Caring for babies is a joy, but it can also be a challenge, especially if your little angel has troublesome tummy issues like gas, constipation and/or diarrhea. After many, many sleepless nights spent endlessly rocking, soothing, singing, patting, and burping, without a bit of relief, I can honestly say it’s a true nightmare for both mother and child!

Hearing those shrieks of agony from one so tiny is simply unbearable! I knew there had to be a product somewhere that could help. UpSpring, a mom-founded and mom-run company, knew exactly what I was going through. They’ve created innovative solutions to the everyday health and wellness issues that most moms grapple with.

UpSpring’s Probiotic + Colostrum recently hit the shelves at Target and Walgreen’s. This product does double duty, helping to reduce occasional digestive upset while also providing additional immune support. With 6 probiotic strains plus prebiotics (which help the beneficial bacteria flourish), each serving contains 5 billion active cultures. Colostrum, too, acts like a prebiotic.

There are no artificial ingredients and it’s also gluten free, sugar free, and non GMO. The colostrum comes from cows that have no antibiotics or supplemental hormones in their system at the time of calving. In addition, their feed is free from pesticides. That means this product is a good choice for all babies, provided they are not allergic to dairy.

Many of us have been told that only newborns needs colostrum. Not true! Colostrum gives littles ones of all ages a full range of antibodies that aid in immunity defense. Only 1 packet per day is needed (infants under 4 months need only half a packet). Since it’s unflavored, it can be mixed into any cold food or drink. I love how convenient these are! Just pop one into a diaper bag and it’s ready to go.

There truly is no better gift on earth than the gift of good health—something every mom wants for their little one. Visit UpSpring’s website to find out more about their full range of fantastic products.

This review was made possible by iConnect and UpSpring. I was provided compensation to facilitate this post, but all opinions stated are 100% mine.

While browsing through my Twitter feed today, this picture caught my eye. How awesome is it to see such diversity not only displayed, but celebrated! Race, religion, size, nor disability should ever make us feel less worthy. Every woman deserves to be heard and valued.

For much of history, we were marginalized and silenced. In the modern world, we still have barriers to break and limitations that hold us back, yet there is so much more freedom than was experienced generations ago. When my own Grandmother was born in 1916, women couldn’t even vote; 100 years later, a woman was nominated to run for President. That, my friends, is incredible progress!

As we celebrate—and hopefully study—Women’s History during the month of March, let’s focus on our accomplishments, rather than dwelling on inequality. Let’s encourage each other and our daughters to follow in the amazing footsteps of Golda Meir, Sandra Day O’Connor, Susan B. Anthony, Christa McAullife, Amelia Earhart, and countless other trailblazers who fought for women everywhere.

Every minute of every day, we are bombarded by dangerous foreign substances—toxins in the air and earth, BPA and preservatives in food, scary chemicals in our cosmetics. While none of this is healthy for humans, those of us who suffer from allergies are most at risk.

Attending ShiftCon, a conference dedicated to eco-wellness, raised my awareness. Since then, I’ve tried my best to limit my exposure and my family’s, choosing natural and organic whenever possible (and affordable!). Here are 3 standout products that I love:

Air Freshener: Fresh Wave Odor Removing Gel

Between kids, pets, and multiple trash cans, it’s a constant battle to keep my home smelling sweet. In the past, I’ve used sprays, beads, and cones. They all work, but the list of chemicals they contain are frightening! Instead of masking odors with heavy perfumes, Fresh Wave uses an alternative blend of plant extracts and water. One container (7 ounces) lasts up to 30 days and freshens 200 sq. feet. Genius!

Essential Oils: Plant Therapy Trio

Yes, there’s a pill for every ailment, but I’d rather try a non-medical solution. Essential oils have a wide variety of uses. Plant Therapy’s Trio of mini oils is a great sampler for beginnings with small quantities of Lemon, Lavender, and Peppermint.

Peppermint keeps flies/mosquitoes away, prevents nausea, and a drop rubbed on temples can ease a headache. Lemon is supposed to be the strongest anti-microbial of all the essential oils. Lavender has a calming effect and is especially useful for insomnia (can be applied to skin or bed linens). Works wonderfully with no side effects.

Laundry Detergent: Molly’s Suds

Normally, I use a liquid detergent, but I’m always willing to try something new. Molly’s Suds unscented powder has only 5 ingredients and is made specifically for sensitive skin. It only takes one tablespoon of this super-concentrated powder to clean an entire wash. I used it twice, once for towels and another time for clothes, and both loads came out squeaky clean. Stains would probably need a pre-treat, but a standard wash didn’t require it.

What are your favorite natural products?

Wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, worker, volunteer—the number of roles women have to play is endless, and it leaves many of us frantic, confused, and unhappy. The following guest post offers an excellent perspective on finding balance.

Sometimes I look around and wonder how we women do it all. Every one of us has so many different hats to wear just to function in our world today. We women are at a crossroad. No longer simply housewives, no longer feminists, no longer arm candy, we are morphing into something bigger, better and more of everything. Not being a trained sociologist or anthropologist, I cannot give an accurate account of this evolutionary process, but I’m positive that I’m caught up in this feminine lifecycle, which I call “The Balancing Act.”

While society still imposes a certain role for us to play, it is really up to each of us to find those things that we need to bring happiness, accomplishment and love into our lives. Traditionally, women were always looking outward to find their place; consumed with wanting to do what our husbands and family members expected, or face rejection and even abandonment. Women, generally, want to please, even if it means switching from a baseball hat, to a beret, to a beanie and then to a fedora—a hat for every role. We juggle balls until our heads spin! We do anything to help, anything to make the lives of those around us better. But, what about our own ball? Where is it? Can we catch it? How sad and curious that women, as a whole, with the exceptions of those pioneers who had the courage to resist the stereotypical cycle, have consumed these overwhelming, stress causing, hat switching roles!

I can’t help but look to the fairytales where ladies are rescued by a man and restored to the safety of an environment where they will be sheltered from pain of the heart and expectations of others. It would be interesting to see if Cinderella and her Prince (which she only knew for a three-hour period), or Snow White, who lay in a coffin coming to life after a kiss from the Prince, really lived happily ever after! Did they switch hats as swiftly as we have come to do? How many balls did they keep afloat? Did they really have any form of responsibility? 

As young girls, we are taught that we will be saved and put on a pedestal by a handsome man who finds us, and who not only rebels against his family to have us, but shelters us from the pressures that have put us in a locked box.

Unfortunately, life is not a fairy tale and from my experience, it’s up to us, not a Prince, to rescue ourselves.

Perhaps, the new way is to finally include ourselves and our own needs. When we catch the ball with our name symbolically written on it, we take care of ourselves, not just others. It may seem like a silly analogy, but it is really profound. Women, now, have to take a turn. We are born with the emotional and physical attributes that make us females, but without protecting ourselves from becoming invisible and without purpose, we shorten our time to live. The changes within must begin now. It is time for women to pay attention to our own needs and desires; learn to juggle our own ball, our own lives.

Yes, life is “The Balancing Act,” and we must be part of the equation. Write your name and desire on one of these symbolic balls that you are juggling. When your turn comes up, you will instinctively know. But guess what? It’s really up to you to take your turn, because it’s certain no one else will do it for you.

Stacey Dorenfeld is living a life that she loves, due to the people and experiences that she has been blessed with. Throughout her life, Stacey has been involved with a variety of Jewish organizations, including serving on the executive board of two synagogues, volunteering with various Jewish outreach programs, including Chabad’s Friendship Circle, (a special needs children’s program) for which she was presented an outstanding community achievement award. Stacey has routinely volunteered for the elderly, the needy, and those with special needs. Over the last several years, thanks to the encouragement of some amazing women, Stacey has become involved with the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project (JWRP) and is now leading trips for other women going to Israel. She blogs regularly at Stacey Inside Out.