BebeBuzz

One of the most important things you will need to do before you deliver is hire a pediatrician. You may be wondering where and how you will get this list of perspective doctors to interview, but your best resources are actually right around you. For starters, your OB will most likely have a few names that they like to recommend. Sometimes these names are their own patients or sometimes they are their colleagues that are affiliated with the same hospital. Another great source is the people around you. If you are talking to someone that has children ask them who they use. People tend to love sharing stories about their doctors. They will be more than happy to tell you what they like or do not like about their own pediatrician and then either horror stories about other pediatricians or stories about fabulous ones. It is important to always remember to look at the list of pediatricians provided by your insurance company. This will be an easy way to narrow down your list. When I went to interview pediatricians, I had a final list of four. I felt that this was a nice round number and I would be able to get a good comparison of their different styles if I met with more than just one or two.

Before going on your pediatrician interview, make sure you have a list of questions for them. They do not have time to sit around while you think of questions on the spot. You will also get much more out of your meeting if you have your list prepared. I have put together for you the questions I had prepared before my own pediatrician interviews. This will be a good starting point for you but by all means add your own questions regarding issues that are important to you. When you call the pediatrician’s office, tell them that you are an expecting mother looking to interview pediatricians. Many offices reserve specific hours or days of the week for interview appointments. You should not have to pay for this interview appointment. Most offices will ask you when the baby is due. They do not like to give interview appointments too far in advance. I found that all four of the doctors that I interviewed would not see me until I was within 8 weeks of my due date.

At the interview, you will probably notice that the pediatrician already has a well thought out statement that they have clearly retold many times. They usually start out the interview with their practice overview and then tell you that you can ask your questions when they have finished. This statement will in many cases answer all your prepared questions. In my opinion, this is one sign of a very well prepared doctor. Here are some of my questions that I wanted answered before making my final decision:

• What are the office hours? Are there any days that the office is open late? Are there weekend hours?
• Does the pediatrician have call-in hours for general questions?
• Does the pediatrician handle the entire well-baby and sick-baby visit or is it handled by a nurse?
• What is the pediatrician’s view on breast feeding?
• How many doctors are in the practice? In an emergency, if one pediatrician is not available will the others back them up with appointments?
• If the pediatrician works alone, who fills in when they are on vacation or off-duty?
• Are there separate healthy-baby and sick-baby waiting rooms at the practice?
• What is the usual amount of time a patient has to wait before getting called in for their appointment?
• How many days a week is the pediatrician in the office seeing patients?
• Which hospital(s) is the pediatrician affiliated with?
• Is there a lab in the office? If not, where does your child go for blood work etc?
• Are the pediatrician and the other doctors in the practice all Board-Certified?
• Is the office equipped to deal with emergencies? If not, what is the protocol in the event of an emergency?

This list should get you started or at least help you come up with some of your own questions. Make sure you take a good look around the office in general during your interview. Is the waiting room clean, bright and cheery? Are there toys for the kids to play with? Also, is the pediatrician’s personal office clean? To me, this was an important detail. If the doctor seems to be disorganized or dirty, these traits may also carry along to the way they handle their work and patients. Choosing a pediatrician is a huge decision. This will be your go-to person for the next 18 years or so, for many issues dealing with your pride and joy. You must have a comfortable relationship with this person because many times they will be the one you turn to for answers. If you feel intimidated or uncomfortable for any reason around this person, this is not the doctor for you. In the first few months of your baby’s life you will have so many questions that need answers and you will probably be speaking to this person at least once a week so choose wisely!!

Baby Nurse

A Baby Nurse is an experienced trained infant/newborn specialist who comes into your home in the first weeks of an infant’s life to assist the new parents with the day-to-day care of their new baby. Baby Nurse’s generally work 24-hour days, meaning, they are on-call at all times to care for the baby. A baby nurse educates new parents on caring for their infant, assists in establishing a routine (eating/sleeping/wake schedule) for the baby and provides lactation consulting to breastfeeding mothers.
Baby Nurses provide expertise in all aspects of newborn care and parental education and support. Extensively trained and experienced, a good baby nurse helps nurture and care for your baby while providing guidance and education for you. The primary role of a Baby Nurse is to provide assistance during the post-delivery recovery period and help you transition your baby into a regular schedule.
Baby Nurses who work night shifts typically sleep in the baby’s room and manage their care while you sleep restfully in bed. When the baby wakes up, the baby nurse feeds by bottle or brings the baby to you for nursing. After feeding, the baby is burped and changed before being settled back to sleep. A daytime Baby Nurse provides similar care and also strives to create a nurturing, stimulating environment for your baby during waking hours. Baby nurses are generally not responsible for household duties unrelated to the new baby or for the care of other children in the household.

Postpartum Doula

A Postpartum Doula’s focus is in helping the new mother after the birth of the baby. Each family’s needs are different, so the services provided by your Postpartum Doula will vary to accommodate your family.
The Postpartum Doula’s services are tailored to help the new mother rest as much as possible so that she recovers from the birth in the fastest amount of time possible. The Postpartum Doula is a “Mother’s Helper”. While the Postpartum Doula is very knowledgeable about newborn care, the scope of her role is NOT to take over the care of the newborn, as this would interfere with the mother and baby getting to know each other and bond.
A Postpartum Doula provides loving support, so that the new mother feels rested, well-nourished and with her household in good order so that she can focus her energy on her new baby. Some of her roles include:

• Cooking
• Light household cleaning
• Light laundry
• Grocery shopping
• Running errands as deemed important by the new mom
• Expert breastfeeding advice
• Expert general newborn care (only as requested by new mother so as not to interfere with mother/baby bonding)
• Care of any siblings (if applicable) so that the new mother can focus on baby as needed

Interviewing

Many people get their doula or baby nurse as a recommendation from family or friends who have already used them. In my opinion, this is the best way to get one because they already come with a recommendation from someone you know and trust. If you do not know of anyone that has used one, there are many agencies that specialize in either doula or baby nurse placement. A good doula or baby nurse will have a full schedule, months in advance, so it is important to remember to secure your doula or nurse as soon as you know that you are going to be using one. Before calling, it is important to sort out your expectations and write them down along with any questions regarding scheduling, feeding, etc philosophies that the doula or nurse may have. If you get these issues squared away before hand you will be far more likely to have a good experience and with no surprises. It is also important to let them know how long you intend to employ them and ask how much they charge per day.

Most new parents can’t wait to figure out what color eyes their new baby will have. It’s just so frustrating that you usually won’t be able to know for sure for the better part of the first year.
Dark brown eyes are the only ones guaranteed not to change. The rule of thumb that most doctors and baby books will tell you is that by 6 months of age the pigment that colors the iris is completely deposited in most babies. My daughter was born, like many Caucasian babies, with blue eyes. They started out a dark navy blue and got a bit lighter and greyer as the months passed. By six months I was sure she was going to have blue-grey eyes but low and behold between 6 and 12 months her eyes changed again and now, at 19 months they are hazel. Now, at 5 ½ months my son’s eyes are green, go figure… My husband and I both have brown eyes but it’s so tricky with eye color. The laws of eye color genetics don’t seem work the same way they do with other things like facial features and hair color. Its just a big guessing game and after a while the importance of figuring out our baby’s future eye color gets overshadowed by more important things like them learning to crawl and walk and all of a sudden they are into absolutely everything!

At about 10 months, I started to order kids meals for my daughter when we went out to restaurants. Many of these meals come with a drink, but if you do not come with an extra bottle or sippy cup there is really no way to get your child to enjoy this drink. Often, the drink comes with a straw but it is so frustrating to sit there and not know how to teach your baby to take a sip from it.

Babies instinctively know how to suck, but sucking from a straw is pretty confusing. They have a hard time understanding that if you keep sucking you will eventually be able to get the liquid in your mouth. One night out at dinner my mother came up with a perfect solution to the straw problem. She took the full straw and cut off a piece that was about an inch long. She put it in the juice and put the other end to my daughter’s mouth. My daughter took one short sip and immediately had the juice in her mouth. After a few practice sips we put a full length straw in her mouth. She immediately sucked the same way she had with the short straw and was able to reach the juice again.

Drinking from a straw is now her favorite way to drink as well as a much cleaner option then drinking right from the side of the cup.

From my Sister…

At 4:00 am (today 10/12) we woke up to a faint, continuous alarm sound, which sounded like it was coming from downstairs (not the smoke detector though). Saki was awake and walking up and down the hallway and the sound wasn’t stopping. Mayan went downstairs to check the carbon monoxide detector and sure enough, the second he opened the door by our boiler room, the alarm sound was really loud. I grabbed Reese and Saki and opened the front door (I knew if there was a problem, we needed to be in fresh air).

At that point though, we could not tell if the alarm was going off b/c the batteries were dying or if we were really having a carbon monoxide leak. I rushed to look for new batteries and didn’t have any new ones…so I went into one of Reese’s toys and quickly took the batteries out to put into the detector. Sure enough, the second I put them in, the sound was piercing (even upstairs in my living room) and the red light went on that read “Go To Fresh Air Immediately.” We called 911 and they said that a firetruck would be right over. Long story short, when the firemen came into our house they confirmed that our furnace was leaking carbon monoxide. Thankfully my parents live close by!

The reason why I am writing to you is to tell you how important it is to have a carbon monoxide detector. I know they are mandtatory in apartments, but not all houses have them. Mayan and I got lucky because our detector picked up the leak and if we didn’t have one, I don’t think we would have been so lucky. Even if you do have one, check the batteries every month, just as you should do for your smoke detectors. Unfortunately, we have only checked the batteries twice in the two years we have lived in our house…and this definitely made me realize how important it is to do monthly. The firemen also said that at the start of a new season, if possible, have the heat turned on by the heating company so they can check for carbon monoxide.

Please either pass this message along or tell your family and friends when you see them…our hope is that this email will save someone we love from a real tragedy. This could have been very bad…but thankfully we are all safe.

Love,
Lauren

Flu season is upon us again. You may or may not have thought about getting your baby a flu shot, if your baby is old enough to get one it is definitely a good idea. When I say “old enough” the suggested ages for a healthy baby flu shot are between 6 and 23 months. In 2004 The Centers for Disease Control Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted unanimously that ALL infants 6 to 23 months, and their family members, should receive the flu shot.

My daughter was 9 months old this past fall, so naturally her pediatrician recommended that she have the flu shot, which she received at her normal healthy baby check up. The important thing to note, which I was not aware of, is that 2 shots are required the first year it is given for it to work. These shots are to be given exactly one month apart. My pediatrician forgot to mention to me that there was a second shot that needed to take place. I was only alerted of this during a casual conversation with a friend of mine that has a daughter the same age. Luckily we had this conversation before a month had passed. Make sure you mark in your calendar when the second shot needs to take place because your pediatrician may fail to mention it, assuming that you know that you have to come in for another shot.

Most pediatrician offices will have certain hours or days during the fall and winter months in which you can just walk in for the flu vaccination. Call in advance to find out the days and hours. The vaccination takes two seconds to do and you will be in and out with your baby.

Here is a fun tip that you probably would have never even thought about.

When you finally deliver your beloved bundle of joy, you will want to scream it from the hilltops! This is what birth announcements are for. When you are making the finishing touches on your mailing list for the announcements be sure to include the White House. Although they are not the speediest at return mail, about 10 months after sending them your baby’s birth announcement you will receive a reply. It will be on official White House letterhead and it will be welcoming your baby to the world. It is signed by the President and First Lady and is a memorable addition to any baby book! Send your announcement to:

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington , DC 20500
Att: Greetings Office

Traveling with your baby can be a very enjoyable experience if you know how to do it correctly. As with almost everything else connected with babies, the key to success is preparation. Here are some tips to consider when traveling with your baby.

Car Travel
ALWAYS use a car seat when you take your baby or child in the car. If you are planning a long car trip (over an hour), here are some ways to keep your baby interested and occupied:

• Use ribbon or yarn (no longer than 12 inches) to hang toys from the clothes hooks in the back seat.
• Tape some pictures facing your baby so he has something interesting to look at.
• Tie or hook some toys to the car seat. Your baby can enjoy the toys without requiring retrieval every 5 minutes.
• Take a break at least every 1 and 1/2 hours unless the baby is sleeping–then stop as soon as he wakes up.
• Babies don’t like the sun in their face any more than we do. Use either a wide brimmed hat or block the sun with a car window shade or a piece of cardboard attached to the car seat and/or window. (Make sure you can still see out of the car!)
• Keep a wet washcloth or towelettes in the car for sticky, sweaty baby hands and faces.
• Bring snack foods appropriate for the age of your baby.
• Bring snack foods for yourself and for older children in case your baby decides to sleep through scheduled dinner stops and you decide to make time rather than stop and wake the baby up.
• Always keep cold water in a Thermos and bring disposable plastic cups.

Air Travel
Most airlines offer special discounts when booking a seat for children under 2. Children under the age of 2 years travel free on most airlines, but this means that they may have to sit on your lap if the plane is full. When you make your reservations, try to avoid a full flight. (Babies must be at least 7 days old to fly on any airline.)

There are FAA-approved car seats. Check on this when purchasing your car seat. It is best to let the airline know ahead of time that you will bring a car seat.
A car seat is generally not counted as a carry-on item as long as your child is sitting in it. If you stow it in the overhead because your child is sitting on your lap, it’s counted as one of your carry-on’s. If you gate-check the car seat it will not be counted as carry-on or checked luggage.

If possible, reserve a bulkhead seat (just behind the bulkhead that separates coach and first class), because it has the most room. Ask the airline if they have bassinets that attach to the bulkhead wall.

If you can, schedule your flight to avoid the busiest times of day at airports ( 8 to 10 AM, 4 to 7 PM ).

Give yourself plenty of time–arrive at the airport and check in early so that you can get the baby settled before others board the plane.

If you are traveling by yourself and won’t be met at your destination, a portable stroller is a lifesaver. You can generally fold it up and take it on board with you. Again, you may also gate check a stroller. It will generally be the last item loaded on to the plane as well as the first item off, so it will be waiting for you on the tarmac as soon as you land.

If you have to change planes, be sure to schedule additional time for the connection.
For takeoff and landing, put the seat belt just around you and hold your baby on your lap or put it in a front carrier. Don’t place the seat belt around the baby.

Remember that your baby’s ears may plug up or hurt on takeoff or landing due to the change in cabin air pressure. Swallowing helps equalize the air pressure. You can help keep your baby’s ears clear by nursing or feeding when the plane is climbing and descending.

Diapering can be a hassle on the plane. Try to double-diaper or use ultra-absorbent disposable diapers just before you board the plane, and then change in the airport bathroom after the flight arrives. (If you do change diapers on the plane and are using disposable diapers, you can use an airsickness bag to dispose of them.) On your lap in the bathroom (in-flight) is the best place for a diaper change or ask the flight attendant where they would recommend. Many new flights have changing tables in the bathroom.

The flight attendants can warm food and bottles for you. Be sure to also bring small snacks your baby can nibble on and play with (such as Cheerios, bagels, etc.).
Be sure to clean up your seat area before you deplane.

Given all the equipment you have to carry when you travel with a baby, it is easiest to let other passengers deplane before you.

Car rental agencies generally have infant seats available with their cars. You need, however, to reserve the seat when you reserve the car. It is also wise to call ahead to the local agency where you will pick up the car to confirm that the car seat is available.

Since many airline companies offer half-price seats to children under 2 years, you can bring your own car seat on the plane and have you child sit in it, giving your lap a much needed rest! After the flight you will then have your own car seat in your rental car.

Hotel Stay
The thought of bringing a baby to stay in a hotel is often a scary idea to most parents. While planning your trip, do some research into what hotels in your destination are baby friendly. Arthur Frommer has a “travel with children” section in all of his guides. This is a great resource.

It is a good idea to let your hotel know ahead of time that you will be arriving with a baby. The hotel will have a crib available to you for an extra fee or you can bring a port-a-crib with you.

It is very important to ask the hotel if they have in-room refrigerators. You will most likely be traveling with milk, formula or baby food that requires refrigeration. If the room does not have one, make sure you have plenty of ice to put your items in.

The port-a-crib can be checked as luggage if traveling by air. My family found the port-a-crib to be a great item to travel with. Sometimes babies have a hard time falling asleep in a new setting. Putting them into a port-a-crib that they know from home adds to their comfort.

Bring plenty of toys to keep your child occupied and devise a plan of what to do if your baby should start to fuss.