So, my little pumpkin is now 2 years old and she didn't really start eating solids until she was about 14 mos or so... (all the while being in the 99th percentile in height & weight). There was a little bit of worry since I knew she might fall short in the iron department and become anemic. A hemoglobin test showed this to be true...
As most know, iron levels for the exclusively breastfed baby, who was born healthy and full-term, are generally in great shape those first 6 mos (generally breastfed babies do fine the 1st nine mos). Foods high in iron are generallyrecommended (before iron supplements) at this age since iron in foods are better absorbed into their little bodies, etc. I like to also cook as much food in my iron skillets (seasoned from years of use by my mom!) and combine iron rich foods with Vitamin C foods:
* spaghetti with meat and tomato sauce
* meat and potatoes
* chicken fajitas with broccoli, sweet pepper, and tomatoes
* hamburger and coleslaw
* nitrate-free hot dogs and orange juice
* fruit, iron-fortified cereal, and raisins
* fresh fruit with raisins
For more info:
(A thorough description on anemia...)
http://askdrsears.com/html/4/t043100.asp#T043106
"PUMPING UP YOUR IRON"
www.llli.org/FAQ/firstfoods.html
"First foods for babies"
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/iron.html
"Is Iron-Supplementation Necessary?"
Some additional info on solids from the AAP:
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;115/2/496*
"Pediatricians and parents should be aware that exclusive breastfeeding is sufficient to support optimal growth and development for approximately the first 6 months of life and provides continuing protection against diarrhea and respiratory tract infection. Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child.
* Complementary foods rich in iron should be introduced gradually beginning around 6 months of age. Preterm and low birth weight infants and infants with hematologic disorders or infants who had inadequate iron stores at birth generally require iron supplementation before 6 months of age. Iron may be administered while continuing exclusive breastfeeding.
* Unique needs or feeding behaviors of individual infants may indicate a need for introduction of complementary foods as early as 4 months of age, whereas other infants may not be ready to accept other foods until approximately 8 months of age.
* Introduction of complementary feedings before 6 months of age generally does not increase total caloric intake or rate of growth and only substitutes foods that lack the protective components of human milk.
* During the first 6 months of age, even in hot climates, water and juice are unnecessary for breastfed infants and may introduce contaminants or allergens.
* Increased duration of breastfeeding confers significant health and developmental benefits for the child and the mother, especially in delaying return of fertility (thereby promoting optimal intervals between births).
* There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of lifeor longer.
* Infants weaned before 12 months of age should not receive cow's milk but should receive iron-fortified infant formula.
So, here's a recipe I found that is quite yummy (below)... If you try it out, let us know what you think (and what your baby/toddler think!).
"Coconut-Apple Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
* 1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
* 1/2 C. sweet potato, peeled and chopped
* 1/2 T. dried coconut
* water as needed
Instructions: Place the chopped sweet potato pieces in a steamer over boiling water. After 5 minutes, add the chopped apples and steam until tender. Place potato and apple pieces into a food processor with coconut. Process until baby food consistency, adding water as necessary. Note: You can use a potato masher, fork, or baby food grinder to prepare this recipe, though the mixture won't be as smooth. This is also a great side dish for a toddler meal. Try using coconut milk instead of water for a creamier, more coconutty flavor.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
10 Tips to Breastfeeding for a Year
Christine FosterMountain View CA USAFrom: NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 23 No. 1, January-February 2006, pp. 4-8
The recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups is clear—babies should be breastfed until at least their first birthday. But few mothers and babies make it that far. Although more than 70 percent of new mothers in the USA breastfeed just after birth, just 16 percent are still breastfeeding at one year (Ruowei et al. 2005). The reasons that so few make it to that goal are complex— a society that doesn't always support breastfeeding; alternatives that can seem easier during difficult times; a lack of education or understanding about the significant differences between the health of breastfed babies and bottle-fed babies. But most mothers who really want to can make it to a year, and beyond. This article provides some tips to help you get there.
1. Find Support
Although many mothers initiate breastfeeding after birth, it's still unusual for a new mother to have a lot of experience with seeing breastfeeding in action. The changes a new mother experiences after the birth of a baby are hard to anticipate and oftentimes surprising. The theoretical notion of planning to breastfeed can be radically different from caring for a real, live baby at the breast. For that reason, it's comforting to be around people who know about breastfeeding.
One of the easiest ways to find supportive people is to attend La Leche League meetings during your pregnancy. Experienced Leaders often note that mothers who are involved with LLL before birth tend to have an easier time because they are more educated about the normal course of breastfeeding. Plus, if there are unexpected issues, mothers who have already attended meetings are often more comfortable calling a Leader they already know.
It can also be helpful to educate family and friends about your goal. When Unity Dienes, a Leader in New Hampshire, was expecting twins, she made sure that her husband, Klee, understood her goals by writing up a list of reasons why it was so important for their boys to get her milk. Unity's advance work meant that when they encountered challenges in those early weeks, she had his full support. "He was amazed at how many different reasons there were," she says.
2. Learn to Breastfeed in Public
Learning how to breastfeed in public can be a big challenge—especially in communities where breastfeeding isn't as common. Women who can't get comfortable breastfeeding in public generally find it harder to make it to a year or beyond. If she doesn't want to nurse in public, a mother would either need to limit her excursions or pump her milk for bottles. Either of those can be frustrating and can limit the breastfeeding relationship.
Some mothers find nursing clothing to be helpful when they need to nurse in public, while others find it just as easy to breastfeed discreetly by lifting their shirt from the bottom and making sure their baby covers all of the exposed skin. Many mothers gain confidence by practicing in comfortable environments —such as a La Leche League meeting—or by watching themselves in a mirror so they know what they look like to those who may be watching. Sometimes enlisting a friend to come along for early outings can make a mother more comfortable. "Even if someone can tell you are breastfeeding, it's not a big deal," says Unity. "Try to develop that mind set. You are feeding your baby. You are comforting your baby. That's what your breasts are for."
Often a mother will actually be encouraged in her breastfeeding relationship by strangers who see her breastfeeding. "I was very nervous about breastfeeding in public with my first baby," says Dawn Burke, a Leader in Georgia. Once, when her daughter was about eight months old and the pair was out at a farmers' market, her baby became desperate to breastfeed. Dawn found a secluded spot on a milk crate at the edge of the public/employee area and sat down to breastfeed. An older male employee approached and loudly praised her for breastfeeding. "It is good to see you nursing your baby!" Dawn remembers him saying. "I am from India," he continued, "and breastfeeding is very important there. You keep nursing your baby. It's very good!" Now, Dawn says, "I tell mothers at meetings to take support wherever they find it!" (For more suggestions about breastfeeding in public, see the November-December 2005 issue of NEW BEGINNINGS.)
3. Limit the Use of Bottles and Pacifiers
Some babies clearly do use bottles and pacifiers and manage to continue breastfeeding for at least a year. But, as stated in THE BREASTFEEDING ANSWER BOOK, getting sucking needs met somewhere other than the breast is a risk factor for early weaning. Using artificial nipples during the early weeks can interfere with a baby's ability to breastfeed effectively.
La Leche League suggests limiting pacifier use in the early weeks, which can seem confusing to some mothers in light of the recent recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics that babies should sleep with pacifiers to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. LLL believes that the recommendation did not take basic breastfeeding management into account and could threaten the development of longer-term breastfeeding relationships. According to a statement issued by LLL:
Pacifiers are artificial substitutes for what the breast does naturally. Breastfed babies often nurse to sleep for naps and bedtime. The recommended pacifier usage could cause a reduction in milk supply due to reduced stimulation of the breasts and may affect breastfeeding duration.
In other words, if pacifiers are good for babies, why not use the best—the breast?
4. Find Ways to Involve Dad
One of the most common reasons new mothers give for pumping milk is that they want their baby's father to be able to give the baby a bottle. Frequent bottles, however, can lead to early weaning, so finding another way for daddy to connect with his baby can be crucial. In many families, bath time or an infant massage is a special daddy-baby bonding opportunity that offers skin-to-skin contact and comfort.
Cindy Howard, a Leader in California, recalls that her husband disliked giving their daughters bottles because his daughters seemed to behave as if they were getting second-best. When their youngest daughter, Gwen, was a baby, John connected with her by rubbing her feet to comfort her when his wife attended an early morning exercise class.
Jennifer Moquin, a Leader in Pennsylvania, let her husband, Anthony, take the late shift with their night owl baby. She would breastfeed the baby and then lie down to sleep a bit while daddy walked the baby around, played special songs to her, and showed her pictures on the wall. "She was mellow, but wide awake," Jennifer recalls. "It was always a really nice time for them."
5. Create a Daily Rhythm
Strict schedules can make it hard for a mother to respond to her own baby's cues. They can also lead to decreased milk supply, because milk is removed from a mother's breasts less often. It can be confusing for mothers to hear that babies are "supposed to" breastfeed eight to 12 times in a 24 hour period or that babies "should" breastfeed for 10 or 15 minutes on each breast when their baby is doing something different. According to THE BREASTFEEDING ANSWER BOOK, "Length of feedings varies with the baby's personality and age. A baby's breastfeeding style also may change as he grows." Many mothers find it helpful to spend less time looking at the clock and counting the number of times their babies go to the breast. As long as your baby is gaining enough weight, simply watching his or her cues is enough.
For some mothers and babies, though, having some sort of predictability to the day is important. A mother can gradually provide some structure by giving her baby predictable cues. Having a specific order to the day—a time for baths, walks, or books, for example—can help the baby and the mother find a rhythm that works for them. Some babies will fall into a more regular breastfeeding pattern as they grow older. Others will continue to want to breastfeed frequently throughout the day.
6. Breastfeed for Comfort
Some mothers worry that offering the breast for comfort when baby is upset will create an inappropriate emotional connection with food. They worry that their child will turn to food for comfort, rather than eating to satisfy physical hunger. They might believe that it's better to try to separate food from emotions. If we are honest with ourselves, though, we will realize that all of us associate certain emotions with certain foods. Cindy Howard, who is also an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, gives the example of the traditional birthday cake. There is rarely much nutritional value in the cake. It's the emotional component of celebrating with others that matters.
When you offer the breast for comfort, you are encouraging your baby to turn to you for comfort instead of a non-human object. The human contact matters more than the milk. Plus, breastfeeding for comfort keeps your supply plentiful and reminds the baby that by breastfeeding he can help himself to feel good again.
7. Recognize the Signs of a Nursing Strike
Babies often have periods during which they seem more or less interested in breastfeeding, but it is very unusual for a baby to actually choose to wean before one year. It is not uncommon, however, for a mother to say her young baby is "weaning" when the baby is actually in the midst of a nursing strike or making a developmental leap that is distracting him from breastfeeding. According to THE BREASTFEEDING ANSWER BOOK, the most typical age for a nursing strike is between three and eight months.
The key to avoiding weaning inadvertently is to recognize and deal appropriately with a nursing strike. Molly Remer, a Leader in Missouri, remembers that when her son, Lann, was five months old, he stopped breastfeeding during waking hours for a week due to having a cold. Apparently frustrated because he was congested and having trouble breathing while breastfeeding, Lann simply refused. Molly breastfed him while he slept and tried various tricks to get him back to the breast during the day. Breastfeeding while in motion worked best, so she walked and breastfed. Lann is now two years old and still breastfeeding regularly.
Another very typical time for something that can look like weaning, but isn't, is the second half of the first year as babies start to move and be more aware of their environment. Some are so distracted that they never stop to breastfeed. Some mothers find that offering to breastfeed more often, bringing a baby into a dark room to breastfeed, or taking advantage of nighttime nursing opportunities can get them through this stage. Frequently, when babies refuse to breastfeed, though, there is something else going on that has upset the babies' lives, such as an illness or teething or a big change in the family, such as a move. And, sometimes, rarely, babies will wean naturally before a year. The benefits of breastfeeding to a baby's health are so strong, however, that it is worth efforts to make sure that a baby is not simply going through a short-lived stage before stopping breastfeeding.
8. Handle One Day at a Time
Some mothers are planners: they want to decide how long they will breastfeed before their baby is even born. They think, "I don't really want to nurse a three-year-old, so I will wean now." Others may plan to breastfeed until a year or beyond, but may feel overwhelmed during the early days and fear that they can't possibly make it to their goal.
Instead of making a firm decision in advance, try taking it one day at a time. When your baby is a newborn the idea of breastfeeding an enormous 12-month-old can seem daunting. When you are helping her blow out her candles on her first birthday, your baby won't seem nearly so huge.
Ariel Valencia, a mother in California, has used the "one day at a time" approach to help her continue to give her son, Evren, only her milk. Ariel works outside the home and finds it difficult to pump enough milk for him while she is away. She sets two-week goals and has already made it to five months.
9. Don't View Breastfeeding as an "All-or-Nothing" Proposition
Occasionally mothers introduce formula—perhaps to cope with a supply deficit while they are working or because they choose not to pump milk when they are separated from their baby.
Julie Nelson, a mother in New York, introduced formula to her son, Nicholas, at nine months when she stopped being able to pump enough for him while she was at work. She continued to breastfeed during the evenings and on weekends and Nicholas continued to breastfeed through his first birthday.
10. Enjoy the Moment
Remember, it's okay to fall in love with breastfeeding. "It's going to be your heart, not your mind that makes you continue," says Unity Dienes. So prime your heart to love breastfeeding. Unity suggests that mothers:
Make sure breastfeeding doesn't hurt—you can't fall in love with something that hurts.
Avoid having anything in between you and your baby, including a nipple shield or a bottle with pumped milk. Whenever something is between you, it makes things more difficult.
Snuggle with your baby. Savor his sweet smell and his fuzzy head. Watch to see the milk your body made dripping out the corner of his mouth. Falling in love involves all the senses.
When a mother embraces breastfeeding, it becomes that much easier to breastfeed for a full year and beyond. That's the true "secret" to breastfeeding. If a mother enjoys breastfeeding or commits herself to it, it's likely that it will be easier for her to allow comfort nursing, figure out how to nurse in the presence of others, and get the support she needs.
This period in your baby's life is fleeting. As you adjust to this new experience, remember to take things as they come and try to enjoy the moment.
The recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups is clear—babies should be breastfed until at least their first birthday. But few mothers and babies make it that far. Although more than 70 percent of new mothers in the USA breastfeed just after birth, just 16 percent are still breastfeeding at one year (Ruowei et al. 2005). The reasons that so few make it to that goal are complex— a society that doesn't always support breastfeeding; alternatives that can seem easier during difficult times; a lack of education or understanding about the significant differences between the health of breastfed babies and bottle-fed babies. But most mothers who really want to can make it to a year, and beyond. This article provides some tips to help you get there.
1. Find Support
Although many mothers initiate breastfeeding after birth, it's still unusual for a new mother to have a lot of experience with seeing breastfeeding in action. The changes a new mother experiences after the birth of a baby are hard to anticipate and oftentimes surprising. The theoretical notion of planning to breastfeed can be radically different from caring for a real, live baby at the breast. For that reason, it's comforting to be around people who know about breastfeeding.
One of the easiest ways to find supportive people is to attend La Leche League meetings during your pregnancy. Experienced Leaders often note that mothers who are involved with LLL before birth tend to have an easier time because they are more educated about the normal course of breastfeeding. Plus, if there are unexpected issues, mothers who have already attended meetings are often more comfortable calling a Leader they already know.
It can also be helpful to educate family and friends about your goal. When Unity Dienes, a Leader in New Hampshire, was expecting twins, she made sure that her husband, Klee, understood her goals by writing up a list of reasons why it was so important for their boys to get her milk. Unity's advance work meant that when they encountered challenges in those early weeks, she had his full support. "He was amazed at how many different reasons there were," she says.
2. Learn to Breastfeed in Public
Learning how to breastfeed in public can be a big challenge—especially in communities where breastfeeding isn't as common. Women who can't get comfortable breastfeeding in public generally find it harder to make it to a year or beyond. If she doesn't want to nurse in public, a mother would either need to limit her excursions or pump her milk for bottles. Either of those can be frustrating and can limit the breastfeeding relationship.
Some mothers find nursing clothing to be helpful when they need to nurse in public, while others find it just as easy to breastfeed discreetly by lifting their shirt from the bottom and making sure their baby covers all of the exposed skin. Many mothers gain confidence by practicing in comfortable environments —such as a La Leche League meeting—or by watching themselves in a mirror so they know what they look like to those who may be watching. Sometimes enlisting a friend to come along for early outings can make a mother more comfortable. "Even if someone can tell you are breastfeeding, it's not a big deal," says Unity. "Try to develop that mind set. You are feeding your baby. You are comforting your baby. That's what your breasts are for."
Often a mother will actually be encouraged in her breastfeeding relationship by strangers who see her breastfeeding. "I was very nervous about breastfeeding in public with my first baby," says Dawn Burke, a Leader in Georgia. Once, when her daughter was about eight months old and the pair was out at a farmers' market, her baby became desperate to breastfeed. Dawn found a secluded spot on a milk crate at the edge of the public/employee area and sat down to breastfeed. An older male employee approached and loudly praised her for breastfeeding. "It is good to see you nursing your baby!" Dawn remembers him saying. "I am from India," he continued, "and breastfeeding is very important there. You keep nursing your baby. It's very good!" Now, Dawn says, "I tell mothers at meetings to take support wherever they find it!" (For more suggestions about breastfeeding in public, see the November-December 2005 issue of NEW BEGINNINGS.)
3. Limit the Use of Bottles and Pacifiers
Some babies clearly do use bottles and pacifiers and manage to continue breastfeeding for at least a year. But, as stated in THE BREASTFEEDING ANSWER BOOK, getting sucking needs met somewhere other than the breast is a risk factor for early weaning. Using artificial nipples during the early weeks can interfere with a baby's ability to breastfeed effectively.
La Leche League suggests limiting pacifier use in the early weeks, which can seem confusing to some mothers in light of the recent recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics that babies should sleep with pacifiers to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. LLL believes that the recommendation did not take basic breastfeeding management into account and could threaten the development of longer-term breastfeeding relationships. According to a statement issued by LLL:
Pacifiers are artificial substitutes for what the breast does naturally. Breastfed babies often nurse to sleep for naps and bedtime. The recommended pacifier usage could cause a reduction in milk supply due to reduced stimulation of the breasts and may affect breastfeeding duration.
In other words, if pacifiers are good for babies, why not use the best—the breast?
4. Find Ways to Involve Dad
One of the most common reasons new mothers give for pumping milk is that they want their baby's father to be able to give the baby a bottle. Frequent bottles, however, can lead to early weaning, so finding another way for daddy to connect with his baby can be crucial. In many families, bath time or an infant massage is a special daddy-baby bonding opportunity that offers skin-to-skin contact and comfort.
Cindy Howard, a Leader in California, recalls that her husband disliked giving their daughters bottles because his daughters seemed to behave as if they were getting second-best. When their youngest daughter, Gwen, was a baby, John connected with her by rubbing her feet to comfort her when his wife attended an early morning exercise class.
Jennifer Moquin, a Leader in Pennsylvania, let her husband, Anthony, take the late shift with their night owl baby. She would breastfeed the baby and then lie down to sleep a bit while daddy walked the baby around, played special songs to her, and showed her pictures on the wall. "She was mellow, but wide awake," Jennifer recalls. "It was always a really nice time for them."
5. Create a Daily Rhythm
Strict schedules can make it hard for a mother to respond to her own baby's cues. They can also lead to decreased milk supply, because milk is removed from a mother's breasts less often. It can be confusing for mothers to hear that babies are "supposed to" breastfeed eight to 12 times in a 24 hour period or that babies "should" breastfeed for 10 or 15 minutes on each breast when their baby is doing something different. According to THE BREASTFEEDING ANSWER BOOK, "Length of feedings varies with the baby's personality and age. A baby's breastfeeding style also may change as he grows." Many mothers find it helpful to spend less time looking at the clock and counting the number of times their babies go to the breast. As long as your baby is gaining enough weight, simply watching his or her cues is enough.
For some mothers and babies, though, having some sort of predictability to the day is important. A mother can gradually provide some structure by giving her baby predictable cues. Having a specific order to the day—a time for baths, walks, or books, for example—can help the baby and the mother find a rhythm that works for them. Some babies will fall into a more regular breastfeeding pattern as they grow older. Others will continue to want to breastfeed frequently throughout the day.
6. Breastfeed for Comfort
Some mothers worry that offering the breast for comfort when baby is upset will create an inappropriate emotional connection with food. They worry that their child will turn to food for comfort, rather than eating to satisfy physical hunger. They might believe that it's better to try to separate food from emotions. If we are honest with ourselves, though, we will realize that all of us associate certain emotions with certain foods. Cindy Howard, who is also an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, gives the example of the traditional birthday cake. There is rarely much nutritional value in the cake. It's the emotional component of celebrating with others that matters.
When you offer the breast for comfort, you are encouraging your baby to turn to you for comfort instead of a non-human object. The human contact matters more than the milk. Plus, breastfeeding for comfort keeps your supply plentiful and reminds the baby that by breastfeeding he can help himself to feel good again.
7. Recognize the Signs of a Nursing Strike
Babies often have periods during which they seem more or less interested in breastfeeding, but it is very unusual for a baby to actually choose to wean before one year. It is not uncommon, however, for a mother to say her young baby is "weaning" when the baby is actually in the midst of a nursing strike or making a developmental leap that is distracting him from breastfeeding. According to THE BREASTFEEDING ANSWER BOOK, the most typical age for a nursing strike is between three and eight months.
The key to avoiding weaning inadvertently is to recognize and deal appropriately with a nursing strike. Molly Remer, a Leader in Missouri, remembers that when her son, Lann, was five months old, he stopped breastfeeding during waking hours for a week due to having a cold. Apparently frustrated because he was congested and having trouble breathing while breastfeeding, Lann simply refused. Molly breastfed him while he slept and tried various tricks to get him back to the breast during the day. Breastfeeding while in motion worked best, so she walked and breastfed. Lann is now two years old and still breastfeeding regularly.
Another very typical time for something that can look like weaning, but isn't, is the second half of the first year as babies start to move and be more aware of their environment. Some are so distracted that they never stop to breastfeed. Some mothers find that offering to breastfeed more often, bringing a baby into a dark room to breastfeed, or taking advantage of nighttime nursing opportunities can get them through this stage. Frequently, when babies refuse to breastfeed, though, there is something else going on that has upset the babies' lives, such as an illness or teething or a big change in the family, such as a move. And, sometimes, rarely, babies will wean naturally before a year. The benefits of breastfeeding to a baby's health are so strong, however, that it is worth efforts to make sure that a baby is not simply going through a short-lived stage before stopping breastfeeding.
8. Handle One Day at a Time
Some mothers are planners: they want to decide how long they will breastfeed before their baby is even born. They think, "I don't really want to nurse a three-year-old, so I will wean now." Others may plan to breastfeed until a year or beyond, but may feel overwhelmed during the early days and fear that they can't possibly make it to their goal.
Instead of making a firm decision in advance, try taking it one day at a time. When your baby is a newborn the idea of breastfeeding an enormous 12-month-old can seem daunting. When you are helping her blow out her candles on her first birthday, your baby won't seem nearly so huge.
Ariel Valencia, a mother in California, has used the "one day at a time" approach to help her continue to give her son, Evren, only her milk. Ariel works outside the home and finds it difficult to pump enough milk for him while she is away. She sets two-week goals and has already made it to five months.
9. Don't View Breastfeeding as an "All-or-Nothing" Proposition
Occasionally mothers introduce formula—perhaps to cope with a supply deficit while they are working or because they choose not to pump milk when they are separated from their baby.
Julie Nelson, a mother in New York, introduced formula to her son, Nicholas, at nine months when she stopped being able to pump enough for him while she was at work. She continued to breastfeed during the evenings and on weekends and Nicholas continued to breastfeed through his first birthday.
10. Enjoy the Moment
Remember, it's okay to fall in love with breastfeeding. "It's going to be your heart, not your mind that makes you continue," says Unity Dienes. So prime your heart to love breastfeeding. Unity suggests that mothers:
Make sure breastfeeding doesn't hurt—you can't fall in love with something that hurts.
Avoid having anything in between you and your baby, including a nipple shield or a bottle with pumped milk. Whenever something is between you, it makes things more difficult.
Snuggle with your baby. Savor his sweet smell and his fuzzy head. Watch to see the milk your body made dripping out the corner of his mouth. Falling in love involves all the senses.
When a mother embraces breastfeeding, it becomes that much easier to breastfeed for a full year and beyond. That's the true "secret" to breastfeeding. If a mother enjoys breastfeeding or commits herself to it, it's likely that it will be easier for her to allow comfort nursing, figure out how to nurse in the presence of others, and get the support she needs.
This period in your baby's life is fleeting. As you adjust to this new experience, remember to take things as they come and try to enjoy the moment.
7 WAYS BREASTFEEDING BENEFITS MOTHERS
from www.askdrsears.com
What's good for baby is also good for mother. When mothers follow nature's lead and breastfeed their babies, their own bodies benefit--so do their budgets!
Reduces the risk of breast cancer. Women who breastfeed reduce their risk of developing breast cancer by as much as 25 percent. The reduction in cancer risk comes in proportion to the cumulative lifetime duration of breastfeeding. That is, the more months or years a mother breastfeeds, the lower her risk of breast cancer.
Reduces the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer. One of the reasons for the cancer-fighting effects of breastfeeding is that estrogen levels are lower during lactation. It is thought that the less estrogen available to stimulate the lining of the uterus and perhaps breast tissue also, the less the risk of these tissues becoming cancerous.
Lessens osteoporosis. Non-breastfeeding women have a four times greater chance of developing osteoporosis than breastfeeding women and are more likely to suffer from hip fractures in the post-menopausal years.
Benefits child spacing. Since breastfeeding delays ovulation, the longer a mother breastfeeds the more she is able to practice natural childspacing, if she desires. How long a woman remains infertile depends on her baby's nursing pattern and her own individual baby.
Promotes emotional health. Not only is breastfeeding good for mother's body, it's good for her mind. Studies show that breastfeeding mothers show less postpartum anxiety and depression than do formula-feeding mothers.
Promotes postpartum weight loss. Breastfeeding mothers showed significantly larger reductions in hip circumference and more fat loss by one month postpartum when compared with formula-feeding moms. Breastfeeding mothers tend to have an earlier return to their pre-pregnant weight.
Costs less to breastfeed. It costs around $1,200 a year to formula-feed your baby. Even taking into consideration the slight increase in food costs to a breastfeeding mother, the American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that a breastfeeding mother will save around $400 during the first year of breastfeeding.
What's good for baby is also good for mother. When mothers follow nature's lead and breastfeed their babies, their own bodies benefit--so do their budgets!
Reduces the risk of breast cancer. Women who breastfeed reduce their risk of developing breast cancer by as much as 25 percent. The reduction in cancer risk comes in proportion to the cumulative lifetime duration of breastfeeding. That is, the more months or years a mother breastfeeds, the lower her risk of breast cancer.
Reduces the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer. One of the reasons for the cancer-fighting effects of breastfeeding is that estrogen levels are lower during lactation. It is thought that the less estrogen available to stimulate the lining of the uterus and perhaps breast tissue also, the less the risk of these tissues becoming cancerous.
Lessens osteoporosis. Non-breastfeeding women have a four times greater chance of developing osteoporosis than breastfeeding women and are more likely to suffer from hip fractures in the post-menopausal years.
Benefits child spacing. Since breastfeeding delays ovulation, the longer a mother breastfeeds the more she is able to practice natural childspacing, if she desires. How long a woman remains infertile depends on her baby's nursing pattern and her own individual baby.
Promotes emotional health. Not only is breastfeeding good for mother's body, it's good for her mind. Studies show that breastfeeding mothers show less postpartum anxiety and depression than do formula-feeding mothers.
Promotes postpartum weight loss. Breastfeeding mothers showed significantly larger reductions in hip circumference and more fat loss by one month postpartum when compared with formula-feeding moms. Breastfeeding mothers tend to have an earlier return to their pre-pregnant weight.
Costs less to breastfeed. It costs around $1,200 a year to formula-feed your baby. Even taking into consideration the slight increase in food costs to a breastfeeding mother, the American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that a breastfeeding mother will save around $400 during the first year of breastfeeding.
Monday, November 2, 2009
How Bottle Feeding Affects Mothering Traditions
by Vicky York
Today there is often a generation gap when a mother sees her daughter struggling, often in tears, with breastfeeding and suggests she "just give the baby a bottle" though her daughter has been reading research about the benefits of breastfeeding rather than formula feeding.
As a postpartum doula I frequently witness firsthand this new turn of events for the grandmother/mother relationship. Frequently distant grandmothers without nursing experience are asked by daughters to stay home until their daughters have a handle on the breastfeeding situation. Some grandmothers are present but sit in a corner quietly listening to us talk, learning for the first time themselves how to handle nursing situations.
Too often tearful new moms are alone at home, sometimes self-conscious about their awkward first efforts at nursing. Some are feeling they aren't good mothers because they are having trouble and they perceive that instant success should come naturally, not realizing that the only way women have ever known how to nurse is by watching other females. Babies know instinctually how to suck and seek the nipple, but many details of the art of breastfeeding are learned from other mothers. It's one of the gifts mothers receive from the family elders, the keepers of the heritage.
But grandma has competition. No need for baby to depend on mothers milk. No reason why moms can't skip the learning curve hassles of breastfeeding when she's heard formula is just as good. Thank formula company's marketing tactics, and hospitals' willingness to support formula feeding by giving their patients gifts of free formula. This has produced at least a couple generations of bottle feeders, breaking the cycle of the continuous and precious handing down of breastfeeding knowledge from generation to generation. Some breast feeders think they can also bottle feed just to make sure baby's gets enough, not understanding that this interruption in the emptying of the breasts compromises future milk supply and for many it's extremely difficult to build up that supply later. Every grandma who's "been there, did that" knows this fact. This is not to mention nipple confusion and the irritation that cows milk protein creates in newly initiated intestines.
We are the only species that drinks the milk of another species. It took some fancy marketing and billions of dollars for formula makers to create the illusion that their artificial baby milk was the "next best thing to breastmilk". We have a situation in which bottle-feeding has become a more common sight than breastfeeding and mothers are actually self-conscious when publicly providing sustenance for their infants in the natural way. Little girls today expect dolls to come with bottles. Dads sometimes feel cheated if they can't give their baby a bottle. And Grandma's are cheated of their role as bringers of the art of breastfeeding.
Women of yesteryear didn't know why breastmilk was best; they simply nursed for the same reasons all mammals nurse their young and they learned from others. When a woman sits down and pulls her baby to her breast she carries on a tradition of many generations of mothers before her providing the perfect nourishment to ensure that her offspring survives. We have heard that natural childbirth is empowering; it teaches a woman that she can trust her body to grow a child within her and withstand the rigors of labor to bring that child into the world. Surely realizing her capability of supporting this new life with the milk of her blood and the warmth of her body is another form of empowerment. It may be the first time she imagines her mother feeding her in this way a generation prior. In this way emotional healing often occurs in strained mother/daughter relationships.
Where it was once enough that grandma demonstrated how to feed a baby, new moms are now confused by the contradicting advice of friends, books, and physicians who don't have faith in mothers, babies, or ancient history.
Husbands are stymied as to why their wives are struggling with something they thought came naturally. Fathers 50 years ago left it up to the womenfolk to teach each other while they went off to work, knowing their wives were learning from the pros.
But breastfeeding is making a comeback. Though free food, trinkets and trips given to hospitals and doctors by formula makers has been persuasive the trend is changing as protestors cite a shameful conflict of interest. It may take another couple of generations to repair the damage done and revert back to natural behavior in feeding by getting formula companies to step out from between mother and child and pediatricians to add breastfeeding to their training.
But as it stands now many of today's grandmothers don't have the knowledge or experience to help their daughters because they bottle-fed their own children during a time when it had become popular to give their own babies artificial baby's milk. In the 60's pediatricians, happy to have a calibrated method to see and chart how much babies were drinking, usually recommended either formula, basically a concoction of tropical oils, cows milk and a few vitamins and minerals required by the government. Now the World Health Organization recommends nursing for one year. More of today's mothers nurse than the last generation and with their help their daughters won't miss one of the most unforgettable and empowering experiences mothers enjoy.
Lactation consultants are very often necessary if a new mother is to get any help at all when her baby is placed in her arms for his first feedings. Doctors are usually untrained in lactation and depend on lactation consultants to advise them. Therefore lactation clinics are set up in or near most hospitals and mothers who go home with problems can bring the baby back in to get help, if they are able. Hospitals hire as few lactation consultants as they can get away with and those are often busy doing paperwork, arranging classes and even working on the labor and delivery floor. Many women never see a lactation consultant in the hospital and if they do it may be brief and they may only have time to send struggling mothers home with breastfeeding accessories, such as nipple shields and hope for the best. This situation is regrettable to lactation consultants as much as anyone as they have the training and the heart to do so much more.
Doctors are feeling pressure to come up with answers about a subject they know little about unless they are females who successfully nursed their own, and therefore too often resort to taking the more legally accountable route of recommending prescribed amounts of formula. Midwives need to be more informed than ever about breastfeeding if they want their clients to avoid suggestions of formula supplementation from all sides as soon as they encounter a potential problem.
Mothers in larger cities now often pay for postpartum doula services to fill a void in their own ability to solve specific challenges with the techniques of breastfeeding. While doulas and lactation consultants can save the day, this really should be a time when mother and daughter come together in a new relationship with one another, forming a bond through the "handing down of knowledge" from mother to mother.
While sitting next to a new mom explaining some of the amazing facts about breastmilk to keep her inspired, many a grandmother has leaned over my shoulder and expressed regret that she used formula by the influence of her pediatrician, formula company ads, the availability of free formula samples, and her peers. Older women today often confess feeling great regret at having "failed" at breastfeeding because they "just didn't make enough milk" or "the baby didn't like their milk" and so on. We now know that if their own mothers and their peers had breastfed they would have received information about early and frequent nursing, supply and demand, and the proper latch that pediatricians today don't have the time or training to teach mothers. It's grandma's place. Grandma's who had the will but not the help can feel psychological pain and sometimes embarrassment over missing out on this experience. And the ones who did successfully nurse all their children exclaim that fact with pure pride. Having to give up is no small thing and those mothers never forget it. With a little initial support they would have seen their babies not only thrive on their milk but love nursing to the point of outright rejecting formula. They could have bypassed bisphenol-A laden bottles with their latex nipples and pacifiers and probably gone straight from the breast to a cup, with guidance all the way by their own mamas. Guidance any grandmother who nursed can give to the great appreciation of an apprehensive daughter. Grandmothers also know that breastfeeding ensures that mothers stay close to their infants physically and emotionally and that this in itself takes care of so many issues.
Native Americans and other ethnic groups must particularly feel the sting of having modern American industrial society replace older customs and traditions. They're missing yet another route of handing down knowledge and skills from generation to generation that can keep them tied as a culture or a tribe. Where the natural inclination used to be to call grandma because of her nursing experience now parents go to the market for formulas, bottles, nipples, bottle-washing brushes and sterilizing accessories. And if they breastfeed, hiring help can be expensive.
At a time when some grandmothers may begin to feel that their worth in society and to the family is waning, their daughters and sons produce an opportunity for them to impart their knowledge, skills and experience in mothering and providing for babies. According to each culture grandmother knows which foods to feed her daughter, which herbal teas are best for breastfeeding initiation, how to ensure plenty of milk, etc. Valuable information and handed down wisdom that has no place in a bottle-feeding society. However-much mothers and daughters may differ in ideas about parenting a deeper bond is created between them, as a daughter trusts her mother's ideas and knowledge at a time when she feels vulnerable and unsure. After a few weeks of reassurance from mom there is a sense that all is well in the family when the new young mother feels pride in being the only one who can give her baby his birthright straight from her bosom. The largely unrecognized effect of aggressive marketing ploys of formula makers, and resultant prevalence of bottle-feeding is the loss of the natural family tradition of grandma being able to pass on her art of breastfeeding, truly mothering the mother as no one else could.
Vicky York, IBCLC, CPD is an independent lactation consultant and has worked with nearly 600 families in the Oregon as a postpartum doula. She has taught postpartum doula training workshops, newborn care classes, breastfeeding classes and grandma classes and is a published author of postpartum related articles. Vicky York, IBCLC, CPDPostpartum Care ServicesPortland, Oregon
http://mypeoplepc.com/members/vmyork/www.ikarma.com/user/vmyork
(Note: The World Health Organization suggests breastfeeding for 2 years.
"... infants should receive complementary foods with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond."
http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/exclusive_breastfeeding/en/index.html
Also, there's available free breastfeeding help available through a woman's local La Leche League Group... www.llli.org
Today there is often a generation gap when a mother sees her daughter struggling, often in tears, with breastfeeding and suggests she "just give the baby a bottle" though her daughter has been reading research about the benefits of breastfeeding rather than formula feeding.
As a postpartum doula I frequently witness firsthand this new turn of events for the grandmother/mother relationship. Frequently distant grandmothers without nursing experience are asked by daughters to stay home until their daughters have a handle on the breastfeeding situation. Some grandmothers are present but sit in a corner quietly listening to us talk, learning for the first time themselves how to handle nursing situations.
Too often tearful new moms are alone at home, sometimes self-conscious about their awkward first efforts at nursing. Some are feeling they aren't good mothers because they are having trouble and they perceive that instant success should come naturally, not realizing that the only way women have ever known how to nurse is by watching other females. Babies know instinctually how to suck and seek the nipple, but many details of the art of breastfeeding are learned from other mothers. It's one of the gifts mothers receive from the family elders, the keepers of the heritage.
But grandma has competition. No need for baby to depend on mothers milk. No reason why moms can't skip the learning curve hassles of breastfeeding when she's heard formula is just as good. Thank formula company's marketing tactics, and hospitals' willingness to support formula feeding by giving their patients gifts of free formula. This has produced at least a couple generations of bottle feeders, breaking the cycle of the continuous and precious handing down of breastfeeding knowledge from generation to generation. Some breast feeders think they can also bottle feed just to make sure baby's gets enough, not understanding that this interruption in the emptying of the breasts compromises future milk supply and for many it's extremely difficult to build up that supply later. Every grandma who's "been there, did that" knows this fact. This is not to mention nipple confusion and the irritation that cows milk protein creates in newly initiated intestines.
We are the only species that drinks the milk of another species. It took some fancy marketing and billions of dollars for formula makers to create the illusion that their artificial baby milk was the "next best thing to breastmilk". We have a situation in which bottle-feeding has become a more common sight than breastfeeding and mothers are actually self-conscious when publicly providing sustenance for their infants in the natural way. Little girls today expect dolls to come with bottles. Dads sometimes feel cheated if they can't give their baby a bottle. And Grandma's are cheated of their role as bringers of the art of breastfeeding.
Women of yesteryear didn't know why breastmilk was best; they simply nursed for the same reasons all mammals nurse their young and they learned from others. When a woman sits down and pulls her baby to her breast she carries on a tradition of many generations of mothers before her providing the perfect nourishment to ensure that her offspring survives. We have heard that natural childbirth is empowering; it teaches a woman that she can trust her body to grow a child within her and withstand the rigors of labor to bring that child into the world. Surely realizing her capability of supporting this new life with the milk of her blood and the warmth of her body is another form of empowerment. It may be the first time she imagines her mother feeding her in this way a generation prior. In this way emotional healing often occurs in strained mother/daughter relationships.
Where it was once enough that grandma demonstrated how to feed a baby, new moms are now confused by the contradicting advice of friends, books, and physicians who don't have faith in mothers, babies, or ancient history.
Husbands are stymied as to why their wives are struggling with something they thought came naturally. Fathers 50 years ago left it up to the womenfolk to teach each other while they went off to work, knowing their wives were learning from the pros.
But breastfeeding is making a comeback. Though free food, trinkets and trips given to hospitals and doctors by formula makers has been persuasive the trend is changing as protestors cite a shameful conflict of interest. It may take another couple of generations to repair the damage done and revert back to natural behavior in feeding by getting formula companies to step out from between mother and child and pediatricians to add breastfeeding to their training.
But as it stands now many of today's grandmothers don't have the knowledge or experience to help their daughters because they bottle-fed their own children during a time when it had become popular to give their own babies artificial baby's milk. In the 60's pediatricians, happy to have a calibrated method to see and chart how much babies were drinking, usually recommended either formula, basically a concoction of tropical oils, cows milk and a few vitamins and minerals required by the government. Now the World Health Organization recommends nursing for one year. More of today's mothers nurse than the last generation and with their help their daughters won't miss one of the most unforgettable and empowering experiences mothers enjoy.
Lactation consultants are very often necessary if a new mother is to get any help at all when her baby is placed in her arms for his first feedings. Doctors are usually untrained in lactation and depend on lactation consultants to advise them. Therefore lactation clinics are set up in or near most hospitals and mothers who go home with problems can bring the baby back in to get help, if they are able. Hospitals hire as few lactation consultants as they can get away with and those are often busy doing paperwork, arranging classes and even working on the labor and delivery floor. Many women never see a lactation consultant in the hospital and if they do it may be brief and they may only have time to send struggling mothers home with breastfeeding accessories, such as nipple shields and hope for the best. This situation is regrettable to lactation consultants as much as anyone as they have the training and the heart to do so much more.
Doctors are feeling pressure to come up with answers about a subject they know little about unless they are females who successfully nursed their own, and therefore too often resort to taking the more legally accountable route of recommending prescribed amounts of formula. Midwives need to be more informed than ever about breastfeeding if they want their clients to avoid suggestions of formula supplementation from all sides as soon as they encounter a potential problem.
Mothers in larger cities now often pay for postpartum doula services to fill a void in their own ability to solve specific challenges with the techniques of breastfeeding. While doulas and lactation consultants can save the day, this really should be a time when mother and daughter come together in a new relationship with one another, forming a bond through the "handing down of knowledge" from mother to mother.
While sitting next to a new mom explaining some of the amazing facts about breastmilk to keep her inspired, many a grandmother has leaned over my shoulder and expressed regret that she used formula by the influence of her pediatrician, formula company ads, the availability of free formula samples, and her peers. Older women today often confess feeling great regret at having "failed" at breastfeeding because they "just didn't make enough milk" or "the baby didn't like their milk" and so on. We now know that if their own mothers and their peers had breastfed they would have received information about early and frequent nursing, supply and demand, and the proper latch that pediatricians today don't have the time or training to teach mothers. It's grandma's place. Grandma's who had the will but not the help can feel psychological pain and sometimes embarrassment over missing out on this experience. And the ones who did successfully nurse all their children exclaim that fact with pure pride. Having to give up is no small thing and those mothers never forget it. With a little initial support they would have seen their babies not only thrive on their milk but love nursing to the point of outright rejecting formula. They could have bypassed bisphenol-A laden bottles with their latex nipples and pacifiers and probably gone straight from the breast to a cup, with guidance all the way by their own mamas. Guidance any grandmother who nursed can give to the great appreciation of an apprehensive daughter. Grandmothers also know that breastfeeding ensures that mothers stay close to their infants physically and emotionally and that this in itself takes care of so many issues.
Native Americans and other ethnic groups must particularly feel the sting of having modern American industrial society replace older customs and traditions. They're missing yet another route of handing down knowledge and skills from generation to generation that can keep them tied as a culture or a tribe. Where the natural inclination used to be to call grandma because of her nursing experience now parents go to the market for formulas, bottles, nipples, bottle-washing brushes and sterilizing accessories. And if they breastfeed, hiring help can be expensive.
At a time when some grandmothers may begin to feel that their worth in society and to the family is waning, their daughters and sons produce an opportunity for them to impart their knowledge, skills and experience in mothering and providing for babies. According to each culture grandmother knows which foods to feed her daughter, which herbal teas are best for breastfeeding initiation, how to ensure plenty of milk, etc. Valuable information and handed down wisdom that has no place in a bottle-feeding society. However-much mothers and daughters may differ in ideas about parenting a deeper bond is created between them, as a daughter trusts her mother's ideas and knowledge at a time when she feels vulnerable and unsure. After a few weeks of reassurance from mom there is a sense that all is well in the family when the new young mother feels pride in being the only one who can give her baby his birthright straight from her bosom. The largely unrecognized effect of aggressive marketing ploys of formula makers, and resultant prevalence of bottle-feeding is the loss of the natural family tradition of grandma being able to pass on her art of breastfeeding, truly mothering the mother as no one else could.
Vicky York, IBCLC, CPD is an independent lactation consultant and has worked with nearly 600 families in the Oregon as a postpartum doula. She has taught postpartum doula training workshops, newborn care classes, breastfeeding classes and grandma classes and is a published author of postpartum related articles. Vicky York, IBCLC, CPDPostpartum Care ServicesPortland, Oregon
http://mypeoplepc.com/members/vmyork/www.ikarma.com/user/vmyork
(Note: The World Health Organization suggests breastfeeding for 2 years.
"... infants should receive complementary foods with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond."
http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/exclusive_breastfeeding/en/index.html
Also, there's available free breastfeeding help available through a woman's local La Leche League Group... www.llli.org
Thursday, October 29, 2009
A to Z: 26 Reasons to Nurse Your Baby
From: www.llli.org
Amenorrhea
Bonding
Colostrum... the perfect first food
Decreased risk of breast cancer
Easy baby care
Few allergies
Good for the whole family
Human milk is specially designed for human babies
Immunities
Jaw development
Kids get lots of attention when the new baby is breastfed
Laundry is a breeze
Mental development
Natural
Oxytocin and prolactin
Protection against many diseases
Quick weight loss for mother
Rest
Saves money
Traveling is easy
Understanding the baby's needs
Vitamins and minerals
Working goes smoothly when the nursing relationship is maintained
eXactly what baby needs
You get to take care of your baby
Zero waste
Only the Best Is Good Enough - Breastfeed!
Amenorrhea
Bonding
Colostrum... the perfect first food
Decreased risk of breast cancer
Easy baby care
Few allergies
Good for the whole family
Human milk is specially designed for human babies
Immunities
Jaw development
Kids get lots of attention when the new baby is breastfed
Laundry is a breeze
Mental development
Natural
Oxytocin and prolactin
Protection against many diseases
Quick weight loss for mother
Rest
Saves money
Traveling is easy
Understanding the baby's needs
Vitamins and minerals
Working goes smoothly when the nursing relationship is maintained
eXactly what baby needs
You get to take care of your baby
Zero waste
Only the Best Is Good Enough - Breastfeed!
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