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	news bulletins august 2004

• Oregon: Number #1 In Nursing
• Get Wrapped Up In Cloth Diapering
• Vaccines Are Not Mercury Free
• Unicef Report: Breastfeeding Saves Lives
• Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week

Oregon: Number 1 In Nursing

Exclusive breastfeeding (no supplemental solids or liquids) has a new national champion. A recent federal study shows Oregon is the only state where more than 26 percent of mothers are exclusively breastfeeding their infants at six months of age. "This is positive health news for Oregon," says Donalda Dodson, manager of child and family health programs for the state. The survey also ranks Oregon as one of only six states (along with Hawaii, Idaho, Utah, Vermont, and Washington) to achieve all three national "Healthy People 2010" health objectives for breastfeeding:

• Achieve a 75 percent rate of new mothers who initiate breastfeeding at their baby's birth.
• Achieve a 50 percent rate of mothers continuing breastfeeding (nonexclusively) at six months.
• Achieve a 25 percent rate of mothers continuing breastfeeding (nonexclusively) at 12 months.

WIC has distributed more than 25,000 breast pumps to Oregon moms, and many employers support breastfeeding mothers through workplace accommodations.

"It's not enough to educate mothers on the importance of breastfeeding," Dodson says. "The entire community needs to support their choice, so they are not faced with one barrier after another as they try to do what is best for their child."

Additional data can be found at www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/NIS_data/index.htm and at www.dhs.state.or.us/publichealth/pch/prams/9899/slide2.gif. Information about DHS efforts to increase breastfeeding are at www.dhs.state.or.us/publichealth/bf/index.cfm.

Sources: www.oregonlive.com
Associated Press

Get Wrapped Up In Cloth Diapering

Already an avid devotee of cloth diapers, curious about them, or brand spanking new to the concept? The Real Diaper Association (RDA) is for you. Mothering is excited to welcome the RDA as an ally in the natural family living realm. Offering support and information, this newly launched resource also aims to connect veteran and novice cloth diaper users. Hoping to seed educational outreach, monthly meetings and advocacy campaigns in communities across the US, "the Association organizes members who advocate cloth diapers locally, meeting with new parents face-to-face to make their diapering choice easier."

Source: www.realdiaperassociation.org

Vaccines Are Not Mercury Free

After much public controversy surrounding the mercury content of childhood vaccinations, Health Advocacy in the Public Interest (HAPI) raised $500 to have four vaccines tested for heavy metal content. The vials were sent to Doctor's Data, an independent lab which specializes in heavy metal testing. Many manufacturers voluntarily began producing supposed "mercury free" vaccines in 1999. Some product inserts currently claim that a "trace" amount of mercury still exists in the final product but that the amount has been greatly reduced. Others claim to be producing completely mercury free products.

During an investigation into the mercury issue, HAPI learned that Thimerosal, a 50% mercury compound, is still being used to produce most vaccines and that the manufacturers are simply "filtering it out" of the final product. However, according to Boyd Haley, PhD, Chemistry Department Chair, University of Kentucky, mercury binds to the antigenic protein in the vaccine and cannot be completely, 100% filtered out. All four vaccine vials tested contained mercury despite manufacturer claims that two of the vials were completely mercury free.

All four vials also contained aluminum, one nine times more than the other three, which tremendously enhances the toxicity of mercury causing neuronal death in the brain. The mercury content of routine childhood vaccinations has been linked to the current autism epidemic as well as numerous other neurological disorders affecting children today. Currently, one in six children are affected in some way and one in 250 children are diagnosed as autistic compared to one in 10,000 prior to mercury containing vaccines. It is the position of Dr. Haley as well as HAPI that if mercury can be detected in any vaccine using standard instrumentation, the content should be disclosed in the product insert and manufacturers should not be allowed to call the product "mercury free".

Executive Director of HAPI, Dawn Winkler, met with FDA officials in Silver Spring, Maryland on July 27, 2004 to discuss blatant mislabeling and misrepresentation of ingredients in vaccinations which are licensed by the FDA. Clearly, more testing is needed. The FDA has the ability and authority to take on the necessary testing, however, at present, this task sadly appears to be up to the public. HAPI will be attempting to raise more funds to test more vaccines in an effort to pressure the FDA to crack down on manufacturers to label their products correctly.

To help with this effort call 970-641-7413 or email noshots@earthlink.net

Source: Health Advocacy in the Public Interest (HAPI) press release, August 12, 2004.

Unicef Report: Breastfeeding Saves Lives

If more infants worldwide are exclusively fed mother's milk-no food or formula until the age of six months-at least 1.3 million lives could be saved this year, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said recently.

With more than 10 million children dying annually from mainly preventable causes like diarrhea and pneumonia, the agency said if every baby were exclusively breastfed for the first half-year of life, an estimated 3,500 lives could be saved each day.

UNICEF cited these statistics in calling for greater global commitment to support breastfeeding. "If a child dies a preventable death it's because mothers and infants are not getting the basic support they need," said UNICEF chief Carol Bellamy. Calling breastfeeding "the most natural act of mother and new-born," she said the practice has not been properly supported considering that it holds the key for children to develop well in good health.

Bellamy said every mother who chooses to exclusively breastfeed for six months has the right to services and support from their governments, communities, and families. Breastmilk contains all the nutrients, antibodies, hormones, immune factors, and antioxidants that an infant needs to thrive during the first six months of life. It also protects babies from diarrhea and acute respiratory infections while stimulating their immune systems.

In the first two months of life, an infant who is not exclusively breastfed is up to 25 times more likely to die from diarrhea and four times more likely to die from pneumonia than a non-breastfed baby, UNICEF said. Growth and development may stall and the child stands a greater risk of obesity, heart disease, and gastro-intestinal problems in later years.

Despite this evidence, only 39 per cent of babies worldwide are being breastfed exclusively in the first six months. UNICEF helps governments to support breastfeeding, including through supporting legislation that restricts formula promotions, which deter women from breastfeeding.

source: www.unicef.org

Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week

In recognition of the 1990 signing of the pro-breastfeeding Innocenti Declaration (click here for more info), La Leche League and groups around the world will be hosting annual celebrations, August 1-7. World Breastfeeding Week is a prime opportunity for La Leche groups to raise awareness-and funds-in their communities. This year's theme is Exclusive Breastfeeding: The Gold Standard.

La Leche League, along with the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization, the US Department of Health and Human Services, and UNICEF, actively promote exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first six months of life. Exclusive breastfeeding is "safe, sound, and sustainable," and means that an infant receives only breastmilk and no other foods, drinks, or supplementation.

La Leche League operates peer-led support and information groups in every state in the US and more than 60 countries around the globe. To find out more about World Breastfeeding Week or general group activities in your area, consult a local phone book, call 800- La Leche (847-519-7730 outside the US) or see www.laleche.org

Source: La Leche League International