Unfortunately many international aid organizations have given emergency and long-term aid that has undermined breastfeeding in the countries they are helping. In both the short and long-term this hurts babies and mothers. If you’d like to be able to make an international donation that supports breastfeeding, Mercy Corps has the option of a specific breastfeeding-support…
Author: AdriaC
Fighting Poverty
A lot of people think about poverty and giving during the holiday season. UNICEF executive director James P. Grant said this: “Breastfeeding is a natural ‘Safety Net’ against the worst effects of poverty. If a child survives first month of life (the most dangerous period of childhood) then for the next four months or so,…
National Prematurity Awareness Month
The United States Breastfeeding Committee just put out a press release for National Prematurity Awareness Month. Here are excerpts: Washington, DC–When a baby is born premature, helping the baby survive is usually the first priority for new parents. The benefits of breastfeeding, including protection from many diseases, are especially critical for premature infants. As the…
Too much help
Lipases are a helpful, natural part of breastmilk — they help babies digest the fats in their mothers’ milk (see my last post). When babies are drinking milk at the breast this is always a good thing. Sometimes, though, when mothers are pumping milk for their babies to drink later, lipases can be too much…
Food and more
You know how at some grocery stores you can buy salad at the salad bar and then they give you that little plastic bag with a disposable fork and napkin? They give you the food and then some tools for eating it. Well it turns out that mother’s milk sort of does the same thing….
“Making More Milk”
I have been looking forward to this book’s publication ever since I heard a conference talk by one of the authors, Lisa Marasco. This book, Making More Milk, by Lisa Marasco and Diana West is finally available for pre-orders. I’ve got my copy ordered (and I keep checking my mail hoping it’s here) — I…
Where do you get your information?
Older mothers and most lactation consultants may be getting their information differently than most new mothers. According to an article by Jacqui Cheng: Moms that come from Generation Y use the Internet differently than those from Generation X, according to new survey results from Bonnier Corp. While they both go online to accomplish tasks related…
Fun with Food
In our culture when we think of baby’s first food we often think of giving baby rice cereal on a spoon. Gil Rapley is an author advocating a different approach: waiting until baby is old enough (about 6 months) and letting baby feed himself. Her guidelines also talk about safety and special circumstances (like a…
LLLI’s take on the new AAP vitamin D recommendations
This is from the La Leche League International press release last week: (October 16, 2008) Schaumburg, IL – La Leche League International encourages all mothers to recognize the importance of vitamin D to the health of their children. Recent research shows that due to current lifestyles, breastfeeding mothers may not have enough vitamin D in…
Instinctive breastfeeding position?
Take a look at these girls “breastfeeding” their dolls. They’re both holding their dolls in the way mothers hold their babies when babies self-attach (as described by Dr. Tina Smillie) — or in the “Biological Nurturing” position described by Suzanne Colson. Maybe we should be learning something from watching these girls that (almost certainly) have…
Madison Breastfeeding Help 