Jillian of PaxBaby is the most experienced babywearer I know! With 6 kids under 9 – all worn in some sort of carrier, she really knows her stuff! I can recommend her for anything babywearing without hesitation. I thought it would be fun to “interview” her, so that you guys can virtually meet her. So here goes:

1. How long have you been babywearing? / What was your very first carrier?
   Since Baby #1!!! My mom actually gave me the same vintage Snuglie (VERY similar to the BBII) that my parents wore me in as a baby! We wore that and a homemade Ring Sling, also from my mom, until he got too heavy! Then we purchased a framed backpack which my husband and I adored, hahaaa! I remember going shopping in Nordstrom’s with Baby #1 on my back, and turning, hitting the kickstand into a mannequin… how I wish I had the stash back then that I do now!
2. When was PaxBaby born?
   PAXbaby was born after my Baby #4! The idea emerged because my friends kept asking me about my carriers, diapers, etc, and it seemed much more efficient to give them 1 business card than to explain all the different places they’d need to go to collect everything they needed for their “peaceful baby” – PAXbaby’s original tagline was “Everything you need for a peaceful baby.”
3. How many kids do you have?
   I have 6 sweet children, at the moment, and all under 9! I’ve done the math, and it’s positively amazing: In the last 9 years, I’ve been pregnant for a combined 44ish months & breastfeeding for a combined 78 months so far!
4. If you could only choose one baby carrier, which would you choose?
   Such a hard choice!!! Since I’m still frequently wearing 2 babies, I’ll choose a Woven Wrap Conversion Ring Sling, I can do ANYTHING with one of those, and a Beco Butterfly which is like the best little Soft Structured Carrier around!
5. How many hours of sleep do you manage to squeeze in per night on average?
   On average, I probably get 4, which is really sad since I do best with 8+ a night!
6. What is your personal kryptonite?
   Facebook, Pinterest, photography blogs…anything easy to look at with lots of color!
7. What is your favorite newborn carrier?
   There is NOTHING like wrapping up a squishy newborn in a stretchy wrap! Absolute heaven!!!
8. What is your favorite toddler carrier?
   Today it was my Ring Sling that I wore as a RUB, yesterday it was my Manduca, tomorrow, who knows!
9. How do you manage homeschooling, mothering and running a business? Any tips for mere mortals?
   Breathe, breathe, GO! No time to waste, don’t let your kids catch you being slothful, and always, always have a smile ready for your family! They deserve it!
10. What does a typical day in the PaxBaby household look like?
    Mad and utter chaos!!! Oh, you mean other than that? The kids get up before my husband and I do, and lately, the big kids have been showering right away Nothing like clean kids first thing in the morning! Breakfast is NOT my favorite meal, so thank goodness the PAXdaddy handles that! Homeschool is actually from Wednesday to Saturday, because Monday is PE, and Tuesday is an enrichment class in the morning! My favorite part of the kids being homeschooled is having them home all day with me; I’d miss their adorable voices & faces if they weren’t right here with me!!! Lunch is usually hectic, you could have guessed that, and the afternoons are when the kids have downtime. They call the shots on where or what we do! It’s very amusing to watch them take votes and deliberate what to do with their afternoon! Often it’s staying home and building an elaborate fort in the living room! But sometimes we go to the Zoo or Disneyland – not too frequently these days since Baby #6 does NOT travel well. With the ringing of the dinner bell, supper is served at 5:30 and begins with 5 minutes of QUIET so that my husband and I can catch up on our day together in peace. When the timer goes off, the kids get to talk and share and chat, and it is 100% mayhem again! After we eat, PAXdaddy bathes and reads to the little kids while I bounce on the exercise ball with Baby #6 wrapped on me, and read to the big kids. I LOVE books, and am so enjoying reading all my favorites from growing up to my eager listeners! Right now it’s Indian in the Cupboard, but we just finished Betsy-Tacy and before that was The Borrowers. When do I work, you might be asking yourself? Wedged in any open cranny of time during the day, and at 7:30 when the kids’ doors close, there is no cable tv or going to the gym for me, I jump in my computer and get doing what I love : leading new parents to the love of babywearing and nurturing the growth of veteran babywearers to learn a new trick. hold, position, or carry in a new or old baby carrier!
11. If you could dispell one babywearing myth, which would it be?
    That dads don’t “need” a baby carrier!!! I have heard this so often, but the truth is, manly men who have their brawny arms to carry their wee child, your wife will swoon at the words “hey, honey, will you buckle me into this thing!?”, and secondly, I don’t doubt your strength, what you don’t realize is how much EASIER life is with 2 hands free and how much your are bonding with your baby by the simple act of holding them THAT much closer than you can achieve in your bare arms! C’mon, men, WEAR your baby!!!!!
12. In your opinion, what is the best gateway carrier (the one that makes it easy for the novice to start babywearing)?
    Absolutely a buckle carrier! The Beco Gemini is terrific at being a gateway since the packaging prominently suggests wearing your baby front facing out. As time goes on and more studies are showing, this positioning is not ideal, and not even ergonomic for little ones’ growing bodies, however, if we can introduce the Gemini as being able to FFO, the hope is that when that is clearly uncomfortable, the new babywearing parent will turn around their baby to face in and have that AHA moment when it all clicks!
13. How many practice sessions does it take (on average) to master a new babywearing technique?
    For me, many, many, many! I am a visual learner so if you saw me practicing a new technique, you’d think I was being so silly! Start the YouTube video, stop, try, rewind, watch, stop…. For some people, their arms are more coordinated and it is easier to do, but for me it is definitely a learned skill!
14. How many chucks would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
    Great question, I’ll ask my kids, and let you know what they say!

If you are a reader, I encourage you to read about the largest nutrition study ever conducted: The China Study. If you can’t find the time to read this book, the documentary Forks over Knives is a great resource (available on Netflix streaming). Both of these treasures will provide plenty of research-based evidence that cancer can be prevented (if not completely eliminated) by eating a whole foods, plant based diet. There is a reason that cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity are called western diseases. They simply don’t exist in places where native populations still “live off the land.” We are killing ourselves with every bite of processed food that passes through our lips. I want to motivate you to empower yourself with knowledge and give yourself and your children the gift of life.

If anyone knows that breaking years of bad habits is difficult and overwhelming, it’s me. Between running a small business, home schooling, and even working another part-time job away from the home – I am a busy bee! However, with a little planning, we are figuring it out day by day. My motto in any scenario – whether it’s providing nutritious meals for my family, keeping a tidy home, or being an empathetic parent – is always to make today better than yesterday. With that mantra playing in my head, our family has transitioned from a Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) to a completely whole foods, mostly plant based diet in just under three years. So you can see, this isn’t something you need to do overnight. Little changes make a big difference.

Have any tips or tricks for making sure your kids get healthy meals three times a day? Leave a comment here! I’d love to know how you do it!

p.s. Running late and feeding the kids a home-cooked meal is impossible? Chipotle burrito bowls are a great choice! They even soak their beans (no BPA!!!). And no, I’m not being paid by Chipotle

So I haven’t commented much about this doll (even though it’s been in the news feed for over two years now), but now I feel the need to put my opinion out there. This doll is getting so much bad press and I just don’t understand why. Any thinking person can understand that this doll is no different than a doll that your child would pretend to bottle feed. Why is the breastfeeding doll so offensive? Role play is a very important part of childhood. Hopefully our daughters will someday breastfeed their children, should they choose to conceive. Is practicing the act of naturally feeding a baby really horrible?! Does anyone have a concise argument as to why this would be an immoral or unethical toy for a child to own? I just don’t see it…

Disclaimer: No Sugar Added will not be stocking this toy because it looks sort of chintzy and I prefer open ended play. My son/daughter can pretend to nurture and feed any baby doll that they choose. And they do!

It’s back…Rockin’ Green’s Second Annual Green Ticket Event.

Here’s how it works:

1. Purchase a bag of Rockin’ Green soap online or in store.
2. Open up the detergent bag, and look to see if you have a green ticket!
3. If you’re a lucky winner, then redeem the ticket using the printed code for a chance to win up to 200 prizes ranging from a bag of Rockin’ Green soap (scent of choice), a Shake it Up!, a Rockin’ Green Bundle…or one of two grand prizes:
   • Two concert tickets to the Ticktmaster event of your choice*
   • A year supply of Rockin’ Green!
4. If you didn’t find a green ticket – fret not, play again. The tickets are going in bags at random so you never know when it will be your chance to win!

So let’s get this party started! Good luck to all!

*Up to a $250 value

Please see official rules for more details.

Many times on social networking sites I’ll read posts from new mommies soliciting advice from seasoned mommies. Most of the time the advice is wrong. I’m aware that the previous sentence made me sound completely presumptuous. That was on purpose, and I’ll prove its accuracy.

So, I’ll use a “real-life” example (the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back): “Moms, I need some help. I have this new baby. Weirdest thing: he falls asleep in my arms, I lay him in his bed, and five minutes later he wakes up! I know he’s tired. He’s not hungry. His diaper is dry. So then I pick him up, and he goes right back to sleep! What should I do?!” This is a serious question. I hope most of you reading this know the answer to the question. However, 20 comments later, the conclusion is that she should just let him cry. Perhaps set a timer or introduce a pacifier? This hurts my heart so much, and I can’t say a word. Why? Because my advice will not be heeded against the masses. I’ll look like a know-it-all who can’t keep her “opinions” to herself. Even though opinions were solicited. You see, I know my opinion isn’t wanted. That mommy wants the easy way out. She wants her baby to “behave.” She wants this because American society has taught her that babies should sleep alone, in their cribs. And she must do what it takes to achieve this result. Hence, the passive-aggressive post.

For those of you that chose the wrong answer to the question (yes, I said it again), let me pose a parallel scenario for you. Your significant other comes home from working an 18 hour shift. He or she is just exhausted, but also stimulated from the sheer amount of brain activity expended during the last day and a half. They really need to wind down with you. Have a drink, talk a little, maybe a nice massage or just physical touch of some sort. Whatever it is, feel free to set your own landscape. Would it feel natural to send them to their bed, close the door and isolate them from all human connection? What about if you set a timer, and check that they are asleep within the allotted time frame? Of course not! If you truly love the person, you would meet his or her needs until they decided it was time to finally settle down to sleep. Why don’t we afford our children the same rights and privileges? They aren’t asking for much. They were born social beings. They crave connection and touch. So what if they need to fall asleep in your arms and stay there? That’s what baby carriers are for! Do you know that just the act of holding and touching your baby increases endorphins for both of you? The laundry can wait. Your baby needs you now.

Now I want to address the naysayers. The ones that will tell you and me that if you do what I just suggested, that your baby will grow to expect it and will never learn to sleep in their own bed. Some take it even further and infer that coddling a child will lead to disobedience in the long run. First of all, there is no evidence to imply that this is the case. Second, there is evidence to prove that the exact opposite is true. Third, since when did meeting your child’s basic human needs ever lead to bad behavior? Common sense will tell you that treating your child with compassion and empathy will lead to a more compassionate and empathetic child.

We have it all wrong, America. We are rearing a generation of children to be selfish, isolated, out of touch with their feelings and distrustful. Love your children, and they will in turn love others. A really famous guy once said a similar thing a really, really long time ago. Maybe we should have listened.*

*If you still don’t know the correct answer to the question, you may want to check out some parenting classes. I can’t recommend the Echo Center enough. It will change your life.

1. Kids are the true noisemakers!
   No batteries, no electronics, ever!
2. Share your ideas, then build
   Collaborate, share, and build in partnership.
3. Don’t leave a mess
   Take OIL out of play, use plant based materials whenever possible and always reduce, recycle, and seek improvement. (Note from Summer: these guys were thinking like mommies when they designed their toys! All the toys are designed to be self contained when children are done playing. That was one of my favorite features, since we often lose small pieces in our house, never to be found again.)
4. Great products have greater purpose
   BeginAgain gives 1% to the community.

Needless to say, these play based toys fit right into No Sugar Added’s philosophy as well. I can’t wait to gift them at Christmas time!

The Artist

The Writer

The Inventor

The Sportster

That’s enough of the previews for now. What do you think? Do you have a fave? Be sure to follow us on Facebook to stay in the loop about new arrivals!

Do you love Flip products?! Well then we have great news for you! We are having a fabulous sale on all Flip products until July 5th! Sale is limited to stock on hand. Come and get ‘em while we still have ‘em!

Prices are as follows:

So, the title of this blog post might seem weird…I mean, how many parents reading the No Sugar Added blog are really violent? Well, if you count corporal punishment, manipulation and shame as violent behavior, then I would say a good majority of parents in America can be classified in this way. The non-violent philosophy is about taking habits that have been ingrained into generations of parents, questioning them, and doing better. For instance, research continues to prove that spanking is not effective in improving behavior long term. Taking this further, studies also assert that rewards and punishments as a philosophy do not work, and create adults who only work hard enough to earn the “goodie.” I’ll let that sink in. This means that those chore charts, time out chairs and incentive jars are actually counterproductive, and cause more harm than good. Don’t take my word for it – Alfie Kohn’s book, Punished by Rewards is a great place to start your own research on the subject.

The problem with all this great information is that…well, what does work? For instance, what do you do when your three year old refuses to leave the park without kicking and screaming? What if your child decides to forgo sleeping for awhile? What about when kids hit? Well, if you’re anything like me, you quickly revert back to the old habits of shame, manipulation and corporal punishment in order to control challenging behaviors. You see, even though I’ve been acutely aware of this ground breaking research for quite some time, I was having a really difficult time putting my head knowledge into everyday practice.

Cue to Jenny (sp?), our fearless parenting educator! Jenny has helped me develop many different strategies for not only recognizing and meeting my childrens’ needs, but also my own. She has helped me see the world in a different light, specifically the confusing world of the toddler. She has taught me that above all else, children need empathy to grow into the human beings we want them to be. In fact, in our very first class we were asked what qualities we would like to see in our adult children. The result was a two page list of characteristics that, if manifested, would create the perfect human being. After really processing that list, Jenny told us that the only way our children will become this person is if we ourselves model these behaviors for them in everyday life. That sure put a lump in my throat! This was the first of many sobering reminders that I have a lot of work to do!

Basically, the philosophy boils down to four steps: observation, feelings, needs and requests. It is also very important that you handle the steps in that order. It isn’t easy, and feels a little strange at this point to be honest, but it’s working! My children seem happier and I’m not feeling as stressed as before. Most importantly, taking the time to observe helps me step outside of the situation and not react harshly. Are they hungry, tired, or sick? Generally, the answer is yes to one of those three questions, and we move on from there.

I’ll give you an example of a recent situation: I needed my youngest to hold my hand in the parking lot while making our way to the car. He didn’t want to hold my hand or go to the car, and decided to scream and do the vegetable (if you don’t know “the vegetable,” you have most likely never been the parent of a toddler). Since I had my other two children with me at the time, and since we were in a parking lot, I couldn’t really get down on his level like I would have liked to. I made the decision to carry him (lovingly) across the parking lot, despite his loud protests and violent kicking. I told him calmly that it must feel really crummy not to be able to run around the parking lot exploring. “I think you might be hungry and sleepy. I have snacks in the car for you and when we get home I’ll cuddle you and sleep next to you. But right now I need to hold you to keep you safe.” He didn’t stop throwing a tantrum. Surprised? But you know what did happen? At the exact moment we reached the car, he hugged me tight, kissed me and said “I’m sorry, mommy.” What a proud moment!

I’m not writing this blog post to get on my soap box and tell all parents that they are doing it wrong. I’m simply inspired to share with other people the tools I’ve learned to grow exceptional human beings. Our kids deserve better, after all. So next time you see me on the street with two screaming kids and a look of desperation, remember that I’m still learning, and have a little empathy

I get this question almost daily…”So which is better? Snaps or hook and loop closures?” Just like everything else in the cloth diapering world, there is really no clear cut answer – which is why both exist and thrive! What I can do for you is break down the pros and cons of each and hopefully make your choice a little bit easier. From my own experience, we’ve had a good mix of both. I’ve probably only purchased two dozen fancy diapers for two children. Now that my youngest is day time potty trained, I’m reaching mostly for snaps when they’re clean. Why? Because all the hook and loop closure diapers have sort of lost their stick! Below is a concise pro/con list for your perusal…

• Scootababy Carriers – 25% off
• Snuggledry Apron Towels – 25% off
• All clothing – 20% off
• My Brest Friend Reflux Feeding Pillows – 25% off
• Envirosax Reusable Shopping Bags – 25% off
• WishGarden Herbs – 25% off
• Woombie – 25% off
• All Cloth Diapers and Accessories – 10% off

And you know we always have other little surprises up our sleeve See you tomorrow!!!

Also, just in case you missed it, our mini-educational sessions are listed below

• 10am-12pm: Anni Daulter will be signing copies of her newly released book Ice Pop Joy.
• 12pm: Benefits of Brio Birth – Mandi from Peachy Keen Birth Services will be leading this session. One lucky attendee will receive a pregnancy gift bag from WishGarden Herbs!
• 1pm: Ditch the Disposable Menstrual Products! One lucky attendee will receive an intro pack of reusable menstrual products from Lunapads valued at $56.00!
• 2pm: What is the Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth? Jamie will lead this session. One lucky attendee will win a “birth prep basket” with all kinds of essentials to ensure a successful birth.
• 3pm: Babywearing – we’ll be demonstrating all the different types of carriers as well as answering your questions about babywearing. One lucky attendee will receive a Beco Mini Doll Carrier.
• 4pm: Why Hire a Doula? Christine Gatson-Michalak from The Village Doula will be leading this session about the benefits of doula care before, during and after childbirth. One lucky attendee will win a pregnancy gift bag from Earth Mama Angel Baby!
• 5pm: Cloth 101-Lite – a condensed version of our popular Cloth Diapering 101 class, held the last Wednesday of each month. One lucky attendee will receive a cloth diaper gift bag!