LilSugar

The Pleasures of Placenta Keep Expanding

babysugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:00:32 -0800

Often called the "tree of life," placentas are known to have special healing powers for postpartum moms and some even believe they have a way with spirits. Taye Diggs's wife Irina had hers turned into pills while Camila Alves and Matthew McConaughey had plans to plant theirs under a tree. Some, like myself, told the doctors to take it to a place never to be seen again. Perhaps I should have saved mine and sold it as they seem to be a hot commodity among the elite these days. Hollywood's hotshots are partaking in placenta beauty treatments and famous athletes are turning to the often trashed organ for healing powers. Soccer star Robin Van Persie is hoping that a horse's placenta will work magic on his ankle ligament injury. Physiotherapist Mariana Kovacevic is known for her mystical techniques, one which will have her massaging liquid from a horse's placenta into the player's affected area.

It seems the placenta is the wonder organ that keeps on giving. Would you partake in any of these special treatments?

Were Your Friends Jealous Over Baby?

babysugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:32 -0800

Ask any mom, and she'll tell you: life changes drastically with the birth of a baby. Nights out at the bars are put on hold indefinitely, and friendships often take a backseat to parenting. It's not that friends lose their value; it's that parents have a fuller schedule and more responsibilities, which leads to less "hang" time with their buds. On the "Great Expectations" episode of Modern Family, Cam and Mitchell meet their old gal pal Sally at a bar, where the threesome swigs cocktails. Whenever the couple brings up their newly adopted daughter, Lily, Sal makes inappropriate remarks, leading the dads to conclude she is jealous of their wee one. While it may not play out so obviously in real life, the clip certainly has a token of realism to it.

Were any of your friends jealous of your baby?

Are You a Twilight Momiac?

babysugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:15:07 -0800

Mamas are taking a big bite out of the Twilight pandemonium. When the vampire tales first hit book shelves, it started a cult following. Teens and young adults gobbled them up and, apparently, so have their mothers. Young girls may be sporting the "Team Jacob" shirts or carrying the "Team Edward" water bottles, but they are not to be outshone by their older fans. On The Jay Leno Show, the adorably sweet and handsome Taylor Lautner talks about the deeply passionate moms he meets while out promoting the vampire movies. It seems security may have more concerns about mums than they do with their daughters!

Are you a Twilight momiac?

Would You Feed Your Child Breast Milk That's Not Yours?

LilSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:00:36 -0800

Doctors always tell you that breast milk is best, but is someone else's breast milk just as good? My pal recently told me that she just gave a friend, who has a younger baby, all her frozen breast milk, since it was going to go bad before her son could consume it all. Known as liquid gold in some circles, breast milk is a valuable commodity to a nursing mama and could be even more valuable to a mother who is lacking in that department. Salma Hayek nursed a newborn that was not her own, and many mommies donate their frozen breast milk to a milk bank. In both cases, the milk benefits babies in need even if it is unusual.

What if your child was the one in need? Would you feed your babe someone else's breast milk?

Tell Mommy: What Was Your Toughest Postpartum Moment?

babysugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:05:58 -0800

An inspiration to many mothers who suffer from postpartum depression, superstar mama Brooke Shields continues to give hope to new moms through her raw and honest revelations. A spokesperson for the debilitating disease and depression, she recently spoke at the Hope for Depression Research Foundation in Manhattan where she recalled a harrowing moment in her life. She said:

I finally had a healthy beautiful baby girl and I couldn't look at her... I couldn't hold her and I couldn't sing to her and I couldn't smile at her... All I wanted to do was disappear and die... That was the week I almost did not resist driving my car straight into a wall on the side of the freeway... My baby was in the back seat and that even pissed me off because I thought she's even ruining this for me. I just wanted to drive into the wall and my friend stayed on the phone with me and made me safely get home.

It takes guts to talk about those dark moments but her story undoubtedly gives hope to many women who are having similar experiences. If you care to share, tell us what your toughest postpartum moment was.

Feeling overwhelmed by motherhood? Join our A Place to Vent group over in our LilSugar Community and share your plight with other moms who understand.

Tell Mommy: Things You Don't Even Admit to Friends Edition

LilSugar — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:00:58 -0800

Nobody said it was easy. And it's not. Motherhood is life changing, amazing, tear-jerking and terrifying. Each day is different and each parent comes up with her own means for getting though it. One thing is for certain: Things can get hairy quickly. Our Tell Mommy feature explores where you stand on wacky, carefully planned or downright mystifying mommy moments. Check out the stories below and vent, mama!

Have You Done Something Wrong in the Name of Motherhood? - Moms can be a protective bunch - sticking up for their child when they are wronged or going to bat for their hubby when someone shoots him down. It's not always pretty.
Do You Judge Other Mothers? - Some would say it is human nature to judge others. If that's the case, it is certainly true when it comes to parenting styles. In motherhood, the narrowed eyes and hushed whispers can get a little out of control.
Has Your Child Ever Had a Close Call? - Most every mother has had a close call that makes her heart jump to her throat: losing a lil one at the mall, jumping in after a sinking child in the pool, or dislodging a hot dog from a toddler's throat.
What Is Your Guilty Pleasure? - Every mom's got one. We may not sneak into a closet to eat the Twinkies stashed in a hidden shoe box but everybody is guilty of an indulgence every now and then.

Overwhelmed by a crying baby, fighting tots, overbearing in-laws and competitive parents? Join our A Place to Vent group over in our LilSugar Community and share your stress with fellow moms who understand your plight.

Does Your Family Take Professional Photos?

babysugar — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:00:08 -0800

'Tis the time of the year for professional photographers to make their bundles of cash. Families are taking to the parks and beaches in their ironed shirts and their coiffed hair in hopes of taking the perfect photo for their holiday cards. While they make for gorgeous cards, the glossy black and whites also make ideal gifts for grandparents and they may make the spot right over the fireplace more attractive than ever. Those not willing to pay extra cash on the shutterbug have learned how to use the self-timer mode on their own camera and jump into the shot at the last minute often making their family portraits more realistic and even entertaining. (If you do take your own, make sure you read these tips!)

So tell us, do you hire the professionals to do the job or do you click away yourself?

Source

Tell Mommy Your Thoughts on Paying Cash For Extra Credit

babysugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:30:52 -0800

Would you work a little harder on a task at the office if your boss offered to give you a bonus upon completing it? Many would answer that question with a resounding, "Yes." What if that same situation was applied to schools with teachers and their students? Kids earn extra credit points a number of ways but one North Carolina school came under fire for offering its pupils 20 test points (10 points to be used on two tests of their choosing) if they brought in a $20 donation to the school.

Like many schools across the country, Rosewood Middle School is facing tough economic times and was looking for innovative ideas in fund-raising. After the parent advisory board came up with the concept and then the principal endorsed it, it looked like the fund-raiser was a go, but it never actually took off. The state education officials got wind of the practice and stopped it before it was ever set in motion. They believe it is teaching children the wrong lesson - that grades can be bought. Instead of cash, they insist the students should be rewarded bonus points for knowledge gained, not green paper. In defense of the program, Principal Susie Shepherd made the point that two test bumps won't make a difference in a student's final grade but that the money would have been helpful in upgrading the computer lab and their classrooms.

Do you agree with the state education officials or do you think the fund-raiser was a legitimate way to get kids involved in the school's improvement efforts?

Did You Have a Gut Feeling About Your Baby's Sex?

LilSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:00:16 -0800

Expectant women are full of anticipation before meeting their wee ones. One of the most suspenseful moments is when the gender is revealed - be it in the delivery room or the ultrasound. Before that moment arrives, some women believe they already know if their child is going to be a boy or girl. Be it mother's intuition, a gut feeling, or old wives' tales about gender, some mamas-to-be have a sixth sense when it comes to their babe. Do tell, did you guess your baby's gender correctly before you saw the evidence?

Will Self-Deprecating Video Help Papa Jon Win Brownie Points?

babysugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:00:46 -0800

Jon Gosselin Goes Back in Time from Jon Gosselin

For better or worse, Jon Gosselin cannot go a day without being mentioned in the headlines. Lately, it's been all bad news for the father of eight - he's being sued, he's suing, he's breaking up, he's spending Christmas with Kate and the kids, etc. While his popularity plummets and his notoriety skyrockets, the reality show star is taking a different approach to garner new fans. In the name of self-deprecation, the good dad gone bad takes steps to turn back time. Love him or hate him, it's a pretty entertaining two-minute spoof on his real life, but I'm not sure it will earn him any brownie points. What's your take on it?