I was recently playing around with the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database, checking to see exactly how bad my shampoo is for me, when I noticed that the database includes information on nipple creams.
Had any of you noticed that, or used the information to decide which one you use (if any)?
Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog? Subscribe here. Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here. Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes? Click here.
I'm pleased to review a new book on, you guessed it - making babies. You can win one of five copies (see entry instructions at the end of this post).
Making Babies, by Dr. Sami David and Jill Blakeway, LAc presents a three-month program for 'maximum fertility' as naturally as possible.
What sets this book apart from others on this topic is that the authors - a reproductive endocrinologist and an licensed acupuncturist and herbalist - bring both Western and Chinese medicinal traditions to the task.
Like other books, the authors discuss conception, common problems and solutions, and assisted reproduction.
But unlike other books, but they also present five "fertility types" (tired, dry, stuck, pale, and waterlogged) based on Chinese medicine. The authors then provide a fertility plan for each of these types, addressing foods to eat and avoid, exercise, and supplements, and Chinese medicine treatment.
The book isn't as detailed at Taking Charge of Your Fertility, but this makes it a bit more accessible, I found. It's full of case studies from the authors' practices, and the information is presented in a friendly, supportive, and optimistic tone. I think it would be a welcome addition to both mothers' and practitioners' bookshelves.
To enter to win a copy of this book, leave a comment below by November 11, 2009. One entry per person, and entries must come from U.S. and Canadian residents. No P.O. boxes, please. Winners will be chosen using random.org and announced in the comments section of this post. Copy will be sent directly to you by the publisher.
Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog? Subscribe here. Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here. Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes? Click here.
A little while back I read about The Wet Nurse's Tale on Elita's Blacktating blog, where she posted an interview with the author.
I got a copy through inter-library loan and really enjoyed it. I'm wondering if any of you would like to join in a mini-book group reading of this book.
The Wet Nurse's Tale, which was a top ten finalist in Amazon's Breakthrough Novel awards, is set in Victorian England, and tells a fictional first-person account of a wet nurse. From the book jacket:
As you can see, there is some content for mature audiences here. If you'd like to join in, leave a comment below. I'm not sure how we'll do the discussion, but I'll figure it out. I'm thinking that we'd take a month or so to read it.
Anybody in?
Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog? Subscribe here. Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here. Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes? Click here.
I'm very pleased to share a guest post by Dr. Marianne Neifert, author of Great Expectations: The Essential Guide to Breastfeeding. I had been wanting to write about "late preterm" babies - born between 34 and 36 weeks gestation for a while now. Those of you who have had a baby born at this age know that these babies can pose particular breastfeeding challenges.
I hope that you find this post useful!
Just a Few Weeks Early
Breastfeeding Challenges in Late-Preterm Infants
By Marianne Neifert, M.D.,
Until recently, babies born a few weeks early -- between 34 and 36 weeks gestation -- were referred to as near term infants. However, the designation, near term, implies that an infant is almost term or almost fully mature, and the misnomer has often caused health professionals and parents to underestimate the medical risks in this large, vulnerable population of infants. Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that infants born at 34, 35, or 36 weeks gestation be referred to as late-preterm infants to emphasize that these babies are physiologically immature and have special health care needs compared to full term infants (born between 37 to 41 weeks). In addition, the mothers of late-preterm infants are more likely to have medical complications themselves, such as gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, or C-section delivery.
The Rising Incidence of Late-Preterm Births
The proportion of all U.S. births that are late preterm has increased over the past 15 years. Late-preterm infants now comprise over 9% of all births, and account for more than 70% of all preterm births (<37 weeks gestation), representing nearly 400,000 babies each year. Although the reason for the increase in late-preterm deliveries is not well understood, one explanation is the increased use of fertility treatments, which has lead to a rise in pregnancies with twins and higher multiples. Half of all twins and 90% of all triplets are born preterm. Other possible contributors to the rise in late-preterm births include the rise in cesarean section births (now 30% of all deliveries), the need to deliver some infants early due to medical complications, and more pregnancies occurring among women at an older age. In addition, performing elective labor inductions or elective cesarean sections for no clear medical or obstetrical reason sometimes leads to the unintentional delivery of a late-preterm infant. Both expectant mothers and obstetricians need to know the importance of avoiding late-preterm delivery unless it is medically necessary.
Medical Complications among Late-Preterm Infants
Because many late-preterm babies are the size of infants born at full term, health care professionals may not always give these at-risk infants the special treatment and careful screening they deserve. Instead, hospital personnel and parents tend to treat these apparently healthy infants as if they were developmentally mature. Late-preterm infants have been called imposter babies because many of these "slightly early" newborns masquerade as full-term infants, appearing to need no special care after birth and being discharged as early as term babies. Yet, babies born even a few weeks early have an increased risk of medical complications after birth and may require a longer hospital stay than full-term infants. Late-preterm infants are more likely to develop low blood sugar, severe jaundice, breathing difficulties, and infections; to have difficulty maintaining their body temperature; and to experience feeding problems and excessive weight loss after birth. Late-preterm infants also are more likely to be re-admitted to the hospital in the early weeks of life for medical complications, including newborn jaundice, breastfeeding difficulties, dehydration, and possible infections.
The brain and nervous system are among the last systems to mature during fetal development, and some studies show that late-preterm infants have a higher risk of developmental and behavioral problems compared to full-term babies. Late-preterm infants also have a higher rate of birth defects and an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome. For all these reasons, late-preterm infants require close monitoring, evaluation, and follow-up after birth.
Breastfeeding Challenges among Late-Preterm Infants
The initiation of successful breastfeeding can be especially challenging for smaller, developmentally immature, late-preterm infants. These babies often have trouble latching on to the breast correctly and may be unable to breastfeed effectively at first because of their lower muscle tone and tendency to tire easily. Inadequate breastfeeding increases a newborn's risk for severe jaundice and excessive weight loss.
Continue reading "Guest post: Was your baby an "impostor?"" »
Motherwear held its winter photo shoot last week, and here are a few cute shots of the process!
Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog? Subscribe here. Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here. Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes? Click here.
I'm very pleased to share some original illustrations from Adrienne Hedger, illustrator and co-author of If These Boobs Could Talk: A Little Humor to Pump up the Breastfeeding Mom. She and her co-author Shannon Seip also wrote Momnesia, which was released this year. They are blogging at Momnesia the Book. Don't miss her post, "Sorry, facilities guy!"
Five things to do if you're leaking and there's no baby in sight
Do your boobs ever spring a leak at an inconvenient
time? Don’t fret! The next time this happens, just use any of these five
strategies to make the best of an awkward situation.
1. You’re getting wet… so turn it into a dramatic and heartwarming moment by humming the tune to Titanic.
2. Be productive. Discreetly use your breast milk to water the nearest plant.
3. Look for a fire to put out. Preferably a small fire.
4. Make a beeline for the nearest bowl of cereal. It's perfectly good milk, after all.
5. Embrace the beauty of the moment. Strike a pose (preferably on a sloping lawn) in the position of a beautiful fountain with "water" shooting from your nipples.
Pediatrician Mark Sloan had a trial by fire introduction to childbirth. As a 24 year old resident whose only knowledge of birth came from the 20 minutes of reading he had crammed the night before the first day of his obstetrics rotation, he wasn't sure what to do with his first patient, who was well into labor.
"I killed time," he writes, "by rearranging the contents of my pockets, cleaning my stethescope, and, once I overcame my shyness, talking to the woman who was to produce the head I had been ordered to be on the lookout for."
He was so frightened of delivering the baby on his own that when the head did emerge he actually tried to push the baby back in.
Despite this introduction, Dr. Sloan became a pediatrician with a clear respect for childbirth and the instincts of the newborn. This is evident in his new bok, Birth Day: A Pediatrician Explores the Science, the History, and the Wonder of Childbirth.
In Birth Day Dr. Sloan presents a thorough history of childbirth, including several chapters on the history and politics of pain management. He writes about the history of birth attendance, and particular about fathers and birth. And he provides a 'guided tour' of the newborn baby and an explanation of babies' five senses in utero and at birth.
The sections on babies' instincts and the theory that human babies aren't quite ready to be born when they are reminded me of Our Babies, Ourselves (a favorite of mine), but told with a less anthropological and more historical eye.
There is not too much in Birth Day about breastfeeding, but Dr. Sloan does write about babies' instinct, and ability, to "self attach" in the first hours after birth, writing about how babies are drawn to the breast by the smell of secretions from the mother's breast which are similar to amniotic fluid.
Birth Day is written in a very informative and entertaining style. Dr. Sloan presents a lot of information in a way that conveys complexity but still remains accessible. I think you'll enjoy it.
I have five copies of Birth Day to give away. To enter the drawing, leave a comment below by September 24th. Winners will be randomly selected using random.org, and announced in the comments section of this post. U.S. addresses only, please.
Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog? Subscribe here. Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here. Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes? Click here.
Motherwear's new fall line is now up on the website, and there are some great new styles to choose from.
Dara, Motherwear's buyer also told me that there are more items made with a bamboo/cotton/spandex blend, which holds its shape and is less clingy than previous versions of the bamboo fabric.
My favorites are here: the City Girl's Top, in that bamboo/cotton/spandex blend, the Twice as Nice Sweater with an all-around nursing underlayer, and the Timeless Dress.
Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog? Subscribe here. Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here. Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes? Click here.
I'm very pleased to share with you a Spanish lesson today, aimed at helping those of you who work or volunteer in breastfeeding support speak a little "breastfeeding Spanish."
This podcast is the audio portion of the first chapter in my book, Spanish for Breastfeeding Support.
Bear in mind that there is much more to this chapter in the text in the book, including grammar lessons, practice exercises, and diagrams. You won't have these things, but I think that you'll be able to learn some basic vocabulary and phrases that will be useful.
You can use click on the player below to listen to the audio on this site, or use this link to open the audio in Quick Time. You can also download it at Motherwear's iTunes store.
Spanish for Breastfeeding Support Podcast
Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog? Subscribe here. Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here. Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes? Click here.
Expecting an addition to your family? You might want to check out a new children's book, Mommy Breastfeeds my Baby Brother (Istoria House, 2009).
This book teaches young children about breastfeeding by telling the story of Jenna, a little girl whose family welcomes a new baby. Jenna asks questions about breastfeeding, and learns to adapt to the mother's divided attention, especially at feeding times.
The mother in the story wants Jenna to play quietly during feedings. To make nursing times more positive for Jenna is a box of old and new toys, which they call "feeding time toys." This makes the baby's frequent feedings less difficult for Jenna.
This book addresses a topic not covered in any detail in other children's books, and it does so in a positive and empathetic way. A range of feelings is expressed, from curiosity to frustration and jealousy. The illustrations are bright and pleasant.
Two notes for those considering buying the book: 1) The story does not involve tandem nursing (there's an idea for another book!), and 2) the mother in the story is returning to work and using a breastpump - a situation which may or may not apply in your family. This was the only part of the story which I didn't find realistic; the mother begins pumping to return to work only a few days after coming home from the hospital.
Overall, I think that this book is a fun and helpful tool to help an older sibling learn about breastfeeding.
Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog? Subscribe here. Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here. Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes? Click here.
Recent Comments