In this final installment of the Food for Thought series, we’re taking a closer look at produce.

The health benefits of fresh produce are widely publicized … from being low-calorie snacks to sources of helpful antioxidants. But as you navigate your way through the produce aisle, do you know what?s lurking behind those fresh leaves and bright colors?

Know the code ? the secret language of produce

Understand the numbers on the product look-up (PLU) codes. All produce has small oval stickers on them with a series of numbers. Anyone who has gone through the self-service checkout lane at the market, knows that those numbers help identify the item along with the price per pound.

But those little numbers tell you more than just the price, they contain a wealth of ?secret? information. PLUs were developed by the International Federation for Produce Standards, a coalition of fruit and vegetable associations that started in 2001. There is no regulatory body for the use of PLUs and grocers are not required to use them, but most do.

PLUs consist of four or five numbers. Four numbers starting with the number three or a number four indicate produce grown in conventional methods, for global distribution and sustained with pesticides. Five numbers, starting with the number nine, are organic, and five numbers starting with the number eight are genetically engineered/genetically modified (GE/GM). The PLU codes also indicate the type of produce, variety (white grapes or red grapes for example), distribution information and price per pound. For organic and GE/GM varieties, the numbers nine and eight respectively are added as a prefix to the existing PLU code for the conventional version of that type of produce.

Conventional/Traditional Produce

Conventional crops are fed synthetic fertilizers, which force the plant to grow bigger in mass, in a shorter period, thereby not allowing the plant the time to take up the same full amount of nutrients as organic crops.

Some examples:

Alfalfa Sprouts (4514)

Granny Smith Apple, small (4138)

Beefsteak Tomato (3061)

California Sweet Onion (4165)

Yellow Banana [including Cavendish] (4011), small (4186)

Organic Produce
Five numbers starting with a “9″

Organically grown produce means that the produce has been grown without the use of artificial chemicals, synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, and do not contain the residues of toxic pesticides. Organic produce follows the principles of ecological sustainability.

Example:

An organically grown California sweet onion would bear the number 94165

GE & GM Produce
Five numbers starting with an “8″

Genetically engineered or genetically modified produce means that genetic material (whether natural or manufactured) is introduced into the DNA of a host species, a procedure that results in disruption of the genetic blueprint of the organism.

The FDA describes GE/GM produce as ?an extension of traditional plant breeding [or grafting, but] involves direct modification of DNA … [and makes] it possible to direct and predict changes without introducing … undesirable traits … and will allow scientists to introduce genes from essentially any organism into a plant.”

There are many who caution against consuming GE/GM foods because of concern over allergies, toxicity, an increase in viruses and resistant bacteria, and yet unknown adverse effects on human and animal biology.

Examples:
A GE/GM Beefsteak Tomato would bear the number 83061.

For some produce contain residual traces of pesticides even after washing, something that we tend to think is a reliable way to protect ourselves. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) studied 43 fruits and vegetables, among which many stapes in our family?s diets ? including peaches, apples, lettuce, spinach, carrots and cucumbers. It?s important then, that the next time you?re in the produce aisle, consider what those little oval stickers may mean for the health of your family.

Learn more about understanding the organic label.

Inexpensive ways to buy organic.

Genetic engineering: The future of foods?

Get/View the EWG?s produce report.

What’s in Your Food?
A Closer Look at Dried Fruits & Nuts

As many parents are opting for healthier meals and treats, it means making a bee-line for the produce aisle or for the sundries like raisins, figs and, when allergies aren?t at issue, nuts. They?re fresh (or dried). They?re all-natural. They allow you to encourage good nutritional habits. They?re safe. Or so it seems. As we make healthier choices, it?s also important to be aware of what?s going into the production, growing and maintenance of them as they make the journey from the ground to the table.

The questions to ask are:

• Were pesticides used? If so, which ones?
• Which preservatives were used?
• Are they naturally grown or genetic derivations?
• And now, with a year of various produce companies and the FDA announcing recalls because of harmful bacteria, we must ask: is this safe for my family to eat?

Many food manufacturers produce or use sundries in their products: from Ocean Spray to Sunmaid to Nabisco, names we trust in fact. But their nutritional value might not outweigh the potential toxicity. Sunmaid raisins ? both the red and golden varieties not marked ?USDA Organic,? Fig Newtons (a Nabisco product) and many other dried fruits and dried-fruit related products contain sulfur dioxide. But, you wouldn?t know that unless you read the tiny fine-print on the side of the box opposite the side with the nutritional information.

What is sulfur dioxide? – Sulfur dioxide (SO₂), also a greenhouse gas, is a preservative used because it inhibits the growth of bacteria, yeast and molds; retards rancidity by slowing air oxidation of fats and lipids; and blocks the natural ripening and enzymatic processes that occur after harvest. And according to Hassan Gourama, an Associate Professor of Food Science at University of Pennsylvania, SO₂ ?keeps raisins and other dried fruits from losing their light color by blocking both enzymatic browning and a nonenzymatic browning reaction between reducing sugars and amino acids called the Maillard reaction. The reaction darkens raisins, alters their flavor, and reduces essential amino acid levels.?

Sulfur dioxide is part of the chemical group sulfites. The FDA has estimated that more than 1 million asthmatics are sensitive or allergic to sulfites. Since 1986 the FDA has required that sulfites are listed on the labels of products where they are used as preservatives regardless of the amount used. (Sulfites are banned for use on fresh produce.)

But the problem may not only be in the preservatives. A main cause of acid rain is SO₂, which means that some sundries may be exposed to harmful cellular degradation by substance long before they are even harvested, unless they are grown inside the confines of greehouses.

What can you do?

Read labels carefully and avoid the products that contain sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite, sodium and potassium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite orpotassium metabisulfite

Choose USDA-certified or organic-growers certified products.

Being aware of what is in your food and how it is produced is an important part of the quest for healthier diets and lifestyle for our children and families.

Next and final installment in the series?a closer look at your produce.

Anyone who has traveled by air since 9-11, knows about the increased security measures before entering the boarding area for flight travel.

Going through the security lanes can be difficult, even for the seasoned traveler, traveling alone. From needing to place all toiletries and cosmetics in sizes no greater than 3 ounces. in carry-ons in quart-sized zip-lock bags (the 3-1-1 rule), to having to remove your shoes, to needing to “declare” any snacks and beverages (including expressed breast milk) for babies and children, and needing to remove electronics such as laptops and camcorders from the bags is a hassle. Add to that needing the stroller and carseat when traveling with children, and there’s a whole new dimension to a potentially unpleasant travel experience. Families become a nuisance to business travelers, and those same families, often feel the sting of stares as you inevitably hold up the line with collapsing the stroller and dealing with all of the gear.

Finally getting it right!

In an effort to streamline the process of flight travel, the TSA announced that it is creating different lanes for the different travel skill-levels and needs of passengers. In March, the TSA started the Diamond Self-Select program, where passengers who are familiar with security check-in protocol (such as removing outer garments like coats, removing shoes and belts, placing toiletries and electronics in the bins, and removing change and metal items from pockets), to have a veritable fast lane. Designed after expertise trails at ski slopes, the Diamond Self Select (sometimes called Back-Diamond Select) programs premiered at Salt Lake City International and Denver International Airports. The Self-Select program includes:

“Expert, for the business traveler who flies several times a month; Casual, for passengers that travel less frequently, but are familiar with the security process; and Family/Special Assistance, for passengers traveling with small children or strollers, elderly passengers and passengers who may need special assistance.”

According to MSN’s the Middle Seat, in an article originally published in the Wall Street Journal:

“Putting families and people with special needs like wheelchairs into separate lanes allows them to relax a bit without road warriors pushing them to move faster. As a result, they set off fewer ‘nuisance alarms’ because they prepare better and get metal, shoes and liquids properly into X-ray bins. The family lanes move slower than lanes moved before the change, on average, but many families seem to like the pace.”

Since March, when the program was initiated at Salt Lake City International and Denver International Airports, other airports around the country have added the program including Chicago’s Midway, Boston’s Logan Airport, Orlando, Florida and Spokane, Washington. Most recent additions include Pittsburgh International Airport, Dallas Love Field, and there are rumors of the program starting later in June at Detroit Metro Airport. Maybe your city will be next. Security changes such as the Diamond Self-Select program, may get some family travelers to return to the skies this summer.

What?s in your food? – A primer on artificial food additives.

In this series, we?ve been exploring the issue of the health effects of artificial food additives from a study on hyperactivity to food coloring.

In this part, we look at preservatives.

According to the FDA:

?In its broadest sense, a food additive is any substance added to food ? directly or indirectly, in its becoming a component or otherwise affecting the characteristics of any food. This definition includes any substance used in the production, processing, treatment, packaging, transportation or storage of food.?

In other words, there are thousands of direct and indirect food additives in the foods that we consume, many of which are used as preservatives to maintain freshness and retard spoiling.

Some of the additives lurking in your foods that are considered harmful include:

• Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet) ? considered an ?unclassifiable carcinogen? by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
• Acesulfame-K ? an artificial sweetener that disrupts thyroid function and is often used in conjunction with aspartame<
• Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) ? An allergen and suspected endocrine disruptor (may interfere with, mimic or block hormones)
• Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) ? a preservative, also an allergen and suspected endocrine disruptor
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) ? A University of Pennsylvania study showed that MSG ?interferes with the production of a number of liver enzymes, which are vital to the body’s ability to metabolize drugs and other potentially toxic substances. Neonatal exposure to MSG has a different effect on growth hormone production. [MSG] causes a permanent reduction in the secretion of growth hormone, which leads to a reduced production of the drug-metabolizing enzymes. This hampers the metabolization of drugs and toxic substance. The reduced quantity of growth hormone leads to stunted growth and irreversible obesity.?
• Sodium Nitrate/Nitrate ? a preservative, considered an ?unclassifiable carcinogen by the World Health Organization and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. While Nitrates are naturally occurring, and do not present major issues for most, health consequences for infants and babies in utero are great.
• Sodium Benzoate ? studied in addition to the laundry list of food colorings that presented adverse behavioral effects in toddlers and pre-teens, it can create benzene when combined with vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Benzene, is a known carcinogen and has the ability to affect mitochondria in cells and cause cell death.
• Sulfites (including Sulfur Dioxide, Sodium Sulfite, Sodium And Potassium Bisulfite, Sodium and Potassium Metabisulfite) This group, and all of its derivatives falls under a chemical is considered to be ?unclassifiable carcinogens? by the WHO and the EPA.

All of these sweeteners and preservatives range from being as mild as creating allergic reactions in some consumers to having potential grave health effects.

While the FDA may counter that they are ?safe? in the small doses in each batch of food item, when one takes into account how many foods you and your family are ingesting every day that contain them, the issue of ?safety? seems compromised.

Even when you think that you are picking safe and healthy alternatives, you may be consuming toxins unwittingly.

In part four, we?ll examine your produce.

Learn more:

Comprehensive list of food and environmental chemicals and warning levels for each

FDA on the safety of food additives.

FDA?s ?What is a Food Additive??

How ?Safe? is Safe?

?Limiting your child?s intake of food additives?

Comprehensive list of food additives from the GSFA Codex

Organic Food

Parenting Starts Before Pregnancy

What’s in your food?
A primer on artificial food colorings.

In part one of this series, the issue of studies relating artificial food colorings and artificial additives presenting a link to childhood hyperactivity was explored. In this part, we look at artificial food coloring.

The list of artificial food coloring studied included tetrazine (FD&C yellow no. 5/European food code E102); sunset yellow (FD&C yellow no. 6/E110); quinoline yellow (FD&C Yellow No. 10/E104); carmoisine (Food Red 3/E122); and ponceau 4R (Food Red 7/E124).

All of these are considered color additives by the FDA, which by definition are: “any dye, pigment or substance that can impart color when added or applied to a food, drug, or cosmetic, or to the human body.” And according to the FDA, they are added to food “for many reasons, including to offset color loss due to storage or processing of foods and to correct natural variations in food color.”

Anyone who has made guacamole from scratch for example knows that after about a half hour, it loses that rich avocado green color, whereas from a commercial mix, it stays green even long after it has grown a moldy fuzz – all thanks to artificial color additives.

While coloring additives have been heavily monitored and regulated since 1960 and the FDA believes that they are safe, but the recent research may indeed prove otherwise because “both the Food Additives and Color Additives Amendments include a provision which prohibits the approval of an additive if it is found to cause cancer in humans or animals.” This statement makes it seem as if the FDA only raises concern once an additive is found to be carcinogenic – a growing epidemic of childhood hyperactivity is not enough to make revisions or adjustments.

The problem is that while manufacturers can only use the regulated amounts of coloring additives in their products, there are thousands of products that we consume daily that contain these “small, regulated amounts.” Consider this: the ten largest companies that make our food use artificial colorings regularly. After how many sippy cups of juice, bags of candy, boxes of cereal, cookies and other snacks that are not whole foods consumed in one day can we be sure that those ’small, regulated amounts’ are still safe when combined? The FDA even asserts that food additives (including color additives) are in cereals, snacks, beverages and oral cosmetics/personal health care items such as toothpaste. While we don’t want to be alarmist, it might be a good time to take stock in what’s in our pantries and cabinets to find out just what we are consuming and consider alternative measures to give our kids a healthier start, even as early as in utero.

Learn more:

• FDA on the safety of color additives.
• FDA’s “Summary of Color Additives“:
  (can search by FD&C number or color name)
• FDA’s ‘What is a Color Additive?‘
• “How ‘Safe’ is Safe?”
• “Limiting your child’s intake of food additives”
• Organic Food (from BOL)
• Parenting Starts Before Pregnancy (from BOL)

Part three will look at artificial sweeteners and non-coloring additives.

Since the 1970s food additives have been under the radar of toxicologists, psychiatrists, nutritionists and environmental/public health watchdog groups. In the last decade however, with what seems to be a growing set of diagnoses of hyperactivity and other childhood behavioral and diet-related disorders, interest in food additives has increased. So has the research.

Among the latest and most controversial studies, was a 2007 Southampton University done with a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with three-year olds and eight- to nine-year-olds to test for indications of hyperactivity associated with specific food additives and food colorings. The additives and colorings tested were tetrazine (FD&C yellow no. 5/European food code E102); sunset yellow (FD&C yellow no. 6/E110); quinoline yellow (FD&C Yellow No. 10/E104); carmoisine (Food Red 3/E122); and ponceau 4R (Food Red 7/E124).

Researchers recruited 153 local three-year-olds and 144 children aged eight or nine for a six-week trial and assigned them to either of two groups. One group was given regular fruit juice without additives and the second group was given a similar looking and tasting drink that contained the above-mentioned additives. The drinks were assigned anonymously and in un-marked, sealed bottles.

The drinks with the additives were further split into two groups: Mix A and Mix B. Mix A contained the same amount of artificial colorings found in a two-ounce bag of candy or two small bags of commercial ?fruit snacks.? Mix B contained the equivalent of twice that amount. Both mixes contained the same levels sodium benzoate.

The children were assessed prior to the trial for evidence of hyperactivity. The first week of the trial all of the children followed their typical diets. The following weeks, parents were asked to remove from their children?s diets all sweets and drinks with additives were and to start using the trial drink in amounts equal to that of the foods/beverages removed from their usual diets. On the even numbered weeks Mix A, Mix B, and placebo were administered in a random sequence and was blinded to the child, the parents, the teachers and the researchers. On the odd-numbered weeks all children received the placebo. At the end of the study, the children were assessed again for hyperactivity.

According to a 2007 report by the Agence France-Presse, ?Mix A had a ?significantly adverse? effect on the three-year-olds, although Mix B made no difference on this group. In the older children, both Mix A and Mix B had a strong effect.

?Overall, children who took the mix moved about 10 percent closer to the definition of being hyperactive,? lead author Jim Stevenson, a professor of psychology at the university. ?We now have clear evidence that mixtures of certain food colours and [sodium] benzoate preservative can adversely influence the behaviour of children. However, parents should not think that simply taking these additives out of food will prevent all hyperactive disorders. We know that many other influences are at work, but this at least is one a child can avoid.??

This study was similar to a 2004 study presented in the June issue of the Archives of Diseases in Childhood, but seems to have produced more conclusive evidence for a correlation between artificial additives in food and childhood behavioral problems, leading researchers to conclude that artificial colors or a sodium benzoate preservative (or both) in the diet result in increased hyperactivity in three-year-old and eight- to nine-year-olds in the general population.

In part two, each of the food additives studied will be discussed.

For more information:

• Abstract of the 2007 Study
• 2004 Study

A recent report issued by Reuter’s reveals a new study from the United Kingdom that suggests “traditional scheduled” feedings are better for infant weight gain. This new study is in contrary to the advice given by lactation consultants world-wide and by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Based on evidence presented in the article “Does breastfeeding method influence infant weight gain” by C.A. Walshaw et al. in the April issue of the Archives of Disease in Childhood, the Reuter’s article asserts:

The traditional breast-feeding approach involves breast-feeding using both breasts at each feeding for no more than 10 minutes per breast.

They found that infants were more likely to be exclusively breast-fed for up to 12 weeks when their mothers followed traditional rather than baby-led breast-feeding practices.

Furthermore, feeding more than 10 minutes from the first breast was associated with poor weight gain during the first 6 to 8 weeks of exclusive breast-feeding, the researchers report in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.”

While the report does find an increase in infant weight gain with scheduled feedings, what it did not cite was the amount of prenatal breastfeeding education or lactation support that the mothers had access to or took advantage of. On-demand or on-schedule, mothers who have such a support system (and their infants) fare better in terms of weight gain, length of breastfeeding and other outcomes, according to the CDC’s report card for breastfeeding outcome and other sources.

Walshaw’s study further suggests that by draining the breast each time, that it allows for the more important, fatty hind milk to be consumed by the child. (But any nursing mother knows, that your child may not drain the breast in 10 minutes.) Lactation specialists still recommend on-demand nursing and with the exception of certain cases, draining the breast completely before switching sides, since it is the emptiness of the breast that tells the system to produce and how much the next time?in essence, breastfeeding is about the laws of supply and demand.

Other research on understanding the physiology of breastfeeding has shown that:

the rate of milk synthesis between feedings varies according to the degree of fullness of the breast; the fuller the breast, the slower the milk production rate, and conversely, the emptier the breast, the faster the rate at which the milk is replaced…

and contrary to what Walshaw has found, that:

When feed frequency and duration are restricted by predetermined feeding schedules, the result may well be lowered infant fat intake, symptoms of breast milk insufficiency, and underfeeding.

So far, there has been no other evidence or research to prove Walshaw’s study which used a very small set of test subjects. To determine its validity, it would need to be replicated on a much larger scale. Either way, on-demand on on-schedule, bodies such as the APA suggests that among the most important keys for breastfeeding success and proper infant nutrition is watching for infant cues to determine the proper feeding “schedule” for your child.

A recent report entitled ?Healthy Food Campaigning Could Be Putting Toddlers’ Health At Risk?from the U.K. indicated that the recent awareness and concern about childhood obesity has led to some toddlers to be categorized as undernourished. The focus on fruits and vegetables and high-fiber in lieu of carbohydrates (including sugars) and foods with a high fat content (particularly in nursery schools and day care centers in the U.K., where children may spend as much as 12 hours in childcare centers) is what has led to this reversal. Experts are cautioning that while providing a healthy diet is important, toddlers (ages 1 to 5) need different nutritional requirements than adults, and the diet they are being given is more appropriate for older children and adults.

An average-sized toddler should consume between 1,000 and 1,300 calories daily according to nutritionist, Sue Gilbert. According to Gilbert: “Toddlers? caloric content should come from a combination of 16 g protein (64 calories), 44 g fat (396 calories) and 210 g carbohydrate (840 calories). It is also important that toddlers get 800 mg. of calcium: 800 mg.” She continues, ?Even with two cups of milk a day, toddlers still need another 200 mg. Offer yogurt, cheese, tofu, and leafy greens.? Toddlers who are four and over should consume 1,800 calories per day. ?Regardless of the total intake, the composition should resemble the following: 50 to 60 percent of calories from carbohydrates, 25 to 35 percent of calories from fat, and 10 to 15 percent of calories from protein. It should be remembered, however, that this is simply an estimate, and intake may need to be adjusted to suit each child,? according to a report by Kristen Herbs at Faq.org.

Those figures* may seem high, but toddlers expend a lot of energy (as any parent of a toddler knows) and therefore need food to support that energy. The energy expended comes from the physical and intellectual (cognitive) development that occurs between one and five. Because their stomachs are smaller, toddlers also need smaller portions distributed more frequently throughout the day. Whole foods, including fruits, vegetables and foods with a high fiber content are important, but so are clean carbohydrates and unsaturated fats. The key is to avoid foods with empty calories as in sugary snacks and foods laden with high-fructose corn syrup. Toddlers should never be given soda/pop or ?diet? foods for a variety of health-related reasons.

Herbs also asserts that Basal metabolic rate, growth, and physical activity all affect a child’s daily energy. Protein, for example, is vital for preschoolers and toddlers and is needed for optimal growth. Toddlers at this stage may become finicky or picky eaters, asserting their independence over their lives. Even so, it is still important to strive for the recommended guidelines for caloric intake and nutrition by serving five to six small meals (including snacks) per day.

Being aware of your toddler?s nutritional needs is as important as the concern over childhood obesity. Your child can still eat fun, healthy foods while developing sound, life-long nutritional habits by following these guidelines:

• Fruits/Vegetables: 4 servings (one serving should be high in vitamin A another high in vitamin C)
• Protein: 2 servings such as meat, poultry, tofu, cheese, fish and eggs
• Dairy: 16 to 24 oz. such as whole milk, cheese, yogurt and pudding or custard made with whole milk
• Grains: 4 servings such as bread, cereal and rice.

One serving size for a toddler is a quarter of an adult portion or one tablespoon per year of age. (Your one-year-old gets 1T but your three-year-old gets 3T.) To calculate how many calories your child needs, the American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends that for toddlers between one and three that one allows for 40 calories per inch of height to determine the best number of calories for your child.

*Note: these figures are not necessarily the same for toddlers who are still nursing or in the process of weaning.

One-third of couples have trouble conceiving because of male infertility, and in order to conceive must rely on donor sperm and in vitro fertilization. But advances in the study of artificial sperm may change all of that, allowing a father to have a biological connection to his child.

In 2006 a German medical team successfully created artificial sperm in a lab from the embryonic stem cells of mice harvested from their bone marrow. Professors Nayernia and a team of genetic scientists at the Georg-August Unviersity in Gottingen, Germany were able to successfully separate stem cells that had started to turn into sperm. The sperm was grown into adult sperm and injected into the eggs of female mice through in-vitro fertilization. The fertilized eggs were then transplanted into female mice, and after the standard gestational period, the female mice gave birth to seven baby mice of which all but one survived. At the time, Professor Nayernia, was quoted as having said, “This will help us to understand how men produce sperm and why some men are unable to do this. If we understand this we can treat infertility in men.”

The mice born from the original study did however exhibit problems including unusual growth patterns and respiratory problems as Medical News Today reported in 2006.

In the two years since, Dr. Wolfgang Engel, director of Human Genetics at the university, has repeated the experiment on a larger scale and with very early cells called germ cells, which are taken directly from the testes. Through this method, the researchers on his team have created 65 mouse fetuses through in-vitro fertilization with artificial sperm. The fetuses have had a high mortality rate with only 12 of the 65 reaching full-term birth. Of those 12, even of the newborn animals died within a period ranging from three days to five months of causes which the team has yet been able to identify. Regarding the mortality rate, in a report from the Australian paper The Age, Engel stated that “you can see that this is all still in the very early experimental stages.”

This new advancement in the research could still be great news for infertile couples since using sperm created from embryonic stem cells is much like using donor sperm where the father has no biological tie to the offspring. Engel, who has had success with in-vitro fertilization with testicular germ cells in mice believes that the process could also work with human testicular germ cells, which at the very least will help researchers understand the causes of infertility in men. Even if producing a child through this method may be years away, Engel is optimistic. “If it works in the mouse, I’m sure it will also work in the human,” Engel says in another recent report.

Dr. Engel’s next challenge is to grow sperm taken from a female germ cell, which could then be used to fertilize another woman’s egg. Creating artificial sperm in this manner would give both partners in a lesbian couple, for example biological ties to the child, if the procedure were successful.

Engel’s research is not without its critics who oppose it on moral and ethical grounds both in Europe and in the United States. In the Australian report, Dr. Engel said his team will stop short of tests on humans in compliance with federal law in Germany which bans all genetic research using human stem cells. But after recent changes in the United Kingdom?s Human Fertilization and Embryology bill as reported by the Observer, one member of Engel?s team has gone to Newcastle, England, to conduct research on artificial human sperm. While success on human subjects will not be without controversy, it will offer new possibilities for infertile and same gender couples seeking to start a family.

Child proofing is a continuous process, as my husband and I have learned as our son, now just over two explores more and can problem-solve to reach things that he used to just stare at and wonder about. There’s nothing quite like watching your toddler go to the bathroom to get the step-stool used for hand-washing and teeth-brushing so that he can reach the toy that he wants that he saw sitting on the kitchen island.

Baby proofing and toddler proofing can be a daunting task for many new parents and parents-to-be, especially if you have had started your family well after establishing your career and living the greater portion of your adult life child-free. While welcoming a new baby into the family brings tremendous joy, the idea of having to clear your home of (or put away for now) beloved objects and collectibles may be daunting to some. But don’t worry, while you do need to re-evaluate your space paying special attention to dangerous and poisonous items, you don’t need to get rid of your Hummel or Lladro collections.

My years as a museum-curatorial professional gave me an added bit of relief when it came to child proofing because I knew about the magic of Museum Wax. I’d never have expected to use my museum expertise with my parenting short of making museum trips with my son, but it has come in quite handy, and it meant that the things that my husband and I have collected over the years in our travels (both together and before we were married) didn’t necessarily need to be wrapped in bubble and stored away until that far-off date called “someday.”

So what’s the secret? Museum Wax.

Museum wax is an inert, sticky blend of microcrystalline wax that is safe to use on nearly any flat surface. Available in both gels and wax, it is used in museums (and other professions that rely on display cases) to secure art and artifacts in cases, so that if for example, a case of 18th-century Wedgwood is bumped accidentally, the objects in the case are not destroyed. Museum wax is even rated to withstand earthquakes; is removable, reusable and safe to handle with bare hands.

Of course, getting a container of museum wax, won’t solve all of your child-proofing issues. As you grapple with whether you want your house (or areas of it) to become Romper Room, your own mini museum, or achieve some balance between the two, where your tastes as adults and reflections of your childless adulthood commingle an coexist with parenthood consider that beyond basic safety (and common sense), child proofing can also allow you as a parent to teach your child respect for other people’s things and spaces. One of the important things to do as your child transitions through the stages of crawling, cruising, walking and independent exploration-on-a-mission, is to teach your child what objects are for everyone to use, what objects are for “looking at only” and what objects are okay to touch if Mommy or Daddy is holding them. As your child grows into a toddler, teach your child to ask “May I touch?” and “May I hold…?” before picking something up. Instilling this respect as part of your child proofing actions and vocabulary will also help your child to understand what they can and cannot touch not only in your house but in public and in other people’s houses as well. And here’s the bonus: when you take them for their first museum trip to a museum that’s not a hands-on/child-centered museum…your child will understand why they can’t touch the art.

In the meantime, you now know “the child-proofing secret” and while you’re plugging up the outlets and latching the cabinets, you can stick down the Hummel and Lladro with peace of mind.

For most parents of babies and toddlers, Tuesday?s report on urban high school graduation rates from a study on the graduation rate of students from public high schools in major U.S. cities may seem irrelevant. High school, much less graduation, seems far off as many new (or relatively new) parents navigate the ropes of changing diapers, feeding needs, socialization and their children?s growing motor and cognitive skills. But with entering ?the system? not too far off for many, the report is just as important as it is to their parental counterparts with older children.

The results of the study were released by America’s Promise Alliance, an advocacy group founded by former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell. The research was conducted by Editorial Projects in Education, a Bethesda, Maryland., nonprofit organization, with support from America’s Promise Alliance and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The alliance is based on a joint effort of nonprofit groups, corporations, community leaders, charities, faith-based organizations and individuals to improve children’s lives. The collective studied 50 of the largest school systems and what they found was alarming.

In his report, Associated Press writer Ken Thomas stated: ?In 17 of the school systems, less than half of the students managed to get their diploma, with the lowest graduation rates reported in Detroit, Indianapolis, and Cleveland. ?Nationally, about 70 percent of U.S. students graduate on time with a regular diploma. About 1.2 million students drop out annually.?

Researchers analyzed school district data from 2003-2004 collected by the U.S. Department of Education and estimated the likelihood that a 9th grader would complete high school on time with a regular diploma. Data included examining race, gender and geography (cities, towns, suburban and rural school systems).

As a result of the report on high school graduation rates, the Bush administration has decided to take action. Perhaps it is because these results show that No Child Left Behind is not working as there are some 1.2 million children in the country who are being left behind. “When more than 1 million students a year drop out of high school, it’s more than a problem, it’s a catastrophe,” Powell said.

Education Secretary Margaret Spellings announced Tuesday it will require states to report high school graduation rates in a uniform way instead of using a variety of methods that critics say are often based on unreliable information. According to several reports including WDIV News and the Detroit Free Press: ?Under the 2002 law, schools that miss progress goals face increasing sanctions, including forced-use of federal money for private tutoring, easing student transfers, and restructuring of school staff.

Currently, each state calculates graduation rates using a variety of methods, many of which critics say are based on unreliable information about school dropouts. Under No Child Left Behind, states may use their own methods of calculating graduation rates and set their own goals for improving them.?

Spellings is also currently planning summits in every state to help students better prepare for college and the workforce.

One of the most telling factors in the report about each state is the urban-suburban gap, which overall, may be what prompted No Child Left Behind to be re-examined. Many metropolitan areas showed a considerable gap in the graduation rates between urban public high schools and the surrounding suburbs. According to the report high school graduation rates are 15 percentage points lower in the nation?s urban schools than of the suburbs. The report states: ??Extreme disparities emerge in a number of the country?s largest metropolitan areas, where students served by suburban systems may be twice as likely as their urban peers to graduate from high school.? The most severe urban-suburban disparities are located in the Northeast and Midwest, and students in the suburbs of these regions are ?more than twice as likely to complete high school with a diploma? according to data in the report. Of the 50 urban school systems studied, those with the higher graduation rates also showed a smaller urban-suburban divide. With results like these, it is no wonder that many parents choose to home school their children.

Our son is just over two. From about 18 months or so, he started to express an interest in the inner workings of the bathroom, we call him the ‘hygiene police’ because he feels that it’s his ‘job’ to make sure that anyone who has used the bathroom washes their hands before leaving. He also thinks that it’s his ‘job’ to flush. This is great actually, because one, we know he’s not afraid of the toilet flushing (which I was as a tot) and two, he gets the whole concept of hand washing after using the toilet. My husband and I took both of these as good signs as well that he was nearing toilet training readiness, and over the past few months has exhibited all of the signs’from being able to go for several hours (sometimes through the night) without wetting to being able to pull up and down his own pants, calling his and daddy’s body parts by the correct names and letting us know that he’s either about to wet or just has. In an effort to help encourage him to use the toilet, I even bought a pack of Pull-ups (big boy underpants) for him to wear. (I still put him in diapers for naps and bedtime though.)

So far, he is taking it all in stride and has made a few attempts to use the toilet, but, we’re not over pushing him, we’re taking the cues from him and helping him come to terms with this new method of waste elimination. My husband and I realize that it may be a while before he’s completely toilet trained despite the bragging by a friend of the family whose grandson is a week older than our son about him being trained already. While we don’t anticipate him still being in pull-ups or untrained when it’s time to head off to kindergarten, but we are glad that there are options for parents whose children seem to be lagging behind significantly when it comes to toilet learning.

Recently, CNN.com reported about a six-week Toilet Training School program started at Boston’s Children’s Hospital. CNN’s Judy Fortin reported that: ‘For some kids, the toilet training process can take more than a year, or longer. [And] The six-week program at Children’s Hospital is one of a handful around the country. Kimberly Dunn, a pediatric nurse practitioner, has worked with some of the 450 young graduates over the years.’

So What Do They Do at Potty Training School?

Many programs use a combination of books about ‘going potty’, calming techniques and allowing the child to go at their own pace depending upon the reasons behind being untrained. According to the CNN article, at Boston’s Children’s Hospital, ‘Dunn meets with a half-dozen children once a week. She uses books, music and art to help the students overcome their fear of using the toilet. She helps them set small, realistic goals. For instance, she said, week one involved just sitting on the toilet for five minutes. She encourages positive reinforcement and simple rewards such as extra playtime with Mom or Dad. While Dunn works on the kids, psychologist Elaine Leclair, an instructor at the Harvard School of Medicine, offers frank advice to the parents in a separate room.’ The program at Children’s Hospital is associated with the Brazelton Institute and Long Island’s Winthrop Hospital is another hospital which caters to the needs of significantly older children (between four and six)) who are not yet toilet trained.

Who Is Potty Training School For?

Most pediatricians agree that a child should be completely trained by around 3 1/2. Potty training school may be right if your child is four (or more) years of age and is not willing to use the toilet. There are a variety of reasons for this including chronic constipation, fear of the bathroom/toilet, or other special needs. It should be noted however that children diagnosed as special needs, including those on the autism spectrum, can take longer to toilet train.

Could ’sposies be the culprit?

Don’t despair and call your local hospital yet to sign up for classes if your toddler still isn’t toilet trained. Children in the United States tend to take longer to toilet train than their peers in other nations and than their peers from a generation or two before them. So, when grandma says, ‘well you were trained by the time you could walk,’ when she notices that your little one still isn’t quite there yet, realize that a) she’s probably exaggerating a bit, and b) more children wore cloth back then, or if they wore disposable diapers, they weren’t as absorbent as they are today.

Disposable diapers and disposable ‘big kid pants’ could be the culprits for a nation-wide toilet training delay. A 2005 article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer cited Houston-based potty training expert Narmin Papira, who stated: ‘The increasing age of potty training correlates perfectly with the history of disposable diapers.’ Papira went on to say that ‘the child who doesn’t feel’ wet isn’t motivated because they’re not feeling uncomfortable.’ Papira’s findings correlated with those of Ann Stadtler, an associate of the famous Dr. T. Berry Brazelton. Stadtler also believes that the increased pace of modern life factors into later potty training, too, she noted in the article. And Donald Freedheim, Case Western Reserve psychology professor emeritus and founding director of Schubert Center for Child Development Training stated that ‘training ‘late’ encourages the child not to take responsibility [and is] just as bad as starting too early. ‘Ideally, the child’s own wish for autonomy should blend with the child’s wish to toilet train.”

With all of this in mind, we follow our son’s lead, but use every opportunity we get to slip using the potty into our routine.

How will you know if your little one is ready?
Check out these Babies Online resources for tips and tools (listed in alphabetical order):

• Make Toilet Training Fun
• Potty Training 101
• Potty Training Battle of Wills
• Potty Training Secrets
• Seven Stages of Potty Training

It is estimated that as many as 2 million American children are home schooled. Parents of these children have decided to eschew traditional public education for a variety of reasons from concerns about safety to religious issues to dissatisfaction with the academics provided in their school systems. Home schooling is also an alternative for progressive education that may be less expensive than private, independent or parochial schools, and not all areas have charter schools or ?open enrollment? or ?schools of choice? where a parent or guardian can send their children to a public school in a different school district from the one in which they reside. For many, homeschooling is the apt choice for overseeing and providing their children with the best education that they see fit.

But in both California and Washington, D.C., recent events have homeschooling under fire.

The California Department of Education allows home schooling as long as parents file paperwork with the state establishing themselves as small private schools, hire credentialed tutors or enroll their children in independent study programs run by charter or private schools or public school districts while still teaching at home. But on Feb. 28, the California Second District Court of Appeal ruled that parents must have a teaching credential to home school their children. (The decision has not yet gone into effect.) According to Seema Mehta, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times, ?The appellate court ruling stemmed from a case involving the Longs, who were repeatedly referred to the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services over various allegations, including charges of physical abuse involving some of their eight children.?

Instead of the case being about the allegations of abuse, it turned into a case about homeschooling. (The Longs had a loose arrangement with an area private school, where the children were ?enrolled? but did not attend, instead their education being provided by their parents.) Mehta?s report continued, ?A lawyer appointed to represent two of the Long’s young children requested that the court require them to physically attend a public or private school where adults could monitor their well-being.? From that, the appellate court ruled that a parochial school’s occasional monitoring of the children’s education is insufficient to qualify as being enrolled in a private school, and because Mary Long does not hold a teaching credential, the court determined that the family is breaking state law.

A similar case occurred in our nation?s capital, where according to a recent Op-Ed in the Washington Times by Homeschool Defense League Association (HSDLA) president J. Michael Smith. In that case, a woman mistakenly identified as a homeschooler was charged with murdering her four children in January. The children had been enrolled in the public school system, but were truant. District of Columbia law requires homeschoolers to file notice with the District, and as a result of the case, the new Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) has proposed some new homeschooling regulations in 5 DCMR Chapter 52 for District of Columbia residents in grades K through 12 for minors from the ages of 5 through 18. The proposed regulations include but are not limited to:

• Homeschooling parents providing written documentation to the OSSE within a specific time frame.
• Documents of hours of instruction and daily attendance that demonstrate the parent/legal guardian is providing regular, thorough home schooling instruction during at least the District?s school year.
• Parents must have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
• Parents/guardians must submit evidence in a form acceptable to the OSSE that the children have been immunized and received health and medical services required of the child?s peer group.
• Annual assessments of adequate home schooling instruction with the right reserved for the OSSE to make home visits if it is determined that the homeschooling is inadequate according to OSSE standards.

Many District homeschooling parents were outraged by these new proposals, finding them ?unconstitutional.?

Regarding the California appellate court decision, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was of a similar mind. On March 7, Gov. Schwarzenegger called for the reversal of the California appellate court decision banning parents from educating their children at home if they lack a teaching credential. If the state Supreme Court, which will be hearing appeals on the decision fails to act, the governor vowed to push through legislation guaranteeing families’ right to home school.

“This outrageous ruling must be overturned by the courts and if the courts don’t protect parents’ rights then, as elected officials, we will,” he said in a written statement.

The governor?s statement was commended by U.S. House Education and Labor Committee Senior Republican Howard P. ?Buck? McKeon (R-Santa Clarita). In a March 19 statement, he said: The decision by the California 2nd District Court of Appeal is a tremendous disappointment to those who believe in educational freedom and parental rights. That the Court would undertake this type of assault on the longstanding framework of the right to homeschool is an outrage. I commend Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the State Superintendent for Public Instruction, Jack O?Connell, for taking a strong stand in support of families, and I join them in their commitment to ensure parents retain the right to educate their children as they believe is best. This flawed decision will not be the final word on homeschooling in California. It has already been rejected in the court of public opinion, and I look forward to its rejection by our courts and in our laws as well.?

While the California court?s decision has left just three options: attending a public school, attending a private school, or having a certified teacher tutor the children, it has not deterred families from continuing to home school their children.

While in many states there are no such laws and regulations and it is easier for parents to home school where home schooled children thrive as much as their peers who are enrolled in traditional educational systems. New Hampshire too is placing homeschooling under the microscope with Senate Bill 337, which now requires homeschooling parents to provide additional reporting beyond what is required as per New Hampshire HB 406, which went into effect May 12, 2006.

As many states address the issue of ?no child left behind,? within their traditional school systems, other states may look to the results of what is occurring in California, New Hampshire and Washington, D.C to determine if they too should alter their own homeschooling regulations and requirements.

Sources:

The Los Angeles Times

http://homeschooling.families.com/blog/why-what-happens-in-california-matters

?Draft of DC Education Code for Homeschooling? at http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/laws/blDC.htm

http://www.hslda.org/docs/news/hslda/200803190.asp

March 17, 2008 Washington Times Op Ed at http://www.hslda.org/docs/news/washingtontimes/200803170.asp

…Safe and Fun Easter Baskets for the Wee Ones

Last year, was my son’s second Easter, but the first one that he “got.” With a February birthday, the first one was as interesting to him as paint drying, but last year’s presented a dilemma for a mama with a 14-month old at the time. I didn’t want him to have candy yet (for obvious reasons, such as new teeth, and wanting to maintain my sense of good, early nutritional habits), but I also didn’t want him to miss out on the Easter Basket- and Egg Hunt fun. So I got a little creative and made an alternate basket for him, and luckily, my mother-in-law who always hosted the annual egg hunt cooperated with me.

Among the offspring of my husband and his siblings, my mother-in-law has seven grand children. Because of the risk of latent boiled eggs that haven’t been found lurking around and eventually turning putrid, my mother-in-law always fills plastic eggs. For the youngest, she always writes his or her name on their eggs so that the older kids don’t take the youngest’s eggs or so they can give them to the youngest if they happen to come across them during the hunt. It was this tradition that inspired me to make special baby eggs for my newly toddling little guy.

Here are some tips on making a safe, fun Easter Basket or Egg Hunt for your young toddler or older baby.

The Eggs?for an Egg Hunt and for the Basket

Get empty fillable plastic eggs in various sizes. While many of us are concerned with plastic these days, right now, there isn’t another option for fillable eggs. The good thing is that they are reusable?so once the holiday is over, you can pack them up and save them for next year.

Fillings for the Eggs

Inedible:

Get small wind-up toys, little stuffed animals and other small “party favor” type things to place inside the eggs. You can also use alphabet or number refrigerator magnets, small blocks and other similar small items that will fit into the larger eggs. Of course, heed warnings for small objects that could become choking hazards. In our case, we decided to go with the wind-up toys because we knew that at that age, our son wouldn’t be playing with them unsupervised.

Edible:

Depending upon where your child’s dietary development is, opt for things like goldfish crackers, apple wheels and organic dried fruit.

The Basket

Get a wood or other basket made of natural materials. You can also opt for a decorative pail, such as can be found at craft and gardening stores.

At a party supply store, craft store or general merchandise store like Target, get green raffia or crinkled paper?the kind for lining gift bags. Use the raffia or crinkled paper for the “grass” in the basket instead of traditional cellophane grass. You can also take green construction paper and run it through a shredder and then crumple the shreddings yourself.

Small, seasonal board books are great to put in the basket as well, such as ones about Easter, about springtime, animals or classics like “Guess How Much I Love You,” and Beatrix Potter books.

Add some of the filled eggs and a stuffed animal or two.

Wrap the basket with seasonable wrapping paper and a bow and you’re good to go for a candy-free and baby/toddler-safe Easter Basket.

Keeping our kids and neighborhoods safe is important to all parents. Knowing that there are elements in place beyond watchful and vigilant friends and neighbors can bring an added piece of mind.

We’ve all seen or heard the Amber Alerts for missing and abducted children on television and radio broadcasts. Interstate roads also post them on the digital road-side and bridge message boards. Because of a recent Amber Alert broadcast in my state, a child was returned to her mother within a few hours of the release of the Amber Alert. Other kids, such as Amber Hagerman, for whom the Amber Alert system is named after, have not been so lucky. So what if you’re hunkered down at your desk, in front of the computer and aren’t tuned in to any media broadcasts? How would you know? How would you be able to help if you were in a position to? And, if it were your child (heaven forbid!) wouldn’t you want as many people as possible to be aware of the posted alert?

Now, you can be notified right at your computer desktop, from Web sites and even on your mobile device. CodeAmber.org, a non-profit organization in business since 2007 has developed a desktop ticker, a Web site ticker, wireless device and e-mail alerts. The desktop and Web tickers change from their standard background (white) to yellow when an alert is issued. Both downloads are free, and only require submitting your name and e-mail address in order to receive the desktop download and the java script code for a Web site, which can be cut and pasted into the site’s code. The CodeAmber tickers can be specified for the United States or Canada. (The national center for missing and exploited children also provides wireless Amber Alerts.)

A Brief History of the Amber Alert System

In January 1996, nine-year-old Amber Hagerman was abducted while riding her bicycle in her Arlington, Texas neighborhood. She was thrown into a car, but not before an alert neighbor heard her screams. The neighbor was able to provide a vague description of the abductor and his vehicle to police and FBI agents, who conducted a search. They found her body four days later, but unfortunately, the case remains unsolved. Another concerned citizen in Dallas, suggested that when such events occur, broadcast stations should inform the public through repeated broadcasts as with weather warnings, and by July 1997, the Dallas Amber Alert system came to fruition. Broadcasters use the Emergency Alert System to dispatch the information. In April 2003 Congress passed a national Amber Alert package.There are local, regional, state-wide, national and international Amber Alert systems, and since the inception of Amber Alert programs 365 children have been successfully returned to their parents or guardians. There are also 119 Amber Alert plans nationwide, according to statistics from the United States Department of Justice.

Sources: (In alphabetical order)

• Beyond Missing
• Code Amber
• History of Amber Alert Plan
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
• U.S. Department of Justice

This year, (in 2008) Daylight Saving Time (often mis-called Daylight Savings Time) begins on March 9 at 2 a.m. We spring forward by setting our clocks ahead one hour at each U.S. time zone’s local 2 a.m. time. For adults this is a mild inconvenience, as we “lose” an hour of sleep, or end up being an hour late for everything, if we’ve managed to forget to change our clocks.

But, for those with babies and still-napping toddlers, this one-hour time difference can disrupt your child’s entire schedule. He dances to the rhythms of his own little internal clock. An hour’s difference can have more than a subtle effect on his mood and disposition, and in turn, your family. As many of us know all too well, if baby’s not happy, nobody’s happy, to paraphrase the usually quoted phrase about mothers.

Get ahead of the game

There are roughly two weeks of Standard Time left until we spring forward. While in many areas of the country it is still dreadfully cold, and spring seems to be nowhere in sight, the days are getting longer, and if you look closely, you might even notice tiny buds on some trees.

Consider that if you wait until March 9th to do bedtime at 8 p.m. DST, according to her internal clock, it will already be 9 p.m.?a full hour past the bedtime that her body has come to expect. Waiting can also affect waking times. If you wait until March 9th, you might find that he’s up a full hour before you’re ready for him to be.

If you have set nap times and bed times, start pushing the times back by up to five minutes every day at nap time and bed time. The small increments of time over the broad stretch will help make the transition to Daylight Saving Time for baby (and toddler) smooth and less painful for everyone in the household.

Here is a sample transition schedule for a child who usually naps at 11:30 a.m. and goes to bed at 8 p.m. in Standard Time, using four minute increments spread out over a two-week period.

• Thursday, February 21
  Nap time: 11:30 a.m.; bed time: 8:00 p.m. (Baby’s normal Standard Time Schedule)
• Friday, February 22
  Nap time: 11:26 a.m.; bed time: 7:56 p.m.
• Saturday, February 23
  Nap time: 11:22 a.m.; bed time: 7:52 p.m.
• Sunday, February 24
  Nap time: 11:18 a.m.; bed time: 7:48 p.m.

And so on… By the time you get to March 8 your baby’s new sleep schedule will be:

• Saturday, March 8
  Nap time: 10:30 a.m.; bed time: 7:00 p.m.
  (Set clocks ahead one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday morning)
• Sunday, March 9
  Nap time: 11:30 a.m.; bed time: 8:00 p.m. (DST)
• Monday, March 10
  Nap time: 11:30 a.m.; bed time: 8:00 p.m. (DST)

You can see from the above sample plan, that by the spring forward day, baby’s nap times and bed times are “back to normal.” While it may seem tedious and calculating, in the long run, it will help make the switch to Daylight Saving Time as easy as a walk in the park on a spring day. And on November 2, when we “fall back,” just reverse it, and you’ll be golden. This method can work well too, for those parents of wee ones who live in the European Union, where Summertime (the E.U. version of U.S. Daylight Saving Time) begins at 1 a.m. GMT on March 26 and ends October 26.

Over the last weeks there has been talk about ways to increase milk supply.

Most recently, Mrs. H. has had to tackle this issue, that many breast feeding mamas face. I too, was there when my son was 6 months old and had started solids, but was not ready yet to wean.

There has also been discussion about using Fenugreek, which is a galactogogue?an herb or prescription drug used to increase milk supply. While they do have their place, and work for some women, there are ways to increase milk supply without them. Galactogogues should also not be taken without first consulting your doctor, midwife or other health care practitioner who is completely familiar with your medical history, as should be done with any advice given that affects your or your child’s health.

As a breast-feeding mama, who was concerned that my milk supply was decreasing, I learned that I had to go back to the basics and take a new approach breastfeeding my son when I hit this point in our nursing relationship.

The first thing to remember when it comes to breast feeding is that while hormones do play a pivotal role, it is also controlled by the law of supply and demand.

There are also times when you may think that your milk supply is low, when it may not be. These times include but are not limited to:

• Hormonal changes (such as the return of your cycle)
• Increase in other sources of nourishment such as solids or if you are supplementing, formula.
• You find that you cannot pump as much any more.
• You no longer feel the let-down sensation.
• You are not getting enough rest or are stressed.

Before you get very concerned, ask yourself:

• Is he having a growth spurt?
• Is she still nursing happily and comfortably?
• Is he still wetting/soiling his diapers regularly?
• Has she started solids or been taking a bottle (expressed milk or formula) more often?
• Are you more tired than usual?
• Are you experiencing any unusual stress?from work, from travel, from family-related issues?
• Is your support system strong and encouraging?
• Are you eating/drinking well?keeping yourself well-nourished?
• Could you be pregnant or is your regular post-partum cycle returning?

Some tips for naturally increasing your milk supply

• Increase your healthy, lean protein intake. This can mean lean meats, beans and legumes.
• Increase your fluids?that is water and whole juices. (Skip the caffeine and diet drinks, if possible.)
• Make sure that you are consuming enough calories daily. Remember, that just like when you were pregnant, breast feeding mamas need more calories than women who are not breast feeding.
• Get adequate rest.
• Don’t watch the clock while nursing. Nurse until your baby has finished one side, then offer the other side. (If he is full, offer that side at the next feeding. Pump if you need to relieve pressure, but still offer the un-nursed side at the next feeding.)
• If you can, take a “nursing vacation” even if it means just on the weekend, if you work out of the house. This means do nothing but nurse-on-demand, eat and drink healthy foods and beverages and rest. You may have to bring her to bed with you, or have her in the room with you. Delegate the household responsibilities to others and focus on your and your baby’s nourishment.
• Try pumping and nursing at the same time. (This is called switch nursing.) While nursing him on one side, pump the other side. Before he’s finished on that side, switch him and the pump.
• When you’re nursing (or pumping) make sure that you’re relaxed and calm.
• When you can and if you feel comfortable doing so, lose the bra (especially if it’s an under-wire bra). Ditching the bra will help encourage blood flow and promote good circulation. Your bra, no matter how “unstructured” it is, will constrict your breasts to some degree.
• Try massage. Work in a circular motion with your fingertips from your armpits down and from underneath them up and all around towards the center. Do this on each side. (It is a good idea to do this right before nursing or pumping.)
• Try nipple stimulation. Nipple stimulation releases into the bloodstream oxytocin, which is the hormone responsible for the milk ejection reflex.
• Try warm compresses or a rice-sock that has been warmed in the microwave for about 30 seconds before and during nursing or pumping.
• Get support and help from other breast-feeding mamas and/or a lactation consultant especially if your spouse/partner or family network is not as supportive as you need them to be.

These may or may not work for you, depending upon your unique situation. But, as someone who has tried them and ended up nursing successfully until child-led weaning at 15 months, I can say with a certain degree of reliability that they can work. If they do not work (and it may take a few days to “reclaim” your supply) there may be other issues at play, and you should definitely consult your health care provider.

As always, before embarking on any changes that relate to your health, consult a licensed medical professional who is aware of your and your child’s medical histories.

For additional resources see:

• Breastfeeding 101
• Retaining Milk Supply
• Tips for Breastfeeding Success
• La Leche League
• kellymom.com

In Some Tips for Promoting Early Literacy, the importance of reading was discussed. But what about the other side of literacy, writing?

While your child will not be writing the Great American Novel anytime soon, encouraging writing and writing-related activities also promotes literacy. Making the lines and strokes as they scribble will help them when it comes time to learning how to make letters and numbers.

Around a year, it is safe to introduce crayons, finger paints and other writing utensils and art supplies to your child under supervision. You know your child best, so you can determine when the best time really is for your situation. Allowing your child to scribble, draw and paint encourages both gross and fine motor development. You can get in on the activity too, unleashing your own inner child and creating little masterpieces with them.

As your child gets older and their markings become more distinctive (and distinguishable) you can discuss those marks with them and how they may be similar to shapes and letters. For instance, when she makes a circle, you can also say, for example: “that’s a great circle. You know what? It also looks like the letter O.”

• Prepare your art area before starting the “project.” That may mean putting a sheet or tarp on the floor, covering the table with newspaper or waxed paper, and being ready with towels and wet cloths for clean-up.
• Get all of the supplies that you will be using before starting the activity.
• If your child is prone to putting everything in his mouth, get the pacifier ready ahead of time, so that you don’t have to worry about paint getting eaten (Even if it is non-toxic, it’s not meant to be consumed.)
• Use child-friendly products like the triangular-shaped crayons and paints by Crayola. If you are using larger tubes of finger paint, place the colors in separate containers like bathroom cups, or in dollops on a piece of waxed paper.
• Get your child ready with a smock (which can be as simple as an old shirt put on her backwards), or if it’s near bath time, strip her down to her diaper.
• Allow for free play and creativity with wild abandon while making art.
• Consider your child’s attention span. If they are showing signs that they are done, by losing interest in the activity, end it. Do a quick clean up and move on to something else. On the other hand, if they are really enjoying it, don’t hesitate to let it go longer than you may have initially intended if it makes sense to do so.
• Write with your child and around your child. As with reading in front of your child as well as with him, seeing you write will encourage him to want to as well. Show him how to spell his name. He might not “get it” at first, but he’ll be thrilled to see his name in print and start to identify those letters.
• Encourage story-telling about her pictures. What may seem to be a bunch of scribbles to you, might have an entire story line behind it for her. When she’s bigger, you can then write the story as she’s dictating it to you, and later read it together.
• After a trip to the park, zoo, to grandma’s house?where ever?encourage drawing a picture about it later. Then, you can tell the story about it as in the tip above.

Make writing and reading fun and you may instill a love of words that will last a lifetime and promote future academic and life success.

The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) published a report in 2002 on world illiteracy statistics. In the report, the United States alone is projected to have an illiteracy rate of 5.3 percent by 2010. While that does not seem to be a high percentage, any illiteracy should be considered troublesome.

How do we combat those statistical projections? It is simple, really. By reading and promoting reading as early as possible. If parents wait until school begins (whether traditional preschool, pre-Kindergarten or homeschooling) it could mean that your child is already behind. By no means do you need to force reading on your child or expect them to be reading the Iliad by third grade, but there are simple, daily things that a parent can do to promote reading as a habit.

• Read with your child every day, even if it only for a few moments. Find a quiet and special place. Choose lyrical, rhyming books with engaging pictures for infants and babies. Encourage her to point at pictures and help you turn pages.
• If you are reading a longer story, don’t feel that you have to be locked into following the story the exact way that it’s written at first. If your child is more interested in the pictures, make up a loosely related story to the text about the pictures that he may be pointing to. When he’s older, and his attention span is longer, you can start to follow the story as it is written.
• Let your child see you reading. If they are playing nearby, pick up a book, magazine or newspaper and read. (Of course, don’t forget to continue paying attention to her.) Seeing you read will enforce visually that reading is for everyone. Plus, since she probably likes to do what you do, this is a good habit for her to copy.
• As your child gets older, let him select the books. Doing this will give him ownership over reading choices, and show that you value his opinions and desires. If you don’t have your own little library at home, take a field trip to your public library.
• If story time is also part of the bed time routine, encourage reading outside of bedtime as well. Let her pick a time during the day to read either by herself or with you together. As she gets older, you can give her picture/word books that she can “read” herself. Even if she is not yet really reading (by decoding the letters and their sounds) she is gaining a familiarity with the association between print and images.
• Don’t be afraid to introduce the alphabet with your young toddler. Beyond singing the alphabet song, play with letters and their sounds with her. This will help facilitate language skills as well as reading skills. If your family is bilingual do it with her in both languages.
• Remember words are everywhere and so is the opportunity for reading. With your older toddler, encourage reading when you’re out in the world by making games out of traffic signs when you’re driving or out of other things while you’re on a walk or at a park. For example, when at a stop light, you might say: “What color is the light?” and when she answers ask “what letter does red start with?” or “Let’s spell red.”
• Is your child already hooked on cartoons and videos? Don’t despair. Put those favorite characters to good literary use. Pick books that feature his favorite television friends if you are just getting started (or having to start over) to engage them with reading. Use these characters as positive examples as well: “let’s read like Elmo” or “Diego and Dora read, let’s read like them.”
• Encourage exploration and creative thinking about the stories as well as your child’s vocabulary and understanding grows. Ask her open-ended questions like “what do you think happens next?” “What do you see?” You’ll know the best questions to ask because you know your child and her development best.
• Don’t get locked into gender stereotypes. Sure, let Bobby listen to and read fairy tales and let Suzi listen to and read action-adventure stories. It won’t hurt, it will broaden their minds.
• If your child is tired, cranky or just not interested in reading at a given moment, don’t force it. Doing so will only create a negative association with reading. Instead, redirect her and save reading for a time later that day when she is ready.
• Encourage group-reading activities. Check with your library or local bookstore (like Borders) to see if they have a regularly scheduled story time. If they do, make a field trip out of it. (And don’t forget to borrow or buy a book for his own little library.)

These are just a few ways that parents can promote literacy in their homes early. It’s neither too early nor too late to start. Doing so will not only ensure later academic readiness, but also instill a love of reading that will hopefully last a lifetime.

For more tips see:

http://blogs.babiesonline.com/2008/01/05/books-for-baby/
http://www.babiesonline.com/articles/education/importancechildrenreading.asp

Some Tips for Promoting Early Literacy part two covers writing.