Archive for August, 2010

For many moms, the joys of the first few months with their newborn are overshadowed with guilt as they must prepare to return back to work. It is a difficult decision for some mothers knowing they must leave their precious infant in the care of another. As you spend the first couple of months bonding and establishing breastfeeding, you probably cannot imagine leaving your sweet baby even for a minute – even if you are excited to return to your career. Returning to work doesn’t mean you will lose the bond you have created or that you have to stop breastfeeding either. There are many ways you can make the transition to work while breastfeeding easier so you can continue to give your baby the very best.

The Breast Pump

When returning to work, the breast pump will become your “breast” friend. A breast pump will enable you to store and bottle your milk so your baby can continue to reap the benefits of it while you are away.

When it comes to buying a pump, your best bet will be a dual electric pump. It will be the quickest and most efficient way to get the most breast pump in one sitting. A manual pump is only a good choice if you want to get a small amount of milk in one sitting – say 3 – 6 ounces. There are a few great dual electric pumps out right now and you can usually get them in a neat carrying case with bottles that go with it.

Getting Into A Routine

Before you go back to work, you want to get familiar with your pump and how to use it. It is a good idea to start practicing with it and trying to get your baby to become accustomed to drinking it from a bottle as well as your breast. It can take a bit of time to get used to using your pump and for your baby to feel comfortable taking a bottle. You want to make the whole process normal and a part of your daily routine so you can ease right into it when you go back to work. Remember, it’s very important to always stay relaxed and think about your baby when trying to pump.

It’s also a good idea to have someone other than yourself give your baby the bottle, because it is often hardest to get a breastfed baby to take a bottle from their mother. If you can have your partner, or the caregiver who is going to be with your baby give them the bottle, it will help them get used to the change. That way your baby knows they can have the best of both worlds, breast and bottle.

Stocking A Supply

Once you begin using your pump, you can start storing milk in the freezer so you will have a nice supply started once you return to work. You can start anywhere from a month to a couple of weeks before you are scheduled to return. There are many ways you can store your milk in the freezer. You can use bottles, covered ice cube trays, or the special little bags made just for breast milk. The bags are pretty inexpensive and easy to use. They also will help save space and have markings on the side so you know how much milk is stored in it. Make sure you write the date on any container and always store the milk in an area that will stay the coldest.

Breast milk can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 8 days and can be stored in a freezer for up to 6 months. If you store your milk in a refrigerator/freezer where it is exposed to variable temperatures, it will store for 2 weeks. If you store it in a refrigerator/ freezer with a separate compartment, it can be stored up to 4 months. If you store it in a deep freezer, it can be stored for 6 months.

Plan Ahead

Before you go back to work, it’s a good idea to talk with your boss and let them know you are going to be pumping at work. Be honest with your boss and let them know that you will need to pump a few times a day and that you will need a private place to do so. Ask if there is an office with a locking door, or some other room (not the bathroom) where you can go. It may sound like a talk you don’t want to have, but you will be surprised how many other mothers are pump at work.

On average, you will need to pump 3 times a day, for 10 – 15 minutes to get enough for the next day. Once your baby gets older and begins to eat solid foods, you will find yourself needing to pump less frequently.

Another important decision to factor in is, wearing the appropriate clothing. Even though you may be pumping in a locked office, you don’t want to have to feel like you need to wrestle with your clothing if someone came knocking. Clothing that makes it easy to access your breasts or even nursing shirts, will be your best choice. You may also want to use breast pads in case you have any leaks in between pumping.

Making A Decision

If you find yourself doing everything you can to make pumping work for you, but just don’t feel it’s going to, then it’s ok. If pumping at work is interfering with your life or causing too much stress, it just may not be the right choice for you. There are other options if necessary and there is support out there for you. La Leche League is a wonderful resource for all your breastfeeding and pumping questions. You may want to try negotiating your hours or work schedule, or possibly try to work from home.

Whatever decision you make, as long as you know it’s the best for you and your baby, then that’s all that matters. Hopefully with these tips you will have a successful return to work while still giving your baby breast milk. Good luck!

 by Faiths13 on Diaper Swappers

Of all nursery products, cribs are responsible for the most infant deaths. Whether you choose a new crib or a hand-me-down, evaluate it carefully to ensure that your baby’s resting place is safe.

What to look for:

• The distance between slats must be no more than 2-3/8 inches (6 centimeters) to protect infants from falling out and toddlers from trapping their heads between the slats.
• The side rails that lower should have at least two locking devices to prevent older babies from releasing them.
• When a side rail is lowered, its top should be at least 9 inches (23 centimeters) above the mattress support. To protect older babies, the top of the raised side rail must be at least 26 inches (66 centimeters) above the mattress support at its lowest position.
• If the crib has corner posts, they must be either flush with the top of the headboard and footboard or very tall — over 16 inches (41 centimeters). Anything in between is a potential strangulation hazard.
• Get the firmest mattress you can find. Don’t rely on manufacturers’ labels — test it yourself. This is extremely important because soft mattresses may play a role in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
• Be sure that the mattress fits snugly in the crib. This keeps a baby from slipping in between the mattress and the crib sides. Buy a mattress pad that fits tightly and make sure that the plastic mattress packaging has been removed.
• Evaluate a used crib with extra care. There may be too much space between slats, or elaborate cut-outs in the headboard and footboard that can trap a baby’s head. A crib made before 1978 may have a finish that contains lead, so a crib that has been in the family for generations may not be the best one to use!

SAFETY NOTES:

• Always place your baby on his or her back to sleep.
• Check all screws and hardware regularly and tighten them if necessary.
• To prevent suffocation, never place soft bedding or soft toys (blankets, fluffy comforters, pillows, plush toys) in your baby’s crib.
• Although bumper pads are widely used, their safety has been questioned. One study, using data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), found a number of accidental deaths appeared to be related to the use of bumper pads in cribs and bassinets. Many pediatric organizations discourage the use of bumper pads in cribs to avoid accidental suffocation.
• Once your baby starts to pull up, remove crib gyms and mobiles to prevent entanglement. If you have bumper pads in the crib, remove them when your baby starts to stand so they cannot be used to help climb out of the crib.
• Never place a crib near a window or drapes, because your baby can become entangled in window blind and drape cords. Remove bibs and necklaces when your baby is in the crib. Do not hang toys by strings.

We all love the look of brand new, soft, clean fluff in our mailbox, right? It can sometimes be so difficult to keep it looking that fresh and new, especially after several months of repeated use. I’ve found several things to do to keep my cloth diaper stash looking white and bright. First of all, I try and rinse off the diapers immediately after a diaper change. Second, I don’t let the dirty diapers sit in the pail for more than 3 days. Then, in addition to my normal wash routine, I try and strip them using OxiClean (regular, not the “free” or baby versions) every three weeks or so. This not only helps keep buildup to a minimum, it also helps whiten the inserts as well as the liner of my pocket diapers.

During the summer, I also have another trick that works wonders…the sun. I love hanging my diapers out on the line to dry in the sunshine – they bleach naturally and any left over stink that has built up usually just disappears. Since line drying tends to make the diapers and inserts a bit rough and “crunchy”, I toss them in the dryer for a few minutes to fluff before I fold/stuff them for use again. I’ve noticed my hemp inserts in particular get extra crunchy, so I usually just fold and squish it in my hands before tossing it in the dryer. The inserts don’t come into contact with my son’s skin therefore I’m not too worried if it isn’t as soft as if I had dried it in the dryer to begin with. By following this routine, I not only have extra clean looking diapers, I also save some money by not running the dryer as much in the summer time.

By Katrina W.

Disclaimer: Some manufactures do not approve the use of OxiClean with their products. Please be sure to check with your diaper manufacturer regarding approved detergents, additives, etc.

Watch Out! Stay Away From ‘Fragrance’

 This excellent article published by Parents magazine— by Virginia Sole-Smith

How to Keep Your Family Safe from Toxic Chemicals

 BPA … Phthalates… You know they can be dangerous for your family, but you may not know all the ways they enter your body, or — most important — how you can limit your exposure. Parents investigates.

By Virginia Sole-Smith

 Amy Ellings thought she knew what to expect last year when she agreed to donate blood for a study that would measure the levels of chemicals in her body. It focused on pregnant women in their second trimester in order to gauge what kind of chemical “body burden” they might be passing on to their developing baby. It sounded a little sci-fi, but Ellings, of Olympia, Washington, knew she led a healthy lifestyle: “I’m a public-health nutritionist, so I was interested to see the results, but I figured everything would be normal.”

Not quite.

Two months after she gave birth to baby Nick, Ellings learned that her blood samples had contained 12 different chemicals known as endocrine disruptors, which can interfere with the body’s ability to produce hormones. Two of these chemicals, bisphenol A (BPA) and diethyl phthalate (DEP), were at levels higher than those found in 90 percent of American adults. “I was blown away,” says Ellings. She wondered whether she’d been exposed to these chemicals because she’d grown up in a small industrial town. But BPA and DEP break down quickly, which means her blood test revealed only what her body had accumulated within the previous three days. “I was shocked to learn what my unborn baby and I were exposed to,” she says.

You might think Ellings is an isolated case, but biomonitoring studies show that these endocrine-disrupting chemicals (or EDCs) are now found in virtually all of us. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified detectable levels of BPA, for instance, in 93 percent of people tested, and phthalates like DEP in at least 75 percent of the population. “These chemicals weren’t in most consumer goods as recently as 40 years ago,” says Parents advisor Philip J. Landrigan, M.D., professor of pediatrics at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City, and director of its Children’s Environmental Health Center. “Now they’re in our bodies, and we don’t understand all the ways they could impact our health because no previous generation of humans has ever been exposed to them.”

What we do know: As the environmental exposures and chemical burden on our bodies has risen, so have rates of diseases, particularly those that impact kids, including asthma, childhood cancers, autism, and ADHD. Hormones, and chemicals that mimic them, may play a key role in the evolution of these health problems because they work as chemical messengers, traveling through the bloodstream to affect the development of tissues and organs, as well as influencing body processes like metabolism and reproduction. “There is no more dangerous time for this toxic exposure to occur than during pregnancy and early childhood, when organ systems are still in development,” notes Andrew Weil, M.D., founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona.

But nobody knows what level of toxic exposure might trigger a particular disease. Even though many EDCs break down quickly, their levels are constantly increasing in our body because we encounter them every day — in our food, beauty products, and even from the furniture in our own home.

The New Pollution

EDC exposure works like this: You go shopping and stock up on canned goods, baby formula, cleaning supplies, and shampoo, all of which may either contain BPA, DEP, or other endocrine disruptors or absorb them via their EDC-containing cans and packages. Then you eat, breathe, and in some cases, rub these chemicals directly on your skin. Once they’re in your body, you release small doses into our waterways every time you urinate. And when you’re finished with the products, you send the leftovers or their containers to break down in a landfill, allowing them to circulate further in the environment.

EDCs do their damage early on, causing small changes to a fetus’s developing cells that may have a ripple effect throughout that child’s life. “We used to think that the placenta protected a fetus from these kinds of exposures, but studies have shown that phthalates and other endocrine disruptors cross the placenta barrier,” says Dr. Landrigan. The Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit advocacy organization, released a biomonitoring report last year that detected more than 200 environmental toxins in the cord blood of newborn babies. Fetuses accumulate these chemicals in higher concentrations than their moms do because their immature liver and kidneys can’t excrete them as well as adult organs can. Although Ellings says that 7-month-old Nick is happy and healthy, it’s too soon to know whether his early chemical exposures will lead to future problems.

These are three of the most common EDCs and the specific ways you and your family are exposed.

Bisphenol A (BPA)

Bisphenol A (BPA), pronounced [bis-FEEN-al A] What it is: An industrial chemical that is used to make some types of epoxy resins (which hold things together) as well as polycarbonate plastic, a hard, shatterproof plastic used in some food-storage containers

Where it is: The linings of metal food containers and drink cans and some aluminum water bottles; any food containers, baby bottles, or other plastics that are labeled #7; CD cases; eyeglasses; dental composites and sealants

The risks: “Since the 1930s we’ve known that BPA can mimic the effects of estrogen in the body,” says Richard Denison, Ph.D., a senior scientist with the Environmental Defense Fund. Studies on lab animals have found that early exposures to BPA can predispose them to develop prostate and breast cancers later in life; it may also lower fertility by impairing normal development of eggs and sperm. Researchers at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill reported in March that 2-year-old girls who had been exposed to higher prenatal levels of BPA displayed more aggression and hyperactivity, while other research has suggested links between BPA and increasing asthma rates and cardiovascular problems.

 Phthalates

Phthalates, pronounced [THA-lāts] What they are: Chemicals, including diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), added to vinyl and other plastics to increase flexibility and to personal-care products to keep their fragrances

Where they are: Anything vinyl; most soaps, lotions, and hair products, especially those with “fragrance” or “parfum” in their ingredients — all of which may off-gas or degrade, releasing phthalate particles into household dust. Phthalates were banned for use in products for kids under 3 by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, but they’re still lurking in many other plastic toys, and any baby products made before the ban.

The risks: “Exposure to phthalates is associated with reduced testosterone levels in kids and adults,” notes Tracey Woodruff, Ph.D., director of the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment at the University of California, San Francisco. Researchers at the University of Rochester have found that prenatal phthalate exposure correlated with subtle signs of feminization (like undescended testicles) in baby boys and less masculine behavior as the boys got older. In April, a study at Mount Sinai’s Children’s Environmental Health Center also found that children exposed to phthalates in the womb were more likely to exhibit symptoms of ADHD between the ages of 4 and 9.

Flame Retardants

What they are: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used in products to lower the risk and inhibit the spread of fire.

Where they are: On electronics, furniture, carpets, children’s pajamas, and other household items that are required to meet flame-retardant safety standards. As these materials age, they release PBDEs into household dust, which we then breathe in. The CDC estimates that 97 percent of Americans have detectable levels of PBDEs in their body. PBDEs are now banned in several states, so manufacturers will be phasing them out of consumer goods over the next few years.

The risks: PBDEs don’t break down as quickly as most other endocrine disruptors, so they persist in the environment and in the body for years. Women with higher levels of PBDEs may be half as likely to conceive as women with lower levels, according to a recent study from University of California, Berkeley. Children who had higher concentrations of PBDEs in their umbilical-cord blood at birth scored lower on mental and physical development tests between ages 1 and 6, according to research from the Columbia University Center for Children’s Environmental Health.

How We Got There

Why are such potentially dangerous chemicals allowed in so many household products in the first place? “You can’t put a new car on the market without extensive crash testing first, but there aren’t any similar precautions in place for chemicals,” explains Rick Smith, executive director of Environmental Defence Canada and coauthor of Slow Death by Rubber Duck. When used as industrial chemicals, EDCs are regulated by the much-maligned Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, which doesn’t require that they be tested or proven safe before being used. Instead, it’s up to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to show that a chemical is unsafe — that it poses an “unreasonable risk” — before it can regulate or ban that chemical. “The bar is set so high that the EPA can essentially never meet it, and therefore dangerous chemicals are in all sorts of products,” says Dr. Denison. Congress’s original rationale for giving a pass to industrial chemicals like BPA, he explains, is that they weren’t designed to be biologically active or get into our body in the same way pesticides or drugs would, and wouldn’t pose the same risks. “Now we know that was naive. We should presume these chemicals could be a problem until their producers can prove otherwise,” he says.

Some canned-goods manufacturers, such as General Mills (which makes Muir Glen Organic Tomatoes) and Heinz, are responding to consumer concerns. They’re reformulating some of their products to be BPA-free or are planning to line their cans with safer chemicals (which they haven’t yet identified). But public-health officials worry that until better procedures are in place to regulate claims like “BPA-free,” consumers can’t be assured seeing this term on a label means a product is safe. (Experts predict the next hallmark of safety may be products marketed as “EA-free,” for estrogenic activity.) “At this point it’s still better to choose items that are BPA-free,” says Dr. Woodruff.

Meanwhile, some experts continue to believe that the EDC levels found in biomonitoring studies are too low to be a cause for concern. “It’s the amount of any given chemical, not its presence or absence, that determines its potential for harm,” says Carl Winter, Ph.D., a toxicologist and director of the FoodSafe Program at the University of California, Davis, as well as the scientific spokesperson for a trade group called the Institute of Food Technologists. Still, consider a 2005 study conducted at Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh, which found that mice exposed to BPA in utero at a level of just 25 parts per trillion experienced double the amount of milk-duct growth as mice with no BPA exposure. That alone would lead you to believe that even the tiniest amount could affect your body.

“Finding any synthetic chemical in a person’s body should be a big red flag that we need to really study that chemical,” says Gina Solomon, M.D., a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council. The American Medical Association issued a statement last fall calling for the government to increase regulation of EDCs in consumer products. And certain EDCs are banned in multiple states and cities, including Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, Washington, and Wisconsin, Chicago, and New York’s Suffolk County. Suffolk County, for instance, issues a $500 fine to stores that sell baby bottles or sippy cups that are made with BPA.

In April, Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA) introduced Senate and House versions of the Safe Chemicals Act of 2010, which would overhaul the Toxic Substances Control Act. Under this new law, manufacturers would have to demonstrate that new chemicals are safe before they can put them on the market, and all existing chemicals would have to be assessed for safety over the next five to 15 years. The Obama administration has signaled that it will support the bill. And in April, a panel that advises the president on cancer issued a 200-plus-page report calling for all levels of government “to protect every American from needless disease through rigorous regulation of environmental pollutants,” including BPA. “We expect the chemical industry to fight reform tooth and nail, but there’s broad bipartisan support for more regulation because nobody in his right mind supports exposing kids to toxins,” says Smith.

Making a Difference

With EDC exposure so ubiquitous, you may wonder if you can keep your family safe. “The good news is that it’s completely doable to make small changes that have real benefits,” says Dr. Woodruff. For example, many of these chemicals pile up in household dust, so dusting, wet mopping, and vacuuming frequently can reduce your family’s exposure, especially if your child is crawling and at that stage where he’s putting everything in his mouth. (See “Safer Swaps,” below, for more simple substitutions.) “Since many of the EDCs have a short half-life, they can be quickly flushed out of your body once the exposure is removed,” explains Smith. Which is exactly what we want to hear as we wait for chemical-policy reform and for scientists to understand the full scope of these daily yet preventable EDC exposures. As Amy Ellings says, “You shouldn’t have to worry every time you shop for your family.”

Safer Swaps Whether you make one, some, or all, your family’s health will benefit — and fast.

Phthalates

Instead of: Personal-care products that list “fragrance” as an ingredient Try: Fragrance-free shampoo, moisturizer, and other staples. Burt’s Bees, California Baby, and Earth Mama Angel Baby are three phthalate-free brands. Find safer products by checking their ratings in the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database at cosmeticsdatabase.com.

Instead of: Heavily fragranced cleaning products Try: A spray bottle filled with a solution of half vinegar, half water. Or use Clorox, Seventh Generation, or Method, cleaning-product brands that are free of phthalates and most other EDCs.

Instead of: Buying new toys without knowing what they may contain Try: Seeing whether their test results are listed on healthystuff.org, an online database of more than 5,000 products run by the Ecology Center, a Michigan environmental nonprofit.

BPA

Instead of: A water bottle that’s made of plastic or aluminum (which may be lined with BPA) Try: Stainless steel

Instead of: Canned goods Try: Soups or tomatoes that are packaged in glass jars; fresh or frozen produce; dried beans

Instead of: Liquid formula in metal cans Try: Powdered formula in cardboard or plastic. If you must use liquid, choose concentrate in glass or plastic.

Instead of: Microwaving in plastic or pouring hot liquids into BPA-containing bottles or containers Try: Transferring your leftovers to a glass or ceramic bowl before you heat them up, heating baby formula in BPA-free bottles or by putting the bottle in a bowl of warm water.

Instead of: Using any plastic, especially baby bottles and other children’s products, labeled #7 (polycarbonate) or #3 (PVC) Try:Remembering this mantra: “4, 5, 1, and 2 — all the rest are bad for you.” Look for a product labeled BPA-free and find out why it’s safer. WeilBaby bottles, for instance, are made with Tritan (a copolyester that is also free of phthalates) and manufactured in the U.S. on equipment that makes only BPA-free products. BornFree Eco-Friendly Baby Bottles are made from polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), a plastic that does not contain BPA, PVC, or phthalates, and can be returned to the manufacturer for recycling. Lifewithoutplastic.com has more ideas for affordable, nonplastic food-storage containers, bottles, and children’s goods. When you do use plastic of any kind, don’t put it in the dishwasher. 

PBDEs

Instead of: Carpets, curtains, and furniture that have been treated with flame retardants Try: Naturally fire-resistant wool, hemp, and cotton. (With furniture, and other big purchases, before you buy always ask the manufacturer whether it uses a chemical coating.)

Take Action for Tougher Chemical Laws Check out these Web resources to get involved.

Join the MomsRising “Safer Chemicals” campaign: momsrising.org/environmentalhealth.

Through the Environmental Defense Fund, send a letter to your Congressperson, letting him or her know that tougher chemical regulation is important to you: edf.org/chemicalsafety.

Stay up-to-date on pending legislation with the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition: saferchemicals.org.

Learn more about the research of the Washington Toxics Coalition, which conducted Amy Ellings’s test: watoxics.org/publications/earliestexposures.

Originally published in the August 2010 issue of Parents magazine.

All content on this Web site, including medical opinion and any other health-related information, is for informational purposes only and should not be considered to be a specific diagnosis or treatment plan for any individual situation. Use of this site and the information contained herein does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others

Whooping Cough (Pertussis)

Whooping cough — or pertussis — is an infection of the respiratory system caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis (or B. pertussis). It’s characterized by severe coughing spells that end in a “whooping” sound when the person breathes in. Before a vaccine was available, pertussis killed 5,000 to 10,000 people in the United States each year. Now, the pertussis vaccine has reduced the annual number of deaths to less than 30.

But in recent years, the number of cases has started to rise. By 2004, the number of whooping cough cases spiked past 25,000, the highest level it’s been since the 1950s. It’s mainly affected infants younger than 6 months old before they’re adequately protected by immunizations, and kids 11 to 18 years old whose immunity has faded.

Signs and Symptoms

The first symptoms of whooping cough are similar to those of a common cold:

• runny nose
• sneezing
• mild cough
• low-grade fever

After about 1 to 2 weeks, the dry, irritating cough evolves into coughing spells. During a coughing spell, which can last for more than a minute, the child may turn red or purple. At the end of a spell, the child may make a characteristic whooping sound when breathing in or may vomit. Between spells, the child usually feels well.

Although it’s likely that infants and younger children who become infected with B. pertussis will develop the characteristic coughing episodes with their accompanying whoop, not everyone will. However, sometimes infants don’t cough or whoop as older kids do. They may look as if they’re gasping for air with a reddened face and may actually stop breathing for a few seconds during particularly bad spells.

Adults and adolescents with whooping cough may have milder or atypical symptoms, such as a prolonged cough without the coughing spells or the whoop.

Contagiousness

Pertussis is highly contagious. The bacteria spread from person to person through tiny drops of fluid from an infected person’s nose or mouth. These may become airborne when the person sneezes, coughs, or laughs. Others then can become infected by inhaling the drops or getting the drops on their hands and then touching their mouths or noses.

Infected people are most contagious during the earliest stages of the illness up to about 2 weeks after the cough begins. Antibiotics shorten the period of contagiousness to 5 days following the start of antibiotic treatment.

Prevention

Whooping cough can be prevented with the pertussis vaccine, which is part of the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis) immunization. DTaP immunizations are routinely given in five doses before a child’s sixth birthday. To give additional protection in case immunity fades, the AAP now recommends that kids ages 11-18 get a booster shot of the new combination vaccine (called Tdap), ideally when they’re 11 or 12 years old, instead of the Td booster routinely given at this age. As is the case with all immunization schedules, there are important exceptions and special circumstances. Your doctor will have the most current information.

Experts believe that up to 80% of nonimmunized family members will develop whooping cough if they live in the same house as someone who has the infection. For this reason, anyone who comes into close contact with someone who has pertussis should receive antibiotics to prevent spread of the disease. Young kids who have not received all five doses of the vaccine may require a booster dose if exposed to an infected family member.

Incubation

The incubation period (the time between infection and the onset of symptoms) for whooping cough is usually 7 to 10 days, but can be as long as 21 days.

Duration

Pertussis can cause prolonged symptoms. The child usually has 1 to 2 weeks of common cold symptoms, followed by approximately 2 to 4 weeks of severe coughing, though the coughing spells can sometimes last even longer. The last stage consists of another several weeks of recovery with gradual resolution of symptoms. In some children, the recovery period may last for months.

Professional Treatment

Call the doctor if you suspect that your child has whooping cough. To make a diagnosis, the doctor will take a medical history, do a thorough physical exam, and take nose and throat mucus samples that will be examined and cultured for B. pertussis bacteria. Blood tests and a chest X-ray may also be done.

If your child has whooping cough, it will be treated with antibiotics, usually for 2 weeks. Many experts believe that the medication is most effective in shortening the infection when it’s given in the first stage of the illness, before coughing spells begin. But even if antibiotics are started later, they’re still important because they can stop the spread of the pertussis infection to others. Ask your doctor whether preventive antibiotics or vaccine boosters for other family members are needed.

Some kids with whooping cough need to be treated in a hospital. Infants and younger children are more likely to be hospitalized because they’re at greater risk for complications such as pneumonia, which occurs in about 1 in 5 children under the age of 1 year who have pertussis. Up to 75% of infants younger than 6 months old with whooping cough will receive hospital treatment. In infants younger than 6 months of age, whooping cough can even be life-threatening.

While in the hospital, a child may need suctioning of thick respiratory secretions. Breathing will be monitored and oxygen given, if needed. Intravenous (IV) fluids might be required if the child shows signs of dehydration or has difficulty eating. Precautions will be taken to prevent the infection from spreading to other patients, hospital staff, and visitors.

Home Treatment

If your child is being treated for pertussis at home, follow the schedule for giving antibiotics exactly as your doctor prescribed. Giving cough medicine probably will not help, as even the strongest usually can’t relieve the coughing spells of whooping cough.

During recovery, let your child rest in bed and use a cool-mist vaporizer to help loosen respiratory secretions and soothe irritated lungs and breathing passages. (Be sure to follow directions for keeping it clean and mold-free.) In addition, keep your home free of irritants that can trigger coughing spells, such as aerosol sprays, tobacco smoke, and smoke from cooking, fireplaces, and wood-burning stoves.

Kids with whooping cough may vomit or not eat or drink much because of frequent coughing. So offer smaller, more frequent meals and encourage your child to drink lots of fluids. Watch for signs of dehydration, too, including thirst, irritability, restlessness, lethargy, sunken eyes, a dry mouth and tongue, dry skin, crying without tears, and fewer trips to the bathroom to urinate (or in infants, fewer wet diapers).

When to Call the Doctor

Call the doctor if you suspect that your child has whooping cough or has been exposed to someone with whooping cough, even if your child has already received all scheduled pertussis immunizations.

Your child should be examined by a doctor if he or she has prolonged coughing spells, especially if these spells:

• make your child turn red or purple
• are followed by vomiting
• are accompanied by a whooping sound when your child breathes in after coughing

If your child has been diagnosed with whooping cough and is being treated at home, seek immediate medical care if he or she has difficulty breathing or shows signs of dehydration.

We all love the look of brand new, soft, clean fluff in our mailbox, right? It can sometimes be so difficult to keep it looking that fresh and new, especially after several months of repeated use. I’ve found several things to do to keep my cloth diaper stash looking white and bright. First of all, I try and rinse off the diapers immediately after a diaper change. Second, I don’t let the dirty diapers sit in the pail for more than 3 days. Then, in addition to my normal wash routine, I try and strip them using OxiClean (regular, not the “free” or baby versions) every three weeks or so. This not only helps keep buildup to a minimum, it also helps whiten the inserts as well as the liner of my pocket diapers.

Diapers in the sun

During the summer, I also have another trick that works wonders…the sun. I love hanging my diapers out on the line to dry in the sunshine – they bleach naturally and any left over stink that has built up usually just disappears. Since line drying tends to make the diapers and inserts a bit rough and “crunchy”, I toss them in the dryer for a few minutes to fluff before I fold/stuff them for use again. I’ve noticed my hemp inserts in particular get extra crunchy, so I usually just fold and squish it in my hands before tossing it in the dryer. The inserts don’t come into contact with my son’s skin therefore I’m not too worried if it isn’t as soft as if I had dried it in the dryer to begin with. By following this routine, I not only have extra clean looking diapers, I also save some money by not running the dryer as much in the summer time.

– By Katrina W.

Disclaimer: Some manufactures do not approve the use of OxiClean with their products. Please be sure to check with your diaper manufacturer regarding approved detergents, additives, etc.

  Many parents who use cloth diapers use cloth wipes as well.  I’ve had several people ask me, “why not just use washcloths?”.  Well you could do that, but why would you want to use boring old washcloths when you can use something much better?

Thirsties Fab Wipes

  Most cloth wipes are made with materials other than what a typical washcloth is made from; terrycloth.  Some are made with organic cotton, bamboo, cotton flannel and many other combinations.  Cloth wipes can be made in all kinds of sizes, though typical size is 8” x 8”.  They can be made with one material or two, as many cloth wipes are two pieces of material to help with the messiest of bottoms.

  You don’t just have to have boring old white or solid colors either. Many cloth wipes come in a variety of fun patterns, especially those made by WAHM (work at home moms).  Some green parents get sets with different patterns on them so they can keep straight with ones are used for faces and which for bottoms.

GroVia Wipes

   At Crackerjack’s we have mostly plain cloth wipes, but some are the softest material I’ve felt in a long time, like the Thirsties Fab Wipes.  We also have unbleached cotton terry wipes by Kissaluvs.  For those that want another option we have 100% cotton wipes by GroVia.

  If you are looking for hand made wipes in fun patterns you should look on Hyena Cart or Diaper Swappers.  Those two sites promote WAHM’s and you can get some great deals on super cute wipes.

We live in a disposable world. Walk into the grocery store and you’ll see tons of one-time use items. Not only do these things fill up landfills but also they cost money and lots of it. It’s time to get away from the disposable mind set and start using material that can be reused multiple times. Cloth is a great way to do this its inexpensive and has a long life. Here’s some easy ways you can switch from disposable to cloth:

Bags - each year between 500 billion-1 trillion plastic bags are used! Reusable bags are a great way to reduce waste and many grocery stores offer them for under a dollar a piece, or you can get them at various online stores for little cost. Also more and more grocery stores are offering incentives to bring in your own bag to use-like .10 per bag credit.

Diapers - if you’re reading this blog, chances are you’re already use cloth diapers. By using cloth instead of disposable diapers you’re helping to reduce the estimated 27.4 billion disposable diapers being used in the U.S each year. And cloth diapers can be much cheaper than disposables, especially if you use flats or pre-folds.

Sandwich Bags - instead of using disposable bags switch to cloth baggies.  There are several online companies that sell reusable sandwich bags and more wahm’s are making them now too.

Menstrual Products – billions of dollars are spent annually on menstrual products-which are then thrown into landfills. By switching to cloth pads and tampon alternatives like the Diva Cup, you can save a lot of money and also cut back on waste.

Paper Towel - one of the biggest disposable wasters is paper towel. Every year 7,300 tons of paper towels is made. Besides the enormous waste, paper towel is also expensive. You can stop using it and just use cloth towels-either buy cheap dish cloths or buy un-paper towel online from various wahm’s.

Tissue - you can stop blowing money away by switching from disposable tissue and use cloth instead. Just cut up an old sheet or bath towel and store in a small container for when you need it.

Toilet Paper – now if you’re adventurous then family cloth is a great money saving option for you! Like tissue it can be any piece of cloth (t-shirt material does not fray in the wash), cut down to resemble the size of a piece of disposable toilet paper. Store it in a basket under your bathroom cabinet and then wash it with your cloth diapers or do a separate load of laundry once you’ve got enough for a separate load of laundry. In between washes just throw it in your cloth diaper pail or in a wet bag.

Baby Wipes - disposable baby wipes are a big expense and can cause irritation on your baby’s bum. You can just buy cheap washcloths at the store or get nicer ones from various wahm’s. Use them with plain water or homemade solution.

By switching to cloth items as much as possible you’ll not only save a lot of money, but you’ll also be helping the environment!

Posted by MyFrugalFunLife on Diaper Swappers

Bumkins AIO diaper

  At Crackerjack’s Underpants we strive to keep the newest products available for cloth diapering parents.  To keep up with the changes in the cloth diapering world we frequently move old style, old color or old versions of diapers and other items to the clearance area on our website.  These items are in no way defective, they are just the old versions.  So we reduce the prices on them to make way for the newest products.  This is a great area to shop if you are new to cloth diapering or if you are and old pro and are looking for some awesome deals!  Brands of diapers in the clearance area include: bumGenius, BabyKicks, Bumkins, FuzziBunz, GroBaby, Happy heinys and Kushies.  Check out our clearance area now!

If you are anything like me, then you feel that natural childbirth is the best  choice for you and your baby. But the one question that keeps coming into your mind is how you will handle the pain of labor and delivery?  The truth is, it’s OK to be afraid of the pain. When you are new to childbirth, it is like an unknown journey that lies ahead of you. But pain is a natural and necessary part of childbirth, and it is something that you can prepare for so that your journey is not so scary.

As you begin to get closer to your due date, you will want to form a strategy to help you deal with the pain of your natural childbirth. Here we will go over some options that can help you through your labor and have a positive experience.

Trust Yourself

The most important thing to remember is to trust yourself. You are a woman and your body was made to give birth. Know that you have the ability to birth naturally, to come through the pain and be strong.

Stay Positive & Stay Focused

There is nothing like letting fear overcome you to ruin what can be a wonderful experience. With trust in yourself and your body’s ability to birth naturally comes the positive attitude of that innate knowledge. Stay focused on what you are doing – bringing your precious baby into this world in the safest and most gently way possible.

Have A Partner You Trust

When you are in labor it is important to have a partner or support person who you trust by your side. Labor is exhausting and takes all of your energy and strength, so to have someone there to help you when you need it is imperative. A support person can bring you food and drinks, rub your back, hold your hand, help remind you to breathe, and just help make you comfortable overall. Best of all, a partner can help you to stay positive and focused on your goal of a natural birth.

Stay Home

When giving birth at a hospital or birth center, it will be helpful to stay at home as long as you can. When you are at home, you are in a safe environment where you are most comfortable. You are able to eat and move about as you please. This extended time at home will help keep your pain more manageable while you spend time relaxing.

It is recommended to go to the hospital when your contractions are 2 – 3 minutes apart and lasting at least 60 seconds with your first baby and 4 minutes apart and 60 seconds long for subsequent births. Enjoy the time leading up to it in your favorite chair listening to soothing music, or sitting in your baby’s nursery as you envision him or her in your arms.

Move

Movement is a wonderful tool in labor. Walking, dancing, swaying from side to side or gently rolling on a birth ball. Some woman may even rock back and forth on their hands and knees. Movement can help your labor progress and can also help you through the pain of each contraction.

One of the worst positions to labor in is stuck laying flat on your back. I can be more painful and it can also slow down your labor and decrease the flow of blood to your baby. If you are unable to get out of bed and move around, try to labor laying on your side or in a supported squat position.

Make Noise

Don’t be afraid to make noise. Just remember that when you are in labor, the best noise is a low moan that leaves your mouth open. You do not want to make high-pitched screaming sounds, as this will cause your body to tense and make the pain harder to bear. Keeping your mouth open helps to remind you to keep loose and to keep yourself open. It also helps you to breathe, where as screaming takes up more breath and energy. Remember, a relaxed mouth means a relaxed bottom.

Breathe

As you labor, keep your breathing slow and deep. This will help you stay relaxed and stay focused. When a contraction comes on strong, remember to keep breathing. Focus on the sound of your breath and envision your body opening and getting ready to allow your baby to come through. Take each contraction, one breath at a time.

Relax

With your slow breathing comes relaxation. Even though your uterus is working very hard, you can still help the rest of your body rest. This will help you keep endurance through a long labor. Relax your mind and all of the muscles in your body. Have your birth partner or support person give you a calming massage or rub your feet. It will be much easier to remember these techniques if you have already begun practicing during pregnancy. If you take a childbirth preparation class, you will go over many useful breathing and relaxation techniques that you can practice.

 Posted by Faiths13 on Diaper Swappers