The Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog

Advice from my baby book.

When I was at my parents' house over the holidays I got out my baby book to show my son.  I learned, among other things, that I started solids at 6 weeks.  I also found a pamphlet on baby care given to my mom by her doctor.  Here is some of the advice in it, circa 1969:

On sleep:  "It is safer to have the baby sleep on the abdomen or side rather than the back." 

On breastfeeding:  "Until the milk supply is well established you may offer a couple of ounces of sweetened boiled water after each nursing...Use one teaspoon of light Karo, or other sugar, to each two ounces of boiled water."

"You may get considerable relief for the nipples by applying a tincture of benzoin (available at any druggist) after each nursing, let it dry for a minute, then apply a little cornstarch to prevent stickiness."

"It is best to nurse him when he seems really hungry.  This will probably be at about three to four hour intervals at first and should gradually lengthen."

On spoiling your baby:  "You will soon learn the pattern of your child and will be able to avoid too frequent feeding efforts, picking up, turning over..."

Apart from feeling a bit mortified at the idea of having downed bottles of water and corn syrup, reading this actually gave me some sympathy for the generation of women (now grandmothers) who just can't get behind things like exclusive breastfeeding, back-to-sleep, solids-at-six-months, or the idea of attachment parenting.  After all, they got the above advice from a trusted authority. 

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National Delurking Day, or Week, or... oh, just leave a comment!

So I'm told that today is National Delurking Day.  I was hoping for a National Delurking week, like last year, so that I could meet more of you! 

Anyway, if you've been lurking in the shadows, come out and leave a comment!  Tell me anything - about breastfeeding, about babies, about what you ate for breakfast.  I'm really very friendly.  After coffee.

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Join our next breastfeeding carnival!

This month, to start off the year, our theme is "beginnings and endings."  Posts could be about the early days of breastfeeding, or the final days of breastfeeding.  Weaning, early challenges, and tandem nursing are all great topics for this theme.

Email me your submission by January 22nd, 2008.  The carnival will be on Tuesday, January 29th, 2008.  Please note that, if your post is selected for inclusion by our reglular group of bloggers, you will be asked to link to each of the other participants in the carnival.  Examples of past carnival posts can be found here.

We'll be looking for posts that are:

• Well written and grammatically correct
• Thoughtful and directly on point for the carnival subject
• Submitted from blogs related to breastfeeding or parenting

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Motherwear model Karla on breastfeeding and the one item she couldn't live without.

Today I'm happy to share some comments from Karla, who modeled for Motherwear's winter line this year.  I got to meet her at the photo shoot last fall, and she was kind enough to share her experience and advice here. 

What has your breastfeeding experience been like?

Breastfeeding for me has been the best feeling in the world!  To have that loving bond between you and your baby, and knowing that you are giving your baby the best meal possible!  I love knowing that my baby has that sense of security when he's nursing, that mama's right there and nothing in the world can keep us apart. That takes first place in my heart.

What is your favorite thing about nursing?

I always wonder why women don't want to breastfeed.  The health benefits are endless, besides lowered risk of breast cancer and heart attack for the mother, your body can do that and more for the baby.  You give all the immunities you built up through your life and pass them on to your child.  Also, if you or your baby pick up something like a bacterial skin problem for instance, your body makes antibodies to get rid of it and feeds it to your baby.  That alone is amazing and opens you up to how wonderful the body really is.  Also when I nurse I know that's a very special time between me and my baby, and we have become so much closer because of that.  I love when he nurses and in mid-nurse will break off, smile at me and call me "aaboo" - his name for mommy.  Those moments are priceless to me for now and forever.

How do you make breastfeeding work given your work schedule?

Well, I am a freelance model.  So I think breastfeeding is the way to go.  It's so much easier than formula feeding and less time consuming, not to mention a lot less money.  If I need to go anywhere without my baby I just pump a little milk and I'm out the door.  It's really the easiest way to go.

Where have you gotten support and help with breastfeeding? 

I am a member of the La Leche League International and recommend them to anyone and everyone who nurses!  It's a great way to find mommies in your area, and a wonderful way to ask and give help to other moms. There is also a La Leche League leader there to help you with anything you need.  I also had some breastfeeding classes at the Lenox Hill hopsital, those were wonderful as well. In the beginning it can be hard, but really try to stick with it because nursing really pays off in the end, for you and your baby. I wouldn't have it any other way!

Is there any advice you could give other nursing moms based on your experience?

Nursing pads, nursing pads, nursing pads!  I always find myself running to grab something to catch my let down so it doesn't run all over my clothes.  I think you could never have too many pads to either put in your bra, or on your shirt to help catch the flow.  Also, just really keep with it.  If it's hard for you, it really pays off in the end, I can't express that enough.  I love it and have never had a better time in my life!

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A dad's response to Chris' exclusive pumping story.

Last week I posted a story written by Chris, a mom who exclusively pumped for her baby.  A few days after it was posted I got the email below from a father, who took her story to heart.  You'll see why I asked for permission to post it.

Hi there Tanya,

I am the father of a two month old child, our first. I just came across your blog (via a Catholic mom's website I was perusing) and the Dec. 31st posting from Chris who is pumping breast milk exclusively.

It is strange to be writing, as I am a dad here, but I just wanted to thank you for that posting and for what you do. You see, our gorgeous little girl was born with a cleft palate and this article was inspiring to me.  Because of her challenge, our baby, can not suck and therefore can not breastfeed.  This was a very hard blow for my wife who is also suffering from severe post partum depression.

The PPD and all that my wife has been struggling with have been a real shocker to me.  As a man, I may be big and tough and all that, but naturally we are also the weaker sex ;)   (Look, I saw my wife give birth, so I merely state that as an empirical fact.)  It is a switch for me to be the one to "carry" us along in so many ways.  This is why I am on the mom websites while she struggles with everything else.

Anyway, I have sought to provide her with as much love and support as I can.   Very early on, she broke down and declared that she was going to quit pumping because she just couldn't take it.  Seemed like everyone she knew would also come in the house and say such unhelpful things as, "You know you can quit that pumping nonsense if it becomes too much," and "Just feed her formula, she's had a week of breast milk."  Ugh! 

With patience, I reminder her that it was only her choice whether to quit or not, but asked her to consider if she could continue, as the benefits would be important to our baby - especially since she will be soon undergoing surgery.  I am a former Army officer, and I felt like I was asking my wife to volunteer to go out on a dangerous mission.  It was a hard thing to ask of her.  (In the Catholic faith we simply call this "love" as we believe that we are each called to sacrifice our lives for each other...)

Well, she not only gave up on giving up, but she has been just an unbelievable pumping "machine!"  The sacrifice has been enormous, but despite the depression, she happily pumps.  But I know how hard it is.  I do many of the feedings but then my wife misses out on the connection with the baby.  Moms who are able to breastfeed have NO IDEA how blessed they are that they can give milk and feed ALL AT THE SAME TIME - WOW! 

Anyway, it has just been so hard on her that I am quite simply amazed at how well she has done. She has even started building up a steady supply of frozen milk for when she "goes back to work."   My wife has proved to have nothing short of superhuman resolve and a simply awe-inspiring and true loving dedication and self-sacrifice for our very lucky kid.

So anyway, thank you for that posting. I am sure that there are MANY other new moms facing this difficulty.  It is VERY TOUGH.  But it is also "do-able" and they are not alone!

God Bless you!  You do good work!

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Any YMCA directors out there?

Quick request:  I'm working on a little project involving a YMCA and nursing in public, and I'd love to make contact with a Y director from a state in which nursing in public is protected by law.  It could also be helpful to talk to the director of a YMCA in a state in which breastfeeding in public is not legally protected but is protected by a policy of that facility.

So, if you're a Y director, or if you can help me get in touch with one, please email me.  Thanks!

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Enter this caption contest!

Let's start this year off with something silly.

Come up with a caption for this photo and leave it as a comment below.  I'll ask my friends Alison and Angela at Motherwear to pick the winning entry and two runners up. 

First prize is a $15 gift certificate to my local breastfeeding coalition's store, and the two runners up will each get a 'breastfeeding welcome here' sticker.  Be sure to leave a real email address so I can contact you.

Is this a picture of two moms, a lactation consultant and mom, or a husband and wife?  Here's my submission:

"Myrtle sensed that her aunt's hovering was a sign of disapproval, but she had made up her mind.  This Thanksgiving she was not moving to another branch."

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Happy new year, everyone!

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