Our wonderful new Website!

As most of you are now aware, our great new website is up and running (along with our new name, TOKYO MOTHERS GROUP)! It's fantastic, combining a calendar of events, photo gallery, membership directory, resources guide, a forum and much more!

If you haven't already done so, come along and register yourself on the new site!

See you all there from now on!

http://www.tokyomothersgroup.com/

Easy Labor- for the next time

It`s great to stay up to date with whats going on with new books on giving birth. Dr. Willliam Canmann`s book, Easy Labor, has been published in Japanese. Our speaker on Sept 17, Dr. Sumika, translated this amazing book.


It`s really important to get as much information to have a successful labor.

Here is Dr. William Canmann on PregTASTIC podcast,

PregTASTIC podcast allows you to "subscribe" to their audio files, and have them delivered to your desktop or portable mp3 player automatically every day. Subscription is free as always, and you don't even have to tell them anything about yourself.


Easy Labor
Far too many expectant mothers find themselves unprepared for labor. How can you combine natural and medical techniques to manage labor pain? What can be done to calm and eliminate fears and stresses associated with childbirth? How have epidurals changed? Authors of Easy Labor, Dr. William Camann and Kathryn Alexander answer these questions and more.

Nice summary of the cesarean experience in July 2008 issue of Pregnancy Magazine, with multiple comments from Bill. See more from this author, Nancy Ripton, at her website.

Tokyo New Mothers Group needs YOU!

We have many new and exciting changes planned over the coming months for TNMG!

To start with, we are looking into updating our site and making it more user-friendly and accessible all to mothers, both new and experienced, out there. To do this, we need to raise funds! And we need you! We will be holding our first fundraising event in October (more of which we will tell you about later) and we are looking for more volunteers to help us make this event a success. We are holding the first fundraising meeting for this on August 1st, so if you want to join in the organizing fun, email us!

Another new system we are setting up is our Mentor scheme. This is going to be a scheme specifically for anyone new to Tokyo or new to motherhood. We are looking for more of our members to become mentors: to meet, support and encourage new mothers as they embark upon their "Tokyo new mother" journey. We know you all have a lot to offer and invaluable experience to share, so please email us if you would like to get involved! The first meeting for this is July 30th.

We will continue to update you with more information as our changes start to happen. There are some great ideas in the pieplines that we hope to get off the ground, AND if you have any ideas of your own that you'd like to see flourish or if you feel you have something to offer us in terms of help, we'd love to hear from you!
Remember, TNMG is YOUR group so let's all work together to make it the best it can be!

TNMG Co-ordinators

At the Airport - Tips about the Stroller - flying rugrats

Tips about Strollers when Flying with Kids

Strollers are an absolute ‘must have’ item for easing your ability to get around within airport terminals. You can also use storage space in mid-size or large strollers to hold carry-on items. Parents tend to have a lot of “gear” when flying with children.

Your stroller is a valuable tool that makes it easier for you to safely transport your child and carry-on luggage around the terminal and to your departure gate.



You will want to keep your stroller with you until the moment that you are preparing to step on the plane.

After check-in, you must pass through an airport security checkpoint. Most airports require you to remove your child from a stroller. You must then fold up your stroller and run it through the x-ray machine. Depending on the age of your child, security officers may instruct you to carry your child through the metal detector with you. If your toddler is walking it is common for security officers to ask your child to walk through alone though.

When you arrive at your departure gate, you will need to wait in line and speak to the gate agent about gate checking your stroller. The gate agent will provide a tag for your stroller and a claim ticket for you to keep. You do not surrender your stroller at that time. Keep your stroller until boarding time and you are preparing to step on the plane.

At your destination, you will need to retrieve your stroller. Some airlines bring strollers back to you right outside the airplane door in the same location as wheelchairs for the disabled. Other airlines may send gate-checked items to baggage claim. This is common if your flight is on a very large plane such as a Boeing 747-400.

Depending on the number and age of children you have with you, you may have difficulty getting your children and belongings to baggage claim without a stroller. If you are concerned about how you will manage if your stroller ends up sent to baggage claim, discuss your concerns with the gate agent before boarding. You can also discuss your concerns with a flight attendant during flight. The airline may be able to arrange a loaner stroller to be waiting for you at your destination. You can use the loaner to transport your child until you can retrieve your own stroller from baggage claim.

http://www.flyingrugrats.com/at_the_airport/ap_topic4.htm

Traveling with a Baby - Suite 101

Kelby Carr

Mar 25, 2006

It can be quite tempting to save a few bucks on airfare by sharing your seat with your baby, but it isn’t the safest or sanest way to fly.

Yes, your baby may technically be able to fly for free if he or she is under age two. Airlines do not require tickets for those babies and toddlers who sit in an adult's lap. That doesn't necessarily mean it's a good idea. If you wouldn't dream of traveling in a car with your infant loose, you probably should consider that when flying.

A ticket for baby

There are several pros to just coughing up the cash for baby to get his or her own ticket, such as:

Your baby will be secured in a car seat and in the airplane's seatbelt. Even in the event of minor turbulance, this could prevent major injuries.
You will be freed of holding the baby the entire time. This isn't so troublesome on a short D.C.-to-New York jaunt. Try a trans-Atlantic flight with a squirmy toddler in your lap (I have). Do it once, and you'll never make that mistake again.
Your baby will likely be happier and less fussy secured in a car seat. It is also easy to give your baby a bottle for lift-off and landing in the seat, which will prevent painful ear pressure.
Your mealtime will also be much easier. With baby or toddler in your lap on the airplane, you can forget about eating a decent meal or even putting your tray down.
There is, however, one big con to buying baby an airplane ticket:

You will have to add the cost of the baby or toddler's airplane ticket, instead of the baby flying for free. Sometimes, if it's a cheap $200 round-trip flight, that isn't such a problem. For $1,500-plus international flights, this decision can understandably give parents some pause.
Baby flies free

The big pro to this choice:

Well, baby flies free. As much as things cost these days, especially while traveling, it's pretty hard to turn away a free ride.
There are several cons to this choice, however:

The baby's safety is a big one. The baby cannot travel in his or her car seat, but must sit on your lap. In fact, you as the parent are safer than your baby, since you will have a seatbelt. There is a product that is FAA approved that can reduce the risk somewhat, the Baby B'Air Infant Products Flight Vest Travel Harness. If you've ever flown with a baby tethered to you, however, you'll know this isn't ideal.
Your baby or toddler will not have her own space on the airplane. We all know how cramped airline seats are when it's just you. Add a baby or toddler, and you can count on doing pretty much no moving around for the whole flight.
If you must have a car seat at your destination, you will need to check it, which can be a slight nuisance if it's part of a stroller/car seat travel system.
Making the choice: to ticket or not

This isn't always easy. If there is any way for you to purchase a seat for your infant or toddler on the airplane, however, I urge you to do so.

If you can't, check with the airline ahead of time about any regulations or rules they have for babies in laps. Some planes do have seats next to bassinets, which can be helpful. Find out if you can bring a harness, or if they provide one, to make your baby or toddler safer on board.