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Sweet Pea ​Births
Sweet Pea ​Births
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
Blog
Q&A with SPB: Mother's Milk Bank of CO Donation and Outreach Center in Phoenix, AZ
| Posted on August 2, 2016 at 8:59 AM |
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 I am happy to kick-off our 2016 Breastfeeding Edition of Q&A with SPB with a very special announcement from The Milk Spot, a local lactation support resource, located in Phoenix, Arizona:
Mothers will undergo a screening process, and once they are accepted, their milk can be received and transferred to regional NICUs. Learn more about milk donation at the INFO NIGHT at The Milk Spot, this Wednesday, August 3, 2016:  We will be there live, broadcasting on Periscope. Be sure to follow our twitter handle, @sweetpeabirths, for exclusive access to this launch and info meeting. Michelle Hottya, IBCLC will be sharing information, answering questions, and facilitating a forum with area IBCLCs who work in the NICU. We will be able to hear the impact stories of babies fed with precious mother's milk. See you there or see you online! Disclaimer: 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®.    |
Just Hold the Baby
| Posted on April 1, 2016 at 10:57 AM |
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I had the pleasure of seeing Dr. Nils Bergman speak last summer. He is the director of NINO Birth, which stands for "Neuroscience for Improved Neonatal Outcomes." He is doing research and connecting the dots between other researchers' work that confirms a mother's instinctual need to keep her baby with her. Based on his observations of birthing mammals, Dr. Bradley came to the same conclusion: the best things for baby is to be skin-to-skin on the mother's chest, and the best food for infants is breastmilk. Since we are fascinated with science and some doctors can't be convinced without it, it is awesome to have Dr. Nils out there spreading his message. Thanks to his research, he can be even more specific about the benefits to both mother and baby. You can find his website with his research and advice to new parents HERE. There are also pages dedicated specifically to parents of preemies. (IMO the whole website should be required reading for parents and care-providers alike!!) The foundation of his message is that after a birth (even of a premature baby), the mother and the infant should have 1000 minutes of uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact. YES - that's 16 hours and 40 minutes of a mother and her infant snuggled together, without interruption. Now, practically speaking, the first hour should be skin-to-skin with the mother. After that, if mom has to use the restroom or wants a quick shower, then the other parent can do skin-to-skin with baby, reuniting the MotherBaby as soon as possible. In a nutshell, the benefits of continuous skin-to-skin contact for the MotherBaby are that bonding and breastfeeding get off to a good start. For the infant, sleep cycling starts to get organized, temperature is regulated, and blood sugars are stabilized. All this just when the MotherBaby is supported in staying in continuous contact. For me, the most startling thing that Dr. Nils stated when he shared his research is the profound effect continuous contact also has on the mother. He says that she becomes "brain-wired for ferocity", the natural instinct to protect and provide for her baby, when she and baby stay together. It is small wonder then that mothers who are separated from their infants for any period of time have a harder time making milk for those infants, and sometimes feel a huge disconnect between themselves and their children. So, YES, this means that all a mother should do after the birth of her baby is stay in bed with the baby. YES this means that it is okay to delay making an announcement on social media until the day after the baby is born to allow the MotherBaby to get organized. YES, anyone who tells you otherwise can be ignored. As long as mother is okay and baby is okay, there is no reason for anyone else other than the mother and the other parent to be touching and holding the baby. Baths, newborn procedures, and any other pokes and prods can be delayed until the first 1000 minutes have passed. As cute as your Sweet Pea is, and as much as some visitors may long to hold them when they have that precious, just-out-of-the-womb smell, just say no. There is plenty of time for friends and family to come hold the baby after you get home, when you will want help with meals and laundry. They can hold the baby then, while you grab a nice, hot shower. Until then, claim your inner MamaBear and hold your baby. 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 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 in this video and on our
blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American
Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®.  |
In Their Own Words: Dezerrae
| Posted on August 14, 2015 at 9:48 AM |
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In Their Own Words: Dezerrae A Story about Breastfeeding and the NICU
~Krystyna My
first experience with breastfeeding did not go well. I had a very long labor
with my daughter, she had to go to the NICU and was immediately given formula.
She never learned to latch, and I was never able to nurse. I did not realize
all the resources that are out there, and had no support at home or anyone to
ask advice from. I pumped exclusively for 4 months and was able to give her
breast milk for 6 months. My
second experience with breastfeeding was much more successful, but just as
hard. My son was born at 28 weeks, at 2 lb and 9 oz. He of course went
immediately to the NICU. He was so small and fragile I was determined to give
him the best, and all I knew was that breast milk would be best for his tiny
fragile body. I started pumping immediately after birth, and having pumped
exclusively with my daughter, I was very comfortable pumping. My
son spent exactly 2 months in the NICU. I diligently pumped every 2 to 3 hours
round the clock day in and day out. I dealt with engorgement, thrush, clogged
ducts, and exhaustion. My son needed me. He needed to be given the best
nutrition possible, so I pumped every day and brought him milk to the NICU
every day. After
2 months he was released from the NICU. The lactation consultant told me to not
feel discouraged, as he would probably never latch on. That drove me to fight
even harder to have a breastfeeding relationship with him, not with just
bottles, but also with nursing. When he came home I tried every day to get him
to latch with no success.  When
he was 3 months old I felt so tired of pumping, and felt like quitting. Late at
night I cried it all out, took a deep breath, and tried to nurse him at 3
am. At 3 am at 3 months old he latched on, and he nursed every day
after that. It was amazing: just when I felt like quitting our prayers were
answered. Every time I felt like quitting I would say to myself, "just one
more day, just pump one more day and see how I feel tomorrow.'' That mantra got
us through a year of breastfeeding. My
suggestion to anyone attempting to breastfeed would be to find a friend or peer
to connect with and ask questions. My first time would have been so much more
successful had I had even one person to ask questions and have them say, you're
going to be ok! This is normal. You're doing a great job, and it's ok to be
frustrated with the process. With my first child I tried to power through it
all on my own. I couldn't. I needed support. Never be ashamed or scared to
reach out for help. When you are having a hard time or feeling like your
body is not your own just remember, get through one more day and sleep on it.
Tomorrow is another day. Do you have a NICU breastfeeding story? What helped you? Please leave us a comment - it will be moderated and
posted. Dezerrae is a Certified Doula through Doulas of North America (DONA). She has a passion for helping other families through their birth journey. You can contact her here: 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®. |