This week the Washington Post ran a story about how federal health officials attempted to put together a gutsy, eye-catching ad campaign in an attempt to raise breastfeeding rates. The formula industry successfully lobbied against the ad campaign and the Health and Human Services Dept (HHS) watered down the ads significantly. US Congress is set to investigate whether or not the Bush administration has been letting political considerations get in the way of public health policies. Here are photos of the original ads, the final ads and a letter from a lobbyist thanking the HHS for changing the ads.
The ensuing battle over these ads (from 2004) is being waged in papers, on tv, by bloggers. The HHS is claiming that they actually changed the ads because science didn’t support the exaggerated claims in the original ads. The opposition (everyone from lactivists to political pundits) is claiming political interference. Women who couldn’t breastfeed are saying the ads were hurtful for insinuating that they were harming their children by not breastfeeding. Even breastfeeding advocates are weighing in to say that we shouldn’t use guilt to force or coerce mothers into breastfeeding if they don’t want to. Yet others are claiming that the ads were insulting because they assume consumers (mothers) need to be given a hardline message similar to anti-drugs and anti-drinking and driving messages in order to do what is best for their children because the simple truth—that breastfeeding is good for babies—isn’t good enough and doesn’t work.
Check out who all is weighing in:
ABC news
Wired
Marketplace (transcript and podcast)
LA Times
How do we get to the bottom of this? How will we ever know what’s true? Maybe these ads were insulting. Maybe mothers should be “smart” enough to breastfeed just because we know it’s good for babies without the scare tactics. But considering that breastfeeding is up against the formula industry with its big bucks advertising, free samples at the hospital and high pressure government lobbying, how do we expect such a soft message to work? Considering that only 11% of American women breastfeed to six months, isn’t it time that we recognize that our current tactics and promotional attempts aren't working? Maybe moms need more support to continue breastfeeding? Maybe we need to be more competitive? Maybe we need to get stricter with the formula companies?
Food for thought: Dr. Jack Newman’s handout on breastfeeding and guilt.
What are your thoughts? Were the ads too much? What about the role of the formula companies? Post your comments.
Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
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.
Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!
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.
Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!
Sunday, August 19, 2007
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.
Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!
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.
Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!
Monday, July 23, 2007
Rebirth: Maternity Care Alternatives
Planning to have your baby in the hospital? You might have to contend with some of the symptoms of an over-burdened healthcare system. Maternity wards can be over-crowded and under-staffed. Hospital stays are getting shorter. And if you happen to go into labour at the wrong time, you could be sent to another city’s hospital because all of the hospitals nearby are at capacity. What if our maternity care system could be over-hauled to relieve the burden?
What are the realities?
Fewer doctors and nurses
Besides the well-publicized shortage of nurses, Canada also faces a shortage of physicians who attend births. Between 1992 and 2004, the percentage of general practitioners who attended births fell from 28% to only 13% .
Rising Costs
Having a baby in these technological times is not cheap. The average cost for a vaginal delivery is $2,800 . For a caesarean, it is closer to $5,000 . This does not include the added costs associated with length of hospital stay or neonatal care. With every epidural, there is an added expense for the anesthesiologist and with a BC cesarean rate approaching 30% , costs are rising for maternity care.
Shorter Stays
An obvious cost-cutting measure is to shorten hospital stays. The average length of stay for a vaginal birth in BC has fallen to only two days. For a cesarean birth, it is less than four days . Women are being sent home to care for newborns within a couple of days of major abdominal surgery. What happened to resting and recovering from birth?
How would a new system look?
Midwives
Midwives are trained specialists in birth. They have usually completed four years of practical training. Their appointments run about 50 minutes (as opposed to the standard ten minutes with your family doctor). They often do home visits in the first week after baby is born to help initiate breastfeeding and to monitor mom and baby. Mothers report excellent continuity of care and higher levels of satisfaction with their births and their care .
The midwifery model of care tends to be cheaper than the current medical model. Midwives believe that birth is a natural physiological process. Though trained to spot and mitigate problems, midwives adopt a fairly hands-off approach as caregivers. Births attended by midwives show a lower incidence of epidural use, episiotomy, and cesarean section . The benefits are not just higher maternal satisfaction, but also much lower costs.
Homebirth & Birth Centres
In the last two hundred years, medicine has managed to pull birth firmly into its clutches. Contrary to all logic, with birth, we take women who are healthy and place them in the hospital as a preventative measure (in case something goes wrong) and then we treat them the same way we treat the sick and injured. Since when is pregnancy a disease?
Modern medicine can be thanked for the low incidence of infant and mother mortality associated with birth today. We know more about the human body, more about birth, more about infection. We know to keep wounds clean. We have antibiotics and other modern drugs. We can save moms and babies from situations that would have claimed their lives only 100 years ago. But that does not necessarily mean that birth belongs in hospital.
We can transfer our medical knowledge to other places, like the home. Recent studies show that with healthy pregnancies free of complications, planned homebirths attended by trained midwives are as safe as hospital births. For low risk women, we can achieve safe birth at home and reap a dual benefit because there are advantages to birthing where a mother feels safest and most comfortable.
We can also find a middle ground instead of polarizing between hospital and home. Imagine the power of a birth centre: birthing in a homelike setting with a midwife, a birth pool, medical equipment tucked out of sight and the potential of a quick transfer to hospital if need be. On the flip side, imagine the benefits for our rural and northern communities that don’t have hospitals have their own. Mothers would no longer have to travel to cities far from their families and support systems to have their babies. Birth centres could begin powerful partnerships between doctors/obstetricians and midwives.
Imagine if everyone birthed in a birth centre or at home with a midwife unless it was medically necessary to birth in the hospital. Imagine the resources (hospital space, staff and money) that could be diverted to caring for sick people. Imagine how different our medical system might look.
Imagine…
Sources
Canadian Institute for Health Information, Giving Birth in Canada: The Costs, 2006
BC Vital Statistics, Annual Report on Births, Deaths and Marriages, 2005
Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, Evidence Boost for Quality: Allow Midwives to Participate as Full Members of the Healthcare Team.
Outcomes of Planned Hospital Birth Attended by Midwives Compared with Physicians in British Columbia, Birth 34 (2), 140–147
Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!
What are the realities?
Fewer doctors and nurses
Besides the well-publicized shortage of nurses, Canada also faces a shortage of physicians who attend births. Between 1992 and 2004, the percentage of general practitioners who attended births fell from 28% to only 13% .
Rising Costs
Having a baby in these technological times is not cheap. The average cost for a vaginal delivery is $2,800 . For a caesarean, it is closer to $5,000 . This does not include the added costs associated with length of hospital stay or neonatal care. With every epidural, there is an added expense for the anesthesiologist and with a BC cesarean rate approaching 30% , costs are rising for maternity care.
Shorter Stays
An obvious cost-cutting measure is to shorten hospital stays. The average length of stay for a vaginal birth in BC has fallen to only two days. For a cesarean birth, it is less than four days . Women are being sent home to care for newborns within a couple of days of major abdominal surgery. What happened to resting and recovering from birth?
How would a new system look?
Midwives
Midwives are trained specialists in birth. They have usually completed four years of practical training. Their appointments run about 50 minutes (as opposed to the standard ten minutes with your family doctor). They often do home visits in the first week after baby is born to help initiate breastfeeding and to monitor mom and baby. Mothers report excellent continuity of care and higher levels of satisfaction with their births and their care .
The midwifery model of care tends to be cheaper than the current medical model. Midwives believe that birth is a natural physiological process. Though trained to spot and mitigate problems, midwives adopt a fairly hands-off approach as caregivers. Births attended by midwives show a lower incidence of epidural use, episiotomy, and cesarean section . The benefits are not just higher maternal satisfaction, but also much lower costs.
Homebirth & Birth Centres
In the last two hundred years, medicine has managed to pull birth firmly into its clutches. Contrary to all logic, with birth, we take women who are healthy and place them in the hospital as a preventative measure (in case something goes wrong) and then we treat them the same way we treat the sick and injured. Since when is pregnancy a disease?
Modern medicine can be thanked for the low incidence of infant and mother mortality associated with birth today. We know more about the human body, more about birth, more about infection. We know to keep wounds clean. We have antibiotics and other modern drugs. We can save moms and babies from situations that would have claimed their lives only 100 years ago. But that does not necessarily mean that birth belongs in hospital.
We can transfer our medical knowledge to other places, like the home. Recent studies show that with healthy pregnancies free of complications, planned homebirths attended by trained midwives are as safe as hospital births. For low risk women, we can achieve safe birth at home and reap a dual benefit because there are advantages to birthing where a mother feels safest and most comfortable.
We can also find a middle ground instead of polarizing between hospital and home. Imagine the power of a birth centre: birthing in a homelike setting with a midwife, a birth pool, medical equipment tucked out of sight and the potential of a quick transfer to hospital if need be. On the flip side, imagine the benefits for our rural and northern communities that don’t have hospitals have their own. Mothers would no longer have to travel to cities far from their families and support systems to have their babies. Birth centres could begin powerful partnerships between doctors/obstetricians and midwives.
Imagine if everyone birthed in a birth centre or at home with a midwife unless it was medically necessary to birth in the hospital. Imagine the resources (hospital space, staff and money) that could be diverted to caring for sick people. Imagine how different our medical system might look.
Imagine…
Sources
Canadian Institute for Health Information, Giving Birth in Canada: The Costs, 2006
BC Vital Statistics, Annual Report on Births, Deaths and Marriages, 2005
Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, Evidence Boost for Quality: Allow Midwives to Participate as Full Members of the Healthcare Team.
Outcomes of Planned Hospital Birth Attended by Midwives Compared with Physicians in British Columbia, Birth 34 (2), 140–147
Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!
Inspiration
Interested in how you can help?
Support Midwifery:
Learn more about homebirth:
Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!
Support Midwifery:
- Donate to UBC's midwifery school
- Become a supporting member of your local midwifery association:
- Midwifery Association of BC
- Canadian Association of Midwives allied member
- Join an advocacy group:
- Share positive stories about your experiences with friends, family, co-workers
Learn more about homebirth:
- Talk to your midwife about whether you would be a good candidate
- Find books in the library
- Visit Sweet Home's homebirth page
Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!
Sweet Home Reborn!
Sweet Home has a fresh new look and tons more content. Check out the new site and expanded education section. You'll find homebirth videos, info on midwifery, breastfeeding articles and free stuff! Keep checking back over the coming months as we continuously update our content and add new kits.
Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!
Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
July is Attachment Parenting Month
In honour of attachment parenting month, I'd like to share a couple of valuable links for those of you who are curious or who have questions about attachment parenting.
My sister, mother of four, sums it up like this: "Do whatever works." To me, that is the essence of attachment parenting. Responding to your baby's cues with whatever works for them, which often means feeding when they are hungry, holding them when they need to be near you, sleeping close by, and taking breaks when you are tired. Doing what works also means responding to your child as an individual: what works with one, won't necessarily work with the next one. And of course, do what works also implies trusting your instincts rather than listening to the baby trainers and constantly saying to yourself, "But the book says I should..."
For more info:
Dr. Sears' 7 Baby B's
Attachment Parenting International's 8 Principles of Attachment Parenting
And for all of you out there who think that Attachment Parenting is a couple of dirty words, I draw your attention to the concept of Balance in both of the above articles. Attachment Parenting is not about sacrificing yourself for the needs of your baby. It's about responding sympathetically and with love to baby's needs without forgetting to take care of yourself.
Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!
My sister, mother of four, sums it up like this: "Do whatever works." To me, that is the essence of attachment parenting. Responding to your baby's cues with whatever works for them, which often means feeding when they are hungry, holding them when they need to be near you, sleeping close by, and taking breaks when you are tired. Doing what works also means responding to your child as an individual: what works with one, won't necessarily work with the next one. And of course, do what works also implies trusting your instincts rather than listening to the baby trainers and constantly saying to yourself, "But the book says I should..."
For more info:
Dr. Sears' 7 Baby B's
Attachment Parenting International's 8 Principles of Attachment Parenting
And for all of you out there who think that Attachment Parenting is a couple of dirty words, I draw your attention to the concept of Balance in both of the above articles. Attachment Parenting is not about sacrificing yourself for the needs of your baby. It's about responding sympathetically and with love to baby's needs without forgetting to take care of yourself.
Sweet Home Birth Boxes - the supplies you need no matter what your birth plan includes!
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