We have been hearing that all pregnant women, young children, and elderly people need to get a flu shot. How about your unborn baby? He/she could use one too. “Our data show that a single dose of maternal influenza vaccine provides a considerable two-for-one benefit to both mothers and their young infants,” wrote a team led by Dr. Mark C. Steinhoff, of Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health, in Baltimore. They also wrote, “childhood deaths associated with influenza are most frequent in infants under the age of 6 months,”. Unfortunately, for children under 6 months, it is not recommended they receive a flu shot. The researchers knew newborns did receive some immunities to the flu virus from the mother’s antibodies which circulate in the fetal environment. They wondered if a flu shot would have the same effect. To find out, the team tracked 340 Bangladeshi mother-infant pairs during 2004-2005.

The researchers found that babies born to vaccinated mothers had a 63% lower risk of laboratory-confirmed influenza compared to babies whose mothers had not received the flu shot. The incidence of any type of respiratory illness with fever also declined, from 153 cases among infants born to unvaccinated mothers to 110 cases among babies whose mothers had gotten the flu shot. Researchers say this trial offers “unique evidence supporting the strategy of maternal immunization to prevent influenza infection in young infants and their mothers.”

Few pregnant women actually follow CDC recommendations and receive the flu shot. I know I have never had one. Even my kids don’t get one every year. We are a generally healthy family so I don’t really think about it. Maybe this year, I will have to join the line and get injected (oops did I let the cat out of the bag? I guess another post is needed).

If you are pregnant, get your flu shot!

We all know “the breast is best”.  Has PETA taken it a wee to far?  A Swiss restaurant owner will begin purchasing breast milk from nursing mothers and substituting breast milk for 75 percent of the cow’s milk in the food he serves.  This prompted PETA to write to Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and propose they do the same.  I love Ben and Jerry’s!  If I knew I was drinking some woman’s breast milk, I think I would have to switch companies.  In a statement Ben and Jerry’s said, “We applaud PETA’s novel approach to bringing attention to an issue, but we believe a mother’s milk is best used for her child.”  Could you imagine, much like there is the organic seal on food, you now have a ‘made with breast milk’ seal?  I’m sure for those breastfeeding it would be a great way to make some extra bucks, right?  I am all for breastfeeding, I do think for a baby it IS best.  However, an adult, hhmmm.  All this talk about ice cream makes me want some!!

Go and read the letter PETA sent to the good ol’ boys.

I caught the first half of Oprah today.  I know, I know, sounds like the typical housewife huh?  Jenny McCarthy was on talking about her new book, Mother Warriors.  She introduced us to Monica.  After going through a painful divorce, she never thought she would find love again.  In walks Tony, they date and become engaged.  Monica gives birth to their daughter, Monica’s second baby.  She also had a then 9 year old.  After giving birth, she somehow obtained a flesh eating bacteria.  She lost some of her organs and eventually both legs and arms.  This is the most inspiring woman!  She never had a pity party, and never whined.  She began rehab and said she wanted to double whatever time they required.  Instead of 2 hours, she worked for 4 hours.  She just wanted to get back to her girls and fiancé.  While in the hospital going through her 37 surgeries and 4 months of rehab, she and Tony got married.  In a blue gown, in her hospital bed next to him, they said their vows.  She has learned to care for her girls, husband, and run the household with no arms and legs.  You really need to read the rest of the story!  She is certainly one of the most inspiring mothers I have ever come across!

It never ceases to amaze me where medicine takes us.  This is a video clip from The Today Show.  Matt Lauer interviews a couple who had a baby and is pregnant again.  What is amazing about this?  Annie had one her ovaries frozen before under going chemotherapy.  After she was in remission, the ovary was grafted back on.  It is only the second time a baby was born after an ovary was frozen.  There are less than 10 babies born in this way so far!

i know politics are all people are talking about, especially Sarah Palin. Will you indulge me for a moment and leave your opinions? i adore this woman for many reasons, one of which she is a mom just like me. She reminds me of someone i would run into at the grocery store. Her speech last night was inspiring!

She is coming under criticism.  People question if she can handle being a mom to 5 kids (one with special needs), and the responsibility of a vice president.  Would this be a question if she was a man?  i heard this morning that fellow women are even questioning her.  This really saddens me!  It almost seems we as women are hindering the breaking of the glass ceiling Hillary Clinton cracked.  What happened to women being able to do anything a man can?  My neighbor has a child with cerebral palsy, she is a single mom and has to work (the seperation is amicable and both parties agreed).  Is she judged for her decisions?  my mom used to watch a little girl with severe disabilities.  Was her mom judged for working?  Perhaps a double standard..hhmm.  Sarah Palin has an amazing husband (not to mention easy on the eyes *wink*) and he is very hands on.  If you are a mother who has a child with special needs, wouldn’t you want an advocate that close to the top instead of questioning if she can be a mom and a vice president?  Was JFK questioned about these things, if he could handle being a father and a president with young children?

Politics aside (i am having to bite my tongue because she has already been a successful Governor with an 80% approval rating), she represents the very lesson we teach our daughters.  You can do anything you want!  my 4 year old daughter talks about how she wants to “be a doctor who helps mommies have babies” and wants to have her own babies when she “gets big as you (me, her mommy)”.  i don’t say well, honey, i’m not sure if you can handle the pressure and time commitment.  NO, i say awesome (and in my head think, i hope she can get some scholarships)!  Actually, my fabulous OB-GYN, Dr Wentross, her hubby is a stay at home dad who does an amazing job.  i suspect Todd Palin (First Dude as he likes to  be called) will be one as well, if he isn’t already.   Wouldn’t you want a mommy at the top who understands what its like raising kids and being a working mom?

If you missed her speech….part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4

i am really curious to hear what everyone else thinks about this subject.  This is about being a high powered working mom, not politics.  Please no political statements.

Every year the CDC releases the National Vital Statistics Report the end of last year.  It is quite astonishing!  There was a 3% increase in births from 2005 to 2006, the highest growth since 1989.  There were 4,265,996 births in 2006 which is the highest number since 1961!  Teenage pregnancy started to rise in 2006 for the first time since 1991.  The total fertility rate was 2,101births per 1,000 women which is the highest rate since 1971.  The birth rate rose by 7% for unmarried women which equaled 50.6 births per 1,000 women.

WOW!  We are having babies!  The one that surprised me the most was the unmarried women.  Half of the women giving birth are unmarried.  i wonder how many account for women choosing to have children without a partner and how many were like my first (very unexpected blessings).

What are your thoughts on these numbers and what they mean?

Babyrazzi is a fun blog i subscribe to.  It’s all about celebrities and their babies.  They just posted an article i find somewhat disturbing (as seen by my comment on it).  i am just like the next guy (or gal) who wants my children to be unique.  Finding that place begins with the name our parents choose for us.   We have gotten away from the traditional names and now anything goes (check out 2007 popular names).  Actress Busy Philipps with husband Marc Silverstein just had a baby girl and named her Birdie.  Recently General Hospital Star, Ingo Rademacher had a baby boy and named him Peanut.  Really?  Don’t they realize these kids will have this name until they die (or at least go down to the courthouse and have it changed)?  Chris Martin (Gwyneth Paltrow’s hubby) said, ““There’s nothing weird about calling your baby Chewbacca if that’s what you want to call your baby,…”   This just seems a little selfish to me.  Isn’t parenthood about giving your child the best you are able to and being unselfish?  Would you want to walk around in life with the name Peanut?