Breezy Mama

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dr. jon conti

Probiotics: A Miracle Alternative for Staying Healthy?

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As parents, we are constantly bombarded with new information on what we should or should not be doing with our children. Should we use a crib bumper? How long should we face our child’s car seat backwards? Information seems to be changing daily on what is or isn’t right. For me, one such word is probiotics. I feel like it exploded on the scene–all of a sudden there are probiotics for children, probiotic drinks, probiotic yogurt and much, much more. But what exactly are probiotics? What are the side effects of probiotics? And why should my family be ingesting them? Breezy Mama turned to G0-To Pediatrician, Dr. Jon Conti for help on deciphering what this newest food revolution is all about. (Want a hint? Turns out probiotics can help with everything from not getting this week’s cold  to supplementing with antibiotics so your tummy stays healthy to soothing a colicky baby. . .)

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Tongue Clipping: What is it and Does Your Child Need it?

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Recently, I was meeting my friend’s new baby and she was telling me how the poor thing has already had to go through a variety of procedures. “Like what?” I asked. As she was running down the list, she finished up by saying, “Oh, and he’s had his tongue clipped.” “What?!?” I had never heard of such a thing, but yes, what sounds like an ancient tribal custom is actually a procedure that is more common than you think. Breezy Mama turned to Go-To Pediatrician, Dr. Jon Conti to give us the lowdown. Read on to learn more, and more importantly, if your child needs to have it done.

What exactly is tongue clipping?

Tongue clipping, or frenulotomy, is a simple office procedure in which an extra piece of tissue, the lingula frenulum, is [Read more…] about Tongue Clipping: What is it and Does Your Child Need it?

Delish Dish: Asian Chicken Noodles with Vegetables

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Always on the lookout for new recipe ideas, I was intrigued when I received the following email from Breezy Mama contributor, Dr. Conti. He said, “A neighbor of mine & patient, who was a designer in a former incarnation (pre kiddos), now organic food blog goddess.  Her site just makes me hungry…  Take a gander.” Knowing that cooking is one of Dr. Conti’s hobbies, I figured I couldn’t miss it–and I’m glad I didn’t. The site, called Haven and run by Cristina Evans, is adorable, and filled with such things as printables, lunch ideas for school, food ideas for special occasions, and of course, fantastic recipes, all of which is beautifully designed and easy to navigate. The following Asian Chicken Noodles with Vegetables is from the “kids” section. Enjoy!

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients:

Happy Go Local: Author Linsly Donnelly Tells Us the Easy Way to Go Green

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We all want to live life a bit “greener,” but if you’re anything like me, the prospect of completely turning your everyday things–from what you put on your body to what you eat to the car you drive to recycling your plastic bags–is a little daunting. So when two people–(one of Breezy Mama’s Go-To Pediatricans, Dr. Jon Conti, and Breezy Mama friend, Lane) recommended Happy Go Local: The Smart Mom’s Guide to Living the Good and Sustainable Life, I had to do a little investigating. Turns out that author, Linsly Donnelly has made the task of turning your life in the “green” direction, a bit easier. Read on for her suggestions in “living locally.”

How did having a child change your thoughts on living greener?

Basically it just made me look into the future a bit and realize if we wanted there to be a great place for our children (and really, our children’s children) to play…we were the ones who had to conserve – and in some instances – rebuild it now…

Do you have advice for doing a small bit at a time?

Absolutely! This was the entire premise of the book. I set up HGL [Happy Go Local] so people could read through the laundry list of things and see a snapshot prioritization of relative impact/ease to do [Read more…] about Happy Go Local: Author Linsly Donnelly Tells Us the Easy Way to Go Green

4 New Words You Never Want to Hear: The Cancer Came Back

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Emily, the day before what would be her third surgery.

You may have read my story about Emily, my daughter who was diagnosed with cancer this past September. Her tumor was taken out and we left the hospital without needing chemotherapy. She was having regular check-ups and scans, but there was a 15% chance the cancer would come back. I tried not to obsess over the 15%, but I did. Every time Emily was having fun at something, I would think such thoughts as, “What if she can’t enjoy this next year?” I kept telling myself to live in the moment–she was having monthly check-ups and bi-monthly CT scans–if it came back, it would be found and treated right away. And then, just as I was getting better about not thinking about it, that’s when it happened. Guess who fell into that 15% range? [Read more…] about 4 New Words You Never Want to Hear: The Cancer Came Back