Today I’m interviewing Roni Maclean, creator and moderator of www.InfantRefluxDisease.com and author of Life on the Reflux Roller Coaster. Roni has a now almost 8 year old daughter who, as a baby had the more severe version of infant acid reflux; GERD (GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease) and still suffers from it. Here is my conversation with Roni:

AC: Roni, was it hard to get an initial diagnosis of reflux? Information was very sparse 8 years ago.

RM: It was incredibly difficult to find information and help back then. The doctors weren’t aware it was reflux at all until she started throwing up. Initially severe feeding aversions were her only symptom and they were truly stumped. Once she started vomiting, however, they began to suspect reflux and thankfully they have always done a wonderful job of treating her appropriately. She just happened to be a kid that didn’t respond to treatment.

AC: What was the range of emotions you experienced and then what did you do about it?

RM: I was very frustrated, depressed and helpless and felt a great deal of pity and pain for Shae-Lynne. I had no medical background but I started researching the disease shortly after Shae-Lynne’s diagnosis. The lack of information and support that I had were very frustrating and I wanted to reach out and help others going through what we had been through. I started a website early in 2001 which included information on reflux and GERD. Because of the overwhelming response I received from www.infantrefluxdisease.com I knew more needed to be done. I continued researching and writing, and together with my mother Jean McNeil Life on the Reflux Roller Coaster was born.

AC: For those of you who have never heard of it, Life on the Reflux Roller Coaster is a highly acclaimed “must read” and was the first book ever published which was dedicated entirely to infant reflux. What really turned the tide for you?

RM:The first big change came a few months after her jejunostomy surgery. She began to actually slowly improve slighty. Then in the past year or so we’ve seen even more improvements with her vomiting finally slowing down.

AC: How did you finally reconcile your notion of what having a baby would be like with the reality of actually having that baby and it being sick?

RM: How? I guess because I had to. Two choices, live in misery pitying myself and her (which believe me, I did spend time doing) or accept that whether she’s got GERD or not, she’s still my beautiful, sweet perfect little girl. At some point I also realized that everything we had been through with her, made her who she was and she was pretty great just the way she was.

AC: Roni, it’s so all-consuming when you have an infant with acid reflux that it takes over your life. What steps did you go through to restore your sense of individuality again after dealing with your daughter’s needs for so long?

RM: I didn’t until just this past year. I spent over 6 years living her condition, living it in real life with her and living it online with my website. Last year I finally just burned out and had do something for me. So, I started taking care of myself, working out and eating right. I can be a better mother if I can give her 100% of myself and I couldn’t do that until I got myself back.

AC: That is great advice. What other advice would you give new parents struggling with caring for an infant with reflux?

RM: Get a support group and get educated are two of the most important things. Also, I think it helps to understand that things could be so much worse and that it truly does get easier.

AC: What is the single most common thing you see parents on your boards struggling with?

RM: I really don’t think I could narrow it down to just one. Lack of support from family and friends is huge. Listening to non stop crying and watching their babies in constant pain is also excruciating.

AC: And what seems to be the thing that helps them the most?

RM: Finding the site. You can almost hear a sigh of relief when they find other people going through the same things they are.

AC: Your dedication to your site is amazing – every time I visit it you’ve added so many new resources and topics. It quite simply is one of the best, most respected sites on the net for information and support for those with babies and children suffering from GERD. The depth of detail and the breadth of related conditions you cover such as oral aversions, g-tubes and sensory integration issues is phenomenal. My favorite part about your site is the support boards for reflux and various related conditions. You actually have a separate “Ask the Experts” thread where members can ask questions from a Medical Professional, Pharmacist, Speech Language Pathologist, Respiratory Therapist, Occupational Theraptist, Lactation Consultant, Massage Therapist and Therapeutic Riding Instructor (for Sensory Integration questions).

Roni, you’ve accomplished so much in the last 7 years in the field of infant acid reflux – any plans for the future?

RM: Oh of course. There is still quite a bit more information I want to get added on several different topics and lots of existing areas that I want to expand upon. I have tons of plans for the site and a lot of exciting applications want to have created which would be a huge benefit to it’s visitors I believe. Unfortunately, these plans have been on the back burner for several years; however, because the site is not-for-profit, we just haven’t the funds to implement those plans.

I come from a long line of self-sufficient folk. Some hunters, some farmers, some breeders of livestock, some fishermen, some foragers, sometimes all wrapped into one. Perhaps it came from coming of age in the Great Depression and remaining poor, passing those frugal and resourceful qualities onto your children. For whatever reason I’ve always been fascinated with self-sufficiency.

Even in this era of consumerism and affluence, while sitting at my kitchen window typing on my laptop which resides just above my dishwasher and to the right of my espresso maker I sit here dreaming of my colony.

I can visualize the spots in the front yard where I have plans for plums and apple trees and caned raspberry bushes.

I have a view of various spots in my backyard where the pea starts are struggling up through this unforgiving spring weather - some days sunny and mild, some days rainy and all too many days of sleet and hail mixed together. I see chard and kale and carrots coming up. I see flowers peek out of the strawberries and falling from cherry trees. I see leaves start on the blueberry and huckleberry bushes and rhubarb just beginning to venture up. I see spots for corn and beans and tomatoes once the soil warms some more.

I see the spot where we began driving the well into our hard clay soil which works as a marvelous plug that prevents water drainage into the soil, allowing the high water table to pool and the rainwater to collect in the reservoir. An old cistern pump lies waiting for us to finish driving the pipe down lower so the kids can bring up water for the plants in July when we need to water them on a regular basis.

I also see the spots where I’ve left room for a future hen house - in Seattle we are allowed 3 chickens even within city limits but no roosters. I’m ok with that. I’ve also left a spot for a bunny hutch. I dream of fresh eggs and rabbit legs to go with herbs and vegetables fresh from my garden.

I dream of someday living outside the city limits so I can have a cow and some goats for fresh kefir, butter, cheeses and crème fraiche for my berries.

Perhaps Mrs. G will let me be the cultivator of livestock and farmer of fresh foods in her Women’s Colony. It’s a wonderful image to hold. For now I’ll just keep dreaming of summer and fall bounty, fresh eggs and homemade cheeses. And maybe I’ll head to PCC so there is actually something in my refrigerator when my husband comes home.

As Earth Day approaches I am hearing a lot of buzz about living green. Sort of like close to Valentines Day when you start seeing jewelry, chocolate and floral commercials everywhere. We always try to do things the green way but the buzz around Earth Day is making me realize that most people want to be green and just don’t know how to begin. Like our diet, green has been a journey we took step by step. To begin I find it helpful to read the Lorax to preschool-aged kids and explain everything to them. They will be appalled at what’s happening to the planet and constantly keep you on track should you stray.

We started by selling our bigger house and buying a much smaller one with more yard. By buying a fixer rather than building something new we were “re-using” existing resources. We then replaced all the appliances and toilet (that’s right, one toilet) with new high-efficiency ones. We decommisioned the old oil tank to remove any future chance of oil leaching into the water table. We installed a combination of gas and radiant heating. We replaced the original single pane windows with new double pane ones. We installed a fan in the attic to remove hot air in the summer then insulated the whole house. We updated the electric and replaced the fixtures with newer ones and high efficiency bulbs. We planted 17 trees in the yard, deciduous ones directly on the south side of the house so they would let light and warmth in during the winter months and then screen the windows and roof in the summer months. We bought rain barrels for watering the new trees.

I breastfed exclusively - no need for plastic bottles or formula made from dairy industry by-products. We cloth diaper. I wash them myself but you could further reduce water use by using a diaper service. When we do use disposables I use Seventh Generation or G Diapers. I now only buy natural products (toothpaste, lotion, shampoo and underarm deoderant). We try to share baby gear, kids clothes and toys between our circle of friends. I try to buy wooden toys made from renewable sources like rubber wood.

I try to buy minimal processed food, opting instead for items in the bulk bin. We eat a lot of oatmeal and granola for breakfast in place of cereal. If I do buy processed food I only buy the natural brands. I also try not to buy canned items since metals are non-renewable and many cans are lined with unsavory chemicals that leach into the food. We have a farm-share (CSA) from a farm that is both local AND organic, not to mention they use sustainable farming practices. That will be the new buzz word you’ll be reading about in a few year’s time. My dollar is my vote and the only way to get corporate America to make changes in the food industry.

Likewise for cleaning products. I use Bon Ami and Ecover cleansers, otherwise baking soda, vinegar, or dish soap. I remember my grandfather teaching me to clean the bathtub just before those Dow Scrubbing Bubbles came out. I remember whining “I wiped it and it’s not coming off, how do you get it clean?” His response was “Elbow grease, kid.” That is something we seem to have lost in the last 30 years - elbow grease does the same thing that many toxic chemicals do and it will help you stave off those lunch lady arms. The biggest trick is to not wait a month before cleaning the toilet bowl or shower. It will take a quick 2 minute rubdown in the shower if you do it a few times a week and you won’t need anything other than the same soap you use to shower. And as far as bar soap goes - I use Dr. Bonners or Kiss My Face. It’s soap, not a beauty bar. It is designed for cleaning rather than foaming and smelling pretty. You’ll notice the difference right away.

We have switched to all chargable batteries as well. It’s a big committment initially because they cost more and you need a charger (or several for different sizes) but once you’ve replaced all the appliances and remotes in your house you don’t need to keep buying batteries. And don’t throw your old batteries in the garbage! They contain lead, mercury, cadmium and other elemental metals that don’t disappear. They end up in the water and soil if not disposed of properly.

And speaking of things that never disappear, I do not buy from online stores that use styrofoam packing material and I do not buy takeout food from places that use it either. Not only does it contain an estrogen mimic, like BPA in plastic drinking bottles but it never breaks down. It get smaller and smaller but it never goes away and ends up in the food chain by starting with fish and birds. We all have stryene in our bodies, like it or not.

Now speaking of things in our bodies, I only cook with stainless steel pans. No more caphalon or teflon for me. I know manufacturers say the new generation non-stick pans aren’t toxic but trust them once shame on them. Shame on me is not in my future, at least as it concerns coated pans.

I’m not sure if this one counts because it’s not necessarily my choice but my showers aren’t as frequent as they used to be, or as long. That is mainly because I have small children who cry and swing from the shower curtain or throw items into the shower and try to climb in with me. Likewise I don’t wash my car frequently. Think of all the water I’m saving! And since I have two small boys I make them bathe together in a tub that is no more than 1/4 full. In the summer we try to frequent wading pools rather than filling up a blow up pool for ourselves, or I let the boys run through the sprinkler while we water the grass in the backyard. The front yard we let yellow in the summer to save water.

Before we make purchases I try to check craig’s list to see if we can find a used one somewhere. I don’t do this for any plastic or painted kid’s toys because of the safety issues but it’s a great way to buy a couch or rug and the flame retardants are just that much more aired out the older the item is! Another great place to look for used and free items is zwaggle.com. You can also periodically take a buy nothing challenge. Try to go a week with only buying groceries and gas. The next time try to go a month. If you are able to do this on a periodic basis you will have made a huge environmental impact.

As far as mail goes we cancelled all magazine and newspaper subscriptions and any mail order catalogs. It helps keep down on recycling and I find I’m much less likely to buy things - a double whammy.

We sold the Jeep and bought a diesel. My husband is very committed to biodiesel fuel, although I have my reservations. I’m opposed to mono-crop farming and genetic modification and both of those things are used to create the grains from which alternative fuels are made from.

The most difficult thing for me has been giving up Starbucks. They tout that they are committed to fair trade and the environment but sadly they only have one blend of coffee that is shade grown and fair trade. Instead I keep trying new roasts of coffee beans that are both fair trade and shade grown but I haven’t found one yet with that beautiful Starbucks bite. I’ll keep trying though.

Things that I am working on - being less of a consumer (my weakness is the kids and the yard), buying more local things at much higher prices - handmade clothes, locally made lotions and soaps, growing more of our own vegetables in the summer and riding the bus more with the kids. The challenge is getting home from our travels by naptime with all of our gear.

Books I admire that inspire: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral by Barbara Kingsolver. It will make you think seriously about the choices you make.

Happy Earth Day!

I’m describing myself but I’m also talking about my favorite breakfast here. I’ve tried buying granola from boxes, bags and bulk but it’s just not crunchy enough for me, or roasted enough for me, and it almost never has the bite it needs from a splash of molasses.

I remember reading once that homemade granola was so easy to make and so incomparable to any bought granola that you would never go back, and you know I never have. I hope to pass this on to you as well.

BurpRag’s Crunchy Granola

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl mix together:

4 cups old-fashioned thick cut organic oatmeal
2 cups slivered almonds
2 cups unsweetened coconut

In a small bowl or directly in the measuring cup add:

1/2 - 3/4 cup canola oil
1 cup honey
2 T blackstrap molasses

Stir well.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ones, mixing well until thoroughly incorporated.
Bake on a parchment-lined cookie sheet for 40-45 minutes stirring every 15 minutes. Allow it to cool slightly then break it up. This stores well in a sealed container in the pantry for at least 4 weeks, although it doesn’t last that long in my house.

This granola can be used to make granola bars, fresh fruit yogurt granola parfaits, or as a quick topping to baked fruit (simply bake fruit & sugar in a corning baker then top with granola).

Cloth diaper we do butt sometimes the poo, oh the poo, oh the poo oh the poo and doo doo…

With Chicken Little I was somewhat militant about cloth diapering, which meant that I frequently was carrying soiled stinkies around with me because I needed to take them home to wash. It meant that my diaper bag really only had room in it for, well, for diapers. When Toddler was born I softened a little. I’m still committed to reducing my environmental footprint but overnight we use disposable. If we have a sitter we use disposable. And if we have a lot of errands to run we use disposable. At first my goal was to use no more than 7 a week but lately we’ve been on the go a lot and I noticed our disposable diaper consumption has increased. I’m starting to save up some garbage for the next week because the can is already full.

So last week I finally broke down and tried G Diapers. They are an interesting concept. The filling looks like the huge maxi pads of my teenage years that fit inside a trim little cover. They contain fewer chemicals than other diapers (although any filling that can absorb that much liquid cannot be entirely natural) but they break down in 50-120 days as opposed to 500 YEARS. That’s right, I said 500 years. That is how long it takes a regular disposable diaper to breakdown. Let alone the added “landmass” we are created in refuse. If we could only take that garbage landmass and add it back to the eroding coastline we are experiencing through climate change but I digress.

One interesting thing about the G Diaper is that it’s flushable. In order to flush it you tear open the outer cover of the pad and shake out the inside material. I tried this with great trepidation the first time but it flushed ok. My trepidation was rooted in the fact that we are a one crapper household, baby bjorn potty notwithstanding. While we were renovating the bathroom I went for 3 days without a toilet while 6 months pregnant so I’m a little nervous when it comes to doing without functional plumbing.

Tonight Toddler threw me a curveball in his G-diaper and for some reason I didn’t just toss it in the garbage. Without thinking I started ripping the outside and tried “shaking” the inner contents out without losing the smeared on contents, or the contents of my stomach. Of course I was holding the insert by the cleanest edge I could find, trying to pull the inner section out. The closer I got to the unsavory section the more stubborn and rooted the insert became. It was halfway out and I reasoned that what with swirling around in it’s little whirlpool it should finish coming out on it’s own so I gave it a flush. It looked like it flushed just fine.

About an hour later my husband approached me, tactfully asking if I knew of any reason the toilet might be overflowing. Well, there was one I could think of. The toilet was hopelessly plugged, even after about 10 minutes of furious plunging. Suddenly my husband remembered that the natural alternative to certain death for all wildlife as we know it Drano and Liquid Plumber also worked on toilets. He shook a little into the bowl and 10 minutes later it was completely unclogged. The particular brand we purchased is called Earth Enzymes but there are other natural enzyme products out there as well.

And the Earth Day moral of the story is (1) be sure to follow all directions when someone is telling you how to flush a large bulky object down your toilet and (2) always have a backup plan, or Earth Enzymes on hand just in case.

Monday night BurpRag had a chance to meet someone she really, really admires, and it wasn’t the Dalai Lama who was also just in Seattle. Although at the last minute there were a million reasons why BurpRag could have just scrapped the whole thing and stayed home she went anyway and wandered around Post Alley in the driving rain trying to remember where the heck The Pink Door used to be. It’s still in the same place it turns out, unlike BurpRag’s mind.

Bossy, of iambossy.com fame was one of the sweetest, most unassuming, warm, charming and gracious women BurpRag has ever met. And the best part of the whole evening was getting to know some ultra-cool, uber-talented and fun female bloggers in BurpRag’s home town. Many of them even have kids the same age as Toddler and Chicken Little.

And that was Bossy’s whole point to this road trip - to bring bloggers together physically. In this age of personal anonymity and indifference, the phenomenon of blogging has brought so many people together online. Why can’t we all be so interested and compassionate of the people we deal with on a daily basis?

Thanks Bossy, for taking the time to impact so many of us. We hope you make it back this way again.

4 year old to self: HELP! I can’t get this trike turned around on the carpet. I need to get it to the wood floor and I need you to do it for me.
Self to 4 year old riding trike in the house: How did that tricycle get in here?
4 year old: I think the dog brought it in.
Self: Never mind. Just get off of it, turn it around with your hand and push it off the carpet.
4 year old: I can’t do it, I need you to do it for me.
Self: You can try to do it and then next time you’ll know what to do. I know you can do it.
4 year old: I can’t!!!
Self: Just try.
4 year old: No, you do it for me.
Self: Then you’ll never learn how to do it so you can help yourself when I’m not available.
4 year old: I don’t care, I want you to do it for me.

Self suddenly remembering a conversation with Cricket of GNC Web Creations:
Self: Cricket, I need some help getting my web traffic up. Can you help me come up some high traffic phrases that fit my audience?
Cricket: Smiles (always smiling at me she is), I’ll show you how to do it and then you can do it yourself.
Self: I’ve scratched my head so long it hurts, I’d really like some help thinking outside the box.
Cricket: Read these articles and check these forums, they will give you some ideas. Also look at these web groups. Keep trying! You’re doing a great job.
Self: You mean you won’t help me even if I pay you?
Cricket: Because I truly care about the success of your business you really need to learn how to do it yourself. Now go back and re-read every post word for word so you can start fishing.

Back in the day we were quite the DINK fun-loving partyers (doesn’t everyone have home brew tapped off the kitchen sink?) But things change when you have kids. Especially when you have kids who are allergic to sleep and want to stay up and play all night. We do still occasionally entertain and this St. Patrick’s day was one of those occasions because Burp Rag’s husband makes a black and tan like nobody’s business. The party was lots of fun with kids running wild and toys everywhere. We were busy cooking and talking.

I had thought Toddler was playing in his brother’s room with the other kids when someone brought it to my attention that the bathroom door had been closed for at least 20 minutes with no response from within except the loud sounds of splashing and plunking. After calling through the door several times I timidly opened it to find Toddler, completely soaked and dunking toys and toilet paper happily in the toilet. He had wrapped some Schleich animals in toilet paper mummy-style and been bathing them in the sink. Apparently the toilet was full.

After cleaning up him and the bathroom I returned to the party. Not more than 10 minutes later someone told me they had shut my bedroom door to keep the kids out and that it now wouldn’t open. Chicken Little overheard this and started shouting “My blankies are in there and I need them RIGHT NOW!” Finally after 5 minutes of escalating hysterics his father trudged down to the basement for the toolbox.

This attracted most of the male species at the party. They all grabbed fresh beers and huddled together around the door. We’ve lived in this 1940’s era warbox cottage for almost 4 years now and sadly this is the first time our bedroom door has actually been closed.

So there they all were, rubbing their chins and discussing options. I tried not to listen because the testosterone was way too high for my comfort level. Occasionally words would drift down the hallway. I remember hearing things like “bobby pin” and “credit card”. Although the door knob was off the door still wouldn’t budge. When I heard “running start” and “shoulder blow” I went to the far end of the house and focused my attention on consoling Chicken Little.

Loud banging ensued and lasted about 30 minutes. In the end they had to remove the door jamb which my poor husband had spent last summer lovingly puttying and painting as part of our put lipstick on a pig home restoration project.

Loud cheers and more beers. Chicken Little emerged triumphantly clutching a handful of blankies, his trusted friends, once baby burprags with days of the week on them. It just might take us until next St. Patrick’s day to entertain again.

You may not agree with this post but here’s how I feel today - curmudgeon. I remember when spirit meant how loudly you could cheer at your high school pep rally. These days it’s a label we are supposed to give to our children who, when I was a kid would have been labeled oh, I don’t know, say spoiled brats. I can say that because I’ve got one.

Now I’m the kind of person who always thinks there is a solution to every problem if you research it enough so I’ve read all the books and I’ve watched Mr. Rogers. My copies of Positive Discipline and Raising your Spirited Child have so many stickies hanging out they look like fringe blankets. Neither of them was really that helpful for me. I really felt like Spirited Child will be helpful once we make it through the preschool years but that still feels a long ways off, even though we are fast-approaching 5. That is the when one of the sleep therapists I spoke with early on told me he would start to mellow out so I have hope that if these books don’t help then simply waiting it out will.

The book that helped me the most was called Living with the Active Alert Child by Linda S. Budd. It seemed more real to me, more down-to-earth and more applicable for the illogical world of the temperamental toddler even though it goes through the school years as well. Spirited Child covered a large range of kids - most of them seem to have spirit. Active Alert Child for the most part nailed Chicken Little. The very beginning of the book contains a short questionnaire:

Does your child have seemingly unending energy?
Can your child attend to a task?
Does your child wake up a lot at night or have difficulty getting to sleep?
Does your child seem to need very little sleep as an infant or toddler?
Would the last word from your child’s mouth be “I’m tired”?
Does your child seem to “wind up” over the course of a day; that is, the energy seems to build upon itself?
Does your child’s memory of details amaze you?
Is your child quick or bright in certain areas of learning?
Does your child have an unending fount of “good ideas”?
Does your child want his way most of the time and have difficulty accepting a “no” answer?
Does it seem as if your child tries to be the “boss” of your family or her friends?
Did you miss the “terrible twos” in your child’s development because you never experienced anything else?
In new situations is your child more uncertain or fearful than others?
Is your child intensely emotional - very happy or very sad- with little in between?
Does your child experience a pattern of moods - from positive to negative and back again - that seem hard for him to control?
Is it difficult for your child to play alone, especially up to age six or seven?
Is it difficult for your child to determine how to be a good friend, that is, she either sits and watches others or tries to be the boss?
Does your child think he is just terrific or totally stupid with little ability to believe that he might be just average or okay?
Do other people say they have no difficulty with your child?
Do you sometimes wonder if your child has “read your mind”?

If you answered yes to the majority of these questions you probably have an Active Alert child. The fact that your child has spirit is a given. The fact that you have spent up until now pulling your hair out, struggling to be the parent you want to be and considering different punishment methods is also a given. You win the Active Alert Child award! Double points if you have not eaten the child yet.

What I like best about Linda (I feel like I can call her Linda since I bought her book) is that she acknowledges how difficult the strain is on the entire family and treats the family like a unit. She is still very warm and fuzzy (”your child is not difficult, parenting them is”) where I say call a spade a spade but the book is dedicated to practical strategies to help you cope with your active alert at the same time understanding you also may work full time outside the home, have other siblings who also need your attention, and need to primp your active alert for the real world.

Spirited Child does some of this as well and I don’t mean to knock it by any means - I know it’s saved the family lives of millions of children. It just didn’t resonate with me in the way that Active Alert did. Linda described my then toddler to a “T” and had I read it while he was a baby it would have described him then too. Spirited Child focused more on older preschool and school-age kids and presented a wide range of spirited personalities. It was more like reading a general horoscope in the newspaper. You can see some things may apply to you but so many of them either didn’t or were just too general they didn’t apply at all.

What got me thinking about this book was looking at a picture I snapped of Chicken Little yesterday at Grandma’s. Didn’t your grandmother have motorized riding toys for you to play on? No? I was thrilled to death my Grandmother always had a peppermint lifesaver for me when I visited but times have changed dear readers…As I looked at this picture it struck me how rarely I see anything but either incredible joy, deepest sorrow or darkest anger on this sweet face.

I’ve been very frustrated with Chicken Little lately - my 4.5 year old son who not only still has colic (only when awake), is allergic to sleep, and cried and screamed so much we not only missed the terrible twos but never knew when he was teething. I know people with teenagers say this is nothing yet - but they have reprieves during school hours and as my husband points out, they are that much closer to college.

I guess it’s time for me to re-read Linda again and maybe give Spirited Child another shot. I’m not yet the parent I want to be but I’m trying!

Chicken Little attends a fabulous Montissori that we all love. One of the highlights several times each year is bringing PJ home, a traveling bear complete with suitcase and clothing. Today it was Chicken Little’s turn again.

He obviously watches too many superhero cartoons because he says things to me like “Now Mom, you’ll get what’s coming to you” on a regular basis but it was interesting watching him with PJ. Normally he runs through the house ready to fight bad guys where they may be hiding. PJ seems to have created a kinder, gentler Chicken Little.

He insisted PJ get dressed because it was too cold in the house (this despite that Chicken Little usually runs around wearing only his underwear and socks - the underwear at my insistence). He then proclaimed that PJ needed some shelter and a bed. He spent at least an hour coloring a cardboard box and positioning PJ in it. And then the whole rest of the afternoon he spent wrestling PJ from toddler’s sticky clutch, both of them shouting “MINE, MINE!”

At bedtime Chicken Little happily climbed into bed with PJ without crying or whining once. Amazing. PJ, we’ll miss you when you go back to school!

This is one of my favorite summer salads. Quinoa is a complex grain which is incredibly high in complete protein and a good source of iron. In the summer I use fresh grapes instead of dried cranberries and fresh chopped lemon verbena from the garden. I make this for all my nursing friends with new babies since it tastes fresh and keeps well for days - the perfect midnight snack!

Bring 8 quarts of salted water to a boil and add 2 cups quinoa rinsed very well (otherwise it will taste bitter)
Cook for 10 minutes then drain in a fine mesh strainer
Before it cools completely pour it in a bowl and add 1 - 1 1/2 cup of dried cranberries depending on your taste. This allows the cranberries to fluff up a bit.

In a small bowl mix together
1/4 cup mirin (rice wine)
1/4 cup lemon
2 - 3 T honey depending on how sour your lemon is
1 - 2 T extra virgin olive oil or macadamia nut oil
Sea salt and pepper according to taste

You will have too much sauce so use as much as you need to get the texture you like. Pour the sauce over the quinoa and mix it well.

Once the quinoa has cooled add:
1/2 chopped small bunch of cilantro
1 small handful finely chopped mint
2 stalks celery chopped fine

Mix well and enjoy.

I wish, I wish, I wish that little indulgences like coffee had no health impacts on any of us but sadly they do. It’s so cruel that your morning cup of coffee could indeed be making your baby’s reflux worse because that same cursed reflux probably kept you up all of the nights since your new little baby was born.

I remember being so tired about 2 months after Chicken Little was born that I lost my balance one day while cooking dinner. Immediately I thought it had been an earthquake. Then I realized that I had fallen asleep while standing up.

Infant acid reflux can indeed be caused or aggravated by a number of triggers in your diet, although the biggest offenders are dairy, wheat and soy. I have a thorough list of dietary triggers here: improving your breastmilk to reduce infant reflux, including ways to pinpoint which items are the cause so you can continue with other triggers that don’t bother your baby.

Please don’t quit breastfeeding because your baby is reacting to something in your diet! To read more about how breastmilk is more beneficial than formula read feeding an infant with reflux breastmilk versus formula.

Breastfeeding a baby with reflux is a fabulous forum full of mothers who have been there at least once and many of them have done it many times. They are wonderfully supportive, sweet and encouraging. Please consider joining the forum if only just to lurk before switching to formula. Your baby will thank you for it later on with better health, higher IQ and lower footprint on the planet.

Wishing you hugs,

I remember being told not to play with my food and dang if it didn’t inspire me! Here are some ideas that encourage food play and along with that get kids to actually enjoy eating healthy foods they otherwise might not try.

Make fun shapes out of food and be sure to have them washed and pre-cut so they are ready to be eaten. If they are just as easy to grab as a box of crackers you are more likely to serve them to your child. Many of these ideas also become arts and crafts activities for your child that help develop his imagination and love of food. You’ll see what I mean when you read through them.

To make carrot or zucchini matchsticks peel and slice vertically through at 1/4″ intervals. Stack the “planks” and slice again thinly to form matchsticks. Trim them to be about 3″ long. If you place the carrot strips in ice water they will form half circles.

Make two dimensional food shapes from which you can create many items, like sailboats, trains or cars. Slice peeled carrots, radishes or cucumbers into thin rounds to make circles. Slice peeled carrots thinly to make “planks”. From the planks you can cut triangles, squares or rectangles. Use sliced cheese and cookie cutters to make a variety of other shapes. Arrange the shapes on a plate or clean plastic placemat to create edible pictures.

Make a car out of food. Use cucumber or peeled carrot rounds for wheels. Attach two cucumber wheels using a carrot matchstick as an axle. Cut a thin carrot plank to lie across the top as a chassis. Use the cheese blocks to build a car. Make a radish mouse to drive it by using three cleaned radishes, one small, medium and large. Leave the “tail” on the large one. Insert a toothpick into the end of the large radish opposite the tail. Leave part of the toothpick sticking out. Attach the small radish to the end of the toothpick. That will become the head. Cut two rounds from the medium radish. Make two small slits in the “head” and insert the rounds as ears. Make two round shaved areas for the eyes so that the white inside shows through. Poke several small holes into which you will insert chives or very small carrots strips for whiskers. Only give an item containing a toothpick to a child mature enough to not eat it.

Carrot or cucumber rounds with the centers cut out make fun looking glasses.

Make a celery man by cutting a cleaned stalk of celery into 3″ strips. While holding one end, make as many close, straight cuts as possible lengthwise through 1/3 of the other end. Now turn the celery stalk and make one vertical cut up the center lengthwise through 1/3 of the end you were first holding. Place the celery in ice water until the cut pieces curl. Dry it off and fill the center with peanut butter, cottage cheese or quark mixed with ranch dressing mix. The curly end becomes the hair and the other end becomes the legs. Use raisins, small carrot or apple pieces to decorate the face or add buttons down the body.

Make a cucumber chain by scoring the outside of a clean cucumber and then slicing it into rounds. Use a small round cookie cutter to remove the center of the round. Cut a thin slit through one side of the round. Link the slices together to form a chain.

Allow your child to spread his own peanut or other nut butter on crackers, celery or apple slices. Quark mixed with ranch or green goddess dressing or quark mixed with a splash of worscestershire and grated cheddar also make nice spreads.

Use a piece of elastic thread (available at fabric and craft stores) and let your older child make a necklace or bracelet using healthy o’s cereal. Tie the ends together in a square knot to fasten. Be sure the necklace or bracelet is large enough to easily slip over the head and hand. Let them nibble at will. For a smaller child let them string o’s onto a clean pipe cleaner. Mini marshmallows at either end keep them from slipping off. This is also a great dexterity activity.

Food play can be part of a healthy diet - use it to your advantage!

It’s difficult to change your eating habits, even when you want to. Even as a stay-at-home mom with the luxury of time to plan for meals, shop and prepare them I find it difficult! There are, however, some very easy things you can do to increase your daily consumption of high fiber foods, fruits and raw vegetables. Here are some easy options:

Remember that even tiny changes you make in your diet can begin a positive trend in your lifestyle. You’ll be amazed at how much better you’ll feel!

Lunchtime blues? Roll over PB&J!

Instead of a boring old sandwich try wraps and roll-ups. Whole grain tortillas can be filled with just about anything. They come in many colors today if you buy the vegetable varieties like tomato and spinach. Don’t tell your kids they are vegetables, just call them “red” or “green”. You can also try using sushi wrappers or lefse.

Bulgur, Cooked quinoa, and brown rice all make great complex carbohydrate fillers to which you can add hummus, peanut sauce or teriyaki sauce, dijon mustard/honey/yogurt sauce, mild salsa, grated cheese, julienne sliced veggies or finely chopped vegetables, ground turkey or shredded chicken breast, poached white fish or canned tuna. Spread a thin layer of grain over the whole tortilla or sushi wrapper, leaving an inch around the border.

On top of this spread whatever fillings and sauces you desire. Roll up your creation tightly, fastening with toothpicks or those little plastic swords or umbrellas if your kids are old enough. Slice them and serve on their side so the “swirl” pattern can be appreciated.

Make sandwiches from whole grain bread. Slice them into fun shapes using cookie cutters or cut them into small “petite four” sizes. Put a plastic sword or toothpick through each one with a small garnish on top like a cucumber wheel, olive, grape or slice of cheese in a fun shape.

Layer foods - make stacks of natural lunch meats, cheeses, spinach leaves, tomatoes, cucumbers using tortillas as the floor and roof. Cut them into squares or circles using a round biscuit cutter.

Make egg, tuna or chicken salad with plain yogurt instead of mayonnaise. Add colorful and crunchy diced veggies like cucumber, tomato, red pepper, celery, and grapes or mango to the chicken. Serve them in endive, tomato, cucumber or celery “boats”.

Make deviled eggs using plain yogurt instead of mayonnaise. Sprinkle with sea salt or paprika.

Serve baked potato boats - prebaked and partially hollowed out. Set up a “bar” of fixings for your kids to choose from - chili, cottage cheese or quark, chopped green onion, chives or parsley, grated cheese, chopped green pepper, steamed and chopped broccoli, toasted wheat germ, light sour cream or plain yogurt, a sprinkle of paprika.

Set up a salad taco, or tostada bar for your kids. Provide whole grain soft tortillas or natural corn tortillas, taco or tostada shells, cooked ground turkey or soy flavored with chili powder and cumin, refried or black beans grated cheese and carrot, julienne zucchini, finely chopped kale, spinach, and red cabbage, chopped tomatoes and green onions, corn, chopped avocado, mild salsa, cottage cheese, quark or plain yogurt. Often times kids become so interest in designing by color that they forget they are decorating with vegetables and end up eating them.

Whole grain hamburger bun “bowls” can be fun receptacles for soup and chili. Simply slice off the top, carve out the inside and fill. Be sure to save the top to serve with the “lid” on.

Cut sliced cheese into fun shapes using cookie cutters, or cube them into squares. Serve several colors together like cheddar and mozzarella.

Try fruit or vegetable skewers. Purchase bamboo skewers and alternate a variety of chopped up fruits. Serve them with yogurt dipping sauce. Or alternate a variety of chopped vegetables and serve with a miso, sesame oil, or teriyaki dipping sauce, a honey and mustard mixture, peanut sauce, hummus, ranch or green goddess made from plain yogurt or cottage cheese.

To make your own peanut or soy nut butter sauce mix 1/2 cup nut butter, 1 T brown sugar, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup water, 1-2 cloves finely minced garlic, 1-2 T of soy sauce over medium low heat until warm. Adjust the consistency by adding more or less water.

To make your own miso sauce mix together 1 cup of low sodium or light soy sauce, 2/3 cup of miso paste, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 T sesame oil, 1 clove finely minced garlic.

Any child would be delighted to find most of these (sneakily healthy) items in a lunchbag or at your table.

It is one thing to be sure you are eating enough fiber, fruits & veggies each day but how do you get children, and especially toddlers to do it? It IS possible to make things fun enough that your kids will eat them. Remember, it’s ok to play with your food now that you’re in charge of the kitchen.

Your child needs good nutrition to fuel his growing body and developing mind but there is a limited number of calories your child will consume in one day. Make the calories he consumes count! Remember, you are giving your child the gift of health and a functional, attentive brain to absorb the world around him.

Here are some easy ways to develop healthy eating habits in young children:

Involve your kids in the planning process. If they are old enough, hand them a cookbook and let them pick a recipe from a certain section of it, such as chicken entrees. By getting them emotionally invested in the meal they are much more likely to eat it.

Involve them in any appropriate food preparation tasks. Even toddlers can help wash vegetables or cut soft foods with a plastic butter knife. Even if you chop the bulk of what you need as long as you end up using some of their handiwork they will feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. Older kids can measure ingredients or pour pre-measured ingredients into a mixing bowl, stir, turn on the oven or help you watch the clock. That involvement will make them much more likely to eat the finished meal.

Create a special area of the refrigerator that your child can see and access with your help. Have healthy snacks already prepared so that he can see them and easily decide for himself what he wants to snack on.

Set up garnishments for the meal: sauces, chopped parsley, lemon slices, pine nuts, paprika. Any chance your child has to “personalize” his plate increases your odds he’ll eat what’s on it.

Stop buying overly processed foods, sweets, and products containing artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, additives, hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup - if it’s not in the house they can’t eat it. Snacks like these lead to crankiness, hyperactivity, shorter attention spans and developmental problems. They’ll get plenty of that kind of food at school, parties and friend’s houses. By removing these types of foods from your children’s daily diet they are more likely to have room left for more nutritious foods. In addition, if they don’t develop a daily taste for sweet and salty foods they will be more likely to develop a taste for healthy foods. Do be careful not to become a food nazi, however, or they will rebel and gobble up all the junk food they can when they are not under your watch.

Instead of fruit juices try making smoothies. It’s very easy to use water, rice, soy or cow’s milk, add some yogurt or kefir (probiotics) and fresh fruit of your choice. By using bananas you will not need to use sweetened yogurt or add any sweetener. Strawberries, raspberries, peaches, mango, pineapple, and kiwi all taste great and puree very easily. By using the whole fruit in your smoothie rather than drinking fruit juice you retain the fiber which will help regulate your child’s glycemic index.

Some other smoothies to try:
orange juice/banana/milk for a 50/50 bar flavor,
1/2 carrot juice, 1/2 milk with banana and a pinch of cinnamon - try this before you knock it, it’s really good!
pumpkin puree with pie spices
cocoa powder with banana and a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg
cocoa powder with banana and peanut butter or almond butter
peanut butter & jelly in a smoothie (light on the jelly)
cocoa powder with marshmallow fluff and bananas (light on the fluff)

Instead of ice cream or popsicles try freezing fruit smoothies in popsicle forms or make frozen fruit cups by cutting up fresh fruit and stirring in yogurt, then freezing in single serve containers. You can also freeze bananas for a creamy healthy frozen easy snack.

Cut up banana sections and roll them in wheat germ, coconut and chopped nuts. Have your child add raisin eyes to complete a porcupine. Mix some cocoa powder with the wheat germ to make a hedgehog.

Serve yogurt fruit and granola parfaits for dessert instead of cake and candy.

Small pumpkins or apples can be hollowed out and filled with a mixture of chopped apple, raisins, dried apricots, walnuts, a small amount of cinnamon, brown sugar, honey or molasses and apple cider then baked until done. This same filling can be cooked in a pan on the stovetop and then served in baked sweet potato “boats” as well.

Teach your child to drink water rather than soda, juice, or “fruit beverages”.

With a little creativity you can instill good eating habits and a love of cooking in your children while having a great time together.

Chicken Little got a great Valentine’s Day surprise - his grandmother mailed both he and his brother cards with Starbuck’$$ gift cards inside. Of course we had to put his card in the Spider Man wallet which he wanted to carry but then decided that it should go in the diaper bag until we got there so he didn’t lose it.

The whole way there he talked about exactly what he was going to order. “And mom,” he kept telling me, “I’m going to order all by myself without any help from you.”

When we got there Toddler and I hung back while he grabbed his vanilla milk and looked at the window case. It was lunchtime so he knew he had to get real food, not just a cupcake. He ordered a bacon egg and cheese biscuit. Apparently the pressure was so great he forgot to get his treat. Here he is paying (which the lady had to prompt him to do he was so nervous about the ordering process.)

“Nuts” I heard him mutter, “I forgot to get my treat. That’s allright, I can do it later.” Giggle from the cashier behind hand. She looked at me and asked if I wanted anything. “Oh I’m not with him” I said winking.

“Mom, this is so cool!” he said. “I can go to Starbucks anytime I want and get as many treats as I want!”

“How are you going to get there?” I asked. “I’ll take your car when you’re asleep.” So now I need to remember to hide the keys at bedtime.

Here he is just outside the door carrying his self-purchased booty:

“I sure love Grandma” he said later. “Do you think we could go to her house later today? It’s ok if she’s not home, we’ll just pick up the toys before we leave.”

We miss you Grandma!

If you found this blog from my reflux site, www.PollywogBaby.com, then YOU are the reason.

YOU are the reason that I spend the hours I do maintaining the site.

In the hopes that YOU would find it when you needed help the most.

In the hopes that YOU would find something in the information I’ve researched, and tested, and shared.

In the hopes that one (or hopefully more) pieces of information would be so useful that it will help you out in some small or large way and help you see light at the end of the tunnel.

In the hopes that if you are at the end of your rope you will notice the contact information and realize that I really do mean I want YOU to call me so you have someone to talk to you who understands what you are going through.

Because I want you to know that YOU will make it through this experience and that your baby will outgrow reflux and be the wonderful child you hoped for back when all this began.

Wishing you hugs,

The first three months with Chicken Little were the hardest of my life. I was completely unprepared for a fussy baby with infant acid reflux. He cried more than I did and my husband was working long hours so I went at least 10-12 hour stretches without a break. He constantly spit up on me and refused to be put down even long enough for me to use the restroom. Medications the doctor prescribed had little to no effect on his acid reflux and it took quite awhile before I had the energy to begin researching things that might help him. Once I did, things improved dramatically for us.

Here is what helped:

Positioning for infant acid reflux

Be sure your baby is always upright with a straight spine and no pressure on the tummy. Carriers, slings and bouncy seats that allow him to slump will put pressure on his tummy. To keep from going insane check into a nice adjustable baby carrier that keeps him close to you so you can actually use your hands. I recommend the moby wrap and the baby cuddler. For sleeping invest in a good sleeping wedge like the Tucker Sling or the AR Pillow. When feeding always be sure your baby’s spine is straight and he is as elevated as possible. It is virtually impossible to do this without using something like a Pollywog baby feeding pillow. I sell these items in my store because I have virtually tried them all and these are the ones that work for babies with infant acid reflux.

Dietary changes to cure infant acid reflux

If you are breastfeeding try eliminating triggers from your diet. Dairy, soy, and wheat are very common ones. It may take several weeks for these foods to clear your system so you really need to continue the trial that long. Pay close attention to your baby’s diapers and spit ups when you do add things back. It can take 12 hours or more for a food you consume to hit your baby’s system, although you may notice changes immediately depending on the level of his intolerance. Read more about making breastmilk easier to digest.

Breastmilk imbalance can trigger infant acid reflux

Be sure your baby is getting the adequate amount of hind milk. Only switch breasts once a side is empty! Too much foremilk can cause gas or reflux. See Empty the first breast for more information on how to tell if it’s time to switch or not.

The right baby bottles can improve infant acid reflux

If you are bottle feeding try Dr. Brown’s Bottles. They are uniquely designed with an internal straw that eliminates air bubbles and vacuum buildup. They really are the best bottles for baby spit up and gas.

Medication for infant acid reflux - a last resort

Talk to your doctor about medicating your baby only once you have tried these other natural remedies for infant reflux. Medications are not tested for infant use, nor have there been any follow-up studies done.

Dealing with infant acid reflux

Get as much help for yourself as possible. It’s so easy to slip into depression when you are dealing with a refluxer. Be sure to leave the house. Getting outside will change things dramatically for both of you! Visit friends, go for walks, but above all take care of yourself. See reflux and colic sanity tips for more ideas on how to preserve your sanity when dealing with a refluxer.

Wishing you hugs,

On the car ride home from preschool I asked Chicken Little what he did today. This is what he said.

“We were playing Scooby Doo. Joseph was the bad guy and Brigette was Scooby Doo and I was Fred.”

“Really” I said. “What bad guy was Joseph?”

“He was Crazy Poop Man.” He said.

Knowing that my son was the ringleader I can’t help but wonder what his teachers must think of me.