Jowan, one of the Pinoybaby Store customers whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the Expo Mom Bazaar, sent me a really interesting article about the protocol for newborns.
According to the Inquirer article there is a movement to encourage in the Philippines the same protocol for newborn care that is done in many other countries: immediately drying the baby then initiating skin contact with the mother before clamping the umbilical cord, and initiating breastfeeding immediately after delivery. This protocol is already in practice in Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Fabella Memorial Medical Center, and Philippine General Hospital.
According to the article, the new protocol could cut by almost half the number of newborn deaths, now estimated at 40,000 each year. Immediately drying the baby prevents hypothermia; delaying the cord clamping two to three minutes after birth increases the baby’s iron reserves; and placing the baby on the mothers chest or abdomen provides warmth, increases the duration of breastfeeding, and allow “good bacteria” from the mother’s skin to pass onto the newborn.
You can read the full article here.
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When I visited the US with my son a few months ago, one of the first things I looked for in the shopping centers was this product, the My Little Seat travel high chair.
My Little Seat is a chair harness for babies and young toddlers. Chair harnesses have straps on them, making it possible for your baby to sit in regular chair safely. I'd done some research online and according to the reviews, My Little Seat was one of the most popular among the chair harnesses because of its five-point harness. Other brands of chair harnesses were only three-point harnesses: they didn't have shoulder straps.
The My Little Seat travel high chair turned out to be an extremely useful purchase. My mom's house (where we were staying) didn't have a high chair for my son, and it was such a relief to be able to sit him in a proper chair during feeding time. And when we went out to restaurants, it proved to be even more useful because not every restaurant had a high chair! Having the My Little Seat meant that my son always had somewhere to sit and be fed.
Here in the Philippines, we've continued to put the My Little Seat travel high chair to good use. I've discovered that a lot of restaurants in the Philippines only have one high chair, so when there's another kid in the restaurant, some parents have no choice but to take turns eating while the other parent holds the baby (or worse, chases the toddler around the restaurant). But that is never a problem for us because we always bring the My Little Seat with us, so our son always has a place to sit.
I'm happy to say that the Pinoybaby Store is now the only reseller of the My Little Seat travel high chair in the Philippines. Share
According to the Smart Parenting website, repair kits will also be available in the Philippines for MacLaren strollers, beginning November 23rd.
An excerpt from the Smart Parenting article:What if I have a Maclaren stroller here in the Philippines? Can I also avail of the hinge cover kit?
Yes. Should you opt to get a hinge cover kit, you may contact the Philippine distributor of Maclaren strollers, FBC Global Trading Philippines, by dialing (02) 994-5675, and leave your full name, contact details, and e-mail address. Look for Michelle Traqueña. Calling from outside Manila? You may also e-mail the same details to fbcglobal88@gmail.com.
You will be advised once the hinge cover kits are available. You will then receive a demonstration and briefing on how the hinge cover kits should be installed onto your Maclaren strollers. These will be conducted in FBC Global Trading Philippines branches nationwide.
When are the Maclaren hinge cover kits going to be available here in the Philippines?
FBC Global Trading Philippines is expecting the arrival of the first batch of hinge covers by the week of November 23rd.
What can parents do to avoid any stroller-related accidents and/or injuries to their child?
Just as with any other mechanical piece for children, parents should always practice vigilance so as to avoid any untoward incidents. Remember that devices such as strollers, regardless of the brand, each come with their own safety precautions and instructions, in order to prevent accidents. Share
The Pinoybaby Store will be at the Expo Mom Bazaar next Sunday, November 22, 2009 at the Rockwell Tent in Makati. Doors open at 10am and the bazaar will run until 8pm. Entrance fee is just P25 per person.
To find us, when you enter, we're near the back of the tent on the rightmost aisle (the same booth we had at last summer's Expo Mom).
We'll be showcasing our cloth diapering products, as well as some new products: fairly-traded wooden toys for toddlers, nursery wall stickers, and more. And some of our items will be on sale especially for the Expo Mom Bazaar!
We hope to see you all there!
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MacLaren strollers in the USA have been recalled because some models have an exposed hinge with which toddlers can hurt themselves if their finger is near the hinge when the stroller is closed.
As far as I know, the USA is the only country thus far that has issued a recall, but Jenny over at Fabnaima took the initiative to call the MacLaren distributor in the Philippines to ask for more details. According to her, there has been no instruction yet from MacLaren UK (mother company of all MacLaren products) regarding any recalls or repair kits in the Philippines.
At any rate, if you bought your MacLaren in the US, you can avail of a free repair kit (for shipping to a US address only) by visiting www.maclaren.us/recall.
Lest the recall cause any panic, note that out of 1 million MacLaren strollers sold in the US, there have been about 12 accidents. I think most parents are cautious when they open and shut their strollers, making sure that their children's fingers aren't anywhere near the stroller. Share
