The Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog

Lactation cookies.

No, this is not about cookies made with breastmilk, though I wouldn't blame you for thinking so after Monday's post.  It's about cookies that contain ingredients which increase milk supply. 

I baked a batch of chocolate chip, oatmeal "lactation cookies" for my breastfeeding support group this week.  The moms at the group thought that they were really good. 

You can find the recipe on Epicurious if you'd like to try it out.  The recommended "dose" is four cookies a day.  Oh, how I wish someone would write me a prescription for cookies.

Before I talk about the ingredients in these cookies, I should say that these cookies would certainly not be among your first options for increasing supply.  For a list of good ways to increase supply, see this page on kellymom.com, or Dr. Jack Newman's handout on milk supply.

So, what are those special ingredients?  Oats, brewer's yeast, and flaxseed meal.

Oatmeal is a frequently recommended food for increasing milk supply, possibly because it contains iron and nursing mothers are often iron deficient.  It's also a good source of fiber, and I'm told that if you ask a dairy farmer what they do to increase milk yield, they say that they increase fiber intake. 

Brewer's yeast has long been recommended to increase milk supply, though there are some doubts that it does the trick.  It does contain lots of B vitamins - another area where nursing mothers may be deficient.  At a minimum it might give you a bit more energy.  When eaten in large amounts it also might give your baby a "yeasty" smelling diaper, and I'm not sure if it's recommended for mothers who are struggling with thrush.  The recipe said 'no substitutions' for this ingredient, but I couldn't find brewer's yeast in time, so used nutritional yeast instead.

Flaxseed oil (this recipe calls for flaxseed meal) is considered by some to be a galactagogue, but I had a hard time finding much on its effects.  It does contain Omega-3 fatty acids, and many nursing mothers are deficient in that area because our stores are used in breastmilk.  Omega 3s from fish oil are considered a promising therapy for preventing and treating postpartum depression (see the podcast I did on this topic), but the Omega 3s in flaxseed oil are a different form and are not viewed as effective for this purpose.

For more on lactogenic foods, check out this great page on the MOBI Motherhood website!

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A look inside Motherwear.

I was over at Motherwear a few months ago for a photo shoot and decided to take some pictures of the office. 

Motherwear's administrative office is located in a renovated mill building in Holyoke, Massachusetts. 

It's one of those buildings with really high ceilings, lots of light, and beautiful weathered and polished wood floors. 

So here are some pictures of the hallway, the main entrance - note our breastfeeding coalition's sticker!

To the left is Dara, Buyer for Motherwear.  She purchases the fabrics and scouts new products.  You may also recognize her from a few pictures in the online catalog.

And of course there are clothes everywhere.  Recently I've been able to give away a bunch of seconds and discontinued items to nursing moms in my area.

Also to the left is a shot of the planning for a catalog.  When it's in this planning phase it looks a little like a storyboard. 

To the right, behind the model, is Jeanne, CEO of Motherwear, working on the shot for this shirt.   

Also to the right is Tobye, Motherwear's Creative Director, checking out images from the photo shoot as they appear on the laptop.

To the left is a bulletin board in the conference room which our breastfeeding coalition was using to plan some projects.  We meet at Motherwear every other month. 

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Enter to win a $25 gift certificate to celebrate Motherwear's 25th anniversary!

* This contest is now closed, and the winner will be notified by email.  The correct answer was 1993.  Thanks for entering, everyone!

This year marks Motherwear's 25th year supporting nursing moms! 

To commemorate this event, I asked Motherwear to dig up copies of old catalog covers, and a few are shown here.  I'll be posting more over the course of the year.

To celebrate this milestone, each month this year I'll be giving away a $25 gift certificate.

This month, I'm asking you to identify the year the first catalog shown (shown top left) was published.    I'll make it a litttle easier by giving you three choices:  1989, 1993, or 1997.

To enter, leave a comment with your guess below.  I'll randomly pick a winner from the correct entries. 

Be sure to leave a "real" email address so I can contact you if you win.  U.S. addresses only, please.  Good luck!

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Alternative uses for your nursing stool.

A while back Angela posted a great list of uses for leftover lanolin creme.

I loved it, and thought I'd do a post on how we use our old nursing stool now that it's out of commission. 

Our nursing stool is a pretty popular item in our house.  It's used as:

- A footrest used while working on the computer.

- A ramp for shooting cars through a poster tube.

- A stool for helping the height-challenged member of our house turn on the lights.

I also recently saw it used as a footrest for a model at a Motherwear photo shoot!

Have another use for your nursing stool?  Send me your pictures or tell me about it in the comments.

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Spring has sprung at Motherwear.

Motherwear's spring collection is now online, and I've posted my favorites here.

You'll find several items with the bold black and white floral pattern that's so popular this year, as well as lots of blue-and-white nautically themed items.  My favorite item is to the lower right - the red embroidered tunic.

I had the chance to meet models Carmen and Jennifer, and their babies Cameron and Zoe back in at the photo shoot in early February.

Motherwear is continuing to offer a number of items made with bamboo and other eco-friendly fabrics.

There are more pictures from photo shoots, and interviews with Motherwear models here.  All Motherwear models are nursing mothers, and many of them have written about their nursing experiences for this blog.

Be sure to order your spring catalog, and sign up to get Motherwear's newsletter.  Signing up for the newsletter automatically enters you into a $100 gift certificate drawing.

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Now, that's a sale.

This may be the best sale I've seen Motherwear have yet.  All of the items shown here range from $9.95 to $17.95. 

Check it out soon - this sale lasts for two more days and things are going fast.

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Book review: Breastfeeding Made Simple - Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers

Ever think about the words of wisdom you take from parenting books you read?  Quick, identify the authors of these:  "Sleep begets sleep."  "The fourth trimester."  "You can't spoil a baby."*  These simple phrases can echo in your head for years.

Breastfeeding Made Simple (New Harbinger Publications, 2007) shares this kind of wisdom in the form of seven "natural laws" to guide mothers in breastfeeding. 

The authors, Kathleen Kendall-Tackett and Nancy Mohrbacher, distill the world of breastfeeding information down to the basics with phrases such as "babies are hardwired to breastfeed" and "more milk out equals more milk made."  This focus on these laws makes this book notably different from other breastfeeding books, and a very effective companion for nursing mothers.

Breastfeeding Made Simple is also distinctive for its anthropological focus on mothers and babies.  I don't know of any other breastfeeding books that focus as much attention on the topic of babies' instincts and the importance of skin-to-skin contact.  And I'm sure I've never read a breastfeeding book which discusses our infant feeding practices in the context of other mammals.  This intellectual tone is not for everyone, but for mothers who are inclined toward, or at least open to exploring, attachment parenting, this book is a treasure trove of fascinating information. 

When I read breastfeeding reference books I look for two things:  accurate information, and organization which allows mothers to find information quickly. 

The information presented in Breastfeeding Made Simple is comprehensive, current, research-based, and even incorporates fascinating new research about "baby led breastfeeding."  The authors also discuss broader topics such as the political factors which "interfere with the laws," and postpartum depression.

While Breastfeeding Made Simple is organized well, it does not have an index.  Since many mothers use reference books to search for answers to problems as they are experiencing, I do feel that this is a significant omission in an otherwise outstanding book.

* Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child (Weisbluth); The Happiest Baby on the Block (Karp); The Attachment Parenting Book (Sears)

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Motherwear's spring catalog photo shoot.

I got to stop by the Motherwear photo shoot for the spring catalog today, which is always fun. 

At the winter Motherwear photo shoot it was nearly in the 90's and today it's snowing for the spring shoot. 

To the left is Carmen, with two month old Cameron.  How many photo shoots take burping breaks (shown below)?

I also got to meet Jennifer and her baby Zoe, who will also appear in the spring catalog.

I included the picture to the left to show you how the pictures get magically transferred from the camera to a laptop.  For some reason this impresses me every time.

This photo shoot was done in the huge former mill building where Motherwear's administrative office is located.  The building has been turned into office space, and it has an aesthetic I love - super high ceilings, old pockmarked wood floors polished to a shine, and brickwork everywhere.

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My winter clearance picks for under $10, and enter to win this baby tunic.

Motherwear's winter clearance sale started yesterday, and there are some really great deals to be had.  They're also offering $6 shipping right now. 

My picks shown here are all under $10, believe it or not.

I've tried on several of these and really like them.  Especially the black roll-top transition skirt to the left and the brown embroidered skirt above.  Very comfortable.  A number of these items would actually be great for spring or summer.

I also picked up an extra one of these cute little gauze tunic tops (shown below) to give away.  The size is 3-6 months - great for your little baby or as a shower gift.  And ridiculously cheap - $2.99!

So, leave me a comment telling me who you'd like to have wear this little tunic by January 26th, 2008, and you're entered.  Please use a 'real' email address so I can contact you if you win.  U.S. addresses only, please.

P.S.  Don't forget to vote, please!

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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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