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March 17th, 2009:

Australia is not so baby friendly

Mar 17th, 2009
by Melissa Maimann.
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For further information, contact Melissa Maimann at Essential Birth Consulting.

Ms Randa Saadeh, a Senior Scientist with the World Health Organization (WHO), is speaking at the Australian Breastfeeding Association’s national seminar series … [she] is stressing the need for hospitals, workplaces and the community to support mothers and babies to continue breastfeeding.

Current infant feeding practices in Australia are resulting in unnecessarily high hospitalisation rates. Early weaning increases, by five fold, the risk of respiratory disease, gastro, middle ear infections and obesity.

The Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI) improves breastfeeding rates which result in fewer child health interventions, including costly hospital admissions. In Australia however, the number of BFHI accredited hospitals is just 20%. New Zealand boasts 90% of their hospitals with BFHI status as a result of strong government support.

Melissa Maimann, Essential Birth Consulting.

Breast-Feeding May Reduce Risk for SIDS by Half Throughout Infancy

Mar 17th, 2009
by Melissa Maimann.
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For further information, contact Melissa Maimann at Essential Birth Consulting.

Breast-Feeding May Reduce Risk for SIDS by Half Throughout Infancy
Author: Laurie Barclay, MD
CME Author: Penny Murata, MD

Breast-feeding reduces the risk for sudden infant
death syndrome (SIDS) by approximately 50% … Exclusive breast-feeding at age 1 month was associated with half the risk for SIDS. Although partial breast-feeding at age 1 month was also
associated with lower risk for SIDS, this risk was not significant …

SIDS is a leading cause of death in infants … [the] SIDS risk was 2-fold higher in formula-fed vs breast-fed infants … However, breast-feeding is not universally included in SIDS prevention guidelines.

- Yet another benefit of breastfeeding!

Melissa Maimann, Essential Birth Consulting.

Fed:More Aust newborns tipping the scales at over 4kg

Mar 17th, 2009
by Melissa Maimann.
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For further information, contact Melissa Maimann at Essential Birth Consulting.

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16/03/2009 – Australian babies are becoming increasingly big bundles of joy, and health experts warn it’s not always something to be happy about … gestational diabetes [results in] heavier babies [and contributes to] a rising rate of newborns weighing in at more than four kilograms.

… there is evidence of a relationship between high birth weight and the increased future risk of asthma, type one diabetes and a number of cancers, including infant and childhood leukaemia, and breast, prostate and colon cancer,” said Dr Hadfield, who is postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Sydney at Royal North Shore Hospital.

“As well as the potential for lifelong health consequences, higher birth weights may also result in injury to the infant and the mother at the time of delivery.” ….

Another contributing factor was the fact more women were waiting later in life to have children, but Dr Hadfield also said not all of the increase could be accounted for.

- What is not mentioned, is that perhaps women are looking after themselves really well in their pregnancies, eating healthier food, and that this is contributing to bigger babies. Of course, there’s also the obesity epidemic, so the onus is on women to take care of their nutrition, exercise and health during pregnancy. A low-GI diet combined with exercise is a great start!

Melissa Maimann, Essential Birth Consulting