The Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog

How I did it: Establishing a pumping room at work - for all moms.

Today I'm very pleased to post a story written by my friend Beth.  Beth is a doctor at a community health center and mother to 15 month old Delia.

Beth was able to pump at work by appropriating a closet, scheduling her pump as a patient, and running an extension cord out of the closet and down the wall to an outlet.  This worked well enough for her, but she knew  that the non-physicians in her workplace weren't likely to have the same priveleges unless someone spoke up.  So she did.  Below is her story.

Do you have a "How I did it" story to share?  Have you overcome personal breastfeeding obstacles, created a breastfeeding-friendly environment in your community, or even changed a law?  If so, email me and you could see your story on the blog!

In the year that I gave birth there were seven other women pumping in the health center where I work.  All were doctors and all had the luxury of using their own exam rooms during lunch and in between patient visits.  As soon as I went public with my own pregnancy, I talked to the administration about the need for a pumping space away from the germs patients carry and available to all staff.  After all, I work for a community health center, and my medical director is a pediatrician (and mom), and our professional lives revolve around promoting healthy habits.  And we had a big new building with lots of empty space.  I thought I had done a good deed.

When I visited the office during my maternity leave it was clear that there was no pumping room, no designated space, and no sense of urgency.  Since I don't have an office, and am a bit of a germ-phobe, I needed to be a little creative.  I found a supply closet, and old chair, climbed over the fake Christmas tree decorated with condoms, and did what needed to be done.  Everyone in the common workspace could hear the pump, but I shared my space with a gay man, the husband of a midwife, and a pregnant woman - a pretty breastfeeding-friendly crowd.  I had argued for - and won - the right to block appointment slots to pump and was still told that a pumping room was on the way.

I began to realize that the need for a real pumping room was escalating when a member of the administrative staff came to check out my closet, my desk mate was getting close to delivery, and a medical assistant asked naively, "Is that room just for doctors?  Am I allowed to pump, too?"  We were reaching a critical lactating mass.  I started writing letters to the head honchos asking if we could use their offices since all we had were empty promises.  I dutifully quoted statistics about child health, fewer sick days for moms, etc.  I pointed out that our organization sets an example for the rest of the community and that family-friendly workplaces create better morale and employee retention.

My pumping days came and went and the closet worked well for me for an entire year.  But there was still no pumping room for anyone else, and often no response to my earnest pleas.  Then one day my boss pulled me from a patient visit to talk.  He walked me over to an empty conference room and talked about plans for a room with 4-5 pumping stations, a refrigerator, and lockers for storing pumps.  I started making the case for a formal policy to protect the right of all mothers to provide milk for their babies without reprimands or loss of pay.  I think I was heard, but there's no action yet. 

If this pumping room gets built and if the staff are allowed to use it, I know that it's because I had a position of power and could advocate for our rights without fear.  The single moms who make minimum wage can't afford to rock the boat.  It seems ridiculous to me that we have to fight to take care of our babies' most basic need, but we do.  Although I care for sick patients in my job, my proudest accomplishment so far is helping the amazing working moms around me to do right by their babies and set a great example for our patients, friends, and community by making breastfeeding a priority.

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You never know who is going to nurse who at my house.

Sometimes dogs nurse leopards, sometimes dinosaurs nurse bunnies.  You know how it is.

In other news, I realized at a meeting of our local breastfeeding task force that we now have enough money raised to buy a freezer for a milk bank collection station!  I was also elected president of the group at that meeting (no one else volunteered).  We have many more projects to fund, so don't let this fundraising success stop anyone from buying one of our stickers, t-shirts and other items!

I taught a breastfeeding class last night, and as soon as I handed out the dolls to teach breastfeeding positions the dads started turning the dolls' heads around backwards.  I'm told that this powerful paternal instinct to reenact The Exorcist with plastic babies is the reason the hospital has to replace dolls as frequently as they do. 

Speaking of dads, here's a conversation at one of my breastfeeding classes recently:

Me:  So, let's say it's three in the morning and you're really engorged.  The stores are closed.  What do you have in your house that you could use for a cold compress on your breasts after feedings?  (Typical answer, of course, is frozen vegetables.)

One of the dads:  Steak.

Me:  Steak?!?

The dad:  Don't you remember that Brady Bunch episode when Bobby got a black eye and they put a steak on it?

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Free sleep bra with a $75 order.

And now a word from our sponsor...

Motherwear is offering a free sleep bra with any $75 order, as well as $5 shipping on any order - both for a limited time.  Check it out at Motherwear.com!

Not sure when to buy nursing bras?  Confused about how many you'll need, or what size you are?  Check out Motherwear's "why nursing/maternity bras?" page, and bra sizing chart.  You can read more in this post, too.

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A crazy-making list of breastfeeding news.

I'm having trouble keeping up with all of the breastfeeding news of the last few weeks. 

So, in addition to the sagging study and the nursing mom's food pyramid, here are a few of the headlines.  Grouped together they look absolutely goofy.

Breastfeeding reduces your baby's risk of heart disease in adulthood.

Eat more fish.  No, wait, it's a plot by Big Fish.

Breastfeeding makes your baby smarter - if they have the right gene.  Can't wait for the next generation of formulas - "Now with gene FADS2!"

Universal Studios apologizes to Canadian mother over nursing in public incident.  Don't they warn them at the border?

Mother takes out ad to sell breastmilk.

Check out these two headlines, based on the same study:  Asthmatic moms shouldn't breastfeed.  Breastfed babies shielded from asthma.  More on this one later.

Evenflo buys breastpump company Ameda, agrees to become WHO code compliant.  They will be the first baby bottle manufacturer in the U.S. to meet this standard.

The smell of breastfeeding is an aphrodisiac.  No comment.

The American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund name breastfeeding as one of their top ten recommendations for cancer prevention.

Breastfeeding Manifesto releases new t-shirts.  I want one.

And finally, the hospital where I delivered is awesome.

Any questions?

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Philippines Milk Code decision - defeat or victory?

Some of you may remember that the Philippines has recently been a battleground in the fight over aggressive marketing of formula in the developing world.

This year the Philippines Supreme Court reviewed the Philippines Milk Code, which was adopted in 2006 and immediately challenged by the formula companies.  UNICEF Philippines produced a video on this topic called "Formula for Disaster" this year, where you can view some of the ads (picture to the right was taken from the film).

UNICEF estimates that 16,000 children die each year from not breastfeeding in the Philippines, and aggressive marketing has led to a significant decline in breastfeeding rates in the last ten years. 

Last month the Supreme Court released its decision.  The press portrayed it as a defeat for breastfeeding advocates, but UNICEF Philippines was pleased with the outcome.  Alexis, who works for UNICEF Philippines and writes the blog Keep Abreast, has allowed me to repost her response to the Supreme Court decision. 

The long-awaited Supreme Court decision on the Philippine Milk Code was finally issued on Tuesday, 9 October. What followed was a stream of news reports claiming that the Supreme Court decision was a blow to breastfeeding advocates. "Supreme Court lifts ban on advertising of breastmilk substitutes," the headlines screamed.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. There never was such a ban, because as soon as the regulations were promulgated, the milk companies asked the Supreme Court to place it on temporary restraining order, which the Supreme Court GRANTED. The code had been suspended all this time, milk companies continued to market and advertise and peddle their products with impunity ... until last Tuesday.

In fact, the Supreme Court decision was in favor of the Department of Health. The Supreme Court lifted the temporary restraining order on the code - with a few exceptions - which means that the code is now in effect, with the exception of sections which call for the complete prohibition on advertising of formula. 

Here is, in part, what the Supreme Court upheld:

Advertising, promotion or other marketing materials for breastmilk substitutes need to be approved by the Inter-Agency Committee and should not contain, among others, terms like "close to mother's milk", pictures or texts that idealize infant and milk formula.  Any health and nutrition claims, false or misleading information or claims of products are prohibited.

Breastmilk substitutes have to follow labeling requirements, in both English and Filipino, which include a message on the health hazards of the unnecessary or improper use of infant formula and other related products.

Milk companies are prohibited from giving financial or material inducements or gifts of any sort to promote products to health workers and to any member of the general public.

Milk companies are prohibited from conducting or being involved in any activity on breastfeeding promotion, education and production of materials on breastfeeding, or to use women's classes as venues to market their brands or company names.

Milk companies are prohibited from forming part of any policymaking body involved in the advancement of breastfeeding.

These are but a few of the "gains" that breastfeeding advocates have obtained through the Supreme Court's ruling.  So you see, contrary to what the press has been reporting, we breastfeeding advocates have gained much more than we lost. All in all, the Supreme Court decision was a victory for breastfeeding in the Philippines.  Now we face the work of ensuring the implementation of the Milk Code.

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The Motherhood Manifesto.

Last week I saw the film, "The Motherhood Manifesto," which was produced by Moms Rising.  A trailer is above, and you can find more clips here.

This film made me ponder, for the millionth time, how it's possible that we can have such wealth in this country and yet rank just about last in the industrialized world when it comes to basic policies like paid family leave and health care for children. 

The film points out, for example, that the only countries in the world with no paid maternity leave are Papua New Guinea, Lesotho, Swaziland, and the United States of America.  I meet more and more mothers who are returning to work at six weeks because they can't afford to take advantage of their unpaid Family Medical Leave Act leave.

Just think what could happen to breastfeeding rates if we had family leave policies like Canada, which provides 15 weeks of partial paid pregnancy leave, 35 weeks of partial paid maternity/paternity leave, which can be extended by up to an additional 15 weeks of sick leave.  I know, I know, we are so different from Canadians.  That could never work here.  I mean, they say "aboat" and play that curling thing, and um...yeah.

After the film my friend sitting next to me asked, "which part made you the most mad?"  We both felt that the health care for children segment was the most disturbing.  The film paints some good portraits of the effect of our health care system on families, pointing out that half of all bankruptcies are related to medical issues - and most of those families have insurance.  As you probably know, we are the only Western nation without universal health care coverage, despite spending more per person on health care than any country in the world.

Not realizing that there would be screenings in my community, I purchased my own copy, which Moms Rising offers at cost.  If you have a moms group which would like to watch it, send me your name and address.  There are suggestions on how to hold a house party here, though you really don't have to do anything but show the movie.  I may ask you to send it along to the next group, so please only respond if you'd be willing to do that.

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