If your child has a heart defect, you are not alone.
One of every 100 children born today will be born with some kind of congenital
heart defect.
For over 10 years, Baby Hearts Press has been dedicated to bringing information
to families
affected by CHDs.
Our books are designed to be reader-friendly sources of information,
NOT to be used in place of qualified medical advice.
Books available at BHP
Click on books for more information
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: A Handbook for Parents
.
BHP’s most popular book.
"Very informative, easy to understand"
"I would highly recommend this book for parents facing this serious heart
defect with their child. It is very encouraging and helps prepare parents for
the road they will face with their child."
"If you are expecting a child with HLHS this is one book you will want to have.
If you know someone who is expecting a baby with HLHS consider this book as a
gift - they will certainly appreciate it."
My Brother Needs An Operation
BHP’s first children’s book. A book for the whole family.
"This is a story about a young boy needing open heart surgery and how it
relates to his brother. It deals with feelings, and with staying with relatives
while his brother is in hospital, plus more. It is a wonderfully told story,
with questions to ask your own child as you read through it together. I found
the tips for parents especially helpful and the back of the book has activities
for the sibling/s to do while the brother/sister is in the hospital."
The Heart of a Mother
A book of essays by women around the world affected by congenital heart defects.
Dive into this incredible collection of stories by over 60 inspirational women
who have dealt with CHDs and shared their amazing stories with us. This book is
a must read for anyone involved with families living with CHDs.
Discover how women feel from the point of discovery of the CHD, through
the surgeries often needed, to how they find and give support to others
and their family and on to their hopes for the future. Can a child born with a
CHD lead a normal life? How will having a child with a CHD change your life?
This book answers those questions and more.
Heart of a Father
Essays by Men Affected by Congenital Heart Defects.
"
I think that those who read this book are being presented with a very balanced
perspective on what it is to love someone with a CHD and how to go about making
decisions related to their care.
"
"
The most important parts of the book are the ones that describe the later
periods, the ones after the initial diagnosis and early surgeries. It gives
hope for a future, albeit not one free of cares and trials. It does show that
people do successfully contend with jobs, with outside responsibilities, with
balky and contentious insurance companies, with caring for other children, and
maybe most importantly with coming to the realization that couples can and do
have more children that are quite “normal.”
"
Please click
Here
to visit The Heart of a Father website, where you'll find the book signing
schedule, news releases, and more pictures from the authors!
The Heart’s Gift by Jodi Davis
A memoir by a bereaved mother for sale by Baby Hearts Press.
BHP’s Celtic Heart Pin
designed by Sue Dove
BHP’s first lapel pin
designed by Anna Jaworski
Baby Hearts Press Posters
11 Things I Wish My Child’s Doctor Knew
8 1/2” x 11” Poster
by Anna Jaworski
What It Means To Be The Parent of a Child with a Congenital Heart Defect
8 1/2” x 11” Poster
by Anna Jaworski
Rajo Danger!
A Short Story by Alex Jaworski
(at 6 years of age)
Did you know? Baby Hearts Press
has a blog! Anna is writing about
changes with BHP, what's
going on with Alex (who has HLHS) and
how The Heart of a Father is
progressing. For the lastest
news, click
here.
If you'd like more information on Anna's qualifications as an author and public
speaker, click
HERE
.
In October 2008, Anna spoke at the American Heart Association
Heart
Heroes Conference
in Panama City, FL. Her talk has been made into a DVD, which you can order
here
In 2007, Anna was the keynote speaker at the Heart Heroes conference. The
talks she gave are now available as a DVD!
You can hear Anna’s keynote address "Raising a Child with a Congenital
Heart Defect: The Balancing Act." Anna discusses the changes we go through as
families as our children grow up and what we need to be aware of so that we can
all have a quality life. Handouts to accompany the speech are available to
download
here
.
Anna's second speech, "My Child's Bright Future" discusses the way our children
with CHDs in the year 2007 DO have a bright future. She
gives some tips for how to ensure our children have a bright future despite
their heart defects. Anna's Ten Tips for Helping Your Child Have a Bright
Future
(covering 3 different stages of development) is available
here
.
Click
here
to see how you can order a copy
of this DVD.
Have you ever wondered what causes hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS)?
As the mother of a child with HLHS, I have wondered what causes this rare heart
defect. I have done a lot of research, attended conferences and spoken to
doctors about
HLHS. We have mused together about potential causes and in the past most of the
doctors I spoke
with seemed to feel that it was not something simple. They seemed to feel that
it was probably caused by
a combination of genetic and environmental factors. For a while, there were
some research
projects about HLHS being caused by a virus. I never saw a finished report on
those studies and a
cursory search on Google did not reveal any such study.
What do we know for certain? Are parents to “blame” for their children’s heart
defects? Could
they have been avoided? What guarantee do we have that our children’s children
will not have the
same heart defect?
What do we know?
click
here
for the rest of the article by Anna Jaworski
Remember to be careful with babies and children who have had open-heart surgery
and are on medications (aspirin or Digoxin, for example). Some common
over-the-counter cold medications should not be given with certain drug
combinations. Always check with your pediatrician, and possibly your pediatric
cardiologist, when in doubt.
Links to Internet Sites You May Find Helpful
The material in this site is provided for educational and
informational purposes only. This site and BHP products should not
be substituted for professional care or attention by a qualified
practitioner. Always check with a medical professional if you have
any questions or concerns about a specific condition and always check
with your doctor before making any changes in care based on what you
might read at this site or elsewhere. You can contact Anna Jaworski at
ajaworski@aol.com
should you have any questions or comments about this website.
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