babyguide
2013-14
Inside our 14th Annual Baby Guide: special offers, resources, features and cool finds for expectant and new moms & dads
welcome to our annual rundown of all things baby! Whether this is your very first or your fourth, every baby comes with his or her own surprises, unique charms and challenges, just to keep life interesting for parents. Fortunately, there is an ever-evolving array of products, services and activities that are available to make life easier, more educational, more active, healthy, and entertaining than ever before. We’ve done our research on the latest and greatest Cool Finds, along with creative ways to teach your baby through music and social interaction.
Nurturing your baby’s potential is high on every parent’s list of priorities, and we speak with some experts about the best way to maximize your baby’s first year for their future development, and we also know that mom and dad need to go easy on themselves too, and trust their own instincts about what is right for their own families, so we’ve got a story about how to filter the vast amount of advice coming at families from all sides. Babies are a blessing and a challenge and our Baby Guide is here to help you through, so keep us as a reference for all the special changes baby will experience in their first year.
on our cover...
5 month old Emaryllia snuggled in for her Baby Guide photo shoot.
Photographed by Magna Vita Photography www.magnavitaphotography.ca
www.baby-guide.ca
Managing Editor, Andrea Vance editor@westcoastfamilies.com
Editor, Stephanie MacDonald stephanie@westcoastfamilies.com
Contributing Editor , Jodi Iverson jodi@westcoastfamilies.com
Art Director & Layout, Krysta Furioso studio@westcoastfamilies.com
Administration, Jennifer Bruyns admin@westcoastfamilies.com
Accounts Receivable & Payable, Jennifer Brule finance@westcoastfamilies.com
Advertising, sales@westcoastfamilies.com
We encourage you to visit the amazing local businesses who support the Baby Guide and make it possible for us to share all the great information with you. Check out the coupons in the back for savings, and don’t forget to tell them you saw their ad in the Baby Guide!
Cool Finds
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14 10 18 21
Fun and practical, everything you need (or want!) for baby
Raise a Social Baby
Teaching your baby to connect
Listen to Yourself
Ditch the parenting books
The Pre-ABCs
Key Ingredients for Teaching Babies
Reource Listings
Find what you’re looking for, quick and easy
8
12
Geekology
Fun and informative websites for new and expecting parents
Joyful Noise
Tips on enjoying music with your family
16 20
WestCoast Mom Ganga Jolicoeur, Executive Director, MABC Coupons! Special offers for our readers
www.twitter.com/wcfmag
www.facebook.com/westcoastfamilies
www.pinterest.com/wcfmag
Sidekick Baby Carrier
Babies come with so much equipment these days that once you’ve loaded yourself up with all the diapers, wipes, toys, changing pads, hats, extra clothes and the like, it’s a wonder you never walk out forgetting the baby. With the Sidekick Baby Carrier and Diaper Bag, you can carry all baby’s (as well as your own) stuff, and baby too, in one convenient system.
$130 on www.gogobabyz.com
Raindrops Rainwear
Keep your kids warm, dry, and looking good with Canada’s own Raindrops Rainwear. With tons of cute options for kids of all ages, including umbrellas, rain boots and rainwear, your kids will be welcoming the coming stormy season. Raincoats starting at $60 on www.raindropsto.com
Shaidee
Shaidee ™ is a revolutionary product that is a lightweight, sleek “visor” that fits easily around any person carrying a baby in most models of front baby carrier or sling. It also works with car seats and most strollers, a true multi-use item!
$40 at Baby’s World, Crocodile Baby, TJ’s and West Coast Kids
Kiinde Twist Baby Feeding System
Taking care of a baby is hard enough without messing around with bottle sterilizers, storage containers and various breastmilk retrieving and transferring apparatus. With Kiinde Twist feeding system, you can collect, organize, store, warm and feed all from the same pouch. You never have to transfer precious breast milk from bottles to bags.
$40 for starter set at www.kiinde.com
Three-In-One Play Centre
Anyone who has a couple of kids will tell you all about their garage, packed to rafters with used baby stuff. Which is why it’s great to invest in quality pieces that can grow with your child, like the Bobbin Triple Play Centre, which changes from a baby play centre to a toddler activity table to a kid’s table. The Bobbin comes with a reversible birch/ chalkboard insert as well as moveable Tether Bobble that lets you attach your baby’s favorite toys. Disassembles easily and stows neatly away until next time.
$549 on www.threepears.ca
Bambooee Reusable Kitchen Towels
Everyday 3,000 tons of paper towel waste is created in North America, not to mention the hundreds of dollars spent by families each year on paper towels that get thrown away. Bambooee reusable bamboo kitchen towels can be washed 100 times each, and take the place of over 286 rolls of paper towels, all while helping save our trees and environment.
$15 (+ $13 shipping and handling for Canadian orders) per roll of 20 sheets www.bambooee.com
Philips Wake Up Light
You’re running along a white sand beach, a gentle wind in your hair… BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Time to get up! Instead of waking up cursing every morning this winter try the Philips Wake Up Light, which uses gentle, gradually increasing light and sound to ease you out of your dreams and into your day ahead.
$80 at Costco and other retailers
SleepBelt
WeeUrban Rompers
Romping should be very high on any baby’s list of priorities, and what better attire for this activity but a romper? Your baby can romp away in style and comfort in Wee Urban’s 100% organic cotton rompers. Perfect for romping in the park, on playdates and anywhere your baby needs to look good and feel comfy.
$28 on www.weeurban.com
When you have a newborn, you want to have them as close as you can, but when they’re sleeping, you have also a call from your best friend to take, a pressing need to find out what happened to Sybil on Downton Abbey, and a couple million emails to return. With the Sleep Belt you can do this while baby snuggles safely against you, with no fear of falling off. The Sleep Belt also comes off easily, allowing a seamless transfer from chest to crib.
$60 at www.sleepbelt.ca
cool finds
Buggy Network
With infant transporters becoming one of a new parent’s biggest expenses, it makes sense to try before you buy. With the Buggy Network’s fashionable Baby Gear Rental, you can do just that, and not just with strollers, but cribs and infant carriers as well. See if you really enjoy jogging with a stroller before you shell out $500 for the newest jogging stroller (speaking from experience here).
Prices vary by item www.buggynetwork.com
Snappy Socks
Invented by a Swift Current mom of four who was sick and tired of sorting socks with her precious time, Snappy Socks solve the eternal laundry chore of searching for matching pairs of socks. Children who haven’t worn a matched pair of socks for five years will also rejoice in their newfound sartorial matchy-ness and they even come in adult sizes for the rest of the family.
$6 at www.mysnappysocks .com and major children’s retailers
PJ’ZZZZ
PJ’ZZZZ Bamboo Rayon baby nighties are great for all new moms! Their bamboo is blended with organic cotton making this a staple in any new mom’s layette. Pair it up with one of their popular toques for a cute gift. Bamboo is naturally antibacterial and grown naturally pesticide free, and because of this no detergent is needed when washing your bamboo fabrics.
From $38 at Dandelion Kids, Room for Two, and online at www.pjzzzz.com
Check out these websites full of great information and entertainment for new and expecting parents.
Online Birth Registration
new parent resources
Environmental Working Group
Apply for baby’s birth certificate, enrol your baby in MSP, apply for Canada Child Benefits, apply for your baby’s Social Insurance Number.
https://ebr.vs.gov.bc.ca
Buggy Network
Rent quality strollers, cribs, and highchairs for baby instead of buying. Short and long term rental and lease programs. www.buggynetwork.com
Midwives Association of BC
Use their searchable map of BC to find a midwife in your area, and learn more about midwifery. www.bcmidwives.com
Healthy Canadians
Safety tips for water, injury prevention for kids, roadways and more. Guides on food, getting active, and healthy pregnancy. Assistance to quit smoking. And much more! www.healthycanadians.gc.ca
This website for the leading environmental health research and advocacy organization includes dozens of consumer guides where you can check the safety and ingredients in thousands of products from skin care to bug sprays. Also great tips and information on other important items that affect your family.
www.ewg.org
Child Care Resource & Referral
Broken down by geographical area, this website can provide you with child care referrals, resources and support to child care providers and families in more than 400 communities across BC.
www.ccrr.bc.ca
Daily Babble
An interesting and entertaining collection of blogs and articles on kids and parenting.
www.babble.com
Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education
This Vancouver-based, secular, charitable organization focuses on educating the hearts of children, connecting people and ideas. The website hosts dozens of video, audio and articles from researchers and programs on children’s social-emotional learning.
www.dalailamacenter.org
Raise a Social Baby
Teaching Your Baby to Connect
By Laura Grady
have you ever wondered how your baby will learn to connect with other people? Do you think about when and how he will make friends? It all starts with you. Your social prowess may have dwindled since the arrival of a baby, but to your little one, you are the life of the party. As a parent, you are your baby’s very first playmate. You are the centre of his world. He will react to the sound of your voice. He will delight in the sight of your face and the touch of your hand. Just by being with him, you are teaching your baby social skills.
“Socializing your baby is about doing what happens naturally,” says Dr. Deborah Bell, Registered Psychologist. “ A baby loves to be touched, held and smiled at. Making eye contact, talking to your baby, singing and reading to them are key to developing attachment and building relationships.”
The best learning environment for your baby is with you. But, sometimes as parents, we need to take our social interaction beyond baby babble and a game of peek-a-boo. Just the thought of getting out of the house with a baby may be enough to keep you indoors. But, making the effort to get out there is not just healthy for you as a parent; it’s fun for your baby too.
Vancouver is bursting with activities, classes and groups for caregivers and babies. From dancing to yoga and music to meet-ups there is non-stop action to be had. So, get out and get social.
“Baby groups and drop-ins are not essential for a baby’s development, but if you approach them with the right attitude they can be beneficial,” informs Bell. “Getting out and socializing is good for new moms and that makes it good for babies too. Chose a group or activity that focuses on interaction between mom and baby.”
A parent and baby music class is sure to get you and your little one moving. Once a week classes give caregivers and babies the opportunity to explore new songs and chants, dance and play instruments.
“Our classes are all about parent participation. The same parents and their babies attend each week. Everyone gets to know each other. The babies become comfortable around other adults and children,” says Kera Doherty of Staccato Music Studios. “It is a really relaxed environment that invites babies to learn from each other through mimicking and observation.”
Looking to add a playful twist to your daily repertoire? Gymboree Play and Music North Vancouver is sure to add some spark to your baby’s social calendar.
Gymboree classes are specifically designed by
early childhood experts to promote socialization of all ages. Babies gather around a tummy-time mirror or inflated tube full of balls or simply a circle of friends so they can watch, engage, copy and learn.
“Babies learn so much from watching one another,” informs Heather van Mil, General Manager Gymboree Vancouver North Shore. “Unless you have big families close by–something rare, especially in a city like Vancouver–babies don’t get many opportunities to interact with other little ones their own age. They use all their senses to explore their new friend, and often try to mimic them.”
Don’t expect too much of your baby during your social outings. They won’t be forming friendships or signing up to be someone’s BFF. There won’t be much playing together. Babies love watching other children (especially older ones), but they are not yet ably to strike up a friendship for themselves. But remember, it’s about having fun together and setting the stage for future social development.
“It is important that we plant the seed of sharing and taking turns, but babies do not have the cognative development to do that until much later,” says Bell.
Meet-up groups are a dream come true for new parents (and little social butterflies). Most neighbourhoods in and outside the city have groups geared for new parents. Sign up online and you are immediately plugged into a supportive and active group of like-minded individuals. Their calendars are full of play dates, coffee meet ups, walking groups, running clubs and more. Meet-up groups are the perfect, no fuss way to get you are your baby out of the house.
“It’s great to get together for casual playdates with other moms in the community”, explains Vancouver mom Natalie Reik.” I really do it for me, but it’s fun to see my baby playing with other babies and discovering new toys.”
Simply strapping the baby in the stroller and wandering your neighbourhood is another way to get you and your little one on the social scene. Community centres, libraries and Neighbourhood Houses are brimming with fun activities for the two of you.
“Activities allow both parent and baby to experience new environments together with others and can be such a great complement to all the connecting and bonding that happens at home,” explains Lee Ann Steyns of Signing Babies Vancouver. “ I think baby classes give both parents and babies the opportunity to learn new skills
and play in stimulating environments together.”
Steyn always asks the parents what made them come to her baby signing classes, and every time, parents answer that besides wanting to learn a helpful skill, they really want to give their baby the opportunity to meet other babies.
“As a new parent, I remember spending lots of time at home playing and bonding with my newborn, but very soon, getting out and meeting other families became equally important in our daily lives. I wanted my baby to see other little ones her size, and interact with the world of babies and families.”
As a parent you are the most important person in a baby’s life. Enjoy this time with your little one and don’t rush into worrying about your baby’s development. Relax and treasure this amazing period in your relationship. Use these social activities to deepen the bond with your baby.
Resources
Vancouver Public Library 604-331-3603 www.vpl.ca
Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre 604-709-5661 www.wstcoast.org
Vancouver Coastal Health 604-736-2033 www.vch.ca
Burnaby Family Life 604-659-2200 www.burnabyfamilylife.org
Association of Neighbourhood Houses 604-875-9111 www.anhbc.org
Signing Babies www.signingbabies.ca
Staccato Music Studio 604-421-3753 www.staccatostudios.com
Yoga Buttons 604-739-9642 www.yogabuttons.com
Gymboree Vancouver North Shore 604-971-5244 www.gymboreeclasses.com
MeetUp.com www.meetup.com
Make Some Joyful Noise
Tips on Enjoying Music with your Family
By Clare Adams
tonight over dinner we ended up having a spontaneous family singsong, enjoying a less-than tuneful attempt of “On top of Ol’ Smokey, all covered in cheese…” It was a fabulous moment of family fun, speaking to the power music (however bad) has to create unity, bring forth smiles and spark the imagination.
We’ve enjoyed sharing music with our kids from an early age, be it our eclectic mix of UK music, comedy pieces like Cadbury’s drumming gorilla (google ‘Cadbury Phil Collins’) or classical pieces like Beethoven’s 5th. And with so much music in so many different forms families everywhere can find a way to enjoy music with any age of child, including infants and toddlers.
The Benefits of Music
Whether it’s listening to classical, discovering beats or rapping out an important message, World Hip Hop Mom, Monica Morong, knows how music can be an integral part of life with children.
As a Mom to Nya, six, Talia, five, and Alana six months, her home is rarely without music, and from day one Monica and her husband, Sean, would dance their babies to sleep to salsa music and would play classical or Cuban music while they slept. “Our first two daughters have gone to sleep to the musician Alex Cuba every night, and we find it provides comfort and warmth in an otherwise dark and empty space”.
Vancouver-based children’s entertainer and star of Kids CBC, Will Stroet, agrees that music has countless benefits for children and can be very useful for families. “It can make chores fun, motivate children, alleviate boredom, not to mention calming a child when it’s time for bed. It has also been noted many times that music is beneficial to cognitive development, literacy, and social awareness. Dancing and actions to music can help children with spatial awareness too, while, like other art forms, music provides a vehicle for children to express their creativity and use their imaginations.”
Finding What Works
Just as I have one child that loves meat and another that would rather eat peas, the way that kids appreciate music or the types of music that they enjoy can differ greatly too. I have one rocking Queen enthusiast and one die-hard ABBA fan; one who likes quiet to sleep and one who needs white noise; one who loves to dance and one who loves to sing.
Finding what works for your child may take some figuring out and just because it works with one child doesn’t mean it will work for another.
Will has been entertaining kids as a musician for the past nine years and used his music when working as an elementary school teacher before that. He has seen for himself how different kids respond differently to music. “Some kids will dance from start to finish, some will stay seated with their parents for the whole show, and everything in between. Different children learn in different ways which means some kids might love the idea of singing lessons, while others prefer an instrument, others might prefer to experience music through dance.”
Making Music A Part of Family Life
So often when it comes to music for children, people instinctively think of introducing children’s music like locals Will Stroet and Bobs and Lolo, but it’s important to recognize that exposing kids to a variety of genres is great too and there are lots of opportunities to share music in your day.
For Monica, driving usually involves more upbeat music. “We clap our hands and bob heads, or make up our own rhymes to instrumental tracks. At home we play satellite radio stations while we cook and clean. While I’m prepping dinner I put YouTube on and the kids love dancing to Zumba - they can follow along to the music and dance moves instead of just listening to various songs.”
Will, whose three-year-old daughter Ella was the inspiration behind his latest albums, also finds their day is filled with music start to end. “We like to sing on car rides, while doing chores, when out for a walk, bath time, bed time, and the list goes on. As a fan of music I will typically have music playing a lot of the time when Ella’s playing, when I’m making dinner.”
Of course, when choosing music to share with children it’s super-important to be aware of the lyrics and ensure they’re appropriate. Monica is very careful to play music that contains age-appropriate language and material. “I’ve developed a special kids playlist that contains current songs but with inspirational messages so that we can discuss them after. A major benefit of discussing the music we listen to is that the kids are very attentive to the lyrics. A benefit of playing culturally diverse music is creating sensitive and respectful children who have an appreciation for different types of music and, subsequently, people.
And if your children have an appreciation for different types of music and can’t agree? Monica points out, it’s an easy fix: “Take turns!”
Listen to Yourself
Tune Out the Advice, Ditch the Parenting Books
By Heather van Mil
it is said that “it takes a village to raise a child”, and while I believe this is very true (many hands make light work and all), what this old proverb leaves out is that the people in this village aren’t always speaking the same language and if you are not a strong interpreter –able to decipher what advice is appropriate and applicable for your baby and your family – it is very easy to become overwhelmed and confused.
To co-sleep or cry it out, breastfeed for four years or do baby-led weaning at five months, to daycare or stay-at-home, cloth diaper or disposable diaper, to vaccinate or not to vaccinate, to swaddle or not to swaddle. Soother, thumb, or none of the above? Front, back or side to sleep? These are the questions of parents the world over, and the roots of the so called “mommy wars”. Underneath it all are parents who are desperate to do the best for their children and have been led to believe that they are not good enough by experts and pseudo-experts alike.
If you were to follow the advice of a handful of very real parenting books currently on the market (that your neighbour, mother in law, hair dresser just swear by) you would have a three-month-old baby who could learn to read, sign, sleep through the night, feed on a perfectly set schedule and never cry! Or a six-year-old child who breastfeeds, co sleeps, is ‘unschooled’ and follows a local, organic, non GMO, raw, nut-free diet.
I believe it’s Newton’s little known Law of Parenting that states “for each expert opinion there is an equal and opposite expert opinion. And often that opinion comes with a hefty price tag!
Babies, from preconception through to preschool and beyond, are a billion dollar business. It starts when baby is still a twinkle in the parent’s eye with reams of checklists that include items like losing weight and moving to a prime school district all before baby is conceived! It is easy to get carried away trying to follow all the “to do’s” with many parents trying to balance careers in the mix. As parents or parents to be, it’s no longer sex that sells but guilt. You need this product for your baby to be happy. You must register in this school or your baby is destined for the unemployment line. You are poisoning your baby if every bite isn’t independently certified by at least five non-profit organizations. You are a horrible parent if you can’t do all of this, as well as manage your career, see to your spouse’s needs and of course, get in all your ‘me time’ – because you’re worth it!
All hyperbole aside, more parents need to throw out the books, ignore the experts and break the stereotypes! Get back in touch with your family and discover what works for you. Nurture your “momtuition” and trust your instinct. Your baby is different, your situation unique. What worked for one baby won’t necessarily work for yours. Don’t get me wrong, you will come across unusual situations where you are out of your depth; where reading, doing some research, investing in some appropriate tools or consulting an expert who has your child’s best interest at heart will be necessary. The issue comes when parents use these products and services against their better judgement. They go against their gut instincts and more often than not, regret those decisions in the end. Or overuse these products and services with the misguided belief that as parents they alone are not good enough. By all means, ask for advice. But filter it by remembering that one size definitely does not fit all and that no one – no one – knows your baby better than you.
Recognize that you can cultivate your own village of support. Join local mom groups. Seek out like minded individuals in the playground. This network will be invaluable and often results in lifelong family friendships. Humans are social beings after all, and being a new parent is a hard, often lonely, challenging experience – and that’s when you’re sleeping well! There is nothing more valuable to a new mom then having a friend who doesn’t bat an eye when your kitchen hasn’t been cleaned in a week and your dirty laundry is strewn over every surface in the living room; someone who can be your confidante, sounding board, and counsellor. Someone who will help you remember - after a day that felt like one parenting fail after another – that you are an awesome parent. No one could do a better job then you for your baby.
Parenthood is trial and error so listen to the advice, read what you want and look for answers when you are having difficulties. Experiment and learn about what is best for your baby. Empower yourself by following your intuition. Know when something isn’t working and that you don’t have to persist with it. Stick to your guns and day by day you will gain more confidence and selfesteem as a parent.
You can do this! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
mom westcoast Ganga Jolicoeur
Executive Director, Midwives Association of BC
By Stephanie MacDonald |
Photo by Dylan Doubt
“I knew I couldn’t go back into the music industry with a three-month old baby, and if there was any place out there where I could employ my own work/family balance philosophy it would be with the midwives.”
“iknow that it seems like a total non sequitur in my life and my career,” laughs Ganga Joliecoeur, explaining how she went from making CBC music documentaries, producing international music events, and working for famous musicians for a living to becoming the Executive Director of the Midwives Association of BC. But the Argentina-born, California-, Hawaii-, and Canada-raised Ganga finds her most recent calling as engaging as she does surprising. “I had no idea it would keep me enthralled for this long. It has now been 10 years and an incredible journey of growth”.
Though she still does freelance work in the cultural industry, the focus of her life is the Midwives Association of BC (MABC), a role she fell into only three months after giving birth to her daughter Uma (now ten). “I had one of those glorious, easy and lovely pregnancies, and so a lot of my visits to my midwives (at the Midwifery Group, on Main) were just getting to know the women and the team there.” Though she previously had no real experience with the midwifery profession, “I really thought they were incredible, and the care they provide is such high quality, it really is the Cadillac of maternity care.” Part of accepting the position with MABC was practical, she explains, “I knew I couldn’t go back into the music industry with a three-month old baby, and if there was any place out there where I could employ my own work/family balance philosophy it would be with the midwives.”
When Ganga started the job, it was just herself and a part-time assistant, a situation that has grown steadily to this point, where she leads a team of six, and a healthy, active board of directors as well. As the infrastructure of the MABC continues to build, it seems the BC Ministry of Health has gotten on board as well, especially in regards to home births.
Former Health Minister Margaret MacDairmid (herself a doctor) was quoted in a recent Times Columnist article saying, “As long as mothers were screened to be low-risk and assisted by a registered midwife, “there wasn’t any difference between the outcomes for moms and babies whether they were at home or in a hospital.” Since funding and regulating the profession in 1997, the BC government has since covered midwifery services through the Medical Services Plan, and has recently approved approximately $500,000 in home birth support funding.
But Ganga doesn’t want people to think midwives are all about home births either, which is a common misperception. Most women who choose a midwife for their prenatal care still choose to have their babies in the hospital. “I wanted to have my baby at home, but after a very long and difficult labour, I ended up in the hospital for Uma’s birth. My midwife was there the whole time and integrated seamlessly with the maternity ward and all of the staff there, making me feel so well-cared for.” All midwives have admitting privileges at hospitals, and indeed attend most of their births in hospitals, but the only problem is, especially for women in the Northern parts of BC, that there simply aren’t enough midwives to go around, so access can be a big issue.
This is one of Ganga and the MABC’s biggest challenges, getting care to those in more rural areas. This may spark changes in the role of midwifery in certain situations. “We are looking into seeing if, in areas of lower populations, if midwives can take on a wider range of health care needs for women when they’re not doing prenatal care and delivering babies. That’s one option.”
Another goal of the MABC Ganga would like to see is the percentages of pregnant women accessing midwifery care more on par with countries like Australia, at 80% and New Zealand at over 85%.
Just a few years ago, they had rates similar to Canada’s 10%, before beginning a large education campaign around all the benefits midwifery has to offer women. “We’d like to see 35% of pregnant British Columbian women using the services of a midwife by 2020”. And certain places in the province are getting close. Victoria is already in that range, with almost 20% of babies even being born at home, and on Saltspring the rate is almost 100% of women choosing a midwife. When asked how her former experience in the music industry translates to midwifery, Ganga is characteristically practical. “Once you produce something, you can produce anything. The skills are the same: budgeting, managing teams and interpersonal relationships, and making decisions. I like to create a healthy environment, where people feel like they are brought in to make a difference.”
The Pre-ABCs
Key Ingredients for Teaching Babies
By Madeleine Fitzpatrick
it is a fact that children these days start education after the age of 5, but in spite of this, research shows the period from five months’ gestation to five years of age to be a very critical time for early learning. Babies’ and young children’s brains are very malleable and capable of absorbing large amounts of information during this stage, providing a window of opportunity which, if maximized, may produce positive long-term results.
The authors of Creating Communities for Young Children: A Toolkit for Change produced by the Human Early Learning Partnership in Vancouver, confirm: “Studies show that a child’s early experiences have a vital impact on the way his or her brain develops. A baby is born with billions of brain cells that represent lifelong potential. To develop, these brain cells need to connect with each other. The more stimulating the early environment, the more positive connections are formed in the brain and the better the child thrives in all aspects of their life: physically, emotionally, and socially, as well as in their ability to communicate and learn.”
Although there are many theories and methods developed on the subject of early childhood education, most of them focus and agree on a few key ingredients for success: affection, nutrition, repetition and stimulation.
Affection greatly affects the learning and development of children; a child is more likely to remember and learn if she is happy and feels loved. “Loving interactions with children form the firm basis of all human growth,” says Susan Ludington, professor of pediatric nursing and author of How to Have A Smarter Baby
“Intellectual skills, like forming ideas, solving problems, thinking logically, using symbols, and developing grammar are all linked to a child’s emotional growth,” add Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn, psychologists, child development experts and authors of Baby Minds and Baby Signs
Nutrition also plays an important role in brain development, even from the moment of conception. Here, Lise Eliot, neurobiologist and author of What’s Going On In There? explains its significance:
• Between four months prenatal and two years after birth, your baby’s brain is highly sensitive to the quantity and quality of nutrients he consumes.
• Malnourished children have smaller brains, fewer neurons and synapses, shorter dendrites and less myelin.
• Brain-building foods include protein, dairy products, fresh fruit and vegetables, and vitamin-fortified milk and grains.
• A deficiency in iron can cause anemia, with too few red blood cells carrying oxygen to the brain. Prolonged anemia at any time in infancy can stunt cognitive development.
• Of the 45 nutrients essential for body growth, 38 are essential for neurological development.
• Children reared on breast milk score up to eight points higher on IQ tests at the age of eight.
“Again, again!”There’s a reason children drive us crazy with their requests to do or hear the same thing over and over: children learn best through repetition.
“A child masters an activity by repeating it,” says Winifred Conkling, author of Smart-Wiring Your Baby’s Brain . “At the same time, she is programming and strengthening the neural pathways in her brain. Allow – and even encourage – your child to repeat activities if they involve new skills she is developing.”
“Going over a story more than once enables a child to learn new vocabulary items well enough to use them in answer to questions,” Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn confirm.
As a parent, giving your child the right stimulation and helping them realize their intellectual potential is critical during early childhood, at the time when they find pure enjoyment in learning.
“Never forget that when you are giving a child visual, auditory, and tactile stimulation with increased frequency, intensity, and duration, that you are actually physically growing his brain,” states Glenn Dorman, founder of the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential.
There is, however, a limit to how much stimulation a young child should have. “Too many toys, activities and outings can create confusion and actually work to a child’s detriment, hampering his ability to focus,” adds Eliot. “Children are usually pretty good at telling us when they are bored but not when they are over-stimulated. Their behavior is often the only sign.”
Together, these four act as the foundation for any teaching program that can be personalized for each family and each baby. Parents should speak, sing and play music to their children from birth and may even want to consider teaching their baby sign language to improve communication and reduce frustration. When the child reaches four months of age, it is possible to teach them both reading and math, and even start encouraging physical development, altogether aiding in brain development resulting in intelligence.
Madeleine Fitzpatrick for OurKids.net, Canada’s trusted source for camps and schools.
Resources
West Coast Child Care Resource Centre www.wstcoast.org
BC Healthy Child Development Alliance: Social and Emotional Development in the Early Years www.childhealthbc.ca/bchcda-forums
BC Association of Family Resource Programs: Find a Family Resource Program www.frpbc.ca/resources/for-parents/whats-a-frp/
Living Magic Entertainment
Brighten up your baby shower with pregnant belly art and photography www.livingmagicentertainment.com
Offer Details: Book a pregnant belly art and professional photography package and receive 10% off and five additional high resolution images.
Expires: March 30, 2014
Hip Baby
Sustainability, value, function… and a whole lot of style! www.hipbaby.com
Offer Details: $5 OFF your purchase of $50 or more.
Expires: October 31, 2014
Baby Footprint
Cloth diapers and accessories, newborn rental kids, amber teething necklaces and more. www.thebabyfootprint.com
Offer Details: Free 6-pack of Bummis cotton wipes with a purchase of $50 or more. Coupon code WCBGFree50. Coupon code can be used once per customer. Expires: December 31, 2014
Mother Me
Provides in home support for new families, specializing in day and night care www.motherme.ca
Offer Details: 30% off your first shift. One coupon per customer day or night shift. Pre booking is required. Coupon code:WCB2013 Expires: December 31, 2014
Songs with My Name
Personalized Children’s CDs featuring Elmo, Mickey, Disney Princesses, VeggieTales, The Wiggles, and more! www.songswithmyname.com
Offer Details: Save 15% with coupon code wcbg15 Expires: September 30, 2014
Mamique Photography
Providing Professional Photography services to families in the Vancouver area. Specializing in newborn and Maternity photography www.thebabyfootprint.com
Offer Details: Receive a complimentary set of birth announcements with the purchase of any collection.
Expires: Book before December 31, 2013
From Tummy to Mummy
Did you know there is a single supplement that can help prevent postpartum depression, increase breast milk supply, provide energy and gives the new mother the right nutritional and hormonal support? www.fromtummytomummy.com
Offer Details: With the purchase of placenta encapsulation services, receive a complimentary herbal salve valued at $20
Expires: June 30, 2014
See ad in this Baby Guide
ACTIVITIES & THINGS TO DO
Aquaventures Swim Centre Vancouver 604.736.7946 | www.aquaventuresswim.com
Arts Umbrella Vancouver
604.681.5268 | www.artsumbrella.com
Burnaby Village Museum www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca
City of Richmond Aquatics Richmond 604.779.8579 | www.richmond.ca/aquatics
Craft Caravan www.craftcaravan.com
Gymboree Play & Music Multiple locations www.gymboreeclasses.com
Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch Surrey 604.992.7748
High Touch High Tech
778.737.5277 | www.sciencemadefunbc.net
Imagine Children’s Museum Everett, WA www.imaginecm.org
Jump Gymnastics
Non-competitive kids developmental gymnastics for ages 6 months to 7 years. 604.568.9690 | www.jumpgymnastics.ca
Limegirl
604.460.1289 | www.limegirl.ca
Living Magic Entertainment Vancouver. Brighten up your baby shower with pregnant belly art and photography. 604.653.7773
www.livingmagicentertainment.com
Maplewood Farm North Vancouver 604.929.5610 | www.maplewoodfarm.bc.ca
My Gym Surrey
604.249.5437 | www.mygym.com
Music for Young Children
800.561.1692 | www.myc.com
Party Arts www.partyarts.ca
Phoenix Gymnastics Vancouver 604.737.7693 | www.phoenixgymnastics.com
Pony Pals Stables Delta 604.590.0097 | www.ponypalsstables.com
Science World Vancouver www.scienceworld.ca
Taves Family Farms Abbotsford 604.853.3108 | www.tavesfamilyfarms.com
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Kids Koncerts www.vancouversymphony.ca
YMCA Multiple locations www.vanymca.org
ADOPTION RESOURCES
Adoptive Families Association of BC 604.320.7330 | www.bcadoption.com
BC Foster Parents Association
604.466.7487 | www.bcfosterparents.ca
Choices Adoption & Counselling
604.682.6234 | www.choicesadoption.ca
Family Services of Greater Vancouver Adoption Agency
604.736.7613
www.fsgv.ca/programpages/adoptionservices
Federation of Aboriginal Foster Parents
604.291.7091 | www.fafp.ca
Ministry for Children & Families
604.660.2421 | www.gov.bc.ca/mcf
Origins Canada
Support for those separated by adoption www.originscanada.org
Society of Special Needs Adoptive Parents (SNAP) www.clbc.cioc.ca/record/CLB1471
Sunrise Adoption Centre
604.984.2488 | www.sunriseadoption.com
BABY CLOTHING, SHOES & ACCESSORIES
Active Baby North Vancouver
604.986.8977 | www.activebaby.ca
Baby Green Spout www.babygreensprout.com
Baby Planet Boutique
888.823.6129 | www.babyplanetboutique.com
Baby Footprint
Online - Cloth diapers and natural baby supplies
604.760.2043 | www.thebabyfootprint.com
Baby’s World Coquitlam
604.515.0888 | www.babysworld.ca
Bamboobino
604.551.3882 | www.bamboobino.com
Beansprouts Vancouver
604.871.9782 | www.beansprouts.ca
Boomers & Echoes Kids & Maternity North Vancouver – One stop mom shop
604.984.6163 | www.boomersandechoes.com
Buckets of Fun Consignment Surrey
604.542.8697 | www.bucketsoffun.ca
Childish Notions
877.968.4667 | www.childishnotions.com
Cotton ‘n’ Crayon Surrey
604.535.0466 | www.cottonncrayon.ca
Crocodile Unique Baby Store
Vancouver & South Surrey www.crocodilebaby.com
Dandelion Kids Vancouver & Port Moody www.dandelionkids.ca
Hip Baby
Sustainability, value, function… and a whole lot of style!
Vancouver, Victoria & online
604.736.8020 | www.hipbaby.com
Kidazzles White Rock
604.531.7931
Little Earth Children’s Store Vancouver
778.737.7004 | www.littleearthvancouver.com
Annual Resource Listings
Little Treasures Children’s Boutique Granville Island
604.677.3792
Lusso Baby North Vancouver & Vancouver 778.340.0648 | www.lussobaby.ca
Mabel’s Labels www.marilyn.mabel.ca
MacGillycuddy’s for Little People Vancouver 604.263.5313
Mountain Baby 888.990.2292 | www.mountainbaby.com
My Little Green 855.545.7467 | www.mylittlegreenshop.com
Peapod Creations www.peapodcreations.ca
Pebble Vancouver
604.568.6923 | www.pebblebaby.com
PJzzzz South Surrey Bed Bath & Sleep for the entire family. Online and in-store. www.pjzzzz.com
Po Po’s Ponchos 604.258.9045 | www.poposponchos.com
Room for 2 Maternity & Baby Vancouver 604.255.0508 | www.roomfor2.ca
Sleep Huggers 780.462.2351 | www.sleephuggers.com
Snuggle Bugz www.snugglebugz.ca
Stuck on You 866.904.9790 | www.stuckonyou.ca
Trendy Tots www.trendytots.ca
Wee Ones Reruns Vancouver 604.708.0956 | www.weeonesvancouver.com
Wee Urban www.weeurban.com
BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT
Check with your local health unit for local breastfeeding support too. Search online at www.healthlinkbc.ca
BC Women’s Hospital Breastfeeding Clinic 604.875.2424 | www.bcwomens.ca
Canadian Lactation Consultant Association www.ilca.org
Fraser Health Health units in Abbotsford, Delta, Langley, Maple Ridge, Tri-Cities, New Westminster, Burnaby, Surrey. www.fraserhealth.ca
Healthlink – Nurse hotline Dial 811 any day or time
La Leche League Multiple locations 800.665.4324 | www.lllc.ca
Ministry of Health www.health.gov.bc.ca/women-and-children
Newborn Hotline 604.737.3737
Vancouver Breastfeeding Centre
604.738.1912 | www.breastfeedingclinic.com
Vancouver Coastal Health Drop-ins, support groups, resources and more for the entire VCH area. www.vch.ca
DIAPERS & SERVICES
Babykins Richmond 604.275.2255 | www.babykins.com
Baby Footprint Online - Cloth diapers and natural baby supplies. 604.760.2043 | www.thebabyfootprint.com
Bumbini Cloth Diaper Company 604.838.0788 | www.bumbini.ca
Diapers Naturally Cotton Diapers Service Burnaby 604.682.8860 | www.diapersnaturally.ca
Ecobotts Eco-disposable Diapers 778.340.1779 | www.ecobotts.ca
Eco Bumz 866.376.8081 | www.ecobumz.com
gDiapers 866.553.5874 | www.gdiapers.com
GroVia www.grovia.ca
Happy Nappy Diaper Service 604.539.8322 | www.happynappy.ca
Lagoon Baby www.lagoonbaby.com
Little Monkey www.littlemonkeystore.com
New & Green Baby Co www.newandgreen.com
Tender Tushies www.tendertushies.ca
DOULAS & MIDWIFE SERVICES
Birthing Buddies 604.928.2334 | www.birthingbuddies.com
Department of Midwifery, BC Women’s Hospital
Providing women & families with greater choice and quality care. Covered by BC’s Medical Services Plan. 604.875.2424 local 6460 www.midwivesinvancouver.ca
Doula Services Association of BC 604.515.5588 | www.bcdoulas.org
From Tummy to Mummy Placenta Encapsulation and Doula Services 778.998.2610 | www.fromtummytomummy.com
Midwifery Associates
604.450.1126 | www.midwiferyassociates.ca
Midwifery Care North Shore 604.984.6960 | www.midwiferycare.ca
The Midwifery Group 604.877.7766 | www.midwiferygroup.ca
Midwives Association of BC Pregnancy, birth and postpartum care for home and hospital births. Covered by BC Medical Services Plan.
604.736.5976 | www.bcmidwives.com
Mother Me Newborn Care Inc.
Lower Mainland. Mother Me provides in home support for new families. We specialize in day/ night care, breast/bottle feeding support and twins/triplets. Newborn to 6 months of age. 604.524.1793 | www.motherme.ca
Pacific Midwifery Vancouver 604.874.7999 | www.pacificmidwifery.ca
Pomegranate Community Midwives
Vancouver 604.255.5556 www.pomegranate-midwives.com
South Community Birth Program Vancouver 604.321.2201 | www.scbp.ca
EDUCATION & ARTS
Boundary Bay Montessori www.bbmh.com
Brightpath Early Learning & Child Care Various locations www.brightpathkids.com
CEFA: Core Education & Fine Arts
604.913.7713 | www.cefa.ca
Collingwood School
A co-educational school with grades JK-12, situated on two campuses in West Vancouver. 604.925.3331 | www.collingwood.org
Council of Parent Participation Preschools in BC
604.435.4430 | www.cpppreschools.bc.ca
Elite Montessori
604.655.2045 | www.elitemontessori.ca
Highlands Preschool North Vancouver
604.980.1740 | www.highlandspreschool.ca
Jellybean Park
Langley & Burnaby – Educate, excite, engage. 604.431.8850 or 604.539.9898 www.jellybeanpark.com
Lions Park Montessori www.yaletownmontessori.com
Millenium Learning Advantage
604.461.3330 | www. milleniumlearningadvantage.com
Mimic Baby Sign Language
604.687.0425 x. 1 | www.mimicbaby.com
Monarch Autism House
604.205.9204 | www.monarchhouse.ca
Music for Young Children
800.561.1692 | www.myc.com
North Star Montessori North Vancouver - Elementary School. 604.980.1205 | www.northstarmontessori.ca
Oxford Learning Various locations www.oxfordlearning.com
Private School Expo www.schoolexpo.ca
Reach For The Stars Montessori
Burnaby & Vancouver
604.688.7827 | www.montessoristar.com
Songs with My Name Personalized Children’s CDs 1.888.254.8470 | www.songswithmyname.com
Sylvan Learning Various locations
1.800.EDUCATE | www.sylvanlearning.ca
The Arts Connection
604.241.0141 | www.theartsconnection.ca
Vancouver Bilingual School
604.261.1221 | www.vancouverbilingual.com
Vancouver Montessori
Vancouver – Preschool and elementary 604.261.0315 | www. vancouvermontessorischool.com
Wee Hands
866.746.7446 | www.weehands.com
FAMILY AND SUPPORT SERVICES
Abbotsford Community Services Family Centre
604.859.7681 www.abbotsfordcommunityservices.com
Ace Personnel Domestic Nannies, Childcare, Mother’s Helpers. Complete personalized homecare services. 604.321.2778 | www.acepersonnel.ca
Antepartum Home Care Program
(For women expecting multiples)
604.875.3557
Association of Neighbourhood Houses of Greater Vancouver
604.875.9111 | www.anhgv.org
Autism Society of BC
888.437.0880 | www.autismbc.ca
Battered Women’s Support Services
604.687.1867 | www.bwss.org
BC Association of Family Resource Programs
604.738.0068 | www.frpbc.ca
BC Housing
604.433.1711 | www.bchousing.org
BC Parents Connection www.bcparentsconnection.ca
Belly to Baby Prenatal Education
604.469.2698 | www.bellytobaby.ca
Burnaby Family Place
604.299.5112
Caregiver Tax
604.786.2566 | www.caregivertax.ca
Childcare Resource and Referral Services for families and child care providers. www.ccrr.bc.ca
Coquitlam Share Family & Community Services Society
604.540.9161
East Burnaby Family Place
604.444.1090 | www.ebfp.ca
East Side Family Place
604.255.9841 | www.eastsidefamilyplace.org
Family Services of Greater Vancouver
604.731.4951 | www.fsgv.ca
Annual Resource Listings
Guildford Family Place Surrey 604.596.4321
Hastings Family Drop-in Centre Vancouver 604.718.6222
Information Children Parent Support Line 778.782.3548 | www.informationchildren.com
Kids Matter
604-746-4331 | www.kidsmattercanada.com
Langley Community Services Society 604.534.7921 | www.lcss.ca
Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows Community Services Family Place 604.467.6911 | www.comservice.bc.ca
Marpole Oakridge Family Place Vancouver 604.263.1405 | www.marfamplace.org
Mommy Connections www.mommyconnections.ca
Mother Me Newborn Care Inc.
Greater Vancouver - Mother Me provides in home support for new families, specializing in day and night care. Newborn to 6 months. 604.524.1793 | www.motherme.ca
Mount Pleasant Family Centre Vancouver 604.872.6757 | www.mpfamilycentre.ca
New Westminster Family Place 604.520.3666 | www.nwfamily.bc.ca
North Shore Family Services
604.988.5281 | www.familyservices.bc.ca
Pacific Post Partum Support Society 604.255.7999 | www.postpartum.org
Parent Support Services Society of BC 604.669.1616 | www.parentsupportbc.ca
Parents of Multiple Births
866.228.8824 | www.multiplebirthscanada.org
PosAbilities www.posabilities.ca
Richmond/Delta Parents of Twins and Triplets Club 604.271.8348
Fraser Health Authority 604.587.4600 | www.fraserhealth.ca
Single Mothers Support Network 604.732.3300 | www.singlemothers.ca
South Vancouver Family Place 604.325.5213 www.southvancouverfamilyplace.org
Sunrise Family Drop-in Vancouver 604.251.2913
Support for Parents of Young Children Program 604.596.4321 | www.options.bc.ca
The Children’s Foundation Surrey & Vancouver 604.434.9101 | www.childrens-foundation.org
Tri-City Family Place Society 604.945.0048 | www.tcfp.citysoup.ca
West Side Family Place Vancouver 604.738.2819 | www3.telus.net/wsfp
FITNESS, HEALTH & WELLNESS
BC Association of Optometrists 604.737.9907 | www.absee.ca
BC Children’s Hospital 604.875.2345 | www.bcchildrens.ca
BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre 604.875.2330 | www.bcwomens.ca
Bonn Chiropractic Vancouver 604.688.5437 | www.cocochiro.com
Corinne Eisler 604.738.4344 | www.eislerforkids.com
Dial-A-Dietician 811| www.dialadietitian.org
Family Passages Vancouver 604.266.6470 | www.familypassages.ca
Fit for Two Multiple locations 604.602.1546 | www.fit4two.ca
From Tummy to Mummy Placenta Encapsulation and Doula Services 778.998.2610 | www.fromtummytomummy.com
Healthcord 877.714.6361 | www.healthcord.com
Helen Sands, Sleep Consultant 604.803.0068 | www.helensands.com
Hycroft Wellness Centre Prenatal Fitness Vancouver 604.731.8027
Integrative Healing Arts Vancouver 604.738.1012 | www.integrative.ca
Jump Gymnastics
Non-competitive kids developmental gymnastics for ages 6 months to 7 years. 604.568.9690 | www.jumpgymnastics.ca
Just4Kids Paediatric Dentistry 604.575.7785 | www.j4kdentistry.com
Kids Matter Inc 877.897.0633 | www.kidsmatter.com
Logan Creek Counselling & Consulting Langley 778.908.2931 | lcreek@telus.net
Nourished with Alyssa Bauman Health consulting www.nourished.ca
PDG Pediatric Dental Group 604.263.2422 | www.pdgdental.com
Phoenix Gymnastics Vancouver 604.737.7693 | www.phoenixgymnastics.com
Pollock ClinicsInfant Circumcision/Vasectomy New Westminster & Vancouver 604.717.6200 | www.pollockclinics.com www.circumcisionvancouver.com
Rich/Follows Vasectomy Clinic No scalpel, no needle vasectomy.10 minute office procedure, covered by BC Medical. Langley 604.539.1915 | www.nsv.ca
St John Ambulance 604.321.2652 | www.sja.ca
TOPS: Take Off Pounds Sensibly Multiple locations 800.932.8677| www.tops.org
Tot 2 Teen Dental Care
604.218.9401 | www.tot2teendental.com
FURNITURE & BABY GEAR
Baby’s World Coquitlam 604.515.0888 | www.babysworld.ca
Boomers & Echoes Kids & Maternity North Vancouver – One stop mom shop
604.984.6163 | www.boomersandechoes.com
Buggy Network Rent or lease fashional baby gear www.buggynetwork.com
Crocodile Unique Baby Store Surrey & Vancouver www.crocodilebaby.com
Hip Baby
Sustainability, value, function… and a whole lot of style! Vancouver, Victoria & online 604.736.8020 | www.hipbaby.com
Lusso Baby North Vancouver & Vancouver 886.740.9830| www.lussobaby.ca
Nestings Kids Vancouver
604.734.5437 | www.nestingskidsvancouver.com
One Tiny Suitcase Rentals
877.663.8469 | www.onetinysuitcase.ca
GROCERY SERVICES
Avalon Dairy Delivery
604.434.2434 | www.avalondairy.com
Dairyland/Saputo Foods
800.667.1228 | www.morethanmilk.ca
Green Earth Organics
604.708.2345 | www.greenearthorganics.com
Skyrise Foods www.skyrisefoods.com
Small Potatoes Urban Delivery
604.215.7783 | www.spud.ca
Stong’s Market
604.266.1401 | www.stongs.com
Thrifty Foods www.thriftyfoodsonline.com
FOR MOM : MATERNITY, NURSING, CLOTHING
Bellies in Bloom
250.479.0803 www.belliesinbloommaternity.com
Boomers & Echoes Kids & Maternity North Vancouver – One stop mom shop, here for your family for over 30 years. Now moved to a bigger & better location.
604.984.6163 | www.boomersandechoes.com
Bravado Designs
800.590.7802 | www.bravadodesigns.com
Flirty Maternity Maple Ridge
604.657.7333 | www.flirtymaternity.com
Forever Yours Lingerie
604.532.1933 | www.foreveryourslingerie.ca
Hazel & Co./Jools Vancouver jools.ca | www.hazelhipmoms.com
Living Magic Entertainment Vancouver. Brighten up your baby shower with pregnant belly art and photography.
604.653.7773 www.livingmagicentertainment.com
Motherhood Maternity www.motherhoodcanada.ca
Nummies Nursing Bras www.nummies.com
Purl Mama & Baby www.purlmama.com
Room for 2 Maternity & Baby Vancouver
604.255.0508 | www.roomfor2.ca
Thyme Maternity www.thymematernity.com
Trendy Tots Maple Ridge www.trendytots.ca
Twist Fashions
Personalized service for every budget. Postbaby fashions to fit a busy mom’s lifestyle. www.twistfashions.com
With Child www.withchild.ca
NANNIES & CHILD CARE RESOURCES
Able Nannies
604.540.7453 | www.ablenannies.ca
Ace Personnel Domestic Nannies, Childcare, Mother’s Helpers. Complete personalized homecare services. 604.321.2778 | www.acepersonnel.ca
Care Solutions
877.925.8474 | www.absolutecarenanny.com
Child Care Resource & Referral Services for families and child care providers.
888.338.6622 | www.ccrr.bc.ca
Elite Nannies
604.876.5520 | www.elitenannies.ca
First Steps Child Care Options
604.876.5520 | www.childcareoptions.ca
International Nannies
604.609.9925 | www.internationalnannies.com
Mother Me Newborn Care Inc.
Greater Vancouver - Mother Me provides in home support for new families, specializing in day and night care. Newborn to 6 months.
604.524.1793 | www.motherme.ca
Nanny Finders Directory
888.628.1622 | www.nannyfindersbc.com
Nannies on Call
877.214.2828 | www.nanniesoncall.com
Nooks & Nannies
604.566.9280 | www.nooksandnannies.com
Not Just Nannies
604.723.5683 | www.notjustnannies.net
OptiMum Childcare & Nannies
604.671.4965 | www.opti-mum.com
Susan’s Nannies
604.779.8579 | www.susansnannies.com
Vancouver Child Care Resource & Referral
604.376.6447 | www.wstcoast.org
YMCA Childcare Resource & Referral
604.931.3400 | www.vanymca.org
Annual Resource Listings
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO
Alexandra Hunt Fine Art Photography www.alexandrahuntblog.com
Blue Olive Photography Boutique family portraits, and no session fees for newborns. Voted “Best of Vancouver” in Georgia Strait for four straight years. www.blueolive.org/expecting
Bopomo Pictures
604.678.1411 | www.bopomo.ca
Eclipse Photography
604.984.7427 | www.eclipsephotography.ca
Haley Lorraine www.haleylorraine.com
Jillian Kirby www.jilliankirbybaby.com
Kyla Baker Photography kylabakerphotography.com
Living Magic – Pregnant Belly Art Baby showers & photography sessions 604.653.7773 www.livingmagicentertainment.com
Magna Vita Photography – Bini Ball Children’s portraits for portfolios and home. 604.258.8301 | www.magnavitaphotography.ca
Mamique Photography Professional photographer specializing in newborn, maternity and baby photography. 604-568-2121 www.mamiquephotography.com
Photos by Kathryn www.photosbykathryn.com
Revival Arts
604.864.6339 | www.rastudio.ca
Shayna Kerrie Photography 604.614.0778 www.shaynakerriephotography.com
TOYS, GIFTS & LIFESTYLE
Animal Crackers Announcements 604.710.4760 | www.animalcrackersonline.com
Baby’s World Coquitlam 604.515.0888 | www.babysworld.ca
Baby Green Sprout www.babygreensprout.com
Baby Planet Boutique 888.823.6129 | www.babyplanetboutique.com
Bamboletta Dolls www.bamboletta.com
Bamboobino 604.551.3882 | www.bamboobino.com
BC Playthings
604.986.4111 | www.bcplaythings.com
Bug in a Rug
519.856.1373 | www.buginarug.ca
Cards By Kids
604.987.4187 | www.cardsbykids.ca
Childish Notions
877.968.4667| www.childishnotions.com
Crocodile Unique Baby Store Surrey & Vancouver www.crocodilebaby.com
Desneige Memory Castings
877.615.8450 | www.desneige.ca
Dimpleskins; Natural Body Care
604.395.6262 | www.dimpleskinsnaturals.com
Gift Pages www.thegiftpages.com
Hip Baby Sustainability, value, function… and a whole lot of style! Vancouver, Victoria & online 604.736.8020 | www.hipbaby.com
Just Imagine Fun Clothing Vancouver 604.222.3523 | www.dressups.com
Kaboodles Toy Store www.kaboodlestoystore.com
Kids Market Granville Island 604.689.8447 | kidsmarket.ca
Kidsbooks Multiple locations www.kidsbooks.bc.ca
New Mom Registry www.newmom.ca
Songs with My Name Personalized Children’s CDs 888.676.0182 | www.songswithmyname.com
Toy Traders Langley 604.532.9516 | www.toytraders.ca
The Village Toy Shop Port Moody 604.949.0444 | www.villagetoyshop.ca
Wee Piggies & Paws 905.988.5437 | www.weepiggies.com
SAFETY
Babysafe – St. John Ambulance 604.321.2652 | www.sja.ca
Baby Secure www.babysecure.ca
BCAA: Infant/Child Car Seat Information Line 604.298.2122 | www.bcaa.com
Road Safety: Child Restraints/Car Seat Safety www.roadsafety.ca
Safety Superstore www.safetysuperstore.ca
Safety Station at BC’s Children’s Hospital 604.875.2244 | bcchildrens.ca/safetystation
BUSINESS
Mom Inc. Movement www.momincmovement.com
Vancouver Mom www.vancouvermom.ca
Forum for Women Enterprise www.fwe.ca
Webbed Consulting 604.417.6581 | www.webbedconsulting.com
Go to www.baby-guide.ca for even more listings and links to great baby resources!
