Post Partum Illness

Top Plastic Surgeon with your Choice of Surgery

You see it all the time on TV and in paparazzi photos. Female actresses and models that look amazingly tone and trim after years of partying and having children. Madonna comes to mind first, followed by Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry and Rebecca Romijn. A few of my friends who have had children and are workout fanatics have come to find that there is no way to get all those body parts back together without a little help.

What would you do if a top plastic surgeon and a free surgical treatment of your choice were dropped into your lap? I used to roll my eyes at people who got these surgeries but now after 2 pregnancies my opinion has changed. Its one thing to get surgery for the heck of it but slicing into your body is a whole other topic when your skin is stretched beyond belief due to having babies.

I’ve come to realize that it’s either suck it up and deal with the changes or finally open my mind to the world of lifts, suction and tummy tucks. Botox is another thing that is starting to flow around my mom’s group so this lead me to think. If I could have a free makeover what would I do?

Here is what I decided. I would have my top eye lids and breasts lifted and the remaining pooch from having babies touched up. Why do you ask or shall I say my mother? Well, droopy eye lids run in my family and it makes us all look very tired. Even though I have been blessed with size D breasts after having 2 babies they do sag a bit. My friends who have totally toned up after children can’t seem to get rid of that last bit of tummy fat from their bellies no matter how many sit ups they do.

I guess the thing to remember is that there are different levels to anything and it’s the same with surgery. I’ve heard that actresses like Patricia Heaton from Everybody Loves Raymond had lifting done after having 4 children not full blown surgery. That sounds less invasive to me. What would you have done if you were offered a free makeover?

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7/30/10

Embarrassing Doctor Questions

Now this is a book to buy.

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Fibroids Unnecessary Surgery

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7/29/10

Did You Know: Feeling Depressed

Studies show that meditating for just 30 minutes per day can boost your mood as much as antidepressant.

Dr. Mercola

Foods that Help Anxiety

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7/28/10

Give Your Toddler a Job

by Wendy Toone

What can often be a parents' worst nightmare?? A long wait in a waiting room or lobby with an active toddler or two. Does the thought of sitting in a small, stifling lobby or waiting with youngsters in tow make you cringe? If you're like me, one giant question races through the mind: How am I going to occupy my children so they aren't consumed with boredom which results in their running around or squabbling with each other? In my previous article I reviewed a few gross motor exercises you can do to make waiting time go by. In this article, I'll share with you some fine motor exercises that work for me.

1. Fingers. Finger songs are great waiting games. "Itsy Bitsy Spider", "10 Little Indians", "Where is Thumbkin?" are all fun songs for kids. If it's a quiet room you're waiting in, whisper singing brings a new twist to the songs. Don't worry - Paula and Simon won't be judging you. You're a parent; you can get away with it. Don't forget about "Twinkle Little Star", which is a natural progression to practicing one's "ABC's"......weird how they're the same tune, huh? If you're really on a roll and there are others waiting with you, earn a gold star by getting everyone to do a rousing chorus of "The Wheels On the Bus". Party on!!

2. Toes. Yep, wiggling fingers counts as fine motor, but so does the wiggling of toes. Harkening back to the ballet lessons of my childhood, I remember learning "flex" and "point". Of course, all ballerinas are supposed to point their toes. But it takes muscle control to make little feet point down and flex up to the sky. Have your child sit down and extend their legs in front of them. Using imagery such as lighting a candle (flex their feet), blowing out the candle (point their toes), can sometimes teach the concept to very young children.

3. Carry a scarf with you. Not only can you accessorize at a moment's notice (fabulous, dahling!), but you'll be amazed how you can occupy yourself and your child. Smooth it out and teach shapes.... it's a square.... take one corner and fold it into a triangle.... can you make a rectangle? You can be silly, too. Be a ghost by putting it over your child's head. Turn him/her into Little Red Riding Hood. Tell the story if they've never heard it. (Don't forget to use funny voices to really hold their attention.) Use your imagination, and your child's imagination. And encourage them to manipulate the scarf to really get those fine muscle groups working.

So the next time you and your child are waiting, don't let boredom get the best of you. Don't worry about your child getting out of control. Use the time to develop your child's fine motor skills, and watch how the time quickly goes by. I am often asked a question that sounds like this, "Other than fine motor and gross motor exercises, is there anything else I can do to pass the time with my child while waiting anywhere?" Do you know the answer? Hint - I Spy, children's digital picture books. See you in "Give Your Toddler A Job" - Part 3!

Wendy Toone is a child expert having owned and operated a leading franchise children's fitness center and now producing MobiStories, Digital Books for KidsTM, as well as being a mom to her two children. To experience the world of digital children's picture books, visit www.mobistories.com.

To download a free copy of Mommy's High Heel Shoes for your PC or Mac, visit MobiStories.com and enter the promo code: MHHS0710. The offer expires 8/22.Mommy's High Heel Shoes is also available for download as an app via the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad in the iTunes store where you can check out more great story apps from MobiStories: To order a hard cover copy of Kristie Finnan's book, Mommy's High Heeled shoes, visit her at KristieFinnan.com.

*This advertorial post is sponsored by the Role Mommy Writers Network.

African Lion Extinct by 2020

I am a lover of big cats. I think they are beautiful and fascinating so it’s very sad to hear that we are at a turning point for lions and leopards. Their numbers are spiraling down due to legal and illegal killing of these precious cats. A charity has been set in place called The Big Cats Initiative to try and save these animals or the calculations show that they will all be gone by 2020.

By the way there is adorable footage of a mother leopard caring for a baby baboon toward the end of the clip.

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