Obesity and Chemicals: A Matter of Environmental Justice

From Safer Chemicals, Healthy Family Blog

Posted on March 11, 2010 —
By Jose Bravo
José T. Bravo is Executive Director of the Just Transition Alliance based in Chula Vista, California.



Childhood obesity has received a lot of media attention lately, but the solutions in the news focus just on personal responsibility. First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative is a great start, but it only addresses eating healthy food and getting exercise. While personal responsibility is important, there are other underlying issues that contribute to the childhood obesity problem.

Scientific evidence shows that certain chemicals block our hormones and disrupt the body’s normal functions. Known “endocrine-disrupting” chemicals, this class of toxins includes PCBs, DDT, dioxin, some pesticides, and many plasticizers, like BPA. These chemicals play an important role in the global epidemic of obesity. Dr. Bruce Blumberg, professor of developmental and cell biology and pharmaceutical sciences at the University of California in Irvine believes there’s evidence that industrial pollutants are contributing to America's obesity epidemic. Dr. Blumberg calls those chemicals “obesogens.”

"Despite what we've heard, diet and exercise alone are insufficient to explain the obesity epidemic." —Dr. Bruce Bloomberg, UC Irvine

There is now strong evidence that our bodies mistake certain man-made chemicals used in plastics, food, wrappers, and fragrances, and many more items, for naturally occurring hormones that regulate the production and storage of fat cells.

“Evidence has been steadily accumulating that certain hormone-mimicking pollutants, ubiquitous in the food chain, have two previously unsuspected effects. They act on genes in the developing fetus and newborn to turn more precursor cells into fat cells, which stay with you for life. And they may alter metabolic rate, so that the body hoards calories rather than burning them…” —Retha Newbold of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals that may be linked to obesity include:

• Bisphenol A (BPA) is ubiquitous in the environment. It is used to make polycarbonate plastic water bottles, baby bottles, the linings of metal food and soft-drink cans, thermal receipt paper, and dental sealants. Studies show that mice and rats fed low doses of BPA during early development became more obese as adults than those that weren't fed the chemical. BPA leaches from food and beverage containers into what we eat and drink.
• Phthalates are plasticizers found in PVC tubing, plastic, cosmetics, shampoos, soaps, lotions, lubricants, paint, pesticides, fragrances and more.One recent study linked a type of phthalate that leaches into processed food with abdominal obesity and insulin resistance in men.
• Atrazine is a commonly used weed killer found to contaminate drinking water supplies, and exist as residue in food. After noticing an apparent overlap between areas where the weed killer is used and the prevalence of obesity, researchers conducted animal studies of the effects of low doses of atrazine. The findings suggest that atrazine may contribute to the development of insulin resistance and obesity, especially when the exposure is associated with a high-fat diet.
• Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is used to make non-stick cookware, found in grease-proof food packaging, and stain-proof coating on clothing and carpeting. Several studies show that PFOA exposure results in reduced birth weight followed by weight gain after puberty.

You can learn more about chemical obesogens here:
So what does all this have to do with environmental justice? Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. In communities of color and low-income neighborhoods where there was a history of toxic waste dumping, polluted air, and lax enforcement of environmental regulations, people started making the connection between a toxic environment and high incidence of cancer, asthma, and other health problems.

And so when people say unhealthy personal choices are the only cause of obesity – without considering things like obesogens — I start thinking about environmental justice. The obesity epidemic reminds me of the early 1990’s when the US EPA published a report called “Environmental Equity.” In this report the EPA determined that it was what people ate, smoked, and drank that was causing major illness in certain poor and ethnic communities. The EPA failed to make the connection between people getting sick, and people living in communities where there were dozens of “non point” sources of pollution and a multitude of industrial plants and abandoned toxic waste dumps. In essence, this report blamed the victim by concluding that we were the ones causing our illnesses in our communities — instead of looking at how the toxic chemicals in our communities may be harming our health.

But this legacy isn't limited to poor people or people of color any more—these dangerous chemicals are in cans, baby formula, food wrappers, cookware and more. All of our children are at risk.
I think that the First Lady and the Obama Administration should look at all the different factors that are affecting children. And take special notice of the fact that some American children live in communities that face a disproportionate risk from toxic chemicals, because someone thought it was OK to dump hazardous waste there. That has been our legacy—maybe since the industrial revolution. But this legacy isn't limited to poor people or people of color any more—these dangerous chemicals are in cans, baby formula, food wrappers, cookware and more. All of our children are at risk.

A real solution to this problem will be to stop our daily, unwitting, exposure to toxic chemicals at home, school, and work. That’s why the Just Transition Alliance has joined the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families campaign, to work together to reform the nation’s chemical law that currently does not protect our health. We should have information about the health hazards of chemicals we’re exposed to—which is often kept hidden as “ trade secrets." And we must clean up the persistent chemicals that have contaminated communities for decades.

José T. Bravo is Executive Director of the Just Transition Alliance based in Chula Vista, California. Jose is a leader in Californian chemicals policy reform work, and Green Chemistry as a co-convenor of Californians for a Healthy and Green Economy (CHANGE). José has participated in the Environmental Justice (EJ) movement since 1990, and over the years he has gained recognition as a national and international leader in the EJ movement.

Step2 Recalls Basic Rhythms Drum Toys Due to Choking Hazard

from www.cpsc.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Step2® Basic Rhythms Drums™
Units: About 21,000
Importer: The Step2 Company LLC, of Streetsboro, OH
Hazard: The plastic clips used to attach the drumsticks to the drum can break. The small broken pieces present a choking to young children.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: This recall involves Step2® Basic Rhythm Drums™ intended for preschool age children. The toy drum is sold with two drumsticks that can be stored in clips on the side of the drum. A red "Step2®" logo in printed on the side of the drum.
Sold at: Toys "R" Us, Burlington Coat Factory and other retail stores nationwide from August 2009 through March 2010 for between $10 and $15.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled toy from children and contact Step2 to request a replacement toy.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Step2 toll-free at (866) 860-1887 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.step2.com
Note: Health Canada's press release is available at http://cpsr-rspc.hc-sc.gc.ca/PR-RP/recall-retrait-eng.jsp?re_id=1025

Consumer Reports vs. Valco

from Spilling the Beans


Last week, Consumer Reports published a report calling the Valco Trimode stroller a “Safety Risk.” I have a history of skepticism with regards to similar claims Consumer Reports has made about other products, but in this case they appear to have done a little more homework.

The issue here is the bumper bar. There is an ASTM voluntary standard that asks manufacturers who include a bumper bar on their strollers to make sure that the space between the bar and the seat is wide enough that, if an unbuckled child started wriggling down under the bar, his or her head wouldn’t get stuck. This is called “submarining” in the industry. Obviously submarining is only possible if the child isn’t securely buckled into the harness, but the reality is, parents aren’t always diligent about using their harness, and a bumper bar can create a false sense of security.

When Consumer Reports tested the Valco Trimode to see if their bumper bar met this voluntary standard, they found that it did not. Then, they had their findings verified by an outside lab (good for them).

The bumper bar on the Valco is removable, and without it, there’s no safety risk. So for the time being, we’re told Valco will be removing those from the boxes of the Trimode stroller. For customers already using the Valco Trimode, either remove the bumper bar or be vigilant about using your harness (a good idea no matter which stroller you’re using). Valco is also working with their factory to design a new bumper bar that does meet this voluntary standard.

Valco is a family-owned and operated business. I know them, and I also know they have lots of kids of their own riding around in Valco strollers. They have a lot invested in the safety of their products, both personally and professionally. I expect they’ll get this figured out very quickly.

Product Review – Lillebaby EveryWear Organic Baby Carrier

The Lillebaby EveryWear, made by Scandinavian Child, is a versatile convertible child carrier, featuring multiple sitting positions and all-in-one carrying (cradle carry, outward facing, inward facing, hip or back) from newborn to toddler. The contoured adjustable seat offers ergonomic sitting positions and promotes healthy spine development. It is the only carrier that converts from a back/front carrier to a true one strap hip carrier.

The Lillebaby EveryWear carrier comes in an organic version that I was lucky enough to test out (thank you Scandinavian Child)!  It is absolutely fabulous.  It is very similar to my Ergo carrier but it has a few extra features that make for very nice additions to an almost already perfect carrier. 

The first is that the Lillebaby can be worn with baby facing outward as well as inward.  I tested all the different positions with my child and he fit very comfortably facing inward, outward, and on my back.  I tested the carrier with my 25 lb toddler and even after an almost hour long walk around the neighborhood my back felt fine.

A few other features I love is the detachable hood (great for nursing on the go or shading baby from rain or sun), the ability to convert the carrier to a side hip carry, and the inner safety harness that I have never seen on any other carrier.  There is an inner “seat belt” for small babies that helps you know that you baby is truly secure in the carrier.  Lastly, the carrier bottom converts from a narrow seat to a wide seat.  This allows you to make the “seat” for baby smaller when baby is smaller and widen it as baby grows.  (When you are wearing baby on your hip, back, or infant cradle positions you should always use the wide seat).

The EveryWear carrier is really light weight and can easily be transported in your diaper bag or even added to your carry on luggage, which is a great benefit!  When you have a young baby, carriers can be a necessity to getting through the airport.  The carrier is made from wind/water repellant microfiber which makes it great for hikes and outdoor use as well. It also features pockets for keys, cell phone, and diapers for parents' convenience.

And I just have to mention again that it comes in an organic version, because there are not a lot of organic options available for carriers! This is a fabulous carrier and I know it will be my go-to carrier for many years into toddlerhood!

Carrier Details:

Age: Front Inward Facing Carrier (7 to 25 pounds) (must use the infant cradle and harness for babies 7 to 15 pounds - sold separately) Front Outward Facing Carrier (when child is able to support head (about 4 months) to 25 pounds) Hip Carrier (15 to 43 pounds) Back Carrier (when child is able to sit independently (about 5 to 6 months) to 43 pounds)

* max weight for each function depends on wearer's strength and comfort, and child's weight and preference.

Colors: Black, Chocolate and Red

Material: Exterior and fill - 100% polyester microfiber Lining and Hood - 100% organic bamboo

JPMA Certified and voted “Best Product” by Fit Pregnancy

2008/09 EveryWear Carrier INCLUDES
Sling Converter: elastic shoulder strap for the lillebaby EveryWear carrier that allows the weight of the child/carrier to be distributed over the parent's shoulder and back when using the carrier in the hip carrying position.
 
Waist Extension Strap: webbing strap for the lillebaby EveryWear that allows the waist band to be extended up to 14 additional inches.
 
New model shoulder pads: inspired by High Performance back packs for maximum air flow and comfort; removable and adjustable.

The Lillebaby EveryWear carrier can be purchased at many stores, online, at at Amazon.com.

New daditude: Today's fathers are hands-on, pressure off

from USA Today

By Sharon Jayson, USA TODAY

AUSTIN — Today's fathers may well take parenting as seriously as their mates, but unlike many moms, dads don't view it as a competitive sport. Instead, the new attitude of 21st-century fatherhood is hands-on and involved, but with a hint of playfulness.

"All of these social expectations have developed over decades about what moms are supposed to do. We don't have a new picture of what involved dads are supposed to look like," says Will Courtenay, a psychotherapist in Berkeley, Calif., who is on the advisory board of The Center for Men and Young Men at McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

Those who study fatherhood say today's dads are forging a new identity, as working women press for a more egalitarian home life, and telecommuting and workplace flexibility make it possible for dads to have more time with the kids. Also, dads today are no longer the stuffy or clueless fathers portrayed on TV.

"It's cool now to be an active, involved father," says Aaron Rochlen, associate professor of psychology at the University of Texas-Austin. "Overall, men being more active fathers is starting to become more of the norm and less of the anomaly."

As a result, there has been a real shift in the way men talk about fatherhood, experts say: Young dads (generally those in their early 40s and younger) say they know they're not perfect, but they don't worry about being judged.

Compared with pressure that many moms say they feel, "the bar is set pretty low for father involvement and father engagement," says Jeff Cookston, an assistant professor of psychology who studies fatherhood at San Francisco State University. He calls the current group of younger dads a "pilot generation" because they're trying to figure out the transition from dad as a breadwinner to the hands-on pop who doesn't shirk from diaper changes or carpool runs.

Psychiatrist Kyle Pruett of the Yale University Child Study Center in New Haven, Conn., has seen changes in more than 25 years teaching child development. When he started, his students were all girls.

"Now, we've had a couple of years where there were male majorities, including one year where the entire starting line of the hockey team came to the class," he says.

When he has asked guys why they took the course, Pruett says he has heard some version of "because I plan to be an involved parent and an involved husband."

And dads are getting plenty of online support, as fathers make inroads into the parenting blogosphere that for years was for moms only. There are now lots of websites devoted to dads, such as DadLabs.com, which posts four weekly short videos of advice and product reviews, and Daddytude.com, which calls itself "a journey with a not-so-perfect Dad." New books about fatherhood include Michael Lewis' Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhoodand Jeremy Adam Smith's The Daddy Shift.


Many of these dads write about their experiences with humor, which Smith calls "the male response to being uncomfortable."

"They're doing the dishes and taking care of the kids, but it doesn't match with that traditional male image, so they laugh about it. They giggle. They make jokes," says Smith, 39, of San Francisco. He is senior editor of Greater Good magazine and founded the blog Daddy Dialectic.

DadLabs (with the motto "We screwed up, so you don't have to") was created by three former teachers. As new fathers, they found existing advice boring and clinical or just for laughs. They also have two DVDs and a new book, DadLabs Guide to Fatherhood: Pregnancy and Year One. They're now in discussions with production companies about a cable TV show.

VIDEO: Meet the dads

The three daddies
Known on the Web as Daddy Clay, Daddy Brad and Daddy Troy, the site's founders are Clay Nichols, 42, a father of three ages 10, 7 and 5; Troy Lanier, 42, a father of two, ages 6 and 4; and Brad Powell, 41, soon to be a father of three. (The first two are ages 6 and 3, and a son is due any day.) Nichols has expertise in playwriting and drama. Lanier has film experience. And Powell, who has an MBA, has been a business manager and fundraiser. Another father, Owen Egerton, also appears in video segments.

Nichols was a stay-at-home dad during his oldest child's first year a decade ago, when such fathers were a curiosity. He says he has "vivid memories of taking Wilson to a local coffee shop and getting a lot of well-intentioned but nonetheless patronizing comments from women. … 'You tell Daddy you want some socks.' 'You tell Daddy you need a hat.' They would offer their very helpful parenting suggestions to the baby."

Wives of the original trio all work full-time. One is a hospital chaplain and the other two work at the private school where their husbands were employed before starting DadLabs.

The dads say their entrepreneurial effort is starting to pay off — it broke even for the first time in January after they signed a sponsorship deal, which has been renewed through 2009.

All three DadLabs creators have advanced degrees and could earn more money at jobs with greater prestige, but Nichols says they've decided being present for their kids is more important.

"There's a loud voice in my head that says 'You need to be making more money. You need to be getting ahead. You need to be succeeding.' That is a voice that I argue with on a daily basis."

Tradition dies hard
But this new, hands-on vision of fatherhood is not universal, says Courtenay.

"You certainly see traditional masculinity of the 1950s still alive and very well in many men," including younger ones, he says. "It's not as if that's completely going away."

Researchers say there are distinct socio-economic, racial and ethnic attitudes about masculinity that translate into fatherhood perceptions. For example, men from the South, as well as blacks and Hispanics, have more traditional ideas about fatherhood and masculinity.

This is rooted in a male identity that teaches "boys to be in charge and make decisions and not admit weakness," says Andrew Smiler, visiting assistant professor of psychology at Wake Forest University, in Winston-Salem, N.C., who studies masculinity.

"Then we get this generation of guys who say they want to be more involved with their children's upbringing than their parents were, but they don't know how to do it," he says.

The result, Smiler says, is this more laid-back attitude about parenting: "It's harder than it looks and I don't know what to do or how to do it, but I'm giving it my best shot."

Actor Shaun O'Hagan, 39, of Santa Monica, Calif., has five to eight auditions a week and he has taken his son, Ryan, 2, with him on most of them since his wife went back to work as an accountant following her maternity leave. Sometimes his brother-in-law has gone along to help, but O'Hagan says he has often relied on those at the auditions to tend to his son during the tryouts.

Despite earning residual checks, O'Hagan says, the economic downturn in Hollywood took a toll on his career last year.

"I had a little bit of an identity crisis when jobs weren't coming and I was full-time with Ryan," he says. "I just wanted to roll up my sleeves and work, especially since I had a son. I wanted to be the dad who went out and earned a living for my family."

Things have improved, he says, but "I really did appreciate my time with Ryan. I was really able to — as my mother uses the phrase — 'soak it all in,' " he says.

A close father/child connection is beneficial for kids, according to a body of research that suggests children with actively involved fathers do better academically, socially and behaviorally.

Gary Berger, 34, of Madison, Wis., found himself overseeing the household and his three children (now 8, 6 and 5) when his wife of almost 10 years served in Iraq for about five months. The couple met in the Air Force.

"She got out of active duty while I stayed in. I deployed for Iraq in 2003 (he flew B-52s) and she was a stay-at-home mom then, but stayed in the reserves. Then last Sept. 2, she deployed to Iraq," says Berger, who works in marketing.

"I'm not worried about people saying staying home with kids is a woman's job. That's old attitudes," he says. "A real priority in fatherhood is raising good kids. Every other concern becomes secondary to that."

Clearing the Air: Safer Air Cleaning Remedies

from www.safemama.com
I had never thought much about cleaning the air in my home.  A long time ago I just masked any funkiness with air freshening sprays, carpet powders and candles.  Little did I know I was polluting the air in my house more by doing those things.  Since I’ve tried to eliminate toxic chemicals from my house, the air included I’ve adopted more effective practices.  And while I have no way to measure whether the air in my house is actually cleaner, I can rest a little easier knowing my attempts are safer.  Between two kids, dogs and a husband who trains for marathons (read: smelly workout gear), odors do turn up.  Here is my attack methods and a review of one air purifier I’ve been trying out.

House Plants

This seems like a silly and obvious tip, but apparently plants do a better job of cleaning and filtering the air than anything else.  Some of the best plants for removing toxins (like formaldehyde, benzene and carbon monoxide) are Bamboo Palms, Chinese Evergreens, English Ivy and Gerber Daisies.  NASA ran some research tests and came up with a Top 10 list of house plants that clean the air.  Here is their comprehensive list:

• Bamboo Palm – Chamaedorea Seifritzii
• Chinese Evergreen - Aglaonema Modestum
• English Ivy Hedera Helix
• Gerbera Daisy Gerbera Jamesonii
• Janet Craig - Dracaena “Janet Craig”
• Marginata - Dracaena Marginata
• Mass cane/Corn Plant - Dracaena Massangeana
• Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Sansevieria Laurentii
• Pot Mum – Chrysantheium morifolium
• Peace Lily - Spathiphyllum
• Warneckii - Dracaena “Warneckii”

Fresh Air!

Ever hear the term “stale air”? There is some truth to it! The more air tight your home is (which is typical of newer construction) the more opportunity dust, dust mites and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) have to accumulate.   Drafty homes aren’t great for your heating bill but they are a little healthier in terms of air quality.  Not everyone can do this all the time (especially in the winter) but as soon as the opportunity arrives, open as many windows as possible to get some quality air flow through your house.   I try to do this when I am doing a big clean (which doesn’t happen often enough around here) so help move the air through the house.

Air Purifiers with HEPA Filters

At first, I started using these in my sons room to create some white noise while he slept… our house was quite small at the time and it seemed to drown out any noise going on in other areas.  But it also served as a way to clean the air he was sleeping in.  Since I had to clean the filters and screens monthly I can only assume that gunk was pulled out of the air.  Ew. What I didn’t realize was that it was important to use an air purifier with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter to aid in removing allergens and blocking tiny particles which can irritate airways or cause an allergic reactions.
I had the opportunity to try out an air purifier from Germ Guardian, UV-C and True HEPA Air Cleansing System.  In addition to the HEPA filter it also has a UV-C light to kill common germs and bacteria, kills airborne mold spores and fights odors (like the diaper pail perhaps?). It has a quiet and powerful fan system, which makes good white noise… no rattling or knocking noises.  It’s really made well and comes apart easily for cleaning.  This is an especially perfect unit for those of us who haven’t invested in a HEPA house filter yet.

Permanent Solutions / Tips

• Choose Low or No-VOC paints
• Choose carpets made of natural fibers like wool
• Choose natural and/or untreated materials when selecting furniture
• Dust often and use a vacuum with a HEPA filter
• Use HEPA filters on your HVAC
• Have forced air systems cleaned and sealed
• Use soy candles – they create less soot
• Skip the toxic cleaners!

How Children Learn to Like New Food

from Ellyn Satter, internationally recognized authority on eating and feeding

How Children Learn to Like New Food

For a young child learning to eat, all foods are new, even those that are very familiar to you. It generally takes children time and repeated neutral exposure to learn to like new food. Neutral exposure is matter-of-factly presenting the food without outside pressure of any kind. Outside pressure is often negative, as when a child is forced, shamed or manipulated into eating. Outside pressure can appear to be positive, as when a child is encouraged, enticed, persuaded, applauded or rewarded for eating or even tasting the food. However, children can’t be fooled. They sense they are being pressured and react by slowing or stopping their learning.
Be patient and persistent, but don’t pressure. Children generally need to be offered a food 5 to 20 times—or even more—before they learn to enjoy it. In the meantime, they watch us eat, look, touch, smear, taste and spit out. With very tasty foods, however, they do one-trial learning. High-sugar foods such as cookies and candy are easy to like. So are high-fat foods such as French fries and chicken nuggets. Develop strategies for using high fat, high sugar foods.

• Plan family-friendly meals, and let your child pick and choose from what is on the table.
• Don’t limit the menu to foods your child readily accepts, but do have his favorites occasionally. Sometimes he gets lucky, sometimes someone else does.
• Let your child have seconds and thirds on what he likes, and even if he ignores the rest—provided he is not eating someone else’s share.
• Don’t arrange to run out of his favorite foods in order to trick him into eating something you want him to eat.

Copyright © 2009 by Ellyn Satter. Published at www.EllynSatter.com. For more about helping children learn to do well with eating (and for research backing up this advice), see Ellyn Satter’s Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family: How to Eat, How to Raise Good Eaters, How to Cook, Kelcy Press, 2008. Also see www.EllynSatter.com/shopping to purchase books and to review other resources.

Tips for Weaning your Child from a Bedtime Bottle

from Dr. Greene


When a toddler or preschooler is still using a bottle to go to sleep, there are two patterns that must be overcome. First, she has chosen the bottle as her special comfort object to help her with the transition from a wakeful state to a sleep state. Secondly, this choice has become a deeply ingrained habit. Weaning her from the bottle will require either finding an effective substitute, or using tremendous force to break the patterns.
Here are some gentle suggestions:

• Set a date in the near future, perhaps her birthday, and offer her an exciting opportunity. To celebrate this milestone, she can collect all her bottles, take them to a local store, and trade them in for something that would be thrilling to her (perhaps a small bicycle -- something that will make her feel more grown up). If she excitedly looks forward to the date, she may be able to sacrifice the bottle in order to enter a new phase. Only communicate in a way that builds her security and self-esteem: You are excited about who she is; you will be excited about who she becomes.
• If you are not able to enlist her resources directly, weaning the bedtime bottle can be accomplished by substitution. Replace the bottle with a more age-appropriate transition/comfort object. Make the alternative as attractive as possible, while making the bottle less attractive.
• This new transition to sleep might include a consistent bedtime ritual, when you spend about 20 minutes together doing the same nighttime activities in the same order.
• Give her something wonderful to hold as she sleeps. A large stuffed animal (about the same size she is), or a really great doll that she falls in love with, would be a good choice. Put away other stuffed animals or dolls for a while; she will form a more special bond when she only has one or two.
• You may also want to make a tape or CD recording of your voice singing to her or telling her stories. Listening to you repeat the same stories or songs night after night will comfort your child as she drifts off to sleep.
• To make the bottle less attractive, try adding a drop of 'bitter apple' on the nipple or actually in the bottle (available in pet stores to teach pets not to chew). A small amount will give the bottle a mildly bitter or musty taste, making it a less important part of the sleep transition. Many children will stop asking for the bottle within one to two weeks.
• Offer milk (or something else to drink) in a cup at the beginning of the bedtime ritual -- before reading a story, taking a bath, or brushing her teeth. Reduce the amount she gets in her bottle by 0.5 to 1.0 ounces a day until it is empty, and then take the bottle away.
• Respond to requests for the bottle with hugs.

Author and Review Info
Alan Greene MD FAAP
February 28, 1996

Better Bottle Prep

from Parents magazine March 2010

Moms aren’t getting enough guidance on formula-feeding  from their health-care providers, according to a new study in Archives of Disease in Childhood.  Follow these fixes for common formula flubs.

FLUB: Opening a new can straight from the shelf
FIX: First wash the lid and can opener with soap and water to get rid of dust and bacteria, then rinse and dry.

FLUB: Heating bottles in the microwave: The formula may contain dangerous hot spots.
FIX: Heat bottles in a pan of warm water, under the tap, or in an electric bottle warmer.

FLUB: Adding extra water to your infant’s bottle: It can dilute her sodium levels and cause seizures.
FIX: Fill bottles with the correct amount of water, then add formula.

FLUB: Making formula with hot tap water: It’s more likely to contain lead than cold water, as is water that has be that has been sitting in pipes.
FIX: Choose cold water and run the tap for two minutes first if it’s been off for six hours.

FLUB: Not finding out your water’s fluoride content if you’re exclusively formula-feeding with powdered or liquid-concentrate formula.
FIX: A new study from the American Dental Association says that some babies will get fluorosis if all their formula is made with highly fluoridated tap water, and that can cause discolored teeth.  Ask your water company for your water’s fluoride level.  If it’s .7 parts per million or higher, talk to your doctor about making some bottles with distilled water.

Safe Chemicals Act of 2010

from www.seventhgeneration.com


April 15th isn't usually a day revered by Americans. Many of us will spend today rushing to finalize tax forms and fighting the annual crowd at the post office. But this April 15th, we have a lot to celebrate. Today, legislation was introduced that will for the first time in more than 30 years, overhaul the way the federal government protects the public from toxic chemicals. The Safe Chemicals Act of 2010 was introduced in the United States Congress this afternoon by U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ).

"America's system for regulating industrial chemicals is broken," said Senator Lautenberg. "Parents are afraid because hundreds of untested chemicals are found in their children's bodies. EPA does not have the tools to act on dangerous chemicals and the chemical industry has asked for stronger laws so that their customers are assured their products are safe. My 'Safe Chemicals Act' will breathe new life into a long-dead statute by empowering EPA to get tough on toxic chemicals."

The "Safe Chemicals Act of 2010" requires safety testing of all industrial chemicals, and puts the burden on industry to prove that chemicals are safe in order stay on the market. As a company whose products have been built from the ground up to protect both the health of the planet as well as the people who use them, I am thrilled to finally see the introduction of legislation that would update our antiquated system of toxic chemical regulation. The Toxics Substance Control Act, which became law 34 years ago, was meant to give the Environmental Protection Agency the ability to identify and regulate dangerous chemicals in products that we use every day. However, of the more than 80,000 chemicals used in consumer products, the EPA has required testing of about only 200 and restricted the use of only 5 chemicals! The current law is widely regarded as being ineffective. With an increasing focus on toxic chemical exposure in humans, and a new report showing newborn babies with traces of 287 toxic chemicals in their blood at birth, the time for action is now.

This new legislation will go a long way towards bringing our failing chemical management system into the 21st Century. It puts our health first, provides better information to businesses, and helps the average consumer avoid toxic chemicals in the products that they buy. Although this legislation is not perfect, it contains many of the key provisions that we and our partners in the Safer Chemicals Health Families coalition have been working for. The coalition will be working hard to continue to strengthen the bill as it moves through the legislative process.

We understand that there is a business case for TSCA reform. Leading companies from electronics manufacturers to health care providers are highly motivated to identify and use safer alternatives to toxic chemicals. Today's business leaders are concerned about the health and business impacts that could arise if the products they use or sell contain toxic chemicals. They recognize that safer chemicals protect human and environmental health and cut the costs of regulation, hazardous waste storage and disposal, worker protection, and future liabilities. Such steps also offer new business opportunities, by making U.S. businesses more competitive in a global marketplace and creating new jobs.

So, I encourage you to join us in pushing for this landmark legislation. Together we as consumers, businesses, environmentalists, and public health advocates can ensure the products we buy and sell are free of harmful toxic chemicals. Take action and send a message to Washington, DC to support reform of our outdated chemicals control policy, and please join the Million Baby Crawl to add your voice to a growing movement of people calling for safer chemicals and healthier families.

SafeMama’s 2010 Safer Baby Skin Care Cheat Sheet

Safe Mama has just posted their 2010 list of safe baby skin care products.  They’ve looked deep into the ingredient list for tons of products and produced this FABULOUS list of what is safe to buy.  Check it out by clicking on the logo above!
They also list these great basic skin care tips:
Read labels carefully. Beware of the basics -paraben, fragrance, PEG’s, and propylene glycol. Use our list as a guide.
Shopping at a “natural” store doesn’t mean everything is paraben and phthalate free. Read labels, know how to decipher the ingredients and don’t be fooled by the word “natural” or “organic” on the label. These words are not regulated the way food is… just because it says natural/organic doesn’t always mean it is.
Be wary of the term “fragrance”. Synthetic fragrances are a phthalate culprit so if you can, try to use products with organic or natural essential oils only if you are unsure. Unscented products can also contain phthalates by using a fragrance masking agent.

Use less products. This seems like a no-brainer but many people use way more than they need. Babies are born with the most perfect skin (usually) and it will never again be as perfect as it is when they’re babies.  Their sin is also sensitive and susceptible.  They don’t need to be slathered in lotions and powders. A little warm water and a washcloth is all they really need. When kids get older and grimier (like mine) a little soap and warm water does the trick and you can spot treat any dry skin problems or rashes.
Make Your Own: Some Castille Soap and water goes a long way!

Thank you Safe Mama for all your in-depth research!

Maternal Deaths Decline Sharply Across the Globe

By Denise Grady from The New York Times 4/13/10

For the first time in decades, researchers are reporting a significant drop worldwide in the number of women dying each year from pregnancy and childbirth, to about 342,900 in 2008 from 526,300 in 1980.

The findings, published in the medical journal The Lancet, challenge the prevailing view of maternal mortality as an intractable problem that has defied every effort to solve it.

“The overall message, for the first time in a generation, is one of persistent and welcome progress,” the journal’s editor, Dr. Richard Horton, wrote in a comment accompanying the article, published online on Monday.

The study cited a number of reasons for the improvement: lower pregnancy rates in some countries; higher income, which improves nutrition and access to health care; more education for women; and the increasing availability of “skilled attendants” — people with some medical training — to help women give birth. Improvements in large countries like India and China helped to drive down the overall death rates.

But some advocates for women’s health tried to pressure The Lancet into delaying publication of the new findings, fearing that good news would detract from the urgency of their cause, Dr. Horton said in a telephone interview.

“I think this is one of those instances when science and advocacy can conflict,” he said.

Dr. Horton said the advocates, whom he declined to name, wanted the new information held and released only after certain meetings about maternal and child health had already taken place.

He said the meetings included one at the United Nations this week, and another to be held in Washington in June, where advocates hope to win support for more foreign aid for maternal health from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Other meetings of concern to the advocates are the Pacific Health Summit in June, and the United Nations General Assembly meeting in December.

“People who have spent many years committed to the issue of maternal health were understandably worried that these figures could divert attention from an issue that they care passionately about,” Dr. Horton said. “But my feeling is that they are misguided in their view that this would be damaging. My view is that actually these numbers help their cause, not hinder it.”

He said the new study was based on more and better data, and more sophisticated statistical methods than were used in a previous analysis by a different research team that estimated more deaths, 535,900 in 2005. The authors of the earlier analysis, published in The Lancet, in 2007, included researchers from Unicef, Harvard, the World Bank, the World Health Organization and the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. The World Health Organization still reports about half a million maternal deaths a year, but is expected to issue new statistics of its own this year.

The new report comes from the University of Washington and the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, and was paid for by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

A spokesman for Unicef said it had no comment on the new findings, and there was no response to messages that were left late Tuesday for W.H.O. officials.

Dr. Christopher J. L. Murray, the director of the institute for health metrics and evaluation at the University of Washington, in Seattle, and an author of the study, said, “There has been a perception of no progress.”
But, he said, “some of the policies and programs pursued may be having an effect, as opposed to all that effort with little to show for it.”

“It really is an important positive finding for global health,” he said.

Dr. Murray said no one had approached him directly about delaying the release of his findings; he heard about those efforts from The Lancet, and described them as “disappointing.” He said, “We believe in the process of peer-reviewed science, and it’s the proper way to pursue these sorts of studies.”

The researchers analyzed maternal mortality in 181 countries from 1980 to 2008, using whatever information they could glean from each country: death records, censuses, surveys and published studies. They ultimately gathered about three times as much data as the previous researchers had found.

Among poor countries with longstanding high death rates, progress varied considerably. For instance, from 1990 to 2008, the maternal death rate dropped 8.8 percent a year in the Maldives, but rose 5.5 percent in Zimbabwe. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest maternal death rates. Brazil improved more than Mexico, Egypt more than Turkey. Six countries accounted for more than half of all the maternal deaths in 2008: India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

But India has made steady progress, and because its population is so large, its improvements have helped considerably to decrease the worldwide rate of maternal deaths. China has also made considerable progress. In India, there were 408 to 1,080 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 1980, and by 2008, there were 154 to 395, the new study found. In China, there were 144 to 187 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1980, and 35 to 46 in 2008.

Dr. Murray said the findings came as a surprise. What also surprised him and his colleagues, he said, was the number of pregnant women who died from AIDS: about 60,000.

“Really to a large extent that’s why maternal mortality is rising in eastern and southern Africa,” Dr. Murray said.

“It means, to us, that if you want to tackle maternal mortality in those regions, you need to pay attention to the management of H.I.V. in pregnant women. It’s not about emergency obstetrical care, but about access to antiretrovirals.”

Dr. Horton contended that the new data should encourage politicians to spend more on pregnancy-related health matters. The data dispelled the belief that the statistics had been stuck in one dismal place for decades, he said. So money allocated to women’s health is actually accomplishing something, he said, and governments are not throwing good money after bad.

An advocate for women’s health, Dr. Flavia Bustreo, director of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, said the improvements described in the new report represented “hope at last.” She said her organization, affiliated with the World Health Organization, was not one of those that tried to delay release of the findings.

She said the report was well done and called The Lancet a “scrupulously” edited journal. She said the findings made sense and were consistent with other reports from large countries like India, which can drive global figures.

“For 20 years, the safe motherhood movement has been conveying an impression of no progress,” Dr. Bustreo said. “To hear confirmation of improvements is good news. To us, the good news will maintain the interest of investors. If you don’t show results, that’s the worst position you can be in. The evidence and scientific truths have to be put in the open and discussed.”

Her group issued its own report on Tuesday, noting improvements that were saving the lives of women during pregnancy and birth in various countries. For instance, India pays women to get prenatal care and skilled care for delivery. Nepal provides home visits for family planning. Malawi is training nonphysicians to perform emergency Caesarean sections. Brazil has set up a health system that provides free primary care and skilled attendance at birth for all.

Acetaminophen Could Affect Shots’ Effectiveness

From The Oregonian  11/25/09

The Question: Acetaminophen is often given to infants who have just been vaccinated to keep them from developing a fever.  Might this affect the vaccine?

The Answer: Fever reducer may dampen effectiveness of shots.

The Study:  It involved 459 healthy infants who were getting normal childhood vaccinations or booster shots against pneumococcal disease, Haemophilius influenza type B (Hib), diphtheria, tetanus, polio, whooping cough, and rotavirus.  They were randomly assigned to be given acetaminophen every six to eight hours for 24 hours after their shot, or no acetaminophen.  Within four days, about 42 percent of the infants given acetaminophen after their first vaccination developed a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, compared with 66 percent of similar babies not given acetaminophen.  After booster shots, the fever rate was 36 percent with the drug, 58 percent without it.  However, blood tests revealed what doctors call a “weakened immune response” in infants given acetaminophen, meaning they had fewer antibodies against the disease, lowering the protections that vaccination provides.

Caveats: The study tested only the effects of acetaminophen.   The effects of ibuprofen, which also can reduce fever, were not tested.  The study was funded by GlaxoSmithKline, which makes the vaccines used in the study.

Online:  Learn more about childhood vaccinations at www.fda.gov (search for “parent’s guide”) and www.familydoctor.org.

The Mindful Momma's Guide to Food Storage

from Mindful Momma 

Uh, oh.  I smell trouble.  The topic for the Spring Cleaning: Get the Junk Out carnival this week is about getting plastic containers out of your kitchen.  And my friend Beth @Fake Plastic Fish is hosting.  She doesn't have plastic containers in her kitchen. I do.

Not as many as I used to though.  Over time, as my plastic containers have cracked or lost their lids, I have tossed them and replaced them with more environmentally-friendly storage containers.  Here's what you'll find in my kitchen cupboard - keep in mind, there are pros and cons to each of the options:

• 
  Glass - Heavy-duty glass containers like Pyrex are both microwave and freezer-safe but not all glass is that durable.  Be sure to check the label for usage advice. Glass containers are odor-free and clean up easily but can be a bit on the heavy side to carry to and from work or school.  I'm not comfortable sending glass containers in my kids' lunchbox and I notice that my husband doesn't take them to work either.
  
• 
  Stainless Steel- Lightweight, durable and non-reactive, stainless steel is the superhero of food storage containers. The biggest drawback is that they are comparatively expensive.  My favorite stainless food container costs about $15 and you could buy a boatload of plastic containers for that.  My suggestion is to look for them on sale or put them on your holiday wish list.  My Mom gave my husband one for Christmas last year!
  
• 
  Ceramics - Make your dinnerware do double duty by acting as food storage containers too!  A salad plate makes the perfect lid on top of a cereal bowl.  I have a lot of ceramic ramekins that I use to store small amounts of food or sauces in the fridge.
  
• 
  Plastic- If you already have plastic containers, I say keep on using them until they are cracked or badly scratched.  Just make sure they are BPA-free.  Polycarbonate plastic (the kind that has BPA) is hard, clear plastic that may or may not have a #7 recycling code on the bottom. Plastics #2, #4 and #5 are generally considered safer for food  storage. And remember, don't use plastics in the microwave!  Even though the company may say a container is microwave safe, heat causes chemicals to leach out of plastic and that's not a good thing.
  

Although I still use some plastic containers in the kitchen, I am inspired by Beth's commitment to live as plastic-free as possible.  Please read her post (it will be up Tuesday, April 6th) and other links about the topic as part of the Spring Cleaning: Get the Plastics Out carnival this week!

BPA Update: Victory in WA, Other News

from Safer States
More than 200 scientific studies have linked Bisphenol-A (BPA) to known health effects including impaired brain and reproductive development in unborn babies, miscarriage in pregnant women, diabetes, obesity and cancer. Populations that are particularly vulnerable to BPA are infants, children and pregnant women.
Here at Safer States, we are working to support efforts toward eliminating BPA and other toxic chemicals from our lives.
Today, we have several updates on the BPA front.
Washington State
The Governor of Washington State signed a bill into law which will ban bisphenol-A from baby bottles, sippy cups, children's dishware and sports bottles.

The law will take effect by July 2011, with the sports bottle ban going into effect a year later. Washington is only the second state, after Connecticut, to outlaw BPA in sports bottles. Washington is now the fourth state to pass a BPA law. You can keep apprised of what states and regions are banning BPA by checking out our BPA fact page.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
This week, the EPA announced that they will take a look at BPA and its affect on the environment. This news, in conjunction with the FDA taking a look at BPA, is encouraging and shows that the federal government is taking the threat of BPA seriously.

"We share FDA’s concern about the potential health impacts from BPA. Both EPA and FDA, and many other agencies are moving forward to fully assess the environmental and health impacts to ensure that the full range of BPA’s possible impacts are examined."
-Steve Owens, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances

Wisconsin Company Removes BPA from receipts
Last year, Science News released findings that BPA was being discovered on register receipts. This was not only of concern because of the ubiquity of register receipts, but also because the form that the BPA takes is unbound and free to be transferred into food and our bodies.
This month, Appleton — a paper company in Wisconsin — was the first company in the nation to announce a move toward BPA-free register papers by labeling their papers as "BPA-Free". They removed bishpenol-a from their paper in 2006 as health concerns about the chemical began to be made public.
BPA bans in Europe
Denmark will be introducing a temporary ban on BPA in food packaging for young children. Whether the ban stays in effect is contingent on further research.
The French government is moving toward a BPA ban in baby bottles. The French Senate voted last week to ban BPA, and now the bill will move through the legislature.
Waiting for Maryland
We are anticipating news from Maryland any day. Their legislature has voted to ban BPA from baby bottles and sippy cups. The expected signature from the Governor should come soon.
Further Reading
Bad chemistry: The poison in the plastic that surrounds us. The Independent, 03/31/10.
New research finds BPA in plastic, water — and in all of us. Rodale, 03/31/10.

Shifting Schedules – When to Change from Two Naps to One Nap

By Elizabeth Pantley, Author of The No-Cry Nap Solution
 

During the early years of life, nap schedules are in a continuous state of change. After a newborn period of all-day napping, babies eventually settle into a regular two-nap-a-day routine. Most children switch from these two daily naps to one nap sometime between the ages of 12 and 24 months. However, that year of difference is a very long span of time. This shows that age alone is not the only factor to consider when changing your baby’s nap routine.

Changing your baby from two daily naps to one nap isn’t about what your child thinks he wants, nor is it about the schedule you’d like to have. It’s about the biological need for two naps versus one. Naps at different times of the day serve different purposes in mind and body development at different ages. For example, morning naps have more dreaming, or REM sleep, which makes them important for young babies who require it for early brain development. You don’t want to rush the process if your child is still benefiting from this important sleep time.

There is another consideration when deciding to make a schedule change: The length of time that your child is awake from one sleep period to the next has an effect on his mood and behavior. No matter how well your baby sleeps at night naps are still very important. The older your child is, the longer he can go between sleep breaks without getting cranky. The biology behind this reason dictates that young babies need to divide their day up with two naps, but older babies can handle a full day with only one nap.

Since there is a wide range of what’s normal it’s important to study each child’s behavior to see when he is ready to transition to one nap a day. Use the following lists as a guide.


Signs That your Child Needs TWO NAPS Daily.
• Your child is under 12 months old
• When you put your child down for a nap he plays, resists, or fusses for a while but always ends up sleeping for an hour or more
• When you take your child for car rides during the day he usually falls asleep
• If your child misses a nap he is fussy or acts tired until the next nap or bedtime
• Your child is dealing with a change in his life (such as a new sibling, sickness, or starting daycare) that disrupts his nap schedule
• Your child misses naps when you’re on the go, but when you are at home he takes two good naps

Signs That Your Child Is Ready to Change to ONE DAILY NAP.

• When you put your child down for a nap he plays or fusses before falling asleep, and then takes only a short nap, or never falls asleep at all
• Your child can go for car rides early in the day and not fall asleep in the car
• When your child misses a nap he is cheerful and energetic until the next nap or bedtime
• Your child naps well for one of his naps, but totally resists the other nap

How to Make the Transition When Signs Point to Change

Instead of thinking in terms of dropping a nap it’s better to think in terms of a schedule change. The change from two naps to one nap is rarely a one-day occurrence. Most often there will be a transition period of several months when your child clearly needs two naps on some days, but one nap on others. You have a number of options during this complicated transition time:

• Watch for your child’s sleepy signs, and put your child down for a nap when indications first appear.
• Keep two naps, but don’t require that your child sleep at both times, allow quiet resting instead.
• Choose a single naptime that is later than the usual morning nap, but not as late as the afternoon nap. Keep your child active (and outside if possible) until about 30 minutes before the time you have chosen.
• On days when a nap occurs early in the day, move bedtime earlier by 30 minutes to an hour to minimize the length of time between nap and bedtime.

The Danger of Dropping a Nap Too Soon
It’s my belief that the reputation that toddlers have which is known as the “Terrible Twos,” is very likely caused by inappropriate napping schedules. There are a great number of toddlers who switch from two naps a day to one nap, or – heaven forbid! – drop naps altogether, many months before they are biologically ready. This can result in a devastating effect on their mood and behavior: the dreaded and horrible “Terrible Twos.”

For those parents whose children suffer the “Trying Threes” or the “Fearsome Fours,” it’s likely your child is misbehaving for the same reason: an inappropriate nap schedule may be the culprit. The good news is that a modification of your child’s napping routine can make a wonderful and dramatic difference in his day – and yours.
~~~~~~
From The No-Cry Nap Solution: Guaranteed Gentle Ways to Solve All Your Naptime Problems (Pantley) by Elizabeth Pantley (McGraw-Hill, January 2009). Here is the link for information and more excerpts:  http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth/

The Volcano Effect: Why Skipping a Nap Results in Meltdown

By Elizabeth Pantley, Author of The No-Cry Nap Solution
 
From the moment your child wakes in the morning he is slowly using up the benefits of the previous night’s sleep. He wakes up totally refreshed, but as the hours pass, little by little, the benefits of his sleep time are used up, and an urge to return to sleep begins to build. When we catch a child at in-between stages and provide naps, we build up his reservoir of sleep-related benefits, allowing him a “fresh start” after each sleep period.

As shown on the sleep chart below, as children age, the length of time that they can stay “happily awake” increases. A newborn can only be awake one or two hours before tiredness sets in, whereas a two year old can last five to seven hours before craving some down time for a nap. When children are pushed beyond their biological awake time span without a break that’s when they become fatigued, fussy and unhappy.

Age	“Happily Awake” span of time between naps
Newborn	1 – 2 hours
6 month old	2 – 3 hours
12 month old	3 – 4 hours
18 month old	4 – 6 hours
2 year old	5 – 7 hours
3 year old	6 – 8 hours
4 year old	6 – 12 hours

As the day progresses, and the sleep pressure builds, a child becomes fussier, whinier, and less flexible. He has more crying spells, more tantrums, and less patience. He loses concentration and the ability to learn and retain new information. The scientific term for this process is “homeostatic sleep pressure” or “homeostatic sleep drive” . . . I call it The Volcano Effect. We’ve all seen the effects of this on a baby or child, as it is often as clear as watching a volcano erupt; nearly everyone has observed a fussy child and thought or said, “Someone needs a nap!”


As a child progresses through his day, his biology demands a sleep break to regroup, refresh and repair. If a child does not get this break the problem intensifies: the rumblings and tremors become an outright explosion. Without a nap break, the homeostatic pressure continues building until the end of the day, growing in intensity – like a volcano – so that a child becomes overtired, wired and unable to stop the explosion. The result is an intense bedtime battle with a cranky, overtired child, or an infant who won’t fall asleep no matter how tired you know he is.

Even more, a child who misses naps day after day builds a sleep deprivation that launches her into the volcano stage much easier and quicker. If she is missing naps and also lacking the right quality or quantity of nighttime sleep…watch out!

Newborns and young babies have a much shorter span in which their sleep pressure builds. They rapidly reach the peak of their volcano in one to three hours. This is why newborns sleep throughout the day, and why young babies require two or three or four daily naps. Over time, as a baby’s sleep cycle matures he will be able to go longer periods between sleeps. It is not until age 4 or 5 that a child is able to go happily through the entire day without a nap, and sleep research suggests that even through adulthood a mid-day nap or rest break is extremely beneficial in reducing the pressure in all human beings.

The Volcano Effect is not something reserved only for children! This biological process affects adults as well. Understanding this can help you interpret what is really going on in your home at the end of a long day, when children are fussy and parents are grumpy – resulting in a whole mountain range of volcanoes.

Sleep pressure can be exaggerated by environmental issues such as the previous poor night’s sleep, on-going sleep deprivation, or daily stress. What's more, each person’s moodiness feeds off the others, causing contagious crankiness. And then you’ll find yourself losing patience and saying to your child, “I’m sorry, honey. Mommy’s just tired right now.” (This is a very telling explanation we don’t often stop to analyze.)
This Volcano concept brings to light one more important point: Quality naps can make up for lost night sleep – but extra nighttime sleep does not make up for missed naps, due to the homeostatic sleep pressure concept. Therefore, no matter how your child sleeps at night – great sleeper or poor sleeper -- his daily naps are critically important to release the rising sleep pressure.

~~~~~
From The No-Cry Nap Solution: Guaranteed Gentle Ways to Solve All Your Naptime Problems (Pantley)by Elizabeth Pantley (McGraw-Hill, January 2009). Here is the link for information and more excerpts:  http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth/

Why Short Cat-Naps Are Not Good Enough

By Elizabeth Pantley, Author of The No-Cry Nap Solution The No Cry Nap Solution
 If your child’s naps are shorter than an hour and a half in length, you may have wondered if these brief naps provide enough rest for your little one. You might suspect that these catnaps aren’t meeting your child’s sleep needs – and you would be right. The science of sleep explains why a short nap takes the edge off, but doesn’t offer the same physical and mental nourishment that a longer nap provides.

It takes between 90 and 120 minutes for your child to move through one entire sleep cycle, resulting in a Perfect Nap. It has been discovered that each stage of sleep brings a different benefit to the sleeper. Imagine, if you will, magic gifts that are awarded at each new stage of sleep:

Stage 1 - Very light sleep
Lasts 5 to 15 minutes
The gifts:
Prepares body for sleep
Reduces feelings of sleepiness

Stage 2 - Light to moderate sleep
Lasts up 15 minutes
The gifts:
Increases alertness
Improves motor skills
Stabilizes mood
Slightly reduces homeostatic sleep pressure

Stage 3 - Deep sleep
Lasts up to 15 minutes
The gifts:
Strengthens memory
Release of growth hormone
Repair of bones, tissues and muscles
Fortification of immune system
Regulates appetite
Releases bottled up stress
Restores energy
Reduces homeostatic sleep pressure

Stage 4 – Deepest sleep
Lasts up to 15 minutes
The gifts:
Same benefits as Stage 3, but enhanced

Next Stage – Dreaming
Lasts up to 9 to 30 minutes
The gifts:
Transfers short-term memory into long-term memory
Organizes thoughts
Secures new learning
Enhances brain connections
Sharpens visual and perceptual skills
Processes emotions
Relieves stress
Inspires creativity
Boosts energy
Reduces homeostatic sleep pressure (The biological process that creates fatigue and irritability.)

Longer naps
For as long as your child sleeps
The gifts:
Repeat all of the above stages in cycles


In order for your child to receive all of these wonderful gifts he must sleep long enough to pass at least once through each stage of sleep. Longer naps will encompass additional sleep cycles and provide a continuous presentation of gifts.

Newborn babies have unique cycles that slowly mature over time. A newborn sleep cycle is about 40 to 60 minutes long, and an infant enters dream sleep quickly, skipping several sleep stages. Infants need several sleep cycles to receive their full allotment of gifts. If your infant is sleeping only 40-60 minutes at naptime it is an indication that your baby is waking between cycles instead of returning to sleep on his own. We’ll cover a plethora of ideas to help your baby learn to go back to sleep without your intervention.

Now you can clearly see why a short nap doesn’t provide your baby or young child the best benefits of napping. You can also see why a mini-nap can fool you into thinking it is enough – since the very first five to fifteen minutes reduce feelings of sleepiness and bring that whoosh of second-wind energy that dissipates quickly, resulting is fussiness, crying, crankiness, tantrums and whining.

~~~~~
From The No-Cry Nap Solution: Guaranteed Gentle Ways to Solve All Your Naptime Problems (Pantley) by Elizabeth Pantley (McGraw-Hill, January 2009). Here is the link for information and more excerpts:  http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth/

Top Organic Sunscreens for 2010 & Tips For Purchasing

from www.mommyfootprint.com

Drum roll please.  Every year we excitedly wait to see the results for top organic sunscreens recommended by EWG (Environmental Working Group).  I’ve listed the top 5 results below and asked Gwen, owner of Nayla Natural Care to put together some sunscreen tips for Mommy Footprint readers. Her online store is carrying 3 of the top 5 brands recommended by EWG which shows Gwen’s depth for sourcing great products. 

Check out the Badger Sunscreen, SPF 30 and the new Thinkbaby and Thinksport SPF 30+.  Nayla Natural Care has kindly offered a prize pack of Badger products to kickoff our series of safer sunscreen (more information on the contest at end of this article).

Top 5 Beach & Sport Sunscreens EWG – Skin Deep
1. Loving Naturals Sunscreen 30+ SPF
2. Heiko Kids 40 SPF
3. Thinkbaby and Thinksport Thinkbaby Sunscreen SPF 30+
4. Badger Sunscreen SPF 30
5. Trukid Sunny Days Facestick Mineral Sunscreen UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum, SPF 30+

I link to the online store Nayla frequently because I trust Gwen’s excellent product knowledge and customer service. I’d like to thank Gwen for taking the time to write these awesome sunscreen tips – I learned a lot from her article.  I especially love the handy SPF calculator!


Tips for Purchasing Sunscreen, by Gwen Leron
It is that time of year again, when we all start to look at purchasing sun block/screen for the upcoming sunny days of summer. With all of the products on the market and the abundance of information out there, Suzanne and I thought it would be a great idea to lay out all of the things you need to know before purchasing a sun block/screen for your family.

This is Part 1 of what we have put together and here, we will present the basics on sun block/screen, and the terms you should know.

What is SPF? SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. The most common SPF factors are 15, 30 and 45. The SPF tells you approximately how long your sun block/screen will protect you from the sun. For example, if you normally burn after 10 minutes in the sun, multiply 10 minutes by the SPF. Therefore, an SPF15 will protect you for 150 minutes (2 hours 30 minutes) before you have to re-apply. It is important not to go exactly by the SPF calculation though. Sweating, clothing rubbing against the skin and water can all reduce the “safe time” so it is always a good idea to re-apply well before the calculated SPF time. A good rule is to apply once every hour.

What is the difference between sunscreen and sun block?
A chemical based sunscreen is known as a chemical block. These types of sunscreens do not leave a white film on the skin and rub in as a regular lotion would. The chemicals in these sunscreens filter sunlight and reduce the ultraviolet penetration to the skin. Chemical sunscreens usually contain chemical preservatives such as parabens to lengthen shelf life. It is a good idea to stay away from chemical ingredients and preservatives because they easily absorb into the skin and can cause a multitude of problems.

A sun block that is not chemical based is known as a physical block. These types of blocks contain an active natural mineral ingredient, either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. After applying, the sun block physically blocks the ultraviolet penetration to the skin and do not use any chemicals to do so. Physical blocks usually leave a whitish tinge to the skin after application and contain natural preservatives that in turn give them a shorter shelf life than their chemical based equivalents. To combat the unappealing look of the “white sunscreen” sitting on the skin, some companies turn to nano-particles in sunscreen, which we will discuss in Part 2.

What is broad spectrum? A sun block/screen is broad spectrum if it protects against Ultraviolet-A (UVA) and Ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays. UVA and UVB rays together cause skin cancer, premature aging, sunburn and more, so always be sure that the sun block/screen you choose is labeled broad spectrum.

Note: The sun also emits Ultraviolet-C (UVC) rays but they are of little concern because the majority of UVC rays are filtered by the earth’s ozone layer before it reaches us (a little bit more incentive to protect the environment).

What is the difference between water resistant and waterproof?

Water resistant means that that the sun block/screen will retain its SPF after 40 minutes of any type of moisture exposure. Keep in mind that water exposure also includes sweating.

Waterproof means that the product will retain its SPF after 80 minutes of water exposure.
Stay tuned for part 2 of this series. We will dive a bit deeper into the more technical terms that you may come across when trying to decipher sun block/screen ingredients.

Monday Giveaway! Nomie Baby Cozy Up Stroller Blanket

This is definitely one item you’ll want to get your hands on before next winter!  Nomie Baby makes a fantastic stroller blanket for your baby and toddler.   It comes in two sizes and two colors.  The baby size fits over infant car seats and can also be used for baby in the stroller:
The toddler blanket fits in your stroller and will fit older babies and toddlers.  Both sizes come with your choice of dark blue or purple lining:
I have the toddler stroller blanket and I used it for my 1 1/2 year old this winter and I have to say it is FANTASTIC!  I’m pretty sure every time we were out on a walk with it at least one mom stopped to ask me where I got it.  I wanted a blanket that zipped all the way around to keep him as warm as possible but that was still big enough for a growing toddler.  This toddler blanket has plenty of room for him to grow in and I know we’ll be using it next winter too.  The lining is a super soft fleece and I often wished that I was the one that got to sit wrapped in all that warmth!
Features of the Nomie Baby stroller blanket: 

• Wind resistant outer layer & cozy fleece lining
• Blanket zips around baby for comfort and warmth
• Super soft material is washing machine and dryer friendly
• A percentage of all profits go to children’s charities

A few other features of this stroller blanket that I really love are the velcro pocket at the base (perfect for snacks or pacifiers or house keys), the strong double zipper (so you can unzip only one side if needed), and the slats for putting the stroller straps though (which are very easy to use).
Nomie Baby also makes car seat covers that are machine washable in many different colors.  Check out their website at www.nomiebaby.com for more information and to see where you can buy your Nomie Baby blanket.

Now is the best time to buy your Nomie Baby stroller blanket because they are offering 15% OFF of your entire order.  Just enter the code "Spring2010" now through April 30, 2010 when you order online at www.nomiebaby.com

Enter to Win!

We are giving away a Nomie Baby dark blue toddler stroller blanket, which retails for $48.95!  To be eligible to win just send an email to abby@littlemiraclesbabyplanning.com with the subject “Nomie Baby.”  Extra chances to win!  We’re looking to add more people to our email list so if you include the name and email address of someone you know would like to receive our emails we’ll add ONE EXTRA ENTRY FOR EACH EMAIL ADDRESS you include in the body of your email.  Please, only legit email addresses, we don’t want to spam anybody.  Winner will be chosen at random and the contest ends Thursday April 8th at 12 noon est.