Letter from Global Volunteers

Now I know what I should really pack in my carry-on!! I also want to buy one of those new baby thermometers that you just pass over an infant or child's forehead and it gives you a reading. When I was there in December they desperately needed covers for their ear thermometers so this thermometer would take care of the needed for covers... Let me know if you would like to help buy bottles!! The Playtex shouldn't be too expensive. But the Haberman Feeder is about $25 a bottle! YIKES! Sweet Ionela is still awaiting surgery for her cleft palate so I would love to take a few of these too!




Dear Terri,

I'm sure you are starting to make preparations for your upcoming service program in Romania, and I just received some information from our hosts that I want to share with you.

I have received many requests from volunteers preparing to serve in Romania regarding special donations requests. As always, whenever our hosts at the Barlad schools or Tutova Clinic have special needs, we ask that they let us know so that we can pass the request on to upcoming teams. Donations are certainly not required of volunteers, but where there are special needs, I want to make sure that you are aware!

The Romanian Health Department is imposing new restrictions on the use of baby bottles, which now means that Dr Delia and the staff at the Failure to Thrive Clinic must make arrangements so that used bottles never meet unused bottles. Dr Delia has determined that the best way to cope with this new policy is to use the type of baby bottles that have disposable plastic liners. They will, of course, need lots of these to keep the babies fed, so they have asked that upcoming volunteers consider this need for disposable liners, and the plastic bottles and nipples that go with them, when contemplating items to donate. Liners might fit only specific brands of bottles, so we suggest that you consider products in this line: http://www.playtexbaby.com/Products/Bottles/DropIns.aspx

One other special request is a little more unique. There are often babies/children at the clinic with cleft paletes or cleft lips. This makes bottle feeding them very difficult and time consuming. We have learned that there are special bottles made for babies with this condition, although I'm not sure how widely available or costly they are. One type that I have been made aware of is the Haberman Feeder with appears similar to a normal baby bottle, but has a one-way valve that prevents flooding and overwhelming the baby. If you are familiar with these or other types of feeders, they would be greatly appreciated.

Again, I need to reiterate that these requests are certainly not necessary, but if you were hoping to bring something to donate, these items would be especially useful. As always, please let me know if you have any questions as you continue to prepare.

Regards,

Ellen Liming, Assistant to Director of International Operations