Your little one has finally arrived, but if you’re hoping to get beyond walking distance from your house – let alone leave the hospital – you’re going to need to figure out how to properly select, install, and use a car seat.

When choosing baby’s car seat, you’ll be looking for one that is rear-facing. This will be good until the baby is at least one year and a minimum of 10 kilograms (22 pounds). As soon as your baby turns one and is at least 10 kilograms, he or she can technically move to a forward-facing seat. It is important to note, however, that keeping your child in the appropriate category of seat for as long as possible is going to keep your child as safe as possible. This means that an infant should stay rear-facing until he or she outgrows the weight and/or height limits of the car seat…usually well past the first year. If you keep your little one rear-facing for as long as the seat allows, he or she is up to 500 per cent safer than a forward-facing toddler. That’s huge!

Before installing the car seat, make sure you’ve read the instructions that came with it, along with your vehicle owner’s manual. Both contain important information.

Now you’re ready to secure the car seat. If your vehicle has a Universal Anchorage System (UAS), figure out where they are, using your vehicle owner’s manual, and follow the directions. If you are using the seat belt to secure the car seat, make sure the seat belt is through the rear-facing belt path and that the seat belt is tight. Test the belt to make sure it is locked in place and won’t slip. Ultimately, you want the seat to move less than one inch in any direction.

Finally, it’s time to buckle baby up and hit the road. Make sure that the shoulder harness is threaded through the correct slot (refer to the seat’s instruction manual). The chest clip should be at baby’s armpit level, the shoulder harness should not slip off of baby’s shoulders, you should only be able to fit one finger between the harness and baby’s collar bone, and the shoulder harness should stay snug when you pull on it.

Think that once your baby isn’t a baby anymore, you’ll be done with car seats? Not so fast. Although booster seats are not law in Alberta, they are recommended for children ages four through nine, and up to 80 pounds. As well, children should not sit in the front seat until their at least 12 years old.

Properly installing and using a car seat can improve your little one’s chances of staying safe on the road by up to 75 per cent. Take the time to do it properly…your cargo is precious!

For more information on car seat safety, call Health Link Alberta at 1-866-408-LINK, or visit www.albertaseatbelts.ca.

Six Child Car Seat Safety Tips:

• Don’t rush to move a child from one stage to the next.
• By law, children must be buckled up in a children’s car seat appropriate to their size and weight.
• The safest place for children 12 and under is the back seat of your car, in the right restraint.
• Never leave a baby unattended in his or her infant car seat when in or outside of your vehicle. Many seats can tip over easily when your baby moves.
• Be careful about accessories. Items not provided by the car seat manufacturer such as liners, trays and comfort straps may interfere with the safety of the seat. Check the manufacturer’s instructions before adding accessories.
• Replace the seat. You should replace the seat if it is past its expiry date, has been in a collision, is worn or no longer meets the specifications of the child’s size.

 By Kerri Leland, Editor, Urban Infant Magazine

Every family has an ‘Uncle Bob’, who has that fancy-dancy camera. There seems to be coupons in the mail every month advertising specials from the big box store portrait centers. So why invest in a professional photographer?

Value.

With everything we purchase, we consider the “value” we receive. This is no exception when hiring a professional photographer:

Artistic vision. A professional photographer will be take special interest in getting to know you and your family, learning what makes you smile, giggle and laugh in hysterics. Whether traditional or photojournalistic, a professional works with your desires, needs and special requests to customize the experience and capture your moments.

High end, professional equipment. A professional photographer will have professional  equipment and more importantly, will also know how to use that equipment to achieve optimal results.

Understanding of light. Without light, you have no image. Learning how to use and manipulate light is the essence of photography. It can take years to master this skill and a professional brings this knowledge and ability.

Post processing software and technique. While a professional photographer always aims to achieve technically correct images straight from the camera, they also possess the skills to tweak the images digitally including skin smoothing, color enhancing, adding depth and contrast correctly.

Custom quality prints and print products. Professional labs are almost always only available to professional photographers, thereby them exclusive access to the highest quality prints and products for displaying these cherished images. Canvas, albums and large mounted wall portraits are just the tip of the iceberg, and a professional photographer will have many high quality options to offer you. Creating these specialty products also takes a lot of experience and knowledge including cropping ratios and design templates, and a professional will bring this know-how to the table.

These are just a few examples of how a professional photographer brings value. While it does cost more to hire a professional photographer they create a custom experience and images you’ll be proud to display and share for years to come.

Want to know what makes-up the price of custom photography?   Click to find out more!

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- by Maureen Connellan, Tangible Moments Photography

From the point of view of a postpartum doula I am in tune to behaviours and moods of women and men that I work very closely with.  The general definition of postpartum depression is moderate to severe depression in a woman after she has given birth. It may occur soon after delivery or up to a year later. Most of the time, it occurs within the first three months after delivery.   Postpartum depression is not specific to only women, but to new father’s as well.  Symptoms can include fatigue, sadness, crying episodes, anxiety, irritability, reduced libido, and change in eating and sleeping habits.

This topic is not discussed nearly enough, overall mental illness tends to be ‘swept under the rug’.  Postpartum Depression needs to be talked about among family members as well as society as a whole.  There are contributing factors in a family unit that can increase the risk of developing postpartum depression such as financial strain, existing relationship problems, younger parents, history of mental disorders, and complications during childbirth.

Knowing that there are changes within a woman’s body and helping everyone within the family unit, Doulas are able to see the signs and suggest ways to help combat the milder forms of postpartum depression.

What do I do if my partner and I are not getting enough alone time?

Have a friend or family member you trust watch over the little one(s) once every couple of weeks, make sure you make time for a “date night.”

What can I do during the day to get out of the house?

There are many support groups in and around Edmonton including free post-natal programs through your local health unit, and several formal moms groups such as Mother Haven, Modern Mama, Momstown and Mommy Connections.  Edmonton even has several coffee shops dedicated to growing families; Café O’Play in Riverbend and Java Mama in St. Albert.

How do we combat the sleep issues in our household, our children fight us when bedtime arrives?

Be consistent & persistent, set a bed time schedule that works for your household.  Make sure the children are dry, fed, and content before attempting the final decent into slumber.   Be forewarned that this week or two of distress will be worth the end result.  Incorporate a “white noise” maker, or soft music in the background.   Quietly say it’s bedtime and place your child in bed, give good night kisses and hugs, then leave the child in their safe warm bed.  This may be the tough part for any parent.  The child may cry and become upset; you can go and reassure them that you are still in the house.  But do not pick them up, be consistent and persistent.  Repeat night after night for about a week, and you will finally have a sleep schedule.

I will always suggest to any family members that I suspect have any signs of PPD to seek medical advise from their physician.  My number one rule is DO NOT feel ashamed by PPD. It is a reality! Knowing it exists’ is the first step in dealing with it.

January is Postpartum Depression Awareness Month in Edmonton.  Come out to meet and support many local mom-focused businesses at West Edmonton Mall main stage on January 28 from 12 to 5pm.

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Written by Jamie Schneider, DivineDoula.ca

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net