Category Archives: Pregnancy

28 Essentials to know BEFORE vaccinating your child

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All parents considering vaccines for their baby/child or for themselves, should be fully informed of these facts prior to giving the shots. This is not a complete list. I am sure there are many more things that could be added. Please add your additional points to the comments.

1. I understand that the pharmaceutical company who made this vaccine has NO liability if it injures or kills my child, or the recipient of the vaccine. Neither the doctor who administers the shot nor the government agencies recommending this vaccine can be held liable for injury or death.
2. If a recipient is killed or hurt by a vaccine in the USA, and I am able to prove it in The Office of Special Masters of the US Court of Federal Claims, popularly known as ‘vaccine court’, the HHS will allocate funds via the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP), acquired from the public through a ‘vaccine tax’. This process requires legal representation and may take several years. In Canada very little payment is paid for a dead or injured child.
3. I understand that many vaccines contains neurotoxins such as aluminum in amounts that far exceed “safe levels” deemed by the FDA and EPA. Aluminum is also osteotoxic (toxic to bone development).
4. I understand that this vaccine may contain known carcinogenic ingredients and all vaccine package inserts clearly states “This vaccine has not be tested for carcinogenicity”.
5. I understand that cancer rates in children have been skyrocketing, yet no studies have been done to determine if vaccines are connected with early childhood cancers.
6. I understand that some vaccines are made using cell lines developed using aborted fetal cells and that these vaccines contain residual amounts of DNA fragments from both aborted baby boy and girl cells. Studies of the impact of injecting human DNA are extremely concerning.
7. I understand that some vaccines are derived from animal and insect tissue, or grown with eggs and contains fragments of these foreign proteins.
8. I understand that getting this vaccine does not guarantee protection from the disease and that many vaccinated children contract the infectious disease it was intended to prevent.
9. I understand that my child could be a carrier of the disease s/he was vaccinated for and spread it through “shedding” (from live virus vaccines such as MMR) or as an asymptomatic carrier (DTaP) for up to six weeks.
10. I understand that my doctor may get monetarily rewarded for having a high percentage of his/her patients who are fully vaccinated.
11. I understand that if my child is injured by a vaccine, most doctors are not trained to recognize and treat such an injury, are not aware of the process to report such an injury to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS), nor understand how to properly document the injury to prove such an injury in ‘vaccine court’.
12. I understand that my doctor has no incentive to acknowledge vaccine injury or spend the time necessary to complete the paper work required to report an injury, or assist me in making a claim for an injury.
13. I understand that according to a study by the NIH, vaccine injury is severely under-reported.
14. I understand that while all medical professionals employed to inject vaccines are required by law to report hospitalizations, injuries, deaths and serious health problems following vaccination to VAERS, it is estimated that less than 10 percent, of all vaccine-related health problems are ever reported to VAERS. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, or technicians administering vaccines have had little training in recognizing a vaccine injury and little incentive to report a child/infant injury/death caused directly by the vaccine. Additionally, many medical examiners purposefully hide vaccine involvement in death evaluations.
15. I understand that pharmaceutical companies have no incentive to make their product safer because they hold no personal liability regarding any damages the vaccine does to children or adults.
16. I understand that pharmaceutical companies spend up to 4x more on marketing and advertising than they do on research.
17. I understand that corporate media gets 70% of their advertising revenue from pharmaceutical companies.
18. I understand that corporate media does not want to lose revenue, certainly not 70% of it.
19. I understand that when pharmaceutical companies conduct a study (on their own product) it is in their best interest to have a favorable outcome and that not all data discovered during trials is published.
20. I understand that the current vaccine schedule as recommended by the CDC has never been tested for safety.
21. I understand that even one vaccine could cause injury or death in some cases, and my child could be one of them. I understand that vaccine injury or vaccine induced death are often listed as side effects on vaccine package inserts (VPI) and that most medical professionals have not read the full VPI and do not supply it to parents prior to administering vaccines. All VPIs for every vaccine are available online from the FDA.
22. I have not had full informed consent unless my doctor has informed me of all the risks and side effects and has reviewed the VPI with me.
23. I understand that if my child dies from this vaccine and I am able to prove it, I will be awarded no more than $250,000. This will involve a lengthy process and will require legal representation who must prove that the death was due to the vaccine while arguing against a legal team working for the Department of Justice in a secret ‘Vaccine Court’ decided on by a ‘Special Master’.
24. I understand that from 1988 up to March 30, 2018. $3.9 billion has been paid out by the NVICP for vaccine injuries and deaths. Many other claims made to the NVICP were denied, including 5,000 in the autism omnibus case, despite the fact that the NVICP has paid out many cases of diagnosed regressive autism due to vaccines. “A law professor, Mary Holland from NYU School of Law, then published a detailed analysis of the NVICP data and found that about 86 other cases matching the diagnosis of autism have been paid by this ‘vaccine court. Interesting. The lawyers and judge must have been convinced that the vaccines caused their autism symptoms.” from here.
25. I understand vaccines have NEVER been proven to improve immunity or health as compared to not vaccinating and that this one study, which would cost very little time and money to conduct, is the ONLY study our government and vaccine makers REFUSE to do: vaccinated versus non (never) vaccinated.
26. I understand that because no research exists to prove vaccines improve immunity, I’m vaccinating my child based on factors, other than the proven research. Although many reasons can be cited for vaccinating, from blind faith to not having enough time to get informed, having research to prove that vaccines are safe and effective can’t be a reason to vaccinate because that research simply doesn’t exist. I understand I’m vaccinating for reasons having nothing to do with the research.
27. I understand that I’m placing my trust in an industry that has pleaded guilty in many cases related to the safety of their products (drugs) and have been ordered to pay out billions of dollars as compensation to their victims.
28. I understand that many doctors who have spent time analyzing the vaccine safety research are now speaking out about the known harm that vaccines can cause.

If, after knowing all this information, you still choose, or are forced, to vaccinate your child, or yourself, please read this blog, Preparing to Vaccinate, to prepare. There are some measure that may reduce the potential harm from vaccines.

Please share. Parents will generally not receive this information via their doctors or media outlets. Parents need ALL information in order to make an informed decision about vaccines. I have no ads on my page and receive no money in any way by researching and compiling this information; it is a labor of love.

Author: Becky Hastings, wife, mother, grandmother, passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a breastfeeding counselor for over 23 years Becky is devoted to helping parents make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies. As a member of a Vaccine Safety Education Coalition, Becky writes and speaks on the topic of vaccine safety.

Vaccine Questions

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My first attempt at a vaccine information video. In less than 10 minutes I try to ask some critically important questions that every parent might find helpful to consider. Let me know how you feel about it! Comments always welcome.

Author: Becky Hastings, wife to John for 36 years, mother of five naturally born breastfed babies, grandmother of six, passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a volunteer breastfeeding counselor since 1993, Becky is devoted to helping parents, especially mothers, make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies.

The Vitamin K PUSH

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Many parents find they are being pushed to accept the vitamin K shot for their newborn. A variety of claims are made by health care professionals, including “It’s just a vitamin” and “Your baby could die without the shot.” Parents are rightfully concerned. No parent wants to inflict harm on their baby, or deprive them from a life-giving procedure. But is vitamin K absolutely safe and absolutely necessary? Is there anything safer?

There are two versions of vitamin K given to newborns. One contains a preservative benzoyl alcohol and one contains polysorbate 80. These ingredients are of particular concern for those investigating the safety of this injection. “Polysorbate 80 is a surfactant known to facilitate access through the blood brain barrier and has been linked to sterility and other issues.” Benzoyl alcohol could contribute to neonatal jaundice.

Phytonadione by Hospira, Inc.

Version 1: The following information comes directly from the manufacturer’s information sheet for phytonadione by Hospira, Inc. which you can find in full HERE. Notice that this product contains 9 mg of benzoyl alcohol.

Pediatric Use

Hemolysis, jaundice, and hyperbilirubinemia in neonates, particularly those that are premature, may be related to the dose of Vitamin K1 Injection. Therefore, the recommended dose should not be exceeded (see ADVERSE REACTIONS and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION).

Adverse Reactions

Deaths have occurred after intravenous and intramuscular administration. (See Box Warning.)

Transient “flushing sensations” and “peculiar” sensations of taste have been observed, as well as rare instances of dizziness, rapid and weak pulse, profuse sweating, brief hypotension, dyspnea, and cyanosis.

Pain, swelling, and tenderness at the injection site may occur.

The possibility of allergic sensitivity including an anaphylactoid reaction, should be kept in mind.

CONTRAINDICATION

Hypersensitivity to any component of this medication.

Warnings

Benzyl alcohol as a preservative in Bacteriostatic Sodium Chloride Injection has been associated with toxicity in newborns. Data are unavailable on the toxicity of other preservatives in this age group. There is no evidence to suggest that the small amount of benzyl alcohol contained in Vitamin K1 Injection (Phytonadione Injectable Emulsion, USP), when used as recommended, is associated with toxicity.

Link to complete drug insert: https://www.drugs.com/pro/vitamin-k1.html

Phytonadione by International Medication Systems, Limited

Version 2: The ‘preservative free’ version is manufactured by International Medication Systems, Limited and contains 10 mg of polysorbate 80.

The complete description with warnings and adverse events can be found here.

 

There is particular concern about the administration of either vitamin K shot prior to giving the newborn the CDC recommended Hepatitis B vaccine. There are many aspects of routine newborn care which have not been studied to determine if the combination could be dangerous or cause a reaction when given together. Please research every standard of care procedure for your precious baby to make sure it has been proven to be SAFE.

“Vaccines can have adverse side-effects, and these are predominantly associated with the inclusion of chemical additives such as aluminum hydroxide adjuvant. The objective of this study was to establish an in vitro model system amenable to mechanistic investigations of cytotoxicity induced by hepatitis B vaccine…” Hepatitis B vaccine induces apoptotic death in Hepa1–6 cells, Apoptosis, An International Journal on Programmed Cell Death
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10495-011-0690-1

What if the administration of the vitamin K shot containing polysorbate 80 provides greater permeability to the infant brain so that the aluminum contained in the Hepatitis B vaccine can cause greater damage? This is just a question. But these questions need answers.

Some perspective on the vitamin K injection by Theo Farmer . . . .

I’d like to provide some perspective on the use of the vitamin K shot with babies. In particular, when a doctor says “there is a chance your baby will bleed to death if they don’t get this shot…,” what does that mean?

If you study the attached paper [1] for a while, it seems to me that it boils down to this: if you don’t take vitamin K inhibiting drugs when you’re pregnant and your baby is adequately breastfed, then the chance of them developing a bleeding disorder is 1/15,000 or maybe 1/20,000. There are other factors mentioned, like the incidence goes up if the baby is not adequately fed, but if you’re healthy and the baby is healthy and eating, doctors can still say “there’s a chance” when there is a 1 in 20,000 chance. Also, the paper is ambiguous about how many cases are mild cases and how many result in damage to the child.

To put into perspective the chance “1 in 20,000”: if you had a room in a clinic where one baby was born per day, every baby born in that room for 54 years would be given a vitamin K shot in order to prevent a bleeding disorder in just one baby.

With this 54 year perspective in mind, parents should ask themselves these kinds of questions: in 54 years of giving vitamin K shots, how many of those shots will cause problems? How many will be contaminated in manufacturing? What are the other ingredients besides Vitamin K and what is the chance they cause issues? What are the complications that arise simply by poking babies with needles for 54 years? Are there psychological implications to the child later in life? And then the best question: is there a valid reason that human babies are born deficient in vitamin K (God doesn’t make mistakes)?
And all this leads to a pivotal question: If this doctor has been taught to push this shot for every baby for 54 years to prevent one from excessive bleeding, can he be trusted in general?

From Wikipedia: “Lies, damned lies, and statistics” is a phrase describing the persuasive power of numbers, particularly the use of statistics to bolster weak arguments.”

Is there anything safer than vitamin K to protect a baby from brain bleeds?

Dr Suzanne Humphries explains clearly how the biggest factor involved in the vitamin K debate is the necessity of delayed cord clamping. When a baby’s cord is clamped immediately, it deprives baby of up to 1/3 of their total blood volume. By allowing the cord to stay attached at least until it stops pulsating, the baby receives all the blood they need. Additionally, baby receives essential stem cells which can move through the blood and initiate repair to any cells damaged from birth trauma. The stem cells are a brilliant heritage for baby and will contribute to longterm health. Stem cell therapy is a cutting edge field. Parents are often encouraged to harvest stem cells at the time of birth. Yet, very few doctors understand or explain to parents that the best heritage they can give their baby at birth is DELAYED CORD CLAMPING and successful breastfeeding. Additionally, mom can supplement her own vitamin K during pregnancy and after, by eating foods that supply this essential nutrient.

Edited to add: If you decide you want to give vitamin K order the liquid form. Take it to the hospital with you. Even if you decide NOT to give any vitamin K and you are birthing in a hospital, it might be a good idea to have the liquid form with you to appease those who are pushing you. Whether you give it or not, you can explain that you have the liquid version and you prefer to use that.

Let’s research and get the FACTS so that we can make informed decisions for the longterm health of our precious babies. More info on vitamin K here and here.

Author: Becky Hastings, wife to John for 36 years, mother of five naturally born breastfed babies, grandmother of six, passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a volunteer breastfeeding counselor since 1993, Becky is devoted to helping parents, especially mothers, make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies.

 

[1]  Lippi, Giuseppe, and Massimo Franchini. “Vitamin K in Neonates: Facts and Myths.” Blood Transfusion, Edizioni SIMTI – SIMTI Servizi Srl, Jan. 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3021393/. Accessed 4 November 2017.

Do Germs Make Us Sick?

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I’ve done a lot of research, reading, and personal experimenting with regard to health, and how to stay healthy. I’ve raised five children and have been blessed to have six grandchildren – so far. My quest for health was gradually awakened through a Nutritional Chemistry Course I attended at Vanderbilt University in 1979.

Over the years I’ve often heard of the ‘germ versus terrain’ theory and of the interactions between Louis Pasteur and Antoine Béchamp. Pasteur is credited with the germ theory which has been a dominant influence on medicine. Beauchamp maintained and demonstrated that it was not the germ that determines the extent of an  illness, but the terrain, or condition of the host, which determines the susceptibility and extent of an illness.

The video below contains one of the best explanations of the Germ versus Terrain Theory (Louis Pasteur Vs Antoine Béchamp) that I’ve heard. It is part of the story of Casi Renee, born 1995, died 1999 due to vaccine injury. I’ve cued the video at the point of describing an interaction between Pasteur and Béchamp, but feel free to watch the entire story. This mom used the tragedy of her daughter’s death to speak out and educate other parents on the potential harm of vaccines.

Our culture is phobic about killing germs – demonstrated by the use of hand sanitizers and other cleaning products. But what if the food we eat, the drugs we take, the vaccines we inject, and the chemicals we are exposing ourselves to through common household chemicals are actually making us MORE susceptible to illness? I’m all for washing hands. I wash mine after being out and about, before preparing food, etc. But how we get sick and how severely sick we become at any given time might be based on lifestyle, nutrition, and the environment of our body for the germs that are all around us. What kind of a host are you?

Becky Hastings, wife to John for 36 years, mother of five naturally born breastfed babies, grandmother of six, passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a volunteer breastfeeding counselor since 1993, Becky is devoted to helping parents, especially mothers, make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies.

 

Pushed to Accept Vaccines?

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Some people are told they must get a specific vaccine for a job. Parents are often told they must give vaccines to their children. This is a specific strategy[1] for when your doctor, employer, school, or others are pushing you to accept vaccines:

Tell you what, I’ll re-consider accepting your vaccines if you’ll sign this form to insure us against the risks. We both know there are risks involved with vaccines. In 2011 the Supreme Court ruled that vaccines were unavoidably unsafe. Your policy is seeking to force me to accept vaccines. Currently our family will carry the sole responsibility for any harm that is caused. So, if you really want me to consider vaccines, and if you are confident the risk is so low, then you should be willing to sign this document of insurance for me, accepting liability in the case of a vaccine reaction.

Here is the 6 page downloadable document

Vaccination Notice [.doc version]

Vaccination-Notice [.pdf version]

In this form there is space for many different parties to sign and agree to accept responsibility for the potential harm of the vaccine, including the manufacturer, government agencies requiring it, administrative office, actual administrator of the injections.

This document has 23 points which outlines the known harm of vaccines, the concept of informed consent, among other points.

While the possibility of getting the required signatures is extremely small, by NOT signing the document, there are consequences built in:

Refusal to sign this form is indication of deceit, bad faith and hypocrisy on the part of a vaccine administrator who may recommend vaccination as “safe”, but, at the same time, deny responsibility for the hazards. If vaccinations are “safe” then refusal or hesitation to sign this form is firm indication of misrepresentation with the assertion of “safety”.

NOTICE: If this form is refused or not signed by all vaccine administrators then refusal of vaccine is rightful and refusal must be presumed and honored. Vaccination does pose risks, therefore administration of vaccine without signature on this agreement by all parties called for herein or and/or without fully informed consent by all interested parties constitutes criminal assault, malpractice, intentional harm and violation of rights against the vaccinated parties and all other parties of common interest by the administrators and providers of the vaccine whether any harm is caused or not by the vaccination, therefore, without fully informed consent by all interested parties, major obligations arise from non-consensual vaccination whether or not the vaccination causes physical injury or disease.

NOTICE: Refusal to sign this form constitutes admission and warning to the prospective recipient of vaccination that vaccination may cause harm and should be avoided in order to protect the health and safety of those receiving treatment. This is separate and distinct from any benefit/s or “necessities” that may be attributed to vaccinations and vaccination programs.

[1] I give credit to http://freedomtaker.com for the majority of this form and strategy for giving vaccination notice.

Becky Hastings, wife to John for 36 years, mother of five naturally born breastfed babies, grandmother of six, passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a volunteer breastfeeding counselor since 1993, Becky is devoted to helping parents, especially mothers, make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies.

A compendium for my expectant friends

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Our oldest grandson born to our oldest son and his wife in 2012.

Dear Friend

I’ve got so much on my heart to share with you. I’ve been working on presenting information for new parents, especially moms, since 2013. I’m not sure I’ve got the presentation exactly right. I don’t know everything. I struggle to adequately share the passion of my heart. Sometimes I feel I might be too passionate. I don’t want to alienate new parents, but perhaps I have.

It’s just that the stakes are pretty high. Listening to the wrong advice can impact our whole life. I try to avoid giving advice. I urge new parents to investigate and understand everything – from car seat safety to medicalised births, and all procedures that are recommended for new babies. Don’t take anything for granted, especially when there are major industries involved.

Since my first baby was born I have been passionate about breastfeeding, one of the most empowering acts a woman can do.

The wonders of breastfeeding are far-reaching and well documented, yet, despite what we know, the actual breastfeeding rates are quite low. Woman are not getting helpful information or the support they need to be successful in breastfeeding their babies. I truly don’t believe it is a failure on the part of women, but a failure on the part of our culture and society. Many times a new mother’s attempts to breastfeed can be complicated by standards of care for pregnant, laboring, and new moms. Misinformation abounds in our society. If every mother and father fully understood how breastfeeding impacts life-long health and well-being, they would be far more committed to searching out information on how to be successful. Listening and following the wrong information could sabotage your best attempts in breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding is a learned art. Breastfeeding is best learned from someone who has been successful at breastfeeding, has helped other mothers reach their own goals for breastfeeding, and has enjoyed the process. All five of my babies and all six of my grandchildren have been breastfed. My daughter-in-law has told me many times that I need to write a book for young moms who are trying to navigate the world of motherhood.

Here are some of my blogs I’ve prepared for someone just like you. I pray you will browse, check out my sources, dig a little deeper, and come to your own conclusions. I am always available to discuss anything. I try to keep an open mind and dig for the truth. I share with you because I care about you and the health and happiness of your future babies.

Our oldest granddaughter born to our second son and his wife in 2010.

Many friends have shared information with me along my journey of motherhood which began in 1982. I am thankful they did. Motherhood is perhaps the most difficult yet most significant job we will ever have in life. I’ve never met anyone who wanted to be a bad mother. I’ve never met anyone who wanted a miserable baby. Yet I’ve met many mothers who face profound discouragement and when they trace back their journey they often find it was because of poor advice they were given early in their motherhood career. I pray you will find strength in your motherhood journey and have wisdom to discern what is best for you and your baby.

Blessings,

Becky

Here are some suggestions on places to start on specific topics. You could consider it something like a table of contents in a book.

Author: Becky Hastings, wife to John for 36 years, mother of five naturally born breastfed babies, grandmother of six, passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a volunteer breastfeeding counselor since 1993, Becky is devoted to helping parents, especially mothers, make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies.

Dear Soon to be New Mom

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Dear mom to be,

I’m older than you; probably a lot older. I even have children who are older than you. You know many people like me and you take our words with caution – because we can’t possible know or understand your reality. You might be bombarded with well meaning advice.

I pray you will take a few minutes and try to understand my heart. I truly want only the best for you. I am older, but I have learned a lot in my many years and would love to share what I have learned with you – both from my mistakes and from my learning.

I’ve always tended toward being a trusting person. I have been duped many times because I put trust in the wrong place. My life was forever changed when I made the choice to anchor my trust in Jesus Christ alone. My wholehearted desire to seek a growing relationship with Jesus, my Savior, has led me to investigate all the decisions I make differently, especially for my babies.

When I was a very young expectant mother, God brought several wise women across my path who provided input and wisdom beyond my years. They urged me to investigate:

  • Childbirth options and drug free childbirth;
  • Drugs given to women during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding and what impact they might have on the developing/new baby;
  • Procedures common for childbirth and newborns like episiotomies and circumcision and whether they were the best thing for long term health;
  • Routine standard of care procedures for newborns and babies like vaccines, vitamin K injections, and prophylactic eye ointment, and if they were safe and beneficial for newborns.
  • Breastfeeding and how to be successful – learning through the vast experience of other mothers.

I totally believe in your ability to be an amazing mother. However, there are forces at work in our society which are going to make it a lot harder for you to achieve your own expectations. There has never been a more difficult, more confusing time to be a mother.

When I was younger I couldn’t imagine a world where harm would be done to babies just for the sake of making a profit. Unfortunately, as I have learned more about the world, I’ve seen it happening in far too many arenas; confirmed by far too many moms. I don’t enjoy being skeptical and suspicious, but as a mother who desires only the best for her babies, it pays to be vigilant about everything.

Most parents are quite concerned about car seats, mattresses, diapers, and other basic baby items. I encourage you to be even more vigilant about the health choices you make for your baby. Don’t take anything for granted. Don’t wait until you are in the hospital or doctor’s office to investigate the many routine procedures they now perform on newborns or recommend during pregnancy. Don’t be afraid to hold a different opinion than the doctors or nurses. They probably have blindly accepted the information put out by the CDC. Their position and the pressure of insurance companies requires them to adhere to “routine standard of care” procedures, but that does not mean these practices are best for you and your baby. There are many highly intelligent members of the medical community who actively question and disagree with a lot of standard of care practices.

Making choices that go against mainstream recommendations can be a scary road to travel. I believe God gives mothers basic intuition on how to protect their baby and my desire is to nurture your intuition so that you can be a powerful advocate and warrior momma, doing everything you need to do to protect your baby from anything that could cause harm.

That is why I write. I am passionate about healthy empowered moms with healthy babies. I don’t make money! I have been researching many of these topics since I was newly pregnant 35 years ago. I have linked many of my previous blogs about these topics throughout this text. I encourage you to take a serious look at this information. I’d love to discuss any aspect of mothering with you. I realize you may make choices different from mine, and I respect your right to those choices. However, I urge you to make fully informed choices. Investigate, ask questions, dig deeper. Your baby will thank you.

All my love,

Becky

Author: Becky Hastings, wife to John for 36 years, mother of five naturally born breastfed babies, grandmother of six, passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a volunteer breastfeeding counselor since 1993, Becky is devoted to helping parents, especially mothers, make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies.

Woman to Woman on Motherhood

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Just part of the family. Full family get-togethers become increasingly difficult!

Originally published on January 2017

No longer in the stage of life of having small children – with all the joys and tasks they create – I now have the blessing of grandchildren! This allows me time to think about the significance of motherhood and seek to encourage moms in the most important role they could ever have. Seeking wisdom through the Bible daily, God sheds light in my heart and I desire to share this light with others.

Peter speaks directly to leaders in chapter five of his first letter, “Shepherd God’s flock. Not for the money, but eagerly.” These words powerfully impacted my heart one morning. Who are these words directed to? Leaders. Who is a leader? Parents are leaders. Mothers are leaders. We are entrusted with the leadership of our children.

What does it mean to shepherd a flock? I’m no expert in sheep, but my guess is the obvious things – take care of them. Make sure they have safe food, a safe place to eat and protect them from forces that might attack and harm them. David is a great example of a committed shepherd. He tells us that he actively protected his sheep by killing a lion and a bear. He didn’t abandon his sheep. He didn’t expect anyone else to come in and do his work for him. He was ready. He was alert. He was practiced. He attacked the enemies that sought to attack his flock.

We also read many of David’s psalms and we know God asserted that David was “a man after God’s own heart.” David was certainly not perfect. He committed adultery and murder and sought to cover it up. He married many wives and didn’t have a great track record as a father. However, God continues to affirm that David’s heart was directed toward God. I believe part of this comes from his occupation during the boredom of looking after his sheep. Let’s face it, when you are looking after sheep, there are times of boredom – when everything seems to be going well. David used this time to exalt in God. He wrote down praises to God and he memorized them. He used his down time to extol God and bask in who God is.

As mother-leaders we are to be prepared to actively protect our flock – the children we are blessed to bear and raise. We can also use the times of boredom to dig deeper into knowing God, knowing His word, memorizing His word and exalting God in our lives.

In 2017 we need to know exactly what dangers our sheep are facing. We need to have an awareness of the very real dangers in our world so that we can expose them and help our children avoid being consumed by the enemies they will encounter. I don’t believe we are called to push for a better world, or even hope that there will be a political solution to the evil we see around us. But, as a vigilant shepherd, as a mother today, we seek to protect our babies. God has entrusted them to our care; we must be aware and warn them of danger. An alert shepherd will investigate potential danger before advancing to a new area. Shepherds should be able to understand, point out, and explain the reason a particular path holds danger.

For me personally, as someone who has been blessed to get support and information that enabled me to have natural births and breastfeed the five children I was blessed by God to bear, the world of childbirth and early parenting are close to my heart. Knowing how empowering the act of giving birth naturally was for me, knowing how empowering the act of nurturing a baby exclusively at the breast is, and watching with delight as baby grows and thrives on breast milk alone is an unparalleled experience.

I believe the enemy wants to rob women of this empowering experience. Further, the enemy seeks to sow discord in the hearts of children and break the bonding process experienced easily through natural birth and breastfeeding. I am not trying to criticize anyone who has had a different experience, but the reality is, bonding is more difficult when there are complications in childbirth and when early breastfeeding is a struggle. These are not insurmountable challenges, but require much more effort and determination to get through. As a breastfeeding counselor for 23+ years I have seen women overcome incredible challenges to successfully breastfeed, but my heart aches to watch completely unnecessary complications develop because of lack of support, or poor recommendations to unsuspecting women.

I believe the medical establishment has so medicalized the childbirth experience that most women are deprived of the support necessary to watch their body give birth. A woman is designed to give birth and her body is the most amazing part of the process. Our modern medical practices often unnecessarily complicate the process and serve to DISempower women of their biological strength. Again, this is not meant as a criticism to specific women, who generally do the best with the situation they face, but to the system. Medicalized births often lead to increased trauma to both mom and baby and can make breastfeeding more difficult. Additionally, standard hospital practices, such as early cord clamping, routine vitamin K injections, eye ointment, and some of the well meaning advice given by staff can adversely impact bonding and breastfeeding. Medical personnel who are ignorant of breastfeeding can create many obstacles for a brand new mother trying to get breastfeeding off to a good start. Routine circumcision of male newborns can seriously impact breastfeeding – yet mothers are not warned.

As a breastfeeding counselor, nothing hurts my heart more than watching innocent, but ignorant, parents, blindly follow medical or cultural advice and end up actually harming their own child. They do not intend harm to their precious baby, but the system has ensnared them into decisions that are not in their baby’s best interests for lifelong health.

How? The list is long. Giving pregnant women vaccines which are known to harm the developing baby, giving many ultrasounds in pregnancy, routine birth practices (such as routine inductions or quick C-sections) designed with the doctor or hospital in mind but which put baby at greater risk of harm, vaccines given to baby, circumcision, allergy shots for children, Tylenol, screen time for babies and children (more addictive and damaging than some drugs), GMO food, processed foods, blindly trusting public schools or curriculum, Disney movies, etc.

I was once in darkness about most of these things. I didn’t know how harmful they were. But, having researched and now understanding the danger, I can no longer blindly continue these harmful practices for myself. As an “older women” I can no longer stand idly by and watch younger women get sucked into very dangerous fields where the enemy stands ready to devour both them and their young lambs.

So, I must speak out and warn others, despite the risk of being dismissed as crazy, or ridiculed by what I point out. I am encouraged by Paul’s admission of craziness,

“For if we are out of our mind (super crazy), it is for God, and if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels, us because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all died. And He died for all that those who live, no longer live for themselves, but for Him who for their sake, died, and was raised.” 2 Corinthians 5:13-14

Peter warns us that we need to ‘”Be serious. Be alert. Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him and be firm in the faith.” 1 Peter 5:8-9

This is why I started this blog. Thanks for reading. Thanks for sharing.

Author: Becky Hastings, wife to John for 36 years, mother of five, MIL to two, grandmother of six, passionate follower of Jesus Christ. A full time truth seeker, especially in the areas of health and children. Navigating our present day world can be challenging, God’s timeless truths in the Bible are my guide.

Reasons for Circumcision

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Botched circumcisions are a reality. Circumcision, which should more appropriately be referred to as ‘complete foreskin amputation’, as performed in the US on infants, often goes wrong. You might not have heard about it. Parents don’t talk about it. Boys and men experience so much trauma and pain that they rarely discuss it. Yet it is a reality that has negatively impacted the lives of thousands. Circumcision is a risk. It is a risk to lifelong sexual satisfaction; a risk of functional use of a healthy specifically designed part of the body. And there is a risk of death – far more often than parents are told about.

“The hundreds of boys I have seen who needed surgery to repair problems caused by their circumcisions are real. The men who lost more parts of their penis than the foreskin are real. The thousands of adult men saying they wish they hadn’t been cut are real. Not recognizing that circumcision is harmful is either ignorance or denial.” Adrienne Carmack, M.C., urologist https://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/for-professionals/complications/#anchor-02

Please inform yourself of exactly what the procedure entails BEFORE you are in the hospital faced with the question of whether to keep your son intact or not. This is elective surgery. It is a choice for parents to make, yet often parents are not fully informed.

I urge you to dedicate at least 2 – 4 hours researching circumcision before you make an irreversible decision for your son’s genitalia. If you still decide to do the surgery, at least you will make an informed decision that you won’t later go back to and say, “I wish I knew better before I had made this permanent decision for my son about his genitals.”

The most important thing for you to do right now is to decide why you might want to have this surgery done to your newborn son.

The most common reason given for circumcision is because they want their son to look like everyone else, so they won’t be teased or embarrassed. The truth is ALL penises look different – whether intact or cut. Over 80% of adult men in the world have intact genitalia. Many experts in the US now admit that there is no need for circumcision and recognize it as purely cosmetic surgery. Because of that, insurance doesn’t always pay for it, and many parents are now skipping the procedure. As a result, fewer and fewer infants in the US are having this cosmetic surgery so the locker room issue will not arise. In 2010, the CDC reported that 41.70% of baby boys left US hospitals intact! Would you endorse cosmetic surgery on your young daughters genitals or breasts to conform to other girls? Could we give our sons the same consideration?

Some moms want to circumcise their newborns because they don’t like the way an uncircumcised man looks. Maybe their son’s future wife won’t have that same opinion. Intact men are satisfied with their genitals. When asked, most intact men say they would rather face teasing than have their forsaken amputated. Adult men will have the opportunity of having a circumcision – with true informed consent – if they desire.

Other people opt to circumcise because of the religious connection. In the book of Genesis, Abraham was told to circumcise all the males in his household. When Jesus was eight days old, his parents took him to be circumcised. This procedure, given to the Jewish nation before running water, was symbolic in nature and had no value except to mark someone as a Hebrew person that placed their faith in God. Biblical circumcision was a cut. A small blood sacrifice; a mark on the skin. It was not a complete amputation of the foreskin. Only a very small bit of the excess foreskin was removed. It never involved forcibly tearing the protective skin away from the glans (head) of the penis, which is adhered at birth like a fingernail is to a finger. Additionally, there are many New Testament examples that clearly show us the need for a blood sacrifice has been finally fulfilled in Jesus’ death and circumcision is no longer necessary. See Galatians 5 & 6 or look up circumcision in a concordance.

Here are a few links that I urge you to look at BEFORE making any kind of irreversible decision for your precious son.

There is a lot of discussion on whether a baby can feel the pain of this traumatic surgical procedure, or if that pain makes a difference in his life. Anesthesia … http://www.drmomma.org/2008/11/the-effectiveness-of-anesthesia-for.html?m=1

Why did circumcision became so mainstream in the US? These excerpts from medical journals from the late 1800’s and the 1900’s provide the answers. http://www.drmomma.org/2007/05/circumcision-brief-history-in.html?m=1

This EXCELLENT video, Child Circumcision: An Elephant in the Hospital, looks at the topic through both a review of scientific literature and a discussion of the human cost of the procedure, this presentation explores these questions from the perspectives of the child, the adult survivor, the parent, and the practitioner. Ryan McAllister, PhD, is a parent, a biophysicist, an Assistant Professor of Physics and Oncology at Georgetown University, and also a volunteer who supports parents and families. Over the last 10 years he has been studying the medicalization of childbirth in U.S. hospitals.

The actual procedure: An infant’s penis is very small making such surgery difficult and delicate. There is a very small surgical field and no way to know how the penis would normally grow, which can and does result in devastating outcomes. In fact, some men have painful, tight erections because too much foreskin is removed in infancy. Any parent considering allowing such a surgical procedure on their son should at the very least, watch a video that shows what happens during the procedure. This video is a US style circumcision using a plastibell device. [Edit: the original linked video vanished so I found another one. It is age restricted so you will have to click on it to watch on YT.]

From a nurse…

…the first circumcision I saw was in nursing school. I asked the doc if he would use something for pain. He said, “No, topical meds won’t be enough before hand and if I give him injections I’ll have to give 9-12 injections, which will make the pain worse at first. No, it’s better to just do it quickly. Get it finished. Apply topical pain relief and give him to his mom to nurse or feed.”

The nurse took the baby back to mom after he had stopped crying. She told mom, “He did great…” and mom smiled. She never knew what the experience was like for her son. It was heartbreaking. I asked the nurse how she felt about it and told her I felt sick. I was shaking. She said, “Yeah it’s one of the worse parts of the job…” and that was it. She walked off. Later she told me she wished it didn’t happen and her own son was intact. I said, “Well, yeah, because you’ve seen it happen – how awful it is. These parents, here, never see behind the scenes.”
Alicia J.

I hope these resources help you get started in learning about the details of making this important decision for your precious son. This is my second blog on this topic, you can read my first blog here.

Edit: I just found 2 more thorough sources of information published by GreenMedInfo on this topic:

Ji, Sayer. “Infants Deeply Traumatized By Common Medical Procedures, New Study Suggests.” GreenMedInfo – The World’s Natural Health Resource, 30 July 2016, www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/infants-deeply-traumatized-medical-procedures-new-study-suggests-1.

Quine, Spoony. “The Foreskin: Why Is It Such A Secret In North America?” GreenMedInfo – The World’s Natural Health Resource, 2 July 2015, www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/foreskin-why-it-such-secret-north-america.

Author: Becky Hastings, wife, mother, grandmother, passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a breastfeeding counselor for over 23 years Becky is devoted to helping parents make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies.

Vaccines

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Welcome to my information page to help you explore the health benefits and safety of vaccines, especially for babies and children. Every parent wants a healthy happy baby. You will find a lot of conflicting information available today on exactly how to achieve that goal – a healthy HAPPY baby. I’ve been researching this topic – HAPPY babies – for over 34 years and have learned a lot along the way from thousands of mothers and babies, books, and experts.

I urge you to take all the time necessary to find out if vaccines, and any other recommended standard medical treatments, are going to ensure that your baby is healthy and happy. If you are still pregnant you might like to explore how labor and childbirth can have a longterm impact on your child.

Bringing a precious new life into the world is one of the greatest thrills and responsibilities we may ever have in our lifetime. Nurturing a human being over time is an enormous privilege. Congratulations on taking the time to think through some very important issues. I have supplied links below to some of my compilations for new parents, grandparents, and anyone concerned about the health and safety of babies. You could think of this as a table of contents in a book. Feel free to browse in whatever order works for you. I’m always open to ideas of how I can improve my delivery of information, so feel free to make a comment or send me a message.

START HERE: First Shots Recommended for all babies born in USA:
Vitamin K in Brief
Hepatitis B Vaccine
My Dear Friend – it’s about vaccines
Preparing to Vaccinate
The CDC Vaccine Schedule – How Many SHOTS?
Especially for pregnant woman/couples:
Pregnant? Who Do You Trust?
WARNING for Pregnant Women
To My Newly Pregnant Friend
MUST READ for Pregnant/Potentially Pregnant Couples
Information Everyone Should Explore:
Shots for Babies
Vulnerable Brains
240 Doctors Question Vaccine Safety
The Shocking Truth about aborted human fetal cells in vaccines
How Do I Research Vaccines?
The CDC USA Vaccine Schedule
What Do I Say to My Doctor?
Tetanus Links
It’s Not Just Autism
Vaccines and Childhood Cancer?
Which Vaccines are Safe?
What About School?
Real Stories of Babies Harmed by Vaccines
Healthy Babies Don’t Just Die: Gunner Wayne Bohn
It Wasn’t the Truck: Connie’s Grandson
Healthy Babies Don’t Just Die Part 2: Johnny Bloem
Healthy Toddlers DON’T JUST DEVELOP AUTISM: Josiah
How Many Shots?: Luca
Delayed Selective Vaccines: Colt Barham
It’s Just a Tetanus Shot: Christie’s son
A Heartbroken Mother’s Story: premature baby dies after Hep B vaccine
Especially for Christians
Calling all Christians
Health, Jesus, Vaccines: do they go together?
The Shocking Truth about aborted human fetal cells in vaccines

Author: Becky Hastings, wife, mother, grandmother, passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a breastfeeding counselor for over 23 years Becky is devoted to helping parents make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies. As a member of a Vaccine Safety Education Coalition, Becky writes and speaks on the topic of vaccine safety.