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Not every mom is comfortable delivering in a hospital. A growing number of moms are turning to alternatives. They now have a new option – The Midwife’s Place. It is only one of 230 in the whole country and it is right here in the Omaha area.
View the full story about The Midwife’s Place.
More and more mothers are utilizing on of their greatest assets for breastfeeding – their grandmothers! See how grandmothers are helping daughters and granddaughters be successful at breastfeeding. Click here!
Giant strides can be made when the public eye is on a celebrity. Superstar mom, Beyoncé, is seen breastfeeding in public.
Originally article from the Huffington Post. View here.
Moms who are protesting and campaigning to destigmatize breastfeeding in public have a new face supporting their cause: Beyonce. In March, the superstar mom of newborn Blue Ivy was spotted nursing at Sant Ambroeus, a cafe in NYC’s West Village. She was dining with her husband Jay-Z, an observer told Us Weekly. Later, she was photographed leaving the restaurant, carrying her then 8-week-old in a blue BabyBjorn. And, she has also been spotted holding Blue Ivy close in a leopard print carrier.
Beyonce’s move comes in the midst of a national breastfeeding movement. Though a “breast is best” mantra amplifies what the AAP reaffirmed Monday -– that mothers should exclusively breastfeed for six months, and that nursing should be considered a public heath issue rather than a lifestyle choice –- nursing moms don’t often get support from the general public. In response, “nurse-ins” have become a widespread form of protest to defend a mother’s right to breastfeed whenever and wherever her baby is hungry.
Michelle Hickman was humiliated for breastfeeding at Target and organized demonstrations at multiple retail locations throughout the country. A group of “lactivists”, led by Emma Kwasnica, is in a growing battle with Facebook insisting that photos of moms nursing babies should not be removed from the social networking site, though they repeatedly have been. Kwasnica staged a nurse-in in front of Facebook’s headquarters in early February. And most recently, mom Nirvana Jennette, says she was forced out of church for breastfeeding her baby — she was even compared to a stripper by her pastor. Jennette is now planning the “Georgia Statewide Nurse-In” and seeking to establish legislative changes for the state.
While each of these protests brings us one step closer to normalizing nursing in public, it appears as though Beyonce’s demonstration is one great big leap for mom-kind.
Hospitals around the Omaha area no longer are offering free formula to new moms. What are your thoughts?
This article is reprinted from the Medela Messenger Spring 2012 Newsletter.
In 2007, scientists from UWA theorized that stem cells could be harvested from breastmilk. Today, UWA Ph.D. candidate Foteini Hassitou has demonstrated that obtaining stem cells from breastmilk is more than a theory – it’s a potentially game-changing reality. This finding not only has implications for the growth and development of breastfed babies, but could also be the answer to ethically and easily obtaining stem cells in a non-invasive manner.
Following Hassiotou‘s recent win of the 2011 AusBiotech-GSK Student Excellence Award for her research into breastmilk stem cells (Oct.17, 2011), Medela is proud to announce Hassiotou’s first presentation of her findings of stem cells in breastmilk in 2012. She will share her findings during Medela’s 7th International Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium to be held in Vienna, Austria from April 20-21, 2012.
This discovery by Hassiotou, who is part of the Human Lactation Research Group under the direction of Professor Peter Hartmann at the University of Western Australia, may well be the answer to ethically and easily obtaining stem cells in a non-invasive manner. The value in harvesting stem cells from breastmilk lies in their incredible potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. They have the ability to act as a type of “internal repair system”. With both types of stem cells (embryonic and adult), however, well-documented hurdles exist both from an ethical as well as from a practical harvesting perspective.
Medela has been working with the Hartmann Human Lactation Research Group since the mid-1990s resulting in numerous scientific breakthroughs including overturning a 160-year old anatomical model of the lactating human breast, and a unique insight into the sucking, swallowing and breathing mechanism that babies must master to feed properly.
The Group has been working on the subject of stem cells for over five years.
“It is great to see the biology of breastmilk stem cells unfold and to be able to demonstrate new findings that take our knowledge a step further. Through the financial support of Medela it has been possible for me to conduct this research, which shows for yet another reason why breastmilk is so much more than nutrition for the baby,“ said Hassiotou. “In addition, it is becoming clear that breastmilk can serve as an ethical, non-invasive and plentiful source for human stem cells — but a lot of questions still remain unanswered, especially about the function of these cells in the breastfed baby. I feel proud to be part of this exciting journey of discovery, and I plan to continue this research at The University of Western Australia.”
“We are proud that Medela can support scientists in their work to uncover the power and promise of human milk,“ said Renate Schreiber, CEO of Medela. “The existence of stem cells in human milk is very exciting and we are curious to better understand the contribution that these cells can make to the health of the baby.”
Here is a great rap video encouraging moms to have a natural childbirth, do skin to skin and breastfeed.
Check out this fun article on a different approach to belly bump photography published in the Omaha World Herald.
Click here!
Breastfeeding moms can easily become so busy with baby, and perhaps other children, they forget to take time to nourish their bodies well. Making time to eat great food can be easy and offer a world of benefits.
Breastfeeding burns about 500 to 900 calories a day making it important to replenish these calories. Quality nutrition helps moms heal from their delivery, not to mention helping them keep up with baby’s demands. So often moms are too busy to realize it’s already after noon and they haven’t eaten all day. Or maybe you just grabbed a doughnut or piece of toast to tide you over. This type of eating does nothing to help you recover or have enough energy to keep up with the rigorous schedule of breastfeeding in the early weeks. Wholesome foods, even quick snacks of fruit or nuts, help you recover easier and faster.
Protein is important to include with every meal as it is one of the building blocks of fueling our bodies. Instead of just a piece of toast, add a bit of peanut butter; rather than having a plain glass of milk, put Carnation Instant Breakfast in it. Dairy products are a good source of calcium and protein. It’s also quick and easy to have some yogurt, cottage cheese or chunk of cheese. Choosing low fat or no fat options will reduce the number of calories. Nuts are also a handy source of protein and there is a wide selection of protein bars to choose from.
There will be many times when you are too tired to cook dinner. Do not worry! There are many good, healthy choices of frozen dinners to choose from that take a few minutes to microwave. Take advantage of friends and family that offer to bring meals over. No time to be super mom and decline any offers of help!
Any foods that contain oatmeal and/or malt are good for the milk supply. If you are struggling to keep up with baby’s demand or not pumping enough milk at work, these foods can help boost supply. Oatmeal or malt-o-meal for breakfast make a great start to your day. Having oatmeal cookies or cereal bars handy for snacks will help curb cravings and give you a quick pick-me-up. Make malts at home with your favorite ice cream and malt flavoring; add Ovaltine to milk or ice cream.
Breastfeeding moms need to be getting 1200 to 1500 mg of calcium a day. If you aren’t getting enough dairy or using non-dairy milk, make sure to take a calcium supplement with Vitamin D to help with absorption. Vegetarian moms need additional Vitamin B12 supplements. Fortified orange juice is another excellent source of not only calcium, but a vast array of vitamins and nutrients.
Caffeine is the one food that needs to be kept to a minimum. Babies can become very fussy and irritable with too much caffeine in their breastmilk causing them not to sleep well. A little chocolate isn’t a big deal, but keep other sources of caffeine (such as coffee, caffeinated beverages and teas) to about a serving a day when your baby is a newborn.
Some moms may find an occasional food that makes baby more fussy or gassy such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage or beans. What bothers your newborn now may not be an issue when baby is one to two months old. If a food doesn’t bother your baby 4 to 6 hours after you’ve eaten it, then it no longer is an issue. Babies are exposed to many flavors while breastfeeding, including garlic, which may help them be more receptive to new tastes as they get started on solid foods.
While you are nursing, a lot of fluid is leaving the body as breastmilk so it’s important to replenish with lots of water. A good rule of thumb is to have a glass of water every time you sit down to nurse or pump. Have it within your reach so you can sip on it during the feeding or pumping session.
Nutrition and breastfeeding does not need to be complicated. Make sure you are getting a good variety of foods that include protein (such as meat, dairy, nuts or beans), fruits and vegetables. A variety of colors on your plate means you have included a good selection of these foods. Even moms who don’t eat well make good breastmilk, but eating healthy benefits both you and your baby.
At one time or another, we’ve faced a time in our lives that make us dig deep, find our strength, and look to others for support. This amazing story of triumph comes from one mom’s struggle to overcome a remarkable injury due in part to the birth of her second child. The amazing support from hospital staff, family and friends gave her new baby the chance to breastfeed even when she couldn’t move or feel anything from the neck down.
Read on to find out how after 16 months, she’s still going strong breastfeeding and recovering.
View the full story – Click Here.
FOR ANY EXPECTANT MOMS AND DADS: Make plans to attend our Breastfeeding class on Wednesday, April 11 at 7:00 pm. This full 2-hour class will teach you all the basics about breastfeeding including positioning, getting your baby latched on correctly and how to tell if baby is getting enough breastmilk. You’ll also view an excellent video with lots of examples of babies latching on. Also learn what to do in order to prevent problems other moms and babies may run into. Many moms run into issues with breastfeeding, but joining this class offers you the benefit a qualified Lactation Consultant with over 30 years of experience working with breastfeeding families. The fee is only $30 – bring a pregnant friend and get in for $30 total! Call today!