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Learn helpful tips from some of Tulsa’s “baby” pros.
Concerning parents
Any couple expecting a new child will have plenty of concerns. But those with high-risk pregnancies have even more questions, says Dr. James Beeson with SouthCrest Perinatal Specialists.
Beeson’s practice counsels and consults with those expecting multiple births, as well as those with various conditions, such as diabetes, gestational diabetes, heart disease, hypertension or other complications. With 3-D and 4-D ultrasounds, as well as other tools, Beeson can work with the mother and her obstetrician, family practitioner, physician’s assistant and/or midwife to make sure she and her child will deliver safely.
Once delivery is complete, whether high-risk or not, many people over-worry about the smallest of things, says Dr. Matt James, a pediatrician with OMNI Medical Group.
“Most of the things they worry about, they shouldn’t,” James says.
Common questions in his office concern breastfeeding versus bottle feeding, sleeping habits, small rashes, constipation and appetite. Most of the questions or concerns, such as the ones James mentions, are easy to remedy with dialogue between the doctor and parents, he says. When it comes to those who are having their second child, questions seem to cease.
“They’ve been through the trenches,” he says.
While it’s not easy, James says the first few weeks after having the baby are the hardest, but the most important piece of advice he can give is to try to eat, sleep and breathe.
“It’s stressful, but you will get through it,” he says.
Bringing home baby
There are seemingly a million things to do before a newborn comes home, and just as many once the baby arrives. Follow these simple tips to prepare yourself for both.
Before:
Sleep! Dr. Matt James with OMNI Medical Group urges parents to get as much sleep as possible before a baby arrives — when the feedings, changings and crying seem to never end.
Set up the bassinette or crib if you want baby to sleep in your bedroom. Co-bedding — keeping baby in bed with you — is dangerous because of the risk of rolling over on the child, James says. He says having a bassinette or crib is best if you want the baby to sleep in the same room. Otherwise, he says, the child should sleep in his or her own room.
Stock up at home on baby essentials, such as diapers and baby wipes, and properly install a car seat to ensure safety. Shelly Hawk, a registered nurse and certified childbirth educator with Hillcrest Medical Center, recommends that parents attend a car seat safety class.
Purchase a two-week supply of disposable plates, cups and silverware so that dirty dishes are not a concern, Hawk says. Make some meals and freeze them in advance for quick preparation.
After:
With relatives and friends insisting on helping out, new parents should create a chore list to hang on the refrigerator, Hawk suggests. That way, when relatives and friends insist on helping, they have a guide from which to work.
James insists that parents rest when the baby is resting to help with the loss of regular sleeping habits.
Medical professionals say questions regarding breastfeeding are a common conundrum for new moms. Most of the Tulsa hospitals have consultants on hand to help address any concern that arises.
Indulge in a 4th Trimester Healing Hour at Baby Bump, a maternity boutique, spa and 4-D ultrasound location. The restorative massage treatment helps the body realign, owner Lisa White says. The spa also has many treatments for moms-to-be that are specifically designed for their skin and growing tummy.
Adding to your brood
Soon a new baby will be coming into your family. But what will that mean to your other children, or to your pets?
“We really do recommend for other siblings to be involved in the pregnancy,” says Shelly Hawk, registered nurse and certified childbirth educator with Hillcrest Medical Center.
To make the impending arrival more real, take children to ultrasounds and let them hear the baby’s heartbeat, she says.
Once the baby has arrived, Hawk recommends bringing home a gift from the baby, such as a shirt saying “I’m the Big Sister” or “I’m the Big Brother.”
“It makes them understand that I’m not the baby anymore; I’m the big sibling,” she says.
While a child may be excited for his or her new sibling, expect some hiccups in the sibling’s behavior.
“It’s common for the older sibling, if they are younger (in age), to backtrack,” especially with actions such as potty training, says Dr. Matt James of OMNI Medical Group.
Not only should parents’ attention be aimed at children but also toward the household pets.
The Humane Society of the United States says that before the baby comes home, parents should accustom a pet to less attention so that once the baby does arrive, it will feel less stressed. If the mother-to-be is closest to the pet, someone else in the family should work to develop a stronger relationship.
The spouse or partner could bring something home that smells like the baby, the society suggests. That way, when the baby enters the home from the hospital, the pet will be less distracted.
More information on preparing pets for a new baby is available online at www.petsforlife.org.
The babysitters’ club 
Even the most loving parent needs time away from baby. And many must opt for child care because both parents work outside the home.
Child Care Resource Center of Tulsa is a place to which parents of any income level can turn to narrow down their options.
Melinda Belcher, resource and referral coordinator for the center, says a 15- to 20-minute phone call can help any parent find responsible and accredited child care. This service is free of charge.
Belcher says that when parents call the center for information on child care, a center representative asks basic questions, such as where they live, the status of their finances, ages of the children and what type of child care they are seeking.
From there, the center compiles and discusses a list of child care providers meeting the parents’ criteria.
Nannies are another option. Tulsan Mollie Grubb is founder of the Nanny Connection and Company. Her love of children grew into a business that finds responsible nannies and sitters for friends and others.
Grubb says that when parents hire a nanny or sitter, they are entrusting more than their child’s safety but also their home, car, valuables and privacy. She makes sure families and their help are a good match in many categories.
To ensure safety and security on both sides, Grubb meets with new nannies and families to learn about them, and both go through a thorough reference check.
Family classes are also available at the following locations:
Child Care Resource Center:
834-2273
www.ccrctulsa.org
The Nanny Connection and Co.
640-7934
goodgolliemissmollieann@yahoo.com
It’s easy being green 
Tiffany Bjorlie, owner of Eco Baby + Kids, says that since she first opened her store more than a year and a half ago, she has seen many more people joining the “green” trend.
She says being green has just merged with the mainstream. Although some people are “super green,” she says, others say that as long as their needs are met, they will buy a green product.
Eco Baby + Kids offers glass bottles, cloth diapers and baby carriers, clothing, toys, bedding and furniture — all from natural and sustainable product lines.
Bjorlie began researching organic baby clothing and products even before she opened the store when her husband and she started considering having a child. She worried that she would find only drab beige shirts and pants but says she soon learned that an “explosion of color” and styles were available in organic clothing.
Products made from bamboo are a new trend in children’s clothing. However, Bjorlie approaches this method with discretion because turning bamboo into a spinable fabric can mean using harsh chemicals. After researching the process, she has become particular about which lines to host in her store.
When it comes to toys, Bjorlie says Sophie la Giraffe reigns supreme.
“Every baby has to have a Sophie,” she says of the small toy giraffe made of natural rubber and food-grade paint. Sophie has been in France for nearly 50 years and provides children a toy that is easy to grasp and safe to chew on.
A lot of Eco Baby + Kids’ toys are made from hardwood or cloth and wool. Other than Sophie, some of the most popular toys are Plan Toys, a company that makes toys from the wood of rubber trees at the end of their latex production, trees that would otherwise have been burned.
“At the core of the company is a mission for sustainability and responsibility,” Bjorlie says. “Responsibility both in their finishes and the way that they treat the people that work for them.”
While some consumers are turning to organic and green products for medical reasons — Bjorlie says doctors have referred patients to her store for organic clothing that doesn’t irritate a child’s sensitive skin — some are turning to green products for the non-toxic and sustainable qualities.
Proud papas 
Dads have been participating in the delivery room and at Lamaze since today’s parents were the baby bump.
Fathers are learning and preparing for the birth of their children alongside their partner in numerous classes and workshops held throughout the city.
Claudia Arthrell, director of professional services for Family and Children’s Services, says her organization’s classes have seen many dads attending, including the New Baby Care classes. In these classes, dads can learn all they need to know about a newborn, such as feeding, calming and handling a baby, and well-child care by using realistic dolls that perform many of the functions of a newborn.
The organization offers a Just for Dads class, in which dads “learn to build relationships, not only with children but with the partner or spouse as well,” Arthrell says.
For more information on classes at Family and Children’s Services, call 587-9471 or visit www.fcsok.org.
Specialty classes, including those for grandparents or siblings, are also held at hospitals throughout the city. Visit these Web sites for more information:
Hillcrest Medical Center, www.hillcrest.com
St. John Medical Center, www.sjmc.com
Saint Francis Health System, www.saintfrancis.com
SouthCrest Hospital, www.southcresthospital.com
