Youngest's Christening

I haven't been doing much personal blogging recently as to be honest, I haven't particularly felt that I've had a lot to say! I think you have times like that in life, the quiet moments, where lots of stuff is happening behind the scenes, but it's not particularly noteworthy or worth shouting about. Recently, my blog has featured more "informative article" type posts rather than talking about myself, because believe it or not, I hate talking about myself.

However, I thought I would share with you a special thing that  happened in our family a couple of weeks ago:

We finally had youngest Christened at the age of three years!!!

Our former church goes in for mass christenings now - which isn't really our style as I'm more of personal kind of gal, and so having started attending a new church (when we can get the kids up and ready on a Sunday!), we forced  family and friends along to a Sunday service to see youngest be christened. After learning about being christened at school, Eldest (the expert) had spent the weeks before preparing youngest for the occasion of being "welcomed into God's family", and youngest was a star on the day and didn't make a peep as the vicar drenched her.

It was a lovely "Do" as my eighty-something Nan put it (old people love a good "do"), and it was good to have a cause for celebration and to gather everyone together for the occasion.

I didn't really get a good picture of youngest on the day, but here she is in her Christening dress.

Silent Sunday

The First Hour After Birth: No Child Born To Die Campaign

The debate over feeding choices in the UK is a highly emotive one. Whenever and wherever breastfeeding is mentioned as superior to formula feeding, it is often met with a backlash from formula feeding women wishing to defend their feeding choices in public. As an Antenatal Teacher, I have been taken to task for mentioning breastfeeding in my classes, typically by women who have already decided to formula feed their babies and perceive me to not be respecting their choices.

The World Health Organisation recommends that babies should be exclusively breastfed for at least six months, and that breastfeeeding should continue for up to two years after birth. On the face of things, the choice to breastfeed or formula feed can appear to be an equal choice - especially in this country. However, breastfeeding does have significant health benefits for mother and baby.

For the Mother

• Releases oxytocin to help uterus contract, which helps prevent post-partum haemorrhage.
• Protects against various cancers and illnesses including Breast Cancer and Ovarian Cancer
• Keep's a woman's periods from starting until her body is ready
• Natural Contraceptive (although not completely foolproof so other contraception should be used!)

For the Baby

• Provides immunity in the early months after birth
• Protects from pneumonia and diarrhoea - two of the world's biggest killers in childhood
• Protects against asthma, diabetes, coeliac disease, colitis, chrohns disease and obesity.
• A mother's milk is specifically designed for her baby. The nutritional make-up of a mother's breastmilk adapts according to the needs of her infant at that time for their individual development, as long as the supply and demand mechanism is not interrupted. 

Promoting breastfeeding is not about making women feel guilty about their feeding choices, it is more about raising awareness of the despicable tactics which formula companies use to make formula appear an equal, and sometimes superior choice to breastfeeding.

With a formula milk business worth £16 billion pounds per year worldwide, formula companies are keen to keep mother's believing that formula milk is equal to breastmilk. If you have ever read "The Politics of Breastfeeding" by Gabrielle Palmer, you would be familiar with the underhanded tactics which formula companies use in both in wealthy and developing countries. In the UK, formula companies are not supposed to advertise formula for babies under six months, just as retailers are not supposed to promote, advertise or discount formula for babies under six months.

However the saving grace is at least in this country, parents who choose to formula feed have access to running water, sanitation and sterilisation facilities. Therefore, throughout the first world, formula feeding is much safer than in other countries where the concern is that sanitation is not as good, and where formula is being made with contaminated water, in bottles left in unsanitary conditions, and babies are being fed food which contains parasites, leading to babies becoming ill.

The Golden Hour after Birth 
The first hour after birth, often known as "the golden hour" or "the power hour" is a special time in a baby's life. The baby is adjusting to life outside of the womb and discovering the world using it's senses. Bonding behaviours are taking place between the mother and the baby, and typically, breastfeeding is initiated, transferring the vital antibodies which boost the immune system from the mother to the baby.

This initiation of breastfeeding in the first golden hour can be the difference between 

life and death for a baby.

Seven million children worldwide under the age of five die each year because they were not breastfed during the golden hour after birth and so did not receive the vital antibodies to boost the imnmune system and protect against disease. If every baby were breastfed within the first hour of life, 830,000 deaths per year could be avoided in developing countries and throughout the world.

In the UK, 81% of mother's initiate breastfeeding within the first 24 hours. In developing countries, this figure stands at around 40%, and in some places such as Burkina Faso, and Cameroon, breastfeeding in the first hour can be as low as 20%.

So how is childhood mortality linked to breastfeeding in the first hour of birth?

From birth and until around three days after birth, a mother produces a type of milk called Colostrum. Colostrum is nature's way of providing as much goodness to the baby as possible. Rich in nutrients, it works to boost immunity and protect against unwanted bacteria. Colostrum also has a laxative effect to help the baby pass it's first poo called meconium, which helps to get the baby's bowel and digestive system working, prevent jaundice and stop bacteria and allergens attacking the baby's throat, lungs and intestines. A baby's stomach is only around the size of a marble at birth, so the baby only needs continuous small amounts of this nutrient rich colostrum to reap the benefits. Often mother's may feel that the tiny amount of colostrum they are producing is not enough, and is not worth anything, however, an infant who receives colostrum in the first hour after birth is three times more likely to survive than one breastfed a day later. Even if mother's who wanted to formula feed gave their child this colostrum in the first hour, it would help to boost their immune system in the early weeks.

Breastfeeding in Developing Countries
Unlike the UK, in  poorer countries, many women are not able to make their own informed choice to breastfeed. Practices such as denying colostrum, or giving other foods and liquids to the baby leave the baby open to disease and malnutrition, and also cause the baby to become confused about which sucking reflex to use. The sucking reflex a baby needs to employ for feeding is different for breast and bottle feeding, plus, it is easier to suck from a bottle, so the baby becomes used to this, even after one feed. 

Often women in poorer countries are given bad advice, or pressurised into harmful alternatives to encourage women to purchase formula. In Pakistan, 56% of women cite husbands and mothers-in-law as the decision makers in how their child is fed. Father's and Grandparents naturally want to be able to feed the baby as many link feeding with love - as we see in this country also. Additionally, midwives and health professionals often receive a kickback from formula companies when they persuade women to purchase formula. Formula companies provide free samples to midwives to help entice women into giving formula to their baby.

Changing the power and gender dynamics in communities will empower women to be able to make their own decisions about how they feed their babies. The health systems needs to be stronger to protect and promote breastfeeding. International code should be enshrined in law in all countries, and regular monitoring of formula promotion in countries should be employed, along with health warnings on formula and detailing the benefits of breastfeeding.

No Child Born to Die

Save The Children has launched their "No Child Born To Die" Campaign, in a bid to promote the importance of the first hour after birth, and to drive down childhood mortality rates.

According to a Save the Children report – Superfood for Babies –  which was launched this week, there are three key factors which undermine women worldwide's ability to make an informed choice about their feeding choices:

• A significant shortage of midwives – 350,000 worldwide. In poorer countries, one third of babies are born without a skilled birth attendant present, meaning that the opportunity for new mother's to be supported to breastfeed is lost. As a Birth Companion who attends women in labour, to me, this is a shocking statistic. Women need support through birth and help to breastfeed in the first hours after birth. 

• Cultural factors play a part too. Without a health worker providing accurate advice, some women receive advice which tells them that the colostrum (first milk) is actually bad for their babies. Indeed in some countries, it is considered unclean. This leads to babies receiving sugar water, herbal tea or butter as the first feed, or being given formula which is being made up with unclean water, unsterilised equipment and in unsanitary conditions. 

• The marketing tactics and lobbying of some multinational breast milk substitute companies, can lead mums to become confused and believing that formula is beneficial for their babies. The international Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes means that providing free samples, targeting mothers. and making health claims on packaging is not permitted. In many countries, this is not monitored and implemented into practice, and so companies are able to violate the code. Of great concern is also the way that health workers are targeted to promote formula to mother's and infants for rewards. 

Save the Children's Campaign aims for world leaders, international institutions and multinational companies to take action to ensure every infant receives the life-saving protection which breastfeeding can offer. Breastfeeding should be at the centre of government strategy and policy so that optimal breastfeeding practices are being undertaken. Even in the UK currently, companies such as Bounty and formula milk companies are still schmoozing the NHS and gaining access into hospitals to give midwives literature to pass onto women promoting formula.

Save The Children believe - and I do too:

• No Child should be born to die because they don't get the basic nourishment they need.
• No Child should be born to die because their mother does not have access to a health professional to help them give birth, and breastfeed within the first hour.
• No Child should be born to die because because their mother's milk does not protect them against pneumonia and diarrhoea.
• No Child should be born to die because their mother is led to believe formula is the baby's best option.
• No Child should be born to die because because they are fed formula produced in unsterile, unsanitary conditions.

Save the Children are ensuring that babies get the vital essentials they need to help them survive in the first hour of life. 

• In Liberia, midwives are being trained to spot signs of danger and act in a heartbeat if danger occurs, whilst respecting the mother's ability to birth her baby by providing a safe and hygienic environment for her to birth in, and making sure baby is breastfed within the first "golden hour" of birth. 

• In Mongolia, where children are born into temperatures of -40C, Save the Children are providing woolly hats, thermal clothes and blankets to protect babies from hypothermia and pneumonia. 

• In Tanzania, Malawi and Nigeria, health workers are learning about ‘kangaroo care’, where mothers of premature babies keep their newborns warm through skin-to-skin contact – providing a ‘human incubator’ in those vulnerable first hours and days. This is great for all babies as it helps babies to regulate their temperature and helps them bond with their parents.

• In Indonesia, health workers are teaching expectant mums about the benefits of breastfeeding to make sure they’re ready to give their baby that vital first feed.

• Across the world, Save the Children are campaigning for more doctors, nurses and midwives so that no new mum or newborn baby is out of reach of a health worker when they need one.

What Can You Do?:

1. You can take action by signing a petition calling on breast milk substitute companies to always put children first.

2. You can make a donation to help babies survive their first hour.

3. You can spread the word about this campaign. Follow @savechildrenuk on Twitter, and like their page on Facebook. Use the hashtag #firsthour to share links and posts on the campaign or use this bloggers toolkit to write your own post.

Please Take Action to help save half a million lives and ensure that No Child Is Born to Die

NCT Birth Companion Service - I'm available for hire!

Part of the reason that my blogging is taking a slight back seat at the moment, is because I am currently training to become a Birth Companion with NCT and the University of Worcester.

Having trained as an NCT Antenatal teacher to educate people about birth, it's exciting that I will now be able to support women and their partner's during labour and birth, and help them to have the birth they are hoping for.

The course is one of the longest and most comprehensive of it's kind, and as part of my course, I have to find a woman, or couple to be a Birth Companion for, and so I thought I would tell you a bit about the service, in case you, or anyone you know is currently considering having a Doula or Birth Companion to support you through birth. There are NCT trained Birth Companions and student Birth Companions throughout the country.

I am specifically looking for a woman or couple based within an hours drive of me in Herts/Beds/Bucks to be a Birth Companion for. They must be due between mid February and Mid April or thereabouts this year, and I am able to offer my services for only £250. There are more details below, so please do take a look if you, or anyone you know many be interested.

Here is some more information on NCT Birth Companion's

What is the role of an NCT Birth Companion?
The role of an NCT Birth Companion is to support a woman, or a woman and her partner, during labour and birth. The role begins during pregnancy as I help women and their partners to consider what they want for their birth and to prepare for labour and the birth of their baby. During labour my role can include providing physical support, emotional support, practical help and encouragement or reassurance for them both. My role is also often about supporting the partner so that they can support the mother so that they both have the birth experience that they want. Additionally, the role may entail helping to explain what is happening during the birth or to remind couples of their options as things change. NCT Birth Companions are happy to support women wherever and however they are choosing to labour and birth their babies. We are not acting as midwives and do not replace them.

What is the difference between a Doula and a Birth Companion?
The term 'doula' was first introduced by a social anthropologist who borrowed it from the ancient Greeks. It has become an adopted term for a birth attendant. There is no national or international standard of training for doulas and some have no qualification at all. The NCT and the University of Worcester decided to offer training to Birth Companions in 2010 and run a 9 month course which involves training at the Midwifery School in Worcester and shadowing local midwives. It is the only UK course of its kind at this level. The training for birth companions is different but the role of a birth companion and doula is similar.

Why might you choose someone outside your family as a birth companion?
There is lots of evidence that a trained Birth Companion can make a difference to the birth outcome. Women are more likely to experience shorter labour, straightforward labour and birth, a positive birth experience. They are less likely to need pain medication, less likely to experience assisted birth, anxiety and postnatal depression Women need to have someone with them whom they trust and who can create the privacy they need to birth their babies. Partners welcome the support of someone with experience and training who can help them.

As the Birth Companion, how do you prepare for the birth?
I would meet with the parents-to-be three times before the birth to discuss what they would like from me. It gives me a chance to get to know the couple and to find out what their likes and dislikes are as well as giving them the opportunity to get to know me. Discussing the plans for the birth and helping expectant parents to prepare are also part of the role. I can be contacted at any stage during pregnancy to make enquiries or a booking.

What advice would you give to someone taking care of their partner during labour and birth?
There are lots of things they can do to support a woman labouring. Partners can help write a birth plan, be prepared to speak for their partner if she is unable to and make the place of birth feel safe and comfortable. Being a strong, calming presence and helping the mother be calm and relaxed perhaps using massage, breathing, encouragement for example. The simple things of making sure they have drinks and food, go to the loo and telling her how amazing she is are all going to make a woman feel special and help let her do her thing.

What made you want to be a NCT Birth Companion?
I wanted to complete a recognised Birth Companions course, and the NCT one was the best course available. Having spent recent years training as an NCT Antenatal Teacher, I have learnt so much about labour and birth, and have also had the privilege of preparing parents for birth and parenting. Hearing women’s stories at reunions encouraged me to consider becoming an NCT Birth Companion as many women felt that they did not have the birth they had hoped for. My previous work for a teenage pregnancy charity also encouraged me to commence training as many of the young women I worked with did not have a birth partner during labour and birth, and felt that their choices were not supported. I hope through training that I will be able to support a diverse range of women through labour, and make the birth of their baby, a special event. I am passionate about helping women and couples to achieve the kind of births they want – no matter what that birth may be......and this is a rewarding way to achieve it.

Do you work in partnership with local midwifery staff?
I work very closely with local midwives in my voluntary role as an NCT Maternity Services Representative on local maternity committees and have the highest regard for midwives and the job that they do. I realise that with the birth rate as high as it is in this area, it is not possible for midwives to offer a caseload service where they will get to know the woman before the birth, and with women often being in labour for quite a while, women may experience one or more shift changes during their time in labour. Having a trained Birth Companion who can get to know a woman or couple, who understands their wishes and is able to support them throughout their whole labour is the next best thing. As I am on call for births I can only accept a small number of bookings each year. I am fortunate enough to work with other local NCT Birth Companions such as Georgina, who are able to be my back up if some unexpected event came up and clients would also have their contact details. I may also act as back up for their clients.

How do I find out more about the Birth Companions Service?
To find out more about the Birth Companion’s service, visit the NCT website http://www.nct.org.uk/courses/nct-birth-companions-doula-service-parents or email b_companions@nct.org.uk

Special Rates for Parents due Mid Feb – Mid/End Apr 2013!!!

As I am currently a student with the university, as part of my training, I have to act as a Birth Companion for a woman or couple, ideally, within the above timescales, and there are currently students training throughout the country who are looking for student births.

For hiring a Student Birth Companion, the NCT is able to offer a significant discount to clients, with a Birth Companion package costing only £250 in most areas. In common with their other services, the NCT also offers reductions to clients on reduced income and the option to spread payments.

If you would like to know more about booking my services as a student Birth Companion within Herts, Beds or Bucks, please contact me directly at Clare_eg@hotmail.com,. To book a Birth Companion outside of these areas, please email b_companions@nct.org.uk.

Safer Internet Day - Protecting Kids on the Internet

Today is  "Safer Internet Day" across the world and recently, I have been giving the issue of internet safety a lot of consideration. Since eldest started her own blog, I have become a lot more aware of keeping her identity safe online, and keeping a handle on the amount of personal information she posts about herself in the public domain.

I consider myself (along with millions of others) as one of the first generations of parents who have had to give consideration to the issue of keeping my children safe on the internet. I was eighteen when I first started using the internet, and so I didn't have my mother watching over my shoulder and checking up on what I was posting online. Back then, the internet was so new, and social media wasn't mainstream, and so the concern of kids sharing too much personal information with complete strangers wasn't as widespread as it is now. Search Engines and their ability to manipulate information were not as sophisticated as today, and so even if the information was out there, it was harder to find.

Nowadays, my daughter's generation - classed as "digital natives" are perceived to be far more about adept at technology than us older "digital immigrants" who have had to adapt out way of life to include technology.  The way that my six and three year olds can negotiate an iPad and iPhone is unbelievable. The way that they can switch between various digital formats via the TV is quite remarkable, and the way that my six year old has taken to blogging, writing her own posts, adding pictures and negotiating a new format without too much trouble, just goes to show that children are easily embracing the technology they are surrounded by.

Since keeping kids safe online is not something that has been handed down from my parents generation, hubby and I are having to make up our own rules when it comes to internet safety. We both like to consider ourselves pretty internet savvy and so hopefully we have a pretty good handle on keeping our kids safe online and monitoring their activity - but sometimes.... things still slip through the net.

For example:
A harmless Google Image search by eldest and her friends last week for "cute fluffy kittens" or the like, still managed to produce quirky images of cats which contained the "F" word. A well-meaning video search on YouTube led to them watching cute kittens playing, followed by some quick on-the-spot parental intervention to stop them from clicking on a link from that video, to a video of some "provocative sex kittens" playing.

Even if kids don't go searching for anything untoward on the internet, it is so easy to find - and often they may come across it completely by accident. At the moment, our girls are only allowed to access the internet on any format downstairs, within our view, where we can keep an eye on the information that they are accessing, and make sure that what they are accessing is suitable for their age. As they grow older, we have also resolved not to let them have access to the internet in their rooms. In terms of smart phone access - that one is very much a watch this space, but at the minute, we are not contemplating it until at least senior school!

Recently, in conjunction with her blogging, eldest  asked to join Twitter so she could join in a twitter party on kids blogging. I agreed and signed her up - but the account is currently in my name. She enjoyed the twitter party very much, and I was glad to give her the chance to experiment with twitter in a safe environment, whilst being able to talk to her about what she should and maybe should not post via twitter to help her gain an understanding of how to use twitter safely.

Eldest is loving the freedom of creativity that blogging allows her. However, within freedom, also comes rules, and so we have had to come up with ways to enable her to blog and share information, but also keep her personal information safe online. Hubby and I have spoken with eldest about why it is important not to share personal details on the internet and the implications that this could have.

These are the rules we have come up with for our little ones so far, and I think at the moment that they are probably sufficient, although I'm sure they will change over time as the girls get older and begin to use other forms of social media.

• Always use a pseudonym so that your real name and identity is not in the public domain. 
• Always use a pseudonym for your friends and young family members.
• No naming your school, or posting photos in your school uniform.
• No personal details which could identify where you live, your birth date etc.
• No photos with identifying features.

Others Disclosing A Child's Identity
As a parent, another way I try to keep my children's identities safe online is by regularly putting their names into Search Engines such as Google, and searching for websites and images which their names may be linked to. I would encourage all parents to do the same. This way, I can keep on top of what websites my children are being featured on, and if necessary, request for their personal details to be amended or removed.

Ironically, it seems that most often it is schools, or activity groups who are placing children's identities onto the internet and into the public domain - sometimes without the knowledge of the child's parents. Although those posting online may be doing it in a well meaning manor, or as a means to advertise their business or group, they may not always be internet savvy enough to give consideration to how sophisticated search engines are at crawling the internet to find the information that users are searching for.

By placing a child's name and surname online, either on a website, or in a newsletter which has been placed online, search engines are able to pick up the name of the child and link it to their primary or senior school, swim club, dance school, or football club. If someone were to be searching for the location of that child, this would then give them a pretty good idea of which location they resided in, and the kind of activities they were interested in. Some might say that this would form quite a good basis of knowledge for someone to start grooming a child over the internet - by talking to them about where they lived, and their local school or club.

Images displayed on a website may also show up in a search if the child's name is featured on that website - as may links from that websites to other websites that they are featured in.

Sometimes, schools or clubs may feature children in a local newspaper, and a copy of that article is placed online. For example - last year some pupils from my daughter's school were featured in a newspaper article celebrating some fundraising. The article from the newspaper was then posted online, and now, if you search for the names of the children pictured in the article, there is a link to a picture of them, in their school uniforms on the newspaper website. This discloses their names, ages and the school that they attend. Parents consenting to photos in a school or club environment may consent to their child's details being used in print, but may not be happy with their identities being immortalised on the internet, and they may not realise that their children's details are being used in this way. As a parent, if you feel strongly about having your child's identity featured on the internet, it is essential to make it clear to your local school or club that you do not want your child's identity featured in this way.

As a school or club staff member, it is vital to consider internet safety when featuring and identifying children on the internet who are too young to consent to their identity being broadcast so publicly. If you feature children on a website or in a newsletter, just using a child's first name should be sufficient and will keep their identity safe. If you have visitors such as journalists photographing the children for any kind of media, request that only their first names are used, and do not divulge their last names.

Often journalists will want to use a child's full name rather than a first name in their articles as they feel that it lends more credibility to their story. However, if this article is to be placed online, this means that the article will forever be immortalised on the internet. The digital age is so young, that it could mean that this article will remain in cyberspace for the rest of someone's life. It also means that their identity is easily searchable and easy to find by anyone in the world.

Schools and groups working with children, and anyone featuring children in articles online need to be aware of posting children's identities on the internet, and I would hope that they would only use first names, rather than full names so that children are able to remain anonymous. Even if children are not known to be at risk or  in any imminent danger, there may be parents who would not particularly want people from their present or their past searching for the identity of their kids, and there may be some kids, who have perhaps gained prominence through one form or another, who would like to remain anonymous and do not want people to find out the school or activities they attend.

I think that children of primary school age (and some of secondary age) are too young to consent to their identity being out there in the public domain, and so as parents and carers, it is our job to keep their identities protected, until such a time as they are old enough to have their own say.

How do you keep your child(ren) safe on the internet?

Do you think more should be done by schools and organisations working with children to keep their identities safe?

Honk for Team Honk - Visiting Ghana for Comic Relief!

Always a little late to the party (and struck down by illness over the last couple of days), I wanted to take a mo to tell you about #TeamHonk.  Team What? I hear you ask? Team Honk!

Yes - three lovely bloggers - Penny from Alexander Residence, Tanya from Mummy Barrow, and Annie from Mammasaurus, have teamed up with Comic Relief to visit Ghana on a two day visit as part of Comic Relief's 25th anniversary.

Joined by two now, not so secret celebs - Davina McCall and Jonathan Ross, the bloggers will be visiting a women's bakery, a school in a slum area, a vaccination clinic, and a mental health project, to find out about how money raised by Comic Relief has had an effect in Ghana.

All three bloggers will be tweeting and blogging about their two day visit on the 4th and 5th of February.

You can follow Team Honk's adventures on their individual blogs, and on twitter by following the #Teamhonk and #goodwork hashtags.

You can also find out more about team Honk's schedule and adventures on the #Teamhonk Website!