Author Archives: llpitlwp

Safely Managing Pain…

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Pain Management is so important for all of us but especially for moms who are breastfeeding.

I just had a two day bout with a migraine so this article caught my attention.

I hope that it is helpful.

Pain is the most common reason that patients seek medical attention. Pain is a symptom with an extremely broad differential diagnosis. Effective treatments are based on proper diagnosis. The source, severity, and the cause of the pain need also be considered. There are several analgesics that can be used for a variety of pain syndromes. These include Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), opiates, and non-opiate drugs. For severe pain, the opiates are the preferred method of treatment. Morphine, codeine, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and hydromorphone have been determined, by several studies, to be moderately safe for breastfeeding women. However, morphine is the preferred opiate to use by a breastfeeding mother due to its poor oral bioavailability. Infants under one month of age need to be monitored closely for sedation since they take longer to clear the drug from their system; prolonged elimination half-life and decrease clearance. Additionally, hydrocodone should be used instead of codeine in the rare instance that the mother is an ultra-rapid metabolizer of codeine, which results in the break down of codeine into therapeutically excessive levels of morphine. Furthermore, morphine and hydrocodone have been studied extensively in lactating women and have demonstrated only occasional neonatal sedation. For mild to moderate pain or rheumatic pain, the NSAIDs are ideal. Studies have shown ibuprofen to be not only compatible with breastfeeding, but also extremely safe due to poor transfer into milk and safety in infants. Analgesics with long half-lives, such as naproxen, should be used for short durations due to the potential build-up of drug in the breastmilk. Drugs that contain salicylic acid, such as aspirin, should be used with caution. Studies have shown a direct correlation between Reye syndrome and the use of aspirin in infants and children. The use of 81 mg per day, however, is unlikely to increase the risk of this syndrome. Although there appears to be a low risk associated, aspirin is a poor choice for breastfeeding women due to its questionable nature. Ibuprofen or acetaminophen should be used instead. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are both anti-pyretics that are compatible with breastfeeding and can be used to treat fevers as well.

Laura Muscianese MS1

Thomas W. Hale, Ph.D.

References: Hale TW. Berens P. Clinical Therapy in Breastfeeding Patients. Amarillo: Hale, 2010.

via Safely Managing Pain During Lactation | InfantRisk Center.

“Smoking causes serious birth defects” via March of Dimes

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NOTEWORTHY WEDNESDAY!

I have never liked smoking from the time I was very young…many of my family members smoked and the smell just made me sick.

That was many years ago…smoking was everywhere, cars, trains, airplanes, restaurants. Seemingly, you could not go anywhere to get away from it.

I endured my early years of second hand smoke and welcomed  the bans on smoking.

There is so much evidence against smoking and here is a recent post from the March of Dimes.

If you do not smoke please do not start and if you do smoke please get help to quit…it is really not good for anyone.

Smoking causes serious birth defects

To dispel any uncertainty about the serious harm caused by smoking to babies and pregnant women, the first-ever comprehensive systematic review of all studies over the past 50 years has established clearly that maternal smoking causes a range of serious birth defects including heart defects, missing/deformed limbs, clubfoot, gastrointestinal disorders, and facial disorders (for example, of the eyes and cleft lip/palate).

Smoking during pregnancy is also a risk factor for premature birth, says Dr. Michael Katz, senior Vice President for Research and Global Programs of the March of Dimes. He says the March of Dimes urges all women planning a pregnancy or who are pregnant to quit smoking now to reduce their chance of having a baby born prematurely or with a serious birth defect. Babies who survive being born prematurely and at low birthweight are at risk of other serious health problems, Dr. Katz notes, including lifelong disabilities such as cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities and learning problems. Smoking also can make it harder to get pregnant, and increases the risk of stillbirth.

Around the world, about 250 million women use tobacco every day and this number is increasing rapidly, according to data presented at the 2009 14th World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Mumbai.

The new study, “Maternal smoking in pregnancy and birth defects: a systematic review based on 173,687 malformed cases and 11.7 million controls,” by a team led by Allan Hackshaw, Cancer Research UK & UCL Cancer Trials Centre, University College London, was published online today in Human Reproduction Update from the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.

When women smoke during pregnancy, the unborn baby is exposed to dangerous chemicals like nicotine, carbon monoxide and tar, Dr. Katz says. These chemicals can deprive the baby of oxygen needed for healthy growth and development.

During pregnancy, smoking can cause problems for a woman’s own health, including: ectopic pregnancy; vaginal bleeding; placental abruption, in which the placenta peels away, partially or almost completely, from the uterine wall before delivery; placenta previa, a low-lying placenta that covers part or all of the opening of the uterus.

Smoking is also known to cause cancer, heart disease, stroke, gum disease and eye diseases that can lead to blindness.

Tags: birth defects, ectopic pregnancy, placenta abruption, placenta previa, Pregnancy, premature birth, smoking

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 12th, 2011 at 10:41 am and is filed under Hot Topics, Planning for Baby, Pregnancy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

via News Moms Need » Blog Archive » Smoking causes serious birth defects.

Celebrate the joy of parenthood

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Celebrate the joy of parenthood

Being a parent is the most rewarding job there is. And it’s also the hardest. Sometimes life gets so hectic with work, finances, commitments and concerns that we forget to stop and appreciate what’s really important. That’s why JOHNSON’S® invites you to celebrate the joy of parenthood.

Recently, the JOHNSON’S® Team traveled around the country, spending time with new parents, including a March of Dimes ambassador family. What did they learn? What we probably already know to be important: Raising children is about all those special moments that fill each ordinary day. Think about your little one and the moments that really make you smile. Do you have a favorite? Is it rubbing noses, or blowing bubbles, watching your baby take her first steps, hearing her say “Mama,” or just gazing at her while she sleeps?

JOHNSON’S® invites all parents to get involved and make the promise to celebrate everyday joy.  Will you promise to celebrate everyday joy? For each promise made on their Facebook page, JOHNSON’S® will donate $1 to the March of Dimes ($1 for every “like,” up to $50,000!) to help bring joy to more families by improving the health of babies. Please join JOHNSON’S® by making the promise to step back and treasure everyday joy.

Tags: family, JOHNSON’S®, parenting, treasuring everyday joy

via News Moms Need » Blog Archive » Celebrate the joy of parenthood.

This is a great opportunity to help yourself, your child and the March of Dimes.

Swimming right after eating???

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Is it safe for children to swim right after eating?

Here is what “Baby Center” says:

No. This one’s an old and familiar rule, but there’s very little truth behind it.

There’s no question that water is a huge hazard for kids, with drowning  the second leading cause of accidental death among children ages 1 to 14. But these drownings simply have no connection with eating beforehand.

After eating, the body does direct blood to the stomach to help with digestion, so it’s conceivable – though unlikely – that swimming with a full stomach will lead to stomach cramps. Contrary to popular belief, a stomach cramp may be painful but it doesn’t make people sink and drown.

The American Red Cross says there’s no specific amount of time your child needs to wait before heading for the water after eating, but the organization does suggest waiting until he’s comfortable before engaging in any strenuous activity. If he’s sluggish or tired after chowing down, let him rest first. And, of course, children should be supervised whenever they’re in or around water.

Even though there’s no basis for the idea that swimming on a full stomach makes people sink like the proverbial stone, the myth is extraordinarily persistent. In BabyCenter’s 2009 Summer Survey, when we queried more than 1,300 moms about it, 58 percent said they think it’s unsafe to let children swim right after eating.

That said, here are five possible reasons not to allow kids to swim right after eating, suggested by BabyCenter parents:

1. The more likely danger of letting your young child swim right after eating is that he might throw up in the pool! Many parents – and pool lifeguards – tell us that this happens often enough, and when it does, the pool has to be closed and cleaned.

2. “It’s not safe to swim for half an hour after eating because Mom needs a break from watching the kids so closely. For at least three generations, my family has used it as an excuse to get away from the water for a bit, or so say my mom and her mom.” – SassySaru

3. “I have always told my kids they can’t go swimming after lunch in summer as it is the best way of getting the kids out of the sun at midday, thus protecting their skin from sunburn!” – Anonymous

4. “I normally let my little one swim right before her meal. Makes her hungrier and helps me feed her better. It’s a win-win for me.” – kanchan

5. “I’ve always felt sick to my stomach if I try to go back in the water right after eating. Really, if I do any major exercise after a full meal, I feel sick. I think the stomach isn’t getting the blood supply it wants to efficiently promote digestion, and you feel sick. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it with my kids.” – megs

via Is it true that it’s not safe for children to swim right after eating? | BabyCenter.

Will you be watching fireworks?

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Will you be watching fireworks?

It’s amazing how much we love fireworks. Whether we’re 3, 33 or 83, the sudden bursts of light and colors against a dark sky fill so many of us with awe. Enjoy them this weekend!

Don’t forget that while sparklers are magically fun, they’re still dangerous for little kids and should be handled only by adults or older children who know not to wave them in people’s faces. Keep a really good distance from any launch sites and delight in the surprise and beauty of the fireworks. Remember, babies can be frightened by the loud bangs that can hurt their ears (me, too!) While the big kids are outside, you may prefer to move your little ones indoors or to the car to watch from the windows.

via News Moms Need » Blog Archive » Will you be watching fireworks?.

Happy Fourth of July!

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(Martha’s Vineyard 4th of July)

The Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays….I love the summer and it is the summer celebration that I enjoy the most!

I particularly enjoy the display of flags all around….my family was a military one so the flag was almost always on prominent display.

So this 4th is like many others …I pause to remember the past and look forward to the future while enjoying the present with my family and friends.

My hope is that you do the same if this is a holiday that you celebrate.

Mother and Baby Reunited in Spain | Care2 Causes

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“Two weeks ago, Care2 reported that Spanish social services had taken a baby away because her mother refused to wean. The mother, known as Habiba, had moved into a women’s shelter in Madrid with her 15 month old daughter, known as Alma. On May 31, Habiba’s daughter was taken away from her because she refused to forcibly wean her baby. Habiba was also criticized for cosleeping with her baby instead of putting her in a cot. On June 22, they were finally reunited after a social services committee overturned the earlier removal.Louma Sader Bujana, one of the bloggers who translated materials into English and helped to bring international coverage to the story, wrote about the reunification on her blog Amor Maternal. She translated and shared an official update from Fundacion Raices, an organization that had been supporting Habiba:

via Mother and Baby Reunited in Spain | Care2 Causes.”

Apparently this is not an isolated incident on the world scene.

It is a very sad commentary on how women and children are treated.

This story is both sad and deplorable.

There are many points here that bother me but the fact that social services was involved in this situation is particularly disturbing.

Here in the United States, many times the depiction of the “social worker” is one that takes children from their parents and puts them in protective custody due to suspected child neglect or abuse. This task is usually  carried out by a social service caseworker who is not a Licensed Social Worker. Caseworkers sometimes receive specific training by the state in which they work but they are not necessarily Licensed Social Workers, who in many states have a Masters degree in social work.

That being said, Licensed Social Workers in the United States would be expected by their National Association of Social Work (NASW) Code of Ethics to treat the person in their environment and try to maintain the mother-child bond if possible.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker  and am disturbed by the implication that a professional social worker is many times associated with such situations as the one in this news story.

As a profession, licensed social workers must dispel the notion that social service caseworkers are synonomous with licensed social workers. We must clarify what a Licensed Clinical Social Worker is and what they actually do when it comes to child and family services.

Licensed social workers are expected to help and advocate for those in need not impose undue distress on an already stressful situation such as homelessness.

We also owe it to the global community to condemn the actions of social services that promote taking a child away from its mother and forced to wean as was done in Spain.

Happy Father’s Day!

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This is a wonderful tribute to a father who really is a meaningful dad to his children…Happy Father’s Day to those who take their responsibilities seriously and treat their children with love and respect.

This piece is from one of my favorite blogs and I would like to share it with you. Do yourself a favor and check out this blog!

“So often when people talk about attachment parenting they are thinking about the nurturing role that the mother plays. In our house, the mothering role has been an important one, but the fathering role has been critical too.  We are partners in raising our kids, not a lead parent and a second fiddle. I value the role that my husband plays in our family and I know our children do too. I wish society would place more value on the role men can play as fathers.

So as a father’s day tribute, let me tell you what an attached dad looks like in our house:

  • An attached dad knows that real men use ring slings (or wraps, mei tais, etc…).
  • An attached dad parents his children to sleep by lying down with them and telling imaginative stories as they head off to dream land.
  • An attached dad trusts that his children will wean when they are ready.
  • An attached dad takes years off of his own career to be a stay at home dad when that is what works best for the family.
  • An attached dad uses tickle fights and monster attacks to elicit shrieks of joy and physical play.
  • An attached dad goes to his son at night and joins him in bed when he calls out and says “Daddy, cuddle me tight”.
  • An attached dad puts his chores aside and spends the morning cuddling when his daughter says,“Daddy, I need you”.
  • An attached dad understands that he doesn’t need to feed formula to be an involved dad.
  • An attached dad washes the cloth diapers, over and over again, without being asked, so often that the attached mom can’t remember when she last washed them.
  • An attached dad knows you can be firm and set limits without hitting or shaming your children.
  • An attached dad loves sharing the bed for afternoon naps.
  • An attached dad marvels at the personalities and abilities of his children and beams with pride.
  • An attached dad sometimes needs a break and in turn understands that the attached mom sometimes needs one too.

via An attached dad | PhD in Parenting.”