Top Fruits & Veggies that are High in Pesticides- Quick Reference Guide

Certain fruits and vegetables have more pesticides in and on them than others.  I want to give you a quick overview of the ones that are considered the worst in terms of pesticide exposure, and then I’ll give you a “safe list.” 

Here’s the deal:  I know eating organic isn’t cheap.  I have a family on a tight budget and we know the challenges of trying to eat healthy on a budget.  Now, in the long run it’s cheaper to eat organic than pay medical bills down the road for cancer.  But if you want a short-run savings secret, you can do what we do.  You just need to know which fruits and vegetables are the worst in terms of pesticides and buy those organic.  You can buy produce on the “safe list” non-organic to save money.  If you can afford it, of course buying organic is always better.    

As always, you want to make sure you wash your produce thoroughly.  However, sometimes that’s not enough when fruits and vegetables have been growing using water that is contaminated with pesticides.  In other words, the pesticides are inside the fruits and vegetables.  That’s why organic is important. 

Okay, here are the WORST fruits and vegetables in terms of pesticide exposure:

1.  Strawberries
2. Cherries
3. Potatoes
4. Peaches
5. Celery
6. Apples (we always peel our apples if they are non-organic, just as extra precaution)
7. Blueberries
8. Spinach
9. Imported grapes
10. Lettuce
11. Sweet bell peppers (green and red)
12. Nectarines
13. Apricots
14. Green beans
15. Cucumbers
16. Pears

 

Safer Fruits & Veggies

1.  Avocadoes
2. Sweet peas
3. Sweet corn
4. Asparagus
5. Onions
6. Kiwi fruit
7. Cantaloupe
8. Pineapples
9. Watermelon
10. Mango
11. Broccoli
12. Eggplant
13. Grapefruit
14. Bananas
15. Sweet potatoes
16. Cabbage

Is Sex a Thing of the Past?

Looking at my pack of mini-pills that are running out in a week, I had a thought that I should probably mark the day(s) I actually see some action.  I suspect it will be in the low single digits, and that is truly depressing, considering I used to be an eager participant. 

And it’s not really for lack of enthusiasm either.  It’s more a logistical problem.  L.P. seems to always be awake (and on summer vacation, I might add).  Butterball doesn’t sleep with any regularity.  Husband was at work. 

So, today was the first day L.P. went off for summer school.  Butterball was sleeping.  Finally, it seemed like our moment.  After spending the first four months of my postpartum time in pain during sex, it’s nice to actually have the chance to enjoy it…if we only had the time. 

And, of course, Butterball had to make noises.  Grunts.  Groans.  Ripped a big loud fart.  Never quite woke up, but just made enough interference noises, which I guess comes with the territory of having the bassinet in our bedroom.  And, of course, his noises triggered my milk let-down.  Who wants to get it on with electrical currents going on in your breasts?!

Oh well.  I suppose some day we’ll figure this out. 

I thought postpartum sex was hard.  I was wrong.  Life-with-children sex is even harder.

Importance of Tummy Time

Since my son was a preemie (born at 29 weeks 4 days) we were referred to the pediatric physical therapist for a “just in case” appointment.  Fortunately the therapist confirmed what I already knew:  baby is perfect.  Actually, her words were “the only thing wrong with him is that he might be too cute.”  I’ll take that. 

Anyway, I asked her about tummy time, since I heard it’s important to do since babies sleep on their backs now (or at least they should).  Prior to the huge “back to sleep” campaign that began in 1992 by the American Academy of Pediatrics, a lot of people (my mom included) put their babies on their tummies to sleep.  So, they got tons of tummy time.  Sleeping on the back and having no tummy time can have the ability of delaying certain developmental milestones, like rolling over and crawling.  It can also lead to a flat head.

According to UCSF’s Childcare Health Program , tummy time is important for the following reasons:

• stretch and strengthen the head, neck, shoulder and back muscles they will need to learn important motor skills (for instance, how to push up, roll over, sit up, crawl, and pull to a stand).
• develop their sensory-perceptual, social emotional, problem solving, balance, visual, and hearing abilities.
• develop normally-shaped heads (infants who spend most of their time on their backs when asleep and in infant seats when awake are at risk for developing flat spots on the backs of their heads).

The physical therapist gave us a few ideas.  She said we could purchase a big exercise ball and place the baby on it, rolling it a bit back and forth.  She said this made a lot of babies happier than the traditional place baby on a firm surface, since they could see a lot more and stay entertained.  My son was on the ball and watching his big brother play.  The physical therapist said the more they are entertained, the longer they’ll be able to keep their head up. Another option is to place the baby on the edge of the bed (with your supervision of course!  I shouldn’t have to say this, but for all of these tips you must supervise your baby!!!!). 

Anyway, we’ll be continuing tummy time with more vigor.  Butterball doesn’t like it too much, but he’s getting better each time. 

Tummy Time Resources:

Babies Today

UCSF Childcare Health

Back to sleep, Tummy to Play

Enjoying the Summer with the Kids…without the Sunburn

Now that summer is unofficially here, there are many things I’d like to do with the baby and L.P.  Things that involve beaches, hiking, swimming, bbqs, road trips, and more. 

But one thing comes to my mind when I think about summer and the kids:  too much sun.  How do you prevent too much sun from getting on that precious and perfect baby skin?  L.P. has very fair skin that turns red easily.  My husband is adamant about covering up. 

I’ve compiled a bit of research on the matter.  The American Academy of Pediatrics has a “Summer Safety” tips sheet to reference.   According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the following is recommended:

For a baby under 6 months

• Avoid being out in the sun, especially during peak hours (middle of the day).
• If you are out in the sun, wear lightweight pants, a long-sleeve shirt (made of tightly woven fabric), and a large-brimmed hat that covers the neck. 
• If the clothing is unavailable (say, if you’re swimming or something), then minimal amounts of sunscreen (of at least 15 SPF) can be applied to small areas (face, back of hands, etc).  Do a spot check first to make sure your child isn’t allergic to the lotion. 

Other children

• Avoid being in the sun, especially during peak hours.
• Like the babies, children should wear cotton clothing (tight weave) that covers their skin.  A wide-brimmed hat that covers their necks.  Also use sunglasses that block 99-100% of ultraviolet rays
• To determine if clothing is “tight weave” or not, hold it up in the sunlight and see how much sun shines through the fabric). 
• Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15+, even on overcast days.  Reapply every two hours.  If you’re in the water or sweating profusely, reapply after getting out. 

So, the bottom line is that it is always best to avoid direct sunlight, especially during peak hours.  It’s also best to avoid exposure of the children’s skin to sunlight, and a better solution is to let them wear lightweight, long-sleeved shirts with pants (with a tight weave) if at all possible in your summer fun.  Sunscreen is a must.  I keep a bottle of it in my diaper bag and purse…you just never know when you’ll need it.  We also keep hats in our cars and a bonnet in the diaper bag.

Blue Butt

My son has a blue butt.  Yes—he literally does!  It is known as a “Mongolian blue spot” and commonly affects Asian babies, Native Americans, people of African descent, and even Hispanic babies.  I only knew what they were because my uncle married a Japanese woman and ten years ago they had their first child, who I was surprised to discover had a blue butt!  How weird, I thought, not knowing that ten years later I’d be giving birth to my own ½ Japanese son who would also have a blue butt. 

The blue spots are temporary and will fade over time, but are often confused with bruises.  They can appear in places other than a baby’s bottom.  There have been cases of babies being taken away from their parents on the grounds of suspected abuse, only to later reveal that they were Mongolian spots.  How scary, huh?! 

The name “Mongolian blue spots” has nothing to do with Mongolia, except that these spots are more prevalent in dark-skinned and Asian babies.  In fact, over 80% of Asian babies have the blue spots.

The scientific explanation behind these blue spots is that they are actually a bunch of melanocytes, which are skin cells that produce melanin.  Melanocytes that are close to the skin surface appear brown, but ones that are deeper look more blue, hence the blue spots.

Since Butterball is of mixed descent, his spot is a tiny one on his bottom.  Sorry, no pictures of them! 

Resources on “Blue Butts”:

https://health.google.com/health/ref/Mongolian+blue+spots

http://www.drgreene.com/qa/what-are-mongolian-spots

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongolian_spot

Developmental Milestones for a 3-month old

Several weeks ago, I realized that my baby should be doing more regular “tummy time.”  I was prompted by his doctor’s referral to a prominent developmental center we will be seeing in July to check out Butterball…”just in case” since he was born at 29 weeks 4 days.  Being the competitive, over-achiever that I am, I just couldn’t bear the thought of me not doing my part to help my son’s developmental success.  So we began structured, daily “tummy time.” 

Tummy time is said to be beneficial for preventing babies from getting flat heads (from lying on their backs all the time) and good for helping them develop fine motor skills.

And while I see him doing fantastic with head and neck control when I hold him, tummy time is slowly coming along.  Slowly.  Most of the time he gets frustrated within 20 seconds, and I end up having to scoop him into my arms and rescue him while he pants with exhaustion and gives me a look of “what the heck did you do that to me for?”  But…he is getting better.  I set up a clean blanket on the floor (never do tummy time on soft surfaces like a bed) and lay down next to him, giving him words of encouragement and a pep talk like I’m some sort of coach  trying to motivate my athlete.  When he tells me he’s done, I try to pump him up full of baby compliments.  That was a great job!  You did so much better!  You’re doing fabulous! 

But…I can’t help but wonder if he is on track developmentally.  I think he’s perfect, but is everything on track?  They scare you in the NICU when you have a preemie.  It got to the point where I refused to read any book about preemies with their laundry lists of all the wors case scenarios.

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According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, here are the developmental milestones for a 3 month old  

Movement Milestones

• Raises head and chest when lying on stomach
• Supports upper body with arms when lying on stomach
• Stretches legs out and kicks when lying on stomach or back
• Opens and shuts hands
• Pushes down on legs when feet are placed on a firm surface
• Brings hand to mouth
• Takes swipes at dangling objects with hands
• Grasps and shakes hand toys

Visual and Hearing Milestones

• Watches faces intently
• Follows moving objects
• Recognizes familiar objects and people at a distance
• Starts using hands and eyes in coordination
• Smiles at the sound of your voice
• Begins to babble
• Begins to imitate some sounds
• Turns head toward direction of sound

Social and Emotional Milestones

• Begins to develop a social smile
• Enjoys playing with other people and may cry when playing stops
• Becomes more communicative and expressive with face and body
• Imitates some movements and facial expressions

Developmental Health Watch

Although each baby develops in her own individual way and at her own rate, failure to reach certain milestones may signal medical or developmental problems requiring special attention. If you notice any of the following warning signs in your infant at this age, discuss them with your pediatrician.

• Doesn’t seem to respond to loud sounds
• Doesn’t notice her hands by two months
• Doesn’t smile at the sound of your voice by two months
• Doesn’t follow moving objects with her eyes by two to three months
• Doesn’t grasp and hold objects by three months
• Doesn’t smile at people by three months
• Cannot support her head well at three months
• Doesn’t reach for and grasp toys by three to four months
• Doesn’t babble by three to four months
• Doesn’t bring objects to her mouth by four months
• Begins babbling, but doesn’t try to imitate any of your sounds by four months
• Doesn’t push down with her legs when her feet are placed on a firm surface by four months
• Has trouble moving one or both eyes in all directions
• Crosses her eyes most of the time (Occasional crossing of the eyes is normal in these first months.)
• Doesn’t pay attention to new faces, or seems very frightened by new faces or surroundings
• Still has the tonic neck reflex at four to five months

Last Updated

5/5/2010

Source

Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 (Copyright © 2009 American Academy of Pediatrics)

 

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Resources:

http://www.babycenter.com/0_tummy-time-how-to-help-your-baby-get-comfortable-on-his-bell_1439985.bc?page=1

http://www.babyzone.com/askanexpert/tummy-time-101

http://pediatrics.about.com/od/infants/a/0607_tummy_time.htm

5 Reasons to Feed Your Kids Organic Foods

1.  No pesticides.  According to the EPA and other experts, pesticides pose a risk to infants and children.  The EPA cites the following reasons that puts children and babies “at risk”:

• internal organs still developing and maturing,
• in relation to their body weight, infants and children eat and drink more than adults, possibly increasing their exposure to pesticides in food and water.
• certain behaviors–such as playing on floors or lawns or putting objects in their mouths–increase a child’s exposure to pesticides used in homes and yards.

Pesticides are considered dangerous because of their impact on a child’s excretory system.  Since excretory systems are not fully developed in children, they may lack the ability to eliminate pesticides in the body like an adult might.  This means more pesticides stay in a child’s body and get absorbed. 

Also, they Pesticides are considered potentially harmful because they block the of vital nutrients obtained from foods.  These nutrients are considered necessary for normal development and good health.

2.  Reduce impact of environmental toxins on brain growth.  According to Dr. Greene in “Raising Baby Green,” if he had to choose a time in a human life to eat organic, it would be “from conception to age three” (137).  This is the time when our bodies and our brains grow faster,” and “pound for pound babies eat more than adults” and are “more vulnerable to environmental toxins.” 

3.  Possible link to ADHD.  The Journal of Pediatrics has released current research that asserts a link between levels of a common pesticide byproduct and ADHD in children.  According to the research, children with above-average levels of the byproduct are about twice as at risk of getting an ADHD diagnosis.   Read the CNN article “Study: ADHD linked to pesticide exposure” for more information. 

4.  Organic retains more nutrients.  Although there is some disagreement, many sources point to the fact that organically grown fruits and vegetables retain more nutrients and vitamins than other produce.  In a study conducted by the Soil Association, they found organic food to be more rich in vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, iron, and chromium than non-organically grown foods. 

5.  Help the environment…invest in your baby’s future.  Organic farming is kinder and gentler on the environment.  For example, the number one type of farming in the United States is corn.  Consequently, pesticides and chemical fertilizers are used in abundance in corn fields, more so than any other type of crop.  This has had a negative impact on the land.  Pesticide run-off from the Midwest has been found in the Mississippi River, which has dumped out in the Gulf of Mexico and contributed to a marine dead-zone with oxygen depleted water.  Organic farming avoids these environmental disasters and can help take the precautions to make the earth a cleaner, healthier place for your children and future generations. 

Resources:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3076638/

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/food/pest.htm

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/05/17/pesticides.adhd/index.html

“Raising Baby Green” by Dr. Alan Greene, 2007. Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Care

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/10587.php

10 Pieces of Advice for Going to the Dentist Before, During, and After Pregnancy

1.   Go! 

Dental care while pregnant (and after) is very important.  In fact, gum disease can affect the health of your baby.  Studies suggest that it can even lead to preterm labor.  So, definitely make sure you keep up with your regular cleanings and check-ups. 

2.       Tell your dentist you are pregnant. 

This will allow the dentist to plan your care accordingly in terms of medication and whether or not x-rays are necessary. 

3.       Make an appointment before you get pregnant, if possible.

Definitely try to get anything major done before you get pregnant.  If you can get any fillings or other procedures out of the way, you will eliminate a lot of worry and problems during pregnancy, when you are not as able to undergo these procedures.

4.       Avoid  X-rays while pregnant. 

This is especially true for the first trimester.

5.       Go to dental cleanings and check-ups even if you are pregnant.

6.       Post-baby check-up and cleaning. 

For me, this was hard because I didn’t want to be separated from my newborn and I was busy in the throes of motherhood.  What I did was arrange for my husband to meet me there.  I fed the baby before the appointment and he took him for a walk while I got my teeth checked and cleaned.  Easy! 

 A lot of women experience tooth decay and gum inflammation during pregnancy, so you definitely want this taken care of. 

7.       Save all unnecessary dental procedures for after the pregnancy.

8.       Most dental procedures and medication are compatible with breastfeeding.  Always check with your doctor, though.  I was surprised to discover this…so don’t let breastfeeding dissuade you from taking care of your teeth. 

9.       If you must have a dental procedure done, go after the first trimester.  The first trimester is the most important in terms of development, and when your baby is most susceptible to the things you put into your body.

10.   Brush and floss regularly.  If you are having morning sickness and it is interfering with your brushing, try to find a bland toothpaste to use to avoid the gagging.   

Resources:

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/dental-care-pregnancy

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/dentalwork.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dental-health-during-pregnancy/MY00719

http://www.kellymom.com/health/illness/dentalwork.html

http://www.mother-2-mother.com/mh1.htm#Dental

Baby & Child Related News

Two breastfeeding-related articles (new benefits of breastfeeding according to recent research):

Breastfeeding reduces risk of fevers after vaccinations.

Breastfed babies are better able to prevent overeating later on in life.

And an article about pesticides and research finding a link between them and ADHD.  Scary!

Link between ADHD and pesticides. 

All About the Inguinal Hernia

I’ve been absent lately.  My baby (4 months old, 2 months adjusted age) had surgery last week to repair an inguinal hernia.  Since he was a premature baby, they wanted to keep him overnight in the hospital for observation to monitor any potential apnea epsidoes that is more of a risk for a baby under 60 weeks. 

An inguinal hernia is common in premature babies, particularly boys (but is also not uncommon in full-term babies).  In the womb, the baby’s testicles develop in the abdomen.  As the baby grows, the testicles travel down a tunnel into the scrotum.  This tunnel is supposed to fuse shut, but sometimes it doesn’t, often as a result of prematurity.  As a result, the opening from the abdomen into the inguinal canal allows pieces of bowel to get trapped.  It is more common in boys, although it can happen in girls too.  It’s usually an outpatient procedure, but my butterball had to stay overnight due to his prematurity.  They were concerned with apnea. 

We were scheduled to arrive at the hospital at 6AM, which meant I could only nurse him until 2AM.  I fretted about this one, since my little butterball usually eats with a voracious appetite.  He seemed to do well, even when they postponed the actually surgery time by two hours.  I cradled him in my arms from the moment we arrived to the hospital, hoping he would know how much I love him and wanted to protect him forever.  He was content and sleepy. 

I, on the other hand, did not do so well.  My breasts were hard as rocks and I had NEVER been so engorged.  Ever.  The hospital seemed pretty clueless about a breastfeeding mother.   They were completely clueless as to what messing up a schedule would do to my full breasts, and they must have asked a dozen times what kind of formula he takes.  Um, NO FORMULA!!! 

I brought my pump, hoping I wouldn’t have to use it, but as soon as my precious boy was taken back to surgery I made a mad dash to the parking lot, hunched over like somebody with boulders in their bra.  My husband miraculously arrived just as I was going through the parking lot like an engorged hunchback.  He helped me set-up in a private room the nurses arranged for me…only to discover that I left a necessary part at home.  Shoot!!!  He ran to the breastfeeding store to purchase the parts while I tried to unsuccessfully figure out manual expression.  But once he came with the right parts, and after a few minutes of pumping, all was well with the world again. 

We waited anxiously for news about our boy.  After 53 days in the NICU, we were seasoned pros at the hospital waiting game, but this time around we had bonded with our butterball so much more than the wrinkly little dude we met in the hospital for the first time.  My husband even confessed that he loved our butterball so much he was “scared.”  Scared of anything that would happen to him; scared of him feeling pain, sadness, or anything else that would hurt his sweet little body or mind. 

When they called our number, I jumped up to go see my baby.  Only one parent could go to recovery, and since I had the milk, I was the logical choice.  I left my nervous husband behind. 

Despite the nervous whirl of emotions I felt having to see my precious butterball go through this experience, I couldn’t help but feel strange about being a mother taking care of a baby.  My baby.  A real baby, not the dolls I used to pretend were real when I was a kid.  I felt like a little kid dressed up in my mother’s clothes.  I felt grown up, more grown up than I felt when I exchanged marriage vows or signed my first escrow papers.  This was it.  This was adulthood!  I was in charge of a little life, and that kind of responsibility is immense.

I spotted my baby right away, in the distant corner of the large recovery room, surrounded by doctors and nurses and moaning in pain.  That sound—my baby wailing in pain—felt like a punch in the gut, only the pain didn’t dissipate, but instead grew into a knot that settled itself right in my throat.  My heart lept out of my body as I saw his puffy body dressed in an oversized hospital gown, his little head limp against the bed. 

I was the only one he wanted. I swooped him into my arms and cuddled him close, whispering to him and kissing his hurt away.  I offered to nurse him, which he rejected for a while, but when he was ready he nuzzled close to me and filled his belly for the first time in hours.  His eyes flickered open and closed, sometimes pausing with one eye open, as if to verify that I was really there. 

We were taken to a room on a different floor, where he would stay overnight for monitoring.  We had a sleepless night together, with leads that were reminiscent of our NICU days sliding off and setting the alarms off every time he or I moved.  But we spent the night together, him asleep on my chest as I sat half-reclined in one of those uncomfortable hospital chairs, kissing away his hurt.  I remember he woke up in the middle of the night while the nurse did her rounds, full of smiles.  My butterball never ceases to amaze me with his strength and disposition. 

We came home bright and early the next day, and everything appears to be healing perfectly.  I’m so glad that’s out of the way! 

Crossing my fingers for no more hospital experiences!!!  Oh yeah, and if there are any more stays…mommy needs to remember to pack socks for the baby!  The standard hospital ones were way too big. 

Inguinal Hernia Resources:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/inguinal-hernia/ds00364

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inguinal_hernia

http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/tc/inguinal-hernia-topic-overview

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/inguinalhernia/

https://health.google.com/health/ref/Hernia