Bump, Baby and Beyond: Responding to the needs of parents
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ump, Baby and Beyond (B3) Caribbean Magazine, the organisers of the annual B3 Parenting Expo, revelled in a record-breaking turnout for the two-day event at the Jamaica Pegasus. Michelle Gordon, who is the Editor-in-Chief and Creative Director at the regional publication, said that this year the expo saw at least 1,700 persons in attendance. Gordon told Loop News that she is particularly pleased that the expo, now in its fifth year and formerly known as ‘A Big Baby Shower’, has grown over the years into an event that covers all aspects of parenthood. “When we started, we met with couples who were not yet parents but expecting – today, those children are no longer babies – so we have extended our reach, changed our brand so we can grow with our families,” she said. “The event has grown since its inception six years ago; we have responded to the needs of the parents,” Gordon further explained. Several of the themed sessions at the 2015 B3 Parenting Expo were huge attractions, providing parents with resources and information for their journey through parenthood. Sessions under the headlines, ‘Pregnancy’, ‘Dads and Duty’ and ‘Paving the Path’ – hosted by Obstetrician/Gynaecologist Nicole McLaren-Campbell - were particulary popular. “One of the indications of satisfaction was that most
people stayed for the whole day – even those who may have left eventually came back at the end. There was a lot of interaction and people wanted information, the dos and the don’ts, tips and just any general advice,” noted Gordon. Mothers-to-be also vied for one of the event’s main attractions, a dream nursery courtesy of Spaces Jamaica, in a raffle-competition - won by a beaming and absolutely radiant Trisha Knott. Gordon revealed that Bump, Baby and Beyond has massive plans for the Caribbean. “As beneficial as it is, [we know] it is not enough; we are a regional brand and as such we have come to recognise that there is a demand for such an event in Trinidad,” she told Loop News, adding that the event will be launched sometime in November. “We will be launching several other television-themed programmes closer to the last quarter of this year – targeting topics like life-saving first aid for the child and family,” she added. B3 Caribbean Magazine is an exclusive publication, the first of its kind in the region that celebrates the modern baby and child parenting lifestyle. A mother to 9-year-old Christian and 5-year-old Amanda, Michelle Gordon has over 25 years of combined experience in service, entrepreneurship and motherhood, which led to the creation of B3 Caribbean magazine. The dedicated publication has several features including: Mocktails (a featured pregnant personality enjoying guilt-free drink treats), b3 Picks, Buys & Books (top recommended items), b3 MD (where a resident doctor does a Q and A), Glama’Mama (featuring a stylish Mummy), among others.
Saving for your child’s education just got easier…
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he baby-years don’t last forever and before you know it, your little ones will be well on his or her way to university, but that path may be significantly challenged without proper financial planning. Negotiating the current economic climate alongside rising tuition costs can in fact prove burdensome to parents, but with an OMNI Educator policy it doesn’t have to be. Antonio Spence, NCB Insurance (NCBIC) Regional Sales Manager, sees OMNI Educator as a key pillar in helping to facilitate dreams. “The reality is, parents are required to fork out big bucks for their children’s university education and investing in an OMNI Educator policy is a way for them to ease the financial burden, while ensuring that their children achieve their goals,” Spence says, “And what parent wouldn’t want to ensure their child’s wellbeing?” OMNI Educator is a simple, affordable solution for planning your child’s education. For just $2500 per month, you can
relax in knowing that you are doing your part to ensure your child has a brighter tomorrow. What’s more, enjoy a 20% education grant received at maturity, tax-free returns and life insurance coverage. This policy is also payable for both local and overseas study. Our Insurance Advisors are outfitted with the knowledge and expertise to put you and your child on the path to achieving your collective dreams. Visit any NCB branch today and speak with us to find out how you can put your best life forward.
GERBER: Over 80 years of raising happy, healthy babies! T
he GERBER Products Company started in the summer of 1927 in the kitchen of Daniel and Dorothy Gerber. The couple, following advice from their pediatrician, began hand-straining solid foods for their 7-month-old daughter, Sally. Discovering an innovative way to save time, they started to strain fruits and vegetables at the family’s Fremont Canning Company. Workers in the plant quickly realized the value a n d benefit of the products and often requested samples for their own babies; and so began the legacy of GERBER baby foods. Chas. E. Ramson Limited introduced GERBER to Jamaica in 1989 and stands proud as the official distributor of this reputable brand for over 20 years. Raising healthy children starts with proper nutrition and eating habits are learned early on. Introducing your baby to delicious, healthy foods in the first 4 years of life is critical to laying a positive and healthy foundation for a lifetime. Breast milk is the founda-
tion and main source of nutrition, however, as your baby gets older, it is important that you introduce fruits, vegetables, cereal, and meat/poultry purees to their diet. PRODUCT FEATURE: GERBER 100% Fruit Juice GERBER 100% Fruit Juice provides your baby with the total daily requirement of the protective antioxidant Vitamin C, an important building block to support your baby’s natural defense system. Each four (4) fluid ounce serving of GERBER Juice provides one (1) full serving of fruit. GERBER 100% Juice is also a delicious way to add flavour to your baby’s cereal, without any added sugar, artificial flavours, colours or preservatives. The Vitamin C in GERBER 100% Juice is ideal in allowing your baby to more efficiently absorb the iron in his/her cereal. It is recommended to start with single fruit juices once your baby can sit independently. Thereafter, feel free to gradually integrate our delicious GERBER 100% Juice blends to their diet. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life and continued breastfeeding for as long as possible. As babies grow at different paces, health professionals should advise the mother on the appropriate time when her baby should start receiving complementary foods such as Gerber®. Gerber® baby Food will be with you every step of the way as your baby grows and learns to try new foods. Gerber® Trusted by moms, loved by babies.
Photo by B3 Magazine
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Photo by B3 Magazine
Photo by B3 Magazine
Sunshine Cereals
unshine Cereals as a brand has always been successful, primarily because it appeals to such a wide cross section of consumers. We love family and we also adore children. Sunshine Cereals has products that will always have the children hooked and asking for more. Start your child’s day with a delicious and healthy breakfast or maybe as a snack throughout the day. Children love our Frosted Flakes, Froot Ooos, Choco Flakes and Nutty Flakes. Select from cereals with wheat, oats, corn, peanuts and honey. All of our cereals are packed with essential vitamins and minerals, promoting a healthy lifestyle while maintaining a great tasting meal. Look for us in all major supermarkets and amazing customer deals we are presently offering. Feel free to check us out on Facebook by searching with “Sunshine Cereals”. Sunshine Cereals………Wake up to a better breakfast every day!
Mothers-to-be in joyful mood at MaterniTEA Party
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ump Baby and Beyond (B3) Caribbean magazine, the or- ers who participated in activities, benefited from giveganisers of the annual B3 Parenting Expo, hosted its Ma- aways and won prizes. terniTea Party for mothers-to-be on Saturday May 2, 20015. B3 Caribbean Magazine has held ‘The Big Baby Shower’ The MaterniTEA Party – which is essentially a very big for the past four years. baby shower - was well received by the future child bearLoop Lens shares highlights.
Parenting Tips
It’s not easy being a parent, especially one who works!
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here never seems to be enough minutes in an hour and certainly not enough hours in a day to get everything done. Here are a few time-saving tips that might make your days go a little more smoothly:
1 Delegate tasks From picking things up and stacking things on shelves, to making sure the lights are turned off before everyone leaves the house and sorting laundry – there’s something that everyone can manage to do that will ultimately help to save time on a daily basis.
2 Make use of technology There are apps out there that can help with almost every aspect in a busy parent’s life. From food apps to help you find quick, easy recipes in a snap; and organiser apps to help you keep track of times and appointments; to baby tracking apps that help parents monitor things such as their baby’s sleeping patterns and eating habits. Make use of all that modern technology has to offer to help save time!
3 Give everything a place Looking for lost items is a big time-waster. Assign a place for all of those frequently-used, easily-lost items and ensure they are put back after use.
4 Make big meals When you cook, make extra and store it in the freezer. This will be a great, quick fix on the days you don’t have time to prepare a meal from scratch.
5 Morning time
Prepare as much as you can for the busy morning time, from the night before, to minimise the hectic rush and save you time.
Heinz Baby Foods and Desserts
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einz Baby Foods and Desserts contain no preservatives, artificial flavours or colours but instead are made up of 100% natural product enriched with vitamins and minerals. Babies are growing fast and need foods that are a good source of energy. Lots of protein is needed for babies to grow as they should. care needs to be taken to combine foods to give the right blend of protein. Foods that are a good source of Vitamin C should be included. Iron and Calcium are particularly important at this stage of your baby’s development. Breastfeeding is best for your baby. However, if you cannot or choose not to breastfeed, then an iron-fortified infant formula is an acceptable alternative because it provides similar amounts of energy (calories), protein, vitamins and minerals to those normally found in breast milk. Breast milk or formula is recommended in the first year of life. Iron is vital to your baby’s well-being, essential for healthy blood, growth and development. In fact, because he is growing so fast, he needs more iron as a baby and toddler than at any other time in his life, so it is very important that your baby’s food and drink provide an adequate supply of
iron. Your toddler needs more calories nutritionally sound. Here are some tips and nutrients in each mouthful of food to ensure that food is safe and sanitary: than an adult! They still have a little • Double check to ensure the tummy though, so portions can’t be too safety seal has not been broken big. Treat your baby to an assortment before opening a fresh jar of storeof Heinz Baby Desserts that have been bought baby food. • Carefully cover and refrigerate all unused food immediately to prevent bacteria growth. • Leftover store bought baby foods should be properly stored in the refrigerator and used within three days (two days for meat), or otherwise discarded. • Do not feed straight from the jar as saliva can contaminate the remaining food. Saliva transferred from the baby to the food can partially digest the food, making it watery on the created with taste and nutrition in mind, surface. designed for little hands thus promoting • Discard all unused frozen foods self-feeding. Offer a fruit pouch after a that have been thawed. Throw away meal! The new Dessert Pouch format all unused refrigerated homemade is portable, re-sealable and convenient. foods after 24 hours. Similarly, the biscuits dissolve easily in • When traveling long distances toddlers mouths and are convenient. with your baby, vacuum-packed, Choose from an array of fruit desserts store-bought baby food may offer - apple, banana, fruit cocktail, fruit greater food safety in preventing desserts, mixed fruit, tropical fruit, spoilage and bacteria growth peach guava, and pear! compared to homemade foods. Feeding Baby Safely • To prevent infant botulism, do You will want to ensure that everything not use honey in feeding infants you feed your baby is free of germs, less than one year of age. appropriate in size and texture and
Welch’s Health Facts • Helps support a heathly heart, thanks to the dark pruple Concord grape. • is a convenient way to incorporate more fruit into a healthy diet. • Helps to defend and support a healthy immune system. • Each 4-oz. glass counts as one serving (1/2 cup) of fruit. • Delivers an excellent source of the antioxidant vitamin C in each 4-oz. glass. • Is made with no added suga, colour or flavour. Its 100% juice!
B3 Parenting Expo attracts bumper crowd
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he sixth annual B3 Parenting Expo at the Jamaica Pegasus on Sunday was a tremendous success, attracting hundreds of patrons. The event, under the theme “From Diapers to Diplomas“, sought to help parents navigate their child’s journey from infancy to adulthood. “Parenting is not easy, but it doesn’t have to be hard. [Parenting] is about fostering well rounded kids and at the expo
we have several resources on show to assist in the process,” Editor-in-Chief and Creative Director at the Bump Baby and Beyond [B3] Caribbean Magazine, Michelle Gordon told Loop News. Other tools on display at the expo included a child- relevant CPR demonstration; financial services from the National Commercial Bank (NCB); as well as products from Johnson & Johnson, Gerber, and Welch’s.