Review (and GIVEAWAY) of Vaccinations by Aviva Jill Romm

The vaccination debate. For some it's a no brainer. For others its one of the most charged issues they will ever face as a parent or pre-parent. (photo credit) (Can we call it a war instead of a debate? Because, honestly, that's the way it feels sometimes....)

When I was getting ready to have Little Owl I remember feeling terrified and unsure about where to start when it came to understanding the pros and cons of vaccinations. I know people I respect who stand firmly on both sides of this debate. As a new parent, or expecting family, the task of sifting through the seemingly conflicting and endless articles, books, and conversations can be overwhelming.

Enter the book Vaccinations by Aviva Jill Romm.

I can't remember who recommended this book to me. But I'm so glad that it came to my attention before Athena was born. I love this book. I love Aviva Jill Romm. Not only is she a MD, she is also a midwife, herbalist, mother and grandmother.

This book takes a charged issue and brings calm and clarity. It is balanced. I didn't walk away from the book think either "I'm vaccinating. No question" or "Vaccinations are evil. Never." This book examines the pros and cons fairly. 

Romm provides a comprehensive guide to each disease as well as the potential side affects to each vaccine. I felt empowered after reading this book. 

Not only was it a book I read once, however. It is a book that I continue to refer to (provided I haven't lent it to a friend!) because of the information on all the diseases and alternative remedies it provides. 

The vaccination debate is possibly one of the most difficult and charged decisions awaiting new parents. For me what was most helpful in the decision making process was calm, clear-headed thinking and presentation of the information available. This book was extremely helpful. 

See Vaccinations by Aviva Jill Romm on Amazon. 

But don't just take my word for it! Get a copy through Amazon for your home library or as a baby shower gift! Or, if you are feeling lucky enter the giveaway below! A big thanks to Aviva herself for providing a copy to one lucky reader! Be sure and stop by her website--http://avivaromm.com/
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Further Recommended Reading:

Nina Planck author or Real Food brings clarity and simplicity to an often very confusing time for young mothers. There is so much conflicting information to sift through that knowing what to eat and drink during conception, pregnancy and baby's first food is confusing. But Planck makes it so easy. Read my full review or view Real Food for Mother and Baby on Amazon. 



Sally Fallon Morell's (author of Nourishing Traditions) new book is a must-have for any Real Foodie parents library. This book contains so much helpful information on so many aspects of raising a child--everything from choices faced in pre-conception to the teenage years. Definitely a book to keep handy to reference throughout the years. Read my full review or see The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby and Child Care on Amazon. 

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Essential Oil Recipes and a GIVEAWAY

Welcome friends! Life has been extremely busy these days. I am really enjoying our new living space (yay for running water!) and one of these days soon I will catch you all up on just where exactly we are living now. I keep dropping hints of what our new life is like on the eco-village through comments on LittleOwlCrunchyMomma Facebook page, or pictures on Instagram, but I know it's not the same as reading a full post. I PROMISE I will explain it all soon...

But for today I want to introduce you to a friend I met through blogging. I've mentioned before how much I love the fact that blogging has helped me connect with other like-minded mommas and friends all across the world. And it's so true! For however many things we can say against the internet and technology, one thing we have to step back and appreciate, is that it CONNECTS us in ways never before possible. 

I met Danielle through a post I shared about essential oils. She commented that she loves them and sells them as well. The brand of essential oils that Danielle sells is awesome. Please stop on by her website and say hello. 

And now, without further ado... meet Danielle... 

Hello! my name is Danielle and I am busy wife and stay at home mother to a sweet little boy. I was a pediatric nurse before my son was born and I love learning and the crunchier things in life.  I wasn't always so conscious of my environment and the things I put in my body. I like to look at it as a journey and for my husband and I it began when we decided to start a family. We wanted our lives, bodies and home to be free of toxins and we knew we had to make big changes. This proactive approach brought us to doTERRA and the impact has been tremendous. Now we enjoy sharing doTERRA essential oils and empowering others in experiencing the benefits essential oils offer. My goal is to for there to be essential oils in every household. To help you get started using natural solutions I am giving away a doTERRA Introduction to Essential Oils Kit with Audio CD to one lucky reader of LittleOwlCrunchyMomma

Why doTERRA?

dōTERRA CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade^® essential oils represent the safest, purest, and most beneficial essential oils available today. They are gently and skillfully distilled from plants that have been patiently harvested at the perfect moment by experienced growers from around the world for ideal extract composition and efficacy. Experienced essential oil users will immediately recognize the superior quality standard for naturally safe, purely effective therapeutic-grade dōTERRA essential oils. But don't just take my word for it, the best way for you to see the quality of doTERRA essential oils is to try them. 

The Giveaway

The Introduction to Essential Oils Kit includes the introductory audio CD and booklet along with a 5 ml bottle of dōTERRA's Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade Lavender, Lemon, and Peppermint essential oils. The stunning presentation box also includes suggested uses of the included oils providing your prospects with an immediate experience of the life-changing benefits of essential oils. It is a wonderful way to begin the journey of using natural solutions in your household.

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Best of luck! If you don't win please feel free to come on over to my blog (www.facebook.com/lovelylittlelavenderblog) and learn more about essential oils. There are also many ways to make sure you have the essential oils on hand for whatever life throws at you. It is my intention to not only empower you in using essential oils but also help you to get natural solutions in your household. You can always buy essential oils at retail on my site at mydoterra.com/daniellemheizenroth. Though I highly recommend opening a wholesale account so you can get doTERRA at the deepest discount and the same pricing that I get. With a wellness advocate (IPC) account you will get 25% off all products. doTERRA will also reward you for being a loyal customer by helping you to earn between 10-30% back with each purchase along with a free product of the month. This account is similar to a CostCo account and you pay a one time $35 fee to shop at wholesale. You can also choose to open your wholesale account with an enrollment kit which waives the $35 and includes our most popular oils. If you open a wholesale account you will also receive access to amazing training videos to help you become a healer in your household. I also offer a free wellness consult and class to anyone who I share oils with. I look forward in helping you on your journey with essential oils. 

Here are a few recipes to help you get started:

Lovely Lemon Soft Scrub 

• 3/4 cup baking soda
• 1/4 cup castille soap
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp white vinegar
• 10 drops doTERRA Lemon essential oil.

Combine baking soda and castile soap. Add water and stir. Add vinegar and lemon essential oil.  Consistency should be a soft paste. Store in an airtight container. Apply to surface allow to sit for 5-10 minutes then wipe clean with a wet rag. This scrub is amazing for bathrooms and kitchens. 

Wild Orange and Lemon Surface Spray

• 1 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 5 drops doTERRA wild orange essential oil
• 10 drops lemon essential oil

Combine in a glass spray bottle. Shake and spray.

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(Note: This post might contain affiliate links. Meaning, if you shop around after clicking on them, you might be helping to support my blogging endeavors. Thank you!)

Pearl and Poppy Shop Review and a $30 GIFT CERTIFICATE giveaway

Every once in a while there are people who come into your life that as soon as you meet them something just clicks. It's like, as Anne Shirley would say, you've met a kindred spirit. Well, that is how I feel about the momma I am going to introduce you to today. 

I first met Rebeca when I was working at a small family-owned, organic frozen yogurt shop in Eugene, Oregon. I was first and foremost impressed with the way Rebeca navigated parenthood with her wonderful, energetic little ones. She has such a grace and strength about her that I admire and respect. Rebeca's wonderful, genuine spirit just shines no matter who she is interacting with.

Well fast forward a few years later, though I no longer serve Rebeca and her beautiful family frozen yogurt, she and I have stayed in touch via the wonderful invention called the internet. And then I started a blog, and she started an Etsy shop. 

When Rebeca asked me to do a review of her Etsy shop, I was THRILLED. Take a look at her Etsy shop and you'll understand why. This is what she sent me for Little Owl: 

Now tell me, is that not the cutest hat you have EVER seen? I just love her stuff. 

Here are a few more examples of the sort of creations Rebeca makes: 

These are just a few items. Be sure and check out Rebeca's Etsy site, Pearl and Poppy Shop and stop by her Facebook page and say hello. 

That's enough of me bragging about my friend. Here is what she has to say about herself:

I’m Rebeca; mama, wife, sojourner, creator, dreamer. For as long as I can remember I’ve enjoyed making unique gifts for people I love. I’ve worked as a professional seamstress, sewing clothing for a local shop as well as selling my own creations at Eugene’s famous Saturday Market. I’m now a stay-at-home mom to my four children: Peregrine, Poppy, Raphael, and Pearl. I've spent the last twelve years pouring my creative energy into caring, teaching, and sharing life with them. Our home is filled with unique, high quality toys and clothing I’ve crafted for them over the years. I am inspired by the simplicity and timelessness of vintage children’s goods and enjoy mingling that with fresh, modern ideas to create items that are both classic and whimsical. We love to travel as a family and I also glean a lot of inspiration from different cultures and places we've been, as well as from the beauty of nature.

I am excited to be able to share my creations with a broader audience again. You can be assured that when you purchase from my shop, your item will be made with the same attention to detail and quality I use when creating gifts for my own family and friends. I start with high quality, natural materials and work carefully to ensure that my items will bring years of joy to your children, just like they have for mine. I love to repurpose and up-cycle fabric and am pleased to be able to offer many organic  items, sharing a commitment to minimizing my footprint on this earth and protecting our environment. Please feel free to contact me with custom requests. I would be happy to work with you to create something special for you or your loved one.

As a gift to LittleOwlCrunchyMomma readers, Rebeca is giving away a $30 gift certificate to her awesome shop. Good luck! 

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Beyond Bacon (Book Review)

Be sure and check out our GIVEAWAY while you're here.

I am a huge fan of bacon. (From pastured, humanely-raised, healthy, traditionally-processed, non-CAFO hogs of course....)

But, I am also a huge fan of "waste not, want not" and economical food spending. So in the past few years my family has bought into both "pig-shares" and "cow-shares", where we split the cost of one animal amongst several families. This works out wonderfully for our pocket book, but....

The problem with buying "shares" of meat...

When we first got our pig share several years ago I remember enjoying bacon and sausage at breakfast for about two months straight... and then realizing that I still had a freezer full of meat left that (if I was being honest with myself) I really had NO IDEA how to cook....

Because, after all, no matter how hard pig farmers might try... they will never get JUST bacon and sausage from a pig.

That's where the Paleo Parents come to the rescue. They recently wrote a book, Beyond Bacon: Paleo Recipes that Respect the Whole Hog that I REALLY wish I had had for my kitchen starting about two years ago... (Better late then never, though, right?)

Paleo Parents to the rescue...

See it on Amazon.

This book is awesome on so many levels. It harkens back to an older, less-rushed, less pre-packaged, less wasteful time. A time when people used to know their butchers, if not the animals they ate. A time when people used to prepare food from scratch, not because it was "hip" but because there weren't other options....

This book helps us relearn some of the culinary skills that our grandparents knew, but our mothers and fathers took for granted. It helps us to relearn how to respect the whole animal. And not simply because we don't want to waste food... but because there are actually many, many, MANY delicious recipes we can make.

What's not to love...

This book covers everything from tail to snout and everything in-between. It provides easy to follow recipes with simple to source ingredients and simply stunning, mouth-watering food photography. Each recipe I have tried from this book so far has been amazing. 

The book starts with an explanation of why you should buy pastured pork and an in-depth examination of the fact that pig meat (and fat!) are actually good for us when they come from healthy animals. Even if you know all of this information already, this book is a great refresher course.

Next, the book examines different techniques used in the recipes including how to stuff your own sausages and render lard. Again, these are kitchen techniques that have been lost to all but most contemporary cooks, but they are not hard. And with the Paleo Parents as your guide, you are sure to succeed. 

Next, the recipes. When I first got my copy of Beyond Bacon I remember being completely blown away. The recipes in this book are incredible, gourmet and creative, yet accessible to even the newest cook. (Did you say, "Salted Caramel Bacon Sauce?! Yes. PLEASE.)

Suffice it to say, with this book in my hands I am beyond excited about buying a "pig share" because there are so many more recipes I want to try out! No more leaving the freezer full (sans bacon and sausage, of course...). I will confidently use each and every bit of pig we get.

Learn more about Beyond Bacon here!

Feeling lucky? Enter the GIVEAWAY for your own copy of this awesome book below. A big thank you to Paleo Parents for providing a book to one lucky reader. (Note: available to U.S residents only.)

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See it on Amazon.

Have kiddos with gluten sensitivities? Or simply looking for health food and snack options? Be sure and check out Paleo Parents other book, Eat Like a Dinosaur: Recipe & Guidebook for Gluten-free Kids

Like what you read? Be sure and follow LittleOwlCrunchyMomma on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+

(Note: This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning, if you shop around after clicking on them, you might be helping to support my blogging endeavors. Thank you!)

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Why You Shouldn't Sit to $#*% (or How Modern Toilets are Devastating Your Health)

Be sure and check out our GIVEAWAY while you're here.

As you know, here at LittleOwlCrunchyMomma I am not afraid of talking about "taboo" topics at times. Such as, not washing my hair, how devastating hormonal birth control is, or encouraging you to use a kitchen ingredient as a natural lube... I don't talk about these strange things because I want to irritate people or simply because I enjoy talking about "unmentionable" things... it's because these topics are super important for our health. 

I have already talked a bit about poop in the past... but today I am a bring up the issue again.


Why You go Better in the Woods...

A while back on the LittleOwlCrunchyMomma Facebook page I mentioned that I love my Squatty Potty and that when I travel I miss it. A lot. One reader mentioned that using one makes a lot of sense because, as she put it, "I go better in the woods."

As anyone who has had the experience of "going" in the woods knows, this is absolutely true. Humans were not designed to sit to poop. We were designed to squat. The modern sitting toilet in the Western World is fairly new invention.

Anyone who has traveled outside the Western world knows, most of the rest of the world knows not to sit when they go. 


Your Bathroom is a Modern Health Hazard

While squatting to go may seem odd to those of us who have been accustomed to sitting, it is much better for our body. Sitting toilets are actually extremely hazardous to our health. There are myriad issues that have been linked to the use of the modern sitting toilet including: Constipation, Hemorrhoids, Urinary Infections, and Pelvic Floor Issues. (Source)

The basic reason for how all of these issues arise from sitting is perfectly understandable when you actually think about what's going on. When you sit you are pinching muscles that when you squat are open and allow waste to move through. 

So when you sit, not all your waste is actually being removed, as well as putting strain on other muscles that would relaxed if you were squatting. When we sit we are at a 90 degree angle. We were designed to eliminate at a 35 degree angle. In other words, while squatting.

A Simple Solution to a Modern Problem

Of course now that you know, this doesn't mean you need to eliminate in your backyard whenever the mood strikes you. There is a very simple, discreet solution to the problem that doesn't involve installing a fancy new squatting toilet in your bathroom.

It's called a Squatty Potty. It's a simple design that transforms a regular sitting toilet into a squatting toilet. And when it's not in use, it tucks neatly around your toilet so it doesn't get in the way. I wish everyone knew about this simple, yet helpful design. Maybe if this weren't such a "taboo" topic people wouldn't be embarrassed to admit, that modern toilets just aren't working out for them "in the end"....

Get a discount code for a Squatty Potty here!

What about you? Would you be willing to try a Squatty Potty?

Like what you read? Be sure and follow LittleOwlCrunchyMomma on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+

(Note: This post contains affiliate links. Meaning, if you shop around after clicking on them, you might be helping to support my blogging endeavors. Thank you!)

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The Art of Fermentation (Review and Giveaway)

Be sure and check out our GIVEAWAY while you're here.

Sandor Ellix Katz has changed my life. Katz is a fermentation genius who has made it his life's work to spread the joys, wonders, and art of fermentation to people all around the world. His first book, Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods contained recipes and step-by-step instructions for how to ferment. His second work is something entirely different.

Buy it on Amazon.

Katz has written a veritable tome of fermentation knowledge. Katz's most recent book, The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from around the World is a chef d'oeuvre if ever such a thing existed. 

Katz has written the most comprehensive work on fermentation ever published.

In 2013 this work was on the New York Times bestseller list, as well as winning the James Beard Foundation Book Award for Reference and Scholarship. Scholarship is an excellent word choice. Not only is this book about an art, but this book is itself a work of art. Katz has spent decades studying fermentation and he relates his wisdom in an approachable, absolutely fascinating, and digestible manner. 

I am convinced that no one alive knows as much about fermentation as Sandor Ellix Katz. This book will take your understanding of the science, history, and cultural importance of fermentation to a whole new level. I had absolute no idea just how fascinating the history of fermentation across cultures could be until reading this book.

This book has a little bit of everything. It is a science, history, anthropology, and cooking lesson all rolled into one. What this book doesn't have, interestingly enough, is recipes. Yes, it contains some recipes, but that is not the primary purpose of this work. In truth, this book helps you understand how recipes, in many ways are a new invention, while fermentation has been around for thousands of years. 

This is the book for anyone interested in truly understanding fermentation. The Art of Fermentation is essentially your reference guide, dictionary, and fermentation encyclopedia all rolled into one. It is, after all, just a few pages shy of FIVE HUNDRED pages. And it weighs a ton. And it has beautiful illustrations and a cover jacket to boot. Some times I just sit and stare at it, that's how much I love it.

Just joking on that last part. (Or maybe I'm not...)

All that to say, this book is absolutely, stunningly, mind-blowing-ly amazing. If you are at all interested in fermentation, I cannot more highly recommend having a copy in your home so you can reference it whenever you have questions. It is like having your own, personal fermentation genius to talk to whenever you need. 

Read what others are saying about this book.

Or, if you are feeling lucky, enter to win the GIVEAWAY below. A big thank you to Sandor Elliz Katx and Chelsea Green Publishing for providing a copy of this book to giveaway to one lucky reader. Good luck!

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Further Recommended Reading

Buy it on Amazon.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fermenting Foods by Wardeh Harmon is a book I would recommend to anyone seriously interested in fermentation. It has hundreds of recipes for fermenting everything from fruit, dairy, grains, meat, vegetables, beer, wine, natural sodas and more. It makes an excellent addition to any fermenters kitchen whether they are an experienced veteran or a newbie.

Buy it on Amazon.

Real Food Fermentation by Alex Lewin is the perfect introduction to fermentation. This book contains some of the most gorgeous pictures of fermented food I have ever seen. It contains a great variety of recipes with step-by-step directions and a pinch of science, history, and cultural information to boot.






(Note: this post contains affiliate links. Meaning  if you shop around after purchasing them you are helping support my blogging endeavors. Thank you!)

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The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby & Child Care (Review and Giveaway)

Be sure and check out our GIVEAWAY while you're here.

Most people have that one book. That one book that changed their life forever. For me, that book is Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats by Sally Fallon Morell. This should deservedly be called a chef d'oeuvre. It is a masterpiece, a work of art, an in-depth science, history, and anthropology lesson all rolled into one. It is all those things as well as an excellent cookbook. I have been independently studying nutrition for over six years now as a result of discovering this book.

See it on Amazon.

My one complaint about Morell's book? When I became pregnant there was not a large section on pregnancy and postpartum care. Therefore, you can imagine my excitement when I learned that Morell was writing a second book just on baby and child care. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

Yet, The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby and Child Care was not anything like I had expected. I expected a book similar to Nourishing Traditions but specifically geared to babies. I expected an awesome cookbook that also contained lots of other information. That's not what this book is at all. There are barely even any recipes. This book took me by surprise, but in a very, very good way. 

This book takes you by the hand and helps guide you through parenting choices that exist all the way starting with preconception to adulthood--including covering controversial topics like vaccines, autism, and birth control. This book is steeped in the philosophy of Rudolph Steiner, which whether or not you agree with his philosophy provides fascinating food for thought. This book is incredibly well-researched. It contains an impressive amount of references for every chapter and study cited as well as helpful "further reading" suggestions.

The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby and Child Care covers a vast array of information and will most likely take any reader a while to digest. I would highly recommend buying it before you are pregnant so you can contemplate more of the information, but reading it and having it on hand for any stage of parenthood will be helpful. I plan on keeping mine handy to reference for at least the next 17 years....

For any parent, or couple looking to get pregnant, that is an excellent book to read together before you conceive or add to your family. In this book Morell spends a good amount of time talking about the importance of the fertility diet for both parents, as well as foods for optimal fetal development and healthy pregnancy for mother and baby.



Morell goes step-by-step through every newborn intervention (including cord clamping eye drops, shots, circumsision, etc.) a parent will encounter in a conventional birth setting and talks about each one in what I found to be a very balanced, rational manner. In the next section of her book, Morell examines the controversial vaccination debate with a clear head and lots of helpful information. She does not pass judgment on a parent's decision, and instead concludes this section by providing helpful tips for those looking to vaccinate on schedule, minimally, or not at all. 

Next, Morrell steps into the world of new motherhood and addresses issues regarding lactation and provides tips and solutions to common problems. She provides support emotionally as well as practically through her recipe for homemade formula. She then examines other issues surrounding new babies including the importance of touch, how to decide what diapers to use, how to deal with rashes, thoughts on sleeping arrangement and SIDS as well as much more. 



This book goes beyond just baby care and addresses issues that arise when raising children of all ages. Morell examines optimal nutrition for kids at different stages of development, talks about the importance of play for brain development, and addresses the controversial issues of child spacing and birth control, as well as providing solutions for dealing with the common illnesses of childhood, addresses the all too common issues of allergies, asthma and eczema and the tragic increase in neurological disorders in children and young adults

And after all of this, the book has recipes. 

As I stated previously, I would highly recommend couples read this book together before getting pregnant. But, it will make a wonderful addition to your home no matter what stage your family is at even if you have toddlers, teens, or adult children. I wish every home had a copy of this book. 

I plan on keeping mine around for a long time... that is, provided I can remember who I have loaned it to... 

You can help support the blog and buy the book on Amazon here. Or, if you are feeling lucky, you can enter the giveaway below. A big thank you to Sally Fallon Morell herself for giving away a copy of her book to one lucky reader. 

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Wanting to learn more about how to nourish your growing family? 

Here are a few more books I highly recommend:

See it on Amazon.

Real Food for Mother and Baby: The Fertility Diet, Eating for Two and Baby's First Foods was written by Nina Planck, well-known author of the revolutionary book, Real Food. Planck wrote Mother and Baby as a response to the lack of helpful information available for mothers looking to raise healthy babies. This book is simple, straight-forward and full of information. Planck's lays out her vast knowledge in an approachable manner with a large dose of down-to-earth humor. (Read my full review of Planck's book here.)

See it on Amazon.

Beautiful Babies: Nutrition for Fertility, Pregnancy, Breastfeeding and Baby's First Foods was written by Kristen Michaelis author of the popular blog Food Renegade. Michaelis explains the problems with modern nutrition , but provides simple solutions. This book also contains wonderful recipes and simple shopping guidelines for any experience or financial level. (Read my full review of Michaelis' book here.)

See it on Amazon.

Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats by Sally Fallon is a veritable tome. This book belongs in every home. The knowledge that Fallon presents is life-changing. This book is incredibly well-researched. Fallon dispels the myth that a low-fat diet is healthy, instead arguing that traditional animal fats and cholesterol are vital nutrients for us, for our children, and for our children's children.

See it on Amazon.

Super Nutrition for Babies: The Right Way to Feed Your Baby for Optimal Health written by Katherine Erlich (M.D.) and Kelly Genzlinger (C.N.C/C.M.T.A) goes a step beyond the aforementioned books and provides a step-by-step approach to nutrition for every stage of a child's development. The authors present their information in a digestible manner without being overwhelming. This is the sort of book a parent will want to keep around to use as a reference throughout babies first two years. (Read my full review of this book here.)

(Note: this post contains affiliate links. Meaning, if you shop after clicking on one, you just might be helping to support my blogging endeavors. Thank you!) 

Like what you read? Be sure and follow LittleOwlCrunchyMomma on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google+.

This post shared at: Allergy-Free Wednesday, Farmgirl Blog Hop, Gluten Free Wednesday, The Mommy Club, Real Food Wednesday, Penny Pinching Party