The Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog

Sesame Street breastfeeding clips

It's Sesame Street's 40th anniversary this week, and I thought I'd link back to posts I've done with breastfeeding videos from the show, just in case you missed any!

Sesame Street had it going on

Buffy nursing baby Cody

You're my baby (breastfeeding version)

Maria breastfeeds

I can't resist reposting this one of Buffy and Big Bird.  It's just too great.

Nipple creams in the Skin Deep database

I was recently playing around with the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database, checking to see exactly how bad my shampoo is for me, when I noticed that the database includes information on nipple creams.

Had any of you noticed that, or used the information to decide which one you use (if any)? 

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

Book review and give away: Making Babies

I'm pleased to review a new book on, you guessed it - making babies.  You can win one of five copies (see entry instructions at the end of this post).

Making Babies, by Dr. Sami David and Jill Blakeway, LAc presents a three-month program for 'maximum fertility' as naturally as possible.

What sets this book apart from others on this topic is that the authors - a reproductive endocrinologist and an licensed acupuncturist and herbalist - bring both Western and Chinese medicinal traditions to the task. 

Like other books, the authors discuss conception, common problems and solutions, and assisted reproduction. 

But unlike other books, but they also present five "fertility types" (tired, dry, stuck, pale, and waterlogged) based on Chinese medicine.  The authors then provide a fertility plan for each of these types, addressing foods to eat and avoid, exercise, and supplements, and Chinese medicine treatment.

The book isn't as detailed at Taking Charge of Your Fertility, but this makes it a bit more accessible, I found.  It's full of case studies from the authors' practices, and the information is presented in a friendly, supportive, and optimistic tone.  I think it would be a welcome addition to both mothers' and practitioners' bookshelves.

To enter to win a copy of this book, leave a comment below by November 11, 2009.  One entry per person, and entries must come from U.S. and Canadian residents.  No P.O. boxes, please.  Winners will be chosen using random.org and announced in the comments section of this post.  Copy will be sent directly to you by the publisher.

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

 

Want to set up a nursing mothers' lounge at your fair? Here's some advice from a pro.

For a few years I volunteered at the nursing mothers' lounge at The Big E, the multi-state New England fair held in Massachusetts each September.  It's a big fair - more than 1.2 million people attended this year.

When I've posted about this a number of you have commented that you wish you had something like this at your own fair.  So I asked Lezlie, the La Leche League leader responsible for organizing the lounge, to answer a few questions about how she does it.  Her responses are below.

Can you describe the nursing mothers' lounge at the Big E?  What does it look like, and how does it work? 

The Nursing Mothers' Lounge is a quiet place in the New England Center where mothers can relax in comfy chairs to nurse their babies.  There is also a changing table available.  The space is surrounded by curtains, open at one end, to ensure privacy.

 

How many mothers use the station, and what kinds of comments do they make about it?

 

The mothers that have used the area are very grateful for a chance to get away from the crowds for a little quiet nursing time.  In the past few years, we've had over 1000 mothers either use our booth or stop by to ask questions or take information.  This year our numbers were down to about 700 but that was because I wasn't able to fill all the time slots with volunteers.  The moms were still there, but we just didn't get to count them.

 

How did this station get established?

 

Four years ago the Big E contacted me as a representative of La Leche League, to see if we would staff the Nursing Mothers' Lounge.  In past years, they had the space available, but there was a real problem with privacy. People that should not have been in the booth were, and others were peeking through the curtains.  The Big E felt it was important to provide a private space for those that wanted it.  Woman are still able to nurse anywhere on the fairgrounds, but for those that don't want to, this space is there.

 

How do you manage the setting up and staffing of the station?

 

I have been collecting old upholstered chairs for a few years now, and the Big E has been able to let me store them in the New England Center for the winter.  Chapin's Furniture also donates the changing table and a rocking chair.  The Big E provides the carpet, the curtains and the table space.  I am able to come in a few days before the fair starts to set up the booth.

 

Staffing is the challenging part. Mid summer I start emailing LLL Leaders and people that have volunteered in the past.  This year I set up a Google calendar so that volunteers could see which time slots were open. I am able to give out a free ticket and parking pass to anyone who helps for 4 hours or more.  I can put 2 people on at a time so I always encourage people to bring a friend.  As the date of the fairs gets closer, I start asking people to spread the word to other groups that might be able to help.  In the past we've gotten volunteers from mothering support groups and WIC.

 

Is there any advice you'd give to others who would like to set up a station at their own fairs?

 

Be sure that you and the fair organizers are on the same page.  You may want to email your comments so you have written documentation of things promised. The first year I did this, there were staffing changes which led to misunderstandings for the next two years.

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

 

AAP advice on breastfeeding and H1N1

Thanks for your wishes for a speedy recovery from the flu.  I'm feeling much better now.

While we're on this theme, I thought I'd share the fairly new American Academy of Pediatrics advice on breastfeeding and H1N1.  It states in part:

While the advantages of breastfeeding are well-known, this close interaction of mother and newborn also can facilitate transmission of influenza virus. The benefits and the risks of close contact must be considered carefully.

To protect the infant from possible serious infection while allowing essential and encouraged mother-infant bonding to occur, a compromise is required until more data are available. The following precautions are suggested to minimize the risk of infection to the infant, particularly while still in the hospital and while the mother is symptomatic with fever and coryza:

- Pay careful attention to handwashing prior to any contact.
- Prior to breastfeeding, wash the breast with mild soap and water; rinse well
- The mother should wear a surgical mask to prevent nasal secretions and the spontaneous cough or sneeze from inoculating the infant.
- Use clean blankets and burp cloths for each contact.
- Monitor the maternal-infant interaction on perinatal floors for compliance with the above precautions

These precautions are designed to minimize the risk of transmission until mother’s immune response to H1N1 influenza is established, and increased, specific immune protection may be provided by breast milk. Note that influenza virus does not pass through breast milk.

The advice also notes that "separation may create more long-term problems in breastfeeding success and mother-infant bonding than any potential benefit achieved from avoiding infection in the newborn infant."

Of course, this post is not intended as a substitute for medical advice from you health care provider.

Colbert Report shows new breastfeeding positions

I've been catching up on a few shows while waiting for H1N1 to run its course, and I found a clip on the Colbert Report which I thought you'd appreciate.  Sorry about the ad that precedes it. 

Swine flu ate my carnival post.

I'm unfortunately going to have to skip my contribution to this month's Carnival of Breastfeeding because I appear to have the H1N1 virus. 

It started out pretty mildly, but then whoo boy.  We were planning on getting everyone in my family vaccinated, but the vaccine still hasn't arrived in our community (though the virus sure has).  This Daily Show clip pretty much sums up how I feel about the issue.

So the flu ate my homework for this month, and I'm not going to share a post for this carnival.  I will be posting links to the many other bloggers who are contributing this month, later today.

Now, go wash your hands.

Here are the posts from other bloggers:

• What I Wish I'd Known Back Then About Breastfeeding - Massachusetts Friends of Midwives
• My List for Next Time - Momma's Angel
• I Wish I Would Have Known! - The Starr Family Blog
• You Don't Have to Grin and Bear It - Breastfeeding Moms Unite
• What I Wish I Would Have Known About Breastfeeding - Birth Activist
• 4 Things I'd Known About Breastfeeding - Three Girl Pile-Up
• I wish I had known then…that it wasn’t up to me alone - Happy Bambino
• What I Wish I'd Known Then - A Poem - My World Edenwild
• When breastfeeding begins badly, and what I should have done about it - The Milk Mama
• AP Principle #2: What I wish I'd known when I started breastfeeding - Hobo Mama
• Trust Yourself and Your Body - Breastfeeding 1-2-3
• Nursing Wisdom - Cave Mother
• When Breastfeeding Feels Wrong - Fighting Off Frumpy
• 15 Breastfeeding Facts I Wish I'd Known as a First Time Breastfeeding Mum - Breastfeeding Mums
• Wish I'd Heard More Good Things - Fancy Pancakes
• Breastfeeding is Life Changing - Blacktating
• Breastfeeding: What I wish I’d known then - Mum Unplugged

Does the Mirena IUD cause milk supply problems?

A few days ago I got this email from Dr. Jack Newman, Canadian breastfeeding expert and author of The Ultimate Book of Breastfeeding Answers.  Dr. Newman runs a large breastfeeding clinic in Toronto.

We are receiving more and more reports from mothers of a decrease in milk production associated with the Mirena IUD.  Today I received two such reports.  Given the constant chronological relationship between the placement of the IUD and the mother's decrease in milk production (1-2 weeks), it is quite possible that the decrease is a result of the IUD.

Of course, it is also likely that not all women will have a significant decrease; nobody contacts me when they don't have a decreased production. 

But it is also likely that only a tiny percentage of women who do have a decrease actually contact me.  I think we need to be prudent and warn women about this possible side effect of the Mirena.  All hormonal contraceptive methods should be avoided by breastfeeding mothers if possible.

Have any of you experienced a decrease in production after getting a Mirena IUD?

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

A doctor's note to pump at work.

Maybe you live in one of the states, like California, New York, and Tennessee, that require employers to provide time and clean space (not a bathroom stall) to pump at work. 

But if you don't, and you're having trouble, as this Ohio mother did, getting your employer to support you in these ways, you might consider enlisting your doctor's help.

Here are several templates for doctors' letters to your employer.  You might ask your pediatrician or your obstetrician to sign one.

• Texas letter
• Vermont letter
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services letter

And here's a letter to your human resources manager making a similar request.  I always recommend that mothers talk with their human resources office about their pumping needs.   Your immediate boss may not know much about pumping - and in some cases may really, really not want to talk about it!

Here's the text of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services letter, with a few suggested edits from me:

Dear Employer:

I am writing on behalf of ____________________ and ________________________. (Mother’s Name/Baby’s Name)  [Note:  I'd suggest that the physician identify her/himself here as the doctor of the mother or baby]

This mother will soon be returning to work at your facility. I have strongly advised her to continue providing breastmilk to her baby after she returns to work.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that mothers give their babies nothing but breastmilk for the first 6 months of life, and continue giving breast milk for at least 1 year or longer. The evidence overwhelmingly shows that the powerful boost to an infant’s immune system through breastfeeding helps lower the baby’s risk of many common childhood infections and diseases. This is especially important for working mothers whose infants are in childcare centers, where babies are at greater risk for illness. Research also shows that the longer a woman is able to breastfeed, the more she reduces her risk of diseases such as breast cancer and osteoporosis.

As an employer who supports your employee’s decision to provide her baby with the optimal infant nutrition, you will ensure a more loyal and productive employee, happy in the knowledge that she can contribute to her child’s health even when she is at work. She will have less absenteeism from her job because both she and her baby will be healthier. Research shows that providing support also benefits companies with lower health care costs.

There are several key ways you can provide support to her:

-Let her know you are proud of her for making the decision to breastfeed
-Give her a safe, clean area [I would add not a bathroom stall] where she can express milk in privacy
-Encourage supervisors to work with her so she can use her usual breaks and lunch period to express milk [might add the estimated amount of time needed to pump]

If you have any questions, please contact our office. We can put you in touch with local resources who can share more information on supporting breastfeeding employees.

Sincerely,

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

A little while back I read about The Wet Nurse's Tale on Elita's Blacktating blog, where she posted an interview with the author.

I got a copy through inter-library loan and really enjoyed it.  I'm wondering if any of you would like to join in a mini-book group reading of this book. 

The Wet Nurse's Tale, which was a top ten finalist in Amazon's Breakthrough Novel awards, is set in Victorian England, and tells a fictional first-person account of a wet nurse.  From the book jacket:

Susan Rose is promiscuous, loveable, plump, and scheming—especially when it comes to escaping life as a kitchen drudge in Victorian England. Luckily for Susan, her big heart is coverd by an equally big bosom, and her bosom is her fortune—for Susan becomes a professional wet nurse, like her mother before her.

But while scullery maids and cooks live below stairs, a wet nurse lives upstairs, and if she’s like Susan, she makes it her business to know all the intrigues and scandals that the upper-crust would prefer to keep to themselves.

When her own child is caught up in a family scandal, Susan must use her plentiful street-smarts to rescue her baby from the powerful mistress of the house. The scheme she weaves is bold, daring, and could spell ruin for her if she fails—but Susan Rose has no shortage of gumption. Bright, clever, and with a crackling wit all her own, Susan is an irresistible heroine. The Wet Nurse's Tale is a rich, rollicking portrait of love, life, and motherhood in Victorian England—where things are much less buttoned-up than they seem.

As you can see, there is some content for mature audiences here.  If you'd like to join in, leave a comment below.  I'm not sure how we'll do the discussion, but I'll figure it out.  I'm thinking that we'd take a month or so to read it.

Anybody in?

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

I'm very pleased to share a guest post by Dr. Marianne Neifert, author of Great Expectations: The Essential Guide to Breastfeeding.  I had been wanting to write about "late preterm" babies - born between 34 and 36 weeks gestation for a while now.  Those of you who have had a baby born at this age know that these babies can pose particular breastfeeding challenges. 

I hope that you find this post useful!

Just a Few Weeks Early
Breastfeeding Challenges in Late-Preterm Infants
By Marianne Neifert, M.D.,

Until recently, babies born a few weeks early -- between 34 and 36 weeks gestation -- were referred to as near term infants. However, the designation, near term, implies that an infant is almost term or almost fully mature, and the misnomer has often caused health professionals and parents to underestimate the medical risks in this large, vulnerable population of infants. Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that infants born at 34, 35, or 36 weeks gestation be referred to as late-preterm infants to emphasize that these babies are physiologically immature and have special health care needs compared to full term infants (born between 37 to 41 weeks). In addition, the mothers of late-preterm infants are more likely to have medical complications themselves, such as gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, or C-section delivery.

The Rising Incidence of Late-Preterm Births

The proportion of all U.S. births that are late preterm has increased over the past 15 years. Late-preterm infants now comprise over 9% of all births, and account for more than 70% of all preterm births (<37 weeks gestation), representing nearly 400,000 babies each year. Although the reason for the increase in late-preterm deliveries is not well understood, one explanation is the increased use of fertility treatments, which has lead to a rise in pregnancies with twins and higher multiples. Half of all twins and 90% of all triplets are born preterm. Other possible contributors to the rise in late-preterm births include the rise in cesarean section births (now 30% of all deliveries), the need to deliver some infants early due to medical complications, and more pregnancies occurring among women at an older age. In addition, performing elective labor inductions or elective cesarean sections for no clear medical or obstetrical reason sometimes leads to the unintentional delivery of a late-preterm infant. Both expectant mothers and obstetricians need to know the importance of avoiding late-preterm delivery unless it is medically necessary.

Medical Complications among Late-Preterm Infants

Because many late-preterm babies are the size of infants born at full term, health care professionals may not always give these at-risk infants the special treatment and careful screening they deserve. Instead, hospital personnel and parents tend to treat these apparently healthy infants as if they were developmentally mature. Late-preterm infants have been called imposter babies because many of these "slightly early" newborns masquerade as full-term infants, appearing to need no special care after birth and being discharged as early as term babies. Yet, babies born even a few weeks early have an increased risk of medical complications after birth and may require a longer hospital stay than full-term infants. Late-preterm infants are more likely to develop low blood sugar, severe jaundice, breathing difficulties, and infections; to have difficulty maintaining their body temperature; and to experience feeding problems and excessive weight loss after birth. Late-preterm infants also are more likely to be re-admitted to the hospital in the early weeks of life for medical complications, including newborn jaundice, breastfeeding difficulties, dehydration, and possible infections.

The brain and nervous system are among the last systems to mature during fetal development, and some studies show that late-preterm infants have a higher risk of developmental and behavioral problems compared to full-term babies. Late-preterm infants also have a higher rate of birth defects and an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome. For all these reasons, late-preterm infants require close monitoring, evaluation, and follow-up after birth.

Breastfeeding Challenges among Late-Preterm Infants

The initiation of successful breastfeeding can be especially challenging for smaller, developmentally immature, late-preterm infants. These babies often have trouble latching on to the breast correctly and may be unable to breastfeed effectively at first because of their lower muscle tone and tendency to tire easily. Inadequate breastfeeding increases a newborn's risk for severe jaundice and excessive weight loss.

Motherwear held its winter photo shoot last week, and here are a few cute shots of the process!

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

Recently, a reader named Susan emailed to inform me that formula ads were appearing at the bottom of her email updates from this blog.  Needless to say, we weren't happy about that.

We were told by the email subscription service, Feedblitz, that we couldn't control the ads that appear, so we upgraded our account.  Now, no ads should appear on those emails.

Thanks to all our subscribers for keeping up with the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog!

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

I was recently reading this article in the New York Times about the need for parents to talk to their young children, and I was nodding along until I came to a screeching halt at this paragraph:

Teach your child the correct words and names for people, things, places and body parts, including “breast,” “penis” and “vagina.” If your child uses a baby word (“din-din,” for example), you can repeat it but also use the correct one (“dinner”).

Is there something wrong with calling a breast by another name, especially if a toddler has a special relationship with it?  I mean, if you think about it, don't adults half the time?

If we held a toddler to this standard, they would all be tottering around saying, or at least trying to say, "Mother, I would like to breastfeed now." 

I think that the baby names that kids come up with for nursing are really cute, and often funny.  My son used to call breasts "mimi's."  And then nursing became "other mimi" (which came out "uddy mimi") because the treat was always the "other side."  Can you blame a kid for focusing on dessert?

So, please tell me what your children call nursing.  Can't wait to hear.

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

The theme for our next carnival of breastfeeding will be "what I wish I'd known then."  Here's your chance to join in!

Please send your submissions by October 19th.  The Carnival will be on October 26th.  As usual, we'll be looking for posts that are:

- Well-written and grammatically correct
- Thoughtful and directly on point for the carnival subject
- Submitted by blogs that pertain to subjects of interest to our readers (breastfeeding, parenting, etc.)

If your post is selected for inclusion, you will be asked on the day of the carnival to edit your post to link back to each of the other participants in the carnival. Examples of past carnivals can be found here.

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

I'm very pleased to share some original illustrations from Adrienne Hedger, illustrator and co-author of If These Boobs Could Talk: A Little Humor to Pump up the Breastfeeding Mom.  She and her co-author Shannon Seip also wrote Momnesia, which was released this year.  They are blogging at Momnesia the Book.  Don't miss her post, "Sorry, facilities guy!"

Five things to do if you're leaking and there's no baby in sight

Do your boobs ever spring a leak at an inconvenient time? Don’t fret! The next time this happens, just use any of these five strategies to make the best of an awkward situation.

1.     You’re getting wet… so turn it into a dramatic and heartwarming moment by humming the tune to Titanic.

2.  Be productive.  Discreetly use your breast milk to water the nearest plant.

3.  Look for a fire to put out. Preferably a small fire.

4.  Make a beeline for the nearest bowl of cereal.  It's perfectly good milk, after all.

5.  Embrace the beauty of the moment.  Strike a pose (preferably on a sloping lawn) in the position of a beautiful fountain with "water" shooting from your nipples.

 

Some of you may remember the case of Emily Gillette, who was kicked off a Delta/Freedom Airlines plane for breastfeeding in 2007.  It lead to protests at Delta counters at many airports around the country.

The Burlington Free Press reported then:

Gillette said she was seated in the second-to-last row, next to the window, when she began to breast-feed her daughter. Breast-feeding helps babies with the altitude changes through takeoff and landings, Gillette said. She said she was being discreet -- her husband was seated between her and the aisle -- and no part of her breast was showing.

Gillette said that's when a flight attendant approached her, trying to hand her a blanket and directing her to cover up. Gillette said she told the attendant she was exercising her legal right to breast-feed, declining the blanket. That's when Gillette alleges the attendant told her, "You are offending me," and told her to cover up her daughter's head with the blanket.

"I declined," Gillette said in her complaint.

Moments later, a Delta ticket agent approached the Gillettes and said that the flight attendant was having the family removed from the flight.

Gillette said she didn't raise her voice -- not wanting to make a scene in the current jumpy air travel atmosphere -- and complied with the ticket agent, crying as she exited the plane.

In 2008 the Vermont Human Rights Commission found that Freedom Airlines had discriminated against Gillette.  Though the flight Gillette was taking was a code-share between Delta Airlines and Freedom Airlines, the Commission did not charge Delta with discrimination.  The parties were given six months in which to reach a settlement agreement. 

According to the Burlington Free Press, negotiations to reach a settlement collapsed, and Gillette filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Burlington. 

Want more information on breastfeeding and the law?  Check out this podcast interview with Jake Marcus, J.D.

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

It's really feeling like fall here, with crisp air, cold nights, and lots of photo-worthy foliage.

As I was driving by some beautiful red-leaved trees this afternoon I started thinking about how some breastfeeding issues seem to change with the season.

Take thrush, for example.  Many women who struggle with yeast overgrowth find that a humid summer is the hardest time to beat it back.  It often improves when the air becomes more dry in fall.

And then there's Raynaud's Phenomenon.  As the weather gets cooler and dryer in the fall, I hear from women who had their babies in the summer and have been nursing comfortably.  Then, as the weather changes, they find that they're having a burning pain with nursing, and often in between feedings.  They're often treated for thrush before realizing that they are experiencing Raynaud's vasopsasm of the nipple.  More on the treatment of Raynaud's is here.

And I'm think that I've noticed more mastitis in the winter.  Do we get more dehydrated, or do we get so busy with holiday preparations that our nursing schedules become irregular?  Do over-stimulated babies change their nursing patterns, leading to more stasis of milk?  I don't know, but I'm pretty sure that winter is mastitis season.

Does any of this sound familiar to you?

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

 

Want to read "The Wet Nurse's Tale" with me?

A little while back I read about The Wet Nurse's Tale on Elita's Blacktating blog, where she posted an interview with the author.

I got a copy through inter-library loan and really enjoyed it.  I'm wondering if any of you would like to join in a mini-book group reading of this book. 

The Wet Nurse's Tale, which was a top ten finalist in Amazon's Breakthrough Novel awards, is set in Victorian England, and tells a fictional first-person account of a wet nurse.  From the book jacket:

Susan Rose is promiscuous, loveable, plump, and scheming—especially when it comes to escaping life as a kitchen drudge in Victorian England. Luckily for Susan, her big heart is coverd by an equally big bosom, and her bosom is her fortune—for Susan becomes a professional wet nurse, like her mother before her.

But while scullery maids and cooks live below stairs, a wet nurse lives upstairs, and if she’s like Susan, she makes it her business to know all the intrigues and scandals that the upper-crust would prefer to keep to themselves.

When her own child is caught up in a family scandal, Susan must use her plentiful street-smarts to rescue her baby from the powerful mistress of the house. The scheme she weaves is bold, daring, and could spell ruin for her if she fails—but Susan Rose has no shortage of gumption. Bright, clever, and with a crackling wit all her own, Susan is an irresistible heroine. The Wet Nurse's Tale is a rich, rollicking portrait of love, life, and motherhood in Victorian England—where things are much less buttoned-up than they seem.

As you can see, there is some content for mature audiences here.  If you'd like to join in, leave a comment below.  I'm not sure how we'll do the discussion, but I'll figure it out.  I'm thinking that we'd take a month or so to read it.

Anybody in?

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

Guest post: Was your baby an "impostor?"

I'm very pleased to share a guest post by Dr. Marianne Neifert, author of Great Expectations: The Essential Guide to Breastfeeding.  I had been wanting to write about "late preterm" babies - born between 34 and 36 weeks gestation for a while now.  Those of you who have had a baby born at this age know that these babies can pose particular breastfeeding challenges. 

I hope that you find this post useful!

Just a Few Weeks Early
Breastfeeding Challenges in Late-Preterm Infants
By Marianne Neifert, M.D.,

Until recently, babies born a few weeks early -- between 34 and 36 weeks gestation -- were referred to as near term infants. However, the designation, near term, implies that an infant is almost term or almost fully mature, and the misnomer has often caused health professionals and parents to underestimate the medical risks in this large, vulnerable population of infants. Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that infants born at 34, 35, or 36 weeks gestation be referred to as late-preterm infants to emphasize that these babies are physiologically immature and have special health care needs compared to full term infants (born between 37 to 41 weeks). In addition, the mothers of late-preterm infants are more likely to have medical complications themselves, such as gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, or C-section delivery.

The Rising Incidence of Late-Preterm Births

The proportion of all U.S. births that are late preterm has increased over the past 15 years. Late-preterm infants now comprise over 9% of all births, and account for more than 70% of all preterm births (<37 weeks gestation), representing nearly 400,000 babies each year. Although the reason for the increase in late-preterm deliveries is not well understood, one explanation is the increased use of fertility treatments, which has lead to a rise in pregnancies with twins and higher multiples. Half of all twins and 90% of all triplets are born preterm. Other possible contributors to the rise in late-preterm births include the rise in cesarean section births (now 30% of all deliveries), the need to deliver some infants early due to medical complications, and more pregnancies occurring among women at an older age. In addition, performing elective labor inductions or elective cesarean sections for no clear medical or obstetrical reason sometimes leads to the unintentional delivery of a late-preterm infant. Both expectant mothers and obstetricians need to know the importance of avoiding late-preterm delivery unless it is medically necessary.

Medical Complications among Late-Preterm Infants

Because many late-preterm babies are the size of infants born at full term, health care professionals may not always give these at-risk infants the special treatment and careful screening they deserve. Instead, hospital personnel and parents tend to treat these apparently healthy infants as if they were developmentally mature. Late-preterm infants have been called imposter babies because many of these "slightly early" newborns masquerade as full-term infants, appearing to need no special care after birth and being discharged as early as term babies. Yet, babies born even a few weeks early have an increased risk of medical complications after birth and may require a longer hospital stay than full-term infants. Late-preterm infants are more likely to develop low blood sugar, severe jaundice, breathing difficulties, and infections; to have difficulty maintaining their body temperature; and to experience feeding problems and excessive weight loss after birth. Late-preterm infants also are more likely to be re-admitted to the hospital in the early weeks of life for medical complications, including newborn jaundice, breastfeeding difficulties, dehydration, and possible infections.

The brain and nervous system are among the last systems to mature during fetal development, and some studies show that late-preterm infants have a higher risk of developmental and behavioral problems compared to full-term babies. Late-preterm infants also have a higher rate of birth defects and an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome. For all these reasons, late-preterm infants require close monitoring, evaluation, and follow-up after birth.

Breastfeeding Challenges among Late-Preterm Infants

The initiation of successful breastfeeding can be especially challenging for smaller, developmentally immature, late-preterm infants. These babies often have trouble latching on to the breast correctly and may be unable to breastfeed effectively at first because of their lower muscle tone and tendency to tire easily. Inadequate breastfeeding increases a newborn's risk for severe jaundice and excessive weight loss.

Some images from Motherwear's winter photo shoot.

Motherwear held its winter photo shoot last week, and here are a few cute shots of the process!

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

No more ads - formula and otherwise - on email subscriptions.

Recently, a reader named Susan emailed to inform me that formula ads were appearing at the bottom of her email updates from this blog.  Needless to say, we weren't happy about that.

We were told by the email subscription service, Feedblitz, that we couldn't control the ads that appear, so we upgraded our account.  Now, no ads should appear on those emails.

Thanks to all our subscribers for keeping up with the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog!

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

What do they call it?

I was recently reading this article in the New York Times about the need for parents to talk to their young children, and I was nodding along until I came to a screeching halt at this paragraph:

Teach your child the correct words and names for people, things, places and body parts, including “breast,” “penis” and “vagina.” If your child uses a baby word (“din-din,” for example), you can repeat it but also use the correct one (“dinner”).

Is there something wrong with calling a breast by another name, especially if a toddler has a special relationship with it?  I mean, if you think about it, don't adults half the time?

If we held a toddler to this standard, they would all be tottering around saying, or at least trying to say, "Mother, I would like to breastfeed now." 

I think that the baby names that kids come up with for nursing are really cute, and often funny.  My son used to call breasts "mimi's."  And then nursing became "other mimi" (which came out "uddy mimi") because the treat was always the "other side."  Can you blame a kid for focusing on dessert?

So, please tell me what your children call nursing.  Can't wait to hear.

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

Join the October Carnival of Breastfeeding: What I wish I'd known then

The theme for our next carnival of breastfeeding will be "what I wish I'd known then."  Here's your chance to join in!

Please send your submissions by October 19th.  The Carnival will be on October 26th.  As usual, we'll be looking for posts that are:

- Well-written and grammatically correct
- Thoughtful and directly on point for the carnival subject
- Submitted by blogs that pertain to subjects of interest to our readers (breastfeeding, parenting, etc.)

If your post is selected for inclusion, you will be asked on the day of the carnival to edit your post to link back to each of the other participants in the carnival. Examples of past carnivals can be found here.

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

Guest post: What to do if you're leaking and there's no baby in sight.

I'm very pleased to share some original illustrations from Adrienne Hedger, illustrator and co-author of If These Boobs Could Talk: A Little Humor to Pump up the Breastfeeding Mom.  She and her co-author Shannon Seip also wrote Momnesia, which was released this year.  They are blogging at Momnesia the Book.  Don't miss her post, "Sorry, facilities guy!"

Five things to do if you're leaking and there's no baby in sight

Do your boobs ever spring a leak at an inconvenient time? Don’t fret! The next time this happens, just use any of these five strategies to make the best of an awkward situation.

1.     You’re getting wet… so turn it into a dramatic and heartwarming moment by humming the tune to Titanic.

2.  Be productive.  Discreetly use your breast milk to water the nearest plant.

3.  Look for a fire to put out. Preferably a small fire.

4.  Make a beeline for the nearest bowl of cereal.  It's perfectly good milk, after all.

5.  Embrace the beauty of the moment.  Strike a pose (preferably on a sloping lawn) in the position of a beautiful fountain with "water" shooting from your nipples.

 

Mother kicked off plane for breastfeeding sues Delta.

Some of you may remember the case of Emily Gillette, who was kicked off a Delta/Freedom Airlines plane for breastfeeding in 2007.  It lead to protests at Delta counters at many airports around the country.

The Burlington Free Press reported then:

Gillette said she was seated in the second-to-last row, next to the window, when she began to breast-feed her daughter. Breast-feeding helps babies with the altitude changes through takeoff and landings, Gillette said. She said she was being discreet -- her husband was seated between her and the aisle -- and no part of her breast was showing.

Gillette said that's when a flight attendant approached her, trying to hand her a blanket and directing her to cover up. Gillette said she told the attendant she was exercising her legal right to breast-feed, declining the blanket. That's when Gillette alleges the attendant told her, "You are offending me," and told her to cover up her daughter's head with the blanket.

"I declined," Gillette said in her complaint.

Moments later, a Delta ticket agent approached the Gillettes and said that the flight attendant was having the family removed from the flight.

Gillette said she didn't raise her voice -- not wanting to make a scene in the current jumpy air travel atmosphere -- and complied with the ticket agent, crying as she exited the plane.

In 2008 the Vermont Human Rights Commission found that Freedom Airlines had discriminated against Gillette.  Though the flight Gillette was taking was a code-share between Delta Airlines and Freedom Airlines, the Commission did not charge Delta with discrimination.  The parties were given six months in which to reach a settlement agreement. 

According to the Burlington Free Press, negotiations to reach a settlement collapsed, and Gillette filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Burlington. 

Want more information on breastfeeding and the law?  Check out this podcast interview with Jake Marcus, J.D.

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.

Breastfeeding challenges by the season.

It's really feeling like fall here, with crisp air, cold nights, and lots of photo-worthy foliage.

As I was driving by some beautiful red-leaved trees this afternoon I started thinking about how some breastfeeding issues seem to change with the season.

Take thrush, for example.  Many women who struggle with yeast overgrowth find that a humid summer is the hardest time to beat it back.  It often improves when the air becomes more dry in fall.

And then there's Raynaud's Phenomenon.  As the weather gets cooler and dryer in the fall, I hear from women who had their babies in the summer and have been nursing comfortably.  Then, as the weather changes, they find that they're having a burning pain with nursing, and often in between feedings.  They're often treated for thrush before realizing that they are experiencing Raynaud's vasopsasm of the nipple.  More on the treatment of Raynaud's is here.

And I'm think that I've noticed more mastitis in the winter.  Do we get more dehydrated, or do we get so busy with holiday preparations that our nursing schedules become irregular?  Do over-stimulated babies change their nursing patterns, leading to more stasis of milk?  I don't know, but I'm pretty sure that winter is mastitis season.

Does any of this sound familiar to you?

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed? Subscribe here.  Want to subscribe to our breastfeeding podcasts on iTunes?  Click here.