Easter Reminded Me of the Miracles That Are My Children

Greetings from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! Things have been busy. I am still a working mom of three, working full time who is trying to make a difference. I do a lot of things and try to be present so that I can learn from them. I share them on this blog so that we can learn together. Below are some thoughts, hacks, and/or lessons that I have learned from navigating my world. Below is a tale of my road to becoming the mother of three. It was a road filled with joys and disappointments. However, I wouldn't giving nothing for my journey now. Here's to embracing every step of the journey, even the painful ones, and embracing the lessons learned along the way.

Juju Band, The Answer to Crying Babies (A guest post by Julio Guerra and Julie Acevedo)

Parents can use all of the help that they can get to help soothe a crying baby.  Here's something that just might work!




____________________________________________________________________

Baby belly binders have been used throughout the world for centuries.  This traditional practice has been used by the Hawaiian Filipino, Latin and English cultures since the early 1800’s. An early version of the abdominal binder from the 1800’s can be found at the science museum at http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/objects/display.aspx?id=92523 
Baby belly binders are used for multiple purposes. First, it helps to keep the stomach warm and that reduces colic. It also functions as a covering to keep the diaper from rubbing against the umbilical stump, thereby reducing friction and irritation. Lastly, it keeps the stump dry after cleaning and protects it from urination. This helps reduce the likelihood of infection. 
 The stump is tissue that remains attached to your baby's navel (umbilicus) after the umbilical cord is cut at birth. The stump gradually dries and shrivels until it falls off, usually 1 to 2 weeks after birth. It is important that you keep the umbilical cord stump and surrounding skin clean and dry. This basic care helps prevent infection. It may also help the umbilical cord stump to fall off and the navel to heal more quickly.

In additional to the known medical uses for baby binders, there are some old customs that are still widely used by many cultures today.
One old custom involves using a baby belly binder around baby’s belly to help baby achieve a perfect “innie”, as opposed to the “outie” appearance, where the navel is protruding. In some cases, a coin is also placed on the navel before the binder is wrapped around the waist in the belief that it will “hold the abdominal contents in”. There is, actually, a medical explanation for this. It is common for a newborn to have weak abdominal muscles, as well as abdominal muscles that are not fused in the center (the umbilical region), hence the abdominal or umbilical hernia. These muscles normally grow in strength and size in 3 to 4 years, allowing the muscle to fuse, and the hernia or the hole to close. If you are concerned about your baby having an umbilical hernia, consult your pediatrician. (Courtesy of Smart Parenting)
Julio Guerra and Julie Acevedo know the importance of the long-time tradition of baby belly binding and have created the Juju Band.  The band comes with an adjustable Velcro strap that is baby approved. It is soft, safe and easy for any family to use. The piece is handcrafted and simple, perfect for the on-the-go and busy family dynamics seen today. Juju Bands also have a cotton layer that is machine washable.  For more information visit http://jujuband.com
Enhanced by Zemanta

Comments