MamasOnCallEllen and Rachel http://mamasoncall.com A place where two professional mamas—one a pediatrician, one a family therapist—serve up timely, reliable parenting advice with humor and compassion. Wed, 23 May 2012 13:24:03 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Life Lessons from Albert Einstein* http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/life-lessons-from-albert-einstein/ http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/life-lessons-from-albert-einstein/#comments Wed, 23 May 2012 08:00:07 +0000 Ellen and Rachel http://mamasoncall.com/?p=28046 Quotes from the master you may not have heard … entirely relevant for young and old alike.

 * From Pinterest
1. Follow Your Curiosity: I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.
2. Perseverance is Priceless: It’s not that I’m so smart; it’s just that I stay with problems longer.
3. Focus on the Present: Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.
4. Imagination is Powerful: Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions. Imagination is more important than knowledge.
5. Make Mistakes: A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.
6. Live in the Moment: I never think of the future – it comes soon enough.
7. Create Value: Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.
8. Don’t Be Repetitive: Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
9. Knowledge Comes From Experience: Information is not knowledge. The only source of knowledge is experience.
10. Learn the Rules and Then Play Better: You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.
Which is your favorite lesson?
]]> http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/life-lessons-from-albert-einstein/feed/ 0 New! Most Popular Baby Names http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/new-most-popular-baby-names/ http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/new-most-popular-baby-names/#comments Wed, 23 May 2012 01:52:39 +0000 Ellen and Rachel http://mamasoncall.com/?p=28218 In case you’re wondering which names top the list of favorites for 2011, we’ve got you covered. There may be one or two surprises. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to check out the favorites for the year you were born in, too. You can also find out which names are most popular for twins and which names show up most often in which state. Cool and interesting little tidbits to chew on in here!

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]]> http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/update-on-safe-sleep-for-baby/feed/ 0 Whose genetic tests are they, anyway? http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/whose-genetic-tests-are-they-anyway/ http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/whose-genetic-tests-are-they-anyway/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 08:00:01 +0000 Ellen and Rachel http://mamasoncall.com/?p=28068

The following is the transcript of a youtube by Art Kaplan, renowned medical ethicist at the University of Pennsylvania. We are reprinting it here because it is a siren call, red flag, canary in the coal mine for questions of women’s (and men’s) medical autonomy in the 21st century. Are you entitled to your health information, or not?  

Hi. This is Art Caplan. I am at the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. I want to talk to you today about a provocative question: Can a doctor lie about the results of a genetic test if he or she thinks that they might lead to an abortion?

The State of Arizona is considering a law that might make it possible to make the answer to that question “yes.” They are passing a law that says they are not going to accept lawsuits for wrongful births. Wrongful birth lawsuits basically say that if a doctor doesn’t offer a test, doesn’t give the results of a test, or gives them inaccurately, the doctor still can’t be sued for making that kind of decision.

Nine states have these laws. Now, these laws are pretty difficult to enforce. Wrongful birth laws get us into the question of whether a child should have been born at all. Courts hate to wrestle with questions about whether somebody, even an infant, might be better off dead than alive. But I think the laws don’t make much sense.

Part of the problem with these laws is, it’s one thing for a doctor to make a mistake and not offer a test. It’s another thing to deliberately withhold the information that a test is there for a woman who is pregnant, a prenatal test, or to lie when they have the results. Even if the State of Arizona or other states pass laws against wrongful birth, I’m pretty sure that it is still malpractice.

But this issue gets even more important because new forms of prenatal testing are rapidly coming down the road, replacing amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling which, as we all know, have their risks for fetuses and moms and have to be done relatively later in pregnancy. We are soon going to see tests that use blood (mom’s blood) and allow access to fetal DNA just circulating in the mother’s blood.

So, although 10% of pregnancies might have prenatal tests today, soon the question is going to be, should every pregnant woman receive a prenatal test? Given these laws about wrongful birth, the question then becomes, should every woman have a right to expect testing? Should every woman have a right to expect honest results no matter how they might act or choose to act based on those results?

I am going to say that at the end of the day, these tests do have to be offered routinely. We might not like the fact that they could lead to more abortions. We might not like the fact that some women and their spouses or partners might not understand the information or overworry about disability. That is a problem for counseling. It doesn’t justify not offering the tests, and not being honest about tests is just a recipe for disaster. Even if one, as a matter of conscience, is worried that an abortion might result, you still have to let the test results be known and let women make the decisions.

So, at the end of the day, I think Arizona’s efforts to limit or restrain the use of prenatal testing and test results aren’t going to hold up. They are not going to hold up to legal challenges. They don’t hold up to ethical analysis. Women do have the right to expect [to be told about] whatever testing might be out there, to be offered it, to choose to take it, and to hear the results pretty honestly.

If we don’t like how decisions are being made, then it’s up to the doctor to counsel, to educate, and to inform. Withholding a test is never the way to go.

We couldn’t agree more. Please stand up and let your voice be heard. Our daughters, our sons, and their daughters and sons need you to speak out. Loud and clear.

]]> http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/whose-genetic-tests-are-they-anyway/feed/ 0 Inside the Teen Brain http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/inside-the-teen-brain/ http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/inside-the-teen-brain/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 08:00:01 +0000 Ellen and Rachel http://mamasoncall.com/?p=27958 You may have read that the human brain doesn’t reach full growth until the mid to late 20′s, but what does that really mean in the life of an average teen? This WebMD article takes a look at some tasks that may be affected. Planning, reasoning, and lots of other jobs that require “executive” function are likely to lag behind more concrete skills.

Remember that next time your new teen driver misplaces those car keys … or skateboards without a helmet.

 

]]> http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/inside-the-teen-brain/feed/ 0 Bad Mamas On Parade! http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/bad-mamas-on-parade/ http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/bad-mamas-on-parade/#comments Sun, 13 May 2012 14:09:20 +0000 Ellen and Rachel http://mamasoncall.com/?p=28106 These mamas make everyone else look good by comparison … even if they are animals!

]]> http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/bad-mamas-on-parade/feed/ 0 Funny Mother’s Day Jokes http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/funny-mothers-day-jokes/ http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/funny-mothers-day-jokes/#comments Thu, 10 May 2012 20:11:08 +0000 Ellen and Rachel http://mamasoncall.com/?p=28097 Mothers: You gotta love ‘em! Here is a great collection of “You won’t believe what my Mom did” stories by stand-up comics.

]]> http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/funny-mothers-day-jokes/feed/ 0 It’s About Language … http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/its-about-language/ http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/its-about-language/#comments Wed, 09 May 2012 13:03:27 +0000 Ellen and Rachel http://mamasoncall.com/?p=27211 This is one of the best we’ve read about how to enhance language development in your kiddo. It’s important stuff. It’s how you get your little one into Harvard (and it’s free), we promise!

]]> http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/its-about-language/feed/ 0 Ultimate Toddler Food: a reference http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/ultimate-toddler-meals-a-reference/ http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/ultimate-toddler-meals-a-reference/#comments Wed, 09 May 2012 12:00:21 +0000 Ellen and Rachel http://mamasoncall.com/?p=27915

 

From … realliferealityblog.com via pinterest

The ULTIMATE List of Meal Ideas for Toddlers

Transitioning from formula and beginning solids is always a bit troublesome  because you aren’t too sure of what to feed your toddler. You want it to be healthy, but you also don’t have all the time in the world to be making the most amazing  meals for your child.
At times you find yourself on the run and you have to stop at a drive-thru, dreaded, I know. Anyhow, I’ve decided to put together a list of ideas for meals, snacks and just because foods for your little one.
*Please NOTE – You know your child best as far as what they can chew/swallow without choking, so please adhere to cutting/chopping your toddlers food accordingly. Also, please be aware of your child’s food allergies.
Snacks
  1. Seedless grapes (cut in quarters)
  2. Whole Grain Goldfish
  3. Cheerios and a side of yogurt
  4. Cheez-its
  5. String Cheese
  6. Shredded Cheese with a slice of lunch meat torn up
  7. Yogurt mixed with sliced berries
  8. Celery sticks with ranch dressing
  9. Banana Slices with peanut butter on top
  10. Apple Slices with caramel dip
  11. Pita bread triangles and spinach artichoke dip
  12. Ants on a log (raisins, celery and peanut butter)
  13. Fig Newtons
  14. Fruit mix (watermelon, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
  15. Fruit / Yogurt Smoothie
  16. Toast with jelly or jam (strawberry, grape, apple – low sugar or sugar free)
  17. Frozen Grapes
  18. Yogurt Popsicles (freeze a cup of yogurt with a Popsicle stick inserted into the package)
  19. Crunchy Tofu Bites (crunch cheerios in a Ziploc bag, a touch of Cinnamon, and toss in pieces of tofu, shake, wha-lah)
  20. Apple slices dipped in Vanilla Yogurt
  21. Baked Sweet Potato Chips
  22. Kiwi Slices and Yogurt
  23. Hard boiled egg, hand full of grapes
  24. Ritz crackers and cheddar cheese slices
Breakfast Meals
  1. Scrambled egg whites with cheddar cheese, hand full of cheerios, sliced strawberries
  2. Organic vanilla yogurt, sliced raspberries and blueberries for mixing, 1/2 cup of cheerios
  3. 1 Banana sliced, peanut butter on the slices, 8oz of Whole Milk
  4. 3 Eggo Blueberry pancakes, slice of ham
  5. Rice cereal fruit milkshake (whole milk, rice cereal, fruit of choice: blueberries, strawberries, mango, pineapple, raspberries, etc.)
  6. Tangerine slices, side of raisins, handful of Kix cereal
  7. Whole grain blueberry or cranberry muffin, 8oz of Whole Milk
  8. French toast, side of mixed fruit
  9. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, 6 oz of Whole Milk
  10. Baked Oatmeal, side of raisins (3 cups oats, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup stevia, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp baking powder, 2 eggs, 1 tsp sea salt – mix – bake for 20 minutes until top is spongy on 350)
  11. Buckwheat Pancakes, sliced banana
  12. Whole grain toast with peanut butter, applesauce with mixed in Oatmeal
  13. Veggie and cheese omelet (try bell peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, etc.), fruit cup
  14. Fruit smoothie (berries, whole milk or yogurt), cheerios or kix cereal
  15. Whole wheat toast, light cream cheese, turkey sausage
  16. Sweet potato pancakes (2 or 3), 6oz of milk
  17. Sliced peaches, cottage cheese
  18. Sliced pineapple, whole wheat toast with strawberry cream cheese
  19. French toast (whole grain bread (no added sugar), eggs, cinnamon, vanilla and milk) top with frozen berries and low-sugar maple syrup
  21. Cantaloupe, Banana, yogurt, orange juice, honey and vanilla extract smoothie
  22. Whole wheat toast with sugar free natural jam, nectarines
Lunch Meals
    1. Turkey and cheddar cheese sandwich on whole wheat, handful of goldfish
    2. Grilled American cheese sandwich on whole wheat, Dole mixed 100% fruit juice cup
    3. Grilled chicken patty seasoned with parsley and LIGHT pepper, baked sweet potato fries
    4. Crinkle carrots, sliced cucumbers (peeled), spinach and artichoke dip, whole wheat pita bread triangles
    5. Chopped cooked broccoli with cheddar cheese melted on top, warm whole grain pita
    6. Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich, steamed carrot sticks sliced/chopped
    7. Tomato, cucumber and onion salad – chop/slice veggies – mix with light Italian dressing or red wine vinegar and olive oil, kids chicken nuggets
    8. Turkey burger patty (no bun) sliced, baked sweet potato fries
    9. Whole wheat or grain toast, avocado and cream cheese smeared on toast, steamed carrot sticks and dipping sauce
    10. Grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich
    11. Cheesy Broccoli-Potato Mash (1lb yukon Gold potatoes cut into wedges, 3/4 pound broccoli crowns chopped, 3/4 cup shredded fontina cheese, nonfat milk, teaspoon of sea salt, fresh ground pepper – place 1 in of water to boil in large pot, place potatoes in a  steamer basket and steam for 10 minutes. Place broccoli on top, cover and steam until the potatoes and broccoli are tender, 6 to 8 minutes more. Transfer the broccoli to a large bowl and coarsely mash with a potato masher. Add the potatoes, cheese, milk, salt and pepper and continue mashing to desired consistency. Serve immediately.)
    12. Tuna Salad Pita (light mayo, tuna, baby spinach leaves chopped)
    13. Lunch meat slices, cheese slices, whole wheat wrap rolled or torn, veggie medley
    14. Pea salad ( 1 bag of frozen peas, 1 cup chopped potato, 1 cup onion, 1 cup celery, 1 cup chopped tomato, 1 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup light mayo. 1/4 cup plain yogurt, 1 tbl spoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp. dried mustard – mix everything and cool)
    15. Spinach Ravioli with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, side of sliced strawberries
    16. Whole wheat triscuits, american cheese slices, ham and/or roast beef slices, sliced cantaloupe
    17. Sliced pickles, green olives, black olives, cheese cubes, whole wheat pita
Dinner Meals
  1. 1 Grilled chicken tender, quinoa, 2 asparagus spears seasoned with lime juice and garlic
  3. Whole wheat grilled cheese sandwich, side of tomato soup for dipping or spoon feeding
  4. Spinach Lasagna
  5. Almond crusted Chicken Fingers, mixed veggies (squash, zucchini, carrots) steamed
  6. Lime Chicken Fajitas – chicken sauteed in lime juice, chopped, tortilla torn, shredded Mexican cheese
  7. Cheddar Cheese Quesadilla – 1 whole wheat tortilla folded in half, stuffed with cheddar cheese (add veggies for extra fillings)
  8. Mini meatballs made from ground turkey with tomato sauce, cup of steamed broccoli
  11. Shredded pork lightly seasoned, steamed chopped carrots with cinnamon and unsalted butter mixed in
  12. Vegetable Soup – low sodium beef broth, lean beef or turkey, potatoes, stewed tomatoes, corn, carrots, peas, green beans), sweet potato biscuit
  13. Lean ground beef or turkey browned and seasoned lightly, black beans, lettuce shreds, shredded Mexican cheese
  14. Fish sticks, cauliflower steamed and dressed with melted cheddar cheese
  15. Broccoli and Cheese Casserole
  16. Sizzling Stir-Fry (chicken, broccoli, baby carrots, water chestnuts, yellow bell pepper, low sodium soy sauce, garlic powder, water) with brown rice
  17. Turkey burger, whole wheat bun, sliced strawberries, steamed zucchini
  18. Rotisserie chicken slices, steamed cabbage slices, whole wheat pita bread
  19. Whole wheat noodles in unsalted butter, Parmesan cheese and a side of veggies with tomato sauce
  20. Turkey meatloaf, side of corn, brown rice, cinnamon apple slices
  21. BBQ Chicken tender, side of peas, sweet potato crescent roll, hand full of grapes
  22. Turkey, sweet mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli with feta cheese on top
  23. Steamed broccoli and asparagus with zesty cheese sauce for dipping and a whole wheat bread option
]]> http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/ultimate-toddler-meals-a-reference/feed/ 0 News U Can Use: Don’t slide with a toddler on your lap! http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/news-u-can-use-dont-slide-with-a-toddler-on-your-lap/ http://mamasoncall.com/2012/05/news-u-can-use-dont-slide-with-a-toddler-on-your-lap/#comments Mon, 07 May 2012 08:00:50 +0000 Ellen and Rachel http://mamasoncall.com/?p=27879 A recent study reported in the New York Times found that up to 14% of toddler bone fractures result from little ones shooting down a playground slide on their parent’s lap. The injury happens when a shoe gets jammed against the edge of the slide and the force of the grown-up’s weight causes the bone to break.

An Oregon dad describes his wife’s experience with two injured kiddos on a play date here.

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