Health Care

August 3, 2011

Childhood obesity is a dangerous epidemic, as more than one-third of American children are now overweight or obese. Many of these kids will develop life-threatening conditions such as type-2 diabetes because of their unhealthy weight — some even before they graduate high school. Everyone from First...

MomsRising Together

Elizabeth Brotherton

Health Care Blog Carnivals

August 3, 2011

When my son turned a year old in February, I started to hear one question quite frequently: "You're STILL nursing him?!" Why, yes. Yes I am. When will I stop? No idea. I weaned my daughter at 14 months, and I was working full time. Now I am home, so maybe I'll nurse my son a little longer, and...

MomsRising Together

Erika Chavez

Paid Family Leave Open Flexible Work Health Care Blog Carnivals

August 3, 2011

Breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world. But that doesn't always mean that it's easy or that there's no learning curve. Many mothers need a lot of support from friends, family and employers to start and continue breastfeeding exclusively for at least 6 months as recommended by the...

MomsRising Together

Ashley Boyd

Childcare & Early Education Health Care Blog Carnivals

August 3, 2011

The controversy brewing over a new breastfeeding doll soon to be sold in the United States reminds me of the bru-ha-ha about Teletubbies when Jerry Falwell accused Tinky Winky of being gay. People rightfully upset about homophobia came to the support of the show, misguidedly defending the goodness...

MomsRising Together

Susan Linn

Health Care Blog Carnivals

August 3, 2011

On August 1, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it would adopt the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations to close critical gaps in women’s preventative health care. Just last week, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) gave recommendations to close critical gaps in women’s...

MomsRising Together

Melissa Bartick

Health Care Blog Carnivals

August 3, 2011

Breastfeeding is the best thing for baby and mom. Everybody knows it. So why are so many people, from health professionals, to friends, to mothers-in-law, to husbands, intent on making the mother feel inadequate and getting her to quit breastfeeding? I have to think that many of them are not doing...

MomsRising Together

Annie

Health Care Blog Carnivals

August 3, 2011

California WIC – the nation’s largest WIC program -- is making huge strides towards our goal of making breastfeeding the norm in communities where we serve over 50% of all infants born. Thanks to a “harmonic convergence” of progressive WIC policy and environmental changes , our exclusive...

MomsRising Together

Laurie True

Paid Family Leave Open Flexible Work Health Care Blog Carnivals

August 3, 2011

My son was born last year. Luckily, we had no trouble with the big latch on. I savored every moment of bonding with him as he nursed. Three months after his birth, I returned to work. And then the trouble began. I grudgingly adopted my Medela Pump in Style. But the little one didn’t want anything...

MomsRising Together

Vibhuti Mehra

Health Care Blog Carnivals

August 3, 2011

As part of a long term strategy to have more California hospitals become Baby Friendly, or at least adopt breastfeeding policies, California WIC Association (CWA) is sponsoring SB 502 (Pavley and deLeon), the Hospital Infant Feeding Act. The bill requires all general acute care and special...

MomsRising Together

Karen Farley

Health Care Blog Carnivals

August 3, 2011

While everyone is talking about the historic win we received with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) accepting the full recommendations of the Institute of Medicine (IOM), making contraceptives available without co-pays, we shouldn’t forget the other great victories for women’s...

MomsRising Together

Melanie Ross-Levin