International Packing List

Clothes

Underwear

Shirts

T-shirts

Shorts

Socks

Trousers (Pants, Jeans )

Sweater

Hat

Spare set of clothes

Bra

Skirt

Sarong

Tights

Stockings

Walking shoes

Sandals

Training shoes

Belt

Swimming trunks/Bikini

Pajamas

Slippers

Scarf

Beach pants

Jewelry

Money and documents

Passport

Visas

Insurance certificate ( Health Insurance card )

Cash

Credit/ATM cards ( Visa, Eurocard/Mastercard, American Express etc )

Driver's license

ID card

Photocopies of passport and other important documents  

Tourist organization certificate

Envelopes

Business cards

Stamps

Wallet

Paper folder

Airline tickets

Small scale map 

Phrase book

Novels

Guidebook

Things for packing

Small extra backpack ( Knap sack, Day pack )

Plastic bags ( Ziploc )

Stuff Sack

Suitcase

Luggage belt

Luggage tags

Padlock

Sleeping mask

Inflatable neck supporter

Multi-tool ( Folding knife )

Bottle

Pens

Playing cards

Earplugs

Matches  

Sunglasses

Keys

Safety pins

Paper clips

Sewing Kit

Zip ties

Hygiene

Toilet bag

Razor

Extra blades for Razor

Shaving gel

Mirror

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Toothpicks

Shampoo

Styling gel

Deodorant

Sunblock lotion

Contact lenses

Container for contact lenses

Lens cleaning liquid

Lip balm

Make-up / Make-up remover

Sanitary napkins

Tampons

Comb

Hair brush

Barrettes, headbands, hair ties

Laundry bag

Dental floss

Fingernail clippers

Moisturizer

Hand sanitizer

Qtips

Tweezers

General health items

Prescription medicine

Condoms

Insect repellent

Band-Aids  

First aid kit

Water purifying filter

Chewing gum

Copy of prescriptions

Water purifying tablets

Motion sickness tablets

Melatonin

Birth control pills

Fever tablets

Pain killers

Allergy pills ( Anti-histamines )

Malaria tablets

Clothes for babies

Onesies

Socks

Shorts/Skirts/Dresses

T-shirts

Long underwear/Tights

Trousers

Warm sweater

Snow suit

Jacket

Cap

Gloves

Woolen cap

Scarf

Pajamas

Sandals

Shoes

Foodstuff for children

Baby food

Cool bag

Peeler

Crackers

Ice pack

Feeding bottle

Spoon

Bowl with a lid

Spill-proof cup

Bib

Pacifiers

Baby blanket

Stroller

Child seat

Toys

Books

Diaper bag

Diapers

Cream for sore bottoms

Baby wipes

Sunblock lotion

Thermometer

Gauze Bandage

Antibacterial cream

General electrical items

Smartphone

Charger to Smartphone/Cell Phone

Multi Power Outlet

Computer

Wall socket adapter

Watch

Flashlight

Extra batteries for your camera, flash, torch, watch, MP3-player and GPS

ipad

Camera

Memory cards

Extra lenses

Flash

Battery charger for camera

Associated cables

Camera bag

Milk Options and evaluation...once a Baby is over 12 months old.

Nutrition Facts	Cow	Sheep	Goat
Protein	8 g	15 g	9 g
Carbs	11 g	13 g	11 g
Fat	8 g	17 g	10 g
Vit D	98 IU	not determined	30 IU
Vit C	0 mg	10.3 mg	3.2 mg
Vit A	249 IU	360 IU	483 IU
Vit K	0.5 mcg	not determined	0.7 mcg
Vit E	0.15 mg	not determined	0.2 mg
Vit B6	0.100 mcg	0.100 mcg	0.112 mcg
Vit B12	1.10 mcg	1.70 mcg	0.2 mcg
Folate	12 mcg	17.2 mcg	2.4 mcg
Calcium	276 mg	473 mg	327 mg
Selenium	9 mcg	4.2 mcg	3.4 mcg
Magnesium	24 mg	44.1 mg	34.2 mg

COW

PROS – Cow milk is higher in vitamin B12 and folate.  It comes in several types - whole, 2 percent, 1 percent or skim - that nutrition is accessible no matter which option is chosen. 
CONS - Due to larger fat globules, cow’s milk is harder to digest. It takes your body about 2 hours to digest cow’s milk compared to goat’s milk 30 minutes. The 3rd most common allergy for children is cow’s milk.  Furthermore, lactose intolerance affects a substantial number of Americans, causing abdominal pain, gas, bloating or diarrhea.

GOAT

PROS – Goat’s milk is closest in structure to human milk. The fat globules are smaller which aids in digestion. In a recent study of infants allergic to cow’s milk, 93% of them were able to drink goat’s milk with absolutely no allergic reaction! The ease of digestibility is due to the high amount of medium-chain fatty acids, which has 35% fatty acids compared to cow’s milk at 17%. Goat’s milk also contains less lactose (milk sugars) than cow’s milk which helps those who suffer from lactose intolerance. Goat’s milk is slightly alkaline, unlike cow’s milk which is slightly acidic.
CONS – Some people dislike the taste of goat’s milk - a combination of sweet and salty -which can be offensive.  Furthermore, goat’s milk is more expensive than cow’s milk.

SHEEP

PROS – While there is some debate on the actual amounts of fat soluble vitamins in sheep’s milk, they still produce the CREAMIEST milk, and are famous for the deliciously succulent cheese their milk makes. They are efficient producers, only needing 100% cheap grass (no alfalfa or grain) to produce rich milk. They, like goats, have naturally homogenized milk, which means smaller fat globules and more medium-chain fatty acids. This aids in digestion just like goat’s milk.
CONS – Sheep are instinctively natural prey, which means they have difficulty “relaxing” while being milked. Trying to milk a sheep is difficult because if you scare the sheep, even slightly, their bodies will produce adrenaline which counteracts the “letting down hormone” oxytocin and the subsequent production of milk.

With Zara we have done a combination of Goat mostly some Sheep and Almond.  We have minimized soy so that it can be consumed as a food item in the form of tofu or edamane.  She sees to tolerate this very well and very little constipation or Gas to report currently.

First Dental Appointment

The American Dental Association generally recommends that a baby get their first Check up between the time the first tooth erupts up to their 1st birthday.  When selecting your child's dentist it's best to have someone that you are comfortable with so that  you will not be nervous when you take your child.  Babies will sense that you are uncomfortable and be more nervous.  

Choosing a dentist that actually sees children can be daunting as some dentist prefer not to see pediatric patients.  Zara and my family see Dr. Karen Cun D.D.S and here is a picture of Zara at her first visit getting her teeth checked and cleaned by Dr. Cun.

Dr. Karen Cun Artisan Family Dental

6140 Camino Verde Dr.

San Jose CA 95119

(408)-227-5058

www.artisanfamilydental.com

Blanket Time..aka practice for traveling skills.

One of the skills I read about in Babywise II was to teach my baby Blanket Time.  It teaches the baby to stay in a smaller area without physical boundaries like a playpen.  It also teaches a child to focus on a small area of space with one or two toys.  I wanted to do this with Zara so that while traveling or flying she can play on a small area and be safe in a larger space.  

Blanket Time (Babywise II, Pre-toddlerwise, toddlerwise)

by suehaydon

What is Blanket Time?

Blanket time is an allotted amount of time in the day when you instruct your child to remain on a small blanket (3×3 or 4×4) and play with a select few toys that you have chosen for him/ her to play with. Blanket time can be started as early as you want with your infant and continued into toddlerhood.

What is the purpose of Blanket Time?

“Blanket time provides an opportunity to teach a child to play in a limited area without a physical parameter.” (Pre-toddlerwise p.142) It also teaches “sitting skills or what we call parameter skills (the ability to stay put within a boundary).” (Toddlerwise p. 45) This skill comes in handy when you need your child to obey you and stay put. A good example is when you are preparing dinner in the kitchen and you need to open the oven, you would want you child to stay away from the oven. With Blanket Time, you can tell your child to sit and remain still until you allow him or her to get up. Or perhaps you are out in public and you need your child to stay in one spot for a short period of time; this learned skill really comes in handy and keeps your baby safe. Ultimately, blanket time teaches your child at a young age to obey you. Blanket time also helps with mental focus by only allowing them a few toys that they must play with while on the blanket.

How long should blanket time last?

Start with 3-5 minutes once a day. Once your child demonstrates he can stay on the blanket and play without fussing or crawling or walking off, you can slowly increase the time up to 30 minutes a day. Use a timer to set a designated time. The loud noise of the time going off will signal to your child that blanket time is over.

What if he crawls or walks off the blanket?

The first couple of times he does blanket time, remain close to him to monitor him. When he does move off the blanket, quickly return him to the blanket and give clear instructions to stay put and play with his toys. I typically say to Cooper, “Cooper, it is blanket time, we stay on the blanket.” I then direct him toward a toy on the blanket.

<Blanket Time.pages>

Vaccines

Vaccines

I haven’t written about vaccines before because I felt that it was an issue that’s very controversial and when making a decision about your child, you need to do the research and decide what’s best for you and your family.  I am going to share what I did, why I decided it, and some of the resources that I used.

We travel abroad a lot; particularly to Vietnam where Dr. Ho still has living family including Zara’s grandmother whom we will be seeing in August.  There are some particularly nasty bugs abroad that can be deadly to babies.  For me, I chose the vaccines against bugs I felt could be fatal to my daughter and declined or drastically postponed the rest. 

I recommend delaying or spreading out vaccinations if you are going to vaccinate at all. I look to Dr. Sears schedule and his book  “The Vaccine Book, Making the Right Decision for Your Child” for guidance on how to delay your vaccine schedule.  There are some other delayed schedules out there but this one is well researched with the largest study of mom’s following it.  The other delayed schedule that is getting traction is Dr. Bobs alternative vaccine schedule but not much is known about his schedule and thus I urge caution if using his. The other schedules can be good too so just make sure you are picking one that follow’s your philosophy.

If you are vaccinating whether following the doctor’s schedule completely or a delayed schedule; I do however strongly recommend a liquid homeopathic called Thuja.  Give this to your baby 2 weeks before the vaccine and 2 weeks afterwards. It helps the body mitigate any adverse reactions or some of the minor fatigue and irritability symptoms.

If you are not going to vaccinate, please fill out the legislative paper work that is allowed when entering children into school. Make sure to get a doctor signature. Word of caution; it is getting more difficult to find Pediatricians that work with parents that have chosen against vaccinations.  

Blog: Baby’s first Tooth Brush

As a parent, once the baby teeth start emerging (which usually occurs somewhere around  6-10 months) you can start worrying about decay and tooth problems like like all people.  Dentists recommend the first dental visit once the first couple of teeth appear.  

My next question as a parent was what type of tooth brush or gum stimulator does a baby need and when do we start using these devices to help achieve optimal oral hygiene.  

Luckily I have a wonderful Dentist and friend Dr. Karen Cun, D.D.s from Artisan Family Dental who answered this question even before I could ask it.  She was so gracious that at my baby shower she gave me this set (which is a 2 pack) one brush to start while the baby is an infant and one to use as a toddler with more teeth.

Safety 1^st Advanced Solutions Baby’s Oral Care Set:

You Can Find it at:

http://www.amazon.com/Safety-1st-Advanced-Solutions-Babys/dp/B009UQPTKQ