June 6th, 2011
With hurricanes and tornados ravaging much of the country, I am humbled and grateful to be safe in my home with my belongings and loved ones today.
If you live in tornado country, hopefully you know about these safety tips already. I hope that you have practiced them well at home and school. I still remember my tornado drills in school, but now I live in earthquake country so the routine is a bit different. Still, always protect your head and neck!
According to FEMA, your best bet will always be to find a pre-designated shelter area or the lowest building level. If there is no basement, go as far inside away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls. Get under a sturdy table and use your arms to protect your head and neck. Do not open windows.
See other FEMA tips about what to do in a tornado (including if you’re outside or in a vehicle at the time).
During a hurricane, instructions are similar. FEMA advises listening carefully to local news for information about evacuations.
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June 1st, 2011
The month of May was Pregnancy Awareness Month, aimed at supporting women and their families as they go through the nine month journey toward parenthood. To honor this campaign, I thought I’d throw some ideas out there that may inspire or entertain pregnant moms.
Rather than a do’s and don’ts list, this is intended to be more a “take it or leave it” list.
- Some items can be borrowed from friends or family who will be between babies or “done” when your baby arrives. Ask now if you can borrow a bouncy seat , swing, or baby gym from a friend who won’t be needing it. You can give it back six months later. Borrowing is a greener, less expensive approach to readying your house for a baby and will leave you with less clutter as s/he grows up!
- Plan a babymoon. If it’s your first child, a getaway with you partner will celebrate your last hurrah as a couple. Just make sure to pick a destination that won’t make you feel like you’re missing out on the activity. Las Vegas and New Orleans for example, are not great for pregnant women. Think swimming, hiking, napping, and museums. For your second child or beyond, a babymoon might be a solo trip or day for mom doing something she enjoys doing alone – in anticipation of not being alone again for a while!
- Line up your support network. Think about the friends who you truly count on, who you might be able to share your embarrassing moments or challenges with. These are not necessarily the friends with whom you have most frequent contact. Let them know that you appreciate their lack of judgment and that you’ll be calling on them for guidance in the early days.
- Enlist your partner or parents for help with adjustments to your house. We’ve listed some helpful “to-do”s for the nursery on Rookie Moms.com. These are the answers to the question, “How can I help?”
- Think about your memory-making strategies. Are you a shutterbug or a life-long journal writer? Are you going to be a digital mom? Think about what form you want to use to record your baby’s milestones. It could be a traditional baby book, a blog that friends and family can see, a 365-photo project. Some folks take a picture in the same chair each month, while some have a special outfit for baby to wear, and others leave this tradition to the alpha moms and simply let the good times roll.
What special activities did you do while pregnant?
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May 27th, 2011
Children should stay rear-facing in their car seats until age two, according to updated car safety seat guidelines by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Other big news includes a recommendation that children stay in a booster seat until 4 feet 9 inches tall AND between the ages of 8 and 12. That’s about as tall as some women I know (err, like my writing partner, Whitney for one).
For those in between infant seats and boosters, the recommendation is to remain in a five-point-harness car seat until the child fully outgrows the weight and height limits.
My sons are on the larger side. The nearly-six-year old rides in a booster seat now and the four year old has been begging me for his turn in a booster. Though they’ve each had an early taste (on international vacations where the laws and access to seats was different), I steadfastly refused to let my little guy ride in a booster until I’m ready to convert him for good.
These recommendations are based on what’s safest for children, the law varies from state to state.
For more detailed information, see the detailed article on healthychildren.org and the lively discussion on babycenter.com.
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May 20th, 2011
By Whitney
When you call the pediatrician, it’s because you want something, right? Unfortunately we non-pediatricians are competing with a bunch of other (anxious) customers for the doctor’s attention. So when we’ve got that coveted focus over the phone, here’s how to make the most of it.
- Remember that the on-call doctor is quite possibly NOT in the office and therefore does not have access to your child’s chart. Be prepared to give a lot of background history and information when you call. Know your child’s allergies to medications. If it’s nighttime, the doctor will be trying to sleep or be with her own family. Really think twice before calling about a diaper rash, stuffy nose, or fever with no other concerning symptoms.
- Without the chart in hand, the doctor will not know what medications your child might be on or what the dosing should be. Have the medication bottle with you if you need to ask questions about it.
- Have a pharmacy phone number ready in case the doctor wants to call something in for you or if you need a refill (only call after hours for emergency refills: ie, spilled antibiotics, empty asthma inhaler, etc.). I’ve been embarrassed when I assumed that my doctor would have the number of the large chain pharmacy close to his office and he did not (and neither did I!)
- Stay by the phone and be prepared to answer when the doctor calls you back. If you need to get your child settled with a tv show or a game on your phone, have it ready to go so that you can have a productive phone call.
- Be prepared to take your child’s temperature (rectally if under age 1), feel their pulse, and count their breaths per minute. A smart phone might have a stop watch built in, or you can use this website.
Photo credit: quinn.anya on flickr
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May 16th, 2011
By Whitney
Spurred by the Japanese earthquake and Tsunami that followed, my attention turned once again to our household emergency supplies. Living on the West Coast, in a town right on the bay, we actually saw a very baby version of the Japanese wave lap up on our shores on Friday morning. Some towns a few hours from us did evacuate.
My husband and I mused aloud about how much of a threat the wave actually was, and if it was necessary for any of our fellow Berkeleyans to move to higher ground. In this case it was not necessary, but I began to worry that my car is not ready to go in case of an emergency.
I usually carry a bunch of snacks and extra sweatshirts in the car, but my husband cannot help himself to clean it out every so often. I need to dedicated a duffle bag for this purpose and label it “Emergency: Do not remove from car”.
I went to purchase a gallon of bottled water to keep in the car and was not surprised to find that Target was completely sold out of water in quantities larger than a liter. The threat of a natural disaster was on the minds of my whole community.
My friend Kami recently posted at great little guide to putting together a car emergency kit. Check it out:
- Old towels: great to have on hand to soak up blood or for a last minute swing through the car wash
- Ice & Snow Scraper
- Water! 2 gallon container (refill with fresh water at least every 6 months)
- Antibacterial Wipes
- Small UL Listed Fire Extinguisher
- Small backpack filled with necessities (listed below) in case you need to travel away from your car
- Small blanket with water proof backing
- Road Flares
- Hiking water bottle with head lamp inside
- First Aid Kit
- Bungee Cords
- Hand cranked FM/AM Radio
- The backpack
- Ponchos (enough for each person in your family)
- Emergency Survival Blanket
- Emergency Food Rations
- Wet Wipes
- Small First Aid Kit
- Coin Change/ or cash for making a phone call
- Tissues
- Water
- Light Sticks
- Granola Bar
- Hand Warmers
Isn’t it helpful to see everything laid out like that? For more clever ideas from Kami, check out her blog, No Biggie.
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May 13th, 2011
By Heather
Yes, we are expecting a new baby in the fall, so its time for me to revisit the big DIAPER question. For our first two sons, my husband and I used disposable diapers. We didn’t feel great about it, but at least our second baby wore his diapers twice as long. Sad, but true.
For our modern baby, we may explore cloth diapers or some of the new biodegradable or partially-compostable choices.
My friend, Stefania, uses EarthBaby diapers and LOVES them. In the Bay Area, EarthBaby delivers compostable diapers and wipes to your house for a moderate service charge plus the cost of diapers. Each week, they take away all the yucky stuff in their special bags and compost the contents off-site.
{image from http://www.earth-baby.com/home.php}
I’ve also heard great things about gDiapers (pronounced like g’day rather than gee-diapers), the hybrid disposable, reusable, compostable diaper. Inside the cute cotton diaper covers is a single-use liner; soiled liners can be flushed and you can compost the wet ones using a home composting system. Even in the regular trash, they break down much more quickly than traditional disposables.
{image from http://www.gdiapers.com/shop-diapers/little-gpants}
As for cloth diapers, I admit I’m hesitant to sign on to more laundry and effort. And to be green about it, my part of California is frequently in a drought alert. We had a great discussion about cloth diapering in the comments of our post about becoming a born-again rookie mom.
What about you? Have you found a greener alternative to disposable diapers that works for your family?
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May 6th, 2011
By Whitney
I have definitely been to the emergency room a couple of times in the past year. You may recall that I recently broke my foot walking (ah, to be young again) and also that my daughter Scarlett got bitten by a dog on her face. However, I have also been to a pediatric urgent care clinic, a place that services medical needs during evenings and weekends, and recently learned that sometimes that is the better choice.
An article from iTriage Health encourages us to “Save the emergency room for emergencies.” The trend of folks to hop over to the ER whenever they have a sprained ankle or busted lip results in long wait times and rising health care costs for everyone.
Scenarios that are urgent, but not emergencies, can be treated outside of a hospital, at an urgent care facility. Examples include:
- Minor burns – I waited more than three hours at an ER once to have my burned arm treated after a terrible lasagna-related accident.
- Cuts and lacerations – a common scenario for parents, right? Kid hits head on side of coffee table and needs a couple of stitches.
- Urinary tract infections – If you need to pee every five minutes, you certainly don’t want to be sitting around in the waiting area of the ER with all the other bacteria circulating.
- Vomiting and diarrhea – See above. Sounds like you’ve got enough bacteria for one person.
- Sprains and strains – call your doctor or an advice nurse and find out where to go for help.
- Flu-like symptoms – Again, usually not an emergency. Seek care that fits your level of crisis.
Are YOU an ER-addict or have you already discovered the convenience of a nearby clinic?
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May 4th, 2011
by Heather
We are celebrating Spring Break at a theme park this year. It’s our first visit to any such establishment. Hoo boy!
My sons are currently four and five and this seems like the perfect age for them to love every single second (except the last hour of walking, of course). They’re able to really enjoy the pageantry of the characters and just barely tall enough to ride the roller coasters and rides.
Here are five great safety tips for a theme park from the Legoland blog:
- In case you get separated from your child, have a photo of the child from that day so you can show people who are helping you look what the child looks like that day. This one is easy nowadays with the prevalence of smart phones.
- Pin a piece of paper on the inside of your child’s clothes or write with sharpie on their stomach or arm their name and all of your contact information.
- Set an easily accessible meeting spot first thing upon entering the Park.
- Introduce your kids to an employee upon entering the Park so that they can identify a safe person to approach for help if they are lost.
- Wear bright colors. No need to bring back the 80’s with matching day-glo tees but bright, primary colors are much easier to spot in a crowd.
Luckily, I’m addicted to taking photos and my sons like to wear bright red all the time, so I found these tips useful and easy to implement.
After two full days of merriment, the sharpie of my phone number has smudged off of their arms, and we’re ready to go home.
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May 2nd, 2011
By Heather
What? Make safety a chore? I thought we were trying to streamline it, simplify it, and demystify it! I thought that UL does all the hard work so you can just check for the UL mark and go about your business, safely.
That’s all still true.
I am the mom of two little boys, one in preschool and one in kindergarten. The thing that motivates them above all else (ok, maybe bribes of Legos) is having a JOB and some responsibility. Having chores around the house give them a feeling of empowerment and satisfaction.
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April 29th, 2011
By Whitney
When I was a young marketing manager, I had the job of managing my company’s list of warranty card names. You know, those forms that are tucked inside every product you buy, from electronic baby monitors to plastic dollhouses. I understood that it was a marketing strategy that would allow us to send “special offers” to folks who had bought from our brand in the past year. I was delighted, but mystified, by the sheer number of folks who sent in the product registration cards. We hadn’t even paid the postage for them.
But I wasn’t a parent back then.
Now, I get it.
While a company’s ability to re-market to you is certainly enhanced when they know what you have bought in the past, so is their ability to notify you if there is a problem with your product.
The folks at SafetyBook.org, a website dedicated to keeping consumers abreast of product recalls, more than 11 million consumer products were recalled already in 2011. Examples include:
- 1.7 million video baby monitors by Summer Infant Inc. (February 2011 recall)
- 500,000 bassinets by Burlington Basket Company (February 2011 recall)
- 337,000 single and double strollers by B.O.B. Trailers Inc. (February 2011 recall)
- 169,000 pogo sticks by Bravo Sports (March 2011 recall)
- 79,000 beaded door curtains by FAB/Starpoint LLC (March 2011 recall)
- 67,000 remote-controlled toy tanks by Family Dollar Stores, Inc. (January 2011 recall)
- 58,000 rechargeable batteries sold with Slim and Secure video baby monitors by Summer Infant Inc. (February 2011 recall)
- 57,000 holiday rattle baby slippers by Atico International USA Inc. (March 2011 recall)
- 37,000 refreshing rings, infant theethers/rattles by Sassy Inc. (January 2011 recall)
- 22,000 jogging strollers by phil&teds USA Inc. (January 2011 recall)
Wow!
If you don’t register your products either with a mail-in warranty card or by registering on the company’s website, it’s more difficult to discover if they’ve been recalled. Simply opt-out of the offers and discounts email when you sign up if you only want to hear about recalls.
Am I telling you something you already know? Do you make a habit of sending in warranty cards?
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