The Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog

Some recent celebrity quotes about breastfeeding

2009-11-20T09:12:09-05:00

A number of celebrities have been talking about breastfeeding recently - and not only about weight loss! I thought I'd share a few recent quotes:

"They're not very big, my boobs, so they just became normal size. I loved it! I felt very Woman. When you're had a slightly androgynous body your whole life, having breasts is a nice feeling." - Nicole Kidman

"I love ABC, they really look out for breastfeeding mothers. We have I think eight nursing and pumping mothers on our show this season so there are pump stations everywhere.” - Rachel Griffiths (Brothers and Sisters)

“They do say breastfeeding is nature’s lipo.” - Ana Ortiz (Ugly Betty)

“With my daughter — obviously the doctor made sure that everything was okay — but I didn’t do all of the procedures they recommend right away. I did the least amount that was necessary that was still healthy, so that my daughter would be able to latch right away.” - Kelly Rutherford (Gossip Girl)

“I know it’s a cliché, but I was eating just ridiculous amounts of food but still losing weight. I think I should just keep breastfeeding until she’s 18.” - Allyson Hannigan (How I Met Your Mother)

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog? Subscribe here. Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here. Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes? Click here.

New Zealand launches breastfeeding campaign with new posters.

2009-11-19T07:41:00-05:00

The New Zealand Ministry of Health has launched a new national breastfeeding promotion campaign with some great posters, radio spots, social media, a DVD update, and photo competition.

I thought you'd like to see some of the posters. They all depict mothers of different ethnicities nursing in public. You can see the rest of them here. The new videos, are available on You Tube here.

A "milk's up" sign.

2009-11-17T07:15:00-05:00

A breastfeeding group in Massachusetts is proposing a hand signal women could use to express support of mothers breastfeeding in public.

You can see a video explanation here (fast forward to 3:00 for the signal), but the essence is a combination of the "thumbs up" sign and the sign for milk (opening and closing of the hand).

Do you do anything when you see another mom nursing in public? Smile? Stop and say something? And what do you think of this signal?

What should our national breastfeeding goals be? Time to comment on the Healthy People 2020 goals.

2009-11-16T07:17:00-05:00

Every ten years since 1979, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has set "Healthy People" objectives. These objectives for a kind of public health agenda for the country, and are used to assess the progress of some government sponsored public health programs.

Healthy People 2010 set goals of 75% breastfeeding in the early postpartum period, 50% at six months, and 25% at one year. There are other goals for exclusive breastfeeding, too.

I explored the Healthy People website, looking for information on how far we've progressed toward these goals. The 2008 data on "any breastfeeding" show us falling short of the 75% goal by 4 percentage points. Not too bad, and maybe by 2010 we'll actually make it.

It gets more interesting when you look at breastfeeding rates by ethnicity. Some ethnic groups are surpassing the goal significantly. Specifically, Asian/Pacific Islander, Latina, and American Indian/Alaska Native moms are exceeding the targets (with rates of 86%, 79% and 80%, respectively). White mothers may meet the target by 2010, since their breastfeeding rate in 2008 was 74%. The breastfeeding rate of African American moms has increased significantly in recent years, but is still lower, at 51%. (See my podcast interview for a discussion of African American moms and breastfeeding). And disparities by education persist.

While we're making progress, we have a lot further to go when it comes to exclusive breastfeeding. The goal for exclusive breastfeeding to six months was 17%, but the actual rate in 2008 was 10%.

The Healthy People 2020 goals are now in development, and the draft objectives have been opened up to public comment. I'm planning to comment on the need for a focus on disparities between different demographic groups, based on income, age, and race, for example. A few years ago I wrote about some of these stark disparities here.

You can comment here. The public comment period is open until December 31st.

Fall clearance sale at Motherwear

2009-11-13T07:51:00-05:00

Motherwear has a great clearance sale going on right now, with lots of items marked down to make way for the winter styles.

To the right is the popular keyhole tee, marked down from $29.00 to $13.95. A long sleeved version is on sale for $19.95.

New York Times: "Breastfeed the Baby, Love the Calorie Burn"

2009-11-12T06:59:00-05:00

I'm always surprised to find articles about breastfeeding in the New York Times, but I was shocked when I realized that I know the mother and baby whose picture is prominently displayed at the top! We met a little while back at a breastfeeding group I run, and I think she had some of the most sensible comments in the piece.

The article states:

That breast-feeding gives mothers an edge shedding baby weight has long been suspected. But lately, a parade of celebrities has attributed their postpartum slimming to nursing, bringing this age-old topic back into the spotlight. Adding to the conversation is a large study that suggests that weight loss through breast-feeding is not a myth.

...Is it any wonder that some new mothers are quietly thrilled at the calorie cushion that breast-feeding provides? “Nobody wants to admit they are doing it for themselves, or ‘I’m doing it to help myself look hot again,’ ” said Jesse Comer, from Portland, Ore., [not the mother I met] whose main motivation to breast-feed was her baby’s health. “It’s tough to admit to other people that everything isn’t about the baby.” But Ms. Comer, like many mothers interviewed for this article, “felt like until the weight was off, I wouldn’t feel myself.”

For those incredibly shrinking women, the time they nurse is precious not only for its skin-on-skin cuddling, but also for the Get Out of Dieting Jail Free card that comes with it.

But does breast-feeding actually speed weight loss in postpartum women? It depends.

Last year, and epidemiological study of 36,000 Danish women found that the more a mother breast-feeds, the less weight she retains six months after birth. A few factors determined how much she lost: whether a woman was overweight before pregnancy, what she gained while expecting and duration of nursing, said Kathleen M. Rasmussen, an author of the study and a nutrition professor at Cornell.

So here's the thing about the guilt some of us feel when we experience weight loss with breastfeeding: It may feel like it's about vanity, but it's actually about your health. Numerous studies have shown that breastfeeding protects mothers against weight and metabolism related health problems, including diabetes, heart attack, coronary artery disease, obesity, and the high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance associated with metabolic syndrome. Researchers attribute this to the weight loss and metabolism shifts that occur during breastfeeding. Not burning off the weight - which your body added during pregnancy as a fuel source for breastfeeding whether you intended to breastfeed or not - puts you at a higher risk for these and other health problems. So it's not just about fitting into your old clothes. It's about your health.

Still feeling selfish for loving, as one of the stars of Ugly Betty put it, "nature's lipo?" Just keep in mind this quote in the article from breastfeeding advocate Marsha Walker: “We deserve it. She ought to get into those skinny jeans after 9 months of pregnancy and 20 hours of labor. That’s what I tell mothers. Go for it.”

I know it doesn't work for everyone, and the article points that out. My own observations: Some women appear at a month as if they've never been pregnant, while others seem to have a huge appetite during breastfeeding and hold onto some of the weight until they wean. Some mothers lose it gradually at first but lose more rapidly after the 6 month mark. And some women struggle with the last few pounds until they wean, while others go well under their pre-pregnancy weight. (This happened to me, and it wasn't pretty. Between the hair loss, sleep deprivation, and extreme weight loss I looked a little like a prisoner of war.) A few years ago I polled you (open with Explorer) on this topic, and I think the results show this, um, spread.

So, do you feel guilty for loving the calorie burn?

Wordless Wednesday: Dorothea Lange photo "Migrant Mother," California, 1936

2009-11-11T07:32:00-05:00

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Join the November carnival: Breastfeeding experiences in the hospital

2009-11-10T07:27:00-05:00

The theme for our next carnival of breastfeeding will be breastfeeding experiences in the hospital. Here's your chance to join in!

Please send your submissions by November 16th. The Carnival will be on November 23rd. As usual, we'll be looking for posts that are:

- Well-written and grammatically correct
- Thoughtful and directly on point for the carnival subject
- Submitted by blogs that pertain to subjects of interest to our readers (breastfeeding, parenting, etc.)

If your post is selected for inclusion, you will be asked on the day of the carnival to edit your post to link back to each of the other participants in the carnival. Examples of past carnivals can be found here.

Want to help in the fight against breast cancer? Post a flyer.

2009-11-09T07:01:00-05:00

I've mentioned before that I help out with recruitment for a breast cancer study which uses breastmilk to identify molecular biomarkers for the development of cancer.

To participate, a mother has to be nursing, and have either had, or be expecting to have, a breast biopsy. Mothers are sent a box to overnight mail their milk to the lab (at the study's expense) and receive $25 in thanks. We've been helped a lot by the Avon Army of Women, but need to continue spreading the word. If you think you may qualify, you can email Dr. Sarah Lenington.

If you don't qualify for the study, but would like to help out, please consider posting a flyer in your pediatrician's office, you OB or midwife's office, at your La Leche League meeting, or anywhere else you think nursing moms might see it. You can download the flyer here, or you can email a request for hard copies from Dr. Sarah Lenington.

More information about the study is at the study website. Thanks for your help!

Sesame Street breastfeeding clips

2009-11-06T07:26:00-05:00

It's Sesame Street's 40th anniversary this week, and I thought I'd link back to posts I've done with breastfeeding videos from the show, just in case you missed any!

Sesame Street had it going on

Buffy nursing baby Cody

You're my baby (breastfeeding version)

Maria breastfeeds

I can't resist reposting this one of Buffy and Big Bird. It's just too great.

Nipple creams in the Skin Deep database

2009-11-05T07:38:00-05:00

I was recently playing around with the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database, checking to see exactly how bad my shampoo is for me, when I noticed that the database includes information on nipple creams.

Had any of you noticed that, or used the information to decide which one you use (if any)?

Book review and give away: Making Babies

2009-11-04T07:00:00-05:00

I'm pleased to review a new book on, you guessed it - making babies. You can win one of five copies (see entry instructions at the end of this post).

Making Babies, by Dr. Sami David and Jill Blakeway, LAc presents a three-month program for 'maximum fertility' as naturally as possible.

What sets this book apart from others on this topic is that the authors - a reproductive endocrinologist and an licensed acupuncturist and herbalist - bring both Western and Chinese medicinal traditions to the task.

Like other books, the authors discuss conception, common problems and solutions, and assisted reproduction.

But unlike other books, but they also present five "fertility types" (tired, dry, stuck, pale, and waterlogged) based on Chinese medicine. The authors then provide a fertility plan for each of these types, addressing foods to eat and avoid, exercise, and supplements, and Chinese medicine treatment.

The book isn't as detailed at Taking Charge of Your Fertility, but this makes it a bit more accessible, I found. It's full of case studies from the authors' practices, and the information is presented in a friendly, supportive, and optimistic tone. I think it would be a welcome addition to both mothers' and practitioners' bookshelves.

To enter to win a copy of this book, leave a comment below by November 11, 2009. One entry per person, and entries must come from U.S. and Canadian residents. No P.O. boxes, please. Winners will be chosen using random.org and announced in the comments section of this post. Copy will be sent directly to you by the publisher.

Want to set up a nursing mothers' lounge at your fair? Here's some advice from a pro.

2009-11-02T07:40:00-05:00

For a few years I volunteered at the nursing mothers' lounge at The Big E, the multi-state New England fair held in Massachusetts each September. It's a big fair - more than 1.2 million people attended this year.

When I've posted about this a number of you have commented that you wish you had something like this at your own fair. So I asked Lezlie, the La Leche League leader responsible for organizing the lounge, to answer a few questions about how she does it. Her responses are below.

Can you describe the nursing mothers' lounge at the Big E? What does it look like, and how does it work?

The Nursing Mothers' Lounge is a quiet place in the New England Center where mothers can relax in comfy chairs to nurse their babies. There is also a changing table available. The space is surrounded by curtains, open at one end, to ensure privacy.

How many mothers use the station, and what kinds of comments do they make about it?

The mothers that have used the area are very grateful for a chance to get away from the crowds for a little quiet nursing time. In the past few years, we've had over 1000 mothers either use our booth or stop by to ask questions or take information. This year our numbers were down to about 700 but that was because I wasn't able to fill all the time slots with volunteers. The moms were still there, but we just didn't get to count them.

How did this station get established?

Four years ago the Big E contacted me as a representative of La Leche League, to see if we would staff the Nursing Mothers' Lounge. In past years, they had the space available, but there was a real problem with privacy. People that should not have been in the booth were, and others were peeking through the curtains. The Big E felt it was important to provide a private space for those that wanted it. Woman are still able to nurse anywhere on the fairgrounds, but for those that don't want to, this space is there.

How do you manage the setting up and staffing of the station?

I have been collecting old upholstered chairs for a few years now, and the Big E has been able to let me store them in the New England Center for the winter. Chapin's Furniture also donates the changing table and a rocking chair. The Big E provides the carpet, the curtains and the table space. I am able to come in a few days before the fair starts to set up the booth.

Staffing is the challenging part. Mid summer I start emailing LLL Leaders and people that have volunteered in the past. This year I set up a Google calendar so that volunteers could see which time slots were open. I am able to give out a free ticket and parking pass to anyone who helps for 4 hours or more. I can put 2 people on at a time so I always encourage people to bring a friend. As the date of the fairs gets closer, I start asking people to spread the word to other groups that might be able to help. In the past we've gotten volunteers from mothering support groups and WIC.

Is there any advice you'd give to others who would like to set up a station at their own fairs?

Be sure that you and the fair organizers are on the same page. You may want to email your comments so you have written documentation of things promised. The first year I did this, there were staffing changes which led to misunderstandings for the next two years.

AAP advice on breastfeeding and H1N1

2009-10-30T07:47:00-04:00

Thanks for your wishes for a speedy recovery from the flu. I'm feeling much better now.

While we're on this theme, I thought I'd share the fairly new American Academy of Pediatrics advice on breastfeeding and H1N1. It states in part:

While the advantages of breastfeeding are well-known, this closeinteraction of mother and newborn also can facilitate transmissionof influenza virus. The benefits and the risks of close contactmust be considered carefully.
To protect the infant from possible serious infection whileallowing essential and encouraged mother-infant bonding to occur,a compromise is required until more data are available. Thefollowing precautions are suggested to minimizethe risk of infection to the infant, particularly while stillin the hospital and while the mother is symptomatic with feverand coryza:

- Pay careful attention to handwashing prior to any contact.
- Prior to breastfeeding, wash the breast with mild soap and water; rinse well
- The mother should wear a surgical mask to prevent nasal secretions and the spontaneous cough or sneeze from inoculating the infant.
- Use clean blankets and burp cloths for each contact.
- Monitor the maternal-infant interaction on perinatal floors for compliance with the above precautions

These precautions are designed to minimize the risk of transmissionuntil mother’s immune response to H1N1 influenza is established,and increased, specific immune protection may be provided bybreast milk. Note that influenza virus does notpass through breast milk.

The advice also notes that "separation may create more long-term problemsin breastfeeding success and mother-infant bondingthan any potential benefit achieved from avoiding infectionin the newborn infant."

Of course, this post is not intended as a substitute for medical advice from you health care provider.

Colbert Report shows new breastfeeding positions

2009-10-28T07:20:00-04:00

I've been catching up on a few shows while waiting for H1N1 to run its course, and I found a clip on the Colbert Report which I thought you'd appreciate. Sorry about the ad that precedes it.

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

The Born Supremacy - David Javerbaum

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

U.S. Speedskating

Swine flu ate my carnival post.

2009-10-26T07:15:00-04:00

I'm unfortunately going to have to skip my contribution to this month's Carnival of Breastfeeding because I appear to have the H1N1 virus.

It started out pretty mildly, but then whoo boy. We were planning on getting everyone in my family vaccinated, but the vaccine still hasn't arrived in our community (though the virus sure has). This Daily Show clip pretty much sums up how I feel about the issue.

So the flu ate my homework for this month, and I'm not going to share a post for this carnival. I will be posting links to the many other bloggers who are contributing this month, later today.

Now, go wash your hands.

Here are the posts from other bloggers:

I Wish I Would Have Known! - The Starr Family Blog

You Don't Have to Grin and Bear It - Breastfeeding Moms Unite

What I Wish I Would Have Known About Breastfeeding - Birth Activist

4 Things I'd Known About Breastfeeding - Three Girl Pile-Up

I wish I had known then…that it wasn’t up to me alone - Happy Bambino

What I Wish I'd Known Then - A Poem - My World Edenwild

When breastfeeding begins badly, and what I should have done about it - The Milk Mama

AP Principle #2: What I wish I'd known when I started breastfeeding - Hobo Mama

Trust Yourself and Your Body - Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Nursing Wisdom - Cave Mother

When Breastfeeding Feels Wrong - Fighting Off Frumpy

15 Breastfeeding Facts I Wish I'd Known as a First Time Breastfeeding Mum - Breastfeeding Mums

Wish I'd Heard More Good Things - Fancy Pancakes

Breastfeeding is Life Changing - Blacktating

Breastfeeding: What I wish I’d known then - Mum Unplugged

Does the Mirena IUD cause milk supply problems?

2009-10-23T07:18:00-04:00

A few days ago I got this email from Dr. Jack Newman, Canadian breastfeeding expert and author of The Ultimate Book of Breastfeeding Answers. Dr. Newman runs a large breastfeeding clinic in Toronto.

We are receiving more and more reports from mothers of a decrease in milk production associated with the Mirena IUD. Today I received two such reports. Given the constant chronological relationship between the placement of the IUD and the mother's decrease in milk production (1-2 weeks), it is quite possible that the decrease is a result of the IUD.
Of course, it is also likely that not all women will have a significant decrease; nobody contacts me when they don't have a decreased production.
But it is also likely that only a tiny percentage of women who do have a decrease actually contact me. I think we need to be prudent and warn women about this possible side effect of the Mirena. All hormonal contraceptive methods should be avoided by breastfeeding mothers if possible.

Have any of you experienced a decrease in production after getting a Mirena IUD?

A doctor's note to pump at work.

2009-10-21T07:23:00-04:00

Maybe you live in one of the states, like California, New York, and Tennessee, that require employers to provide time and clean space (not a bathroom stall) to pump at work.

But if you don't, and you're having trouble, as this Ohio mother did, getting your employer to support you in these ways, you might consider enlisting your doctor's help.

Here are several templates for doctors' letters to your employer. You might ask your pediatrician or your obstetrician to sign one.

And here's a letter to your human resources manager making a similar request. I always recommend that mothers talk with their human resources office about their pumping needs. Your immediate boss may not know much about pumping - and in some cases may really, really not want to talk about it!

Here's the text of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services letter, with a few suggested edits from me:

Dear Employer:

I am writing on behalf of ____________________ and ________________________. (Mother’s Name/Baby’s Name) [Note: I'd suggest that the physician identify her/himself here as the doctor of the mother or baby]

This mother will soon be returning to work at your facility. I have strongly advised her to continue providing breastmilk to her baby after she returns to work.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that mothers give their babies nothing but breastmilk for the first 6 months of life, and continue giving breast milk for at least 1 year or longer. The evidence overwhelmingly shows that the powerful boost to an infant’s immune system through breastfeeding helps lower the baby’s risk of many common childhood infections and diseases. This is especially important for working mothers whose infants are in childcare centers, where babies are at greater risk for illness. Research also shows that the longer a woman is able to breastfeed, the more she reduces her risk of diseases such as breast cancer and osteoporosis.

As an employer who supports your employee’s decision to provide her baby with the optimal infant nutrition, you will ensure a more loyal and productive employee, happy in the knowledge that she can contribute to her child’s health even when she is at work. She will have less absenteeism from her job because both she and her baby will be healthier. Research shows that providing support also benefits companies with lower health care costs.

There are several key ways you can provide support to her:

-Let her know you are proud of her for making the decision to breastfeed
-Give her a safe, clean area [I would add not a bathroom stall] where she can express milk in privacy
-Encourage supervisors to work with her so she can use her usual breaks and lunch period to express milk [might add the estimated amount of time needed to pump]

If you have any questions, please contact our office. We can put you in touch with local resources who can share more information on supporting breastfeeding employees.

Sincerely,