Breastfeeding 1-2-3

May 14th, 2008

Is Anyone Cross-Nursing or “Shared Feeding”?

Have you breastfed a nursling other than your own? Your sister’s baby or your friend’s? Cross-nursing, or “shared feeding,” continues to be a hot topic, and I have been contacted by a television producer for a major morning news outlet in the United States. Please email me if you are interested in being put in touch with her to discuss your experience.

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By Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor -- 2 comments

May 14th, 2008

Wordless Wednesday: The Pump Station in Santa Monica

Required attribution: Malingering

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By Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor -- 1 comment

May 13th, 2008

Breastfeeding May Cut Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk in Half

A study for the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases revealed new ideas about the ability of breastfeeding to prevent rheumatoid arthritis. BBC News reports:

They found women who had breastfed for 13 months or more were half as likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis as those who had never breastfed. Those who breastfed for between one and 12 months had a 25% decreased risk. The study also found that simply having children and not breastfeeding did not seem to protect the women against developing rheumatoid arthritis.

More study is needed in this area to determine exactly what role breastfeeding and lifestyle choices play in the prevention of rheumatoid arthritis. In the meantime, add this to the list of reasons extended breastfeeding is beneficial for both mother and baby!

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By Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor -- 0 comments

May 13th, 2008

Breastfeeding, Mental Health, Anti-Depressants and Alternative Treatments

In honor of Mental Health Month, the Health and Wellness Channel focuses on mental health topics today. The good news is that breastfeeding protects maternal mental health. According to a study by Kathleen Kendall-Tackett in the International Breastfeeding Journal:

Breastfeeding has been shown to reduce stress and protect maternal mood. Breastfeeding also reduces stress of babies of depressed mothers and protects them from the harmful effects of maternal depression. Treatment approaches that are anti-inflammatory have efficacy in treating depression. These include EPA and DHA, exercise, cognitive therapy, herbal anti-depressants such as St. John’s wort, and standard antidepressants.

Unfortunately, many breastfeeding mothers will get poor medical advice from their doctors about the benefits and risks of traditional anti-depressant medications or alternative depression treatments while breastfeeding.

Treatment Options for Postpartum Depression in Breastfeeding Mothers

Check out these resources for information:

~ the study quoted above: Kendall-Tackett, K. “A New Paradigm for Depression in New Mothers: the Central Role of Inflammation and How Breastfeeding and Anti-Inflammatory Treatments Protect Maternal Mental Health.” International Breastfeeding Journal. 2007, 2:6 (March 30, 2007).

~ Thomas W. Hale Ph.D.’s Medications Forum

~ the lactation and medication LactMed database

~ the American Academy of Pediatrics Transfer of Drugs and Other Chemicals into Human Milk

~ Kellymom.com on alternative treatments for postpartum depression

~ Kellymom.com on psychiatric medications and breastfeeding

Technical Resources for Medical Professionals and Others:

~ Depression In New Mothers: Causes, Consequences, And Treatment Alternatives by Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, Ph.D., IBCLC; see La Leche League book review here.

~ The latest edition of the drug and lactation guide Medications and Mothers’ Milk by Thomas W. Hale, Ph.D.

More on Mental Health

For more posts on mental health, see the mental health theme day round-up by Alicia at Mental Health Notes.

Your Experience

Breastfeeding mothers, please feel free to leave a comment about your personal experience with depression. As always, I remind mothers to consult a physician when considering any treatment (traditional or alternative) while breastfeeding.

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By Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor -- 2 comments

May 13th, 2008

Join the Breastfeeding Challenge 2008

The Quintessence Foundation plans the 8th annual Breastfeeding Challenge, scheduled this year for October 11, 2008. Basically it’s a friendly competition to promote breastfeeding:

This fun event is a challenge for which geographic area (province, state or territory) has the most breastfeeding babies, as a percentage of the birthrate, “latched on” at 11am local time.

Last year’s event involved 5,383 babies at 230 sites across Canada and the United States! Registration is open now for this year’s event. Visit the Breastfeeding Challenge 2008 invitation for more information.

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By Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor -- 7 comments

May 12th, 2008

Free Breastfeeding Video Demonstrates Proper Latch-On

Ameda offers a free online instructional video “Your Baby Knows How to Latch-On.” The five-minute clip talks about proper latch and demonstrates how a newborn latches himself on the breast with a minimal amount of guidance from his mother. The video is offered through these links in English and in Spanish.

Click here for more breastfeeding videos. For more help with latch-on, see the Checklist for a Good Breastfeeding Latch.

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By Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor -- 0 comments

May 11th, 2008

Breastfeeding Celebrations for May 11, 2008

Many countries celebrate mothers on the second Sunday of May. Happy Mother’s Day to all the (breastfeeding!) mothers in the United States, Canada, Australia, India and elsewhere! In the United Kingdom though, today kicks off a celebration of a different kind, National Breastfeeding Awareness Week:

This National Breastfeeding Awareness Week celebrity mum and Atomic Kitten member Jenny Frost is showing her support for breastfeeding by fronting the Breast Buddy initiative. The initiative will support you to breastfeed for longer by encouraging you to nominate a buddy from within your circle of friends and family, who can provide practical and emotional support while you breastfeed…. The theme of National Breastfeeding Awareness Week this year is ‘Breastfeeding: every day makes a difference to your baby’. If you receive support - whether it be from a friend or family member, a health professional, or volunteer breastfeeding supporter, you are likely to breastfeed for longer, giving your child important health benefits.

As part of National Breastfeeding Awareness Week, shops, supermarkets and shopping centres in the U.K. are demonstrating that they are “Breastfeeding Friendly.” For more information on becoming a Breastfeeding Friendly Retailer (or for a list of Breastfeeding Friendly Places, to be compiled soon), click here.

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By Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor -- 0 comments

May 9th, 2008

Friday Five: Top Five “Best” Breastfeeding 1-2-3 Blog Posts

When my channel editor asked everyone in the Health and Wellness channel to compile the five best posts from each blog, I had to stop and think for a while. What makes a “best” post? I don’t think it’s necessarily the most popular post or the most commented on post. I think it’s the post of which I am most proud, the post into which I put extra effort and care. So I offer for your consideration, in no particular order:

1. Everything You Wanted to Know about Breastfeeding, Sex and Breast Milk Fetishes but Were Afraid to Ask — talk about tackling a difficult, taboo subject!

2. How to Get Good Medical Advice on Breastfeeding — it’s not as easy as it sounds, or as one would hope, to get accurate and current information on breastfeeding. This post contains information I would love to pass on to every prospective and new mother!

3. Reviews of Breastfeeding Products, Books, and Clothing — looking for a breast pump, bra, sling, or breastfeeding book? This post links to dozens of reviews of a whole range of breastfeeding-related items.

4. Why Sleep Training Makes Me Want to Cry — This post generated a lot of controversy. People either strongly oppose or staunchly defend “crying-it-out.”

5. Gentle Discipline — I hope this essay validates the use of attachment parenting and gentle discipline.

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By Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor -- 0 comments

May 7th, 2008

Breastfeeding a Baby with Teeth (Mom to Mom #14)

Given that physicians recommend breastfeeding for at least one year and beyond, it is assumed that at some point sooner or later, the breastfed baby will have new baby teeth! Some nursing moms and babies sail through that transition without problems, and even benefit from the soothing that breastfeeding can provide a teething baby. But what about the moms who start to notice tooth imprints in their nipples? The baby isn’t biting exactly, but those pesky teeth are getting in the way of mom’s comfort. This happened with a reader who writes:

My 10 month old son is not really biting me while nursing, but clamping down with his two new top teeth. Each of my nipples have sores in the shape of his teeth. I believe he is nursing the way he always has, but now that he has teeth he is clamping with teeth instead of gums. I do not want to wean him! What should I do? Both of my nipples are really hurting!

What advice do you have that might help this mother? What was your experience with nursing a baby with teeth? Leave a comment!

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By Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor -- 6 comments

May 7th, 2008

Wordless Wednesday

Required attribution: Raphael Goetter

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By Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor -- 2 comments