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Our permiere issue!!!
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Lluvy Gomez from America’s Next TopModel
Check out Oilo’s baby bedding
Christina Applegate uses
Mom’s AdviceMagazine
Premier/Summer 2011
EXCLUSIVE
BABY GEAR
www.MomsAdviceMagazine.com
What’s InYour Diaper Bag?
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The summer is always a time of madness and fun; it seems to be the perfect season to launch our first edition of Mom’s Advice Magazine. I’m happy that you decided to join us at M.A.M as we explore all parts of motherhood and childhood. It’s an exciting new journey both for us as well as for you. Many features throughout our Sum-mer Issue come from information from mothers just like you—it’s important to us at M.A.M to always connect and communicate with our audience, something I know you’ll be able to cherish as well. Moms Advice Magazine isn’t just a magazine: it’s a meeting center for you to con-nect and grow. So lather up your sunscreen and be ready to embrace the summer heat!
- Mom’s Advice
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On the coverLluvy Gomez. from America’s NextTop Model. Styled by Tatiana Wyand. Make up and hair by Christy Maurer all make up used is Make up Forever. Photographed by Shea Anne
Editor in chief Mom’s Advice
Creative Director/ Photograper Shea Anne
www.sheaannephotography.com
Editor/ Intern Teri Marie
Make up/ Hair stylist Christy Maurer
www.mpressionsmakeup.com All Make up used by Make Up Forever
Stylist Tatiana Wyand & Christine Ko
www.Tatianawyand.com
Press inquires and [email protected]
All rights Copyright © 2011 Mom’s Advice Maga-zine . All rights reserved.Unless otherwise indi-cated, all materials on these pages are copyrighted by the Mom’s Advice Magazine. All rights reserved. No part of these pages, either text or image may be used for any purpose other than personal use.
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Tell us about your work Laurie: I sing and model for work. I just kinda grew up singing, and I went to collegefor singing. I went to a music school and made my way from Canada, Vancouver toCalifornia. After I graduated from school I went to Asia for about a year on a singingcontract and came back to Los Angeles.
Has it been hard to balance be-tween work and spending time with your 2 year old girl?Laurie: Yes (laughs). The first year is the hard-est; it’s so hard to be away from the babysince she needs you for feeding. It’s also hard
A little Inspiration forSingle Mommies!
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Laurie M.
for you because you’re so par-anoid. It’s a little easier now that she’s older, and she’s around the age that it’s good for her to be around other kids and become ad-justed. Its demanding, but you have a child and youhave to be prepared for it.
your experience with being a sin-gle mom?Laurie: When my daughter was 1 I left my husband and I
Do you have family nearby?Laurie: No, they’re all in Canada. My friends really helped me a lot. I was lucky to have good friends that were able to help me
out here and there. What is your
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HOTEL
MAXRealized that I was happier on my own, so I moved
on. I was scared, but given the circumstanc-es of our marriage, I believe we made the right decision. It was hard because I was in night school, but
I started working. When I had to work my friends would
help me out, and on the weekends when I had to work my ex would watch her. I went through a dif-ficult time for about a month. Without my friends I would have, yeah (laughing). They helped me so much. Friends are vital to getting past the first 6 months.
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Do you haveany encouraging words for other single moms?Laurie: I would say that the first 6 months are the hardest adjustments, you really haveto adjust. If you can get through those months with the support of family and friends,after that it can really only get better. I would compare it to the first months of having ababy. You’re nervous and not sure if you can do this, but then after you’re fine. It’s an ad-justment just like everything else. Don’t be afraid to ask people for help—in today’s day, people are from divorced families, they under-stand.Take from it what you can, and ask for advice. When the baby is younger it’s good for
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kids to see both parents as often as possible. I have a lot of respect for single moms where the dad is not involved at all. If you are thinking about leaving your partner, it’s important to understand and know your rights. Go to support groups, get information—there’s help, even when it feels helpless. If people are stuck in bad situations, there are always resources. There’s a lot of advice out there, so you canfind things. Read more encouraging words by Mom’s Advice Mag-azine!
There seems to be a stigma around the term
*Loneliness
*Ask For Help
*Quality Time
*Rethink Your Life.
*Keep Your Eyes Open
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“single mom” whenever it’s mentioned to people, as if be-ing that “single mom” consti-tutes us to being a flaky per-son in general. We’re labeled as the mothers who will be bad at raising their children, who will never date again because we have baggage-- or worse, that we’re horribly selfish for putting our chil-dren through a situation that involved divorce. Do people even truly care about what we actually go through and the hardship in our life from it? If you’re a single mom too, you know exactly what I’m talking about. If you’re in the phases of divorce that will make you a single mom, then you’ve come to the right place. Being a single mom is no par-ty. Unlike from before when you were just “single”and available,now being a single-mom puts you into a whole new ballpark but with a kid. The horror stories about the first year of being a new single mom can make any woman want to find a hole and hide.
What keeps these women going when everything else is falling apart? How are they balancing their life with their kid? Am I going to be a horrible mom from this? How will I support myself and my child finan-cially as well as emotion-ally? There’s always that fear that your child will hate you for putting them through a situation with divorce, but it’s important to keep your chin up and remember to be strong not just for yourself, but for your child as well, no matter what age they are. The more the child sees you deal with the situation in a “strong-mother” attitude, it’s more likely that they’ll not only respect you, but trust you as well. Whether or not you’re going through a divorce as a single mom, it’s important to remember this “strong-mother”attitude as you wake up every day to go about your life. Being a single mom doesn’t mean you have to go through a
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a train-wreck to step out of the other side as a survivor: all it entails is learning how to adapt and balance your life with your childs a little more fully.Loneliness. This is a good description of what every mom feels some time or an-other, and it’s one you’ll find yourself facing very often. It’s important not to become stuck in your loneliness but to instead learn to reach out. Are you actually putting in the effort to be social? What do you want your social life to look like? Granted, with your child now, there’s no way you’ll be able to go back to your teenage years of socialness-- but what about connecting with other single moms? There’s always re-assurance in knowing and recognizing that you’re not alone. This isn’tthe time to go into hiberna-tion and avoid being around other people—you need to look for support groups.
Ask For Help. Know your boundaries, and understand them. Your friends are going to be a a huge support for you during this time in your life, and letting them know that you need some extra help no matter what it may be, will be a life-saver for you.Quality Time. You may be lonely, but you do have that bundle of joy over there that you should spend some time with to get to know. Go on walks with your child (or if he’s a baby, make sure to bring a stroller), socialize with your friends and make sure to bring him. If you work a lot and only have the nighttime and week-end to spend time with him, make it worthwhile. You’ll think of things, and we’re sure he’ll let you know how to spend time with him. The point is to get the quality time in.Rethink Your Life. Your life is already changing so much; it’s hard to even think about changing anything else, but what if you were to change your
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career so you could work more from home? An astounding amount of moms are now choosing this route and start-ing their own small companies from home that root in a hob-by.Keep Your Eyes Open. This involves keeping an eye peeled to support groups, as well as to financial assistance for single mothers. We’ve already said it but we’ll say it again: You’re notalone. This doesn’t need to be a deep seated struggle in your life, but instead a journey to learn from and prove everyone wrong who puts a bad name to being a single mom.
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Help Please!!!!! Its ok to ask for help
So what’s the cure to help a busy mom relieve some of that stress? To ask for help. Simple enough, but it doesn’t take a wise-old mother to know that asking for help is actually pret-ty hard. Overcoming pride is the first step-ping stone in asking for help, and a hard
For new moms it’s important to understand that having a baby means giving up some of your per-sonal space to take care of the newcomer or better yet, to juggle taking care of the newcomer as well as trying to take care of other aspects in your life. There’s just not enough time in a day for us to be able to clean the house, cook the food, take care of the baby, and have some personal time alone.
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one to overcome at best. We hear from other friends how wonderful their new babies are and that they’re doing per-fectly well balanc-ing their life with the baby, but in reality that’s probably not true. With a new baby that’s yours, it’s hard to relinquish the be-lief that you need to do everything your-self to be a good mother to prove that you can handle moth-erhood. Asking for help is admitting that you can’t be the won-drous Holy Mother who magically waves her hands and with-in time everything
is taken care of: the baby is fed, the beds are made, the bathroom is cleaned, and dinner is served. But being a mother isn’t about being magical—it’s about being human. There’s a reason you have people and services in your life, use them! And don’t feel greedy when asking for help! Motherhood is a big job, and even if you’re ask-ing for help more than once a day, you deserve it. Asking for help isn’t the only option you have to relieve that stress—fol-low through with some of these tips to truly maxi-mize the calmness. Makesure to exercize!!!!
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Warning: Neverput your baby in a
hamper or otherdangerous places!
Get out of the House Grab the stroller and go for a walk with the baby. The fresh air and alone time will be good for you. Even spending time with close friends or family will give you a breather. It’s important for you to retain your activities, which will help against postpartum depression.
Take care of yourselfWe can’t stress enough how important exercise is, and you should be dutiful with it as much as you can. Taking up new in-terests can help you as well—the point is for you to enrich your life as much as pos-sible. A little pampering goes a long way,
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so feel free to bring out the pedicure station.
Mark your priorities For many women, a top priority is their job, but with a new baby it’s hard to feel like you can spend adequate time with both. Having a baby doesn’t have to stunt your career—many stay at home mom’s decide to start a small business from their home that pairs with a personal hobby. Your options are lim-itless, and extremely flexible. Don’t be afraid to dream.
Please RememberThese ImportantTips!!!!!!!!!!
Get out of the houseTake care of yourselfMark your priorities
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IT’S NOT UNCOMMON
FOR A WOMAN TO HAVE A BABY IN HER LATE 30’SAND EARLY 40’S
Too Old, Really?
“It’s not uncommon for a woman to have a baby in her
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Celebrities such as Halle Barry and Jennifer Lo-pez have been seen setting a trend for women to have children at older ages. It’s not uncommon for a woman to have a baby in her late 30‘s and early 40’s— the rate of births at these older ages is starting to rise. But with this later delay in childbirth, many fear factors arise for these moms when it comes to health. Will my child be more likely to have Down syndrome? Will I be too old to properly take care of the baby? Will I be more likely to have a miscarriage? What other problems will come up? Although it is true that studies have shown that there’s an increase in the possibility for the baby to develop Down syndrome or for you to have a miscar-riage if you’re older in age, there are many benefactors as well that equally balance the scale. Medical care has advanced in the 21st cen-tury and has brought with
TOO OLD? Ô more financially stable Ô friendships are balanced
Ô exposed to children longer
Ô more likely to make you live longer
it much more availabil-ity to an older mom to take precautions and have a safer pregnancy than what might have been available before. Personal benefits exist for older mothers in that with their more mature age, there’s also more, well, maturity. A woman in her 30’s and 40’s is far more like-ly to be stable and settled in her life versus a woman in her 20’s. They’ve not only lived their life, but they know the in’s and out’s and
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have stabilized in their career and have possibly settled down with their partner. Their friendships are more balanced, and they’ve learnt how to deal with stress more adequately. They have the upper hand here in that they’re more financially stable than someone in their 20’s. They’ve also been ex-posed to children longer than a younger mom, and are (most likely) a little more adept at handling them. Emotionality wise, an older woman is more prepared for motherhood than a younger woman might be..Are you an older mom and a little fright-ened to hear things like “but you won’t be around to see your kids get married if you have them now”? It’s a mis-conception that if you have a baby at an older age, you’re going to immediately wither away after a few years and never see them live their life. In actuality, having kids at an older age is more likely to make you live longer. Im-pressed yet? But wait, what
about all the special needy care an older mom needs to stay healthy while preg-nant? For starters, there really isn’t any extra “special needy care” that an older mom needs. Many of the same precautions that are recommended to a younger pregnant woman are the ex-act same for an older preg-nant woman: Get lots of folic acid in your diet, limit your caffeine consumption, and don’t smoke,don’t drink, and maintain a healthy diet. Although people may up-play the weaknesses in having a child at an older age, there’s really not a huge difference between having a child at 20 versus having one at 40. There’s just more risks you have to be aware of. No rights or wrongs have been set in stone regard-ing the age you have a baby at; with everything there’s a possible danger, but just like everything there’s also a benefit if not even an advan-tage.
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Love Your KidsCHILDHOOD OBESITY IS ON THE RISE; IT SEEMS LIKE AMERI-CANS JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THAT STUFF CALLED FOOD. THE SIDE-EFFECTS OF A CHILD BEING OBESE INCLUDE HEART DISEASE (WHICH IS CAUSED BY HIGH CHOLESTEROL AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE), TYPE 2 DIABETES, ASTHMA, AND EMOTION-AL INSECURITY. WE MENTION EMOTIONAL INSECURITY BE-CAUSE OF THE DISCRIMINATION THAT HEAVIER CHILDREN FACE IN SCHOOL. COME ON PEOPLE, WE ALL REMEMBER THE HEFTY GIRL IN SCHOOL THAT WE COULD HAVE BEEN NICER TO. YOUR KID DOESN’T WANT TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH BEING MADE FUN OF AND FEELING INFERIOR, AND UNFORTUNATELY, SCHOOL ISN’T THE PLACE YOU SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO TO BE COMPLI-MENTED. EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT BODY BUILD, AND THIS IS BEING WIDELY EMBRACED MORE SO THAN THE IDEA THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE AS LEAN AS A POLE. SO HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR CHILD IS AT RISK FOR BEING OBESE? IT’S AS SIM-PLE AS TAKING THEM IN TO SEE A DOCTOR TO SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. IT’S CRUCIAL FOR YOUR CHILD TO BE HEALTHY, WHICH WILL MAKE THEM FEEL BETTER OVERALL. THESE ARE SOME OF OUR TIPS TO HELP IMPROVE YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH AND LOWER THE RISK OF OBESITY:
Involve Your Kids
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ENCOURAGE HEALTHY EATING. YES, WE KNOW. YOU’VE HEARD IT BEFORE, BLAH BLAH FEED YOUR KIDS GRAINS AND FRUITS AND VEGGIES, BLAH BLAH BLAH. WHILE YOU SHOULD DO THOSE THINGS, WE ADVISE YOU TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHY EATING BY ACTUALLY EATING HEALTHY FOODS YOURSELF TOO, IN FRONT OF YOUR KIDS. IT’S A LITTLE HARD FOR A CHILD TO GO DO SOMETHING THEIR PARENTS ARE TELLING THEM TO DO, WHILE THE PARENTS ARE DOING SOMETHING COMPLETELY OPPOSITE. DO YOU THINK YOUR CHILD WILL LISTEN TO YOU RANT AND RAVE ABOUT HOW DELICIOUS FRUITS ARE AND THAT THEY SHOULD EAT THEM WHEN ALL YOU DO IS CHOW DOWN ON CHIPS? YEAH, WE DON’T THINK SO EITHER. WISE UP ON YOUR MODELING, AND MODEL SOME HEALTHY EATING.
ACTUALLY FEED THEM. FEED YOUR KIDS BREAKFAST, PLEASE. THEIR ATTENTION SPAN WILL RISE AND THEY’LL BE ABLE TO FOCUS BETTER. EATING BREAKFAST WILL ENABLE THEM TO BURN CALORIES BETTER THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS WELL.
BALANCE AND MODERATE. DON’T JUST THROW SOME FRUIT AT YOUR KIDS LIKE THIRTY TIMES A DAY—MAKE A HEALTHY BALANCED MEAL, AND MODERATE THE JUNK FOOD THAT GETS TAKEN IN. BY “HEALTHY BALANCED MEAL” WE MEAN AN ACTUAL MEAL THAT INCLUDES YOUR BASIC FOOD GROUPS: YOUR PRO-TEIN, YOUR VEGGIES, AND YOUR “GOOD” CARBS (THINK FIBER). LIMIT SNACKS THROUGHOUT THE DAY BY GIVING THEM SMALLERPORTIONS. IF YOU WANT, LET THEM CHOOSE A SWEET OR SALTY SNACK ONCE OR TWICE A DAY, JUST BE SURE TO KEEP AN EYE ON
THE SERVING SIZE. INVOLVE YOUR KIDS. DO YOU LIKE SPENDING TIME WITH YOUR KIDS? HAVE YOU TRIED COOKING WITH YOUR KIDS? WELL, GO COOK A MEAL WITH THEM (A HEALTHY ONE) AND SEE IF YOU HAVE FUN AND SEE HOW THEY REACT. THEN SEND US YOUR STO-RY THROUGH OUR EMAIL, BECAUSE WE’RE BETTING THEY’RE HI-
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LARIOUS AND FUN. DID WE MENTION THEY’RE ALSO HEALTHY?
KEEP THEM MOVING. PLAY GAMES WITH YOUR KIDS; ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET INVOLVED IN A SPORT OR AF-TER-SCHOOL ACTIVITY THAT INVOLVES MORE THAN SITTING AROUND STUDYING. ANYTHING GOES FOR KEEPING THEM IN MOTION; JUST MAKE SURE TO KEEP THEM SAFE. IT’LL GET THEIR BLOOD PUMPING AND GET RID OF SOME OF THEIR ADORABLE ENERGY (THE ENERGY THAT MAKES YOU PULL YOUR HAIR OUT).
TRUST US, YOU’LL THANK US LATER. VISIT YOUR DOCTOR OR NUTRITIONIST. YOU’D BE SURPRISED AT THE OVERLOAD OF HEALTHY FOOD AVAILABLE OUT THERE, AS WELL AS THE UNHEALTHY ONES. SOMETIMES WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS UNHEALTHY IS ACTUALLY HEALTHY, SO IF YOU’RE SERIOUS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AS WELL AS YOUR KIDS, THEN VISIT A DOCTOR OR NUTRITIONIST FOR MORE IN-FORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN ENFORCE IT.
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become a fan on facebookSummer 2011 | 26
Kidsone to consider regardless
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Because you have more free-dom in both your job as well as your time, this means be-ing able to devote more time to raising your children yourself instead of having to ship them off to a daycare while you go work a day job. Of course we have nothing against daycares; we’d be utterly lost without them. But most moms will want to spend time with their chil-dren rather than send them to someone else day after day if they’re able to. Wouldn’t you?
Con: Income. We meet the cons now and take a look at income, a huge factor in deciding whether or not you’ll be able to manage be-ing a stay at home mom. Al-though you’ll be able to work from home, there’ll be that fi-nancial situation that may set you back drastically and forceyou to take that corporate job in order to pay the bills. The cure for this con? Figure out a small business you can start yourself from home and promote, promote, promote!
Promoting is really just a fancy word for socialize, so go out and social-ize and spread the word about your business! If you’re in a tight spot and really need that corporate working job, consider trying to get some-thing that has more flexible hours or where you work later in the day versus in the morning; this way you’ll have time to spend with your kids, and it’s more likely that you’ll be ableto find a friend to babysit at an hour when they’re probably not working.
Con: Too Much Time. This doesn’t refer to having too much
time on your hands that you get bored— no, this is actually refer-ring to paying too much attention to your kids and not yourself. You’ll be sucked into their world the more you spend time with them, and although this isn’t a bad thing at all, it can be-come scary when you find yourself humming Disney Channel theme songs to yourself in the shower. How do you fix the child-brain mental-ity that may overtake you? Go on a date. Listen to some of your music around the house that’s child friend-ly. Socialize with your friends, and watch a movie for your age-group when your child is sleeping if you
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t Restaurant Review
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Mogul Mom
Interview withNatalie Gouche
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How old are you, and how old is your daughter? Natalie: I am 24 my daughter is 3 years old, soon to be 4 in March
You mentioned earlier that you were in college when you were pregnant with her-- was it super hard? Natalie: I was pregnant while still in school. It was hard at times to stay fo-cused but it truly made me want to get done fast so that I could have all the time I needed to spend with my daugh-ter.
Where do you work?Natalie: I am an entrepreneur plainly put. I do a few different things. I just love to add value to people’s lives wherever I go. I am a social media/Video Marketer. I help small business owners and entre-preneurs use social media as a platform to market their business. I also show other people how to work from home like I do. I provide them an opportunity to spend more time with their families, make their own hours, make more money and really explore their options in life. I’m very passionate about that because I know how impor-tant all of those things are for people; the only reason most people don’t work from home is because they were never presented with the opportunity. As a mom I especially love showing other moms how to work from home. You can find more info on my website @ www.NatalieGouche.com
Is it hard to manage time be-tween work and “mommy” time with your daughter?Natalie: Yes indeed it is tough but it’s all worth it. Being a mom is first. Business comes second. I have named myself “Mogul Mom” because it is possible to have a successful business and still be a good mother. Mogul mom is sort of my name for all moms doing what I do on a small scale or on a larger scale. It is tough managing time but we can do anything we put our minds to.
What makes being a stay at home such a great opportuni-ty, in your opinion?Natalie: Being a stay at home mom is such an amazing op-
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I get her involved with a lot of what I do since video marketing is a part of my business. She is in a lot of my vid-eos and it helps for other moms to see that I am a regular mom just like them. The only difference is I am my own boss. I think when my daughter grows up she will appreciate the time we spent together.
A little bit about Natalie’s birth and pregnancy.
When you were pregnant with your daughter, how was the morning sickness? Natalie: Morning sickness was all but just in the morning. Why do they call it that anyway? I was sick ALL day. After about 3 months it went away but that was not fun while it lasted.
Was there anything at all that would help, if you had extreme morning sickness? Natalie: I loved drinking shakes or smoothies. That seemed to make me feel better
Did you breastfeed? Natalie: I did breastfeed and I loved it.
How was your experience with it? Natalie: I had a great experience bonding with my daughter and it felt
portunity because as a mother I get to see everything that happens in my daughter’s life. She is in preschool now but before she went to school we were together all day. I even used to bring her to my appointments for my business or have my clients meet me at my home office. I spend qual-ity time with my family and don’t have to sacrifice that to make a liv-ing.
Would you ever consider going back to being more of a corporate worker? Natalie: After seeing the financial freedom working for myself can bring, I wouldn’t trade what I do for the world. It’s not about the money but I have to be honest when saying that corporate America has a limit. There is only so far you can go. When I started my first home based busi-ness after only 3 months I was mak-ing double what I made at my full time job, and I was only working 2 on my home based business. Being a stay at home mom allows me do ev-erything I want to do and more (all on my time, when and how I want to). I love it!
Do you feel that with being able to work from home, it will have more of a positive influence on your daughter than if you were a corporate employee? Natalie: I absolutely think so.
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good knowing I was doing the healthi-est thing for her. I was so sad when I stopped
What has been the hardest difficulty with being a mother so far? Natalie: The hardest difficulty I would say is trying to be the best example. As mothers we are the ultimate role model and no one is perfect. Having children puts a magnifying glass right on you. Being careful with your words, actions and habits is difficult but well worth the effort as a parent.
Do you have any encouraging words for moms in general?Natalie: I would tell mothers just to cherish each moment with their chil-
dren (good or bad). It’s all a learn-ing experience for us to grow and become better people.
Did you have an epidural? If you feel comfortable, go ahead and explain the birth and how it went. Natalie: I did have an epidural. I sometimes don’t know how other women don’t get one. I was right to the limit of when the doctor cannot give you an epidural. The doctor told me I could not get one and I freaked out and start-ed crying. All of the pain I was in up to that point I did not cry but when I heard that I lost it. My sis-ter fortunately was an employee of the hospital where I delivered and she made sure that the doc-tor gave me one. After the epi-dural it was smooth sailing. I had a great delivery.
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All Jewlery by Patricia CandidoAll Jewelry by Patricia Candidowww.patriciacandido.com
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Interview with Lluvy GomezFrom America’s Next Top Model Cycle 4 in LA
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From America’s Next Top Model Cycle 4 in LA
Interview with Lluvy GomezFrom America’s Next Top Model Cycle 4 in LA
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How old were you when you went on
the show?I was 20 when I auditioned, and I turned 21 the month before. I was a baby *laughs*
How old were you when you
got pregnant the first time?
I found out that I was pregnant a couple days be-
fore my 23rd birthday. I started gaining weight rap-idly. I had fasted and I had a salad and then I gained 2 pounds- like what’s going on?!
Do you still work while you have kids? I did a shoot when I was pregnant with Tres and I did a couple of stuff with Asher, and a little bit after.
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Are you going to have any more kids?
We would like more. We would love a girl.
Tell us a little bit about your business. Well, we are in the process of taking over my moth-er-in-laws store located in Dana Point, called Bay Beauty,but we also have a website- beautydis-counters.com. It’s all professional salon products. We carry a variety of items from shampoo to flat irons and everything in between! I’m really trying to get more organic lines; it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while so I’m really excited. It’s still in the works, but the website is up and running.
Have you been working with modeling at all now?I’ve been signed with Expecting Models for both pregnancies, which is great! I try to go to as many castings as I can, but it’s hard because we live in the cen-tral valley. I would love to continue modeling full time , but to be hon-est, it’s just not feasible anymore; because of the traveling distance. If
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we lived in LA it would be great! I guess my pri-orities have changed since becoming a mom-my, you know? I love being a business owner and still be able to stay home with the kids!! If we lived in LA it would be great! All photos on this page were taken dur-ing America’s Next Top Model! Enjoy!!!
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Reusable Swim Diaper Seashell Price: 10.99
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We may be dying for the warm months of summer, but with the warmth comes the sun that is closely followed by sunburns: a huge fun killer. Here are a few of our basic tips to help you avoid painful sunburns throughoutthe sunny summer months.Investigate the sunscreen that you’re thinking of using for your baby, especially if you prefer to use more natural and organic products. You may want to avoid ingredients such as Parabens, Ben-zophenonem, and Oxybenzone. Because it’ll be harder for you to find an all-natural sunscreen pro-tector for your child because of the ingredients, we’ll later discuss how you can go about making your own sunscreen. If you’re going for a store brand, we recommend that you look into water-proof sun-screens, whether or not you think you or your child will be going in the water, and to get a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 or higher. Keep a close watch on the time when you go out. Peak times (vary, but usually from 10 am to 4pm) will be the hours with the
Protect your babys skin As well as yours!
most sunlight and the most possi-ble times to get sunburnt. It’s hard for us to advise you to become a hermit and stay indoors dur-ing these hours, but just know to take extra precautions for you and your children when you go outside around these times. Apply sun-screen, and cover up! If you take your children out swimming, you’ll want to consider finding an indoor pool.Carry a bottle of sunscreen with you when you go out. It’s im-portant to apply sunscreen on anypart of your skin or your child’s skin that will be exposed to the sun-light, but after a few hours most sunscreens will wear off (or wash off if you’re in water). By keep-ing a bottle of sunscreen on you, you’ll be able to reapply whenever you need it and avoid those nasty sunburns. You’re not only helping against sunburns, but you’ll help in preventing skin cancer as well as save yourself some later pain when your kids decide to poke that red patch on your shoulder.When we say to apply sun-screen on the skin that’s exposed,
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we literally mean everywhere thatis exposed. The feet and toes if you’re wearing flip-flops, the knees and elbows, the neck-- even your ears if you have short hair. The ears are an especially important area for babies to get sunscreen protection on as well.
For those who are more interested in a natural sunscreen that they can make themselves,consider apply-ing this mixture every hour or so to avoid getting sunburnt:
1 oz. Coconut Oil
1 oz. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ oz. Aloe vera juice
5 drops of Helichrysum Oil
3 drops of Chamomile Oil
If you have overly sensitive skin, make sure to test the sunscreen on a small portion of your wrist to see how you react.
Eventually a pesky sunburn will sneak its way in and you’ll need to know how to soothe it, whether for yourself or for your child. Consider trying out some of these tips to see if it helps relieve the pain and an-noyance.
AVOID THE PAIN!!!
Aloe vera will be a lifesaver to you if you have sunburn. Just slather it on as much as you’d like through-out the day and let the relief begin. We’ve also been told that Witch ha-zel helps relieve sunburn as well. Do not apply any type of oil or lo-tion to the sunburnt area, since this will just irritate it.Keep yourself hydrated with plenty of water, since the sunburn is causing fluid loss throughout the skin. Always keep a water bottle
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around for access, and make sure both you and your child are drink-ing plenty of fluids. A cold wash-cloth to the sunburnt area can also provide relief. One mother told us that she uses a cold washcloth that’s been soaked in a mix of vin-egar and water to help retain the heat. Stay out of the sun as much as you can, and keep an eye out for any blisters that may form on the skin. Blisters indicate that further complications may arise, so seek medical attention if you start see-ing some. Although it’s very tempt-ing, avoid popping or prodding
any blisters as well.Avoids products that end in “—caine” such as benzocaine, since they can actually further irri-tate the skin and even cause allergy reactions. Unless the burn is severe, we recommend that you stick to more natural and at home ways to soothe sunburn.
Last but not least, dress com-fortably. The skin will need time to heal, so make sure to dress your-self or your child in comfy clothing that won’t cling to the skin.
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Sunscreens safe for baby and mommie!
Avalon OrganicsNatural Mineral Sunscreen SPF 18Unscented, sunscreen cream made with organic jojoba and sunflower oils protects vulnerable skin with an effective, broad-spectrum, reflective barrier.www.avalonorganics.com Price:$ 9.95
MD MOMS baby silk babysafe sunscreen towelettesSPF 30 sunscreen towelettes MD MOMS baby silk babysafe sunscreen towelettesSPF 30 sunscreen towelettesLets face it: babies like to go outside and so do their parents! These award-winning soft wipes are satu-rated with a gentle, sweat-proof, broad spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen that’s enriched with Vitamins E and B5, marine silk, aloe and oat, to protect, soothe and moisturize even the youngest baby’s skin.
Price:$26.0
Aveeno BabyCONTINUOUS PROTECTION SPF 55Sunblock Lotion with SPF 55 is formulated to provide long-lasting protection from the sun’s harmful rays. It combines patented ACTIVE PHOTOBARRIER COMPLEX™, which maintains broad spectrum protection over time, with natural skin soothing oatmeal to care for baby’s deli-cate skin. This waterproof, non-greasy, natural oatmeal-rich formula is as gentle to the skin as water.www.aveeno.com
Price: $10.49
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Info:32 Palm Dr. Camarillo, Ca. 93010Owner/Stylist: Gary D and Melissa May
Mommy Makeover At salon 32 Palms
Before
After
Make up by: Melissa May
We have both been in the hair indus-try for 15 years and almost gave up on our dreams of opening our own salon until an amazing opportunity opened up for us in the heart of Old Town Camarillo. It was a pre owned salon for the past 23 years that needed full renovation. With only 3 weeks and a lot of love 32 Palm Salon opened its doors on March 1 2011. We focus on a full service hair menu that offers hair cutting, hair coloring, extensions special events hair, air brush make up and photo shoots.
For our readers you get a com-plementary hair cut with the purchase of any color service
Gary D- (805) 746-5277 Melissa May- (805) 603-0927
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MAKE UP
FRESHLOOK
Belli skincare is 100%safe to use during your
pregnancy or while breast feeding.
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MAKE UP
ChapelStreet | 41
Make sure to visitwww.belliskincare.comfor prices and more info
Pj’s are www.sweetdreamsmaternitywear.com
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I’ll admit that once I got pregnant I lost my mind-- my brain just didn’t want to work at all anymore. I would forget small things like my car keys, my wallet, and my money. We won’t even talk about driving. Then after I had the baby all I could think about was taking care of her and how much I wasn’t sleeping; I didn’t have time to worry about things like birth con-trol. That was the last thing on my mind! I think it’s great for women to know their options for birth control after they have had a baby, especially if you are breastfeeding since that limits your options more. I’ve compiled a list of birth control with some info and whether or not they’re safe to use while breastfeeding. Hopefully, unlike me, you haven’t gone completely crazy yet and will be able to choose which one is best for you:
Common Birth Controls:
Let’s Be SmartI didn’t have time to worry about things like birth control.
Shea’s pj’s are www.sweetdreamsmaternitywear.com
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The Pill. By far this is the most common contraceptive used by women today, and luckily there
are options for breastfeeding moth-ers. Check in with your doctor about progestin-only pills (also known as mini-pills), which are the type of pills recommended for those breastfeed-ing since it won’t interfere with the breast milk like other progestin and estrogen pills. The mini pill is about 97% effective when used correctly. The only downside to the pill is the strict schedule: you have to take the pill at the same time, every day. It might seem laughable to ask a preg-nant woman to remember to take a pill at the same time every day, but keeping an alarm on your phone to notify you when it’s time will help a lot. Just make sure not to lose your phone like me.
The Shot. This birth control shot is a progestin-only contracep-tive (safe for breastfeeding),
and it’s 99.7% effective—it’s com-monly referred to as Depo-Provera. These shots are in a series with one being administered at your six-week postpartum visit, and then a shot at every 12 weeks from then on. The birth control shot doesn’t wear off right away like other birth control-methods and could cause you to not be fertile for up to a year after or longer if you choose to discontinue them. There’s also a risk factor in pos-
sible permanent loss of bone min-eral density,so make sure to go over all of the details with your doctor.
Implants. These birth control im-plants are inserted under your skin on your upper arm and de-
liver a continual release of proges-tin, making it 99% effective. They’re able to last for a few years, and your fertility will return soon after you remove it. Implants are starting to gain popularity, so see your doctor if you’re interested in it.
IUD’s. IUD’s are a small T-shaped device that is inserted into the uterus through the cervix to
avoid pregnancy. With an IUD there is an option to get it either with hormones (the Mirena IUD) or one without hormones (the ParaGard IUD). Naturally, if you’re breast-feeding, the ParaGard IUD is the better option since it doesn’t re-lease hormones.
All Others. If the thought of remembering to take a pill every day or get shots or im-
plants isn’t appealing to you, then there are other options as well. You may consider your options in steril-ization such as tubal ligation or es-sure—be forewarned though, since both are permanent. A tubal liga-tion is where you literally get your tubes tied, and an essure is the
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t Restaurant Review
C H E Z O L I V I E R
alternative to having them tied, where a spring-like device is thread-ed through your cervix and into each fallopian tube. The time it takes to get an essure is fairly short and a very simple process. If you prefer none of these birth control methods, there are always natural family planning methods, such as CycleBeads. CycleBeads are color-coded beads on a string that represent a woman’s cycle. You simply track your cycle with the beads, and depending on the color of the bead that you get to on each day, it’ll tell you if pregnancy is very unlikely, or highly likely if you aren’t using protection during sex. Remember to talk to your doctor very thoroughly about the birth control meth-od you choose while you’re breastfeeding. - Shea Anne
www.arinabphotography.com
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This is what you do:
1. Buy either fresh or frozen food that you want your baby to eat. (I like frozen peas, or fresh carrots) A bag of frozen Vegetables will cost you around 1.00 a bag for a 16 ounce size. (or less if you use cou-pons and buy it on sale!) You can also choose to use organic fruits and vegetables, or mix and match. There is no pressure. Just the re-ward of knowing you are doing it for your baby.
2. You need to cook the food you buy. If you get a frozen bag of peas, all you need to do is thaw out the bag. If you get carrots you need to cut them up and cook them until they are soft.
3. Take the food and put it into
Total time to make: 10-20 minutes depend-ing on what type of food you are making!
You don’t have to be a SUPER-mom to make your own baby food!
5. Next put the food into individual containers and freeze. Make sure you leave some room at the top because food can expand in the freezer. You do not want a huge mess if it explodes because you failed to leave enough room. The 16 ounce bags of vegetables I buy usually make about 8- 2 ounce servings.
your food processor, baby food maker, or blender.
4. Blend / puree the food until there are no chunks or big pieces. I also recommend adding water to the mix-ture to get a smoother substance. I add about 4 ounces of water for every 16 ounces of food. You can also run the food through a strainer to make sure there are no big chunks that your little one could choke on.
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I have a set of 16- 2 ounce food con-tainers that I purchased at Toys R Us for about 10.00 bucks. You can also just keep the glass jars that you get from the pre-made baby food and re-use them!
6. Lastly take containers and put them in the fridge the night be-fore you want to use them. They will thaw out and be ready to use the next day! If you want them same-day you can leave them on the counter to thaw. They should be ready to eat in a few hours. You could also just throw a few in your diaper bag for on the go feeding. Just be sure you have a container that wont open in your bag or put it in a zip lock just in case spills oc-cur.
This is not hard to do, it just takes a little dedication. You can make a lot of baby food at once so you only need to make it once a week or once every two weeks. The trick is to do what works best for YOU. If you decide that baby food making isn’t for you, that is OK too! Every-one has a different life schedule and not all the same things will work for every mom.
The frozen vegetables will usu-ally last 3-6 months in the freezer depending on the temperature of your freezer and where you store
them in the fridge (closer to the back is better).
**MOM TIP: Do not be afraid to try new things! Get creative and mix and match food combinations for your baby to try! Also remember you should aim to try a new food at least 7 times before giving up on whether or not the baby likes the food. Do not push it, just let them try it. Then try again the next day. Usually kids will learn to like the food by the 7th try! I know there are a lot of things that I had to ac-quire a taste for, like Indian food! :-)-Staysi
I am an Air Force wife, model, stay at home mother of 2 boys, ECO conscious, deal seeker, health and wellness loving, candy freak.
www.mymaterna l - ins t inc t s .blogspot.com
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Workout with Heather!About Heather:
Age, 212 kids- Judah (6 months) Jonah (2 years old)
What’s some advice for a work out regimen? I like to sit down and meditate for at least 30 minutes a day. Deep breathing is one of the best ways to begin a workout regime; it helps to calm your body and mind, and while I do it I like to visualize my perfect body and perfect health. I like to keep an intention for that medi-tation: perfect weight, a business deal going well, what-ever the goal is, I like to do a meditation each day. I think it’s important for people to know that I started off with only 5 minutes a day. It was just stopping and find-
Make sure to check out Judah’s pants: the knees are pad-ded for protection! Perfect for rough-housing. Sold at www.beeskneesbaby.com as well as www.kush-ies.com
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ing a happy spot and doing deep breaths and appreciating what I had in that moment. It could be a flower, a body part, whatever it is that could put a smile of appreciation on your face, and you concentrate on those things, even for just 5 minutes a day, you end up doing more and more until you’re dedicating at least 30 minutes a day. That’s my favorite tip for everyone-- just take a moment each day to appreciate your body, appreciate your life, your home, your kids-- the small things in life, because I believe that’s the only way you can begin to attract the bountiful abundance in your life. I’m a firm believer that fitness isn’t just physical, but that it begins in the mind before it’s manifested physically. I’m very careful about what I put into my body.
What’s some advice for mothers? I highly recommend the YMCA; it’s a great and affordable program for your en-tire family. They’ve been a huge help for me with my children and I couldn’t rec-ommend them more. Be absolutely sure to check them out if you can.
“I highly recommend the YMCA”
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Umm whoever says breast-feeding is easy has no idea what they are talking about. One of my goals is to exclusively breast-feed my daughter for at least six months. While I took a breastfeed-ing class prior to her birth I had no idea just how hard it would be dur-ing her first weeks. Below are a few words of wisdom I have to offer to a first time breastfeeding mom:
1) Invest in several nursing bras. I found out on day two of be-ing a mom that you are supposed to wear a nursing bra 24/7. Crap! I only had two. Oh and get yourself fitted. There is nothing worse than wearing a bra that is the wrong size.
2) Don’t give up! Week three was by far the hardest. Why? It was my daughter’s first growth spurt.
3) Join a breastfeeding sup-port group. While the town I live in does not have one, I did manage to find a group 30 minutes away. It has been well worth the drive. Not sure where to locate a group? Ask your hospital for information or check
Breastfeeding is Easy, Right?
out La Leche League International.
4) Take a breastfeeding class before your baby’s arrival. Okay so the fluffy stuffed animal bunny that we pretended was our baby didn’t quite replicate a real life baby, but it was still a good experience. Plus it gave me an opportunity to meet other expecting moms.
5) Buy Lanolin. I only used this for the first few weeks, but it helped a ton. I applied it after every feeding even if I wasn’t sore.
6) Buy Lanolin. I’m not kid-ding, this stuff is great.
Kudos to working moms that breastfeed! Since I am an SAHM I have not had a lot of experience with my nemesis the pump. I have no idea how you do it.
For any breastfeeding moms out there, what other tips do you have?
www.adventuresa-sasmalltownmom.com
Please view blog info at www.adven-t u re s a s a s m a l l tow n-mom.com
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Baby hobo diaper bag. www.warmmilk.com
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Blog written by- Vivian Kirkfield is a mom of three (and grandmom of three), educator and author of SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING. She enjoys fly-fishing and hiking the Colorado Rockies with her husband of 43 years when she’s not reading, crafting and cooking with children. You can contact her at her website: www.positiveparental-participation.com.
I can remember wanting to stay up later when I was a child. And when my children were small, each had their own way of trying to put off going to bed. So I’m sure that many parents today have the same problem…some things just don’t change.
SO HOW CAN YOU GET YOUR CHILDREN TO GO TO BED
WITH NO FUSS OR MUSS?Unfortunately, I can’t give
you any guarantees, but I can offer a few simple steps that worked for me.
1. Provide a balanced and harmonious day…children need to get outside to play if the weather permits…fresh air and physical ac-tivity are essential. Indoor play can include arts and crafts, music and rhythms (put on your favorite CD while you and your child dust and dance through the house), puzzles
Bedtime…Routines, Rituals and Can I Have One More Glass of Wa-ter, Please!!!
and stories. Just make sure there is a balance of activities during the day. A child who is just sitting around watching TV all day will def-initely NOT be ready to go to sleep.
2. As bedtime approaches, have a plan that includes mak-ing sure all toys are picked up and put away, bath time or wash-ing up, brushing teeth, putting on pajamas, reading a story, singing a goodnight song, prayers, etc…whatever routines, rituals or bed-time traditions are right for your family. The crucial tip here is to BE CONSISTENT!
3. Have a positive attitude towards going to bed…it is NOT a punishment, but a necessary part of living, just like eating and breath-ing. During restful sleep, our bod-ies heal themselves and our minds can dream. Be matter-of-fact and
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Be matter-of-fact and give your child a heads-up as the bed-time countdown approaches.
Because of my passion for picture book stories, I’m always ready to recommend one to help children deal with the challenges they face. If going to bed is a prob-lem in your home, perhaps you can read the following book with your child and make a batch of over-night cookies together.
It’s time for bed and Cornelius’ father asks him the ques-tions which we all ask our children at bedtime. Have you put away your toys? Have you used the bathroom? Have you brushed your teeth? Have you put on your paja-mas?
Although the little pig answers each question with a “yes”, the charming illustrations show that he and his father have differ-ent ideas about what needs to be done in order to get ready for bed. Cornelius’ understanding father ac-cepts his son’s somewhat strange routine and makes sure that he doesn’t forget the most important thing…a loving hug from him.
Young children want very much to become independent and, although they may put their pajamas on backwards, we need to encourage them to learn to do
things by themselves. Of course, parents need to supervise some tasks; we don’t want them swallow-ing the whole tube of toothpaste or emptying the entire box of fish food into the aquarium. However, praise for good effort encourages a child to keep trying and, as your child masters each task and skill, his self-esteem grows.
cepts his son’s somewhat strange routine and makes sure that he doesn’t forget the most im-portant thing…a loving hug from him.
Young children want very much to become independent and, although they may put their pajamas on backwards, we need to encourage them to learn to do things by themselves. Of course, parents need to supervise some tasks; we don’t want them swallow-ing the whole tube of toothpaste or emptying the entire box of fish food into the aquarium. However, praise for good effort encourages a child to keep trying and, as your child masters each task and skill, his self-esteem grows.
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We will never forget the day Jackson was first diagnosed at Sick Children’s Hospital. He was 16 months old. From the time he was 8 months we had been going through the pro-cess of having him tested. One of the tests told us he could hear and our family doctor told us he “seemed fine.” It was a Friday and Jackson was given a few quick tests and then we were hit with the news: our son was born profoundly deaf.
Immediately after the diagnosis we had to have Jackson fitted for hearing aids. As we were holding him down and he was scream-ing while the molds were being injected into his ears, I thought, “How can this be happen-
Tammany AtkinsonNearly 50% of newborns with hearing loss are not diagnosed until at least the second year of life.
Tammany is the founder of Bee’s Knees - a mom-invented product: baby pants with neoprene padding in the knees to protect crawling babies. Bee’s Knees is com-mitted to educating people about infant hearing loss and cochlear implants. For more information, please contact Tammany Atkinson at beesknees@look.*These and other infant hear-ing loss facts and statistics can be found by visiting: www.ndcpd.org/1stsounds/infant.shtml.
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pening? This is what old people go through – not our baby.”
One day the following week my husband was dressed and ready to go to work but couldn’t leave. He sat down on a chair crying, unable to face the day. Jackson, being accustomed to a silent world, was so in tune to facial expressions and emotions.
At only 16 months he looked at Paul and then at me with the most concerned look, then he crawled up on Paul’s lap and wiped the tears off his face, hugged him and patted his back. It was at this moment we realized that Jackson wasn’t given to us imperfectly. This is part of who he was. We could work on the hearing but nothing was going to change the fact that he was special and we needed to love him as the complete package, because without each one of his characteristics he wouldn’t be Jackson.
The morning of the surgery we woke Jackson up at 3:00 am. I remember going into his crib and thinking we were taking him to get the best gift he would ever receive in his entire life. I carried him into the operating room and held him down as he cried and the anesthesiologist put him out. Looking back at his little body on the operating table was difficult but it is strange how calm and strong you can be when you are doing what is best for your child.
When our surgeon came out and told us how well it went it was such an emotional moment. To think that this permanent problem, this hole in our hearts, could be fixed is a feeling no one could ever understand unless they have experienced it.
Tammany Atkinson, of Bee’s Knees, shared some facts about infant hearing loss.
Approximately 33 babies are born every day with a significant hearing loss in the United States.
Nearly 50% of newborns with hearing loss are not diagnosed until at least the second year of life.
Less than 20% of the chil-dren born in the U.S. are born in hospitals that offer universal newborn hearing screening programs.
Studies have shown that when hearing loss is de-tected later, an important time frame for developing speech and language skills has passed.
As a result, speech and language development is delayed and academic and social skills may be adversely affected.
Treatment has the best re-sults when hearing loss is detected before the child is 6 months of age and infants who are identified with hearing loss can be fit with hearing amplification
Tammany Atkinson, of Bee’s Knees, shared some facts about infant hearing loss.
Approximately 33 babies are born every day with a significant hearing loss in the United States.
Nearly 50% of newborns with hearing loss are not diagnosed until at least the second year of life.
Less than 20% of the chil-dren born in the U.S. are born in hospitals that offer universal newborn hearing screening programs.
Studies have shown that when hearing loss is de-tected later, an important time frame for developing speech and language skills has passed.
As a result, speech and language development is delayed and academic and social skills may be adversely affected.
Treatment has the best re-sults when hearing loss is detected before the child is 6 months of age and infants who are identified with hearing loss can be fit with hearing amplification
Summer 2011 | 65
Finally the day came for Jackson’s equipment to be turned on and for him to hear for the first time. We commented how we couldn’t believe how well he took to it and how happy he was. Dr. Papsin, his surgeon, replied, “Of course he is. It is the first time he has ever heard the sound of his own footsteps.” To this day I still find that to be the most emotional moment of my life. It is amazing what we take for granted and how much these special children en-lighten us.
Jackson in now 6.5 years old. He graduated from his AVT therapy last November – a day we never thought would come for us. It is funny how at one time this seemed so out of reach and now we have this child that is speaking so beautifully and is fully caught up to his hearing peers. I recently watched a movie with Marlee Matlin about a deaf mother wanting her deaf son to receive a cochlear implant. While watching I suddenly realized that Jackson doesn’t even know what the word deaf-ness means. In fact, I don’t think we can remember either. We have a typical hearing child who speaks beautiful language and goes to a school with hearing children and is even learning to speak French this year!
Jackson’s journey has not been easy but through it we have discovered that our greatest source of strength often comes from our children who will never cease to amaze us and how blessed we are to have them continually teach us about life, cour-age and resilience.
By Tammany Atkinson, Mother of Two and Found-er of Bee’s Knees
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Kushies OrganicUltra-Lite Diaper 5 Pack - Boy Price: $78.99 - $86.99www.kushiesonline.com
GumDrop PacifierPrice: $ $4.49www.thefirstyears.com
Kushies Taffeta Bib 2 Pk - Newborn - Boy Price $3.99 and Deluxe Flannel Change Pad - Blue Dots Price $9.99 I also use these as burping coths!www.kushiesonline.com
Deluxe Receiving Blan-ket Flannel Blue
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DIAPER BAG?
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Summer Giveaways!!
We have a lot of great stuff for our giveaways so make sure to follow us! www.MomsAdviceMagazine.comand a special thanks to our sponsors!! For providing the giveaways!
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Winner of Photo Contest!!
Adeline
Make sure to enter our photo contest we always have! Winner will have a photo in our magazine. Enter contest at www.facebook.com/MomsAdviceMag. Just post your
photos of your baby or your baby and you.
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