From the moment I first saw the Madsen website, I knew I had to have one. I’m a single mom of three, and I’d been looking for a way to safely bike with three small children for quite awhile. My friend Gemma, who lives a car-free existence with three kids in the bike mecca that is Portland, Oregon, sent me a link to the Madsen website with a note attached, “This is what you need!”– and boy was she right.

I was enchanted by the idea of hauling up to four kids on two bench seats within the frame of the bike, rather than towing them behind. Madsen is a Portland-based company that is using the Dutch Bakfiets model of “bucket bikes” to make the SUV of bikes for Americans.

My path to Madsen ownership wasn’t a short one. But when ours finally arrived a few weeks ago, it was beyond love at first sight. The bike is amazing. It’s everything I hoped it would be and more. Beyond being comfortable and easy to ride, our Madsen represents freedom to me in terms of my ability to ditch the car and hit the trail with three boys under the age of 6 in a safe way.

For me, biking is an important metaphor for life. With effort, and under one’s own direction, the path lies straight ahead. I want my boys to know that the car is not the only way to travel, that this town is set up for bikes, and that while it requires energy to travel, we have the power to use our own energy for efficient transportation. Plus, biking is FUN and a great form of family exercise. We live close to the B-Line and it’s a pretty easy zip down the trail to school, BloomingFoods, Farmers’ Market and WonderLab. It’s also a pretty easy ride to Bryan Park, Chocolate Moose, and the library. In addition to hauling kids, our Madsen–which my boys and I have named BeBe–is a great grocery hauler. The bench seats are removable and the bucket is 40 gallons. The possibilities for transportation of goods is pretty boundless.

Perhaps the biggest benefit that BeBe has afforded us is something I couldn’t have identified beforehand. The boys are learning the importance of sharing and community in a truly profound and visceral way. Because I would like nothing better than to see a fleet of Madsen’s in town, I have offered the bike to everyone and anyone to take for a spin. Initially the boys didn’t want anyone else to ride the bike. Now they eagerly ask people to ride it and enjoy the look on their faces when they can see how much it is universally enjoyed and appreciated. And because we are now daily bike commuters to school, we pass the same people en route to their jobs, school, or out for regular exercise. That sense of recognition, that other people are doing as we are, is an important part of their self-identification. It’s fostered numerous conversations as we cruise.

I’m infinitely grateful for our Madsen. The boys are quick converts to the cycling way of life. They don’t want to take the car anywhere anymore. I couldn’t ask for anything more than time spent together, out in nature, using our bodies and getting where we need to go.

Except for a few breaks here and there, I have been an active cyclist my entire adult life. There was the motorcycle, nursing school, the obsession with fishing, and a few less noteworthy diversions, but cycling has been a constant. My interests in cycling cover the spectrum, from transportation and recreation, to competition and fitness. Up until the time that I went back to school for Nursing and M was born, I was still riding in road races with a local team. That is why I am happy to be pursuing a new avenue, which is riding and spending quality time with my daughter.

As I mentioned, our first outing was when M was around one year of age, about the time she could reliably hold up her helmeted head. The helmet was purchased from her pediatrician’s office where they are sold at a discounted price to promote bicycle safety. Our first vehicle was a trailer that was bought from a garage sale. Bike trailers seem to be a fairly common item at garage sales around here and can usually be bought for under $50. I have also tried using bicycle child carrier seats, and have witnessed many happy parents and kids riding with them. The bike seat is less bulky than the trailer, and seems to provide a certain closeness to your child that the trailer doesn’t, but I have gotten the most use from my trailer, because of its low-to-the-ground stability and its 80lb carrying capacity. This is particularly important as M is approaching 40lbs, and the trailer is used for shopping when heavy items like potting soil, charcoal, and bottled  beverages are routinely transported.

Bloomington is a great town for cycling and safe riding can be found on the many designated bike routes and marked bike lanes. Safer yet are the rail trails. The Clear Creek trail on the south side is great for recreation and provides many miles of largely uninterrupted riding, and the new B-line trail, contiguous with the Clear Creek, bisects the down town area in a north-south direction. I am fortunate to be able to take the B-line almost all the way from my house near 1st street to M’s school on 17th. As a long time cyclist I feel that drivers in Bloomington are fairly considerate and aware of cyclists, and when you have a child on board there seems to be a little extra care taken by the surrounding motorists. Still I take as few chances as possible and carefully pick a route that uses the least traveled streets, bike lanes, and trails.

There are benefits to bike riding with your child, whether for transportation or for recreation. In fact, it can turn transportation into recreation. We all know the health benefits and the sense of wellness we get from regular exercise, and at no time is it harder to get in a good workout than when young children are on the scene. Combining shopping, library trips, Wonderlab visits, and the like with a good bike ride gives me some exercise time I wouldn’t have had if I had taken the car. By far the greatest benefit to bike riding with your child is the time spent together having fun outside enjoying a healthy activity. It truly is a bonding experience.

One of my proudest moments as a parent came this spring on a school day morning after a not very restful night’s sleep. Feeling fatigued and not much like riding, I gave M the choice of whether to take the car or the bike to school. I was predicting that she would opt to take the car, thus letting me off the hook for the bike ride. To my astonishment M said to me “Let’s take the bike, Daddy.” At that moment I was reinvigorated by the thought that maybe I was doing something right.

For more information about Bloomington Bikes Week click here.

Michael and I met on a bicycle trip. He was the mechanic for a local group in town called deCycles. We rode across the country and had many fun adventures before children. Michael deals in used bicycles parts and sells them all over the world. Our house is like an eye spy book for bikes! To stay fresh in the saddle, I taught a cycling class at the YMCA. Michael tries to mountain bike in Brown County every chance he gets.

Our son started on his own balance bike at 18 months. Last year at 3 ½ he pedaled a bike for the first time. He will probably ride on pavement this summer. We have kept him on grass in case he falls. I can’t wait for him to get a taste of freedom on the Clear Creek Trail!

Even with that much love for bikes we have a hard time fitting cycling into our family life. We are pretty excited to put our baby in the trailer next to our older son.

Things to think about:

Getting used to a bike seat can be painful. If you hang in there and make yourself ride through the pain it will go away.

If your bike squeaks or rubs take it in for a tune up. Bicycles should be tuned up at least once a year.

Take your set-up to a bicycle mechanic and have them check every connection. Make sure you find a mechanic that helps you feel comfortable about the mechanics of your bicycle. Write down the details, like how much pressure to put in your tires and how to lube your chain. They can help you come up with a checklist to use before you ride. We have great mechanics in town. I personally like Bikesmiths. Tip your mechanic like a waitress.

Always make sure that your child’s helmet, and your own, fits securely. Take the extra time to adjust the size. We always tell our son to look at the moon while we buckle his helmet.

Keep your equipment clean. You will be surprised at how much detail you will notice while cleaning. Also, mechanics will care more about your bicycle if you show them that you personally care.

Click here for more information about Bloomington Bikes Week.

In the spring of 2008 we learned that Mary was pregnant. Mary’s pregnancy didn’t impede her riding much. When she could no longer comfortably mount her road bike we bought an old Puch mixte with a step-through frame. She rode the mixte into late November, a few weeks before our son S was born. And soon after he was born, we each resumed some routine biking, while the other was home with him.

Meanwhile, we began to think of ways to bike with S. Official recommendations (from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute) are not to ride with children younger than twelve months, and there are some data to support these. Mary and I took these recommendations with a grain of salt, and when S was six months old, I began to periodically test his helmet-wearing abilities around the house. By eight months of age we felt that he could hold his head—and the helmet—up reasonably well. We had bought a used Burley trailer off Craigslist during Mary’s second trimester, and we were eager to try it out. So late in the summer of 2009, against the official recommendations, we took S for his first, brief trailer ride—to Uptown for brunch with friends. He loved it—especially the parts, near our house, where we allowed him to take his helmet off. For our remaining year in Bloomington we biked with S frequently, and by the time we moved to Indianapolis in 2010, he’d spent far more time in the bike trailer than he had in a car.

At some point we decided that we wanted to have a bicycle child seat too. We considered both front-mounted and rear-mounted seats, and decided we liked the front-mounted seats better. We bought a Yepp Mini which, like most front-mounted seats, puts the child just behind the handlebar, straddling the stem and headset.

There’s much debate about the safety of bike trailers and seats, individually and comparatively. The intuition of many parents I know, some of whom are ordinary cyclists like us, is that trailers have poor visibility due to their low profiles. Manufacturers have tried to address these concerns by including tall, brightly colored safety flags with their trailers, but really those don’t change the profile of the trailer very much.  Nevertheless there is some data to suggest that trailers are slightly safer than infant seats. The sample size is pretty small (49 injuries over the 9-year study, 6 involving trailers) and the authors cannot conclusively say that trailers are safer. The data were taken from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, whose database is available to the public and quite interesting to peruse. I spent a few hours looking at it, and it was difficult to assess the absolute risk involved in using a bicycle trailer or infant seat. What was clear, though, was that accidents involving baby-biking were far, far rarer than accidents involving nearly any ordinary household implement (vacuum cleaners, radios, and even pillows).

Truthfully I’ve never felt unsafe riding with S. Of course these are anecdotal observations, but I find that drivers give me more attention, more courtesy, and a wider berth, when they see I have a child with me. Initially I had some worries, but these were fleeting and easy enough to vanquish with excess caution. Occasionally I felt that having S in the seat made the bike harder to control, and sometimes I worried that I might clip a car or a curb with the trailer, which requires a wider path than the bike. I always knew, though, that S’s helmet was on securely, and that even a three foot fall from the Yepp was unlikely to injure him very badly. With the trailer I crossed intersections very carefully, and avoided difficult intersections altogether. And after a bit of practice, both conveyances felt completely safe. The trailer is great for a long ride where your child might sleep, or if you need some extra cargo space, e.g. on a trip to the grocery store or farmer’s market. The front-mounted seat is a wonderful way to ride with your child too—it gives him or her a great view of the road and allows you to talk.

We have spent much of the last year trying to decide where to move. We’ve traveled to various cities across the country, interviewing and exploring. One of the first questions I ask prospective employers and coworkers is what the bike culture is like. The strange answers—and blank, uncomfortable stares—I have received in response reminded me repeatedly that we had been spoiled in Bloomington. The plentiful bike routes and trails, and maybe more significantly the constant presence of other cyclists on the roads, make Bloomington an ideal place to raise a biking family.

Some links:

Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute’s page on biking with kids:
http://www.bhsi.org/little1s.htm

Study on safety of trailers and seats:
http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/154/4/351?
maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=trailers&searchid=11046933861
47_392&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=0&journalcode=archpedi

CPSC database:
https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/NEISSQuery/home.aspx

Advice on trailers and seats:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/bike-trailers/buying-guide.htm
http://hea-www.harvard.edu/~fine/opinions/childcarriers.html

Front-mounted seats:
http://www.rei.com/product/815610/yepp-mini-front-bicycle-child-carrier
http://www.rei.com/product/831288/ibert-safe-t-seat-child-carrier
http://www.co-rider.com/co-rider.com/index.html

Trailers:
http://hea-www.harvard.edu/~fine/opinions/trailerguide.html
http://www.burley.com/home/bur/listitems_55/comparison.html

Click here for more information about Bloomington Bikes Week.

Hopefully, dear readers, you will be inspired to dust off your helmets, check your tire pressure, hitch up your trailers, and join us for a group ride on Saturday! Our “kidical mass” will assemble at the Farmers’ Market at noon and proceed at a leisurely pace down the B-Line to BABS, where we invite you to refuel, mingle with other cycling families, and talk about how to make Bloomington an even safer place to ride with our children.

The City of Bloomington has set itself the ambitious goal of joining cities like Boulder and Portland in earning a Platinum Bicycle Friendly designation from the League of American Bicyclists. Last November, BABS was one of dozens of local organizations that supported the passage of Resolution 11-15, directing the City to adopt the recommendations of a citizen task force charged with mapping out a path to Platinum. The City Council did indeed pass Resolution 11-15, but as Council President Susan Sandberg reminded the audience at the time, Breaking Away: Journey to Platinum is an advisory document only. The report itself makes clear that it will be up to Bloomingtonians to hold the City to those goals.

There are action items in that Platinum Task Force report that matter to you and your family, and in this first Bikes Week post I would like to point to two of them.

Vulnerable Road User Law (see 2-17, 3-15, 4-10): The Bloomington Bicycle Club has proposed that the City adopt a “Vulnerable Road User” resolution similar to laws passed in some twenty states. You can think of this as a “three-foot” rule (i.e., cars must allow for at least three feet of clearance when passing), but keep in mind that this proposal protects a much larger class of road users than just bicyclists, all of whom must be respected by motor vehicle operators through yielding in certain situations. It is possible that this issue will have to be resolved on the state level.

Sunday Open Streets (see 1-6, 2-13, 3-10): Ciclovías—the temporary closing of city streets to motor traffic, often in concert with festivities—originated in Columbia decades ago. The practice is spreading nationally, and the Platinum Task Force proposes that Bloomington join like-minded cities with an event called “Sunday Open Streets.” A designated loop through the city would become, in effect, a linear park for a day!

There are many more actions advocated by the Platinum Report that could improve the quality of life in Bloomington. But their implementation is not inevitable. If you would like to see bicycle boulevards and ciclovías, Safe Routes to Schools and more bicycle parking, then read the report. Contact your City Councilmember. Remind them that they adopted this advisory document and inquire on the progress of those items that matter most to you.

I hope that you enjoy our Bikes Week posts. Join us on Saturday afternoon for our “Market to BABS” family ride. See you on the B-Line!

The longer I’m a mom (2+ years now) the more and more I realize just how much I need my mom friends. And I do mean, NEED. A few weeks ago I got really sick with mastitis and was knocked totally out of commission for two days. With a two year old and a two-month-old and no family nearby, we needed help – stat! All I had to do was mention to my mom friends on facebook that I was sick and offers to help came pouring in. Right away we had people offering to take our toddler for playdates and give us some respite. And, boy, did we need it!

I literally thank God every day for my community of mom friends. I can count about 20 women that I’ve met through BABS that I could call at any time of the day or night and ask for anything. And I could probably come up with 30 or 40 more that I would feel comfortable calling at a reasonable hour and asking for anything. My husband and I literally cannot imagine doing this parenting gig without these pillars of support.

Why do I love my mom friends? Let me count the ways.

They listen to me complain about my children and they listen to me ooze over my children – sometimes in the same breath.

They tell it to me straight. I remember when our older son was about a year old, I called a friend in tears late at night (well, it felt late, but it was probably 9pm because I was on mommy time) and she told me, “Look, you’re going crazy because you need to find some childcare. Call my kids’ school tomorrow and see if they have a spot.” And I did. And they did. And I got less crazy.

They’ve done stuff only other new parents would understand. Like bring us donor breastmilk at 8pm on a Saturday when it was our first day home from the hospital and we were crazy with worry for our son.

They’ve listened to my birth stories a hundred times and still pretend to be interested.

They’ve helped me manage one (and now two!) kids on playdates…at Wonderlab, the library, their homes, on hikes, in parking lots, all over the place. I always feel braver going someplace if I’m in a mama pack.

They’ve told me their hopes and dreams and fears and weaknesses. And they’ve heard mine. When you’re friends with people who’ve seen you change a poopy diaper on the floor, it gets real real fast.

This parenting stuff is real. It’s hard. It’s no picnic. And whether you’re new to the gig or you’ve done it for years, you need a community to support you. Where can you find it? I swear they’re not paying me to say this, but BABS is where it’s at.

If you’re pregnant, get those digits from a pregnant friend at yoga. One of my best mom friends and I met at yoga over two years ago, had dinner after yoga one night at the Olive Garden, and the rest is history! And if you’re a new mom, get yourself to a new moms group. Those women who know more about me than my own mom? Those are the women from my new moms group. Two years later and I still could go to them with ANYTHING. And if you don’t fit in those categories? Get yourself to playtime. You can always hit up baby or toddler playtime. Go week after week at the same time and you’ll start to know each other and each other’s stories. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s worth the time and effort to find those friends. Motherhood is a crazy ride – and it’s best taken with friends.

*************

What about you? What do you love about your mom friends? Where did you find them?

Those of us that choose to have children all hope our babies will live healthy, long lives. I’ve been a mamma since the beginning of 2010 and am grateful for the support network I met through my BABS birth class and new mamma support group. In between wondering what karmic fate led me to a child who didn’t love to sleep as much as me, I have tried to help my baby live a healthy life without becoming overwhelmed. For me, parenting is a humbling balancing act in which one has to try one’s best knowing that one can never be perfect.

I think we should imagine toxic pollution the same way: do what we can to reduce our children’s toxicity without letting it overwhelm us. I mean, what’s the point to protecting life if life is no fun?

Plus, our babies are born with toxic pollution already in them. Recent studies in the US of umbilical cords showed evidence over 200 toxics. So, a “toxic free” environment is not possible for our children. Yet, the unprecedented amount of exposure our kids have also means we still should try to reduce what exposures that we can (at least) in the first five years of life, because pollution impacts smaller bodies more than bigger ones and those years are crucial for setting up the rest of our children’s development. And, by definition, “toxics” are things that can kill us.

So, here’s a top 10 list of FREE and EASY things we can do to reduce our children’s exposure to toxics. I’m sure most of us do most of these already; so, I hope this helps you feel better about your odds of acting like a toxic-savvy parent:

1. Open your windows when possible and make sure to bring your baby outside everyday. Indoor air pollution is more serious than outdoor air pollution.

2. Don’t use pesticides in your house or on your property. Try to avoid properties that use them (that’s why they have signs that warn us).

3. When your child is still lying, rolling, or crawling on the floor, take off your shoes when you are in the area they are hanging out in. Our shoes can carry toxics in from outside. Relatedly, try to sweep, mop, and/or vacuum at least once a week when your children are small. Toxics can be carried on dust.

4. Clean your home with cheaper, nontoxic ingredients, like vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice.

5. Drink out of glass or metal, not plastic cups or bottles. (Yes, I bought filters for my tap water, but we can talk about that in another post because that costs money.)

6. Avoid eating high mercury fish if you are pregnant, nursing, or feeding one or more small children. (If you don’t know what those are, the Natural Resources Defense Council’s list is often cited: http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/guide.asp )

7. If you smoke cigarettes, quit. Try to avoid letting your children be in the presence of people smoking. (And, yes, I’ve had that awkward conversation with my mother-in-law more than once.)

8. Don’t buy or use air fresheners or other unnecessary products with ingredients you can’t pronounce.

9. Use iodized salt every once in awhile. I know, kosher and sea salts appear sexier these days, but iodine can buffer your thyroid against toxics.

10. Write your legislators to support the Safer Chemicals Act so that individual parents aren’t faced with navigating all this on our own. The Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition advocates for this legislation and describes itself as a range of people including: “nurses, moms, learning disability advocates, small business owners, reproductive health advocates, [and] cancer survivors.” Check them out: http://www.saferchemicals.org/safe-chemicals-
act/index.html

For links to similar lists and more details about each of these choices, see one of the following three sites:
http://www.ewg.org/files/ewg-hht-checkilist.pdf
http://www.healthychild.org/5steps/5_steps_1/
http://www.webmd.com/health-ehome-9/how-to-make-your-house-safer

Now that the easy part is done, what do you want to know more about: more Bloomington-specific information? Or what stuff to choose or to avoid when thinking of your baby registry? Or why expecting or new parents should care about specific toxic exposures (pesticides, BPA, phthalates, parabens, PVC, et cetera)? Or geeky historical stuff on women’s wombs as our “first environment” as a concept introduced at the beginning of the 20th century? Or…?

If no one asks about anything, I won’t blog here again about toxics. I was asked by a regular BABS blogger who thought some of you might be interested; however, there are a lot of resources out there these days on this topic, so maybe we don’t need to share these tips/ideas here…

I think of all the women that have given birth before me, over thousands of years, everything that has happened and changed…and yet this process is one thing that has not. Well, maybe in how we often see labor and birth handled and how choices are often taken from women.

Hi. My name is Hanna Caywood; I’m the mother of four (sons), a mother by heart to four more, a labor/birth doula, & a new chicken farmer (for eggs). All my life, one thing I’ve always wanted was to be a mother. When I got my first chance I was uninformed about what to expect in labor/birth or hospital procedures. I knew a little more with my second, but still felt powerless. Though my first two births ended with two beautiful healthy babies, there were so many ‘bad’ feelings left within me. I had my last two at home with a midwife and her assistant. These stories are completely different; in how I felt & how I was treated. I’m not saying one has to have a homebirth to have a good experience; a woman needs to be where she feels safe, for me that was in my home. What I learned from my homebirths was what a difference it made to have someone there who understands how childbirth naturally unfolds and who wasn’t responsible for the care of anybody but me & my baby. This made me want to help women. To help them have the knowledge they need going into labor, their voice when in labor, and their memories after birth. So I became a doula & have worked with many couples since my training in September of 2010.

One thing I think is helpful when I am working with a “momma” (as I call them) is that I have been there…I have experienced many different things from my own births that aren’t always things you can learn in a class. Like how it feels to be watched, poked & prodded, and to know the weight your decisions have on two lives…to not always feel like you have any control or enough information (among other things). As a doula a huge part of my role is to provide informational support. I also provide continuous emotional and physical support through one’s labor & birth. The relationship that makes this work better is forged prenatally when I meet with a momma (and partner) at least a couple of times. This time is used for us to get to know each other, so I can learn what she/they want to happen, roles for those that will be at the birth, comfort measures we can use, and for any questions or concerns to be addressed. We can also work on birth, baby, and postpartum plans so you can walk into the hospital with something physical stating your desires.

A birth isn’t just the act of bringing a child into the world, it changes a women forever…..the people she is surrounded with, the events that take place, and her strength will remain in her mind and soul…..it determines how she sees herself and the world around her.

If you have any questions regarding doulas or the services provided, please let me know. Thank you for stopping by.

Yours Truly,
Hanna

p.s. a misconception is that a doula replaces the father/partner. In reality, we help the partner find ways to help the mother that they are comfortable with. We want them to be a part of this experience.

Hanna Caywood
812-606-8770
hoosier.doula@hotmail.com
www.hannacaywood.webs.com
www.indianabirthdoulas.com

The Meet A Doula Series on The BABS Blog is an opportunity for local families to learn a little more about local doulas.  All local doulas are invited to participate in the series.  Appearance on The BABS Blog does not necessarily constitute a recommendation by BABS.  BABS encourages families to interview potential doulas and choose one with the training, experience, and personality that will be the best fit for their situation.

The importance of a mother’s nutrition before the baby is born.  An unborn child’s teeth begin to form by the second month of pregnancy and start to harden by the second trimester.  It is crucial for mom to have a balanced diet to promote the proper development of a child’s teeth.  A balanced diet consists of providing adequate amounts of vitamins A, C, D, protein, calcium and phosphorus to aid in the development of healthy teeth.  Inadequate nutrition of a pregnant mother can result in improperly formed tooth enamel.  Weak enamel may contribute to a child having an increased risk for cavities.

Healthy teeth & gums in mom lead to healthy teeth & gums in children.  Bacteria that cause tooth decay can be transmitted from a mother to her child.  It is important to have mom’s teeth decay free before birth of her child.  During pregnancy there will likely be hormone fluctuations that may contribute to the desire for mom to snack more frequently.  Frequent snacking can contribute to the increased accumulation of dental plaque.  Bacteria in dental plaque produce acid that weakens the enamel of teeth.  Brushing twice a day and flossing once a day needs to receive increased emphasis during pregnancy to reduce the risk of cavities forming.

Hormone fluctuations and plaque that is not removed can irritate the gums.  A condition called gingivitis may result and is characterized by red, tender gums that bleed easily.  Untreated gingivitis can lead to a more serious condition called periodontitis.  Poor periodontal health can contribute to premature delivery and low birth weight of children.  It is important for mothers to practice outstanding oral hygiene and to see a dentist regularly throughout pregnancy.

What is a pediatric dentist?  A pediatric dentist has an extra two or three years of specialized training after dental school working with infants, children, teenagers, and patients with special health care needs.  A pediatric dentist is best qualified to assist with guiding children into adulthood with optimal dental health.

The eruption of a child’s first teeth.  At birth a child already has their first 20 teeth in their jawbones.  The teeth normally begin to erupt around 6 months of age and all 20 primary teeth are often fully erupted by the age of three.  Primary (Baby) teeth are important for three main reasons:

1)       Chewing and eating to provide proper nutrition for growth

2)       Provide space for the permanent teeth to erupt in correct positions

3)      Aid in the normal development of jaw bones and muscles

When teething some children may experience sore or tender gums.  Rubbing a washcloth or clean finger over the gums can be soothing for children.  Contrary to popular belief, fever is not associated with erupting teeth.  If a child would develop a high or persistent fever while teething it is important to follow-up with their pediatrician.

My next blog post will discuss oral hygiene for your child and what to expect at the first dental visit.  Please contact our office with any questions and for your free infant dental kit.  We are located in Bloomington near the College Mall, next to Goodwill.

-Dr. Matt

Matthew L. Rasche, DDS, MSD, Southern Indiana Pediatric Dentistry, www.SiPediatricDentistry.com, (812) 333-KIDS

Yoga is medicine. As a teacher, I know this, but didn’t realize what medicine it is for toddlers too. After my Toddler & Me classes, we all seem to shine a little bit more. The toddlers are definitely giddy. But not candy high giddy. It is a yoga high giddy. Yes, even toddlers can get a yoga buzz.

Those toddlers love that yoga energy created within the circle of yoga mats. They love hearing the adults sing and move together as one. The older ones love trying the poses; the younger ones riding on those good vibes.

Shene and daughter Chiwa photo by Steph Langan, IDS

When we are done, the toddlers usually seem more centered and balanced within themselves. We may not even hold poses for very long, and some of them may not try any poses. But even still, they seem more at peace with life and ready with positive minds for their next adventure.

Actually, it is the toddlers that are in their natural environment.  They are just being themselves in the moment. The bonus is their parent/care giver is also with them in the moment, connecting, and being. That is the yoga. 

And because we are all there, having fun and open to being silly and free for that little window of time, its like the yoga works its magic. The yoga transports both toddler and adult out of regular space and time, and into a magical place of singing, moving and just being together.

I didn’t fully comprehend the impact of my class until talking to one mom and her daughter after one quite large class. As I observed her sweet 17 month-old daughter with love flowing from my heart, she told me they were visiting from out of state so their daughter could have brain surgery. They had been away from home for weeks. And there it was, how could I of missed it? Her shaved head had a very long scar tracing the back of her skull.

The love I felt changed instantly to compassion for a family who was going through so much. Images of hospital waiting rooms full of grim faces, sickness, and bad vibes flooded me. I couldn’t imagine being surrounded by all that for weeks upon weeks, and living through the anxiety of having a child in such risky surgery.

From one mom to another, I could feel her true appreciation for that little window of time we shared to shake off the past, and arrive joyfully in the present moment. 

This is the moment I decided to never take yoga for granted. And reminded me that as the teacher, I have no way of knowing what obstacles parents and children are facing in there lives. I just provide them with the medicine – yoga.

At the end of my classes, we sing, “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine,” eventually transitioning to, “this little child of mine, I am going to let her/him shine.” But I love when we end with singing, “You are My Sunshine,” because our little ones are our sunshines and it is a sweet simple song to remind us that they “make me happy, when skies are gray.”

Parenting in tough. Whether it is something as serious as brain surgery, or simply getting through the long daily grind of being a parent. It’s hard not to get bogged down by all the rain. Going to classes like Toddler & Me Yoga help parents (and me!) remember that the most important job as parents is to just love our children and be with them as much as possible, fully present in body and mind.

Toddler &  Me yoga Photo by Steph Langan, IDS Read more about Samantha’s struggles to serve her family, stay sane, and honor a yogi-inspired lifestyle at http://thedomesticyogi.blogspot.com Samantha will be teaching two-week session of Toddler & Me Yoga in May (the 4th and 11th). Summer classes will be announced soon. Prior enrollment is recommended to make sure the minimum number of participants is reached. To register please stop by or call the BABS office at (812) 337-8121.