My personal vision for Belly Sprout began with the pregnancy of my first son, Mayu. I knew that I wanted to cloth diaper, baby-wear and use natural products for him from bath care, supplements to natural toys. The only problem was I couldn’t find a local retailer which carried the products I needed. I spent my limited free time searching the web and sometimes making erroneous purchases. I really wanted to touch, feel and see what I would be buying! -Christy Funk, owner

I personally do not eat or live healthy.  I know it’s a little  weird talking about it, when I don’t practice this way of living.  It was interesting learning about all this.  I’ve heard about people being a vegetarian, or not eating a certain food group because of food allergies, but to make a choice to live healthy and completely organic,  I found it amazing!

I was sitting at the meeting, listening to all that goes into living all natural, and I started to feel a little inspired.  Just a little.  I know that something should be done in my family to begin to eat more healthy.  I am more aware as I cook now.  For myself, I do find it a bit of a challenge, since I only cook Asian or Mexican cuisine.  I know I shouldn’t say never.  The interest is there, but in reality, I wouldn’t even know where to begin….

Having said that, if you are interested in living all natural and all organic, there is an event in the city of Brea, Ca that can move you in the right direction.  It’s called “You Are What You Eat” .  Christy of Belly Sprout and Yolanda Quiroz of  Center for Integrative Medicine are hosting this event.  If you want more info on the May 15th event, call (714) 871-0099.

In  anticipation of this event, I am hosting a COOL giveaway, courtesy of Belly Sprout.  I have 1 AMAZING goody bag!   Here is what you’ll win:

• information regarding “You Are What You Eat”
• 5 coupons to Happy Baby Foods
• 1 pack of Healthy Melts “Organic Yogurt Mixed Berry Snacks“
• 1 container of Organic Banana Puffs
• 3 coupons for YoBaby 3-in 1 meals
• 1 book ” Better Living with Whole Foods” by Alexander Morentin, C.E.S.
• 1 2fl.oz. of Cleansing Mist

See, I told ya… It’s AMAZING!   So, here is what you have to do.  The following IS MANDATORY!

1. Click on Belly Spout.com and leave a comment here, telling me which product interested you the most.  If you already own one of the products featured on the site, tell me all about it!
2. Subscribe to my blog through FeedBurner. Click on the envelope on the top right side of my blog and complete the process.  Then, leave me a  another comment with your email so I can verify the subscription.
3. Become a follower on twitter and tweet the following: I’m on my way to living healthy in So Cal. Enter Giveaway http://bit.ly/a5MN8S 4 chance to win an all organic prize from @thoughtsofamomy. Leave me a comment with your twitter handle.

If you want MORE entries to win, do the following:  (Separate comment for each entry)

• Become a fan of Thoughts of a Mommy on FB, and leave a comment over there saying “Hola” (:  (leave a comment here, letting me know you did)
• Become a fan of Belly Spout on FB and tell them that Thoughts of a Mommy sent you!
• Become a fan of  You Are What You Eat on FB and tell them, Thoughts of a Mommy sent you!

That’s it!  This giveaway end on Monday, April 12.  A winner will be chosen and announced in the morning on Tuesday, April 13 by using Random.org.  I will notify the winner by email, and will give the winner until Wednesday, April 14 NOON to respond.  If I don’t here from the winner by then, I will pick another winner.

I hope to learn more about eating organic this year.  My goal is to start small, and maybe.. who knows.. it just might lead me to make an even bigger step towards eating healthy for me and my familia.

I’m trying… (:

As many of you know, I have 3 chiquillos.  I have an 11 year old, a 4 year old and a 3 year old.   With my 11 year old, I was a typical new Mamí.  I had the nursery all coordinated, the cutest maternity clothes, and the greatest baby showers.  I loved being pregnant for the first time.  Although, because of my heart condition, I was considered  “High Risk”, but other than that, my  pregnancy, labor and delivery were uneventful.  When the time came to decide if I was going to give Chi chi or Formula feed, the first thing that came out of my mouth was Chi chi!  I was dead set on BFing.  I had the nurse and Lactation Consultant come to my room and teach me all the trick to BFing successfully.  I was 22.  Breastfeeding  hurt.  It hurt like hell!  I couldn’t do it!  For the life of me, I couldn’t get over the pain of him latching on.  So, I gave up!  I tried to BF for 2 weeks.  From then on, he was on Formula.  Next: Jonah

Fast forward 7 years.  Yes, it took us 7 years to get pregnant again.  This pregnancy was the complete opposite of my first.  For the first 3 months I bled.  Then I got Gestational Diabetes,  went into Pre-term labor, and in the end the mocoso bouncing baby boy, ended up being breached.  C-section for me!  This time, since there was such a big age difference with the boys, I was even MORE determined to BF.  I had the nurse and Lactation Consultant come over and re-train me for BFing.  I gave it my best.  I really did.  It HURT!  I couldn’t do it… again! This time though, I decided to pump.  Oh yes!  I pumped for my nene.  For 1 whole year, I pumped every 2-3 hours. Day and Night.  My loving hubby, gave me the privilege of becoming a SAHM.  It was hard, but at least he was drinking my milk.  I loved it.  I didn’t have that special bonding time as other BFing moms do with their little ones, but I was satisfied with the fact that he was drinking my leche.  Next: Sarai

Sarai was a complete surprise.  I found out I was pregnant the day after Jonah’s 1st birthday party.  The little ones are 1 year and 9 months apart.  This pregnancy was somewhat normal.  Well, normal in the sense that I already knew what was going to happen.  I had No bleeding this time, but I knew I would get the GD, and surely I did.  Also, to my great joy, she was breached.  Yay, another C-section for me!  This time though, I did try to BF without the pump.  I tried, and failed! For 6 months I pumped.  In total, including my last pregnancy, I had been pumping for 1 year and 6 months.  By this time, I got tired from it and switched my Niña to formula.

I am A-Ok with all this.  I tried my best to BF directly from my chi chi, but it just wasn’t in the stars.  Now here is my dilemma….

Jeremiah was in such GREAT health.  He was rarely sick.  I think he was about  a year and a half when I had to take him to the ER for the first time.  Don’t get me wrong, I thank the Lord Almighty for that.  Jonah on the other had visited the ER 5 times in his first year.  He already broke an arm.  He just got over having Pneumonia.  He’s had more stomach “bugs” than I care for.  He’s thin.  For the longest time he had VERY thin hair.  He still has very thin, nappy hair…like me (:

Since starting Pre-school last September, he’s had more cold’s like you wouldn’t believe! Again, I thank Jesus that these are all just minor illnesses, but still… ya know?!?   Sarai is the same as Jeremiah.  She rarely gets sick. She’s strong and healthy. Her immune system is more resistant than Jonah.   She’s never had an ear infection (again, knocking on wood)!!

I do have to ask….Is breastfeeding really all that better?  Jeremiah was a formula baby.  Sarai was a halfer.  Jonah was a FULL BLOWN BF baby, yet he’s the one who gets sick ALL THE TIME!  What the heck, gives?!?  I complete support BF 100%.  But in the back of my mind, I always think of my kids.  Maybe it’s different with each kid?  Maybe I’m completely off my coco!?!  Maybe it’s an Asian thing, since Norman is Filipino.  I don’t know?

This is something that I wanted to blog about for a while.  If any of you have had this happen to you, let me know.  I would love to hear what you have to say.  I only know of 1 other person, this happens to.  She’s my best friend, with 3 kids also….

To Breastfeed, or not to Breastfeed… That amigas, is the question!