Is Artificial Baby Milk Formula for Distaster ?

Formula For Disaster

Review : The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy by Shonda Parker

It's Thursday, and time for another review of one of my favorite books to share with my clients who want to know how to build a foundation of healthy bodies and minds for pregnancy and birth.

Shonda Parker is a trusted expert in the field of natural health, specifically, nutrition and herbal therapies.

She is a childbirth educator and family herbalist and experienced mother. 

Her book, The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy is a must have for women who believe that nourishing their bodies is the first building block in growing a healthy baby. This book is your "essential guide to nutritional and botanical medicine for the childbearing years."

Shonda gives no-nonsense recommendations on various common discomforts of pregnancy and with each, she offers both lifestyle and dietary recommendations as well as nutritional and herbal recommendations.

Written from a distinctly Christian perspective, this book is also a rich source of spiritual support for mothers who are open to a Biblical perspective.

I highly recommend all of Shonda's books and products, and her website:
Naturally Healthy

Massage During Pregnancy, Labor and Postpartum Nurtures Mothers

Claire Marie Miller, from whom I learned Integrative Reflexology, describes the benefits she received from massage in pregnancy and birth. I hope you will be inspired to seek out a massage therapist who is trained in pregnancy massage and treat yourself to the many benefits that massage therapy can bring. There are many qualified therapists out there, but if you would like to find one that has been trained by Claire herself, ( I highly recommend it !) then go to this link. Nurturing The Mother

Good Eats for Moms and Moms-to-be

 

Today I would like to talk about nutrition. Briefly. And let me get this out of the way right out of the shoot. I am not a vegetarian, but I love most vegetarian cuisine and try to eat meatless meals several times a week. I am not doing a review of cookbooks today, but I wanted to share one of my favorite cooking divas, Mollie Katzen. She authored the Moosewood cookbooks, Vegetable Heaven, The Enchanted Broccoli Forest and others. her website is chock full of great recipes too. Please check it out.

Mollie Katzen

So, back to nutrition. I am a La Leche League Leader. I like what they have to say about nutrition, which is to eat a wide variety of foods in as natural a state as possible. In other words, choose whole grains, like brown rice and whole grain bread, and try your hand at baking with whole grain flour. These days it is easy to find light or white flour that is actually whole grain, and it is delicious. I like King Aurthur flour at my grocery, but you can find others. I used to buy wheat berries and grind them myself, but since I don't cook for as many people these days, I just buy the flour.

When I did my midwifery apprenticeship, I learned a lot from my senior midwife who was a big believer in the work of Dr. Brewer, who said that pregnant women should have 100 grams of high quality protein every day. Of her clients, who followed the diet, there were healthy babies and mothers. So, some good building blocks for nutrition in pregnancy are lots of fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains and high quality proteins. You can find great ways to put these all together with yummy recipes from Mollie Katzen.

The International Breastfeeding Symbol

Read all about it !

Click the link to learn about the history and significance of the International Breastfeeding Symbol. 

Review : The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

If you are a breastfeeding Mom, or ever plan to be, this is the book to read. Written in everyday language, in a relaxed readable style, this book feels more like conversing with a wise and kind grandmother about common questions and concerns than it does reading a breastfeeding manual.

This book is the compilation of many years experience of supporting breastfeeding mothers. La Leche League  International is the world's leading authority on breastfeeding. La Leche League Leaders are mothers who have breastfed their own babies and go through a through training and accreditation process.

They offer mother to mother support in many communities around the globe. I have been a La Leche League Leader for five years. My children are grown and I am now a grandmother, but I love sharing what I experienced a s a breastfeeding mother with younger women. I am happy that my own daughter chose to breastfeed my granddaughter !

In this book, you will find answers to the questions that plague every new mother, such as :

~ How does human milk have an advantage over commercial formula ?

~ Do I need to prepare for breastfeeding during pregnancy ?

~ How do I breastfeed if I need to go back to work ?

~ How do I know my baby is getting enough to eat ?

~ How do I find time for my self and meet my baby's needs ?

~ How do I find the support I need to enjoy breastfeeding ?

~Does breastfeeding benefit me in any way ?

And much more !

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding was first published in 1958 and, as of this writing, has gone through seven revisions. You can be sure that the information is up to date and thorough.

The book is full of everyday mother's stories and experiences, candidly shared.

I hope you will pick up a copy of this book for yourself or a friend who may be expecting a baby.
To find a La Leche League Leader near you, go to La Leche League International

C is for Co-sleeping !

is for Co-sleeping !
Co-sleeping is a great way to connect with your baby. You can tune in to his biological rhythms and him to yours. A baby who sleeps in close quarters with a parent is reassured by the presence of the one he loves. Babies are kept warmer when they sleep next to their Moms, and don't need lots of blankets. During sleep time together, mother's presence helps regulate the body temperature of the baby to the optimal level. 

Babies who sleep with their mothers also are at less risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) because they spend less time in the deepest stage of sleep, from which is it harder to recover from apnea (when the baby stops breathing).  Co-sleeping also insures better breastfeeding success and encourages the mother to breastfeed for longer intervals.  This leads to a better milk supply for the baby.  Babies who cosleep are less likely to have crying spells due to lower stress and anxiety.


There are also benefits for mother ! Skin to skin contact with baby is associated with greater oxytocin levels. Oxytocin is known as the "love hormone." The effects of oxytocin on Mom are that she is likely to experience less anxiety about mothering and be more tuned in to her baby. It is also easier for her to tend to nighttime feedings when she doesn't have to get out of bed and stumble down the hall to find the baby in the middle of the night when she is awakened by cries of hunger.  She gets back to sleep more easily after feedings and when Momma is happy, everybody's happy !

Here are some safe co-sleeping tips :

Make sure the baby is sleeping on a firm, non quilted surface.

Make sure that where baby sleeps is a smoke free environment.

Avoid bedsharing with anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs or under the influence of anything at all that would make them less aware of the baby.

Avoid bedsharing with pets !

Avoid co-sleeping on any other furniture besides a bed. Babies can be easily caught between cushions and pillows and suffocate.

Time for Another Baby ?

So your baby isn't a baby anymore, she is a toddler ! Maybe she is still breastfeeding, or maybe she has weaned. Either way, you are getting that "baby fever" !

You love mothering your toddler, but you miss the feeling of a newborn in your arms. Your toddler will cuddle when she is tired, but is otherwise squirmy because she spend every waking moment exploring the world around her.

You think it would be lovely to have another baby, but how do you know you are ready ?

You've just gotten your toddler to sleep soundly through the night. Are you really ready to be up again, nursing every two to three hours round the clock?  You finally lost that baby weight. Are you ready to put the maternity clothes back on ?

All of these are questions that every mother has to answer for herself.

Maybe your last birth experience was not what you had hoped it would be. Maybe you had a cesarean and don't want to repeat that experience. How will you go about finding a doctor or midwife that will support your decision to VBAC ( Vaginal Birth After Cesarean )?

Websites like www.vbac.com can help you plan a VBAC.

Maybe you didn't get breastfeeding off to a good start last time and you would like to breastfeed your next baby. Websites like La Leche League International can help you find a local La Leche League group to attend to get lots of support from experienced Leaders and other Moms.

Maybe you didn't take childbirth classes last time, or would like to take a different series this time.

Websites like Lamaze International can help you find an accredited childbirth educator.

Every birth and every baby are completely unique ! So think about all of your questions and concerns and find the resources you need to make your next birth the best it can be.

Breastfeeding Through The Holidays

Holiday planning can be stressful, especially for new mothers ! The hustle and bustle and family gatherings, while festive and fun, can leave new mothers exhausted and frustrated. There is even a phenomenon called "holiday weaning" because breastfeeding mothers can get so stressed out trying to accomplish their holiday "to do" list that breastfeeding rhythms get interrupted.

Here are a few tips to help make the holidays work while breastfeeding.

1. Agree with family and friends to limit gift giving. A great way to do this is to "draw names." Write everyone's name on a piece of paper, and put them in a basket. Everyone picks a name and prepares a special gift for one person. This limits the stress, saves money and gives the giver more time to make the one gift extra special.

2. Lower your expectations around holiday decorating. Allow other family members to decorate the tree while you direct operations from your rocking chair. The tree may not look the way you had planned, but you may really enjoy your "nursing tree" ! Take photos to remember the moment.

3. Take shorter shopping trips and take along your baby. That way you can nurse if need be. Feed before you leave the house, so that baby has a "full tank" which will give you more time to shop.  Be sure to bring a blanket to cover up if you are shy. And bring a long a cool bottle of water for yourself.

4. If you are invited to an office party, for example, where children are not usually included, consider bringing your baby and wearing her in a sling.

5. Wearing your baby in a sling can also be helpful if you prefer that your baby not be held by lots of people at holiday parties. This is especially good advice during cold and flu seasons.

6. Don't get stressed about cooking for holiday parties. Explain to family and friends that you are breastfeeding and that you need help. One great way to ease the burden on everyone is to ask everyone to bring a dish or two to share and make it a "pot luck" event. This usually results in everyone getting to show off their newest recipe and lots of delicious food is enjoyed by all.

The Guide to a Healthy Birth is Here ! Download your free copy !

Download your FREE copy now !

The Tender Gift of Doulas ~ Bring a Doula or Friend to Give Continuous Support During Labor and Birth

Dr. Kennell said "If doulas were a drug, it would be unethical not to use it !"

If you want to have a safe and healthy birth, one of the ways that you can increase your chances of this is to bring a "doula", which is a Greek word meaning female servant, to your birth. Your doula may be a professional, or another woman who has given birth and is committed to supporting your emotional and physical comfort as you go through the process of bringing your baby into the world.

I have posted about doulas before and listed resources to find a professional, as well as questions to ask when interviewing. There are many doulas in training who are willing to attend you for free or for a reduced fee. A skilled and comassionate doula is worth her weight in gold. Give yourself the gift of a doula.

Revenge of the Bullied

Today, I am happy to report that the sign in the OBs office at the Aspen Women's Clinic raised such ire, that there was a contest to "rewrite" the sign, with some pretty amazing results!

The contest is over, but here's the link.

Anti-doula Sign Contest

I wish we could harness all of that passion and have a ZERO tolerance for this kind of behavior by obstetricians. Let's hope that someone has gone to the OBGYN forums and posted a link to these photos.

Let's send them a clear message that we're mad as H$#@ and we are not going to take it anymore.

Aromatherapy and Massage for Mother and Baby

Good things come in small packages, and today I want to share a very good thing with you !

This lovely little book, by Allison England, is one of my all time favorites.

It combines some basic but powerful instructions on how to safely, simply, and effectively combine the powers of touch and essential oils in making pregnancy, labor, birth and early motherhood a time to tune in to your body and mind and harness the benefits of relaxation and well being.

Allison England, a qualified aromatherapist and registered nurse, explains how to ease the more common discomforts of pregnancy, relieve the pain of labor as well as soothe and comfort restless babies and facilitate the bonding process.

She begins the book with the benefits of aromatherapy in pregnancy, a history of essential oils and their many uses, and a guide to choosing oils of the highest quality and theraputic value.

She covers all the information you need to know about the use of touch and aromatherapy from preconception to postpartum and includes a reference guide to essential oils.

Recipes on how to safely  blend for inhalations, compresses, diffusions, massage oils and creams, baths, hair rinses and much more, make this book a joy to read. There are beautiful sketches depicting techniques for massaging mom and baby. This is a great introductory text for mothers who want to know more a holistic lifestyle, and anyone who cares for women during the childbearing year.

Aromatherapy and Essential Oils for Birth

 

Aromatherapy is a very powerful modality and it has many wonderful benefits.

Today I would like to share just a few oils that can be beneficial during childbirth. Some of this information is adapted from the website of www.naturesgift.com  which carries the highest quality aromatherapy products.

Please visit their site for all kinds of helpful information on essential oils and a great source for purchasing oils and aromatherapy products.

Here are some oils that can be used during childbirth. Not all oils are safe during pregnancy, but are fine to use once term labor has begun. 

A research study published in Nursing Times - March 2, 1994, Vol. 90, No. 9, "Using Aromatherapy in Childbirth"
Summary: A study of 500 women in the delivery suite. Essential oils used: Lavender, Clary sage, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Chamomile, Frankincense, Jasmine, Rose, Lemon and Mandarine.
Methods of Application: (1) *Spray of 100 cc water with 2 drops e.o on face sheet, pillow, or bean bag or (2) 4-6 drops oil in bath or 2-3 drops of oil in footbath or (3) Inhalation or (4) Massage with 2 drops in 50 cc of almond oil.
Results: Overall satisfaction with the "aroma" - rid the hospital smell which decreased anxiety.
 Lavender - reduce maternal anxiety, pain relief, lighten mood, calm contractions if woman needed rest (Early in Labor)
Peppermint - Nausea & Vomiting
Clary sage - Increase Contractions
74% of women used no other form of pain relief




ROSE- Rose may help the Uterus to work efficiently. It is also said to have a relaxant effect for the pelvic floor, helping to open up the pelvis, much like an opening rose bud. This would best be used in the birth pool. The emotional effects of rose are very supportive during labor. It can be very overpowering if over used. So SUBTLE is the key word here! 1-drop in the bathwater would be plenty. Using guided visualization of the cervix opening as a rose bud can be very effective when used with the aroma of rose.

CLARY SAGE- Uterine tonic-again the adaptogenic qualities of Essential oils used in the correct dilution (SUBTLE) assists the uterus in effective contractions without artificially strengthening the contractions (as with pitocin drips given IV). It can be euphoric and very effective for relieving anxiety, it is calming to the nervous system. Some will not like the aroma of Clary sage alone, but mixing it with Rose, Lavender., will *almost* always produce a very pleasing aroma. Mixing to your tatse is important here, not a standard recipe! If you  do not like the aroma, the physical and emotional benefits will likely be negated. Fill a tea light diffuser bowl with water, 3 drops lavender, 3 drops clary sage and enjoy the aroma in the room. It may also have a lovely, calming effect on your caregivers !

LAVENDER-(augustifolia) is calming, soothing, and imparts a gentleness to the atmosphere when used in small amounts. It is also a very nice aromatic greeting for a newborn.You can mix a few drops with 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup grain alcohol for a nice linen spray, or put a few drops in a bowl of water to soak a cool washcloth in to wipe your brow or put around the back of your neck.

GERANIUM-uplifting and helpful in balancing emotional states. Said to be a circulatory stimulant.
Geranium can be added to the birth pool or diffused with your clary sage.

NEROLI-facilitates calm relaxed breathing (esp. with small amounts of Frankincense). The Cadillac for nervous anxiety. Can be a good choice during transition. One drop only on the pillow.

There are just a few of the many wonderful ways to use aromatherapy in labor and birth. Tomorrow, I will be reviewing one of my very favorite books on aromatherapy for the childbearing year !

Choosing Your Doctor or Midwife ~ It's Never too Late to Make a Change

 Here are some questions to encourage a conversation and to help you get a sense of how your care provider might approach various circumstances with regard to your birth.

Remember, it's never too late to make a change if you do not feel comfortable with the care that you receive.

1. Is there a limit to the number of people who may be there to support me at my birth ?

2. Will I be able to eat and drink ?

3. What if my water breaks at, or near my due date  before contractions begin ?

4. What if my due date comes and goes with no labor ?

5. If labor needs help getting started, what might you recommend?

6. Do you perform episiotomies?

7. What is your cesarean rate ? 

8. What is your induction rate ?

9. How do you feel about VBAC ( Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) ?

10. How long have you been practicing ?

11. How do you feel about breech delivery ?

12. ( For homebirth midwives ) How do you handle back up ?

13. Who are your consultant obstetricians ?

14. Who are your helpers, and how well are they trained ?

15. How do you handle emergency transfers to the hospital ?

By asking a lot of questions, you can be better prepared to for a positive relationship with your care provider, with whom you need to be able to trust wholeheartedly as partner in helping you bring your baby into the world. And remember, your care provider is secondary to your participation and inner wisdom. If you feel like something is not quite right, follow your instincts and ask questions until you are satisfied with the answers you have been given. You are the best expert on what's best for you and your baby !

Doula Magic

 Have you thought of having a doula at your birth ?

Doulas are women who have been trained to offer skilled and compassionate support to women in childbirth. They do not take the place of the partner, but they provide gentle guidance to the mother and father during the birth process. Many doulas also offer prenatal and postpartum support in your home.

Doulas do whatever it takes to keep you as comfortable as possible during labor and birth. Some of the ways that they accomplish this is through;

aromatherapy

massage or reflexology

helping you with breathing or positioning

guided imagery and relaxation techniques

affirmations

a quiet reassuring presence

advocacy

up to date information on what is safe and healthy when it comes to choices

facilitating your communication with your caregiver

and much more !

The doula stays with you, from start to finish, unlike your caregivers in a hospital setting, which rotate shifts. She knows your story from beginning to end.

I recommend that you choose a doula who has earned a certification, either as a doula or childbirth educator,  and has lots of experience helping parents have safe, normal and healthy births.

Here are some organizations that certify doulas and birth partners:

DONA International

Lamaze International ( Labor support Skills )

CAPPA

ICEA
 

Here are some questions to ask a doula:

1. What type of training have you had ?

2. Tell me about your certification process ?

3. Tell me about your experience. How many births have you attended ?

4. What is your own personal philosophy of birth ?

5. How many clients do you take per month, and how do you handle back-up ?

6. What is your fee ?

Many women who have used a doula, feel that doulas have a special kind of magic, and that may be true.
But doulas don't have a magic wand that can make birth better if YOU are not informed and willing to take full responsibility for your birth and your choices. 
And choosing a doula is one of the best things you can do to have a safe and healthy birth !

The Waterfall Effect

In my experience as a birth doula and childbirth educator, I have observed something, known to those in our profession, as the "Waterfall Effect." It's kind of like when you set out on a journey, and you expect a beautiful trip. You are sailing along and you think everything will go smoothly, when things start to take a turn in a direction you hadn't really wanted to go. And the more you start paddling, trying to correct your direction, the more you start drifting toward the place that takes you over the waterfalls, plunging you into the depths below.

Here's how it typically starts.

Let's say you are a week past your due date. 

So your doctor says, " I think your baby is too big to wait any longer. Besides, the longer we wait, the higher the risk for stillbirth."

So he says, "Let's induce you tomorrow morning." And because you trust your doctor, and are afraid, you say. "O.K"

So you arrive at the hospital and they start an IV, and tell you that you can't eat.

Then they hook you up to an external monitor and break your water and start you on pitocin.

You want to move around, and get in the tub like you learned in childbirth class, but you are confined to the bed, because when they broke your water, the baby's heart rate went down a little.

They tell you that they want to" watch and wait a little while" and keep you in the bed.

The heart rate looks better in the monitor but you aren't having many contractions so they "up" the pitocin.

Three hours later, you are having a few regular contractions but they are not strong enough to change your cervix, even though they are really hurting because you can't move around.  And you are getting a headache from not eating, and because your head is hurting and the contractions are hurting, it is making you nauseated, and so you throw up. Three times. And so they give you some phenergan and it makes you woozy and sleepy but at least you aren't nauseated anymore. But the contractions still hurt. A lot.

So then they say to you," Let's just give you a walking epidural". You hadn't wanted an epidural at all, but these pitocin contractions feel so terrible and your head is hurting from not eating and you just want to do anything to feel better. And you say "OK".

All the while you are thinking "This isn't the way I wanted it to be, but what was I thinking? I must have been crazy to think I could have done this without drugs."

So the anesthesiologist walks in and you say, "Man, am I glad to see you !" and he says "That's what everybody says!" and he gets busy putting the medicine through the catheter into your back.

When he finishes, you lie back down and he leaves the room, promising you that you will feel better very soon. And he was right......except your labor stops completely ! And you still have a headache and now you have the shakes and you are still only 4 cm. You know this because they just put in an internal monitor.

So the nurse comes in and ups your pitocin again. But you can't feel it and you are glad.

Another 8 hours goes by and you doze on and off except for the occasional vaginal exam and the blood pressure cuff squeezing your arm wakes you up often enough that you never really rest.

And they come in an check again and announce that you are only 8cm. And then they say, "While you were dozing, we noticed that the baby's heart rate patterns were not assuring. So we have gone ahead and prepped the OR for a cesarean. We are going to watch you carefully, but if you don't make really good progress within the next hour, we are going to do a cesarean".

And you don't, and they do.

And you have complications, including excessive bleeding, and an allergic reaction to one of the antibiotics.

Your baby is fine with good strong apgars, in spite of what the heart rate monitors indicated.

But you feel too sick to interact with your baby or try to nurse him.

So the hospital gives him formula for his first feeding.....and his second and his third.

So you feel horrible, physically and emotionally and you cry.

And when you finally get to put your precious baby to your breast, he won't latch on.

And your milk isn't coming in well. And you are afraid that it never will.

And for many months afterward you second guess your insticts about everything when it comes to mothering your baby. You feel sad, alone, confused and defeated, but you don't know why.

Please don't let the waterfall carry you away and plunge you into the depths of depression. There is help for you. Many, many women have been swept away by the Waterfall Effect and have found their way home again.

Good Night, Sleep Tight

Yesterday's blog entry was inspired by a comment on facebook to a new mother who was  happy that  her baby had  finally slept long enough that she could get some much needed rest. One of her friends chimed in with something along the lines of "Oh, have you read BabyWise?" which led me into a diatribe of why I think BabyWise isn't. But, I digress.

So, today is the day I do reviews of resources I find helpful in my work with parents as a certified postpartum doula.  I want to heartily recommend The Baby Sleep Book, The Complete Guide to a Good Night's Rest for the Whole Family, by four supremely qualified individuals, all belonging to the Sears family. They are all health care professionals AND parents. This book is everything you need to know about getting your baby or toddler to sleep, from some of America's foremost baby and childcare experts.

The forward is written by Dr. James McKenna, director of the Mother-Baby Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame.

I like the way that the authors give parents practical tips and tools while understanding that every parent and baby are individuals. Their tips will help you form your own style and how to become an expert in your own baby.  

I like the fact that the authors write to both parents, and include tips for mother and fathers.

Instead of recommending a rigid approach, they explain how you can create a sleep plan that meets the needs of your unique family. Instead of claiming that parents are "in bondage" to their baby ( like the Ezzo book ) the Sears books offers a flexible and sensitive approach to helping the entire family meet their needs for restful sleep.

The Sears also offer tips on their online Sleep Forum

I hope you will also find this resource helpful with your baby or toddler.

Is Babywise a Trick or Treat ?

Trick or Treat ? It's Babywise !

OK, so it's Halloween week and it doesn't surprise me that one of my pet peeves seems to be raising it's ugly head, kind of like a vampire or zombie that refuses to die or Glenn Close jolting up out of the bathwater in Fatal Attraction.

But as an advocate of healthy and safe parenting, I am here today with my "Wac-a-Mole" mallet to beat this menace down, yet again.  "How militant!" you might say. Let me be clear. When I see this book for sale, I have made it my personal mission to buy it JUST  for the sheer pleasure of throwing it away.

Growing Families International [GFI] has been controversial within the Christian church for a long time, but more recently within the secular realm. With the publication of Babywise, Gary Ezzo extended his controversial parenting method into the secular world. 

Many, many keystrokes of parents and professionals have been logged on the internet about this controversy, and I am only nicking the surface of it in my blog post today. For more than you would ever want to know, please visit these sites.

http://www.ezzo.info/index.htm

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/july8/12.20.html

http://www.gentlechristianmothers.com/topics/unprepared.php

Here's a little history.

Circa 1985 -- Anne Marie Ezzo, Gary's wife, authored and circulated a 4-page paper titled "Parent Controlled Feeding". Although contradictory at some points, it included:

• a sample timetable for "the first four weeks" which laid out feedings at 4 hour intervals
• advice to consider formula supplementation if the baby, by three weeks of age, isn't able to go 3-4 hours between feeds

These practices are not based in scientific evidence and have not been endorsed by leading authorities in infant feeding and health.

1989 -- The version of Preparation for Parenting that was circulating at this time including teachings which:

• criticised demand feeding (the practice endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics),
• criticised mothers who respond to their babies' cries, calling these practices incompatible with scripture, practiced by an "extreme fringe," primitivistic, humanistic, based in evolution, emotional, idolatrous, unhealthful, harmful to marriage, and the cause of health and developmental problems.
• advised parents that by three weeks the baby should only be feeding every three to four hours, with formula supplementation as necessary to achieve those intervals.
• instructed that the baby was to be sleeping through the night by six weeks, enforced by letting the baby cry it out if necessary.
  Source: quotes on file from Preparation for Parenting c 1989

1993 – 1st edition of Babywise was self-published by Growing Families International. This edition was nearly identical to Prep for Parenting, except that:

• The explicit religious language was removed ( thank God )
  
• Dr. Robert Bucknam added a foreword, praising the earlier Ezzo material which had so impressed him, and denigrating "instincts," advice to feed more often as a solution to hunger, and the practice of feeding at two hourly intervals (p.11)
• For babies from 0-8 weeks of age, the book recommended 3 to 4 hour feedings.
• This edition touts a benefit of fewer feedings: fewer diapers to change. (pp. 133-134.)

May 14, 1996 –The Child Abuse Council of Orange County appointed a  task force to evaluate following complaints by area health care professionals who had observed dehydration, slow growth and development and failure to thrive among babies on Ezzo programs.

The Ezzos also published so called "Christian" Parenting materials called : Growing Kids God's Way.

First of all, many Christians, myself included, find it odd that Gary Ezzo should pontificate and define for the rest of us what "God's Way of parenting should look like, especially in light of all of the bad outcomes which have been reported. Critics who have evaluated Growing Kids God's Way, Childwise, Babywise, Reflections of Moral Innocence (the Ezzos' sex ed curriculum) and other Ezzo books and curricula have shared several concerns about the expectations of child behavior these books promote.

• Lack of age appropriateness. Requirements of child behavior do not consider age appropriateness or basic principles of child development.
  
  
• May support parental failings and selfishness. Warnings against being "child-centered" are insufficiently balanced by acknowledgment of the extent to which parenthood involves self-giving and self-sacrifice or by awareness of the parents' own fallibility.
  
  
• Lack of proportion. Big issues and small are treated as equally urgent matters over which parents must have control. Insisting on tight control over all matters can lead to power struggles.
  
  
• Limited interpretation of behavior. Behavior is viewed through the lens of obedience/disobedience without adequate consideration of factors such as teething, illness, developmental stages, and emotions such as fear, loneliness, etc, that might cause or influence the behavior.
  
  
• Undermines the developing relationship between parent and child. The level of control required by the program tends to create an adversarial relationship between parents and child, which may interfere with attachment.  Experts regard attachment as the foundation of mental health and say it develops as parents respond to the baby's cues, rather than in the context of parental control. 

Secondly, Ezzo's warped theological perspective produces this "jewel" of exegesis.

When using the crucifixion of Jesus to justify letting an infant cry. ``Praise God that the Father did not intervene when His Son cried out on the cross,'' in Preparation for Parenting.

Here are some quotes I have found from mothers who have used the program.

"I, being a first-time mom, terribly unconfident, and eager for something structured and quantifiable, bought into [the book], wholeheartedly. It was a disaster. The first three months of my firstborn's life were filled with frustration"

""My frustration is that it seems the Ezzos never took into consideration the moms who suffer from PPD. My depression was pretty debilitating and when my son wasn't "following the program" so to speak, it created a lot of additional stress."

"I took her to the hospital where she was diagnosed as FTT ("failure-to-thrive").   She spent three days in hospital.  I was told to burn Babywise and that babies should be fed on demand, that breastfeeding was a supply and demand process."

"In my mind, I knew that I should call La Leche League for help, but after reading the warnings in [Babywise], there was no way I wanted to get mixed up with those "attachment-parenting types," so I chose to give up and exclusively formula feed."

"When J. was about 3 and a half months old, I started thinking he looked a little skinny."

"I remember laying on the couch listening to her cry and cry thinking motherhood wasn't supposed to be like this."

"I would have said that we were happy following Ezzo, but I can honestly say that we are much happier now. I am so much less stressed out! I didn't realize how much stress Babywising put on me until I quit..."

"I want to share our story in the hope that it may perhaps help to warn others who are heading down the Growing Kids God's Way path. We still ask ourselves, how could we have been deceived for so long?..."

"I would give anything in the world to be able to turn back the clock and learn about the concerns and controversy surrounding Ezzo's methods *before* my dear daughter was born..."

"But even if Babywise and Prep may have a few helpful ideas, there is more chaff than wheat. As someone else has said, "What is good is not unique--you can find it in other safer books. What is unique is not good." In spite of the few helpful ideas I NEVER recommend the books to anyone. Why? Too much possibility that someone could be seriously hurt from them. I don't want that responsibility"

"Please, don't just take our word for it. Do your own research. When you are finished, we be-lieve you will draw the same conclusions we have. We thought we were following sound parent-ing information and doing what was proclaimed to be in the best interest of our son. We could not have been more wrong, and we will always live with that knowledge. We now believe nurs-ing on demand, especially in the early months of life, is among the most critical things one can do for the long-term health and well-being of their child. The harm that has been associated with the Ezzos' parent-directed feeding schedules is not always easily undone, and is simply not worth the potential risks. No other child or parents deserve to endure what we have suffered."

"With both boys I lost my milk between 4 and 5 months. I was unable to get it to come back, I tried all the tricks. Every 3 hours is not enough stimulation for my milk supply in the early months and it affected my supply later on. We were also very heavy into using punishment
(spankings) but now we are not. Our children are now better behaved since we stopped using those tactics with them."

"What was the worst we suffered from the materials?

Believing that every night waking, every phase, everything our kids did, was because they were trying to manipulate us or control us, or defy us. That everything had to be "handled". It's a twisted, sick mindset against your own children - and it's simply not true. We have come a long way - and still have a long way to go. We are far removed from that mindset now, but it haunts us. We find more and more that the truth is that children are new, all that they do is experimentation, and normal. A good dose of guidance, understanding and teaching goes 10 times farther than one punishment."

If you have questions or are frustrated with infant feeding issues, especially breastfeeding, please talk to a qualified professional, and seek the time trusted advice of someone like Dr. Sears.  

Dr, Sears has authored numerous books of preganancy, birth, breastfeeding and parenting, including great books on nghttime parenting, fussy babies, discipline and many, many more.

Here is an excerpt from Nighttime Parenting by Sears  published on the La Leche League website that talks about SIDS. ( Sudden Infant Death Syndrome )

"V Section" is often as Traumatic as "C Section" for Many Woman

Did you know that for many women, a vaginal birth with an episiotomy can be just as traumatic and painful as birth with a cesarean ? It's true. The birth of my oldest child, who weighed on 5lbs and 5 oz was delivered via a mediolateral episiotomy and forceps. It was extremely painful. I refer to that birth as my "V-Section" because that's how it felt to me. I felt sliced and diced. And I WAS !

I had many, many stitches that itched and burned and nothing made it go away. This continued for several weeks. I was breastfeeding and it was all I could do to turn over in the bed without pain so intense that it made me nauseated and faint feeling. I had to have someone "spot" me every time I got up to use the bathroom because I was afraid I would faint. I was completely incapacitated.

In case you are unfamiliar with the term "episiotomy", here is some information, and illustrations.

Patient Information on Episiotomy

 

Here is what some other women have said about their  experiences with episiotomies :

"My husband and I had a baby boy on Christmas day. The doctor performed an episiotomy and it has been 8 weeks. I thought it had healed just fine but last week on Valentine's Day my husband and I tried to make love and I was unable to due to pain in the area of the episiotomy."

"I had my only child four years ago and I had an episiotomy.  Now, four years later, my scar is itchy, swollen and irritated.  I also have been having strange feeling in my right leg that feels like something is cutting off the circulation at my upper thigh."

"My episiotomy was not slight. It was severe and not only did it take me weeks before I could pee without crying, but it took me a year before I stopped itching my crotch. It was like a yeast-infection on speed as it was healing. Not fun at all. Not only that, but it STILL doesn't feel the same down there. He cut through the muscle tissue so the whole vag-area feels just very funky and sad."

And here's a sad report about a death from episiotomy:

New Mother Dies from Episiotomy Infection

Aug. 2, 2001 - El Paso, Texas - Eight days after giving birth, a new mother died from toxic shock, due to an infection at the site of the episiotomy done while she was giving birth.  Treatments were unable to halt the progress of the infection, resulting in kidney failure, pneumonia and ultimately heart failure.  She leaves a grieving husband, baby daughter and other family.

I have known women who have developed rectovaginal fistulas after episiotomies.And I know a woman who developed a MRSA infection in her episiotomy.

These women have had to search out services like these:

Urogenital Repairs


Even though the practice of episiotomy has not been supported by the medical literature as providing any benefit in a normal vaginal delivery, many doctors still perform them routinely. Talk to your doctor or midwife about episiotomy and make an informed decision. If it were me, I would just say. "NO"!

I want a bumper sticker that reads: 

PROTECT YOUR LOCAL PERINEUM !

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