Looking for The Lactivist? She's retired. But you CAN still find Jen blogging. These days, she's runs A Flexible Life. Join her for life, recipes, projects and the occasional rant. |
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Infantino Sling Recall
Just in case any Lactivist readers use
Infantino Slings and haven't seen the recall notice yet, Jennifer Minson (a Lactivist Reader) has reminded me that I should share the link.
Here's the "must know" information...
Hazard: The plastic slider on the fabric strap can break. This can cause the strap supporting the carrier to release and infants to fall out of the carrier.
Incidents/Injuries: Infantino has received 10 reports of plastic sliders breaking, including eight reports of babies falling out of the carriers. There were four reports of impact injuries where the child was taken to the emergency room. One of these children fractured her skull.
Description: This recall involves the Infantino SlingRider™ carriers with item numbers: 141-210; 151-210; 151-528; and 151-534. The SlingRider™ consists of a fabric carrier with a strap attached that is worn by the user to carry an infant up to 20 pounds. The carriers are sold in black or khaki. “Infantino” is printed on the plastic slider located on the strap. The item number is printed on a label inside the SlingRider.™ Products labeled “Made in Thailand” or “New 2007 Design” are not included in the recall. Labels: Babywearing
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
Looking for The Lactivist? She's retired. But you CAN still find Jen blogging. These days, she's runs A Flexible Life. Join her for life, recipes, projects and the occasional rant. |
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Supernanny and Extended Breastfeeding
First I've got to comment that it seems weird to me to call it "extended breastfeeding" when the point I'm going to make is about a 14 month old, (I wouldn't consider it "extended" until you're past 2 years...) but I guess that's what she considers it.
What am I talking about? Well, it looks like the season finale of Supernanny is going to feature a family where the mom (SHOCK AND HORROR ALERT!!!) is nursing her 14 MONTH OLD. (OH MY WORD!!! CAN YOU IMAGINE??!!! I mean geeze...the mom must be familiar with the WHO health guidelines or something...)
Anyway, that's not what the fuss is about. Apparently in the previews for the show, there's a scene where Jo is lecturing the mom and makes a comment like "That baby is FOURTEEN MONTHS old!" Another comment, seemingly in regards to baby wearing has Joe stating that the baby is attached to the mom "like a koala."
Based on those two snippets, I'm seeing message boards and blogs starting to feature an absolute tirade of "we must contact the network!" and "We must protest this show!" and even "How do we do a nurse-in against a TV show?!"
People...chill.
First, let's get one thing straight. The show hasn't aired yet, all we're seeing are clips that are specifically designed to get people to talk about the show and watch the show. It's called marketing and the producers of reality TV shows are very good at it.
It would seem that coming from the standpoint of saving our energy for the battles that need fighting and of appearing intelligent and informed rather than reactionary and hormonal, it might be a good idea to let the show actually air and to see what really happens before we get our collective panties in a wad.
While it's more than possible, based on the Supernanny's track record, that the show will go exactly as theorized (more on this in a minute) there's also the possibility that the clips have been put together for the sake of gathering attention.
Any family that shows up on Supernanny is already having problems. Usually BIG problems. Whose to say that the clips aren't more like this..
1.) Mom is nursing her 14 month old looking embarrassed and hiding under a blanket because her husband or her in laws constantly belittle her for it. This is part of why mom is under such stress and has a hard time parenting well.
2.) Mom is a baby wearer (yay) but has gone overboard and wears her 14 month old 8 hours a day. This is giving mom actual back problems and is delaying the ability of the 14 month old to walk, to have time to sit, to play, etc...
3.) Supernanny's quotes are that mom needs to let up on the baby wearing and let the child explore and play and develop.
See how the same two scenes could come from a single set of clips? Now I'm not saying that this is what happened (in fact it probably isn't) but the point remains that we need to chill out and remain watchful so that we can react when there is actually something to react to.
Now, that said, if you want to get all lactivisty (ha! ya like that word, don't cha?) on Jo, then go ahead and go after her for her book. It's chalk full of outdated breastfeeding advice just like many Peds and mother in laws like to give.
Check out these gems...
Page 21
“if you give a breastfed baby a bottle at 11 PM, she can hold out until 4 AM before she needs another.”Umm...ok. I thought we'd moved past the point of thinking that all babies were exactly the same and that they MUST sleep for five hours straight or they are dysfunctional. (Note, this advice comes in the section for dealing with children younger than six months.)
Page 127
"Four to five months is the right sort of time to start your baby on solid food."Ok, so this advice isn't AWFUL, but it does demonstrate that she's not up on the current accepted guidelines that say breastfed babies should not be introduced to solids until six months.
Page 130
"After six to eight months, your baby needs more nutrients than bottle milk can give her. By carrying on feeding around the clock, you may be filling her up so much she doesn't have an appetite for the solid food you're introducing."Multiple medical associations and sources state that breast milk (or formula) should make up the MAJORITY of nutrition until 12 months. Solids should simply be a complimentary food source and are mostly for practice.
Page 130
"More often, a breastfed baby will continue to want a 'feeding' even when your supply is next to nothing... what she wants is the continued comfort of the breast, not the milk itself… She’s using the nipple as pacifier."What's her point? ;)
(Want to share your displeasure with the breastfeeding advice in the book? There's a
3 minute activist email over at ProMom.)
Now let me state that I'm actually a fan of Supernanny in terms of dealing with older children. She clearly knows jack about breastfeeding and I've seen her push moms to let children under a year old "cry it out" but when it comes to toddlers and older, I generally think that she's got some pretty sound advice. I like that she's anti-spanking and we have a "naughty spot" in our house...and I applaud the fact that she won't hesitate to call parents on the fact that their kids problems are often due to the parents not giving them the attention that they need.
So anyway, I'll plan on watching the show on Monday (as will many of you, I imagine) and will get a blog post up about it after it runs. Sure would be nice (hint, hint) if someone with a DVR (hint) would tape the show (hint, hint) and upload relevant snippets (hint) to YouTube so that folks could see them.
Labels: Babywearing, Lactivism
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
Looking for The Lactivist? She's retired. But you CAN still find Jen blogging. These days, she's runs A Flexible Life. Join her for life, recipes, projects and the occasional rant. |
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
You Can Use a Baby Carrier or You Can Carry Your Baby
*sigh*
I'm not a baby wearer. I've tried, believe me I've tried. I've been through pouch slings, ring slings, padded ring slings, homemade pouch slings and even a wrap. I don't know if it's the chest, the fact that Emmitt is friggin huge or what...I've simply NOT been able to make it work.
I've got an Ergo on the way for what may be one last try, but the first five months, I've had to either carry him or use the baby carrier.
That's why it's irked me more than a little bit this past week when I've seen a few comments to the effect of how bad people feel for all those poor babies in the baby carrier and "why don't those mom's carry their babies??!!"
Well, there are a few reasons.
1.) Some of us have baby carriers because *gasp* we have cars. I know it's an amazing thought, but sometimes, when you live in Ohio and there is occasionally 18 inches of snow, it's easier to put Emmitt in his carrier while in the warmth of the house before covering him with a blanket and then with the cozy that attaches over the carrier. Believe me, this is one million times easier than forcing him into an infant snowsuit and then lugging him out to the car while trying to lock the front door, open the garage and get both he and Nora into their seats.
2.) Emmitt often sleeps while I run errands. I'd like someone to explain to me why it's better to WAKE HIM UP, take him out of his infant car seat, put him into a sling, run inside the grocery store for ten minutes and then run back out to wake him up AGAIN as I put him back into the car seat than to simply lift the car seat from the car to the shopping cart and then back to the car. Is it REALLY better for my baby for me to wake him up twice rather than to let him peacefully slumber in the cozy confines of his carrier?
3.) Not every baby likes to be held. While Emmitt LOVES to be held (which is why I tried so hard to get the hang of a sling) Elnora did not. She would sleep peacefully in her carrier while I was out or if we were in church, she would NEVER sleep in my arms. In fact, she'd squirm and fuss until I put her down.
4.) There are instances where it is NOT easier to use a sling than a stroller. If I'm headed to the mall to try on clothes it's far more logical to put Emmitt in a stroller than in a sling. If I put him in a sling that means putting him on the floor of the dressing room while I try on clothes. Do you really want to put your baby on the floor of a dressing room? Even if you put a blanket down first? Again, why not let them peacefully hang out in their stroller?
Now let me be clear...I know the benefits of baby wearing and I believe in them. I think that some babies do amazingly well in a sling and some moms would never get any work done without them. I love the idea of a sling in urban areas where you walk everywhere or take the subway. So much easier than wrangling a stroller into a cab or on the subway. I'd love to be able to use a sling or carrier when we walk downtown to the farmer's market in the summer.
I don't dislike slings. In fact, I very much hope that this Ergo does the trick because I'm planning a business trip to New York in April and would LOVE to be able to use the stroller or Ergo as the situation dictates.
I simply think that some people need to think before they speak. Baby carriers are not evil. Moms that use baby carriers are not neglectful. Slings are not for every mom and every baby. They are not a requirement for breastfeeding. (In fact, if you're built like me I can't even FATHOM how you would nurse in a sling.)
Slings are a wonderful tool that serve a great purpose. Kinda like baby carriers... ;)
Labels: Babywearing
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
