Mum Mum's Blog Report: Gluten-Free Recipe of the Month: Montina Banana Bread; NHANES Survey Finds More Mothers Breastfeed; Yale Study Reveals Chocolate Good for Pregnant Women

This is a selection of recent popular blogs from Mum Mum, where parents can find information on everything to do with babies and parenting with an emphasis on health and nutrition.

Gluten-Free Recipe of the Month: Montina Banana Bread
The post highlights this month’s gluten free recipe, a delicious banana bread recipe suitable for celiacs.  Made with Montina flour, this recipe provides more fiber and iron than most other gluten free grains.

Montina was a staple grain used by Native Americans and is also known as Indian ricegrass.  Thanks to Montana State University and the collective growers co-op Amazing Grains, montina has been gaining notoriety.  The high fiber content of montina helps baked good rise, which is normally difficult without gluten.  Montina can be mixed with other gluten free grains in recipes at a ratio of 15-20%.

NHANES Survey Finds More Mothers Breastfeed, in the First Months at Least
Breastfeeding provides many health benefits to both mother and baby. Much of the recent research has found breastfeeding can help provide a wealth of positive outcomes; from helping prevent allergies and asthma to nurturing the special bond between mother and child.  It appears mother are taking notice, as Mum Mum’s reveals breastfeeding rates have reach an all time high.

A new government survey found that 77% of new mothers are breastfeeding, the highest rate the US has seen in over a decade.  The Centers for Disease Control, who also conducts regular surveys on breastfeeding rates, states breastfeeding has been at a steady incline since the early 1990’s.   The vast increase can be attributed to government agencies and medical experts concerted effort to increase education on the benefits of breastfeeding in addition to the risks of infant formula.  While breastfeeding advocates are happy with the survey results, they noted the rates of duration of breastfeeding until a child is 6 months old has not changed.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding until the child is one year old, while World Health Organization states nursing should continue until 2 years of age.  Both organizations, along with many others, feel babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life.  The number of women still breastfeeding at 6 months could not be tallied due to lack of data.

Yale Study Reveals Chocolate Good for Pregnant Women
A recent internet survey found that chocolate is the number craving for expecting women.  As it turns out, that chocolate craving may actually provide some health benefits for pregnant mums.  The post explains a new Yale study found chocolate can provide heart healthy benefits for women during this life stage.

Not every chocolate provides benefits, as dark chocolate is most rich is a chemical called theobromine that can help relax smooth muscle, stimulate the heart, and has been used to treat high blood pressure.  Researchers hoped the previously studied benefits of dark chocolate could be used to help expecting women prevent preeclampsia.  Preeclampsia is a pregnancy related condition indicated by elevated blood pressure and increased urine protein excretion.  The researchers’ theories proved to be correct, as upon analysis of 2,291 women pregnant with their first child, umbilical cord blood levels of theobromine were positively associated with decreased risk of preeclampsia.   The women with the greatest amount of theobromine were 69% less likely to develop the condition.  In addition, women who ate 5 or more servings of chocolate per week had a 40% decreased risk of preeclampsia when compared with women who ate chocolate less than once a week.

About The Mum-Mum Blog
The Baby Mum Mum Blog discusses everything to do with Babies and Parenting with a focus on Health, Nutrition and Infant Development. Baby Mum Mum is a healthy, easy to digest baby rice snack that is enjoyed by babies and moms around the world for its portability, gluten free ingredients and great taste. Baby Mum Mum is a division of Want Want Holdings, a manufacturer of healthy snack foods, beverage and related products.