Continuing on from the previous article, we now look at the importance of choosing a holistic lifestyle by eating organic fresh foods, and identify some adverse affects of food colourings. But first, some general advice for new mothers about diet…

Dietary tips for Mother and Baby
-    Mothers need plenty of healthy calories and proteins in the diet. These are directly related to the quantity of milk produced. A new mothers diet should contain ample organic vegetables and protein foods such as almonds, along with a good vitamin & mineral supplement.
-    An organic diet for your infant may quickly and dramatically reduce pesticide levels in the blood. This supports overall health as well as supporting healthy  brain and neurological function.
-    In clinical trials,  the probiotic Lactobacillus was shown to successfully reduce the severity and occurrence of eczema in babies. It can be taken by your baby in the form of a dedicated baby probiotic where necessary

Tips for dealing with a food sensitivity
-    If you have to remove allergenic foods from your diet, see a dietician or nutritionist to ensure that you and baby are still receiving adequate nutrition.
-    There is an increased risk of chronic skin allergy in infants where solid foods were introduced before 4 months of life. Delay introduction of solid foods until 4 - 6 months of age.
-    To help your baby build digestive immunity, do not re-introduce identified allergenic foods before 3 years of age. For your information, milk and peanut residues are the most common allergens that filter through breast milk to baby
-    Delay the introduction of eggs to your infant until 2 years of age
-    Read and become familiar with food labels. With practice, you will be able to recognize the additives or particular foods that cause discomfort for you or your baby.

Non-organic Foods
Evidence shows that non-organic food is a true source of pesticides and other harmful chemicals in an infants diet. Even in utero, many pesticides are able to cross the placenta. For example, exposure to high levels of organophosphorus pesticides have been shown to reduce head circumference and increase the risk of behavioural problems in newborns. Immediately starting an infant on a diet of organic fruits, vegetables and meats will very soon reduce levels of pesticides to non-detectable levels, and maintaining an organic diet will ensure that these levels do not rise again. The benefits of an organic diet for infants is important for all body systems and supports normal neurological and brain development.

Food and pharmaceuticals colourings
Food additives and colourings may not affect you or your baby, but it doesn’t hurt to be aware of their potential adverse effects. Approximately one eighth of all approved additives in Australia have been linked to an adverse reaction such as irritability, skin rashes, respiratory problems, hyperactivity and digestive complaints. Tartrazine is a dye associated with respiratory congestion, itchy skin, hives and swollen mucosal tissues. Tartrazine, Sunset Yellow and New Coccine have all been linked to skin rash and digestive disturbance. Asthma with allergic skin reaction, respiratory difficulties such as sinusitis is thought to be associated with all of these dyes: Amaranth, Erythrosine, Indigo Carmine , Ponceau, New Coccine, Sunset Yellow and Brilliant Blue. Sunset Yellow may cause digestive upset and vomiting. Erythrosine may cause increased sensitivity to light. A more prevalent condition, skin dermatitis, has been linked to consumption of Neutral Red, Indigo carmine, Quinoline Yellow, Gentian and Violet dyes.

This month we look at common problematic foods and chemicals for Mother and Baby. Some foods will trigger an adverse reaction in either or both mother and a breastfed baby. These are most commonly eggs, cows milk, peanuts, wheat and fish. Some of the symptoms to look out for include headaches or migraines, diarrhoea, skin rash, irritability or fatigue. These symptoms are associated with an immune response to specifics foods (allergy) or a reaction to ingesting certain chemicals (intolerance).

Tip: If you know that you react badly to a specific food, it is best to avoid consuming this during pregnancy and lactation. Doing this may reduce the risk of your baby inheriting a sensitivity to the food.

When it comes to adverse reactions to food, it helps to think also about any added chemicals, colouring, flavourings or preservatives. For example, when purchasing supplements like vitamins, be aware of the sources of materials used to make up the capsules. Some vitamins such as soy-derived vitamin E may irritate a baby with a soy allergy. And many food colourings are associated with intolerance symptoms such as lethargy, irritability and poor concentration. The anthroposophic approach to nutrition stresses lots of natural, organic and biodynamic vegetables and grains. Whether it’s a skin lotion applied topically or a meal internally digested, the purity of the product or food is paramount. The anthroposophic diet provides extra nutrition for the digestive system and less toxicity symptoms such as constipation and headaches.

Sugar
I thought it useful to mention sugar in this article, as sugar cravings are common among new mothers. Highly refined sugars are prevalent in the modern diet, and in some people, they trigger symptoms in the body that resemble an allergic response, such as skin irritation, headaches, inflammation and hyper-activity. If this sounds like you, it is best to avoid over-indulging in sugar by following these simple tips:

• Ensure you eat enough protein so that your energy levels are balanced.
• Avoid eating a sweet breakfast such as sweetened cereals, as this set you up for energy spikes and dips for the rest of the day.
• Check with your naturopath or doctor for any evidence of poor blood glucose management. This is associated with many common health conditions like metabolic syndrome, obesity, polycystic ovaries and adult acne.
• Chewing licorice root is thought to help not only to modulate blood sugar levels and reduce cravings, but also to reduce addictions such as smoking.
• Eat plenty of bitter foods like rocquette, cress, radicchio and sprouts and give your digestion a boost!
• Pumpkin, beans and aniseed in a casserole for example offers a high protein, lactation stimulating meal.

Not all new mothers will experience symptoms of sugar indulgence however, and many can benefit from the energy provided by this carbohydrate. The physical demands of motherhood require a lot of energy, and it is usual for new mothers to experience fatigue! Sugar is necessary for this as well as brain function.It also provides a strong anti-bacterial preservative for many medicines and herbal tonics such as Blackthorn elixir.

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Congratulations to the November winners of a Weleda Gift Pack:

Lyndal Davies
Courtney Davis
Sharon Khaw
Tamara Newlands
Monica Renaud

We are delighted to share some of our most popular dental care products with you.

Best of luck next month…..

Continuing on from looking at harmful chemicals in common baby products we look at some highly controversial chemicals that have been shown to be detrimental to a babys’ health.

Phthalates are softening agents added to many toys, lotions and creams for all age groups especially in industrialised countries. Recent studies have shown that when a baby is exposed to these chemicals, even in topical products, that the phthalates and their derivatives are absorbed into the blood stream and also present in the urine. One of the better known effects of phthalate exposure in babies is an underdeveloped male reproductive system. There is an indisputable link between high phthalate exposure either in utero or after birth, and several developmental abnormalities such as those listed below.

Some Recognised Symptoms of Moderate to Severe Phthalate exposure in Babies
-    incomplete dropping of the testicles
-    reductions in the masculinsing hormone dihydrotestosterone
-    reduced distance between the anus and the base of the penis (AGD) – which is used to predict abnormalities in adult reproductive development. The AGD should normally be twice as long in males as it is in females, however studies have shown that significant phthalate exposure to male infants may shorten this measure. The shorter the anogenital distance the more feminised the body in question.
-    the development of proliferative lesions in Leydig cells, which are located in the testicles

Vitamin e is a soothing and softening addition to adult skin products. It’s not necessarily harmful to a baby unless they display an allergy to it. If your baby reacts to vitamin e, there are alternative skin nourishers such as sweet almond oil, jojoba oil or grapeseed oil. Infusions of herbs like calendula and chamomile and nettle are also good skin tonics.

Oestrogenic chemicals and derivates in the environment, processed foods and in skin care products are part of the phthalate controversy. So when purchasing any products, be sure to choose those that use natural organic and biodynamic ingredients. These are less likely to contain environmental hormones.

Perfumes & Fragrances
Perfuming is a highly sophisticated art form, and it has its place in the adult world. Its creative use of classic and aromatic plants is music to our olfactory ears. However when it comes to perfumes in baby products, its helpful to arm yourself with some knowledge about what is safe and appropriate, and what is harmful.

As adults, with our well developed detoxification systems (such as the gut, skin and liver) we are better able to manage chemicals in our bodies than are babies. A babys gut immunity takes many months to develop, and they absorb more through their highly permeable skin than adults. Selecting products that derive their fragrances from natural essential oils  are the way to go! Plant extracts and essential oils offer not only scent but other therapeutic benefits such as:
-    killing infective bacteria
-    reducing spasm and pain
-    inducing sleep and healing damaged skin

There are naturally occurring fragrances such as those of the Calendula and Chamomile. Look out for perfumes that are added to products such as talcs and lotions in particular and stick with the mantra Pure & Organic is Best.

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The response to the Weleda Give-Aways has been fabulous. Keep sending in your entries everyone, there are more prizes yet to be won!

Hear from another winner of a Weleda Gift Pack:

Weleda Pregnancy Body Oil
The pregnancy oil has been very useful. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now, and it feels fantastic on my skin. I am pleased to say no stretch marks so far.

I’m suffering from very dry skin this pregnancy, so I have been using it on my legs, arms, everywhere! Within a matter of 24hrs the dryness is gone. I can’t wait to use the other products on my little man when he is born. Not long now, only 2 months…Yay!

Kind Regards,

Courtney Davis

Colic
Colic is a common and natural condition that most newborns will grow out of in the first few months of life. However the spasmodic pain of colic causes a baby to cry and wail constantly, which is exhausting for both mother and baby. Signs of colic are impatience, irritability, periodical bouts of persistent crying, hardening of the belly, attempting to bend back while feeding at the breast, screaming, high levels of wind and disrupted sleep. To alleviate colic, look at your own diet and limit foods that have a tendency to produce gas or allergies such as beans, wheat, peanuts, excessive fruits, onions, garlic, sugar and nuts.

Adding fennel, mint, caraway, cumin and ginger to your meals will help. An easy way to get a dose of these herbs altogether is by using a breastfeeding tea. Homeopathic baby colic powder may also be beneficial and offers a safe, easily prepared medicine. Avoiding cold foods such as iced drinks and ice-cream will help too. Stroking in a clockwise direction on the abdomen, rocking and playing with your baby will also help. The wind-relieving pose of yoga (legs bent and thighs pressed up toward the chest) helps to clear gas from the body and should be done slowly and gently with a baby.  Answering a cry is akin to answering a distress signal, and while doing this keep your movements slow and your breathing deep. Holding your baby in such as way as to put pressure on the belly will help, especially where they are held against something warm such as a hot water bottle or a warm towel. Colic should be diagnosed by a health professional as other conditions such as undeveloped lower oesophageal sphincter, food allergies and constipation produce similar symptoms. Check that the baby is having regular daily bowel movements, and that there are no food triggers to the symptoms to first rule these out.

Herbs and Homeopathics that relieve Colic

• Fennel eases spasm and griping in the abdomen, stimulates breast milk production

• Chamomilla (homeopathic) is an anti-spasmodic agent that reduces cramping

• Conchae (homeopathic) treats cramping pains in the abdominal area

• Tabacum (homeopathic) relieves nausea and painful distension of the abdomen

• Caraway is often added to breads to improve digestive function, relieves spasm and bloating

• Aniseed promotes breast milk production and relieves digestive symptoms such as flatulence, abdominal distension and indigestion.

• Peppermint is an anti-spasmodic that is cooling on the system and relieve bloating, cramp and flatulence.

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