A 7-month old baby is recovering after being trapped in a running washing machine.

Valle Hernandez was reportedly being pushed in a rolling laundry basket by his 4-year old brother while mom was loading the washer. Then Valle’s big brother pushed him into a front loading machine and the door shut. The boy’s Mom turned away for a split second and when she turned back, didn’t notice the infant mixed in with the dirty clothes. It wasn’t until after she started the machine that she realized the baby was inside. Since front loaders lock when closed, the frantic mom scrambled to get help.

A witness told reporters that the baby was probably in the washer for at least a minute before they got there and it took some serious tugging to get the door open. It took three grown men to pry the door open.

“We got it open and when we got him out of there, I was horrified. He was solid purple from that blood and it was something I hope I never have to witness again.”

The baby was taken to the hospital and has already been released. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Related Articles:

• California Toddler Survives 30-foot Fall Onto Rocks
  
• Toddler Survives Being Pinned Under SUV
• Toddler Rides His Toy Truck 8 Miles Down The River

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Laugh and Learn is a DVD series that offers up a comprehensive guide to labor and delivery that is as informative as it is entertaining for all expectant parents. All the necessary and helpful tips parents-to-be need to know about the miracle of giving birth is explained be using a bit of humor

Your host, Sheri Bayles, is a respected childbirth authority, an award-winning Lamaze instructor and board-certified lactation consultant. She was on staff at the prestigious New York/Cornell Medical Center for twenty four years.

Now known as the “Childbirth Coach to the Stars” and the “Twins Breastfeeding Guru” (New York Magazine), Sheri Bayles has created this trio of DVDs to help expectant parents everywhere prepare for childbirth and child care, in a simple, easy, private and less-expensive way to learn every bit of information they will need, from the “nurse with the personality” who will make childbirth both joyful and manageable.

The go-to gal for childbirth and breastfeeding instruction for over twenty years, Sheri Bayles is also the mother of twin boys, now thirteen years old, the perfect person to become the “Twins Expert”!

Her new DVD series, makes it so that anybody can learn what they need to know in the privacy of their own home, and without the expense of sometimes pricey and often inconvenient birthing classes!

The new version of Laugh and Learn About Childbirth features five diverse couples on the verge of parenthood. Sheri prepares them all for the big day in a series of six classes. Her gift is to replace fear with knowledge, and by demystifying the whole process with humor and wit.

Watch the first class here.

We had 1 Laugh and Learn About Pregnancy, BreastFeeding and Newborn Care DVD package to giveaway. This great knowledge bundle includes all three Laugh and Learn DVD’s (Childbirth, BreastFeeding and Newborn Care) and Sheri’s book, Laugh and Learn About Childbirth.

The whole set would make a really nice mom-to-be or congrats your pregnant gift.

Congratulations to our winner Summer – she is expecting in February!

For 2 hours this afternoon, the world stood still as the US Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) dispatched two helicopters to chase an air balloon, believed to be carrying 6-year-old Falcon Heene.

The balloon’s 40-mile flight was followed so closely by emergency services that they were on the scene within seconds when it finally touched down. A sheriff’s deputy sprinted across a ploughed field and grabbed a tether to prevent it becoming airborne again. Rescue workers were dreading what they would find inside.

They soon had their answer: nothing. For Falcon Heene had been safe at home all along, hiding in a box in the attic over his father’s garage.

Just before sunset, with hundreds of rescue workers combing about 150 square miles of fields across Colorado, police made their discovery. Sheriff Jim Alderman burst into a live press conference: “He’s at the house,” he said. Mr Alderman said there was “no indication” that the event had been a hoax, adding: “This is not the first time when we have been involved in searching for some child and they hide because they’re afraid they’re going to get in trouble.”

That is what everyone thought until the family was interviewed by Wolfe Blitzer. When asked why he didn’t come out when he heard everyone calling his name, Falcon said, “It was for the show.” (huh?)

Taken a back, the boys parents stuttered and then attempted to change the subject.

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VIA MOMLOGIC

October 15th 2009 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. Why is such a day necessary?

Today is necessary because thousands of babies around the world are lost each day. Some to miscarriage, some are born still, some from sudden infant death syndrome and some as newborns.

It is necessary to get the word out there about pregnancy loss. To help families cope with a loss. To help them deal with the pain and sometimes guilt that is felt after losing a child.

On this day there is an international wave of light. This event is celebrated all over the world starting at 7pm. At this time you are to light a candle in remembrance of all the lost babies that have been born. Burning the candle for at least an hour means that throughout this entire day there will be a continuous wave of light for our lost children.

This day holds a special place in my heart. Today is a day for me to remember the babies I have lost. I miscarried in November 2008 at about six weeks and then I lost my baby boy, Hunter on March 28th 2009 at only 18 weeks 4 days.

I know with my experiences I felt very alone after the fact. You wonder what you could have done different. Why it had to happen to you. The pain is always there in your heart, but life does go on and each day gets a bit brighter.

I think this day is so important because so many people just don’t understand the pain that can be associated with pregnancy loss. I heard many times

“You are young, you have lots of time to try again.”
“Everything happens for a reason.”
“God doesn’t give you more than you can handle.”
“It wasn’t meant to be.”

NONE of these helped me. None of them made me feel better. The pain is very real. I think that a lot of time because these babies weren’t “known” that somehow this means that the emotional pain of dealing with the loss will be easier.

I will be lighting a candle at 7pm for my baby lost in November and for my sweet baby Hunter. And another for all of the other babies who had to leave this world too soon.

Have you suffered the loss of a baby? Did you find people were supportive and understanding? – Shannon Strohm, Staff Writer

A interesting study published on bmj.com yesterday reports that more than half of unexplained sudden infant deaths occur while the infant is sharing a bed or a sofa with a parent (co-sleeping). In addition, it may be associated to parents drinking alcohol or taking drugs.

The term sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) was introduced in 1969.  It is supposed to be a recognized category of natural death that carried no implication of blame for the parents.

In June of 1994, the Back to Sleep campaign was launched to “educate the medical field, parents, grandparents, and care givers about the importance of putting babies to sleep on their back to significantly reduce the risk of SIDS.” In addition to back sleeping, the SIDS Alliance has pointed out that soft bedding and overheating were also significant risk factors for SIDS and accidental infant deaths.

But it is unclear which risk messages have been taken on board in different social or cultural groups. Moreover, little is known about the coming out of new or previously unrecognized risk factors.

In order to find out more, a team of researchers at the Universities of Bristol and Warwick studied all unexpected infant deaths from birth to two years in the southwest region of England from January 2003 to December 2006.

They examined the potential link between SIDS and socioeconomic deficiency. They compared these deaths with a control group at ‘high risk’ for SIDS which were young, socially deprived mothers who smoked, as well as a randomly selected control group.

Shortly after the death, parents were interviewed. Information on alcohol and drug use was collected. Trained professionals conducted a detailed investigation of the scene and circumstances of death.

They analyzed a total of 80 SIDS deaths. More than half (54 percent) occurred during co-sleeping compared to a 20 percent co-sleeping rate among both control groups.

The authors say it appears that much of this risk may be explained by the combination of parental alcohol or drug use prior to co-sleeping with 31 percent compared with 3 percent random controls. The high proportion of co-sleeping deaths on a sofa with 17 percent compared with 1 percent random controls.

Additional Findings:

• 20% of SIDS infants were found sleeping with a pillow when they died
• 25% were swaddled

The researchers also found:

“Some of the risk reduction messages seem to be getting across and may have contributed to the continued fall in the SIDS rate.” However, the majority of the co-sleeping SIDS deaths occurred in a hazardous sleeping environment.

They recommend that:

• the safest place for an infant to sleep is in a cot beside the parental bed in the first six months of life
• parents never put themselves in a situation where they might fall asleep with a young infant on a sofa
• parents never co-sleep with an infant in any environment if they have been drinking or taking drugs

In an associated editorial, Edwin Mitchell, Professor of Child Health Research at the University of Auckland comments:

“We have learnt that SIDS is largely preventable. It is important to monitor parents’ knowledge and infant care practices to inform health education and promotion.”

He says in closing: “Implementing what we already know has the potential to eliminate SIDS, the challenge now is how to change behavior.”

The biggest issue that most new parents don’t understand is that someone who is sleep-deprived will not realize they have rolled onto their baby if they are in a deep sleep.

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Findings of a recent British study are certain to unnerve working moms. Children whose mothers work outside of the home are more likely to eat unhealthy foods, watch too much television and are less likely to exercise. The study tracked the dietary habits and physical activity of more than 12,500 children ages nine months to five years. The results point toward working parents not having as much time to “provide their children with healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity.”

The study also noted that children of working moms were more often driven to school as opposed to walking or riding a bike. This in turn helped foster a sedentary lifestyle in which sitting in front of the computer or television was in excess of 2 hours a day. On the contrary, kids of stay at home moms logged less than 2 hours of media viewing and got more exercise.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, and there are most likely plenty of stay at home moms who do not monitor their children’s diet, physical activity and media intake properly — while there must also exist many working mothers who put every effort into their child’s feeding and exercise plan and make sure their television time is not excessive. As with all of these types of studies, they should serve as a reminder to stay aware of our children’s needs in order to offer them the healthiest lifestyle possible. – Beth Shea, Staff Writer

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Motherhood agrees with Jennifer Hudson! The new mom recently gave People an intimate look into her new life as a mom.

Here are some of the highlights:

How hard was it keeping your pregnancy under wraps?

“David and I were the only people who knew for a long time. I would forget I was pregnant, it was so easy. I didn’t have any morning sickness, no cravings either. I just thought, ‘Oh, well, we’ll wait until it’ll tell on itself.’ I didn’t show until I was seven months so that made it easy right there.”

Your son was delivered via C-section, what was your recovery like?

“Everybody told me how much it was going to hurt afterwards but I think I have a different tolerance for pain than others. By that night after I had the baby, I’m like, ‘Look, I can’t sit in this bed anymore. I’ve got to get up!’ I’ve been up and about since he was born. To me, the pain is no different than when you work out a muscle you’ve never worked out before and it’s sore.”

Has his personality emerged yet?

“He has a lot of personality, like David. He’s always been a good sleeper. His favorite time to smile now is diaper changes. Or when he spits up on you – he just cracks up like he thinks it’s the funniest thing. And his bottle is his pacifier. With a pacifier, it’s like he knows, ‘Ain’t nothing come out of here. No, I don’t want that. Where’s the real deal?’ His best friend is that bottle; that’s all he wants.”

Would you be supportive if he wants to pursue a career in entertainment?

“We’ll definitely encourage education. His father is an education fanatic so we definitely want him to get an education and go to school. My mom always said, ‘Whatever you want to do, I’ll support you as long as you’re happy.’ So I will do the same.”

Being a mom usually requires swapping the treadmill at the gym for sing-along time at Gymboree; and most moms proclaim, “I don’t need to work out. I chase after my kids all day!” in response to whether or not they’re getting enough exercise. Besides, collapsing in an exhausted heap at the end of the day means you’ve clearly exerted yourself enough physically, right? Not according to a recent study…

“In a study of 58 women with children under age 6, only about a third of the mothers got an average of 30 minutes or more a day of moderate or greater intensity physical activity. And yet overall this group of women, most of whom also worked outside the home, believed they were getting upwards of an hour of activity daily.”

This wake up call shouldn’t cause moms to feel the need to join the local gym; but it is a healthy reminder that we need to step up our game and take care of ourselves. There are countless ways to turn “chasing after your kids all day” into a verifiable workout. Moms of young babies may join a stroller exercise group and tote their babe along, incorporating the stroller into the calorie burning routine. Another easy ‘mom’ workout is to turn up the tunes and have an aerobic dance fest in your living room with your kids. If your kids still take naps, do an exercise video while they slumber. I for one am going to go dust off my yoga DVD and teach my tot how to say “Om.”

– Beth Shea, Staff Writer

A mom has come forward to tell her story of giving up the son that she adopted because of “attachment issues.”

“The first time I considered giving up D. I was lying alone in my oversized bed. It was about midnight, my children were asleep and my husband was deployed. I was so taken aback by my thoughts that I bolted upright, ran to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face. It was dark, but I could see my silhouette in the mirror and I stared to see if I was looking at a demon instead of D.’s mother. “

I ran to D.’s room, afraid that he was already gone. But he was there, lying on his Thomas the Train sheets, sucking his thumb and breathing evenly. I caressed his cheek with two fingers and he exhaled.

“I love you little man,” I whispered, and kissed his forehead, swallowing down the knot in my throat. I went back to my room and sobbed into my pillow.”

D. was found on the side of a road so doctors were unsure of his age, however guessed that he was just under a year old. When he was taken to his pediatrician there were some expected medical issues and developmental delay.

D. also suffered from coprophagia which is eating ones own feces. However their pediatrician said that most children grow out of this by age 4.

Mom says that the physical and developmental issues were not the problem. D just didn’t seem to be attaching to them as a family and especially to her as “mom”.

“His social worker, his pediatrician and his neurologist all told me that he had come a long way, and that attachment issues were to be expected with adoption. But D.’s attachment problems were only half the story. I also knew that I had issues bonding with him. I was attentive, and I provided D. with a good home, but I wasn’t connecting with him on the visceral level I experienced with my biological daughters. And while it was easy, and reassuring, to talk to all these experts about D.’s issues, it was terrifying to look at my own. I had never once considered the possibility that I’d view an adopted child differently than my biological children. The realization that I didn’t feel for D. the same way I felt for my own flesh and blood shook the foundations of who I thought I was.”

They went through some attachment therapy but she still struggled.

“My thoughts and emotions were disjointed and came in waves. One moment I was determined to keep D. because I loved him. An instant later, I realized that I wasn’t the parent I know I could be, and that I should place D. with a better family, with a better mother.”

The social worker she dealt with called one day and said that she found a wonderful family for D. They had learned of his situation, saw pictures and fell in love. Over a period of several days D got to know his new mom and then when they felt ready, he left with her.

“In our last moments together, I stared into his eyes and told him that I loved him and that I had tried to do my best. His new mom would love him so, so much; my little man would be OK.”

This is really sad. I wonder if perhaps his delays have anything to do with his attachment issues? I don’t know if I could do what this mom did. You spend so much time/effort and money on adoption only to have nothing in the end. I hope this little boy is happy in his new home and getting the attention and love that he deserves. – Shannon, Staff Writer

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My two year old daughter stopped taking naps at 18 months old. Any parent who just read that sentence is likely shaking their head in disbelief. But since my toddler acts as though she is the offspring of Richard Simmons and the Energizer Bunny, I had to take naps out of her repertoire to have any chance of getting her to sleep before midnight.

A recent study shows that ‘keeping kids active really does help them sleep.’ While this seems like common sense, many parents are enabling their kids to lead a sedentary lifestyle, opting for video and computer games over supervised outdoor play. There’s much to be said for tiring out your tot so he/she will welcome the chance to fall asleep at night. I went from having a child who would throw a screaming and crying fit at bedtime to one who happily nuzzles into her bed and falls asleep after one lullaby. By not putting her down for a daytime nap, and filling her day with physical activities she loves, she became a happy sleeper who ended up tacking on her nap onto her overnight sleep to get all of her required zzzz’s.

Want to keep your child’s nap in tact? Then fill their day with adventure. I opt to let my toddler walk around the entire zoo as opposed to being strapped into her stroller. I take her to the park nearly every day, and she has mastered her coordination skills on all of the equipment. And I’ve even been known to borrow the neighbor’s giant backyard trampoline so she can jump until her heart’s content and giggle her way into exhaustion. Sweet dreams!

-Beth Shea, Contributor

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