Baby-led feeding is an approach to solid food introduction that allows baby to explore and discover whole food on their own with parental supervision.

With baby-led feeding you give baby whole foods or foods cut into hand size spears or slices so that baby learns what is a comfortable and manageable bit size for them. This helps develop baby’s taste and texture sensations to natural food, and helps create their independence at the dinner table as well. Read More…

I, Leigh Anne DuChene, have researched, taught, and coached on holistic or natural baby-led weaning or baby-led feeding for 3 years now; through classes, online support, and one-on-one coaching.

I now offer my services through DuChene Natural Health Center’s Nourishing Origins. Our February Baby-Led Feeding classes are now scheduled, with more to come. Special offer when you register early, see below for details!

Join us on:

Baby-Led Feeding Class – Thursday, February 18, 2010 – 6:30 PM

Baby-Led Feeding Class – Saturday, February 27, 2010 – 1:00 PM

For more details and to register go to www.BabyLedFeeding.com

Baby Bond (a brand new, updated version of Baby Matters: What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Caring for Your Baby) author Dr. Linda Folden Palmer will be speaking to Houston residents at a book signing at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10. Want to organize a presentation for your group right here in Dallas/Fort Worth? Read more about how to bring Dr. Palmer to a meeting of your group, later in this article.

Dr. Palmer’s book exhaustively lists the scientific evidence behind attachment parenting, breastfeeding and the reality of food allergies … Dr. Palmer shows how the establishment of science-conquering-nature has caused unnecessary suffering and heartache to parents and babies alike. — Vegetarian Baby and Child

Dr. Linda Palmer’s rebuttals of current mainstream child-rearing trends (artificial infant food, cow’s milk consumption) do not stop at their negative impact on infants but rather create a compelling and well-cited argument for their links with lifelong negative complications. — Journal of Human Lactation

Read more of Dr. Palmer’s articles on healthy, natural parenting online at her web site.

Organize your own program with Dr. Palmer

Dr. Palmer is available to speak to groups of 25 or more, so coordinate with several playgroups or parenting groups and bring Dr. Palmer to your own Houston event. Presentations may be tailored to parent groups or health professionals. Dr. Palmer may also be available in Dallas/Fort Worth. Contact Dr. Palmer directly to learn more about possible speaking dates for your group of 25 or more in Texas on Oct. 9-11.

See Dr. Palmer at Barnes and Noble in Houston:

2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10
Barnes & Noble
12850 Memorial Drive, Houston 77024
(713) 465-5616

Fever, throbbing pain, breast soreness, throbbing pain, more fever, throbbing pain … A plugged duct can be not only a (throbbing) pain but also throw a monkey wrench into your nursing relationship. But you don’t need to scamper off to the doctor; it’s absolutely possible to cure a plugged duct through natural means at home.

According to Kellymom.com, the four basics of treating any plugged duct or breast infection are:

• Heat (opens ducts, deliciously soothing relief)
• Massage (be as firm as you can!)
• Rest (slow down)
• Empty breasts (nurse frequently)

The key to successful treatment, Kellymom notes, is to begin treatment promptly.  Visit Kellymom for research-based advice on breastfeeding questions, including plugged ducts and mastitis:

• How do I know if I have mastitis or a plugged duct?
• Common (and not-so-common) side effects of plugged ducts or mastitis
• What are the usual causes of plugged ducts or mastitis?
• What is the usual treatment for plugged ducts and mastitis?
• Does mastitis always require antibiotics?
• References and additional information

New parents-to-be alert: Join local lactation consultant Sharon Mattes of Natural Beginnings for an in-depth, research-based class on breastfeeding tools and techniques, designed especially for parents. This personalized small-group experience on June 20 in Garland is the perfect prenatal introduction for expectant mothers and fathers.

You’ll learn about today’s best, freshest tools and techniques to make breastfeeding easy, including DVDs, videos, baby dolls for siblings, pillows and accessories and breast pump demonstrations.

• The how-to’s of comfortable nursing
• Ways to ensure an ample milk supply
• Pitfalls that sabotage your breastfeeding success
• New products that make life easier

Breastfeeding tools and techniques
Saturday, June 20
1-3 p.m.
$50 per couple
1526 Archery Lane, Garland 75044

Class size is limited; register now to save your place!
Call (972) 495-2805,  e-mail Sharon Mattes or use the registration form online at Natural Beginnings

North Texas Natural Family was one of a handful of eco-friendly web sites featured recently by KDAF-TV Channel 33’s Pelpina Trip on “Pelpina’s Picks.”

“And North Texas Natural Family has a lot of green resources to live a greener family life,” notes Trip. “The website offers local addresses on where you can buy organic food and go natural shopping. They also have tips how to live a healthy lifestyle without toxic products, and natural pregnancy and birth. They are a great resource on living a green lifestyle in the DFW area.”

Tell a friend about North Texas Natural Family!

• Subscribe to NTNF’s RSS feed
• Get NTNF updates by e-mail
• Join NTNF on Facebook

Join other families at the Conscious Parenting for Peace Conference, part of The Global Peace Project’s Conscious Community Expo and Concert held Saturday, April 4 at Unity Church of Dallas. The free conference calls for nationwide and world wide unity and service and will offer a full day of speakers, events, ideas and activities.

A Conscious Parenting track designed especially for families will highlight holistic health, education and family topics.

Conscious Parenting Schedule

10:00 – 10:10 Leigh Anne DuChene with LIVE Didgeridoo music Quinn Eaker – Freeform Dance Meditation
10:10 – 10:15 Welcoming Message
10:15 – 10:45 Leigh Anne DuChene – Holistic Family Heritage & Conscious Parenting
10:45 – 11:30 Katherine Clay – Babywearing for Peaceful Parenting
11:30 – 12:00 Ann Crowell – Midwifery Care for a Peaceful Pregnancy & Birth
12:00 – 12:30 Kristi Rooks – Cloth Diapering for Conscious Living
12:30 – 12:45 Leigh Anne DuChene Peace & Kindness Meditation with LIVE Didgeridoo music Quinn Eaker
12:45 – 1:30 Katherine Clay – Babywearing for Peaceful Parenting
1:30 – 2:15 Quinn Eaker – Unschooling for Peaceful with Children & Education
2:15 – 2:45 Dr. Cindy Haggerton – Chiropractic Care for Peaceful Pregnancy & Children
2:45 – 3:15 Dr. Joy Wiggins – Pathways to Peace for Children
3:15 – 4:15 Bob Hopkins – PAVE
4:15 – 4:45 Donnallyn Dominguez – Midwifery Care for a Peaceful Pregnancy & Birth
4:45 – 5:15 Leigh Anne DuChene – Holistic Family Heritage & Conscious Parenting
5:15 – 5:45  Quinn Eaker – Unschooling for Peaceful with Children & Education
5:45 – 6:00 Quinn Eaker LIVE Didgeridoo music performed
6:00            Closing Message

The Peace Project is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization funded by The Peacilicious Planet run by volunteers, created to enhance local, regional, national and global communities through peace education programs. It creates opportunities for individuals and communities to peacefully impact the world by fostering a culture of peace, balance and harmony that allows all to participate in building a global community that embracing social, economic, religious and environmental peace, awareness, tolerance and sustainability.

Unity Church of Dallas
6525 Forest Lane, Dallas 75230
(972) 233-7106

When now two-month-old Charles Moses Martin Goodrich’s mother died just hours after giving birth, an entire group of Michigan mothers mobilized to breastfeed the infant. “What amazes me is they are so committed,” says family friend Nicoletta Fraire, who helped organize and schedule the ongoing effort. “They would do it for anyone because they believe in this. They didn’t take it lightly and they don’t miss a day.”

Despite this demonstration of community solidarity, a nationally representative Babytalk survey last year showed that 45% of respondents find nursing another woman’s baby “disgusting” or “weird,” though wet nurses used to be fairly common practice.

Modern acceptance for cross-nursing, as it’s become known, continues to inch forward among the country’s growing number of breastfeeding mothers. Read more at Super Eco.

Here at NTNF, we’re pretty strong advocates of the less-is-more approach. But if you’re a bona fide technophile and you loves you some iPhone, there’s no reason not to harness that power for the good of the family.

ParentDish has posted what may just be the best list of iPhone parenting apps out there today. Get organized, get entertained, get tracking, get notified … Get busy!

• Baby monitor program calls the phone number of your choosing when your baby monitor detects Baby is awake.
• Nursing tracker helps you keep up with which side, how long and how often you’ve nursed.
• Cookbook app puts more than 160,000 recipes right in the palm of your hand.
• White noise with a selection of natural, technological, gentle and assertive background sounds helps baby nap through the sound and the fury, no matter where you are.
• Voice notes lets you record inspirations without scrambling for a pen and paper.
• Scribble app entertains young artists wherever you may be.
• Diaper tracker keeps track of the, uh, bottom line.
• Grocery list app keeps you organized and ready to shop.
• Food additives database helps you remember which nasties to avoid in the grocery store.
• Preschool Adventure app offers still more on-the-spot entertainment for the wee ones.

Visit ParentDish’s iPhone parenting apps list for direct links to these apps.

Photo: andesigned.com

Yeah, the economy’s a little shaky — so now’s a great time to get all your AP baby gear for 20-50% off at Peppermint. Yes, the store that seemingly has everything is getting rid of, well, just about everything: slings, wraps, baby gifts, accessories and more, including new, gently used or returned items.

Read on for a list of products being moved out at clearance prices.

• Ellaroo Mai Tais Gently used, 50% off
• Moby Wraps Gently used, miscellaneous colors and sizes (mostly black)
• Maya Wrap slings Gently used (Moby D)
• Didymos wraps New; select patterns, styles and sizes, 20% off
• Gypsy Mama wraps New wraps in select colors, styles and sizes, size 4 gauze (colors galore!), at least one stretchy style
• Didymos mama/baby coat/jackets New; black size S, M & L
• Hotslings New; select patterns
• Many more slings, wraps and carriers.

Brand new baby products and accessories, including:

• Mustela 50% off
• Bella Bands
• Skip*Hop
• Under the Nile baby clothes (select styles), 40% off
• Aura Cacia Lotions and products (select)
• Bummis Swimmis 30% off
• Mommy I’m Here Child locator
• Solarveil coverups
• Diaper bags
• Kaboost Chair booster, 30% off
• Secure2me Solarveil covers
• Children’s books Four-pack on babywearing, 50% off

All clearance sale items are “final sale.” For more information, call (214) 623-5090 or e-mail Peppermint.