A
Rescuing Hug
by Nancy Sheehan
Heidi
and Paul Jackson's twin girls, Brielle and Kyrie, were born October 17,
1995, 12 weeks ahead of their due date. Standard hospital practice is to
place preemie twins in separate incubators to reduce the risk of infection.
that was done for the Jackson girls in the neonatal intensive care unit
at the Medical Center of Central Massachusetts in Worcester.
Kyrie, the larger sister at two pounds, three ounces, quickly began
gaining weight and calmly sleeping her newborn days away. But Brielle,
who weighed only two pounds at birth, couldn't keep up with her. She had
breathing and heart-rate problems. The oxygen level in her blood was low,
and her weight gain was slow.
Suddenly, on November 12, Brielle went into critical condition. She
began gasping for breath, and her face and stick-thin arms and legs turned
bluish-gray. Her heart rate was way up, and she got hiccups, a dangerous
sign that her body was under stress. Her parents watched, terrified that
she might die.
Nurse Gayle Kasparian tried everything she could think of to stabilize
Brielle. She suctioned her breathing passages and turned up the oxygen
flow to the incubator. Still Brielle squirmed and fussed as her oxygen
intake plummeted and her heart rate soared.
Then Kasparian remembered something she had heard from a colleague.
It was a procedure, common in parts of Europe but almost unheard of in
this country, that called for double-bedding multiple-birth babies, especially
preemies.
Kasparian's nurse manager, Susan Fitzback, was away at a conference,
and the arrangement was unorthodox. But Kasparian decided to take the risk.
"Let me just try putting Brielle in with her sister to see if that helps,"
she said to the alarmed parents. "I don't know what else to do."
The Jacksons quickly gave the go-ahead, and Kasparian slipped the squirming
baby into the incubator holding the sister she hadn't seen since birth.
Then Kasparian and the Jacksons watched.
No sooner had the door of the incubator closed then Brielle snuggled
up to Kyrie - and calmed right down. Within minutes Brielle's blood-oxygen
readings were the best they had been since she was born. As she dozed,
Kyrie wrapped her tiny arm around her smaller sibling.
By coincidence, the conference Fitzback was attending included a presentation
on double-bedding. This is something I want to see happen at The Medical
Center, she thought. But it might be hard making the change. On her return
she was doing rounds when the nurse caring for the twins that morning said,
"Sue, take a look in that isolette over there."
"I can't believe this," Fitzback said. "This is so beautiful."
"You mean, we can do it?" asked the nurse.
"Of course we can," Fitzback replied.
Today a handful of institutions around the country are adopting double-bedding,
which seems to reduce the number of hospital days. The practice is growing
quickly, even though the first scientific studies on it didn't begin until
this past January.
But
Heidi and Paul Jackson don't need any studies to know that double-bedding
helped Brielle. She is thriving. In fact, now that the two girls are home,
they still steep together - and still snuggle.
Understanding
The Continuum Concept by Jean Liedloff
Infants whose continuum needs are fulfilled during the early, in-arms
phase grow up to have greater self-esteem and become more independent than
those whose cries go unanswered for fear of "spoiling" them or making them
too dependent.
According to Jean Liedloff, the continuum concept is the idea that in
order to achieve optimal physical, mental and emotional development, human
beings — especially babies — require the kind of experience to which our
species adapted during the long process of our evolution. For an infant,
these include such experiences as...
-
constant physical contact with
his mother (or another familiar caregiver as needed) from birth;
-
sleeping in his parents' bed,
in constant physical contact, until he leaves of his own volition (often
about two years);
-
breastfeeding "on cue" — nursing
in response to his own body's signals;
-
being constantly carried in
arms or otherwise in contact with someone, usually his mother, and allowed
to observe (or nurse, or sleep) while the person carrying him goes about
his or her business — until the infant begins creeping, then crawling on
his own impulse, usually at six to eight months;
-
having caregivers immediately
respond to his signals (squirming, crying, etc.), without judgment, displeasure,
or invalidation of his needs, yet showing no undue concern nor making him
the constant center of attention;
-
sensing (and fulfilling) his
elders' expectations that he is innately social and cooperative and has
strong self-preservation instincts, and that he is welcome and worthy.
In contrast, a baby subjected to modern Western childbirth and child-care
practices often experiences...
-
traumatic separation from his
mother at birth due to medical intervention and placement in maternity
wards, in physical isolation except for the sound of other crying newborns,
with the majority of male babies further traumatized by medically unnecessary
circumcision surgery;
-
at home, sleeping alone and
isolated, often after "crying himself to sleep";
-
scheduled feeding, with his
natural nursing impulses often ignored or "pacified";
-
being excluded and separated
from normal adult activities, relegated for hours on end to a nursery,
crib or playpen where he is inadequately stimulated by toys and other inanimate
objects;
-
caregivers often ignoring, discouraging,
belittling or even punishing him when he cries or otherwise signals his
needs; or else responding with excessive concern and anxiety, making him
the center of attention;
-
sensing (and conforming to)
his caregivers' expectations that he is incapable of self-preservation,
is innately antisocial, and cannot learn correct behavior without strict
controls, threats and a variety of manipulative "parenting techniques"
that undermine his exquisitely evolved learning process.
Evolution has not prepared the human infant for this kind of experience.
He cannot comprehend why his desperate cries for the fulfillment of his
innate expectations go unanswered, and he develops a sense of wrongness
and shame about himself and his desires. If, however, his continuum expectations
are fulfilled — precisely at first, with more variation possible as he
matures — he will exhibit a natural state of self-assuredness, well-being
and joy. How
To Subscribe To The Continuum Lis
A
Baby Cries: How Should Parents Respond?
by Jan Hunt, M.Sc.
In
Suzanne Arms' book Immaculate
Deception II, she explains how in the 1970s Dr. T. Berry Brazelton
studied newborns to see whether they could feel hopeless or depressed.
In the following quote from page 186, Arms tells of a study that Dr. Brazelton
did in which he videotaped babies crying in order to get the attention
of their moms, and, eventually, when this failed, their descent into hopelessness:
In a heartrending series of videotaped 
sessions,
each baby can be seen crying to elicit a response from its mother and,
failing to do so, working even harder. After a number a minutes of making
all kinds of faces and trying to make eye contact, each baby finally reaches
its level of tolerance and begins to look away from the mother, finding
it too difficult to continue making an effort with no response. The baby
eventually turns it sic face away from its mother's face. Then it turns
toward the mother again and tries to rouse a response. Each time
it turns away for longer and longer periods. Finally, each baby slumps
down, drops its head, and shows all the signs hopelessness.
Immediate response to a baby's cry
went unquestioned for thousands of years until recent times. In our culture,
we assume that crying is normal and unavoidable for babies. Yet in natural
societies where babies are carried close to the care-giver much of the
day and night for the first several months, such crying is rare. In contrast
to what many in our society would expect, babies cared for in this way
show self-sufficiency sooner than do babies not receiving such care.
In fact, research on early childhood
experiences consistently shows that children who have enjoyed the most
loving care in infancy become the most secure and loving adults, while
those babies who have been forced into submissive behavior build up feelings
of resentment and anger that may well be expressed later in harmful ways.
In spite of this research, most arguments for ignoring crying are based
on fears of "spoiling" the baby.
Dispelling
the Fear of Spoiling - Babies, like food, only spoil when left alone.
By Dr. Bill and Martha Sears ParentTime
Once upon a time parents were taught that holding their baby a lot or
responding too quickly to an infant’s cries would result in a clingy, dependent
child. Fortunately, both experience and research have shown these beliefs
are unfounded. Babies cry to communicate with their caregivers. In fact,
crying is one of the only ways infants can express their needs. And the
quality of response a baby receives from the adults he depends on directly
affects his social and emotional development. Researchers studied two groups
of mother-infant pairs. Group 1 mothers were nurturing and tuned-in to
their infants’ cues and needs. When their babies cried, these mothers responded
quickly and lovingly. Group 2 mothers, fearful of spoiling their babies
and being manipulated, gave more restrained responses. Mothers in this
group put their infants on a schedule and responded less intuitively and
nurturantly to their child’s cues.
William and Martha Sears, a pediatrician and a registered nurse respectively,
team up with two of their doctor sons to update their 1993 guide to "attachment
parenting." Advocating a "high-touch style of parenting to balance the
high-tech life of the new millennium," the authors teach new parents how
to bond with their babies through seven fundamental behaviors, including
breastfeeding, "babywearing" and setting proper boundaries. When parents
keep close to their babies by bringing them into bed at night and picking
them up when they cry, the infants develop better, the authors argue; rather
than becoming spoiled, they become more healthy and independent.
The
Importance of the In-Arms Phase
by by Jean Liedlof
In the two and a half years during
which I lived among Stone Age Indians in the South American jungle (not
all at once, but on five separate expeditions with a lot of time between
them for reflection), I came to see that our human nature is not what we
have been brought up to believe it is. 
Babies
of the Yequana tribe, far from needing peace and quiet to go to sleep,
snoozed blissfully whenever they were tired, while the men, women, or children
carrying them danced, ran, walked, shouted, or paddled canoes. Toddlers
played together without fighting or arguing, and they obeyed their elders
instantly and willingly.
The notion of punishing a child had
apparently never occurred to these people, nor did their behavior show
anything that could truly be called permissiveness. No child would have
dreamed of inconveniencing, interrupting, or being waited on by an adult.
And by the age of four, children were contributing more to the work force
in their family than they were costing others.
Babes in arms almost never cried
and, fascinatingly, did not wave their arms, kick, arch their backs, or
flex their hands and feet. They sat quietly in their slings or slept on
someone's hip — exploding the myth that babies need to flex to "exercise."
They also did not throw up unless extremely ill and did not suffer from
colic. When startled during the first months of crawling and walking, they
did not expect anyone to go to them but rather went on their own to their
mother or other caretakers for the measure of reassurance needed before
resuming their explorations. Without supervision, even the smallest tots
rarely hurt themselves.
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Nutrition
for Children and Babies
Breast
Milk It's well known that breastfeeding, especially
for the first four months of an infant's life, is associated with fewer
ear infections. Your breastfed child will not only have fewer ear infections,
but protection against other infections. Breastfeeding
provides protection against diarrhea, gastrointestinal and respiratory
infections; in fact, infections of every kind. .
Dr. Mercola - "A mother's breast milk is nature's perfect and
complete food for babies and can't even come close to being reproduced.
With so many substances known to be present in breastmilk, but unable to
be replicated in breastmilk substitutes (formula), plus all of the as-yet
unidentified constituents, it should come as no great surprise that children
today are suffering from a vast myriad of illnesses and disorders." more
Bottle
feeding or breast feeding?
Dr Robert Mendelsohn, M.D.- "The bottlefed human baby is substantially
more likely to suffer a whole nightmare of illnesses: diarrhea, colic,
gastrointestinal and respiratory infections, meningitis, asthma, hives,
other allergies, pneumonia, eczema, obesity, hypertension, atherosclerosis,
dermatitis, growth retardation, hypocalcemic tetany, neonatal hypothyroidism,
necrotizing enterocolitis, and sudden infant death syndrome. From a scientific,
biological standpoint, formula feeding cannot be considered an acceptable
alternative to breastfeeding, especially since more than ninety-nine percent
of new mothers are perfectly capable of doing it.
Even premature infants should get breastmilk. When I had my pediatric
training more than twenty-five years ago, I was strongly (and thankfully)
influenced by one of the great nurses in the field of premature babies,
Evelyn Lundeen. Miss Lundeen not only encouraged but insisted that mothers
supply breastmilk to their premies even to those who weighed only two pounds.
I can remember watching husbands deliver the bottles of milk their wives
had pumped. There's no doubt in my mind that the premature infant fed breastmilk
does much better than the premature infant fed formula In my own practice
I have discharged from the hospital many babies who weighed less than five
pounds, all breastfed, of course, since now I won't accept a child as a
patient unless the mother is determined to breastfeed." more
Do you have a question or need guidance? Patricia Wilson volunteers her time to provide guidance and support in your quest to find relevant information. She
can be reached at 206-222-1619 or 281-581-2424 (USA) or
.
The
Deadly Influence of Formula in America
While the dangers of formula feeding aren’t something you’re likely
to hear in your doctor’s office, the conclusions can be derived through
an examination of the available scientific research on infant mortality
in the United States and across the world. There are studies showing artificial
feeding’s impact on overall infant death rates in both developing and undeveloped
countries. While studies offering comparative death rates are not available
for industrialized regions, there are numerous studies providing comparative
occurrence rates for many illnesses and disorders in the United States
and other industrialized nations. Many more reports are available extolling
superior survival rates and decreased illness rates among breastfed infants,
but only those with solid numbers are useful here. We can assemble the
statistics from these studies to build a firm picture of the ratio of infant
deaths for U.S. formula-fed babies against those who are breastfed.
Non-Breast
Milk In Infancy Increases Asthma Risk
Introducing milk other than breast milk to infants younger than 4 months
old increases the risk of asthma and atopy (a predisposition to certain
allergies). In the first study of its kind, the investigators followed
over two thousand children from before birth through their 6th birthday,
questioning their parents regarding various manifestations of asthma and
allergy. Children who were fed milk other than breast milk before 4 months
of age experienced higher rates of all indicators of asthma and allergy,
the report indicates. Such children were 25% more likely to be diagnosed
with allergy and 30% more likely to have a positive skin test for allergies
than were children who received only breast milk during their early months.
The total duration of exclusive breastfeeding was less important, though
longer breastfeeding was associated with less asthma and allergy. Because
the introduction of non-breast milk was more closely associated with asthma
and atopy than the duration of breastfeeding, the investigators postulate
that the exclusion of potentially allergy-causing components in milk other
than breast milk may account for the protective effect. British
Medical Journal September 25, 1999;319:815-819.
Cow Milk and Soy Milk Allergy
Milk allergy occurs when the child's immune system mistakenly sees
the milk protein as dangerous and tries to fight it off. This starts an
allergic reaction, which can cause an infant to be fussy and irritable,
and cause an upset stomach and other symptoms. Most children who are allergic
to cow's milk may tolerate goat or sheep's milk (not always) or sour milk
(buttermilk). A great number of babies are also allergic to the protein
in soy milk. Infants who are breastfed have a lower
risk of developing a milk allergy than infants who are formula fed. (danger
of soy products)
Although goat milk is rich in fat, it must be used with caution in infant
feeding as it lacks folic acid and is low in vitamin B12, both of which
are essential to the growth and development of the infant.
Infant
Formula Increase Diabetes Risk - Cow's
Milk May Lead to Diabetes - Milk
Increases Risk of Type 1 Diabetes
If
Breasfeeding is not possible: Healthy Alternative to Conventional
Infant Formula
Mary G. Enig, PhD
Make no mistake: the best food for baby is breastmilk from a healthy
mother. However, many situations call out for a good substitute: adopted
and orphaned babies, babies born to mothers with serious health problems,
and babies whose mothers do not have enough milk (a situation that does
happen occasionally) deserve to receive something better than commercial
formula. The following questions have been compiled by the authors over
a period of several years and should cover most situations encountered
by parents giving homemade formula to their babies. 7-part
article
Healthier Baby Formulas - For the infant to remain
as healthy as possible, he must obtain a proper balance of all the essential
fats, which is difficult to impossible, especially when you are changing
mother nature and trying to create a formula. Infant
Formula Fortification Protocol
---- Recipes
for Homemade Baby Formula
The La Leche League International
mission is: To help mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother
support, encouragement, information, and education and to promote a better
understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development
of the baby and mother.
Breastfeeding Resources
Growing
Healthy Kids: Calming the Cry of Colic
By Jen Allbritton, CN
The elusive infant condition called colic has perplexed parents and
health professionals alike for many years. The seemingly endless crying
spells, sleep loss and worry leads to stress and anxiety for all. Each
baby is unique and is affected by a myriad of factors, but all respond
in their own ways. Nevertheless, current research and the principles set
forth by Weston A. Price give parents the best chance of maximizing their
wee one's happiness and preventing excessive toe-curling scream sessions.
Colic--What We Know
Crying is baby-communication and has many possible drivers; crying babies
could be hungry, cold, wet, under-stimulated, over-stimulated, bored, in
pain, sick, moody or anything else under the sun. It often takes some trial
and error to figure out what will soothe a baby. When crying becomes loud
and persistent, when soothing efforts are fruitless, and when potential
physical conditions have been ruled out, the doctor will generally give
a diagnosis of colic,1 which means, "We have no idea why your baby will
not stop crying!" How frustrating!
The average infant cries between two and three hours a day.2 The commonly
accepted clinical definition of colic is the "rule of three": crying for
more than three hours per day, for more than three days per week, and for
more than three weeks in an infant that is well-fed and otherwise healthy.3
However, when a baby is in the throws of a high-pitched crying-fit, five
minutes can feel like three hours. Some people are just better able to
tolerate the noise and feelings of helplessness than others. This is what
makes the term colic, or even excessive crying, so subjective. A Brazilian
study found that as many as 80 percent of mothers believed their infants
had colic; however, using the definition above, only 16.3 percent actually
had the condition.4 Thus, as with many things, "excessive crying" really
is in the eye--or ear--of the beholder.
Ultimately, science doesn't know much about colic, but there are many
gimmicky "colic cure" sale pitches to make your wallet burst into more
tears than your child. Nevertheless, there are a number of contributing
factors that if remedied may improve the situation. These issues may or
may not be directly involved in the cause of colic, but they are all things
that should be evaluated by every parent. It all fits into the realm of
learning about your unique bundle of joy and encouraging his or her best
possible health. more
Treating
Colic in Infants
by Sheilagh King
Colic
can be very trying for both parents and baby. It can often result in endless
sleepless night and midnight drives around the neighbourhood in an attempt
to comfort a distressed baby.
Homeopathy is a natural system of medicine in which the remedies that
are used stimulate the body’s own healing powers. It is concerned with
treating the whole person—not only the disease. For this reason, people
with the same problem may often be treated with different remedies. The
homeopathic alternative to treating infants' colic and children's digestive
problems is an individually chosen homeopathic medicine. When homeopathy
is used by a skilled practitioner and the case is individualised according
to the patient’s history and physical exam, it is safe and can help even
those stubborn cases of infant colic.
The following are brief descriptions of some of the more commonly used
homeopathic remedies for colic:
BRYONIA is for the infant who is irritable and does not want to be carried.
He is worse from movement and touch with a tendency toward constipation.
CHAMOMILLA is for the "impossible cranky irritable" baby who moves about
in agony. He cries one minute for something and then pushes it away the
next. Both baby and parents are miserable. He is better from being carried.
One notable feature is that one cheek is red and the other is pale.
COLOCYNTHIS should be considered for severe colic. The baby screams with
gas pains and is doubled over. The pain is better with firm pressure on
the tummy.
MAGNESIA PHOSPHORICA is used when relief is brought on by gentle abdominal
pressure. The baby also feels better with warmth on the belly.
PULSATILLA is for the affectionate baby who is irritable and desires sympathy
and attention; although they may be irritable from the pain they experience,
they are still basically friendly.
Some people theorise that the reason for colic is that the infant
is allergic to milk or to some other food. The homeopathic view of food
allergies is basically that the food is not "the problem." Rather, it is
the individual's underlying state of health. The disease process produces
poor assimilation and utilization of the food, which then ultimately creates
symptoms. Homeopaths have found that the homeopathic medicines are effective
in re-establishing health and thereby reducing food allergies.
Homeopathic medicines have wide applications for paediatric complaints
and it is usually worthwhile seeking out safe, effective alternatives to
paediatric problems first. Homeopathic medicines may not only help to improve
the health of infants and children, but will probably also help them to
become healthy adults. "
Sheilagh King is
a Licenced Homeopath currently practicing alongside GPs and other complementary
therapists at a private clinic, Westover House, located in Earlsfield,
South West London. Battersea clinic. 72 White House, Vicarage Crescent,
London SW11 3LH. 020 79784140 and Earlsfield clinic. Westover House,
18 Earlsfield Road, London SW18. 020 8877 1877.
Natural
Colic Remedy
Homeopathic
childbirth and emergency/home kit, books, courses
Children's
Homeopathic Ointment (for bruises, bumps, and bites)
.
Babies
Need Their Mothers Beside Them
by James J. McKenna, Ph.D.
Throughout human history, breast-feeding
mothers sleeping alongside their infants constituted a marvelously adaptive
system in which both the mothers' and infants' sleep physiology and health
were connected in beneficial ways. By sleeping next to its mother, the
infant receives protection, warmth, emotional reassurance, and breast milk
- in just the forms and quantities that nature intended.
This sleeping arrangement permits
mothers (and fathers) to respond quickly to the infant if it cries, chokes,
or needs its nasal passages cleared, its body cooled, warmed, caressed,
rocked or held. This arrangement thus helps to regulate the infant's breathing,
sleep state, arousal patterns, heart rates and body temperature. The mother's
proximity also stimulates the infant to feed more frequently, thus receiving
more antibodies to fight 
disease.
The increased nipple contact also causes changes in the mother's hormone
levels that help to prevent a new pregnancy before the infant is ready
to be weaned. In this way, the infant regulates its mother's biology, too;
increased breast-feeding blocks ovulation, which helps to ensure that pregnancies
will not ordinarily occur until the mother's body is able to restore the
fat and iron reserves needed for optimal maternal health.
It is a curious fact that in Western
societies the practice of mothers, fathers and infants sleeping together
came to be thought of as strange, unhealthy and dangerous. Western parents
are taught that "co-sleeping" will make the infant too dependent on them,
or risk accidental suffocation. Such views are not supported by human experience
worldwide, however, where for perhaps millions of years, infants as a matter
of course slept next to at least one caregiver, usually the mother, in
order to survive. At some point in recent history, infant separateness
with low parental contact during the night came to be advocated by child
care specialists, while infant-parent interdependence with high parental
contact came to be discouraged. In fact, the few psychological studies
which are available suggest that children who have "co-slept" in a loving
and safe environment become better adjusted adults than those who were
encouraged to sleep without parental contact or reassurance.
Nighttime
Parenting : A LA Leche League International Book (LA Leche League International
Book) by William, MD Sears
Forced Drugging of Children
- Parents may face jail over compulsory drug orders
In the US judges can constitutionally order controversial drugs to be
given to a child over the opposition of his parents. Parents are medicating
their children for fear of having them hauled away by Child Protective
Services. In the UK Parents of children diagnosed with attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) will face jail under proposals in the new
Mental Health Bill if they refuse to drug their children, a psychiatrist
has warned. more
Do you have a question or need guidance? Patricia Wilson volunteers her time to provide guidance and support in your quest to find relevant information. She
can be reached at 206-222-1619 or 281-581-2424 (USA) or
.
Sleep
Deprived Baby? Try Sunlight
For many parents, getting their baby to sleep at night can become a
daunting task. Often times it seems that nothing will help; however, researchers
may have discovered a natural remedy: Sunlight. According to a study,
babies exposed to twice as much light during the day (between noon and
4 pm) became better sleepers at night. Parents are advised to take their
babies out in sunlight. The sun is an amazing healing source that is absolutely
underappreciated in our current culture. Learn
more about the Healing Power of Sunlight
"Sweet
Dreams : A Pediatrician's Secrets for Baby's Good Night's Sleep"
by Paul M. Fleiss M.D.
Most new parents quickly and sadly discover the difficulty of getting
a child first to go to sleep, and then to sleep throughout the night. Dr.
Fleiss, a noted family pediatrician for more than 30 years, shares his
secrets for discovering a child's natural sleep patterns, developing positive
bedtime rituals, nutritional and lifestyle aids to sleep, and how co-sleeping
affects normal growth and development.
Reviewer: Rebecca from University Place, WA United States:
"I
was looking for a book that would help me cope with my 2-year-old's difficulty
falling asleep at night. Unlike most people, I just wasn't comfortable
with the "cry-it-out" methods that are so popular now and that method was
completely ineffective with my daughter. This book was a lifesaver for
me because Dr. Fleiss is the first author who writes about sleep issues
with a gentle loving approach that was right for us. After only one night,
my daughter's bedtime is MUCH better for us all. This was a great book!
"
Note from Shirley:I
'd like to express my deep gratitude to Dr. Paul Fleiss, who was my
handicapped son's pediatrician for over 15 years and took wonderful
care of my little angel. Dr. Fleiss is also the author of What
Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Circumcision: Untold Facts on America's
Most Widely Performed-and Most Unnecessary Surgery and Your
Premature Baby Comes Home
The
Nurturing Father
by James Kimmel, Ph.D.
Studies of groups of people living outside civilization have indicated
that it is rare for children to have fathers who are absent or who are
not nurturing. In hunter-gatherer societies, both mother and father, as
well as other male and female members of the group, are usually described
by anthropologists as indulgent of, and nurturing toward, all children.
Despite the commonly held belief in Western civilization that the individual
is primarily governed in his behavior by selfish motives and instincts,
that "man is a beast to man", it is much more probable that our prehistoric
ancestors were individuals who cared for, and about, each other. The idea
that the human individual is basically selfish and uncaring of others,
and that to become socialized, he must repress and control his self-serving
impulses, ignores the human nurturing necessity and its powerful influence
on individual development and group living.
Both male and female evolved to continue their development after birth
in relation to a nurturing mother. The natural nurturing process does more
than keep infants alive. It initiates them into a way of living in which
there is someone who cares for and about them. Nurtured children learn
that security and satisfaction are found in attachment to another human.
For these reasons, sociability and socialization are natural outcomes of
appropriate mothering. Our requirement of mothering is the root of our
connection to each other. The mother in her attachment and commitment to
her child establishes that human life is about affirming the life of another
as well as oneself. more
The Family
Bed
For most of human history, babies have slept with their mothers. Except
in Western, industrialized nations, this is still accepted as the natural
thing to do. But most parents in North America today have been raised on
the cultural ideal of an angelic baby sleeping through the night, alone,
in an immaculately decorated nursery.
It turns out that "ideal" isn't so easy to achieve. We are told that
our babies need to learn to be "independent" and to go to sleep on their
own. And so, on the advice of books, grandparents, friends, and "sleep-training"
programs, babies cry themselves to sleep, night after heart wrenching night. 
As
soon as they can climb out of the crib, they make it clear that they want
to be with mommy and daddy. Some exhibit such persistence that the exhausted
parents must allow their toddler into their bed -- or resort to such desperate
measures as netting over the crib, locking the baby's bedroom door, or
responding to night-time fears with threats and spankings. Bedtime becomes
a battleground.
The
Family Bed by Tine Thevenin
Reviewer: Meung terHorst (terhorst@bellatlantic.net) from Williamsburg,
VA. USA "I bought and read this book after my son was born in March
of 1998. Both my husband and I felt re-assured with our decision to keep
our son in bed with us aftering reading THE FAMILY BED. Cameron will be
one year old in a couple of weeks. He is a happy, affectionate and well
adjusted baby. With my husband who works away from home during the day,
evening and bedtime are the quality time for both my husband and my son
to spend together. Cameron loves getting ready for bed at night because
he enjoys cuddling up in the comfort of both his parents. We also have
a ritual of reading and singing to Cameron before bed. I truly believe
that this is the reason why Cameron is so very close to his father. My
husband also feels better being away at work during the day because he
still gets to enjoy sharing quality time with our son in the evening and
at night. I recomend this book highly and have often included Ms. Thevenin's
book along with the shower gifts to all my friends and colleagues."
Three
in a Bed : The Benefits of Sharing Your Bed With Your Baby by Deborah
Jackson
Until relatively recently, babies weren't sent off to sleep alone in
their cribs where they often cry themselves to sleep--only to wake, needing
to be fed or comforted until they can fall asleep again. This book offers
an alternative: taking your baby to bed with you. Drawing on up-to-date
and startling new evidence, the author shows how babies who sleep with
their parents benefit by getting virtually a full night's sleep. Three
in a Bed also includes a fully revised chapter based on new research on
the SIDS debate and includes practical information on safety in the bed,
how to sustain your sex life, and how to deal with the moment when the
baby leaves his parents' bed. The approached advocated in this book can
change the life of any parent struggling with getting their baby to sleep
through the night.
amazon.com reviewer Jillian Pierson from Los Angeles, California: "This
book is the most persuasive case I've ever read, not just bed sharing,
but for holding and nursing our babies. Even if parents don't like the
idea of sleeping with their babies and children, this book should persuade
them at least to hold their babies more of the time than most in our society
do. If all new parents would read this well-researched book, we might turn
the tide on parenting styles that have babies isolated in cribs, carriages
and car seats. Jackson shows that babies are meant to be close to their
caretakers, that touch is crucial to their well being and that staying
close with one's baby actually makes early parenthood easier on the parents."
Article on the Family
Bed
What
is attachment parenting?
It starts with nursing your babies carrying them close to your body
in a sling or carrier. It continues with responding immediately to your
child's cries and allowing for child-led weaning. The family bed is a big
part of attachment parenting.
Attachment
Parenting: Instinctive Care for Your Baby and Young Child by Katie
Allison Granju
amazon.com reviewer: Patty Burke from Missouri, United
States: "I wish every expectant parent would read Katie's book.
I can't remember how old our son was when we discovered that there was
a name for the method of parenting that my husband and I had adopted. We
just "knew" not to let him cry himself to sleep, to share sleep with him,
to let him breastfeed as he needed to, to hold him and wear him and love
him 24 hours a day. And then I discovered Katie's book and she reinforced
all of our instincts! Whenever I have doubts (sometimes put upon me by
society), all I have to do is re-read certain chapters or pages and it
all comes clear to me again: my husband and I are the experts when it comes
to our son. We should and will follow our instincts.Yes, before reading
this book, we had all the mainstream purchases: crib, swing, baby bucket,
baby bouncer seat, stroller. And we did use those items a few times, but
not to the extreme that we've seen other parents, leaving baby alone for
long periods of time. Our son has grown into a happy and healthy toddler
and we owe a lot of it to being so Attached!"
Mothers
and Others for a Livable Planet Guide to Natural Baby Care Nontoxic
and Environmentally Friendly Ways to Take Care of Your New Child by
Mindy Pennybacker
For a decade, the free organization Mothers and Others for a Living
Planet has been an advocate for raising children in natural, nontoxic,
and environmentally friendly environments. Now, the editors of the Mothers
and Others newsletter The Green Guide, Mindy Pennybacker and Aisha
Ikramuddin, have compiled hundreds of suggestions into a comprehensive
guidebook ideal for all parents concerned with providing their children
with safe, "green" surroundings.
J. Prescott, Ph.D. - "The
single most important child rearing practice to be adopted for the development
of emotional and social healthy infants and children is to carry the newborn/infant
on the body of the mother/caretaker all day long..."
Do you have a question or need guidance? Patricia Wilson volunteers her time to provide guidance and support in your quest to find relevant information. She
can be reached at 206-222-1619 or 281-581-2424 (USA) or
.
Ten
Reasons to Wear your Baby
by Laura Simeon, M.A.
Studies
have shown that the more babies are held, the less they cry and fuss2.
In indigenous cultures where baby-wearing is the norm, babies often cry
for only a few minutes a day – in contrast to Western babies, who often
cry for hours each day. Crying is exhausting for both the baby and his
parents, and may cause long-term damage as the baby’s developing brain
is continually flooded with stress hormones.3 Babies who do not need to
spend their energy on crying are calmly observing and actively learning
about their environment. Baby-wearing is especially useful for colicky
or "high need" babies, who are far happier being worn, but placid, content
babies and children will also benefit greatly from the warmth and security
of being held close. more
Caring
for an Infant
Every
Parent's Guide to Attachment Parenting: Getting back to basic instincts!by
Tammy Frissell-Deppe
"This
book is a must have for all first time moms and dads! A wealth of information
centered around instinctual parenting is sure to dispel all the negative
myths associated with alternative parenting. This book will be referred
to repeatedly for quick reference or reassurace. Tammy Frissell-Deppe did
an excellent job in helping a parent connect with his/her instincts."
Kalliope
S. Ballas, R.N.
Holistic
Parenting: Raising Children to a New Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual
Well-Being
This timely book explores the meaning of a holistic lifestyle and shows
parents how the mind, body, and spirit are integral to their children's
healing. Warm and inspiring, Holistic Parenting combines the most up-to-date
alternative and conventional practices, addressing such topics as herbal
medicine, homeopathy, Ayurveda, holistic dentistry, nutrition, and immunizations
Fluoride Exposure During Pregnancy
Links to Learning Disabilities Attention Deficit
and Behavior Disorders - Dr. Phyllis J. Mullenix
Toxicology Department, Forsyth Research Institute, Boston, MA
Sodium Fluoride is currently added to the majority of municipal water
systems in the U.S. to prevent cavities in children. Its use has risen
rapidly since the 1950’s. Sodium Fluoride is also registered with the EPA
as a rat poison, although advocates say its use in low levels in water
poses no adverse health concerns. There has been considerable research
done on fluoride regarding cancer, birth defects, and risks to the respiratory,
gastrointestinal, and urinary systems, however, very little has been done
on its neurological effects. more
Vaccine Warning!
FDA: Rotavirus
Vaccine May Harm Infants Infant Vaccine RotaTeq Linked to Intestinal Problems
On February 13, 2007 the U.S. government issued a warning for a potentially
life-threatening condition called Intussusception that causes the twisting
of the intestines in infants vaccinated against a virus that is the leading
cause of early childhood diarrhea. Intussusception originally led to the
withdrawal of the first rotavirus vaccine eight years ago.
Prescription
for Disaster in-depth investigation into the relationships between
the pharmaceutical industry, the FDA, lobbyists, lawmakers, medical schools,
and researchers, and the impact this has on consumers and their health
care.
Neonatal Deaths After Hepatitis B Vaccine
Dr. Mercola - "The newly released 2002 immunization schedule
encourages the routine use of hepatitis B vaccine for all infants before
hospital discharge. I have seen many dozens of children who were given
this vaccine on the first day of life and subsequently developed autism.
Others, like Michael Belkin's daughter, weren't as likely and died immediately
after the vaccine. Michael is a successful Wall Street Financial analyst
with his own company, and has testified to Congress on this issue and regularly
forwards news health stories to me. For the 20-month period between November
1, 1990 and July 31,1992, there were 4,227 reports of side effects from
the Hepatitis B vaccine made through the Vaccine Adverse Effects Reporting
System. These figures represent only the tip of the iceberg, as the FDA
estimates that only 10% of doctors report vaccine injuries and deaths.
The number of injuries and deaths will probably soar when this vaccine
is mandated for use in all newborn babies." more
Vaccinations
- Deception and Tragedy
Beware of Chemically Treated Mattresses
by Jeanee Andrewartha
Babies are susceptible to the chemicals in new mattresses
and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)
has been linked to the formation of toxic gases from chemically treated
mattresses. These chemicals have been found in high concentrations in the
livers of babies who have died. A whole new meaning to ‘cot death’; where
the cot actually kills the baby.
If you think the story ends there well unfortunately much
of the bedding sold is treated with synthetic antibacterial/antifungal
chemicals. The manufacturers claim that they are safe because they meet
the EPA standards, but for those of you who know what goes into our food,
those standards do not prove that the product is safe. The active ingredients
of these chemicals are not revealed but protected by patents. The consumer
is not protected only the product is. Certified organic cotton, can be
bought that has not been treated, though it would be best to check first
with the manufacturer about whether the fabric has been treated with synthetic
chemicals in the dying process.
Cotton is one of the most sprayed crops in the world.
It take up approximately 0.5% of agricultural land, but over 25% of pesticides
go into its production. Residues are left in the fabric, which is then
treated with toxic dyes. That is why when you buy a new garment, the manufacturer
recommends you wash it before you wear it. However, washing will only remove
some of the chemicals. So if you don’t want chemicals to leach into your
body through your skin or leach into the waterways or soils and back into
the food, choose certified organic cotton clothes and bedding. Limit your
exposure to electrical devices, especially in the bedroom and get a good
night sleep and you will feel better for it. Jeanee
Andrewartha lives in Australia with her husband and 7 homeshooled children.
(email Jeanee)
Kathy Gibbons Ph.D - "Picture your future child
standing in her new white crib, contentedly gnawing on the bars. You'd
never want her to ingest pesticides or formaldehyde; however, most conventional
paints and finishes, even those used on baby furniture, contain such toxic
chemicals. Even if your baby never chews the furniture, it can offgas dangerous
fumes that she'll inhale for months and sometimes years." more
Natural
Organic Nursery for Baby Organic cotton crib mattresses, futons, blankets,
comforters, sheets, and pillows to help complete your baby's crib/day bed.
More
information chemical compounds that have been placed in baby products especially
mattresses.
The
Fussy Baby Book : Parenting Your High-Need Child From Birth to Age Five
by William Sears
Review from Marietta, GA USA:
"Our daughter was THE "poster child" for colicky, fussy babies. She
had colic so severe [crying 10-12 hours a DAY for first 12 weeks!] that
our Pediatrician told us "This isn't colic, she just has a bad disposition."
[UGH - we don't use him any more needless to say - and the crying stopped
abruptly at 12 weeks]. After the colic passed, she continued to be a VERY
"hands on, high need" baby. She was quite a challenge to parent that first
year. Thank goodness I found this book! I can still remember the first
time I read it - the sigh of relief that I wasn't alone and the wonder
at all the great ideas and suggestions in the book. We put these suggestions
to work in our parenting and followed Dr. Sears' advice to the letter.
Now we have an angelic two year old - she's a joy to be around. She is
now the easiest kid in the world to parent - the most easy going, friendly,
and sweet kid you could imagine. Now my friends all say how lucky I am
to have such an easy toddler! I think it is due in great part to Dr. William
and Martha Sears and their wonderful insight and advice - their suggestions
certainly worked for us!
Calming Hyper Kids with Herbs
Many natural health practitioners and herbalists view severe hyperactivity
in children as being closely related to emotional and physical nourishment.
The child may be starved for affection, attention, or important nutrients
that are not available in some modern fast-food diets. In this article
Christopher Hobbs, L.Ac., a fourth generation herbalist, discusses natural
and herbal alternatives for calming hyperactivity in children.
Natural
Herbal Solutions just for Infants / Children / Teens: Help your child
stay healthy naturally (ADD, ADHD, Depression, Bed wetting, Colic, and
more)
Natural
calming products for the Little Ones.
How
fish oil may have saved babies' lives
Like most babies with his medical condition, Austin DuPonte of Hudson
was not expected to live long - He was born prematurely and developed
intestinal problems so severe that surgeries left him unable to absorb
enough nourishment. Babies with bowel troubles can be fed intravenously,
but most quickly develop liver problems. Without a costly liver transplant,
and sometimes even with one, these children usually don't make it to their
first birthday. But over the last two years, a simple finding made by doctors
at Children's Hospital Boston has apparently saved the life of Austin and
15 other babies. It's long been known that the intravenous fluid that kept
the babies alive -- called total parenteral nutrition -- was also destroying
their livers. The Children's doctors, led by Dr. Mark Puder, figured out
why total parenteral nutrition seemed to be causing these problems and
how to fix it. They swapped the IV feedings, giving the babies fluids with
fish oils, known as omega-3's, instead of the standard plant oils, or omega-6.
Within weeks, the patients' livers began to rebound, and they no longer
needed transplants.
Ultra-Refined
Fish Oil
Nutrition
for Children and Babies
Sugar Free Products Alert!
H.
J. Roberts, M.D. "I have observed severe intellectual deterioration
associated with the use of aspartame products (NutraSweet,
Equal,
Spoonful, Canderal, Benevia, etc.) It was usually manifest as great
difficulty in reading and writing, obvious problems with memory and grossly
impaired orientation to time, place and person."
Ralph
Walton, M.D. "Aspartame has a profound effect on mood and cognition....depressed
mood, anxiety, dizziness, panic attacks, nausea, irritability, impairment
of memory and concentration."
(Learn about
the Legal class action against aspartame. )
more
Babies and Soy
Formula: A Word of Caution
Dr. Mercola - "Soy formula is one of the worst foods that you
could feed your child. Not only does it have profoundly adverse hormonal
effects as discussed above, but it also has over 1000% more aluminum than
conventional milk based formulas."
Considering all of soy's health benefits, it is tempting for new and
expectant mothers to see soy-based infant formula as a "miracle food" and
to stock their pantries sky-high with the stuff. Well, hold on there mama.
That most vulnerable member of the population, an infant unable to breastfeed,
stands at great risk of developing a serious thyroid disorder due to a
diet based entirely on soy formula. That disorder is hypothyroidism, or
an under-active thyroid and it is a common cause of fatigue, depression,
obesity, constipation, extreme sensitivity to cold and a number of other
symptoms, most so common that the disorder can go undiagnosed for years.
Premature, early puberty related to soy products:Elaine
Hollingsworth, director of the Hippocrates Health Center of Australia and
author of Take Control of Your Health and Escape the Sickness Industry,
writes about the terrible effects of soy products on children:
"I
am not exaggerating when I say that HUNDREDS of people have rung me during
the past year to tell me about dreadful health problems that started after
taking up the soy habit. Serious thyroid malfunctioning is one of the most
common complaints. This is not surprising, since it has been known
for years that isoflavones in soy can depress thyroid function, causing
autoimmune thyroid disease and even cancer. It is a medically recognised
fact that our body absorbs significant amounts of what we put on our skin.
With Certified Organic food rapidly becoming the nutrition of choice by
the health conscious amongst us, why would you accept any less for your
skin? of the thyroid. By far the worst calls are from women whose children
have been fed soy formula. They tell me heartbreaking stories about
baby girls who show signs of early maturation, such as underarm odour,
breast development, body hair and even menstruation as early as two, three
and four years of age! The risk appears to be greatest in girls who ingest
soy formula for nine months or more. In baby boys, 12 months of soy
feeding can lead to gross effects by the age of 11 or 12. Breasts
can appear and testicles do not develop. Several women have rung
asking what to do for these pathetic boys, who refuse to participate in
sports, fearing shower-room ridicule, and who will be dependent upon thyroid
drugs for life. I can't help, and I don't think anyone can. Nature
did not intend infants to be fed hormones, and life-threatening consequences
occur when they are. Of course, these horrible problems do not occur with
every soy-fed baby, but is it worth taking such a chance? Your child
will not thank you, and you may never have grandchildren. Drinking soymilk
during pregnancy can cause a failure to produce breast milk, which can
lead to feeding the baby soy formula. By far the worst cases of soy
damage are reported to us by women who have drunk soy milk while pregnant,
and then fed their babies soy formula. This is a deadly combination.
These women cannot restrain their tears when describing the dreadful health
problems their children have. They keep repeating to me, "I didn't
know, I just didn't know, the doctor told me to drink it for my bones and
give him soy formula."
Precocious Puberty - related to infant soy
formula Premature, early puberty related to soy products
Does pasteurized milk really do the body
good? During the 1930's, Dr. Francis M. Pottenger conducted a 10-year
study on the relative effects of pasteurized and raw milk diets on 900
cats. One group received nothing but raw whole milk, while the other was
fed nothing but pasteurized whole milk from the same source. The raw milk
group thrived, remaining healthy, active and alert throughout their lives,
but the group fed on pasteurized milk soon became listless, confused and
highly vulnerable to a host of chronic degenerative ailments normally associated
with humans, including heart disease, kidney failure, thyroid dysfunction,
respiratory ailments, loss of teeth, brittle bones, liver inflammation,
etc. But what caught Dr. Pottenger's attention most was what happened to
the second and third generations... more
on A Study in Nutrition by Dr. Francis M. Pottenger, Jr., MD
Dr. Mercola - "A mother's breast milk is nature's perfect and
complete food for babies and can't even come close to being reproduced.
With so many substances known to be present in breastmilk, but unable to
be replicated in breastmilk substitutes (formula), plus all of the as-yet
unidentified constituents, it should come as no great surprise that children
today are suffering from a vast myriad of illnesses and disorders." more
Milk
The Deadly Poison
More on Nutrition for Children and Babies
Infant
Formula Fortification Protocol
Recipes
for whole food baby formula
Nutrition for Children and
Babies There are many serious consequences of generation
after generation having diets deficient in an element essential for normal
development of the nervous system. In 1996, Laura J. Stevens, of the Department
of Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University, and co-investigators published
an extremely important paper in Physiology and Behavior. The researchers
found that boys with lower levels of omega-3 fatty
acids in their blood showed more problems with behavior, learning,
and health than those with higher levels of total omega-3 fatty acids.
Here, you'll also learn the importance of enzymes
and of bee pollen which is often referred to as nature's most complete
food.
Do you have a question or need guidance? Patricia Wilson volunteers her time to provide guidance and support in your quest to find relevant information. She
can be reached at 206-222-1619 or 281-581-2424 (USA) or
.
What
makes a baby susceptible to allergies?
Your baby may inherit the tendency to develop allergies, if you, your
partner, or any of your family suffers from eczema, asthma, hayfever or
hives, allergic rhinitis, persistent cough, constant runny nose, food allergies
(especially allergy to dairy foods, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, nuts, fish
and shellfish), or recurrent ear infections.
Several studies have shown that breastfeeding helps to reduce the chance
of developing allergies when compared to feeding with standard milk or
soy-based formulas. However, this advantage is dependent on your diet.
The same issues as apply as in pregnancy, but again, it is important that
in avoiding allergens you don't compromise your own diet. If breastfeeding
is not possible or if a supplement to breastmilk is desired, use a hypoallergenic
formula (ask your allergy specialist for advice on this).Soy-based formula
or goat's milk formula are not recommended for allergic or potentially
allergic infants.
Homeopathy is renowned to be very effective
in the treatment of allergies --- Weaning
the allergic infant
Homeopathy
for Children and Babies It is time that parents and physicians
seek safe, natural and effective alternatives to conventional, potentially
harmful drugs. Homeopathic medicine is one such alternative. Learn about
homeopathic medicine for childhood ailments such as bedwetting, chicken
pox, measles, colds, flus, teething, constipation, sore throats, earaches,
diarrhea, and much more.
Beneficial
Bacteria (Probiotics) During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Helps Protect
Against Eczema
From the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2002
Vol 109 No 1 pp 119-121
Probiotics
administered during pregnancy and lactation appears to promote the immune
system protective potential of breast-feeding. The probiotics also protect
infants against eczema during the first two years. There is a growing incidence
of allergic diseases in the Western world and researchers acknowledge the
need to offer primary protection to reverse the trend. The ideal source
of infant nutrition to provide protection from these diseases is breast-milk.
Its role, however, is elusive. Pediatricians in Finland undertook a double-blind,
placebo controlled study to determine the potential for protection against
allergic diseases by administering probiotics. Mothers who received probiotics
during pregnancy and lactation improved their anti-inflammatory transforming
growth TGF in their milk. In addition, it was shown that the risk of developing
eczema during the infants first two years was significantly reduced compared
with the placebo group. Researchers concluded that maternal allergies were
a positive risk for eczema in the infant. Probiotics
Natural Health Care for Children
and Babies
Ear Tubes? Stop Your Child's Ear Infections
Naturally Without Antibiotics or Tubes
Alternative approaches to childhood allergies
Think twice before giving Steroids (cortisone, prednisone) to your children
Helping Children, Not Drugging Them
Diaper
Free! The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Hygiene
Throughout most of human existence, parents have cared for their babies
hygienically without diapers. In many cutures around the world, mothers
still know how to tune in to their infants to keep them clean and content.
Your baby, too, can enjoy the comfort of this natural approach. This comprehensive
guide with over 40 photos shows you how. The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant
Hygiene is a warm and helpful companion at every level of experience. You'll
want to refer to it again and again on your journey from the first magical
days of your baby's life, to complete toilet independence.
Understanding your baby's needs
Each baby is unique, and you know your baby better than any "expert." By keeping your baby nearby you and by listening to him and responsively meeting his needs with promptness and love, you will come to know your baby better than any one else ever could. . . *you* will be the expert on your baby. All the advice in the world won't change what you feel in your heart your baby needs. Go with that feeling.
