With La Toriana being involved with the National Premmie Foundation since their beginning, and as this week we are also involved with 2 great businesses who are also supporting National Premmie Foundation (LittleONE baby and also the Kids Fashion Review HUNT), I thought I would tell you all about this great foundation.

Who are they?
 

  6 of Australia’s prem support groups have come together to form a national organization that will unify, and act as a guiding body for existing prem support groups, help to create new ones, help to improve the treatments and outcomes available for premature infants, and represent the interests of these infants and their families in terms of health policies, funding and standards of care.

These founding groups include 2 of Australia’s longest running and most respected support groups,

• Preterm Infant’s Parents Association (PIPA) and
• Nepean Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Parent Support (NNICUPS).

The other founding groups include

• Loddon Mallee Kids (LMK),
• Lil Aussie Prems (LAP)
• Lifes Little Treasures (LLT) and
• Central Coast Premmie & Sick Newborn Support.

Although we have only joined forces in 2007, we have a combined total of 47 years experience in supporting families of premature and sick infants.

What are our aims?
To act as a parent body, guiding and assisting prem support groups by helping to:

- Raise the profile of all groups

- Raise money for family support and information, hospital equipment, education, and awareness.

- Attract members and volunteers

- Share ‘best practice’, information and resources

To be a central point of communication and publicity, providing information to families, hospitals, health professionals, relevant health authorities and the wider community.

Represent the interests of parents of prems in terms of hospital policy, Australia wide.

Raise the profile and awareness of the plight of NICU/SCU infants and their families, and issues surrounding their care and long term development. Health policy, funding and standards of care.

 At La Toriana… we have a great range of premmie baby clothing online.  Take a look here.

Warmly  Elizabeth xx

 NATIONAL PREMMIE DAY 

 As a mum of 3 premmie babies, I know how small and how hard it was at the time our premmie babies were born.  This is an amazing premmie doll that’s a keepsake doll to remember just how small premature babies are.  I was explaining to Tiana, our 6 yr old daughter about how small she was and she was amazed when she saw the keepsake doll of one her size, but especially the smallness of her sisters.

Zoe, the maker of these gorgeous premature baby keepsake dolls and owner of “Tummybear”, is extremely talented and she makes each and everyone with a tenderness and care like no one I know.  Zoe makes each keepsake doll to the size, length, weight of your own premmie baby, so its customised and so meaningful to you.  Each one comes with a cute little nappy and baby singlet and even has a hospital issued ID band.  I am delighted to be showcasing this great product for premmie baby families at La Toriana.

 TummyBear specialises in cloth keepsake dolls hand made especially for premmie families. The dolls are custom made to your baby’s actual birth measurements and weight.
The premmie keepsake dolls have sculpted and painted faces, sculpted toes and metal joints in the arms and legs. The dolls are made from a ‘skin’ tone fabric and are stuffed with a combination of new stuffing and metal pellets.  There are even different skin tone available too.

As each one is made to measure, please allow 4 – 6 weeks for each one to be made. 

The dolls provide an excellent way for you to show and remember your baby’s birth size.  They make a great gift no matter what age your baby is now.  I recently had an order for a 55 yr old lady… she was born premature at 30 weeks… and she was so thrilled with it she purchased another for her grand daughter who was born premature and was 32 weeks.  Her grand daughter is only 5 months old.

Tomorrow is NATIONAL PREMMIE DAY.  Celebrating the amazing journey premmie babies go through, and their familes and also the wonderful premmie support groups available in local areas as well as online.  Please support these wonderful premmie baby support groups below.  

They have all been a wonderful support to me personally and professionally.

see these support sites and join in the National Premmie Day events in your area.

 Warmly Elizabeth xx

 Have you seen us on facebook? why not follow us!

La Toriana’s Profile

At La Toriana we have a passion for kids fashion.

Our labels include, Alimrose, annieB, Lambykins, FairyFloss Creations, Eternal Creation, Vanchi, TikiBoo Kids, Little Pearls for Little Girls, Tea Princess, Three Little trees, Tummbear, babyjo bamboo baby wear, nest organics, early birds premature baby clothes, teeny weeny premmie baby wear, Oopsidaisi, boxy design, anamalz, Briit design, Bump buddy, cheeky little soles, Sounds for silence, Deshabille, eco peko, fINNIGAN fINN, gertie and me, Hey baby, huggalugs, i candy, lazybones, locolili, miniwhisk, mon tresor, nana huchy, nanny pickle, OOBI baby, penny scallan, Tabitha Emma, Tippie Toes, Princess ratbag, Alannah Rose stationary, Vintage Kid, Wild Things of Noosa and so many more!

We have one of the most stylish, affordable collection of premmie baby clothing, premature baby gifts and keepsakes available to buy online. 

We showcase great Australian and New Zealand designers as well as neonatal and NICU appropriate baby clothing as well as organic premmie clothes and accessories.  Checkout our vast range of premmie wear and newborn baby items in our secure online baby boutique.  If you are looking for a  premmie baby keepsake doll, or organic baby wear for a bub that has been born prematurely, then you have come to the right online store.  La Toriana specialise in providing great quality, stylish and affordable designer label products for low weight babies and babies born early.

Jordan

  Bianca’s story   

My journey on this road to discovery, began early in 2001, when I found out that I was pregnant with my first child!  Like all expectant parents we were very excited.  I did all the right things, no soft cheese, no caffeine, no deli meats, no, no, no!

Everything appeared to be going fine, but on the 1^st of December at 6:55am, I received the most precious gift, albeit a little early!  Jordan Nicholas entered the world just under 7 weeks early, weighing 4lb 15oz (2230g)!  Fortunately, only a week or two prior to Jordan’s birth a new mother came to speak at our ante natal class, who had a baby born at 32 weeks gestation as well, so I was able to take strength from her story.  One of the things that rang true from her story to mine, was the day I left hospital without my baby!  She had said that the hardest thing that she experienced was leaving the hospital without her baby.  Right up until I left the hospital I was adamant that it was a good thing that the baby was staying behind, the hospital could provide the right care for him and it would give me time, in the ensuing weeks to properly prepare to bring a baby home!  Well, I did not think that you could feel so much pain and trauma, in removing yourself from such a small little baby, but I cried and cried!  I left my baby and my heart in that special care nursery!

After 3 weeks of expressing and keeping a constant vigil by my babies bedside from 6:30am to 6:30 pm (I may as well have been paid staff!), we were finally lucky enough to bring our baby home!  It was so exciting, daunting and mind blowingly amazing, it felt like Christmas morning everyday!

As time went on, my baby boy grew, he had a few small hiccups along the way, a couple of operations for ingrainal hernia’s, but was strong and determined.  As soon as he could roll, he was off.

Two months after my baby’s first birthday we found out that I was pregnant with our second child.  For some reason I knew that this time I would go early, but expected it to only be a month early!  Unfortunately at 25 weeks gestation I was in labour and sent to Melbourne.  I was optimistic, but did cry as I told my Husband on the phone what was going to happen.  I remained as calm as possible and told the midwives on the way out of the hospital that I would be back at 28 weeks and then 32 weeks and all would be well.  Fortunately or unfortunately I did make it past 25 weeks, but not past 28!  On Saturday the 26^th of July 2003, I again was in labour, my waters broke and a transfer was not an option.  My second baby boy was born breach by natural delivery on the Theatre table at 3:35pm!  He weighed 1120g (2lb 11oz), had an Apgar of 1 at 5 mins, which increased to 4 at 10 minutes!  He was one very sick little boy, but again, I was so proud, I thought that my heart would jump out of my chest!  The only times that I saw him on that day were, as they pulled one of his legs from me and then passed him to the waiting paediatric team, when they wheeled me to the Special Care Unit, where all I saw was medical people standing around a flat bed with lights.  My midwife, Rosie, gave me two photos that they had taken of my baby boy, even black and blue from the waist down I thought he was the most beautiful baby in the world!  I saw him for the final time, that night at around 9:30pm, where I was able to look at him and touch his precious little hand, through a perspex womb, just before he was placed into the care of the amazing NETS team who would deliver him safely to Melbourne.  As I was staring at him, in his new little home, we named him Samuel Thomas! 

The hospital stays were not the way that I had expected to bring my babies into the World, but they have taught me so much about my beautiful boys, myself, and the strength that we all carry within us!

When we finally returned home for good, I was fortunate enough to have been provided a fantastic Maternal and Child Health nurse who guided us through the joys of being a mother to prem babies, she also suggested that I attend a new playgroup especially for prem babies that was starting up soon, she assured me that I would love the woman who was starting the group up!  How right she was, the first time that I attended the premmie playgroup, I felt comfortable to be around other families who understood the sadness and happiness of the smallest milestones that many families, with full term babies often take for granted, like moving from a humidicrib to at ‘big bed’, graduating from gavage feeds to full bottle or breast feeds, and rooming in just before you get to take your baby home!!!

As time moved on, as it does, I become friends with Amanda, who set the group up and offered to help out in any way I could.  A stronger, more determined woman, you would be hard pressed to find, she became my mentor and dear friend, as we worked together to build Loddon Mallee Kids.  I am so lucky to have been able to work with and learn from one of life’s gems!

Today Loddon Mallee Kids, makes weekly visits to the Special Care Nurseries at  Bendigo hospitals’, has a weekly playgroup and is a founding member of the National Premmie Foundation.

 For more information please contact; 1300 prembaby or follow the links from www.prembaby.org.au

Loddon Mallee Kids is a not for profit parent support charity for people who have premature or sick children.  LMK runs weekly playgroup sessions for parents to chat with others who have had premature or sick children in hospital, to ensure that support for these families continues long after the children have ‘graduated’ from hospital.  LMK also does weekly hospital visits offering the opportunity for parents to speak with others who have been through the premature journey.  Parent gift packs are given to all families who have children in the Special Care Baby Units at Bendigo Health and Saint John of God hospitals, providing valuable information for parents who struggle to come to terms with the journey that they embark on.  LMK is a founding member of the National Premmie Foundation.

10 % of all sales from the premmie baby catagory at www.LaToriana.com.au will go directly to Loddon Mallee Kids and also  National Premmie Foundation til end of July.

Thanks Bianca for sharing.  I can personally vouch for the amazing work Amanda and Bianca have done with Loddon Malle Kids, and I feel extreemly lucky to be able to support and volunteer to help an amazing group.  Please jump onto both the above websites in support.

Warmly

Elizabeth xx

 Have you seen us on facebook? why not follow us!

La Toriana’s Profile
          

At La Toriana we have a passion for kids fashion.

Our labels include, Alimrose, annieB, Lambykins, Fairy Floss Creations, Eternal Creation, Vanchi, TikiBoo Kids, Little Pearls for Little Girls, Tea Princess, Three Little trees, Tummbear, babyjo bamboo baby wear, nest organics, early birds premature baby clothes, teeny weeny premmie baby wear, Oopsidaisi, boxy design, anamalz, Briit design, Bump buddy, cheeky little soles, Sounds for silence, Deshabille, eco peko, fINNIGAN fINN, gertie and me, Hey baby, huggalugs, i candy, lazybones, locolili, miniwhisk, mon tresor, nana huchy, nanny pickle, OOBI baby, penny scallan, Tabitha Emma, Tippie Toes, Princess ratbag, Alannah Rose stationary, Vintage Kid, Wild Things of Noosa and so many more!

We have the best online collection of premmie baby clothing, premature baby gifts and keepsakes too.  We showcase great Australian and New Zealand designers as well as neonatal and NICU appropiate baby clothing as well as organic premmie clothes and accessories.  Checkout our vast range of premmie wear and newborn baby items in our secure online baby boutique.  If you are looking for a baby that has been born prematurely, then you ahve come to the right online store.  La Toriana specialise in providing great quality, stylish and affordable designer leabel products for low weight babies and babies born early.

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.