Family Credits Britax With Saving Daughters' Lives

Jonathan Sherrill of Carmel, Indiana, is one very thankful daddy. On the morning of October 5, 2011 he had just dropped his son off at kindergarten and was headed to the preschool his two daughters attend when his minivan was struck head-on by a driver who had crossed the interstate median. Miraculously, he survived the crash with just a broken kneecap, some damage to his leg and some road rash. He heard his daughters screaming, and turned around, expecting the worst, only to find that they were absolutely unscathed still sitting securely in their car seats in the midst of the twisted wreckage that had been their minivan.

His story emphasizing the importance of properly installed car seats was featured on the news where he lives. In that story he credited the car seats with saving the girls' lives. But he didn't say what brand they were. However, he also wrote a letter to Britax in which he said, "While the local news story mainly highlighted my comments related to the importance of the child safety seats in general, clearly the quality and safety features of the Britax Marathon car seats are to be credited for saving the lives of my daughters." He added, "we are thankful that we chose to spend the additional money for the Britax car seats over the competitive brands – clearly we paid more for better quality. And we immediately replaced the Britax Marathon’s (sic) with (3) new Britax Frontier 85 Combination Harness-­‐2-­‐Booster® Seats – as seen on the news story in the rental van. My wife and I continue to insist that our children utilize the five-­‐point harness until their weight exceeds the maximum limit."

 At A Nurturing Moment we only carry one brand of car seats because we are convinced that Britax really are the best available seats for the money. Between now and November 15, we have a special offer when you buy a Britax Bouldevard 70. Just in time for those Thanksgiving and Christmas trips, you will get a free travel cart with your seat! So come on by and take a look at a Britax!

Win a Free "A Child Is Born" Session

It does seem early to start thinking about Christmas, but before you know it, you'll be sending out your Christmas cards. What a terrific time to send everybody updated pictures of your growing family. We appreciate Mary Ellen Pollard of Lighthouse Photography for helping us create a beautiful, traditional option for your Christmas picture this year. You may include your whole family or just feature your children. It's entirely up to you!

We are so excited about our unique Christmas pictures that we want to give one of our families the opportunity to win a $75 package! Or you can choose to apply your winnings to a more expensive package. All you have to do is call the store to book your photo session, then you have 3 other options for entering as well!. If you've already booked your session, then you can mark that as done and enter using the three other options.

Another thing that makes these sessions so special is that a portion of the proceeds go to benefit the MOM Foundation. This non-profit is dedicated to helping low-income and teen moms breastfeed successfully. They are partnering with the Village of Promise to bring breastfeeding support to Huntsville Public Housing areas.

We do ask that you prepay when reserving your spot, but the winner will receive a refund on the day of the photo shoot. Call today to reserve your spot and enter to win the $75 package!

Grandma Time

Since our move to our new location, our Grandma traffic has increased. I think it's because of our proximity to Victoria's Cafe, a perennial favorite with ladies of all ages in Huntsville! At any rate, I love it when ladies about my age come in and eagerly search for the perfect gift item. It's really fun to see their excitement about their grandbabies.

I love to engage them in conversation and hear all about the pregnant daughter or daughter-in-law, or the new baby who has just joined the family. Those who are grandmothers-to-be for the very first time joyfully anticipate stepping into this new season of life. They can't wait to be part of that baby's life.

And unfortunately, therein lies the problem for some new moms. Every mother wants the chance to parent her baby the way she feels is best. There is a lot of  information available today that wasn't available 20 or 30 years ago. What your mother or mother-in-law did may not be exactly what you want to do. Perhaps your mother-in-law didn't breastfeed and can't imagine why you want to. Every time your baby cries, she assumes he's hungry and urges you to give him formula. Or maybe your mother thinks you are spoiling your baby by wearing her and picking her up when she cries.

It is extremely challenging for a new mother to get conflicting advice on every side. While you don't want to alienate your mother or mother-in-law, you do want to help her understand your need to parent your way and, if necessary, learn from your own mistakes just like she did. There are several things you can do to reassure her that you want her to be part of your baby's life while simultaneously letting her know you need your space.

• If you're breastfeeding, give her a copy of an article written just for grandmothers about nursing
• If you are focused on having an attached relationship with your infant, and the grandmothers don't understand, Dr. Jim Sears has some helpful words
• Sometimes giving her something meaningful to do can help. Ask your parents or in-laws to focus on the legacy they leave as grandparents by encouraging them to chronicle their lives for your children in a special journal
• Write a letter affirming her and letting her know specifically how she can help you as a new mother
• Feel free to send (or bring) her to ANM where we'll gently affirm what a great job you're doing as a mom, and help Grandma relax a little bit.

Whether you're a mom or a grandma, remember that kind, encouraging words are wonderful building blocks for life-long relationships. Be sure to use plenty of them as you interact with the most important people in your life!

Good Daddies

It's hard being a new parent. That may be the understatement of the year!! We usually focus on the tough adjustment that Mom has to make, but Dad faces some pretty serious changes, too! I love it when couples come in for a consultation together. I love to see fathers who are supportive and head-over-heals in love with both mom and baby. One couple I saw recently stood out because Dad was so concerned about every detail of Mom's breastfeeding. He called me several times after the consult with additional questions and was so appreciative of the support we were providing their family.

 That's why it is so painful for us to see fathers who aren't supportive. When Dad is so concerned about getting his sleep, about getting Mom back to work, about having us "fix things" so they can leave quickly, it really raises some red flags. New moms are experiencing some dramatic hormonal changes, and it's normal for them to feel a little weepy. But woe to the BAD DAD who is the cause of his wife's tears! I wish we could wave a magic "Be Kind to Your Wife" wand, and help fathers like that learn to support their wives. Unfortunately, we don't have a magic wand like that, so sometimes we end up just crying with Mom!

 I think every expectant father should be required to read Father's First Steps: 25 Things Every New Dad Should Know by Robert Sears and James Sears. Thing 7 that every new dad should know is "You Are Part of the Breastfeeding Team." If every father could just understand how critical his support is to his wife's breastfeeding success, our job as lactation consultants would be so much easier! Men who read this book (which is available at A Nurturing Moment) will have a head start on understanding how to be a really good daddy. So if you know a father-to-be, do his wife a favor, and get him a copy of this amazing little book!

Win a Cloth Diaper

Lots of expectant parents come into the store, see our selection of cloth diapers, and begin to ask questions. Usually they assume that it's pretty time-consuming and maybe just a little bit disgusting. Sometimes they start out feeling that way, but end up deciding to give it a try.

So what is it about cloth diapering that changes their minds?

Maybe it's the fact that cloth diapers are a lot healthier for babies than chemical-laced disposables.
Or maybe it has to do with all the money they can save - researchers say that cloth diapering can save you $3500 a year.
Or maybe they want to do their part to help the environment by not throwing thousands of disposable diapers into landfills where they will never biodegrade.
But sometimes parents choose to try cloth diapering simply because it's so easy and the diapers are just so adorable!

Then we have the parents who come in when their baby is several months old. They are tired of leaky disposables. They are tired of diaper rashes that won't go away. And they are desperate for help. It makes us so happy to be able to guide them into the right diaper solutions for their infant. Our team of cloth diapering experts can help parents determine which diaper will work best for baby's size and body type. We can explain the pros and cons of various systems. And we can troubleshoot if you're having problems with your fluff (cloth diapering addicts refer to their stash of cloth diapers as fluff).

Want to learn more? We're having a cloth diapering class and diaper swap on Saturday, October 29. The class is at 10:30, and the swap begins at 11:00. Why not come learn a little more about cloth diapering and see what you think. Enter the contest below for a  chance to win some fluff!

Christmas Pictures That Capture the Meaning of the Season

For many parents, Christmas pictures involve little Sally sitting on Santa's lap. They are adorable and sweet, but sometimes you just want something different. Sometimes you want to get back to the heart of Christmas by focusing on something other than the jolly old chap in red.

This year A Nurturing Moment and Lighthouse Photography are thrilled to present "A Child Is Born" Christmas pictures. The traditional setting will feature a nativity scene and Christmas decorations in muted Christmas tones, You can have one child or your whole family in the picture. The package prices include sitting fees, and are really reasonable!

• Package A - $75 (session fee, 1 unit, online gallery to share & picture ornament) 
• Package B - $150 (session fee, 2 units, 9 custom Christmas cards, online gallery & picture ornament)
•  Package C - $300 (session fee, printable CD for 3 poses, 25 custom Christmas cards, online gallery and picture ornament) 
•  A unit is 1 8X10, 2 5X7''s, 3 4X6's or 8 wallets 

 If you think friends from your church or moms group might be interested, please share this with them. We are scheduling pictures for Saturday, Nov. 5. If we need to add an extra day, we will! We still have slots available, so call today to reserve your space!

Not My Plans

A few days ago a young man came into the store to see what we have and to introduce himself and his business. As he was leaving, he commented on the cross we have hanging behind the desk with these words,"I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for good and not calamity, to give you a hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11) He asked if we were a "Christian business" of if we just sold that kind of artwork. I wasn't quite sure how to answer him...

On the one hand, we don't advertise ourselves as a Christian business, because our mission is to support all parents, regardless of what they believe. I would hate for anyone who doesn't share my faith to feel uncomfortable in our store. What a person believes or doesn't believe has no relationship to my desire to help her have the best possible experience shopping during her pregnancy or getting the breastfeeding support she needs.

On the other hand, I truly view my business as belonging to the Lord. In my personal life, I seek to honor Him in all I do, and my business is a natural extension of that. I regularly pray for our moms and ask God for wisdom when I'm working with moms and babies. I don't always talk about God in the store, but He is never far from my mind because I fully recognize that the success of my business is in His hands. I know that I can't do it on my own. I truly need divine wisdom and guidance. When I am week, He is strong. I'm so glad that my Father knows the plans He has for me!

So that's exactly how I responded to my new friend. It opened up a door for a wonderful conversation as he shared his faith with me and talked about his upcoming wedding. I felt incredibly blessed and thankful for the cross hanging behind my counter that opened the door to such a terrific conversation!

Buy a Britax Stroller and Get a Free Britax Car Seat!

Usually when a deal sounds too good to be true, it is. But not this time! When you buy a Britax B-Ready Stroller, you can get a free car seat! You can choose from the B-Safe or the Chaperone.

The B-Ready is an amazing modular stroller that you can configure 14 different ways

to accomodate one or two children! If you already have your car seat, then you can get a second seat or a bassinet attachment for free.

Both the B-Safe and the Chaperone infant seats offer side impact protection. However, the Chaperone also has an anti-rebound bar built into the base for state-of-the-art protection.

So this too-good-to-be-true deal really IS true! You can save up to $229.99! But you have to act quickly, because the promotion ends on the 15th. You have to order from a participating dealer, and we have to place our order by Friday! So, if you want to take advantage of this amazing offer, stop by on Thursday or on Friday morning! We'll add your stroller and car seat to the big order we're placing on Friday!

Win a $10,000 GreenGuard Certified Nursery!

How would you like to win the nursery of your dreams? Better yet, how would you like to know that your dream nursery is filled with furniture and bedding that is certified to be toxin-free?

The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute in conjunction with a variety of partners wants to make your dream come true! You can enter the sweepstakes right here. The Sweepstakes goes through January 31, 2012. One lucky winner will get to furnish a nursery with GREENGUARD certified furniture, flooring, bedding, wall-coverings, etc. Young America by Stanley is one of the sponsors of this contest!

However, if your baby is due before January, or you don't want to wait, you can still get GREENGUARD certified furniture and mattresses right here at A Nurturing Moment. We are vitally concerned about helping you have the very best possible environment for your baby. That's why we only sell one brand of cribs, Young America by Stanley. They are the only cribs manufactured in the USA to be certified as toxin-free by the GreenGuard institutue.

Why does it matter? That's a really good question. For years parents have been putting babies in cribs that weren't GREENGUARD certified. However, it seems that there are an increasing number of toxins in the environment. Every year it seems that there is a new concern about a specific toxin's effect on our bodies. Why take the chance with your precious baby? If you can be certain that the manufacturing process is toxin-free, why not be as cautious as you can be?

Good luck on the contest! I really hope one of our ANM families wins!!

Welcome to Nurturing Moments

What exactly is a nurturing moment? It's the feel of your newborn snuggled skin-to-skin. It's that precious look your baby gives you when she pulls off the breast with a full tummy. It's your toddler crawling up into your lap to give you a big hug. It's your pre-schooler bringing his favorite book so you can snuggle and read. It's a sleepy "I love you, Mommy," as you tuck your busy child in for the night. It's holding your daughter's hand when her first boyfriend breaks her heart. Life is full of nurturing moments when you're a mom, but sometimes we are too busy to notice them.

A Nurturing Moment (the store) understands just how important every moment with  your newborn, your baby, your toddler, your child is. Our mission is to provide information, education support and encouragement to hopeful, expectant and new parents. We want you to feel encouraged every time you walk through our doors! We love it when nurturing moments happen right here in our store. That's why we just built a new classroom/play area for your and your little ones. We also offer a comfy sitting area where you can nurse your baby or relax and read a bit.

We look for products that will help make those nurturing moments happen for you. From our Best Chairs to the Arm's Reach co-sleeper, we try to carry the things that you and your baby really need. We also want to help you create the best possible environment for baby, so we carry GreenGuard certified cribs and mattresses. That gives you added assurance that your baby is sleeping in the safest possible environment.

We're excited about this blog! We'll be doing give-aways, product reviews, and posts about the sweet day-to-day nurturing moments that happen in the lives of our moms and babies! Check out the first give-away below.