Runny Nose Blues

It is that time of year when our little ones are exposed to germs in record numbers, resulting in what I have come to call the runny nose blues (or is it the runny nose greens...eeew). It seems like all winter long we are wiping noses and whipping out the booger snoofer in an attempt to keep baby’s face clean and her nasal airways open.

It doesn't have to be this way. A while back I wrote about Five Great Goops, and today I will add a sixth one... elderberry syrup.

Medicinal use of elderberry dates back to the Greek physician, Hippocrates (and probably back even further) with the good doctor referring to it as his “medicine chest”. Modern studies have shown that he was correct. Elderberries are loaded with flavonoids which boost the immune system and the Elderberry extract, Sambucus is used to treat both bacterial and viral infections.

I had heard about Elderberry syrup from a friend when she noticed my daughter’s non-stop runny nose but being skeptical I had to see it in action to believe it. My answer to runny noses was a trip to the pediatrician, and in my daughter’s case a round of oral antibiotics was prescribed. The antibiotics did clear up her sinus infection, but a week after the treatment ended, the boogers were back. I immediately went out and bought a bottle of Nature’s Way Sambucus for Kids.



A teaspoon a day of Sambucus for a 1-6 year old wards off the common cold, sinus infections, and the like. In our case, with all of my children, it works. If I see a wet nose or I know one of my kids was exposed to a sick child, I give them the “intensive” dose for a couple days.

As with the introduction of any herbal addition to your child’s diet you should talk to your pediatrician first. Elderberry syrup can interact with some medications, and has possible laxative properties (though I haven’t noticed any.)

Breastfeeding Your Baby with Down Syndrome - Part Two

Last week guest blogger Lisa Morguess from Life As I Know It shared her personal story of overcoming several obstacles to develop a breastfeeding relationship with her son Finnian. This week she shares with us some of the tips and resources she found helpful.

----------------------------------------

Tips and Tricks
~ First and foremost, if anyone tells you that breastfeeding your baby will not work because she has Down syndrome and you have your heart set on breastfeeding, walk away. Believe it can be done; plenty of moms have successfully nursed their babies with Down syndrome.

~ Find a good lactation consultant, preferably one who has some knowledge about Down syndrome and the unique challenges that can be associated.

~ Experiment with different nursing positions. There is no one position that works for all moms or all babies. I had the most success when Finn was a newborn with the cradle hold, the cross-cradle hold, and the football hold. I found the football hold especially useful when using a SNS/LA, and the cross-cradle hold when using breast compression.

~ Breast compression is an effective way to increase your milk production and increase baby's intake. It works by manually compressing the breast as baby is nursing, slowly and repeatedly, thereby stimulating milk production and encouraging a baby who may have a weak suck to take in as much milk as possible.

Useful Contraptions and Accoutrements
~ A good breastfeeding pillow is a must. A Boppy probably won't cut it, as the low muscle tone associated with Down syndrome necessitates a very firm foundation on which to support your baby. I highly recommend the My Brest Friend pillow.



~ Some babies with Down syndrome do better with the sensory input of the more rigid shape of nipple shields. Using the shields is usually only short-term, while a newborn is learning to efficiently latch and suck.



~ Sometimes it is necessary to use a supplemental nursing system (SNS), also known as a lactation aid. If your baby is having an especially difficult time with latch and/or suck, and because of this she isn't gaining weight appropriately and your milk production is diminishing, an SNS might help. The SNS allows baby to receive supplemental milk while at the breast, and this in turn stimulates milk production. If you need to use an SNS, try making your own instead of buying one. The ready-made systems are difficult to use and they're not cheap. A homemade one is inexpensive, easy to make, and easier to use.

A breast pump is a must for any breastfeeding mom, for those times when you are separated from your baby (for a variety of reasons), and need to keep your milk production “on schedule.” If your baby has any medical issues that require a separation from you, it will be extremely important to establish milk production as soon as possible by pumping your breasts at regular intervals (or if the separation is later, for instance due to heart surgery, it will be important to keep your milk production going). A breast pump is also extremely helpful in establishing and maintaining your milk production while a baby who has any feeding/latch/suck difficulties works out the kinks. Though I won't recommend a particular brand, I do encourage getting an electric double pump, as they are far more efficient and effective than manual breast pumps. You can rent a hospital grade pump from almost any hospital for a nominal cost, or you can buy one new from a variety of websites and baby stores, and you can even buy a used one at a discount on eBay or Craig's List. When you buy a used pump, you're basically buying the motor; you will need to buy your own new, sterile tubing, collection bottles, and breast shields.

Supplements to Increase Milk Production
A well-balanced diet and ample fluid intake are necessary for sufficient mild production. If you find, that your milk production is lacking (which often happens when a baby has feeding difficulties), herbal supplements can help, including fenugreek and blessed thistle taken together. These herbal supplements are available in capsule and tincture form from any health food or whole foods retailer.

If herbal remedies don't do the trick, there is Domperidone (Motilium), a prescription drug whose intended use is treating certain gastrointestinal issues. It has an off-label use of increasing milk production in lactating women. (The FDA issued a warning at some point against using it for this purpose, and I'm not going to go into the ins and outs of that particular issue except to say that it has been used safely by a great many women who may not have been able to successfully nurse their babies otherwise. I used it for over two years and never suffered a single side effect.) If your doctor does not want prescribe it for you to increase milk production, it is available without a prescription from various international pharmacies online. Be assured that this is perfectly legal. The pharmacy I used to obtain Domperidone was inhousepharmacy.biz.

Some Wonderful Resources
International Breastfeeding Centre
Breastfeeding Inc.
Breastfeeding Online
Kelly Mom
La Leche League

Eat Your Choline

Are your pregnant with a baby who has Down syndrome, or nursing a newborn? A recent study performed by Cornell University has shown that more choline given to developing babies with Down syndrome has lasting cognitive and emotional benefits.

Where can you get choline? There is a lot of it in eggs, beef, cauliflower, navy beans, tofu, almonds, peanut butter, and in Nutrivene-D. The recommended daily dose of choline for infants is about 150 mg a day. For pregnant moms it is 450 mg and for lactating moms it is 550 mg.

I am not sure how many eggs or how much beef liver you would have to eat to pass that much choline to your baby through breast milk, so you may want to ask your pediatrician if Nurtivene-D is right for your child.

To get you started eating your choline, here are two recipes:
For baby...
Vegi Puree (32.3 mg total choline)
1 oz. breast milk (4.5 mg choline) or milk (4.0 mg choline)
1oz cooked navy beans, mashed (8.6 mg choline)
1oz cooked cauliflower, mashed (10.9 mg choline)
1oz cooked carrots, mashed (2.5 mg choline)
1oz cooked sweet potato, mashed (3.7 mg choline)
1tbsp melted butter (2.6 mg choline)
Put in all in the food processor or blender and puree it until you reach the consistency your baby likes.

For you... (and baby, lol)
Nigerian Baked Beans whose leftovers become Summer Stew (284 mg total choline)
(from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian (modified by L.L.Barkat)


(ds.mama substituted navy beans for Great Northern beans and shortened the cooking time.)
Stir briefly over low heat..
1 onion, chopped and already sauteed until light brown (5.7 mg choline)
4 cloves garlic, minced (2.8 mg choline)
1 TB curry powder
Add onion and garlic mixture to...
1 1/2 cups dried Navy Beans, already soaked and cooked until tender (retain cooking water) (144 mg choline)
2 tomatoes, chopped (16.4 mg choline)
1 1/2 TB peanut butter (15 mg choline)
salt and pepper to taste
Bake all together about 45 minutes or until tender and sauce is thickened.

For Stew the Following Evening... ( adds about 100 mg choline)
• cut 4-5 potatoes (22 mg choline per potato) into 1/2 to 3/4 inch chunks, add to beans with enough water to cover, and cook 15 minutes or until tender
• garnish with one onion sliced very thin, browned until crisp
• add a generous scoop of herbed butter (5.2 mg choline) and stir until melted

Picture credit: L.L. Barkat.

Supplements—DHA & EPA

What is it?
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 essential fatty acid derived from fish oil. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is another omega-3 fatty acid and it is often found in products that contain DHA.

Why would I want to give it to my child?
DHA is required in high levels by the brain and retina as an essential nutrient to provide for optimal neuronal functioning (learning ability, mental development) and visual acuity.

Studies have been done on children with autism and with other developmental differences, and the results showed that after 3 months of taking DHA & EPA, there was a 6 month improvement in reading and spelling levels, as well as significant behavioral improvements.

When I asked our developmental pediatrician about omega-3 oil, he said that there is proof that it has positive impact on brain development in infants and children. I had already been using it for a while but this was reassuring to hear.

Where can I get it?
Moms can start introducing omega-3 during pregnancy by taking fish oil supplements. Then later your baby can continue to receive DHA & EPA through your breast milk. Some formulas are enhanced with DHA, (but as far as I know, only Baby’s Only by Nature’s One derives the DHA from eggs. More on this topic under side effects.) Omega-3s can also be found in enhanced milk as well as in enhanced eggs (I wonder what those chickies eat).

The easiest way to get it, and one of the safest, is through Nordic Naturals Children's DHA which has the highest omega-3 level of any cod liver oil. Nordic Naturals products have consistently high standards and test under the maximum allowances for toxins and heavy metals.

There is also a plant derived omega-3 fatty acid, a-linolenic acid (ALA), but the metabolic conversion of ALA to DHA/EPA (combined) by metabolism is very limited in humans and certain forms of ALA have risks associated with taking them.

What are the side effects and risks?
One of the positive side affects of taking omega-3 oil is that it helps to keep your baby from becoming constipated. Like some other oils, it helps to keep things moving along.

The Nordic Naturals website lists possible repeating (or spitting up) as a side effect. It says if this happens it could be because, “your body may not be manufacturing enough lipase, the digestive enzyme our bodies make to digest fats and oils. If you haven't ingested fish oils for a long time, it might take a week or so for your body to adjust and make more of this enzyme.”

Aside from that, I have found no other negative feedback associated with the Nordic Naturals omega-3 fatty acids, DHA & EPA.

Mercury and other toxins are a risk associated with some brands of omega-3 oils so do brand research before you purchase an omega-3 supplement.

Several sites mention dangers in the processing of ALA oils, Mortierella alpina oil and Crypthecodinium cohnii oil (sometimes listed as M. alpina oil and C. cohnii oil). These oils are extracted from fermented fungus and algae with a neurotoxic chemical solvent. The C. cohnii oil (algae) & M. alpina oil (fungus) used in many infant formulas are treated with hexane solvent, acid, and bleach. Some infants have experienced serious adverse reactions to these additives. Hmm, I wonder why.

Based on my research I did when choosing a formula and supplements, I found that Baby’s Only formula and Nordic Naturals omega-3 oil were the safest ways to get DHA & EPA into my babies. All of my children are still taking one or both of these products.

Your Turn
Is your child taking some form of DHA supplement? If so, what are you using and what results are you seeing if any?

Sources
DHA/EPA Omega-3 Institute
Omega-3 Fish Oil Blog
Nordic Naturals
The Cornucopia Institute

Supplements, Should We?

Right up front let me say that no amount of supplements is going to "fix" your baby’s Down syndrome. That said, can they help your baby be all he can be?

NuTriVene - D Supplements
The Trisomy 21 Research Foundation recommends a daily set of supplements for people with Down syndrome. These supplements can be given to infants. When you google the foundation you will see that it seems to exist only to support the NuTriVene online company that sells the recommended supplements. This in itself doesn’t make the product bogus but it does make one question the foundation’s recommendations. After all, they are self-serving.

The NuTriVene website does have a page with some interesting research about the effects of an extra 21st chromosome on free radicals and proteins in the body. How much of this research can be independently supported elsewhere? Um, I couldn’t find much. Because it is a supplement, it doesn’t need FDA approval and the FDA site has zippo information about it. But, then again, the FDA doesn’t say anything about Flinstones either.

Taking a Chance
I grew up on vitamins, cod liver oil, and anything else my mom believed was healthy for me. So after some prompting from her, which I overtly rejected, I secretly popped for the $56 powdered stuff and tried it out.



Ok, now I hear some of you drawing in your breath, and thinking loudly, "How could she give her baby some who-knows-what concoction?" On all other counts, I am an organic ds.mama and nothing questionable goes in or on my babies. However, my youngest baby, who has Down syndrome, spent 16 weeks at birth in the hospital and you should have seen the stuff the medical community gave her. Drugs upon drugs, intravenous plastic tubing, iron supplements, and conventional creams and baby care items. They even tried to feed her corn oil but I stamped my foot down on that one. After all that, I figured what’s one more thing?

The Process
I measure a little less than the recommended amount of the orange powder (still wary, I guess) into about 2 ml of baby formula and suck it up into an oral syringe. Getting it into her is tricky and I do it on her changing table with a washable mat under her. I do this when she is wearing her birthday suit because the supplement leaves bright orange stains on any material. I squirt the awful tasting stuff (at least I thought so) into her cheek pocket a tiny bit at a time. She doesn’t complain.

The Fuzzy Results
After a couple weeks of this, my mom (who I hadn’t told yet) asked me if I was doing something new because my daughter was "so alert" and seemed to be progressing faster. This was hardly a scientific study but it was a hmm... moment. Since I started Omega 3 oil (more on that another day) at the same time, I can’t say one or the other was responsible for any perceived results.

I can say that my daughter left the hospital at 16 weeks old, after major heart surgery, not even able to hold her own head up or reach for a toy. She had also been sick with multiple bacterial infections in the hospital. She made it through last winter with no ear infections, no bacterial infections, no respiratory infections, nothing but an occasional cold. There are lots of other factors that can account for her good health and strong development since then. She is primarily breastfed, she had a visiting nurse administer the RSV vaccine every month, I am a Purell junkie (16 weeks in NICU/PICU will do that to you), she has the benefit of wonderful Early Intervention therapists, and her heart fix was perfect.

Still, it’s possible the supplement is beneficial to her. So, I give it to her whenever I remember and have the energy for the mixing, delivery, and clean-up process.

Your Turn
Am I the only mom out here using this stuff? If you have used it, can you comment on your experience with it, good or bad?

Read Beth's post: Targeted Nutritional Intervention--Vitamins