Exclusively breastfed babies have fewer and less severe infections as infants regardless of the standard of health care or vaccinations they receive, according to a new study. But partially breastfed babies may not enjoy these protective effects.

"Exclusive breastfeeding helps protect infants against common infections and lessens the frequency and severity of infectious episodes not only in developing countries but also in communities with adequate vaccination coverage and healthcare standards," writes researcher Fani Ladomenou, of the University of Crete in Heraklion, Greece, in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Although several studies have shown breastfeeding reduces the risk of a number of common childhood infections, researchers say it has not been clear whether other factors, such as standard of health care or immunization, play a role.

Read the article on WebMD

by Dr. Edward Group

You might already know that I’m not a big fan of certain non-fermented soy products. The results of a newly published study on the effects of soy formula on the reproductive systems of mice only underscores how bad they can be for the body.

In this particular study, newborn mice were fed soy formula mixed with a plant derived isoflavone called genistein. Isoflavones occur naturally in a number of legumes, including soy beans. And while many types of isoflavones are rich in antioxidants and other healthful compounds, genistein specifically, has been connected to a wide range of serious health concerns such as cancer and, as this article points out, reproductive abnormalities.

Read the article on Global Healing Center
 

According to Dr. Jay Gordon, babies sleeping on a safe surface with sober, nonsmoking parents respond to their parents, and the parents respond to them. The chance of SIDS occurring in this situation are close to zero. Babies in a crib or in a room away from their parents, on the other hand, will breastfeed less and are at greater risk of infections, including life-threatening ones. The medical profession, as it often does, is approaching the entire idea of the family bed backward. A baby in the same bed with his or her parents is surrounded by the best possible surveillance and safety system. It must be the responsibility of the manufacturers and proponents of cribs and separated sleep to prove that such disruption is safe, not the other way around. Read the original article on Mercola.com

The Washington Toxics Coalition yesterday released a study which is being called the first of its kind. The project tested nine pregnant women from Washington, Oregon and California for levels of toxic chemicals in their bodies, and thus being exposed to their fetuses. This study was completed in collaboration with Commonweal Biomonitoring Resource Center and the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition.

The women were tested in their second trimester of pregnancy. Every woman tested was found to have levels of bisphenol A, mercury, phthalates, and perfluorinated -- or "Teflon" -- chemicals in their blood. The chemical levels are alarming because the chemicals tested are known to impair brain development, disrupt hormone levels, cause reproductive issues, and lead to cancer.

 
In the aftermath of a report revealing that popular Johnson & Johnson baby care products contain carcinogens, a coalition of environmental, health and consumer groups are demanding the company remove the toxins from their product line.

The chemicals in question are 1,4-dioxane and preservatives that release formaldehyde. A letter was sent to Johnson & Johnson by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and was signed by nearly 50 groups representing about 1.7 million members, from the Environmental Working Group and Friends of the Earth to the American Nurses Association and Physicians for Social Responsibility, according to an Associated Press story.

Connecticut's attorney general says six companies have agreed to stop manufacturing baby bottles that contain Bisphenol-A (BPA). Some studies have indicated that BPA may be harmful to infants.

Attorneys general from Connecticut, Delaware and New Jersey sent letters last October to 11 companies, asking them to stop using the chemical. Avent, Disney First Years, Gerber, Dr. Brown, Playtex and Evenflow have agreed to the request. The companies stopped manufacturing bottles with BPA a couple of weeks ago.

Suffolk County, NY, recently became the first county in the nation to vote on a ban of baby bottles and toddler sippy cups made with BPA.

Read the original article.

A new study shows that one dose of caffeine -- just two cups of coffee -- ingested during pregnancy may be enough to affect fetal heart development and reduce heart function over the entire lifespan of the child.

In addition, the researchers also found that this minimal amount of exposure can lead to higher body fat among males. Although the study was in mice, the biological cause and effect described in the research paper likely applies to humans as well.