North Texas Natural Family

Relax and revitalize with essential oils

apconnect — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:28:14 +0000

Yes, the first holiday weekend is over and it’s back to the weekday routine — but you can keep holiday stress at bay with essential oils. Catch your breath with other midcities mamas at the Holistic Moms Network Mid-Cities chapter’s December meeting.

Learn basic aromatherapy techniques and the essentials on essential oils. Relax, unwind and revitalize!

Relax and Revitalize with Essential Oils
Holistic Moms Network — Mid-Cities
6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3
Lifetime Family Wellness Center
1813 Harwood Ct., Hurst

For more information, contact group coordinator Jennifer Bolan.

Photo: Eggybird

Cleburne Birthing Center celebrates grand opening

apconnect — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:09:37 +0000

There’s a new birthing option for families on the south side of the DFW metroplex: Edenway’s Cleburne Birthing Center, celebrating its grand opening on Saturday, Dec. 6. The birth center will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for tours and natural freebies.

The Cleburne Birthing Center serves Dallas, Fort Worth, Waxahachie, Arlington, Grand Prairie, Granbury, Burleson, Glen Rose, Waco and beyond.

Stop by the open house event to meet the staff, tour the birth center and pick up information on natural childbirth, homebirth, waterbirth, fertility health, baby slings, massage, herbs, birth photography, and chiropractic care in pregnancy.

Free pregnancy testing
Free chair massages
Free refreshments
Door prizes
Bounce house for the kids

Cleburne Birthing Center Open House
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6
805 N Main, Cleburne 76033
817-558-BABY

Slow food holiday event in the country

apconnect — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:54:05 +0000

Get out of the city, into the fresh air and indulge in whole foods with like-minded souls at Slow Food Dallas’ afternoon holiday potluck lunch at Sloans Creek Farm in Dodd City on Sunday, Dec. 2. Bundle up and enjoy a tour of farm’s pastures, hayrides and musical entertainment.

Admission is $5 per person for both adults and children (cash or check). Bring your own lunch, folding chairs and an ice chest for any meat purchases.

The farm’s market, offering pasture-raised beef, pork, lamb and goat meat, will be open for business.

The farm, located on Highway 56 east of Sherman, raises pasture-fed heritage livestock breeds including Red Poll Cattle, Murray Grey Cattle, Irish Dexter Cattle, Myotonic Meat Goats, St. Croix Hair Sheep and Red Wattle Hogs.

Holiday Potluck
Sloans Creek Farm
Highway 56 in Dodd City (east of Sherman)
2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2

Visit Eat Green DFW for more information about Sloans Creek Farm or for directions to the farm.

Photo: The Gut

Fresh local woolies from Macaroni & Cheese

apconnect — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:34:17 +0000

Chubby little legs stay warm and look precious in woolen diaper covers and “longies” pants — and we’ve discovered a new local resource for both premade and custom orders. Macaroni & Cheese at Etsy features the work of Dallas mama Jacqueline Smith.

After trying her hand at cloth diapers for her now 23-month-old before he was born, Jacqueline caught the inspiration to try her hand at wool longies made from sweaters. “They both were so cool I thought others might want to buy them from me — and I love sewing!,” she exclaims. “I opened an Etsy shop in the summer of 2007 and carry cloth diapers, wool pants and shorts, ring slings and stretchy wraps.”

The shop’s wool pants have proven to be its most popular item, by far. “I do take orders for diapers and wraps and slings,” Jacqueline adds, “but I rarely list them in my store.” In addition to wool pants and shorts, she also crafts baby outfits, bibs, towels sets and more.

Get in touch with Jacqueline by using the Contact button at the Macaroni & Cheese Etsy shop, or use the Request Custom Item button to initiate a custom project.

Crosby Cafe hits the blogosphere

apconnect — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:41:31 +0000

Dallas’ Crosby Cafe has long been known for its vegetarian and vegan catering (and its organic coffees, too). Now you can follow Chef Jeanette Prasifka online at the new Crosby’s Food Blog. “I’d rather start talking about my passion — food!” writes Prasifka. “This blog is intended to be about all things culinary — recipes I’m developing, interesting ingredients or techniques I’ve just discovered, as well as my dining experiences in and around Dallas. I look forward to taking you along on my ongoing culinary adventures!”

Established in 2001, Crosby Catering and Coffee is a full-service catering company specializing in vegetarian and vegan cuisine. Crosby also offers its own line of 100% organic, fair trade, shade-grown, bird-friendly coffee.

Chef Jeanette specializes in working with people on restricted diets, whether they be vegetarian or vegan, or not.

Food intolerances Wheat, gluten, lactose and others
Food allergies
Medical conditions Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, compromised immunity
Chemotherapy or radiation therapy Dietary preparations and support
Weight loss
100% organic diets
100% raw diets

Prasifka works personally with each of her clients to ensure their meals not only comply with their specific dietary needs and requirements, but that they also are delicious, nutritious and enjoyable.

Contact Crosby at (214) 770-5573 or via e-mail.

Motrin ad slams babywearing, fuels donation campaign

apconnect — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:20:23 +0000

The internet exploded this weekend over a new advertising campaign from Motrin that cast babywearing in a negative light. (Read the actual text of the ad, after the jump.) The blogosphere and Twitter lit up, forcing an immediate retraction from Motrin, which pulled the ads online and is cancelling print and other versions that are already in progress.

Here at North Texas Natural Family, we’re all about making lemonade from all these lemons. Motrin’s mis-step makes a perfect reminder:

It’s still International Babywearing Week (Nov. 12-18).
There are still needy mamas out there who don’t have slings to help them hold their babies close.

If you felt Motrin’s misdirected ad was worthy taking the time to complain about, don’t forget to take a positive step, as well: donate a sling to a needy family.

This week, Peppermint Baby Boutique is collecting gently used baby slings and carriers for No Mother Left Behind, a volunteer group working to make babywearing available to all parents, regardless of their financial situations. Peppermint’s local donation goal: 100 slings.

You don’t have to live in North Texas to participate. Peppermint is accepting sling donations by mail, or you can send slings or monetary donations directly to No Mother Left Behind.

What was all the fuss about Motrin’s ad, anyway? Here’s the text of the actual ad:

Wearing your baby seems to be in fashion. I mean, in theory, it’s a great idea. There’s the front baby carrier, sling, schwing, wrap, pouch. And who knows what else they’ve come up with. Wear your baby on your side, your front, go hands-free.

Supposedly, it’s a real bonding experience. They say that babies carried close to the bod tend to cry less than others.

But what about me? Do moms that wear their babies cry more than those who don’t? I sure do! These things put a ton of strain on your back, your neck, your shoulders. Did I mention your back?! I mean, I’ll put up with the pain because it’s a good kind of pain; it’s for my kid. Plus, it totally makes me look like an official mom.

And so if I look tired and crazy, people will understand why.

We think Motrin’s ad was “tired and crazy” itself — but we’ll simply take it as a great opportunity to help mamas in all financial situations wear their babies by donating a sling. Send your gently used slings or financial donations to Peppermint Baby Boutique or No Mother Left Behind today!

Photo: clairity

Simpler holidays with Holistic Moms Mid-Cities

apconnect — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:15:57 +0000

Stop the madness, before it even gets started. The Holistic Moms Network of Mid-Cities helps you plot out fresh ideas on simplifying your holiday hustle and bustle at its next meeting, Wednesday, Nov. 19.

Discuss how to make the holidays more family-oriented and spiritually centered, and get tips on how to incorporate or start family traditions.

Holistic Moms Network — Mid-Cities
6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19
Lifetime Family Wellness Center
1813 Harwood Ct., Hurst

For more information, contact group coordinator Jennifer Bolan.

Photo: theogeo

iPhone apps for parents

apconnect — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:55:36 +0000

Here at NTNF, we’re pretty strong advocates of the less-is-more approach. But if you’re a bona fide technophile and you loves you some iPhone, there’s no reason not to harness that power for the good of the family.

ParentDish has posted what may just be the best list of iPhone parenting apps out there today. Get organized, get entertained, get tracking, get notified … Get busy!

Baby monitor program calls the phone number of your choosing when your baby monitor detects Baby is awake.
Nursing tracker helps you keep up with which side, how long and how often you’ve nursed.
Cookbook app puts more than 160,000 recipes right in the palm of your hand.
White noise with a selection of natural, technological, gentle and assertive background sounds helps baby nap through the sound and the fury, no matter where you are.
Voice notes lets you record inspirations without scrambling for a pen and paper.
Scribble app entertains young artists wherever you may be.
Diaper tracker keeps track of the, uh, bottom line.
Grocery list app keeps you organized and ready to shop.
Food additives database helps you remember which nasties to avoid in the grocery store.
Preschool Adventure app offers still more on-the-spot entertainment for the wee ones.

Visit ParentDish’s iPhone parenting apps list for direct links to these apps.

Photo: andesigned.com

Donate a sling to a needy mama

apconnect — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:46:14 +0000

It’s time to snuggle! This week is International Babywearing Week (Nov. 12-18), and it’s your chance to help share the convenience, ease and joy of babywearing with a mama or papa who may not be able to afford a sling.

Oddly enough, North Texas is somewhat of a mecca for babywearing resources. Many of the leading outlets for slings and carriers are right here in our own back yard! Look over what’s available locally on our Natural Products & Services page (scroll down to Slings & Baby Carriers).

International Babywearing Week 2008 is jointly presented by the non-profit organization Babywearing International and TheBabywearer.com.

Donate your gently used sling

But back those sling donations — mail or drop off your gently used slings at:

Peppermint Baby Boutique Attn: Sling Drive
1778 N. Plano Rd., Suite 100
Richardson, TX 75081

(214) 623-5080

Is your car making you sick?

apconnect — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:22:10 +0000

You knew “new car smell” was offgassing chemicals, and you knew those chemicals are no good for your family’s health … But you didn’t really see a way to avoid them.

Until now.

Adonya Wong over at Healing Through the Eyes of Autism tells us how we can rate the toxicity levels of our own cars at HealthyCar.org. HealthyCar.org tested approximately 450 of the most popular vehicle models in the United States from 2006-2009 — and more than 130 popular 2007-2008 child car seat, as well.From HealthyCar.org:

Everyone knows that cars are a major source of air pollution. But most people don’t know that it isn’t only what comes out of tailpipes that’s the problem, but what’s inside cars as well. “New car smell” for example, comes from toxic chemicals being released from plastics, foams and fabrics used to make steering wheels, dashboards and seats.

These chemicals are inhaled or ingested by drivers and passengers through dust and air, potentially causing allergic or other acute reactions or even long-term health impacts such as birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity and cancer. Since the average American spends more than 1.5 hours in a car every day, toxic chemical exposure inside vehicles is becoming a major source of potential indoor air pollution.

The good news is that some cars and car seats are better than others. Toxic chemicals are not required to make indoor auto parts or cars seats, and some manufacturers have begun to phase them out. HealthyCar.org tested approximately 450 of the most popular vehicle models in the U.S. from 2006-2009. In each vehicle, 11 different components were sampled including: steering wheel, shift knob, armrest/center console, dashboard, headliner, carpet, seat front, seat back, seat base, hard door-trim and soft door-trim. Chemicals tested that are of primary concern include bromine (associated with brominated flame retardants); chlorine (indicating the presence of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC and plasticizers); lead; and heavy-metal allergens.

HealthyCar.org has also tested over 130 popular 2007-2008 child car seats for the same chemicals. The major components of the car seats were tested, including the seat cushion, foam backing, seat base, seat belt clip and sun shade (when available).

Visit HealthyCar.org to rate your own vehicle or child car seat or to find out which new cars and car seats are the healthiest choices.

Photo: nicolasnova