Review: GroVia Hybrid Cloth Diaper

So, you know we use cloth, right? You know we've had our disasters, right? And by disasters I mean: blow outs. Scary-its coming out of him like lava-blow outs. Lots of them:

I always knew we were going to use cloth diapers and after I bought my first carrier I started building up my humble stash. I bought the cheapest covers and prefolds in the world. WHAT A NIGHTMARE/MISTAKE! Literally, as soon as baby pee/poop, there was a leaking fountain running out of those diapers. And that's how the research for close-to-the-best diaper started.

We started using G-diapers because (I thought they were cute, who am I kidding?) I've read good reviews on them and they are really well known on the Cloth diaper society.  Well, they weren't THAT cute considering that every time my son would poop it came straight UP out of the diaper. Their fitting is weird: it was really tight on his legs/belly but there was a huge gap on his back. We said: Next.

My crunchy BFF Megan (you know her from here) started dealing with the cloth diaper research the same time we did and she tried the GroVia Hybrid (from the GroVia Cloth diaper) first. She mentioned a couple of times how good they were and that they hold a lot during the night. So, I thought, "what the heck, let's try them".

I ordered this one:

And then when I found out that I love them I ordered this:

and this:

 

...and a couple more. 

Why we love this diapers? 

First of all: they DON'T leak! They hug baby's legs and back beautifully while being very comfortable on the front. It doesn't look like its too tight on the belly. They sometimes leave a mark on his legs if they are too tight, so be careful with that. You are supposed to be able to fit a finger in between the skin and the diaper.

(We just use the covers with prefolds but I've heard that the inserts that goes with the model is awesome and holds a lot.)

If they are not soiled you can re-use them after you let them air until the next change. Score! Less laundry.

After washing them they dry REALLY fast. And that's a super plus when you are on a budget and you don't have many diapers. 

They are one size and waterproof. (With the Gdiapers, if the pouch didn't hold the pee it, the cover got wet, and so the clothes...and everything around).

They are disposable friendly: if you are traveling you can buy the GroVia disposable inserts and you are ready to go. No need of carrying with lots of soiled inserts. 

I love their design, fun patterns and colors the most. They look super chic! (Who needs pants, yo?) And I don't think they look like the typical, cliche baby stuff. They are very put together and they definitely look like a good quality product. 

What Papa likes?:

-They are really easy to use: No snaps. No stuffing. No worries about pinning prefolds. (We went there... pinning is...No.)

-Their velcro is awesome! Great quality! 

Papa loved them so much he was the one who ask Mama to buy more! 

When you are cloth diapering you just really want to make it simple and the no-blowouts issue made it simple for me (cause there was less laundry to do ;) ). Also, if Papa is not complaining, everyone wins. 

Now, go get your GroVia Hybrid and help save the planet too: one diaper at a time!

Family bed

I think this is a great article on why babies should sleep in bed with their parents.

http://neuroanthropology.net/2008/12/21/cosleeping-and-biological-imperatives-why-human-babies-do-not-and-should-not-sleep-alone/

Cruelty free

Thought it made perfect sense not to circumcise my baby.

Here are some facts regarding circumcision that most parents are unaware of, and some websites and many physicians fail to mention. 

About 117 boys die each year in the United States as a result of their circumcision, most from infections or blood loss.
The U.S. circumcision rate is steadily declining. In 2002 it was 65%, 56% in 2006, 54.5% in 2009, and 32% in 2010.
Circumcision is a heated issue, and the circumcision controversy has become a full-fledged human rights movement, making it even more important that parents become better informed.
Most physicians do not have their sons circumcised. Why not, if circumcision is medically advisable? Since most have performed the surgery as part of their training, they are the ones who should know more about its consequences than anyone else.
Physicians are biased toward circumcision. Circumcised doctors are 5 times more likely to recommend circumcision to patients.
Contrary to frequent claims, infants do feel pain as intensely as adults, and very possibly even more.
Painful newborn procedures—including circumcision—should be avoided in order to prevent long-term psychological and physiological consequences.
Circumcision regularly removes a shocking 3/4 of the penis’ sensitivity through the removal of the ridged band, foreskin “lips,” and most often the entire frenulum.
Anesthesia is used in only 45% of circumcisions; the type of anesthetic varies. The most effective method does not eliminate all pain, and the most common type used, a topical creme, does almost nothing to reduce it. In fact, a major clinical test of the various types of anesthetics, on actual infants, was halted for humane reasons because of the intense pain.
As adults, men circumcised in infancy are almost 5 times more likely to be diagnosed with erectile dysfunction (ED).
Circumcised men and boys are 60% more likely to suffer from alexithymia, a psychological trait disorder which causes difficulty in identifying and expressing one’s emotions, which can lead to difficulties in sustaining relationships.
The complication rate for circumcision varies from 3 to 6 percent. The average male will have more health problems from being circumcised than from being left alone.
Circumcision has never been proven to be effective in either reducing or treating cervical cancer, penile cancer, urinary tract infections, or sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS.
Not one medical association in America, or anywhere else in the world, recommends infant circumcision; some even recommend against it. At no time in its 75 years has the American Academy of Pediatrics ever recommended infant circumcision.

 — in Asheville, NC.

3 months

Guru Che is 3 months today. It feels like yesterday we saw his face for the first time, but it also feels like he has been here forever. My transition to be a mom hasn't been easy, considering I never thought about having babies and even got to question my mom gene when pregnant. Considering I wrote a whole thesis on feminism and spaces in relation to the housewife figure being controlled by a dictator. Every day is a new experience, a new prayer for wisdom, a less me and more him. And maybe Im not the best mother, but Im a good devotee to my guru. Im allowing myself to make mistakes and to learn from them. To ask for more guidence to his infinite knowlegde. And he is forgiving, and loving, and he likes to smile when he wakes up in the morning... and he ask me to chant with him his very own mantras...

Motherhood is better than anything if that means to be ~his~ mom.

November, 14, 2013

Almost 3 months

In 6 days Mikaél is going to be 3 months. Where did my tiny, 8 pounds baby go? Some serious growing is happening: from both parts, because mama and papa are growing as well.

Lately Mikaél has been laughing and giggling at Papa’s silliness. But he loves to talk to me. He oh’s constantly if you promote it and if you start the conversation. And when he wakes up in the morning he smiles…a lot. Such a happy baby. So happy to say hi to mama and papa in the mornings.

Can’t wait for what Life is going to be with you in it, forever and always. You are the coolest, most amazing thing that ever happened to us. And I’m so grateful. So lucky. Every day, every second.

Mikaél's Born day

When I found out that we were pregnant I didn’t feel fear, but excitement and joy. I knew that this was supposed to happen; that this soul chose me/US to be his/her parents and I surrendered to that will with humbleness. I had the most magical pregnancy. My body was doing what it’s supposed to do and I was in love… In love with Aaron, in love with the journey.

(37)

After 41 weeks and 3 days of pregnancy my body was exhausted. I felt too big for my frame and it was even a little uncomfortable to walk because my feet got so huge, and my knees and hip were hurting. Even with the discomfort that pregnancy can bring, my body was full of magic: I never experienced morning sickness, or bad headaches, or back pains… I guess the little discomforts that I did experience were nothing compared to the excitement of this new life that was growing inside of me.

By the end of my pregnancy we were too anxious to meet baby Mikael, and we were trying everything to induce my labor naturally, but obviously, nature is wiser. He knew exactly when he was coming. After trying walks, sex, pineapple, pregnancy tea, Mexican food, etc. in a weekend, Tuesday night I had the idea to do some visualizations. I had been sleeping all Monday so I was pretty awake that night while Aaron was already asleep. After I watched a couple episodes of “How I met your mother,” I turned off the lights and put a cd on to do some guided visualizations. I did an hour and then felt like going to bed even though I wasn’t tired. I took a long warm shower and while there I talked to Mikael a little… I told him that I wanted to meet him on the earth side and that if I was rushing things too much, to forgive me but to understand that I was ready and that my body was tired.

I got into our room quietly, scared to wake Aaron up, but he was already awake. He tried to scared me and he did. It was dark in our room and as I snuggled in bed with him I had no idea that my labor was so close. I can’t remember what we did after I came into the room but half an hour or an hour later I felt a cramp… I have been feeling cramps for almost 2 weeks but this time they were different. They were telling my body to stand up and walk, not to stay in bed all snuggled with Aaron. It was 3 am when this started to happen and as I noticed they were coming and going (not like before were they were mild but consistent, like a period cramp) I ask Aaron to time them. They were 5 minutes apart: since the BEGINNING! I wasn’t prepared for that. They weren’t too strong, but they reminded me of the word “contraction” as I experienced them: it felt like a cramp, yes, but also like the whole universe inside my womb was contracting in an echo that was getting louder and louder.

The sun was rising and my signs of early labor were even more obvious. I texted Megan, my friend, and I told her that that was it… It was my time. Before, I kept telling her I felt it was the moment, but now I was sure. Aaron called our midwife and she asked us to get some rest…but we couldn’t. My contractions were a little too intense to rest. I tried though, to keep watching my show, but I couldn’t. I tried to lie on the couch, but it was uncomfortable.

Patia, my doula, came early to check on me. At this point my contractions were taking my breath away, so she would let me hang on her neck as she massaged my pelvis and rub my back. I told her the bed was uncomfortable so she put a stack of pillows on the corner of the bed and a little blue stool on the floor so that I could sit on that and rest my head on the pillows. It was the only position I could stand at this point. I was getting in tune with my body and it felt like I only was listening to her and ignoring Aaron, but feeling his energy. His energy was all over: intense and beautiful, exciting and nervous…I think anxious more than anything.

I felt very vulnerable; like a baby that didn’t know what was happening to her body and how to control it… I was at the expectation of more but that little sensation happened to seem too much for me at the moment. Patia would keep massaging my arms and legs while I had my head on the pillows and my eyes closed. The massage would give me goose bumps and as I felt them I would imagine my body opening up. It was the perfect visualization for my early labor as I prepared myself for the journey. It was still very early in the morning and with my eyes closed, I heard Aaron making pancakes in the kitchen…

Diana, my midwife, came in later… I cried on her chest and I whispered to her “It hurts.” She recommended that I take a walk, go grocery shopping, or watch a movie… But those weren’t activities I wanted to do...at all. I was in labor, I was breathing my labor in and out and she was asking me to do things I thought my body wasn’t capable of doing anymore. Patia had other plans. She asked me to go down the stairs… and then to step outside. I did. I went outside and felt the weather. It was such a beautiful morning. So fresh, and clear. I remember thinking: “it feels like *the* day”. Patia held my hand and asked me to walk with her; to tell her a story. I did. Barefoot, all over our Hempstead street, stopping with every contraction. And again, she would let me hang on her neck and massage my pelvis. People were passing by; cars were passing by too… I didn’t care. I was getting there.

After that walk everything seemed to start getting more real. Aaron started setting the birthing tub and I started to get more and more uncomfortable in every position. I can’t remember much of the transition, I just know there was a point where my moans were stronger and longer, I was in my underwear, and I would go to the shower more often to pee. Yes, I started peeing in the shower instead of the toilet.

The tub was ready. Patia brought more pots to warm up the water on the stove and during the day she would keep bringing hot water to the tub as I lie there. She asked Aaron to step in with me. It felt like heaven…The water and Aaron’s body. We stayed there for hours. Literally: HOURS. I, lying on him, squeezing his hand every time I felt a rush. At some point I was able to close my eyes and sleep/dream laying on him until the next rush… Those minutes felt so good. I felt so loved by him… Patia would leave us alone and tell us to “love on each other” and that’s how it felt: it felt that we loved on each other even without saying anything.

I don’t have many memories of what happened during the day. I just remember being in and out of the tub, walking around the house half naked, having Patia feeding us carrots with hummus, a protein shake, or water (that woman kept me hydrated!). I remember the hours were really surreal: the day went slow but fast. By the end of the night I know I looked outside (from the window in my shower) and it was dark, just like in the morning when I started feeling my rushes. It felt like I spent the whole day, a whole cycle, in labor.  

When I was completely dilated my midwife pointed out that I needed to pee. I haven’t been peeing at all, and that was making my rushes stronger. They tried to put a catheter but couldn’t so I went again to the shower, followed by Patia. I tried to pee by myself with no luck. I had a talk with her, I cried, I screamed---very loud---very animalistic. I was so exhausted: I just wanted to push my baby out, and I remember the feeling of me pushing him with every rush because it felt natural… I remember her asking me about my fears but I can’t remember my answers. That talk made me realize that something needed to change. I know that what I was experiencing was more than labor. My bladder was too full and it was making everything more intense. I talked to Aaron and I told him we needed to go to the hospital. We cried a little while in the shower away from Diana and Patia. I felt disappointed in myself/my body because I couldn’t do something that is supposed to come out of you naturally: PEE! And that was holding my dream of having a peaceful birth. Now I had to run to the hospital: to everything I didn’t want to give Mikaél. It was so frustrating. But, at the same time, now looking back to that night, my mind/soul/heart were so present, so in tuned and connected to each other. I needed to go to the hospital. Aaron says (and I believe that too) that Mikael chose this path; he told us what to do in his infinite wisdom. We trusted him: I was crying, still half naked in the middle of the living room, while Aaron put a dress on me.

We had to drive almost an hour to the hospital and when we got there they put a catheter and broke my water. I felt so relieved. Though, because I was 10 cm dilated already and have had been in labor for so long I told Aaron I wanted some medicine, so he asked for it and after I got it I could rest a little and prepare myself for “the big show”. I was so ready; so excited to meet my baby earth side. I was calm, even relaxed. Aaron would keep telling me I looked beautiful, despite I probably looked beyond tired.

 After an hour I started pushing and apparently I wasn’t progressing too much, so the doctor told Aaron she was considering a C-section or the forceps because my pelvis was too small for my baby. Obviously, the C-section wasn’t an option, so we decided to do the forceps. I had no idea what that was. I’ve never heard that word in my life and when I saw them I was terrified. At this point, I felt so empowered by the moment: I just wanted to see my baby! So I pushed, the doctor pulled, I heard everyone cheering up, and I heard Aaron telling me he could see his hair… I saw him crying… And we got him out. They put him on my chest and I felt him so heavy on me… he was so warm!

Aaron’s face was completely priceless: full of tears of joy. I will never forget that face. I’ve never seen him more beautiful.

Mikaél got here at 2:37 am on August 14. 8 pounds, 20 and ½ inches. Aaron brought him back to me and he was so perfect! All the dreams I had about him before were nothing compared to what I had in front of me. He was so beyond amazing.

Did I get discouraged when we decided to go to the hospital? Yes. Was I scared? No. I owned and I will keep owning my birth story forever. This is how it was supposed to happen; this is how Mikaél wanted to be born. He knew there was going to be some complications in the process and he guided us to what he believed was better for the both of us. 

We trusted the journey, and the sacredness of it. Birth is sacred, no matter what.

I got my peaceful birth because I learned what that really means: to give birth is quite a violent, dramatic act; but I’m lucky because I got the healthiest, most perfect baby after that journey...and there is nothing more peaceful than that.

We spent 20 hours at home laboring, loving the moment, Aaron standing by me like the most loyal warrior…welcoming this new soul into our lives, holding a sacred space for him. 

My house wasn’t the same that day. In my memories, my house had a different glow; it looked kind of like a good dream. Even how it sounded was different. I was very vocal, but everyone around me was quite, whispering; so loving.

All the windows were open. Fairfield felt brighter and opened. Aaron always had his arms open. My body kept opening. Everything, waiting for him, was like a hug from the sacred Mother Universe.

la espera

35 

37 

39

40

41

"te veo llegar cada dia..."

Yogi Chick Pea

Son las 9:13 am... y te veo a traves de mi camisa estirando tu espalda. Te imagino, en mi interior, practicando yoga. Reaprendiendo a fortalecer tu espina dorsal.

Eres tan sabio.
Tan inmenso en tu pequenez...

<3

In the time of sacredness

"Something opens our wings. Something makes boredom and hurt disappear. Someone fills the cup in front of us: We taste only sacredness."
Rumi

(34 weeks)

journey

31 semanas

32 semanas

34 semanas

35 semanas

templos

Mi guru,

Hace ya un mes vivimos en Iowa. Dejamos Normal atras para seguir a tu padre, para finalmente comenzar a vivir esta aventura. Ojala recuerdes algun dia lo mucho que te pedi que nos enviaras un espacio para traerte al mundo. Mi cuerpo ya esta muy grande y tu gigantesco ser lo estaba ocupando todo... Todo era muy diminuto para ti y tu templo.

Recuerda, mas tarde, el lugar que escogiste para nacer y todas las bendiciones que nos regalas cada dia en este lugar. Este sera tu templo cuando abandones el que ocupas ahora. Aqui espero mirarte a los ojos por primera vez; aqui espero vernos crecer.

Ultimamente, eres un torbellino dentro de mi: podemos sentir cuando estiras tu espalda o tus pies...y te imagino bailando si escuchamos devocionales a Ganesha y Krishna. Yo se que eres feliz aqui adentro porque nos escuchas hablarte y reir, pero ya contamos los segundos para verte. Cada dia te espero con mas ansias... ya pronto nos conocemos. Ya pronto llenaras este lugar con tu divinidad.

Te amo.
Mas de lo que algun dia puedas imaginar,
Yo:
Tu hogar temporero.

La sabiduría de Gurmukh

Hace unos años, cuando estaba en la Universidad de Puerto Rico, descubrí el kundalini yoga. Recuerdo que era mi rutina hacer yoga en las noches para poder mantenerme despierta escribiendo papers o estudiando para algún examen.

A mis manos llegó un día un dvd de Gurmukh… y la amé desde el primer momento.

En resumidas: me encontré hace poco con su libro Bountiful, Blissful, Beautiful dedicado al embarazo... y ha sido exactamente lo que necesitaba. Leer sobre salud, sobre tu plan de parto, etc es y ha sido una aventura super interesante, pero este libro me ha mostrado un lado completamente inimaginado e inexplorado por mi. Yo había olvidado por un momento que 1- no todo se puede planificar y 2- debo fortalecer mi relación con esta alma que crece dentro de mi. De todos los libros y blogs que he leido sobre el embarazo este ha sido mi favorito...el mas apreciado por mi mente y por mi alma. El embarazo no es unicamente una transicion fisica, sino mas que todo emocional, espiritual y psicologica en la que no estamos solas. Al ser que llevas dentro tambien hay que tenerlo en cuenta y respetarlo.

No he terminado de leer el libro, pero he aqui algunas cosas que he aprendido de Gurmukh:

• Las almas no reencarnan en este mundo al azar. Tienen un plan especifico; un plan divino.
• La tradicion judia de la kabala habla de que nuestras almas escogen a nuestros padres, porque solo padres en particular pueden guiar a un alma en particular lo que esta tiene que aprender en esta vida.
• Aprender a amar cada momento de "discomfort" como cada "comfort", porque es pasajero...se tranformara en algo diferente.
• En tiempos tribales, dar a luz era un periodo de honrar a la mujer. Una mujer que daba a luz recibia el mismo respeto que un hombre que regresaba de alguna batalla.
• "When you own your birth, you own your life."
• El pepinillo y el melon ayudan a evitar la retencion de agua. ;)
• No solo la salud, sino tambien el caracter se forman en el vientre.
• Cuando vives en "joy", estas impartiendolo tambien a tu hijo/a. Ellos aprenden valores reales cuando los sienten, sin necesidad de palabras.

"Remember, you are the strongest you have ever been. You are the most intuitive, you are the most flexible... Let our pregnancies be the time for us to take our power back and remember again who we are: part of a long, golden lineage of women who have throughout millennia had the strength to survive and thrive. We are strong. We are woman!"

Gurmukh tiene varios videos en youtube dedicados al yoga prenatal.

Sat Nam. <3

nuevo hogar

Ya vivimos en Iowa...y ya pronto llegas.
(30 semanas)

Gran Buda

"When a child is born, the entire Universe has to shift and make room. Another entity capable of free will, and therefore capable of becoming God, has been born. In that way, every child's birth is exactly like the birth of a world teacher. Every child born is a living Buddha. Some of them only get to be a living Buddha for a moment, because nobody believes it. Nobody knows it, and they get treated like they are dumb. Babies are not dumb. Just because they don't speak English doesn't mean they are dumb. A newborn infant is just as intelligent as you are...'' Stephen
Del libro "Spiritual Midwifery", por Ina May <3

infinidad

Babies bring blessings with them...

baby guru

Mi príncipe,

Los otros días descubrí que eres fanático del “maja mantra”. Me imagino que ya lo reconoces porque lo escuchamos mucho desde que descubrí que estaba embarazada. Te movías si lo escuchabas y te calmabas cuando no. Desde entonces te lo canto mientras me ducho. Siento que llegarás al mundo a enseñarme de mi propio espíritu, algo que he tratado de entender sin éxito. Desde ya eres mi gurú...mi diminuto maestro de la vida.

Infinito amor,

Mamá

floreciendo

22 semanas

23, 24, 25 semanas

26-27 semanas

Pan de guineo con yogurt / Vegan!

Ingredientes:

2 guineos maduros, machados.
1 taza de nueces (yo use almendras, pero puedes usar las que quieras)
1/4 de aceite de canola (puedes usar mantequilla o margarina, pero esta debe estar a temperatura ambiente)
2/3 azucar granulada 
2 "huevos" (egg replacer---anteriormente nunca usaba el egg replacer para hacer pan de guineo asi que estos pueden ser completamente irrelevante)
1 taza de yogurt (yo use plain Almond Dream... quiero tratar con un yogurt de sabor la proxima vez)
1/2 cucharadita de extracto de vainilla (o las que quieras!)
1 taza y 1/2 de harina all purpose (yo use whole wheat)
3/4 cucharadita de sal
1/4 cucharadita de baking powder
1/2 cucharadita de baking soda 

• Precalienta el horno a 350 grados.
• Cuando majes los guineos, agrega las nueces y deja en un recipiente aparte mientras mezclas los demas ingredientes.
• Mezcla el azucar y el aceite hasta que quede como una masa mas consistente. Agrega el reemplazo de huevo. 
• Despues de agregar el yogurt y la vainilla, mezcla los demas ingredientes sueltos uno a la vez: la harina, el baking powder, el baking soda, etc. 
• Por ultimo, los guineos y las nueces.

Hornea por 55 minutos o una hora. Verifica que este completamente horneado introduciendo un cuchillo en el centro del pan...si sale limpio, esta listo.

Para esta receta, yo tambien agregue chocolate chips...experimenta tambien!

Adoracion

Amor mío,

Eres un niño. Y lo más importante: creces saludable dentro de tu pequeño mar. Te vimos el 22 de marzo y la alegría nos desfiguró la cara y las emociones. Era tanto el descontrol que mis nervios no sabían si reír o llorar. Ni siquiera tenía el valor de mirar a tu padre a la cara, porque sabía que su cara también se desfiguraba y no quería interrumpir ese momento. Cuando Niki nos dijo que eras un niño, podría jurar, que fue uno de los momentos más hermosos de mi vida. Aunque tu género era completamente insignificante para nosotros, era la confirmación de todo lo que ya sentíamos a través de tu energía divina. Ya te llamábamos por tu nombre, pero ahora era más que real. Vimos tus movimientos, tus piernitas como bailando, tus manitas acariciando tu cara…y tu cara. Hubo un momento que en que sentí que a través del monitor podía mirarte a los ojos. Es inexplicable tu perfección y desde ese día vivo enamorada de lo perfecta que es tu espina dorsal.

Últimamente no dejas de moverte y ya papá te ha sentido. A veces, en la noche, inconsciente y perdido en sus sueños, se voltea y posa su mano sobre mi vientre. Yo sé que tú lo escuchas cuando te habla, y si no, puedes sentir cuando yo estallo en carcajadas cuando lo hace. Tienes el papá más amoroso y devoto a ti.

Te amamos, luz divina...Todos. Todos los que han sentido tu milagro. Es un placer guardarte en mi y protegerte.

Mamá

Worship

22 semanas, 30 de marzo de 2013.

adictos al queso

Yo he sido vegan por mucho tiempo ya y no me imagino tener otro tipo de embarazo que no sea libre de lácteos o producto animal. Pero, la historia de otras mujeres es diferente. Las personas se acercan al estilo de vida vegan por diferentes razones y no todas necesariamente se dirigen a un deseo de acabar con el maltrato en las granjas que promueve la ingesta de carne y de otros productos lácteos: unas lo hacen para bajar de peso, otras porque está de moda el estilo de vida orgánico, porque las actrices de Hollywood lo están haciendo (weirdos), etc.

Hace unos días estaba viendo unos videos en You tube sobre embarazos veganos y me encontré con uno que no me hizo ningún tipo de sentido. Ella se hacía llamar vegan, pero cuando salía a comer a un restaurante comía queso si no había más nada en el menú. No sólo ella, sino he leído de muchas otras mujeres que durante su embarazo se dejan arrastrar por los antojos y sucumben a quesos y carnes porque dicen no poder controlar el deseo.

Esto a mi me desconcierta grandemente y me alarma de la misma manera. Vivimos en una sociedad de adictos, literalmente. No en un sentido metafórico. No. Somos adictos a lo que nos han venido alimentando por décadas y no reconocemos el límite ni podemos controlar a nuestros propios cuerpos.

Leer el libro “Skinny Bitch. Bun in the Oven” por Rory Freedman y Kim Barnouin, confirmó mis sospechas.  En su capítulo once llamado “Cravings: The monster inside” las autoras ligan los antojos a los lácteos con la drogadicción. ¿Por qué? La leche de vaca contiene trazos de morfina y la morfina, junto con la codeína, por ejemplo, son naturalmente producidos en el hígado de las vacas y terminan en la leche que se toma el humano. (187, traducción mía) La leche de vaca también contiene caseína, una proteína que se rompe durante la digestión y libera opiáceo, sustancia presente en el opio, que es un derivado natural de la morfina.

Las autoras también mencionan que la caseína está presente en la leche materna y que se puede asociar el llanto de un recién nacido no con el hambre sino con la necesidad de obtener nuevamente “la droga” que lo hará sentirse mejor. La única diferencia entre esta caseína materna y la de la vaca es que es normal que el recién nacido tenga este efecto sobre la leche de su madre (asi como es normal que un becerrito quiera la leche de su madre) y la madre naturaleza se ha encargado de que los niños crezcan y se desarrollen perfectamente sin necesidad de otro substituto.

Gente, cuando el bebé, naturalmente, deja de lactar NO necesita la caseína más. Nosotros nos hemos programado para necesitar el lácteo en nuestras vidas por la gran cantidad que consumimos. Las autoras dicen que cuando una persona afirma que es adicta al queso: realmente y químicamente esto es posible. Las personas pueden llegar a ser adictos al queso.

Del libro voy a citar las hormonas y químicos identificados en la leche de vaca que pueden contribuir a esta adicción:

-      Prolactin

-      Somatostatin

-      Melatonin

-      Oxytocin

-      Growth hormone

-      Thyroid-stimulating hormone

-      Vasoactive intestinal peptide,

-      Calcitonin

-      Parathyroid hormone

-      Corticosteroids

-      Estrogens

-      Progesterone

-      Insulin

-      Epiderman growth factor

-      Erythropoietin

-      Bombesin

-      Neurotensin

-      Motilin

-      Cholecystokinin

Eres lo que comes. Y si has estado consumiendo hormonas y drogas…pues. 

Para mi los antojos son totalmente psicológicos. Si tengo ganas de comerme algo y no puedo conseguirlo: no voy a morir, no voy a llorar, no voy a matar a alguien. ¿Por qué? Porque yo controlo mi cuerpo y mi mente. Querer comer algo dulce no significa siempre comer galletas y azucares procesadas (que no vienen mal de vez en cuando), pero tu cuerpo también necesita frutas que están naturalmente endulzadas y que le hacen mejor a tu bebé.

 Las mujeres embarazadas y que quieren ser vegans con deseos de comer queso no tienen excusas de sucumbir a un pedazo de pizza con queso “real”. Hay muchas alternativas que sustituyen textura y sabor y que no contienen colesterol o ningún otro tipo de hormona o droga.

Querer es poder. 

Nota: Estudios dicen que las nauseas matutinas pueden estar ligadas a una reaccion natural del cuerpo para evitar que la mujer consuma alimentos que no son buenos para su embarazo. No lo dudo. La naturaleza es sabia. 

Por cierto: yo no he tenido nauseas matutinas hasta el momento. ;)

Vegan Tofu omelet

Yo no sigo recetas, asi que sólo les voy a comentar el mejunje que hice:

En el blender:

Tofu (usa el tofu según la cantidad de personas que vayan a comer. Yo usé bien poco.)

1 cucharada de harina de maíz

1 cucharada de leche de soya (agrega más leche  si te quedan muchos grumos)

Después de mezclar en el blender, lo pasé todo a un envase para sazonarlo. No le eches mucha sal.

Yo usé un poco de sal, orégano, parsley y un poco de ajo. Usa los ingredientes que quieras.

En un sartén precalentado a temperatura media esparce la mezcla del tofu tratando de distribuir bastante. No va a quedar perfecto: no es huevo.

Pon una tapa sobre el sartén mientras salteas los toppings. Échale un ojo al tofu y verifica que se esté dorando. No trates de levantarlo hasta que todo esté dorado porque podría quebrarse.

Cuando todo este dorado será fácil despegar del sartén y voltear. Hay gente que no lo voltearía pero yo quería que todo estuviese dorado. Volteé y tapé nuevamente.

Para la fase final puse los toppings encima junto con el queso. Doblé el omelet y volví a tapar a temperatura baja para que el queso se derritiera.

Fin.

Toppings:

Yo usé brócoli, setas y cebollas (estos ingredientes los salteé con un poco de mantequilla y salsa de soya…sólo un poco.)

Además corté tomates, espinacas y germinados.

Queso

Happy Brunch!

Peanut butter cupcakes

Papá le envió a Mamá unos libros de recetas: 1- porque Mamá tiene antojos de queso y 2- porque a Papá no le molesta que Mamá hornee cupcakes.

¿Lo primero que Mamá horneó? Cupcakes de peanut butter! FTW.

He aquí la receta para 12 cupcakes:

Ingredientes:

¾ taza de leche de soya

2 cucharaditas de Apple cider vinegar

½ taza de mantequilla de maní “chunky”

1/3 taza de aceite de canola

2/3 taza de azúcar granulada

1 cucharada de extracto de vainilla

1 taza + 2 cucharadas de harina

1 cucharadita de baking powder

½ cucharadita de baking soda

¼ cucharadita de sal

Procedimiento:

1.     Precalienta el horno a 350 grados F.

2.    Mezcla la leche de soya con el vinagre y déjalos aparte mientras mezclas los otros ingredientes.

3.    En un envase grande mezcla bien la mantequilla de mani, el aceite, el azúcar y la vainilla. Agrega la mezcla de leche de soya y vinagre hasta que todo quede bien incorporado.

4.    En otro envase, une la harina, el baking powder, el baking soda y la sal. Y agrega estos ingredientes secos a los ingredientes mojados.

5.    Rellena el molde de cupcakes 2/3 cada uno y hornea por 23-26 minutos.

Y ya: Mucha proteína y amor.

Esta receta es del libro VeganCupcakes take over the world, por Isa Chandra y Terry Hope Romero. Me muero por hornearlos todos y no engordar...si, claro. ;)

Happy baking!

19 semanas

Bebé,

Ya te siento dentro de mi. Te mueves muy rápido antes de irme a dormir y te sentí por primera vez cuando fuimos a Puerto Rico. Nadie más puede sentirte todavía y esta conducta egoísta que tenemos me agrada: aún eres sólo para mi. Sólo yo puedo sentirte y es una comunión que no comparto con nadie, solo contigo. Últimamente he pensado en lo vacío que quedara mi cuerpo cuando ya no lo habites; cuando ya no crezcas dentro de mi. Pero, te espero y te visualizo cuando cierro los ojos y pienso en ti. Tu papá soñó contigo hace unos días y me dijo que eras la criatura más hermosa del mundo.

Déjame soñarte a mi también.

Con adoración,

Tu mamá

Ps. Ya oliste por primera vez el mar. Creo que te gustó.

Soami te ama. 

(18 semanas)