Research is split on whether routinely cutting boys at birth will protect them from sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDs and HIV. Most research points to a decrease in diseases only in high-risk populations where such diseases are prevalent.
One of the groups lobbying against such a blanket recommendation is Intact America, a newly-formed group in the U.S. with the aim of lowering the circumcision rate.
But those who state simply that “circumcision prevents STDs” may need to get their facts straight.
A woman began to breastfeed in the Science World museum when a volunteer directed her to the nursing room. Because Kristen George was with her 23-month-old and her 8-week-old nursling, she stayed put, keeping an eye on one child while soothing the infant.
I’ve always felt a little self-conscious, so I usually pump and bring a bottle, but I had forgotten it this time.
George was in the section of the museum specifically for infants and kids, and says she was wearing a baggy shirt that covered her. She says she was approached by a young man who asked her to move. Then when she responded that she wasn’t “doing anything wrong,” he said what she was doing was,
Morally wrong
His words were loud enough to catch the attention of other parents, now making something otherwise mostly overlooked into a spectacle.Fabulous.
In Michigan City, Indiana, the mother of a breastfed 11-month-old was asked to leave an Olive Garden restaurant after she refused to give her baby lunch in the bathroom.
Margaret Naas said her daughter Katie wanted to eat shortly after she’d ordered. She said she pulled half of her halter top down to feed the baby.
Soon, the manager (a woman) cited other customer complaints and offered her use of the restroom to feed her child.
A lactation consultant from the nearby WIC, Tammy Pray, who contacted the media regarding this situation, told The News-Dispatch,
That’s disgusting! Who would want to feed their children in a bathroom?
Studies are revealing that children who are fed diets of bland, tasteless food are more likely to have issues with weight. Unlike the jarred foods, homemade baby food is full of delicious fresh, wholesome flavor and adding herbs and spices is a great way to enhance this flavor.
Here are a few tips on how your baby’s food can go from simple to a culinary treat:
• Introduce herbs and spices at 8-10 months. Keep it simple for the first few months.
• Add herbs and spice in the cooking step. It is best for flavors to blend in cooking and become more subtle. Do not sprinkle herbs and spices on the food prior to serving. The flavor will be too strong.
• A little goes along way. Use herbs and spices sparingly. As a general rule, add 1/8 teaspoon of spice per 16-24 ounces of fruits or vegetables.
• Add herbs and spices only to foods that you have previously fed to your baby. Remember the “One at a Time” rule to ensure that any food allergies are detected early.
• Avoid sugar and salt. There are healthier and more flavorful choices to add to your baby’s foods.
Baby-friendly herbs and spices:
• Cinnamon
• Dill
• Ginger
• Mint
• Nutmeg
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Garlic
• Lemon or orange zest
• Vanilla
About the author: Cheryl Tallman is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit. Visit Cheryl online at www.FreshBaby.com for more delicious tips.
I had two natural hospital births. The first was empowering, a group of women cheering me on while I pushed. For the second, in the 10 whole minutes I was pushing, I was instructed to stop so they could get a read on his heart and prep the room. I can only imagine what fun we would have had if I’d been there longer.
For both, I thought I could run a marathon afterward, if I didn’t have to breastfeed immediately! I was strong and able.
But I’m one of the lucky ones. I was given a good birth legacy, a “Your body is capable. It can do this!” (Thanks, Mom.) Many are not so lucky. They are told that labor and delivery will be scary, painful, unmanageable without medications.
I think for most people birth is a nightmare
It hasn’t been what a baby would want.
In our births, is it only about us? When are we going to start asking, “What does baby want?”
The breast versus bottle fight has taken a turn, now that an evolutionary scientist has gotten involved. Most of the debate thus far has focused on the physical benefits of breastfeeding, both to mama and baby.
But what if evolution designed us so that breastfeeding is emotionally, psychologically preferable to formula-feeding?
It may be the end of World Breastfeeding Week, but the entire month of August is dedicated to breastmilk. Just in time, 200 hospitals of the 7,569 nationwide have ditched the formula freebies in favor of Healthy Baby Bounty Bags. And there’s not a drop of imitation breastmilk in them.
Because you know what? Getting a formula sample after you’ve given birth is like being given a Big Mac after your annual physical. Sure, it’s “food“, but it’s not the same, not as healthy.
These goodie bags contain samples from companies that make products that actually support breastfeeding. Sure, they’re companies giving breast swag to get noticed, but this is for good reason; to encourage breastfeeding while ditching the formula.
Not only that, it should not be compared to other natural functions of the body, like urination, defecation, or even–recently heard by yours truly–decomposition. Because poop isn’t food, despite what your dog might think. Breastmilk is.
Unfortunately, many people are still ignorant of this fact and continue to whine about mamas feeding their children in public. So I thought I’d share a few counterpoints, just for the anti-breastfeeding-in-public crowd.
Starting with this:
See, it’s not so much about a woman’s right to breastfeed in public or her supposed “need” to expose herself. It should also be viewed as the child’s right to eat.
Breastfeeding can be hard enough for any new mama. Some of us produce too much milk, some too little, some of us get infections, or struggle to have our new little baby latch on well. Breastfeeding has been known to lessen obesity, allergies, and quoted from a guest poster on Non-Toxic Kids,
“Research shows that breast milk is best for a babys health and is perfectly suited to protect the baby from illnesses. Babies who are breast-fed are healthier and develop a stronger immune system, making them less prone to hospital admissions and problems such as diarrhea, allergies, and infections, which are more prone in babies who are bottle-fed.”
The benefits go beyond this, we know. Constant bonding and closeness with your baby promotes close relationships and connections. Of course this is possible for bottle fed babies too. Read the rest of this entry »
This week at the CDC’s National HIV Prevention Conference in Atlanta, the government agency will discuss whether to recommend routine circumcision for all baby boys to protect them from the disease.
