Fundraising Option for Infertility Treatments

Fundraising Option for Infertility Treatments

These days, more and more women are working full time and advancing their careers. Many women are waiting to have children later in life which then puts them at risk of having infertility issues. Many women end up seeking IVF (in vitro fertilization) treatment. One problem is that it is not exactly affordable especially when you end up having more than one IVF attempt. IVF can cost 12,000 to 15,000 with each attempt and is usually not covered by insurance. http://www.npr.org/2011/03/30/134960899/taming-ivfs-twin-trend. 

I came across an interesting fundraising option for financial assistance for couples on youcaring.com. This fundraising website can be used for all purposes and is to see that it is 100% free to post on their site and all the money is contributed by the kindness of strangers. Click the link to learn more.
http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/couple-turns-internet-finance-fertility-142803981.html

Follow more frequent updates on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/Bebe.Tresor.Inc?ref=tn_tnmn

Great Baby Gadgets and Apps

There are so many baby goods out there, but there are some really cool multifunctional ones as well too.

First item I found was the Kinsa Thermometer.
It is not your typical thermometer in that it connects to your iPhone and can collect all temperatures that were taken, you can add symptoms and with the app that goes with it you can see what local illnesses and diseases are going around near you. You can read more about the this cool gadget in this article linked below.

http://kinsa-smart-thermometer.reviews.r-tt.com

Next is the Cool Wazoo. What is great about this product is that it truly is multifunctional. You can use it in the park on the hot swing to protect your little one, a cover for the car seat in the car to prevent it from getting to hot during the summer, a high chair cover at your local restaurant, a shopping cart cover or use it as a diaper changing pad. http://www.thecoolwazoo.com

Another great app is from Healthy Mom and Baby Magazine. You can view the magazine and read their articles for free. This is a great resource for all moms. It was based from Health4mom.org which is website that has advice provided by nurses. Check out Healthy Mom & Baby on itunes.apple.com

Last app on this list is to create your own time-lapse slideshow documentary of your pregnancy that you can share as a mini-movie.

CineMama

itunes.apple.com

Get CineMama on the App Store. See screenshots and ratings, and read customer reviews.

Daily Posts

Many of my posts are on Facebook, so for those that want more frequent updates, I will start sharing my Bebe Tresor, Inc link to access some of my Facebook posts on my blog as well. This is from this morning...

https://www.facebook.com/Bebe.Tresor.Inc

Having worked in the NICU, it was great to see many of our babies still being able to have the added health benefits of breast milk through the generous donations to milk banks. Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine shared the link to the National Milk Bank. Check it out for more details.

Breast Milk Bank | Donate Breast Milk

www.nationalmilkbank.org

Donate breast milk from anywhere within the United States. Your extra breast milk could help premature and critically ill babies in Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

Flame Retardant Chemicals Exposure During Pregnancy

Researchers have found that there may be a link to exposure of PBDE's (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) during pregnancy and hyperactivity found in 2-5 year olds. This article may bring to light some things that us moms may have never considered during pregnancy. I know that it was not a concern of mine with my two boys. For those expectant moms, it wouldn't hurt to avoid exposure to help increase the chances of having a healthier baby. Although there is no direct cause-effect link, it does make you think twice. There are so many other risks and concerns during pregnancy as it is, why not decrease the risks by avoiding chemicals and items that could be linked to undesired effects to our little Bebe Tresor. It is something to think about. Read more in the article below for more information. 

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_136551.html

Play Cafes

For many close friends and family that know me, I am a true coffee "fan-addict" so when you combine a cafe with a play area, you have my undivided attention. I visited and reviewed three different play cafes: two in the North Suburbs and one in Chicago.

First place was Nibbles Play Cafe in Wheeling, IL www.nibblesplaycafe.com . The admission is $7.50 for first child and $3.75 for any siblings.What is great about this cafe is that it you have an eating area and are still able to see your kids in the play area. The special right now is free admission on Tuesdays. During the warm days 65 - 85 degrees, they will close at 2pm. They host birthday parties on Sundays, so it is closed to the public on Sundays.

Olly Olly Play Cafe is located in Glencoe, IL http://ollyollyplaycafe.com. I love the staff and the play structures there. $12 for first child and $6 for second child. They serve food from Meg's Cafe next door which was good. My 9 year old still had enough to keep his interest between the games, castle or boat. There are some rooms in the back for dress up and play for crawlers. They will host craft events on occasion as well. The only downfall is the rooms in the back are not easily visible from the seats in the cafe area.

Family Grounds Cafe is located in Chicago, IL http://familygroundscafe.com. This has a great separate cafe from the play area, but you can bring your food and drink into the play area as well. There are drop in play times from 1pm to 5pm Monday thru Friday. It is $12 for the first child and $6 for the sibling. They offer all sorts of schedule class and mommy meet ups so it is great for the first time mom who needs to entertain her baby while being able to enjoy some time for herself.

There are all different types of Play Cafes popping up all over the Chicagoland area. I wish they had these when I had my first born back in 2004. It is better late than never. Check one out and see how you like it.

Avoiding Stress During Pregnancy

One of the missions at Bebe Tresor, Inc. is to decrease the stress that mom incurs during pregnancy because we know medically that stress negatively impacts you and your Bebe Tresor.  Pregnancy can cause some stress and how you handle stress can be harmful to you and your baby. It's the high levels of stress that can be most concerning because it can bring about other medical issues such as high blood pressure which in turn increases the risk for early labor, premature birth, or the chance of having a child with a low birth weight. Please read this great article by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) about how stress affects pregnancy.

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/preconceptioncare/conditioninfo/pages/stress.aspx

Anti-bacterial: If there is no benefit why use it?

Triclosan has been used for more than 40 years, but yet many studies have not found enough data to show that it truly makes a difference. If you get the same effect in preventing the spread of infection by using soap and water, then why even use the products that have Triclosan in them? Some studies have shown that Triclosan can increase the risk of hormone problems like early puberty or infertility. Your best bet is to not purchase any products with Triclosan (in toothpaste it is not as much of a risk) and to just utilize good hand washing with soap and water for 10-15 seconds.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/05/03/popular-antibacterial-soap-ingredient-draws-fda-scrutiny/

The AAP have six particular situations in which you should recommend for your children to wash their hands. If you encourage your child to implement these good habits, you will increase his or her chances of maintaining good health. Healthy Children website is a great resource for parents and they also have the convenience of an app. See the link below for the article and app.

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/prevention/Pages/Hand-Washing-A-Powerful-Antidote-to-Illness.aspx

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/healthy-children/id526082422?mt=8

Choosing a Pediatrician

What criteria do you use to choose your child's Primary Care Physician? The Healthy Children website created by the American Academy of Pediatrics has a great article regarding important factors to consider with making the decision. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/health-management/pages/How-To-Choose-A-Pediatrician.aspx?nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token

It is recommended to find one 4 months prior to your due date. Does the Pediatrician have FAAP listed after his or her name? What does that mean and why is that important? Bebe Tresor, Inc. will not only help to narrow down the search, but has many Physicians to recommend.

Our highlight today is Dr. Daniel Weissbluth. I met with him this week and saw for myself the wonderful factors that makes him and his practice one to consider. His office is conveniently open 7 days a week and has walk-in availability each day as well. It's encouraging to see a Pediatrician that utilizes evidence based practice. It's also wonderful to know that he also does consults on how babies can achieve healthy sleep by utilizing the Weissbluth Method. Speaking from experience, the Weissbluth Method had worked for both of my boys so I am a true advocate. If you want more information regarding his prenatal visits and the other services, contact us today. For those parents of children with sleep issues, you can also download his ebook Sleep Consult he co-wrote with Dr. Marc Weissbluth. You can also download the Weissbluth Method Toddler Bedtime App or Infant Nap App which are available in iTunes.

http://www.weissbluthpediatrics.com
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/weissbluth-method-toddler/id425019406?mt=8
https://itunes.apple.com/US/app/weissbluth-method-infant-nap/id362542876?mt=8

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

With Mother’s Day around the corner there may be a few of you still scrambling to find the perfect Mother’s Day gift. I came across some great mom gifts especially for the new moms, but these gifts are great for all moms. The first three items are some versatile diaper bags. As a mom myself, I frequently multi-task so to find an item that is multifunctional is always my preference. What I love about these bags are that they don’t look like a diaper bag at first glance. These are stylish and functional with diaper pads and multiple pockets to keep a busy mom organized.

1) Timi & Leslie ‘Dawn’ Diaper Bag $149 http://www.shoptimiandleslie.com/Dawn-Black.aspx#.UYkkULWkrA4.
2) Storksak ‘Elizabeth Leather’ Diaper Bag $345 http://www.storksak.com/product.php?shopprodid=45&variantid=870.
3) Danzo Hobo $295 http://shop.danzobaby.com/product_p/dz3903-009-slate.htm

For the mom who loves those customized and unique gifts. Posh Mommy creates great necklaces and bracelets that have monograms, child’s names, and birthstones that you can customize.
www.poshmommyjewelry.com

Lastly for the mom that just simply wants the time to relax. You can’t buy time, but you can send her a week’s worth of prepared meals and then she will have the time to sleep in or just sit back and relax instead of cooking for the week. The special right now is $25 off any of their “Week of Meals” packages. Use the code MOMDAY25 at checkout through May 31, 2013.
www.momentformom.com

Safety Before and During Pregnancy

Bebe Tresor encourages moms to maintain good health prior to getting pregnant along with during pregnancy. A healthy mom improves the chances pf a healthy baby. Eating healthy is a priority for expectant moms. Here is a great list of which foods you need to avoid during pregnancy.
http://www.foodsafety.gov/poisoning/risk/pregnant/chklist_pregnancy.html

There are also vaccines that you need to be up to date with prior to pregnancy along with during pregnancy. This handout from the CDC has it all listed for you.
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/downloads/f_preg_chart.pdf

Eating healthy

Expectant mom are already aware of what they need to eat and what they shouldn't eat during pregnancy. Many children are becoming more aware of what ingredients they need to avoid as well. I found a great resource that would be useful to all moms discussing why you should avoid the "scary seven" ingredients. Click the link and get a free download of the e-book Label Lessons: Your Guide to a Healthy Shopping Cart.

http://www.naturallysavvy.com/labellessons/

Peanut allergies for kids: there may be hope yet.

Some kids are lucky to be able to grow out of a peanut allergy. Many children rarely do. This means a life of many food precautions and is so difficult for our little ones. A study at Rady Children's in San Diego has found a way to desensitize kids from peanut allergies by using a patch. This may be a hopeful sign for many parents of kids with peanut allergies. Click the link to read more... http://m.nbcbayarea.com/nbcbayarea/pm_108026/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=2Qm8mOHR