LilSugar

Mommy's Lil Helper: Eco Travel Mugs That Won't Spill

LilSugar — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 10:00:30 -0800

Babysugar isn't alone when she says caffeine is her drug of choice because about 73 percent of lilsugar readers say they rely on the stimulant to keep up with their tots. After using hundreds (or thousands!) of paper cups for my tea fix I realized it was time to settle on a more Eco-conscious reusable travel mug that won't spill or break. I did a little research, and apparently Americans consume more than 16 billion paper cups every year. Yes, it's definitely time for an alternative.

Good thing the market is with me. This I am not a paper cup... mug ($20) is the hipster answer to a paper-free coffee fix, but there are many options out there. The key is to find a mug that can be microwaved and is dishwasher safe (many of the ones I liked at the health food store weren't) and has a top that won't runneth over on to your outfit, child or car interior.

'i am not a paper cup' coffee cup- Hugh's Pick! - 10 left! - $20.00	OXO Good Grips® Travel Mug - $24.00
Stelton To Go Thermal Mug - $52.00	NEW! Hamilton Beach Coffeemaker - $69.99
Travel Mug by OXO - $22.99

Babysugar Diaries: Caffeine Is My Drug of Choice

babysugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:00:18 -0700

Every day around 2 p.m., I feel a desperate need to drink a Coca–Cola. I don't crave the taste as much as I desire the boost in energy it will provide. Even 20 months after giving birth to my first child, my body does not jump out of bed at 6 a.m. ready to take on the day. When reading a book to her before nap time, I often find that I am the one nodding off. This is not uncommon for moms.

The National Sleep Foundation found that more moms are caffeinating themselves to make it through the day. Energy drinks, sodas and coffee are all part of a busy mama's day as she carpools, cooks, cleans and takes care of other duties.

To see what the National Sleep Foundation discovered, read more.

The NSF study found:

More than 65 percent of moms drink caffeinated beverages to get through their day.

Fast food stores like McDonald's are taking advantage of the caffeine hungry audience. The golden arches beat analysts' estimates by increasing latest quarterly profits, which are partially attributed to the rise in coffee sales. Looks like mommies may be loading up on their lattes when ordering a happy meal for junior. When baby number two joins my family, I have a feeling I'll be upping my caffeine intake, too!

Does Caffeine Help You Keep Up With Your Kids?

LilSugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 08:00:06 -0700

Last night on Jon and Kate Plus 8, the Gosselins revealed how they have dealt with raising their twins and sextuplets - coffee. Though they enjoyed the occasional cup of joe prior to parenthood, Kate admitted that she sips half a mug before getting out of bed in the morning.

Many moms and dads rely on an espresso, latte or mocha to get that extra boost of energy that's needed for raising babe. Have you taken to caffeinated beverages to cope with family life?

Mommy Alert! Miscarriage and Caffeine

LilSugar — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:00:34 -0800

Contrary to what was reported in this Mommy Alert two weeks ago, a recent New York Times article says there is evidence that caffeine poses a risk to pregnant women. It said:

"The new study, being published Monday in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, finds that pregnant women who consume 200 milligrams or more of caffeine a day - the amount in 10 ounces of coffee or 25 ounces of tea - may double their risk of miscarriage."

So if you're expecting, you may want to err on the side of caution and skip the cup of joe.

Source

Do You Buy Into Pregnancy Products?

LilSugar — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Being with babe means forgoing caffeine, unpasteurized cheese and raw fish for many moms-to-be, but do they take the lotions and potions they lather their bodies with (the skin is an organ) as seriously as they do the foods they digest? Lots of the popular beauty lines women use on a regular basis include phthalates, sulfates and other chemicals to help preserve the rest of the products' ingredients and increase their cleansing power. Some doctors warn that these chemicals can be absorbed into the bloodstream and impact an unborn baby's hormones.

New pregnancy oriented hair products, like Nine Naturals' Oh Baby! and Beaute de Maman, are all natural, vegan and chemical-free and offer expectant women peace of mind when they pretty themselves up each day. The brands are said to work just as well as mainstream ones. Do you purchase goods made especially for pregnant women? If so, which ones?

Tell Mommy: Do Kids and Coffee Mix?

LilSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 05:00:02 -0700

It's not unusual to see a youngster sipping a Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino these days, but does the caffeinated beverage and wee ones mix? While a mama giving her child a sip of her cup o' Joe is one thing, a flight attendant getting an 8-year-old girl a Venti Starbucks coffee is quite another. The parents of Payton Parkerson are upset after their child flew Northwest Airlines's unaccompanied minor program (which costs an additional $100 each way) and was advised to buy a large coffee by the airline attendant who was caring for the charge during a layover in Detroit, The drink had six times the caffeine of a can of Coke and allegedly made the child fall ill and vomit on the plane. While this is an extreme situation, do you think coffee is ever appropriate for children?

The Pregnancy Diet: We Always Want What We Can't Have

LilSugar — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:00:00 -0700

There's something about pregnancy that makes me constantly crave foods that I cannot eat, even those I seldom ate when I wasn't expecting. As tempting as alcohol may be to some mamas-to-be, my beverage of choice since becoming a mom is Starbucks iced green tea. It has a fair amount of caffeine so I'm not comfortable downing it while with child, but I do plan on drinking a Venti in the hospital bed once this bundle of joy arrives.

Then there's the listeria issue, I'm not a big cheese eater, but every salad that sounds appetizing lately contains crumbled bits of gorgonzola or feta which fall into the unpasteurized and off limits category. Are there certain foods you fiend while pregnant - did you abstain or indulge?

Source

Were You Less Cautious With Subsequent Pregnancies?

LilSugar — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:00:00 -0800

First time mamas-to-be are often cautious - limited caffeine, no raw fish, deli meats, etc. Having given birth to a healthy baby, you might have taken pride in your pregnancy discipline. However, once you are running around after a tot or find yourself expecting again, some of those rules may or may not slip your mind. Were you as careful with subsequent pregnancies as you were with your first?

Source

Coffee Won't Cause Miscarriages

LilSugar — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:08:06 -0800

Have your cup of joe and don't worry about junior. Kate Hudson is one celeb mama who indulges in her cup o' caffeine.

A recent study showed that pregnant women who drink caffeine in moderation are not more at risk for a miscarriage. But since less than two cups of coffee were consumed on a daily basis, it's questionable whether drinking more could have an adverse effect.

Dr. David A. Savitz of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City who conducted the study said past research had similar results. To finish the post, read more.

A Reuters article said:

Most women in the study who drank coffee or other caffeinated beverages consumed about 350 milligrams of caffeine daily before they became pregnant and in very early pregnancy, equivalent to 1.7 7-ounce cups of brewed coffee a day. At the time of the interview, their average caffeine intake had fallen to 200 milligrams.

Savitz and his team followed 2,407 pregnant women and 258 miscarried.

Did you drink coffee while pregnant?

Baby Bump: Beat Indigestion With Peppermint Tea

LilSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:00:21 -0800

As an expectant belly grows, so does the chance of getting indigestion. Pregnant ladies wary of chemicals may not want to take over-the-counter remedies like Maalox and Tums when they feel the burn so they opt for peppermint tea. Peppermint is well known for its tummy-healing powers, and most peppermint tea is caffeine free so mamas don't need to worry about it affecting their developing fetuses. Peppermint teas like Twinings ($3) barely nab the budget and are far more enjoyable than a few chalky tablets.

Do you have your own natural indigestion remedies?