show me with my first breastfeeding experience, which I had to do once with my 2nd child for maybe just a day or so. But it works wonders to get the "training" going with your baby to latch on correctly - esp before your milk comes in. The hospital has bottles of sugar water, drop a couple of drops of the sugar water on your nipple and baby will find and latch on in those beginning days.
Try new breastfeeding positions. Some work better for you and baby than others.
Nursing pads are very helpful. You might have to try a few different brands out, or you might be able to get the ones that you can wash and reuse. I personally loved the Johnson & Johnson disposable nursing pads. The pad itself didn't stick to you (which hurts if it does) and protected your skin. If you leak a lot, it will protect you from leakage as well.
Above all, ASK QUESTIONS. Get into a class if you can, hands-on experience with a supportive nurse goes a long way too! That was the best experience and support I had - was through some incredible nurses. Other support is great at La Leche League, a breastfeeding forum, help from your pediatrician etc.
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