Breastfeeding disease

I'm wondering today how you all in the breastfeeding world cope?  Right now my mind is flooded with lactation, lactation, lactation.

I feel asleep last night thinking of how I should respond to the controversial question of "co-sleeping for breastfeeding moms".

(And I came up with a brilliant answer, coming soon.)  I'm constantly having these internal debates with myself.  "What else could I have done for that mom?  Who can I call to help this friend get her baby's tight frenulum (tongue tie) cut sooner?  Why is that baby sucking so poorly?"  Breastfeeding management is really like playing detective.  We explore, we research, we try this and then that, and then bam the case has been cracked.  Well it's not always a "bam", but hopefully we can make things better.  I feel like breastfeeding is an all consuming topic, whether you're a professional or a nursing mom there's a good chance breastfeeding is on the brain most of your days.  It's like a pesky brain disease that slowly takes over your mind - a good disease though - breastfeeding disease.  If I have to have a disease, I'm happy it's about healthy baby food.

World AIDS Day

In honor of World AIDS Day (December 1st) I would like to share a couple of interesting pieces of information.  Formula is often used as an alternative when a mom has HIV/AIDS.  Here in the US we have access to clean water to prepare formula.  If you can't afford formula there are wonderful programs out there that will assist you.  However, not the entire world is as fortunate as us.  Fortunately we have some alternatives to provide babies affected by HIV/AIDS with breastmilk.  The University of California has a video on safe breastmilk practices for moms with HIV.  There is also a wonderful non-profit, International Breastmilk Project that collects milk of moms here in the US and sends it to other countries for babies affected by HIV/AIDS.  Check out these websites that provide excellent solutions to an otherwise life or death situation!