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New York, New Breastfeeding?

July 3, 2008 by Heidi Green | No questions or comments

Although a few books have gamely tackled the topic, claims that the infant formula industry has actively and deliberately thwarted breastfeeding are often shrugged off as being overblown and, perhaps, paranoid. Programs to increase breastfeeding rates are dismissed as being unnecessary folly. Well, Deborah L. Kaplan and Kristina M. Graff are here to say otherwise. In a recent article for the Journal of Urban Health, they succinctly review the history of infant formula marketing in the U.S., present evidence-based studies that show the impact of such marketing practices, and ...(read more)

Breastfeeding, The Original “Environmentally Safe” Resource

July 2, 2008 by Karen Gromada | No questions or comments

What could be “greener” than mother’s own milk flowing directly into baby from the product distribution centers, usually referred to as breasts? The entire process is self-contained in each mother—factory, packaging, warehouse, transportation, and delivery system. Only 500 kcal per day are needed to ...

Less Better Than More

May 30, 2008 by Amy Spangler | 1 question or comment

Results of a new study suggest that giving extra iron to infants who don't need it, might cause developmental delays. These findings fuel the debate over how much iron infants need and could have huge implications for the ...

FDA Unveils New Labels for Pregnancy, Breastfeeding

May 29, 2008 by Heidi Green | No questions or comments

Any woman who, when pregnant or breastfeeding, has had to talk to a doctor about medication (almost certainly asking “Will this hurt my baby?”) will be glad to hear this news. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is planning to overhaul its rules ...

Measles Outbreak Highlights Importance of Immunizations

May 12, 2008 by Amy Spangler | 1 question or comment

If you thought childhood diseases had been eradicated by the discovery of disease specific vaccines, think again. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from January 1 through April 25, 2008 there were 64 confirmed cases of ...

Pregnant? Buckle up!

May 11, 2008 by Mary Jessica Hammes | 3 questions or comments

Near the end of my pregnancy, my stomach was large enough that strangers at the mall asked if I was having twins. (I was not. Thanks, strangers!) My feet only fit into the ugliest pair of sandals I’ve ever owned, but mercifully, my stomach ...

Are Breastfed Babies Smarter?

May 11, 2008 by Amy Spangler | 1 question or comment

A study published in the May issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry adds to the body of evidence showing that breastfeeding improves IQ. According to lead author, Michael S. Kramer, M.D., exclusive breastfeeding ...

FDA Approves New Rotavirus Vaccine—But Do You Want It?

April 7, 2008 by Mary Jessica Hammes | 7 questions or comments

My friend Allison had a rough week not long ago, to put it mildly. First, she and her 19-month old son, Asher, flew across country (to attend a funeral, no less). Traveling alone with a toddler would be trying enough, but then, the ...

The “Reality” of Parenting—on NBC

March 30, 2008 by Heidi Green | 2 questions or comments

Have you heard about the next hot thing in reality TV? NBC’s The Baby Borrowers follows five teen couples who believe they are ready to be parents. The show requires them to grow up—fast. Each couple is set up in a home in ...

Formula Standards Overturned

March 17, 2008 by Heidi Green | No questions or comments

It is with a sad heart that I update this earlier story about the United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) new set of standards. You may recall that, with these standards, the FSA aims to “mak[e] sure the nutritional ...

Newborn Babies and Sleep

March 10, 2008 by Elizabeth Pantley | 3 questions or comments

baby gooroo® is pleased to announce that Elizabeth Pantley, author of numerous books including The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night, has agreed to share her wisdom with members of the baby gooroo® community. What follows is the first of many weekly articles. ...

Breastfeeding May Protect Against Obesity

March 10, 2008 by Amy Spangler | No questions or comments

What do overweight adolescents have in common? According to researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, perhaps more than we think. Woo and colleagues investigated the association between length of breastfeeding and body mass index (BMI). The ...