Ok! I feel like the worse mom ever right now! Jace has cradle cap and it is VERY difficult to get rid of it. Obviously, I have very little control over whether my baby gets cradle cap but using preventive measures might have reduced the chances of Jace having a server case of eczema on his scalp. Although I have seen worse cases of eczema and cradle cap, Jace has many scales and no matter how much I wash and scrub, it will not go AWAY!

I did not realize that he had this problem until late last night when I was stroking his head and found several pieces, of what I thought was, dandruff. I started picking at it when I realized the flakes where actually attached to his hair and skin. Then it hit me. I saw this once before on one of my other babies. Oh No! This is eczema/cradle cap. GREAT! It was two o’clock in the morning and not much I could do. Jace was asleep and I was not going to sign my own death certificate by waking him up.

Before going to work, I had Austin pick up a bottle of Gentle Naturals Cradle Cap Treatment from our local Wal-Mart. The nice thing about this product is that it is very affordable and it is designed to remove crusty flakes. However, I am not sure if it is a preventative solution. I waited for Austin and the girls to go to work and school, and I gave Jace a bath. Scrubbing and applying this solution to his hair was extremely difficult because Jace was cranky and did not want to be in the bathtub.

He was just uncooperative. What makes matters worse is he hates it when people touch his head. From the moment he was born, he never liked getting his head rubbed, stroked, patted, or touched. So, washing his hair and using the “massaging brush” provided in the cradle cap kit did not go over well. We had a Bath Time War on our hands. Nevertheless, it needed to be done. After washing him down, I wet his hair and applied a generous amount of the Gentle Naturals Cradle Cap Treatment on his scalp. I used the massaging brush to comb out the crusty flakes. I repeated this process two more times. By this time, Jace was EXTREMELY upset. This is not my first time battling cradle cap. Traneice, my second baby had cradle cap badly as well. And even though I was an inexperienced new mom, I was able to cure it.

A VERY cranky Jae

I am still going through this process with Jace, however, I have several tips you can use to get rid of eczema or cradle cap. After researching and experimenting, I have come to find these helpful tips work well…

• My first suggestion would be to use coconut oil. It is one of the most natural ways to remedy cradle cap in infants. The best thing about using coconut oil is that it is a natural substance, which may reduce the chances of irritating baby’s skin/scalp.

• You can also use olive, almond, or grape seed oil and Shea Butter. These are all natural oils that will help loosen the flakes and moisturize baby’s skin.

• By an inexpensive cradle cap treatment kit, that is Paraben and Sulfate-free. The problem with kits though is that the lotion general has other additives that can irritate baby’s skin. Also treatment kits often dry out baby’s scalp. So be careful when using kits. You can also find more helpful tips on the website listed here: https://www.pinterest.com/explore/cradle-cap/. I hope you don’t have to experience this though.

This is my first blog post in “Live to Embrace Motherhood,” and I have much to say. I was inspired to write this blog when I made the decision to embrace motherhood with all I possess. This decision did not come all at once. I struggled for several months with one of two choices: continue my education and eventually become a professor of sociology or “embrace motherhood” wholeheartedly leaving behind the chance to become a professor. As I struggled with this decision, I prayed to my Heavenly Father to know whether I was making a mistake by giving up on my education. Answers to my question did not come immediately. Nevertheless, answers did come and my choice led me to a remarkable path of discipleship.

The answer to this question began with inspiration I received during a general conference address. I will discuss the answer I receive from the address later on this post. I was unsure as to where my life was headed. My children, who were seventeen, fourteen, and eleven at the time, were not dependent on a mother who needed to be home during the day. Nevertheless, I had always felt a need to be home just in case of some emergency. But I was a single mom for most of my children's lives. So, I was unable to be a stay-at-home mom. Before marrying my husband, Austin Grover, I had to play the role of breadwinner and nurturer. I also went to school full-time. This was extremely difficult. By the time I met and married Austin, I was three and a half years into my sociology and psychology degrees, and help a job as a preschool teacher at a local childcare facility. Being independent was hard, but it helped me become self-reliant during a time that was most challenging...single-hood.  Embracing motherhood was never an option for me before I married Austin. Now when I talk of embracing motherhood, I speak of being able to assume the role of a stay-at-home mom whose primary duties are work inside the home. 

Several years after my marriage to Austin, nine years to be exact, I am now faced with the choice of embracing motherhood. Conflicted between being a stay-at-home mother and being a college professor, I turned to God in prayer. But I didn’t get an answer for some time. 

 As time went on, I sought after advice from my husband, friends, bishop, and mother. Obviously, everyone had a different opinion as to what I should do. This left me feeling more confused than ever. Some of my friends were encouraging me to finish school. “You won’t have this opportunity again, and you have a full ride with a scholarship. Take it girl.” Although I saw the logic in this response, I did not want to make a life altering decision without seriously weighing the consequences and consulting with my Heavenly Father.  Well, more time had passed and I got pregnant with my fourth child, Jace Evan. This pregnancy was very complicated with medical issues, which required some much needed bed rest. I could not go to school or work if I wanted to, at this point.

This down time, however, gave me a lot of time to search the scriptures diligently to find answers I so desperately needed.

One day as I was listening to this general conference address, the spirit spoke to me and I was reminded of my duties as a mother. I was reminded of the role I am supposed to play in the lives of my children. This alone changed my desire to continue my education. But I had other experiences that made a contribution to my final decision.

Part of the answer to my question, “should I continue my education or embrace motherhood” came when I was preparing one of my Sunday lessons for church. I was reading the Joseph Fielding Smith Manual in preparation for Lesson 4 on Strengthening and Preserving the Family when one particular quote popped out at me, as if these were the only words on the page.

"Parent and child must be willing to put family responsibilities first in order to achieve family exaltation.” 

These powerful words clarified the meaning of motherhood for me, and gave me a deeper understanding of what it means to be an eternal family. Motherhood means to embrace your children with all your heart and soul. It means putting your family responsibilities above anything else in your life. Motherhood means sacrificing your time to raise Heavenly Father's children, no matter the cost.

I am not saying that ALL women should stop going to school and quit their jobs in order to embrace motherhood. That would be outrageous. Let’s face the facts! Most mothers need to work. especially in our economy. But for those of us who have a choice not to work outside the home, we should aim to embrace this divine calling without interference from the outside world. 

Another quote that changed my outlook on motherhood is the following stated by President Boyd K. Packard:

“Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels.”

Whoa! What a tribute to mothers. I am in awe and humbled by these gracious words. I never understood how great the calling of motherhood is to our Father in Heaven. I know he smiles down on mothers who strive to embrace this holy calling. The aforementioned experiences gave me a new perspective of motherhood and women’s responsibility to their family. My prayers were  answered concerning my role in this life as a mother.  I now know my duty in this life is to be a full-time mother and I plan to fulfill the responsibilities of this holy calling by embracing motherhood! I know this is the best way I can be a disciple of Christ. I hope all you will join me as I embark on this journey to....