Artificial Materials and Cloth Diapering

Artificial Materials and Cloth Diapering

by Marc Pehkonen, Lori Taylor
fuzbaby
FireFly Diapers

For centuries, naturally occurring absorbent materials were used for diapering infants. These were probably picked from local fibers, easily available, and could have included materials as diverse as moss and linen. Then, in the 20th century, the amazingly rapid development of artificial materials heralded an almost total switch in the West from cloth diapering to disposables. Highly engineered absorbent gels and processed wood pulp replaced reusable natural fibers. Although the vast majority accepted these changes as the inevitable (and even admirable) progress of technology, a small percentage continued to use cloth diapers.

Perhaps you are among those parents choosing to use cloth diapers because you reject the use of artificial materials. You may be concerned to see that such materials are showing up in popular cloth diapering products. Common man-made materials may be a health threat, including polyester fibers, vinyl and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane laminate (PUL), and durable water repellent finishes (DWR).

Introducing Polyester

Polyester was created in a laboratory just 60 years ago, during World War II. It gained popularity as an apparel fiber, particularly in the 1950s, under trade names such as Dacron. It may have become a joke by the 1970s, but it remains, in its various forms, one of the most popular fibers used in clothing.

Polyester is the artificial fiber most commonly blended with cotton, where it is added to reduce cost, speed up drying times, decrease the tendency to wrinkle and improve wear-resistance. Unblended, it is used in a variety of fabrics, including the ubiquitous polyester fleece. In addition, there is a new type of polyester fiber that is made from 100% recycled soda bottles (PET on the bottle stands for polyethylene terephthalate, or polyester). The argument is made that this is a plastic fiber that apparently helps the environment.

You might think, therefore, that water-repellant, 100% recycled polyester fleece would be a good candidate for a diaper cover, and that a soft, poly-cotton blend might make a good diaper. That such a combination would function adequately is not really at issue. The point is that polyester is not the wonder fiber its manufacturers claim.

The use of certain polymeric silicones as cosmetic implants ended in a successful lawsuit against Dow-Corning; the vinyl industry is the subject of mounting litigation (and a critical documentary, the independently-made Blue Vinyl, which aired on HBO in June 2002); and now even supposedly inert polyester is running into trouble.

Researchers at Tufts Medical School noticed that cancer cells being grown in the lab multiplied more quickly in polyester test tubes than in glass. It appears that polyester slowly emits phytoestrogens, which are endocrine disruptors, or compounds similar to estrogen, which can promote certain types of cancer. Enough people are worried about these chemicals that entire conferences are being held to discuss their possible effects. You can see the concerns of the scientific community reflected in this list of topics at a conference being held as we write: http://www.grc.uri.edu/programs/2002/enviend.htm

Polymer Chemistry 101

It is probably a good idea at this point to back up a bit for some chemistry 101. Basic polymer chemistry isn't too complicated, but for most people the manufacture of the plastics that surround us is a mystery, which no doubt suits the chemical producers very well. A working knowledge of the principles involved here will make us more informed users.

Polyester is only one compound in a class of petroleum-derived substances known as polymers. Thus, polyester (in common with most polymers) begins its life in our time as crude oil. Crude oil is a cocktail of components that can be separated by industrial distillation. Gasoline is one of these components, and the precursors of polymers such as polyethylene are also present.

Polymers are made by chemically reacting a lot of little molecules together to make one long molecule, like a string of beads. The little molecules are called monomers and the long molecules are called polymers.

Like this:

O + O + O + . . . makes OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Depending on which polymer is required, different monomers are chosen. Ethylene, the monomer for polyethylene, is obtained directly from the distillation of crude oil; other monomers have to be synthesized from more complex petroleum derivatives, and the path to these monomers can be several steps long. The path for polyester, which is made by reacting ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid, is shown below. Key properties of the intermediate materials are also shown.

The polymers themselves are theoretically quite unreactive and therefore not particularly harmful, but this is most certainly not true of the monomers. Chemical companies usually make a big deal of how stable and unreactive the polymers are, but that's not what we should be interested in. We need to ask, what about the monomers? How unreactive are they?

We need to ask these questions because a small proportion of the monomer will never be converted into polymer. It just gets trapped in between the polymer chains, like peas in spaghetti. Over time this unreacted monomer can escape, either by off-gassing into the atmosphere if the initial monomers were volatile, or by dissolving into water if the monomers were soluble. Because these monomers are so toxic, it takes very small quantities to be harmful to humans, so it is important to know about the monomers before you put the polymers next to your skin or in your home. Since your skin is usually moist, any water-borne monomers will find an easy route into your body.

Polyester is the terminal product in a chain of very reactive and toxic precursors. Most are carcinogens; all are poisonous. And even if none of these chemicals remain entrapped in the final polyester structure (which they most likely do), the manufacturing process requires workers and our environment to be exposed to some or all of the chemicals shown in the flowchart above. There is no doubt that the manufacture of polyester is an environmental and public health burden that we would be better off without.

You may not feel comfortable putting a potential endocrine disruptor next to your child's most sensitive areas. What about some of the other fabrics and fabric treatments used in cloth diapering?

Vinyl and Polyvinyl Chloride

One widely distributed brand of cloth diapers uses PVC or vinyl for its diaper covers.

PVC is a polymer made from vinyl chloride monomer and often contains harmful phthalates as unbound plasticizers. Before you buy a vinyl diaper cover (or anything else made from PVC, especially for your children) consider some of the information available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health on vinyl chloride, the monomer for PVC or polyvinyl chloride. Pay particular attention to the "long-term exposure" sections.

Vinyl baby and children's toys are also very popular, but have raised significant health concerns. Search the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website for references to vinyl, and see also the article in Mothering magazine, Issue #90, Sep/Oct 1998.

The independent documentary film "Blue Vinyl," which aired this spring (2002) on HBO, primarily dealt with the effects of vinyl siding on residential users and the workers who manufacture and install the siding. Remember, a diaper cover is in much closer proximity to more sensitive skin than vinyl siding and can contain the same off-gassing monomers.

Polyurethane Laminate (PUL)

Polyurethane laminate, or PUL, has gained great popularity as a fabric treatment. It is applied to the surface of a porous fabric (usually polyester, but also cotton) to provide a flexible, totally waterproof layer. Ultrex and Extreme, two woven fabrics commonly used in outdoor clothing, are also polyurethane laminates. PUL makes functionally good diaper covers--it is an effective barrier to liquids.

But what are the precursor monomers for polyurethane? Most are based on TDI, or toluene 2,4-diisocyanate, a highly toxic carcinogen. Again the Disease Control and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health have information about TDI, the polyurethane monomer.

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
International Chemical Safety Cards (WHO/IPCS/ILO)

Durable Water Repellant Finish (DWR)

Durable Water Repellant finish is a generic term (rather than a trademark) in the outdoor gear industry for a water repellant surface layer, usually sprayed onto the fabric. This layer does not completely fill all the fabric pores (unlike PUL), so the fabric remains breathable. Goretex is probably the most well-known example of a DWR-treated fabric and its treatment contains a fluorocarbon similar to Teflon. The outdoor clothing manufacturer Patagonia describes their DWR finish as "polyurethane" and recommends re-treating "once per season, or more often if the piece gets a lot of use or washing." (Patagonia Product FAQs)

Patagonia recommends the use of Nikwax for re-treatment, which is based on a compound called ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), blended with a mineral wax. It also contains small amounts of an acidified zirconium salt of a weak acid (acetic acid) and ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) to stabilize the emulsion. If you are interested in digging deeper, you could even read a patent for Nikwax or any proprietary formulation. (Nikwax patent).

Patagonia suggests re-treatment if the garment is washed frequently. They cannot expect their hiking garments will be washed as often as diaper cover would be. DWR treatment would not be effective as a barrier unless you keep a bottle or can of Nikwax handy to restore your cover every few washes.

So, What's the Harm? What's the Choice?

You might ask after reading all this, so what is the actual risk to our babies and families? What if we use some PUL or DWR or fleece for the outer parts of diapers and covers that don't touch the skin? How much of the monomers are actually given off? Has anyone performed a study on this?

The problem is that we are not aware of any such specific study. What we do know is this: The short-term risks of exposure to all of the chemicals mentioned is well documented. The exposure tests are usually performed on animals, since most people would not willingly submit themselves to those kinds of tests and would certainly not volunteer their children. Then exposure limits are estimated, usually for adult males. In some unfortunate cases, actual exposures from industrial accidents and the like have been used to refine these limits.

The effects of long-term exposure are more problematic to predict than short-term; often symptoms take years, or even generations, to show up. Long-term studies of the effects of all the monomers mentioned in this article are still underway. Remember also that these chemicals may respond very differently when used for diapering--the long-term studies are considering only the action of these chemicals in water or air. The presence of urea, ammonia, and the salinity of urine may alter the behavior of monomers in unpredictable ways. In the meantime, wool, hemp, and cotton, particularly when grown and processed organically, are not carcinogens.

The main focus here has been the possible health risks of using these materials. Remember also, that continuing to use these materials supports the industries that produce them. That means continued consumption of the world's oil, mineral and energy resources and continued pollution of our air and water. It also means continued exploitation of chemical workers around the world, especially in countries with low safety standards. The fate of these materials after we are done using them also needs to be considered. Are they biodegradable, reusable, recyclable?

There are many reasons to consider the natural alternatives to artificial materials. Wool is breathable, and micro-absorbent, and naturally moisture repellant (but can be treated with lanolin if necessary, but please don't use Nikwax, despite manufacturer recommendations). Wool makes wonderful diaper covers. Cotton and hemp are both highly absorbent and hemp especially can be grown easily without pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. Cotton is not so easy to grow organically, but every year more acres are being converted from conventional production. It is becoming widely available as a diapering fabric. Ask for organic cotton specifically.

As you can see, there's no good reason to use petroleum-based products like polyester, PUL or PVC in your child's diapers when natural fibers work so well and pose no health risks. Choose natural materials, manufactured with minimal processing under fair labor environments.

http://www.diaperpin.com/clothdiapers/article_artificialmaterials.asp

Breasts for Babies

Breasts sell beer but for heaven's sake, they shouldn't be seen feeding babies! (tongue in cheek)

A great article on this topic:

http://www.lifetimemoms.com/multicultural-moms/blog/breasts-to-sell-beer-good-breasts-to-feed-baby-bad?cmpid=PaidMedia_Outbrain_LTM_AllChannels

I’m not really sure why breasts can be openly used to sell beer and entice you to eat chicken wings at Hooters, but when they are used in their actual context—feeding a baby—people get all Puritanical.

Oh, the hypocrisy!

This week another breastfeeding mom, who was covered up, was forced to stop feeding her four-month old in the hallway of Washington D.C., DMV office when two (GASP!) female security guards told her to stop because it was indecent.

Simone Dos Santos, a lawyer herself, was waiting for a traffic hearing and stepped out into the hallway to breastfeed when the guards approached her, though she was covering her baby with a jacket.

"I was shocked, upset and angry that by providing food for my son, I was being treated like a criminal," she said in recent news reports.

As an attorney dos Santos knew that legally she had rights -- 28 states as well as D.C. exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws.

But it’s a shame that the laws of common sense don’t govern most people. And it is our rights as mothers and the health of our babies who ultimately suffer when women are made to feel uncomfortable when performing the biological norm for infant feeding.

Breastfeeding is what our bodies were made to do. And breast milk is the best preventative infant health we can give our babies. Feeding our young used to be as natural and instinctive as it is for any other animal, but somehow we’ve lost our instincts and our choices about our babies first food are more based on cultural norms than research or facts.

And the oversexualization of the breast hasn’t helped. Breasts are everywhere: on billboards, in magazines and spilling out of skin-tight attire. Bathing suits have grown skimpier by the year. I wonder if any of those female security guards have purchased those tiny bikini tops they are now marketing to 9-year-old girls? Women spend much money to make their breasts bigger, bouncier, rounder and or more perky, but everyone forgets this one indisputable truth: that they are merely mammary glands – fatty tissue with milk ducts designed to feed babies.

Wake up women! Society has told us that it is perfectly acceptable to show our breast on their terms—pushed up, dangling, with a beer, in a wet-T-shirt contest, or parading around a pole, but to show our breasts to feed our babies is indecent!!

I really can’t take it anymore.

Yes, I am a unapologetic first food advocate. I believe that every baby should have fair and equal access to the best infant nutrition possible. But women can’t make those decisions clearly, with this type of hypocrisy and hype crowding the issues. And that makes breastfeeding an issue for every woman.

If we can reclaim our breasts from the advertisers and marketers maybe then we can use them for our babies without being made to feel uncomfortable. Are you ready to get your breasts back?

Oh and the next time I see a man with boobs topless, I’m calling the police. Who's with me?

Treatment for Colic

There has been a lot of research, recently about possible causes of colic and how to best treat them. Many scientists now believe that colic has roots in digestive upset. An article in the NY Times was published not too long ago about the possible benefits of using probiotics for infants to help treat colic symptoms.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/15/health/15really.html?_r=1&ref=health

An Anthropological and Psychological Assessment of Current Infant Care Practices

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/moral-landscapes/201112/dangers-crying-it-out
http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/crying-dangerous-kids-one-expert-says-222400379.html

Is Crying it Out Dangerous for Kids?

If the link between parent and child is strong enough that kids can "catch" their parents' stress, it may stand to reason that babies crave the physical connection that comes with a cuddle. It's something that plenty of parents are more than happy to provide during the day but, when it comes to bedtime, the modern emphasis has been on teaching good sleep habits -- and giving mom and dad a break.

Most sleep-deprived parents get to the point where they're willing to try almost anything in order to get a good night's rest. While some decry it as cruel, others have had success with the "cry it out" method -- teaching babies to "self-soothe" by letting their nighttime crying go unanswered.

But is "crying it out" about establishing independence? Or is it just a way of making those early years easier for parents?

In an article published this week in Psychology Today, one researcher says that crying it out could be dangerous for children, leading to a lifetime of harm.

"A crying baby in our ancestral environment would have signaled predators to tasty morsels," writes Darcia Narvaez, an Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of the Collaborative for Ethical Education at the University of Notre Dame. "So our evolved parenting practices alleviated baby distress and precluded crying except in emergencies."

When babies are stressed, their bodies release the hormone cortisol, which can damage or even destroy neurons in their still-developing brains, researchers at Yale University and Harvard Medical School have found. That can lead to a higher incidence of ADHD, poor academic performance, and anti-social tendencies.

Human babies are hardwired for near-constant holding, breastfeeding, and having their other needs met quickly -- the hallmarks of Attachment Parenting, Narvaez points out -- in order for their brains to develop properly. Even Dr. Richard Ferber, whose sleep-training method is commonly called the Cry It Out Method, says that he never intended parents to completely ignore their babies' nighttime tears.

"I've always believed that there are many solutions to sleep problems, and that every family and every child is unique," he said in an interview with BabyTalk. "People want one easy solution, but there's no such thing. I never encouraged parents to let their babies cry it out, but one of the many treatment styles I described in my book is gradual extinction, where you delay your response time to your baby's wakings. I went to great pains in the second edition to clarify that that treatment is not appropriate for every sleep issue, of which there are many."

What he does encourage is teaching children to soothe themselves during normal nighttime wakings. But many parents extend his advice to include all bedtime-related crying. That's the type of crying it out sets kids up for stress-related problems, trust issues, anxiety disorders, reduced brain function, and a lack of independence, Narvaez writes. And since the problems are on a genetic level, they can't necessarily be fixed later in life.

"In studies of rats with high or low nurturing mothers, there is a critical period for turning on genes that control anxiety for the rest of life," Narvaez writes. "If in the first 10 days of life you have low nurturing rat mother (the equivalent of the first 6 months of life in a human), the gene never gets turned on and the rat is anxious towards new situations for the rest of its life, unless drugs are administered to alleviate the anxiety."

Could a lack of nurturing explain our "Prozac Nation?" Narvaez points out that she's witnessed the long-term physical effects of it firsthand.

"I was raised in a middle-class family with a depressed mother, harsh father and overall emotionally unsupportive environment -- not unlike others raised in the USA," she writes. "I have only recently realized from extensive reading about the effects of early parenting on body and brain development that I show the signs of undercare -- poor memory (cortisol released during distress harms hippocampus development), irritable bowel and other poor vagal tone issues, and high social anxiety."

The lack of nurturing, and the prevalence of parents who put their own needs in front of their kids', may be to blame for the mental and physical health problems that are plaguing the United States now.

"If we want a strong country and people," she writes, "we've got to pay attention to what children need for optimal development."

The original link to the article by Darcia Narvaez, Ph.D. Associate Professor at the University of Notre Dame, published in Psychology Today can be found here.

The link to the research done at Harvard & Yale on infant stress can be found here.

Learning Styles

I found this video and it really struck a cord with me.

We are all different. We have different talents and we learn differently.

I think its important to remember that, even when we consider our little ones who are always learning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8limRtHZPs

Play Mats - Safe?

I saw this article and it made me start to question whether or not the play mat that I have is really safe...

Belgium is to ban the sale of all foam puzzle mats for babies and toddlers, citing tests showing they contain a cancer-causing chemical.

Formamides are used to soften the foam in the mats but are corrosive and can be deadly. Toxicologist Alfred Bernard explained:
“They are solvents, residues from the manufacturing process that stay in the product afterwards. They can be absorbed through breathing or through the skin. As a rule, children should not be exposed to these products.”

Belgium becomes the first European country to ban the mats and will impose a 20,000 euro fine for anyone found selling them. Jean-Philippe Ducart, a spokesman for a consumer watchdog said:

“They will be illegal in 2011 but in the meantime we ask that they be withdrawn from the market in the interest of public health and the health of children exposed to them.”

An EU-wide ban on the mats is expected within the next few years.

http://www.euronews.net/2010/12/11/belgium-bans-toxic-children-s-puzzle-mats/

Midwives

The midwife considers the miracle of childbirth as normal, and leaves it alone unless there's trouble. The obstetrician normally sees childbirth as trouble. If he leaves it alone, it's a miracle.-Sheila Stubbs

The "What to Expect" Series Revihttp://www.blogger.cohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifm/img/blank.gifew

The "What to Expect" Series by Arlene Eisenberg, et al
	comments by Kelly Bonyata

The "What to Expect" Series includes the books What to Expect When You're Expecting, What to Expect the First Year and What to Expect the Toddler Years (plus some related books like What to Eat When You're Expecting, and so on).

Update: I've just looked through some of the breastfeeding information in the Third Edition (2002) of What to Expect the First Year. All in all, the general breastfeeding information is significantly better than in the first edition, but quite a number of inaccuracies and misinformation remain scattered throughout. The authors seem to have pushed their comfort level for breastfeeding up to around a year, but they continue to perpetuate myths such as breastfeeding being "exhausting" for mom, particularly when it comes to breastfeeding past a year. In addition, the moms whom I have worked with continue to mention that they go to the book with a question and come away feeling worried, inadequate and guilty.

The book What to Expect the Toddler Years (which has not been updated since the first edition) is very negative when it comes to breastfeeding a toddler, with many comments similar to the ones quoted below from the First Edition of What to Expect the First Year.

The first editions of the books (I've read through the pregnancy, first year and toddler books), give lip service to breastfeeding in the early months (though much of the info is quite outdated), but gets less and less supportive of breastfeeding as babies pass 6 months. Weaning is suggested well before 12 months. The authors also advocate letting baby cry (to do otherwise is "cowardly") and are very much against co-sleeping. Here is a quote from What to Expect the First Year (first edition):

By the end of the first year, however, scientists tell us that breast milk ceases to be adequate--not only is its protein content is insufficient for the older baby, but it suffers from a decline in several vital nutrients including zinc, copper, and potassium. In the second year, infants require the nutrients in cow's milk, and the mother who is still breastfeeding should recognize that although both she and her baby may still be enjoying the experience, breast milk can't be considered a major source of nutrition for her baby. Nor do babies past a year appear to need the sucking breast feeding provides. In spite of much speculation, there's no solid evidence that nursing past the first year--or even well into the second or third or beyond--hinders a child's emotional development. But it does seem that prolonged breastfeeding, like prolonged bottlefeeding, can lead to dental decay.

These statements are so full of misinformation, it's hard to know where to start! See Extended Breastfeeding Fact Sheet for referenced infomation on the nutritional and many other benefits of breastfeeding during the second year and beyond... Cow's milk is certainly not needed for anyone but baby cows... Some babies have breastmilk as their main source of nutrition well into the second year... There are many studies that show that the sucking need (as exhibited through continued pacifier, finger or thumb sucking) persists for several years in many children, with most stopping by age 4-5... There is good evidence that nursing into the second and third year (and beyond) has psychological benefits... There is no evidence that there is a link between extended nursing and dental decay...

http://www.kellymom.com/store/reviews/review_whattoexpect.html

Breast Babies and Schedules

BREASTFED BABIES AND SCHEDULES

Breastfed babies typically need to nurse more often than their formula-fed peers. You may have a friend whose baby is on formula remark that her baby only feeds every 3-4 hours during the day and sleeps through the night. You may wonder why your breastfed baby's eating and sleeping patterns are quite different than this. Perhaps you have tried to put your baby on a schedule only to find that he cried before you thought he should or you found that you were constantly looking for other ways to pacify him until feeding time.

Breastmilk is digested with much more ease than formula. In fact, your first milk, known as colostrum, has a natural laxative effect on the baby, enabling him to pass the meconium (the stool he has been storing since before birth) more quickly. The earlier this stool is expelled the less likely your baby will develop jaundice. Due to breastmilk's ease of digestibility, breastfed babies are rarely constipated while only receiving mother's milk.

Formula consumption, on the other hand, puts a strain on baby's digestive system causing it to work "overtime". Thus the formula-fed baby sleeps for longer stretches of time and demands to feed less often. However, in this case, sleeping longer is not necessarily a good thing! The formula-fed baby is more likely to suffer with constipation than the solely breastfed baby.

Putting your breastfed baby on a rigid schedule may interfere with the successful intitiation of breastfeeding and put your baby at risk for slow weight gain and other developmental problems such as failure-to-thrive. Breastmilk is produced on a supply and demand basis. The more your baby nurses the more milk your body will make. The less your baby nurses the less milk your body will make. Insisting on an artificial schedule may result in not enough stimulation to your breasts and therefore a scanty milk supply. As a result you may not be able to fully meet your baby's nutritional requirements thus resulting in the need to supplement with artificial milk.

In the first few weeks of nursing when lactation is just becoming established, frequent, unrestricted feedings are crucial to establishing a healthy milk supply. Nursing at least every 2-3 hours during the day and at least once during the night even if your baby must be awakened for the first few weeks will ensure that your milk supply is established and remains adequate as your baby grows.

These frequent feedings also ensure that your baby is getting the milk that he needs. Most young babies need to nurse at least 8-12 times or every 2-3 hours during a 24 hour period. Studies show that newborns who are allowed to nurse frequently and on demand regain their birthweight more quickly and are at less risk for developing low blood sugar and jaundice. Conversely, babies who are fed strictly by the clock regain birthweight more slowly and need medical intervention for treatment of low blood sugar and jaundice largely due to the fact that their mothers' milk is slow to become more plentiful due to less frequent feedings.

Crying is actually a late hunger cue. Babies will all demonstrate early hunger cues such as turning the head side to side, rooting, bringing the hands to the mouth, and even sucking the hands before they cry.

As baby grows he will experience periods of heightened growth that generally last for several days. Commonly referred to as growth spurts, these periods require more feeding flexibility. Baby demands to feed more often and your body responds to this increased demand by increasing your milk supply. Adhering to a set schedule during these times may result in a baby who's increased caloric needs are not met. Furthermore, your breasts will not receive the added stimulation they require to boost up your supply to meet your baby's growing needs.

Many babies also "cluster feed", "stack feed" or "bunch feed". These are all different terms to describe a feeding pattern in which the baby nurses almost constantly for several hours. This is a normal pattern for a breastfed baby. Many will feed in this way prior to bedtime as they "tank up" for a longer period of sleep. Also milk supply is normally lower in the late afternoon and evening hours. Many babies compensate for this slight daily drop in mother's milk supply by feeding more often.

Finally, babies need to suck and find great consolation at the breast when they feel lonely, insecure, tired, overstimulated, and overwhelmed with the changing world. It is this non-nutritive need for mother's breast that ensures that this emotional as well as physical need is met. Thus, breastfeeding - unlike bottlefeeding - is more than feeding. It is communication between mother and baby. It is a form of nurturing; it is an act of love.

---

Written by Becky Flora, BSed, IBCLC

http://breastfeeding.hypermart.net/schedules.html

The Baby Whisperer... a review

I found this great review from kellymom.com, on the book: "The Baby Whisperer" by Tracy Hogg. I couldn't have said it better. :)

http://kellymom.com/store/reviews/review_babywhisperer.html

	Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and Communicate with Your Baby by Tracy Hogg, with Melinda Blau Ballantine Books, New York ISBN: 0345440757
	reviewed by Mary Tatko

The first time I read Dr. William Sears' warning against "baby trainers," I couldn't help picturing a man in a top hat sending beleaguered babies through a series of hoops. Now I can replace that image with the smiling face of "Baby Whisperer" Tracy Hogg, the apparent ringmaster in today's world of baby trainers.

In Secrets Of The Baby Whisperer: How To Calm, Connect, And Communicate With Your Baby, Hogg and co-author Melinda Blau promise to help new parents maintain balance by preventing a newborn from dominating their lives.

Sorting fact from opinion from flat-out fiction in this book's nearly 300 pages is something no new parent should have to do. But parenting advice sells, a fact attested to by the book's New York Times bestseller status, so you can bet plenty of moms and dads are trying out Hogg's suggestions.

Of course not all her advice contradicts the basics of attachment parenting (which itself is a parenting style that varies from family to family). And I share her fondness for such things as cloth diapers and infant massage. But so much of what Hogg serves up as wholesome, commonsense guidance for mums and dads (she hails from the U.K. and likes to play up her "Englishness") is so obviously counter to natural parenting, and breastfeeding in particular, that this book should come with a warning label.

The backbone of Hogg's parenting system, a "structured routine" she calls E.A.S.Y., has four components: the amount of time she prescribes for eating (25 to 40 minutes every 2 � to 3 hours), activity (45 minutes), sleeping (one half to one hour), and you (an hour or more for mom while the baby sleeps). While she acknowledges that the exact amount of time will vary from baby to baby and with the baby's age, she makes it clear that following a schedule such as the one she outlines is crucial to preventing "chaos in the house."

When she lays out the case for her E.A.S.Y. parenting routine, Hogg takes a couple of paragraphs to dismiss rigid schedules and on-demand feeding, setting herself up as a champion of the reasonable middle ground between these two "extremes."

When Hogg states that feeding on demand simply makes babies demanding and that parents who do so will be giving up their own lives, anyone who knows what attachment parenting is and is not probably will put the book down.

Those who keep reading should, as Hogg herself recommends more than once about other people's advice, take what they read with a grain of salt.

On the issue of breastfeeding, Hogg again plants herself on self-proclaimed middle ground. She laments the "controversy" over feeding choices and sympathizes with new moms who must wade through "huge propaganda campaigns." (I would think her attempt to equate the efforts of volunteer organizations such as La Leche League with the money-driven marketing of formula companies must be insulting to many readers, regardless of their feeding choices.)

Even as Hogg congratulates herself on her "even-handedness," she manages to vastly understate the benefits of breastfeeding while giving considerable ink to the merits of formula, which, she informs us, "is more refined and chock-full of nutrients than ever."

The section of her book titled "Making the Choice" reads more like a defense of formula than an objective overview of feeding choices. Among other things, she poo-poos bonding as a reason to breastfeed, complains that the health benefits of breast milk have been overblown, warns that nursing mothers must carry an extra five to 10 pounds to ensure proper nutrition for their babies, makes a point of emphasizing that studies merely suggest - not prove - that breastfeeding might offer women protection from a variety of health problems, and maintains that women concerned about body image might be better off using formula since breastfeeding can leave them "flat as pancakes" or "sagging."

Hogg seems so eager to make up for the breastfeeding advocates who are, she implies, out to make mothers who choose formula feel guilty, that she can't seem to discuss breast milk without plugging formula in the same breath:

"The proverbial bottom line is that while it is good for a baby to have some breast milk, especially during the first month, if that's not the mother's choice or if for some reason the mother can't breastfeed, formula-feeding is a perfectly acceptable alternative - for some, the preferable alternative."

When it comes to the practical how-to's of breastfeeding, Hogg provides nuggets of accurate information, but she offers up numerous duds as well, including such incorrect or incomplete information as:

• "After breastfeeding, always wipe off your nipples with a clean washcloth. The residue of milk can be a breeding ground for bacteria ." (Just not true; there is no need to wipe your nipples after every feeding.)
  
  
• ". always wait one hour (after exercising) before breastfeeding." (The lactic acid buildup she's warning about has not been shown to cause harm, and though some babies seem to dislike the taste of mother's milk after heavy exercise, many babies show no aversion whatsoever.)
  
  
• And for a mother worried she isn't producing enough milk: "Once a day, fifteen minutes before a feed, pump your breasts and measure what you are yielding. Taking into account that a baby can extract at least one ounce more by physically sucking at your breast, you have a good idea of what you're producing." (While this test might work well for some mothers, it can be misleading for others. Many mothers find that, though they get very little milk when they pump, their babies are getting plenty at the breast. Weight gain and the number of wet diapers a baby produces are better measures of milk production.)

Another low point in the book is Hogg's take on nursing toddlers: "My feeling is that when mothers prolong nursing, it's almost always for them, not for the baby." She follows this statement with an anecdote about a mother who was (gasp!) still nursing her two-and-a-half-year-old. Because her husband was not supportive, she was doing so behind his back - obviously not a good situation. To make a long story short, the mother came to her senses, weaned the baby, and "was automatically a better parent, a better wife, and a stronger human being."

The strangest line of thinking comes in a sidebar titled "Feeding Fashions" in which Hogg points out that, though breastfeeding is "all the rage" today, "in the postwar decades . the majority believed that formula was best for babies." She fails to mention the reasons for formula's rise, the consequences of the trend, or that the world health community now is in near-unanimous agreement that breast milk is best. Instead she shares this bizarre thought:

"As this book is being written, scientists are experimenting with the notion of genetically altering cows to produce human breast milk. If that happens, perhaps in the future everyone will tout cow's milk."

Hogg goes on to quote a 1999 article from the Journal of Nutrition that suggests formulas may one day be so advanced they will meet babies' needs better than human milk.

I'm not sure where to file that last bit of information, but there is at least one thing this book makes clear: If you're looking for a baby trainer, you can skip the circus and turn instead to Tracy Hogg. If it's accurate parenting information you seek, look elsewhere.

-- Mary Tatko is the stay-at-home-mom of 19-month-old Jake.

Mary comments:

As you can see, I mainly focused on the chapter about feeding choices, though there was plenty I could take issue with in her chapter on sleep. As you might imagine, Hogg is not a fan of shared sleep. She sets up her recommendations about sleep in the same way she takes on other issues: She dismisses those whose views are "extreme," then presents what she claims is a "middle-of-the-road, commonsense approach." When she's getting ready to pitch her system for "sensible sleep," she cites Dr. Sears, La Leche League, and "Mothering" magazine as the extremes on the family bed side of the issue. (Dr. Ferber is her example of the other side.) And while she encourages those for whom such practices work to "by all means stick with it," she warns that "extreme practices don't work for many people."

Mom is sick... is it okay to nurse baby?

"If you become sick with a "bug" while nursing, don't fret about spreading the sickness to your child. Amazingly enough, white blood cells appear in the breast milk on the fourth day after the mother is exposed to the illness - cells her body has created specifically to eat that bacterium or virus! Thus your milk will give your child a specific antidote for the illness you are worried about. (This sickness-healing sequence obviously works better if the mother gets sick first. Fortunately, most times, mothers are "considerate enough" to do so.)"

-http://www.naturalchild.org/guest/george_wootan.html

When Baby is Sick...

My baby is sick - should I continue to breastfeed?

(all the links work except camphor hepatoxicity which links to a published journal article requiring access)

By Kelly Bonyata, IBCLC

Absolutely! Anytime a sick baby is able to take anything by mouth, it should be his mother's milk. Mom's milk provides antibodies specifically tailored to fight baby's illness, and is quickly and easily digested.

Temporary weaning, besides depriving baby of antibodies to fight the illness and the most easily digestible food source available, can make life miserable for both mother and baby. Nursing is extremely comforting to an ill baby and a major part of the healing process. Mom would have to pump to maintain milk supply and then there would still be some risk that supply would drop somewhat. Not pumping would put mom at risk for breast infection and extreme discomfort.

• Colds and congestion
• Baby refuses to nurse when sick
• Vomiting and Diarrhea
• Breastmilk vs. Pedialyte
• Additional Information and References

Colds and congestion

If baby has a cold and is congested, it can make breastfeeding difficult. However, it is almost always easier for a sick baby to nurse than to take a bottle. If your baby has a stuffy nose and is having a hard time breathing and nursing at the same time, try the following:

• Keep baby as upright as possible while nursing (this link includes pictures). At night, try propping up on lots of pillows and nursing/sleeping semi-upright. Also try the Australian position (mom is "down under") - in this position, mom is lying on her back and baby is on top (facing down), tummy to tummy with mom.
• The best thing you can do to help baby's illness end quickly is to nurse often - that way she gets lots of the antibodies that your body is making to help her fight off the illness. Frequent nursing also helps to ensure that baby is getting plenty of milk (congested babies often nurse for shorter times since it's hard to breathe and nurse at the same time).
• Use saline drops (or breastmilk) & a rubber suction bulb to clear baby's nose before nursing (if baby won't tolerate the bulb syringe, then the saline drops/breastmilk alone should still help).
  • Put baby on your knees, face up and tilt your knees a little downhill (so baby's head is angled away from you, toward the floor).
  • Put 2-3 drops of saline in each nostril and let it sit for a minute or so.
  • To suction the mucus out, squeeze the bulb part of the syringe first, gently stick the rubber tip into one nostril, then slowly release the bulb.
  • If baby is really congested, you may have to do this several times a day. Do it BEFORE baby nurses; if you do it afterwards your baby may spit up everything she's eaten because syringing can stimulate the gag reflex.
  • To prepare saline drops at home, dissolve one teaspoon of salt in two cups of warm water.
• Run a vaporizer or humidifier, preferably in a small closed room.
• Boil a pot of water (some moms use small crock pots/potpourri pots), remove from the stove and add a few drops of essential oil (for example, eucalyptus, sage or balsam), and let the scent permeate the air. This may help relieve some head congestion.
• Do NOT apply products containing peppermint oil, camphor or menthol on the face (especially in the nose) or chest of a baby or young child. There have been cases where the direct application of menthol or camphor products (for example, Vicks VapoRub™) to baby's skin resulted in severe breathing difficulties or liver problems (see Camphor Hepatoxicity, Camphor Monograph and Menthol Toxicology).
• Nurse in a steamy bathroom. To pump up the steam, run a really hot shower and set a chair outside the shower for nursing.
• The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommend that children under the age of six not be given over-the-counter cough or cold medicines due to the risk of serious and life-threatening side effects. There is also no evidence that over-the-counter cold meds actually benefit children younger than six years old. There are several well controlled studies where there has been no difference shown between children given medication and those who have not.

Sometimes moms are advised to limit or discontinue breastfeeding because milk increases mucus production. This is not good advice for two reasons:

1. You are not a cow and your milk is not a dairy product. So even if dairy is a problem, your milk would not be.
2. In addition, there is no scientific evidence that cow's milk results in the production of more mucus unless you are allergic to dairy products. See this page for more info.

Baby refuses to nurse when sick

Some babies may refuse to nurse when sick (particularly if something like a sore throat or pressure from an ear infection makes nursing painful for baby). If this happens, try different nursing positions - particularly those where baby is upright - and keep offering to nurse at least every hour or so. See also: What to do about a nursing strike. Rest assured that your baby will return to nursing when he feels better. Here are some things to try if baby is too uncomfortable to nurse:

• feed baby expressed milk from a cup, dropper, spoon or syringe
• try momsicles, or freeze your milk until it's slushy and let baby eat it with a spoon
• for older babies (over six months) who are eating solids: if baby will take solids but not nurse, add lots of breastmilk to the solids. You might also try making yogurt from breastmilk.

Vomiting and Diarrhea

Another time when moms can be unsure about whether to continue nursing is when baby has diarrhea or is vomiting. Frequent and loose stools in a breastfed baby is not necessarily diarrhea. Here is more information on normal stooling patterns for breastfed babies: What Are Baby's Stools Supposed to Look Like? Diarrhea in a breastfed baby is diagnosed when a baby has 12-16 stools per day (or more often than the baby's regular stool frequency), watery stools, and an offensive odor to the stools. Just one of these symptoms does not in itself mean the baby has diarrhea.

The current recommendations when vomiting or diarrhea is present in the breastfed child are as follows:

• Breastfeeding should be the FIRST choice if your child can take anything by mouth. Because of the ease and rapidity with which breastmilk is digested, even if your child vomits or stools shortly after nursing, he will still have retained some of the nutrients. Other foods that are often suggested (such as Pedialyte, sports drinks, gelatins and sodas) offer little nutritional value and none of the antibodies that human milk contains.
  
  
• When your breastfed child is ill you'll want to offer more frequent feedings -- this can limit the volume taken in at one time and helps to comfort and soothe a sick child. If your child is vomiting often and not keeping the milk down for long, it may be helpful to breastfeed frequently but limit the length of each nursing session (so your child takes in less milk at once). Another option is for Mom to express some milk before breastfeeding so that the milk flow is slower. RARELY does the baby who is allowed to breastfeed at will during a vomiting or diarrhea illness become dehydrated.

The use of an oral rehydration therapy such as Pedialyte is a sound recommendation for a formula-fed infant who is vomiting or who has diarrhea, but using this in place of breastmilk offers no benefit to the breastfed baby. Human milk is a natural fluid, unlike formula and other milk products, that again is easily and rapidly digested.

Forego the Pedialyte as long as baby continues to nurse well and as long as there are no signs of dehydration. If baby is showing signs of dehydration, talk to your doctor. Following are signs of dehydration:

• fewer than 2 wet diapers in a 24-hour period
• baby not behaving normally (more irritable, less active, sleeping more)
• lethargy
• listlessness
• weak cry
• no tears (in an infant older than 3 months)
• dry mouth
• skin that stays wrinkly-looking when pinched (pull up the skin on the front of the hand; it should pop easily back into place - not stay pinched or wrinkly-looking)
• eyes that look sunken
• cool, clammy extremities, especially the fingers and toes
• fast breathing, or a heart that is beating faster than usual
• fever
  

Babies who are allowed to continue breastfeeding through an illness such as this are less likely to become dehydrated than those who are taken off the breast. Continued nursing also provides your child with precious antibodies that will prevent the illness from worsening and speed healing. Nursing is also very comforting to your child, which is healing in itself.

Breastfed babies sometimes need oral rehydration therapy (Pedialyte, etc), though far less often than artificially fed infants. The World Health Organization recommends continuing to breastfeed during and after oral rehydration therapy. Research shows that babies lose more weight and actually have more stools during diarrhea when they are deprived of breastmilk.

Sometimes moms are recommended to withhold breastmilk "because it is a dairy product." Breastmilk is NOT considered a dairy or milk product (mom is not a cow!).

Anytime there is diarrhea (in adults as well as babies) it can take a while for the bowel to heal and the stools to get back to normal. So even if you identify the problem and take corrective action, you may not see favorable results for a few weeks. This is because if the bowel gets irritated it is harder for the bowel to digest lactose - the undigested lactose then actually creates more irritation and runny stools... it can be tough to turn around at times. There is usually an inflammatory response with diarrhea - that is the part that takes time to heal. When the cause of the problem is removed (when baby recovers from the illness), the gut will heal even if the baby is still fed breastmilk. More here on secondary lactose intolerance.

Breastmilk vs. Pedialyte

When baby is sick, moms are sometimes told to discontinue or restrict breastfeeding and substitute an oral rehydration therapy such as Pedialyte. This outdated practice has been shown to offer no benefits to the breastfed baby, and can even delay healing.

Your milk has four things that your baby needs even more than usual when he's sick:

1. Antibodies to fight this illness - you want baby to get as much of these as possible. Encourage *more* nursing rather than less. Pedialyte has no antibodies.
2. Liquids to keep baby hydrated. Your baby may not be eating as much because he doesn't feel well. Sick babies are more likely to nurse than to take anything else by mouth, so nursing is important to keep baby hydrated. Keeping baby well hydrated also helps keep the mucus secretions thinned out if baby has a cold or other congestion. So again, you want to nurse *more*. Pedialyte will keep baby hydrated, but so will breastmilk.
3. Concentrated nutrients. Breastmilk is easily and quickly digested, so baby gets more nutrients and absorbs them faster. Pedialyte will keep baby hydrated but has little nutritional value. Again, it's best to nurse *more* since baby may not be eating as much if he feels bad.
4. Comfort. Sick babies need more comforting - what better way to do this than at the breast?
   

See the section above for more information on the use of Pedialyte in breastfed babies - Breastfed babies sometimes do need oral rehydration therapy (Pedialyte, etc), though far less often than artificially fed infants. The World Health Organization recommends continuing to breastfeed during and after oral rehydration therapy.

Here is the link: http://kellymom.com/health/illness/baby-illness.html

Page last modified: 11/09/2010
Written: 02/23/2002

Why CIO isn't good for baby

Ten Reasons Why CIO (cry-it-out) Is Not Good For Baby:

1. Cry it out can cause harmful changes to babies’ brains
Babies cry. They cry to let us know that they need something. And when we don’t respond to those cries, it causes them undue amounts of stress. Science has shown that stress in infancy can result in enduring negative impacts on the brain. Prolonged cries in infants causes increased blood pressure in the brain, elevates stress hormones, obstructs blood from draining out of the brain, and decreases oxygenation to the brain. Excessive crying results in an oversensitive stress system (likened to a faulty burglar alarm in one book) that can lead to a fear of being alone, separation anxiety, panic attacks and addictions. Harvard researchers found that it makes them more susceptible to stress as adults and changes the nervous system so that they are overly sensitive to future trauma. Chronic stress in infancy can also lead to an over-active adrenaline system, which results in the child using increased aggression, impulsivity, and violence. Another study showed that persistent crying episodes in infancy led to a 10 times greater chance of the child having ADHD, resulting in poor school performance and antisocial behaviour. However, if you consistently soothe your child’s distress and take any anguished crying seriously, highly effective stress response systems are established in the brain that allow your child to cope with stress later in life.

2. Cry it out can result in decreased intellectual, emotional and social development
At an American Academy of Pediatrics meeting, infant developmental specialist Dr. Michael Lewis presented research findings demonstrating that “the single most important influence of a child’s intellectual development is the responsiveness of the mother to the cues of her baby.” More specifically, other studies have found that babies whose cries are ignored do not develop healthy intellectual and social skills, that they have an average IQ 9 points lower at age 5, they show poor fine motor development, show more difficulty controlling their emotions, and take longer to become independent as children (stay clingy for longer).

3. Cry it out can result in a detached baby
Researchers have shown that although leaving a baby to cry it out does often lead to the cries eventually stopping, the cries do not stop because the child is content or the problem has been alleviated. Rather, they stop because the baby has given up hope that a caregiver will respond and provide comfort. This results in a detached baby. Detached children are less responsive, appear to be depressed or “not there” and often lack empathy.

4. Cry it out is harmful to the parent-child relationship
A child that is left to cry it out is less likely to turn to the parents in times of need. Being attended to as a baby is the most basic of needs and if a child learns at that point that she can count on her parents to respond to her needs, then she will also turn to them later in life when she needs their support. But I worry that if I leave my children to cry it out, then they will not see the point in reaching out to us if they have problems later in life and could try to deal with serious issues like bullying, drug addictions, teenage pregnancy, gambling problems, or flunking out of school on their own or turn to peers. Unfortunately, those problems are often too big for a teenager to be left to deal with alone or with peers and it can have disastrous results ranging from making poor decisions all the way to committing suicide out of a feeling of hopelessness.

5. Cry it out can make children insecure
Children whose caregivers are not consistently responsive and sensitive, often become insecure. Long-term studies have shown that secure individuals are more likely to be outgoing, popular, well-adjusted, compassionate, and altruistic. As adults, secure individuals are likely to be comfortable depending on others, can develop close attachments, and trust their partners. Insecure individuals, on the other hand, tend to be unsettled in their relationships, displaying anxiety (manifesting as possessiveness, jealousy, and clinginess) or avoidance (manifesting as mistrust and a reluctance to depend on others). Parents that use the cry it out method often do so because they are afraid that their children are becoming too dependent. However, an abundance of research shows that regular physical contact, reassurance, and prompt responses to distress in infancy and childhood results in secure and confident adults who are better able to form functional relationships.

6. Cry it out often doesn’t work at all
Some babies will not give in. They are resilient or stubborn enough that they refuse to believe that their parents could be so cruel as to leave them to cry to sleep. So instead of whimpering a bit and then drifting off to sleep as some supposed sleep experts would have you believe happens, they end up sobbing and sobbing and sobbing for hours on end. Some end up vomiting. Many end up shaking so hard and become so distraught that once their parents realize that CIO is not going to work, the baby is shaking uncontrollably and hiccuping, too distressed to sleep and too distraught to be calmed down even by a loving parent.

7. Even if cry it out does “work”, parents often have to do it over and over again
I can’t imagine putting my child through one or several nights of inconsolable crying to get her to go to sleep and I certainly can’t imagine having to do it over and over again. However, that is the reality for many parents. I hear people tell me that they always let their child cry for thirty minutes to go to sleep. Or that they have to start the CIO sleep training process all over again after each round of teething, each growth spurt, each developmental milestone.

8. Cry it out is disrespectful of my child’s needs
So-called sleep trainers will tell you that after a certain age, babies do not have any more needs at night. Some claim this is after a few short weeks, others after a few months, others after a year. Regardless of the age that is assigned to that message, to me it seems wrong. I’m an adult and yet there are days when I need someone else to comfort me. If I’ve had a really stressful week at work, if I’ve had a fight with someone that is important to me, if I’ve lost a loved one, then I need to be comforted. But how would I feel and what would it do to our relationship if my husband closed the door and walked out of the room and let me “cry it out” myself? I’m an adult and yet there are nights when I am so parched that I need a glass of water or I am so hungry that I need a snack. I’m not going to die if those needs are not met, but I am going to physically uncomfortable and unable to sleep soundly. If I were to let my child CIO, it would be like saying that his needs are not important and that to me is disrespectful. To quote Dr. William Sears on the sleep trainers, “Parents let me caution you. Difficult problems in child rearing do not have easy answers. Children are too valuable and their needs too important to be made victims of cheap, shallow advice“.

9. Deep sleep from cry it out is often a result of trauma
Babies who are left to cry it out do sometimes fall into a deep sleep after they finally drop off. And their parents and sleep trainers will hail this as a success of the CIO method. However, babies and young children often sleep deeply after experiencing trauma. Therefore, the deep sleep that follows CIO shouldn’t be seen as proof that it works. Rather, it should be seen as a disturbing shortcoming.

10. Our World Needs More Love
Rates of depression are skyrocketing. Violent and senseless crimes are on the rise. As human beings, we need to spend more time being there for each other, showing compassion, nurturing our children. Learning that you can’t count on your parents to be there when you need them is a tough lesson to learn that early in life and can be a root of many of the social problems we are facing today. I want to give my kids every chance possible of escaping depression and staying away from violence. And I’m convinced that nurturing them and responding to their needs at night, as I do during the day, is the first step in the right direction.

To read more, you can go to this link: http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/07/05/no-cry-it-out/
for the full article, references and related topics.

I am in the process of reading a research article on attachment parenting and will post it, with my thoughts, when I am finished.

I have spent hundreds of hours studying child development, attachment and attachment disorders. Much of this research was completed along side a college professor in the department of sociology. I began studying this topic while completing a volunteer and research-based study abroad. After an additional year of study, I presented my research in a conference for international research studies at the university I was attending. This will probably be my "hill to die on" so to speak, but I can't ignore the mounding research against neglectful parenting practices and I cannot find favor with it. Many theories have surfaced and have claimed various benefits, none of which are proven by peer reviewed research. The harmful effects, however, have been well researched and documented. As one with first-hand experience and as a mother, myself, I can not express enough how important it is to establish the early development of trust between parent and child. Parenting is challenging, it seems on every turn, but our children are worth the effort.

Past One Year

Many people wonder if there is any benefit to breastfeeding a baby beyond one year. Here are some references that might give some helpful info to answer that question. I believe there are many, many, many benefits and they go far beyond just nutrition (though, nutritionally, you can't beat breast milk ;)

These references were collected by Kathy Dettwyler while compiling research for her own studies and published material. Kathy has a Ph.D. in Anthropology and studies breastfeeding and other infant behavior from an anthropological standpoint. I find it very interesting.

http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detrefs.html

Breastfeeding a Toddler: One Mom's Perspective

A friend of mine passed along this link about a Mom who is breastfeeding her toddler (3 yrs) and she expresses some of her feelings about the experiences she has had doing so. I enjoyed it so I'm passing it on, too.

http://www.kveller.com/blog/parenting/it-may-be-time-to-wean-my-three-year-old/

Troubleshooting Tips for Ring Slings

I found this awesome website with tips on troubleshooting problems with ring slings and it has pictures! Hope it helps!

http://zolowear.com/WearingTroubleshooting.aspx

Semi-FFO

This link shows how to put baby in a semi-forward facing out position using a ring sling, such as the Maya. Very helpful, since a picture is worth a thousand words!

http://www.thebabywearer.com/articles/HowToO/SRNewborn.htm

Baby Carrier - Hot Sling & Ring Sling

I have been dabbling in making some simple baby carriers. I can sew, decently, so these are all pretty easy patterns to follow.

Here is one that is similar to a Hot Sling:
http://www.ida.net/users/stace/sling.html

This is a discussion board that I thought had some helpful information for a beginner:
http://www.mothering.com/community/t/528506/can-i-make-my-own-hotsling

And here is a link for a ring sling pattern:
http://www.mayawrap.com/n_sewsling.php
The background doesn't go with the text font very well, so its a little difficult to read, but good instructions.

Here is where I purchased my rings for the ring sling:
http://www.slingrings.com/index.php
These rings are very affordable and quality rings - metal or acrylic

To give you an idea on cost, I paid $9 for my rings (but I accidentally bought two sets, so it would have been just under $5... only order ONE from slingrings.com - their wording is a tad confusing) and I had the fabric on hand. You need about 2 yards of fabric for the ring sling. It only requires being able to sew a straight line so its pretty easy. I usually find my cotton fabric at Joann's or Hobby Lobby and use a coupon to get it for about $2-5/yard.

The hot sling-type, I also had extra fabric on hand so it didn't cost me anything. I would guess you would need about a half a yard, one yard, max. So, that would still be pretty inexpensive. Its pretty much just sewing a straight line - pretty easy, even for a novice like me.

I'll try to add pictures later, once baby is awake and can model for me. ;)

Cloth Diapers for Overnight

This is a link to a shop called Lollidoo which sells cloth diapers and other cloth products. They have a cloth diaper that claims to work overnight. I haven't personally tried it, but I've heard good things and I know a lot of people, whether they use cloth diapers or not, have a hard time with leaks at night. Might be worth a shot.

http://www.lolliplace.com/products/Overnight-eco%252dpocket-%C2%AE-Cloth-Diapers.html

Hope you have a nice dry night. :)

What's in it....?

Ever wondered what's in breastmilk? Or how it compares with formula?

Check this out: It will amaze you.

http://www.bcbabyfriendly.ca/whatsinbreastmilkposter.pdf

Best & Worst

This is a link to healthychild.org that has a break down of the best & worst carseats for children, based on chemical exposure. This does not rank the carseats based on crash safety testing - only chemical & toxin exposure. It might be helpful, when narrowing your choices based on crash safety, to then narrow even further by toxic/chemical safety. It helped me so I thought I'd just pass along the info.

http://www.healthystuff.org/pressimages/rawimages/Best-Worst-Car-seat-list.jpg

A Letter From Baby...

A friend of mine shared this with me and she said it made her cry. Well... it made me cry, too!

Its a short narrative from the perspective of a newborn baby, explaining how they cherish their mother and the gift of breastfeeding. I thought it was so beautiful and so sweet, I had to share.

A Letter From Baby

Book Review

The Baby Whisperer, by Tracy Hogg, is a book that claims to help parents who are unsure how to care for their babies and read their cues. I was reading the book, looking for insights on normal infant sleep patterns. What I found was information on how to get your baby to sleep, eat and play on an adult's schedule. I was kinda disappointed, because I thought this would be a book that was more geared towards Attachment Parenting and would explain the needs of infants... I guess I was mistaken. While she does offer advice on all imaginable topics, and claims her solutions will work for every baby (I'm not a huge fan of the "one-size-fits-all" method) I just didn't feel she was qualified to be so aggressive in her opinions.

For instance, she down plays the benefits of breastfeeding, while suggesting that breastfeeding on demand is not only unnecessary, but creates a demanding, fussy child. I have found the opposite to be true, but regardless, she isn't an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), so I'd question her knowledge and understanding of successful breastfeeding and wouldn't follow her advice. Her suggestions had breastfeeding failure, written all over them. She also thought it was a good idea to wean babies at around 8 months, which isn't supported by WHO or the AAP... just not good advice.

I also didn't like how she demonized co-sleeping and co-bedding. She blamed these for SIDS and said cribs are where babies should be. What bothers me about that statement is that babies have been in bed with their parents for centuries before this book was written. Even today, nearly all other cultures practice bed-sharing with babies and don't have SIDS rates as high as we do here in the "modern world", in some "less civilized" cultures that practice bed-sharing, SIDS is almost unheard of... And nevermind the fact that SIDS was only recently changed from "Crib Death"....

Another inconsistency was that she recommends parents follow the AAP on their recommendation for when to start solids (6 months) but suggests that "bigger babies" and babies that suffer from GERD should be introduced at 4 months. Again, she really has no authority to be giving such recommendations and this goes against the AAP and other research I have read, so it bothers me that she gives such erroneous advice so willy-nilly.

I try to find the "good" in each thing I read, because I believe one can usually glean something beneficial. Something that I did find that I could agree with her on was her philosophy of not using the Cry-It-Out method (CIO).

I thought she made some good points:

"I don't believe in allowing infants to cry alone, not even for five minutes. Your baby doesn't know where you have gone or why he's suddenly abandoned. To use another analogy, its' as if you have a boyfriend, you set a date, and he doesn't show up for two nights in a row. You wouldn't trust his word. trust is the foundation on which any relationship is built. My hair stands on end when parents tell me they've allowed a baby to cry for an hour, two hours. Some infants get so upset and cry long and hard enough that they vomit. Others simply expend energy, become even more overstimulated, and eventually get hungry as well, leaving both of you confused and exhausted. Many babies who've been left to cry it out become chronically bad sleepers from that point on, putting up a battle whenever it's time for sleep, even becoming fearful of their own beds."

We don't see eye-to-eye on how to teach your baby to go to sleep... She suggests that allowing your baby to co-bed with you will result in a needy, clingy child and I just don't agree. The research doesn't show this to be true, in fact, many studies show the opposite, so we just don't see eye-to-eye on that point.

Another criticism I have with this book is that the Author's tone of voice is very antagonistic and arrogant. She speaks as though she is the best and only expert on babies and it just rubs me the wrong way. My philosophy on the topic of "who knows best?" is that parents usually know best, when they are sincerely seeking to do the best thing for their child. When their heart is in the right place, and they acknowledge and follow their baby's cues, I think the parents are the "experts" for all intents and purposes. And I believe each baby is unique and will march to the beat of a different drum, so I find it silly to be so rigid as to think that each baby should conform to one pattern of behavior.... I think consistency is important but flexibility is, too. She says she believes that but, I'm not convinced.

Well, that's my 2 cents. Hope it helps.

Pumping Moms

For those of you who are pumping for your babies, I found a really informative video from the Stanford School of Medicine, that shows some pumping techniques that really help increase the amount of milk that is expressed.

http://newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/MaxProduction.html

I have used a combination of hand expression and pumping and I can attest that it definitely does make a significant difference. I was able to get another ounce or more, when I combined hand expression. I hope this is helpful for those of you that are pumping. I know pumping can be very frustrating and time consuming so every little thing that helps to make it more efficient really lightens the frustration.

Book Review

These are a few books that might be worth reading. They have been helpful to some, and they might be helpful for you. I'll be reading and reviewing some books from time to time, and I'll post what I think about them and a brief synopsis.

The 90 Minute Baby Sleep Program - NAPS:


-Basically, the entire idea is that babies are on a 90 minute awake cycle and then need to nap. If you follow this cycle, your baby should go down for naps easily. I can say that I read the book and I think the author might have some interesting points as far as sleep science. When she starts giving advice on breastfeeding and other parenting topics, I kinda lost interest because A) she isn't a certified lactation consultant, so she shouldn't be giving breastfeeding advice B) she states that co-sleeping (which I assume she is meaning c0-bedding) is unsafe without any authority or research to back that up and basically finger wags which I really don't appreciate coming from an ignorant point-of-view and C) she isn't a "parenting expert" so I think she should just stick to her main subject of expertise, which is sleep. I don't think I'd recommend this book to anyone. The synopsis is pretty much all you need. ;)

Here it is:
Baby's need sleep. They need to sleep often. They need help falling asleep. You can do things to help them go to sleep by creating a restful environment. Don't underestimate the benefits of a well-rested child. They are happier and learn better when rested. This makes Mommies happier, too. The end. If you want more factoids (and I am that kinda person, so I understand) then by all means, by the book. Just don't pay full price. It really is worth it to just get a used copy. Borders.com sells used copies, and you can also look at half price books, too.

The next books I plan on reading are: "The Happiest Baby on the Block" by Dr. Harvey Karp and "The Baby Whisperer" by Tracy Hogg