The stats. The guilt and the anger.

Thank you, Dr. Bartick, for doing this research and for responding with this article!  I strongly encourage you to take a peek at this research (even if it's just a quick review of the abstract).  Here's a taste to wet your appetitie:

"If 90% of US families could comply with medical recommendations to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months, the United States would save $13 billion per year and prevent an excess 911 deaths..."

And if you are one of the many moms that is carrying around guilt or anger associated with your breastfeeding experience, I urge you read this article and respond!  We need to stand up for our rights as women and mothers - Peaceful Revolution!

Project Milk Bank

“Where it is not possible for the biological mother to breast feed, the first alternative, if available, should be the use of human milk from other sources. Human milk banks should be made available in appropriate situations.”

-WHO and UNICEF, 1980

Last week I attended a Human Milk Banking Association of North America Conference in Boston.  I've been discussing milk banking with colleagues and mentors for a while now, but it wasn't until this conference that I really got on the band wagon.  My husband picked me up last Tuesday at BWI and when I got into the car I sheepishly said to him "I think I'm going to start a milk bank."  He knew this had been in the air in the Northern Virginia area for awhile now.  Bless his heart, he just gave me his 'Why am I not surprised?' smile and joined me on board Project Milk Bank.  I'm full of ideas that bring us no revenue, I should clarify with "cost us money", but Marcus just continues to back me up.  I guess I was always meant to be the money giver and he the money maker in this relationship.

There's a key person to this story, her name is Margaret. She's the fuel behind launching this rocket titled Project Milk Bank. Have you ever worked for NASA? Me neither, but I do know that an immense about of time, effort, and man power is behind each launch.  And this launch, for better or for worse, will be no different. 

I've decided to share this journey via Boob for Thought.  Donor human milk does come from boobs after all.  I hope to share the struggles and successes with any readers interested, as well as network with anyone who is interested in joining Project Milk Bank!  So here, my friends, is where this story begins...

 

Key Documents for Project Milk Bank:

• American Academy of Pediatrics, Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk Policy Statement http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;115/2/496
• Human Milk Banking Association of North America, Position Paper on Donor Milk Banking http://www.hmbana.org/downloads/position-paper-donor-milk.pdf

Milk for Haiti

I received the following email today from ILCA:

The Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC), International Lactation Consultant Association/United States Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA/USLCA), and La Leche League International (LLLI) are jointly issuing an urgent call for human milk donations for premature infants in Haiti, as well as sick and premature infants in the United States.


This week the first shipment of human milk from mothers in the United States will be shipped to the U.S. Navy Ship “Comfort” stationed outside Haiti. “Comfort” is currently set up with a neonatal intensive care unit and medical personnel to provide urgent care to victims of the earthquake. An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant stationed at the U.S. Navy base in Bethesda, MD is assisting with providing breast pump equipment and supplies to the “Comfort.” Dr. Erika Beard-Irvine, pediatric neonatologist, is on board the “Comfort” to coordinate distribution of the milk to infants in need. HMBANA, USBC, ILCA/USLCA, and LLL are responding to requests to provide milk for both premature infants and at-risk mothers who have recently delivered babies on board the U.S.N.S. Comfort, but an urgent need exists for additional donations.

 

To donate breastmilk Click Here!

 

For more information view this statement from UNICEF.

A tongue tied week...

I had one of those weird weeks where every where you go everyone is struggling with the same problem. It just happened to be a tongue tie week. Mom's were screaming in pain, nipples were sore and damaged and all because of that little piece of skin that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth. A tongue tie (or short/tight frenulum) isn't always an issue, but for some mom's having that little piece of tissue cut can make all the difference in the world for the breastfeeding relationship.

 

Do you think your baby is tongue tied?  Is your MD not convinced this is "breastfeeding" problem?  Are you worried about having a procedure done to your baby this early?

Here's some information for you and your physician from a variety of sources:

A dentitst:

http://www.brianpalmerdds.com/bfeed_frenulums.htm

The American Academy of Pediatrics:

http://www.aap.org/breastfeeding/files/pdf/BBM-8-27%20Newsletter.pdf

Some great examples:

http://www.drjain.com/examples.htm

And if you still want more information Kelly mom always has it: http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/bfhelp-tonguetie.html

How I got my Boob Job

I'm sitting here pondering how I ended up in the lactation world and thought I'd share with you all my journey (well my begining more than journey since I'm still a newbie).  In Spring 2006, I was sitting in my Maternal and Child Health graduate class and the lecture for the day was breastfeeding.  I honestly don't recall ever thinking about breastfeeding prior to that point.  I finished undergrad and moved to the big city to continue with graduate school, because I just LOVED college and wasn't ready to let go.  One week into grad school and I quickly realized I NO LONGER loved school.  I was working full-time, going to school full time in the evenings, and trying to keep a long distance relationship going.  I was studying Public Health, which I really enjoyed, but I was trying to find my "niche".  I had an on-going list going in my planner with ideas and interests.  On that day I added "Breastfeeding Counselor", the last item to be added to the list.  But why?  Why did one lecture effect me so much?  It wasn't the fact that breastfeeding is perfect nutrition.  Most of us agree that human breastmilk is the optimal food for human babies.  It was this statistic that hit home with me: 99% of women can breastfeed, but 80% experience problems.  I was shocked.  Doesn't breastfeeding just come natural to everyone?  I immediately couldn't learn enough about this field.  Whether this statistic is correct anymore or not doesn't matter, because once again I think most of us would agree that breastfeeding can be tough!  For someone who loves maternal and child health this is the perfect problem to tackle.  That's what this is all about for me - it's not to shove information you already know down your neck, it's to say it can be hard at times and if you decide to breastfeed there are people out there to help you. 

If you're new to the breastfeeding world, here are some resources to get you started:

Books

Online

www.kellymom.com

http://www.drjacknewman.com/

www.llli.org