Something frivolous

I was looking for something else when I happened to discover this:

Free Pattern: Breastfeeding Advocacy Cloth

Thought I'd post it, just as something fun.

Cancer Experts: Breastfeeding Protects Mothers, Children

Another report about the benefits of breastfeeding, to children and to their mothers. This one is from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR):

Experts at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) recommend that new mothers breastfeed their children for at least the first six months. They cite convincing evidence that this practice offers cancer protection to both mother and child.

According to AICR, new mothers can directly lower their own risk of both pre- and post-menopausal breast cancer by breastfeeding. And children who are breastfed are less likely to become overweight or obese, which in turn lowers their risk of several common cancers that have now been convincingly linked to excess body fat.

The recommendation to breastfeed is one conclusion of the recently published AICR report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective. This comprehensive, 517-page report was the result of a five-year process involving nine independent teams of scientists, hundreds of peer reviewers, and 21 international experts who reviewed and analyzed over 7,000 large-scale studies on all aspects of cancer risk.

"The landmark AICR report concludes with 10 recommendations for cancer prevention, one of which deals exclusively with breastfeeding," said Karen Collins, MS, RD, AICR Nutrition Advisor. "AICR is the first major cancer organization to issue an official recommendation about breastfeeding."

The full AICR recommendation reads: It’s best for mothers to breastfeed exclusively for up to six months and then add other liquids and foods.

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You can read the full news release at the AICR website.

New AAP policy on breastfeeding & allergies

I was happy to see these relaxed guidelines on introducing certain foods - particularly because I wasn't aware of all of them! And, it's good to see affirmation that breastfeeding helps protect against allergies. See Breastfeeding May Lower Allergy Risk by Salynn Boyles, WebMD Medical News.

In a newly published policy statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) abandons a previous call for the gradual introduction of foods typically associated with allergies in high-risk children. The earlier guidelines recommended delaying the introduction of cow's milk until after a child's first birthday, eggs until age 2, and tree nuts, peanuts, and fish until age 3.

"We just do not have the studies to back this up," study researcher author Frank R. Greer, MD, tells WebMD. If a child is going to be allergic to peanuts or eggs, it doesn't seem to matter [after 4 to 6 months] when you introduce these foods.

There is also no convincing evidence to justify telling moms to avoid these foods during pregnancy and while they are nursing, the new report shows.

Published in the January issue of the journal Pediatrics, the report revisits and revises recommendations made seven years ago by the AAP. Among the major findings: Exclusive breastfeeding for at least four months, compared with feeding regular formula made from cow's milk, appears to help protect high-risk children against milk allergy and eczema in the first two years of life, the report states.

New year, new blog!

Welcome to BEST's new web presence. This year we're hoping to formalize the network of BEST "Go-To" People on campus. The idea is to make it known that there are women at Notre Dame that have successfully breastfed babies through all manner of work and scholarly activities. Interested in being a BEST "Go-To" Person? Just let Tracy or Sara know and we'll add you to the list!