Wednesday, July 28, 2004

Breastfeeding ad decision defended: 29 July 2004
NZcity.co.nz
"The organisation which assesses advertisements is standing by its decision not to let a breastfeeding commercial screen when children are watching. The advertisement depicts a girl pretending to breastfeed a doll while having a play tea party. The message is 'why don't we all grow up and take natural things as natural.'..."

Tuesday, July 27, 2004

Research and Markets: Baby Foods Market Report 2004; The Future Looks Bright for Baby Foods
July 27, 2004 05:29 AM US Eastern Timezone
"DUBLIN, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 27, 2004--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com) has announced the addition of Baby Foods Market Report 2004 to their offering. Despite the falling birth rate, the UK market for baby milks and baby foods has maintained steady growth over the past 5 years (1999 to 2003). A number of factors are responsible for this, including socio-demographic trends, such as the trend for older motherhood and the high proportion of mothers of young children in full- or part-time employment. Innovation by manufacturers has also played an important part in the development of the market, with new products emphasising convenience and health advantages...."

Monday, July 26, 2004

Floridian: When it's time to let goBreast-feeding is so satisfying to a mother and her child that both may be reluctant to quit for fear of losing the closeness it brings.
By MELANIE HUBBARD
Published July 25, 2004
"It's like learning to ride a bicycle. Only they never tell you how to get off. I've been nursing my child for five years now, and I am not particularly inclined to stop. When people ask, I joke that we will stop before she's 18. If my child is in the room, she'll pipe up, 'I'll have Mommy milk when I'm 118!'..."
Why Obese Mothers Abandon Breastfeeding
Cornell University
26.07.2004 
"Studies have shown that overweight and obese mothers are significantly more likely to quit breast-feeding their infants sooner than do healthy-weight mothers. An important reason why is the weaker biological response that heavier women have to their babies’ suckling, according to a study conducted by researchers at Cornell University and Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, N.Y. 'We found that overweight and obese women have a lower prolactin response to suckling,' says Kathleen Rasmussen, professor of nutritional sciences at Cornell and the lead researcher of the study, which is published in the journal Pediatrics (Vol. 113, No. 5, May 2004). Prolactin is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates the mammary glands to produce milk soon after birth...."
Tallahassee Democrat | 07/26/2004 | FDA warning upsets some nursing moms
Posted on Mon, Jul. 26, 2004
By Michael Precker
DALLAS MORNING NEWS
"Doreen Fisher eats organic food, doesn't touch red meat and tries to avoid taking medication. But when it comes to breast-feeding her son, she makes an exception. ''I don't even take an aspirin,' says Fisher, 36. 'But that's how passionate I feel about breast-feeding my child.' Because of a hormonal condition that limits her natural milk production, Fisher takes domperidone, which she says has enabled her to breast-feed her 8-month-old son, Stone...."


'It's worked wonderfully, and I've never seen any side effects,' says Fisher, who orders the drug from a pharmacy overseas. 'I don't know what I would do without it.'"

Sunday, July 25, 2004

Lead level in corn shipment found 'by accident'

26 July 2004
By COLIN PATTERSON
"The Food Safety Authority says contamination in a shipment of corn from China was discovered by accident. The corn, which contained more than 100 times the safe level of lead, was imported in October. It was then milled before being used by food manufacturers in products such as baby foods, soups, batters and baking goods. The contamination was not detected in tests at the flour mill. Instead it was discovered when the authority tested infant formula as part of its Total Diet Survey. The survey was carried out once every five years, authority spokeswoman Sally Johnston said...."
NEWS.com.au | Women offer breastmilk to chimps (July 26, 2004)
From correspondents in Beijing
"TWO young mothers in China have donated their own breastmilk to help feed two new-born chimpanzees facing malnutrition in Beijing Zoo, state-owned media said. The women, who were identified only by their surnames Pan and Bing, were selected by officials after the zoo issued an urgent notice seeking human milk donors, the Beijing News said...."

Tuesday, July 20, 2004

TheIowaChannel.com - Health - No Charges Filed In Breastfeeding Incident
WEST BRANCH, Iowa -- Prosecutors don't plan to file criminal charges against a West Branch restaurant owner who asked a nursing mother to cover up, go to the restroom or leave. Assistant Cedar County Attorney Sterling Benz said part of what they do is educate the public. He said if he can get restaurant owners to agree it won't happen again, then that might be enough...."
Breast-feeding cuts cancer risk

National Post
July 20, 2004
''This little study highlights in a larger way the importance of breast-feeding,'' said Shail Verma, a medical oncologist with the University of Ottawa's integrated cancer program. ''The bigger picture is that breast-feeding is good for all women.'' The study found breast-feeding for one year or longer cuts the risk even further."... [Excellent story, not a bad headline - but could they have said "not breastfeeding increases cancer risk for women" ? - JC]

Monday, July 19, 2004

Mothers' DHA Levels Linked to Advanced Attentional Development in Their Infants
Monday July 19, 8:23 am ET
COLUMBIA, Md., July 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Martek Biosciences Corporation (Nasdaq: MATK - News) today commented on the results of a study published in the July/August 2004 edition of the journal Child Development. The study found that infants whose mothers' had higher blood levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at birth showed more mature forms of attention during their first two years of development. These findings add to the evidence that DHA is an important factor in early development and that women who are pregnant, or intend to become pregnant, should consider supplementing their diets with DHA."

Friday, July 02, 2004

Star - Breastfeeding in first few months reduces HIV risk'
July 2, 2004
The Star
By Jillian Green
"HIV-positive mothers who breastfeed their infants for the first six months of life lower the chance of transmitting the virus, compared to mothers who mix-feed their babies. Exclusive breastfeeding means providing the child with nothing but breast milk, while mixed feeding means giving the child both breast milk and formula. According to a study done by University of KwaZulu Natal paediatrics Professor Anna Coutsoudis, infants who received at least three months of exclusive breastfeeding had a much lower risk of transmission. 'Unfortunately we have only one published study, (but) several studies are trying to confirm this finding,' Coutsoudis said. She added that preliminary data from a study in Zimbabwe showed similar findings...."

Thursday, July 01, 2004

ABC13.com: Mothers stage 'nurse-in' protest at the Galleria
Mothers converged on the Galleria Thursday for a 'nurse-in'.
"By Deborah Wrigley
ABC13 Eyewitness News
(7/01/04 - HOUSTON) — Some shoppers at Houston's Galleria saw an unusual protest Thursday. Some 50 mothers and their babies staged what they call a nurse-in -- a public display of breast feeding to protest the treatment of one mother who had earlier breastfed her baby in public. Texas law allows a woman to breastfeed her child in public. It's been on the books for nine years. But not everyone embraces the idea of breastfeeding in public view and that's what mobilized a small army of angry mothers...."