A friend just told me about her brilliant idea for limiting sugar intake on this most auspicious day of kiddie indulgence. At the end of Halloween, she announces that the Switch Witch will come overnight and change candy left on the doorstep into a new toy.

Apparently, works like a charm. Watch, mine will be the one who wails, 'but I don't want a toy. I want my candy.' Maybe try telling her that if she eats all that stuff, she might awake the next morning to find she's morphed into a giant lollipop. Brings new meaning to the phrase trick or treat.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 9:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thankfully, my little ghouls (sorry) are young enough that H'ween dress up means something pretty, fluffy and shiny. But I'm sure the day will come when they will want to set aside the fairy princess costumes and outfit themselves as the wicked witch or a sexy devil instead.

We are members of a Russian Orthodox Church; my kids attend preschool at a Jewish temple. Neither of these groups is thrilled with Halloween and its apparent celebration of gore and the netherworld. And while I do find it a little odd that parents well into their thirties and forties spend hours and hundreds transforming their yards into mini graveyards, I also appreciate the masquerade ball aspects of the tradition.

As I told my husband, for little children, it's about creative play and pretending, not to mention the promise of mountains of candy. Yes, people really do celebrate this stuff seriously (I lived in Brazil. Can you say Santeria?). But we have to be able to differentiate between the two.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I always had back problems, and becoming a Mom of twins at a ripe old age hasn't exactly helped. So anyway, about every six months or so, I start getting all out of alignment. That's when I go pillow shopping, because for me, it's all about neck support. The reason I'm writing this today is because I've discovered something exciting: Bed Bath & Beyond and Linens n' Things will apparently take back any pillow.

They don't seem to care how long you've had it, how long you've been sleeping on it, or what kind of condition it's in when you bring it back. If you're like me, this is a big deal. I always have to try out 5 ot 6 pillows before I find one that's right. And premium pillow makers like Tempur-Pedic, have a no return policy, since "pillows are very personal items,'' according to the Web site.

Exactly. That's why I've been so surprised by BBB and Linens. They didn't bat an eye yesterday when I brought in an Eddie Bauer pillow I'd been sleeping on for three weeks. I had no receipt, but they let me exchange it for a different pillow, and I even got to use a 20 percent off coupon.
I let the girls get little piggy flashlights with the difference.

Shop on!

Posted by Barbara Correa at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mom's Drive-Through Guide
(please e-mail me at barbara.correa@dailynews.com or comment to add to this list)

STARBUCKS (with drive through)

VALLEY
Burbank 1001 North San Fernando Blvd. (San Fernando & Walnut)
Canoga Park 7258 Canoga Ave. (Canoga & Sherman Way)
Newhall 23790 San Fernando Rd. (San Fernando & Carl Ct.)
North Hills 9002 Sepulveda Blvd. (Sepulveda & Nordhoff)
North Hollywood 11331 Camarillo Street (Tujunga & Camarillo)
Reseda 6840 Reseda Blvd (Reseda & Vanowen)
San Fernando 1135 Truman Street (Truman & Maclay)
Saticoy & Louise
WESTSIDE
Los Angeles (Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf) (Sepulveda & Venice)
3470 S. Sepulveda Blvd
Santa Monica 3020 Lincoln Blvd (Lincoln & Marine)

SOUTH BAY/LONG BEACH
Hawthorne 2909 W. 120th Street (Crenshaw & I-105)
Hermosa Beach 1100 Pacific Coast Highway
Inglewood 941 N. La Brea Avenue (La Brea & Centinela)
Long Beach 2890 N Bellflower Blvd (Bellflower & Spring)
Signal Hill 1788 E. Willow Street (Willow & Cherry)

MARKETS

VALLEY
Burbank Alta Dena Dairy Drive-Thru
4420 W. Magnolia Blvd
West Hills Alta Dena Dairy Drive-Thru
Fallbrook & Saticoy

EASTSIDE
Hi-Ho the Dairy Store and Medina’s Flowers, 1401 Glendale Blvd.

SOUTH BAY/LONG BEACH
Hermosa Beach Alta Dena Dairy Drive-Thru
205 Pier Ave

ENVIRONS
Alta Dena drive thrus:
15432 Amar Road, La Puente
310 South Vincent Ave, West Covina
1643 West San Bernardino Rd, West Covina
408 East Foothill Blvd, Glendora

PHARMACY

VALLEY

Van Nuys
Walgreens with pharmacy drive-through window (partial list - there are tons of Sav-On, Rite Aid and Walgreens with drive thrus everywhere)
7155 Van Nuys Blvd. (Van Nuys & Sherman Way)

SOUTH BAY/LONG BEACH
Long Beach
Walgreens 600 Long Beach Blvd (Long Beach & Sixth)
Torrance
Walgreens at Crenshaw & Sepulveda

CLEANERS

VALLEY
Van Nuys
Ritz Cleaners
6022 Woodman Ave

WESTSIDE
Pico Cleaners
9150 West Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles (S. Oakhurst Dr. & W. Pico)

London Dry Cleaners (Westwood)
1073 Gayley Ave Los Angeles

Ritz Cleaners (Mid Wilshire)
306 N Larchmont Blvd

SOUTHBAY/LONG BEACH
Flair Cleaners
1900 Artesia Blvd, Redondo Beach

NOT TO BE MISSED DONUTS
The Donut Hole, 15300 E. Amar Rd., La Puente

DRIVE THRUS I'D LIKE TO SEE: Robeks, Jamba Juice
Target & Wal Mart
7-11

Posted by Barbara Correa at 4:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

This is circulating around the Web. Pretty much speaks for itself!

Posted by Barbara Correa at 10:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I'm beginning to wonder if the whole non-refundable deposits & tuitions policy at many preschools is something of a racket. I just got off the phone with a school -- which will remain unnamed until the refund check is cashed -- that we applied to last spring and then ended up not attending.

Basically, I plunked down about $600 in deposits and first month's tuition with the promise that we could get three mornings a week of nursery school. But not as many spots opened up as we had expected, and the school offered us two days a week, which didn't work for me. I was fine giving up the deposit money (though it was a bit steep I thought). But when the director started giving me a hard time about refunding a month's tuition, I became suspect.

How can you be charged for a product or service you didn't get?

After days of playing phone tag and then haggling over money, the school offered me a partial refund, which I'm going to take and run. The whole episode has cost way too much money, time and stress. This is preschool, for crying out loud. Then again, this is L.A., where nothing related to schools is ever simple or straightforward.

Do you have your own war stories to share? I'd love to hear em. barbara.correa@dailynews.com or comment here.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Ech. I became infested with the little critters once as a teacher's aid to a kindergarten class, but I haven't had to deal with lice as a Mom yet. I suspect most mothers are less yucked out by the little parasites themselves than by the whole idea of them being anywhere near their child. Is it itchy in here?

I know, lice aren't exactly something to joke about. According to a company called Fairy Tales Hair Care for Children, U.S. schools are experiencing a lice epidemic this back to school season as the louse becomes resistant to traditional chemicals. Fairy Tales has a major stake in that being true as their main products are lice-ridding treatments. But I must admit, they carry some interesting stuff.

One I may end up ordering is a leave-in spray with Rosemary, said to repel lice. Every morning before sending the kids off to daycare or preschool, you just douse them in lice repellant. Pretty cool.

More tips for prevention:

Check your child under a bright light weekly. Look for tiny bugs or grayish-colored, rice sized nits or eggs. They will be glued to the hair shaft at an angle 1/2 inch from the scalp. Focus on the "hot spots" back of nec, around ears and part lines.

Tell your child never to share hats, combs, pillows, nap mats, sporting equipment.

Herbs such as rosemary and citronella have been shown to repel head lice.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 10:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OK, slight exaggeration. But Savvy Mommy Victoria Pericon -- one of those perfect, beautiful mothers who has actually figured out how to turn being a Mom into a lucrative career -- is trying to generate some buzz by teaming up with Capital One Small Business to offer tips for aspiring Mompreneurs. And yes, after following the tips you too will be able to brush your teeth in a towel while checking your e-mail.

It's nothing earth-shattering, but these common sense tips will help focus your thinking if you're contemplating entrepreneurship. Here they are:

Be innovative – Research the competitive landscape and develop a business that stands out
Understand your Finances – Assess your financial well-being and take advantage of all resources
Know your market – Target your consumer
Create a web presence – Take advantage of the Internet
Become a multi-tasker – Balance work and play (a no brainer for Moms, so one down, four to go)

Posted by Barbara Correa at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While many of the fires burning Southern California are beginning to die down, smoke and ash still hang in the air, irritating young lungs. So, with red flag warnings in mind, it seems like a great time to do a quick roundup of top indoor mall play areas.

I don’t know about you, but the malls have saved me from the insanity of being locked inside with toddlers on the hottest days of the summer, the few rainy days and certainly the current hideous outdoor conditions that will hopefully be coming to and end by the weekend.

As I’m sure every Mom knows, all the Westfield shopping centers have these awesome mini parks somewhere in the mall, usually strategically located near the food courts. Some are better than others; they each have their particular charms. Here are my faves, please add to our list!

*Topanga (Canoga Park) The newly remodeled Topanga Mall boasts what I consider the Cadillac of mall playgrounds. Not only is it near the food, it’s right next to the brand new Carousel, representing the ultimate in one-stop toddler entertainment.

*Westside Pavilion (Los Angeles) This mall is not owned by Westfield, but it has one of the best playgrounds around. The play area, filled with giant, climbable fruits and cookies, has a reputation among Westside Moms for being a Petri dish of germs. But it’ll keep the kids occupied for hours. It’s also right next to the food.

*Fox Hills (Culver City) This play area is fairly standard, but it’s new and what I like best about it is it’s a lot less crowded than the other ones. It’s also just down the escalator from Old Navy. One downside – it’s nowhere near the food.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Following on yesterday's suggestion to photograph or videotape documents and home contents, here's a local company that does just that and is offering a discount. Reporter Julia Scott lays it out in her story about Epoch Archiving in Chatsworth.

The other proactive thing to do is buy that disaster preparedness kit. I'm as guilty of not doing this as anyone, and while I tease my husband when he says I should keep a pair of sneakers in each car, I know he is probably right.

Other than shoes, the basics to have on hand, according to the Red Cross, are:
-- One gallon of water per person per day
-- Three-day supply of non perishable food
-- First aid kit
-- Essential medications/eyeglasses

See their Web site for more checklists.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

All I can think about today is how scary it must be for a mother or father who is trying to decide whether to pack up the kids and head for safer ground or stay and try to salvage their house and valuables. The fires engulfing so much of the region still seem a world a way from most of central Los Angeles -- I can here children playing outside my window just as they would on any summer day.

But I can only imagine what so many families are having to deal with at the moment. A quick scan of Peachhead finds a lot of messages expressing concern and vowing prayers for firefighters and homeowners in the affected areas. And Peachheaders are offering a few good tips too. One post urges people to start photographing or videotaping the contents of their homes as a digital record in case they need to film an insurance claim.

Another good idea is to either take important documents with you, or make sure they are stored in a fire safe box in the house. And as officials keep repeating today, if you're in a questionable area, just get out. Don't go back for the pets or the pictures. Just go.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 5:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As if finding a nanny in Los Angeles wasn't challenging enough. Now, parents have to worry that their nanny might show up on isawyournanny.com, a Web site where people post information -- mostly negative -- about observing what they consider bad nanny behavior.

New York postings dominate the site, but local reports are beginning to grow. Here's one from the summer, apparently written about a grandma!:
Sherman Oaks Fashion Square in Los Angeles, CA
Thursday (6/21) evening at Sherman Oaks Fashion Square food court, your child's' grandmother or caretaker (although she seemed like a grandmother) left your child alone while getting her food. She brought your daughter over to a set of tables two away from where I was sitting, put down a tray that had an iceberg type salad along with a drink, then went over to Panda Express to get a bowl of chow mein.

Your daughter, approximately 2 year old judging by her size. Very well behaved, named Hillary, wearing a cute striped sundress with pink, lime green, and purple ribbons around the rib cage area. She had light brown hair. Grandma was wearing a brown nondescript dress and had brown hair also. She came back with the chow mein and told Hillary what a good girl she was and that she would take her on "rides" after they finished eating.

To be honest, had there been any sort of security or management in the area, I would have alerted them. Why I didn't give the woman a tongue lashing, I don't know. Maybe it was because she had an accent and I wasn't sure she'd understand. Point of the story, don't leave your child alone in a mall. Get a stroller, hold her hand, or go home and eat dinner. This carelessness could have cost the child her life.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 4:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was bad enough when I realized a few years ago that I just wasn't going to be able to find a pair of jeans that buttoned somewhere above my hip bones unless I started shopping at Lane Bryant. No offense to anyone, but to paraphrase Erin Brockovich, as long as I have one *** instead of two, I'll wear what I like if that's all right with you.

But when it comes to toddlers, low rise just doesn't work. When little ones bend and jump and squirm, as you can count on them doing pretty much all the time, a low cut exposes the diaper -- bigtime. This is especially bad for me, since I'm, uh, embarrassed that my child is still wearing a pull up.

I suspect that many designers of baby clothes don't actually have kids of their own. So they just design the same things that big girls (women) wear, just smaller. Would that it worked the other way. Oh how I wish they made those adorable Gap tights, skirts and boots in my size!

Posted by Barbara Correa at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Not exactly a newsflash, but interesting nonetheless. In its third annual study of gender diversity at California’s top companies, UC Davis announced today little progress in getting more women into executive positions and boardrooms at major California corporations. Of the state's 400 largest public companies, 122 have no women in a top executive position or on the board of directors. Half of the 400 companies have no woman among their executive officers, and almost half have no women in the boardroom. Just 13 percent of the companies has a female CEO.

Davis also named California’s top 25 companies in terms of gender diversity. The winner? Nara Bancorp, a Koreatown (Los Angeles)-based community bank, where 70 percent of the employees are women.

In a conference call, chief executive Min Jung Kim said the bank attracts top talent with flexible schedules, flexible holiday time and, something Kim said she always swore she’d implement if she was ever in a position of power: lunch. “As a woman and mom it is really hard to prepare your lunch at home. When I become an executive officer I thought what can I do for my employees? Since I implemented that program, other Korean banks started.’’ Go Kim.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 3:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I didn't hang out at playgrounds too much before becoming a parent. But now that I am one and know my neighborhood parks like the back of my hand, I have discovered a phenomenon that really annoys me.

It's the hovering parent. This term has lately been used a lot to describe mothers and fathers who insist on going on college and work interviews with their children, or at least insist on being involved in applying to institutions or job opportunities. But I'm talking about the six-foot-plus Dads and well-into-their-thirties Moms who insist on climbing up the play structure behind their toddler, or worse, riding down the corkscrew slide with their bundle of joy sitting on their lap.

What is with these people? Did they not get enough playground time as children? Are they trying to test the equipment load factor? I admit, I've been known to relax in a big-kid swing once in awhile during playground stops with my children. But you'll never catch me trying to stuff myself into that narrow fiberglass slide.
My theory is that we parents -- myself included -- are becoming more overprotective. In the old days, parents were relaxed to the point of child endangerment. I was talking to another mother recently about finding an elementary school, and she was saying that her own mother had signed her up at the closest local public school -- as mine did -- without giving it a second thought. "She was pretty much oblivious,'' she said. A former colleague told me a story once about how he used to go out into the woods in northern California with his friends and spend hours doing things like trying to set army men on fire.

Sure, kids can hurt themselves doing this stuff, but there must be some balance in how much we protect our children. They have to be allowed to make mistakes. How else will they learn? Believe me, I'm as paranoid as the next parent about anything happening to my precious angels. And it makes me angry that the world has changed to the degree that our kids can't walk themselves to school anymore. But I draw the line at following my kid onto the jungle gym!

Posted by Barbara Correa at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

This is a must-read - really. Meredith O'Brien, author of "A Suburban Mom: Notes from the Asylum'' and a contributor to Mommy Track'd, has a piece today in the Huffington Post about the myth of successfully juggling kids, career, sex and health that I'm sure every parent can relate to.

My favorite part is Mommy Track'd founder Amy Keroes' intro, where she conjures the ultimate retro multitasking image, the 70's commercial for Enjoli perfume (see it at youtube) . That commercial, along with "That Girl'' and ''Mary Tyler Moore'' made a very strong case for a young girl to go after her career fantasies. OK, so it wasn't entirely realistic. But it sure was fun.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 4:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Everybody's talking about drugs today. Under pressure from the FDA, Johnson & Johnson and Wyeth today announced recalls of cough and cold medicines for kids under two citing safety concerns. The safety of these medications has been under scrutiny for a few years. As a parent, I'm obviously happy that possibly dangerous drugs are being looked at.

But what excites me even more is that all this attention might unveil the truth about these medicines, which took me three years of motherhood to figure out: whatever you think about the safety of chemicals like dextromethorphan -- the main ingredient in Robitussin and other syrups -- THEY DON'T WORK. At least they never did much for my kids.

When daughter number 1, the one that can't handle being sick, had a cough, she was determined to be miserable -- and force me to miserable with her -- all night long, cough syrup or none. The syrups seemed to have no effect on her whatsoever. Once I made the mistake of giving her one of the antihistamines in a Robitussin or Pediacare (I blessedly can't remember which). She was bouncing off the walls until dawn.

The only thing that has ever helped my little Tazmanian devil is Benadryl. The stuff seems to help her drift off and stay that way without the hyperactive side effect of those horrible antihistamines. I'm glad I finally learned my lesson and I only stock B and tylenol for headache now. I just wish this nugget of knowledge had come with my baby instruction manual.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here in the features department of the Daily News newsroom, we have the privilege or pain from time to time of sampling new edible products. Today's kid-friendly item: A yogurt tube (uh-huh) with odd-colored contents (been there) and hyperbolic flavor names ("Blue Raspberry Rage" -- ho-hum). But this stuff from Yoplait, called Fizzix, actually has something in it that reacts on the tongue kind of like out-of-date Pop Rocks candies.
Kids who want every gimmicky treat that ever landed by a checkstand will like it, and the flavor wasn't bad. Here's the catch: The fizzy element goes into overdrive after the packet has been out of refrigeration for a while, so that even while the tube is still cool to the touch, it looks like it's going to rupture. I was tempted to let it sit on my desk for an hour or more to see what would happen (In the name of work-related research), but they'd probably make me clean that stuff out of my keyboard myself. Even without the rupture, the moment the tube was opened, it began oozing blue goo.

Posted by Valerie Kuklenski at 4:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was talking today to an insurance agent in the Valley who said she worked for the same insurer for years before giving birth. When she had her child and then asked if she could go part time, the company said sorry. So she went out on her own, and is thriving.

When I called at 10 am or so, she was driving home from Trader Joe's, getting her marketing out of the way before going home to log on or make phone calls while the baby napped.

I love these stories, because they offer proof of how work is changing, and how parents are forcing that change.

The truth is, working from home can be the most efficient situation, if people are allowed real flexibility. Instead of running the clock down in an office, for instance, and then dashing to the store before rushing to pick up the kids, why not go in the middle of the day when there are no lines?

Despite the progress, there are still so many stories about women getting slapped down for requesting a little flexibility. Ellen Bravo of 9to5 writes about two Moms fired, in one case, and demoted, in the other, for putting their children ahead of their work. See her piece on today's Huffington Post.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 3:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's my story in today's Daily News, about all the mommy TV shows in development:

Suddenly, moms are hot.

And not just the size-zero, sex-goddess moms stereotyped to perfection in shows such as "Desperate Housewives" and "The O.C." Now, real-life mothers are being wooed by television producers and marketers.

FULL STORY

TV execs see big potential in daytime programs such as "The View" and reality shows pitting hypercompetitive alpha moms against one another.

"Do you expect the best for yourself and demand the same for your kids?" a casting call sent out by NBC Universal last month asks.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 2:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is becoming a weekly event. The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced today the recall of another half a million toys made in China over lead concerns. The banned toys include textured Baby Einstein blocks, KB Toys wooden pull-along alphabet blocks and aluminum water bottles from Sports Authority! Also on the list: a bunch of toys from Dollar General Merchandising (in some cases, you do get what you pay for).

On the brighter side, the CPSC says lead poisoning takes time and is cumulative. That's cold comfort when half the closet has been recalled.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 9:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Do you really know your nanny? It's every parent's nightmare -- the idea that your wonderful nanny pulls a Jeckel and Hyde when you're not around. How can you know what goes on unless you are there? Some Moms have resorted to nanny cams and such, but a great web site I stumbled on takes the nanny watch concept a step further.

At I Saw Your Nanny, citizen nanny watchers post detailed descriptions of both positive and negative interaction between children and caregiver. There are also a few rants from nannies themselves. One complains about incometent placement agencies; another au pair in Manhattan claims her family is starving her. That one is accompanied by pictures of refrigerator contents marked with yellow stickies saying 'do not eat.'

Look for a full article on this soon.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 5:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tomorrow, Friday October 5, is NORM DAY, when the Los Angeles Unified School District finalizes class lists in a final juggling of slots. So, parents trying to get into a particular magnet or charter school should keep calling that day.

I called a bunch of other districts, including Newhall Unified, Glendale, Burbank and Las Virgenes, and none of them had heard the term -- their classes probably aren't impacted like they are in L.A. Santa Monica-Malibu district had its norm day yesterday, October 3.

Good luck!

Posted by Barbara Correa at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DEATH TO CLUTTER!

Just when I needed it, Jen Levinson came through with a professional organizer who seems to understand the needs of disorganized Moms like myself. Lori Gersh of Leave it 2 Lori offers on her Website leaveit2lori.com to create an ‘Action Item’ filing system for storing papers, and introduce a toy storage system that will make clean-up a breeze for you and your kids. Music to my ears.

Lori will be speaking at the Westlake Civic Center for the Conejo Valley Mothers & More Chapter Meeting on Thursday, October 4th at 7:30 pm. The session is FREE.

Hopefully I will have an AFTER photo of this desk soon.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 10:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is my "home office,'' basically. There is no separate office space in our house, so I use the kitchen table, which seems to work out better than the bedroom desk, because I can be online while the kids are doing their thing in the living room (or watching a video, ahem).

Obviously, I'm in need of a professional organizer/space manager. I know I'm not the only Mom working from home that could benefit from some advice in this area. Somehow, I truly believe that if only I was well organized, life with children and work would flow perfectly.

I've put the word out to a bunch of Moms to send in pics of their own cluttered spaces and suggestions for solutions, so stay tuned.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Do you rely on Trader Joe's frozen entrees as much as I do? They've become a dominant part of my dinner repertoire. Well, there may be a new competitor coming to town meaning good news for us.
Check out my story in yesterday's paper ( I know I should have posted it yesterday)

Here's the top: ...

And you thought David Beckham's arrival in Los Angeles was exciting.

Now, Southern California foodies are salivating over the next British invasion: U.K. grocery retailer Tesco plans to open its first U.S. stores right here, with at least 12 outlets slated to open in November.

Initially, the chain wants to draw shoppers in Lakewood, Compton, Hollywood, West Covina, Arcadia, San Dimas, Glendora, Norwalk, La Mirada and Eagle Rock. While it's known as the English Wal-Mart, Tesco's Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market stores will be smaller markets, similar to Trader Joe's.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 5:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I am so not one to get political about breastfeeding. As I admitted in this blog before, I'm a failed breastfeeder (my excuse is twins.)

But I have to talk about Friday's zinger from the Washington Post about how the Bush Administration's Health and Human Services Department softened a breastfeeding ad campaign under pressure from lobbyists working for formula makers.

Apparently, the original campaign was pretty aggressive, and implied that non breastfeeding moms could be putting their kids at risk for things like obesity. The new ads show objects that are supposed to look like breasts -- two dandelions; two scoops of delicious looking ice cream with cherries on top. Artistic and innocuous.

Maybe it's a little over the top to accuse formula moms of child endangerment, but the idea that lobbyists got the campaign killed because it might be bad for business is even more outrageous. Motherwear, a company that makes breastfeeding attire, has a great breastfeeding blog on the subject.

Please weigh in and tell me where you stand on this.

Posted by Barbara Correa at 3:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)