EarthMother

08/01/2026

Nestlé infant formula recall reaches Namibia amid global safety alert

A GLOBAL recall of certain Nestlé infant formula products has reached Namibia after South African authorities confirmed that affected batches were exported to the country, prompting warnings to parents and caregivers to check product details and stop using the formula if it matches the recalled batch.

South Africa’s National Consumer Commission (NCC) has issued an urgent recall of a specific batch of Nestlé NAN Special Pro HA infant formula due to the potential presence of cereulide, a heat-stable toxin produced by certain strains of Bacillus cereus. The toxin can cause nausea and vomiting and may pose a heightened risk to infants.

The affected product is the 800g tin of NAN Special Pro HA (0–12 months), batch number 51660742F3, manufactured on 15 June 2025 and expiring on 15 December 2026. According to the NCC, the batch was sold in South Africa and exported to Namibia and Eswatini.

Consumers who may have purchased the affected product are advised to immediately stop using it and return it to the point of purchase for a full refund. Parents are urged to check the batch number printed on the bottom or side of the tin.

Nestlé said the recall is precautionary, following the detection of a quality issue in an ingredient — arachidonic acid oil — supplied by a third-party manufacturer. The company has stressed that no illnesses have been reported in connection with the recalled products.

The Namibia-linked recall forms part of a wider global action by Nestlé affecting infant formula brands such as NAN, SMA, BEBA and Alfamino in at least 37 countries across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Health authorities worldwide have issued warnings as a precaution.

Nestlé said all other products and unaffected batches remain safe for consumption and that it is working closely with authorities while sourcing alternative suppliers to maintain supply.

Source: Reuters / South Africa National Consumer Commission / Nestlé

Photos: Contributed / South Africa National Consumer Commission

08/12/2025

Keeping a baby close to you and providing more hours of touch offers numerous benefits across physical, emotional, and cognitive development.

▶️Physical Benefits
📑Improved Physiological Stability: Close contact helps regulate the baby’s heart rate, breathing, and body temperature, creating a stable environment similar to the womb.
📑Enhanced Sleep Quality: Babies who experience more physical touch and closeness tend to sleep more soundly and for longer periods, which is crucial for brain development and overall health.
📑Better Weight Gain and Growth: Skin-to-skin contact, particularly in premature infants, has been shown to improve feeding tolerance and promote faster weight gain and growth.
📑Stronger Immune System: Physical closeness and touch can lead to reduced stress levels, which in turn helps support a robust immune system.

▶️Emotional and Social Benefits
📑Secure Attachment: Frequent physical contact helps the baby feel safe, secure, and loved. This builds a strong, secure attachment (bonding) between the baby and caregiver, which is foundational for future emotional health and relationships.
📑Reduced Crying and Colic: The soothing nature of touch, combined with the familiarity of a parent’s smell and heartbeat, significantly reduces crying, fussiness, and symptoms of colic.
📑Improved Parental Confidence: Holding your baby frequently can increase a parent’s confidence in their ability to care for and understand their baby’s needs and cues.
📑Enhanced Emotional Regulation: By providing comfort and soothing through touch, parents help their babies develop the ability to regulate their own emotions later in life.

▶️Cognitive Benefits
📑Brain Development: Positive touch experiences release oxytocin (the “love hormone”) and reduce stress hormones (like cortisol). Lower stress levels and increased oxytocin production support healthy brain development and function.
📑Improved Cognitive Function: Studies have shown that babies who receive more physical affection may demonstrate improved cognitive scores and fewer behavioral problems later in childhood.

02/11/2025

💛

November is Prematurity Awareness Month.

For some, it hits close to home.

Because they know what it’s like to count days instead of weeks.
To celebrate ounces instead of pounds.
To learn words like “NICU,” “CPAP,” and “kangaroo care” before we ever wanted to.

They’ve held tiny hands through incubator walls.
They’ve whispered “keep fighting” more times than we can count.
They’ve learned that strength doesn’t come in size,
it comes in heartbeats that refuse to quit.

To every preemie parent,
to every mom who left the hospital without her baby,
to every dad who sat beside a monitor praying it wouldn’t beep, you are not alone.

And to every warrior who came too soon but fought their way home,
you are proof that miracles exist.

©️Caty Sanders

21/10/2025

The Golden Hour. Read the caption in the video for more 💖

17/10/2025

Since March 2023, 41 children have called Hope Baby House home. Today, 19 of them are still waiting.

That means 20 have found their forever families, 20 lives forever changed, 20 children who now have someone to call mama and papa. But 19 precious ones are still hoping, still waiting, still ready to love and be loved.

The math is simple: families change everything. Could you be the next one to turn waiting into belonging?
Start your adoption journey:
https://hopeforlife.org.na/how-to-adopt-a-child-in-namibia

10/10/2025

30/09/2025

19 little hearts are waiting.
19 children who dream of calling someone "Mama." Someone "Papa."
19 sets of arms ready to wrap around someone and hold on tight.

Could one of them be waiting for you?
Adoption isn't just about giving a child a home - it's about becoming a family. It's about bedtime stories, scraped knees, first days of school and unconditional love.

If you've ever felt that tug on your heart, maybe it's time to listen.
Start your adoption journey today: https://hopeforlife.org.na/how-to-adopt-a-child-in-namibia

08/09/2025

Even a small amount of breastfeeding is beneficial to both you and your baby 💖

02/09/2025

06/08/2025

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