The Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog

Wordless Wednesday: I knew it was too quiet in there.

Breastfeeding rallies in Pennyslvania, and D.C., and can Colorado set a new record?

Here is a great shot from the rally in the Pennsylvania State Capitol, on May 7th, thanks to Hollis Healy (more pictures).  The rally was in support of legislation by Senator Connie Williams to protect a mother's right to breastfeed in public.  The bill was introduced after a Leigh Bellini, a breastfeeding mother, was harrassed by security at a Pennsylvania mall.  Pennsylvania is one of only a handful of states that doesn't protect a woman's right to breastfeed in public.

In the nation's capital mothers rallied in support of Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney's bill to support nursing mothers on May 10th.  The bill would protect breastfeeding and pumping women from discrimination in the workplace, create tax incentives for employers who establish lactation programs for employees, and create a tax deduction for breastfeeding equipment. 

In the picture to the left the editor of Baby Talk magazine is holding up a cover which caused some controversy.  Thanks to Karen for this great shot!  For more pictures and a description of what it was like to be there, check out her Cairo Mama blog.  The picture to the right shows Rep. Maloney addressing the crowd.  Thanks to Scott Norris for this one!

And attention Colorado moms:  here's a note about an attempt by mothers in Colorado to set a new national record for simultaneous nursing.  The event will take place on June 24th in Denver.  Organizers hope to beat the current national record of 1,130 mother/baby pairs. 

A new world record for simultaneous nursing in different locations was set by the Philippines - 9,000 mothers participated!  I think that this is particularly wonderful news because, while breastfeeding rates in much of the world are improving, the rate of breastfeeding in the Philippines is low and declining.  It also seems to be a real battleground in the fight against aggressive formula marketing in the developing world.  More on that soon.  For now, here's a great video clip on the huge nurse-out!

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Mother's Day, and the WOMAN Challenge begins.

Here are a few pictures of my Mother's Day walk yesterday, whick kicks off the WOMAN Challenge.  These make the area where I live look more rural than it really is, but I really like this route.  I love old barns.  Anyone know if those are deer or moose antlers?

It was an hour's walk, and my pedometer said I took over 5,700 steps.  This was heartening because I did a test run the other day to see how many steps I take on an average day with no exercise, and let's just say it was significantly less than the 10,000 target.

This capped off a morning with bagels, coffee, and time to read the Sunday paper.  And my son accidentally said, I'm not kidding, "Happy Motherwear's Day!" to me.   Am I blogging too much?

The Breastfeeding Babes team now has 64 members!  Check out the photo gallery to the left to see some of our participants.  I'm also asking team members to send in pictures of their walks or runs.  Looks like it's not too late to sign up, if you haven't already!

Hope you all had a great day!  Tell me what your day was like in the comments section.

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The best Mother's Day gift.

Self-care.  Maybe I don't read the right magazines or hang out with the right people, but I hadn't heard that term until very recently. 

Self-care, simply put, refers to the things you can for yourself that restore energy to different parts of yourself - emotional, intellectual, physical, and spiritual.  It's your regular Mother's Day gift to yourself.

To mothers, especially new ones, I think that self-care can either feel impossible (no time) or raise feelings of guilt (isn't wrong to focus on myself instead of my kids?).  I feel both of those things, but I also know that I'm a better, and much less cranky, parent when I have a little time for myself.

To help me figure out what self care means to me, I requested the help of Claudia Heilbrunn, a life coach who specializes in working with first-time moms.  Her goal is to help mothers with small children "hold onto themselves without shortchanging their kids."  She actually does Mother's Day workshops on this very topic through her coaching business, Significant Self.

Here are her questions and my answers:

Set aside some time during which you can relax and reflect.  Sit in a comfortable spot.  Try not to think too much about your answers - let them come from the core part of yourself.  Once you've answered the following questions you'll have a better idea of what you need to thrive.  Ask yourself:

What do you miss most from your pre-baby life?  Time by myself is at the top of the list.  Of course it's gotten much easier as my son has gotten older.  It feels hard to admit this, because people who like to be alone are seen as a little strange, and of course a "good" mother is supposed to want to be with her child all the time.  Anyway, I know lots of people who get their energy from being with other people; I get mine from being by myself.  I also really miss being able to spend a couple of hours on weekend mornings reading the paper with a big cup of coffee.

What activity would renew, recharge, and reenergize your body?  Geez.  Just about anything.  I used to exercise a lot but stopped after my son was born, and I developed some bad eating habits because nursing kept the weight off so well.  I did recently commit to starting to exercise again, and while my diet naturally changes when I do, I'm not willing to tackle it directly right now.  One thing at a time, right?

What activity would renew, recharge, and reenergize your mind?  This area doesn't need any work.  I'm a sponge for new information and ideas, and I get a lot of energy from that.

What activity would renew, recharge, and reenergize your spirit?  Probably being creative and exploring new places.

What gift can I give to myself today? I once made a list of the things that I want to do - not things that I should do or need to do, but things that were fun and relaxing and recharged my batteries.  The list included walking, movies, books, creative things (though I'm a little scared to jump in), and exploring new places with my husband and son.  I really love the breastfeeding support work that I do, but I'm also exhausted after I do it.  These other things don't feel like that.

When you look back at this time in your life, what will you regret not doing for yourself?  Probably not having the courage to really make creativity a priority.

What is one thing - however small - that you can do to make self-care integral to my week?  Oh, good - I don't have to tackle everything above, just one thing, right?  Well, my answers above make it pretty clear that what's missing is some kind of creative outlet, but I don't think I have the will to make that change right now.  It would be a pretty big accomplishment to just not work right up until I go to bed.  For now, I think I could commit to making the last hour before bed a time to relax and do something I really want to do.  That would mean things in the list I made above, like reading, a bath, watching a movie, or just sitting on the porch with my husband.  That would be a small change in routine but a significant shift in how I prioritize my time. 

I liked doing this exercise.  It wasn't easy, but I did learn some things about how to renew my energy.  I'm passing it on to Andi at Mama Knows Breast and Sinead at Breastfeeding Mums for their Mother's Day weekends!

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Your tips on overcoming challenges.

I can't believe it's May already.  Remember way back in January when I asked for your nursing tips for Motherwear's Spring Catalog?  I held onto all of the 30+ entries we received and have been posting them slowly.  The first two posts were on getting support and pumping.  So, finally, here is some more of your great advice.

The best nursing tip I ever received was while I was still in the hospital from a maternity nurse.  I was having trouble keeping Annika awake long enough to nurse well.  No amount of unswaddling or tickling was helping.  She needed to nurse a lot, too, because she was extremely jaundiced (blood-type incompatibility coupled with trauma during birth) and the doctors were about to force supplementing on us.  Anyway, the nurse said she had the same trouble with her little one.  She told me to pull Annika away from my breast slightly and the baby's instinct is to suck the nipple back in - even when she's fast asleep!  This little trick worked like a charm!  We didn't need to supplement and she kicked her jaundice with a lot of nursing and the help of a biliblanket.  At 10 months, I still use this trick at night when she's fallen asleep at the breast and I want to fill her up for a long stretch of sleeping.  - Bobbi Lynn, shown at left with her daughter Annika.

This is the best tip I've ever gotten, and I don't know what I'd do without it!  I'm very prone to plugged ducts.  Prevention is key, of course, so avoiding things like underwire bras helps a bunch!  But what do you do if you GET one?  Hot compresses, massage, a REALLY hot shower all help, but here's the trick that works wonders for me:  Lay the baby down on a flat surface, like the bed, kneel over her, and let her nurse on the affected side.  This has never failed me; gravity and a baby sucking work together to remove the plug every time!  - Heather, shown at right with her daughter Elizabeth (see her blog).  Here's an illustration of this position.

GET SUPPORT!  As someone who has had a rough start with nursing (cracking, bleeding, nipple infections, thrush four times, Raynaud's and a chom ping newborn), I felt my commitment to breastfeeding waning at times.  I found daily support with a lactation consultant as well as other providers and women who had also had difficulties with breastfeeding.  Technical assistance and emotional support has done me wonders.  After six months I am happily breastfeeding my son with much more ease and the knowledge that I can get through the harder times when they arise. - Melinda.

The best tip I can offer is this: A lot of women are under the impression that you have to stop breastfeeding your child if you have a breast infection.  This is just not true.  In fact, it is proven to be better for you and your baby to continue nursing as usual.  By the time you've noticed any signs of an infection your baby has likely already ingested antibodies to it, helping his body to build immunities.  The best way to get over a breast infection or plugged ducts is to nurse a lot and drink plenty of fluids [and in some cases antibiotics].  Nursing is hard enough.  Don't let anyone discourage you.  If done right nursing can be an absolutely beautiful experience for mother and baby.  - Kenzie, shown at left with Cayden and Christian.

My #1 breastfeeding tip:  trust your instincts.  Don't worry about what anyone else tells you about how you should be doing things, and just do what feels right to you.  That may be really hard, especially with your first baby, because parents, in-laws, doctors, nurses, friends, relatives, authors of parenting books and experts on TV will offer so much advice on what you should be doing or what the baby needs.  You know better than ANYONE what your baby needs.  So if you feel like putting your fussy baby to the breast even though she nursed just 20 minutes earlier, do it.  Don't worry about what the proper feeding schedule, frequency, duration, intervals, etc. should be.  Breastfeed with confidence and know that your natural instinct as to what your baby needs trumps everyone else's well-intentioned advice.  - Kelly, shown at right with her son, JJ.

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An advance look at the new La Leche League International Intimate Apparel.

This summer's Motherwear catalog will carry some new bras from La Leche League International Intimate Apparel, and I got an advance look at them.  I think there's something new to like about each one.

The first one, to the left, is called the La Leche League International "Wrap 'n Snap Bra."  It has a front adjusting strap to change with your body size (your rib cage, which expands during your pregnancy, decreases gradually in size after your baby comes).  It's soft enough to sleep in and wear all day, and comes in several colors.

The next one is a great idea, in my opinion.  To the right is the new La Leche League International Low Impact Sports Bra.  It has a molded cotton/spandex soft cup, waffle mesh sides for air flow, and a sling inside for extra support.  And speaking of exercise...

Finally, there's the La Leche League International Hands-Free Pumping Bra (picture on the left).  It has a drop cup opening for nursing with an added feature - a special layer for hands free pumping.  It has a seamless cup and no underwire.

And as a gift with any purchase of these new bras, you'll get a new bracelet from La Leche League International Intimate Apparel.  It has a different image on each side, and can be used to help you remember which side you're on.  It can also be used as a pony tail holder.  It won't be sold separately.

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"They said you can't breastfeed a baby with Down Syndrome."

I recently got an email from Rachael, a reader from Louisiana.  She wrote to submit a picture for the Nursing Around the World contest, but once she started telling me her story I knew that she should share it here.  Have a story you'd like to tell about nursing your baby?  Email me.

"My daughter Aileena was born with Down Syndrome.  We didn't know that she had it until after she was born, but even before that I knew that I wanted to breastfeed.  To me there is no choice.  I read books and took classes to prepare. 

When she was born they told me that since she has Down Syndrome she wouldn't be able to breastfeed, because Down Syndrome babies typically have low muscle tone.

But by that time she had already been at the breast a couple times, and the lactation consultant said she did great.  That night she started breathing funny so the nurse had a doctor look at her.  They told us that while they were examining her she turned blue so she had to be put on oxygen and put in the NICU.  So, we began the pumping road.  One of the things that really frustrated me was the fact that even though I was pumping they still added formula to my colostrum, because it wasn't enough "volume."  Anyone who knows anything about breastfeeding knows that babies are born with enough to sustain them until the mother's milk comes in.  I was mad because we had to use a bottle, but she was getting my milk and that was something.

Aileena was in the NICU for a week and they bottle fed her the whole time.  When she was almost ready to leave and they let the lactation consultant help me put her to the breast.  She didn't know what was going on by that point.  We tried a nipple shield and she cried and was confused, and I felt rejected.  We just kept trying and finally after about a week of that she took just me and rejects the plastic - ha! 

Well, that wasn't the end of it.  When she was 3 1/2 months old she had open heart surgery, and was on 3 medicines 3 times per day.  I had to feed her with the SNS (supplemental nursing system) with added formula because she got so tired when she ate because of her heart.  She wasn't getting enough and wasn't gaining weight. So her cardiologist wanted to increase her calories without having to increase her intake. That was a pain, but worth it and fairly simple to use - just a pain, because it was like bottle feeding - too much work!

She still doesn't feed perfectly and makes sounds, but she is definitely eating and gaining weight and is doing great even by normal standards,

I feel that she deserves the best I can give her, especially because she is different.  There have been so many benefits found with breastfeeding, and it is even more important for a child with Downs.  They need that extra boost for immunity and brain function, among other things.

I think the most important thing to remember about breastfeeding a child who has special needs is that, no matter how it's getting into them, they are getting your milk.  I had such a hard time with that, because even though she was getting my milk she wasn't at the breast and I wanted that closeness.  I guess that was selfish of me in a way, because the most important thing was that she get my milk whether it had to be put in a tube down her nose or by bottle.  Some babies with Downs have to be tube fed through their stomach, but it still gets there.

I do have to say that my husband has been there for me the whole time and without his support it would never have worked.  He was there when we had to sit in the car for an hour for her to eat every three hours before her surgery and he was there when I thought I couldn't do it anymore.  You really need a good support system to push you and be there for you."

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Join our WOMAN Challenge team, the Breastfeeding Babes!

A few weeks ago I was reading Real Simple, thinking about how I really need some motivation to get my behind moving (since weaning the weight has been coming back), when I noticed a blurb about the WOMAN Challenge.

So I emailed my blogging buddies Jen, Angela, Andi, and Sinead, and we decided that this month, in lieu of a breastfeeding carnival, we would form a team and participate in the WOMAN Challenge, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of National Women's Health Week. 

We have all committed to doing at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day for 8 weeks, starting on Mother's Day, May 13th.  Any kind of activity counts - walking, swimming, yoga, weights, pilates, pushing a stroller are all great. 

If you join the challenge you get email updates, a tracking log, a pedometer (while supplies last), and you'll be able to track our team's virtual progress on a map.  We chose the cross-country route, which starts in San Francisco, and ends in Washington, D.C. 

Our team, The Breastfeeding Babes (thanks to Angela for the title!), is open to anyone.  You don't have to have a blog, be breastfeeding, even be a woman!  And yes, exercise is just fine for breastfeeding women.   

If you're up to the challenge, here's what to do:

1. Sign up here.  If you choose to count your activity in steps, you may get a free pedometer (while supplies last). 
2. Follow the directions for joining a team, and join the "Breastfeeding Babes."  Note: You may have to search for teams in Massachusetts to find it.
3. Starting on Mother's Day, track your progress on the WOMAN Challenge website. 
4. Tell your friends and encourage them to sign up!

Jen and I will be the team leaders.  We'll keep each other going (read: please keep me going). 

Who's in?

Capitol Hill nurse in, and an attempt at a new nursing world record.

Thanks to Angela at Breastfeeding 123 for this one:  A nurse in to support Congresswoman Maloney's Federal Breastfeeding Promotion Act is scheduled for May 10th, the day she plans to re-introduce the bill.  For more information on the event, see Angela's post.  The bill would protect breastfeeding and pumping women from discrimination in the workplace, create tax incentives for employers who establish lactation programs for employees, and create a tax deduction for breastfeeding equipment. 

And in other news, a national nurse-in in the Philippines scheduled for tomorrow will attempt to establish a new Guiness Book of World Records record for simultaneous nursing, set for 10:00 am tomorrow (May 2nd, 2007) in locations around the country. 

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