PLATYPUS POST, Number 10, August 1-7 2004, World Breastfeeding Week Edition

A regular publication of Platypus Media, an independent publisher of books for families, teachers and parenting professionals.

WELCOME to Platypus Post, an electronic newsletter from Platypus Media. We hope you find that the parenting, teaching, and breastfeeding information we provide here is useful. Feel free to forward the newsletter to friends or colleagues.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

DIA'S DIARY: Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week… for now!
FUN AT HOME: Ice Cream Making for the Dog Days of August!
LITERACY CHAMPIONS: Turning the Page honored
SISTER ILLUSTRATOR HELPS KIDS CREATE CREATURES
OUR FAMILY KEEPS GROWING: New Places To Find Platypus Media Books
SUMMER SAVINGS AT PLATYPUS MEDIA!!
QUOTE OF THE MONTH: Pablo Picasso
PLATYPUS MEDIA: In the news, online … and on the road
NEWSLETTER INFORMATION

DIA'S DIARY: Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week… for now!

Why is this week different than all other weeks? Because this is World Breastfeeding Week. Each year, the first week of August is a time set aside to promote and support exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continued breastfeeding up to two years of age or beyond, while providing women access to the support that they require - in the family, the community and the workplace. Each year, during World Breastfeeding Week, organizations and institutions worldwide aim to stimulate activities to get more people to understand the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and to think of ways to enable mothers to do it.

Anyone who has studied breastfeeding is keenly aware of the importance of lactation to the health of babies, mothers, families, communities, even nations. All major pediatric groups and maternal/child health organizations support breastfeeding. Volumes of evidence point to the benefits of breastfeeding for the physical, emotional and intellectual health of the child. Yet, worldwide, no more than 35% of infants are breastfed exclusively, even for a little as four months. In the US, just 46% of infants are exclusively breastfed in hospital; a number that falls off dramatically to 18% by six months. And so, we pick one week out of the year to draw attention to the importance of breastfeeding - even though no one is officially opposed to it!

As I write this, I cannot draw a connection to Black History Month. Each year in America, the month of February is set aside to promote and support the contributions of African Americans to the growth and development of the United States. Of course, in an ideal world, we would recognize that black history is history -- and history is a valuable subject that should be taught to all students all year long. Yet we still have - and need -- Black History Month because somewhere along the way, history became synonymous with white history. And like breastfeeding, no one is officially opposed to teaching all American children about the invaluable role of African Americans in the development of our nation.

By the same token, somewhere along the way, infant feeding became synonymous with infant formula. Somewhere along the way, a baby bottle became the universal symbol for infant feeding. And so we celebrate World Breastfeeding Week one week out of the year in an attempt to normalize breastfeeding as the ideal food for all babies. We celebrate World Breastfeeding Week because we still need to.

This year, the effort is bolstered by the now-launched Ad Council campaign to promote breastfeeding using television, radio and print ads (see Platypus Post, Number 4, September/October 2003) to promote its message: "Babies Were Born to Be Breastfed." Around the globe, La Leche League groups are hosting events and raising funds to support their year-round work. Platypus Media is a proud sponsor of La Leche League USA's World Breastfeeding Week. We have donated dozens of our books to be used for prizes for individuals and groups raising money for mother-to-mother nursing support.

It is wonderful that we have the first week of August to celebrate breastfeeding. My hope, however, is that we can create a culture where we won't need a special week, a culture where infant feeding is synonymous with breastfeeding. Let's celebrate World Breastfeeding Week … for the time being - with the goal that World Breastfeeding Week should not be different than all other weeks!

To learn more about World Breastfeeding Week activities, visit http://www.lllusa.org/lllusa/wbw.html.

To learn more about World Breastfeeding Week and the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding, visit www.waba.org.my.

To learn more about the Ad Council campaign, visit www.4woman.gov or call 800-994-WOMAN. Breastfeeding statistics from Abreast of Our Times, Winter/Spring 2004, visit www.naba-breastfeeding.org

FUN AT HOME: Ice Cream Making for the Dog Days of August!

With an adult's help, any child can use this recipe to make ice cream at home.

• 1 (4 oz.) package instant pudding
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup canned evaporated milk
• 2 ten-pound bags of ice
• 2 boxes of table salt (28 oz.)
• Freezer bags - quart size and gallon size

Make pudding according to directions using 2 cups milk. Stir in sugar and canned milk. Pour equally into several quart size plastic bags. Place each small bag inside a gallon bag. Put 2 cups of ice cubes in the large bag and about 1/4 to 1/2cup salt. Let out as much air as possible; zip up the large bag and SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE!

If too much water accumulates in the large bag, pour out the water, put in a little more ice and salt and keep shaking until the ice cream is frozen. It should take about 10 minutes for the ice cream to freeze.

There are lots more fun activities in our Platypus Media Activity guides. Download - at no charge - a complete Guide for each title at www.PlatypusMedia.com. The ice cream recipe is from our I WAS BORN TO BE A BROTHER Activity Guide. A great recipe for edible play dough can be found in this activity guide as well.With an adult's help, any child can use this recipe to make ice cream at home.

• 1 (4 oz.) package instant pudding
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup canned evaporated milk
• 2 ten-pound bags of ice
• 2 boxes of table salt (28 oz.)
• Freezer bags - quart size and gallon size

Make pudding according to directions using 2 cups milk. Stir in sugar and canned milk. Pour equally into several quart size plastic bags. Place each small bag inside a gallon bag. Put 2 cups of ice cubes in the large bag and about 1/4 to 1/2 cup salt. Let out as much air as possible; zip up the large bag and SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE!

If too much water accumulates in the large bag, pour out the water, put in a little more ice and salt and keep shaking until the ice cream is frozen. It should take about 10 minutes for the ice cream to freeze.

There are lots more fun activities in our Platypus Media Activity guides. Download - at no charge - a complete Guide for each title at www.PlatypusMedia.com. The ice cream recipe is from our I WAS BORN TO BE A BROTHER Activity Guide. A great recipe for edible play dough can be found in this activity guide as well.

LITERACY CHAMPIONS: Turning the Page honored

Breastfeeding is just like literacy. Everyone agrees how important it is and no one is officially against it, yet universal literacy is but a distant goal. Several countries, such as Iceland and New Zealand, do have almost universal literacy showing us that it is an attainable goal.

People in the book business always admire individuals who commit themselves to fostering the skills of reading and a love of books. One such person is Jason King, founder and president of Turning the Page. This organization links DC public schools, families and the community to promote books, excite kids about books, train adults how to work with books, and put books into hands of children.

We were delighted to learn that Jason was recently awarded a "Hometown Hero" award by Washington, DC, PBS television affiliate, WETA. Platypus Media has been working with Turning the Page for years. We look forward to continuing that relationship. Congratulations to Jason and the gang at Turning the Page!

To learn more about Turning the Page, visit www.TurningThePage.org or call 202-628-7856.

To learn more about the WETA award program, visit www.WETA.org/static/hheroes/.

SISTER ILLUSTRATOR HELPS KIDS CREATE CREATURES

On a recent Sunday in August, Platypus Media illustrator Marcy Ramsey turned a room full of young artists into creature creators. Marcy, the talented illustrator of I Was Born to Be a Sister (and dozens of other books), participated in a "Festival of Books" jointly sponsored by the National Museum of Women in the Arts and the Children's Book Guild of Washington, D.C.

Excited children filled every seat in an elegant reception room at the Museum, where Marcy talked about the difference between real and imaginary creatures. I Was Born to be a Sister is filled with both - loads of cats, but look closely and you'll find a green dinosaur and a very scary dragon. All the children at the Museum -- and many of their parents - had a chance to draw, cut and paste their own creatures. Then Marcy drew an imaginary creature as she followed the instructions of her young audience.

Find out more about family events at the Museum at www.nmwa.org.

Find out more about children's authors in Washington, D.C. at www.childrensbookguild.org

OUR FAMILY KEEPS GROWING: New Places To Find Platypus Media Book

The Chautauqua Institution, in upstate New York, is a dramatic, lakeside community where visitors come to find intellectual and spiritual growth and renewal. Founded on the belief that everyone "has a right to be all that he can be -- to know all that he can know," Chautauqua hosts classes, lectures and events during the summer months. We are delighted to announce that the Chautauqua Institution Bookstore is one of the newest venues selling Platypus Media books. To learn more about this exciting Institution, call 800-836-ARTS or visit www.ciweb.org. The bookstore can be reached at 716-357-6247.,/P>

Mom's Boutique has the largest selection of nursing bras in the state of Wisconsin. They currently carry mastectomy, prosthetics, and full figured bras, nursing and non-nursing. They also do breast pump rentals and purchases, along with selling nursing clothes, breastfeeding and children's books. Next time you are in Oshkosh, stop by and do some shopping. 2050 West 9th Ave, Oshkosh, WI 920-231-1611 or visit http://www.momsboutique.com.

Natural Family Online is an online resource for natural parenting and family living. They have recently listed If My Mom Were a Platypus on their Bookshelf Recommended Reading List. You may order the book from them at www.naturalfamilyonline.com.

END OF SUMMER SAVINGS AT PLATYPUS MEDIA!!

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: Pablo Picasso

"My mother said to me, 'If you become a soldier, you'll be a general; if you become a monk, you'll end up the Pope.' Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso"

Excited children filled every seat in an elegant reception room at the Museum, where Marcy talked about the difference between real and imaginary creatures. I Was Born to be a Sister is filled with both - loads of cats, but look closely and you'll find a green dinosaur and a very scary dragon. All the children at the Museum -- and many of their parents - had a chance to draw, cut and paste their own creatures. Then Marcy drew an imaginary creature as she followed the instructions of her young audience.

Find out more about family events at the Museum at www.nmwa.org.

Find out more about children's authors in Washington, D.C. at www.childrensbookguild.org

PLATYPUS MEDIA: In the news and online

Platypus Media loves going to school - we do school visits across the country each year. We are pleased to announce that we are now members of Schoolvisit.net, the perfect place for teachers and librarians to find authors and illustrators to visit schools. Check out the reviews and search for presenters by location, price and type at www.schoolvisit.net.

Three Platypus Media titles will be included in the Children's Book Council (CBC) Online Showcase of Nonfiction Picture Books during the months of September/October 2004. The three titles are: If My Mom Were a Platypus and two titles from the Look What I See! Where Can I Be? Series: Visiting China and At the Synagogue. The CBC is a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging literacy and the use and enjoyment of children's books and is the official sponsor of Children's Book Week, November 15-21, 2004. Visit the CBC at www.cbcbooks.org.

...And Platypus Media on the road

August 6, Prince William Public Library, Prince William, VA
Summer Quest Reading Program featuring Look What I See! Where Can I Be? With My Animal Friends. Hands-on activities will follow book reading. Learn how to make an edible butterfly, play a camouflage game, try your "hand" doing animal measurement, and learn how mammals breathe. For more information: 703-792-4879, jdrabkin@pwcgov.org

September 10-12, Lamaze International 2004 Annual Conference, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Dia will present "If Your Mom Were a Platypus: What we can learn from Mammal Lactation." Dia will also have a booth for book sales in the exhibit hall at the conference. For more information: 800-368-4404, conference@lamaze.org, or www.lamaze.org.

December 2-4, National Science Teachers Association Eastern Area Conference, Richmond, VA
Platypus Media will be leading hands-on science activities at their booth at this show for science teachers. Come to Richmond and see all the wonderful resources available for classroom use. For more information, visit www.nsta.org.

February 6, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC
Celebrate Chinese New Year at this family program featuring Look What I See! Where Can I Be? Visiting China. For more information, call 202-783-7372 or visit www.nmwa.org.

February 17-21, Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, DC
Platypus Media will be leading hands-on science activities at this show for science professionals. A new feature, Family Science Days, gives the public an opportunity to visit the exhibit hall and see presentations on teaching science to kids. For more information, visit www.aaas.org.

March 11-13, La Leche League of Connecticut, Southbury, CT
The Area Conference for La Leche League of Connecticut will feature talks and books by Dia. For more information, visit http://lalecheleague.org/Area/AreaConf.html.

NEWSLETTER INFORMATION
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About Platypus Media

At Platypus Media, our mission is to produce high quality books with a broad appeal to families from different backgrounds that share a commitment to attachment parenting or simply believe in the importance of family closeness. Our goal is to create books and products that parents love, children enjoy, teachers appreciate, and parenting professionals value in their work.

Contact us at:
Platypus Media
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Washington, DC 20002
Toll-free 1-877-PLATYPS (1-877-752-8977)
202-546-1674 / Fax: 202-546-2356
Info@PlatypusMedia.com
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