Mom’s love good for child’s brain

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School-age children whose mothers nurtured them early in life have brains with a larger hippocampus, a key structure important to learning, memory and response to stress.
 

The new research, by child psychiatrists and neuroscientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is the first to show that changes in this critical region of children’s brain anatomy are linked to a mother’s nurturing.

 

Their research is published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition.

 

“This study validates something that seems to be intuitive, which is just how important nurturing parents are to creating adaptive human beings,” says lead author Joan L. Luby, MD, professor of child psychiatry. “I think the public health implications suggest that we should

Washington University School of Medicine The hippocampus (highlighted in fuchsia) is a key brain structure important to learning, memory and stress response. New research shows that children who were nurtured by their mothers early in life have a larger hippocampus than children who were not nurtured as much.

pay more attention to parents’ nurturing, and we should do what we can as a society to foster these skills because clearly nurturing has a very, very big impact on later development.”

 

The brain-imaging study involved children ages 7 to 10 who had participated in an earlier study of preschool depression that Luby and her colleagues began about a decade ago. That study involved children, ages 3 to 6, who had symptoms of depression, other psychiatric disorders or were mentally healthy with no known psychiatric problems.

 

As part of the initial study, the children were closely observed and videotaped interacting with a parent, almost always a mother, as the parent was completing a required task, and the child was asked to wait to open an attractive gift. How much or how little the parent was able to support and nurture the child in this stressful circumstance – which was designed to approximate the stresses of daily parenting – was evaluated by raters who knew nothing about the child’s health or the parent’s temperament.

 

Joan Luby, MD

“It’s very objective,” Luby says. “Whether a parent was considereda nurturer was not based on that parent’s own self-assessment. Rather, it was based on their behavior and the extent to which they nurtured their child under these challenging conditions.”

 

The study didn’t observe parents and children in their homes or repeat stressful exercises, but other studies of child development have used similar methods as valid measurements of whether parents tend to be nurturers when they interact with their children.

 

For the current study, the researchers conducted brain scans on 92 of the children who had had symptoms of depression or were mentally healthy when they were studied as preschoolers. The imaging revealed that children without depression who had been nurtured had a hippocampus almost 10 percent larger than children whose mothers were not as nurturing.

 

“For years studies have underscored the importance of an early, nurturing environment for good, healthy outcomes for children,” Luby says. “But most of those studies have looked at psychosocial factors or school performance. This study, to my knowledge, is the first that actually shows an anatomical change in the brain, which really provides validation for the very large body of early childhood development literature that had been highlighting the importance of early parenting and nurturing. Having a hippocampus that’s almost 10 percent larger just provides concrete evidence of nurturing’s powerful effect.”

 

Luby says the smaller volumes in depressed children might be expected because studies in adults have shown the same results. What did surprise her was that nurturing made such a big difference in mentally healthy children.

 

“We found a very strong relationship between maternal nurturing and the size of the hippocampus in the healthy children,” she says.

 

Although 95 percent of the parents whose nurturing skills were evaluated during the earlier study were biological mothers, the researchers say that the effects of nurturing on the brain are likely to be the same for any primary caregiver – whether they are fathers, grandparents or adoptive parents.

 

The fact that the researchers found a larger hippocampus in the healthy children who were nurtured is striking, Luby says, because the hippocampus is such an important brain structure.

 

When the body faces stresses, the brain activates the autonomic nervous system, an involuntary system of nerves that controls the release of stress hormones. Those hormones help us cope with stress by increasing the heart rate and helping the body adapt. The hippocampus is the main brain structure involved in that response. It’s also key in learning and memory, and larger volumes would suggest a link to improved performance in school, among other things.

 

Past animal studies have indicated that a nurturing mother can influence brain development, and many studies in human children have identified improvements in school performance and healthier development in children raised in a nurturing environment. But until now, there has not been solid evidence linking a nurturing parent to changes in brain anatomy in children.

 

“Studies in rats have shown that maternal nurturance, specifically in the form of licking, produces changes in genes that then produce changes in receptors that increase the size of the hippocampus,” Luby says. “That phenomenon has been replicated in primates, but it hasn’t really been clear whether the same thing happens in humans. Our study suggests a clear link between nurturing and the size of the hippocampus.”

 

She says educators who work with families who have young children may improve school performance and child development by not only teaching parents to work on particular tasks with their children but by showing parents how to work with their children.

 

“Parents should be taught how to nurture and support their children,

” Luby says. “Those are very important elements in healthy development.”

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Luby JL, Barch DM, Belden A, Gaffrey MS, Tillman R, Babb C, Nishino T, Suzuki H, Botteron KN. Maternal support in early childhood predicts larger hippocampal volumes at school age. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition, Jan. 30, 2012. www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1118003109.
 

Funding for this research comes from grants awarded by the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

 

Washington University School of Medicine’s 2,100 employed and volunteer faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals. The School of Medicine is one of the leading medical research, teaching and patient care institutions in the nation, currently ranked fourth in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.

Partnership For Cures is a medical-based research 501(c)(3) organization that raises funds for Rediscovery Research™ to identify FDA approved drugs and devices which can be re-purposed and commercialized for alternate diseases, especially for patients with rare and catastrophic conditions. For more information, visit www.4cures.org.

Full Figure, Sports and Nursing Bras from @LeadingLadyBras

 Leading Lady, a premiere nursing and full figure intimate apparel company dedicated to creating comfortably functional, remarkably affordable, stylish and easy-to-wear bras, camis and sleepwear recently contacted me to review the lines of nursing and yoga bras they offer.  I received no compensation and the opinions are my own.

As a nursing mother, and still pregnant at 42 weeks+ to boot, these bras arrived just in time.  It was easy to order the correct size with Leading Lady’s quick sizing chart, just two measurements with a cloth tape and I was done.  I ordered and within 2 days received my nursing bras.  I chose

• Sport Wirefree Nursing Bra (B388) $23.80
• Baby Sees It Cotton Wirefree Nursing (423) $25.50
• Molded Seamless Wirefree Nursing (454) $23.80

As you can see the prices are extremely reasonable, and I have paid far more for inferior bras at both boutiques and big box stores.  You can also find a wide array of organic options, latex free options, and even bras under $15 – the Leading Lady site is truly amazing. Their bras are priced up to 60% off and orders over $75 get free shipping – I have easily spent $75 in the mall on bras.

Before you start thinking that Leading Lady only caters to nursing women who want functional bras take a look.  They have some sexy lacey bras and animal prints as well, and even better they are nursing bras!

I chose wirefree for both comfort and breast health.  The Sport Wirefree is perfect for yoga, it has

• Cushion straps for added comfort
• Lightly molded cups for a flattering profile
• Quick one-handed clap for easy nursing
• Inner sling for support
• Adjustable back for a comfortable fit

I have worn it now while teaching both Power Yoga and Prenatal Yoga for the last week.  It was very supportive and for the first time I didn’t feel my chest weighing on top of my belly, the bra provided a good amount of lift without being binding.  The fit was and still remains perfect after washing.

The second bra was Baby Sees It, a very unique bra with contrasting red, white and black design to get baby’s attention and help with brain development.

• Printed sling visually stimulates baby while nursing
• Full sling for support while nursing
• Invisible inner seam prevents irritation
• Wide, cushioned straps
• 3-step drop cup accommodates changing breast size
• Adjustable straps for comfort
• Latex free

My toddler absolutely loved this bra when nursing.  This is also available in molded underwire. After washing this bra did lose a bit of its shape and through no fault of the bra as I have gotten more pregnant the size has become a little smaller on me since it is not as full coverage as the Sports bra.

The third bra I chose was a molded seamless wirefree bra which I absolutely adore.  It is very supportive, held up great to washing and is a functional form fitting nursing bra.

• Seamless styling looks great under clothing
• Molded and lightly padded to fit every curve perfectly
• Inner sling for added support
• Quick, one-handed clasp for easy nursing
• Latex free

This bra also has my favorite type of nursing clasp, the plastic button type, very easy to secure and unsecure.

Leading Lady is not just great for nursing bras, they have a very large line of full figure bras from 38A to 52H. Unlike most full figure bras that look like they come in a cardboard box, these bras are cute and functional with front closure options, animal prints and lace designs. Full figured women will find an array of affordable bras starting at $13.20 including the Front Closure Leisure Bra (108) which is available in several colors.

No need to deal with lines, snooty store clerks or fluorescent changing room lights you can now order bras in your size online from the privacy of your home and Leading Lady has a fair and easy to understand

Return Policy

You may return unworn merchandise (in resalable condition) with all tags within 30 days for a refund.

Any credits will be issued to the credit card used for the purchase. Please allow up to two billing cycles for a refund to appear on your credit card statement.

The original shipping and handling charges are not refundable unless an error occurred on our part in shipping your order.

Please allow 15-20 business days to receive and process your return.

I will definitely be purchasing from Leading Lady since it is hard to find bras in my size at most stores and I personally don’t like dealing with store clerks at maternity stores when trying to purchase bras, most have them behind the counter where you can’t get to them, or other stores only stock 2-3 types and never my size. I’ll be ditching the drama of shopping from now on, join me on Leading Lady’s Website.

Not interested in purchasing a bra today? Leading Lady is also home to Amy’s Corner, a blog written by a lactation educator who will answer your questions regarding breastfeeding.

More About Leading Lady

Leading Lady’s family owned and operated intimate apparel business has been expertly tailoring nursing and full figure bras for top brands and retailers across North America for more than 70 years.  The nursing collection, available in sizes in sizes 34B to 48 F, and full figure collection, available in sizes 34 A to 56 DDFG, take women from morning-to-night, home-to-gym, and everyday-to-date night at an exceptional value.  For the first time, Leading Lady’s comprehensive line of nursing and full figure intimates — including  sexy stretch lace and seamless wire-free and underwire bras, supportive sport and yoga bras, and cozy sleep and leisure bras — can be purchased directly on LeadingLady.com.

Leading Lady is proud to celebrate “Leading Ladies” everywhere through its products, programs and philanthropic activities. Leading Lady supports a variety of organizations and issues relevant to women across the country.

Maggie and the Four-letter Word:
What a Children’s Book Can Teach Us about Food and Fitness
A new children’s book has ignited a firestorm centering on children and diets—and what the relationship between the two should (or shouldn’t) be. Dr. David Katz explains what a healthy relationship between food and fitness really looks like for young people.

            Hilton Head, SC (November 2011)—It seems as though a new book is about to be added to the “Most Controversial” list. And it may surprise you to learn that it’s not at all similar to Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn or J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. Instead, the newest source of turmoil, set to be published in December, is an illustrated children’s book (written in rhyme, no less!) titled Maggie Goes On a Diet by Paul M. Kramer.

According to the book’s description, the 14-year-old title character, unhappy and insecure because she is overweight, decides to take charge. Maggie begins to exercise regularly, eat healthier foods, and eventually becomes a popular member of a soccer team. She learns that you can achieve any goal with hard work and determination. So why all the uproar?

“Essentially, the public is outraged because this book’s title contains the word ‘diet’ and is aimed at young girls (and presumably boys, too),” says Dr. David Katz, the senior medical advisor at MindStream Academy, a co-ed health and wellness boarding school for teens who want to get fit, lose weight, build self-esteem, better manage stress, and take control over their health and wellness destinies.

“The prevailing opinion is that encouraging kids to diet will lower their self-esteem, cause them to develop unhealthy habits, and maybe even spark weight-related neuroses,” he explains.

In fact, for example, visitors to the book’s pre-sale page on Amazon have already tagged Maggie Goes On a Diet with incendiary phrases including “teaching kids to self-hate,” “anorexia bait,” “if you hate your daughter,” “body fascism,” “fat shaming,” and many, many more.

“Those armchair critics may be right,” Dr. Katz continues, “which is unfortunate, because when you take away that one inflammatory word from the book’s title—diet—its message is fairly solid.”

Dr. Katz believes that the takeaway is clear: The words we use and the way in which we frame issues are very powerful. Maggie’s story is full of good information, but the operative word used to describe her quest—diet—is surrounded by negative connotations that parents quite rightly don’t want their children to take to heart.

“As a parent,” Dr. Katz says, “it’s important to know how to communicate the importance of a healthy lifestyle to your children (which Maggie Goes On a Diet seems to get right!) without perpetuating the stigma and obsession with thinness that dieting sparks (which is why the book is so controversial).”

Here are four powerful things to keep in mind when it comes to shaping how your kids see their bodies and their health.

The power of words. We all know that words have the power to hurt just as much as sticks and stones do. And as the controversy over Maggie Goes On a Diet demonstrates, “diet” is a very inflammatory word indeed. To some extent, it does imply that a person’s current weight and/or appearance isn’t okay, and it’s true that diets often do spark unhealthy obsessions with food, body image issues, eating disorders, and more. That’s why Dr. Katz recommends making “diet” a four-letter word in your home, never to be uttered.

“Don’t ever refer to weight loss in your home as a ‘diet,’ whether it’s your kids, you, or both who are trying to shed pounds,” he confirms. “The damage you might be doing to your kids far outweighs any changes you might achieve on the scales. Plus, the big problem with going on a diet is that you’re on again, off again. Most diets are by definition not sustainable. I think we can all agree that the notion of a child going on a diet, rather than living a healthy lifestyle, is deeply concerning.”

The power of the message. Not using the word “diet” is a good start in helping your children to develop a good attitude toward their health, but the absence of one word isn’t enough to achieve that goal. You must also make sure that the overall message you send to your children regarding weight and health is affirming and positive. Start by realizing that our society is too preoccupied with weight in general, and avoid defining your kids and their goals (and also yourself!) in terms of pounds.

“Never send your kids the message that they need to lose weight, get thinner, drop pounds, look better, etc.,” Dr. Katz specifies. “If you do, they’ll still develop unhealthy attitudes even if you never so much as utter the d-word. Instead, always frame your message in terms of your kids feeling better about themselves, having more energy, becoming healthier and happier, etc. These are sustainable goals that won’t damage your child’s self-esteem.”

The power of motivation. It’s a generally acknowledged truth that you’re more likely to do something if it feels like fun as opposed to work. So put that principle into action when it comes to helping your kids live a healthy lifestyle and motivate them with things they’ll enjoy instead of saying, for example, “Eat your veggies if you want dessert,” or, “You need to play outside for an hour before you can watch TV.” Let’s face it—those rules just feel like chores. To help get the healthy fun started, here are some creative examples from MindStream:
• Make fitness fun and affordable by giving physical activities a competitive edge. For example, the first one to do this gets this.
• Institute active family traditions such as “Family 5K Fridays”—go to the park together and walk a 5K. Along the way, you can catch up on each other’s weeks and enjoy the great outdoors. You’ll be surprised by how quickly your kids will see these 5Ks as “fun” rather than “exercise.”
• Bring your kids into the kitchen and let them help you create healthy meals. You can explain why the dishes you’re making are nutritious, and your kids will take pride in their creations and want to eat them. To up the ante, you could even have a miniature Iron Chef competition in which everyone has to create a healthy dish using a key ingredient.
• Plan to plant a family garden. Ask your kids to help you water, prune, and harvest your crops—you may even allow them to choose what fruits, veggies, and herbs to raise. And as with cooking a meal, raising food will cause your kids to feel pride in the harvest and want to eat it.

“When you make exercise and healthy eating fun for your kids, they’ll become lifetime habits—not just a quick weight-loss fix,” says Dr. Katz. “Try to help your kids be self-motivated when it comes to their health instead of just following the rules because Mom and Dad say they have to.”

The power of action. Dr. Katz has touched on this point before, but it bears repeating in more depth: Getting healthy and staying that way are not quick fixes. They are lifestyles that depend on taking responsible action consistently. Make sure your kids know that when it comes to their health, they won’t get something for nothing (which, funnily enough, is what many diets seemingly promise). To feel good and be healthy in the years to come, your children must understand the power of action.

“Actually, Maggie Goes On a Diet demonstrates the power of action very well,” points out Dr. Katz. “Maggie wants to change her habits, get fit, and feel better, and she does the work to achieve those goals by using her feet and fork responsibly on a consistent basis. She becomes comfortable with the concept of moderation, and of balancing treats with exercise. Not understanding these things has played a big role in why our nation has become unhealthy and overweight—we want a quick fix and are willing to temporarily engage in extreme behaviors, but we aren’t willing to permanently change our actions.”

“Ultimately, you can help your children achieve the results that Maggie did—a healthy body, higher self-esteem, and sustainable habits—without embroiling them in the controversy her story has caused,” concludes Dr. Katz. “It’s too bad the book wasn’t titled Maggie Takes Charge of Her Health!”

Mail today? Brand E formula with “I am not a baby, I am a newborn on the side.”  Wish they hadn’t wasted their time sending this sh*t to me, I have functioning breasts and my baby isn’t a cow or lab rat so no formula here – no offense. Also hubby found the hospital card from his birth that had Brand S formula advertising on the back and in bold “For Modern Mothers Who Want Convenience” yes this is how it starts – make babies and caring for them convenient as if to help moms out instead of the real reason, to make profits – and start in the hospital where families can easily be persuaded that tired moms’ lives could be easier, everything could be easier for all involved regardless of how it will effect your baby, brain development, bonding and breast health. Sorry, I don’t buy it – motherhood IS a JOB, we should never have let that be taken away from us. There is nothing wrong with being a mother, there is nothing wrong with working outside the home – whatever choices we make we need to realize that babies and caring for them are not an inconvenience and if you see them as such you should rethink having them in the first place. Our planet is populous enough without more parents who want to take the easiest route to birth, baby and beyond. That includes throwing a leashes on children.

Putting a stuffed animal backpack harness on your kid doesn’t make it any less degrading or leash like -get real.  I love the arguments too “I can’t be expected to keep an eye on him…she runs away….its hard to take them anywhere…” again parenting is a JOB. It’d be great if there was some interview process for the job of parent but there isn’t so instead we wind up with people who go against natural instincts, against biology – shove bottles of chemicals in their newborns and let them cry it out, distressed and alone because actually working at the JOB of being a parent is too difficult at times.

Yes, childbirth is intense – not comfortable, all parents suffer through sleepless nights, breastfeeding can be difficult at first since we have hidden the skills away from our women under nursing covers and behind bottles of formula, providing healthy home-cooked meals and non digital entertainment are time consuming – but that doesn’t mean that all the modern options out there are what are truly best for any of us, especially our children. Look at the rising rates of childhood diseases: ADHD, autism, obesity, violence; the rising rate of Cesarean sections, the low rate of breastfeeding, and the fact that 22 other countries rank better than the US in infant and mother mortality rates.  What we are doing, what we are agreeing to – it simply isn’t working.

So where does change start? With women who were given the right to vote because ” the new generation of activists argued that women deserved the vote because they were different from men. They could make their domesticity into a political virtue, using the franchise to create a purer, more moral “maternal commonwealth.” Why then do we bow down to a male capitalistic view of birth, one that propagates limited capabilities as birthers, providers and parents. Why do we buy into the fairytale that we need to lay around and be rescued- especially during our birthing experience?

Having dealt with secondary infertility issues I can attest to how difficult it can be to handle holidays, especially when those around you are expecting.  Questions like “Do you plan on having more kids?” may seem innocent but honestly are quite invasive.  Here is a guest post on how to handle the holidays on both sides.

Infertility Etiquette Tips for the Holiday Season

These easy-to-follow strategies can help couples, hosts,
friends and family avoid hurt feelings and holiday heartache

The holidays are a wonderful time to spend with family and friends, but for those coping with infertility, the pain of celebrating a child-centric holiday can be difficult. Holiday joy can be quickly squashed with a careless comment such as “Why haven’t you had kids yet?” Even seeing other couples celebrate their first holiday together as a family can be painful.

With one in six couples of child-bearing age experiencing infertility, that adds up to a lot of silent sufferers this holiday season. For such intended parents, experts at Reproductive Science Center have compiled tips to help make the holiday season a time of joy, not despair.

“Just as you put time into planning into your holiday schedule, it is important to put time into planning how you will navigate the holidays emotionally,” explains reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Mary Hinckley with Reproductive Science Center in the East Bay. “It’s good to take the time to think about which situations are most challenging and which provide you with hope and encouragement. Couples need to identify those events that might be too overwhelming and navigate around them, so they can focus on a meaningful, joyous holiday season.”

6 Tips for Couples Coping with Infertility During the Holidays:

1.      Plan ahead. Have an answer prepared should someone inquire about your intentions to have children. Although many close friends and relatives will understand, couples shouldn’t feel obligated to disclose personal details about their infertility experiences.

2.      Be selective with your invitations to holiday celebrations, particularly where you expect to find children or pregnant women. If it will be too difficult to attend, you don’t need to go.

3.      Anticipate when you might see children at family events. If it’s too painful to be around young nieces, nephews and cousins, consider arriving just in time for a holiday dinner and not the night before.

4.      Bond with other couples who don’t have children. Plan to spend time with couples or friends who don’t have children if family festivities are too much to bear.

5.      Decide whether or not to hold any babies before you arrive. For some, holding a baby can bring hope while for others it can be incredibly painful. Well-meaning relatives may want to share in the joy of a new family member as do you, but it is important to listen to your needs first.

6.      Start new family traditions with your partner, or get out of town. It could be a ski trip or a romantic getaway. Approaching the holiday in a new way may be the best way to enjoy the holiday season.

6 “Infertility Etiquette” Tips for Friends & Family:

1.      Don’t minimize the problem by mentioning the hassles of parenting or say there are worse things that could happen. Coping with infertility is painful and only those experiencing it understand how difficult it can be.

2.      Don’t offer advice or tips on how the couple can fix the situation, whether it’s exercise, food or lifestyle. Rest assured that if the couple has seen a fertility specialist, the physician has already covered these issues. Couples coping with infertility often blame themselves and struggle with this issue.

3.      Don’t tell the couple to relax and if it is meant to be, it will happen. Doctors consider couples infertile if they have tried unsuccessfully for more than a year to conceive. While stress often appears to be a contributor to infertility, the human reproductive system is complex and affected by a number of biological and physical factors.

4.      Don’t complain about your own past or present pregnancy. Couples dealing with infertility hope for the day they can worry about pregnancy.

5.      Do be supportive. Hugs and encouragement go a long way. Spend time together or plan activities that don’t focus on children. Show your love and care.

6.      Don’t push adoption. Each couple has their own approach to family building, and are well aware of their options. This is a personal topic that they may have considered or struggled with, and it is not appropriate to discuss at a holiday event.

# # #

About Reproductive Science Center: Established in 1983, just two years after the first successful birth through in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the United States, the Reproductive Science Center of the San Francisco Bay Area has been a pioneering fertility medical practice for more than a quarter-century. RSC was also responsible for the nation’s second successful birth of a baby from a frozen embryo and is recognized today for its pregnancy rates and work with egg donors and egg donation for patients from northern California, the Western United States, Asia, India and around the world for patients pursuing medical tourism. Our fertility clinics in San Ramon, Orinda, San Jose and Modesto are easily accessible to fertility patients from Contra Costa County, Alameda County, Santa Clara County, San Francisco County, Stanislaus County, Solano County, Merced County, Mariposa County, Calaveras County, Eldorado County, Placer County, San Benito County and Monterey County. Fertility doctors Dr. Galen, Dr. Weckstein, Dr. Willman, Dr. Hinckley, Dr. Sgarlata, Dr. Wachs and Dr. Ivani are specialists in infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, miscarriages, male infertility, pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS), egg freezing and reproductive medicine surgery. www.rscbayarea.com

Roux Maison Sport Detergent – Works on Something Even Tougher Than Sweat Smells

Roux Maison’s Sport Detergent is custom blended with 100% natural essential oils that are synthetic and preservative free.  The result is a deep natural clean that individuals can feel good about bringing into their home.

Roux Maison Sport Detergent 

· Eliminates the dirt, odor and bacteria that can thrive in the dirtiest and sweatiest technical and workout gear

· Works to maintain the elasticity of lycra, spandex and high performance fabrics so they won’t stretch unnecessarily or prematurely deteriorate

· With use of the formula, waterproofing qualities stay intact and continue to breathe and wick away moisture as intended

· Available in Ambrosia, Sweet Tea and Fragrance Free  · $16.99 for 16 oz bottle

Roux Maison is the second natural detergent I have received to review and I have to say I am really impressed. As many people know I don’t run, but I do sweat up a storm even more so now that I am nearing the end of this pregnancy and teaching several Zumba Classes a day.  I have to admit that even with all the sweating my clothes never get that funk that seems to follow some people at the gym.  I washed my workout clothes in these, of course they have been washed many times before in lesser detergents so I could not tell if they were “protected” or enhanced by the natural nature of Roux Maison since they are kind of worn out already.

So again I challenge detergent to the ultimate test – cloth diapers! We have spent quite a lot trying to get the ammonia smell out of our diapers, we have bought bacteria eating washes, etc to no avail.  If you aren’t familiar with cloth diapers they are pretty much the ultimate workout clothing for tiny tushies. Made of similar waterproof and wicking materials for the covers and cotton for inserts they don’t just get bacteria from sweat, they get other bodily secretions as well.

Did the two recommended capfuls do anything for the toughest of the tough? You bet it did.  The minute the wash was done I opened it and smelled….lavender! Even after a run through the dryer the diapers still smelled great.

Made in the USA this is definitely a great product. Here is a little more information on the company or you can visit their website.

• A complete family of environmentally friendly, fabric-specific laundry detergents, each precisely tailored to conserve your various fabrics and address all of your laundering needs while keeping your home and family safe from unnecessary, harmful chemicals
• Highly concentrated products all require less water, less packaging and less energy to transport
• Hypo-allergenic and safe for sensitive skin
• All products leave no chemical residue on you or your fabrics
• Saves time and money on dry cleaning
• Two exclusive fragrances, each a custom blend of therapeutic grade, 100% essential oils
• 16 oz of detergent = 40 loads of laundry
• Fragrance-Free products do not contain any masking chemicals and are ideal for those with the most sensitive skin
• Products are all readily biodegradable
• All ingredients are classified as non-hazardous
• Neutral pH
• Vegan
• Roux Maison never conducts animal testing
• Products do not contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate (SLES), Formaldehyde, Pthalates, 1,4 Dioxane, Parabens, Phosphates, Optical Brighteners, Genetically Modified (GMO) Ingredients, marine pollutants, artificial fragrances, or artificial dyes
• BPA-free bottles
• Detergents are all low sudsing and safe for septic tanks
• Each detergent is specially formulated for all types of washing machines, including High Efficiency