12 Jun
12 Jun
Egg yolks: Iron and DHA
http://babyparenting.about.com/od/startingsolids/f/startingeggs.htm
What this means is that you can introduce an egg yolk before an egg white, beginning at around 6 months of age. They’re quite nutritious, too. A 2002 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that egg yolks can increase iron levels in babies 6-12 months of age and that eggs fortified with Omega-3 fatty acids also help increase DHA levels in the same age range. Both of these findings are a bonus for babies who are starting to lose their own iron stores or who might have to be weaned from breast milk at this age.
18 May
Malnutrition does not reduce breastmilk supply
http://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/bnm/20080617/tts-infants-breastfeeding-993ba14.html
He said there was a common misconception that malnutrition greatly reduced the amount of milk a mother produced when studies had shown that the amount produced depended on how often and how effective the baby sucked on the breast. ansaid nedit. Is stress making you sick. Ansaid FREE doctor consultation. of action of ANSAID, like that of other nonsteroidal anti-inflam Administration of Buy Imdur from Canada. isosorbideLearn about the prescription medication Ismo (Isosorbide Mononitrate), drug uses, dosage, side effects, drug interactions, warnings, and patient labeling. Isosorbide Mononitrate Deals On Isosorbide 5 Mononitrate. isosorbideDrug Information ; eye-sew-SORE-bide mono-NYE-trate Click below for more information about Isosorbide mononitrate. ANSAID with either food reduced doses of ANSAID Tablets compared toAnsaid (Flurbiprofen) – Drug Information, Research, Clinical Trials, News ANSAID® is contraindicated for treatment of peri-operative pain in the settingLearn about Ansaid including potential side effects and drug interactions.
“If a mother temporarily produces less milk than the amount the infant needs, the infant will respond by sucking more vigorou * SYMMETREL is indicated for the prophylaxisFull prescribing information from RxList. Licensed Pharmacy. Symmetrel This medicine contains the active ingredient amantadine hydrochloride, It is also used in the prevention and treatmentSymmetrelAmantadine revisited: an open trial of amantadinesulfate treatment in chronically depressed patients with Borna disease virus infection by; Ferszt R, Kuhl KP, Refs; and furthersymmetrelWhat are the Uses. Preparation · Dosage · Uses · Side effects · Mechanism of action · MisuseBrand Names: Symmetrel What is the most important information I should know about amantadine. sly, more frequently or longer at each feeding,” he ad View complete and up to date MicrozideCompare Hydrochlorothiazide prices from every licensed pharmacy & saveInformation you can trust on diuretics and more. Generic name: Hydrochlorothiazide. Microzide Buy Microzide online. View complete and up to date MicrozideCompare Hydrochlorothiazide prices from every licensed pharmacy & saveInformation you can trust on diuretics and more. ded.
In such situations, he urged mothers who are under-nourished to address their nutritional status rather than igno SYNTHROIDSyn·throid (s n throid) A trademark for the drug levothyroxine sodium. John Lowe ; October, 2001– According to Dr. Synthroid Suggestions: Go to the Abbott home page. Get it done now. ring it.
06 Jul
Benefits of Kangaroo Care
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/100/4/682
Hospital stay after eligibility was shorter in KMC, primarily for infants <= 1800 g.
http://www.mihsr.monash.org/cce/res/pdf/b/649.pdf
! Infection (illness): KMC was associated with a reduced risk of nosocomial infection at 41 weeks’ corrected gestational age (relative risk 0.49, 95% CI 0.25-0.93), severe illness (relative risk 0.30, 95% CI 0.14-0.67) and lower respiratory tract disease (relative risk 0.37, 95% CI 0.15-0.89) at 6 months follow-up. N
! KMC reduced the likelihood of not exclusively breastfeeding at discharge (relative
risk 0.41, 95% CI 0.25-0.68).! Growth: KMC infants had gained more weight per day by discharge than controls (weighted mean difference 3.6 g/day, 95% CI 0.8-6.4) although this difference is of low clinical significance. Sloan 1994 reported “there were no significant differences between the groups in growth indices during the 6-month follow-up”. No differences were seen in weight, length, or head circumference at 41 weeks’ corrected gestational age or in weight at discharge.
! Other results: The mean hospital stay from randomization to 41 weeks’ corrected gestational age was 4.5 days for KMC infants and 5.6 for control infants. The maximum saving in hospital stay was observed in infants weighing <1501 g at birth. Median hospital stay was 11 days in the KMC group and 13 days in the control group. Length of hospital stay was two days greater in KMC infants than control infants. The overall costs were "about 50% less for KMC. Costs of neonatal care were greater in the control than in the KMC group. However, data were available for only 49 infants (24 KMC, 25 control) at 6-month follow-up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo_care#Traditional_hospital_care_of_premature_and_small_newborns
Research support has provided evidence that kangaroo care contributes to breastfeeding longer and more frequently; health and survival of premature infants; quiet alertness and deep sleep; less time in incubators; earlier discharge; less crying and distress; fewer illnesses; and fewer readmissions to hospital. There is evidence of better maternal milk supply; increased confidence of mothers; father’s participation and acceptance; and empowerment.
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=2253724
This pilot study suggests that the kangaroo care method has major advantages over incubator care of preterm infants in our hospital. Hospitals which cannot use incubators optimally may find kangaroo care to be a better method of improving perinatal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.
07 May
Why Not Cereal
Why not cereal?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9646449/page…
Take rice cereal, for example. Under conventional American wisdom, it’s the best first food. But Butte says iron-rich meat — often one of the last foods American parents introduce — would be a better choice.
Dr. David Ludwig of Children’s Hospital Boston, a specialist in pediatric nutrition, says some studies suggest rice and other highly processed grain cereals actually could be among the worst foods for infants.
“These foods are in a certain sense no different from adding sugar to formula. They digest very rapidly in the body into sugar, raising blood sugar and insulin levels” and could contribute to later health problems, including obesity, he says.
The lack of variety in the American approach also could be a problem. Exposing infants to more foods may help them adapt to different foods later, which Ludwig says may be key to getting older children to eat healthier.
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids…
Cereal is not at all necessary, particularly the baby cereals. Regular (whole grain) oatmeal is more nutritious for your baby.
http://www.askdrsears.com/faq/ci2.asp
The truth is, there is nothing special about these foods that makes them better to start out with. Babies don’t actually even need rice cereal
http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVDec…
Meat provides additional protein, zinc, B-vitamins, and other nutrients which may be in short supply when the decrease in breast milk occurs. A recent study from Sweden suggests that when infants are given substantial amounts of cereal, it may lead to low concentrations of zinc and reduced calcium absorption (Persson 1998). Dr. Nancy Krebs has shared preliminary results from a large infant growth study suggesting that breastfed infants who received pureed or strained meat as a primary weaning food beginning at four to five months, grow at a slightly faster rate. Dr. Krebs’ premise is that inadequate protein or zinc from complementary foods may limit the growth of some breastfed infants during the weaning period. Both protein and zinc levels were consistently higher in the diets of the infants who received meat (Krebs 1998). Thus the custom of providing large amounts of cereal products and excluding meat products before seven months of age may not meet the nutritional needs of all breastfed infants.
Meat has also been recommended as an excellent source of iron in infancy. Heme iron (the form of iron found in meat) is better absorbed than iron from plant sources. In addition, the protein in meat helps the baby more easily absorb the iron from other foods. Two recent studies (Makrides 1998; Engelmann 1998) have examined iron status in breastfed infants who received meat earlier in the weaning period. These studies indicate that while there is not a measurable change in breastfed babies’ iron stores when they receive an increased amount of meat (or iron), the levels of hemoglobin circulating in the blood stream do increase when babies receive meat as one of their first foods.
http://www.westonaprice.org/children/nou…
Finally, respect the tiny, still-developing digestive system of your infant. Babies have limited enzyme production, which is necessary for the digestion of foods. In fact, it takes up to 28 months, just around the time when molar teeth are fully developed, for the big-gun carbohydrate enzymes (namely amylase) to fully kick into gear. Foods like cereals, grains and breads are very challenging for little ones to digest. Thus, these foods should be some of the last to be introduced. (One carbohydrate enzyme a baby’s small intestine does produce is lactase, for the digestion of lactose in milk.1)
[...]
Babies do produce functional enzymes (pepsin and proteolytic enzymes) and digestive juices (hydrochloric acid in the stomach) that work on proteins and fats.12 This makes perfect sense since the milk from a healthy mother has 50-60 percent of its energy as fat, which is critical for growth, energy and development.13 In addition, the cholesterol in human milk supplies an infant with close to six times the amount most adults consume from food.13 In some cultures, a new mother is encouraged to eat six to ten eggs a day and almost ten ounces of chicken and pork for at least a month after birth. This fat-rich diet ensures her breast milk will contain adequate healthy fats.14
Thus, a baby’s earliest solid foods should be mostly animal foods since his digestive system, although immature, is better equipped to supply enzymes for digestion of fats and proteins rather than carbohydrates.1 This explains why current research is pointing to meat (including nutrient-dense organ meat) as being a nourishing early weaning food.
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content…
The results indicate that in a group of healthy, well growing 12-month-old Swedish infants one-quarter is iron-depleted, although iron deficiency anaemia is rare, and one-third may be zinc-depleted. The high cereal intake of Swedish infants from 6 months of age may have limited the bioavailability of both iron and zinc from the diet.
http://www.jpgn.org/pt/re/jpgn/abstract….
Conclusions: These results confirm that meat as a complementary food for breast-fed infants can provide a rich source of dietary zinc that is well absorbed. The significant positive correlation between zinc intake and exchangeable zinc pool size suggests that increasing zinc intake positively affects metabolically available zinc.
11 Mar
Oral Rehydration Solutions: Made at Home
http://rehydrate.org/solutions/homemade.htm
The most effective, least expensive way to manage diarrhoeal dehydration
The “simple solution” Do-It-Yourself …. Encouraging self-reliance
The most effective, least expensive way to manage diarrhoeal dehydration* Recipe for home-made salt and sugar solutions
* Questions on Solutions made at home
* 10 Things you should know about Rehydrating a child
** Remember breast milk is ALWAYS the rehydration solution of choice. If a baby is too sick to breastfeed directly breast milk should be expressed and offered from a cup, paladai, or syringe/dropper. Breast milk is NOT a milk/dairy product.
In some cases illness can cause a baby to become temporarily lactose intolerant, discontinuation of breastfeeding is rarely beneficial in this case but in severe cases it may be advisable. However all other methods of reducing the lactose intake should be tried first: breast compression, block feeding, and in the case of expressed milk discarding some of the watery milk to increase the amount of fat (this should be done under the guidance of a professional if possible).
More on lactose intolerance in breastfed babies: Lactose Intolerance (this site)
23 Feb
Gentian Violet
http://gentian.rutgers.edu/GentianViolet.htm
Gentian violet is a water soluble dye (coloring substance) used primarily in medicine to stain bacteria, but also in other histological procedures. It is not derived from gentians, but got its name since it is pink-violet like some gentians in the genera of Centaurium, Gentiana, and Gentianella. Gentian violet is derived from coal tar. Another common name for gentian violet is crystal violet, and it is also called Andergon, Aniline Violet, Axuris, Badil, Basic Violet 3, Brilliant Violet 5B, C.I. 42555, Gentiaverm, Hexamethyl-p-Rosaniline Chloride, Hexamethylpararosaniline Chloride, Meroxylan, Meroxyl, Methylrosaniline Chloride, Methyl Violet 10BNS, Methylvioletti, Mythyrosailine Chloride, Pyoctaninum Caeruleum, Pyoktanin, Vianin, Viocid, and Viola Crystallina.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentian_violet
Precautions
The Food and Drug Administration has determined that gentian violet has not been shown by adequate scientific data to be safe for use in animal feed. Use of gentian violet in animal feed causes the feed to be adulterated and in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. 21CFR589.1000
Gentian violet’s worst common side effect is staining skin and cloth, but if used on ulcerations or open wounds it can cause tattooing. It is generally considered safe for use on children and breastfeeding mothers. It has even been applied to the mouth and lips of premature infants, and has a long history of safe use. Many have recommended it for thrush on the nipple, and La Leche League lists gentian violet as a possible alternative.[1] However, in large quantities, gentian violet may lead to ulceration of a baby’s mouth and throat and is linked with mouth cancer. Dr. Sears recommends using it sparingly.[2] Gentian violet has also been linked to cancer in the digestive tract of other animals.[3]
What is it? Gentian Violet is a purple dye derived from coal tar that is used on the skin as an antifungal and antibacterial agent.
Warnings:
- Before taking Gentian Violet, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Do not eat or drink Gentian Violet due to possible cancer-causing effects (4)
- If used vaginally, do not have sex during treatment (1)
- Do not use if you have porphyria (4)
- Do not put on eyes or open skin cuts (5,6)
- Gentian violet will stain the skin and the stain may sometimes be permanent (stay forever) (10)
Side Effects: Stop taking your medicine right away and talk to your doctor if you have any of the following side effects. Your medicine may be causing these symptoms which may mean you are allergic to it.
- Breathing problems or tightness in your throat or chest
- Chest pain
- Skin hives, rash, or itchy or swollen skin
Other Possible Side Effects: You may have the following side effects, but this medicine may also cause other side effects. Tell your doctor if you have side effects that you think are caused by this medicine.
- Stomach pain, upset stomach, diarrhea, and throwing up (4)
- Mouth ulcers or blisters have appeared in children when Gentian Violet was used for thrush (8,9,10)
- Rashes and ulcers on the skin have been reported with the use of Gentian violet on skin and open sores. (4,10)
- Skin staining which can be forever (9,10)
22 Feb
Lactation Suppression
Too much milk: Sage and other herbs for decreasing milk supply
http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/milksupply/herbs-oversupply.html
This is best used only if you are in the process of weaning, though it may also be used in extreme cases of oversupply when the usual measures are not effective. Be careful with this if you are not in the weaning process! Don’t overdo it once you’re seeing some results.
A Sample Seven Day Dry-Up Plan
http://web.archive.org/web/20041204114014/http://whiteriver.com/stopping.html
In the past, new mothers often received medication which would suppress the production of milk. These medications were often referred to as dry up drugs. These drugs are no longer available because of severe health problems experienced by many mothers.
Although most pregnancies have happy endings, some do not. Losing a baby is a tragic experience. When the breast milk starts to flow and there is no baby to feed, pain and engorgement will usually follow.
When breastfeeding is not part of your plan for any reason, follow the directions here to minimize pain and engorgement during the drying up period. Depending on your situation, you may wish to ask your doctor or healthcare provider for pain medication to use during the first week of drying-up
Guidelines For Rapid Reduction of Milk Supply
http://www.bflrc.com/ljs/breastfeeding/dryupfst.htm
Sometimes breastfeeding mothers must quickly stop breastfeeding. I hope each mother has exhausted all avenues for help before taking this step. Nevertheless, all mothers have a right to wean safely and comfortably. These guidelines have helped many mothers:
Lactation Suppression lactation
http://www.breastfeeding-basics.com/html/_suppression.shtml
Once your milk supply is established, stopping abruptly causes certain physical changes. Your breasts will continue to produce milk for a while, and if some isn’t removed, you may become engorged, and possibly develop mastitis. You will also experience a sudden drop in prolaction levels, which may add to your feelings of depression.
Weaning after infant loss
http://xpedio02.childrenshc.org/stellent/groups/public/@Manuals/@PFS/@Nutr/documents/PolicyReferenceProcedure/027491.pdf
At Children’s Hospitals and Clinics, we support you during this difficult time. Your feelings are stronger because of the physical and hormonal changes in your body. Your breasts have been prepared to nurse. As long as your breasts sense a “demand” for milk, they will keep making it. If there is no demand, they will gradually stop. In order to help you feel more comfortable during this time, we have prepared these instructions. Please let us know if you have any questions, or if there is anything else we can do to support you.
Lactation Suppression: Forgotten Aspect of Care for the Mother of a Dying Child
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/464568
Suppression of lactation prior to the 1990s was done with medications that influenced the brain’s directions to the breast regarding milk production, such as parlodel and bromocriptine. These were eventually found to have other brain-related side effects and taken off the market for milk cessation (Stehlin, 1990). Ice use was suggested in 1966 (Bristol, 1966), and both fluid restriction and forced fluids had time of popularity. Breast binding with ace wraps became the next form of care, with little scientific supportive evidence. A recent clinical study by Swift and Janke (2003) compared a control group using a support bra with an experimental group having their breasts bound. Swift and Janke found the women with bound breasts had more leakage, more pain, and needed more pain medication than the non-bound group. A study by a group of nurses in Sweden (Radestad, Nordin, Steineck, & Sjogren, 1998) did find that for women who had lost a baby, breast binding served as a concrete reality of the loss and aided in the grieving process. The use of cabbage leaves has often been suggested to ease the pain of lactation suppression. Several early reports indicated comfort to mothers, and this is a frequently recommended practice. Yetina Cochrane Library examination of evidence (Snowden, Renfrew, & Woolridge, 2003), cabbage leaves and other vegetable substances on the breast did not show greater comfort than the placebos. It was suggested that placement of the leaves on the breast and the massage of placement may be the helpful issue. The same results of improvement equal to the placebo occurred for the use of ultra sound to the breasts. Prevention of engorgement was recommended.
21 Feb
Immunities: How Baby’s Saliva Tells Mom’s Breasts Which Antibodies to Make
http://www.womenshealthservices.org/whs_breast%20feeding.htm
“Nursing also allows your baby to give germs to you so that your immune system can respond and can synthesize antibodies! This means that if your baby has come in contact with something which you have not, (s)he will pass these germs to you at the next nursing; during that feeding, your body will start to manufacture antibodies for that particular germ. By the time the next feeding arrives, your entire immune system will be working to provide immunities for you and your baby.”
http://chetday.com/breastfeeding.html
“The breast is the only place outside the immune system which can synthesize antibodies! This means that if the baby has come in contact with something the mother has not, he will pass these germs to her at the next nursing; during that feeding, the breast will manufacture and deliver antibodies for that particular germ.”
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/137385/what_is_so_important_about_breastfeeding.html?page=2
They also get sick less often since the mother’s body acts as a pharmacy for the baby. If the child picks up a virus their body will desire to nurse more often. The virus will pass through the baby’s saliva, onto the mother’s nipple, and into her body where her immune system will begin to develop antibodies for it. The next time the baby nurses, he will receive more than just milk–the milk will also contain the mother’s antibodies, giving the baby a head start in fighting off the illness before he even gets a chance to show symptoms. This often results in a healthy baby who rarely becomes seriously ill. Breastfed babies have much lower instances of colds, flus, and diarrhea than the average formula fed baby.
16 Feb
Formula: Sucrose vs Lactose and Cavities
http://www.aapd.org/upload/articles-old/tinanoff11-02.pdf
Parents should avoid combining milk or milk formulas with other food products or sugar.56 Additionally, those infant formulas that contain sucrose instead of lactose may be particularly cariogenic.