Selecting The Right Car Seat

You keep the car in good repair. You monitor road and weather conditions. You wear lap and shoulder belts for all your trips. You drive defensively. Now, with delivery just six weeks away, you are preparing for a tiny passenger. Safe travel is of top concern.

Is there one certain infant car seat that is the “best”? No. Is the cost of the seat a gauge of its safety? No. Can someone else choose the seat for your newborn? No. The best car seat is the seat that fits your child and the car...and is used properly each time you travel. 

Basic seat requirements:

• Seat fits your child’s specifications (i.e., height, weight, special needs). (Most infant seats fit a child whose weight is at least 5 pounds.)
• A label lists manufacturer’s name, model number, date of manufacture.
• Seat has not been recalled by the manufacturer.
• Seat is less than 6 years old.
• A label states that the seat has met the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS 213)
• Seat has not been involved in a moderate or severe crash.
• All seat parts are intact.
• Instruction manual is available.

Before you go seat-shopping:

• Learn your car. Grab a flashlight and the car manual; climb into your car’s second row of seats. (The middle is the safest position; infants face the rear of the car.)
• Find the “child passenger safety” section of your car manual. Read it slowly. You will learn some new words!
• If you will be using the center seat belt, find the two parts of the belt (the long strap with the latch ...the short strap with the buckle); hook them together. Get acquainted with the wind-up system of that seat belt.
• For cars made after 2002, there may be recessed bars for attaching “LATCH” hooks. [LATCH = Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children] . Find out where the LATCH bars are located.
• Think about your travel. Will there be daily car trips? Will you be transporting other passengers, pets, or cargo? How many cars will be used for your child? How long-legged are the people who will be riding in the front seat? (Infant seats are rear-facing and their long backs extend toward the front row seats. Sometimes the front row passenger needs to move the front row seat forward.)
• Learn the parts of a seat and the product choices. Useful references: American Academy of Pediatrics “Car Safety Seats: A Guide for Families 2008” (www.aap.org) ...National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ( www.nhtsa.dot.gov, 1-888-DASH-2-DOT).

At the store:

• Take your time. Talk with the sales person. Often sales are final, but some stores allow you to try the seat in your parked car before purchase.

Installation help:

• To find a certified child passenger safety technician convenient to your zip code, dial 1-866-SEATCHECK or visit www.seatcheck.org.

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The Benefits of Signing With Baby

5 Reasons Why Parents Love Signing With Babies

In the past decade, a growing number of parents worldwide have discovered the joys of using simple sign language with their preverbal babies.  Why sign language?  Babies can gain control of their hands long before they develop the oral motor skills necessary for speech, so signs allow little ones to express their thoughts without crying or whining, a bonus for both babies and parents.  But reducing frustration is just one reason parents love using Baby sign language.

Here's what researchers Linda Acredcolo, PhD and Susan Goodwyn, PhD, the authors of Baby Signs:  How to Talk with Your Baby Before  Your Baby Can Talk (Contemporary Books, 2002), have found in their 20 years of research on the effects of Baby sign language on babies' development.

1. Baby sign language help babies talk sooner

One concern that parents have is the effect of sign language on speech development.  Acredolo and Goodwyn have found that Baby Signers actually talk sooner than non-signers.  The reason being that they are using expressive language from an earlier age, playing with words, ideas and pairing them up before they have even developed the oral motor skills necessary for speech.  In addition, they have found that by age 8, children who signed had stronger reading skills than those who did not. 

2. Baby sign language Empower Babies to Initiate Conversation

Most babies will show signs of wanting to communicate by coming up with their own simple gestures:  they will raise their arms to say 'Pick me up,' reach for things they want, pat the couch to say 'up', or open their mouth wide when they want more food.  Signs expand on this idea and offer children an opportunity to communicate about specific ideas or concepts.

After returning from a walk around the neighborhood, Isabel looked at her mom and signed 'airplane.  'Yes,' her mom said, 'we saw a big airplane up in the sky today.  It was flying to a place far away.'

In this exchange, the child expressed a topic on her mind and the parent was able to elaborate on it, modeling language on a topic the child initiated.

3. Baby sign language Reduce Frustration

Parents and researchers agree that after learning Baby sign language as a communication tool, both child and parent have fewer moments of frustration that stem from a lack of communication.  Tantrums decrease, and parents have found that they can discipline or redirect their child in public without using their voice, therefore avoiding embarrassing moments for the child.

The most frustrating age for a toddler is 17-22 months because although he is mobile and he understands what you're saying, he may not be able to communicate about what he wants.    Sign language can help clarify communication between parent and child, replacing grunts and whining with clear expressions of thoughts.  Children as young as 6 to 8 months old can understand the signs for 'milk,'  'more,' and 'all done.'  Between 8 and 12 months, children often begin signing 'more' when they are out of Cheerios or would like another push on a swing, or they will sign 'all done' when they have had enough to eat or want to leave the mall.   Once children start speaking, parents have found that signs help fill in the gaps until the child is able to intelligibly communicate all the thoughts he wants to share.

4. Baby sign language Provide a Strong Foundation for Early Literacy

Signs make books more meaningful to babies.  Your child can be an active participant in story time, labeling pictures and predicting what comes next in their favorite books.  This kind of participation and interaction helps children understand the similarities and differences between concepts.  When they first learn the sign for 'dog,' they may generalize it and label all mammals in a book 'dog.'  Once the parent has helped them learn to see the distinguishing features of a dog, a horse and a bear, they can then learn to generalize the sign for 'dog' to the family pet, a stuffed animal and the star of Blue's Clues, given appropriate feedback from adults.

5. Baby sign language Stimulate Intellectual Development

Participation in reading activities, along with the vocabulary boost inherent in early communication, lead to stronger early reading skills.  Marilyn Daniels, author of Dancing With Words: Signing for Hearing Children's Literacy (Bergin & Garvey, 2001), found in her research that hearing students in pre-kindergarten who had the benefit of adding the visual and kinesthetic (movement) elements of sign language to verbal and written language scored significantly higher on standardized vocabulary tests than hearing students with no sign instruction.  Adding sign language to verbal communication has been found to help enhance a preschool child's vocabulary, spelling and early reading skills.

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Creating A 'Green' Registry

As more and more new moms make the choice to be environmentally friendly, Babies“R”Us has identified a growing trend in baby registry influenced by today’s eco-conscious lifestyles.  In addition to the basics, such as bottles, bibs and bouncers, more moms are choosing to register for “green” items that are good for baby and the environment, including bedding and apparel made with organic cotton and natural dyes, a mattress made with organic cotton fill, organic food and environmentally friendly cleaning supplies.  

Babies“R”Us maintains an ongoing dialogue with new and expectant moms to identify and stay at the forefront of trends.  These unique insights into the shopping preferences of millions of parents have revealed that the momentum behind natural lifestyle choices has inspired a growth in the creation of “green” baby registries or registries populated with organic items. 

“Setting up a baby registry is the first step new and expectant parents take when establishing their baby’s environment.  In the past, color and pattern were key determining factors, but now, parents are increasingly interested in ensuring that their baby’s world is healthy and clean,” said Tori Binau, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Babies“R”Us.  “This has translated into a trend of  creating ‘green’ registries featuring natural and organic items that are good for both baby and the planet.”

Below are examples of some of the most popular natural and organic products chosen by moms when building a “green” baby registry:

• Organic-certified baby/toddler food.  Organic food offered at Babies“R”Us, including puréed jar food, toddler snacks, milk and juice, from brands such as Gerber®, Earth’s Best®, Horizon Organic® and Healthy Handfuls®, is certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  Mothers who choose to breastfeed to provide their babies with the most natural source of nutrition can find breastfeeding accessories at Babies“R”Us, including breast pumps for purchase and hospital-grade breast pumps by Medela® for rent from select stores.

• Organic cotton apparel.  Parents can choose to dress their baby in layette, one piece underwear, bodysuits, shirt and pant sets, caps, socks and sleep sacks made with cottons that are naturally grown and certified organic.  Featured brands include Koala Baby, which is exclusive to Babies“R”Us, Gerber® and Halo®. 

• Natural bedding.  Earth-friendly products provide a peaceful, gentle sleeping environment.  Offerings in this category include the Serta® Perfect Balance Mattress made with organic cotton fill and bedding made from organic cotton, such as the Nature’s Purest™ “Hug Me” collection by Summer Infant® and the Bunny Meadow collection by Kids Line™. 

• Environmentally friendly cleaners for the nursery and home.  Cleaning products that don’t contain toxins are gentle on the planet and safe for people, pets and the environment.  Babies“R”Us carries cleaning products that can be used for dishes, laundry, surfaces and bathrooms from brands such as Seventh Generation®, Method® Home, Clorox® GreenWorks™, BabyGanics and Mrs. Meyers Clean Day®.

• Eco-smart gear.  Whether eating in a high chair or relaxing in a swing, these products embrace baby in eco-smart gear.  The Nature’s Purest™ “Hug Me” collection by Summer Infant®, which includes a playard, bouncer and bassinet as well as a high chair and swing, features cotton produced without harmful pesticides, chemicals or dyes.

•  Natural skin care.  Pure and natural personal care products such as lotions, balms and ointments from brands like Avalon Organics®, Earth’s Best®, MethodBaby™, MethodKid™ and Weleda Baby keep baby’s skin soft and clean. 

 

• Chlorine-free diapers and wipes.  Parents can keep babies dry with hypo-allergenic diapers that are free of chlorine, fragrance and latex, as well as wipes moistened with natural aloe vera, vitamin E and water to cleanse gently and naturally, both from Seventh Generation®.

• Organic baby care items.  Bath time, feeding time or bedtime, keep baby’s environment natural with hooded towels, washcloths, bibs, burp cloths, blankets, infant wraps and a slipcover for the Boppy® pillow, all made with organically-grown cotton.  Babies“R”Us offers organic baby care items from Gerber®, Bumkins® and Kiddopotamus®.

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Exercise, A Key Factor in Overcoming Postpartum Depression

Mother’s Day conjures up images of relaxed, contented moms gazing lovingly at their newborns and basking in their role as the family’s primary caretaker.  But sometimes images can be deceiving. The darker side of motherhood is not often discussed, yet its effects can be staggering. 

The “baby blues” – a short-lived period of mild depression postpartum - is extremely common among new moms, affecting up to 85% of new moms, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.  Alarmingly, one in ten of those women will experience the most severe form of the baby blues, postpartum depression (PPD).

Postpartum depression can surface anytime up to six months after childbirth, and if left untreated, can last up to a year or even longer.  Common symptoms include loss of appetite, loss of energy and motivation, increased crying or tearfulness and feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, restlessness, irritability or anxiousness.

San Diego, CA mom Laura Russell (*name has been changed) described her experience with PPD as “devastating.”  Not only was she so depressed she could not function; she was then separated from her newborn son, thus compounding the feeling of worthlessness and isolation.

“I actually had to be institutionalized because the postpartum depression was so bad,” she said. "I have never experienced something that was so debilitating and so devastating in my life.”

 After she was released, Russell was told by her doctor that in order to keep her depression under control, she could either use medication or seek out other coping skills such as therapy and exercise.

“ I joined a Stroller Strides exercise class, and looking back, I can honestly say, the classes saved me. The combination of regular exercise and the support I received from other new moms was something that no drug could give me. I lost weight and really began to feel better.” 

Russell’s experience supports a commonly held belief that exercise is an effective prescription for depression.  A recent study in Maternal and Child Health Journal, concluded that “better maternal well being” was found among mothers who maintained or increased their exercise both pre and postpartum when compared with mothers who had no or a decreased level of exercise (Maternal and Child Health, September 2004, Volume 8, Number 3). The article by JW Blum from the College of Nursing and Health Professions at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham, Maine, also cited support from partner/husband, family and friends as a significant factor in maintaining or increasing sports/exercise.

Numerous mental health professionals concur.  “Research clearly proves that exercise has positive psychological effects, generating a more positive mood, relieving symptoms of stress and leading to an increased self esteem,” said Dr. Susan Levy, Professor of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Department of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences at San Diego State University.

She applauded programs like Stroller Strides that combine exercise with a supportive group environment, adding that peer support is an effective way to encourage participants to continue exercising. “To gather new moms in a positive, supportive atmosphere can provide enormous incentive to begin exercising postpartum and also to adhere to an exercise program.”

Stroller Strides was founded in 2001, and is now offered in more than 150 locations across the United States, from Tampa, FL to Seattle, WA.  The unique stroller fitness program offers a challenging class for moms who bring their babies and toddlers in strollers, utilizing power walking and exercise tubing.  In addition to the classes, nationally certified Stroller Strides instructors organize playgroups and Moms’ Night Out, giving moms opportunities to socialize and further foster relationships

Stroller Strides is a total fitness program that moms can do with thier babies.  It includes power walking and intervals of body toning using exercise tubing and the stroller.  Stroller Strides classes are taught by nationally certified fitness instructors who are also moms.

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Selecting a Guardian

Top 10 Things to Consider when Selecting Back-Up Parents for Your Children

Although it’s almost unimaginable to think of yourself not being there to raise your children, imagine the situation where a court gets involved and chooses a “suitable” guardian to care for your children. Also, imagine that your family is fighting over who should have custody. This is why it’s so important to take matters into your own hands and nominate a guardian for your children while it’s still your choice. Here are ten tips that can help making the decision regarding who to nominate a little easier.

1. Consider more than just the obvious choices. Start by making a list of all those you know and trust to take good care of your children. Extended family members who are old enough to care for your children can make excellent choices to raise your children, not just siblings, aunts and uncles.

2. Friends can make for exceptional guardians. In addition to your list of family members, you should include close family friends, from church, your children’s school or even a child care provider with whom you have a special relationship.

3. Finances of the guardian should not be your primary consideration. It is a mistake to eliminate anyone from the list because you don’t think they have the financial wherewithal to support your children. With proper estate planning, you will have taken care of this potential issue well in advance (this is where having a trust and life insurance in place can play a vital role in your planning strategy).

4. Think about who will love your children most. If the couple or person you choose as guardian has their own children, do you feel that they would be able to love your children the same way they love their own?

5. Do the values of the guardian reflect your values and philosophies? You should consider whether or not the people on your list of potential guardians share your same religious beliefs, moral values, child-rearing philosophy, educational values and social values.

6. Does the guardian act responsibly and are they a good role model? How does each potential guardian deal with adversity, do they have a good temperament, are they patient, are they affectionate, and are they mature enough to take on the role of a parent?

7. Consider the practical factors. Is the guardian you have chosen married or single? If they are married, what would happen if the couple divorced? This may make for an argument to only list your biological family member as guardian in case there is ever a divorce down the road. You should also consider the guardian’s age and health. Although your parents may be a natural choice because you know they would love your children unconditionally, they may be getting too old to keep up with your children (depending on their health). Also, consider how close the guardian lives to other important people in your children’s lives.

8. Who would be a good, not a perfect choice? No one will take care of your children exactly the way you would. After all, no one can really replace you. What you are trying to do is pick the best overall choice for “back-up” parents. Although this is a difficult decision to make, if you truly consider what matters most to you, you will likely be able to come up with some reasonable and good choices. Trust your instincts, they are usually right. After selecting your first choice, come up with one or two back-up choices.

9. Talk with everyone involved. This does two very important things. First, it will eliminate hurt feelings and feuding if something should ever happen. And second, you can also gauge a potential guardian’s feelings about being nominated as a back-up parent to your children. Also, talking to your children about it if they are old enough is a good idea. They may have an opinion on where they would feel most comfortable.

10. Do the necessary planning to guide and protect your children. Create a set of guidelines to express your parenting values and your hopes and dreams for your children. Set up a trust that will hold the assets (including life insurance) that you will pass to your children. Instruct the trustee to provide necessary financial assistance to the guardians you select. You can also create special instructions through your trust to provide for annual trips to visit relatives and friends, incentives for your children to graduate from college or provide for the purchase of their first car or home or even a wedding. Lastly, designate mentors in your children’s lives—special people in their lives to help guide them. An example might be the person you choose to act as trustee. He or she could be a terrific “financial” mentor to your children. A leader at your church might make the perfect “spiritual” mentor. A close friend might make a wonderful “emotional” mentor since they know you so well and can communicate things about you and your values that maybe even your family doesn’t know.

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Cord Blood Banking Questions

The blood that remains in your baby’s umbilical cord after it has been cut is called cord blood and is rich in stem cells. Stem cell therapies are one of the most promising areas of medical treatment and have already been used to treat nearly 70 diseases, including leukemia and blood disorders. 

According to the Cord Blood Donor Foundation, cord blood stem cells can treat the same diseases as the stem cells in bone marrow, with significantly less chance of harmful rejection. Expectant parents can save their baby’s cord blood at birth by making arrangements with a family cord blood bank.  Family banks save cord blood for the exclusive use of the baby or other family members. Here are some of the most common questions parents have about cord blood banking:

Q. What are cord blood stem cells?

A: Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells, the building blocks of organ tissue, blood, and the immune system. Collecting cord blood stem cells is non-invasive and performed immediately following the delivery of a baby.

Q: What diseases are treated with stem cell transplantation?

A: Stem cells have a natural regenerative power to heal, and have been used for decades to treat nearly 70 life-threatening illnesses including leukemia, blood disorders, and other cancers. Additionally, the potential for using stem cells to treat a number of common illnesses, such as heart disease, juvenile diabetes, and brain injury, is one of the most promising areas of medical research.

Q: Who can use my baby’s stem cells?

A: Your baby will be a perfect match for the cells, and the mother can also use the cells due to her carrying the child during the pregnancy.1 The most common use for cord blood stem cells is between siblings; however, any family member who is a suitable genetic match may benefit from these cells.

Q: How likely is it that my family will need to use stem cells?

A: According to published research, the odds that your child will need to use stem cells for currently available treatments is estimated at between 1 in 200 and 1 in 400.2. Most importantly, if your family needs stem cells, using your own family’s cord blood has been shown to have significant advantages compared to using cord blood from an unrelated donor3. Additionally, siblings are twice as likely to be able to use each other’s cord blood compared to each other’s bone marrow.

Q. How is cord blood collected?

A: Collecting your baby’s cord blood is painless, does not interfere with the delivery, and takes only a few minutes. Immediately following delivery, the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. An obstetrician or nurse will collect the blood from the umbilical cord before it is discarded. The collected cord blood is then shipped via medical courier to the cord blood bank where it is processed and cryogenically stored. When you enroll with a cord blood bank, you will receive a collection kit that contains everything your doctor will need for the collection.

Ask Dr. Sears

Should I bank my baby’s cord blood?

I strongly recommend cord blood banking to my patients. Using your own family’s cord blood has been shown to significantly improve medical outcomes compared to using cord blood from someone outside your family. In fact, it is twice as likely that siblings will be able to use each other’s cord blood for treatment compared to each other’s bone marrow. 

Currently, a number of serious diseases have been treated with cord blood stem cells. And there’s a more compelling reason to save these cells—their potential to treat diseases like juvenile diabetes, heart disease, and brain injury. As new treatments develop, having cord blood stem cells on hand to treat these conditions will be invaluable.

Parents have only one chance with each child to bank his or her cord blood stem cells. The importance of banking is clear, but the financial commitment may deter some families. Thankfully, payment plans make the cost well within reach for most people. I believe cord blood banking is well worth the investment for a family’s future, and parents should strongly consider making use of this valuable service.

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Planning For a Healthy Pregnancy

Prepregnancy is the ideal time to review your lifestyle, habits and health history. Getting healthy before pregnancy will help you cope with the stress of labor, delivery and recovery. And it will help your baby, especially in those critical early weeks of development. Let's review a few ideas of prepregnancy (or "preconceptual") planning.

Nutrition and vitamins are critical for you and your baby. Women who are planning a pregnancy should take prenatal vitamins, which contain folic acid. Folic acid supplementation can lower the incidence of neural tube defects (spina bifida). The spinal cord closes by 28 days of embryologic life, prior to when many women realize they are pregnant, making vitamins particularly important in the preconceptual period.

Before becoming pregnant, you should also decrease or eliminate caffeinated beverages. Heavy ingestion of caffeine may be associated with smaller, less healthy babies. A Costa Rican study showed that maternal coffee intake decreases iron absorption, potentially causing anemia for you and your unborn child.

Pregnancy is not a time to diet, so optimize your weight prior to conceiving. Obesity is associated with a higher incidence of gestational diabetes, high blood pressure and difficult labors. Ideal nutrition is achieved with your old-fashioned food pyramid, containing moderate servings from all five food groups. Fad diets are unbalanced; they could be harmful to you and your baby.

Discuss your medical history and any medications you take with your obstetrician prior to becoming pregnant. Some medications (including some antibiotics, antiseizure drugs and drugs used for psychiatric disorders) may harm your baby and should be stopped well before conception. If a type of medication is essential for your health, perhaps your doctor could minimize the dose or substitute an alternative, safer drug. Women with serious health problems (diabetes, lupus, hypertension) can have successful pregnancies, but they need to get special care before and during their pregnancies.

A moderate exercise program begun preconceptually is safe to continue in an uncomplicated pregnancy. High temperatures, contact sports and heavy lifting should be avoided. The key is to initiate the exercise program before you become pregnant, then to make remaining fit and active a part of your healthy pregnancy.

Finally, review your immunization status, family genetic history, work environment, and prior pregnancy history with your doctor before becoming pregnant. These are all important areas where early intervention will help you and your baby throughout your pregnancy.

Becoming a parent is a major commitment; improving your health before pregnancy can help you to have a normal pregnancy and a healthy baby.

photo credit: Alexander Steinhof via photopin cc

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