August 2019 Moms

Crunchy Mamas

Are there any others here? I thought this could be a great place to talk about these things, learn from one another, and share ideas. Here is a great article that explains what crunchy is and is not. At least, it aligns with my perspective on it. https://pistachioproject.com/2011/07/crunchy-defined-what-is-crunchy.html

Before pregnancy, I was already somewhat crunch with food, but Infertility and watching my Dad die of cancer (I know heavy, sorry) made me think about what I choose to put on, in, and around my body—even more so. Now being in pregnancy, it has gone into overdrive lol

My latest purchases are a non-toxic crib (free of led, phthalates, 100% solid sustainable wood, no formeldahyde other than what naturally occurred in the wood), chemical free shampoo bars, organic shower curtain and liner (PVC and PEVA free), raw apple cider vinegar to make hair rinses for conditioner, and organic tooth powder for brushing our teeeeths because we can use baking soda when we want to whiten. 

Oh and this website is my jam https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/


People think we become mothers when we give birth but the truth is we become mothers the moment we start calling our babies to us in our thoughts, dreams and prayers. Some paths are short and some are so long that you can easily forget where you were headed.

How I feel all of the time.
My 7 Year Journey ***Tw in spoiler***
IVF
IVF #1 - September 2018; Follistim, Menopur, Cetrotide & Lupron/HCG combo trigger; PGS; ICSI
Back on Levothyroxine
FET #1 - October 2018; cancelled, all PGS aneuploid
FET #1 - November 30th, transferred anyway
Wondfo BFP 5dp5dt, CB Digi 6dpt, 
1st Beta on 7dpt 93
2nd Beta on 10dpt 510!

TTC #1 since 2011. Tried for 5 years before we knew there was a one year rule.
Diag w/MS 2016; w/PCOS & IF 2017
New RE 2018; PCOS diagnosis taken away, IF due to ovary adhesions, but prev. RE insists PCOS IF

IUI
IUI #1 July 2017 w/100mg Clo+trigger; BFN; benched w/big cysts
IUI #2 October 2017 w/50mg Clo+trigger; BFN; benched w/big cysts
IUI #3 February 2018 w/5mg Femara+trigger; low P
BFP February; mc March; Subclinical hypothyroid started Levothyroxine 
IUI #4 March 2018 w/7.5mg Femara+trigger; BFN
Medicated cycle & TI April 2018 w/7.5mg Femara+trigger; BFN
Tried several cycles on our own; all BFN
 

Re: Crunchy Mamas

  • ElcaBElcaB member
    To me crunchy parenting is less related to environment and more related to style, like breastfeeding, discipline methods, etc. So the article you linked partially fits in with my definition. :) 

    I'm a little crunchy, but not super crunchy, ya know? 
  • aukeevaukeev member
    edited March 2019
    I love this, and definitely agree with the "What is Crunchy Living" article. I recently came across the Gentle Nursery blog and have been enjoying it, in case anyone else is interested. Not everything is quite what I would consider to be truly non-toxic, but her suggestions are a great starting point.

    On recent purchases that are baby-related, we've gone with: 
    • The Babyletto Hudson crib (one of their sustainably-sourced 100% New Zealand Pine solid wood cribs - some Babyletto products use MDF)
    • Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap (we use the Baby Unscented one for all of our hand soaps/cleaners/body washes typically, so we'll continue using this for baby's shampoo/body wash)
    • Non-toxic organic mattress 
    • Organic cotton crib sheets and crib protector
    • Natursutten pacifiers
    • Probably a couple of other things I'm forgetting

    Some non-toxic daily products we use are:
    • Pure Haven line for face and hair care (it's an MLM, sorry guys. My sister started selling it a few years ago and I was impressed with their line, so I've been using it ever since), however I'd love to give an ACV hair rinse another change. 
    • Charcoal toothpaste tablets
    • Baking soda-free non-toxic deodorants
    • Homemade lotion with shea butter, castor oil (pre-pregnancy, right now I'm using an olive oil base) and essential oils
    • Homemade household cleaners (depending on the purpose, typically a blend of vinegar, castile soap, orange peel and for window cleaners, a couple of ounces of vodka to help with streaks)
    • Homemade beeswax candles scented with essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances
    ETA words
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  • @zamora_spin I agree with you there. We'll definitely be vaccinating (it's required for our daycare anyway). 
  • @zamora_spin, same. I fit a lot of it except that. 

    *Live, Love, Laugh, Learn*

  • We are not super crunchy but try to avoid chemicals in our home.  My husband and I recently started using the most amazing all natural deodorant that actually works!  None of the other products we’ve tried have been any good.  It called Funk Free whipped Deodorant from the Circular Living Company.  We bought some around Christmas and Love it!
    https://circularlivingco.com/


  • @olivemomma - I totally understand that (and am the same on cloth diapers [daycare] and vaccines).  When we lived in a crunchy college town, we weren't quite crunchy enough, but in the South, I'm pretty crunchy, especially with baby wearing and sleep practices!!! ;)
    BabyFruit Ticker

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker 
  • I’m pretty crunchy, in particular with food stuff (I type as I drain my kale smoothie lol). I live in a very crunchy town so there’s a lot of structural support for this lifestyle: produce markets all over the place, legal guidelines for reusable bags at the grocery store, policy discussions to promote sustainability, yoga and wellness studios every other block, etc. So I know I have it a lot easier than people who have to work hard to find that niche! I deviate from crunchiness with not cloth diapering, and adhering to western medicine (in particular vaccines). I completely understand and support a reaction to fertility interventions leading someone to go as natural as possible with pregnancy and birth, but for me it’s the opposite—I was like “this IVF baby took a lot of science work, bring on all the hospital staff for the birth” haha, but as I said I’m in a crunchy university town so even a full hospital birth here is very respectful of a mother’s wishes and a commitment to as little invasion as possible (eg my hospital has a very low c section rate compared to the rest of the country).
  • @cato99 It's the same for me where we live. Juice bars everywhere, yoga studios, farmers markets, etc., but still I find most items online because it's a lot more affordable. Do you have a plastic bag ban too??

    Me too @olivemomma I only recently heard it regarding parenting because of a FB group invite. Well, cloth diapering wasn't new to me because while lurking, someone on TB mentioned it in their BMB before. Not sure what will be my decision on that yet. There seems to be a lot of great non-toxic disposable diaper options. What usually happens with me is I'll start to learn about something and go down the rabbit hole for awhile. Then I'll be like wellllllll that seems a bit much and not very pratical and find some option to compromise because at least the option will be wayyyyy safer than a lot of the mainstream stuff, imo. 

    @zamora_spin That mattress you posted yesterday in the product spotlight, thank youuuuu! Saved from hours of burning my eyeballs out online :D 

    @ElcaB Haven't heard of crunchy discipline methods yet. What did you find out?

    @oklahomak Thanks for the tip on Gentle Nursery, I'm already there reading about diapers!  :# We went with the Karla Dubois Baby Oslo 3 in 1 Convertible. I'm not happy about the paint finish but that's something that had to be compromised on. The ACV hair rinse I've been using is 2-3 tablespoons of it in a 16 oz glass of cool water. After the shampoo bar...well, mine lathers up really really well but leaves my hair too squeaky feeling after. So pouring the ACV on my scalp and hair, all over, letting it sit for two minutes and then rinsing works well. It doesn't smell at all and it softens my hair enough to get rid of that squeaky feeling. It doesn't make it feel as soft as mainstream conditioner but there is no issue with static and at least my hair shaft is closed and happy. 

    @denma2015 It's so hard to find a natural deodorant that's closer to the price of mainstream. Just recently, we found out about Naturally Fresh unscented spray deodorant. Surprisingly, we were able to catch it on Amazon for $7, but the shipping takes forrrrrrrever and a strange thing happened. It came with a CA prop 65 warning in my shopping cart. That doesn't make sense since the product claims to be chemical free and is certified by the EWG. I'm currently trying to get to the bottom of that. 
    People think we become mothers when we give birth but the truth is we become mothers the moment we start calling our babies to us in our thoughts, dreams and prayers. Some paths are short and some are so long that you can easily forget where you were headed.

    How I feel all of the time.
    My 7 Year Journey ***Tw in spoiler***
    IVF
    IVF #1 - September 2018; Follistim, Menopur, Cetrotide & Lupron/HCG combo trigger; PGS; ICSI
    Back on Levothyroxine
    FET #1 - October 2018; cancelled, all PGS aneuploid
    FET #1 - November 30th, transferred anyway
    Wondfo BFP 5dp5dt, CB Digi 6dpt, 
    1st Beta on 7dpt 93
    2nd Beta on 10dpt 510!

    TTC #1 since 2011. Tried for 5 years before we knew there was a one year rule.
    Diag w/MS 2016; w/PCOS & IF 2017
    New RE 2018; PCOS diagnosis taken away, IF due to ovary adhesions, but prev. RE insists PCOS IF

    IUI
    IUI #1 July 2017 w/100mg Clo+trigger; BFN; benched w/big cysts
    IUI #2 October 2017 w/50mg Clo+trigger; BFN; benched w/big cysts
    IUI #3 February 2018 w/5mg Femara+trigger; low P
    BFP February; mc March; Subclinical hypothyroid started Levothyroxine 
    IUI #4 March 2018 w/7.5mg Femara+trigger; BFN
    Medicated cycle & TI April 2018 w/7.5mg Femara+trigger; BFN
    Tried several cycles on our own; all BFN
     
  • @suzycupcake I agree about the price but I can say a tub of this stuff lasts at least 3-4 months.  We never have to reapply through the day.  It rubs in clear and leaves no residue on your clothes.  Truly I feel gross when I think about that other crap I use to use.  We are headed to Key West for our baby moon in about a month so I’ll see how it holds up in that heat and humidity.  
  • @denma2015 Sold on that front. 3-4 months means it makes sense to me. Going to buy some now, thanks! Oh man, enjoy that moon. I'd literally cry if we went there right now because there's this place called Martins that makes what I believe to be the best up and dirty martinis with the best blue cheese olives I've ever had in my life. Not being able to have that....wahhhhh. Stop by Mallory Square and watch one of their famous sunsets, the peel and eat shrimp at Red Fish Blue Fish (go there at night, much more calm) is amaze, and the key lime pie from anywhere on the island is out of this world! Oh and everything down there is marked up 200% for tourists so everything is negotiable, even scooter rentals. This is all if you haven't been there before. 
    People think we become mothers when we give birth but the truth is we become mothers the moment we start calling our babies to us in our thoughts, dreams and prayers. Some paths are short and some are so long that you can easily forget where you were headed.

    How I feel all of the time.
    My 7 Year Journey ***Tw in spoiler***
    IVF
    IVF #1 - September 2018; Follistim, Menopur, Cetrotide & Lupron/HCG combo trigger; PGS; ICSI
    Back on Levothyroxine
    FET #1 - October 2018; cancelled, all PGS aneuploid
    FET #1 - November 30th, transferred anyway
    Wondfo BFP 5dp5dt, CB Digi 6dpt, 
    1st Beta on 7dpt 93
    2nd Beta on 10dpt 510!

    TTC #1 since 2011. Tried for 5 years before we knew there was a one year rule.
    Diag w/MS 2016; w/PCOS & IF 2017
    New RE 2018; PCOS diagnosis taken away, IF due to ovary adhesions, but prev. RE insists PCOS IF

    IUI
    IUI #1 July 2017 w/100mg Clo+trigger; BFN; benched w/big cysts
    IUI #2 October 2017 w/50mg Clo+trigger; BFN; benched w/big cysts
    IUI #3 February 2018 w/5mg Femara+trigger; low P
    BFP February; mc March; Subclinical hypothyroid started Levothyroxine 
    IUI #4 March 2018 w/7.5mg Femara+trigger; BFN
    Medicated cycle & TI April 2018 w/7.5mg Femara+trigger; BFN
    Tried several cycles on our own; all BFN
     
  • mkrelmkrel member
    I’m in a local crunchy breastfeeding group on fb, but I’m really not as crunchy as most of them. I’m crunchy as far as breastfeeding,  baby wearing, and probably some of my parenting techniques as far as gentle parenting and following baby’s lead, however as we are getting into the toddler years I’m kind of at a loss and the more gentle approaches don’t really seem to be working for my daughter. 
    I would love to be better about food. We have been ordering our meat through butcher box which I’m loving. It is all grass fed and organic. I still eat way too much processed crap though, and after starting with making my own baby food, have given in to the ease of common kid foods. 
    I’m also all about trying holistic approaches to things, but as a nurse, I trust the medical community and medical research and I’m not going to be turning down any type of vaccines or appropriate medical treatment for myself or my family. 

  • We make a lot of effort towards crunchy lifestyle, particularly in food and home products; but life really can get in the way at times and I try to roll with that. 

    Part of our crunchy journey entailed learning to make our own soaps/body products, purchasing all our meats from a grass-fed only farm, natural cleaning products, etc. We tried cloth with my first but couldn't keep up after 6 months, so now we buy disposables. It is what it is! 

    I'm also a pro-breastfeeding, babywearing lover of a mom. That's my sweet spot! 

    But also I really like a clean shave, and think in general people are too lax with essential oil usage. 🤷‍♀️
    Rainbow baby Dean is due 2/17/17!
  • ElcaBElcaB member
    @suzycupcake I think a lot of Janet Lansbury methods fall under this category in terms of disciplining. 
  • zamoraspinzamoraspin member
    edited March 2019
    FYI Whole Foods has a list of 100 ingredients they don't allow in products they sell in their beauty, hair and body care, and they are having a sale of 25% off that department starting today. On Friday (3/29) their annual beauty bag will be on sale for $20 per bag (includes tons of sample products) and this year there are two versions of the bag. I got the bag last year and still use the bag my samples came in as my makeup bag. Be warned these bags sell fast, I got to my local store at 8:30 am and they had only a few bags left last year. There are also five stores where the first 100 customers will be able to trade in an empty beauty product container for a free beauty bag. 

    I used to spend tons of time obsessing on EWG about products and then I found out that Whole Foods does not allow phthalates and other ingredients I avoid in their products and it's made life a lot easier. (Plus EWG seems to view all natural fragrance as hazardous which I don't entirely agree with). Be warned I do think they sell some products with Vitamin A (totally safe unless you're pregnant or TTC), so you should still look at the labels for retinol and related ingredients. 
  • @ElcaB I love Janet Lansbury!! I follow her on Facebook an md have found her approach so helpful with my 14mo old. We don’t follow it to a “T” but I like a lot of what she discusses 
  • ElcaBElcaB member
    @jma_18 I like a lot of her ideas and practices but I don't feel like they work very well with Pickle. :neutral:
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