In Schwarzenegger’s statement, he talks about the important role of breastfeeding and breast milk to a developing child’s health and how health care professionals recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of a child’s life. We, of course, already know all of this. The most interesting part of Schwarzenegger’s proclamation is how he calls upon businesses to implement breastfeeding awareness programs, so working mothers (an increasingly larger portion of California’s workforce) can do what is best for their babies, while also contributing to a family’s income. This is a fantastic step in the right direction for further normalizing breastfeeding, and making it easier for mothers all across the state to breastfeed with confidence and dignity, even while working.

We’re ecstatic to do business in a state that “gets it” when it comes to breastfeeding, and we hope this proclamation will have a positive impact on mothers and children not only in our home state, but across the country and world too.

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The findings were fascinating. For example:

• 54% of moms who participated in the survey reported that they believe mothers are pressured to stop breastfeeding before they would like. Interestingly, only 46% of women overall believed the same thing.

• 30% of women without children that answered the survey believed there was too much pressure put on mothers to breastfeed. Also, 22% of women without children believed the best time to stop breastfeeding was 6 months or younger.
• 64% of mothers are embarrassed to breastfeed in public, yet only 23% refuse to breastfeed in public under any circumstances.
• 57% of women without children reported that they feel uncomfortable watching a mother breastfeed in public. 20% of the women without children responded “Ewww, in private please!”
• Mothers were more comfortable than women without children seeing a mother breastfeed in public, however, roughly 25% of mothers still had an issue with nursing in public.
• More than 20% of women without children believed that formula can keep a baby just as healthy as breast milk, 18% of mothers had the same belief.
• 56% of first-time mothers reported having trouble breastfeeding, while only 40% of mothers with more than one child reported having problems.
• 91% of new mothers who had problems breastfeeding sought the help of a breastfeeding coach or lactation consultant.

Many of these findings seem reasonable. Naturally, women who do not have children would be more likely to hold views about being a mother that are in opposition to what many mothers believe and experience. One very positive statistic noted was that a similar percentage of women without children (80%) and mothers (82%) held the belief that ‘breast is best’. To get the full story, read the press release!

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For 2010, WABA wants to promote 10 steps for breastfeeding the baby-friendly way. These steps are directed at “Every facility providing maternity services and care for newborn infants”. The objectives of the 10 steps are to:

1. Draw attention to the role of the Ten Steps in improving breastfeeding rates
2. Renew action by health systems, health care providers and communities to make breastfeeding the easy choice for women.
3. Inform people everywhere of the risks of artificial feeding, and the role of breastfeeding for children’s development and lifelong health and the health of mothers.
4. Enable mothers to enjoy full support for breastfeeding in health care systems and beyond.

The 10 Steps proposed by the WABA are:

1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
2. Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.
3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within a half-hour of birth.
5. Show mothers how to breastfeed, and how to maintain lactation even if they should be separated from their infants.
6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk unless medically indicated.
7. Practice rooming in – allow mothers and infants to remain together – 24 hours a day.
8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
9. Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants.
10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.

With these guidelines in place at healthcare providers worldwide, the hope is that breastfeeding rates will continue to improve along with the health of both mother and child.

During World Breastfeeding Week, whether you’re a nursing mother or simply a supporter of breastfeeding, think about what you can do to raise a little awareness and offer your support. So many mothers simply do not have the support they need to breastfeed comfortably, and a little awareness can go a long way towards making it easier not just for mothers, but for their babies as well. Happy World Breastfeeding Week!

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Thanks to the internet, the world is now becoming more open and accessible than it has ever been before. And while we fret about the bad people online and the ubiquitous “trash” content, whether it be LOLcats or celebrity gossip, the truth is that the internet is an absolutely amazing resource filled with so much useful information that it would probably take a person longer to view it all than it would be to travel to every place in the world and see it all.

So, let’s take a journey…

My first resource for wanting to explore the world is the absolutely fantastic piece of software known as Google Earth. With it, you can explore every corner of the earth via satellite imagery. Of course, this is just the beginning…At first, you’re many miles above the earth, but you can zoom in to just about everywhere, and get a very clear picture of what a place looks like as if you were flying over the place. Seeing it from above is one thing, but as you zoom in closer and closer, you begin to notice icons in Google Earth. These icons trigger all sorts of other media and information. Some icons represent pictures, some represent videos, some even pop up Wikipedia articles.

It’s so easy (and rewarding) to get sucked in too. One time I was checking out Google Earth, looking for the other Hawaiian islands. We all know about Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Kauai, etc. but there are actually 137 ‘islands’ that are part of Hawaii. I was checking out the tiny ones that are mostly uninhabited. Before I knew it, I was looking at satellite pictures of the South Pacific and French Polynesia.

One tiny tiny island caught my attention, however. I saw all of these tiny black dots around the island, and I was curious. I zoomed in, and discovered that I was looking at Bora Bora, and the tiny dots were those famous over-water bungalow hotel rooms. Fascinated by this tiny island, I couldn’t resist looking at the hundreds of pictures that people had taken (and posted to Panoramio, which shows up in Google Earth), and all of the Wikipedia articles I could find about not only the island of Bora Bora, but its more famous island neighbor, Tahiti. As my interest continued, I read about how the French came to be involved with Polynesia, then about Polynesian culture in general. In just a short period of time, I had read so much and looked at so many pictures (and checked out airfares and hotel prices), that I had begun to feel connected to the place and the people.

With these tools at our disposal, it is so easy to see the world and learn more about it. The knowledge we absorb can stimulate our minds and imaginations, and even help us get that impossible ‘Final Jeopardy!’ question right. The most exciting thing is that I can explore various places around the world in detail, probably forever. So, where do you want to go today? Addis Ababa? Pyongyang? Sao Paolo? They’re all waiting for you in Google Earth and on Wikipedia. Why not take some time to explore the world with your children and families? Happy travels!

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Of course, we all know that obesity is not only a problem for children. Obesity can continue through adulthood where it is the root cause for many life-threatening and painful diseases. Knowing this, the US government has just issued a report with 70 tips for private and public organizations, schools, parents and others that can be used to help fight obesity.

One tip that we’re especially excited about is breastfeeding. The report claims that breastfed children are at a 22% lower risk for obesity, and this effect can continue into adolescence! The report also claims that each month of breastfeeding can reduce a child’s risk of obesity by about 4%. The report also calls for more education about breastfeeding and its benefits, increased assistance for breastfeeding in hospitals and clinics, more community support for breastfeeding mothers, and finally, increased knowledge and support within environments that cater to mothers of young children.

In addition to children benefiting from breastfeeding, many mothers have experienced tremendous weight loss while breastfeeding. In fact, several mothers talked about their experiences losing weight while breastfeeding on our Facebook page.

Modern life has made it easier than ever for children and adults to become obese. Video games, TV, sedentary work, cars, fast food, and hundreds of other factors are contributing to this problem. With so much convenience comes laziness, and when laziness sets in, it’s hard to say no to cheap fast food, an extra hour in front of the TV, or jumping in your car to travel two blocks away. Our own laziness as adults is creating lazy children, and this laziness is creating obese and unhealthy kids and adults. Let’s get things going the right way by breastfeeding as much as we possibly can during our kids’ first years.

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In the Womb:

Beginning around the 24th week of pregnancy, a child’s hearing begins to develop more rapidly, and many pediatricians recommend talking to the baby and gently exposing it to music. This auditory stimulation is part of what prepares the child for the outside world. Much anecdotal evidence suggests that babies in the womb will begin reacting to familiar voices, and even show preference for the mother’s voice. Of course, dad’s participation is important too. Playing music for the baby will also help the child become familiar and comfortable with your taste, and may even be a useful tool in training the baby to hold regular sleep patterns. Some have theorized that exposing the baby to music in the womb may even help cognitive and creative development, although this has not been studied or proven extensively.

Newborns:

After the child is born, exposure to music will continue to have real effects that have been studied. One study on the effects of music on premature babies showed that exposure to music promoted a stronger heartbeat, lower blood pressure, and faster weight gain than premature babies not exposed to music. Neonatal units in hospitals are known to play music for this reason. Full-term babies and older children would likely benefit in similar ways.

Anecdotal evidence also suggests that newborns will continue to react to music that they became familiar with in the womb. This illustrates a child’s development of memory, and may even be used to train a baby; for example, music could be used to help baby sleep through the night. Lullabies and soft classical music have been used for this purpose, and there are plenty of people who vouch for the effectiveness of this approach.

Toddlers and Preschool Aged Children:

Children in this age group naturally begin to incorporate musical performance into their play. Whether vocalizing melodies, or banging on objects to form rhythms, children naturally seem to be attracted to music by the time they are in the toddler years. I recall one moment with my nephew when I put one of my headphones in his ear. He stopped moving for a second, and looked at me with a big smile on his face.

There has been a considerable amount of research done on this age group that measures the relationship between exposure to music and a child’s development. Studies have examined effects on visio-spatial skills, motor skills, math skills, and even verbal skills. In many of these studies, results have been encouraging. At this age, many parents begin teaching their children musical instruments

Children who begin to learn a musical instrument (especially before the age of 5) have also been the subject of many studies. These children have shown very clear cognitive advantages to children who do not learn musical instruments. It has also been theorized that music can open new pathways in the brain, which in turn make the child more intelligent, although this has been difficult to prove.

In Conclusion…

Think about how music affects you as an adult: Melodies tend to influence emotions; whether you notice or not. Background music may be used to help you focus and work. Some adults also like to listen to music later in the evening to help sleep. Rhythms also tend to influence emotion and energy levels. These effects are also likely happening to young children when they are exposed to music.

As a young child becomes aware of music and melody and rhythm, it could be a fantastic time to get them involved with it. Music is a fantastic skill to have, and makes a great hobby. In addition, all of the music lovers in the world need some good music to listen to. It all starts at a young age when the future Mozarts and Metallicas and Miles Davises are developing their senses.

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Did you enjoy shopping for your baby, or where you completely overwhelmed? Let us know if you need any advice!

Read on for the ‘Baby Must-Have List’ according to Nordstrom…

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If you missed What Would You Do? on Friday night, you can catch the breastfeeding segment here:

The View’s discussion about breastfeeding in public begins at around 4:30 below:

Here at Bebe au Lait, the idea behind the nursing cover is to make the person breastfeeding feel comfortable. Period. The product’s conception came from the creator of the Hooter Hider, Claire’s own discomfort. She is quite a shy person, so while it is the most natural thing in the world to feed a hungry baby, there was no getting around her shyness. It turns out there are a lot of people like her.

We didn’t set out to cover up breastfeeding moms and we are not making any political statements. What we are doing is providing an alternative for those moms who might otherwise have given up nursing altogether.  We at Bebe au Lait are proud that we have created a solution to bring freedom to nursing mothers in any situation and have received many letters and emails of gratitude as testament to this fact. In a perfect world a mom would choose what is right for her and her baby in the nursing situation and she would not be judged either way.

As our website advocates, “Breastfeeding is something to be proud of.” For those of us who are not so comfortable breastfeeding in public, Bebe au Lait has got you covered – and in style.

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The Boys Names

The boys showed more tradition in 2009 than in 2008, with several biblical names making the list: Jacob, Alexander, Joshua, and Noah were all popular in 2009. Classic boys names such as William, Michael, Anthony and Daniel also made the list. Less common names such as Jayden and Ethan were also very popular.

In 2008, boys names were a mix of the old and the new. Biblical names such as Jacob, Matthew and Noah were in contrast to modern boys names such as Aiden, Caden, Jackson and Logan.

The Girls Names

The most popular girls names of 2009 were a mix of classic Victorian, and more modern. Classics like Emily, Emma, Isabella and Abigail all made the list, along with some more edgy names like Ava, Madison, and Mia. Olivia, Sophia, and Chloe were also popular.

The most popular girls names in 2008 were amazingly similar to 2009: Emma, Isabella, Ava, Sophia, Madison, and Olivia all made the list. Other popular names in 2008 included Addison, Lily, Hailey, and Madeline.

It will be interesting to see what 2010 brings. There will definitely be some repeats, but some classics are sure to come back in style, and some neat modern names are sure to emerge as well.

Pop Culture Names?

Many popular baby names come from pop culture. The popularity of the Twilight movies has made Isabella and Jacob some of the most popular names of the year. Even the name “Cullen” has become significantly more popular thanks to Twilight. Of course, Twilight is not the only source for popular names: Could it be that Aiden has grown in popularity thanks to Carrie Bradshaw’s relationship with Aiden in Sex and the City? Could it be that Madison is now a popular girl’s name thanks to Darryl Hannah’s love of the name in the 1984 movie Splash?

For Those Outside the Box…

Feel like being original? It’s as easy as thinking of stuff you love. The celebrities have this strategy down. Gwyneth Paltrow must enjoy apples, and Jason Lee must also really like pilots and inspectors. Who doesn’t love moxie and crimefighting? Penn Jillette probably does. Andre 3000 and Erykah Badu are probably fans of good luck with their child, Seven. David Duchovny likes kids…why else name your child Kyd?

Pop culture is always a great place to find a wealth of interesting and unique names. What about you? Were you named, or did you name your child something from pop culture? Let us know in the comments!

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Will you watch?

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