WINTER 2021 FRESH AWAKENING ISSUE | MOTHERHOOD MAGAZINE by SprigsLife

WINTER 2021 FRE S H AWAKENING IS SUE

BY S PRIGS

CREATIVE FOODS TO MAKE WITH YOUR

CHILDREN UNCOVERING

AW GWASKA CLEANSING & DETOXING FOR THE NEW YEAR

THE BLESSINGS OF PARENTING A CHILD WITH

DOWN SYNDROME THE PROBLEM WITH THE

THE CURRENT VACCINE SCHEDULE AND WHAT YOU CAN DO REGISTRATION FOR THE

MOTHERHOOD CONFERENCE IS NOW OPEN!

ORIGINAL PRICE $ 6.99

FREE!

The Energy and Knowledge You Need to Raise a Natural, Happy, Healthy Family local midwives | giveaways | book raffle & more! Due to the unprecedented events in 2020, we decided to hold off on gathering. But we are excited and eager to get together next summer on Friday, August 20, and Saturday, August 21. Since we postponed our event, our team has been working hard to make sure the Motherhood Conference 2021 is even better than before! Women from the local community and all over

will be gathering to connect and talk about their motherhood journeys, share stories, and learn about healthy living from our expert speakers. The Motherhood Conference 2021 will be an event focused on how our energy levels are impacted by nutrition, hormonal balance, mental health, fasting, pregnancy, and more. You’ll be learning from our amazing team and guest speakers during this one-of-a-kind experience!

Friday, August 20th & Saturday, August 21st 2021 Comfort Suites Hotel and Conference Center | Berlin, Ohio

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If this is your first issue of Motherhood Magazine, I’m so glad it has found its way to you! If you are a consistent reader, I hope this finds you well. Winter has arrived and the holidays have officially passed. Over the last few weeks, our family spent a lot of time with each other and our extended family, and have enjoyed the extra time together. Lots of food, laughs, and travels were enjoyed. Sending many blessings your way! It’s a new year which can be the start of many new things! This issue of Motherhood Magazine is our first magazine of 2021. You’ll notice a few changes and updates, especially in the Mom-to-Mom section. With the abundance of letters coming in, we want to make sure we continue to read and respond to each letter, and figure out better ways to publish them for the community. Many of you have written in thanking us for having the Mom-to-Mom section and it’s honestly my favorite piece to each Motherhood Magazine. It’s been encouraging to watch the community grow. As we enter the new year, please continue to write in and let us know how we can better serve you. This issue has incredible content from two new guest writers who are passionate to share their stories and bring awareness to topics such as vaccines and children with disabilities. I encourage you to take some time to lean into their pieces. I’m sure they’d love to hear your thoughts. So if you send in a letter for them, add “Attn: ‘Writer’s Name’”, so we can send it their way. With the Covid-19 pandemic still at the forefront of our world and vaccine distribution underway, I hope this season brings you peace and good health to you and your family. In such a testing time, we want to be here for you. So if there is anything we can do to lend support, please write in. Here at Sprigs, it’s been a busy season. We’ve continued to work as a team to find better ways to serve you and your family. Our team is also growing, so you’ll be seeing new names and faces soon! We can not wait to share how this will impact what we do here at Sprigs. Motherhood Magazine exists to help families live healthier lives through education and resources. Each magazine is crafted by our team. We sit down and bring letters to the meeting on topics we should cover and how we can best serve you. Your letters are valued and appreciated. Thank you again for your incredible support and for trusting us. We hope to continue building a space for you to share your personal experiences and health stories.

Nancy J. Laudon

Welcome!

MOTHERHOOD by Sprigs

Contents editorial director

Nancy J. Laudon assistant editorial director

Christy Thigpen content editor

Annalee Mutz MOM-TO-MOM editor

Natalie Semmelmann writing contributors

Natalie Semmelmann, FNTP Christy Thigpen

Nancy J. Laudon

Natalie Semmelmann, FNTP

Working Through the Challenges of Breastfeeding

A Holistic Protocol to Tackle Yeast and Candida

Nancy explains why breastfeeding support systems are crucial for a mother’s success

Natalie provides a nutritional protocol to get Candida overgrowth under control

10 0

Herbs That Support Breastfeeding Three natural solutions to stimulate and increase the production of breast milk

52 Paige McMillen

The Blessings of Parenting a Child with Down Syndrome

Beth Troyer

A mom shares a heartfelt story of how her child with Down syndrome changed her world

Paige McMillen

Nancy J. Laudon

Sandra Ellis, M.H. Gina Hackbarth contributing photographers

Daniel Austin creative designers

Jay Blaskovich Chelsea Rosario circulation director

Leroy Miller

! d e v i r r a J ust

Gina Hackbarth

The Secret Cause Behind Your Digestive Upset Signs you may have parasites and what to do

Sandra Ellis, M.H.

Dealing with Menopause Dr. Mom gives you tangible steps for making menopause a time of joy and discovery

98 5 Detox Recipes To Cleanse Your System Start the new year off with these refreshing, nutrient-dense recipes

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"Zion Lee Laudon, our baby boy arrived Tuesday, January 19th at 3:50 AM. Entering the earth side at 8lbs and 15oz, 21 inches long. What a different birth experience than any of my other births! I am so thankful we were able to birth him at home, and that he is here and healthy. All I can do is stare at him and cry with so much joy. God is so good, our family is soaking this moment all in. Zion is perfect in every way."

Nancy Read our birth story on page 46!

Send us your birth announcements! Congratulations on your new baby! We want to celebrate with you! Bringing a new life into this world is a miracle that deserves to be recognized. This is such a wonderful time for your family and we hope that the months ahead are filled with lots of fun, love, and joy. All the very best. Nancy & Jonathan Send in your birth announcements to Sprigs, P.O. Box 387 Millersburg, Ohio 44654 and we will share it with our community!

Date of Birth City, State:

Our New Blessing(s):

Mom & Dad:

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In 2020, we raised $42,000 for charity: water! y to help s, we are raising mone For those new to Sprig nging rofit organization, bri charity: water, a non-p veloping water to people in de clean and safe drinking wait to n’t raised 42,000! We ca countries. In 2020, we le to help in 2021. see how we will be ab d girls countries, women an In these developing day to walking hours every are often tasked with ls with viding these individua collect dirty water. Pro e in the m to spend more tim clean water allows the nt to their education. We wa classroom focusing on for helping ntinued support and thank you for your co s. in these people’s live us make a difference

Bangladesh 2019

Côte d’Ivoire 2018

Our Current Sponsored Project The last project we funded in late 2019 Our 2018 Funded Project Just Completed! 100% of your generous donation funded one well with a hand pump for people living in the Bangolo, Daloa, and Danané departments of Côte d’Ivoire. Because of your generosity, 676 people now have access to clean and safe drinking water.

is currently in the building process in Bangladesh!

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A note from Jonathan Laudon From the beginning, we have made it a mission to serve this community as best we can. In the past few months, we have received several concerned letters regarding some of the last Motherhood Magazine photos. Some readers felt that some of the clothing was too tight, and the cover and other photos made the magazine inappropriate to have around their house for their family to see. I want to address those concerns, but before doing that, I want to explain a little about who we are and why we are passionate about supporting mothers and families on their health and healing journeys.

Nancy and I are not Mennonite or Amish and have never pretended to be. We have always believed that people will only trust us to serve them if we are honest and open with who we are. In our magazines, we share pictures of our family, friends, and people in the company. When we take photos for the magazine, we try to do so in a way that is both respectful to the community and true to who we are. We ask everyone in the photos not to wear excessive makeup and jewelry or clothes that are too tight-fitting and revealing. We don’t get everything perfect, but we do our best.

Many of the readers of this magazine are Mennonite, Amish, or in some way connected to the plain communities. Although I was not raised Mennonite or Amish, I was raised in a church community with many people who practiced a plain lifestyle that includes high standards for modesty and technology restrictions. Many people who attended the church had previously been Amish or Mennonite, so I am very familiar with the community. Growing up, my mom was extremely passionate about health and natural medicine. My wife grew up in New York City and was––in many ways––raised differently than me.

We understand that not everyone will feel comfortable with what we share and how we share it. The vast majority of the thousands of letters received tell stories of how this magazine and our products have helped their families in incredible ways. This means the world to us. On the other hand, when someone is bothered or has suggestions, we take that seriously and try to do whatever we can to better serve our community.

When Nancy and I met and then got married, we both lived in NYC. Shortly after, we moved to Florida. I had been part of a natural health company that served the plain communities from my early teenage years. When Nancy and I started Sprigs and then eventually the Motherhood Magazine, it was with the passion for helping families take responsibility for their health through products, education, and other resources. We have always wanted to do it in a way that was both honest with who we are and respectful to the communities that we serve.

We believe that you, as a mother, are the healthcare provider of your home. You are the first one to know when your little one isn’t feeling well, or someone hurts themselves. Our goal is to continue to give you the best resources, support, and community that we can to help you on your journey.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Laudon

MOTHERHOOD by Sprigs

Advertise your business in The Motherhood Magazine! Through the addition of advertisements in this magazine, we have been able to help both small and large businesses expand their reach and gain new customers. It's been great helping each other grow! When you advertise in the Motherhood Magazine, you help over 45,000 mothers get this magazine free of charge! Our readers know that the products and services we recommend are reliable, useful, and worth learning about and we're happy to share with them offerings that will support their journey. If you are interested in becoming one of our advertisers, please call or email Julie Scannell to learn more at: (888) 990-7763 ext. 106 juliescannell@sprigs.life or send a note to: 250 Corey Avenue #66061, St. Pete Beach, FL 33706

o love t t o n s ' t Wha ng in i s i t r e v d about a get to e W ! ? od Motherho ts and c u d o r p sell our azine... g a m e e r f you get a for , s g i r p S u, Thank yo esses n i s u b l l sma giving us ced! i t o n e b o t a chance -Danielle Owner, ffee o C d n i r Rise & G

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MOTHERHOOD by Sprigs

Meet the team behind the Motherhood Magazine!

Nancy J. Laudon Editorial Director, Writing Contributor

Jonathan Laudon Writing Contributor

Christy Thigpen Assistant Editorial Director, Writing Contributor

Nancy is the co-founder of Sprigs. She, along with her husband Jonathan, publish the Sprigs Life Magazine and the Motherhood Magazine. Nancy has a passion for empowering women in their health and motherhood journey. After having a hospital birth with her first daughter and experiencing a home birth with her second and third, Nancy has become an advocate for mothers, believing that the birth experience they desire through informed decisions. As a mother, she is passionate about health and nutrition for her family.

Jonathan is the co-founder of Sprigs, a supplement brand available in over 500 stores across the country, and Eden’s Answers, a FDA-inspected manufacturing company specializing in herbal- and superfoodbased supplements. He was instrumental in launching Nature's Warehouse, a catalog and online-based supplement retailer that provides products to support the health of tens of thousands of families across the country. Jonathan is a husband and father of three beautiful girls who keep life full of surprises. He is passionate about health, nutrition and raising children holistically.

Annalee Mutz Magazine and Content Editor

Jay Blaskovich Creative Designer

Chelsea Rosario Creative Designer

Annalee is an editorial writer and editor based in central Florida. She earned a B.S. in journalism & public relations and a M.B.A., and has a decade of diverse publishing experience. When she’s not writing a story or polishing up an article, she’s usually teaching a group fitness class, conquering her yearly reading goal, watching a 90s rom-com, or hanging with her husband, baby girl, and dog on the porch of their historic bungalow.

A seven-time ADDY award-winning creative director, Jay, joined the Sprigs team in May of 2020, bringing a rich and varied work history including working with global fashion brands, multi-industry start-ups, and a national cannabis retailer. Jay is a father of four and now enjoys being a grandparent with his wife, Stacey. He is constantly creative, a known foodie, and – fun fact – he once played a gig with the Smashing Pumpkins (before they were, well... the Smashing Pumpkins).

Chelsea is a six-time ADDY award-winning graphic designer with over 10 years of professional experience in agency, nonprofit, and freelance environments. She has an eye for color, typography, and layout. She is also a musician and songwriter, and a self-proclaimed health supplement junkie. Working for Sprigs is a natural fit for this holistic mama. She has two little girls and homeschools her eldest. Chelsea and her family recently moved to Florida from Oahu, Hawaii.

Christy is a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and has a passion for using food as medicine, holistic living, and spreading knowledge on these topics to improve the lives of others. Christy enjoys combining her critical thinking skills and creativity to create and direct content that engages readers and cultivates community. In her free time, you can find her diving into personal development books, photographing healthy recipes, or relaxing by the water.

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9 9

Natalie Semmelmann Mom-To-Mom Editor, Writing Contributor

Gina Hackbarth Writing Contributor

Leroy Miller Circulation Director

Natalie is a Functional Nutritional Therapist who specializes in finding the root cause of issues pertaining to chronic illnesses and hormonal dysfunctions. She is passionate about helping women make informed decisions and take control of their health. When she is not working, you can find her at her local CrossFit gym working out or training female athletes going through the motherhood transition. She loves cooking and revamping classic recipes into a more healthful version, and spending time with her daughter and husband.

After graduating from the University of South Florida, Gina gave birth to her first daughter three months later and has been a barefoot, crunchy mama right from the start! A former personal trainer, you can find Gina working out, reading books on health and fitness, or teaching mothers how to live holistically and find the root causes of their health concerns. She homeschools her two daughters with frequent breaks to play with their ball python and hamster or to explore the backyard and hiking trails.

Leroy is responsible for managing our production facility in Millersburg, Ohio. He has been with Sprigs since the beginning and is directly responsible for bringing our product manufacturing up from 0 to our full range of products in less than two years. Leroy is a natural leader and has been working in the health product community for over 10 years. With his wife Mari, Leroy has two beautiful children: Toby who is five years old, and Nancy who is three.

Sandra Ellis Master Herbalist

Julie Scannell Advertising Sales

Dan Austin Photographer

Sandra Ellis is the mother of 15 and grandmother of 52. She is a Master Herbalist, a midwife, a microscopist, an author and a teacher. She has developed her own product line and is a writer for the Motherhood Magazine. Sandy loves working with mothers and children in multiple capacities to encourage, support and validate their sacrifice and contribution to the improvement of this world.

Joining Motherhood Magazine in August 2019, Julie has welcomed businesses to highlight their services and products to help raise a healthy family naturally. Since graduating from the College of Notre Dame with a marketing design degree, she has enjoyed promoting the arts, being a part of creative teams around the country, and generating top sales for companies she believes in. When not working or sleeping, we can assume she is on her boat celebrating life with family and friends while exploring the Gulf of Mexico.

Dan Austin is a Florida native photographer. He specializes in a unique style that combines the spirit of his subject with a detailed attention to lighting. Through this, Austin achieves a unique and well thought out aesthetic that can be seen in his images.

MOTHERHOOD by Sprigs

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Mom Mom

Mom Mom The Mom-to-Mom section is evolving! Thank you to everyone who takes the time to write in questions, share stories, and provide advice for other moms. We love reading your letters and fostering a space for mothers to connect. The Mom-to-Mom section has rapidly grown from just a few letters to a beautiful

Mom Mom

conversation between thousands of women. In the last year alone, we have had well over 4,000 letters. As the amount of letters grows rapidly, we have begun to run out of space in the magazine to publish every one that comes in. Our team has given a lot of thought to what we can do to make this magazine even better as the number of letters continues to increase. In the future, instead of publishing every one that comes in, we will publish the stories,

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encouragements, and health advice. Instead of publishing all the questions we receive, we will be sending a letter answering the question directly to you. When we notice common questions, we will publish answers written by our Motherhood Magazine team of herbalists, nutritionists, and mothers. This will help us save space for letters and give you the best help and support we can. If you have ideas or advice for us or other moms, please send them our way. We love every letter and are grateful for the opportunity to serve this community.

Dear readers, Thanks for the free magazine, we couldn't get it if we had to pay for it! On sore, cracked, bleeding nipples. With our first one, part of mine came off, was very painful and I was using disposable nursing pads. So for the second child I used only cloth reusable ones and never had a problem with infections or bad painful nursing. –Another reader thankful to be getting Motherhood

Hello, Thank you Sprigs for starting this magazine. So very interesting. One thing that amazes me is all the women who have dry, cracked, raw or bleeding nipples. With my 2 children I have not had a problem. This is what I did: 4-6 weeks before due date rub a lanolin cream on nipples morning or evening (your preference). After baby arrives keep on for at least another month. This time after every feeding. No need to wash it off. Gradually slack off until no longer needed. Hope this helps someone. –Mother of 2

Dear friends, Greetings in Jesus' holy name! He is a wonderful provider. To the mothers out there that deal with sore nipples while nursing. Your own colostrum is supposed to help. When done nursing, simply squeeze out a little milk and rub it around. I did it with our last baby and it worked! You can't get it more natural than that! –A mother of 3 precious boys

I have one nipple that is inverted so I always have to use a shield for about 3 weeks but then they can learn to suck without it once they get the hang of nursing. I also had very severe pain when they latch so I go to a chiropractor

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MOTHERHOOD Magazine

to get their palate adjusted. Sometimes it doesn't help until the second time. Other times it works right away. God bless! –A happy mom

Working Through The Challenges of Breastfeeding STORY BY NANCY J. LAUDON

To the one wondering about where to get nursing bras. Did you try using sport bras or other regular ones? For me, I find it easier to just slip it down rather than dealing with nursing bras. Also, we see a lot about sore nipples. I've heard going without bras or at least opening the nursing bras or at least opening the nursing bra "doors" can toughen them up by rubbing the clothing against it. I like going without most of the time. Not so much when I'm nursing because of leaks though. God bless. –Anonymous

Dear ladies, I really enjoy this magazine and thank you to all who made it possible. To the ladies who get breast infection easily. I never had it but it does not sound much fun. I nursed my 2 babies both for a couple of months without much success. So I had a breast pump that I used quite often. Sometimes when I got a sore spot on one breast and it hurt a bit to nurse. I pumped myself dry and squeezed my breast to get out the last drops. That was after the baby had nursed. It hurts a bit. Our neighbor lady loaned mine for awhile cause she had a problem with getting infections after her baby quit nursing so much. So it might be worth a try. I just have a $10 pump with batteries. I often see some at garage sales for cheap. You don't need an expensive one for just occasional use. –Another Mother

A story about a close friend of mine:

There was once a time when mothers in their fourth trimester struggled to breastfeed and didn’t have to look or go very far to get hands-on support. Now it’s more often that mothers who struggle with breastfeeding keep it to themselves and struggle in silence. “Breastfeeding is natural.” What does this phrase actually mean? Does it mean that the day you birth your baby, you suddenly become a breastfeeding pro and are fully equipped to start your breastfeeding journey? I often hear stories about how breastfeeding is magical, the baby latches in seconds, and the mother is glowing with joy. Although breastfeeding is special, we aren’t always given the tools to succeed in it. Breastfeeding is natural but, for mothers entering the fourth trimester, we need to equip and prepare ourselves for the process. Hands-on support shouldn’t be unattainable for mothers. There should be an abundance of new-mom groups, visits from friends and family members, lactation consultants, and so forth. Similar to pregnancy appointments with midwives and other healthcare professionals, you should have access to similar support in your fourth trimester.

She was in her second week of nursing, and the pain during each session wouldn’t go away. Not only was nursing extremely painful for her, but her baby wasn’t getting enough milk either. She couldn’t figure out what was wrong. About a month into nursing, she realized her son had a slight tongue tie. She reached out for some help, and though this helped her son latch better, her breast pain during nursing was still a constant. Why do I share this? Because nursing is a case-by-case situation that needs the attention of hands-on help. There may be many things you’ll adjust and change in your breastfeeding journey and amazing people who can walk through it with you. You should not walk away from breastfeeding feeling defeated; don’t let isolation lead you to give up.

Four barriers to breastfeeding: • Lack of knowledge about

breastfeeding

• The misconception that formula

is equivalent

• Breastfeeding is not the

social norm

• Little to no community and support

What is the fourth trimester? The fourth trimester is the transitional period between birth and 12-weeks postpartum–during which your baby is adjusting to the

Thanks for the interesting letters. I read with interest about so many mothers with sore or cracked nipples. I have had them with all 5 of my children off and

world, and you’re adjusting to your baby. The fourth trimester can be a vulnerable time for new mothers and should be viewed as a continuation of prenatal care.

on. Sometimes I didn't really know what actually cleared it up. I tried everything. I got lots of well-meaning advice. Now somebody told me it would seem my nipple is not getting enough oxygen. I'm wondering if what cleared it up finally was getting a treatment/adjustment. Possibly I was too tight in my neck, shoulders and chest area. So that's what I'll try if I should have that problem again with my next baby. Maybe somebody else wants to try it. Happy mothering! –Anonymous

I definitely know how the moms feel who have to use nipple shields to nurse. I used one the whole time I nursed. At around 3-4 months we discovered she had a tongue and lip tie. Once we got that fixed she nursed better, but refused to nurse without the shield. She nursed until 12 1/2 months then a mouse bit a hole in the shield and she weaned herself. God's blessings to all readers! –Anonymous

Breastfeeding support systems are so crucial for a mother and her success with her breastfeeding journey. While, yes, breastfeeding is natural; it isn’t instinctive. Midwives Midwives offer postnatal care, helping you with breastfeeding, setting up your baby, swaddling, cleaning, and caring for the basic needs of your newborn baby. Your midwife has walked with you through your pregnancy and can offer comfortable, familiar postnatal support. Lactation Consultants A lactation consultant is your first go-to stop for any breastfeeding questions. A lactation consultant is

specially trained to teach women how to to breastfeed and address a wide range of breastfeeding issues such as nursing pain, bleeding, latching styles, etc. These healthcare professionals are often on staff at hospitals and frequently visit while you’re recovering. They can also make home visits and check-in calls. La Leche League La Leche League is an international organization that has supported breastfeeding mothers for over 50 years. They offer free groups that meet in various locations such as a birthing center or cafes – anywhere there is a group of breastfeeding mamas needing support. In these meetups, the group shares

For breast infection. The first time I had it I got really sick. Our first born was a little over a week old, and didn't nurse well. Now, when I feel it coming I try to drink lots of water, vitamin C, and most of all, rest my body. I know, sometimes this is almost impossible, if you have a pile of work staring at you. But if I don't rest, it usually gets worse, or takes longer to heal. I also rub the sore part with nursing cream and rub it towards the nipple while baby is nursing. Nurse often on that side, and as long as baby wants to. –Anonymous

Dear moms, Thanks to everybody for making this magazine possible! One letter stood out especially, from the mom with the poor milk let down. I have been there and that is so stressful. I was determined not to use a bottle. It started when my first baby was 8 weeks old. I sometimes made her sleep then nursed her and sometimes she nursed for 10 minutes or more until it finally came!

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MOTHERHOOD Magazine

If she relaxed and just nursed I could relax better, too, so it came sooner, but for me it lasted only about a week and it happened every month. Not over period weeks either. Definitely a hormone problem for me. I tried hormone pills to no avail and then I got introduced to a new brand progesterone cream and presto! What a difference! I used a lot the first few days and then used 1 pump in morning and 1 in evening. As long as I used that especially over that week (it took me a while to figure out when that is) my milk let down was not much of a problem. With my second child I sometimes used it but not a lot as I discovered chaste tree berry pills seem to do the same job as the cream and I expect they're healthier. I would recommend de-stress supplements to take at times, too, if stressed out with extra work or company coming that nerves you up. That really helps me. I really hope this helps you, as that is NO fun. –A mom

Thank you Nancy and everyone else who helps make this magazine possible! I feel unworthy to be a part of it. I have learned a lot of stuff, and would now like to receive them myself. We have walked the floor many, many nights with our 2 children, now ages 3 years and 1 1/2. We still don't know what was wrong as nothing seemed to help much. Cranial treatments probably helped more than anything else did. They still don't sleep all night, but we don't dread that part of the day anymore as they usually go to sleep again soon. I think I failed largely on keeping on with prenatals, omegas and herb tea (made of red raspberry leaf, nettles and alfalfa) after our second one was born. She might have been a lot different if I would've realized how important nutrition is while nursing. –A mom of 2 sunbeams

Dear mothers, Thank you for a great magazine! Many helpful tips. I definitely want to keep receiving them.

breastfeeding strategies, challenges, and stories of their journeys. In these groups, you have the opportunity to connect with mothers who have walked through breastfeeding and are active in supporting breastfeeding mothers in their community. You can connect with local doulas and lactation consultants at these meetups. Ask your local midwife for how to connect with your nearest La Leche League. Postpartum Doulas If you’ve worked with a doula in the past, you know the incredible support they offer during pregnancy. Postpartum doulas can also help you with postpartum care. They can help support mom in her first few weeks with breastfeeding, meal preparation, and other household needs. Mom Forums When in doubt, ask a mama! Community is an incredible way to connect with local breastfeeding mothers. These groups offer a lot of encouragement and can help answer some questions and share experiences. Sometimes all we need is a friend; someone to hear us, see us, and tell us, this too shall pass. Just talking or challenges out with someone can make the difference.

The fourth trimester can be overlooked, especially the challenges of breastfeeding. Many mothers also experience baby blues and postpartum depression. Not to mention your body is going through a physical and hormonal change that will undoubtedly have some effect on you. As many of you may know, I did not nurse with any of my children. Early in, I learned about exclusively pumping and really found a rhythm with it. I pumped for a total of two years. Why have I not nursed before? My plan was always to pump and nurse 50/50. But when Addie had a severe case of jaundice, things just fell into place and I didn’t go back to nursing. With baby boy Zion I have decided that I want to give nursing a try. I know there will be a lot to learn, but I am eager and excited about this new experience. With all these resources, I plan to utilize them when I face the new struggles of breastfeeding. I’d love to hear any resources from your local community and share them with the magazine community, as I am sure it will be a huge blessing to many.

Tips/items to help your breastfeeding experience Nipple Shield: to help prevent nipple pain, a better latch for baby Local Milk Banks: an alternative to formula supplementation Pumping: a great alternative for nursing and can be used in support of breastfeeding Pumping Bra: a great tool for hands-free pumping

To the mothers wondering what to use for sore nipples while nursing. I always like to use lanolin cream, which can be found at major stores or I always ask for mine at the hospital after baby is born. It did wonders for me! –Truly blessed wife and mother

For breast infection, my mom taught me that whenever I feel like it's starting immediately take a hot vinegar bath (as hot as you can stand). Make sure breasts soak in water. And for low milk supply or milk that doesn't have much value, try taking brewer's yeast pills. I take some off and on while pregnant too and always have an abundance of milk. Comes in the first day and babies take right off and don't get jaundice at all.

sarsaparilla, it will increase progesterone levels which should increase your milk supply and stop your periods until they start later when the baby cuts down on breastmilk. Nursing often and for long periods of time (during the night too) is important but it never seems to be enough to keep the periods off for me unless I use the capsules too. For one of ours, I started letting him sleep through the night at 6 months old then I got my period so now I try to never let it go longer than 3 hours during the day or 6 hours during the night between feedings. I hope this helps you but the saying stays true... What works for one may not work for another. Keep up the good work, I enjoy every bit of it. –Another mother

–A mother

Dear friends, Thank you for all the effort you put into this magazine. To the one wondering about using vinegar while nursing, I take 2 teaspoons most mornings and I still have plenty of milk, so for me I can't tell that it makes a difference. And I read with interest about using pacifiers, for some of ours we used pacifiers and others didn't and I still got my period soon, maybe around 3-4 months. It wasn't always same, and I had plenty of milk most times, seldom needed to use a bottle until I needed to wean them. So if it comforts them to suck why not give them a pacifier to suck? I also feed them in bed while laying down if that is when they want to eat. –Another mom

Dear mothers, To the lady wondering where to get ginseng and sarsaparilla capsules. You can get them at natural health stores. Yes, they are to balance the hormone but they also increase the milk supply for me. My mother gave me a book called A Guide to Motherhood by Katherine Tarr that has lots of helpful information on pregnancy, childbirth, and baby care. In there it says, if you get your period while fully nursing, your estrogen level may be too high and by taking one or two capsules of ginseng and

For babies that don't want to relax while nursing, hold their little foot in your hand and gently massage their little arch with your thumb. It helped my baby relax and nurse better a lot of times. –Another mom

Dear mothers, First of all, a big thank you to Sprigs for making a magazine like this possible! In this day and age, where everyone likes to be paid for all they do. Such an informative magazine free of charge, is so refreshing and encouraging. May God bless you for all time and money you sacrifice to make this possible! I could feel for the mom who was wondering about her milk spraying all over the place while nursing. What can be done? My baby usually nurses nicely until my milk kets down and then it starts coming so fast that it almost makes her choke, then she gets upset. And then if she stops nursing while my milk is still being let down, it will keep spraying all over her and me, unless I'm ready for it with a burp diaper or blanket or something. I have plenty of milk, but not too much - I just wish it wouldn't come so fast! Omega 3's are so important for pregnant and nursing moms! Just recently I heard that if a mother has sufficient omega 3's in her diet while pregnant and nursing your child will be less likely to have food intolerances! Also helps for content babies. –A PA Mother of Two

To the mom whose babies refuse to nurse like a baby ought to, how well I know the feeling! My babies too latch on properly with a strong suck but soon pull back, arch their backs and cry and are very restless while they are nursing which is not long at a time. Usually I try to nurse a bit, then put them to sleep for the rest of their feeding, which helps a little. Only one of ours was super fussy and they all gained well and all started nursing nicely at around a year of age, we tried different cranial treatments with no results. What's wrong? If you have answers let's hear from you! –A mom who's still learning

Dear Mom-to-mom To the mother who has a hard time to have her milk let down. Try running warm water on your breasts or warm wet towels. Also rub gently downward. –Anonymous

Greetings to all! To the mom with f lat nipples in April issue. I wonder if you wouldn't have used any shields, then possibly your baby could have nursed longer. As the more baby would suck, it probably would have helped your nipples. I have a sister-in-law who only used a baby bottle nipple and it worked for her. I had a low milk supply for our 3rd child. It never came in at 3 days like it should have. I took different things but nothing helped for long except protein powder. Meanwhile I was taking *** [A hormone balancing blend of Wild Yam, Chaste Tree Berries, and Angelica Root] due to be still spotting off and on for around 3 months after birth. A few weeks later I wasn't spotting and had plenty of milk, only gave bottle once in a while. Maybe hormones are more our problems than we realize. Also I'm taking a good wormer while breastfeeding as I can't while pregnant. Don't give up nursing for fussy babies, please try taking a good probiotic or Acidophilus, it helps me. –Trying to be a better wife and mom

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MOTHERHOOD Magazine

H E R B C OR N E R Thanks for the great magazine you created. I always look forward to it!

Any advice if there is anything to take during pregnancy to prevent the baby from having jaundice? Or what to give them after they're born? – A mom

Herbs That Support Breastfeeding Breastfeeding can be a stressful time for both mama and baby. There are times when your breast milk supply can get low from having your period, taking hormonal birth control, or even just dealing with additional stress. When you feel that your supply is too low, one of the

Hello to all, Thank you to the Laudons for your work in putting this magazine together and sharing it with us. I find it very interesting! Thanks for all the ideas and tips. I think you all mean it for good, even though I do agree one thing will not work for all. And the challenge in life is to find the right for your family. I would like to hear more on placenta previa, or what makes the placenta so hard to release, or worse yet comes out in pieces or a funny looking lump. I yet have to release an easy, nice looking placenta. (After 3 children.) Also would like ideas to prevent bad afterpain! The way I usually know I'm pregnant is by not getting my period. I can't feel for you who get morning sickness. I highly recommend taking prenatals and trace minerals at all times and doing a liver cleanse between each pregnancy. To the ladies with poison ivy. Do a blood cleanse! Our daughter had the same issue on her hands. The first time they were all swollen, pussy, blistered and oozing. Creams didn't work except Redmond clay paste! Finally it went away only to return again 2 1/2 weeks later. She had this coming back 4 times each time to get some new skin. Until finally we did a blood cleanse. There are different cleanses. My sister had the same with her son. We used 2 different cleanses and both worked. I used pantothenic acid and Maximize enzymes. Good luck. – A thankful happy mom

best things you can do is to supplement your diet with herbs that help support natural milk production. Women have been using herbs to stimulate and increase the production of breast milk for thousands of years. On the next page are the top three we recommend!

Inspire • Grow • Encourage

Fenugreek

Milk Thistle

Fennel

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenumgraecum) is an annual herb with yellow flowers and seed-containing pods that are native to Asia and the Mediterranean. This aromatic herb is often touted as a potent galactagogue. It contains estrogen-like compounds that are thought to enhance milk flow. Fenugreek is thought to boost the production of breast milk due to an effect on the stimulation of sweat production, and mammary glands are sweat glands that have been modified by hormonal stimulation. When using this herb, it is good to start small and work up, because some mothers report that it can make their babies gassy.

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a tall, purple flowering plant with prickly spines. Milk thistle has a long history of use in medicine and healing. It's a wellknown galactagogue and believed that the plant estrogens found in milk thistle could be one of the reasons some women report making more breast milk when they take this herb.

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) can be traced back to ancient Egypt. It has been used to simulate/increase the production of breast milk. Fennel's reputation for enhancing breast milk is related to its natural estrogen-like properties.

How to incorporate into your daily routine: Make a tea: Place one to three teaspoons of fenugreek seeds in eight ounces of boiling water. You can drink fenugreek tea up to three times a day. Eat it as a food: Consume it raw on an empty stomach after soaking it overnight to aid weight loss. Eat it as a sprout as is or add it to a salad. You can dry the seeds, grind them into a powder, and sprinkle on meat to give it more flavor or you can grind it into a paste and add it to curry. Take a supplement: Look for a trusted herbal supplement with fenugreek as the main ingredient. Dosage varies per person.

How to add Milk Thistle to your daily routine: Make a tea: You can make a tea from the seeds of the milk thistle plant and drink it two to three times a day. Just place one teaspoon of crushed milk thistle seeds into eight ounces of boiling water. Let steep for 10 to 20 minutes, and then enjoy. Eat like a food: Once you remove the spines, you can eat every part of the milk thistle plant. The seeds can be roasted, the leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, and the buds can be enjoyed similar to tiny artichokes. Take a supplement: Milk thistle is a common ingredient found in nursing and lactation supplements. It is often combined with other breastfeeding herbs such as fenugreek or fennel. Dosage varies per person. Other benefits of milk thistle:

Other benefits of fenugreek:

Silymarin, an ingredient found in milk thistle, can help the body rebuild and repair the cells of the liver making it great for a liver cleanse.

Fenugreek may help prevent the onset of diabetes by controlling blood sugar levels.

Milk thistle may be useful in lowering blood sugar levels for people with type 2 diabetes.

Fenugreek may suppress the appetite and increase feelings of fullness, which could help reduce overeating and lead to weight loss.

How to add Fennel to your daily routine: Make a tea: To make fennel tea, place 8 ounces of boiling water in a mug with 1 to 3 teaspoons of fennel seed. Let it sit for approximately 10 minutes then strain the seeds from the tea and enjoy. As an herb/spice: Fennel seeds can add flavor to many recipes, including fish, salads, and sauces. As a food: Fennel seeds can be chewed whole and raw or roasted. The vegetable part of the fennel plant can be eaten raw or cooked. You can easily add it to soups or other dishes. As a supplement: Look for breastfeeding supplements that contain fennel as one of the main ingredients. Dosage varies per person. Other benefits of fennel: Increase metabolism, suppress hunger, and aid in weight loss Relieve menstrual problems and balance the menstrual cycle Treat stomach upset and gas and promotes healthy digestion

MOTHERHOOD Magazine

I was wondering what to do about hair loss? I've always had hair loss after babies but this time it's been 9 months and it still keeps falling out. Am I lacking something? –A Happy Mom

For the ones wondering what to do for hair loss after birth, I also lost big clumps after both babies. After the last one I decided to try Hair Skin & Nail pills and thought they helped my hair grow out faster again. One of my friends said she started using Biotin when she was pregnant and didn't lose as many. Biotin is also in the Hair Skin and Nails pills. I love all the tips! Keep on serving God where He has placed you! It's tiresome sometimes but very worth it! Babies grow up so fast! –A mom of 2 little girls

Dear mothers, I enjoy this magazine so much. To the person wondering what to do for gray hair or hair loss. It can be gut related. Do you have puffy feet and ankles? It can be sugar issues.

Is Hair Loss AFTER Pregnancy Normal? STORY BY NATALIE SEMMELMANN

after birth, your hair follicles start to relax and around 3-5 months your hair starts to fall out by the handful because all your hair is now moved into that falling out phase.

Trust me, I know what it is like seeing handfuls of hair falling out and the weird hard-to-tame “baby hair” regrowth around your hairline. As women, our hair is the crown on our heads. It can symbolize our identity as women. It is shocking when our brushes are full and our drains are clogged. We have an emotional attachment to our hair. So when it starts falling out in larger amounts, we naturally have a bit of a freakout. There are two times in a woman’s life when hair loss is most common: postpregnancy and post-menopause. Two times in our lives with big shifts in our hormones, so let’s dive into why this happens and what we can do to prevent unwanted hair loss.

Several mothers mentioned wanting something to take to prevent hair loss after delivery. My sister told me this happens when your hormones change. For both of us this is about 3 months after delivery.

The cosmetic issues with hair loss are normally what causes the high level of worry. It can also be a sign or a symptom that something biologically is going on with your body that needs to be addressed. We can be experiencing a natural shift in hormones, nutritional deficiency, stress, environmental exposure, or a medical condition.

–Mrs. Hoover

What is postpartum hair loss?

–A Mother

To the lady who was wondering what to do for hair loss after having a baby. I was told to take vitamin B12. –Someone who enjoys reading this magazine

During pregnancy, you likely experienced a full head of hair that was thick and shiny. This is due to how pregnancy hormones affect your hair cycle. Coupled with your pregnancy nutrition and taking prenatal vitamins, you shed little to no hair. Every hair we grow goes through three phases: a growth phase, a resting phase, and a falling out phase. During pregnancy, our hair stalls at that resting phase so

Postpartum hair loss is so common and typically only lasts a few months up to one year. However, although it is normal, it is certainly not optimal. (NOTE: If you are experiencing this hair loss far past the one-year postpartum period or have other symptoms that are common to your thyroid, then please explore having your thyroid functions tested. Postpartum hypothyroidism needs to be treated.) What else contributes to postpartum hair loss? Low Iron Levels Postpartum anemia is also very common and can be a reason for your postpartum hair loss. Iron transfers to the baby in utero. Coupled with blood loss during/after birth, your iron levels will be reduced. Consuming iron-rich foods during pregnancy and postpartum will keep your levels up and replenished. Hormones During pregnancy, we have an increase in hormones. One of these hormones is estrogen. Estrogen directly affects the hair growth cycle. When our bodies have significant amounts of estrogen, our hair is more likely to stay in its growth phase. Approximately 24-72 hours after a woman gives birth, there is a significant decrease of estrogen in her body. This promotes the hairs in the growing phase to enter the resting phase. Hairs typically stay in this resting phase for about three months. Then they begin to fall out and a new hair cycle begins.

Low stomach acid

Thyroid problems

So many of us have low stomach acid from eating a standard American diet including taking antibiotics, drinking sodas, and consuming sugars. When our stomach acid is too low, our bodies can no longer properly breakdown our foods that are so rich in vital nutrients like iron and zinc. This means you are not absorbing all the nutrients you think you are consuming. Supplementing with iron can be difficult. It can be very constipating, and is not very bioavailable. Drinking nettle tea is a great option and I would recommend focusing on iron-rich foods and taking a supplement like a betaine HCL to re-introduce stomach acid production. By far, the best source of iron-rich foods is liver (and if you have read many of my other articles or listened to my interviews you know how much I love liver). Red meat, game meat, oysters, sardines, and dark meat poultry are also very reliable sources.

The thyroid hormone can also affect hair loss. Either too much or too little hormone can result in side effects that affect hair. If you have not had thyroid problems before, you can develop symptoms after you give birth. Some women will experience hyperthyroidism that is followed by hypothyroidism, this is called postpartum thyroiditis. Checking in with yourself, listen to your body speaking to you through symptoms, if you feel like your thyroid is over or underperforming then please look into getting a full thyroid panel done with your healthcare provider.

Stress Stress can cause temporary hair loss. I know it is easier said than done to avoid stress, especially right after having given birth. However, you are not sleeping, you are not eating as often, your hormones feel like they are all over the place, and you haven’t exercised in weeks. But if you could carve out five minutes of your day to be able to meditate, or close your eyes and do some deep breathing, it will do you a world of good.

Toxic hair products It is time to toss those toxic hair products out! They are drying out and killing your hair while also damaging your hormones. You’d be surprised by the ingredients allowed in our beauty products. There is very little regulation, in fact it has been almost 90 years since the last major law was passed on permissible ingredients! You want to avoid ingredients like sulfates, mineral oil, parabens, alcohol, fragrances, and formaldehyde… you read that right, formaldehyde! Consider a shower filter and switching your products. How to Keep Your Locks Lovely We know that a lot of our hair loss is inevitable, but there are some things we can do to help it not get so out of control that it brings on more stress. • Continue taking your prenatal vitamins every day. The extra nutrients that were so beneficial to you during pregnancy will continue to support you after, especially if you are breastfeeding. • Consume a diet rich in nutrient-dense whole foods and control your blood sugar. Foods that spike your insulin will stress your body. Over time, too much insulin can increase your testosterone levels, which cause facial hair and male pattern baldness. No, thank you! • Pass on those processed foods, pasta, and bread. Instead, consume your carbohydrates in the form of vegetables like potato, sweet potato, and yucca or cassava. • Limit your sugars by removing refined sugars and eat some delicious fruits as your sweets. It is amazing how sweet a strawberry truly is once your taste buds have healed from sugar damage. • Consume lean meats like chicken, turkey, and fishes. These are great for balancing hormones and satiating you throughout the day. During your first month with a newborn, it is hard to find time even to eat. Consuming rich and sustaining foods will carry you through your day without any unnecessary sugar crashes. • Try to remove the stressors you can and learn to manage the ones you cannot. • Once you are 6-8 weeks postpartum and your medical provider gives you clearance to do some light exercise, get outside to get some sun, go for a nice walk, or do some stretching like yoga. This will help relax you and even out your hormones. Hopefully, your postpartum journey is without funny ponytails and clogged shower drains.

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MOm-to-mom Mama & Baby

and even worse in spring and fall. This summer I did a liver cleanse and started taking enzymes. I also started going to a cranial every month. So far I am allergy free! Amazing! But I don't know which of the 3 help the most.

Mom Mom MAMA & BABY

Hello Mom-to-Mom, Does anyone have experience with severe pain exactly 7 days after birth? It feels like one long, very painful contraction. I had it with both children. The first time I went for an ultrasound because my midwife was afraid the afterbirth hadn't all came out but that wasn't the problem and we never found out what caused it. I'm a firm believer in not overdoing it the first six weeks so I don't think that has anything to do with it.

Mom Mom

I'm also wondering what to do for an irregular cycle. Most times my cycle is 5-8 weeks. I know it's probably a hormonal issue, but how do I know what to take? It's very hard to space children naturally or charting if you can't figure out your cycle. And does anyone have any knowledge on why some people can't depend on full time nursing for birth control? I always get my period 6-8 weeks after birth. As for taking babies to bed with you - that just doesn't work for us. My babies never liked nursing while I'm laying down. And if we do have a child in bed with us, I can't get my rest and we all know how much a mom needs her rest! Also it results in my milk supply dwindling if I can't rest. So we have a rocker and a crib in our bedroom and I get up to nurse the baby. That works too! A comment on pacifiers. They can be a life saver! Especially if you have 2 babies in 17 months! Our 3 year old will sometimes wake up screaming and when asked what's wrong, she'll say something was trying to get her. Anybody have any ideas about what to do for that? Someone asked about allergies. I have battled seasonal allergies and occasional asthma for years. It's bad in summer

Last winter I discovered that if I give the children a chewable colostrum they hardly get sick. I also like to diffuse melaleuca oil. It helps to keep the germs away. And if I think we're getting sick I'll mix melaleuca and an anti-germ essential oil blend and diffuse that. I had a lot of trouble with breast infection with our firstborn. She was 3 weeks old I had severe breast infection and nothing I did worked. I kept getting worse and the lump on my breast was huge. It was open and bleeding and very painful. I tried everything I could think of or read about. People kept giving me good advice and still - no healing. I was very sick with fever and could hardly take care of baby and nursing was a nightmare. I finally tried charcoal. I made a paste with charcoal and olive oil and for two days I got a poultice on. And it cleared up! Although I had to wear a bandaid and salve for about 2 weeks till the wound healed. And no - charcoal did nothing to my milk supply - I had way too much! A friend brought me some salve and after that bad episode I always massaged with that if I felt it was coming back. Not sure where you can get it. I wanted to comment on nipple shield. With our child I used one until I weaned her at 8 months. I had inverted nipples and she simply wouldn't nurse without the shield. I often tried to nurse without but it didn't work. She also made herself stiff, threw her head back and screamed when I tried to nurse her. I always had to calm her down first. It was really bad when we went away. When she was a year old we discovered she had a bad lip tie. We did laser surgery at 15 months. I believe a lot of this wouldn't have happened (including my many bouts of breast infection) it we would have known about the lip tie. I didn't have any problems with breast infection with our next child. Now our 3 year old (the one that had lip tie) has very bad teeth. I heard that if they have a lip tie you should cut it before they have teeth as it causes tooth decay. Does anyone have any ideas what to do for decayed teeth? I brushed her teeth at a young age and have ever since. I think I wrote too much. Thanks so much for this free magazine. I love it! Let's pray for our children! –A mama

Dear friends, I realize this is another controversial subject, but there were several questions about child spacing in the last issue. Someone wondered what to do to keep the babies from being so close. Have you ever read the book Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing by Sheila Kippley? This is a very well-written book. My mother gave me a copy of it to read when we had our first child and I appreciated the approach she takes. Your local bookstore would probably be willing to order it for you. Sheila also wrote The Seven Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding. They say much the same thing. The Seven Standards is more condensed and some may like it better. I prefer the other book. God bless your mothering! –Anonymous

Greetings to all, A couple of ladies wondered about the birthing tub. I did have a water birth. I'm a mom of one child so I cannot tell you how it compares but it definitely helped with pain from back labor. It also sped up my dilation. I have heard, however, that it may increase the chance of tearing. Is that so? I did tear quite a bit, but I feel that a midwife might have been able to prevent that, with warm oil and slowing down when baby is crowning... Thank you so much, Nancy and Sprigs team. You brighten many mamas' day! –A mom

Hello, Thanks for an interesting magazine. So many ideas. I'm glad not more questionable practices are mentioned, like pain drawing and passing one's baby around the table leg. Please read up on these if you think they're ok. I was disappointed to not hear more remedies for lopsided breasts. One of mine never has as much milk, and is always much smaller, even when engorged after birth. Any ideas? Why do I struggle with low desire while pregnant? Thought of asking midwife to test hormones as I'm not sure where else to start. Also struggle with low blood sugar, etc. every pregnancy; not much energy. –Mom of 3

Hello,

nose. It sounds like a blocked tear duct.

Here we are at the end of August and I had completely forgotten that I must resubscribe I'd I wish to receive the Motherhood magazine, so I just hope I'm in time to receive the Summer 2020 issue.

We are a childless couple, and yes, we know about that deep, silent pain. And yet, we know we have it nice in some ways. We do have many blessings.

Wonder if I am still in time to respond to the lady who wonders what to do for afterpains. With our second baby I had some and my midwife told me I'll have more the next time, which I was kind of dreading. Then with the third baby she told me to use calcium and magnesium, so I used Herbal Calcium and a magnesium drink, I did not have them bad at all. Plus the magnesium drink helped to get my bowels moving again after birth. And I am wondering what to do for a 3 year old who chews finger nails? Sometimes she actually chews them so bad it hurts her! Thanks for your wonderful magazine! –Mrs. Yoder

Hello,

Does anyone else out there always get nauseated whenever their milk lets down? I have 5 children and I've experienced it with everyone, all the time I'm breastfeeding. (Actually any time my nipples are stimulated in anyway.) I asked my doctor and also my midwife and neither one had ever heard of anything like it. I'd appreciate advice from anyone who has experience, as it isn't fun to get so nauseated so often. Is it hormonal or am I lacking something or what? I'm also sick for most of 9 months while pregnant. (Although not as bad as some.) Is there a connection? Thanks for your help! –Another mother

Hello everyone! I'm enjoying the Motherhood magazine again. To a grandmother on page 103 of the July magazine, about messy and stuck shut eyes. A lot of my mom's babies had that, but we all outgrew it without surgery. We used to make a warm solution of boric acid and water. Use a cotton ball to clean the gunk off. Also, I think the doctor told mom to massage the corner of the eye area, by the

To the person who said about eating almonds, a cup a day for both partners. Is that the raw almonds or it doesn't matter? –Trying to bloom in my corner

Hi, I'm a mom with 5 children to keep me busy. To the ones that are wondering about morning sickness. I know how that is. You are so sick you almost can't take of your little ones. My midwife told me to put 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a cup of hot water and drink that as hot as you can. Then go for a walk. She said your hormones are changing. I did give it a try and it helped me. I hope it helps someone else too. I love this magazine and it really helps me. –Mrs Yoder

Dear Mom-to-Mom, First I want to thank you for this magazine. And my heart goes out to those dealing with infertility. Yes, I know the feeling and the expense of trying this and that with no luck. Some things I also think helped strengthen muscles even if I did not get pregnant. We now have 2 children, so don't give up! One thing we learned, soaking in jarrow tea 2 to 3 times a week helps to clean out the uterus. I used 2 cups dry tea (flowers) and put in boiling water cook slowly for 20 minutes. Put in bath tub with water as hot as you can. Relax! First time I got pregnant while doing this. Start the first day of your period and do for four weeks. Stop if you find out you are pregnant or get your period. Some say it's safe to use a few times after you know you are pregnant but I never had the nerve. And I know what works for one does not for everyone so good luck! And I can agree that a weak uterus or prolapse can cause mind problems. A doctor once said the uterus and brain work together. Seems it takes experience to realize that. I also have a question. What can be done with constipation in a baby. Our last one is now 6 weeks old and has a problem with not going more than maybe twice a week and then not a lot. This week she gained very little weight. Seems I tried about everything and does not help more than a day or two. I am still fully breastfeeding

with plenty of milk. A real blessing. I don't have problem with my bowels and seems I can't use anything like that, that she gets enough of it to keep going. A good fiber and barley greens can go a long way in healthy pregnancy. I had a lot of problems ofter out first one was born. And she did too. I also had problems with dairy, flour, sugar, and at times even water. I often had migraine headaches, my periods were irregular and heavy. I quit nursing at 4 months because of low milk and I had a lot to start with. Later a chiropractor told me it's no wonder I could not go on nursing as my thyroid was run down. I also just wanted to gain weight. At times I would have diarrhea with a puddle of blood, then was bloated a few days then it started all over again. Finally I got started on fiber and barley life. Also took progesterone cream to balance hormones. At one time I used aloe vera juice, which I think helped my bowels. But just a warning you can use too much and cause constipation. After I started on that stuff I immediately saw a change. But took a while to get back on track. About half a year later I had finally lost my pregnancy weight, then soon became pregnant again. I did have some morning sickness until I started with *** [A quality prenatal with red raspberry leaf and trace minerals]. It went completely away. I also had other problems but could not mention them all, but all seemed to start off at the digestive system. Also that is wrong if a baby has to lie on belly so they sleep? Any help is appreciated? Another mom

Dear friends, I just got done reading the July 2020 Motherhood magazine. It's hard for me to quit reading! I read about some stuff that I'd like to give a try and also a couple that I'd like to comment on. Someone asked if a water birth helps with pain? I would definitely say it does. It helps me relax better. I guess I wouldn't want to do without! And I also get my placenta encapsulated. It helps with a quicker recovery. And some say it helps with depression, even though I can't say, as I never had that problem. Which is a lot to be thankful for. But everyone can do as they feel is best. As it sounded as if not all communities do that. Let us be respectful toward what others believe. I think everyone is doing the best they know. Thanks for getting this magazine together, Nancy. –A blessed mom of 6

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MOm-to-mom Mama & Baby

Q&A Mrs. Yoder, Thank you so much for writing in with your thoughts and suggestions. One of our biggest goals for the motherhood magazine is to create a space for moms to share with each other and learn together. Thank you for being a part of our community. I am so sorry to hear you are feeling overwhelmed. It does sound like you have some hormonal imbalances going on that can be affecting your adrenals and thyroid. I would really like to help you more if that is ok. I have attached for you several articles I have written to help with hormone balancing and estrogen detoxing. Please let me know if there is anything I can answer or if I can help in any other way. Hormonal imbalances & how they are all connected: You are a body of systems that all work together synergistically to keep you being you. When one part of a system is dragging behind or damaged then over time the other systems begin to fail. Your endocrine system, your hormones, need to be in balance to properly function as a whole system in order to support your digestive system, your nervous system and more. How to eat for healthy hormones: Food is medicine when it comes to hormonal health, blood sugar and insulin imbalance. Getting your blood sugar and insulin under control is going to be critical for ovulation, for lowering your androgen levels and creating a healthy gut microbiome. Consuming a diet full of healthy fats, nutrientrich vegetables, complex carbs, and well-sourced quality proteins will keep your blood sugar stable. This is similar to a Paleo-style diet but with quinoa, beans and buckwheat added in. Try not to overdo it on animal meat protein as it can promote insulin resistance and inflammation. Keeping to the rule of 4-6 ounces at your largest meal, this tends to be the size of your palm. Try adding other sources of protein such as beans, lentils, gelatin and collagen. Ditch your caffeine! I know, I know… but caffeine is a stimulant and that can have a major negative affect on your hormones and adrenal glands. Typically I am not a fan of overcomplicating how we eat by measuring or timing foods, as it tends to add stress to eating, but when addressing insulin resistance eating on a schedule will help to not stress your body with a big blood sugar drop. Try to eat breakfast within two hours of waking, and not dessert for breakfast like muffins, waffles or pancakes. Time your lunch

to be within four hours of breakfast and dinner to be no later than 7pm. It is a great idea to have a snack in between lunch and dinner. Carry snacks with you everywhere you go. If you are hungry, you eat. Every meal and every snack should have an adequate amount of protein and fat for sustaining you and have a good serving of vegetables. You want to aim for eating at least one pound of vegetables mixed with low sugar fruits like berries a day. Eat the rainbow! Your vegetables should be in all the beautiful colors mother earth has given us. Avoid pesticides when it comes to your produce especially on items you eat the skin. And remember to cut out sugar, white flour products, fruit juice and sodas. Even dumping dairy at this time is a great idea as dairy is lactose and lactose is a sugar that can cause inflammation.

• Sardines!!!! • Sausage and Bacon (preservative free) • Organ Meats: liver, heart, kidney and tongue • Bone Broth • Stock • Gelatin • Collagen • Eggs • Greek Yogurt • Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashews

Here is a list of foods that nurture hormonal health:

• Nut and Seed Butters: sunbutter, almond butter, cashew butter

Main Sources of Protein (ideally from pastureraised, grass-fed and organic animals):

Main Sources of Fat:

• Beef, Lamb, Pork, Bison, Venison, Chickens, Turkey, Duck, other poultry • Fish and Seafood (wild-caught)

• Animal Fat: lard (pork fat), tallow (beef fat), duck fat, chicken skin, (from pasture-raised/grass-fed animals)

Q&A

• Dairy Fat: Butter, ghee, heavy cream, sour cream, cream cheese (pastureraised/grass-fed animals) • Plant Fat: olives, coconuts, avocados, nuts, seeds, and any unprocessed oils derived from these foods. (choose “extra virgin”, and cook at low temps. • Avoid processed vegetables, oils/ seed oils that are high in omega 6 fats such as : corn oil, soybean oil, peanut oil, canola oil, safflower oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, cottonseed oil Vegetables: Non-Starchy Vegetables to help regulate blood sugar levels: Artichoke, Asparagus, Bell Pepper, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Chayote, Squash, Cucumber, Eggplant, Garlic, Greens: beet, collard, dandelion, mustard, spinach, kale, chard, turnip greens, spinach, watercress, bok choy, arugula, Tomatillo, Tomato, Green beans, Kohlrabi, Leek, Lettuce: endive, escarole, iceberg, romaine, “baby” greens, Mushroom, Okra, Onion, Radish, Rutabaga, Summer squash, Zucchini, Turnip, Beet, Carrot, Jicama, Parsnip, Snap peas and Snow peas, Spaghetti Squash How to fill your plate: The plate method: There is no need to measure your foods unless you are an athlete or your blood sugar is totally out of whack or you are gaining unexplained amounts of weight . To keep things easy we will use what I call the plate method. This is using your plate and visually filling it. 50% of the plate will be filled with vegetables, 25% filled with carbohydrates and the other 25% will be filled with protein and fat. Meal breakdown: • 2 cups+ vegetables (with some fat like butter or ghee or coconut oil) • 3-4 ounces of protein (with naturally occurring fat, like chicken skin) • ½ to 1 cup of starchy or carbohydraterich whole foods Questions to ask: • Do you have a good balance of macronutrients at your meals? • Are you consuming vegetables with most of your meals (with some fats)? • Are you pairing your carbohydrates with enough protein? • Are you eating enough healthy fats, including animal fats? *Avoid Phthalates* These are found in plastics, even BPA free plastic. So please use only glass containers for food storage and heating. Never drink from plastic, only glass. Common sources of phthalates: pesticides (choose organic), cosmetics, perfumes, air

fresheners, cleaning agents, and many scented products. I know this isn’t exactly “food” but I really want to emphasize this. Phthalates are know to be endocrine disruptors that lead to fertility issues. I can help more in depth with this as well, if you need. Estrogen detox plan:

Lunch: Quinoa (up to ½ cup) with flax seed meal, Protein: 4 ounces salmon, Salad medley (unlimited) Dinner: Veggie Soup (unlimited) DAY THREE

Begin with 4 day reset. Staying hydrated during these four days is extremely important. It supports your body to flush out toxins and excess hormones and helps keep your bowels regular.

Breakfast: 8 ounce glass of water, Fiber supplement, Fresh Fruit Salad with lemon juice (up to 1.5 cups) and 1 Tblsp of Flax Seed meal, Chlorella tablets

Additional items to purchase outside of Groceries:

Lunch: Quinoa (up to ¾ cup) with flax seed meal, Salad medley (unlimited), ½ avocado

• Fibersmart by Renewlife pills • Cholorella tablets by Jarrow • Drybrush for body brushing Therapeutics brand on amazon is a great price Grocery Shopping and meal prepping: Fruit Salad for breakfast every morning: Mix all or any of the following fruits: Green apples, pears, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, grapes. Squeeze with fresh lemon juice. Green Salad mix for every lunch: Radishes, cucumber, celery, carrots, arugula, artichoke hearts, mesculin greens and dressed with olive oil and apple cider vinegar Veggie Soup for dinners: In a large pot of water or veggie stock toss chopped garlic, onion, celery, carrot, parsley, and turnip. Add any leafy green that you like. Simmer for at least 30 minutes… make a big pot so this lasts you all 4 days. Purchase: • Quinoa • Lots of lemons • Avocados • Brown rice

Dinner: Veggie Soup (unlimited) DAY FOUR Breakfast: 8 ounce glass of water, Fiber supplement, Fresh Fruit Salad with lemon juice (up to 1.5 cups) and 1 Tbsp of Flax Seed meal, Chlorella tablets Lunch: Brown Rice (up to ½ cup) with flax seed meal, Protein: 4 ounces of salmon or white fish (no tuna), Salad medley (unlimited) Dinner: Small serving of quinoa (1/3 cup), Cooked Dark Leafy greens with 2 Tbsp of olive oil After these 4 days you can continue the cycle with slowly adding in more substantial foods or continue another 4 days. This will all depend on how you are feeling. Foods to focus on during each phase of your cycle*: Follicular Phase (before you ovulate, after your period): Artichoke, broccoli, carrot, parsley, green peas, string beans and zucchini Ovulatory Phase (when you’re ovulating): Asparagus, brussel sprouts, chard, escarole, scallion, spinach Luteal Phase (before you have your period): Cauliflower, collard greens, daikon radish, onion, parsnip, radish, squash, sweet potato

Meal Plan for next 4 days:

Menstrual Phase (your period): Beets, kale, kelp, mushrooms

DAY ONE

We appreciate your letter and would love to hear from you again soon.

Breakfast: 8 ounce glass of water Fiber supplement, Fresh Fruit Salad with lemon juice (up to 1.5 cups) and 1 Tbsp of Flax Seed meal, Chlorella tablets Lunch: Quinoa (up to ½ cup) with flax seed meal, Protein: 4 ounces salmon, Salad medley (unlimited) Dinner: Veggie soup (unlimited amount) DAY TWO Breakfast: 8 ounce glass of water, Fiber supplement, Fresh Fruit Salad with lemon juice (up to 1.5 cups) and 1 Tbsp of Flax Seed meal, Chlorella tablets

In good health,

Natalie

Natalie Semmelmann, FNTP Motherhood Magazine

*Adopted from Alissa Vitti of Flo Living

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MOm-to-mom Mama & Baby

score 100% by Sprigs on how natural we are, but we are working on it. Have used lots of your products and really like them. Thank you to all who help make this magazine possible! I don't know if I'd get it if it wasn't free, but I really enjoy it. One mother wanted tips on cloth diapering (April issue). I put my wet or soiled diapers (rinse off soiled ones first) into a pail that has cold water and a whitening powder. I usually wash my diapers 1-2 times a week. I wash them on a cold wash cycle first, with no soap, so it's more like a rinse, then I add soap and wash on a longer cycle. Hanging diapers in the sunshine to dry works wonders on those yellow stains! I had a C-section for our third child and actually had an easier recovery than I did with my first child (which was a very long, hard labor and delivery). Now I've had one V-BAC since surgery and it was totally successful, which we feel so blessed for! I say it depends how your natural deliveries are, if you think C-section is better or worse than that. One mother asked what to give a 5 months old baby for sore throat. I wouldn't be afraid to use an echinacea tincture for that age. Also rub it with a therapeutic multipurpose rub or something similar. There are probably other health food stores that carry them too. To anonymous on page 65 in the April issue, I would suggest trying melatonin to help you sleep. You can probably get it at any health food store. We use dissolvable tablets for our children. To Mrs. Bontrager on page 87, I usually have to use some melatonin for myself the first few weeks after having a baby, as I, too, find it hard to relax. You can use the liquid melatonin for babies. Have you tried a good cranial chiropractor for your fussy babies? I would also try a cranial chiropractor for earache. They reach into the mouth and somehow in the back of the neck, which also works with the eye muscles. This is why doctors now recommend tummy time for babies when they are awake, but I also let mine sleep like that. We also circumcise our boys. Was shocked to see that someone thinks Amish don't do that, as we are Amish and so are lots of others that do it. I really enjoy all the information I have gotten in these magazines. We would not

I was glad to see some speaking up in defense or dairy and meat and also vaccinations. Where would we be with all those diseases if no one would vaccinate? I appreciate Sprigs printing all those letters even though they are contrary to what they promote. I would like to know what causes low fluid in the last few weeks of pregnancy, if you aren't leaking any. Is there something I could take that someone has had experience with? Doctor thought it might have been the placenta just wearing out. Last time I took the wheat germ oil pills and it didn't happen as soon. Thanks again for all the information! –A mother of 4

Dear friends, Thank you Sprigs team for making this magazine possible. Is so interesting to hear from other moms and enjoy reading it cover to cover as soon as possible! Learn so much! For the beet kvass - how can one make the plant-based whey or does one have to buy it and where would I get it? For yeast - I had a really bad case of yeast for couple years sometimes to the point I couldn't wear underwear - was so raw. For immediate relief I used an over the counter yeast treatment form the drug store couple times topically. Then got rid of it completely after using an herbal yeast cleanse. Such a relief after trying lots of different stuff. To the wondering mom on page 26 in the July issue about the girl having seizures. Have you ever gotten her neck x-rayed by a good atlas chiropractor? I used to get lots and lots of seizures. Yes, lots of times during the night or laying down. I spent a week in the hospital doing lots of testing - to no avail. Finally discovered my atlas was so twisted and tilted to the point of almost being paralyzed. He (the chiropractor) told us it's somehow pinching the sleep/awake nerves in the brain stem. Maybe worth a try if you haven't checked that out already. Everyone's different. About heavy bleeding 4 weeks after a baby - my doctor told me I'm up and doing too much. I know that can be a bit trying to take it easy especially after ""maud"" doesn't come anymore.

To the moms on page 119 on uterus prolapse, hip pain on page 106 and about the rectus abdominis muscle on page 95 - there's help out there. I got help from all 3 by taking pelvic floor therapy. It's expensive but well worth it, if you follow their simple program. It takes some sticking to it on your part. My rectus muscle was separated easily 3 fingers, is normal now. They say they have a 99% success rate on any kind of prolapses; uterus, rectal, bladder, if we follow their rules and no other underlying issue. And I can mop, do laundry, gardening once again too! Is good to not depend on others to do all that. I sure can feel for you to almost not being able to walk after you mopped. Whenever I feel that hip pain again, I do my exercises and almost get instant relief. Maybe a sign I'm not sticking to it. They work on pregnant women. They would say you shouldn't feel pain during pregnancy.

Also, what is ABC treatments and where can we get them? I'm also looking forward to the tips on potty training. Seems I'm just not good at it or something. Sure is not my favorite job to wash out dirty underwear! I love garage sales, so I started getting small, cheap sweatpants (any kind) then I cut the legs off, then if they're dirty I throw them away and if wet, I wash them again. I always nursed our babies in bed. Our baby is 9 months old and he almost never had an earache. I usually have my arm under them so they would be titled up and use pillows to make mom comfortable. Plus babies love the cuddling in mom's arm. Maybe it would cause more earaches if they'd lay flat. Is there something herbal to take to help heal brain after a severe brain injury? By voicing your questions, moms, you might get answers that help us too. –A mom who's still learning

Greetings from our house to yours! Are there any other hubbies out there who feel deprived from their wife when the Motherhood arrives? Although, hubby also likes to hear people's opinions on certain subjects. Very interesting indeed! I'm curious to know more about bladderwrack. Quite a few people mentioned it and someone wrote it might help to keep baby from the breech position? I never heard of this product and would like to hear more about it and what all it's good for. Might be something I would want to try in my next pregnancy. My last pregnancy, baby was

OK until 39 weeks he switched to breech and at 45 weeks I had a C-section. I have a trusted midwife and want to try a V-BAC next time. I don't want a repeat of last time. Does anyone know what could've caused a baby to switch to breech at 39 weeks? Does bladderwrack help? Another question - I'm taking Fo-Ti and Lecithin to help rebuild my uterus and dissolve any scar tissue from my C-section. I stopped having any signs of ovulation. Could this be caused from the Fo-Ti root and Lecithin? Or is it something else? I always had lots of discharge with pain on both sides for about 12 hours. Now there is nothing. I also took antibiotics to clear up a UTI. Could this be the culprit? I have battled UTI for the past 3 years. Took antibiotics twice and have tried many different products. I'm taking probiotics and cranberry daily. Any advice on keeping it away for good? It always affects my kidneys. Could this be something hubby is passing on to me even though he shows no symptoms? Also, would it be best to take Fo-Ti root and Lecithin during pregnancy to get our periods if we don't ovulate? Thank you in advance for any advice on these subjects? –A mother in learning

Grouchy, fussy babies that don't nurse well? Or moms with extreme nipple pain, bleeding or cracks? Have a qualified oral surgeon check for lip or tongue ties. They are often misdiagnosed. My first baby nursed terribly and I suffered in agony with such bad cracks that my nipples healed crippled. The midwife insisted he is not tied as did the lactation consultant. I left like they were just thinking she's young and doesn't know what she's doing yet. When we took him to a doctor, he was shocked at how bad it was. It was a posterior tongue tie (and lip). It was different to nurse him immediately though. I was so badly turn it took months to heal. I used vitamin E oil and comfrey salve on my nipples. What causes them - I wish I knew - Dr. says to make sure mom gets good adjustments and it can be an issue with folic acid or B vitamins, too, as it is a low-grade birth defect. –Anonymous

For slow dilation when in labor - if you've tried evening primrose oil, try using more, during labor, also borage oil may be even stronger. Drink lots of pregnancy tea, walk lots during pregnancy. Positions in labor may make a difference. Try going on your knees and then rest your forearms

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and head on a pillow on the floor. Also do belly lifts and squats during contractions. Going on your knees in front of a rocker will enable you to rock your upper body. The more you change positions the better. And last but not least - avoid sugar in all forms so baby is smaller. Doing Kegels and pelvic rocks would maybe help too." –Anonymous

Greetings! We are blessed with a happy little girl. Due to pre-eclampsia, she was born at 32 weeks. To prevent pre-eclampsia, research suggests taking a low-dose Aspirin (50-150mg) each day. Check with your caregiver first. Also, folate supplementation in the second trimester might also be helpful as a preventive. May we praise our Creator for granting us mercy. Sincerely, –Mrs Jeffrey A Stauffer

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Q&A

Mrs. Martin, Thank you so much for writing in with your thoughts and suggestions. One of our biggest goals for the motherhood magazine is to create a space for moms to share with each other and learn together. Thank you for being a part of our community. Separation of your abdominal muscles is called Diastasis Recti and can be healed at home with breath work. Diastasis Recti is the partial or complete separation of the abdominal muscles. This is not normal but can be very common in pregnancy and post pregnancy. All babies are born with diastasis! With the use of their movements and breath they heal their diastasis by the time they are mobile toddlers. It makes sense then that we can do the same as adults. These movements are more focused on your breath as a healing tool added with slow, easy movements that can be done at any time in your postpartum journey. There is no prescribed number of breaths or how long to hold these positions. Listen and follow your body’s instincts, this is your journey. While in a seated position (yoga hero pose) place your hands around your diaphragm area with your four fingers in your front and your thumb on your back. Close your eyes and with a soft face breath in slowly through your nose, allow the breath to flow down and fill your belly expanding 360 degrees and filling your lower back. You should feel all 5 fingers being pushed away. Your fingers are your tactile cues that your breath is filling your belly and full trunk instead of your lungs. Your chest should remain still when breathing. Slowly exhale through your mouth. Repeat these breaths while keeping your diaphragm engaged, beautiful extended belly. Now that you have found how to breathe deeply with your diaphragm try a position while lying in supine. Elevate your legs at 90 degrees by placing your calves on a chair or on the sofa or ottoman. Be sure there is no gap between your back and the floor. If there is just slightly pivot your hips to allow your back to be flat. And again close your eyes and soften your face. And breathe. Connect with the space you are trying to heal. Send your breath there. You can place one hand on your heart and another on your abdomen. This sends energy and warmth. In this same supine position place a small weight, a dumbbell, free weight or a book on your lower abdomen and focus on the same breaths as before but focus on really filling your belly area with your breath and push that weight or book up and down with your breath. Now we are going to start on all fours for a stationary bear hold and begin in tabletop position. Imagine your tailbone and the crown of your head are connected and being pulled by a string at both ends. This will keep your spine neutral and avoid your neck from dropping. But please do not strain your neck. Once you have your stable tabletop position with knees slightly further out than your hips, tuck your toes and lift your knees off the ground. Again with soft face and deep diaphragmatic breaths. If this is too much for you please drop knees back to the ground and breathe in this position until you feel comfortable to go into full position. Once you feel stable and relaxed in bear try to lift your hips up toward the ceiling and begin to drop your heels to the ground very gently without over-stretching and do not force this, stop where it is comfortable. If this position is too much, you can keep a bend in your knees. Relax your head and keep those hips up! You are now in a Down-dog position. Practice your breaths here. Down-dog is an inverted position that will now take the pressure off your diaphragm and allow your pelvic floor to contract with your breaths. This inversion will allow your pelvic floor to gently build strength and allow more oxygen flow for healing. I hope that this helps! We appreciate your letter and would love to hear from you again soon.

In good health,

Natalie

Natalie Semmelmann, FNTP Motherhood Magazine

Hello!

around the time of my period.

This is my first time to get the Motherhood magazine and I found the varying opinions on various subjects to be quite interesting.

For the lady that struggles with low progesterone, have you read the book Fertility, Cycles and Nutrition by Marilyn Shannon? I always struggled with low progesterone despite taking progesterone cream, vitex, wild yam - you name it. Marilyn writes to take B6, magnesium, and vitamin C. I love it! I have not tested my progesterone levels after taking it, but feel better so I felt it helped. I also take a methyl combo and magnesium and feel lots better.

The letter from a mom of 2 boys who has a prominent sacrum, especially caught my attention. We have 2 girls, ages 3 and 10 months and they were both born by C-section, as I also have a prominent sacrum. We discovered it after our second birth and are not aware of anyway to correct it. It was very hard for me to accept that I'll always need! C-sections but we are thankful that we are able to have children and that we have the option of surgery. Best wishes. –A mom

Dear fellow moms, Greetings to all. And thanks to the Laudons for the wonderful Motherhood magazine! Thanks also to the 2 moms who wrote about not using red raspberry if you go early. With my first baby I used it regularly and went into labor around 37 weeks. Right now I'm almost 38 weeks pregnant and am not using it. I'm not dilating or anything yet either, midwife says I might make it to 40 weeks. Now to answer some questions - what do for low blood sugar. I had a bad case of that this pregnancy. I got so dizzy, light-headed and tired. So I located a naturopath and worked with him and he helped me a lot. He said low blood sugar is caused by low potassium. So if you feel it coming on take a protein drink and take lots of potassium. I took 15-20 potassium pills for about 3 days or until I could see a difference. He said taking that many is fine, however slow down on it once you feel better as you can overdose. He said the reason you get low potassium is due to low adrenals and stress. So also take something for that, I took Liposomal Restore (a potent B vitamin blend) and potassium all throughout pregnancy. If I quit either one my symptoms came back. I added later an adrenal support, that and the Restore together worked wonders. For a dry vagina, I had low essential fatty acids so was instructed to take black currant seed oil or borage oil. It not only helped my dry vagina, it healed my painful cracked heals I had for years, helped my very dry hair (I couldn't even comb them out myself!) and helped so I don't get migraines anymore, especially

I'm also a firm believer in cod liver oil and kefir for a fussy baby. Our first baby would get fussy in the evenings then we started giving her fermented cod liver oil - just a little. It helped so much although I had to keep giving it to her daily or we could tell. I then took 1 tablespoon cause I nursed her then we didn't need to give her anymore. It's yucky, but moms do anything for a happy baby, right? I also took it throughout pregnancy. The kefir is a fermented milk drink and has tons of probiotics (it's not the same as water kefir) even more than yogurt. I took it daily while nursing and baby was so content - no gassiness or stomach aches. Once I didn't take it for a couple days and baby was miserable so I gave her some too (it's even safe for a newborn my doula says) and soon she burped, relaxed, and fell asleep. I also took it throughout pregnancy and discovered it works better than probiotic pills. You can make it or buy it - just stay away from the brands which contain sugar. Hope this helps someone. –A mother

"Dear readers, I am enjoying the ongoing discussion on family planning. My periods usually come back around 7 months. I'd like to delay that till at least a year, preferably even longer. That is certainly the easiest and most relaxed form of birth control. However, we also need to remember God is the ultimate planner of our families. A real eye-opening and encouraging book on this subject is A Full Quiver. We bought ours online, so I'm not sure where else you can get it. I would like more information on the wild yam. How does it work? Does it stop your period, prevent ovulation, or just regulate hormones? What happens if you conceive while taking it? Is it safe to take while pregnant and/or breastfeeding? I have not had much success with charting. Mucous seems to have no pattern and periods are not regular. Would this be due to

breastfeeding? I usually continue to totally breastfeed until baby is close to a year. Then it doesn't go long until I'm pregnant again. Are you concerned about stretch marks? Thank God you're a mother! They don't hurt anything and no one but you and your husband will see them. (Hopefully he doesn't mind them either.) Are you thinking of having your baby sleep in bed with you? Not sure how it would work? We would encourage anyone to try it! It allows mama to get so much more sleep. Once you've been doing it awhile you may find you hardly even wake to nurse! Here are some things that work for us. Have a rail on the bed and baby between you and the rail, NOT between daddy and mama. A daddy does not have an awareness of baby like mama does. You will soon be as aware of baby as the edge of the bed! I usually snuggle a blanket around the baby and then carefully pull my covers over him yet so baby can snuggle against me. I've found this makes it easier to stay warm while nursing. I have also often held a baby all night that didn't want to settle right and still slept fairly well. But some people prefer for the baby to have his own blankets. Keep a baby swing in your room and/or a blanket on the floor for when you and your husband want some alone time. Sometimes you might end up on the blanket instead of the baby! It can also serve as a mattress for a toddler or older child who is having trouble sleeping in their own bed. Remember, people slept with their babies before cribs were invented and many cultures around the world still do. It may also help prevent SIDS as mama's breathing helps to regulate baby's. With this in mind, we have also felt comfortable with our babies sleeping on their bellies. Once you move baby out of your bed, welcome him back as necessary and gradually they will learn to sleep in their own room. To the one wondering about reaching climax in intercourse, have you ever read Intended for Pleasure by Ed and Gaye Wheat? There are some good suggestions in there. I highly recommend this book! Every newlywed couple should read it. Parents, gift it to your children prior to the wedding day as part of their preparation for marriage. What is a good, safe parasite cleanse to do while pregnant and/or nursing? In the April issue someone asked how to help a first grader's reading comprehension. I don't consider myself really experienced with our oldest only in first grade and an avid reader, but my first thought is that he's probably working so hard to read that his brain can't comprehend it yet, too. Instead, praise him when he has

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said his liver is not working. When we took care of that, he was a total different baby in a week or so. He still fusses when around crowds, not sure why. successfully read something, then you read it to him and allow him to comprehend it that way. As he gains his fluency in reading, the comprehension is likely to follow. –A very blessed mother

To the ladies wanting tips on coping with labor pains. Have you tried singing? With my last one I tried it and it really helped! Get hubby to help. Sing softly between contraction and then sing with the pain of each contraction. I was surprised at how it helped keep my mind off of the pain. Clenching a small hair comb might also help. I also had a water birth and loved it! Yes, it really helps lessen the pain. When time to push do not push against the tub. Instead have someone support your thighs and use your tummy muscles to push. God bless! –A reader

I love the Motherhood magazine! And what is more relaxing after a busy day than sticking your nose in it? To the one wondering about torticollis. Our son was born breech and was diagnosed with that. We took him to Shriners and they set up in home therapy for three months starting when he was 6 months old and I could tell a big difference. I also rubbed his tight muscles with *** [Easy to use massage formula for helping you to feel relaxed and refreshed](diluted) every day. They also did an ultrasound on his hips at six weeks old to make sure they were in place. And by the time he was a year old it was all back to normal. Keep up the good work and enjoy your little blessings, they are young and innocent only once. –Another blessed mother

Hello mothers! I am a blessed mommy to two beautiful, sweet daughters. They are 17 months and 3 months. It's a learning experience, but I don't think there's anything more wonderful!

Hello, First of all a big thank you to Nancy for this magazine, I can not imagine the time and effort it takes to do it. Our second baby was very fussy. He would cry for hours at a time, sometimes screaming. Until I felt like screaming with him. Someone gave us an exercise ball to bounce him, which helped a lot but I had to bounce nearly all day. He always slept good at night. Also putting an oil blend of Black Spruce, Blue Tansy, Camphor Wood, Geranium, and Frankincense on his head and bottom of feet helped too. Finally took him to get checked out, they

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Thank you so much Nancy Laudon for this magazine and the fact that it's free! It's been such a blessing! Thank you moms for participating. What would be a good hormone balancer after babies? Help with postpartum and all that? Also with regulating periods after babies? Before I was married, I was super regular. And what could I do (besides being relaxed) to encourage and help fast

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milk letdown? She can suck for quite awhile and gets pretty discouraged. To the mom on page 127 in the July issue. I would say those painless contractions are probably Braxton Hicks, and I had those too with both of mine. They could get pretty regular. A midwife told me to take a magnesium daily. That helped tremendously for me. And staying away from caffeine. Which meant no coffee for me, and that really worked. I could always tell when I had caffeine, because I had more contractions that day. Keep writing moms! I sure enjoy it. I love the simple down to earth remedies. –A mom who loves motherhood

Praise God for a magazine like this to keep us mothers learning! To the mother of the April magazine (his is O+ hers is A-), would there be a chance that the only reason you're okay without the Rhogam shot and not fully doing the natural regimen is because your husband has the rare O+ blood type? Someone once told me anybody can receive O+ blood. It's much sought after by people that take blood. Is that how it is? Does anybody know more about it? Maybe you're okay without the shot because you eat healthy and your body is in good shape. What exactly is the natural alternative regimen? Please answer through Motherhood magazine if you know because there's others that would also be interested in knowing. And I am seeking answers on the subject cuz I now also have the problem with antibodies in my blood towards the positive blood. I have had 3 miscarriages since our last child with the last miscarriage. I hemorrhaged and ended up in the hospital where they tested and found that is what was causing the miscarriages. Medically there is nothing you can about it and if you want another baby you'd have to bear the the consequences. Blood transfusions for the baby before and after the baby's born (depending on how bad it is), a yellow baby, etc. etc. Unless of course the baby might have the negative blood type. Naturally, I now understand, there are ways to take care of it and has actually been proven you can change your negative blood type to positive, according to Dr. Christopher's writings. And according to John Keim, whom I'm now working with. Nobody has exactly written up a program how to do it because these mothers that it happened to were working on cleansing and building up their blood

and eating healthy (no sugar and white f lour) and it was their doctor that realized that their blood type had changed. I would love to hear from anybody with a success story on this and any more information that anybody has. For now John Keim recommends that I do the 10 day lemon cleanse: 10 Day Lemon Cleanse 10oz lemon 10oz maple syrup 1 teaspoon cayenne

Put in 1 gallon jar and fill up the rest with water. Drink 1 gallon each day for 10 days and do not eat anything. Cleansing is necessary to take care of the antibodies. After that he wants me to do testing for chemicals, hormones, etc. and to work with whatever we find wrong. They find this problems and many more correct themselves by cleansing and bringing the body in balance. You will definitely be hearing more from me and like I said I sure would appreciate anything anybody has on this. Thank you! To the mother with the 2 children who's soft spots closed up soon after birth. I guess they were very unhappy as little babies. That is not normal and should always be taken care of with cranial treatments as soon as possible (before it closes). Though of course not everybody realizes that. We had one that his closed [letter cut off ] that normally with no blockage, spinal f luid movement is supposed to keep that open up to a year or two. (Not sure exactly.) But if by chance one of the many bones in the head or neck is blocking that f luid by being misaligned and is pinching the f luid tube, then that will happen. The f luid is supposed to move up and down the whole spine and brain. If that closes too soon they will have lots of pressure in their heads. If bad enough the pressure can actually cause brain damage. If it has already become hard but you still get them cranial treatments as necessary it can still be fixed. The supposedly soft spot will not become soft again but if the bones are all aligned properly it will reduce the pressure none the less. I would definitely think that is why it's hard to potty train them. Is it easy to train them in anything?

Dear Mom-to-Mom, First of all a big thank you to Sprigs for making this magazine possible. Love every bit of it. I have a question, is anybody out there who gets these big boils? My 11 month old gets them. Is there something she is lacking? I give her calcium everyday. She gets them on her hind cheeks. Very painful. Hoping for some answers. –Mom of 1

Hello, Would like to see more on using nipple shields or how to get baby to latch onto flat and inverted nipples. Ours have nursed well with them but would be so much handier without. –A busy mom of 2

Dear ladies, I really enjoy the Motherhood magazine.

My question is that I'm wondering what can be done for high blood pressure and fluid while expecting? I'd like an answer to it. –A mom of 1

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Dear Mom-to-Mom, I sure love this magazine, it has a lot of information, some of my questions answered just reading it.

Pantothenic acid has been proven to help with allergies of any kind. Also food allergies.

To the one wondering about water births. I had a water birth for my first 3 then 2 without and I would still have water birth rather than not. For my last one I had a water again and it just seemed after you get in the water it is so relaxing, the pain just kind of leaves until another contraction comes, but it is important to keep baby's head under water until the rest of the body is born. I had a very good experienced midwife that helped with all of them. My question is, what is mugwort and where do you get it? We also have one with nightmares and would like to try something for it, and any advice about nightmares, why they would get them so much.

–Anonymous

–A mom of 6

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FROM OUR MOTHERHOOD COMMUNIT Y

Tips, Advice & Stories

on Pregnancy

Something that I felt worked to get my iron levels up in pregnancy was the spinach smoothie in Be Your Own Doctor book (page 257): 4 cups spinach 1-3 tablespoons pineapple concentrate or 2 bananas 3 cups water I used 1 cup pineapple juice and 2 cups water. I don't have long labors but the last two times I ended up in the hospital due to hemorrhaging so badly. But one thing that really helps to build up your blood is to take chlorophyl before and after baby is born. –A mother of 2

To the mother wanting to know what to do for painful hips during pregnancy. I had that problem with our last one, so bad that I could hardly walk and do my work. I started using calcium lactate, and no more pain. Other calcium might work too. I think white oak bark works great to take when your veins start hurting. Also take cayenne capsules for circulation. –Another blessed mom

The moms with hard and long labors. If you usually have a healthy pregnancy (no high risks or miscarriages) I would recommend high doses vitamin C everyday. The first 3 months take up to 3000mg. The next 3 months you may take up to 12,000mg daily. This was written by a doctor himself and it really does make a shorter easier labor for some ladies. My midwife gave that credit that I didn't tear. She said it makes cervix muscles (and other muscles) very elastic. I would definitely try it. I always do and I have very fast labors usually. I like reading all these opinions and advice in this magazine. –A blessed mom

Hello, To the ones with a lot of blood loss after baby is born. Utrophin is what helped me. Baby number one I lost a lot of blood. Next 3 pregnancies I took Utrophin to build up the uterus and had normal blood loss, after birth. –Anonymous

After the third child I started using wild yam right away and never got the baby blues. You might have to experiment to see what works for you. Good luck! –A Mother

Dear Sprigs, When I was 4 months pregnant I started having a lot of pressure in my lower belly area. And also Braxton Hicks contractions come when the baby moves up each month. My baby was really dropped and my cervix

so soft that I could've started with labor if I wasn't careful. So she told me about a woman's herbal blend of black cohosh, squawvine, dong quai, butcher's broom, and red raspberry leaf. I went on them, too, three times a day. And I stopped doing laundry, mopping and anything that was causing pressure. I was on them for one week and more pressure! At another check-up the baby was turned wrong, so she had me do this exercise put two pillows on top of each other and put your butt on the pillows and your head on the bed. Not only did it turn the baby right. It also lifted my baby. So since my cervix was hard and baby no longer dropped, I went off the herbal blend. A week later I was having pressure again. So I went for another check-up. I was dilated 2cm and 6 weeks from my due date, too early for the baby to come. So I went back on the herbal blend. It makes the uterus stronger and the cervix hard. Three weeks before my due date I went off them and started taking evening primrose pills by mouth 6 a day. I wasn't allowed to put them up my vagina as it would've probably started labor. Nine days before my due date I started with labor but no hard pain at all. I didn't even think it's real! I went to bed and at 11:00 my contractions woke me. They were still not hard, but still uncomfortable. The next morning I get up and to my disappointment, my contractions stopped. All that day I tried to get, labor started by walking fast, going up and down steps and I sowed. Then around lunch I decided to go for a nap as I had heard, if you're tired you can't start labor. I had just got up from my nap when I passed the mucus plug. I had contractions

all afternoon but not hard. Then around supper time my contractions started getting harder and more often so after supper I went to see my midwife and I was dilated 5cm. I went back home and midwife arrived at 8:20pm. She inserted some evening primrose pills up my vagina and rubbed my belly with clary sage. I sat on the rocker with pain coming every 5 minutes. They were painful but bearable. By 9:30 she broke my water. This is when the very hard pain came. By 10 pm our precious boy arrived! He weighed 7 pound 2 ounces. I had 1 little tear, like the scratch of a finger nail. –A busy mom who loves the Motherhood magazine

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can't promise this is connected, but I was anemic and soon after I started using an herbal iron tincture I started having better days. I had more energy and I threw up only about 1/4 as often as before. Maybe I would've started feeling better at that stage anyway, but I just wanted to share the idea. Taking chewable B-12 tablets also helped me get my daily housework done (after I was through my worst days). Laying down right after eating a few bites helped me, also not drinking lots of water with my food - only at other times, as it is so important to drink water. But still my heart is so thankful for the beautiful gift of this tiny baby. God's blessings to each one! –A young mama-to-be

Dear ladies, A thank you to all who take time to share ideas and tips. I enjoy this magazine so much I can barely put it into words! I'm 5 months pregnant with our first baby, which is a dream-come-true! I feel like I had a tough start. So much morning sickness, I was so weak at times I could barely walk. And these encouraging stories, I was receiving them right in the middle of my sick days! God surely knew I needed it! I

Hello mothers! To the mother who took 10 iron pills and still had low iron... I know what that's like! During my first pregnancy my midwife only checked it once or twice around 20-28 weeks and it was a little low but she didn't put me on anything. Guess it was still normal but low normal. As my pregnancy progressed I was often short of breath, tired and could feel and hear my heart beat in my temple or head. At the birth I hemorrhaged and I feel it was due to low iron but that just made it go lower down to 5 and 6 instead of 12-14 like it should be. Going to the bathroom was an ordeal. I had an easy chair between the bed and the bathroom door those first days and would need to sit and put my head between my knees to keep from passing out, then go on and quickly sit on the toilet and put my head down again. She put me on chlorophyll and a liquid iron and herbal blend and it finally went up. I was on a prenatal. Number 2 the midwife checked my iron often and I was low during the last half

of my pregnancy. Once she put me on chlorophyll and liquid iron and herbal blend to no avail. Finally I read somewhere that vitamin C helps the body absorb iron and since the midwife was stumped she told me to try it. Wait until 2 hours after your last meal of the day so your body has nothing else to work on and take 1 iron pill and 100mg vitamin C. It finally went up far enough - just in time - that I could have a home birth. Now for the real success story. With number 3 I switched prenatals - just for something different from what everyone else uses! My iron was fine - fine - fine every time she checked. I didn't really think about why - until I ran out of my new prenatals and used a different brand that I had some left of. My iron dropped. Then in the seventh month we went on a trip. We'd gotten more new prenatals and they were in a card instead of bottle - much nicer to put in suitcase or pack so I took those along. When we got back my iron was up, but I was still too dense to realize why.

Though maybe it was the spring water I'd had while gone. When I got back I decided to finish my few left of the other brand (about 1 week supply) so they're out of the cabinet. Next check-up my iron was down, but by then they were all gone and I was just ready to go back to the new kinds, and next weeks check-up it was up again and it finally clicked through my thick skull that the new prenatals are the big difference! Barely had morning sickness either and I could tell baby was happier if I kept taking them. Neither did I get my period until I quit taking them. I think I quit taking them when baby was 6 or 7 months old and got my period at 9 months and right then the breast infections started too. My midwife says those pills have an iron ingredient she's never heard of before but she says I need to keep taking them because she's convinced they're what my body needs to actually absorb the iron I get. –Mrs. E.M.

MOTHERHOOD Magazine

Hello moms, It was interesting reading all your letters! Seems like I would like to commend on a lot of them but would hardly be practical! Someone wondered what V-BAC is. It stands for vaginal birth after cesarean (C-section). And to the ones wondering about V-BACs. I am here to say it's possible. There are risks involved and I would recommend learning what the risks are. One thing is if you need to be induced the risks will probably be higher due to the harder contractions. Also, if you can, find a doctor who is willing to support you and do what he can, rather than wanting to do surgery as soon as it's going a little slow etc.

Have the Birthing Experience Desire

You

By understanding all of your options and learning tips and techniques that will support you during your journey, you can feel empowered to have the birth experience you want! Nancy Laudon shares with us how to choose a birthing location, birthing positions, and tips and tools for reducing stress during delivery.

God bless. –A Mother

I saw a few people were wondering about water births. Our two girls were both born in the tub and I cannot imagine it any other way! The water feels so good and you can comfortably switch positions whenever you want. With our second one I spent a lot of time on my hands and knees in the tub and when I would have a contraction my husband would use a cup and pour warm water over my back, it helped me relax a lot more, a shower sprayer feels really good too if your midwife's tub has one. But then again, what feels good to one person doesn't always work for another! –A PA Mother of Two

To the woman asking about a water birth. I'd say yes, go for it. It helps take the edge off those sharp contractions and seems to help that you don't tear as easily. –A mom who's still learning

Two things I want to try at my next labor that I read in the Motherhood is: sitting on toilet to get a pushing urge and using both hands to hold belly upward during contractions for back labor. I had back labor thrice and a pushing urge only once with our 4 boys.

Top 3 Birthing Position Options Hands and knees Helpful when you have back labor because it encourages the baby to move forward, taking the pressure off your back. This position allows you to do pelvic tilts for comfort.

Squatting Helps with opening up the pelvis to give your baby more room to move on down.

Kneeling and leaning forward Uses gravity to help move the baby down. Lean forward over a stack of pillows on a bed, or kneel over a chair or birthing ball, or even your partner's shoulder.

–A Mother

Birthing Location Options Home Birth For a home birth, you will likely need a birthing kit that’ll include materials you and your midwife need for the birth. At home, you can birth anywhere from your bed, sofa, bathtub, bathroom–the options are endless. Water Delivery Giving birth in a warm tub of water can help a woman relax as the warm water helps alleviate discomfort and pressure. Besides your birthing kit, you will also have the option to rent or buy a birthing tub. There are pros and cons to both. If you plan to have multiple water births, then investing in a birthing tub may not be a bad idea. A pro of renting a tub is the service that comes along with it. The person you rent the tub from will likely drop it off and then pick it up after the birth, taking full responsibility for draining and cleaning the tub. Birthing Center This is an excellent option for someone wanting to have a natural birth outside of the hospital setting. There are many different communities of birthing centers. It’s best to make a list of your local birthing centers and check them out in person. When you enter a birthing center, you want to feel at peace and confident in the team.

I've had water births every time and won't consider anything else. I have 24+ hour labors and very hard ones, so the midwife makes me get out of the tub for different positions and I'm always anxious to get back in the tub. She has one that you blow up with an air pump and the bottom and sides are very thick and cushiony. I like to go on my knees during contractions and lean on the side with my arms draped over the sides and my husband sitting on a chair right there to hold my hands and give me support. I have never found anything that I disliked about a water birth and yes, you can wear a short gown or something. My babies were actually born under water, just make sure the midwife is attending you when it's born. I always have very painful nipples the first week or more, I found out that lanolin just makes it worse for me. I started having a small cup of olive oil where I usually nurse the baby and just apply it after every nursing. It has worked wonders. I realize I have probably written too much, I just hope it can help someone.

Hospital

–Another mom

Hospital births can have the most ever-changing variables. Not all hospitals are the same. Make a list of your choice hospitals and plan a visit to speak with their labor and delivery unit. Know that you can still have a natural birth at a hospital. Unfortunately, not everyone has the clearance to have a home birth. Having a hospital delivery just means more prepping and understanding the options to communicate your goals.

I too had a successful V-BAC at the hospital with 2 shots for pain. We're thankful it has more than one way to have a baby! –Anonymous

Hello, Want to answer the question about water birth. With my second child I had a water birth and all went fine. So for number 3 I wanted to again so I labored in the water then midwife told me why I don't get out on the bed so I did. I was glad I did since she had to help with the shoulders. They were as wide as the head was round so they got stuck. If I would have been in the tub she would've had to get in the tub herself. But I don't want to scare you about the water birth. It helps with pain and I didn't need any meds for the pain. Then for my fourth child I said I want to labor in the tub but my labor went so fast it wasn't worth it so I just labored on the bed. To the one that had a question about why healthy food is so heavy that's because there's more feeding value there. –Another mom

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Good day! To the one wondering about water births. I had a water birth with my first child, I pushed for 30 minutes and had a 10 pounder! I only got 3 tiny tears. I wanted a water birth with my second child but didn't make it to the birthing tub. With my second child I pushed for 10 minutes and had a 7 pounder. I blame my easy births on the red raspberry leaf tea and also the high quality prenatal. I definitely recommend water birth, I just thought it relaxed me so much. –A Mother

Tools for Birth Birthing Ball Birthing balls are round, large, and made from a durable material making them extremely difficult to puncture. Birthing balls can reduce pain and help you feel more comfortable during labor. During labor, sitting on the ball in an upright position can encourage the opening of your pelvic muscles, allowing room for the baby to descend into the pelvis in preparation for birth. There’s also evidence suggesting that using a birthing ball during labor can reduce stress and anxiety, as well as labor pain.

Peanut Ball To the lady wondering about water births. I had all 3 of our children in a birthing tub and I love it! One thing, it's usually more expensive, and for some people it speeds up the labor. But for me it actually slowed it down because I relaxed. It definitely takes off some of the pain and pressure. May God bless you all! –A mother of 3 blessings

Hello moms, I noticed a couple of questions regarding water birth in the last issue so I thought I'd share our story. Our first child was born in a tub at a birth center and we loved it. Even though I had a long early labor, I only had a few hours at the end that were really intense and those few hours were spent in the tub. How much it helped with pain I really can't say. (It definitely didn't eliminate it but I do know that we loved it and couldn't imagine it any other way). Nine months later we got pregnant again and planned on going to the birth center but ended up needing to switch to a hospital part way through pregnancy due to low platelets (this problem had continued for me and my doctors think it's ITP - an autoimmune disease). We were disappointed about not being able to have another water birth, but our worries were in vain. I was blessed with an even shorter labor that time and even though I needed to be in bed for the 2 1/2 hours I was there before baby came. I remember thinking afterwards that I would do either one again, the bed or the tub. Our third was also born at the hospital and labor seemed a little more long and intense than number 2 probably due to the fact that we went

Peanut balls are a type of birthing ball made from the same material, but instead of being round, they are larger on the ends and have a narrow middle. One of the main differences between a round birthing ball and a peanut birthing ball is that you can’t use a regular birthing ball while lying down in bed—but you can use a peanut ball in this position. With a peanut ball, it’s easier to get into a comfortable, relaxed position while resting or sleeping since you’re able to lift your legs over or around the ball.

Long Piece of Cloth/Scarf (Rebozo) A scarf, like the rebozo, is a very long, woven cloth for women to jiggle the pregnant abdomen or pelvis. This vibration allows for pregnancy comfort and birth ease. During a hospital birth, muscle relaxants and narcotics are common drugs offered to reduce pain, but these drugs often have unwanted side effects. This tool helps relax mothers without any drugs at all. During active labor, it is used to release the pelvic diaphragm. To use, the mother should be on hands and knees or sitting. The scarf is wrapped over the buttocks area and the ends of the scarf are gathered tightly on each side of the hips. Whoever is helping with the birth then shakes the hips back and forth to create a vibrating sensation. This gives an overall relaxing feeling.

Rice Sock The use of a heat source such as a rice sock will help ease pregnancy discomforts such as muscle aches. A rice sock provides moist heat to relax the area and lasts up to 30 minutes. You can buy one or create your own at home. When the sock is cooled, it can simply be reheated. It is recommended to have two during labor.

to the hospital too soon, and then ended up not being able to move around much due to dropping heart rate in baby. So my advice is if you qualify for a water birth, go for it! But if you can't then don't despair, babies can be born other ways! –Another mother

Hello, Thanks to everyone who make this magazine. And no, I have no problem with the advertisements.

Birthing Tips for Labor Stay Mobile It’s easy to forget to move during labor. Be encouraged to change positions every few minutes. Staying mobile can help decrease labor pains. Walk around, change positions, sit on your birthing ball. Think free, light movement.

Stay Hydrated Staying hydrated is so important. During labor, your body needs all the extra fluids it can get. Drink plenty of water and electrolytes, if possible. Empty your bladder often, this helps to relieve pressure on your uterus when going into active labor.

Remember to Breathe Breathing might sound like an obvious piece of advice, but there are certain techniques you can use to help you get through each stage of labor and feel more centered throughout the entire process. For example, during early labor, it can be helpful to take deep, long slow breaths. Breathe in three counts through your nose and out four counts through your mouth. During active labor, the breathing is similar, however, it can be helpful to have quick short panting like breaths for 5 seconds in between long, slow breaths. During labor transitions, which often are uncomfortable, it is helpful to breathe in a pant-pant-blow manner. Practicing and being aware of these breathing techniques before labor can help tremendously!

Trust Your Instincts Labor and birth are life-changing events. Doing your research, educating yourself, being prepared, and trusting your doctor or midwife are important. However, nothing beats your intuition! Women were born to birth. Birth does not always go as planned and there are times when your intuitive voice needs to come into play–trust it!

To the one wondering about giving birth in the tub. We have 4 children, our first and fourth baby were not born in the tub, but baby number 2 and 3 were and I would choose to be in a tub of warm water again, seems things can stretch better without tearing, I would recommend putting a cushion or something underneath the tailbone while giving birth in the tub, I didn't but got a very sore tailbone while and after giving birth to baby number 3. Now I have to wonder if that is what they call back labor? Going overdue, are we always overdue? Yes! It does feel like we are. The longest I have waited was 16 days. And our midwife had scheduled an appointment at the hospital for that one, and I was having trouble with start/stop labor. As soon as I started walking my contractions stopped. Luckily on the day of our appointment I woke up seeming to be in labor, but when I started walking my contractions got less. So my midwife said let's see what master gland pills and castor oil will do along with hip rotation exercises. Being in a slow labor all day, we finally had a healthy baby girl and avoided our hospital appointment. –Someone still learning

A hi to all, A thanks to everyone who puts an effort into making this magazine possible! To the mom wondering what to do for face up babies before birth. My first one was like that. And I went to an old midwife for a treatment - not knowing he's face up - but she said if you can't get the heartbeat within 3 inches of your belly button then they're face up and you can expect to go 10 days overdue. She said to turn them you need to crawl the floor for 20 minutes without stopping,

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MOm-to-mom Mama & Baby

Hello!

gravity should turn them right. If your hands and knees can't handle to crawl that long, it's ok to just go on hands and knees and not crawl, but movement will help them move forward. Would also help to swing your hips from side to side. And if it hasn't turned by the time you go into labor she said with a contraction you can put your 1 foot up on a chair and go back and forth with the upper part of your body then with the next contraction put your other foot on chair and do the same. She said of a lady who had been in labor for long with a face up baby and baby wouldn't come - she just happened to drop by, which the lady was very glad to see her and she told her now if you do exactly how I tell you to do, you should have your baby soon and sure enough it worked! It's well worth the time and effort to do exercises to line things up before labor. Hope this can be a help to make a shorter labor for someone! –Another mother

Thought I'd share a little about V-BACs. Our first baby was breech and had to be born by C-section. When I became pregnant with number 2, I knew I wanted to try a V-BAC. I didn't know of anyone who'd ever had a V-BAC, so I was kind of in the dark. The hospital where I had our first son didn't do V-BACs, so we had to go 1 1/2 hours away to a bigger town. I really liked it there, and my doctor was very supportive of the having a V-BAC. She and the nurses told me they thought I had a very good chance of having one. The chances of succeeding really depend on why you had a C-section. If the C-section was because the pelvis is too small, high blood pressure, or other things, the chances aren't as high. But if it was because of a breech baby, then your chances are good because more than likely the second one won't be breech. I did lots of pelvic tilts to help baby line up and hopefully stay head down. I found some books from the library to read. Here are 2 I thought were the best: The V-BAC Companion by Diana Korte, Birthing Normally After A Cesarean Or Two by Helene Vodeboncoeur. I also read Silent Knife but wasn't real impressed with it. Those books helped me a lot and I gained a lot of knowledge.

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It was so amazing! I had done it, and you can too! The thing I worried about the most was what if my uterus ruptures? But once I was in labor, I never even thought about it once! It must have been God helping me through! It helps to stay positive, trust your body to do what it needs to do, and tell yourself "I can do this!" Also, if you're at a hospital, ask for a wireless monitor. They're fairly new, and they don't have any wires that keep you from moving around. I was able to move all I wanted, and the best part is - you can even get in the tub with it on! So glad I was able to use one. I don't know if all hospitals would have them, but probably larger ones would. And above all, pray, and trust that God will help you through. –A Kansas mother

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The pregnancy went well, baby stayed head down, and my water broke at 8:30 one morning. We didn't go to the hospital until 2:00pm, and it wasn't until then that the contractions were getting regular. After a 9 hour labor, no pain medication and 4 minutes of pushing, we had a little boy!

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Simple Steps To Prevent Preeclampsia STORY BY NATALIE SEMMELMANN

What is preeclampsia? Preeclampsia is a condition unique to only pregnancy; diagnosed with the elevation of the mother’s blood pressure typically after the 20-week mark. Preeclampsia also involves high protein levels in the urine and edema, a swelling that doesn’t go away. There has been a lot of research on the origins of high blood pressure and preeclampsia and there still aren’t any clear answers on how to prevent or treat it. Most often, the only way to lower your blood pressure is to have an emergency delivery and that is certainly not an optimal option. I encourage working with your midwife or medical provider to understand why your blood pressure might be elevated, but I would like to share with you how nutrition and lifestyle can play a huge role in naturally regulating blood pressure. What can we do to prevent high blood pressure? Salt! Many women are told to reduce their salt intake because it helps keep their blood pressure low. This is outdated information. Salt is a vital electrolyte for our bodies and we need it even more during pregnancy. Salt very rarely has an impact on blood pressure. Be sure that the salts you are consuming are naturally sourced salts like sea salt or Himalayan pink salt. Table salt is laboratory-made sodium that is not healthful to you in any way. High blood pressure and high blood sugar tend to go hand in hand with each other. Eating excessive amounts

of sugar, even carbohydrates that break down into sugar in the body will throw your blood sugar levels off. Insulin resistance in the first trimester may actually be a predictor for preeclampsia later in pregnancy. Thankfully we can control our blood sugar levels with adjustments to our diet choices. Eat low inflammatory foods. The foods that reduce inflammation also lower blood pressure. Omega-3 rich foods that are powerful antiinflammatories include salmon, sardines, eggs, and pasture-raised chicken and meats like grass-fed beef. Be sure to remove vegetable and canola oils as they are not only toxic but also are high in omega-6 which is an inflammatory fatty acid. With today’s typical diets, our balance of omega-3 and omega-6 are off. We need to focus on foods higher in omega-3 to get back into balance. Other anti-inflammatory foods include: Tomatoes Olive oil Cucumbers Turmeric Green, leafy vegetables Beans Brussel sprouts Onion and garlic Berries

Thanks for this great magazine. Want to share my story and see if I can get some advice for future pregnancies. We have a 6 month boy and with his pregnancy at 38 1/2 weeks I woke up one morning at 3:00AM to a slight tickle, no pain or contractions, and knew it wasn't my water, so I went to work that day and when I got home I called the doctor and she said to come in, just to check. So I went and she said my water was leaking and to go to the hospital. This is now 12 hours later and I'm only dilated 1cm when I get there, so she started me on Pitocin. By 2:00AM contractions weren't getting any worse, so she turned it up, then it affected the baby, raised my blood pressure, to the point where she said I have preeclampsia, I had no high blood pressure throughout my pregnancy and feel it came from the Pitocin. Has anyone else had high blood pressure from Pitocin? Is there anything natural to take for it while in labor? Also could I have waited to go to the hospital until my water actually broke or I had contractions? Anonymous Hello everyone, I enjoy your magazine very much and its stories. I have one question. I haven't seen much of toxemia or pre-eclampsia in here. I've had that problem a lot. Several times in hospital and C-section or induced of the sickness 3-4 weeks early and other times seemed like I've had a touch of it. I've tried a lot of stuff and been to different natural doctors but seems I just didn't get the right answer. Took protein drinks, raspberry teas and different stuff for liver and kidneys. It would be hard to remember what all I tried. I'm wondering if there's anyone else out there that has had this problem for more than once or what did you feel helped you. Some people would say first time moms are in more of a chance, but I was in one of my best shapes when first time pregnant. I can't say I got overly sick when pregnant except in the last while, it just seems my kidneys and liver just can't keep up. After birth, have good milk supply and usually don't get my period once I'm straightened up in the first few moths until baby's around a year old, which is a blessing. Looking for answers! Thanks for this magazine. I don't mind the advertisements in here, to make it able to be free. Enjoy your loving bundles. –Another mom

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Dear Mom-to-Mom, To the one wondering about water birth. I had a water birth for both of our babies, and, oh, what a relief! It relaxes and takes some of your pain. The midwife said if a baby has a bowel movement before being born it is easier to clean their face or nose before they take a breath, but I know some people can't do a water birth as it completely takes their contractions away. Our first child also threw up a lot after being fed. Then someone told me I need to take a probiotic and someone else told me he will outgrow it before he is a year old and he did. I used alfalfa tincture to clean uterus. Keep it up! I've learned a lot through this magazine. –A mother

Dear moms and all, I love reading everyones' tips and opinions. I would like to see some recipes using stevia. I use a lot of stevia just by cutting down on sugar in baked goods and adding some stevia, also pie fillings and canning pickles etc. Also wanted to share what is seeming to help keep us healthy is Colostrum. We have a baby boy born very prematurely (23 weeks) who I started giving Colostrum before he was even out of the isolette (incubator) and he has never even had a sniff le. I also use a few drops of Swedish bitters and a few drops echinacea in his bottle once a day. We did not agree to give him vaccinations, so his primary doctor said she won't see him anymore and said we can look for someone else! Anyway I said I will definitely not guarantee he will not end up in the hospital if we don't vaccinate, but she can not guarantee he won't end up in the hospital if we do vaccinate. Does anyone know what lymphedema is? And something to do for it? My mom has dealt with it all her life and it's only getting worse. Also cellulitis. Any tips to treat it would be appreciated.

Take supplements. Food is always first, but using supplements to help fortify your diet can therapeutically helpful especially during times of stress. Magnesium, calcium, and vitamin D are great supplements to consider during pregnancy and I highly recommend starting them as soon as you know you are pregnant. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to preeclampsia and an easy way to rectify that is to spend some time every day in the morning sun. Hydrate. Drink up! Water is vital to our everyday life but your water needs to go way up during pregnancy. Water is vital to controlling inflammation in the body. Dehydration is extremely dangerous because it can cause preeclampsia by restricting blood vessels.

Move. Exercise does a body good! It is a natural stress reliever, builds strong bones, and helps your body to detox. Those that do not exercise for at least three days a week for one hour each during pregnancy are three times more likely to get a preeclampsia diagnosis. This doesn’t have to be strenuous exercise. Going for a brisk walk, yoga, lifting weights, or swimming are great options. Swimming is especially wonderful if you are experiencing pregnancy aches and pains. Reduce stress. I know stress levels can be high during this time but take some time to focus on yourself. A healthy mindset will help reduce stress-induced blood pressure. Stress and anxiety are known contributors to preeclampsia. But with simple, everyday mindfulness practices like actively relaxing your muscles, meditating, and deep breathing, you can keep yourself in a stress-free state. Not all stresses can be eliminated, but try eliminating the stressors you can and learn to manage the ones you cannot. As you can see, high blood pressure is connected to many things in your life and can easily be managed with a few tweaks. Hopefully, this will help you to eliminate unwanted medical visits, and have a healthy and happy pregnancy.

My friend came to me with a staph infection which she had already taken 3 antibiotics for and nothing was helping, so I gave her an essential oil blend with melaleuca and clove and also a tea tree essential oil to use 1 at a time every few hours and it went away within a day. Or use tea tree for infected bug bites. –Loving motherhood

Hello! So interesting to read through the Momto-Mom section and other articles. Thanks to you all at Sprigs to make it possible and free at that! To all you ladies, let's be thankful and not let on we're entitled to this free magazine.

every 12 hours or more often if needed, from days 12 until you start your period. By the grace of God we have been richly blessed with a little girl after repeated miscarriages and infertility. I had been going to a health and nutrition store where they take a sample of blood and test it. They found something but I'm not sure what it was called. It's something that not just any parasite or other cleanse will get rid of. I would have guessed I had some, but they say it can affect fertility. Anyway, I was put on two anti-microbials and each time I soon got pregnant, though I lost some of the pregnancies. So it was definitely by a miracle from God that we have our precious daughter!

First of all, in response to a couple of questions, or what helped me I guess.

Now I'm wondering, is there something I can do or take to prevent amniotic bag from prematurely breaking?

To the one desperate for help on page 71. I too used to have sore breasts a week or more before my period started and also dealt with infertility. The one thing that helped me the most with that was a progesterone cream applied on thin skin

At close to 31 weeks, my water broke, but my labor didn't start until 1 1/2 hour later. Don't want to complain as our little girl is healthy and didn't have any setbacks, yet would like to prevent a repeat if possible. I was on progesterone shots once weekly.

The doctor that delivered our baby feels like I probably should've been on them twice weekly. He wasn't my doctor so he doesn't know for sure. My midwife quit testing my levels once I was over 20 weeks, so we're not sure if that's it or not. –A blessed new mom

Hello, We too enjoy reading the pages of the Motherhood magazine. I too use cloth diapers and Enzyme Presoak along with laundry soap, helps to keep them smelling clean. I like to use little white wash rags as my wet wipes. Wash altogether and hang on the line. I enjoy using cloth diapers and think it's worth it. We too like to try home remedies before running off to the doctor. Medical has it's place as well. May we continue to raise our children according to God's plan. –A mother of 3 little boys

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POSTPARTUM MOVEMENTS TO

Heal

DIASTASIS

STORY BY NATALIE SEMMELMANN

Hi, I am Natalie! In addition to being a Functional Nutritional Therapist, I am also a prenatal and postpartum physical trainer. Movement is just as important to your daily life as eating healthy meals. Daily movement relieves your stress levels, strengthens bones, and helps your body’s natural detoxification pathways to do its job. When we sweat, we rid our bodies of excess hormones and toxins. Six to eight weeks after birth is when you can start to consider adding in your new movement routine, not much before. Remember, your body just went through a major event and needs to heal. Please allow yourself that time to heal before you consider exercising. We want to consider that you might be healing from diastasis when you are in your postpartum period, as most women are. This is the natural separation of your abdominal wall to allow your growing body to expand. Below you will find a few movements that focus on healing this. I will walk you through some basic movements to get you started with breathwork and basic physical movements to get started.

Breathwork Breathing properly through your diaphragm will not only help you relax but will also help to close the gap of your diastasis. Sitting with your back against the wall and your tail-end on a pillow or flat on the ground with your legs crisscrossed, close your eyes and place one hand on your diaphragm and the other on your chest. Take a deep long breath in through your nose for a count of four, hold for a count of four, release for a count of four, and hold for a count of four… and continue. This is called box breathing. You will want to take note that the hand on your diaphragm is moving up and down with each breath while your hand on your chest does not move. When we breathe with our chest, it sends a stress response to the brain called stress breathing. Now time to help recenter when stressed and to help with diastasis. It is also the breath pace you want to keep while doing your movement practices.

Saddle Stretch While seated in a V on the floor, take those nice deep breaths. With every breath released, bend forward deeper every time. See if you can put your arms and hands out in front of you on the floor, reaching forward, keep your head and neck neutral, don’t strain, and do not push so far that you are uncomfortable. Slowly release and continue.

Reverse Marching Begin by lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your head on a bolster or pillow if necessary to keep your ribcage down. And be sure your pelvis is neutral – it is easy to tuck the pelvis under and round the lower back to the floor, be very aware to not do this. Inhale, then on your next exhale, blow as if you’re blowing the seeds off a dandelion. You will feel your deep core engage and move in. While you continue exhaling, slowly bring one knee in toward your body. Keep the knee bent. Your thigh will be perpendicular to the floor at the top of the move, as in tabletop. On your next exhale, bring the other leg up parallel to the first leg. Return to your starting position and begin again.

Deep Squat with a Twist Begin in a traditional squat position with your chest lifted. Place one hand down on the ground, or as close to the ground as you can, and twist in the opposite direction, lifting your other arm into the air. Place your gaze onto the hand in the air, finish your breath in this position, recenter yourself, and continue with the opposite side.

Side Balance For this movement, you will balance in a supported side plank. With your right knee and right hand down on the mat, lift your left arm straight up to the sky and keep your left leg straight on the mat. This move is great for balance, arm and shoulder strength, and a ton of core support. Try not to hold your breath for the exercises but follow the pattern of your breath. Not breathing well, belly breathing, and rigid breathing are common culprits in postpartum rehab and can hinder your recovery—they contribute to increased intra-abdominal pressure. Postpartum exercises work best when used in conjunction with breathing patterns and body realignment.

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MOm-to-mom Mama & Baby

I agree with the woman who mentioned Debi Pearl's book in the July 2020 issue, page 116. It had to do with birth control. It should be left up to the husband.

Mom Mom MAMA & BABY Thank you for the wonderful magazine! I love every page. I learn so much and hope what I write will help someone else. I've seen a few questions about acid reflux. My 2 month old son has severe reflux, to where I am unable to nurse him, as it makes it worse. These are what helped us and were suggested by his therapist. Bottle feed and burp at every ounce - cuts down on the air intake and helps the food to stay in stomach, plus helps everything relax in there. Keep elevated. My son slept in his carseat for a while and is now elevated in a bassinet. He had slight inflammation in his lungs from aspirating or breathing in the food. He had even stopped breathing several times. I know every medical practitioner and expert and even the CDC says to lay flat on the back. Well in this case, I could have lost my son if I did that. He is still on his back, just elevated. I believe we have to do what is best for every situation. Ever since we have done all those things, he has greatly improved. Oh, another reason I bottle feed is that the flow is more even and I can control how much he is getting at one time, where breastfeeding is inconsistent. And can be painful to them when the flow is heavy, as it was doing for my son.

Mom Mom

Another thing I've learned is to drink stinging nettle tea with red raspberry leaf tea. As I see others write their bleeding is worse if they drink red raspberry. Stinging nettle actually lessens bleeding. Continue to drink after a birth and it will help your bleeding last only 2-4 weeks and be very light. Plus red raspberry is so good for us women, I have drank the teas with all my children and if I missed my flow would be heavy. What worked for me, might not work for another, but several of my friends do the same and have the same results. One more thing on reflux. My chiropractor has helped keep my son adjusted and she says that will help. He gets worked on every 2-4 weeks.

To another mom on page 123, July 2020 issue. Try going to a chiropractor and get adjusted. I went my whole pregnancy and had very little discomfort. I also took magnesium during my pregnancies to help relieve restless legs or achy feeling they get. Mine always started at night. To the one who said that there were immodest pictures and she didn't appreciate it. My husband and I are bewildered. I know everyone has their own opinion, but this magazine is the most modest one available. I know everything is going to be wholesome and godly. Thank you! –A mom

Hello to all! I really like your magazines and I would really like to hear from others what to do for relaxing during labor! And after baby is born I have a very hard time relaxing too. I need something strong for calmness and at times I can't sleep good at night while baby is yet young! I really wish I could get something that would help to get me to relax more and be more calm after baby is born and I always have fussy babies and I know it comes from me! Please help! –A very desperate mother of 2

Hi!

Could someone detail a gallbladder cleanse and a liver cleanse? Maybe it's been done but I am a new subscriber and have not noticed any recipes yet for this. I read on page 22 in the July issue about the parents who tear back half the foreskin on their one year old. Why?! Maybe we don't know much, but my husband thinks there is no reason to tear it. Ask your midwife. We did not circumcise as that was my husband's choice, even though he is. I often wonder if our boy will be regretful of this as he matures. There is so much controversy how to start through it all? As far as biblical - the teaching of circumcision was the old

law, and as with many biblical teachings, you must look deeper than the natural to see the spiritual lesson. Our boy must be taught the importance of being circumcised of the heart. Read the Bible - especially Paul's letter to the Galatians chapter 5:6. Hopefully our boys do not regret their parents' decision. For those men who are forgiving their parents for their choice regarding this, remember - they would never do for their children what they thought was the wrong thing to do. For those who say they wish they would have circumcised their boys, beware that your discontent attitude does not pass through to them. If children pick up that their parents are negative about an issue, we can not expect them to gladly accept their lot in life. I know men who are entirely satisfied with their state of uncircumcision, and men who are satisfied to be the opposite. Maybe one reason it is such a big issue of discussion is that we as ladies don't know what it's like to be either way, and if we did, we feel like we could help ourselves decide better for our children. My husband wonders what's the big deal about either choice?! On another topic discussed some in Motherhood - grammar and spelling in Mom-to-Mom. Has anyone noticed the drastic improvement? Someone is going to huge effort for us busy mommies, and to proofread each writer's letter would be a tremendous job to face! We should be thankful for the work each person contributes. Believe it or not, I actually like the advertisements. Someone wrote Super Primrose to eliminate engorgement. I suffer with that, and have to pump the first 2 weeks an hour before feeding so baby can even nurse. Sometimes getting up to 12oz at a time. Usually 6oz. So if anyone can tell me where to get this Super Primrose, and how much to take, please respond to Motherhood. Thank you. –A happy mommy (most days!)

Dear friends, I wish to write especially to the busy mother from OH who asked about uterine prolapse in July Motherhood on page 119. I would recommend you to read Saving the Whole Woman by Christine Ann Kent. I found this book to be very informative. The only reservation I have about this book is the evolutionary slant. I censored

my own book because I believe in God. My prolapse was discovered at stage 3 in the beginning of my first pregnancy. Our children are also close together in age. This year, after my fourth pregnancy and birth, I am not suffering from prolapse. Occasionally, if I do some extra strenuous work, or get too much behind in sleep, slight symptoms return. Kegel exercises aggravate prolapse by pulling the bladder away from the abdominal wall. If you must do Kegels do them in a right angle seated position with your lumbar curve in place. In answer to the question about afterpains - I've had success with applying diluted lavender oil over my lower abdomen. This can be done as often as needed, and can be used for prevention. I would like to have more info on neurofibromatosis - NFI. Our 2 year old son has had 2 large coffee and cream colored spots since birth. He does not seem to be physically delayed at this point. Thank you! –Anonymous

Thanks Nancy for this great magazine. I enjoy it so much. In response to the mom of the constipated baby. Please get his tailbone checked. We had one and I gave him an enema every other day. If I skipped he got very fussy. He got a few treatments but nothing helped. I was one worried mom. Finally we went to a different lady and she found his little tailbone turned sharply to the right. It was about 3/4 an inch. That is a lot for such a small bottom. Well, the next day he had a big bowel movement on his own and it was everywhere. That was the last of enemas. A lot more could be written but I'm not a writer and still have so much to learn myself. One thing though, get your children to help clean your house. My house isn't spotless by far, but at least presentable since I have a work chart. Stressed out... But happy. –A mom of 6

Dear Mom-to-Mom, Thank you for this interesting and

helpful magazine! I enjoy any advice. I highlight whatever I'd like to try. We have been blessed with a sweet little girl. And we thank God for the blessings in parenting! For advice I will share some on big babies... Use Gurmar. I believe ours would've been bigger. But this helps regulate sugars. Heard of others with great results as well. Also can be used with dieting to not crave sweets.

What do you do for Impetigo? I've used different oils and other things. But doesn't seem to kick it. Another thing... I think it's important to give calcium/magnesium to lil' ones. It helps with their teeth. I give calcium/ magnesium zinc liquid and also helps to sleep well and keeps the bowels moving. Enjoy the journey of motherhood!

I could hardly believe it, it didn't come back up! While I was taking this ACV for a few weeks, my morning sickness cleared up. I asked my husband what am I doing differently, the only thing was ACV. I felt so good, still tired but at least I wasn't sick. I slowed down like I too often do and my MS started to come back! So here I go again and I'm not planning to quit again for a while. My constipation and ref lux problems are clearing up too. Of course what worked for me might not work for someone else, but I'm very glad I've tried it. Wish I would've known about this for the others as I was usually sick for almost all 9 months. They say to use Raw apple cider vinegar. Does the store bought vinegar has chemicals in it? Sorry if I wrote too much. God bless you all, as we travel together the pathway of motherhood. –A mother who cares

–A reader

Dear Sprigs and mothers who read, First of all I want to thank Sprigs for these free and wonderful magazines. And to the moms for all this good advice, and the time you all put in to write and to publish it! I'm a mother of 3 and another one on the way. Here is my experience and hope it may help someone too. For every time I was expecting I got very sick, at the worst times I couldn't get in and out of bed by myself. Often I'd be sick a week before I skipped my period. Someone told me if you'd eat beans like you should you'd get over it. Well, it did not work. I eat beans still, so that I wouldn't stay down. Then with my last one there was a young woman here to help for the day. She asked me what I wanted for lunch. Nothing! Is what I felt like saying. But I told her it doesn't matter only I wouldn't mind to have all dairy cut out of my meals as that always seems to make me more sick. Onion and fruit too. She didn't say much but her eyes said a lot. I think she thought I would starve. A little later she came back and said she wished I would try apple cider vinegar. She said she read somewhere that it helps if someone is allergic to dairy and gluten/ She said to take 1 tablespoon in a cup of warm water first thing in the morning when getting up. 1 tablespoon 1 hour before lunch and 1 tablespoon one hour before supper. Sweeten it a little with honey. I didn't know if I wanted to try it or not but what did I have to lose, so I did and

P.S. My hubby got no more gas pains after using ACV. I hope you'll continue sending us these interesting magazines. They sure answered a lot of my questions already!

Hello, I was wondering if there's anything you can do for a pelvis that is too small? Could a chiropractor help with it or do I just have to deal with it? We just had our first baby and had to push for almost 2 hours, then ended up doing a C-section and then discovered that's what's wrong. Also, for hemorrhoids, I used sitz bath and organic vinegar with the mother and that took it away in a short period of time. Thanks for a great magazine and the helpful advice and tips. –A mom who loves her baby

When flipping through the July 2020 issue, we can read on page 71 that methylfolate is much better to use than folic acid. We are using large amounts of folic acid along with a quality prenatal which also contains folic acid, to hopefully prevent birth defects in the future. Our question is - where can we purchase methylfolate? We want only methylfolate, no extra ingredients, preferably in a capsule form. We worry that the folic acid isn't doing any good, and we need advice quickly. Of course, we

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MOm-to-mom Mama & Baby

Hi,

aren't all the way through the July issue, and there's a possibility that our question is already answered, as is often the case. Does anyone know if cleft pallet is hereditary? If so, can it be passed through the male? Some think it's just a lack of nutrition. Daddy doesn't have cleft pallet, but could he be a carrier of it? Will his offspring be carriers? –A mommy and a daddy

I really enjoy your magazine. Thanks!

What makes that some babies have lots of hair and others are almost bald at birth? Sometimes even in the same family there's a huge difference. Is it a deficiency of some kind or does it depend on how much sweets, protein, vegetables etc. you eat, what prenatal you take, or is it simply because it's a different child? Also why do some babies lose hair and others don't? –A blessed mom of boys

Dear readers of Motherhood,

Thank you for your free magazine. Always interesting and full of information. I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with a prolapsed uterus? We have 4 children, and with the last 2 was the first I felt it. It was worse with the last one. I had to watch what I did. The way my doctor explained it was, that I have a weakness somewhere, so my uterus falls down. But once the baby is big enough, it won't fit down anymore. He said you can put something in (I forgot the name of it) to hold it up, until you're far enough along then take it out again. I didn't then, I just tried to watch myself. I was wondering if there is anything to take or do for that. Or will it just get worse with every baby? I'd be glad for any advice. I also carried the last 2 very low. Wondered if that also came from my prolapse? Or maybe that's just the way I carry them? The first two I didn't. Guess the first two weren't as big as the last two were. Maybe that makes a difference too? God bless everyone! –A mom of 4

Dear moms, I was wondering what the non-amish word is for aw gwaksa. And what it actually means and how it happens. –A mom of three

I too enjoy the Motherhood magazine. To the mom with low blood sugar/pressure in pregnancy and big babies (signed a mom serving her Elijahs). Try taking [A broadspectrum product designed to support normal, healthy glycemic function]. That's what I take and have very good results, feeling stronger and less groggy. I too need to take my protein drinks and I take omega 3-6-9 and an adrenal support, along with a prenatal not only during pregnancy but faithfully. My first baby I didn't take the glycemic function supplement and had a big, over 8 pound baby, my next two I took them and my babies were both a pound smaller. I think those make you feel stronger without eating as much then your baby isn't as big if you don't need to eat all the time for strength. My question is: does everyone with low blood pressure/sugar deal with low protein? Does it go together? –Another mom serving

Dear moms, Questions and hints:

For tight breathing or congestion: 1/2 to 3/4 cup epsom salt 1/4 to 1/2 cup cider vinegar 2 to 4 tablespoons ground ginger Fill bathtub with as warm water as you can stand to soak in. Add above ingredients; swirl water, then take a relaxing soak, adding more hot water as needed.

You can do this several times a day. Also is safe for small children. We've had some amazing results. Let's pray for each other until we meet our eternal home. –Anonymous

Dear ladies, For fussy babies I used digestive enzymes, also use Calcium Lactate. Herbal calcium is good to use for teething babies. Garlic and mullein is good for ear infections, I also like to use a thin slice of onion or potato wrapped in a piece of paper towel or tissue. I like to make my own cream to use on dry hands and dry, cracked, feet. It's called Amazing Body Cream. It's really greasy, but it works! Here's the recipe:

First question would be what would be helpful for low blood pressure which is worse during pregnancy, and always am low in energy. Now I'm always on the lookout for something for more content babies. Have now ordered another kind enzymes.

Amazing Body Cream

With my one miscarriage I was bleeding fast with contraction like pain, and nearly fainting, husband and I were by ourselves, so we put pure tea tree oil on my belly where it hurt, and wonders, it stopped bleeding and hurting and maybe 30 minutes later the real stuff passed when going to the bathroom. Was the only time I'd tried tea tree oil for some thing like that, but sure was thankful for relief.

Soften vaseline. Put all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with wire whisk until fluffy and creamy. Spoon into a large ziplock bag and cut at 1 bottom corner and squeeze into lotion bottles or whatever you prefer. Enjoy!

Then I'd also like to add a recipe for flu and croup which I can't remember seeing in here.

I was kind of shocked to see that subject in here. No offense meant, but why write about sex?

3 jars (Dollar General) vitamin E cream 2 bottles baby lotion 1 jar vaseline

Yes, one may do a parasite cleanse while pregnant. It's safe to use after the fourth month. My heart feels for the ones struggling with infertility. We went 3 1/2 years without children. Keep praying, God will help you! I had a miscarriage a few months after we got married and just didn't get pregnant again. I tried to lose weight and did lose some. Also used easter lily. Here's how to use easter lily. Count first day of your last period to day 14, then take 10 drops each morning until the day you start again. Repeat if you want. Do not take when you have your period! It's good for a lot of stuff like female problems, ovarian cysts, PMS, varicose veins, and more. Good luck! I know everyone has their own ways, but in my opinion the placenta encapsulation is really gross, especially to make it into a smoothie! It makes one gag just to think about it. Why use a part of your body? I thought it's only animals that eat that part. Surely there's other herbs to use for baby blues, etc. No offense meant. I do enjoy this magazine! –A mother of 3

Hello to all, First I want to thank you for this magazine. So many helpful tips... To the moms that have trouble with high blood sugar while pregnant and babies going overdue. I am also one of them. Some of my babies got so big and I blame it on that. We had some 9 1/2lb. babies so I said ""Enough of this, I've got to figure something out."" I started to diet while pregnant. I cut my sugar way down. We use Prairy Gold f lour some natural white f lour and raw sugar but sparingly. I try not to eat hardly any baked goods. I eat some bread with cheese and tomatoes and peppers. I am now pregnant for 7 months this time. I am also taking Enzymes and Blood Sugar balancing supplements and sometimes when I get hungry between meals and don't know what to eat I just drink *** [A premium superfood supplemental drink to help keep you satiated] - a good plant-based protein shake with superfood. It sure takes care of my hunger. I sometimes just drink it instead of a meal and feel like I'm on the right track. Since I've done a check-up the midwife had a fit about how small my baby is at 7 months. I also got a paper that has a diet for

overdue mothers. I'll just send it with this and ask the Laudons to put it in the magazine in hopes it may help someone. –A mother of 10

Someone asked for a homemade formula recipe. You'll probably get lots of feedback, but here's one that I got from a friend... Baby formula recipe:

Hello, Thank you everyone who makes this magazine possible. So much good advice. Seems so many people have very different opinions about birth control. Personally if someone has a serious medical reason to need it I can't see that being wrong. Otherwise I try to remember there are so many women out there who long to have just one child so I try to be thankful and count my blessings when blessed with another miracle. Also, I'm a little late on this, but to the lady whose baby fights sleep. Have you tried just putting them in their crib with something that sings? My children both didn't like to be rocked (which made me a little sad). I love rocking babies. Also Chamomile works too. It helps relax them and helped mine stay calmer in big crowds. I'm really hoping the pictures stay in the magazine as my daughter enjoys looking at them. I also agree with the lady in the July 2020 issue - let's be kind to one another and not judge. Love and blessings to all! –A young mom

"Hello to all the ladies who read the Motherhood magazine. There is lots of good advice in here that I hope to try sometime for pregnancy and nursing. I had morning sickness all through my pregnancy, had a long hard labor, then also had a struggle with low milk supply. We also had a fussy baby the first couple of months. I now think it was from not having enough milk, and he also had a small tongue/lip tie. We brought him to a chiropractor and she fixed it. She also told us to take our finger and massage lightly under his tongue, doing that a couple of times helped fix it too. I also have problems with backache, had back labor during birth. What really helps my back now is getting my husband to massage my back every evening with *** [A blend of wintergreen oil, peppermint oil, and menthol crystals].

Heat together 2 cups water, 2 teaspoons beef bovine gelatin, 2 teaspoons organic coconut oil, then put in blender and add 1 3/4 cup goat milk, 1 tablespoon Siselean, 2 Supra Omega, 1 teaspoon organic olive oil, 2 teaspoons brewer's yeast, 1/2 capsule Encompass 360. Mix well.

You can also use 3/4 cup rice milk instead of goat milk and water. Hope this helps someone. –A mom to a 15 month old who enjoys this magazine

Dear Mom-to-Mom, First I want to thank you Nancy and all who help to put this wonderful magazine together for free. It's such a helpful book. It's now the second time I got it, wish I had it sooner. To the mom that wonders what to do about baby's pussy eyes. It's called a blocked tear duct and my midwife said to use some of my breast milk to get rid of it. I did it many times a day and it really works. And what kind of natural soap can you use to bathe a baby if store bought doesn't agree with your baby? My midwife said I'll just put lavender oil in bath water to bathe baby dear as she just got a rash over her fave if I use soap. Baby oil and none of our others ever had that problem. And she's sometimes so fussy. And what causes cradle cap on baby's head? Even if you don't wash it with anything else except pure water? I don't use any soap until they're a year old. To the mom that wonders about baby's bowed legs on page 95 in the July issue. My mom used to say never let an infant stand on their legs until they're 3 months old so they don't get bowed legs. Now enough written. Keep up the good work. Love and best wishes. –Another mother of 5

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MOm-to-mom Mama & Baby 46

y r o t S Birth

Our

January 18th hitting my first due date, 40 weeks, at 2:30 PM my water broke. As all the emotions and excitement filled my heart I started to mentally prep and just embrace every moment. This would be the last time we would be a family of 5! The girls were home and when I shared the news they were so overjoyed and went to their rooms to put on their favorite outfits. Our two littles even went ahead and asked grandma to paint their nails, they wanted to give their little brother a great first impression. It was the sweetest thing I’d ever seen. Around 5:00 PM, I had a few spotty contractions, nothing consistent, it would be 15 minutes, then 25 minutes, and then an hour apart. The contractions were a bit painful. Throughout the day, I had several gushes and leaks. My midwife and I had been in communication and she encouraged me to stay active and hydrated. I spent the afternoon up and about. I was on my birthing ball doing figure 8s, Jonathan and I went for a walk in the evening, but no contractions came about. At around 8:00 PM my midwife checked in and was surprised that I still had not had steady contractions. She advised me to start castor oil by 11:00 PM that evening in order to ensure contractions and labor to begin. I have always been afraid to try castor oil to get labor started. Taking a laxative and experiencing contractions doesn’t sound like a fun time. I panicked briefly. I started crying and imagining myself having to be induced at the hospital and not having the birth I wanted. Jonathan was there and encouraged me to accept whatever was to come. He reminded me that all we want is a healthy baby, and we will do what it takes for that to happen. I got up from the bed and went to sit on my birthing ball, got a rebozo scarf out, and Jonathan and I looked up exercises to induce labor. An hour into exercises I was tired, and still no consistent contractions. There were a few, but nothing to put me into active labor. I prayed and just gave it to God. We knew we didn’t want to end up at the hospital with Pitocin and any further intervention. I also knew that God was in control and that I had to accept whatever was to come. I quieted my mind and just kept strong. 11:00 PM— I took the first dosage of castor oil. Around 1:00 AM, I’m over the toilet, but still no contractions. Around 1:00 AM

I was not feeling well at all. My stomach was in knots, I was using the bathroom every few minutes, it was something I don’t wish upon for anyone about to go into labor, but castor oil has shown it will get labor started, so it was worth it. As Jonathan went to prep my second castor oil dosage I felt one contraction. I paused and asked, “let’s see if they start before I take this next dosage.” We did. And thank God at 2:15 AM contractions finally began. The contractions started at 10 minutes apart and quickly moved closer and became more and more intense. From then Jonathan contacted our midwife and began to fill our birthing tub. He quickly found out our water heater in the apartment wouldn’t hold enough hot water to fill the tub. Jonathan felt terrible, but he tried all he could. He even tried boiling water in our pots, but things were moving so fast and I decided I was going to birth on our bed. Contractions were strong, intense, and each wave drew us closer to meeting our baby boy. I had intense back labor, which I have had with each of my labors, and this time around not being in the water really allowed my body to feel all the pressure as our baby was moving through. At 3:40 AM I knew I had to push and as I walked over to the bed and positioned on my hands and knees, after three or four pushes we welcomed our baby boy, Zion Lee Laudon at 3:50 AM. The entire birth was like none of my others. This by far was the most mentally engaging birth. I had to constantly let go of my initial plans and just keep my mind in the right state. Whenever I felt fearful, I reminded myself that my body is able to birth my baby. A birth affirmation in the moments before Zion was born— “I want a healthy baby, a natural birth, with minimal interventions, and to birth him at home is possible.” The girls were all there and their reactions were in awe. They were in amazement that their little brother, a real life sized baby was in mommy’s tummy. Addie just kept bursting out-- “oh my goodness, he is just too cute” “mommy are you sure this isn’t just a dream?” Amelia’s response was, “oh he needs a bath mommy” (because of the Vernix) And Annabelle was so ready to hold him, she is such a loving big sister.

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I agree with the "another mom" on page 34 in the July magazine on how to treat an aw gwaska baby. But I also rub the collar bones. Start at the top and slowly put pressure downwards along the collar bone. Seems ours is more tight there than under the ribs sometimes. And yes, I would say it's a Dutch word. –Another Mother

What to do for aw gwaksa babies? It seemed to help my babies if I would wrap something around their stomach - making it nice and snug. I would do it right before a buggy or van ride and then remove it once I arrived to my destination. They hardly ever get aw gwaska if I did that. –A blessed mom

Hello to all mothers, I noticed in the last issue of Motherhood quite a few asked what the English word for aw gwaska is. It is what they used to call liver grown. And I also felt I should comment on what a reader on page 115 wrote on how to put elbows to opposite knees and vice versa. Did you know if your baby is really bad aw gwaksa and you force the elbow and knee to touch like you described can cause severe internal injuries to the baby. I know of a mother who did whose baby then dies, so please, use care with these precious ones. Different reader asked about the right word for aw gwaska. Someone else might explain it better but I'll try. It's when a baby is colicky due to tight tummy muscles. If that's the problem, help the poor baby! To check whether his muscles are tight, lay baby on the back, grab his right elbow and right knee. If you can't touch them together massage daily as described on page 119 of the July issue. Lay baby on a f lat surface and put your two thumbs right below ribcage. Using oil/lotion and slight pressure, move thumbs outward keeping right under ribcage. Baby will cry but get relief. May put

Natalie Semmelmann, Mom-to-Mom Editor and Functional Nutritional Therapist shares her adventure into discovering the history of Aw Gwaska

a warm cloth diaper or towel on his tummy and cuddle him upright after massage. Laying them down to rock or when traveling is what seems to cause the tightness.

Aw Gwaska 101 STORY BY NATALIE SEMMELMANN

When I started my position at Sprigs in March of 2020, I was given the task of the Mom-to-Mom letters. I am a Functional Nutritional Therapist trained in sorting chronic illnesses through root causes using diet, mindset, lifestyle, and therapeutic supplementation. I have been working for the last few years in women’s health almost exclusively. I was excited to read the letters and respond to the ones I can. I was given this platform to use my knowledge to reach a large group of women. Quickly I noticed a subject in many letters that spoke of table legs and buggy rides and screaming babies. Many letters implied or spoke directly about a term spelled in many ways but most commonly as “Aw Gwaska.” What is this? My mind wondered what can this be? And why are there so many letters about it? In my many years of working with clients on their health, never have I heard this term.

“About aw gwaksa we had a bit of a struggle till my mother-in-law showed me how she did it. I laid him on a blanket on a hard flat surface. Make sure your hands and his body are slippery with baby lotion. Put them outside of your hands together and put them in the middle of his chest and your finger on his ribs and press down pretty hard then slide your thumbs down till you come to the bottom of the ribcage and slide your thumbs upward. Do it 3 times on his stomach and 3 times on his back. Then I wrapped him tight in a swaddle blanket and walked around with him till he fell asleep. Usually worked within 15 minutes.” –A mom to mom submission

I became determined to figure out this term and its English translation. What other disease or syndrome does it connect to? So what is Aw Gwaska? A word rooted in German, it translates to liver-bound. It is said to be a folk illness found among the Pennsylvania Germans. This illness is believed to occur when the liver has become attached to the ribs or some other part of the body cavity. According to the majority of the letters I have read, it occurs after the baby has taken a buggy ride. I have read the suggestion to tightly wrap the baby many times.

Also beneficial to babies is doing the elbow/knee exercises daily. Helps muscles relax and keep baby happy. Touch right elbow and left knee together ten times (at first you might not be able to quite touch) laying knee and elbow f lat again before each touch. Continue with other knee and elbow. I like to do this each time I change a diaper. –Happily mothering 3 boys, Mrs. Hershberger

For the ones wondering about babies with sore and tight tummies, called aw gwaska in Amish. Do you know what usually is the cause of that? Some babies can't handle a lot of motion the first 4 to 6 week.s And rocking, passing the baby around for everyone to hold, car rides etc. will cause baby to get sore. What worked best for us is using sweet almond oil and starting on top of ribcage, rub down along ribs with your thumbs. You don't want to rub too hard either. I usually let hubby do it. Wrapping a blanket tightly around baby's tummy before going on a car ride also helps. Thanks for all the wonderful info and Sprigs for taking the time with it, looking at the pictures. –M. Miller, Middlefield, OH

To the moms with fussy colic babies. My cry for an answer on that one is an echo of yours. Please dear ladies, with babies that respond to tinctures and teas and treating for aw gvaksa, thank God that something helps. Our babies hate tinctures and teas and I've had well meaning folks that treat long and hard for aw gvaksa and yet they kept crying and crying afterward.

In my research, I started to realize that many of these symptoms sounded a lot like what I know of as pleurisy. Now I am not a doctor, but I do love a good puzzle and connecting symptoms is my favorite type of puzzle.

–A mother of 3, ages 4-2-1

According to C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Michigan, pleurisy is a swelling of the tissue called pleura that covers the lungs and chest wall. When the pleura is inflamed, the tissue layers of the lungs rub together causing pain. They say that pleurisy in young healthy people is caused by an infection of the lower respiratory system or bacteria, and usually only lasts a few days.

To another mom, page 113 in July issue, wondering what aw gwaska is. Literally translating would be "grown fast". I didn't grow up with that term, but learned what they mean by it. How I understand it, it means the

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MOTHERHOOD Magazine

muscles are tight or tensed up in the stomach area. It often comes from being passed around a lot in social gatherings etc. or from traveling. The constant bumping tends to tighten them up. You can feel under their ribs on their tummy. It should be loose and relaxed. If it feels tight and kind of blocked, you can put your finger tips right under ribs and put light to medium pressure in and pull down a bit and hold it for awhile. Often you'll feel bubbles loose under your pressure. Move around on tummy with same procedure until everything feels more loose and relaxed. I've had it happen that I was working on their tummy muscles and they had a bowel movement right then! Sometimes they tense up and cry at first, but then relax as it feels better. Don't push too hard. You can try it on your own stomach. A drop or 2 of lavender oil rubbed in might be helpful to relax too. Someone suggested taking an aw gwaska baby 3 times around a table leg. I want to say this gently and not critically, because I assume this mother did it in ignorance. But in this case ignorance is not bliss. With God's help I want to tell you the actual truth about such things. Anything done to get healing that requires an act with no scientific backing and results is something to stay away from. –Virginia

Dear mothers, `thank you for your time and effort to write in here - I enjoy reading it and lots of good advice! My question - could it be that drinking too much stinging nettle tea can cause hard labors and hard to start on your own? My sister and I both drank lots of it when we were pregnant. We were 10 and 11 days overdue and I need to be started and my sister had a long, hard labor and her cervix just didn't open up - she did go on her own but with a big tear and miserable! Any advice would be helpful! –A blessed mother

So, this does sound similar to Aw Gwaska but not exactly like it. However, I then found an article on historical diseases that says to cure pleurisy, one should pass the child beneath a table to an assistant. This is due to the idea that pleurisy is believed to be caused by the attachment of the liver to the ribs, and the cure is to break up the adhesion by stretching the body (and this does sound a lot like the letters I have read). A more recent article I found said that it was a condition once widely known across many early communities in America and called by a variety of names such as hidebound or gripes. This disorder is one of the many culturally-defined illnesses that do not readily fit the language of modern medicine. Equated with infant colic, this disorder is characterized by abdominal pains and cramps. The belief was that these sensations were caused by the liver attaching itself to the inside of the body cavitywhy the word aagewaxe means “grown attached”. Colic! Now that is something we all know of. So I turned to read about that. Maybe this is our answer! Could Aw Gwaska be Colic? According to WebMD, colic is when an infant who isn't sick or hungry cries for more than three hours a day, three or more days a week, for more than three weeks. The condition is a bit of a mystery, but experts agree on a few things: Colic is likely to start around two weeks of age if your infant is full-term, or later if they were born prematurely. (Ok, so this does sound like it could be Aw Gwaska but the experts even admit that it is a mystery and are unsure themselves.)

In an article from the Glencairn Museum in Pennsylvania discussing powwows, Pennsylvania’s tradition of folk healing systems blends elements of religion and belief with health and healing. Combining a diverse array of Christian prayers, gestures, and the use of everyday objects, these rituals are used for healing the body, protection from physical and spiritual harm, and ensuring good outcomes in everyday affairs. The Pennsylvania Dutch women powwowed for liver grown with a common process involving the use of oil, which was applied to the child’s sides with her thumbs. She would recite a prayer while employing a form of light massage. There are commonly recorded prayers for this process. One of them is spoken in the dialect: “Aagewaxe, geh weck vun meim Kind sei Ripp, yuscht wie der Grischdus aus sei Gripp gange iss” (Livergown, depart from my child’s rib, just as Christ got out of his crib). This is where my research came to an end–and I am still not 100 percent sure what Aw Gwaska is and now I am questioning what colic is, too (maybe colic is Aw Gwaska?). Maybe there is no modern term for this because the modern world is so disconnected from tradition. What I did learn in my research is that traditional ways of healing work and we as a whole have lost this understanding. We have lost the trust in our innate knowledge to heal ourselves. I am so grateful to have these Mom-to-Mom letters to learn more about traditions in our country and natural ways of healing. I hope that you all enjoyed going on this learning journey with me––and if you have more information, please share it with me.

We’re opening a Motherhood Shop! We are thrilled to announce that we are in the process of launching a Motherhood Shop full of motherhood, home, family and health essentials! The goal is to provide practical products at the best price we can to help you and your family. In order to do this we need your help with two things. 1. Send us product suggestions. This can be products that you use in your home. Products such as natural cleaning products, breast pumps, bras, kitchen supplies, books, kitchen and garden supplies, or even health kitchen ingredients you use regularly.

Important note: In order to get everything together for you the next Motherhood Magazine will be delivered one month later than usual. Instead of arriving in the late spring it will be arriving early summer.

2. Let us know about products you or your friends make that you think would be a good fit. We want to support this community. If you make products that you think other Motherhood Magazine readers would love, let us know. Send pricing and information and if applicable send a product sample. Our goal is to continue to make this magazine better and keep it free to all the readers. The Motherhood Shop will help us keep it free for you. Thank you for helping us on this mission to support mothers and help you live a healthier life. Write us at: Sprigs P.O. Box 387 Millersburg, Ohio 44654.

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The Blessings of Parenting a Child with Down Syndrome STORY BY PAIGE McMILLEN

We prayed, we planned, we prepared for this child. We did everything we were “supposed” to do. Everything that wasn't supposed to happen anyway. I had a rocky pregnancy: (at the time) unexplainable bleeding, contractions, and pain. But he was determined to live even then in the early days and stayed with me, growing each day. We thought we were out of the woods after the end of the second trimester. Still, at 33 weeks, I was sent to a high-risk fetal medicine doctor for polyhydramnios, excess amniotic fluid. Usually, a condition that needs to be monitored closely, can be life-threatening, and indicates abnormalities. It was there at the maternal-fetal medicine specialist that we did bloodwork and numerous ultrasounds. We had a huge gray area where Tristan's diagnosis was concerning. At that first appointment, we received terrifying possibilities, including several diagnoses based upon the issues our doctor could see through the ultrasounds. The first of those that she quickly addressed was her belief that Tristan had a 1-3 chance of Down syndrome, a 1-3 chance of some kind of skeletal dysplasia, and a 1-3 chance of having an undiagnosable and possibly fatal condition. She knew this was earth-shattering and left the room to give us a few minutes. My husband and I wept together, holding each other, touching my stomach where this innocent baby was. I felt like I was gasping for air like I was being held underwater. We were crushed. Then, the NIPT test came back with a 52 percent chance of Down syndrome. All issues considered at that point, we were advised to prepare for the worst: losing our sweet baby before we could even hold him before he could take his first breath. We had to switch all doctors and hospitals to a level three NICU to accommodate his medical needs, whatever they may be. We did all we were told to do. Then, we were in limbo: A depressing, distraught twilight zone for three more weeks. And then he came, ready or not, at 36 weeks. We were so excited and unbelievably scared. We had an extremely traumatic birthing experience. Between the two of us, we coded three times. He wasn’t born breathing and failed his Apgar assessments, followed by a two week NICU stay. I wish that we were encouraged by our doctors to get plugged into Down syndrome support groups prenatally. That would have made a positive difference in the time we spent worrying and feeling alone in the early days. Our struggle was short-lived, though. In those first few weeks, we witnessed compassion and grace in abundance. We found the right resources, support, and moved past all the negative emotions that came, as with any unexpected twist to life. I wouldn't have chosen this new path at the time, but I chose this baby before he was even forming in my womb.

Tristan, Ezra & Paige

We chose to love him and fight for him no matter what before his diagnosis. We’ve researched cutting edge ways to ensure his health and well being are successful. He has shifted our paradigms on health and healing. As his mama, I’m now a Targeted Nutritional Intervention (TNI) consultant helping parents internationally. We’ve done things we never thought possible! He has taught us so much more than we could have ever hoped for in his three short years. We are wholly present at each moment. We appreciate the everyday, simple joys that most rush through absentmindedly and milestones others may take for granted. We are kinder, more compassionate people. We will fearlessly advocate for him. We believe in miracles because we are raising one. I share his story so we can encourage other parents going through the early days. Tristan is healthy, thriving, and loving life. I want this to provide hope and positivity, reframing the narrative so that we can all bloom beautifully. Understanding Down Syndrome A major part of our blooming process was educating myself and my family on the intricacies of genetics and Down syndrome, and biochemistry. You may know that DNA contains segments called genes. Genes produce proteins, which are chains of amino acids. These proteins interact with each other and run the chemical processes in your body as well as build physical structures, like your eyes and muscles. Each cell in your body contains the ability to be

any kind of cell. For instance, every cell contains the ability to be an eyeball cell, but they are not all eyeball cells. Some genes in each cell are turned on and some are turned off to create specialized cells (and so you don't have eyeballs growing out of your arms). That’s a pretty neat thing to think about! Trisomy 21, or Down syndrome, is the most common chromosomal abnormality. Unlike other congenital conditions that have a deletion or mutation, individuals with Down syndrome have an extra chromosome 21. Each chromosome has hundreds of genes that encode proteins and enzymes. The extra chromosome causes overexpression of genes that can change metabolism and the function of antioxidants, amino acids, digestive enzymes, and other essential nutrients. Consequently, growth and developmental patterns may be negatively impacted in children with Down syndrome. Many genes are overexpressed in Down Syndrome but these are a few that cause the most issues:

• SOD1 • RCAN1 • CBS • DyrK1a • ColVIa • APP • APOE • GART • MicroRNA 155 & 126b • FoxP2 (too low, not overexpressed) • S100B • COX2

This overexpression happens in every single cell. It causes things like oxidative stress, hypothyroidism, celiac, leukemia, cardiac issues, hypotonia, and cognitive dysfunction. It can lead to things like glutathione deficiency, difficulty detoxing, a leaky blood-brain barrier, accelerated aging, and even Alzheimer's. With that background, we know these children have extra genes. So what happens to all those extra proteins? Good question! They float around the body doing things we don't necessarily want them to do. For instance, one of the most discussed genes is called Superoxide Dismutase -1 (SOD-1). In

a typical person, this gene works as an antioxidant, protecting us from the potentially damaging effects of oxygen. In Down syndrome, this is gene is overexpressed, meaning there are three copies and therefore an abundance of this protein. What happens to the extra SOD-1? The body can't break it down properly. Because of this, it ends up creating a byproduct, hydrogen peroxide. It's incredibly damaging to cells. Healing with Targeted Nutritional Intervention The concept of Targeted Nutritional Intervention, known as TNI, is to restore balance to these critical systems. We know the body can turn genes on and off there are thousands of studies on this general subject. We can also do this using natural substances found in food. This is called epigenetics which means "above genetics." For instance, we know that EGCG (an antioxidant found in green tea) turns down an extra gene called DYRK1a, while also having a positive impact on P53. P53 is a gene that protects your body from cancer. So by giving your child EGCG in the correct therapeutic amount, you allow their bones to move and form more correctly, while also protecting them from cancer. In Down syndrome, we know the effects of improper facial bone development: difficulty breathing, sleeping, and clearing mucous. Being able to reduce those issues is pretty incredible! This is also a complicated balance. TNI addresses many damaging genes and has been developed over almost 30 years based on over 4,000 blood samples–it's brilliant. It's also non-profit. The owner of the company that stepped up to help compound some parts of the beginning protocol has a daughter with Down syndrome. The scientists who have been involved in the research over these decades have also done their work for free. I am humbled to be included in this intelligent, generous, and progressive group as a parent advocate on the Trisomy 21 Research Scientific Advisory Committee. I’ve witnessed improved health in Tristan and healing in areas I thought were hopeless, if not for surgery. The many holes in his heart closed. He no longer has to see a cardiologist. His leukemia scare was horrible, but it turned out to be a complex iron deficiency which we addressed holistically with great success. His lab work comes back within typical ranges now; he’s no longer neutropenic. His body can fight off pathogens with minimal interventions. I’m still so amazed by him and how TNI, a healthy diet, and

neurodevelopmental (brain-building) activities have all given him a beautiful chance at a life well-lived. He’s truly changed my world. With my work as a consultant, I’m able to educate and help other parents by realistically setting health goals while also encouraging them on this journey. I want to leave you with my letter of encouragement to new parents. Dear new parent,⁣ Feel all the feelings, the good ones, and the not so good ones. So much of the beginning of this journey can be fraught with hard feelings, but once you hold your babe you’ll be renewed. ⁣ I want you to hear this, Congratulations! Your baby with the extra chromosome that your heart trembled over, he or she will make your world more amazing than you ever thought possible! Someone once told me we are going through the grieving process when we get a diagnosis, but to keep moving through it, to the next step. At my lowest point in the early days, I would just listen to worship music, a few songs in particular, and cry, cry, cry, because I couldn’t bring myself to pray. I wouldn’t even talk to our closest friends, because I thought they wouldn’t have understood. I’ve come to terms with those painful days and putting walls up against God. Those emotions are gut-wrenchingly hard, and no mama should feel the weight of them daily. So I lay them at the cross. I still have many questions, but until we get to the other side of heaven, that’s where I’ll leave those feelings so I can be the best mom while I still have breath in me. I’m not perfect, I still come back to those places every once in a while but I try to remember to leave it at the feet of the cross and give myself grace on the days I can’t. ⁣ Most of your days won’t be like that. Most of your days will be amazing! Most of your days will be filled with so much love and joy and hope. They will be loved and love fiercely! They will bond with their siblings and friends in ways you can’t imagine! Your faith in humanity will be restored as you view life through the almond-shaped eyes of your baby. Their life will come to be an adventure you’ll be so grateful you have a front-row seat to. There’s nothing they can’t accomplish and if you let them, they just may change the world!

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Tips, Advice & Stories on

on Health

Dear readers, Thank you to the Sprigs team for this magazine! And also thanks to all you ladies willing to share your experiences. I learned from you. I'm not a big writing fan, so I've been pushing off writing. But my heart goes out to parents desperate for answers, because we've been those parents already and God sen people into our lives to help us find answers. We definitely haven't got all the answers, we're on a journey and we're still learning as we go. So bear with me, with me pushing it off, I got a pile up. We are blessed with 4 children, 2 girls (ages 11 and 1) and 2 boys (ages 9 and 4). Definitely a blessing from God! To a reader on page 66 in the April issue, you were wondering what to do for seizures. Our oldest son had a seizure around 5 1/2 years old. Very scary and devastating, we know! He also had 2 fever seizures as a baby. We really worked on his immune system and he didn't have another one until a little before his 6th birthday in December. He always had them as he was falling asleep. Then we were introduced to the ketogenic diet. I guess back before the drug companies were so prominent there was actually a hospital that worked with seizure patients using the ketogenic diet. Don't hold me on the statistics, but my husband think they had a 70% success rate. We were desperate and were eager to try it. We had friends that also had a son having seizures and were working with a dietician from Indianapolis, so they passed their knowledge onto us. We were very grateful for them! The last day before we started the diet he had 2 seizures in one day. We started the diet right around his birthday, the last of December. He didn't have any seizures until February and that was actually my fault. He was supposed to take

MCT oil 2 times a day. He wasn't too fond of it and it was easy to push it back. I didn't realize how important it was. (Don't take on empty stomach as it can cause nausea.) Anyway suddenly he has another seizure! I thought I was so strict already, only 30-35 carbohydrates a day. How shall I do any better? Then my husband asked "Are you giving the MCT oil?" Dear me! After that he didn't have another one. And that was over 3 1/2 years ago. They usually say it takes around 2 years for the brain to heal, but our son was on the diet around 3-3 1/2 years. This is how it's supposed to work: the combination of low carbs and high fat triggers ketones in you body, which actually heal your body. It's the same thing that happens when you do an extensive fast for healing. But you have to be very consistent to make it work. The fats are very important, because that's the source of their energy. I'd encourage you to work with a dietician. And I also tried to avoid artificial sugars which are 0 carb, but not good for you. I used mostly stevia with some erythritol. Xylitol is also ok to use. We gave him occasional Atkin's snacks (low carb) for a rare treat, or when the school was having a special treat. "Food For Life" and "Necessary Food" were very helpful.

It worked awhile for our friends, then their son started having seizures again. It ended up he had something abnormal on his brain. So I'm nit guaranteeing it to work for everyone, but it did work for us and we don't regret we did that instead of meds. It's not the best balanced diet and I wouldn't want to be on it very longterm, but it's great for a healing period. I supplemented with multivitamin, L-Carnitine and at one point I gave him AIM leaf greens. L-Carnitine is to help with fat digestion. Before you give up and say it doesn't work, buy some ReliON ketone test urine strips at Walmart and test your levels. it should be up to moderate, or that's a good level. Our whole family ate that way, but the rest of us cheated now and then of course and we didn't have any ketones show up on the test. So that shows you how strict it is. But don't give up right now! It is possible! And you can actually make very good food, it just takes a little adjusting of taste buds and cooking. The taste buds do change! We very slowly took him off the diet this past spring and summer supplementing with hemp oil to help with transition, and so far he's doing good. –Virginia

My dear friends at Sprigs, I feel like I'm writing to family with the closeness that I sometimes feel to you reading about your stories. A warm greeting of love to you all! I hope and pray you are all safe and well! I pray you are all steadfast in hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in this trying time. Let us stand up for what is right, dear Brethen, for we are conquerers through Jesus Christ who strengthens us! May God provide strength and wisdom for each day! Amen.

I'm a first time mom and the most important thing I've learned so far is - listen to your instincts! Your body is constantly sending signals and we ourselves know best how to respond to them. In labor I think that's most important, to relax and let your body do the work! (My water broke too early and I'm wondering if that could be from too many red raspberry products; teas & tinctures.) Also I was in preterm labor for a few days. But once I was dilated, baby miracle was born within 40-45 minutes.

I love getting my magazine in the mail! A wonderful gift each time! Useful, helpful and incredible information and remedies each time! Just exactly what I need for my growing family. Motherhood really is a challenge but it's also very rewarding. (Like a smile from a little one.) I feel that without the challenges that arise at times, we'd take our privileged journey for granted and never get stronger, grow wiser, and be more aware and thankful for our wonderful blessings that surround us each day.

For group B strep and yeast infection, my midwife put me on a probiotic diet. That took care of it. I did not use antibiotics when delivering and baby didn't get any infection. Sauerkraut is the best enzyme for yeast. Eat as raw as possible though - heat and freezing will kill some enzymes. Yeast is just an imbalance of bacteria. To stay balanced, eat two probiotics at a time - best on an empty stomach. Yogurt, kefir, and other fermented foods and drinks are also beneficial for milk

A few wondered what to do for bad breath in children. A few years ago I noticed that our children woke up every morning with terrible smelly breath and I started them on Kidscents Migthyzyme (a chewable kids' enzyme) and their bad breath disappeared.

sinus infections I am prone to every winter. I used to go for antibiotics several times a winter.

So many people write about allergies and asthma. I grew up that way. Allergies and occasional asthma were just a way of life and looking back now I know I took way too many painkillers for years just to try to feel normal. After being married for a couple of years and having a son with a bad skin rash I started learning about changing our diet a little but mostly removing all chemicals and toxins from our home. (Laundry soap, personal care products, etc.) So after I quit using toxic chemicals I realized I hardly ever got headaches anymore which were also an everyday struggle and soon my allergies and asthma were quite rare too. I also used what we call the allergy blend which is equal amounts of lavender, lemon and peppermint oil. Put in a diffuser or if you have a brand that's safe to take internally put in a capsule and swallow. For me the results were amazing but I also need to take something for my immune system all the time or I'll struggle more. –Ruth Fisher

Hello, I am a young mother of two children. I would like to tell what helps me with the frequent

Now I discovered that drinking a quart or 2 of strong tea (1/2 cup mullein and a few handfuls plantain leaves per 2 quarts water) at onset of symptoms clears up my sinus infections very soon. No antibiotics necessary. Due to oddly shaped sinuses, my infections get worse if I do rinses. But the tea works every time! Also, for our first child I took antibiotics for infections when I was pregnant. As a baby she had repeated diaper rashes. With our second pregnancy I drank mullein tea. Baby is 4 months old and never got a diaper rash. I think the first baby's rashes were connected to my frequent antibiotic use. –A mom in PA

I would like to share my experience for the lady asking about a very tight vagina/hymen. My mother did not have a painful experience after her marriage but she wisely wanted me to see our family doctor prior to my marriage to check that area. At that visit, my doctor saw that something was not right so she sent me to a gynecologist. The gynecologist seeing me discovered that I was born with an abnormal hymen. My deformity was known as a septate hymen, which is a thick band of skin down the middle of the opening, essentially creating two openings. I was able to have it surgically removed before our wedding day. My gynecologist said if I would have not discovered this prior to intimacy, more than likely I would have ended up in the ER on my first

supply and fussy babies. If food is not properly digested by mother - baby has to digest it with its sensitive stomach which takes 3 months to mature. I have also found probiotic enzymes help with anxiety! Our gut and mind truly are very closely connected. I'd very much like to hear more about the vagus nerve and digestive information. I could very well connect with that. Keep your chins up all you wonderful moms and know you are your babies' perfect mothers! God gave you all you need for everyday... "Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6. Prayers and all my love, –A mom in SD

time because of hemorrhaging. I would advise you (and any soon-to-be brides) to have your daughter see a trusted gynecologist rather than a family doctor as they have more experience and understanding of deformed hymens. They can also give you peace of mind that all is normal, which is most often the case! Another useful tool that my gynecologist recommended and I used is different sized dilators. –Mrs. S.

Hi there moms, Isn't it something how many experiences are in here. Some asking for advice to lose weight and others asking advice to not get so skinny! I am a mom of 2 girls and 1 boy ages 5, 3 and 1. Thought I should maybe write, what we experienced with our son. When he was 3 weeks old he got pneumonia and worked hard to breathe, was very sick and we tried a lot different things until the third day and no improvement. We called a guy that treats naturally. He checked him out and said he really has it in his lungs and said to put olive oil on our hand (size of a quarter) and drop 2 drops oregano oil on olive oil and rub it on his chest and rub his feet with vapor rub then wrap his feet in plastic wrap and put sock on. We did that an until the next day he was better and started having lots of mucus. Now I have a strong belief in oregano oil for colds etc. Also always treat with vapor rub for colds and flus. Take care all of you and may God bless all mothers. Thank you for this magazine. –Anonymous

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MOTHERHOOD Magazine

K idasck' S necipes R

Featuring Eva and Ellie, Sprigs Graphic Designer, Chelsea Rosario's, girls!

Coconut Oil Granola Bars 2/3 cups coconut oil (liquid form) 2/3 cups peanut butter 1/2 cups honey 2 cups oatmeal 2 cups extras (i.e. chocolate chips, chia seeds, coconut, nuts, sunflower seeds, etc.) Mix coconut oil, peanut butter and honey together. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. Press into 9X9 pan and refrigerate until hard. (Cut into bars and enjoy.) Store in fridge. This is our go-to snack.

–Kristin Keller

The toddler years are a great time to get your kids involved in the kitchen, and snack time is the perfect place to start! Your kids are more likely to eat snacks that they make. These snacks are a fun way to allow them to express their creativity and learn to enjoy healthy foods!

Here is a healthy recipe that we really like. Herb roasted chicken: 5 chicken thighs 1 onion, sliced 1 sweet potato, chunked 3 potatoes, chunked Sauce: 3/4 cups melted butter or olive oil 6 cloves garlic, crushed

Apple Donuts Ingredients 6 apples Toppings of your choice: Melted nut butter Milk chocolate (we used butterscotch morsels sweetened with stevia) Dye-free sprinkles (dyed with natural dyes like beet and turmeric) Unsweetened coconut Cinnamon Yogurt

1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

Optional Toppings Granola Cranberries/Raisins Nuts

3/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

Kitchen Tools: Apple coring tool or melon baller

3/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley Prep chicken and vegetables, arrange in 9x13 pan. Add spices to melted butter and blend. Pour over chicken and add vegeta-

Directions Preheat the oven to 400°. Cut each apple crosswise into eight thin rings, about ¼ inch thick. Remove apple core with an apple coring tool or melon baller. Decorate with ingredients. Leave the sprinkles for last.

Strawberry Bliss Balls Ingredients 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries 8 fresh dates 1 cup of oats ⅓ cup of shredded unsweetened coconut 1 tsp of cinnamon Directions Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend on medium for 10-20 seconds. Scrape down the sides and blend on medium until all ingredients are blended. Take a spoonful of the mixture and roll it into a ball. Roll each ball in the extra desiccated coconut. Repeat until all the mixture is used. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

bles. Bake covered at 350° for 45 minutes, uncover, and bake 45 minutes longer or until chicken is 165° and veggies are tender. This is is a simple, yet hearty one-dish meal. Enjoy!

Here is a quick and healthy meal: Baked oatmeal 1 cup brown sugar or 1/2 maple syrup 1/2 melted shortening or olive oil, coconut oil, butter 3 cups oatmeal 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 eggs Mix all together and bake at 350° until done. Let it stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with your favorite fruits and nuts.

A delicious chocolate cake recipe. 3 cups cooked, mashed beans, 10 eggs, 1/3 cup oil or butter, 1/2 cup cocoa, 1 teaspoon water, 1 teaspoon soda, 2 teaspoons B. powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 3/4 cups maple syrup or can use some stevia. Bake in 9 x 13.

–Mom of 5 lil' ones

Here's a baby food recipe that I like: cook about 3 apples and 1 sweet potato until soft. Blend. If you don't put too much water on it too cook it gets thick when you blend it. Add a few shakes of cinnamon and there's your baby food with no thickener or sweetener. –A mother of a 7 year old, 6 year old, 3 year old and a 14 month old

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MOTHERHOOD by Sprigs

Health Inherited by Dr. Adrian Bachman, DC, MS Health Inherited

$1699 SKU830600

You might think certain illnesses run in your family, but what if vibrant, excellent health could run in your family instead? If you are one of the many parents who are tired of your children always having a runny nose and getting sick, this book is for you. In a world where our children’s chances of developing cancer, becoming obese, or relying on prescription drugs is almost 100%, Dr. Bachman teaches you how to give your children one of the greatest gifts you can give them, good health. In this book, Dr. Bachman shares personal tips and tricks he and his wife use to help their 6 children learn to love to eat fruits and vegetables and avoid sugar. This is not a diet guide to losing weight or a temporary fix to a health problem; this book is designed to be a convenient and practical guide to understanding the root cause of disease and what we can do about it. Understanding the concepts in this book could save you and your children years of unnecessary pain, suffering, and cost caused by disease. This book is a must-have for raising a healthy family and the perfect gift for friends and family.

Doctor Adrian Bachman is a Doctor of Chiropractic with a Masters in Nutrition.

Today our health is under attack from every angle. Serious diseases such as childhood cancer, diabetes, ADHD, allergies, and constant sickness are rising. Mainstream medicine offers almost no solutions other than drugs and their many side effects. In this book, Dr. Bachman shares how the food we eat is the secret to creating health for you and your family. His advice is practical, timely, and crucial. Over the last couple of years, I have had the opportunity to get to know Dr. Bachman and his family. He understands the lifestyle and challenges of large families and diet within the plain communities and has created an incredible resource to help you on your journey. If you love the Sprigs Magazine and Motherhood Magazine, you will love this book. Please preorder not only for yourself but also for friends and family. Give the gift of health.

JONATHAN LAUDON

To place your order, call 1-888-990-7763 or write to: Sprigs Orders, P.O. Box 387, Millersburg, OH 44654

Q&A

Hello Lily, thank you for your letter! I am sorry you have suffered from a similar condition as I have. It’s a tough thing to deal with day in and day out. I will tell you what has helped me the most. It’s a protocol called “kill, bind sweat” that I learned about from a doctor name Dr. Jessica Peatross. Before beginning this protocol, I took a supplement called GastroMend HP for 14 days under my doctor’s orders, to calm and soothe inflammation and promote healing of the GI tract. GastroMend HP is only available through a doctor, but the ingredients in it are: vitamin C, deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL), mastic gum, Methylmethionine Sulfonium Chloride ("Vitamin U”), and Zinc Carnosine. After this, for about 10 days in a row, I took a supplement called Microbiome Master (created by Dr. Jessica Peatross and available only on the website nupeuticshealth.com), two with breakfast and two with dinner. This is the “kill” part of the protocol that kills off unhealthy bacteria and parasites. Microbiome Master’s ingredients are: black walnut hull, oregano leaf, reishi mushroom, pau d’arco bark, uva ursi, echinacea, wormwood, cinnamon bark, and allicin garlic. To help the unhealthy bacteria that has just been killed exit the body, I took a binder one hour after taking Microbiome Master (activated charcoal is what I used as a binder, although there are a variety of binders and it is best to rotate them now and then). Do not take a binder with a meal, because it will prevent your body from absorbing nutrients. Wait at least one hour after eating to take a binder. At some point in the day after taking the binder, I worked up a good sweat, whether by exercising when I felt healthy enough for it, or by drawing a very hot bath and staying in the water until I sweat. Sweating helps unhealthy bacteria and other toxins leave the body. About every 2-3 months, I repeat this protocol. I always like to use digestive bitters before meals to make digestion easier. I do not generally experience any uncomfortable gut symptoms during these 2-3 months that I take a break from the supplements, as long as I eat a good healthy diet. I will eventually try to wait 6 months between doing this protocol when my body is ready for that. The reason for this is that the unhealthy bacteria can grow back over time and I want to maintain the progress I have made with my health. I hope this letter finds you well and helps you unravel the mystery of your gut health issues. Please write back to the Sprigs address any time with questions or to let me know that you are feeling better.

Thank you,

Gina

Gina Hackbarth Motherhood Magazine

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MOm-to-mom Family

Hello readers,

Mom Mom FAMILY

Dear friends, Thank you for this magazine! I saw that someone wondered what to do for poison ivy while pregnant. This summer I had a bad case of it when my whole leg was swollen to nearly double its size. I was advised to take Intenzyme Forte. This is an enzyme that is supposed to work instantly. I was recommended to take approximately 25 tablets to begin with and then 6-8 tablets every half an hour for a day or more. They should be taken on an empty stomach. This seemed to help me.

Mom Mom –Another mom

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I just wanted to comment on the question about whether it's necessary to peel back the foreskin on an uncircumcised little one. I would say definitely. We have an uncle whose skin closed off (grew together) at the age of 3. He needed to do surgery to do circumcision. He says he can still feel the pain or remember the horrible pain. Wouldn't want anyone to go through that. We circumcised all our boys. My husband says he'd still do a circumcision if it wouldn't mean taking time off work. He doesn't thank his parents for not doing it. –Concerned

Dear friends, First of all a big thank you for this precious magazine. I loved reading this and my husband reads some too. This morning he teased me where his Motherhood is at (he meant his Golden Days). Lots of good advice in here, so many good ones I don't know which one to use first. I also have some questions. What causes

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tingly/numb feeling throughout the body mostly in arms, legs and head? It happens when I fall asleep at nights. I suddenly wake up and feel like that (last night it happened again). I can't go to sleep for some time then and also feel like I need to go to the bathroom and do number 2. It's not a nice feeling. Some say it's pinched nerves. Any advice will be welcomed. And what about cranky/crabby children after you just got finished worming them good? Keep up the good work! –A blessed mom

Thanks everyone for the helpful tips! To the lady with the bad rash on her hands - what you described sounds like what my husband had a few years ago. When he finally went to the doctor he took one look and said it's eczema and prescribed an expensive cream. We actually didn't use the cream much although it did help. One thing we found that works is a thyme based treatment. That along with a natural lotion to keep the hands from drying out. Another thing the doctor told us that will make it worse is washing hands often, doing

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dishes, or anything that your hands are wet a lot, and he recommended wearing gloves for those jobs. Now when my husband starts getting these itchy bumps on his hands he uses the thyme supplement and lots of lotion and they soon disappear. We have also got great results using it for athlete's foot! –A blessed wife and mom

A hello to all! Thank you Laudons and who all else is involved in making this very informational magazine happen. I don't have a lot of experience to share but thought I could answer some questions - if it's any help. First of all - the CBD oil. I was told not to just take any CBD oil and not just any strength. You need to be careful on the strength for dosage - it's not all the same too much of a good thing is not good either. Educate yourself before taking it. For asthma - what causes the tightness - is your son's bedroom musty, moldy or dirty? Does anyone get poison ivy? Heard the blue dish soap works to wash off the oil - never tried it though. I'm excited to see birth announcements to be published. I like names. To all you ladies out there keep on keeping on. God is in control of our lives if we let him. God bless!

But if you really wish to stop this all, try openly and heartily asking God to show you if it's wrong. You may wish to read Gripped by a Dark Hand. I wish I could tell you who wrote it and where to get it. I don't own one myself but had borrowed one once. It's very eye-opening. But maybe someone can point out that pain drawing is a gift from God? May we all seek God's guidance and keep the ears of our heart open and willing to His guidance. –A mother

Dear Sprigs, Thank you so much for this wonderful magazine. I love it! To the lady wondering what to do for her husband's closed ears. If it seems like a wax issue try putting in an earwax removal for a few days. Then use a pain relieving gel and rub it all around the ear on the outside and put cotton in the ear. It's amazing what all comes out. Now for my question: I suffer from severe seasonal allergies, plus year around I also have the sniffles and I get sinus infection easily. I have tried numerous things; probiotics, *** [A super foods supplement that support immunity and energy], herbal stuff, over the counter allergy medications, honey/vinegar... To no avail. It seems like a deeper issue and I don't know what to do anymore. My head is loaded with mucus. I'm pregnant and it only seems worse. So please help! I would so like to get to the root of this and go tissue free! Thanks in advance. God bless. –Anonymous

Hello everyone,

The one mother wondered what to do for a child's sticky eye. Put a very small amount of Triple Antibiotic on the tip of your finger and starting on the bottom outside edge of the eye rub in toward the tear duct. A lot of mucus may ooze out but that's what you want/ Just be careful and not irritate the eye. And to the mother on page 30 whose husband can draw in pain. Have you earnestly prayed about the matter? My husband considers pain drawing witch craft. There is much controversy on this matter and I do not wish to stir things up.

To the one that said horses and cows eat their placenta? Did you ever see them eat it? Our horses don't eat theirs. I've seen them bury it and about 3-4 days later I noticed it was still there. Maybe they don't all do the same. One of our friends told us if your baby is teething very hard give them green onion and chamomile tea. We didn't do it for ours but he said they did it for theirs and they popped right out of their fever and fussiness and their teeth cut through. Now for some questions of my own. We raise our own garden and I'd love to make my own carrots and beets. Can anyone tell me what would be the best way to preserve them? (We don't have electricity or freezers of any kind.) Is there a way I could dry them and make a powder? What vegetable or herbs I eat that are high in fiber? How do I get carrot and beet to make seed that I can save to grow next year? I would also like recipes of fabric softener, shampoo, dish soap, etc...

What is wrong if someone can't drink water out of a glass with their head tipped back? He always has to put his head down to swallow. Let's not forget to thank our Lord daily, His will be done, no matter what we do... P.S. I used spikenard the last 6 weeks and had no problem delivering the placenta..." –A mom to a year old boy

–A mother

There were a few questions in the July issue I thought I could maybe help on.

and the spots healed up. Or maybe you need to clean your liver.

Thanks everyone for your information and thanks Nancy for your hard work and free magazine. To the mom wondering about stevia: stevia is an artery cleaner. So common sense tells me it would be hard on your arteries to use it on a regular basis. It would be about like if you have a dirty bowl or something and kept scrubbing it after it was clean, eventually it would weaken or wear a hole in it. Right. Stevia is a herb, not a food! We use raw sugar and try to ration it... To the one with sore and itchy spots that won't go away. We used black walnut tincture after lots of other things failed and in about 3-4 days the itchiness was gone

For children and babies that do not sleep well. I can feel for you. My first baby woke every hour on average for 18 months. I was exhausted as by that time I was full-term pregnant again. We did MRA testing in Florida and he instantly improved. (In case you wonder, my new baby slept much, much better, thanks to God!) I would also highly recommend this for hyper children or those that are very strong-willed and fights and cries a lot. Yes, they are human and need discipline but acting out can be a reaction to not feeling well. We moms get snappy and grouchy when we don't feel well don't we? Children do too. Someone mentioned that their 4 and 5 1/2 year olds still sleep with them! Be careful though. They do need to grow up and you

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MOm-to-mom Mama & Baby

to read and play with them! My children love when I set the timer and play with them for 10 minutes. In the evening we all pick up as fast as we can so we can have a story before daddy comes for devotions. Sometimes it helps to break it into smaller jobs: ""Stack up all the books."" ""Now pick up anything with wheels."" Or whisper the next little job in their ears. To help keep mama happy till bedtime, take nap when the little ones do! My grandma used to say, ""A mother owes her family a nap."" I like to have these toilet bombs on hand for when the children are helping to clean:

What causes cracked heels and what can be done for it?

Dear moms,

Homemade Toiled Bombs

I wanted to respond to the one who asked about torticollis. Our second daughter was cured with therapy. I would go on doing therapy and massage the tight muscle. She's 9 years old now and totally fine. We never used any sore muscle creams or anything. Love this magazine!

1 cup baking soda

Hello, a quick note while the children are napping, I would much rather be catching up my work, but I just keep having these thoughts and thought I would put it on paper once and see what happens from there.

want them to grow up pure. It's ok to know that daddy loves mom, of course, but be really careful what your children observe. They will see more than you might imagine. Use grapefruit seed extract on itchy, oozy and scaly scalp." –Anonymous

–An Ohio mom

1/4 cup citric acid 1 tablespoon dish soap Mix well. Press into ice cube tray. Expansion is normal. Allow to dry at least 4 hours. Store in airtight container. When ready to use, simply drop in toilet and watch it fizz!

Hello! Thanks for such an interesting magazine! I keep a pen handy to mark the things that interest me. Sometime I want to type them up and put similar subjects together into categories. Just a suggestion: could you provide an email address for those of us who would prefer to email? Our daughter had ringworm on her scalp recently, and I thought I'd share what we learned. I first discovered it when a patch of hair fell out, leaving a bald spot with some crusty stuff around it. Here are some things to try. Directly to the ringworm apply tea tree oil, black walnut extract, garlic juice, orally take 400 IU vitamin E daily and 3 drops of garlic juice 3 times a day. Treat for 4-6 weeks and for at least a week after you think it's gone, making sure to cover the area well including on the healthy skin around it to prevent spreading. The doctor told us you can't kill the fungus, just make it unfavorable for it to grow in which is why it needs to be treated so long. It grows on the dead skin cells and new skin without fungus has to grow. So, I also washed her hair every night and rinsed it with vinegar which is also supposed to help. For church I usually just put coconut oil on. I did start using a fungal cream too as I really didn't want more hair to fall out! At another place on the body, I would have just tried natural things. It felt like we were always putting something on, but it worked! Our children are small only once. Take time

Can anyone tell me how to make dryer sheets, preferably reusable? When baking with whole wheat flour add an extra egg to help it rise better. Substitute 1/4-1/2 cup of honey or maple syrup to 1 cup of sugar. Usually you can also cut back on the sugar quite a bit. Less is better! For muscle separation after pregnancy, my midwife told me to do this exercise. Lay on your back on the floor with knees up and feet flat. With your arms and fingers outstretched reach toward your knees, not quite touching them, as you raise your head and shoulders off the floor. Do 80 of these 3 days a week. What causes a baby to spit up so much? A puddle on the floor is not unusual. It's not that the baby is fussy. Cutting tomatoes out of my diet helped. What are some natural things that really work for ADD in both adults and children? Nancy, way to go on your decision to homeschool! That is all I ever knew as a girl, and now we have a first grader at home too. It's such a joy to teach them how to read and know, ""I taught her with God's help!"" For quick and healthy toddler snacks, try cold cooked veggies instead of raw such as baby carrots, hard boiled eggs, yogurt, or homemade sourdough crackers.

For low iron levels that don't respond to iron supplements, have you tried taking trace minerals? Sometimes the body cannot absorb iron when low in other minerals. –Blessed to be a mom

Dear Sprigs,

To the lady who wondered about birth control and where to read in the bible that we shouldn't if you ever find some answers, share it with us in Motherhood! I'd like to know myself. All I know is that the day we got married our bishop told us to let the children come as they will and not to do anything to stop them. And I guess for now that's all we need to know! I truly do believe this is the way it should be. Our God has a great plan for us all! I already heard say that if you stop the children from coming you will some day see the hands and feet of children you were supposed to have! But I have no idea if it holds water or not. I think if God provides you with all these babies He would surely provide the help for you to take care of them. Why not get a girl to help you? Is none available? Or can't you afford it? Ask God what you should do! Maybe he has the perfect helper ready for you. You just didn't ask yet? I'm sure someway somehow He will provide help for you. It's probably not His will either that your babies don't get the attention they need. I always think children are not just our children, but God's too. I often wish I could take enough time to treat them as if they were God's own children! Surely if there is a will there is a way! Or to you older moms, where are your older girls today? At home? Working out? Is it because you need the money, or is it because they just want to? Couldn't you spare some help to these struggling mothers? Surely God would bless you if you could send a girl to help the young mother down the road who has 3 babies in her lap! Search your hearts - do your daughters really need that job?

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To the young girls - girls, wake up! Now is your time to shine! You have so few responsibilities. Now is the time to help that lady next door. Now is the time to help mothers with young children go! Go and learn what it takes to be a mom and wife. Go before you take that step yourself. Make sure that's what you really want before you take that step yourself. Make sure that's what you really want before you even start dating! Bake a bucket cookies for that mother who is at home everyday caring for her 2 or 3 babies. Lend a hand and do her washing, or cleaning, or canning. God would surely bless you richly! And mothers - please be thankful, respectful, unselfish, kind, loving to these angels God sent! Be cheerful, make it pleasant for them, don't give them just your unpleasant jobs, let them do things they enjoy too! Out of love, –A mom in Ohio

Hello friends, Because mothering is like sowing seeds, you often don't see the fruits right away. There are no guarantees, either. But if you do

your best, relying on God for wisdom and strength, there's a good chance that your day to see wonderful fruit will come. A question:

is black walnut tincture safe to use for sensitive teeth even while nursing? Thanks for the birth announcements! Interesting! Would you consider adding the birthdate? Thanks for all your efforts to publish this magazine! –A blessed mom of 2 little girls

Dear friends, Thanks to everyone for this free magazine! And also to the ones who take time to write. I don't mind the advertisements. Blackstrap molasses helps for the croup. For a baby mix 1 spoon of molasses to 2 spoons of warm water and give it to them on a pacifier. For children mix some in a glass with warm water. For adults for a cold put 5 drops each of

RC, lemon, peppermint and eucalyptus in 1 cup with hot water. Breathe it in and once it cools off a bit use a straw to drink so it doesn't burn your eyes. –A friend

Dear friends at Sprigs, Greetings on a warm summer day. I simply love the Motherhood magazine. I could just neglect my work if it is called Motherhood magazine but one thing I'd still like to know is how often a year it comes and what month they are due. Maybe I just missed reading it somewhere? Oh it is so interesting to hear about other women. I also really like all the advises. Maybe I got a few. For fever I like to rub Lobelia on the forehead and on the back of the head, neck, shoulders, spine and bottom of feet. You can also give some lobelia by mouth or a diffuser. Also put onion slices on bottom of feet. Also you can bathe your child with vinegar water (not too warm). Usually that works for me. Herbal Calcium is good for growing pains, helps babies teethe easier, sore joints, muscles, gums and helps with hurting teeth and cramps, helps to relax, sleep better at night, crowded and rotten teeth. I like to make my own with the recipe that was in a magazine here lately. For nervous children I like to

MOm-to-mom Mama & Baby

give them hemp oil but might not work for others. A question. I wonder what to do to keep your monthly cycles from coming every 2-3 months while nursing? I am using special female pills and drinking fenugreek tea. I also don't have enough milk. I have already used a lot different things. Everything just helped a little. Could it be my thyroid? Just wondering! Thanks for sending these magazines out for free! –Kentucky

Dear friends, Greetings to all who read this and thanks to everyone that makes this magazine possible and so interesting. I really enjoy it. Now I have a few questions.

What is the cause of hair growing under the skin? And what can you do to prevent it? It gets sore and feels like a sliver. It mostly happens on the bottom of the feet. And how do you know if you are ovulating or not? Love to all, –A reader who loves Motherhood magazine

Dear friends, I enjoy this magazine. Keep up the good work! Is there anything I can spray on broccoli and cabbage for worms and bugs that's not harmful for us? Also would like to hear from others who have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). What worked for you? For fussy babies try chamomile tea. Make it very warm! If you nurse your baby do it after you've fed them and they start fussing. It really calms them down and they usually fall asleep. Does wonders for my baby as she has lots of gas.

Also on taking *** [A super foods supplement that support immunity and energy]. Should I still be taking a multivitamin and what about enzymes? –Another mom still learning

Dear Mom-to-Mom readers and writers, So many questions in the July issue! But I'm glad to see people searching for answers and getting them! It gives me hope to see there may be help for bothersome problems, although it often takes effort, too. Quite a few of you asked about ear pain, ringing or closed ears in adults. If you want a free remedy, try reflexology. Your 2 smallest fingers and toes on each hand and foot contain reflexes to the ears. You will likely find them quite tender. Massage them all over - from the tip to the roots where they are fastened to your hands and feet. Also massage the spot directly in front of your ears where there is a dent and in back of your earlobe. You can also press, roll, tap and pull out your ear. Do all this several times a day until your symptoms vanish. Often you will find tight, sore muscles in your jaw and sides and back of neck. Use lavender oil or even just coconut oil and give yourself a good deep rubbing! While we're on the subject of a tight neck let me inform you, sometimes an atlas can be put in place at home! Or maybe I am mistaken on what the atlas actually is? Our huge dictionary says it's the top vertebrae of the spinal column, holding up the head. Anyway, sometimes I get this odd, irritating headache up the back of my head and feels like it needs adjusting where my head is fastened to my neck. If I look in the mirror, I see one ear is higher than the other. They should be leveled. So instead of enduring days of pain before I can get to an atlas doctor I fix it myself! I just rub downward under the ear that's highest and upward under the lowest ear. I try to completely relax while doing it. (Usually standing with my eyes closed.) If it doesn't straighten out right away, I use lavender oil so my fingers slide easier and to relax the muscles. I also massage my neck, sides and back, up to the spot (dent) just under the skull and press in. Also there's 2 spots on each side in back of head where neck is fastened and muscles there are often tight. Just last week I did all this. It had been quite a while since I last needed to. When I went to bed my ears were finally leveled, but my head still didn't feel good. But in the morning I had slept the pain all away and had no more trouble! Now if someone's atlas was out of place for a long time already, it may not work. I'd

advise you to go to an atlas doctor! As my sister's ears were also noticeably out of line and I gave her 3 massages with oil one day and by evening it looked just same, although she said it feels like I lubricated her gears! Her head could turn easier. Different things can cause an atlas to go out of place. Tight muscles which can come from as simple a thing as writing or reading while not relaxed, thinking, ""I really should get back to work!"". Or turning around sharply to look over your shoulder while driving in a buggy. (Turn gently and rotate your body, too. Keep neck muscles massaged and loose.) One lady discovered hers gets out of place when kneeling for morning or evening prayer! She pressed her forehead too hard on the back of her chair. Mine got out of place once when I really pushed myself to get a pair of pants sewn before going away the next day. Plan ahead for less stress! (Later) I discovered our 21 month old son's ears aren't lined up. I used oil on him, yet he really cried every time I massaged the area. But by the next day his ears appeared leveled. My husband confirms the story! Our other 3 children's ears are leveled up, as far as I can tell. Several also mentioned thyroid problems. Reflexology can help that too, along with other remedies. Foot reflexology charts don't all agree on where the thyroid reflex is located! One says it's just under the foot pad (dig deep; may need a pencil with hard eraser on) others say it's on the neck of the big toe, which makes sense, as our thyroid is located in our neck (front of neck) which can also be massaged. For asthma, find the spot where your collarbones form a V. Press here for quick relief (not hard enough to bruise it). Also around 2 inches under this spot is another reflex for asthma. On the back are more reflexes. The first 2 are on either side of the spine even with the shoulders. The next 3 sets of reflex points are along the shoulder blades (not on the shoulder blades). Press deeply both sides at the same time. According to Mildred Carter, Reflexologist, the adrenals are at fault, if you have asthma trouble. Adrenal reflexes are found as little caps on top of the kidneys in the center of the feet and hands. (To the Sprigs team, please, didn't you make a few mistakes on your foot reflexology chart? All my other charts say number 27 is the kidneys, number 28 is the ureters (tubes) leading to the bladder, and 26 is adrenals. Right?) There's some more that were new to me, but the above seemed a clean mistake. So, massage the adrenals (and kidneys, to flush out toxins) and last of all, see if you can find a sore spot on your thumb and big toe. The pituitary is called the master gland. It's

located in the brain and sends messages to the other glands to get moving! To the mom of 2 who wondered what to do for a 1 1/2 year old who fights sleep, especially at noon. Is he/she really tired? I know how that is, especially just after weaning, or when away. I also think it's worse for the first child (when away) as they're not used to noise at nap-time. But if they're at home, have been weaned for awhile (or even still breastfeeding) and you know they're tired, there's a simple thing to do to cut out all that stressful wasted nap-time for you. Make sure her diaper is dry and she's not thirsty. (One little drink is enough.) Then lay her in her crib and pat her back and kindly but firmly tell her to go to sleep. Then go to your work, or lay down yourself. It's so handy to lay your baby in the crib when he gets sleepy and several minutes later he's sleeping! I can send our 4 children to bed for naps and take a good one myself. Then if they're not sleepy, they can rest or play quietly in a corner so as not to disturb someone else. To the person who submitted a liquid laundry soap without lye, did you know Fels Naptha soap still has lye in it? Lye has different names. One is saponified oils. I too at one time wished for a lye-free soap, but found out there's no such thing. Some are, of course, milder than others. Prove me wrong on this someone! Some quick, healthy, soft snacks for toddlers: yogurt, applesauce, soft fresh or canned fruits, oatmeal cookies with very little sugar, green smoothies or protein drinks. For tangled hair, the reason peanut butter works is because it contains oils. Coconut oil is a great hair conditioner, or even baby oil works, if you prefer that. Just put some on your finger, rub on your brush and see the tangles straighten out! Don't use enough to make your hair oily, just manageable. You might have to repeat several times. To the mom who gets uptight and nervous and had fussy babies. Do you have blood type A? As need to keep a watch on how well they're handling stress. Take a walk, take deep, calming breaths and take valerian if needed. Spend time with God, and let your husband help if you're overwhelmed. I'm type A, too, and feel unworthy how content my babies are. Prenatal care and good cranial treatments while they're tiny helps a lot. To God be the glory for all good things! Someone wanted information on making lobelia tincture to use for massaging. A glycerin extract has only 2 ingredients; lobelia and glycerin (to cover). Shake every day for 6 weeks, then press out every drop

of liquid and use! If you wanted an alcohol based tincture, I'm not sure do they use water too, or just vodka? Severe pain down the back of the legs, sounds like sciatic pains. Especially in the last trimester of pregnancy, baby may be pressing on a nerve, shutting off circulation, if I understand correctly. Thumbs up to the lady who makes her own sanitary pads. As a girl, I used to wash them out and re-use but now I just throw them away after using. I have used worn out white socks, diapers and white T-shirts or a worn out white slip - any white rags work - if they're clean! I use a laundry soap that's free of perfumes and dyes and never have problems with irritation. When I go away I use store bought pads with a thin homemade one on top. Sometimes I put several layers of toilet paper on top and change it if I need to feel fresher. I think those boughten pads feel so yucky. To strengthen a leaky bladder, do Kegel exercises. Also try pressing on the kidney reflexes in the center of feet and near the center of your hands. Bladder reflex is located on the inside edge of your foot near the heel. To the one who took 10 iron pills a day and her body seemingly couldn't absorb it, was it herbal iron? Probably no. I would try liquid herbal iron. Also take alfalfa and blackstrap molasses. Dried beans and raisins are also high in iron. Someone wrote that you shouldn't take calcium and iron supplements at the same time, as they hinder each other's absorption. What about blackstrap, which contains calcium and iron both? Many other foods do too! Was this advice only for non-herbal or non-plant based calciums and irons? To the lady who wrote Consider Why Onan Died - Gen. 39:9. It was not because he didn't want children. It says he knew that the offspring would not be his, but his brother's (who had died). It was because of disrespect for his brother, his wife, and for the Lord, who had given this law to the Israelites (if a man dies without children, then his brother shall marry his widow and their first child shall be called the first man's child). Read Deut. 25:5-10. That is why God killed him. It seems to me Onan was selfish and rebellious and thoughtless. He wanted a wife, but not children, just because the first one would not be considered his own. (So maybe you're right after all!) He wasted his seed on the ground (but it was not an attempt to space their children, rather a refusal to have any). So that's quite a difference, right? About cleanliness in uncircumcised boys. I

am of the opinion that it's not necessary to peel back the foreskin when bathing. I never did for our 3 little boys and they've never gotten infections. Am looking forward to hearing what others say about this, as I've heard and read about it both ways. To the mom of 3 who wanted to know what to do or take to prevent pre-term labor. I wonder what would happen if you'd go on bed-rest, take false unicorn, magnesium, protein and lots of water. For me, I did that for a week and when midwife checked me, she said my cervix has not effaced any more (had been 80%) and maybe is less. Also my contractions had completely stopped by then. Of course being in bed for a week makes one weak! So I couldn't just get up and work hard! It took patience to do it that way, but such a rewarding feeling to not need a hospital and baby was born full term with no preemie complications. This was the story for our last 2. Now this time I had contractions already at the end of 3 months! But I blame it on taking too much goldenseal (I hadn't known that can cause miscarriages) and also I was just starting foot reflexology and over-did it under my inside ankles (uterus area). So be aware ladies! If you must massage that area while expecting, do it very lightly, only 1 or 2 seconds at a time, and wait several days before doing it again, if you must. I read how some of you need progesterone (cream, shots, or pills) to carry full-term. I thought maybe I should too, so I don't need to take so much care. But now I see mom of 3 took shots every week and still went early! To a mom of 5 who asks ""Is it a Christian thing to try and prevent a pregnancy?"" My midwife has an old book with a story of a woman who asked her pastor a similar question. He answered ""Why not try some old fashioned restraint?"" This is not only for the husband but also for the wife. When you know you are likely fertile (from 10-16 days after your period) then simply restrain yourselves! Of course you need to be agreed on this. If the husband feels it's wrong period! Then carefully submit to his wishes and trust God. You will probably be one of those ladies I greatly admire! I'm looking for an enzyme that helps digest fats. I'd prefer a brand that's not too expensive yet still works... I have a problem of having small babies and I myself don't gain enough weight during pregnancy, even though I'm only 107-119lb. at the start. I think I eat a lot... So I'd appreciate any help you could give me. It seems supplementing with protein is not enough, or should I take a double dose? –A mom who writes too much

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course the best, especially if it's produced on your own farm. Lots of worthwhile tips in the magazine!

or the bottle and to start to sleep in their own bed even to start eating by themselves with a spoon. We had great results, full moon can do a lot. Wishing you luck.

P.S. Here is the natural alternative to Rhogam shots:

–A mother

Months 1-6: vitamin c with bioflavonoids or vitamin B complex 1 tablet 3 times a day. Also grape seed extract (pycnogenol) 1 tablet 3 times a day.

To the one with the recipe for mother's milk tea, are you sure it's good to put peppermint in? I always thought that dries out milk.

Hello ladies,

Months 6-9: Use the above 2 tablets 3 times a day plus take 2 red beet capsules 3 times a day, vivi bitters; 10-15 drops before each meal, saffron tea; 1/2 teaspoon to 1 cup boiling water 2-3 times a week then the last 2 weeks use 1 cup tea daily.

I have a couple of things I'd like to comment on.

Now for my questions to the ""another mom"" on pages 41 & 42. Where did you get your iodine pills and what kind of liquid did you take, who was your natural herb doctor and what is his phone number? I have thyroid problems too as the symptoms sound like me and it's no fun. I also have a problem with tangled hair after a new baby. Since the arrival of our 9th baby I get such sore, tired feet that if I sit down to feed the baby by the time I want to get up I can barely walk, but once I'm going I don't feel it anymore, it's worse on busy days, what is wrong? She's almost 6 months.

Also eat lots of dark leafy greens and anything to keep your body systems in great condition. A good prenatal will contain at least some of the above.

Dear friends, I read a few things in the July issue that I wished to comment on.

Thank you Laudons for a wonderful magazine. I love it! Also the advertisements are interesting too!

#1 I don't think you have immodest dress at all, and I like looking at the pictures. Keep it up. #2 Read Timothy 4 verse 3-4-5 on eating meats. For every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving. I also understand some are sick and need a special diet but let's not judge others who can and do eat meats and sugars and use Tylenol etc.

First, on page 24, one mother wrote how she gives her child Amoxicillin only until she gets better and then she quits. I want to tell all you mothers out there: don't ever do that! I was taught that you must take a full dose for the full recommended time (10 days) or you don't take any at all. If you don't do it right, you're asking for trouble, because that makes your body become immune to the Amoxicillin. I read an article on it once and I can't remember for sure if that would also make you immune to other drugs or not but I imagine it could, especially if you'd have to go on and take estrogen drugs, because the Amoxicillin doesn't work simply because you didn't do it right. Someday you might be between a rock and a hard place and have no choice except to change drugs and then what would you do if your body were drug resistant? I believe the article also said a person can pass that immunity along to other people, so it's definitely not worth the risk.

To the lady who commented on the 17 1/2 year old that had a baby. Please don't judge her. She is human and we all make mistakes. She may have turned her life around. Who knows... I don't believe in sex before marriage but...

And to the lady who is worried about the milk being loaded with antibiotics and hormones. I am not the mother who wrote the other time, but my dander?... was raised a bit and I thought I'd reply anyway. We milk goats and I know for a fact what would happen if we'd happen to send the last bit of milk with antibiotics. We'd be left with a semi-load of milk to pay and our bank account would be more than drained! And as far as I know hormones were outlawed a few years ago. But after all, whole raw milk is of

For the ""another mom"", for your tickly cough, maybe a parasite cleanse would help. And for the dear 2 year old that wakes up and comes to your bedroom, he probably feels unprotected and needs your closeness and love, if you have room in your bedroom I'd move his bed in, once he's a teenager and you want to draw him close to you it might be hard, just my way of thinking, do as you want.

Here is something that works very well for us when my boys get very tight and have RSV. Put garlic salve on bottom of feet and chest and back. It works wonders. For a cough I've heard to hang a rag soaked in apple cider vinegar over crib rail and dampen pillow (not soak it as it can suffocate them). Take time out for your children. They are gifts from God! –A blessed mom of 2 lil' boys

Dear friends,

And to potty train, start at full moon, that also works great to wean them from nursing

And I have one more problem, I used to be snore free, now I snore so terribly my husband says I stop breathing and hold my breath way too long and one time I woke up to an alarming sound that I made and my throat hurt really bad like I started with severe sore throat, it was bad enough it lasted a couple of days, it just seemed like I was almost gone (if that's how you word it) then I blew out air or however.

What is the cause of heavy snoring? And is there something to do for it? Hoping for some answers. To the Laudons, thank you so much for coming up with such a good idea as a Motherhood magazine, something we mothers all need, we are here to help each other... I have written enough, but could go on... –Just another mom

"To the ladies of Motherhood, First of all let's remember to give God all honor and glory for the ability to read and comprehend, to understand why health is important and for providing products to use safely when sick. Was wondering if anyone has something to give a 2 1/2 year old for pain if he's been in hospital to have his appendix removed. Was using an over the counter pain reliever, but was wondering is there would also be something safer. Thanks for everyone's efforts. –L.K. Ohio

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On vaccines, to each their own, but I kind of wonder what would happen if no one did? Years ago, there would be epidemics going through, like polio, scarlet fever, german measles, etc... And back then they would lose several of their children in a week or a days time. I'm sure back then they ate healthier than 70% of the people nowadays, also they didn't travel so much especially to other countries as people do now. Those epidemics mostly stopped when the vaccines came in. Just something to consider.

The Dangers of the Recommended Vaccine Schedule & the Importance of Informed Consent STORY BY BETH TROYER

–Another reader thankful to be getting Motherhood

About vaccines, I would encourage you to read about vaccines in Be Your Child's Pediatrician by Rachel Weaver. Wanted to write a bit on vaccines. Please, mamas, don't just take the doctors' word for it - please study into it! The corruption of the pharmaceutical world is unreal! Here is a number 641-715-3800 access code 170115# to call for a lot of very informative information on the Christians' place in these scary times. We feel it is necessary to be aware, but to remember we have a Great God over us still and in these changing times He is still the same and always will be. Our best protection is fervent prayer for us and our precious little ones. Wishing all you dear ladies the best always. Thanks Sprigs for all your hard work for this great place to share care! –Another blessed mother

Hello readers, Wanted to comment on the questions and answers about vaccines. I was glad someone wrote to warn us they use embryos in some of them as I'd heard of that and surely that goes against our beliefs. Also, with the world as it is, can we trust doctors not to put a computer chip (mark of the beast, Revelations 13-14) in our children? I think if anyone ever tells me I must give my children vaccines, I would really fight it. One mother wrote since she lives in NY they can't send their children to school unless they're vaccinated. I assume that would be public schools as we have parochial schools to

Beth Troyer is a recently retired RN, happily married wife, and mama to two rambunctious boys. She is passionate about health and medical freedom and on a mission to empower mothers with knowledge and confidence in their own God-given intuition.

Where does one even start when talking of vaccines? I always like to start with questions. Are they necessary? Are they safe? Are the infections they target treatable? How effective are they and how long do they last? Can we credit them with the eradication of certain illnesses? Let's see if we can answer these questions one by one. Are they necessary? Many of us just need to look into the faces of our healthy, vaccine-free children and we can answer that with a confident, "No!" But let's glance at the science. About 2% of the population is completely unvaccinated. We don't have any large-scale government or pharmafunded vaccinated versus completely unvaccinated studies. But a few small ones have been done, all with the same results: Unvaccinated children are healthier overall. Dr. Paul Thomas recently had a scientist look at the data collected in his practice over the past 10 years of children born under his care, measuring health outcomes of the vaccinated against the unvaccinated, and their conclusion was:

"We could detect no widespread negative health effects in the unvaccinated other than the rare but significant vaccine-targeted diagnosis. We can conclude that the unvaccinated children in this practice are not, overall, less healthy than the vaccinated and that indeed the vaccinated children appear to be significantly less healthy than the unvaccinated." [1] I think we begin to understand why the larger entities in charge of health, with a vested interest in vaccine sales, are reluctant to do a large-scale study on this topic. Are they safe? Well, to make that claim, I would assume a few things: Vaccines go through clinical trials at least as rigorous as drugs. Every single ingredient in vaccines has been tested to see how our bodies react to them. They’ve been studied together, to see how our bodies react to multiple vaccines at one time. The CDC schedule itself has been tested thoroughly to make sure that giving different adjuvants (like aluminum and polysorbate 80, for example) at the same time does not cause harm. There has been at least one safety study on each ingredient and each vaccine as a whole using the scientific method to see what the outcomes are when measured against an inert placebo. Long-term studies are looking at overall health outcomes that show they do not cause autoimmune conditions, neurological damage, infertility, or cancer. What if I told you none of this has been done? Not a single statement in the above paragraph is true and, on top of that, vaccine manufacturers are not held liable for injury or death related to vaccines. [2] What if I told you a car seat manufacturer couldn't be sued if they make a faulty seat that doesn't protect children? What if I told you they were responsible for all of their safety testing, and the government and citizens alike have all chosen to just blindly trust them to be honest in those studies? No

send our children to and thankfully we haven't had a problem with that. Rachel Weaver's Be Your Child's Pediatrician has a form in it that you can fill in so you don't have to get the shots but maybe that wouldn't work everywhere. –A concerned mom of 4

accountability, no third-party testing to make sure they're not fudging the numbers. Just overall approval. What if I further told you that the system set in place to catch injuries, where cops could report on accidents where children were seriously harmed or were killed, was so faulty and inept that it only captures 1% of the injuries? [3] That most cops don't even know the system exists or how to file a report if they did witness an injury. On top of no liability, clinical trials that measure adverse outcomes for only four or five days instead of looking at outcomes for years at a time (like they do with all other drugs), [4] there are conflicts of interest and signs of corruption throughout the entire system of the approval process. For example, Paul Offit was a member of the ACIP (Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices) at the CDC and voted yes for the approval of a rotavirus vaccine while he was manufacturing a rotavirus vaccine. [5, 6] I think it is reasonable that given the information above (and this is only a tiny peek at the safety question), we can conclude that the safety of vaccines has not been proven at all. I have found more evidence that vaccines can be harmful than to support their safety. Studying the package inserts, reading up on the harms caused by injected aluminum, and listening to mothers who have children injured and killed by vaccines are voices much louder in my ears than the media droning the same words over and over without any basis in actual science or truth. Are these infections treatable? Yes! There are so many ways to build strong immune systems and healthy bodies,

and support them if one happened to catch one of the 16 infections we vaccinate against along with the thousands more out there they will probably contract. This topic is so vast, so I will only address three of the known treatments. But please know that there are so many things we can do for our children when they're sick. We are not helpless in the face of bacteria and viruses. Measles can be treated with vitamin A. If you give 200,000 IU (or half that for infants) per day for two days, it can bring the complication rate to practically zero. [7] Whooping Cough is treated with vitamin C (a high dose of sodium ascorbate). (Suzanne Humphries has an amazing PDF with a protocol that you should be able to locate online.) Tetanus is treated with vigilant wound care. It's the most important thing. The wound must be thoroughly cleaned and irrigated. Tetanus spores cannot survive in oxygenated places. That's where the rusty nail myth comes from. Puncture wounds are harder to clean out and can cause the opening to close before it heals from the inside out, allowing bacteria to turn into an infection. But if you can cleanse the wound well, there's almost no chance of developing tetanus. Are they effective and how long do they last? Efficacy is measured by one standard and only one. It would be unethical to vaccinate people and then deliberately expose them to an infection, so we measure antibodies. Antibodies are part of the immune response, but they are a very small part. When you are exposed to a pathogen naturally, it's usually through the eyes, nose, and/or mouth. Every layer

On the vaccine question. Again, I plead do your own research! To me, actual facts are so much more persuasive than just batting around a bunch of opinions. Here are some books I suggest: A Shot in the Dark; What Price Vaccines? and Ancient Einkorn by D. Gary Young. Also, besides the pros and cons about chemicals, preservatives, etc., I feel like the aborted fetus angle should be a very important issue to us as Christians. Some books on abortion: Why Pro-Life? by Randy Alcorn; The Silent Holocaust and Won By Love. These books are not necessarily pleasant to be read, but I believe it's important to be informed. Aren't we called to be soldiers in the battle against evil? How can we fight evil if we're not aware of it? If you have computer access (or a friend who will do it for you) go online and look for ABE books. Click on their used book section, then just type in the name of the book and the author (if known). I've found lots of hard-to-find books on that site! Enough said! May God bless each home… –Anonymous

Hello Sprigs and all moms out there, I enjoy browsing through the Mom-toMom section. Often don't have time to read them all. Some questions I have on vaccines. How come you want to scare all of us out of getting the shots? Didn't a lot more people die to suffer from the diseases before these shots were available than do now from a reaction? What if nobody would vaccinate - wouldn't the disease make a comeback? You call them mild childhood illnesses. What would you do if polio or measles, mumps or rubeola was suddenly discovered next door to you or worse yet in your own house? Common sense tells us all the healthy eating and lifestyle you practice can not and will not keep you from getting it if you came into contact. I once read an article from a doctor who

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likened a highly unvaccinated area to brown prairie grass. If fire (the disease) hits, it will spread like wild fire. Would you want a family of crippled children for life from polio? Would you like half of your family to die from diphtheria which is a painful coating swelling the throat until they day to highly contagious. When really the risk of taking the vaccine is very low. Do we need more education on this subject? Do you know for certain sure that they use human embryos to make vaccines? We have a dog kennel and raise puppies to sell. Do you know what would very likely happen to a puppy which left our kennel unvaccinated? It would very likely die before it reached its new home. Why make your child take the risk of suffering from these dreaded diseases if the risk is so low that he'll have any reaction to the vaccines? –By concerned parents in Iowa

Dear friends, Hi to all you other mom! Sure enjoy hearing from everyone that writes. Thanks for all the tips and this free, interesting magazine, too! What a blessing! I've been reading what some say about vaccinations ("Read this or that book.") You can read good and bad stuff about vaccines. It can't all be true either way and remember, paper lies if that's what's written. All I go by is our own life experience. Bot my husband's and my extended families are vaccinated, with no threatening reactions. Most times our little ones don't even get a fever from them. We don't get them all, just the ones like Polio, DTAP, etc. - the serious diseases we want to avoid. We had 2 Polio victims in the community I grew up in and I want to do all I can so ours are safe if we're ever exposed. And our shots are free!

of both the respiratory and digestive systems are set up with immune system triggers and layers of defense. A vaccine bypasses all of that (except for oral polio and the rotavirus vaccine, both of which are given by mouth) and targets only one part of the immune system, which is antibodies. The problem with this method is that it is far from an exact science and the immune system is proving extremely complex and difficult to predict. People with robust antibody counts are often still infected and there have been accounts of immunocompromised people completely incapable of producing antibodies still being protected from illness even when exposed. I separate them into two categories when answering the question of how long they last because I think live vaccines are much more effective than inactivated ones. Live vaccines have part of the actual virus in them so your body has a more robust response and you may get 20 years. Some people get less than that, some don't respond at all (2-10% [8]). Very rarely you'll get more than 20 years. Scientists who are skeptical of vaccines predict that most people get 2-10 years of protection. Inactivated vaccines don't last long at all. The flu shot must be an annual event, pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine lasts 2-3 years at most, and each booster is less effective. [9] The meningitis vaccine targets collegeage teens who live in dorm rooms and they first recommended it to 12-yearolds. But when they discovered it lasts less than four years, they then started recommending a booster to 16-year-olds.

Without going into more detail, I just want to make it clear that assuming vaccines are effective or long-lasting is varied by the vaccine, by the response of the individual, and that one size does not fit all – thus, making blanket, sweeping statements of vaccines as a whole (as the media often does) is uneducated and inaccurate. One must do detailed studies of the science on each vaccine being considered before being able to make an educated decision. Doctors should go over these things with each patient and each vaccine, but this is increasingly rare as most doctors do not know the details either. The education found in medical textbooks is extremely limited. The only way they become fully educated on the science is if they take the time to research on their own. However, most of them do not find the time or the inclination to do so. It's not that they have bad intentions. They simply trust in a system that has not fully lived up to that faith. Can we credit them with the eradication of certain illnesses? Vaccines have taken the credit for the eradication of smallpox, the elimination of polio, and the decrease of many more illnesses – although none of the rest has been fully eradicated. Smallpox has been eradicated over the entire world. Polio still exists in Africa, India, and elsewhere. But the way it stands now, the oral polio vaccine is causing more of a problem than the wild virus. [10] As for the rest, I leave you this graph and one last question: If vaccines are solely responsible for the fall in disease rates, what about scarlet fever?

As for eating healthy to avoid those diseases, I'm sure that helps. I love eating veggies, etc! But when the whooping cough made it's round here in our community, the ones with healthy diets coughed as long and hard as the rest. Ours didn't get it. This is just what we've experienced and I'm not saying shots are the only way to go. There's always 2 sides. We all do the best we can for our families. –Just another mom

Read Beth's footnotes on our blog: https://www.sprigs.blog/blog-posts/vaccine-schedule

Herbal Iron Recipe 2 parts nettles 2 parts yellow dock 2 parts raspberry leaf 1 part alfalfa 1 part dandelion leaf 1 part dandelion root 1 part fennel 1 part rose hip

Mom Mom FAMILY

25% water 75% vodka 10% glycerin And also a herbal drawing salve recipe: 4 parts plantain 4 parts choparral 2 parts chickweed

Dear Sprigs,

2 parts comfrey root

Thank you for printing such a valuable magazine. It's encouraging to read of other moms in similar shoes! And very interesting to learn simple ways of doing different things.

2 parts marshmallow root

For varicose veins, I had good results last time with taking Collagen. Drinking 1 serving a day has the same mount of protein as 1 egg. And it left me totally pain free.

1 part poke root

Mom Mom

Give your children a good multivitamin to help with bedwetting! Impedigo - how do you get rid of it? Dear childless friends, our heart goes out to you! We've been there! Now God has richly, richly blessed us with souls to care for, for Him! Don't give up hope! With God all things are possible! He has a purpose for you! Don't think you are any less because you are childless! We with small children need you! What a relief to go to church and know there's a childless friend there who will gladly help me! God's blessings to you all, as we serve Him –Anonymous

Hello, Thanks to Motherhood for this amazing magazine, lots of great advice and tips for young mothers like me. Here is a herbal iron recipe that one lady requested:

2 parts lobelia herb and root 2 parts red clover 2 parts mullein olive oil

the family pics to put faces to the names and see how your family grows. We are in the process of eating gluten-dairy-sugar free. It's quite the experience. But I love cooking and trying out new things. You have some great products. Elderberry the first thing I go to if children start getting sick. Was also advised to use silver we used that last winter with elderberry with great results. Let us all strive to walk for the Lord. –The Detweilers

Dear ladies, Can anybody help me? I'm looking for little boxer type panties for my little girl. Where can I buy them, or does anyone have patterns? I'm also looking for leggings for little girls 6 months - 8 years. Where can I get them for a reasonable price, or can I get the nice cotton material somewhere? And also patterns. Thanks! You can send patterns etc. to: Mrs. Simeon Beiler 200 Maple Ave Bird-in-Hand, PA, 17505" –Mrs. Simeon Beiler

Greetings to the Motherhood family,

With 8 cups oil add 4 tablespoons vitamin E oil, 1 cup pine tar, 16 oz beeswax, 1 tablespoon bergamot oil, tea tree oil, pine ail, eucalyptus oil and spearmint oil.

A hearty thank you, to the Sprig team for this wonderful, informative magazine. I've gotten many tips and am inspired by reading of other mothers trying to raise their families the natural healthy way. I also enjoy the advertisements and think it's neat that you only advertise items you think are beneficial to us!

Poke root really helps for breast infection. For itching breasts try meshing them up with vinegar.

I shuddered when I read in the Sprigs magazine of the mother who saw a worm crawl into her young daughters vagina. But wouldn't you know it... Now I am on a cleanse myself and just today (to my horror) I discovered a worm in my menstrual cycle! I believe if you'd give your daughter a good quality wormer it will most likely also cleanse her female.

Is it safe to do a parasite cleanse while breastfeeding? What can I take to make iron absorb itself other than vitamin C? –A mother in the midwest

Hi to everyone! Thank you for publishing such a great magazine! We have 4 children, the youngest being 5 months old. I have gleaned tips and information that was very helpful. Some of my questions being answered without asking! Not much work gets done when a new one comes in the mail. Also love to see

Another mom was wondering what to do if her child continuously doesn't make it to the bathroom on time. That could have been written by me 3 months ago! Sometimes a person can have a kidney/ bladder infection that causes no fever or pain, but weakens their pelvic floor muscles. Here is what worked for us: take a 10ml roller bottle and put 20 drops cypress oil, 20 drops juniper berry oil, and 1 drop oregano oil into it, then fill it up with a carrier oil, like coconut or olive oil. Put this

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Q&A

blend on the child's stomach, way down low, just above their pubic bone, and can also put it on the bottoms of their feet. Do this at bedtime for at least 3 months. It did not take us that long, but don't give up! This costs approximately $5 per bottle and a bottle lasts around 3 months. Our daughter has no more accidents and my nephew now wakes up dry every morning after 5 years of bedwetting! If your child has no appetite, chews on everything, licks and puts his dirty hands into his mouth, try giving him liquid iron. Our 3 year old used to constantly put her fingers into her mouth and after 2 months of iron, it has drastically improved. Now I have a question of my own. We have a few chicken marinade recipes that we really like, but they ask for MSG (accent). Does anyone know how to substitute MSG for real salt? Keep on striving to raise your little ones for His honor!

–Another mom in learning

Dear Verena, I'm so sorry you have had to deal with such a painful ordeal. A fissure is a small tear in the tissue of the anus. Soaking in the comfrey bath was a really good idea - I'm just not sure it will get up where you need it for a long enough time. My suggestion would be to melt some cocoa butter, add some comfrey root powder to it and make a paste. Then I would pack the paste into some ice cube trays and freeze them. Three times per day, I would pop out a cube, cut it in half - take the half you are going to use and mold it into the shape of a tampon (this is now your suppository). Coat your suppository with aloe vera gel and insert it rectally. Try to hold it in place for as long as you can until it melts (laying down would probably help). You could also make a suppository using coconut oil and essential oils like chamomile, lavender and tea tree oil. Another thought is to use an enema bucket with some strong comfrey tea to flush the area three or four times per day. Sitting in the hemorrhoid sitz bath formula two or three times per day would also help the healing process. Along with treating the fissure directly, I would make sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables (salads) throughout the day to make sure I was getting enough fiber in my diet along with drinking plenty of water. I hope these suggestions are helpful - let us know how you are doing and if these suggestions were helpful.

In good health,

Sandy

Sandra Ellis Dr. Mom

To the mother of 1 on page 37, I can feel for you so much. Your description of your hands, exactly how I started out on side of finger then hand. Mine eventually covered my arm to the elbow. Horrible nights... Scratch! Scratch! After 12 years with it I finally asked my midwife what do I have, she promptly said eczema. She said to avoid gluten and dairy. I went home and decided I'll try it for a month. And guess what? It's gone. Good luck! –A mom of 2 girls

Dear Mom-to-Mom, To the anonymous letter on page 72 in the July issue, I was very interested to read about taking flax seed hulls for pain running down the back of legs when pregnant. Your symptoms sounded exactly like mine! Right away I started taking 2 teaspoons of ground flax seed every day in some yogurt to regulate my estrogen level and it works! Thank you for sharing your information. For ringworms, apply tea tree oil once a day and cover with bandaid until healed. Tea tree oil also keep bruises from turning black and blue if applied right away and gently rubbed in.

For lumps or swollen lymph nodes underarms, I would recommend using a natural deodorant like crystal stone. –Mom of 2

Hello Mom-to-Mom family, Thank you for this wonderful magazine, Sprigs. My heart went out to the one whose 5 year old can't make it to the bathroom on time. We've also walked that path. We finally got our son tested and his manganese levels were very low. The results make very weak ligaments, valve and muscle tone. So standing and running everything is gravity flow. And they can't control it. At night while sleeping they usually don't because the lie down. Another way you can tell is if they don't hold their chiropractic treatments. We put him on a supplement for ligament health. 1 at morning and 1 at night for 6 months. Then if he can keep his treatments longer or is doing better, start backing off on supplements. Children heal fast with the right supplements but for adults it can take years to build up minerals. We aren't at our 6 month mark yet. But are seeing big results. I'm sure other quality manganese works, too. Ours had 55mg manganese in it. This is a strong dose for children. I hope you can find something that helps. As punishments seems to hurt this problem more than help. –Anonymous

To the mother with Hashimoto's on page 28 of the July issue, I also have this autoimmune disease and I wish to get in contact with you. I, too, have to get enough sleep and I give a lot of credit to a clean, healthy diet with no sugar or white flour. Any suggestions what to do for a very itchy skin rash, which is worse in the summer heat? Could it be connected with the thyroid? I have tried so many things, some that helped but never to take it completely away. Maybe Motherhood would forward your letter to me, if you wish to write your Hashimoto's story. –A mother of 2

blessing... No, we don't let them walk around with them when they're old enough to talk, but I for one would not want to teach my children to eat every time they need to be comforted, also, I am thankful I can nurse, but I also do not want to be nursing all the time, that just isn't for everyone and, yes, if they have reflux or any stomach problems eating all the time will make it worse. So, it's each to their own. But for me, pacifiers are not only a comfort for the baby but might save a mom many less stressful hours. And about eating refined foods, and the people that eat healthier looking sickly. In our case we were unhealthy and that's what made us change our eating habits. So, yes, a few of us look sickly, but did before we started and we see a big difference in behavior and energy and much more, so I thank God we've had people who've helped us come this far in learning what's actually happening by eating all that white stuff, and then there's people who don't understand and say if we'd eat normal maybe we'd be okay, so, you see, in this world people never all agree on one thing, so we have to make our own choices, even if sometimes you think ""Is it worth it?"", but keep on, mothers that try to cook healthier, you'll never regret it. We have a 2 year old that if we'd eat normal he would probably be diagnosed with ADHD. When at home he's totally calm and quiet, most of the time. But if we go somewhere and someone gives him candy, or a cookie, he'll be hyper and seriously a handful and it takes maybe 10 minutes to get him that way after eating a lot of sugar. So, just a thought, but for all these children on ADHD and calming meds it would just take less sugar etc and there could be a big difference. Not all I'm sure because we have our oldest son that sometimes need calming meds, but it's a different hyper than the sugar reaction, and we have our own dairy cow so we do eat dairy. I make my own butter, cottage cheese, yogurt and we drink milk so I feel raw is okay, next best to almond milk which we used before we had our family cow. And yes I just back off on it if one of the children gets a cold or whatever, as it does make mucus. So, whatever path we each choose to raise our children, let's not forget who gave us these children and thank Him everyday. And try to not judge people if they choose a different path than your own. Thank you for all the good advice each of you send in. It's what we wives and mothers need to hear from others who live and have the same struggles etc. as us.

Hi to all,

Thanks to Sprigs for your hard work.

To the mom wondering about throwing out her baby's pacifier. For me, they've been a

–Anonymous

Dear Mom-to-Mom, To comment on a few more topics which were addressed. (To the mom who wrote about using Tylenol and Amoxicillin). I know I'm one mom who likes to have both handy, but I do like to give good stuff at the same time. With both of them use a probiotic. I It replaces the good stuff that is killed with the antibiotics and also builds up the immune system. For a common cold, runny nose and such, give the probiotic every hour and it clears up fast. Also use vitamin C. Vet told us to give probiotics with an antibiotic and you'll not have to worry about the damage. The good stuff is there to replace and build up again. So far has worked well for us humans and not just puppies. We were married 8 years before we had children. Doctored naturally and medically. Natural doctor diagnosed it as PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). She tried to fix it with natural products but ended up telling us to find a medical doctor who will prescribe Metformin. It was easy to find such a doctor who knows how it works. That doctor also put me on Clomid to get me ovulating again. The Clomid had some side effects and they doubled the dose and would've tripled it, but the last month on my double dose I became pregnant. They also doubled the Metformin. 6 months of using both of these (3 months on a single dose and 3 on a double dose) and something went right. We want to thank God most of all for leading us in the right direction. 19 months later we had our second child. I still take the Metformin as doctor says PCOS could come back. Also helps me handle sugar better as Metformin is also for diabetics. I used to get headaches when I ate rich desserts. I still like to keep my sugars at a minimum and am trying to learn how to use natural sweeteners more. –Anonymous

Thanks for the great magazine. My husband enjoys it as much as I do. But I have a bone to pick, and a beef to chew (literally). I wish that Sandra Ellis and Dr Bachman would let off their never ending onslaught against beef and dairy. While some claims are valid, others are downright misleading. For example, Sandra Ellis repeatedly claims that humans are the only animals that continue drinking milk after weaning. Apparently she never grew up on a dairy

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farm as the opposite is true. The only animals on our farm that do not readily fill their bellies with cow's milk given the chance are our horses, and even those enjoy the occasional curds and whey. Pigs do the whole hog to get it. Chickens lose their funny little heads over it. Ducks like it, guineas love it, even the goats enjoy it, and find me a god or cat that will not take it. It is second nature. It is nature's most perfect food. We have had cows suck each other and themselves when they felt a need for it. Currently we have an actively breeding bull that still takes it if he can get it. In fact, the self same bull at six months of age and fully weaned became sick so that we did not expect his survival, so we started him on milk again and he thrived. Concerning the consumption of meat, both have used the bible to rectify their belief. Both have missed the point. In the beginning did not God command Adam and Eve to eat fruit? After the fall when they were driven out of Eden they were commanded to also eat greens. After the flood God told Noah that everything that lives and moves shall be meat to us, even as the herbs, with one exception; bloody meat we are not to eat hence God gave His people specific slaughtering rules. Concerning organic it is a noble thing but is sadly over-harped. When we first married my husband was a mechanic. One day a customer told him that he has a certified grass-fed organic beef hers, not because his heart was in it but because of landlord's wishes. What made him sick, he said, was the fact that these animals were anything but 100% grass-fed. The only restriction is that he cannot feed dry grain. Not only that but the certified organic sprays available today are sometimes more potent than the conventional version. Likewise organic slaughterhouses must use the same chemical preservatives when butchering as do conventional. Go ahead, buy organic. But be forewarned, read that label and be wise. Those tomatoes from California, are they organic? The label says they are organically grown so they must be, right? Wrong! En route to their destination these organically grown tomatoes are sprayed with the same ripeners and preservatives as conventional. And last but not least, my husband is a meat and milk guy for two reasons: vegetables do not contain enough substance to sustain him at work, and fruit does not agree with his digestive system.

The standard American diet does not consist of too much meat and milk. It consists of too much flour, soy, sugars, syrups, and pasteurized, homogenized, fat free milk. Drink that milk, but drink it raw, drink it whole, drink it A2-A2. –A busy mom with 2 children that live and thrive on meat and milk

"Speaking of Husbands" Our strong, though husbands seem able to handle almost anything. They work hard to provide for the needs of a growing family. We lean especially hard on their love and strength in the last uncomfortable weeks of pregnancy in the pains of labor. Even when we begin feeling better, we're still dealing with a lot. We still want and need our husbands attention and affection. But let's not get so wrapped up in ourselves during this difficult time that we forget that our husbands have needs too. They crave love and affection, although they aren't quick to express themselves and perhaps don't even take the time to analyze their feelings. It's so easy to neglect our dear husbands in the excitement and adjustments that the new baby brings, however, we need to remember that they continue to face the same cold, hard world that they did before. They meet temptations out there that we little understand. Take time to focus on your husband and let him know that he is still the most important person in your life. Ask him about his day, put a note in his lunch or under his pillow and say "I love you" often. Spruce up just for him and smile when he walks in the door. These things don't take much time, (maybe just a little forethought), but they will make your husband delight in coming home. And if you faithfully focus on your husband and treat him like a king, you will be made to feel like a queen. It just works that way! After all, love is always good for your health! Fix your husband's favorite drink and serve it in china or crystal after the children are sleeping! –Anonymous

This is the second issue I received and I feel overwhelmed with everything I read about in here. Things I never knew existed, makes me feel very thankful with my family of 5 being all healthy, easy labor and birthing so far. No fussy babies either. I don't do anything different as far as dieting etc. I keep on

eating what I want. So, yes, I am very thankful for my healthiness. I do have morning sickness so I'm glad for any advice I read in here about what helped others as seems nothing helps me. The subject about circumcising and placenta encapsulation is a subject I wish could be dropped as to me it makes this magazine somewhat of an argument. To my way of thinking, by now people know there are a lot of different opinions out and if it's something you don't want to do, then don't, or vice versa. Some believe in it, others don't. So why not stay by what we were taught. –A Wisconsin mother of 5

Any advice on what to do for TMJ? I've had it for years and have not found a solution yet. I've been to different chiropractors and cranial and massage therapists. I also got a mouth guard (like sports players would wear to protect their teeth) and wore it nights to prevent teeth grinding. But that locked up my jaw. Are there any exercises that would help? Or is surgery the only option? Is there anyone that has had TMJ surgery - positive or negative? Thanks in advance! –Mrs. Miller

Hello! My sister and I both had success with using Herbal Calcium for hip pain while pregnant. It also helped me fall asleep sooner at night. We found out that bedwetting can be a symptom of a lot of other health issues. Our 4 year old is hyper and a recent saliva test showed weak kidneys, low adrenals, along with a mild UTI. To the mother of the disobedient 2 year old. I know where you're at. I'd advise anyone to check out the cranials and adrenals. Don't despair and keep on training and teaching. Thanks for all the effort that goes in this magazine. –A mother of 3

Dear friends, Will try and write a couple of things

which I haven't seen in the Motherhood magazine. Hopefully it can be of help to someone! I've received lots of helpful tips already.

for probably about half an hour to and hour. I was wondering if it's something to worry about, I usually have low blood pressure during pregnancy.

For cradle cap, I have good results using a cradle cap brush.

Well, I have enough written. Thanks to all who have written so far!

I also wanted to include my red raspberry extract recipe that I've made and taken for all my 3 pregnancies. If you can't drink the tea, this is easier. 1 quart distilled water, 1 cup tightly packed red raspberry leaves. Put in saucepan, let stand overnight. Next day, place on low heat and simmer (do not boil) for 20 minutes. Let steep for 1/2 hour. Press through cloth and add 1 cup vegetable glycerin. Good luck! Take 2 tablespoons 2 times daily. Enough for 16 days. I sometimes add nettle or alfalfa too. Keep refrigerated. I'm guessing you could probably make lots of herbs this way.

–Just another mom

Now I also have a couple of questions. For eczema: what essential oils to use? Aldo I'd love to have something natural to replace Home Defense Insect spray. I don't like to spray that but I don't like spiders in the basement either! Also for my birth, every time right after giving birth my blood pressure would spike

Dear Mom-to-Mom, I really love your magazine. Wondering what to do for a little 4 year old girl that is always wet. Have tried lots of stuff, nothing seems to help. Want to take her for cranial treatments next week and see what happens. Thanks in advance.

mission field! Our family was blessed with an abundant supply of garlic this fall, and found a way to use it that the children enjoy very much. Peel the garlic cloves and chop them. Allow it to set for ten minutes to develop the allicin. Coat liberally with honey, and store in a jar at room temperature. We mixed up two quarts of garlic honey, and it's disappearing quickly! After a few days, the garlic taste is very milky. It's tasty on sourdough buns, or right off the spoon. God bless each mother as you lovingly care for your family! –Hali Wagner

Dear Sprigs, Thanks to the mom that shared about lobelia for fever. I used it for my 1 year old and it really actually helped better than Tylenol would've. I also use lobelia when we have colds, to rub on spine and on chest, and again not everything works the same for everybody.

–A reader

For Mom-to-Mom: Thanks to the mother who wrote about the power of love, honey, garlic and cayenne pepper. It would be interesting to hear about more of your experiences on the

Now I'd better quit and hopefully I'll get my next issue. –Mrs. MaryAnn Wickey

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Here's a tip from my grandmother. Her hanging baskets weren't looking to good so my aunt told her to put a drop of dish soap in her water to water them and they perked right up again and started blooming again!" "To the mother with carpal tunnel. I rubbed lemongrass essential oil on my wrists a couple of times a day for 2 weeks and it's completely gone now! When I was a little girl I had so many warts over my fingers so every night before I went to bed I soaked gauze or cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and put them on the warts and wrapped them with tape or bandaids around it. And they were gone within 3 weeks! My mom always gets sore legs so she started taking fish oil pills and now she can always tell when she skips a couple of days. Maybe this helps someone. Thanks for the wonderful magazine. I love your products! –A mother of 1

Please, can anyone give me advice on what to do or give to a child who struggles with constipation? I wish she would have regular bowel movements, instead of skipping somedays, etc. She's 15 months old and weaned. Someone wondered about water births. I had one and there was nothing about it that I didn't like. The hot water felt very relaxing to me. I'd do it again if possible. Thanks for the free magazine. I enjoy it. –Needing advice

Hello to everyone, Someone wondered what a carrier oil is. You can use different oils for that. It's to mix with your essential oils to dilute them. Olive oil or coconut oil work good. Or my favorite is fractionated coconut oil as it doesn't harden like regular does. And to the people wondering why the healthy eaters are often sick looking. Did you realize there's often a health issue in the first place when people start eating healthy, dieting, etc. If you can eat anything you want and not feel sick be

thankful, not everyone can. The only way some people can function normally is if they are on a gluten/dairy free diet etc. Sometimes I wish to also be able to go to the cheapest stores and buy the cheapest food so I can stretch my husband's hard earned money a little further, but healthy eating is a must in our home if we want a happy family, so before you judge or criticize the people you consider health nuts maybe you should walk a mile in our shoes. Most times it's not how we would choose to have to do without certain foods, or be on special diets, but it's certainly not the healthy food that makes us sick. I had to smile that some people would actually think that way. –Anonymous

Hello, Just a few quick lines. We have a 2 1/2 year old son that I'd like to know what's wrong with. He's always fussy, hyper, doesn't want to listen and obey, cries easily, and hardly ever eats much. He was very fussy when he was a baby, then we discovered he gets pressure in his head. And I had to watch him or he would get rashes on his hind, and he still sometimes gets that, but not as easily. He got rashes on the cheek when he was a bit older. I had him by a doctor probably about half a year ago and he didn't think he had a nice color, ashen color, and his pupils were slow to respond. He figured it's fatty acid deficient and gave some medicine that seemed to help some for a while. But it seems like there's still something not right. So decided to write you and see if you would have an idea what's wrong, and what he needs. I'd like to hear from you as soon as possible. –Anonymous

Dear Mom-to-Mom, Thank you for your very interesting and helpful magazine. I always look forward to receiving another one. To the ones that vaccinate their children. Yes, we do want to keep them from diseases if we can but God would not make diseases like that if He hadn't wanted us to have it, and I think they are much better for us then, those vaccines that have still worse side effects. Everybody has their opinion on that so just saying how I feel about it. To the one wanting to know if there's something natural for asthma attacks other than Albuterol. Yes, you can also use silver

or herbal calcium instead and it helps just as much as Albuterol. Was glad to see more on infertility as we are still struggling on that and was good to see we are not alone in this. We have been blessed with one which is now 5 years old and had no babies since. Let's keep on helping each other! –Mother of 1

Good morning to all mothers! Just a few lines to add to the many tips and pieces of advice that are already here. Also a big thank you to the Laudons for making this wonderful magazine available for all of us! For poison ivy we use geranium oil and I've found it really helps! Every time it itches rub some on and it will dry up. I get some during the summer. Cinnamon oil kills warts, but be sure and don't get excess oil on your skin because it will burn. Peppermint and/or lavender oil works well for fever. Rub it on the forehead, bellybutton area, bottom of feet, on the back of the neck and wrists. Be sure and dilute it with carrier oil because little ones, especially babies, will think it burns. Roman chamomile has a wonderful relaxing effect on little ones (or grownups) when lavender oil doesn't seem to work. A must-have for our daughter. Copaiba oil works well for a croupy cough. You can rub it on their chest and bottom of feet and/or put it in a diffuser. We don't dilute it but for safety's sake you probably should. We rub it on and put it in a diffuser with peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, lavender and cardamom oils. It never fails to work. Clove bud oil works well for bee stings but you must dilute it because it will burn if you don't. Swedish bitters work well for bee stings too. You can also pull a plantain leaf and crush it and hold it on. Last but not least I will add a recipe that we found in the Essential Life handbook. It works wonders for the women who don't enjoy intercourse for whatever reason. 2 drops geranium oil, 1 drop each of cinnamon, ginger, lemongrass and peppermint oils. Put it in a 2oz glass bottle and fill up with carrier oil. Rub it on

genitals a few minutes before intercourse. It says this blend supports reaching and prolonging climax. I use a half pint jar and enlarge recipe. I would also recommend the book The Act of Marriage.

masturbation. It does not! We have sons with both ways. And neither way needs to be pulled back and kept clean. Explain this to them at a young age, but do not let them play with it.

I too have a question.

To the mother of 1 on page 37 in the July issue. I'm with you. I know exactly what you are talking about - those tiny blisters and, oh, the itch! Any soap and water is very irritating to me and it gets so painful! During the night I rub salve on, and wear socks on my hands, but with the daily exposure to water and soaps etc. I can't get ahead of it. Gloves are unhandy but working with tomatoes and other fruits also makes an awful itch. Right now I'm trying calendula flower tincture, taking lots of it. I've just started, so no results yet. I once had a calendula lotion that a company sent to me by mistake, that I think really helped. Would like to get ahold of more. I don't remember what the brand was.

Where could I find a book on how to raise, harvest and use herbs in the south? My chamomile and parsley didn't come up and my lavender died! I have always wanted a herb garden and since we are doing raised bed gardening I have room but no luck! May God bless you all as you continue to serve in the fields of motherhood! –A blessed wife and mother

" "Hello, I love this magazine. I've learned a lot already! I have a few questions and hopefully I'll get some answers. What can I do for severely dry cracked heels? What am I doing wrong when baking spelt bread? I knead it a lot and let it rise twice and still have air pockets all through the loaf. I've also used a few different recipes. Also does anyone know where I can buy a herb book? I'm looking for one that has a list of herbs and what they're good for. How to harvest them would be a plus. But anyone would be okay. If I'd know the title and author I could get it at the library.

Anyone interested in making your own tinctures, soaps, bath and body care, essential oil blends, etc. King's Happy Earth Products has a really good book - Happy Earth Recipes. Call 717-768-0645 for a free catalog. Their address is: 6285 Engletown Rd HoneyBrook, PA 19344 Another book I like is The Naturally Clean Home by Karyn Siegel Maier. Full of recipes for herbal formulas for green cleaning. Easy too. Thank you Sprigs for all your hard work! –Another young mother

–A mom of 5

Thank you for this great magazine and to all the moms who take time to share. It has been a blessing to me over and over.

Hi!

Encouraging Words for Mothers is a book I think every mom should have. It's a collection of poems and thoughts for mothers by Virginia Kreider.

To those who are interested in making beet kvass, you can do it without the whey. But let it ferment for a week or more instead of 2 or 3 days. (Until it's bubbly.) Does anyone know of a substitute for powdered alum? I understand that this is aluminum and would like to eliminate it from our diet as much as possible. Would also like a natural remedy for itchiness. A huge thank you to the ones who warned about immunization. Please research before you vaccinate. Someone wondered if circumcision prevents

Baking soda works good for a scouring powder - taking soap scum off the bathtub, cleaning glass-top ovens, and so on. We found a pediatrician to come out to our home and fix our 4 month old son's lip and tongue tie. His latch is better, but so far I can't say it has helped his fussiness, gas, and his burps come up hard or not at all! Is there a DIY bug spray I could make that keeps away ticks and chiggers? We live right next to the woods and our 2 year old has a lot of bug bites whenever he plays outside. And

what could I put on the bites to relieve his itch? Lavender oil works for about 5 minutes, then he's scratching again until it bleeds.

What can be done for a low platelet count? And what is the cause? I ended up having our last son in the hospital because my platelet count went so low (84). I took cayenne and shepherd's purse and didn't have any problems with hemorrhaging. When I'm not pregnant the count goes up, but as soon as I get pregnant again, it goes down. My sister also had this problem. Could it be a hereditary thing? I tried yellow dock, chlorophyll, beet root, Hema-Plex, B12, and couldn't tell that anything really helped. I was taking about 1/4 cup of chlorophyll a day. My iron count was great. I find the advertisements interesting, though not nearly as much so as the Mom-to-Mom! –Anonymous

I would like to offer some advice on some things that have worked for us. Number one is progesterone cream. I have been using this off and on for awhile now. With my last baby I didn't get my period until he was over 11 months old. With my other 4, I usually got it soon after 8 months. I am using the progesterone cream from an essential oil company. This product is made using wild yam. It will not cause cancer, although the bottle says, contains ingredients known to the state of California to cause cancer. The FDA requires that to be printed on any bottle containing progesterone. This product actually helps reduce your risk from breast cancer. Also may help with cramps, moodiness, migraine headaches, irregular cycles, and other things. One of our babies would get screaming fits as a newborn, and after trying different chiropractors, one of them finally told us the stomach slips up and that's what causes colic. By pulling the stomach back down where it belongs, took care of the screaming in the evenings. What a relief! For dry, cracked and bleeding hands, try using natural soaps and cleaners. I use castile soap in a foaming hand soap bottle. Only use about 1-2 inches of castile soap and fill up with water. I keep these bottles at every sink. –A mother who's still learning

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MOm-to-mom Mama & Baby

Hello, Thanks for this free magazine. I enjoyed it so far and want to continue getting it. I had a question what to do when a baby is cross eyed? Can they grow out of it or is there something particular to take? Any advice? Thanks. Also wanted to share what we had luck with. We had one stepped in a rusty nail and was badly infected. So after 4 days of soaking in epsom salt water with oregano oil and keeping 30 layers burdock leaves on it didn't look much better and hardly walked. So we did the charcoal, flax seed and olive oil poultice. Worked great! By the 5th day back to good. The 6th day even better! –Blessed family

Greetings to all, I always cheer to see this in the mail as it is always very interesting, with lots of good remedies. I was very concerned as (mostly in the July issue) I read about people pulling pain from their children or each other. From everything I was taught that is witchcraft. About the husband that gets morning sickness and cramps from his wife - pray! There is relief from those demonic powers! Also putting babies 3 times around a table leg... Please research if this could be even helping anything physically, or if it falls in with old wives' tales. I hope I haven't written too much but I send this with a prayer. –A grateful reader

Hello ladies, I just got done with the fun part (reading the July issue). It takes a little longer if you are getting ready for church at the same time. Now church is past so I want to do my part (not so fun) and get things answered that it seemed nobody did. Cause I love answers. I'm still waiting on some. To the reader on page 38 of the April Motherhood when using progesterone to try to become pregnant. You have to be careful. You can start using it the 5th day for a few months to see if you will ovulate then after you go back to starting the 12th day. But do not stop the 26th day, because if you did become pregnant then that might make you miscarry.

It's ok to use it until you start with your next period. It will not keep you from getting it. I don't know about the liquid tonic so maybe that is different. But I have been told you want the cream that is bio-identical to what our body makes. You'll have to research that. As for starting the 5th day? Starting the 12 day is how it's recommended. But you can start the 5th for 2-3 months, you will not ovulate. But then your body might be ready to ovulate the next month. And if you do become pregnant and you have any symptoms of miscarrying you can use more cream or more often. Every 10 minutes while spotting or cramping and then down to 5 times a day until you are stable. 3-6-9 oil helps you make more progesterone. To the mom in learning on page 55 of the April issue.

Do swollen tonsils and constipation have a connection? Yes, it sure seems so to me, even the lymp glands swell quicker if they are constipated. But yes, our little 1 1/2 year old jut gets a bellyache from vitamin C or even the powder magnesium drink, so, I'm still searching for the right thing for her bowels. Maybe I'll try Fiber once. To the mom on page 57 of the April issue. For kidney or bladder infections take cranberry supplements. You may take as much as 2 pills 3 times a day if needed. You wonder what causes it? To the reader on page 63 of the April issue. Omegas 3-6-9 will make your blood slippery but not thin, and I have used it in large amounts to prevent miscarriages. It helps your body make hormones and I've used it right up to my due date with no problems but you can stop a few weeks before just to be safe. The Omega oils would probably help your 3 year old too if you give enough. And for the mother from Missouri on page 91 of the April issue. Use lots of omega 3-6-9 throughout your pregnancy and also afterwards for postpartum. Queasy in forenoon when not pregnant? Make sure your colon is moving good then take something for the liver.

Gallbladder out? On page 101 in the April issue. No, I wouldn't. It's there for a reason. Try the stone flushes. The recipe was in Motherhood a few times, about a year ago or so. On blood clots through pregnancy. I had some one time. I tried the vinegar rags and a brisk walk to no avail. Finally after I had the 5th one I found out it can come from too much calcium in isolation (not a food type calcium). It was broken down but I think from calcium carbonate. I quit that and the blood clots stopped. Enzymes seemed to help dissolve them. For the 5 year old that can't make it to the bathroom on time. Cranberry supplements work for us. To the mom of 2 on page 22 in the July issue. Try a good Omega 3/6/9 oil for the spotting and hormone imbalance. And for the mom that has to wait long until the milk comes when nursing, try the Omega oils in large amounts. For migraine headaches clean your colon and you will probably not get them anymore, maybe liver too. Hyperventilating through labor. I did for our last one that came very fast. My midwife then reminded me how to breathe and it got better. I'm trying to remember how it was. I think in through the nose and out through the mouth. Which magnesium is best? If you want to use it internally you want one that is ionic (broken down). There are some creams and oils with it but it is harder to get enough through the skin but it does not cause diarrhea. The ionic kind doesn't either. To Naomi Wengerd on page 112 in the July issue. I wasn't without periods but they were very off, until I started doing the liver and gallbladder flushes. 1 every month until you pass no more stones. This corrected my periods to the day, almost hour. On preterm labor or early dilating. Omegas 3/6/9 by the tablespoon full 3 times a day has worked for some. Also helps for attention deficiency in children or mama boys/girls.

For a dry vagina, yeast can be the cause. Even though you don't know you have it. Also the liver and gallbladder stone flushes seem to help.

On potty training I have good success with leaving their bottom bare. They can feel it better. Also had a 3 1/2 year old that was always wet. I tried the bare bottom with a long shirt and that was it. I had to do it for awhile though, or he did again.

Bad teeth: my dentist says don't pull them just so the others can come. It doesn't work that way. It's better to let the new teeth push the old ones out.

To dry up poison ivy, Aloe Vera Gel works well for us. Put it on and let dry. 3-4 times a day. Also something I discovered lately. Our one daughter got a bumble bee sting and reacted

to it with itch and rash like hives. I gave her some charcoal in water to drink and in a few minutes it started going away. I had Benadryl but don't like to give it unless I have to.

To the cowgirl mom in MO, what is seed cycling? I've never heard of it before?

Hope this can help someone.

What trace minerals should you take to release your placenta?

One question I have, what works for an occasional ringing ear? And wonder what kind of iodine to paint on the skin until it doesn't fade anymore. –A mom who likes to learn

To the concerned mom of 2 on page 43 in the July issue. What The Bible Says About Child training has information on teaching obedience. You can get the book at: Christian Light Publication P.O. Box 1212 Harrisonburg, VA 22803 "Hello to all mothers at heart, Thank you for sharing advice, tips and the many helpful bits of information. This magazine is a day brightener each time it comes. A few things I thought I could comment on: For the one wondering about plantar's warts, I had success with soaking a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and putting on the wart with a bandage. I did it every night as mine was on the bottom of my foot. It dried it up and gradually pulled it out, roots and all. I didn't have a problem since. To the lady with severe pain running down the back of your legs, it sounds like sciatic nerve pain. I've had lots of that with little or no results from chiropractic. Since I do The Core Program, I can usually take care of it myself and be pain free in a few days. I also have a few questions: Is there a cure for varicose veins, totally diminishing them from one pregnancy to the next. I've read serrapeptase can be used... Is it totally safe if you don't know for sure if you need that supplement? Is it really important for babies to have vitamin K after birth? Medicals recommend the shots - how many drops can you give instead of the shots? And is it really necessary to do anything about it? Does anybody have any tips on how to get a 2 year old to tell you when to go potty? He does really well if I just take it, but simply doesn't tell me when he needs to go and it feels like I've tried every angle.

–Anonymous

Dear mothers, Thank you to Sprigs for all the effort. I learn so much through this magazine. Someone wrote about not getting the vitamin K shot at birth. We would really like to hear more on this! Surely God designed us so that we don't need it if we eat natural whole foods? Did you drink nettle tea (high in vitamin K) during pregnancy? Please write to Sprigs with any info you have on this! Our children are also fussier the day after going away. Although it is hardly practical to do in every case, I like to take their regular food/snacks along. And for the 1-2 year olds, I like to keep them close to me and hold on my lap if possible. They feel more secure that way. If they want to run and play, they may. I do recommend staying home and not run to every party, etc. We also had a 2 year old who didn't respond to punishment and commands like a normal child does. Have you tried the powdered slippery elm? Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon over his food, 2-3 times a day. Or enzymes? Cutting out all sugar, perhaps even grains for awhile? This worked wonders for our child. We did not give the enzymes though, just the slippery elm and the diet change. I believe it's a digestive issue. It can also be a chiropractic problem. If our children take an extra hard tumble, we try to schedule a cranial treatment soon. We have had great results from this with our 1 year old. I very much agree with the mother who wrote that something can be driving children the wrong way and they themselves don't realize they're hurting. I experienced that myself, I never knew I lived in discomfort until I cleaned up my diet and I could hardly believe a person could feel so good! I would like to know some of the main causes for rash flareups. It comes and goes. At the worst it even bleeds. What are the causes? I don't just want to hear the cure, because I've tried nearly everything I've ever read about it. I believe it comes from food, but he gets no sugar, just a bit of fruit and grains, no eggs. He drinks kefir which contains probiotics. To the farmer's wife who wonders how so many people can afford a holistic lifestyle. We were forced to go natural, as when our

children came along, they reacted to sprayed fruit, fragrances, sugar, grains, eggs, milk and the like. We switched to mostly veggies (which we grow in our large garden) and also raise lots of navy beans, or similar beans. We butcher our own deer; our cows are mainly grass-fed and we drink lots of kefir. We buy prunes and that is the only fruit we buy, the rest we grow ourselves. We make our own bone broth. We also make our own laundry soap for cleaning and dishwashing. I use Basic H and peppermint essential oil. We buy in bulk as much as we can some of the things like raw honey, we try to split with a friend, then we can buy like a 5 gallon bucket full. There are many, many ways to save. And believe it or not, our grocery and health bills got less, even in spite of our growing family. The total was less for the years we are natural, etc. Who would thought it? Yes, we with the mother who wrote that you also have less flu and colds, therefore you automatically spend for supplements or even doctor visits. For anyone dealing with ear infections, try cutting out all milk products. We are with chronic ear infections until we cut out milk. My form with the one exception of kefir. We haven't had an ear infection since, except for the one time our youngest got ahold of yogurt! Now I don't want to confuse the people who eat yogurt and think it's not good for you... It is - you can break down the remaining lactose. Kefir has 40-50 strains of good probiotics, whereas yogurt only has 10-15 strains. Quite a difference, and it makes all the difference for us! For the ones with painful periods. I have been there! I, too, lived on painkillers every month. Often I couldn't even walk, just crawl, the pain was so severe. I tried everything I heard of. I spent a lot of money, for I was desperate. Guess what was the answer? It's so simple, most of us miss it. Try it for 3 months and see if it doesn't change dramatically. Cut out all sugar, sweeteners of any kinds, except a wee bit of raw honey. Cut out all grains except 1-2 slices wholegrain sourdough bread per day. No milk products except homemade butter and kefir. No eggs unless free-range, hormone-free. Limit 2 eggs per day. You must eat lots of beans, pintos, navy, great northerns, etc. They must be cooked until nearly mushy. Eat no less than 1/2 cup beans mixed with 1/4 hormone-free chicken, beef or venison, no less than 4 times! Eat lots of vegetables, all the ones you feel well on. Corn is a grain, so it's out. Some may tolerate tomatoes. My monthlies are now totally normal and pain free! But I had to do it longer than 3 months. Just try it for 3 months, see if it makes a difference. After 2 months you may actually eat anything natural that you feel good on like nuts and

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MOm-to-mom Mama & Baby

natural peanut butter, herb teas, prunes, some fruits, etc. This should also work for the lady with gas pains. This is also a safe liver cleanse to do while pregnant or nursing. I did while expecting. I believe the best health tip we can pass on to our children is a thankful spirit. Teach them to say thank you! The second best tip is to teach them to avoid all sugar! You create your child's sweet tooth, believe me. I used to have a sweet tooth and my things all had to be sweet. Now I eat no sweets and once my liver and pancreas had healed, or nearly healed, the cravings for sugar left. Our children get no sugar and they like sour things like sauerkraut etc.

We are wondering what causes tongue or lip ties. Any tips on prevention? Please write! If you get sick on multivitamins etc. likely you're not breaking them down properly and they work against you. I was there too. The only option I know is to drastically change your diet like I described above. I at times secretly envy the ones who get such good results from pills, because I never did! To the one wishing for a natural baby formula. Try adding 1 teaspoon raw milk kefir to your formula. I give my intolerant babies kefir/ boiled water mix and also give homemade chicken broths. But I'd check into other formulas too, as I don't know if this would be complete for a small baby. I just use it besides nursing, if necessary. People keep writing how they read in the Motherhood how to fix a naval rupture. I did not find the info. Please re-print it! I also had a ticklish cough, at times it got very embarrassing, as I couldn't stop and would nearly choke. Someone told me it's food allergies. Try cutting out all sugar. Hoping to get more answers through the next issue. –Another Mother

Dear mothers, This wonderful magazine seems to me like a huge circle letter. I enjoy it to the fullest. To a mom of 4 on page 36 in the July issue. I like to use the turpentine mixture for my children. 1 cup turpentine, 1 cup lard, 1 cup

kerosene. You want to have it warm and rub on front and back and cover with rag. Do it every hour or so. If skin starts to get red, wash it with good warm soapy water then apply the mixture again. If you use it on a baby, be prepared with a suction bulb to get mucus stuff out of mouth. This has saved many hospital visits. If you start this as soon as possible, you can be able to prevent pneumonia. I hope this can help. To "keepers at home in northern NY" on page 95 in the July issue. To clean out your uterus, take 3 tablespoons castor oil the third morning after baby is born. I like to have some hot tea with me and take a few swallows after each tablespoon. Be sure to be close to the bathroom for the next 2 hours or so. I passed off a lot of junk after using this. To the other mother on page 127 in the July issue. I was wondering if you might have asthma if you have that ticklish cough. You might have to check that out. Would be nice to have birthdates on the birth announcements. –A reader - Pam R.D.

Dear moms, To the mom of 3 girls in the January issue. For children with no appetite, try giving blackstrap - 1 teaspoon a day or more if needed. This is also a great source of iron and helps for nosebleeds too. Chlorophyll and vitamin K also help with nosebleeds. I would like to hear some advice on constipation. Would a liver cleanse help? And what is safe to take for liver or constipation while pregnant or nursing? I would also like to hear more on Lyme's. I make my own herbal calcium. It is way cheaper. I get kits to make it. Thanks for all the advice. –A mom of 3

Hello everyone! I was disappointed there weren't any RA stories in the last issue so will send in mine. I am 27 and a mother of 3. I was diagnosed in July 2019 and couldn't see the rheumatologist until November. So I decided to do some research. What I found sure opened my eyes! At first someone asked me if I was interested in treating naturally. My answer was ""No way!"" I did see the specialist and he just wanted to shrug off the side effects and I

kept asking. Finally he said ""Let me put it this way, when you're older you'll have more problems than RA."" That made up my mind! In January I started seeing a natural doctor and now 9 months later I feel so much better! I still have bad days and wasn't sure if we were doing the right thing, until April 2020 my thumb joint popped out, I did X-rays as the joint wouldn't stay in anymore and had no use of my thumb. The results were the arthritis had eaten away at my joint and had stretched tendons with bone fragments in them. He said I would have to have a joint replacement and said I would be in a wheelchair by 30 years old if I didn't go the medical route. I went to see my natural doctor. She said our body heals itself, but it might take a few years since we are still trying to stop the arthritis. I asked about a supplement blend of white oak bark, lungroot, slippery elm, marshmallow root, mullein and more for tissue and bone support and she gave me the O.K. to try it. I started with 20 a day and slacked off slowly. 2 months later my joint didn't pop out anymore and I could use it a little again. The nodule is almost gone too. Now 5 months later I can fully use my thumb except it doesn't bend completely. I told my husband ""Now I have faith in how we are treating!"" I went 7 days pain free for the first time since September 2018. Having pain everyday takes a toll on your body, mind and emotions. Also a very important thing is your diet. For me this is hard! But I do feel better! I try to eat mostly fruits and vegetables. I'll eat lots of chicken and use spelt flour instead of wheat. Mrs. Esh feel free to write me: –Mariaanne Troyer 4643 Painseville Warren Road West Farmington, OH 44491

Dear Sprigs team, Greetings in the name of our Lord! It's a beautiful autumn day! I think the magazine is an interesting must-read. Do you think there would be any interest in having more articles, letters, and pictures, on vegetable, herb, and flower gardening? How about tips on what herbs are nice to grow right outside your door and how you use them for cooking? I really enjoy gardening and would like nothing better than some colorful pictures to give me some ideas for my flowerbeds next year. We grow a lot of petunias and feed them Petunia Feed from Jack's using 1 scoop of fertilizer to 5 gallons pail of water every time you water which is everyday and twice on Saturday since you don't water on Sunday.

My husband has a rose bed and he's picked me many a beautiful rose bouquet this past summer. We feed those Rose and Flower food from Jobes. It's organic. It's a granular feed, so every 4-6 weeks I open a bag and just scatter on top of the mood chips then once it rains it'll work itself in. We do all of our gardening and flowerbeds with wood chip gardening. We filled the soil, put a layer of lean compost on top, and then added wood chips once the plants were a few inches tall. We prefer this method as you don't have to be hoeing and filling all the time, plus the wood chips retain the moisture so much better than exposed soil. You have to do more soil tests then and we added some hog manure several times as the pH level gets thrown off kilter with those wood chips trying to decompose. Enjoy your gardening!" "Thank you so much for this wonderful and free magazine! I love it! What causes moles and how do I get rid of them? How can I prevent from getting more? I have hundreds of moles all over my body and face. Some are light, some are dark, some are flat, some are raised. Thanks in advance for any advice! –A mother of 3

Hi everyone, Does someone have any more information about sensory issues. Any advice appreciated. For fevers I like to use a little carrier oil, add 3 drops frankincense oil and 3 drops lavender oil and rub that in entire length of spine as that gets all the nerve endings. I'm looking forward to reading some of the answers in the next Motherhood. I enjoy your magazine. Thanks. –Another mom"

Please know that those who look sickly while eating healthy did not choose their journey. When we are dealing with health issues we try and do what we think is best for our body. And the processed foods that you buy at the store is not a nature's product, it's full of food coloring, preservatives, corn syrup, and many more ingredients that are harmful to your body. I challenge you to do your research. You might be surprised at what you find. Some of you mentioned that healthy living looks expensive. It need not be. For starters, stop eating desserts, use plenty of fats, don't think you have to change overnight. Take one step at a time, soon it will become you. And hopefully you will enjoy it. May God bless! –A reader

Hello to all in Sprigsland, To the mom wondering about torticollis. I had it very badly as a baby, my mother said my neck sometimes got smelly because she simply could hardly clean it properly because my head was practically lying on my shoulder. She took me twice a week to a massage lady, it helped but since it was so bad it didn't completely fix it. I grew up with going to different chiropractors etc. Some helped, others didn't. Once I was a teenager I started going to a osteopathic manipulation doctor and got results! But as a mom I still have to keep up treatments or something as I get very tight during pregnancy. My husband would say ""If your little daughter has a problem with it, get it fixed before she grows up!"" We now started with doing raindrop technique massage - a massage using oils and rubbing certain ways, we have found it very helpful for immune system and great for tight muscles and cheaper than going for treatments! If you need more info I'd gladly send you some: 765-435-2336. Also as a prevention be sure to drink enough water and don't forget your calcium/magnesium and make sure it's a good brand that you can absorb. May God bless you all as you take care of your family.

Dear readers, Thank you to everyone that has a part in this magazine, including the advertisements. A heartfelt plea to everyone, let's remember to be longsuffering with one another, also to not judge.

A mother who likes to read and learn" Dear Mom-to-Mom, I am wondering if there are any ideas on how to get a child to think positive instead of negative. We have 6 children. 2 out of our 6

children have a negative personality. Is this part of their personality or is it up to the mom to fix it? My husband's family is more negative and mine is more positive. Maybe there are no ways to change it but are there ways to cope with it? Even for the sake of his family? The reason I'm so mystified is my other children are fine but these 2 find something wrong with everything. What am I doing wrong? My daughter often wakes up in the morning crying and then she's unhappy all day long. –Mystified mom in Ohio

Hello, I would like to respond to the mom of 4 on page 36 of the July issue about her 1 year old son who gets so sick from a cold. I've been there many times! And yes, it can get scary. It is actually a swelling of the bronchial tubes, or a respiratory tract infection. For treatment I have good results with garlic, lobelia, and a good respiratory tincture. Find one that works, as not all of them do in this case. Then I like to rub lobelia and peppermint oil diluted with olive oil on their chest, back, feet, etc. Use only one at a time, switching off every 2 hours. Usually within 24 hours you will see it heading the other way. Be sure to start treatment at the first sign of a cold. For prevention I had good results with cod liver oil and colostrum. Pneumonia salves or hot water steaming only makes this worse or prolongs it. I hope this may help you! –Just another mom

Dear friends, I know a lot of people say that fluoride is not good for you. I have pretty bad teeth and the dentist told me to use restoring anti-cavity fluoride mouthwash and also a sodium fluoride prescription toothpaste. Is it okay to use the fluoride stuff while pregnant? Dentists are not cheap, so I'm giving this a try. Once they also said my gums are residing. Can you do anything for that? Also I'm wondering that causes pimples on the upper arms? My sister has them pretty bad and my son and I also have them. They aren't bothersome, but would like to know if we\re lacking something. Is there anything to do? Would really like to know if somebody else had this problem or knows what to do for it; almost always after every meal my husband has to go to the bathroom and it's usually diarrhea. Is he not digesting his food right, can he take something? –A young mother

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MOm-to-mom Mama & Baby

Quiz:

Which best describes the foods you eat? A. I eat a large variety of fresh foods. (0 points) B. I have my favorite go-to meals, but try and switch them up. (1 point)

IS YOUR GUT COMPROMISING YOUR HEALTH?

C. I stick to the same supermarket shopping list each week. (2 points)

Our stomachs contain over 100 trillion microbes that communicate with the body and impact our sleep, mood, weight, energy, and more! That’s why balancing our gut microbiome is so important. Tally up your points to the following questions to see where you lie.

A. Great, I usually feel awake and energized during the day. (0 points)

How are your energy levels?

B. I usually have an afternoon slump. (1 point) C. I am tired all the time. (2 points) How is your sleep?

How often do you experience bloating and gas?

How often do you have a bowel movement?

A. Less than once a month (0 points)

A. 2-3 times a day (0 points)

B. 1-3 times a month (1 point)

B. Usually once a day (1 point)

B. I usually wake up or have trouble falling asleep. (1 point)

C. 1-2 times a week (2 points)

C. Less than once a day (2 points)

How often do you get sick?

Do you have strong sugar cravings?

A. Less than once or twice a year! (0 points)

D. 3 or more times per week (3 points) How often do you experience diarrhea or constipation? A. Less than once a month (0 points) B. 1-3 times a month (1 point) C. 1-2 times a week (2 points) D. 3 or more times per week (3 points) Do you take regular medication or over-the-counter drugs? A. No (0 points)

A. Not at all (0 points) C. Often (2 points)

B. A few times a year, usually around cold and flu season. (1 point)

Describe your typical eating habits?

C. I feel like I am always catching something! (2 points)

B. Sometimes (1 point)

A. I take my time, sit down, and chew my food thoroughly. (0 points) B. I take time but could be more mindful when I eat. (1 point)

B. Yes (2 points)

C. I am often eating quickly, standing up and rushed, or multitasking. (2 points)

How often are you negatively impacted by stress?

How is your mood?

A. Less than once a month (0 points)

A. Stable and mostly positive (0 points)

B. 1-3 times a month (1 point) C. Every week (2 points) How often do you exercise to the point where your heart rate is up and you’re breaking a sweat? A. 3 or more times a week (0 points) B. 1-2 times per week (1 point) C. Less than once a week (2 points)

A. I sleep great and through the night (0 points)

B. Average, I have ups and downs (1 point) C. I am usually stressed with lots of anxiety. (2 points) Describe your diet? A. Whole foods, rarely having anything processed (0 points) B. I try to stick to whole foods but could do better (1 point) C. Processed foods make up the majority of my diet (2 points)

If you got:

0-10 Congratulations you have great gut health! You and your gut bacteria are a happy team. Keep up the good work.

11-20 You’re doing alright! You likely feel ok most of the time but could feel better. Support your gut health by adding a larger variety of whole foods to your diet, getting regular exercise, and keeping stress levels low.

21-30 Let’s get to work. The bad bacteria has taken over your gut and it’s time to reset. You may be dealing with food intolerances or have too much sugar and processed food in your diet. We suggest starting a food journal to pinpoint problems!

Food Journal

Hello to all,

A food journal can help you understand what foods make you feel good and what foods don’t agree with you. Take note of what you are consuming each day and make adjustments to your diet to achieve your goals.

First I would like to thank the Laudons for such an interesting magazine like the Motherhood! I would love to hear more about using oils etc. Our babies are always fussy babies till the last one I started to take Enzymes and also give her aloe vera. She is a lot more content than the others were. Thank goodness.

To start a journal, simply document the following on a piece of paper: • What did you eat? Be specific!

For a chest cold or cough. Fry a big onion in unker's salve then put in an old sock and put on chest and feet. Works wonders for our children.

• How much? • What was the environment like at the time? Were you standing, rushed, multitasking, stressed? What emotions were present?

–Just another mom still learning

• How did you feel right after eating? Dear mothers,

• How did you feel 30-60 minutes after eating?

Thank you for this great magazine, very useful tips in daily life.

Do this for at least two weeks and see if you notice any patterns!

The Gut-Brain Connection Did you know your gut health can impact your mood and vice versa? Our stomach contains over 500 million neurons that communicate with the brain and tell our bodies how to behave. Have you ever been so stressed out you got a pit in your stomach? Or have you ever gotten a stomach ache when you were nervous? It's all connected! ⁣ Your gut directly impacts neurotransmitter production affecting your mood, impacting hormone production, and is even a foundational piece for immunity.

About essential oils, be careful how you use them, we use them for cuts, burns, bruises etc... Some use them to help children sleeping longer, better and more behaved. Maybe a little more time from parents would work better. Also to use oils so you feel better relaxed, a positive mind and common sense goes a long way. As for birth, trying to control it, a birth is a miracle from the one above, why do we want to control it? If you gave your life to Lord, then you should have no worries about tomorrow. For yeast infection, splash vinegar on 1-2 times a day, it burns but it worked for me. Natural Albuterol 1 1/3 distilled water or boiled water 1 teaspoon sea salt 1.3 teaspoon soda

10 Foods That Help With Constipation

Cool then use some amount as Albuterol tubes.

• Prunes

• Green vegetables

Count your blessings not your calories.

• Apples

• Sweet potato

Many blessings to each one.

• Pears

• Chia and Flaxseeds

–Anonymous

• Kiwis

• Oat bran

• Figs

• Rhubarb

Also used only natural laundry soap to

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Dear moms, Giving a good probiotic took care of my children's bad morning breath. It can be a sign of poor gut health or digestion. To increase your child's appetite, doing a para-cleanse and giving cod liver oil have both helped. I give a bubble gum flavored cod liver oil and they love it! To the ones struggling with migraines: did you know a common cause is food allergies? I used to get migraines and often didn't feel better until I vomited, then was weak the next day or so. Now, after doing some detoxes and taking something for digestion I only get occasional headaches, but not migraines. Taking something for inflammation like turmeric or CBD oil helps a lot too. –A friend

I'm wondering if there's anyone out there dealing with the problems I have had for years now? I'm very sensitive to a lot of supplements, herbal or vitamins and minerals. I can only use it for a short period of time and then I feel more run-down and stressed, get weak and shaky and don't sleep so well, so I need to discontinue it. I've tried many different products and only seem to tolerate some very gentle, easy to digest ones. Same with detoxes - I can only do it for a little bit. It's very frustrating and my energy gets so low, and I'd like to build up my body in hopes of another pregnancy. (We have 1 child). I do watch my sugar, eat gluten free, try to get plenty of sleep, and take enzymes, probiotics, etc. I'm also on prescription medication for my stress. Is there anyone out there who understands what I'm dealing with? Is there any hope to improve? –Thankful for what I do have

Dear mothers, To the one wondering about doing a parasite cleanse while pregnant or nursing... Doing so while nursing is ok. Just be sure you're not drying up your milk. But while pregnant - no! One mother didn't know better and tried that. She had a fussy baby until baby passed a

The Secret Cause Behind Your Digestive Upset STORY BY GINA HACKBARTH

take deworming medication. Many children in other countries are even given deworming medication on a consistent schedule at school.

If you are squeamish when it comes to creepy crawly critters, you may want to skip this article! But if you want to achieve optimal health and get to the root of mysterious health symptoms, you will want to read on. I don’t blame you, the first time I read about parasites I had to put the material down and come back later. It was overwhelming to think I could have worms living in my body and I wanted to pretend it was impossible. But it’s all too possible! A parasite is an organism that lives inside its host and takes its food from them, and many of us have a parasite problem without realizing it. Many of us, doctors included, assume that since we live in the United States, parasites don’t exist in great enough numbers to impact our health. We think that’s a problem for other countries with poor sanitation and “dirty” living conditions. But with hundreds of types of parasites existing around the globe, they are a very real problem for us too. Dr. Josh Axe estimates 50% of Americans have parasites. Someone even said, “I once heard a doctor talking about how a patient asked him how they can know if they have parasites. He said, ‘There’s a super simple test for parasites. Take your two fingers, put them on the side of your neck. Do you feel a pulse? Yes? Then you have parasites.’” People in other countries are actually at an advantage because they and their doctors acknowledge the presence of parasites and regularly

When a person in the United States complains about a sudden, dramatic digestive upset, one question the doctor will ask is, “Have you traveled out of the country recently?” This is because it’s true that water in other countries often contains parasites that make travelers sick. But we should be asking more questions! There are many ways parasites can enter the body. For example: • Eating raw fish (sushi) • Eating undercooked meat

(especially pork)

• Contact with animal saliva or blood

(even your pet dog’s kisses!)

• Tap water (even in the

United States)

• Contact with soil (especially if the

skin is broken)

• Insect bites (ticks, mosquitoes,

fleas, bedbugs)

• Restrooms • Shopping carts/doorknobs

You see, it’s easier than you’d think to pick up a parasite! You may even have a few parasites and not feel sick at all because of the severity of your symptoms, in part, depends on the parasite load or how many parasites are present in the body. What’s even more interesting is that parasites can mask other causes of illness in our bodies. They ingest not only vitamins and minerals, robbing us of nutrients, but they also ingest metals and mold found in our bodies. This is actually beneficial to us and helps protect our bodies from the

diaper full of worms! –Still learning

Hello to everyone in Motherhood land, I like to read about everybody else's ways of doing things. In the July issue on page 127, a blessed mom was wondering if anybody else has a problem of losing too much weight while nursing. Yes, I hope to have some answers too. We can eat and eat and still lose weight. I do a parasite cleanse while nursing but sometimes it makes a fussy baby. I wouldn't use it until baby is at least 8 months old. I'm using parasite cleanse and baby is a little over a year old. –Just another mom of 1 girl

Love to all readers, Thank you for your great magazine! It seems I'm always trying and learning new things. harmful effects of mold and metals but, in the long run, you will want all of those things out of your system— the parasites, mold, and metals. Parasites can cause a lot of symptoms both in and out of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This is because parasites are not limited to living in the GI tract alone. They can migrate to other areas of the body and have been found in the liver, bladder and urinary tract, reproductive organs, and lungs. Some of the symptoms caused by parasites include: Skin rashes (hives, eczema, sores, lesions, acne, ulcers) • Mood disorders • Anxiety/nervousness • Teeth grinding • Inability to fall asleep at night • Strong cravings for processed and

sugary foods

• Persistent digestive problems

(cramps, bloating, pain, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting)

• Itching (mouth, nose, anus)

• Memory problems

• Weakness

For weight loss, I had great success with doing the lemon cleanse - lost 15lb. I also try to eat healthy as I can easily gain. I also did the liver cleanse with great results at the time. A couple of days later I also had a belly ache, fever and diarrhea. I think that was the flu, but bellyache was severe! And my legs (at my calves) hurt when I tried to poop. Would that have something to do with my liver cleanse?

• Unsteady gait

God bless you all!

• Eye floaters

–Anonymous

• Malnourishment • Anemia • Numbness • Paresthesia (abnormal skin

sensations)

If you suspect you or a family member has a parasitic infection, you can request a stool test that may reveal the presence of parasite eggs or a blood test to look for elevated levels of eosinophils, a component of the immune system that may take action against parasites. But both testing methods are flawed—some types of parasites will not show up no matter which type of testing is used. In that case, if the symptoms are present, a parasite cleanse would be safe to begin. When cleansing parasites from the body, remember that there will be some present at each stage in their life cycle—egg, larva, adult. A

Dear mothers, I find the Mom-to-Mom very interesting. I would say worms and yeast go together, as both are something everyone has, and a healthy body will keep them in balance. But for others they get out of control, causing problems. Still others never do a pinworm cleanse all their life and are as healthy as can be! So it's interesting; different people have different needs, and yes, I too, say, be thankful if you don't need to eat healthy or take lots of pills. I sympathize with the one who wrote of rebelling because of having to watch the diet, knowing the rebellious feeling of "I'd rather die than start swallowing any

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more pills!" Yet I know I should be (and I am) thankful if they help, as have stood helplessly by as a loved one spent years of special diets and pills yet grew steadily thinner and weaker. Medical doctors could find no answers for years until God led to a diagnosis which we hope may help. So thank God if herbs, pills and diets help. Somethings may have resolved on their own - I never felt I could say "such and such worked for me", unless I tried it over years with the same results. Then it still could work differently for another - but so it is with meds, too. –Rebecca

Dear Mom-to-Mom, First a big thanks to Nancy and all at Sprigs. To the one wondering what to take for parasites while breastfeeding. Try chaparral tea. I've read somewhere it's safe to take while pregnant and nursing. It gives you energy. Hope this helps someone. What works for one may not work for the next. –A mom

Hello, Pinworms - not a nice subject, but lots of problems in children can come from them. I learned from experience that you need to get the bowels loose. Not just a wormer, but also a laxative even if you have a wormer that says you don't need to. Yes, I had used the drug and gone by instructions with laundering and mopping floors and didn't get rid of the problem. I was using an herbal wormer plus a laxative when my little girl finally got relief and it was horror, that you had to burn sheet and pillow case, but it was also the end then. –Anonymous

Hello Sprigs and interested readers! Thanks again for so much information in a free magazine! Maybe I'll try to answer some questions best I know and hope it helps someone!

cleanse must be consistently done for weeks to months for best results, to completely clear out all parasites. Without knowing the exact type of parasites or the volume of parasites present in your body, you will use the improvement of symptoms to determine how long to continue your herbal cleanse. You may also notice symptoms worsening around the time of a full moon. I was very skeptical about the validity of this claim when I first heard it. But after reading more about it, I learned that the moon exerts a gravitational pull on the earth that is especially strong during a full moon. (We’ve all heard stories of more women going into labor on the night of a full moon. This may explain that phenomenon as well!) Parasites respond to this gravitational pull and are more active during the days before and after each full moon. Anxiety and mood disorders may worsen during the full moon due to parasitic activity—but it’s the perfect time to do a parasite cleanse since they are easier to kill during this time of increased activity! Before beginning an herbal parasite cleanse, stop eating things that feed parasites. Processed foods, sugars, and simple carbohydrates are their favorite foods. Avoid pork as well because of the high rate of contamination with parasites.

Make sure you have a clean, filtered source of water so tap water does not reintroduce any parasites to your body. Choose a few easy-to-make paleo meals that contain mostly vegetables so you won’t be hungry. You may even want to freeze some meals ahead of time so you won’t have to make separate meals for the rest of the family or spend an effort cooking when you may feel under the weather from your cleanse. Parasites may release the mold and metals they’ve ingested once they have died, making you feel temporarily sicker. Set aside a little extra time for rest, take a warm bath with Epsom salts to soothe any body aches, and consider using enemas several times a week, or even daily while cleansing to move the waste materials out of your body faster. This will help you feel more comfortable. In addition to herbs, a type of mineral called zeolite will gently and effectively remove metals and mold from your body, so you can starve parasites further and increase the effectiveness of your cleanse. Some people report passing parasites when they use the restroom from taking zeolites alone. Zeolites come as a tasteless, odorless liquid that looks and tastes like water, making them easy to administer to children.

Someone asked why not cleanse parasites while pregnant? Because I heard enough to figure it could be bad, but also would imagine those little ones at first are even smaller than some parasites and if you'd take a parasite cleanse that actually kills them how could such a small embryo survive or else if they survive (however big) I think it's possible to damage something though it might work sometimes, I just wouldn't want to do it on purpose, but I'd trust to do some cleanses while nursing once baby's a little older if they seem able to handle it or some might not have plenty milk with some cleanses though. –A blessed mother

Hi to you all, Thank you for all the good advice. I enjoy reading through here.

You may also want to optimize your parasite cleanse by eating foods that kill parasites, such as: • Pumpkin seeds (up to 1 cup a day!) • Garlic and onions • Papaya juice • Coconut oil

What about parasite cleansing while pregnant or breastfeeding? This is a personal decision and one we can’t make for you. Something to consider is this: How severe is the parasite infestation? Mothers with mild to moderate parasitic loads are encouraged to wait until after delivery to seek treatment. But what if the mother is affected greatly with anemia due to parasites? Pregnant mothers with parasitic infections have been studied and many do have anemia, which resulted

in many of their newborns being anemic at birth. Also, in cases of pregnant women with malaria, which is a parasitic infection, treatment cannot be delayed due to the severity of the disease. Interestingly, the World Health Organization recommends women with serious parasitic infections take antiparasitic medication during either the second or third trimester while under a doctor’s care. Each case must be evaluated individually and ultimately the mother must decide if her symptoms are severe enough to begin treatment. To prevent the reoccurrence of a parasitic infection, consider a maintenance cleanse 2-4 times a year for your whole family. Lead by example and teach your children that health is something to maintain, not to wait for a problem to occur before taking action!

Some of the most effective parasite-killing herbs include: • Black walnut hull

• Oregano

• Male fern

• Grapefruit seed extract

• Papaya leaf

• Uva ursi

• Wormwood

• Clove

• Sage

• Mimosa pudica

• Thyme

I'm due anytime with our third child. I've had severe morning sickness with them all but this has definitely been the worst yet. I still have to watch closely what I eat or I don't feel well. It's been a very trying time for us all but we are very excited about a new baby. I always look forward to the birth as I know I'll be able to feel better afterward and also grow stronger again. Things that help others don't help me, like eating beans, taking B vitamins, etc. I have to figure out what I can eat so I'm not throwing up all the time. This time it was eggs. Some other things that have helped me are progesterone cream. I use the cream 3 times daily, before every meal. I've used it all through my pregnancy and all the time. Use it even on babies for colic. We also use it on our hyper 3 year old and it calms him down a lot. I also drink distilled baby water. I can handle that a lot better. You can get it in grocery stores or Walmart. I think one reason that I've been so sick this time is, I did a lot of cleansing, worming, detoxing, etc. Then I got pregnant before I had built myself up again. So please be careful, mothers. I wouldn't recommend too much cleansing. Try to eat healthy and get enough rest, and stay positive and happy. –A mom

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Questions about athlete's foot, itchy spots, sweaty feet, scaly rash on head, nipple candida, dry sore vagina, itchy ankles and constipation, cracked open itchy nipples and more sounds like probably a yeast problem. Read the Yeast Syndrome book from Chupp's for more information how to cure it and what feeds yeast. High amounts of probiotics can go a long way, look for one with those 2 strains FoS and Bacillus Coagulans, I found one with those 2 included at Swanson's but I think some others might be good too. To the one that took a lot probiotics, wonder what kind or how many billion that one had that you took such a lot pills? Maybe it does the trick for mild cases, but don't think it's as for bad long standing cases, sounds amazing though it reminded me to try using more. A homeopathic candida formula and liquid aged garlic extract (Kyolic) can help some but seems it's hard to get it all cured, watching the diet probably helps the most for me, but shouldn't have to watch it so hards once it's cured I think, so guess it takes a lot patience at times, I like the garlic extract to heal sores in mouth, guess it's from yeast too and it sometimes fires up pretty bad around the inside of mouth if I don't get it in time, this garlic extract is a good one, can be used to soak a towel and put in vagina for vaginal yeast etc. I think some things like the candida formula you might get immune to it that it doesn't help as mush so, maybe changing off every 2 weeks would be better even for candida hers, might try that more. –A blessed mother

Dear Sprigs and all who read... Thanks for a great magazine! To the one whose husband has a bad case yeast, have you tried apple cider vinegar water? Use 1 part ACV and 3 parts water. And also take a good probiotic and prebiotic. I had a very bad case of it after our baby was born and that was what helped me. I am still taking acidophilus and he's now 2 1/2 months. I plan on taking it for awhile yet - even though I don't have any more problems with yeast. Also for babies with tummy ache and gas problems. I find *** [ A blend of catnip, fennel, and peppermint] to be very helpful or even just a catnip and fennel tincture. –A mom of 1 little blessing

A Holistic Protocol to Tackle Yeast and Candida STORY BY NATALIE SEMMELMANN

This Fall, I began working on my gut health in a much deeper and mindful way. For years I was eating all the right foods and taking supplements that support my digestion. But it wasn’t until this year that I noticed that I truly did not know what was going on inside my body. I decided to do a comprehensive stool analysis tested for all intestinal bacteria, pathogens, and parasites. The test came back with results detecting some pathogens, candida overgrowth, and h-pylori, as well as an off-balance in my gut microbiome. Nothing too off, but enough for me to put myself on a 12-24 week antifungal diet protocol with supportive supplements to get my overgrowth under control and my digestive system working optimally again. What is Candida? Candida is a fungus that belongs to the yeast family. You might hear it be addressed as a fungal infection, a yeast infection, or Candida

overgrowth. This is a form of internal dysbiosis when there is an imbalance between our pathogens (bacteria, yeast, or parasites) and us, the host. The relationship between the host and pathogens has gone awry. Dysbiosis can be in your digestive system, your skin, vagina, sinuses, ears, nails, eyes, and more. But when we are discussing candida, we are referring to an overgrowth of yeast in the digestive tract or mouth (thrush). Simply put, if there is an overgrowth there is a dysfunction that needs to be addressed. Our bodies, if functioning properly, are meant to digest these pathogens like they would any other protein. Yeast and candida live in our bodies at all times. But when our digestive systems become incapable of passing them, this is when things start to get out of hand and real problems begin. As Candida overgrows in our bodies, it breaks down the wall of our intestines and penetrates the bloodstream, releasing toxic byproducts into our body, causing a leaky gut. This can lead to many different health problems ranging from allergies, auto-immune disorders, digestive issues, depression, hormone imbalances, and a weakened immune system.

How Does Candida Overgrow? Our Candida levels are normally in check when we have healthy gut flora and healthy levels of stomach acid. Candida, and almost all pathogens, should be easily digested and eradicated by our bodies. If too much of our healthy gut flora is damaged, then our body becomes more hospitable for these pathogens to stick around longer and attach themselves to our mucosal linings like in our digestive tract. Our good bacteria is usually killed off by diets high in sugar, processed foods, refined carbohydrates, antibiotic use, and stressful lifestyles. You might be thinking, “Oh no! I have taken antibiotics throughout my life, I eat bread all the time, and I crave a sweet treat nightly!” Take a look at these most common symptoms and see if you can relate to any of them: • Digestive distress such as bloating,

burping, constipation, or diarrhea

• Anxiety, depression, or

mood swings

• Crave sweets • Skin and nail fungal infections, or

brittle peeling nails

• Fuzzy thinking and loss of memory • Loss of smell or constantly stuffy in

the nose and or throat

• Skin issues such as eczema,

psoriasis, or rashes

• Recurring bladder infections • Autoimmune conditions

or diagnosis

If you are experiencing any number of these symptoms and the above applies to you (antibiotic use, high sugar diet, consumed highly processed foods), it may be possible that you are experiencing candida overgrowth. I recommend working with a holistic or functional practitioner to have an extensive stool test done like the GIMAP. But in the meantime, there are some things you can do at home to help reduce or control the overgrowth. Handling Candida Overgrowth with Nutrition If you suspect Candida overgrowth, the best place to begin with is your diet. Focusing on a nutrient-dense whole food plan, like a paleo-style diet, will be the most beneficial to you. Candida bugs feed off sugars and thrive in an environment with foods that convert into sugars like carbohydrates, grains, fruits and fructose, alcohols, and other yeasts like baker’s yeast. Even whole foods that would normally be considered healthy and a great addition to any diet can feed a Candida overgrowth, adding to the Candida getting out of control. I recommend following this nutrientdense low-sugar paleo-style protocol for at least three months and up to six months, depending on how well you recover. Remember to always have patience with protocols, especially with Candida, as it is a very stubborn pathogen. While I recommend following this dietary template on a day-to-day basis to promote gut health, manage blood sugar, and reduce inflammation, you may still choose to add back in grains, beans, legumes, etc. after the 12 weeks (except gluten). That's your choice, just be mindful of how

Hi, For yeast infection I used an over the counter yeast cream/medicine from the drug store and took a women's probiotic by the hand full and was all gone within days. Angels walk where children play! –Another mom still learning

Dear moms, Thank you for a wonderful magazine! I love it. Would like to answer some questions and also have a question of my own. What causes a tongue to whiten? And it also hurts. I took lots of probiotics for yeast and it doesn't help, so was wondering if it is yeast. Usually I only get it while pregnant but now since baby dear is here I still have it. Sometimes it's worse than usual and it hurts when I eat. –Another mother who loves advice

Hello, For yeast infections: the only thing that cleared it up for me was Brewer's Yeast. I can't remember where it came from. Sorry! It also helped make more milk. –A mom in western New York

Hello to all, Want to share a few things about yeast. When I was a little school girl I was so sick that they finally took me to the doctor which I found out I had yeast in my stomach they put me on a strict diet. Which I got better but still no cure. Later I read somewhere for a cure for yeast is to take oregano oil which I got at a health food store in a mall. You'd have to get the one you can take internally. Said to take 2 drops under tongue in morning before breakfast. Now this doesn't taste good. But haven't much yeast since. Hope it helps someone I know not all things help everyone as we are all human. –A mother in MN who loves this magazine

Dear ladies,

Inspire • Grow • Encourage

MOTHERHOOD Magazine

your body reacts to these foods as you gradually add them back into your diet. First of all a big thank you to Sprigs for this wonderful magazine! The Mom-toMom has so many helpful tips! For yeast I had great results using 717s and garlic oil soft gels. I took 6 garlic pills at each meal and inserted one vaginally before going to bed and I got rid of it completely. But if you hemorrhage easy you might want to quit taking the garlic pills a couple of weeks before baby is born as garlic is a blood thinner. –A mother of 2

Hello, Thanks to the mom for writing about yeast in the rectal area in the last issue on page 99. Maybe that is my problem. I lived with itchiness in the vaginal area for as long as I can remember. I've been to different doctors, also to an OBGYN. Nobody really seems to know what it is as I still have it. I did parasite cleanses, whole body cleanse also the yeast cleanse. Just a while ago I'm not itchy in vagina much, but is it possibly yeast? I'm getting desperate. I'm hoping for some answers! Thanks in advance. –Anonymous

Avoid: • Sugars, including natural sugars

like honey, chocolate and maple syrup, and artificial sweeteners. (Be sure to read your labels. Sugars sneak into things.)

• All dairy products except

ghee and butter

• All fruit except berries, but limited

to one cup a day

• Kombucha • Vinegar ferments such as vinegar

(except apple cider vinegar), soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, pickles, and vanilla extract

• Foods high in yeast and mold such

as cheese, dried fruits, mushrooms, melons, peanuts, and corn

• Hotdogs, salami, and all processed

lunch meats

Include: • Animal proteins (organic, pastured,

and grass-fed)

• Nuts and seeds

Dear readers, A hearty thank you to all who helped make the magazine possible. I can relate to those who likely wouldn't subscribe if it weren't free. It's hard to lay down and is so informative. I love learning how to feed your body, what it needs to heal, and it's rewarding to see results! I don't have all the answers but I'll gladly share what helped me. We've dealt with yeast and when doing a yeast cleanse it's very important to steer clear of sugar and starch, because yeast thrives on it. The body converts starch into sugar. Believe me, it's worth it! Use only stevia and birch xylitol very sparingly. These 2 sweeteners do not affect blood sugar. Starchy foods include lima beans, corn, and potatoes. Some fruits high in sugar are bananas and red apples. Acidophilus is good to fight yeast.

• Low glycemic vegetables and

leafy greens

• Cultured vegetables • Unprocessed oils • Berries and green apples, try

limiting to no more than one cup a day

• Tomatoes • Quinoa, amaranth, brown rice,

root vegetables, and buckwheat (no more than one cup a day)

• Coconut oil • Garlic • Oregano and thyme • Cruciferous vegetables • Cinnamon

–A mom in PA

• Wild Salmon • Lemon

Handling Candida Overgrowth with Supplementation Adding in supplementation is going to be critical when it comes to eliminating a Candida overgrowth. This pathogen is resilient, you’ll have to combat it strongly. • Add in supplements with caprylic

acid. You’ll want to take these morning, afternoon, and night away from food. However, I recommend the first week or so to start slowly with these and then gradually work up to this. Herxheimer reactions are healing reactions that mimic illness and we want to avoid it.

• Add in an olive leaf tincture, oregano

oil, or a grapefruit seed extract to help destroy the protective bio-film the pathogen creates around itself. I recommend all three and rotate them out weekly and take at least 5-7 drops in water once a day.

• Add in a binder

to attach to the pathogen and help escort it out. I like to use activated charcoal in higher doses in the morning and the evening.

• Splurge and

buy the best probiotic you can find. There are so many on the market these days and it can be very confusing. I recommend a trip to your local health food store to discuss with their in-house supplement specialist your options.

• Find ways to eliminate the stressors

in your life. I know I end a lot of my articles with this, but our bodies truly cannot heal if we are in a state of stress. Practice mindful movements, deep diaphragmatic breathing, grounding yourself, and spend time outside without any stimulation like work or chasing little ones.

If you think that you might have a Candida overgrowth, then I recommend following the above protocol and guidelines. If you do not see a change in your symptoms after the 3-6 month mark, then I strongly advise you to work with a holistic or functional practitioner to help you to have a happy and healthy gut!

We’re excited to announce Sprigs will be hosting 3 one-day learning events this year with our incredible speakers and educators.

WELLNESS

Workshop

Thank you for sending in your event location requests! These events are a chance for you to spend a day with like minded mothers and families from your area. If you want to learn more about nutrition, hormone health, mental health, and ways to live a natural healthy lifestyle for you and your family, then this is for you! Bring your friend, and join us as we learn, connect, and celebrate health! Please purchase your tickets now to save money and reserve your spot. Space is limited. We can’t wait to see you there.

SPEAKERS

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Sandra Ellis Master Herbalist

Lancaster, PA THURSDAY, MAY 13TH 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Dr. Adrian Bachman Doctor of Chiropractic and Master of Science Christy Thigpen Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach

Berlin, OH SATURDAY, MAY 15TH 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Shipshewana, IN MAY TBD 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

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MOTHERHOOD by Sprigs

In 2019, we had our very first Motherhood Conference and it was an absolutely amazing experience! Women from all over gathered to connect and talk about their motherhood journey, share stories, and learn about healthy living from our expert speakers. Due to the unprecedented events in 2020, we made the decision to hold off on gathering. But we are excited and eager to get together next summer on Friday, August 20, and Saturday, August 21.

The conference will be held in Berlin, Ohio at the Comfort Suites Hotel and Conference Center (4810 Township Road 366, Berlin, OH 44610). Don’t miss out on our early bird ticket pricing. We have limited space available and want to make sure you have a spot. The Motherhood Conference 2021 will focus on how your energy levels are impacted by nutrition, hormonal balance, mental health, fasting, pregnancy, and more. Let’s learn together how being healthy and having energy are inseparable!

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We received a lot of feedback about how we handle our products being mentioned in the Mom-To-Mom section, and we hear you! Our goal is to bring you the most useful information possible, and censoring the names of products in certain letters has lead to some confusion about the advice the writer is sharing. We would love to share everything written to us, but we can’t due to the FDA regulations. To give everyone as much information as we possibly can, we have decided that in instances where a product being mentioned would add to the discussion, we will instead offer information about the main herbs in the products. With this information and everything else you have been learning from the Motherhood Magazine, you will be able to find a solution that will work for you. As always, our goal is to do everything we can to help educate and support you while you raise a healthy family.

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MOm-to-mom Mama & Baby

7-day Detox

Cleansing & Detoxing for The New Year STORY BY GINA HACKBARTH

(Begin Weight Loss Plan afterward) Days 1-2: Drink a plant-based meal replacement shake four times a day, ingesting no other food. This will mimic fasting and allow your body to cleanse and lose water weight from inflammation. Drink your shake with water at 8 a.m. (one hour after waking), 11:30 a.m. (3.5 hrs later), 3 p.m. (3.5 hrs later), and 6:30 p.m. (3.5 hrs later) Days 3-7: Continue the meal replacement shake twice a day, at 8 a.m. (or one hour after waking) and in the afternoon (3 p.m. or 3.5 hrs after lunch). Eat a balanced lunch and dinner: Lunch:

2+ cups vegetables (raw or cooked) 1 cup root vegetables (sweet potato) 1/2-1 cup protein (vegetarian protein is best at lunch) 1-2 Tbsp healthy fat (olive oil, avocado, ghee) Spices Dinner:

As many of us are motivated and in the right mindset to make healthy changes, the start of a new year is the perfect time to cleanse your body If reclaiming the energy you had as a teenager or losing weight to feel stronger is your goal this year, having a clear plan to follow will set you up for success! You may choose to begin with the 7-Day Detox, then begin the Weight Loss Plan afterward for best results. If your goal is to simply detox your body without losing weight permanently, begin with the 7-Day Detox. You will temporarily lose weight due to handling inflammation in your body and give your digestive system a break so it can clean out stored waste and toxins. You may choose to follow the Weight Maintenance Plan afterward to continue eating a disease prevention diet. Or, if your goal is to gain weight and build muscular strength in your body, skip to the Weight Gain Plan—which will help you achieve your goals with a healthy, disease prevention diet. Whatever plan you choose will support your health with 7-9 servings of vegetables each day. Imagine what that will do for your body!

2+ cups vegetables (raw or cooked) 1/2-1 cup protein 1-2 Tbsp healthy fat (olive oil, avocado, ghee) Spices *No root vegetables. If hungry, add 1 more cup of vegetables or 1/2 avocado.

Weight Maintenance Plan Breakfast smoothie:

1-2 cups berries 1 serving plant-based meal replacement shake 1-2+ cups greens (spinach or one serving of a greens supplement) 1-2 Tbsp healthy fat (coconut cream, coconut oil, avocado, seeds, or nuts) 16 oz. filtered water + 6 oz. nut milk Lunch:

2+ cups vegetables (raw or cooked) 1 cup root vegetables (sweet potato) 1/2-1 cup protein 2 Tbsp healthy fat (olive oil, avocado, ghee) Spices Dinner:

2+ c. vegetables (raw or cooked) 1/2-1 c. root vegetables 1/2-1 c. protein 1-2 T. healthy fat (olive oil, avocado, ghee) spices

Weight Loss Plan Breakfast smoothie:

Dinner:

1/2-1 cup berries

2+ cups vegetables (raw or cooked)

1 serving plant-based meal replacement shake

1/2-1 cup protein

1+ cup greens (spinach or one serving of a greens supplement) 1 Tbsp healthy fat (coconut cream, coconut oil, avocado, seeds, or nuts) 16 oz. filtered water + 6 oz. nut milk Lunch:

2+ cups vegetables (raw or cooked) 1 cup root vegetables (sweet potato, 1/2-1 cup protein

1-2 Tbsp healthy fat (olive oil, avocado, ghee) Spices

Tips and tricks for weight loss: • Go 12 hours between dinner and breakfast overnight without eating • Berries are the best fruit to eat while losing weight • No carbs with dinner

*No root vegetables. If hungry, add 1 more cup of vegetables or 1/2 avocado.

• Liquid before lunch

After 21 days, adjust your plan to include slightly more or less food depending on your results. If you are losing too much weight, add 1/2 cup starch (root vegetables) at lunch and dinner, and 1/2 cup more berries with your smoothie.

• Avoid snacking (to allow glucose to drop between meals)

1-2 Tbsp healthy fat (olive oil, avocado, ghee)

• Add more protein, if hungry

• Take a walk after dinner • Plan meals ahead of time • After the first 21 days, enjoy 1-2 meals per week off the plan (4872 hours apart from each other)

Spices

Weight Gain Plan (eat both, or smoothie only):

Guacamole, hummus, bean dip, and veggies or rice crackers

1-2 cups oatmeal or yam with healthy fat and cinnamon (optional)

*Must be easy to digest before dinner

Breakfast

Smoothie: 2 cups berries 1 serving plant-based meal replacement shake 1-2+ cups greens (spinach or one serving of a greens supplement) 2 Tbsp healthy fat (coconut cream, coconut oil, avocado, seeds, or nuts)

1-2 cups fruit Dinner:

1-2+ cups vegetables (raw or cooked)

Oregano

1-2 cups root vegetables

Turmeric

1/2-1 cups protein

Clean sing Foods

2-3 Tbsp healthy fat (olive oil, avocado, ghee) Spices

(Include more of these daily to support your body’s cleansing organs): Tangerine

Clean sing Herbs

Lemon

(Include more of these daily in teas or with food to support your body’s cleansing organs):

Spinach

1-2 cups root vegetables/starch (potato, yam, rice, quinoa, etc.)

Ginger

Apples

Dandelion

Blueberries

1/2-1 cup protein

Milk thistle

Cabbage

2-3 Tbsp healthy fat (olive oil, avocado, ghee)

Coriander

Flaxseeds

Spices

Cilantro

Garlic

Cinnamon

Onions

Cayenne

Kale

Fennel

Hemp

Parsley

Pineapples

Rosemary

Wheatgrass

16 oz. filtered water + 6 oz. nut milk Lunch:

2+ cups vegetables (cooked)

Snack

3-4 hours after lunch (choose one): Second smoothie

Collard greens Broccoli

Inspire • Grow • Encourage

98 MOTHERHOOD Magazine

5 C leansing

R ecipes

TO RESET YOUR SYSTEM

Green Juice Serves: 1 Ingredients 1 bunch kale, chopped 1 lemon, peeled and cut into quarters 1 inch ginger, peeled 1 large cucumber, cut into long strips 2 large apples 4 whole stalks of celery

Directions Wash and prep your vegetables and fruits. Juice in the order listed in the ingredients. Strain to remove pulp (optional). Drink right away!

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Antioxidant Fruit Salad Serves: 1 Ingredients ½ cup blueberries ½ cup blackberries 1 small peach, sliced 1 Tbsp hemp seeds 1 tsp local honey Directions Wash and prepare the fruit in a bowl. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with hemp seeds.

Rosemary and Ginger Infused Water Serves: 8 Ingredients 2 quarts filtered water 3 fresh rosemary sprigs 1 Tbsp of minced fresh ginger root Directions

Cilantro Pesto

Combine all ingredients in a large glass pitcher. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours. Strain before serving.

Serves: 8 Ingredients ½ cup cilantro including stems ½ cup spinach ½ cup blanched almonds or cashews ¼ cup red onion, chopped ½ tsp Kosher salt 1 clove garlic ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ½ lime Directions In a food processor, pulse the cilantro, spinach, nuts, onion, salt, and garlic until well blended. Slowly add in the olive oil while pulsing. Add more if needed. Squeeze the juice of ½ a lime at the end for an extra flavor kick.

Super Detox Smoothie Serves: 2 Ingredients 1 cup coconut water 1 medium green apple, diced 1 small red beet, peeled and diced 1 cup frozen strawberries 1 cup frozen pineapple ½ small avocado 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 cup baby spinach ¼ cup frozen broccoli Pinch of cayenne pepper Directions In a blender, blend on high for 60 seconds or until well combined.

MOTHERHOOD Magazine

100

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS Arkansas Austin and Katie Kempf Konnor Jordan Pocahontas, AR

Dealing with Menopause STORY BY SANDRA ELLIS, M.H.

periods may occur more frequently or they may get farther and farther apart before stopping. There is no normal pattern of bleeding during perimenopause, and patterns vary from woman to woman.

Delaware Samuel and Martha Byler Mary Esther Dover, DE Nathan and Celesta Troyer Luanne Joye Hartly, DE Illinois Lamar and Carol Miller Rose Marie Areola, IL Stephen and Linda Yoder Johanna Pleasant Hill, IL Darin and Margaret Miller Janiyah Faith Lovington, IL Indiana Ervin and Regina Graber Autumn Rose Milroy, IN Lamar and Sharon Miller Krystal Dawn Shipshewana, IN Mervin and Edith Schwartz Marlene E Schwartz Bluffton, IN Glen and Sara Kuhns Katelyn Ranae Bourbon, IN Chris and Martha Eicher Christian Jr Geneva, IN Nate and Susam Petersheim Bethany Joy Ligonier, IN Laverne and Rosa Schwartz Isaiah Monroe, IN Jerome and Annie Schwartz Emma S Schwartz Monroe, IN Orla and Margaret Yoder Luke Alvin Ligonier, IN Mose and Emma Wickey Rachel E Wickey Berne, IN Mike and Ruby Lehman Sara Grace Lagrange, IN Harley and Esther Mast Carol Nadine Lagrange, IN

• Hot flashes. A hot flash is a feeling

We often write and talk about issues that affect the child-bearing years, but very seldom do we address the special time of life known as the post-menopausal years. For some women, this is a time of freedom, enlightenment, travel, and finally getting to do what YOU would like to do. After dedicating your life to everyone else for 30 or 40 years, you finally have a chance to do something for yourself. For others, it is a time to enjoy family, a chance to spoil the grandchildren, crochet, make quilts, relax, work in the garden, enjoy the well-earned peace of a life well-lived. Unfortunately, for other women, this is a time of declining health, depression, loneliness, confusion, feeling lost, and feeling like the world has passed them by. What makes the difference? Are women really that different in how they view life or is there some chemistry involved here that makes their thoughts and outlooks different? I think it’s both with, perhaps, an emphasis on chemistry. A woman is considered to have entered menopause when she has not had a period for twelve months. The average age of menopause is 51 years old. This is the time of life when the ovaries stop functioning. In other words, you no longer ovulate or have the ability to become pregnant. Symptoms of menopause can include: • Abnormal vaginal bleeding. Some

women have minimal problems with abnormal bleeding during the time before menopause whereas others have unpredictable, excessive bleeding. Menstrual

of extreme warmth that spreads over the body and is often most pronounced in the head and chest. It is often associated with flushing and is sometimes followed by perspiration. They can last from 30 seconds to several minutes. They are thought to occur due to a combination of hormonal and biochemical fluctuations brought on by declining estrogen levels.

• Mood changes. Women in

perimenopause and menopause are often concerned about the emotional and mental changes taking place. Things like memory problems, irritability, and rapid mood changes.

• Fatigue. Night sweats (episodes

of drenching sweats at night) sometimes accompany hot flashes. This may lead to restlessness, being awakened in the middle of the night, and difficulty falling asleep again. This can often result in feeling exhausted during the day.

• Stress. During the time women

are entering perimenopause and menopause, there may be other life-changing events taking place such as children leaving home, becoming an empty-nester, losing a spouse, down-sizing to a smaller home or apartment, dealing with chronic illness in themselves or their spouse, retirement, etc. As we will discuss later in this article, the release of cortisol due to stress adding to the hormonal cocktail can make life even more challenging. Your metabolism is very much like a stress barometer and it measures more than just what you eat or how you exercise.

One of the most important aspects of keeping your metabolism up is giving your body enough rest and recovery time. By doing this, you give your hypothalamus and pituitary (the command and control center of your metabolism) the ability to rest and reboot your hormonal software.

Hormones all play together like a symphony. When one part of the symphony overwhelms another part, it impacts the harmony of the whole thing. And like in a symphony, the instruments (in this case hormones) can have different effects. Sometimes they work one way, sometimes another, just like a violin can make you feel happy one moment and melancholy the next. The best symphonies play in tune together. They are balanced, and that is exactly what you want with your hormones. It’s what I call the Goldilocks effect. Not too little and not too much – but just right.

• Vaginal dryness and itching. As

estrogen levels start to fall, the tissues lining the vagina become thinner, drier, and less elastic. This can cause irritation, and be uncomfortable or painful during intimacy.

Estrogen and progesterone influence nearly every other hormone in your body, including those involved in the speed of your metabolism, your ability to regulate blood sugar, and more. Of course, your estrogen and progesterone levels are themselves influenced by many things, including whether or not you are menstruating, which stage of menopause you are in, and how you currently eat, exercise, and live.

• Urinary symptoms. The urethra

(the tube which goes from the bladder to outside) can change due to declining levels of estrogen. This can lead to an increased chance of urinary infections, feeling the need to urinate more frequently, or leakage of urine. This can happen when laughing, sneezing, coughing, or lifting heavy objects.

• Weight Gain. Many women put on

Estrogen extra weight around the middle of theProgesterone body.

• Hair Growth. Since testosterone

levels may be high compared to progesterone and estrogen levels, women may experience some hair growth on the chin, upper lip, chest, or abdomen.

Ernest and Martha Mast Caleb Lagrange, IN Jacob and Laura Schwartz Rosetta Decatur, IN Noah and Ann Miller Michael Decatur, IN Joseph and Marianne Schwartz Rachel Berne, IN David and Marilyn Wagler Vanessa Rose Montgomery, IN LaVon and Emma Lehman Kaydi Lyn Lagrange, IN Enos and Kathryn Schwartz Stephen B Schwartz Berne, IN Michelle and Vernon Bontrager Korbin Blake Goshen, IN Matthew and Marietta Alayna Faith New Haven, IN Mahlon and Beth Miller Regina Kay Kokomo, IN Gerald and Marcia Yoder Diane Nicole Wawaka, IN

Estrogen and Progesterone Levels In Every Stage

Devon and Cheryl Bontrager Luke Alan Topeka, IN

In our child-bearing years, progesterone and estrogen each take turns being dominant.

Ervina dn Linda Bontrager Kelsie Esther Topeka, IN

During each of our menstrual cycles:

In the first 14 days, progesterone is relatively flat. In fact, it’s about the Let’s take a look at how our hormones same as a man’s level. During this shift and change throughout our time, estrogen slowly rises and peaks lives and what we can do to help right around ovulation. At this point, stabilize allYears of these fluctuations. Fertility Perimenopause Menopause you have more estrogen in your body Dr. Jade Teta tells us in “Metabolic relative to progesterone. This Renewal Roadmap”:

Daniel and Barbara Schwartz Jason D Schwartz Berne, IN Melvin and Maryann Christner 10.12.2020 Amanda Monroe, IN Mervin and Rebecca Wickey Rebecca R.M. Wickey Richmond, IN Calvin and Keri Miller 08.12.2020 Hailey Jean and Kylie Ann Bremen, IN Ionnie and Eva Bontrager 05.27.2020 Faith Adessa Lagrange, IN

Estrogen Testosterone Progesterone

Matt and Marlene Yoder Elijah Luke Millersburg, IN Norman and Melissa Gingerich 08.10.2020 Clayton Matthew Wolcottville, IN Iowa Wayne and Pauline Gingerich Andrew Drakesville, IA

DAYS

Follicular Phase

18 20 22 24 26 28 30

Ovulatory Phase

Luteal Phase

Davi and Debris Ray Edwin Moulton, IA

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101

MOTHERHOOD Magazine

102

is called the follicular phase of your cycle. The egg is released and the uterine lining begins to thicken under the influence of estrogen.

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS Daniel and Verba Hershberger Wayne Seymour, IA Daniel and Sylvia Lengacher James Lavon Keosauqua, IA Kansas Joe and Danell Rife Kyler Thane Westphalia, KS Jesse and Doris Keim Leander Jay Keim Haven, KS Kentucky David and Lizzie Fisher Rebecca S Fisher Cadiz, KY Henry and Mary Beiler Lloyd Pembroke, KY

The next phase, known as the luteal phase, begins as progesterone begins to rise and estrogen levels decrease. Midway through the luteal phase, progesterone is higher than estrogen. If the egg is not fertilized, progesterone and estrogen levels fall and the uterine lining is sloughed. Throughout the cycle, there is a natural ebb and flow of progesterone and estrogen. A young woman who menstruates normally will be estrogen-dominant in the first half of her cycle and progesterone-dominant in the second half of her cycle. During the perimenopausal years: There will be times when ovulation does not occur due to decreasing viable eggs. If ovulation does not occur, there is no corpus luteum (follicle where the egg was released) to trigger the progesterone. This can lead to extended periods of estrogen

This can leave you feeling motivated and clear one second, wired and anxious the next, and depressed the next moment. When no two days are the same, you can begin to start feeling a little crazy. One of the most impacted areas can be the brain. Fluctuating estrogen levels can create an unstable influence on serotonin and dopamine levels, leading to a lack of motivation (dopamine) and feelings of insecurity and depression (serotonin). Once we officially enter menopause: Once you move into menopause, ovulation stops altogether and estrogen levels begin to fall. Because progesterone and estrogen levels have dramatically fallen, testosterone, insulin, and cortisol begin to have a greater impact. This can make you more stress-reactive and more insulin-resistant. Your brain chemistry also changes as there are estrogen and progesterone receptors all through your body (including the brain).

Aaron Jr and Barbara Stoltzfus 07.09.2020 Elam Cadiz, KY Samuel and Anna Mary Yoder 09.20.2020 Willis Mark Campbellsville, KY

Estrogen Progesterone

Maryland Karl and Lucy Brubacher Bethany Lynn Leonardtown, MD Michigan Will and Lorene Byler Fannie Mae Cass City, MI Eli and Lydia Miller Mahlon E Miller Lakeview, MI

Fertility Years

Perimenopause

Menopause

John and Susann Kurtz Martha Mae Kurtz Deford, MI John and Ida Miller Nelson Cass City, MI Joey and Ada Kurtz William Snover, MI Daniel and Norma Yoder Eli Cass City, MI Jerome and Regina KariAnne Mio, MI Jethro and Maria Beachy Lucas Mio, MI

exposure without progesterone to balance it out. Sometimes estrogen Estrogen will be dominant. At other times, it Testosterone will become completely wiped out sinceProgesterone it is never getting any help from progesterone. This is one of the reasons perimenopause can feel so unstable, unpredictable, and sometimes even bipolar. Normally, estrogen and progesterone work together in harmony. But when progesterone is no longer exerting its influence, estrogen levels can rise and fall unpredictably.

DAYS

Follicular Phase

In our post-menopausal years: Post-menopausal women are more prone to bone loss (osteoporosis) and heart disease, so incorporating some type of resistance training with weights or exercise bands will help to increase bone density. At this point, our metabolism can look more like a man’s; there is higher testosterone relative to estrogen and progesterone. This is the time that many women put on more weight

18 20 22 24 26 28 30

Ovulatory Phase

Luteal Phase

around the middle, may become more flat-chested, and lose their hourglass shape. As I am putting all of this together on paper, I realize how daunting it all sounds, but it doesn’t have to be. Like so many other challenges in life, it is up to each one of us to decide how we want to live in this season of our life. Let me get personal here for a minute and share some of my own experience. Do you remember in the first paragraph of this article how I listed several different scenarios on how women feel and live in their postmenopausal years? Well, the truth is, I was sharing some of my own feelings and experiences. I cycled until I was sixty years old, so I went through menopause at the age of sixty and would have been considered postmenopausal sometime during my 61st year. Recently, I celebrated my 66th birthday. At first, I thought it was wonderful not having to put up with periods anymore. I saw my life in three seasons: The first season would have been the years I spent growing up. The second season would have been the 45 years of my life that I took care of everyone else – my husband, my family, my midwife practice, my community, people in my church, etc. The third was the season I was entering. I saw the next 30 or 40 years as a time to explore, discover, learn, travel, take tennis lessons, bike across Ireland, and a time to get to know myself again and what makes me happy. As I moved into the post-menopausal years, I started becoming upset with myself for putting on so much weight and allowing myself to get out of shape. I began to get frustrated with many of the situations I found myself in. I loved spending time with family and grandchildren, but began to realize that I was experiencing a lot of ups and downs—one minute I was at peace and happy, the next minute I was sad and fighting back tears, and then the next minute I would be shocked at how angry I was. I seriously wanted to hurt someone. I ended up creating an office/sanctuary for myself where I could go to work, pray, study, and give myself space to

ground myself. Then my life radically changed. I’m not going to take the time to go into all of the details here of how this happened, but three young children who were 4, 5, and 6 years old came into my life and needed a home. During this time of transition, while they settled into a life with us, I realized I had created the perfect chemical storm for myself. I was estrogen dominant, out of shape, had extreme amounts of cortisol raging through my system with extreme side effects. I found myself unable to focus and be creative, easily agitated, and fighting off depression and despair. This was not me—I wasn’t sure how to navigate these waters but knew I needed to do something to turn this around. One evening, I drove myself to the emergency room with extreme chest pain convinced I was having a heart attack. It turned out to be stress-related. It was a huge wake-up call! I realized it was time to stop and chart a new course for myself which was exactly what I did. For those of you who are in your postmenopausal years and are hurting physically, mentally, or emotionally– there is hope and there are things you can do to change how you feel. Here are a few of my suggestions: Get to your ideal weight. There are multiple reasons for this—your joints, your circulatory system, your heart, your bones, and every other system in your body will thank you. It will do wonders to help restore energy and reboot your metabolism. There are lots of ways to go about doing this, but the one thing I would emphasize is not to go on a fad diet which will only slow your metabolism more and put greater amounts of stress on your body. Incorporate something which has you eating lots of fresh salads, fruits, smoothies, and live food. You don’t need to go on a low-calorie diet—you just need to change what you are eating. Cut out the processed sugars, flours, foods, and start rebuilding a life with life! Find something to help balance your hormones until your body is strong enough and healthy enough to do it on its own. Some people have been able to successfully incorporate an herbal supplement specifically designed for this stage of life. I would stay away from traditional hormone

Martin and Margaret Wickey Josiah Homer, MI Minnesota Jake and Edna Mullet Rosanna J Mullet Clearbrook, MN Norman and Betty Gingerich Steven Spring Valley, MN Missouri Lester and Julia Stauffer Faith Stauffer Barnett, MO Samuel and Laura Miller Ervin Jay Bethany, MO Ray and Lynette Zimmerman Royal Danell Barnett, MO Lester and Julia Stauffer 08.31.2020 Faith Barnett, MO Regina and Timothy Brubaker Lyndon James Richards, MO Aaron and Lavina Shirk Darren Shirk Versailles, MO Rudy and Carolyn Schwartz Sylvia R Schwartz Laplata, MO Raymond and Leah Mullett 09.17.2020 Jolene R Mullett West Plains, MO David and Mary Troyer Ada Sue Troyer Bethany, MO Matt and Lynette Zimmerman Rylan Matthew Latham, MO Montana Stephen and Carolyn Yoder Josiah Yoder Plains, MT New York Abe and Martha Troyer Esther Belfast, NY Daniel and Ruthie Burkholder Mindy Panama, NY Wally and Ella Troyer Adam Clymer, NY Stephen and Maureen Byler Savannah Clymer, NY Israel and Nancy Hertzler 08.21.2020 Paul Ovid, NY Sammie and Fannie Stoltzfus 08.21.2020 Reuben Romulus, NY

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MOTHERHOOD Magazine

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BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS Tobias and Bertha Hertzler 08.21.2020 Fannie Ovid, NY Stephen and Fannie Smoker 07.11.2020 Susie Romulus, NY Leroy and Lillian Zimmerman Tyler Keith Penn Yan, NY North Dakota Keith and Kathy Wurtz Isabel Joy Erderlin, ND Ohio Brian and Karen Yoder Ethan James Millersburg, OH William and Fannie Raber Alvin Big Prairie, OH David Allen and Marie Miller Eric Sugarcreek, OH Harvey and Nancy Fisher Lucinda Middlefield, OH Stephen and Esther Yoder Grace Newcomerstown, OH Jonathan and Erma Miller Michael Middlefield, OH Nathan and Kaylene Miller Elijah Mark Huntsburg, OH Albert and Betty Keim Katie Ann Keim Ashland, OH Jonas and Carolyn Miller Liam Jacob Middlefield, OH Cristina and Sam Miller Isaac Windsor, OH Duane and Julie Troyer Eden Gabrielle Dundee, OH Jamey and Rachel Warner Kaynen Levi Bradford, OH Marty and Barbara Burkholder Melanie Middlefield, OH Robert and Maria Hershberger Andre Ryan Sugarcreek, OH Robert and Martha Slabaugh Sarah Rose Burton, OH

replacement therapy due to the use of synthetic hormones. But if you can find a naturopathic doctor who does plant-based hormone replacement therapy, this can be extremely helpful. Exercise. Dr. Teta says research has shown that a component of metabolism called non-exercise associated thermogenesis (NEAT) makes up 15% of our changeable metabolism. Exercise is only 5%. That is why women who walk a lot remain so thin compared to women who don’t, whether they exercise or not. As a woman, walking, and other activities that are not exercise – gardening, walking, doing dishes, doing laundry, taking the stairs, etc. sensitize the body to your hormonal system and reduce cortisol. Cacao. This can be eaten or taken in shakes. It has tremendous health benefits. It is extremely high in antioxidants—40 times more than blueberries. It’s the highest plantbased source of iron known to man and one of the highest plant-based sources of magnesium which is important for a healthy heart and

helps turn glucose into energy, enabling your brain to work with laser-sharp clarity and focus. It is also high in calcium which helps to counteract osteoporosis. Finally, it contains serotonin and dopamine mimickers along with other compounds that support feelings of well-being and happiness. Rest and relax—literally! Read a good book, take a leisurely walk, relax with family or friends, go to the spa, go swimming, soak in a hot tub, pray. When life gets to be too much—put yourself in time out, take a nap. My dear sisters, you have earned this time in your life to pamper YOU! It is not necessary to prove anything to anyone anymore. Do what makes you happy. If you haven’t already, learn to enjoy life again by choosing to be as healthy, strong, and vibrant as you possibly can be. Getting old doesn’t have to mean losing capacities. It truly can be a time of joy and discovery. It can be whatever you want it to be.

Benjamin and Suzanne Shirk Jerome Dale Shirk Barnett, OH

Lloyd and Verna Ruth Zook Naomi Grace Paradise, PA

John and Sarah Fisher 02.17.2020 Amy Rose Burton, OH

Levi and Mary Lee Christopher Lee Knox, PA

Ivan and Katie Mast 09.06.2020 Kaivan Andrew David and Mary Troyer 09.10.2020 Bethany Rose Shreve, OH Andrew and Rachel Barkman Annie Grace Stonecreek, OH Elmer and Esther 08.15.2020 Benjamin Woodsfield, OH Joseph and Christina Yoder 10.05.2020 Cordell Grant Dundee, OH Daniel and Leanna Miller 08.28.2020 Jaron Chardon, OH Vernon and Rebecca Hershberger 07.21.2020 Jonah Apple Creek, OH Merlin and Judy Miller Josaphina Clare L Millersburg, OH Norman and Cindy Detweiler Emma Rose Windsor, OH Lavern and Adah Mast Julie Danae Fresno, OH 10.09.2020 Nathan Middlefield, OH Johnny and Orpha Keim Vernon Ashland, OH Marc and Leah Miller 08.24.2020 Alayna Grace Fredericksburg, OH

Wally and RoseMary Benjamin Miller Centerville, PA

Lavern and Mary Ellen Yoder Sharon Lorene Yoder Wautoma, WI

Lester and Kathryn Rose Anna Centerville, PA

Joe and Edna Keim Martin J Keim Marion, WI

Rudy and Louella Stauffer Lukas Port Trevorton, PA

Martin and Amanda Yoder Wanda Kay Sheldon, WI

Billy and Erma Nathan Cambridge Springs, PA

David and Naomi Bontrager Richard Lynn Hillsboro, WI

John and Rose Beiler Anne Mariah Beiler Lititz, PA

Edward and Ada Schrock Allen Chetek, WI

Andy and Malinda Gingerich Lucas A Gingerich Centerville, PA

John and Fannie Borntrager Edward Borntrager Fairchild, WI

Chester and Rose Miller 08.16.2020 Betty and Becky Centerville, PA

Johnny and Mary Edna Hochstetler Mahayla Ann Coloma, WI

Amos Jr and Christiann Stoltzfus Caleb Matthew Honeybrook, PA Norman and Anna Mae Stoltzfus Jeriah Ervin Elizabethville, PA Albert and Barbara 06.17.2020 Joseph A Yoder Knox, PA David and Bertha Fisher 09.03.2020 Kaylene Myerstown, PA Andrew and Rebecca Ann Esh 09.25.2020 Mahayla Grace Christiana, PA

Silas and Mariah Waldner Allison Kate Briton, SD

Mahlon and Sarah Hostetler Marlin Applecreek, OH

Kanaan Jesse Josiah Mariah Waldner Frankfort, SD

Daniel and Iva Byler Batoy Joseph Ulysses, PA Reuben and Verna Byler Mahlon Dayton, PA

Vern and Kate Wengerd Shyanna Laverne Gap Mills, WV Wisconsin

Samuel and Ida Mae Byler Rosalyn Windsor, OH

Pennsylvania

West Virginia

Chester and Ada Lee Jason Centerville, PA

South Dakota

Timothy and Luann Miller Jessica Louise Coalgate, OK

Ammon and Malinda Miller Seth William Nathalie, VA

Jonathan and Lena Rose Jethro Makiah Blank Dalmatia, PA

Mose and Lavina Keim Oren Keim West Salem, OH

Oklahoma

Virginia

Josh and Stacy Grosz 08.03.2020 Hudson Calvin Alexandria, SD Jonas and Elizabeth Hofer Bryce Jonathan Willow Lake, SD Tennessee Sam and Alma Beachey Layla Joy Pleasantville, TN

Devon Ray and Letta Schmucker Joe Dean Dalton, WI Mel Wayne and Irene Yoder Nathaniel Jay Bonduel, WI

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MOm-to-mom Mama & Baby

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Mom Mom WOMEN Hello,

Hello to all you ladies out there!

Hello,

I wanted to answer to the mom wondering about pain on the right side of the abdomen after having mono. I had mono too and my doctor told me to not do any vacuuming or using your stomach muscles too much since your spleen enlarges if you have mono. Please take care! Because if that ruptures you'll be in trouble for sure.

To the ones wondering what to do for lack of sexual desire, I have found Damiana herb really helps for me. It acts as an antidepressant and circulatory stimulant, enhancing sex drive dramatically in women, headaches connected to menstruation and urinary infection. Also has been used as a milk laxative also to the one wondering what can be done to get to climax during intercourse. This has helped me in that area too. And it seemed to help us become closer, I felt happier, less stressed, etc. So maybe it did help as an antidepressant for me also. I took the pills later and they just didn't work for me like the liquid. But I have no idea if this is safe to use while pregnant or not. I just took after baby was born so I was nursing. But whatever you do ladies out there do not deny your husband his right without a good reason. Read 1 Corinthians 7 verse 3-5. The best thing is to be open with each other on this subject and most times he will realize when you're just too tired or don't feel up to it and won't push. God gave us this gift let us treasure it for what it is. I believe it helps keep a marriage close. So rather than deny your husband because you're too tired or you don't feel like it think of the gain it can be. Even spending some money in this area is so well worth it.

And also for the mom wondering about passing some tissue when having a period. The way I understand, your uterus develops a lining and if you don't become pregnant that is why you get your period - to clean out the tissue. So I would imagine that could be normal and it could also be some small clots. Isn't it amazing how God formed our bodies to work?

Thank you for this wonderful magazine! I have a hard time putting it down once I start! I have some questions I would love to find answers for. Does anyone know what to take to make that I get my monthly regularly? I would maybe get it one month then not for like 3-4 months and I would love to fix it.

Our 2 year old was always scared of rain and thunder. I was trying to explain to her God makes it rain so our garden can grow (corn, peas, etc.) And goes ""Yes, God makes the corn and fruit snacks grow.""

Also my 1 year old son has a problem with his stomach. Sometimes he would just scream and his stomach is really hard but he's not constipated. Any help would be appreciated. I've tried rubbing a digestive supporting essential oil blend on his feet but it just doesn't seem to always work. Would love to hear what else to do.

On page 69 in the July 2020 issue a mother who had a bad experience due to a tight hymen wondered what to tell her daughters. I would recommend you give them the books The Act of Marriage by Tim and Beverly Lahays and also Intended for Pleasure by Ed Wheat. There is great wealth of information on that subject in those books.

Would also like to hear more about what to take to make that I don't go over my due date. I went 5 days over, finally they started my labor as was only at 2cm. Can I take something? Thank you!

For bladder infection or UTI - drink charcoal water. No more than 1/2 teaspoon to a quart. Drink all you can handle. Can also add fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar with the mother. Take GSE in capsules. Also oregano oil, garlic salve, cranberry pills and cayenne. Cream of tartar or baking soda may help too. Charcoal may cause a drop in breastmilk for some but it did not for me.

Mom Mom –Panama, NY

Dear friends, Thank you for your Motherhood magazine. I'm learning from your helpful tips. Keep up your great work. I'm wondering if there's something to use or to do for your LH and FSH hormone to get those on track again? Does anybody have this problem? Any advice would be gladly appreciated. Good luck to you moms. –A reader

–Another mom

For yeast, wipe the affected are with apple cider vinegar. Most importantly - no sugar. Maybe not even honey or molasses. And do a yeast cleanse. Even potatoes and other starches should be limited if you are serious about improving the problem. For women with body hair. You have high testosterone. There are different reasons that could cause this - one is PCOS. –Anonymous

To the mom with the tight vagina/hymen. I'd suggest tell them the truth. That it can be very painful and will bleed. I know of some who thought there is something wrong since they had no idea what to expect. Thankfully my mo told me the truth so I knew it is normal and somewhat what to expect. This pain and bleeding didn't come as a shock making me fear something is wrong with me. Thank you for a wonderful, helpful, free magazine. A lot of my questions get answered without me doing a thing. And immodest dress?! Where? I find the pictures as interesting as the rest plus some of your girls are our children's ages. it's interesting to see them grow. Let's be thankful it's free and not complain. Already looking forward to the next one. –Anonymous

Dear moms, I'm looking forward to the responses on taking something natural for birth control. My doctor and the one we went to for a second opinion both feel it is not medically safe for us to have more babies. Had issues with the last 4. So yes, will be looking for

scriptual based answers to using birth control or having hysterectomy, if one can find any. I know there is a lot of controversy about the subject but would still like to see some responses before some who had to make these decisions too. –Still coming to terms about our medical condition

Dear mothers, To the mom who wanted quick, healthy snacks... Have you ever tried smoothie pops? Basically a smoothie turned into a popsicle. Normally I try to use fruit as the base and greens, chia seeds, vitamin C or colostrum powder etc... Just use your child's favorite fruit and go from there. The options are limitless. A huge plus about freezing them, you don't need an expensive blender. The children don't mind if it's coarsely chopped as it's frozen into one chunk. It takes a few minutes to make these but I try to make enough at a time to last a week or two. These are the children's favorite snack on a warm summer day. Now for a question of my own. What causes pain during ovulation? Some months the pain will last for a week other times only a day or two. The best way to describe the pain is a painful heaviness along the bottom of stomach area. After those few days/weeks I feel fine. Could it be cysts or may be even yeast? If it's what can be done and where can I find the products? Let's keep mothering for Jesus and always remember to lift our children up on wings of prayer and lay them at Jesus' feet. –A mommy on the motherhood journey

Hello readers, Thanks very much for the magazine. To the lady with clots while having her cycle and also low menstrual flow. I don't think that is normal. I used to have severe painful periods with clots, old brown trash and slow menstrual flow. I start with a garlic herbal blend supplement and within a month or 2 my clots were gone and had a good menstrual flow. Whose painful periods start to get less painful. I also quit using Aspirins for the pain at the same time which I thought is or was just about unbearable to go through the pain at first. I still did get severe pain but it lasted only half a day instead of 2 days. And after a

couple months of taking garlic and no more Aspirin I had almost no pain and then I also went on a diet and something to clean my liver. I had only one more period until I became pregnant the last period was totally pain free. And a bright and good menstrual flow. But I'm not over my third month yet so we'll see how far I'll come as we already deal with lots of infertility and miscarry 2 weeks now married 2 1/2 year and I wasn't pregnant for 1 1/2 years after my last miscarriage. So I also think diet is number one to become pregnant. Also I understand well diet will not work for everybody. But it would be worth to try if nothing else help. We try lots and lots of things and nothing seems to help much until I start my diet. I can not have eggs, dairy or gluten... I think clots and a low menstrual flow is a hormone issue and maybe also thyroid as I also always have cold hands and feet. I also had very poor weight gain and lost hairs all the time. And what could I do to gain weight and keep it? Any advice? My blood type is MTHFR and Factor-V and negative A and my husband is positive. So yes I also need to avoid folic acid. My heart aches with all people who have infertility problems. Thats a bumpy road to crawl. I wish to see more on infertility and miscarriage and I hope this can help somebody. Also when I start to use garlic for better health I notice they're also good to clean out pin worms. So I really think garlic is good for a lot of different things. Wish everybody good luck.

teaspoon blackstrap molasses everyday in a glass of milk with a little stevia for sweetener. It really helps to get your iron levels up. Also at one time my health was very downhill. I went to medical doctors and was diagnosed with endometriosis. I also had other issues. The doctors wanted to do everything with the knife and drugs. I did not want to. I found out about a place that does testing and is all natural. I started testing there. I am well pleased. It seems my endometriosis has healed up completely. They also test for a lot of other things. I feel for the lady with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I also deal with that, including ovarian cysts, also autoimmune. That all is linked together for me and makes low energy. Yes, I know how it is to drag myself on. Also had a lot of stomach pain and attacks from cysts and not feeling well. I would feel vaginal dryness is connected. That is trying! I tried a lot of different things already, since I know I have cysts. It makes more sense. I'm taking natural supplements and watching my diet to help inflammation that I was told needs to get better before my thyroid can work. I have had some improvement. Cysts can also cause discomfort in intercourse. Praying that you wont get discouraged and find help. Do a whole thyroid blood test not just TSH. Help is available. Like a wellness center or many other places. –Another mother

–One who cares for the childless

Dear Motherhood, I was really interested in the support for varicose veins mentioned before. Would anybody know where you can get that? It's for varicose veins in the vaginal area. I have a problem with those and take something already, that helps for the pain but they are still so bulging and at times painful. Can they cause problems with labor and delivery? Any advice would be appreciated! Use vinegar in rinse water for tangly hair. Thank you Sprigs for this wonderful magazine!

Hello to all, Thanks to all who help put this magazine together. I really enjoy it. Sometimes I feel like a failure with my duties as a mom and wife but have read a lot of information where otherwise I would never know if it wouldn't be for this magazine. I was wondering about other people's opinion or advice on when to teach your children about childbirth, intercourse, etc. (private matters) in today's world. Also let's be respectful of other people's opinion. –Just another mom in learning

–A mom

Hello, Dear friends, What a wonderful magazine I wish I had it when our children were smaller! There are so many things one could comment on... I hardly know where to start. To the one with low iron, try drinking a

I really enjoy the Motherhood magazine. Keep up the good work! I am wondering what to do for hot flashes? I am hoping to hear from all you ladies who have experienced this and what you did that helped. May God bless you! –Almost 50

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Q&A

We always enjoy reading all the advice in this section of the magazine. Does anyone have any advice for treating an overactive bladder in a young boy? Also, anyone have any good success with herbs or other ways of firming/lifting or increasing breast size after nursing? Thanks again for all the good reading. Looking forward to hearing more! A Mom-to-Mom reader On page 68 of the July issue, a mother had a question on what to do for a tight vagina/ hymen. Even after a handful of children, I still struggle with this. I really hope other women respond to your question, so I can glean from their advice. But just in case no one replies, I will tell you some things that help me. If I knew a decade ago what I know now I would have prepared for marriage in a way that hopefully would have helped me to accomplish what I thought should be a fairly easy part of marriage. I was surprised and disappointed to discover it was impossible. Kegel exercises daily to strengthen pelvic muscles. This is done by squeezing and relaxing those muscles used to stop a urine flow. Be sure to do plenty each day. This can also aid in climaxing, as another woman asked about. Locate some vaginal dilators - you may need to ask a doctor or midwife where to find a set. Insert daily, gradually increasing size to accustom your muscles to this new activity. Practice Kegels with it in. Use a lubricant for easier insertion. Any safe household object will do in place of dilators. You could start with a marker end.

A Reader, Thank you so much for writing in with your thoughts and suggestions. One of our biggest goals for the motherhood magazine is to create a space for moms to share with each other and learn together. Thank you for being a part of our community. I am thinking of you and hoping all is well with your health. I am not sure if my letter is reaching you in a timely manner or if you have made a decision to have surgery or not.

Even now, if I want pain-free intercourse (who doesn't?!) I need to use a dilator in advance. Talk about inconvenient! Nothing spur-of-the-moment around here! But we are thankful for the blessing of children that we did not know if we could ever have.

I would recommend having a mammogram or a thermal exam then go from there. I would recommend removing inflammatory foods like gluten and sugar and consume lean meats and not too much during the day, keep your consumption to be more 2-3 ounces a meal and really focus on consuming a lot of fruits and vegetables.

The biggest help as with most aspects of marriage - is an understanding husband! If only they knew how far the little things go and what those bits of thoughtfulness through the day do for their wife's response at night... Hmmm... Maybe there should be a magazine titled Hubbyhood?!

We appreciate your letter and would love to hear from you again soon.

–A mother, but first a wife

In good health,

Hello to all in Motherhood Land,

Natalie

Natalie Semmelmann, FNTP Motherhood Magazine

Your letters are all so interesting and thanks to the Laudons for printing them. How do you put your uterus in place? The last Mom-to-Mom section on page 114 was writing that her sister gave her directions

how to put it back in place. Would you please try to explain how to do it?

several years. They have 5 children now.

To the young mother with graying hair: I think you are lacking selenium if your hair gets gray too soon.

For high blood pressure, try eating almonds, several handfuls a day. Some have luck with that.

Let's all keep on keeping on!

To the ones with depression... Please don't let negative thoughts rule your mind. Think positive! People say depression comes from self-pity, I didn't want to believe it, because I've been there, too. After I thought about it, I realized they're right. Don't let depression take over. It's not fun to be there.

–A mom of 1 little girl

–A mom of 5

It would be interesting to hear what to do for a better ovulation. Any tips on potty training?

I enjoy this magazine. Thanks! For prolapsed uterus and tipped uterus I did knee-chest exercise and took Myo-Tone. Solomon seal root is also good to take for it. Wishing you good luck. –The Yoders

Dear friends,

Hello to all,

For prolapsed uterus:

Thanks to everyone that helps to make this an interesting magazine.

First of all, keep your bowels loose, so you don't need to strain. Eat an apple and prunes at bed time if you need to. No heavy lifting for several months. Now for exercise lay on back, keep head flat and lift your legs off the bed about 4-6 inches and hold as long as you can. Repeat several times a day for 3 months. This helps strengthen those muscles that help hold the uterus. After the leg exercise do knee-chest exercise. All of them 3-4 times a day. And I'd hope in 3 months it should be lots better. Laura says

Some of you wondered if it's necessary for girls to take care if they have their monthly cycle. Yes. Please don't let them do hard work like mopping floors, mowing lawn and doing laundry. I think they will pay for it later if they work too hard. I know of someone who didn't always take care during her cycle and for many years she's had delayed and messed up cycles. When she got married she had infertility problems for

do not do surgery. She did at 27 years old and was not successful.

Thanks to the Laudons for such a great magazine! I love it, although I can't identify with everything. I've just got back (2 months ago) from Colorado having endometriosis surgery, so far I've seen great results. What's more I can actually have pain free days. We've been married for 2 1/2 years and so far the Lord hasn't blessed us with any children. So we can identify with the ones who struggle with infertility. Should young girls take care when having cycles? Most certainly. We weren't taught that from the start. The things I would do (like lift hay bales) made me not feel the best, but I went on. Now I sometimes wonder if that didn't lead to endometriosis?

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MOm-to-mom Mama & Baby

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Hello,

Someone wondered why people look so sickly when eating healthy? We are sick. I myself am dairy intolerant. I feel so much better not having it than I do when I cheat. Try to be understanding to those who eat healthy. That goes a long way. As for the lady wondering how you afford it - I have heard it said that most people don't, they just do anyways. We have found it to be almost the same in price. I really like the*** [Herbal balm of lavender, frankincense, vitamin e, and more for every day use on your growing belly and more]. Really helps with stretch marks. I used it after my surgery for stretch marks due to having CO2 gas used while having surgery. I found it also helped my muscles relax when I had my first cycle after surgery. I wondered why? After checking the ingredients I saw that it has lavender oil in it. Can someone tell me where are our lymph nodes? I found it interesting about the bras. I had also heard about it. I wear the wire ones. I'm wondering what kind is comfortable. I'm having a hard time finding one I like without the wire. I do go without through the night. Try it ladies, love it and so does hubby. Also what causes extremely sore nipples around cycle time. I yelp out every time hubby comes against them. What can I do for it? A tip for others... When we who deal with infertility go to garage sales, buy baby things or children's toys, please do not stare and ask questions. Instead be happy with them. Garage selling is something I love to do. My sisters let me know what they need and if I find it I'll get it for them. Or I get it for us, so that when the nephews/nieces come over they have something to play with. My sisters are always glad I have the time to go, as it saves them time and helps them out. Try to be understanding, that means a lot to us. Well I have written enough. In closing... I hope you mothers enjoy your children. Take time with them and teach them while they're young. To those with infertility, don't give up. There is something out there that will help you, even though it may look hopeless at times. Pray about it - Jesus cares. What you are complaining about, somebody else is wishing for. –A want-to-be mom

First a big thank you for this free magazine! I love it! Thought I'd try and answer a few questions. To the one on page 71 in the July issue, signed desperate for help, I too suffered with extremely sore breasts up to 2 weeks before my period. Felt very depressed, moody. Then I found out that it's a hormone imbalance (progesterone deficiency). I started using a safe, natural and not labeled to cause cancer progesterone cream. That solved my problem completely and I became pregnant! Hormone imbalances can make someone feel terrible! To the one on page 118 signed ""another mom"". You wondered what causes pain/ discomfort in spleen area after mono, I know the feeling. I've been told this; when you have mono your spleen enlarges and for some the spleen just stays enlarged afterwards, which is probably the case for me and you. It causes discomfort because it puts pressure on other stuff. Mine has been very painful at times. I know no cure for it. I would recommend everyone that has hormone/infertility issues to read the book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Pre-menopause by John R Lee M.D. and Jesse Hanley M.D. and Virginia Hopkins. A friend got it for me online. Hope this helps someone! –Anonymous

Dear mothers, Love and a big thank you to all who participate in this great magazine! And now, ladies, I think it's time to shed more light on the low libido issue. I was a little disappointed to see little response to that question so I will bravely share my opinions since I know how devastating it can be to fail in the bedroom so often you're ready to hide under the bed when the sun goes down! In my experience it was hormones. These may need to be nourished after pregnancy and childbirth or they may regress with each child until you are totally depleted, and therefore, dysfunctional. Because I was hesitant to go to the doctor, I talked with my midwife and she was able to guide me to a place called Health Confirm that sent out a home test that required only saliva to test your estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol and DHEA-5. Their phone number is 888-526-6347. The test is about $150-$200; rather expensive, but

well worth it if it reveals the problem! They send out a detailed report of what they found and you can then proceed to find a support, hopefully on your own. A natural doctor said often if one or two are supported while more are lacking, the remaining ones will be able to recover themselves. This doctor also said you can't take too much of a natural progesterone cream, containing wild yam root. Last but not least, give yourself time. Your hormones won't bounce back in a few days; perhaps it'll take months, depending on how depleted you are. And, of course, try to relax and don't be too hard on yourself. Do your best and leave the rest - just don't stop loving each other anyway! I hope this info will keep someone from struggling for years, like I did! May God bless each heart and may we wisely use the blessings He has given us! –A mom of three precious lil' ones

Greetings to all who enjoy Mom-to-Mom, First I want to thank you Sprigs for this great magazine. I enjoy reading all the helpful tips and appreciate everyone who shares. To all the moms with hormone challenges. I can feel for you and it can be a challenge to be a happy homemaker and wife if one doesn't feel well. Using progesterone cream and a good herbal fiber helps to get rid of extra estrogen. I would make sure to use a natural progesterone cream and make sure it's not progestin as that's not a natural form. Most times cheaper is not better! After being married for 3 years, we were blessed with a healthy little girl! I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. We all have our challenges, let's strive to live for our Lord and be thankful for every stage we are in. –A blessed mom of 1

Hello to all mothers, Thanks so much to your Sprigs staff for creating such a wonderful magazine. It is a must have for all young mothers! I would like the advice from the lady who wrote in the July 2020 Motherhood about the exercises you did every night to keep your uterus in place. Also what are the knee/chest exercises you do? Please answer through this magazine. And how can you tell if it's in place or not? And please, babies don't just happen. They are all a gift and miracle from God. Be thankful if you aren't struggling with infertility, sickness, and health problems.

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Also, what is a natural fertility cleanse and where do you get it? I think this magazine could be made so much better yet if everybody would explain more of what they are writing about. Thank you for any information or advice you can give. –Waiting for answers

Dear moms, Thank you Laudons for this great magazine. Thought I could see if I might be able to help answer some questions. About painful periods, I've heard calcium helps. And don't work too hard while you have your period. And to the lady whose husband gets sick from her, did you ever try wearing a magnet? I did that, as I used to get sick from going to church, from getting it from others. That really helped me, but might not work for him. Keep up all the effort you moms put in, as I really enjoy this magazine. –A mother of 3"

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Dear moms, I was glad to see how many see it necessary to take care while having a period. We were always taught to do no running, jumping, heavy lifting, practically no outside work, only light housework. Also to not lift or carry gallon jugs vinegar and lard, as it loses flavor or value. And not eat very tart stuff, as oranges, grapefruits and tomatoes. What causes tired legs the first day or 2 of your monthly? Tried laying and resting but my legs wouldn't relax for a long while. I get up in the morning and it feels like I've been walking all night. Started with a cold/flu? Try taking garlic liquid with juice. Use three times a day, in 2 days we are over it. Works wonders! I almost always had a constipation problem and found out if I drink a cup of coffee in the morning it helps my bowels move. –A mom

A word about endometriosis and hormones. I fully agree with the one who wrote on page 105 in the July issue. I had endo surgery

done by Dr. Cook in March of 2018. I've been taking supplements for years, which helped only for a while then it all came back again. To the ones who have found something that helps, please be sure to share in here. However, I haven't regretted surgery, no more pain and fatigue! And life is worth living again. I'd like to share my experience and maybe someone has advice for me. Since my endo surgery I've had 2 miscarriages. And since then I need to be on a good supplement of vitamins and minerals plus the progesterone cream. I feel I'm still detoxing so have days of not feeling well. But I don't feel weak and hungry all the time! That's my main thing when not feeling well. Could anyone with experience let me know what has helped you? I am open to all options and willing to share. We're a childless couple in our upper 30s. –Anonymous

Hello, I would like to see more on progesterone cream. The more I read about it, the more

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MOTHERHOOD by Sprigs

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confused I become. One article says it increases fertility and the next says it can act like a birth control. Does it act like a birth control only when nursing and by keeping away your period? Or does it only get your hormones in balance, thus keeping away your period? I would like true stories on how and why this has helped. I have found out that the progesterone cream is made from the Mexican wild yam. Would taking wild yam pills or tinctures work the same as the cream? Where can I get wild yam pills etc? Also, exactly which days do you use it? Thank you! –Anonymous

Dear friends, I'm inspired by this magazine and blessed to receive it. Thanks to the Laudons and staff for this wonderful gift. May you be blessed by God's gifts (blessings) as you bless others. To the lady with the question on a very tight vagina/hymen. We too went through that and know it's not a pleasant experience. Please try to make it pleasant

by working and learning together. We got a book called The Act of Marriage that gives directions on how to break it by gently inserting one finger into the vagina, then two fingers, using gradual, firm, downward pressure toward the anus until there is definite pain and until both fingers can easily be inserted all the way to the base of the fingers. If this is too painful it is usually better to be patient until the next day to continue. Using a lubricant does wonders. We wish you patience as you feel your way through. Mothers we would encourage you to educate your children about this before marriage. We have also been dealing with infertility for several years now, and we too know the heartaches that go with empty arms and want to encourage all couples to go through this hand in hand. It's a lot easier to have your husband by your side and gently traveling this journey together. We don't have any answers to our many whys except that this is the will of God at this time. We had one early miscarriage because of uterine fibroids and other hormone imbalances which was another disappointment, but it has given us more hope to conceive in the future. We have been trying to doctor naturally

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and also eating healthy which has made a tremendous difference health-wise. We hope you can all be blessed by your struggles, be it infertility, closely spaced children, and numerous other struggles. God is here for us all, and he is not giving us more than we can take. Do you have any answers on what to do for uterine fibroids? We would appreciate some advice. Thank you for taking time to answer, we appreciate all the effort and time you put in this magazine. Also to the moms who are busy with their children, please remember your friends who are struggling with infertility. I'm sure they would gladly help you out through times of stress with sewing or taking care of your children, but please be considerate, they don't have children and sometimes sewing baby or children's clothes can cause pain because of their empty arms. In turn, we have to be considerate of your busy hands, we wish you joy as you serve your families. Thank you for understanding. –A friend

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WELLNESS

Workshop

We’re excited to announce Sprigs will be hosting 3 one-day learning events this year with our incredible speakers and educators.

Berlin, OH SATURDAY, MAY 15TH 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Shipshewana, IN MAY TBD 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

These events are a chance for you to spend a day with like minded mothers and families from your area. If you want to learn more about nutrition, hormone health, mental health, and ways to live a natural healthy lifestyle for you and your family, then this is for you! Bring your friend, and join us as we learn, connect, and celebrate health! Please purchase your tickets now to save money and reserve your spot. Space is limited. We can’t wait to see you there.

Please purchase your tickets now to save money and reserve your spot. Space is limited.

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Our goal is to help give you and your family the confidence that you need to take responsibility for your health, as well as support you along your journey.

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