Babywearing - basic

Proudly sharing this article which published in BabyTalk Malaysia April 2014 issue. Credits to my babywearers team for the photo contribution and one of Certified Babywearing Educator in Malaysia, Shahida Radze and our support group, Babywearing Mamas Malaysia.

 

What is it?

Babywearing is basically an action holding or carrying a baby, young child, toddler or even a preschooler using a piece of cloth or a baby carrier. Holding babies is a natural gesture and universal action; baby carriers make it easier & more comfortable, allowing parents and caregivers to carry children while attending to the daily tasks of living.  It makes life infinitely easier as carrying your child with a carrier, be it on your back, hips or in front of you and having both hands free yet baby is still securely near you. You can do laundry, go shopping, attending your other children or even performing prayer with your child contently and securely with you. While front carrying your little one, both parent and baby can have snuggled time; allowing your child to interact with the world on your level yet safely snuggled against your body.

Babywearing has been practiced for centuries. Mothers wore their children on backs and hips since the dawn of humanity. In ancient civilizations, mothers needed to have baby close while tending to dailychores. In the industrialized world, babywearing has gained popularity in recent decades, partly under influence of advocates of attachment parenting. However, not all parents who practice babywearing consider themselves as attachment parents.

Unfortunately babywearing is considered, by many, as backwards, weird or unsafe. It’s none of these and much of the world continues to babywear while many others are only just rediscovering the joys and the convenience of babywearing. Babywearing has to be wonderful for health of babies; to cry less, calmer and content, nurse better (in a front or hip carry), fewer digestive problems/ colic and develop neck as well as back muscles better.

Is babywearing safe?

When done properly, carrying a baby in a safe, appropriate baby carrier can be safer than carrying a baby in your arms. Using a carrier, you won’t have any tired muscles, and your carrier doesn’t have arms that reflexively reach out to balance you or catch you when you fall. But, as with anything concerning babies, good safety practices are of paramount importance. There are few aspects to be consider for a safe babywearing including the type of carrier, types of material used for the carrier, tested and proven safe carrier (just to name few).

There are many baby carriers on the market, too. Many people use simple pieces of cloth to safely & comfortably carry their babies. Additionally, there is a learning curve with any baby product, including commercial baby carriers. Parents and caregivers often benefit from thinking of babywearing as a skill they can learn. Many babywearing techniques can be learned in just a few minutes. Techniques like back carry a baby take more time & practice to master.

To achieve a safe babywearing, use a carrier that is appropriate for your baby's age. Ironically, we keep on changing baby’s clothes, shoes and even nappies size thus the same situation applies in choosing your baby carrier. Having a bigger size of carrier compared to the baby’s age or physical size will put the baby at risk of their spine development and comfortness. Many soft carriers and all frame backpacks are not recommended for use with young babies. At the other end of the scale, most baby carriers have weight limits.

Types of Baby Carrier

Soft Structure Carrier (SSC) – Soft structured carriers replace knots with buckles and add a thickly padded waistband and shoulder straps. The result is a different weight distribution and overall different look and feel from a mei tai, putting this style of carrier into a category of its own. Soft structured carriers offer the convenience of buckles yet are vastly different from framed backpacks in that they hold the baby securely against the wearer's body. Unlike framed backpacks, soft structured carriers are advisable and recommended for baby with a firm neck (after 4 months old) till toddlerhood and provide the benefits of body-to-body contact for the baby (although some require or include a special insert for newborns).
Mei Tai / Half Buckle – Soft pack carriers range from traditional carriers such as the mei tai to more structured buckle carriers. A mei tai is a rectangle fabric with straps coming off each corner & tie the straps around shoulders & waist, made from sturdy canvas-type fabrics & have padded straps for added shoulder comfort. Ergonomically, babies over 20 lbs are better off on your back, a soft pack carrier is more comfortable & easy to use. These carriers distribute baby's weight between wearer's hips & shoulders, making back strain virtually a non-issue even when wearing for long periods. They feature dual adjustable buckles that are completely adjustable around the waist and shoulders. They're easy to get on and off -- and the back carry only takes a bit of practice.
Ring Sling – A ring sling is a long piece of fabric (2-3m long) that is adjustable to fit over one shoulder by pulling the material through two rings made from either metal or nylon, leaving a long tail of fabric hanging in front. They can be padded in shoulder area for added comfort. They are usually used for front, hip carries or sometimes back carry. The adjustability factor of a ring sling makes it suitable for sharing between different sized wearers. The extra fabric left in front is useful for very discreet breastfeeding in public. Ring Slings are an ideal newborn carrier and are also fantastic for the up-and-down toddler phase. The size can be adjusted according to the size of the wearer and the wearee to get excellent support as well as comfort comfort for both the baby and you. This made it more versatile in usage.
Pouch Sling – A single piece of fabric sewn into a sash-like circle seam in middle to creates a deep seat for baby. They are worn over one shoulder. It can be use for front, back and hip carries - distributing weight across shoulder so no single point of strain. Pouches have no rings, snaps, buckles or ties. Pouches are sized to be fitted to the wearer and it is made from variety of fabrics such as stretch cottons or fleece as well as size. It's very easy for a quick ‘ups and downs’ phase - baby can be taken in and out quickly, for those practicing elimination communications, running errands or toddler that wants up & down every 5 seconds. The downside of a pouch is it’s not as comfortable as a two-shouldered carrier for wearing heavier babies for longer periods as the weight bare by only one shoulder and the waist. They came in size thus they are less in versatility as well as adjustability.
Wrap Carrier – A wrap is a piece of fabric (about 3-6m), tied in multiple ways to support baby. They come in both stretchy knits & woven fabrics. This carrier distributes baby's weight evenly onto both shoulders & comfortable for longer wearing periods. They can be used for front, back & hip carries. Wraps are really nice for newborns as they support their floppiness beautifully. However, it needs the learning curve for tying a wrap. The most versatility and high adjustability to suit the size of wearer and the wearee. The wrap also comes in few blends to suit the need or the wearer. It also can be use up till preschooler with a safe and correct way of wrapping.

Join us in Babywearing Mamas for more info and discussion... Stay Calm and Keep wearing your baby

Pencetus revolusi Remaja

Dengan Nama Allah yang Maha Pemurah lagi Maha Penyayang (Bismillahi Arrahmani Arrahim),
my first log after months of procrastinating..


Alhamdulillah, hari ni Disember 20th, 2013, diberi peluang untuk sama-sama hadir mendengar perkongsian ilmu dari ibubapa Allahyarham Ahmad Ammar bin Ahmad Azam. Kalau ada yang belum sampai beritanya atau tak tau punca siapa gerangan empunya nama yang disebut ni, cubalah bertanya pada Uncle Google or Mrs. Youtube. Anda pasti jumpa jawapannya. Ini videonya.

Bersama berkongsi ilmu dan pengalaman mereka dalam membesarkan anak-anak adalah suatu perjalanan yang normal namun semuanya telah diatur cantik oleh Maha Pencipta. Suasana dalam dewan sangat terasa auranya walaupun majlis belum bermula.

I don't write much but i did recorded it (in video) for my own reference in the future and would more than happy to share it here for our benefits.

InsyaAllah.

Location : Dewan Syura, JAKIM, Parcel D
Time : 0930H 12, 20th 2013

My baby's Activities

Dengan nama Allah yang Maha Pemurah lagi Maha Penyayang,

Aku mulakan tulisanku sekali lagi selepas bertangguh. Few more drafts to be post any soonest. Writing about my son has always been my favorite.

To date, it's his 2nd week of schooling, playschool I mean. I always wanted to homeschool my son but Allah knows better, plan the best for us rather than what we wanted.

We started schooling Akir when he showed some interest in learning. It was at his 7th months. After weeks admitted in hospital, he showed something that I knew I can't put it on granted. He loves to flip books, listen to music and looking at things. Alhamdulillah, during his admitted time, he was given few interesting learning items, thanks a lot to his sweet grannies and aunts.

He showed tonnes of interest into books

At the age of 7 months (Nov 2011)

                                 

But, we do believe that schooling is not all about books. We brought him to zoo, aquaria, bird park and many other outdoors activities.

                      

                  

                     

                     

  

                     

We did anything that he enjoyed and we don't force nor put a certain target for him to achieve. We make sure he is actively participating in physical activities as we've observed that the most activities he loves.

                      

We let him eat by himself at the age of 1. It is good for his motor skill development as well.

 

                           

We let him choose his own books. Yes, we did involved him in almost of our activities, treat him as much as we could.

                 

 We introduced him to swimming at the age of 6 months. Akir played football at his age of a year.

He did read even in the shop

                  

                     

And many other activities with we think (and him showed interest) that might suits him.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151953636778751&l=7313529544329059878

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151802218308751&l=2270120332487380856

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151861039408751&l=3694601965665166065

Will update more, insyaAllah.

What every parent should know before choosing to vaccinate

1.) Understand the diseases that for which we have vaccines for. 

It is better to research each individual disease, than to take someone's word for it. The best most reliable source of information would be an official source, like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). 

The CDC's Pink Book is an up do date record of infectious diseases and can be found here: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/index.html#chapters

In the CDC's own words:

"The Pink Book provides physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and others with the most comprehensive information on vaccine-preventable diseases.

Typical chapters include a description of the disease, pathogenesis, clinical features, laboratory diagnosis, medical management, epidemiology, risk factors, trends in the United States, vaccine details, vaccination schedule and use, contraindications and precautions to vaccination, adverse reactions following vaccination, vaccine storage and handling, and reference or publications.

The appendices are a wealth of reference materials including: minimum age and interval table, current and discontinued vaccines, ingredients tables, vaccine administration guide, etc.

2.) Know and understand what adverse events are associated and reported after vaccinations. 

Parents who choose to vaccinate should know what to do in the case of an adverse event, severe reaction, and the like. Physicians are required to report adverse events to VAERS (The Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System), however the CDC and FDA "the keepers" of the VAERS database estimate that only 10% to 15% of adverse reactions are ever reported at all.

Parents may, and (even after reporting the reaction to your child's doctor), file a report with VAERS. When accessing the VAERS database, if there were 5,485 reports associated with the MMR vaccine, the CDC and FDA suggest that you can multiply that number by 10-15 for a more accurate count. 5,485 x 10 is 54,485. 

An exerpt from the VAERS database:

"Underreporting" is one of the main limitations of passive surveillance systems, including VAERS. The term, underreporting refers to the fact that VAERS receives reports for only a small fraction of actual adverse events. The degree of underreporting varies widely. As an example, a great many of the millions of vaccinations administered each year by injection cause soreness, but relatively few of these episodes lead to a VAERS report. Physicians and patients understand that minor side effects of vaccinations often include this kind of discomfort, as well as low fevers. On the other hand, more serious and unexpected medical events are probably more likely to be reported than minor ones, especially when they occur soon after vaccination, even if they may be coincidental and related to other causes. "

Many parents who do vaccinate have never been told about VAERS at all. Know that it exists.

3) Understand the vaccination laws where you live. 

Many parents are led to believe that immunizations are mandatory for school admission. All states have exemptions. And all states but two allow exemptions for philosophical or religious reasons. Mississippi and West Virgina are currently the only two which only allow a medical exemption.  

See: http://www.examiner.com/article/back-to-school-vaccine-exemptions-the-us-state-by-state

4) Read the package inserts for each and every vaccine you are considering for you or your children.  

See: http://www.examiner.com/article/list-of-links-where-you-can-find-out-what-vaccine-package-inserts-say

Often doctors will hand out information sheets to you in advance of the next appointment. Do not mistake the one sided, often inflammatory accounts of the infectious diseases for the package inserts written by the vaccine manufacturers and included with the actual vaccines. Package inserts will give you information like studies and outcomes, contraindications, and adverse reactions associated with the vaccine. All admitted and written by the manufacturer. 

5) Know the ingredients in each vaccine. 

 See: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/appendices/B/excipient-table-1.pdf

Vaccine ingredients are often not studied at all, let alone studied for long term effects, or how they work (or do not) in conjunction with one another. Research this topic in depth. Twenty-three vaccines on the market currently contain aborted fetal tissue, which contains human DNA. 

See: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31727_162-20049118-10391695.html?tag=facebook

It is important that every parent has a thorough understanding of the diseases that they are trying to prevent. Vaccines do not necessarily make anyone immune, and the manufacturers will tell you on the package inserts that the vaccine is not 100% effective, if even 80% effective. All the "immunity" you may have received from vaccines eventually wears off making the need for booster shots.  

See: http://www.examiner.com/article/the-current-whooping-cough-epidemic-could-mean-that-the-vaccine-is-not-working

Source:
http://www.jobdescriptionmommy.com/job-description-mommy/2011/08/vaccine-information-a-good-place-to-start.html

credit to source : http://www.examiner.com/article/what-every-parent-should-know-before-choosing-to-vaccinate

8 ways to keep your sleeping baby cool in hot weather

Your baby will sleep most comfortably in a room temperature of 24 or 25 degrees C. It is also extremely important to ensure that the room is well ventilated. If the room your baby sleeps in is not air-conditioned, make sure there is a fan in the room (but a standing or sitting fan should not be pointed directly at your baby).

Turn the fan on before your baby's bedtime to allow the room to cool. If possible, leave the windows open as this allows cross ventilation to ensure the room will not get stuffy (to keep mosquitoes at bay, you want want to consider installing wire mesh or special screens on all the windows).

Here are eight quick tips for keeping your baby cool and comfortable while he sleeps:

1. Remove unnecessary bedding. A baby wearing a nappy, long-sleeve top and long pants will only need a light cotton sheet as cover if the temperature in his room is 24 degrees C.

2. If he is still hot, and there is no air-conditioning in the room, he could sleep in just his nappy and a thin short-sleeve top.

3. Remove any padding around his cot to allow the air to circulate.

4. Open windows in several rooms to create a through breeze.

5. Hang wet towels over chairs or windows when it's really stifling. The evaporating water will help the air to cool.

6. Keep curtains and blinds drawn in the middle of the day to prevent the sun from heating up the room.

7. Keep a careful eye on him if he falls asleep in his pram. Prams can be hot and airless, and you may need to buy a small, battery-powered portable fan to clip on to the pram if you are regularly out and about during your baby's nap times.

8. Never leave your baby sleeping in his car seat in the car. Even with the windows open, temperatures inside a parked car can rise frighteningly quickly.

http://www.babycenter.com.my/a1004500/8-ways-to-keep-your-sleeping-baby-cool-in-hot-weather?scid=my_en_bulletin_all_toddler#ixzz2eesaTEMI