Author: Christie del Castillo-Hegyi MD

Co-Founder of the Fed is Best Foundation, Board-Certified Emergency Physician and Investigator of Breastfeeding Complications that Result in Infant Rehospitalization, Brain Injury and Disability

Hospital Bag Packing Tips for You and Your Partner

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by Josh Moore from Diaperdads.org

Image via Pexels

Packing your hospital bag can be one of the most exciting parts of preparing for your new baby. It’s getting real! But as exciting as it is, many first-time parents feel stressed about what to pack and bring. The Fed is Best Foundationprovides infant-feeding education and can help ease parental jitters. Then you can focus on the fun parts — packing your bag like a pro and visualizing your ideal birth. Read on for tips about how to get started.

Your baby’s first need is you.

The list of baby supplies can feel overwhelming, but try to remember that you are what your new baby needs most of all. The first hour of skin-to-skin contact with your baby has powerful physical and emotional benefits. The comfort and love that you provide your baby immediately after birth are more important than any supplies you bring to the hospital.

That said, there are a few things that you should pack for him or her, such as onesies (including a full body suit), a swaddle blanket, a beanie, and (most importantly) an installed car seat to take your little one home. Your hospital or birthing center usually provides diapers and wet wipes. But keep in mind that if you do forget anything, a friend or relative can bring it to the hospital for you, so there’s no need to pack your baby’s entire future wardrobe. Continue reading →

Dr. Nicole King Warns About Dangers of Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative at USDA Dietary Guidelines Meeting

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On August 11, 2020, Dr. Nicole King, Anesthesiologist, Critical Care Intensivist, Patient Safety Expert and Senior Advisor to the Fed is Best Foundation spoke at the USDA Scientific Report of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee meeting warning of the dangers and patient rights violations of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. Watch her address below.

Good afternoon, my name is Nicole King and I am a mother and a physician.  As an anesthesiologist and intensive care physician, I am faced with life and death circumstances every day.  In no way did I ever consider breastfeeding my child would be as stressful as supporting a COVID patient through their critical illness.  Five years ago, I realized how wrong I was.

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Guidelines for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Mothers During the Coronavirus Pandemic

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Photo Credit: Shutter Stock

By the Fed is Best Foundation Health Professional Team

We have summarized the current recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control  for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Mothers in the wake of the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19). The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have also endorsed the CDC recommendations. This information is intended to inform health care professionals and pregnant mothers who are confirmed positive for COVID-19 or persons under investigation (PUI) for COVID-19 in the hospital and postpartum settings.

The symptoms of coronavirus for pregnant and lactating mothers and infants are the same as those of the general population, which include but are not limited to:

  • Fever 
  • Cough
  • Shortness of Breath
  • Fatigue
  • Poor appetite
  • Sputum production 
  • Body aches

The United States is currently has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world, particularly in New York, New Jersey, California and Washington State. See the current world distribution of Coronavirus cases here. Continue reading →

3 Harmful Dental Myths For Pregnant and Nursing Women

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Dr. Amanda Tavoularis – dentably.com

There’s a lot of information out there for pregnant and breastfeeding women, but unfortunately, not all of it is good. Oral health and visiting the dentist is one such area where there is a lot of misinformation. It’s not only frustrating to be told a dental myth, but it can also be harmful if you don’t recognize the truth behind it. I’ve practiced dentistry for over 20 years, so I’ve heard my share of dental myths and have worked to help spread good information. I’ve put together the top myths I hear pregnant and nursing women being told and hopefully can add some good information that will help women make informed decisions with their dental health. The end goal is to keep your mouth healthy, while also having a safe pregnancy and practicing safe breastfeeding. Continue reading →

U.S. Study Shows Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative Does Not Work

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by Christie del Castillo-Hegyi, M.D.

On October 14, 2019, the Journal of Pediatrics published astonishing findings regarding the effects of the Baby-Friendly hospital certification on sustained breastfeeding rates as defined by the 2020 Healthy People Goals of: 

  1. any breastfeeding at 6 and 12 months
  2. exclusive breastfeeding at 3 and 6 months. 

They did so by measuring the relationship between statewide breastfeeding initiation rates data and the above breastfeeding rates. They then measured the contribution of Baby-Friendly hospital designation on these same breastfeeding outcomes.

According to the study authors, the increase in hospital designation in the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) began in 2011 when the U.S. Surgeon General issued a call to action for maternity care practices throughout the U.S. to support breastfeeding. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) became involved in promoting the BFHI policies in hospitals and health facilities, as breastfeeding was thought to be associated with lower rates of childhood obesity. The assumption was that by increasing breastfeeding rates through the BFHI, there would be a concomitant decline in childhood obesity. Upon initiation of this program, the CDC initiated surveillance of state-specific data on breastfeeding outcomes after discharge including BFHI designation rates. This data is made available to the public through the CDC Breastfeeding Report Card, which provides annual reports from 2007 through 2014 and biennial reports from 2014.

As expected, they found that states with higher breastfeeding initiation rates had higher rates of these sustained breastfeeding outcomes. You cannot have high breastfeeding rates unless mothers are given education and successfully initiate breastfeeding. However, when they measured the effects of Baby-Friendly certification, this is what they found.

“Baby-Friendly designation did not demonstrate a significant association with any post-discharge breastfeeding outcome (Figures 1, B and 2, B). There was no association between Baby-Friendly designation and breastfeeding initiation rates.” Continue reading →