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The Importance of a Babymoon
Welcome to the February Carnival of Breastfeeding! This month contributors talk about overcoming breastfeeding challenges. Check out the round-up of links at the end of this post, but first, I make the argument that a babymoon is invaluable in helping mothers overcome breastfeeding challenges.
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yohutch/ / CC BY-SA 2.0
Wikipedia defines “babymoon” as “a period of time that parents spend bonding with a recently-born baby.” It goes on to explain that nearly 15 years ago the term babymoon was coined… More »
Breastfeeding and Thrush (Nipple Yeast)
Welcome Carnival of Breastfeeding readers! This month the participants refer you to the “best of the best” on various breastfeeding topics. First, I feature several helpful resources on thrush, also known as an overgrowth of nipple yeast (usually the yeast Candida albicans) or candidiasis. At the end of this post are links to the other collections of resources from carnival participants.
When a woman is experiencing intense pain while breastfeeding, it is important that she consider the possibility of thrush, which… More »
Breastfeeding and Dehydration
Welcome to the December Carnival of Breastfeeding! This month the participants listed at the end of this post share their thoughts on “Taking Care of Yourself during the Holidays.” First I share the recommendations for fluid intake, how and at what point dehydration might affect breastfeeding, and the danger of over-hydrating.
After I moved to California I quickly realized how easy it was to become mildly dehydrated in the hot summer months if I didn’t pay attention to getting enough water… More »
Breastfeeding News for December 1
In addition to the report of yet another breastfeeding discrimination incident that I discussed here, three stories caught my eye today.
1. Tanya at the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog presents some timely news for World AIDS Day. The World Health Organization announced big changes in the breastfeeding recommendation for HIV-positive mothers in developing countries. In general, HIV-positive mothers are advised to feed their babies breast milk substitutes only if it is “acceptable, feasible, affordable, sustainable and safe.” If such feeding is not… More »
Best Breastfeeding Health News of 2009
The news in 2009 highlighted several benefits of breastfeeding for both breastfeeding mothers themselves and their nurslings. Here are some of the top stories:
1. Heart health for breastfeeding mothers. A study of 140,000 post-menopausal women revealed several heart health benefits of breastfeeding. Women who breastfed their babies had lower incidence of diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Women who breastfed for seven months or more were significantly less likely to develop heart disease. Women who breastfed for a cumulative… More »
Slow Down and Nurse or Else!
Recently my body sent me a little warning that I needed to slow down. My husband was out of town last week and that left me on my own (with the three kids) for five days. I shuttled the girls to daily swim lessons, weekly library story time, the children’s museum and a playdate. On top of that I made a concerted effort to keep up with the laundry and other housekeeping chores. By the end of the week, the… More »
Vaccine Information from Dr. Bob Sears
Pediatrician Dr. Bob Sears makes it his business to stay on top of the latest developments and news regarding vaccinations. He is the author of The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child. He spoke on the topic of vaccines at the La Leche League conference I went to last weekend.
La Leche League conferences are great because children are welcome at the lectures. As I chased my 10-month-old around the back of the room (until she finally… More »
Guidance on Swine Flu and Breastfeeding
Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) have issued strong guidance on the importance of breastfeeding for protection against the H1N1 swine flu. The CDC states, “Infants who are not breastfeeding are particularly vulnerable to infection and hospitalization for severe respiratory illness.”
Thus, the CDC urges new mothers to initiate breastfeeding early and to feed frequently. Mothers already breastfeeding should continue to do so, even if they become ill. Formula… More »
Heart Health for Breastfeeding Mothers
Researchers have long known that breastfeeding mothers benefit from less incidence of breast and ovarian cancer and type II diabetes than formula-feeding mothers. A new study shows yet more strong correlation between breastfeeding and lower rates of diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Nearly 140,000 post-menopausal women were studied in the Women’s Health Initiative. According to the Vancouver Sun (via One Small Step for Breastfeeding…), the study revealed breastfeeding’s heart health benefits on three levels:
1. Risk Factors. Women who breastfed their… More »
Free Postpartum Contraception
What’s the free postpartum contraceptive option for women? It’s called the Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM). I have written about the pros and cons of LAM before, so this time I want to highlight a comprehensive article on LAM (PDF) offered for free by USAID Global Health eLearning Center and the ACCESS Family Planning Initiative. The informative four-page brief is designed to help health care professionals offer LAM guidance in their maternal, child, and family health care practices, but it would… More »
Take the Alcohol and Breastfeeding Quiz
Test your knowledge of how alcohol affects breast milk with these 8 questions! The trivia was derived from studies compiled on the LactMed database as of April 2009. For information about drinking and breastfeeding, see this article on alcohol and the controversial Milkscreen test. For current information on drugs and lactation, visit the LactMed database.
Answer these 8 questions and compare how you did with the answers below.
1. Nursing after 1 or 2 drinks (including beer) causes the infant to:
a) increase… More »
Postpartum Thyroiditis
Up to 10% of women experience thyroid problems after giving birth. Postpartum thyroiditis causes fluctuating thyroid hormone levels, first with a period of hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid with excess thyroid hormone) which might then resolve back to normal or dip into a period of hypothyroidism (low thyroid function). Note that this is different from postpartum Graves’ Disease, which is autoimmune hyperthyroidism in which antibodies attack the thyroid and cause it to overproduce thyroid hormone.
Symptoms of Postpartum Thyroiditis
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include… More »
Breastfeeding: Burden or Blessing?
Myth: Breastfeeding chains mothers to a nursing chair for endless hours and smothers them with the weight of a nursing pillow and a needy baby. It’s a burden, a sacrifice made by martyr mothers for the health of their babies (and the health of the mothers, if that is even recognized at all). Reality: Let me tell you what appears to be a well-kept secret. How can I put this? Oh yeah. Breastfeeding is awesome! Sure the health benefits for… More »
Third Child Syndrome
Shortly after my neighbor had her third child, she complained that she kept forgetting things. She couldn’t recall the right word for an object or couldn’t remember the name of the movie she watched the week before.
She actually worried that she was suffering from early onset dementia. Well, now that I’ve had my third child, I can assure her that it’s not early onset dementia, it’s third child syndrome! In the last three days, I have forgotten:
1) the name of… More »
Free Online Breastfeeding Video for Increasing Breast Milk Supply
Remember when I interviewed Dr. Jane Morton about breastfeeding education for medical professionals? Remember when I mentioned her free online video on hand expression of breast milk? Well today I learned from About.com Breastfeeding that Dr. Morton has another fascinating free video online, this time about increasing breast milk supply when it is necessary to pump for a baby in the NICU or any baby not nursing well at the breast. It is called “Maximizing Milk Production” and in 9… More »
Breastfeeding Definition: Sheehan’s Syndrome
From The Breastfeeding Answer Book:
Caused by postpartum hemorrhage so severe that the blood loss irreversibly damages the pituitary gland, Sheehan’s syndrome can cause breastfeeding failure. Other symptoms include loss of pubic and underarm hair, inability to tolerate cold, low blood pressure, and atrophy of vaginal tissue, as well as subsequent infertility.
p. 569. For more see:
~ Birthsource.com
~ “Infant Insufficient Milk Syndrome Associated with Maternal Postpartum Hemorrhage” (abstract) from the Journal of Human Lactation
… More »
Ten Advantages of a Home Birth
Please do not take this list of advantages of a home birth to mean that I think every woman ought to give birth at home. Each woman should choose as she pleases and as is appropriate for her situation, and I know there are advantages to a birth center birth or a hospital birth (room service comes to mind!) These are just some advantages of a home birth that I appreciated.
1. Never having to get in the car during labor… More »
Breastfeeding Definition: Vasospasm
Vasospasm is a constricting of the blood vessels in the nipple. Due to poor latch and compression of the nipple by the baby, vasospasm causes the nipple to turn white (and possibly then blue and then red) and results in throbbing, stabbing or burning pain. Vasospasm is also associated with Raynaud’s phenomenon (a sudden narrowing of the arteries). For resources on vasospasm, see:
~ “Nipple blanching and vasospasm” by Kellymom.com
~ “Seeking Relief,” NEW BEGINNINGS
~ “Brrrr…ouch! It’s the season for Raynaud’s” at… More »
The Breast Milk Came in with the Tears
As I sobbed at the end of a movie the other day, two things occurred to me: (1) The Other Boleyn Girl is probably not the best choice for postpartum (or pregnant) viewing, and (2) I must be experiencing the change in hormones that accompanies the transitional milk coming in. Sure enough, with the very next nursing session, I felt a sensation of letdown and watched my baby suck and swallow vigorously as she received more milk that she had… More »
Leaking Breast Milk after Surgery for Breast Abscess or Lumpectomy
Recently a reader posted a comment seeking help on the question of leaking breast milk after a lumpectomy. This mother was nursing her one-month-old at the time of the surgery, and had had the incision glued and stitched several times in the month since, but breast milk continued to leak through the stitches. The delay in healing was compounding the stress of the lumpectomy. One doctor recommended weaning through the use of cabbage leaves and binding the breast tightly (please… More »
