In a word: YES.

In several more words: Why not? It probably can’t hurt, and it might really help you!

I am a huge, huge proponent of postpartum placentophagy, based on my own experience with it after my second birth.

The proposed benefits of placentophagy that are most often listed are:
- accelerated milk production
- faster healing
- reduced hormonal mood swings
- increased energy
- reduced postpartum bleeding
- preventative for baby blues and PPD

This is going to be a link-free post, because there’s no substantial scientific research on human placentophagy. However, the anecdotal evidence is overwhelmingly positive. Yes, you’ll find sensationalized anti-placenta articles here and...

Allie emailed me last week, at her wit’s end with chronic sleep deprivation and I pounded out a quick response. She’s given me permission to reprint our exchange (edited a bit for readability and extra things I thought of since) in case it can help anyone else out there!

Basically, we are having a tough time with Noey’s sleeping. Common problem, I know, but it is really difficult to know what to do. She is almost a year old, on Monday, and right now she takes naps and sleeps on a futon in her room. Until a month ago we all slept in the same king size bed. I sleep with her at night, my husband sleeps on our king size bed alone. She wakes up about 5 times a night. I am sleeping with her on...

Oh, you know me! I always have something helpful to say!

This post is actually from my personal letter archives. I wrote most of it after my first was born (nearly 5 years ago!) and have tinkered with it each time I’ve sent it to friends who are expecting. Since I have a bunch of friends who are having babies this summer, I’m editing it a bit to reflect my (much more positive) experience with my second born, and adding links to other useful posts I have on HLW. Enjoy!

Advice to New Parents

The most important advice I can give you: Parenting this child is going to be a unique experience, and while other people’s advice might be useful, it is not the Law. Sift through everything and keep...

I’ll be updating this page periodically as new info comes to me. Feel free to add your own favorite links in the comments!

Pro-breastfeeding info and resources
BreastfeedingOnline: The Importance of Human Milk.

I love this article called “Nursing is more than breastfeeding and every mother can do it.” We hear so much about the nutritive benefits of breastfeeding that the emotional, psychological, and developmental benefits of the breastfeeding-type contact get sidelined. Even mamas who don’t feed their babies from the breast can still engage in a valuable nursing relationship with their babies.

PhDinParenting’s The Scientific Benefits of Breastfeeding and The Economics of Breastfeeding:...

I’m compiling a list of resources here for anyone who needs to drop milk products from their diet. I run into this question a lot from breastfeeding moms with fussy babies and want to have a starting point for them. I will definitely be adding to this list over time, but I wanted to get it published right away for a mama in need.

Eliminating dairy is one of the first things I suggest for infants with digestive issues or excessive fussiness. Dairy elimination is also a great first step in reducing ear infections in kids.

When removing dairy from your diet, don’t automatically replace everything with soy substitutes. Many babies with milk intolerance are also sensitive to soy (the proteins...

I’ve reviewed other Zoe Organics products before, but the Extreme Cream is new and worth its own mention.

Extreme Cream
2 oz for $18 or 4 oz for $28

The Extreme Cream is aptly named. It is intense! A little goes a very long way. I can fully moisturize my icky winter-dry hands with a nob the size of a pea.

I love the whipped butter like texture of this stuff when you first pull it out of the jar. It gets melty and creamy as soon as you rub it between your palms, so it applies very easily. There is no real scent to it since it contains no essential oils - just the wonderful rich moisturizing ingredients; this makes it an excellent choice for very small babies or individuals with...

HVW writes:

My son is 18 months old and nurses 4-5 times a day, and seems to be in the process of cutting back on his daytime nursing in the past few months. My husband and I are tentatively planning to try for #2 starting in the next few weeks. My son was conceived on the first “try” but you never know how long it will take. My goal is to nurse my first son for at least 2 years, although at this age I do not mind if I end up having to supplement some with cow’s milk or other dairy products (he does eat cheese at this time but I don’t give him cow’s milk).

I know that often pregnancy reduces or dries up milk supply. I have seen a variety of data on how many women do lose their milk supply...

Magnolia writes:

I waited to vaccinate my son until he was two and then broke up the ones I could, in order to catch him up. However, my new son is only three months and we are going to Europe when he is eight months on April 30. In order for him to be caught up before we go, I would have to give his 2 months at 4, 4 months at 6 and his 6 months at 8, and I would not be able to break them up. He is very strong and no heath problems but I still am wary of any shots so young. I am so overwhelmed with all the info out there. I would love some good advise and reputable sites that I can build a educated plan from.

Good for you for wanting to make an educated decision. I fear too many...

Carissa writes:

Can you tell me about amber necklaces and the benefits of babies/toddlers wearing them? A quick Google search told me they are to help relieve pain from teething. . .is there anything else? I noticed your girls wear them; what has been your experience with them?

Amber has been used for centuries for its topical analgesic effects. The succinic acid in amber is said to reduce inflammation. Of course, as with many ancient natural remedies, amber has been vaunted as a veritable cure-all with not a whole lot of solid scientific backing to prove it. It does have a very interesting cultural history, which you can read about here.

In my research, I kept coming across the mention...

Beth writes:

What do I do about the diaper rash on my baby’s bum?  I’ve heard the zinc oxide creams will leave ugly stains on my cloth diapers plus buildup, so what do you recommend?  I’m not sure why he’s got the rash—I change the diapers frequently and it doesn’t look like a yeast infection.  Plus, it doesn’t seem to matter if I use cloth or disposable diapers.  I guess he’s just got a deep butt crack (sounds horrible!) and it’s a challenge to keep dry.  I’m trying to air it out whenever I change him, but obviously I don’t want to wait around in the middle of the night too often.  Anyway, just wondered if you had a cream that might work.

Diaper rash is par for the course in just about...

Michelle writes:

My neighbor has a 2 week old who is still pretty small (don’t think she’s hit 7lbs yet) and she wants to do a carrier (especially when walking her lab/australian shepherd mix).  I got her a mei tai type carrier (though the pouch seems much smaller than when I had a baby hawk), and i think she has an ergo type one also.  I still need to help her figure out the mai tai wrap in general, but she is worried about which one gives the best support for this newborn time.  Thoughts on how to use what she has best or other carriers that are better for this (and future) stage?

First of all, Michelle, you are an awesome neighbor! The gift of babywearing is one that just keeps on...

A while ago (before I started this blog), a friend of mine asked for some suggestions for useful and unique gifts for new and expecting parents. I’ve expanded my original answer just a bit for posting here. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill diaper cakes and layettes! ;)

Big Stuff
If the new parents are particularly special to you, or if you are feeling particularly generous, here are some big ticket items I highly recommend.

Miyo Baby Baby Hammock - Just what it sounds like - it’s a great bed alternative for the first 5-7 months. I like the Miyo best because it is simple and has a really beautiful looking stand, but there are other brands/styles like: the Kanoe, the Hushamok, which has a...

Sophia writes:

I’m a vegetarian.  Thus far, so is my 1-year-old daughter. 

Anyway, a big source of protein for her (now that she’s about 70% on solids), is soy.  I do have some concerns now though, since I’ve been coming across some literature suggesting that soy could be harmful to babies- particularly baby girls- in their future years.  Your thoughts?

You’ve probably been reading about phytoestrogens. Here is a thoughtful article discussing the issues. Mark’s Daily Apple, a primal eating blog that I’ve been enoying lately, gives a nice summary as well. Basically, the plant estrogens in soy mimic estrogens in the body and can contribute to cancer risk and tumors. Studies also show that...

Brandi, The Friendly Doula, writes:

I have a family whose 5 month old is sick for the fist time since a difficult birth. The mom took the kiddo to the Drs today and the Dr wants her to stop nursing and give the child nothing but pedialyte for the next 48 hours. This to me makes no sense and seems to risk an already difficultly established nursing relationship (the baby didnt nurse for almost 2 weeks after birth) , but i have no backing to support my instincts here… help?!

This is completely ignorant and potentially harmful advice; in my opinion doctors who are this uneducated about a breastfed baby’s health ought to be out of a job. And possibly kicked in the head. :)

He’s wrong. Do more...

Jen was wondering about the connection between dairy and ear infections, so I pulled a few links for her. It’s late and I’m tired (and this is a Snippet), so I didn’t go all out, but there’s enough to get her started here.

Article outlining the link between milk allergy and chronic ear infections, stating that “Up to 40 percent of kids who suffer from chronic ear infections has a milk allergy.”

Lots of compelling reasons to drop dairy from your kid’s diet.

Some alternative treatments for ear infections including cutting out dairy and (a HLW favorite!) using garlic drops!

Don’t kids need dairy in order to be healthy?
Nope.

Here are some nondairy calcium sources. (More advice here.)

If...

Sonja writes:

Although it is too late for me, I have always wondered if cloth diapers are really more environmentally friendly than disposable due to the cleaning process.  What about unbleached disposable vs. cloth.

My short answer to Sonja’s question is YES.

Sierra Magazine’s Mr. Green (he’s like HeyLauraWhat’s brother for all environmental issues! Love him!) has a great article discussing the water issue. In short, he estimates that “the entire process of washing diapers from birth to the joyful day of completion of potty-training will take roughly 24,000 gallons.” And that’s a very liberal estimate, assuming, among other things, a standard 40-gallon per cycle washer - difficult to...

This contest is now closed. The reviews are still relevant though!

:)

This week I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing the baby line from Zoe Organics. As Heather is a long-time friend from high school, I got to try some of her very first test samples last year. But now she’s refined her formulas and has stunning new packaging and a gorgeous website, too. It has been wonderful to watch this dream of hers unfold, as she’s been incubating the natural spa items concept since as long as I’ve known her!

Here’s what Zoe Organics is all about:

Zoe means “life,” and our mission is to celebrate and protect the lives of our children, family, community and planet. Zoe Organics uses only the most...

Jaime writes:

I am staunch attachment parent advocate. Love the co-sleeping, baby-wearing, no CIO philosophy. That said-I have a 7.5 month old that seems to be no closer to sleeping through the night than he was at birth. I have put him in his own bed and he wakes up within an hour. Next to me he may make it 2 or sometimes 3. Help! I love my little chubbers, but mama needs some sleep!

Ironically, my progress in responding to this question has been interrupted 3 times now by my nearly-5 month old waking up! :)

I think I’ve linked to my favorite parenting advice blog of all time, AskMoxie.org. Man, she (along with her awesome community of commenters) has saved my sanity many a time! It was...

Harmony just had a baby and her (still-also-nursing) 2 year old daughter is going a bit crazy in the transition. While a lot of the manic energy and behavioral issues can be explained away by all the upheaval in their home right now, Harmony’s gut feeling is that there is a nutritional element involved as well. Since Harmony’s family eats very clean already (very little refined flours and sugar, small amounts of organic dairy), she asked me to look into what happens to kiddos when they are overdosing on fruit. Here’s what I found and emailed back to her.

The fruit thing you’re probably thinking of is salicylates - naturally occurring chemicals in…pretty much everything. NOT fun to try to...

Occasionally, friends will find me on Facebook or chat and we’ll have a real-time advise session. Most of the information I pass along is off the top of my head without much intensive research to back it up, but still a useful starting point for further information-gathering. I’m posting these Snippets (with permission of course!) to HeyLauraWhat.com for future reference for everyone.

Mitzi:
I have a child that can fill up a diaper with pee in 10 seconds… I am using 7th generation chlorine free, any ideas on how to keep him from blowing out diapers at night? I am SLOWLY starting potty training also SO I am having fun times… and lots of bed washing…

Laura:
CLOTH! :) :)

7th Generation...

A friend writes:

So, at my son’s 18 month checkup, my doctor told me that there’s no point in nursing anymore because “don’t you know there’s no nutritional value to him anymore?” I was irritated because I’m pretty sure that’s not water coming out of my boobs! But I don’t have anything to back me up on that and hope you can help. Also, what are the nutritional needs of a toddler anyway? He eats well, but I definitely rely on nursing him to fill in the gaps. What will he need if/when he does wean? By the way, we’re mostly vegan but for an egg here and there.

Allow me to clamber up on my soapbox and rant a bit. It absolutely infuriates me to hear about doctors making offhand comments that...

Harmony writes:

Dear Laura, my 2-week old daughter is projectile vomiting and is awake for about four hours a night in pain, what do I do?

This is very familiar territory for me, as a mom of two babies with food intolerances. Can I just say right off that I don’t buy the “Happy Spitter” theory? That if your baby vomits all the time but is gaining weight that it’s “A laundry issue, not a medical issue”?

If your baby’s body is rejecting sustenance, there is likely something wrong and long-term GI damage is most likely occurring.

Take action now and avoid prolonged health issues. Gut health is vitally important for immunity; many cases of allergies and asthma are rooted in poor gut health...continue reading

Carissa writes:

Hey Laura!

Now that you’re on child #2 in cloth diapers, what types and brands do you recommend? Also, are cloth wipes a given if you’re using cloth diapers? Finally, do you have a favorite soap for cleaning the diapers?

So far, I think the AI2 is the diaper for us, and I want to try five types: Thirsties Duo, FuzziBunz, BumGenius 3.0, Flip, and SoftBums.

One more question: the one-size diaper would definitely be the most cost-effective, if it really fit for three years. Has this been your experience?

Now, Carissa is already planning on cloth diapering, so I’m going to spare you the story of my own conversion and my own cloth diapering evangelism speech. But if any...

A new mom writes:

Hey Laura, what are some natural allergy remedies that are safe for a breastfeeding mama? I usually have a ton of drugs to take for seasonal allergies and I want away from them in general, but really because I am breastfeeding too. :)

Being pregnant or nursing and sick is horrible! Not only is the toll on your body so much greater, there seems to be very little you can do to get relief without putting your baby in jeopardy!

Luckily, I have a few tricks up my sleeve that should help you get through hayfever season in relative comfort.

First of all, if you don’t already know this, Kellymom.com is your go-to website for all breastfeeding questions. It is an excellent...

Kael’s Momma sent this one in and it’s a good one! What are some good prenatal and postpartum supplements?

******I’m not a doctor! I’m not even really an expert; I just pretend to be one for our mutual edification and entertainment. Don’t be stupid: Listen to the real experts in your life, including the truest authority on yourself: Your Self.*****

When you’re pregnant, good nutrition is more important than ever. But good nutrition can’t be gotten in a pill, and there’s some contention whether there’s any benefit at all to prenatal vitamins. Potent vitamin supplements can also exacerbate nausea, and some care providers recommend suspending your use of a vitamin until the first trimester...