With all of the recent controversy about Planned Parenthood being disproportionately placed in minority communities – and allegedly being the cause of many African-American babies being aborted – actress Gabrielle Union has decided to speak up.

For Union, the Planned Parenthood controversy hits a personal note: Her best friend, who lacked health care, was able to receive both screening and treatment for cancer. Even though Union’s friend recently died from the disease, Union contends that Planned Parenthood still gave her friend a fighting chance.

At the age of 32, my girlfriend Kristen Martinez was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer. She fought incredibly hard for five years but ultimately lost her battle with breast cancer on June 16, 2010.

We knew she wasn’t going to make it this past summer, so I asked her, What’s the one thing that you want young girls to take away, what do you want your legacy to be?

She said just to remind people and women, especially, that you are your own best advocate, and if you don’t put you first, no one else will.

Planned Parenthood provides low-cost reproductive information and care, which goes into providing contraception. For women who choose to keep their babies, they offer low-cost pregnancy services as well.

One in five women will visit a Planned Parenthood at some point in their lifetime. We cannot eliminate the funding. It does not make good sense, it doesn’t make good business sense, it doesn’t make moral sense or health sense.

If you go to IStandWithPlannedParenthood, you can add your name to a petition asking Congress to stop Planned Parenthood from losing federal funding. Almost a million people are already signed up, but we just need to keep it going. Our elected officials want to hear from you, and there’s strength in numbers.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics now advises parents to keep toddlers in rear-facing car seats until age two, or until they exceed the height or weight limit for the car seat, which can be found on the back of the seat.

Previously, the AAP advised parents to keep kids rear-facing as long as possible, up to the maximum limit of the car seat, and this has not changed. But it also cited one year and 20 pounds as the minimum for flipping the seat, which many parents and pediatricians interpreted as conventional wisdom on the best time to make the switch. The new policy clarifies the AAP’s recommendation, making age two the new guideline—a real game-changer for parents of toddlers.

“A rear-facing child safety seat does a better job of supporting the head, neck and spine of infants and toddlers in a crash, because it distributes the force of the collision over the entire body,” said Dennis Durbin, M.D., F.A.A.P., a pediatric emergency physician and co-scientific director of the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and lead author of the policy statement and accompanying technical report.

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In looking to spruce up my toddler’s room, I came across this colorful organic bedding line created by actress/comedian Jenny McCarthy called Too Good by Jenny.

McCarthy is an advocate for a holistic approach to child development after her son Evan was diagnosed with autism in 2005. She has been vocal about such causes as staggering immunizations, adhering to a gluten-free diet and eliminating chemicals in everyday products, such as lead paint in toys or BPA plastic in baby bottles. She is also a spokesperson for an organization called Talk About Curing Autism.

Traditionally, organic products are usually sold at pricey specialty boutiques however I came across this hidden gem at BuyBuy Baby (a single crib sheet can run you about $16.99 and/or a crib set can you anywhere between $99-$200).  The line will include non-toxic bedding, apparel, feeding products, toys/activity sets, cleaning products, bathroom textiles, gluten-free food and beverages, and other categories.

 

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9oxmRT2YWw&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
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It has been rumored that 48-year old Kelly Preston and devout Scientologist has had a “silent birth” to welcome baby boy Benjamin into the world.  What is a silent birth, you ask?  well according to the beliefs of Scientology, which has a cult celebrity following, such as John Travolta, Kirstie Alley and Tom Cruise, believes that “a silent birth is labor and delivery done in a calm and loving environment and with no spoken words by anyone attending. Chatty doctors and nurses, shouts to “PUSH, PUSH” and loud or laughing remarks to “encourage” are the types of things that are meant to be avoided.” 

Ok, I’m all for having a “loving environment” while giving birth, but come on, when someone is able to push out another human being out of ones birth canal it should give them the right to yell, curse or even scream.  Right?  well not according to the principle behind the founder of Scientology, L Ron Hubbard, who claims that  not speaking during childbirth can have an adverse effect on one later in life.

Hmm no words, I am a little curious about that one, since hearing my husband’s voice coaching me through labor pains and the delivery itself made me feel safe and loved.Are there any Silent Birth believers out there? Do you think you can go through a silent birth?

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