Binkies and Breastfeeding

May 14th, 12 / 1 Comment
binkies-and-breastfeeding

By Ready. Set. Grow!

This article originally appeared in First 5 LA’s newsletter, the Monday Morning Report.

Like most decisions new parents make, whether to give an infant a pacifier is one that is surrounded by conflicting research and lots of opinions. Sucking is a soothing reflex in babies and its use is correlated with a reduction in sudden infant death (SIDS). But pacifier use raises concerns about adequate nutrition, as well as speech and oral development.

In breastfeeding babies, there are fears that pacifiers cause nipple confusion, making it difficult for a baby to learn the distinct sucking and latching needed for breastfeeding, as well as those that newborns not fed from the breast on demand will hinder milk supply. To that end, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting a month to introduce a pacifier to a breastfeeding baby and Baby-Friendly Hospitals must not give pacifiers to babies born there. The goal is to breastfeed exclusively for six months so that babies receive all the beneficial nutrients and immune system strengthening they can. Baby-Friendly Hospitals are those that have guidelines and resources to support and encourage new mothers in breastfeeding their babies.

But recent research out of the Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital found that babies not given pacifiers in the hospital were less likely to be exclusively breastfed and more likely to receive formula. In data presented on April 30 at the Pediatric Academic Societies’ annual meeting in Boston, the researchers cautioned that more research supporting the withholding of pacifiers in Baby-Friendly Hospitals is needed.

The researchers analyzed data related to the feedings of 2,249 infants admitted to the OHSU Mother-Baby Unit from June 2010 to August 2011. Pacifiers were still being distributed in the Unit from July 2010 to November 2010. Of the infants admitted to the Unit during that time, 79 percent were exclusively breastfed. After the no-pacifier policy was in place beginning in January 2011, the rate decreased to 68 percent.

In addition, there was about a 10 percent increase in babies who received supplemental formula after the no-pacifier policy.

“We view this as an interesting observation, but we do not claim a cause and effect relationship,” said Laura Kair one of the researchers and a resident in pediatrics at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. “Our goal in publicizing this data is to stimulate dialogue and scientific inquiry into the relationship between pacifiers and breastfeeding. Our overall goal is to increase breastfeeding rates, even in Oregon which already boasts the highest rate in the nation.”

For more information about pacifier use:

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Breastfeeding, Uncategorized

Update: REAL Kid-Friendly Lunches That REALLY Work

May 9th, 12 / 0 Comments
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By Double Duty Mama

You may not believe this, but I may have stumbled upon a real solution to a real kid problem!

Remember about six weeks ago when I told you about how my kids don’t eat the healthy food I pack in their lunch boxes and were also sneaking cafeteria meals at school? Our lunch box battles inspired me to be more creative with their lunches and find a variety of healthy, kid-friendly foods they’ll be sure to eat.

It. Totally. Worked.

I know! I couldn’t believe it either!

What I figured out was they were actually very sick of their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches — even though they didn’t realize it themselves or even know how to voice what was bothering them. They asked for it every day because they didn’t really know what else they could ask for … and then shunned it when faced with the prospect of actually eating one again.

Now, I usually give them two options to choose from and let them also pick from among a variety of “extras,” like crackers, baked chips, pretzels, granola bars, yogurt smoothies, yogurt, various cheeses, apple sauce and fruit cups in water, as well as fruits and vegetables I know they like (there is always one serving in every lunch box). They’ve learned to like, or at least accept and eat, leftover pizza, pasta and chicken (a favorite being “make-your-own-tacos” with chicken chunks, shredded cheese and whole wheat tortillas). They also eat rice cakes with peanut butter, frozen taquitos, quesadillas, homemade “lunchables,” hard-boiled eggs and “breakfast for lunch” with no sugar added cereal, yogurt cups and cut-up fruit.

And, for the first time since I started sending lunch with them to school, I’ve managed to keep a jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread on hand for more than a few days.

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Health and Nutrition, Recipes and Cooking, Uncategorized

The Day I Let Go

Apr 27th, 12 / 0 Comments
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By Positive Momma

After five years as a working mom, I hit the wall.

Actually, the wall hit me.

Tired beyond words from a demanding job and two even more demanding toddlers, I began to berate myself: “It’s 7 p.m. and you haven’t even started homework or dinner. Not only do you suck, your life circumstances are set up so that you can’t do anything but suck.”

I’m not sure if it was my 5-year-old crying in the living room for help on her homework or my 2-year-old pulling on my skirt, yelling, “I mont kakuhs (I want crackers)!” Whatever it was, I had a moment of clarity. On that very wall that hit me was spray-painted as clear as could be, “You fail as a mom if you don’t have a home-cooked dinner for your children and it isn’t ready by 6:30 p.m.” The crazy part is that I “tagged” this wall ages ago, before I even had children. I don’t know where I got the notion (I’m sensing childhood sitcoms or friends who have it together and make motherhood look so easy) — all I know is that it was keeping me in bondage to some lifestyle expectation that, at this point, I physically could not maintain.

So I did it….

I put the pot back in the cabinet.

I pulled out a can of soup.

I made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Then, I played with my children, helped them with homework … and I was set free.

Truly, set free.

That’s not to say I make sandwiches and soup for dinner every night, but we do usually eat around 7 p.m. and I do allow myself a healthy “bought” meal or a simpler, quicker solution. The point is, I pulverized that wall, and allowed myself to be a great mom — in spite of me.

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Health and Nutrition, Parenting

Whoopi Goldberg Doesn’t Know What’s Breast for Babies

Apr 24th, 12 / 2 Comments
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By Ready. Set. Grow!

With all due respect to Whoopi Goldberg, she should be careful before “reporting” on issues on which she is grossly misinformed. On “The View” Monday morning, the actress/comedian turned talk show hostess blasted New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg as if he were personally walking into every new mom’s hospital room in the city and forcing them to breastfeed. She called it “his” baby-friendly hospital initiative (see the second video down).

Well, Goldberg, this initiative does not belong to Bloomberg, and there is nothing forceful about hospitals setting guidelines and having resources available that help and encourage new mothers in the

Three-quarters of babies are breastfed at birt...

breastfeeding journey. Of course, there are women who just can’t breastfeed or who simply don’t want to. But there are many, many more who could see great breastfeeding success with some help through what can be a very challenging time.

The “Baby-Friendly Hospital” initiative is actually a designation from the World Health Organization and UNICEF for hospitals that encourage and help new moms breastfeed. First 5 LA is currently helping 16 Los Angeles County hospitals earn this designation because breastfeeding is what’s best for babies and mothers. Breast milk is proven to help immune systems, control weight, boost brain development and increase the mother-child bonding experience. Many hospitals, especially those that serve low-income families, don’t have the resources or staff to help these moms – including those who really want to breastfeed but can’t get over the hurdles alone.

There is nothing militant or forceful about helping new mothers who want to make the best choices for their children. Everyone still has a choice. As they should. It’s irresponsible of Goldberg to spread misinformation to so many people who trust her.

To learn more about breastfeeding, including resources to help, visit our Ready. Set. Grow! Moving Families Forward Breastfeeding page.

Read more about the Baby-Friendly Hospital initiative and how First 5 LA is supporting local hospitals here.

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Breastfeeding, Uncategorized

Think Green: Kid-Friendly Earth Day 2012 Los Angeles Events and Tips for Home

Apr 18th, 12 / 0 Comments
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By Ready. Set. Grow!

While we should be nice to the Earth all year ‘round, Earth Day is a good time to teach your kids about how and why they can make a difference. Whether you’re going to an Earth Day event (like one of the 14 free or low-cost kid-friendly events this weekend in L.A. County listed below), or going to talk about respecting our planet at home — take this opportunity to instill good, Earth-loving habits in your child now!

Here are some Earth-friendly activities you can do to get your young child thinking green:

  • Reduce: Explain that when they leave the lights or the television on when they are not being used, that wastes energy. Tell them that the Earth helps make energy through oil, and that there isn’t a lot of it, so we need to be sure to save some for later! Other ways they can help save energy: turn off the water when brushing teeth, walk or ride a bike instead of taking a car to go a short distance and taking quicker showers.
  • Reuse: Encourage your kids to accept and love hand-me-downs from older friends or family members, and get them involved in giving their own gently-used clothes and toys to others — they can either be donated to charity through local thrift shops, like The Goodwill, or passed down to friends and family members.
  • Recycle: Young kids like to sort, so whether your house is one that has recycling pick-up or you have to take your recyclables somewhere, get your child involved in sorting the trash from the recyclables. Explain how to look for the triangular recycling symbol on bottles and products, and that things like aluminum cans, glass, paper and cardboard always belong in the recycling bin.

Los Angeles Area Events

  • Earth Day Latino 2012, Downtown Los Angeles, Saturday at 8 a.m., Sunday at 10 a.m., Free (optional $7 donation for BBQ dinner)
  • Topanga Earth Day, Topanga, Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. – sunset, $12 suggested donation
  • California Poppy Festival, Lancaster, Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., children 5 and younger free, children 6-12 $5, adults $8, seniors 62 and older $5
  • Celebrate Earth Day at Augustus Hawkins Nature Park, Compton, Saturday, Noon – 4 p.m., details available by calling the park at 323-581-4498.
  • Earth Day: Because Earth Without Art is Just “Eh,” Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Sunday, Noon, Free with museum admission (free museum admission will be granted to those with a bike helmet or bike parking receipts or those who traveled by alternative transportation)

You can see all of these events, and more, at the Ready. Set. Grow! Family Events page. Check back often!

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Charity, Parenting, Uncategorized

Kindergartner Handcuffed and Taken Away By Police for Acting Out

Apr 17th, 12 / 0 Comments
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By Double Duty Mama

As I read this article about a kindergartner being hauled off in handcuffs by the police for acting out in school, I tried to picture all of this happening through the eyes of a kindergartner. Or, actually, through the eyes of my kindergartner. He may be a kindergartner who struggles with behavior issues and has his share of tantrums that land him in the principal’s office … but at least the only terror he has from those experiences is the one that comes when the school calls me or my husband. The idea of the police being called because he threw a toy or had one of his defiant “I-don’t-have-to-listen-to-you” episodes with a teacher would make me seriously question the professionals in whose care I’ve trusted him. That the police and school district in this case are even now, with the benefit of hindsight, justifying their actions has me baffled.

The story cites other instances around the country where students were arrested for misbehaving at school. While their alleged “crimes” may sound trivial (burping in class), we know that those kids are older and no mention is made of their behavioral histories. How much behavioral history can a 6-year-old have that would warrant handcuffs and a trip to the clink?

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Behavior Issues, Safety, Uncategorized

Eat Healthy, Grow Strong: Kids Eat Free in Los Angeles!

Apr 9th, 12 / 0 Comments
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By Ready. Set. Grow!

Eating healthy and sticking to a budget can be difficult. But families shouldn’t have to feel they are stuck at home for every meal when there are many, many Los Angeles restaurants that offer FREE kids meals. Going out for a meal should be a fun, relaxing and healthy time for families — and feeding kids for free can help make that happen.

Be aware, though, that many of the “kids” meals may not be the healthiest. Healthy food choices begin with you. While occasional treats of French fries and macaroni and cheese are okay, be sure to try healthier options if they are available: grilled chicken and other meats; salad, veggies or fruit as an alternative to chips or fries and pasta with red sauce instead of macaroni and cheese.

Some of the restaurants included in these websites are IHOP, Marie Callender’s, Subway, Denny’s, El Torito, Coco’s, Ruby’s and Islands. Watch the fine print for restrictions on days and times, ages and how many adult meals, if any, need to be purchased to get the kids’ meals free.

  • The Los Angeles version of kidseatfor.com has the restaurants displayed in a weekly calendar.
  • The website lawithkids.com has some listings not found on other sites for non-chain restaurants.

Bon Appetit!

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Through April, our Eat Healthy, Grow Strong campaign will feature blog entries about nutritious eating, along with recipes, tips and resources for you to help your family Eat Healthy, Grow Strong! Be sure to visit www.ReadySetGrowLA.org/EatHealthy for even more ways to make good eating a part of your life, including upcoming events and a Nutrition Quiz to win great prizes.

 

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Budgeting, Health and Nutrition, Uncategorized

Eat Healthy, Grow Strong: REAL Kid-Friendly Lunches

Mar 29th, 12 / 1 Comment
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By Double Duty Mama

If you’re anything like me, and your kids are anything like mine, I’m sure you’ll understand how often I roll my eyes at so-called “kid-friendly recipes.” Edamame Succotash Salad? Tobuleh and Hummus Wraps? Please! Have these people ever even met a preschooler, let alone tried to get three healthy meals a day into one?

My kids are both in elementary school now and I pack a lunch every day. Just because they’re a little older doesn’t mean they’re tastes have matured much beyond their preschool years. They generally ask for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day. Sometimes, they mix it up with bologna or a homemade “lunchable” where I put crackers, bologna and cheese into baggies and let them assemble themselves. I work full time, commute a long way and my family is overrun with extra-curricular activities and family/friend commitments. We don’t have a lot of time and my kids are pretty picky, so I don’t try to be very fancy or creative with most our meals. I do try to vary them as much as possible and make sure they are balanced (yes, I do believe that My Plate is a great guideline).

But, it seems, no matter what I do – we are constantly battling over what’s inside the lunch box. I want to give them lots of yummy, healthy extras – like yogurt, pretzels and granola bars. The deal is, though, they have to eat their sandwiches and fruit/veggies FIRST, before the other stuff. Most days, not only do they NOT follow that rule – but they also completely DON’T eat the sandwiches and fruits/veggies. When that happens, I put them on lunch box probation and, for several days, they get nothing but a sandwich, fruit or vegetable and, maybe, if I’m feeling generous, a granola bar. A few days later, figuring the lesson’s been learned, we go back to regular lunches. And our regular battles.

This week, I discovered that my older son, who is allowed to eat in the school cafeteria once a week for lunch, has not only been sneaking in a second lunch (after not eating the one I packed), but a second breakfast only minutes after finishing his first one at home. What? When I asked why he’s buying a second breakfast, he could only shrug. Am I not making what you like? Do I need to make you more? No, he said. He couldn’t explain.

It does, however, explain why sandwich after sandwich returns home in his lunchbox, uneaten. Who would be hungry for lunch after two breakfasts?

Besides the costs of the extra school lunches and breakfasts, I’ve also grown angry over the amount of food that’s gone to waste – food that costs money. He can kiss his allowance good-bye for a while.

This whole thing, though, has inspired me to find lunch box meals that go beyond the PB&J, but stop somewhere before goat cheese and red pepper sandwiches, to find TRULY REAL kid-friendly lunches to go! A big hurdle to this is that my kids complain they don’t want to eat food “cold.” Hoping I can convince them to accept room temperature for some food, I think I’ve gathered some ideas from the Internet that we’re going to try in the coming weeks:

  • Wraps with cheese and turkey or bologna
  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Bagels and cream cheese or peanut butter
  • Bean and cheese burritos
  • Taquitos, cut up with a small container of sour cream
  • Left over pasta or macaroni and cheese
  • Rolls with cheese and bologna or turkey on the side
  • Chicken and rice (they love teriyaki and soy sauce)
  • Rice cakes with cream cheese or peanut butter
  • Mini muffins
  • Dry cereal
  • Left over pizza

Be sure to make the meal balanced with fruits and veggies, lean protein, whole grains and dairy!

Anyone else have any ideas for TRULY REAL kid-friendly lunches to share? Leave them in the comments below!

For some great tips and reminders about lunch time realities, check out:

Brown Bag Lunch Recipes: Pack A Brown Bag Lunch That Won’t Be Traded from About.com

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Through April, our Eat Healthy, Grow Strong campaign will feature blog entries about nutritious eating, along with recipes, tips and resources for you to help your family Eat Healthy, Grow Strong! Be sure to visit www.ReadySetGrowLA.org/EatHealthy for even more ways to make good eating a part of your life, including upcoming events and a Nutrition Quiz to win great prizes.

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Health and Nutrition, Parenting, Recipes and Cooking

Eat Healthy, Grow Strong: Would You Rather Have a Banana or a Scooby-Doo Stickered Rock for Breakfast?

Mar 19th, 12 / 0 Comments
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By Double Duty Mama

When my younger son was about 15 days old and his brother was 2 years old, my husband and I watched a shocking episode of Dateline where preschoolers were asked to choose between foods.

First, they chose between cupcakes: one with an American flag design and the other with Elmo or Spiderman. The character always won. Then, they were asked to choose between a banana covered with Disney princess or Scooby-Doo stickers and a plain cupcake, and the stickered banana was chosen each time. Last, they were presented a plain banana and cartoon character sticker-covered rock and asked which they’d rather have in their lunch box. Guess what? They all chose the rock.

My husband and I, who considered ourselves savvy to the tricky ways of marketers, had never encountered this issue. And we were shocked to see the kids, one after the other, choose food based on what it looked like. Our older son was still pretty shielded at that point from television, except for DVR’d episodes of Dora the Explorer. We never bought shoes or shirts with cartoon characters on them and we never wanted to encourage any obsessions with these characters. We knew that eventually these icons would be discovered, but we didn’t want to speed up that process.

And with good reason. Like that Dateline show, we knew the power of marketing on children. The American Academy of Pediatrics places a large part of the childhood obesity epidemic blame on food marketing, and a recent study found that preschoolers were more likely to “nag” for junk food in the grocery store based on product packaging, cartoon characters and exposure to commercials.

It is our job to ensure that the kids eat healthy, and we always keep the junk food to a minimum. As they grow older, watch more television and play video games and begin to like what their friends like, it only gets harder. But if you set the ground rules at the beginning and stick to your nutritious shopping list, it does get easier. Eventually, they stop nagging (as much) for the Star Wars fruit snacks and eat the plain, fresh apple. I can’t say it ever stops completely, but by being consistent you can win against the powerful food marketing force and be sure your kids are eating healthy and growing strong.

Click here to read a full transcript of Dateline’s Who’s to blame for the U.S. obesity epidemic? —including a link to a five-minute video of the kids making their food choices.

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Through April, our Eat Healthy, Grow Strong campaign will feature blog entries about nutritious eating, along with recipes, tips and resources for you to help your family Eat Healthy, Grow Strong! Be sure to visit www.ReadySetGrowLA.org/EatHealthy for even more ways to make good eating a part of your life, including upcoming events and a Nutrition Quiz to win great prizes.

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Behavior Issues, Health and Nutrition, Parenting, Uncategorized

Judging: Parents Are Hard on Each Other … and Themselves

Mar 13th, 12 / 0 Comments
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By Double Duty Mama

“You don’t even know.”

I often look at parents-to-be and think that to myself.

Because, frankly, I didn’t even know how dramatically life would change with kids….

How I would  lie awake at night thinking about all the things I needed to do to keep my kids safe and alive … and pay for things like daycare, college and weddings….

How “free time” was no longer about leisurely reading books or shopping with friends, but running around my house frantically like a mad woman on a Saturday afternoon cleaning, filling out school and extracurricular activity forms, catching up on party RSVP’s, fixing snacks, toys and boo-boos….

How much time I would spend worrying if I was “doing it right,” guiltily comparing myself to my stay-at-home friends who seemed to enjoy their constant time with their kids, while feeding them homemade, organic food … or smugly comparing myself to my friends who plopped their toddlers in front of the television with a bag of cookies for three hours a day.

This comparing myself to others and stressing about parenting can be a poisonous path to travel.

Earlier this month, a blogger wrote a column in the Huffington Post apologizing to the parents she judged before having children and acknowledging all the “judge-worthy” things she does with her children: television(!), disposable diapers(!).

Then, she smartly writes to all parents: “Stop comparing ourselves to each other because it’s hard for all of us, and we’re just doing what we can to get by, get through the day and give our children the best we can.”

And she’s right, but it can be hard … especially when study after study talks about all the ways parents are failing their children. A recent one written up in the Washington Post compares American parents to their French counterparts, who are “calmer” and “more confident.” The article does note, however, that the French, unlike the U.S., have state-subsidized child care … which I’m sure eliminates a lot of the stress hard-working parents have over earning a living and finding someone to watch over their little ones.

Speaking of which, the article did throw working parents a bone: “American mothers who work outside the home — and that’s three-fourths of all moms, many of whom work full-time — spend more time with their children today than stay-at-home mothers did in the 1960s.”

The article adds: “They do so by forgoing sleep, personal care, housework and any shred of personal leisure. Their ‘free time’ is largely spent with their kids.” This, of course, gives me and all working, guilt-ridden parents the opportunity to pretend this makes us “better” parents than the stay-at-home ones. But that would be inaccurate and judge-y.

So, the whole point is that, no matter what the articles, studies or even our friends and family members say, no parent is perfect (especially in the eyes of another). All we can do is our best: read the articles, listen to the pediatrician and access educational and resourceful information to make the best, informed choices we can.

And don’t beat ourselves up if we toss the cranky kid in the shopping cart the iPhone.

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Looking for some well-researched parenting advice and child-rearing information? Be sure to explore Ready. Set. Grow! for more:

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Behavior Issues, Parenting
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