Healthy Living

Breastfeeding…It’s What’s for Dinner!

Prior to giving birth to my third daughter, I had made the decision to attempt breast feeding once again. In the past, breastfeeding came very “UN-naturally” to me and by the third month of my first and second daughter’s life, my milk supply had all but diminished. I found breastfeeding frustrating, painful, and difficult. I truly believe my attitude around breastfeeding is what either made my experience a success or a failure. So this time around I have made it my mission to embrace the messy, focus on keeping it simple, and feed this baby like my life depended on it…or die trying.

By Mary Bockert, ago

Choose Thankfulness

I was stricken with sadness yesterday when I heard the news that a friend of mine had a son who passed away. It completely caught me off guard and left me at a loss for any type of comforting word or gesture. I followed this friend on Facebook and was utterly impressed and overwhelmed at her thankfulness for the community she had surrounding her. Her faith is strong and her friends are making sure she is being cared for.

My older sister underwent a double mastectomy yesterday to get rid of the cancer she has lurking in her left breast. When I asked her how she was doing prior to the surgery and post-op, she was extremely grateful for the surgeons who can help her heal and guide her on the road to success. She leaned HEAVILY on her faith, friends and family to get her through the tough times.

By Mary Bockert, ago

The Days Before Delivering Your Little One

Stuck, Trapped, Inevitable, Worrisome, Excited, Nervous…

It seems that the days before giving birth to a new little addition to the family can cause some pretty intense feelings…and as you can see from my personal list, the feelings aren’t always positive. In fact, I feel like this subject isn’t talked about as much as it should be. I know when I was feeling this way with my first born before giving birth, I felt guilty admitting I felt this way.

By Mary Bockert, ago

The End Days of Pregnancy

I am nearing the last  two weeks of pregnancy and the desire to have this baby sooner than later gets stronger and stronger with each passing moment. I find myself feeling trapped and at a loss of control when it comes to my own body. Some may call it a depression, I feel it is more of a fear of the unknown. When is this baby coming, will everything go as planned, will the baby be okay, will I be okay?

By Mary Bockert, ago

Let’s Talk Dental Health

It was a SHOCK to me when I found out that my first born was late to the game of getting her teeth checked by the dentist. I thought for sure waiting until she was almost 4 years of age was “safe” and what every other parent did. What I didn’t realize is that all of my other mommy friends had been taking their littles to the dentist starting at a very young age…say…18 months. YIKES! This made me think and reevaluate when the right time to take my second born would be. I did some research and found some answers to many of my unanswered questions.  What better way than to compile all of my questions and sought out answers here to help someone else who may have those same questions.

By Mary Bockert, ago

Healthy Halloween Treats

If you know my household, you know that I am pretty crazy when it comes to eating clean and making sure we get all of our daily fruits and veggies in. It is so important that kids get a balanced diet and plenty of exercise in a day. I have created a list of healthy holiday treats that will fancy any toddler/preschooler/school-age child/adult. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

By Mary Bockert, ago

Over-Scheduling Your Child

We have all done it. I know that with my youngest, between play dates and extra-curriculars, we were always on the go. I dealt with meltdowns, tantrums, etc. just to fulfill the daily activities I had planned. Don’t get me wrong, I love to stay busy, but when it came to my second daughter, I decided to change the schedule up a bit. We have played more at home, said “no” to more play dates than “yes,” gone to less scheduled activities and enjoyed being each others’ company. The conclusion I have come to is that tantrums are less frequent, meltdowns are non-existent, and the one-on-one time I am getting with my second born is priceless.

By Mary Bockert, ago

The Importance of Kids Napping

My kids have always been great sleepers…I tend to say it’s because they both have hypotonia (low muscle tone) and that causes them to sleep well. Maybe that is the reason, or maybe it is because I take a “no excuses” approach to nap time and the importance of it. I carve out time in the day where my girls (ages 5.5 years and 3 years) must take a nap to rejuvenate themselves. Sometimes I think maybe I should let up a bit and then I am reminded that them resting for a length of time each day is of utmost importance for their growing and developing bodies and minds. This information, found from http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/naps.html, further proves my thoughts and theories on kids napping. I encourage you to read through the site and familiarize yourself with the importance of sleep in growing young children. 

By Mary Bockert, ago

Staying Healthy During Pregnancy

I take great pride in staying healthy but when I pregnant, it seems to be more difficult than when I am not. I am fighting cravings, obstacles with what I can and cannot eat, making sure to get enough water in daily, etc. It can be downright difficult and overly exhausting. Wouldn’t it be easier to just eat whatever sounds good?

By Mary Bockert, ago