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The 5-Second Rule ….or the Common Sense Rule???

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Pacifiers and the 5-Second Rule

Here is the word on the 5-Second Rule.

  • It is just not a good idea to eat anything that has fallen on the floor
  • or to give a pacifier back to a child after it has landed on the floor without washing it.

We are back to the “COMMON SENSE” Rule here. As much as we would like to believe it would be okay it is not.

Also cleaning a pacifier off in your own mouth falls under the “YUK” Rule.

“Q. You know the five-second rule for dropped food? Is it really safe if you pick it up in time?

A. “The five-second rule probably should become the zero-second rule,” said Dr. Roy M. Gulick, chief of the division of infectious diseases at Weill Cornell Medical College. “Eating dropped food poses a risk for ingestion of bacteria and subsequent gastrointestinal disease, and the time the food sits on the floor does not change the risk.”

via The 5-Second Rule – NYTimes.com.”

“Binky Buzz” and Suri Cruise…

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Lets here it for Hollywood again …Suri Cruise and her pacifier.

What is all the fuss?

Is five years old  too old for healthy pacifier use???

What we know…pacifiers soothe and comfort. Toddlers may use them as “transitional objects” to lower their stress levels.  So why not…since they cannot clearly express themselves and talk it out, let them soothe with sucking.

BENEFITS:

  • Analgesia
  • For pre-term infants it may shorten their hospital stays
  • SIDS- may reduce the risk of sudden infant death – the reason is not fully understood but it may help maintain the infant’s airway, may prevent them from rolling on to their stomachs, provide increased arousal, decreases gastro-intestinal reflux and sleep apnea

COMPLICATIONS:

  • Breastfeeding- pacifiers may interfere with the establishment of early breastfeeding, however can be used for oral training in infants.
  • Dental health-dentists recommend that pacifiers not be used after 4 years of age and possibly earlier.
  • Infection- ear, dental, respiratory, and gastro-intestinal
  • Risks outweigh benefits generally after 10 months of age and risks increase after age 2..

RECOMMENDATIONS for pacifier use:

  • Analgesia
  • Decrease incidence of SIDS
  • Avoid until breastfeeding is well established

As parents we have to make many decisions pacifier use  is just one of them. You and your child will work it out.

If your child uses a “binky” there is always the dilemma of how to “get rid of them” .

HOW TO  GET RID OF THE “BINKY”:

(not necessarily what I would do)

  • Make it taste nasty
  • Give it away
  • Take it away gradually
  • Lose it
  • Read books about it
  • Let your child decide

One story struck me…a mom tied each of her child’s binky to a balloon and let her child release them into to the air to go to other babies in “heaven”. She took pictures of this milestone. ( I know, what about the environment and the balloons?) I am open to other suggestions.

Try to deal with these milestones with the least amount of stress and trauma…in the scheme of things it is no big thing!

Thanks  Suri…

How do you deal with pacifier problems??

Sudden Cardiac Death In Young Athletes

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“I received a question via iPhone App from a mother who was concerned about the recent discussions in both the media and in the medical community surrounding sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young athletes.

Each year between 10–12 million kids in the U.S. participate in sports.  The tragedy of a sudden death in an otherwise  “presumably healthy” child causes not only sadness, but concern as to how the death might have been prevented. Doctors are often asked, “isn’t there a test or something to prevent this? “.

Depending on the studies I have read, the sudden cardiac death of a child or adolescent accounts for about 100 deaths a year in the U.S.  The prevalence rate for sudden cardiac death is 1:100,000- 200,000 and is higher among males than females.  Statistics show that 90% of these sudden deaths occur immediately post training or competition with football and basketball having the highest incidence.

via Sudden Cardiac Death In Young Athletes | The Kid’s Doctor: Your Partner in Parenting.”

This is such a sad event…a young athlete dying at a game or practice.

I have read too many of these stories over the past few years and am wondering why there is no heart screening for athletes.

Well, it seems that money is the problem…since this happens to a very small number of student athletes it is not cost effective to require an EKG or cardiac ultrasound as a medical clearance to participation in competitive sports, which could possibly detect a heart abnormality.

This is a sad but true fact and even though these tests could prevent a “sudden death”I believe they will not be required any time soon.

So it seems that it is up to parents to protect their children and provide these screenings at their own expense.

If you are interested in this problematic issue go to http://www.parentheartwatch.org/IntheNews.aspx and get up to date information about what is being done about creating solutions for this tragic situation.

Japan halts vaccines after deaths of 4 children

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News from Japan regarding vaccines that are commonly used in the U.S. Pfizer is cooperating.

TOKYO -Japan has temporarily stopped using vaccines from U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc. and Sanofi-Aventis SA of France while it investigates the deaths of four children who were inoculated, the health ministry said Monday.

The decision to halt the vaccines against pneumonia, some types of meningitis and other infections was made Saturday. The government is hearing from experts at a meeting Tuesday, the health ministry said.

The four children, from under six months to 2 years old, died between March 2 and March 4. The deaths occurred the same day to three days after the vaccines were administered, the ministry said.

via Japan halts vaccines after deaths of 4 children.

Skippy Peanut Butter Recalled for Salmonella – Parenting.com

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Check your pantry before you pack another lunchbox. Unilever, in cooperation with the FDA, has issued a limited recall of Skippy Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread and Skippy Reduced Fat Super Chunk Peanut Butter Spread, because it may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled product was sold in the following 16 states: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The recalled product, which comes in 16.3 oz plastic jars, is as follows:

•        UPCs: 048001006812 and 048001006782 (located on the side of the jar’s label below the bar code.)

•        Best-If-Used-By Dates: MAY1612LR1, MAY1712LR1, MAY1812LR1, MAY1912LR1, MAY2012LR1 and MAY2112LR1 (Stamped on the lid of the jar.)

via Skippy Peanut Butter Recalled for Salmonella – Parenting.com.

Thumb sucking…

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Thumb sucking!

 

Thumb sucking

Lots of babies suck their thumb or fingers. It is part of the normal reflex infants have to root for food. As a survival technique, the sucking urge is strongest in the first three months of life. After the age of six months or so, it has more of a calming influence and helps relieve stress. If your little one sucks his thumb or fingers, especially when he’s tired, don’t get upset – it’s normal.

via News Moms Need » Blog Archive » Thumb sucking.

Horizon Organic milk + DHA (giveaway) | BabyCenter

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Giveaway….

Horizon Organic Milk…

Horizon Organic just launched a new line of their popular organic milk that in addition to containing calcium, vitamin D and 8 essential nutrients, incorporates DHA, a nutrient that supports brain, heart and eye health.

DHA is a healthy fatty acid that accounts for up to 97% of the omega-3 fats in the brain and up to 93% of the omega-3 fats in the retina. The thought is, the more DHA is consumed in the diet, the more is available to support healthy function in these areas and also the heart. (More info on the Horizon Facebook page)

According to pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene, “Most American kids are not getting the DHA they need. The typical three-year-old needs about 150 mg of DHA a day. On average, they are only getting about 19, mg, a tiny fraction of what they need for optimal brain growth.”

Wanna try it? We’re giving away 4 Horizon goody bags each including 5 free Horizon coupons (awesome!) and a Horizon t-shirt, sweatshirt, SIGG water bottle and more. To enter, comment below telling us if you already buy organic milk or if you’re contemplating the switch before Thursday, March 3 at midnight EST. We’ll choose a random winner and announce at the top of this post on Friday, March 4. Good luck. Those milk coupons are gold!!

Don’t forget to “like” Horizon on Facebook. Tons of great info and even coupons from time to time.

via Horizon Organic milk + DHA (giveaway) | BabyCenter.

Breast Feeding….

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NOTEWORTHY WEDNESDAY!

Breast is best…the comments…

“So overall, yes, breast is probably best. But not so much better that formula deserves the label of “public health menace,” alongside smoking. Given what we know so far, it seems reasonable to put breast-feeding’s health benefits on the plus side of the ledger and other things—modesty, independence, career, sanity—on the minus side, and then tally them up and make a decision. But in this risk-averse age of parenting, that’s not how it’s done.

….

My best guess is something I can’t quite articulate. Breast-feeding does not belong in the realm of facts and hard numbers; it is much too intimate and elemental. It contains all of my awe about motherhood, and also my ambivalence. Right now, even part-time, it’s a strain. But I also know that this is probably my last chance to feel warm baby skin up against mine, and one day I will miss it.

via The Case Against Breast-Feeding – Magazine – The Atlantic.

Here’s my message to other moms anxious about formula-feeding: If you absolutely hate breastfeeding for whatever reason, stop. Let it (and the guilt) go. Breastfeeding may be healthier than formula, but the formula they’re making these days is pretty awesome, too. The extra nutrients and antibodies a woman’s breast milk provides may not be worth crying every time you have to breastfeed. The truth is that your child can thrive on breast milk or formula, but an unhappy mama does not a healthy baby make. So let’s stop using how we feed our babies as an occasion to make ourselves — or other moms — miserable.

Not breastfeeding and feeding baby formula don’t make you a bad mother.”

My thoughts…

Breast Feeding has been in the news this past week with the IRS giving moms a tax-break on breast pumps. Finally, there is recognition for moms who need pumps for a myriad of reasons to help them continue to breastfeed.

Let me start out by acknowledging that I did not breastfeed either one of my children…it was a decision I made without any guilt even though I was a maternal-child nurse and had a fair amount of knowledge about breastfeeding.

It was part of my job to help women with breast feeding after delivery and during their post partum  hospital stay which in the 70’s when I began my career was on average 4-5 days for a vaginal delivery and 7-8 days for a c-section, unlike today’s very brief hospital stays after delivery. Nurses played an important role in mother-baby care for more of an extended period of time in those days of lengthier hospital stays.

Breast feeding was really on the upswing in New York City during the 70’s and many moms were choosing it as an option.

Often the first couple of days breast feeding would go fairly smoothly. It was a learning time for both mother and baby.  It seemed that gentle coaxing and encouragement gave a new mom and baby all they needed.

Then on the third post-partum day something dramatic occurred…. mom’s milk came in and the “honeymoon” period for mother and baby was usually over.

At this point, sometimes mom would even have a slight fever and be somewhat uncomfortable until baby breast fed and relieved the pressure from her warm breasts…but other moms would be initially so engorged with milk they would be crying as would baby who was having difficulty attaching to mom’s rock hard nipples. Then for some moms there was the problem of sore nipples to contend with…ouch!

Moms seemed to have a difficult time with all these adjustments in the hospital atmosphere, rooming-in was encouraged but there were still schedules to contend with and those were not always conducive to the calming conditions that are needed for mom and baby to successfully begin breastfeeding.. If the mom was recovering from a c-section the scene was usually more complicated and more painful for her. This usually added to her frustration which carried of course over to her newborn. Nurses tried their best to encourage and provide a soothing setting for both mom and baby so that they both could enjoy the breastfeeding experience which was known to be so important.

Newborn care in the hospital in those days was slightly different as well, due to the extended length of stay. Baby’s weight would be closely monitored as would any level of jaundice. Jaundice is a threatening condition depending upon many factors. Feeding encourages babies to pass stool which excretes bilirubin which causes jaundice…if baby does not get enough liquid this can cause a problem. Breast feeding was always something that caused some concern…as to whether the baby was getting enough milk… now I am not saying that breast feeding causes jaundice but many factors enter in to the picture here and feeding whether bottle or breast is observed closely if jaundice is a problem.

Even in the 70’s we knew that “breast was best” but it seemed that we did not freak out when mothers made the decision to formula feed their newborn…we realized that it was their choice as it is today. Bonding was encouraged and healthy feeding techniques were taught. Skin to skin touch was emphasized.

My decision to formula feed… was not by choice. I was taking medications that were excreted in breast milk. These medications would have been very problematic for my baby so breastfeeding was not an option. The decision was really made for me…in all honesty after working with post-partum moms I was not sure I was up to the task. It had always been super amazing to me to see the adjustment period of mom and baby to breastfeeding just as amazing perhaps as the birth of each child.

I honestly believe breast or bottle feeding does not determine what kind of mother you are…there are so many factors that go into mothering and parenting it is a wonder that any of us make it through to adulthood.

One thing I have learned is that children do take a village to raise and it starts at birth…adequate support is important to get mom and baby off to a good start. I believe that we all need to recognize our own prejudices and allow others to self determine without pressure.

In the end, we are not raising another mom’s child and really don’t we have enough to do raising our own?

Spiritually mature parents…

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Beautiful Quote !

‎”Spiritual maturity is the ability to endure paradox. If paradox means that which is contradictory, then parenting surely takes the cake… I am totally attached to my children, and I can let them go. I can respond to their needs as well as take care of my own. I will always see them as my babies, and I can learn to be with them, adult to adult.” Peggy O’Mara, “Softer Shades of Gray,” Mothering issue #65, Fall 1992

5 Things Moms Should Know About Induction |

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This is an excerpt from Babble.com’s blog.

Now I really like Babble.com but sometimes another mom’s tale of woe is simply scary stuff for other moms-to-be especially anyone facing an induction of labor.

via:http://blogs.babble.com/being-pregnant/2011/02/24/5-things-moms-should-know-about-induction/

“In a time where induction of labor is such a popular thing for mothers, there is a lot of misinformation, as well as information being left out, including risks and statistics.

With my oldest son I was induced, and there were many risks that were left out of the conversation with my provider. I was told I needed to be induced for a medical reason and went along with it despite being two days away from my due date.

In the long run, my induction was hellish, and ended in a c-section like many inductions do. Had I known this, I would not have opted for the induction because my biggest fear in childbirth was a c-section.

My top 5 things that I think all mothers should

via 5 Things Moms Should Know About Induction | Being Pregnant.

  1. Increased risk for c-section
  2. Increased risk for your baby
  3. Increased risk that your baby will be admitted to the NICU
  4. Risk for premature baby
  5. Pitocin contractions are stronger and longer”

As a maternal-child nurse articles like this one grate on my last nerve…I really feel badly for the mom that had such a bad experience.

To add more scare tactics there is an added video that accompanies this post and it literally makes me want to scream.

While working for an ob-gyn at a NYC medical center/teaching hospital I had the opportunity to interview many moms who came to our practice because of the experiences that they had at other hospitals in the metropolitan area. The differences in practices can be alarming.

  • First and foremost a pregnant woman has to have trust in her doctor and the others in the group.
  • Inductions should not be a cascade of bad events leading to a c-section.
  • Yes, pitocin is a strong drug but it can be titrated to provide the stimulus for good productive contractions.
  • Yes, these contractions will hurt and when the bag of water is broken these contractions can feel more painful. These are the facts.
  • As far as the fetus getting less and less oxygen…well when the uterus is contracting the fetal heart does usually mirror the contraction. As the contractions get stronger the fetal heart pumps harder and then goes back to its baseline as does the uterus whether the contractions are induced or not.
  • Unless there is umbilical cord compression or other reasons for fetal distress this is how the fetal heart will normally respond to labor contractions.

Fetal distress are words no one wants to hear…and lets face it this is a highly litigious medical area of practice. So as soon as there are legitimate signs of fetal distress a c-section will be discussed and strongly suggested.

Again…there really has to be trust in your physician at this point.

It is not the induction that is necessarily causing the fetal distress…there are so many factors.

  • cords get wrapped around fetuses’ necks…
  • due dates may be off slightly causing the placenta to be no longer functioning optimally,
  • there can be a knot or more in the cord of a fetus who early on had been doing flips in utero.

These are events that are not predictable. Trust….

My sincere advice:

  • talk to your physician and
  • if you are uncomfortable talk to someone else
  • read and gather information,
  • talk to an experienced nurse from labor and delivery

Do whatever it takes to be an informed consumer of healthcare.

I have worked with many, many physicians and nurses. Most are excellent. There are the few not so good ones that make the news and the blogs…that is true with every profession.

No one wants to perform a c-section for a bogus reason…no one wants a mom to have a failed induction. But when a woman gets pregnant a c-section is a possibility.

Get to know your doctor….you usually have three trimesters …you should know each other pretty well by then.