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Sweet Pea ​Births
Sweet Pea ​Births
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...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
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How to Reduce Breastfeeding Inequality
| Posted on August 28, 2018 at 12:13 PM |
comments (11430)
|
I'd like to introduce our readers to Neve Spicer, writer and founder of We The Parents. She is sharing some very important information about breastfeeding disparity. I thought it especially important to share this information during Black Breastfeeding Week, in the hopes that a change-maker sees today's post and can help take action on the steps that Neve outlined in THIS post. You can scroll to the end of today's post to see those steps, although I encourage you to click on the link and read the whole article. I'm Neve, a proud mother of two, breastfeeding advocate, and part-time blogger over at WeTheParents. I'm really happy to be contributing to Sweet Pea Births during this year's Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Now, when I say that I'm a breastfeeding advocate... I'm a pretty easy going one and not so much a die-hard lactivist. I breast fed both of my children and my experiences couldn't have been more different. My first experience was a nightmare; I don't think I did things right, and without a good support network I ended up with a very low milk supply. My daughter pretty much screamed constantly until I began to wean her early at 4-months. With my second, on the other hand, the experience was completely different. I was scared that I’d have the same problem, but actually things worked out beautifully and I breastfed until 18 months. My breastfeeding experiences led me to want to support women and to let them know that, firstly, breastfeeding doesn’t always go according to plan, but also, secondly, it’s important to realize that our self-defeating beliefs, such as “I can’t produce enough milk” can also be wrong. I also realized that breastfeeding success depends so much on the knowledge and support we receive throughout our breastfeeding journey from pregnancy to weaning. Now: I’m a bit of a research geek and while digging into some scientific journals on breastfeeding, I was shocked to learn just how drastically socio-economic forces affect breastfeeding rates. Did you know that only 38% of mothers living below the poverty threshold (in the US) breastfeed at 6-months, while 68% of mothers in top-earning families do. That’s a huge difference, and it’s just the tip of the iceberg. I learned that that in academic and social policy circles people have known about these breastfeeding disparities for a long time. But why, then, was I not reading about it on the popular blogs I followed? Too many heated words and firey tweets are being wasted on the breast vs bottle 'mommy war'. The big problem, however, is not whether a well-educated and well-off mother chooses to breastfeed. The real issue is breastfeeding inequality; too many mothers are NOT getting equal opportunity to breastfeed, even when they want to. After discovering all of this, I wanted to shout about it. It’s time the blogosphere reframed the debate. I think we can all agree that if a mother, from any walk of life, wants to breastfeed, then she should be given the best chance possible. I passionately believe that mothers should unite behind this common goal. Neve  FROM WeTheParents: Too few mothers follow the AAP’s optimal breastfeeding recommendations. Were this a result of well-educated, well-informed, and well-off women choosing alternative nutrition options, that would be one thing. Unfortunately, the truth is that many babies are formula fed because their mothers are not sufficiently aware of the health risks or they simply don’t have practical support (at work or home) to make it work.This is unfair and impacts on the health of thousands of US mothers and babies each year. It has been estimated that annual excess deaths attributable to suboptimal breastfeeding total 3,340, 78% (2605) maternal and 22% (735) infant. (Source)But how can we reduce the breastfeeding inequality?While there is no easy fix, there are several strategies that have been highlighted and could use public awareness and support. These are:
Thank you, Neve, for taking the time to research this topic and outlining specific action steps we can take to support our breastfeeding sisters. The material included on this site is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. Bradley Method® natural childbirth classes offered in Arizona: Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale |
In Their Own Words: Erica ~ Part 2
| Posted on August 31, 2017 at 9:53 PM |
comments (1765)
|
For Part I of Erica and Scarlett's breastfeeding journey, click HERE PART II: Making Breastfeeding Work at Work, and Beyond  I
went back to work when Scarlett was 4 months old. I was a teacher, and needed
to pump twice a day, every day. That meant during my prep period, I pumped, and
during lunch, I pumped. It was hard, but I wasn’t about to be gone from my baby
AND take away her food. She started reverse cycling to where she would barely
eat at daycare, and wanted to nurse as soon as I came home, and all night long,
to make up for lost time. We had opted to co-sleep/bed-share from the beginning
for a variety of reasons (I couldn’t stand the thought of her crying and
needing me, I didn’t want to- and couldn’t at the beginning- get out of bed and
walk down the hall to her room, I had spent her first 5 days without her there
and I would never do that again…). Co-sleeping kept us close, and gave her the
freedom to nurse when she needed to. However, the regular pumping and all-night
nursing were causing me to produce a ton of milk, and she wasn’t using it all
at daycare. I couldn’t miss a single pumping session at school because I was so
engorged. But I was also paranoid of cutting back my pumping, losing my supply
and not being able to do the one thing that I ‘got’ after my birth. After
a couple of months of that, I was losing my mind. Not from breastfeeding; it was a compilation of everything else. I could barely function from exhaustion,
postpartum depression and anxiety, birth trauma resurfacing, not having enough
prep time at work (because of pumping) and feeling like I couldn’t do my job
well enough. The only times I felt calm and happy were when I would pick her up
from daycare and go home and sit on the couch and nurse. Nursing my baby kept
my sanity, and allowed us to check-in with each other. It helped bring me the
clarity to realize I needed to make a career transition so I could be the mom I
wanted to be. I found a job where I could work from home, got a long-term sub,
and didn’t go back to work after spring break. It was the best decision I ever
made. While
I was dealing with the career transition, Scarlett turned 6 months old, that “magic”
starting-solids age, per many different “experts”. I dipped my toes in those
waters, but I didn’t want to. I was scared it would affect our breastfeeding
relationship and it seemed like we’d just gotten good at it. I didn’t want it
to change. So, I didn’t really take “solids” seriously until she was a little
over 7 months old. By then I had an end-date with my job and I knew I would be
home soon. Also, she started giving me all the signs of being ready. She could
sit, she reached for my food, she didn’t do that tongue-sticking-out thing, she
could grab with her fingers (including other kids’ food at daycare). By the
time I was home and she was 8 months, she was eating a little food whenever we
did put some in front of her. It turned out I was worried for nothing. She
loved food, but still loved to nurse as well. Also, she didn’t nurse 3 times a
night anymore; it was only 2—yay for more sleep! Being
home with her allowed me to go back to nursing on demand, which felt so much
more natural! It also gave me the opportunity to donate the thousands of ounces
of milk that I had stockpiled in my deep freezer. I had always wanted to donate
since she had received donor milk in the NICU, but I was apprehensive about
letting any go before then because of the anxiety about losing my supply and
her needing it. Scarlett wasn’t using my frozen milk nearly as fast as I had
been producing it, so we could help three other babies around that time, and we
continue to regularly donate to her friend who is a few months younger than
her. Now that
she’s eating more at each meal, we have started nursing a little less. We nurse
when we wake up, after breakfast/before morning nap, after lunch/before
afternoon nap, at bedtime, and whenever else she may need a pick-me-up.
Occasionally she will still wake up once (or more) during the night if she
needs me, and I’m there for her when she does. I don’t pump regularly anymore,
which is a great relief! I still have quite a stockpile that we are donating
and it feels nice to be able to help others. A few
people have asked me if I’m going to keep nursing Scarlett now that she’s 1
(that “magic” number again). I tell them that I’ll nurse her until she doesn’t
need it. I also tell them that I won’t have any more kids, in large part
because of how everything happened last year. So, since she is my only baby and
nursing is our special thing that we got after we missed out on so much and
endured so much trauma, we will ride it out until it doesn’t feel right. Maybe
another year? Maybe another 2 years? I’m very okay with not knowing when the
journey will end. This has been the greatest gift of our birth experience, and
I’m happy seeing and feeling the continued joy it brings us. For others who
want to breastfeed longer than is typical, I say to go for it! You will never
regret being the one who can be your baby’s everything. For Part I of Erica and Scarlett's breastfeeding journey, click HERE Disclaimer: The material
included in this video is for informational purposes only. It is not intended
nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader
should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the
appropriateness of the information for their own situation. Krystyna and
Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this
site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the
information provided. This blog and related videos contain information
about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the
official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on our blog and
videos do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American
Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. Birthing From
Within and Bradley Method® natural childbirth classes offered in Arizona:
convenient to Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale |
In Their Own Words: Erica ~ Part 1
| Posted on August 25, 2017 at 11:54 AM |
comments (816)
|
PART 1: My
Breastfeeding Journey: The Greatest Gift of My Birth Experience I’ve been breastfeeding my daughter,
Scarlett, for a little over a year now, and it continues to be a very important
part of our lives. I know many women in the United States choose to discontinue
breastfeeding at a year, or sooner, for a variety of reasons. I have no
judgment towards them. I can say I know that I won’t be one of them. I’m not
sure how long we will continue to nurse, but I don’t see us stopping any time
soon. I didn’t go into motherhood thinking I would be an “extended
breastfeeder.” For those of you who have seen the HBO show Game of Thrones
and saw the scene of Robin Arryn nursing well into childhood… that’s kind of
what I thought of as “extended breastfeeding.” I initially figured I’d
give it a year and see how and where it went. Now that we’ve made it to 13
months and it’s going so well, it seems silly to even consider stopping. It is
still a large part of her nourishment, an effective way to soothe and comfort
her, and our special bonding time, among many other benefits. Also, there is
this huge emotional component for me: I think of our breastfeeding relationship
as the greatest gift of my birth experience. I had a traumatic birth in July
2016. I planned a homebirth and ended up transferring to a hospital for an
excruciating 52-hour induction that ended in a Cesarean birth. My daughter was
10 days past her anticipated due date and didn’t move enough on an ultrasound,
which is what caused us to need the induction. After 2 more days of every
horrible step of the induction process, and trying to hold out for an
un-medicated birth, I became a statistic in the chain of interventions and one
of the 1 in 3 American women whose babies are surgically delivered. To
make matters worse, Scarlett aspirated meconium at some point in our labor, and
was whisked away to the NICU as soon as she was out. I didn’t get to hold her
for 18 hours. I didn’t get to attempt to breastfeed until her third day of
life. After having everything on my birth
plan derail to the horrific experience I endured, I was determined to feed my
child the way that I had planned to; determined not to have breastfeeding taken
from me as well. I couldn’t see her during those first 18 hours, but I pumped
every 2 hours like a fiend. I was told not to try to get her to latch initially
because of her difficulties breathing, but I brought her all of my colostrum,
requested donor milk instead of formula until my milk came in, and continued to
pump and pump and pump. Finally, on the third day of her life, I made milk, and
her breathing improved, and I got to learn how to nurse my baby. We needed help at first. We met with
a lactation consultant, we used a nipple shield, and we used the football hold…
I drank my weight in water and ate everything in sight for a while. On day 3
when I finally got to start nursing, the hospital had rules for me: I could
only nurse her for 15 minutes, then I had to go and pump and she was given a
bottle of expressed milk to finish her feed so they could determine exactly how
much she ate. They had their reasons I’m sure, but the effect to me was
oversupply. I was nursing a hungry baby, and then pumping directly after. When
we were finally released on day 5, I was sent home with about 7 bottles of
extra milk I had made. I didn’t know then that wasn’t typical. When we got home, my husband soon
grew tired of hearing, “Babe, I need my water bottle!” However, he and Scarlett
were troopers. He kept me fed and hydrated, propped up, etc. She had a good
latch and was always hungry. Within a few days we stopped using the nipple
shield. Within a few weeks I could move a little better after the surgery and
stopped doing the football hold. Things were going more smoothly, until I began
to put together the effects my oversupply was having on Scarlett. My milk came
spraying out with such force that she would sometimes gag and sputter. She
would occasionally throw up all over us during or directly after eating. It was
frustrating to feed her when she seemed overwhelmed by my milk. It was not fun
to get vomited on. Repeatedly. And feel like I was smothering my baby with my
giant, milk-tastic boobs. I asked the doctor about it. He said
spit up is normal. I said it’s a lot more than spit up… he said all kids throw
up and not to worry about it. He was useless. I asked my Bradley teacher and La
Leche League ladies and they gave me actual things to try: laid-back nursing,
let gravity work for you, put baby on top of you, side-lying nursing, block
nursing, burp her more frequently, stop pumping so much… all of which helped
immensely. After a few months we finally got the hang of it. I’m glad I was
able to make some adaptations to help us, and had the willpower and resources
not to give up when it was hard. I honestly think my awful birth was
instrumental in my steadfastness when it came to breastfeeding. Click HERE for PART II of Erica and Scarlett’s story: Making It Work Disclaimer: The material
included in this video is for informational purposes only. It is not intended
nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader
should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the
appropriateness of the information for their own situation. Krystyna and
Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this
site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the
information provided. This blog and related videos contain information
about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the
official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on our blog and
videos do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American
Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. Birthing From
Within and Bradley Method® natural childbirth classes offered in Arizona:
convenient to Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale |
In Their Own Words: Katie
| Posted on August 17, 2017 at 3:57 PM |
comments (1398)
|
 If you haven't read my previous posts, you're missing stories of my struggles with breastfeeding, but that's okay. For purposes of this update, you only really need what I wrote last year about tandem breastfeeding. You can find that HERE (2016) and one of my newborn stories is HERE (2012). Nothing much has changed in the last year. My nurslings are now 2 years old and 5.5 years old. The 2-year-old no longer trolls his big sister. Instead he beats on her if he's feeling feisty. It's fun. But seriously, I still love it. Even though I tend to insist they only nurse one at a time in the evening because I'm so tired and touched out (and they fight), it's still nice to be able to easily comfort two children to sleep.  Son's arm resting on big sister's arm <3 My 5-year-old goes back and forth between being okay with waiting and very much *not* being okay with waiting. It's exhausting. The 2-year-old can be perfectly content doing anything but nursing until the 5-year-old gets anywhere near me. Then he has to nurse and tries to find out how to use both sides at the same time so he doesn't have to share the thing he was perfectly content not having a few minutes ago. My 5-year-old has a weird sense of awareness in the middle of the night. She knows the moment I've gotten her brother to sleep and comes into our room asking to nurse. I used to direct her to my bed, but she's gotten insistent that she nurse first. Thankfully, she came up with the "just one minute" compromise, so I let her nurse for a few minutes and then tell her her minute is up, and she gets up willingly. Likewise, in bed, she wakes up in the moment he stops nursing and asks to nurse. I don't know what sorcery this is. But there are times they nurse side-by-side and stroke each other's hair or hold each other's hands. There are times they both run up to me, excitedly divvying up right side and left. There are times they are both finished nursing and they just sleep on me or next to me, and I feel their warmth and their breathing.  Disclaimer: The material included in this video is for informational
purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice. The viewer should always consult her or his
healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for
their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss
Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site,
or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog and video contain information about
our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official
website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained in this video and on our
blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American
Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®.
Birthing From Within and Bradley
Method® natural childbirth classes offered in Arizona: convenient to Chandler,
Tempe, Ahwatukee, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale |
Monday Mantra: Wonder Woman SuperPower
| Posted on August 14, 2017 at 1:27 PM |
comments (588)
|
 Today's #MondayMantra is a fun affirmation that there is something quite wonderful and unique about making milk for your Sweet Pea. If you have chosen to breastfeed and you are making milk...own it!! You are a true Wonder Woman. |
In Their Own Words: Amy
| Posted on August 9, 2017 at 8:27 PM |
comments (451)
|
 Amy & Ollie 2016Image: Erin Rudd Photography I never thought I'd be breastfeeding my toddler. I certainly
never thought I would be doing so while pregnant! Here I am, 30 weeks pregnant,
writing this while my toddler who just nursed down for a nap, is sleeping. When Ollie was a baby he nursed on demand; now he nurses before nap time, if we're together, and at bedtime, if mommy is home. Ollie's first Birthday came and went, and we were still nursing. When I got pregnant, Ollie was about 18-months, we contemplated weaning. My nipples were sensitive and, as much as I don't like to admit, I felt frustrated sometimes, when he nursed. We could tell Ollie was not ready. Deep down, I didn't really feel ready either. So we decided to try to cut back the nursing sessions. Over the course of a few weeks, I eliminated some of our typical nursing times. For example, we used to come home after work/daycare and sit together, cuddle, nurse and talk about our day. This was a difficult one for me to give up, because I LOVED this time with him. So we found something else that we both loved. We bought a porch swing and instead, we'd get a quick snack and go out front on the porch swing. The weather was just right, thank goodness, and he loved being outside. We'd listen to and talk about the sounds, play with rocks, and have our snack. This quickly became a special treasured time, as well. It hasn't all been easy. We've had our share of challenges. Just like any family, we had to find what works for us. Right now, this works for us. With the summer ending, I'll be going back to the classroom to teach, and Ollie will go off to our wonderful in-home-daycare provider. The days when we're not together, Ollie nurses at bedtime only. I don't know what the future holds for our breastfeeding relationship, and I'm not worried about it. I'll forever be grateful for this special time I've had with Ollie, the support of my loving husband (despite the uncertainties and naysayers), and for the breastfeeding community. Amy's Story about breastfeeding Ollie as a newborn HERE Disclaimer: The material included in this blog post is for informational
purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice. The viewer should always consult her or his
healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for
their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss
Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site,
or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog and related videos contain information about
our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official
website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained in this video and on our
blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American
Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®.
Birthing From Within and Bradley
Method® natural childbirth classes offered in Arizona: convenient to Chandler,
Tempe, Ahwatukee, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale, |
Inside Look: Amorini Silver Nipple Soothers™
| Posted on September 8, 2016 at 9:52 PM |
comments (579)
|
Puma and I got to see the Amorini Silver Nipple Soothers™
vendor table when we visited a Club MomMe event in California last year. At the time, we didn’t get to connect with
the rep since the table was unattended the couple of times we stopped by. We get this, though!! I have been a solo rep
at events before and I know how hard it is to be at your booth 100% of the
time. Imagine my delight when we got to meet the founder of
Amorini at our local Arizona La Leche League conference in August!! D’Ana
Marcin is an absolutely lovely person with an equally lovely product to help
breastfeeding mothers…read all about her product and what inspires her in
today’s “Inside Look”. Tell me
about Amorini Silver Nipple Soothers™. Amorini is
a set of two "soothers" made of Silver 925 and designed to help
prevent, protect and heal sore, cracked and bleeding nipples for breastfeeding
mothers. Who would benefit from using Amorini? All expecting and new mothers that intend
to breastfeed and/or pump breastmilk. Although Amorini Silver
Nipple Soothers™ are most often used to protect and promote healing of sore
nipples, they are also an effective preventative measure. When would mothers
want to use Amorini Silver Nipple Soothers? About how long can they
expect to use them? Ideally
mothers would start using the Amorini Silver Nipple Soothers™ before
the birth of their child as a preventative measure and they will continue using
them for as long as the pain persists. Mothers
whose child/children have difficulty latching or have a shallow latch
are more prone to severe nipple pain and cracks. It is highly
recommended the use of Amorini as the family is working with a
Certified Lactation Consultant to correct the latch. Mothers whose
child has been (or not!) diagnosed with tongue-tie are also susceptible to
severe nipple pain. We recommend the use of Amorini Silver Nipple
Soothers™ while working with a specialist to treat the tongue-tie. Amorini are
typically used for the first 3 to 4 weeks of breastfeeding or until any
underlying issues have been corrected. Some babies may try and gently bite the
nipple when they start teething or when teeth start cutting through the gums.
That can irritate the nipple and provoke another wave of painful breast-feeding
session for the mother. Amorini can help in these cases as
well.  What
makes Amorini unique?Amorini harnesses
the antibacterial and healing properties of Silver to help prevent, protect and
promote healing for sore, cracked and bleeding nipples in a natural and safe
way. Silver
Nipple Soothers are the most popular product for nipple care in Italy and have
been proven to be highly effective among new mothers. Amorini is the
only American brand of Silver Nipple protectors, founded by an Italian mother
who has recently relocated to California. They are designed and crafted in
Italy and are made of medical grade Silver. What motivated you
to start Amorini Silver Nipple Soothers™? In
September 2013 I gave birth to my beautiful daughter. I had taken breastfeeding
classes and I was gifted a tube of lanolin cream at my baby shower. I thought I
had everything I needed to be able to breastfeed. Baby girl started
breast-feeding like a champion less than an hour after birth but before I knew
it my nipples became raw and the pain was almost unbearable. The latch seemed
normal according to my lactation consultant and there was plenty of colostrum
for my baby to suckle on, but the pain was only getting worse. I
am very sensitive in the nipple area and that seemed to be the only explanation
for my pain. Three
days later, my longtime friend and NICU nurse from Italy sent me these
"miraculous silver nipple cups" and they were everything she had told
me they would be! Within 24 hours I started feeling significant
relief and by the third day of using them I was almost pain free and all the
cracks were healed. I
wanted to gift them to all my pregnant friends but I wasn't able to find them
in the United States. For months my family mailed me countless Silver Nipple
protectors sets so I could share with all my friends. Until
one day I decided I needed to bring these to the US and make them available to
all mothers and expecting mothers! And so it all began! :) Is there anything
else our readers should know about Amorini? Amorini Silver
Nipple Soothers™ are Nickel free therefore are considered hypoallergenic.
Please refer
to our Q&A page on our website or contact Amorini with
any questions or concerns. What inspires you? My
beautiful, joyful, fearless daughter is my biggest inspiration! Helping
mothers achieve their breastfeeding goals is my purpose and my motivation. Do you want to see something amazing? Watch D’Ana share her
hobby and her business in this fun YouTube video!! video: https://youtu.be/AdDT5v94xzM For more reading on how
silver can help treat sore nipples check out these links: From Fact Based Health: From California Healthy
Living Magazine: Disclaimer: The material included in this blog is for informational
purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice. The viewer should always consult her or his
healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for
their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss
Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site,
or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information
provided. This blog and related videos
contain information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ
and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained in
this video and on our blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley
Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. Bradley Method® natural childbirth classes offered in
Arizona: convenient to Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale,
Payson |
Miracle Product
| Posted on August 31, 2016 at 8:30 AM |
comments (280)
|
 I love this quote...articles pop up on a regular basis that another published study shows that breastmilk and breastfeed benefit the mother, the baby, the family, the environment, the employer, the health care system... Here are links if you would like to read more Breastmilk: Feeding the Microbiome http://goo.gl/aPCiQj Immunization value: How breastmilk protects newborns http://goo.gl/M35Ay8 Family planning: LAM - Lactational Amenorrhea Method http://goo.gl/t9BZSJ Reduce cancer: Good for mothers, too http://goo.gl/zy2q3Z Why Breastfeeding is Important from womanshealth.gov Disclaimer: The material included in this blog is for informational
purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional
medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider
to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own
situation. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and
Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the
consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog and related videos contain
information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is
not the official website of Birthing From Within or The Bradley Method®. The
views contained in this video and on our blog do not necessarily reflect those
of Birthing From Within, The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of
Husband-Coached Childbirth®. Birthing From Within and Bradley Method® natural childbirth
classes offered in Arizona: convenient to Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Gilbert,
Mesa, Scottsdale, Payson |
Q&A with SPB: Is there anything I can do to make more milk?
| Posted on August 30, 2016 at 10:01 AM |
comments (81)
|
Today's question on Q&A with SPB:  We are joined by Jennie Bever, PhD, IBCLC at the Arizona Breastfeeding Center to answer that question: Recap: You are not alone! This is a common question/worry that many moms have during pregnancy and postpartum. There are many myths, tips and tricks that people share that may work for some moms, but really don't get to the core of the issue: how much milk is moving through the breast? The fact about milk production is that the more milk that is demanded, the more milk will be made. So a lot of the time it's not really a supply issue, as much as it is a removal issue. In order to make milk, the body needs the signal that more milk is needed. Some things to consider:
Krystyna's little side note about pumps to consider:
An IBCLC can help you with both evaluating how you and baby are moving milk, and also answer any questions you have about pumping. The bottom line: While some of the galactagogues out there may help, you don't want to create more milk that still can't be moved...that may cause another hurdle (i.e., pugged ducts, mastitis). So before you spend lots of money on the "magic" herbs, teas, and foods that help some moms make more milk, check in with a lactation counselor to make sure that you and your baby are doing your best to remove the milk that is already being made. Thank you again to Jenny for taking the time out of her busy day to answer today's Q&A with SPB!  Disclaimer:
The material included in this blog is for informational
purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional
medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider
to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own
situation. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and
Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the
consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog and related videos contain
information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is
not the official website of Birthing From Within or The Bradley Method®. The
views contained in this video and on our blog do not necessarily reflect those
of Birthing From Within, The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of
Husband-Coached Childbirth®.
Birthing From Within and Bradley Method® natural childbirth
classes offered in Arizona: convenient to Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Gilbert,
Mesa, Scottsdale, Payson
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Divine breastfeeding
| Posted on August 27, 2016 at 2:18 PM |
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 Seeing lots of divinity and learning how to better support breastfeeding mothers at the La Leche League conference this weekend. Lots of great speakers coming up throughout the day today and tomorrow. You can still purchase a one-day pass at www.lllofaz.org/area-conference.com |