Blogging for Babies, Breastfeeding and Mothers

Here's the story of the week.

I will keep this short and to the point, I know you are a busy person...BUT I just drove to FLORIDA with my three kids and husband (no I"m not crazy). I ended up nursing my 7 month old during the ride while he was still strapped into his carseat. It was a bit uncomfortable for me, BUT he loved it and he was much happier (as was I not having to pump!!) I just thought I'd share that story. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has done that but it worked like a charm!!!

I'm going to miss breastfeeding when he's done. He is my last  :(

"Did it hurt?" I asked.

NO it didn't hurt, actually the weird thing was, I could barely feel it at all. He is big enough to lean forward to the breast and find it, so I just leaned kind of across his car seat and he nursed. My neck was what really got uncomfortable and one of my legs fell asleep almost every time (just with how I was leaning on it). He didn't nurse long each side, maybe 5 minutes at most...I had to nurse more frequently but again, it beat pumping and then TRYING to get him to eat from the bottle..AND it made our gas/stretch stops much better because he could stretch too instead of me nursing him the whole time we were stopped. The benefits out weigh the "uncomfortable stance" I had to be in while he nursed :)
Can't wait to see if I am alone on this one :) 

• Is she alone?
• What is your most creative breastfeeding story?

Our Mothers are Amazing, Our Babies are Awesome, and

Breastmilk is Phenomenal

Thanks to Jennifer Lance and her blog Eco Child's Play, I have just learned about an incredible study. Scientists are beginning to look at breastmilk from many angles- not just the nutritional and immunologic properties, though these are critical for the health of our babies. As I have mentioned before, breastmilk composition is driven by the nursing infant's brain. There is no way I can wrap my brain around that. Now scientists are studying the milk of the rhesus monkeys- looking for clues that the mother's milk may play other significant roles in the development of their young.

As a mother of three, I have marveled at the differences I see in my adult children. Nature versus nurture? Birth order? Male versus female? Now a group of researchers have studied the milk of 59 rhesus macaque monkeys at one month and again at three and a half months post delivery. The findings? 

Rhesus monkeys that weigh more and have had previous pregnancies produce higher quantities and richer breastmilk.

Scientists from the Smithsonian Institution and the University of California, Davis are using this natural variation in breast milk quality and quantity to show that a mother's milk sends a reliable signal to infants about their environment. This signal may program the infant's behavior and temperament according to expectations of available resources and discourages temperaments that prove risky when food is scarce." American Journal of Primatology Feb. 16.

Breastfeeding and breastmilk- more than meets the eye.

• What have you noticed about the temperaments of your children? 

• Did your milk production increase with each child?
  

Many mothers climb great heights to make breastfeeding work. I see it everyday; oftentimes against the doubt and negativity of those around them. When breastfeeding gets off to a great start, even in the worst conditions, it can continue effortlessly.

Lane Hartill wrote a lovely article about a woman named Exeline living in Haiti. Wait until you see the picture of her 4 month old breastfeeding baby Christine! This cheerful young mother is living in dire conditions, but that hasn't interfered with her breastfeeding relationship with her baby. How fortunate for mother and baby that they are breastfeeding. With water being extremely scare and living conditions far from clean, making an uncontaminated bottle of formula is very difficult. How wonderfully comforting for Christine to connect with her mother intimately every time she eats and drinks.

We are only on the cusp of understanding the complex emotional connection between a mother and her breastfeeding baby. Scientists know that the baby's brain drives the composition of the milk, but now they are beginning to look at how the mother's milk may program the baby's behavior and temperament. I'll talk about that tomorrow.

Pat yourself on the back; applaud your fortitude; continue in your perseverance to mother your baby from your breast. Breastfeeding is amazing indeed.

Our Mothers are Amazing and Our Babies are Awesome and Breastfeeding is Phenomenal!

Mia Moja gave birth to the first gorilla born in North America this year (2010). This 20 year old Western lowland gorilla delivered her second baby on February 26 at the Louisville Zoo. This not yet named baby- a naming contest will take place soon- will afford an awesome opportunity for people to observe breastfeeding. Sometimes people forget- and children may not know- that the human race, as well as all mammals, have survived through the ages by staying in close contact with their mother and breastfeeding. 

While writing this blog, I learned some fascinating facts about gorillas from the Primate Info Net : 

• From birth to 5 months of life, mountain gorillas remain in constant contact with their mothers. Female gorillas stay close to their resident silverback for protection. 
• Infants, dependent on their mothers for food, suckle at least once per hour, and sleep in their mothers' nests at night.
• After five months, the baby separates from it's mother for a few seconds at a time.
• By 12 months, infants begin to wander up to 16 ft away from their mothers, but only for a few seconds.
• By 18 to 21 months, the distance between the mother and child increases.
• At this time, the infants begin to nurse about every two hours.
• By the age of 30 months, infants spend half of their time with their mothers.
• The juvenile period is from three to six years.
• During this time maternal grooming decreases, the infant no longer shares a sleeping nest with the mother, and weaning takes place.
• Female gorillas do not ovulate until the infant is weaned at three or four years- lactational amenorrhea.
• Ovulation resumes shortly after weaning and the female becomes pregnant again.
• Gorillas are cohesive in nature. The juvenile gorillas are surrounded by playmates including the silverback, which scientists believe decreases the weaning conflict between mother and infant. 

So many stories are pouring in. Women around the world want to tell their stories and they are so appreciative of others sharing theirs. Each breastfeeding relationship is unique and changes with each baby you have. It is amazing how different babies are and how we change we each one. I like to think of baseball. Each game is different, even with the same players. Many variables factor into wins and losses. Thank you to all who want me to tell their story.

Today's story didn't have the positive outcome with the first two babies we all hope for. This mother came to see me while still pregnant. She had a very difficult time breastfeeding her first child due to severe engorgement and mastitis.

She was told to pump after every feeding while still in the hospital because of her engorgement. She was quickly pumping  8-10 ounces with each session. Her breasts were abundant producers. Her husband, thinking himself funny, called her a cow. Not exactly something any woman wants to hear and especially not right after having a baby. 

Every time  she tried to stop pumping, her breasts filled quickly, she was engorged and felt she had to pump- a vicious cycle. Before long she developed mastitis. In a few weeks she developed mastitis again. This time she she said, "enough is enough."

We talked about ways to manage her milk production during the prenatal visit. She left with a plan to call me after the baby was born. Second baby arrives and even though she did not pump, her breasts became engorged. The baby drank well, transferring three ounces of milk on day three! I saw her several times in the first week. She was managing her abundant milk production well, though it wasn't easy.

Late on a Friday night the call came in. In those early days of my private practice, I always answered the phone, even at night. She had fever, chills, flu-like symptoms: mastitis. She got through the first bout and breastfeeding was going well. Her milk production was decreasing and manageable.

One week later mastitis occurred again. She was feeling very discouraged. At her baby's two week check-up, she mentioned to the healthcare provider that she had had mastitis twice. She was advised to give up breastfeeding. "Why do you want to do this to yourself?" she was asked. "The new formulas are just as good, if not better than breastmilk." She called to tell me she had decided to give up breastfeeding. "When I learned that the new formulas are so fantastic, it didn't make sense for me to continue." She felt sad, but comforted in her false knowledge.

Next comes baby number three. She had had a lot of time to think about breastfeeding. She had done extensive research and now understood that formula can never match breastmilk. It does a decent job of matching the nutrition, but breastmilk is only 10% nutrition. With a better understanding of how to manage an over abundance of milk, as well as her determination to make it work, she "conquered" breastfeeding. Two strikes and a home run!

• Anybody else have a similar situation with milk production?

• Did anyone have a healthcare professional tell you that formula is just as good as breastmilk?
  

 Debbie

And as always,

Our mothers are amazing and our babies are awesome.

P.S. Some women never produce all the milk their baby needs. Please know that my heart goes out to you. Whenever possible supplement with donor milk. And know that with each baby the breasts recalibrate. You may produce all the milk your 2nd or 3rd baby needs.

Isn't this a great picture? Imaging getting three babies ready for the snow.

After the last story, comments have been pouring in. Everyone seems to love reading stories about other women's trials and successes with breastfeeding. This mother of triplets updated me on how things are going for her. She is happy to share this with you.

Hi Debbie,

 

I just wanted to tell you how much I've enjoyed reading your stories. I love the perseverance of all the women you worked with, and how hard you work to help your clients meet their goals. It makes me so wish that the feeding at the breast had worked out for us. But I am still so happy and proud to still be pumping and giving them each about 6 ounces per day, I just wish it could be more and at the breast. Thank-you so much for helping me get where I am, I am not sure I'd still be pumping without your help in that rocky beginning. The boys have only had one mild cold this winter so I think the antibodies are helping them.

What commitment. What belief in the power of breastmilk. She deserves a gold medal. Her boys are now eight months old. Aren't they gorgeous?

Every ounce of breastmilk is like money in the bank for your child's health. Give as much as you can for as long as you can.

Never underestimate the power of breastmilk!

Did you nurse twins? Triplets?

Let us hear from you.

Debbie

And as always, our mothers are amazing and our babies are awesome.

#1 of My Top 10 Favorite Moments as a Lactation Consultant

How hard it is to narrow down my favorite moment. As I have reflected over my 12 years working as a lactation consultant, I have been moved by one story after another. But this story resonates in my mind, so here goes.

The plea from this mother came on Friday evening of Labor Day weekend while I was at the lake- a desperate call as this baby was not latching at all. I wanted badly to drive the two and a half hours home to see her, but my children were joining us for the weekend. Instead I asked my colleague Madeline to see her.

Many times the mother has described this first visit to other mothers. She was put at ease immediately. The baby still did not breastfeed, but Madeline got her started pumping. This baby had had a very traumatic beginning to life in the hospital and little bonding had taken place up to this point. Madeline had the mother and baby initiate Kangaroo Mother Care. Between Madeline and myself we talked to this mother several times a day until I was able to see her on Tuesday.

I will never forget this visit. The mother's mother came showing incredible support for her daughter. She had breastfed her three children and wanted to help her daughter in any way she could. Many visits together and daily phone calls as we waited for this little girl to start breastfeeding. 

As Madeline and I talked, we decided we needed a support group for this mother. So one rainy day in November (the baby was still not breastfeeding) we had our first group- the mother and baby, Madeline and I all sat together on the floor. The friendship as well as the group blossomed.

Four long months the mother pumped for her baby. The baby never got a drop of formula as her milk production was fabulous, but she wanted desperately to breastfeed. The mother continued to try every day to no avail. And then one morning it happened. The baby just got it- she started breastfeeding. Shouts of joy and hallelujahs could probably be heard around the block.

There has been no stopping this baby. At eight months she still had no real interest in food; she would sign for milk when presented with a spoon of anything mom tried. At 18 months she continues to love her 'milkies'.

This baby has changed her mother's life like all babies. But the ending of this story is different. She has changed her mother's life views and ambitions. Every week this mom faithfully offers counsel and support to other mothers struggling to make breastfeeding work. She is pursuing the path of lactation consulting. What a fabulous addition to the breastfeeding world.

• Did your baby have difficulty with breastfeeding?
• Did you choose to pump exclusively?
• How many weeks or months did you pump?
• Share your story with us.

My Top 10 Favorite Moments as a Lactation Consultant: #2

In my early days as a lactation consultant, when I was just learning to tell people that they needed a consultation instead of trying to handle things over the phone, this call came in.

"Hello, my name is _______. I am having some problems with breastfeeding."

"Tell me a little about what is going on," I asked.

"Well, my baby is 3 months old and I am having some nipple tenderness."

I suggested she make an appointment to see me.

"I have been working with a lactation consultant for six weeks, but I am happy to  see you," she said.

We began our visit as usual with me gathering information. "A little tenderness," she reiterated. Her baby was gaining weight well so no problems with her milk production.

Next came an examination of her breasts and nipples. I am sure my jaw dropped when I looked at her nipples. Literally, she was missing part of each nipple. "A little tenderness?" I asked in dismay. She started crying. The pain was off the scale. Nobody had looked at her nipples in 6 or more weeks. She couldn't remember. Her 'visits' had been on the telephone.

This was a huge wake up call to me: breastfeeding problems can not be handled without actually observing the client and her baby. My co-worker Dianna likes to tell people that we are not fortune tellers. We need to see what is happening.

This plan obviously involved taking time off from direct breastfeeding to allow for nipple healing. She had a hospital grade pump and was already pumping some. She would now start pumping for every feeding and feeding her milk via bottle. She was so relieved. Somebody had given her permission to not breastfeed. She cried a lot during that visit. How could she not. I had her send me daily pictures of her nipples so I could monitor the healing. Over time they healed.

This woman was amazing. She pumped for three months! At six months she tried breastfeeding again. No pain! She went on to successfully and joyfully breastfeed until her baby was 18 months old. She said she probably could have resumed breastfeeding earlier, but she was too afraid. I wonder why.

• Did you have any nipple pain?
• Were you told that pain is normal in the beginning?
• Did anyone try to solve your breastfeeding problems over the phone? 

I have many stories similar to this. And I am sure, if you live in America, you have heard some pretty awful stories yourself. I'd love to hear from you.

Debbie

My Top 10 Favorite Moments as a Lactation Consultant: #3

A big dose of determination carries you far when breastfeeding, but is it enough when the going gets rough? Especially when it's rough from the beginning? Many women decide to breastfeed even before they get pregnant. But not everybody. Some make the decision after they deliver. So who's more successful at reaching their breastfeeding goals? Here's one of my favorite stories.

I first made a home visit to this mother 5 weeks after my hip surgery. I remember it well because the surgeon had given me strict instructions not to climb stairs or do any home visits for at least 6 weeks. But the call was urgent and she was a alone with no one to drive her. She was all alone with her baby. I'll be careful, so I thought. Well I'm laughing as I'm writing. I arrive at the destination only to realize that she lived in an apartment complex. I live in central Massachusetts, so I don't go to many apartment complexes. I glanced down at her address: 3 something. Humm... I mused. I wonder if 3 means 3rd floor. Well it did. I looked but there was no elevator. And these floors were tall and the stairs were many and concrete. Oh my gosh, I didn't know if I could climb them with my fresh hip, a 14 pound scale, and a bag full of tricks. But I managed. And wouldn't you know that I left something in the car that I had to go back for. Oh Ha!

This mother tells me her plan is to breastfeed for 3 weeks. "That's fine," I said. I spent over two hours with her, came up with a plan and scheduled the follow-up visit. This mom had a lot of work to do. Let her nipples heal, start getting more milk out of her breasts to increase her production, feed her baby more frequently and get in touch with the doctor I recommended to her.

• With a great deal of effort and determination, she made the three week mark. She decided she had worked too hard to stop.
  

• She made it to six weeks and again she felt she had invested too much to quit.

• At three months she returned to work full time but kept on going.
  

• Six months, still going. Sound like the Energizer Bunny?
  

• 12 months

• 18 months

• 24 months still going strong. The more she and her baby breastfed, the more they both loved it. She had completely shocked herself. The last I spoke with her, the baby, now toddler, was still breastfeeding. That's been awhile and I'd love an update. I'll email her this weekend.

• How much did determination played into your breasteeding story?

• What about someone else's determination?

#4 of My Top 10 Favorite Moments as a Lactation Consultant

Babies are born to breastfeed.

Every living creature has survival skills. First we breathe and then we eat. Even babies. But what happens when a baby won't breastfeed? And why does this happen? There are different reasons a baby will not breastfeed. Often times it has to do with the baby's natural feeding sequence getting interrupted at birth. This is one of the major causes of breastfeeding failure. If baby is put on the breast by someone else (as opposed to finding and grasping the breast on her own), she may not learn to drop her jaw and take a nice big 'bite' of the breast. This can lead to nipple pain and damage, weight loss or low weight gain, formula supplementation and bottles, and low milk production. These all contribute to a baby not breastfeeding well or at all.

A couple of years ago, a lovely mother and baby came in for a visit. Mom was in excruciating pain. She simply could not continue to breastfeed. We worked out a plan for her to pump and bottle feed. This baby had a posterior tongue tie, but she had also been 'put' on the breast for her first feeding and every feeding had been a struggle. Mom and dad decided to drive the three and a half hours to Long Island to have Dr. Betty Coryllos divide the tie.

He nipples healed and she began trying to get the baby to breastfeed again. The baby had other ideas. She was getting plenty of milk from the bottle and she was not interested. Mom worked and worked to no avail. I suggested that she come to the office again for us to try together. She came, but baby did not latch. I asked if she would come back the next day which meant driving another hour each way. She did. Baby did not latch. She came back the next day and finally the baby latched, though not perfectly and not for long. She came back the next day and the baby breastfed. Still it was not perfect, but at least the baby was feeding at the breast. Mother was elated. I was thrilled. I mean, really, really thrilled. Why did she latch? Mom was patient and gentle and talked with her baby about what she wanted her to do, but it was the baby that just got it this time.

This baby went on to breastfeed for many months. Unfortunately, mother never got a completely comfortable latch. I wish I had known then what I know now about babies. But for this mother she was much happier with a less than perfect latch than with no breastfeeding at all. I've lost touch with her, but I've wondered if she has had another baby and if so, did she breastfeed?

• Does this story sound familiar to you? 
• Did you have a completely pain free latch from the beginning?

Your comments are so encouraging to other moms that have or may be struggling. Thank you for sharing.

Debbie