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Breastfeeding in the Summertime!

Posted by Marcia on June 28th, 2012

With the summer months upon us, there is always a question whether or not your baby should be receiving liquids other than breast milk. In the past, medical professionals and family well wishers have insisted on babies being given additional fluid in the form of water or juice in the summer months. If you are breastfeeding, additional fluids are not necessary.   Breast milk is 90% water; the other 10% is protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, hormones, enzymes, growth factors and protective ingredients. Healthy infants and preterm infants who are fed on demand and do not have their feeding timed will receive enough hydration to keep them well hydrated in the hot summer months. Additional water will just fill the baby up with fluid that has no nutritional value. Juice, even 100% fruit juice, will provide added sugar and calories that is not needed for energy or growth of babies and children.

However, mothers should keep themselves well hydrated with water in the heat of the summer months. Breast milk is made from your blood and if you are not well hydrated in the heat, you can compromise your milk supply. So remember to drink to thirst, and water is always best. If water does not appeal to you, perhaps a mixture of water and 100% fruit juice will help keep you hydrated. If you should experience a drop in your milk supply, The Shop at Full Circle has lactation aids that can help boost your milk supply.

So in the heat of the day, stay indoors and relax. Enjoy the sunshine in the early morning and take an evening walk with the baby to get some fresh air.

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Extended Breastfeeding and the Controversy

Posted by Regina on May 23rd, 2012

The Time magazine cover has caused such a controversy and is still causing people to only talk about the picture. I reserved my comment because I wanted to read the article on “Attachment Parenting” before I just commented on the picture on the front cover. Dr. Sears has always been a favorite of mine, even when I was raising my children. The article that is inside the now infamous front cover was very endearing to me.  Dr. Sears was one of the pioneers in helping people choose their parenting style. He helped women learn how to rely on  their instincts and listen to their hearts. It can be very difficult to separate yourself emotionally from your children.  When society is pulling a mother in a different direction that does not feel natural to her, she is often criticized and then begins to second guess her decisions.  Dr. Sears has taught me how to listen to my instincts. I also know that there are many women out there who were  validated by reading and practicing what Dr. Sears was writing about. I think by placing this in an arena where public opinion judges women by how they care for their children is demeaning to our motherhood.

Extended Breastfeeding has nothing to do with being "Mom Enough".

 

Women have the right to choose how to care and feed their children. As long as the child is not being harmed in any way, public opinion should not be encouraged. Professionally and personally,  I have seen mothers struggle for years on “the right and wrong way” to raise a child. Is there such a thing as a perfect parent?  If so, what is the criteria for being a perfect parent?    Attachment Parenting is not a fad.  It has been advocated by other famous child development experts, like Dr. Nina Lief.   Dr. Leif has written “on the baby’s part, attachment is a feeling that develops over time, with the gradual maturing of the baby’s central nervous system and the growing understanding that there is a reliable person always ready to try to respond to her needs.” That is all we are talking about here. And just like anything else,  there are different degrees of parenting.  People have to choose what is right for themselves, and for the rest of us to stand in judgement is wrong.

As for the picture on the cover of Time magazine,  I feel it is a way of sensationalized a type of parenting and relates little to  the article about a kind and gentle pediatrician who brought attachment parenting to the forefront of a new generation.  This cover has caused an outpouring of opinion here in the United States.  In Europe, there was a different cover put on the magazine because there wouldn’t be such a controversy.  In Europe, it is not uncommon to see a three or four-year old child nursing in public.  I think we need to encourage people to meet their parenting goals and if it is not the path we have chosen, then step aside and let the next person explore a new dimension.

 

 

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Nurse In at ABC’s The View

Posted by Marcia on May 14th, 2012

This is a major response to the article I wrote on Facebook about “The View” and how their view was blocked by ignorance.

Come and show the women at ABC’s The View that their anti-breastfeeding remarks have NOT gone unnoticed and that we, as a community, do not support this kind of ignorance being broadcasted nationally.

Please click here and see how you can participate in the “Nurse in at The View” on Tuesday May 22. You do not have to travel to do this, but please show your support!

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Nursing in Public, Friend or Foe?

Posted by Regina on May 2nd, 2012

Nursing in public has been, and most likely will always be, a subject that will be debated. I think we have to ask ourselves that if we mock, criticize and complain about women nursing in public, this will undermine women everywhere. It has always been a belief of mine that people should be able to express themselves in a way that makes them morally accountable and socially conscious individuals. So is breastfeeding in public hurting any one? Is it morally irresponsible for a woman to want to feed her child the way she chooses?

Yes, I am an IBCLC (Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant) which is the only credential that should be sought after by breastfeeding mother in a time of crisis, and I have seen firsthand how women feel after they have been asked to leave a public place because they were breastfeeding their baby. It is demoralizing, embarrassing, and socially irresponsible when one person is outcast just because she is feeding her baby. Is this kind of behavior any different from people who bully others because they are different? I think not, a breastfeeding mother has the right to feed her baby in public in most states. New York is one of the states that it is legal for a breastfeeding mother to feed her child any where “she has the right to be”.

Several years ago I answered a call from a mother who was breastfeeding her infant in a major grocery store while she was shopping. This mother had 5 children with one child that was disabled and her time at the grocery store was very limited. Her infant was hungry so while shopping, she placed the infant in a sling and fed her. The grocery store security guard reacted to a complaint by another patron and this mom was placed in handcuffs and lead out of the store. The older child’s medical condition had taken a toll on the family and  the extended family had to help the breastfeeding family with all their legal fees. In the end the judge in the case threw it out of the court room because it was against the law to prosecute a breastfeeding mother.

So I ask you, what is wrong with a mother who wants or needs to breastfeed her child in public? Is breastfeeding a moral issue? Why can’t women support other women in their decisions on how to raise children and how to feed them? Women need to stop being selective in how they support one another and we need to come together to protect the rights of our children and each other. I look forward to reading your comments.

 

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American Academy of Pediatrics and Breastfeeding

Posted by Regina on April 11th, 2012

As an IBCLC (Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant), I am always asked this question: ” How long should I breastfeed for?” And typically I say,” The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends breastfeeding for 6 months to 1 year as long as it is mutually desired by both mother and child.” For some people the recommendation seems too long, and for others it’s not long enough.

Just recently the AAP updated their recommendations with an interesting twist. They echoed previous statements by saying “The American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirms its recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for about 6 months, followed by continued breastfeeding as complementary foods are introduced, with continuation of breastfeeding for 1 year or longer as mutually desired by mother and infant”. However, they now assert that “infant nutrition should be a public health issue, not only a lifestyle choice”. This is a ground breaking statement. The AAP represents 60,000 pediatricians who have always advocated for breastfeeding but are now placing its importance in the realm of public health. The new statement reminds us that breastfeeding benefits the community as well as the mother and baby, and it encourages us to further our efforts to support breastfeeding.

The other important recommendation in the new statement is that breastfed infants should be weighed using the World Health Organization’s growth charts specific for breastfed babies. In the first few months, the weights of breastfed and formula fed babies are similar. Across many cultures, formula fed infants begin to weigh more than breastfed infants at around 3 to 4 months old. The weight difference becomes more marked in 6 to 20 month olds when formula fed babies and babies fed both breast milk and formula weigh more than exclusively breastfed infants.

These recommendations are based on many studies proving that breastfeeding has a strong positive impact on infant health. Some of the healthy outcomes cited are reduced ear infections, gastrointestinal problems, obesity and lower respiratory tract infections. IBCLCs(Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultants) are on the fore front of implementing these recommendations by assisting mothers and babies who may have difficulty with breastfeeding. Indeed, the role of the IBCLC has long been considered the “gold standard” in breastfeeding care around the world.

 

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Breastfeeding Class for Doulas, Doula Candidates and other Medical Professionals

Posted by Regina on September 19th, 2011

Breastfeeding at Full Circle would like to announce a breastfeeding class for Doulas, Doula candidates and other professionals.

Where: Breastfeeding at Full Circle 1241 Mamaroneck Ave White Plains

When: October 1, 2011

Time: 11:00 AM to 2:15PM

Cost: $65.00

RSVP: 914-421-1500 or register online here.

This class will be 3 hours long which will meet the educational requirements of DONA. Educational credits have been requested from Dona, we are awaiting approval. This class has also been approved by IBCLE (International Board of Lactation Examiners).

Some of the information covered:

Anatomy and Physiology
Pharmacology
Breastfeeding Basics
Ethics
Counseling the Nursing Couple
Baby’s growth

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Frozen Breastmilk and a power outage.

Posted by Regina on August 27th, 2011

This research was done by Breastfeeding Arts. It is very informative and will help women answer questions about defrosted breastmilk.

Lots of conversation going on about re-freezing thawed breastmilk with Irene bearing down on the East Coast this weekend … and thought I’d share some of the information discussed in my lactation circles online.

Colleagues have discussed protocols …  where if 50% or more remains frozen the milk can be refrozen. If more than 50% is thawed then you have the 24 hour rule.  If the frozen ice crystals are still present in the milk, it can be refrozen, even if partially thawed …. things to keep in mind.

And then there’s this study & further links below  …

(grateful for my IBCLC yahoo groups and colleagues for all this, thanks!)

Breastfeeding Medicine

Effect of Environmental conditions on Unpasteurized Donor Human Milk

To cite this article:

David J. Rechtman, Martin L. Lee and H. Berg. Breastfeeding Medicine. Spring 2006, 1(1): 24-26. doi:10.1089/bfm.2006.1.24.

The milk studied was donor milk expressed by mothers who took no special sanitary precautions. The milk was first stored at -20°C (-4°F) for two months and then at -80°C (-110°F) until its use in the experiment. Then the milk was thawed overnight to 4°C (39° F), separated into different sample batches, and refrozen to -80°C (-110°F).

The second phase of the experiment began by thawing these sample batches of milk to a room temperature of 23°C (73°F). Then each batch was exposed to one of the following conditions:

* 8°C (46°F) for 8 hours

* 8°C (46°F) for 24 hours * 23°C

(73°F) for 4 hours

* 23°C

(73°F) for 8 hours

* Multiple freeze-thaw cycles of varying lengths

* A steady -20°C (-4°F), considered the control

The Results

None of the milk developed unacceptable bacterial counts, the main concern about refreezing milk. In fact, they did not even come close.

There were some changes in vitamin content. Vitamin A levels stayed stable, but vitamin C levels decreased to about one-half when kept at room temperature for 8 hours and by one-fourth when refrigerated for 24 hours. However, the authors note that the reduced vitamin levels are considered adequate for full-term babies and older infants by the National Academy of Medicine.

Differences in fatty acids levels in the milk were considered clinically insignificant and unrelated to repeated freezing and thawing.

The authors write:  “Based on these data, it appears that unpasteurized milk that has been thawed in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours may be safely refrozen….

This should allow for… the salvage of milk that mothers might otherwise have been told to discard.”

This study further confirms the robustness of human milk. If its results are replicated, it will also give clinicians another tool to help mothers meet their breastfeeding goals. Then, if due to a power outage or something else, a mother finds herself with a larger amount of thawed milk than her baby can take in 24 hours, she will have the option of refreezing her thawed milk rather than discarding it.

For mothers who express their milk, this information may help them use more and discard less, resulting in better health outcomes for their babies.

D.J. Rechtman, M.L. Lee and H. Berg, Effect of environmental conditions on unpasteurized donor human milk. Breastfeed Med 2006: 1(1):24-26.

Article available here.

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Breastfeeding and What You Eat

Posted by Regina on August 17th, 2011

Did you ever wonder if the flavor of what you eat affects your baby?  Most women ask me questions about what they can or cannot eat while breastfeeding.  Some moms have  discontinued eating broccoli, cabbage and beans for fear the baby will have gas.  The reality is that there aren’t many limitations and, in fact, exposing your baby to more foods while in the womb can help to shape food preferences later in life. You can go back to eating soft cheeses, sushi, deli meats and vegetables.  The old wives tale that says vegetables are the cause of gas and discomfort is just that, an old wives tale.  If your baby does have gas, it is usually because of dairy, soy or nuts and, in serious cases, an elimination diet should be tried.

Julie Mennella, who studies taste in infants at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, found that there isn’t a single flavor that does not show up in amniotic fluid or breast milk.  ”Things like vanilla, carrot, garlic, anise, mint — these are some of the flavors that have been shown to be transmitted to amniotic fluid or mother’s milk,” says Julie.  Her work has been published in the journal Pediatrics.  This makes a lot of evolutionary sense.  Even before they are born, we expose our children to the foods that introduces them to their culture and family traditions.   To read the article please click here.

What cultural foods does your family introduce to mom to benefit her baby?

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World Breastfeeding Week August 1 to 7, 2011

Posted by Regina on August 4th, 2011

World Breastfeeding Week is being celebrated this week in 120 countries around the world with the goal to boost the health of infants worldwide and encourage mothers to breastfeed. There have been many articles written on the benefits of breastfeeding, especially in the infancy stage. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends nursing for at least the first year of life. But the truth is, that as a nation, we have fallen short of breastfeeding our own children for any extended period of time.

According to the CDC Breastfeeding Report Card for 2010, 75% of mothers initiated breastfeeding, 43% of mothers were still breastfeeding at 6 months but only 22% were still breastfeeding by 1 year. The question here is why so few continue to a year or more? There are several reasons that have been postulated as to why women do not breastfeed past 6 months. Lactation experts say marketing pressures by infant formula companies, lack of social support and, as moms go back to work, workplaces that don’t encourage the behavior, make it difficult for mothers to go beyond 6 months. Some experts feel it is because moms do not have access to qualified IBCLCs (Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultants) in their area, while others feel that women are not supported in the hospitals.

In working with mothers for 13 years as an IBCLC and also working with young families as a social worker before that, I see women as torn. Most want to start off breastfeeding but then there may be challenges. I’ve found that most of the time mom is discouraged by family or friends to continue breastfeeding. The reasons for their opinion range from purely personal, they may feel that breastfeeding limits their own bonding with the baby, to embarrassment, helplessness, or to not understanding all the benefits of breastfeeding or the value of a IBCLC and how she can help the mother.

Whatever decisions women make regarding breastfeeding beyond 6 months, there should be support at home, in the work place and in the community to help mom reach her goal. Education on the benefits of breastfeeding for both mom and baby should be the focus. Mom’s concerns need to be listened to and assistance should be found for her. Here, at Breastfeeding at Full Circle, we strive to help mothers reach their breastfeeding goals with our Breastfeeding 101 Class, the weekly mother support group and our Going Back to Work and Breastfeeding Class. We want mothers to succeed and enjoy this time with their baby.

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Do you know how to hand express your milk?

Posted by Regina on July 31st, 2011

An article in the New York Times reported, today, that women who learn how to hand express their milk will most likely breastfeed longer. The study was conducted in San Francisco and there were 36 mothers used for the study. This was a small study, but it does give one something to think about.

Hand expression of breast milk is a skill that has become lost through the ages. With all the fancy machines that are out there that you can use to pump, no one bothers to hand express anymore. By using the hand expression motion on your breast, you will learn what your breasts feel like at different times of day and whether there are any plugged ducts that need to be relieved. Hand expression is also good for when you need to relieve pressure in your breasts and you don’t have your pump with you. Some mothers use hand expression while still in the hospital and their baby may be in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Sometimes a pump can just be too bothersome to extract a few drops of colostrum.

When women are more in tune with their bodies, they are able to “feel” where their milk ducts are located. To locate your ducts, place your finger on your nipple and then press about 1 inch back toward your chest wall. You can feel your ducts in a circular pattern about where your areola stops. By knowing where your milk ducts are, you will be able to assess if you baby is latched on to your breast correctly.

To learn how to hand express, you can watch this video from Stanford School Of Medicine http://newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/HandExpression.html. Please remember to call Breastfeeding at Full Circle with any questions, 914-421-1538. Our lactation consultants are available to assist you in all aspects of breastfeeding.

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