May/June 2007 Newsletter
Greetings from TinyTotsAway.com!
In this issue:
Can babies suffer from travel sickness?
Breastfeeding 'reduces stress' in later life
Can Babies Suffer from Travel Sickness?
Research suggests that children under two years of age are rarely travel sick, but if your baby is always unhappy when travelling, then travel sickness may be the cause.
Travel sickness is caused by the brain receiving conflicting signals. The eyes send messages and the delicate balance mechanisms of the inner ear report something different.
What can you do?
Time your journey carefully, as travel sickness is less likely during sleep as the eyes are not receiving stimuli. Once the journey has started and your baby begins to feel ill, she is less likely to go to sleep. If at all possible, you could try putting your baby to bed before you start your journey and transfer your sleepy baby into her car seat without (hopefully) waking her up. You could try coinciding your journey with nap or sleep time. Some babies do also sleep the minute they hit the road.
Try not to give your baby a full feed just before travelling. This may mean that you need to make frequent stops with a young baby, but is worth it in the end. If your baby vomits, give small drinks of plain water.
Keep the car cool and well-ventilated, and don't overdress your baby in her car seat. Mini-fans can be useful.
Resist the temptation to stop travelling, as research among adults in America has shown that the symptoms do reduce after frequent exposure to travelling.
What's in the News?
Breastfeeding 'reduces stress' in later life
Infants who are breastfed are more likely to be able to deal with traumatic situations when they are older, a new study has found.
Children who were bottle-fed as babies are between four and five times more likely to suffer from symptoms of stress and anxiety if and when their parents separate or divorce, researchers claimed.
Published in the the Archives of Disease in Childhood, scientists from the Karolinksa Institute, Sweden, used research collated in the expansive 1970 British Cohort Study, which regularly monitors a selection of newborns in the UK. The study of 9,000 children incorporates information such as how much they weigh, whether their mothers breastfed them and other factors such as social and educational class of their parents.
Data was obtained when the individuals were born and then at five and ten-year intervals. Once the children reached ten years old, their teachers and parents were then quizzed as to how anxious they believed their pupils were, and if any significant family break-ups had occurred in the preceding period.
Understandably, children whose parents had separated were more likely to exhibit stressful symptoms, but significant differences were evident between those youngsters who had been bottle-fed and breastfed. Non-breastfed children were nine times as likely to suffer from anxiety following family break-up.
However, the study's organisers emphasise that this "does not prove that breastfeeding itself makes children cope better with life stress", but more probably indicates external maternal and parental factors. "Breastfeeding may also affect the quality of the bonding between mother and child, and the way in which the two relate to each other. And this may have a lasting impact on the child's anxiety levels in response to stressful life events", the authors suggest.
What if my child is ill when we are away?
We've just added an article about what to do if your child is ill while on holiday to our Parent Guides. With helpful information about the European Health Insurance card and the five symptoms of illness that shouldn't be ignored, this is essential reading before you head off on your holiday.
We've also got other interesting and useful guides such as 'Keeping Safe in the Sun', 'Baby Passports', 'Making Up Formula Feeds Abroad', 'How Soon Can I travel with a Young Baby?', 'Airline Baggage - Travelling with an Infant' and 'Airline Baggage Allowances'.
Competitions!
Check out our new competition page for the chance to win a Samsonite Pop-up Deluxe Cot worth £35 or tickets to the Luxury Travel Fair in London.
The Samsonite Pop Up Travel Cot Deluxe is extremely lightweight and compact and comes complete with its own carry bag for easy storage. Made from 100% cotton fabric with a padded mattress it is ideal for warmer climes especially as it has an integrated mosquito net.
Would you like to visit the Luxury Travel Fair at Olympia, London
between 27 and 30 June 2007?
The Luxury Travel Fair is the only UK event for lovers of luxury travel.
The most exclusive resorts, first-class travel specialists, five-star hotels and luxury tour operators will gather to present the very best and most unique holiday experiences from around the world.
We have 3 pairs of tickets to give away - to be in with a chance to win just enter the Luxury Travel Fair competition.
Website of the Month
Babyplanners guides you through the maze
If you're a mum-to-be with little free time, or a new dad who needs some support, Babyplanners is at hand - from choosing the right pushchair to settling into new parenthood. And you don't even have to go anywhere.
Described by BBC London News as a one-stop shop for expectant parents' every need, Babyplanners has the answers - whether you want to take the time-sapping hassle out of pregnancy and new parenthood, or you just need some sound, impartial advice.
Through a combination of bespoke babyplanning and set packages, Babyplanners aims to guide you through an amazing yet surprisingly stressful time.
Through TinyTotsAway you can get 10% off any of Babyplanners' services - just be sure to mention us when you contact them.
Find out more at www.babyplanners.co.uk, call 07766 595784 or email enquiry@babyplanners.co.uk
New Services and Products
Holiday with Baby
Passionate about travel, dedicated to babies.
Holiday with baby is a dedicated website to help you find your perfect baby friendly holiday. With a comprehensive guide to help you do your research, a fantastic showcase of selected baby friendly holidays for every lifestyle and budget, holiday reviews and diaries and an essential shop - Holiday with baby has everything you need for a perfect family holiday.
Join the holiday with baby community and share your travel experiences by submitting a review or holiday diary. Register now for your chance to win a fantastic Trunki Suitcase.
Visit http://www.holidaywithbaby.co.uk for more information.
Cow & Gate Baby Balance
Cow & Gate have developed a totally new range of baby foods Cow & Gate Baby Balance to help parents give their babies a nutritionally balanced diet at every stage. Developed by nutritionists, with the help of over 4,000 mums and their babies, the range helps give reassurance to parents that every tasty meal is crammed full of the good stuff they need.
There are over 20 different types of vegetables in the Cow & Gate Baby Balance range, including aubergine, butternut squash, spinach & pumpkin, to name a few! And the range is colour coded make it easier.
Cow & Gate use only the best baby-grade ingredients - they can trace every single vegetable and piece of fruit in our new Cow & Gate Baby Balance range back to the farmer who grew it. They do not add salt, artificial flavourings, colourings or preservatives to any Cow & Gate Baby Balance recipes.
Recommended Reading
Take Your Kids to Europe: How to Travel Safely (and Sanely) in Europe with Your Children
Cynthia Harriman
Author Cynthia Harriman provides information to help families get hooked on seeing the world. From details on planning vacations that will make both parents and kids happy to information on travelling economically, eating at restaurants, and communicating with locals, this guide makes it possible to take the kids to Europe safely and, perhaps more importantly, sanely.
Travel with Children (Lonely Planet Travel Guides)
Maureen Wheeler
It's a small world after all! This well-researched guide now covers every region of the globe, proving it's actually quite a kid-friendly place. With travel advice that's as heavy on fun as it is on practicalities, the main goal is to ensure kids enjoy their trips as much as grown-ups do. Travel with Children is brimming with tips on tantrum-free travel with toddlers to teens.
On the Go with Baby: A Stress-free Guide to Getting across Town... or Around the World!
Ericka Lutz
If you have young children and enjoy stepping beyond your front porch, On the Go with Baby is your resource for practical advice on packing, babyproofing a hotel room, choosing a vacation, handling public tantrums and dealing with anything else that could possibly happen outside the home. From shopping at the grocery store to traveling Europe, you can leave the house with your kids without having a panic attack. Author Ericka Lutz will show you the basics of boldly going...anywhere.
Fodor's FYI: Travel with Baby: Experts Share Their Secrets
Fodor's
More and more parents are venturing further than ever before with their children. Written for parents by parents, this book explains how to ensure a trip with children goes off without a hitch.
with kind regards,
The TinyTotsAway Team
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