Your Natural Baby Fair

This past Sunday we had the wonderful opportunity to work with Natural Baby Pros at the Natural Baby Fair. The event was held at the beautiful Renew Integrative Wellness Center in Pacific Beach and attracted green-conscious and holistic-method-seeking parents. I love these events because it’s a chance to spread the word about our store at the local community base and from their it travels by word of mouth. Not only is the outreach a great experience, but also networking with other independent businesses in the field.

We did bring a selection of organic and natural baby products for the vendor booth, but education was a larger focus for this particular event. I was excited to offer car seat education, installation, and inspections for the first time outside of the store.

Overall, it was a good experience and hopefully we have the chance to work with Natural Baby Pros again.

On a side note, Mark Sklar of the Renew integrative Health Center will be holding a free education session in-store this Saturday (29th) . No reservation is necessary, just stop in!

Car Seats a-go-go

So I didn’t get to finishing the last two entries of my certification due to the flu I was fighting, but I completed my training unscathed and am a proud card-carrying CPS Certified Technician. Yay me!

Since earning my certification, the response at the store has been great! Other than self-marketing at recent shows and events, people have been seeking me out on their own via internet and word of mouth. It is very rewarding to know  that I can educate parents and care givers on child restraint safety and contribute something positive to the San Diego community.

My very first official installation was with a client who sought me out via the CPS website and what a wonderful experience it was to have them as my first install. They apparently had a great relationship with their former Tech as they had recently moved from LA. They were enthusiastic about absorbing all I had to say and I was excited to help them! It was great. I look forward to every install, but even more to being able to establish a rapport with each client and making sure they travel safely with their children.

If you have questions or require an install/inspection, please seek me out! http://www.aganababy.com

CPS Certification – Day 2

This morning I made the mistake of thinking, “I’ll be fine today wearing my usual cardigan and t-shirt…”. I’m lucky that my mild cold doesn’t turn into full blown hypothermia. San Francisco is cold! I guess I really am a SoCal boy at heart.

Today marked the halfway point towards completion of CPS certification. There was more hands-on learning today, which helped in making sense of the onslaught of textbook information we absorbed yesterday. Well, let’s establish some basic information regarding as to how a child restraint system (CRS) will be installed in your vehicle. I will cover the LATCH system and the first 2 steps of the CRS process as defined by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rear-facing and forward-facing seats.

Don’t forget, the “best” car seat is one that will 1. fit in your car, 2. fit your child, and 3. you will use correctly every time. Whether or not a car seat will fit your child is based upon their age, size, physical development, and maturity level. Also, you would want a restraint system that is convenient for you and any other person who will be overseeing the care of your child to use.

LATCH symbol

Now, the CRS will be installed in your vehicle one of two ways: seat belt or LATCH system. LATCH is an acronym for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. The LATCH system was installed to make CRS installation easier. One isn’t necessarily safer than the other; whichever properly secures the CRS to your vehicle based on the manufacturer’s instructions is the way to go. If you aren’t sure if your car is equipped with the LATCH system, check for the LATCH symbol and two U-shaped anchors at the seat bight (where the seat meets the back) of your back seat. Almost all cars made after 2002 are equipped with top tethers and lower anchor sets. If you are unable to locate the LATCH, consult your vehicle user manual. Determine which way of installation is appropriate for your CRS and follow the manufacturer instructions. Use either the seat belt, or LATCH, not both unless otherwise explicitly outlined in the manufacturer’s instruction manual.

Lower anchor

Rear-Facing Seats

For the best possible protection keep infants in the back seat, in rear-facing child safety seats, as long as possible up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat. At a minimum, keep infants rear-facing until a minimum of age 1 and at least 20 pounds. From my experience, parents seem to find an infant-only rear-facing seat most convenient. These seats are portable, usually compatible with most strollers via adapters, and can be detached from the base which stays in the car. Multiple bases can be purchased and installed so that baby can ride in either car. With the infant-only seats, these stay rear facing until the child outgrows it and upgrades to a rear-facing convertible with higher maximum weight. A convertible seat is one that can convert from rear-facing to forward facing. However, these seats are usually stationary and stay in the car. Most new convertible seats are approved for rear-facing use with up to 30-35 pound children and should be considered for infants whose weight and/or height have exceeded the limits of the rear-facing-only seat.

Forward-Facing Seats

When children outgrow their rear-facing seats they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds). If possible, install the tether for a forward-facing seat as this will prevent excessive head movement in the event of a crash. Always check your vehicle owner’s manual for correct location and retrofit instructions for tethers.

Be wary of aftermarket products such as dangling toys or infant positioners which were not crash tested with the car seat. Make sure there is nothing obstructing the child’s contact between their back and the seat, and their chest and harness. Always double check with the manufacturer’s instruction manual.

Tomorrow I will cover NHTSA’s last two steps of child growth: booster seats and kids in seat belts.

I want to think positive that this cold is subsiding. Starve a fever feed a cold!

CPS Certification – Day 1

This mild cold is not helping my comfort level, but I managed to get through the first day of CPS training more aware of the basics of child passenger safety. The amount of statistics and information is slightly overwhelming, but when put into perspective I can see how this will help in educating the people who invest in the car seats which we carry.

What I found to be today’s main lesson was that a CPS Technician’s role is to learn, practice, and educate. With the basis of information gained within the next 3 days, I would feel more comfortable relaying that information to customers so that they can make the best decision about their child restraint system.

One frequently asked question regarding child restraints is, “Which one is safer?” What it comes down to is not so much which brand, but which restraint will fit securely in your vehicle and accommodate the size/weight of your child. Establishing these basic requirements will help to determine the right restraint for your child.

It’s not much, but it’s a start. And I will leave it at that. Tomorrow will tie a lot of today’s loose ends together, so I hope to have a more meaty entry come then.

…and we’re back!

I know too much about the above photo. Meaning that somehow I know that Gwen is pushing her son in a special RED Edition Bugaboo Bee.

So, 2010 just started, right?? It’s been a whirlwind of orders, new models, new products, and new attention at the store, all attributed to the growing support of our local (and international) customer base. Thank you so much!! We are doing our best to accommodate the heightened demand, so I apologize for not updating the blog or Facebook for the last two months.

The topic I would like to showcase today is National Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Certification. Baby gear manufacturers Combi USA and Britax Child Safety have partnered to bring a unique training opportunity to the retail community.  This training is only available to those associated with retail sales in-store, on-line and distributors.

The National Standardized Child Passenger Safety Technician Training is a certification that is recognized throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and many countries world-wide. It will teach participants to become effective educators and most importantly, give them the credibility that is sought after by parents looking for advice. The main benefit to retailers would be to have someone on staff who would have the certification and be able to assist other store personnel with installation and selection of child restraint systems. If the trained person is not part of sales staff, the education would give them much more insight into real-world compatibility issues and would make them much savvier with choosing the child restraints that the store would be stocking.

The National Child Passenger Safety Certification Training Program certifies individuals as child passenger safety technicians and instructors. Tens of thousands of individuals have been certified since the program began in 1997.

CPS technicians and instructors put their knowledge to work through a variety of activities, including child safety seat checks where parents and caregivers receive education and hands-on assistance with the proper use of child restraint systems and safety belts.

safekids.org

I am looking forward to this 4-day course in order to provide a valuable service for my community. I plan on documenting the next four days on the aganababy blog so that I can update you on my progress. Plus, the session is being held in San Francisco and I can’t remember the last time I was there. I’m always up for an adventure!

Wish it were a winter wonderland..

How wonderful it must be to bundle up and enjoy a cold winter day in New York.

A-list powerhouse couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie seem to be doing just that with their lovely flock.

There’s less than a week left of 2009! Here’s to a new year and new possibilities.

Happy Holidays!

Gently refresh your baby.

Marketed as a sports drink in Japan since the early 80s, Pocari Sweat has become a mainstay in Japan’s beverage industry. Manufactured by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Pocari Sweat features a mild grape fruit flavor and clean after taste.

Native English speakers may find the name odd at first because it is named after the bodily fluid which results from perspiration. However, the product name was chosen by Otsuka for the purpose of marketing it as a sports drink in Japan, where people do not mentally translate the meaning of English words, hence not paying attention to the connotation at all. It is intended to relate to the fact that the drink supplies nutrients and electrolytes to the drinker after sweating.

Having built a strong and respected brand in Japan, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. have proudly released a line of drinks especially made for babies.

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A baby’s mechanism for absorbing and losing body fluids is different from that of adults. Not only is it important to replenish those lost fluids, but in a gentle way as well. Hence, the makers of the highly popular Japanese sports drink, Pocari Sweat, are proud to introduce a line of beverages made especially for baby.

Beanstalk features a gentle blend of fruit juice flavors. The calorie content is kept at a low 17 calories per 100ml serving. Approximately two servings a day is suggested to help baby’s body replenish their body’s natural fluids and minerals. Have your baby enjoy after going for a walk, play time, or a warm bath.

Because babies are constantly wetting and sweating throughout the day, their tiny bodies are rapidly losing natural fluids. Therefore, babies are prone to an unbalanced body fluid ratio. When this happens, providing appropriate replenishment is key, however, drinking only water may not be enough. It is important to provide minerals such as sodium and potassium that water alone cannot. Beanstalk is formulated to gently replenish lost fluids and minerals for baby.

The glass bottles are compatible with standard sized nipples and is appropriate from 3 months.

Knick Knack paddy wack, give a dog a bone.

As the exclusive carrier of Knick Knack products in the US, I am very excited to introduce our most recent import. Made in Japan and of %100 cotton, these cuddly soft, functional bibs are the talk of the town. The bibs have a unique design that allows for more coverage for protection against spills and a more secure fit, while still looking cutes. A design not see very often in the states, these fucntional bibs are sure to be fun for you and your baby.

Bully Buds – Audio in utero on the go

bellybuds are wearable speakers for moms-to-be that desire to play music and sounds to a developing child in the womb. The original bellybuds bellyphones audio system plug into any standard digital music device and are specially designed to adhere gently to the varying curvature of a pregnant belly. Whether worn discretely beneath clothing or in full view with an optional pair of decorative buddons speaker covers, belly buds are a convenient and effective option for playing audio in the womb.

lifefactory: wee go

Created by a feeding specialist and an award-winning designer, Babylife brings you an original line of baby lifestyle products that are beautiful, stylish, safe, developmentally-appropriate and eco-friendly.

Lifefactory’s main product is their line of multifunctional glass bottles. The bottles are encased in a durable, non-toxic silicone sleeve that helps protect the bottle against breakage and provides a great gripping surface and tactile experience during feeding. All parts of the bottle are Bisphenol-A (BPA), phthalate, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) free.

The nipples come in 3 stages, separated into 0-3 month, 3-6 month, and 6+ month categories.

Lifefactory is committed to safety and sustainability using only minimal packaging and readily recyclable, FDA approved materials.