QOTW: What was YOUR most awkward stage growing up?
The end of the Big Gulp, men banned at births, and ugly duckling or beautiful swan? It’s episode 45 of the Mama Natural Show.
This week, two lucky mamas will trade in their mason jars for a beautiful, stylish, 22 oz. glass bottle from Lifefactory – free of BPA, phthalates, PVC, polycarbonates, lead and latex. Your choice of color. Hoooo!
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First, NYC’s Mayor Bloomberg takes on the issue of super-duper-sized sugar drinks.
No one’s disputing the U.S. is obsessed with sugar!
Just look around.
There’s Wendy’s 26 ounce Biggies.
7-11’s 64 ounce Super Big Gulps as well as KFC’s Mega Jugs.
[Not talking breastfeeding]
These mega sodas offer twice the liquid volume of an adult’s stomach capacity.
[Where do they put it?]
Well, not on NYC menus anymore, it seems.
Mayor Bloomberg is at it again!
He proposes to ban all sweetened drinks that exceed 16 ounces.
Some New Yorkers are crying, Food Police.
[We think perhaps he’s a closeted-crunchy!]
Bloomberg’s emphasis is on improving nutrition for all New Yorkers.
He’s trying to make healthy eating easier.
During his time in office, he has
• Blocked the sale of sugar-laden beverages in schools and city-owned buildings
[Later overturned by the school chancellor]
• Banished transfats from city restaurants
• Required all city menu boards to provide detailed nutritional information to customers
• Implemented the National Salt Reduction Initiate forcing certain food establishments to lower their recipe sodium levels
• Banned food donations to the homeless that doesn’t monitor serving size, caloric content, salt, fat and necessary fiber levels
Bloomberg feels everyone’s health and nutrition matters and rather than just wringing our hands about the obesity epidemic, as New Yorker’s, they’re doing something about it.
Well, I appreciate his spirit…
Even if soda consumption is on the decline and better if manufacturers changed their formulations to include cane sugar rather than high fructose corn syrup.
But bottom line, people are gonna do what they’re gonna do. Even in New York.
—
Next, one child specialist believes the ideal birth environment involves no men.
[You heard it correct!]
No men.
That means no husbands, fathers, or doctors around the woman in labor.
Michel Odent, a retired French medical doctor and child specialist, is an advocate of experienced midwifery and been a huge early advocate for water births.
[Okay, he gets points for that.]
He states the best way to create an easy birth is when nobody is around.
Instead, create a silent, low-profile and experienced midwife to assist.
No one else.
[Is this guy serious?]
Odent’s experience tells him that male figures hinder the birthing process.
Supposedly, a man’s presence can create adrenaline surges in women leading to longer labors, more pain, the need for more c-sections, and even lead to marriage break-ups and mental illness.
[I’d like to see some convincing studies.]
Odent claims, emotionally and sexually some men never get over it.
[Is he living in a time capsule from 1950’s?]
The bond created between the man, woman and child at birth is immeasurable.
Men are just as capable of appreciating the true miracle of birth.
To stand in the trenches of blood, sweat and tears with a woman giving birth is not only a privilege and honor, but duty.
Conception is a two-person process, birth and child rearing should be too.
—
Now it’s time for some community news!
First up, little Gavin will be celebrating his FIRST birthday on June 8th!
According to mama Krissy, he’s such a happy little dude! [He certainly looks like it!]
Krissy is thrilled to be still breastfeeding because they had a rough start with her retraining him how to latch properly at 3 months. No easy feat! But now, he loves to nurse, is going strong, and won’t be giving it up anytime soon.
Congratulations Krissy and family for your little guy’s big milestone!
+++
Next up, natural mama Kristen gave birth to Leland on February 17 at 3:09 a.m.
Well, little Leland was a whole week late!
Mama Kristen was dying of exhaustion.. mainly because of chasing her three year old son, Nolan around while being so big with child.
Determined to get this baby out, Kristen went to a pregnancy chiropractor to get adjusted and directly afterwards she rode her bike for a full hour non-stop at the park. Later that night her and her husband did the deed (strictly business haha) and POP! Her water broke! Finally! She started having contractions immediately and called her midwife, Sam. Within 30 minutes, they were at the birth center and things went along swimmingly. Her midwife even took a nap while Kristen labored! After the birth ball wasn’t cutting it for her anymore, mama stepped into the tub and sat for 3 hours before feeling the need to push.
When the urge finally came, it took her an hour of pushing, and he came out into the water and she caught him herself.
It was amazing.
He was gently lifted out of the water and placed on her chest and didn’t even cry 
He weighed in at 8 pounds 4 oz and was 19 inches long.
After getting out of the tub and getting cleaned up, her midwife brought in a chocolate cake and champagne. They all sang Leland Happy Birthday and toasted to a job well done.
YAY! Kristen! Congratulations to you and family!
–
Finally, babies and beauty.
When I was born, a nurse said to my mom, “with thighs like these, she ain’t gonna be a ballerina.”
I also was bald as can be until the age of three.
Let’s just say there were moments my mom was worried… thinking that I’d still be living with her past the age 40.
She used to tell her friends “ugly in the cradle, pretty at the table.”
While few mothers admit it, there may be some private moments when mamas wonder “Is my baby ugly?”
[Wait a minute!]
Every baby is beautiful – in their own way. But sometimes they can look different than what we expect which can lead to disappointment.
One mother confessed her tears of sadness when she saw her son’s red birthmark.
Bottom line, she was worried about him and for him.
I remember when Griffin was born I thought he was absolutely beautiful… but his head was SUPER deformed after a tough labor. Mike was a little scared. [So that’s why they’re so quick to put on the baby caps!]
Bottom line, parental protection runs deep… and if we aren’t worrying about them being teased for their looks, we’re worrying about mental development and social behaviors.
Three things to remember when we’re worrying:
1. Weird quirks in babyhood are common.
So they’ve got a big head. More space for their brains!
So their ears stick out, they won’t once they get hair.
It’s all part of their development as different parts of their body grow at different paces.
2. All kids are awkward at some point.
I remember when I had braces, wore blue eye shadow and ice pink lipstick, and had died my hair using Sun In… let’s just say I had better moments. It’s all good.
3. And most importantly, beauty comes from within.
What makes someone truly beautiful is the spirit. The best thing we can do as mothers is focus on developing kind, loving and considerate little human beings as that’s what makes the world beautiful.
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5th-8th grade for me. I had just moved in with my dad after always living with my mom and going to a small private school. I entered public school and my reality was drastically changed. I had never had to brush my own hair. My dad wouldn’t do it and we didn’t have a proper brush for me to learn or get the tangles out. So I wore my waist length unbrushed hair in a hairband. This was during the 80′s and I didn’t have bangs so the kids started calling me “no bangs Robin.” On top of that I didn’t know how to match my clothes but I didn’t know it. My fashion police adult brother who lived with my mom never let me out of the house unless I was perfect. Lucky me, the other kids found it great to inform me I didn’t know how to match. My dad insisted on buying clothes two sizes too big so I could “grow into them” so my clothes never fit. This is ironic because I hardly grew. I was always the shortest and skinniest kid in class but now in public school I was made fun of for it. Those skinny, short legs were apparently hairy, as well as my “weird skinny arms” so the kids were always telling me to Nair them or shave them. Then my dad said I needed glasses (big, of course, so I could grow into them) and yes, the eventual braces. (To this day I think my teeth were perfectly fine and never needed them.) The Jr. High I went to was in a predominately Hispanic area so I was also made fun of because I was one of literally less than 20 white children. Those four years drastically influenced my decision to home school my daughter. Whew! I’m glad those years are gone.
I forgot to say that through all those things I thought I looked okay. It was the other kids who insisted I didn’t. My image of myself was healthy, as I think most peoples are. But it’s OTHER PEOPLE who ruin our image of ourselves. “You think you’re all THAT?” “Who does she think she is?” How much time do we spend trying to make sure we look good enough so other people wont call us out on something? That’s the part that’s key… And it starts as kids. Left unchecked we end up that way as adults, living in the same awkwardness we did as kids, just older.
So many awkward moments. I think it started about age 12 and ended around 15. My hair changed from bleach blond to strawberry, my teeth were too big for my head, and I couldn’t leave my hairstyle alone. I had a series of bad hair cuts and perms. At 14 I was wearing multi-colored pastel eye shadows, pink sparkly blush, and basically anything that made me look like a fairy. Pair that with my pixie hair cut and lets just say I was “going through a phase”.
Shara recently posted Reunion of sorts
I am already subscribed to your newsletter and liked you on Facebook! My most awkward time was those tween years…..10-13. I was shy (that was then!) and had some orthodontic issues. I learned things very easily, which did not make me the most popular person around. I got teased a lot about everything and never knew how to react to it. I just didn’t fit in.
Now I’m grateful I learn things so easily and question everything! And sometimes I talk a wee bit too much. Orthodontic work realigned my teeth and with age comes wisdom…….what anyone has to say about me is their business, not mine. And I’m grateful that I don’t fit in. Who wants to live in that box anyway?
My most awkward stage was 1st grade through 8th – maybe even longer! I was too much of a tomboy to consider brushing my hair or swooning for anyone! Hoping for my little one to be almost the same – minus the not brushing the hair! haha
I love Life Factory! Hope I win! And I had a lot of awkward phases growing up.
Julia recently posted Focusing on the Beauty of Birth
My awkward moment(s) stemmed from Kindergarten all the way through High School. My mom cut my curls off when I first entered school, which made me look like a boy, and I got teased constantly. Then after my curls did grow out, I look liked a lion in all my school pictures pretty much until high school. ROAR! People tell me I still look the same as I did in HS (9 yrs ago) which I guess means I look young, right?
Frizzy curls + humidity + no style = Screech from Saved by the Bell
(yes that was my nickname)
*I’m super stoked about this giveaway since I just did a post on it last week:
http://crunchyhotmama.com/2012/06/07/house-of-glass/
Jess @ Crunchy Hot Mama recently posted House Of Glass
My entire middle school was awkward.. bad haor!!
Most awkward moment was going thru my entire childhood with the same bowl cut. I looked the same in my kindergarten picture as I did in my senior high pix. Sad, so sad!!!
My most awkward phase happened when I was in middle school and hit a major growth spur. I remember playing soccer and tripping all the time because my legs had suddenly grown faster then the rest of me and it took me awhile to grow into them!
I wanted straighter hair and especially bangs. Naturally curly hair, bangs + humidity in the south = bad. Oh so tough. Glad that’s over but I still wish I could have bangs
Middle school would be my goofy years/stage!!!!!
Third-fourth grade. Big purple glasses and mullet-like hair. Ugh.
I had glasses, retainer, and freckles in the 3rd grade. Not to mention that my fashion sense was…underdeveloped. Also in the middle school years I was on ADHD medications that caused me to lose a significant amount of weight and at the same time I was diagnosed with scoliosis so pictures this: I was seriously skinny with stringy hair that I didn’t know how to style and a big plastic back brace. My favorite article of clothing was overalls since it hid my back brace best. Not a good look.
I wanted to add that when I first saw my daughter I had the conscious thought that she didn’t “look like my daughter” because she didn’t look like what I had imagined. She was much chubbier than I anticipated so the first thing I said was “She has chubby cheeks just like (her great)Grandma!” We made her middle name Rose in honor of the Grandma who’s cheeks she had. She’s beautiful and now I see how much she does look like me and my husband.
Grade 6 & 7. I was skinny like a twig. My torso hadn’t caught up with the rest of me below the waist yet! I had long legs & my feet were already the adult size 10. Later in my late teens I had a chiro once tell me that it appeared I’d grown too fast in my early teens! You think!
I think for most kids, it’s middle school. I liked the idea of a bob haircut, but slept on my short, wet hair every night so by morning it was really frizzy. I also wore these really round glasses from Wal-Mart (not cute). Lastly, I was on acne medication that made my skin sensitive to the sun. I lived in Texas, and my completion was the same shade of tomato. Thankfully I ditched the drugs! Looking back on the photos, they’re embarrassing but adorable.
My most awkward stage was I think the same as everyone’s in my opinion, 9-12. I look at photo of myself from that preteen stage in life and I have greasy hair and skin and wore awkward clothing. Plus I remember acting very awkward too.
Ooh, 7th & 8th grade were definitely most awkward for me. Braces, acne, hideous bangs and really long hair that just looked terrible. Not to mention I think it was around that time that I enjoyed coordinating my clothing so that my shirts and socks matched, and my shorts and Keds shoes matched. Sigh.
Most awkward time? I think my first was in kindergarten when I decided to go exploring to the nurse’s office… and then when I got there, I had no idea of what to say to the nurse, so I slunk back to my home room.
My most awkward moment was the summer I had to wear my older brother’s hand-me-downs and had a pixie haircut! People would tell my mom “what cute boys you have!”
My most awkward stage growing up was 5&6grade. I had really hairy legs and my mother wouldn’t let me shave them for fear of the hair growing back thicker ( I actually waxed them before I ever shaved).
I had so many awkward moments as a kid – from the moment I was born, my lips were so huge that I literally had to grow into them. My poor son has had to do the same. As a child, I was so lanky that my knees nearly knocked together when I walked. I was pigeon-toed (still am!) and I permed my hair and curled my bangs into that gawd awful “claw” (so, sooo bad!) LOL
My most awkward stage was around second or third grade when I lost my front teeth and it took forever for me to get both of my new ones. The one that came back first looked huge…I was “snaggle tooth” for a while. Took me a long time forms head and body to catch up with those teeth! On top of that my mom got me a bad perm.
My most awkward stage growing up was when I didn’t have very good posture. I tended to “hunch” over a lot to hide my developing chest. Hooray we grow out of awkward stages!
My most awkward moment was junior highschool, I loved to play sports especially basketball and soccer, so I was considered a tomboy and the girls of my class didn’t play anything so they teased me. And I was too skinny, now I wish I can be again that skinny lol!!
Glasses + braces in 7th grade was probably the most awkward stage for me. I was the quiet Asian girl in class, smart and nerdy.
My most awkward stage was definitely from about 6th-8th grade. It was not a pretty picture. Haha.
Love lifefactory waterbottles and would LOVE to get my hands on the new flip top!
Ages 15-17. I insisted on shaving my head and sometimes having a Mohawk. Lol such a lil rebel. My hips were also huge lol
My most awkward time? LOL!! I grew up with thin, wispy, fine, blond hair, those huge glasses that take up 1/2 your face, and crooked teeth. In come the hormones! By the time I was 14, my black friends were calling my hair nappy (one of them even teased my hair into an afro!)! lol. Well, to make matters worse, I ended up getting braces and headgear at 16… and now? Now I have thick, manageable, curly, brown hair, fashionable glasses, and nice straight teeth. lol, what a journey.
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