The Best Mother's Day Gift is a Healthy Baby and Mommy

*I wrote this post pro bono. I did not receive gifts nor monetary compensation for sharing this information. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Happy Mother's Day! I think I speak for all mothers when I say the best Mother's Day gift was the day you became a mom. So this day is very special for us. It honors the strength and sacrifice it takes to be a mom. It's truly a labor of love! That's why I am taking time out from celebrating my personal journey into motherhood this weekend to raise awareness for prenatal health.

A healthy pregnancy and early childhood is not something to take for granted. Most likely you had a obstetrician or midwife inform you that deficiencies in iodine, folic acid, iron and other vitamins and minerals can cause serious harm to mothers and babies, but many women aren’t aware of the problem because they lack access to prenatal care and prenatal vitamins.

The infographic below breaks it down. The statistic that struck me the most is that "poor nutrition is the underlying cause of 35% of all childhood deaths each year." This figure is unacceptable to me because it is a preventable tragedy, especially here in the United States. The U.S. was recently ranked 30th among the best and worst places for mothers and babies because nutritional deficiency in pregnancy still affects a significant number of mothers in our own country. It makes me realize how lucky I am to have had such excellent prenatal care and given birth to two healthy, beautiful babies.

But there is hope for all mothers-to-be. The following nonprofits are working to nourish babies and mommies around the world:

• March of Dimes: helping moms have full-term pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies.

• Future Fortified: a global campaign to help millions of women and children around the world access to the essential nutrients they need to lead healthy, enriched lives.

• UNICEF-GAIN: working to reducing child and maternal mortality rates in the developing world.

SHE Needs You: Support LaunchPad Pilot Project With One Click

You may have already finished your charitable giving for the year, but thanks to the power of social media you can still make a significant contribution to a cause. 

I had not heard of SHE (Sustainable Health Enterprises) until a fellow blogger shared information with me about the SHE28 holiday campaign. I am so glad she did because SHE is the kind of innovative non-profit organization that I believe is going to change the world.

SHE recognizes that donations are temporary fixes so they've developed market-based strategies to solve social and economic problems. SHE invests in people and ideas that are often overlooked because the are socially taboo like their current initiative to bring sanitary products to menstruating women in developing countries worldwide.

A girl's life does not have to stop every 28 days if she has access to affordable maxi-pads, PERIOD.

Right now SHE is raising funds and awareness of their ongoing campaign for SHE LaunchPads - an innovative, chemical-free, low-cost menstrual product that utilizes banana-fiber as the absorbent core.

Did you know that every 28 days, million of girls and women miss school or work - up to 50 days per year - because they lack access to affordable, eco-friendly menstrual pads?


SHE will be producing 300,000 SHE LaunchPads for 3,000 Rwandan school girls attending 10 schools in the Kayonza district with the mass manufacturing of their SHE LaunchPads during their industrial-scale pilot in 2013. The project is also creating economic opportunities and jobs by parterning with a sustainable and scalable business model operated and owned by women in the community.

SHE is training banana farmers to mechanically extract banana fiber, 
which creates new income & sustains the supply.

SHE needs you to:

• Help spread SHE's message by participating in the social media campaign now through December 24. It's as simple as retweeting and sharing on Facebook 
•  Share the SHE28 campaign video with everyone you know and spark a discussion
• Connect with SHE. Sign up for their newsletter, become a fan on Facebook and follow on Twitter
• Make a donation that directly impacts SHE's mission

This is not a sponsored post. No compensation or gifts were exchanged.

Simple Baby Etiquette to Prevent RSV Disease

This post was tough for me to write because tragedy struck a fellow mommy blogger a couple of weeks ago when she lost her youngest son to this very disease. RSV stands for respiratory syncytial virus, which is like the common cold but can lead to serious complications and even death. Almost every baby will contract RSV by age 2, but only 1/3 of moms say they’ve heard of the virus. That's because most babies with fight off the infection and recover without the parents being any wiser. Symptoms of serious RSV infection include: persistent coughing or wheezing; rapid, difficult, or gasping breaths; blue color on the lips, mouth, or under the fingernails; high fever; extreme fatigue; and difficulty feeding. Parents should contact a medical professional immediately upon signs of these symptoms. There is no treatment for RSV, so it’s important for parents to take preventive steps to help protect their child. 

What can you do to prevent RSV? As parents, you are your baby's first line of defense. Wash hands, toys, bedding frequently; avoid crowds and cigarette smoke. It's also important to enforce baby etiquette to protect infants from serious infections like RSV, especially if they were born premature or with another complication that increases their risk. I am not a confrontational person at all, but I did turn into a mama bear when we had visitors and when I took my newborn out in public. I stashed hand sanitizer in all the rooms and asked family and friends to use it. I also told strangers point blank not to touch my baby. I didn't care if people got offended, but it's not so easy for some parents to communicate their uneasiness about human contact with their newborn. Here is an open letter designed to help new parents respectfully discuss baby etiquette with others:

We all love new babies and want to meet them, but we also have to be aware that they are vulnerable. So remember these tips when a loved one has a new baby: 

• Call before you visit. New parents need time to set up a routine and bond. By giving them time to do so before you visit, you are respecting the new family. 
• Postpone a visit if you feel that you may be getting sick, have recently been ill or exposed to illness. 
• Remember that parents know best. If you feel they are being overprotective or overly cautious, just consider that only they know what’s best for the health of their new son or daughter. 
• Offer to do something to ease their responsibilities as they spend time as a family, such as laundry, cooking or dishes. Sleep-deprived moms and dads will appreciate your help! 

If you do schedule a visit with a new baby: 

• Wash your hands frequently—upon entering the home and especially prior to holding the baby. Parents, and the new baby, will appreciate it. 
• Leave toddlers at home, especially during the winter months. Young children, especially if they attend day care or preschool, often carry germs and viruses, like RSV, that are easily spread.

I wrote this post while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of MedImmune 

What You Can Do in Honor of International Women's Day

March 8 is International Women’s Day when thousands of events are held to honor the achievements of women around the world. Cindy Breilh, Women of Vision national director, offers seven easy ways for women to provide for daughters, sisters and mothers -- women around the world, right in our own neighborhoods and here at home: 

1. Save a woman’s life in child birth: Did you know that in countries like Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, and Bolivia, having a baby is one of the most dangerous things a woman can do? By helping train local midwives in remote communities, you could save a life. Visit StrongWomenStrongWorld.org to learn more. 
2. Mentor a girl close to home: A growing poverty rate, poor-performing schools, and teen violence make it tough to be a girl growing up here in our own country. Reach out and influence the life of a young girl in your own community by volunteering as a tutor or mentor. Get connected at BBBS.org. 
3.  Use your voice to stop trafficking: Human trafficking and sexual exploitation affects girls and women in horrific ways all around the world, but the Trafficking Victims Protection Act in the US Senate can help end the practice. Contact your Senators and ask them to renew this bill to protect women and girls, both here in the US and around the world. 
4. Invest in a small business owner: Websites like WorldVisionMicro.org or Kiva.org connect you to hardworking women entrepreneurs, waiting to realize their dream of a dressmaking business, chicken farm, or food stall that will help them provide for their family. Even better, when the loan is paid off, your donated funds are loaned out again and again to make a bigger impact. 
5. Provide the ticket to education—clean water: One of the most common reasons girls in poor communities miss schooling is the lack of clean water in their village. Millions of girls and women spend several hours each day fetching water—often dirty and dangerous to their health—instead of attending school. Give the gift of clean water, and open the door to education for a young girl. 
6.  Band together with like-minded women: Whatever your passion for helping other women, you’ll do it better—and have more fun doing it—with other women excited about the same cause. National movements like Women of Vision can connect you to a network of resources while allowing you to grow your own local group of women who want to make the world better for girls and their mothers. 
7. Tell the women in your life that you care: Empowering women starts right in our families, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Celebrate this International Women’s Day by writing a note of thanks to that teacher who encouraged you years ago, picking up coffee for that new mom in your office who’s struggling to balance it all, or telling your own sister, daughter, or mother how much you appreciate them.

This not a sponsored post. No compensation or gifts were exchanged.

Help Put an End to Malnourishment Around the World

I remember in the 1980s when world hunger was the cause celeb. Famous artists like Michael Jackson packed into a recording studio to sing We Are the World and donated the proceeds to feed starving people. Actors volunteered to become spokespeople for aide organizations and filmed commercials featuring malnourished children in third world countries while pleading into the camera for us to give money.

I can't believe in the 21st century there are still 2 billion people around the world who lack access to the essential nutrients they need for proper physical and cognitive development. I know it's an complicated issue that doesn't have a simple solution. Drought and war can cut off a countries food supply and affect future generations for decades. In fact poor nutrition in mothers and children is the underlying cause of over 35% of all childhood deaths each year.

These sobering statistics are quoted in the media kit for the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Future Fortified campaign. When I first heard about Future Fortified my initial reaction was, not another charity, how are they going to make a difference where others could not!

But I took the time to read about Future Fortified and quickly realized that they had a truly innovative approach to improving nutrition in developing countries by providing home nutrition packets as well as educating people on their use and the importance of proper nutrition. Mothers can add essential nutrients to food prepared at home to strengthen bones, muscles and immune systems just by sprinkling a nutrition packet on her family's meal.

Future Fortified is a new kind of philanthropy. Funds raised from individuals are leveraged as investments, helping local partners build capacity to increase the supply and availability of home nutrition packets at a price mothers can afford, making this a sustainable strategy for long-term impact.

To learn how you can get involved, visit Future Fortified and connect with the campaign on these social media:
Facebook
Twitter

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf Future Fortified. To thank me for my contribution, Mom Central donated $20 to the Future Fortified campaign.

Celebrating Earth Day: What YOU Can Do!

This Earth Day I am reflecting on the negative human impact on our planet. Mother Earth is resilient, but how much more can she take? Oil spills, landfills overflowing with non-biodegradable debris, air and water pollution are killing us and our Earth. We can save our environment if we each made a conscious effort to reduce, reuse, recycle as much as we can. Here are some Earth Day events and activities you can participate in to show your support for planet Earth:

Make a pledge at earthday.org and be counted among the Billion Acts of Green. Then share your act of green on Facebook and Twitter. While you are there check the EVENTS tab for Earth Day celebrations in your area.


The Cloth Diaper Change is a worldwide event aiming to set the world record for the most cloth diapers changed simultaneously. Grab your diaper bag, your kid(s) and go make a statement about reusable diapers. Find a location near you.


Celebrate Earth Day with your little one(s) with a limited edition “Life is a Picnic” Kit. Profits from the sale of the kit will be donated to Healthy Child Healthy World!



Support the new Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule proposed by the EPA by signing this petition on the Environmental Defense Fund.

world kindness day

Today is World Kindness Day.

It's not a widely-known or mainstream event.

I have to thank Se'lah at Necessary Room for bringing this day to my attention. Se'lah has proposed that we all perform a random act of kindness today. Can you imagine the global impact if we all just showed a little compassion for someone else on this day? She calls it lift as you climb.

Helping your fellow man is as easy as opening up a web browser. There are thousands of wonderful organizations that need donations. But let's not limit ourselves to checkbook charity. I think the real intent of today is to help someone face-to-face. Look into his/her eyes and empathize with that person's plight.

I posted on Thursday about how I plan to demonstrate my capacity to be kind today. I put together care packages of toiletries to deliver to a women's shelter and Damon is driving me around downtown to hand out pairs of new socks to homeless men.

Let's all lift up the human race today. Go out and be kind.

Shop at Macy's this Saturday...it's for a Good Cause!

Macy's is making it easy to give back to the community through it's 5th annual Shop for a Cause event on Saturday, October 16. This is your chance to support your favorite charity while shop, shop, shopping!

To participate, simply purchase a $5 discount pass which entitles you to big savings on October 16 at any Macy's store or online at www.macy's.com. Here are the details straight from the event sponsor:

Through Shop For A Cause, Macy’s provides participating organizations with shopping passes to sell for $5 each. Organizations keep 100 percent of every ticket sold. Pass holders will enjoy 20 percent or 10 percent off most regular, sale and clearance purchases all day, plus 25 percent off one regular, sale or clearance item in men’s, women’s or kids apparel or accessories. Some exclusions apply, see pass for details. By purchasing a shopping pass to the event, customers will be supporting their favorite cause while enjoying a day of spectacular discounts, entertainment, special events and a chance to win a $500 shopping spree.

Now go to www.macys.com/shopforacause to find a list of participating charities in your area and buy your pass to shop for a cause on Saturday!

*I was given the opportunity to promote the this event through BlogRollers Media. I was provided a Macy's gift card in exchange for my participation in this campaign. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

Review: NOVICA...Home Decor, Jewelry & Gifts From Around the World

I am beyond thrilled to share with you my new online shopping destination. It's called Novica. Have you heard about Novica? They are a mission-driven website associated with National Geographic working with thousands of talented artisans around the world. I am passionate about companies with a social mission, so when Novica asked me to do a review I said absolutely, yes!

When you visit Novica's website I promise you will instantly fall in love with their unique gifts, stylish jewelry, handcrafted furniture and home decor like this beautiful blown-glass decanter made by the Quirarte Family in Mexico I picked out as a wedding present for a friend:
It doesn't end there. Novica sells accessories for you too. The jewelry is literally to.die.for. I went gaga in the sterling silver jewelry section and selected this textured ring created by Balinese designer Nyoman Rena for Damon:

Now you might be wondering if I got something for myself. Of course I did! Ever since I cut my hair short I have been looking for something to make my face standout. The answer is earrings and Novica has thousands! Take a look at these delightful Carnelian floral earrings made in Thailand that I snapped up to decorate my earlobes:

I ran out of money before I could purchase a necklace so I put a couple of hot, little numbers on my wish list like this dazzling pearl and chalcedony piece that I am hoping to receive for my upcoming wedding anniversary (Damon, if you are reading this...hint, hint):

What I like most about Novica is that they take the anxiety out of gift shopping with their gift finder tool which helps you search by price, category, and even makes suggestions based on the person's interests or special occasion. Each purchase comes with an artisan story card and many are gift wrapped for free. Believe me when I say that the gift wrapping is just a beautiful as the item. I have already started making a Christmas shopping list and I'm checking it twice! My one recommendation for improving the Novica site would be to include the option to ship to multiple addresses in the checkout process. It would be nice to get all the Christmas shopping done in one order.
Shopping tip: standard shipping can take a couple of weeks so order early to ensure that your gifts arrive on time or you can check out the fast shipping gifts section for gifts that are ready for speedy delivery to U.S recipients.
So why shop at Novica?

• they provide a HUGE selection of unique and one-of-a-kind decorations and accessories from all over the world for you and your home right at your fingertips!
• normal shipping is just as affordable as domestic!
• you will be supporting a wonderful cause!

Follow Novica on Facebook and Twitter to stay connected. Tell them that Teresha, their biggest fan, sent you!

Love 'Em With Kindness

photo credit: kk+/cc 2.0

In honor of the Dalai Lama's 75th year on this planet Se'Lah author of NECESSARY ROOM, called upon her readers to perform random acts of kindness for a day. How did yours truly do?...

• I let someone skip me in the line at the post office
• I told my sister that I'm proud of her
  
• I donated some of Marlie's blankets to help infants receiving a speech therapy in Lusaka, Zambia as part of C.L.A.S.P. International
  
• I made a contribution to a charity I randomly selected on Charity Navigator
  
• I told myself that I am a good person

“My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.” -Dalai Lama

Make kindness your religion!

Special MLK Jr. Day Post

By Minnesota Historical Society [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Like all of you, I have been following the news about the devastating aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, the desperate condition of the survivors, and the relief efforts. I have been wracking my brain with the question, How can I help? I'm not a wealthy philanthropist, I'm not a doctor, I'm not a celebrity...but what I am is a blogger. I can spread the word!

So, I am dedicating today's post, in honor of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday (A Day On, Not a Day Off!), to shining the spotlight on bloggers and organizations doing their part to assist Haiti:

Hope for Haiti
Help Haiti Now Blog Challenge
Partners in Health

If you know of others, please add them to the comments!

The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But... the good Samaritan reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?"
-Martin Luther King, Jr.

A Shameless Plug

I submitted Marlie's photo to the Cutest Baby Contest over at Baby Makin(g) Machine blog. So please vote for her (you don't have to register or have a blog account). The ballot is on the left side toward the bottom (you have to scroll a bit). Just select #8 (that's Marlie) and hit the VOTE button. Easy peasy! Voting ends at 11:59 pm on Sunday, October 18th, so get over to Baby Makin(g) Machine and vote for my baby! And while you are there buy some tickets for the raffle event. 100% of the proceeds are being donated to the March of Dimes. Every dollar counts toward saving babies!