Gentle Ventures

Los Angeles Newborn Care Class for Professionals

Nancy Hamm — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 02:05:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA CLASS

This class is approved by the NCSA (Newborn Care Specialist Association) for certification.

July 30 - Aug 1

Friday July 30 5:30 PM - 10 PM

Saturday July 31 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM

Sunday August 1 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM

This class will be taught by the author of the course, Nancy Hamm.

This will include complete newborn care from newborn to twelve weeks.

Sleep training will be included as well as marketing your skills. Please see the Classes on Line for the curriculum of the class

For more information email Gentle Ventures

Cost: $400 3 day class + $50 Class Manual

Reserve you place in class ASAP this class will fill up fast.

I have trained Newborn Care Specialist’s, RN’s,LVN’s,Doula’s, CNA’s, Nannies, Child Care Workers, Mommies, and people with no newborn experience. This is a hands on class.

Pease go to www.gentleventures.com/classes.htm for curriculum and to pay on line

This is the most extensive newborn class taught in the US. It includes complete care information for a newborn 0 – 12 weeks.

Your Child’s Programmed Mind

Nancy Hamm — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 15:50:29 GMT

What is the responsibility of a parent or care giver in the forming of a child mind? We are all aware that a person's life including his perceptions are formed through his environment. The first 6 years of life are responsible for this formation. How do parents/care givers contribute to the forming of the mind and how do they do this? 95 –99% of your actions are controlled by the Subconscious mind leaving only 2 – 5% of your decisions made by the conscious mind. Obviously the formation of the Subconscious is vitally important to the development of the child.

Let's define the Conscience and the Unconscious mind:

Your Conscience mind is the creative mind. It is your dreams and wishes. Your Conscience mind makes decisions you are aware of and take part in. With your Conscience mind you you love, you hate, you hope, you dream. When you make a conscience decision you are making a decision by thinking about it on a level you are aware of. You may make these decisions because of your subconscious mind and not know why you are making a specific decision. It is because of the programming you were dealt before the age of 6 that is programmed into your Subconscious mind.

The Subconscious mind contains the habits and programs that have been learned that you may or may not aware of. Subconscious programming might be: a fear of heights, money does not grow on trees, men are stronger than women, gravity, for some: love equals hurt, fear of abandonment, nothing bad ever happens to me, money is never an issue for me, etc. These habits and programs positive and negative were programmed into your subconscious mind by your parents before you were 6 years old, by the way you were spoken to, disciplined, loved, abused, cared for and the things you saw,heard and perceived.

“ Human biology is so dependent upon learned perceptions, that is not surprising. Evolution has provided us with a mechanism that encourages rapid learning. Brain activity and states of awareness can be measured electronically using electroencephalography (EEG). There are four fundamental states of awareness distinguished by the frequency of electromagnetic activity in the brain. The time that an individual spends in each of these EEG states is related to the patterned sequential expressed during child development” (Laibow,1999).

In the neurological development in childhood the brain does not become actively conscience until 6 years of age. The neurological development is at the lower EEG level called Theta which is imagination. This is why children mix the world of imaginary and real. To them they are the same. They are working at the lower level.

At the lowest level and the first to be experienced by a child between birth and two years of age is the Delta wave (0.5 – 4 Hz). When the child is in Delta they are in a sleep like state. Theta is called the hypnogogic trance. This trance like state allows everything that happens before birth through 6 years of age to go directly into the subconscious bypassing the conscience mind. The Conscience mind is not even working yet. At this age the brain is only downloading data. What the child observes from the parents or caregiver the brain will record as true. The behavior of the child is formed by the data that has been downloaded and this data is observed as truth. The child cannot engage in conscience mind until they have enough of the rules of the community to fit in. The first 6 years of his life he is in a programmable state. Their lives and what they are running become the child’s programs. Consequently the way you act now is 99% done subconsciously and only 1 -2% is done consciously. Theta (4-8 Hz.) waves are experienced more between two and six years of age. This is the state adults may experience when they are half awake and half asleep. In this state the child is very very creative and imaginative when they play. This is when they are playing house using clothes pin dolls and making delicious mud pies, using a broom to ride their horse when playing cowboys and why they can so easily believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny..

Alpha waves (8 – 12 Hz.) begin to express around the age of 6. Around 12 years of age Beta (12- 15 Hz) waves are expressed more and more. This is the highest level of brain activity characterized as “active and focused consciousness”

I explained all the levels is to show you the path of development the brain goes through for the first 6 years. It is important for you to realize that from birth through 6 years the child is primarily in Delta and Theta, which represents a hypnogogic state. When a person is hypnotized they must lower their level of brain activity to the Delta and Theta state. This hypnotical state is the only brain activity of a child until age 6.. During this time the child's brain will be downloading all the perceptions, activity and knowledge he receives without the benefit of discrimination. Your child is 'programmed' for his adult years during this phase of development. This 'programming' is the subconscious that will run 95 – 99% of his adult life.

All this information is critical in understanding how you communicate and interact with your child. Over indulgence is as dangerous as neglect. And love is the most important thing you can do for your child. How you treat your spouse, how you treat others, how you act in a volatile situation, the compassion you show, and the moral integrity you display or lack are all recorded in your child's mind truth. These will become the foundation that will mold your child into an adult. What kind of adult are you molding?

I would like to add a personal note: Although we as adults are responsible for how we mold these precious children. When these children grow up they make their own choices and decisions. Ultimately they are responsible of their own actions whether they be positive or negative choices. Children that blame their parents for actions that are immoral or illegal are not taking responsibly for their own life. We all have the ability to make good choices regardless of our upbringing.

Nancy Hamm

Exclusively Baby Nurses www.exclusivelybabynurses.com Professional Placement Agency

Exclusively Newborns www.exclusivelynewborns.com Personal website

Raising a Green Baby

Nancy Hamm — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:30:39 GMT

Written by: Nancy Hamm cncs

With each of us is the need for safety and security. When a new baby arrives in the home we want that little one's life to be protected and free from anything that will potentially harm them. Please do not be fooled by thinking that a name brand manufacturer will not use harmful chemicals in their baby products. You need to do your own research to be safe.

Lawsuit Filed Regarding Baby Products - March 24, 2009

Manufacturers questioned about ingredients used.
”Some of the nation's largest child-product companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Proctor and Gamble and Kimberly Clark, are the target of a nationwide class-action lawsuit by parents after a study revealed that many of the companies' products contain questionable chemicals. The suit, filed March 19 in U.S. District Court in Chicago, will represent parents or other consumers who purchased any of an extensive list of products, if the court certifies the action, according to law firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro.The findings were part of a study conducted by nonprofit, The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which tested commonly used baby products and found amounts of carcinogens such as formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane. According to the report, manufacturers say the levels of the potentially cancer-causing toxins are so small that they do not pose a risk to the public, and are within government guidelines. The defendants include Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Gerber Products Company, The Proctor and Gamble Company, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Expanscience Laboratories Inc. doing business as Mustela, and Limited Brands Inc”.

We have grown up in a society that wants everything done now and done fast. We run to the store for a loaf of bread, no longer realizing the goodness of home made bread. We pop something in the microwave without realizing the damage the waves do to the food source we are putting in it. We put things on our skin and in our mouths that are potentially very dangerous to our health and we do it for convenience sake. We do it without thinking. We do not wonder why the incidence of cancer is up so drastically, we do not think about why ADHD has risen so dramatically in the last 10 years. We do not associate any of these things with chemicals we put on our skin and in your systems. Charlotte Vohtz, founder of Green People, a mail order company manufacturing chemical-free toiletries, suggests that the danger occurs when these chemicals are mixed in products. She says "The problem is the synergy - that is the key issue. Some are inhaled, some are in food, some are absorbed by the skin. We are being bombarded by chemicals and babies are the most vulnerable to their effects."

So then the question arises, why is a chemical used in engine degreaser also in baby wash, baby wipes, baby shampoo, and more? The answer is because it is a Humectant, a substance that helps retain moisture content and thus prevents things from drying out. The use of Propylene Glycol (Anti Freeze) makes the skin feel moist and soft. You also find it in some vitamins, foods and toothpaste. Propylene Glycol is absorbed through the skin, as is ANYTHING, you put on your skin. Your skin is your largest organ and no matter what you put on it, it is absorbed into your system, as a medication would be. This chemical alters skin structure, allowing other chemicals to penetrate deeper into the skin, increasing the amounts of other chemicals that reach the bloodstream. It has been linked with skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. Industrially, it is also found in antifreeze.

What about Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)? Have you thought about how it affects your newborn. Research has shown that SLS and SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulphate) may cause potentially carcinogenic nitrates and dioxins to form in the bottles of shampoos and cleansers by reacting with commonly used ingredients found in many products. Large amounts of nitrates may enter the blood system from just one shampooing. They can cause eye irritations, skin rashes, hair loss, scalp scurf similar to dandruff, and allergic reactions. industrial uses of SLS include engine degreasers and car wash soaps.

Did you know that SLS is rapidly taken up and accumulated in the eye tissue and retained for up to 5 days. It denatures proteins of the eye tissues impairing development permanently and it extends the healing time of the cornea surface to 10 days (2 days being normal). And finally, tissues of young eyes may be more susceptible to alternation by SLS. This is taken from a lab study by K. Green Ph.D.,D.Sc.

SLS is found in almost all toothpastes, shampoos and bubble baths and is absorbed through the skin. A baby's eyes develop the most in the first few years.

Take a look at your toothpaste. Did you ever wonder why it says "Keep out of the reach of children...if swallowed contact a POISON CONTROL CENTER IMMEDIATELY."

Did you know that there are natural ways to eliminate many ailments in a baby’s life without using chemicals or prescriptions? We have items common to our kitchen shelves that we can use to treat thrush and colic, diaper rash and cradle cap? We have herbal preparations and homeopathic remedies that are not only 100% safe but also very effective without leaving any side effects.

There are good ways to make anti fungal baby wipes without using alcohol or chemicals that are actually good for the baby’s skin.

For instance, did you know that an effective treatment for thrush was baking soda or yogurt?

The world is awash with natural ways to care for a baby. There are more and more parents who are interested in using the most gentle products on their children and it starts with us teaching them it is possible and ultimately so simple. The following are some healthy ways to care for your baby.

TREATMENTS FOR THRUSH

White patches on the inside of the mouth are a sure sign of thrush.

1. Swab baby's mouth after every feeding with a mixture of one teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of water. Be sure not to re-dip your finger or swab into the solution after applying to your baby's mouth.

2. Swab baby's mouth with plain yogurt after every feeding. The acidophilus in the yogurt kills yeast bacteria.

3. Always wash your hands every time you touch your breasts or baby's mouth, and be sure not to infect your "remedies" with the yeast bacteria.

4. Give baby frequent shallow baths with a cup or two of apple cider vinegar added to neutralize the yeast bacteria.

5. Calendula cream or yogurt can be applied to baby's bottom at every diaper change.

6. Over-the-counter Lotrimin works well on yeast rashes. (I do not recommend this as it is chemical)

7. Add a couple drops of essential oil of lavender to the bath.

8. Gentian Violet is also reported by many women as an effective yeast treatment. Be careful if you do decide to try it, it stains! Gentian violet has also been known to cause allergic reactions so use it with caution the first time.

9. Yeast infections need to be treated aggressively and consistently in order to get rid of them effectively. If you are positive that yeast is not the cause of your baby's rash, it may be possible that the baby has an allergy to a food that is passing through Mom's breast milk. Start by eliminating dairy products from her diet to see if there is an improvement. Other foods may cause an allergic reaction in the baby as well, but reactions are rare in a breastfed baby unless you eat a large quantity of one particular food.

10. Breast milk has wonderful properties, do not hesitate to apply it to a baby’s bottom when you see a rash appearing.

11. For storage of the wipes, use a zipper baggie for travel or a small plastic storage container with a lid for home. OR recycle a commercial baby wipes container for the homemade wipes!

12. If Mom prefers you can also used disposable wash clothes and then you can keep a dish of water by the changing table.

Colicky Baby

A couple of home remedies have been found to work well in Colicky babies.

1. Lactobacillus bifidus: This is a acidophilus like culture specially for babies. It is available in liquid form from your local health food store. Give baby 1/8 teaspoon with feeding 3 times a day when the baby tends to be colicky.

2. Chamomile and fennel tea can be very effective. Make a mildly strong cup of tea and put 1 teaspoon of that tea in baby’s bottle.

3. Colic Ease http://www.colicease.com. This one is herbal.

4. Colic Calm http://www.coliccalm.com This one is homeopathic.

5. Gripe Water- each gripe water manufacturer has its own gripe water formula.

6. Anise to aid digestion.

7. Angelica to soothe upset stomach

8. Caraway to relieve flatulence and indigestion.

9. Cardamom to relieve flatulence and indigestion.

10. Catnip to support digestion and relieve upset stomach

11. Chamomile to settle the stomach

12. Cinnamon bark to aid digestion and relieve flatulence and vomiting

13. Dill to dispel flatulence, stimulate appetite and settle stomach.

14. Fennel for stomach upset, hiccups, gas

15. Ginger to ease nausea and other digestive problems.

The above list of herbs can each be made into a tea. You would than use one teaspoon per 4 ounces of milk. If you are breastfeeding, you could drink the tea or take the herbs in pill or tincture form and it will transfer to the breast milk.

Homemade Baby Wipes

1. For storage of the wipes, use a zipper baggie for travel or a small plastic storage container with a lid for home. OR recycle a commercial baby wipes container for the homemade wipes!

Homemade wipes can be made with distilled water – Lavender and Tea Tree Oil.

2. If Mom prefers you can also used disposable wash clothes and then you can keep a dish of water by the changing table.

In conclusion, please use extraordinary discretion when putting things on your baby skin or in their mouth. Unless it is a completely natural product, you could be putting your child at risk. Do your research. You may be shocked at the dangers lurking in baby products.

H1N1 - Why worry when you have Homeopathy

Nancy Hamm — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:07:00 GMT

Our subject this month is the H1N1 vaccination. I have reposted this after receiving more information.

I am one of the select few that have been told it is essential to get the H1N1 vaccination (I work with newborns) so I have begun my search for the truth. There are many views and many ideas on the necessity of the vaccination and the best way to protect ourselves. Being a person who tries to do everything in the most natural way possible I personally, will not be putting a vaccine in my body that has so many potentially hazardous chemicals in it.

The following is from the FDA page about the approved bird flu vaccine and the ingredients:
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/UCM112836.pdf

“ Influenza Virus Vaccine, H5N1, a monovalent type A inactivated vaccine for intramuscular use, is a sterile suspension prepared from influenza virus propagated in embryonated chicken eggs and is supplied in 5 mL multi-dose vials. The virus-containing fluids are harvested and inactivated with formaldehyde. The influenza virus is concentrated and purified in a linear sucrose density gradient solution using a continuous flow centrifuge. The virus is then chemically disrupted using a nonionic surfactant, polyethylene glycol p-isooctylphenyl ether (Triton® X-100), producing a “split virus.” The split virus is then further purified by chemical means and suspended in sodium phosphate-buffered isotonic sodium chloride solution.
Influenza Virus Vaccine, H5N1, is a clear and slightly opalescent suspension formulated to contain 90 μg hemagglutinin (HA) per 1.0 mL dose of the influenza virus strain A/Vietnam/1203/2004 (H5N1, clade 1). Porcine gelatin (500 μg/dose) is added as a stabilizer. Thimerosal, a mercury derivative, is added as a preservative. Each 1.0 mL dose is formulated to contain not more than 98.2 μg thimerosal (approximately 50 μg mercury/dose). Each dose may also contain residual amounts of formaldehyde (not more than 200 μg), Polyethylene Glycol p-Isooctylphenyl Ether (not more than 0.05%), and sucrose (not more than 2.0%)”.

If you are determined to receive the H1N1 I would strongly suggest you receive the vaccination without the preservatives. Although the dangers are still unknown you are lowering your risk by not allowing the Mercury or formaldehyde in your body.

On average, in both Canada and the U.S., it takes a little over a decade for a drug to move from preclinical development to the marketplace. Before a vaccine enters human testing, the developer conducts laboratory (in vitro) and laboratory animal (in vivo) testing to determine whether the product will be safe enough for researchers to proceed to clinical trials. The H1N1 went out without any preclinical trials. There are no studies to show the long term or short term effects of the H1N1. PLEASE SERIOUSLY CONSIDER WHETHER YOU ARE WILLING TO RISK YOUR HEALTH.

Every Physician, Nurse or medical personnel who administers the H1N1 vaccine (or any vaccine) should be asking themselves why they are injecting the following ingredients into patients that have been scientifically proven to cause immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity, sterility and cancer.

Below is a list of the H1N1 vaccination brands and what is Toxic in them:

Novartis Focetria Adjuvanted H1N1
Influenza Vaccine Ingredients/Toxicity
Polysorbate 80: Sterilie Agent
Potassium Chloride: Neurotoxin
Squalene: Neurotoxin
Thimerosal: Neurotoxin
Novartis H1N1 Monovalent Influenza Vaccine Ingredients/Toxicity
Beta-Propiolactone: Carcinogen
Polymyxin: Neurotoxin
Neomycin: Immunotoxin
Thimerosal: Neurotoxin
GlaxoSmithKline Arepanrix Adjuvanted
H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Ingredients/Toxicity
Formaldehyde : Carcinogen
Polysorbate 80: Sterilie Agent
Sodium Deoxycholate: Immunotoxin
Squalene: Neurotoxin
Thimerosal: Neurotoxin
GlaxoSmithKline Pandemrix Adjuvanted
H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Ingredients/Toxicity
Octoxynol 10: Immunotoxin
Polysorbate 80: Sterilie Agent
Potassium Chloride: Neurotoxin
Sodium Deoxycholate: Immunotoxin
Squalene: Neurotoxin
Thimerosal: Neurotoxin
GlaxoSmithKline Fluarix 2009-2010
Formula Ingredients/Toxicity
Formaldehyde : Carcinogen
Octoxynol 10: Immunotoxin
Polysorbate 80: Sterilie Agent
Sodium Deoxycholate: Immunotoxin
Sanofi-Pasteur H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Ingredients/Toxicity
Formaldehyde : Carcinogen
Polyethylene Glycol : Systemic Toxin
Thimerosal: Neurotoxin

MedImmune H1N1 Vaccine Ingredients/Toxicity
Monosodium Glutamate: Neurotoxin
Gentamicin Sulfate: Nephrotoxic
Monobasic Potassium Phosphate: Immunotoxin
FLUARIX 2009 Latest Package Insert Ingredients/Toxicity
Formaldehyde : Carcinogen
Gentamicin Sulfate: Nephrotoxic
Polysorbate 80: Sterilie Agent
Sodium Deoxycholate: Immunotoxin
Thimerosal: Neurotoxin

CSL PANVAX H1N1 Vaccine Ingredients/Toxicity
Beta-Propiolactone: Carcinogen
Neomycin: Immunotoxin
Sodium Taurodeoxycholate: Carcinogen/Immunotoxin
Polymyxin: Neurotoxin
Thimerosal: Neurotoxin
CSL Afluria H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Ingredients/Toxicity
Beta-Propiolactone: Carcinogen
Neomycin Sulfate: Immunotoxin
Polymyxin B: Neurotoxin
Potassium Chloride: Neurotoxin
Sodium Taurodeoxycholate: Carcinogen/Immunotoxin
Thimerosal: Neurotoxin

After reading this information, I will be taking homeopathic remedies to prevent the flu. The H1N1 flu and its symptoms have been likened to the flu of 1917/1918 or the Spanish Flu. People born before 1950 have a much less risk factor for getting the H1N1 as they have probably been exposed to the Spanish Flu in some form. Many of the symptoms are the same and this gives homeopathy a foothold in having the ability to administer a remedy that will be as effective as the vaccine without the side effects.

In homeopathy the Repertory is used to analyze the symptoms of a person or a disease and based on the symptomlogy a remedy is given to help relieve those symptoms.

A study was done in Mexico using the common symptoms of the 2009 Swine Flu in order to outline a specific homeopathic based prevention and treatment model that could be used by homeopathic doctors around the world.
Homeopathy preventive H1N1 medicine :
1. BAPTISIA TINCTOREA 30C
2. INFLUENZINUM 200C
3. ARSENICUM ALBUM
4. OSCILOCCINIUM 30 C
5. GELSEMIUM 30C
Nosodes, Influenzinum (corresponding to the epidemic), Pyrogenium, Anthracinum.
Oscilococcinium 30' and `Influenzium 200' for swine flu prevention as well as to improve the immune system among the general public towards the flu. "The homeopathy medicine 'Gelsemium 30' has been proved effective clinically in the treatment of swine flu in France a decade back and has been reported in the British journal of Clinical Medicine.

You can get these remedies on line or at your Health Food Store. Influenzium will have to be ordered on line. http://www.shop.com/Boiron_Influenzinum_200C_75_200_C_pellets-46808558-61261489-p+.xhtml?sourceid=298

To take Influenzium 200C as a preventative take 3 doses 10 minutes apart. Within 24 hours you should develop an immunity against the H1N1. This is according to http://ready2beat.com/educational/influenzinum-200-homeopathic-medicine-swine-flu

Homeopathic remedies are prescribed on the principal that 'like cures like', in a tiny dilution. To explain homeopathy a little better let’s try this: Apis (a homeopathic remedy) is made from the venom of the bee sting, if you are allergic to bee stings Apis is the remedy that you should carry with you at all times as it will counteract the sting. Apis also works well for swelling or puffing up of various parts, EDEMA, red rosy hue, stinging pains, soreness, intolerance of heat, and slightest touch, and afternoon are worse.

If you have other questions please feel free to write or call me.

Thank you for your time

WHAT IS THE 'DREAM FEED' AND SHOULD I DO IT?

Nancy Hamm — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:07:53 GMT

Many parents are very undecided as to the care and feeding of the newborn when they arrive home from the hospital. All they know is that when baby cries, if you put a bottle or nipple in the mouth that usually takes care of the problem. And to put it in a very simply....that is right. Before the baby becomes aware of him/herself, their basic needs such as hunger, warmth, security, and sleep are all they know. In the first couple of weeks the 'schedule' is usually non existent unless you have prior knowledge or have a Baby Nurse helping you. You soon learn that the 'schedule' is a godsend. You and your baby will know when you should feed and between those times, if the baby is fussy you will look for other issues before you give in to feed. This gives you much needed relief from the 24 hour feed which many mom's experience. So what is this 'Dream Feed' everyone is talking about? The 'Dream Feed' is more or less what it denotes. It is a feed that you are going to give your baby while the baby is busy dreaming or sleeping. This is the only time at night you should be waking your baby up. You will give this feed to the baby just before you go to bed. This will give you a good solid 3 or 4 hours of sleep before you have to get up and feed again. Here is the process: About 10 pm (if you go to bed at 10:30) you will go into the baby's room. You will not turn any lights on. You pick the baby up without waking him/her. Do not unswaddle the baby. Do not change the baby's diaper. Put the nipple in the baby's mouth and quietly feed the baby. They will eat in their sleep. Put the baby down and run to your bed and go to sleep. That is how you would doa Dream Feed. Here is what I would suggest to parents who are trying to get in a solid chunk of sleep each night. First, baby must be on a 3 hour schedule during the day. They should be awaken to eat every 3 hours. If you let them go longer than 3 hours you are being robbed of that long stretch at night. They generally do one long stretch per day and you want that to be in the night. So wake them every 3 hours and feed them during the day. Night time routine: One of the parents should go to bed around 9 pm if possible. The other parent say up and do the first night feed or Dream Feed around 11 pm. The first parent would then get up for the next feed which would be around 2 or 3 am. giving that parent a good 6 hour stretch. The parent who went to bed at 11 pm would sleep through the next feed and get up for the feed after 2 am which should be about 5 or 6 giving that parent a good 6 or 7 hour stretch of sleep. Meanwhile the first parent would have one more block from 2 am until 8 am to sleep. All this being said I am assuming you are swaddling tightly, teaching baby to self soothe during the day, following a schedule, and being good to yourself. If you need any help with any of this I am a Newborn Care Specialist and am an expert in the field. I would be happy to help you. You may email me at exclusivelynewborns@msn.com to set up a consultation by phone, email or in person. Life is good and babies can be fun. Nancy Hamm

Natural Ways to Deal with Reflux

Nancy Hamm — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:36:00 GMT

You have just found out your baby has Reflux You know there are many prescriptions available for your child but if you are looking for a more natural way, there are many natural ways to help your baby.

• Keep the baby upright for about 30-45 min after a feeding. You can use a bouncy chair, swing, hold the baby or put them in a boppy type pillow.

• Avoid laying the child flat. For sleeping try elevating the crib, use the Reflux Nest, (see instructions) raise up the mattress or legs of the bed.

• A trained Myopractor’s and can do a simple procedure that can put an end to colic forever. The stomach and the digestive system are tense and not working properly. The Myopractor does gentle manipulation with stretching and massage of the stomach and digestive system to restore its normal movement and flexibility, thus eliminating the tummy aches.

The Myopractor’s have an 80% success rate with, 1 in 5 babies needing to come back for a second visit.

• Happi Tummi is a natural Velcro belt that is filled with herbs that soothe baby. It is heated in the microwave and put on baby and then the baby is swaddled. www.happitummi.com

• If your child is less than 4 months old, SWADDLE. They may fight it; however it has been proven that they achieve better sleep and less stress when swaddled. You will have to do a tight swaddle. If the child is between 3 and4 months you will have to find an over sized swaddling blanket.

• Refluxers often reflux less and are more comfortable when sleeping on their tummy. This can increase the risk of SIDS and you should contact your doctor before trying it.

• Consider switching to a non DHA/ARA formula (this may make the biggest difference). Artificial DHA/ARA has been proven to have NO nutritional value and may be the cause of intestinal upsets such as Reflux. http://www.cornucopia.org for the scientific study.

• Hypo-allergenic (Alimentum, Neocate, etc.,) formulas can be a great help, and some babies do well on Carnation Good Start without DHA/ARA), Earth's Best Organic or Nature's One Organic. If a baby is breastfeeding they should never be taken off the *** and given formula. *** milk is individually made for the specific baby.

• Create a Reflux Nest for your baby. The Nest will elevate your baby at a 30 degree angle so you baby can sleep in elevated comfort.

• Probiotics and digestive enzymes are a wonderful natural way to help your infant prepare their immature system cope with acid. You can buy Probiotics at your local Health Food Store in the refrigerator section. You will follow the directions on the jar. Usually it is 1/8 teaspoon in one or two bottles a day. Researchers at the Regina Margherita Children's Hospital in Turin, Italy, compared the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri with Simethicone (Mylicon), the standard treatment for colic, over a 28-day period. They found that the amount of crying decreased more significantly among the infants given L. reuteri than among those given Simethicone. By the end of the study, 95 percent of the infants had responded positively to the probiotic, but only 7 percent to the Simethicone.

Nursery Necessities Defined by Item

Nancy Hamm — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:30:00 GMT

I have tried to format this information and it will not format the way I want. If you would like the original please email me. I thought it was important to get this information out.

NEWBORN NECESSITIES EXPLAINED

DIAPERING

Changing Table or Changing Area - It will be helpful to have one changing station upstairs and one downstairs, if you live in a two-story house.

Diapers - We would recommend buying a total of about 100 Size Newborn (Size N) diapers, as these go up to 10 pounds and will be a good start for most families. We also suggest buying at least 200 of the size 1 diapers, which go up to 14 pounds. 200 diapers will last you about 2-3 weeks for one baby. If your baby is premature, Huggies has preemie diapers (Size P) for babies up to 6 pounds.

Diaper Pail - None of those fancy diaper pails really keep the odor of dirty diapers from smelling up the room. You're best off to buy a plain, small trash can with a "flip-top" lid and empty it on a daily basis. If you really want an upscale diaper pail, we would suggest the Diaper Champ because you can use regular trash bags in it. Some of the others require special bags, which are an added expense and not easy to replace if you run out of them.

Changing table pads - These are small, square waterproof pads that measure about 12x12. You put them on top of the changing table pad, directly under the baby. This way, in case there is an accident during a changing or if it's a particularly messy changing, you only have to throw the small pad into the dirty clothes and you don't have to remove the entire changing table pad cover! You could also get the disposable kind.

BATHING/HYGIENE

Nail clippers - get a good set that has a large, bulbous end to make grasping them easier for you. There are a few choices on the market, ranging from standard issue to cutesy (looks like a bee or ladybug). Use the clippers that have the magnifying glass. Don't bother with baby nail scissors; they're hard to use. Also, be sure and get some baby emery boards; they're less stressful than clippers!

Nasal Aspirator - Although you will probably receive one of these from the hospital, please buy one anyway. This can be a lifesaving tool during the first few weeks. Be sure and get the large, bulb syringe type (they're usually blue but sometimes green or white), that come apart for cleaning, not the tiny nasal one.Saline drops - This is especially important if your baby is a preemie or is born during the winter months.

Mylicon drops or Gripe Water - It is valuable to have one of these on hand. We prefer a more natural product, Gripe Water. Mylicon drops are commonly used but they are chemical based and we do not recommend them. Personally I would suggest you get colic calm or colic ease both available on the INTERNET http://www.coliccalm.com/ or http://www.colicease.com/

Thermometer - Get a rectal 10-second reading thermometer with over insertion gauge; ear thermometers aren't accurate; thermometers without stoppers are stressful. You'll also need a tube of Vaseline or KY Jelly and some thermometer covers

Bathtub - If you are going to use a bath tub get something cheap and basic. The main thing is that it has a drain in the bottom of it. We do not recommend the folding bathtubs because water leaks out of them at the "folding points." I always bathe in the sink and will be happy to show you a 'no cry' method of bathing.

Infant towels - It's worth the money to purchase high quality, thick, terry cloth baby towels. In the beginning however it is much easier to use a cheap thin bath towel or the baby can get lost in the towel.

Infant wash cloths - We really prefer the thin, cheap ones! We don't usually use a wash cloth to bathe the baby, but more to just wring water over him/her or to put it on his tummy and pour water over it. However, these wash cloths do come in handy for lots of other uses such as covering a penis during diaper changes and using in place of baby wipes for bad rashes.

Liquid baby soap - Go natural with anything you put on the baby's skin. We recommend Avalon, Aubrey's, Burt's Bees, or Healthy Timez. We do recommend getting a pump bottle because it's easier to pump something with one hand when you're holding the baby with the other hand.

FEEDING

Formula - Even if you plan to breastfeed, you should have some formula on hand in case you need to supplement. Your pediatrician or hospital will make their recommendation, but keep in mind that their choices are often based on the formula reps who give them samples. We really like Nestle Good Start, but make sure it is without DHA/ARA, which is also known as Lipil. There are also some great Organic formulas without DHA/ARA. DHA and ARA are found in *** milk, and most formula companies are now putting them into their formula, reporting that they promote brain and eye development. However, some babies who were on a Lipil (DHA/ARA) formula had reflux, ranging from mild to severe, and showed remarkable improvement when taken off the Lipil formula. These ingredients are so new that the American Academy of Pediatrics will not take a stand in support of them!Also please be very wary of SOY based formula's. I would be happy to send you the latest research on Soy, it is scary. You do not want your child on Soy.

Bottles - We prefer glass bottles or any bottle that is BAP free and PVC free. We have not preference to bottle brands as we find they are basically all the same. No bottle prevents gas or spit up.

Bottle Warmer -I do not recommend bottle warmers. Babies will take bottles any way you present it to them. Room temperature is the best and easiest way to go. You could just prepare bottles as you go, in which case you can use room temperature purified or better yet distilled water and you have no need for a bottle warmer. This is especially easy with multiples.

Bottle/Nipple brush - If you are using Playtex disposable bottles, you will only need a nipple brush and not a bottle brush.

Bottle sterilizer - This isn't necessary if you plan to use your dishwasher to wash and sterilize your bottles. However, if you plan to wash bottles by hand, the Avent sterilizer is the most convenient sterilizer we've found.

Bottle drying rack. This comes in very handy. We like The First Years 2-in-1 Drying Rack. You can also buy the sterilizer bags which are very handy and covenant.

Burp cloths - Your best bet is to buy a package of regular cloth diapers to use as burp cloths. We have seen these used later as security blankets, which is nice because if one gets dirty, it is easily and quickly replaced. No having to wait for the blankie to come out of the dryer!Bibs - Many babies dribble a lot when they eat, and formula stains everything it touches. If your baby takes formula, please have at least a dozen very small bibs that Velcro or snap closed (not tie).

CLOTHING AND BEDDING

Clothing: You should wash and store at least 4 gowns, 4 onesies, 4 pairs of socks, 4 swaddling blankets, and one crib sheet BEFORE your baby is born so that they will be ready to use when baby arrives home. You should not wash all of the baby clothes that you have received because you might need to return some things. Between pooping and spitting up, it is not uncommon for the baby to go through 3 or 4 outfits the first night home from the hospital.You should have about 25%, 0-3 months and 75%, 3-6 months clothes. However, if you are expecting multiples or your baby arrives prematurely, you should have about 50%, 0-3 months and 50%, 3-6 months. For very tiny preemies, you will want a few preemie outfits, but they do grow out of these very quickly.

Monitor: BabySense V - Infant Movement Monitor -The simplest and most reliable monitor available, the Babysense^TM V is comprised of two very sensitive sensor pads which are placed under the baby's mattress, and a high speed microprocessor control unit. The control unit alerts you with a loud alarm if it does not detect any movement for 20 seconds or if it detects less then 10 micro-movements per minute. Even the slightest body motions are registered as movement. http://www.babysafeus.com/

Newborn gowns - This is a must for all newborns, especially at night. You don't want to be fumbling around with snaps in the middle of the night when baby is crying on the changing table. And even during the day, gowns are much easier than any other clothing item because babies need about 12 diaper changes a day for the first few weeks. Try to find gowns with elastic at the bottom rather than a drawstring, and only buy size 0-3 months or size N (newborn). By the time they are big enough to wear something bigger, you'll be tired of seeing them in gowns!

Sleepers (long sleeves and long legs) while these do keep your baby warm, you will mainly want to use these during the day because of all the snaps. Look for the ones that snap or zip all the way to the feet so you don't have to ‘stuff' the baby's feet into the sleeper. (Child Time has the one's that zip from neck to feet and they have them in "preemie" as well.)Socks - These are only necessary during the cold months or if you keep your house pretty chilly during the summer.

Newborn hats - You really only need this if your baby is premature. They have a difficult time regulating their body temperature, so a hat helps keep them warm in the first few weeks.

Receiving blankets - This is a MUST HAVE item. PLEASE allow us to guide you here. The receiving blankets you find at most baby stores or in baby departments are not conducive to swaddling. They are too small and will not keep your baby swaddled past about 7 pounds. We recommend that you buy at least six (6) swaddling blankets. The thermal weave large blankets work very well for swaddling, Baby's R Us and Target carry the thermal weave blankets. They provide the stretch needed for a tight swaddle. You can order large 45 x 45 blankets from me. The Miracle Blankets work great also and are the preferred blankets http://www.miracleblankets.com/. There are a lot of darling receiving blankets on the market that are kind of fancy. These nicer blankets are fine for wrapping around baby when you want to show him/her off, but they will not swaddle him/her. (I can't stress enough about swaddling your newborn baby!) J Sleep sack - You will not need this until baby is at least a few months old, so don't buy it until you need it; just be prepared for it. The baby can be swaddled for the first few months. The sleep sack zips up the front and has no arms. It is a safe alternative to a blanket when you need to keep baby warm at night.

Crib sheets - Have at least 3 sheets per crib. You'll need one on the bed, one in the closet, and there is bound to always be one in the laundry. We don't recommend the jersey sheets (they feel like a T-shirt) or anything that is too inexpensive, as these types of sheets don't fit the crib very well and the babies can pull at them easily. Your sheets should be relatively plain, with a design that is not too busy. Some babies are very visually stimulated, and busy designs make for more challenging sleep training. A note about co-bedding multiples: I think its fine to co-bed your babies for the first 4 weeks or possibly a bit longer if they're preemies, but after that, they will begin to disturb each other and wake each other up, so they should be in separate cribs.

Crib sheet savers - These should be called life savers! Changing crib sheets is a gymnastic event so get at least 3 sheet savers. They are removed easily if baby spits up on them. These are terry cloth pads that tie onto the crib. Don't get the plain, waterproof pads for the bed because baby can accidentally grab them and get them stuck around his face.Crib bumpers - We don't recommend putting a bumper pad in baby's crib. They pose a safety risk and don't allow air to circulate well. Babies can wiggle themselves into the bumper and then get stuck there and can't breathe. If you absolutely must have the bumper, it should be removed when the baby is 12 weeks old and possibly before

.Mobile - Mobiles are tricky. On one hand, they are a great source of visual and auditory stimulation for your baby, and can provide a few minutes of entertainment in the morning or any time you are in the nursery with your baby and he is wide awake. On the other hand, his crib is a place for your baby to sleep, and you certainly do not want to offer any kind of stimulation when you are training him to understand this. Our favorite mobile is the Symphony-in-motion. Once mounted onto the crib, it has a swivel arm that allows it to be turned away from baby so it is out of his range of vision during sleep times. It plays music from Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. Classical music has been proven to increase brain development. Music begins to play at the push of a button rather than a wind-up box, which is very noisy. Music plays for 15 minutes, and once sleep trained, he/she enjoyed listening to the music as they fall asleep.

LAUNDRY

Detergent - I recommend that you start out using Dreft detergent and stain remover (Zout by the Queen of Clean) since many babies have sensitive skin, and regular detergents can cause them to break out. As your first box of Dreft nears empty, you can try using regular detergent on Baby's clothes, if you wish. If there is no reaction, you can discontinue the use of the Dreft.

Small sock bag - As you know, washers and dryers are sock eaters, and they really seem to love baby socks, so I recommend buying a small sock bag to use when washing baby socks.

GADGETS & FURNITURE

Chair - a necessity. As with receiving blankets, PLEASE allow us to guide you here. You need a stuffed glider with a relatively high back (so you can lay your head back) and an ottoman that is stationary and does not glide. Fussy, colicky babies respond well to rocking motion, so you really need a gliding chair. This chair should be where you feed your baby at least during the night hours, if not every feeding. This chair should be very comfortable for you because you will be spending lots of time in it. In fact, there will likely be nights when you have to hold your baby and sleep in it. Make sure that the ottoman is large and is as tall as the seat of the chair so that when your legs are on it, they are straight out and not at an angle. There are regular gliders that are a popular option because the gliding motion is so comfortable. Please do not let these chairs fool you; they are not very comfortable when you are holding a fussy or hungry baby. You really need something large and stuffed. If you have a recliner, it will work, but preference is to have a chair in the baby's room if space allows. We strongly advise against regular rockers because they tend to move, and you find yourself constantly having to put them back in their place. Also, they are very uncomfortable. If I were on a budget, this is where I would spend the bulk of our money.

Small table - a necessity. You will need a small table to put beside the chair in the nursery. The table should be large enough to house a small lamp, a clock, maybe a picture frame, and a bottle (for while you're burping the baby).

Night light - Something with an actual bulb in it as opposed to the "glowing" night lights. I do not recommend purchasing a nursery lamp because they simply put out entirely too much light. However, if you must have a lamp, you will want a 7.5 watt bulb. They can be a challenge to find, but I have seen them at Wal-Mart, Target, and drug stores such as Walgreens. After the first 4 weeks, it is important for Baby to associate his own crib and a dark room with sleep, and a lamp is just too bright. The night light needs to be bright enough and near enough to the changing table so that it enables you to see what you are doing without turning on any other lights. You will also need a night light for any areas where you (or I) will be at night, such as hallways, bathrooms, kitchens, master bedroom (if Baby is in there with you), etc.

Carrying pack - These are very handy when you are out and about, and it is vital if you have triplets! I recommend the Baby Bjorn Standard carrier. It is high-quality and easy to use. Slings are fine, but they're awkward until you get used to them. Snugli brand is okay, but it is more difficult to use than the Baby Bjorn.

Crib - This is something you should either buy new or borrow from someone who has had their baby within the last few years. Safety standards have changed on cribs, so the newer the better. Slats should be no more than 2 3/8" apart. Paint should not be lead based. Side rails should have a plastic teething guard. There should be no cut out areas on the headboard or footboard. For more crib safety standards, see http://www.nsc.org/library/facts/cribtips.htm.

Changing table - There are some changing tables on the market today that have a raised shelf at one end. These are beautiful but they're not very functional because as your baby grows, the changing table will not be long enough to accommodate his legs, and he will end up kicking that raised shelf (and anything that is on it!) I prefer a changing table that has drawers as opposed to the ones that are open with just two or three shelves underneath, but anything will do, of course.

Baby Monitor - a necessity. I recommend Baby Quiet Sounds by Summer. If you have twins, once your babies are in separate cribs, you'll need 2 monitors.

Pacifiers - All babies have a strong sucking reflex, so please have a few pacifiers on hand to help him/her through fussy periods and those times when he needs non-nutritive sucking. Although lactation consultants may tell you not to give a pacifier to a nursing baby during the first few weeks, we have never had a client have a problem with this. Many lactation consultants believe that you should act as the pacifier, should your baby need to suck. The hospital may give you whatever your baby used while he was there. Many hospitals are using the Soothie brand of pacifiers, which are just wonderful and are what I recommend. You can purchase them at Wal-Mart, Target or on line. If you do not choose to use a Soothie, for safety reasons, please choose a pacifier that is of a one-piece design. At least one pacifier should be boiled for 5 minutes, air dried, and stored in an airtight container before Baby is born.Our general philosophy is not to use a pacifier unless absolutely necessary as they can get addicted to them and breaking the addiction is hard and you do not want to be putting the pacifier in their mouth every time they spit it out.

Bassinet - We believe that a baby should begin sleeping in his/her own crib in his own room the very first night he/she is home. If you really want to use a bassinet, we won't insist otherwise, but remember that the longer you use it, the more difficult it will be for baby to learn to sleep in his own crib.

Bouncy seat - a necessity. You can get one that does or does not vibrate, but a bouncy seat is a great seat for baby during his awake time.Swing - After the first few weeks, a swing is another great place for baby during his awake time. It is not important that you have this item for the first 4 weeks. If your house is very large or is 2 or more stories, you may want more than one swing

.Feeding pillow (Boppy pillow) - a necessity. Boppy pillows are very versatile, and they make feeding so much more comfortable for you. We recommend that you get the Boppy Luxe. The cover is removable and is made of fleece and very soft on the skin! If you are breastfeeding a singleton, there is a product called My *** Friend, which is wonderful. You'll have to find it on line; we haven't seen it in any stores. And if you are nursing twins, we recommend the EZ to Nurse Twins Foam Nursing and Bottle Pillow. This pillow is expensive (nearly $70), and it's not great for bottle feeders, so we only recommend it if money is not an issue or if you are certain that you will be nursing for many weeks to come.

White noise machine - a necessity. Please find a white noise machine that plays WHITE NOISE we do not use waves, or birds or heartbeat. Make sure the machine does not turn off after a specified amount of time. We want the machine on all night. Make sure it has the volume control. We use loud. Homeric makes a great machine. You do not need the clock or radio with it, just the basic machine. Walmart carries the Conair brand which works great for under $15.Nursery clock - a necessity. Whether you are nursing or bottle feeding, you will need to know what time it is when you start and finish each feeding. Unless it is a wall mounted clock, please get something that lights up in the dark.

Nancy Hamm cncs: Owner Exclusively Baby Nurses and The Baby Nurse Directory. Nancy is also the Managing Director of the NCSA (Newborn Care Specialist Association) Nancy has 18 years of experience working with newborns and parents. Nancy teaches others how to care for newborn to 12 weeks. Nancy's first love is caring for newborns and the education of parents. She can be reached at 602-412-8497 or my email

NURSERY NECESSITIES - What babies really need

Nancy Hamm — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:55:00 GMT

NURSERY NECESSITIES**Single Baby**

Nancy Hamm: Owner of Exclusively Baby Nurse (www.exclusivelybabynurses.com, The Baby Nurse Directory (www.thebabynursedirectory.com and Managing Director of the NCSA, The Newborn Care Specialist Association. Her first love is doing night duty for newborns and consulting/educating new parents. Ms. Hamm can be reached at 602-263-1003

Because many first-time parents feel overwhelmed by trying to ensure that they have all of the necessary items for their new baby, we have made a list of things you will need and want.

Being a Newborn Care Specialist I have been able to compile a list of what you really need. Please feel free to email me for twins or triplet lists.

This list is coming up distorted when I post it. If you would like a good list just email me at nancy@exclusivelybabynurses.com

*Items marked with an asterisk are the items you will need to have before the baby comes home from the hospital. Items that are underlined are highly suggested items.

Diapering

____ *Changing table

____ *Changing table pad

____ *Changing table pad cover (terry cloth)-2

____ *Newborn diapers-200 minimum

____ *High-quality baby wipes-2+ packages

____ Diaper rash cream

____ *Diaper pail

____ *Diaper pail liners or trash bags, whichever your pail requires

____ *Soap at every sink ( hand soap in pump bottle is easy)

Bathing/Health & Hygiene

____ *Newborn nail clippers-1

_____*Baby emery boards-1 pack

____ *Nasal aspirator

____ *Saline drops-1

_____ *Gripe Water for gas

____ *Thermometer (rectal is the only accurate thermometer - forehead not recommended - ear - must be over 3 months to use

____ *Vaseline or KY Jelly (preferably a tube)

____ Infant towels 2

____ *Baby washcloths 4

_____Liquid baby soap ( Avalon, Aubrey’s, Burt’s Bees, Healthy Timez ) 1 bottle

____ Baby lotion- (Avalon, Aubrey’s, Burt’s Bees, Healthy Timez)1 pump bottle

____ *Baby hair brush

Feeding

Bottle Feeding Exclusively:

____ *Formula (you will get samples from hospital, however we suggest Nestle Good Start Supreme without DHA/ARA (Purple can)

____ 8-cup measure with spout (preferably plastic)-for mixing formula

____ Wire whisk for mixing formula

____ Funnel for pouring formula

____ Rubber spatula

____ *Bottles-6 of the 4 ounce bottles

____ *Bottles-6 of the 8 ounce bottles

____ *Nipples-slow flow-6

____ *Nipples-fast flow-6

____ *Bottle liners- large boxes of 4 ounce liners if using Platex bottles

____ Bottle liners-1 box of 8 ounce liners if using Platex bottles

____ *Nipple basket for dishwasher

____ *Bottle drying rack

____ *Liquid dishwashing soap

____ *Burp cloths- 6 or more (thick cloth diapers work great)

Clothing and Bedding

____ *A going home outfit (if you want one)

____ *Onesies (short sleeves; no legs) -10

____ *Sleepers (long sleeves; long legs)-6 or more

____ *Newborn gowns-6

____ *Receiving blankets- 2 Miracle Blankets or/and 4 large stretch type thermal weave blankets 30x40”

____ *Crib sheets- 3____ *Crib sheet savers 2

____ *Crib mattress pad (waterproof)-2

____ Crib bumper-I don’t recommend for safety reasons

____ Mobile

____ *Infant positioner

Laundry

____ *Dreft detergent

____ *Zout stain spray

____ *Small sock laundry bag or lingerie bag

____ *Laundry hamper for nursery

On the Go

____ *Infant car seat (with cushioned head supporter)

____ Stroller-your choice, you know what features are important to you

____ Portable crib-Pack & Play (if you want one)

____ Extra sheet(s) for portable crib

____ *Diaper bag-your choice, you know what features are important to you

____ *Plastic changing pad (will probably come in the diaper bag)

____ *Travel baby wipes case

____ Divided formula container for diaper bag

Gadgets/Furniture

____ *Crib

____ *Crib mattress

____ *Changing table

____ *Dresser, chest of drawers, or armoire for baby’s clothes

____ *Baby monitor

____ *Gliding, stuffed chair

____ *Ottoman for chair

____ *Side table large enough for clock, bottle(s), etc.

____ *Night lights-1 for baby’s room____ *7.5 watt bulb if you have a lamp____ *Pacifiers Soothie brand____ *Bassinet (optional)____ *Bassinet sheets 2____ Diaper stacker (optional, not necessary)____ *Bouncy seats 1____ Swing____ Take-along swing (optional but quite convenient)

____ *Feeding pillow Boppy Luxe *** Friend

____ Nursery lamp (if you must buy, get a dark shade and dim bulb)

____ “White noise” machine Walmart sells Conair for apx. $13 Must have continual ‘on,’ volume control and static white noise____ *Hangers-3 dozen or more____ *Nursery clock - an electric clock with light up display____ *Nackup battery for the clock____ *Small trash can for nursery

Pacifiers - The Great Debate

Nancy Hamm — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 01:25:00 GMT

PACIFIERS - The Great Debate

It’s 2 AM and you have been up every 30 minutes for the last 4 hours. You expect to be up every 30 min for the rest of the night. You are exhausted. Life looks pretty dim and your precious bundle of joy is only 3 weeks old. The baby will sleep fine when sucking on the pacifier but she does not have the control to keep it in her mouth so when it falls out, she wakes up and starts crying. Wait, you can take the baby to bed with you and hold the pacifier in her mouth. It will work but you will not sleep well knowing she is right beside you. So what is the solution to this exhausting situation?

I am here to give you insight on the pros and cons of pacifiers.

Do I use them in my work? Yes! They do a great job to stretch feeding time and soothe a fussy baby. Has a baby I cared for been pacifier dependent? No!

Why not? It is a habit that can be easily broken and is not beneficial.

Let’s start with the pros and cons of pacifier use:

Pros:

Great Soothing tool

May offer a temporary distraction

Works well to extend feeding time

Pacifiers are disposable

Cons:

Baby may become dependent

May increase the risk of middle ear infections

Prolonged use may lead to dental problems

If you choose to offer your baby a pacifier, keep these tips in mind:

Let your baby set the pace. If your baby is not interested in the pacifier, try again later or skip it entirely. Don’t force the issue
Let sleeping babies lie. If the pacifier falls out of your baby’s mouth while he is sleeping, don’t pop it back in. They may cry for a minute but will soon learn to soothe themselves.
Try other ways to calm your baby. Don’t use the pacifier as the first line of defense. Sometimes just changing the baby’s position may be all that is needed.
Know when to pull the plug. If you find your baby becoming too dependent on the pacifier, pull the plug. Do it in the first 3 months. After 3 months it is entirely a habit. Please don’t get me wrong, it can also be a habit in the first 3 months and the longer you let the habit continue the harder it is to break. Once broken, your life will become much easier.

Use the pacifier with caution. The following advice is what we call insider’s information. It is so simple but takes a lot of consistency and fortitude.

You must teach your baby to self soothe. Part of the self soothing is giving the pacifier as a part of soothing a baby one time. When it falls out you must let the baby soothe themselves. Self soothing can also involve distracting them, changing their position, patting them or shushing them loudly in their ear. Yes, even when they are only two or three weeks old self soothing works. AS a matter of fact, the earlier you start the easier it will be. The crying schedule for a two or three week old is 1 – 3 minutes. Usually they fall asleep before the time is up. This is the beginning of creating a baby friendly home, a happy mommy and a content baby.

Nancy Hamm:Owner of Exclusively Baby Nurse (www.exclusivelybabynurses.com, The Baby Nurse Directory (www.thebabynursedirectory.com and Managing Director of the NCSA, The Newborn Care Specialist Association. Her first love is doing night duty for newborns and consulting/educating new parents. Ms. Hamm can be reached at 602-263-1003

What is a Newborn Care Specialist - Newborn Help Defined

Nancy Hamm — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 13:15:00 GMT

Please feel free to contact Nancy at 602-263-1003 or check out her website at www.exclusivelybabynurses.org for agency help or www.exclusivelynewborns.com for personal help.

There are many misconceptions on the differences between a Night Nanny, a Baby Nurse, a Doula and a Newborn Care Specialist. I would like to take this opportunity to define these differences. Night Nanny is a person who comes into your home at night and cares for your baby. She takes her instruction from the parents and is generally not educated in newborn techniques nor can she give updated advice on the care of newborns. She will generally charge accordingly. Usually $10 - $18 hour. Baby Nurse is an RN or LPN. She will generally come into the home when the newborn has medical issues that cannot be tended to by a Newborn Care Specialist. She will assist the parents in a serious medical situation and the newborn will generally need around the clock medical attention. A Baby Nurse can also be a Newborn Care Specialist but must be trained more extensively in practical newborn care. A Baby Nurse will charge one half to two times more than a Newborn Care Specialist. She will generally charge $30 - $50 an hour. Doula is sometimes called a Mother’s Mother. She may be a Post Partum Doula or she could be a Pregnancy Doula. A Pregnancy/Birth Doula will assist the Mother throughout her entire pregnancy and birth. Her job will be complete at the birth. A Post Partum Doula takes over where the Birth Doula leaves off. She will follow the Mother home and assist her with *** feeding and she will tend to the Mother’s needs. She will not tend to the baby unless the Mother specifically requests that she do this. She is not educated in newborn issues to the same extent as the Newborn Care Specialist as her job is the Mother. She will generally charge by the job. Certified Newborn Care Specialist is exactly what the name denotes. She is a specialist in newborn care from birth to 12 weeks (adjusted age). She is more educated in that specific age than a Baby Nurse. Although a Baby Nurse is more experienced in the medical aspects, she will not have the practical experience of the Certified Newborn Care Specialist. A skilled and certified Newborn Care Specialist will have well-rounded knowledge in formula and breastfeeding, understand how to effectively set up a routine that fits the family's lifestyle, be able to interpret and adequately respond to a baby's needs, establish healthy sleep habits, know about diaper rashes, circumcision care, reflux, colic, swaddling, soothing techniques and how to effectively set up the family for success. She will be experienced in preemies, multiples and special needs babies. She will generally come in for one week to three months relieving Mom at night and educating the parents while she is there. Most Newborn Care Specialists are also available for day duty, around the clock or as a consultant. Her goal to work herself "out" of a job by the time the baby is 3 months old and typically sleeping through the night.
There is so much to know about babies and a Newborn Care Specialist is a person who is ‘in the know'.
I would strongly suggest that you make sure the Newborn Care Specialist/Baby Nurse you hire is certified by a qualified agent. Those ladies will carry the initials CNCS (Certified Newborn Care Specialists) behind their name. Many ladies call themselves Newborn Care Specialists/ Baby Nurses but not all are qualified to be doing that job.

Newborn Care Specialist Class in Los Angeles

Nancy Hamm — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:33:07 GMT

I will be teaching a 3 day class in LA that will apply toward the certification of the Newborn Care Specialist.

I have trained Newborn Care Specialist’s, RN’s,LVN’s,Doula’s, CNA’s, Nannies, Child Care Workers, Mommies, and people with no newborn experience. This is a hands on class.

This is an NCSA sponsored class (Newborn Care Specialist Association)

Friday          Aug. 14          5 PM – 10 PM

Saturday     Aug. 15           9:30 AM – 5 PM

Sunday       Aug. 16           9:30 AM – 5 PM

Please go to http://www.ncsainfo.com/training for curriculum and to pay on line

This is the most extensive newborn class taught in the US. It includes complete care information for a newborn 0 – 12 weeks.

We do not have a place to meet yet and are willing to offer a free class to anyone who has a complimentary meeting room for up to 15 people. This can be in a home, office, school, church etc.

The cost: $450 and includes a manual, workbook and access to updates and videos.

Deposit: $100 to be paid by Aug. 9 to reserve your spot.

Preventing Mommy Meltdowns – what Mommy should know before the baby comes home.

Nancy Hamm — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:47:00 GMT

You walked out of your OB’s office, you were pregnant and so excited. After 9 months you were looking forward to the time when you were able to get back to your “normal” life. You had the baby shower and went on line to get everything you thought you needed. You knew exactly what to do; you read all the books and even went to a great baby basics class. You were ready.

Finally the baby arrives. It is at that point you realize you are now responsible for this new life and surprisingly, the baby is not very appreciative. The hospital staff helped you care for the infant for the first couple of days but now you are home and all your baby does is sleep, eat, poop and cry. You are sleep deprived from the on-going feedings; day and night, night and day. The baby continually demands your attention. You are either feeding, changing or rocking your sweet little one. Your husband is helping as much as he can or he has shut down and is seeking refuge in work. Your hormones are raging, your breasts are sore and you have not slept in days. You can’t remember the last time you showered or even had a good meal. Everyone told you this was suppose to be wonderful. There has to be an easier way.

Drugs probably sound really good right about now! If you find that you need a little medical help with drugs, don’t feel embarrassed. Your OBGN can be very helpful in these times. Don’t be afraid to talk to him and express your fears and concerns.

Please know that you are not alone. Believe it or not, all mothers go through the same feelings of being overwhelmed. I have had desperate mommies confess to me “At this point, I don’t even like my baby.” My heart goes out to them. I know they love their baby, but I also know they are sleep deprived and desperate.

Be prepared, really prepared. Talk to mom’s who have recently gone through this. Join a Mom’s group. Accept suggestions and support from them.

Consistency and scheduling are the two most important things you can do in this process.

Being a Newborn Care Specialist, I talk to new mommies everyday about this issue. Here are some of the suggestions I’ve give them:

Babies need to be on a schedule. Babies thrive on schedules and so do you. You feed them every 3 hours during the day and let them wake up by themselves at night. Bottle feeding should take approximately 20 – 30 minutes and about 30 – 40 min. if breastfeeding. There are acceptable ways to do this and it is extremely important for you to learn how.

Heating the bottles is not necessary. It is possible to prepare a bottle in under 30 seconds so when baby is crying, you are not wasting precious time using a bottle warmer or other means to warm a bottle.

You only have to sterilize bottles when you bring the bottles home from the store. The dishwasher is a great cleaning mechanism after that.

Know how to properly swaddle. This is extremely important. A properly swaddled baby will sleep longer and more peacefully. How great is that!

There is a very workable schedule that will allow you to get a 5 - 6 hours stretch of sleep every night. Learn what that is.

Have a recommended Lactation Specialist on call if you are breastfeeding. Breastfeeding should never cause cracked or bleeding nipples. I would also recommend that you rent a hospital grade *** pump as soon as the baby is born.

Have a non DHA/ARA formula on hand, even if you are going to be entirely breastfeeding. Doing this will take off the extreme pressure of “what if I cannot produce enough for my baby?” or of making a midnight run to the store for formula while a baby is crying with hunger and won’t latch on.

The last thing I would suggest is that if you can afford to hire someone to help you during the night so you can get a good night sleep, you should do that. If you get a good night sleep, you can handle anything during the day.

Having a new addition to the family is manageable. Yes, the first couple of months can be extremely difficult, but with the proper tools and knowledge, you will be able to navigate those times with confidence.

Contact Nancy at 602-263-1003 or email her at nancy@exclusivelybabynurses.com mention this article.

Colic - Finally an explanation and solution

Nancy Hamm — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:38:00 GMT

WHAT IS COLIC?

If a baby cries inconsolably for long periods every day, particularly at the same time each day, but is happy, health and alert at all other times, it is suggested that he may have colic. Colic occurs only in newborn babies up to about four to five months of age. Colic generally begins anytime after three weeks. The common reason given for colic is gas, indigestion or formula issues. The question is: Why does colic occur only around supper time and not at other times during the day? Why does the discomfort only occur at one specific time during the day and not at other times? Why does it occur mostly at the 'witching hour' which is generally around supper?I would like to suggest that there may be another cause for 'colic'. Perhaps neither gas, indigestion nor formula are the issues. Could there be a link between colic, over stimulation, and missing their biological clock in newborns?

OVER STIMULATION: The first thing we want to examine is the baby’s ability to become over stimulated. A baby can be hypersensitive to sights and sounds making it very easy to send a baby into an uncontrollable crying spell. This is the time where adrenalin can kick in and it may take hours to console them. What makes this action so difficult for parents is in their attempt to calm the baby they are using techniques such as rocking, juggling, singing and walking which are continuing to over stimulate them.Actions that may over stimulate may include the television, music, playing too long, other children running through the house, household noises, being kept up too long, company over and anything else that is tiring to a baby.

BIOLOGICAL CLOCK: Missing the baby's biological night time clock can cause a great deal distress with a newborn. A baby’s biological clock is set much earlier in the evening than an adult. A baby will sleep much better, longer and deeper when put to bed during the hours of their biological. A baby’s clock is set for between 6 PM and 7:30 PM. This means you should start the baby’s night time routine between 5 PM and 6 PM. and baby should be in bed for the night by approximately. 7 PM. This does not mean the baby will not wake up for feedings around 10 or 11PM. but from the 7PM time there should be no more playing, or keeping baby up. There are a whole set up 'rules' for baby care after 7 PM. (I will address them in the next post)If you find the baby crying uncontrollably around the ‘witching hour’ you have pushed the baby too far with over stimulation or/and pushing the baby's bedtime back too far.

WAKE/SLEEP TRANSITION: Some babies do not transition well from being awake to falling back to sleep. These are also times when crying may increases in the evening. Falling asleep may be difficult for the baby. Be very careful not to allow this to happen. Catch them before this happens. Watch their biological clock. Swaddling them and putting them down fed, dry and if possible awake to fall asleep on their own. If the baby gets to the place where they are crying uncontrollably they may have to cry it out as nothing will calm them down.

BABY GAS OR DIGESTION ISSUES: There are times when the baby has traditional colic, described as gas pains or digestion issues which are painful for the infant. They will be characterized by high pitched crying, arching of the back, the baby's face often gets flushed or red. The belly is sometimes distended or prominent, the legs alternating between flexed and extended straight out; the feet are often cold and the hands clenched. These are not over stimulation or a missed bedtime symptoms. These incidents will not be every night at a specific time every day. These will only happen on occasion. Should this occur with every feed, they are more likely to have reflux not colic.

BABY MASSAGE FOR GAS: A good method of working out baby gas and/or constipation could be to draw a warm bath, with a teaspoon of Epsom or Himalayan salts from your local health food store, you can lay your baby gently on her back and with a little olive or almond oil on your fingers, you can trace a gentle clock-wise circle about 2-4 inches from her belly button with your fingers. With this action you are following the natural circuit of the large intestine and encouraging the squeezing action of the intestines, for the purpose of promoting elimination. Make sure baby is reacting favorably to this kind of stimulation as severe cramping or colic isn’t a normal reaction

BICYCLE FOR GAS: The other baby massage technique that works well is the bicycle. While baby is on his back, you can take his legs and gently imitate the motion of riding a bike. This also acts to stimulate the same way that walking and movement helps us parents to stay regular. If, during the baby massage, you feel hard or knotty stool, or you don’t hear any gas bubbles when you put your ear to baby’s tummy, it may be a sign of an obstruction from too much stool built up.Use only natural gas remedies such as Colic Ease, Colic Calm or Gripe Water. I will do a post on chemicals in baby's products soon.