My infantile eczema & allergies plan for this blog....

Well I've been writing monthly or bi monthly updates for a while now on the progress we are making with Mr. T and his conditions, which may be useful to some, but I feel I need to change the style of spreading the information I have learned and make it easier and faster for other parents out there to follow.

My plan for the next few weeks whenever I get a chance is to sit down and summarise all the steps we took in order to help our little boy turn from an irritated, angry, sore little man with hardly any healthy skin on his body to one that is now sporting baby soft skin nearly everywhere, and is slowly getting stronger and more resistant to the chemical world we live in.

Our journey in helping him started in March 2013 when I discovered two websites, while desperately searching the internet trying to find a solution. Topical steroids just weren't going to be the long term answer, and weren't addressing the real problem. I would recommend everyone dealing with eczema or asthma to have a look at these sites:  www.solveeczema.org and www.itchybaby.co.uk

Since then we have converted our whole household to help Mr. T in the most natural way possible, and I have shared these experiences on this blog. I now think however it is time to stop the possible rambling and give other helpless parents out there some ideas of what may help. Eczema and food allergies are so very specific, one thing may work for one family that doesn't work for another, but when it comes to detergent and its ill effects, I don't think there's anyone who hasn't benefited from eliminating it from their lives, especially if you suffer from these two conditions.

I would also like to mention, I am not a doctor, nor do I endorse any products. Our family doctor knows of all the steps we have taken to combat Mr. T's problems, and he is happy with the decisions we have made. Prescription drugs just weren't the answer for Mr. T, so we are solving his conditions naturally, with a lot of research, a bit of common sense and professional guidance from both western medicine practices and holistic therapies. I was once told 'Information is the key to survival' and this is true. It is what has helped us get this far.

So, as soon as I can I will compile our experiences together, into as short a post as I can, as I know that a sleep deprived desperate parent out there looking for help like I was, doesn't have time to read endless monthly updates. Please bear with me while I get this info together. There is so much I have learned it will be difficult to comprise it all, but with the help of my new wireless bluetooth keyboard I can now type on my phone anywhere so I'm hoping this will help :)

In case you are not yet convinced that the methods we have been using work, please have a look at the pictures below. Everyones journey is their own, but this has been our journey. If me sharing it can help even one baby out of their misery, or support one parent in their venture of doing the same, then it will be worthwhile :) Thank you for reading.

Here some pictures of Mr. T before eliminating detergents and allergens out of his life:

 

Now, 15 months later, we have gotten to the maintenance stage of keeping normal skin on his body as opposed to the initial stage which involved getting rid of infections, all detergents & allergens. 

Thank you to those people that have been there for us. The last 20 months have been an incredibly difficult time, physically and emotionally. Words, certainly in writing, cannot express how thankful I am to those that helped me still remain on two feet to this day, Tom and mum especially. Thank you for helping me stay strong. xxxxxx

My happiness project 2014: March -Time Management (part 2)

2016 Update: My happiness project had to be put on hold for a few years as I couldn't take it on as all my focus was on getting our son better and I also had some health issues. 

I will be resuming it in the near future as I still think it would be a great thing to do, so I'll keep ye posted :) 

As part of my happiness project 2014 my March mission was Time Management. During my research for this month I learned a lot, and made a lot of changes,....slowly....hence only writing about it in July. The first part of this process is explained here, in case you'd like to catch up. 

Well, I'm only human, so yes, I'm a few months late. Still, I am making a difference, and slowly but surely I am able to spend more quality time with the kids, be less frantic, and have more of those melt moments when you get lost in thoughts looking at your child that is oblivious to the fact that mummy is totally in love with them. 

So carrying on from the previous post, where I wrote about the first six points of action I took to get my time management to work better, here is the final part of this 'experiment'. 


7. Get storage
A lot of my stress when trying to keep the house tidy came from lots of clutter just piling up in heaps on the floor and on surfaces. Even when the big clear out was done there was still piles accumulating. Well I figured there's a reason. Storage. Lack of it! The clutter that piled up was there because practically I was in too much of a rush to sort it out there and then, but it needed to be put somewhere, and that was alright for now. Well now I've invested in boxes and baskets.
I have small baskets in nearly every room that I just put clutter into when I simply don't have time to tidy it right now. The big culprit was the hallway. A MOUNTAIN seemed to grow there whenever we came back from town or a road trip. Another mountain of stuff seemed to grow in the bathroom after baths & showers. Well I've put a box with a lid in each of these spots. Now with all the baskets and boxes I can just fling stuff in there instead of having it in a heap. I'll get to tidying it eventually, but until then, it looks neater, and like as if its supposed to be there. ha ha :)

The bathroom box

8. Priorities
I'm a fairy. A complete 'list addict, wanna be organised, fairy'. I used to be more focused, but I think having two young kids has for the moment permanently fogged my focus. I start one job and then get distracted. Or I try multi task to the point where I'm actually not getting much done. So my solution was to prioritise. On a list of course :) 
I made a list of everything I needed to do on a daily basis. 
The really urgent tasks got four stars. Torins medication and skin, jolie's playschool runs, feeding the animals, making bread and watering the garden were among the ones that came under this heading. 
Then came the three star tasks that weren't urgent, but I really wanted to do, like one on one time with the kids, Tom time, making soaps & creams and gardening. Laundry and washing eggs were some of the tasks under this heading, not that I want to do them, but I really should, though they're not urgent. 
Next came the two stars, blogging and having a bath instead of a quick shower came under these. I needed and wanted to do them, but they just needed to wait until the three star tasks were done because after all, my family and our homestead is most important.
And lastly, with one star came photography and Facebook. I have a passion for photography, and even a diploma in it, but at the moment my career is on hold, so I rarely dig out the camera unless I have a few hours where I can get creative and have peace and calm. 
Facebook is generally only something I sit at when I'm completely exhausted. For a while there I had the app on my phone and checked it several times a day....any new notifications? any new photos?....what a waste of energy. I deleted it from my phone, and I now spend those free moments thinking of something creative, or talking to people in the same room as me. Don't get me wrong, Facebook is very useful for keeping in touch with family far away, and for lots of things, but I don't make time for it anymore. It just slips in there when I really have nothing else to do, or I physically don't have the energy to do anything else. 
Finally at the end of my priorities list I wrote: 'Don't forget paperwork'. This is an ongoing task that just needs to be address when needed. 
So now, when I start daydreaming when I should be doing something useful, I snap out of it and try get focused. Priority list to the rescue. 

9. Sort out paperwork
The files and boxes of unorganised paperwork from my fiances work and just life in general were taking over the TV cabinet. I had made an attempt before with some folders to organise it all but it just didn't work. I bit the bullet and bought a filing cabinet. I sorted it out, his and hers sections, and the kids got their own folders too. I went through all the paperwork, threw half of it out, and filed the rest. Then I bought an inbox tray. A three tier one. Now Tom and I each have an inbox,and the third is for the kids. Everyone knows it's there, and as soon as a letter enters the house, if it doesn't land in the recycling, then it lands there. The trays are pretty shallow, a good idea, because it's impossible to load them up to the brim. I just HAVE to tackle the paperwork regularly because otherwise it topples over. Sorting paperwork and having it organised makes the whole idea of accounting and letters seem less daunting, and I feel more in control. Less scared I'm going to get some random fine in the post because I lost the warning notices somewhere behind the couch or the bread bin. 

10. Think and chill
Finally, the last step I took in my time management mission was to just have a little think in the evening what I'm doing the next day. As a mum who still has to get up and give my little boy three bottles every night (well Tom and I take it in turns, but either way you still wake up), the morning wake up call is usually followed by my brain trying to remember what day of the week it is, did I wake up late?, and what was I meant to do today?. Well now I just spend 10 minutes in the evening thinking, right, what AM I really going to do tomorrow. Realistically. 
Then comes the chill factor. Life isn't by the book, and if it's too planned it's all so very boring. Organised or not, mostly, my kids, the animals, and the garden decide my time schedule. There's no point in being miserable or cross if I can't get everything done. I'm trying my best, and I'm doing a hell of a lot already. If I can't get it done, or if at this moment in time I'd rather giggle with the kids or have a cuddle with Tom,then so be it. Life is too short. I want to enjoy it. :)




Books read as part of my research:

- Simplify Your Life by Mike C. Adams
- Time Management for Manic Mums by Allison Mitchell
- Time Management by Richard Walsh

Please note I am not promoting any of these books or any products. These are simply my opinions and experiences. 

My happiness project 2014: March -Time Management (part 1)

2016 Update: My happiness project had to be put on hold for a few years as I couldn't take it on as all my focus was on getting our son better and I also had some health issues. 

I will be resuming it in the near future as I still think it would be a great thing to do, so I'll keep ye posted :) 


I know, lol, I'm writing my March Time Management project in June/July,.. that doesnt say much about my time management. Well things are about to change! My monthly projects for this year have been slightly delayed due to simply being a busy mum, being sick, and if I'm honest, also due to naivity believing that I could actually do all that on time! :)

Well for each project (see here or on the Life tab of the blog about my happiness project if this is the first time you are tuning in) I do a considerable amount of research and reading. This of course takes time. I have just finished the last of my time management self help books and I am so happy and looking forward to the future. I am going to nail it! My dreams of making life eaiser, happier, and more memorable are looking more like a reality when I think of putting all these exciting new practices into place to change my life for the better. 

I'm going to share the steps I'm taking with you and break it up into two posts so you don't feel like you've just had to trail through three self help books like me in the search of a more sane you. 

Some of the ideas I realised myself with some thought about how our lives could be managed more practically, and some are ideas I have gathered from the books I have read. (listed below). To say the least, I am inspired! Lets get de-stressed and organised. Lets get cracking!

Please don't get scared off by the initial period of sorting out, scheduling and dumping crap from your life. It'll be all the easier after it's all done. 

One of the things I realised while reading is that a mums time isnt considered important enough. Whether its by ourselves, our partners or family members, or simply the society we live in,...too many people say "I'm just a mum" when they are asked what they do. A mothers job in my eyes is the most important one you can get. You created this miracle. You are shaping the future, creating yours and someone else's destiny, and showing your true colours althewhile loving the most you've ever loved before, in turn making yourself also incredibly vulnerable to loss and pain. 
I have always viewed it as an important role, and love being a mum but I never put a real value on it. Allison in her book 'Time Management for Manic Mums' made me realise that if Tom was to employ people to do the jobs I do then he would have to pay out at least €2,588 per week alone in just wages. That would include a childminder, stay at home nurse, chef, gardener, farmer, chauffeur, psychologist, entertainer, shopper and PA. At that I'm probably even selling myself short. So thank you Allison, my minutes are indeed valuable and I'm giving myself a pat on the back. Time really is the most prescious of all things, never will today come again. Never again will my child be this small and cuddly, the time will come all too soon when I am too 'uncool' for cuddles. That is one mega motivation to get on top of time management. I dont want to wish mine away or spend it stressed, shouting and in a dishevelled mess. 

Right, values done, pat on the back done, ready for action because yes, I am really super-mum. 

Steps I took to manage my time better:

1. What do I want to change? What do I want the outcome to be?

First off I wanted to spend less time cleaning, get less stressed, spend more quality time with the kids, more adult time with Tom, and just feel like I'm human, not a machine. I needed more structure, less chaos. (how very german of me I know :) I need to wake up in the morning and know what I'm doing rather than let the day just happen and overwhelm me. Looking at mess and unfinished jobs causes a chain reaction of constant negative thoughts. 

2. I made a list of daily, weekly, and bi monthly chores in the house so I can keep track of my cleaning. Due to Mr. T's allergies & eczema I have to do a lot more cleaning than a usual household with two kids as I have to keep detergent lint and dust at bay. For more info please go to the severe infantile eczema tab in this blog. With this list I can feel safe that nothing has been left out, and nothing is being done unneccessarily twice. Below is a copy of my chores list, I laminated it and stuck it on the inside of the kitchen cupboard so I can cross off jobs that are done with a chalkboard pen.

3. A mealplan would have been the next step but I already did that for my February happiness project see here. For the sake of making life even easier while the kids are so small though I have decided to actually plan the individual meals, not just the basic idea. I have filled out what meal we will eat every day, and the ingredients needed for it that would usually not fall under the general shopping list. I tried picking meals that everyone likes, and that are healthy & take an hour or less to prepare and cook. Easy ones like roast chicken with roast vegetable would of course be an exception as they take longer to cook, but seeing as there's not much to do once its all in the oven it still stays simple and I can clear the kitchen or play with the kids while its roasting. It's a work in progress that can be altered if anyone gets bored etc. 

4. One of the jobs I hate doing the most is my weekly shopping list. going through all the cupboards checking whats gone, and making a list for the several shops,....it takes me about an hour every week. An hour I would happily spend doing something else. So I made the mother of all shopping lists and I'm hoping I will never have to do one again. Not in the next year anyway. 

I go to several shops every week in an attempt to buy good quality fresh food at the best prices. My food shopping day could consist of 5 different food shops along with another 3 or 4 other shops for errands and animal feed etc. 

I decided the best option would be to print a page with all the usual shops on it. Under each shop title then come all the things I usually buy, with boxes that I can tick next to each item. Then there are also blank spaces for any special groceries needed to the specific meals mentioned in the point above. For example specific fresh veg would go into the blank spaces. Then I print about 10 copies of this list ( enough for 10 weeks to start off with) and hang a new one up in my kitchen every week the day I come back from food shopping. Then over the next week whenever something runs out it just has to get ticked off the list. At the end of the week I simply add the items that are listed on the mealplan if needed and voila! Not more making a shopping list. It just makes itself :) Here's a copy if anyone needs ideas:

5. Make a to do list of everything! Literally everything I want and need to do in the house. Things I think about all the time and then I waste energy trying to remember them when they slip out of my head because someone's just interrupted my thoughts. Trying to keep all those tasks in my head is unnecessary stress. I probably wont get all these things done in the next 12 months, but I always find it frees up your head if its on a piece of paper on the wall instead of gathering cobwebs in your brain. Once the list is made I can revert back to it whenever I get a spare half hour and want to tackle one of them. 

6. I have also decided that in order to fulfil my time management goal I have to just have a day or two without the kids where I can gut the house, empty all the clutter cupboards & boxes and get rid of a load of stuff. Do I really need it? or love it? If I keep tidying something up that isn't mine or part of everyday life, then there must be something wrong. Either someone else isn't pulling their weight and should be tidying it up themselves, or its just unnecessary clutter that, if it was on a charity shop shelf would be a lot better off. I am going to organise these two days in the next fortnight and go crazy decluttering, and storing the things we do need in the right places where they will be used. 
Of course there is an exception, I have a few memoir folders with old sentimental items that of course no one should throw out, so I think they deserve a nice spot where they will be safe. That way they are easy to find when I add some more to them. When I'm 80 I'll no doubt want to shakily recall the good old days, much to the boredom of my kids who have probably heard it all before. Oh well :)

Well that's the first part of my mission, a few more things to combat in the second post :) 
Good luck!



Books read as part of my research:

- Simplify Your Life by Mike C. Adams
- Time Management for Manic Mums by Allison Mitchell
- Time Management by Richard Walsh

Please note I am not promoting any of these books or any products. These are simply my opinions and experiences. 

Severe Infantile Eczema Update - May 2014

Hey guys :) Well, it's summer! I'm loving it. It's gone from being a beautiful winter to being a beautiful summer. Yipee!

With summer coming along Mr. T has been spending more time outside in nice weather which generally would suggest that his skin is also slightly better due to not being inside in heated rooms or outside in gale force winds. On the grander scale of things this is probably true. Six months ago he did look worse, but I think the herbalist that I am going to see also has a lot to do with any improvement. Unfortunately there hasn't been much improvement past the fact that his cheeks are just less 'angry' looking. We seem to have come up to a stumbling block yet again. A month ago when I saw the inflamed red patches calming on his cheeks I was really hoping this was the start of the next step. 

I am still continuing with the herbalist treatment, in one way I am afraid to stop. I guess we'll see what another month brings. It's one of the most difficult aspects of severe infantile eczema. It's also a big waiting game, one that taxes both your body and mental state in the process.

This update will also include a message for other mothers and fathers out there trying to cope with this. Look after yourself in every free moment you can get, and try be good to yourself! I learned my lesson over Easter, a month ago;

After a year and a half of struggle with Mr. T, trying to help his skin stay on his body, not get infections, get the correct foods, have emotional support, keeping the family running and the house detergent/allergen free my body finally decided it had enough of being pushed and pushed and made me listen to it and stop. 

I have suffered from cardiac arrhythmia since 2011, but there are times when it gets worse like during pregnancy, when I don't drink enough water, when I exercise too much, and when I consume alcohol or caffeine. Well last month it was getting worse and worse and then one day it went scarily crazy. My rhythm was skipping and hopping, with pauses that made me cough and gasp, beats that felt so strong it was like they were going to jump out of my chest. I got stabbing chest pains in my chest, a heavy feeling like I had concrete blocks sitting on my rib cage, and a headache like someone was pouring hot water over my head. I was grocery shopping and had to gasp for air while clutching my chest when I decided OK, enough was enough, I have to listen to myself. I always pushed myself harder and harder, knowing that in reality one has more left in the tank than one thinks, well, I think this was the end of my tank. 

I text Tom and said I needed to get home, and once I got there I wouldn't be able to do anything. Once I got home I went to bed, darkness, regular breathing, no talking, and lying on my right hand side seemed to calm it down. Three hours later my heartbeat regulated somewhat. The next morning I went to the doctor who said I should have gone to A&E the day before, well to tell you the truth, A&E didn't even enter my mind. All I wanted was bed, rest and darkness. Diagnosis: Exhaustion. Over the next week my heart wouldn't let me do much. Climbing the stairs left me shattered, simply being awake for three hours had my arrhythmia going mad again. Chest pains, pressure, and headaches were unnerving.  

Well it has taken me a month of extra rest to recover from this (thank you Tom, Mum & Chloe), which was followed by a bladder infection, throat infection, and cold. I am also going to see more specialists to see if there's any fibrillation going on, which would be a little more sinister. 
Now I am just left with a hoarse voice and a cough but I'm nearly better. The cardiac arrhythmia is a condition that I might have for life, but I now know that when it plays up I need to just give myself a little love and stop to think that if I keep going to the point of collapse I will be no good to my kids or family either, so take it slower! 

A burn out as they call it, physical and mental collapse due to exhaustion, if you want to call it that, also has emotional problems. In the last month I have been unable to be as strong as usual when Mr. T has a break out, or when I have to explain to someone about his condition. Where before I was able to speak and act with motherly strength and confidence, I now crumble and cry. This too though will improve with time as I tell myself it will all be OK. We are lucky that Mr. T is not terminally ill, or in a hospital etc. On the grander scale of things he is suffering less now than he was this time last year. We should be proud of that. 

If there are parents out there on the same venture as us, please take a moment. It is so difficult to take a few minutes to yourself, especially when you think there must be something more I can do to help my little one, what's the missing link? Well even if you haven't found the missing link, remember you need to listen to your own body too. Without you your child wouldn't be getting the love and care it needs. Be kinder to yourself! It is difficult to sometimes remember that you ARE really trying your best. It is not your fault, and you are not a failure as a parent. The road on this journey is tough, but you need to be ABLE to be there for them, truly, from the heart. Not just in a zombified state of mind that is merely functioning to upkeep your efforts and survive yourself. Someday it might catch up on you. Give yourselves a pat on the back, or a hug.
Ye deserve it :) 

Mr. T :)

My happiness project: February - Be healthier (part 2)

2016 Update: My happiness project had to be put on hold for a few years as I couldn't take it on as all my focus was on getting our son better and I also had some health issues. 

I will be resuming it in the near future as I still think it would be a great thing to do, so I'll keep ye posted :) 

So my February happiness project was to be healthier. I did a detox, and came up with a healthier meal plan that suits our family, you can see this post here. On top of that though I planned on excercising more and giving this new fad ; oil pulling a go. I figured those things together would create an all round healthier me. :)

Unfortunately I didn't get as much excercising done as I'd hoped. I just didn't find the time. I'm sure you mums out there know what I mean. Where oh where do I squeeze it in? Argh! I can't get up any earlier,  and during the day it's impossible to get an hour for myself. After kiddie bedtime I feel like a sleepy pot belly pig from dinner and the days running around so no hope of excercise then.

I decided I could only do my best, and that was little spurts here and there, like when I'm supervising the kids in the bath (obviously always staying next to the bath, facing them, in case of accident) or folding laundry. I also started trying to get the kids to do work outs with me. Miss J happily joined in, delighted to be practising counting to 12 and 20 over and over. Mr.T on the other hand decided it was much more fun to sit my head or use me as a climbing frame.

Mr. T deciding excercising was too boring. 

I have always been into staying fit and excercising so I attended Pilates and various different work out classes in the past, and I also went to see a physiotherapist after Mr.T's pregnancy as I had a three finger gap in my stomach muscles called diastasis recti. The work out that I do is my own personal culmination of these excercises as well as some I found on you tube and in a post pregnancy book called Superfit Mama.

Every body shape is different so if you're  planning on getting fit I would advise to attend some classes and do some research as to what suits you. It also of course depends on health and injuries. What current state of health and fitness your body is in should be the first thing you assess. For example I was in a car accident 8 years ago and still suffer from whiplash if I'm not careful so any excercises I do, I bear this in mind.
Well, if you'd like some ideas and would like to read how I went about my excercise plan here goes:

Firstly I measured myself. I have no weighing scales in my house but I'm around 52kg, and 5ft4. That works out at an 'average' though slightly small 30 year old woman. I took measurements of the places I would hope would tone up with the work outs which are the following:

- Bum/hips (widest part of bum)
- Belly (measure at same height as belly button)
- Waist ( thinnest part)
- Bust (seeing as these are still changing and recovering post partum I wanted to   observe change in these too)

Everybody wants to achieve different goals, so what you aim for is entirely up to you, your health, time, and ability. My body shape is rectangular ie. not much curves going on, so not much bum & boobs and not much of a waist, but fairly athletic and though i eat like a horse I rarely put on weight. My goals weren't anything drastic, but after two pregnancies some toning and core strength is needed. You know yourself, exercise results might not be noticeable to others, but it could be the difference between looking in the mirror before you get dressed thinking 'rrrraaaarrrr! :)' or thinking 'hmpf! :/'. Measuring yourself is a good way to stay motivated and know whats happening.

I decided to try the exercise plan in the Superfit Mama book mentioned above. It's basically short 10 minute routines focusing on butt, belly, flexibility and a general circuit work out to cover all areas. That way I could maybe squeeze in 10 minutes here or there. I still have to tell myself: relax! It's ok if u can't get it all done. At least you're doing something. Breath! The time will come.

Obviously I can't copy everything from the book here due to copyright, but I've had a look online to find some similar exercises, and also some videos I think are suited.

So here's some of the excercises I have on my list:

- Hip flexor stretch (tight hip flexors get in the way of seeing results from stomach exercises. A good idea to throw some in)

- Butt work outs, and here's some more :) Just found another one that Miss J always wants to copy: Booty kicks

- Belly workouts: Reverse crunch, Toe Dip, and here's a work out from Tracy Mallet.

- Hoola hooping! I used to steal Miss J's hoola hoop and after 60 seconds of keeping it up I was sweating and my stomach muscles were screaming for help! Great fun too. I now bought myself a hoop that fits me, and one for each of the kids so we can do it together. It's hard work at the start, but great for warming up everything when you haven't got an opportunity to go for a warm up walk. Here's the video I watched to get me started: Beginners Hoola Hooping

I haven't got the opportunity to upload my own exercise routine via video, so I've just come up with that collection by searching for some of my usual exercises online. I mainly use the ones from the Super Mama book mentioned above, which I would highly recommend. (Please note I am not being endorsed for this article). Of course I adapt anything I need to in order to make it work for my whiplash, so please, be careful! Also, not all the exercises and movements above are what I would call suitable, some are too harsh on your body I think, but use your common sense, and listen to your body. You know best. And if you don't, consult a professional trainer or fitness expert. 

Now where do I find the time to fit all this in? I have no idea! I'm a real mum, with a real life, and one of my children needs a lot of extra care. For more info go here.

I basically just do what I can. 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there, and sometimes, god help me, try to do it with the kids :)

Getting everyone ready to exercise ;)

As for the oil pulling. Gosh! I tried and failed. I get up in the mornings between 6am and 6.30am and get the kids ready.....I failed to not talk for 20 minutes. Miss J thinks its hilarious to try make mummy talk when she's nearly gagging on coconut oil. I've decided to leave it for a while, and keep it as an interesting venture to do in a few years time. I am definitely interested in it, but right now, it wouldn't work. You just can't shut me up :)

List of products I use

I have been asked a few times now what products I use in our household that are safe for Mr.T so here goes. Obviously I know that we haven't combated Mr.T's outbreaks entirely but we now have a little boy who has skin on his body and just outbreaks on his face and hands whereas this time last year the only part not covered in sores was his bum.

Here's a list of products I use and how, and also any useful links with them. I'll update this regularly whenever I change products or know more. Please note that we live in Ireland. I found a lot of suitable products listed online but a lot of US sites don't ship to Ireland, and if they do it's for extortionate prices so I've had to test a lot of products more locally or from Ireland at the risk of not knowing if they are safe. Please use your own common sense as every baby is different and has different allergies/intolerances. Mr.T can't tolerate argan oil, almond oil or shea butter which is in a lot of products, so we are a little more limited.

Also, please bear in mind I am not endorsing any products, this is simply a blog post of my own opinions and experiences. Although I am sharing the post of various social networking sites I am merely doing so to get the word out to help others. I am not being paid to promote any product or method. Common sense is needed in all cases. I am not a doctor, nor have I any medical qualifications so I cannot give any medical advice. This is just what works for us, and it might provide some ideas for you. :)

Shampoo: 
- Dr. Bronners mild baby castille soap diluted with chamomile tea (for blond hair), but I found it quiet drying so stopped using that. 

- Aldi & Lidl pure soap. NOT any other soap they have. I decided to try their bog standard pure soap as it's mainly tallow which is supposed to be more moisturising, but it seems to be too moisturising, and leaves residue behind making hair heavy and difficult to brush. 

- Aphrodite Olive oil soap. I used to use this on my hair a lot, and still would if my current shampoo ran out. It seems to do a really good job. Takes a little getting used to to not have a massive lather when washing your hair, but it's worth not having all the chemicals and sulphates. I get it from the local health food shop. 

- Sodium bicarbonate (Bread soda). I used this to wash my hair every once in a while just like described in this beautifully written article. The only problem was that again, it was quiet drying. 

- At the moment I am trying Morrocco method shampoo, although it's expensive, I have finally found something that is gentle and great for my hair, and also safe for Mr. T. It's worth it if it means he's OK, and if I finally have hair that is easy to manage and not brittle or dandruffy. I'll keep this post updated as to how I get on :)

Conditioner:

- Diluted organic apple cider vinegar, Braggs is what I used. I've stopped using this though as I realised it wouldn't be good for my mission of trying to lighten my hair naturally. Just spray it on after washing out the soap, and then rinse. Once it's dry it doesn't smell like vinegar, and makes hair nice and soft.

- Diluted distilled white vinegar, use this once every two weeks or so to condition light/blond hair. Use same as the apple cider vinegar above. 

Hair lightening spray: (for blonds) 
Apparently diluted distilled white vinegar, chamomile tea, rhubarb tea, and mullein tea all make your hair lighter if sprayed on after washing and not rinsed out. If you sit in the sun after it helps the process along faster. I wouldn't try the lemon juice that I've read online on some posts as it seems too corrosive for my own personal liking. 

Hair darkening spray: (for darks) 
Apparently rosemary essential oil in your shampoo darkens your hair, as does rosemary tea, and apple cider vinegar. I don't want to darken mine so I'm staying away from these. 

Hair treatment: 
Coconut oil. Every month I lather my hair in organic coconut oil and leave it in overnight. Takes a bit of effort to wash out with natural soap, but worth it.

Hair residue remover: 
Sodium Bicarbonate (Bread soda). When my hair feels like it has residue build up, or just too heavy I wash it with this, a good few handfuls of bread soda rubbed into hair and then rinsed out. Works good :)

Body wash: 
I use the Aldi or Lidl pure soap bar. 

Body moisturiser: 
Organic olive oil, organic coconut oil, or organic sunflower oil.

Facial cleanser: 
Beeswax cream I still have this left over from when I bought it for Mr. T and it works a treat. If I don't have that I would just use coconut oil. Just rub either into your face gently, in upward motions, and then rinse with warm water. I've heard people saying this is too oily for acne prone skin, but for my combination skin it seems fine.

Facial toner: 
I use chamomile tea or rose water. Gently rub all over face with cotton wipes in upward motions after cleansing. Voila! 

Facial moisturiser: 
I generally use rose hip oil, coconut oil, or olive oil. I have yet to find something non greasy for my face that Mr. T is ok with. Hence my fringe (bangs) always get greasy from my face, but oh well :) Please note, while I'm sure Lush is a natural alternative for some people, they still have sodium lauryl sulfates (detergent) in most of their products so I have deemed them unsafe in our household.

Make up: 
I've heard Dr. Hauschka products can sometimes be safe, but I always look at ingredients on my makeup, and if I don't recognise something now I won't get it. I have some make up products that I got in a sale from Samina Pure makeup, but I don't wear it very often, so I don't have much. I am looking into making my own, and recently bought activated charcoal to make my own mascara and eyeliner. I've also seen some recipes to make my own eyeshadow and blusher....looking forward to experimenting :)

Nail varnish: 
There's no such thing as natural nail varnish, but a girls gotta be girly sometimes so after lots of looking online I now get this one: Suncoat and I guess its as close as I can get to being non toxic. I generally only wear nail varnish when going out or having a confidence crisis :) I've heard of dying my nails with henna, but I don't want to do that as I don't want the 'stained' look, I want the glossy look. So far that's the best I've come up with. 

Laundry detergent: 
Soap nuts. I order them in bulk from www.soapnuts.co.uk, and one bulk buy I bought in April last year is still only 50% used. Our washing machine is on for roughly 3 - 4 washes a day! Please note however, soap nuts make your clothes darker so for whites/lights I use Dr. Bronners liquid soap. Please note, Ecover claims to be natural. For starters the word 'natural' has no legal meaning, so anyone trying to promote a slightly less chemical product can call it natural. Ecover may not have as many chemicals in them as your average laundry or household detergent, but they still contain the main hazard for Mr.T's skin. Sodium lauryl sulfate - SLS, so this is also a non runner in our household. When I messaged them to say their products were sending the wrong message to customers they said SLS was tested,and results show it as harmless. I told them to come see Mr. T and see for themselves. He is one of many. 

Fabric softener: 
Clear distilled vinegar. Pour about one cup full into the fabric softener dispenser, and voila. Soft clothes, but ones that don't smell of vinegar. Great for towels. 

Surface cleaner: 
For this I use diluted Dr. Bronners baby mild soap in a spray bottle, or simply diluted clear vinegar. 

Window cleaner: 
Vinegar, and instead of cleaning with cloths, clean with newspaper. 

Washing up liquid: 
This is what I miss most from the chemical world! I have yet to find a washing up liquid that works. At the moment its just a bar of Lidl/Aldi pure soap, and I rub the sponge in it every few minutes, clean the dish, and rinse with water. 

Nappies: 
I used reusable bamboo cotton cloth nappies for Miss J as a baby, but of course I washed them in detergent so I couldn't use them again for Mr. T, and buying another set would be too expensive, never mind the added work when there's already too much so I go for disposable nappies. At the start I got them from the The Organic Cotton Shop but the biggest size in this brand then got too small for Mr. T so I moved onto Beaming Baby nappies; but these then started squishing his thighs after a few months too so now I get theseNaty Babycare eco nappies in the biggest size.

Baby wipes:
I don't want chemicals or fragrances on Mr. T's sensitive skin so I use Waterwipes or organic cotton wool and water. 

Baby formula:
Since Mr. T was four months old we had to feed him Neocate formula as he was allergic to dairy, goats & soy milk. Luckily he took to eating solids well and has always been a strong big boy. Recently though, at nearly 18 months old we decided that it was time to stop giving him this formula. We have been doing so much to make his diet as organic, pure and healthy as possible but the Neocate was the only thing that was still processed and highly 'unnatural'. It was a necessity at the time, but now we felt he was old enough, and had a balanced enough diet that we could find an alternative. So now during the day Mr. T doesn't have any bottles, just solids. At night he still wakes up for 2-4 bottles, so I now make what I call 'seed' milk for him. A weak mixture of organic sunflower, pumpkin & hemp seeds, blended and strained in a nut milk bag. On top of two oz of this he gets 4oz of organic rice milk and 3oz of our well water in each bottle. Not only are the seeds full of essential amino acids, but it is a healthy alternative to Neocate if it part of a balanced diet of solids which he has throughout the day. 

Mr.T's moisturisers:
We are currently seeing a qualified herbalist for Mr. T and it is really making a difference. We are using the moisturiser that is given to us by her. She has a reputation for being able to help babies with eczema, and I think she has already helped our little man a lot.
Thanks to one of my readers suggesting it, I have also found pawpaw ointment to be an excellent natural barrier cream. A great alternative to vaseline. 

Bath time:
If I take Mr. T to town and he gets detergent on his hands I have to wash his hands with the pure soap mentioned above but unless I am trying to actually get detergent off, I dont use anything to clean his skin. For bath time I put a handful of oatmeal and a handful of organic chamomile tea into a nut milk bag (or an odd sock with a hairband tied around it will do) and let the hot water run on top of that before any cold water goes into the tub. Once the temperature is right and he is in the bath I then gently dab the bag over his skin especially the sore areas so it has a chance to work it's magic. 


Hope that helps! :)

Infantile eczema update - March

I havent posted an update in two months now, but I'll try summarise some of the progress/set backs we've been having with our cheeky Mr.T. 

Well in Februaury he was sick with a cold for a few days and that knocked him a bit, now he has one again, but he gets through it. 

I can't really remember what outbreaks he had exactly since I last posted, they just turn into a frenzied blur at times but recently he's had a few so I'll share them with you. If you are reading this because you have a baby like our Mr.T then maybe these triggers may help you determine what sets your little one off. 

Firstly he had three reactions in one week. Two to detergent, and one to dairy. The detergent reactions came when some family members were kind enough to take him for a walk two afternoons, but even with putting their hair under hats and not letting him touch their clothes he came back and ended up in a screaming scratching mess. It alienates friends and family when being around their little relative is so complicated because they love him and don't want him to suffer, but it is possible to socialise and have fun :) thank goodness! There are just some strict rules to adhere to like the following:

- visitors wash hands with 'safe' soap

- after washing, no hand cream

- if visiting overnight or getting close to Mr.T then shower with 'safe' products and wear my clothes or clothes we have spare in various sizes

- if not showering then tie hair back or put under hat, & put on my coat & don't put face near his skin if wearing make up. 
(by safe soap I mean: Dr. Bronners baby liquid soap, Lidl pure soap, Aldi pure soap, Aphrodite olive oil soap, or Morroco method shampoos.)

The best places to meet are outside, going for walks, to the playground, or chilling in the garden. 

Thankfully there are people that are willing to do this so we can resume a half normal lifestyle. My mother is amazing and has even gone detergent free and cleaned her house from top to bottom with natural products to make it safe for us to visit. 

His dairy reaction came from a dish I made him for dinner. One of the ingredients was cheese but I didn't realise it till after he got sick. Poor boy. I felt absolutely terrible!. I had looked at the ingredients and seen the unusual name but it was next to herbs like basil and I assumed it was another herb. I later realised it was a type of cheese. Stupid, I know. But it could happen to anyone, mental note though, make sure you know what EVERYTHING on the ingredients label is. Don't assume anything if you have a baby that is hyper sensitive or has eczema. Google it. 

The next week he had two reactions, one to being in a shop, and the other to flax oil. Taking Mr.T to town into shops has always been risky as his eczema breaks out big style due the detergent dust that is on the items for sale from the warehouses and factories, the detergent that shops are scrubbed with, and the detergent that all the customers have on themselves that falls off as lint and dust. I usually have to get a babysitter if I go shopping but on this occasion I couldn't arrange anyone so I had to take him with me......I washed his hands with organic cotton wool and water I had brought from home after every few shops but by the time I got home his cheeks and hands were burning red and starting to weep. Off to a chamomile and oatmeal bath he went as soon as we got home and then he was better. 

Organic first cold press Flax oil, who would think someone could be allergic to that! Well Mr.T is, as I found out after I added some to his dinner one day. His face and hands and any part that the oil touched became extremely itchy and red until I washed it all off. 

Since then he has had some minor breakouts, but nothing major that springs to mind. It's difficult to control detergent cross contamination as it is invisible so sometimes I think small breakouts are due to this.  

So that's the bad news I guess, but there is good news. 

Mr. T has been drinking Neocate formula since I stopped breast feeding in February of last year. He is now old enough to get a balanced diet through solids however so I was eager to get the Neocate out of his diet. We worked so hard on getting the best ingredients into him and then he was still drinking synthetic amino acids, it didn't make sense. He still needs a bottle to go to sleep, mainly for comfort, and he wakes up 2/3 times a night for a bottle so I had to try an alternative. I now make my own seed/rice milk mix for him out of organic sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, rice milk & water, and after introducing it little by little he's decided he likes it! Not only is it healthy with essential amino acids vital for skin healing, but I now know what he's drinking whereas with Neocate I had no idea. It was just a necessity as he was allergic to dairy, goat and soy. 

Another good thing is that we have started taking him to a herbalist. Although as you can see above he is still very sensitive, I have never before seen his cheeks and hands as clear as they are since about 3 weeks into the herbalists treatment. I am just praying that it will get better even more. It's like walking on a tight rope, it takes so much to stay on, and there are so many things that can go wrong to fall off and all previous efforts are gone down the drain. I am scared to get my hopes up in case we get heartbroken again, but I can't help it. If this works my little boy can live a normal life. Our family would be like a normal household with two children. Mr.T wouldn't have to have things like itching, pain, special care and restrictions in his way, governing his life. That would be amazing! I'll keep ye updated on any progress, and remember, stay strong. Our little ones with eczema, allergies & sensitivities need lots of love and understanding. This world is a habitat that isn't entirely welcoming for them, and they need their mummies and daddies physical and emotional support. 

My happiness project: February 2014 - Be healthier

2016 Update: My happiness project had to be put on hold for a few years as I couldn't take it on as all my focus was on getting our son better and I also had some health issues. 

I will be resuming it in the near future as I still think it would be a great thing to do, so I'll keep ye posted :) 

Yes, it's the beginning of April and I'm writing about my 

February happiness project. I guess my March mission of getting better at time management must have failed. Lol.

Anyway, for those of you that don't know, I have undertaken my own happiness project this year. Every month a new goal on the road to being a happier person. For more details click here.

In January my mission was to sleep more, the basics of any happy person I think. And then in February my goal was to be healthier. This had to start with a detox of course, there was no point in trying to build a healthier me on top of the built up toxic residue in my body I'd accumulated over the years. For more details on my detox click here.

So in the second week of February I did my detox and then I did up a new meal plan. We have a healthy enough diet anyway but I needed to make some changes. Less red meat and gluten, more salads and greens, and generally a more alkaline diet, paying attention to my 8pm treat cravings :) There is so much advice out there on what to eat, a lot of it contradictory, so I've just gone with common sense, and personalised preference. Some say red meat is bad, some say lamb is good, the men in our family say you need red meat for energy,....well, I've decided we're having beef, venison or rabbit once a month, and lamb and chicken once a week.

Fish is something we need to eat more of. With the seas and rivers as polluted as they are, and farmed fish fed on GM food a lot of the time it is difficult to get fresh, safe, fish. I've decided to not opt for cod and net caught tuna but instead mainly to go for my favourites; rainbow trout and mackerel. Not only are they healthier than white fish, but as far as I know they're not endangered. When we sometimes do have tinned fish with our lunch it's usually herring or line caught tuna.

I'm going to focus the vegetarian meals on being alkaline in particular, easy seeing as most leafy greens are alkaline.Salads will be more present at lunch time in particular to get the increased raw foods into our diet.

For the carbohydrates I'm going to try be a bit gentler on our stomachs and not fill them with plain old wheat. Instead of normal pasta I'm now going for spelt pasta or rice pasta (watch out for unnecessary chemical unpronounceable ingredients in gluten-free options :). Instead of normal bread I make my own spelt or rye bread thanks to my bread machine. Rye or rice crackers are also a good snack. We have been lucky enough to get all our potatoes since last summer out of our garden, so these are organic and pesticide free. 

For breakfasts I'm going to have more juices and smoothies than before and also instead of toast and tea it's going to be cinnamon coconut & raisin porridge with a cup of green tea or roibos.

Water, water! Must drink more water! My poor kidneys are of the sensitive kind so I need to treat them better. Luckily we are connected to a well so good quality water is always at hand, so yes. I'm filling up an old 1l glass Schloer bottle twice every day so I can keep an eye on how much I drink, and it's also easier to glug when you're in a rush than politely drinking out of a glass.

I'm going to supplement my diet with spiralina, flax seed oil, evening primrose oil, kelp, lepicol, and wheatgrass. Kelp in the form of tablets every once in a while, lepicol whenever I feel my intestines need a helping hand, and the rest in my breakfast smoothies. Not altogether of course, I'll add them at random. 

Now my only diet problem is my 8.30pm 'cuppa' time. Kids in bed, lights dim, brain fried, and after a few minor jobs it's finally adult time so on goes the kettle and out comes the roibos tea and biscuits or chocolate. Better still, Lindt chocolate! God damn you Swiss, how do you do it! Soooo divine. Well I'm going to limit myself to one bar of Lindt chocolate a week. Will it work? Hmmm. I wonder. If that's gone by evening number 3 I'll resort to rice cakes, melon, or Bombay mix. I'm going to try make some Mr.T friendly cereal bars too which will be handy. I think some magnesium supplement wouldn't go astray either as chocolate cravings is meant to be a sign of its deficiency. Fingers crossed. Time will tell. :)

Here's what I came up with anyway for my meal plan. I tried to make it as balanced as I could. It shows the general direction I'm going in for the month, with the dates, and then it leaves space to write in what exactly which recipe I have planned to cook. I'll fill those in when I'm making my shopping list for the week. There's also three boxes for home made dessert options in the month. I hope the quality of this is ok for other computer screens, I can't seem to upload it at a better quality. If someone would like a copy of it, just let me know and I'll email it to you.

As well as food there's also a few more things I'm going to try change for the positive. Doing workouts again, and oil pulling. But I'll leave that for another blog post, hopefully in the next fortnight. :)

Well, if any of my readers want to live a little more healthy maybe this gave you some ideas. I know it seems as if I am incredibly organised, but believe me, life gets in the way of any schedule at the best of times. So even if my meal plan doesn't go according to plan, it doesn't matter, no sweat. It can be a rough guide, and the next week will probably be calmer and more focused. If anyone else has ideas how to make a busy mums life healthier please share them! Let's get cracking! :)