One of your very first parenting tasks might be selecting a doctor for your unborn child. I suggest you interview at least 2, and choose the one that you feel most comfortable with. Below is a list of interview questions to ask.
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What are your hours? What happens if my baby is sick after hours/weekend? Is there a 24-hour nurse's line?
Are you open on weekends?
Do you offer same-day sick appointments?
Do you have hospital privileges? If so, which hospitals?
What are your views on antibiotic use? Vaccinations? Breastfeeding beyond 1 year? Co-sleeping?
Do you have a lactation consultant on staff?


Questions to ask yourself:
Are there separate waiting rooms for sick and well children?
How did the staff treat you?
Were they receptive to doing an interview?
Did the doctor roll his/her eyes at any of your interview questions? 
Were you rushed?

I'm starting to hear the first complaints of sore throats this season. I thought I would share some tips for getting through cold/flu season with kids.
For infants with stuffy noses, I find sitting in the bathroom with the doors closed and a hot, steamy shower running works wonders. You can nurse your baby, read a story, offer a bottle, or sit quietly and listen to the water run.
For kids over 1, I use Aviva Romm's recipe for garlic lemonade. It's is an effective tool for sore throats, ear issues, and general cold/flu symptoms. You pour one quart of boiling water over 2 cloves of minced garlic and let steep for 30 minutes. Then strain out the garlic and add the juice of 1 lemon. Serve warm with local honey for sweetness. For kids between 6-12 months, maple syrup can be substituted for honey.
Speaking of garlic, I love to use a blend of garlic, labelia and mullein oils. A few drops in each ear usually keeps ear infections at bay.
For adults, my go-to treatment when I feel like I may be coming down with something is a recipe from one of my favorite books, Herbal Antibiotics. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 2tsp of sage or oregano. Steep for 10 minutes. Strain out herbs and the add the juice of 1 lemon, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and 1T honey. Sage and oregano may reduce your milk supply if you're lactating. This tea is not recommended if you're breastfeeding. Instead you can add lemon, cayenne, and honey to your favorite tea and enjoy! 
Finally, I love to give my my family 1/2 tsp of elderberry syrup each morning during cold/flu season to help strengthen our immune systems during the fall/winter months.
As always... practice good hand washing!

*This is shared for informational purposes. It is not intended to be medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider.

Before I had children, I was an avid gym-goer. I went to the gym nearly every day. It was part of my identity. When I had children, I stopped going to the gym. I stopped going, but I did not stop exercising and fueling that part of who I am. I was recently reminded of that time of my life, when I was a busy mom to small children, yet still yearned to feel the exhilaration that followed an intense workout. I wrote this note to myself exactly eight years ago:

Since I can no longer get to the gym, I have taken over our neighborhood park. It's actually a great workout! I hold the baby between my legs while hanging from the monkey bars and move my legs in circles while doing leg lifts. I do walking lunges, squats, push-ups, dips and jump rope while my daughters  are on the swings. When they need another push, I sprint over to them and then sprint back to my workout area. Yesterday, I actually climbed a wall! It's not as fun as the gym, but it will do for now. Have gotten over all the stares I get from the other parents and kids. For added fun, I chase the kids around the park while lugging my 20-pound baby with me. A fun time for all! I wonder what other workouts I can do there. If I could do unassisted pull-ups, that would be a great addition, but I can't yet. I'd like something to work the lats. Maybe I can take my [resistance] bands and hook something up. Hmmm...

Please note, at no time did I ever mention my intention for working out was to "get my body back" or to "drop the baby weight." That was never my goal. I enjoy physical activity and challenging myself. How do you refuel?