Our subject this month is the H1N1 vaccination. I am one of the select few that have been told it is essential to get the H1N1 vaccination (I work with newborns) so I have begun my search for the truth. There are many views and many ideas on the necessity of the vaccination and the best way to protect ourselves. Being a person who tries to do everything in the most natural way possible I personally, will not be putting a vaccine in my body that has so many potentially hazardous chemicals in it. Of course I am not a Doctor and cannot tell you what you should do. I would suggest that you read the following and consider what may work the best for you.
The following is from the FDA page about the approved bird flu vaccine and the ingredients:
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/UCM112836.pdf
“ Influenza Virus Vaccine, H5N1, a monovalent type A inactivated vaccine for intramuscular use, is a sterile suspension prepared from influenza virus propagated in embryonated chicken eggs and is supplied in 5 mL multi-dose vials. The virus-containing fluids are harvested and inactivated with formaldehyde. The influenza virus is concentrated and purified in a linear sucrose density gradient solution using a continuous flow centrifuge. The virus is then chemically disrupted using a nonionic surfactant, polyethylene glycol p-isooctylphenyl ether (Triton® X-100), producing a “split virus.” The split virus is then further purified by chemical means and suspended in sodium phosphate-buffered isotonic sodium chloride solution.
Influenza Virus Vaccine, H5N1, is a clear and slightly opalescent suspension formulated to contain 90 μg hemagglutinin (HA) per 1.0 mL dose of the influenza virus strain A/Vietnam/1203/2004 (H5N1, clade 1). Porcine gelatin (500 μg/dose) is added as a stabilizer. Thimerosal, a mercury derivative, is added as a preservative. Each 1.0 mL dose is formulated to contain not more than 98.2 μg thimerosal (approximately 50 μg mercury/dose). Each dose may also contain residual amounts of formaldehyde (not more than 200 μg), Polyethylene Glycol p-Isooctylphenyl Ether (not more than 0.05%), and sucrose (not more than 2.0%)”.
If you are determined to receive the H1N1 I would strongly suggest you receive the vaccination without the preservatives. Although the dangers are still unknown you are lowering your risk by not allowing the Mercury or formaldehyde in your body.
On average, in both Canada and the U.S., it takes a little over a decade for a drug to move from preclinical development to the marketplace. Before a vaccine enters human testing, the developer conducts laboratory (in vitro) and laboratory animal (in vivo) testing to determine whether the product will be safe enough for researchers to proceed to clinical trials. The H1N1 went out without any preclinical trials. There are no studies to show the long term or short term effects of the H1N1. PLEASE SERIOUSLY CONSIDER WHETHER YOU ARE WILLING TO RISK YOUR HEALTH.
Every Physician, Nurse or medical personnel who administers the H1N1 vaccine (or any vaccine) should be asking themselves why they are injecting the following ingredients into patients that have been scientifically proven to cause immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity, sterility and cancer.
Below is a list of the H1N1 vaccination brands and what is Toxic in them:
Novartis Focetria Adjuvanted H1N1
Influenza Vaccine Ingredients/Toxicity
Polysorbate 80: Sterilie Agent
Potassium Chloride: Neurotoxin
Squalene: Neurotoxin
Thimerosal: Neurotoxin
Novartis H1N1 Monovalent Influenza Vaccine Ingredients/Toxicity
Beta-Propiolactone: Carcinogen
Polymyxin: Neurotoxin
Neomycin: Immunotoxin
Thimerosal: Neurotoxin
GlaxoSmithKline Arepanrix Adjuvanted
H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Ingredients/Toxicity
Formaldehyde : Carcinogen
Polysorbate 80: Sterilie Agent
Sodium Deoxycholate: Immunotoxin
Squalene: Neurotoxin
Thimerosal: Neurotoxin
GlaxoSmithKline Pandemrix Adjuvanted
H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Ingredients/Toxicity
Octoxynol 10: Immunotoxin
Polysorbate 80: Sterilie Agent
Potassium Chloride: Neurotoxin
Sodium Deoxycholate: Immunotoxin
Squalene: Neurotoxin
Thimerosal: Neurotoxin
GlaxoSmithKline Fluarix 2009-2010
Formula Ingredients/Toxicity
Formaldehyde : Carcinogen
Octoxynol 10: Immunotoxin
Polysorbate 80: Sterilie Agent
Sodium Deoxycholate: Immunotoxin
Sanofi-Pasteur H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Ingredients/Toxicity
Formaldehyde : Carcinogen
Polyethylene Glycol: Systemic Toxin
Thimerosal: Neurotoxin
MedImmune H1N1 Vaccine Ingredients/Toxicity
Monosodium Glutamate: Neurotoxin
Gentamicin Sulfate: Nephrotoxic
Monobasic Potassium Phosphate: Immunotoxin
FLUARIX 2009 Latest Package Insert Ingredients/Toxicity
Formaldehyde : Carcinogen
Gentamicin Sulfate: Nephrotoxic
Polysorbate 80: Sterilie Agent
Sodium Deoxycholate: Immunotoxin
Thimerosal: Neurotoxin
CSL PANVAX H1N1 Vaccine Ingredients/Toxicity
Beta-Propiolactone: Carcinogen
Neomycin: Immunotoxin
Sodium Taurodeoxycholate: Carcinogen/Immunotoxin
Polymyxin: Neurotoxin
Thimerosal: Neurotoxin
CSL Afluria H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Ingredients/Toxicity
Beta-Propiolactone: Carcinogen
Neomycin Sulfate: Immunotoxin
Polymyxin B: Neurotoxin
Potassium Chloride: Neurotoxin
Sodium Taurodeoxycholate: Carcinogen/Immunotoxin
Thimerosal: Neurotoxin
After reading this information, I will be taking homeopathic remedies to prevent the flu. The H1N1 flu and its symptoms have been likened to the flu of 1917/1918 or the Spanish Flu. People born before 1950 have a much less risk factor for getting the H1N1 as they have probably been exposed to the Spanish Flu in some form. Many of the symptoms are the same and this gives homeopathy a foothold in having the ability to administer a remedy that will be as effective as the vaccine without the side effects.
In homeopathy the Repertory is used to analyze the symptoms of a person or a disease and based on the symptomlogy a remedy is given to help relieve those symptoms.
A study was done in Mexico using the common symptoms of the 2009 Swine Flu in order to outline a specific homeopathic based prevention and treatment model that could be used by homeopathic doctors around the world.
Homeopathy preventive H1N1 medicine :
1. BAPTISIA TINCTOREA 30C
2. INFLUENZINUM 200C
3. ARSENICUM ALBUM 30C
4. OSCILOCCINIUM 30 C
5. GELSEMIUM 30C
Nosodes, Influenzinum (corresponding to the epidemic), Pyrogenium, Anthracinum.
Oscilococcinium 30' and `Influenzium 200' for swine flu prevention as well as to improve the immune system among the general public towards the flu. "The homeopathy medicine 'Gelsemium 30' has been proved effective clinically in the treatment of swine flu in France a decade back and has been reported in the British journal of Clinical Medicine.
You can get these remedies on line or at your Health Food Store. Influenzium will have to be ordered on line. http://www.shop.com/Boiron_Influenzinum_200C_75_200_C_pellets-46808558-61261489-p+.xhtml?sourceid=298
To take Influenzium 200C as a preventative take 3 doses 10 minutes apart. Within 24 hours you should develop an immunity against the H1N1. This is according to http://ready2beat.com/educational/influenzinum-200-homeopathic-medicine-swine-flu
Homeopathic remedies are prescribed on the principal that 'like cures like', in a tiny dilution. To explain homeopathy a little better let’s try this: Apis (a homeopathic remedy) is made from the venom of the bee sting, if you are allergic to bee stings Apis is the remedy that you should carry with you at all times as it will counteract the sting. Apis also works well for swelling or puffing up of various parts, EDEMA, red rosy hue, stinging pains, soreness, intolerance of heat, and slightest touch, and afternoon are worse.
If you have other questions please feel free to write or call me.
Thank you for your time
GENTLE VENTURES CLASS UPDATES This is updated information about Newborn Care. If you took the class recently you may already have these updates. www.gentleventures.com. For class videos please see www.gentleventures.blogspot.com THERE ARE PAGES OF UPDATES. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SCROLL THROUGH ALL THE PAGES.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Excessive Crying Could Be Harmful to Babies
Science Says: Excessive Crying Could Be Harmful to Babies
Gentle Ventures thinks is is very important for you to know both sides of the story. There is research out there that 'proves' that crying may be harmful to babies. We have included this study in our literature as you may be approached by parents who have read this research and we want to make sure you understand the implications of 'excessive' crying.
We have copied the following so there will be no misunderstanding of what the researchers have said. Each is referenced with the researched articles so you can also do your own research and come to your own conclusions.
We, at Gentle Ventures believe the operative word is 'excessive'. We do not believe that the gentle method of crying we use starting at 1 min would be considered 'excessive. We believe using this method the babies gradually learn to self soothe. Even allowing a baby to cry for 45 minutes we are checking on the baby and if necessary we are changing positions, offering the pacifier, or patting the baby.
"The more we know about brain development, the more we know that when a mother is not responsive, it's linked to [poor] cognitive development and social behavior," says Leach. a British developmental child psychologist, "The hazard is of a child with too little conviction that he is really loved, as in unconditional love. If you don't respond to him when he cries, he comes to distrust the validity of his own feelings and your willingness to respond to them."
In the research we find that when babies cry alone and they are not attended in any form they can experience stress symptoms. Scientific studies show their brains and bodies are flooded with adrenaline and cortisol stress hormones. We also know from studies that when this happens for a prolonged period of time those nerves won't form the proper connections to other nerves. So is there permanent damage? Here is what we found.
Chemical and hormonal imbalances in the brain
According to Dr. Sears.com: Research has shown that infants who are routinely separated from parents in a stressful way have abnormally high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, as well as lower growth hormone levels. These imbalances inhibit the development of nerve tissue in the brain, suppress growth, and depress the immune system. (5, 9, 11, 16)
Researchers at Yale University and Harvard Medical School found that intense stress early in life can alter the brain’s neurotransmitter systems and cause structural and functional changes in regions of the brain similar to those seen in adults with depression. (17)
One study showed infants who experienced persistent crying episodes were 10 times more likely to have ADHD as a child, along with poor school performance and antisocial behavior. The researchers concluded these findings may be due to the lack of responsive attitude of the parents toward their babies. (14.)
Dr. Bruce Perry’s research at Baylor University may explain this finding. He found when chronic stress over-stimulates an infant’s brain stem (the part of the brain that controls adrenaline release), and the portions of the brain that thrive on physical and emotional input are neglected (such as when a baby is repeatedly left to cry alone), the child will grow up with an over-active adrenaline system. Such a child will display increased aggression, impulsivity, and violence later in life because the brain stem floods the body with adrenaline and other stress hormones at inappropriate and frequent times. (6 )
Dr. Allan Schore of the UCLA School of Medicine has demonstrated that the stress hormone cortisol (which floods the brain during intense crying and other stressful events) actually destroys nerve connections in critical portions of an infant’s developing brain. In addition, when the portions of the brain responsible for attachment and emotional control are not stimulated during infancy (as may occur when a baby is repeatedly neglected) these sections of the brain will not develop. The result – a violent, impulsive, emotionally unattached child. He concludes that the sensitivity and responsiveness of a parent stimulates and shapes the nerve connections in key sections of the brain responsible for attachment and emotional well-being. (7, 8 )
Decreased intellectual, emotional, and social development
Infant developmental specialist Dr. Michael Lewis presented research findings at an American Academy of Pediatrics meeting, concluding that “the single most important influence of a child’s intellectual development is the responsiveness of the mother to the cues of her baby.”
Researchers have found babies whose cries are usually ignored will not develop healthy intellectual and social skills. (19)
Dr. Rao and colleagues at the National Institutes of Health showed that infants with prolonged crying (but not due to colic) in the first 3 months of life had an average IQ 9 points lower at 5 years of age. They also showed poor fine motor development. (2)
Researchers at Pennsylvania State and Arizona State Universities found that infants with excessive crying during the early months showed more difficulty controlling their emotions and became even fussier when parents tried to console them at 10 months. (15)
Other research has shown that these babies have a more annoying quality to their cry, are more clingy during the day, and take longer to become independent as children (1).
1.P. Heron, “Non-Reactive Cosleeping and Child Behavior: Getting a Good Night’s Sleep All Night, Every Night,” Master’s thesis, Department of Psychology, University of Bristol, 1994.
2.M R Rao, et al; Long Term Cognitive Development in Children with Prolonged Crying, National Institutes of Health, Archives of Disease in Childhood 2004; 89:989-992.
3.J pediatrics 1988 Brazy, J E. Mar 112 (3): 457-61. Duke University
4.Ludington-Hoe SM, Case Western U, Neonatal Network 2002 Mar; 21(2): 29-36
5.Butler, S R, et al. Maternal Behavior as a Regulator of Polyamine Biosynthesis in Brain and Heart of Developing Rat Pups. Science 1978, 199:445-447.
6.Perry, B. (1997), “Incubated in Terror: Neurodevelopmental Factors in the Cycle of Violence,” Children in a Violent Society, Guilford Press, New York.
7.Schore, A.N. (1996), “The Experience-Dependent Maturation of a Regulatory System in the Orbital Prefrontal Cortex and the Origen of Developmental Psychopathology,” Development and Psychopathology 8: 59 – 87.
8.Karr-Morse, R, Wiley, M. Interview With Dr. Allan Schore, Ghosts From the Nursery, 1997, pg 200.
9.Kuhn, C M, et al. Selective Depression of Serum Growth Hormone During Maternal Deprivation in Rat Pups. Science 1978, 201:1035-1036.
10.Hollenbeck, A R, et al. Children with Serious Illness: Behavioral Correlates of Separation and Solution. Child Psychiatry and Human Development 1980, 11:3-11.
11.Coe, C L, et al. Endocrine and Immune Responses to Separation and Maternal Loss in Non-Human Primates. The Psychology of Attachment and Separation, ed. M Reite and T Fields, 1985. Pg. 163-199. New York: Academic Press.
12.Rosenblum and Moltz, The Mother-Infant Interaction as a Regulator of Infant Physiology and Behavior. In Symbiosis in Parent-Offspring Interactions, New York: Plenum, 1983.
13.Hofer, M and H. Shair, Control of Sleep-Wake States in the Infant Rat by Features of the Mother-Infant Relationship. Developmental Psychobiology, 1982, 15:229-243.
14.Wolke, D, et al, Persistent Infant Crying and Hyperactivity Problems in Middle Childhood, Pediatrics, 2002; 109:1054-1060.
15.Stifter and Spinrad, The Effect of Excessive Crying on the Development of Emotion Regulation, Infancy, 2002; 3(2), 133-152.
16.Ahnert L, et al, Transition to Child Care: Associations with Infant-mother Attachment, Infant Negative Emotion, and Cortisol Elevations, Child Development, 2004, May-June; 75(3):649-650.
17.Kaufman J, Charney D. Effects of Early Stress on Brain Structure and Function: Implications for Understanding the Relationship Between Child Maltreatment and Depression, Developmental Psychopathology, 2001 Summer; 13(3):451-471.
18.Teicher MH et al, The Neurobiological Consequences of Early Stress and Childhood Maltreatment, Neuroscience Biobehavior Review 2003, Jan-Mar; 27(1-2):33-44.
19.Leiberman, A. F., & Zeanah, H., Disorders of Attachment in Infancy, Infant Psychiatry 1995, 4:571-587.
Gentle Ventures thinks is is very important for you to know both sides of the story. There is research out there that 'proves' that crying may be harmful to babies. We have included this study in our literature as you may be approached by parents who have read this research and we want to make sure you understand the implications of 'excessive' crying.
We have copied the following so there will be no misunderstanding of what the researchers have said. Each is referenced with the researched articles so you can also do your own research and come to your own conclusions.
We, at Gentle Ventures believe the operative word is 'excessive'. We do not believe that the gentle method of crying we use starting at 1 min would be considered 'excessive. We believe using this method the babies gradually learn to self soothe. Even allowing a baby to cry for 45 minutes we are checking on the baby and if necessary we are changing positions, offering the pacifier, or patting the baby.
"The more we know about brain development, the more we know that when a mother is not responsive, it's linked to [poor] cognitive development and social behavior," says Leach. a British developmental child psychologist, "The hazard is of a child with too little conviction that he is really loved, as in unconditional love. If you don't respond to him when he cries, he comes to distrust the validity of his own feelings and your willingness to respond to them."
In the research we find that when babies cry alone and they are not attended in any form they can experience stress symptoms. Scientific studies show their brains and bodies are flooded with adrenaline and cortisol stress hormones. We also know from studies that when this happens for a prolonged period of time those nerves won't form the proper connections to other nerves. So is there permanent damage? Here is what we found.
Chemical and hormonal imbalances in the brain
According to Dr. Sears.com: Research has shown that infants who are routinely separated from parents in a stressful way have abnormally high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, as well as lower growth hormone levels. These imbalances inhibit the development of nerve tissue in the brain, suppress growth, and depress the immune system. (5, 9, 11, 16)
Researchers at Yale University and Harvard Medical School found that intense stress early in life can alter the brain’s neurotransmitter systems and cause structural and functional changes in regions of the brain similar to those seen in adults with depression. (17)
One study showed infants who experienced persistent crying episodes were 10 times more likely to have ADHD as a child, along with poor school performance and antisocial behavior. The researchers concluded these findings may be due to the lack of responsive attitude of the parents toward their babies. (14.)
Dr. Bruce Perry’s research at Baylor University may explain this finding. He found when chronic stress over-stimulates an infant’s brain stem (the part of the brain that controls adrenaline release), and the portions of the brain that thrive on physical and emotional input are neglected (such as when a baby is repeatedly left to cry alone), the child will grow up with an over-active adrenaline system. Such a child will display increased aggression, impulsivity, and violence later in life because the brain stem floods the body with adrenaline and other stress hormones at inappropriate and frequent times. (6 )
Dr. Allan Schore of the UCLA School of Medicine has demonstrated that the stress hormone cortisol (which floods the brain during intense crying and other stressful events) actually destroys nerve connections in critical portions of an infant’s developing brain. In addition, when the portions of the brain responsible for attachment and emotional control are not stimulated during infancy (as may occur when a baby is repeatedly neglected) these sections of the brain will not develop. The result – a violent, impulsive, emotionally unattached child. He concludes that the sensitivity and responsiveness of a parent stimulates and shapes the nerve connections in key sections of the brain responsible for attachment and emotional well-being. (7, 8 )
Decreased intellectual, emotional, and social development
Infant developmental specialist Dr. Michael Lewis presented research findings at an American Academy of Pediatrics meeting, concluding that “the single most important influence of a child’s intellectual development is the responsiveness of the mother to the cues of her baby.”
Researchers have found babies whose cries are usually ignored will not develop healthy intellectual and social skills. (19)
Dr. Rao and colleagues at the National Institutes of Health showed that infants with prolonged crying (but not due to colic) in the first 3 months of life had an average IQ 9 points lower at 5 years of age. They also showed poor fine motor development. (2)
Researchers at Pennsylvania State and Arizona State Universities found that infants with excessive crying during the early months showed more difficulty controlling their emotions and became even fussier when parents tried to console them at 10 months. (15)
Other research has shown that these babies have a more annoying quality to their cry, are more clingy during the day, and take longer to become independent as children (1).
1.P. Heron, “Non-Reactive Cosleeping and Child Behavior: Getting a Good Night’s Sleep All Night, Every Night,” Master’s thesis, Department of Psychology, University of Bristol, 1994.
2.M R Rao, et al; Long Term Cognitive Development in Children with Prolonged Crying, National Institutes of Health, Archives of Disease in Childhood 2004; 89:989-992.
3.J pediatrics 1988 Brazy, J E. Mar 112 (3): 457-61. Duke University
4.Ludington-Hoe SM, Case Western U, Neonatal Network 2002 Mar; 21(2): 29-36
5.Butler, S R, et al. Maternal Behavior as a Regulator of Polyamine Biosynthesis in Brain and Heart of Developing Rat Pups. Science 1978, 199:445-447.
6.Perry, B. (1997), “Incubated in Terror: Neurodevelopmental Factors in the Cycle of Violence,” Children in a Violent Society, Guilford Press, New York.
7.Schore, A.N. (1996), “The Experience-Dependent Maturation of a Regulatory System in the Orbital Prefrontal Cortex and the Origen of Developmental Psychopathology,” Development and Psychopathology 8: 59 – 87.
8.Karr-Morse, R, Wiley, M. Interview With Dr. Allan Schore, Ghosts From the Nursery, 1997, pg 200.
9.Kuhn, C M, et al. Selective Depression of Serum Growth Hormone During Maternal Deprivation in Rat Pups. Science 1978, 201:1035-1036.
10.Hollenbeck, A R, et al. Children with Serious Illness: Behavioral Correlates of Separation and Solution. Child Psychiatry and Human Development 1980, 11:3-11.
11.Coe, C L, et al. Endocrine and Immune Responses to Separation and Maternal Loss in Non-Human Primates. The Psychology of Attachment and Separation, ed. M Reite and T Fields, 1985. Pg. 163-199. New York: Academic Press.
12.Rosenblum and Moltz, The Mother-Infant Interaction as a Regulator of Infant Physiology and Behavior. In Symbiosis in Parent-Offspring Interactions, New York: Plenum, 1983.
13.Hofer, M and H. Shair, Control of Sleep-Wake States in the Infant Rat by Features of the Mother-Infant Relationship. Developmental Psychobiology, 1982, 15:229-243.
14.Wolke, D, et al, Persistent Infant Crying and Hyperactivity Problems in Middle Childhood, Pediatrics, 2002; 109:1054-1060.
15.Stifter and Spinrad, The Effect of Excessive Crying on the Development of Emotion Regulation, Infancy, 2002; 3(2), 133-152.
16.Ahnert L, et al, Transition to Child Care: Associations with Infant-mother Attachment, Infant Negative Emotion, and Cortisol Elevations, Child Development, 2004, May-June; 75(3):649-650.
17.Kaufman J, Charney D. Effects of Early Stress on Brain Structure and Function: Implications for Understanding the Relationship Between Child Maltreatment and Depression, Developmental Psychopathology, 2001 Summer; 13(3):451-471.
18.Teicher MH et al, The Neurobiological Consequences of Early Stress and Childhood Maltreatment, Neuroscience Biobehavior Review 2003, Jan-Mar; 27(1-2):33-44.
19.Leiberman, A. F., & Zeanah, H., Disorders of Attachment in Infancy, Infant Psychiatry 1995, 4:571-587.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Milk or Dairy Allergy vs. Lactose Intolerance
A milk or dairy allergy is a reaction to the protein in milk. There are two milk proteins, casein and whey. Some people are allergic only to one or the other. Most are allergic to both. The safest course in either case is to avoid all dairy products.
Lactose intolerance, also called lactase deficiency, means you aren't able to fully digest the milk sugar (lactose) in dairy products. The problem behind lactose intolerance is a deficiency of lactase — an enzyme produced by the lining of your small intestine.
With LI, most people can still have small or moderate amounts of milk. What's the difference? An allergy is an immune system reaction. Your immune system fights foreign invaders to the body using what are called antibodies. When these invaders are harmful bacteria or viruses, this is a very good thing. In people with allergies, however, the immune system reacts in the same way to dairy proteins that leak into the bloodstream instead of being properly digested. This can lead to a huge number of possible symptoms.
Children are the most likely sufferers of both allergies and hypersensitivities. Even breast-fed babies who have never touched formula can suffer from allergies, because dairy proteins can leak into the mother's milk. And even if this does not happen, they can rapidly develop allergies after their first exposure to milk-based formula or milk itself.
Taken from the Australian Breast Feeding Website:
There are some common fallacies about lactose intolerance that you may hear in the community:
1. Lactose in the breastmilk will be reduced if the mother stops eating dairy products.
2. Lactose intolerance in other family members (adults) means baby is more likely to be lactose intolerant.
3. If a mother is lactose intolerant then her baby will be as well.
4. A baby with symptoms of lactose intolerance should immediately be taken off the breast and fed on soy-based infant formula, or other special lactose-free formula.
5. Lactose intolerance is the same as intolerance or allergy to cows' milk protein.
Lactose intolerance is not possible in a baby unless it is an extremely rare genetic condition. That being true normal life would not be possible without medical intervention. A truly lactose intolerant baby would fail to thrive from birth (ie. not even start to gain weight), and show obvious symptoms of malabsorption and dehydration - a medical emergency case needing a special diet from soon after birth.
Anything that damages the gut lining, even subtly, can cause secondary lactose intolerance. The enzyme lactase is produced in the very tips of folds of the intestine, and anything that causes damage to the gut may wipe off these tips and reduce the enzyme production.
Note that cows' milk protein allergy (or intolerance) is often confused with lactose intolerance, and they are thought by many people to be the same thing. This confusion probably arises because cows' milk protein and lactose are both in the same food, ie dairy products. Also contributing to this confusion is the fact that allergy or intolerance to this protein can be a cause of secondary lactose intolerance, so they may be present together.
Secondary lactose intolerance is a temporary state as long as the gut damage can heal. When the cause of the damage to the gut is removed, for example the food to which a baby is allergic is taken out of the diet, the gut will heal even if the baby is still fed breastmilk. If your doctor does diagnose 'lactose intolerance' you need to know that this is not harmful to your baby as long as she is otherwise well and growing normally.
Occasionally it is considered preferable to reduce the immediate symptoms, by reducing the amount of lactose in the diet for a time, particularly if the baby has been losing weight. In this case, it may be suggested that the mother alternate breastfeeding and feeding the baby with a lactose-free artificial baby milk. Sensitivity of the baby to foreign protein (cow or soy) should be considered before introduction to artificial baby milk, as types other than the truly hypoallergenic ones may make the problem worse. Although commonly advised, there is no good evidence to support taking the baby off the breast altogether. In the case of a baby recovering from severe gastroenteritis, average recovery time for the gut is four weeks, but may be up to eight weeks for a young baby under three months. For older babies, over about 18 months, recovery may be as rapid as one week.
References:Brodribb W (ed), 2nd ed. Breastfeeding Management in Australia, Merrily Merrily Enterprises Pty Ltd 1997.Lawlor-Smith C & Lawlor-Smith L, 1998, Lactose intolerance, Breastfeeding Review 6(1): 29-30Leeson R, 1995, Lactose intolerance: What does it mean? ALCA News 6(1): 24-25, 27.Minchin M, Food for Thought, Alma Publications 1986.Rings EHHM et al, 1994, Lactose intolerance and lactase deficiency in children, Current Opinion in Pediatrics 6: 562-567.Woolridge M, Fisher C 1988, Colic, 'overfeeding' and symptoms of lactose malabsorption in the breast-fed baby: a possible artifact of feed management? Lancet (ii): 382-384.
If there is a concern regarding a baby’s sensitivity to lactose, please bring it to the health care professional and ask their advice regarding a lactose-free formula.
Lactose intolerance, also called lactase deficiency, means you aren't able to fully digest the milk sugar (lactose) in dairy products. The problem behind lactose intolerance is a deficiency of lactase — an enzyme produced by the lining of your small intestine.
With LI, most people can still have small or moderate amounts of milk. What's the difference? An allergy is an immune system reaction. Your immune system fights foreign invaders to the body using what are called antibodies. When these invaders are harmful bacteria or viruses, this is a very good thing. In people with allergies, however, the immune system reacts in the same way to dairy proteins that leak into the bloodstream instead of being properly digested. This can lead to a huge number of possible symptoms.
Children are the most likely sufferers of both allergies and hypersensitivities. Even breast-fed babies who have never touched formula can suffer from allergies, because dairy proteins can leak into the mother's milk. And even if this does not happen, they can rapidly develop allergies after their first exposure to milk-based formula or milk itself.
Taken from the Australian Breast Feeding Website:
There are some common fallacies about lactose intolerance that you may hear in the community:
1. Lactose in the breastmilk will be reduced if the mother stops eating dairy products.
2. Lactose intolerance in other family members (adults) means baby is more likely to be lactose intolerant.
3. If a mother is lactose intolerant then her baby will be as well.
4. A baby with symptoms of lactose intolerance should immediately be taken off the breast and fed on soy-based infant formula, or other special lactose-free formula.
5. Lactose intolerance is the same as intolerance or allergy to cows' milk protein.
Lactose intolerance is not possible in a baby unless it is an extremely rare genetic condition. That being true normal life would not be possible without medical intervention. A truly lactose intolerant baby would fail to thrive from birth (ie. not even start to gain weight), and show obvious symptoms of malabsorption and dehydration - a medical emergency case needing a special diet from soon after birth.
Anything that damages the gut lining, even subtly, can cause secondary lactose intolerance. The enzyme lactase is produced in the very tips of folds of the intestine, and anything that causes damage to the gut may wipe off these tips and reduce the enzyme production.
Note that cows' milk protein allergy (or intolerance) is often confused with lactose intolerance, and they are thought by many people to be the same thing. This confusion probably arises because cows' milk protein and lactose are both in the same food, ie dairy products. Also contributing to this confusion is the fact that allergy or intolerance to this protein can be a cause of secondary lactose intolerance, so they may be present together.
Secondary lactose intolerance is a temporary state as long as the gut damage can heal. When the cause of the damage to the gut is removed, for example the food to which a baby is allergic is taken out of the diet, the gut will heal even if the baby is still fed breastmilk. If your doctor does diagnose 'lactose intolerance' you need to know that this is not harmful to your baby as long as she is otherwise well and growing normally.
Occasionally it is considered preferable to reduce the immediate symptoms, by reducing the amount of lactose in the diet for a time, particularly if the baby has been losing weight. In this case, it may be suggested that the mother alternate breastfeeding and feeding the baby with a lactose-free artificial baby milk. Sensitivity of the baby to foreign protein (cow or soy) should be considered before introduction to artificial baby milk, as types other than the truly hypoallergenic ones may make the problem worse. Although commonly advised, there is no good evidence to support taking the baby off the breast altogether. In the case of a baby recovering from severe gastroenteritis, average recovery time for the gut is four weeks, but may be up to eight weeks for a young baby under three months. For older babies, over about 18 months, recovery may be as rapid as one week.
References:Brodribb W (ed), 2nd ed. Breastfeeding Management in Australia, Merrily Merrily Enterprises Pty Ltd 1997.Lawlor-Smith C & Lawlor-Smith L, 1998, Lactose intolerance, Breastfeeding Review 6(1): 29-30Leeson R, 1995, Lactose intolerance: What does it mean? ALCA News 6(1): 24-25, 27.Minchin M, Food for Thought, Alma Publications 1986.Rings EHHM et al, 1994, Lactose intolerance and lactase deficiency in children, Current Opinion in Pediatrics 6: 562-567.Woolridge M, Fisher C 1988, Colic, 'overfeeding' and symptoms of lactose malabsorption in the breast-fed baby: a possible artifact of feed management? Lancet (ii): 382-384.
If there is a concern regarding a baby’s sensitivity to lactose, please bring it to the health care professional and ask their advice regarding a lactose-free formula.
Monday, June 15, 2009
NEW COLIC INFORMATION
If a baby cries inconsolably for long periods every day, particularly at the same time each day, but is happy, health and alert at all other times, it is suggested that he may have colic. Colic occurs only in newborn babies up to about four to five months of age. Colic generally begins anytime after three weeks.
The common reason given for colic is gas, indigestion or formula issues. The question is: Why does colic occur only around supper time and not at other times during the day? Why does the discomfort only occur at one specific time during the day and not at other times? Why does it occur mostly at the 'witching hour' which is generally around supper?
I would like to suggest that there may be another cause for 'colic'. Perhaps gas, indigestion and formula is not one of the issues.
Could there be a link between colic, over stimulation, and missing their biological clock in newborns?
OVER STIMULATION:
The first thing we want to examine is the baby’s ability to become overstimulated. A baby can be hypersensitive to sights and sounds making it very easy to send a baby into a uncontrollable crying spell. This is the time where adrenalin can kick in and it may take hours to console them.
What makes this action so difficult for parents is in their attempt to calm the baby they are using techniques such as rocking, juggling, singing and walking which are continuing to overstimulate them.
Overstimulating actions may include the television, music, playing too long, other children running through the house, household noises, being kept up too long, company over and anything else that is tiring to a baby.
BIOLOGICAL CLOCK:
Another thing that can cause a great deal of harm is missing the baby’s biological night time sleep clock. A baby’s biological clock is set much earlier in the evening than an adults. A baby will sleep much better, longer and deeper when put to bed during the hours of their biological. A baby’s clock is set for between 6 PM and 7:30 PM. What this means is that you should start the baby’s night time routine between 5 PM and 6 PM.
If the baby is on a 3 hour schedule they should have a feeding at approximately 4 PM. If you are putting the child down at 7PM you will want to put the baby down for a cap nap for about 30 – 45 minutes around 5 or 5:30.
The bottom line is if you find the baby crying uncontrollably around the ‘witching hour’ you have pushed the baby too far with over stimulation or/and keeping the baby up to long.
Some babies do not transition well from being awake to falling back to sleep. These are also times when crying may increases in the evening. Falling asleep may be difficult for the baby. Be very careful not to allow this to happen. Catch them before this happens. Watching their biological clock. Swaddling them and putting them down fed, dry and if possible awake to fall asleep on their own. If the baby gets to the place where they are crying uncontrollably they may have to cry it out as nothing will calm them down.
BABY GAS OR DIGESTION ISSUES:
There are times when the baby has colic which is traditionally described as gas pains or digestion issues which are painful for the infant. They will be characterized by high pitched crying, arching of the back, the baby's face often gets flushed or red. The belly is sometimes distended or prominent, the legs alternating between flexed and extended straight out; the feet are often cold and the hands clenched These are not over stimulation or a missed bedtime symptoms. These incidents will not be every night at a specific time every day. These will only happen on occasion. Should they happen every feed, they are more likely reflux not colic.
In these cases you may want to use the below holds to help relieve gas and digestion issues.
The baby colic hold is very helpful treatment for baby colic: Put one hand (I use my right hand as I'm right-handed) between the baby's legs and have my palm on his tummy. Let the baby's head rest on my other arm as you bring the other hand down. This is a very comfortable way of holding a baby and it often helps to stop the crying. The photos below demonstrate the first and final steps to this hold. http://www.baby-medical-questions-and-answers.com/baby-colic.html
A good method of working out baby gas and/or constipation could be to draw a warm bath, with a teaspoon of epsom or himalayan salts from your local health food store, you can lay your baby gently on her back and with a little olive or almond oil on your fingers, you can trace a gentle clock-wise circle about 2-4 inches from her belly button with your fingers. With this action you are following the natural circuit of the large intestine and encouraging the squeezing action of the intestines, for the purpose of promoting elimination. Make sure baby is reacting favorably to this kind of stimulation as severe cramping or colic isn’t a normal reaction
The other baby massage technique that works well is the recumbent bicycle. While baby is on his back, you can take his legs and gently imitate the motion of riding a cosmic bike. This also acts to stimulate peristalsis in the same way that walking and movement helps us parents to stay regular. If, during the baby massage, you feel hard or knotty stool, or you don’t hear any gas bubbles when you put your ear to baby’s tummy, it may be a sign of an obstruction from too much stool built up.
Use natural gas remedies such as Colic Ease, Colic Calm or Gripe Water
The common reason given for colic is gas, indigestion or formula issues. The question is: Why does colic occur only around supper time and not at other times during the day? Why does the discomfort only occur at one specific time during the day and not at other times? Why does it occur mostly at the 'witching hour' which is generally around supper?
I would like to suggest that there may be another cause for 'colic'. Perhaps gas, indigestion and formula is not one of the issues.
Could there be a link between colic, over stimulation, and missing their biological clock in newborns?
OVER STIMULATION:
The first thing we want to examine is the baby’s ability to become overstimulated. A baby can be hypersensitive to sights and sounds making it very easy to send a baby into a uncontrollable crying spell. This is the time where adrenalin can kick in and it may take hours to console them.
What makes this action so difficult for parents is in their attempt to calm the baby they are using techniques such as rocking, juggling, singing and walking which are continuing to overstimulate them.
Overstimulating actions may include the television, music, playing too long, other children running through the house, household noises, being kept up too long, company over and anything else that is tiring to a baby.
BIOLOGICAL CLOCK:
Another thing that can cause a great deal of harm is missing the baby’s biological night time sleep clock. A baby’s biological clock is set much earlier in the evening than an adults. A baby will sleep much better, longer and deeper when put to bed during the hours of their biological. A baby’s clock is set for between 6 PM and 7:30 PM. What this means is that you should start the baby’s night time routine between 5 PM and 6 PM.
If the baby is on a 3 hour schedule they should have a feeding at approximately 4 PM. If you are putting the child down at 7PM you will want to put the baby down for a cap nap for about 30 – 45 minutes around 5 or 5:30.
The bottom line is if you find the baby crying uncontrollably around the ‘witching hour’ you have pushed the baby too far with over stimulation or/and keeping the baby up to long.
Some babies do not transition well from being awake to falling back to sleep. These are also times when crying may increases in the evening. Falling asleep may be difficult for the baby. Be very careful not to allow this to happen. Catch them before this happens. Watching their biological clock. Swaddling them and putting them down fed, dry and if possible awake to fall asleep on their own. If the baby gets to the place where they are crying uncontrollably they may have to cry it out as nothing will calm them down.
BABY GAS OR DIGESTION ISSUES:
There are times when the baby has colic which is traditionally described as gas pains or digestion issues which are painful for the infant. They will be characterized by high pitched crying, arching of the back, the baby's face often gets flushed or red. The belly is sometimes distended or prominent, the legs alternating between flexed and extended straight out; the feet are often cold and the hands clenched These are not over stimulation or a missed bedtime symptoms. These incidents will not be every night at a specific time every day. These will only happen on occasion. Should they happen every feed, they are more likely reflux not colic.
In these cases you may want to use the below holds to help relieve gas and digestion issues.
The baby colic hold is very helpful treatment for baby colic: Put one hand (I use my right hand as I'm right-handed) between the baby's legs and have my palm on his tummy. Let the baby's head rest on my other arm as you bring the other hand down. This is a very comfortable way of holding a baby and it often helps to stop the crying. The photos below demonstrate the first and final steps to this hold. http://www.baby-medical-questions-and-answers.com/baby-colic.html
A good method of working out baby gas and/or constipation could be to draw a warm bath, with a teaspoon of epsom or himalayan salts from your local health food store, you can lay your baby gently on her back and with a little olive or almond oil on your fingers, you can trace a gentle clock-wise circle about 2-4 inches from her belly button with your fingers. With this action you are following the natural circuit of the large intestine and encouraging the squeezing action of the intestines, for the purpose of promoting elimination. Make sure baby is reacting favorably to this kind of stimulation as severe cramping or colic isn’t a normal reaction
The other baby massage technique that works well is the recumbent bicycle. While baby is on his back, you can take his legs and gently imitate the motion of riding a cosmic bike. This also acts to stimulate peristalsis in the same way that walking and movement helps us parents to stay regular. If, during the baby massage, you feel hard or knotty stool, or you don’t hear any gas bubbles when you put your ear to baby’s tummy, it may be a sign of an obstruction from too much stool built up.
Use natural gas remedies such as Colic Ease, Colic Calm or Gripe Water
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Newborns cannot breath through their mouths!!
Protective breathing reflex absent in newborns
Posted on: Tuesday, 5 September 2006, 12:30 CDT
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Research suggests that healthy newborn infants do not have what doctors call "nasoaxillary reflex" -- a protective reflex that helps keep their nasal passages open.
In adults lying on their side, the nasoaxillary reflex ensures that the uppermost nasal airway is open, Dr. Christopher O'Callaghan of the University of Leicester, UK, and colleagues explain in the journal Archives of Diseases of Childhood.
The researchers used acoustic rhinometry, a technique that measures nasal patency, to see whether the nasoaxillary reflex is present in 11 healthy term newborns.
Acoustic rhinometry emits wide band noise into the nose and analyzes the reflected sound in order to measure cross sectional area/distance mapping of the nasal cavity. The measurements were made while the infants were lying on their back (the supine position) and on their side (the lateral position).
The investigators were unable to show a protective nasoaxillary reflex in the infants.
When the newborns were turned from a back position to a side position, the team observed a significant decrease in the total minimum cross sectional area of the nasal cavity. This was associated with a decrease in the total nasal volume.
"The finding that the total minimal cross sectional area decreases when infants move from a supine to a lateral (side) sleeping position is of interest," O'Callaghan's team contends.
"As newborns tend to be obligate nose breathers, a decrease in the minimal cross sectional area of the nasal cavity is likely to be linked to an increase in nasal resistance and in the work of breathing."
They note that the side sleeping position has been associated in one study with a slightly greater risk of SIDS than in the back sleeping position, and that the back sleeping position "has unequivocally been recommended as being preferred to any other position to prevent SIDS."
SOURCE: Archives of Diseases in Childhood September 2006.
Nasal congestion has many causes and can range from a mild annoyance to a life-threatening condition. The newborn infant can only breathe through the nose (newborns are "obligate nose breathers"). Nasal congestion in an infant in the first few months of life can interfere with breastfeeding and cause life-threatening respiratory distress.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Posted on: Tuesday, 5 September 2006, 12:30 CDT
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Research suggests that healthy newborn infants do not have what doctors call "nasoaxillary reflex" -- a protective reflex that helps keep their nasal passages open.
In adults lying on their side, the nasoaxillary reflex ensures that the uppermost nasal airway is open, Dr. Christopher O'Callaghan of the University of Leicester, UK, and colleagues explain in the journal Archives of Diseases of Childhood.
The researchers used acoustic rhinometry, a technique that measures nasal patency, to see whether the nasoaxillary reflex is present in 11 healthy term newborns.
Acoustic rhinometry emits wide band noise into the nose and analyzes the reflected sound in order to measure cross sectional area/distance mapping of the nasal cavity. The measurements were made while the infants were lying on their back (the supine position) and on their side (the lateral position).
The investigators were unable to show a protective nasoaxillary reflex in the infants.
When the newborns were turned from a back position to a side position, the team observed a significant decrease in the total minimum cross sectional area of the nasal cavity. This was associated with a decrease in the total nasal volume.
"The finding that the total minimal cross sectional area decreases when infants move from a supine to a lateral (side) sleeping position is of interest," O'Callaghan's team contends.
"As newborns tend to be obligate nose breathers, a decrease in the minimal cross sectional area of the nasal cavity is likely to be linked to an increase in nasal resistance and in the work of breathing."
They note that the side sleeping position has been associated in one study with a slightly greater risk of SIDS than in the back sleeping position, and that the back sleeping position "has unequivocally been recommended as being preferred to any other position to prevent SIDS."
SOURCE: Archives of Diseases in Childhood September 2006.
Nasal congestion has many causes and can range from a mild annoyance to a life-threatening condition. The newborn infant can only breathe through the nose (newborns are "obligate nose breathers"). Nasal congestion in an infant in the first few months of life can interfere with breastfeeding and cause life-threatening respiratory distress.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Woman conceives 'designer baby' free from breast cancer
Doctors have helped a couple conceive the first British baby guaranteed to be free from hereditary breast cancer.
Found in:
Latest pregnancy & baby medical news > Woman conceives 'designer baby' free from breast cancer
A woman has conceived the UK's first 'designer baby' that is guaranteed to be free from hereditary breast cancer. Doctors used screening techniques to reject six embryos that carried the cancer gene in favour of "healthy" ones that would ensure the child would not contract breast cancer. The 27-year-old woman who did not wish to be named decided to undergo the procedure because her husband tested positive for the gene and his grandmother, mother, sister and cousin had battled the disease. She said: "For the past three generations, every single woman in my husband's family has had breast cancer, as early as 27 and 29.
"I thought this was something I had to try because, if we had a daughter with the gene and she was ill, I couldn't look her in the face and say I didn't try." The woman and her husband decided to go through IVF treatment even though they are fertile, in order to create embryos that could be screened.Tests on the 11 embryos were conducted when they were three days old, and involved extracting a single cell that was screened. Six embryos were found carrying the cancer gene, while two of the "healthy" cells were implanted and two were frozen for future use. The couple's doctor, Paul Serhal, medical director of the Assisted Conception Unit at University College London Hospital, said: "Women now have the option of having this treatment to avoid the potentially guilty feeling of passing on this genetic abnormality to a child. This gives us the chance to eradicate this problem in families." More than 2,000 breast cancer cases are diagnosed in Britain each year and are thought to be caused by either the BRCA-1 of BRCA-2 genes, which can both be detected in embryos.
Found in:
Latest pregnancy & baby medical news > Woman conceives 'designer baby' free from breast cancer
A woman has conceived the UK's first 'designer baby' that is guaranteed to be free from hereditary breast cancer. Doctors used screening techniques to reject six embryos that carried the cancer gene in favour of "healthy" ones that would ensure the child would not contract breast cancer. The 27-year-old woman who did not wish to be named decided to undergo the procedure because her husband tested positive for the gene and his grandmother, mother, sister and cousin had battled the disease. She said: "For the past three generations, every single woman in my husband's family has had breast cancer, as early as 27 and 29.
"I thought this was something I had to try because, if we had a daughter with the gene and she was ill, I couldn't look her in the face and say I didn't try." The woman and her husband decided to go through IVF treatment even though they are fertile, in order to create embryos that could be screened.Tests on the 11 embryos were conducted when they were three days old, and involved extracting a single cell that was screened. Six embryos were found carrying the cancer gene, while two of the "healthy" cells were implanted and two were frozen for future use. The couple's doctor, Paul Serhal, medical director of the Assisted Conception Unit at University College London Hospital, said: "Women now have the option of having this treatment to avoid the potentially guilty feeling of passing on this genetic abnormality to a child. This gives us the chance to eradicate this problem in families." More than 2,000 breast cancer cases are diagnosed in Britain each year and are thought to be caused by either the BRCA-1 of BRCA-2 genes, which can both be detected in embryos.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Foods for Breast Feeding Moms to avoid
Please see below for a list of "gas inducing" foods to avoid for nursing Moms:
Vegetables
Broccoli
Green Peppers
Cabbage
Brussel Sprouts
Cauliflower
Tomato
Tomato Juice
Corn
Cucumber
Onions
Garlic
Turnips
Rhubarb
Kale
Fruits
Apple (especially peels)
Bananas (can cause constipation)
Citrus fruits
Figs
Coconut
Drinks
Milk (lactose intolerance can provoke reflux in some people)
Coffee (even decaffeinated)
Tea
Carbonated
Caffeinated
Other Miscellaneous
Beans
Oats (rolled oats OK)
Tofu (in large quantities)
Fatty or Fried Foods (fats take longer to digest)
Chili powder
Vinegar
Chocolate
Honey
Black pepper
Creamy food such as gravy etc (basically anything with a high fat content)
Vegetables
Broccoli
Green Peppers
Cabbage
Brussel Sprouts
Cauliflower
Tomato
Tomato Juice
Corn
Cucumber
Onions
Garlic
Turnips
Rhubarb
Kale
Fruits
Apple (especially peels)
Bananas (can cause constipation)
Citrus fruits
Figs
Coconut
Drinks
Milk (lactose intolerance can provoke reflux in some people)
Coffee (even decaffeinated)
Tea
Carbonated
Caffeinated
Other Miscellaneous
Beans
Oats (rolled oats OK)
Tofu (in large quantities)
Fatty or Fried Foods (fats take longer to digest)
Chili powder
Vinegar
Chocolate
Honey
Black pepper
Creamy food such as gravy etc (basically anything with a high fat content)
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Beware of Soy- Please read to protect children
Soy Infant Formula - Better than Breastmilk?
http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/infant.html
An estimated 25% of North American babies receive infant formula made from processed soybeans. Parents use soy formula in the belief that is it healthier than formula based on cows' milk. Soy promotional material claims that soy provides complete protein that is less allergenic than cows' milk protein. When soy infant formula first became commercially available, manufacturers even promised that soy formula was "better than breast milk."
Parents have a right to know how these extravagant claims compare to scientific findings related to soy infant formula.
While soybeans are relatively high in protein compared to other legumes, scientists have long recognized them as a poor source of protein because other proteins found in soybeans act as potent enzyme inhibitors. These "antinutrients" block the action of trypsin and other enzymes needed for protein digestion. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors depress growth and cause enlargement and pathological conditions of the pancreas, including cancer.
The soy industry recognizes that trypsin inhibitors are a problem in infant formula and have spent millions of dollars to determine the best way to remove them. Trypsin inhibitors are large, tightly folded proteins that are only deactivated after a considerable period of heat treatment. This process removes most—but not all—of the trypsin inhibitors, but has the unfortunate side effect of over-denaturing the other proteins in soy, particularly lysine, rendering them difficult to digest and possibly toxic. Even in low amounts, trypsin inhibitors prevented normal growth in rats.
The main ingredient in soy infant formula is soy protein isolate, a powder extracted from soybeans through a process that involves not only high temperatures but also caustic chemicals. The alkaline soaking solution produces a carcinogen, lysinealine, and reduces the cystine content, which is already low in the soybean. Other carcinogens called nitrosamines are formed during high temperature spray drying.
Soybeans also contain high levels of phytic acid or phytates. This is an organic acid, present in the outer portion of all seeds, which blocks the uptake of essential minerals-calcium, magnesium, iron and especially zinc-in the intestinal tract. Soybeans have very high levels of a form of phytic acid that is particularly difficult to neutralize. As early as 1967, researchers testing soy formula found that it caused negative zinc balance in every infant to whom it was given. Scientists have found a strong correlation between phytate content in formula and poor growth, even when the diets were additionally supplemented with zinc. High amounts of phytic acid in soy foods and grains have caused retarded growth in children on macrobiotic diets. A reduced rate of growth is especially serious in the infant as it causes a delay in the accumulation of lipids in the myelin, and hence jeopardizes the development of the brain and nervous system.
Soy formula can also cause vitamin deficiencies. Soy increases the body's requirements for vitamin B12, a nutrient that is absolutely vital for good health. Early studies with soy formula indicated that soy blocks the uptake of fats. This may explain why soy seems to increase the body's requirements for fat-soluble vitamin D.
Aluminum content of soy formula is 10 times greater than milk based formula, and 100 times greater than unprocessed milk. Aluminum has a toxic effect on the kidneys of infants, and has been implicated as causing Alzheimer's in adults. Soy formulas lack cholesterol, another nutrient that is absolutely essential for the development of the brain and nervous system; they also lack lactose and galactose, which play an equally important role in the development of the nervous system. A number of other substances, which are unnecessary and of questionable safety, are added to soy formulas including carrageenan, guar gum, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), potassium citrate monohydrate, tricalcium phosphate, dibasic magnesium phosphate trihydrate, BHA and BHT.
What about the claim that soy formula is less allergenic than cows milk formula? Studies indicate that allergies to soy are almost as common as those to milk. Use of soy formula to treat infant diarrhea has had mixed results, some studies showing improvement with soy formula while others show none at all.
The most serious problem with soy formula is the presence of phytoestrogens or isoflavones. While many claims have been made about the health benefits of these estrogen-like compounds, animal studies indicate that they are powerful endocrine disrupters that alter growth patterns and cause sterility. Toxicologists estimate that an infant exclusively fed soy formula receives the estrogenic equivalent of at least five birth control pills per day. By contrast, almost no phytoestrogens have been detected in dairy-based infant formula or in human milk, even when the mother consumes soy products. A recent study found that babies fed soy-based formula had 13,000 to 22,0000 times more isoflavones in their blood than babies fed milk-based formula. Scientists have known for years that isoflavones in soy products can depress thyroid function, causing autoimmune thyroid disease and even cancer of the thyroid. But what are the effects of soy products on the hormonal development of the infant, both male and female?
Male infants undergo a "testosterone surge" during the first few months of life, when testosterone levels may be as high as those of an adult male. During this period, the infant is programed to express male characteristics after puberty, not only in the development of his sexual organs and other masculine physical traits, but also in setting patterns in the brain characteristic of male behavior. In monkeys, deficiency of male hormones impairs learning and the ability to perform visual discrimination tasks-such as would be required for reading-and retards the development of spatial perception, which is normally more acute in men than in women.
It goes without saying that future patterns of sexual orientation may also be influenced by the early hormonal environment. Pediatricians are noticing greater numbers of boys whose physical maturation is delayed, or does not occur at all, including lack of development of the sexual organs. Learning disabilities, especially in male children, have reached epidemic proportions. Soy infant feeding-which floods the bloodstream with female hormones that could inhibit the effects of male hormones-cannot be ignored as a possible cause for these tragic developments.
As for girls, an alarming number are entering puberty much earlier than normal, according to a recent study reported in the journal Pediatrics. Investigators found that one percent of all girls now show signs of puberty, such as breast development or pubic hair, before the age of three; by age eight, 14.7 percent of white girls and a whopping 48.3 percent of African-American girls had one or both of these characteristics. New data indicate that environmental estrogens such as PCBs and DDE (a breakdown product of DDT) may cause early sexual development in girls and a study in Puerto Rico implicated soy feeding as a cause of early menarche. The use of soy formula in the WIC program, which supplies free formula to welfare mothers, may explain the astronomical rates of early menarche in African American girls.
The consequences are tragic. Young girls with mature bodies must cope with feelings and urges that most children are not well-equipped to handle. And early maturation in girls is frequently a harbinger for problems with the reproductive system later in life including failure to menstruate, infertility and breast cancer.
Other problems that have been anecdotally associated with children of both sexes who were fed soy-based formula include extreme emotional behavior, asthma, immune system problems, pituitary insufficiency, thyroid disorders and irritable bowel syndrome.
Concerns about the dangers of soy have prompted consumer groups in New Zealand and Canada to call for a ban on the sale of soy infant formula. Milk-based formula contains a better protein profile and does not flood the infant with antinutrients and female hormones. Breast feeding is best IF the mother has consumed a healthy diet, one that is rich in animal proteins and fats, throughout her pregnancy and continues to do so while nursing her infant. Mothers who cannot breast feed, for whatever reason, should prepare homemade formula based on whole milk for their babies. The rare child allergic to whole milk formula should be given a whole foods meat-based formula, not one made of soy protein isolate. Parents who invest time in preparing homemade formula will be well rewarded with the joys of conferring robust good health on their children.
http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/infant.html
An estimated 25% of North American babies receive infant formula made from processed soybeans. Parents use soy formula in the belief that is it healthier than formula based on cows' milk. Soy promotional material claims that soy provides complete protein that is less allergenic than cows' milk protein. When soy infant formula first became commercially available, manufacturers even promised that soy formula was "better than breast milk."
Parents have a right to know how these extravagant claims compare to scientific findings related to soy infant formula.
While soybeans are relatively high in protein compared to other legumes, scientists have long recognized them as a poor source of protein because other proteins found in soybeans act as potent enzyme inhibitors. These "antinutrients" block the action of trypsin and other enzymes needed for protein digestion. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors depress growth and cause enlargement and pathological conditions of the pancreas, including cancer.
The soy industry recognizes that trypsin inhibitors are a problem in infant formula and have spent millions of dollars to determine the best way to remove them. Trypsin inhibitors are large, tightly folded proteins that are only deactivated after a considerable period of heat treatment. This process removes most—but not all—of the trypsin inhibitors, but has the unfortunate side effect of over-denaturing the other proteins in soy, particularly lysine, rendering them difficult to digest and possibly toxic. Even in low amounts, trypsin inhibitors prevented normal growth in rats.
The main ingredient in soy infant formula is soy protein isolate, a powder extracted from soybeans through a process that involves not only high temperatures but also caustic chemicals. The alkaline soaking solution produces a carcinogen, lysinealine, and reduces the cystine content, which is already low in the soybean. Other carcinogens called nitrosamines are formed during high temperature spray drying.
Soybeans also contain high levels of phytic acid or phytates. This is an organic acid, present in the outer portion of all seeds, which blocks the uptake of essential minerals-calcium, magnesium, iron and especially zinc-in the intestinal tract. Soybeans have very high levels of a form of phytic acid that is particularly difficult to neutralize. As early as 1967, researchers testing soy formula found that it caused negative zinc balance in every infant to whom it was given. Scientists have found a strong correlation between phytate content in formula and poor growth, even when the diets were additionally supplemented with zinc. High amounts of phytic acid in soy foods and grains have caused retarded growth in children on macrobiotic diets. A reduced rate of growth is especially serious in the infant as it causes a delay in the accumulation of lipids in the myelin, and hence jeopardizes the development of the brain and nervous system.
Soy formula can also cause vitamin deficiencies. Soy increases the body's requirements for vitamin B12, a nutrient that is absolutely vital for good health. Early studies with soy formula indicated that soy blocks the uptake of fats. This may explain why soy seems to increase the body's requirements for fat-soluble vitamin D.
Aluminum content of soy formula is 10 times greater than milk based formula, and 100 times greater than unprocessed milk. Aluminum has a toxic effect on the kidneys of infants, and has been implicated as causing Alzheimer's in adults. Soy formulas lack cholesterol, another nutrient that is absolutely essential for the development of the brain and nervous system; they also lack lactose and galactose, which play an equally important role in the development of the nervous system. A number of other substances, which are unnecessary and of questionable safety, are added to soy formulas including carrageenan, guar gum, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), potassium citrate monohydrate, tricalcium phosphate, dibasic magnesium phosphate trihydrate, BHA and BHT.
What about the claim that soy formula is less allergenic than cows milk formula? Studies indicate that allergies to soy are almost as common as those to milk. Use of soy formula to treat infant diarrhea has had mixed results, some studies showing improvement with soy formula while others show none at all.
The most serious problem with soy formula is the presence of phytoestrogens or isoflavones. While many claims have been made about the health benefits of these estrogen-like compounds, animal studies indicate that they are powerful endocrine disrupters that alter growth patterns and cause sterility. Toxicologists estimate that an infant exclusively fed soy formula receives the estrogenic equivalent of at least five birth control pills per day. By contrast, almost no phytoestrogens have been detected in dairy-based infant formula or in human milk, even when the mother consumes soy products. A recent study found that babies fed soy-based formula had 13,000 to 22,0000 times more isoflavones in their blood than babies fed milk-based formula. Scientists have known for years that isoflavones in soy products can depress thyroid function, causing autoimmune thyroid disease and even cancer of the thyroid. But what are the effects of soy products on the hormonal development of the infant, both male and female?
Male infants undergo a "testosterone surge" during the first few months of life, when testosterone levels may be as high as those of an adult male. During this period, the infant is programed to express male characteristics after puberty, not only in the development of his sexual organs and other masculine physical traits, but also in setting patterns in the brain characteristic of male behavior. In monkeys, deficiency of male hormones impairs learning and the ability to perform visual discrimination tasks-such as would be required for reading-and retards the development of spatial perception, which is normally more acute in men than in women.
It goes without saying that future patterns of sexual orientation may also be influenced by the early hormonal environment. Pediatricians are noticing greater numbers of boys whose physical maturation is delayed, or does not occur at all, including lack of development of the sexual organs. Learning disabilities, especially in male children, have reached epidemic proportions. Soy infant feeding-which floods the bloodstream with female hormones that could inhibit the effects of male hormones-cannot be ignored as a possible cause for these tragic developments.
As for girls, an alarming number are entering puberty much earlier than normal, according to a recent study reported in the journal Pediatrics. Investigators found that one percent of all girls now show signs of puberty, such as breast development or pubic hair, before the age of three; by age eight, 14.7 percent of white girls and a whopping 48.3 percent of African-American girls had one or both of these characteristics. New data indicate that environmental estrogens such as PCBs and DDE (a breakdown product of DDT) may cause early sexual development in girls and a study in Puerto Rico implicated soy feeding as a cause of early menarche. The use of soy formula in the WIC program, which supplies free formula to welfare mothers, may explain the astronomical rates of early menarche in African American girls.
The consequences are tragic. Young girls with mature bodies must cope with feelings and urges that most children are not well-equipped to handle. And early maturation in girls is frequently a harbinger for problems with the reproductive system later in life including failure to menstruate, infertility and breast cancer.
Other problems that have been anecdotally associated with children of both sexes who were fed soy-based formula include extreme emotional behavior, asthma, immune system problems, pituitary insufficiency, thyroid disorders and irritable bowel syndrome.
Concerns about the dangers of soy have prompted consumer groups in New Zealand and Canada to call for a ban on the sale of soy infant formula. Milk-based formula contains a better protein profile and does not flood the infant with antinutrients and female hormones. Breast feeding is best IF the mother has consumed a healthy diet, one that is rich in animal proteins and fats, throughout her pregnancy and continues to do so while nursing her infant. Mothers who cannot breast feed, for whatever reason, should prepare homemade formula based on whole milk for their babies. The rare child allergic to whole milk formula should be given a whole foods meat-based formula, not one made of soy protein isolate. Parents who invest time in preparing homemade formula will be well rewarded with the joys of conferring robust good health on their children.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Suit against Baby Product Companies
Lawsuit Filed Regarding Baby Products
2009-03-24 07:48
Manufacturers questioned about ingredients used.
Some of the nation's largest child-product companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Proctor and Gamble and Kimberly Clark, are the target of a nationwide class-action lawsuit by parents after a study revealed that many of the companies' products contain questionable chemicals.The suit, filed March 19 in U.S. District Court in Chicago, will represent parents or other consumers who purchased any of an extensive list of products, if the court certifies the action, according to law firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro.The findings were part of a study conducted by nonprofit, The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which tested commonly used baby products and found amounts of carcinogens such as formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane. According to the report, manufacturers say the levels of the potentially cancer-causing toxins are so small that they do not pose a risk to the public, and are within government guidelines.The defendants include Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Gerber Products Company, The Proctor and Gamble Company, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Expanscience Laboratories Inc. doing business as Mustela, and Limited Brands Inc.
2009-03-24 07:48
Manufacturers questioned about ingredients used.
Some of the nation's largest child-product companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Proctor and Gamble and Kimberly Clark, are the target of a nationwide class-action lawsuit by parents after a study revealed that many of the companies' products contain questionable chemicals.The suit, filed March 19 in U.S. District Court in Chicago, will represent parents or other consumers who purchased any of an extensive list of products, if the court certifies the action, according to law firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro.The findings were part of a study conducted by nonprofit, The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which tested commonly used baby products and found amounts of carcinogens such as formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane. According to the report, manufacturers say the levels of the potentially cancer-causing toxins are so small that they do not pose a risk to the public, and are within government guidelines.The defendants include Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Gerber Products Company, The Proctor and Gamble Company, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Expanscience Laboratories Inc. doing business as Mustela, and Limited Brands Inc.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Test questions for my students
I want you as my students to have some idea of what you need to know on the test for the certification.
Know:
Diaper Rashes and their definition
Clothing Rules the temperature and what to wear
Reflexes defined
Chemicals that are dangerous
When is a baby sleep and when is a baby overtired
Crying schedule (timing)
When to swaddle when to stop swaddling
Of course there are many other questions but these questions are the ones most missed.
Know:
Diaper Rashes and their definition
Clothing Rules the temperature and what to wear
Reflexes defined
Chemicals that are dangerous
When is a baby sleep and when is a baby overtired
Crying schedule (timing)
When to swaddle when to stop swaddling
Of course there are many other questions but these questions are the ones most missed.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Update on Chemicals that are harmful
Methylparaben and Propylparaben
The health concern regarding these chemicals suggest that they may alter hormone levels, possibly increasing risks for certain types of cancer, impaired fertility, or alteration of the development of a fetus or young child. Paraben is a common ingredient in many cosmetic and shampoo items. Anything with that ends with paraban is potentially very toxic. Paraben's mimic estrogen. Long term exposure to paraben's can lead to a higher risk of breast cancer It accumulates in our fatty tissue and increases over time. When estrogen activity occurs it may be the reason why we are getting puberty earlier and getting infertility in women in their early 20’s. This is either one culprit or the culprit, according to Cornell university.
The health concern regarding these chemicals suggest that they may alter hormone levels, possibly increasing risks for certain types of cancer, impaired fertility, or alteration of the development of a fetus or young child. Paraben is a common ingredient in many cosmetic and shampoo items. Anything with that ends with paraban is potentially very toxic. Paraben's mimic estrogen. Long term exposure to paraben's can lead to a higher risk of breast cancer It accumulates in our fatty tissue and increases over time. When estrogen activity occurs it may be the reason why we are getting puberty earlier and getting infertility in women in their early 20’s. This is either one culprit or the culprit, according to Cornell university.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
DREAM FEED
A dream feed is the feed done before the parent or the Newborn Care Specialist goes to bed. This is around 10 or 11PM. The baby is not wakened but picked up and given a bottle or breast. Generally they will eat without wakening. This gives the adult a stretch of approximately 3 – 4 hours of solid sleep as they are feeding the baby just before they, the adult, is going to bed. This method is used by NCS's who want to 'say' the baby is sleeping through the night at an earlier age. It is easier to get a baby to sleep from 10 PM – 4 AM than it is to be able to get a baby to sleep from 7 PM through 4 AM. If you are sleep training the baby for a 12 hour period, it is much easier to work from the 7 PM time frame letting the infant sleep until they wake up. If you are trying to get the infant to sleep from 10 PM – 6 AM you can use the dream feed method.
WHY IS SLEEP IMPORTANT- ARTICLES
40% OF ALL BABY'S ARE SLEEP DEPRIVED
The Importance of Sleep
Prof. Avi Sadeh
Body Maturation
“Sleep is a basic physiological need required for physical recovery, reinvigoration, body growth, brain maturation, learning and memory. Chronic and sustained sleep deprivation can lead to exhaustion, physical damage to body tissues, dysfunction of the immune system, severe stress and even death.
The growth hormone, the one responsible for a baby’s physical growth, is secreted mostly during the deep stages of a baby’s sleep. A severe sleep disorder could, therefore, lead to insufficient secretion of this hormone and to compromised body maturation.
Brain Growth
When a baby suddenly becomes active during sleep -- her breathing becomes uneven, her eyes dart from side to side, and she smiles and grimaces – it means she is in a unique stage of sleep -- Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. This stage is associated with dreaming. Babies spend as much as 50 percent of their sleep in REM sleep, which is very important for brain maturation, learning and development. A baby is born with about 30 percent of her full brain size, and during the first 3 years, the brain grows very rapidly -- to almost its full adult size. It is believed that REM sleep is an essential stage that facilitates brain growth, which is why babies spend so much time of their infancy in this unique sleep stage. We also know that during REM sleep, the brain “digests” and stores all the information that bombards a baby during the wakeful hours. Disruptions to their REM sleep could lead to the compromised learning of all the smart things we teach our babies when they are awake and alert.
Time to Sleep
When babies don’t get enough sleep, or if their sleep is disrupted, they tend to be very agitated, nervous, hyperactive, and difficult to manage or soothe. Most parents experience these situations when their baby reaches the time she needs to go to sleep. These signs present important information for parents, telling them when their baby is ready for sleep. Many parents know that when they miss their baby’s sleep time, it could become much harder for her to calm down and fall asleep. This is because their baby, like an adult, has an internal biological clock that makes it easy to fall asleep at certain times, and difficult to fall asleep at others. Keeping to a regular schedule and a relatively constant bedtime helps the baby (and her parents) to regulate the biological clock and develop healthy sleep patterns.”
Sleep
Dr. Luis Rivera
Diplomat of Philippine Pediatric Society
Dr. Luis Rivera
Diplomat of Philippine Pediatric Society
“Good sleep is essential to a baby’s growth and development. It is expected that on their first year of life, babies should sleep between 11 and 18 hours a day, and during this time have growth hormones actively working on their physiological and emotional development at three times the normal rate.
A baby who doesn’t get enough good sleep will exhibit very real developmental problems that may include hyperactivity, aggression and learning difficulties. His physical and mental growth may also be impeded, and he may experience more behavioral problems and a reduced ability to pay attention and concentrate.
According to Dr. Luis Rivera, a Diplomat of the Philippine Pediatric Society, Fellow of the Philippine Society of Sleep Medicine and a Pediatric Consultant for Makati Medical Center and Asian Hospital, “Sleep for babies is not just rest for the body. It assists in brain development, proper learning and, to a certain extent, social adjustment. And since our growth hormones are released during sleep, the child is given developmental and growth values as well. Poor sleep can impact growth—they become stunted, or thinner, or smaller, crankier, and they develop slower.”
Dr. Rivera further explains, “What a baby really needs is good sleep, which is really nighttime sleep.”
Quality and duration of a baby’s nighttime sleep has a greater impact on overall growth and development than daytime sleep according to studies. At night, a baby’s brain development kicks in at full speed, as neurons grow and develop at an accelerated pace. This allows the child to develop cognitive and organized thoughts that allow him to learn and unlearn all the sensory input he encountered during his waking hours.
One of the best treatments for sleep problems in children is to adapt a regular bedtime routine that will signal the transition from wake to sleep for the child.
Bedtime routine
A good way to adopt a baby bedtime routine is to consistently practice it every day because, according to studies, babies as young as a few weeks respond well to bedtime routines.
The Baby Bedtime Routine is a simple three-step process. As per Dr. Rivera
1. Give the baby a relaxing five-minute warm bath.
2. Give the baby a two-minute oil massage applied with downward strokes for her limbs, clockwise circles on her tummy, outward sweeps on the chest, small circles on her head and face, and sweeping downward strokes on her back and feet. It would be best to perform the massage while talking to your baby in a soothing voice to further calm baby and get her ready for sleep.
3. Engage in quiet bonding time, talking to baby with a soothing voice in a dimly lit room. This will allow you both to wind down and welcome sleep. Some moms can use this time for breastfeeding, singing, or reading a story. It would be best to put your baby to bed as soon as she gets drowsy, but while still awake. This teaches her to be self-soothing and makes her more able to put herself back to sleep when she awakes during the night.
Dr. Rivera attests, “I actively recommended the bedtime routine to two or three of my patients recently and after three to four weeks, the babies were sleeping better. The bedtime routine is sleep-training for babies.”
According to studies, babies fall asleep 37 percent faster and experience 37 percent less night awakenings. The total duration of night awakenings decrease by as much as 49 percent, while at the same time increasing the length of babies’ longest continuous sleep by 23 percent. And more than just allowing babies to sleep longer and better, a well-rested baby also means a mom who is less tense, less tired and more energetic”.
NEWBORN CUES FOR OVER STIMULATION
Infants use cues as mentioned above for interaction and to signal a time for you to recognize they have had enough stimulation and are becoming stressed or disorganized. This form of recognition is used in preemies and in full term babies. There are four kinds of clues for you to be familiar with.
1. Physiological: This is the way the organs of the body function. The brain regulates body functions such as heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, body temperature and many others. If the baby is premature then the organs and the central nervous system is also, so most of the cues will be of this nature.
Breathing rate: may be faster or slower or may have pauses that last 2 seconds or more. If this happens we call this disorganized and we would realize the baby is overloaded.
Skin Color: if disorganized the skin may be pale, dusky, red or blotchy. If there
is nothing wrong the skin will be a healthy pink color.
2. Motor: The visible signs of over stimulation would be in tone, posture or movement.
Tone: This would be the amount of tension or energy seen in a baby's body when
resting. When a baby is limp it is a sign of low tone. As the baby matures, the tone will develop more fully and the baby will learn to curl or tuck the body. This will start in the legs and move to the trunk and then the arms.
Posture: This is the position of the arms and legs. When the baby is stressed the
arms and/or legs may be extended or stretched out. When the baby is relaxed the arms and legs will be curled near the body.
Movement: This will vary from jerky and uncontrolled to more smooth and controlled movements as the body matures.
If the baby is stressed: Stretched arms, fingers and/or toes splayed, hands in
fists, high arm position where arms are over the head and fore arms lay across the
face in a self-protecting or shielding manner. Other signs include a rigid or flaccid
body, squirming, jerking, mouth open limply, tongue extending beyond lips, or body arching.
If baby is calm: The will lie in a soft position with arms and legs softly bent around the body. Hands may be near face. Movements will be smooth. Arms and legs stay close to the body and may move in circles.
3. State: This refers to all aspects of the sleep and wake cycles. Patterns of sleeping and waking are important for babies development because the sleep habits they learn now they will carry though there entire life time. Being alert and learning to interact and relate to people is also a very important task. When a baby is born prematurely he is ready to learn to sleep but not to socialize. They are extremely sensitive to their environment. Even things as easy as eating and breathing at the same time can be difficult for the premature baby to learn. When they finally get these movements learned it is an important accomplishment. You can make it easier to adjust by recognizing these sings and honoring them.
If the baby is stressed: He will have a low level of alertness with this eyes slightly open, he will have little movement, or he may be quiet with eyes wide open like panic – he may be focused on something and unable to break his gaze, he may be unable to calm himself, have an upward gaze, be staring or grimacing.
If the baby is calm: He will have little or no movement but will have bright eyes, focused and appearing ready to interact. He may be in a deep sleep with regular breathing, with no rapid eye movement and relaxed facial expressions, and mildly sucking. There should be no spontaneous movements or irregular breathing, eyes should be closed or partially open, and no REM.
4. Self Regulation: Is what we call self soothing and dealing with one's surroundings. The baby is learning to maintain balance in all of the above systems all at once. Self Soothing methods will become evident as the baby's system matures. They become better at this with the help of you and the parents.
Self Soothing or Self Regulation will include any of the following behaviors:
Hands to mouth and face
Bracing feet and legs together
Clasping hands together
Clasping feet together
Tucking their bodies
Sucking behavior
Grasping and holding on
Looking and attending
When the baby is doing any of these he is beginning Self Soothing Techniques.
Taken from “ Getting to Know your Baby” 2003 Special Start Training Programs, Mills College Dept of Education, Oakland CA
READING A BABY'S SIGNS
I am content:
No crying or fussing
Looking around
Alert
No flailing – just relaxed movements
I am self – soothing:
Sucking on pacifier contently
Fussing very little
Same as above
I am overloaded:
Yawning
Flailing of arms or legs
Crying
Won’t look at you – stares at a spot over your shoulder
Arching of back and neck
Rubbing eyes
Tremors
Twitches
Coughing
Grasping
Sighing
Sneezing
Infants use cues as mentioned above for interaction and to signal a time for you to recognize they have had enough stimulation and are becoming stressed or disorganized. This form of recognition is used in preemies and in full term babies. There are four kinds of clues for you to be familiar with.
No crying or fussing
Looking around
Alert
No flailing – just relaxed movements
I am self – soothing:
Sucking on pacifier contently
Fussing very little
Same as above
I am overloaded:
Yawning
Flailing of arms or legs
Crying
Won’t look at you – stares at a spot over your shoulder
Arching of back and neck
Rubbing eyes
Tremors
Twitches
Coughing
Grasping
Sighing
Sneezing
Infants use cues as mentioned above for interaction and to signal a time for you to recognize they have had enough stimulation and are becoming stressed or disorganized. This form of recognition is used in preemies and in full term babies. There are four kinds of clues for you to be familiar with.
CARE OF THE UNCIRCUMCISED PENIS
“Many physicians improperly believe that the foreskin of a intact, non-circumcised male infants must be forcibly retracted and the glans penis examined. Forcible retraction of the newborn prepuce is guaranteed to cause pain and possible injury to your son as the newborn prepuce is usually too narrow to permit retraction, and furthermore, is fused with the underlying glans penis. Premature retraction will cause the foreskin to be ripped from the glans and raw surfaces will be formed which when they heal will cause adhesions. In addition the raw surfaces are more prone to infection. The physician should be advised that no retraction of the foreskin is to be done. Premature retraction of a newborn foreskin is medical malpractice and grounds for legal action”. © copyright by George Hill
SENSORY STIMULUS OF PREMATURE BABIES
PREMATURE UPDATES:
PHYSICAL SIGNS OF DISCOMFORT/OVER STIMULATION
If a preemie is more irritable and less consolable than a normal baby you may be over- stimulating them. Here are some things to watch for:
Changes in skin color - Arching of back and/or neck
Repeated yawning - Eyes lids drooping
Hiccups - Crying
Flailing of arms an legs - General crankiness
Will not look at you or make eye contact. They may stare at something over your shoulder.
SENSORY STIMULUS
Many NICU centers are now telling parents not to swaddle their premature babies because they need to have their hands by their face. The reasoning they are giving is 'Sensory Stimulus.' The theory behind it is that if baby has his hands by his face he will be able to calm himself easier. Maren Peterson-DeGroff an educator and advocate for children and families wrote the following:
“Babies who don't have mature neural systems are "disorganized." They can't synthesize all the sensations and stimulus they are receiving, and they need help to get organized. The first thing a full term baby does naturally is to put their hands together in front of their body, to their "center line", to organize. If your child isn't doing this, help her, gently hold her hands together. Babies also suck on their hands; you can bring her hands to her mouth if she doesn't on her own. This is calming and organizing. This work to organize is important to the brain development, so your job is to help give her an environment that will allow her to do the work, create the neural pathways in her brain that will be the building blocks for later complex activity. That center line is key to later on development, so help her find it.”
I would suggest to you that when the baby has awake time it would be a good time to unswaddle them and allow them or guide them to putting their hands to their face. However, when they sleep they need to be swaddled for good, sound sleep.
PHYSICAL SIGNS OF DISCOMFORT/OVER STIMULATION
If a preemie is more irritable and less consolable than a normal baby you may be over- stimulating them. Here are some things to watch for:
Changes in skin color - Arching of back and/or neck
Repeated yawning - Eyes lids drooping
Hiccups - Crying
Flailing of arms an legs - General crankiness
Will not look at you or make eye contact. They may stare at something over your shoulder.
SENSORY STIMULUS
Many NICU centers are now telling parents not to swaddle their premature babies because they need to have their hands by their face. The reasoning they are giving is 'Sensory Stimulus.' The theory behind it is that if baby has his hands by his face he will be able to calm himself easier. Maren Peterson-DeGroff an educator and advocate for children and families wrote the following:
“Babies who don't have mature neural systems are "disorganized." They can't synthesize all the sensations and stimulus they are receiving, and they need help to get organized. The first thing a full term baby does naturally is to put their hands together in front of their body, to their "center line", to organize. If your child isn't doing this, help her, gently hold her hands together. Babies also suck on their hands; you can bring her hands to her mouth if she doesn't on her own. This is calming and organizing. This work to organize is important to the brain development, so your job is to help give her an environment that will allow her to do the work, create the neural pathways in her brain that will be the building blocks for later complex activity. That center line is key to later on development, so help her find it.”
I would suggest to you that when the baby has awake time it would be a good time to unswaddle them and allow them or guide them to putting their hands to their face. However, when they sleep they need to be swaddled for good, sound sleep.