Archive for the ‘Safety’ Category

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Birth Story Tuesday: Fashionably Late

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010
Belle

I am a self proclaimed control freak who plans everything down to the minute detail. If I could plan my own funeral I would. However when I gave birth to my son Zachary almost 3 years ago I lost that side of myself in all the excitement of decorating the nursery, creating a baby registry, etc.  I should probably mention that I’m also incredibly impatient which is why when pregnant with my son I jumped at the voluntary induction the doctor offered. I had wanted a natural childbirth but being hooked up to Pitocin meant excruciating contractions. As a result I had an epidural and was confined to the hospital bed until I delivered.  My son’s birth went smoothly. I delivered a healthy 6lb. 7oz baby boy with no issues. So why go out and pursue natural childbirth if I had a positive experience the first time? Well…why not? I knew I could do better for myself and my baby.

With this pregnancy I made sure that if I was genuinely sincere about my desire for a natural, drug free birth, I was prepared. I took a hypnobirthing class, hired a doula, wrote a birth plan and read several childbirth books.

I was due to deliver my daughter on April 27th, 2010. I figured this being the second pregnancy I’d have this baby well before the due date. Well…definitely not the case. This baby decided that being an overachiever was not as important as being fashionably late and as a result week 40 came and went.  I started to become nervous when week 40 ended and my doctor started talking “what if’s”.  I had worked so hard to ensure that this would be the experience I wanted and really felt like it was slipping from my fingers. My doctor asked to see me back in the office in a few days when I was 41 weeks.  Tuesday May 4th marked week 41 and much to my surprise I was 5 centimeters dilated. My doctor insisted I had a laboring cervix and sent me over to Kent Hospital. I was 6cm dilated when I got there. Did I feel like I was in labor…nope…but my doctor decided to admit me thinking if I had left I’d be on the news for birthing my baby on Rt. 95!

I phoned the troops: my husband, my sister and my doula. I made sure my son was taken care of as our wonderful daycare provider kept him overnight (which he loved).  By 10pm on May 4th I was 7cm dilated. I was in fact in labor but did I feel like it….no! Morning came and I was still pregnant, still 7cm dilated and exhausted not having slept at all the night before. I consulted my “team” and decided to have my membranes ruptured.  Once my water was broke things moved very fast. I popped in my hypnobirthing cds and walked the halls with my sister Jamie and my doula Shelley. Now I felt like I was in labor! Transition came and I was really uncomfortable. My sister was such a cheerleader insisting I could do it! Each contraction I became unfocused and eventually I begged for an epidural. Unfortunately because I did not have an IV, I would need to wait 30-45minutes before enough IV fluids were in my system to receive the epidural. In the meantime Jamie and Shelley refocused my attention allowing me to breath the baby down further into the birth canal.

My doctor came into the room just as I started to feel the urge to push. I sat up straight in bed with my legs crossed in front of me and began to push. Pushing felt exhilirating! Pushing made the pain go away; pushing meant I could end this! I pushed 3 times and the last push I felt her truly leave my body; head then shoulders until she was entirely born. Because the hospital gown covered my legs nobody knew I had just delivered my baby until the nurse peeked beneath the gown to see if she was crowning. My doctor hadn’t even donned gloves!

Belle Victoria Bradley was born at 10:48am on May 5th, 2010, less than 2 hours after my membranes were ruptured. Her birth was perfect, everything I wanted, everything I worked so hard for. Not only did I immediately walk from labor and delivery to post partum but I asked to be discharged the next morning and drove myself home (because my husband and I both had our cars there)!

I am so grateful to my husband who supported my desire to have a natural birth, my doula Shelley for guidance and coping techniques when things got tough and especially my sister Jamie who never left my side!

Thank you, Melissa!  We’re so happy to hear your experience turned out just how you wanted it!

Posted in Baby Needs, Class?, Feeding, Gear, Safety, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Juggling Act

Monday, May 24th, 2010

If you’ve ever walked into the store and seen a lovely lady fashionably clad in great jewelry and with a killer smile, then you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Kelly – co-owner/founder, mom of three, Martha Stewart, breastfeeding advocate, empowered childbirth champion, do-it-all.  She always wears a smile despite how hectic her days become.  Here, Kelly has documented a day in her very fashionable and crazy life.

Wake up at 5:30 am to try and keep the number of awake children under two, because if one more wakes up it is really going to be a long day.

Shower, dress and feed several people.

Prepare lunches and then get in car (warning: you should love your car, lots of time will be spent there)

Enter carpool line, drop-off  your eight year old.

Park and go inside to pick up paperwork for PTA.  Chat with outgoing PTA president who no doubt wants you to volunteer for one or nine things.  (note: Yes I could have skipped one step by avoiding the carpool line but I can’t bring the child into the school because he is too cool for that and needs to be dropped off.)

Next stop: pediatrician for a well-visit.  You hear about statistics and development; and then console a weeping six year old because she wanted to be told that her eyes needed glasses.  Two out of the twelve children in her class have needed to get spectacles this last month, and she wants them, too.

Back to the car.  Drop off six year old.

Head into work with The Baby.  Work for a few hours, deal with questions, and products, phone calls and woes, and then…

Back to the car.

Pick up two children here, and then one there, and then off to one more stop for the day.

Come home.  Laundry, dishes, homework, cook.

Back to the car (do you see why you should like your car?).  Get the kids, the gear, the coats, the umbrellas, the seats, the drinks, snacks, money and keys all into the car in the rain.

Head to baseball diamond, cheer on your child and other people’s children with more intensity than you have ever summed up for a professional being paid 4.1 million dollars a year.  You watch your child be so incredibly proud of himself, and his body, for what it can do.  You see that amazing joy a team has when they have been modeled a life of sportsmanship and respect.

Back to the car, and when you get home, covered in dirt and rain, with frizzy hair, your little one, The Baby, sits down on the potty and <gasp> goes potty! You will cheer so loudly it will make her jump. After you tuck them all in that night you will sit down and write this blog post, because you hope, you pray that you will never forget this day and all of the amazement of it.

Thank you, Kelly, for doing all of the above and still being able to put a smile on each day for the wonderful customers of Bellani!

PS. When do you sleep?

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Posted in General Knowledge, Mom stuff, Safety | 1 Comment »

Cold weather and car seats….

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Recently, Bellani held a Car Seat Safety Inspection, seeing several dozen child safety seats and helping to make sure that installation was safe and appropriate for a child’s health a well being. Some parents where A-OK with the installation and wanted the peace of mind that comes with having a certified safety check, others were shocked to find out that things were not altogether correct with their installation. Shannon and Kelly and the gang from SafeKids USA were able to help correct issues and send families safely on their way.

However, just because your seat is installed correctly doesn’t mean your child is safe. As the temperatures turn colder and we begin to wrap our children up like Ralphie in the Christmas Story we are also placing them in danger of a car seat mishap. I think everyone knows about the covers for infant seats (I really loved the pink JJ Cole one I had when Zoe was an infant…it was one of my first pink purchases when I found out I was having a girl!) but I also realized now that she is out of the infant seat that I place her in a winter coat before she gets in a car. Using a heavy coat poses a serious safety risk for your child as it creates too much space between the straps and the child.

Don’t believe me?

Check out the following on my wonderful and adorable test model below….

Exhibit A….winter coat, straps secure

zb-coat

Now I removed Zoe from the seat without loosing the straps, removed the coat and place her back in

zb-seat_nocoat

Look at the amount of space between her shoulders and the harness!!! We you say no biggie, I always tighten loosen the straps dependent on what the child is wearing. However, that is exactly what creates the issue….a winter coats creates the illusion that the child is secure when really the coat is secure and in a serious crash the child is at increased risk for being ejected from the car seat.

Of course this poses a dilemma…I mean we live in the land of “No school Foster/Gloucester” so how do we keep our children safe and warm??

For infants:

Consider purchasing a car seat cover. I like these because they are easy to use because of the zipper and ok a little fashionable too. Car seat covers are a got to shower gift item for me, even if they parents don’t register for it because well they will love me later for it (Aden and Anais receiving blankets and Robeez are my other two favorites!)

Another idea is to dress a child as you normally would, add a hat. Place the infant in the infant seat and cover with a blanket (tucked in on the sides only). After the seat is in the car place another blanket over the infant seat for an added layer of warmth.

For older children:

Ok really I never would have thought of this without reading the idea on the web…dress your toddler as normal, than strap him or her in their car seat and then put their coat on backwards. Really brilliant! Yeah you might to fool with their collar a tad (although think of it as a scarf) and they might get crafty and toss it on the floor but by then the car should be heated up.

A few other things to remember, not all winter coats are unsafe to be used in conjunction with a seat. Keep in mind the thickness of the coat and the gap it may create. Fleece is warm and thin, and is a great option. Save the backwards coat for the really cold days.

Finally Shannon and Kelly are more than willing to do a car seat check for you. Please call the store ahead of time to make arrangements. I was out of town last weekend so plan on having them do mine soon.

Stacey

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Posted in Gear, Safety | No Comments »

Public Car Seat Safety Check on October 10th at Bellani

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

We will be holding a public Car Seat Safety Event at Bellani Maternity on October 10th from 11:00 – 2:00 pm. This is a first come, first served event. Reservations are not accepted so please be patient as you may have to wait a bit. Please make sure your car is cleaned out (garbage and any extra items, you may have like toys, blankets…etc) but leave your current car seat installed.

What should you, as a caregiver, expect from a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST)?

The one-on-one education of a safety check usually takes 20-30 minutes, depending on the car seat and the vehicle. The CPST should take all the time necessary to ensure that you feel competent and confident in re-securing the car seat into the vehicle and re-buckling your child into its car seat on your own.

Card your tech! Ask to see proof of his or her current certification.

During the check up, a competent CPST will:
• Fill out a checklist form (including car seat type, location in vehicle, misuse observations, if any, etc.).
• Review car seat selection appropriate for your child’s age, size, and review factors affecting proper use.
• Review the restraint manufacturer’s instructions and the vehicle owner’s manual with the caregiver and ensure that both are being followed correctly.
• Ensure that an appropriate seating position in the vehicle is being used, especially when using LATCH.
• Check the car seat for recalls, visible damage and an expiration date.
o If the seat is unsafe, you should replace the seat since it may not work as it should in a crash.
• Show what is correct or will be corrected before making the adjustment.
• Have you install the car seat(s) correctly using either the seat belt or LATCH system. Feel free to ask to learn how to install the seat with either options or in different seating positions.
• Discuss the next steps for each child, such as when to move to the next type of restraint:
o Rear- to forward-facing car seat
o Forward-facing harnessed seat to a booster seat
o Booster to an adult safety belt
• Discuss the benefits for everyone, including all adults, to riding properly restrained.
• Discuss safety in and around the vehicle (never leaving kids unattended, walking around the vehicle before moving, etc.)
• Discuss your state laws and best practice recommendations for occupant safety.

This tool is brought to you by the Child Restraint Manufacturer’s Consortium.
Consortium Members: Britax, Chicco, Clek, Combi, Compass-Learning Curve, Dorel, Evenflo, Graco, Mia Moda, Orbit, Peg Perego, Recaro, Safe Kids Worldwide, Safe Traffic Systems and Sunshine Kids.

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Posted in Safety | No Comments »

Back to school = germs!

Saturday, September 5th, 2009

My son heads off to big boy school tomorrow, and will actually be attending Kindergarten at a lab school at URI. When he got one of the spots I was thrilled….two full time teachers two assistants and best yet URI students (teacher-in-training) doing practicum’s. Now as I hear about H1N1 running rampeat on college campuses I view each of those practicum students as a walking germ factory. So I stepping up the precautions in our house just a tad and wanted to share dome of my favorite products to help keep the yuck at bay.

cleanwellMy favorite hand sanitizer is CleanWell’s natural product. This actually smells good (make that really good!) and when the Miss Z insists “I do myself!” and wants to spray her own hands I don’t have to worry. I not only love the produce but love the story –it was developed because the son’s owner has immune deficiency disease (aka ‘boy in the bubble) and in order to help him function in the world his father developed this chemical-free formula. My plan everyday is to make sure to spray hands in the car on the way home and then when we get home we wash hands again. Of course the reality of mommyhood is that I have redundancy in place to make sure at least one of the two things happens!!

Other tips and tricks that you may not know…children and adults should sing the abc’s or happy birthday while washing hands, to give you enough time to get them clean. A total of about 20 seconds is needed. And Mom was right, sneeze into your elbow! Lastly keep you children home if they are ill.

If you are wondering how Bellani keeps it clean see this week’s past blog post. I always feel like the classrooms, even the mats are sparkling, but knowing they are cleaned with chemical free products makes me feel even safer.

Since I just have a first-time school-aged child I wonder what more seasoned moms do to keep the germs away?

Stacey

Posted in Family, Safety | No Comments »

Our Precautions for Swine Flu

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

istock_000009259032xsmallWe want you to know that we take cleanliness and health precautions very serious here at Bellani. We strive to keep our center germ free (if that’s possible!).

How we do that:
1. In between each class all the mats, bolster and any materials used in class are sprayed with an antibacterial spray (child friendly, no bleach or chlorine).

2. Each night the floors, doors, door knobs and bathrooms are sanitized.

3. We have foam sanitizer in each classroom as well as the front counter.

4. We have a no-tolerance policy for sick children in classes. If you or your child is sick, you will not be allowed in class. Please use our make-up policy when you are feeling better.

5. We request our Bellani Team to stay home if they are not feeling well.

Please DO NOT come to class if you or your child…
1. has a fever

2. has nasal discharge

3. has a productive cough

4. is vomiting or has diarrhea

5. has a sore throat

6. has the chills or muscle aches

Tips to help prevent H1N1 or any other virus:

1. Wash your hands often with soap and water.

2. Use waterless alcohol-based hand gels (containing at least 60% alcohol) when soap is not available and hands are not visibly dirty.

3. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Try to cough or sneeze into your sleeve rather than your hand. If you use a tissue, wash your hands after.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to ask!
-Shannon

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Posted in Class?, Safety | 5 Comments »

Think your Sigg bottle is BPA free – think again

Friday, August 21st, 2009

We’ve been asked by customers countless times what we think of the Sigg bottles. We are very careful here at Bellani to only carry products we feel are safe for our customers. We considered carrying Sigg bottles because of their modern design and ease of use. However, we were just never certain just what those liners were made out of.

There is new information that just came out…read it for yourself here: Siggs Bpa Confession You Aren’t Going to Like it Anymore Than We Do.

Sorry, Sigg…being honest with customers is something that is really important to us. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens with them. Glad we just got in the new Safe Sippy Cups!!!

-Shannon

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Posted in Feeding, Recalls, Safety | No Comments »

Two more infant deaths prompt re-announcement of Simplicity recall

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

simp1WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is once again urging all parents and caregivers to immediately stop using convertible “close-sleeper/bedside sleeper” bassinets manufactured by Simplicity Inc., of Reading, Pa.

CPSC has learned of two additional infant deaths since the August 2008 safety alert and recall announcements that notified consumers of two infants who had strangled in their Simplicity bassinets. To date, CPSC is aware of four infants who have died in the close-sleeper bassinets.

CPSC learned that in September 2008, a two-month old girl in Demorest, Ga. suffocated when she rolled into the adjustable fabric siding of the bassinet, pressing her face into a “pocket” which formed near the Velcro fasteners. In another incident in January 2009, a six-month old girl in Fort Worth, Texas appears to have been fatally entrapped in the bassinet’s bar opening created when the Velcro fasteners were not secured. An investigation into this infant’s death is ongoing.

In addition, CPSC has received two separate reports involving a 10-week old and a 3-month old whose heads became entrapped between the lower bassinet bar and the mattress support. The infants were freed by their caregivers without injury.

The Simplicity 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 convertible bassinets, including bassinets with the Graco logo and “Winnie the Pooh” motif licensed by Disney Consumer Products, contain metal bars that are covered by an adjustable fabric flap.

This fabric flap is secured by Velcro fasteners, which are intended to be partially removed when the bassinet is converted into the bedside/close-sleeper mode. If the Velcro fasteners are not properly re-secured when the fabric flap is adjusted, or if the consumer entirely removes the fabric flap exposing the metal bars, an infant can slip through the opening between the lower metal bar and the mattress support and become entrapped and suffocate or strangle.

Consumers are urged to check their bassinets to ensure they are not using one of the recalled Simplicity bassinets.

Parents and caregivers are advised to return these bassinets to the retail store where they were purchased. All of the recalled bassinets can pose a danger to infants.

To determine whether your bassinet has been recalled, please check for the model number and the manufacture date code pictured below. Bassinets manufactured prior to 21st week of 2008, “2108” (before May 18) are recalled. The model numbers for recalled bassinets manufactured prior to “2108” are:

3000

3010

3011

3012

3013

3014

3015

3016

3017

3020

3025

3026

3027

3030

3040

3045

3046

3047

3050

3060

3070

3111

3112

343-8363

343-8399

5730

5750

8383

9250

TD2500

The following retailers have voluntarily agreed to recall the product and provide a refund or store credit to consumers who return the product to the store where purchased:

  • Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Bentonville, Ark.
  • Toys “R” Us Inc., Wayne, N.J.
  • Kmart Corp., Hoffman Estates, Ill.
  • Big Lots!, Columbus, Ohio
  • Target, Minneapolis
  • J.C. Penney, Plano, Texas
  • AAFES, Dallas
  • Amazon.com, Seattle
  • Bed Bath & Beyond, Union, N.J.
  • Burlington Coat Factory, Burlington, N.C.
  • Buy Buy Baby Garden City, N.Y.
  • Chelsea&Scott LTD (One Step Ahead), Lake Bluff, Ill.
  • CSN Stores of Boston
  • Fingerhut Direct Marketing, Eden Prairie, Minn.
  • Frogs and Lily Pads, St. Johnsbury, Vt.
  • Kohl’s Department Stores, Menomonee Falls, Wis.
  • ShopKo Stores, Inc., Green Bay, Wis.
  • Sweet Pea Décor, North Beach, Md.
  • USA Baby #47, Overland Park, Kan.
  • USA Baby #58, Brookfield, Wis.
  • USA Baby #136, Berlin, Conn.
  • USA Baby #141, Waipahu, Ha.
  • USA Baby #142, Virginia Beach, Va.
  • USA Baby #147, Clovis, Calif.
  • Value City Department Stores, Columbus, Ohio

Due to the life-threatening hazard these bassinets pose to infants, CPSC urges all consumers to share this safety warning with friends, family, day care centers, and consignment stores to ensure that no child is placed to sleep in a Simplicity convertible bassinet covered by this warning.

SFCA Inc., the Reading, Pa.-based company that purchased the assets of juvenile product manufacturer Simplicity Inc. after foreclosure, no longer appears to be conducting day to day operations. SFCA Inc. is no longer answering phone calls or responding to e-mails from consumers.

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Reports can be sent by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx.

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Posted in Recalls, Safety | No Comments »

But he was a nice stranger…

Saturday, July 25th, 2009

This week while at a day camp held by my town, in a local park, a man bought my son a soda from a vending machine. While my son is fine and nothing bad happened, we still do not know who this man was and when I think of the “could have’s” in this situation I feel the blood drain from my body and my heart race. I cannot fathom that I could have sent my sweet, sweet 5 year old to a day camp and he may have been abused or gone missing or worse all while being “watched” by camp counselors.

We have talked about strangers to my son before and last night when we talked to him again he said so innocently “but Mom he was a nice stranger!” I knew I had failed him as a parent. I have failed to teach him how to keep himself safe in situations when I am not present. I have failed him to trust his instincts and be aware that not adults can be counted on to be nice to small children, even when they act nice. Needless to say although I am terrified I know I need to arm myself with information and teach my child in a different way about strangers.

Over the next few weeks I plan on letting you know what resources I find, what seems to work with a 5 year old and what fails to resonate. I plan on bugging Kelly and Shannon to put the resources I find in the store. I also hope that you can all learn from mistake and make your family safer.

Stacey

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Posted in Family, Safety, Uncategorized | 14 Comments »

Have Children Will Travel

Saturday, July 4th, 2009

I don’t think we are that adventurous of a family, but when I tell people both my children have taken their first plane tgreecerip around 6 weeks of age, they look at me like I have come completely unglued.  I just have a philosophy that the smaller they are the easier they travel. Nowadays a 2 hour flight to Florida requires a carry on full of entertainment but during the infant stage, since I breastfeed, it was just a matter of packing enough diapers to survive whatever delay the airline decides to throw at you.

 

Some things I have learned along the way…
1. Buy a seat for your child. I am sort of a fanatic about this part. Yes, children under 2 can fly without a seat, but it is a lot safer to secure a spot for your child. Most airline offer infant fares, although you usually need to call rather than booking online. Having a seat is also a Mommy-sanity-saver. The thought of bouncing my 21-month old 25 pound plus toddler on my lap for 2 hours makes me break out in a cold sweat.

2. Go hands-free. I typically bring both a lightweight stroller such as a G-lite and a carrier such as a Beco or Ergo. In an airport I use the stroller to push the car seat through the airport and the carrier for the child. This is especially helpful when boarding, you can leave the stroller at gate check, and have your hands free to carry the car seat and diaper bag on board, while your child is safe and secure.

3. 21-point inspection. Before flying to Greece last summer I took both children to the pediatrician for a once over.  Now obviously this was more important because we were going to a small island in another country, but I think it’s helpful to have a baseline on your child’s health, their current weight -and depending on the physician a bottle of unconstituted penicillin- in your hands when you fly the friendly skies.

4. It’s the small things you pack that make a difference. While certain liquids (breastmilk, formula etc) are allowed most are not. You can however pack easy airline snacks – raisins, granola bars, cereal bars, dry cereal etc. Make sure you bring a cup appropriate for your child to use on the plane since the wide-mouth plastic tumblers they use will lead to a big spill. I also always pack those plastic self-stick placements (great for the airline table trays), antibacterial wipes, hand sanitizer, and a backup to the backup pacifier.  I am also a fun of a couple extra large plastic zip-lock baggies in case of a mid-air diaper or dining disaster. Small toys and your child’s favorite lovey are also a must for carry on. Remember Airlines lose a lot of luggage and if your child’s can’t-go-to-sleep-without-it lovey is in there it might make for a rough vacation. Lastly, to avoid luggage disaster, print a couple of your itinerary and place it in an outside zipper pocket of all bags (my husband laughed at me on this tip…till my insistence is the only way he saw his bags again on a long overseas business trip).

Lastly remember that even in the Happiest Place on Earth, children still need to nap.disney-nap-copy

 The best part is since its vacation Mom and Dad get to nap too!

Posted in Safety, Vacationing | 1 Comment »

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