Parents living in a city apartment often find the most convenient kind of carriage is one that can be detached from a foldable frame. The only disadvantage with this kind of carriage is that the lighter structure becomes unsafe when the baby reaches one year of age and is able to rock the carriage.
Choosing a Baby Carriage. The baby carriage is probably the most expensive piece of equipment parents have to buy, and it should be chosen with care.
A carriage with large wheels is smoother in motion than one with small wheels. However, a carriage with small wheels at the front and large ones at the back is easier to push over the edge of a sidewalk.
Be sure that the carriage has safety straps or attachment points for straps. When a baby can sit up in the carriage, he or she must wear straps at all times. The carriage must have good brakes, preferably on each wheel.
The interior of the baby carriage should be easy to clean. There should be an attachable hood and cover and a thick mattress. If the carriage is for outside use, attach a net over the front while the baby sleeps.
For the comfort and convenience of the parents, a carriage should have adjustable handles and a shopping tray or basket under the chassis (and not at either end).
The Bassinet. The travel bassinet should have a wipeable interior and exterior. The sides should be padded and smooth so that the baby cannot be hurt. The handles must be strong and located toward the head end of the bassinet. A travel bassinet is lightweight and convenient when traveling, but can be used only for babies under the age of nine months.
Some travel bassinets have tubular steel legs and carrying handles with a safety locking device. This type of bassinet folds flat for easy storage.
The Car Seat. Many states have laws mandating the use of car seats for children.
A car seat should be of a lightweight, durable material fitted with its own seat belt. Padded "wings" should extend forward from the back rest of the car seat. These should be at head height in order to keep the child's head from snapping too far to the left or the right in case of an accident.
The car seat should also be anchored down with the automobile seat belt in the back seat of the automobile. Passengers in the back seat are at less risk for injury than those in the front seat. For children up to 18 months of age, the car seat should face backward. For older children the car seat can face forward.
The Backpack. A backpack is a useful alternative to the carriage. The baby must be able to support his or her own head before sitting in a backpack, usually around the age of four months. The pack should have adjustable shoulder straps for the parent. It also should be equipped with safety straps for the baby, or attachment points for a harness.
Some backpacks have a small strut that folds out at the back to support the pack on the ground. This strut enables the parent to comfortably put the pack on from a table top with the baby sitting in the pack; this device should never be used to convert the pack into a seat for the baby.
Soft packs, or sling carriers, can be worn in which the baby is carried in front, rather than on the back. These should not be used before the baby can hold up his or her head, at about four months. As the child gets heavier, however, a back pack is more practical.
Hospitalization - Admission Procedures
The procedures you follow on admission to a hospital vary from one hospital to another, but basically the process is the same in most institutions in the United States.
Care of the Dying - Reaction of Children
A child's reaction to death depends on many factors. A child's first experience with death is often the death of a pet. A child under the age of eight cannot understand that death is irreversible and may expect the mother or father to bring the pet back to life. After the age of eight or nine, the child's understanding is usually as rational as an adult's understanding.
Care of the Dying - Moment of Death
Do not be alarmed if the patient's breathing makes a groaning or croaking sound. It does not mean that he or she is in pain. When a dying patient slips into a coma, the position of the neck and body produces the noise, which can be reduced by gently turning the patient's shoulders or body.
