Breast feeding

Go ahead and breast feed - it's the best food for a baby

From an op-ed in the L.A. Times ...

What science the Bush administration chooses to stifle or promote seems to be a matter of politics and economics. According to a recent story in the Washington Post, the multibillion-dollar baby formula industry pressured the Department of Health and Human Services to weaken a 2004 public-service campaign promoting breast-feeding -- and it worked, even though the science supported the other side.

Numerous studies suggest that breast milk protects infants from developing certain illnesses and that formula-feeding increases their health risks.

The ad campaign was designed to drive home that point. Now the health of millions of infants is at risk because mothers don't have the scientific knowledge the ads would have conveyed to make an informed choice between breast- or formula-feeding.

According to the Post, a recent report by an agency within the Health and Human Services Department makes the same point as the canceled ads but has also been downplayed by the government because of pressure from the formula industry.

Full article http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/sunday/commentary/la-op-orent30sep30,1,5921620.story

As a Developmental Psychologist who advocates "real" science and breast feeding for optimal development in infants - this is sickening!

Don't children count anymore? Rhetorical question - of course they don't...they don't vote!

Recall alert - CRIBS - September 21

Now it's cribs from China that are being recalled:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Simplicity Inc, a supplier of baby furniture to Wal-Mart Stores Inc and other big retailers, is recalling about 1 million Chinese-made baby cribs that have been linked to at least two infant deaths, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Friday.

The drop-side can detach from the crib, which can create a dangerous gap that leads to an infant being trapped and suffocated, the safety agency said in a statement. It urged parents to check all Simplicity-made cribs to ensure the drop- side is installed correctly.

The cribs, priced between $100 and $300, were sold by U.S. retailers and chains, including Target Corp's Web site, Big Lots Inc and family-owned Meijer Inc.

Full article HERE

Are you a worrier?

I was talking recently to some parents and to-be parents who say they worry...worry about doing the "right" thing, worry about their child's future, worry about their own life now that parenting is upon them...or about to be upon them.

I know my book will be of value to these parents and others....

It will soon be ready...and I'm thinking of a tentative title along this line:

I'm a child psychologist and I screwed up:
so why should anyone expect to be a perfect parent?

And I have asked my son to write a testimonial....