Blog Entries 2009
Breastfeeding and Type 2 Diabetesby Kate Kahn - 31st December 2009 If diabetes runs in your family, or if you have gestational diabetes while pregnant, breastfeeding could be just the prescription for you. A new more ... |
Staying Healthy This Holidayby Barbara Dehn - 28th December 2009 If you’re a mom with a baby or babies under 12 months old, here are some unusual and suprising tips for staying healthy this holiday more ... |
My Holiday Wish Listby Kate Kahn - 24th December 2009 Well, we're in the throws of the frenetic holiday season, and there's a lot to be thankful for. But there are still a lot of things on my wish list. Here's more ... |
Put Your Feet Upby Barbara Dehn - 21st December 2009 It’s that time of year again. Study after study shows that moms, especially new moms enjoy the holiday season less than the rest more ... |
Listen to what Moms are Sayingby Kate Kahn - 17th December 2009 Moms want options and they want to be informed in order to make the choices that are right for them. Those are just some of the conclusions of a more ... |
Sleep Deprivationby Barbara Dehn - 14th December 2009 This is the dream-deprived topic that vexes most new parents. Sleep deprivation. It's pure torture and can lead to lots of unanticipated consequences, more ... |
When Breast Might Not Be Bestby Kate Kahn - 10th December 2009 Breast is best, breast is best. It's a mantra that has been drilled into the collective psyche of pregnant women everywhere. And yes, more ... |
Avoiding Nipple Confusion: Finding The Magic Windowby Barbara Dehn - 07th December 2009 Do you remember learning in Biology class about the scientist, Konrad Lorenz, who taught baby ducks to follow him around as if he were their mother. He more ... |
Calling all Senators....by Kate Kahn - 03rd December 2009 OK new moms. Here's a chance to make a difference. Tucked inside the Senate health care bill is a little nugget that you should know about. more ... |
Put your Oxygen Mask on Firstby Barbara Dehn - 30th November 2009 I've been talking to a lot of moms lately who are overwhelmed and finding it difficult to get everything done PLUS take care of themselves. How many more ... |
Buying Breastmilkby - 26th November 2009 I saw a television story the other day about people who sell breastmilk on the Internet and those who buy it. I've blogged before about the dangers more ... |
Making Time for Mommyby Barbara Dehn - 23rd November 2009 This website is devoted to Moms Feeding Freedom. As I think about that, it also means that we need other freedoms in our lives. How about the more ... |
Breastfeeding-A Moral Imperative?by Kate Kahn - 19th November 2009 There are many reasons to breastfeed. Mothers' milk provides nutrients and antibodies that help protect the baby. And, breastfeeding can even more ... |
Tantrums-Solutionsby Barbara Dehn - 16th November 2009 My friend, Mary Beth, is a 2nd grade teacher and has twins. She talks about the importance of remembering the long term consequences of more ... |
Losing That Baby Weightby Kate Kahn - 13th November 2009 Losing the weight gained while pregnant can be a daunting task. With my first child, I breastfed for 6 months but it took me forever to lose the more ... |
Tantrumsby Barbara Dehn - 09th November 2009 I was talking to a mom, Jenn (not her real name) the other day, who’s struggling with her 9 year old more ... |
The jury's outby Kate Kahn - 05th November 2009 Do you think women who are breastfeeding should be exempt from jury duty? It's an interesting question. Currently 12 states allow for the exemption. more ... |
Voyeurism or Education; you be the judgeby Kate Kahn - 03rd November 2009 A 23-year old pregnant Minneapolis woman is going to give birth, live, on the Internet. Yes, you read it right. I had to share it because, more ... |
The top 7 questions about the Swine Flu Vaccine for Momsby Barbara Dehn - 02nd November 2009 1. What flu vaccines are available now? - Right now there is a Flu Mist - this is a nasal spray that protects against more ... |
Can't we Compromise?by Kate Kahn - 29th October 2009 There's an interesting case study taking place about a woman's right to breastfeed on airlines. It concerns a woman from New Mexico who was flying more ... |
Well I can, so what's wrong with her?by Barbara Dehn - 26th October 2009 I heard this the other day from a woman who wrote me to say that she was able to breastfeed twins for a year and managed to work full time. more ... |
Shortsighted Politicsby Kate Kahn - 22nd October 2009 In California, Governor Schwarzenegger just vetoed a bill that wold have provided insurance coverage for lactation consultations and in some cases buying more ... |
Under Feedingby Barbara Dehn - 19th October 2009 This week I received a lot of questions from moms whose babies who were 5 or more weeks old and seemed to need to eat every 2 hours. more ... |
Breastfeeding Backup Planby Kate Kahn - 15th October 2009 Being a first time mom can be overwhelming. All of a sudden, here's this little person you're responsible for. And, if that's not overwhelming more ... |
Increasing Breastfeeding Ratesby Barbara Dehn - 12th October 2009 How do we increase breastfeeding rates? Well, one good way is to train more ... |
Paying for Childcareby Kate Kahn - 09th October 2009 I was on a parenting website yesterday and read a comment from a woman who said paying for childcare defeats the purpose of working. She had a friend more ... |
Economics and Feeding Your Babyby Barbara Dehn - 05th October 2009 Recently I was interviewed about breastfeeding rates and what we could do to help more moms spend more time breastfeeding. The interviewer more ... |
World Breastfeeding week....Again?by Kate Kahn - 01st October 2009 So it's World Breastfeeding Week again. What's so strange about that? Well, the last one was about 6 weeks ago! Nevertheless, I'll take the more ... |
Swine Flu (H1N1) & Breastfeedingby Barbara Dehn - 28th September 2009 I was interviewed the other day on Breastfeeding and the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu. I also read Kate’s excellent more ... |
Easing the Transition Back to Workby Kate Kahn - 24th September 2009 Returning to work for a new mom can be emotionally traumatic; it's difficult to leave your baby and the task of figuring out how you're going to continue more ... |
Pregnant and worried about swine fluby Barbara Dehn - 21st September 2009 I am getting a lot of calls and emails from pregnant women who are worried about the swine flu. As most of us know, during pregnancy more ... |
Brain Powerby Kate Kahn - 17th September 2009 Can formula be the formula for sucessful problem solving? Maybe so. A new study funded by the Eunice Kenndy Shriver National Institute of Child more ... |
One Mom's Struggleby Barbara Dehn - 14th September 2009 I just heard about a new mom who was told that if she breastfed, she wouldn’t be able to eat the foods that she loved and would have to eat healthier more ... |
Can Breastfeeding Prevent the Swine Flu?by Kate Kahn - 10th September 2009 I saw a headline the other day that read: "Breastfeeding:Natural Protector Against Swine Flu." Naturally, it caught my attention since more ... |
Kodiak Kindnessby Barbara Dehn - 08th September 2009 Anytime I see Kodiak in the news, I’m instantly interested. I lived on that beautiful and isolated Alaskan Island for 3 years, more ... |
Pathetic Policyby Kate Kahn - 03rd September 2009 This is a pathetic story if ever there was one. In Ohio, a new mom wanted to pump at work. So she snuck off to do so, sometimes at times that more ... |
The Real Truth about Breastfeedingby Barbara Dehn - 31st August 2009 The American Academy of Pediatrics has done a great job encouraging moms to breastfeed their babies exclusively for the first 6 months of life. As it turns more ... |
This, you have to see to believe!by Kate Kahn - 27th August 2009 There are some things only video can really portray. Such was the case several weeks ago in the U.S. Senate, during a hearing in the Senate Health, more ... |
Contingency Plansby Kate Kahn - 20th August 2009 A recent study out of Canada showed that many mothers intend to breastfeed but don't have a contingency plan if that doesn't work. And this, more ... |
Breastfeeding Ratesby Barbara Dehn - 17th August 2009 The recent Breastfeeding Bill of Rights in New York includes lots of great ways for us to help more moms breastfeed. There was one aspect that I noticed more ... |
Breastfeeding Backlashby Kate Kahn - 13th August 2009 I've read several articles lately about what people are calling "Breastfeedding Backlash," and think it's worth exploring a little. In more ... |
Barb's take on the Breastfeeding Bill of rightsby Barbara Dehn - 10th August 2009 I just learned that New York State passed the Breastfeeding Bill of Rights. Wow! There’s some great things in this bill which will help more more ... |
The Healthy Baby Bounty Bag-Give me a Break!by Kate Kahn - 07th August 2009 You may have read recently about something called the Healthy Baby Bounty Bag. In an effort to increase breastfeeding rates (admittedly an admirable more ... |
Breastfeeding Around the Worldby Barbara Dehn - 05th August 2009 I recently spoke to a nurse who works in Afghanistan providing women’s health care. She related a story that I’ve heard repeatedly, which more ... |
World Breastfeeding Weekby Kate Kahn - 03rd August 2009 It's World breastfeeding Week this week and all over the country, and the world, efforts are being made ot increase breastfeeding rates. It's an more ... |
Formula for Safety---Some Sobering Statisticsby Kate Kahn - 29th July 2009 Millions of new mothers choose to feed their baby formula for one reason or another. Some can't breastfeed for medical reasons. Others choose more ... |
More Information, not Less, for Successby Kate Kahn - 24th July 2009 The decision on how you feed a baby is an intensely personal one, based on several factors. It's not for anyone to judge. But that's more ... |
When Breastfeeding Doesn't Workby Barbara Dehn - 23rd July 2009 There’s a lot of education aimed at moms to help them do the best they can for their babies. One important message from the American Academy of Pediatrics more ... |
Healthy Eating for Breastfeedingby Kate Kahn - 20th July 2009 A single mom recently wrote us about her decision to bottle feed. She has a 10-month old son. She said she never considered breastfeeding because more ... |
Anonymous Confrontationby Barbara Dehn - 16th July 2009 I met a mom the other night who has 3 children. The youngest is 4 months old, and the others are 8 and 5. I met her at a girls night out with my more ... |
Everyone's differentby Kate Kahn - 13th July 2009 We've had relatives in town for the last 10 days. Two out of the three of families stayed with us. Each has a baby. I was struck by all more ... |
Breastfeeding and Alcoholby Barbara Dehn - 09th July 2009 In pregnancy we advise moms not to have any alcohol. The position by the Surgeon General and the American College of Ob/Gyn physicians is that we more ... |
Losing that Baby Weightby Kate Kahn - 06th July 2009 Years ago I remember watching some story on teh Today Show that had to do with pregnancy. At the time Katie Couric was still on the show and she more ... |
Allergies and breastfeedingby Barbara Dehn - 02nd July 2009 Many moms wonder if they can breastfeed their babies if they have a family history of food allergies. Others wonder if they eat the foods that their other more ... |
Paid Family Leaveby Kate Kahn - 29th June 2009 I blogged last week about the Breastfeeding Promotion Act which would give employers tax incentives for making their workplaces lactation friendly. more ... |
Teethingby Barbara Dehn - 25th June 2009 Between 6-7 months, many babies will start teething, which can lead to a change in the way they bottle or breastfeed. Many times, a happy baby will more ... |
Environmenal concernsby Kate Kahn - 22nd June 2009 An interesting study out of the University of Rochester Medical Center may have found a reason that many moms have trouble breastfeeding. According more ... |
What's the scoop on pacifiers?by Barbara Dehn - 20th June 2009 You’re going to hear lots of different opinions on this, some babies do get confused and others don’t. Some babies will have nipple confusion more ... |
Tax Incentives for workplacesby Kate Kahn - 16th June 2009 Well here's a welcome sign. I've blgged several times before about how maybe we could provide tax incentives to workplaces that encourage moms who more ... |
Bringing Home a New Babyby Barbara Dehn - 11th June 2009 Many new parents are surprised when they discover how much care a newborn baby needs and how little sleep they’re able to get when not caring for more ... |
Eating for Two-New Guidelines for Weight Gainby Kate Kahn - 08th June 2009 I remember loving being pregnant. Not only did I love the idea of what was happening inside my body, but, I'd be lying if I didn't tell you that more ... |
Myth Bustingby Barbara Dehn - 04th June 2009 #1 Give Colicky Babies Tea The other day I was asked if it was ok for a mother to give her 3 month old baby tea instead of one feeding. I was more ... |
Set up to Fail?by Kate Kahn - 01st June 2009 Here's a refreshing bit of news. There's an organization called Best for Babes that strives to promote breastfeeding but not at the cost of more ... |
Tips to keep you healthy this summerby Barbara Dehn - 28th May 2009 Many moms worry about their babies getting overheated this summer. Here are a few simple tips to help keep everyone cool as a cucumber and healthy. more ... |
A Noble Causeby Kate Kahn - 25th May 2009 We all know about breast milk banks in the U.S. They provide a valuable service to thousands of women who need breast milk and can't produce enough more ... |
Survivor: Baby Shower-episode 2by Barbara Dehn - 21st May 2009 Last week, we learned that Baby Showers are not always the happy, present-filled celebrations that you might expect. Some are actually a version more ... |
Tackling Obesityby Kate Kahn - 18th May 2009 Childhood obesity is a very real problem in the U.S. to the point where policy makers have labeled it a public health threat. According to the more ... |
Survivor: Baby Showerby Barbara Dehn - 14th May 2009 Picture this: A group of smiling women arriving at a house that beckons to them with a dozen pastel colored balloons tied to the mailbox. Each comes more ... |
Pumping at Workby Kate Kahn - 11th May 2009 Kudos to two Philadelphia lawmakers who are putting forth legislation mandating companies to provide breaktime and accomodations for new moms who want more ... |
Baby Nursesby Barbara Dehn - 07th May 2009 Does it really take a village to take care of a new baby? Well, it certainly seems that way sometimes, especially in the middle of the night. more ... |
Breastfeeding Bonuses---are they for real?by Kate Kahn - 04th May 2009 It seems every day there's a new study out that boasts the benefits of breastfeeding. Some studies suggest breastfeeding can boost a child's IQ, more ... |
Life with a new Babyby Barbara Dehn - 30th April 2009 Want to scare a pregnant woman? Tell her what her life is going to be like after the new baby comes along. You know what? They never believe more ... |
Breastfeeding for Mom's Healthby Kate Kahn - 27th April 2009 I've read study after study about how breastfeeding can put women at a lower risk for diabetes, heart problems, high blood pressure, cancer, etc. more ... |
Sleeping Through the Night?by Barbara Dehn - 22nd April 2009 What if your baby likes to get up throughout the night to eat? Let’s say, every 2 to 3 hours. Sorry, they all like to get up more ... |
"Fully Committed"by Kate Kahn - 20th April 2009 There's a lot of pressure to breastfeed children. Often women are made to feel like "bad moms" if they choose, for one reason or another, more ... |
Moms Supporting Momsby Barbara Dehn - 16th April 2009 I just read a few of the stories of the week and it struck me again that each of us has our own unique struggles and circumstances. Were all trying to more ... |
Weighty Mattersby Kate Kahn - 13th April 2009 There's an interesting study in the journal Pediatrics this month concerning more ... |
Rocket Fuel and Perchlorates: The Antidoteby Barbara Dehn - 09th April 2009 When you do a Google search for Rocket fuel, you find lots of interesting information and a few unexpected little gems. Apparently there are recipes for more ... |
Rocket Fuel in baby Formula--the latest scare tactic?by Kate Kahn - 05th April 2009 You may have heard, recently, about rocket fuel found in baby formula. It sounds alarming and certainly makes for good headlines. But the more ... |
Supplementing for the Toddlerby Barbara Dehn - 02nd April 2009 Yesterday I saw a mom who was in tears. There’s lots of reasons this mom might be in tears. She has 2 other children, one 6 and one 2, plus more ... |
Nurturing your Parent-Child Relationshipby Kate Kahn - 30th March 2009 There's a new study out of England today that suggests that women who breastfeed have more positive parenting practices and have a warmer relationship more ... |
Mastitisby Barbara Dehn - 26th March 2009 One of my patients came in the other day with a very red and sore breast. There was a large lump and she was having flu like symptoms. more ... |
Give the Woman a Break!by Kate Kahn - 23rd March 2009 Last week I blogged about an article in The Atlantic called The Case Against more ... |
Feeding Twinsby Barbara Dehn - 19th March 2009 Recently I was in New York speaking to a Moms' Group. I met a mom with 5 kids, 2 of whom are twins who are now 2. Her 5 kids are all under 6! more ... |
A Must Read-The Case Against Breastfeedingby Kate Kahn - 16th March 2009 It's 3am. Do you know where you are? Do you know what your body is doing? Are you in a sleep-deprived delirium? If the answer is more ... |
When to call your Pediatricianby Barbara Dehn - 12th March 2009 I write lots of blogs, and advice columns for a variety of websites, like this on and receive questions every day from moms who need advice about their more ... |
Jury Duty and Breastfeedingby Kate Kahn - 10th March 2009 In Montana a mother of a toddler was called to jury duty. Her sister was supposed to come and take care of the boy but for some reason, didn't show more ... |
Baby Showersby Barbara Dehn - 05th March 2009 What do you give at a baby shower? Presents for the new mom? Gift cards for dinner out, a spa, or new clothes. Equipment for the baby, more ... |
Do the Laws Really Protect Nursing Moms?by Kate Kahn - 02nd March 2009 Most states now have laws on the books that mandate the right of nursing moms to breastfeed in public without fear of consequence. In these states, more ... |
Preemiesby Barbara Dehn - 26th February 2009 Did you know that about 480,000 premies are born in the US every year. That’s about 1 every minute. It’s way too many. more ... |
Breastfeeding and Dehydrationby Kate Kahn - 23rd February 2009 Doctors and researchers in the United Kingdom are launching a study to figure out how many newborns are seriously dehydrated because they're not able to more ... |
Sharing Our Storiesby Barbara Dehn - 19th February 2009 I was just reading some of the stories of the week. They are so powerful because they speak to the differences in all of our experiences. more ... |
A Step in the Right Direction!by Kate Kahn - 16th February 2009 Critics of low breastfeeding rates in this country like to blame it on formula companies for providing free samples to hospitals, for providing food to more ... |
Safe food and Formulaby Barbara Dehn - 12th February 2009 I recently received a question from a mom on the ask the RN section of this website. It kind of stopped me in my tracks, because it was about a 16-month-old more ... |
Breastfeeding Bill of Rightsby Kate Kahn - 09th February 2009 Here's something to chew on, no pun intended. Some New York lawmakers have sbumitted legislation called the "Breastfeeding more ... |
Is Your Life Balanced?by Barbara Dehn - 05th February 2009 When you wake up in the morning what do you do? If you have a baby or little ones, I guess the better question is how much sleep did you and or your more ... |
Food for Thoughtby Kate Kahn - 01st February 2009 Here's something interesting to consider. Children who eat fast food at least twice a week are more likely to develop asthma negating any benefit more ... |
The Unexpectedby Barbara Dehn - 29th January 2009 I saw a mom the other day who is pregnant with her 2nd child. Her first baby is 16 months old and she’s excited to be pregnant again. As we more ... |
Diluting Formula-Other optionsby Kate Kahn - 26th January 2009 In these frightening economic times everyone's making tough choices. But diluting baby formula to make it last longer can have fatal consequences. more ... |
Feeding Your Babyby Barbara Dehn - 23rd January 2009 What should I feed my baby, how should I feed my baby, when should I feed my baby. These are questions that I hear all the time. In fact the other day, more ... |
Bonding and Breastfeedingby Kate Kahn - 19th January 2009 I read a story the other day about a mother who's still breasstfeeding her nearly 6-year-old son. He obviously doesn't need it for nutrients. more ... |
It's About Time!by Kate Kahn - 12th January 2009 Congratulations to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which became the latest state to sign legislation protecting a woman's right to breastfeed in public. more ... |
Adjusting the Flowby Barbara Dehn - 08th January 2009 Leave it to nurses to find the best new products for babies. A group of nurses from a local hospital were raving about some new adjustable flow nipples. more ... |
Facing Factsby Kate Kahn - 05th January 2009 Here's an interesting dilemma to ponder: are pictures of women breastfeeding posted on the Internet obscene? That's exactly the issue confronting more ... |
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