Taste of the Caribe, the annual fundraising event of the International Children’s Heart Foundation (ICHF) was held successfully last May 10, 2008. The Bacardi Family Foundation, together with Pro-Cigar, helped make the event lively and entertaining.Throughout the evening, Caribbean food and Latin music kept the people on their feet. And while Pro-Cigar provided Dominican cigars for the guests, the Bacardi Family Foundation gave $40,000 and provided liquor which was used to spice up the guest’s drinks. The family and the foundation have long been avid supporters of ICHF; a family member even sits in the foundation’s board of directors in the person of Bret Rodriguez, a 6th generation Bacardi. By pledging support for ICHF, a foundation that aims to provide better and complete care to children with heart problems, the foundation reiterates its commitment to various foundations and communities all over the world, especially those devastated by natural disasters and those that are situated in developing countries. For ICHF, the Bacardi Family Foundation, through Bret Rodriguez, seeks to create a world where global businesses and opportunities freely extend support and funding for the training of medical teams and volunteers who may help improve the condition of ICHF’s pediatric heart patients. The foundation’s strong support for the annual money-raising event helped ICHF put up over $15,000.

Did you know?

•One of every five couples experience fertility problems

•The average cost of one in-vitro fertilization cycle runs about $15,000

•The number of infertile women in the United States aged 20-25 tripled in the last 30 years
•Throughout the world, sperm counts have reduced by 50% in the last 50 years
•One woman in five experiences a miscarriage
•One couple in six cannot conceive naturally
•Women can produce antibodies against the male sperm?
•One birth in five is taken through cesarean section (this rate has quadrupled in the last 30 years)
•Diseases linked to the father’s genes include leukemia, asthma and mental development

Preconception healthcare involves making sure that there is an adequate supply of everything that is essential to the health of your egg and sperm and the baby’s development. This is accomplished by eliminating everything which has been shown to be harmful to that process. It’s as simple as that.

Your goals, prior to conception are to:

Use Condoms: The presence of immune-mediated antibodies in the female block the passage of the sperm. They are also responsible for miscarriages. So, when you are in the detox and pre-conception phases, it is important to use condoms as a barrier contraceptive to isolate the sperm. This way, the body won’t be exposed to them to cause an allergic reaction and the body can heal and regroup.

Minimize or Manage Stress: Where does stress reside in your body? It is different for everyone, but wherever it resides, it is affecting those body parts and the hormones they produce. For instance, if you hold stress in your gut, then the gut responds accordingly. Did you know that the gut produces more neurotransmitters than the brain? Stress affects fertility by increasing a hormone called cortisol.

Learn two natural methods that can greatly increase your chances of conception. These are the Mucous Method and the Temperature Method. The Mucous Method teaches you how to identify fertile and infertile mucous in the reproductive tract. Only fertile mucous accepts, nourishes and transports sperm. Taking the temperature of the body the same time each day will identify hormonal cycles and diseases that may affect fertility. Both are necessary for maximum conception success rates.

Minimize coffee consumption: We are a society of caffeine addicts. Coffee and caffeine are extremely toxic alkaloids. Coffee is a powerful contraceptive agent. Caffeine damages the DNA. Decaffeinated coffee is worse, as dry-cleaning chemicals are used to remove the caffeine from the beans.

Protect, educate and detoxify your body from all common toxins. Unexplained infertility largely results from environmental and dietary toxicity. Common causes of infertility include: heavy metal toxicity, chemicals from various sources, over-the-counter pain killers, “social” drugs such as alcohol, caffeine and nicotine, household chemicals, occupational exposure to chemicals, radiation damage, agricultural exposure to herbicides/ pesticides/ fungicides and fertilizers, hormones and estrogens in milk, dairy and meat products, sugar-induced hypothyroidism and insulin resistance, the use of raw soy products (soy milk and soy ice cream), petrochemical exposure, chlorine or fluorine exposure (showers, hot tubs, drinking water), certain sports (swimming, golf, cycling), plastics exposure (especially with heated plastic), microwave ovens, allergies, stress, emotions, gut flora imbalances, autoimmune diseases, hormone imbalances, food-borne organisms (Listeria and Toxoplasma), and more.

Normalize your weight if necessary. Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is greatly influenced by excess weight. Obesity increases the risk of miscarriage, birth defects, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and premature birth. In men, obesity increases heat in the testicles which need to be two degrees cooler than the core body temperature for the sperm to survive. Also, increased estrogen (from the extra fat stores) decreases testosterone production.

Stop using lubricants and products that are toxic to sperm: Pre-seed is the best lubricant to use for intercourse when trying to conceive, as it is sperm-friendly. KY Jelly kills sperm.

Test negative for all genitourinary infections. Genitourinary infections have been shown to be responsible for infertility, miscarriage and fetal growth problems. These include: Streptococcus B, Enterococcus, Herpes Type I and II, Anaerobic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenza, Streptococcus millerii, E. coli, Klebsiella, Garnerella, Ureaplasma, Mycoplasma and Candida. Chlamydia infections tend to scar the fallopian tubes and are one of the most common organisms leading to female infertility.

Commit to and accomplish an adequate exercise program. Exercise increases circulation and brings essential nutrients and blood to the ovaries, testes and uterus.

Increase your alkaline reserves by eating lots of fresh, raw fruits/vegetables. Eat lots of raw fruits and raw vegetables. I would recommend 2-3 cups of each daily for the first month for the detoxification period, then 75% of that amount after that.

Add Wheat Germ Oil, wheat germ, or Wheat Germ Pearles to the diets of both the prospective mother and father. Wheat germ has lots of zinc and selenium in it and works on the body to dilate both the fallopian tubes and the seminiferous tubules. This makes the transport of both egg and sperm easier. It also helps to increase sperm counts, motility, healthy morphology and the number of effective, fertile sperm. Three capsules, teaspoon oil, or two tablespoons wheat germ is the usual dose.

Eat two tablespoons of raw, hulled Pumpkin Seeds each day. Pumpkin seeds bind up harmful byproducts of testosterone breakdown in the male and act as a building block for a balanced hormone system in the female. If a little is good, a LOT is NOT better, so stick to only two tablespoons max. Most other disease processes need only one tablespoon per day.

The goal to conquering infertility is to identify those factors that are causing infertility in both the male and the female. By doing so, we can work on individual issues and minimize environmental factors that influence infertility.

There are over 100 herbs, supplements, and homeopathics used in the support of infertility issues. These should be evaluated and protocols tailor-made for each couple. I hope this article gets you moving in a healthy direction so that you can accomplish your baby goals.

These topics along with avoidance tips and the mucous and basal body temperature methods are discussed in more depth at: http://www.naturalhealthtechniques.com/Specific%20Diseases/Infertility.htm

Dr. Denice Moffat is a practicing naturopath, medical intuitive, and veterinarian working on the family unit (which includes humans and animals) through her phone consultation practice established in 1995. She has a content-rich website at http://www.NaturalHealthTechniques.com and a free monthly newsletter.

Maternity is nature’s gift to women. The experience of nursing your baby can be increased if you ensure your own comfort level. Your breasts start changing shape from the fourth month of pregnancy. As a result, most women find their previous bra too small.

Purchase a nursing bras close to your due date or shortly after your baby arrives, because your breasts will grow larger toward the end of your pregnancy and when milk comes in.

You can purchase nursing bras in the maternity section of any department store. When purchasing a nursing bra, keep in mind that it is best to shop for one that has wide, comfortable shoulder straps to give adequate support to the breasts. Consider buying a bra that has flaps and can be opened and refastened easily. Since milk leakage is inevitable, it also makes sense to buy nursing pads to protect both your bra and clothes.

Make sure you get the right size. Though good looks are an added bonus, your primary consideration should be access and comfort. Even though you may find bras with underwires tempting, they can constrict the ducts and obstruct the flow of milk. This, in turn, can cause infections.

It is always better to buy 100% cotton bras, as cotton is a breathable fabric. Synthetic fabrics trap moisture and encourage bacterial growth and soreness.

Along with quality, pay attention to the quantity also. You should buy more than one nursing bras to avoid washing the same pieces again and again. As the breast size keeps changing, you should replace your nursing bras regularly to be sure you’re getting the support you need while breast- feeding.

Bras provides detailed information about bras, bridal bras, and more. Bras is affiliated with Garter Belts.

How many times have you stared at a person who looked different? The person could be largely overweight, have some sort of physical deformity or be too tall or too short….. but whatever it was about them, they were different from you.

I have to admit, I used to stare at people different from me. That was until I spent time with someone very close to me that got stares all day long. I realized that this person dealt with more uncomfortable situations in a day than most of us deal with in a lifetime!

In our house, the word “fat” is a naughty word. So is “big”. So is anything that could be potentially uncomfortable for anyone else. With a 5 year old however, there is always going to be a situation like what happened a few years ago when we were in line at the grocery store. The pimply young cashier intrigued my son and Jeremy yelled out, “he has OUCHIES on his face”. Well, what can you do?

Today was an opportunity for a good lesson regarding special needs children. I took my son to the Doctor for a physical and being flu season there were several children there with physical and mental disabilities that are considered “high risk”. Right across from us was a man with his son in a very elaborate wheel chair. The chair secured the boy who probably couldn’t sit up on his own. The boy spoke very slowly and was severely mentally and physically challenged.

But his eyes lit up when I asked the daddy if I could introduce my son to him. Jeremy had been staring at him and told me he couldn’t talk so I asked the dad if we could meet him. The dad seemed happy too so I crossed the room to sit down right by him and asked the boy his name. He said “Tim” . I said, “hi Tim, this is Jeremy” . Then I asked, “How old are you Tim?” He said, “Ten”. While I talked with him I rubbed his leg gently and I could see he was trying to put his hand out for me to grab it. I asked Jeremy to tell Tim how old he was.

The conversation was short but sweet. The nurse then called them in and the dad looked at me and thanked me and we said goodbye.

On the way home, I was able to explain to Jeremy that Tim has feelings just like any kid who wants to fit in. He wants to have friends and experience life and love his family. He doesn’t want to be laughed at or pointed at just because he is different. And he doesn’t want to be “special”. He just wants to be “normal”.

I felt good about having the opportunity to introduce Jeremy to Tim. I want him to feel as comfortable talking with someone in a wheel chair as he would anyone that was able bodied. I want him to know that everyone, no matter WHO they are or what their circumstances, wants to be acknowledged and not ignored, talked with and not stared at, and they want people just to be comfortable and not intimidated.

I don’t know if it made an impression on Jeremy today, but I feel that it did. We’ll continue to speak with whoever comes along our path no matter how different they are from us.

Teaching our children not to stare is probably impossible. But teaching them to share a conversation with people who are different is truly remarkable!

Mary Gardner is a writer, consultant and mom who lives in Orlando, FL. Her information is http://www.marygardner.com

It’s often a challenge to decide just who to invite to your baby shower. What is the proper etiquette and how do you avoid hurting someone’s feelings?

When determining your guest list, it’s important to define your target group. Is it your idea to host the traditional women only gathering or will you include children? Today it’s becoming increasingly popular to invite couples and/or complete families.

When you decide on the type of shower you are going to be hosting make sure your invitations are precisely worded, such as “women only”, “children welcome” and so on based on your decision. If you are planning a specific theme make sure this is included on your invitations as well as any special instructions such as what to bring, how to dress, and directions to the party location. This will save you countless telephone inquiries regarding the specifics of your shower plans.

Always ask your invited guests to RSVP and keep in mind that typically about 20-25% of those confirming will ultimately fail to attend for a variety of reasons.

Baby Showers held at an office, social club or church have a pre-determined guest list of co-workers, club members or fellow church members but make sure that you find out if your shower is the only one being held for the mom to be. If it is, then you may want to extend invitations to her personal friends and family. It may take a bit of discreet probing to find out if there are additional showers planned.

Alternatively, if you are a friend or family member planning the only shower, it’s a thoughtful idea to make a call to the prospective mother to be’s employer to find out who should be invited from her workplace.

In most cases her husband should be able to supply contact information for her friends and work associates.

Don’t forget that if your shower is the sole party planned, you should extend invites to the mom’s family as well as her husband’s family.

Jim Hutton writes articles about planning and hosting baby showers, you can see the full article library at: Baby Shower Ideas

One of the questions I ask in parenting presentations is “How do you show your children you love them?”

Participants usually cite verbal and physical ways of showing affection as the most common means of showing love. These ways work well for children of certain age groups and children with those relational preferences, but how do you relate to a child or young person who becomes a ‘conversational clam’ or one who doesn’t like physical closeness?

Conversely, it is easy to miss the relational signs of children if their ways of relating fit outside our frame of reference. I remember Michael, behaviourally the most challenging child that I taught, would meet me in the car park each morning and carry my bag to the staffroom door. He would bid me farewell and we would spend most of our contact time jousting with each other. The bag-carrying was just Michael’s way of saying that he liked me. His relational preference was through acts of service, which is similar to mine so we were on the same wavelength.

According to Gary Chapman author of Five Languages of Children there are five different ways to develop a connection (show them you love them) with children. As you read them consider your preference and the preferences of children in your family or immediate confines:

1. Acts of affirmation, praise and recognition

The best way to develop a relationship with some children is through your praise, affirmation and recognition. Let them know they are wonderful, that their efforts at home hit the mark and their behaviour is appreciated and they will know you think the world of them. This is obviously easy for some children who naturally do well or behave appropriately but what of those children who are NOT ‘affirmation magnets’? We need to try something else…

2. Acts of service and shared activity

Some children just want to share an activity with you. When you come home from work they may pester you for a game or want to join you in whatever you are doing. As toddlers these children want to be attached to their mum and dad’s hips as they go about their usual business. You cook, they want to cook. You mow the lawn they want to join you. These children will often do things for you to show they care so they do special jobs ‘just for you’ (particularly when they have been less than perfect) or want you to join them in an activity or a game. As teenagers they may share an interest such as sport with a parent rather than participating together in an activity itself. These children also love to have their parents to themselves for a time.

3. Talking and attention

Some children just love to talk or be the centre of attention. They love one-on-one time but they can rattle on forever rather than actually engage in an activity with a parent. Far from being ‘conversational clams’ these children usually don’t mind telling you about their day or about any social problems they may be having. They also like to hear about your personal life or how you may have handled the highs and lows of life. Yes, they can close up during adolescence but you may just have to find the right forum such as a car or coffee shop for them to talk. Parents who travel a great deal can stay in touch with these children through the internet or via the telephone. In many ways these ‘talkers’ provide easy access for relationships as long as we make the effort.

4. Gifts and mementoes

Some children like more tangible evidence of your regard so small mementoes or gifts are the way to their hearts. I am not talking big expense here but these ‘tangibles’ love their parents to bring something home from work (a pad, pen or poster can work wonders) or a little treat every now and then. Some teenage ‘tangibles’ can be quite demanding on their parents financially as they may ask for big ticket fashion items but remember that it is the thought not the item that counts with this group.

5. Physical closeness and affection

Some children just can’t get close enough to their parents. As young children they love to be picked up and toddlers can give parents little space. Cuddles on the couch and physical play are de rigeur for these kinaesthetic types. Some older boys love to skylark and play very physical games with their fathers, which can be their way of saying, “You’re OK.” So you need to go along with these affectionate types and realise a touch on the shoulder or a hand on the arm can be more potent than words of praise. This can be challenging if you are physically reserved yourself or your children move into adolescence and you feel awkward about giving them a hug. Sometimes a squeeze on the arm or a quick rub of a teen’s back as you greet them is a powerful reminder that you love them.

Most children will have a preference for two of the above methods just as most parents will have one or two preferred ways of relating to others. If you love to chat then holding conversations with like-minded children will be a breeze but how will you relate to those children who prefer more physical ways or even a memento?

If you are frustrated and think that you just can’t get through to your child it may be worth checking the way you relate. If talking doesn’t work then maybe try a little memento from time to time or suggest a game, a cup of coffee together or just a story. To steal a line from an 80’s American sitcom - ‘Different strokes for different young folks.’

Michael Grose is a leading parenting educator and specialises in healping busy parents raise confident kids and resilient young people.

He is the author of six books and over 300 columns in magazines and newspapers across three contintents. He also gives over 100 presentations a year.

For more great ideas to help you raise fantastic kids that other people rave about and really love the job of parenting visit http://www.parentingideas.com.au . While you are there subscribe to Happy Kids, Michael’s free email newsletter and receive a free report Seven ways to beat sibling rivalry

Growth charts are tools your pediatrician can use to keep track of your child’s physical growth. During each checkup, the doctor will measure your baby’s length, weight, and head circumference. The doctor can then compare the measurements for your baby to a chart of national averages for infants of the same age and sex.

The result is that the doctor will be able to tell you what percentile your baby is in when compared to average baby growth around the nation. For example, if your doctor tells you your 4-month-old is in the 86th percentile for weight, that means 86 percent of the two-month-olds in your country weigh less, and that 14 percent weigh more. A baby that is at the 50th percentile in either height or weight is right at the national average.

Typically, parents seem to worry quite a bit about these percentages, and that worrying is usually needlessly blown out of proportion. There are many factors that come into play when determining where your baby’s statistics will fall in the percentile chart.

It is very important to remember that no two babies are the same and that every child, due to body chemistry, heredity, diet, and many other factors will grow at their own pace.

Some babies will have growth spurts right from the start and others will take a bit longer to begin major growth periods. These measurements, charts, and percentile points are merely guides for a doctor to help in assessing your baby’s growth.

In addition to the measurements that your pediatrician will take during regularly scheduled doctor visits, you may also want to track your baby’s growth at home.

Keep in mind that the measurements you take at home may or may not be as accurate as the measurements your doctor takes, but they can provide a certain degree of insight into the growth of your baby and many new parents have found it to be a fascinating way to participate in the parenting process.

Here are some tips that can help you, as inquisitive parents, track your baby’s growth at home using commercially available scales and other measuring devices.

If baby is too small to stand upright on the scale, you can try using this procedure:

With your baby in your arms, step onto a standard bathroom scale.

Make note of the weight displayed on the scale and write it down on a piece of paper.

Put your baby down and step onto the scale alone this time.

Make note of the weight displayed and subtract this number from the combined weight of you and your baby. The resulting number is your baby’s weight.

To measure your baby’s length all you need to do is lay her down on a flat surface (her changing table is a great place for this task) and stretch a measuring tape from head to toes.

For the measuring of head circumference all you need to do is wrap the measuring tape around your baby’s head. You should wrap the measuring tape just above your baby’s eyebrows, so the tape falls right at the top of the ears. What you are trying to measure is the point around his head that has the largest circumference.

When taking your baby to the doctor your pediatrician will perform more accurate measurements. Pediatricians do the “baby measuring thing” on a daily basis and will be able to achieve a much more accurate result than you will at home. This is due to the fact that they are accustomed to the things babies do that can result in an inaccurate measurement and they have very accurate measuring tools made specifically for the purpose of measuring the characteristics of babies, such as proper baby scales equipped with cradles.

Your doctor will most likely take measurements several times during one visit and average the results together to ensure accuracy and to compensate for any discrepancies that may arise. It is crucial for the doctor’s measurements to be as accurate as possible because a discrepancy of as little as a few millimeters in length or a few grams in weight can make a difference where your baby falls on the charts.

Since the results of these measurements may determine changes to your baby’s diet, and other possible changes to how your baby is fed and treated during her first year, it is important that these results are as accurate as possible.

Your pediatrician will measure the following characteristics of your baby:

Weight:

After calibrating the scale the doctor or nurse will place your completely naked baby on a baby scale. There are electronic and traditional beam-type versions of the baby scale, but most will typically have the same type of baby holding stainless steel cradle. After your child is able to stand on her own, your pediatrician will most likely use a standard upright scale.

Length:

Like weighing, until your baby is able to stand up on his own, your doctor will perform the height/length measurements with your baby lying down. Your doctor may use a tape measure, much like you use at home, or may utilize a special “baby-measuring device”, which consists of a headboard and movable footboard to obtain the most accurate results possible.

Head circumference: This measurement will be taken in almost the same way you did at home. The doctor will take the measurement at the point where the head is at its largest circumference, right above the ears and around to the back of the head where the neck meets the cranium. Usually the pediatrician will record this measurement to the nearest 0.3 cm (1/8th of an inch).

The head is different from other parts of the body in that the brain is not fully formed at the time of birth and therefore the head will continue to grow during baby’s first year.

Baby’s head is a particular point of concern for the doctor because a head that is growing too rapidly can be a sign of hydrocephalus (water on the brain) and a head that is growing too slowly can be indicative of nutritional or developmental problems. Regardless, you shouldn’t be too concerned if your baby’s head appears a bit disproportional compared to the rest of her body, as this is completely normal for the first year of life.

For More Honest Parenting Advice, Information, Tips, and Product Reviews go to http://www.babytownsite.com today!