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Expectant Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Banking

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Prior to the birth of our first daughter, one of the things my wife and I decided to explore was cord blood banking. When having a child, especially your first, the whole experience can be pretty overwhelming. Most expecting parents are trying to figure out which baby gear to add to their baby registry, which names to add to their shortlist, how to decorate the nursery, and more importantly…how to afford everything. This was certainly the case for us, but after some careful research and multiple discussions between ourselves and with our obstetrician, we decided that it was something that we wanted to do for our family, and we selected Cord Blood Registry. Hopefully, this overview will help other expecting parents decide whether or not cord blood banking is right for you and your family.

What is Cord Blood Banking?

Cord blood banking allows families to store stem cells that are harvested from cord blood extracted from the placental end of a newborn baby’s umbilical cord. The cord blood is usually collected within 10 minutes of giving birth, and then sent to a cord blood storage facility where it is processed and placed into freezers. It is stored there indefinitely in a subzero cryogenic system that preserves the stem cells until a later time when they might be needed to treat medical conditions of the child from whom they originated, or possibly another family member. Hopefully, your child and family will remain healthy, and the stem cells will never be needed. However, many find it comforting to know that they are available should the potential need ever arise.

According to WedMD, cord blood stem cells are considered the building blocks of life. They have the ability to divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types, consistent with cells of various tissues such as muscles or nerves. Stem cells have been used for more than 20 years to treat more than 80 life-threatening diseases and disorders, including the treatment of leukemia, lymphoma, and anemia, along with a variety of other hematopoietic, immune system, and genetic disorders, and stem cells are considered a better alternative to bone marrow transplants. Additional treatments and uses are currently being developed all around the world, including the treatment of traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, Type 1 juvenile diabetes, and autism. While somewhat controversial, and with research and discoveries that are still fairly early-stage, many view this as a sort of insurance policy for their children and family.

Sample Collection Process

Let’s take a step back and talk a little bit about the setup and collection process. For us, the entire process was pretty seamless. After speaking with a company representative on the phone to answer a few questions, we completed the registration process online. They promptly sent us the collection kit in the mail, which provided detailed instructions for our upcoming birth day. We informed our obstetrician that we were collecting the cord blood, and provided the kit to the medical team upon our arrival and admittance to the maternity unit. After the birth of our child and the subsequent cord blood collection, the sealed sample was placed on our newborn daughter’s transport cart and brought with her back to our room. Shortly thereafter, we then called to schedule the sample pickup using a toll-free number provided by the cord blood banking company, and a courier came directly to our room within an hour or two to pickup the sample for preparation and shipment to the main storage facility. After it arrived at the storage facility, the sample went through final preparation steps and was banked in their freezer storage system.

Sample Options

One thing we discovered with our second child is that new technology now allows for additional options on the types of tissue and cells that you can choose to collect and store. For our first daughter, born in March 2010, I believe the only option was cord blood collection and storage. For our second daughter, born in October 2012, the same cord blood banking company now offers the option to also collect and store the cord blood tissue, in addition to or instead of just the cord blood. Of course, there are additional fees for both the upfront cost of collection and the ongoing annual storage cost. We decided to go with the same program as our first daughter, and opted to stick with just the cord blood collection.

Program Costs

Even if parents are interested in cord blood banking, the cost may force many parents to forego this option. To be completely honest, the cost of cord blood banking is rather high. Most cord blood banks have an up front collection and storage preparation fee that ranges from $1,500 to $2,200, and then charge an annual storage fee of $125 to $150. Additional charges apply if you choose to also preserve the cord tissue, in addition to the cord blood.

There is no doubt that this is a steep cost at an expensive time in the lives of young families. So if it comes down to choosing between diapers and formula, or cord blood banking, this decision is an easy choice. In order to help parents manage these upfront costs, most cord blood banks offer payment plans and gift registries that allow family and friends to contribute towards these services. Additionally, a variety of discounts may be available through your obstetrician office, referral programs such as the one offered here for friends of A Modern Dad, and some employers. In our case, my wife is a nurse, and we discovered that we were eligible for a pretty significant discount offered to medical workers by the cord blood bank that we selected. Discounts are also often available for public service providers (military/police/fire/EMT), active students, multiple birth situations, and repeat customers. These discounts greatly helped us to move forward in getting things all set up, so please keep this in mind and be sure to ask.

Banking Options

A variety of cord blood banking options exist across the United States. I suggest checking out the details of at least two or three companies so you can compare options and pricing, and get an overall feel. There are two types of cord blood banks available to expecting parents. The focus of this article is private cord blood banks, which store cord blood for personal use by your family. In various cities across the U.S., and countries around the world, public cord blood banks may also be available. With public banks, cord blood is donated for research or for use by anyone who may need it. In most cases, there is no charge for that service. Unfortunately, samples submitted to public banks are anonymous, and if a family member later requires a stem cell transplant for treatment, your donation is not retrievable.

Additionally, some public banks offer sibling-directed donation programs for families that have an older child who has cancer, a life-threatening inherited blood or immune system disorder, sickle cell anemia or thalassemia. These programs will collect and store umbilical cord blood for a biological sibling at no charge to eligible families, and then if/when a stored cord blood unit is used for transplant, a fee is charged to the patient’s insurance company. More information can be found on the National Marrow Donor Program website.

More Information

For additional information, here are a few other sites that provide good information on cord blood banks, and the cord blood industry as a whole: American Association of Blood Banks, Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Foundation, National Marrow Donor Program, WebMD, and Wikipedia.

Image Credit: thesilhouettestudioblog.com

The Art of the Burp

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With the arrival of A Modern Dad 2.0, we will refocus on newborn issues, while continuing to talk about the trials and tribulations of also raising a toddler. As such, one of the primary anxieties for new parents in the first few days after a newborn arrives is feeding. Is the baby latching on properly? Is she getting enough? When will the mother’s milk come in? Is he hungry? Is she full? These questions are all common concerns, often with no clear and immediate answer. In most cases, this all works itself out within a week or so, and everyone moves on to the next most pressing matter of the day or week.

We would like to talk a little bit about how to manage a very important aspect of feeding in the days and weeks after the milk and/or formula really start flowing…the burp. As a baby gains strength and starts to consume more milk, they tend to take more and more air into their little stomachs. For many babies, air and gas is the root of most evil. This usually leads to fussiness and discomfort, and it often leads to inconsistent sleep patterns as the air and gas cause intermittent pain as it tries to work its way through their little systems. In order to keep your baby comfortable, and keep you and your spouse sane, figuring out how to burp your little one is critical. Here are a few suggestions to hopefully help things go a little more smoothly.

Timing

In most cases, you will want to burp as much as possible, often during feeding at the halfway point, and always after you are done. Obviously, you need to use your own judgment here, but it is usually wise to clear the air from your baby’s tummy when you switch breasts or after every 2 to 3 ounces from a bottle. This will create more room to ensure you little one gets enough nourishment, and it will also help to reduce the likelihood that they will spit up and lose all their hard work. Once the feeding is finished, you will again want to clear as much of the remaining air as possible so it doesn’t cause additional gas problems later.

Positioning

How you position your child for burping will vary from baby to baby and parent to parent, but there are a few tried and tested positions to keep in mind. The first, and probably most common and convenient, is the standard over the shoulder. The allows you easy access to pat your baby’s back, and it keeps them upright with a little pressure on their stomach so the air can work its way up and out, without bringing a lot of milk with it. The second is placing your baby in a sitting position and sideways on your own lap. When a baby is still really small, it can be a bit tricky to properly support their head and body with only one hand (while patting their back with the other), but this has always worked well for me, as the baby’s semi-slumped position tends to bring the air out of their stomach a little more effectively. A third position that you might want to try is laying your baby face down on your lap, with their head resting on one leg and their stomach over the other leg. Support the baby with one hand, while patting their back with other.

Techniques

In addition to the three positions that are commonly used, I often work in a few other techniques that seem to help. For our first daughter, and now our second as well, I have found that while holding them upright on my shoulder, if I lean to my right (the babies left), that often helps release a burp. I also lean the baby (and my torso) forward and back and to the left and right, while bouncing slightly with my knees. This all seems to help work the bubbles to the proper area of the stomach where they can be released up the esophagus. And that, my friends, is how an engineer over thinks the common baby burp.

Back Pats

While burping your baby, it is common to pat their back to help break up air bubbles in their stomachs. It usually doesn’t take much force, so please be gentle with your fragile newborn, and just take your time. Burps have never harmed a baby, and all burps clear themselves eventually. Rubbing the back of a newborn, in addition to or instead of patting, may also be effective for some.

Always Use Protection!

For most of the first twelve months or so, you will want to always have a burp cloth handy. With a backup always nearby as well. Any time you decide to perch a newborn on your shoulder or lap, you are asking for trouble. If you are covered with a burp cloth or a lightweight blanket, you should be able to avoid most major messes. This is especially important when away from your home or traveling. There is nothing worse than having to travel all day with the smell of baby spit up wafting from your shoulder (hyperlink). Trust me.

Queues

Occasionally, you may need to revisit the burping process in between feedings, if your baby becomes fussy. A key queue to listen for is a grunting sound that sounds like your baby is trying to force out some air…because that is probably what they are trying to do. They might also be trying to force something out the other end, or both, but if they recent had a diaper change, then chances are they just need a little help with another burp.

Prevention 

For the most part, burping and gas and spit up are just past of the program. There is nothing unusual about it, and as a baby grows and gets stronger, it usually becomes less and less of an issue. However, in some of the more extreme cases of gassiness and spitting up, it might be a sign of other issues like lactose intolerance or food allergies. If you are worried about this, or if it runs in your family, it is probably worth discussing with your pediatrician. Over-the-counter medications such as Mylicon or gripe water might be worth a try. Another issue might be equipment malfunction. Be sure that you are using the proper bottle nipple for the age of your child, and reasonable quantities of milk or formula, so to avoid the intake of excess air.

Sleeping Position

If your baby is really gassy and burpy, sometimes it helps to slightly elevate the head end of their bassinet or crib. This won’t always be possible to do safely, but if so, it might help keep your little one a little more comfortable through a nap or through the night.

(Image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Growing Up in Small Town America

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Even after spending most of my adult life living in larger cities, working for a large multinational company, and traveling the world, one of the life experiences that best defines me and who I am as a person is having grown up in Small Town America. And by small, I mean small. As in an official population of 226 people. My graduating class at the local public school was made up of a whopping 38 people!

I grew up in rural Northwest Ohio, in one of the many small farming communities that dot the countryside. Most families there, including mine on both my paternal and maternal sides, have German roots and are members of the local Catholic church. I went to the same elementary and high school as my parents (and had some of the same teachers), my grandparents, my great-grandparents, and probably further back than that, considering my family tree in that area dates back to the mid-1800’s. My grandfather was the mayor of our village in the 1960’s (yes, the town is actually incorporated) and my father was the fire chief for the volunteer fire department for a number of years. It was pure Mayberry.

As is the case with many small towns, my hometown is built firmly on the foundation of a family-first, work hard, take-care-of-your-neighbor type of mentality. A place where everyone knows everyone and family roots run deep, with many families now in their seven or eight generation. A place where kids play in the park until dark almost every summer day. A place where, if something needed repair, you just fixed it yourself, or you called a friend that could help. Unfortunately, fewer and fewer adults from Generation X, Generation Y, and the Millennials are staying in these small towns, and fewer still are returning after leaving for college.

Even though I know that I will probably never live there again, I still occasionally find myself reminiscing about my childhood and hoping to find a special place like that to raise my own children. I can’t imagine myself growing up anywhere else. I am sure there are lots of similar towns across our beautiful country, but I have not found one that has quite the same unique mix of small size, friendly naivety, old-school blue-collar work ethic, and deep family traditions. The bar for my expectations of how and where my children grow up has been set pretty high.

Our daughter recently turned two, and the quality of schools and safety of neighborhoods is quickly becoming a hot topic for my wife and I. That is one of the big reasons that we chose to move on from Phoenix last year and settle our family in Denver. It was very difficult to leave behind so many wonderful friends, but we just felt like Colorado was a better fit for us and our family. Our hope is that we will be able to bring up our daughter in a town or neighborhood that leaves a similar impression on her when she is an adult.

Do you think Mayberry types of towns and neighborhoods still exist? Or has society changed so much that this type of childhood nirvana is just a pipe dream? Do you have fond memories of your childhood neighborhood? Would you want your kids to grow up in your childhood neighborhood? If not, why?

Flying With A Baby Made Easy

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Most of us have been on at least one flight with a screaming child that just would not settle down, some of us have shared a row with one, and some of us have had one on our lap. My wife and I certainly did on our way home from a recent family vacation. It is no fun for anyone involved…especially the parents that are desperately trying to calm the child. So how can we avoid over-the-top meltdowns and being the parents responsible for the child from hell? With holiday travel right around the corner, here are a few tips for helping to make flying with a baby or toddler more enjoyable for you and all those other passengers that will be sharing the airliner cabin with you.

 

Timing of the Flight
We don’t travel very much, but when we do, we try to schedule flights during our daughter’s nap time so she hopefully sleeps for at least part of the time. If you are pretty sure that your child will not be able to sleep on the plane, or in the terminal while waiting to board, then you may opt for a schedule that actually avoids nap time. Airports are usually a little less busy in the mornings, so if your schedule allows, you may want to shoot for a morning flight. Try to avoid layovers, unless the timing is ideal for allowing your toddler a chance to stretch their legs and burn off some energy. Since connecting flights often require a journey to a different terminal, make sure the layover provides enough time to gather all your stuff, assemble your stroller, and hit the restroom for a diaper change.

 

Entertainment
Keeping a young child entertained and occupied for an extended period of time can be a huge challenge. Especially in the close confines of just a seat or two on an airliner. And with a minimal amount of extra space in a carry on bag, you will probably have to get creative. Try to stick with toys and games that are small and easily stuffed into an already full bag. If the toy makes a lot of noise (i.e. music, crazy sounds, etc.), you should probably remove the batteries at least while on the plane. Some of our favorites include Violet the Dog (LeapFrog), a small teddy bear or baby doll, a familiar and comfy blanket, flash cards (animals, letters, numbers, etc.), and a few favorite books. Depending on the age of your child, you may also choose to upload some videos to watch on your smartphone, laptop, or iPad.

 

Location of Seat
Huge piece of advice, that we discovered the hard way, is to not sit near the bathrooms. This means definitely avoiding the last 5-6 rows of seats, sometimes the first 2-3 rows, and it may also include seats near the middle of the airplane if you are on a large international flight. These areas have a ton of non-stop noise, as there will be doors slamming and people standing next to your seat the entire flight. The bathrooms are also usually near the busy staging areas for the flight attendants.  This is obviously very distracting for a little one.
In general, a seat on the aisle is probably the best bet, especially for a toddler, so you can get up more easily for diaper changes or to walk a fussy child. Alternatively, a seat by the window is probably better if you have a young baby, so you will have a little more privacy for nursing and napping. If the plane has rows with three seats across, book the aisle for you and the window for your partner. Other travelers are less likely to request middle seats and if the plane isn’t full and someone does get assigned the seat between you, they’ll be more likely to switch to another row. If the flight is completely booked you or your partner can trade for the sandwich seat to sit together.

 

Gear & Supplies
For our carry-on bags go, we usually carry a backpack that has enough supplies for the flight itself, and then stash extras in a small roller bag that we can stow in the overhead compartment. Make sure you have more than enough of all your supplies in case your flight is delayed. That means extra diapers, extra clothes, extra food, extra snacks, extra wipes, and (if you’re bottle feeding) extra formula. For food, try to stick with non-perishables as much as possible. The baby food squeezer packs from Ella’s Kitchen, Plum Organics, and Happy Tot work great for babies and toddlers alike while out on the go. Also be ready to accommodate you and your child for a range of temperatures. Planes at the gate tend to get stuffy while boarding, but once you are in the air, the cabin can get a little cool. Airport terminals also tend to be on the cool side. Definitely make sure you bring an extra t-shirt for you, too, as the last thing you want to deal with on a long travel day is sour baby spit-up on your shoulder!

 

Common Causes of Fussiness
There are obviously a wide variety of things that may cause fussiness with your child. However, one of the main issues while flying is pressure buildup in ears. Be sure to have a pacifier and/or a bottle ready for take-offs and landings. Another is over-stimulation. A full day of traveling can be both physically exhausting and mentally draining for even the most seasoned adult travelers. The irregular schedule and environment of a travel day is sure to cause a high level of anxiety and fatigue in most young children. Other likely causes of fussiness are more typical, such as hunger & thirst, a dirty diaper, being too cold or too warm, and being generally uncomfortable.

 

Other Reminders & Tips
Here are a few more brief reminders as you prepare for a day of travel with children:
– Carry birth certificates for each of your children.
– Give yourself plenty of time to get checked in, get your baby fed, and change their diaper.
– For most airlines, toddlers can ride on your lap until age 2. After that, you will usually be required to purchase a seat for them (discounts are often available).
– Typically, strollers and car seats do not count as pieces of luggage.
– Don’t be afraid to ask flight attendants for help while boarding the aircraft, leaving the aircraft, and during the flight.
– If you may need to nurse your baby during the flight, bring a cover up and wear clothing that allows for easy access.
– For an overview of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security process for babies and children, follow this link…http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/index.shtm.

 

Please be sure to share your travel experiences and ideas with our community in the comments below…and GOOD LUCK!!
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Making The Perfect Pizza

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How many of you love pizza? …or at least have kids that do? Okay, how many of you have a pizza stone? If you are like most of us, it is probably stashed somewhere in the depths of your kitchen cupboards, unopened and untouched since you received it as a wedding gift…oh, about six or eight years ago. With Papa John’s on speed dial, or a local favorite pizza joint right down the road, making your own pizza just seems like too much work, right? I am here to say absolutely not.

I am going to show you how to make perfect gourmet pizzas in the comfort of your own kitchen in just minutes. It is a fun family activity. It gives you better control over the quality of ingredients used. And the pizzas taste great! Are you up for the challenge? Okay…here we go.

 

Equipment
Homemade pizza ingredients
  • Pizza Stone
  • Pizza Cutter
  • Cutting Board
  • Oven Mitts
  • Hot Pads

Ingredients
Toppings Ideas
  • Pizza Dough – Pre-made dough balls available at most grocery stores. If not, I have also purchased dough balls from local pizza shops for a couple dollars.
  • Flour – Small amount for handling, prepping, and spreading pizza dough.
  • Mozzarella Cheese – Finely shredded works best.
  • Tomato Sauce – 8-oz can is just the right size.
  • Oregano
  • Onion Salt
  • Favorite Toppings
  • Chicken Breast, Bell Peppers, and Onions
  • Ham/Canadian Bacon and Pineapple
  • Chicken Breast, Pre-cooked Potatoes, and Rosemary
  • Chicken Breast, Tomatoes, and Onions
  • Chicken Breast, Pineapple, and Tomatoes
  • Chicken Sausage and Onions
  • Pepperoni, Jalapenos, and Onions
  • Pepperoni, Mushrooms, and Onions

Preparation
  • Place bare pizza stone in oven on the middle rack and pre-heat to 500°F (DO NOT GREASE or SPRAY).
  • Allow to pre-heat for approximately 20 minutes to heat pizza stone all the way through.
  • Remove pizza dough from refrigerator and bring to room temperature (it may start to rise slightly).
  • Prepare your favorite toppings.
  • Slice and cut veggies.
  • Remove cheese from the refrigerator.
  • Sprinkle some loose flour on a clean surface (countertop or table).
  • Remove the pizza dough from the packaging – be sure to sprinkle some flour on your hands and the dough to make it easier to handle.
  • Use the heal of your hand to flatten and shape the dough – be sure to not flatten to much or to create areas that are too thin and be sure that the diameter of the pie is not too big for your pizza stone.
  • Once the oven has reached 500°F, and the pizza stone has been in pre-heating for at least 20 minutes, it is time to get the show on the road.
  • WARNING: THE PIZZA STONE IS 500°F! DO NOT TOUCH!!! Using thick oven mitts, remove the pizza stone from the oven and place it on the stove top. DO NOT PLACE IT ON YOUR COUNTERTOP, as it may melt or blister the surface.
  • Carefully pick up the pizza dough and drop it on the pizza stone. Use a fork to remove folds and straighten. The flour on the dough should prevent it from sticking to the pizza stone.
  • Since the pizza stone is 500°F, the pizza dough will start to cook, so try to load the pizza toppings as quickly as possible.
  • Pour the 8-oz can of tomato sauce on the dough and sprinkle with some oregano and onion salt.
  • Quickly add your favorite toppings.
  • We usually put most of the toppings under the cheese, but sometimes put onions and peppers on top to roast and cook them a bit more.
  • Cover everything with shredded cheese (roughly one 8-oz bag, maybe a little less).
  • CAREFULLY place the pizza stone back in the oven.
  • WARNING: The pizza stone will still be very hot, so use thick oven mitts to pick it up.
  • It usually helps to slide out the oven rack in order to get the pizza stone loaded up.
  • Set the timer for 9-10 minutes and get the family ready for a tasty dinner.
  • Keep an eye on the cheese and when it starts to brown (between 9 and 10 minutes), it is usually ready to be removed.
  • To remove the hot pizza stone from the oven, again it makes things easier if you slide out the oven rack.
  • Use thick oven mitts to remove the pizza stone.
  • Immediately remove the pizza from the pizza stone, or it will continue to (over)cook.
  • The pizza should not stick, and should just slide off the stone when you tilt it. If it does stick a bit, just run a fork around the edges.
  • Cut the pizza into six or eight slices, crack open a nice cold beer or soda, and ENJOY!!

If you have any questions, or other suggestions for making the perfect pizza at home in your own kitchen, please join the conversation in the comments below, or in the comments over on our Facebook page.

Raising a Child with Food Restrictions – Part 2

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As we discussed in Part 1 of this series, we introduced rice cereal to our baby daughter at six months.  Within a week, she started to get sick whenever she ingested it.  After initially thinking her illness was caused by some spoiled milk, a dirty bottle, or possibly a virus, we pretty quickly identified the rice cereal as the apparent root cause.   

Upon our return to Phoenix from our Santa Fe vacation, we once again consulted with our primary pediatrician.  Her feedback was that rice is typically considered the most neutral, hypoallergenic cereal available for babies…especially since it is gluten-free.  However, since rice cereal seemed to be the culprit, she advised us to give oat cereal a try instead to see if our daughter would do better with that.  We tried that the next day, and again experienced the same excruciating result.  Our daughter gobbled up the oat cereal paste, and then about three hours later proceeded to vomit for about three hours.  At that point, we knew for sure that something definitely was not right.

We consulted again with our pediatrician.  Her latest advice was to just avoid grains all together for a while.  Both my wife and I quickly agreed, having already arrived at this obvious conclusion prior to our visit.  However, now we were even more perplexed and curious as to what was going on inside our beautiful daughter.  Was this “condition” she was experiencing something temporary?  Was it being caused by something more serious?  Was this something she (we) was going to have to deal with for the rest of her life?  These were all questions that were hanging out there, and we needed some answers.  Now what?

After some further discussion with our pediatrician, and even though rice cereal is gluten-free, we agreed to do a blood test for celiac disease.  According to Mayo Clinic, celiac disease is a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the protein gluten, which is primarily found in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and many other foods containing wheat, barley or rye. People with celiac disease who eat foods containing gluten experience an immune reaction in their small intestines, causing damage to the inner surface of the small intestine and an inability to absorb certain nutrients.  Unfortunately, there is no cure for celiac disease and people with the disease are forced to manage their lifestyle and dietary consumption throughout their lifetime.  Fortunately, celiac disease and other gluten-related digestive conditions have led to the fairly wide availability of a variety of gluten-free lines of food products and ingredients.

After waiting for about a week or so, our pediatrician informed us that the test for celiac disease had come back negative.  This did not completely rule that out, due to our daughter’s young age, but it did reduce the likelihood that celiac was the culprit.  Okay…now what? Once again, we consulted with our pediatrician to discuss other possible causes or conditions.  Food allergies were considered to be the other most likely cause of our daughter’s grain issues.  Childhood allergies have received much press in recent years, as studies have shown possible connections between food allergies and a pretty wide range of common childhood illness, from ear infections to general irritability and colic to ADHD.  In many cases, children outgrow these allergies by 3 to 5 years of age, and the best way to deal with them is to just avoid the foods causing the problems.  Rather than go through a full battery of allergy tests at such a young age (~8 mths old), we decided to just avoid grains for a while and focus on introducing other foods that would satisfy her nutritional needs for the foreseeable future.  This would certainly pose some challenges when mealtime rolled around each day…and especially when it came to snacks (no Cheerios, crackers, bread, cookies, cake, etc.)…but it was certainly something we felt we could manage…for now.

Fast forward eight months.  Our daughter is now almost 16 months old and we have learned to manage her dietary restrictions quite well by closely monitoring product ingredients and watching carefully for crumbs on our floors.  A few weeks ago, we decided to investigate some more to try to find other possible causes of the grain intolerance/allergy/reaction with which we are dealing.  After going in a few different directions with our research, we stumbled onto something called FPIES.  FPIES is short for Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome.  FPIES is a severe, cell-mediated gastrointestinal food hypersensitivity typically provoked by cow’s milk, soy, grains, poultry, and/or some vegetables.  It is commonly characterized by profuse vomiting and diarrhea.  As I read through descriptions of the condition and read through details of how FPIES has affected other young children and babies, I started to get goosebumps as I realized that we had finally found some of the answers we were looking for. We visited an allergy clinic this week and confirmed our FPIES suspicions with the doctor, who was familiar with the condition and was in agreement with our discovery.

Check back soon for more details on FPIES, and also for more information on the foods and snacks that have helped us to manage our daughter’s dietary restrictions and keep her healthy.

If you have any questions about how we are dealing with FPIES, please let us know…and please join in the conversation on our website, on Twitter, and on Facebook to share your stories of dealing with childhood food restrictions.

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Raising a Child with Food Restrictions – Part 1

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No grains?? None? Uhhh…I think we have a problem.

This is Part 1 of a series describing our experiences with identifying and managing food restrictions for our baby daughter and how our journey eventually led us to the likely cause…FPIES (Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome).

From very early on, our daughter has been a good eater and a good sleeper. After being exclusively breastfed for her first six months (and all the way through to 12 mths), we started to introduce solid foods into her diet. Per the common recommendations, we started out with watered down rice cereal (using breast milk). Over the course of the first week or so, we gradually thickened it up to make it a little more manageable. She did okay initially, but after about ten days or so…while my wife was out of town for business (of course!)…our daughter got sick (vomitted) for pretty much the first time since her birth.

I had given her a little bit of rice cereal with her dinnertime feeding that night and put her down to bed around 6pm. Shortly before I was about to give her the last evening feeding at 9p, she proceeded to vomit all over herself and her crib. Awesome. After I got her and her crib all cleaned up, she perked up and took a full bottle, before passing out for the night. Not really sure what to make of it, the next morning at about 6:30a, I gave her another serving of rice cereal with her morning bottle and all seemed fine. Once again, shortly before her mid-morning bottle (~9a), she vomited all over herself and her crib. Now this started to worry me a bit, and after talking it over with my wife on the phone, I decided to take her to the pediatrician for a visit that afternoon.

At the pediatrician, I explained the situation and gave her as much info as I could remember regarding our daughter’s feeding schedule and the timing of the vomiting. Her response was probably one of the most common that parents will hear in this situation…that it was probably just a stomach bug. In her defense, this is probably the correct guess 98% of the time. She recommended that we avoid the rice cereal for a few days, and then reintroduce. Okay…no problem. That makes sense.

As it turns out, a few days later meant we were now on vacation in Santa Fe, New Mexico with my wife’s family. After making the eight hour roadtrip to Santa Fe and getting all settled in, we decided to try again. We offered rice cereal with a lunchtime bottle and our daughter gobbled it up. All seemed fine, so we packed up the family and headed to the historic downtown Santa Fe for lunch and a little shopping. Shortly after arriving, she began vomiting. After the third round of vomitting in less than 20 minutes, we headed back to our vacation home to get her cleaned up. She proceeded to vomit all the way home…and pretty much every 10-15 minutes…for almost three hours.

About two hours in, she was getting lethargic and was absolutely exhausted. We called our pediatrician’s answering service (of course, it was a Sunday), and explained the situation. We were told our main concern was dehydration. Since we were at a much higher altitude (7,000ft) than our home in Phoenix (1,000ft), this was even more of a concern. Ultimately, we decided to take her to a very good local hospital that had a pediatrics unit (thank you Santa Fe Christus St. Vincent!). Fortunately, while waiting nearly an hour for a doctor, she began to perk up and show signs of recovery. By the time the doctor showed up, she was starting to smile and get her color back. The doctor was a bit perplexed, but once again, we were told it was probably a stomach bug and to take a few more days off from the cereal. Since her primary nourishment was still coming from breast milk, and since we were really just getting started with “solid” food, going a few days without cereal didn’t really concern us. Again, we felt that made sense…but we were now definitely sensing that there was something more to all of this.

So, where do we go from here?

To be continued…

Be sure to also check out Part 2 of this series, and if you have any questions about how we are dealing with food restrictions, please let us know.  Also, please join in the conversation on our website, on Twitter, and on Facebook to share your own stories of dealing with childhood dietary issues.

Rethinking Infant Immunization Schedules

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Leading up to the birth of our daughter, one of the major decisions that my wife and I discussed and researched at length was the immunization schedule that we would follow. Now let me be clear from the very start here…we are not anti-vaccine. Not even close. My wife is a nurse and I am an engineer and we definitely understand, respect, and value modern medicine. However, we were concerned with overwhelming our beautiful baby girl’s body with too many vaccine doses a little too quickly.

When it comes to immunizations, one area that gets a lot of press is the potential link to autism. Many autism activists claim that vaccinations cause autism. While scientific medical studies have pretty clearly discounted and ruled out any links between vaccines and autism, the press that it receives helped to raise our overall awareness and curiosity of the possible side effects of immunizations, as well as various other concerns and alternatives.

As such, we did a fair amount of research online, we spoke with friends and family that had similar questions, we spoke with our pediatrician, and we evaluated the various options that were generally accepted by the medical community.  We discovered two options that we were comfortable with…follow the standard full vaccination schedule published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) or a modified full vaccination schedule that spread out the timing of injections. Ultimately, we decided to go with a modified schedule, and after careful consideration and consultation, we chose the schedule recommended by Dr. Bob Sears.

One of the main differences for the vaccination schedule from Dr. Bob is that it defers the Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B shots to age 2-1/2 to 3-1/2, rather than Day 1 (day of birth) and throughout years 1 and 2.  While we do believe the Hepatitis shots are important for the long-term health of our daughter, we just did not feel that this was necessary at such a young age. If your child may be in a situation where the risk factors are higher (family member with Hep or living internationally), it may make sense to pull this back in.

Another key distinction is that the various shots and boosters are spread out over an increased number of visits. THIS MEANS YOU WILL NEED TO VISIT YOUR PEDIATRICIAN A LITTLE MORE OFTEN OVER YOUR CHILD’S FIRST YEAR. The necessary interim visits are usually just nurse visits, which allow you to get in and out fairly quickly, and usually do not require a visit charge/co-pay.  If you think your job or your proximity to your pediatrician may make these extra visits difficult, then you will probably just want to stick with the AAP schedule.  Reaching full immunization is critical to the long-term health and well-being of your child.

Here is the recommended schedule, as illustrated in The Vaccine Book, by Dr. Bob Sears. If you decide that this might be for you, please pick up his book at Amazon or borrow from your local public library.

For your reference, here is a look at the recommended immunization schedule as published by the AAP and CDC for 2011.

Please do your own research, talk things over with your pediatrician, and make the decision that is best for you and your family. Share your thoughts and feedback on this very important topic in the comments below and please let me know of you have any questions.

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Recommended Books for New Parents

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Prior to the birth of our daughter, and over the past fifteen months since, we have received great advice and recommendations from friends and family.  This website is one of the things we decided to use to share and pass on this wealth of knowledge that we have gathered.  As such, we had the following books recommended to us, and we found them to be invaluable.  We encourage you to pick them up at your local book store or borrow them from your local public library.  Enjoy!

 

  • On Becoming Baby Wise – We had this recommended to us by several friends.  We followed their sleeping and feeding scheduling guidelines pretty strictly.  We also took the notion of full-feeding very seriously, and attribute that to our daughter’s even temperament and relaxed personality.  We also believe the Babywise principles played a significant role in her being such a great sleeper (slept thru the night consistently by 8 weeks) and a great eater.
  • Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child– In addition to the Babywise principles, we used the guidelines in this book to further refine our daughter’s sleep schedules, and to help us manage our expectations.
  • What to Expect Books – Pregnancy/First Year/Second Year/Toddler – Lots of good nuggets of info in these books that helped us prepare beforehand for the first week at home with our daughter, and then the first several months after birth.  These books also really helped us to manage our expectations and provide a sort of roadmap for our daughter’s growth and development.  These books have good lists of developmental milestones that you can track each month to make sure the baby is on track with things.  These milestones gave us ideas as to when to introduce and work on rolling, crawling, and walking…as well as new toys to keep our daughter engaged.  We usually started a month or two before they recommended and we have been ahead of schedule most of the way so far.  Be sure to pick up the First Year book while still pregnant, as it will help with post-birth planning (i.e. picking a pediatrician, feeding supplies, breastfeeding, illness, childcare, etc.)
  • The Happiest Baby on the Block– This DVD has great advice and demos on how to calm your baby and keep your sanity.  Some of these methods seem like magic…but most of them worked for us.  Definitely good to help ease your anxiety and manage a fussy, overtired baby.
  • Dare to Discipline – Dare to Discipline is fairly religious, but the overall concepts are sound in helping to set boundaries and expectations with your little one early on.  The original version of the book is outdated (circa 1975) in its examples, but the concepts are the same.  The newer version should be a little more relevant.
  • Top 100 Baby Purees – This book provides a great base if you are interested in making your own baby food.  All you need is a food processor/blender, a few ice cube trays, and two hours every couple weeks.  We did this almost exclusively, with some supplementing with squeezy packs from Ella’s Kitchen, Happy Tot, and Plum while on the go.  It is easier than it sounds…at least according to my wife…and you know exactly what you are putting into your babies body (i.e. organic fresh veggies and fruits, no preservatives, etc.).
  • Making the “Terrible” Twos Terrific! – Making The Terrible Twos Terrific provides good insight on managing the typical behavior of your 18-36-month old child. It includes background on your child’s mental and emotional development during this time period, and gives you a decent understanding of what they are thinking and experiencing. It also explains how to navigate this incredibly formative time period in ways that will have a lasting impact on how your child will act and carry themselves as a teen…and ultimately how they will function as an adult. Definitely a worthwhile read.

Do you have other favorite books that you have found helpful and would recommend?  Any thoughts on the books listed above?  If so, please share and engage with our community in the comments below.  Thanks!

 

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Does Baby Sign Language Really Work?

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Sure…give it a try.

Long before our daughter arrived…or was even on the way…we had heard about friends teaching their babies sign language in order to help them better communicate prior to learning to talk.  My wife and I were both intrigued and agreed that this was something that we would try.  The sooner we could communicate with our baby the better.

It is widely accepted/known that babies usually have the ability to communicate long before they are able to speak.  This often leads to frustration for both the baby and the parents, as this communication breakdown is often at the core of basic fussiness and tantrums.  Sign language can often allow parents to quickly understand what is bothering their baby or what the baby needs, and to resolve the situation quickly…which is obviously great for all involved.

We were not quite sure where to begin, so we started in the most logical places…a bookstore, the library, and the Internet.  One of the books we picked up was Baby Signing For Dummies.  We skimmed through it and learned some good high level information such as when and how to introduce signing to your baby.  From there, we mainly relied on some cheat sheets that we pulled from the Internet.

To find these cheat sheets, go to Google, search for “baby sign language chart”, hit the images tab for a bunch of decent options, and print out a few to keep around for reminders.  This chart was probably the most useful for us… http://www.babies-and-sign-language.com/images/chartbwbig2.jpg.  It is very basic, but has most of the key signs.  The ones we use the most are eat/food, milk, more, finished/all done, thank you, and please.  We were using mother and father, but then our daughter just started saying those instead (mama/dada).  🙂

We started introducing signing to our daughter pretty early on, around 4-5 months, primarily before/during/after feeding her a bottle.  She seemed to start understanding some of the signs around 9-10 months, and she started using some of them herself around 12 months (eat/food, milk, and more)…which was definitely pretty cool.  Over the past couple months, we have continued to practice signing with her, and have introduced a few more to her (I love you, please, thank you, and dirty diaper).  However, at nearly 15 months, she is now trying to just speak the words instead, so it seems that our days of signing may be limited.

Definitely give it a shot, but please remember to be patient, persistent, and consistent.  The first time your baby signs back, it will make it all worth while.  Enjoy!  …and please share your own stories of success and challenges with teaching sign language to your baby.

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