How to Lose the Baby Weight

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/expert-qa-losing-baby-weight

Gaining weight is essential during pregnancy, but after baby arrives, most moms are anxious to lose the weight. Losing weight after giving birth is different from losing weight at other times, especially if you are breastfeeding.

It is recommended not to diet for at least 6 weeks postpartum, and instead just focus on eating a healthy diet. After that, the ideal way to lose the weight is gradually, aiming for 1-2 pounds per week. With a new baby to take care of, you will need energy and will probably be over-tired. For these reasons, a low calorie diet is not advisable for a new mom.

If you are not breastfeeding, six weeks after the baby is born you can start curbing a few hundred calories per day. Make sure you get a minimum of 1600 calories a day and keep in mind that it is important when trimming calories that you make every calorie count by eating a nutrient rich diet.

If you are breastfeeding, you should not diet until you stop. It is very important for breastfeeding moms to have good nutrition because this affects the quality of the breast milk. It may take longer for breastfeeding moms to lose the weight, but take comfort in knowing that you are doing the best thing for your baby.

Most moms can go back to exercising within weeks of a normal vaginal delivery. Healing time is longer for C-section deliveries. Exercise should begin slowly and gradually. Check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.

Environmentally Friendly Ways to Diaper Baby

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/JustOneThing/thing-green-babys-diapers/story?id=10202689&page=1

About 50 million diapers land in U.S. landfills every day. That adds up to about 18 billion diapers per year. Below are some tips on how to diaper your baby in a more environmentally responsible way.

Cloth diapers are the best way to diaper a baby. They are better for the environment and cheaper. While disposable diapers cost about $2000-$3000 per year, cloth diapers cost between $300 and $800 and can be reused for future children.

Another, more convenient option is disposable inserts. These hybrid diapers have outer pants made of cloth, and a disposable insert made of absorbent wood pulp and polyacrylate. The inserts can absorb up to 100 times their own weight in liquid. They don't contain plastic, so they can be composted, flushed, or thrown in the trash. The outer pants are latex, chlorine and perfume-free and come with snap-in, waterproof liners. They are only slightly more expensive than conventional disposable diapers.

If neither of these options appeals to you, there are disposable diapers on the market that are better for the environment. Most disposable diapers contain several toxic chemicals, including TBT, which has been shown to cause hormonal problems is animals, sodium polyacrylate - from the absorbent gel - which causes skin irritation, and chlorine bleach, which emits toxins into the air and water. Seventh Generation and TenderCare are both chlorine free disposable diapers. Tushies disposable diapers are free of gel, latex, perfume, dye and TBT.

Bad Parenting Advice

http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/family-parenting/article.aspx?cp-documentid=18086285

Moms-to-be are often bombarded with unsolicited parenting advice. Some may turn out to be helpful, but some is just crazy. Here is some wacky advice moms and moms-to-be have been given:

One woman was told to smack her daughter's gums with a spoon to tell if she is teething. This is not recommended as it is painful for the baby and just not necessary. Raw gums, constant crankiness, and more-than-usual drooling are tell-tale signs that baby has begun teething.

Another mom was told not to worry about a car seat, the baby can just sit on your lap. This is not advisable, or legal. Babies should never ride anywhere without being properly secured in a car seat. Be sure to have yours inspected and set up before your due date.

Another pearl of wisdom given to a new mom is that it is ok to let baby play with ice cubes. The logic here was that they will melt, so the baby won't choke on them. This is not true. As a general rule, baby should never be able to grab anything that's small enough to fit through a toilet paper roll. Ice cubes are a choking hazard unless they are given to baby in a mesh feeder.

Bad Behavior in Boys Linked to Poor Parenting

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36038187/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

A new study suggests that poor parenting may cause boys to be particularly prone to bad behavior. Researchers say that parenting style may affect boys more than girls because boys tend to challenge parents more, pushing boundaries, while girls are more likely to turn feelings inward - resulting in depression, anxiety and social withdrawal.

Parent-child attachment style may be the reason for this. An attachment style is the way a child seeks comfort or support when they are stressed in some way. Securely attached babies cry out or become visibly upset when stressed and turn to a caregiver for comfort.

Two insecure style of attachment are avoidant and disorganized attachment. In their second year of life, avoidant kids hide their distress and cope with it on their own rather than turning to their parents. Toddlers suffering from disorganized attachment seem to both want and not want their parents. They may run toward a caregiver only to freeze before reaching him or her, for example.

Abused and neglected children often exhibit disorganized attachment. Babies of parents who stress independence tend to become avoidant. Even more moderate ways of parenting, such as being very harsh, or inconsistent can cause insecure attachment styles.

While all kids are aggressive sometimes, insecurely attached boys are more likely to be violent and destructive. Girls are unlikely to be particularly aggressive regardless of their relationship with their parents.

Evenflo Recalls Top-of-Stair Plus Wood Gates

http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml10/10181.html

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with Evenflo Co., Inc, has announced a voluntary recall of Evenflo Top-of-Stair Plus Wooden Gates. About 150,000 of these gates were sold in the U.S. and 33,000 were sold in Canada. Consumers should stop using the recalled products immediately.

The slats on the gate can break or detach, posing a fall hazard for children. Evenflo has received 142 reports of slats breaking and/or detaching from the gate. 3 children gained access to the stairs. One of those children fell through the gate and down 5 steps, another fell down 1 step. 4 children sustained bumps and bruises to the head, and seven children sustained minor injuries including scratches, scrapes and bruises.

The recalled includes models 10520 and 10512 Top-of-Stair Plus Wood Gates made from October 2007 through July 2009. The model number can be found on the bottom rail. No other Evenflo model numbers or gates are affected by this recall.

The recalled products were sold at Toys "R" Us, Burlington Baby Depot, Kmart, and other juvenile product and mass merchandise retailers nationwide in the U.S. and Canada, and on the web at Amazon.com and other online retailers from October 2007 through March 2010 for about $40. They were manufactured in Mexico.

Consumers should stop using the recalled gate and contact Evenflo to receive a free newer model 10503 or 10513 Top-of-Stair Plus Wood replacement gate. Contact Evenflo toll-free at (800) 233-5921 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit safety.evenflo.com

Infantino Sling Recalled

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10177.html

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with Infantino LLC are announcing a recall of Infantino "SlingRider" and "Wendy Bellissimo" infant slings. One million of these slings are being recalled in the U.S. and 15,000 are being recalled in Canada.

This recall was prompted by 3 infant deaths in 2009; a 7-week-old in Philadelphia, Pa; a 6-day-old in Salem, Ore; and a 3-month-old in Cincinnati, Ohio. The CPSC advises consumers to immediately stop using these slings for infants younger than 4 months of age due to a risk of suffocation and contact Infantino for a free replacement product.

The "SlingRider" is a soft fabric baby carrier with a padded shoulder strap, which carries an infant weighing up to 20 lbs. "Infantino" is printed on the plastic slider located on the strap. "Infantino," "SlingRider" and the item number are printed on the instruction/warning label inside the baby sling carrier. "Wendy Bellissimo" slings were sold exclusively at Babies "R" Us and have a sewn-in label on the inside of the sling strap that says "Wendy Bellissimo Media, Inc." and lists item numbers 3937500H7 and 3937501H7.

The slings were sold in the U.S. and Canada from January 2003 through March 2010 at Walmart, Burlington Coat Factory, Target, Babies "R" Us, BJ's Wholesale, various baby and children's stores and other retailers nationwide, and on the web at Amazon.com, for between $25 and $30. The product was manufactured in China and Thailand.

Consumers should stop using the recalled slings immediately, do not attempt to fix them, and contact Infantino to receive a free replacement product, with a choice of a Wrap & Tie infant carrier, a 2-in-1 Shopping Cart Cover, or a 3-in-1 Grow & Play Activity Gym. A Jittery Pals Rattle will be provided as well. Contact Infantino toll-free at (866) 860-1361 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or visit www.infantino.com.

Dancing Comes Naturally to Babies

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35880077/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

A new study has shown that babies respond to the rhythm and tempo of music, and find it more engaging than speech. The findings, based on a study of 120 infants between 5 months and 2 years old, suggest that humans may be born with a predisposition to move rhythmically in response to music.

"Our research suggests that it is the beat rather than other features of the music, such a melody, that produces the response in infants," said researcher Marcel Zentner, a psychologist at the University of York in England.

To test the babies' dancing disposition, the researchers played classical music, rhythmic beats and speech to infants. The researchers found that babies moved their arms, hands, legs, feet, torsos and heads in response to the music, much more than to speech.

This ability appears to be innate, though researchers aren't sure why it evolved. "One possibility is that it was a target of natural selection for music or that it has evolved for some other function that just happens to be relevant for music processing."

Tiny Trendy Baby Denim

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=10127919

The ease and durability of denim makes it a potentially sensible choice for babies and toddlers, yet little ones are rarely dressed in this fabric that the rest of us build our wardrobes around.

There is a misconception that denim has to be hard or rough, but that is not the case, says Giangualano, who is helping to launch 1969 BabyGap Premium Denim this season. This line will not have any cutesy embroidery. "These are on trend but tiny," Giangualano says. "We think it's the cutest thing in the world."

Certain modifications have been made to the garment, such as tougher-then-usual knees for crawling and a stretchier fabric so it's easy to pull bottoms down to change a diaper, but the overall look is modeled after adult looks.

Research Reveals Early Autism Signs in Some

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/03/early-signs-of-autism/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

According to an on-going longterm study, some infants headed for a diagnosis of autism can be reliably identified at 14 months old based on the presence of 5 key behavior problems.

These 5 predictors include a lack of response to other's attempts to engage them in play, infrequent attempts to initiate joint activities, few types of consonants produced when trying to communicate vocally, problems in responding to vocal requests and a keen interest in repetitive acts, such as staring at a toy while twirling it.

Identification of infants likely to develop autism by age 3 is important because several studies indicate that intensive interventions with infants who display early warning signs and their parents often yield marked behavioral improvements.

Evolution of Mommy Blogs

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/fashion/14moms.html?pagewanted=1&emc=eta1

This month, about 90 women gathered for Bloggy Boot Camp, a daylong conference about search-engine optimization, building a "comment tribe" and how to create an effective media kit. The event was organized by Tiffany Romero and Heather Blair, the founders of the Secret Is in the Sauce, a community of 5,000 female bloggers.

This event is for social purposes, but also to educate female bloggers - about 90% of them mothers- on how to improve their blogs, perhaps in the hopes of generating ad revenue and sponsorships, attracting attention to a cause or branching out into paid journalism or marketing.

So-called mommy blogs used to be a much simpler, a place to share pictures and gush about the little ones. They have recently evolved into a burgeoning industry generating incomes ranging from $25 a month to six figures. According to a study by BlogHer, iVillage, and Compass Partners, 23 million women read, write or comment on blogs weekly.

For many of these women, the blogosphere is an outlet for commiserating about day-to-day travails, or look for parenting role models. Being able to discuss parenting issues interactively is preferable to many women over the inflexible pronouncements spouted by experts in books and parenting magazines.

Advertisers have now recognized mommy blogs as prime real estate. According to eMarketer, advertising on blogs will top $746 million by 2012. Some find this influx of corporate sponsors, freebies and promotions a bit troubling. This may be, in part, because bloggers and corporations are still struggling to define their relationship.

Others defend this alliance between bloggers and corporations as empowering rather than exploitative, giving women a voice in shaping the brands they consume. It is also a way for mothers to be professionals, make money, and be around for their kids.

10 Tips for Baby's Sleep and Napping

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/sleep-10/slideshow-naps

It can be difficult to get your baby to sleep and stay asleep. Here are some Dos and Don'ts to help make it a little easier.

1. Do Spot Sleepiness - Babies who are overtired have a harder time settling down to sleep, so watch for signs of sleepiness such as rubbing eyes, crying, jerky movements and yawning. Older babies may become clumsy, clingy and hyperactive.

2. Don't Wake Baby - If your baby falls asleep in their car seat, just carry the seat inside with baby in it and let them finish the nap there. If your baby starts napping in their baby swing, just keep an eye on him or her, and don't let them sleep there overnight.

3. Do Know Babies Sleep A Lot - Infants sleep about 16 hours a day, waking for feedings and changing. By 6 months they should be able to sleep through the night plus take 2-3 naps. By a year old, they may nap only once of twice a day and sleep about 11 hours each night.

4. Don't Rely on Naps To-Go - Try to avoid napping on the go, such as during errand time. This may not get your child the rest they need. Babies do better with regular, thorough naps.

5. Do Feed, Take a Break, Then Nap - It is natural for babies to fall asleep after a feeding. Overtime this can become the only way they can fall asleep. Try to separate feeding from naps, even just by a few minutes - read a story of change the baby's diaper in between.

6. Do Stretch Out Naps - If your baby is older than 6 months and still takes lots of short 20-minute naps throughout the day, try keeping him or her up, stretching the time between naps progressively longer. This encourages longer naps - 1-2 hours each - and a sounder nighttime sleep.

7. Do Set a Routine - Have the same nap time each day, avoid late afternoon naps if baby has trouble falling asleep at night, and use the crib at night and naptime, so your baby associates it with sleep.

8. Don't Rush In - Sneezing, hiccups, whimpers, sighs, and even squeaks are common baby sleep noises. Even crying may just mean that baby is settling down. Wait a bit before checking on you babu, unless you think he or she is unsafe, uncomfortable, or hungry.

9. Do Put Baby Down When Awake - After a few weeks, baby doesn't have to be sound asleep when you lay her down. This teaches baby how to fall asleep on their own and not depend on being held, rocked, or fed, and how to fall back to sleep on their own if baby wakes during the night.

10. Do Think Safety - If your baby falls asleep in an unsafe place, such as a couch, an adult bed, a waterbed, or the floor, be sure to move them. Always put your baby down to sleep on their back to prevent SIDS. Remove blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, bumpers and other soft things from baby's sleep area. Don't put babies down to nap with other children or pets.

Natural Birth Methods

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/alternative-birthing-methods/story?id=10053794

A growing number of women are having c-sections. This is not recommended, as it is not as safe as natural childbirth. Below are explanations of 5 popular methods of natural childbirth. Ask your doctor if you are considering any of these methods.

The Bradley Method is a technique in which women are encouraged to give birth in the presence of their partners without the use of epidural anesthesia, intravenous drugs. surgery, or tools. The technique is taught in a 12-week class conducted in the last trimester of pregnancy.

HypnoBirth trains women to relax during labor and delivery through courses with an instructor, and home self-hypnosis exercises that teach women how to eliminate the pain of labor by staying completely focused and in control of the birthing process.

Lamaze is a technique that emphasizes breathing. Women are taught to control their breathing, change positions and walk around at certain points during labor. Partners are encouraged to participate in the delivery. With this method, a woman can have an epidural if she feels she needs it.

Home Birth allows you to give birth in the comfort of your own home. According to the American Pregnancy Association, you should not have a home birth if you are diabetic, have chronic high blood pressure or toxemia (preclampsia), you have experienced preterm labor in the past, or may be at risk for preterm labor now, or if your partner does not fully support your decision to give birth at home.

Water Delivery is a technique in which women give birth in a warm tub of water. This may help them relax and the buoyancy may help alleviate discomfort and pressure. This method is not recommended for women with high-risk pregnancies, and preparation should be made for delivery to occur out of the water if complications arise.

Does Pregnancy Affect Memory?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8491493.stm

It has been referred to as "pregnancy head", "baby brain" or "mumnesia". Some people believe that women become more forgetful when they are pregnant. Others say this is just a myth.

According to February's issue of The British Journal of Psychiatry, pregnancy does not make you forgetful. Helen Christensen, the researcher from Australian National University who led the study, said it makes you think you are more forgetful because you are already worried about memory loss.

Prior studies have linked pregnancy, parenting and forgetfulness. Those were mostly based on self-reporting by women during pregnancy and did not compare cognitive performance before, during and after.

The latest research tested 1,241 women between the ages of 20 and 24 in 1999, then followed up with those same women in 2003 and again in 2007, asking them to perform the same tasks. At the time of the follow-ups, 77 of the women were pregnant, 188 had become mothers in the interim, and 542 never had children. The results were that there was no significant differences in cognitive change found as a function of pregnancy or motherhood, although late pregnancy was associated with deterioration on one of the four tests of memory and cognition.

Dangers of Baby Slings

http://blogs.ajc.com/momania/2010/03/10/can-baby-slings-actually-hurt-baby/?cxntfid=blogs_momania

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said it will likely issue a warning this week about the use of baby slings. The agency says several babies have suffocated in certain positions in the slings.

In 2008, Consumer Reports raised concerns about the "SlingRider" by Infantino. This sling wraps around the parent's neck and cradles the baby in a curved, C-like position, below the parent's chest or near their belly. This curved position can cause the baby to flop it's head forward, restricting the baby's ability to breathe.

Another concern is that the baby can turn it's face toward the carrier's chest or belly and smother in the parent's clothing. Tiffany Speck, a nurse who owns BabySoSmart and sells her own baby carriers, has been warning about slings where the baby falls into a chin-to-chest position in the classes she teaches at hospitals, stores and doctors offices. Speck recommends that babies in slings remain in a upright position, with the baby's tummy facing the carrier's tummy.

Scientists Evaluate Autism Therapies

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/03/01/autism.speech.learning/index.html?iref=allsearch'

When Ryan Wallace was diagnosed with Autism at age 2, his parents never thought they's hear him speak. He would grunt or if he became upset he would start screeching. Fortunately, when he was diagnosed, his parents immediately got him into speech and occupational therapy at the Susan Gray School for special needs kids at Vanderbilt.

While at Susan Gray, Ryan's therapists and parents decided to enroll him in a new research project that was scientifically evaluating programs designed to help kids with autism learn to speak, including sensory integration therapy. Sensory integration is an occupational therapy designed to improve communicate skills by placing a child in a room specifically designed to challenge all of his or her senses.

"Children learn how to comprehend through interacting with toys, interacting with pictures, and then another person is talking to them and giving them information about what they're seeing and experiencing," explains Dr. Stephen Camarata, a professor of hearing and speech science at Vanderbilt's Wilkerson Center for Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences. "It's very repetitive so that the child has lots of opportunities to learn the meaning of each of these things they're interacting with."

Once Ryan has gone through his therapy, he's fitted with special headgear that records his brain language sensors while he watches a video that incorporates the words he's just learned. This gives doctors an insight into how the autistic brain works.

Since working with sensory integration therapy, Ryan talks and engages in conversations. His parents are amazed by his progress. Sensory integration is just one of the many therapies that are being investigated. Camarata wants to provide scientifically proven help to families touched by autism.

Babies In Bars?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/03/02/brooklyn.babies.in.bars/index.html?hpt=C1

In the Park Slope area of Brooklyn, and it's surrounding neighborhoods, there is a recurring debate over whether it is ok to bring babies and children to bars. In this area, which is highly kid-populated, parents want a place to socialize and often can't afford the high cost of babysitters, while others think bars should be an adults-only venue.

"I will get up on the subway for kids. I will be tolerant of them kicking the back of my seat while seeing a G-rated movie. But let me have my bars," said Julianne Smolinski, 26, who feels guilty drinking alcohol in front of 5-year-olds.

Parents argue that as long as they are responsible and their kids behave, they should be able to grab a drink with friends. Finding an affordable caretaker is difficult in New York, and tight living quarters make it hard to have people over. They say they don't want to be excluded from the adult world because they have kids.

Park Slope local, and stay at home dad, Matt Gross says when he gets a little stir crazy in his apartment, he heads to a mellow bar for a beer with his 14-month-old daughter. He doesn't take her to punk dive bars where music is loud, fights break out and patrons make out or pass out. They go to a mellow spot, and he doesn't keep her out past 7pm. "It's responsible parenting and responsible adult behavior. I'm not knocking back double vodkas while my daughter is stumbling around."

Protection For Young Ears

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/health/02baby.html

After last month's Superbowl, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees shared a victory moment with his 1-year-old son, holding him up above his head. The boy was wearing what looked like the headphones worn by his father's coaches, but they were actually earmuffs meant to protect his hearing from the stadium's roar.

Specialists say that hearing loss from loud noises is cumulative and irreversible. "If a child attends only one loud sporting event, it isn't a big deal. But for those kids who will be going to football games throughout their lives, as Drew Brees' kids will, it's a very big deal. A young, tender ear may not be able to withstand damage."

More than 15 minutes of exposure to 100 decibels is unsafe according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The noise in a football stadium can reach 100 to 130 decibels. The sound pressure entering a young child's ear is greater than it would be for an older child or adult because their ear canal is much smaller. The shorter length of the ear canal increases dangerous noise levels in the higher frequencies, which are crucial to language development.

Earplugs are not a good way to protect a baby's hearing. They are too big for tiny ear canals and too easy to put into the mouth, posing a choking hazard. Protective headgear is the best option for small children. This includes lightweight foam-filled ear cups, weighing less than half a pound and cost about $20 - $30. Most are not meant for infants, but Baby Banz sells earmuffs for babies 6 months and older.

Feeding Baby "Green"

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/12/a-pediatricians-advice-on-green-parenting/?pagemode=print&scp=19&sq=baby&st=cse

Pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene, whose popular website, DrGreene.com, has offered a variety of advice for parents, now has a book out about environmentally conscious parenting called "Feeding Baby Green: The Earth Friendly Program for Healthy, Safe Nutrition During Pregnancy, Childhood and Beyond".

Greene states that how you feed your baby early on is important because it not only affects the foods they like, but it will turn on and off certain genes that will affect their metabolic rate, how much weight their likely to gain, how they handle blood sugar and cholesterol, how likely they are to get diabetes or heart disease and the quantity of food that will satisfy them.

Greene says he wants to introduce the idea of nutritional intelligence and development. One aspect of that is the ability to recognize and enjoy healthy amounts of great food. This is something that we have largely ignored in the U.S. He says it is never too late to improve a child's eating habits, but the earlier you start, the easier it is.

Woman Had Ovary Transplant, Gave Birth Twice

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35559268/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

When Stinne Holm Bergholdt of Denmark was diagnosed with bone cancer at age 27, she was afraid that chemotherapy would render her sterile. So she had an ovary removed before her treatment, and transplanted back afterward to preserve her fertility. Now, more than 6 years later, she and her husband have 2 daughters, making her the first woman in the world to give birth twice after an ovary transplant.

On the day before she began chemotherapy, doctors removed 13 strips of ovarian tissue from Bergholdt's right ovary and froze them. After 8 months of treatment and an additional year of recovery, doctors replants 7 strips, about 20% of a whole ovary.

Her ovary began working again in a few months and she had in vitro fertilization to become pregnant. About a year later she gave birth to daughter Aviaja. A couple years later Bergholdt and her husband decided they wanted to have another child. When they went back to the fertility clinic, she was already pregnant with a second daughter, Lucca. 8 children have been born worldwide to women who have had ovary transplants, but no other woman has had more than one child after a transplant.

Although this is good news for women who will be undergoing cancer treatment, some experts think that an ovary transplant is too invasive to be used by healthy women who want to wait to have children. "To suggest that a healthy woman have 2 operations (to remove and reimplant the ovary) for the sake of social convenience, to have children later, is ludicrous," said Allan Pacey, a fertility expert at the University of Sheffield, who was not linked to the research. "It's far easier to just freeze your eggs."

Pacey said Bergholdt's case proved that ovary transplants were a viable way to preserve women's fertility and should reassure cancer patients they won't automatically be left sterile.