oh baby! beautiful baby contest 2012
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Sleepless nights, breastfeeding, trying to soothe your crying child - having a baby can feel like a constant toil. But help and advice is at hand in Bermuda Sun's Oh Baby! special feature.TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 2012
OH BABY!A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF THE BERMUDA SUN ■ FEBRUARY 24, 2012 ■ PAGE 1
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Adjusting to motherhood
BY AMANDA [email protected]
As a woman you were probably brought up not to ask for help, and to soldier on regardless.
But the first few months — years even — of moth-erhood can test even the toughest amongst us.
As a new mom, your time is not your own anymore but that of your newborn, with exhausting results.
Sleepless nights, breast-feeding, trying to soothe your crying child, while at the same time keeping up the household chores — having a baby can feel like a constant toil.
But help is at hand, and in this supplement that is the message from several different experts.
Do not be afraid to ask for it, because you are just as
important as your baby. It is important that you also stay happy, rested, healthy and fit.
The La Leche League of Bermuda stresses that having a support network in place is vital.
“You need people who will take care of you, so you can mother your baby,” is their advice.
BalanceGwyneth Rawlins of the
Argus Group also tells new moms: “You need to look after your baby, but you also need to look after your-self.”
This means getting enough exercise, sleep plus time for yourself, as well as following a healthy diet.
Carol Asuncion, assistant vice president, finance, of the Argus Group, also tells her story, of how she
managed to find a balance after the birth of her son, Karl.
“Now I have some balance; I have learned to let go when I need to and I make sure I spend time on myself,” she says.
It is easy to accept help from family and friends, such as in cooking, shop-ping and cleaning, so don’t feel ashamed to ask for it.
Kelly Alfieri, of website TheBump.com, says how much support you may need will depend on each individual and their circumstances.
She says: “Finding the right support can be tricky, but remember that the help isn’t just for you — it’s for you, your baby and your family.”
So remember, people are there for you and are more than willing to help. ■
■ PHOTO COURTESY OF LA LECHE LEAGUE OF BERMUDA
HAPPY FAMILY: Shanelle Lewis’ smile just sums up the joy of being a new mom, as she cuddles her daughter, Jaylen. Inside this supplement we have lots of advice to help you cope during the early stages of motherhood.Inside this supplement
Know what to expect: Join KEMH’s Prenatal Birthing Class Page 2A healthy start in life: Advice on avoiding asthma and breathing problems from Liz Boden of Open Airways Page 3The midwife: Janet Wheelan, clinical manager of the KEMH maternity unit, describes her work Pages 4-5Homebirths: Doula Sophia Cannonier describes why this can be a more natural, holistic experience for women Pages 6-7Cry baby: Fiona Dill explains why you should not feel discouraged when your baby keeps crying Page 8Looking after you: The La Leche League on why it is important to keep breastfeeding to reduce or avoid the ‘baby blues’ Page 9 Staying healthy and strong: Gwyneth Rawlins of the Argus Group advises new moms to exercise, socialize and not to be afraid of ask-ing for help Page 11 Help!: You may think you can do it all, but family and friends will be offering to help, so why not let them? How and when to ask for support as a new mom Page 12
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2 ■ FEBRUARY 24, 2012 OH BABY! : A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION THE BERMUDA SUN
Childbirth classes will help you through your pregnancyBY THE MATERNITY UNIT AT KING EDWARD VII MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
For most expectant couples, the labour and birth process can be both overwhelming and joyful.
Many women and their partners choose to attend childbirth classes to gather information and lessen their anxiety.
Prenatal education plays a vital role in assuring you have a safe, comfortable and positive birth experi-ence.
The Maternity Unit at King Edward VII Memo-rial Hospital (KEMH) offers Prenatal Birthing Classes, taught by the same midwives who will assist you during labour and delivery.
Advice“If you are pregnant,
consider enrolling in our Prenatal Birthing Class by your seventh month, so you will have all the infor-mation you need, along with confidence in your ability to have the birthing experience you want,” says Christine Virgil, clinical director for Maternal/Child Services.
“Our classes cover all kinds of issues surround-ing childbirth, including breathing techniques, pain management, vaginal birth and caesarean birth.
“They will help prepare expectant couples for the many aspects of becom-ing a parent, such as the changes occurring during pregnancy, the process of labour and delivery, and important tips regarding the care of your newborn.”
Classes are offered on Tuesday evenings and run for four weeks. They provide a forum to ask questions and can help you make informed decisions about key issues surround-ing your baby’s birth.
TipsInformation covered in
these sessions includes: ■ How your baby is devel-
oping ■ Healthy developments
in your pregnancy
■ Warning signs that something is wrong
■ How to make your preg-nancy, labour and delivery more comfortable
■ Breathing and relax-ation techniques
■ How to write a birth plan
■ How to tell when you are in labour
■ Pain relief options during labour
■ What to expect during labour and delivery
■ The role of the coach or labour partner
■ Tips for getting breast-feeding off to a good start.
You might also find support from other expect-ant couples taking Prenatal Birthing Classes.
Who would better under-stand the ups and downs of pregnancy than couples who are going through them, too?
Many people find friends in their childbirth class who last long past the birth of their child.
If your birth coach is the baby’s father, taking a class together can mean his increased involvement in the pregnancy and can act as a good bonding experi-ence.
Like the mother, the father can also benefit from
knowing what to expect when the mother goes into labour — and how to assist in that process.
“The goal of our Prena-tal Birthing Classes is to provide you with the knowledge and confidence you need to give birth and make informed decisions,” Mrs Virgil adds.
“This includes reducing your anxiety about the birth experience, as well as providing you with a vari-ety of coping techniques to aid in pain management.
“Our goal is to assure the safety, health and comfort of mother and baby.”
BenefitsThe benefits of Prenatal
Birthing Classes include:■ Childbirth classes build
confidence in your body’s ability to give birth
■ Expectant parents can discuss their concerns about labour and birth with the instructor and other couples
■ Birthing partners will learn about childbirth and how to support mom during labour and delivery
■ Your instructor will discuss pain relief options, including massage, relax-ation, breathing, and medi-cations
■ A tour of your birth-ing facility will give you
the opportunity to see staff in action and provides a chance to ask about routine practices, such as electronic fetal monitoring and freedom of movement during labour
■ Classes include an overview of pregnancy, labour and delivery, and also cover specific hospital practices
■ Sessions include criti-cal information presented by registered nurse midwives with extensive experience in the birthing process
■ Classes cover a variety of ways available at the hospital to manage pain and discomfort during labour and birth.
Topics include Body Changes, Labour and Deliv-ery, Relaxation and Pain Management and Breast-feeding. Classes are small and couples can discuss their birthing plan and ask for assistance.
Expectant parents are advised to sign up for class-es several months before their due date. ■
FOR MORE INFORMA-TION contact 239-1682 or e-mail [email protected] to learn more about Prenatal Birthing Classes or to enrol in the next session.
■ PHOTO BY AMANDA DALE
HELPING HANDS: KEMH midwives Maxine Butterfield, left, and Janet Wheelan, right, with new mom Erin Smith and her one-day-old baby, Tristan.
‘The goal of our Prenatal Birthing Classes is to provide you with the knowledge and confidence you need to give birth and make informed decisions.’
CHRISTINE VIRGILClinical director, Maternal/Child Services, KEMH
THE BERMUDA SUN OH BABY! : A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION FEBRUARY 24, 2012 ■ 3
THANKS to the sponsors and participants of this year’s OH BABY! CONTESTOUR SPONSORS:
Sophia Cannonier - Birthing from Within, Bermuda School of Music - Kindermusik,
Paige Noelle Photography, Olympic Club,
BGA Wholesale Distributor - Pampers, Johnson & Johnson & Happy Baby,
Butterfield & Vallis - Huggies, Walker Christopher,
Bda Pest Control, Otto Wurz,
Pitt & Co - Sholer, Lindo’s,
Medical House, Heaven Sent Baby Boutique
and Family Affairs Children’s Boutique.
THANK YOU to our readers for submitting pictures and taking part in the contest.
Every baby is a winner... It was a huge challenge judging all 176 entries, but we appreciate your participation. Apologies to those submissions which weren’t included due to poor photo quality or insufficient information due to email difficulties.
How to give your baby the healthiest start in lifeBY LIZ BODENOpen Airways
Almost half of all babies born in developed coun-tries will have asthma symptoms during the first five years, but in Bermuda one in five will have a firm diagnosis of asthma by their sixth birthday.
Asthma and allergies are usually genetic, however in recent years there has been an alarming rise in the numbers of children who have no family history of the allergy.
Numerous studies show that our homes and life-style maybe the cause so here are some of the conclu-sions from the studies, and some suggestions to help prevent your child from developing asthma or aller-gies.
Prevention starts before the birth of your baby and before conception if possible.
Air pollutionStudies show that diesel
fumes may damage our lungs and indoor smoke will increase the risk of a baby being born prema-turely.
A baby is more likely to be admitted to hospital during the first five years of life with breathing diffi-culties if they have been exposed to smoke.
Action Try to avoid travelling
along busy roads during peak times.
Never take a baby in a buggy along a road, as the baby is at the same level as the exhaust pipe and will get most of the fumes.
Small babies are far happier to be held in slings.
If a vehicle has heavy black emission, block your nose and pull over — you do not want those fumes in your airways especially when you are pregnant.
Never allow anyone to smoke in your home.
If a member of the house-hold smokes they must go outside and should actually have a smoking shirt or jacket and leave it outside; third-hand smoke is now considered a high risk for young babies.
Simply breathing smoke from someone’s clothing may affect the tiny airways of your baby.
Vitamin DLow levels of vitamin
D can lead to asthma and allergies.
Interestingly, even in Bermuda we have people with low levels of Vitamin D — the reason being that the average person now spends 97 per cent of their day indoors away from any sunlight, and when they go out, they either cover up or have sunblock to protect themselves from sun damage.
Children don’t play outside as much as they used to — TV, computers and electronic toys are more appealing these days.
ActionExpectant mothers please
get out in the fresh air, walk on the beaches and the parks, and when your baby is born make sure that they have some fresh air every day.
You’ll feel better too, and everyone sleeps better after a walk in the fresh air.
Many paediatricians now prescribe vitamin D supplements for babies and children and many adults also take them.
Diet Studies show that low
levels of antioxidants in
expectant mothers can lead to a much higher risk of asthma and allergies.
Children who don’t eat enough fresh fruit and vegetables are more likely to cough and wheeze in childhood.
Action Expectant mothers, I
suggest you make a chart and tick off each time you have a portion of fruit or vegetables and aim for not just five portions a day but eight to 10.
Parents — do the same for yourselves and your children. You may be surprised to find they are only getting five portions a week.
Do not send snack bars and processed cheese packs in lunch boxes but rather fresh fruit and veggies with dips, which by the way, children love.
Cut the fruit and veggies up at the weekend and store in airtight containers ready to fill the lunch boxes each day.
Hygiene Studies show that if
our environment is too clean the immune system becomes bored and the chance of developing asth-ma is greater.
This is interesting. I do
know that children grow-ing up on farms where they play in the haystacks, roll in the mud and muck out the animal stalls are highly unlikely to get asthma.
ActionI am not going to suggest
you stop cleaning your home but I am going to say, please stop using all those chemicals, sprays and aerosols and stop being obsessed with artificial scents.
I feel that the ‘Queen of Clean’ who loves a spotless home is probably also fill-ing it with chemicals which will irritate our lungs.
Expectant mothers and parents everywhere, please get rid of all the chemicals in your home, open the windows every day and clean your home with a vacuum, damp mop or steam cleaner, and use microfibre cloths, which will do the cleaning for you.
Simply throw them into the washing machine at the end of week and save hundreds of dollars too.
Immature lungsStudies show that in
recent years babies lungs’ are taking much longer to
develop. One of the reasons for this is that babies are sleeping on their backs and not spending as much time on their tummy.
For generations babies have slept on their tummies and soon after birth they start to lift their upper bodies and do little press-ups, as they want to explore their surroundings.
While they do this they expand their lungs, help-ing them to develop. Now parents are told to put their babies to sleep on their back due to the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
Babies also spend far too much time sitting in chairs especially in daycare. There are bouncing, vibrat-ing, rocking chairs and swings. There are car seats, buggies and Bumbo seats!
ActionEncourage plenty of
tummy time. Whenever your baby is
awake roll them over onto their tummy and have toys for them to reach.
Have a large safe play area on the floor, either have an activity mat or simply an old comforter or quilt.
Make sure it is comfort-
able or your baby will not like tummy time. The inter-locking rubber tiles which are very popular with parents are actually very uncomfortable for small babies.
Encourage babies to reach for toys — baby gyms are excellent but can be totally overwhelming with far too many toys dangling in front of the baby.
Many toys hang so low the baby doesn’t have to reach at all.
I suggest you have one or two toys only on the gym, or save the money and get down on the floor with your baby and hold one toy at a time in a wide range.
Encourage your babies to reach, stretch and open their airways and so devel-op good strong healthy lungs. ■
LIZ BODEN is the president and founder of asthma awareness charity Open Airways. For more infor-mation about preventing asthma before your baby is born contact Liz Boden at 232-0264 or e-mail [email protected]. Website www.openairways.com
■ PHOTOS SUPPLIED
DEVELOPMENT: Parents should bring up their children to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. Right, it is crucial babies have ‘tummy time’ in order to develop strong, healthy lungs.
4 ■ FEBRUARY 24, 2012 OH BABY! : A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION THE BERMUDA SUN
The special bond between a midwife and motherBY AMANDA [email protected]
The incredible experi-ence of bringing new life into the world is just a part of the job for the midwives of King Edward VII Memo-rial Hospital (KEMH).
Each day is special as they work with moms-to-be to ensure their birth-ing experiences are safe, comfortable and positive — in whatever circumstances life throws at them.
From emergencies to different cultural and religious demands, each midwife provides a calm reassurance for women going through one of the most joyous — yet trau-matic — moments of their lives.
RewardingJanet Wheelan, clini-
cal manager of KEMH’s maternity and special care baby unit, says the rela-tionship between midwife and mom-to-be is one of the most rewarding aspects of the job.
Ms Wheelan, a registered nurse and midwife for the past 20 years, said she is still in contact with fami-lies of children she helped to deliver years ago.
“This is such a fulfilling profession,” she said.
“You meet women when they’re having this special life-changing experience,
and the relationship between the woman and the midwife is a very special bond.
“It’s one of trust and you
have to be very respectful of each woman’s choices. It is all about empower-ing them to have the most rewarding birth experi-
ence, and so that is very rewarding in itself.
“As midwives we act as the advocate for the mother during the birth process, and so we build up a rapport with the woman very quickly.
“We make sure we have the woman’s best interests at heart and try to empower her so she can have that positive experience.”
Ms Wheelan said: “It is amazing that each day we get to witness the magic of life.
“But every day is differ-ent. We look after both low and high-risk women, and so there are challenges.
“Women will have an idea of how they want their birthing process to be but there may be a medical procedure she may need, and so she end up feeling a bit negative about it.
“When something happens and it’s not how she thought it would be, so you have to turn that around so she doesn’t feel negative.
“We never know what
type of situation we’re going to get and so we thrive on adrenaline.
“When everything seems to be going pear-shaped (wrong) you have to have a sense of that it is all going to be fine and you have to have a calmness about you.”
Ms Wheelan, from North-ern Ireland, has worked at KEMH for the past 15 years. She trained as a midwife at Simpson Memorial Maternity Hospital in Edin-burgh, Scotland, where she witnessed some of her most memorable ‘births’.
“I chose midwifery when I was doing my general nursing training,” she said.
“As part of the training as a Registered Nurse I did three weeks on a maternity unit, and so I got to see the dynamic and special bond between the mother and midwife.
“One of the first babies I had to deliver, the woman had a history of large births but gave birth to an almost-12 lb baby. He was a big bonny boy!
“I also remember a young girl who came in who had just delivered a baby in the back seat of a car. Some-times we have to assist women who don’t always make it to hospital.
“I’ve also had breech births and emergencies such as women starting to bleed.”
She has also witnessed births in her own family.
“I saw one of my neph-ews being born. To actu-ally witness my own sister giving birth was very special,” she said.
And as a midwife, she has found that many Bermudi-ans have made her feel part of their family.
Ms Wheelan said: “Even families of babies I deliv-ered 10 or 12 years ago, I still keep in contact with them and go round and have dinner with them, so there is that attachment.
Cultural needs“Now I’m almost at an
age when I will start deliv-ering the babies of those babies I delivered years ago.
“I think this will make me feel old but it’s exciting and I think it will be fun.”
The 20 midwives at the KEMH maternity unit deliver up to 800 babies each year.
They come from 11 differ-ent cultural backgrounds, including the UK, South Africa, Trinidad, Guyana, St Lucia, Jamaica, Austra-lia and Bermuda.
“In Bermuda we have a very diverse population, in part due to international business, and so people have very different cultural needs, especially when it comes to labour and post-delivery.
“For example, some people may need their baby’s hair cut or they will not bathe for a week. Bring-ing a birth plan with you to the hospital is always helpful for us, to meet your needs.
“Everybody here in the maternity unit brings their own experience. We have a dynamic team and there’s a big camaraderie.”
The midwife first meets the mother when they are quite advanced in their pregnancy, as women receive antenatal care from
■ PHOTO BY AMANDA DALE
THERE FOR YOU: Janet Wheelan, clinical manager of the KEMH maternity unit, left, with midwife Maxine Butterfield.
See MIDWIVES, page 5
THE BERMUDA SUN OH BABY! : A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION FEBRUARY 24, 2012 ■ 5
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obstetricians.The midwives at KEMH
also run classes in preg-nancy and childbirth — the Prenatal Birthing Classes (see page two).
“These are for both birth parents and birth coaches, such as a friend or part-ner,” said Ms Wheeland.
“It’s definitely a good idea to educate yourself as much as you can about your pregnancy and birth. You should also develop ideas as to what you want, how you want the birth process to go.
Care“Getting prenatal care
definitely improves your outcomes.
“You should also make sure you have a paediatri-cian for the baby, to make sure that you are both being cared for.”
New mothers usually stay at the hospital for two days after the birth but anyone having a C-section (Caesarean) can expect to stay for three or four days.
Some women who have problems breastfeeding may also stay longer as an inpatient.
Sometimes women who have given birth previ-ously opt to go home earlier if they feel comfortable enough.
Ms Wheelan said: “In these cases we do have a follow-up system with the community health nurses. They will visit the woman at home if she wants to go home earlier, to make sure everything is alright.
“We are also here 24-hours a day to answer any phone calls and ques-tions you may have.” ■
■ PHOTO SUPPLIED
PERSONAL CARE: KEMH midwife Jacqueline Daley, right, assists new mom Tayiri Butterfield in breastfeeding her baby.
MIDWIVESContinued from page 4
‘It is amazing that each day we get to witness the magic of life.’JANET WHEELAN
Clinical manager, KEMH maternity and special care baby unit
6 ■ FEBRUARY 24, 2012 OH BABY! : A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION THE BERMUDA SUN
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BY SOPHIA CANNONIERBirth Doula
Regardless of whatever law may be applied to the surface of women’s lives, homebirth is a right.
Many women in Bermu-da are having to go to great lengths to exercise this right. Some are even plan-ning to ‘free birth’ or birth unassisted, as the current system is not serving their needs.
Seven years ago, birth Doulas made their appear-ance on the island, and as a result women have more choices than ever in the one-to-one care that Doulas provide.
Doulas specialize in phys-ical, emotional and spiri-tual support, which is vital to good birth outcomes.
Having a Doula has been scientifically proven to make the hospital birthing experience significantly better. For women who
prefer to birth in the hospi-tal this is fantastic.
However, many women are becoming unhappy with what seems to be the only supported birth option — with an obstetrician, in the hospital, and with the proliferation of interven-tion that goes with modern healthcare.
Homebirth has been the natural mode of delivery since the beginning of humankind.
It has only been in the last century that out-of-home birthing became the norm, a change engineered by ambitious men during a time when it was believed to be best to bring the natu-ral world under control.
What resulted in the birthing world was a surge into the hospital. It started with a fad, developed into a sign of prestige, and then became pervasive when fear took over.
With it came the inevi-
table spiral of cause and effect: The more interven-tion was introduced, the more it was needed, until birth was no longer recog-nizable as a natural process in human experience.
Instead it had been orchestrated into an assembly line proce-dure, complete with time constraints, indifferent workers, loss of individual rights and autonomy.
Numerous side effects resulted, among them a woman’s ability to endure labour without drugs or direction.
Over time the prevailing attitude developed that women did not have the power or ability to birth a baby naturally.
Natural painkillersMan’s technology, it
seemed, was better than nature’s perfection.
The truth is that a woman’s body is designed to procreate and give birth.
It produces hormones that act as pain relievers, contractions that come and go at intervals offer-ing respite, and many other perfect physiological responses that ensure a normal birth.
Pregnancy and birth are the ultimate state of health.
In a home birth situation, conscious parents accept responsibility and help create the standards and protocols that frame the
birth experience. This prepares the family
and their midwife for a natural, uneventful birth. Birth is a time to feel secure and safe.
When a woman births at home she is in her own nest and is surrounded by colours, textures, lighting, sounds and smells that she loves.
Her own bed, where she finds solace in rest and sleep, is available for birth-ing. She may even choose to have a water birth. She is in the place she will soon share with her baby.
What better place is there to relax in the total way she needs to in order to give way to the birth process?
The holistic way to give birth is to let it happen.
At home a woman has her hand-selected team who monitor the progress of her labour and wellbeing of both her and her baby.
Providing calm, watchful and intimate care, the team is there for the entire dura-tion of labour and birth.
The birthing woman knows this, depends on it and it helps her feel more secure. She may also have her partner and family with her as they know what soothes her best.
In most homebirth cases, birth will simply occur. In most cases of hospital births, the birth will be
■ FILE PHOTO
ADVOCATE: Sophia Cannonier champions homebirths.
See HOMEBIRTHS, page 7
‘What better place is there to relax in the total way she needs to in order to give way to the birth process? The holistic way to give birth is to let it happen.’
THE BERMUDA SUN OH BABY! : A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION FEBRUARY 24, 2012 ■ 7
tampered with to some degree.
The fact is that hospital practitioners are trained to perform. At home the belief is when all is well, let it be. Moving forward, the ever-expanding homebirth community must educate the public, promote home-birth, inform one woman at a time and confront the media and public speakers when they get it wrong.
We must enhance the homebirth choice and preserve its place in our society. Keeping birth normal while using tech-nology wisely is becoming a true art.
Rightfully, considerate care for all women can set the pace for better birth outcomes, a more peaceful community and healthier generations to come. ■
SOPHIA CANNONIER is a mother to three home and water-birthed children. She is a certified mid-wife assistant and birth Doula CD(Dona). She is also a Birthing from Within mentor, pilates and yoga teacher-trainer, Feldenkrais practitioner, and is studying to be a Certified Professional Midwife. Ms Cannonier is director and founder of The Bermuda Integrative Health Co-op Ltd and LOTUS: Mind. Body Spirit Wellness Centre. She also runs the homebirth advo-cacy group Conscious Birth Bermuda. For more information e-mail [email protected] or call 296-5900.
Homebirthing course Sophia Cannonier will be running a workshop this spring to train women in becoming birth Doulas. The training and certification programme aims to “help empower women so that they and their babies have the healthiest and best birth experience”. The childbirth education class will be based on the mid-wifery model of care and evidence-based practices, and takes place in Hamilton from May 11-13. For more information e-mail [email protected] or call 296-5900.
■ PHOTO BY RICHARD JAMES LEE
COVER STAR: Sophia Cannonier, as featured on the cover of the DVD Five Countries, Six Births, Seven Babies, an international documentary film on homebirths released this month. The details of the content of the film are pictured right.
HOMEBIRTHSContinued from page 6
BY AMANDA [email protected]
As an advocate for homebirth, Doula Sophia Cannonier aims to spread her message across Bermu-da and beyond.
This month she appears in the film documentary Five Countries, Six Births, Seven Babies: Mother Nature’s Design for Birth,
produced by California midwife Diana Paul, the executive director of home birthing organization Love Delivers Inc.
The documentary DVD films families going through homebirths, to show “how simple, safe and sacred it can be”.
In a statement, Ms Paul said: “The birthing commu-nity is so fortunate to have
compassionate women like Sophia Cannonier, and understanding fathers like her husband, Michael Watson, to guide us.
Purity“Experience taught them
what is needed for a safe and satisfying birth — a loving home and the abil-ity to change scared into sacred.
“In this wonderful film Sophia, Michael and five other families share their most intimate moments of birth so others can benefit from their expe-rience.
“The common ingredi-ent in all six homebirths is an absence of fear and a willingness to embrace and surrender to the process.”
It includes two births
in a house in Guatemala without running water or electricity.
The film also shows a waterbirth in Costa Rica and the homebirth of twins in California.
“For all species on earth, birth is a very private event,” said Ms Paul.
“To observe it is to change it. That women like Sophia have allowed a
camera in this sacred space is an extraordinarily loving and selfless gift.
“Their strong stand for pure birth is a good exam-ple and a likely solution for many of the problems surrounding birth as prac-tised in our culture.” ■
FOR MORE information on the DVD go to www.lovede-livers.org
Film is an intimate portrayal of families experiencing homebirth without fear
8 ■ FEBRUARY 24, 2012 OH BABY! : A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION THE BERMUDA SUN
Why you should not feel overwhelmed by a crying baby BY FIONA DILL
Did you know that the average newborn baby cries from one to four hours a day?
Crying is perhaps the single most common ‘problem’ of infancy, and although a normal part of the parenting experience, it can leave us feeling angry, depressed, overwhelmed and desperate.
It might also interest you to know that when measured, the volume of a baby’s cry lies somewhere between factory machinery and a chainsaw, and all three are above the level at which ear protection should be worn.
These facts alone should illustrate why caring for a newborn baby is such hard work, but add to that the chronic sleep deprivation, physical recovery from birth and the social isola-tion which is often part of new parenting, and it is
easy to understand why life with an infant can be such a struggle.
I remember long evenings pacing the floor with my first baby with her crying endlessly on my shoulder. Five more babies later and I have learnt much along the way which I want to share with you.
The first thing to say is that babies are born with a crying reflex, but not a laughing reflex.
SurvivalThis is important to
remember because while giggling and laughing are cute and useful for social interaction, crying is essen-tial for survival.
The aim is to bring some-one running as if it is an emergency and to get them to respond.
Indeed, how we respond to that perceived emer-gency has implications for both the short and long-
term well being of the baby. It is well-known that
babies who are responded to quickly in the early weeks and months learn that their world is a safe place, that their carers can be trusted and that they are loved.
As an added bonus, research suggests that this results in less crying as the baby gets older.
It seems that human babies are born with the expectation of having stress managed for them.
They tend to have low cortisol levels (stress hormones) for the first few months, as long as caring adults maintain their emotional equilibrium through touch, stroking, feeding and rocking.
But their immature systems are also very unstable and reactive, so that they can be plunged into very high cortisol levels if there is no one responding to them.
There is much evidence to suggest that high levels of cortisol can become toxic to the growing brain over time, which has a negative impact on many aspects of emotional development and wellbeing.
Many would say that everything you do with your baby in the early months is helping to set his levels of feeling good about himself and shaping his reactions to the world.
The problem is that there seems to be so many reasons why babies cry, it is no wonder that we end up feeling helpless and confused, and often we are not sure what to do.
Our minds are often full of information from books we have read, friends we have spoken to and rela-tives who also want to add their opinion into the mix.
Someone has described the thoughts going through a new parent’s mind, on hearing their baby cry, like this, ‘He needs his diaper changing; he must be thirsty; he’s ill. There’s nothing wrong with him; there’s something wrong with me and what I’m doing; he’s doing it delib-erately; he’s got me round his little finger; I can’t cope; he’s too hot; he’s tired; he wants me all the time; he’s hungry again; he wants to be left alone; I need a break;
he’s so naughty; my milk is not good enough; I’m not good enough; I’ll never be good enough; why does everyone else seem to cope better than me’, and so on.
Does any of this sound familiar? It certainly does to me. So what do we do? We are feeling exhausted, undermined, out-of-control and not sure what to do.
It might help to think about the early weeks as a sort of fourth trimester; where babies generally need a close association with their carers, lots of touch, rocking, feeding when needed and so on.
You cannot spoil a young baby. As suggested before, research shows that leav-ing a baby to cry, or to cope by himself for more than a very short period of time, does not create a more inde-pendent baby.
InstinctsIn fact, it seems to have
the reverse effect as it undermines the baby’s confidence in the parent and in the world, leaving him often more dependent rather than less.
This is not to say you shouldn’t have a break — you may well need to in order to stay sane, but as a basic premise for dealing with the demands of the early weeks, it can help to know you are doing the best thing for your baby by keeping them near you and responding to them.
I have had mothers say to me, “Even though he was clearly distressed and continued to cry, I felt I was doing something for him, just because I was holding him”.
So when you hear your baby cry, don’t be discour-aged, gather the support you need, filter your advice and feel confident that you are the unique parent for your baby, and that by attending to him respon-sively you are shaping the person he is to become.
Sometimes it takes a little time for us to work out how we want to parent, what our instincts tell us is right and what feels comfortable, but gradually you will find ways that work for you. ■
FIONA DILL is a childbirth educator, Doula and a reg-istered nurse.
■ ISTOCK PHOTO
COPING: Stay close to your baby to provide that comfort.
THE BERMUDA SUN OH BABY! : A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION FEBRUARY 24, 2012 ■ 9
Have support ready to help you adjust to motherhoodBY LA LECHE LEAGUE OF BERMUDA
Despite preparing herself for childbirth and breast-feeding, a new mother can still be faced with feelings of helplessness and uncer-tainty when her baby is born.
Becoming a mother is a stressful life event. Some-times we underestimate how much our lives will change when our babies are born.
The reality of continuous care and attention needed by an infant can seem over-whelming, especially in the early days when we are so affected by exhaustion.
The change from being independent women to having our lives revolve so completely around our babies is difficult.
Many mothers have mixed emotions about motherhood.
Baby blues The bonding process with
your new baby can take time. Even when a deep connection is present, the so-called ‘baby blues’ affect many mothers the first week or two after birth.
You may burst into tears for no apparent reason, experience mood swings, become extra sensitive, have difficulty concentrat-ing, and/or feel discour-aged.
You may wonder what you’ve gotten yourself into having a baby.
These symptoms can come and go, so you may feel perfectly ‘normal’ and happy at times, and very down at other times.
The baby blues are caused partially by hormonal changes, but also by the exhaustion every new mother faces.
You can overcome this with proper rest, a healthy and balanced diet, and most importantly — support from your family, friends, and groups, such as La Leche League.
Do not be ashamed to ask for help when you need it. The baby blues should be transient and should disap-pear within a few days or a week.
Some mothers, however, have more troubled feel-ings that last longer than the short-term baby blues.
Postpartum depression can hit anytime within the first year after birth, although it tends to start around 10 weeks postpar-tum and can last for several weeks or more.
It is more prevalent in women who have suffered depression in the past and may be connected to a trau-matic birth, mother-baby separation, an infant with a ‘high-need’ temperament, or breastfeeding problems and in cultures where new mothers have little family and social support.
The most common symp-toms of postpartum depres-sion are:
■ A persistent sad, anxious, or ‘empty’ mood
■ Sleeping too much or too little
■ Reduced appetite and weight loss, or increased appetite and weight gain
■ Loss of interest or plea-sure in activities you once enjoyed
■ Excessive irritability or
crying■ Persistent physical
symptoms, such as head-aches, digestive problems, or chronic pain
■ Feeling guilty, hope-less, worthless, helpless or pessimistic
■ Excessive fatigue or
loss of energy.
Take care of yourselfContinued breastfeeding
is one of the best things you can do for yourself to reduce or avoid depression.
Breastfeeding is part of
the way nature encour-ages us to take care of our babies and to transition from birth.
There is a surge in hormones, prolactin and oxytocin every time you breastfeed, that helps you to feel loving and nurtur-ing.
These hormones not only foster a connection with your baby, they also help you to recover from the emotional and physical stress of birth.
Without these hormones, mothers tend to talk to their babies less, interact less and touch less.
If you are suffering from the baby blues or postpar-tum depression, contin-ued breastfeeding is also the best option for your baby, as bottle-fed babies of depressed mothers are more likely to have devel-opmental challenges than babies of depressed moth-ers who breastfeed.
In mild cases of depres-sion, support, friendship and breastfeeding assis-tance may help.
Being a mother is a 24-hour-a-day job, and it can be hard. This is why having a support network in place is so important.
You need people who will take care of you, so you can
mother your baby. If you still feel sad despite
getting assistance from your support network of friends, family and/or LLL, you may want to talk to your physician.
He/she may recommend medication, but most anti-depressants are compatible with breastfeeding.
You can always have La Leche League check Dr Thomas Hale’s Medications and Mothers’ Milk guide for further information on a specific drug.
Try to take motherhood on a day-by-day basis.
Breastfeeding can build your confidence and moth-ering skills. You are your baby’s food source and you are the one who can comfort him or her the best.
This can be a scary pros-pect, but you will learn to gradually trust your instincts and get to know your baby’s body and personality better than anyone else. ■ FOR BREASTFEEDING ASSISTANCE, contact La Leche League at 236-1120, via e-mail at [email protected] or visit us on Facebook at La Leche League of Bermuda.
■ PHOTO BY BECKY SPENCER
NATURAL: Breastfeeding releases chemicals to help fostering the bond between you and your baby. Pictured here are Sarah Steele-Smith and her daughter, Sienna.
‘Being a mother is a 24-hour-a-day job, and it can be hard... You need people who will take care of you, so you can mother your baby.’
10 ■ FEBRUARY 24, 2012 OH BABY! : A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION THE BERMUDA SUN
K I N G E D W A R D V I I M E M O R I A L H O S P I T A L
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Designed by midwives to ensure a safe,
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Join our healthcare professionals to prepare
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The only birthing classes in Bermuda taught
by midwives from the hospital maternity team.
T U E S D AY E V E N I N G S For Four Weeks
At King Edward VII Memorial Hospital Montrose Conference Room$155 - Light Refreshments will be served
For registration, call Francine Burrows 239-1682or email [email protected]
TOPICS INCLUDE:
BODY CHANGES
RELAXATION
LABOUR & DEL IVERY
PAIN MANAGEMENT
BREASTFEEDING
THE BERMUDA SUN OH BABY! : A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION FEBRUARY 24, 2012 ■ 11
Keep healthy and happy after childbirth
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BY GWYNETH RAWLINSArgus Group
Having a baby changes the life of a new mother instantly; being a mother is a 24-hour job and one with little or no preparation.
This can, at times, be overwhelming.
Of course, there is no end of advice available: ‘Sleep when the baby sleeps’; ‘Take time for yourself every day’; ‘Leave the housework for now and concentrate on your baby’.
Most of the suggestions come down to finding a healthy balance in your new life.
You need to look after your baby, but you also need to look after yourself.
ExerciseThis means ensuring you
eat well and get enough exercise, sleep and time to yourself.
Unfortunately, this is not always easy. Having a young baby is challenging, and a lot of what happens throughout the day — and night — is out of your control.
Carol Asuncion, assistant vice president, finance, of the Argus Group, is a new mother with a four-month-old son, Karl. She has managed to find balance, but it did take time.
Mrs Asuncion said: “At first I was surprised at how looking after a new baby took up my entire day. But I didn’t want to leave my baby, and as much as possi-ble, I didn’t want anyone else looking after him.
“It was tiring, especially when I was already sleep
deprived. Now I have some balance; I have learned to let go when I need to and I make sure I spend time on myself.”
She also learned to accept help from those who offered. Family and friends can look after your needs — by cooking or cleaning perhaps — so that you can turn your attention to your
baby. And remember, if you
are tired there is nothing wrong with having some-one take the baby for an hour to give you a break.
Fatigue is common in new mothers and many skip exercise because they are exhausted.
Exercise actually creates energy in your body. It
helps you to lose weight gained from pregnancy and is good for your mental and social health. Even 15 minutes a day can help.
Find an exercise routine that can includes your baby, such as stroller exercises or yoga. Studies show this early exposure to exercise can have a posi-tive effect on even young
babies. At the end of the day it will also help you, and hopefully your baby, to sleep better.
Being active is also a great way to connect with other new moms. In Bermuda why not try: Baby Boot Camp at www.babyboot-camp.com; Kids in Action at www.kidsinaction-bm.com; Kindermusik at www.music-schoolbm; swim-ming, see www.swimminginstinct.com; and gymnastics, see www.bermudagymnastics.com.
All of these offer programmes for new moms and babies. Joining a play-group will also help you to socialize and share experi-ences and advice.
As always, proper nutri-tion is essential to give you energy, help maintain or lose weight, and to keep you healthy.
Accept offers of meals and find easy, nutritious recipes that you, or some-one else, can make quickly. Steer clear of prepared, fatty or high-sodium foods.
Regular exercise and eating well also helps to reduce stress. It is impor-tant to keep anxiety in check. Realize that some days will be better than others, and take each day
as it comes. Above all, Mrs
Asuncion advises all new mothers to enjoy every moment.
“Regardless of how sleep-deprived or overwhelmed you are, enjoy your-self. I didn’t realise
time would pass so quickly and I don’t want to miss any of the special mile-stones of my son’s growth.”
Motherhood is not about neglecting your needs, it’s about finding a balance between looking after your baby, enjoying the time you have with your little one and spending time taking care of yourself. In the end, you and your baby will be healthier and happier. ■
GWYNETH RAWLINS is a customer relations special-ist at the Argus Group. For more information go to www.argus.bm
■ PHOTO SUPPLIED
SPECIAL MOMENTS: Carol Asuncion, pictured with her son Karl, advises new mothers to accept help when it is offered.
‘It was tiring, especially when I was already sleep deprived. Now I have some balance; I have learned to let go when I need to... ’
CAROL ASUNCIONNew mom and assistant vice president, finance, Argus
RAWLINS
12 ■ FEBRUARY 24, 2012 OH BABY! : A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION THE BERMUDA SUN
When to ask for help for you and your newborn
BY KELLY ALFIERITheBump.com (MCT)
Sure, you can do it all, but you shouldn’t — you need to rest and heal during baby’s first weeks. Here’s how to get others to lend a hand.
When I was pregnant with twins, my husband and I were trying to figure out what help we’d need when our babies came home.
Other moms insisted that we needed a baby nurse, who would take care of the twins in the nighttime.
This person would teach me how to care for the babies and let me get more sleep at night, since I could stay in bed and pump breast milk while she gave the children a bottle.
I had a funny feeling about the idea, but I went with it and hired someone before the babies were even born.
After delivery, I stayed in the hospital nearly a week and my newborns were in the NICU, so I wasn’t able to spend much time with them.
Finally, I was able to bring my daughter home, but my son had to stay in the hospital for a few more days.
I was thrilled to come home and wanted to spend every second with my new baby and my husband.
But it felt weird having a stranger with us in our home at every moment.
I had little privacy, and this special time was spoiled. At one point, I let the baby nurse take my daughter into the nursery to rock her to sleep while I
went to clean the kitchen. While loading the dish-
washer, I burst into tears. Why was I cleaning the kitchen instead of being with my new baby?
I realized I’d much rather be with my daughter and have someone else tidy up.
The next day, we gave the baby nurse a full week’s pay and told her she didn’t need to come back.
Knowing what kind of help you need
What I learned is, before you bring baby home from the hospital, it’s tough to know how much and what kind of help you’ll need and want.
Often, moms will over-estimate or underestimate what they’ll need and end up with too much, too little or the wrong kind of help (like I did).
And when you’re running on little sleep and recovering from childbirth, that can seem devastating.
Finding the right support can be tricky, but remem-ber that the help isn’t just for you — it’s for you, your baby and your family.
Not enough help can lead to stress and sleep depriva-tion, making breastfeeding
difficult, and hurting your physical and mental well-being.
A weak support system can lead to isolation and can contribute to postpar-tum stress.
So how the heck do you figure it out?
“Take a few days with the baby and experience what it’s like, and then you can decide what help will really help you,” says Lisa Spiegel, director of Soho Parenting, a support centre for parents in New York City.
That could mean resist-ing offers from family members or friends to come and help in those first days.
It’s important to do this, so you find a rhythm with your baby and so you have a true sense of what will lighten your load — wheth-er it’s cleaning, cooking or help taking care of baby.
“People have so much advice about what women should do, but it’s so personal,” says Ms Spiegel.
This is why she encour-ages couples to use their personal experience to figure out what will be most helpful to them.
Getting help from your partner
Many new moms feel like they could use more help from their spouse but wrongly believe that their partner will simply know what needs to be done.
“We need to debunk the myth that this should happen seamlessly,” says Ms Spiegel.
“Adults need to say what they need. Partners would never run a business with-out meeting, but we think that our partners should just know what’s needed.
“It’s about meeting and talking and problem-solv-ing together.”
Ms Spiegel recommends that new parents have a 15-minute meeting each day to check in, talk about what’s going on and figure out what each can and should be doing.
Getting help from familySome new moms find
themselves fighting off eager new grandparents who are launching a full-scale invasion of their home, while others wish they had more people avail-able to help.
If family members will be a primary source of
support, you’ll need to manage their help and spread it out over time.
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” says Ms Spiegel.
If everyone is planning on coming over right after the baby is born, you could find yourself overwhelmed initially and without a soul in sight a few weeks later.
Ms Spiegel advises moms to be appreciative of the help offered but to let family members know it is needed in an ongoing way, so spreading it out would be most beneficial.
Many moms could bene-fit from more support but feel shy about asking.
If that’s you, Ms Spiegel says to remind yourself that asking for help isn’t just good for you, it’s best for baby.
“Practise asking for help for the baby,” says Ms Spiegel.
Yup, go ahead and ask them to help with the baby’s laundry or to pick up diapers for the baby, instead of asking them to do something for you, if that makes you feel more comfortable.
If your instinct is to say no when someone offers help, make it a point to start saying yes.
With a new baby, there’s always a chore waiting to be done, whether it’s laun-dry to fold, something to be picked up at the grocery store or garbage to go out. If a friend comes by and offers help, give her a task.
You’ll be grateful to scratch something off your to-do list, and she’ll feel good about being able to help.
Getting help from a paid caregiver
If you don’t have family or friends who can help — or don’t want to ask — and you can afford it, you may want to hire a doula or baby nurse to lend a hand.
If you think you may want to hire one, you can interview candidates while you’re still pregnant and narrow the field before baby is born. Or call some-one after you settle in.
A postpartum doula helps support a new mom and family after baby arrives.
To find a doula in your area, you can get recom-mendations from friends and family, or use an Inter-net search. And use our checklist for interviewing a doula for questions to ask.
A baby nurse isn’t actual-ly a nurse — it’s more like a nanny who helps parents care for their newborn.
Baby nurses usually stay in a family’s home 24/7, and many new parents use them for a short period of time (two weeks, a month) so they can get some sleep at night. ■
For more pregnancy and parenting advice visit TheBump.com.
■ ISTOCK PHOTO
LIFE CHANGING EVENT: Becoming a mother is an amazing experience but can quickly exhaust you, so don’t be afraid to ask for help from family and friends, and even professionals.
‘Finding the right support can be tricky, but remember that the help isn’t just for you — it’s for you, your baby and your family. Not enough help can lead to stress and sleep deprivation, making breastfeeding difficult, and hurting your physical and mental well-being.’
BUILD THE FOUNDATIONFOR FUTURE LEARNING.
Parent Resources
Play-based screenings for 24 -30 month old children
Parent and Children’s Book Library
Toy Library
COMING SOON: Parent Ed. Curriculum
Parent Infant Group
1,2,3,4 Parents!
1,2,3 Magic
Preemie Group
Child Care Provider Workshops
COMING SOON: Early Literacy
Bonding: Early Steps to Attachment
Behaviour Management
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Do you have a child from age birth to 4?
Are you a Home Child Care Provider and would like resources to help you to care for young children?
Call the Child Development Programme 295-0746 ext. 2221
Parent Infant Group
1,2,3,4 Parents!
1,2,3 Magic
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Child Care ProviderWorkshops
COMING SOON:Early Literacy
Bonding: Early Steps toAttachment
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Language LearningVisit our website for details: child-development-programme.com
Participation in services is voluntary and resources are free to the public!
Congratulations
to
the winners and all entrants of the
Oh Baby contest!
All of the babies are beautiful.
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WRAPPED PORTRAITS!
Kemai Faith ArorashBorn June 7th, 2011
to Ashayo Clemons & Kevun Arorash
Nauray Lillian Shia AscentoBorn November 27th, 2011
to Tione Ascento
Karl Nathan AsuncionBorn September 16th, 2011 to Gian & Carol Asuncion
Dhiannon BaileyBorn March 29th, 2011to Dean & Jimeka Bailey
Russon Deniro BaileyBorn April 21st, 2011
to Deana Bailey & Russ Ford II
Nazaya Pamela Elsi BarnettBorn June 21st, 2011
to David & Nea Barnett
Josahna Milay BarneyBorn November 25th, 2011to John & Serena Barney
King Damain Louis BascomeBorn September 2nd, 2011
to Tyrone & Lushay Bascome
Cory Francis Scott Berkeley Born July 6th, 2011
to Cory & Chantelle Berkeley
Caleb Harley BoothBorn January 3rd, 2011
to Garrett & Kristan Booth
Ravi BradshawBorn May 13th, 2012
to Wayne & Marcia Bradshaw
Jha’vi Amor BrangmanBorn October 4th, 2011
to Markita Joell & Roydon Brangman
Lamiyah Takysha BrangmanBorn September 9th, 2011
to Kamilah Johnson & Lamont Brangman
13 FEBRUARY 24, 2012 OH BABY: A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION THE BERMUDA SUN
Evan Micah AndradeBorn September 15th, 2011
to Gina Joyiens
Giovanni AraujoBorn June 13th, 2011
to Emmanuel & Vanda Araujo
Gabriel Lewis Benevides Born October 6th, 2011
to Bruno Benevides & Melanie Benevides
Zoei Amayah Tah’ri BurgessBorn August 28th, 2011
to Takiyah Burgess & Che’ Scott
Semaje’ Ariana Butterfield-RayBorn July 21st, 2011
to Tina Ray & James Butterfield
Danehvay Atari ButterfieldBorn November 4th, 2011
to Chai-Ang & Damien Butterfield
Naomi ButterfieldBorn August 14th, 2011
to Maxine & Robby Butterfield
Amiah Gabriella CabrallBorn January 29th, 2011
to Amie Dawson & Gabriel Cabrall
Azaniah Jermai CaiseyBorn May 26th, 2011
to Shaun & Natasha Caisey
Cameron Glenn CamaraBorn September 7th, 2011
to Sophia Smethurst & Rui Camara
Delilah CampbellJuly 7th, 2011
to Davonne & Eliot Campbell
Oscar William Carnegie Born May 4th, 2011
Joe & Jennifer Carnegie
Leilani CarpolBorn May 24th, 2011
to Chris & Michelle Carpol
Lilian Somers ColletteBorn December 1st, 2011
to David & Lesley Collette
Rhush Vince’ Kii’Lei CondorBorn September 7th, 2011
to Carlacia Condor
Kaden Demitri Lashun CordayBorn November 17th, 2011
to Korin Corday
Dominic Maxwell CostaBorn October 31st, 2011
to Steven & Natasha Costa
Skyler Shane CrockwellBorn April 20th, 2011 to Juanae Crockwell
Laila Rose CroftonBorn February 13th, 2011
to Jill Harrington & RC Crofton
THE BERMUDA SUN OH BABY: A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION FEBRUARY 24, 2012 14
15 FEBRUARY 24, 2012 OH BABY: A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION THE BERMUDA SUN
Christiana CruzBorn April 27th, 2011
to Lloyd & Barbie Cruz
Nathan CuarentasBorn April 19th, 2011
to Louie & Nina Cuarentas
Trevor Jacob CundliffeBorn March 27th, 2011to Iris & Chad Cundliffe
Cyana CyrisBorn October 15th, 2011
to Allana Simons & Cletus Cyris
Chase Anthony Da PonteBorn December 15th, 2011
to Victoria Da Ponte
Gabrielle Darrell-WoodsBorn January 19th, 2011
to Kristina Darrell & Synday Woods
Tatum Darrell Born March 24th, 2011
to Owen & Tione Darrell
Timaii Lynique Mezhani DavisBorn September 9th, 2011
to Timothy Davis & Monique Tucker
Malayah Carys Doryea DenbrookBorn June 9th, 2011to Larea Denbrook
Ambra Desilva Born July 5th, 2011
to Michela Ippolito & Jeffrey Desilva
Rheo Tessa Amai Dickinson Born January 28th, 2011 to Jazmine Richardson &
Rickai Dickinson
Jens Drea Born July 12th, 2011
to Brian & Melissa Drea
Cole Anthony EarlsBorn August 18th, 2011to Craig & Sharon Earls
Ta’han Eve Born June 15th, 2011
to Rokeisha Eve
Nasser Martin FahyBorn May 6th, 2011
to Michael & Fozeia Fahy
Zarah Rose FahyBorn May 6th, 2011
to Michael & Fozeia Fahy
THE BERMUDA SUN OH BABY: A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION FEBRUARY 24, 2012 16
Kailee Samara Juileta FerreiraBorn August 13th, 2011
to Mindo Ferreira & Kelsey Dakin
Ryan FigureidoBorn September 20th, 2011
to DJ & Lisa Figureido
Logan FloodBorn May 30th, 2011
to Melissa & Steven Flood
Richard John Immanuel Foggo Jr.Born March 16th, 2011
to Richard Foggo & Sheryll Tayab
Nathan Shaun ForbesBorn November 8th, 2011
to Shaun & Chantal Forbes
Bailey Frances Born May 11th, 2011to R. Janet Simmons
Taurus Adoni FranklinBorn April 21st, 2011
to Mark Franklin & June Bean
Sam FraserBorn May 16th, 2011
to Greg & Stephanie Fraser
Sydnee FriasBorn August 31st, 2011
to Samantha Peets & Chris Frias
Victoria FrisbyBorn December 20th, 2011
to Christian & Rachelle Frisby
Rielle Natalia GaglioBorn December 8th, 2011 to Reed & Sandy Gaglio
Elise GallagherBorn December 13th, 2011
to Chris & Yolanda Gallagher
Mieke GerberBorn April 28th, 2011
to Johan & Janet Gerber
Aiden GlazebrookBorn August 16th, 2011
to Sam & Kelly Glazebrook
Yhari M Goater JonesBorn June 30th, 2011
to Shakira Jones & Omejae Goater
Jacob Adam GoodwinBorn July 29th, 2011
to Jennifer Brookes & Mark Goodwin
17 FEBRUARY 24, 2012 OH BABY: A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION THE BERMUDA SUN
Chelsea GreenBorn May 16th, 2011
to Dawn & Darren Green
Harley Rose GreensladeBorn May 7th, 2011
to Daniel & Melody Greenslade
Cruz James HarveyBorn June 5th, 2011
to Nadja Talevi & James Harvey
Jack HealyBorn May 31st, 2011
to Rita & Robert Healy
Jasmine HeinzBorn February 15th, 2011
to Renee Lopes & Stephen Heinz
Xylia Aryanna HeweyBorn April 14th, 2011
to Karim and Rickeisha Hewey
Peyton V. HinesBorn August 5th, 2011
to Brian & Kimberley Hines
Cristiano Jose Botelho HizonBorn September 6th, 2011
to Venessa & Carlo Hizon
Sadie Jane HockingBorn August 10th, 2011
to Jacob & Anna Laura Hocking
Kahzyiah “Unique” Etoya HollisBorn June 23rd, 2011
to Karimah & Kareem Hollis
G’Laya Lavon Marie HypoliteBorn March 8th, 2011
to Georgina Hypolite & Lekan Scott
Pia Levign JamesBorn September 26th, 2011
to Michelle Sumagaysay
Shamar JamesBorn February 8th, 2011
to Marissa Nanud & Shawn James
Z’Ari Skye Carys Jennings-JoellBorn May 6th, 2011
to Zia D. Jennings & Cavun K. Joell
Kayden Johnson-CannBorn January 8th, 2011
to Tiffany Johnson & Elrico Cann
Kaiyah-Isis JohnstonBorn August 30th, 2011
to Miriam Johnston & Scott Fox
THE BERMUDA SUN OH BABY: A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION FEBRUARY 24, 2012 18
Riley Quinae JonesBorn January 30th, 2011
to Ronika Trott & Quinton Jones
Seren Eve JonesBorn April 1st, 2011
to Claudia Philipsz-Jones & Martin Jones
Jahmari KellymanBorn July 24th, 2011
to Kiann & Oneil Kellyman
Gi’Yani King Knight-SmithBorn August 23rd, 2011
to Desai Smith & Chelsea Knight
Harlow LambeBorn September 1st, 2011
to Danita Lambe & Denver Benjamin
Cataja Jewel M. Lambert-Webb Born March 25th, 2011
to Tajmal Webb & Chloé Lambert
Neziah Ashton Samuel Landy Born June 14th, 2011
to Ashley Conyers & LeVoui Landy
Charlie LawBorn March 18th, 2011to Geoff & Emma Law
Kaiya LightbournBorn January 21st, 2011
to Glo Lightbourn & Keilo Govia
Isaiah LightbourneBorn August 17th, 2011
to Michelle Carreiro & William Lightbourne
Naomi LindoBorn September 25th, 2011
to Lauren & Justin Lindo
Fletcher MacLean Logie Born November 27th, 2011
to Melissa & Peter Logie
Mirabella LohanBorn June 7th, 2011
to Barry & Amanda Lohan
Deshaun Martin Born February 4th, 2011
to Sherrica Martin & Shawn Shower
Ryley MartinBorn September 29th, 2011
to Malcolm Martin Jr. & Sarah Pereira
Lucy Isabel LemanBorn March 4th, 2011
to Jason & Lindsey Leman
Asa Locke MelloBorn December 17th, 2011
to Matt &Terri Mello
19 FEBRUARY 24, 2012 OH BABY: A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION THE BERMUDA SUN
Gwennan MatthewsBorn May 1st, 2011
to Philip & Claire Matthews
Koral MccannBorn April 28th, 2011
to Monika and David Mccann
Aanya A. C. Mills Born October 18th, 2011
to Cherita Albouy & Allan Mills
Zahnai Ming-WilsonBorn July 1st, 2011
to Chrissi Ming & Duval Wilson
Rinnahj Maliya MingBorn June 21st, 2011
to Ricardo Dill & Rasia Ming
Natalee Mya MonizBorn December 5th, 2011
to Natasha Simons & Matice Moniz
Malachi Murphy Born August 16th, 2011
to Sasha L. Mckenzie
Lucas MyersBorn April 23rd, 2011
to Lindsay & Derek Myers
Lana Gosling NaudeBorn July 27th, 2011
to Leon & April Naude
Madison Paget NeckerBorn November 14th, 2011
to Tara Makowski & James Necker
Hailey Narothso B. OduoriBorn May 15th, 2011
to Collins Oduori & Priscilla Ogamba
Maceo MelloBorn August 17th, 2011
to Joricho Mello & LeAnna DeShields
Sophie Lynn McClureBorn January 3rd, 2011to Bill & Jessica McClure
Rae Giada MastersBorn August 1st, 2011
to Rickeisha Burgess & Raymond Masters
Lillian Grace MastersBorn October 24th, 2011
to Joshua & Lisamarie Masters
THE BERMUDA SUN OH BABY: A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION FEBRUARY 24, 2012 20
Maya Leilani Raine Born November 1st, 2011
to Andre & Helen Raine
Kritik RangtaBorn June 3rd, 2011
to Suman & Sawarn Singh
Samiya Nevaeh Senthamarai RannanBorn July 12th, 2011
to Natalie & Sivakumar Rannan
Ta-Kira Zamani Rawlins-JenningsBorn August 1st, 2011
to Shakir Jennings & Theresa Rawlins
Nina ReillyBorn July 19th, 2011
to Alison Green & Arthur Reilly
Tori Richardson Jr.Born February. 15th, 2011
to Tori Richardson Sr. & Melissa Looby
Gion RichardsonBorn February 8th, 2011
La Toia Richardson
Noah RichardsonBorn October 24th, 2011
to Marie-Helene Pare & Russell Richardson
Ray James RichardsonBorn September 27th, 2011to Mark & Lucy Richardson
Chloe Patricia-Lynn RoacheBorn November 10th, 2011to Jaime & David Roache
William G. J. PembertonBorn June 28th, 2011
to Vernon & Clare Pemberton
Aaliyah-Empress PhilpottBorn January 26th, 2011
to Darlene & Peter Philpott
Sofi Butler PurcellBorn December 9th, 2011to Jaime & Hannah Purcell
Akira Casey PachecoBorn March 26th, 2011
to Edwina Darrell & Matthew Pacheco
Tamara Amati Okong’oBorn September 25th, 2011
to Jackline Wanjiru & Harry Okong’o
Zoe PhillipsBorn November 11th, 2011
to Gladwin Phillips & Nelia Carreiro
21 FEBRUARY 24, 2012 OH BABY: A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION THE BERMUDA SUN
Micah Teyon SmithBorn June 12th, 2011
Tanasha Holder & Micah Smith
Nasri Maasai Toriano Smith Born September 11th, 2011
to Raisa Simons-Smith & Kejon Trott
Lachlan RossBorn August 8th, 2011
to Daegan & Jennifer Ross
Caius George RussellBorn October 26th, 2011to Andre & Christy Russell
Jayla R. SmithBorn August 7th, 2011
to Jamal Smith & Jenea Saltus
Evaan SethiBorn September 4th, 2011
to Sonia & Tarun Sethi
Isaiah SimonsBorn June 22nd, 2011
to Ashely Simons
Stella Avalaine SimpsonBorn February 22nd, 2011
to Andrew & Melissa Simpson
Jahneece Sarai Sandy MariaBorn March 4th, 2011
to Sarahlyn Sandy-Maria & Desire Maria
Alvin-Patrick Alcantara SmithBorn December 16th, 2011 to Rodney & Analyn Smith
Kyra Madison SimmonsBorn July 3rd, 2011
to Mr. & Mrs. Keno K. Simmons
Eliza Kate RochaBorn June 10th, 2011
to Luis & Candida Rocha
Abby Elizabeth Rose SimonsBorn June 13th, 2011
to Jason & Nicole Simons
Samaya Milan RojasBorn September 12th, 2011to Shimika & Marlon Rojas
Taylor Dylan SmithBorn February 2nd, 2011
to Trevor & Samantha Smith
Kadence Amai Rylee RobinsonBorn November 29th, 2011
to Lekeia Robinson
THE BERMUDA SUN OH BABY: A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION FEBRUARY 24, 2012 22
De’lah Stowe’Eve Born January 9th, 2011
to Kylah Stowe & Dean Eve
Avery Isla TaylorBorn May 5th, 2011
to Rachael Barritt & Kevin Taylor
Mariah Anita Torak-CordeiroBorn June 6th, 2011
to Nelson Cordeiro & Crystal Vigneri
Kyle TaylorBorn October 20th, 2011
to Sharlita Hypolite & Brittonie Taylor
Riann Jade ThorpeBorn December 3rd, 2011
to Daniela D’Amato & Genghis Thorpe
Nevaeh Ariana S’mai TankardBorn April 11th, 2011
to Stephanie Corday & Trenton Tankard
Ethan TaylorBorn March 28th, 2011
to Keegan & Kristen Taylor
Alexandra Taylor Born May 16th, 2011
to Ronald & Vanessa Taylor
Isobel Sophia StarrBorn October 17th, 2011
to Andy & Liz Starr
Jaide Kimiyah Ingemann StoweBorn June 24th, 2011
to Katrina Stowe & Jonathan Ingemann
Mickah Talbot Born January 7th, 2011
to Jahnika & Micheal Talbot
Benjamin StonesBorn December 16th, 2011to Brendan & Suzy Stones
Daniel Harrington Robert SteinhoffBorn October 27th, 2011 to Rob & Emily Steinhoff
Yu’udai F. L. Trott-HaywardBorn October 17th, 2011
to Aisha Trott & Howard Hayward Sr.
De’ari TrottBorn August 28th, 2011
to Delmair Trott & Siena Bell
Allegra SofianosBorn July 13th, 2011
to Maria Sofianos & Roger Trott
23 FEBRUARY 24, 2012 OH BABY: A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION THE BERMUDA SUN
Dominic WrightBorn January 17th, 2011
to Caroline & Anthony Wright
Eva WorsickBorn December 21st, 2011
to Lucinda Spurling Worsick & Chris Worsick
Julyana Bishee Young Born August 20th, 2011
to Ché & Ali Young
Caiden WellmanBorn May 11th, 2011
to Isis and Sacar Wellman
Blair Jayden WalesBorn May 31st, 2011
to Jennifer & Kariim Wales
Jalen TuckettBorn September 19th, 2011
to Reginald & Keran Tuckett
Nathaniel WhartonBorn June 21st, 2011 to Lesley Wharton
Ethan Robert WheatleyBorn September 25th, 2011
to Alex & Sean Wheatley
Cinae Wilkinson-HillBorn February 14th, 2011
to Samantha Wilkinson & David Hill
Ayami Sedaijah WilkinsonBorn February 25th, 2011
to Garon & Kana Wilkinson
Leyana Noemi WilliamsBorn September 8th, 2011
to Kamal & Carolina Williams
Lorenzo WilliamsBorn August 25th, 2011
to Sinclair & Evelyn Williams
Xavi Wilson Born November 13th, 2011
to Kellie Woods & Tafari Wilson
Tazio WohlmuthBorn January 16th, 2011
to Brigitta Wohlmuth & Dilson Muanda
Lyani Jasmin Born October 7th, 2011
to Josh & Nzingha
Hailey-Autumn Marie TrottBorn May 6th, 2011
to Cinamin Lovell & Jovan Trott
THE BERMUDA SUN OH BABY: A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION FEBRUARY 24, 2012 24
Grand Prize WinnerCaiden Wellman
Born May 11th, 2011 to Isis & Sacar Wellman
Winner of a Johnson’s Gift Basket,
A Happy Baby Organic Gift Basket from BGA, A Case of Pampers, A bottle of non alcoholic Shloer from Pitt & Co, and A Gift Certificate
to Family Affairs Children Boutique.
Lucy Isabel LemanBorn March 4th, 2011
to Jason & Lindsey Leman
Winner of a Lindo’s Gift Basket, A Happy Baby Organic Gift Basket from BGA, A Case of Pampers, A bottle of non alcoholic
Shloer from Pitt & Co, and A Heaven Sent Baby Boutique Gift Basket.
Zoei Amayah Tah’ri BurgessBorn August 28th, 2011
to Takiyah Burgess & Che’ Scott
Winner of a Lindo’s Gift Basket Basket, A Happy Baby Organic Gift Basket from BGA, A Case of Pampers, A bottle of non alcoholic Shloer from Pitt & Co, a Gold/Silver gift from Walker Christopher and A gift certificate for an 8 week Conscious Birth workshop run by
Sophia Cannonier (Birthing From Within) (transferable to a friend or family member)
Nina ReillyBorn July 19th, 2011
to Alison Green & Arthur Reilly
Winner of 1 Conscious Birth Professional Doula service (Sophia Cannonier as Doula) , 1 year membership to Olympic Club, A term of Kindermusik from Bermuda School of Music, A Home Treatment from BDA Pest Control, Otto Wurz Gift,
First Quality Baby Diapers from Medical House, 1 case of Huggies from Butterfield & Vallis, A bottle of non alcoholic Shloer from Pitt & Co, A Johnsons Baby Gift Basket, A Lindo’s Gift Basket, A Happy Baby Organic Gift Basket from BGA,
A Gift certificate for a photo session with Paige Noelle Photography, plus an additional $150 towards prints, products or services.
and the winners are…
Lindo’s Family FoodMiddle Road in Warwick236-1344Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 8am - 7pmWednesday, Friday & Saturday 8am - 8pm
Lindo’s MarketWatlington Road Devonshire236-5623 | Pharmacy: 236-7732Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 8am - 7pmWednesday, Friday & Saturday 8am - 8pm
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL
OH BABY! 2011CONTESTANTS.