Sunday, March 14, 2010

CSPC Babywearing Warning and a Story

I was scared and relieved when I read the CPSC warning about the danger of infant suffocation while using "bag style" carriers.

After my second son was born, I was given a "bag sling" carrier (by JJ Cole Premaxx, pictured above) as a gift. I did not realize that this was not a true sling, but rather what is known as the "bag sling." I did know however, that I did not like it at all. My son's head seemed pressed down into his chest and it was sitting uncomfortably low on my body. Neither safe nor comfortable. I put it away into that useless drawer under the crib.

Shortly thereafter, I received 5 breast pumps to give away as a donation to the hospital from which I am on maternity leave (a story for another time).

When the lactation consultant from the hospital came to pick them up from my apartment, I considered giving her the bag sling as well. But I thought better of it, and decided that if I could not get the baby into a safe position that I could not in good conscious donate them to someone else. It sat unloved in that crib drawer.

And hence, the huge sigh of relief when I read the warning, very grateful that I held onto it.

The past few days I have been approached by well-meaning parents and grandparents (even the guard at my synogogue) while wearing my son. All informing me of the warning. I try to explain the differences in types of carriers and safe positions for the baby. To their credit, sometimes they cannot actually see the type of carrier I am using because I have my Peekaru babywearing vest over it.

So click on over to these websites to learn all about slings, carriers, and safety. And please don't be scared of ring-style slings. Although I don't own one (I still am getting over the fact that I own a Babyhawk, a Kozy Carrier, and a Scootababy), the babies look so sweet being carried in them. and now that I own a good quality hip carrier with one shoulder strap (Scootababy), I can see how a good quality ring sling can be comfortable and supportive.

First of all, please read these six steps
to babywearing safety from UndercoverMother:
Baby should be close enough to kiss.
Baby should never have his chin resting on his chest.
Baby's head should be above the rest of her body.
Baby's knees should be higher than his butt.
Baby's face shouldn't be covered by fabric.
Baby's head should be supported.


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Thursday, March 11, 2010

What I'm (Baby)wearing: Scootababy

Sort of off-topic for today because I have babywearing on my mind...
For benefits of babywearing, read this article: Great things about babywearing

Yesterday morning my three year old son asked my husband, "Why did mommy buy a new carrier?" Response from loving husband: "Because she doesn't buy pocketbooks anymore."

Later that day my sister forwards me an article from the NYT with this quote :
"ON a breezy afternoon last week, a steady stream of women cruised through Metro Minis, an airy boutique on Park Avenue in Manhattan, which opened in 2007 and has since become the city’s hub for young mothers who collect baby carriers the way some women collect handbags."
(The Latest in Strollers? Mom and Dad, March 10, 2010, Jennifer Bleyer)

Ok, I get it. Yes, I recently purchased my 4th baby carrier. How did I get here? I used to peruse the Thebabywearer forums thinking that the moms who owned multiple carriers were crazy.

In 2007, we bought a Baby Bjorn for our first son. Then came the Baby Bjorn scare:

I read some claims that carriers with a narrow crotch (eg. Baby Bjorn, Snugli, etc.) were bad for hip and spine development. In addition, the arms dangling outside of the carrier had the possibility of leaving the baby feeling physically insecure. I could not find any good research on this but after speaking with two physical therapists about the crotch issue, there does seem to be a good theory brewing here if you want to wear the baby for long periods of time and past the newborn stage. Plus, a better carrier will help us wear our second baby past the 17 pound mark.

So I start my search for a new baby carrier. A trip to Metro Minis on Park Ave to purchase one for my pregnant sister convinces me that a mei tei style carrier is the way to go (Sturdy, not as complicated as a wrap, completely adjustable to mold to your body). I buy a Babyhawk mei tei for my sister. I find a Babyhawk mei tei and a Kozy Carrier mei tei selling on Craigslist while searching for one for myself. Two used carriers equaled the cost of one new one, so I figured why not have two different styles to choose from.

Flash Forward to postpartum months 1-3:
I love love love both of my mei teis and not a day goes by without me using one of them (usually Babyhawk), ever since I walked home from the hospital wearing my Babyhawk. Calm baby, hands-free mom. Lifesaver. Especially in NYC with two kids.

Postpartum month 4: My son is in and out of the carrier a lot and he weighs a ton. I find myself adjusting the Babyhawk often to get it comfortable on long outings, and wanting to put the baby on my back but not feeling comfortable to do that yet and his legs were still a little small to use the Kozy carrier in the sitting position. I start to realize that I missed the ease of the Baby Bjorn. I probably should have just learned to use the mei tei better but it was too late... the search begins for a soft-structured buckle carrier (I'm learning the babywearing lingo) as an alternative for when I need something fast and easy:

No time to go back to Metro Minis and not wanting to spend a lot of money, I begin my search online. I knew I did not like the Ergo because I tried it on a couple of times. The Beco seemed too similar to what I own already. I fall in love with the description and reviews of the Scootababy because it wears like a sling in the sitting position but with the support of a structured carrier. Reviews on TheBabyWearer, the gold standard in my opinion, found it remarkably comfortable since it mimicked the natural way a parent would hold their infant. The company seems to have put a lot of effort into creating a comfortable carrier and the owner e-mailed me back to answer some questions. I always favored shoulder bags instead of backpacks so it seemed like a good choice for me. Plus, they recently started selling them on Babies R' Us and I happen to have $100 in gift cards there. How perfect is that?

Day three of Scootababy:
This carrier seems to mold perfectly to my body and makes carrying very natural feeling- in front, side, and even back positions. It is ridiculously easy to put on. Putting it on while a toddler is trying to get your attention, or transitioning the baby from stroller to carrier, or taking the baby out to nurse...all so easy! It's even easy to nurse while wearing it because it swings to the side and lowers down with ease. I wore it most of today and walked about 1.5 miles total and it felt great the whole time. So now I have three great carriers! I am done buying carriers for now.  Note: You can't use the Scootababy until 4-5 months when your baby has head control. I recommend the Babyhawk mei tei prior to that.

Updated June 2010:   Now that my son is 7 months and a hefty 19 pounds, I thought this post needed an update.  While I still love the Scootababy, I have been having trouble keeping it comfortable for long outings.  I have e-mailed with Audra who created the carrier and she has been wonderful and responsive.  I am trying her recommendations but I find that I tend to grab my Kozy mei tei, which is super supportive.  So to summarize...I loved my Babyhawk mei tei until about 5 months, then the Scootababy, and now the Kozy mei tei. So you really do need more than one!  It is possible that the Beco would have solved all of this...but no more carriers for me right now.

Check it out:

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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Vitamin D in Pregnancy and Beyond: Important for pregnant women, breastfeeding, and children


This post participates in the RD Blogfest
in honor of National Registered Dietitian (RD) Day.
Please see all RD Blogfest links at the end of this post.

I have 5 posts on this blog encouraging foods over the use of vitamin/mineral supplements. In fact, for last year's RD Blogfest post, I concluded with the following statement:

"Get your vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals in their natural form from food, not pills, unless you can't (eg: health reason or food restrictions). If you think you might need to supplement your diet, ask a Registered Dietitian to help you."

However, Vitamin D proves the exception to this rule. There is overwhelming evidence in support of taking vitamin D supplements due to the fact that that food sources are sparse and absorption from sun is limited in the winter. Therefore, I am responding to this years RD blogfest question (with one slight modification):

"If you could only give one message (this winter), what would that be?"

Take Vitamin D supplements during pregnancy and give them to your children!

In September 2007, the National Institutes of Health held a conference entitled "Vitamin D and Health in the 21st Century" to address several key research questions. Recommendations have become more clear because of this conference, other research articles, and an updated American Academy of Pediatrics policy published last year.

Here is what we currently know about vitamin D and perinatal/pediatric health:

  • If you live above the LA/Atlanta latitude you cannot absorb/convert enough Vitamin D from the sun between November and February. The same holds true if you always wear sunscreen of SPF 30+ in the summer.
  • Your doctor can test your blood for 25(OH)D and make sure it is between the optimal level of 30-80 ng/ml.
  • Low Vitamin D levels in women have been associated with breast cancer, other cancers, recurrent vaginal infections, fibromyalgia and other bone pain, heart disease, diabetes and insulin disorders, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Of specific interest to pregnant women, Vitamin D deficiency in childhood can cause a permanent deformed pelvis ("rachitic" pelvis due to rickets) making vaginal delivery later on in life difficult or impossible. Vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy may also be a factor in preeclampsia, a dangerous condition of high blood pressure in pregnancy that can lead to preterm labor and illness and death of mother and/or infant if left untreated. Low vitamin D levels in pregnant women may cause the fetus to be deficient leading to bone abnormalities, such as extra wide fontanelles in the skull.
  • In infants and children, low Vitamin D levels can lead to Rickets, which is defined as growth retardation and bone abnormalities marked by: bone pain, muscle weakness, dental problems, easily broken bones, projections along the ribcage, bowed legs, knock-knees, cranial/spinal/pelvic deformations, poor growth, low calcium levels, uncontrolled muscle spasms, soft skull, deformed chest (wider at the bottom, narrow at the top), wide wrists. Some of the more obvious physical signs may be square heads, large foreheads, sunken or close-set eyes, bowed legs or the opposite, knock knees. Any child with any of these symptoms should have their Vitamin D levels tested to see if that may be the cause.
  • The reason why supplements are preferred in the winter is because vitamin D is not normally found in high levels in food (fatty fish, eggs, mushrooms) and our ability to absorb it from the sun is limited during the winter months.
  • During the summer months ask your dermatologist about exposing your arms and legs for 10-15 minutes 2-3 times/week and applying sunscreen afterward.
  • During the winter months, supplement with vitamin D3 to keep your blood levels of 25(OH)D between 30-80 ng/ml. Please discuss this with your personal physician. Recent research studies indicate that infants and children would need 400-800 IU/day, while adults would need 1,000-2,000 IU/day and pregnant and nursing women may need up to 4,000IU/day. You should supplement during the winter even if you or your doctor does not want to do a blood test.
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