Breastfeeding & Birth News This Week

A birth of one's own: The battle over freestanding birth centres in Illinois
A proposed bill in Illinois is trying to legalize freestanding birth centres and this article has a great list of the advantages of birth centres, a timeline of birth trends showing the change from home to hospital as birth place, and a good discussion of both the pros and cons and some of the competing forces in the battle for choice of birth place. Birth centres present a wonderful alternative to the often heated argument over home vs. hospital. It’s encouraging to see another state addressing the need to offer women more birth choices.

Fours to be reckoned with
This Globe & Mail piece covered the recent birth of identical quadruplets born to a Calgary couple by caesarean August 12 in Great Falls, Montana. The odds of naturally conceiving quadruplets is about one in every 705,000 births. The article discusses the life-long fame that the girls will likely have to contend with and talks to Canada’s last set of identical quadruplets, the Steeves' girls born in 1982.

The Dutch cherish home births
Of all the places to find an article on home birth, PhysOrg.com (which bills itself as providing “the latest science and technology news”) ran a piece on maternity care in The Netherlands, discussing their practice of treating birth as a normal event, providing women with midwives and healthcare only covering the cost of a hospital birth when it is medically necessary. The Dutch report a 30% home birth rate, the highest in the Western world.

Overweight women less likely to keep breastfeeding
A recent Danish study has found that the heavier a woman is before pregnancy and the heavier she becomes during pregnancy, the more likely she is to abandon breastfeeding. US studies have also found that heavier women were also less likely to initiate breastfeeding at all. Given the world wide rise in incidence of obesity and overweight women, the findings are worrisome. However, with the help of lactation consultants, there is more chance that a woman will succeed at breastfeeding, regardless of her weight. The study’s lead author Dr. Jennifer L. Baker says “Maternal obesity itself is really just an indicator that a woman may need additional assistance in order to successfully breastfeed her infant.”

Breastfeeding still battles status quo after years of variance
This article from a local paper in Pennsylvania gives a great overview of the state of breastfeeding acceptance during the 50 years since La Leche League was formed. Check out a brief history of how 7 women created an international organization providing information and support to breastfeeding mothers. Read articles on the benefits of breastfeeding and more at La Leche League International.


New York Governor Signs Into Law Legislation Protecting Rights Of Nursing Mothers In The Workplace
The legislation requires employers to provide uncompensated time, and make a reasonable effort to provide private space for women to express milk or nurse their children for a period of up to three years following the birth of a child. In addition, it also bars an employer from discriminating against an employee exercising this right.

Hospitals May Overfeed Newly Born Babies With Formula
A study in Manitoba has discovered that newborns who are fed formula had below average weight loss in the first few days of life, indicating that they are being overfed. Babies routinely lose weight during their first week due to factors such as overhydration of newborns, the early loss of meconium, and the small fluid intake in the first few days. The degree of weight loss is critical in the decision to supplement breastfed infants. Acceptable weight loss ranges from 5% - 7%. Formula fed infants exhibited 3.1% less weight loss than exclusively breastfed infants. The significance of these findings is that an earlier study had found that the first week of life was critical for humans, with each 100g increase in absolute weight gain associated with a 28% increase in the odds of becoming an overweight adult.

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Breastfeeding & Birth News This Week

In the news this week…

Early cord clamping may harm baby
The BBC ran a story about the benefits of delaying clamping the umbilical cord following birth. A UK expert has warned that clamping the umbilical cord straight after birth does not benefit mother or baby and may actually be harmful. Clamping should be delayed at least three minutes because it increases babies’ iron stores.

Victoria is Canada's caesarean capital
Nearly 4 in 10 women give birth via caesarean section in Victoria, the nation’s title holder for highest caesarean rate for the second straight year. BC, at 30.4%, also has the highest rate in the country. Many factors are cited including advanced maternal age, heavier mothers, falling VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) rates and decreased willingness to endure longer labours. Dr. Jerome Dansereau, chief of obstetrics at the Vancouver Island Health Authority, says that given the upward swing the rate could go to 50%. "There is no one who could have predicted what we see today," he says, "and there is no one who can predict when it will stop." Read the article.

Junk food diet during pregnancy leads to obese babies: study
CBC reported a British study on pregnancy and obesity. The study looked at rats and discovered that babies whose mothers had over-indulged in junk food while pregnant showed a preference for sugary high fat foods and became obese. It appears that helping your child develop good eating habits begins in the womb. More details...

Mount Allison study taking a look at breastfeeding
Two researchers at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick are studying the decision making process behind choosing to breastfeed or bottle feed. They plan to track 50 women during their last trimester through the first six months with baby to try to discover why so many women abandon breastfeeding. They plan to look at “women's interpretation of health promotion messages; their intentions regarding infant feeding; and any changes over time in their physical, psychological, and social experience of breastfeeding.” Find out more...

Breastfeeding moms quitting too soon, officials say
A government survey in the States has discovered that while initiation rates of breastfeeding are at an all-time high of 74%, mothers are quitting too soon, with 30% exclusively breastfeeding at 3 months and only 11% at 6 months. Looks like the Mount Allison study is coming none too soon. More...

Codeine Warning for Breastfeeding Moms
The FDA issued a warning this week for breastfeeding mothers taking codeine for after-pains to watch their babies carefully for signs of life-threatening side effects. Codeine is derivative of morphine and has been used safely for many years. Those at risk are women who are “ultra-rapid metabolizers” of the drug. The genetic condition is uncommon and not tested for. Read the story.

Be a green parent
Metroactive, a Silicon Valley news site, listed green parenting as #46 in their list of 50 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint.

46. BE A GREEN PARENT. San Jose's Angelica and Sergio Martinez went deep green after their son Marciello was born. "We started Los Antepasados to share the healthy and sustainable ways of our grand ancestors." They recommend breastfeeding, using cloth diapers like Fuzzi Bunz and making simple baby food from scratch, like smashed bananas or sweet potatoes. Give and get hand-me-downs to clothe young 'uns.

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Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!