Tip for New Moms

Q: Although I want to breastfeed my new baby, I don't want to give up having an occasional glass of wine. Any advice?

A: Timing and moderation are the answer, says Dr. Jody Hopkinson, a lactation physiologist with the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine. Alcohol does get into breast milk when you drink. But, if you limit yourself to an occasional single 3 ounce glass of wine and wait two hours or more before nursing, your body will be able to clear both your blood and milk of alcohol, making it safe to breastfeed.

Exposure to alcohol could become a problem for your infants however, if you nurse too soon, drink too much or drink frequently. A baby's body metabolizes alcohol very slowly, so even a small amount can affect nursing and sleep patterns. Initially, alcohol reduces nursing time by inducing sleep. But several hours later, it has the opposite affect and begins to interfere with sleep. Regular alcohol exposure can also affect a baby's behavior and coordination.

- From Kids' Nutrition Q&A, USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine

Head Lice Common in School-Age Children

Once your child is back in school, make sure you add an important step to his or her regular hygiene routine - checking for head lice and nits.

"Head lice can spread quickly," says Dr. Moise Levy, chief of dermatology at Texas Children's Hospital. "You may notice a rash or red spots at the back of the neck or your child may scratch his or her head a lot."

Getting rid of head lice takes time and patience. Wash you child's hair with an anti-louse shampoo or rinse. Be sure to protect your child's eyes and follow all instructions.

Vacuum your child's room. Wash in hot water the bedding and any clothes your child may have worn recently. Dry them in a dryer.

Check all family members for lice and have them use the anti-louse shampoo or rinse on their hair, combs and hair brushes. Do not share hair items or hats.

Notify your child's school or others who may have been in close contact with your child. Call your child's physician if problems persist or get worse.

- From Texas Children's Hospital

Binge Drinking In Early Pregnancy Increases Risks

Binge drinking in the early weeks of pregnancy can cause serious problems for the developing child.

"A lot of damage can be done early in the pregnancy, sometimes before you even know you are pregnant," says Dr. Sherry Sellers, an assistant professor of developmental pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. Binge drinking is defined as consuming five or more alcoholic drinks for men and four drinks for women in one sitting. Recent studies have pointed to an increasing number of binge drinkers among college students. "The worst situations are those who get drunk every weekend. We don't know how much is too much, but some studies show that as little as 2 ounces of alcohol a day could hurt the baby," she says.

Brain cell formation and multiplication peaks between the eighth and 16th weeks of pregnancy.

"A lot of times women don't find out until they're six weeks pregnant, she says. "Most say they would never drink if they knew they were pregnant, but sometimes by the time they realize it, the damage has been done." Alcohol consumption in pregnancy can result in fetal alcohol syndrome, the leading known cause of mental retardation in newborns. As many as 12,000 infants are born with this condition each year, the American Academy of Pediatrics has reported.

Symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome are growth retardation in weight, height and head circumference; facial abnormalities, such as a thin upper lip, flat cheeks and a flat nasal bridge; and mental retardation, Dr. Sellers says. "You have to have all three for it to be called fetal alcohol syndrome, but you can have fetal alcohol effects without having the full-blown syndrome," she says.

Once the damage to the developing fetus has been done, it can't be erased. "The best advice is if you're sexually active, watch the drinking. There's no place in pregnancy where it's okay to drink alcohol, but we know binge drinking early on is the worst thing," Dr. Sellers says.

- From Baylor College of Medicine

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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