I have many friends and family members that have delivered their first babies via Cesarean surgery.  Subsequent births were scheduled c-sections; the mothers were given no choice in the matter. Only one of these women actually experienced a vaginal birth after Cesarean (VBAC) delivery, and that was because she went into labor before her scheduled surgery.  The idea that once a Cesarean always a Cesarean is changing, as international experts agree labor should be attempted by all women.  The question is…will US insurance companies allow women to try?

According to Reuters India, experts told the National Institute of Health (NIH):

The experts cited “rigorous research” showing that at least trying natural labour is successful in nearly 75 percent of cases, and women are less likely to die if they are allowed to labour naturally for a while, even if they end up delivering surgically.

“Declining vaginal birth after Caesarean rates and increasing Caesarean delivery rates over the last 15 years would seem to indicate that planned repeat Caesarean delivery is preferable to a trial of labour,” Dr. F. Gary Cunningham, chairman of the NIH expert panel, said in a statement.

“But the currently available evidence suggests a very different picture: a trial of labour is worth considering and may be preferable for many women,” added Cunningham, the chairman of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre at Dallas.

Statistically, 40 percent of C-sections in the US occur in women with previous surgical births.  Many doctors and insurance companies fear previous incisions will burst during labor; however, this occurs in only one percent of VBACs.

A draft statement on VBACs by the NIH is suppose to be released tonight.  It is expected they will recommend all women be given a chance at vaginal birth no matter past labor experiences.  In the structured abstract for Vaginal Birth After Cesarean: New Insights, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, part of the US Department of Health 7 Human Services, concludes:

Each year 1.5 million childbearing women have cesarean deliveries, and this population continues to increase. This report adds stronger evidence that VBAC is a reasonable and safe choice for the majority of women with prior cesarean. Moreover, there is emerging evidence of serious harms relating to multiple cesareans. Relatively unexamined contextual factors such as medical liability, economics, hospital structure, and staffing may need to be addressed to prioritize VBAC services.

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NIH to Recommend VBACs: Vaginal Birth After Cesarean is a post from: Eco Child's Play

1. Yamamotoyama Seaweed Snack Chips Teriyaki

We discovered these seaweed snacks at a health food store in Mt. Shasta, CA. My kids love to just snack on full sheets of nori, but these small snack size bites are perfect for munching in the car and packing in school lunches.

Nori has traditionally been eaten in Asian cultures.  It can be used for Sushi, rice balls, topping on noodles, salads, pasta, and rice dishes.  Nori is a valuable nutrition source filled with proteins, vitamins and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium, and zinc which are necessary components for maintaining good health.

These “chips” just kind of melt in your mouth, and the teriyaki flavoring is not too strong for my kids. 

Would I buy this product? Yes.  I wish I could find them in a local health food store, and I will be stocking up on our next ski trip to Shasta.

2. Pediped Originals Infant/ Toddler Ella Cork Sandal Ella

Pediped makes adorable shoes for little walkers. Considered “the next best thing to bare feet”, flexible soles and uppers are recommended by pediatricians.

COMFORT: pediped footwear are made with premium, non-toxic, ECO grade leather throughout. Foam insoles & cushions provide for a comfortable fit and the heels are padded to absorb shock. pediped simply offer the ultimate in comfort and protection……QUALITY : pediped footwear’s unsurpassed quality and craftsmanship have earned them a loyal following. Premium grade leather, distinctive styling and remarkable attention to detail have resulted in a truly exceptional shoe. pediped footwear have caught the attention of parents, grandparents and celebrities alike…. pediped footwear is recommended by podiatrists The American Podiatric Medical Association says, “Allowing the youngster to go barefoot or to wear just socks helps the foot to grow normally and to develop its musculature and strength as well as the grasping action of the toes” .

I don’t know what “ECO grade leather” is, and I could not find information on the company’s website. I do know these shoes smelled strongly when I took them out of the box, which I do find concerning.  They say they are nontoxic, but I am not sure what is outgassing.

Would I buy this product? Maybe. They cost $32, which I do not think is too much for toddler shoes that are good for little feet.  Toddlers don’t need many pairs of shoes. What does concern me is the odor…I would be sure to let these shoes sit in fresh air for quite sometime before putting on little feet.

3.  “Surf Ace of the Sun” iStoryTime by Joe Mohr

Joe Mohr’s Hank D and the Bee cartoons are a regular Thursday feature here on Eco Child’s Play. “Surf Ace of the Sun” features three original Joe Mohr cartoons with an environmental theme:  “Surf Ace of the Sun”, ‘The Newt on my Boot Asked Me not to Pollute”, and “Wouldn’t it be Nice?”  I don’t want to give away the stories, but you will enjoy their cadence, narration, and illustrations.  MusicBoatGuy’s review states:

I love the enviornmental [sic] message. My daughter loves it – and i love what it is teaching her. A steal at 0.99. great drawings, great narration. Perfect for the car. And it includes surfing to boot.

My daughter really liked these poems, and I think she felt a little inspired. I wonder if kids can create stories for iPhones?

Would I buy this product? Yes. This is a great deal at $0.99, and I am a big fan Joe Mohr!  Of course, there is some concern about cell phone radiation with children and iPhones; however, children don’t hold the gadget by their heads to view/listen/read the poems, and the phone is not transmitting as it would be when talking.  Viewing this app probably falls near the low end of radiation on an iPhone, and it doesn’t take that long to go through all of the poems.

4.  staSAFE All Natural Hand Sanitizer and Protector

The flu is rampant right now in our school because one irresponsible parent brought her sick child to school (101.2 fever) when she had to work. My son topped out at 102.8 today, and I have been accused of being a “germaphobe” this week.

We’ve reviewed a lot of natural hand sanitizers in the past, but staSAFE is the first all natural, alcohol free hand sanitizer advertising “ongoing” protection for hours.

staSAFE is made with Argenius,™ a unique formulation of natural ingredients proven to kill 99.9% of common germs.
Our formula requires no environmental or health warnings on the label. The ingredients in staSAFE are safe, long acting, non-toxic and moisturizing. Our products are never tested on animals and don’t contain parabens, phthalates, formaldehydes, or steroids.

staSafe works by using a silver-zinc complex to “coat” your hands. After rubbing in for 30 seconds, your hands smell good and feel soft.  My concern is with the silver. I could not find any info on if this was indeed silver nanoparticles as I suspect.

Would I buy this product? Maybe. I just don’t know about the silver, I don’t know the price, but I like that it offers lasting protection from bacteria.

5. New Jammies Fruits & Veggies Peas PJ’s

Organic jammies are the best!  My kids spend more time in their pajamas than any other item of clothing, so we try to buy organic whenever possible.

Imagine as a parent having the tools to make your child happy and healthy.  New Jammies provides these tools by making bed time fun, healthy, and educational.   Each time your child steps into a pair of New Jammies, the colorful patterns will teach your child about the things that are good for them such as fresh fruits and vegetables.

What could be sweeter for a bedtime snack than a delicious apple treat for the “apple of your eye”.  Your child will happily march off to bed with dreams of bananas, blueberries & peas in their head.   New Jammies are good for your child, made of 100% natural organic cotton, and hey they look darn cute in them too!!!

New Jammies make delightfully soft sleepwear, and our set came with a book.  Although I found the story annoying, as each fruit or vegetable in the story competes to the best, I do like the pretty peas please jammies.

Would I buy this product? Maybe.  I hate to say no, but I think they are overpriced at $30, but I love organic jammies.

Disclosure: The products described above were sent to us as free samples, unless noted differently in the review. Prior assurances as to the nature of the reviews, whether positive or negative, were not given. No financial payments were accepted in exchange for the reviews. The reviews reflect our honest, authentic opinions.

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5 Green Products: Seaweed Snacks to Organic Literate Jammies is a post from: Eco Child's Play

More:
How to Earn a Gold Medal in Water Conservation
We Use How Much Water? Scary Water Footprints, Country by Country
How much water do you use at home?

Follow Joe’s cartoonery at JoeMohrToons.com and on Twitter at @GreenCartoons.

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Hank D and the Bee: Waterless Shower is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Photo by laszlo-photo

Monkey mama's milk signals behavior and development

Have you ever wondered what your breast milk provides for your child beyond simple nourishment?  Animal research may expand our knowledge of the power of breast milk.

Studying rhesus macaque monkeys, researchers have found “that a mother’s milk sends a reliable signal to infants about their environment”.

How does one’s environment affect temperament and behavior?  Scientists have long debated environment versus genetics in human development, but rhesus monkeys may give us a new clue at an even deeper connections involving breast mikl.  Physorg explains:

Scientists from the Smithsonian Institution and the University of California, Davis are using this natural variation in breast milk quality and quantity to show that a mother’s milk sends a reliable signal to infants about their environment. This signal may program the infant’s behavior and temperament according to expectations of available resources and discourages temperaments that prove risky when food is scarce.

Published in the American Journal of Primatology, researchers analyzed the milk of 59 monkeys. Katie Hinde, the study’s lead author, expounds:

This is the first study for any mammal that presents evidence that natural variation in available milk energy from the mother is associated with later variation in infant behavior and temperament.  Our results suggest that the milk energy available soon after birth may be a nutritional cue that calibrates the infant’s behavior to environmental or maternal conditions.

Does this trait of rhesus breast milk carry over to humans?  Rhesus monkeys are “more distant from humans than chimpanzees or orangutans;” however, they are often used in disease research because of “genetic, physiologic and metabolic similarity to humans”.  It is also interesting to note that humans are the only primate with a “broader geographic distribution“ than the rhesus macaques. I wouldn’t doubt that human babies receive similar signals from their mother’s milk given the similarities.

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Breast Milk “Signals” Infant Behavior and Temperament in Rhesus Monkeys is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Photo by Uqbar is back

Is breast milk too toxic to drink?

We all know that toxins are found in breast milk; however, the general thought is the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risk of contamination.  A political science professor at the University of Guelph disagrees.  Speaking at the Pharmaceuticals in the Environment conference, Professor Judith McKenzie presented that “many doctors now are rethinking whether to recommend breastfeeding, because of the dangers of dioxins being passed from mother to infant through breast milk,” according to the GuelphMercury.com.

Has breast milk really gotten so toxic that formula is better for babies?  Social science professor Dr. Lynn Frewer of Wageningen University disagrees with McKenzie.  GuelphMercury.com explains the debate that was sparked at the conference:

“The message is not that women should not breastfeed, because that is very important,” Frewer said, suggesting the real challenge is removing dioxins from the environment so they do not get into mothers’ bodies in the first place.

After her presentation, McKenzie said society is hesitant to address the issue of contaminated breast milk related to environmental pollutants “because it’s still seen as a women’s issue. Maybe we should be reframing it as a child health issue rather than a women’s issue.”

I agree with Dr. Frewer that rather than scare women away from breastfeeding, we need to look closely at removing toxins from our environment.  I have never heard of a case where a child was actually harmed by the chemicals found in human milk, but research has proven that infant formula contaminated with perchlorate harms brain development.

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Political Science Professor Says Breast Milk Too Contaminated for Consumption is a post from: Eco Child's Play

A little bathtime fun is all it takes!

You probably know Parenting magazine as well as its baby rag, Babytalk. Recently, there’s been an outcry among those with common sense intactivists over the advice in the March issue of the latter.

If he is uncircumcised, it is important to gently tug back his foreskin and cleanse thoroughly.

Say what?! This advice perpetuates the myths that an “uncircumcised” penis requires extra care. It does not, in fact.

The advice is also wrong. Step away from the penis!

Folks, when you give your baby girl a bath, do you “gently tug back” her clitoral hood to wash with soap and water beneath it? No, of course not! (That would be a bit weird, frankly.) Same rules apply for intact boys. Wash with soap and water, and only the outside of the body. Never inside or under with the genital areas, both for boys and for girls.

So we intactivists demanded an –errr–retraction of this advice on the Parenting.com Facebook fan page. What did we get in return? A poor excuse for an apology and a reiteration of how supposedly problematic the intact penis can be. From Baby Talk and the doctor whose advice they’ve used now twice:

Gently tugging is not the same as retracting…Gently tugging/sliding back of the foreskin allows for cleansing of the penis and foreskin and removal of smegma.

Baby Talk, why would you use advice from the same hack doctor who gave the incorrect advice in the first place? Might you look to a pediatrician who cares for many intact boys? Or, perhaps, even a second opinion? Journalism at its finest right there.

I also want to take the time to point out something very true about intact boys: smegma is rare. My sons, ages 4 and 2, have never had it. Their pediatrician has never even wondered about it. None of my friends’ intact sons have had a problem with it, either. (Or their intact husbands, for that matter.) I’m guessing that it’s not all that big a problem for an intact newborn, either.

If you don’t believe me, check out the AAP’s own page on caring for an “uncircumcised” penis. Yes, they mention some normal smegma. Nope, they don’t mention “tugging” a baby’s foreskin to wash beneath it. They mention it as part of your older son’s body care, once the foreskin has already retracted.

And it will retract, without your help or fretting about it. All it takes is a bit of manual stimulation. I think we can all rely on our boys to do that, can’t we?

The thing is, we shouldn’t be obsessing about the penis. We shouldn’t douse the inside of the foreskin with soap. We shouldn’t be snipping off part of it in the name of familiarity. I could give you many reasons why you shouldn’t circumcise your boy at birth. I’ve discussed it on Eco Child’s Play before. But in the end, what it comes down to is this: It is not your body, and you shouldn’t make choices for another human being’s genitalia. Especially over aesthetics.

Intact penises are the standard. They are how our baby boys come into this world. So even if you choose to cut off part of your newborn’s body circumcise, understand that when you’re referring to those who aren’t circumcised, use the word “intact”. Because that’s what my sons are: whole boys. They are in their original form. They are the standard, not the deviance.

Reach out to Parenting on their Facebook fan page. Reply to the editors of Baby Talk here. Or e-mail them and tell them to do some real journalism on the topic of circumcision.

Boycott, anyone?

Follow me on Twitter.

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“Parenting” Fail: “Baby Talk” Magazine Screws Up Penis Care Advice is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Earl Bradley, Accused of Abusing 103 Children

A Delaware pediatrician, Earl Bradley, was indicted this week for 471 counts of rape, assault and child endangerment on over 100 children, one as young as 3 months old.

Makes you gasp, doesn’t it?

And in the aftermath of these abhorrent crimes, there is another horror being perpetrated: Blaming the parents.

I love my sons’ pediatrician. I love everyone in that doctor’s office. But no, I never leave my children alone with anyone there. In fact, I only leave them alone with trusted friends. Much like you do.

But what I’m seeing time and again across stories on this disgusting abuser is, “Where were the parents?”

Stop. Blaming. The.  Parents.

When we blame the parents of this doctor’s victims, we are fooling ourselves. We’re patting ourselves on the back for being “good” parents who would “never let this happen to my child.” And indirectly, we are becoming apologists for the abuser.

This is the truth about abusers: they are called “predators” for a reason. Because they are manipulative. They are conniving. They make an art out of their need to fulfill their sick desires. They know how to take advantage of a moment of uncertainty or a moment unguarded. They don’t wear bells and whistles, no matter how creepy Earl Bradley may look in his mugshot. They don’t glow in the dark. Pedophiles, like all abusers, walk among us. But even worse, they hide among us.

The truth is, vigilance will not prevent abusers from our lives. Vigilance doesn’t keep 1 in 4 women from being raped. Vigilance doesn’t stop people from being robbed. Vigilance does not separate the “good” parents from the “bad”. Abuse happens across all social strata and backgrounds, and often is perpetrated by those we trust.

I would love to think  vigilance could keep us safe. And you, I’m sure, would like to believe the same. But when we turn to vigilance instead of laying blame where it is deserved, we are giving abusers a pass. And then we put more people in danger of predators by simple, willful ignorance.

Perhaps it’s the anonymity of the internet, but I even saw the same when I posted the NPR story on my Facebook page. Quotes like these, from the Huffington Post:

These children will never get over the trauma they have suffered because of some ass, and because of incompetent parents.

-georgiegirl

W…T…F…is wrong with the parents?
…There is a reason chikdrn [sic] have parents: they’re more experienced and that experience helps them to PROTECT their kids. People are creeps. Watch over your kids.

-bloominglater

Really?! “Because of incompetent parents?” The doctor abused the children. The doctor did. At least once, right in front of the mother (see comments), who said she didn’t realize that he was going beyond the bounds of a normal exam until her daughter was questioned by the police.

This victim-blaming is symptomatic of what I saw time and again across the Web. And yes, the parents are victims, too. Would we blame the parent of a teen girl who was raped by her peers? Would we blame the parents of a child molested by a priest or coach? Doubtful. And if you would, perhaps you should look at your capacity for compassion.

This man is a predator. Frankly, he is a sick excuse for a human being. His abuse is his fault, his problem.

Should we hold some people accountable for not stopping him? Certainly. That includes his business partner and fellow pediatrician. His staff, which perhaps noticed his questionable practices. His office manager (and sister), who reported him not for sexual abuse, but for billing discrepancies. The Delaware medical board, which received reports of “strange behavior”. The police and prosecutors, which in 2005 received a report from a 3-year-old that the doctor had kissed her.

All of these people probably gave this creep the hairy eyeball at one time or another. Many were in contact with him daily and probably had suspicions about him.

But the parents? Though perhaps, *perhaps*, they let their guard down, Bradley’s abuse is not their fault.

Let us pray for peace and healing for the victims of this sick man… and their families.

Listen to the story on NPR’s All Things Considered.

I’m on Twitter here.

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“Where Were the Parents?” Delaware Pediatrician Victimizes Families is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Photo by abbybatchelder

DHA in infant formula causes diarrhea

I am guilty of being swayed by news of miracle supplements such as DHA.  DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oils touted for benefiting nervous system development and prevention of heart disease.  I give my five-year-old son with verbal apraxia fish oil supplements, but the use of DHA in infant formulas has come under scrutiny lately for causing “severe diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, and gastrointestinal pain”  In fact, the Cornucopia Institute is calling on the FDA to place warning labels on DHA containing infant formula.

While many scientists doubt the benefits of manufactured DHA and ARA oils, little doubt exists that at least a subset of the infant population experiences severe side effects, including watery, explosive diarrhea, severe vomiting, and gastrointestinal distress serious complications in this vulnerable population. Manufactured DHA and ARA fatty acids are structurally different from those found naturally in breastmilk. This structural difference may be one of many possible reasons why some infants experience such severe side effects.

Of course the breast is best, but many parents, for whatever reason, use formula and think DHA makes it more like breastmilk.  Parents only want to do what is best for their child, but unfortunately, parents aren’t informed of the risks of DHA and are swayed by info that it will make their children smarter. Consumer Federation of California explains:

If you believed a certain baby formula would make your child smarter, would you buy it?

Infant formula manufacturers are banking that you would. That’s why, since 2002, several companies have fortified their products with synthetic versions of DHA and ARA, long-chain fatty acids that occur naturally in breast milk and have been associated with brain development.

The oils are produced by Martek Biosciences Corp. from lab-grown algae and fungus and extracted with hexane, according to the company’s patent application. Hexane is a neurotoxin.

This is not breaking news, and the verdict is still out on the benefits of DHA.  Reading to your child, talking to your child, providing social and emotional stability, eating healthy foods, etc… this is what will make your child smarter.

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DHA in Infant Formula: Is it Safe? is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Photo by NicoleZHENG

Celebrities chose home water births.

What does supermodel Gisele Bundchen and yours truly have in common?  We are both gorgeous chose to give birth to our babies in water.  Studies and personal experiences have clearly shown that water births ease labor pain for mothers and offer a gentle transition to newborns.

Celebrities, such as Gisele Bundchen and her husband Tom Brady, are helping normalize natural, water births by making their choices and births public.

You may not have ever heard of this Brazilian supermodel, but you probably know of her husband NFL quarterback Tom Brady.  Although the Patriots are not looked upon too kindly in my household, we are pleased to hear about the natural, water birth of Bundchen and Brady’s baby boy Benjamin.  ABC News explains:

Breaking from a culture where hospital births are the norm and Caesarian rates are the highest in the world, Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen chose to deliver her son Benjamin in her own bathtub…

Today in the United States, as in Brazil,natural childbirth is a medical anomaly. But here, a small, but growing number of women are choosing water births over medication and pain-blocking epidurals.

Water births occur in warm water (body temperature).  For the newborn who is used to swimming around in the warm amniotic fluid of the womb, the transition out of the birth canal to a similar substance is gradual compared to a typical land birth.  ABC continues:

At least eight studies of nearly 3,000 women comparing water to regular births have shown that women need less pain relief in a water birth, according to obstetrician Gaudet.

Overall, most comparisons between water and land births had the same outcomes for mothers and their babies, she said.

One Italian study published in 2005 by the National Institutes of Health showed a lower episiotomy rate, shorter first stage of labor and no increased rate of infection.

In another comparison of water births to land births by British researchers in 2009, showed a reduction in the use of epidural and spinal pain relief.

When I tell people my children were born in a birthing tub, they usually express concern about the child taking its first breath under water.  Children who are born in water are quickly caught by a midwife or father and placed in the mother’s loving arms.  The transition from umbilical cord to lung breathing is more gradual than many suspect, thus delayed cord clamping is also beneficial, plus infants don’t take their first breath until exposed to air.

I am not a medical doctor, and like any of the advice or information we provide on Eco Child’s Play, it is never intended to replace your doctor’s wisdom.  Our intent is to promote discussions and empowered choices by families to live more natural, green lives.  Water births offer a safe, gentle birth for celebrities and regular folks alike.

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Natural Childbirth: NFL Quarterback Tom Brady and Supermodel Gisele Bundchen Chose Water Birth is a post from: Eco Child's Play

It’s a very simple idea, and one that is intuitive to many mothers.  My midwives did it for me, and it felt very natural.  Kangaroo Mother Care is a USAID and Save the Children program that teachers mothers to place premature infants on their bare chests to act as a human incubator.  This program is saving lives and empowering women, and it’s good for all babies, not just preemies.

What is Kangaroo Mother Care?

Definition: A universally available and biologically sound method of care for all newborns, but in particular for premature babies, with three components …
1 Skin-to-skin Contact
2 Exclusive breastfeeding
3 Support to the mother infant dyad.

Skin-to-skin contact is between the baby front and the mother’s chest. The more skin-to-skin, the better.
For comfort a small nappy is fine, and for warmth a cap may be used. Skin-to-skin contact should ideally start at birth, but is helpful at any time. It should ideally be continuous day and night, but even shorter periods are still helpful.

Exclusive breastfeeding means that for an average mother, expressing from the breasts or direct suckling by the baby is all thast [sic] is needed.
For very premature babies, suppliy [sic] of some essential nutrients may be indicated.

Support to the dyad means that whatever is needed for the medical, emotional, psychological and physical well being of mother and baby is provided to them, without separating them. This might mean adding ultramodern equipment if available, or purely intense psychologial [sic] support in contexts with no resources.

This program has been especially successful in Malawi, and it should be practiced by mothers around the world.  Save the Children explains:

The need is dramatic in Malawi, where too few mothers have access to skilled care during pregnancy and childbirth, 20 percent of all newborns are born with low birth weight, and more than 20,000 mothers each year bear the tragedy of their newborn babies dying.

Encouraging new mothers to practice “skin-to-skin” contact with their newborns—like a kangaroo mother keeps her baby in her pouch— Kangaroo Mother Care has already helped save lives among newborns in Malawi, especially among low birth weight and pre-term babies.

Kangaroo Mother Care was designed to reduce hypothermia—a drop in body temperature which poses a serious risk to newborns even in the warmest climates. When a baby is born, its temperature drops because babies are born wet and room temperature air is cold on their skin. Hypothermia can set in quickly unless steps are taken to warm the baby.

I’m am pleased to hear of a USAID program that is successful and working on natural methods to support mothering.  USAID is not always effective, such as the program to purchase nylon nets for Kenyan fisherman that are destroying their local ecosystem.

Both of my children were placed on my bare chest when born and covered with a blanket.  It was both soothing for me and my infants, and it helped promote nursing and instant bonding.  It is such a simple idea that is probably ancient and been lost in modern times.

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Kangaroo Mother Care: Skin to Skin Contact Saves Newborn Lives is a post from: Eco Child's Play