BREASTFEEDING AWARENESS MONTH

WORLD CELEBRATES BREASTFEEDING 
MONTH TO SAVE CHILDREN’S LIVES

NJ Today - Today several events around the world are carrying out to celebrate the closing of the Breastfeeding Month.  August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month in many parts and from Aug. 1 to 7 was World Breastfeeding Week (WBW). Research suggests that breastfeeding is a key modifiable factor for disease for both mother and infants. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention report that Ohio’s 2010 breastfeeding initiation rate of 64.8 percent ranks 42nd in the nation-we can do better. This year’s WBW theme is Breastfeeding- Takin’ it to the streets! and the motto is Breastfeeding Rocks! Both the theme and motto focus on the need to use all available communication strategies to educate and inform citizens and institutions about their role in promoting and supporting breastfeeding. While the choice to breastfeeding is a personal one, communities should inform and support mothers’ decision to breastfeed her baby.

Cultural acceptance of breastfeeding as the normal way to feed a baby ensures that social policy supports mothers who make that choice. Returning our communities back into a breastfeeding-supportive culture will take efforts by educational institutions, hospitals, businesses, and even legal support. “The more our society accepts breastfeeding as the normal, natural way to feed a baby the healthier and better off we will be as a nation, state, and community,” said Kathy Boersma, RN, Community Action Health Services Director. “In light of the monetary and life saving benefits of breastfeeding, all elements of the community, must cooperate and support breastfeeding. Ultimately, our whole society benefits from having healthier mothers, babies and children when breastfeeding is promoted, protected and supported.”

Research shows that increasing exclusive breastfeeding rates can result in reduced risk of pediatric overweight, decreased incidence of infectious diseases and protection against obesity and other chronic diseases.  Hospitals have opportunities to implement practices in labor, delivery, postpartum care and discharge planning that can protect, promote and support breastfeeding and improve the success rate among women who want to breastfeed.  The topic of Breastfeeding remembers us when Krishna had just learned how to walk and was playing the pastime of being hungry.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

In Krishna lila we find that, one day, there were no servants in Nanda Maharaja’s house. So mother Yasoda went herself to churn butter from the milk. While she was churning the milk, the young child Krishna came to her. He said, “O mother, stop churning, I am hungry. Give me milk!” ... Yasoda was charmed and put the child on her lap to breastfeed Him, but at that very instant, the milk on the stove started to boil over. So, Yasoda said to Gopala, “Get down, the milk is boiling.” But Krishna’s appetite had not been appeased and He did not want to get down. He said, “Give me more milk.” Yasoda thrust Krishna down and ran to the stove.  Krishna became very angry because of this and wanted to break the pot containing the yogurt, but He was at the same time afraid of His mother. So, with a small stone, He silently struck the pot until the pot broke and all the curd spilled onto the floor. Then, seeing other pots hanging from the ceiling, He climbed onto the mortar and broke all the pots.

Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Mahārāja :
“Suddha Bhakti, the Path of Pure Devotion”
Part 3: “Prayojana - The Fulfillment of Devotion”
Mandala Publishing Group 2000.
San Francisco, CA 94103 USA
Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math - www.sreecgmath.org

FORBES’ MOST POWERFUL WOMEN: 2011

THE WOMEN WHO MATTER MOST: 
FORBES’ 10 MOST POWERFUL WOMEN

(Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel topped the Forbes list of the world’s most powerful women, which is dominated by politicians, businesswomen and leaders in media and entertainment.  U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who came close to defeating President Obama when he sought the Democratic nomination in 2008, was second, followed by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.  “Our list reflects the diverse and dynamic paths to power for women today, whether leading a nation or setting the agenda on critical issues of our time,” said Moira Forbes, president & publisher of ForbesWoman, said in a statement.  Eight heads of state and 29 CEOs made Forbes’ roster of the 100 most powerful women released on Wednesday. They have an average age of 54 and collectively control $30 trillion. Twenty two are single.  U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, who last year held the top spot, dropped to No. 8 in the current ranking.

“Across their multiple spheres of influence, these women have achieved power through connectivity, the ability to build a community around the organizations they oversee, the countries they lead, the causes they champion and their personal brands,” Forbes added.  Merkel was cited as the head of the one real global economy in Europe. Clinton was lauded for deftly dealing with Middle East revolutions and WikiLeaks revelations in her second year on the job, while Rousseff made history as the first woman to lead Latin America’s largest economic power.  Rounding out the top five were the CEO of PepsiCo U.S. Indra Nooyi, who oversees the $60 billion food and beverage empire, and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, who was credited with preparing the booming social network’s IPO that could bring in as much as $100 billion.  Lady Gaga and The New York Times’ recently appointed executive editor, Jill Abramson, came in at No. 11 and 12.

Every year, Forbes releases a list of the world’s most powerful woman, influential in everything from politics to technology to culture.  Forbes said women on the list achieved power not only through money and might, but, thanks to social media, through reach and influence.  These women bring a fresh look at power and they are politicians, CEOs, bankers, cultural icons, billionaires and entrepreneurs.  Among the many societies in the world, ancient Vedic culture is one that has most revered and protected women.   There is a Vedic saying, “Where the women are happy, there will be prosperity.”

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

There are many civilizations in the world where respect for women and their role in society are prominent, and others where regard for them and their status should be improved. Yet the level of civility along with moral and spiritual standards in a society can often be perceived by the respect and regard it gives for its women. Not that it glorifies them for their sexuality and then gives them all the freedom men want so they can be exploited and taken advantage of, but that they are regarded in a way that allows them to live in honor for their importance in society with respect and protection, and given the opportunity to reach their real potential in life. … The Vedic tradition has held a high regard for the qualities of women, and has retained the greatest respect within its tradition as seen in the honor it gives for the Goddess, who is portrayed as the feminine embodiment of important qualities and powers.

Stephen Knapp (Śrīpad Nandanandana dasa) :
“Women in Vedic Culture”
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/women_in_vedic_culture.htm
http://www.stephen-knapp.com  -  http://www.stephenknapp.info/