I recently gave birth to a healthy baby boy in a private hospital in Hong Kong. After an exhausting 50.5 hour labour, I was completely overwhelmed when my son was finally born. I was instantly in love.
Throughout my pregnancy my husband and I had discussed my desire to breastfeed our baby. As a nutritionist, I was all too aware of the benefits of breastfeeding, not only for our new baby, but also for my own health. Breastfeeding was something I wanted to try and do and I felt it important to have the support of my husband in doing so.
Within the first ten minutes of our son’s life, the midwife asked me what type of artificial feeding our son should receive. When I told her that my son was to be exclusively breastfed, she looked at me confused, then repeated the same question. My husband had to repeat to her that our son was only to be breastfed, no artificial milk, no formula. That’s ok, she said, we’ll give him some sugar water. Again, my husband had to insist, no water, no sugar water, no formula, no artificial feeds, nothing other than breastmilk. I had anticipated that the hospital staff may offer to give our baby formula, but I certainly did not anticipate that they would be so insistent that our son need to be artificially fed nor did I expect that they would be so horrified by the prospect of exclusive breastfeeding.
During my 3 day stay at the hospital I had to take it upon myself to ensure that my son was being breastfed. On the first night, my son was brought to me at 11pm for a feed before being taken back to the nursery 15 minutes later. At 3.30am the next morning I was woken by the nurse and told to feed my baby as he wouldn’t stop crying. Given I had only had an epidural some 12 hours prior, I was shocked that I was expected to walk to the nursery to collect and feed my baby. Sitting in the nursery however, I was able to observe the wall chart that contained the feeding directions for the 20 or so newborns in the hospital. It was disappointing to read that my son was the only baby being exclusively breastfed. Every baby in the hospital was being fed some type of artificial formula.
The following day I kept our baby in the ward with my husband and I. This allowed us to spend time with our new baby and also to feed him when he was hungry. I ignored the nurse’s strict advice to only feed him at 8am, 11am, 2pm, 5pm and 8pm during the day but instead let our son guide when he was fed. That evening however I was back on the rigid feeding schedule and expected to be in the nursery feeding my baby at 11pm, 2am and 5am. Needless to say, by the following morning, I was exhausted and demanded to be discharged. Fortunately, my doctor and my son’s paediatrician agreed and I was able to leave the hospital within 48 hours of giving birth.
Leaving the hospital, I was thoroughly disappointed in the way breastfeeding was mismanaged. I had expected at least some support from hospital staff, but instead, received none. I note that:
- Not once, was I shown how to breastfeed my son;
- I was not allowed to hold my son within the first hour of his birth, therefore delaying the first breastfeed;
- I had to set my own watch alarm to ensure I was awake to do the 11pm, 2am, 5am and 8am feeds, as the nursing staff did not come and get me nor did they bring my son to me;
- The staff insisted that my son needed artificial feeding and offered a number of times to give my son a ‘top up’ of formula;
- I was the only mother in the feeding room at 11pm, 2am and 5am;
- Those other mothers that did attempt to breastfeed their babies (in addition to the formula they were receiving) were not given any support or guidance. Indeed these mothers had large problems getting their babies to latch on properly, if at all;
- There was no promotion of breastfeeding within the hospital and no support from staff in initiating or maintaining breastfeeding.
The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding of all babies until 6 months of age. Other than oral rehydration solutions, medications or vitamin or mineral supplements, infants should only be receiving breastmilk. With such a complete lack of support for new mothers to breastfeed in Hong Kong however, babies who are exclusively breastfed will remain the exception, rather than the rule in Hong Kong.
January 12, 2010
I am now 39.5 weeks pregnant. My baby is due this week and my doctor has made the predicition that I will give birth by the end week. It is an exciting time for my husband and I and also one for which I feel ill prepared.
I’ve been told many times throughout this pregnancy that the first few weeks with a newborn are the most challenging. Between breastfeeding, nappy changing, crying, raging hormones and the foggy haze of sleep deprivation, the first month at home with our new baby will be a steep learning curve. As an expat living in Hong Kong, I will be taking up this challenge without the usual family support that I would have received had we still been living in Australia.
To maintain my sanity (and my health!) during the first weeks of being a new mother I have been cooking a range of dinners and snacks that have found a new home, frozen, in our freezer. I figure it will give me one less thing to think about (especially at the end of the day) and save me from endless take away meals.
So here is what my freezer looks like:
- 2 lasagnes (made using my spaghetti bolognese recipe);
- 1 chicken curry;
- 3 spaghetti bolognese sauces;
- 3 chicken and sweet corn soups;
- 1 coq au vin;
- 2 chunky chicken and vegetable soups;
- 8 blueberry muffins;
- 12 slices of homemade breakfast bars;
- 10 slices of banana bread.
All is all it has been a successful couple of cooking weeks and my freezer is ready to withstand the dreaded, “what are we going to eat for dinner tonight?” question. I can only hope that I retain enough of my sanity to remember to take out something for dinner early enough for it to defrost in time!
December 7, 2009
In my mad rush to have a freezer full of frozen meals before the birth of my first baby, I started with a bolognese sauce. I figured this sauce could be heated and served with spaghetti, could be turned into lasagne or could even be used to make a shepherd’s pie. A good bolognese sauce recipe is a must have for every family and is a great way to hide vegetables in a meal, especially for those with children reluctant to eat their greens.
Here is my recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 500grams lean beef mince
- 1/2 tbs plain flour
- 150ml white wine
- 3 tins crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- salt and pepper
Method
Heat oil over low-medium heat and gently saute onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add carrots and celery and continue to saute for another 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.
Increase heat to medium-high and add beef mince. Stir, breaking up mince with spoon, until browned. Sprinkle over flour and stir to combine. Add white wine and cook until liquid has reduced by half.
Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, basil and oregno. Stir to combine and bring sauce to the boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, oncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
If sauce becomes too thick during the 1 hour simmer, add water (100ml at a time) to loosen the sauce.
Serve with your favourite pasta shape.
Serves 6.
I find that this recipe makes enough sauce that I can make spaghetti bolognese for my husband and I – and – still have enough left over that I can freeze the sauce in 2 containers. Therefore I can make one batch of sauce and have enough to make 3 meals of spaghetti bolognese for hubby and I (not that we actually eat spaghetti 3 nights in a row…).
In my late pregnancy craze, I doubled this recipe and was able to make enough sauce that I froze 3 batches (you guessed it, to be served with pasta) and made 2 lasagnes. 1 lasagne was frozen (enough for 2 meals for the 2 of us) and the other was eaten over two nights. That’s one very large pot of bolognese sauce that was made into enough meals for 7 dinners. I’m doing well.
November 23, 2009
photo credit: rick manwaring
The first food pyramids were designed in the early 1990s as a nutrition education tool aimed at helping the average person choose a healthier diet. The idea was that the pyramid embodied the ideal diet in a simple picture and that following the recommendations contained in the pyramid would guide consumers in choosing and eating a balanced, healthy diet.
The original pyramids, namely the Improved American Food Guide Pyramid published in 1992 by the United States Deparment of Agriculture and the CSIRO 12345+ Food and Nutrition Plan published in Australia in 1991, have been criticised for being overly simplistic and based on dated and questionable nutrition knowledge. In 2005 the USDA released the My Pyramid food pyramid, essentially the same as the 1992 pyramid, except flipped on its side, with a consideration of the need to be physically active. This new pyramid however still fails to take in account recent nutrition research, especially in areas such as fats (unsaturated, saturated and trans fatty acids and essential fatty acids) and wholegrains and dietary fibre.
Do food pyramids still have a role in guiding food choices?
Nutrition Australia and The Harvard School of Public Health have attempted to make food pyramids that more accurately reflect recent nutrition research and knowledge. Both guides have moved away from suggested number of servings from each food group and emphasis the need to eat a wide variety of different foods and be physically active.
The Nutrition Australia Healthy Living Pyramid (latest version published in 2004) uses the pyramid structure to encourage eating patterns that follow the eat most, eat moderately, eat least format. At the base of the pyramid is fruits, vegatables, cereals, grains and legumes. The middle of the pyramid includes dairy, meat and eggs, with the top of the pyramid emphasising limited intakes of sugar and fat. Outside of the pyramid is the recommendations to move more, drink water and limit salt intake. The Healthy Living Pyramid can be viewed here.
I find the Harvard School of Public Health the most useful of all the food intake planning tools. This pyramid certainly plays an important role in guiding healthy food choices and pictorally depicting a healthy, balanced diet.
This healthy eating pyramid emphasises:
- The need to exercise;
- Food not grams;
- Plant based diets – a variety of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and oils and wholegrains;
- Reduction in common staples - sugary drinks, refined grains, red meat, potatoes and salty snacks;
- Moderate consumption of alcohol;
- Moderate intake of nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy.
Again, this pyramid was designed so that those foods at the base of the pyramid (fruits, vegetables, healthy oils and wholegrains) are eaten the most each day, with those foods at the very top of the pyramid (sugars, refined grains, red meat and potatoes) to be eaten sparingly. The Harvard School of Health Food Pyramid can be viewed here.
The bottom line
The Nutrition Australia and The Harvard School of Public Health food pyramids are useful tools in guiding healthy food choices. They can be used by individuals and families to help plan meals and guide food intake. A dietary intake consistent with the notions contained in these pyramids will ensure that you are consuming the wide range of nutrients that you need everyday for optimal health and well being.
To read more about the Harvard School of Public Health’s rebuilding of the original USDA food pyramid, click here for more information.
November 10, 2009
photo credit: Teleyinex
Eating well is about understanding food and nutrition and making food choices that support a healthy diet. Eating well is a lifestyle choice that should be simple and sustainable. Unfortunately in today’s world making healthy food choices can be challenging and confusing. Despite the obesogenic environment that we find ourselves living in, it is still possible to consume a nutritionally sound, varied diet that is tasty and healthy.
What is a healthy diet?
A healthy diet is one that involves eating a variety of nutritious foods in moderation and balance.
Variety sees the consumption of a range of different food types from between and within the major food groups (fruits, vegetables, cereals, meat and meat alternatives and dairy).
Nutritious foods are defined as those foods that provide a significant range of nutrients in appropriate amounts.
Moderation is about being conscious of portion sizes without over eating.
Balance is concerned with eating a range of foods from across the different food groups in appropriate portion sizes.
A healthy diet is one based on:
- Unsaturated fats (mono and polyunsaturated) and essential fatty acids;
- Complex carbohydrates and fibre;
- Quality protein (lean meat, fish, eggs, nuts, beans and pulses);
- Vegetables;
- Fruit;
- Low fat dairy or alternatives;
- Water as the main drink.
It is also a pattern of eating that reduces consumption of:
- Added sugars;
- Salt;
- Saturated and trans-fats;
- Soft drinks;
- Artificial additives;
- Excessive alcohol.
Healthy eating is also about consuming whole foods, taking care of the produce we eat and avoiding those foods that are overly processed, altered and refined. A healthy diet provides the full range of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, amino acids, essential fatty acids, dietary fibre, energy and water that the body needs everyday to function properly.
Is healthy eating synonymous with boring?
Just hearing the word ‘healthy’ is enough for some people to tune out and become disinterested. Healthy eating does not automatically mean boring. It is about making food fun, exploring different tastes and textures and trying a range of different foods. Healthy eating does not have to be only lentils, vegetables and soy milk. It is about having a smart and sensible attitude towards food and recognizing that we should enjoy whole, minimally processed foods that are fresh and tasty.
November 5, 2009
