'MUST READ' ARTICLESWell Worth the Read
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October 14, 2011Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff
BPA-Free? Not Exactly.
The Associated Press reported that the American Chemistry Council has asked federal regulators to phase out rules which allow BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups. Sounds good, right? But this request may “head off tougher laws that would ban the chemical from other types of packaging,” according to the AP.Not so good.And last week, Chemical & Engineering News reported on a recent study that found people absorb BPA through their skin through coated paper products like cash register receipts. The study, conducted by New York state public health laboratory Wadsworth Center, tested 83 receipts from seven U.S. cities and found BPA in all of them—even ones labeled “BPA-free.”Why is keeping up with BPA news so important to us at Healthy Child Healthy World? California Watch, founded by the Center for Investigative Reporting, published a pretty comprehensive answer last week when they reported a study released in the journal Molecular Endocrinology that found BPA may cause changes in breast tissue, predisposing animals to breast cancer.Add that to a study recently reported by Environmental Health News, which showed gene alterations in newborn male rats exposed to BPA that had lasting affects on reproductive hormones when they reached adulthood. The takeaway? Yet another piece added to a growing pie of research that links the chemical to reproductive problems in animals—including humans.The frightening thing is when you connect the dots to another study reported by Environmental Health News last week, which found that when pregnant rats are exposed to BPA, levels of the substance are higher in the fetus than the mother.So why isn’t the FDA banning BPA—along with food colorants and other chemicals that scientists are increasingly reporting aren’t safe for people, let alone kids? The Atlantic Monthly just published an interesting summary of the answer, which comes down to two things: science and politics.The Atlantic Monthly article also echoed what Healthy Child Healthy World has been saying for years: In the absence of legislation, parents have to do their own homework to protect their families.And we have to take our concerns directly to manufacturers to let them know what we want. We’re still collecting signatures on our petition to tell Campbell’s soup that BPA in their cans is not “M’m, Mm Good.”Petitions like these got BPA out of baby bottles and sippy cups. Let’s work together to get it out of our world.
October 3, 2011
Childhood obesity is an epidemic. In the US, 1 preschooler in 5 is at least overweight, and half of these are obese. Breastfeeding helps protect against childhood obesity. A baby's risk of becoming an overweight child goes down with each month of breastfeeding. In the US, most babies start breastfeeding, but within the first week, half have already been given formula, and by 9 months, only 31% of babies are breastfeeding at all. Hospitals can either help or hinder mothers and babies as they begin to breastfeed. The Baby- Friendly Hospital Initiative describes Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding that have been shown to increase breastfeeding rates by providing support to mothers. Unfortunately, most US hospitals do not fully support breastfeeding; they should do more to make sure mothers can start and continue breastfeeding.
Latest FindingsMost hospitals do not fully support breastfeeding.Breastfeeding helps protect against childhood obesity and other illnesses, and lowers medical costs.- The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends babies be fed nothing but breast milk for about the first 6 months and continue breastfeeding for at least 1 year.
- Babies who are fed formula and stop breastfeeding early have higher risks of obesity, diabetes, respiratory and ear infections, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and tend to require more doctor visits, hospitalizations, and prescriptions.
- Low rates of breastfeeding add $2.2 billion a year to medical costs.
- Mothers who breastfeed have lower risks of breast and ovarian cancers.
Hospitals should do more to help mothers start and continue breastfeeding.- Hospitals that wait to start the first breastfeed, or separate babies from mothers, or routinely give formula to breastfeeding babies make it harder for mothers and babies to be able to breastfeed.
- When hospitals support mothers to feed their babies only breast milk, it helps mothers to continue feeding only breast milk at home.
Baby-Friendly hospitals make special efforts to support mothers to breastfeed.- The World Health Organization/UNICEF Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, recognizes hospitals that follow the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.
- When hospitals have more of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding in place, mothers breastfeed longer.
The Baby-Friendly Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding- Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
- Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.
- Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
- Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth.
- Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation, even if they are separated from their infants.
- Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated.
- Practice "rooming in"— allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.
- Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
- Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants.
- Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.
Making Cloth Diapers Work In A Busy Lifeby Michelle of Simplify, Live, LoveMichelle wrote about cloth diapers, too - with a great, picture-loaded tutorial. Here’s a little about why she chose cloth diapers and then click-through for her tutorial!Did you know that 28 BILLION disposable diapers are buried in landfills each year in the United States?! That’s a staggering number. I knew before I had my first child that I did not want to add to the trash heap. I was glad when my knowledgeable midwife was able to give me the low-down on cloth diapers and I used them from the get-go. As far as I can tell, the benefits of cloth diapers are many. They can be reused (over and over as I’ve proven by using the same diapers on 4 babies), they save money, and they are non-toxic.
HOW TO EAT HEALTHY WHEN YOU'RE ON THE GO?
Changing
pump speed several times during pumping—or multi-phase
pumping—provides extra stimulation (like the breastfeeding baby) without
unproductive changes in suction that can decrease milk output.
Pediatric allergist,
Ben Feingold,
was the first prominent doctor to link the relationship between diet
and behavioral problems with children – specifically food additives
(such as food dyes), among other foods. His findings were reinforced in
2007 after research from the University of Southampton found a direct
connection between behavior and food dyes.
Some foods will be harder than others to cut out. What do you think will be the hardest for your family to give up?
The Midwives and Mothers in Action (MAMA) Campaign expresses our
sincerest appreciation to Congresswoman Pingree and celebrates this
milestone in the history of direct-entry midwifery in the United States.
Anne E. Kornblut
If a woman does not have an FSA, she can itemize her taxes and deduct
breast-feeding equipment costs, as long as her overall out-of-pocket
medical costs exceed 7.5 percent of her income. Only about one-third of
taxpayers itemize their taxes. In no case will breast-milk equipment
receive a tax credit, the IRS said.
In
response to today’s decision, Senators Merkley and Harkin and Reps. Levin
and Maloney released the following statement:
.
Robin
Schepper, executive director of "Let's Move," told Politics Daily, Mrs.
Obama wants to increase breastfeeding rates but "is not telling women
to breastfeed ... but wants to make it easier for moms by encouraging
hospitals to change practices so after a baby is born, the baby is in
the room with them."
*Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) is
However, the effects on those test scores appeared to be much
stronger for boys than for girls, Oddy and co-authors reported online in
The researchers matched these data with standardized test scores in
mathematics, reading, writing, and spelling for 1,038 of these children.
RUDE AWAKENING
There's
That didn't slow him down in the least. Andy continued his rant, which literally went on for 12 minutes. I was impressed.
Now Andy was impressed.
, and to a
USBC
United States Breastfeeding Committee
Dr. James Murphy
The father's role in this relationship is very important. The father of the baby can help to create a situation where mother and baby can be together. Many fathers fear that they won't be able to bond with the baby without feeding bottles. This is very far from the truth. Bonding doesn't occur through the ingestion of food through plastic. Bonding occurs through a physically, loving relationship. There are many ways for a father to connect to his new infant. Bringing the baby to the mother to breastfeed is a great way to demonstrate to the baby that the father can, in fact, meet his baby's needs. His baby will be well aware of the fact that daddy is the transportation to the food. Changing diapers, bathing, holding, carrying in a sling, singing, touching, massaging and just loving the baby are all ways that a father can bond with his baby. These are all crucial ways that a new father can develop a loving, trustful relationship with his child.
increase and this results in the woman's milk production or lactation.
milk. And, so the circular feeding pattern and production of milk
Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) of Virtual Breastfeeding Help
The problem arose when rescue personnel on the ground in Haiti realized that there were no more facilities to store donated milk, nor the infrastructure to distribute it to where it might be needed
Tears immediately began welling up in my eyes. I began to speak without thinking..."Yes!" I said, "when can we pick him up?" Less than 2 hours later we put this precious little child into the back seat of our van. The car seat overwhelmed his tiny bent body. He hardly made a sound. It was as if he had fallen from heaven's gate into our lives.
August 12, 2009
