OC Moms’ Clubs Guide and Baby Briefs

Written by Amy Leadbetter

Baby Briefs

Prolonging the Clamping of Umbilical

An article published in the New York Times states that recent trial has found that waiting three minutes or longer before clamping a newborn’s umbilical cord reduced the prevalence of iron deficiency at four months. Swedish researchers studied 334 infants, randomly assigning half to have their cords clamped within 10 seconds of birth and the rest clamping after three minutes or longer. Although there were no significant differenced in iron status two days after birth, when researchers analyzed blood taken at four months, they found iron concentrations were 45 percent higher in the delayed clamping group and iron deficiency was significantly more prevalent in those who were clamped early. The research points out that there were no adverse effects to delayed clamping.

IKEA’s Highchair Recall

IKEA recalled more than a million baby high chairs sold in the United States and Canada over reports of the restraint buckle opening unexpectedly, causing children to fall out. The retailer has received eight reports worldwide of buckle failings, all children ended up with minor injuries. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall mid-January and IKEA posted a warning on its website over the Antilop high chair, sold from August 2006 through January 2012 for around $20.

Twins Galore

If you think you are seeing double a lot more often these days, you’re not alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the number of twins born each year in the U.S. has more than doubled since 1980, the rate has rose 76 percent to be exact. The reason behind the surge? According to U.S. officials, the increase is due to both the increased use of infertility treatments and the tendency for women to delay childbirth until they are older. In mothers 40 and older, the twin rate skyrocketed by more than 200 percent. Health experts note that pregnancies with multiples carry higher risks for complications than a single pregnancy. Twins are more likely to be born earlier and smaller, requiring more hospitalization time.

Resources: nytimes.com, abclocal.go.com, fitpregnancy.com

Clubs Guide