Happy Valentine’s Day! We hope you and your families have a wonderful day filled with lots of love.
Welcome to this week’s highlights, our weekly post that recaps important child health and safety news, research, and recalls from the previous week and other great finds we’ve come across in our internet travels. Enjoy! - Jasmine & Heather
In the News:
Are the French Really Better Parents? A Different View from Paris - Perhaps you saw the original article in the WSJ or have seen commentaries since, but the latest buzz about parenting styles since The Tiger Mom is now focused on french parenting’s superiority to American a la Pamela Druckerman and her new book, Bringing Up BéBé. I found this opinion piece to be an excellent commentary which brings Pamela’s thoughts into perspective.
Woman Fired Over Lactation, Judge Says Not Sex Discrimination - A woman was fired for asking for to pump at work, and a recent court ruling says that lactation is not pregnancy-related and thus not protected under sex discrimination law. Although Obama’s health care law requires employers to give women breaks to pump, it apparently doesn’t specifically protect them from being fired if they ask to do so - pretty much rendering the requirement ineffective.
Mom Induced Early for Dying Husband - In a heartbreaking situation, Diane Aulger scratched her plans for a natural birth and was induced two weeks early so that her dying husband could meet his unborn child. Husband, Mark, passed away just 5 days later. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Diane and her family.
New Research:
Chemo Possible for Pregnant Women with Cancer
About 1 in 1,000 women will face cancer during pregnancy and the unbearable dilemma of how to proceed. I personally have a family member who went through this, so this news comes very close to home. A series of papers published last week suggest that women with cancer can be treated the same as other patients with minimal risk to the fetus. One study of 70 children who were exposed to chemo in the womb found that they developed just as well as other children based on tests on their hearts, IQs, and general health. Another study suggests that chemotherapy after the first trimester is possible with extra ultrasounds to monitor baby’s development and radiation is best done in the first two trimesters when the baby is small enough to be covered by a lead blanket. The same study also found that ending the pregnancy did not improve the chances for the mother.
Skip The Strained Peas, Let Babies Feed Themselves
Does this mean the end of my beloved Beaba Babycook? New research suggests skipping baby food purees and letting children go straight to finger foods through “baby-led weaning”. In a study of 155 children ages 20 months to 6 1/2 years, parents filled out questionnaires on their children’s feeding and weaning practices, food preferences, and height and weight. The results of the questionnaire indicate that babies who learn to feed themselves early on may develop healthier eating habits and be less likely to become overweight as self-feeding helps them to be more mindful of their appetites. The study also found that the finger-fed children preferred carbs while the spoon-fed children preferred sweets. It seems to me that there may be more factors at play, but ultimately helping children become mindful of their appetites and serving them fresh, whole foods when they are ready is key.
Tests Find Mold, Fecal Bacteria in Children’s Lunch Boxes
Ewwww. A NC State University scientist and her grad students paired up with a local news station to investigate germs where we eat. They found no evidence of harmful bacteria on the trays tested from fast food restaurants and mall food courts; however, children’s lunch boxes were a different matter. Of the 100 lunch boxes tested at a local middle school, about half tested positive for low levels of staph and about 15% showed fecal contamination most likely due to children not washing their hands properly after using the restroom. What was also surprising to me - the list of other surfaces with highest germ concentration according to other studies - i.e. gas pump handle.
Fantastic Finds:
Stomach vs Food
This video follows a “smart pill” into the stomach of two subjects and shows how our bodies digest (or fail to digest) processed foods - Ramen and Gatorade - as compared to their homemade counterparts. Incredibly fascinating to watch.
Best Children’s Books for February from HuffingtonPost- I’m a book lover, and there look to be some fun recommendations here.
Why Pinterest is 2012′s Hottest Website from CNN - I’m a HUGE fan. I joined Pinterest in its early stages and was hooked from the start. It’s essentially a visual online bookmarking system; however, the social aspect allows you to see and repin what others have pinned too. I can’t tell you how many fantastic ideas I’ve found using this site.
Recalls, February 7 – February 13:
CPSC Child Product Recalls
No child product recall announcements this week.
Child Safety Seat Recalls
No child safety seat recall announcements this week.
USDA/FDA Recalls
- Wisconsin Firm Recalls Cooked Pork Hocks Due To Misbranding and an Undeclared Allergen
- North Carolina Firm Recalls Chicken Salad Products Due To Possible Listeria Contamination
If there’s anything you see and think we should feature, please send it to jasmine@purebebe.com.
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I recently joined Pinterest, and I LOVE it. I’m the type of person who constantly jots down notes on post-its, so Pinterest has been a great time-saver. It keeps every idea and musing in one place. Plus, other people’s boards are a great source of inspiration for crafty ideas.
Now if only we had time to implement all the great ideas we find, right?