watch those rice buddies!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NaturesGift]

I got a lil baby yesterday the finder seemed so smart had the baby with a rice buddie b4 she even called. I didnt worry and I suppose I should have!

when I opened his blankies in the basket he was in I noticed his lil feet were literally glowing red. I scooped him up and held him and he was really warm. as he cooled in my hands well I waited to meet another person with a baby the redness left.

but you can see the outcome.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk194/natureagift2/2011/DSCF1170.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk194/natureagift2/2011/DSCF1171.jpg

so If your a newbie squirrel finder... when you heat rice buddies they may feel ok to you! but they can have hotter patches. massage the rice bag evenly spread the warmth. And same as you do for formula test the warmth on your wrist!!!

Rehabbers when you get calls double check and be very sure you explain how to properly use a rice bag!

ty! I just dont want another baby to end up like mine. he is in allot of pain.

M

[mpetys]

Good advice. Another thing is be careful when telling someone how long to heat the rice buddy in the microwave. The other person's microwave may not heat the same as ours and they could end up with a rice buddy that is too warm (or hot) or not warm enough.

Poor baby!

[Best Life]

Oh no! Poor little baby. :grouphug I hope he heals very, very quickly and the damage is not permanent. Thank goodness you got him when you did!

This is an excellent subject to be addressing, and if it hasn't already been done, maybe the current written instructions could be revised with even more detail as well.

For most of us, making and using a rice buddy is a common sense issue. For someone who is dealing with their first baby (or their first living thing EVER), these little details about heat time and heat distribution are SO IMPORTANT. Personally, my microwave heats extremely fast, and it took some time to get used to.

Also, massaging (or as I call it, squishing around) the rice buddy not only distributes the heat more evenly, it will give the caregiver a better chance to get a feel for how hot it really is before sharing it with a baby.

Thank you for posting this, Mandie, and to Michele for bringing up the wattage issue. First the poor, chilled bat, and now this!

[island rehabber]

:goodpost Silvadene will be perfect for those feetsies, if you have some, Mand :thumbsup
I find that you really really have to spell it out for members of the public when giving them instructions with these babies. I told a really nice businessman (showed up in an Armani suit, in a BMW) to put the four babies he found in his attic "in a box with T-shirts and a Ziploc bag of hot water to keep them warm". Mr. Captain of the Universe presented me with a giant Costco grapes box that had an unsealed Ziploc in the middle,
with all the water -- now cold -- leaking out. The four babies were in the four corners of the box trying to escape the cold water....:shakehead

You Gotta Spell it Out.

[NaturesGift]

its true. poor lil guy gets poopie on himself and I dont wanna hurt him rubbing it off.

using herbal remedies. but will get some silvadene on him as well.

[Scooterzmom]

One more thing to remember is that microwaves keep on cooking for at least 2 to 3 minutes after the microwave stops - that's why the instructions usually say let stand for x amount of time after cooking anything. So, just remember that the heat you feel when you take it out is actually less than what it will be in two minutes or so.

[Gina]

:thankyou Great advise.

[stosh2010]

:thankyou Great advise.
Wonderful suggestion...
I learned it --personally-- when I used a large rice-buddy on my sore neck--It got warmer and warmer for almost 3 minutes...I was very careful after that with MIRA. ( R.I.P. )

[Charley Chuckles]

OMG I want to throw up ....I usually tell anyone not to use them and if possible wrap then put them on your chest ...I just hate it...even the heating pads :shakehead had someone over heat a baby OMG she even heard it crying :soapbox didn't know to only put the pad 1/4 way under the box :osnap yes she felt awful but now she feels really bad knowing she killed the poor baby :shakehead ......I just feel we need to tell people to put then in their shirts till they get better instructions :dono
Sorry but this really upsets me :sanp3

[bobby taylor]

I dont know whether anyone mentioned it or not, but its good to wrap the rice buddie in something such as fleece or a soft small towell so the direct heat wont be right on their skin.

[bobby taylor]

Abby, My wife put them under her bra. Be careful not to over heat them depending on the size of heaters installed.....Some heaters work better than others.....just had to say it.

[stosh2010]

Our hands are one way to test the heat...
BUT !!! better to place the rice buddy on your CHEEK...your FACE is as sensitive as a BABY squirrel.

1- heat in microwave
2- remove and squish the RICE all around inside the sock
3- wait two minutes
4- squish again and place on the side of YOUR face....
Is it comfortable??? or maybe a TAD HOT ???

If it's hot...wait 2 or 3 more minutes...and repeat step #4

A baby squirrel usually can not tell you he is in pain...

[I Love Lucy]

Now that both baby seasons are over and all my winter guests are tucked in, I finally have time to add to this post. I got this pinkie in the spring and you can see she looked perfect. She was in a shoe box with fleece and a rice buddy big enough to keep me warm. She was 100% for the first 5 days and then the peeling from the burns started. She ended up losing over 50% of her skin from the burns and heartbreakingly her life after 10 days. She fought so hard eating like a champ, until the shock to her body overtook her.

I have since told people if they are going to use a rice buddy it must be an infant sized sock only and to use several layers of socks (cable tied together at open end) so babies cant wiggle thru to get right next to or on top of it.

[ALittleNutty]

:goodpost and :grouphug:grouphug:grouphug to you on this loss. Hopefully sharing this will keep others from going through such a terrible experience.

[Mephisto]

Wow.... This is completely preventable and extremely heartbreaking to watch, really you baby pull through:eek:eek:eek

[pappy1264]

OMG, that poor little one! I am so very sorry. Yes, I keep all my daughters sox she outgrew specifically for this purpose, and then I also put then into a pair of those stretchy gloves, as well, perfect size!

[kastillo]

Now that both baby seasons are over and all my winter guests are tucked in, I finally have time to add to this post. I got this pinkie in the spring and you can see she looked perfect. She was in a shoe box with fleece and a rice buddy big enough to keep me warm. She was 100% for the first 5 days and then the peeling from the burns started. She ended up losing over 50% of her skin from the burns and heartbreakingly her life after 10 days. She fought so hard eating like a champ, until the shock to her body overtook her.

I have since told people if they are going to use a rice buddy it must be an infant sized sock only and to use several layers of socks (cable tied together at open end) so babies cant wiggle thru to get right next to or on top of it.

Those pictures... make me so sad, I'm very sorry about your little one... especially after a fight like that... pinkies can be surprisingly resilient, she fought hard....
So very very sorry for you and the baby. My condolences.

[Charley Chuckles]

OMG this is horrifying :shakehead I am always so afraid of the heat, even when they have fur, that I keep checking on them :sanp3 Not that anything would work when they are so badly burnt, but keep Silvadne on hand it is for burns, but it helps with cat bites and all other sores and scratches (even on humans) :thumbsup

[Madamelipstick]

This is why I love this place. I would much rather learn from someone else's mistake instead of making one myself. They are just so tender.

[ALittleNutty]

My trick for a rice buddy is to take a men's tube sock and put about 1/3 cup of rice in it, twist 3 times then fold it over, twist 3 times again and fold over again. This keeps the rice in place and there are 3 layers in between the baby and rice buddy. It's important to fold over twice so the smooth side of the sock ends up being on the outside and the loops that could catch small nails is to the inside. I store my rice buddies in the freezer in between seasons to keep the bugs out.

[island rehabber]

:goodpost

[ALittleNutty]

:goodpost :thankyou I :Love_Icon the sharing of ideas here at TSB.

[njoy46]

omg I just put them right inside my shirt when I find a baby.. Body heat is so much better and they instantly just cuddle up and
feel and home. I have done this with squirrels, bunnies and even baby birds. My family thinks I am crazy but I love animals and will do
anything for them..:hug:hug