Prepping for a new baby with Labs

When you are ready to have another baby, it is extra important to make sure that your body is not depleted of nutrients going into the pregnancy.  Being pregnant and depleted can lead to all sorts of problems for both mom and baby including an increase in morning sickness or a lack of nutrients to actually build a healthy baby and this can be the worst problem of all.

We recommend getting the following testing done in advance of trying to get pregnant.  Most tests are done with a blood draw, however different variations of this testing is done based on the patients needs.

Micronutrient testing – analysis for vitamin and minerals
MTHFR testing for Folate metabolism
Hormone Testing – Estrogen, Progesterone, FSH, LH, Prolactin, Testosterone (total and free), Thyroid Panel (TSH, T3, Free T3, T4 Free T4, Thyroid Anti-body)
Fatty Acid Balance Testing (Omega 3 DHA, EPA and Omega 6 ALA, GLA)

Multi-vitamins for Toddlers and Babies

The American Academy of Pediatrics doesn’t necessarily advise giving your child a multi-vitamin supplement unless your doctor recommends one.  However they also claim that giving your child a multi-vitamin that follows common RDA value practices won’t do any harm.  Two key pieces of advise when are as follows:

·      Multi-vitamin is not a substitute for real foods but can be a helpful adage.

·      Children with lots of food sensitivies or children on very strick diets ( some vegetarians, vegan families, paleo etc.) may need a multi-vitamin to supplement missing vitamin’s and minerals.

·      Optional:  Dr. Walker also advises mom’s of picky eaters to try doing multi-vitamins to supplement there children for both health and peace of mind.

Here is how to choose a vitamin for you:

·      Children under 4 years of age need to do a liquid multi-vitamin as the chewable can be a choking hazard.

·      Vegetarians need vitamins B12 and Vitamin D as they may not get this in their diet.

If calcium is a great concern choose green leaf veggies as the calcium in these foods is more bioavailable and digestible to the body than milk based calcium.

Dr. Walker Choose Dr. Advantage Liquid Children’s Multi-Vitamin for Zara and it has a nice citrus flavor to it. 

How to get your Kids to like the Outdoors

Families do well with facing physical challenges. These challenges can be some of the best memories a kid will have when they grow up.  Camping and hiking are some of the least expensive and healthiest activities a family can do.

We love camping and hiking as a family but we think that if you are going to start camping and hiking,  you need some tips to make it fun for your kids as well:

Remember Basic Needs:  enough food, water and clothing and plan rest times.
Limit Inconveniences:  Plan ahead for weather and bring necessary gear for rain or sun so that the kids are comfortable during the hike.
Find the activity you like:  Don’t force yourself to do something you don’t like because the kids will know and they won't have fun either. If you like hiking, go hiking; don’t make yourself go camping or canoeing if it’s not your favorite activity.
Location:  Vary your destination and make sure to choose locations based on the weather and which ones are the most fun for everyone.
Add Joy:  Add elements into your trip that you enjoy, like a swim in a waterfall or a rock climb. Doing things you look forward to will add extra fun for the kids as well.
Moments of Wonder:  Nature and the outdoors can inspire our spiritual natures and kids will benefits from this long term.
Special Goals for Hiking:  Outdoor games and buying kids their own backpacks or outdoor gear can get them to buy-in on the hiking process and helps them to take ownership of events.

BooK Fair

Hello Friends,

I have made no disguise of how much I like children's books.  We are going to have a book Fair and if you are local your invited.  If you aren't I want to tell you about this awesome educational company called Usborne.  We had received some hand me down books and I love this brand so now I am hosting a book fair.  You can buy online or find a local dealer.

I love these books!  I want to share them with you too.  Use this link  https://b4619.myubam.com/98088 to order online OR come to 

In Health Clinic

Monday June 1, 2015

6-8pm

We will have light appetizers and drinks.

There will be books for sale at the event, and we can order online that evening.

The books will be delivered to In-Health Clinic within 10 days after June 1st.

RSVP to info@in-healthclinic.com

Dental Check-ups for Kids and Cavity Prevention Tips

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends a dental check-up at least twice a year for most children. Some children need more frequent dental visits because of an increased risk of tooth decay, unusual growth patterns or poor oral hygiene. Your pediatric dentist will let you know the best appointment schedule for your child.

 

How Can I help my child have Fewer Cavities?

 

1  Beware of napping with a juice bootle in the mouth, frequent snacking or too many sugary popsicles

2  Brush effectively twice a day

3  Floss once a day

4  Have sealants applied when appropriate

5  Seek regular dental check-ups

6 Discuss both Fluoride and non-Fluoride alternatives with your Child’s Dentist and make an informed choice.

The Healthy Way to gain weight in Kid's and Babies

If this were an adult blog, typically we would be talking about how to lose weight.  Sometimes with children though,  they need to gain weight. One of the most common medical treatments is to supplement their diet with milk shakes or formula that has an oil supplementation.

A healthier way to gain weight is to stop the focus on calories and focus on healthy fats.  Meals that have a healthy dosage of fats can lead to slow and steady weight gain.   When selecting the fats to add in your  child’s foods,  make sure and select monounsaturated fats not the saturated kind.  Here are some suggestions:

1. Avocados – can be in guacamole and added to fruit smoothies.
2. Nuts - raw or roasted walnuts, macadamia nuts, cashew and pecan’s. – almonds can be a little hard to chew.
3. Seeds – pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, chia and hemp which can also be in butter form.
4. Olives – can be as an olive oil or whole olives. You may need to rinse them to reduce the sodium content that is used in curing olives.
5.  Coconut oil – used in smoothies or oatmeal.

For infants, breast milk or formula can have coconut oil added to it. Also helpful, some herbs to help stimulate their appetite.  We have suggestions for herbs that be used - just ask!

This was not a problem for our family or Zara but it has been in so many cases that I wanted to write about these home food based remedies for other mom’s.

Will, Trust and Guardianship for your Baby

Before the birth of  our daughter, we never cared what would happen to our stuff if we died suddenly.  Now that we have Zara, we realize the importance of making a plan for their/our future.  A common time to think about will’s and trusts is during life events, marriage, baby or big promotions that come with a lot more money.  I can tell you that I don’t want my Zara to end up in foster care till the courts can decide which family member or friend will raise her to adulthood.  

We decided to do a will/trust after Zara was born.  The beautiful thing about the document is it can use broad language like “our children are the beneficiaries of our estate” which  means that right now Zara may be the only child we have but as soon as we get pregnant that other child is already provided for in our will without making a trip to the estate planner’s office.  Here is what you need to decide prior to setting up your Will and Trust.

1. Who is going to be the guardian of your Children if both you and your partner were to die or become incapacitated?
2. Who is going to be the executor of your estate (who controls the money)?
3. Who is going to handle the advanced directive (who makes medical decisions for you)?

Start thinking about who you trust before you go meet the attorney.  Attorney’s typically have a worksheet to fill out prior to your first meeting which will help you make those decisions. We did this for Zara so that I knew my brother and sister-in-law will raise and take care of her using the money from her inheritance and even though I hope nothing ever happens it is nice to be prepared.

Here are 2 estate planning attorney’s I like and trust:

Law offices of Jason L. Pintar 408-983-0500  

Law offices of Diane Brown 408-376-275540