Review: Kwena’s crocodile oil is great cure all for a pregnant belly,babies and entire family

Posted on March 9, 2015

I believe in the power of a massage. For babies, a gentle massage after a shower is great for several reasons: 1. It feels good and can calm a baby; 2. It reinforces a bond through the touching aspect of a massage connects the parent with the baby and works on strengthening connections; and 3. It lifts and enhances mood through the aromatherapy aspect of the massage if it is done with a fragrant emolient infused with calming scents like lavender, jasmine, mint, lemon or chamomile.

There are various products out there but I recommend going with an all natural balm with minimum chemicals.

I was sent all the way from the Nile in South Africa a few vials of some wonderful crocodile oil in a salve made by Kwena.

Used by the ancient Egyptians, crocodile oil is extracted from the fatty tissues of crocodiles and has been used as a preventative and treatment for a number of human ailments.

The mixture of the oil with grapeseed oil, beeswax and tea tree oil is the perfect blend and texture for moisturizing hands and other body parts. It was mildly fragrant but not too overwhelming and the absence of excess chemicals means it likely wouldn’t irritate baby’s skin.

The moisturizer was not sticky but silky to the touch and could easily be incorporated into a daily moisturizing routine by a pregnant woman who is fighting stretch marks or trying to prevent new ones form forming in her second pregnancy.

It is said this ancient oil can heal several other skin conditions including burns, cuts, sores, sunburn, lacerations and lesions, ulcers, blisters, irritated skin, diaper rash, insect bites, razor burns, sports injuries, sore muscles, arthritis, sprains, stiffness, joint pain, gout and can help with rapid healing of viral and fungal infections like ring worm and athletes foot, warts, dandruff, rosacea, psoriasis and eczema!

Phew!

The name Kwena is Sotho-Tswana for crocodile in Southern Africa. No testing is done on animals and the oil comes from crocodiles farmed for other purposes.

Kerns sells their salve for $32 a 30 ml vial and all orders over $55 are free an shipped internationally.

And it only takes a little bit to do the trick which is good given it’s a bit costly. You can certainly nurse it. I did with my one 15 ml sample jar which is lasting me several weeks and I still have plenty left over. Good stuff. Highly recommend!

If you can afford to get your hands on this exotic and rare find, you should.

Repost

0 comments

BumpNews

Model’s 8-month pregnant bump stirs controversy

Posted on March 9, 2015

It looks like social media is going to contribute to more and more of these pregorexia claims and stories.

This is like the nth time a super svelte pregnant or very new mom showing off her body in social media has caused a lot of ruckus in the blogsphere.

This time, lingerie model Sarah Stage’s baby bump is the source of ire among onlookers to her Instagram page full of pics in bra and bikini underwear at 8 months pregnant.

Stage, who says she has always kept a very athletic lifestyle before & during pregnancy and eats healthy, is being accused of starving her baby for looking as trim as she does at 8-months pregnant.

Both People and E! Online wrote about the backlash.

Much of the same reaction as past times…Head on over and read the comments to those stories.

0 comments

BumpNews

Dad blogger starts petition to turn ‘Amazon Mom’ to ‘Amazon Family’

Posted on March 9, 2015

After dad blogger Oren Miller of A Blogger and a Father passed away this past weekend, the lung cancer victim’s dad blogger pal Daniel Pelfrey took up on of Miller’s causes.

Pelfrey launched a petition to get Amazon.com’s Amazon Mom discount site to become Amazon Family.

Pelfrey, who cares for he and his wife Laura’s 5 children full time while she works, created a Change.Org petition urging the company to change the name.

“Why are you choosing Amazon Mom instead of Amazon Family,” Daniel states in his petition addressing Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos. “It’s a small change, but it is, I think a significant one that Amazon could make to be inclusive to all families.”

Currently, Pelfrey has gotten about 6,000 out the targeted 10,000 signatures.

“To only act as if moms are the caregivers always struck me as odd,” Daniel told USA Today.

0 comments

BumpNews

Woman’s Day: Celeb moms celebrate ‘Expecting 411’ book launch (PHOTOS)

Posted on March 9, 2015

Perfect timing for International Women’s Day, four of the women we’ve spotlighted in the past attended a Woman’s Day luncheon today to celebrate the launch of a new book.

Second-time mom-to-be Molly Sims, designer Rachel Zoe, actress Kerry Washington and TV host Vanessa Lachey all shared photos of the event celebrating the publication of Expecting 411, co-authored by celebrity OB/GYN, Dr. Michele Hakakha and Dr. Ari Brown.

According to the book’s website, Hakakha is an award-winning OB/GYB who has contributed to numerous articles and educational videos on pregnancy. Bown is an official American Academy of Pediatrics spokesperson and has been featured on NBC‘s TODAY show.

The women have 4 children, ages 2-14, between them.

photos: Instagram, WhoSay

0 comments

BumpNews

International Women’s Day: 25 Empowering Music Videos by women for women

Posted on March 8, 2015

In honor of International Women’s Day today and in celebration of women, including the many moms out there, here are 25 empowerment songs with music videos we are sharing in hopes they uplift the spirits of our readers, most of whom are women worldwide and who all rock!

Enjoy!

0 comments

BumpNews

International Women’s Day: 15 Quotes from Women Worldwide Historically

Posted on March 8, 2015

Bellyitch Rewind

image source

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

is Today, Sunday, March 8

In honor of this day celebrating and honoring women, worldwide, we are re posting our feature from last year which is a compilation of 15 inspirational quotes from women along history and across the globe:

1. No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

– Eleanor Roosevelt, former US First Lady

2. There are two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there.

– Indira Ghandi, Former Prime Minister of India

3. Age is getting to know all the ways the world turns so that if you cannot turn the world the way you want, you can at least get out of the way so you won’t get run over – Miriam Makeba, South African musician and singer

4. It doesn’t matter who you are, (or) where you came from, the ability to triumph begins with you. ALWAYS. – Oprah Winfrey, American Media Conglomerate head, Philanthropist

5. You got to try and reach for the stars or try and achieve the unreachable. – Cathy Freeman, Aboriginal Australian Olympian

6. Tremendous amounts of talent are being lost to our society just because that talent wears a skirt. – Shirley Chisholm, Unbought and Unbossed, First Caribbean American and First Black woman elected to the US Congress

7. There is an old and very wise Native American saying: Every time you point a finger in scorn—there are three remaining fingers pointing right back at you. ― Alyson Noel, Native American author

8. If you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing– Margaret Thatcher, Former Prime Minister, United Kingdom

9. Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. – Mother Theresa, humanitarian, Indian

10. I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashions. – Lillian Hellman, American author and playwright

11. If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough. – Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s First Woman President (Liberia)

12. A woman obsessed with her body is also obsessed with the limitations of her emotional life. – Kim Chernin, The Obsession, American author

13. The grim possibility is that she who “hides her brains” will, more than likely, end up with a mate who is only equal to a woman with “hidden brains” or none at all. – Lorraine Hansberry, “In Defense of the Equality of Men” in The Norton Anthology of Literature by Women, Playwright and Author

14. I used to think I was the strangest person in the world but then I thought there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do. I would imagine her, and imagine that she must be out there thinking of me too. Well, I hope that if you are out there and read this and know that, yes, it’s true I’m here, and I’m just as strange as you. ― Frida Kahlo, Mexican painter

15. I am not afraid… I was born to do this. – Joan of Arc, Revolutionary and Martyr from France

Repost

0 comments

BumpNews

How to wean a baby from the pacifier

Posted on March 8, 2015

Despite its diminutive size, the pacifier has been the subject of some pretty big debate; some parents and caregivers theorize that pacifier use, even during infancy, can negatively affect the formation of teeth and mouth shape, while proponents hold steady on their value as a soothing device. The American Academy of Pediatrics has even weighed in, stating that their research indicates a marked decrease in the rate of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome among infants that sleep with a pacifier.

Whether a pacifier was introduced to your child solely as a comfort object or as a means of reducing SIDS risk, there comes a time when weaning can no longer be delayed. The process of breaking a child from his “binky,” however, can be fraught with hysterics and sleep deprivation for both parents and children alike. While the task of weaning is rarely an easy one to accomplish, these hints can help to soothe the worst of Baby’s anxiety.

Make the Cut – Cutting the rubber tip off of your child’s pacifier alters the way that it feels and reduces its appeal dramatically for most children; while they may feel a bit of confusion about the changes in their prized paci, learning to self-soothe without it is much easier when the pacifier no longer offers the same level of comfort. Be sure to get rid of all the pacifiers except his favorite, and cut the tip off completely to prevent any risk of choking. Explaining to your puzzled little one that his pacifier is “broken” may help him to understand that it can’t be fixed, and is no longer of much value. If you choose this method, don’t attempt to take the mutilated pacifier away; he’ll most likely tire of it on his own and lose interest without a tantrum.

Bring in a Substitute – Substituting one comfort object for another isn’t always a great idea because it can cause a child to simply transfer his feelings of dependency to the new object when the anxiety of losing his pacifier sets in. Rather than designate one object as special, alternate blankets and other soothing objects that can ease his transition without keeping one particular item in circulation for too long. When bringing a specific object to bed is no longer part of his bedtime routine, eliminating comfort items altogether can be easier.

Step Up the Soothing and Comforting Routine – If your little one has used a pacifier since the day he came home from the hospital, the transition to binky-free life is bound to be a confusing and scary one for him. The sheer anxiety that accompanies an abrupt shift in the structure of his everyday life can greatly contribute to his difficulty sleeping and irritability during the weaning period, so be sure to allot extra time for comforting words and plenty of cuddling and soothing before bed.

One Day at a Time – For some kids weaning comes easily and is done over the course of a day or two. The majority of children, however, react with a mixture of anger, confusion, and something akin to grief. Realizing that Rome wasn’t built in a day and that your child probably won’t be weaned from his pacifier in one is the best approach; be prepared to gradually break him of the pacifier habit, rather than throwing them all away in a grand gesture and forbidding them re-entry to the home.

Rewards and Praise – By the time that pacifier weaning becomes a serious issue for most parents, their children are edging into toddlerhood, and thus are capable of understanding verbal praise, rewards for good behavior, and that these things happen as a result of following instructions “like a big kid.” Every time that your child naps without his paci or completes other tasks, be sure to praise him effusively and let him know that you’re proud of his efforts.

Patience is a Virtue – If your child is firmly attached to his pacifier as a comfort object, even the best method of weaning will just reduce his anxiety, rather than eliminating it altogether. Realistically, he will almost certainly cry and become angry until he understands that his distress doesn’t deliver his pacifier back and he learns to self-soothe without it. Keeping a firm grip on your patience and working with him through the process to minimize his stress is the most effective way of weaning; unreasonable and unrealistic expectations will only come back to haunt you both.

0 comments

International Bump Watch: Nollywood actress Mary Remmy Njoku bumps it up at red carpet premiere

Posted on March 7, 2015

I love it when I notice other regions of the world that also have active movie celebrity culture engage in bump watch. It proves we are not the only ones out here obsessed with the incubation of the next generation of stars.

This time, I spotted Information Nigeria‘s coverage of second time mom-to-be and Nollywood actress Mary Remmy Njoku at the London premiere of her latest project.

The co-star to the latest film project by noted Nigerian film maker Obi Emolynyre wore a fuchsia halter dress with white beaded adornment in the bodice of the empire waist chiffon dress. Her loose ringlets were a great accompaniment to the formal look.

Njoku’s co-star Mercy Johnson, who we covered also while pregnant a couple years ago, walked the red carpet too.

The movie from Nigerian Thy Will Be Done showed at the on Thursday, February 26, 2015 at the BFI/IMAX theater in Waterloo, London, England.

According to the report Mjoku and her husband Jason Njoku married in 2012 and welcomed their first child together Njoku in July 2013.

0 comments

BumpNews

Online retailer to sell baby bottles resembling a beer bottle

Posted on March 7, 2015

An online novelty gift company is set to release a baby bottle designed like a beer bottle. It is alarming child advocacy organizations.

Perpetual Kid revealed that starting next month, it will begin selling the Chill, Baby Lil Lager Baby Bottle for $11.99. The company says it is marketing a “hilarious” way to take nursing “to a new level.”

Some consider it funny but others like director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism find it alarming.

“While a baby probably would not make the association between the baby bottle and beer bottles, older children in the house might, so we would argue that this could be an indirect promotion of underage drinking,” George F. Koob wrote to USA TODAY in an e-mail.

Your thoughts? Innocent fun or dangerous prop that sends wrong message?

0 comments