Mom Wars & The Daily Dish

January 28, 2008 | Leave a Comment

I thought since it is a New Year we should discuss a topic that every mother thinks about and NO mother talks about - the silent but deadly competition between working moms vs. nonworking moms . It takes place everywhere -it is the way we women are wired, - we compare, we analyze, we question- we are thinkers.

Let me affirm that I do believe that some moms- working or not working -are completely satisfied and fulfilled in whatever role they have chosen, but for the most part I think every mom wants to climb over to the other side of the fence once in a while. So let’s take our gloves off and be real:

Why does this issue create so much tension? Do YOU think that the mom’s at “drop off “ or the moms in grocery store have it more together than you do? Have you ever turned green with envy because you are the main bread winner of your family and you would rather be in line at Starbucks with your “Bug A Boo” Stroller on the way to the park? Would your life be much more relaxed this way?

Or are YOU the mom at the park with your “Bug A Boo” Stroller checking your blackberry wishing you were checking work messages instead of e-mailing a mom to schedule the next play-date?

Is there a balance that we moms can strike or did we just get screwed when society said, “we can have/do it all?”

Here is some thing to think about: If we did open up to each other and showed some vulnerability as women and as friends would we really care if the woman next to us was a working mom or a stay at home mom? I believe we all must feel the same way many times during the day, working, non working – and maybe even the spa going, lunching moms. I think : better to struggle TOGETHER as just “moms” collectively. So let’s “bond” as moms and enjoy the journey. Note to self: My kids give me much more long term satisfaction and laughter than any of my clients ever do; even if the client does approve the video the first time I present it to them.

Nourish yourself well this week.

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Posted by Deana | Filed Under Deana's Dish 

Whats the Deal with Fish Oils?

January 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Whats the deal with FISH OILS?

The benefits of Fish oils have been touted for centuries, but most people associate Cod Liver Oil with some form of punishment from Grandma. So is it punishment or protection?

Cod liver oil has been use for centuries to relieve the aches and pains associated with stiff muscles, aching joints and the other skeletal complaints, often associated with the cold weather. Cod liver oil began to be plied into children because it helped to prevent Rickets, a bone disease associated with inadequate nutrition, especially a deficit of Vitamin D.

Other nutritional benefits of Cod liver oil include:

  • Bioavailable Vitamin A and omega-3-fatty acids. Vitamin A plays a critical role not only in night vision but also the healthy functioning of the immune system.
  • Vitamin D not only prevents rickets but is being studied in terms of its role in cancer prevention and protection against type 1 diabetes.

Overall, Fish oils such as Cod liver oil have increased in use and popularity. They were shown to contain high amounts of the omega-3 fatty acids (O3FA), eicosopentanoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA and DHA).DHA is now included in almost all infant formulas because of its association with improved vision and cognitive function. In adults, the studies of omega-3s have been linked to improved cardiac health.

Fortunately, there are easier ways to swallow fish oil than a tablespoon of cod liver oil- but grandma was on to something!

Please note- as with all dietary supplements, always consult your family care practitioner before beginning, especially if you are pregnant.

Posted by Dr. Natalie Geary MD | Filed Under Dr Geary 

Welcome to Deana’s Dish!

January 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment

“Deana’s Dish” is all about the politics of birthday parties; Super Tuesdays, the politics of our own careers and making your household tick PLUS the must haves, must sees must dos and how to look good doing it! Got a tip or idea? Email us!

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Posted by Deana | Filed Under Deana's Dish 

“This is my dad and he’s a dork, he’s also bald.”

January 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment

My son, Zack, has me figured out.I try to be a good dad, and I think I am, but the problem is that he’s smarter than I am and both of us know it. Yeah, I can show him how to throw a baseball and tell him that Grover Cleveland was the only president to be married in the White House (I know some things that he doesn’t) but Zack learned quickly that I’m lousy at building things. By the time I decipher the directions for putting together the base for his new Lego contraption, he has glanced at the pictures, built the base, put together the tower, and torn it apart so he could build a combination skyscraper-rocket that is not only ten times cooler, but holds together perfectly in defiance of the laws of physics.I try to be a cool Dad too, but the problem is that he is younger than me, a lot younger than me. When he introduces me to his friends he says “This is my dad and he’s a dork. He’s also bald.”But last night, when his mom was off at her book group, we watched a movie on TV. Both of us were in our pajamas. First he slung his arm around me as we sat on the couch. Then he squirmed even closer and fell asleep with his head in my lap. I think he felt pretty safe.For the record, it’s an adventure being a Dad! I hope you’ll share a little of it with Zack and me.

Posted by Anonymous | Filed Under Dad's Dirt 

Mothers Musings

January 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Most days, I dream of being the quintessential urban mom.

I’d sport high-heeled suede boots and a coat that follows whatever trend has been featured lately in the Style section of the Sunday Times as I take my son to the playground. Or I’d show up for my daughter’s third-grade teacher conference perfectly coiffed and enter data about little Madison’s improved reading skills in my palm pilot. When I stop on the way home from an oh-so-busy day to meet a friend for a glass of Pinot Noir at some chic bistro, my driver would keep the engine of my black oversize Escalade idling out front. And on Tuesdays and Thursdays when I attend a hot yoga class, I’d barely sweat. The only problem with this dream is that it’s not me. And unless I go through some shape-shifting, life-altering transformation, it never will be. (Although my son, Harry, tells me there’s still hope if I became a Transformer.)Instead, I live about an hour outside a big City. My only child and object of all my affection is Harry, a second grader. He plays town soccer and throws a football in the back yard with his father when we can peel him off the couch. We live with five pets – two large Labs, a 26-pound cat with Nantucket paws, and Car and Truck - two very smelly rabbits. I even drive a Volvo, the backseat of which is filled with Goldfish cracker crumbs, Pokemon cards, and completed schoolwork that I have no place to store because my basement floods with relative regularity and yet I can’t bear to throw out because these papers mark various milestones - or pebbles - in Harry’s education. (My personal favorite is a math worksheet to solve the riddle: What did one eye say to the other? Answer: Something between us smells. Now there’s $25,000 of tuition dollars at work.)

When I had my son later in life (I was 35), I vowed I’d be the parent that gave him only pureed organic vegetables and wooden toys. There would be absolutely, positively no television or electronics of any kind. He certainly wouldn’t get a present every time we went to the Super Stop ‘n Shop, and under no circumstances would we be Family Bedsters. This fantasy – like my urban motherhood myth – lasted all of about two hours, when, during his first night on the planet, Harry screamed uncontrollably until he was curled up by my side in the hospital bed. Our house is now a repository for every conceivable piece of plastic. Harry got a Nintendo DS for Christmas; I went on eBay to find a Wii; and I’ve even been known to pay him to babysit himself by watching the Disney Channel.Why the switch? First of all, I quickly discovered that I was mortal. Motherhood presented challenges I never knew I’d face – like saying “No” for starters. And having come from a family of girls to now raise a son presents a particular array of challenges – most of which have to do with an overload of testosterone. These are what I’ll share in Nancy’s News. It’s a mother’s musings, which I hope you’ll find amusing.
Let me know what you think.
Nancy

Posted by Dr. Natalie Geary MD | Filed Under Mothers musings, Parents 

Healthy Living

January 7, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Q: What are some practical ways to ward off infections during the winter months?

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Posted by Dr. Natalie Geary MD | Filed Under Dr Geary, Q&A 

Cold Remedies

January 5, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Why did cold medicines get so scary? What can I do when my child gets a cold?

Dr. Natalie Geary

For most healthy children, a cold is caused by a virus, not bacteria, so the only “cure” for the common cold is watchful waiting, fluids and TLC. But kids feel terrible when they are sick with bad colds, and parents want to help- hence the development of a myriad of over-the-counter cold remedies- they don’t promise to cure, but they do offer some relief from the symptoms.

So why have they all been recalled and regulated? The real answer is that they were being misused, or abused dangerously, or by accident, and the unfortunate side effect is respiratory depression and occasionally a fatality. Have the medicines changed? No- but the abuse rates amd accidental overdose rates have.

Unfortunately, the medicines may have worked well for your child in the past- or so you thought- and for most families, they were used safely and correctly. But, with most viral infections, a child improves on their own after three days, and the credit should not go to any cough medicine- its your child’s own healthy immune system and your attentive parenting.

Cough and cold medicines are not a problem for teenagers, if used correctly, either. The problem here is that the chemical contained in many previously over-the-counter cold medicines is now being abused by certain teens and adults, who have been distilling it, “free-basing” it and injecting it as a subsitute for methylampehatimes, highly addictive and dangerous stimulants.

So what should you do when your child gets a cold?

Over the counter pain-relievers such as Tylenol or ibuprofen ( Motrin, Advil) will help reduce the accompanying symptoms such as sore throat, aches and malaise. However, be sure you are not masking more serious symptoms such as high fever, neck pain or back pain. And remember-never use Aspirin in anyone under age 18 because of the associated risk of Reye’s sydndrome, a rare but dangerous illness.

Old fashioned TLC tips:

  1. CLEAR FLUIDS: Avoid dairy products but offer lots of other liquids to keep the congestion loose and decrease the risk of ear and sinus infections.

  2. Humidifiers and Steam Showers: Help keep the air moist and makes it easier for your child to breathe. Be sure to keep the humidifier clean to avoid the overgrowth of mold and other organisms. Be sure to change the water daily and follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions. Take your child in the shower with you, or steam up the bathroom.

  3. Try vedaPURE’s BREATHE, ( order at vedababy@gmail.com) www.vedapure.com- an all-natural vapor salve with Eucalyptus that soothes and comforts your child as she breathes.

  4. Use Saline Nose drops to make it easier for your child to breathe, and to eat. But avoid the use of a bulb-syringe: they can cause trauma and swelling to the inside of your child’s nose and make the situation that much worse. Just drop the saline in, and let your child sneeze.

  5. If your child is old enough to suck on a lozenge, buy ZINC lozenges which help restore the integrity of the membrane at the back of your child’s throat and promote healing.

Remember to call your doctor if:

  1. Your child is under three months of age

  2. there is any difficulty breathing or swallowing or has any change in color when he coughs

  3. Has a temperature higher than 102

  4. Has a persistent temperature for more than 3 days

  5. Is not urinating or seems lethargic

  6. Is not able to play, interact

  7. Is deteriorating instead of improving despite your care after two days

  8. Coughs up blood, green sputum or vomits from coughing too hard

Posted by Dr. Natalie Geary MD | Filed Under Dr Geary