Breastfeeding and lactivism

Ignorance Meets Knowledge (Extended Breastfeeding)

2010-07-05T14:56:00.000-04:00

New movie: Latching On

2010-06-24T07:11:00.000-04:00

Study Suggests Substance in Breast Milk Kills Cancer Cells

2010-06-15T22:20:00.000-04:00

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100419132403.htm

Amazing homebirth story

2010-06-01T21:54:00.000-04:00

Amazing homebirth story!

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhcwj3xv_46g768cgcs

(Warning: amazing but fully graphic)

A must-read article by Melissa Bartick about the two kinds of births in America

2010-04-20T22:45:00.000-04:00

Birth number 1: Having a baby in the ideal, family-friendly United States:

You give birth with the help of a birth doula. She helps you avoid a c-section or vacuum assisted birth, which is why your hospital hired her. Your baby is wiped off, then put directly onto your chest, skin to skin, with his head between your breasts. The nurse puts a blanket around you both, and then your partner cuts the cord. The nurse evaluates his initial transition to life outside the womb as he rests on your chest. As you lay semi-reclining, happy and exhausted, your baby uses his arms and legs to crawl over to your breast and he starts nursing. You and your partner are left undisturbed for an hour to enjoy your new baby, who has now imprinted the proper breastfeeding behaviors thanks to this initial breastfeeding. You are then transported to your post-partum room with your baby on your chest [to read the rest of this article, click here].

Nursing Our Future video

2010-03-13T10:40:00.000-05:00

2010-02-21T15:07:00.000-05:00

Excellent latch-on tutorial

2010-01-31T21:04:00.000-05:00

Good article on extended BF

2010-01-14T07:18:00.000-05:00

http://breastfeeding.blog.motherwear.com/2007/09/motherwear-mode.html

Breastfeeding: Portraits in Black and White

2009-12-09T19:29:00.000-05:00

Stacie Turney has published the beautiful photography album Breastfeeding: Portraits in Black and White.

Trailer for the movie Babies

2009-12-08T23:34:00.000-05:00

Dar La Teta Es Dar Vida

2009-11-21T21:00:00.000-05:00

Posters from the New Zealand breastfeeding campaign

2009-11-21T19:20:00.000-05:00

Awesome videos in support of breastfeeding

2009-11-21T18:00:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/user/breastfeedingnz

Nothing is as good for a baby as its mom

2009-09-08T10:00:00.000-04:00

Every month is a bonus

2009-05-22T21:00:00.000-04:00

Your Baby Knows How To Latch On by Ameda

2009-05-21T21:00:00.000-04:00

http://www.ameda.com/breastpumping/videos/popup_video.aspx?id=LatchOnEnglish

Breastfeeding is not obscene

2009-05-08T19:00:00.000-04:00

http://bfino.wordpress.com/

Breastfeeding is good for a mother's heart

2009-04-25T09:45:00.000-04:00

Breastfeeding is good for a mother's heart. Click here for the article.

USBC response to The Atlantic

2009-04-06T19:00:00.000-04:00

http://www.usbreastfeeding.org/News-and-Events/2009-03-26-Joint-Atlantic-Letter-Editor.pdf

Good article

2009-03-09T19:00:00.000-04:00

http://www.thisibelieve.org/dsp_ShowEssay.php?uid=60358&lastname=Mulford&yval=0&start=0

Breastfeeding Magazine

2009-02-21T19:00:00.000-05:00

http://www.breastfeeding-magazine.com/index.html

Eat broccoli to protect your baby

2009-02-19T18:00:00.000-05:00

http://www.sacforums.com/health/eat_your_broccoli_to_protect_your_baby-t826.0.html;wap2=

Renoir

2009-02-05T19:00:00.000-05:00

2009-02-05T18:00:00.000-05:00

2008-12-20T18:52:00.000-05:00

Breastfeeding Petition to President-Elect Obama

2008-12-16T17:27:00.000-05:00

Sign the petition to ask President-Elect Barack Obama to make breastfeeding a high priority in his administration.

http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5162/t/4002/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=177

Breastfeeding strengthens a baby's lungs

2008-11-10T06:57:00.000-05:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7715261.stm

Léon Augustin L'hermitte

2008-11-08T22:01:00.000-05:00

Léon Augustin L'hermitte

2008-11-08T22:00:00.000-05:00

Breastfeeding cuts cancer risk

2008-10-04T08:09:00.000-04:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7641384.stm

Birth and Breastfeeding in the Media by Jeana Oberg

2008-10-04T05:14:00.000-04:00

"I just watched an episode of Pingu (an animated short about penguins) on Sprout TV. In this episode, Pingu's sister is about to hatch from her egg. The family is all gathered around the egg as it starts to twitch. As the egg starts to crack the mother gets a little anxious. After a minute or two of the egg shell cracking here and there, the mother (with tears on her face) instructs the father to call the doctor. The doctor rushes in, starts listening to the egg with her stethoscope, and then pulls out her spoon. She carefully taps the egg all around and peels the eggshell off the newborn baby penguin. All the while, Pingu is made to sit in the corner and not see the "hatching" of his new sister until the eggshell has been completely removed from her. Soon, the doctor leaves and mother penguin promptly pops a bottle into the baby's mouth!

Not long ago I was watching another cartoon, Franklin the Turtle, with my son. In this particular episode, Franklin's mother placed her hands on her belly and announced to Father, "It's that time." Father promptly calls Grandmother (to come babysit Franklin) and the doctor. Mother and Father then set off for the hospital. During the hours they're away. Franklin's grandmother reminisces about the day Franklin came home from the hospital.

Even penguins and turtles can't birth naturally without medical intervention! At least the penguin got a home birth, although it was pretty much equivalent to c-section.

In the recent issue of Mothering Magazine there's an interesting article on breastfeeding in the media. The journalist is hard pressed to find movies depicting breastfeeding, much less ones that portray it in a positive light. Even children's movies don't include images of babies nursing, only the occasional animal. Although, baby bottles abound in "family" movies.

The journalist made an accurate assumption that the average child may grow up to believe that nursing is for animals and bottles are for humans. This observation was made apparent to me sometime before my reading of that article when I attended my sister's wedding. I was nursing my son when a girl of about 4 years old approached and asked what I was doing. When I told her I was feeding the baby, she looked at me quizzically and asked, "How's he eating if he doesn't have a bottle?"

I recently discovered on Comcast's On-Demand programming a segment about breastfeeding in public. In this program a self-proclaimed breastfeeding advocate informs the viewer that breastfeeding in public is fine, as long as you're discreet about it (put a blanket over yourself, go into a gym's locker room, sit in a far corner, etc.)

This is definitely not the way to normalize breastfeeding, but to further the way of thinking that nursing in public is to be indecently exposing yourself.

It's no wonder our children and society as a whole come to the conclusions that you must birth with a doctor and feed with a bottle. Until Hollywood normalizes birth and breastfeeding, our culture will never see the two as natural and normal."

--Jeana Oberg is a Lactation Educator for Baby Steps and mother of two boys, ages 2 and 6 months.

Nursing is Normal PowerPoint

2008-09-25T18:18:00.000-04:00

Click here to download the PowerPoint from Nursing is Normal.

Please support the Breastfeeding Promotion Act

2008-09-02T13:28:00.000-04:00

http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5162/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=468

Dr. Newman breastfeeding videos

2008-08-20T19:27:00.000-04:00

http://www.drjacknewman.com/video-clips.asp

Breastfeeding hormones in the mother's brain

2008-07-18T23:50:00.000-04:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7513267.stm

Doula training

2008-06-11T14:23:00.000-04:00

I will be starting the training to become a birth doula next week, and am really excited! I am already a Certified Lactation Counselor, and this new doula certification will give me a lot of knowledge and experience that I'll find useful in my life and in my writing. I highly recommend these trainings for anyone, even if you don't think you'd use it professionally. What you learn will change your perspective on the body and on life.

Breastfeeding myths and facts

2008-05-29T23:10:00.000-04:00

MYTH		FACT
1.	Formula is as good as human milk.	Human milk is far superior and cannot be duplicated. The nutrients and antibodies in human milk are uniquely suited to the physical and mental development of the human baby. Human milk contains human growth factors while formula based on cow's milk contains bovine growth factors. The composition of human milk changes during a feeding and as baby grows to meet baby's changing needs.
2.	Women should not breastfeed in front of other people.	Breastfeeding is normal and natural and in many states, women have a legal right to breastfeed in public places. Women who are shy about breastfeeding in public can practice how to feed discretely in front of a mirror to gain confidence.
3.	If the mother has to go back to work or school, she should not start out breastfeeding.	Many women continue to breastfeed after returning to work or school. They exclusively breastfeed while on maternity leave then express or pump their milk to leave when they are separated. If the mother continues to breastfed after returning to work or school, her baby will be healthier and she will be doing something special that no one else can do for her baby. Some women choose formula for when they are separated and breastfeed when she and baby are together. Any breastfeeding is better than none.
4.	The breastfeeding mother has to change the way she eats.	There is no special "breastfeeding diet" or list of foods to avoid. Most women can eat the same foods they are used to eating. The mother will make good milk no matter what foods she eats. Mothers around the world eat spicy, flavorful food. Of course, it is best for the mother to eat a variety of nutritious foods to stay healthy.
5.	If the mother is sick, she has to stop breastfeeding.	If mother gets sick, her baby has already been exposed to her illness and mother's milk will have antibodies to protect the baby. If baby does get sick, the illness is likely to be less severe. Mothers can breastfeed if they have a cold or flu. Mothers should not breastfeed if they have HIV, active untreated tuberculosis, or HTLV‑1. Most over the counter and prescription medications are safe to take while breastfeeding.
6.	Women who smoke should not breastfeed.	All women are encouraged to stop smoking or at least cut down. It is better for the baby if the mother smokes and breastfeeds than it is if the mother smokes and does not breastfeed. It is the secondhand smoke that causes babies to have more health problems than what is passed through the milk. No one should smoke while holding a baby or in a car or the same room as a baby. Mothers who smoke should time it for after a feeding, not before.
7.	Breastfeeding mothers cannot drink alcohol.	Breastfeeding mothers can have alcoholic beverages occasionally. Women who abuse alcohol (more than two drinks a day or binge drinkers) should not breastfeed.
8.	Many women do not produce enough milk.	Milk is made whenever milk is removed from the breast. The more effectively the baby feeds, the more milk the mother will make. Mothers can exclusively breastfed twins and even triplets. Mothers naturally produce milk after babies are born and they need confidence in their own bodies. They also need information and support to manage breastfeeding in the early days. Small breasts can make enough milk for the baby. Supply comes from the demand. There are only two medical circumstances that may result in a woman having a low milk supply (physical anomaly and hormone imbalance).
9.	Some mothers have milk that is not rich enough to satisfy baby.	Human milk has all the calories, nutrients and fats babies need. Because human milk is so easy to digest and newborn stomachs are so small, newborns feed 10 to 12 times in 24 hours. Human milk does not and should not look like formula or cow's milk.
10.	Combination feeding ensures the baby is getting enough.	Babies are born to exclusively breastfeed. Giving formula in normal circumstances in addition to breastfeeding can result in overfeeding, reducing the mother's milk supply, and increasing all the known risks of formula.
11.	There is no milk until the third day after delivery.	Milk is already in the breasts when the baby is born. The first milk is called colostrum (see the next myth). Colostrum is measured in teaspoons, not ounces. The breasts are soft in the first few days after delivery so the baby can learn how to breastfeed.
12.	The first milk (colostrum) is bad for the baby.	Colostrum is rich in the nutrients and antibodies essential to newborns. It is concentrated and helps the baby's bowels to pass the first stools. Colostrum is the perfect first food for human newborns.
13.	Breastfed babies need water bottles.	Human milk is about 87% water, just what a body needs. Even in the desert, breastfed babies do not need additional water.
14.	Family members should give bottles so they can bond with the baby.	Family and friends can bond with the baby by holding, burping, bathing, talking to and playing with baby. Bottles can interfere with the establishment of the mother's milk supply and the baby learning how to breastfeed.
15.	Breastfeeding makes the baby too dependent on the mother.	Loving, holding, and meeting baby's needs make him feel secure and help him to become independent. All babies need to develop a strong attachment to one person first before they expand their circle of attachments.
16.	Breastfeeding hurts.	Breastfeeding should not hurt. It hurts when baby's jaws close on the nipple. When correctly positioned, the baby's tongue covers the lower gum line, and his gums close on the areola (the dark area). Baby should not have to turn his head to reach the nipple. When done correctly, mother may feel a slight tug.
17.	Breastfeeding is hard work and makes the mother overly tired.	Just being a mother is tiring and stressful. Breastfeeding saves work and lets mother rest while feeding her baby. The breastfeeding hormones make the mother feel peaceful and relaxed.
18.	A mother's milk will go bad if it stays in her breast or if she gets scared or angry.	Human milk is always fresh and cannot spoil in the breast. Feelings cannot change the composition of human milk. If a mother is upset, her milk flow may be slower but the milk is fine.
19.	Pumping is a good way of knowing how much milk the mother has.	Pumping only shows how much milk can be pumped with that particular pump at that time. Swallowing, wet diapers, frequent stools and weight gain are better guides to baby's intake.
20.	Breastfeeding makes the breasts sag.	Pregnancy, heredity, and aging cause the breasts to sag, not breastfeeding.
21.	A mother needs to clean her nipples before breastfeeding.	The nipple area has natural protective oils to keep it germ free. Both soap and alcohol irritate the nipples and should be avoided. Mothers only need to rinse the breasts with water once a day.
22.	Breastfeeding causes sexual stimulation.	Breastfeeding is a pleasurable experience but does not cause sexual feelings.
23.	Breastfeeding is natural so there is no need to learn about it.	Breastfeeding is a skill learned by practice. Mothers are more likely to succeed when they have information, help from others, and support.
24.	All health care providers know a lot about breastfeeding.	Practical aspects of breastfeeding were not always included in medical training. Health care providers vary greatly in the advice they give on breastfeeding. Women are encouraged to learn about breastfeeding by reading and attending breastfeeding classes and support groups.

Breastfeeding helps to boost IQ

2008-05-06T17:16:00.000-04:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7385097.stm

Just finished watching: Breastfeeding Comprehensive

2008-04-25T16:27:00.000-04:00

I just finished watching Breastfeeding Comprehensive, from Motherof7.com. This DVD provides important information and does so in a fun, positive way. I very highly recommend it.

Important article on danger of plastics, including in baby bottles

2008-04-17T13:42:00.000-04:00

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/15/AR2008041501753.html?hpid=topnews

The ten steps to successful breastfeeding

2008-04-13T14:33:00.000-04:00

http://www.babyfriendlyusa.org/eng/10steps.html

Breastfeeding class

2008-04-12T21:00:00.000-04:00

I attended a breastfeeding class this afternoon, taught by www.babystepsonline.net. It was very well done.

Did you know that if a woman nurses for 5 years total, she reduces her chance of getting breast cancer by 63%?

Did you know that there is not one single baby-friendly hospital in Georgia?

Did you know that growth rates for breastfed babies are different than for formula-fed babies? And did you know that the growth rate charts in pediatricians' offices are based on formula-fed babies? And did you know that those charts are usually provided by formula companies?

Stem cells discovered in breastmilk

2008-04-08T13:03:00.000-04:00

http://www.mothering.com/sections/news_bulletins/april2008.html#stemcells

Breast-Feeding Curbs Type 2 Diabetes

2008-04-05T22:46:00.000-04:00

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/04/03/breast-feeding-curbs-type-2-diabetes.aspx

Your Baby Knows How to Latch On video

2008-04-04T12:16:00.000-04:00

http://www.ameda.com/breastfeeding/elibrary/videos.aspx

The dangers of not co-sleeping

2008-03-24T18:05:00.000-04:00

Did you know that there is a lot of research showing co-sleeping (the baby sleeping with the mother) is safe but we have volumes of research showing that baby warmers and beds for babies are not as safe?

They traumatize babies. Doctors know this by measuring babies' vital signs and stress indicators. Babies taken away from their mothers are less able to stabilize their vital signs, and they have high levels of cortisol--high enough to cause brain damage.

A Catholic perspective on breastfeeding in public

2008-03-21T10:39:00.000-04:00

http://www.theologyofthebody.com/03-16-07.asp

Breastfeeding art

2008-03-18T11:55:00.000-04:00

http://www.breastfeeding-art.com/html/frames/framesetall.htm

Picasso's "Maternity"

2008-03-03T20:20:00.000-05:00

Breast crawl

2008-03-02T23:04:00.000-05:00

Guess which public parenting behavior has come under attack?

2008-03-02T12:37:00.000-05:00

2008-03-02T12:13:00.000-05:00

The Baby Is Breastfeeding— Not the Mother

2008-02-29T22:37:00.000-05:00

GUEST EDITORIAL BIRTH 35:1 March 2008

The Baby Is Breastfeeding— Not the Mother

The baby is breastfeeding— not the mother. This statement is obvious.
It is the baby who is feeding from the breast, who is breastfeeding.
The baby is the active part, the mother is just offering her breast.
To look on breastfeeding this way will change attitudes completely.
Away with anxiety in expectant mothers for not being able to
breastfeed. No more uneasiness in health care professionals asking the
mother-to-be if she intends to breastfeed. It is up to the baby to
decide! The starting point is already the first hour after a normal
delivery. The prerequisites are that the newborn baby is not affected
by drugs given to the mother and that he or she is allowed to be in
continuous skinto-skin contact with the mother during the first hour
after birth, at the least (1). An alert baby after a normal birth will
most likely crawl toward the breast by his or her own efforts,
smelling, licking, tasting the nipple, and finally latching on with a
fully open mouth and an extended tongue and initiating breastfeeding
with slow and deep sucks. This process is what happens when all the
senses are fully active and when the intuitive inborn reflexes are not
disturbed. It is a miraculous event!

During the first 15 to 20 minutes after birth, the baby is most often
exhausted and needs to rest on his or her mother's abdomen. The baby's
back should be dried and a towel placed over the baby to contain the
mother's heat around the baby. The first examination of the baby can
be done without disturbing the skin-to-skin contact.

Remember that one prerequisite for the crawling and first latching on
is that the baby is not taken away from the mother!

Weighing and measuring can easily wait. There should also be a
respectful atmosphere in the birthing room with dimmed lighting, and
no cleaning up unless absolutely necessary (no slamming with pedal
containers!), no loud talk about trivial matters, no telephone
calls, no television. Stitching can wait unless fresh bleeding is
present, or it can be done while the baby is resting on the mother's
abdomen. An early cutting of the cord cannot be recommended because
it might stress the baby. In normal physiological birth in native
people, both baby and placenta are born before anything happens to the
cord, so there is no reason to hurry by giving an injection, pushing
on the uterus, or pulling the cord. In normal birth, just leave
the cord to finish pulsating before being cut; that is, wait at least
4 to 5 minutes after birth. This step gives the baby approximately 100
ml extra blood, which is a needed addition (2). Everything that
disturbs the newborn baby might even disturb the sensitive first
breastfeeding.

In the 1970s in Sweden we worked with trust, self confidence, and
relaxation in antenatal parent classes. In actual birth, strong and
even heavy contractions were regarded as positive among midwives as
they helped the baby come forward, and the woman in labor was
supported and encouraged. In antenatal classes today we talk about
what kind of medical aid is available. In actual birth, strong
contractions might make the midwife suggest painkillers or epidurals.
In Sweden the rates of epidurals and cesarean births are increasing,
partly due to this change of attitude in the health professionals (3).
If a doctor or midwife asks the woman in labor about epidural
analgesia, they give her a choice.

The same is valid for breastfeeding. If you, as a professional, ask a
pregnant woman if she intends to breastfeed, you give her a choice but
you also reveal that you still believe that she is breastfeeding and
not the baby. But it is the baby who is feeding from the breast, not
the mother. If you, as a professional, know what is best, you do not
ask. In Sweden today we ask the woman in labor about medical
interventions because we obviously do not look upon natural birth
as the norm. We still regard breastfeeding as the best. Consequently
we do not ask the pregnant woman if she intends to breastfeed, and so
we do not make her confused. In Scandinavia almost all women let their
babies start breastfeeding partly because the maternity staff do not
question it. In Sweden in 2004, 97.9 percent of all newborn babies
breastfed at the age of 1 week (4). A positive attitude in the mother
is essential if she is to continue breastfeeding for months.

We have a lot to learn from indigenous people about birth and
breastfeeding. They look upon birth as a natural event and part of
life. Many women in these cultures give birth in a squatting or any
other upright position, relaxed and without anxiety. They go into
childbirth and breastfeeding full of trust in nature and in their own
capacity. After birth they often carry their baby in a sling, which
stimulates mother-infant bonding and thus breastfeeding. It is well
known that babies who are carried close to their mothers are more
trustful and cry less (5,6). If mothers carried their babies in a
sling on the maternity ward, the method would provide a positive
example for later. Starting this habit of carrying babies from the
beginning encourages the mothers and fathers to go on carrying them
this way for months. It would be a good investment to buy slings or
soft baby carriers to lend to mothers (or make them available for
purchase) during their stay on the maternity ward.

In the United States I think that the present standard of routines in
childbirth will continue as long as doctors or hospitals are paid for
the interventions they perform. If an epidural is reimbursed at a high
rate, there is, of course, a good reason for doing it. The same is
true for induction, intravenous drip, painkillers, electronic
monitoring, episiotomy, and so on, and perhaps even for cesarean
section. If a doula was employed to sit with the mother to reduce her
discomfort, however, some of these interventions might never be needed
(7). If doctors were paid a set fee for supervising a birth, they
would probably only intervene when necessary. Perhaps they would lose
interest in normal births and leave them to the midwives. I think
that midwives are more suited for helping women in normal births than
doctors. Many midwives have chosen their profession as a calling, a
mission in life, and often have a patient and expectant attitude to
the birthing process. Just to be with a woman in labor for hours
supporting and encouraging her is very helpful, but also demands a
patience that a stressed doctor is unlikely to have. In Sweden, where
normal births are attended by midwives, the early neonatal mortality
rate is 1.1 deaths per 1,000 live births within the first week (8),
which is significantly lower than that in the United States.

Consider the factor of control. We doctors want to have everything
under perfect control, knowing exactly what to do and what is
scientifically correct. What could be more convenient for us than to
have the woman in labor in a bed with an intravenous drip going and
with an electronic monitor checking the contractions and the infant's
heartbeats? In natural birth the woman is moving around in upright
positions trying to find the most comfortable position and turning to
herself to find her own inner strength. Such a woman is not so easy to
control! She follows her own impulses and intuitions and her own
body's signals. She relies on nature. The same is valid for
breastfeeding. The mother does not know how much her baby is eating,
she has to rely on nature. This is the secret of success in the triad
of reproduction (coitus, giving birth, and feeding from the breast):
rely on nature, relax and let go, and you will be amply rewarded.

Lennart Righard, MD
Formerly Senior Pediatrician, Department of Pediatrics,
University of Lund, University Hospital,
Malm€o, Sweden

Note: Dr. Righard's video and DVD ``Delivery Self
Attachment'' and his tape and audio-CD ``Preparing
for Natural Birth'' can be obtained from Geddes Productions
at: www.geddesproduction.com, and Health
Education Associates at e-mail: info@healthed.cc.
Further information is available at Dr. Righard's website:
www.lennartrighard.com.

References
1. Righard L, Alade MO. Effect of delivery room routines on
success of first breast feed. Lancet 1990;336(8723) :1105–1107.
2. Montgomery TL. The umbilical cord. Clin Obstet Gynaecol
1960;3:900–910.
3. The National Board of Health and Welfare, Centre of Epidemiology.
Breastfeeding, Children Born 2004. Publication No.
2006-42-9. Author: Stockholm, Sweden, 2006.
4. Eriksson SL, Olausson PO, Olofsson C. Use of epidural analgesia
and its relation to caesarean and instrumental deliveries–
a population based study of 94,217 primiparae. Eur J Obstet
Gynecol Reprod Biol 2006;128(1-2) :270–275.
5. Anisfeld E, Casper V, Nogyce M, et al. Does infant carrying
promote attachment? An experimental study of the effects of
increased physical contact on the development of attachment.
Child Devel 1990;61(9):1617– 1627.
6. Hunziker UA, Barr RG. Increased carrying reduces infant
crying: A randomized controlled trial. Pediatrics 1986;77(5):
641–648.
7. Klaus MH, Kennell JH. The doula: An essential ingredient of
childbirth rediscovered. Acta Paediatr 1997;86(10): 1034–1036.
8. The National Board of Health and Welfare. Pregnancies, Deliveries
and Newborn Infants. The Swedish Medical Birth Register.
Publication No. 2007-42-10. Author: Stockholm, Sweden, 2007.
2 BIRTH 35:1 March 2008

Address correspondence to Lennart Righard, Harlemans vag 4 B,
S-22730 Lund, Sweden. e-mail: lennartrighard@hotmail.com.
_ 2008, Copyright the Author
Journal compilation _ 2008, Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
BIRTH 35:1 March 2008 1

Blessings of the breasts and the womb

2008-02-28T20:03:00.000-05:00

"[You will be made strong] by the God of your father, who will help you, and by the Almighty, who will bless you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings lying in the deep beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb."

--Gen. 49:25

Breastfeeding is life video

2008-02-25T15:26:00.000-05:00

Why breastfeeding is best

2008-02-12T20:05:00.000-05:00

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding
The American Dietetic Association promotes breastfeeding
The World Health Organization and UNICEF recommend it
Breast milk is more digestible than formula
Breast milk is always ready and comes in a nicer package than formula does
Breast milk helps pass meconium
Breast milk contains immunities to diseases and aids in the development of baby's immune system.
Breast milk provides perfect infant nutrition
Breast milk aids in proper intestinal development
Breast milk aids in proper intestinal development
Breast milk protects against hemophilus b. bacteria
Breast milk is free
Breast milk always has the right proportions of fat, carbohydrates and protein
Breast milk acts like a natural tranquilizer for baby
Breast milk tastes better than formula
Breast milk is always the right temperature
Breast milk aids in the proper development of a baby's gastrointestinal tract
Breast milk provides natural pain relief for baby
Breast milk is the perfect food for a sick infant
Breastmilk has never been recalled due to manufacturing problems
Breast milk contains no genetically engineered materials
Breast Milk contains no synthetic growth hormones
Breast milk may help combat eye infections
Formula-fed babies are more at risk for obesity in later life
Fresh breast milk is never contaminated with bacteria.
Formula feeding increases baby girls' risk of developing breast cancer in later life
Formula Feeding is associated with lower I.Q.
Formula feeding increases risk of children developing diabetes
Formula feeding increases chances of baby developing allergies
Formula feeding may increase risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
Formula fed babies have a higher risk of developing certain childhood cancers
Formula is expensive
Formula costs the government (and taxpayers) millions of dollars
Not breastfeeding increases mother's risk of breast cancer
Breastfeeding satisfies baby's emotional needs and increases bonding between mother and baby
Breastfeeding protects against Crohn's disease (intestinal disorder)
Breastfeeding baby helps decrease insulin requirements in diabetic mothers
Breastfeeding may help stabilize progress of maternal endometriosis
Breastfeeding protects baby against diarrheal infections
Breastfeeding protects baby against bacterial meningitis
Breastfeeding protects baby against respiratory infections
Breastfeeding decreases chances of developing rheumatoid arthritis
Breastfeeding decreases child's chances of contracting Hodgkins disease
Breastfeeding protects baby against some vision defects
Breastfeeding decreases chances of osteoporosis
Breastfeeding results in less sick days for parents
Breastfeeding enhances vaccine effectiveness
Breastfeeding contributes to optimal child spacing
Breastfeeding is easier than using formula
Breastfeeding acts like a natural tranquilizer for mom
Breastfeeding mothers spend less time and money on doctor visits
Breastfeeding may lower the risk of developing high cholesterol
Breastfeeding is better for premature infants
Breastfeeding protects mothers against anemia (iron deficiency)
Breastfeeding is a self confidence booster for mom
Breastfeeding may lower blood pressure in Childhood
Breastfed babies have less chance of cardiopulmonary distress while feeding
Beastfed babies have less chance of developing ulcerative colitis
Breastfed babies require shorter pre- and post-surgical fasting
Breastfed babies have less chance of developing necrotizing enterocolitis
Breastfed babies require fewer doctor visits
Breastfed babies are healthier over-all
Breastfed babies are less likely to die before their third birthday
Breastfed babies get fewer stomach infections
Breastfed babies have less tooth decay
Breastfed babies have great skin
Breastfed babies smell fantastic
Lack of breastfeeding associated with multiple sclerosis in later life
Not breastfeeding increases mother's risk of developing endometrial cancer
Not breastfeeding increases mother's risk of developing ovarian cancer
Not breastfeeding increases mother's risk of breast cancer
Baby's suckling helps shrink mother's uterus after childbirth
Pre-term milk is specially designed for premature infants
Baby's suckling helps prevent post-partum hemorrhage in mother
Baby's suckling optimizes hand-to-eye coordination
Cow's milk is an intestinal irritant
Cow's milk is designed for baby cows, while human milk is designed for human babies
Less equipment to maintain and store
Less money spent on corrective orthodontia
Less chance of baby getting eczema
Less spit-up
Less chance of inguinal hernia
Fewer waste packaging products
No bottles to tote
No need to worry about which brand is better
No need to worry about adding contaminated water
No need to refrigerate
No worry about latest ingredient discovered to be missing from formula
Better speech development
Better cognitive development for low birth weight babies
Better social development
A breastfeeding Mom gets more sleep
Babies that nurse are happier at night
More sleep for dad
Facilitates proper dental and jaw development
Decreased risk of baby developing urinary tract infections
Nursing helps mom lose weight after baby is born
Much nicer diaper changes
It's what breasts were designed for!

Breast milk contains stem cells

2008-02-11T16:25:00.000-05:00

http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20081102-16879.html

What's best

2008-02-10T12:33:00.000-05:00

Breastfeeding seminar

2008-01-30T01:01:00.000-05:00

Tonight I went to a breastfeeding seminar given by www.alaboroflove.org, and it was great. Every time I go to something like this, I learn more. The woman who spoke was also a birth doula, and added lots of great information about birth options, a bit of a teaser to come back for the full birth options class. The human body is so amazing!

PA Breastfeeding bill update

2008-01-17T17:30:00.000-05:00

I am delighted to inform you that earlier this week the House Children and Youth Committee unanimously approved House Bill 1073, which would ensures that a woman cannot be fired or discriminated against in the workplace for breastfeeding or expressing milk during breaks or lunch. Representative. This bill is identical to a bill I have sponsored in the Senate, SB 35. Representative Tim Solobay has been an ardent supporter of breastfeeding and I am excited to work with him to move this issue forward.

Having Act 28 signed into law earlier this year was a victory for Pennsylvania's nursing mothers, who are now free to breastfeed in public. If we are going to promote the health benefits of breastfeeding and make it a real choice for all new moms, every employer must understand the importance of offering new moms the opportunity to continue to breastfeed upon returning to work.

The vote by the committee was the first step in the legislative process. The Majority Leader must now schedule the bill for a vote by the full House. I encourage you to contact your State Representative to voice your support for HB 1073. Please visit the legislature's website to view the legislation as well as obtain contact information for your representative. http://www.legis.state.pa.us/

Working together we can make a difference for future generations.

Connie Williams

Senator Constance Williams
700 S. Henderson Road
Suite 100A
King of Prussia, PA 19406
610-992-9790

Room 352, Main Capitol
P.O. Box 203017
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3017
717-787-5544
chwilliams@pasenate.com

Jesus

2008-01-15T12:40:00.000-05:00

Jesus was breastfed and artists have been making beautiful paintings of it for centuries. Why is it suddenly an issue?

Why I am a CLC

2008-01-10T18:06:00.000-05:00

I'm writing a book about people's attitudes toward the body--everything from general body image to attitudes about sexuality, fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and raising children with a healthy, relaxed body image--and the more I've read about it, written about it, and thought about it, the more important it seems to support mothers and families so that they can give their children the very best care.

I took the CLC training in November, and was the only guy there, but I was given a round of applause by the women in the group, and when it came time for a group picture, they weren't concerned to have the instructor in the center of the picture, but to have me there instead! It was good to get that kind of support.

I had previously joined several Myspace and Yahoo BF groups, too, just to get a pulse on what was being said, and at first some women were questioning why I was there, especially as a single guy, but I shared my testimony, values, and goals, and by the time the discussions were over, they were actually apologizing to me for being so skeptical and were inviting me to other groups as well!

I have seen that our society's views towards mothers feeding their children, including in public places, is a litmus test of its perversion, and it really is important and vital to send messages to the next generation of what the beauty of life and love and family is all about.

As a 30-year old single male, it’s obviously hard for me to get involved in breastfeeding advocacy, but I am a sincere person who has become thoroughly convinced that the way our society sees the body has to be changed, including how people view the beauty of reproduction and breastfeeding. My website, www.rediscoverbreastfeeding.com, demonstrates my commitment to these values.

My second book is a major effort, and I really do hope that it will make a strong impact on a lot of people, but it’s a big book (manuscript is several hundred pages long right now) so it will be at least a few months before it’s ready for publication. It's truly changing my worldview and my life. Awesome stuff.

I am sure it sounds weird to some for a guy to be a CLC, or just to think the way I do, and some people would probably not be able to think of it any other way, but isn't what I'm doing the point of it all?

When we think of men addicted to pornography, or men who do think of breasts or a woman's body only in terms of a man's pleasure, we destine men to failure, because they can't see it as anything other than the way the media portrays it. And men, in turn, are unable to support breastfeeding, and just to respect and appreciate women the way they should, because everything has been sexualized to the point that men can't even focus on the goodness of breastfeeding--they miss the beauty of it all for the turn-on that it could be. And that dynamic, in turn, affects women negatively, because they grow up feeling like they are supposed to keep covered at all costs, and don't feel free to breastfeed in public, or even supported to breastfeed at home in private in some cases. It's so sad. I feel bad for the men and women who never get out of that cycle of seeing the body that pornographic way.

Until I got involved in breastfeeding advocacy and education, I had never in my life heard anyone, male or female, say, "The human body is beautiful, and should be seen as art, and its natural functions, especially regarding reproduction, need to be elevated and understood as the wonderful works of God that they are."

If we ever want men to see a woman's body and not objectify it, and if we want men to stop thinking that the only kind of women that are attractive are the ones with a certain figure, or a figure that is possible only in a woman's teens and twenties, then we doom them to failure. Many of them won't see a breastfeeding woman as beautiful, and even if they do, they will see it only through sexual eyes, in which a woman is "hot" rather than "beautiful, " and her breasts as something to excite him rather than as a way to nourish a precious new life. I still can't get over the fact that I have never heard anyone tell me that there's another way to view the body than the shame-producing one I've always been sold.

For the most part, women have been very encouraging that a man would be involved in stuff like this. As I said above, when I was taking the CLC class last year, the class of thirty women gave me a round of applause for what I was doing. I think they did so because they knew how much of a missing element male involvement is. Women need men's support, and the awesome thing is that when women feel supported in being who they are supposed to be as women, wives, and mothers, they, in turn, are equipped to better support their husbands in all that they are supposed to be.

My primary goal with my book is for us to ask ourselves what kind of parents we should be when we raise our children. What if, instead of a kid being raised to see the way the body is shown on tv, or cartoons, or movies, or car ads in magazines, what if instead little boys great up watching their dad treat their mom like a princess, and what if the boys were invited from the earliest age to watch the beauty of their mom nursing the next baby. And what if that never switched to a mode of "you shouldn't see that," "Don't look," "If you look at that, you're dirty”?

If they could see the body from that elevated perspective, do you know what pornography would look like to them? It would look like graffiti on a Monet. They would know what's worth only $5 and what's worth $25 million, and they'd refuse the false, and want the real--and save themselves years of guilt in the dark, thinking they're all bad, when in reality, their desires are very, very good, but simply need to be understood in the right context, with the right boundaries.

It's amazing: when you bring this stuff out into the light, the bad stuff loses its power. It really does.

What I think will work is sending the clear message to the next generation that they are God's precious art, of overwhelming value, so much so that they wouldn't want to throw themselves away, and they won't want to miss enjoying the beauty of how God made them.

We don't mind throwing away a $2 clay pot when it breaks; we just buy a new one, put a new ribbon around it, and a flower inside it, and start over. But if we new that the art we were dealing with was priceless, and especially if the Artist were putting hints and metaphors of transcendence into that art, wouldn't we care for it?

And we wonder why kids are cutting themselves these days ...

To me this subject is a paradox, as so much of life is. We have to think really deeply about this stuff, or we'll just perpetuate the same vicious cycles, viciously ashamed of what God is proud of, and if we were proud of it, we wouldn't be more whimsical, we'd be less. We'd take care of our bodies and pursue that reality, real life, where women look the way real women do, and celebrating the body, in the right context and the right way.

I've read a lot about Natural Family Planning, and it amazes me how wonderful the body is. God made the female body with cycles that are mind-boggling, and the extent that most of us guys have ever heard about it is PMS. But it is amazing, and something that would make guys respect women more, and protect them more, if they only took the time to really understand it and see the body as the wonderful creation that it is. Guys don't know the hundredth of it. Actually, from what I've read and the people I've talked to about it, most girls don't know much more, either, in terms of the actual details of what's going on inside them and why.

But it's all so beautiful! Why are we living in such ignorance? Why are we living on such mundane levels, almost like animals, when this transcendence, this elegance, this precious life is right there, in our own bodies and in the bodies of those around us, to be understood, appreciated, and honored?

We are living art. We stare at museum walls with paintings on them, but men and women are living, breathing, walking, reproducing, breastfeeding art. We are worth so much more than we act like we are.

That's why I love the idea of encouraging and helping my wife someday, of protecting and nurturing her in such a way that makes her safe, where she feels like she can take care of her body, and enjoy being a woman, and bring a life into this world, and know that she'll be supported as much as possible by me.

I was talking a few months ago to a woman at work who just returned to work from her maternity leave. She has a three-month old baby at home. This woman looks half the time like she's staring into the cubicle wall, eyes glazed over, and from several talks we've had, she misses her baby at home so much. Her face shows that her heart is there at home, and it's just a shadow of her that's there at work, typing away at a computer. I feel bad for her. She's expressed over and over how much she wants to be home with him.

Maybe that mental picture will offend some people, because they think it hinders a woman, but personally, I believe in what some might call "old-fashioned" values, where a woman has the opportunity, if she desires, to stay at home with her baby. I can't imagine the heart-wrenching that must go on when a woman has been caring for, cuddling, and breastfeeding her baby for several months straight, watching the baby fall asleep on her, warm body to warm body, and to have to exchange that for a computer screen and a grey cubicle.

I don't know about the other men my age who are single, but as for me, when I get married, I will be doing everything I can to help and support my wife in all these areas.

I had a teacher in college whose wife gave birth to a daughter during a semester when I was taking one of his classes, and the first day after he came back, he took an entire class to talk directly to the guys about how when their wives had children, that those guys were to treat their wives like queens (not to say treat them any less good before having kids). I think the ladies in that class wanted to give him applause by the time he was done.

You can probably see how much I care about these subjects, and thus how I could be working on a book that's now hundreds of pages long. But it's so worth it. I wouldn't trade what I'm learning for the world.

I feel like God has been preparing me for twenty years to write this book, and to truly "change my mind" about so many subjects, and I want to do that to the best of my ability, which means getting others' wisdom and feedback.

I want to be the best prepared husband I can be to my future wife, so I read books about Natural Family Planning, and about pregnancy, and breastfeeding, and raising children, and I really do think that despite the misunderstanding it will create with some people, I am honoring God in my desire to appreciate the body the way He would have us do, and that I am interested not in something I shouldn't be, but in something that we all should be, men included, from a healthy perspective.

CLC training class photo

2008-01-10T18:05:00.000-05:00

Breastfeeding advocacy rally in Harrisburg, PA

2007-07-05T12:28:00.000-04:00