Confessions of a Lactivist

I am a huge proponent of breastfeeding. I truly believe that breast is best, that the nutrients are superior to any formula man can make. There are so many things I love about it- the closeness with my babies, the ease and convenience, being able to just roll over, nurse and go back to sleep in the middle of the night, never having to drag along bottles and formula when going out, etc, etc.

This is the point where I insert a big "but". I love breastfeeding but there are obviously also things I do not like as much

- the fact that breastfed babies usually sleep through the night later

- when babies are fussy and refuse to nurse in certain positions which makes nursing in public very challenging (thankfully AY seems to finally have outgrown this annoying habit

-having to be careful about eating or drinking certain foods which may not be great for baby .ie caffeine, cabbage, broccoli,  alcohol, etc.

- the fact that breastfeeding is all me all the time. On the one hand it is nice to be so "needed", on the other hand it is also very draining and sometimes I just want a break.

-Pumping- This has become more of an issue, now that I am out of the house about four hours a day four times a week. During the spring semester, I was only out of the house two hours twice a week. I had to pump milk but not that much and not so often. 

Now I am pumping about twice a day and am really not enjoying it. I only have a hand pump which is a lot more labor intensive. I also have a hard time getting a let-down on a pump so I am always nervous that I do not have enough milk. 

 AY has recently started solids, so the pressure is a bit less, because he usually eats a yogurt while I am out but I still need to pump and do not look forward to my pumping sessions. I am happy that I only have a bit over a week left to this course, but I really do have new found respect for full-time working moms who make the commitment to pump for their babies. 

What I have decided though, and it took me to till the fourth child to realize this, is that while breastfeeding is certainly the ideal, if I had to supplement with formula, it would not be the end of the world. Case in point- three months ago I attended a good friends wedding. I knew I would be away for a large part of the day and really tried to build up a milk stash, but was going through a low supply phase and knew I did not have enough. Rather than spend hours worrying about my hungry and crying baby, I bought some formula so the sitter would have a back-up. He ended having about 6 oz. of formula and nothing happened :)

I have spoken to two other mothers recently who echoed the same sentiment. They are committed to breastfeeding but if for some reason, they cannot pump or are worried about amounts, they will happily supplement with formula. This may sound like common sense, but many breastfeeding "purists" would look down on such scenarios and say I was not "committed" enough.

I want to clarify that I think that breastfeeding is not encouraged enough in the United States. There are many women who are under-informed and I would love to help advocate and educate for breastfeeding, either as a L&D or post partum nurse.  I also think that just because something is hard sometimes, does not mean we should throw in the towel right away. Yes, breastfeeding can be challenging in the beginning and sometimes even months in. But it is a worthwhile investment in your child.

And yet...life is not perfect. In a perfect world, your child would never have a drop of formula, never be left to cry and always have all their needs met immediately. But life is not perfect and we do the best we can and if that means a bottle of formula now and then that is okay.

What are your thoughts on this issue?

Ready or not

This is shaping up to be a busy week- my midterm is about 12 hours from now. I feel pretty prepared. Purim is 48 hours from now. Not quite as prepared for that.
Tonight I studied and made challah dough to refrigerate over night. I also just placed a huge order of all the things I need for our gigantic seuda, that will hopefully come tomorrow afternoon.
I am trying to to feel overwhelmed and anxious about all the things that need to happen between tonight and Thursday afternoon. I am giving myself peptalks instead about how capable I am :)
On a side note- I went to Starbucks to study on Sunday, while my in-laws held down the fort with the crew (thanks!) and the whole place was full of people studying like me or doing work on their laptops. It was a funny sight to behold. Personally, I would rather study at home in my PJs as long as all the little people are sleeping or out of the house, but I guess that is a personal preference.
Also, read this article about the American Academy of pediatrics on Breastfeeding- they say breastfeeding is a public health issue, not a lifestyle choice. Yes, yes and yes. Finally a voice of reason in all this insane media coverage about nursing in public or pumping at work. Speaking of nursing, these last few days, AY has decided he only likes nursing with me lying down, which is becoming quite inconvenient. Suggestions to getting him to feed in more upright positions are very welcome.

A reading to AY- how delicious is that?

Breastfeeding in the News

It has not been a great week for breastfeeding...
First Staples co-founder Tom Stemberg complains that breastfeeding is going to cost the economy jobs and productivity. He is referring to a part of Obama's Affordable Care Act that requires employers to provide reasonable breaktime as well as a place other than a bathroom that is shielded from view to either nurse or pump milk for their babies. Stemberg refers to this private space as "lactation chambers."
Then a texas judge upheld a company's right to fire an employee for wanting to pump milk for her baby. From the article I linked  to:

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a complaint on behalf of Donnicia Venters against debt collection agency Houston Funding. Donnicia Venters, 30, alleges the company violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which makes it illegal to discriminate against a woman "because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth."...

Joan Williams, law professor and director of the Center for Work Life Law at the University of California, Hastings, said, it "makes no sense at all" to say lactation is not a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth. 

"Everybody knows that breastfeeding is a medical condition related to childbirth," Williams said.

I do not know much about the law, but I do think it is absurd to say that nursing is not related to birth. But Little Legal's blog explains that the Civil Right's Law says you are only protected against discrimination for things you have absolutely no choice about, unless otherwise specified. The Breastfeeding Discrimination Act only covers pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions. Therefore she says:  because breastfeeding is a choice and not a medically “necessary” element of pregnancy or childbirth, most judges are not going to think it’s protected from discrimination.

I am happy that I do not have to contend with these issues, but it is mind boggling that these things are still happening in the year 2012! 

My biggest issue with breastfeeding is doing it around people. I am very comfortable nursing in public with a blanket covering me. It does not really faze me but I can see that sometimes it makes others uncomfortable. I am not doing it to make a statement, rather just for convenience's sake.  I do not like feeding babies in bathrooms or hiding in my bedroom unless absolutely necessary.

I do think by (unobtrusively)feeding in public we can do our part to help normalize breastfeeding and make it seem like a natural thing to do. Maybe then we won't have to hear people talking about "lactation chambers" (I mean really??) or listen to dubious claims that breastfeeding is not related to birth.

What do you think?

Supply and Demand

I have always been blessed with a large milk supply. All of our babies have been pleasantly plump and with the exception of Y, who never really got the hang of nursing, my kids have been exclusively breastfed.
I never knew having too much milk could be a bad thing until I became more involved as a doula and started reading more about breastfeeding on a doula listserve I was on.
Oversupply and forceful letdown can lead to the baby pulling away, coughing and sputtering and even refusing to nurse. It can also cause the baby to take in too much thin foremilk and not enough of the essential hindmilk. This imbalance can lead to gas, reflux and/or irregular bowel movements. Basically an unhappy baby.
I kind of knew all this but did not really connect it to myself till this past week when I read The Feminist Breeder's post on why oversupply can be a bad thing. AY will often pull away when nursing, when the milk starts coming too fast and often has green stool, which also points to too much foremilk.
So I decided to implement some of the suggestions to alleviate these symptoms. These include nursing in a position where the baby is elevated. That means the milk is not flowing as fast because it is going against gravity. I am also experimenting with block feeding, which means only offering one side per feeding. This ensures that the baby is actually getting to the hindmilk and also helps to reduce milk supply in the long-term.
So far, it seems to be working. We have had a lot less fussiness and screaming these past few days. His bowel movements are more regular and a nice yellow color.
I am hoping the nights of screaming and crying are a thing of the past, although it may be too soon to tell. I am happy because it means I do not have to give up dairy, like some people were suggesting.
It also shows the importance of educating yourself and reading up on these topics. With child number four, I felt like I already knew everything there is to know about breastfeeding. But there is always more to learn. A great resource for all things related to breastfeeding is kellymom. Go check it out!

World Breastfeeding Week

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, which actually ends tomorrow (apologies for being behind schedule) I am posting some links to articles about breastfeeding. Being pregnant, I can't help anticipating what it will be like to nurse yet again.
My feelings are overwhelmingly positive- it is a wonderful way to bond and connect to your baby, it is free and easily accessable. I love the ability to go out anytime and not have to worry about bringing along bottles, snacks or other accessories for the first six months. It is an amazing feeling to know that you are nourishing a child and that all the cute babyfat they are accumulating- the cheeks, the chin, the thighs have come from you :) Not to mention all the health benefits babies get from breastmilk.
At the same time, as easy as it is, it can sometimes feel limiting because the baby relies solely on you. Unless you are pumping, it is all you all the time and going out for an extended period of time without the baby needs advance planning. So does trying to sleep more than 3 or 4 hours stretches at a time in the beginning. Not to mention moms who have problems with their milk supply or who have to cut foods out of their diets because their babies aren't tolerating them. So it is not always simple and straightforward. I saw a quote on facebook that said: "While breastfeeding may not seem the right choice for every parent, it is the best choice for every baby"
I believe that to be true. While it may be hard for us mommies sometimes, it is definitely the right choice for your baby.
Click here to see some Tips for Breastfeeding from Brio Birth, a childbirth education organization.
Also check out Dr. Sears' website- He is a pediatrician for over 30 years and a father of eight children. His site has great information on pregnancy, birth, children's health, discipline and lots of other great topics. Worth a look is his extensive section on breastfeeding and its benefits- Why Breast is Best.
Lastly, for more info about what exactly World Breastfeeding Week is, check out their official site.
That should be more than enough talk about nursing for now- but feel free to comment with more info or links if you have any!

Doulas- The Essential Ingedient

DONA International, the organization that educates and ceritifes doulas has just created a new video about Doulas. They encouraged us to share it and being that I thought it was informative and interesting, here you go:
Note: This video contains videos and photos of childbirth and and women breastfeeding.

Formula Recall

By now, most of you must have heard about the Similac Infant Formula Recall. Aside from the gross-factor of beatles in formula, it also makes me think about some of the advantages of breastfeeding. There are no outside factors involved, you know exactly what your baby is getting- it comes straight from you. Also, from a practical standpoint, there are no bottles to wash and sterilize!
I recognize that not everyone wants to or is able to exclusively breastfeed but I do think it requires serious consideration. Man-made processed food will never be as healthy and nutritious as naturally grown food. With all the movement towards organic and green food, what could be more "green" than breastfeeding your child! Just a thought...

World Breastfeeding Week

In honor of world breastfeeding week, I wanted to share some thoughts on breastfeeding. I will start off by saying that I am (obviously?) very much in favor of nursing. It creates a wonderful mother-child bond and is really the best start you can give your child.
I am not going to bore you with all the statistics on how "breast is best" for your child, rather I'd like to focus on another aspect of breastfeeding-tolerance. Before you say, "huh?" let me explain.
Breastfeeding, like childbirth, tends to bring out the worst in people when they meet people who disagree with their take on things. Those who want an intervention free birth are livid that there are woman who would want an elective cesarean. Women who want an epidural before even getting to the hospital think women who want natural childbirth are crunchy, masochists and weird.
 The same goes with breastfeeding. There are moms who exclusively breastfeed until their child is two who think mothers who don't are feeding their children poison when they give them a bottle of formula.
There are mothers who struggled with breastfeeding or never tried and feel very happy bottle-feeding their child.
I think every woman should be allowed to make her own choices without facing the wrath of other mommies who are judging her. I also think, though, that woman should have all the information before making these decisions. Read up on breastfeeding, speak with lactation consultants and/or other women who have successfully breastfed before you decide it is not for you. Most importantly don't judge.
I have been on both sides of this equation when it came to breastfeeding. I struggled for literally months with my oldest to breastfeed. Due to Down Syndrome, he had low muscle tone and just never got the hang of it. I spent hours with lactation consultants, pumped and took medications and teas to bring up my milk supply. I pumped milk for six long months before I felt like I couldn't do it anymore. I felt very conflicted about giving him formula, especially when he seemed to be allergic to it and projectile vomitted everything until we found him a (super expensive) special formula he could tolerate. I realized then that breastfeeding is not as simple as some had said it would be.
With my daughter A, on the other hand, I had no trouble at all. She latched on and nursed beautifully right away. In fact she never even took a bottle because she refused to drink from it, even if it was my expressed milk. I nursed both A and M for over a year and definitely incurred my quota of comments of "You're still breastfeeding?" or looks when I would breastfeed discretely in public. I realized then that breastfeeding is not as difficult as others had said it would be
My personal experience and talking to others has taught me not to be so quick to judge and condemn others for the way they choose to feed and/or mother their children.
So in honor of breastfeeding week, take advantage of some of the great information on breastfeeding that is available on the Internet. Then embrace what you are doing and respect the choices that others make.
PS: Please excuse any typos or grammatical errors. I currently have 3 children jumping on me as I attempt to finish my train of thought.