The Star Online: Lifestyle: Parenting
The Star Online: Lifestyle: Parenting |
| Posted: 25 May 2011 04:05 AM PDT First-time mother Sheahnee Iman Lee is not only designing her own nursing wear, she is marketing it online along with baby products. PART-TIME Ntv7 newscaster Sheahnee Iman Lee had difficulty finding suitable nursing wear after delivering her first child, Zara Aaliyah Nazrudin, in February last year. There was a lack of outfits with practical designs that provided ease of breastfeeding without compromising on style. Dissatisfied with the limited choices available, the resourceful stay-at-home mum began designing breastfeeding attire and got her neighbourhood seamstress to turn her trendy designs into reality. "Breastfeeding in public isn't easy. It used to be a daunting task having to nurse my baby in unsuitable clothes. "I believe good maternity/nursing wear should be versatile and wearable during pregnancy, nursing and beyond that. That is the philosophy behind my creations," said Lee after the official launch of her online store, buggybabyboogie.com, in Kuala Lumpur recently. Apart from Lee's custom-made nursing wear, the nine-month-old online store offers diaper bags, nursing ponchos, organic bath products, bibs, milk bands and playpens. Items are priced between RM19.90 and RM900. The items, said Lee, are sourced from Australia, Britain and the United States or designed specifically to ease parenting dilemmas. "Last September, my husband and I wanted to buy a new playpen for Zara. We already had a few in our collection (costing between RM100 and RM500) but none seemed suitable. "Then we chanced upon an Australian-designed playpen, which was just the perfect thing. The only catch was we had to order it from Down Under. Soon, our friends began enquiring about the item and we started ordering playpens for them. Before we knew it, we had a string of orders," said the 32-year-old, who is married to Ntv7's The Breakfast Show host Nazrudin Habibur Rahman or Naz. That prompted the couple, who tied the knot in 2008, to start an online business offering a range of items for babies and nursing mothers. While the website's name might seem like a mouthful, Lee explained it was named after Zara's favourite Sesame Streeet song – Baby Boogie. "The online store was created with Zara in mind so I had incorporated elements close to Zara's heart. Plus, I believe anyone who can mention kids' clothing label OshKosh B'gosh will surely be able to remember buggybabyboogie," quipped Lee, who gave up her job as a broadcast journalist after Zara's birth. The former host/producer of Ntv7's magazine talk shows, Captains and Ladies Day Out, noted that all the online store's products for kids have been tried and tested – on her daughter. "I would never sell products that I don't believe in. If we can't find a product that suits us, we will design it. For example, I couldn't find suitable nursing wear and diaper bags so I personally designed them," said Lee. The diaper bags available on buggybabyboogie.com are not only designed by the boss but her friends and fellow mothers, actress Sazzy Falak and Ntv7 hosts Aishah Sinclair and Daphne Iking. While business is picking up, Lee admitted that juggling work with motherhood (including breastfeeding her 15-month-old daughter) hasn't been a walk in the park. "I don't have a maid so it can be challenging having to manage the business, part-time news-reading and the home without losing focus on Zara and Naz. Luckily, my family members, especially my mother and mother-in-law, are great help. "Naz thinks I'm crazy (laughs). Although I've opted to be a full-time housewife, I still have the desire to work. With the Internet, I now have the best of both worlds where I can be a stay-at-home mum while working on a business that I'm passionate about. Running an online business and designing nursing wear has been tough but I'm enjoying every moment of it," said Lee. Lee, who is of Chinese and Australian parentage, has so far designed 10 outfits comprising kimono tops, and spaghetti-strapped and tiered dresses. Material used includes cotton, cotton jersey, Lycra, chiffon, satin and silk. "I've been to different textile shops including Jackal, Nagoya and Kamdar, and befriended the owners and bargained on the pricing. I have been working very closely with local designer Bon Zainal, who has guided me in the manufacturing process and on how to keep costs low. "I'm a greenhorn when it comes to mass-producing nursing wear so I had to create many prototypes before the manufacturers understood my designs and what I was trying to achieve. It's been a learning curve for the factory and me," said Lee, whose outfits are made in Klang, Selangor. Bon, who was present at the launch, sang praises of Lee's passion and determination in creating her nursing wear range. "She's been talking about it since last year. I was particularly impressed with her designs, and her material and colour choices. Her products are very specialised and cater to a large market. "Practical nursing wear has potential to go far," he said. For more information, browse buggybabyboogie.com. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
| Posted: 25 May 2011 04:01 AM PDT KEEP yourself and your loved ones safe with these important water tips: 1. Learn swimming and water safety survival skills. 2. Always swim with others. 3. Obey all safety signs and warning flags. 4. At the beach, swim near a lifeguard. Swim parallel to the shore if swimming long distance. 5. Never go into water after consuming alcohol. 6. Know how and when to use a life jacket. 7. Swim in areas with lifeguards. 8. Know the water and weather conditions before getting in the water. 9. Always enter feet first; you don't know how deep it is and what danger lurks beneath. 10. Learn safe ways of rescuing others without putting yourself in danger. Source: International Open Water Drowning Prevention Guidelines (May 2010) Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
| Posted: 25 May 2011 04:00 AM PDT Drowning cases are increasingly common these days. But water is not the enemy. THE Cuti-Cuti Malaysia campaign has been a great success in promoting domestic tourism. Every holiday, families flock to tourist destinations to enjoy the country's natural wonders. More often than not, water fun is one of the main attractions. Unfortunately, many fun trips turn disastrous with cases of drowning, usually involving children. The recent case where a couple lost three of their children while picnicking at a seemingly serene river is one such example. What's obvious is shallow waters are no guarantee of safety. Water accidents and deaths can and do happen in homes, swimming pools, lakes and just about anywhere, because one can drown in just four inches (10cm) of water. So near yet so far According to Life Saving Society Malaysia (LSSM), there are 200 cases of drowning in Malaysia every year. Of these, 48% of victims are aged below 18. Drowning is more likely to claim a child's life more than any other accident. The ratio of drowning in boys to girls is 5:1, presumably because boys are more bold and daredevil. It is easy to assume that drowning usually happens to overly adventurous children who swim or play too far away from their parents or caretakers. Surprise, surprise: this can't be further from the truth. Lee Soon Keong, a life-saving trainer with Life Saving Society Perak, states: "Fifty-five per cent of all drowning cases happen just 10 feet (3m) away from land. Forty-two per cent happen just six feet (1.8m) away from land." What's more, 70% of all preschool children who drown are in the care of one or both parents at the time of drowning, says Lim Chee Gay, director of Life Saving Sport, LSSM. "Drowning can happen within seconds. It's not like in the movies, where drowning people splash around and scream, 'Help! Help!' It usually happens silently," adds Lim. Over-dependence on floating devices is another cause for concern. "They give a false sense of security to both parents and the children using them. It's better to teach your children how to swim and water-safe behaviour," he says. Lim reminds parents to monitor their younger children closely, not just keeping an eye while they themselves laze by the pool or beach. "At beaches, in particular, children ought to be supervised even with lifeguards present. The key message is simply 'prevention, prevention, prevention.'" Outdoor dangers According to Izni Idris, the founder of adventure sports company My Adventure Host (www.myadventurehost.com), water accidents happen mainly because children are taught to swim but not taught water safety. Rivers have the highest cases of drowning (51%). Crystal-clear waters make rivers appear shallower than they really are, while the nearby forests make a river seem safe from outside influences. "Parents must check out a picnic spot before bringing their children there," Izni advises. "Look for danger signs or ask the local people where the danger spots are." Flash floods at rivers are the most common cause of drowning. "Avoid picnicking or swimming at rivers during the rainy season," stresses Chan Kwai Fong, vice-president of LSSM. "Even on a sunny day, precautions must still be taken," he says. "Watch out for signs such as lightning or thunder in the distance. The surroundings will go silent suddenly as birds and animals run for cover and the atmosphere turns cool as pressure builds up in the air." These signs mean only one thing: Pack up and leave. By the time you hear loud rumbling signifying the huge rush of water downstream, it will be too late, warns Chan. Water hazards at home Apartments and condominiums with swimming pools prove to be irresistible to young children who often pester their parents to go for a dip. Never allow them to swim unsupervised because most pools do not have certified lifeguards. "It's not uncommon for the security guard or cleaner to double up as the lifesaver," says Lee, who once witnessed a boy drowning at an apartment pool. "The security guard-cum-lifeguard, instead of helping, ran away in fright!" he relates. Other hazards include koi and garden ponds, bath tubs, even aquariums and spas/jacuzzis. It is impractical to ban them, but extra vigilance would be necessary. "Nobody is water-safe all the time. It's important to know basic life-saving techniques so that you can help resuscitate someone who almost drowned. You never know, it could be your loved one," says Lim. This is the second of four fortnightly articles as part of a nationwide child safety campaign, Smart Parents, Safe Kids, organised by parenting2u and Columbia Asia Hospitals from this month to July. Catch the next leg of the campaign on June 26 at Columbia Asia Hospital Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. For details and schedule of free public forums, go to www.parenting2u.com. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Star Online: Lifestyle: Parenting To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan