KNOWHEN Ovulation Predictor - Product Review

I received a sample of the KnoWhen Ovulation Predictor from the manufacturers and provided it to a client (who we'll call Staci) for review. She asked to remain anonymous for family members who are very nosy.

Here's Staci's review in her own words:

"I received the KnoWhen package and initially thought 'it's so small and compact, it can't be accurate!' I don't know why, but we tend to consider the bigger and flashier the product is, the more reliable it is. This package was small, it could fit in my purse - and that's where it went.

That weekend, my partner and I went to a hotel out of town for a friend's wedding. I was excited to
try the KnoWhen Ovulation predictor and set it up by my bedside the night before. We were actively trying to get pregnant, and this was the perfect weekend - right when I *should* be ovulating, on a romantic weekend, away from the children.

I attempted to download their easy-to-use Fertility Monitor App, but my phone refused. I don't know if it was the hotel's WiFi, their system, or my phone - but I couldn't do it. Oh well, out came the handy notepad I kept in my purse for basal body temperature tracking (NFP).

That night, we made love. We crossed my legs and hoped it took. I fell asleep with visions of little tadpoles in my babybox prancing through my mind.

The next morning I took my temperature, just under my basal temp - that's a good sign.

Then I drew up a good amount of non-bubbly saliva, not too much, and put it in the glass top cup do-hickey for KnoWhen. I got up and got my shower, got ready for the day, and went down for breakfast. When I came back up, my saliva was dry. I put the cap on and looked at my loogie. According to the ferning I saw, I was very fertile... VERY FERTILE! I did a little happy jig, rinsed off my spit, dried the lens, and put it back in my purse.

That night, we did the deed again. The next, again. That following morning - my temp spiked. I hope that meant we caught his boys during my peak fertility, but only time will tell... To be continued...

This was so easy to use that it was rather fun. I think I'm hooked on it. Between mucous, spit, and temperature - I think I'm becoming quite the expert on my omelette shop. I can't wait to see if KnoWhen was a part of my conception story!"

Whimsy Sweet Treats - Review

I was so happy to open my mail yesterday and find a beautifully wrapped white and silver ribboned box. The label shimmered at me invitingly: I had received a sample of lactation cookies from Whimsy Sweet Treats!

The owner of WST, Rebecca, sent these to me for review, and I can say, I was more than willing to sample delectable little sweets with a lactating mama... um, yes please?!?

So, I took my little package, went to a postpartum mamas house and unwrapped it. Six sweet sweets were nestled inside. She brewed some tea, and we sat down to nibble on some delectable goodness.

They were slightly soft, but firm. Oatmeal chocolate chip heaven in bite-sized bliss. They were nutty, with just a hint of chocolate. This was perfect for this doula, who isn't a huge chocolate fan, and for the mama, who wanted to minimize the sugar she was taking in to her breast milk.

After we had shared a cookie together, I left her with the remaining ones. She sent me an email a few days later.

"I'm not sure if it was the cookies or the company, but I feel refreshed, and my milk supply has increased quite noticeably. Before your visit, my milk was there, but my breasts were never 'firm before nursing and soft afterward' like we had talked about - they were just always soft. Bubs also seems more satisfied. Perhaps these cookies and lactomagic? I enjoyed sitting down to a cookie each nursing, so that was a bonus too. If I were to rate these on a scale of 1-5 milk drops, I would give them 5 milk drops!"

Rebecca, the owner of WST, is a breastfeeding mama herself. She came from a large family and was raised around nursing mamas.

"My frequent exposure to nursing moms made it seem as natural and effortless as breathing. Imagine my devastation when my first child was born and breastfeeding didn't seem to work all that simply. We had a good start, but an unexpected pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage caused a drop in supply that led to formula supplementation after four months. I tried to rebuild supply but by the time my little Liam was 7 months old we'd completely weaned. I felt betrayed by my body. I did everything that anyone recommended: worked with a lactation consultant, switched to a breastfeeding-friendly pediatrician who wouldn't undermine the nursing relationship, had support from my husband, nursed on demand, pumped after feedings, ate enough calories, drank tons of water, took fenugreek, used the supplemental nursing system for formula feeds, stayed home often enough that I could actually do all these things… and my baby was still losing weight. Why wasn't it working? I didn't understand why I was having such a hard time at something that was supposed to be so natural." 

She continues to share her very personal journey with breastfeeding and parenthood, and how this hiccup became a growing curve for her as a parent,

"With time I was able to let go of the perceived failure and embrace my new role as formula feeding mom. I was still nurturing and loving my child, just not with my breasts. True, I was disappointed about the whole nursing experience, but it was okay."  

Shortly after her acceptance to this new norm for her family, she found out she was pregnant again... this time with twins. She renewed her desire to successfully nurse her little ones, and began doubling her research efforts. She soon happened upon the mystical lactation cookie.

She immediately threw herself into finding the 'most amazing lactation cookie recipe in existence'. When she couldn't find an existing recipe, she decided to make her own. And the rest is history...

And how did breastfeeding go this time around with two little mouths?

"of all the milestones we've reached together, the most recent gave me the most delight: six months thirteen days - the point at which my firstborn weaned.... I still have quite the journey ahead of me. My next breastfeeding goal for the twins looms on the horizon and sometimes I do wonder will we really make it. I've relied on donor milk to help me nourish my little ones, and with two babies, that's a lot of milk. I don't have a freezer stash, I don't have a back up plan."

She was a woman who had found her passion, her calling - Rebecca sees a woman experiencing challenges meeting her breastfeeding goals and she want's to help.

"Seeing how much these lactation cookies helped me nurse my twins, I became inspired to share my cookies with local moms. And just like that, Whimsy Sweet Treats was born."

Whimsy Sweet Treats is a great gift idea for a new mom, or a gift for yourself, whether or not you are breastfeeding. To get more information on her cookies and her self, check out her website or Facebook presence!

Website and ordering: http://www.whimsysweettreats.com/
Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/whimsysweettreats

Business of Being Born - Classroom Edition - Review

I am so happy to be able to review the Business of Being Born, classroom edition. There is so much great information in this series, and it has continued to be a great source of encouragement and informing, now specifically for the birth professionals use!

In the BOBB classroom edition, they have included online resources, discussion points, quizzes, and the series "Birth By The Numbers". This particular installement of the BOBB series is a wonderful addition to any birth workers library.

I look forward to using it with the UTMB nursing students that I come in contact with, as they would miss most of the questions in their 'pre viewing' quiz, surprisingly.

The discussion points used for the classroom edition help to draw groups into community and discussion by providing questions intended to help students think critically and personally about the information they are being presented with.

 And, in the event you have never seen "Birth By The Numbers" that alone is a great film that every birth worker themselves should see and know.

I am honored to have had the chance to review this installment of BOBB and look forward to getting feedback from my clients and students about it as well.

Aden + Anais - Review

http://ashleydukephotography.com/

I received a lovely little package from Nikki over at Aden + Anais the other day. As I tore through the nondescript cardboard shipping box, I gasped in delight when my eyes fell on the trio of organic bamboo blankets and Swaddle Love book nestled inside.


Immediately, I began leafing through the pages of Swaddle Love. My ovaries ached as I gazed at the more; it details the history and science of swaddling as well. Additionally, they outline two separate ways to swaddle, and point parents in the direction of safe swaddling habits.
sweet, serene babies all swaddled softly. It wasn't only full of beautiful pictures though, it was also the personal story of Raegan Moya-Jones (co-founder and CEO of Aden + Anais), and how she came to be such an advocate of swaddling. But the book contains even

No wonder that swaddling has been around from the Nomadic times, was an intricate part of fulfilling Prophecy, survived even as Rome fell, and is now making a reemergence in the modern world! 

The one and only grief I have about the book is that she advocates "What to Expect When You're Expecting" on her recommended reading list. And, well, you can't be entirely perfect! :)

Next, I brought out the trio of blankets! She had sent me the 3 pack of Mela Bamboo Muslin Swaddles and I nearly squeed with excitement!

After a beautiful homebirth with a dear client, I knew that she had to be the one to review the blankets herself.

So, during our first of two postpartum visits, I brought her the book and the blankets to review. This is what she had to say,

"I love these! I have already decided I need to go back to their website and order a few more, probably in pink. What do I love about them? They are big, but not in a bulky way. There is a lot of fabric, which allows you to wrap your baby snugly, wear it as a cover while nursing, or even wear it myself as a scarf.

I also love how lightweight the material is. Living in a hot and humid part of Texas, it's hard to find a swaddling blanket that won't overheat a baby. These are perfect. They're also stretchy, so you can get a nice snug, tight wrap on baby. And finally, they are really cute!"

http://ashleydukephotography.com/

And her little doll-baby does such a nice job modeling for us, I just have to share!

Having wrapped a ton of babies over my 12 years of doula work, I can tell you, no muslin swaddle comes even close to the quality, durability, softness, and aesthetic charm of the Aden + Anais blankets!

Thank you, Nikki, for giving me the chance to review them!

Pink Kit - Review

I was so happy to receive my copy of the Pink Kit, and was so sad that I had to sit on it and not review it for so long (busy season of life as it was). BUT, I was finally able to get to it, and I am so glad I did!

Starting out, I will tell you - the kit is definitely intensive - so, I will break down all of the different sections of the kit for you, with a description of each. I know, kind of dry, but it will give you a bigger picture of how thorough they are.

• I read through the 88 page book, which is full of fun and informational black and white photographs, and was pleasantly surprised at how well-rounded the information was. The book is all about birth, and includes information on how to deal with pre-labor, labor, and postpartum emotions and feelings, the pelvis, proper positions for opening the pelvis and relaxing, and so much more.
• The Internal Work are audio files. The first section is all about the internal tissues of the vagina, and prenatal exercises to help relax these tissues and become more familiar with your body. The section section of The Internal Work is a bit more 'fuzzy' of a recording, and that bothered my eardrums to be honest. The marvelous thing about the second recording is that it was one wonderful example of birth positive vocalizations of an actual laboring woman.
• The Pink Kit Video is broken down into two segments, the introduction that tells you about the film, and the film itself is all about body movement, positions for labor and birth, relaxation and body work, your anatomy, and pros and cons of each position in relation to pelvis and uterus. The video moves at an interactive, slow, and easy pace, allowing for the couples to try out the different positions together. 
• Work with your Breath is very informative on how to achieve deep abdominal breathing that is more conducive to relaxation during labor and birth. Breath awareness at it’s finest.
• Discover Your Bony Pelvis helps you to get to know your bony pelvis, feeling it and learning about it as a part of you.
• Position Your Body covers birthing positions in relation to your anatomy and the physiology of birth.
• Work With Your Bony Pelvis focuses on how to work with your bony pelvis and get optimal opening and movement from it.
• Soft Pelvis is all about how to work with your soft tissue pelvis in order to get optimal opening and movement from it while minimizing discomfort and resistance. 
• Managing Tension and Relaxation is all about the difference  between the two, how to learn to identify the two in your body, and how to work through it to achieve a deeper sense of relaxation.
• Four Types of Tension reviews the four types of tension: Conscious, Unconscious, Structural, and Stretching.  It is a very short video with a quick deepening and releasing exercise.
• Massage focuses on sacral, hip, and thigh massage only.
• Preparing for Childbirth is a quick reminder to review the information and start to do prenatal practice.
• Use The Information develops a little on putting it together in active practice for labor/birth
• Birth Journey is a lesson on birth as a journey with tips, suggestions, and imagery for labor and birth.
• And the E-books include home, birth center, transport, hospital, and unassisted birth options in mini booklets. 

I actually really loved the e-books; I was worried that there would be a bias in there somewhere, but the Pink Kit approaches all of the options covered in a very open-minded, unbiased, balanced view. They talk about best and worst case scenarios of all of them, how to work within whichever situation you encounter, and how to make the best birthing experience regardless of it. 

The only critiques that I have about the series is that they don't go through the standard 'stages of labor', and the role of a doula is not well enough outlined to where I don't think people will really know the difference between a midwife and a doula. The benefit to omitting information on the stages of labor is that women are encouraged, through the series, to work in their body, not their brain. 

One of my favorite things about this series is the The Pelvic Clock exercise. When used in labour, the Pelvic Clock technique allows a woman to focus on her inner pelvis, where the cervix resides, and consciously relax those inner-workings to assist in dilating the cervix. .

What I like the most about this series is that it is so very body-aware! It encourages women to get to know their bodies and what is happening during their birthing time.  I feel that any of my clients who go through the Pink Kit will be well equipped, beyond the traditional hospital birthing class, to know how to work with their bodies and pelvis' positively during labor and birth. 

My rating? 4 out of 5 

 

Mrs. Patel's Milk Makers

As it usually does, new, delicious discoveries fall into my hands (or inbox)... a friend of a friend recommends... and voila! I have a new favorite!

A prior client emailed me and told me all about her friend's family member's business... you know, everyday conversation... and with that, I was in contact with Mrs. Patel's Milk Makers.

Mrs. Patel's Milk Makers are Indian Ayurvedic-based lactation and postpartum treats that are simply delish! Mrs. Patel’s Milk Makers offers three products: Fenugreek Bars, Munch Crunch and Milk Water Tea. Based on the tenets of Ayurveda (a system of traditional medicine native to India), their ingredients have been used by nursing mothers in India for thousands of years.

When I received the packages (a sampling of each product) by mail, I was ecstatic to review them. I found Kimberly*, a new mama I was working with, who was anticipating returning to work, and we decided to try them out together. 

The Fenugreek Bar was nutty and rich tasting, bittersweet and, when chilled in the fridge, a nice little 'nibble treat'. I was surprised, to be honest, at how good it actually tasted! And, on top of that, it was there to help with lactation!

The Munch Crunch was even better. The flavor was, again, bitter and nutty, but was also very crunchy and earthy. I could easily see myself taking a teaspoon for a snack, not just for lactation support.

The only item I didn't get to try was the Milk Water Tea, but I was assured by Kimberly that, as long as she added a little teaspoon of honey for sweetness, it was the perfect sipping tea while reading a good book or while nursing in the rocker.

Long review short, Kimberly had, until then, battled with a slowly diminishing milk supply. Once she started using Mrs. Patel's Milk Makers, her milk supply plateaued, then started increasing. I'm a convert!

In comparison to other galactogogues, these were a nutritious, tasty treat, not a bitter, daily supplement. I love having this new product to offer breastfeeding mamas. Kimberly had such a great experience, I look forward to hearing more success stories like hers!

* name changed to protect identity.