Premature babies are very special and anyone who has gone through the experience of having a prem baby or knows of someone who has… it can be  hard road to travel. 

Friday marks National Premmie Day,

 and we are here to help celebrate all premature babies, their families, the specialists who care for them and the wponderful support that is available.

At La Toriana we have just opened our Premmie section and invite you all to come and celebrate with us.  It has been so hard to find quality premmie clothing, toys and accessories.  Did you know until even recently, mums of prem babies actually were told to buy cabbage patch clothes from toy stores as that was the only clothes that would fit?  Its true.

Thank goodness times are changing, and you can actually get some lovely premmie baby clothes.

La Toriana will continue to source quality prem clothing for premature babies with an emphasis on quality, comfort and ease of dressing.

Check out the premmie dolls made by TUMMY BEAR.  It is a life like doll that you can have made to the size and weight of your prem baby as a reminder of the journey you travelled.

We also have a great Cuski comforter that is a proven settling product for prem babies through to toddlers. 

Early Birds premmie baby clothing is a highly renowned business supporting prem babies.  The softness and style that makes it easy to dress also has a unique style factor.

Coming soon is Teeny Weeny prem baby wear; a hip and funky prem baby clothing range that you all will be amazed at the quality and the price. Now prem babies can also have style and colour.

La Toriana will also be the first to showcase and stock an organic prem baby clothing range that is stylish and hip as well as functional and eco friendly.  An Australian business mum who has seen the hardship of finding nice, quality and stylish prem baby clothing,  is soon to release this beautiful and calming range.  This savy and innovative mum has a flair for design and empathy for all going through the rollercoaster of a journey with a premature baby. 

 I have been lucky enough to work with her through setting up this range and am so in love with the design… its absolutely gorgeous!  I can’t wait to show you all.  But I am keeping “mums the word” for a few more weeks til they are ready.

We are always looking for prem baby products so if you have any suggestions at all… please email me  info@latoriana.com.au

July 25th celebrates National Premmie Day . 

The National Premmie Foundation is a non profit organisation that supports parents and familys touched by the brth of  a premature baby.  visit prem baby for all information , contacts, and resources avaialble.  You may like to check out these 2 amazing groups as well.    Loddon Mallee kids  +  L’ilaussieprems     are just a couple great sites that help make up National Premmie Foundation. 

You can check them all out here  

To help celebrate National Premmie Day and the National Premmie Foundation, 10% of all proceeds in 2008 from the sale of everything in the premmie section on La Toriana will go directly to the National Premmie Foundation.  We have opened the Premmie section, but the official launch is actually not for a few weeks… so will tell you more about it all then.

Please consider a purchase from any section at all at La Toriana, and know you are helping a needy cause and a non profit organisation that is in need of funds.  10% of all sales from this premmie section will go to the National Premmie Foundation in 2008.

I wanted to tell you about the wonderful work many volunteers in our community have been doing.

Yesterday, many braved the cool, wintery weather, away from family and friends to help out with suport of Loddon Mallee Kids (LMK), to help increase awareness about the wonderful support available locally for families who have had a premmie baby, and also to spread the word about National Premmie Day next week.

We never hear much about the people “behind the scenes”.  The people, whom without, there would not be the strength of the non profit group like Loddon Mallee Kids. I would like to introduce the “real faces, the real people” who are doing amazing volunteer work.

These wonderful ladies below did a tremendous job chatting to many people in the BENDIGO Marketplace yesterday.  I was so amazed at the wonderful attitude of the Bendigo community, many whom bought pens, keyrings, raffle tickets and Roses.  Many people after being told what LMK and National Premmie Day was about, and listened to what these wonderful women were trying to do in our community didnt want to buy anything, but gave money without a word. $10, $5  was common, and most who did buy something gave their change back as a donation.  What generaous and spirited people. 

Most of all I was in awe of these amazing ladies below who tirelessly chatted to so many people all day long.  Their committment, dedication and true desire to help shone through and the day was a success. 

Amanda, LMK Secretary (left in the first pic) holds the “Childrens Rose” which is part of this years fund raising with the National Premmie Foundation.  Belinda, Playgroup and Newsletter coordinator , holds  a Tummy Bear Prem baby doll that can be made to the size of your own prem baby.  Bianca, the amazing President of Loddon Mallee Kids organised the day beautifully, thats her in the red cardigan.

The second picture shows Bianca, Zoe (founder of Tummy Bear) and the creator of all the prem dolls you see in the pictures,  Angela, Bendigo Health rep, Belinda, and Nicole on the end who is the Loddon Mallee Kids Teasurer.  Well done ladies,  an excellent team effort yesterday!

LMK aims to provide support and information to families and carers of prematurely born or seriously ill infants and children. 

LMK offers health professional and support agency links and contatcts when appropriate.

The work done by these, and other members of Loddon Mallee Kids is done all voluntarily and in view of helping other families in our community have support and guidence where needed. They are all to be commended for their hard work.

Please, if you would like to help a non profit organisation, please check out the Loddon Mallee Kids website to learn more.

Remember National Premmie Day is July 25th.   Please visit www.prembaby.org.au to know more, and check out Loddon Mallee Kids

 La Toriana launches Prem baby catagory for National Premmie Day

La Toriana has been passionate about supporting Premature Babies. 

July 25th marks 2008 National Premmie Day.

Elizabeth, founder of La Toriana  www.LaToriana.com.au ,  who has had 3 prem babies, is an keen supporter of National Premmie Foundation,  www.prembaby.org.au and also her local group, Loddon Mallee Kids   www.loddonmalleekids.org.au

It is a hard road for many families experiencing the birth of a prem baby, and a rollercoaster ride for sometime afterwards.  There are some amazing supports out there these days like the above groups and websites such as www.momentbymoment.com.au , that are all about helping families and friends who are touched by the birth of a premature baby.

La Toriana have released this week their premmie section.  It is hard finding prem baby clothes and  accessories.  La Toriana would love you to check out their prem baby clothing lines and some new releases coming very soon in organic premature baby clothing.

Having a baby is an amazing, joyous occasion.  

Friends, family, neighbours and acquaintances all gather around sending congratulatory cards, flowers, gifts. They all can’t wait to visit the new baby, have a hold and pat dad on the back, go out for that celebratory drink and give the mum a warm hug and flowers. Everyone is happy and knows how to react.

Is it the same when a baby is born premature? No, not always.

It’s a very frightening time for the parents whose baby comes too early or is sick. The joy soon turns to fear and panic and so sets in a rollercoaster ride. Every single minute is precious. It’s an extremely worrying time.  It’s a very isolating time for the parents. There is a fear they may loose their baby, may have long term health issues or concerns of being able to cope. Of guilt, anger and fear.

Friends and family are often feeling at a loss too.
Many will not send a congratulatory card or present, just in case the baby passes away and it could upset the parents. Many will *wait* and see how things go before they send a card. Sometimes this could be a couple months later.

Tips for supporting a friend/family with a prem/sick baby

• Do send a card, present soon after if that’s what you had intended on doing, to congratulate the arrival of their much loved baby
• Do knowledge it’s a stressful time
• Offer positive feedback on the baby, their name, pics etc
• Give them a journal to write their journey at this time, a book of comfort or similar gift
• Do keep in touch, via a quick call, text, email or letter during their time in hospital to let them know you are thinking of them, even though they possible wont be up to returning calls etc for a while
• Offers of help at home, with other kids, animals, work, where you can during this time.
• Drop over frozen meals for the dad/family or once they get home from hospital
• Give mum a special notebook so she can diarise her journey through this time.
• Offer to do washing, shopping etc so its one less thing mum or dad needs to think about
• Offer to pass on info to other friends/family for them
• Do be there to listen and offer comfort
• Please don’t offer parenting advise, your experiences, pry or pass judgement (its hard enough for the parents… no matter how well meaning you are)
• Please don’t be self cantered and think of YOUR feelings on the situation,

Today there is so much more support available locally and nationally. As a parent, or friend of someone who has had a prem baby, there is a lot of support.

Read the full article here and list of great supports available … all on mumzone here 

mumzone has an amazing amount of support and information for all mums.

La Toriana is giving the National Premmie Foundation 10% of all sales from July 15th to July 25th.  We are also giving you another 10% off too, type NPF as the code at checkout to automatically receive this.

These days organic baby clothing and organic toys are  becoming very big, especially when all us mums want to be able to give our kids the very best start in life we can. 

There are so many harmful chemicals in paints, dyes, glues and other things for baby toys and baby gifts and baby products not to mention toddlers and kids toys.  And  baby clothes?  well so many companies “claim” to be of organic materials, but have proven not to be.

At La Toriana, we are sourcing  options for organic baby gifts, clothes and toys.  Many mums are eco friendly conscious and love being able to provide their babies and kids with as much eco friendly and organic products as possible.  At La Toriana, we love, and our proud of the many great organic products we have in our  online baby boutique… some which you will be hard pressed to find elsewhere online.

 Have you seen or even tried our organic and eco friendly products?  babyJo have amazingly soft organic baby clothing that is 100% organic bamboo.  The organic cotton baby clothing from Lambykins, which include organic cotton T shirts, baby pants, warps and bibs. Organic T’s from Huggalugs and the eco friendly wooden toys from anamalz. 

The new oopsidaisi organic lip balm thats great for kids, mums and anyone, and their organic lavender products like their babushka sachets that are great for any room of the house and my favourite, as a sleep and relaxation aid for my daughter at bedtime.  If you are looking for quality organic baby skincare and bath products you cant go past the organic Gaia Skin Natural  range

No matter what… the Australian organic products for baby and kids are fast becoming something that all you Australian and mums are looking for. 

I dont blame you… I am too!