News & Advice

Baby on Board and Our Community

Why Shop at Baby On Board?? Two Good Reasons Why...

1. Baby on Board Supports SHEWAY

   
   Baby on Board believes in good KARMA. You know the old saying, "What goes around comes around". That's why Baby on Board created a donation program that helps YOU the customer and helps those that are less fortunate. This program helps our customers get rid of their used STROLLERS, CRIBS, HIGHCHAIRS, BOUNCERS or other USED baby items. You can bring these used items to Baby on Board and we will help you donate it to SHEWAY.
   
   SHEWAY is a community outreach program for childbearing women and their families who access and/or live in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. SHEWAY provides health care to pregnant women & women with children under 18 months of age who face special health concerns or need help developing parenting skills. SHEWAY also provides primary care, prenatal care, hot lunches, used baby clothes and supplies, Methadone program and counselling.
   
   Please visit their website to read more about SHEWAY and the remarkable things they do to help those that are less fortunate.
   
   Remember... "What goes around comes around".


2. 

   Baby On Board Supports BC Children's Hospital...

   
   Baby On Board donates monthly to BC Children's Hospital. We donate a percentage of our sales to BC Children's Hospital. Why give? We at Baby On Board hate to see a sick children. One sick child is one too many. We all don't think about our children being in a situation when we need a hospital's help until something happens to our own children. We believe that together we can make miracles happen.
   
   Small Patients, Great Needs
   
   Children's health care is not a smaller version of adult health care. In fact, the smaller the patient, the greater the need for specialized medical care. Children are not only different from adults, they are often more complicated. Because kids' minds and bodies are still developing, many of the treatments for adult illness are not appropriate for them. What's more, some genetic disorders and diseases occur only in children. And while children represent 25 per cent of the population, only about 5 per cent of research funding is devoted to pediatric medicine.
   
   Half the size does not mean half the price.
   
   Equipment and facilities must support the needs of children from newborns to teenagers - and all sizes and ages in between.
   
   Treating our patients like kids goes beyond health care.
   
   BC Children's Hospital receives over 67,000 patients each year, and every one of them is away from home, school and the things that make them feel safe. That's why our staff works extra hard to make this a place where children can do more than heal. At Children’s, they can also play, learn, laugh and grow.
   
   Highly trained medical staff needed to meet the special needs of our young patients.
   The critical time to treat a pediatric disease is in the infant or toddler stages of development. To effectively treat this age group, many of our medical practitioners require years of additional training.
   
   Children across BC depend on us for acute medical care.
   BC Children's Hospital provides expertise in pediatric diagnostic, treatment and surgical services unavailable anywhere else in British Columbia. In fact, we are the only pediatric tertiary care hospital in the province. So, when children are injured or become gravely ill, their best chance for treatment and successful recovery rests at Children's.

posted by Baby on Board on Monday, August 4, 2008 at 1:55 PM

Sustainability within a Generation

Nine out of ten Canadians rate the environment as a top concern. Yet a study by Dr. Tom Gunton of Simon Fraser University, The Maple Leaf in the OECD, found that Canada is one the worst environmental performers in the industrialized world.

But this can change.

Adopting the policy recommendations outlined in Sustainability Within a Generation could safeguard our natural legacy for future generations and improve our quality of life.

Sustainability Within a Generation lays out nine core goals Canada can achieve by the year 2030. Download your copy today and find out how Canada can become an environmental leader.

The policy changes from Sustainability Within a Generation are quite simple and involve a common theme: making the market work better.

Right now we subsidize polluting industries and discourage clean ones - paying too much tax on some things, and not enough on others.

Sustainability means living within the earth's limits - improving our health and well-being by reducing and eliminating pollution and waste. It means tackling the root causes of health and environmental problems before they occur. Sustainability involves everyone. Many Canadians already recycle, drive less, and use environmentally friendly products. But we also expect our governments to set policies that give us choices to build a better future - better transportation options, healthy food, safe and clean energy, and products that won't harm our well-being.

Countries like Sweden, Germany and the U.K. have been successful by setting similar long-term environmental goals. Canada can do the same... or better.

For more information about Sustainability please visit the David Suzuki Foundation at www.davidsuzuki.org

Together we can make a difference for us and our children.

posted by Baby on Board on at 1:53 PM

How to choose diapers as your baby grows

As your baby grows and becomes more active, his diapering needs change. Try different brands and styles to find what works best, and keep these age-by-age guidelines in mind.

Newborns: Some parents like a diaper with extra stretch that will accommodate a newborn's rapid growth. You may also want to choose a style with a U-shaped hole cut out to make cord care easier. Since newborns make small messes and get changed very frequently, absorbency isn't a huge issue.

5 to 8 months: Starting baby on solid foods means messier diapers, so a good fit with no leaks is key. Baby may be sleeping longer as well; if he soaks through his bedtime diaper, try ones designed for overnight use.

9 to 24 months: Toddlers are on the go, so look for diapers with strong tabs and plenty of stretch. Change baby often to avoid diaper rash, which can flare up when he's in motion.

24 months and up: It's potty time! Some families like disposable training pants because kids can easily take them off and they're great for accidents. Others say that kids won't use the potty if they're wearing something that feels and acts just like a diaper. Experiment to see what works for you.

What About Cloth Diapers?

You'd think in our age of speed and convenience that cloth diapers would have gone the way of the black-and-white TV. But parents still use them for several reasons: They're reusable, environmentally friendly and, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association of Diaper Services, less expensive than disposables.

Most cloth-diaper families use a diaper service, which appears with fresh diapers (and launders the dirty ones!) on a regular schedule. Diaper services also provide a hamper and deodorant for your home, and sell diaper covers with Velcro closures so you don't need pins.

However, even cloth devotees often buy some disposables. If your baby makes a big mess away from home, the last thing you want is to carry around a soiled, smelly cloth diaper.

And disposables trap a lot of liquid within the diaper, away from baby's skin. Cotton diapers, on the other hand, may be less absorbent and could require more frequent changes. The choice is yours.

posted by Baby on Board on at 1:50 PM

What is Colic?

What does the term actually mean? Not much, it turns out. Dozens of theories -- some of them mutually contradictory -- have been advanced to account for the excessive crying we call colic, including gas, lactose intolerance, maternal smoking, reflux, low birth weight, maternal stress, protein allergy, bottlefeeding, over- and under-stimulation, and any number of gastrointestinal disorders. Any of these could explain baby's crying, as could hunger, a room kept too hot or cold, or a need to be held. But none account for more than a small percentage of cases of excessive crying. Nor do any explain the cyclic pattern of such crying -- the fact that serious bouts tend to occur in late afternoon or early evening.

In fact, a growing body of research suggests that colic is not an illness or syndrome but merely the high end of normal crying. The mystery began to unravel back in the 1960s, when T. Berry Brazelton, MD, founder of the Child Development Unit at Children's Hospital Boston, identified a universal infant crying curve that accounts for all crying in the first few months of life, including so-called colic. In subsequent studies, Ronald Barr, MDCM, professor of pediatrics at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, demonstrated that infant crying begins at about 2 weeks of age, increases until it peaks at about 6 weeks, then gradually decreases until it stabilizes at 3 or 4 months. Dr. Barr, the lead editor of Crying as a Sign, a Symptom & a Signal (Mac Keith, 2000), also noted that crying tends to be clustered in late afternoons, particularly at the 6-week peak period.

In other words, normal crying and colic follow exactly the same developmental pattern. The difference is one of degree, not kind. Although crying manifests itself as full-fledged howling in one baby and mild fussing in another, each is simply one side of the same developmental coin. The observation of clinicians supports this research. "Colicky babies cry no more frequently than other babies," says Henry Bernstein, MD, associate chief of general pediatrics at Children's Hospital Boston, "but each episode is longer and more intense."

posted by Baby on Board on at 1:50 PM

Common Infant Digestive Problems

Introduction

You know you're a new parent when discussions about spit up, reflux, and the contents of baby's diaper become common dinnertime fodder! If you're a new mom or dad, worrying about your baby's digestive health is more common than you think. Here's the poop on some common tummy troubles that babies face -- and how you can tell when baby's problems are serious enough to consult a physician.

1. Reflux
   Sometimes it takes weeks for the normal squeezing pattern of the stomach to get into rhythm. Until that happens, milk can sit in her stomach longer than normal and then come back up. This is called reflux.
   
   
   • When to worry: Most cases of reflux disappear once baby is between 4 and 12 months old. However, the following symptoms may indicate that your child is having problems:
     
     • Poor feeding
       
     • Frequent hiccups
       
     • Congestion and breathing problems
     
     
   • What to do: If your baby shows any of the above symptoms, her pediatrician may recommend treating her with medication. Otherwise, you can greatly help matters by burping her often (after every ounce of formula or after every couple of minutes of breastfeeding) and keeping her upright for 20 minutes after each feeding.
   
   
2. Vomiting
   The most common cause of vomiting in babies is an infection of the intestinal tract by any virus that happens to be going around. The illness usually starts with a sudden bout of vomiting, often with fever or diarrhea (not necessarily in that order). Most infections run their course in two or three days, although a child's tummy often isn't up to snuff for days after.
   
   
   • When to worry: If you notice a drop-off in the normal number of wet diapers and a shortage of saliva, your baby may be dehydrated.
     
     
   • What to do: If your baby won't take -- or can't keep down -- breast milk or formula, offer her a tablespoonful of an electrolyte solution such as Pedialyte or Rehydralyte every 15 minutes or so. Call your pediatrician if she's vomiting up the solution.
   
   In rare instances, vomiting in infancy can indicate that baby was born with, or has developed, a malformation of the digestive tract. One common condition is called pyloric stenosis, which occurs when the muscle at the exit of the stomach thickens, preventing milk from passing through it. No one knows what causes it, but it usually shows up in babies between 3 and 5 weeks of age. The telltale sign of pyloric stenosis is projectile vomiting -- vomiting that's forceful enough to shoot across the room. If your baby is diagnosed with pyloric stenosis, usually by an ultrasound, he'll need an operation to open the blockage at the outlet of his stomach.
   
   
3. Diarrhea
   Diarrhea in babies is usually caused by a virus. One type, rotavirus, is responsible for most cases of diarrhea in kids. Rotavirus usually shows up during the winter in kids between 6 and 24 months. Once rotavirus takes hold, the only thing you can do is make sure baby stays hydrated. Your pediatrician would need to perform a test on baby's stool in order to make a definite diagnosis.
   
   
   • When to worry: If your baby has diarrhea that just won't go away for more than two to three weeks and she lacks fever or cold symptoms, she could have a milk allergy. In addition to watery stools, allergic babies may be colicky, suffer from cramping when they have bowel movements, have small amounts of blood and mucus in their stool, and develop a rash.
     
     
   • What to do: Most allergic babies get better once put on a hypoallergenic formula such as Nutramigen or Alimentum.
   
   
4. Constipation
   Constipation -- or hard stool -- is a common problem, especially after a baby starts eating cereals. Another common time for babies to develop constipation is around their first birthday. It's no coincidence that this is also when most parents start children on whole milk. Too much milk can lead to sticky, claylike stools that present a real problem for some toddlers.
   
   
   • What to do: If you notice that your child's stools are firm and dry, or he's having difficulty passing them, try cutting out rice cereal for a day or two to see if that does the trick. If you suspect milk is the culprit, try limiting your child's intake to 16 ounces per day.
   
   The information on this Web site is designed for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding your or your child's condition.

posted by Baby on Board on at 1:41 PM

Benefits of Folic Acid

What Is Folic Acid?

Whether you're already expecting -- or just planning to be -- taking the right vitamins can help ensure a healthy baby. One of the most important for you and your baby is folic acid. Up to 70 percent of all neural tube defects (NTDs) -- birth defects of the brain and spine -- could be prevented if every woman of childbearing age took folic acid daily, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Folic acid is a member of the B-vitamin family. It occurs naturally in foods as folates, and is available in synthetic form in vitamin pills. Foods that contain folates include orange juice, green leafy vegetables, and beans. Fortified breakfast cereals, enriched grain products, and vitamins contain a synthetic form of folic acid. The synthetic form is more easily absorbed by your body than the natural form.

While researchers don't know why folic acid helps prevent birth defects, it has been shown to decrease the risk of the most common NTDs: spina bifida (the leading cause of childhood paralysis) and anencephaly (a fatal condition in which an infant is born with a severely underdeveloped brain and skull).

Not only does folic acid combat these NTDs, but it may also help keep your baby from developing a heart defect, cleft lip, or cleft palate.

Additionally, a pregnant woman needs folic acid to help support the rapid growth of the placenta and fetus. The nutrient aids in baby's DNA production. Cell division and fetal growth can become impaired without it. One study found that women with folic acid deficiencies were two to three times more likely to have a premature baby or a baby of low birth weight than those who got enough of the vitamin.

The March of Dimes, the CDC, and the Institute of Medicine recommend that all women consume at least 400 micrograms of the synthetic form a day, and that pregnant women consume 600 micrograms, either from a prenatal vitamin or multivitamin, or by consuming a fortified breakfast cereal that contains 400 micrograms of folic acid in one bowl.

Foods that are rich in folates include:

• Fruits and fruit juices
  
• Leafy green vegetables
  
• Bean
  
• Chickpeas
  
• Lima beans
  
• Asparagus
  
• Peas
  
• Peanuts
  
• Sunflower seeds
  
• Wheat germ

In addition, some foods are fortified with folic acid that your body can absorb more easily than natural folates. Foods that may be labeled "enriched" (required to have 140 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams of grain) include:

• Breakfast cereals
  
• Pasta
  
• Rice
  
• Bread

If you've already had a baby with an NTD, consult your doctor about how much folic acid you should take before your next pregnancy. Studies have shown that taking a larger dose (4 milligrams) beginning at least one month before pregnancy and during the first trimester reduces the risk of having another affected pregnancy by about 70 percent.

The information on this Web site is designed for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding your or your child's condition.

posted by Baby on Board on at 1:38 PM

5 Facts About Nursing a Preemie

Is breastfeeding different with a premature baby?

Here are five things you should know about breastfeeding your preemie:

1. Your milk adjusts to the circumstances. Studies show that when moms of preemies breastfeed, the milk they produce is more rich in proteins and has slightly different fats than later breast milk. It's specially designed to help a premature infant through those first difficult weeks.



2. Your baby may be in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The disappointment of not being able to be with your baby is compounded by your inability to nurse her. But you can pump -- let the doctors and nurses know that you'd like to do so, and your breast milk will be given to your baby there in the hospital (via tube, cup, or bottle), and/or you can freeze it at home for later use.



3. Sometimes doctors supplement with preemie formula. While breast milk is best for preemies because it's so easy to digest, occasionally doctors and nurses want to supplement with formula to maximize the calories your baby is getting. Just remind them that your goal is to eventually get your baby breastfeeding exclusively, and keep pumping every two to three hours to keep up your milk supply.



4. Transitioning to breastfeeding may take some patience. Switching to breastfeeding at home may be a bumpy ride, especially if your baby has gotten used to being fed with a bottle, which is easy to get milk out of. If needed, you can use a nursing supplementer -- a tiny tube is taped next to your breast and your baby gets milk from that and from you, then eventually will suckle from just you.



5. Enlist support. Breast milk is incredibly good for premature and ill babies, but your relatives and friends may not understand all the health benefits. They also might worry about your having to pump, and may suggest you switch to formula "for your own good." Many mothers of preemies, however, don't mind round-the-clock pumping, because it helps them feel that they can do something to care for their hospitalized baby. Explain this to well-meaning loved ones, and ask them to help you by giving you time to express breast milk.

Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics; La Leche League

The information on this Web site is designed for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding your or your child's condition.

posted by Baby on Board on at 1:35 PM