Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Top Ten Reasons for Breastfeeing

There are a lot of good reasons to breastfeed. Here is my top ten list of reasons why I love breastfeeding:
1.       Breastfeeding boosts a baby’s immune system with antibodies, from the mother, that will help fight illness.  Bottom line, breastfed babies will get sick less often, and when they do get sick, it will usually be for a shorter duration. This happens for as long as a child is breastfed. Less ear infections. Less stomach illnesses. Less hospitalizations for illnesses.
2.       When baby is sick, I know she’s getting the best source of hydration, nutrition, and ‘medicine’. When I have had sick babies at home, pretty much all they want to do is nurse and sleep. They can do both simultaneously, and this ensures they are well hydrated. They get my antibodies, which helps fight off the illness quicker. It helps comfort into sleep, which is what they need to get better. Breastmilk is digested quickly, so I know that some nutrients are getting ‘in’ even when diarrhea and vomiting are happening.
3.       Moms who breastfeed have a lower risk of breast and ovarian cancer. I have breast cancer in my family history. Both of my grandmothers died of the disease. I am so happy that breastfeeding my girls has helped lower my risk of getting this disease. The longer a mother nurses, the greater the preventative benefit to her.
4.       Babies who are breastfed are at lower risk of becoming obese or developing diabetes. I come from an overweight family. I have diabetes in my family history. Thankfully, both girls have been very ‘normal’ in their growth and development. And I know it helps them lower their risk of obesity down the road. Babies who nurse naturally follow their hunger cues better. They eat slower, allowing their bellies to tell them when they’re full. This, in turn, develops a lifelong habit of eating to fullness, not just ‘finishing a plate’.
5.       Breastfeeding provides lots of skin to skin contact between mom and baby, which helps bonding between mom and baby happen. It is a very natural way to become close to your baby.
6.       Breastfeeding is cheap. Outside of a few supplies that will be helpful along the way, like maybe a few nursing bras and/or a breast pump, you can breastfeed your baby without any other costs. Formula is expensive. And the way food programs are designed, particularly the WIC program, more real food (fresh fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, milk, cheese, and canned meat) is provided for breastfeeding moms and breastfed babies.
7.       Breastfeeding travels easy. You don’t have to pack bottles & formula. It’s all right there with you. Throw a diaper and some wipes in a small bag and you can go out with your baby for a long time. Bottle feeding requires lugging around much more stuff.
8.       Breastfed babies reportedly have higher IQ (intelligence) than formula fed babies. I know I could have used a few extra IQ points in school. I’m glad to be giving my girls the best boost I can in this area.
9.       You and baby can sleep while you’re nursing, especially in the early days after delivery. Baby will eat and sleep a lot in the first weeks of life. If you can be home with your baby during that time, it provides an excellent opportunity to rest and regain strength. Provided you can have some help from family & friends with other household tasks and sibling care, you can lay down and sleep with baby while s/he is nursing.  It feels wonderful to rest with baby. (But do look up safe ways to sleep with baby *here*.)
10.   Breast milk changes as the baby grows to help meet his/her nutritional needs. Even as baby transitions to solid food and cow’s milk, the smaller amount of breast milk contains higher concentrations of antibodies to prevent disease. The fat and nutrient content change as baby ages. No need to research different types of formula and read fine print, just nurse, it’s all in there!
Other Reputable Resources:

Spangler, Amy.  (2006). A Parent’s Guide to Breastfeeding.  Cincinnati, Ohio: Specialty Lithographing Co.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

This book is an awesome resource. I had been introduced to it in my meetings at La Leche League as sort of, "The Bible of Breastfeeding." I would highly recommend it for new moms and nursing moms alike. New moms, you could probably borrow it from a library as well, but if you like it, do yourself a favor and buy a copy:



Buy it from La Leche League:
http://store.llli.org/public/profile/414

or find it at your favorite book vendor!!

No Guilt Trips

Since this is a new blogsite, I just wanted to make something clear from the get go... this is not a place for guilt trips. I think all moms do the best they can to provide and care for their kids. I happen to love breastfeeding, but know that for a variety of reasons, it doesn't always work. I do not wish to make any mother feel badly or inferior for their experiences. I only wish to educate and make breastfeeding easier and more of an attainable goal for as many people as possible. I will share information here that has to do with all around baby and mom care too, so it isn't all about breastfeeding. That said, breastfeeding will be a key focus, as I am employed as Peer Breastfeeing Counselor in Door County, WI. I will share this site with moms I serve. Please feel free to join in the conversation.

Monday, February 14, 2011

The book "Best Milk" by Kate Carothers, Illustrated by Jessica Scheberl

Click on the link below to learn about a great new book about breastfeeding. Geard toward children, this book will help all members of the family  get acquainted with the changes that come when welcoming a new nursing baby into the family.
http://www.bestmilkbook.com/About_Us.html




Best Milk  by Kate Carothers, Illustrated by Jessica Scheberl

Slings

The other thing that is great for moms, especially nursing ones, but really any, would be a good sling. Now, Target sells some, but I'd recommend some other brands that I trust more. Target sold the Infantino sling that was recently recalled for safety issues (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10177.html)   I've had lots of experience with "Over the Shoulder Baby Holders." This is a padded ring-style sling. These were sold at the hospital where I delivered both girls. Of all the varieties of slings I've used, they've been the most useful and versatile.   The Over the Shoulder Baby Holder is no longer manufactured, but I found some comparable ones below.

 There are lots of good brands of babt slings. Any good baby boutique will have some good varieties. "Maya wrap" is a well known, trustworthy name. On Amazon, I see, "Light on the Shoulder" which looks very comparable to what I have (over the shoulder baby holder, now discontinued). The key thing I'd recommend is that it be a ring style wrap. Padded or unpadded. I've tended to use padded, but I've seen lots of women use and enjoy unpadded ones. These are the safest and most versatile. Here are a few links that might help:

http://www.amazon.com/Lite-on-Shoulder-lime-Baby-Sling/dp/B000MOKPTK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296233419&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Original-Maya-Wrap-Padded--Black/dp/B000JT0VTC/ref=sr_1_5?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1296233650&sr=1-5

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dbaby-products&field-keywords=maya+wrap#/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dbaby-products&field-keywords=ring+sling&rh=n%3A165796011%2Ck%3Aring+sling

I would not recommend any slings that look loose or pouchy. Here is an example: http://www.target.com/Karma-Baby-Organic-Cotton-Twill/dp/B001TEGPGO/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&searchView=grid5&keywords=baby+sling&fromGsearch=true&sr=1-11&qid=1296233879&rh&searchRank=target104545&id=Karma+Baby+Organic+Cotton+Twill&node=1038576%7C1287991011&searchSize=30&searchPage=1&searchNodeID=1038576%7C1287991011&searchBinNameList=subjectbin%2Cprice%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Ctarget_com_size-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin&frombrowse=0

They need to be adjustable to hold baby high up on the body, with head out, mostly. Not safe to be buried deep or loose in a low fitting sack.

Any ring sling would be a good buy. I'd stay away from some of the new fangled ones.

Moby Wraps, as I said, are nice early on. I used it a bunch with my second in the first couple of months.  The baby stays in very securely.  These are particularly nice when they're light and little & sleep a lot. You can really move around (or sit) easily with them snuggled in well. Here is a link from amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Moby-Wrap-Original-Carrier-Chocolate/dp/B000X4WORU/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1296234084&sr=1-1

But for ease of use, length of use, and the money spent, I do think the ring carriers are a better buy. Just my opinion though. Moby wraps are very 'popular' right now.

Gift ideas for new moms

Slings & Supplies for New Moms:
I’ve been asked a few times about gifts for new moms who plan to breastfeed as well as what sling I would recommend.

Gift Ideas for New Moms

The most valuable gift that you could get from a place like Target would be a Boppy, Boppy cover, some lanolin (put out by Medela or Lansinoh). Lanolin is a great cream for nipples, but doubles as a great lip balm too. My husband loved it! The Boppy is a special pillow that fits around the body to help support the baby while nursing. Other things can be used, but it's really helpful & the Boppy Brand has a good design. I have three in my home I still use. They can be used to support baby while sitting. So, they are valuable even outside of nursing. When baby is new, these are super helpful. I kept one in my car and one in our bedroom and one in baby's room. Oh, and I'd highly recommend bringing it to the hospital (tell the new mom that). For my first birth, I did not have a Boppy on hand, and in hindsight, wish I had.

The other thing that is great for moms, especially nursing ones, but really any, would be a good sling. Now, Target sells some, but I'd recommend some other brands that I trust more. Target sold the Infantino sling that was recently recalled for safety issues (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10177.html)   I've had lots of experience with "Over the Shoulder Baby Holders." This is a padded ring-style sling. These were sold at the hospital where I delivered both girls. Of all the varieties of slings I've used, they've been the most useful and versatile.   The Over the Shoulder Baby Holder is no longer manufactured, but I found some comparable ones below (see “More on Slings”).

Other breastfeeding supplies would be milk storage bags put out by  Medela or Lansinoh. Disposable breast pads, I preferred Johnson & Johnson. Please advise any new mom to bring some breast pads to the hospital.  A couple of days after birth, when the milk comes in, a new mother usually wake up with a soaked bra, shirt, and sheets.


More on slings.

 "Over the Shoulder Baby Holder" has been discontinued by the manufacturer, which is why it's so hard to find on Amazon. There are lots of good brands. Maya wrap is another well known, trustworthy name. On Amazon, I see, "Light on the Shoulder" which looks very comparable to what I have. The key thing I'd recommend is that it be a ring style wrap. Padded or unpadded. I've tended to use padded, but I've seen lots of women use and enjoy unpadded ones. These are the safest and most versatile. Here are a few links that might help:

http://www.amazon.com/Lite-on-Shoulder-lime-Baby-Sling/dp/B000MOKPTK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296233419&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Original-Maya-Wrap-Padded--Black/dp/B000JT0VTC/ref=sr_1_5?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1296233650&sr=1-5

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dbaby-products&field-keywords=maya+wrap#/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dbaby-products&field-keywords=ring+sling&rh=n%3A165796011%2Ck%3Aring+sling

I would not recommend any slings that look loose or pouchy. Here is an example: http://www.target.com/Karma-Baby-Organic-Cotton-Twill/dp/B001TEGPGO/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&searchView=grid5&keywords=baby+sling&fromGsearch=true&sr=1-11&qid=1296233879&rh&searchRank=target104545&id=Karma+Baby+Organic+Cotton+Twill&node=1038576%7C1287991011&searchSize=30&searchPage=1&searchNodeID=1038576%7C1287991011&searchBinNameList=subjectbin%2Cprice%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Ctarget_com_size-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin&frombrowse=0

They need to be adjustable to hold baby high up on the body, with head out, mostly. Not safe to be buried deep or loose in a low fitting sack.

Any ring sling would be a good buy. I'd stay away from some of the new fangled ones.

Moby Wraps, as I said, are nice early on. I used it a bunch with my second in the first couple of months.  The baby stays in very securely.  These are particularly nice when they're light and little & sleep a lot. You can really move around (or sit) easily with them snuggled in well. Here is a link from amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Moby-Wrap-Original-Carrier-Chocolate/dp/B000X4WORU/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1296234084&sr=1-1

But for ease of use, length of use, and the money spent, I do think the ring carriers are a better buy. Just my opinion though. Moby wraps are very 'popular' right now.

Welcome

This blog will be dedicated to providing help and support to mothers with regard to breastfeeding and baby care. My name is Teri. I am a Peer Breastfeeding Counselor, working in Door County, WI.