On March 22, 2007, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Infantino LLC, a manufacturer located in San Diego, CA, issued a recall of approximately 100,000 infant carriers.

Infantino is said to have received 10 reports of plastic sliders on the fabric strap breaking, and babies falling out of the carriers. Four of the babies were taken to the emergency room, and one suffered a fractured skull.

The specific products involved are the Infantino SlingRider carriers with item numbers: 141-210, 151-210, 151-528, and 151-534. The carriers are designed for infants up to 20 pounds and are manufactured in China. Carriers with…

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To assist health professionals, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released a fact sheet called Reaching Low-Income Hispanics with Nutrition Assistance.

According to the USDA, in 2004, one of seven people in the United States was of Hispanic origin, and nearly 34 percent were less than 18 years of age. Many Latinos participate in USDA nutrition assistance programs, but an estimated 25-50 percent of eligible Hispanics do not.

Reaching Low-Income Hispanics with Nutrition Assistance provides information on USDA nutrition assistance programs such as the Food Stamp Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the…

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I received the following communication from a breastfeeding mother who had recently returned to work.

“I have to say that one of my greatest challenges in continuing to breastfeed now that the latching/sore nipples is no longer an issue, is working and pumping. I have met a number of mothers in my son’s daycare who stopped breastfeeding because they felt they could not pump enough or did not have time.

I think my son and one other baby are the only infants being breastfed. It is amazing the feeding practices that go on during the 0-12 month phase and the breastfeeding/infant feeding…

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On Tuesday, March 14, 2007, HB 613: Breast Pump Use in the Workplace was signed into law by the Govenor of New Mexico.

The law requires that employers provide a space for using the pump that is clean and private, is near the employee’s workspace, and is not a bathroom.

Unfortunately, the employer is not liable for storage or refrigeration, payment for break time beyond established break times, or payment of overtime for the purpose of using a breast pump. Nonetheless, HB 613 represents a first step toward ensuring that New Mexico mothers can continue to provide their milk to their babies after…

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My children are now grown, each having survived my attempts at parenting. And I will be the first to admit, I made my share of mistakes, but then, so did they. After all, that’s what growing up and growing old are all about.

Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I thought parenting was supposed to be an adventure – an unpredictable journey of twists and turns and ups and downs. But parents today seem to rely increasingly on gadgets and gizmos in an effort to minimize mistakes and maximize results.

Babble Soft recently announced the launch of its Baby Manager Web and Mobile software. Now…

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The advantage of the internet is unlimited access to limitless amounts of information. The disadvantage is that occasionally, you receive a wonderful article, but have no idea where it came from. This is one of those times!

The following article was forwarded to me indirectly, and I was so touched by the content, that I wanted to share it with my readers. While the author was clearly identified as Anna Quindlen, Newsweek Columnist and Author, I have not been able to determine where the article was originally published. If any reader can direct me to the original source, I would like very…

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Did you know there’s a new product on the market that enables you to test your breastmilk for alcohol? And did you know that it’s completely unnecessary?

Designed by two moms, Milkscreen works as follows: Saturate a test pad with breastmilk and wait two minutes. If the pad changes color, voila, alcohol is present in your milk.

This information is intended to help you decide whether or not it’s “safe” to breastfeed after having that cold beer on a hot summer night.

So what’s the problem?

When it comes to alcohol, theres a huge difference between getting roaring drunk and having an occasional glass of…

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In an effort to increase breastfeeding rates among low-income women in California, Senate Bill 22 has been amended to incorporate the following provisions:

Hospitals that provide maternity services and whose exclusive breastfeeding rates are among the lowest 25 percent of state ratings, must offer a minimum of 8 hours of training to appropriate administrative and supervisory staff on policies and recommendations for the promotion of breastfeeding among low-income women.

Effective July 1, 2007, the California State Department of Public Health will assume responsibility for the administration of the California WIC program and a public service campaign to include promotion of breastfeeding.

On or before…

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Each year since 1994, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has conducted the National Immunization Survey (NIS) within all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and selected geographic areas within the states.

In 2001, questions about breastfeeding practices were introduced as part of a pilot project. Since 2003, these breastfeeding questions have been asked of all survey respondents to discern population-wide breastfeeding practices.

The 2005 NIS results provide estimates of breastfeeding practices (initiation, duration, and exclusivity) nationwide, as well as state-specific breastfeeding rates.

Only five states – California, Hawaii, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington – achieved all three Healthy People 2010 Breastfeeding Objectives. Achieving these…

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While use of lithium in breastfeeding mothers is often discouraged, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston found that lithium levels in breastfeeding infants were quite low and well tolerated.

According to Dr. Adele Viguera, “In clinical practice, use of lithium during lactation has been discouraged and typically considered contraindicated in breastfeeding.”

“These cautious recommendations arise from concerns that lithium may be secreted at high levels in breastmilk and infants may inefficiently clear lithium, thereby increasing their risk for significant drug exposure and toxicity,” said Dr. Viguera.

In an effort to quantify lithium exposure in breastfeeding infants, Dr. Viguera and her colleagues measured…

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If you work with very low birth weight infants, you might want to check out the resources available from the California Perinatal Quality Control Collaborative (CPQCC) and the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine.

CPQCC was formed in 1997 and includes a network of public and private sector stakeholders. Among its quality improvement activities is the development of CPQCC Toolkits.

These all-inclusive packages are designed to help facilitate improved clinical outcomes, quality patient care, and efficient resource allocation. Currently there are no growth standards for very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.

The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine published an evidence-based protocol in 2004 on the transition from hospital to…

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The second issue of The Breastfeeding Cafe Newsletter is now available!

With information for parents and health care providers alike, The Breastfeeding Cafe Newsletter contains everything from mothers’ breastfeeding stories to summaries of recent research findings.

Highlights of the Winter 2007 issue include an article about the dangerous ways in which the rights of pregnant and birthing women are under attack; important information about the relationship between pacifier use, breastfeeding, and SIDS; the dollars and sense of breastfeeding; and more!

If you have suggestions for future articles or a personal story you would like to share, please let me know, or simply send me…

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