Mommy's Milk Heals

Photo and poem by Danelle Frisbie © 2012


When I'm lonely, sad or blue,
Mommy's milk heals.

When I'm hungry, or thirsty too,
Mommy's milk heals.

When the day's been long and very hard,
Mommy's milk heals.

When I get a scratch out in the yard,
Mommy's milk heals.

When I'm playing and get knocked down,
Mommy's milk heals. 

When I'm not really sure about that silly clown...
Mommy's milk heals.

When the day is rainy or full of sun,
Mommy's milk heals.

When I feel I'm not her only one,
Mommy's milk heals.

When I want to run away and hide,
Mommy's milk heals.

When it's s-c-a-r-y on that bumpy ride,
Mommy's milk heals.

When I'm sick and not feeling well,
Mommy's milk heals.

When the bump on my knee begins to swell,
Mommy's milk heals.

When to Grandma I say my last goodbyes,
Mommy's milk heals.

When life's confusing through my eyes,
Mommy's milk heals.

No matter my need
Or my condition -
Mommy's right there
Without hesitation. 

Her milk grows me up!
Keeps me safe ~ happy too.
All the days till I'm ready,
It's her big 'I Love You!'

~ Danelle Frisbie



~~~~


Related Reading:






Cold Sore Prevention and Treatment for Kids

By Carrie Shannon © 2012


It can be frustrating living with cold sores and it can be even worse when you're a kid. Children often get upset when a cold sore starts developing on their lip, as the experience can be very unpleasant and embarrassing. That's your cue to change a few things concerning your child's health.

Read Up On Cold Sores
The first thing you need to be aware of, if you're not already, is that there is no currently known cure for the herpes virus which is the culprit behind cold sores. The more reliable sources will not promise you one, nor will they suggest anything out of the norm. The best resources on the herpes virus include the Mayo Clinic and the CDC (Centers for Disease Control). WebMD (website) is also filled with useful articles and information that can be linked to peer reviewed journal articles. Your physician may have brochures on cold sores available as well. Much of the reliable information you will be able to find can help you toward an easy strategy for home treatments.

What to Think About
Before you panic and think that nothing can be done for your child's cold sores, consider for a moment what the constant appearance of cold sores actually means. Yes, it's an obvious sign that they have the herpes virus, but it also means that there's a lifestyle change in order. When the diet isn't right and their immune system isn't working efficiently, the herpes virus has more room to wreak havoc.

Here are a few things that you can do to help prevent that:


1. Tips and Advice for Cold Sore Prevention: No Contact
What this means is that when a cold sore starts showing, the only thing that should touch that area is a topical treatment. Your child might be compelled to touch the area with their hands due to the discomfort of a cold sore, so it's good to continuously remind them of this hazard. Hands have bacteria, which can make the cold sore worse and touching the area puts others at risk of accidently catching the virus (mouth-hand-friend contact). The herpes virus can also get into the eyes, which makes touching a cold sore (and then touching the eyes) a bad idea.

2. Kisses Are Best Saved For Later
The same issues with touching the area apply to kissing the affected area. You can both worsen the cold sore and transfer the herpes virus more easily because people tend to have unknown cuts or tears in the mouth area.

3. Change Out Their Toothbrush
This might seem like an unusual and expensive tip, but you'll be glad that you did it in the end. Toothbrushes can harbor bacteria for a long time, which can be bad for a cold sore. As soon as a cold sore shows up, throw out your child's toothbrush and use a new one until the sore is healed up. You should not use that toothbrush passed the cold sore episode.

4. Let Them Be a Little Carnivorous
If your family includes meat in your meals, it's a good idea to give your child a good helping of it along with their greens. Many proteins such as chicken, fish, beef and other meats contain what scientists have called lysine. Including this in the diet can help slow the herpes virus.

5. Nuts Are Bad News
While you're upping your child's meat intake, also lower the amount of nuts they eat or cut it out of the diet entirely. Studies suggest that the amino acid in nuts known as arginine can activate the herpes virus. But, when the amounts are low and lysine is higher, this can actually be beneficial.

6. Eliminate Sugar
Sugar is, in general, unhealthy for anyone who consumes large amounts. Many of us have more sugar in our diets than we realize, especially kids. Their favorite juices and snacks are packed full with it, so take some precautions. Children with the herpes virus can be at risk of reactivating it when they eat too much sugar. Keep the sugary snacks out of your home and teach your kid to make healthy choices when they are at school or with friends.

7. Fill In the Gaps with Supplements
It's a simple fact that we don't get enough vitamins and minerals in today's diet. People can struggle for years trying to get the right balance of all the necessary nutrients, so we suggest supplements. They can make up for whatever you're child may be missing in their daily meals. Choose quality multivitamins and minerals for them to take every morning or evening.

Teaching Your Kid about Treating a Cold Sore
Even having a healthy lifestyle and diet can't keep the cold sores away forever. Things happen, so make sure you're prepared. Better yet, make sure your child learns to be prepared and what to do. Any easy step towards this is to make up a cold sore kit. It can be relatively simple as all you need is some rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide and something sterile, like cotton balls or q-tips, for application. Put them in an easy to find spot in the bathroom, label it and make sure your child knows their purpose. Show him or her how to use them and by the time they are old enough, around eight, they will be able to do it on their own.

Follow this tip and the others above, and your child can achieve a better life with less bothersome cold sores.



Carrie Shannon is the publisher of YourColdSoreRemedies.com, a website devoted to providing information on effective and safe cold sore remedies. She currently lives with her very supportive and loving husband, Dave, and their two adorable Yorkies, Oscar and Maggie, in Hermosa Beach, California. In her leisure time you can find Carrie walking her dogs on the beach, doing Bikram Yoga, as well as developing her cold sore home remedies website.

~~~~

DrMomma Note: As unpopular as a few find this suggestion to be, we urge parents to NOT let others kiss their babies or young children on the lips. One of the primary ways young people end up with herpes (causing 'cold sores') is being kissed as an infant by a well-meaning relative who gave them the virus. In fact, the CDC reports that 60% of those who get the herpes virus, contracted it before the age of 10 - and this is almost exclusively from being kissed by a loving relative. This is not fair to the child, who never 'asked' to be kissed and infected, and because we advocate for the conscious protection of our children and their bodily autonomy, we encourage you to implement a "no kissing on the lips" policy for your friends and relatives. It is not enough to merely state that others cannot kiss on the lips when sores are present, because herpes can and is transmitted from infected person to herpes-free person (via the mouth/lips/eyes/skin/genitals) even when sores are not present. When your child is old enough to make the decision for him/herself (who they allow to kiss on the lips, and the potential consequences of doing so), then it may be the right time to drop the policy and discuss the subject further. But in infancy, protect your babies. They only have this one shot at babyhood/early childhood and do not need to be encumbered by the sore and embarrassing herpes virus. There are many soft and cuddly places to kiss babies -- it does not need to be on the lips! 

"Genital herpes" (HSV-2) can and does impact both the mouth and genitals. It can also infect the eyes, tongue, fingers, feet, anus, forehead, cheeks and other parts of the body. Some cases of herpes found on the mouth (and transmitted to babies via kissing) are HSV-2. If an adult has a visible sore, it is best that they not kiss your baby anywhere as the 'genital herpes' virus will pop up anyplace on the body that is kissed if the conditions are right. 

"Oral herpes" (HSV-1) most often impacts the mouth, lips, gums and throat only, although it can be transferred to the genitals as well. HSV-1 is responsible for the majority of "cold sores" but also causes sore throat, fever, swollen glands, and painful swallowing -- all side effects of the herpes virus that babies are better off without. HSV-1 can be transferred via shared items like straws, utensils, sippy cups, teething toys, glasses and even washcloths used on the lips/face. It is a good idea not to share mouthed items between babies and others, and to teach your children not to swap things that touch their mouth. If you (as a parent) know you have herpes, make efforts not to share items from your mouth with your baby/young child, especially when you have a sore present. Although it is rare, there are life-threatening cases of HSV-1 among newborns and babies already suffering from eczema (which increases exposure and contraction of the virus).




Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner Welcome Healthy, Whole Baby Boy



We don't dive into the celeb gossip too often here at pp, but when Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner announced they welcomed baby boy, Samuel, to the family yesterday (Feb 27), it was cause for a few high-fives as this is one Hollywood babe who will likely be keeping all his parts.

Having grown up intact, Affleck has discussed circumcision briefly in interviews in the past, saying that he "hates it." But his son is sure to love him for keeping him happy, healthy and whole!

Samuel Garner Affleck joins his two older sisters, Violet (6) and Seraphina (3) in the Affleck Garner family.

~~~~


Jon Stewart (Comedy Central) prop; Sept 2006
Video clip below starts at minute 4:40



Raven Brings The Light

By April West © 2012

Before reading April's birth story, she asks that you take a brief moment to read a little of her son Fox's story here.



It's hard to write about the birth of my daughter without first talking about the death of my son. Our little Fox Elijah was born October 20th 2010 at 3:43 am. He was amazing and looked exactly like his father and took to nursing like a champ. We were all so in love. 7 days later our perfect little son died in his sleep. It was awful. I thought for sure I would die too, but somehow I was still living. It was really hard to be a mother who had no living children. I didn't want my child free life back. This was a time in my life that I wanted to be spending taking care of my babies and watching them grow.

4 months and 3 cycles later we conceived on our first try. I had gotten two negative pregnancy tests but still no period so I gave another one a try, not expecting much. And it was positive!!! I twirled around with the cat and called Morgan who was loading equipment for a show with his band. Not knowing if anyone was in earshot I told him in code, "I aced my test!" to which he replied "We did it, Mama!" and broke off to go around a corner and do a happy dance. We were going to keep it a secret for awhile but my mom whispered it into my dying grandfathers ear and he apparently mustered up the strength to tell everyone. I'll take it that means he was happy. His last words to me were, "Take care, Dear."

The pregnancy was healthy and we were thrilled, but were still very much grieving our son and still are today. We were able to barter with an amazing and kind traditional midwife and plan a homebirth.

It was hard times, I won't lie. For a long time I wasn't sure we would have a home to have a homebirth in. But I was so happy to be growing a sweet baby that we persevered through all the crap.

I was worried about picking another baby name so soon and then one night I had a dream. I was in a strange place and I knew there were babies there because I could feel it. There was a woman and she knew everything about this place but didn't want to tell me anything. My baby was there and she didn't want me to know, but I did. So I asked her, "What is that baby's name?" and she told me the baby was named Raven. I woke up and said to Morgan, "I think I know the baby's name, I think someone just gave it to me in my dream." He asked what it was, so I told him. "That's it," he said, and we went back to sleep. I named Fox because of my love of foxes and tricksters. I think the trickster has much subversive potential. When I woke up I asked him, "What role do ravens play in folklore?" "They are tricksters, of course." And I knew it was right.

Our "due date" came and went. I was so antsy and bored! I'd been having braxton hicks on and off for awhile. Two days later we came home from a long day. Ina May Gaskin had been in town and we were at an event in her honor until late. And then we had sex. When it was over Morgan fell asleep while I started an hour long contraction. Not even a warm bath stopped it. Excitedly, I started walking around my house in circles. Happy with every contraction in hopes that it was real labor. After about an hour of this I called our midwife. She told me to eat something and she would be over to check on me soon.

I tried waking Morgan multiple times as follows:
Me: "Morgan, wake up! I might be in labor!"
Morgan: "What?! Oh no!" and then he would fall back asleep.

Our midwife arrived. We talked and I asked what she thought was going on. "I think you are going to have your baby soon," she told me, and I preceded to call my mom and the rest of the people who were coming to the birth. Our midwife said we needed to start the tub right away so I shouted at Morgan to wake up and get started. Upon waking and hearing I was in labor he responded, "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?" which I thought was really, really funny.

Soon the house was filling with people, but I remained in my room with Morgan and our cat and occasionally my mom. Contractions came and went. I sipped rasberry leaf tea and talked with them, but wanted complete silence during my contractions. I texted my father that I was in labor. He called back a hour or so later multiple times leaving messages for me to call him back. I walked downstairs to find my mom, "Call my father and tell him to stop calling - I'm in labor and don't want to be on the phone!" I was annoyed but I also thought it was funny. My call records show this was around 5:30 am.

Soon after, I got into the tub. It felt great. I focused through the contractions. Still wanting silence. Every sound or change disrupted me and felt like an assault. Morgan and my mother took turns handing me a cool rag during contractions and taking it back when they were over. And then the contractions began getting harder. I was vocalizing and rocking back and forth through them. It was so intense, but it still felt doable. I thought I had a ways to go and they were going to get much worse. And then it felt impossible. I came to a point where I knew what I was doing was the hardest thing in the world. My midwife told me that she thought I was going to have my baby very soon. I checked myself between contractions and didn't feel a head. Then I stood up. I felt her head crowning. I reached down to feel it and my water broke in my hand. I intuitively bent over and let her move through. It didn't hurt at all. I didn't push one bit. I felt her moving through me. My midwife told me to slow down, so I tried. She had her hand by her face and my midwife tried to guide it out, but it was blocked by her other arm crossed over it at the elbow. She reached inside and untangled her arms. I could feel that too. And then she came out all of the way. 6:43am. As soon as she was out I turned around. Bringing my leg over the cord and grabbing my daughter and bringing her to my chest. Her arms were straight up. She had the most vernix anyone in attendence had ever seen. I had to peel it off so she could open her eyes. Morgan got into the tub with us. I stood up and delivered the placenta into a bowl. We marveled at our girl. She looked so much like her brother but with a smaller mouth and nose. Same flared nostrils and full clara bow lips, but smaller.

It was beautiful and amazing. It was the kind of birth I had read about, but didn't think I'd ever have. About 6 hours between the first contraction and the birth, walking around the house and chatting until the last hour. She opened her dark eyes and looked at us so serious and intense. She was the exact same weight and length as her brother: 8 pounds, 4 ounces, 20 3/4 inches. I never needed to ice my bottom or use the herbal compresses that were made. I felt great. We are so happy that she is here! We love her so, so much. In attendance were: My partner Morgan, our midwife, Rebecca Polston, two other assisting midwives, my mother, my friend Jill, our doula and our cat. Thank you to everyone who helped us along the way!



Editor's Note: April did not ask for any help in her new journey with her daughter, but as she mentioned in her birth story, there were times when she did not know if she'd even have a house to bring her baby into. Times have been really tough on April, Morgan and their family, and we would truly love to help them out, just a little, if we are able. If you would like to give this sweet momma a small "Congratulations!" gift, it would be put to very good use, and will truly touch their lives in meaningful ways. You can use this link to do so. And, on her behalf, thank you. ❤



Medicaid Response Letter to Circumcision Coverage


The following is a response to the document, Medicare, Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Programs: Transparency Reports and Reporting of Physician Ownership or Investment Interests, written by a Mothering.com member, and shared with the DrMomma.org community.

The deadline for submissions on this particular matter is February 17, 2012. However, this form can be used and modified for a number of letter-writing purposes addressing Medicaid and their current funding (with tax payer dollars) to cover infant circumcision in the United States.

If you would like to submit a response on this matter, you can do so from any nation in the world:

(1) Copy/paste the text below into a document of your own to save, or download the letter here:

http://www.4shared.com/office/eVb3mSuY/CMS-2011-0191_17February2012.html

(2) Go to the Regulations.gov submission page:

http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=CMS-2011-0191-0001

(3) Complete the required fields (Country, State or Province, Postal Code and Category) and as many optional fields you would like to. Click browse under '3. UPLOAD FILE(S)' to upload the saved document from your harddisk. Click 'Submit'.

If using this form letter for other Medicaid writing purposes, alter as necessary.

See also: Are YOU Paying for Circumcision?



Response to “Medicare, Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Programs: Transparency Reports and Reporting of Physician Ownership or Investment Interests” [regulations.gov Docket No. CMS-2011-0191, FR Doc No: 2011-32244]

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback to “Medicare, Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Programs: Transparency Reports and Reporting of Physician Ownership or Investment Interests” [regulations.gov Docket No. CMS-2011-0191, FR Doc No: 2011-32244]. This response document shall briefly address the important role that increased transparency and public awareness of financial relationships between drug and device manufacturers and certain health care providers has to play in safeguarding patients against government agencies regulatory failures; in filling information gaps on exculpatory consent forms regarding the use of foreskin and other healthy tissue excised from minors; and the need for greater transparency to help safeguard patients from the potential clinical bias of physicians and teaching hospitals in receipt of NIH research funding.

Medicaid and Circumcision

Circumcision of male minors, in the absence of a clear and present immediate medical indication, is a controversial practice within the medical profession (KNMG 2010; Smith 2011), with doubts having been raised in the professional literature about whether it is even lawful to circumcise, and to allow the circumcision, of healthy boys at the expense of Medicaid (Adler 2011). Despite this, more than 1.14 million circumcision procedures were performed on male infants in U.S. hospitals in the year 2009 (AHRQ 2011), with hospitals in states in which Medicaid continues to cover circumcision of male minors in the absence of a clear and present immediate medical indication, having circumcision rates higher than states where it does not (CDC 2011). Thus at the outset, a stipend from the state acts as an incentive for physicians to subject minors to a controversial medical procedure, in the absence of a clear and present immediate medical indication, and one that will continue to dilute other government expenditures and initiatives aimed at improving child and infant health (HHS 2011a).

FDA, Circumcision Devices and Regulatory Failure

In 2000, the Food and Drug Administration [FDA] issued a public health notice about safety concerns regarding Gomco [and Gomco-type] circumcision clamps and Mogen [and Mogen-type] circumcision clamps, having received approximately 20 injury reports a year between 1996-2000 including lacerations, hemorrhaging, penile amputation and urethral damage (FDA 2000).

As of September 2011, the FDA has received a further 139 reports of problems related to circumcision clamps, including 51 injuries, twenty-one of those which were related to Mogen-type clamps, all but one of which involved injuries (Hennessy-Fiske 2011).

Despite this, the FDA has yet to issue a recall on any circumcision devices, and many physicians and teaching hospitals continue to use Gomco- and Mogen-type circumcision clamps (Hennessy-Fiske 2011).

On the 13 December 2011, the OIG published a report critical of the FDA's failure to oversee states inspections of food facilities (OIG 2011a), suggesting the possibility that more systemic problems exist within the agency, impacting it's ability to perform it's basic regulatory functions.

Increased transparency and public awareness of financial relationships between drug and device manufacturers and certain health care providers thus has an important role to play in safeguarding patients against government agencies regulatory failure, and one that must take precedence over drug and device manufacturers professed concern for increased regulatory and administrative 'burden'.

Foreskin-derived Medical and Cosmetic Products and the Informed Consent of Donors

Foreskins excised from minors in the absence of a clear and present immediate medical indication, almost invariably present in a normal healthy state, and as such their excision and preservation contributes little to the study of the pathology of disease. Further, the most promising advances in the field of cellular regeneration research, are to be found in cell lines derived from adult sources including dental pulp cells (Authur et al 2008), uterine cells (Bock 2011) and bone marrow cells (Wada et al 2011); and diagnostic and therapeutic application of patient-derived cells (HHS 2011b; Pasca et al 2011), rather than cell lines derived from the excised healthy foreskins of minors.

Products derived from foreskins excised en masse from minors in the absence of clear and present immediate medical indications, are frequently utilised in the commercial medical product, and more especially cosmetics industries (Advanced Healing 2011; Ballantyne 2009; LifeCell 2012; Organogenesis 2011; Pitman 2008; SkinMedica 2011). As observed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Human Research Protections, “Changing technology in the field of genomics has dramatically increased the amount and nature of information about individuals that can be obtained from their DNA” (OHRP 2011). Valid concerns therefore exist for the future privacy of children whose healthy tissues are likely to be acquired by commercial interests in the cosmetic and medical product industries - and may be retained indefinitely - due to presently unforeseeable technological advances in the field of genomics.

Doubts exist about the appropriateness of utilising products derived from foreskin and other healthy tissue excised from minors, in the cosmetic and medical product industries, on the basis of exculpatory consent forms signed by parents and legal guardians of minors, and whether it is appropriate for parents and legal guardians to give explicit consent for these purposes.

The provision of information to parents on circumcision consent forms about the storage, transfer, processing, sale or any other use of excised healthy foreskins is unstudied. However, a survey conducted by Schaefer et al (2011) of consent forms from U.S. in vitro fertilization clinics and the provision of information to egg donors of the potential for embryonic research using donated eggs, concluded that “egg donors in the United States, including some who may have a moral objection to research and stem cell research, are not being informed that embryos created with their donated eggs may in fact be used for these purposes”, suggesting the possibility that incomplete information is also being provided to parents about the use of foreskin and other healthy tissue excised from minors. Similarly, information about the original source of human skins cells used in cosmetic and medical products, is ominously absent from the websites of some manufacturers who utilise foreskin-derived ingredients in their products (LifeCell 2012; SkinMedica 2011).

Increased transparency and public awareness of financial relationships between drug and device manufacturers and certain health care providers thus has an important role to play in filling information gaps on exculpatory consent forms regarding the use of foreskin and other healthy tissue excised from minors, and one that must take precedence over drug and device manufacturers professed concern for increased regulatory and administrative 'burden'.

Safeguarding Patients from the Potential for Clinic Bias Resulting from NIH Research Funding

In 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General [OIG] published a series of audit reports revealing that throughout the fiscal years 2000-2010, institutes under the aegis of the National Institutes of Health [NIH], did not comply with the time and amount requirements specified in appropriations statutes, in awarding federal contracts to commercial partners, committing the federal government to tens of millions of dollars of expenditure ahead of appropriation of funds from Congress. Specific examples involving the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases [NIAID] include Contract N01-AI-15416 with the University of California at San Francisco (OIG 2011b), Contract N01-AI-3-0052 with Avecia Biologics Limited (OIG 2011c), Contract HHSN266-2006-00015C with NexBio, Inc. (OIG 2011d) and Contract HHSN272-2008-00013C with the EMMES Corporation (OIG 2011e).

During this time, federal agencies also funded and sponsored research conducted abroad, that would be unlikely to receive ethical approval to be conducted in the United States, incorporating the excision of healthy tissue from subjects in the absence of a clear and present immediate medical indication . Specific examples include NIAIDs sponsorship and funding of ClinicalTrials.gov registered trials NCT00059371 and NCT00425984 (Bailey et al 2007; Gray et al 2007). Consent forms for these trials failed to include then known information, from the professional medical literature, about the importance to mens sexual health of the foreskin and other tissues removed by circumcision (Taylor et al 1996).

Of concern, is that the results of the above trials are increasingly being used to justify the en masse circumcision of male minors in the absence of clear and present immediate medical indications, both in the United States and abroad, and in the former instance, at the expense of Medicaid (CDC 2011; Kim 2011).

To help inform patients of potential clinical bias of physicians in receipt of NIH research funding, it is imperative that the proposed publicly accessible, centralised website be expanded to include NIH grants awarded to physicians and teaching hospitals. This could be accomplished with minimal burden by cross-referencing the names of physicians and teaching hospitals with grant information already available through sources such as ClinicalTrials.gov.

Conclusion and Action Required

Increased transparency and public awareness of financial relationships between drug and device manufacturers and certain health care providers has an important role to play in safeguarding patients against government agencies regulatory failure, and one that must take precedence over drug and device manufacturers professed concern for increased regulatory and administrative 'burden'.

Increased transparency and public awareness of financial relationships between drug and device manufacturers and certain health care providers has an important role to play in filling information gaps on exculpatory consents forms regarding the use of foreskin and other healthy tissue excised from minors, and one that must take precedence over drug and device manufacturers professed concern for increased regulatory and administrative 'burden'.

To help inform patients of potential clinical bias of physicians in receipt of NIH research funding, it is imperative that the proposed publicly accessible, centralised website be expanded to include NIH grants awarded to physicians and teaching hospitals. This could be accomplished with minimal burden by cross-referencing the names of physicians and teaching hospitals with grant information already available through sources such as ClinicalTrials.gov.

References

Adler P W (2011) Is it lawful to use Medicaid to pay for circumcision? J Law Med. 2011;19(2):335-53 Abstract available at http://sites.thomsonreuters.com.au/journals/2011/11/28/journal-of-law-and-medicine-update-december-2011/ Accessed: 2012-01-08 Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/64YPGfMLo

Advanced Healing (2011) Dermagraph Active Living Cells Overview Link http://www.dermagraft.com/about/overview/ Accessed: 2012-01-16. Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/64jhakjim

AHRQ (2011) Hospital Stays for Children, 2009. HCUP Statistical Brief #118 prepared by Yu, H. (RAND Corporation), Wier, L.M. (Thomson Reuters), and Elixhauser, A. (AHRQ) August 2011. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD Full-text available at http://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/statbriefs/sb118.jsp

Arthur A, Rychkov G, Shi S, Koblar SA, Gronthos S (2008) Adult human dental pulp stem cells differentiate toward functionally active neurons under appropriate environmental cues in Stem Cells. 2008 Jul;26(7):1787-95. Epub 2008 May 22 Abstract available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18499892

Bailey RC, Moses S, Parker CB, Agot K, Maclean I, Krieger JN, Williams CF, Campbell RT, Ndinya-Achola JO (2007) Male circumcision for HIV prevention in young men in Kisumu, Kenya: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet369(9562),643–656 Abstract available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17321310

Ballantyne, C (2009) A Cut above the Rest?: Wrinkle Treatment Uses Babies' Foreskins Scientific American 12 February 2009 [Epub] Full-text available at http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=a-cut-above-the-rest-wrin Accessed: 2012-01-18. Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/64mLMhvCA

Bock, R (2011) Uterine stem cells used to treat diabetes in mice NIH News Full-text available at http://www.nih.gov/news/health/aug2011/nichd-30.htm Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/64jhMI7v9

CDC (2011) Trends in In-Hospital Newborn Male Circumcision - United States 1999-2010 Prepared by Xinjian Zhang, PhD, Sanjyot Shinde, PhD, Peter H Kilmarx, MD, Robert T Chen, MD, Div of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention; Shanna Cox, MSPH, Lee Warner, PhD, Div of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; Maria Owings, PhD, Div of Healthcare Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics; Charbel El Bcheraoui, PhD, EIS Officer, CDC. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Full-text available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6034a4.htm?s_cid=mm6034a4_w

FDA (2000) Potential for Injury from Circumcision Clamps Food and Drug Administration Full-text available at http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/AlertsandNotices/PublicHealthNotifications/ucm062279.htm

Gray RH, Kigozi G, Serwadda D, Makumbi F, Watya S, Nalugoda F, Kiwanuka N, Moulton LH, Chaudhary MA, Chen MZ, Sewankambo NK, Wabwire-Mangen F, Bacon MC, Williams CF, Opendi P, Reynolds SJ, Laeyendecker O, Quinn TC, Wawer MJ (2007) Male circumcision for HIV prevention in men in Rakai, Uganda: a randomised trial. Lancet369(9562),657–666 Abstract available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17321311

Hennessy-Fiske, Molly (2011) Injuries linked to circumcision clamps. Los Angeles Times 26 October 2011http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-circumcision-20110926,0,4367816.story Accessed: 2012-02-12. Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/65PYUIZ0D

HHS (2011a) Obama Administration awards nearly $300 million to states for enrolling eligible children in health coverage HHS Newsroom December 28, 2011 Full-text available at http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/12/20111228a.html

HHS (2011b) Scientists Rejuvenate Cells From Elderly Department of Health and Human Services Health Highlights 1 November 2011 Full-text available at http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.aspx?Docid=658486

Kim, A (2011) Botswana’s Infant Circumcision Campaign in PRI's The World Article archived at http://liveweb.archive.org/http://www.theworld.org/2011/10/botswana-infant-circumcision-campaign/ Retrieved 11 October 2011

KNMG (2010) Non-theraputic circumcision of male minors Royal Dutch Medical Association Full-text available at http://knmg.artsennet.nl/web/file?uuid=579e836d-ea83-410f-9889-feb7eda87cd5&owner=a8a9ce0e-f42b-47a5-960e-be08025b7b04&contentid=77976

LifeCell (2012) AlloDerm Tissue Matrix defined Full-text available at http://www.lifecell.com/alloderm-regenerative-tissue-matrix/95/ Accessed: 2012-01-18. Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/64mqrqxmQ

OHRP (2011) Regulatory Changes in ANPRM Comparison of Existing Rules with Some of the Changes Being Considered Office of Human Research Protections website Full-text available at http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/anprmchangetable.html Accessed: 2012-01-16. Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/64jh4cWek

OIG (2011a) Vulnerabilities in FDA's Oversight of State Food Facility Inspections (OEI-02-09-00430) Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General website 13 December 2011 Full-text available athttp://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-02-09-00430.pdf

OIG (2011b) Appropriations Funding for National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Contract N01-AI-15416 With the University of California at San Francisco Audit (A-03-10-03120) on the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General website 10 July 2011 Available athttp://oig.hhs.gov/oas/reports/region3/31003120.pdf

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~~~~

Deceived

By Christina King © 2012
Dedicated to parents whose boys were circumcised at birth. 




Moms and dads of circumcised boys, this is for you:
It's easy to forget that you were deceived too.
When your son was born, you held him in your arms,
You fell instantly in love, and wished to do no harm.

The doctor came in and asked, "Do you want to circumcise?"
He told you it was for the best and fed you many lies.
"It won't get infected." He promised. "He won't get teased."
"It's cleaner." He insisted. "Intact, he'd be displeased!"

"It's a decision you must make as parents," the doctor explains.
"Do it now while you can. Babies feel little pain."
"If you don't do it now, he'll grow up to have it done."
"It's very painful for adults. Today is best in the long run."

You only wanted good for your perfect baby boy.
You hadn't the slightest idea what they would destroy.
He called it a mere flap of skin, and promised 'just a snip.'
If you had known the truth, you'd never have allowed it.

The foreskin - 15 inches square, now gone.
The soft ridges of the frenar band...
Over 20,000 nerve endings lost,
More than the surface of his hand.

Several feet of blood vessels
Are forever lost,
And this is far from all
He'll discover was the cost.

Truth eventually did find its way to you,
And you are horrified by what you found.
"What have I done to my baby?" You ask...
But in such remorse you'll drown.

So know this:
It takes a strong person to admit to something wrong.
This lets you begin to heal, even though it may take long.
You can't change the past, but you can make the future bright!
And if we all stand up together, we can make it right.

So don't blame yourself,
As the healing starts,
For listening to a doc
Who should've had your son's interest at heart.

Let him know that you are sorry, and explain.
It's okay to cry. It's okay to grieve.
You wanted the very best for him!
But instead you were deceived.

~ Christina King





If you are the parent of a son who was circumcised at a time when you did not have accurate or complete information upon which to base your decision, you are not alone. There are many parents today electing to keep future sons, or grandsons, intact, and striving to openly share with others so that their own sons' loss is not in vain. Hear others' stories at I Circumcised My Son: Healing From Regret or visit the Keeping Future Sons Intact page today. If you would like to connect with someone personally, write to us anytime at DrMomma.org@gmail.com We are happy to listen or help.

Christina King serves as a gentle educator for parents and co-director at Intact Iowa and Intact Des Moines, while mothering her own children, and busily growing baby #3 - who, whether boy or girl, will remain perfectly intact as s/he enters this world.  

I think he's still hungry...



This lactation funny is by award winning, U.K. cartoonist, Tony Husband, whose original work can be purchased here: http://www.chrisbeetles.com/gallery/artist.php?art=2067 Or visit Husband's site at TonyHusband.co.uk Husband writes, "I started out as a gag cartoonist and still love the process of lying on my studio couch and filling the page with random ideas..." We know there are a whole lot of nursing moms who relate to this not-so-random event! ;)


~~~~

Tribute to a Mama

By Amy Brown © 2012
Modified from a piece by Senator George Vest, 1870



The one absolutely unselfish friend
that babe can have in this selfish world,
the one that never deserts him,
the one that never proves cold or treacherous,
is his mama.

A babe's mama stands by him in laughter and in tears,
in health and in sickness.

She will sleep on the cold ground,
where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely,
if only she may be near her babe's side.

She will hold the arms that have no hug to offer;
she will kiss the wounds and sores
that come in encounter with the roughness of the world.

She guards the sleep of her slumbering babe
as if he were a prince.

When all other friends desert, she remains.
When milestones pass and tantrums take hold,
she is as constant in her love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.


~ Amy Brown



Amy Brown is mom to one 15-month-old wonder son, wife to one 30-something wonder husband, passionate educator, lactivist, and intactivist. She says she hopes to make the world as good a place for her son, and all sons and daughters, as it can be - one saved foreskin and exposed NIP boob at a time. Hear more from Brown at Zen Parenting, and get involved with her locally at Intact Arizona and PPN West Valley

Will You Please Cover Up?


Oh, the ubiquitous struggles surrounding the normal feeding of our babies, anytime, anywhere we happen to be... No comic touches on this better than Mama Is, a creation by Heather Cushman-Dowdee. One small strip posted last August 2011 (just in time for World Breastfeeding Week and my own son's third anniversary of nursing in public!) features Very Crafty. It has been passed around like wildfire these past six months and we receive requests from those looking to track it down at least twice a week. This particular comic strip has been reposted by readers on the peaceful parenting Facebook wall more times than we can count - each time the reader excited to share something "new" with us. So, without further ado, we thought it high time to lend a little love back to the author herself. She's a peaceful parenting mama who creates these witty, fun, and touching comics from home, while mothering her own four kiddos, and empowering women around the world in spare moments in between. Her most recent site, MamaIsComic.com is filled with comical genius, as well as books, calendars, tshirts and other fun goodies. If you like Very Crafty (and we know many of you do!) be sure to check out more of Cushman-Dowdee's captivating work.

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