Snowflakes for Sandy Hook

I've been trying to find a way to help the children and staff at Sandy Hook in Newtown, CT and was so excited this morning when I read an article mentioning the snowflake donations they're accepting through January 12, 2013.  Here is a message from the Connecticut PTSA:

When school resumes for Sandy Hook, it will be in a new building. Parent-volunteers are working to ensure that the students are welcomed back by a winter wonderland with the entire school decorated with as many unique snowflakes as possible. We encourage senders to be as creative as possible, remembering that no two snowflakes are alike. Please make and send snowflakes by January 12, 2013 to the Connecticut PTSA at:

Connecticut PTSA
60 Connolly Parkway
Building 12, Suite 103
Hamden, CT 06514

My children and I will be making many snowflakes to mail in support of those returning to school.  I hope it helps to bring smiles to their faces as they see the multitude of snowflakes hand-crafted by people supporting them from around the globe.

And if you'd like to make a financial contribution, the Newtown School Board is announcing on its website that anyone who wishes to support the Sandy Hook Elementary community can make donations to the address below. The announcement states that this is preferred rather than gifts (other than the snowflakes).  Donations can be made via Newtown.uwwesternct.org  or by mailing  checks to:

Sandy Hook School Support Fund
c/o Newtown Savings Bank
39 Main St
Newtown, CT  06470

No Silver Lining on BPA

For the last few years my husband and I have discussed the bisphenol A (BPA) located in the lining of food cans. We only purchase and use canned tomato products and beans (seeing as four of the five of us are vegetarians) but still, it's troubled us. We've tried to distance ourselves more and more...and I have a feeling many more people will be joining us in this attempt. Why? Because a new study was just released outlining the risk associated with pregnancy and BPA...although obviously, this should be applied to everyone, not just pregnant women.

The study, title No Silver Lining, found that over 90% of cans tested contained detectable levels of BPA (which all public health experts now say have been linked to abnormal behavior, diabetes, heart disease, infertility, developmental and reproductive harm, and obesity). The study shows that "meals involving one or more cans of food can cause a pregnant woman to ingest levels of BPA that have been shown to cause health effects in developing fetuses in laboratory animal studies." And BPA has been found in newborn babies' cord blood as well as in 93% of the US population's urine (a word I never thought I'd type for Ugga Mugga).

So, what can we do? Well, as I write time and time again, eat fresh food. Eat simple, fresh food. If fresh fruits and vegetables aren't a possibility, eat frozen. And if you must consume canned goods, use the Guide to Recycling Codes shown below as a guideline as to what's safest for both you and the environment. And then, discuss this study with your friends and family. It takes a village...

First-Hand Swine Flu Experience

Breezy Mama wrote a great piece on her son's experience with swine flu this summer. There is a great question and answer segment at the end with a pediatrician that covers a lot of topics I know are on parent's minds as school starts.

Visit breezymama.com to read this informative piece.

Swine Flu Vaccine

After telling my friends about my family's possible swine flu experience over the last month or so, discussions about the upcoming vaccination have began. Months ago when the swine flu first became news, my husband and I, who have vaccinated our children for everything else, discussed the vaccine and agreed that no one in our family would be inoculated for the swine flu.

We based our decision on the past, when in 1976, more Americans died from the swine flu vaccine than from the disease itself...and many, many more were left with neurological problem. And although we have learned a lot about medicine since then, the one sure similarity between the vaccine from 1976 and the one that will be given in 2009 is that they're fast tracked and not thoroughly tested (like the other vaccines given to our children).

Making parenting decisions in personal...you need to do what works best for your children and your family. Each parent should educate themselves and come to a conclusion they feel confident about. I am in no way trying to influence your decision whether or not you vaccinate your children against the swine flu...I simply want you to know there is a history here and I aim to arm you with the facts. With that in mind, here is one article from the UK's Daily Mail that discusses the 1976 and the 2009 vaccines. It's a starting point for your research.

Swine Flu

We're parents, so we worry, it's just part of the job. But all of this swine flu news and hype is getting to be too much for me. I'm now receiving emails from friends that are forwards and full of worry, so I thought I'd put it in perspective for you, from the facts I've read.

It is estimated that each year in the United States the common flu affects an estimated 10 to 20% of the population...and an average of 114,000 people are hospitalized for flu-related complications. Approximately 20,000 Americans die from the flu each year!

There are now a reported 143 cases of Swine Flu and one Swine Flu death in the United States. Although there have been 46 deaths due to the common flu in the same week...that was the last statistic I read on Thursday morning...it may be higher by now.

I'm not wanting to have you take your children's health any less seriously, I just want to put all of the hype into perspective and ease your worry. Just continue on as usual...wash your hands, wash your kid's hands, stay home when sick, don't visit others when they are sick, and you should be just fine. As our wise friends in the United Kingdom said, Keep Calm and Carry On.

The Bisphenol-A Free Portal

I receive a lot of questions regarding BPA...how to know what it's in, is it really as dangerous as we're led to believe, and where readers can get more information. To answer all of those questions, and more, you can visit The Bisphenol-A Free Portal, a nonprofit site that gathers all news relevant to BPA and posts it in one place.

Some recently added information is a list of all bottles and sippy cups outlining those with BPA and those that are regarded as safe, an article about the class-action suit against baby bottle manufacturers, and the latest study results on the effects of the chemical.

Visit bisphenolafree.org for more information.

Peanut Allergy Cure

I have a few friends whose children live with peanut allergies of varying degrees...some quite severe and some slight. No matter how intense the allergy and risk is, my friends need to be diligent not only with what their children eat but also ensuring their environments are safe. This is a time-consuming and tiring task. But there is now new hope that their children's allergies may be cured one day!

A new study is being conducted by doctors at Duke University Medical Center and Arkansas Children's Hospital that is giving hope to millions of families. One family has seen amazing results over the last few years.

"A few years ago, 6-year-old Justin Bernard couldn't touch, let alone eat, a peanut butter snack, reports CBS News correspondent Bianca Solorzano.

'A peanut allergy is a potentially fatal allergy,' said his mother, Meredith Bernard. 'With just a very small bite, it was nerve racking.'

But that all changed after Justin's mother enrolled him in the study. Over several years, doctors fed Justin trace amounts every day of the very food that made him sick. Slowly, his body built up an immunity to peanuts and now they are part of his regular diet, Solorzano reports."

If you're wondering how these great results have been reached, it went something like this: the children were given slowly increasing doses of a specially prepared peanut flour until they had a reaction. Then each child went home with a daily dose just under that reactive amount, usually equivalent to one-thousandth of a peanut.

"After eight months to 10 months of gradual dose increases, most can eat the peanut-flour equivalent of 15 peanuts daily, said Burks, who two years ago began reporting these signs of desensitization as long as children took their daily medicine."

There are other successful stories in the article as well as more details about the study and treatment. You can read the article in it's entirety at cbsnews.com. And if you know someone in my friends' shoes who has a loved one living with peanut allergies, please forward a article along to give them hope!

Yes, They Wore CrewCuts

As adorable first daughters Malia and Sasha watched their father, Barack Obama, get sworn in as the 44th President of these United States, they were sporting the most adorable outfits from J. Crew's CrewCuts line...that were designed especially for them! Sasha's darling pink and orange coat was my favorite piece of apparel at yesterday's Inauguration!


J.Crew has posted the following on their website:

"We are truly honored to have been able to play a part in this historic occasion. The pieces worn by Malia and Sasha were designed exclusively for them - from the colors to the styles to the fabrics - and are currently not available."

Although you are not able to purchase the items at this time, Celebrity Baby Blog is reporting that they will be offered in the Fall 2009 CrewCuts collection.

White House Greetings

Both of my children have been formally greeted by the President and First Lady after their birth. Not because they are American royalty (although, who knows, perhaps some day), but because I have sent their birth information to the White House and requested a greeting. And after roughly six weeks, both have received cards signed by both George and Laura Bush...whose presidency they were both born during.

I'm currently awaiting the birth of my third child which is certain to happen within the next three days. And so I'm back on newborn business, and recently remembered I needed to once again send this information to the White House.

If you'd like to receive a congratulatory letter from the President for your baby, send the following information to the address below and you'll have an instant collectible for your new little one.

• Name and home address of baby
• Baby's Birth date (Include baby's full date of birth, time, weight, length and full names and address of baby and parents)
• Your daytime phone number

Mail to:
The White House
Attn: Greetings Office
Washington, D.C. 20502-0039

I've recently learned that this service is also now available online at the following link: whitehouse.gov.

Babies R Us BPA Product Returns

I read on a message board last week that Toys R Us and Babies R Us were accepting returns of BPA baby products. So I tested out the news and am happy to report that they are indeed giving in-store credit or exchanging the bottles...however, each store it handling this differently. My advice to you is the following:

• Call your local Babies R Us store and ask what their policy is on BPA product returns as well as how long their return policy will be in effect.
  
• Ask to speak to a manager if you need clarification on what you need to bring to the store to receive the credit/return. For example, I didn't need a receipt, however, rumor has it some stores are requiring them.
• Bring bottles, cups, and breast pumps to the store clean (obviously) along with receipts if you have them.
• Educate yourself on what bottles are safe on their shelves. Glass is always my first recommended choice, with BPA-free plastic also being cleared as safe.

Happy and safe feeding to all!

Health Alert: Warning against using cell phones while pregnant

I just finished reading a disturbing article titled Warning: Using a mobile phone while pregnant can seriously damage your baby. The piece outlined the finding of a study conducted of more than 13,000 children which found a link between behavioral issues of school-age children with pregnant women and children under the age of seven using cell. It is believed that the peril they pose "is not much lower than the risk to children's health from tobacco or alcohol."

I encourage you to read the article found at independent.co.uk to learn more about the risks and necessary changes to make.