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I have three signed copies of Colleen Newman's book, Cerca del Corazon de Mama (the Spanish version of Near Mama's Heart) to give away. Check out this page for a video copy of the English version of the book. Thanks, Colleen!
To enter a random drawing for a copy, send me an email with your name and address before 5 pm EST on Wednesday, October 17th, 2007. U.S. addresses only, please.
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A few weeks ago Dr. Kathleen Arcaro from the University of Massachusetts visited the breastfeeding support group I run. She is an environmental toxicologist who studies, among other things, the relationship between breastfeeding and breast cancer.*
She is working on a study now and stopped by to see if anyone was interested in donating milk for the study. If you live in my area (Pioneer Valley, Western Massachusetts) and are interested in donating milk, see the study website for more information. They've made it very easy to donate.
She was also nice enough to answer a question about breastfeeding and breast cancer, and also environmental toxics in breastmilk:
Could you describe the current theories about why breastfeeding protects against breast cancer?
There are several hypotheses about why breastfeeding provides protection against breast cancer but at this time we do not know which is/are correct. The simplest explanation is that for many women the longer they breastfeed the fewer menstrual cycles they experience. Since with every menstrual cycle cells in the breast grow and divide and could by chance accumulate mutations which might lead to cancer, reducing the total number of cycles a woman experiences in her lifetime should lead to a decreased risk of breast cancer. This is supported by data showing that younger age at time of first menstruation and older age at menopause (greater total number of years menstruating) is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Another hypothesis is that breastfeeding results in a permanent change in either breast morphology or the expression of genes in the breast, and that this change provides protection against breast cancer. Finally it has been suggested that breastfeeding reduces the level of pollutants in the breast that may be associated with increased breast cancer risk.
You also study environmental toxics in breastmilk. Can you describe any trends you're seeing in the concentrations of toxics in breastmilk?
The good news is that the concentration of some lipophilic (fat-loving) environmental pollutants in breast milk is decreasing. For instance the level of many pesticides (DDT and its metabolites) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has greatly decreased over the last 30 years. However, the levels of some other compounds used in household and personal care products including flame retardants and synthetic musks are increasing. In general, if a compound does not easily degrade, and accumulates in fatty tissue it is likely it will be in breast milk. But considering that the pollutants are widely distributed and therefore are in cow’s milk and formula, breast milk clearly remains the best food for most infants.
*If you're wondering if it's possible to breastfeed after breast cancer, here's one mother's story. And if you're wondering how much breastfeeding reduces breast cancer risk, see this post.
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One of the things they don't tell you about becoming a lactation consultant is how deeply you can empathize with other mothers' breastfeeding struggles.
They never tell you, for example, that when you're standing in front of a screaming baby on a scale, you might feel a sudden urge to squeeze the mother's hand, or start bargaining with God for an extra ounce.
It's one thing to provide information and hands-on help, troubleshoot, and try to puzzle through an unusual problem, but it's another thing to find yourself waking up in the middle of the night thinking about a mother or a baby. Maybe it's because I was recently in her position, myself.
I don't mean in any way to suggest that I'm experiencing the same thing as mothers I work with. I'm quite aware that, unlike those mothers, I get a full night's sleep, am experiencing no nipple pain, and can eat and shower whenever I want. But these struggles really do get under my skin, and there are weeks when I carry a tiny bit of the pain around with me.
The flip side is that when there is success I get to share a little bit of the joy, too. And this week there have been a number of small and large victories among mothers I'm working with. Sometimes the accomplishments are overshadowed by new problems or just the craziness of having a new baby, so much so that I feel as if I need to grab a mom by the shoulders and say "You did it!" The battles I saw won this week were hard fought and in some cases required a whole lot of stubborness. I hope that they feel proud.
So when I'm standing in front of that baby flailing on the scale, I sometimes hold my breath. But when the number comes up and a smile spreads across both our faces, I can't think of any place I'd rather be.
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From Rachel Valley's photo exhibit, mother.culture.art. Check it out!
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Hathor the Cow Goddess has channeled Dr. Seuss in this video based on her series "The Zoops." I think it's like a "Lorax" for breastfeeding. Enjoy!
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If the incidence of a major surgery had increased by 50% in the last ten years, wouldn't it be big news? I imagine so. You'd probably see headlines like, "Researchers search for clues to dramatic increase in ____ surgery," or "Doesn't the ____ work anymore?"
That's what's happened to the cesarean section rate since 1997 and no one seems to have even noticed.
Well, that isn't entirely true. Mothering Magazine's current issue asks "Cesareans: Why so many?" on its cover and has an incisive article on the topic. But this message doesn't seem to have gotten any attention in the mainstream media at all. And this isn't some obscure medical procedure - it's the most basic of human experiences.
In the last few weeks I've seen the play "Birth" and the film "The Business of Being Born," and this issue has been on my mind a lot. The film was produced by Ricki Lake, who had one traditional hospital birth and one home birth, and decided to make a film about birth in the U.S. today.
First I have to recommend that anyone who cares about mothers and babies see this film. I was fortunate enough to see it at a community screening, but the national release won't be until November, and the DVD won't be out until next year (though you can put it on your Netflix queue now). Here's a list of community screenings in some lucky areas. You may also be able to arrange a community showing.
"The Business of Being Born" demonstrates some disturbing trends. First, it shows that vaginal birth is becoming endangered in this country. Labor under strict time frames, with induction, medication, and surgery is fast becoming the norm. Natural childbirth is just about extinct in most hospitals, and is viewed by many in the medical professions as a quaint pursuit having no particular value to the mother or baby (or worse, representing some kind of narcissistic "glory" for the mother).
The film shows what normal birth looks like, and it provides historical and context for birth in the U.S. (which helped me understand, for the first time, what "twilight sleep" really meant). And it hints at what birth looks like in other industrialized countries, where it's far less interventionist, cheaper, and with better outcomes for mothers and babies. (For a sense of how different it is in England, where women are now guaranteed the option of a homebirth, see this article) The film is also not unrealistic about the need for medical intervention in some cases.
When it comes time to offer some explanations for the current state of birth in the U.S., it discusses a number of factors, from money, to liability, to the unfamiliarity of most new doctors with normal birth. But I'm interested in another question: What is going to make this change?
Here's my theory: The only people who can change this trend is us. Sure, the insurance companies may wise up to the fact that they can pay less for births - and as a side benefit get better outcomes - but I'm not holding my breath. And as much as I believe in the power of our democracy, I doubt that this issue will ever make it onto the radar of our elected representatives.
For better or worse, this is the United States of America, where money talks. Birth is a business, after all, and you vote with your feet. That is why "The Business of Being Born" and "Birth" are so important. They might just open enough minds to the possibility of normal birth that we start demanding care that respects our ability to do the most human of all acts: birth our babies. I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.
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For the next seven days Motherwear is discounting an item a day, including the shirt you see at left (on sale on Thursday, October 11th) and the dress on the right (on sale Tuesday October 9th).
The sale on each item lasts for 24 hours. Check back to the Motherwear site to see what's on sale each day. Motherwear is also offering free shipping on orders of $100 or more right now.
Also, I just learned that you can get a free issue of the great magazine Brain, Child through the Motherwear site. Brain, Child is a literary magazine devoted to thinking mothers. I picked up a copy at a friend's house once and couldn't put it down. Click through the link on the promotions page (see the link in the middle of the page) and send in your address to get a free copy. I just did!
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This is your invitation to join the next Carnival of Breastfeeding!
For October our theme will be a little different than past carnivals. We're all going to write "This I believe" essays on topics related to breastfeeding and parenting.
This I Believe is a national project which encourages people to write personal statements of belief. Avid NPR listeners have probably heard some of these essays on the radio. Here's the project's description:
This I Believe is an international project engaging people in writing, sharing, and discussing the core values that guide their daily lives. These short statements of belief, written by people from all walks of life, are archived here and featured on public radio in the United States and Canada. The project is based on the popular 1950s radio series of the same name hosted by Edward R. Murrow.
As usual, we'll be looking for the following:
Submissions are due by October 16th, and can be emailed to me. The Carnival will be held on October 23rd. You can see examples of past carnival posts under the category "Carnivals of Breastfeeding."
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I sometimes I wonder how many babies are weaned after a trip to the dentist.
I love my dentist, but I have heard so many stories of dentists telling mothers to wean because breastmilk is causing their children dental caries. One of my friends, who was nursing her twins, was told by her dentist that nursing was the cause of one of her twins' dental problem. She pointed out that they both nurse, in pretty much exactly the same pattern, but only one had the problem and one didn't. It was like she had a control group! He couldn't explain why they didn't both have the problem, but stuck by the theory that nursing was the culprit.
So I was really happy to see a study in Pediatrics which came out this week. It concluded: "These data provide no evidence to suggest that breastfeeding or its duration are independent risk factors for early childhood caries, severe early childhood caries, or decayed and filled surfaces on primary teeth." For a list of similar studies see this page on kellymom.com.
A while back I was reading the blog New Mama's Nest and saw this post, which illustrates the problem of bad information on this topic perfectly. It also shows why it's important to get second opinions. "Little X" is Xavier, who was born prematurely (28 weeks), and in this post he's old enough to have eight teeth.
Little X has also endured his first trip to the dentist. Two different dentists in two days, to be exact. His top four teeth were showing signs of decay (despite brushing twice a day before he even had teeth!) and it was just getting worse. Xav was quite the trooper. I thought the first visit had gone ok, until we got home and I replayed all the doc had said. He was a bit demeaning, told me I needed to wean X and would give me no real reason why he is having such a problem with his top four teeth while the bottom four are beautiful. He wanted me to bring X back so they could strap him to a table, drill and bond his teeth, while he was awake. Oh yeah, and I couldn't be present. No thank you!
So take two. This dentist was lovely! She explained that often preemies' tooth enamel doesn't completely form leaving them vulnerable, and in X's case he was on tons of antibiotics as a little guy which weakens them further, and then iron supplements which stain and weaken even more. She did a quick cleaning in office and offered a much brighter outlook (and was supportive of extended nursing). We're brushing after every thing he eats and going back in a couple of months but she thinks if we stay on top of things, and do a little work down the road (with proper anesthesia and mama present!) his teeth will be just fine. Big sigh!
Actually, breastfeeding is really good for babies' dental development, especially the alignment of teeth. If you're interested in the topic of breastfeeding and dental development, be sure to check out Dr. Brian Palmer's website. And here's a page on kellymom.com about breastfeeding and tooth decay which lays it all out nicely.
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This cracked me up. At a breastfeeding group last week one mother swore that sometimes she hears messages in those whooshing noises her pump makes. If I'm not mistaken, her pump sometimes says to her:
"Keep it going, keep it going."
"Way to go, way to go."
"I don't know, I don't know."
and, inexplicably:
"David Bowie, David Bowie."
A few other moms agreed that their pumps are attempting to convey such messages. I remember hearing some voices in my son's sound machine, but I can't remember what they said.
Do any of you hear your pump talking to you?
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