As I've mentioned in the session details on this website, I just love it when my clients bring something to their session that has special meaning. I’ve had them bring special knitted or crocheted blankets as well as hats that were made by grandmas or close friends. Another one of my favorites is incorporating mom and dad’s wedding rings into baby’s portrait. But there’s also no reason your special item couldn’t be something you buy or make yourself, it will become special because you will use it with your own baby. But how do you find something that will be extra meaningful?

Check Etsy. Etsy can be a dangerous place with all of the super adorable baby apparel that so many of the different vendors make. But it is a gold mine! Some of my favorite shops are: No2WillowLane, polkadotsandsunshine, and OlgaBabyProps. Try searching “newborn photography outfit” for more ideas, and don’t forget to include the gender of your baby in the search to improve results (or if it’s a surprise, then stick with “neutral”). Look for outfits that are RTS or ready to ship so that we can make sure the item arrives before your baby’s portrait session.


Consider what you and your partner enjoy. Think about special occasions or interests you share. Do you have a unique hobby? What types of music, outdoor activities, or movies do you love? Do you play piano, guitar or some other instrument? Do you have a favorite sports team? Do you just love Harry Potter?! Let me know and we can plan a setup together for your session that will celebrate what you love. For example, I have several vendors that I work with that create special digital backdrops based on favorite movie or book characters and many activities such as sports or musical talents. From there we can consult prop vendors that can create coordinating props. Pitter-Pats Creations and the Felted Attic Newborn Prop Shop are two of my favorite vendors that create themed props and outfits. There really are so many possibilities!

September is National Preparedness Month in the US. It's so very important to be prepared for an emergency before the disaster happens. Living here in Silicon Valley California there are several types of natural disasters we can typically expect even if we can't predict when they will occur. The most common ones are: earthquakes, fires resulting from earthquakes (or possibly tsunami from very big earthquakes), flooding, and wildfires. But in reality just about any type of disaster can strike at any time and often without warning. ​

So what do you pack for your family to be ready in case of an emergency especially if you have a baby? Well first it's important to decide what type of emergency kit we are talking about. There are three main types: 72 hour kit, emergency car kit, and long term food/water supply.

​Two weeks ago we covered the 72 hour kit. Today we are going to focus on the Emergency Car Kit. Sometimes driving a car can be very unpredictable; you may unexpectedly need roadside assistance. There could also be inclement weather that causes an emergency situation. But an emergency car kit can be extra useful when you have a baby. There may be times when you are in a rush out the door and forget something very basic that you need like diapers or wipes (it happens to the best of us). Having a well supplied kit in your car solves this problem. Basically having an emergency car kit can help in everyday mishaps or larger scale emergencies.

We keep ours in a backpack but I know some people put their kit supplies in a small plastic storage bin, a storage cube, or even a collapsible shuttle bin. Whatever you use your bin should be big enough to fit everything you need but small enough to fit in your trunk without monopolizing your trunk’s storage space.

Here's some ideas about what your baby might need in your emergency car kit:

• Diapers in an appropriate size for your baby (make sure to rotate the diapers when your baby outgrows their current diaper size) (I usually pack around 5-10)
• Diaper wipes (make sure they are sealed to prevent moisture loss)
• Diaper rash ointment
• Change of clothes for baby (1 or 2): one piece outfits work great, also socks and hat
• Burp cloths for the inevitable spit up
• Something to snuggle like a blanket or lovie (just like the 72 hour kit we want to keep stress levels as low as we can during an emergency)
• Nursing pads (if applicable)
• Formula (if applicable): Get to-go packets/sample packets and don't forget to pack extra water to use with it
• Extra bottles/sippy cup (1 or 2)
• Bib (just in case you go out to eat and forget to pack one in your diaper bag)
• Extra baby blanket for sleeping or swaddling blanket
• Baby first aid kit – any prescriptions from your baby's doctor, infant acetaminophen and syringe, baby safe sunscreen, baby safe bug repellent, nose suction, thermometer, allergy medicine if prescribed by your doctor, adhesive bandages, baby first aid manual
• Pack a few non perishable snacks that your baby likes - examples: small cereal boxes, small cracker, pretzel packs, or squeeze twist top applesauce (packing extra snacks in my car kit is critical for me as we always seem to run out of snacks in our diaper bag before we get home after a long day of running errands)
• Water if they're older than 4 months - between 4-6 months not more than 2oz of water per day, older babies offer limited water as a supplement (not replacement) to breastfeeding or formula
• Small trash bags for containing any waste or possible laundry
• Hand sanitizer

Optional:

• Change of clothes for mom! (once we went on a hike and my baby’s diaper leaked all over me while she was in a front carrier and I didn’t have anything to change into so I just had to wear baby pee until we got home a couple hours later!)
• Baby carrier - get one that is compact so that you save space in your car. Check out this link for small carriers.
• Diaper changing pad (I usually just used a blanket, but having this could save your car from getting wet if you have to do an emergency diaper change)
• Pacifier (1 or 2) if you use them

 
I also found a great list on DMV.org that recommends the basics of any emergency car kit whether you have a baby or not:

• First Aid kit: Antiseptic wipes, Antibiotic ointment, Bug spray, OTC Pain reliever medicine, Cotton balls, Gauze pads, Tweezers, Bandana, Ace bandage, etc.
• Fire extinguisher
• Road flares (if not already in your tire-changing tools)
• Jumper cables (and you should learn how to use them!)
• Rain ponchos
• Tarp
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Rags
• Duct tape
• Multipurpose tool

Optional items:

• Ice scraper
• Kitty litter for slick roads
• Small battery-powered fan (for hot summer days)
• Blankets and/or warm clothing (for wintry days)

I would also add that you should keep water and snacks for you and your passengers in your car. I had a friend in an accident and while she wasn’t injured very badly she was stuck at the scene for hours and wished she had some water and something to eat while she was there.

Did you know September is National Honey Month? Seems like every month is promoting something (or ten somethings!) these days… Still I thought this would be a good opportunity to discuss an important infant related topic.

​Can my baby have honey? No. At least not yet.
 
When can you give a baby honey?
According to kidshealth.org babies younger than one year old should NOT be fed honey. Not even a little taste. Additionally corn syrup isn’t a safe alternative sweetener either for the same reason that honey isn’t safe.

Why?
The short answer: there's a risk of botulism.
The long answer: A bacteria called Clostridium has the potential to contaminate certain foods with honey and corn syrup being very vulnerable targets. Your infant’s young digestion system hasn’t matured enough to protect their body from the harmful bacteria. The opposite is exactly why it is okay for older children: their digestive system is older and stronger.

What about things with a small amount of honey like honey cereal or honey graham crackers?
Nope, sorry, not those either. Same reason: the risk of botulism is still coming from the bacteria that could potentially be harbored in the honey. Just wait until your baby is one years old... then ask your doctor just to be safe (sometimes guidelines change so it's always best to consult your doctor to be sure).
​
Your baby won’t be sad that they’re missing out on the sweet taste of honey. Their taste buds are still growing and developing too so most of the time they actually prefer food that is more bland. If you are still looking for something sweet to give your baby try some fruit. You can cook it first so that it’s nice and soft and easy for baby to enjoy. Or try mixing fruit puree into other recipes to make them sweeter.

September is National Preparedness Month in the US. It's so very important to be prepared for an emergency before the disaster happens. Living here in Silicon Valley California there are several types of natural disasters we can typically expect even if we can't predict when they will occur. The most common ones are: earthquakes, fires resulting from earthquakes (or possibly tsunami from very big earthquakes), flooding, and wildfires. But in reality just about any type of disaster can strike at any time and often without warning. For example a friend told me that there was a tornado right here in Sunnyvale about 20 years ago! 
​
So what do you pack for your family to be ready in case of an emergency especially if you have a baby? Well first it's important to decide what type of emergency kit we are talking about. There are three main types: 72 hour kit, emergency car kit and long term food/water supply.
​
Today we're going to focus on the 72 hour kit. This is something that you have ready to go in a bag so that when a disaster strikes you can grab it and get out of danger as fast as you can but still have what you need. The first 72 hours of any disaster are the most critical in determining whether or not you (and your family!) will survive. That's kind of intense, but that's why we need to be prepared!

What a baby needs:
When planning your kit it is important to consider what your baby needs now and what they might need in a few months. A typical rule of thumb is to rotate your 72 hour emergency kit once every 6 months (this ensures that your food doesn't expire and that you'll check that clothes and diapers will not be too small). With a baby I think you could rotate a kit every 3-6 months since they grow so quickly. Just put a little reminder in your phone or calendar so that you won't forget! We usually rotate our 72 hour kits in April when it starts to get really warm and October when it starts to get cold. Much of this info I'll be sharing comes from personal experience of packing 72 hour kits when each of my 3 children were babies (my youngest is currently two).

​Here's some ideas about what your baby might need:

• Diapers – cloth or disposable, pack enough for three days plus a few extra just in case. If you're packing disposable diapers don't forget to pack something to contain them after they are used such as a garbage bag.
• Wipes – cloth or disposable (I'd honestly still pack wipes in an emergency kit even if I didn't have a baby because they are useful for so many applications in an emergency.)
• Baby first aid kit – any prescriptions from your baby's doctor, infant acetaminophen and syringe, diaper rash cream, baby safe sunscreen, baby safe bug repellent, nose suction, thermometer, allergy medicine if prescribed by your doctor, baby first aid manual
• Pacifier (1 or 2) if you use them
• Clothing for 3 days - consider the seasons coming in the next 6 months (or during the time before you rotate your kit. Pack something that is a little bit bigger than what they are now so that the clothing will not be too small before you rotate your kit.
• Formula? Get to-go packets/sample packets. Pack enough for 3 days plus a few extra in case of a growth spurt.
• Baby food for 3 days and spoons - don't pack anything that needs to be heated unless you have a plan on how to heat it while on the go (for example a portable folding camp stove or water boiler)
• Pack a few non perishable snacks that your baby likes - examples: small cereal boxes, small cracker or pretzel packs
• Extra bottles or sippy cups
• Something to snuggle like a blanket or lovie (we want to keep stress levels as low as we can during an emergency)
• Small toy to entertain your baby
• Baby carrier - get one that is compact so that you save space in your kit. Check out this link for small carriers. 
• Water if they're older than 4 months - between 4-6 months not more than 2oz of water per day, older babies offer limited water as a supplement (not replacement) to breastfeeding or formula. I also recommend a water filter, just in case. The filter water bottles from Seychelle are my favorite: they are easy to use and very portable.

Don't forget to pack a few things for yourself that you might need:

• Lactation supplies: nursing pads, nipple shields (if necessary), hand held breast pump with a bottle. Also be sure to pack extra water so you don't become dehydrated while breastfeeding. Make sure to also pack a few extra snacks for yourself to keep up your energy for breastfeeding.
• Feminine hygiene needs - I recommend a menstrual cup because of how compact it is. If you're not into that type of thing my next recommendation would be tampons because they can double as an emergency fire starter.
• Emergency contacts: pediatrician or family doctor, local contacts, out of town contacts
• First aid kit - medication, bandages, tweezers, etc.
• Medication – prescription medicine, other basic first aid medication (pain medicine, anti diarrhea, antacid, laxatives), allergy medicine (if applicable)
• Spare prescription glasses (if applicable)
• Copies of important documents: insurance policy, ID (birth certificates, driver's license, etc.), bank account information. These documents can be saved remotely such as in online cloud storage or if it’s a paper copy be sure to seal it in a waterproof bag or container.

For a complete list on the basics you need during an emergency, check out ready.gov