NICU Life and the Risk of Post Traumatic StressI recently came across this article in the NY Times related to the risk of post traumatic stress disorder in parents of babies who have spent time in a NICU. For anyone who has had a baby in the NICU, you understand just how stressful a time it can be. Read More… Can you help? Labelling bottles for daycare…I received an email from a visitor to the site asking about labelling bottles for daycare. I, admittedly, have no experience sending bottles to daycare and never had the need to relabel bottles over and over, so I am posting her question here in the hopes that someone else may be able to help. Here’s her question: I pump into plastic Medela bottles each day (I’ve invested a small fortune as these puppies are several dollars apiece - I go through 8 a day and have 2 days worth so I can rotate them to the daycare.) The daycare requires that each one have the date on it even though I drop them off each morning and pick them ALL up each evening. How can I put the date on them wihout ruining the bottles? I’ve tried masking tape (falls off), freezer tape (won’t come off) and address labels (won’t come off). The daycare runs the bottles through a sterilizer. Any suggestions? If you have an easy solution, or any solution, to this problem, please leave a comment below. Thanks! Help Support Women to BreastfeedFrom the One Million Campaign website: “The ONE MILLION CAMPAIGN Support Women to Breastfeed is a campaign of the World Breastfeeding Movement with just one mission - to mobilize public opinion through one million signatures, demanding support to women to breastfeed. Most people think of breastfeeding as something that happens between the woman and her child: that this decision is in the personal domain. However, several factors affect women’s ability to breastfeed successfully: traditions, myths, status in the family and society, work load, confidence in her body and sexuality, economic needs, labour laws, domestic and workplace violence and harassment, availability of support services, advertising by commercial baby food manufacturers, and so on.” Most women who are exclusively pumping are painfully aware of the lack of support and knowledge available to new moms who are wanting to breastfeed. While some women make the choice to pump even before their baby is born, most moms who are EPing do so only after a difficult start to the breastfeeding relationship and often an inability to find the support necessary. Consider signing the petition on the One Million Campaign website and send a message to policy makers that breastfeeding matters! Expressing in EuropeIn our North American society, it is hard enough feeling comfortable to nurse a baby in public and more many women who are exclusively pumping, the thought of expressing in public is likely not even conceivable. Came across this news story in a European magazine discussing women who are expressing breast milk and I thought the pictures and the way they approached it was rather refreshing. Using a breast pump to express milk on either a part-time or full-time basis is a reality for many women today, and yet it is something often done alone and without the knowledge and support of others. Perhaps there is something to be considered and learned from this magazine article? Another Hands-free Pumping Bra
The Wonders of OxytocinI am greatly intrigued by the hormone oxytocin and its many, many roles. Oxytocin is often referred to as the “love hormone” since it encourages feelings of connectedness and love between people. The surge of oxytocin immediately following a normal delivery coupled with the high levels of prolactin (the mothering horomone which also allows milk production) in a mothers system serve to initiate the bonding between mom and baby Read More… Frozen Milk Management SystemWhen exclusively pumping, trying to manage and organize your frozen milk stash can be a source of frustration and annoyance. There are many possible ways to store your milk and even some storage systems that you can buy. Trying to ensure you use the oldest milk first often requires literally diving into your freezer, suffering frost bite on your hands, and even then, sometimes bags of milk get overlooked. Here’s an ingenious and yet extremely simple method of storing bags of frozen milk using nothing other than those many gift bags you undoubtedly have lying around the house. Wish I had thought of this one when I was pumping! Breast Milk Contains Stem CellsI think intuitively, most people recognize the power of human milk for human babies. However, it is nice to see science continuing to discover more amazing qualities of human milk. The most recent news is the discovery that human breast milk contains stems cells. I would imagine that this discovery could lead in many directions, but that’s for another time and another post. Here’s the link to more information about this recent discovery in Australia. Bisphenol A Leaching from Baby BottlesFeeding your baby expressed breast milk necessitates that you use a bottle and nipple. So the recent report released by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) showing that Bisphenol A is leaching out of hard, clear plastic bottles is particularly troubling. Bisphenol A has been shown to be a hormone modulator and has been linked to several forms of cancer. Read about the Environmental Working Group’s findings here. And here is the EWG’s information on baby-safe bottles and formula. Mariana Breastfeeding DollsWould you like to promote breastfeeding and help support the efforts of women in Chama Viva, Brazil? Check out these breastfeeding dolls made by the women of the community. By buying this doll you will be supporting Chama Viva’s activities and will support these women and their families. « Previous Page — Next Page » |
 
 
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