Sunburn: Treatment and Prevention

Summer Camp has officially started here in Chicago and preparing my kids for it reminded me of an important topic, Sunburn. The day started out wet, but I knew it was going to be sunny and hot by the afternoon. I made sure to apply Sunscreen on my boys before I dropped them off for camp. An important fact to remember is that it needs to be reapplied every one and a half to every two hours.

Babies have the most sensitive skin that can burn easily, so it needs to be protected.  The peak hours of Ultraviolet rays are from 10am to 4pm. With those hours, it may be difficult to get out of the house and avoid the Peak times. If you live in an area of higher altitudes, the risks are increased.  Signs of sunburn appear anywhere from 6-12 hours after exposure to the sun, do you know the best treatment for Sunburn? This article from HealthyChildren.org is a great resource to not only prevent it, but also to treat it. Cilck the link to read more....
HealthyChildren.org - Sunburn: Treatment and Prevention

Finally Summer....

Weather here in Chicago has been inconsistent to say the least. Just when you thought the weather was making a turn for the better, in comes the rain. This past weekend felt like Summer, but the forecast is for rain for the remainder of the week. Hot and rain not my idea of Summer, but it's better than snow.

It was my first Father's Day without my Dad, which was hard but nice to be surrounded by family and friends. I hope you all were able to spend time with your Father's yesterday. It may be a "Hallmark Holiday", but it is a good reminder to give thanks for the special people in our lives.

With all the great weather during our Father's Day Celebration, came the mosquitoes. With the huge array of Insect Repellent in the stores, it can be difficult to decide on which one to use. I found a useful source for reference from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The use of Insect Repellent is NOT recommended for infants less than 2 months old. There are many useful tips on the AAP site. The link is located on the Bebe Tresor, Inc Fan Page on Facebook.  

Circle of Life

I have not been able to post for so many days......My life changed in a matter of minutes on Friday June 3, 2011 at 11:30 pm because my father unexpectedly passed away. Just when I felt life was changing for the better, the floor bottom had dropped and I needed time to catch my bearings. I've taken the much needed time off to grieve, mourn and decompress. My father is (i mean was) a man with the kindest, most gentle heart and it deeply saddens me to have unexpectedly lost him. My heart aches at the idea that he will no longer share in the joys of my life. I was fortunate that he shared his life with my two young boys. He left an imprint on our hearts that I will not allow my boys to forget. I had said in his Eulogy that "he his a man that lived his life with honor and dignity, so much so that there is not one person in this world that could say one bad word about him." I miss him with all my heart and a part of my heart will forever mourn him. As I have witnessed many many times, for every miracle that comes to this world there is a life that is put to rest. It is just the Circle of Life.  

Holiday Time = Family Time, now back to work.....

After much needed time of fun, family and relaxation it is back to life and reality. I hope all of you had a chance to be with your loved ones for the holiday weekend. We honor the Armed Forces, the people that choose the path in life to serve all of us by protecting our freedom. It takes a brave soul to choose that path and I am so proud of my family members that walk down that path everyday. 

One of my new goals is to be able to blog at least every few days or at least once a week. I want to post recent findings and those topics most useful to you, the readers. Feel free to send a message, comment on the blogs or even add any questions. 

In May, I attended a conference discussing Perinatal and Postpartum Mood Disorders and the topic really opened my eyes. Expecting parents need to be aware of the prevalence of Postpartum Blues (Baby Blues), Postpartum Depression (PPD) and Paternal Postnatal Depression (PPND). Lack of social support for a new mom can be a strong risk factor for PPD. It is even said a child with a mom who is depressed is more likely to have a depressed dad. 10% of new fathers find themselves depressed, so it doesn't just affect moms these days. PPND can occur in up to 1 in 4 new dads. It is a topic that most people are not aware of. To read more click on this link www.postpartummen.com, my resource for this topic.