Don't Retract Pack

Top 10 Most Read Items of 2016


We're saying so-long to 2016, and looking ahead with positive aspirations for a fresh, new 2017!

In case you are new to Peaceful Parenting, or missed one of these well-loved items along the way, the following articles are the 10 most read at DrMomma.org this past year. It is our hope that you find something empowering or useful while you're here.

To connect with others, join any of the discussion groups that interest you: DrMomma.org/2007/12/discussion-groups.html or find a peaceful parenting chapter near you: PeacefulParentingNetwork.org/p/chapters.html




#9 One Regret [Ear piercing of infants]










#4 Fetal Ejection Reflex [and shared birth wisdom]






And the most read article at Peaceful Parenting in 2016: 



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Share resources, and join in discussions - Peaceful Parenting Discussion Groups



Sleeps 'Til Christmas - Countdown For Kids


How many 'sleeps' till Christmas... a fun little countdown for kiddos sent to us from Dreams and The Sleep Matters Club of the UK: http://www.dreams.co.uk/sleep-matters-club/sleeps-until-christmas/


Carnival Cruise Ship Officers Tell Breastfeeding Mother to "Cut it Out!"



On a recent Carnival cruise, North Carolina mom, Crystal Silvas, was nursing her 9 month old daughter aboard near one swimming pool area, when two of the ship's officers began flailing their arms at her in front of other passengers. "The men in white started waving their arms really high and saying to 'cut it out!' and told me I couldn't feed her anywhere outside my stateroom," said Silvas, and added, "It was absolutely the most humiliating moment of my life.

Deeply hurt by the experience, Silvas said the experience "ruined her vacation" and that the weeks following have been "the most stressful" she can imagine. Silvas is mom to two adopted children and reached out to Carnival about its breastfeeding policy, but did not receive a straight answer for two weeks. At that time she reached out to news station, FOX 46 Charlotte, who obtained results for Silvas within hours.

The cruise line has since apologized, and this is Carnival’s complete statement in response:
Guests traveling on a Carnival cruise are free to breastfeed in any location on board. We sincerely apologize if your viewer was given information to the contrary or made to feel uncomfortable. We are further researching this and will ensure the shipboard team is clear that women are free to breastfeed in both public and private areas of the ship. 

Carnival has also offered Silvas and her family a complementary cruise to compensate for this bad experience.

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Related: 

The Breastfeeding Group (for nursing mothers and IBCLCs): FB.com/groups/Breastfed


Encouraging breastfeeding items, bracelets, and 'thank you for nursing in public' cards: DrMomma.org/2007/02/breastfeeding-info-cards-etc.html







Menstrual cups for healthier bodies, happier periods!


Menstrual cups are soft, bendable, reusable, more comfortable, and so much better for our bodies! For those who'd otherwise use tampons, check out the wide variety available today by Googling 'menstrual cup.' There are wide varieties to select from: http://astore.amazon.com/peacefparent-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=58

Women who opt for pads instead may find they love 'moon pads' (soft, washable, reusable pads) vs. plastics.  Many options exist today for healthier bodies and happier periods.

This post was originally live on Facebook. Image courtesy of GladRags.


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Babies Aren't Soldiers

By Melissa Cline
Read in Spanish here

Melissa and her beautiful son.

Back in the day when our baby was colicky, my dear husband (who spent 10 years in the Army and National Guard) commonly suggested that because we had tried everything we knew to do to help him, we should just put our son in his pack-n-play and shut the door. (He thought that this would help me to be less upset about not being able to stop our baby's crying.)

When our son was 8 months old I finally figured out a way to get my husband to really understand why I was so opposed to forcing our baby to cry-it-out (CIO).

Here's how our conversation went:

Hubs: I figured our son could cry in your arms, or cry in his bed - there's really no difference because nothing else is working.

Me: There is a difference to me and to our baby. All that a little baby knows is whether or not someone responds to his needs. I wouldn't want to teach him that it is of no use to ask for help because no one will come anyway. We don't even teach SOLDIERS that! We tell them that someone will always come for you - we don't leave a man behind.

Hubs: Babies aren't soldiers.

Me: Then why would we ask them to be tougher than soldiers?
 
Hubs: Hm. I never thought of it that way. Good point.

Thank you for all you've done at peaceful parenting to help me get to the place where I feel so confident trusting my parenting instincts.



"Cry-it-out does not lead to 'sleeping through the night' - it results in learned helplessness."

Circumstraint Patent and Origin

By Brian Brown © 2016
Read more from Brown at Intact Connecticut, and find him along the SOS Odyssey


Is the Olympic Circumstraint a medieval torture device or piece of modern medical equipment? It is difficult to tell, but one thing is for certain: the grave horrors this board has witnessed pale most other traumas that are needlessly inflicted upon the bodies of newborn babies in North America.

Pictured above is the original blueprint of the circumstraint - a retraining board used most often for forced genital cutting of infants. Although the design has changed since its inception in 1953, the intent has not - it is an effective way to immobilize a small infant. 

The patents reads (in part): 
An infant immobilizing device particularly suited to the performance of circumcision and other operations upon small infants for which general anesthesia is not necessary or advisable.  
...substantially complete immobility is achieved.  
[The size is ideal.] This is true since operations of this type are usually performed in the first two weeks of life but not until the infants weight has increased to about seven pounds. It is found, therefore, that a retaining depression 10b cupped approximately to fit an average eight-pound infant will do well for the majority of cases. 
While fairly close conformity of the depression walls to the body contour is desirable to minimize freedom of movement of the child, nevertheless a small amount of clearance from the infants body along the depression walls is not objectionable in that regard and is actually preferred to an excessively tight fit creating discomfiture for lack of air circulation around the skin. The walls of the depression should extend well up around the sides of the body members to furnish lateral restraint against physical movement, but should otherwise leave the body exposed as much as possible for access by the surgeon.

Interestingly, the patent makes no mention of the sex of the child that this device is appropriate for. In post-war America, it was perfectly legal to immobilize any infant for the purpose of cutting their genitals – male, female, or intersex. Females finally gained legal protection in 1997 from this medieval practice in the United States. Isn’t it time we extend the basic right of genital autonomy to all? 



Related reading: 

Author and genital cutting survivor, Patricia Robinett, speaks about her own forced circumcision: youtube.com/watch?v=50BaM7H2GLI 

An anonymous nurse describes the horror of genital cutting upon the circumstraint: SavingSons.org/2012/06/if-this-stained-circumstraint-could.html

FGM Bill of the United States: DrMomma.org/2016/03/female-genital-mutilation-fgm-bill-of.html

Olympic Circumstraint patent: google.com/patents/US2751268


Also by Brown: 





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I'm a Natural Mom Having a Natural Birth



So many of us are natural moms, planning natural births. We've done our research, poured over literature on everything from pregnancy to birth to babyhood. We know who we want on our birth team. We've interviewed doulas and midwives and chosen those who mesh best with our personalities and underlying values. We have a birth plan ready to go. We envision having a beautiful, gentle birth - to not be cut open or cut into unless there is undoubtedly a valid medical need to do so.

And our babies would like the same.

Not a single one enters this world wanting to be needlessly cut. A newborn baby's basic needs are few: love, gentle care, warmth, milk. No baby is born broken when it comes to genital autonomy, and each one wants to remain in the safe security of your arms.

Listen to your instincts. Dig deep. Research the functions of the foreskin - the reason that this organ of the body is present on every mammal on earth. Then, after your gentle birth, keep your little one intact, happy and whole. He'll be forever thankful that you did! ❤


Related Reading:

Functions of the Foreskin: Purposes of the Prepuce

Foreskin and its 16+ Functions

Men Speak on Infant Circumcision

Are You Fully Informed? Pros and Cons of Infant Circumcision

Intact Care Resources

Intact: Healthy, Happy, Whole - community group for questions


Research Everything...


Dear Woman in Target... 'Spoiling that baby' is the most important job I have

By Kelly Dirkes © 2016
Originally shared on Facebook here.
Posted to Peaceful Parenting with author's permission.


Dear Woman in Target,

I've heard it before, you know. That I "spoil that baby."

You were convinced that she'd never learn to be "independent."

I smiled at you, kissed her head, and continued my shopping.

If you only knew what I know.

If you only knew how she spent the first ten months of her life utterly alone inside a sterile metal crib, with nothing to comfort her other than sucking her fingers.

If you only knew what her face looked like the moment her orphanage caregiver handed her to me to cradle for the very first time -- fleeting moments of serenity, commingled with sheer terror. No one had ever held her that way before, and she had no idea what she was supposed to do.

If you only knew that she would lay in her crib after waking and never cry -- because up until now, no one would respond.

If you only knew that anxiety was a standard part of her day, along with banging her head on her crib rails and rocking herself for sensory input and comfort.

If you only knew that that baby in our carrier is heartbreakingly "independent" -- and how we will spend minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years trying to override the part of her brain that screams "trauma" and "not safe."

If you only knew what I know.

If you only knew that that baby now whimpers when she's put down instead of when she is picked up.

If you only knew that that baby now "sings" at the top of her lungs in the mornings and after her nap, because she knows that her chatter will bring someone to lift her out of her crib and change her diaper.

If you only knew that that baby now rocks to sleep in her Mama's or her Papa's arms instead of rocking herself.

If you only knew that that baby made everyone cry the day she reached out for comfort, totally unprompted.

If you only knew what I know.

"Spoiling that baby" is the most important job I will ever have, and it is a privilege.

I will carry her for a little while longer -- or as long as she'll let me -- because she is learning that she is safe.

That she belongs.

That she is loved.

If you only knew...

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To connect with other gentle parenting families:

Babywearing mom or dad? The Babywearing Group:


Top 10 tips for raising a confident child

By Helen Birk © 2017


Top 10 tips for raising a confident child

Every parent wants his child to be successful in future, and if you want to be so in this world, first YOU need to be confident. Nowadays there are a lot of guides on how to build confidence in your child, but does it really work? Before consulting such books, look at our list of 10 top tips, which will help you to raise confident kids.

1. Share in your child’s interests

There is rarely such a thing as a bad interest. If you see that your child is interested in something, let him tell you more. Listen carefully, and show your support. Don’t make him give up something he is fond of at the moment, because a child will see in you the 'bad guy' in the situation who made him drop this interest. Instead, try to find pros in his newfound hobby and maybe even try it out with him once. By doing so, your child will become more confident while feeling responsible for what he is doing.

2. Let your child make mistakes 

Life is tough, and there is nothing you can do to save your children from all the danger that expects him. Many parents attempt to keep their children 'on a short leash' and avoid even the smallest scratch. Instead of doing so, let your child safely explore the world her from the very beginning. Keep an eye on her, but let her fall, scratch, fall in love, get to know disappointment – she will face it at some point, and going through it first with you there as a safety net makes a lifelong difference. If she understands how the world tends to turn from a young age, she will be practiced, strong and confident in the future when such things come around again.


3. Give an opportunity to choose 

Based on their life experience, some parents decide what directions are best for their child. On one hand, it is a normal thing to do, but do not overdo it. At some point in life, your child should decide what he likes and what he wants to do. Give a kid a bit of freedom, which is essential for him, and for you as well. Remember, if you want him to be a responsible, confident and decent man, he must be aware of what it is like to make a decision on his own.

4. Give advice, but not an order. 

Kids are not soldiers, and tend to do best when not commanded in what to do, but provided with simple options to decide for themselves among two healthy choices. If you see confusion or mistakes (which happen to us all) gently guide him in the right decision. Phrases as 'do, what I say,' 'because I know better' will only tend to alienate your child. Let your words be soft, and try to explain everything calmly - asking about the choices made, and allowing your child to express himself freely.

5. Be democratic

We were all children and teenagers at some point, and do well to remember what it was like. If your child wants to dye their hair, get a piercing, or do something you see as a little reckless, remember yourself at that age. Rather than being immediately judgmental, come up with solutions together. Forbidding things without talking them through, to gain mutual understanding, tends to only push teenagers into a deeper place of isolation from adults and hiding. Being openminded, and willing to hear our child - her thoughts and ideas behind this new endeavor - goes a long way in democratic decision making. She should know that her ideas are worth your positive attention - increasing confidence in her ideas and explorations along the way.

6. Treat a kid as an adult 

It is said, 'if you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas.' Let's in stead think about this positively. To become a confident person, your opinion must be considered worthy.  To increase children's self-expression, and gain feedback on their thoughts and opinions, speaking with those who are older - wiser, maybe - and who have more life experience is beneficial. With this in mind, allow your child to talk more with adults. It can be any trusted adult - your friend, babysitter, or teacher. Through this adult interaction and time with a trusted/steadfast adult figure, you will see positive changes. Moreover, a child's self worth will improve when he sees his thoughts, ideas, and opinions matter to someone and are heard.

7. Planning 

A confident woman always plans her future so that she can be sure about it. Teach your child to plan and set goals for the nearest future. Start with something small - a baby step - like planning to complete that homework this evening, and then doing something she enjoys after it is finished. What would she like to accomplish this weekend? Next week? What can we try to work on each day for the next 30 days? Talk about and work on goals together. Create some of your own, and your child will gain confidence in her ability to plan and meet personal expectations, as well as gaining the flexibility to alter goals as needed.

8. Talk and share 

One issue observed in families today is parents' inability to communicate effectively with their children. This means going beyond the simple questions - 'do you like supper?' 'where would you like to go?' and instead engage in interested conversation about your child's life from the very beginning. Listen to your 2 year old babble about his favorite stuffed animal. Become excited with your 3 year old to splash in puddles. Talk with your 5 year old about what you are reading in books. Showing interest, talking with (instead of talking at) and sharing little stories from your own life right from the beginning opens doors down the road. Your teen will be accustomed to these daily talks when you ask about interesting things in school that day, and desire to share life with you. Dialog works best when it is regular, and built right from the beginning.


9. BFF

Many parents are skeptical about becoming friends with their children. However, this is one convenient way to build a child's confidence. There can be healthy respect and equality within the family. You don't need to be the dictator or an enemy, - simply being a reliable person and his best friend goes a long way. Help him as a friend would, and don’t be ashamed to admit that you don’t always know something (you can learn together, ask Edubirdie for help). This approach of bringing up children can also teach you something new along the way. It is okay to learn from your children as well.

10. Love your child 

All the previous advice won’t work unless you love your child. It seems very simple, but many parents do not even notice when they don't give enough authentic attention and compassion to their children. Don't ignore or put on the back-burner what you may not have a chance to express or do with your child in the future - always find a way to show them that you do care and there is nothing more important to than them. This may sometimes be the most difficult thing to do, but if you love unconditionally, this love will be returned, and confidence is grown in love.


About the author: Helen Birk is a loving mother, who wants to share her experience by writing and sharing her thoughts with the world. Her motto is: Our children: We give them roots so they can take flight.


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Nursing School: OB Clinicals and My Experience With Infant Circumcision

By Sophia Murdock, R.N. © 2016



During my second to last semester of nursing school, I went through my OB clinical (which included antepartum, labor and delivery, postpartum, NICU, and OB triage units, as well as lactation consulting) at one of our local hospitals. One morning, before we headed to our assigned unit for the day, my clinical instructor enthusiastically told my group, "If you get the chance to see a circumcision, definitely do it. It's cool!"

I didn't think much of her words at the time. Of course, as nursing students we wanted to see and experience as much as possible. I had unexpectedly found myself enjoying my OB clinical and was so excited and eager to learn as much as I possibly could.

While in the mother/baby (postpartum) unit, the nurse that I was working with that day told me that we'd be assisting with a circumcision. I had never seen one before, so I took the opportunity, not knowing what to expect.

After we had taken the newborn back to the "circ room" in the nursery, I watched the nurse gather the necessary supplies, place him on a plastic board [a circumstraint], and secure his arms and legs with Velcro straps. He started crying as his tiny and delicate body was positioned onto the board, and I instantly felt uncomfortable and disturbed seeing this helpless newborn with his limbs extended in such an unnatural position, against his will. My instincts wanted to unstrap him, pick him up, and comfort and protect him. I felt an intense sensation of apprehension and dread about what would be done to him.

When the doctor entered the room, my body froze, my stomach dropped, and my chest tightened.

This precious baby was an actual person. He was a 2-day-old boy named Landon, but the doctor barely acknowledged him before administering an injection of lidocaine into his penis.

Instantly, Landon began to let out a horrifying cry. It was a sound that is not normally ever heard in nature because this trauma is so far outside of the normal range of experiences and expectations for a newborn.

The doctor, perhaps sensing how horrified I was, tried to assure me that the baby was crying because he didn't like being strapped onto the board. He began the circumcision procedure right away, barely giving the anesthetic any time to take effect.

Landon's cries became even more intense, something I hadn't imagined was possible. It seemed as if his lungs were unable to keep up with his screams, and desperate attempts to maintain his respirations.

Seeing how nonchalant everyone in the room was about Landon's obvious distress was one of the most chilling and harrowing things I had ever witnessed. I honestly don't remember the actual procedure, even though the doctor was explaining it to me. I can't recall a word he said during or after because I wasn't able to focus on anything but Landon's screams and why no one seemed to care. I only remember that the nurse attempted to give him a pacifier with glucose/fructose at some point.


Landon was "sleeping" by the end of the circumcision, but I knew it was from exhaustion and defeat.

I had watched as his fragile, desperate, and immobilized body struggled and resisted until it couldn't do so anymore, and gave up.

Seeing this happen made me feel completely sick to my stomach and I told myself that I would absolutely refuse to watch another circumcision if the opportunity presented itself again. I was unable to stop thinking about what I saw and heard...

The sounds that I heard come from Landon as he screamed and cried out still haunt me to this day.

A few weeks later when I felt somewhat ready to revisit the topic, I began researching why this was being done to infant boys. It didn't take long before I learned the truths about circumcision - truths that were never told to me during nursing school. I was never taught about the possibility of keeping boys intact or anything about the foreskin or intact care.

During one lecture, I learned about post-op circumcision care as if it was the default to circumcise baby boys. It was as if there was no other option -- this was just what we do. My own research revealed that not only was there an alternative, but that this alternative was the only acceptable and ethical option.

I learned that the United States is one of the few countries that is still routinely circumcising newborn babies, and that this procedure is condemned by most of the world, including Europe.

I learned that the foreskin is not just a useless flap of skin at the end of the penis, but it is a normal, healthy, and functioning organ that is present on every mammal, male and female.

I learned that male foreskin has important protective, immunological, and sexual functions.

I learned that for infants and young children, the foreskin is fused to the glans (head) of the penis (as our nails are fused to our fingers), and that circumcision requires the forcible separation of these structures.

I learned that research evidence does not support the alleged health benefits of circumcision (such as a lowered HIV risk and fewer UTIs) and that the studies that did show benefits had relied on flawed methodology.

I learned how easy it is to care for an intact penis on a child, and that cleaning it is just like wiping a finger (as opposed to all of that troublesome circumcision care that I was taught in nursing school).

Most horrifically, I learned that over 100 infant deaths occur yearly from circumcision related complications, such as hemorrhage.

I still believe that Landon's parents, in consenting to the circumcision that I witnessed, truly thought that they were doing what was best for their child. Unfortunately, they weren't given factual and complete information either, and therefore were not able to make an informed decision. They didn't see what their son experienced while restrained to a plastic board, and only saw the "peaceful" sleeping state that his body was in when he was returned to them, post-defeat. Maybe they were told that he "slept right through it" or that he "took it like a champ" just like so many other parents are.

The neuropsychological effects of circumcision have been well-documented, but are almost never spoken of. Most likely, Landon had entered a state of withdrawal, dissociation, and exhaustion after enduring an unbearable trauma to his body that he was unable to escape from.


Like me, you probably haven't heard these truths about circumcision from any health care professional. I still remember how much my faith in the nursing profession shattered on that day. I remember questioning: how could such a blatant violation of the Code of Ethics for Nurses not only be allowed to happen, but be promoted by so many nurses? How could so many members of the "most trusted profession" (as ranked by a yearly Gallop poll - something that was often bragged about by my nursing school professors) be complicit in this atrocity?

Perhaps as you've discovered the truth, you've found yourself asking similar questions.

Parents - as a nurse who has learned the truth, I would like to assure you that you do not need to put your son through this. You do not need to try to convince yourself that your son won't remember being circumcised and that it is "best to get it over and done with while he's a baby." You do not need to attempt to assuage any guilt by telling yourself that he'll thank you for it later. You do not need to suppress and distrust your fundamental, biological instinct to protect your child.

Instead of signing that consent form, ask yourself: what is truly best for my son? If my son could speak up, what would he want for himself?

Instead of telling your doctor that you'd like to have your son circumcised, you can say that you will not allow them to harm your precious child. Instead of handing your son over to be strapped to that board, you can hold his warm and tiny body close to your chest and assure him that he'll be kept safe in your loving arms.

Parents, you have the power to protect your son from the unnecessary pain and trauma that Landon was forced to endure. Keep your son intact.

Graphics by Intact Asheville
Available educational postcards for sharing with patients or friends at SavingSons.org/p/info-cards.html or on Etsy

Related reading from registered nurses

On the ethics of registered nurses assisting in forced infant circumcision:
DrMomma.org/2014/04/on-ethics-of-registered-nurses.html

Circumcision: A Male R.N.'s Perspective:
DrMomma.org/2010/03/circumcision-male-rns-perspective.html

The day I withdrew from nursing school:
DrMomma.org/2010/01/day-i-withdrew-from-nursing-school.html

The biggest lie told to parents:
SavingSons.org/2016/04/the-biggest-lie-told-to-parents.html

If this stained circumstraint could talk:
SavingSons.org/2012/06/if-this-stained-circumstraint-could.html

Nurse's circumcision tools:
SavingSons.org/2014/02/post-circumcision-tools-and-discarded.html

Using a catheter without retraction: my nurse did it and so can yours:
SavingSons.org/2013/01/using-catheter-without-retraction-my.html

Educating parents about circumcision (from Colorado NOCIRC) &
The Elements of Informed Consent (from Colorado NOCIRC):
http://www.coloradonocirc.org/pamphlets

Ethical Decision Making in the Clinical Setting: Nurses' Rights and Responsibilities:
http://www.jognn.org/article/S0884-2175(15)30232-X/pdf

Medical Professionals for Genital Autonomy
FB.com/IntactCare (to volunteer to respond to parents' questions or be on the MedPro advisory panel, email SavingSons@gmail.com)

Saving Our Sons Group - for those raising intact sons, and genital autonomy advocates
FB.com/groups/SavingOurSons

Intact: Healthy, Happy, Whole Group - an exploratory community group for those raising intact sons, and families looking into the subject for the first time
FB.com/groups/IntactHealthy



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SaveSave

River of Life: Breastfeeding / Natural Weaning Mural in Tijuana, Mexico

By Danelle Frisbie © 2016


A beautiful mural celebrating the joys and goodness of natural weaning is depicted on Tijuana’s largest public health care facility.  The message, painted by Ariana Escudero, is that there is no shame in breastfeeding your baby (of any age). "2 years or more" reads a part of the caption underneath this nursing mom and her little one.

Escudero painted the 45-by-15 foot mural at Hospital General de Tijuana in Zona Río, in part because of the social insults she experienced while breastfeeding her two babies.

"It seemed so important to me to bring this message in this way because many mothers will come [to the hospital], but they’ll come to doctors -- many of whom are surprisingly misinformed about breastfeeding -- just like the general public," says Escudero. This particular hospital is where approximately 90% of local mothers birth their babies, so the mural (at the hospital's main entrance) is seen by most. She continues, "Mothers who decide to breastfeed our children do not have any reason to be censored. That’s why we must normalize it to create a culture of breastfeeding, and fight for women’s right to choose [to nurse their babies]."

Myths and misconception about the normal feeding of human babies is widespread in Mexico. Many mothers say that nursing in public is even more taboo in Mexico than in the United States, and as a result most new mothers are opting for artificial baby feeds, despite the fact that this costs significantly more than breastfeeding (both in immediate formula cost and resulting health care costs for babies who become ill more often without human milk).

One local Tijuana mother, Athena Valencia, writes on Facebook, "This past Friday on a bus in Tijuana a gentleman sat next to me and my baby. From the beginning he looked kind of grumpy... My baby she fidgeted, and the only way to calm her down was to nurse her. He turned around and said, 'That's disgusting!' I felt like crying. This is one of the reasons I don't like breastfeeding in public. But at home, everything works well for me and my baby."

Another mother writes, "[This mural] is so beautiful. I've spent days with my heart broken to pieces just a few steps away from her, but always look back and think how beautiful it is for my baby to live healthy, without pain of disease, and being a mother so many things are represented in this painting."

Due to this social pressure, Mexico has one of the lowest rates of breastfed babies in any Latin American nation - at approximately 14% for babies 0-6 months.


The mural project cost $9,000 in total, half of which was funded by the city, and the other half fundraised. Crianza Alternativa wrote on behalf of this (2014) fundraising effort, "Mexico, a developing country, is particularly vulnerable on the subject of breastfeeding due to high levels of poverty and lack of education on the matter. We have become so unattached with our motherly instincts that we have doubted ourselves on simple things like, 'We can provide full nourishment for our children. We CAN breastfeed.'"

Escudero finished her fantastic work of art during July and August, 2015, and this year all mothers birthing at the hospital will be met with an empowering image as they bring their new babies into the world.

Photograph from Derrik Chinn, San Diego Magazine


Breastfeeding community and support at The Breastfeeding Group:
FB.com/groups/Breastfed

Excellent breastfeeding books for nursing mothers (read one before your little one arrives):
http://astore.amazon.com/peacefparent-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=1

Related reading (articles at bottom of page):
DrMomma.org/2009/08/books-for-breastfeeding-mother.html

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Nature Connection Pyramid

Nature Connection Pyramid

Further reading on the benefits of getting kids into nature, and many ways to do so in your family and neighborhood: NATURE BOOKS

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17 Year Old Girl Dies Undergoing Female Genital Mutilation

Source: Daily Mail
By AFP and Julian Robinson


Egyptian prosecutors are investigating the death of a teenage girl during a female circumcision operation at a private hospital.

Mayar Mohamed Mousa, 17, died in El Canal hospital on Sunday while under full anaesthesia in the province of Suez, said Lotfi Abdel-Samee, the health ministry undersecretary in the province. "This is something that the law has prohibited," stressed Abdel-Same.

Despite the ban in 2008, female genital mutilation (FGM) is still widespread in Egypt, especially in rural areas. It is practised among Muslims as well as Egypt's minority Christians. The law led to the first prison sentence against a doctor in Egypt in January last year, with the girl's father in that case given a three-month suspended sentence.

On Sunday, Mousa's sister had just undergone the operation before she was sent in for surgery. The girls' mother is a nurse, while their late father was a surgeon. The operation was being carried out by a registered female doctor, according to Abdel-Same.

Authorities shut down the hospital on Monday after transferring patients to other hospitals as prosecutors questioned the hospital manager and medical staff involved in the operation, Abdel-Samee said. They have also spoken to the mother, a prosecution official said.

The case was opened after a health inspector reported the circumstances of the girl's death. Medical examiners have carried out an autopsy, and are due to report the cause of death, said Abdel-Same.


While 200 million women and girls worldwide have been subjected to the practise, there have been major strides in Egypt, as well as Liberia, Burkina Faso, and Kenya against FGM, according to Claudia Cappa, the lead author of a February UN children's agency report on the issue.

"The latest figures from the Egypt Demographic and Health Survey show that we're winning," the United Nations Development Programme said in a report last year. "Mothers' attitudes are changing, too," UNDP said. While 92 percent of mothers had undergone the procedure, only 35 percent of them "intend to circumcise their daughters," according to the UNDP report.

Victims of the procedure are left to cope with a range of consequences from bleeding and pain while urinating, extreme discomfort during sex, fatal complications in childbirth and deep psychological trauma.

Daily Mail: 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3616881/Egypt-investigates-teenage-girls-death-female-circumcision-operation.html

The Guardian:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/31/egyptian-girl-dies-during-banned-female-genital-mutilation-operation


Related Reading: 

History of Female Circumcision in the United States
DrMomma.org/2009/09/history-of-female-circumcision-in.html

Female Genital Mutilation Bill of the United States
DrMomma.org/2016/03/female-genital-mutilation-fgm-bill-of.html

The CUT Documentary on FGM
DrMomma.org/2009/09/cut-documentary-film-on-fgm-female.html

FGM / MGM Similar Attitudes and Misconceptions
DrMomma.org/2010/06/fgmmgm-similar-attitudes-misconceptions.html

FGM / MGM A Visual Comparison
DrMomma.org/2008/01/mgmfgm-visual-comparison.html

Male and Female Genital Cutting
DrMomma.org/2011/04/male-and-female-circumcision.html

CNN: Why Egyptian Girls Fear this Summer
http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/25/middleeast/egypt-female-genital-mutilation/






Chalk the Walk!



Join us from your neighborhood sidewalk or park as we Chalk The Walk with a baby/child-friendly message! Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/794328760697896/

This is a fun-in-the-sun, family-friendly awareness raising project that has been loved far and wide in years past. Chalk is cheap ($1-3 at most stores) and can also be homemade (see: http://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-for-kids/homemade-sidewalk-chalk/). It displays colorful messages on any public street/sidewalk/walkway where children and their parents are otherwise free to be, and washes naturally away with the first rainfall.

Pick your passion (birth advocacy? breastfeeding? night time parenting (no CIO)? cloth diapering? gentle 'discipline'? genital autonomy?) select your message, choose your location, gather a few friends and the kids, get your chalk ready... and we'll look forward to seeing your creation this April 30th!

The 1st participant in each U.S. location will receive an advocacy bracelet, set of info stickers, or info cards to continue spreading the message. Find various types in links here: DrMomma.org/p/info-cards.html

There will also be a winner in each category who will receive $10 toward advocacy materials of your choice (breastfeeding, babywearing, birth, genital autonomy, etc.).

'Most Creative'

'Most Artistic'

'Most Catchy Phrase'

'Most Public / Biggest'

'Most Beautiful'

'Most Childlike'

Past Winners:
DrMomma.org/2012/07/great-chalk-event.html

You are welcome to upload photos to the peaceful parenting (FB.com/PeacefulParenting) and/or Saving Our Sons (FB.com/SavingOurSons) pages. To be included in the running for prizes, you must *email* your chalk photo(s) and mailing address or state location to PeacefulParents@gmail.com or SavingSons@gmail.com  Doing so will ensure we have your contact information, in case of winning.

Chalk The Walk Albums:

PP: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150169988052671.298955.202794322670

SOS: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.220458054639990.62794.166998263319303

Note: If you do not have time on April 30th, you're welcome to create your chalking prior to this date and submit a photo during the weekend of April 30/May 1 to be included. To win as a "first in state" entry, items cannot be submitted earlier than 9am ET on April 30, 2016.


Happy Chalking! 


Category Winners


First In State Winners
(first name only for privacy)

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland

Massachusetts
Robin G.

Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico

New York
Ayla W.

North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota

Tennessee
Brittany C.

Texas
Jennifer M.

Utah
Vermont

Virginia
Jenny C.

Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming


6 Habits of Highly Effective Parents




Habits of Effective Parents

Additional gentle and effective parenting resources gathered here.