Dear other pregos-on-the-go out there (or preggie mamas who used to be on the go, but whose babies are now telling them to stay put):

I just found out about the best pregnancy news ever today. In my world, which is now inundated with fears of health complications to watch out for, products to avoid (I’m still pouting about sushi), and hormones that are predisposed to latch onto any and all worries that I might deem remotely and sometimes not-at-all reasonable, good news is something to shout from the rooftops.

As I officially enter the 18th week of pregnancy morning sickness (otherwise known as ‘I’d pray for swift death to take me if it weren’t for the miracle waiting on the other side of 20ish more weeks’), I sadly report that the typical first trimester ills haven’t left me completely. I watched week 11 and 12 come and go as the end of the first trimester. Nothing. Then I read articles that led me to believe that week 14 was the miracle week where the baby’s placenta starts producing hormones that no longer would then be flooding my own blood stream. It got worse this week. Then my midwife reassured me that spikes happen -- from which I naively and self-servingly inferred that on the other side of the spike would be sweet relief.

My assistant extraordinaire Maddie never stops finding great mama tips -- even as she’s getting her hair cut. This week, she was talking to Charlotte, at Maison d'Etoile, about how kids can have healthy hair and scalp. Here are her notes:

Does your little one have a scaly scalp or sores?  This can be helped by taking extra time rinsing your child's hair.  Making sure all of the soap is out.  Taking a break from shampooing.  If you wash your child's hair every day or every other, try every three or four days.  During a bath or shower have their hair rinsed.

Dear readers, I’m pregnant again. I wish I were saying this to elicit congratulations and by way of launching a new column about pregnancy -- and I am, at least, doing the latter, but the truth is, I also have been pretty miserable. The good news with morning sickness is that it can indicate that your body is producing the natural and necessary hormones for a healthy pregnancy. There’s an adage I’ve heard, “sick mama, healthy baby” and I’m not sure I agree entirely, but I do cling to it when I’m sick and can’t sleep at 1am. That’s about it for the good news.

Well, it’s Spring, and for a nice change of pace, nothing seems to be ‘going around’ these days among school or neighborhood friends. Everyone’s healthy and enjoying our newfound flowers and gorgeous 75 degree weather (to my friends and readers in colder parts, I apologize for my insensitivity and promise, it’s coming...) Still, when seasons transition is always a good time to boost immunity, so that our children’s little bodies are ready for the weather and dietary changes that naturally come with the shift. Here are my favorite immune boosting tips, to be used during any time of travel, climate change, or when something seems to be ‘going around’, in hopes that we can all look forward to a happy and healthy Springtime.

1. Wash hands, and wash hands again.

Ugh, today I got lazy -- and failed. I offered my son another English muffin (homemade this time, but this gets a big ‘who-cares’ from most little ones I know -- if it isn’t delicious, they aren’t impressed by elemental cooking). In any case, it was another English muffin, with nut butter -- strike that -- I was in a hurry and just threw on some fruit jam, which at that moment was easier to find, and cut a couple of slices of pear -- strike that too, my husband did it.... And we threw it all in the car instead of sitting down as we’ve been doing throughout this challenge. So, in total, a complete disaster. In the end, my tired son, already feeling ornery and slightly rebellious about going back to school after Spring Break, took one look at breakfast on a paper towel, and disdainfully shut his lips tight and glared at me as though I had just demanded he drink down battery acid.

Of all the subjects I’ve tackled on Mommy’s ER, I’ve been reluctant to blog about eczema, in spite of the fact that eczema sufferers, especially young ones, have always made up a large portion of my practice. It saddens me that it is so debilitating, for everyone in the family, and many times the solutions are multi-pronged, and very personal, making it a big subject to tackle.

Still, there are some natural remedies for eczema that most sufferers agree eases the itching, scaling and oozing, so I start there with most children and grownups who enter my clinic. I’ll share these with you now, in hopes that if you or your child has eczema, that it brings relief, and hope.

In honor of Spring, and 22 days and counting into our breakfast challenge, Maddie has come up with the ultimate smoothie recipe. Absolutely indulgently delicious, and chalk full of potassium, antioxidants, and good-for-you fats, the word straight from Maddie’s kitchen: ”You gotta make this...SOO good with the coconut milk and honey!!”

For protein, you can add yogurt, protein powder (whey or hemp both taste great and add protein punch) or a side of whole grain toast and nut butter.

Please forgive us if you are still trapped in the snow (in which case, stick with hot oatmeal, and file this away for a couple of months!), in Austin it hit 90 degrees last week...

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

Breaking news: appendectomies are actually a very popular topic of conversation in the right circles. Of all the blogs on kids health I have ever posted, or stories I have ever recounted to fellow parents, this one was absolutely one of the most popular, and word traveled fast... After my son’s appendectomy, everyone from teachers at my son’s school to heads of companies (and not coincidentally, dads and moms) approached us to ask, “What exactly were the symptoms again? Will I be able to tell in time if my child has appendicitis? Would my child die if their appendix ruptured?”

I thought I would turn proverbial lemons into lemonade with our recent ER visit and write a small series of blogs on appendicitis, since our recent firsthand experience seems to have struck a chord with many parents. This time, the second blog, I wanted to take a few minutes to calm fears and dispel myths...

I forget how quick French toast really is to make. It combines the protein of the eggs with the complex carbohydrates of the bread, which satisfies the protein - complex carbohydrate balance that feeds little one’s brain. Equally important, he loves it!
This recipe is easily modifiable for food sensitivities and preferences, and feels like a treat to my son. With nearly 12 grams of protein per slice, this is a breakfast that seems like a decadent treat, and still gives us the protein/complex carbohydrate balance we’re looking for. This recipe is my variation on a wonderful Good Housekeeping recipe (thanks, Delish.com for posting!) that we’ve amended to accomodate my son’s favorite ingredient (cinammon, cinammon, cinammon!), and his food sensitivities.