A Mother's Haven

As the weather heats up in Southern California so does the risk of drowning. Drowning is the second leading cause of fatalities in the pediatric population and it is well known that about 20% of these drowning occur in the presence of an adult or care provider. The overriding emphasis should be focused on primary prevention.  Should these measures fail, the immediate focus is on CPR, well before the arrival of the paramedics. A recent study, published by the Department of Emergency Medicine at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia tends to confirm what is already well established.  Bystander CPR is a major factor for a good outcome in near-drowning episodes. During an 11 day period in January, 2007 (their Summer), eight children experienced drowning or near-drowning events.  Four of the victims received CPR within 5 minutes of immersion and survived with good functional neurological outcomes (no brain damage).  The other f...

One of the best baby products when your baby is starting solid foods is the Baby Safe Feeder .  It's a little mesh bag with a handle for your baby to hold.  You can put all sorts of different foods in the mesh bag (fruit, veggies, even frozen breastmilk!), and your baby can gnaw away without you worrying about him choking. The BabySafe Feeder is wonderful - but it can be kinda hard to clean the mesh bag.  While you can buy extra bags for the BabySafe Feeder , here are some tips and tricks to keep your mesh bags a bit cleaner and help them last longer... - As soon as your baby is finished 'eating', immediately rinse out the bags.  If you have a kitchen sink sprayer, that can help. - You can also use a soft toothbrush with a baking soda & water paste to really get into the mesh and clean out the tiny holes. - Want to whiten your BabySafe Feeder bag?  Soak it in white vinegar!  You might want to do a quick water wash after the vinegar soak - the vine...

Changes in CPR Guidelines are Comprehensive By Richard Pass, RN, BS: Director, Save A Little Life, Inc During my 22 years as a CPR instructor, I have seen new guidelines come and go. They appear about every 5-6 years and are often accompanied by declarations of "new and improved." For the thousands of parents I have worked with over the years, new and improved is only meaningful if it translates into "Can I remember what to do if my baby isn't breathing?" Well, here we are, approaching the summer of 2012 and the international guidelines* have undergone appreciable changes. These changes reflect the simplicity of action required if a serious health crisis is upon us. I have always instructed CPR in a simple way, for two reasons. Simple works, and if there is a real crisis, simple is what most of us can realistically muster. The new clarion call of the American Heart Association is "avoid delay in getting started." If that isn...

The Anytime Bra by Bella Materna is a comfortable no-wire nursing bra - wonderful both during pregnancy and for breastfeeding after you have your baby.  The pull-down cup makes it easy to get baby to breast and allows for lots of skin-to-skin contact.  The Italian microfiber fabric is soft to the touch and very sexy! The dual-cup sizing, adjustable straps, and 4-stage back closure allow this bra to fit you well, even as your body and your breasts fluctuate in size.  The Bella Materna Anytime Bra and Anytime Plus are available in Bare (Nude) and Black with band sizes from 32-40, and cup sizes from C/D to I/J.  We do sell the Anytime Bra and the Anytime Plus Bra on our website , but as with all of our nursing bras, we highly recommend that you come into the store to get sized and fitted.  Your bra size can change dramatically throughout your pregnancy and right after having your baby, so it's always best to try on a few different styles to see what is mos...

Before I was a Mom... - Author Unknown Before I was a mom... I made and ate hot meals. I had unstained clothing. I had quiet conversations on the phone. Before I was a mom... I slept as late as I wanted And never worried about how late I got into bed. I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday. Before I was a mom... I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot words to lullabies. Before I was a mom... I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations. Before I was a mom... I had never been pooped on, Spit up on, Chewed on, Peed on, Or pinched by tiny fingers. Before I was a mom... I had complete control of myself; My thoughts, My body, And my mind. I slept all night. Before I was a mom... I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hou...

The FDA has released a report warning parents against using over-the-counter medications containing benzocaine, including Baby Orajel, for teething infants & toddlers.  Benzocaine can possibly cause a condition called methemoglobinemia, where the blood doesn't carry as much oxygen as normal. The FDA report states... "Signs and symptoms of methemoglobinemia may include: - Pale, gray or blue colored skin, lips, and nail beds - Shortness of breath - Fatigue - Confusion - Headache - Lightheadedness - Rapid heart rate Symptoms of methemoglobinemia usually appear within minutes to one or two hours after using benzocaine gels or liquids. Methemoglobinemia can occur after the first time a person uses benzocaine, or after using a benzocaine product multiple times."  The FDA recommends that parents of children under two years old stop using products containing benzocaine  - see a list of products here .  (If you are going to use these products, be sure to ...

We often have lots of friends and family members coming in looking for baby shower gifts for the new little one to come!  While here at A Mother's Haven, we do certainly have many cute baby clothes and toys, which make wonderful presents for a new baby, we also have all sorts of practical and yet adorable gifts that the new moms will both love and actually use, time and time again! We asked some of our moms what baby shower presents they used most, as well as what they would give to other expectant moms, and here are some of their top suggestions... * Aden + Anais swaddle blankets : these fabulous cotton muslin blankets are great for swaddling baby, as well as for covering up while nursing, using as a burp cloth, draping over the stroller to shield baby from the sun, and so much more!  So soft, these large 47x47 blankets are a definite must-have!  Available in four-packs or individually with many cute colors and patterns for boys and girls.  Aden+Anais has also ...

Parents Must Be Ready For Water Emergencies! As the weather heats up in Southern California so does the risk of drowning. Drowning is the second leading cause of fatalities in the pediatric population, and about 20% of these drowning occur in the presence of an adult or care provider. The overriding emphasis should be focused primarily on prevention. Should these measures fail, the immediate focus is then on CPR, even before the arrival of the paramedics. A recent study, published by the Department of Emergency Medicine at The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia tends to confirm what is already well established. Bystander CPR is a major factor for a good outcome in near-drowning episodes.  During an 11 day period in January 2007 (Summer in Australia), eight children experienced drowning or near-drowning events. Four of the victims received CPR within 5 minutes of immersion and survived with good functional neurological outcomes (no brain dam...

Did you know that you can come in and weigh your baby at our boutique? We have a Medela Baby Weigh scale at our baby changing station, and everyone is welcome to use it anytime! We'll show you how to zero the scale out, and then help you read the pounds and ounces. The Baby Weigh scale also has the ability to figure out how much breastmilk your baby takes in at a feeding. So come on by the store and see how big your baby has gotten! We have a lot of moms in our Mothers' Gathering classes and the Breastfeeding Support Group who weigh their babies almost every week. Can't make it to the store with your baby? Want to be checking your baby's weight more often? We also rent out the Medela Baby Weigh scale for parents of preemies or other babies whose weight needs to be monitored more carefully. Give us a call to reserve your baby scale! Visit us at: 16101 Ventura Blvd. Suite 230 Encino, CA. 91436 p. (818) 380-3111 w.  shopthehaven.com