Hilary's Desk

It’s mind numbing to me, that in 2010, the medical system would still expound this myth. Oy Vey. But so we read, “Study looks at why mum’s kiss is good for baby”; “Sterile when they are born, babies inherited bacteria from their main carer, usually their mother” … right there, the fundamental premis, which underpins this study, is not supported by the medical literature.  Read Full Blog

Hurrah, a doctor finally sees the blindingly obvious! In a study entitled “Wait to clamp umbilical cord, study says” Paul R. Sanberg from South Florida College of Medicine, is the first person I know of, who has finally published what I’ve been saying for years. Which equates to “Don't clamp the newborn’s umbilical cord!” His reason is that cord blood gives the baby its first infusion of stem cells which could help regenerate any underdeveloped organs.  And do a whole heap of other things too.  I’m glad he said that. But here’s my problem. Why didn’t all these medical people who have called cord blood “medical waste” and set up cord banks specifically to save those stem cells, see that? Isn’t it somewhat blindingly obvious? My first published article on delaying cord clamping was in the New Zealand Home Birth Magazine which was then reproduced in the New Zealand Association of Midwives Newsletter. An American magazine called “Mothering” published it in 1986. 24 years ago. My second “rant” on this topic was last year, as part of a talk. Read Full Blog

It makes logical sense that very high IgA levels of rotavirus neutralizing antibodies in breast-milk, would result in babies not developing high levels of antibodies against an oral rotavirus vaccine, right? The conclusions of a recent study was that lots of studies should look at stopping mothers breastfeeding before and after vaccination, to overcome this "negative effect”.   Read Full Blog

In a move worthy of a Monty Python Movie, Dr Jay Gordon has earned my hero award for the decade, for his two 2009 April fool’s press releases sent to a subscription only obscure list called Lactnet, for lactation consultants and doctor who support breastfeeding. Jay is a breastfeeding advocate and passionate about the WHO code, and ethical medicine. He and many of his colleagues are very unhappy at the way the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) lives off money, earned from ordinary people who are duped into believing that formula is fantastic, and "vaccines vanquish victims". As an April fool’s joke, Jay sent out a spoof April Fool’s press release titled “AAP severs ties with Formula Industry” which read:  Read Full Blog