Let mummies feel safe - Support Save the Children's Campaign for more Health Workers in Africa

I grew up in Germany and live in the UK now. Both countries provide excellent medical care for young and old and this gives me as a parent a huge feeling of security. I know that if Amy is feeling unwell, I can see a doctor. I know that if she should ever get seriously ill, there will be an ambulance or even a helicopter there to ensure she gets medical help as quick as possible. Mums in developing countries don't know this feeling. Many of them have to carry their ill babies for days to get to the nearest doctor - just to find out that they're too late. To find out that their baby is dying. Help giving these mums a feeling of security. Help providing a wider availability of health care in developing countries. Help saving lives!

 

Copyright: Save the Children

On Tuesday, fellow blogger Chris Mosler (@ChristineMosler) will attend the UN General Assembly in New York. She is going there with Liz Scarff on behalf of Save the Children to pressure David Cameron to play his full part in solving the health worker crisis. There is a target of 60,000 signatures on the petition by Tuesday. At the moment that petition sits at 41,849 can we change that? Sure we can! 

Let's pull together, people power and make Chris proud. Lets do our damnedest to make sure she goes on Tuesday armed with 60,000 signatures.

1. Sign the petition!
2. Why not take part in the challenge set by HelloItsGemma and Michelle? They want (need) to see 100 posts of 100 words linked up here by Tuesday. If 100 bloggers write a post and encourage more signatures it will go a long way to obtaining those much needed remaining 20,000 signatures! Write your 100 words about a great health professional you have encountered in your life.
3. Add a link to the petition and either link or add in some information from Save the Children about the #Healthworkers campaign.
4. Link to bloggers and vloggers you know and encourage them to take part.
5. Spread the news on Facebook, Twitter, any way you can.

My 100 words:
When I gave birth to Amy, things got really worrying at some point during labour. Her heart beat slowed down every time I had a contraction and the doctors had to take blood from her head to see if she was alright. They found out that my contractions were too strong for her, so the doctors and midwives decided that it would be safer for Amy if we turned the drip down. In an African village there is no chance to find out if your baby is fine. There is no chance to ensure their safety. The baby would die!

The lovely bloggers I’d love to see take part are:

Carol from Dance Without Sleeping
Mirka from All Baby Advice
Adele from Circus Queen
Ella from Purple Mum
Jenny from Mummy Mishaps
Frances from Mother Venting

Mummy Alarm Review: BuggyTug

A couple of weeks ago, we were sent a BuggyTug to review and if you have been to hilly Bristol before, you will have already guessed that this clever invention was very much appreciated in our household. The BuggyTug is the UK’s first pram wrist strap and is designed to ensure that should you take your hands off the pram that it won’t go rolling down the hill.

 

What does Mummy Alarm think about the BuggyTug? The wrist strap is made out of black neoprene and super comfy. The BuggyTug doesn't cut into your skin and your hands don't get sweaty when you have it wrapped around your wrist. In fact, it is so light that, even while going for a longer walk, you don't notice that you are actually wearing the BuggyTug.

The main benefit of the BuggyTug however is its simplicity. It might look a little plain but it does exactly what it promises on the box. There are no funky patterns on it, it is short (making sure it doesn't get tangled) and you can easily wrap it around your wrist without having to read a novel-like manual. Most of all it keeps your little one save without breaking your bank. The BuggyTug costs £3.99 and is available on the official BuggyTug website where you can also find a list of other stockists. For me it is an absolute must-have for new mums because it just gives you the little extra bit piece of mind that you need when you take your baby out for their first big walk.

Review: Philips AVENT DECT 535/00 Baby Monitor

Product: Philips ADVENT DECT Baby Monitor

Price: £100 (RRP)

Available from: Philips, Amazon and other retailers

Suitable from: birth

Initial reaction: We first thought a monitor was only for checking on your baby. Little did we know that a baby monitor can come with so many useful functions as the Philips AVENT DECT 535/00. Brilliant!

Pros: crystal clear sound, long reach (330m), eco-friendly, no interference with other electrical gadgets, humidity and temperature control, long operating time, plays lullabys

Cons: buttons on baby unit aren't lit so you either need to memorise them or switch ceiling light on, night light is not very bright and lullabys just run for abour 2 mins

Value for money: Yes

Overall reaction: This is our first baby, therefore we are not really experienced when it comes to baby monitors. I even have to admit that I was a bit worried that the technical side of them would be slightly overwhelming, but you can lean back and relax. The Philip Advent DECT 535/00 is so easy to set up that we didn't even have to look into the manual to figure out how it works. Easy peasy! As we live in a three storey house it is really important for us that the monitor has a long reach and doesn't interfere with any other gadgets around the house. We took the parent unit into every single room of the house and it passed our test with an A*. There was no interference with any other electronic devices and we could here all noises coming from the nursery loud and clear. An added bonus of the monitor is its lullaby function. The songs are slightly short and only play for a couple of minutes but they are brilliant if your little one just needs a little soothing without you wanting to interfere. Another great feature, that is especially comforting for us as first time parents, is the integrated humidity and temperature control that allows you to check if baby's room is warm enough whenever you need that little bit of reassurance. The only thing we have to criticize is that the night light is slightly too weak and that the baby unit doesn't come with any lighting that is strong enough for you to distinguish between the different buttons. If you don't want to wake baby up by putting the ceiling light on, you'll have to find some alternative light source such as a mobile phone or something similar to it. Overall, the Philips Advent DECT 535/00 is a brilliant product though, that will allow us to sit back without being overly careful first time parents.

Q&A: Your questions answered by swimming expert Anne Hawley

A couple of days back I asked you to send in your questions for swimming expert Anne Hawley and I have to say you've done me proud. Today is the day that you'll get the answers to your questions. Where questions have been very similar to each other, I have simply transformed them into one single question. So if you find a paragraph that answers your question but the question doesn't sound exactly like you've sent it, that's the reason:

My partner keeps telling me to take our daughter to a baby swimming class. I only learnt swimming when I started primary school. So why should my baby learn swimming from an early age?

There are many benefits to babies swimming. Any form of exercise is fantastic at any age and swimming is great for the respiratory system, thus helping to promote healthy sleeping and feeding routines. There is also an important bonding factor which many fathers experience especially with a newborn when Mummy is breast feeding, they can sometimes feel left out. And of course to learn the breath holding skill from a baby means they will never remember learning to swim it will just be a second nature to them but a reassuring life saving skill for the parents.

Some pools say babies should have their immunisations before swimming others don't. What should I believe?
The World Health Authority recommends infants receive their first course of injections before visiting a public pool. Breast fed babies however, receive immunisation from the mother but always check with your health visitor or GP before going to a public pool.

What equipment do we need and which swimming nappies are the best to use?

No swimming equipment is necessary to teach your baby to swim and good quality swim nappies are readily available at many stores. I do not at present endorse any particular brand.

My eyes are always burning because of the chlorine. Does my baby/toddler need goggles for protection?

For safety reasons manufacturers do not make swimming goggles for infants under 3 years old. If your child is suffering perhaps try a different pool. There are many chemical free pools now, such as Ozone and Mineral water treatment pools.

How do I find the right class for my baby? Should the instructor have certain certificates?

Instructors should always be qualified and only use experienced swimming teachers who can demonstrate their ability to teach all ages not just babies.

Five Top Tips:
1. Visit classes.

2. Look at the progress of the infants and watch to see if they are happy.

3. Visit your local pool: most local authority pools now run regular and affordable sessions.

4. A qualified lifeguard should be present.

5. The safe supervision ratio is 1 instructor to a maximum of 6 infants larger classes are dangerous.

I'm afraid of water. How do I make sure I don't pass my fear onto my child?

Possibly now is the time to try to overcome your fear of water. Try adult classes or even a simple holistic approach of hypnotherapy sessions to help you feel more comfortable in water. In the meantime a close relative may be able to help?

I can't afford paying for a baby swimming course and would like to teach my child myself. What exercises do you suggest for which age group?
Teaching your baby to swim is now available by either downloading my iTune apps or buying from Amazon my book Swim Baby Swim. If you do choose classes ensure you are getting your monies worth. You shouldn't be attending classes for more than two terms without seeing some amazing results. If that's happening to you talk to your swimming company. Ask why you are not seeing results! 

Our son has almost finished his baby swimming classes. What is next?
If your son is not swimming solo you will need to ask your swimming company what happens next? My babies all swim before their first birthday often achieving swims of over 10m unaided.

Competition and Review: The Me Finder

A busy shopping centre, an amusement park or a hectic train station can all be part of your much loved family trips but they are also crowded places that make it easy for your little one to get distracted and lost. To make sure that your day out doesn't end in a scary hide and seek game, Claire Barnder from Show & Tell Ltd. has developed a digital security wristband for children.

The Me Finder allows you to store up to 5 phone numbers that can easily be saved and accessed by pressing just a couple of buttons. Before you leave the house, make sure that the monitor displays the number of the person that is with your child. You can then teach your child to “Show & Tell”: This simply means that they show their wristband to a safe adult and tell them to phone you while they wait for you to pick them up. The Me Finder comes in three funky and colourful designs and is super-lightweight. Its straps are made form very soft plastic so the Me Finder is comfortable to wear. Furthermore, there is a child-proof safety catch on the wristband to make sure that it doesn't get lost while playing. But that's not the only thing Claire thought of when developing the Me Finder: The wirstband is also water-resistant so that it is ideal for the beach or pool and most importantly, your child can't change the settings by playing with random buttons. Instead, they will be rewarded with some simple animations before the screen automatically defaults back to the phone number. Sounds too easy? Well, it gets better: If you don't belong to the group of tech-savvy parents you can even get your numbers pre-programmed. Simple fill in a form when ordering the wristband online and it will come ready to use.

The Me Finder costs £14.99, is available in pink, green and brown and can be ordered online from Show & Tell Ltd.

I have a whopping ten Me Finders to give away to ten lucky readers.

How to enter the competition:

1. Follow my blog using Google Friend Connect - required
2. Share this competition on Twitter including @caro_mad and the link to this competition (you can use the button below) - required
3. Leave a comment telling me what you have done to enter the competition - required

For extra entries:

4. Subscribe to Mummy Alarm using the email form in the top right hand corner
5. Follow Mummy Alarm via Networked Blogs
6. Like Mummy Alarm on Facebook

Please, do not forget to let me know how many entries you get using seperate comments.

The closing date of the competition is 04/03/2011

The winners will be chosen at random.

The winners' names will be shown on this page.

Competition is open to residents of the UK only.

The prize is non-refundable and cannot be transferred. No cash alternative is available.

ThePrizeFinder - UK Competitions

And the winners of a Me Finder each are 

@ Northernstar6

@netcurtains

@stressybessy914

@laurenawoodward

@FlorrieFloyd

@Bobbity666

@emma1111111

@gingerbread_mum

@jumblyMummy

@superamazingmum

Congratulations - I will be in touch shortly!

Q&A: Your questions for swimming expert Anne Hawley

I am happy to announce that Mummy Alarm is doing its first big Q&A (15th February 2011) with baby and toddler swimming expert Anne Hawley.

Since 1974 Anne Hawley has been widely recognised as the pioneer and expert of infant swimming. As a published author of two best selling 'how to' infant swimming books, Swim Baby Swim (1984) and (1987) Penguin books and more recently My Waterbabies (1991) both still available from Amazon Books today. Her reputation and lifelong commitment to safely swimming infants has resulted in her distinct, innovative and unique method of swimming babies being copied all over the world.

Whether you are a keen swimmer who wants to know when to introduce your baby to the swimming pool or whether you want to find out about tips and tricks to make your little one more comfortable in the water, now is your chance to get advice from a true expert - so get involved.

Send me your questions for Anne either via email through the contact form or leave a comment underneath this post. Dead line is 10th February 2011.

Competition: Win CARES for your child's holiday safety

The holiday season is around the corner and many of you will fly into the sun whilst on a plane for at least a couple of hours.

I don't want to unneccessarily worry you: But have you ever wondered about your child's safety considering there is only a lap belt to hold your child in case of an accident? All car seats or high chairs come with a great variety of safety features and several harnesses to make sure that your little one is safe. A plane that travels at a high speed however only provides you with a simple lap belt to ensure your toddler's or child's safety.

Louise Stoll, a former Department of Transport executive, found the perfect safety feature for parents traveling with children. The product called CARES stands for Child Aviation Restraint System and is a safety device designed for children who weigh between 22-44 lbs and that are sitting in their own airplane seats. The device that only weighs 1lb and provides an equivalent level of safety (ELOS) to a car seat can be used with every regular aeroplane lap belt and installs in just one minute on any size plane seat. A special DVD and instruction card guarantee the correct installation on board and a carrying pouch makes sure that you've got all your equipment together when you go on your holiday. CARES is currently allowed on all major EU airlines, all UK airlines and in the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Singapoore, Switerland and Israel. In the UK it can only be bought from Mothercare's Online Store for £79.99 but because I know that holidays are expensive enough, I have one CARES to give away in today's competition.

How to enter the competition:

1. Follow my blog using Google Friend Connect (required)
2. Leave a comment telling me what country you'd love to take your child to (required)

For 1 extra entry:

● mention this giveaway on Twitter including @caro_mad and the link to this competition (you can use the button below to share this post, but do not forget adding my name to assure I see that you have tweeted)

Please, do not forget to let me know how many entries you get using seperate comments.

The closing date of the competition is 14/02/2011

The winners will be chosen at random.

The winners' name will be shown on this page.

Competition is open to residents of the UK only.

The prize is non-refundable and cannot be transferred. No cash alternative is available

ThePrizeFinder - UK Competitions

And the winners of the CARES device is 

Jane Willis -  @compergrapevine

Congratulations - I will be in touch shortly!