Blogging for Babies, Breastfeeding and Mothers

Watch this hilarious video. I never knew there were so many names for our mammary glands. Breasts and breastfeeding. OMG!

Do You Want to Breastfeed with Confidence and Joy?       Follow me on Facebook & Twitter.

"When I get annoyed or feel under pressure, I cave in just to get people to leave me alone. That's why we are looking for a doula and a lactation consultant: people to help us with labor, delivery and breastfeeding." Expectant mom

Excellent point and a deep understanding of who she is under pressure. Let's face it, having a baby is living life under pressure even in the best of circumstances. What are you going to do when the pressure comes in its various forms? Do you know the breastfeeding stumbling blocks?

• Let me take the baby to the nursery so you can sleep
• Let's give the baby some formula so you can rest
• You're not making enough milk for your big baby- he needs a bottle
• Your baby is feeding too frequently; you're not making enough milk
• Your baby needs more calories than breastmilk (I'll talk about this in my next post)
• Colostrum is not enough for your baby- he's hungry
• You're being selfish: I want to feed the baby, too
• You can't possibly feed your baby every 1.5-2 hours- you'll be exhausted
• Let the baby cry; you're feeding her too often
• You're spoiling her by feeding her every time she makes a sound
• Your baby is too old to breastfeed
• Your baby needs more milk now that he is older

What other myths and bad information did you hear when trying to persevere with breastfeeding?

Could it be that the people saying these things are totally clueless about how breastfeeding works?

Become the breastfeeding advocate in your area. Speak the truth. Find pregnant women for whom you can dispel these myths. Empower women to nurture their babies with human milk. The truth you speak and the truth they embrace will bring freedom to both of you.

Do You Want to Breastfeed with Confidence and Joy?       Follow me on Facebook & Twitter.

Do You Want to Breastfeed with Confidence and Joy?       Follow me on Facebook & Twitter.

“If it weren’t for Lilli, Max would not be here. Her little life made a huge impact on his. Someday, he’ll know about Lilli and how selfless her mother was,” said Jennifer Robinson, Max's mother.

Nicole Hendrix, Lilli's mother, was grieving the loss of her preemie baby when it dawned on her that she might be able to donate her pumped milk to the hospital where Lilli was born. This was a new proposition for Overland Park Regional Medical Center, but one that turned out to likely mean the survival and health of premature baby Max. It is a story of love for a fragile, helpless human being.

I am crying as I write this, for Nicole and her loss of Lilli and for the delight of Max's life. The power of breastmilk can never be underestimated. It is important for all humans, but premature babies' lives often time depend on it. The immature gut of these babies need human milk. You may have heard Dr. Kathleen Marinelli talk about this in a recent blog.

I always encourage mothers to give as much breastmilk as they can for as long as they can– and if you have extra milk, give to another mother or to a milk bank. According to Dr. Stephen Buescher, Pediatrics Infectious Disease physician, human milk is the most complex substance known to mankind and no matter how hard laboratories try they will never be able to reproduce it. Human milk is antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral. It is a living fluid.

Breastmilk

Give as much as you can for as long as you can.

Have you ever shared your extra milk?

Do you wish someone had shared milk with you for your baby?

Free Report - Avoid The Top 7 Breastfeeding Mistakes What problems are you encountering with breastfeeding?  Download the free report to discover how moms like you are avoiding the painful mistakes associated with improper breastfeeding.            Follow me on Facebook & Twitter.

Do You Want to Breastfeed with Confidence and Joy?       Follow me on Facebook & Twitter.

With the number of premature births steadily increasing over the past five years, what can you do to help premature babies survive? Breastfeed, if it's your own baby; donate milk, if you have extra; encourage others to read this and support the milk banks.

During the grand opening of the Mothers' Milk Bank of New England in May, I had the opportunity to talk with Kathleen Marinelli, MD, IBCLC, FABM, FAAP. Dr. Marinelli is a Neonatologist at Connecticut Children's Hospital and an internationally recognized expert in the field of Human Lactation. She also serves as the Medical Director of the New England Milk Bank. Here's what she has to say about premature babies and breastmilk.

Here's the latest news from Dr. Marinelli:

"We have just made human milk (mothers’ own/donor milk) standard of care in the CT Children’s Medical Center NICU—we go live 8/1.  I have worked for this for a long time—I am soooooo excited!!!!!"

Every mother has the right to breastfeed;

 Every baby has the right to breastfeed or receive human milk.

Kathleen Marinelli, MD, Neonatologist

Was your baby born prematurely? Did anyone talk with you about the importance of your baby receiving breastmilk? Here's a great new documentary about the importance of breastmilk for premature babies.

Free Report - Avoid The Top 7 Breastfeeding Mistakes What problems are you encountering with breastfeeding?  Download the free report to discover how moms like you are avoiding the painful mistakes associated with improper breastfeeding.            Follow me on Facebook & Twitter.

Do You Want to Breastfeed with Confidence and Joy?       Follow me on Facebook & Twitter.

Three babies, twelve months and over one thousand one hundred bottles of breastmilk later, Kelly retires her breast pump. I've written a couple of blog posts about Kelly and her three boys. Here's the final chapter of their breastfeeding journey and I'll let Kelly tell it in her own words. 

Hi Debbie, When I first met with you when I was pregnant, I had no idea where the breastfeeding journey would take me. I was worried about overcoming challenges – three babies – could I even do it? Would I have enough milk? Would I be able to satisfy them?

Once the babies were born, I knew I wanted to give them everything I could. They were so tiny, born at 34 weeks/4 days, and all under 5 pounds. I remember the day my milk came in being so happy. Over the coming weeks, I was not really able to produce enough for all three, and I was so discouraged. But you encouraged me to keep going, and taught me that every ounce is like money in the bank for them – so I pumped and gave them my milk in a bottle and supplemented with formula.

I almost stopped so many times, but each time I hung on for my boys and I was eventually able to provide almost a full bottle for each boy every day. As they approached their first birthday, I decided I would stop.

What a strange feeling, after so much struggle to build my milk supply, to let it go – there’s part of me that still wonders if I should have kept going. But I feel so happy that I did it and that I made it to a year. It is truly with mixed feelings that I stopped. Joy for having made it to a year, and for having three such healthy, happy boys. Sadness that I am no longer providing this part of me to them each day. Relief not to have to pump anymore! Overwhelmingly, I am so grateful that I kept going, because I feel like I have given them a good foundation and helped them to a healthy first year.

I have attached two pictures – the first is with Liam, shortly after one of my first breastfeeding experiences. I felt so content to have him laying on me, and just loved getting to feed my babies. The second is with Morgan on his first birthday, getting one of his last pumped milk bottles. It just is so amazing to me to compare the babies in these pictures – how much they changed in one year!

Thank-you for all your support and encouragement over the past year. I would not have made it without you. Kelly

Kelly, you are amazing. Your story has encouraged me more than I can express through this past year. Thank you for taking the time-- how you could spare a single second is beyond me-- to send me pictures and updates throughout the year. Many women have heard your story and been determined to give as much breastmilk to their baby or babies for as long as they can. I'm expecting the pictures to continue coming! And again,  a big THANKS!

 

 

Free Report - Avoid The Top 7 Breastfeeding Mistakes Want to learn how to overcome the most common barriers new mothers face when trying breastfeed successfully?  Download the free report to discover how moms like you are avoiding the painful mistakes associated with improper breastfeeding.

Do You Want to Breastfeed with Confidence and Joy?       Follow me on Facebook & Twitter.

Hi Debbie-

Trip 2 this month to DC went better. This time some sort of electronic sensor for explosives of my hands and bag rather than a test strip requiring me to open up my carefully packed bags of milk. Security at the Federal office I visited didn't bat an eye when my bag rolled through the x-ray machine.

Flew into Regan National instead of Dulles. The women's restroom (the one with the 20 or so stalls) had a "nursing lounge" I pumped in there- wishing I didn't. I can't imagine trying to feed a child in there with the lovely sounds and smells all around. It basically was a handicapped sized stall with a small bench and changing table inside.

I was surprised to see that someone was thinking about breastfeeding mothers in an airport. Though not an ideal place to pump, it is a designated place. We're moving up in the world, ladies.

Where have you pumped? On a train, bus or ferry? 

Free Report - Avoid The Top 7 Breastfeeding Mistakes Want to learn how to overcome the most common barriers new mothers face when trying breastfeed successfully?  Download the free report to discover how moms like you are avoiding the painful mistakes associated with improper breastfeeding.

Do You Want to Breastfeed with Confidence and Joy?       Follow me on Facebook & Twitter.

Any of you faced with the difficulties of returning to work, wanting to continue breastfeeding and having to figure the logistics of pumping and transporting your breastmilk? This mother's story was definitely worth blogging about. One mother's desire to breastfeed after return to work saga.

Hi Debbie-

As I traveled to DC this week for client meetings, breast pump and laptop in tow- I thought of this article I read a while back.

I pumped locked in airport bath rooms (the unisex handicapped ones usually have a plug and a little privacy). My pump and breastmilk were flagged at security checks and tested for explosives residues.

At each federal building I checked into, with embarrassed or impatient clients shuffling from foot to foot waiting to sign me in, my breast pump set off flags on the x-ray machine and was taken out and inspected to make sure that those tubes and wires were not a threat to national security.

I ended up with mastitis anyway. I came home to a smiling little boy who seemed happy to see me and I have to wonder -- am I nuts?

With all the breastfeeding advocacy you do, have you met with anyone working for better policies for maternity leave? We have family medical leave- 12 weeks unpaid, but more than that would certainly help many mothers breastfeed longer and at least meet the 6 month AAP goal. I have a flexible job and returned 35 hours a week- and still have trouble getting my work done, pumping and tending to the normal baby related tasks (doctors appointments etc.) I imagine that this must be nearly impossible for mothers at less flexible workplaces.

Anyway- just a brain dump after a long week. Maybe you can blog about it (but not me).

Anyone have similar battles or roadblocks with trying to pump? Ever feel that traveling through the airport with pump and freshly expressed milk is akin to a spy? I'd love to hear your stories.

Do You Want to Breastfeed with Confidence and Joy?       Follow me on Facebook & Twitter.

During the reception of opening of The Mothers' Milk Bank of New England, located in Newton, Massachusetts, I had the privilege to talk with Andrea Jorgensen-Suh. What a delightful and enthusiastic personality-- just the perfect person for this job. Here's what Andrea had to say about her new position:

New England's milk bank is a member of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA). In 2009, HMBANA hit an all time record of 1.5 million ounces of donated milk.

How much donated milk do they need every year?

Eight million ounces!

Premature babies need your milk. Are you currently breastfeeding and have extra milk? Are you in need of milk for your baby? Contact Andrea@milkbankne.org for more information about donating or receiving milk.

Every drop of breastmilk counts.

Free Report - Avoid The Top 7 Breastfeeding Mistakes Want to learn how to overcome the most common barriers new mothers face when trying breastfeed successfully?  Download the free report to discover how moms like you are avoiding the painful mistakes associated with improper breastfeeding.

Do You Want to Breastfeed with Confidence and Joy?       Follow me on Facebook & Twitter.

"After the many problems and issues I had when breastfeeding my first son, it is so nice to have a different set of problems with my second son, problems like "where will I store all of this extra breast milk I've produced?"

I worked very hard to nurse my first son, but a bevy of problems, including tongue tie, incorrect advice at the hospital, waiting too long to see a lactation consultant resulting in low milk supply, etc., created a situation in which I had to deal with supplementing him with formula from Day 2 on. It was difficult to realize that I couldn't nourish him completely and it took me a long time to come to terms with our breastfeeding relationship. I am working just as hard to nurse my second son, but I went in to the hospital armed with knowledge and the phone number of my very expert lactation consultant. I'm happy to report that I have an ample milk supply and different problems, like "Wow - must be a growth spurt, because this kid has been on me all day".

I never gave up with my first son and learned so much from that experience. Like every pregnancy, birth and child are different, so too is every breastfeeding experience. So, my advice to all new and even second time breastfeeding moms is to never give up, consult a lactation consultant about any problems, and always remember that no matter what is currently happening, you are doing your best for your child.......it will all be okay."

What can I add? I saw this mother agonize over supplying breastmilk for her first baby. No one has ever worked harder. I felt her pain, her sadness, her disappointment. And this time around? The hardest hurdle was getting her to believe that she was producing more than enough milk. I cried when her email came in last week: Still Going Strong. In spite of the subject, I was fearful of opening it. What if things weren't going well, what if she was not still making plenty of milk, what if...? I think you've guess the truth of the matter.

How many women have similar stories. Some with good outcomes with their second babies, but not all. But this mom summed it up beautifully:

"...always remember that no matter what is currently happening, you are doing your best for your child.......it will all be okay." 

Thanks for taking time to share your story. It has and will touch many people. I hope you can feel our joy.

Do You Want to Breastfeed with Confidence and Joy?       Follow me on Facebook & Twitter.