My visit to UPPAbaby

A few weeks ago I was invited to Boston to visit the Head office of UPPAbaby. I want to tell you about two new products they have and my general impressions of the company. First look at this movie – United Breaks Guitars – then come back to here.
New product #1 is a travel bag for the UPPPAbaby Vista stroller. Why get excited? Because the bag extends your stroller warranty! (the stroller has a 2 year warranty). It works as follows: If you have your Vista stroller inside the UPPAbaby travel bag and the airline damages the stroller or parts therein, UPPAbaby will provide a new stroller or parts under warranty, even though it is not a manufacturer’s defect. Either Crocodile Baby or a certified repair centre (Weston Luggage on East 1st) will put the parts on for free. Now you will not have to sing the same great song if your stroller gets trashed.
The bag itself is nicely padded with big carry handles and wheels so you can roll it around airports. All stroller travel bags create spaces around the stroller, so there is always room to pack additional small things into the various corners and spaces in the bag. Buying and using the bag is a bit like buying a travel insurance policy for the stroller, while making the transport of your stroller a lot easier. This new Travel bag is available now at our stores or at crocodilebaby.com.
New product #2 is the Cruz stroller. The concept was to create a stroller which is smaller than the Vista (and its competitors) without losing comfort for the baby, but bigger than an umbrella stroller, especially allowing for a big basket. The Cruz is aimed at the consumer who walks around the sidewalks and malls of cities, it is not designed for off-roading although it does have some very elegant shock absorbers built into the frame of the stroller. The seat is the same size as the Vista seat, so a child up to 40 lbs will easily fit in, but the frame is immensely streamlined so it is much narrower than a full sized stroller. As mentioned, the large basket has also been retained, comparing favourably to those small inaccessible baskets on umbrella strollers. In addition the Cruz (just call me Penelope) has a solid (rather than split) handle which makes it very maneuverable, and a flat fold that is easily executed. The Cruz should be in store in late March 2011.
UPPAbaby as a company is essentially a group of industrial designers with one strong woman insisting on certain Mom-friendly features. Their underlying theme is to provide what parents need in a stroller at a fair price. Effectively this means they have taken several features from the Bugaboo Cameleon/Frog (IMHO, the most revolutionary stroller in the last 20 years), re-interpreted them, and added a few of their own that improve usability. With the Vista, they have created a “workhorse” stroller with great maneuverability, a large basket and the ability to expand to carry 3 kids (with the rumble seat and wheeled board add-ons)

Some notable features of the Vista are: the stroller seat faces forward and back towards the parent – the latter affords the baby some protection from strangers reaching in to play with your baby and lets the parent and baby look at each other; the bassinette is included allowing the new baby to lie down in the stroller – this is extraordinarily important for the baby’s circulatory system and their ability to breathe, as well as creating the movement of picking up the baby from a car seat and placing them in the bassinette (this movement reduces flatheadedness!); a large basket for all the stuff you need to carry around; an extended sunshade on both the bassinette and stroller seat hood – this is just a really good idea that does not cost much to implement; and the ability to separate the seat and the frame for folding – this reduces the strain of putting the stroller in the car trunk because the pieces are picked up separately. In addition, the removal of the bassinette from the stroller frame is really easy for the UPPAbaby; no other stroller bassinette is this easy to remove. This is a huge benefit when your baby is asleep in the bassinette on the stroller and you wish to take them into the bedroom. There is no large “click” as you remove the bassinette from the stroller frame like in other models, nor any awkwardness as to how to carry the bassinette – the handle provides perfect balance.
The company went to some lengths to show me how important their customer serviceis. Parts are immediately available and the people on the phones are trying to get problems solved within 24 hours. This was impressive and allows us at Crocodile Baby to respond more quickly to customer service requests also, knowing the support we will receive from the supplier. Also, the Customer Service people sit right next to the engineers who designed the product so when there is an on-going problem, the engineers are right there to correct it. This proximity allowed UPPAbaby to correct their rear wheels on 2007 – 2009 strollers to the vastly improved 2010 model. We expect a continuous supply of high quality products from UPPAbaby, given the way they operate their company.
Gerry Lewarne, Owner, Crocodile Baby

A chiropractor comments on carrying a baby in an infant car seat

The other day a prospective customer into Crocodile Baby Store to look at a stroller and car seat for her first, as-yet-unborn, child. This is her reaction.

"Hi Gerry,

WOW!!! I was really impressed with your service, knowledge and advice! Particularly when you informed me what I really needed, not what you wanted to sell me.

I was especially impressed with your knowledge on the infant cars seats that detach and travel as a single unit. I am very concerned with this product and was worried I needed to purchase one because I have seen first hand the damage they can cause parents and babies.

Being a Chiropractor for over 10 years and specializing in pediatrics and pregnancy, I have become increasingly alarmed at the possible long term damage that can occur from these mobile seats. On a daily basis I see parents who struggle to carry these mobile car seats, and strain their bodies. I have also observed new babies who have been left in these seats for too long with their heads becoming flat on one side, dropped over to one side or forwards.

Neck, shoulder, rib cage, pelvis, knee and ankle problems can arise or aggravate old injuries from lifting a heavy load on only one side of your body repetitively. Similar strains occur when struggling to get the infant car seats in and out of cars.

Babies are very susceptible in early days of molding to their environment and a lack of movement results in decreased brain stimulation causing several long term effects. Basic neurology states that the Motor movement of the body drives the Sensory system which in turn develops the cerebral cortex(smart part of your brain). With the weight of a newborn's head on such a weak neck, lack of proper head support is very stressful on the nervous, skeletal and circulatory system. A newborn's cranium or head is sensitive to flattening when left for too long in one position. This is not just an aesthetic point, the brain is resting within this cavity and the cranial bone movement determines how well cerebral spinal fluid circulates and bathes the brain and cord. A flattened occiput (back of the head) has been linked to SID's, nervous system, respiratory, digestive, cardiac and behavioural problems. I work with babies with colic, sleep issues, ear aches, breast-feeding problems and more and they always have cranial and upper cervical problems.

It makes complete sense why we should be encouraged to keep babies moving and to lay them flat in a bassinet or cradled in a sling.

With all of the Physical, Chemical and Emotional stress that is on parents and babies these days it is nice to know that we don't all have to subscribe to the same products.

Products that are introduced to our western society may be very convenient or look good but what is the long term cost to us and our environment? We are now the sickest species on the planet.

Thank you for your time and insight!

Dr Amber Kirk"

Get a bassinette with that stroller

The other day a gentlemen, who represents one of our stroller suppliers, told me that Canada has a lot more “healthy baby stores” than the US does. In comparison to Seattle, Philadelphia or St Louis, Vancouver has many more “healthy baby stores”.

What he meant by the term "healthy baby stores” is stores that are concerned about the safety and health of your baby, focusing on the safest car seats, breathable mattresses, organic products and the advantages of a bassinette over a car seat on a stroller, as opposed to big box stores who simply display popular products.

As an example, this stroller supplier said that if he asked his Canadian stores what accessory should be added to his company’s line, about 90% would say a bassinette that goes on the stroller.

If the same question were asked in the US, about 10% would ask for bassinettes and about 90% would ask for more car seat adaptors (to fit a more varied number of car seats). We have been pushing the bassinette on stroller idea for as long as we have been open – in 1999.

Babies need to lie flat with their heads directly perpendicular to their shoulders, with no drooping of the head onto the shoulder. Why is this? To be really clear about this, new babies need as much oxygen in their developing brain as they can possibly get. Laying a baby down in a bassinette is better than having a baby in a car seat, where the neck could bend and the flow of oxygen-rich blood is slowed to the brain. Now some people say that this will cause flatheadedness in the baby. Any position the baby is left in for a long time will cause flatheadedness. You can cure this by picking up your baby every half hour or so, hugging her and cradling her for a few minutes in your arms. This causes the blood to circulate, changes the position of the baby so arteries and veins open up in a different way (You’ve done yoga, right?) and generally gives a good flush to the system. Then in the resting pose in the bassinette, a baby laying flat presents no crimps or resistance from gravity for oxygen-filled blood to flow to the brain.

While Crocodile Baby thinks we are unique with our product mix that features organic, sustainable and healthy products, there obviously is an ethos at work here where many Canadian stores focus on health in most things they sell. We have one supplier (not the same one), who signs their corporate emails as follows:
"Any baby that lies flat for the first six months of life can be up to 30% healthier and more intelligent than a baby that sits upright"
~Prof. Kita, Kobe University of Japan"

So, when you buy a stroller, be Canadian, eh. Get a bassinette to go with it.

Besides a lower price, what's the big deal with the Britax Car Seat Sale?

Crocodile is having a Britax car seat sale and, aside from a lower price, you may be wondering why this is such a big deal.
Simply put, Britax is the best car seat brand available to Canadians. All the seats are made in the USA in their Charlotte North Carolina location, where they also have their own crash test sleds. Car seats are made to order - so there are no old seats sitting around the warehouse to be foisted on the unsuspecting public. Both simple and complex technologies are employed to make the seat safe and easy to use.
One example of these technologies is the improvement to shoulder belt height. As you probably know, in the forward facing toddler seat, the shoulder belt has to be at or above the child's shoulder - but those kids just keep growing! Previously, you had to uninstall the car seat, un-thread the shoulder belts at the back , feed them out through the lower slot and then feed them back into a higher slot, then re-thread each shoulder belt onto the metal connector and finally re-install the car seat in your car. Now, the Advocate, Boulevards and Diplomat have a nautical screw at the back of the seat which is operated by knobs on the side that raise and lower the shoulder belts and the head protection. Therefore there is no un-installation and re-installation required so there is less room for error.
Another significant improvement are the air cushions on the Britax Advocate. A very significant impact can occur on these outer cushions without reaching the baby's head - previously the impact was onto the hard plastic shell which was easily transmitted into the car seat itself. Yes this is Britax's most expensive car seat, but we think it is also demonstrably the safest.
The prices we are going to be selling at on Saturday, June 5 are as follows:
Advocate CS on sale for $329.99 you save $70.00
Boulevard CS on sale for $309.99 you save $60.00
Boulevard on sale for $289.99 you save $50.00
Frontier XT on sale for $259.99 you save $40.00
Diplomat on sale for $244.99 you save $35.00
Chaperone Infant Car Seat on sale for $239.99 you save $30.00
Parkway SG on sale for $129.99 you save $10.00

You may be interested in what consumers have to say about the Britax seats so we give you these links that we have been able to find (hint: read the epinions review first):
http://www.consumersearch.com/car-seats?gclid=CNmY0KPb_6ECFReenAodsTREGA&ef_id=1953:3:s_1f43227f59ae958ec59a0050dfd363ae_3674131762:TAVrj9BbrmIAAAaqEU0AAARA:20100601202031
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies-kids/baby-toddler/car-seats/car-seat-recommendations/booster-seat.htm
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies-kids/baby-toddler/convertible-car-seats/overview/convertible-car-seats-ov.htm
http://www.babygizmo.com/mom/review/britax_advocate_cs_convertible_car_seat_-_opus_gray/e9l73p8.html
http://www.babygizmo.com/c/convertible_car_seats/britax/true.html
http://carseatblog.com/?p=4722
http://carseatblog.com/?p=2454
http://carseatblog.com/?page_id=401
http://www.consumersearch.com/car-seats/best-convertible-car-seats
http://babyproducts.about.com/od/carseats/tp/topconvcarseats.htm
http://www.epinions.com/Car_Seats--britax

Crocodile Baby has now received the Orbit Stroller and Car seat system after a three year wait caused, not only by Canada's stringent - and expensive - safety regulations, but also by its popularity in the USA - the owners have been to busy to open another market in Canada. Cruising the net I have found a long and useful comment from a consumer, which I have edited, that highlights his view of the Orbit Stroller ( he was comparing the Orbit to another stroller which I have chosen to exclude from here):
" Right out of the box the Orbit was dead easy because it was already pre assembled-no tools- no watching a DVD or reading assembly instructions.Things we were unsure of were well laid out in the photo handbook that neatly zips away in the baby seat.
" Immediately, the Orbit's unexpected strength other than the simple twist and stroller fold out launch, was the rotating hub. During my first walk, I must have rotated Maya 15 times; she just loved the rotating perspectives I was able to show her during our walk whether is was getting her eyes out of the bright sun light or away from cold winter breeze, just squeeze and rotate...simple.
" The Orbit's rotating hub innovation is truly a big leap in parent / toddler stroller ease of interaction. For anyone who has ever tried to strong arm a 20lb baby seat [ie Graco Snugride] into a car will attest- the task becomes a chore because you need to align the car seat at a 90 degree to your body [basically put the seat in over the base locking latches then relift over the latches till everything aligns and then locks in place. The sideways lifting and fiddling can be hard on the arms or back.
With the Orbit, the seat goes into the car head first, pull up on the handle straps to gently guide the seat over the rotating base hub till unit clicks in place. Once secure the base carries all the weight as you simply rotate the seat until it locks into the travel position. If your baby cries or fidgets[especially waking up from a nap while the car is parked], simply rotate the seat to get easier access to her. Rotate the seat again when you are ready to take her out. What we love is this..as the seat rotates in any direction we can take her in and out from the passenger side or driver side with ease.
"Superior build and wow factor. Being a Dad, I like cool well built things and the Orbit comes thru! Every detail is so well designed, I even enjoy using the sliding pod bag because its so easy to load and unload.
"With the Orbit, the pod is a carry bag that closes up so nothing falls out + it tucks up neatly when you collapse the unit.
The difference in trunk area between these two strollers side by side in our 4 door sedan?
The Orbit takes up 1/3 the trunk area and will fold up with a one handed lever twist= easy.
"The Orbit comes with an integrated infant car seat with rock solid all metal locking base station that installs easily into vehicles with or with out infant seat latches. This design clearly surpasses our old Graco Snugride in every way except weight. The Orbit infant is about 4-5 lbs heavier due to the extra padding & lateral protection. The shape of the shell is like a protective cocoon around our baby/ the Graco is more open and exposed."

This consumer had not tried the stroller seat because his daughter was younger than 1 year at the time. We will post commentaries on that in the near future.

Got Milk? by Linda Sharp

To nurse or not to nurse, that is a question every new mother faces. Unfortunately, while we are making our decision, we are also faced with pamphlets, books, doctors, leagues, groups, and friends trying to push us in one direction or another. There is a ton of propaganda out there for both sides. Personally, I say to heck with everyone else. It is ultimately between you, your boobs and your baby and you should do what feels and works best for you. I chose to nurse mine. A decision I have never regretted, except every night when I get out of the bathtub and stand in front of the mirror, pushing them back up where they used to live near my neck and then watching them fall back down to their new home near my navel... I'm rambling again. I do apologize.

What gets me about nursing though, is OTHER people's reactions. Generationally, my mother didn't understand why I would want to. She bottle fed me and I turned out fine, right? (This is from the same lady whose generation snuck whiskey into baby bottles for teething. Sure, it made the pain go away! A little Jack and Pablum could make rheumatism feel better!) Single friends were visibly curious, then disgusted as they watched let down stains slowly spread across my chest while waiting for the baby to wake up. Even my husband occasionally flinched when I would nurse. Oh wait. That's probably because I would squirt him from across the room with the unoccupied breast. Never mind.

Inevitably, at some point during your nursing . . . many points if you plan on having any semblance of a life . . . you will face the controversy of NURSING IN PUBLIC! There you are, walking calmly through the mall, enjoying being out in the real world, and the tiny bundle in the stroller erupts like Vesuvius. You recognize the cry as one of hunger. Your breasts recognize the cry (yes, your breasts have ears) and immediately begin to flow. I defy anyone to try to tell a hungry infant OR a pair of milk happy orbs, to be patient. So, I would pull out the blanket, cover up the proceedings and sit quietly on a bench. The looks I would receive ranged from understanding smiles (other moms) to curiosity (teenage boys) to downright disapproval (Reverend Falwell. I mean what was I hiding under that flannel cabana? Tinky Winky, I feel your pain.). One person was so intrigued, they sat down next to me and stared. I asked if I could see their ticket. What? Well, surely if you are going to watch the show, you paid admission at the door, didn't you? They quickly departed.

Yes, I suppose it is possible to run around and find a bathroom, fitting room, or rack of clothes to hide in, but I guess I will never understand the "boob phobia" that is out there. Honestly, have those people who think there is something sexual about the nursing breast, ever SEEN one? I can think of nothing farther from a turn-on! (And I am including Reverend Falwell!) And if a person is so offended by it being done, WHY ARE THEY WATCHING?

Whether you follow the bible or subscribe to Darwin, one thing is the same, breasts were put here for this purpose. A woman gives birth and they fill up with milk, thus enabling her to feed her offspring, if this is the method she so chooses. So, if nursing is a choice you make, be tolerant, remember it is a natural, beautiful thing, and that "Beauty IS in the eye of the beholder." But if that person ever sits down next to you in the mall to watch? You have my permission to change it to "MILK is in the eye of the beholder." Ready, aim, fire!

Last week's CrocTalk: Companies Who Are Making A Difference

Continuing with last week's theme of constructive consumerism here are a few of the companies that Crocodile has chosen to support. These companies, Bholu and Under the Nile, not only create their hand crafted merchandise with organic and sustainable materials but they also incorporate philosophies of fair trade manufacturing giving back to communities around the world to improve the lives and education of their workers.



Bholu

The Bubalahs by Bholu are the work of Australian designer Jodie Fried. Designed in Australia, the Bubalahs are brought to life by the hands of traditional Indian artisans. Each piece is hand made using ancient techniques, giving each product its own unique and original personality.



The philosophy behind Bholu is about creating products that we love and live with, while benefiting communities we work with along the way. By using their traditional skills, the artisans gain an income hence independence and opportunity.Bholu, is a Fair Trade and Climate Neutral Company and part of proceeds go back to the women and their communities, along with funding educational facilities and other programs for underprivileged children. In 2008 Bholu won the NSW Telstra Business Award for Social Responsibility for demonstrated leadership by a business for the environment, people, education, and the community.



Under The Nile

Under the Nile Organic Teethers come in fun fruit and veggie designs. Through these teethers Under the Nile is doing more than just helping kids make a positive association with healthy foods. They are also proud participants of the 13-Villages-Project an initiative to fight against poverty and its causes in rural Egypt.



The 13 Villages Project is a campaign co-conducted by Under the Nile and its Farm in Egypt (Sekem). It takes place in 13 rural villages in Sharkeya, Egypt. Through vocational training and infrastructural development, the project is improving the health, skills and overall well being of the village inhabitants. They provide excellent health care as well as education on dental and over all physical health. They begin by educating the villagers on how to make our fruit and vegetable toys. Each village receives an advance for their work and the materials needed to produce that toy. Upon completion, Under the Nile pick up the finished goods and pay them fair wages for their work.

E-mail us at croctalk@crocodilebaby.com to sign up!

Constructive Consumerism

I recently ran across this article in a lovely magazine called Birth of a Mother and though I'd share it with you for this week's CrocTalk. Birth of a Mother's February/March issue was dedicated to what they call Constructive Consumerism, that is, the importance of making your shopping choices matter. The editor-in-chief Leah Chevalier writes about the importance of buying local and supporting businesses that support your personal ideologies rather than running to the closest mass-made-in-China retailer. We think this is an important initiative since rarely do people stop and think about where they shop, not just what they buy.

"I try to make purchasing decisions based on our family needs as opposed to wants. When weighing decision, I try and look at the amount of packaging things come with and yes, whether it is recyclable or not. Tough to do at Christmas time when it seems every toy comes super glued to shrink wrapped plastic and kryptonite twist ties. Yes, sometimes we buy individually wrapped treats or bars but we try to buy most food items in bulk and skip by the fast-food single size servings. My kids are sent to school with stainless steel water bottles, (I wish they would make the effort to get them back to the kitchen sink so I can avoid rummaging in the abyss of their scary backpacks), and we are trying to even reduce our paper towel use by using old cotton clothing recycled into rags. We try to eat local first, then organic and sustainable, and we are eating less meat (hard sell to a European, French husband!). Obviously there are evenings where a drive-by, fast food infraction is mandatory due to piano, guitar and drum lessons all being at the same time. But overall, living in Calgary means that most people live within a 5-9 minute drive from a mini or maxi-power retail center. This makes it ultra easy to support local business and reduce mileage between you and your shopping. As a consumer, I try and look beyond the comfort and ecological radius. I look at WHO I am supporting with my hard earned dollars. Does your favourite store give back to the community? Do they support local causes like Children's Hospitals, Shelters, Food Programs? What are they doing to ensure that they reduce their commercial, carbon footprint? Are they recycling their mountain of cardboard or filling landfills with waste? Are they at least trying to make a difference? It may not seem like much, but every little detail makes a huge impact. If 100,000 people in every large city stopped supporting mass-made-in-Cina retailers and supported local, eco-responsible, Canadian business. Imagine how that would impact the community; that city, the entire country. It would mean potentially saving hundreds of local jobs, a larger budget for local philanthropic work; larger donations to local charities; extra funds for homeless and shelter programs, and better waste reduction and eco-advancements. In the end, you chose where your money goes and who deserves to have it. By keeping your spending local, it just might bring a better selection and improved business practices to you favourite store all the while supporting the ever important eco-initiatives for our planet! So shop wisely!"

Leah Chevalier -Birth of a Mother
FEB/MAR 2008