Healthy Pregnancy (and Baby) Tips

from http://www.ewg.org/Health-Tips/10HealthyPregnancyTips
(I have added my comments/suggestions in italics to the original article - EC)

Pregnancy is a critical time. A mother’s chemical exposures can adversely affect her baby in many ways. Here are  some simple but important steps you can take to reduce the risks during pregnancy - and beyond.

EC - It is important to do the best you can.  Sometimes we get so obsessed with following 'rules' put out in baby books, by our doctors, families or in articles like this, that it ends up increasing our stress.  There is a lot to be said for trusting our common sense and taking what works for us and  leaving the rest.  Many of these tips apply not only to pregnancy, but can be adopted every day.

1. Go organic and eat fresh foods
   Use EWG's Shoppers Guide to Pesticides to determine which fruits and veggies you should always buy organic and those with the least pesticide residue that are ok to buy conventionally grown. Choose milk and meat produced without added growth hormones. Limit canned food, since can linings usually contain the synthetic estrogen called bisphenol A (BPA).
   EC - Many farms in Southern Alberta sell pesticide free produce and hormone free, free range meat, that is not certified organic, but still a healthy, sustainable choice.  Check out Broxburn Vegetables and Harris Farms for two great options.
2. Drink safer water
   It's important for pregnant women to drink plenty of water. Use a reverse osmosis system or carbon filter pitcher to reduce your exposure to impurities such as chlorine, perchlorate and lead. Don't drink bottled water, which costs more and isn't necessarily better. If you're out and about, use a stainless steel, glass or BPA-free plastic reusable container. Mix infant formula with fluoride-free water. Get EWG's Safe Drinking Water Guide.
   EC - Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months is the healthiest choice for babies.  There have been some studies that show toxins appearing in breast milk, but they are at far lower amounts than toxins present in formula.  Following some of these tips, can also decrease the level of toxins in your breastmilk
3. Eat low-mercury seafood
   Choose low-mercury fish such as salmon, tilapia and pollock, rather than high-mercury tuna and swordfish.
4. Get your iodine
   Use iodized salt, especially while pregnant and nursing, and take iodine-containing vitamins. Iodine buffers against chemicals such as perchlorate that can disrupt your thyroid system and affect your baby’s brain development during pregnancy and infancy.
5. Choose better body care products
   Just because the label says "gentle" or "natural" doesn't mean a product is safe for pregnancy. Look your products up on EWG's CosmeticsDatabase.com. Read the ingredients and avoid triclosan, fragrance and oxybenzone. Read EWG's Healthy Home Tips for more tips.
   EC - Also watch out for parabens, sodium laurel/laureth sulfate and parfum (another word for fragrance).  Shop at stores that are consciously selling healthy products for you and your children.  In Lethbridge, check out Naturistas (424 7th Street South) and Ecobaby Canada.
   
   
   
   
6. Wash maternity clothes before wearing
   Clothing is often coated with chemical treatments in the factory.
   EC - Many baby clothes (especially sleepers) are treated with flame retardants.  Choosing 100% cotton (especially organic cotton) clothes that fit well is a good choice.  Always wash all baby clothes, car seat covers, blankets, baby carriers, etc. Before using them.  Use a mild, fragrance-free deter
7. Identify lead sources and avoid them
   Test your tap water for lead and avoid any home remodeling if your house was built before 1978, when lead house paint was banned. Dust from sanding old paint is a common source of lead exposure.
8. Avoid painting.
   When getting your nursery ready, avoid painting and other chemical-intensive jobs.
   EC - If you must paint or remodel while pregnant, get someone else to do the work and try and stay somewhere else to avoid chemical exposure.  Use VOC free paint, which you can buy at most paint stores.
9. Clean greener
   Household cleaners, bug killers, pet treatments and air fresheners can irritate kids’ and babies’ lungs – especially if they have asthma. Check out less toxic alternatives. Some ideas: vinegar in place of bleach, baking soda to scrub your tiles, hydrogen peroxide to remove stains. Use a wet mop/rag and a HEPA-filter vacuum to get rid of dust – which can contain contaminants. Leave shoes – and the pollutants they track inside -- at the door.  Get EWG’s Tips for Greener Home Cleaning.
10. Avoid gasoline fumes
    Ask for your partner's help to fill the gas tank, or use full service..
11. Pick plastics carefully
    Some plastics contain toxic chemicals, including BPA and phthalates. Don't reuse single-use containers or microwave food in plastic containers. Avoid PVC by hanging a natural-fabric shower curtain. When remodeling, go with PVC-free flooring and pipes. Learn more about choosing safer plastics.
    EC - even though some plastics are recyclable, they often end up in the landfill.  Even the for the supposedly non-toxic plastics, we don't really know, because chemicals need to be proven unsafe to be taken off the market, so instead of plastics, think about using alternatives, like glass and stainless steel.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    This book expands on the points covered in this article and includes information on being green with your new baby too.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    A great guide that includes pregnancy, babyhood and beyond.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

Breastfeeding = Simple?

So many mothers struggle with breastfeeding.  We are told it is 'natural' and assume that means it is easy.  We receive conflicting information about how to do it and how much it matters if we do breastfeed or not.  And for how long?

I just finished reading the awesome book Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers
. One of the things that resonated with me is the idea that part of the reason many mothers in our society do not succeed in breastfeeding is because there is too much conflicting information out there.  People make it sound so difficult that women start out believing they will fail.

Reading books about breastfeeding before you have experienced it is always tricky because (as they explain in the book), nursing is 'body' knowledge, like riding a bicycle.  Did you learn to ride a bike by reading about it?  You probably got on and figured it out (or someone helped you figure it out).  Instead of approaching breastfeeding as a mathematical equation (insert Slot A onto Tab B), something that can be learned from a book, the authors focus on basic principles (or Natural Laws) that help make breastfeeding work.

LAW 1: Healthy babies are hardwired to breastfeed.  Trust that a full-term healthy newborn is looking for the breast and help him/her follow their instincts.

LAW 2: Mother's body is baby's natural habitat. Babies are meant to be carried and touched as much as possible.  Skin-to-skin contact increases opportunities for breastfeeding and bonding.

LAW 3: Better feel and flow happen in the comfort zone.  This one is partly about the latch.  Reinforcing the idea that breastfeeding should not hurt and will not if the breast extends deep into the baby's mouth (the comfort zone).  This will also ensure adequate milk to the baby in most cases.

LAW 4: More breastfeeding at first means more milk later. Frequent breastfeeding in the first several weeks ensures a full milk supply.  The more a baby is unnecessarily supplemented in the early days, the harder it may be for a mother to ever get enough milk to exclusively breastfeed.

LAW 5: Every breastfeeding couple has its own rhythm. It will not necessarily be the same for you as your sister, friend or neighbour down the street.  There is a wide range of healthy breastfeeding patterns.

LAW 6: More milk out equals more milk made. The main thing that has an effect on milk production is how often and how well your breasts are drained (by baby or expressing milk). Diet, fluids and rest have little impact on the amount of milk being made.

LAW 7: Children wean naturally. Children eventually outgrow breastfeeding.  At different times for different children.

I would highly recommend this book and the website www.breastfeedingmadesimple.com

There will be a new edition of the book out in November.