Bad Economic News Stress is Buffered by Strong Family Ties

There is so much distressing news in the media every day. So many people are affected by layoffs and downturns in the economy. The key to emotional survival tough financial times is to have a supportive, close family. Research always shows the people who do the best in life, have close relationships with their “family.”

“Family” may or may not be blood relatives, but you will notice those people who have lots of people who they care about and who care for them are happier and more stable than those who don’t. It may not change your finances, but it will help your outlook and peace of mind. It is having others who love and support us and being there for others that makes our lives happy and worth living. Also it is knowing HOW to form these deep meaningful relationships that shapes our lives. These strong bonds seems to ‘insulate’ us from many of life’s woes, many physical illnesses and emotional distress. I have known too many people who fail at this and even though they “have it all” they are miserable and spend their adult lives looking for happiness, often when it is staring them in the face.

The whole reason I have been so driven to start and continue Best Start Parenting Center is that helping parents understand and begin their loving relationship with their babies starts them on the road of good, gentle, effective, healthy parenting. This builds trust and love and starts the growing family on it’s path of building their strong, loving, life-long ties. I have so many mothers that come into Best Start and tell me what a blessing it has been in their lives to have a better childbirth experience and to be able to do their best with breastfeeding and parenting. Often they embarrass their 10, 15, or 20 year old by saying: “This is the lady who helped me breastfeed you!” That usually happens about the time we think Best Start can’t go on, but then I realize we can. People always helped and supported me throughout my ups and downs in life.

Hopefully Best Start will be a positive influence in some way for your life. I always tell Moms that “Now you are ambassadors. Go out and support others throughout your life. Tell them they can have good childbirth, breastfeeding and parenting experiences. Help everyone, even when you are a 90 year old walking with your cane, encourage young parents. Help them to search out and get good, reliable, trustworthy information. Praise their efforts and tell them it is worth it!”

Jane

Mercury in High Fructose Corn Syrup

Have you heard pros and cons of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)? “It’s good – - -it’s bad, it’s no worse than sugar” . . . . .

Well I’m becoming more convinced each day that we need to eat as close to our great-grandparents diet as possible. The more processed the foods, the more chance for problems, additives or changes that make the food bad/dangerous for us, and especially pregnant moms, babies and children.

“It turns out that many foods sweetened with HFCS contain mercury, left as a residue in the production of caustic soda, a key ingredient in HFCS. And worst of all, the FDA and the industry have known about this potential toxin and has continued serving it up since at least 2005.”

Read this article from the Huffington Post for more information, then check your pantry for some of these food items that may contain mercury.

Click Here to go to Article

The Face of Facebook

From the United States Lactation Consultation Association:

By now, you’ve probably heard at least distant rumblings about the brouhaha on Facebook, the huge social network that has declared breastfeeding photos to be obscene. The company chose to delete breastfeeding photos rather than try to discern what is “appropriate” nudity and what is heading down a slippery slope to porn. Not surprisingly, the outcry from nursing mothers and those who work with them has been huge—complete with protests both online and at company headquarters.

The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine even issued a press release pointing out the normalcy of breastfeeding, and therefore its appropriateness on Facebook. If you’d like to read more about this controversy, check out Amy Spangler’s Baby Gooroo blog from December 23, 2009. So far, the protests have not led to any change in policy by Facebook management, but it has made for heated discussion around the globe.

Let Facebook know your opinion.
Jane

Abbott Recalls Infant Formula

Mon, June 2, 2008

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A05EEDD173EF931A35752C1A9649C8B63

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A05EEDD173EF931A35752C1A9649C8B63

Recalls of infant feeding products

http://www.naba-breastfeeding.org/images/Recalls.pdf

http://www.breastfeeding.com/advocacy/advocacy_recalls.html

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/12/asia/13milk.php

Formula Contamination in New Mexico

A recent death of a baby in New Mexico is blamed on contamination in powdered infant formula. Most people are not aware that powdered formulas are not sterile. Many parents and care givers are too casual about cleaning feeding supplies and handling of formula once prepared. Please pass this information on to those you know who are interested and who use powered formula for their babies.

New Mexican Baby Death Blamed On E. Sakazakii

Posted on December 1, 2008 by E. Sakazakii Lawyer
http://www.enterobactersakazakiiblog.com/2008/12/articles/e-sakazakii-watch/new-mexican-baby-death-blamed-on-e-sakazakii/

http://kob.com/article/stories/S680176.shtml?cat=500

http://www.babymilk.com/safety/esakazakii_background.htm

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/inf-ltr3.html

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/431689

Online Sleep Survey – Moms Needed!

Dr. Thomas Hale and Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett are conducting an on-line survey of mothers’ sleep and fatigue. Your help is needed! Please participate and complete the on-line survey. It takes 20 to 30 minutes and is confidential. It has been approved by the Institutional Review Board at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, Texas. The link for the survey is:

https://surveys.ttuhsc.edu/wsb.dll/s/60g51a

The study ends December 31, 2008.

Babywearing Mommies Mad about Motrin Ad

Check out these blogs about the new ad recommending Motrin for the backache mothers get from carrying their babies!

Wearing your baby should not make you hurt. We have so many mothers struggling with the plastic “infant carriers”, leaning to one side with a heavy baby in a heavy seat. It is not the way we are meant to carry a heavy load. We have known numerous mothers who have gone to the doctor, chiropractor, some that even needed physical therapy, and one that had back surgery as a result of the strain of carrying a growing baby, in one of those “plastic buckets”.  When my babies were little the car seat stayed in the car.  They weren’t portable so we had to carry our babies when we took them out of the car.  The convenience of the portable seats is a mixed blessing.  Of course it is nice to be able to carry your sleeping baby with you without disturbing him/her, but mothers have found that scooping them up into a soft carrier next to the parents body puts them right back to sleep.

Jane

Google News Alert for: babywearing

Motrin Ad Makes Moms Mad PitchEngine (press release) – Riverton,WY,USA Katja Presnal is available to answer all questions about social media marketing, mommy blogging, babywearing or how Motrin’s advertising campaign failed, … See all stories on this topic

Blogs › Mothering Without A Manual Anderson Independent Mail – Anderson,SC,USA What did Motrin know about babywearing? It turns out, nothing. Go here to see what the genius marketing team at Motrin has come up with. … See all stories on this topic

Motrin tries to get on moms’ side, misses horribly WalletPop – VA,USA The one launched during International Babywearing Week. The one which has moms on blogs and Twitter so incensed they’re making videos explaining to Motrin … See all stories on this topic Update:  Click here for another link.  Motrin is very sorry they did this I’m sure.

Infant Formula in the News Again!

Welcome to our Blog!  We hope to share our thoughts, passions and loads of good information about pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and parenting with you.

Many of you heard in the news about the horrible contamination of infant formula in China with the industrial melamine.  The CDC reports nearly 60,000 children were brought for medical care, thousands of children hospitalized, and at least four infants died as a result.  Similar health problems have been reported in Hong Kong and Singapore but have not been confirmed.  Read what the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization have to report about this situation.

Powdered formulas have had more recalls that any other type.  CLICK HERE To learn more about recalls of infant formulas.

If you or anyone you know is using a powdered formula, please CLICK HERE to read about guidelines for the safe preparation, storage and handling of powdered infant formula.

Here is a great excerpt from American Chronicle (Beverly Hills, CA): Breastfeeding Can Save Your Baby’s Life! :

“As if there weren’t enough great reasons to breastfeed your baby, here is one more!  Between 1982 and 1994 alone, there were 22 significant recalls of infant formula in the US due to Health and Safety problems.”

Thanks for visiting our blog.  We will work to give you lots to consider and learn as you make your journey through parenthood.

Warmly,

Jane

Welcome to our Blog!

Welcome to our blog!  We are so glad you have stopped by to check out our newest addition to our website!  We really appreciate your patience as we get into the swing of things with this blog and gear up to start posting on a weekly basis.  You will find all kinds of great information about breastfeeding, childbirth, parenting, and more as time goes on.  So stay tuned!

Did you know? Jane Bradshaw is not only the wonderful founder/owner of Best Start Parenting Center and outstanding lactation consultant – but she is also a breastfeeding educator of physicians and nurses?  Jane often travels to Northern Virginia to teach physicians and nurses at hospitals in the area everything she knows about breastfeeding.  Just taking that opportunity to honor Jane and letting you know that while she is out this week, there will not be any updates to the blog.  Please check back on Monday!

Have a wonderful day!

Website Administrator