Hey dolls – just wanted to introduce you to my friend Heather! She and I have found that we have many of the same concerns, interests, and passions with natural healthy living – and since my buddy (and neighbor!) is PREGGERS – I invited her to share her pregnancy with us! Let’s face it, I’m no spring chicken and probably will not be having any more wee ones. Unless God has something else in mind that I am not aware of! In which case, I hope He would then have something in mind for expanding this lil house of ours too!
I personally feel there’s a TON of cool baby stuff out there – information, products and experiences to be shared that new mama’s or soon-to-be-mama’s are seeking and have an eagerness to learn before their tiny miracle arrives! So – expanding SGM to include mommies of all ages and stages was a mission of mine!
On that note- please welcome Heather!! She’s new to the whole blogging experience, but with her wit and charm, I know she’s just gonna love it – and hopefully we all do too as we follow along with her and this new little baby of theirs that will be here soon! (Please leave her a comment and say hello if you would – I know it would make her smile 
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Meet Heather, mama of Bean and soon-to-be-mama of her little green boy! 
Written By: Heather Latham Cottrell
Hello, Greenies!
I am Heather and I’m a married, Midwestern momma. My gorgeous daughter, who we affectionately call “Bean,” is about to turn 10. Obviously, I must be crazy because I am due to have my second child – we’re pretty sure it’s a boy! – sometime in the next three weeks.
The hubs and I embarked on this journey towards more natural living a few months ago. (Translation: my husband humors me while I pound information into his head). Through a series of events, I was lead to a conversation in which I learned that my friend and his wife were transitioning to a locally grown, organic, whole foods diet. They sent me a movie, some books, recipes, and articles, and I felt like I knew absolutely nothing about food. From there, things just began to snowball. The more I learned about how our food is grown and prepared, the more I became concerned with other areas of our lives that are chemically contaminated.
We did all of the typical stuff – buying organic, taking probiotics, and my husband even stopped his weekly allergy shot in favor of a natural concoction we found at our local organic market. Admittedly, I am still really green about being green, but I began doing all sorts of research on natural formulas and how to make baby food (since my Mom plants a huge garden every year, I might as well put it to good use!). As can be expected, with a baby soon to arrive, we wanted to bring him into as natural an environment as we could manage.
In my newly established desire to live more naturally, I have been tickled to find things such as laundry soap, fabric softener and dryer sheets with no dyes or perfumes. I have even found dish soap without phosphates, dyes and perfumes. Have I been mislead by marketing ploys? How do you know when you have come across something healthier for your family or just something that sounds good? I sit back and scratch my head because I am not sure that I am actually on the right track in my natural environment plan.
Part of that plan was to have a natural birth, avoiding as many medications as possible. Then, last week, we hit a bump in the road. I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and put on bed rest. Now we are looking at maybe needing to be induced or having a c-section; both things that we wanted to avoid like the plague. So I ask: have any of you stumbled in your natural walk? Or had good intentions, with less than perfect outcomes? I would love to hear from you on what a green-momma-in-progress is to do!
***Wantsta know some juicy stuff on Heather? You can chat it up with her on FaceBook and here’s some deets on this greenie mama!
Heather is a 32 year old mother of a lively 10 year old girl and soon-to-be mother of a new baby boy. She is a full-time mom, full-time student half way through her Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and after her maternity leave she will continue to be a full-time employee. Heather is happily married to John, who is also a full-time everything and helps keep her sane. When her life is not centered on family and college, she enjoys reading, crafting, and learning new things – especially how she can create a healthy and happy home for her family.
Image Credits:
http://www.only-one-planet.com/organic-baby-shampoo-and-baby-wash/
http://www.mommymdguides.com/simple-solutions/simple-solutions-for-pregnancy
Hi Heather! Happy to meet you! I don’t think that a change in birth plan is a stumble. You do what you need to do, and do the best you can. And a green way of life is making the best choices you can. It doesn’t mean perfection. Sounds like you’re smack in the middle of a fantastic adventure.
Congrats Heather! As SGM loves to say, there are all shades of green! So good luck with your new addition and your quest for greenness, you couldn’t be in better company.
*standing ovation* clap clap clap!!! Three cheers for all shades of green!!! I do totally agree – it matters not where we are on our journey, but where we want to go and the actions big and small that we take to get there!
Ladies, thank you so very much for the encouragement! One of the things I want to take away from this adventure is to learn. I certainly believe that this is a community of people who desire the same thing!
The birth of my 1st child, who is 5, I did naturally. My 2nd, who I gave birth to this past October, I had planned to do the same. Unfortunately he spent most of the pregnancy transverse. We tried several things to get him to turn, but in the end I had to have c-section. Wasn’t what I had planned, but sometimes you have to change those plans for what is safe and best for your baby. I figure you do what you can to do things as naturally as possible, but if it doesn’t all work the way you want in the end you just have to be happy holding that precious baby in your arms which ever way it takes to get him there.
Great advice for Heather – Laura!!! I agree and love what you said “if it doesn’t all work the way you want in the end you just have to be happy holding that precious baby in your arms which ever way it takes to get him there.” Beautiful and so true