Your choice of birth environment is the first decision you make that determines your pain-relief options. If you know you want to use modern medical pain-relief methods, you will need to select a birth environment that can accommodate these preferences. If you are leaning more toward a natural childbirth, but would like to keep your options open, you may want to be in a birth environment that offers not only nonmedical forms of pain relief but also allows accessibility to medical pain relief, should you change your mind during labor. If you are committed to using no medical pain-relief options and do not want to be in an environment where they are frequently used, you will need to choose a birth environment that has both the physical amenities and supportive caregivers you will need to successfully give birth free of any medications, using complementary and alternative pain-management techniques.

The staff of caregivers available to you during labor and birth can also directly impact your pain-relief options. For instance, if you think you prefer to use an epidural but are in a hospital where the only anesthesiologist is on another unit at the time when you are in need of pain relief, this can significantly impact your birth experience. Conversely, if you prefer to delay or avoid the use of medications, a busy hospital with a high percentage of epidural usage may not be the ideal environment for you to achieve this goal.

Pharmacologic methods (medications) should never replace personal attention and tender loving care of the woman in labor.1

Your birth environment and the people caring for you during your labor and delivery can dramatically impact how you will perceive your childbirth experience. By choosing the type of birth environment best for you, you are more likely to feel relaxed and comfortable when you arrive and throughout the rest of your labor and birth. If you are giving birth in the setting you desire, surrounded by people who are able to meet your needs, including your pain-management needs, you are more likely to have a satisfying “birth day.”

In this chapter we:

If you’re raising your children naturally and in an environmentally responsible way, you care about every aspect of their care, including their toys. Good toys should not just be durable and biodegradable when they are no longer needed or worn out. They should also stimulate creativity and cause active learning. Mostly, a good toy should also delight and intrigue the child.

When you shop for toys made of earth-friendly materials, you will probably run across items that are designated for “Waldorf education.” This is a method of teaching children, more of a philosophy, which celebrates non-violence, simplicity, and a free rein on the imagination.

Natural toy makers have designed a number of pleasant playthings that will look attractive in your home as well as nurturing your child’s creativity. Soft toys, for instance, don’t have to be made of garish fake acrylic fur in unnatural colors with weird big plastic eyes. Check out the choices of simple animals, dolls, and gnomes made of organic cottons stuffed with cuddly combed lamb’s wool.

Some creative artisans have even developed soft toys made from recycled wool garments. If you have some sewing ability and enjoy crafting, you might want to get a pattern and make a soft doll. It’s a good way to save money on a toy while creating an heirloom. Always remember to avoid details like buttons that could fall off and become a choking hazard. Eyes and noses are easily created with a few stitches of colored wool yarn.

Wooden toys are also a popular choice for the green home. Look for rolling vehicles small enough to fit toddler hands, with durable wheels that won’t fall off. Many children enjoy rattles and other noisy toys. Look for ones that make a gentle sound that won’t jar everyone’s nerves.

Your baby will turn things into toys that are not typically toys. For instance, one mom found that her little guy would lay still for diapering if he was allowed to hold and examine the tube of diaper rash ointment. This same little boy could turn just about anything into a drumstick and just about any surface into a drum!

Ultimately, the best toy for your child will be impossible to know ahead of time, because children are so unique in the way they respond to playthings. Your child might prefer to play with the pots and pans instead of enjoying that expensive handcrafted hardwood rattle! Hey, toys are personal! Let that little one lead the way in choosing favorites.

by Rebecca D. Williams

New parents want to give their babies the very best. When it comes to nutrition, the best first food for babies is breast milk.

More than two decades of research have established that breast milk is perfectly suited to nourish infants and protect them from illness. Breast-fed infants have lower rates of hospital admissions, ear infections, diarrhea, rashes, allergies, and other medical problems than bottle-fed babies.

“There are 4,000 species of mammals, and they all make a different milk. Human milk is made for human infants and it meets all their specific nutrient needs,” says Ruth Lawrence, M.D., professor of pediatrics and obstetrics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine in Rochester, N.Y., and spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The academy recommends that babies be breast-fed for six to 12 months. The only acceptable alternative to breast milk is infant formula. Solid foods can be introduced when the baby is 4 to 6 months old, but a baby should drink breast milk or formula, not cow’s milk, for a full year.

“There aren’t any rules about when to stop breast-feeding,” says Lawrence. “As long as the baby is eating age-appropriate solid foods, a mother may nurse a couple of years if she wishes. A baby needs breast milk for the first year of life, and then as long as desired after that.”

In 1993, 55.9 percent of American mothers breast-fed their babies in the hospital. Only 19 percent were still breast-feeding when their babies were 6 months old. Government and private health experts are working to raise those numbers.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is conducting a study on infant feeding practices as part of its ongoing goal to improve nutrition in the United States. The study is looking at how long mothers breast-feed and how they introduce formula or other foods.

Health experts say increased breast-feeding rates would save consumers money, spent both on infant formula and in health-care dollars. It could save lives as well.

“We’ve known for years that the death rates in Third World countries are lower among breast-fed babies,” says Lawrence. “Breast-fed babies are healthier and have fewer infections than formula-fed babies.”

Human Milk for Human Infants
The primary benefit of breast milk is nutritional. Human milk contains just the right amount of fatty acids, lactose, water, and amino acids for human digestion, brain development, and growth.

Cow’s milk contains a different type of protein than breast milk. This is good for calves, but human infants can have difficulty digesting it. Bottle-fed infants tend to be fatter than breast-fed infants, but not necessarily healthier.

Breast-fed babies have fewer illnesses because human milk transfers to the infant a mother’s antibodies to disease. About 80 percent of the cells in breast milk are macrophages, cells that kill bacteria, fungi and viruses. Breast-fed babies are protected, in varying degrees, from a number of illnesses, including pneumonia, botulism, bronchitis, staphylococcal infections, influenza, ear infections, and German measles. Furthermore, mothers produce antibodies to whatever disease is present in their environment, making their milk custom-designed to fight the diseases their babies are exposed to as well.

A breast-fed baby’s digestive tract contains large amounts of Lactobacillus bifidus, beneficial bacteria that prevent the growth of harmful organisms. Human milk straight from the breast is always sterile, never contaminated by polluted water or dirty bottles, which can also lead to diarrhea in the infant.

Human milk contains at least 100 ingredients not found in formula. No babies are allergic to their mother’s milk, although they may have a reaction to something the mother eats. If she eliminates it from her diet, the problem resolves itself.

Sucking at the breast promotes good jaw development as well. It’s harder work to get milk out of a breast than a bottle, and the exercise strengthens the jaws and encourages the growth of straight, healthy teeth. The baby at the breast also can control the flow of milk by sucking and stopping. With a bottle, the baby must constantly suck or react to the pressure of the nipple placed in the mouth.

Nursing may have psychological benefits for the infant as well, creating an early attachment between mother and child. At birth, infants see only 12 to 15 inches, the distance between a nursing baby and its mother’s face. Studies have found that infants as young as 1 week prefer the smell of their own mother’s milk. When nursing pads soaked with breast milk are placed in their cribs, they turn their faces toward the one that smells familiar.

Many psychologists believe the nursing baby enjoys a sense of security from the warmth and presence of the mother, especially when there’s skin-to-skin contact during feeding. Parents of bottle-fed babies may be tempted to prop bottles in the baby’s mouth, with no human contact during feeding. But a nursing mother must cuddle her infant closely many times during the day. Nursing becomes more than a way to feed a baby; it’s a source of warmth and comfort.

Benefits to Mothers
Breast-feeding is good for new mothers as well as for their babies. There are no bottles to sterilize and no formula to buy, measure and mix. It may be easier for a nursing mother to lose the pounds of pregnancy as well, since nursing uses up extra calories. Lactation also stimulates the uterus to contract back to its original size.

A nursing mother is forced to get needed rest. She must sit down, put her feet up,and relax every few hours to nurse. Nursing at night is easy as well. No one has to stumble to the refrigerator for a bottle and warm it while the baby cries. If she’s lying down, a mother can doze while she nurses.

Nursing is also nature’s contraceptive–although not a very reliable one. Frequent nursing suppresses ovulation, making it less likely for a nursing mother to menstruate, ovulate, or get pregnant. There are no guarantees, however. Mothers who don’t want more children right away should use contraception even while nursing. Hormone injections and implants are safe during nursing, as are all barrier methods of birth control. The labeling on birth control pills says if possible another form of contraception should be used until the baby is weaned.

Breast-feeding is economical also. Even though a nursing mother works up a big appetite and consumes extra calories, the extra food for her is less expensive than buying formula for the baby. Nursing saves money while providing the best nourishment possible.

When Formula’s Necessary
There are very few medical reasons why a mother shouldn’t breast-feed, according to Lawrence.

Most common illnesses, such as colds, flu, skin infections, or diarrhea, cannot be passed through breast milk. In fact, if a mother has an illness, her breast milk will contain antibodies to it that will help protect her baby from those same illnesses.

A few viruses can pass through breast milk, however. HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is one of them. Women who are HIV positive should not breast-feed.

A few other illnesses–such as herpes, hepatitis, and beta streptococcus infections–can also be transmitted through breast milk. But that doesn’t always mean a mother with those diseases shouldn’t breast-feed, Lawrence says.

“Each case must be evaluated on an individual basis with the woman’s doctor,” she says.

Breast cancer is not passed through breast milk. Women who have had breast cancer can usually breast-feed from the unaffected breast. There is some concern that the hormones produced during pregnancy and lactation may trigger a recurrence of cancer, but so far this has not been proven. Studies have shown, however, that breast-feeding a child reduces a woman’s chance of developing breast cancer later.

Silicone breast implants usually do not interfere with a woman’s ability to nurse, but if the implants leak, there is some concern that the silicone may harm the baby. Some small studies have suggested a link between breast-feeding with implants and later development of problems with the child’s esophagus. Further studies are needed in this area. But if a woman with implants wants to breast-feed, she should first discuss the potential benefits and risks with her child’s doctor.

Possible Problems
For all its health benefits, breast-feeding does have some disadvantages. In the early weeks, it can be painful. A woman’s nipples may become sore or cracked. She may experience engorgement more than a bottle-feeding mother, when the breasts become so full of milk they’re hard and painful. Some nursing women also develop clogged milk ducts, which can lead to mastitis, a painful infection of the breast. While most nursing problems can be solved with home remedies, mastitis requires prompt medical care (see accompanying article).

Another possible disadvantage of nursing is that it affects a woman’s entire lifestyle. A nursing mother with baby-in-tow must wear clothes that enable her to nurse anywhere, or she’ll have to find a private place to undress. She should eat a balanced diet and she might need to avoid foods that irritate the baby. She also shouldn’t smoke, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea and restlessness in the baby, as well as decreased milk production.

Women who plan to go back to work soon after birth will have to plan carefully if they want to breast-feed. If her job allows, a new mother can pump her breast milk several times during the day and refrigerate or freeze it for the baby to take in a bottle later. Or, some women alternate nursing at night and on weekends with daytime bottles of formula.

In either case, a nursing mother is physically tied to her baby more than a bottle-feeding mother. The baby needs her for nourishment, and she needs to nurse regularly to avoid getting uncomfortably full breasts. But instead of feeling it’s a chore, nursing mothers often cite this close relationship as one of the greatest joys of nursing. Besides, nursing mothers can get away between feedings if they need a break.

Finally, some women just don’t feel comfortable with the idea of nursing. They don’t want to handle their breasts, or they want to think of them as sexual, not functional. They may be concerned about modesty and the possibility of having to nurse in public. They may want a break from child care to let someone else feed the baby, especially in the wee hours of the morning.

If a woman is unsure whether she wants to nurse, she can try it for a few weeks and switch if she doesn’t like it. It’s very difficult to switch to breast-feeding after bottle-feeding is begun.

If she plans to breast-feed, a new mother should learn as much as possible about it before the baby is born. Obstetricians, pediatricians, childbirth instructors, nurses, and midwives can all offer information about nursing. But perhaps the best ongoing support for a nursing mother is someone who has successfully nursed a baby.

La Leche League, a national support organization for nursing mothers, has chapters in many cities that meet regularly to discuss breast-feeding problems and offer support.

“We encourage mothers to come to La Leche League before their babies are born,” says Mary Lofton, a league spokeswoman. “On-the-job training is hard to do. It’s so important to learn how to breast-feed beforehand to avoid problems.”

Interested women or couples are welcome to attend La Leche League meetings without charge. League leaders offer advice by phone as well. To find a convenient La Leche League chapter, call (1-800) LA-LECHE.

About the author:
Rebecca D. Williams is a writer in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

By: FDA

By Heather Owens

The studies are overwhelming – if you are physically able and willing to breastfeed your baby, it’s the best food for baby’s early days of life. That doesn’t that your baby won’t thrive perfectly well on formula if that’s what you need use, but simply that breast milk is preferable if at all possible. Although this article is written specifically about breastfeeding, many of the suggestions made here will also apply to bottle-feeding, so read on!

For the first few days of baby’s life, mum produces a substance much thicker and creamier than milk, which is called colostrum. Even if you don’t nurse your baby, see if you can collect some of this colostrum through expressing, as it’s wonderful food, full of nutrients and other good stuff for baby. If you’re nursing, it will most likely be that you need to feed your baby frequently, and on demand, for these early days.

When babies are born their digestive system is very underdeveloped, and it takes a little while for baby to get used to having food pass through his system. Many babies seem to automatically regular their intake of food, almost as if they know their stomachs need time to get then hang of food. Small, frequent feeds helps get the digestive system up and running without overwhelming it.

After about 1-2 weeks, the baby’s digestive system should have settled down, and you can start to work on creating a feeding routine. Most new babies work well on a schedule of feeds every 3-4 hours. Now, this doesn’t mean that you start a stopwatch at the end of one feed, and refuse to feed baby again until the correct amount of time has passed! It does mean, though, that you can try and plan your day with a view to needing to feed your baby at about those intervals. Also, if baby grumbles in between feeds, it’s worth trying to find other ways through it, stretching the gap between feeds, until you reach somewhere around 3-4 hours. Apart from anything else, this means that you’re not tied down to always feeding baby. It also means that your body gets to rest and make more milk, and baby’s stomach is given time to digest each feed before having another one.

If you find that baby just can’t seem to go 3-4 hours between feeds by the time he’s a month old, it may be worth checking this with your health professional. Not all breast milk is the same, and it may be that either you’re not producing enough to keep baby satisfied, or perhaps that the milk’s quality isn’t quite sufficient for baby’s needs. Sometimes in this type of situation a little supplementation may be required. Only do this with guidance, however.

From this point on almost every baby comes up with its own schedule for feeding, but the first big advance is to go without a night feed. You can progressively work on moving the last feed at night to around 10.00 or 11.00pm. Initially that means you’ll get woken for a feed around 2.00 or 3.00am, and again for an early feed around 6.00 or 7.00am. The good thing, though, is that at some point the 3.00am feed will stop, and you’ll be able to get a stretch of unbroken sleep for 7-8 hours. Bliss! Of course, the first time it happens, you’ll probably wake up at 4.00am anyway, and race into baby’s room in a panic because you’re sure something’s happened to him!

You can start to think about introducing solid foods somewhere around 6 months of age. Sometimes you can start a little earlier, and sometimes you need to wait another month or two. But that’s a topic for a whole new article!

One of the most important things to remember in breastfeeding is YOU. If you’re tired, or unwell, or stressed, your body will struggle to produce enough high quality milk to feed your baby. It’s vital that you eat well, rest whenever you can and just generally look after yourself. Both you and your baby will be much happier that way.

About the Author
For more useful breastfeeding hints, visit Info About Baby You can sign up for a FREE Baby Tips newsletter at Baby Tips Newsletter. The author’s book about babies is available at Baby’s First Year.

by: Barbara A. Eastom Bates

Making the choice to breastfeed your new baby is one of the most important and far-reaching decisions you will make as a new mother. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend breastfeeding as the preferred method of infant nutrition for the first year of life.

The current AAP breastfeeding policy states,”Human milk is uniquely superior for infant feeding and is species-specific; all substitute feeding options differ markedly from it.” Why?

As acknowledged by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the exact chemical make-up of breast milk remains unknown and cannot be duplicated. Each year, synthetic baby milks are found to be nutritionally deficient as scientists expand their knowledge of human milk.

Some of the known benefits of breastfeeding are:

With all the baby toys out there, how do you choose what to buy your baby? You want a toy that will entertain and also stimulate your baby’s brain, but there is so much junk on the shelves you do not want to make a wrong choice. How do you know what is right for your baby at what age?

The first thing you want to look for when choosing a toy for your baby is the age on the box that it says the toy is for. Most toys made by companies like Fisher Price, Sesame and others will have ages listed on their boxes. These will either be a general age like “0-6 Months” or a minimum age like “6+”. These ages let you know if the toy might be too difficult for your baby to figure out, or in some cases a toy might have pieces that are too small for your baby to play with and could be hurtful to him. In most cases you should never buy a toy for your baby that is not appropriate for his age.

The next thing to consider is if your baby really needs a toy. Yes, a pumpkin rattle may be adorable, but if Jr. already has 5 rattles, does he really need this new one? How many teething toys, stuffed animals or what-not does your baby need? Some things your baby will need while some he won’t, and if you don’t feel he needs it, your money could be spent better elsewhere on something he DOES need.

It is important to think of safety when choosing toys. Does the toy have any sharp edges on it that could hurt your baby, or any small pieces that he could break off, or fall off that he could try to put in his mouth? Is the toy big enough that he can’t fit it into his mouth? Stay away from toys that have things sewn on them, or button eyes which are glued on and can easily pop off. It will be a while before your baby won’t try to put everything in his mouth and you don’t want to give him anything that he could eventually choke on.

You should also think about whether or not a toy will stimulate your baby’s mind at all and help him learn. Many toys out there are made with the purpose of helping your child recognize words, animals, and encourage them to use coordination and tap into their cause and effect as well as critical thinking skills. Pick toys that will help your baby learn and encourage their brain to grow.

Where will your child be using the toys? There are many areas in your child’s life that will call for a wide arrange of toys or a specialized toy. At home in the living room you can use most toys, big or small, of all shapes and sizes. However you can’t take these toys in the bath normally. Once your baby is old enough to play with toys in the bath, you should have some water toys for your baby to help keep him entertained. If your baby can have fun in the bath he will learn to love his baths making your job easier down the road. There are also smaller toys designed for car seats and being on the go that you can invest in to help keep your outings more enjoyable, not only for your baby, but also for the whole family.

You don’t always have to spend money to find a great toy for your baby. A baby can be entertained by items you have laying around the house. Old plastic cups and plates can keep your baby entertained for hours. Pots and pans, along with a wooden spoon can allow your baby to make his own noise, err music, keeping everyone in the house singing and dancing. You can tie an old shirt or a dish cloth in a knot and play tug of war with it with your baby. Use your imagination, keeping safety in mind, and toys around the house will begin to pop up everywhere.