By Carly Kirsch, Newly Nested Baby Planners

You might think that after 10 months of caring for baby inside your body that one of the first things you’d consider is continuing to carry your baby on the outside of your body after birth.

Say what?

I know you’re thinking this might be the last thing you’d possibly want to do after not being able to see your toes for so long and finally not being pregnant anymore.

However, baby wearing is one of the best things you and your partner can do for your baby once they arrive – and it’s been around for a lot longer than strollers and bouncy seats!

According to Baby Wearing International just a few benefits to wearing baby include:

• A happier baby
• A baby who cries less
• Parents & caregivers may be more confident
• Caregivers can respond better to baby’s needs
• Lastly, it’s just easier

I know that I personally felt that when I was able to safely wear my kids when they were babies, my days were indeed easier! I could get more accomplished and when I was out and about, I could chase my toddler while wearing my newborn. Also, since there are so many types of carriers I could choose from, I was able to wear both my kids despite their sizes, weights and age differences. Today, I still use the same carrier to carry my now 3 ½ year old daughter and my 2 year old son!

Denise Xagorarakis of  OC Baby Planner shares that her personal preference is to “ use a stretchy wrap until about 15 pounds and then switching to the Ergo.”

However, there’s no one carrier fits all needs and most people end up purchasing multiple types of carriers. So, here is an overview of some favorite carries from the team here at IBPA:

• Soft wraps & woven wraps – These are made of cloth and can be tied and wrapped around the body to support the weight of the baby/toddler within the folds of the cloth.  They vary in material and are very versatile.  Melissa Moog of ItsaBelly Baby Planners shares “The Moby Wrap & Boba’s Sleepy Wrap are also great baby carriers, but there are so many to choose from!”
• Soft Structured Carriers – These are carriers that include straps, buckles, waist and back support and most may be used from birth to ages 4 and beyond.  Some are able to be worn on the front of the body and allow for an easy back carry as well.  My personal favorite is a Beco Butterfly 2 carrier and the Beco brand.  Kristen DiCicco Rogers of The Baby Coordinators baby planning shares a story about her recent experience with her Ergo carrier – another very popular choice among parents today.  “A couple of weeks ago a went on a 3 mile walk with a 25lb 1 yr in the Ergo and my back felt great after! I was so pleasantly surprised!”
• Sling Carriers – There are a few kinds of slings.  There are Ring Slings, Rebozo and one piece fabric pouch slings.  In any form, slings are easy to use and offer versatility and ease of use for any age.
• Mei Tais – A Mei Tai originates from China and is a combination of sorts for a soft structured carrier and a wrap offering a little of both.

A great resource for all things baby wearing is TheBabyWearer.com. The web site is packed with detailed information and offers forums, chat rooms and a whole community to discuss and exchange information with babywearers everywhere. Another great place to go for information on babywearing (and SO much more) is KellyMom.

Now – with all this said and with anything regarding our babies and children, there are some precautions and safety measures to be aware of with baby wearing.

So a few words of caution:

• Always make sure there is no part of your carrier obstructing your baby’s airways – the nose and mouth should always be free of fabric or the carrier
• Never do anything while baby wearing that you wouldn’t do when holding a baby in your arms – i.e. cooking, carrying awkward items, running or vigorous exercise, etc.
• Always read directions and visit the manufacturer’s web sites for videos or instructions.  (I recommend that you even practice wearing, wrapping, tying or buckling your carrier a few times before using it with your baby – sounds silly but at first it can seem tricky!)
• Use the carrier as it is intended – i.e. do not try a back carry with a carrier that does not allow for that type of use
• Make sure the carrier you are using is suitable for the weight and age of your baby/child
• Check your carriers for rips, tears or defects to make sure they are safe for use and able to properly work to carry the weight of your baby/child

One other health concern to note and be aware of is offered from Stephanie Zerr of Birth Matters. Stephanie shares this this link regarding Hip Dysplasia with the use of products.

For more information on baby wearing – find a local Baby Planner near you and we are always happy to help!

I’d say it’s now safe to say that green may possibly be the new black! Thankfully, there are some amazing product manufacturers that are on board with this here-to-stay trend and making some truly fantastic swag that is good for baby and the environment.

Naturally (no pun intended) a huge part of baby planning is dedicated to helping parents make the best choices for their families – from the perfect nursery décor right down to the creams they choose to rub on their baby’s delicate skin. Therefore, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite green baby products for you to either learn about for the first time, rediscovering them for your expanding family or for you to pass along to a new mommy-to-be!

Products & Clothing

Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics has an amazing line of health, wellness and baby products that are safe and natural and oh-so pampering for both mom and baby. A few favorites are the Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm & baby Shampoo.

Stephanie Zerr of Birth Matters recommends Hevea pacifiers and teethers to keep baby safe while soothing gums when teeth begin to come in.

Joanie Whitman of Itsabelly Kansas City loves Boon Odd ducks for play time in the bath.

Sophie the Giraffe – Need we say more? Sophie is a favorite for a reason and babies cannot seem to get enough of her – which is okay by our standards!

Diapers

Cloth Diapers – Colorful and eco-friendly, both Bum Genius and Apple Cheeks offer some great ways to diaper your baby. Trust us. These are not your mama’s cloth diapers.

If you’re looking to cloth diaper but are looking for a bit of a mix, we suggest both GroVia Hybrid Cloth Diapers or gDiapers.

If you’re not into the idea of cloth diapering but you are still looking for safer diapers, try Seventh Generation Disposable Diapers or Bambo Nature diapers.

Cleaning

Dapple – I came across Dapple in 2008 for my first born and I’ve loved it ever since. Their entire line of products are really great and truly clean without unnecessary toxins.

Feeding

Plum Organics – Not only are Plum Organics foods tasty, they are more than just organic.  Their packaging is BPA free and makes feeding baby easy since the packaging is so portable.  It makes feeding baby carefree in more ways than one! http://www.plumorganics.com/index.php

5 Phases bottles - Check out this blog post by Stormie Sowinski  of Hello World Baby Planning for the scoop on these neat bottles:  http://helloworldbabyplanning.com/?p=905

Beaba products – From safety to making meals and more, Beaba products are sure to please with their fun colors and safe designs.  http://www.beaba.com/flash/#/en_GB/homepage/index

Hygeia Breast Pump – http://www.hygeiababy.com/ While many people first think of other brands when thinking of breast pumps, but Hygeia is making their products known for ease of use and their Green Breast Pumps and their eco-friendly recycling program.

Sleeping

Babyletto’s affordable green convertible crib –  The Babyletto brand prides themselves on being modern with fresh, clean designs. With a variety of products to choose from, you’ll see why we love Babyletto!

Green Buds http://www.greenbudsbaby.com/ Rest easy with Green Buds line of sheets, mattresses, covers and pillows.

Swaddle Designs Organic Collection – http://www.swaddledesigns.com/page/Category-Organic-Collection.html Their blankets, crib sheets, blankets and more are just pure heaven for baby’s bottom.

For a closer look at any of these products mentioned and for more reviews on strollers and other gear, visit ItsaBelly’s blog for their 2011 Seal of Excellence award winners!

As both a mom and a baby planner, I fit a lot into my day.  Mostly, I’m able to get so much accomplished because of multitasking.  So, I began thinking about multitasking in the context of baby planning.  More specifically, I thought how a large part of our role as a baby planner is to provide expecting parents with great products that help make their lives easier.

If busy parents are used to multitasking, shouldn’t our baby gear and products do the same?  Even more so, maybe these products could save us some time, space and even money, too?

Is that possible? You betcha!

Thanks to our members here at IBPA and some fabulous product companies, we’ve saved you some time and rounded up some of our favorite items and suggestions just for you on double duty and multitasking baby gear and products.

• Boppy – The primary purpose and use of the Boppy is proper positioning for parents to not strain their backs while nursing or feeding baby or babies for those with twins. However, the Boppy is also fantastic for propping up your baby for tummy time.  Then, it may also be used as a stabilizer around the baby when they are learning to sit up.

• Convertible car seats – If you are considering skipping the separate infant car seat, then convertible car seats are a great way to get the most use from a car seat for quite a few years!  Pay close attention to the manufacturer’s ratings for weight so you can ensure you rear face for as long as possible and recommended, which is 2 years or longer.

• Play yards or pack and plays – Their main purpose is a safe place for slumber.  They also collapse and store well for ease of use and travel.  However, at home they can be used as a play pen with the bassinet portion removed, as well as become a place to store toys when not in use.  I’ve even used it to block off a door opening before to keep my curious crawler away!  Graco, Chicco, Britax and Baby Trend are some of the popular brands that offer many different selections and styles with different amenities.

• Fabric storage bins (like these ClosetMaid brand from Target) are excellent for holding diapers, burp cloths and accessories for baby now and can be used to conquer clutter later on.  They’re a perfect size for storing toys, books, and more.   They come in a variety of colors to fit your preferred color scheme or style and have sturdy handles for kids to carry or drag them around!

• Baby Wipes – These “magic” wipes are not only a must-have for cleaning your baby’s precious parts, but is also perfect for tackling sticky messes and spills, removing scuff marks from the floors and walls and much more!  There’s a reason to stock up on these as they definitely top the multitasking list!

• Diaper caddy – Denise Xagorarakis of OC Baby Planner share that one of her must-haves is a diaper caddy. While this is a great way to keep your diapers, creams and wipes organized (especially if you have a multi-level home and change baby in various areas) you can use it later on for an arts and crafts caddy or to store or organize smaller items later on.

• A reusable water bottle.  If you haven’t already, you’ll soon discover that bottles (and other everyday objects) make amazing toys for little ones.  Melissa Moog of Itsabelly Baby Planners recommends the Klean Kanteen water bottle because she says “You can convert into a sippy cup with the special spout by Avent (for your toddler to older child).”  This minimizes plastic waste and saving money!

• A high chair – This is on the list of most registries we come across.  Finding one that one that grows with your child from baby to toddler and beyond is a great investment. Your baby will spend quite a bit of time discovering food in their designated seat.  Also, a high chair that is easy to clean and will last with all the growth spurts is just a plus!  Denise recommends the Stokke Tripp Trap Chair or Melissa’s recommendation of Signet’s Complete high chair.

• A rocker/play space in one – Amber Carlson of Baby Ever After shares with us that Fisher Price’s Rock n’ Play Sleeper is one of her favorites. “It works great as a soother in place of a bouncer for babies who prefer to be rocked, but because it folds up, it’s also the perfect travel bed to take with you on the go. I also recommend it for babies with reflux issues in place of a bassinet because it keeps them on an incline.”

• Organic, pre-folded burp cloth or diapers – Not only are they super absorbent and soft, after your baby outgrows a use for them, Denise shared with us that “They make the best cleaning rag EVER!”  Saves on waste and they’re easy to clean, re-use and continue to wipe up the messes they continue to make.  (It’s never ending!)

• Baby Blankets – These are great for swaddling, a nursing cover, and a burp cloth if one’s not close by – oh, and of course for its intended use of an actual blanket!  Baby blankets of any kind are great for keeping in the diaper bag for any of those reasons.  BUT, if you’re looking for something fashionable as well as functional, then check out the DRIA accessory! You can read the full review on the ItsaBelly Blog.

• Infant Carrier-turned-tummy time mat – Infant carriers make transporting an infant a snap – but as you know, babies grow…fast!  That means that lightweight carrier can become heavy quickly!  Shannon Choe of Premier Baby Concierge shares with us this great dual purpose item that is sure to make that infant carrier more comfortable while offering a great on the go tummy time or play mat.  It even comes with three loops to hook on a favorite toy! 

• For a stroller that is functional and can expand to fit a potentially growing family (now or in the future), we love Britax’s B-READY. With over 14 configurations – that’s right – 14 ways to make this stroller work for both your babies/toddlers.

So, there you have it from the pros!

Do you have a favorite multitasking baby product?  We’d love to hear from you!

• Have you researched your local market and know if you have a good target market to secure clients in? You are looking for people who can afford your services and have the disposable income to pay you.
• Do you have a passion and related background in helping new parents specifically in dealing with pregnancy, birthing and parenting situations?
• Are you business savvy?
• Do you have a good head for marketing and sales?
• Do you have $1,000 -$3,000 to spend in your initial start-up costs (this budget would be for the essentials like your website, logo, marketing collateral, business registration etc.)?
• Do you have at least 15-20 hours a week to devote to launching a business?

The most popular question we get asked is “do I need to be certified”? Our answer to this question is no. IBPA does not recognize any baby planning certification programs currently and frankly believes our niche still needs to mature in order to gain strong credibility. However, if you decide to get certified by any organization we advise that you do your research into who is the certifying body (ex. is it industry recognized) and what value are you gaining for that investment. We advise that before you invest any amount of money into a baby planning business you should determine if you have a local market to sell to first. Afterall, if you don’t have a market you won’t have clients to sell to and who’ll eventually purchase your services. We’ve seen many baby planning businesses fail within the first year because they do not do their market research. Once you do your market research and find that you have a viable market we suggest you spend your money wisely on items such as:

• a great website with strong SEO (strong site engine optimization can help people find your site easily on the internet through key search words)
• a professional looking logo and graphics
• marketing collateral
• marketing tools such as Constant Contact
• business start-up advice from a baby planning/maternity concierge expert, business attorney, business accountant
• become a Child Passenger Seat Technician through SafeKids Worldwide
• look at joining organizations like the International Association for Child Safety and brush up on your child safety background
• experience as a lactation consultant, doula, midwife, nurse, child birth educator, counseling, background in early childhood education or baby product retail are all excellent skills to have on your resume

We also believe spending more than $3,000 on your start-up budget is really unnecessary unless you’re looking at building a major website, database and marketing machine with all of the bells and whistles.

If you have any questions related to How to Become a Baby Planner please email us at info@internationalbabyplanners.com or call #503-297-5326. We’re happy to help you if we can!

Good luck if you’re launching your baby planning business and please consider joining IBPA once you’ve started your business.

by Shannon Harlow, Hello World Baby Planning & Maternity Concierge

WOW, what a couple of days!  Stormie and I embarked upon the annual, not open to the public, ABC Expo which is the world’s largest expo of Baby/Child/Mom gear.  It is amazing and even with 4 days we could barely scratch the surface of all the amazing stuff here!

I can’t even tell you how many times  each day that I said the words, “that is fantastic!”  There is a myriad of smart people designing and engineering baby products that are not just extremely attractive to look at but are truly insightfully designed.  It amazes me still all that we were able to see, touch, push, pull, fold, play with, put on, carry and then some.  Brilliant.

Since strollers are probably my first love, of baby gear, I’ll start with one of my all time favorite lines, UPPAbaby.  UPPA is a longstanding brand known for sleek design that is exceedingly user friendly combined with adorable colors, UVA protection and eco-friendly fabric.  UPPA’s crowning achievement, the Vista, is so popular amongst moms that it has been become the standard for chic strollers.  The Vista’s long list of features makes this stroller an ideal investment for the mobile family.  The G-Luxe and the G-Lite both fall under the umbrella category while still very much living up to the UPPA superiority.  So…what’s in between the super posh and their classy umbrellas?  UPPA has answered that question with the soon to be released Cruz.  The Cruz acts very much like the Vista with the one button telescopic handle-height adjustment, reversible seat, one handed seat adjustment, lustrous frame, car seat adaptor availability, sizable canopy shade and storage basket.  What’s the diff?  The wheels for starters are not the large rubber wheels seen on the Vista but are replaced by smaller “umbrella-like” wheels which feature the same rubber over EVA foam material.  And, like all UPPAbaby strollers there are shock and suspension in the wheels so the ride in the CRUZ is very smooth.  It is more compact at over 21 inches wide.  The Cruz does not have a bassinet nor does it have the option of adding a second seat.  However, at a price of around $460, I think most parents will be delighted to see this addition to the UPPA baby family.

A baby planner is similar to a wedding planner except instead of helping couples plan for their wedding, a baby planner helps couples plan for the birth of their baby or babies.  A good baby planner is a good listener, non-judgmental, and truly understands that every pregnancy, like every person, is unique.

What type of services does a baby planner offer?

It depends on the baby planner but a number of baby planners offer a host of select services that generally fall into the following five categories:

Birth Prep – Oftentimes, moms-to-be want to know about their birth options (e.g. midwife, OB, homebirth, natural, medicated, etc.).  A baby planner can discuss each birth option and recommend providers that have been highly rated by other families who desired similar birth experiences.  A baby planner can also provide referrals for labor and postpartum doulas as well as lactation consultants.  Finally, a baby planner can help with designing and stocking the nursery, getting the car seat installed, organizing the baby shower, packing the hospital bag, and doing other big or little things that the parents may appreciate as part of the birth preparation process.  Baby planners can help adopting families prepare as well.

Support-Many moms I speak with through my baby planning business are interested in some form of support in the postpartum period.  It’s important for moms to have a period of recovery from childbirth and time to bond with their brand new baby.  They may need support with breastfeeding, and/or help with other children, housekeeping, and making meals.  A baby planner can help moms get the help they need by recommending and/or interviewing helpers on behalf of the family.  The baby planner sees to it that the helper meets the parents’ basic requirements and has the appropriate experience and/or training.

Products – A number of parents use baby planners to help with the baby registry and product selection.  There are a plethora of resources to help parents select baby products wisely, but some parents don’t want to spend their baby preparation time shopping.  Some parents are paralyzed by the sheer number of product choices and/or are concerned about the number of recalled baby products and really would like an expert to help them select the baby products that fit their values, lifestyle, and budget.  This second group includes parents who want environmentally friendly baby products.  A good baby planner should not push certain products because she or he receives a commission from their sale or works for the store that sells the product.  It’s important for the baby planner to offer her or his client families an objective viewpoint.

Childcare – For moms heading back to work, finding someone to watch over and care for their baby is a priority.  For moms staying home, they still need a few hours here and there without the baby, so they may look to hire a mother’s helper.  In any case, a baby planner can visit daycares, interview and screen nanny candidates, and help coordinate nanny shares.  The baby planner doesn’t actually select the provider but she helps the parents narrow the choices to viable candidates who would be a good fit for the family’s needs.

Concierge – Families can use baby planners to find reputable providers in baby related services, such as baby photographers, childbirth educators, child proofers, doulas, lactation consultants, night nannies, etc.  Some baby planners may also offer concierge services themselves (e.g. doula services, child proofing, etc).

How much does a baby planner cost?

Baby planners generally cost about $75/hour and up, depending on the market.  Some baby planners will do projects on a flat rate basis.  In addition, concierge services may be complimentary depending on the baby planner.

Are baby planners certified by any organization?

Many professional baby planners belong to the International Baby Planner Association (www.internationalbabyplanners.com).  Unfortunately, there is not yet a third party certifying organization for baby planners. The International Baby Planner Association is working on a third party certification program that would meet the needs of parents in evaluating baby planners

What type of questions should you ask when interviewing baby planners?

It’s important for parents to understand exactly what to expect from their baby planner, so possible interview questions include the following: What experiences do you have that are relevant to baby planning? Do you belong to any professional organizations for baby planners? Do you have references that I can contact? How will we communicate? How often? How many clients do you take at one time? Will you provide a written summary of services? Which resources do you use for your research? Will you keep our information confidential?  How long do you keep client files? How much do you charge? Do you offer flat rate services?

Should people who use baby planners have children?

Many people question the need for baby planners.  Their general viewpoint is that the parents and their respective families should themselves be able to handle baby preparation, birth, and the postpartum period.  However, many parents don’t have much or any family support, some parents undergo unanticipated changes during pregnancy (e.g. bed rest, moving across country for work, death of their own parent, etc.), and some parents find they need more assistance than originally anticipated.  The baby planner’s role is not to judge who truly needs a baby planner or not, but to serve families with compassion, integrity, and professionalism.

Parents know babies are curious and nearly everything they touch ends up in their mouth, including dangerous things like coins or batteries. What most parents don’t know is there’s an increased threat with certain kinds of batteries found in items all over the house, many of which are well within a child’s reach.  From your TV remote control to your garage door opener to your bathroom scale or even musical greeting card, the round lithium battery commonly used in household gadgets could pose a lethal threat to your little one.

Cara and Terry George want to get the word out about the danger.  Their 18 month old daughter Brenna died after ingesting a battery that they didn’t know she swallowed. “We scoured our house and we have no idea where it came from,” her father explains.  The couple now works to build awareness about these batteries and the threat they carry.  It’s the best way for them to honor Brenna, Cara believes.

They are not the only ones fighting to protect other children.  Safety groups want parents to know lithium batteries are more than a choking hazard.  The batteries can still produce a charge inside your child’s body and damage internal tissues and organs.  Dr. Toby Litovitz with the National Capital Poison Control Center explains the damage would be similar to dropping Drano in tiny drops down the child’s esophagus.  The Poison Center gets calls involving about 3500 cases of battery ingestion each year and the calls are now more serious than ever, with 13 deaths and 73 severe injuries…injuries that can lead to feeding or breathing tubes, or death. The number of incidents involving lithium batteries is on the rise, climbing from just one percent to 18 to 20 percent in the last decade.

Groups such as the International Association for Child Safety and the National Capital Poison Control Center are working to build awareness about the dangers; hoping parents will take steps to keep these batteries away from children.  They want companies using these batteries in their products to put warning labels on the packaging where parents will see them.  They are also asking manufacturers to change the battery compartments to help protect children.  The recommendation is to change those compartments to require a screw.  Their statistics show 62% of children are getting the batteries right out of the gadgets and the hope is that will change if they are harder to remove.  Meantime, Colleen Driscoll with the IAFCS says parents can be sure to store the batteries out of a child’s reach.  “They can secure junk drawers and be sure not to toss them in a trash can, where children have been known to find them in the past,” Driscoll says.

Cara and Terry George want others to understand the risk is real.  They truly hope others will learn from their heartache.  Cara explains their work now is done in Brenna’s name, “Our only hope is to save lives and if we can give one child his or her future and spare one family this unimaginable pain and devastation then we’ll be doing something for her.”

Twinkle, twinkle in your eyes.  Are you an angel in disguise?  –anonymous

Finnbar Samuel Boyd is a little angel. Literally.  He’s my nephew who died of SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, at just two months and two days of age.  His twin sister turned three last November and we often wonder how much Finn would be like her today.  When he passed away, we had so many questions about what happened, how, and why.  SIDS is a baffling disease, the number one killer of infants from one month to one year of age.  It’s a heartbreaker, to say the least.  Researchers are working on finding the cause and have made great strides in unveiling risk factors.  The American SIDS Institute points out many of those factors can be controlled.  They suggest all children be put to sleep on their back, that babies not share beds with adults, that the crib offers a firm mattress with no extra bedding or toys. They also suggest no smoking around babies.  Meantime, they continue research to help with the things a parent can’t control—the biological causes of SIDS.  And that’s where you can help.  The American SIDS Institute is currently holding its annual fundraiser, Spring for SIDS, asking those who care to put a spring in their step and sunshine in their heart.  They ask that you donate what you can, with proceeds going to help pay for research of SIDS and promotion to build awareness.  Since the American SIDS Institute was founded in 1983 the annual number of deaths has decreased over half.  However, there are still about 2300 babies who die of SIDS each year in the US.  Having lost a sweet, innocent nephew to SIDS, I ask that you give what you can so we can eliminate SIDS completely, and make sure another family doesn’t have to endure the same heartache.

You can make a donation here (http://springforsids.org/make_a_donation.php).  We’d be honored if you wanted to post it in Finn’s name.