Written by Stephen Ohlemacher, The Associated Press
Thursday, 10 February 2011
The cost of breast pumps will now be considered tax-deductible medical expenses under a ruling issued by the Internal Revenue Service Thursday.
The ruling, long sought by advocates, means that women will be able to use money set aside in pretax spending accounts to buy the pumps and related equipment, which can cost several hundred dollars. For women without flexible spending accounts, the cost of pumps will be tax deductible if their total medical costs exceed 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income.
Previously, the IRS considered breast pumps to be feeding equipment, not medical devices. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics argued that breastfeeding has many medical benefits for both mother and baby. Advocates hope that making breast pumps more affordable will enable more women to breastfeed longer.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that women breastfeed their babies for at least a year.
"Unfortunately, due to financial restraints and work demands, not all women are afforded the opportunity to nurse their children, despite the proven health benefits," the academy said in a 2009 letter to IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman that was also signed by nine other medical groups. "In order to continue to breastfeed successfully, millions of mothers working outside the house require a breast pump."
Available for purchase HERE on GentleNurturing.com!
As reviewed on TheBump.com:
"Let's be honest, nobody really likes to pump. But Hygeia’s hospital-grade breast pumps just might take some of the annoyance out of the whole ordeal. To customize your pump for max comfort, the EnJoye comes with adjustable speed and suction controls. And bonus: It even has a closed milk collection section that separates the tubing from the bottle, which will help prevent any gross mold from forming as a result of leftover condensation. But how’s this for cool: It's even got a CARE button you can press when baby's in the room to record her cries for later. Then, when you’re pumping, simply hit the playback button, and your body's natural response to baby's cries will help stimulate your milk production. Yep, pretty awesome."
Nursing infants don't get much say when it comes to choosing what's on the menu. If you're breastfeeding, whatever you're selecting, so is your baby. When it comes to selecting caffeine, babies are sensitive, so mothers may need to cut down to make sure it doesn't cause any damage to their baby's health. After all, caffeine is a drug, and if it can jack you up before a big day at work, imagine how strong it is for a tiny little person.
Psychoactive sensation
It's well established that the drug caffeine is a popular sensation – but it's also a psychoactive one. This means it works by stimulating the nervous system, which is why it's so great at relieving fatigue. Unfortunately, new mums are probably the most tired of us all, and if mums are breastfeeding, too much coffee or energy drinks won't be worth it in the long run.
How much is too much?
Breastfeeding mums can still have the occasional cup of coffee, but should limit the amount of caffeine they consume to no more than 300 mg per day. This equates to 2–3 cups of filtered coffee per day, and should be even less if you're smoking, which has been shown to increase the health risks associated with caffeine.
The Mum-to-bub caffeine express
Caffeine is a smart drug; it can work its way into breast milk and right into your baby's mouth within 15 minutes of a cuppa. The concentration of caffeine in breastmilk actually peaks about an hour after you have consumed it.
The levels of caffeine in your breastmilk gradually lower in the next 14 hours. But even though the levels are lower, they will still be large enough to affect your baby. Tough gig, huh?
Mothers who do not breastfeed their infants may be significantly increasing their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and published in the American Journal of Medicine.
Breast-feeding is already known to provide such important health benefits to infants that medical professionals universally recommend that all mothers who are capable of doing so breast-feed exclusively for at least the first month of life, and ideally quite a bit longer.
"Dr. Ruth Lawrence, author of Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Profession, says that, depending on the mother's wishes, breast-feeding should continue for at least a year, along with other foods as they are introduced, and even longer if the mother feels it is best for her and her child," writes Phyllis A. Balch in the book Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition.
"Our study provides another good reason to encourage women to breastfeed their infants, at least for the infant's first month of life," researcher Eleanor Schwarz said. "Clinicians need to consider women's pregnancy and lactation history when advising women about their risk for developing type 2 diabetes."
To drive awareness and build credibility of its eco-friendly and award-winning breastpumps, Hygeia has retained Denver PR and marketing firm, Red Jeweled Media. Red Jeweled Media will help Hygeia promote its breastfeeding products to new and expecting moms throughout the U.S.
"Hygeia is a company that deeply cares about helping breastfeeding mothers and nurturing the environment, which nicely complements the other eco-minded brands our firm represents, like FuzziBunz cloth diapers and Rockin' Green laundry detergent," says Jenny Finke, the founder of Red Jeweled Media. "I started Red Jeweled Media six years ago to help make innovative-but-lesser-known-products household names. I believe Hygeia is quickly becoming a force to reckon with in breastfeeding circles and we are going to bring awareness of this brand to moms everywhere."
Hygeia offers professional-grade breastpumps designed for long-term and frequent pumping by moms who choose to pump at home or on the go. It is the only breastpump the FDA cleared to be used by multiple moms when using their own personal accessory set.
Richard Weston, the CEO and founder of Hygeia, says that Hygeia breastpumps are an ideal choice to assist moms in reaching their breastfeeding goals -- even if/when they return to work.
BREASTFEEDING exposes babies to a variety of flavours, making them more accepting of different foods as they grow, a CSIRO expert says.
Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) research psychologist Dr Nadia Corsini said studies showed breastfeeding provided infants with a greater variety of tastes compared with formula, which was beneficial when weaning them on to solid foods.
"Exposure to flavours takes place in utero and via breastfeeding, where the baby is exposed to flavours in mother's diet," she said.
"A lot of people might not realise this is one of benefits of breastfeeding, the exposure to different flavours.
"Research suggests children with exposure to different flavours are more accepting of different foods as they grow older to those who didn't have exposure."
According to a European study of 147 mothers and their infants, both breastfeeding and daily changes in vegetables offered early in weaning increased the child's acceptance of new foods for at least up to two months.
As the year rounds down and holiday gift giving begins, make sure you are up to date on the 2010 toy recall list. You don’t want your children, or others, to play with an unsafe toy.
The breastfeeding support community celebrated when this year's health care reform bill included breast pumping support provisions. Mothers were given the right to adequate break time and a private place to pump their breast milk at work. But these legislative changes missed one key piece of the puzzle--the breast pump.
The Internal Revenue Service does not allow nursing mothers to use their tax-sheltered health care accounts to pay for breastfeeding supplies, which includes breast pumps. A quality double-electric breast pump can cost anywhere from $150 to $250, a significant investment for many moms.
What can you pay for with these flexible spending accounts? Prescription acne medication, dentures, braces, acupuncture, birth control and much more. But a breast pump, which could extend a mom's ability to feed her baby breast milk for months or even years, must be purchased out of pocket.
The IRS explains that by its standards, breast milk qualifies as simply a nutritious food, and since nutrition is not considered a medical condition, important breastfeeding equipment doesn't qualify for a tax break. Following that logic, a breast pump would fall into the same category as your average kitchen appliance.
Despite the plethora of evidence supporting breastfeeding's myriad benefits for babies, mothers and society-at-large, the IRS remains unconvinced that these benefits are enough to expand the use of these funds to nursing mothers. Let's look at the research.
Women who breastfeed their newborns appear to sleep just as long - and as well - as women who rely on bottles or a combination of bottle and breast, a small study finds.
Contradicting the suspicion that breastfeeding moms get less sleep, the results represent "good information to be able to tell women, (that) 'not breastfeeding is not going to help you get better sleep,'" study author Dr. Hawley Montgomery-Downs of West Virginia University told Reuters Health. "And the benefits (of breastfeeding) for both mom and baby are tremendous."
Research has shown a protective effect of breastfeeding on a number of pediatric diseases, including eczema, middle-ear infections, lower respiratory tract infections like pneumonia, asthma, type 1 diabetes and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Recently, a study estimated the U.S. could save $13 billion per year, as well as prevent 911 annual deaths, if 90 percent of new mothers in the U.S. breastfed exclusively for six months, as is generally recommended.
Currently, just 70 percent of U.S. women breastfeed their babies at all and just 33 percent of them continue for a full 6 months, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Many factors may account for low breastfeeding rates, but they may include exhausted mothers' fear of being even more exhausted.
There has been an "urban myth" that women who breastfeed get less sleep, Montgomery-Downs noted, which may cause some to hesitate to do so. Caring for a newborn is challenging enough, without being sleep-deprived, and some research has even suggested poor sleep after childbirth may increase the risk of postpartum depression.
With health care reform underway, the government will be rolling out new rules for flexible spending accounts this January.
Americans will be able to set aside part of their pretax earnings to pay for medical expenses not covered by insurance, including condoms, acne creams, smoking deterrents, and denture adhesives--but not breast pumps.
The Internal Revenue Service says that breast-feeding does not have enough health benefits to qualify as a form of medical care. Officials classify breast milk as a food that can promote good health, the same way that eating citrus fruit can prevent scurvy.
Some women see this as a big blow.
The health care reform law is focused on prevention, and a growing body of research shows that antibodies in breast milk help protect infants from disease.
A recent study found that if 90 percent of mothers followed the standard medical advice of feeding infants only breast milk for their first six months, the United States could save $13 billion a year in health care costs and prevent the premature deaths of 900 infants each year from respiratory illness and other infections, according to the NY Times.
The Quattro Tour and MetroLite strollers were mostly sold at Babies R Us, Kmart, Sears, Target and other stores between November 2000 and December 2007.
"Entrapment and strangulation can occur, especially to infants younger than 12 months of age, when a child is not harnessed," according to Graco.com. "An infant can pass through the opening between the stroller tray and seat bottom, but his/her head and neck can become entrapped by the tray."
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled strollers and contact Graco by calling 877-828-4046 or visiting the firm’s Web site at www.gracobaby.com to order a free repair kit.
"Consumers can continue use of the stroller as a 'travel system,'" according to the CPSC. "When the stroller is used with the infant car seat, the entrapment and strangulation hazards posed by the space gap are not present."
The strollers affected by the recall are older versions of the Graco Quattro Tour and MetroLite strollers and travel systems that were made before a voluntary industry standard took effect in January 2008. This new industry standard required a larger opening between the stroller's tray and seat bottom in order to prevent a child's entrapment or strangulation.
Video report by Tim Vetscher, ABC 15; Phoenix, Arizona.
On August 12, Clarissa Bradford and her family, including her 5-month-old son, were asked by an assistant manager to leave a Phoenix AZ McDonald’s restaurant because she was nursing her baby. On Saturday, dozens of mothers protested the eviction by staging a “nurse-in” at the same restaurant. Although the restaurant owner has offered Bradford an apology, she hopes the news of the protest will educate business owners on public breastfeeding.
“A mom needs to be able to nurse her baby wherever she goes,” said Rachel Starchman, a mother who participated in the nurse-in. “You are giving them the best you can do as a mother,” said Alisa Ilardo, another demonstrator.
They estimate that about 100 people were in the restaurant at the time, and no sign of resistance from restaurant employees. Starchman said that the atmosphere was relaxed and a few even purchased food.
Breastfeeding is a right
Public breastfeeding laws differ from state to state. Arizona is among 44 states that have laws with language that specifically allows women to breastfeed in any public or private location. Arizona statute 41-1443 states that “A mother is entitled to breast-feed in any area of a public place or a place of public accommodation where the mother is otherwise lawfully present.” In addition, many states have added legislation that exempts public breastfeeding from “indecent exposure” laws.
Did you know August is National Breastfeeding Month? For such a great cause, The Bump has whipped up a fabulous PSA video packed with celebs and real moms (including our own Jama Williamson) who all have one thing in common: they breastfed their babies and are proud of it! Check out the clip, share it with friends, and help us spread the word that breastfeeding doesn’t suck!
Milk (is) “an astonishing product of evolution,” one which has been vigorously shaped by natural selection because it is so critical to the survival of both mother and child.
A large part of human milk cannot be digested by babies and seems to have a purpose quite different from infant nutrition — that of influencing the composition of the bacteria in the infant’s gut.
The details of this three-way relationship between mother, child and gut microbes are being worked out by three researchers at the University of California, Davis — Bruce German, Carlito Lebrilla and David Mills. They and colleagues have found that a particular strain of bacterium, a subspecies of Bifidobacterium longum, possesses a special suite of genes that enable it to thrive on the indigestible component of milk.
This subspecies is commonly found in the feces of breast-fed infants. It coats the lining of the infant’s intestine, protecting it from noxious bacteria.
Infants presumably acquire the special strain of bifido from their mothers, but strangely, it has not yet been detected in adults. “We’re all wondering where it hides out,” Dr. Mills said.
Written by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California
Friday, 09 July 2010
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
PROCLAMATION
California is committed to ensuring the pediatric and long-term health of our youngest citizens, and one of the best ways to do this is through breastfeeding. Many health care professionals recommend breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of a baby’s life because it benefits both children and mothers.
Breast milk provides a perfectly balanced diet that infants need to grow strong, and it naturally builds a healthy immune system to prevent illness. Breastfeeding is associated with fewer instances of respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases, asthma, diabetes and childhood obesity.
The unique bond with a mother develops with her child while breastfeeding aids in the baby’s emotional and cognitive development. She can also lower her own risk of postpartum depression, breast cancer, ovarian cancer and Type 2 diabetes.
This month, I encourage all Californians to support breastfeeding awareness, and I especially call on employers to implement breastfeeding education in the workplace. Women with children are a rapidly growing sector of our workforce, and it is important that mothers can breastfeed or use a breast pump. Businesses, education centers and communities can all build awareness for this beneficial practice, and together, we can continue to work toward a healthier California.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim August 2010, as “Breastfeeding Awareness Month.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 9th day of July 2010.
Exclusively Breastfed Babies Have Reduced Risk of Respiratory, Gastrointestinal Infections, Study Finds
Babies who are breastfed exclusively for the first four months of life and partially thereafter have a reduced risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, but six months on the breast alone is even better, new research indicates.
Researchers in the Netherlands analyzed questionnaires available for 4,164 mothers, looking at breastfeeding habits in the following six categories:
never breastfed
partial breastfeeding for less than four months and not thereafter
partial breastfeeding for four to six months
exclusive breastfeeding for four months and not thereafter
exclusive breastfeeding for four months and partial thereafter
exclusive breastfeeding for six months
Then they looked at doctor-attended infections in the upper and lower respiratory tracts and the gastrointestinal system.
By Shauna Intelisano, for USA TODAY
Keely Shaw, 30, feeds her 5-month-old son Halston while her 2-year-old Wiley plays. Both boys were born premature in the 35th week and drank breast milk from the milk bank while Keely waited for her body to produce milk. She now donates breast milk to The Denver Milk Bank.
When both of her sons were born prematurely, Keely Shaw wanted to feed them breast milk to bulk them up.
But because her body wasn't yet making enough milk, Shaw, of Arvada, Colo., turned to a nationwide system that collects donated milk from nursing mothers and distributes it to babies in need.
Shaw's two boys received milk donated through the Mothers' Milk Bank at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center in Denver until she could provide enough of her own, she says.
"I think it must be similar to what people who receive donated blood must feel," Shaw says. "This kind of gift is so personal and can be monumental for those who receive it."
With a growing number of doctors saying breast milk is the best food for babies, especially hospitalized preemies struggling to gain weight, the demand for milk donations is increasing. The amount of donated milk distributed by the 10 banks of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America is growing rapidly but is still far below what's needed, says Pauline Sakamoto, president of the association.
Milk bank managers say federal, state and local health authorities are more aggressively promoting breast milk than in the past, prompting the demand from mothers who can't provide enough for their own children.
The lives of nearly 900 babies would be saved each year, along with billions of dollars, if 90 percent of U.S. women breast-fed their babies for the first six months of life, a cost analysis says.
Those startling results, published online Monday in the journal Pediatrics, are only an estimate. But several experts who reviewed the analysis said the methods and conclusions seem sound.
"The health care system has got to be aware that breast-feeding makes a profound difference," said Dr. Ruth Lawrence, who heads the American Academy of Pediatrics' breast-feeding section.
The findings suggest that there are hundreds of deaths and many more costly illnesses each year from health problems that breast-feeding may help prevent. These include stomach viruses, ear infections, asthma, juvenile diabetes, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and even childhood leukemia.
The magnitude of health benefits linked to breast-feeding is vastly underappreciated, said lead author Dr. Melissa Bartick, an internist and instructor at Harvard Medical School. Breast-feeding is sometimes considered a lifestyle choice, but Bartick calls it a public health issue.
Among the benefits: Breast milk contains antibodies that help babies fight infections; it also can affect insulin levels in the blood, which may make breast-fed babies less likely to develop diabetes and obesity.
Written by Mary Olivella, Vice President of MomsRising.org
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Last week The New York Times reported that the Food and Drug Administration is now willing to look into the health hazards of Bisphenol-A (BPA). Given that BPA is present in the lining of infant formula cans, the article tells us the FDA recommends that nursing mothers continue breastfeeding for twelve months.
But there's a catch.
The same New York Times article failed to mention that BPA has also been found in breast milk itself. Researchers believe that BPA arrives in breast milk via the countless food and beverage containers we adults use every day that also contain BPA.
The effects of BPA are potentially serious and long lasting, particularly for children whose developing bodies are most vulnerable. Numerous scientific studies have shown that exposures to low doses of BPA especially during prenatal development and early infancy are associated with genital abnormalities in male babies, early puberty in girls, insulin resistant (Type 2) diabetes, obesity, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), breast cancer, and infertility in men.
Written by Karla Shepard Rubinger, Executive Director, Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
As a lactation consultant for almost 3 decades, I was horrified to read the Norwegian study. I can only assume the money to do the research must have come from a formula manufacturer, as there are so many other excellent studies to the contrary. The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine's response is excellent; please read it below.
—Leslye Adelman
"The press release and the statements by study author Sven M. Carlsen are outrageous, and irresponsible." —Arthur Eidelman, MD and Vice President, Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine
Multiple media outlets are missing the facts in reports that breastfeeding "isn't as beneficial as once thought."
Reporters are parroting a press release from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology that begins, "Feeling guilty that you didn't breastfeed your children enough —or at all? Relax. New research shows that breast milk is not as important for either the mother or the child's health."
In fact, the study did not measure the effect of breastfeeding on the health of the mother or the child nor did it compare breastfed infants to those who were formula fed. The study merely found an inconsistent link between hormone levels during pregnancy and breastfeeding rates and duration.
The Second Annual Mom at Work Employer Recognition Luncheon was held Wednesday, Jan. 6 at Christus St. Frances Cabrini Women's and Children's Center to celebrate the successes of the Central Louisiana Breastfeeding Coalition and to present awards to local businesses for being breastfeeding- friendly work places.
The Central Louisiana Breastfeeding Coalition's Mom at Work program helps businesses become breastfeeding friendly through creating policies that support working women who want to continue breastfeeding their infants when they return to work.
When a mother is allowed adequate breaks and a private place for expressing her milk, then in return, businesses can expect lower absenteeism rates, lower health care costs and lower turnover rates.
The following businesses were presented awards for being breastfeeding-friendly workplaces: Alexandria Otolaryngeal Associates, Christus Cabrini Pediatric Therapy Center, Easter Seals Louisiana (Region VI), Emmanuel Baptist Church and Day School, Gilchrist Construction Company, Kinetix Broadband, Lori Brian Photography, Louisiana State University at Alexandria, LSU Family Practice Clinic, Our Lady of Prompt Succor School, Pinecrest Developmental Center, Rapides Office of Community Services, Rapides Office of Family Support, Red River Bank, Rhodes Pediatric Clinic, Schenker Industries, and Wallace Eye Surgery and Laser Center.
Awards were also presented to businesses with Comprehensive Programs which include designated employee lactation rooms. These businesses are:
The cost of breast pumps will now be considered tax-deductible medical expenses under a ruling issued by the Internal Revenue Service Thursday.
Nursing infants don't get much say when it comes to choosing what's on the menu. If you're breastfeeding, whatever you're selecting, so is your baby. When it comes to selecting caffeine, babies are sensitive, so mothers may need to cut down to make sure it doesn't cause any damage to their baby's health. After all, caffeine is a drug, and if it can jack you up before a big day at work, imagine how strong it is for a tiny little person.
Mothers who do not breastfeed their infants may be significantly increasing their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and published in the American Journal of Medicine.
To drive awareness and build credibility of its eco-friendly and award-winning breastpumps, Hygeia has retained Denver PR and marketing firm, Red Jeweled Media. Red Jeweled Media will help Hygeia promote its breastfeeding products to new and expecting moms throughout the U.S.
Hygeia offers professional-grade breastpumps designed for long-term and frequent pumping by moms who choose to pump at home or on the go. It is the only breastpump the FDA cleared to be used by multiple moms when using their own personal accessory set.
Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) research psychologist Dr Nadia Corsini said studies showed breastfeeding provided infants with a greater variety of tastes compared with formula, which was beneficial when weaning them on to solid foods.
The breastfeeding support community celebrated when this year's health care reform bill included breast pumping support provisions. Mothers were given the right to adequate break time and a private place to pump their breast milk at work. But these legislative changes missed one key piece of the puzzle--the breast pump.
Babies who are breastfed exclusively for the first four months of life and partially thereafter have a reduced risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, but six months on the breast alone is even better, new research indicates.
The lives of nearly 900 babies would be saved each year, along with billions of dollars, if 90 percent of U.S. women breast-fed their babies for the first six months of life, a cost analysis says.
The Second Annual Mom at Work Employer Recognition Luncheon was held Wednesday, Jan. 6 at Christus St. Frances Cabrini Women's and Children's Center to celebrate the successes of the Central Louisiana Breastfeeding Coalition and to present awards to local businesses for being breastfeeding- friendly work places.