Mother and son in Niger; Photo credit IFRC/John Haskew
La Leche League (LLL) and the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) joined together today in celebration of World Health Day 2008. The theme chosen by the World Health Organization for World Health Day 2008 is Protecting Health from Climate Change, and LLL and WABA put together a statement showing how breastfeeding protects both health and the environment. In particular, the statement notes how:
~ Unlike formula-feeding, breastfeeding requires no manufacturing plants
~ No packaging for breast milk is needed
~ Both corn- and soy-based formulas require heavy use of farmland for feeding, grazing and …read more

Want to save money on nursing pads and help save the environment too? Several sources provide very simple instructions for making reusable nursing pads from flannel receiving blankets, old cotton t-shirts, or fleece fabric. Check out these options:
NJW of Associated Content — uses a CD as a circle pattern to make reusable nursing pads out of flannel
Frugal Families — suggests four layers of flannel rather than two
Frugal Baby Tips — uses old cotton t-shirts
mistymq on eHow — uses fleece and t-shirt cotton or flannel, and adds a waterproof fabric layer (PUL, drapery lining or plastic diaper cover-ups)
For more “do-it-yourself” projects …read more