Halt those Haitian breastmilk donations...

I thought this was a little bit amusing. All these American women started shipping their breast milk to organizations that could get it to starving babies in Haiti. But now the people on the receiving end are saying "We never wanted your breast milk..."

Nevertheless, it is very encouraging that women were willing to give in such a meaningful way. And the influx of milk donations will undoubtedly help milk banks here in the United States.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35134523/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

It turns out that Ploude and a bevy of United States breast-feeding advocates may have unleashed a well-meaning but misguided flood of mothers’ milk to the earthquake-shattered nation, one that aid workers in Haiti say was not requested — and is not needed.

“Tell them not to send it,” said Eric Porterfield, a spokesman for the American Red Cross. “I’m 100 percent sure we didn’t ask for that.”

... Now the challenge is to quell the response of well-meaning mothers while still retaining support and awareness for breast milk donations to feed premature babies in the U.S. or to help those whose mothers can't nurse.

Facilitating Adoption for Special Needs Children

Today a friend of mine told me about an organization called CHASK, Christian Homes Adopting Special Kids. This group is doing a beautiful thing and welcoming special needs babies into Christian families, when the birth parents are not interested or capable to parent them. CHASK gives parents a real alternative to choosing abortion for their babies.

From the CHASK website:

"Today, 80% of unborn babies with medical concerns are aborted. We want parents to hear about life choices. CHASK provides family to family support helping families raise their child with special needs. Loving homes are waiting to adopt these special babies if the birth moms and dads are not able to parent. Thousands of Christian families believe that life is precious. They are wanting to put action behind their faith in Jesus Christ by opening their homes and hearts to one of God’s special little ones."

C-Section Rates at ‘"Epidemic" Levels

The current trend of "unnecessary surgeries is jeopardizing women’s health," the U.N. World Health Organization warned in a report published in the medical journal The Lancet.

"Unnecessary C-sections are costlier than natural births and raise the risk of complications for the mother, said the report surveying nine Asian nations. It noted C-sections have reached “epidemic proportions” in many countries worldwide."

Read the full Associated Press story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34826186/ns/health-pregnancy/