News Moms Need

March of Dimes staff and volunteers collected $10,000 worth of diapers donated by Kmart and Kimberly Clark for New Jersey babies in need following Superstorm Sandy. The cartons, loaded by members of fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha, were delivered by Farmers Insurance trucks to two locations in Hillside and Sayreville. Thank you to these wonderful people who helped so much.

More deliveries are planned for other sites in New Jersey and New York.

The March of Dimes has set up a special new baby registry at http://tinyurl.com/ac265gq  where people can purchase diapers, formula and other essentials that the March of Dimes will deliver to infants and families in need.

“We thank Kmart and Farmers Insurance for their generosity toward the moms and babies of our region whose homes and lives were damaged by Superstorm Sandy,” said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. “The resources we’ve gathered will take care of some of their greatest needs right now.” We’d love to have your help.

News announcement from Dr. Christopher Howson, Vice President Global Programs for the March of Dimes:

The massive earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, has devastated the entire country. As with any disaster, moms and babies are among the most vulnerable.   The March of Dimes is deeply concerned about the thousands of pregnant women and moms caring for infants and children.

The tragedy this week requires a special response. We are providing a grant to UNICEF dedicated to meeting the urgent needs of Haiti’s moms and babies. You can find out more information or help here.

This is a question that can generate some fairly heated discussion.  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that infants be fed only breastmilk (no water, formula, other liquids or solids) for about the first six months of life.  Women should continue to breastfeed their babies for the next six months while they introduce solid foods.  By the age of one year, the main source of your baby’s nutrition has shifted away from your breastmilk to the solid foods he is eating. 

Breastfeeding will continue to convey its many benefits to a baby who nurses beyond the age of one year, but not to the extent it did previously when it was the only source of nutrition. There is no recommendation for when women should stop breastfeeding.  Most moms start weaning by stopping the midday feeding, then the morning feeding.  Giving up the before bed experience usually is the last to go because of all the snuggly, emotional bonds associated with it. 

AAP, La Leche League, and others suggest that breastfeeding continue as long as mom and baby wish.  Nevertheless, I personally am not convinced of the benefits of breastfeeding for a four year old who can feed and dress himself and may be attending pre-K.  What do you think?

A baby born three to six weeks early is called a “late preterm” or “near-term” infant. The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) is providing parents with information on the special needs of these babies and the potentially serious health problems that they may face. “Late Preterm Infants: What Parents Need to Know,” a free patient education brochure, is available in English and Spanish on the Web screen describing AWHONN’s Late Preterm Infant Initiative. Scroll down to Patient Resources.

The brochure informs parents about breathing, temperature control, feeding, sleeping, jaundice and infections. It also provides questions to ask the baby’s health care provider before leaving the hospital.