Favorite Product Friday #2

This week my favorite product is the Sassy “Me In The Mirror” baby mirror.

All parents hear about the importance of tummy time for their baby. Depending on how your preemie develops, he/she may spend more than the normal amount of time on his/her tummy. With our daughter's lung problems, we have been working on strengthening her arms, chest, etc. on her tummy for what seems like a really long time. In the beginning, my daughter would get bored or cranky after only a short time so it made it difficult to really work on her PT time. Thankfully I found this great mirror that is free-standing so I can put it up anywhere. The free standing part is a lifesaver because I don't have to constantly keep adjusting it so she can see herself like I did with the toys that had mirrors. She loves the mirror and has continued to enjoy playing with it as she has progressed from just watching herself, to reaching out and playing with the various things on the mirror.

Honorable Mention

The Baby Angelbug Kick and Grow Tummy Zone looks like an absolutely great device for babies who are just starting out on tummy time. We haven't used one but it looks like a great purchase. It was created by a physician so it combines a lot of great things into one product including a mirror, bolster to encourage kids to kick and push and support so that babies don't arch their backs. Definitely something to consider if your baby hasn't started rolling over yet.

Car Seats

A car seat is one of the most important baby gear items that you will buy for your baby. There are a lot of options out there today with a range of prices and colors. When you have a preemie, you may have to purchase a special car seat that can accommodate a smaller baby. Most standard infant car seats today are made for babies that are 5 pounds to 22 pounds. If your baby is going to go home at less than 5 pounds than you need to buy a car seat that is built for babies that are 4 pounds or more. Even if your baby will weigh 5 pounds at discharge, you may still want to consider buying a smaller car seat because preemies are often still smaller than most babies and need the extra support. On the flip side, if your baby is going home at a regular baby weight than you don’t need to automatically buy a special seat just because they are a preemie. By the time our daughter came home she weighed 8 pounds and she fit just fine into our regular car seat. We did have to purchase a smaller car seat for our son because he came home at 4 ½ pounds.

When you look at car seats, bring a measuring tape. If your baby is small, than you will want to buy one that has a low shoulder harness position that is 8 inches or lower from the seat bottom to the lower harness strap. That usually means that the car seat will need to have at least 3 shoulder harness position options. You also want to make sure that the distance from the crotch strap to the seat back is less than 5 ½ inches so that there is less of a chance that your baby will slump forward.

Here is a list of car seats that accommodate babies that weigh 4 pounds or more:

Britax Companion – from four to 22 pounds
Chicco Keyfit 30 – from four to 30 pounds
Combi Connection – up to 22 pounds (no minimum weight)
Compass – from four to 22 pounds

Modifications – some hospitals will roll blankets to help your baby better fit into the car seat. They may put blanket rolls on both sides of your baby to provide support for the head and neck and/or a small rolled blanket between the crotch strap to further reduce the risk of slouching. There are commercially made inserts that can be purchased from medical supply companies.

Car Seat Test – Before your baby leaves the NICU, they will most likely go through a “car seat test.” The nurse will have you bring in your car seat and they will have your baby stay in it for a couple of hours to ensure that they don’t have any breathing issues while sitting in it. This is also a great time to make sure that your baby will fit properly into the car seat that you have purchased.

NICU Transitions

Transitions are often difficult. When we move from one phase to another, we have to learn new rules, procedures, and expectations. This is very true in the NICU. Depending on how early or fragile your baby was when he/she was born, you may go through several transitions while you are in the NICU. Here is a brief overview of some of those transitions and some tips on what to expect.


1) Critical - Babies who are born very small, early or with major medical issues are classified as critical. Especially in the beginning, these babies often have 1:1 care which means one nurse is assigned to only take care of him/her. When doctors do their rounds, they see these patients first. The doctors will usually check on these babies more often throughout the day. During this time, the nurse can easily focus on you when you visit since they are only taking care of your baby. You will most likely feel a heightened sense of urgency as your baby is in an important time that can often determine how well they do down the line. They usually have to do more tests during this time including x-rays, ultrasounds, lab work, etc. Don't be afraid to ask the nurses what tests are being done that day and ask for the results of those tests when you call or visit.

2) Once babies move out of the critical stage but still require a lot of support, they will often have 2:1 care - meaning that one nurse will take care of two babies. Doctors will see your baby after the most critical patients. The nurses are still very focused on your baby however they may have to work with the other baby in their care while you are there.

3) Feeder/Grower - After your baby gets past big hurdles such as ventilation, being able to take regular feedings, etc. they usually move into the stage called "feeder/grower." This is literally the state where babies need to eat and grow bigger so they can go home. Some babies start in this phase and go home from there. During this time your baby may be on 3:1 care - meaning one nurse has three babies. They will often put newer nurses or nurses who are covering from pediatrics with these babies. This may mean that the nurse won't be as familiar with your baby or any special requests that you have. Don't be afraid to let them know if they aren't doing something that is normally done. The good news is that this is usually a phase where the parents get to spend a lot of hands on time with the baby. You can hold your baby more, give them more baths, feed them regularly, etc. This phase is preparing you for when you finally get to take your baby home. The doctors normally round on these babies last so don't be surprised if it is mid-morning or early afternoon before they give orders for the day.

Once your baby is getting closer to going home, it may feel like your baby isn't getting as much focused attention as before. In a way - that is a good thing. The nurses are still making sure that your baby is getting what he/she needs but they are in a much more stable condition and getting ready to go home to you so they don't require the same level of nursing care. I remember one evening when my daughter was in the NICU and had been there for 4 months already. I came in late one night and one of the nurses had her out and was trying to play paddy cake with her. It was great to see her being treated like a "normal" baby and really made me realize how far she had come.

As your baby moves through different phases, try and get an idea of what to expect. How many babies is your nurse assigned too? What new things can I do as a parent? When do the doctors normally come around to see my baby? If you get moved to a new room or floor, find out if there are different rules or locations for things.

Favorite Product Friday

Welcome to a new feature - Favorite Product Friday. Each week I'll be highlighting a product that I have found to be incredibly useful as a parent of a preemie.

This week my favorite product is the Spark by Skip Hop Diaper Bag. This is the Target version of the more expensive Skip Hop Diaper Bag.

I bought this bag a month ago and I am already in love with it. Now, we all know that babies have a lot of stuff. I'm still seriously in awe over the fact that the smaller the person the more stuff you have to bring. Having a preemie sometimes means that the pile of stuff gets even bigger (or at least harder to carry). For my daughter we have to bring her oxygen tank, monitor, diaper bag (with extra feeding tube supplies as well as the usual stuff), medical binder, appointment calendar, stuff for my son, my iPod, phone and keys to every appointment.

Thankfully I have a stroller that fits most of it but the biggest problem I had was the diaper bag. Every time I put it on my shoulder something would fall out or it would slip off my shoulder. I needed something that was big enough to hold everything and had a lot of pockets to keep things separate and easy to find.

The best thing about the Spark bag is the ability to hook it onto the stroller. You just unhook the shoulder strap and then there are extra hooks to put it onto the stroller. This way I don't have to carry it or worry that stuff is falling out. It also means I can keep a hand on my son without worrying about the bag slipping. If you already have a bag you love but want to hook it onto the stroller than try these stroller bag hooks. It also has a ton of pockets in different spots so that I can seperate things and easily find them when I need to.

Do you have a stroller bag you love? Let me know so we can highlight it.

New functionality: Categories

Looking for a specific post? Interested in a particular subject area?

Now it is easier to find information within a certain area or read past posts. I've created a list of categories so that you can read posts that relate to a specific topic. I'll be adding new categories as needed.

Also, check back later today for a new feature called Favorite Product Friday. Every Friday I'll be highlighting products that are favorites of mine - things that make life easier, better or just plain fun.

Specialists in the hospital

Beyond the neonatologist, your baby may be seen by other specialists while he/she is in the NICU. Most NICUs have an occupational therapist, physical therapist, nutritionist, gastroenterologist, optometrist, pulmonologist, and cardiologist that are available to work with babies as needed. These specialists can bring a lot of valuable information and insight to your babies condition and care. Here are some tips for working with these specialists:

1) Ask. Ask your baby's nurse if anyone has or will be seeing your baby that day. If the specialist is coming for a specific issue/problem than the nurse should know. The OT, PT and nutritionist often have regular hours that they are in the NICU so find out if any of them have come to check on your baby. The opthamologist should also have regular times that he/she comes in to do exams. Some of the other specialists may only come in on an as needed basis.

2) Notes. Anytime a specialist comes to see your baby, they will at least make a note in his/her chart. Depending on need, they may also leave a note for you. If you know that someone has been by to see your baby - ask what notes/comments were made. Depending on the specialist, they may make changes to your baby's feeding, routine, etc. Feel free to ask questions about those changes.

3) Talk to them. If you want to speak to the specialist, let the nurse know. They can often help arrange for you to speak to them. It can be extremely helpful to meet with the specialist while they are examining your baby so you can ask questions and get an idea of your baby's status. If the specialist doesn't work directly in the hospital, find out how you can contact them to ask follow-up questions.

4) Follow-up. If your baby is going to need continued care from a specialist outside of the NICU , find out if they are available for follow-up appointments. It is often really helpful to have continuity from the NICU to home.

The specialists are a great addition to the team of doctors who already take care of your baby. Make sure you take advantage of them!

The Great Soap Showdown

In January I wrote an entry about ways to get kids to wash their hands more frequently. Since then I've had a few people ask me about some of the soaps mentioned and whether or not they are effective for getting kids to wash their hands. So I thought that we would do a little soap test with me and my four-year-old.

The Contenders:

SquidSoap by Airborne
Dial ColorClean

Softsoap Foam Works

The Results:

SquidSoap by Airborne

Overall: Conceptually my son was most interested in this soap. He was fascinated with the idea that the little squid on the bottle would "ink" his hand. He wanted to try that one first and has since asked to use that one most of the time. I thought that the design was quite appealing for a kid - almost toy like in nature which is usually a good thing. I also liked the fact that it comes with a removable cap for the ink part of the soap. This helps prevent kids from trying to ink their hands many times and allows you to prevent guests from being surprise inked.

How it worked: My son is still working on the mechanics of putting one hand on the dispenser and one hand underneath to catch the soap so he had a little trouble initially as it is vital for the person washing their hands to put their hand on the ink spot. Since the soap was clear he almost spilled it out of his hand a couple of times. In order to get the spot to go away, you really have to scrub hard. Even after several tries there is still a light spot on your hand but it does go away after time.

Putting the ink on his hands

The ink spot

The remaining ink spot after washing hands for about 20-30 seconds.

Pros: This soap is definitely a great one for kids (especially younger ones) from an interest perspective. It really requires your to scrub hard which is good because most kids just try and lightly rub their hands together while their washing.

Cons: The soap is clear so it's hard to keep it on your hands if you aren't paying attention. The ink spot doesn't disappear completely after hand washing.

Dial Color Clean
Overall: My son had a harder time understanding how this soap worked. I think he was expecting a bigger impact when the beads popped and changed the lather to green. He really liked the smell of this one which was a big plus for him. The little beads in the clear soap made it easier for him to see. I liked this one because it can go in a bathroom without looking like an obvious kid soap.

How it worked: Once the soap is in your hand, you have to really work to pop the beads and have them turn the lather green. The beads are pretty small so you really have to try hard to get them. I think if the green was bigger/brighter than my son might have enjoyed this soap even more.

This is what the soap with the beads looked like.

Pros: This soap really requires you to wash for a longer period of time which is great. It also encourages you to scrub all parts of your hands as the beads move around. The smell is really nice without being overpowering.

Cons: I think little kids have a harder time getting "the point" of this one so they might find it less fun. Older kids might like this one because they can better understand how it works.

Softsoap Foam Works
Overall: We normally use a foam soap for our son because he likes to be able to see where the soap is and instantly have lather on his hands. We bought the berry scented on to see if the smell would make it anymore exciting than his regular soap. The smell was nice but it didn't really affect his choice. He still does well with this soap because he can make his "soap gloves" easily and the soap doesn't slide off his hands as fast.

The lather from the foam soap

How it worked: This soap works like any other soap. Again, the nice thing about the foam is that kids can see it and get instant lather which they usually like.

Pros: The smell. My son did like how it smelled. The foam works great and lasts for a long time so my son was able to get his 15-20 seconds of hand washing in.

Cons: It doesn't come with an exciting concept but otherwise there isn't really anything to take away from this soap.

In the end I think all of the soaps had something to offer. If you're thinking about buying some for your kids, I would take into account how old they are and how likely they are to buy into whichever concept the soap the has.

Have fun and celebrate the clean hands!