Labor and Postpartum Doula Combo Training

Come to a CAPPA Labor Doula/Postpartum Doula Combination Training in Augusta, Maine November 13-15, 2008.

Registration is OPEN! Space is LIMITED! This CAPPA Combination training is taught by CAPPA’s Director of Doula Programs, Val Staples, CPD CLD CCCE.

The CAPPA Combination Doula Training is an intensive three-day workshop with topics such as:

• What is a Doula?
• The CAPPA Difference
• Comfort Measures for Labor
• Massage Techniques for Labor
• Emotional Support in Labor
• Hospital Birth Procedures
• Communication with Medical Staff
• Dealing with Difficult Labors
• Cesareans and VBAC
• Setting up your Doula Business
• Breastfeeding Tips
• Baby Care and Advice
• Household Help
• Sibling Care
• Meal Preparation
• AND MUCH MORE!

Where: Augusta, Maine
When: November 13-15, 2008
Trainer: Val Staples, CPD CLD CCCE
Contact: 706.662.3196 or doulaval@bellsouth.net

You may register for the complete combination training, or take the labor or postpartum sections individually. See pricing below.

Training Fees and Registration:
Labor and Postpartum Combo Training:
Fee: $575.00
Registration: http://www.cappa.net/trainings/trainings.asp?tid=179

Labor Doula:
Fee: $350.00
Registration: http://www.cappa.net/trainings/trainings.asp?tid=216

Postpartum Doula:
Fee: $350.00
Registration: http://www.cappa.net/trainings/trainings.asp?tid=183

Pampered Pregger and Beyond

Pampered Pregger and Beyond and the Swap Spot provide advertising opportunities for professionals, as well as opportunities to support a worthy cause.
http://pamperedpreggerandbeyond.com/placenta.html

Tiffani Lawton is the founder/director of Pampered Pregger and Beyond which provides antepartum and postpartum doula support for expectant and postpartum families, as well as placenta encapsulation. Tiffani created and maintains the Swap Spot which is an internet spot where families can purchase, sell, swap, or give away children’s clothing and other items.

Tiffani’s three year old son Eamon was diagnosed with mild autism (just at the base of the spectrum). Their insurance company does not cover the bulk of the medical expenses, Tiffani being the creative person that she is realized an opportunity that would help her son receive the medical attention that he needs as well as others. She has created several options in which people can support their cause and benefit personally at the same time. The following fundraisers are in place providing opportunities for us to support Eamon and his family.

1) Pumpkin Recipes for the Autumn Holidays is 50 scrumptious recipes, supported by some fantastic advertisers. It is available in ebook format ($1) by download at http://EamonsJourney.blogspot.com or in print ($12) for holiday gift giving at http://www.cafepress.com/Eamonsjourney.311679330

2) Online 50/50! $1.00 per chance to win half of the collective pot.
Drawing is 10/15/08. Come by http://eamonsjourney.blogspot.com and buy a few chances!

3) Reading About Me fundraiser
http://eamonsjourney.blogspot.com/2008/09/reading-about-me-offers-support.html
Eamon gets $10.00 with every order using the downloadable form.

4) Ad Options: Advertise on the blog for as little as $1.00 per month!
http://eamonsjourney.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-advertising-options.html

5) More recipe books coming soon.
Ad spots start at $5!
Great advertising opps and you help us raise funds at the same time.

The Lawton family thanks you in advance for your support.

CAPPA Fall Savings!

Save on CAPPA Certification Processing Fee
The leaves are falling and so are CAPPA prices

Processing Fee Savings
Ready to turn in your CAPPA certification packets
or pre-pay your processing fee?
Then enjoy our $25.00 discount through October 10th 2008! Use CAPPA's
online store to pre-pay for your processing fee or recertification fee
and receive a $25.00 discount instantly!

Regular Price: $75.00 Sale Price: $50 Offer ends 10-10-08
This offer is good on Exam processing fees and on Re-certification fees.
SAVE NOW, visit www.cappa.net and enter the CAPPA Shop

Childbirth Educator Training Workshop

CAPPA Approved Childbirth Educator Training
November 6-7, 2008
Colorado Springs, CO

Experience the CAPPA Difference!

CAPPA trained and certified instructors teach in hospitals, birth centers, community-based programs, pregnancy centers and independently. You can add this valuable service to your current offerings.

You will receive a solid evidence-based foundation to teach a variety of Childbirth Education Courses with curriculum you develop. Skill sets for teaching will be gained through many types of teaching strategies and learning style approaches.

What the training includes:
Roles of Childbirth Educator
History of Childbirth Education
Cultural influences of Childbirth Educator
Stages and Phases of Normal Labor
Comfort Measures
Postpartum and Breastfeeding
Medical Interventions
Cesareans and VBAC's
Proper use of media in classroom
Adult principles of learning
Evidence based teaching practices (overview of reviewing and understanding research)
Curriculum development
Marketing

This is the first step toward your CAPPA certification. If you are a registered nurse, licensed or registered midwife, certified doula, or certified childbirth educator - you may qualify to fast track through the CAPPA program. Details on CAPPA, certification requirements and more! www.cappa.net

Instructor: Desirre Andrews CCCE, LCCE, CLD, CLE
Cost: $350 (cash, check or paypal)
For additional information or to register: www.birthingtouch.com , desirre@birthingtouch.com or 719-331-1292.

Please forward to others who may be interested.

CAPPA Training and Certification

I have listed three trainings coming up with CAPPA. These include Lactation Educator, Childbirth Educator and Labor Doula. For a complete list of trainings visit www.cappa.net.

Please read the past three blog entries for details and registration information regarding these trainings.

CAPPA's Mission
CAPPA certified professionals aim to empower, connect and advocate for families in the childbearing year. CAPPA seeks to forge positive and productive relationships between organizations that support healthy, informed family choices. The organization consists of a leadership board, regional representatives, trainers, mentors, advisors and its membership. CAPPA is the most comprehensive pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum organization available.

CAPPA Lactation Educator Training

This training fulfills one step for certification as a CAPPA Certified
Lactation Educator (CLE)

Dates: October 6-7, 2008
Location: Columbia, Tennessee

Instructor: Micky Jones, BS, CLE, CLD, HCHI
CAPPA Lactation Educator Faculty

Registration
Call or email Micky Jones: 1-877-365-6262 ext 1
micky@ninemonthsandbeyond.com

Fee: $350.00
$250 for WIC Peer Counselors/empoyees
Fee includes the required CAPPA Lactation Educator Manual.

CAPPA membership and CLE Certification Packets will be available for
purchase at the training or contact Micky in advance.

***NOTE: The pre-workshop study guide can be accessed FOR FREE at
http://cappa.net/CLE_STUDY.asp Completion of study guide is required
prior to the workshop; and it is necessary to bring the guide to the
training.

Please contact Micky for a Registration form and payment information.

See www.ninemonthsandbeyond.com and www.cappa.net for more information.

Hosted by the Regional Breastfeeding Promotions Coordinator, South
Central Regional Health Office of Tennessee. Contact: Nancy Rice,
M.S., LDN, CLC at 931-490-8374 for more information.

Childbirth Educator Training Workshop

Interested in becoming a CAPPA Certified Childbirth Educator?

CAPPA Childbirth Educator Training
November 15 and 16, 2008
Bedford, MA 01730

Trainer: Julie Brill, CCCE

This workshop equals 16 contact hours of continuing education.

To register visit www.wellpregnancy.com or call 781-275-6564
Space is limited!

*Why wait--get certified!*

- Teach parents proven pain-coping practices
- Learn to meet the needs of various types of learners
- Demonstrate simple ways to improve prenatal nutrition
- Describe the fundamentals of labor and birth
- Identify ways to prepare birth partners
- Use the risk/benefit model to teach interventions and pain meds
- Prepare Parents for Postpartum and Possible Unexpected Outcomes
- Market your services

CAPPA's Mission
CAPPA certified professionals aim to empower, connect and advocate for families in the childbearing year. CAPPA seeks to forge positive and productive relationships between organizations that support healthy, informed family choices. The organization consists of a leadership board, regional representatives, trainers, mentors, advisors and its membership. CAPPA is the most comprehensive pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum organization available.

Labor Doula Training

ONLY 2 WEEKS LEFT!!!!!! RESERVE YOUR SPACE !!!

Largo, Florida(Tampa Bay Area)

Faculty- Janice Banther,CCCE,CLD,CD(DONA)

Dates: Oct.9, Oct.10, Oct.11

Fee: $275

To find out more-please go to website
www.birthingwithlove.com
There will be a link on the front page to take
you to the brochure for the training and will give you
the information you need and answer many of your questions.

You will learn:

- Labor Support for unmedicated and medicated mothers

- Scope of practice

- Understanding interventions and hospital procedures

- Prenatal and postpartums

- Effective advocacy and communication skills

- Getting started as a new doula and marketing your doula business

- Much,much more!

If you need to reach Janice for more information,
please call 727-934-1267.

Janice K. Banther,CCCE,CLD,CD(DONA)
FOR THE LOVE OF BIRTH,INC.
Executive Director
www.birthingwithlove.com
The Premier Childbirth Education
and Doula Organization in the
Tampa Bay Florida Area

Birth by C-Section May Raise Allergy Risk in Some Kids

Thu, Sep 18, 2008 (Reuters Health) — Among children who have a parent with allergies or asthma, delivery by cesarean section appears to increase the odds that they will develop allergic rhinitis and atopy — but not asthma — US researchers report.

The investigators note that to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to look at the "relationship between birth by cesarean section and atopy and allergic diseases at school age among children at high risk for atopy," Dr. Juan C. Celedon, from Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues note in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

The study involved 432 children who were followed from birth to 9 years of age. One or both parents had a history of allergies or asthma. Physician-diagnosed asthma and allergic rhinitis in the children was assessed using caregiver interviews conducted at least twice a year. Allergy skin testing was performed in 271 children at an average age of 7.4 years.

Children born by cesarean section were 2.1-times more likely to develop atopy than their peers born by vaginal delivery, the report indicates.

Similarly, the authors found that cesarean section increased the risk of allergic rhinitis 1.8-fold. As noted, however, cesarean section did not increase the risk of asthma or wheeze.

Allergic rhinitis, sometimes called "hay fever", refers to a group of symptoms that mimic a common cold such as nasal congestion, sneezing, itching and tearing eyes. Atopy is the innate tendency to develop the classic allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis and asthma. It involves the overstimulation of the immune system in response to common environmental proteins such as house dust mite, grass pollen, and food allergens.

Considering that other studies have identified cesarean section as a risk factor for asthma, the authors believe that the lack of association between cesarean section and asthma may simply be due to limited statistical power of the study to detect it. However, they point out that their study was adequately powered to look for an association with wheeze, a major asthma symptom.

Celedon and colleagues speculate that the lack of exposure to maternal vaginal and fecal flora during cesarean section and the absence of labor could both have indirect immunologic effects that promote atopy.


-- Reuters

Knowledge can help beat the odds of a Caesarean

Women can reduce their chances of having a Caesarean, area maternity care providers say
BY ANNIE ADDINGTON - aaddington@ledger-enquirer.com --

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Certified labor doula and childbirth educator Val Staples knows firsthand the value of a Caesarean.

Her now 16-year-old son, Joshua, was born prematurely and presented in breech (or bottom-down) position, and Staples' doctor decided that a Caesarean was in order. Although Staples, who lives in Opelika, Ala., regrets not going into that first pregnancy more fully informed about her options, she believes her doctor made the safest choice.

But she also believes deeply in the value of a natural vaginal birth when conditions permit it. That's why, after plenty of research and preparation, Staples went on to have a successful natural VBAC (vaginal birth after Caesarean) a year later, when her second son was born in 1993 -- and then four more natural VBACs after that.

Without that first Caesarean, it is possible Staples might never have had children to begin with. Without the opportunity for VBAC, Staples likely wouldn't be matriarch in a family of eight. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says that women who have more than one or two children via Caesarean face increasing risks for serious complications.

Staples, who now serves as director of doula programs for the Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association in Atlanta, is grateful that her childbearing years hit before the era of concerns about safety and professional liability made it nearly impossible to get a VBAC in many communities. But she is also a realist, and she says that her mission now as a doula -- a nonmedical assistant in childbirth -- and as a childbirth educator, is to help women prevent that first Caesarean if possible.

Staples said she believes it is possible for women to work proactively to defy the national statistics -- which suggest that American women now have a 31 percent chance of having a Caesarean. A hearty dose of research, preparation and healthy living during pregnancy can significantly decrease your chances of needing a Caesarean, Staples said.

"My big thing now is getting those first-time moms and preventing those first Caesareans," said Staples. "If they start out with an induction when they're not necessarily ready to be in labor, they're increasing their chances of a C-section, and next time around they're probably going to have to have a Caesarean again."

Avoiding interventions

Staples said every intervention -- whether it be rupturing membranes, inducing or accelerating labor with Pitocin, or giving an epidural before a woman is in active labor -- increases the odds of complicating the labor, throwing the body out of synch with its natural rhythm and potentially making a Caesarean necessary.

Melissa Terry Flynn, a certified nurse-midwife with Obstetric and Gynecologic Associates of Columbus, agrees that women have power to reduce the likelihood of needing a Caesarean.

"Choosing not to have interventions decreases your risk of complications and C-sections," she said. "Choosing to allow labor to start on its own, choosing to allow labor to progress on its own without intervention -- without any kind of medication or any kind of anesthesia would reduce your chances."

CAPPA Labor Doula Training

Where: Largo Florida (Tampa Bay Area)

Trainer: CAPPA Faculty- Janice Banther, CCCE, CLD, CD(DONA)

Dates: Oct.9, Oct.10, Oct.11

Fee: $275.00

For more information please visit www.birthingwithlove.com. Or, call Janice Banther at 727-934-1267.

*Remember to read the labor doula training brochure found on the home page of the website.

You will learn:

- Labor Support for unmedicated and medicated mothers

- Scope of practice

- Understanding interventions and hospital procedures

- Prenatals and Postpartums

- Effective advocacy and communication skills

- Getting started as a new doula and marketing your doula business

- Much, much more!


Janice K. Banther, CCCE, CLD, CD(DONA)
FOR THE LOVE OF BIRTH,INC.
Executive Director
www.birthingwithlove.com
The Premier Childbirth Education and Doula Organization in the Tampa
Bay Florida Area

Improved outcomes, fewer cesarean deliveries, and reduced litigation: results of a new paradigm in patient safety

Steven L. Clark, MD, Michael A. Belfort, MD, PhD, Spencer L. Byrum, LCDR (ret.) USCG, Janet A. Meyers, RN, Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD


Received 16 October 2007; received in revised form 26 November 2007; accepted 14 February 2008. published online 12 May 2008.

In a health care delivery system with an annual delivery rate of approximately 220,000, a comprehensive redesign of patient safety process was undertaken based on the following principles: (1) uniform processes and procedure result in an improved quality; (2) every member of the obstetric team should be required to halt any process that is deemed to be dangerous; (3) cesarean delivery is best viewed as a process alternative, not an outcome or quality endpoint; (4) malpractice loss is best avoided by reduction in adverse outcomes and the development of unambiguous practice guidelines; and (5) effective peer review is essential to quality medical practice yet may be impossible to achieve at a local level in some departments. Since the inception of this program, we have seen improvements in patient outcomes, a dramatic decline in litigation claims, and a reduction in the primary cesarean delivery rate.

10 First Aid Mistakes

Sometimes, the first aid measures taken on the scene before a patient arrives at the hospital can make all the difference. Here are the 10 most common first aid mistakes -- and what you should do instead.

1. Cut off finger part

Don't try to preserve the loose part by placing it directly on ice.

Do wrap the severed part in damp gauze (saline would be ideal for wetting the cloth), place it in a watertight bag and place the bag on ice. Then be sure to bring the bag and ice to the emergency room. As for the wound on the hand or body, apply ice to reduce swelling and cover it with a clean, dry cloth.

2. Knocked-out tooth

Don't scrub the tooth hard even if it's dirty (a gentle rinse is OK)

Do put the tooth in milk and go straight to the ER; there's a chance the tooth could be reimplanted.

3. Burns

Don't apply ice or butter or any other type of grease to burns. Also, don't cover a burn with a towel or blanket, because loose fibers might stick to the skin. When dealing with a serious burn, be careful not to break any blisters or pull off clothing stuck to the skin.

Do wash and apply antibiotic ointment to mild burns. Head to the hospital for any burns to the eyes, mouth, or genital areas, even if mild; any burn that covers an area larger than your hand; and any burn that causes blisters or is followed by a fever.

4. Electrical burns

Don't fail to get medical attention for a jolt of electricity, even if no damage is evident. An electrical burn can cause invisible (and serious) injury deeper inside the body.

Do go to the ER immediately.

5. Sprained ankle

Don't use a heating pad.

Do treat a sprain with ice. Go to the ER if it is very painful to bear weight; you might have a fracture.

6. Nosebleed

Don't lean back. And after the bleeding has stopped, don't blow your nose or bend over.

Do sit upright and lean forward and pinch your nose steadily (just below the nasal bone) for five to 10 minutes. If the bleeding persists for 15 minutes (or if you think you are swallowing a lot of blood) go to the ER.

7. Bleeding

Don't use tourniquets! You could cause permanent tissue damage.

Do apply steady pressure to the wound with a clean towel or gauze pack and wrap the wound securely. Go to the ER if the bleeding doesn't stop, or if the wound is gaping or caused by an animal bite. To help prevent shock, keep the victim warm.

8. Ingestion of poison

Don't induce vomiting or use Ipecac syrup (unless instructed to do so by emergency personnel).

Do call poison control, and bring the ingested substance with its container to the ER.

9. Being impaled

Don't remove the object; you could cause further damage or increase the risk of bleeding.

Do stabilize the object, if possible, and go to the ER.

10. Seizures

Don't put anything in the victim's mouth.

Do lay the victim on the ground if possible in an open space and roll the victim onto his or her side. Call 911.

You should also call 911 whenever you see or experience chest pain, fainting, confusion, uncontrollable bleeding or shortness of breath.

Sources:
Newsweek April 14, 2008

Visit www.mercola.com to read further suggestions from Dr. Mercola's

GIGANTIC CHILDREN'S WEAR RESALE

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2008
8am - 12 noon

Infant to Teen Clothing, Toys,
Equipment, Maternity Wear, Furniture,
Books, Videos and more


KIRK MIDDLE SCHOOL
140 Brennen Drive
Newark, DE 19713
(Route 4, off Rte. 273 and next to
Delaware School for the Deaf)


CASH ONLY


Sponsored by:
FIRST STATE MOTHERS OF MULTIPLES


For more info call (302) 368-9691 or visit our
website: www.fsmom.org

First State Mothers of Multiples is a not for profit
organization offering support and encouragement for
mothers, parents and guardians raising multiples.

Major Confusion on How to Do Breast Checks

(from www.mercola.com)

Is there a right way to check your breasts for early signs of cancer? Many women remain confused as experts now say there is no evidence that rigorous monthly "self-examination" -- widely recommended in the United States -- reduces breast cancer deaths. Plus, it can lead to unnecessary biopsies.

Two large studies looking at a total of more than 388,000 women found that death rates from breast cancer were the same among women who rigorously self-examined as those who did not, while there were almost twice the number of biopsy operations in the self-examination group.

According to some experts, the best way for a woman to check her breasts is not to follow a strict examination routine, but to get to know what is normal, and feel them regularly for signs of any changes.

Sources:
BBC News July 15, 2008
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews July 2008, Issue 3

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Breast self-exams have long been recommended as a simple way for women to keep track of anything unusual in their breasts. Now, after studies have found that such exams do not reduce breast cancer death rates, and actually increase the rate of unnecessary biopsies, many experts are recommending a more relaxed approach known as “breast awareness.”

Breast awareness is really self-explanatory. It means women should regularly check their breasts for changes, but can do so in a way that feels natural for them. In other words, you don’t have to do it on the same day each month, or using any particular pattern.

Simply be aware of what’s normal for you so you can recognize anything out of the ordinary. What should you keep an eye out for?

A new lump or hard knot found in your breast or armpit
Dimpling, puckering or indention in your breast or nipple
Change in the size, shape or symmetry of your breast
Swelling or thickening of the breast
Redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin
Nipple discharge, especially any that is bloody, clear and sticky, dark or occurs without squeezing your nipple
Changes in your nipple such as tenderness, pain, turning or drawing inward, or pointing in a new direction
Any suspicious changes in your breasts
Are Mammograms a Good Idea?

Aside from breast self-exams, the other mainstay in the U.S. medical system is the mammogram. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends women get a mammogram every year or two after age 40.

But I strongly disagree.

The benefits of mammograms are highly controversial, while the risks are well established. Back in 2001, around the time that U.S. health officials widened the use of mammograms to included women over 40 (previously it was only women over 50), a Danish study published in The Lancet revealed some startling data.

The study concluded that previous research showing a benefit was flawed and that widespread mammogram screening is unjustified.

Specifically, the Danish researchers argued that earlier studies in Europe and North America were improperly randomized and that they used a faulty definition of breast cancer survival.

Meanwhile, the technology carries a first-time false positive rate of up to 6 percent. False positives can lead to expensive repeat screenings and can sometimes result in unnecessary invasive procedures including biopsies and surgeries.

Just thinking you may have breast cancer, when you really do not, focuses your mind on fear and disease, and is actually enough to trigger an illness in your body. So a false positive on a mammogram, or an unnecessary biopsy, can really be damaging.

Not to mention that women have unnecessarily undergone mastectomies, radiation and chemotherapy after receiving false positives on a mammogram.

An Amazing Deception

That mammograms are still recommended at all speaks volumes about the state of modern medicine.

Decades ago in 1974, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) was warned by professor Malcolm C. Pike at the University of Southern California School of Medicine that a number of specialists had concluded "giving a women under age 50 a mammogram on a routine basis is close to unethical."

Why?

Well for starters mammograms expose your body to radiation that can be 1,000 times greater than that from a chest x-ray, which poses risks of cancer. Mammography also compresses your breasts tightly, and often painfully, which could lead to a lethal spread of cancerous cells, should they exist.

“The premenopausal breast is highly sensitive to radiation, each 1 rad exposure increasing breast cancer risk by about 1 percent, with a cumulative 10 percent increased risk for each breast over a decade's screening,” points out Dr. Samuel Epstein, one of the top cancer experts.

Dr. Epstein, M.D., professor emeritus of Environmental and Occupational Medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, and chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition, has been speaking out about the risks of mammography since at least 1992. As for how these misguided mammography guidelines came about, Epstein says:


“They were conscious, chosen, politically expedient acts by a small group of people for the sake of their own power, prestige and financial gain, resulting in suffering and death for millions of women. They fit the classification of "crimes against humanity."”


Not surprisingly, as often happens when anyone dares speak out against those in power, both the American Cancer Society and NCI called Dr. Epstein’s findings “unethical and invalid.”

But this didn’t stop others from speaking out as well.

In July 1995, The Lancet again wrote about mammograms, saying "The benefit is marginal, the harm caused is substantial, and the costs incurred are enormous ..."
Dr. Charles B. Simone, a former clinical associate in immunology and pharmacology at the National Cancer Institute, said, "Mammograms increase the risk for developing breast cancer and raise the risk of spreading or metastasizing an existing growth.”
"The high sensitivity of the breast, especially in young women, to radiation-induced cancer was known by 1970. Nevertheless, the establishment then screened some 300,000 women with Xray dosages so high as to increase breast cancer risk by up to 20 percent in women aged 40 to 50 who were mammogramed annually,” wrote Dr. Epstein.
Safe Screening Methods do Exist: The Benefits of Thermography

But you’re not likely to hear about them from your general practitioner.

“ … The establishment ignores safe and effective alternatives to mammography, particularly trans illumination with infrared scanning,” Dr. Epstein points out.

Most physicians continue to recommend mammograms for fear of being sued by a woman who develops breast cancer after which he did not advise her to get one. But I encourage you to think for yourself and consider safer, more effective alternatives to mammograms.

The option for breast screening that I most highly recommend is called thermography.

Thermographic breast screening is brilliantly simple. It measures the radiation of infrared heat from your body and translates this information into anatomical images. Your normal blood circulation is under the control of your autonomic nervous system, which governs your body functions.

Thermography uses no mechanical pressure or ionizing radiation, and can detect signs of breast cancer years earlier than either mammography or a physical exam.

Mammography cannot detect a tumor until after it has been growing for years and reaches a certain size. Thermography is able to detect the possibility of breast cancer much earlier, because it can image the early stages of angiogenesis (the formation of a direct supply of blood to cancer cells, which is a necessary step before they can grow into tumors of size).

Visit www.mercola.com for links and related articles:

*A state by state list of thermagraphy centers

Articles:
*New Federal Guidelines Ignore Dangers of Mammography.
*When Will the Insanity of Mammogram Recommendation End?
*Can Professional Breast Exams Replace Mammography?

Free Vaccine Talk in Philadelphi

Childhood Vaccination: Questions All Parents Should Ask

DATE: Tuesday Sept 9, at 7pm.
Speaker: Dr George Rhodes

Call 215.546.1977, or email ekatebr@earthlink. net, for more information
2409 Waverly St (nr Fitler Square)Phila PA 19146

Married Couples Who Play Together Stay Together

(from www.mercola.com)

For married couples, finding moments to be together free of financial, family or other stresses is not an indulgence, according to new research from the University of Denver.

"The more you invest in fun and friendship and being there for your partner, the happier the relationship will get over time," says Howard Markman, a psychologist who co-directs the university's Center for Marital and Family Studies.

“The correlation between fun and marital happiness is high, and significant.”

Other studies, too, have found that having fun together -- especially while doing “new and exciting activities” -- is the secret to a happy marriage.

Having a joyful marriage is unfortunately the exception rather than the rule in the United States. This is tragic as your happiness and ability to be optimally productive in your life is severely limited when you are not in a happy relationship with your spouse.

Taking some free time to really engage yourselves in something fun (without the kids and without any worries) is something we all can do more of, but there are other ways to support your relationship as well.

Four Tips to a Happy Marriage

Research shows that happily married couples live longer and heal faster than those in unhappy relationships. With that in mind, here are some practical ways to increase the happiness in your relationship:


1. Fight fair. “The way you interact during marital arguments is as important a heart risk factor as whether you smoke or have high cholesterol,” says Timothy W. Smith, a psychology professor at the University of Utah. Verbal aggression, such as yelling at or insulting your partner, leads to decreased intimacy and “self-silencing” -- keeping quiet during a fight -- has been linked to depression, eating disorders and heart disease in women.

2. Keep positive feelings alive. Couples most likely to be married for the long-term are those who maintain their positive feelings for their spouse for at least the first two years. The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) can help you to clear any emotional blocks that may be sabotaging your relationship.

3. Read the book Fighting for Your Marriage. I generally give this book to all the couples I know who are planning to get married. It is a valuable source of information for positively handling disagreements between you and your spouse, which will increase the success of your relationship.

4. Support your partner’s goals and dreams. People feel happiest in relationships where they feel the other person helps them achieve their own personal goals.

Sources:
ABC News July 26, 2008

http://www.orgyn.com/en/webzine/2008/Issue_15/Traffic-light_system.asp?C=29686396898540046296

Traffic-light system for cesareans shows benefits
Issue 15: 11 Aug 2008
Source: European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology 2008;in press

A trial of a novel "traffic-light" color-coding system for specifying the urgency of cesarean sections has been shown to significantly shorten the time from decision to delivery.

Specialists at centers in Pierre-Benite and Lyon, France, developed and tested the communication tool, which is intended for on-call obstetricians to use in order to convey the degree of urgency for cesarean section to the rest of the perinatal team.

In the three-color system, it was suggested that red should be used to indicate very urgent cases corresponding to life-threatening situations (to the mother or fetus) and warranting an ideal decision-to-delivery time (the time interval from the decision being made to perform a cesarean section, to the birth of the infant) of 15 minutes.

This covers seven situations: hemorrhage from placenta previa, placental abruption, umbilical cord prolapse, suspected uterine rupture, failure of operative vaginal delivery performed for abnormal fetal heart rhythm, acute fetal bradycardia without recovery, and maternal seizure related to eclampsia.

The orange code would refer to urgent cases, warranting an ideal decision-to-delivery interval of 30 minutes. It was suggested that this would include cases of operative vaginal delivery failure, and cases of persistent abnormal fetal heart rhythm.

The green code would be used for non-urgent cases, with an ideal decision-to-delivery interval of 60 minutes. This would include cesarean section performed due to failure to progress or due to abnormal presentation.

The developers intend that the on-call obstetrician would inform the perinatal team of the code (red, orange, or green) as soon as a cesarean is deemed necessary.

In a new paper due to be published in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, the researchers (Dupuis et al) report the findings of their trial of the system. They compared decision-to-delivery intervals in two 6-month periods: before and after introduction of the system. Relevant hospital staff were informed fully about the new scheme before it was introduced.

The study was confined to all emergency cesarean sections in the study periods: 96 cases in the first period (15 deemed very urgent, or red; and 81 deemed urgent, or orange) and 78 cases in the second period (14 deemed very urgent, or red; and 64 deemed urgent, or orange).

The overall mean decision-to-delivery interval before introduction of the code was found to be 39.6 minutes. After introduction of the code this had been reduced significantly, to a mean of 31.7 minutes.

The mean decision-to-delivery interval for the very urgent (red) cases was reduced from 21.3 minutes to 19.1 minutes, while the mean decision-to-delivery interval for the urgent (orange) cases was reduced from 42.5 minutes to 34.4 minutes

Reductions were seen in the time from decision to operating theater, and in the time from incision to delivery. The period of preparation in-between, from the arrival of the patient in theater to the first incision, was the same before and after introduction of the code.

The researchers conclude that the study indicates that "use of the three-color code could significantly shorten the decision-to-delivery interval in emergency cesarean sections" by clearly communicating the degree of urgency within the perinatal team. Prospective studies are needed to investigate use of the system further, they add.

Mums' Accept Natural Birth Risks'

About a quarter of UK births are carried out by Caesarean section
First-time mothers-to-be will accept greater risks than clinicians for a natural birth, research suggests.

A Sydney, Australia study also found the women prepared to accept higher pain levels, reports the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Researchers asked 102 pregnant women and 341 midwives, obstetricians and other doctors what complications would make them choose a Caesarean section.

The journal editor said doctors were "biased", having seen things go wrong.

This indicates that experiencing labour and attempting a normal birth are two very important priorities in women's decision-making

Professor Philip Steer
Editor in chief, BJOG

Approximately one in four pregnancies in the UK ends in a Caesarean section, and most are offered in the face of potential complications such as the baby lying in the wrong position for natural birth.

But the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital study suggested that women, given an informed choice, were less likely than the professionals treating them to take a more cautious approach.

A total of 102 women, 84 midwives, 166 obstetricians, 12 urogynaecologists and 79 colorectal surgeons were interviewed to find out whether different complications would prompt them to choose a Caesarean.

Researchers asked them about mild complications such as a prolonged birth and superficial tears to severe problems such as anal and urinary incontinence, vaginal prolapse and severe tearing.

In all categories, the pregnant women were far more likely to be prepared to put up with complications in order to have a natural birth than their midwives or doctors.

Priorities

Study author Catherine Turner said: "Our study found that pregnant women were more likely to aim for a vaginal delivery, and they accept a higher threshold of risks from vaginal delivery when compared with clinicians."

Professor Philip Steer, the journal's editor in chief, said: "This indicates that experiencing labour and attempting a normal birth are two very important priorities in women's decision-making.

"It may also indicate that doctors are biased by their inevitable involvement in complex cases, or labours where things have gone wrong."

Belinda Phipps, chief executive of the National Childbirth Trust, agreed that health professionals could let their own negative experiences influence the recommendations they gave to women.

"If they've seen a traumatic birth, or been involved in a tragedy, there is no debriefing for them.

"It can mean they are more judgemental about the risks involved."

She added: "I recognise that this is very difficult to avoid, but they need to realise that for most women, this is something that they feel it is important to do for themselves."

Birth, a documentary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Vivian Taormina/TaoMassage, Director/Producer
Vivian@taomassage.com
732 775 1550
boldnj.org

BOLD Movements Improve Childbirth Choices for Mothers.
With The New Jersey Premier Performance of The Play “Birth”
BOLD Challenges New Resolution Sponsored by American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

BOLD, the global movement to create childbirth choices that work for mothers, brings together artists, community groups and childbirth leaders. A BOLD performance event, “Birth”, brings childbirth choices for mothers center stage Friday & Saturday September 5, 6 at 7pm and Sunday September 7th at 2pm at the Middletown Cultural Arts Center, 36 Church Street, Middletown, NJ, 07748.


BIRTH, a documentary- style play by Karen Brody, will have its New Jersey premiere in a few weeks. BIRTH is part of the B.O.L.D. (Birth On Labor Day) movement. This fundraiser increases awareness of birthing issues, and benefits CIMS.

WHEN: September 5, 6 & 7
WHERE: Middletown, NJ (Monmouth County)
TIX: Available online NOW!
www.boldnj.org

Lemongrass Spa

Lemongrass Spa Products announces our

End-of-Summer Sale going on now through August 20, 2008. To make room for our exciting NEW products for fall and the holiday season, we’re discontinuing some products to offer you an enhanced variety of items. A list of discontinued items is featured at the bottom of this message for your convenience. This sale begins today and will end at midnight, August 20th. www.ourlemongrassspa.com/lisamac

This is our biggest sale EVER! Take a peek at the list of items on sale; stock up and save!


Check out the savings….Cotton Terry Robes, regularly $49, now only $19! Add a pair of spa slippers for only $3, normally $8.

Berry Smoothie lotion, body polish and spa gift sets, all on sale!

Victorian Rose crystals, body polish, lotion and pillow spray, all clearance priced!

Sweet Dreams Pillow and Sheet Spray, just $6. Add a lotion or body polish to complete a set.

Green Tea Body Wash and Lotion Duo, on sale for $8 and $14, respectively.

Stock up now on Lip Balms in tins, just $3 each!

Lemongrass Spa Sr. Sale Consultant
Lisa MacMillan
(610)796-9427
lisalgspa@yahoo.com
www.ourlemongrassspa.com/lisamac

The CAPPA Quarterly

Did you ever wish you could share your expertise with more birthing and postpartum families? Do you have an outlet to reach your audience? Want to share ideas and information with other professionals?

The mission of the CAPPA Quarterly is to represent and speak to professionals from all over the world and from all walks of life. When you write for the CAPPA Quarterly you provide us with content. But what is in it for you?

CAPPA (Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association) accepts unsolicited articles from inside and outside sources. Consider these benefits:

 Continuing Education Units for recertification.
 Share knowledge of your favorite subject
 Gain experience
 Enhance credibility
 Develop relations
 Fosters creativity
 Gives you free exposure
 Develops competence

Who is qualified to write for the CAPPA Quarterly?
Childbirth and postpartum professionals are a diverse network of women from all age groups and lifestyles; with varying professional experiences, who have knowledge and passion about a subject.

Visit www.cappa.net/quarterly.php

CAPPA (Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association): Summer Membership Drive

Attention CAPPA Members and Non-Members
Will your CAPPA membership expire soon?
Has your membership expired recently?
Do you want to add on to your current membership?
Would you like to become a member of CAPPA?

NOW IS THE TIME!!

If you are interested in participating in CAPPA’s Summer Membership Drive, please send an email to info@cappa.net; with the subject SUMMER MEMBERSHIP DRIVE. Include a contact number, and you can renew or extend your current membership for a special discount.

Not a member? This is the best opportunity of the year to become a CAPPA member!

Please email info@cappa.net with a contact phone number, and we will call you to renew, extend, or begin your membership!

***

CAPPA certified professionals aim to empower, connect and advocate for families in the childbearing year. CAPPA seeks to forge positive and productive relationships between organizations that support healthy, informed family choices. The organization consists of a leadership board, regional representatives, trainers, mentors, advisors and its membership. CAPPA is the most comprehensive pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum organization available.

For more information visit us online at www.cappa.net

CAPPA 9th Annual Conference

Event:9th Annual CAPPA Convention and Conference
DATE: August 21-24, 2008
PLACE: Dallas, Texas
Registration: www.cappa.net/conference.php

Speakers:

Barbara Harper, RN, CD, CCE
Topic: Culture and Birth: A Global Perspective

Ana Hill, CLD, CCCE, CLE
Topic: Applying Scope of Practice to your Business

Dr. Cindy Haggerton
Topic: Better Positioning...Better Births

Cindy Carter, RN, CLC, CCE, CD
Topic: Doula Care for Multiples

MaryBeth Nance, CD, CLD
Topic: The Circle of Healing: What Caregivers Can do to Help Clients Cope with Pregnacy or Infant Loss

Laurel Wilson, CLC, CCCE, CLE, CLD, CPPFIE, CPPI
Topic: Breastfeeding Answers to Common Questions & What's New in Breastfeeding

Tracy Wilson Peters, CLD, CCCE, CLE, CPD
Topic: Understanding the Law of Attraction...and Applying it to Your Life

Val Staples, CLD, CCCE
Topic: We've Come a Long Way Baby: A Time Line of Popular Birthing Practices

Continuing Education Units from:

ICEA
Texas Nurses Association
IBCLC
Lamaze
All sessions are approved for CAPPA CEUs

Exhibitors:

Binsi, www.birthinbinsi.com
Cutting Edge Press, www.cuttingedgepress.net
The Family Way, www.thefamilyway.com
Hale Publishing, www.ibreastfeeding.com
Mother Journey, www.motherjourney.com
Purifica, www.purificawater.com
Liquid Light Essentials, www.liquid-light-essentials.com
Foundation Wellness,
CAPPA, www.cappa.net
Barbara Harper, www.waterbirth.org
Lansinoh, www.lansinoh.com
Evenflo, www.evenflo.com
Stemcyte, www.stemcyteinc.com
Everything Baby,
ICAN, www.ican-online.org


This conference also includes Breakout Sessions and after conference Trainings. Visit www.cappa.net/conference.php for details and registration

Join us as we celebrate the anniversary of our birth!

Ten years old. It's a milestone worth celebrating.

As we reflect on the past ten years, we see the positive impact CAPPA members have made within their birthing communities. We have helped thousands of families have a safer more satisfying birth experience. We have helped new mothers breastfeed their babies. We have helped childbirth professionals world-wide reach their educational goals, and we have encouraged them to work proactively to make the world a better place. CAPPA can say with assurance that the investments of time, energy and resources of members, staff, donors, sponsors, volunteers, and our board members have paid off.

More Sites I like

http://www.miriams-well.com/index.html
www.simchasweets.com

CAPPA's Story

In 1998, with nothing but determination and a dream, Donna Johnson and Tracy Wilson Peters created CAPPA (Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association), the childbirth educator and labor doula certifying organization. If you asked them if they knew it would become the fastest growing certifying organization available, they would tell you they “are pleasantly surprised”.

Donna and Tracy know that all success stories begin with a dream. Their dream grew even larger when training programs such as antepartum doula, postpartum doula, and lactation educator were implemented. Continuing the momentum, CAPPA added the Teen Support and Adoption Support advanced programs. CAPPA now also offers Comfort Measures for the Childbirth Professional, a complementary training class for all CAPPA certifications. Each of these programs offers a unique hands-on training experience and various avenues of certification. They provide members with a well-balanced knowledge base and continuing education units to keep them informed of new research, techniques and resources. CAPPA is comprised of executive directors, advisors, program directors, regional representatives and its highly-valued members. CAPPA also consists of three divisions: The parent company CAPPA, CAPPA Canada and Operation Special Delivery (OSD).

On January 1st, 2005, CAPPA began overseeing Operation Special Delivery. Founded after the events of September 11th, 2001, CAPPA/OSD continues to maintain the integrity of its program and of the doula profession by serving military families during labor and delivery. CAPPA/OSD is a non-profit international organization supporting all branches of the military, including Reservists and the National Guard.

Success is certainly a word the leadership board is familiar with as they fostered CAPPA into an international organization. CAPPA is training and certifying in related women’s health care fields nationally and internationally in the USA, Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, England, Germany, Italy, Indonesia, India, Hawaii, The Netherlands, New Zealand, France, Israel, Peru, Ghana and Japan. CAPPA, Donna and Tracy have been featured in numerous newspaper articles, women’s magazines, and online news sources including The Atlanta Journal, Childbirth Education Connection Magazine, Medical News Today and many more.

Benefits of CAPPA membership include:
Annual free conference for members
Seven training programs
National and international training and certification
Continuing education units/Contact hours
Business marketing plan
College recognized courses
Online Quarterly publication

CAPPA understands the importance of being readily available to its members. There are many ways to remain in touch with CAPPA in addition to our website www.cappa.net, our email info@cappa.net and phone 888-My-CAPPA; including: CAPPA MySpace, CAPPA Info Group, CAPPA Blog, Ask the Pros and the CAPPA Quarterly.
CAPPA certified professionals aim to empower, connect and advocate for families in the childbearing year. CAPPA seeks to forge positive and productive relationships between organizations that support healthy, informed family choices. The organization consists of a leadership board, regional representatives, trainers, mentors, advisors and its membership. CAPPA is the most comprehensive pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum organization available. CAPPA insures excellence in the certifying field, and enables its members to provide timely information and support that encourages and strengthens families.

www.cappa.net

Another site I like

http://www.tznius.com/

For:
skirts
tops
dress sets
maternity wear
hair snoods
scarves
and more

Reiki Workshop

Open to your next level of Healing and Awareness!

This First Degree Reiki intensive is open to anyone interested in this ancient healing art. Reiki is a system of natural healing that increases immunity, relieves pain and stress, stimulates the body’s own healing ability, and more!

Throughout the course you will learn all aspects of level I Reiki, including the history; how to give a complete Reiki healing session; using Reiki on yourself, family and friends, or as a professional; other uses of Reiki including empowering goals, charging objects with Reiki; and more!


You will receive:

** First Degree Reiki Attunement

** Reiki I Class Manual

** Certificate of Completion

** complete class instruction

** powerful Reiki meditations

** Reiki healing sessions as we practice the techniques on ourselves, one-on-one, and in a group format

~Once you receive Reiki, it’s gifts are with you forever~


Date: Saturday July 26
Time: 10 – 5
cost: $50.00

Zenergy Arts and Wellness Center
641 Penn Ave, West Reading

Please register by phone or email:
Phone: 610) 406-5873
Email: mommasutra@yahoo.com


About the trainer:
Jennifer Schmidt, N.D., Reiki Master, has been in practice and teaching for over 15 years. She has taught all levels of Reiki, as well as many other classes in the field of Natural and Spiritual healing throughout the USA, Europe and Asia.

Big Medicine's Blowback on Home Births

Why do U.S. doctors strong-arm women into our standard maternity care system?
By Jennifer Block
July 9, 2008

You'd think the healthcare establishment would have bigger fish to fry than Ricki Lake. (The 47 million uninsured, maybe?) But Lake's recent documentary, "The Business of Being Born," which includes footage of her own delivery of her second child at home, was on the agenda at the American Medical Assn.'s annual meeting in mid-June. Lake was personally name-checked in a "Resolution on Home Deliveries" introduced by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: "Whereas, there has been much attention in the media by celebrities having home deliveries, with recent 'Today Show' headings such as 'Ricki Lake takes on baby birthing industry.' " The AMA ultimately passed the resolution without the Lake citation, but not before the Hollywood media got wind of it and, overnight, home birth was thrust into the mainstream light.

It's about time.

Last year I flew to Britain to be with a good friend for the birth of her first child. She's American but married into Britain's National Health Service, lucky duck. The differences in the prenatal care she got there were striking. First and foremost, she never saw a doctor. As a healthy woman with a normal pregnancy, she saw midwives.

And one of their first questions to her was, "So, would you like to give birth in the hospital maternity ward or at home?"

Planning a home birth with a midwife may sound old-fashioned -- maybe you think it sounds crazy -- but a solid body of research shows that for healthy women who seek a normal, nonsurgical birth, there are several benefits. At home, a woman can get one-on-one care and monitoring from a midwife trained to support the normal labor process. The mother-to-be is free to move about, eat and drink, sit in a birth tub -- Britain's national health guidelines call water the safest, most effective form of pain relief. A woman will be helped to give birth in positions that are effective and protective: sitting, squatting, on hands and knees, even standing.

The physiological birth process is automatic: hormones fire, the cervix gradually opens, the uterus contracts, the baby descends, muscles engage. An optimal birth, one in which mother and child emerge as healthy as can be, is one that begins spontaneously, progresses on its own and concludes with the least amount of intervention necessary.

But hospital maternity care in the U.S. is typically not supportive of this process. More than half of women are induced into labor, or it is sped up with artificial hormones; the vast majority of women labor and push in the desultory flat-on-the-back or leaning-back position; and (perhaps not surprisingly) nearly one-third of women end up giving birth through major surgery, the caesarean section.

This has led to an epidemic of pre-term births in the United States. A 2006 survey showed that the majority of babies are now born before the spontaneous onset of labor, which leaves them more prone to breathing and feeding difficulties. Caesareans are also contributing to a rising maternal death rate, announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year.

Which is why some women, such as those in the film Lake produced, choose to give birth somewhere other than a hospital. Their choice is backed by sound science. Studies of "low-risk" women in North America planning out-of-hospital births with midwives have found that 95% give birth vaginally with hardly any medical intervention. The largest and most rigorous study to date, published in the British Medical Journal, found that in North America, babies were born at home just as safely as in the hospital.

Organized medicine can't believe this. Dismissing the research evidence, the AMA resolution states that "the safest setting for labor, delivery and the immediate postpartum period is in the hospital" or an accredited birth center. In its own statement earlier this year, the American College of Ob/Gyns went even further, implying that women who choose home birth are selfish and irresponsible: "choosing to deliver a baby at home ... is to place the process of giving birth over the goal of having a healthy baby.

"

Compare that to this information in Britain's NHS-issued handout my friend was given at her first prenatal appointment: "There is no evidence to support the common assertion that home birth is a less safe option for women experiencing uncomplicated pregnancies." In a joint statement last year, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Royal College of Midwives said, "There is no reason why home birth should not be offered to women at low risk of complications, and it may confer considerable benefits for them and their families.

"

The AMA's statement calls for legislation that could be used against women who choose home birth, possibly resulting in criminal child-abuse or neglect charges. The group says this is about safety, but with no credible research to back up its claim, this argument falls flat. Women are simply caught in a turf war over the maternity market, and it would appear that the physicians' groups are perfectly willing to trample the modern medical ethic of patient autonomy -- grounded in our legal rights to self-determination, to liberty and to privacy -- in their grab for control.

If these groups were truly making maternal and child health a priority, they'd be reforming standard maternity care, not strong-arming women into it.


Jennifer Block is the author of "Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care.

"

http://www. latimes. com/news/opinion/sunday/commentary/la-oe-block9-2008jul09,0,1062600. story

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Treatment

A botanical ointment containing a green tea extract called sinecatechins is an effective treatment for external genital and anal warts, according to the results of a controlled study.

Genital and anal warts are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), and there has been a lack of effective, well tolerated treatments.

Researchers assigned over 500 adults with 30 warts to either sinecatechins ointment or a placebo. In the sinecatechins groups, warts cleared completely in roughly 57 percent of patients, compared to just 34 percent of subjects in the control group.

Sources:
Reuters June 6, 2008
Obstetrics and Gynecology, June 2008; 111(6):1371-1379

Birth Tub Rental from Birth Balance
Pool In A box Rental...

(Two) birth pool in a box tubs to rent and one regular kitty pool.
For more information visit www.birthbalance.com

Why are our sister's exploding?

In this study the word Oxytocin refers to Pitocin which is a synthetic that is used to induce or augment labor. The hormone Oxytocin is created by the human body and has a few responsibilities, one is the onset of labor. MS-


Subject: Why are our sister's exploding?

Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2008 May 1. [Epub ahead of print] Higher maximum doses
of oxytocin are associated with an unacceptably high risk for uterine
rupture in patients attempting vaginal birth after cesarean delivery.

Cahill AG, Waterman BM, Stamilio DM, Odibo AO, Allsworth JE, Evanoff B,
Macones GA. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University
School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to more precisely estimate the
effect of maximum oxytocin dose on uterine rupture risk in patients
attempting vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) by considering timing and
duration of therapy.

STUDY DESIGN: A nested case-control study was conducted within a
multicenter, retrospective cohort study of more than 25,000 women with at
least 1 prior cesarean delivery, comparing cases of uterine rupture with
controls (no rupture) while attempting VBAC. Time-to-event analyses were
performed to examine the effect of maximum oxytocin dose on the risk of
uterine rupture considering therapy duration, while adjusting for
confounders.

RESULTS: Within the nested case-control study of 804 patients, 272 were
exposed to oxytocin: 62 cases of uterine rupture and 210 controls. Maximum
oxytocin ranges above 20 mU/min increased the risk of uterine rupture 4-fold
or greater (21-30 mU/min: hazard ratio [HR] 3.92, 95% confidence interval
[CI], 1.06 to 14.52; 31-40 mU/min: HR 4.57, 95% CI, 1.00 to 20.82).

CONCLUSION: These findings support a maximum oxytocin dose of 20 mU/min in
VBAC trials to avoid an unacceptably high risk of uterine rupture.

PMID: 18455132 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Fuzzi Bunz New Website

Starting TODAY you can buy your Fuzzi Bunz diapers and accessories at our brand-new e-store, FuzziBunzDirect.com!

Check out Fuzzi Bunz Diapers. These diapers are not the ones your mom or grand mom used, they are easy to use, clean, and save you money. They come in a wide assortment of colors and sizes, there is something for everyone! And they snap to close so you don't have to worry about sticking yourself, or baby, with a pin. I love these diapers and used them with my babies. They also help to keep baby's skin dry and reduce rashes, or help baby heal from a rash. -MS

100 Health And Medical Resources For Busy, Expectant Moms

By Alisa Miller

Getting ready for the arrival of a new baby is busy work. Not only do you have the adjustments to your changing body, but preparing for the baby and the changes in your life can sometimes feel overwhelming. Let this list of 100 resources take some of the workload off you as you learn about aspects of your pregnancy, your developing baby, and what to do upon the arrival of your little one.

Exercise Getting exercise while you are pregnant not only keeps your weight in check as you begin eating for two, it also prepares your body for the birth experience. Here are several resources for ways to keep moving while you are pregnant.

10 Commandments of Pregnancy Exercise. This great article not only offers 10 tips to help with your exercise program, it also lists some exercise favorites of moms-to-be.

Pregnancy Exercise Do’s and Don’ts. Exercise is important during your pregnancy, just be sure to keep in mind what you can and can’t do. This article will help you know the best way to exercise.

Exercising While Pregnant: Good For You, and Good For Baby Too. This article explains why you should exercise during your pregnancy and offers some great forms of exercise that are safe while pregnant.
Pregnancy Exercise–Abdominal Work. Many women fear doing ab exercises during pregnancy. This fitness guru will show you how to do it safely.
Exercises During Pregnancy–Cardio. You don’t have to stop doing your cardio workout just because you are pregnant. Learn how to do it safely.
Pregnancy Exercises: Three Key Exercises. Strengthen your back, deep abdominals, and your pelvic floor with these three exercises.

Clearing Up Myths about Pregnancy Exercise. Get the best information about exercise and pregnancy so you can keep yourself and your baby healthy.
Yoga Mama. This blog is written by a pregnant yoga instructor. You will get tons of tips, exercises, yoga DVDs, and more to help you with your prenatal yoga exercise.
Joanna Runs. Follow the exercise adventures and advice of Joanna, a runner who happens to be pregnant. She offers good alternative to running as well.
Prenatal Water Workouts. As this article points out, you don’t have to know how to swim to participate in a pregnancy water workout. This form of exercise is well-suited to pregnancy.

General Nutrition Eating right becomes even more important when you are pregnant. Your developing baby absorbs what you eat. Use these tips on ways to feed yourself and your baby for the whole nine months.

Please follow this link for the full article: http://www.nursingdegree.net/blog/9/100-health-and-medical-resources-for-busy-expectant-moms/

C- Sections a Critical Factor in Preterm Birth Increase
Some C-Sections May Not Be Medically Necessary, March of Dimes Says


WHITE PLAINS, NY, MAY 28, 2008, – Cesarean sections account for nearly all of the increase in U.S. singleton preterm births, according to an analysis of nine years of national birth data.

Between 1996 and 2004 there was an increase of nearly 60,000 singleton preterm births and 92 percent of those infants were delivered by a cesarean section, (c-section), according to research by investigators from the March of Dimes and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that will be published in the June issue of Clinics in Perinatology. While singleton preterm births increased by about 10 percent during this time, the c-section rate for this group increased by 36 percent.

Preterm birth is a serious and costly health concern and is the leading cause of death in the first month of life. More than 520,000 babies – one out of every eight – are born too soon each year in the United States.

Late preterm babies, those born 34-36 weeks gestation, account for most of the increase in the US singleton preterm birth rate. These infants have a greater risk of breathing problems, feeding difficulties, temperature instability (hypothermia), jaundice, delayed brain development and death than babies born at term. This new analysis shows that that these late preterm infants had the largest increase in c-section deliveries.

“While maternal and fetal complications during pregnancy may result in the need for a c-section, we’re concerned that some early c-section deliveries may be occurring for non-medically indicated reasons,” said Alan R. Fleischman, M.D., the March of Dimes medical director and senior vice president. “We need research to determine how many c-sections that result in preterm babies are not medically indicated and may place both mother and baby at risk for little or no medical benefit. ”

C-sections are the most common major surgical procedure for women. More than 30 percent of the 4.1 million U.S. live births are delivered via c-section and the rate has increased dramatically since 1996. A c-section delivery can be lifesaving when there are complications during pregnancy, but it is a major operation with potential risks to the mother from the surgery and anesthesia and to the baby, if the delivery occurs too soon. The March of Dimes is concerned that some early deliveries may occur without good medical justification and may be done at the request of the mother or based on an inappropriate recommendation from the doctor.

“The Relationship Between Cesarean Delivery and Gestational Age Among US Singleton Births,” by Bettegowda VR. et al. will be published in Clinics in Perinatology, Vol. 35.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for BabiesSM, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org. For detailed national, state and local perinatal statistics, visit PeriStats at www.marchofdimes.com/peristats.

For Immediate Release


Insurance Companies Rejecting Women with History of Cesarean




Some Companies Require Surgical Sterilization for Coverage;




Trend Gives New Imperative to Learn Ways to Avoid Unnecessary Cesarean



Redondo Beach, CA, June 1, 2008 – As reported in today's New York Times, ICAN has begun tracking an alarming new trend of insurance companies refusing to provide health insurance for women with a history of cesarean surgery. In some cases, women are being rejected for coverage outright and in other case they are being charged significantly higher rates to obtain the same coverage as women without a history of cesarean. With over a million women each year undergoing this surgery, this practice has the potential to render large numbers of women uninsurable.


This trend surfaces as the rate of cesarean surgery, including unnecessary cesareans, continues to rise. In 1970, the cesarean rate was 5%. In 2007, it was 30.1%. Experts often cite the incentives within the health care system for driving up the rate of cesarean unnecessarily, including physicians' medical malpractice fears, better reimbursement for surgery, and lifestyle conveniences for care providers and staffing efficiencies in having more "9-5" deliveries.


"Women are caught in the middle of a dysfunctional system. Doctors are telling them they need surgery, even when they don't, and insurance companies, who are tired of paying the bill for so many frivolous surgeries, are punishing women for the poor medical care of doctors," said Pam Udy, President of the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN).


The trend is highlighted in the cases of women like Peggy Robertson of Colorado. When she applied for health insurance coverage with Golden Rule, her husband and her children were accepted, but her application was denied. After multiple inquiries directed to the insurance company, she was finally told that she was denied because she had delivered one of her children by cesarean. "It was shocking. I assumed that as a woman in good health I would be readily accepted," said Robertson. "When I finally found someone who would explain why my application was denied, they had the audacity to ask me if I had been sterilized, stating that this was the only way I could get insurance coverage with them."


As the incidence of cesarean increases, the evidence of the downstream medical complications for women and babies, and the associated medical costs, becomes increasingly apparent. Risks of cesarean in later pregnancies include increased incidence of infertility, miscarriage, fetal deformities, overgrowth of scar tissue leading to bowel problems, and potentially deadly placental abnormalities in subsequent pregnancies.

And though most women with a prior cesarean are being encouraged and often coerced into having repeat cesareans by their doctors and hospitals that have banned vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), a pair of recent studies done by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal–Fetal Medicine Units Network demonstrates that women who deliver vaginally after a cesarean fare significantly better than women who deliver by repeat cesarean. (Obstetrics & Gynecology 2008;111:285-291, Labor Outcomes With Increasing Number of Prior Vaginal Births After Cesarean Delivery, Mercer et al, and Obstetrics & Gynecology 2006;107:1226-1232 Maternal Morbidity Associated With Multiple Repeat Cesarean Deliveries, Silver et al.)

"Most women are looking to avoid cesareans. But physicians often make surgery difficult to avoid by insisting on non-evidence based practices," said Udy. Practices that fail to improve the outcomes for mothers and babies and increase the risk of cesarean section include inducing for going post-dates, inducing for suspected large baby, requiring fasting during labor, requiring women to be confined to bed for continuous fetal monitoring, and failing to offer continuous support to a mother in labor. "These care practices serve the system well, but not mothers and babies" Udy added.


In fact, women and their babies may be paying a higher price than being denied health insurance. Last August, the Centers for Disease Control reported that, for the first time in decades, the number of women dying in childbirth has increased. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr55/nvsr55_19.pdf Experts note that the increase may be due to better reporting of deaths but that it coincides with dramatically increased use of cesarean. The latest national data on infant mortality rates in the United States also show an increase in 2005 and no improvement since 2000. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/prelimdeaths05/prelimdeaths05.htm Internationally, the U.S. ranks 41st in maternal deaths and has the second worst newborn death rate among industrialized nations.


Women who are seeking information about how to avoid a cesarean, have a VBAC, or are recovering from a cesarean can visit www.ican-online.org for more information. In addition to more than 90 local chapters nationwide, the group hosts an active on-line discussion group that serves as a resource for mothers.


Women who want to reach their lawmakers can visit http://www.votesmart.org/. Women who want to reach their state insurance commissioner can visit http://www.naic.org/state_web_map.htm .


About Cesareans: ICAN recognizes that when a cesarean is medically necessary, it can be a lifesaving technique for both mother and baby, and worth the risks involved. Potential risks to babies include: low birth weight, prematurity, respiratory problems, and lacerations. Potential risks to women include: hemorrhage, infection, hysterectomy, surgical mistakes, re-hospitalization, dangerous placental abnormalities in future pregnancies, unexplained stillbirth in future pregnancies and increased percentage of maternal death. http://www.ican-online.org/resources/white_papers/index.html


Mission statement: ICAN is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve maternal-child health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery and promoting vaginal birth after cesarean. There are 94 ICAN Chapters across North America, which hold educational and support meetings for people interested in cesarean prevention and recovery.


Contact: Gretchen Humphries (734) 323-8220

Commentary
Evidence Convinces Court to Dismiss France2’s Case against Karsenty

The French justice system should be applauded for its wise decision today in the Mohammed al Durah affair. The court has set the record straight by finding Philippe Karsenty innocent of defamation for claiming that France2 aired staged footage in September 2000 during a report that falsely and maliciously portrayed the Israel Defense Forces targeting and killing a Palestinian child in the arms of his father.

The incident occurred at the onset of the second Palestinian uprising, or intifada. The court based its decision on the raw footage shot by Talal abu Rahmah, whose videos and reports from the field inspired Charles Enderlin’s incendiary news broadcast. The implication of the court's decision was that that Karsenty had sufficient justification for accusing France2 of being duped by its Palestinian cameraman.

According to historian Professor Richard Landes, author of Second Draft and The Augean Stables, “This case highlights how distressingly easy it is to manipulate coverage of a story and how such manipulation can have worldwide and lasting impact, in this case directly fanning the flames of anti-Israel hatred throughout the Moslem world and Europe.”

Immediately after the French2 story was aired, clips were shown repeatedly throughout the world, particularly in Moslem nations and in Europe. The broadcast of the alleged murder prompted anti-Israel riots and demonstrations and turned the child into an icon and martyr throughout the Moslem world. It also generated reverence for those who would commit violence against Israelis and Jews everywhere. The glorification of suicide terrorists who have become the bane of the 21st century became part of the al Durah narrative.

“Not only did France2 violate numerous principles of journalistic ethics in running the story as it did, but it added to these violations by blocking any reconsideration," Landes said. "As the evidence that contradicted every major contention in the aired report emerged, France2, as well as other mainstream media outlets in France, worked to prevent any correction from reaching the public.

"On the contrary, France2 attacked independent French citizens who had the temerity to criticize the TV station for their journalistic incompetence by suing them in court for defamation. In the asymmetrical warfare of global Jihad against the West, the 'weak' side treats the media of the 'strong' side as a theater of war, and no single case illustrates Western journalism’s vulnerability to this kind of manipulation than the Al Durah affair,” Landes said.

Visit http://www.theaugeanstables.com/2008/05/21/muhammad-al-durah-decision-today/
to view France2's original, unedited footage in the court case and to examine the evidence the court used to make its decisions as well as Professor Landes’ commentary. A transcript of the court's decision will be available publicly in the coming days.

Neighborhood Bully (Bob Dylan, 1983)

This song was written in 1983 by Dylan...and is pro-Israel; still poignant today. -MS.

Well, the neighborhood bully, he's just one man, His enemies say he's on their land. They got him outnumbered about a million to one, He got no place to escape to, no place to run. He's the neighborhood bully.

The neighborhood bully just lives to survive, He's criticized and condemned for being alive. He's not supposed to fight back, he's supposed to have thickskin, He's supposed to lay down and die when his door is kicked in. He's the neighborhood bully.

The neighborhood bully been driven out of every land, He's wandered the earth an exiled man. Seen his family scattered, his people hounded and torn, He's always on trial for just being born. He's the neighborhood bully.

Well, he knocked out a lynch mob, he was criticized, Old women condemned him, said he should apologize. Then he destroyed a bomb factory, nobody was glad. The bombs were meant for him. He was supposed to feel bad. He's the neighborhood bully.

Well, the chances are against it and the odds are slim That he'll live by the rules that the world makes for him, 'Cause there's a noose at his neck and a gun at his back And a license to kill him is given out to every maniac. He's the neighborhood bully.

He got no allies to really speak of. What he gets he must pay for, he don't get it out of love. He buys obsolete weapons and he won't be denied But no one sends flesh and blood to fight by his side. He's the neighborhood bully.

Well, he's surrounded by pacifists who all want peace, They pray for it nightly that the bloodshed must cease. Now, they wouldn't hurt a fly. To hurt one they would weep. They lay and they wait for this bully to fall asleep. He's the neighborhood bully.

Every empire that's enslaved him is gone, Egypt and Rome, even the great Babylon. He's made a garden of paradise in the desert sand, In bed with nobody, under no one's command. He's the neighborhood bully.

Now his holiest books have been trampled upon, No contract he signed was worth what it was written on. He took the crumbs of the world and he turned it into wealth, Took sickness and disease and he turned it into health. He's the neighborhood bully.

What's anybody indebted to him for? Nothin', they say. He just likes to cause war. Pride and prejudice and superstition indeed, They wait for this bully like a dog waits to feed. He's the neighborhood bully.

What has he done to wear so many scars? Does he change the course of rivers? Does he pollute the moon and stars? Neighborhood bully, standing on the hill, Running out the clock, time standing still, Neighborhood bully.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration on Friday warned women not to use or purchase Mommy's Bliss Nipple Cream, marketed by MOM Enterprises Inc. of San Rafael, California.

The cream, promoted to nursing mothers to help soothe dry or cracked nipples, contains ingredients that may cause respiratory distress, vomiting and diarrhea in infants, the agency said.

The potentially harmful ingredients in the cream are chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol.

"FDA is particularly concerned that nursing infants are being unwittingly exposed by their mothers to this product with dangerous side effects," said Janet Woodcock, director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Additionally, these two ingredients may interact with one another to further compound and increase the risk of respiratory depression in nursing infants."

The company has stopped selling the cream. The FDA said consumers should stop using the cream and consult a doctor if they experience problems or believe that their infant may have experienced problems due to the product.

Mothers whose children may have suffered adverse effects because of this product should contact the FDA's MedWatch at 800-332-1088

Breastfeeding and Lactation Courses

Breastfeeding and Lactation Courses
Presented by: Whole Birth Services

Certified Lactation Educator (CLE)
Take the first step in becoming a CAPPA CLE!

Upcoming Workshops:
September 19-20, 2008 Medford, NJ
December 5-6, 2008 Medford, NJ


Breastfeeding for Midwives and Doulas
Enhance your practice by increasing your knowledge of breastfeeding and lactation. (See attached pdf flyer)

Register early and receive a $25 discount!

For information on these and other classes, visit www.WholeBirthServices.com

Contact Person:
Joan-e Rapine, CCE, CLC, CLE
Whole Birth Services
Pregnancy, Birth & Breastfeeding – Education & Support
http://www.wholebirthservices.com/
Joan-e@ycamp.org
609-678-1532

Breast Feeding Moms Have Less Arthritis

MALMO, Sweden (UPI) -- Swedish researchers found women who breast
feed more
than 13 months were half as likely to get rheumatoid arthritis.

Those who had breast fed for one to 12 months were 25 percent less
likely to
get the disease.

The study, published online ahead of print in the Annals of the
Rheumatic
Diseases, also found taking oral contraceptives -- suspected to
protect
against the disease because they contain hormones that are raised in
pregnancy -- did not have the same effect. Similarly, being pregnant -
- but
not breast feeding -- did not seem to have a protective effect
either.

The authors said that it was difficult to say whether there was a
connection
between higher rates of breast feeding and a corresponding fall in the
number of women affected by rheumatoid arthritis, but that the
results of
the study provided yet another reason why women should breast feed.

Childbirth and the Labor Doula

By Joy Haviland
for Expecting Miracles Newsletter
May 2007

Michelle Schnaars is a Labor Doula. What is a Labor Doula? She is a woman who assists women during labor and childbirth. Schnaars has been a Labor Doula for four years. She is certified as a Labor Doula and as a Childbirth Educator through Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA).

Schnaars says, “I love working with families and helping them create positive birth experiences.” Labor doulas are able to help women and their significant others prepare for childbirth, and they are able to stay with the mom throughout her labor and birth, providing continuous support.” Schnaars usually stays with the mom for an hour after the birth and helps with breastfeeding.

As a labor doula Schnaars gives non-medical assistance to women, providing emotional and physical support throughout the birth process. Schnaars says, “I provide verbal encouragement, and suggestions for comfortable laboring positions, and make sure the mom’s needs are met.” Which includes making sure she has enough water and ice chips, pillows, bed linens, and towels. Schnaars also provides massage for comfort, and can remind mom to relax physically if she gets tense. She builds a rapport with the mothers and their partners, and helps expectant fathers navigate the journey through labor. Schnaars meets with her clients at least twice during prenatal visits to help prepare the couple for birth and to see how she can support the mom and her partner.

Schnaars explains, “Childbirth experiences vary from woman to woman and many women are planning VBAC’s”. [editors note: VBAC is an acronym for Vaginal Birth after a Cesarean]. Schnaars has worked with fifteen women during labor and birth, including successful VBAC’s. She says, “I love being a labor doula. I can’t think of anything else I would prefer doing.” After having her first child in 2000 Schnaars decided that “Every woman deserved the chance to have a good experience like mine”. However the opportunity to become a labor doula presented three years later. First Schnaars trained and certified as a Childbirth Educator in 2003, in 2004 as a Labor Doula, and in 2005 she trained and certified and teaches the Happiest Baby on the Block. Schnaars explains, “Parents are often inexperienced with newborns. Knowing how to shush, swaddle, and sooth their newborn helps to increase their confidence as new parents. And it increases the bond between parents and their child”. She is also a volunteer with Operation Special Delivery (OSD). OSD provides free labor doula services to wives of Military, National Guard and Reservists. The program was founded after the events of September 11, 2001 and is directed by MaryBeth Nance. Schnaars says, “It gives a husband peace of mind to know a qualified individual is with his wife when he cannot be with her.”

Schnaars is active in her community providing childbirth education, labor doula services, breastfeeding support, postpartum doula services, and the Happiest Baby on the Block instruction.


Resources:
Michelle can be reached at doulamichelle@comcast.net
CAPPA: www.cappa.net
Operation Special Delivery (OSD): www.operationspecialdelivery.com
The Happiest Baby on the Block: www.thehappiestbaby.com

Recommendations for Duration of Breastfeeding

Abstract
International agencies and various US health organizations uniformly recommend breastfeeding as the preferred method of infant feeding for the entire first year of life and thereafter as long as is beneficial to the mother–infant dyad.1 and 52 These recommendations are based on knowledge that term infants nursed by nutritionally adequate mothers are provided with sufficient energy and the proper profile of nutrients to support normal growth and development without any additional foods through the first 4 to 6 months of life. After 6 months, complimentary foods are needed to furnish nutrients likely to become limiting. Also, human milk furnishes an array of nonnutrient growth factors, immune factors, hormones, and other bioactive components that can act as biological signals and confer protection against illness in infancy and later in life.20 and 43

Nutritient By Nutrient Why Breast Is Best

MOTHER'S MILK: IDEAL NUTRITION FOR HUMAN BABIES

Milk is milk, right? Mammals make it (humans are mammals) and babies drink it. There's more to the story than that. Each species of mammal makes a unique kind of milk, which meets all the nutritional requirements of its offspring at the beginning of life. Each species' milk has specific qualities that insure the survival of the young in a particular environment. This principle is known as the biological specificity of milk. Mother seals, for example, make a high-fat milk because baby seals need lots of body fat to survive in cold water. Since brain development is crucial to the survival of humans, human milk provides nutrients for rapid brain growth.

No matter what animal it comes from, milk contains the basic nutritional elements of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Let's look at each one of these nutrients in human milk, comparing them to the same nutrients in formula or cow milk, so you can further appreciate how your milk is custom-made to meet the needs of your baby.

Unique nutrition for unique humans. As hormones levels change in the days after birth, the mother's body starts to make more plentiful amounts of milk. Colostrum gradually changes into mature milk--the stuff babies have been thriving on for thousands of years. Milk's basic ingredients are fat, proteins, lactose, vitamins, minerals, and water. This is true of milk from all kinds of mammals. Yet, the proportions of these ingredients differ, as do the kinds of protein and fat. This is what makes each species' milk uniquely suited to its young. It's also why cow's milk and cow's milk-based formulas are not the ideal food for human infants.

HIGH QUALITY PROTEIN
Protein is a prime example of how human milk is unique nutrition for human babies. Human milk is low in protein, at least when compared with the milk of other species, especially cow's milk. This isn't a nutritional deficiency; there are good reasons for this. Human infants are designed to grow slowly. While it's important for humans to develop strong bodies, even more important is brain development and the learning of social skills. The experiences that shape the brain come from close contact between mother and baby when baby is held and carried. If human infants doubled their birthweight in less than 50 days the way baby calves do, and then continued growing, how could their mothers carry them and talk to them and keep them close? Baby cows need to learn where to find the best grass in the meadow; baby humans need to learn how to work with others so that everyone's needs get met.

Though the protein content of human milk is generally low, the types of amino acids that make up these proteins are important. One particular amino acid, taurine, is found in large amounts in human milk. Studies show that taurine has an important role in the development of the brain and the eyes. The body can't convert other kinds of amino acids into taurine, so its presence in human milk is significant--so significant that some formula manufacturers have begun adding it to artificial baby milks.

If you let milk stand out of the refrigerator and sour, you will see that milk proteins fall into two categories, curds and whey. (Remember Miss Muffet?) The curd portion, the casein proteins, are the white clots; the liquid is the whey. Cow's milk is mostly casein protein, which forms a rubbery, hard-to-digest curd in babies' tummies. Human milk has more whey than curd, and the curds that are formed are softer and more quickly digested. Breastfed babies get hungry sooner than babies who are formula-fed because human milk proteins are digested so efficiently. It doesn't take as much energy to digest human milk as it does to digest formula. Frequent feedings also ensure that human babies get lots of attention from their mothers.

SELF-DIGESTING FATS
There's another reason why babies digest human milk so quickly: the fat in human milk comes with an enzyme, lipase, that breaks the fat down into smaller globules so this important nutrient can be better absorbed into the bloodstream. Fat is a valuable source of energy for babies, so the presence of lipase makes the fat in human milk more available. This is one of the reasons human milk is so good for premature babies, who need lots of energy to grow but whose digestive systems are very immature.

A changing nutrient for changing needs. The fat content of human milk changes constantly. Typically, fat levels are low at the beginning of a feeding and high at the end. Babies nurse eagerly to get the low-fat, thirst-quenching foremilk, then slow down and linger over the high-fat dessert at the end of their meal. Babies who nurse again soon after the end of the last feeding get more high-fat milk, so babies who breastfeed more frequently during a growth spurt get more calories. Longer intervals between feedings bring down the fat content of the milk stored in the breast. This nutritional fact of human milk is one of the many reasons why the rigid 3 to 4 hour scheduled style of feeding is biologically incorrect.

Smarter fats. The special kind of fat in human milk is important to brain development. As newborn babies grow, the nerves are covered with a substance called myelin which helps the nerves transmit messages to other nerves throughout the brain and body. To develop high-quality myelin, the body needs certain types of fatty acids--linoleic and linolenic--which are found in large amounts in human milk. (See "Breastfeeding Builds Brighter Brains")

VITAMINS AND MINERALS
The vitamins and minerals listed on the formula can are no match for those in the milk made by mom, even if milligram by milligram comparisions suggest otherwise. When formula researchers want to know how much of a particular vitamin or mineral babies need each day, they look first at how much of that nutrient is present in human milk and how much milk a baby of a given age takes in a day. But just doing the math doesn't tell the whole story. More important than the amounts of nutrients in the milk is the amount that is available for the infant to use, a nutrient principle called bioavailability. The bioavailability of a nutrient is influenced by many factors, including its chemical form and the presence of other substances.

The three important minerals calcium, phosphorus, and iron are present in breastmilk at lower levels than in formula, but in breastmilk these minerals are present in forms that have high bioavailability. For example, 50 to 75 percent of the iron in breastmilk is absorbed by the baby. With formula, as little as four percent of the iron is absorbed into baby's bloodstream. To make up for the low bioavailability of factory-added vitamins and minerals, formula manufactures raise the concentrations. Sounds reasonable, right? If only half gets absorbed by the body, put twice as much into the can. Yet, this nutrient manipulation may have a metabolic price.

Baby's immature intestines are required to dispose of the excess. Meanwhile, the excess unabsorbed minerals (especially iron) can upset the "ecology of the gut," interfering with the growth of healthful bacteria and allowing harmful bacteria to flourish. This is another reason formula-fed infants have harder, more unpleasant smelling stools.

To enhance the bioavailability of nutrients, breastmilk contains facilitators - substances that enhance the absorption of other nutrients. For example, vitamin C in human milk increases the absorption of iron. Zinc absorption is also enhanced by other factors in human milk. In an interesting experiment, researchers added equal amounts of iron and zinc to samples of human milk, formula, and cow'd milk, and fed them to adult volunteers. More of the nutrients in the human-milk sample got into the bloodstream compared to the formula and cow's milk. In essence, breastmilk puts nutrients where they belong - in baby's blood, not in baby's bowels.

HORMONES AND ENZYMES
Every year medical journal articles describe more valuable substances discovered in human milk. Scientists are only beginning to write the story on other factors in human milk that may be important to baby's growth and development. For example, other enzymes besides lipase are available to aid infant digestion. Epidermal growth factor, present in human milk in significant amounts, may promote the development of tissues in the digestive tract and elsewhere. Other hormones in milk may influence a baby's metabolism, growth, and physiology. The effects may be subtle, but they may also have far-reaching implications. Being breastfed has advantages that reach into adulthood. Science is only beginning to learn what these benefits are.

New Jersey Needs Vaccination Choice, Not Mandates

Copied from http://ppandb.blogspot.com/2008/05/nj-needs-vaccination-choice-not.html


Barbara Flynn, of the of NJ Coalition for Vaccination Choice (NJCVC) and founder of NJ vaccine awareness group C.H.E.R.U.B.S. will discuss the new vaccine mandates and explain what options are available. We really need to increase awareness and build our grassroots effort in Southern NJ! To sign our petition and also for more information prior to the meeting please check out the NJ Coalition for Vaccination Choice: www.njvaccinationchoice.org