Category Archives: Parenting

For Sale: Ocah Full Buckle Baby Carrier, Didymos Black and White Indio Wrap Conversion

–SOLD–

Now that the littlest Baby Bird is running most of the time, I’m selling our much loved Ocah full buckle baby carrier, so that another family can enjoy it. This “Ocah” is a wrap conversion, made from an organic cotton Didymos black and white Indio wrap. Wrap conversions are made from wraps that are especially woven to be worn with babies, and to be soft and supportive. With a high level of attention to detail, Ocah is one of the very best converters. Operating out of England, custom spots are in high demand and the costs of shipping oversees and back can add up.

black and white indio ocah full buckle conversion for sale

Here is the description from the maker:

I am so pleased with how this Ocah Full Buckle carrier (OFB) has worked out. The Wrap used for this carrier is a Didymos Black and White Indio.  This is custom sized at 17″ tall and 18.5″ wide. It comes with a Pixie style sleephood, leg padding, arms out padding, matching chest strap,  and it has additional top stitching on the waist.

pixie hood black and white indio wrap conversion

You can see more pictures in a full feature of this wrap conversion on the Ocah blog here.

We bought this full buckle wrap conversion to be an easy to wear, but comfy, carrier, primarily for my husband. The custom-sized panel is wider than Ocah usually makes them. However, both my skinny/tall girls were still comfy. My husband is 6’2″ and I am 5’2″ and we both found it comfortable for wearing. We bought it second hand. The German-made wrap must have been perfectly broken-in and soft, but in excellent condition, when it was converted. The woman I bought it from (via the babywearer.com) only used it a few times. We didn’t end up using it much, because both my husband and I ended up having other carriers as our “favorites.” But this one has the adorable pixie hood, and is a good size for either small babies or bigger toddlers. We used Red Charlotte Suck Pads to protect against baby drool with our first, but the second left some drooly marks. I use super gentle detergent. They may or may not come out if you clean more aggressively. Detail picture of the stains available upon request.

For the condition, asking $250 cash for local pick-up in San Diego. Message me for a quote for US or international shipping. For reference, having a carrier made with these features would cost £282 (approximately US $428) NOT including the cost of the wrap or shipping it to England. And not at all factoring in the time you might spend stalking a custom slot.

Send me a message here if you are interested in trying it on:

Additional information:

Our home is smoke-free, and until very recently was pet-free. We now have a cat, but the carrier hasn’t been used since she joined our home, and has been stored in a room she does not go in. Perfume-free and scent-free home, too. Links to buy/sell/trade feedback on the babywearer.com and FB available by request.

Baby Birds’ Pumpkin Smash Cake with Cinnamon Frosting – Gluten Free and Low Sugar

I’m very excited to share the recipe I developed for a healthy and delicious pumpkin smash cake! Baby Bird’s Banana Smash Cake is one of my most popular posts on Pinterest and in search engines. It is a healthy cake with no refined sugar or artificial coloring. This year we went pumpkin picking to celebrate both our youngest Baby Bird turning 1 and Little Bird turning 3. So of course we had to have a PUMPKIN smash cake and pumpkin cup cakes. I kept the sugar low by using just half a cup of maple sugar. Although we are not gluten-free, so many of our friends are. To be perfectly honest: these came out BETTER than the traditional cup cakes I made for the guests.

Pumpkin Smash Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting - gluten free and low in sugar

The cinnamon frosting is mostly cream cheese with a little grass-fed butter. I wanted to use maple syrup to sweeten it, but we were out. I ended up using a little organic powdered sugar, but less than a quarter of what most recipes call for. Our pumpkin picking party fell on an unseasonably hot 100° day… the candy pumpkins on top of the smash cakes started melting. But the cake was delicious and I can’t wait to make it again! Maybe as a full-sized layer cake.

Healthy Pumpkin Smash Cake

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Smash Cake Recipe

Prep: Let all ingredients for the pumpkin smash cake sit out at room temperature. Cut a circle of parchment paper to line the bottom of 1 or 2 ramekins. Grease well with butter. Line a muffin tin with a dozen cupcake liners for the rest of the batter. Preheat oven to 350° F.

In the bowl of a good mixer, add:

  • 12 tablespoons of softened butter
  • ½ cup of maple sugar (brown sugar would also be nice)

Beat on high until light and fluffy. Add

  • 3 eggs, ideally at room temperature

Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each until well combined. Add

  • ½ cup of milk
  • ½ cup of yogurt

Mix well. Add

Mix on slowest speed until just incorporated, then add

  • 2 cups of pureed, cooked pumpkin OR 1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin (follow the instructions here if you want to cook the pumpkin from scratch – but I won’t tell anyone if you use the can…)

Mix until incorporated, then add

Scoop into the ramekins and any remaining batter into the muffin tin. Bake the muffin/cupcakes for about 15-20 minutes and the ramekins for about 40 minutes. Cool completely or even overnight before frosting with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Notes:

If you follow this blog, you will know that I am all about making things from scratch. They only time I have mentioned using a mix for anything was when I made my own pancake mix to take camping! But I have to say, I loved using this gluten-free mix! I have had so many not so great gluten free baked goods, and tend to avoid them.  This mix is a household staple as Papa Bird uses it at least weekly for his special pancakes. It was nearly a year before I realized it was gluten-free! I am not affiliated with Pamela’s, although maybe I should be! I am an Amazon Affiliate, though, and do receive advertising fees for qualifying purchases made through links on this site. Thank you for your support!

4.5 from 2 reviews
Baby Birds' Pumpkin Smash Cake with Cinnamon Frosting - Gluten Free and Low Sugar
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Gluten-Free
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
A low-sugar, gluten-free pumpkin cake or cup cake recipe, perfect for a healthy 1st birthday party "smash cake."
Ingredients
  • 12 tablespoons of softened butter
  • ½ cup of maple sugar (brown sugar would also be nice)
  • 3 eggs, ideally at room temperature
  • ½ cup of milk
  • ½ cup of yogurt
  • 2 cups of Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix
  • 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice blend
  • 2 cups of pureed, cooked pumpkin OR 1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin
Instructions
  1. Let all ingredients for the pumpkin smash cake sit out at room temperature. Cut a circle of parchment paper to line the bottom of 1 or 2 ramekins. Grease well with butter. Line a muffin tin with a dozen cupcake liners for the rest of the batter. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. In the bowl of a good mixer, add butter and maple sugar. Beat on high until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each until well combined. Add milk and yogurt and mix well.
  3. Add 1 cup of Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix and the pumpkin pie spice blend. Mix on slowest speed until just incorporated, then add the pureed, cooked pumpkin. Mix until incorporated, then add 1 more cup of Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix.
  4. Scoop into the ramekins and any remaining batter into the muffin tin. Bake the muffin/cupcakes for about 15-20 minutes and the ramekins for about 40 minutes. Cool completely or even overnight before frosting with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Win Tickets to the Natural Family Fair!

How do you find local resources for parenting, babies and fertility? Does your family like live music and food? Do you miss going out to events, but feel it would be overwhelming with a new baby? All of your needs can be met at this year’s Natural Family Fair. I have two pairs of tickets to give away — and I’ll be there with a table myself (representing my psychotherapy private practice.)

Boy with guitar

Natural Baby Pros, Hullabaloo, and Reproductive Wellness present the 5th annual Natural Family Fair, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The Natural Baby Fair, Fertility Expo and Hullabaloo Family Music Festival combine for a fun-filled day of learning and entertainment, when all three events come together under one tent!

Your Natural Baby Fair

The fair answers all your pregnancy, birth, and health questions, while showcasing a variety of vendors, demonstrations and products to fit all lifestyle choices.

  • Keynote: Peggy O’Mara, former editor of Mothering Magazine – “How It Really Is: The Truth About the Early Years of Parenting”
  • Karen Brody, founder of Bold Tranquility, a fatigue management system – “Be Good to Yourself: Embrace the Healing Powers of Rest to Tame the Overwhelm”

Fertility Expo

Brought to you by Reproductive Wellness, this semi-private area is a great resource for couples seeking support in conception and natural alternatives. Attendees will have a chance to speak privately, at no charge, with the physicians and experts at the expo.  Speakers include:

  • Keynote: Christa Orecchio, a clinical and holistic nutritionist and founder of thewholejourney.com – “Creating a Healthy Pregnancy in Your 30s and Early 40s
  • Dr. Brooke Friedman, Reproductive Endocrinologist at Reproductive Partners  – “Frozen Embryo Transfers: Making IVF Safer and More Natural”
  • Aimee Raupp, author, acupuncturist, herbalist, and women’s health and fertility expert – “Three Things You Can Do Now to Improve Your Fertility”

Hullabaloo Family Music Festival

Head into the Paddock to boogie on the grass and enjoy several music acts throughout the day.  Hullabaloo will play for two sets, and we’ll also enjoy the performances of Randy Kaplan, The Hollow Trees, Kathryn Cloward and Melissa Green.  Several family-friendly vendors and activities will be in this area as well to allow your kids to channel their inner-monkey and inner-artist.

The Breastfeeding Lounge returns with The Dad’s Lounge, and Free Community Clinic is making their debut.

The fair will be broadcasted live via New Mommy Media. Live interviews and demonstrations of speakers, sponsors and talented pros who will be at the fair. No matter where in the world you live, enjoy an inside view of the expertise and cutting edge support that the fair offers – live on the day of the event.

Due to huge support from several key sponsors, this family event is made very affordable to the families of San Diego. Key sponsors include: Nature’s Whisper Yoga, home of hot mama yoga, BabyHawk, San Diego Breastfeeding Center, New Mommy Media.com, Gymboree Play & Music, Kid Ventures, Basic Training for New Dads and Good Vibrations Family Chiropractic.

The fair is 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 14. Tickets are $10 for adults and children are $7. Tickets may be purchased in advance (purchase tickets here) or at the door. Goodie bags will be given to the first 250 families. Family Packs and VIP packages available for pre-sale, including a Babyhawk carrier and other full-sized products.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

pssst: If you would like additional chances to win tickets I am giving four away on my therapy website, www.AbigailBurdLCSW.com.

Updates from the Baby Birds Farm

Hi friends! It’s been a while since I checked in. We have been busy this summer with Papa Bird growing his artist representation business (Burd and Co.) and me continuing my private practice in peripartum mental health (Abigail Burd, LCSW). Little Bird has been taking dance lessons, Baby Bird is sprouting teeth and eating everything we eat, and both girls are learning to swim (a good skill to have here in San Diego.) Last weekend we snapped a rare family photo at a friend’s wedding.

bird family

I wanted to share some recent articles of mine that have been published elsewhere, plus an interview that turned out great.

First: How to Keep Your Relationship Healthy After Baby explores my top 6 tips for healthy relationships on the website for my psychotherapy private practice. Useful not just for postpartum couples, but for any relationship.

strong relationship after baby

Next: I was interviewed by a writer friend. You may remember Gill’s excellent writing from this post. Her website focuses on well-done, in-depth interviews. I was honored she chose me. I guess she has always been curious about what therapy is like from the point of view of a therapist and she raised great questions.

Interview with Gill

Next up: A fresh salad idea featuring Strawberries, Salmon and Green Pickled Strawberries was featured on the Ergobaby Blog. You might remember the strawberry pickles from this post. I am still an affiliate of Ergobaby and use their carriers daily.

strawberry salmon salad

Finally: I launched a monthly newsletter for my private practice. You can read the first edition here. Next month will feature 6 daily habits for staying healthy and balanced. If you have any interest (or just want to support), please subscribe here:

Subscribe to the Abigail Burd, LCSW Monthly Newsletter

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View previous campaigns.

GIVEAWAY: Ergobaby Wrap Carrier

I am very excited to host my biggest giveaway yet! In partnership with my psychotherapy business, Abigail Burd, LCSW, I am raffling off an Ergobaby Wrap. I believe firsthand in the benefit of keeping baby close and wearing a them in a hug.

win an ergobaby wrap

For the parents that already love babywearing, what makes this wrap unique is that it is a hybrid stretchy wrap, half way between a stretchy wrap (like a Moby) and a woven wrap. It is literally made of yoga pants material. So imagine the comfort and gentle compression of your favorite yoga pants. The wrap is perfect for newborns. Since it keeps it’s shape better than other stretchy wraps it will also last you longer and work for bigger babies.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For those that can’t wait until the end of the contest, or if you don’t win and want to buy a wrap, now is a great time. I have a promo code for 20% off the Ergobaby Wrap and the Ergobaby Swaddler. Enter ocnewborn at checkout.

20% off ergo baby wrap discount code20% off ergobaby swaddler discount code