Month: March 2019

Did you know 3 out of 4 car seats are installed and/or used improperly? That is outrageous! The following is for rear and forward facing children. (Booster seat safety to follow)

When you first get your hands on your child’s carseat look through the manual. Read it all the way through. I know it seems silly, if you do you will know the ins and outs of your car seat. Once you are done look over your car seat. Make sure you know where the model number, manufacture date and expiration dates are.

Tighten and loosen the harness a couple times, so you know the motions.

Before you install your seat into the vehicle you want to fit your child into the seat. Trust me when I say its a whole lot easier to adjust the harness in your home vs outside. If this is not possible fitting your child outside of the home is doable.

Fitting your child:

Rear facing child age: newborn –  at least 2+ 

Fully loosen the harness, separate the chest clip and crotch buckles. once separated place  the left piece on the left and the right on the right.

place the child in the seat, making sure their bottom is all the way back and they are not slouching

now slide the child’s arms into each shoulder strap

Buckle the crotch buckles

Slide the chest clip buckles as far down to the crotch buckles as possible

Tighten the harness until you can not pinch any of the webbing, safekids.org says “Make sure your harness is snug enough by doing the Pinch Test. After you buckle and tighten the harness, pinch the harness at the shoulder. If the harness is snug, your fingers will slide off the webbing. If the harness is loose, you will be able to pinch the webbing between your fingers. A loose harness is a common mistake and is not safe.”

Check the thigh area make sure no extra webbing is there. If there is some pull the slack through the buckles so the slack is near the chest clip. Tighten again and repeat the pinch test

Chest Clip: The chest clip should be placed at armpit height. Tip: If you take your thumb and pointer finger to make L’s. Then place each pointer finger in the child’s armpits with your thumbs pointing towards each other. Your thumbs should hit the child’s chest that’s where the chest clip goes.

Harness height: a rear facing child’s harness should be at or below their shoulders. If your child’s harness is above their shoulders upon testing the fit of your child refer to the car seat manual. If you do not have your manual, most companies have the manual listed online you can look through. You can also contact The Nurturing Doula, LLC.

 

Forward facing child age: 2+ 

Fully loosen the harness, separate the chest clip and crotch buckles. once separated place  the left piece on the left and the right on the right.

place the child in the seat, making sure their bottom is all the way back and they are not slouching

now slide the child’s arms into each shoulder strap

Buckle the crotch buckles

Slide the chest clip buckles as far down to the crotch buckles as possible

Tighten the harness until you can not pinch any of the webbing, safekids.org says “Make sure your harness is snug enough by doing the Pinch Test. After you buckle and tighten the harness, pinch the harness at the shoulder. If the harness is snug, your fingers will slide off the webbing. If the harness is loose, you will be able to pinch the webbing between your fingers. A loose harness is a common mistake and is not safe.”

Check the thigh area make sure no extra webbing is there. If there is some pull the slack through the buckles so the slack is near the chest clip. Tighten again and repeat the pinch test

Chest Clip: The chest clip should be placed at armpit height. Tip: If you take your thumb and pointer finger to make L’s. Then place each pointer finger in the child’s armpits with your thumbs pointing towards each other. Your thumbs should hit the child’s chest that’s where the chest clip goes.

Harness height: a rear facing child’s harness should be at or below their shoulders. If your child’s harness is above their shoulders upon testing the fit of your child refer to the car seat manual. If you do not have your manual, most companies have the manual listed online you can look through. You can also contact The Nurturing Doula, LLC.

Installation 

video Rear Facing

video Forward Facing

If after you watch the video you still need help with your installation, please do not hesitate to contact me!

https://www.safekids.org/ultimate-car-seat-guide/

~ Katy Schmidt

The Nurturing Doula, LLC

Birth Doula, CPST and CBE

805-791-8325

http://www.thenurturingdoula.com

thenurturingdoula@hotmail.com

You and your significant other heard one of your friends mention a doula

You wonder what’s a birth doula?

You wonder why they charge so much?

A birth doula is a professionally trained birth worker, who supports you mentally and physically before, during and after delivery. Your doula supports ALL births where ever and however it happens. She can be your sole support or your 2+ support person. She helps you and your significant other help navigate labor and delivery and its many obstacles. A doula can provide comfort measures for pain relief or teach your significant other comfort measures. There are times when moms need multiple comfort measures at once. There are also times when moms need to be observed and not touched. Sometimes significant others do not realize when this happens. A doula is there to help your significant other navigate these moments. As your doula I focus on your face and take note of your expressions. I am a firm believer in letting birth happen and not resisting. I will frequently remind you to breath and relax your body and face.

The Nurturing Doula’s prices behind the scenes. From the time you sign her contract to about a month after deliver, your doula is ready to answer questions, hold your hand, listen to you, teach you, and care for you. That’s missing family functions at the drop of a hat. Missing dance recitals, martial arts testing and scouts rank advances. Leaving your significant other on their anniversary, to be with you on your wonderful day.

And I wouldn’t change it for the world.

She’s sending you links and articles. Answering texts, emails and phone calls from you at all hours. Attending your appointments as needed. When it comes to in person time. Prenatal appointments last a couple hours. Birth lasts anywhere from 6-40 hrs, she stays with you the entire time.

So heres the break down:

• 35 hours : average 30 min per day spent researching, emailing, texting or phone calls thats
• 0-15 hours for prenatal and postpartum meetings
• 6-40 hours for the birth

 

You see being your doula means I’m there for you 100% leaving all of my baggage at the door. You have my full attention. I love my doula work, I put all of my heart and soul into it! This is a special moment I do not take lightly. I do not take over anyone else’s position in your life, I simply place myself where I am needed.

All my best!

~The Nurturing Doula, LLC

Katy Schmidt

http://www.thenurturingdoula.com

You hear it all the time “breast is best” but what about when your milk supply never keeps up with your baby. What about moms who just don’t want to breast feed. What if you are a mom who tried breastfeeding but it just isn’t working for you or baby and because of that you need to formula feed. Or if you are someone who choose formula over breast feeding from the get go. Whatever your reason, you made a fantastic choice on how to feed YOUR baby. Don’t let other peoples opinions about how you feed your baby affect your feelings. You made an educated decision on what was best for you and your child. FED is BEST! 

I personally know the feeling of failure while breastfeeding, Im not going to tell you, a mom who desperately wants to breastfeed, not to feel guilty. I also will not tell a mom who chose to formula feed from the get go to feel guilty either. Try not to be so hard on yourself. If you are a mom feeling this mom guilt, remind yourself you are doing your very best and what you feel is best for your child. Us moms need to stop making other moms feel guilty for their choices, we need to pick each other up! Being a parent is hard enough without people judging us for our choices. 

So and so said that “formula feeding ruins my bonding with my baby”. Formula feeding does not equal less bonding. Bonding with your baby happens when you do anything with them. Bonding with your baby comes in all different forms. The best bonding happens when you are focused solely on your child no distractions. Talk to them even as babies, cuddle them, read to them, sing to them, most of all love on them. 

There are many different routes in which you can feed your baby. Knowing your options is half the battle. I can be here for you on this journey. Please don’t hesitate to ask for help. All my best on this new journey! 

~The Nurturing Doula, LLC

Katy Schmidt

http://www.thenurturingdoula.com