Powerful message to mothers and women

I started reading a new book and the first few pages were a special message to women. While reading it I thought it was definitely something necessary to send to my readers, those of you who are mothers and those of you who are want to be a mother in the future.

In the opening pages of Mary B Morrison's Who's Loving You the author writes:

Hear me when I say, "no one will ever treat you worse then you treat yourself," and no one should treat you better. When times get hard- we all experience hard times- and there seems to be no way out... keep breathing. Live another second, hold on another minute, hang in there another hour, and with each passing moment, know that your internal beauty is the pure essence of the greatest love, because without you; without your womanly nurturing, your motherly instincts, your ability to breathe life into every living human being; without women, MEN WOULD CEASE TO EXIST!!!!

Don't let men brainwash you into believing they hold the power in a relationship. THEY DON'T. Giving birth is the highest power of procreation. Men can't do that. So, ladies don't have babies for men who aren't worthy of your power.

This passage struck me hard. I read and re-read a number of times. Hindsight is 20/20 but I know for sure that moving forward in any relationship including the interaction between myself and Jades father that this isn't about him or the little he has done to bring this beautiful child into the world and keep her safe while she is here. Its about Me and all I will continue to do to bring her up to be a strong woman who understands the value of being a women and learns the mistakes of so many women before her.

MommE- Mondays:Recall

Good Morning MommE's and DaddE's,

I missed my MommE Monday's this week but here is the make-up post! RECALLS:

The past few months have been filled with recalls on products for children and it doesn't seem to be letting up. As of October 23, 2010 the newest recall is HYLAND"S TEETHING TABLETS. According to the company the tablets are manufactured to contain a small amount of belladonna, a substance that can cause serious harm at a larger dose. This recall involves Hyland's Teething Tablets with the following UPC codes: # 3 54973 75041, # 3 54973 75042, # 3 54973 75066, # 3 54973 75044, # 3 54973 75121, and # 3 54973 35109.



Immediately stop using this product and dispose of any tablets in your possession. If your child experiences symptoms such as seizures, difficulty breathing, lethargy, excessive sleepiness, muscle weakness, skin flushing, constipation, difficulty urinating, or agitation after using Hyland's Teething Tablets, consult your health care professional. Any adverse reactions may also be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Program by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, by mail at MedWatch, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787, or on the MedWatch Web site at fda.gov/medwatch FOR MORE INFORMATION:fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm230761.htm


Hope this helps!!!

MommE Mondays

HI all,

I know I'm a few days off, but even this blogging MommE needs to enjoy vacations. This week we are going to focus on the many wives tales and myths surrounding pregnancy.

Carrying High, Carrying Low

The general story goes that, if you're carrying low, you're having a boy. If you are carrying high, then you must be having a girl. Science says "NO, NO, NO!" to this: the way you carry is determined by muscle and uterine tone as well as the position of your baby.

Choking the baby with the umbilical cord:

If you hold your arms above your head, your baby's umbilical cord will get wrapped around its head and choke it. This myth may have a spiritual basis or it may have been a way to keep women from doing anything when they were pregnant (perhaps the myth was created by an overworked mother?). However, if your baby gets caught up in its umbilical cord (which happens in about a 1/3 of births) it is because your baby was very fidgety inside of you and moved around a lot, not because of you.

Bathing while pregnant:

A pregnant woman should not take baths. This myth is routed in the belief that water can get into the vagina and thereby introduce bacteria to the baby. Scientists have proven that water does not enter a woman's vagina during a bath. In fact, baths will probably help pregnant women feel better by helping them relax.

Don't breastfeed a toddler during pregnancy because the new baby needs all the nourishment it can get.

False. If a woman is healthy, breastfeeding during pregnancy won't harm her, the fetus, or her toddler. (A doctor may recommend that a pregnant woman not breastfeed, though, if she has a nutritional deficiency, is underweight, or is at risk for pre-term labor.)

If You Have Heartburn During Pregnancy Your Baby Has A Lot of Hair
Because of there being less room in your stomach since there is a baby growing and pushing on it, heartburn is actually extremely common during those nine months. There is no proof or reason to believe that having heartburn is a sign of a baby being born with a head full of hair.

Stop eating spicy food

People say spicy foods can cause premature labor. Think about it: do women from cultures that adore hot, spicy foods switch to a bland diet when they get pregnant? Nope, it's just another one of those pregnancy old wives tales. They still enjoy their favorite dishes and you can, too. You may find that spicy foods trigger heartburn or indigestion, though, in which case you'll want to hold off until after the pregnancy.

This is it for now! I hope this helps some of you realize that as a pregnant woman you can still live a normal life. This is not to say there aren't many real issues that pregnant woman face and if you have any questions or concerns you should contact your OB/GYN not your friend from up the block whose grandmother has advice.




*Just a note all information in today's post was found on the following websites:
pregnancy-info.net
storknet.com
kidshealth.org
babiesonline.com
pregnancy.lovetoknow. com

WorldWide Wednesday

Good Afternoon MommE's and DaddE's welcome to WorldWide Wednesdays. For those of you who know me personally you know I love to travel and this year was Jade's first vacation. After seeing how much she loved the experience I decided I wanted to share travel tips, deals, and adventures with you. I will also post cheap deals for JUST THE PARENTS, as a happy mommE and daddE is just as important.

First stop Montego Bay, Jamaica

Entertainment/Activities
I loved Jamaica and the resort that we stayed in The Sunset Beach Resort and Spa. This resort was very family friendly. From a childcare system to a children's pool complete with water slide for the older kids and a baby slide for the toddlers. Even on rainy days the fun didn't stop as the resort provided family friendly entertainment, Jade even won a prize for participating in a dance contest.
In the evening the resort had many different activities to attend, a childrens talent showcase was held one night, as well as a "fashion show. " And for the sake of all guests at the hotel all activities died down by 2am.

Pricing
The pricing was great as well. Sunset Resort Beach and Spa is an all-inclusive resort. Children under 3 are FREE and children aged 3-12 are half priced for their stay. They also receive wrist bands.

Doctor/Convenient stores etc.
On the resort property is a doctors office and thankfully I didn't need to use them. They also had a gift shop and convenient store on the property selling items like suntan lotion, floaties, life vests, combs, and brushes. I was able to buy Jade a life vest and floaties for only $5.

Overall I enjoyed my time at the Resort, food choices were abundant, activities were everywhere, ample pool space and spacious rooms. I would definitely recommend these resort for families.

http://www.sunsetbeachresort.com/

MommE Mondays

With so many people around me pregnant or new mothers I decided to start a MommE Monday column. Every Monday I will answer a question that was asked of me about pregnancy or being a new mom and if I haven't received a question I will take the time to address an issue that I think is very important.

This week I am going to start with the age old LIE that says when your pregnant your eating for two! In one word that is BULLSHIT! So many women find out they are pregnant and all of a sudden they are soooo hungry, and having cravings and you begin to hear well I'm eating for two now so I might as well have more. NO that is not true.

According to BabyCenter.com: Your body becomes more efficient during pregnancy and is able to absorb more of the nutrients you eat. So consuming twice as much doesn't double your chances of having a healthy baby – instead, it's likely to mean excessive weight gain for you, which can put you at risk for pregnancy complications.

If you're at a healthy weight, you need no additional calories in the first trimester, about 300 extra calories a day in the second trimester, and about 450 extra calories a day in the third trimester. If you're overweight or underweight, you'll need more or less than this depending on your weight gain goal.

BabyCenter.com gives some pointers on how to maximize your diet:

Here are some tips for maximizing nutrition during pregnancy:

• To meet your daily needs for protein, calories, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and key vitamins and minerals during pregnancy, eat a variety of foods. Even within a category of foods (like vegetables), look for different colors, types, and textures, for example.

• Try to minimize "extra" foods that have calories but few nutrients – sugary beverages, fried foods, foods with extra fat and sugar. Instead, choose meals and snacks that pack the most nutrition per calorie. Adding a few nutrition-packed snacks – like yogurt, nuts, a hard-boiled egg, some fresh fruits or vegetables – to your daily intake is a great way to get the healthy calories your baby needs
• Choose foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Pick whole-grain bread or brown rice over refined white bread or white rice, and fresh fruits or frozen unsweetened fruit over canned fruits in sugar syrup, for example.
• Eat fats, oils, and sweets sparingly. And be sure to choose healthy fats.

I hope these pointers help you. And if you feel abit overwhelmed be sure to sign up for websites like:
www.babycenter.com
www.mypregnancyguide.com
www.whattoexpect.com and
www.smartmama.com

These websites will send you weekly alerts and what is going on with your body through your pregnancy as well as what to expect with a newborn.


Remember if you have any questions that you want addressed on MommE Mondays please send an email to ssanders@themommeshop.com or leave a message on our Facebook fan page The MommE Shop.

See ya Next week!

Dimples Spa for Kids

This past Friday was my daughters 3rd birthday. I spent weeks debating what to do, party, sleep over, BBQ??? After doing Google searches and asking friends for suggestions I came across the perfect place...a spa for kids!!

Dimples Kids Spa is located in Downtown Brooklyn on Montague between Hicks St. & Henry St. It is close to almost all trains so it is very easy to get there. It is a very small space but provides everything for your little Don or Diva. From Hair services like flat ironing and curling, to baby facials to manicures and pedicures this spa is there to cater to your child.

I made reservations for a manicure, pedicure, and face paint for Jade but she grew a bit impatient while allowing her nails to dry. So we cancelled the face paint service and that was no problem.

Overall I think the spa is great idea and the perfect place for a party or event. My only criticism is the place is a bit plain, not at all what I expected for a children's boutique. A little color to the walls would def make it more fun and hip for its clientele and its location. Also weekday appointments are much easier to come buy, weekends are filled with birthday parties.

Check out the pictures below of Jade enjoying her day and stay tuned for a Spa day event from the MommE-Shop!!!

I definitely recommend Dimples for your child's spa care needs LOL!

www.dimpleskidspa.com

Free Events

Happy Friday MommE's and DaddE's summer is coming to an end but that doesn't mean the fun has to stop. Here are some free events for the weekend:

Friday
Free Shakespeare Workshop and Performance, 4pm (212-333-2552)
Target Brooklyn Community Garden 933 Bedford Ave, between Willoughby and DeKalb Aves, Bedford-Stuyvesant

KidFlix Film Fest: Crooklyn, 7:30pm (718-230-0492)
Fulton Park (Fulton St, btwn Lewis and Stuyvesant ave)

River Flicks for Kids: Ice Age, Dawn of the Dinosaurs, 8:30pm (212-627-2121

Hudson River Park at Pier 46 (West and Christopher street)

Friday Family Movie Night, 6:15pm (718-923-9710)

The Moxie Spot (81-83 Hicks St.)

Sunset Jam on the Hudson, 6:30 (212-267-9700)

Robert F. Wagner Park (Battery Place)

Saturday

5^th Annual Staten Island International Dance Festival, 5pm

Tappen Park (Bay Street between Canal and Water Streets)

The Baby-Sitters Club, 3pm (212-343-6166)

Scholastic Store (557 Broadway btwn Prince and Spring St)

Canoe the Meer, 11am-3pm (212-628-2345)

Central Park, Harlem Meer (110^th Street and Adam Clayton Powell jr. Blvd)

Family Day, 12pm-4pm (718-520-5916)

Liberty Park ( Liberty Avenue btwn 172^nd and 173^rd Streets Jamaica Queens)

Mad Science: Crime Lab, 3pm (917-275-6975)

New York Public Library (42^nd street and Fifth Avenue)

New York City’s Yorkiest Block Party, 2pm-7pm (212-254-5123)

7^th Street Btwn Ave A and First Avenue

The NY City Children’s Festival, 11am-6pm (212-862-8477)

135^th Street Between Lenox and 7th Avenues

NYCE Carnival, 1pm-6pm

Superfront 1432 btwn Brooklyn and New York Avenues

Sunday

A Closer Look for Kids, 10:20am-11:30am (212-708-9805)

Museum of Modern Art (11 W 53^rd Street btwn 5ht and 6^th ave)

August Picture Book Bonanza, 1pm-3pm (212-989-3270)

Books of Wonder (18 West 18^th Street btwn 5^th and 6^th avenues)

Downtown Dance Festival, 2pm (212-691-5040

Battery Park (State Street at Battery Place)

Macy’s Back to School Summer Blow-Out, 12pm (212-695-4400)

Macy’s Herald Square (151 West 34^th Street btwn 6^th and 7^th avenue)

Summer Songs and Stories, 2pm-4pm (718-789-2822)

Lefferts Historic House (Flatbush Avenue at Empire Blvd)

Family Mornings at Baco Café, 11:30am (718-694-2226)

71 Jay Street Btwn Front and Water Sts.

Monday

Movies Under the Stars: UP, 8pm-10pm

Cunningham Park (Clearview Expwy to Francis Lewis Blvd, btwn LIE and GCP

ENJOY!!! AND IF YOU ARE HAVING AN EVENT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE POSTED BE SURE TO SEND INFORMATION TO SSANDERS@THEMOMMESHOP.COM PLEASE INCLUDE EVENT NAME, TIME, PRICE, LOCATION, AND A CONTACT NUMBER