Parent Extremis

Earlier this year the news story broke announcing that Melamine had been found in infant formula made and sold in China. The result was over 50,000 ill babies and sadly, a few dead babies. Melamine is a chemical with many uses, among which is the ability to appear as a protein when dangerously and illegally mixed into food substances.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says there is NO SAFE LEVEL of Melamine in infant formula. A contradiction indeed, they are also telling parents not to overreact or change their baby’s diet at this time. The levels found are extremely low, however, you be the judge. The FDA has established a section of their website for Melamine information.

Yahoo! Reports from the Associated Press:

According to FDA data for tests of 77 infant formula samples, a trace concentration of melamine was detected in one product — Mead Johnson’s Infant Formula Powder, Enfamil LIPIL with Iron. An FDA spreadsheet shows two tests were conducted on the Enfamil, with readings of 0.137 and 0.14 parts per million.

Three tests of Nestle’s Good Start Supreme Infant Formula with Iron detected an average of 0.247 parts per million of cyanuric acid, a melamine byproduct.

The FDA said last month that the toxicity of cyanuric acid is under study, but that meanwhile it is “prudent” to assume that its potency is equal to that of melamine.

And while the FDA said tests of 18 samples of formula made by Abbott Laboratories, including its Similac brand, did not detect melamine, spokesman Colin McBean said some company tests did find the chemical. He did not identify the specific product or the number of positive tests.

Questions and Answers to you questions about Melamine. What is Melamine? What do I do if I think my infant formula contains Melamine? Melamine Information? Symptoms of Melamine poisoning?

Enfamil released a statement today saying that the FDA testing was inaccurate.

Well, folks, more products have been recalled. Products that your children might be playing with this minute. Please read below and make a note of these toys and the contact info in case you or someone you know owns these toys.

RECALLED: Cobra Electronics Children’s Two-Way Radios with Rechargeable Batteries. The batteries can leak and cause chemical burns. These toys were sold at Toys R’ Us in August and September of this year for about $30. They are made in China. If you need more information, contact Cobra Electronics at (888) 252.9889 or visit www.cobra.com.

If you return this product you will get a free-replacement and a 20% off discount towards a future purchase.

RECALLED: JA-RU recalls My Little Train Classics Toy Trains because of a choking hazard. The toy contains small parts that can detach and act as a choking hazard for young children. Made in China they are imported by JA-RU located in Jacksonville, Florida. They were sold nationwide from March 2007 through October 2008 for about $2. JA-RU can be reached at (800) 231.3470.

RECALLED: The Consumer Product Safety Commission, in conjunction with CORAL has recalled Swim N’ Score Dive Sticks because they pose a risk of impalement injury. They were sold at Modell’s Sporting Goods Stores from August 1999 until October 2008. Children can fall or land on the sticks in shallow water and suffer impalement, eye and facial injuries. If you have any of these, please contact Modell’s at (800) 275.6633 or visit www.modells.com/recall

To sign up to receive regular email notices about product safety and recalls visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website at www.cpsc.gov.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in conjunction with Carter’s are advising parents that their clothing with tag-less heat transfered labels are causing rashes in some children. A small percentage of babies and children have developed rashes on their upper back and neck. The affected clothing was manufactured in various countries and sold at Carter’s stores and other retail chains as well.

The clothing that is causing this rash is associated with the Carter’s Fall 2007 line of clothing. It uses a label on the inside back of the garment that has a raised surface with a solid background. This advisory does not apply to the current product lines that use a label with a stenciled background. See the photo below for an image of the label.

If your child develops a rash stop wearing the garment and if the rash persists contact your pediatrician. Some doctors will recommend applying a little bit of anti-itch cream or a moisturizing cream like Aquaphor.

These labels are safe and are not the ones included in this advisory.

Babies and young children are also very susceptible to rashes and a variety of skin conditions including baby acne, eczema and impetigo.

Babies and children have very delicate skin and soon after birth it is common for them to get minor rashes and bumps on their skin that don’t offend them.  However, more severe rashes and allergies are also all too common and require diet modification and sometimes antibiotics.  If you aren’t sure what is appearing on your baby or child’s skin you should see your pediatrician for a diagnosis.

It’s that time of year again folks, the time we put away the shorts and pull out the sweaters and coats. However, many of us will take vacations to warmer locales in the next few months and its important to keep kids safe in the sun.

Kids Health gives some great tips for kids in the sun. Kids Health also recommends this for wearing sunscreen: Use a sunscreen with an SPF rating of 15 or higher. Put on sunscreen 15 to 20 minutes before going out in the sun. If you are fair skinned, you should use a sunscreen with a higher SPF rating such as SPF 30. The letters SPF stand for sun protection factor, and the number rating tells you how much longer you can stay in the sun without getting sunburned. So if you normally burn after 20 minutes and you put on a sunscreen with an SPF rating of 15, this sunscreen may give you 15 times the protection. That’s 15 times 20 minutes, or 300 minutes (5 hours).

The suns rays are the strongers between the hours of 10am and 4pm. Avoid direct exposure during those hours as much as possible. Hop into the shade as much as you can.

This EPA website provides some great options for protecting yourself in the sun, like wearing sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats.

More sun saftey tips from the Sun Safety Alliance

• Keep in mind the sun is strongest between 10 am and 4 pm.
• Wear clothing that’s dark and tightly woven.
• Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
• Remember that UV rays bounce off sand, snow, concrete, and water.
• Do not use sun tanning beds.
• Keep very young children (6 months or less) out of the sun.
• Sunscreens need to be applied liberally and evenly over all exposed areas.
• Apply a sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or higher whenever you’re outdoors. To achieve adequate UV protection you should use products that provide broad spectrum protection, which means protection against both UVB and UVA rays. For broad spectrum protection, look for products that provide an SPF of at least 15 and contain ingredients like Avobenzone (Parsol 1789) or zinc oxide.
• For children, the SSA recommends sunscreen with an SPF 30 or higher.
• Apply sunscreen before going outdoors and reapply often.
• Reapply sunscreen after swimming, perspiring, and toweling off.
• Provide complete sunscreen coverage for your skin (including neck, ears and lips!).
• For people with thin or thinning hair, apply sunscreen to the scalp as well.
• And rememberstay in the shade whenever possible!

I’m not a big fan of following any “method” of parenting to a -T-. I feel more strongly that each child’s personality needs different kinds of care and stimulation and when you claim to follow a certain method you are closing off your options to other parenting resources that might actually make sense to you.

Authoritative Parenting is often seen as the evil step-sister of Attachment Parenting. Authoritative Parenting is built on two components, Parental Responsiveness and Parental Demandingness. This can be seen as love, warmth and nurturing VERSUS discipline and control. The parents have to choose how they balance this concept. Some opt for much more demanding and control and others act with a majority of love and warmth with only occasional control.

According to a University of Minnesota publication here is the core of Authoritative Parenting:

Parental Responsiveness (love, warmth, nurturance): Parental responsiveness is the extent to which parents respond to the child’s needs in an accepting, supportive manner. It is a very powerful force in the development of children, and most children probably do not get enough. Nurturance helps children feel loved, secure, and cared about, and it fosters children’s acceptance of discipline and parental demands. There are many ways to respond and nurture children, including listening attentively spending time with children, being available, and giving more attention to that which pleases and less to that which does not (”catch them being good”).

Parental Demandingness (discipline, control) Demandingness is the extent to which a parent expects and demands responsible behavior from children. This dimension includes both setting and enforcing rules or limits on children. In order to be enforced, rules must be clear, reasonable, developmentally appropriate, fair and just, mutually agreed upon, flexible, and emphasize what to do rather just what not to do. Enforcement of rules is much more than just punishment. Indeed, punishment is probably the least effective of the alternatives available. Monitoring and understanding children’s behavior, preventing misbehavior, rewarding good behavior, and guidance are more effective tools.

I don’t know that this site was intended for information like what is to follow, but this is a Parenting site and I suspect most of the visitors are PARENTS and there is crucial - life-saving information that needs to be passed on and shared and spread around, NOW. Please read on, this is important.

Another baby product has been recalled. The Simplicity Drop Side Crib is being recalled because there are problems with the crib’s hardware size. The drop side can come off of the track and detach. That creates a gap that can trap and suffocate a baby.

About 600,000 of these cribs have been sold by the following retailers, AAFES, of Dallas, Texas; Babies“R”Us, of Wayne, N.J.; Burlington Coat Factory/Baby Depot, of Burlington, N.J.; K’s Merchandise (out of business); Meijer Distribution Inc., of Grand Rapids, Mich.; Nebraska Furniture Mart, of Omaha, Neb.; ShopKo, of Green Bay, Wis.;Target, of Minneapolis, Minn.; Wal-Mart Stores Inc, of Bentonville, Ark.

Here is the description of the affected cribs:

Description: This recall of Simplicity drop side cribs involves models that used a different style of hardware from those cribs recalled in September 2007. The recalled model numbers include: 8620, 8745, 8748, 8755, 8756, 8778, 8810, and 8994. The recalled drop side cribs have a date code, which can be found on a label on the headboard under the mattress support, which ends in 05DH, 05GB, 06DH, 06GB, 07DH or 07GB (examples: 1806 DH or 0507 GB). The recalled model names include: Aspen and Crib N Changer Combo, Gabrielle, Camille, Providence and Shenandoah. Only the brand name “Simplicity” can be seen on the label on the headboard.

For more information about who to contact if you or someone you know has this crib, click HERE.

Links are, in my opinions the BEST baby item out there. Of course everyone has a favorite item but I found these to be endlessly useful for a long period of time. They are a safe toy, a simple toy, with many uses.

You can link a few of these together and they are perfect little textured-multi-colored easy-to-hold “toys” perfect for newborns, babies and toddlers.  I love these multi-purpose, all-age toys.

They are made from molded plastic which is not known to have lead, a common concern these days. You can clean them with a disinfectant-wipe or just toss them in the dishwasher or a pot of boiling water for a few minutes.

I keep a few links hooked together in the car as a toy while we drive. I also keep a few in the diaper bag, a great distraction when we’re in line at the grocery and the baby just needs a distraction NOW! And they also are excellent when you are in the teething stage because the plastic is easy for little hands to hold onto and “chew”.

Links are also good for LINKING other toys to an object for entertainment purposes. You can use a few links to hold a stuffed animal toy to the edge of a stroller. And since you can “link” them toys won’t drop on the floor.

There are a bunch of different brands that make a variation of the link: Fisher Price, Kids II, and Sassy’s links are BPA-free.

They retail for between $3.99 and $5.99 a package.

I have one car seat.  And we own two cars.  Nevermind that fact because we just keep the car seat with the baby, by which I mean the CRV with the professionally-installed car seat stays wherever the baby is staying.   Also, Marc’s car is a two-door and I cannot imagine crawling into the back seat with a twenty-two pounder, kneeling on the floor and wrangling him into the seat without completely losing my sanity.

We are going to Florida later this Fall to visit my in-laws for a week.  We will need a car seat, duh!  Florida may not have a helmet law but you can be sure that my child will be locked into a very safe car seat no matter what state-law requires.  Oh by the way FLORIDA, a four-year old is not large enough to be safely restrained by a regular seatbelt, but  that’s a discussion for another time.

You don’t have to get the Britax Marathon (retail: $299) to have a safe seat for your child.  There are seats for less than $100 that meet all necessary safety standards.   I am referring to convertible seats, they are the seats that are rated for a 5-pound baby up to a 40-50-or even 60-lb toddler.  They can be moved from rear-facing to front-facing,  when your child is over one year of age.   Most people really like these seats because of their versatility and the fact that they are useful for several years.

I am planning to get a second car seat for my in-laws car, an Evenflo Titan Elite maybe?  I particularly like this seat because it is rated front-facing for up to 50 lbs, and I think that will buy us an extra year of use with Noah.

For more in-depth information about this subject, this article published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration highlights some of the issues in finding a good safety seat for children and particularly, the types of injuries children often suffer.  There are some graphic pictures in this link.

What about you?  Do you recommend any particular car seats?  Do you strongly NOT recommend a certain one?  There are tons of different websites for safety ratings and personal reviews but from a simple usability standpoint, what’s your favorite? Why?

Wine! I highly suggest keeping a good bottle of cheap wine in the house at all times. It’s very nice to have a calming glass of wine after the kids go to bed each night. There are nights when that little treat renews me and lulls me into a ready-for-sleeping calm that I haven’t been able to channel sans alcohol since well before I had a baby.

I’m not at all advocating alcoholism or drinking as a means of managing the stresses of parenthood, however, it is a good coping tool! But, if you would rather consume a more benign substance, try an herbal tea or warm milk which is proven to help you sleep, and gives you a good dose of calcium and protein. Milk contains very small doses of melatonin and tryptophan that tend to have a sleepy calming effect on the body and mind.

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is not recommended, however if you are breastfeeding it can be safe, in moderation. Alcohol can be found in breast milk but the amounts are small, however, it is recommended that you have only one and no more than two drinks per day while nursing. Although, two drinks each day and every day isn’t suggested, so, you know, be smart about it. Alcohol doesn’t stay in breast milk, it does get metabolized by the body so you don’t necessarily need to pump and throw away the milk. For more information about alcohol consumption while breast-feeding, visit Bella Online.

A good nighttime tea to try is Celestial Seasonings Sweet Apple Chamomile. It is all natural, free of calories and caffeine. If you prefer an organic tea, try Sweet Clementine Chamomile Organic Herb Tea, also by Celestial Seasonings.

It’s that time of year again kids … time to put away the flip-flops and swimsuits and breakfast at 10am while watching Noggin, time to starting going to bed ON TIME and start using those new binders with the questionable factory-plastic smell. Parents: Can you hear that tune in the distance, it sounds to me like …CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES, COME ON!.

Yeah folks, it’s back to school time!

I bet you didn’t know that you can be creative and make a lot of your school supplies, or at the very least, spruce up that bland notebook with something as simple as MASKING TAPE. Readers Digest just recently published an article about the many creative uses of masking tape! We’re not talking about just labeling folders here, you can fix a broken umbrella and design a road for Matchbox cars all using this wonder tape.

You can get creative, resourceful and organized with a few tips and products like aluminum foil and an old milk-crate or cardboard box.

Did you know that you can use aluminum foil in place of a brillo pad to scrub a soiled pot? Uncrumpled you can lay a sheet of it flat on the bottom of the oven to keep drippings from baking on to the oven.

You can use old return address labels for all those pesky school supplies that are always getting lost. A missing pencil bag might just find its way back home with an address label affixed to its side.

Click here to read the entire article on Homemade School Supplies and learn some great tips for labeling, organizing and using everyday household items in new ways.

It was a hard day, Noah was difficult. Cranky? Drooly? Teething? Constipation? Crawling difficulties? Sleep Regressions? The Wonder Weeks?

Cabernet Savignon is the answer whatever you think the question may be!

Alas, Noah has a rough day and I can’t attribute it to any one factor. But other than today I am finding seven months to be a cheerful and enjoyable age. For the most part Noah sleeps well and eats well and plays well. We have garnered ourselves a decent routine that seems to be more challenging for me than for him.

I do know a few other parents who are still having a lot of trouble getting their six and seven month olds to sleep well. Here are some recommendations originally published on Parents.com.

1. Give your child a quiet and calm period before bedtime. Figure out which activities are effective in calming your child. For many, it’s reading, singing, or a warm bath. Sticking to a regular routine will help your child understand that it will soon be time to go to sleep. Limit television viewing, video games, and active play shortly before bed.

2. Set a consistent schedule. Decide on a time for your child to go to sleep and make bedtime the same every night. His sleep patterns will adjust accordingly.

3. Encourage your child to take a favorite teddy bear or special blanket to bed. These comforting items often help children fall asleep — especially if they wake up in the middle of the night.

4. Make sure your child is comfortable. Make sure that she is comfortable with the temperature in her room and that she’s wearing pajamas that fit well. She may also feel more at ease with a drink of water, a night-light, or the door left slightly open.

5. Avoid returning to your child’s room every time he calls out. A child will quickly learn if you always give in to his requests at bedtime. However, it’s important to reassure your child that you are there if he needs you. Try waiting several seconds before responding and taking longer each time he calls out. (A few minutes of crying is okay, but listen to your baby and if he seems to be in distress go to him.)

Source: American Academy of Pediatrics

Parent’s Magazine has a new list of the best books for children, broken down by age.

I have very strong memories of my Dad reading me Dr.Seuss books. I love the crazy words, the images and the wacky scenarios.

Reading to children is one of the best activities and gifts you can give them. It is calming, bonding and promotes conversation about things you may not have talked about otherwise. Also, hearing the rhythm of language and sounds teaches kids about language and improves their own language skills. Reading promotes imagination and play, a venue through which kids learn.

Child Literacy (dot com) recommends the following based on age:

For babies and toddlers up to 2 years

• point at pictures and say or ask names of things (depending on age)
• use a slow sing-song voice
• use different voices for different characters - be entertaining
• spend time talking about the pictures before turning the page
• say a name and ask your older baby or toddler to point to the item
• give huge praise each time your child points at and names an object

For 2-4 year-olds

• give your child time to look at the pictures before you read
• ask, ‘Where’s the…?’ ‘What’s that called?’ ‘What’s she doing?’
• always follow text with your finger as you read
• with familiar stories, see if your child can join in or finish phrases
• ask questions like: ‘Why did he do that?’ ‘What happens next?’
• discuss things you both liked/didn’t like and why

For 4 year-olds and over (and possibly some 3 year-olds)

• as for 2-4 year olds
• ask your child if he can remember the order of events in the story
• try paired reading (sometimes called shared reading)

Julia wrote about vaccinations awhile back and she basically said everything that I felt. So perhaps you can just go read her posting and then we’ll be done? Oh… you actually want me to put actual words here? In this space? Oh. Alrighty then.

Wow. I never should have attempted such an often times controversial subject this early on a Monday, but my goal isn’t to say what I feel is right or even try to sway anyone to vaccinate or not to vaccinate. Ultimately, it is a personal decision. I will say that the arguments are in favor of vaccines as they are overwhelmingly safe. The public health defense being is at the top of PRO list, as is personal health. It is much better to let your child get a short-run, controlled fever than say, a case of the Mumps. There was an outbreak of the Mumps in 2006 which was a real reminder that we have let our guard down in terms of diseases once thought to be eradicated, or at least, totally off of our radar.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have a very extensive web page detailing recommended vaccine schedules and a chart that suggests how to catch up when vaccines have been missed or skipped for whatever reason.

The biggest vaccine controversy today is a concern that vaccines have contributed to the rise in Autism rates. However, there is no proven link. In the past two decades the number of available vaccines has grown quite a bit, and coincidentally, so have the rates in diagnosed Autism. At this point, this is really is a coincidence, there is no proven scientific research demonstrating any link.

It is difficult to watch your babies getting shots but it is ultimately better to have the sting of the shot than the disease it is preventing. Some pediatricians recommend a delayed vaccine schedule for babies who were born prematurely or who have stronger reactions to the shots. This option should be discussed with your pediatrician if you think it would benefit your child.

In the wake of a recent tragedy, a friend of a friend just lost a baby, an 18-month-old baby who drowned in a hot tub, I think it is important that we all take a minute and read over some good tips to keep our kids safe around water, specifically, pools. It’s summer time and we all want to take a dip to cool off. Young children and babies have no concept of the dangers of water and also, the double edged sword is that they are fascinated by water and can get away from us and out of sight in the blink of an eye.

The American Academy of Pediatrics makes the following statement:

A swimming pool can be very dangerous for children. If possible, do not put a swimming pool in your yard until your children are older than 5 years. Help protect your children from drowning by doing the following:

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Never leave your children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment. An adult who knows CPR should actively supervise children at all times.
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Practice touch supervision with children younger than 5 years. This means that the adult is within an arm’s length of the child at all times.
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You must put up a fence to separate your house from the pool. Most young children who drown in pools wander out of the house and fall into the pool. Install a fence at least 4 feet high around all 4 sides of the pool. This fence will completely separate the pool from the house and play area of the yard. Use gates that self-close and self-latch, with latches higher than your children’s reach.
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Keep rescue equipment (such as a shepherd’s hook or life preserver) and a telephone by the pool.
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Do not use air-filled “swimming aids” as a substitute for approved life vests.
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Remove all toys from the pool after use so children aren’t tempted to reach for them.
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After the children are done swimming, secure the pool so they can’t get back into it.
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A power safety cover that meets the standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) may add to the protection of your children but should not be used in place of the fence between your house and the pool. Even fencing around your pool and using a power safety cover will not prevent all drownings.

Remember, teaching your child how to swim DOES NOT mean your child is safe in water.

Red Cross Water Safety
Also, the American Red Cross makes the following recommendations for HOME POOLS:

Summer over at The Attached Mother wrote a great piece about unassisted home birth. It isn’t for me, especially after I had an intervention-intense first labor due to some complications beyond my control, but for the right mother with a healthy pregnancy, it sounds incredibly empowering and exciting.