"Todo bebe nace con su pan debajo del brazo"
Which translates literally to "every baby is born with their loaf of bread under their arm." My parents were trying to explain this Spanish saying to BigTime earlier this week. Essentially, it means that every baby comes with everything it needs (which if you're an optimist is true). In our case, our baby already sent us a pre-baby welcome package!
Let's back up a little here...
Did I mention I am now part of a research study? Yes, I am now part of a research study, with a sample of 400 pregnant women, to determine if increased levels of DHA/Omega 3 are beneficial to babies in pregnancy for development after birth. Like I said earlier, I check off all sorts of boxes when I fill in forms so I end up being solicited for all sorts of things. I found this opportunity interesting on many levels - as an amateur "researcher" myself (especially one currently taking a Research Methods course) I thought this would be a fun way to see the research process at work; I am supportive of "good" research and don't mind taking part in it; and generally I've read all sorts of good things about DHA/Omega 3 (everytime I think of it I think of those new Danone commercials with all those little kids dressed up like little Einsteins) so I figured it couldn't hurt.
As part of the study I had to go to Women's Hospital to have my blood drawn for a baseline and to answer the researcher(s) questions about my current diet and my current intake of DHA/Omega 3. She also went over the study in more detail. I will go back at 36 weeks to have my blood drawn again and at that time they will measure the levels of DHA/Omega 3 that I have in my system after the vitamins.
Here's the catch, though, this is a double-blind study, which means neither the researcher nor I if I am in the placebo group or the group taking the DHA/Omega 3 vitamins. Likely, because I am who I am, I will still overcompensate for this vitamin, just in case I happen to be in the placebo group (wouldn't want my kid not to be a small Danone Einstein!) After our babe is born, the researcher will come to visit us a few times to check our baby's vision, small and gross motor skills and overall development. They will do this for about a year, which I think is a real score, because when else do you have a team of infant development experts monitor your child for one year to see if they are developing properly.
Now, with all studies, there is usually very little that the research team can use to ensure compliance (especially since this study is sponsored by grant funding from the Canadian Institute for Health Research and not some big name company). In my class we determined that to have a perfect study with perfect compliance, you'd likely have to have a lot of money to compensate your research subjects. Well, I got a $5 card for Second Cup for tea or steamed milk the next time I visit the hospital, and then the researcher gave me this big bag and mentioned that she collects all sorts of samples and things and that this was the only small way she could say thank you.
I didn't think twice about the bag until I got home from all of my errands on Thursday and then I thought I'd take a look inside. Well, our baby isn't just coming with a loaf of bread, there were coupons for all sorts of things from discounts to maternity stores to discounts for diapers, books, and all sorts of baby stuff. There were diaper samples, cream samples, and booklets, magazines and nutrional guides. Plus they gave me all sorts of free vegetable soup samples and said I could come back and visit them because soon Purdy's was going to send them their new "nutritional" chocolate bars to give away. Whoohoo!
So the moral of this story is that baby's do come with their special "loaves of bread" - ours came with a pre-arrival bag of goodies. AND, if you're not paranoid - you get free stuff! :)
Here's a pic of me heading off with the bags I had under my arms - 1/3 filled with clothes, 1/3 filled with recruiting stuff, and 1/3 filled with food...but I'm sure that other "loaves of bread" will continue to appear along the way.
Thanks mom! for driving me to the airport and taking this photo.
Let's back up a little here...
Did I mention I am now part of a research study? Yes, I am now part of a research study, with a sample of 400 pregnant women, to determine if increased levels of DHA/Omega 3 are beneficial to babies in pregnancy for development after birth. Like I said earlier, I check off all sorts of boxes when I fill in forms so I end up being solicited for all sorts of things. I found this opportunity interesting on many levels - as an amateur "researcher" myself (especially one currently taking a Research Methods course) I thought this would be a fun way to see the research process at work; I am supportive of "good" research and don't mind taking part in it; and generally I've read all sorts of good things about DHA/Omega 3 (everytime I think of it I think of those new Danone commercials with all those little kids dressed up like little Einsteins) so I figured it couldn't hurt.
As part of the study I had to go to Women's Hospital to have my blood drawn for a baseline and to answer the researcher(s) questions about my current diet and my current intake of DHA/Omega 3. She also went over the study in more detail. I will go back at 36 weeks to have my blood drawn again and at that time they will measure the levels of DHA/Omega 3 that I have in my system after the vitamins.
Here's the catch, though, this is a double-blind study, which means neither the researcher nor I if I am in the placebo group or the group taking the DHA/Omega 3 vitamins. Likely, because I am who I am, I will still overcompensate for this vitamin, just in case I happen to be in the placebo group (wouldn't want my kid not to be a small Danone Einstein!) After our babe is born, the researcher will come to visit us a few times to check our baby's vision, small and gross motor skills and overall development. They will do this for about a year, which I think is a real score, because when else do you have a team of infant development experts monitor your child for one year to see if they are developing properly.
Now, with all studies, there is usually very little that the research team can use to ensure compliance (especially since this study is sponsored by grant funding from the Canadian Institute for Health Research and not some big name company). In my class we determined that to have a perfect study with perfect compliance, you'd likely have to have a lot of money to compensate your research subjects. Well, I got a $5 card for Second Cup for tea or steamed milk the next time I visit the hospital, and then the researcher gave me this big bag and mentioned that she collects all sorts of samples and things and that this was the only small way she could say thank you.
I didn't think twice about the bag until I got home from all of my errands on Thursday and then I thought I'd take a look inside. Well, our baby isn't just coming with a loaf of bread, there were coupons for all sorts of things from discounts to maternity stores to discounts for diapers, books, and all sorts of baby stuff. There were diaper samples, cream samples, and booklets, magazines and nutrional guides. Plus they gave me all sorts of free vegetable soup samples and said I could come back and visit them because soon Purdy's was going to send them their new "nutritional" chocolate bars to give away. Whoohoo!
So the moral of this story is that baby's do come with their special "loaves of bread" - ours came with a pre-arrival bag of goodies. AND, if you're not paranoid - you get free stuff! :)
Here's a pic of me heading off with the bags I had under my arms - 1/3 filled with clothes, 1/3 filled with recruiting stuff, and 1/3 filled with food...but I'm sure that other "loaves of bread" will continue to appear along the way.
Thanks mom! for driving me to the airport and taking this photo.
posted by Paola at
5:12 a.m.
1 Comments:
Hey Paola,
I just read up on your adventures so far. Congrats to you and BigTime. I know that SmallTime will have many adventures before even making an entrance to the world. One word of advice: don't trust Auntie Liz too far, I hear she is a pretty evil cross-checker with a hockey stick...now is that the kinda baby sitter you want? Just kidding!
And yes, Blogs are the most complete form of narcissism, you are already starting to fall into the trap of lengthy writing! But really, who's going to stop you? If you add a web counter it will get even worse!
Good luck!
By
aj22, at 2:15 a.m.
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