Read all about The Liandrea Company in the news.
Here is a list of publications featuring recent articles on our DVDs.

U.S. Publications | Canadian Publications | Press Releases | Reviews

THE BIRMINGHAM NEWS
May 9, 2005

BABY DVD LIKE OWNER'S MANUAL
By Dave Parks
Birmingham News staff writer 

"Bringing Baby Home" is a DVD that gives parents information they need to care for a newborn baby from birth to 6 months old.

The DVD features experts in baby care. It recently was awarded a 2005 Parents' Choice Approval seal. Dr. Denis Leduc, a pediatrician, is featured on the DVD and is its medical adviser. Lianne Castelino and Andrea Howick, two broadcast journalists and mothers, created the DVD.

It covers subjects from breast feeding to advice for fathers to recognizing the signs of post-partum depression. The DVD retails for $19.99 and is available at www.bringingbabyhome.net.

HARTFORD COURANT
Apr. 26, 2005

NEW DVD PREPARES PARENTS FOR 'BRINGING BABY HOME
By Kathleen Megan
Courant Staff Writer

So you really want to know all about what having a new baby will be like - and you don't want to wade through a 300-page tome.

It may be that a new DVD called "Bringing Baby Home" is just what you need.

Although it's not the first DVD of baby directions, it's a very complete one - covering 120 topics in only an hour. It's also very realistic, and that's a warning.

The babies are not the plump smooth-skinned, smiling Gerber types that prompt fond memories of motherhood. Rather, these are real newborns: slimy, red, wrinkly, with baby acne and loud screams.

(If you're planning to give this DVD to soon-to-be parents, you might want to assess their strength of character. In fact, it might be a useful tool in health classes warning teenagers against pregnancy.)

The DVD is the work of Lianne Castelino and Andrea Howick, two Canadian mothers who met when they worked at a Montreal television station. Their aim is to show young parents what new babies are really like and how to care for them.

Castelino explained how it's supposed to work: "The better prepared you are, the less stress you feel. It will empower you, so you have a better grasp of what to expect."

Castelino and Howick recommend that expectant parents watch the DVD several times before the baby is born because there won't be time afterward. After their baby arrives, they can go back to any pertinent section as needed.

Watching the DVD is a total immersion education in all aspects of baby care: what to expect soon after birth, how to hold a baby, the baby's soft spot, nursing, postpartum blues and getting along with your partner.

Although the DVD is mostly for mothers - with an excellent and highly detailed section on nursing - Castelino said they've heard from fathers who found it very helpful.

Like the section on nursing, the part on baby hygiene is particularly strong, giving useful tips on bathing babies, such as to be fully prepared before you start, how to position the baby for a sponge or tub bath and to ignore the phone and never leave the child alone.

(This is also the most amusing part of the DVD. While the narrator coos about talking and singing to your child while the baby is "soothed" in the warm tub of water, the baby in the DVD screams unremittingly. That's reality. And, in another dose of reality - "expect the unexpected," the narrator says - the baby punctuates the end of the bath with a poop in the tub. Yes, that's motherhood. Healthy sleep habits, sleeping positions and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome are all covered.

The last section addresses postpartum issues such as: the aftereffects of a Cesarean birth, sitz baths, the postpartum blues and the resumption of sex. A therapist and a young couple with a newborn talk frankly about how a relationship evolves after the birth: how the father may feel, and how the mother can involve him in baby care.

Also carefully covered are the situations in which a baby should be taken to the doctor, including a fever of above 100.4, irritability or unexplained fatigue, vomiting or refusing to eat.
It's exhausting to watch the whole DVD at once - a reminder of just what early parenthood is like. Expectant parents may want to try 15 minutes at a time.

"Bringing Baby Home" is available with overnight delivery for about $19.95 plus shipping costs at www.liandreaproductions.com. The Liandrea Co., which is in Canada, hopes to have it available soon in stores in the United States.

Copyright 2005, Hartford Courant

NASHVILLE PARENT MAGAZINE
July, 2005

BABY PAGES: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

And now to learn about the new life you’re leading ... literally. From baby basics like umbilical cord care to how parents can best cope with the new changes a baby brings, the Bringing Baby Home DVD by the Liandrea Company covers it all. A 2005 Parent’s Choice winner, find more than an hour of hints, demonstrations, medical advice and more in the video.

TOP

MOMproneur
September 2008

As the producers of the award winning line of Liandrea baby care videos, and now the hosts of the radio show Parent Talk with Lianne & Andrea, these are Mompreneurs who are ‘in the know’ when it comes to multimedia corporations. Kathryn Bechthold, publisher of The Mompreneur, recently sat down with them to discuss the keys to their success.

Click here to download the full article.

Dietitians of Canada
August 2008 Volume 9 Issue 8
Author: Krista Wadden

This is an excellent, informative DVD about feeding your baby from four to twelve months of life. The range of the contents is vast and the DVD goes into detail about many of the possible questions new parents would ask about allergies, food intolerances, and making homemade baby foods. There is an adequate amount of depth in the contents, but not an overwhelming amount of information for new parents

This resource is designed for new parents interested in learning more about what to expect with regards to eating for their new baby from 6 to 12 months of age. It is an easy to follow resource as there are sections highlighted for what to expect when feeding begins with babies. At the end of each section, the main points are highlighted and reviewed, which is quite helpful in reminding the audience what was taught throughout that section. The author has not introduced new material, however has introduced a well-organized, concise report of feeding your baby. The author explains cues on when babies are ready to eat, how to make homemade foods for babies, when to start different food groups and textures, and also gives a variety of options for parents when preparing foods for their baby (such as vegetarian options). There is also a paediatrician who is interviewed throughout the DVD and he addresses many important issues that parents bring to his attention such as constipation, food allergies, anemia, and the importance of vitamin D for babies. The content is very accurate and would be a useful resource for all new parents.

Cashing in on the new baby boom
JON COOK, The Globe and Mail
March 31, 2008 at 11:44 AM EDT

THE COMPANY: Liandrea Productions. The challenge: Find a way to tap into the multibillion-dollar baby business. The plan: Change business model to more specialized baby niche. The payoff: Brand awareness that will lead to more revenue streams

These days, babies are the new black. Popular culture is obsessed with them: from Angelina's exotic adoptions and Britney's bizarre custody battles to Hollywood blockbusters Knocked Up and Juno. Birth rates are rising along with the mercury, spawning a multibillion-dollar industry selling high-end baby goods to googlie-eyed parents at an unprecedented rate.

Since starting Liandrea Productions - a Toronto-based business that produces educational DVDs for new and expectant parents - Lianne Castelino and Andrea Howick have struggled to tap the parent pipeline. Their first foray - Bringing Baby Home - sprang from Ms. Castelino's frustration at watching the cheesy '80s-era instructional video in her Montreal prenatal class, when she was pregnant with her first child in 1996. "To me it was just inexcusable," recalls Ms. Castelino of the grainy VHS tape, replete with mullets and American accents. "A lot of the information wasn't even pertinent any more, but those were the only videos they had at their disposal."

The experience convinced Ms. Castelino, a television reporter at the time, that she could do better. In 2003 she teamed up with Ms. Howick - a fellow broadcaster and mother - and the pair made their first video, for $100,000. Their venture gained a valuable ally when Dr. Denis Leduc, former president of the Canadian Pediatric Society, agreed to star in the video.

Armed with those references, they landed in more than 300 Wal-Marts nationwide. "People always say 'You're in Wal-Mart, you must be rich!' " exclaims Ms. Castelino, instead acknowledging that it's a daily struggle just to make sure the product is properly displayed so customers can see it.

Undaunted, the erstwhile moms released another DVD in 2006 on newborn nutrition, entitled Yummy in My Tummy. This time they enlisted the help of a public relations consultant to overhaul their website, Liandrea.com, and promote the release.

Last year they were given their own radio show in Montreal, Parent Talk Radio, as a cross-promotional tool for their DVDs and website.

Despite these successes, the DVDs are still not flying off the shelves.

"We just don't have enough hours in the day," Ms. Castelino says. "It's so hard to get the attention of potential sponsors these days; you're one among a sea of voices."

What the experts say

As a mother herself, Mat Wilcox empathizes with these mompreneurs, but takes a tough stance when it comes to their business.

"It's a nice-to have, not a have-to have," says the CEO of Wilcox Group, a national Canadian public relations and crisis management consulting firm. "There are tons of people with really sweet ideas, and you go 'Oh, that's so adorable,' but they're not going to make money. So what's the business model to make money?"

Ms. Wilcox suggests the women start selling themselves instead of their DVDs. To do that, she says they have to use their radio show to comment on hot-button or more mainstream issues, such as celebrity parents and trans-fat-free diets for kids.

"It's mom stuff, and there's a real limited readership for mom stuff, unless it's parenting magazines. What do people really care about? They care about celebrities. Celebrities and babies right now are the No. 1 thing"

To bang the drum, she advises doing a media tour of Los Angeles or New York, as it would generate more website hits than all of Canada combined. In addition, Ms. Wilcox says they should stream their radio show live on their website, and flip the business model to offer free clips from the DVDs, bringing in money through advertising and sponsors. "They should look at a different business model of advertising and become the free baby resource."

Stewart Thornhill wonders if Ms. Castelino and Ms. Howick did enough market research to determine whether their perception of a need for parenting videos actually meshed with reality. "You see a lot of these, where somebody says 'Well, gee, there should be a Greek restaurant in this town,' without ever going around and asking, 'Does anybody here like Greek food?' " says Prof. Thornhill, associate professor of entrepreneurship at the University of Western Ontario's Ivey School of Business.

Prof. Thornhill says they need to target their customer with a laser-like focus, and then sell in those stores where they are more likely to shop. "They just really need to define who benefits most from their product, and then how to educate that person that they'd be better off with your product in their hand than they would the $10 in their wallet." He suggests Wal-Mart and Costco offer too much of a scatter-gun approach to selling, and that they may have more luck in stores such as Shopper's Drug Mart or prenatal clinics. "If you can get the product to where the expectant mothers are, well, now maybe you at least have a shot of selling to them."

Despite the cachet of being in Wal-Mart, Mark Wardell agrees it's likely not helping the bottom line. As the president of Wardell Professional Development, Mr. Wardell suggests the Liandrea owners become more specialized, restricting their areas of expertise to organic baby food or more green applications, such as reusable diapers.

"When they're headed down a path like that, then we can start to look for other opportunities for growing this thing, like looking for alliances, which will be much easier to find once they're clear on what kind of company they want to build." Mr. Wardell believes they could partner with baby food firms. A good example would be "buy a bottle of Heinz baby food and get $5 off a baby video."

By positioning themselves as experts, through their radio show, DVDs and website, they become the product, and that can springboard them into more lucrative relationships with companies already in the baby industry. For Mr. Wardell, selling DVDs is not the best business model, as people watch them once or twice and put them aside; there are no repeat sales. "What's really cool about the target market is that there will forever be mothers, but the way it's structured, there's nothing to do with repeat sales or expansion. They're going to be building some kind of credibility here among these new mothers. So while they've put the video to one side, it doesn't mean they've put Liandrea to one side. They still occupy some mind-share with these new mothers, and that's where there's opportunity."

In a nutshell

Research your idea: Find out if your perceived need of the product really exists.

Don't be afraid to change: If your product isn't selling, modify the revenue model.

Brand awareness: Just because you have an awesome product, people won't necessarily care about it.

Wal-Mart is not

always the answer: Major retailers can actually hurt a small business, as your product can get lost and your profit margins reduced.

© The Globe and Mail 2008

Full Story Here

TOP

Starting baby on solid food
Eileen Travers, www.montrealfamilies.ca
June, 2007

After you’ve mastered the one-handed diaper change, fuss-free nursing or heating bottles to the perfect temperature, your baby will reach another milestone: eating solid food.

What goes into a baby’s mouth has never before been so closely examined by doctors, scientists and experts. Along with mountains of studies on everything from foods that enhance brain development to eating habits that can trigger weight problems later in life, new parents can often feel overwhelmed.

Fresh or frozen? Organic or non-organic? Sweet potatoes or broccoli? What comes first? Most experts agree that good eating habits start in the high chair. Now, the question is: what’s on the menu?

The Canadian Pediatric Society says that at 6 months, a baby’s digestive system is ready for more than just milk. So at this age, solid foods can be introduced alongside breast milk or formula.

However, there’s no need to fill your shopping cart with dozens of jars and boxes of baby food, says pediatrician Dr. Janet Grabowski. “Go slow, there’s no big rush,” she notes.

Dr. Grabowski suggests parents begin with iron-fortified cereals because a baby’s iron levels start to drop at this age. Parents can start with rice cereal (which is unlikely to provoke an allergic reaction) for about two weeks before switching to other single grain cereals, such as oats or barley. Introduce one new type per week.

Because meat also contains iron, Health Canada recommends adding this to baby’s diet after the cereal.

At 7 months, babies can start on vegetables, particularly carrots, squash and sweet potatoes. Next up are fruits, which often become a baby’s favourites. Each fruit and vegetable should be introduced separately for four or five days to alert parents to any existing allergies, Dr. Grabowski says.

Dairy, such as cheese and yogurt, as well as egg yolks can come next, which will probably cover the period between 9 and 12 months. Once babies reach their first birthday, parents can consult the latest Canada Food Guide for nutrition advice on what toddlers need. While guidelines on what to feed baby and at what age are helpful, parents soon discover that there are a daunting array of baby food options available, from traditional jars to frozen purees, not to mention what can be made at home with a few simple tools. Here’s some information on the different choices available.

Traditional jars and cereals

A handful of baby food makers have been feeding generations of Canadian infants for more than 70 years. Big brand names such as Gerber and Heinz dominate the market, taking the lion’s share of the $85 million Canadian’s spend on baby food each year.

“We try to provide moms with what they want,” said Heinz spokesman Sandro D’Ascanio. “Moms have told us that variety, quality and nutrition are key.”

Heinz and Gerber offer the broadest choice in terms of different flavours, from single fruits to toddler meals that combine meat, potatoes and vegetables. Their products are widely available in grocery stores and pharmacies. Both companies have websites, www.HeinzBaby.com and www.Gerber.com, that include product information and feeding guides.

Organic Food

There is growing interest and debate surrounding the need to feed babies organic food. While some pediatricians recommend organic over regular baby food, Dr. Grabowski says there are no conclusive studies favouring one or the other. “It’s the parents choice,” she says. Proponents of organic food say it includes more anti-oxidants, which may improve brain development. They also note that organic food reduces a child’s exposure to pesticides. Many argue that organic just tastes better.

However, organic baby food costs more, sometimes significantly so. While the price difference between a jar of regular carrots and organic carrots is about 10 cents, parents will pay considerably more for frozen portions of organic carrot puree. A 50 ml serving of carrots will cost between $1.75 and $2.

Parents looking for jars of organic baby food now have several choices. The Earth’s Best brand, which offers starter foods (purees), cereals and meals for toddlers, is widely available in stores and pharmacies. To find out more, visit www.EarthsBest.com.

Both Gerber and Heinz have responded to the interest in organic with new brands. Last year, Gerber launched its Gerber Organic label featuring foods made with only organic ingredients. Heinz followed suit this year, launching a full line of 21 varieties of organic baby food in jars and plastic containers.

Parents who don’t want to purchase jars of baby food often end up making their own purees from organic ingredients. A few have built on this experience to create businesses selling frozen, organic food for baby.

In 2004, Tanya Moore, a mother of two, decided to go beyond making her own baby good and launched the Healthy Sprouts company in Whitby, Ontario. “I wasn’t a savvy organic person before I had children,” she says. “But the more research you do, the more frightened you get. Now I wouldn’t feed my kids anything but organic.”

The Healthy Sprouts meals are available at some local health food stores and in Montreal. There are four varieties of starter foods available as well as two flavours of junior meals. Check out the web site, www.HealthySprouts.ca, for feeding tips, store locations and product information.

Montreal-based Mother Hen Baby Foods (often called by its French name, La mère poule) has been making frozen organic fruits, vegetables, meat and pasta since 1994. Starter meals come in more than a dozen varieties and foods for babies 8 months and older include chicken cacciatore, Parisian turkey, and spaghetti Bolognese. The products sell in grocery stores and health food shops across Canada. The company’s website, www.MotherHen.com, allows visitors to search for a retail store in their neighbourhood that carries the products.

The Sweetpea Baby Food was the invention of two mothers who, in 2004, turned their own home-made baby food into a business. Eryn Green and Tamar Wagman now produce frozen organic cubes of foods, which sell in grocery stores across Canada. The company web site, www.SweetPeaBabyFood.com, has recipe tips, nutrition information and more.

Make your own

Long before jars of baby food appeared on the supermarket shelves, parents made their own purees. This do-it-yourself method is making a comeback, because it is an easy and inexpensive alternative to prepared baby foods.

Montrealers Lianne Castelino, Andrea Howick and Annick Melanson are so keen on this idea that they wrote a book called Yummy in My Tummy. This guide to feeding tots 6- to 12-months-old takes the mystery out of making your own purees and meals.

It includes nutrition advice, cooking tips and recipes that have been tried on their own children. Yummy in My Tummy and a how-to DVD is available at local bookstores and toy stores or can be ordered from their web site www.Liandrea.com.

Preparing your own baby food requires a good grinder as well as containers for storing the purees. Baby food grinders and food mills can be purchased at Protect Enfant, located at 6900 Decarie Blvd., or through the company’s website at www.ProtectEnfant.com. Companies such as KidCo and BabySteps offer food mills, freezer trays and feeding dishes for parents who want to go this route. These products can be found at stores selling baby products or online.

As Castelino notes, the importance of eating well is gaining new urgency, especially in light of the alarming rates of obesity in even very young children. Parents can gently guide their children towards sensible, healthy eating by making wise choices in the first year. “Good eating habits begin early,” she says. “It’s important to know what to feed your baby and to start out right.”

www.montrealfamilies.ca

Full Story Here

TOP

Moms produce videos that demystify parental grunt work
MIKE BOONE, The Gazette
Friday, October 05, 2007

To the few, the proud, the language sticklers, "parenting" is a cringe-inducing verb.

But to paraphrase a cigarette ad from back in the day when people spoke properly (and smoked blithely): What do you want? Good grammar or useful DVDs?

Lianne Castelino and Andrea Howick met 10 years ago. They were reporters at what was then CFCF-12, where Howick covered news and Castelino was in the sports department. Their friendship blossomed as each began a family.

Castelino gave birth to the first of her three children in 1997. Howick became a mother in 2001.

They faced the challenges of all new parents. And there was no shortage of guidance available in bookstores.

Dr. Benjamin Spock's Baby and Child Care was published in 1946. The world's best-known how-to book (Okay, you could make a case for the Bible) is in its eighth edition and has sold more than 50 million copies in 40 languages.

Generations of children have been raised by the book. But Howick and Castelino saw potential for child care advice aimed at parents for whom the name "Spock" conjured up images of a Mr. with big ears, rather than a Dr. with liberal ideas.

"We thought there was a need to help new and expectant parents with information in a video format," Castelino said. "There are tons of books out there, but we couldn't find any videos that were of the quality we liked."

We were chatting in a conference call. Castelino, a 38-year-old native of Toronto, moved back there in June after 14 years here. Howick, who's 36 and had her third son two months ago, lives in Notre Dame de Grâce and does a child-care segment on the Global TV morning show.

"We love books," Howick said, "and we've got them all. But as electronic media people, we're visual. We're kind of quick and to the point, and we know that's how mothers' brains work."

Castelino and Howick decided to collaborate on a video. It's called Bringing Baby Home, and the DVD covers a lot of ground - 120 topics in 70 minutes.

Fasten your seat belt and your nursing bra. That pace makes the 6 o'clock news look like a Ken Burns documentary.

Howick cited diapering a newborn as a technique "you can learn in 30 seconds or less" - or, if you're a fumble-fingered male, 30 months or more.

They've produced a second DVD on nutrition for babies and toddlers.

"It speaks right to the whole issue of childhood obesity," Castelino said. "This is something we both want to help alleviate over time, in our own little way."

Their newest project is Parent Talk. Launched on Mother's Day, the 60-minute radio program features experts and celebrities talking about the latest child-care news and, Howick said, "the most basic parenting grunt work we all have questions about."

"For example, this week's show has a pediatrician talking about what to do if a child in your son or daughter's class has a case of head lice."

Eeeeew! Change schools.

"Yeah," Castelino said with a laugh, "run for your life and don't look back."

There's also a nutrition segment because, Howick explained, mothers are preoccupied by what, when and how much their children eat.

Another feature this week (Sunday at noon on AM 940) is Olympic rower Silken Laumann talking about balancing work and family.

"We run the gamut from babies up to teens," Castelino said. "We've had experts on behaviour, how to streetproof a child."

That's another unfortunate contemporary usage. Some of us can remember streets against which you didn't have to be proofed.

© The Gazette (Montreal) 2007

Full Story Here

TOP

Two books suggest introducing fruit and vegetables early
JULIAN ARMSTRONG, The Gazette
Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Waste no time starting to serve fruit and vegetables to young children, because tastes form early and last a lifetime, according to two pairs of Montreal mothers who have published guidebooks on healthy eating.

Even before a baby is a year old, television reporters Andrea Howick and Lianne Castelino - the authors of Yummy in My Tummy in Montreal - recommend serving pureed vegetables or fruit smoothies. "They like the work taken out of it," Howick said in an interview.

A favourite mixture with Howick and Castelino's children is an avocado dip that blends ripe avocado with cooked carrots and broccoli. Even a fussy eater will consume a banana blended with smooth, silken tofu or plain yogourt and a little vanilla extract, they say.

Pureed carrots or broccoli make a convenience food if you freeze the mixture in ice-cube trays, they explain in their combination book and DVD, which they produced through their own company (www.liandrea.com online) and sell for $29.95 in Montreal book and toy stores.

Dietitians Marie Breton and Isabelle Emond offer dozens of ways for parents to raise good eaters who love their fruit and vegetables in their latest book, A table en famille (Flammarion Quebec, $29.95, in French only). Don't worry if you can't always provide the best fresh foods, they say, because frozen and canned produce are good buys and convenient to serve.

If you get opposition to some vegetables, try roasting a baking pan of cut-up carrots, potatoes, parsnips and white turnips, they suggest. Drizzle the mixture with a little oil, salt and chopped chives, then bake it, covered with parchment paper or aluminum foil, for a half-hour at 450 degrees F (230C).

Pesto and salsa are flavourful additions that can persuade youngsters to eat their vegetables, say Breton and Emond.

When it comes to purees, Howick and Castelino recommend starting with applesauce at 8 months and working up to a puree of peaches, apples and raspberries at 12 months, straining out the raspberry seeds. Apples or melon cut into shapes with cookie cutters work well with year-old children, Howick said.

Soon (at 12 to 18 months old) children will enjoy minestrone, the authors said. They make it with carrots, onions, broccoli, tomatoes, small pasta and canned kidney beans in chicken stock.

All four mothers urge parents to serve family dinners. "If children see the rest of the family eating healthy foods, or foods new to them, they'll eat them too," Howick said. "The dinner table can help encourage a love of healthy food."

The dietitians call the family meal "essential." A healthy family dinner teaches children to eat properly for life, they believe.

© The Gazette (Montreal) 2007

Full Story Here

HELP FOR NEW PARENTS
Calgary Herald
April 26, 2004

A new video created by two Montreal-based journalists might relieve some of the anxiety new parents experience in caring for their newborns.

Company president and co-creator Lianne Castelino said the video was sparked by her own frustration.

"While taking prenatal classes for my first baby, I was struck by how poorly produced and outdated the instructional videos were," Castelino said. "I felt compelled to try to come up with a step-by-step visual guide that would educate and empower parents."

So she and partner Andrea Howick enlisted the expertise of Dr. Denis Leduc, vice-president of the Canadian Pediatric Society, and other medical and child-care experts to address areas of concern such as understanding what your baby's movements and language mean, breast-feeding and bottle-feeding, plus tips for bathing newborns and advice on postpartum care for moms.

The video contains more than 70 minutes of demonstrations and interviews and 120 topics on how to care for a baby from birth to six months.

Bringing Baby Home can be ordered here.

© The Calgary Herald 2004

FOR THE STORK'S ARRIVAL... - MONTREAL COMPANY LAUNCHES UNIQUE TEACHING TOOL WITH FIRST QUEBEC MADE VISUAL GUIDE FOR NEW PARENTS
Canada NewsWire
December 7, 2004

Because a baby doesn't enter the world with an operating manual, Liandrea Productions, an innovative Montreal company founded by two mothers who are also journalists, has teamed up with a group of experts to help demystify the parenting of newborns.

The result is an educational video entitled Bringing Baby Home, the first in a series of entertaining how-to videos that go through a virtual checklist on the art of becoming a parent. The only Quebec-made, up-to-date visual guide is now on the market, after a two-year gestation period.
According to the OECD, the average hospital stay in Canada after giving birth is a mere two days. Hardly enough time to learn all the various aspects of newborn care! Not to mention the lack of videos on the market that deal with post-partum care.

"While taking prenatal classes for my first baby, I was struck by how poorly produced and outdated the instructional videos were," said Lianne Castelino, the president of Liandrea Productions. "I felt compelled to try to come up with a step-by-step visual guide that would educate and empower parents."

Bringing Baby Home provides a wealth of information, sound advice and demonstrations by experts in pediatric and family medicine. The 71-minute video is designed to minimize the stress that accompanies the arrival of a newborn. This how-to guide for parents, covers more than 120 topics, divided into four separate themes: baby basics, care and feeding; hygiene and sleep, and coping.

"Bringing Baby Home is an ideal complement to pre-natal medical checkups because it contains pertinent information to help parents deal with the many challenges that await them with the arrival of a newborn," says Dr. Denis Leduc, a Montreal pediatrician and the president-elect of the Canadian Pediatric Society, as well as the Medical Advisor to Liandrea Productions. "It is designed to give parents the necessary tools to maximize their infant's health and safety."

The visual guide, produced specifically for new parents, is currently being used as a teaching tool by a number of birthing and medical organizations, CLSCs and hospitals. At the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, the video is shown continually on the screen in the maternity department.

"There is nothing as comprehensive as this on the market right now," says Amélie Chiasson, an obstetrical nurse at the Royal Victoria Hospital. "When a mother leaves the hospital with her baby, she is basically going into the unknown. Bringing Baby Home explains all the things that are a concern for new parents, because they don't really know what to expect. This takes them through the entire process."

The positive response from professionals in the field has encouraged Liandrea Productions to create the Liandrea Cares Program in support of non-profit organizations dedicated to helping at-risk parents and babies. The program will enable parents and families who might not otherwise have access to the video, to receive this outstanding educational tool free of charge.

"We believe that every baby deserves a good start in life, and that every parent, regardless of his or her circumstances, deserves access to the best parenting advice possible," remarked Andrea Howick, vice-president and co-founder of Liandrea Productions. "We know how overwhelming being a new parent can be, under the best of circumstances. But it can be even more so for single mothers and fathers, young mothers and the economically disadvantaged. It's a daunting challenge."
Current plans are for the Liandrea Cares Program to reach at least one non-profit group or support centre in every province in Canada by the end of 2005. This is in keeping with the company's mission of providing new parents with up-to-date, easy-to-follow reference tools.

Bringing Baby Home is available in VHS and DVD formats, in English and French (Bébé arrive à la maison) online at www.bringingbabyhome.net, as well as in some hospitals and specialty boutiques.

Bringing Baby Home can be ordered here.

© Canada NewsWire 2004

EDMONTON JOURNAL
Can West News Service

New Video helps new parents
April 9, 2004 - VANCOUVER

A new video is available to help parents with the sometimes overwhelming task of caring for their baby. Bringing Baby Home was created by two Montreal-based journalists. Co-creator Lianne Castelino said it was sparked by frustration. “While taking prenatal classes for my first baby, I was struck by how poorly produced and outdated the instructional videos were.”

She and Andrea Howick enlisted the expertise of professional to address areas such as understanding what your baby’s movements and language mean, breast-feeding and bottle-feeding, plus tips for bathing newborns and advice on postpartum care for mothers.

Bringing Baby Home can be ordered here.

© The Edmonton Journal 2004

INSIDE TORONTO
Apr. 6, 2005

Expectant and new parents take note -- babies now come with an instruction video

Bringing Baby Home, produced by Canadian company Liandrea Productions Inc., is a 71-minute comprehensive DVD that offers 120 topics related to the everyday care for newborns and babies up to six months of age. New parents will learn everything from basics such as identifying white spots on a baby's face to changing a diaper, signs of post-partum depression, feeding, hygiene and sleep and coping with their new arrival.

The video, which is now available at Wal-Mart stores as well as online (www.liandreaproductions.com), is endorsed by Dr. Denis Leduc, the video's medical adviser and offers information and tips from nurses and other baby professionals across Canada.

Producer Lianne Castelino, along with partner Andrea Howick, decided to produce the video after realizing there was a lack of comprehensive and up-to-date video to help new parents cope with bringing home a baby.

The video received the 2005 Parents' Choice Award. The United States-based Parents' Choice Foundation offers the award to products that meet or exceed the standards set by educators, scientists, performing artists, librarians and parents. Fewer than 15 per cent of products submitted for the award receive any level of recommendation.

The video retails for $24.95, with a special rate for volume orders and non-profit organizations dedicated to maternity issues. Toronto Community News has nine DVDs and videos to give away.
To enter, simply send in your first and last name, address, daytime telephone number, your baby's due date and the answer to this skill-testing question: What award did the video Bringing Home Baby just win?

Send submissions to Video Contest via e-mail at contests@insidetoronto.com, via fax to 416-493-6190 or via postal mail to 100 Tempo Ave., Toronto, ON, M2H 3S5 by 5 p.m. on April 17. Winning entries will be selected in a random draw by a Toronto Community News' representative on April 18 with the winners contacted by phone. Winners must pick up their prize or it will be forfeited. Only expectant parents who live in one of the Toronto Community News coverage areas can enter this contest.

For a complete set of rules, visit www.insidetoronto.com

MONTREAL FAMILIES
The News Magazine for Parents
April 2004

LOCAL BROADCASTERS CREATE A BABY VIDEO
By Liz Warwick

When Lianne Castelino was expecting her first child eight years ago, she signed up for prenatal classes, eager to absorb as much information as possible. During one of the classes, the teacher played a video about breastfeeding.

Lianne's critical eye as a professional broadcast journalist took over. "I was thinking, I could do better than this," said Lianne who works at CFCF television. The information was dated and the production values almost nil. "I didn't know why I was watching it."

So Lianne went home and did some research. She discovered that while the market for baby information books and gadgets has been flooded, there isn’t that much available on video or DVD. Most audiovisual productions tackle only one topic (breastfeeding for example), are produced in the United States and are rarely updated.

She wrote a business plan for a video designed to show new parents the basics of caring for a newborn. She approached several hospitals and, although they loved the idea, budgets were being cut and money was tight, so Lianne was forced to shelve the idea.

A new collaboration
Jump forward to 2003. After another baby, Lianne decided to dust off the business plan and take another look. This time, she approached another local broadcast journalist, Andrea Howick to work on the project. Between them they had four children and several years experience in television. Three Montreal hospitals 0 the Royal Victoria, Sir Mortimer B. Davis – Jewish General and St. Mary’s – all agreed to be involved.

The guiding philosophy behind the video is to present baby care information in clear, bite-sized nuggets. As Andrea points out, a woman giving birth today rarely spends more than 36 hours in the hospital. “It’s a very short window for parents to learn the basics of bringing a baby home,” she says. “There’s just such an enormous learning curve.” Lianne adds, “The nurses are amazing but with the staff shortages, you just don’t have one-on-one time and people are giving you tons of information.”

In the 70-minute video entitled Bringing Baby Home, nurses and doctors show parents how to care for newborns and babies up to 6 months. There are a number of real infants – some squalling, some calm – as well as nervous new parents who fumble, try again and gain confidence in their ability to care for their child. Topics include breastfeeding, bathing, sleeping, vaccinations, as well as colic, teething and fever. There is a section on postpartum care for the mother and a family therapist offers advice and counsel to couples.

The two women say they are particularly proud of the section addressing car seat use. “You can’t imagine how many people don’t install car seats properly,” says Lianne. A Transport Canada survey suggests at least 30 per cent of car seats are improperly installed, but spot checks by auto safety groups have found improper installation rates run as high as 80 per cent. Andrea and Lianne contacted the Canadian Automobile Associations (CAA) who agreed to participate. In the video, a CAA representative shows step-by-step how to install a rear-facing car seat (the recommended position for a baby under one). There are tips and reminders about the small but important details that, if forgotten, can reduce the effectiveness of the car seat in an accident.

The video also includes an introduction and answers to frequently asked parenting questions by Dr. Denis Leduc, a Montreal pediatrician and vice-president of the Canadian Paediatric Society. Dr. Leduc was a very big proponent of the project, serving as the medical advisor for the video to ensure the information was up-to-date and accurate.

Getting the word out
The two women, who have created their own production company called Liandrea Productions Inc., are now marketing the video across the city. It is currently available at the three hospitals involved in the project as well as at KidLink in NDG. It should be showing up soon at other area hospitals and CLSCs. Their goal is to have it distributed across Canada and the United States.

Lianne says Bringing Baby Home will be updated regularly as new information emerges. They also hope to begin producing an entire series of videos on topics such as first-aid, nutrition, and toilet training. “We really want to continue to hit on topics that parents find important,” she said.
Bringing Baby Home is available in both VHS and DVD format. You can order a copy online.

THE GAZETTE
July 26, 2004

MOMS GET SCOOP ON BABY CARE
Two local broadcast journalists channeled their frustration as new parents into a slick, up-to-date video on infant care. It's now being used at clinics across Canada
By Lisa Fitterman

Castelino, 34, a longtime TV journalist, first came up with the idea while attending prenatal classes eight years ago with her husband, Louis Payette, in preparation for the birth of their first child.

"The videos they showed were so outdated," the mother of three says during an interview in her Montreal living room. "They were from the 1970s and advice like placing babies to sleep on their stomachs is quite outdated, given that it's been linked to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). The instructors kept telling us, 'Disregard this,' and 'Don't do that.' I told Louis we should do something."

While on maternity leave with Mathieu, now 7, she pitched her idea to Montreal-area hospitals. But the timing wasn't right: health-care dollars were being slashed and no matter the interest, underwriting an instructional video about baby care simply wasn't a priority.

Castelino didn't give up. She's stubborn. One day in December 2002, she described her idea to Howick, 33, with whom she'd worked briefly in TV, and a beautiful partnership was born. They wanted to use the sensibilities they formed in TV to make a video about everything from bathing and breastfeeding to how to get new daddies involved in childcare.

"Basically," says Howick, who is mom to 3-year-old Luke and 10-month-old Matthison, "this was the result of our frustration as new parents. These are things we wanted to know, and things you couldn't call your own mom to ask at 2 o'clock in the morning. It's all about reassurance."

"We're journalists," Castelino says. "We know how to get to the point, how to give nuggets of information."

They used about $100,000 of their own savings and enlisted the help of new parents and professionals - nurses, doctors, family counsellors and even a car-seat expert from the Canadian Automobile Association. The result is slick, informative and quick, which is best of all, given that time always seems to be at a premium these days. (Well, it does, doesn't it?)

No less than 120 topics, including how to wipe crud from your baby's eyes to when to book appointments with doctors, are covered in only 71 minutes, but you don't feel rushed or overwhelmed. That's the point.

Since the launch, they say the experience has turned a bit surreal. Bringing Baby Home is being used as a teaching tool in clinics across the country, and other companies, including Kimberly Clark Corp., the maker of Huggies diapers, are expressing an interest.

Lianne Castelino makes me feel very tired. I'm sure she'd make you feel tired, too, if only you knew her. How could she not? Currently on maternity leave with 41/2-month-old Jenna, she cooks, cleans, feeds, schleps, soothes, breastfeeds and, with business partner Andrea Howick, is a bustling entrepreneur whose nascent educational video and DVD business is starting to go big time.

THE GAZETTE

February 14, 2005

THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN WHEN PARENTING A NEWBORN
Video aims to help. Two mothers were inspired by tapes that were outdated
By Sarah Dougherty

Montrealers Castelino and Howick jumped through a few hoops to sit down recently to talk about their venture. Their youngsters range from 11 months to almost 8 years old, so
free time is at a premium. "When you're a mother, you have to make multi-tasking an art form," said Castelino, who is on maternity leave from her broadcasting job. Howick left full-time work after having her children, but hosts a cable TV show.

The two women met at CFCF-TV in 1997 when Castelino, now 35, was about to have her first child. Watching a video in her prenatal classes at a local hospital, Castelino was struck by how inadequate it was. "The people (in the video) had accents that were American. I mentioned to my husband I could do better," she said. Aside from being dated, some of the information was medically out of date, according to Castelino, and class participants were told to disregard some segments.

Castelino pitched a proposal to hospitals to make a new video, but was rebuffed. "They thought the idea was excellent, but it was at a time of budget cuts," she explained. A second chance to get a video off the ground came when Castelino hooked up with Howick, now 33. The two decided to sink their own money into the project. They started by making a short pilot version in 2002.

Creating the pilot allowed them to iron out some issues, including whether to accept corporate sponsorship, a strategy that could have provided financing. "We didn't want sponsors to dictate to us," Howick said of the eventual decision to decline sponsorship. "Our perspective was as moms and reporters. The medical professionals would have had conflicts, too."

Denis Leduc, a Montreal pediatrician, agreed to come onboard as the project's medical adviser. Nurses and new parents also readily co-operated, the women said. Leduc is an associate professor at the McGill University Health Centre and practises at the Royal Victoria

Hospital's department of neonatology. He agreed a video was an ideal tool, even better than a book or the information given out by hospitals.

Montreal Family Therapist Vikki Stark participated in the video's segment that sensitizes new parents to the impact of a baby on a couple's relationship. "Many fathers feel left out of the intense relationship between mother and child," she said. "It (the video) touches on a wide variety of really fundamental issues."

With the help of cameraman and editor Robert St-Onge, Liandrea Productions completed the first version of Bringing Baby Home at the end of 2003. A French version came out shortly after.
At about an hour long, the video is narrated by Castelino and Howick, with appearances by new parents and newborns, nurses and pediatricians.

Subjects run the gamut from what to expect in a baby's appearance (don't worry, puffy eyes at first are normal) to diapering, holding an infant, vaccinations, breastfeeding and sleeping habits.
With the final cut in hand, Castelino and Howick started cold-calling potential retailers, including pharmacies and toy stores. They also contacted CLSCs, childbirth educators, doctor's offices and hospitals. They started selling the video through a Liandrea Productions Web site, which the women hope to turn into a resource centre.

But the biggest coup came recently, when the Canadian division of Wal-Mart agreed to start carrying the DVD version this month. Bringing Baby Home will be part of the retailer's baby registry in Canada as of this spring.

Castelino and Howick say they've learned what they know about running a business by doing it, from the graphic design of their product cover to legal disclaimers, accounting and marketing. They recently hired two public relations professionals, but still do most of the legwork themselves, including stuffing mailing envelopes.Each woman has a basement home office off the family playroom where they squeeze in work between their other responsibilities.

At the moment, Liandrea Productions is putting the finishing touches on a U.S. edition by modifying Canadian references, including metric measurements, vaccination practices and car-seat rules. 
Given the positive response to their first video, the women are determined to follow up with others. "We've had requests for specific topics, like asthma, recovering from a C-section," Howick said. A common thread will remain reassuring new parents they are not alone when they take their baby home and ask themselves, "now what?"

"It's a myth that you will be awash with all you need to know about taking care of a newborn," Castelino said. "It's just not the case."

Bringing Baby Home features infants from birth to 6 months.
Cost: $24.95 for home use only; $49.95 for professionals and instructors; $149.95 for hospitals, libraries and other institutions. Discounts are available for certain hospital auxiliaries for fundraising purposes.

MUHC ENSEMBLE
June 2004

BRINGING BABY HOME
VIDEO FOR NEW PARENTS
By Cheryl-Anne Simoneau

What happens when you combine two soon-to-be new moms with a background in film and journalism who find themselves in a prenatal class watching ancient videos on child birth and child care? Well, if you are as lucky as we are here at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), you get a brand new video, made on the premises using the latest technology and geared to Canadian new moms to be.

Following the birth of her first child in 1997 Lianne Castelino approached her former colleague, and also a new mom, from CFCF-TV, Andrea Howick, to collaborate on the video Bringing Baby Home. The end result is an educational video that helps to empower new parents. It has received many rave reviews from leading pediatricians in Montreal.

Bringing Baby Home is a step-by-step visual guide on caring for a baby from birth to six months. It is packed with demonstrations and interviews from some of Montréal's leading medical experts. Dr. Denis Leduc is the video's medical advisor, a MUHC pediatrician and associate professor of Pediatrics at McGill University. His participation has ensured that all the information contained in the video is accurate and up to date. Some of the topics include the basics, such as anatomy, how to hold the baby, breastfeeding, hygiene and sleep, postpartum care, physical changes, and the impact on the family including a segment that provides information for fathers. Howick also points out "that it is not just for first time parents; the video is also a great refresher course. Castelino and Howick both agree that the video "is like having a private prenatal class in your own home."

"The feedback has been phenomenally positive," says Castelino. "So we know our video is helping many new parents." The video also features a unique element - car seat installation tips from CAA-Quebec. Because it is available in a DVD format as well, one can quickly navigate to the section of interest.

Most of the video was filmed at the MUHC Royal Victoria Hospital site. Other locations include St. Mary's Hospital and the Sir Mortimer B. Jewish General Hospital.

Bringing Baby Home is available at the MUHC Royal Victoria Ross Gift Shop on Ross 1, St. Mary's Hospital, and at the Sir Mortimer B. Jewish General Hospital. You can also purchase a copy online. Cost: For non-teaching purposes, $24.95; for use as a teaching tool in a medical clinic or pre-natal class, $49.95; and for use as a teaching tool in a hospital, $149.95.

PULSE News, Montreal - MARCH 2004

JGH teams up with Montreal production company to empower new parents. New how-to video series to address needs of parents, caregivers and childcare specialists.

Parenting is likely the toughest job anyone will ever have. Liandrea Productions, a new Montreal production company, has teamed up with various Montreal hospitals, including the Sir Mortimer B. Davis - Jewish General Hospital, to take some of the anxiety out of infant care with the launch of its debut video and DVD entitled Bringing Baby Home.

Liandrea Productions was founded by local broadcast journalists Lianne Castelino and Andrea Howick, both mothers with a passion for parenting. "While taking pre-natal classes for my first baby, I was struck by how poorly-produced and outdated the intructional videos were. I felt compelled to try and come up with a step-by-step visual guide that would educate and empower parents," said Lianne Castelino.

Bringing Baby Home provides a unique opportunity for parents to get the most comprehensive, up-to-date and practical information available on preparing for and coping with the arrival of their new baby. It is designed to give parents the necessary tools to maximize their infant's health and safety," says Dr. Denis Leduc, renowned Montreal pediatrician, who is the video's medical advisor.
The video features more than 60 minutes of demonstrations and interviews on how to care for a baby from birth to six months, straight from medical and childcare experts at Montreal's major birthing centres: Sir Mortimer B. Davis-Jewish General Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital and St. Mary's Hospital Centre.

Breastfeeding, sleeping, colic and coping are just some of the topics covered. The video also features a unique element, car seat installation tips from CAA Quebec. Many JGH experts are featured, including Dr. Perle Feldman and Dr. Judy Hagshi (Herzl), Francine Finesilver (NICU nurse), Dr. Roberta Shear (Obstetrics and Gynecology) and Dr. Benjamin Burko (Pediatrics).

Bringing Baby Home is available through the JGH Auxiliary (A-018) and at the hospital's flower shop in the main lobby. Proceeds from each sale will benefit the hospital. For more information about buying it at the JGH, please call (514) 340-8216.

Click here to buy the video directly from this website

THE RECORD (Sherbrooke, Quebec) 
Friday, January 16, 2004

Video helps new parents over rough spots

Parenting is likely the toughest job anyone will ever have. A new Montreal production company aims to take some of the anxiety out of infant care with the launch of its debut video and DVD entitled Bringing Baby Home.

Based in Montreal, LIANDREA Productions Inc. was founded in early 2003 by local broadcast journalists Lianne Castelino and Andrea Howick, both mothers with a passion for parenting.
"While taking prenatal classes for my first baby, I was struck by how poorly-produced and outdated the instructional videos were. I felt compelled to try and come up with a step-by-step visual guide that would educate and empower parents," says company president Lianne Castelino.

"Bringing Baby Home provides a unique opportunity for parents to get the most comprehensive, up-to-date and practical information available on preparing for and coping with the arrival of their new baby. It is designed to give parents the necessary tools to maximize their infant's health and safety," says Dr. Denis Leduc, renowned Montreal pediatrician, who is the video's medical advisor.
More than 60 minutes of demonstrations and interviews on how to care for a baby from birth to six months, straight from medical and child-care experts at Montreal's major birthing centres: the Royal Victoria Hospital, Sir Mortimer B. Davis-Jewish General Hospital and St. Mary's Hospital Center. Breastfeeding, sleeping, colic and coping are just some of the topics covered. The video also features a unique element - car seat installation tips from CAA-Quebec.

Bringing Baby Home is available through select hospitals and toy stores in Montreal, and online.

THE TORONTO STAR
October 8, 2004

New baby? Here's how...

Because babies don't arrive with user's guides, a pair of enterprising mothers in Montreal decided to produce a user-friendly instruction manual, in video and DVD formats, for new and expectant parents. After all, even the most maternally inclined mother and domesticated dad don't come automatically equipped with sponge bathing skills.

Bringing Home Baby is the brain child of Lianne Castelino and Andrea Howick, former broadcast journalists and mothers who, between them, have five children under the age of seven.
"I got started with this when I saw parenting videos in the prenatal classes I took and couldn't believe how outdated they were," says Castelino. She saw the value of step-by-step instructions combined with tips, hints, demonstrations and information from medical experts, including the president-elect of the Canadian Pediatrics Society.

The 71-minute plus production covers 120 topics affecting infants from birth to six months in hospital and home settings, including postpartum care, sleeping, breastfeeding and bottle feeding, vaccinations, what to expect at the first check-up and understanding what baby's movements and language mean.

And to begin, there's "Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About A Newborn." Explains Castelino: "We go from head to toe and there's an explanation for each and every single thing."
The video is already being used as a teaching tool by childbirth educators in Ontario and can be ordered from the website.

"There's no other video like this in Canada, or in North America for that matter," says Castlino. "That's what our market research shows and what experts have said."

Liandraproductions Inc. plans to produce more educational videos. Its slogan: Putting Parenting in Focus.

VANCOUVER PROVINCE
Sunday March 28, 2004
By Lynn Mitges, Staff Reporter

Vancouver - First-time parents be warned: that newborn doesn't come with a manual.
New parents often find prenatal care the sole focus for so many months that when they do bring home their new baby, they feel overwhelmed at the checklist of new duties that await.

Layne Christensen was lucky. She had her mother-in-law stay with her when she and her husband Michael Brennan brought home their daughter Olivia, who is now five months ago. And Christensen, a 37-year-old journalist, did a lot of research on her own before Olivia was born. "Still" she says, "I don't think anything can prepare you for when you bring home your baby." Christensen felt comfortable bringing home a newborn but says it was still a totally new routine. "It took some getting used to holding her and bathing her. My husband is very helpful and he's a natural with a baby, so he bathed her for the first few weeks.

A new video is now available for all parents - the confident, the nervous and inexperienced alike - who face this new routine. The video, Bringing Home Baby, was created and developed by two Montreal-based journalists who wanted to take some of the anxiety out of infant care. Company president and co-created Lianne Castelino said the video was sparked by her own frustration.

"While taking pre-natal classes for my first baby, I was struck by how poorly produced and outdated the instructional videos were," Castelino said. "I felt compelled to try to come up with a step-by-step visual guide that would educate and empower parents."

So she and partner Andrea Howick enlisted the expertise of Dr. Denis Leduc, vice-president of the Canadian Pediatric Society and other medical and child-care experts to address common areas of concern, such as understanding what your baby's movements and language mean, breast-feeding and bottle feeding, plus tips for bathing newborns and advice on post-partum care for moms.

The video contains more than 60 minutes of demonstrations and interviews on how to care for a baby from birth to six months. First-time mom-to-be Kristy Ngieng is due in June and says the video is a good start. "It's a good tool to have on hand - and it's designed for people like me who don't have a clue yet." Ngieng says the information on breastfeeding was particularly helpful and the format is ideal. "It's nice to have a visual aid rather than a book," Ngieng said. "It helped me feel relaxed and reassured." Ngieng said the explanations are clear and concise and she'll probably end up viewing it again and again as her delivery date nears.

THE CHRONICLE - West End Edition
Wednesday February 18, 2004

HELPING YOU BRING YOUR BABY HOME
Innovative video by NDG women helps educate new mothers
By Melanie Porco

With hospital stays shrinking after the birth of children, parents are often left a little shaky when bringing their newborn home. Fortunately, two NDG women are changing that with a series of educational videos and DVDs.

"I came up with the idea seven years ago," says Lianne Castelino of the debut video and DVD, 'Bringing Baby Home'. "When I was going to my pre-natal classes at St. Mary's, my husband and I watched a breastfeeding video. It was about 15 years old and poorly produced. We kept wondering 'Why are we watching this?'" explained Castelino.

As president of Liandrea Productions, Castelino founded the company with fellow local broadcast journalist and mother of two, Andrea Howick in early 2003, aiming to produce educational videos that could easily take the anxiety out of infant care.

'Bringing Baby Home' is a 71-minute how-to guide for new parents, for kids aged from birth until six months. It includes basics like information bout a newborn's size, to the umbilical cord. Aspects of feeding, hygiene and sleep, along with coping and the role of a new father are also covered.

"Hospital time is shrinking," said Castelino, a mother of two, and expecting her third child in a month. "You watch the nurses do everything and think, 'Oh, I can do that,' but when you get home with your baby you've already forgotten."

'Bringing Baby Home' is also easily referenced. "The information is in sizeable nuggets. It's very new-oriented, meaning it gets to the point," explained Castelino. "We needed people who were able to explain simply and quickly."

Claire Velan, who participated in the video with her husband and now nine-month-old daughter Emma, agrees. “It’s good to have something like this on video because you can go back to it,” she said. “It’s like a pre-natal class on tape.”

'Bringing Baby Home' also includes segments with professionals like Dr. Denis Leduc and family therapist Vikki Stark, as we as car-safety tips from CAA.

"I was pretty much scared about everything when I brought Emma for her one week checkup," said Velan, and NDG resident. "The doctor said, 'I'll check her legs,' and I was like, 'No! Why her legs? What's wrong with them?' It's all just stuff that Dr. Leduc covers in the video that I wish I would have known before."

Although Castelino began making business presentations right after the birth of her first son, the project didn’t get off the ground until last year. “Everyone thought it was a great idea, but at that time hospitals were going through major changes in the health-care system and it just wasn’t right.”
Years later Castelino met Howick. “I needed a partner who would be interested in what I wanted to do and Andrea shares that with me,” said Castelino.

As for more in the future from these NDG women, Castelino said, “We want to do three or four videos a year. We’re actually going to be starting shortly. We want to hit different age groups, like toilet training and your baby’s nutrition.”

"Bringing Baby Home' is available through the ladies' auxiliaries at both the Jewish General Hospital and Royal Victoria Hospital, in addition to the Ross Gift Shop at the Royal Victoria. It is also available at KidLink, 5604 Mondkland Ave., and online.

WEST ISLAND NEWS
21 January, 2004 Tips for Parents
By Miranda Wray – The Chronicle

New mothers fear not, baby blues will be no more with an instructional video available for parents worried about bringing their newborn home for ht first time. Montreal-based company Liandrea Productions Inc. has released a parenting-tips video, called Bringing Baby Home, which is now available to inquiring new parents.

Andree Turgeon, a Kirkland resident and a nurse at the Lakeshore General Hospital, articipated in the Bringing Baby Home video. She agreed to be featured in the film just after the birth of her fourth child. Her baby girl Corinne starred in the sponge-bath tutorial section of the film and Turgeon was filmed showing new mothers the ease with which C-section stitches can be removed.

"Bringing Baby Home is a good way to show new parents who to do when they bring a new baby home. It shows (new parents) what to expect, and answers some important questions about health and general care.” Turgeon, although a veteran when it comes to parenting, said the video is helpful. “It gives really good tricks and tips and it’s a really good refresher,” she said.

Dr. Benjamin Burko, a pediatrician for Tiny Tots Medical Centre in Dollard des Ormeaux, has sent he film himself, along with his wife. “The film is better than any pamphlet. It offers visuals and interviews with real people.” While Burko doesn’t have the video readily available in his clinic, he does highly recommend it to his patients.

Lianne Castelino and Andrea Howick – both local broadcast journalists and mothers – founded Liandrea Productions Inc. with mother in mind. The two women realized that parenting videos and advice were outdated and due for a change.

The film runs about 70 minutes and covers everything from actual footage of childbirth to bathing tips once you bring your baby home. There is even a section on car-seat installation tips provided by CAA-Quebec for inquisitive travellers’ little ones. The footage was filmed in Montreal-area hospitals as well as local homes. Advice on the video is given from medical and child-care experts as well as local Montrealers with newborns.

The video (DVD or VHS), is now available at Montreal’s major birthing centers: St. Mary’s Hospital, Royal Victoria Hospital and Jewish General Hospital. Bringing Baby Home can also be ordered online or by calling (514) 483.0045.

TOP

Yummy in my Tummy DVD from The Liandrea Company helps Canadians raise healthy, happy eaters
Nov 4, 2008

AWARD-WINNING MONTREAL PRODUCERS LAUNCH PARENTING RADIO SHOW
May 11, 2007

CANADIAN PARENTING DVD WINS ANOTHER PRESTIGIOUS AWARD!
March 13, 2007

YUMMY IN MY TUMMY! A NATIONAL PARENTING CENTER SEAL OF APPROVAL WINNER
August 29, 2006

THE LIANDREA COMPANY RELEASE YUMMY IN MY TUMMY!
May 11, 2006

THE LIANDREA COMPANY FACTS SHEET
April 24, 2006

NEW MOM-MADE DOCTOR-APPROVED DVD ‘Bringing Baby Home' HELPS EASE STRESS OF NEW PARENTS
April 25, 2005

"2005 PARENTS’ CHOICE APPROVED SEAL AWARDED TO CANADA’S Bringing Baby Home"
March 18, 2005

"UPSTART FIRM RUN BY TWO MOTHERS HOOKS UP WITH WAL-MART CANADA"
February 14, 2005

"MONTREAL COMPANY LAUNCHES UNIQUE TEACHING TOOL WITH FIRST QUEBEC MADE VISUAL GUIDE FOR NEW PARENTS"
December 7, 2004

"Bringing Baby Home" VIDEO PICTURE PERFECT FOR SEARS PORTRAIT STUDIOS
November 1, 2004

MONTREAL PRODUCTION COMPANY EMPOWERS PARENTS WITH NEW HOW-TO VIDEO SERIES
June 1, 2004

MONTREAL PRODUCTION COMPANY EMPOWERS PARENTS WITH NEW HOW-TO VIDEO SERIES
January 22, 2004

TOP

Dietitians of Canada
August 2008 Volume 9 Issue 8
Author: Krista Wadden

This is an excellent, informative DVD about feeding your baby from four to twelve months of life. The range of the contents is vast and the DVD goes into detail about many of the possible questions new parents would ask about allergies, food intolerances, and making homemade baby foods. There is an adequate amount of depth in the contents, but not an overwhelming amount of information for new parents

This resource is designed for new parents interested in learning more about what to expect with regards to eating for their new baby from 6 to 12 months of age. It is an easy to follow resource as there are sections highlighted for what to expect when feeding begins with babies. At the end of each section, the main points are highlighted and reviewed, which is quite helpful in reminding the audience what was taught throughout that section. The author has not introduced new material, however has introduced a well-organized, concise report of feeding your baby. The author explains cues on when babies are ready to eat, how to make homemade foods for babies, when to start different food groups and textures, and also gives a variety of options for parents when preparing foods for their baby (such as vegetarian options). There is also a paediatrician who is interviewed throughout the DVD and he addresses many important issues that parents bring to his attention such as constipation, food allergies, anemia, and the importance of vitamin D for babies. The content is very accurate and would be a useful resource for all new parents.

TODAY'S PARENT
Pregnancy & Birth Canada’s Magazine for Expectant Parents
Winter 2004

Bringing Baby Home
by Susan Spicer

In Bringing Baby Home, Montreal-based Lianne Castelino and Andrea Howick, who are both mothers and journalists, have produced film that is an excellent first look into the world of baby care. They’ve obviously done their research. The advice – from a paediatrician, lactation consultants, a family counsellor and a number of very warm and experienced postpartum nurses – is consistent with current Canadian recommendations. Equally important, it reflects a gentle parenting style that is responsive to a baby’s needs. There’s also the voice of experience here: compelling interviews with new parents who are quite candid about the ups and downs of new parenthood.

But the most valuable information in this film is contained in the tutorials on such aspects of baby care as breastfeeding, bathing a baby and using a car seat properly. A picture really is worth a thousand words sometimes. The opportunity to see a newborn receive a sponge bath with careful, detailed commentary or a car seat properly installed, is invaluable. In another sequence, we watch a baby’s first check-up and hear McGill University paediatrician Denis Leduc explain what he’s looking for as he examines the baby.

The film would have benefited from more careful structuring in places. There are a few awkward moments when advice is abruptly introduced in an odd place or repeated needlessly. But these are minor quibbles. This I an excellent primer that, ideally, parents will watch before their baby arrives. To order, visit the website: liandreaproductions.com or call 1-866-483-0045,

PARENTBOOKS.CA
October 27, 2004

Bringing Baby Home: From Birth to Six Months, a How-To Guide for New Parents.
Liandrea Productions, $24.99 VHS or DVD format

This Canadian 2004 production is a wonderful, reassuring and empowering guide for new parents. With 60 minutes of hints, tips and demonstrations from medical experts and childcare specialists plus answers to frequently asked questions, Bringing Baby Home includes:

Getting to Know Your Baby

• Understanding Baby's Language
• Helping Baby Sleep Better
• Bathing Newborns
• Recognizing Baby's Hunger Signals
• Breastfeeding
• Infant Massage
• Changing Relationships

Bringing Baby Home can be ordered online.

TORONTO FAMILIES
November 2004

What's New, What's Different?

Andrea Howick and Lianne Castelio sure know how to appeal to the mothers of newborns. That's the target audience of their highly infomative video Bringing Baby Home. Maybe it's because these mompreneurs have five chldren between them. They saw a need for a video that addressed the multitude of concerns mothers have about their newborns. The video tackles the most common questions, touching on everything from breastfeeding to the umbilical cord to sleep patterns, colds, fever, colic and vaccinations. Health care professionals led by Dr. Denis Leduc of the Canadian Paediatric Society provide the core information. Also available in French.

Bringing Baby Home can be ordered online.

TOP

© Copyright 2009 Liandrea Productions Inc. All rights reserved.
Maintained by WSI - Montreal web design.